MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF WILLINGDON FLOWER CLUB
Held at the Memorial Hall on Friday,
3rd March 2012
WELCOME
by
Heather Smith President & Co Chairman
Good afternoon ladies. Welcome to the Willingdon Flower Club, 49thAGM and a special welcome to Angie Hyde who is the Sussex Area’s secretary and a member of Warnham Evening Flower Club.
First of all I have to tell you where the fire exits are……….
Thank you to all members who have done arrangements for the Founder’s Cup competition, they really brighten up the room. Remember it is the number of coins in the jars and not the sum that makes the winner.
2. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies had been received from:
Jackie Harris, Sandy Boyce-Sharpe, Erica Martin, Pauline Hammond-Williams, Gloria Bennett, Wendy Jones, Pamela Cook, Joy Barnard, Marlene Parks, Ruth Sulke and Joy Catterwall.
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF AGM HELD ON 4TH MARCH 2011
A copy of these Minutes had been attached to the Preliminary Notice of the Meeting and all agreed that the Minutes should be signed by the President as a true record of the meeting.
There were no matters arising from the Minutes.
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF THE EXTRA-ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING HELD ON THE 6TH MAY 2011
A copy of these Minutes had been attached to the Preliminary Notice of the Meeting and all agreed that the Minutes should be signed by the President as a true record of the meeting.
There were no matters arising from the Minutes.
5. ANY MATTERS ARISING NOT ON THE AGENDA
There were no further matters members wished to bring up.
6. TREASURER’S REPORT (copy of Accounts for 2010/11 and 2011/12 are attached) - Margaret Lainchbury addressed the members as Assistant Treasurer:
For the past 3 months I have been assisting Margaret Chambers in her duties as Treasurer of Willingdon Flower Club.
I have collected monies and deposited at the Bank.
I have given all relevant receipts to the treasurer, for her to record.
I have co signed cheques for expenses, i.e. Insurance and rent for the Hall.
Delivered the current year end accounts1st February 2011- 31st January 2012. To the Examiner, Margaret Bloomfield. and duly collected the said accounts from the said examiner, in time for the A.G.M.
I hope I have carried out these duties in a proper and professional manner. To the best of my ability.
Margaret Lainchbury then read the Treasurer’s Report in Margaret Chamber’s absence:
Madam President, Madam Chairman, Willingdon Flower Club Committee and Members.
With the year ending accounts31st January 2012 a copy of the year end accounts for 2011 is attached, so that you are able to look at the comparisons in income and expenditure.
This year we have made a loss of £425.00 compared to £648.12 last year and the previous year a profit of £298.22 was achieved.
Demonstration fees were down, Hall Rent was higher and Affiliation Fees were lower due to a decrease in membership at the time.
There was a decrease in subscriptions also Visitors fees. Profit on Sales Table was down. Increase on income from Practice Class. We also do not seem to sell as many publications.
Although we still hold £4,505.67 in the Bank Account which is still a healthy balance but we cannot continue to keep making a loss. In view of the fact that we will be celebrating 50 years of the flower club in 2013, we must think about some extra ways to generate extra funds during this year.
We must also bear in mind that demonstrator’s costs will increase what with rising petrol costs and the increase in the cost of flowers. The cost of hiring the hall increased this year too.
I know our Chairman will be reporting to you on the events which have taken place during the year and plans for future events.
Although we have made a loss this year, I feel it has still been a successful year and has enhanced continued friendship through flowers which is the aim of the Club.
Adoption of both sets of Accounts for year ending31st January 2011and31st January 2012was proposed by Barbara Barrett and seconded by Olive Hough.
7. CONFIRMATION OF THE EXAMINER/AUDITOR
Margaret Lainchbury asked for someone to propose and second that Mrs Bloomfield carries out the examination of our accounts in the coming year.
Patricia Wright asked who Mrs Bloomfield was, Margaret L explained she had examined our books during the last year as agreed at the GMin March 2011, she had been Treasurer of Hailsham Flower Club for 12 years and she is very qualified.
Alison mentioned she had had a card from Margaret Bloomfield thanking us for her 2 £25 vouchers she has been given, she is willing to be our Examiner for the coming year and has shown Margaret L how to make the accounts more readable and easier for people to see the financial position of the Club.
Anne Bathard Smith proposed and Olive Hough seconded this proposal.
8. CO-CHAIRMEN’S ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Alison welcomed everybody and pointed out that she was reporting on behalf of Heather and herself and went on to say how well the Co-Chairmanship has worked. She then thanked all the Committee members for their hard work especially Margaret Lainchbury who has been acting as Assistant Treasurer during a period of financial difficulties.
In 2011 we have had 9 Demonstrators/Talks and the combined Edith Pierce Competition/Summer Tea Party, but this year we will make better working arrangements for the competitors. We are reintroducing an August meeting, in addition to the Christmas Demonstration and we must thank Su for all the hard work she has put in arranging these meetings.
We have also had 11 Practice Meetings and thank those who arranged them and would urge more members to come along and have an enjoyable afternoon.
There were two money raising events, the Fish and Chip Lunch and the Fun Coffee Morning but both were poorly attended and as no individual financial records were kept we are unable to judge their success. Likewise the July Summer Tea Party – so unless we now have successful fund raising events we cannot continue costly demonstrations.
Competition entries have been fewer in number and meeting attendances have fallen and paying membership is down to 54 – if we doubled our membership all our many problems will be solved. We are sad to report the loss of Marjorie Tompkins and Eve Mitchell and member’s husbands Cyril Hook ham and Dill Jones they will all be sorely missed.
Thanks were given to Jackie, Patricia, Wendy, Brenda and Olive for all the work they did for the Club and congratulations and thanks to Anne, Su and Alice for winning prizes at the Pevensey Bay Flower Club Inter-Club competition and for Su for arranging flowers for National Flower Arrangers Day. Sandy Boyce Sharp and Anne arranged 3 displays at Jevington Church Flower Festival and Heather produced a stunning arrangement at St.Mary’s Church Flower Festival. In October Patricia, Alison and Heather teamed up with Ringmer to produce a fantasy Vegetable display at the Sussex Area Flower Festival at Nymans.
Alison explained that costs have risen and Demonstrators’ charges vary from £205-£250 and our raffle only raises approx. £50 which does not pay for the demonstrator’s flowers. Also Affiliation Fees have risen to over £4 per member which comes out of your £19 subs. and the cost of the Hall is £36.50 plus £10 for the use of spotlights.
The Acting Treasurer has reported that we have lost money in 2011 for the second year running resulting in an overall loss of over £1,000 which is unacceptable and following, at last, a sight of the current figures the Committee, at their meeting on 15th February 2012 unanimously agreed to put the annual subscription up to £25 with Visitors paying £5 per meeting, bringing us into line with surrounding Clubs and we ask for your approval of this proposal under item 15(a) on your Agenda.
In 2013 we celebrate our 50th Anniversary and on June 7th 2013 we are having a National Demonstrator Jonathan Moseley to give a demonstration on this occasion, which will be held in this Hall to cut costs
Once again a very huge thank to you all for your support, because without you Willingdon Flower Club would not be the active friendly club it continues to be and we both look forward to the coming year and to celebrating our Golden Anniversary.
9. ANNUAL ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT:
Angela Hyde, Secretary ofSussexArea of NAFAS took over the meeting for this item. She said Heather Smith had been proposed as President by Takako Neal and seconded by Su Htoon in valid nomination forms submitted by the due date, she was elected unanimously.
10. ANNUAL ELECTION OF THE VICE PRESIDENT:
Sonia Creed had indicated her willingness to remain as Vice President. This was proposed by Margaret Lainchbury and seconded by Sandi White, she was elected unanimously.
Anne Bathard – Smith has been proposed by Alison Pullinger and seconded by Heather in valid nomination forms submitted by the due date, and everyone was very much in favour of this. Anne was presented with her badge of office.
11. ELECTION OF OFFICER:
Vice Chairman:
No nomination for this position had been received, the President asked members if anyone would like to volunteer, Christine Lawrence proposed that Alice Stacey’s name should be put forward and Anne Bathard Smith seconded this motion and everyone was unanimous about this, so Alice Stacey was elected Vice Chairman, she was presented with her badge of office.
Treasurer:
Margaret Lainchbury has been proposed by Sandi White and seconded by Margaret Butler and Takako Neal in valid nomination forms submitted by the due date. Margaret has been acting as Assistant Treasurer during the past three months. She was elected unanimously.
The following have been proposed and seconded in valid nomination forms submitted by the due date and are willing to stand again:
Secretary - Alison Pullinger
Programme Secretary - Su Htoon
Sales Table - Margaret Butler
Membership Secretary - Jennny Mordaunt
All agreed that they should be re-elected.
12. ELECTION OF THE COMMITTEE:
Sandi White’s co-option as a member of the Committee requires ratification under Section 4(4) of the Constitution; she had been proposed by Takako Neal and seconded by Su Htoon in valid nomination forms submitted by the due date and all agreed unanimously.
Unfortunately, Takako Neal who has served her period of office on the Committee is standing down. The President asked for volunteers to become a member of the Committee but to no avail.
13. ANNUAL ELECTION OF CLUB DELEGATE/REPRESENTATIVE TO SUSSEX AREA OF NAFAS COUNCIL;
Again Angela Hyde, Area Secretary took over the meeting and said Heather Smith was duly elected to this position, having been proposed by Alison Pullinger and seconded by Margaret Butler.
14. VOTE OF THANKS TO OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE –
BRENDA BURT, HONORARY LIFE MEMBER
She expressed her special thanks to the President, Officers and members of the Committee on behalf of all the members for all the hard work they had done throughout the year to let us enjoy meetings and to promote friendship through flowers, listening to the Co-Chairmen’s report this has not been an easy one for them and they have had to be the bearer of bad news. But a very big thanks you for all your superb efforts.
15. ANY OTHER BUSINESS:
a) Subscriptions for 2012/13:
Alison asked the President if she may say a few words to propose the following motion on your Agenda:
“To raise the subs to £25, Visitors £5 instead of £3, hopefully we do not have to raise the subs again for 2 years. Both Eastbourne and Hailsham charge this amount and they do not have a cup of tea and charge visitors £5. They have the similar programmes and membership to us and still do not always break even. Some clubs in the area charge up to £30 or more”.
May I reiterate what I said previously?
Demonstrations cost £205 -£250 per demo
Affiliation Fees over £4 per member
Hire of Hall £36.50 per meeting at present could be £46.50 if we use the new lights.
I would say to you that I have spoken to numerous Chairmen or Treasurers of surrounding Clubs, Seaford Evening, Eastbourne, Hailsham to name a few, during the last few days. All the Clubs have a similar number of members and programme to us, asking what their subs were, quite a few laughed at me when I told them what we pay at the present time and asked how we break even when I said we do not they told me that even their subs which is anything between £25 and £30 they do not always and they charge for tea. The only club who charge similar to us is Little Common but they have a membership of 110 – so you have two options either for everyone to find a new member or you agree to the £25.
May I point out that the 11 meetings planned this equates to £2.27 per meeting where can you go for an afternoon of being entertained, a cup of tea and meeting and chatting to all your friends. I should say also the cost of joining the W.I. is £30 so I have been told. Several members interrupted saying it was £32.
It was unanimously agreed that in the circumstances the subscriptions should be raised to £25 for this year.
b) The wording of paragraph 7 (2) of the Willingdon Flower Club Constitution shall be amended to read as follows:
“Maintenance of appropriate financial records and preparations of Annual Financial Statement for examination/audit prior to submission to the AGM. The financial year of the Club for the year 2012 shall run from 1st February to 31st December and from the 1st January to 31st December thereafter”.
Margaret Lainchbury proposed this motion and said
Mrs Bloomfield our Examiner asked that the wording of the Constitution be amended to give more time to prepare figures for examining before theAGM.
This motion was again agreed unanimously.
c) Heather asked the following: Would members be interested in a Celebration Lunch/Tea in 2013 for our Golden Anniversary but they would have to pay for it themselves?
All agreed that this should be looked into.
17. PRESENTATION OF PRIZES BY HEATHER SMITH
Cups were presented by the President to the overall winners of the Club Competitions held in the last year.
Beginners - Margaret Lainchbury
Intermediate - Margaret Butler
Advanced - Anne Bathard-Smith
Advanced plus - Su Htoon
The winners were reminded they now go up to the next class above.
The President, Heather Smith, presented a orchid plant with our thanks to Takako Neal for her tirelessly work to the Club.
Heather presented a NAFAS 50 Year Badge to Madelaine Gutteridge and a NAFAS 25 Year Badge to Alison Pullinger.
18. Tea and Biscuits were served after which the President introduced Mark Sawyer, Coxswain of the Eastbourne RNLI, he was presented with a cheque for £135 collected by members in their smartie tubes to go towards the appeal for their new Tamar Class Lifeboat which will be named the “Diamond Jubilee”. Mark thanked the Club and said every contribution means they are getting towards their target of £100,000.
Eastbourne Lifeboat is one of the busiest stations in the country.
Mark explained that they hope to take possession of the new boat sometime in April/May after he and several other members have been toPoolefor trials and will then bring it back toEastbourneso other members of the crew can learn from them. They have been given the honour to be included in the Diamond Jubilee Flotilla on theThamesduring the weekend 2nd-5th June. The boat will be named officially in October.
Mark also added that their old boat will be going to a new RNLI station at Leverhulme in the Western Isles of Scotland.
Heather Smith thanked Mark Sawyer for such an interesting and enlightening talk and wished them good luck for the future.
Mark Sawyer then drew the raffle tickets.
Angie Hyde, Area Secretary then presented the cups for the A G M founders Competition.
Willingdon Flower Founders Cup - Alison Tomlinson
The Willingdon Flower Club Novice Cup Margaret Lainchbury.
Angie was thanked very much for attending theAGMand giving the Co-Chairmen help and advice.
The meeting closed at3.45pm.
