Untitled - Dark Peak Fell Runners

EDALE
SKYLINE
Why, you may ask, did club officials hold a secret meeting to
discuss the future of the Edale Skyline? They did so because the
meeting took place after the copy deadline for the last
newsletter, because I scribbled a rushed account of it on a piece
of scrap paper under the influence of Guiness and because the
editor can't read. Thus it was that a "recent meeting" appeared in
print as a "secret meeting", and a conspiracy was born.
Rest assured that no decisions about the Skyline will be
taken in secret - we intend to cover our rears by ensuring the
widest possible consultation. So if the substance does hit the
fan, it will be widely dispersed. Let me therefore expand on the
"Stop Press" item in the last newsletter, and bring you fully up
to date on discussions.
First, to recap. As usual the AGM discussed the future of the
Skyline at some length and was unable to reach a view. But it was
accepted that the race had become too much for one individual to
handle, and the club committee was asked to meet after the next
Sportsman run and consider a better structure.
We did this in consultation with members who have been most
closely involved with the race over the years. There was unanimity
on several points:
- the club has leaned too heavily on people who had volunteered
to organise the race. These people deserved massive thanks
but were now an extinct species. Unless we dispersed the load
there would be no race;
- the race was attracting an uncomfortably large field. It was
difficult to manage in the village hall, and on the course.
There were potential problems of erosion and of compatibility
with a tiny rural village We also risked becoming too
conspicuous in the eyes of the landowners, and the
"authorities" (a point made more pertinent by the attitude of
the National Trust towards events around Derwent Edge);
- this was compounded by the entry on the day system, which
caused headaches for organisers in the village hall and
seemed to encourage too many "wallies";
- the entry fee was too low to guarantee covering costs;
- more help was needed from club members and it needed to be
volunteered earlier, to prevent the stalwarts having to
dragoon people at the last minute;
Hence the proposed new arrangements which were sketched out
in the last newsletter.
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