Stuart's Mosel Tour 2009
The Federation of UK GoldWing Clubs, the UK’s GoldWing Community’s national service organisation, is planning its own set of GoldWing Tours for 2010 and it’s also offering to support and promote any other GoldWing tours being run by individuals or clubs.
You may remembers that Stuart’s Mosel Tour of 2009, promoted and reported on this Blog, was described as a prototype. This was a one-centre, hotel-based tour but the Federations plans for 2010 are by no means restricted to a particular type of tour – any Tour can be included in the Programme as long as it’s available for GoldWings , so camping tours are also welcome, as are multi-centre and roaming tours, as are Tours planned by commercial organisers.
The aim of the Programme is to broaden and promote choice for Wingers. As the Federation’s catch phrase puts it – “It’s all about Freedom of Choice!”
A modest number of Tours (UK and abroad) will be organised by the Federation itself, using its own pool of Tour Leaders. It is hoped that over time the number of in-house Tours will be expanded, as more Wingers gain experience and acquire the confidence to lead a Tour.
Another feature of the Programme is that the Federation’s experience of planning and leading Tours will be offered to support Wingers (or Clubs) with planning, administration and troubleshooting their own Tours.
The Federation’s aim is to provide services for the UK GoldWing Community as a whole and all of its own Tours will be open to all Wingers.
This is an innovative way for a GoldWing organisation to be trying to do things for UK Wingers and if it takes off the Programme could prove to be very popular. It may take a few years to build in scale but the basic resources are there for a successful Programme so let’s hope the idea does get taken up. The Honda GoldWing is the best touring motorcycle in the world so giving UK Wingers a broader opportunity to enjoy touring with their bikes has got to be a good idea.
For further information and to express your own interest, as an individual or a club, in this Programme please visit the Federation’s Website.
I have been a member of GWOCGB since 1998 and have seen the Treffen go down hill since then.
Andy Catlin held it together as a family orientated event for the whole family however it has suffered for years. But for the first time in years with Chris as Chairman the Treffen was well put together with the Treffen Team and helpers. That makes joining the Club worth it alone.
Thanks for the Comment Andy. I suspect you may have attached it to the wrong Article but no matter.
The Treffen (or at least some sort of annual camping rally for UK Wingers) is obviously desirable and when Wingers feel that a Treffen has gone well that’s obviously a good thing and the Organisers deserve credit for that, including the Club Chairman. Whether that means that all in the Club’s garden is rosy and whether Chris Hinds is doing a good job overall is another matter.
I am not alone in thinking that Chris Hinds’s dishonourable and manipulative behaviour in 2008 so damaged his personal credibility (as well as the Club) that the Club will continue to struggle until he and the rest of the 2008 National Committee are all replaced with new people.