It's for a club that I've been a member of for a very long time indeed. It's an important part of my life and most of my social life revolves around either the club or people I know from the club.
I was committee member and treasurer for about10 years but stepped down c. 5 years ago. My reasons were:
- difficult and ungrateful members who knew how it should be done but weren't prepared to do any of it. It started taking too much emotional energy.
- 2 very forthright committee members in senior positions (chair and secretary) who refused to consider any new ideas, along side many other committee members who were ineffective/didn't speak up. E.g. we'd talk beforehand about something we wanted to get done , ld raise it, get shouted down and no one would back me.
- unnecessary agro between our club and another local club. Some members at both clubs, but mainly the other one, looking to cause trouble when we could easily work together for the greater good.
- I had young children and a full on job, so used that as a (valid) excuse but it was mostly the above.
In the meantime I have supported all club events, volunteered when needed, even arranged a couple of things, but I've always refused to consider going back on the committee. I've taken the view that if you're not prepared to step up, you can't criticise, so have kept my mouth shut when things weren't done as well as they might be.
Now, I have more time, there are some different but still largely ineffective committee members but one new one is very good and really wants to get things done. The secretary has stepped down, the chair is about to, leadership at the other club has changed.
The club is a bit rudderless. I've started to think that me and the "good" new committee member could get it in hand, but I also know that there will be plenty of aggravation....