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Minutes of AGM
F E L I X S T O W E B R I D G E C L U B
A N N U A L G E N E R A L M E E T I N G
Minutes of Meeting held on Wednesday, 23rd October, 2013
Apologies: - Jane Stone, Mike Evans, Jim Sawyer, Barbara Flower, John Sugden, Ankie Perry, Linda Paterson, Maureen Cloud, Judy Birley, Jo Mayhew, Roy & Gillian Newton, Jenny Carter, Richard Davis, Pat Everett, Pauline & Graham Hanson,
Barbara Carey, Graham Beeton, Janet Fleming
Present: - Peggy Garrett, Sheilah Jarman, Jill Maureen Turner, Brenda Bobby, Jan Wynne, Terry Howard, Malcolm Carey, Janet Hickman, Joan Rae, Kay Linley, Marjorie Driver, Peter Markwell,
Committee Members: - Ralph Parish, Roy Edmunds, Ron Hosier, Graham Dines, Tony Shearman, Sylvia Burgess
Minutes of AGM Meeting held on Tuesday, 16th October, 2012 agreed and signed by the Chairman.
1. OFFICERS' REPORTS
CHAIRMAN
Ralph welcomed those present to the meeting.
He started by expressing his concerns about the depletion of members during the past year.
The Committee are aware that some of this is due to the poor facilities of the Hall, particularly the inefficient heating system during the winter months. Also problems experienced with certain members not keeping to the good behaviour rules as stated on our web site - and as always, natural causes such as illness etc.
Ralph explained that every attempt had been made to find an alternative venue, but it had not been possible to find somewhere that could either accommodate the Club for both sessions, the equipment and/or suitable parking facilities.
He also advised that Sylvia Burgess would not be standing as Secretary again and Roy Edmunds has resigned as Treasurer -that Roy intends to take a break from playing at the Club for the foreseeable future. So far no one has volunteered to take up these posts.
Ralph advised that it had not been possible to find someone to Audit the Accounts although a number of people had been approached including non-members.
Ralph said that as we have not had a Team Captain for the past year, the club had not entered into any Competitions. Attempts had been made to find teams but without success.
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TREASURER
Roy presented copies for the Income and Expenditure Account for the year ending 31st August, 2013.
He advised that both the subscription and table money had decreased due to members leaving and poor attendance levels. The present membership number is 67 and of those there are some members who have not attended during the past year and so are not likely to continue their membership.
He advised that there had been some considerable outlay this year with the purchase of the Bridgemate system - £1,131.67. Other large outlays were the Christmas lunch and the new tables and cupboards that were built specially to store all the tables in.
He confirmed that with interest the Tracker savings account held £5 ,933,46 and that the current account held £1,794.77 amounting to a total of £7728.23
DIRECTOR
Tony advised that there had been problems for the Directors regarding the use of the new Bridgemate system and in particular to completing the computer process. This meant that the system had not been used consistently. There had also been a problem with the first computer which had to be replaced. He emphasised that more training was needed for those Directors who did not have sufficient confidence to use it. Tony said that although he could use the system, the club computer was not compatible with his own computer and that this needed looking into.
Tony also stated that members did not call the Directors when a problem occurred during play. He emphasised that it was important to do so, no matter how small the problem, in order to avoid bad practice and as a learning curve.
SECRETARY
Sylvia advised that although she was not standing again as Secretary, she would remain on the Committee in order to take the Minutes and type them.
Sylvia has spoken to a number of people about taking over her post, and has talked to members before playing sessions, to emphasise how important it is to the Club to have a Treasurer and a Secretary in post.
She had over the past year produced a Job description for each of the committee posts. In this respect, it is therefore possible to have job share situations if members agreed to accept undertaking some of the tasks. Sylvia put out a copy of her job description, plus the Treasurer post, so that members present could look through it.
TROPHIES
The Knock Out competition has not been completed. The result will be announced and the trophy awarded at a future bridge session.
The Improver's trophy will be also be announced and awarded when the person concerned, Linda Paterson, is present at a Tuesday session.
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The Ralph Parish trophy awards went to:-
Winter 2012/13 –
Individual 1st Roy Edmunds - 2nd Tony Shearman
Pairs Roy Edmunds & Tony Shearman - 2nd Pauline and Con Hanson
Tuesdays 1st Roy Edmunds- 2nd Tony Shearman
Wednesdays 1st Ralph Parish - 2nd Ron Hosier
Summer 2013 -
Individual 1st Roy Edmunds - 2nd Tony Shearman
Pairs Pauline & Con Hanson- 2nd Ralph Parish and Ron Hosier
Tuesdays Pauline Hanson - 2nd Tony Shearman
Wednesdays Ralph - 2nd Ron
3. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Post Proposed Seconded
CHAIRMAN - Ralph Parish. Joan Rae Brenda Bobby
TREASURER - Vacant
DIRECTOR - Tony Shearman Janet Hickman Brenda Bobby
SECRETARY - Vacant
COMMITTEE - Barbara Carey, Ron Hosier, Graham Dines, Sylvia Burgess
The Chairman advised that he would stand down from the committee at the next AGM
4. A.O.B.
a. Wednesday Night Bridge
Ralph raised the problem of the falling numbers of this session during his opening speech and left it open for discussion at this point. He explained there have been as little as 2 or 3 tables at some sessions. The maximum has been five but this is very seldom. There is also the problem of directing the session when both he and Graham are away - Graham will not be able to attend after January. A number of sessions were cancelled over the winter period due to bad weather and when it was known that there would be few attendees.
He therefore proposed cancelling this evening and for the club to concentrate on Tuesdays.
Main reasons for consideration to keep the session going – people who can only attend on Wednesdays such as people who work. Tony's bridge lessons.
Malcolm Carey expressed his concerns that this was a retrograde step for the Club and felt the session should continue. This was backed by a few others who enjoy the session and by those who could not attend on Tuesdays. However, following a show of hands – 11 not to continue and 6 wanting to continue -Ralph made the decision that it was not viable to continue . It was generally felt that as so few people were present to agree to this decision, to continue to the end of November for those who would like to attend prior to it finishing.
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b. Teams of Eight
This competition will take place in Colchester on a Sunday in November, date as yet not known. Charge - £96. Some members expressed an interest to attend. Ralph to investigate further.
c. Children in Need Charity sessions
Following on from last year, it was decided to participate again this year. Therefore proceeds from table money and a raffle will be donated from a session in November.
To discuss further with the Directors re suitable date.
d. Christmas/New Year Lunch
Members present happy to go ahead with this. Sylvia as preliminary booked Tuesday 8th January. Committee agreed to £5 per head plus a free drink. Menu to be decided.
e. Clarification requested from members re Account figures
i. Charity Donation - name of Charity should be recorded.
ii Malcolm asked why the Club was paying for Scorebridge when there is a free EBU system. Ralph explained this a back up for when the bridgemates were not used. Malcolm and Ralph to talk about this.
f. Subscription and Table Money
These will remain the same – ie. £5 subs. £1.50 for members and £2 for non-members -
There was some discussion that with the fall in revenue in this respect, that the table money should be raised to £2 - £2.50 resp. Ralph said that he felt that due to the healthy bank balance we should not raise the money as he felt the club might lose some of the existing members. There will be no increase in charges.
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