Next Meeting

Please see TVGAM web site.

Download Mark Hill’s Slides from the July 2020 meeting (PDF)
or full Powerpoint XML version (142MB).

Advance notice: in October our guest speaker on Zoom will be ‘Reg Local’.

In-person meetings are suspended until further notice.

Committee

Meet your committee

We still need more people to help both on and off the committee, and as observers. Committee members and observers must be full members of the group and iAM RoadSmart.

Please see the Group Contact List for details.

Webmaster job description (PDF).

Newsletter

We are delighted that Nicky Valentine has offered to step in as Newsletter Editor. The committee offers wholehearted thanks John Peters for his stint as editor.

There was no Newsletter in June 2020. Earlier newsletters are available in the public part of the web site (here).

The Committee has decided to switch to a bi-monthly (six issues a year) newsletter. There was no Newsletter in July 2020. We anticipate that the next issue will be in September.

Observers

Observers can log into the special Observers’ Area on the web site. You should have been given the login which will change from time to time. If you have forgotten the password please ask Alex Beeston. Note that some items useful to Associates have been moved onto this page (below).

Getting Started Days

Getting Started Days for new Associates are currently suspended because of COVID-19 precautions. We are working on an induction video (preview) which will be available online.

Resources

Group Contacts (html)
Committee Email Form (html)
Joining Notes for Associates (html)
Documentation Declaration Form (A5, PDF)
The Day of your Advanced Driving Test: Notes to Help You Prepare (PDF)
Cockpit Drill (enhanced) (PDF)
Moving Brake Test (PDF)
Common Confusions (PDF)
Automatic and Other Transmission Systems (PDF)
Observed Drive On-Hold List (explanation of) (PDF)

File upload (By arrangement)

Membership

If you are not receiving your newsletter please check that your email address is correct on the IAM RoadSmart database, and that your subscriptions to both iAM RoadSmart and to the Group are current.

COVID-19 and Membership Renewals

From April, members and associates whose local group (TVGAM) membership is due for renewal have the option to either renew as normal or to defer their renewal until the situation is such that we are allowed to restart group meetings. To qualify, you must be a current paid-up member of IAM RoadSmart centrally.

Separately, for any associate whose IAM RoadSmart central membership is expiring, IAM RoadSmart has said that it will extend that membership, at no additional cost, for up to a further six months to enable current associates to complete their coaching and take their test without disadvantage.

Please contact Membership Secretary, Alex Beeston, for further information about membership or for advice about the procedure for individuals affected by these measures.

TVGAM Annual Membership fees

Associates - 1st year included in your course fee. 2nd and subsequent years £31

Full and Fellows - £10 or £18 depending on email or postal newsletter distribution

Payment methods

Bank transfers: Lloyds Bank, Maidenhead Sort Code 30-95-36 Account No. 07015567
Reference: Please enter your Group Member ID (e.g. 98/123)
Cheques: Payable to Thames Valley Group of Advanced Motorists (full Group title please). Post to Alex Beeston, Maraval, Longwater Lane, Finchampstead, Wokingham, RG40 4NX or hand to Alex at the next General Meeting.
Cash: Hand to Alex at the next General Meeting, whenever that is.

Gift Aid

If you have not yet completed a Gift Aid form please can you complete and submit the form as soon as possible, or let us know if you are not subject to UK income tax. If you completed a gift-aid declaration for iAM RoadSmart nationally this does not cover your group subscription. You can also download a Gift Aid form (PDF) and send it (when completed) to Nick Room.

We hope that all members who are standard or higher rate income tax payers will sign a Gift Aid declaration which will enable the group to recoup tax amounting to 25% of subscriptions. This will enable us to keep the fee increase lower than it would otherwise have needed to be.

National Membership

You are reminded that the free six month extension to membership for Associates who have been unable to complete their coaching or take their test due to COVID-19 can only be applied at the point of renewal. There have been some instances lately of groups requesting bulk extension of membership. IAM RoadSmart has made clear since March that seeking an extension is the responsibility of each Associate, when he/she receives his/her renewal notice. Please contact the Customer Care team at or call 0300 303 1134 to arrange their extension at the time of renewal.

Group Scorecard

The group scorecard shows how we are doing compared with the region averages. We haven’t had a new scorecard since January 2020.

Download the Group Scorecard Explanation document (PDF).