As many people who know me, I am a bit of a stirrer BUT I am also a bit of an achiever. My real name is Alyn Vincent and I have been a member of the VOC for nearly forty years. I have been a section organiser, secretary, treasurer and rally organiser. I was the main organiser of the 2007 International rally. Personally asked by President Bryan to see what I could do when we were in Vancouver in 2003.
I find this whole discussion disgusting. It should never have come to this. I have known personally our esteemed President for decades, Mark Goodson and I have shared each other's company in our respective homes and I think we are all in agreement that Andrew Everett, Jacqueline Bickerstaff, Ian Savage and Graham Smith have all made this club what it is today. It was Mark who changed the financial strategy of the club so it could now own its own clubhouse. To be crude, Andrew could organise a brothel in a convent if it was required! Ian of course made the VOCS what it now is. Jacqueline has more brain cells than any three normal people!! Graham has taken MPH to levels that John Webber could never have imagined. What has the current executive done to put themselves into such exalted company? Simple. Started a shit fight that was totally unnecessary.
The body language of our Secretary during the GCM was beyond the pale!! She knew what was coming because she personally harvested the proxies for Tim and Arthur only three days before the GCM. This was in contravention of the VOC rules but hey, it was necessary to succeed so let's just ignore the rules. Of course Ernie as assistant secretary needed a proxy to vote so he trolled the North London Section and I can tell you they are not happy. Neither the North London Section nor the New South Wales Section gave any direction to their proxies (Ernie and Arthur) on how to vote because they were not asked AND they were unaware of what votes were going to take place. Shameful.
IF the general membership is to know the full story this has to be put into MPH which is still the main focus of information for this club. Will someone please write a letter to the editor to explain to everyone around the world how it has come to this??
To Debbie, Bev and Bob, write letters to MPH!!! You have less chance of being censored and censured in MPH than here. On that note I was summarily barred from this forum last week without the knowledge of the webmaster and with no notice given to me. For the moment that is all I will say.
Sadly there are several longstanding members who have already made it known that they will not be renewing their membership in 2022. A declining membership will put a strain on the finances on the VOC and at the moment the reply from the executive is to raise fees. There are other ways, such as reducing colour content, obtaining more advertising, reducing pages and finally.... making the magazine bi-monthly. That last step would be a bold move to say the least but it would HALVE postage costs in one fell swoop.
If this video of the GCM gets out (and I suspect it has) we will be the laughing stock of the classic motorcycle world. I can see the headline in The Classic Motorcycle.."Vincent Owners Club Riven by Internal Dispute" Heads roll and a crisis looms.! Yup.
Sorry, but I am not finished. The comment by Vincent Speet in post #13 is interesting. He seconded Arthur Farrow's nomination of Stuart for Chairman.
Would there be anyone out there who is brave/committed to put forward a proposal "This club [The VOC Members Club] censures Arthur Farrow for his comments/inferences made against the integrity of Graham Smith at the GCM AND furthermore demands Arthur Farrow makes a written apology to Graham Smith in MPH" ? Failing that "This club should consider whether Arthur Farrow should be allowed to remain a member of the club" ? In many respects there are some strong ties to the Prosper Keating case but I think I better leave it there.
Thank you for your time and patience.
Alyn
