Ballot Paper Arrives

[Craig J]

I was quite frankly amazed (but not surprised) when I got my ballot paper. Just how much more biased could it have been.
However it clearly shows that there some worried people out there to have to go to such lengths to attempt to sway the vote at the last moment. I don't think it'll work as the poll on this forum suggests. It closed tonight with 60-odd percent in favour of disaffiliation. Ok there were only 80 voters, but I feel it's a fair snapshot of the general view.

When does the ballot close? When do we get the result?

[Baldy]

as far as I'm aware, Stockport features pretty minimally on the fellrunning scene.

YT

Sorry about the delay, but Baldy's been on his hollies!

Perhaps you are unaware that the FRA post of Junior Team Manager (international) is held by Bashir Hussein of Stockport Harriers himself an ex fell/mountain running international.

Awaiting your next gaffe!!

Baldy

[Luv Shack]

Since a Ballot on Affiliation was decided upon, (and I was at the AGM)...
I've tried to canvas opinion from those (fell runners) I know,
and many others I don't,
old & young, from "all sectors" of our community,
the active, the almost-rans (which does include me!),
those who have done much,
and those who will/could do much & a great deal more in the future...
and, what seems plain is that the majority of those I have spoken to,
who give their time freely, (on committees and in many other ways),
in pursuit of "running" the FRA/races etc, feel they will have difficulty in taking on the additional work/burden that a split from UKA will/could bring.....
so, at this moment, my initial view of a split ASAP.... might be a bit hasty..

I'm also of a mind that the wording on the paper is not designed to confuse or threaten...... and that our committee, would sever links tomorrow if UKA p*ss*d about again (as they did), at any time in the future...
But, I'm still undecided...

[Yorkshire Thug]

Sorry about the delay, but Baldy's been on his hollies!

Perhaps you are unaware that the FRA post of Junior Team Manager (international) is held by Bashir Hussein of Stockport Harriers himself an ex fell/mountain running international.

Awaiting your next gaffe!!

Baldy

Yo Baldy,

Hope you had a good holiday. I suppose you were one of the lucky ones basking in the sunshine up at Jura. Did you take your Stockport juniors with you?

Actually I've known Bashir for years, and he'd be the first to admit that Stockport Harriers have always had other areas of athletics to excel in rather than fell. He would also agree, I'm sure, that the amount of support the FRA gives juniors - great though it is - needs to increase rather than diminish … and that's what worries some of us pro-disaffiliators. We don't want to (literally) see the babies thrown out with the bathwater!

If you can't see the point I was trying to make, then I suggest that you go along to the next FRA junior event. I think you'll be surprised.

Love
YT

[Wheeze]

Luv Shack, whats the nature of the additional work? International teams and juniors would be best managed under the UKA umbrella following disaffiliation, so what other areas would become more onerous to make up for those departures?

[Fellhound]

Quote: YT: "I suggest that you go along to the next FRA junior event. I think you'll be surprised."

Or even better go to a BOFRA race and see what a REALLY vibrant junior scene looks like. Wot? Without "help" from UKA??? Surely not....

[mapper]

I've simply returned mine as requested with an 'x' in a box. Enough said.

[wkb21]

Plans for fell racing are here:
http://www.englandathletics.org/nort...-fell-running/
Keith/wbk, you had me worried for a minute there!
It'll stay blank (I hope) until we give them something to put on either from the FRA committee or via the Endurance Forum/Competition Management Group - unless you have a better idea.

I have! - Disaffiliate and cut out the organisation that seems to add no value and lots of pointless rules and bureaucratic treacle.

I would have thought that all the UKA staff, whom I'm told are there and eager to help us, would have jumped at this little opportunity to sell themselves and fill in the blanks. Check on progress:

http://www.englandathletics.org/nort...-fell-running/

So I ask, again, where is the real added value that's supposed to come from UKA? May we have a list please? Better still, answers to my earlier simple questions (posting #184) on this forum.

[Yorkshire Thug]

Quote: YT: "I suggest that you go along to the next FRA junior event. I think you'll be surprised."

Or even better go to a BOFRA race and see what a REALLY vibrant junior scene looks like. Wot? Without "help" from UKA??? Surely not....

I agree that BOFRA's junior scene is absolutely brilliant, and it's great to see these young people clearly enjoying their fell running, but fell isn't necessarily just the case of doing a race every once in a while - I've witnessed some of the FRA's junior training camps and, really, facilities like these, where young athletes get to run with and chat to top runners, are more than just about going faster; they provide real encouragement for these kids in a way which has to be seen to be understood.

Chaps like Wheeze and company who seem to think that, when we disaffiliate, UKA will simply pick up the baton and carry on servicing juniors, internationals etc where the FRA left off are simply wrong - it will not happen.

If the FRA does get the go-ahead to break away, then the FRA must have a plan for juniors. There isn't an alternative, I'm afraid … not for fell running.

[Toffer]

Chaps like Wheeze and company who seem to think that, when we disaffiliate, UKA will simply pick up the baton and carry on servicing juniors, internationals etc where the FRA left off are simply wrong - it will not happen.

If the FRA does get the go-ahead to break away, then the FRA must have a plan for juniors. There isn't an alternative, I'm afraid … not for fell running.

Well, Welsh Athletics(part of UKA) do it for Wales, why not UKA for England?