13th September 2011 Midland Regional Meeting Minutes
The last meeting was held on Tuesday 13th September at Filon Products Ltd, Burntwood Business Park, Staffs WS7. Our thanks to Filon Products as valued sponsors of this Regional Meeting.
Attendees from Filon : David Hathaway, Steve Vickers
IoR Board: Martin Adwick, Roger White, James Slater
Members: Livia Williams, Gary lane, Kurt lane, Alan Southall, Noel Burke, Steve Childs, David Hartshorn, Gordon Rae, Colin Beaumont
Guests: Richard French NFRC, Gaynor Adwick
Total attendees: 16. (9% of the total Midlands membership!)
Total number of ‘No Shows’ on the night: 3 No.
Total of Midland members 179
Percentage who didn’t respond at all to our invitation was 80!
Apologies: (20) John Buckley, Steve Corbishley, Jim Hooker, Ray Harriman, Henry McDonagh, John Dodd, Ken Diggins, Jeff Taylor, Babs Lobb, Harry Witney, Graham Copson, David Arendell, Tracy Bray, Bob Mantle, Stephen Mantle, Matthew Lowe, Stephen Boden, Mike Merriman, Gary Morris, John Evans.
Attendance Register:
Filled in & these will be sent to HO to update /check their records
Agenda:
Following a splendid buffet, kindly provided by our sponsors on the night; James Slater, introduced the presenters from Filon & the IoR Board. He read the minutes which featured on our website from our last meeting held at Marley Eternit’s Training Centre. These were agreed as a true representation of that meeting before he gave a brief overview of the agenda for the evening.
Filon Presentation:
David Hathaway gave a short outline of the H&S requirements and then an interesting talk entitled:
The Ugly, the Bad and the Good giving delegates an insight on what to look out for in terms of products, systems and materials when identifying rooflights in industrial roofing.
Then how to eliminate much of the cost and all of the dangers associated with replacing rooflights from above. . . .
The Filon system, allows for doing this from inside the building.
An interesting presentation, which stimulated lively interest from the delegates.
IoR
Martin Adwick our Chairman gave an insight in to his activities during his first year in office and his objectives in his final year.
Also the current format for IoR Regions and meetings, possibly abandoning these in favour of a consistent, unified UK wide IoR, the National Road show, calling at major conurbations throughout the UK. Some delegates though that if this idea was developed then one of a possible two annual meetings, should remain as now, with a high local content.
He talked about progress being made by the IoR with distance learning and the advantages of this for people unable or unwilling to attend colleges and the like to obtain institute qualifications.
Finally urging our members to attend the next AGM in Birmingham, which is only weeks away!
Roger White Executive Officer of the IoR:
Roger gave an update of his work activities, experience and qualification to date and outlined his objectives in driving the IoR forward.
He recognised the benefits of the IoR achieving Chartered Status but the reality that it was a longer term goal, but nevertheless achievable.
He listed the tasks that need to be done and the priority within these of sorting out our data base.
J Slater suggested checking each Midlands Regional member’s contact details. This might form an interesting pilot study which would have tremendous benefits for the IoR nationally. This suggestion driven by the fact that 80% of our Region’s members didn’t even bother to respond to our invitation to tonight’s meeting! Even with a simple, polite, no thanks.
Did they receive the email? Are our contact details correct? Why didn’t they respond? Not interested in the meeting or topic? Too far to travel? Wrong time of day etc. etc. We really need to establish these fundamental reasons to enable Roger and the Board to drive the IoR forward.
Potential New IoR members or Upgrades:
Steve Vickers Technical Director of Filon is seeking an upgrade to Fellow which I fully support. He has had a senior role for many years. Steve will fill in his Upgrade Form and send it in to us.
Steve has suggested his colleague Steve Mercer would like to join us: stevemercer@filonproducts.co.uk.
Gary Lane FIoR suggested that Mick Daly would like to join us. Mick’s Tel Number is: 0845 066 7000 Mobile: 07977577623.
I am asking Natalie, to contact Steve Mercer and Mick Daly to start the process of them joining as required by the IoR membership committee.
Also as before, to provide me with an update/feedback from our last meeting at Marley’s Training Centre where four delegates applied to join us and the two presenters from Siphonix also expressed an interest.
Any other Business:
James suggested that we might explore the IoR sponsoring Craft Student Award winners e.g. by supplying the 'IoR Cup' which would be engraved annually and awarded to the best in class along with possibly a small cash sum maybe £200?
After AoB, it was proposed that we hold our next meeting early in the New Year, perhaps February or March and members suggested we try to have a meeting earlier in the afternoon to enable members to start for home earlier than the norm of 8.30pm which often made it difficult for some members, particularly females, to attend.
Members were also keen to explore interesting venues, topics or speakers to try and attract more attendance.
Close: The meeting closed at 8.30pm and the meeting room was cleared after 9pm. David Hathaway then had to travel to Swansea a very long drive after a long day, demonstrating his commitment to the IoR which is greatly appreciated and reflects our determination to reward efforts like this with a good attendance.
J Slater FIoR, FCIPD, Regional Director of the Midlands Region.
Agenda
5.30pm - Registration tea, coffee. Sandwiches etc for those who have requested them.
6.00pm - Introduction/s by Regional Director
Welcome and thanks
Update / welcome new members since last meeting
Minutes of last meeting, Wednesday 16th March
Outline programme for tonight
6.10pm - Health & Safety on Site
6.15pm - CPD Presentation by Filon Products: Rooflights, 'The Ugly, The Bad and The Good’
The seminar content gives the attendees a guide as too what to look for when identifying rooflights used in industrial roofing, deterioration factors that can be experienced and how to replace damaged rooflights. The seminar also briefly covers the current regulations appertaining to Part L, 2010.
6.55pm - Questions from the floor
7.00pm - Comfort Break
7.10pm - Martin Adwick, Chairman of IoR
Reminder of how the IoR functions
IoR Regions? National Roadshow? Finances and Dormant Bank accounts
Update on IoR activities / improvements since last meeting
IoR Staff Changes and objectives
October 2011 AGM Outline
7.40pm - Questions from the floor
7.45pm - Open forum. Ideas for Future Regional Meetings
8.00pm - Presentation by Roger White, IoR’s new Executive Officer appointed 13th June 2011.
Function
Objectives
3 Months update
8.20pm - AOB Date of next meeting.
8.30pm - Meeting Close
16th March 2011 Midland Regional Meeting
Held at the Marley Eternit Roofing Training Centre, Burton upon Trent, our thanks to them for providing the venue and the buffet.
A very well attended meeting organised by James Slater the IoR Regional Director and attended by our Chairman Martin Adwick and 25 others, four of which were guests interested in joining the IoR. Three of these submitted applications to join the IoR on the night and there was also one application for upgrading his membership! Three more potential members for the IoR, subject to approval by the Membership Committee.
Martin gave a quick update on his activities and our developments since becoming Chair at the last AGM.
David Casells, FIoR, Training Manager for Marley Eternit Roofing, gave a short introduction to the Training Centre and the training available. Outside of the meeting, he conducted a tour around the Marley Roofing Museum. This was taken up by an encouraging number of our members. This museum was simply superb, containing memorabilia and photographs showing the development of Marley its products and people, over the years highlighted by a demonstration of solar panels, powering a small electric train around a circular track! The train was just one of many models created by David himself; a keen modeller.
The main theme for the evening was an interesting presentation by UK Siphonx on Siphonic Roof Drainage. There was so much interest from the floor that the presentation had to be curtailed to try and keep to programme and allow other items to be discussed!
An added benefit for the IoR was that the two presenters, Mike Richmond MD of UK Siphonix and their Contracts Manager, Brian Costello were so impressed by the vibrant atmosphere that they are intending to join the IoR themselves! Two more potential successes, making a total of five on the night!
James Slater carried out a 'show of hands survey' of those present, which indicated that only some 15% of the attendees ever looked at our website, so the IoR are right to continually seek to remedy this and consider additional ways to communicate with our members. He also explained the income and costs of running the IoR and sought another show of hands as to whether they would consider subsidising/paying for a membership tie as he considered it was not within the remit of the Board of Governors to always give this sort of item away and our monies could be spent more wisely to develop the Institute.
There was considerable support and willingness to pay for such items at an assumed cost to them of £5, (£5 cost given as an example only). One member said he would have no problem giving £10 for a tie!
An additional benefit would be that ties would only be supplied to those that would request, wear and pay for them, an efficient, targeted approach.
The meeting finished at 8.00pm
Date and venue of next meeting to be advised.
Several possible speakers and topics were suggested and these will be followed up.
Please refer to your website!
21st April 2010 Midland Regional Meeting
James Slater, Regional Director, welcomed the 20 people who attended, despite the potential lure of a beautiful sunny evening! A good mix of members, guests and manufacturers representatives from Forticrete, Klober, Marley Eternit, and Redland.
James introduced Gary Derrick of Construction Skills who had once again kindly provided the venue and buffet, free of charge for the Institute. Gary outlined the Health and Safety issues for the evening.
James then introduced the guest speaker for the evening Mr Keith Roberts and the Institute's Vice Chairman, Martin Adwick who, with his wife, had travelled from the North East to support our meeting.
Keith is a well known and respected consultant within the roofing industry and has regular technical features within RCi; Martin assumes the Chair of the IoR in October
The attendees introduced themselves to the group. One of which, Mr Gary Lane, of Lane Roofing, a relatively new member, has already sponsored the Institute and his company logo appears on our website.
Mr Richard French an NFRC Midland Committee member, introduced himself as James's Guest and it is hoped that Richard will formally join the Institute and facilitate further co-operation and synergies between the ioR and the NFRC, whilst both bodies retain their own identities and objectives.
Overall, the meeting was very successful, but a disappointing aspect was the comparatively low numbers of Institute members, who had either failed to reply, turn up or perhaps receive the invitation.
Some no shows were for understandable reasons; eg. 'Trapped' in Venice by the volcanic ash cloud ! Apart from the Institutes's two Directors present at the meeting, there were only 10 Institute members from an invite list of 154!However, invited guests, asked for Application Forms to join us and their enthused approach is very welcome.
James said that he would ask the IoR Head Office to conduct a survey to establish the reason for the low turnout as meetings take a lot of effort to organise and we are often asked 'what does the Institute do for me'? In this case, the opportunity to see and question a well respected generalist speaker. The outcome of the survey will be a benefit to the Institute UK wide, as we must know the reason for the low response and turn out, be it our present method of sending emailed invitations, the weather, venue, meeting topic or organiser!
James showed the contents of the meeting agenda folder which contained :
* Minutes from the November 2009 meeting
* A flyer for the next AGM to be held on HMS Belfast on October 14th, He urged the attendees to try and make the AGM.
* A new UK wide Head Office precis / insert from Carol Dukes Secretary for the IoR
* Copies of the recent ioR e Bulletin
* Roof Overview
* Application to join IoR Forms ( several were requested and given out)
And then for the main event of the evening:
Keith Roberts: 'Improving the Reliability of the Roofs we design and Build'
Keith, is a well known, highly qualified and respected Consultant within the roofing industry and gave a very interesting illustrated presentation, followed by a lively open question session.
The thrust of the presentation being that call backs to site and consequential costs are often more than would have been incurred by initially better designed and constructed roofs. These sometimes involved over roofing and secondary roofing systems eg, simple underlays or in potentially critical building useages, eg, operating theatres, computer suites etc; over roofing.
The meeting closed with an invitation to the group to suggest topics, dates and alternative venues for our next meeting.
A suggestion from Gary Lane to use the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses is being explored.
There being no other business the meeting closed at 8.45pm
Diary Date: Wednesday 10th November 2010. (Provisional) for Midland Regional Meeting. Venue and details to confirmed. Watch the IoR website!
What do you want to happen at Regional meetings?
Do you think we should have regional meetings?
Should they be held in the evening/tea time/morning?
What should we discuss at these meetings?
Where could we hold the meetings?
Just a few questions we would like answered by you, the Midland Region Institute of Roofing Member.
Tell us what you really think, it is only by listening to what you say can we make your Institute do what you want it to do.
Send your comments to :james.slater_09@btinternet.com and we will make sure your voice is heard.
Midlands Region
Your Regional Governor is:
James Slater FIoR