News from Council

September 27, 2012

Chairman’s Address

In her final AGM speech as British Rowing Chairman, Di Ellis recognised the expectations met and exceeded by staff, volunteers, coaches and rowers in the past year.

“I feel hugely privileged to chair my last British Rowing AGM when the sport is on such a high,” Di said. “It has been an incredible year.

“Years ago, in an interview with Rowing & Regatta magazine, I was asked what my hopes were for the future. I had fourteen hopes, and I am pleased to say that 10 of them have already been achieved – two of them in this last year alone.

“These were for regional councils to have a fully integrated role within the ARA (British Rowing), and to see women reach the same level as men internationally.”

Rowing’s success on the water this summer has led to unrivalled attention off it, and Di was also keen to highlight the work behind the scenes which helped ensure that rowing was ready for the surge in interest.

“At both the Olympic and Paralympic Games at the ‘Get Involved’ tent, our staff’s efforts resulted in more than 32,000 people using the Club Finder. Our clubs have been inundated with people inspired to take part in Learn to Row courses, plus a thousand enquiries from young people wanting to join the Start programme. The public satisfaction rate at Eton Dorney was 97 per cent.

“What all this has demonstrated is the incredible commitment from both our staff and volunteers through business as usual – running the sport through our members and committees, preparing a new Whole Sport Plan, using prudent financial management and restructuring our sport, all whilst being involved in the biggest sporting event in the world.”

British Rowing Structure

The AGM and Ordinary Council meetings on 22 September saw British Rowing’s restructure take shape, with new representatives and chairmen elected to Council.

For a closer look at how the new structure of British Rowing will work – from clubs and events involving individual rowers and volunteers right up to Council and the Executive Board – see the updated British Rowing structure flowchart.

New Council Membership

VOTING

Board Members

Chairman	Di Ellis
Deputy Chairman	Gary Harris
Deputy Chairman	Annamarie Phelps
Treasurer	Oliver Kimberley
Chairman Finance Cttee	Mike Williams
Scottish Rowing	Mike Morrice
Welsh Rowing	Steve Osborne
Chairman Sport Cttee	Matt Stallard
Deputy Chairman Sport Cttee	Andrew Crawford
Athletes Representative	Phelan Hill
2 x Independent Directors	TBC
2 x Representatives elected by Council from within Council	TBC

Regions

East	Brian Hawden Andrew Johnson (vacancy)
East Midlands	Geoff Nicholls
North	Mike Laing Barbara Millns
North West	Chris Edwards Bonner Davies
Thames	Martin Humphrys Mark Blandford-Baker Peter Knowles Tony Evans (vacancy TU-4) Filip Ljubicic Luke Dillon Chris George Martin Teale
Wessex & S. E. Coast	Colin Eales
WAGS	Phil Clements
West	Ray Mallett
West Midlands	Bob Bayliss Chris Anton
Yorkshire	Andrew Cawood