chairman's newsletter 2016
It does not seem possible that a year has passed since I last wrote to you all about the 12 months ahead.
At our last AGM the committee’s vision was to provide members with new water to offer additional options to Oxford Water. Sadly, our first attempt did not come off as planned due to financial costs. This setback did not stop our search and due to individual’s persistence, a new water was found in Syresham (Jubilee lake) which is perfect for our needs. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to offer members new challenges in different surroundings.
Hopefully you will have seen from the website a selection of the fish that have been recently added as promised last year once we had secured a water. We intend to open on 1st June for general fishing and will not be holding any matches on it for the first year, allowing the lake to settle. For the first year alongside the general rules we have included the following additions to help with the settling process. They are, fishing only with barbless or micro barb hooks and no keepnets. Please respect these rules to allow our fish to thrive in their new surroundings.
Also to increase the options for our members we have been in negotiations with Winslow AC who have their home in Mursley. They have an estate lake set in tranquil surroundings that is stocked with a good head of Tench and lots of lilies to fish up against. Please check out Winslow and District Fishing Club’s Website if you wish to find out more. It has been agreed that a total of 20 members can apply and will get membership to this water as well. In repayment, we will allow 20 of their members to join us and have access to Oxford Water only. We have settled for 20 this year to see how it works and we will review it at the end of the year to see if it has been successful for both clubs. There may then be scope for more members to take advantage of this offer but time will tell.
As with every improvement there is an inevitable cost and we have had to embrace this, but we have also worked very hard to limit the additional cost to our members. As a committee, we have agreed the new membership fees for the coming season. For membership to Oxford Water, Jubilee Lake in Syresham and the river the new adult ticket will now be £35 a small but necessary increase. Juniors prices will remain the same at £15 for 11 to 18 year olds (this upper age being increased in line with the new education rules), with under 11s still being free if an Adult family member already has a current season ticket. The cost for membership to Oxford Water, Jubilee Lake in Syresham, Mursley and the River will be £40 which includes an administration fee of £5 to Winslow AC. We hope you see the reasons for our price rises when at the AGM at 8.00pm on 3rd May 2016 at The Buckingham School, London Road, Buckingham, where you will see how much money has been invested in improving the facilities for our members.
Due to there only being 20 tickets for Mursley to make it fair to everyone it has been agreed that members wishing to join should not pay the £40 upfront but instead pay £35. On the form, there will be the opportunity to express your interest to include Mursley within your membership. If we have over 20 members wishing to join, then a ballot will take place with members being informed by 16th May if they have been successful or not in their bid. The membership joining form is attached and also available on the website so please go ahead and make your choices ASAP so as to be included if you so wish.
I, along with the committee, am very excited about the future of Stowe Angling Club. On your behalf, I would like to thank the committee for all their continued hard work and dedication to putting Stowe AC on the map. Without them we would not have a club, at a time where some clubs are folding or losing waters we are in a very fortunate position to be growing, especially when you consider we still have two fully paid up years on both Oxford Water and the river.
Our membership is still open to new members at the moment, so if you know anyone who would like to join us please feel free to pass on a copy of this newsletter or direct them to the website or Dave Gillman.
All the very best
Graham
Chairman
At our last AGM the committee’s vision was to provide members with new water to offer additional options to Oxford Water. Sadly, our first attempt did not come off as planned due to financial costs. This setback did not stop our search and due to individual’s persistence, a new water was found in Syresham (Jubilee lake) which is perfect for our needs. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to offer members new challenges in different surroundings.
Hopefully you will have seen from the website a selection of the fish that have been recently added as promised last year once we had secured a water. We intend to open on 1st June for general fishing and will not be holding any matches on it for the first year, allowing the lake to settle. For the first year alongside the general rules we have included the following additions to help with the settling process. They are, fishing only with barbless or micro barb hooks and no keepnets. Please respect these rules to allow our fish to thrive in their new surroundings.
Also to increase the options for our members we have been in negotiations with Winslow AC who have their home in Mursley. They have an estate lake set in tranquil surroundings that is stocked with a good head of Tench and lots of lilies to fish up against. Please check out Winslow and District Fishing Club’s Website if you wish to find out more. It has been agreed that a total of 20 members can apply and will get membership to this water as well. In repayment, we will allow 20 of their members to join us and have access to Oxford Water only. We have settled for 20 this year to see how it works and we will review it at the end of the year to see if it has been successful for both clubs. There may then be scope for more members to take advantage of this offer but time will tell.
As with every improvement there is an inevitable cost and we have had to embrace this, but we have also worked very hard to limit the additional cost to our members. As a committee, we have agreed the new membership fees for the coming season. For membership to Oxford Water, Jubilee Lake in Syresham and the river the new adult ticket will now be £35 a small but necessary increase. Juniors prices will remain the same at £15 for 11 to 18 year olds (this upper age being increased in line with the new education rules), with under 11s still being free if an Adult family member already has a current season ticket. The cost for membership to Oxford Water, Jubilee Lake in Syresham, Mursley and the River will be £40 which includes an administration fee of £5 to Winslow AC. We hope you see the reasons for our price rises when at the AGM at 8.00pm on 3rd May 2016 at The Buckingham School, London Road, Buckingham, where you will see how much money has been invested in improving the facilities for our members.
Due to there only being 20 tickets for Mursley to make it fair to everyone it has been agreed that members wishing to join should not pay the £40 upfront but instead pay £35. On the form, there will be the opportunity to express your interest to include Mursley within your membership. If we have over 20 members wishing to join, then a ballot will take place with members being informed by 16th May if they have been successful or not in their bid. The membership joining form is attached and also available on the website so please go ahead and make your choices ASAP so as to be included if you so wish.
I, along with the committee, am very excited about the future of Stowe Angling Club. On your behalf, I would like to thank the committee for all their continued hard work and dedication to putting Stowe AC on the map. Without them we would not have a club, at a time where some clubs are folding or losing waters we are in a very fortunate position to be growing, especially when you consider we still have two fully paid up years on both Oxford Water and the river.
Our membership is still open to new members at the moment, so if you know anyone who would like to join us please feel free to pass on a copy of this newsletter or direct them to the website or Dave Gillman.
All the very best
Graham
Chairman