Standing for election as Secretary at the Club EGM, candidates have been asked to provide a few words to put their case to the membership.
Josh Townley, in his own words ...
First-time caller, long-time listener
Hello, I’m Joshua Townley, and I would like to ask for your support in the election this coming Thursday, the 8th.
I will be running for secretary of the Deeside defenders, and I would like to introduce myself, what I've helped to achieve over the past 12 months and my policies.
A little about me?
A long-time wargamer (some 26 years), board gamer and general nerd fancier. My true passion is getting together with friends and playing games. I’ve always said you can tell a lot about a person by the way they conduct themselves during play, and while that may sound judgmental, I also know it has helped me develop and grow as a person, giving me the ability to find friends no matter where I am in the world.
I hold no game in higher regard than the others. My only regret is that I don't have enough time to play everything! However, I do predominantly play board games and game workshop games. This is something I would like to change, and in August, when my tenure on the 40k Wales team is complete, I would like to dedicate more time to other games.
What have I done for the club?
Created a 40k league. As part of the team that brought the league format to Deeside defenders for 40k, we have seen participation and membership increase markedly. A semi-competitive format that encourages players to share skills, experience and play with new opponents. The creation of a promotional video for fun and a recorded league draft has really helped forge a community. Something I would like to support in other game systems
Recently, I was invited to join the international WTC (World Team Championship) to represent Wales on the global stage for Warhammer 40k; as part of this journey, I represented Deeside defenders at the Welsh Open with 4 other members. In addition to this, we held the first NWTC (North Wales Team Championship), which saw Wrexham vs mold duking it out for an ashes-style trophy. It was a great day of fun, even if Alan will never let me forget that Wrexham won.
Secured terrain for the Warhammer community to reflect its increased popularity, the league was a double-edged sword. Our number of players every week has increased, but terrain and mats are not cheap. Working with the committee, we planned the best way to ensure we could support members while negotiating the best prices.
Run gauntlet/gaunlette events: We introduced and ran Local and regional tournaments as well as smaller NWTC training events.
What would I like to do for the club?
Gaming officer
Assigning officers to each major game system (volunteers and/or group recommended), these officers would work to champion their game system and work with the committee. I would like to see a percentage of the club funds be allocated to these systems based on club member participation and that the officer should be given the freedom to invest those funds in the best way to help their system grow.
More fun!: I would like collaboration between different game systems when planning campaigns. We’ve all been there. I’d love to get involved in a Bolt action or frostgrave campaign, but unfortunately, I have already committed to a new Mordhiem or Warhammer campaign that is played every week. If officers could get together and plan their campaign over a 6 month period, maybe playing every 2 weeks, we could see participation in these game systems increase and, more importantly, spread the fun!
Listen to members:
The creation of an online feedback form where members can share their recommendations, thoughts and ideas about the club. I would then publish this feedback and let members know what steps are being taken to support that feedback.
More gauntlets!
With the growth we have seen in participation and demand for more gaming, I would like to work with the officers to see if we can run competitive and fun days under the gauntlet banner. I foresee that introducing more weekend events will help us meet the needs of our members after all, who doesn’t want to spend more time gaming?
Help club grow:
We have seen a flurry of new communications on the website, in the newspapers and even over WhatsApp and Discord. I would like to find a new way to advertise and promote Deeside Defender to the surrounding area, Increasing membership and generating more funds for more fun.
Final thoughts
Deeside Defenders is a club that I look forward to visiting every week, many of us have stressful lives, difficult circumstances or things we would much rather not think about on a day-to-day basis. But I know, no matter how bad my week gets, or how worried I am about the future, I can go to the Daniel Owen Center on a Wednesday or Thursday night and have a great time with friends, recharging my battery and forgetting about life for a while. This club is an asset to us all, I can’t think of a better way to repay the club and its membership than running for secretary.
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