David Gibson

It is nine months since I joined the MCofS as an employee. Time goes quickly and the first priority was to ensure that the secretariat functioned effectively and that we were able to respond promptly to enquiries from members. This has been achieved by a combination of the positive attitude and professionalism of our part-time staff, and technology - a new telephone system and networked PCs.

Most communication with the office is by e-mail. We receive over 1,500 e-mails a month and we aim to respond to these efficiently. We also use e-mail on an ad hoc basis to communicate with club secretaries when news and events make it worthwhile. We are aware of the benefits that e-mail communication with individual members may bring, and the planned introduction of a new membership database during 2007 is a step towards implementation.

The June AGM will see significant changes to the new Board and the Executive, with various office bearers standing down and a number of vacancies on the Executive due to retirals. The post of Honorary Secretary is no more and it is difficult to envisage the MCofS without Nick Halls having a position of influence. I know I speak for many members when expressing the hope that Nick will continue in some such capacity in future.

And so to the future. One thing is certain - looking forward must not mean that we lose sight of what has gone before. The MCofS is unique. It has developed because it has delivered on behalf of its members - by representing their interests and providing tangible benefits. Traditions and culture are essential to a membership organisation and, therefore, any future strategy has to build on our core values. With nearly 10,000 members, the Council speaks for those who go to the hills, or who wish to support the work of the Council's volunteers and staff through their membership.

The work of the Council is complex. A glance at The Scottish Mountaineer demonstrates the variety of activities in which the MCofS is involved. The magazine presents those activities logically, as well as providing an entertaining and interesting medium for members and non-members alike.

The MCofS reaches a wider audience than its members. We have an extremely popular website, developed over many years and now with over 1,000 pages of information. The website receives more than 15,000 visits each month. While we are busy developing and 'populating' a new website at the moment, the existing site will be retained as an archive for the foreseeable future.

Our members often have differing aims. For example, we aim to conserve the landscape yet, at the same time, we wish to enjoy it. The conclusion of the debate over incorporation showed that we may have differences of opinion, but they will be heard, taken into consideration and where agreed by the majority of members, implemented through the democratic process. Always remember that the MCofS is a democracy - it's your Council, and you can make your views known: in the magazine, on the website, at meetings, direct to our volunteer Office Bearers or to our staff. Or by volunteering.

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