The mother of invention

Saturday evening was the formal AGM of the association. An event that historically had become so toxic and poor that I can fairly honestly say witnessing my first in 2014 was the reason I realised I could either walk away or stand for the Board of Directors and try to help, little did I know I'd end up recommending a total change to the governance structure and I'd be asked to be the Chair of a radically different board.

Whilst our Board meetings can still be a little contentious (& realistically 90% of business gets done well by 90% of the board now and seems to be appreciated by 90% of the members*) this year's AGM has been a watershed moment. Reasoned debate, people volunteering to join my new "Team BAIML" initiative and spontaneous applause. Best of all a dining room & later the bar full of laughter and the sound of friendships being made, renewed and reinforced.

We were in the Lodge's Lecture Theatre for the AGM. Total I.T. failure caused my more techy colleagues to panic (everybody did have paper copies fortunately) . With 3 of them plus the centre staff gathered round a computer I went old school and used the blackboard to put up our logo and "Welcome & Failté" in chalk. This is roughly 4ft across. Clearly none of Mrs IttH's talents have rubbed off lol.
Realising today would be another day in the back of a minibus I grabbed this shot for posterity when we tidied up this morning.

* Our troublesome and vocal group of splitters decided to have their own meal in Aviemore. Apparently 4 of them had Tex-Mex whilst 101 of us enjoyed a lovely 3 course meal of local fare (the slow-roast pork belly stuffed with haggis was just superb, but the beetroot, neeps and horseradish pie option looked nearly as good). I can settle for those odds after just two years :-)