The Hut Wardens Eleanor and Gerard invite members to the club’s annual Boxing Day Gluhwein and mince pies event in the club hut at 12 noon. Bring your own wine and they will do the rest. There might even be some snow.

If the weather looks seriously grim ring the snowline on the club webpage in case we have to cancel.

More than 30 people showed up for the club’s annual general meeting at Kendal’s Brewery Arts Centre on Friday. President Richard Leafe reflected on last season which featured the most snow anyone has seen on Raise for at least the last 40 years, resulting in around 35 days of skiing.

Club treasurer Chris Chirnside and secretary John Burrows also presented brief reports before everyone headed to the bar and food for the evening’s main event – winter sports films, yakkin’ and chattin’.

After four great years of snow, club finances are on a sound footing and we plan to sell our expensive-to-run Kubota ATV to help keep them that way. We will carry out any major uplift (diesel, large items) in future either via helicopter or member muscle power.

Well-attended work parties over summer have fitted a new inverter and electric motor for the tow so we are good to go for the coming season.

The new club organisation of President’s Team,Communications Team and Raise team is working well and new recruits for the latter team headed by Stuart Sharp have had their first training session on tow operation. They will get their ‘pilot’s licences’ and the keys to the tow hut on successful completion of the course.

Former club president Gerrard Unthank was elected to the dizzying height of assistant hut warden but the vacancy for assistant treasurer remains open. All nominations gratefully received!

Can all members please remember to share lifts to Raise where possible, particularly at weekends, to minimise pressure on the club car park and the Greenside road. You can also go up from the west side at Stanah by Thirlmere, which doesn’t take much, if any, longer and can offer a fabulous ride down.

Finally, don’t forget the reciprocal arrangement we have with the Yad Moss club. Members can have a day’s sliding there for a tenner during the week (£15 at weekends) upon production of their LDSC season pass.You can buy it now here.

Anyone know a good snow dance?