{"id":549,"date":"2026-08-11T16:36:15","date_gmt":"2026-08-11T15:36:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/?p=549"},"modified":"2026-08-11T16:36:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T15:36:17","slug":"new-chair-neil-harker","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/?p=549","title":{"rendered":"New Chair &#8211; Neil Harker"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As those of you who attended our AGM will know, Sharon stepped down as Chair of our group after 27 years and handed the mantle over. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"889\" height=\"667\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-1-edited-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-552\" style=\"width:973px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-1-edited-1.jpeg 889w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-1-edited-1-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-1-edited-1-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After chairing her final AGM, Sharon gave a lovely speech explaining what the group had come to mean to her before opening the floor for the nominated candidates, Eleanor and Neil. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"554\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-19-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-554\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-19-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-19-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-19-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-19.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"555\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-17-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-17-edited.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-17-edited-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-17-edited-768x1024.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Due to the absence of most of the junior members from the AGM, their votes for junior representative had been collected previously. <br><br>Kerry and Geoff then retired to the kitchen to count and verify the votes.<br><br>Prior to the AGM, and without them knowing, the committee had voted to introduce a Lifetime Membership Award for the longstanding members of the group, as well as a new title for Sharon to reflect her dedication to the group over the years. As such, we were pleased to present Sharon, Mary and Prue with Lifetime Membership Awards and to appoint Sharon as Honorary President of Cave Players. She even has a sash! (Don&#8217;t be surprised if that makes an appearance at rehearsals, especially if she feels the new directors need a steer in the right direction!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-2 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"559\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-5-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-559\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-5-edited.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-5-edited-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-5-edited-768x1024.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"1333\" data-id=\"558\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-6-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-6-edited.jpeg 1000w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-6-edited-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-6-edited-768x1024.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After all the excitement, Kerry was pleased to announce the votes had been counted and verified and the group welcomed Neil Harker as our new Chair. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-3 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1333\" height=\"1000\" data-id=\"563\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-7-edited.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-563\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-7-edited.jpeg 1333w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-7-edited-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-7-edited-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-7-edited-768x576.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1333px) 100vw, 1333px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"561\" src=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-9-768x1024.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-561\" srcset=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-9-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-9-225x300.jpeg 225w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-9-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AGM-26-9.jpeg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Constitution allows for two junior committee members to represent our junior section, and this year we had three very enthusiastic candidates. When the votes were counted, there was a tie and so no-one could be appointed at the AGM. <br><br>At the subsequent committee meeting on 10th August, the committee decided that we would be pleased to invite all three to act as junior representatives and form effectively a sub-committee, with two of them attending committee meetings, on a rota. We are excited to see what ideas they come up with for our junior section. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As those of you who attended our AGM will know, Sharon stepped down as Chair of our group after 27 years and handed the mantle over. After chairing her final AGM, Sharon gave a lovely speech explaining what the group had come to mean to her before opening the floor for the nominated candidates, Eleanor &hellip;<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/?p=549\" class=\"more-link pen_button pen_element_default pen_icon_arrow_double\">Continue reading <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">New Chair &#8211; Neil Harker<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-549","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=549"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":564,"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/549\/revisions\/564"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=549"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=549"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/caveplayers.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=549"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}