breathed new life into it, including running a very successful competition to name our club mascot "Dibber".  We also had the launch of the new club car stickers, which we hope you are displaying proudly in the back of your Ford Escort, VW or Landrover.

BOF encouraged all clubs to introduce differential entry fees for members and non-members at the beginning of the year.  A common policy did not emerge within YHOA and  the committee took the decision not to charge differential fees at Aire events for the time being.

At last year's AGM we announced plans to re-invigorate the network of Permanent Orienteering Courses around our area, with a view to organising more low key beginners events.  Unfortunately, we have been unable to recruit an interested volunteer and so nothing has happened on this front.  Anyone interested?

The club weekend last autumn was also blessed with fine weather. We were unable to go and so are particularly looking forward to this year's pilgrimage to the Lake District. 

The switch round of Fixtures Secretary jobs has not made it any easier to recruit event officials!  It's said every year because it's always true .. events will not happen unless volunteers come forward to do the key jobs.  Hirst Wood was cancelled largely because of a volunteer shortage.  If you are interested but feel you lack skills or experience please don't hold back.  People are more than happy to help and buddy up.

Team Aire made TWO appearances in the Compass Sport Final, the juniors were fourth at the Peter Palmers and reached the final again in the Yvette Baker trophy.  There were notable individaul and team performances at the JK and the British Championships.  The juniors shared the honours with the girls triumphant in JK's W48 and the M14 boys winning at the British. It's been an excellent year for Team Aire.  As anchor leg for the victorious trio in the Medium Open at the British Martyn is still shell shocked ..

Many club juniors have been selected for tours and to represent England and GB.  One reason we have overspent the budget is our continued commitment to supporting selected juniors. 
In the club league, Tom Crowther took the trophy with the notable achievement of scoring more than maximum points on average across his best 7 events.  That really throws down the gauntlet for next year's challengers who have not only to achieve perfection, but exceed it.

The committee has again worked very hard this year and we are grateful for their support in making our job easier.  Thanks in particular to Alex in her first year as Treasurer, to Frank Kew who has had great success in publicising the sport and successful club members in the local media, and to Antony and Carol Cam who have been so creative in organising a range of social events this year.  Thanks also to Guy, who after several years as Fixture Secretary, has handed those reigns onto Ian Marshall, although he has retained an interest through taking the lead on permissions and access issues.

Despite delays we did move house and we now have a much bigger living room in which to hold committee meetings.  Three days after our move we flew off to France to enjoy the first of our two orienteering holidays this summer.  What France lacked in technical orienteering, it made up for in the weather and the wonderful company shared with other club members for the week. I hope we can repeat the idea at a future foreign event maybe next year or the one after.   Moray 2003, certainly made up for France in the technical department, and those of us who travelled up to the Highlands will have relished the challenges we faced each day.  Those memories will help to sustain us through the long cold winter months as we plough through freezing marshes and rain sodden bracken, looking forward to the summer weather again.