Hi all,
It's been some time now since I announced that I was seeking a position on the owners club national committee. A post that I was successful in achieving. It is usual in these cases that an AC will stand down rather than juggle both roles and at the time I sought assistance. Sadly none was available. Therefore I have been maintaining a 'caretaker' approach to Phoenix Fives. I am not able to commit the time I used to have to arranging club stands and runs out. I had really hoped that community spirit would carry us through and people would feel empowered to assist in arranging stands, runs out, the usual kind of thing. Sadly this hasn't really happened.
This situation has now continued as the status quo for some time. P5 getting quieter and quieter, no one stepping forward to assist me, and me not having any more time to do anything about it. I'd love to arrange you all a CHIPRUN but I simply don't have the space in my brain to do it.
This is not fair on the local MX-5 community. Put simply, you deserve better. In the last twelve months the lack of leadership from me has lead to a massive decline in the West Mids community.
This cannot continue, today I have made the difficult decision. The effects on my wellbeing and stress levels are becoming more evident. Put simply I have wanted to retire this post for some time but have not been able to as there is no successor. Therefore the only solution left is to retire with no successor.
At the next monthly meeting (4th April at the Kings Arms, Knowle) I will formally stand down as the P5 Area co-ordinator.
With no Area Co-ordinator the OC process is to allow the area three months for the local members to vote for and put in place a new AC (Whom I would make myself available to for a handover period). If this does not occur the postcodes are split around the surrounding areas and the local area is formally disbanded. I will then have to turn off the P5 website and forum (Which I pay for from my own pocket) and return all display equipment, gazebos, and banners to MX-5 OC headquarters.
I must stress. This is NOT me 'falling on my sword' or looking for a load of praise to tell me not to do it and re-assure me it's all ok. I genuinely have not wanted to be the P5 AC for some time now. Put it this way, I started building a new track car over a year ago and so far I haven't had time to do more than take the doors off the donor. I'm sure you can all forgive me for wanting to have more time to work on my own projects and enjoy my cars?
I will be incredibly sad if P5 is disbanded. However I do not feel it is fair for me to be trapped, stood here like the little dutch boy with his finger in the dyke. In many ways, it's time I pulled my finger out. If no-one else can be found then P5 will simply close down.
I will call everyone together at the meet and we can discuss the possible futures of Phoenix Fives. But.... after the meet I plan to no longer be your Area Co-ordinator and possibly P5 will be on a countdown to ceasing to exist.