LMBC Association
What is the LMBC Association?
The LMBC Association is the network of former members of Lady Margaret who wish to stay in contact with, and support, the Club. Lady Margaret relies upon the coaching and financial support of former members to offer current members excellent facilities and opportunities. The LMBCA has provided almost all the Club's boats and oars, costing many thousands of pounds every year, for many years. The Association also heavily subsidises the costs of students competing for Lady Margaret at Henley Royal and Women's Regattas in the summer, as well as providing subsidies for those on Christmas and Easter training camps.
Some of the many former members give up much of their time to coach, travelling from around the country to help crews train for Lent and May Bumps and at camps. The Association helps keep old members involved with the Club, with those most involved in coaching generally managing its organisation as unpaid volunteers.
Why is the LMBCA so important?
Lady Margaret Boat Club is becoming increasingly dependent on the LMBCA. The value of the portion of the College fee allocated for rowing has fallen steeply over the last decade and no longer covers even the basic costs of day-to-day running of the Club. We are fortunate to benefit from the College's support in paying for the maintenance of the Boathouse (but not running expenses), and we now have boathouse tenants.
The College also funded the rebuilding of the boathouse in 2001. The great generosity of Lady Margaret's former members recently raised enough money for a Club endowment fund. This fund is managed by the LMBCA to provide for the Club's future needs. This money is separate from the fund the LMBCA has to maintain to afford to buy equipment and subsidise students' off-Cam costs every year. The LMBCA relies entirely on its members' contributions to the Association Fund. Without these contributions the Club as we enjoy it could not continue to exist.