In this update:

1. Notice of AGM

2. Election for Chairman and Treasurer

3. Notice of personal injury claim

4. Planned changes to membership renewal date

5. Planned introduction of club affiliation

6. Ultimatum!2010

7. GB Grandmasters announcement

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1. Notice of AGM

UK Ultimate plans to hold an Annual General Meeting on Friday 13th May at the Bishops Cleave football club, Cheltenham GL52 3PD (venue for Mixed Tour 3) at approx 20:30.  Please check the website event page for further announcements, and also to sign up if you intend to come.

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2. Election for Chairman and Treasurer

During the latter part of 2010, Jaimie Cross resigned as Chairman, and Dom Hall resigned as Treasurer.  Many thanks to them for all the time and effort they have spent supporting Ultimate over the years.  The UK Ultimate board temporarily appointed Graham Mynott and Wayne Davey to the posts of Chairman and Treasurer respectively.  With the AGM coming up in May, we are now setting up an election for those positions. 

If you would like to put yourself forward (or would like to put someone else forward) for one of these roles, please email admin@ukultimate.com with your name, contact details and a brief "manifesto".  The closing date for applications is 30th April 2011.

Both Graham and Wayne will be standing to continue in these positions.

It will be possible to vote electronically ahead of the AGM, OR in person at the meeting itself. 

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3. Personal injury claim

A personal injury claim has been brought against UK Ultimate in respect of a serious incident that occurred in July 2007. UK Ultimate has insurance and is receiving legal advice, but if any members feel they might have relevant, specific, professional expertise they are welcome to contact Simon Hill.

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4. Planned changes to membership renewal date

Since 2007, UKU membership has run on the basis that it lasts one year from the date of initial purchase.  Technically if members renew early or late, the membership should still run for one year from the original purchase date.  Whilst this has always worked for people renewing early, the reality is more complicated for those who renew late.  The system also has the effect of making accounting for the membership more complicated than is necessary.

Based on the experience of the last few years, the board has concluded that we should in fact revert to the system of membership running from a fixed renewal date for all members.  We are planning that this date will be 30th Sept/1st October on the basis that October provides a 2-3 week gap between the end of the outdoor season and the beginning of the (uni) indoor season. 

It is planned that this change will take effect from 1st October 2012. 

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5. Planned introduction of club affiliation

UK Ultimate will also start introducing a club affiliation process this year.  This is driven by a need to have a somewhat more formal relationship with "the clubs" rather than simply with individual members.

There are several reasons for taking this step - as always - some of the reasons won't apply equally to everyone:

- UKU now provides a safeguarding policy and information pack for clubs and as part of that we wanted to provide some sort of process by which clubs with members that are under-18 could register that fact with UK Ultimate

- Decision-making: we have organised our sport and governing body to allow the UKU board (or appointed sub-committees) to make the majority of decisions.  Nonetheless, some decisions are voted on by the membership (e.g. board elections), and in other situations it would make more sense to be able to poll "the clubs".  Putting an affiliation process in place will give us a first step in being able to do that.

- Increasingly clubs that book practice venues from sports halls, sports fields providers are asked to arrange public liability insurance.  By introducing a club affiliation scheme we will be able to extend the existing liability insurance cover to include club committees in addition to the players, which will be a significant cost-saving compared to each club arranging their own insurance.

- We want/need to do more to signpost ultimate clubs to would-be players in their area.  Currently the club information on the UKU website is extremely patchy, and we have no central mechanism for taking general enquiries about the sport and directing them towards appropriate clubs and/or club representatives.  We plan that this step will help us (as a sport) to help clubs be more accessible to individuals in their community.

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6. Ultimatum!2010

You may have noticed that Ultimatum!2010 is late.  Very late in fact.  We can really only offer our apologies and confirm (before you ask) that we've taken some steps to try to avoid the same thing happening again next year.

This latest edition is now at the printers, and from there will soon be delivered to your door, ... unless of course, your address on the UKU website is out of date, incomplete or non-existent!  Please - in particular - check that you have included a house name or number in your address.

Who gets Ultimatum?

Each year's edition is sent to those people whose membership was current at the end of the year in question, so please note that if you joined for the first time during 2011 then you will not receive a 2010 copy, but will be entitled to a 2011 copy.

Ultimatum! is sent to Full Members (including the Full Uni/U18 members) and to individuals that take out the "Ultimatum subscription" option.

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7. GB Grandmasters announcement

We are pleased to announce that John Purdie has been appointed as team manager for the GB Grandmasters Beach team at WCBU 2011.  Congratulations and thanks John!

Please look out for further announcements on this from John in the coming days.

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