Friends of the Ochils Newsletter 20: Spring 2002
Friends of the Ochils AGM 2001
David Robertson reports
The Friends' Annual General Meeting 2001 (Alloa Town Hall, 1 November) proved to be a landmark occasion and a pointer to more thorough surveillance of the entire Ochils range. Retiring chairman, Alistair Lawson, told a fair attendance of members about the appointment of LBAP (local biodiversity action plan) officers, and recreation and access officers by local authorities. LBAP officers will prepare species and habitat surveys, and devise plans for their conservation. Alistair saw opportunities for cooperation with the new officials in authorities around the Ochils, including the soon-to-be-appointed recreation and access officers. He made a plea for feedback from members.
Dave Hewitt succeeded Alistair as chairman, Jimmy Horne became a member of the executive committee, while Patrick Stirling-Aird, a committee member since the FotO was founded in 1993, stood down.
Alan Dawson, who designed our website and will maintain it, was introduced. He gave an impressive quick sample of its contents. Dr David Gordon, treasurer and membership secretary, has taken on the secretary's duties from David Robertson, who continues as minute secretary.
Robin Kelsall, our chief publicist and slide-show controller, presented a cleverly personalised version of the outstanding Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland book "Well Shelterd & Watered" - the story of Menstrie Glen.
A Friend from the north side of the Ochils, Dave Prentice, delighted the audience with a selection of fine slides featuring the Ochils and other Scottish mountains.
Dave Hewitt, the new chairman, thanked retiring chairman Alistair Lawson for his sterling work during his term. He then thanked everyone for their attendance.
Robin Kelsall adds:
Hi Chair! Those of you unable to attend last November's AGM missed a most moving little ceremony as outgoing Chair Alistair Lawson welcomed incoming Chair Dave Hewitt. Handed down directly from the tribe of the Maeatae (who occupied the fort on the western shoulder of Dumyat before it was condemned by a forerunner of Stirling Council because of a lack of separate toilet facilities and a damp-proof course), this ancient call-and-response ritual was used in the transfer of power from the old Chief to the new. At the respectfully hushed AGM, it went thus - AL: "Cheers mate". DH: "Yeah, cheers".
And what of our new Chair? Well, he's a man who loves being on the hills and what he ain't climbed ain't worth climbing. (Not sure about that - Chair.) A journalist, he can only be good for FotO in terms of promoting/fighting its corner through the medium of the printed word - something he's already done anent that mast. He's a perceptive man with an engagingly droll sense of humour, easy to get on with ... oh, and he's tall - very. A rumour that Vodafone approached him with a view to becoming a part-time mobile mast to accommodate sedentary mobile phones is no more than a vile calumny put about, we suspect, by those of a vertically-challenged build.
A good man to have on our side.