Database launches

The New Zealand Four Wheel Drive Association database was originally conceived in 2009 to help clubs and the Association to maintain accurate membership lists. The idea was expanded to help clubs manage their own members. In its current state of development, Club secretaries have the ability to manage membership, newsletter subscriptions and payments to the Association. This will give clubs the ability to maintain correct information such as address and email changes, provided that the clubs are informed of these changes by their members. This should ensure that members receive affiliation cards in a timely manner. Due to the system being web based, it means that it can be accessed by the current, or a new executive, without having to pass on databases or information.

Over the next few months we will add the ability to manage family memberships, vehicle and executive lists and notes for members. These extra features will let clubs interact more closely with their members. By being able to pull up reports to quickly show birthdays, emergency vehicle lists and membership trends, we hope to help clubs grow and create a more community feeling.

Once the main database system is complete, it will allow other organisations within the Association to interact with membership lists. The Competitions Committee has already indicated they would like to be part of this. They will be able to check if licence holders are current Association members and what the current status is if they are not. This should allow quicker licenses to be issued.

 Other options that exist for this database, include contact detail management by the member directly, as well as profiles within places like the NZFWDA forums and the 4X4trials website.

Club Secretaries are being now introduced to the online system and an ‘operating manual’ will be provided.

Paul Osman   Illusive Edge

By Gail Osman
I attended the National Conference & AGM of the NZFWD Association in Palmerston North.  The turn out was not as good as it could have been, as a number of Central Zone clubs failed to show, or even give apologies. We had a number of guest speakers as listed below with a short description of their talks.

Paul Osman from Illusive Edge - New online database, that allows Clubs to keep records of members and payments to the association. Really looking forward to this and if the Competition links to it, life will be so much easier for us all.

Mark Neeson from Walking access Commission www.walkingaccess.org.nz/ - Great to see direction they are going and he provided a loose introduction to the new online mapping system that is coming out soon.

Jason Roxburgh from DOC Palmerston North - How DOC  & Manawatu Club and joined together to keep Takapari Road open for public use.

Hugh Barr from CORANZ - Council of Outdoor Recreation Association and how working together achieves the best results with one voice. Hugh’s theme was the time that most campaigns take; many years, some up to 15 years.

Rob Kelly, is the president of the Australian national 4x4 body, the Australian National Four Wheel Drive Council, or as they now refer to themselves, Four Wheel Drive Australia .www.anfwdc.asn.au Rob outlined some common 4x4 issues with NZ and spoke on some of the work his Association are doing to improve knowledge of outback driving and improving relationships with the aboriginal people.

Paul McElroy from Manawatu Club - a light hearted talk and power-point presentation on building a Land Rover  and getting the best out of it and how things can go wrong with a dream.

Presentation of McMinn Cup for Contribution to the 4WD movement - presented to Gail Osman. (That blew me away and made me quite emotional)

National AGM

The NZFWDA AGM was held on Sunday 23rd May at Palmerston North with most Delegates present. Main points were:

• Affiliation fees to remain same for 2011- 2012 year
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• Zones retain $6 from affiliation fees for this year.

• Conference for 2011 to be held in Auckland

• Reports from All Zones and National PRO & Competition

• Remits :     Remit 1 - regarding Disputes and sports tribunal - PASSED

• Remit 2 - sports anti-doping rules - PASSED

• Remit 3 -  Tyre Size restriction - FAILED (this is more about education, as tyres/ vehicle type weight/ and driving styles have a big impact)

New Executive are  Simon Bishop      President
Gail Osman        Secretary
Jenny Jordan    Treasurer
Max Wheatley    PRO
Elizabeth Dawson    Central Zone President
Roger Seymour    Central Zone PRO
Russell Quin        Southern Zone President
Ross Macdonald    Southern Zone PRO
Tony Burgess    Northern Zone President
Peter Vahry        Northern Zone PRO