ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2024 & Ordinary Meeting
Wednesday, 13 March 2024, 7.00pm, Monks Walk pub, Upstairs Room
MINUTES
PART ONE - AGM
Present: Kate & Roger Woods, Martin Cox, Sheila Mullen, Brigitte Bourderiat, Michele Robillard, John Sharp, Mary & Roger Day, Toni & Christine Mundel,
Apologies: Jim Whitfield, Tricia Sharp
Minutes of AGM 2023
The Minutes were approved. There were no matters arising.
President’s Report (Martin)
The President’s report is attached
Treasurer’s Report – (Jim)
The Treasurer was away. In his absence an informal statement was compiled by Martin and Sheila. The balance stands £2019.32,
The account has been transferred successfully to Beverley Building Society from Barclays.
Membership Report – (Michèle)
Membership stands at 20.
6. Election of Officers
Current officers willing to continue in post are:
President - Martin Cox Treasurer – Jim Whitfield
Anglo-French Soc. Rep – Michele Robillard Membership Secretary – Michele Robillard
Vacancies:
Visits/Events Secretary
Publicity Secretary
Meetings Secretary
Committee members
Martin has agreed to act for one more year as President. Sheila has agreed to continue as Meetings Secretary for one more year also.
Brigitte agreed to be Visits/Events Secretary as she is already fulfilling this role in the run-up to the Nogentais visit
Kate agreed to become a Committee member.
Martin will write to the Town Council asking for a Town Council rep who will attend Committee meetings.
Subscriptions 2024 – 25
It was agreed that individual membership should be £15 for the year. Group membership should be £35.
Kate proposed that family/couple membership be abolished, seconded by Mary. The meeting agreed and the motion was carried.
Changes to the Constitution
Section 2 Aims of the Association
Add new section b:
To develop ties with Fucecchio, Tuscany [twin town of Nogent-sur-Oise] as an Associate Twin Town of Beverley as agreed in 2023 by Beverley Town Council with a view to closer twinning links in the future.
Section 3 Membership
Retain first sentence then replace next sentence and next paragraph with:
Membership rates for the subsequent year will be determined at the AGM held each Spring.
There will be a single rate of membership for all individuals.
An individual may join as a representative of another organisation in sympathy with us and liaise on their behalf [e.g. a sports team]
Section 7 The Management Committee
February to be changed to Spring.
Fourteen to be changed to seven.
How to increase our membership
A long discussion took place. The major ideas are listed as follows.
Mary suggested that the Association advertise in the ERT programme.
Michele pointed out that a new member of the AFS is the husband of the Head of French at the High School. It might be possible to generate some interest in the Association at the school.
Toni said that the Hansa Youth programme is very successful and that the Twinning Association should replicate this focus on youth through the schools.
Martin pointed out that placements have been offered to young people from Nogent and Fuccechio but that so far only Fuccechio has shown an interest.
It is now too late for Nogent to respond to the invitation. This is seen as a way to encourage families and younger folk to engage.
Mary wondered if Golf is played in Nogent, and, if so, whether or not links between Golf Clubs could be made. Michele said she doubted golf was played in Nogent and we should explore other sports.
Brigitte added that bowling could provide opportunities for links. Again we would need to establish if Bowls in any form was played in Nogent.
10.AOB
There was no AOB.
11. Date of next AGM
12th March 2025
PART TWO – Ordinary Meeting
Minutes of meeting 10 January 2024
Dates of visit to be changed from 9 – 14th Mary to 9th – 13th.
Cultural network – nothing came of Martin’s investigations.
Martin bought a card and gifts for Carol and Graham and will deliver them they all meet up later in the month in Beverley.
Web-site – Martin wrote to the Town Clerk about a hyperlink to and from the Council web-site. John will investigate the possibility of hyperlinks between AFS, Council and Twinning Assoc. Web-sites.
Nogent Visit
It was decided that the programme which had been provisionally organised should be
revised, and that attendance at the ERCC Elijah concert should be abandoned.
The organising group would meet again and a new programme would be circulated within 10 days.
Fundraising and social events inc. Tombola stall dates
Ellwell’s – May 2nd chosen as next dinner date.
Tombola – no-one was willing to take this on.
Fuccechio
Those coming to take up placements will need hosts. There have been offers of placements from Jacobs Well, Beverley Community Lift shop, Cherry Tree Lane Centre foodbank and pantry.
Toni & Christine can host Alessandra in August.
AOB
It was agreed that a Report from the AFS rep be a regular Agenda item in future, and that attempts should be made to co-ordinate the AFS meetings, the Film Society, and the Twinning Association programmes in future years.
Date of next meeting
17th April 2024, Monks Walk (tbc) 17th April 2024, Monks Walk (tbc) – This date is earlier than usual to prepare for the Nogentais visit in May