Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, 11 September, 2024, 7.00pm
Monks Walk pub
1. Present: Martin Cox [Chair], Nicola Dixon, Brigitte B, Toni and Christine Mundel, Michele R
Apologies: Sheila Mullen, Tricia and John Sharp, Jim Whitfield, Mel Healy, Nigel Walker, Kate Jacques and Roger Woods
2. Minutes of last meeting (10 July) agreed
3. Matters arising (not covered in agenda) – N/A
4. Reports
· Membership (Michèle) – 23 members [Melanie still to join]
· Treasurer (Jim) – not present. No known income since last meeting beyond the £5 mentioned in last minutes. Balance = £644.32. Jim has paid for the Christmas Tree and will sort joint payment with Michele at a later date [Anglo-French Society]
· AFS (Michèle) – the new season’s meetings begin next week with an informal wine and cheese evening along with a quiz.
5. Report on Student Placements (Martin/Toni): written reports from Iacopo, Alessandra and Mel were shared. The members felt these were very positive and thanked those who hosted. We would repeat but for less than 2 weeks. We should advertise the exchange to see if we have students wishing to visit our twin towns for language study.
6. Beverley Town Council – positive support for the Big Bench project was expressed at the BTC meeting last week and conveyed by email from the Clerk. Nigel Walker continues to seek a site for the Big Bench. The Racecourse cannot host it due to opposition from the Pasture Masters.
The grant application prepared by Martin, with support from Toni, on behalf of the town twinning associations has been sent to BTC.
An email has been received stating the Council will discuss the need for more Beverley labelled souvenirs. ERYC officer also replied to say more Beverley items are likely to feature once the TIC returns to the Treasure House late this Autumn. Member expressed the need for mugs and postcards as well as reasonably priced items.
7. Other Twinning Associations – Toni reminded us that the Hansa group is no longer under the wing of the Lemgo Association. The next international meeting of Hansa clashes with the proposed visit to Nogent in late May/early June so will rule some members of this association out.
A visit to Stendal is planned for October, when the Friendship Agreement will be signed, and from Lemgo to Beverley in Spring/Autumn 2025
8. Autumn 2025 Visit from Fuccechio – dates proposed to encompass the Festival of Christmas and Christmas Tree Festival in December 2025 but could be anywhere within the mid-November to mid-December period.
9. May 2025 Visit to Nogent – Martin has written to Valerie and Marie-Jo about who they will invite but has had no reply in time for this meeting. Brigitte will follow up with a further message to seek clarity on how many visitors they expect from Beverley and who these might be.
10. Social and fundraising: Film Night booked for N Newbald on 25 October – Toni to organise raffle.
Elwell’s provisional booking for a meal on 28 November – Martin to handle food choices and liaise with ERC; Brigitte to organise the raffle.
Wine tasting based at Monks Walk provisionally booked for 29 Jan – Toni to liaise with Carrie. Nicola offered to design a flyer. Cost to attend currently suggested as £7 to match the Anglo-French event - It was suggested Martin ask Gill if pizzas can be costed in and this may increase the price charged. Toni suggested individuals/organisations sponsor a bottle [£18?].
11.AOB – Martin reported that he had attended the Beverley Cultural Network meeting yesterday. He reported that it felt more arts based rather than wider culture [most of the people there represented arts organisations except him and the rep from the Civic Society] Nicola added more info about here group [her boss within ERYC attends] – there is a report about the current situation with Arts/Culture in the ER that now needs digesting plus further consultation regarding the way forward. That meeting suggested it should have a clear role to play in developing any strategy and in providing info via the website.
12 . Date, time and venue of next meeting – agreed as the FIRST Wednesday of November [6th}