Within motor sport these days there seems to be a
flurry of on-line activity with training courses and seminars catering
for all disciplines, plus of course various registration schemes and
‘exams’ for those wishing to qualify for higher grades of Marshalling,
organising and officiating.
However, many ordinary club members, competitors and fans will be
unaware of the numbers and depth of this on-line resource, although much
of this behind the scenes work is necessary and even compulsory in
these times of ‘enlightened’ attitudes to Health & Safety not to
mention Political Correctness. There are of course still some face to
face meetings and discussions arranged at public venues around the
country but they seem to be fewer in number these days as folks talk
‘Teams’ or turn to ‘Zoom’.
And that’s a pity, you can’t have a right old argy-bargy over
t’internet, because the host can always hit the ‘cancel’ button rather
than face criticism or answer awkward questions. When you have a panel
of experts facing an assembled throng in a public meeting room or
assembly hall it’s much more difficult to escape and if a question has
not been adequately answered or explained, the Chair won’t find it as
easy to move on to another subject until the matter at hand has been
dealt with. Think ‘Question Time’ on the beeb.
Of course there are pluses and minuses to the on-line alternative.
Such meetings can be held more often and more easily as required without
the cost of hiring rooms and travelling to and from venues which may be
quite some distance away for some attendees, especially those in the
north or the deep south west. On the other hand some might say (surely
not?) that on-line meetings are preferable because those who are being
held to account can more easily dodge the pertinent issues and
persistent questioners.
With that in mind, Motorsport UK is hosting what could be a rather
important meeting later this month to which only two representatives
from each motor club will be allowed to join in.
So why will this Club Webinar be different? Facing the great
British motor sports club elite will be David Richards CBE, Chair of
Motorsport UK, and Hugh Chambers, Chief Executive Officer. Topics to be
discussed will include the results from the recent member survey,
activities and achievements from 2022, as well as plans for 2023
including Motorsport UK’s Vision 2030. I just hope this will not simply
be a ‘talking shop’ but also include a ‘listening shop’.
Mr Chambers has been in his post for five years now while Mr
Richards has one year left of his second three year term as Chair. Many
promises were made at the start of that ‘new dawn’ but what has been
achieved, and missed? Admittedly Covid and Lockdown intervened but I’d
still to like to see their Report Card and what might be scrawled across
it in black ink - or red!
The meeting is due to start at 7.00pm. I sincerely hope that MS UK
have ensured that they have booked a decent time slot and not the
standard ‘free’ 55 minute introductory offer period. I also hope that
the club reps get themselves armed with their questions beforehand - and
ensure they get answers. Motor sport is in a perilous position these
days, especially the off-track disciplines.
