CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

to the 33rd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

held on Monday, 8^th June, 2009 at the R.A.F.A. Club, Cleethorpes,
Commencing at 7.30 p.m. (more or less...)

Your caring, sharing Web Mistress thought you might like to know what you missed if you weren't there. 8-)

1.A TOUCH OF TECHNOLOGY

The Quiz League is a curious mix of go getters and steady Eddies. There are those who keep up with today's pop music and those who are firmly rooted in the good old days of the '60s or for some perhaps in vaudeville. We have those who push boundaries and those who are well hemmed in by solid fences. In G.& D.Q.L., we have always tried to cater for everyone, and this year has been no different. We have delivered again on the traditional array of competitions, but have also pushed forward with some new ideas.

After the excitement of last year introducing the Brain of Grimsby competition, this year another brush with technology with a finger-on-the-buzzer event. The website has continued apace and there has even been talk of using new fangled computers for our publicity and communication. So a year of something old and something new, but still a successful year with a full season of competitions and social events.

2. PLAYING SEASON 2008/9

THE LEAGUE

The League increased to twenty from nineteen last year through the addition of Pond Life. We organised again into three divisions, the top two with seven teams and division three of six teams. All teams played the others in its division twiceThe trophy winners were:

Division 1: Winners Surplus Rowdies Runners Up: Nemesis

Division 2: Winners Rasen

Division 3: Winners Pond Life - our new team

The wooden spoon, awarded for effort without success was earned by Simple Minds who appear to be seeking ownership of this particular award.

TEAM HANDICAP KNOCKOUT – THE MALCOLM GREEN TROPHY

There were twenty entries to the Team Knockout both last year and this year. The first round was again played in January and by the time it reached Finals Night on 27th April, SWATS and Rasen were the remaining contenders.

On questions by R.A.F.A. Dipsos, SWATS managed a win by 97 to 90.

INDIVIDUAL KNOCKOUT – THE GRAHAM FIELDING TROPHY

Entries to the Individual Knockout Open ha fallen from fourteen to thirteen to twelve over the past three years. It was Andrew Hunter and Alan Bentley who reached the final. So balanced were the questions provided by Tree Singleton that the 13 all draw went on to a 3 all draw on the extra five questions. In the end it was Andrew who won this exciting match on a tie break.

INDIVIDUAL KNOCKOUT SHIELD – THE GWYNETH WELHAM TROPHY

Entries for the Individual Shield fell to twelve last year from fourteen but rose again in 2008/9 back to fourteen. Harry Buck once again carried the burden of question setting for the entire competition. The final saw Rasen take the stage once more with Ian Welham taking on Mick Cavanagh of Pond Life, and taking the win.

Once again Ian has taken this trophy which was last year dedicated to the memory of his mother Gwyneth. How fitting and well done!

PAIRS HANDICAP – THE DENNIS HOOK TROPHY

Sixteen pairs entered this competition. Last year it was eighteen, but this remains a popular and successful competition for the League. Games were played on 11th February, and on the 10th April the remaining games up to the semi-finals were played out.

The final this year was between Andrew Hunter & Alan Bentley and Mick Cavanagh & Chris Godwin. Harry did the questions for the final which gave Mick and Chris victory by 32 points to 27.

TABLE QUIZ

The Table quiz before Christmas was once again held at the Bird's Eye Club. Superbly run by Surplus Rowdies it led to trophies for R.A.F.A. Dipsos, Rasen and Pond Life.

A second table top quiz was held at the Birds Eye Club at Easter courtesy of Mick Cavanagh and colleagues. Appropriately easter eggs were the prizes. . I was sorry not to be able to get along but a good night was had by all so many thanks to those involved especially the question the setters/organisers.

BUZZER QUIZ

It was at the instigation of Andrew Hunter that we ran a buzzer quiz with buzzers and associated electronics provided via Rod Mitchell. Six teams took part in a University Challenge type format on Andrew’s questions. Those who took part enjoyed the variety of the evening. Well done and thanks to Andrew and Rod.

3. PRESENTATION NIGHT

Presentation Night was held on 27th April at the Birds Eye Club. The finals of the Team Knockout, the Individual Shield, the Individual Knockout and the Pairs Handicap were all played on the night. The evening was very informal and we once again enjoyed a substantial buffet (with gorgeous real bread and dripping! Ed.) Thanks the Birds Eye Club catering department.

This was funded by the league and was complimentary to those who attended. Our guest of honour was Roy Starling from the early days of the League. He gave us some interesting reflections on the league over the years and received a liquis token of our gratitude. Our thanks to go to Roy.

The Bent Cup was again awarded this year. It went to Pete Daniel (and to his sister for her forebearance)The Norrie Lyons Trophy for most sporting team was well deserved by longtime supporters Bux Kwiz and The Rene Burnett Cup for best question setters went to Apostles.

I must record here the hard work of Sheila and Tree on presentation night. On top of organisational burdens, they run the raffle and the buffet. Thanks too, to Harry for organising the publicity, and to Sheila for dealing with the presentation gift.

As usual we were provided with splendid trophies and I would like to record our thanks to Dave Shearsmith of Trophies Direct, and his wife Yvonne for looking after us so well.

I would add that a couple of the trophies were again quite badly damaged this year. They have been repaired at League expense, but can I please ask teams and players to try to look after trophies under their care.

4. SECONDARY SCHOOLS QUIZ

For a further successive year, G.& D.Q.L. ran a quiz for Secondary Schools. It was held on Friday 6th February 2009 at Hereford Technology School. Healing beat last years overall champions , Toll Bar, into second place. The Under-15s and Under-13s were won by Healing and Hereford Technology School respectively.

The event was sponsored by N.E.L.C. Children’s Services, Wilkin Chapman Solicitors, and Hereford Technology School.

The event is self-financing and does not impact on G.& D.Q.L. funds. It is a most rewarding experience for those who have taken part. The organisation is quite demanding and I would thank all those involved including Ian Townsend, Dick Birtles, Geoff Turner, Prue, Tree, Sheila, Mark, Harry, Andrew, Dave and Yvonne Shearsmith, and the ten secondary schools that took part.

5. ORGANISING COMMITTEE

The committee had a strength of ten this year. The members have been:

Unfortunately Liz had to resign through pressure of work part way through the season and I wish to thank her for her help and support while she was also bringing up her family. Thanks also to Jo Robinson who was kind enough to assist with minutes for our last meeting.

There were eight committee meetings during the year. Four members attended all eight, four attended seven, and one attended five. This is an overall attendance level of over 90%, which is excellent, and an improvement on the 82% of last year.

Yet again it has been a very full year. But one which has gone off very smoothly due to the efforts of your committee members. We are a small team and as you will have noticed the same names keep cropping up in many different areas of G.& D.Q.L. activity.

Andrew is your Vice Chair. He keeps us on the right track with fixtures and I.T. This year he organised The Buzzer Quiz and we are grateful as always for all his efforts. As you know

Sheila keeps our accounts and our archive and has done since 1975, over 33 years. Amongst other things she also co-ordinates games makes bouquet presentations, runs name cards, and organises refreshments for the schools quiz. I must now add that she has prepared for any mishap, and we have been told that if anything happens to Sheila, the G.& D.Q.L. records are behind the sofa and in the bottom of the wardrobe. I’m not sure where she plans on going? Thanks Sheila for everything you do.

As League Secretary, Tree deals with all our correspondence, venue links, re-arranged games, organises raffles and liases with Sheila on mailshots. This is a crucial post and has been performed brilliantly by Tree. Thank you.

Prue holds a wide portfolio with scorekeeping, league tables, and schools quiz questions and, as our substitute minutes secretary, has been heavily called upon this year. Prue Tree and Mark all ask questions at our annual schools quiz, but it is Prue who co-ordinates the entire effort. She once again deserves our thanks.

How appropriate it is that Harry co-ordinates and often writes our publicity. He has a dry wit which keeps committee meetings alive and of course delivers an entire competition – the Individual Knockout Shield. This falls on top of the duties all members of the committee undertake in organising and setting questions for the various competitions. Thanks Harry.

Geoff looks after the management of league equipment, and has done since 2003. In those days there always seemed to be problems. Since Geoff has taken over, it has become an area that ticks along without concern. Anxieties over name cards, clock and batteries have become a thing of the past. Thanks Geoff.

I call Mark and Frank executives without portfolio, but both provide solid input to all our meetings, competitions and debates. They do questions for our many competitions and it is most often they who step in when there is a need for extra help on a fixture or competition.

G.& D.Q.L. duties remain a demand upon all of the committee. If things run smoothly as most often they do, it is only because of the unseen efforts of all my committee colleagues and I want to thank them all for their remarkable contribution without which G.& D.Q.L. would not survive. I would thank Mark too for the support he raises for schools quiz hospitality gifts.

Our website has been growing from strength to strength. This is down to Rod and Sue Mitchell who have done a fantastic job of building and operating the G.& D.Q.L. website www.grimsbyquiz.co.uk. It continues in that unique, if slightly perverse humour that only Sue can deliver. [ Only slightly perverse, Malcolm? Dear, dear, I must be slipping! Note to self: must try harder next season. ;-) Ed. ] It is a great innovation and our thanks go to Sue and Rod.

6.VENUES

During the year we continued to use the Bridge Club on Mondays, and the R.A.F.A. Club on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. We have had a good relationship with all venues this year and I would thank everyone for their part in clearing up after games and for maintaining positive relationships with the venues. As mentioned elsewhere we also used the Birds Eye Club which has proved a good location for quiz activity and is becoming a regular location for our larger events.

7. FINAL THOUGHTS

I should record here our thanks once again to Wilkin Chapman and to Mark Robinson who continue to provide a sponsorship donation to us. This has made our life easier for several years now and I would ask Mark to convey our thanks to his colleagues.

So the 2008/09 season saw yet more competitions, financial stability, the further development of a GDQL website and yet again a full range of successful games. We have not invested in Icelandic banks, and no expenses for the clearing of moats has been approved. We also have a better turn out for our elections. Perhaps we should move into politics. Thank you all for your support and good luck for next season.

Malcolm R* Towle
Chairman
Grimsby and District Quiz League
8th June2009

* Slightly Perverse Web Mistress wonders what the 'R' stands for...?

Reginald? Raphael? Rupert? Rex? Roscoe? Ruaidhri? Ahh, think I've got it.

Rambo!

What? Works for me... ;-)

S.P.W.M. creeps softly away, tittering impishly.