There was a special surprise for the club's retired Editor, Val Roberts, at our virtual Annual General Meeting on Saturday 14 November 2020. Unbeknownst to her, Mike Harrison had smuggled in a plaque that the committee had commissioned from Dan and Vikki Cauldwell of the Cromford Canal Co Ltd, Langley Mill, and presented it to her during the meeting. Sadly, Val passed away on 9 January 2021, a great loss to us all.
| Val being presented with the plaque by Mike, to mark 18 years as the Club's Newsletter Editor | ||
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In a fitting tribute to her long years of service in the post, David Daines, the club's Awards Officer said:
Since 2002, and until earlier this year, the Club’s all important Newsletter was compiled and edited by Val, with the very important and vital assistance of Mike. If we had had the original AGM in March we would maybe have been able to say more about this then, but we all know what prevented that but it did give us the opportunity to put together what we hope is a more tangible expression of our thanks and recognition for Val’s magnificent contribution to the Club.
And so Mike I would like to ask you to present to Val the token of our esteem and thanks, on behalf of the Committee, and I am sure the whole Club.
The importance of the Newsletter cannot be overemphasised. It is the means of holding the whole membership together and informed. It is also the organ by which the Club is able to express its views and its intentions to the wider canal world.
When Val took over as Editor she had no more involvement with the computer than many of us but she embraced a sophisticated editing package and used it to great effect.
The very high standard that the magazine has attained during Val’s stewardship is recognised widely outside the Club, the NL has won numerous awards from such as the IWA. Very many club and association newsletters editors regularly complain about shortage of material, Val’s problem has been the reverse, so happy are people to have their material included.
Before I hand back to the Chairman I am able to say that the Committee is very pleased to be able to confer on Val, Honorary membership of the Club.
Finally I wish to convey the Committee’s thanks to Dan and Vikki Cauldwell (of Cromford Canal Company Ltd, Langley Mill) for creating the magnificent trophy, from oak linings from FMC BEECH, that we have presented today.
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| Photo courtesy of Dan Cauldwell, November 2020 | Photo courtesy of Dan Cauldwell, November 2020 |
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