2020 – AGM Minutes

Stapleford Twinning Association

Annual General Meeting

Thursday 17 November 2020, 19:30

Zoom

  1. Present: Jackie Bow (chair), Tony Hore (treasurer), Bryan and Carol Davies, Mary Cooper (secretary), Chris Bow, Bryan and Carol Davies, Jim and Kathleen Foreman, Jillian Gardner, Stewart Kerr, Anand Pillai, Tony Smith, Louise Graham, Gillian Pett, Jo and Tom Robinson, Tony Smith, Jane Steadman, Patrick Thouroude.

Apologies for absence: Andrew Graham, Jeannie and Peter Green, Kate and Tim Jessop, Vijaya Pillai,  Soraya Taraghi.

  1. Minutes of the AGM held on 7 November 2019

Accepted as correct.

  1. Matters arising

There were no matters arising.

  1. Chair’s Report (Jackie Bow: 2019 / 2020) 

It has been a very strange year with the pandemic. Since the last AGM we have held a Bring and Share Supper on 6 December at the Bow’s, always an enjoyable event, singing at the Cooper’s on 31 January to mark UK leaving the EU, a Bring and Share Supper and Film Evening in March (the film was called ‘Une Heure de Tranquillité), and a lovely Committee dinner in February hosted by the Foremans;  then coronavirus struck and we were not able to hold any more events. Sadly the visit by the French to Stapleford had to be cancelled but they have accepted Jackie’s invitation to visit us in 2021 instead, perhaps later in the year if necessary.

Jackie expressed our condolences at the sad passing of Carol Tomson, Nick Smith and Rose Humberstone in Stapleford, and Damien Foratier, husband of Françoise Murgue-Foratier, and Matthieu Simon, grandson of Bernadette and Jean Louis Simon in Villedômer.

Good news, Jackie and Chris Bow welcomed two more grandchildren into the world and Annie and Christophe Ourceau’s son Baptiste and his wife had a son, Arthur.

Future events – Jackie would welcome any suggestions for events we can hold during the pandemic.

Jackie thanked the whole committee and particularly Tony Smith, who is standing down for 2021 but may be willing to rejoin the committee in 2022. However, he has offered to hold a BBQ in his garden!

Jackie thanked those who have kept the Villedômer garden tidy.

Matters arising: Louise Graham reported that they visited Annie and Christophe Ourceau briefly in the summer.

  1. Treasurer’s Report

Tony presented the unaudited accounts which show a healthy balance of £3331.29 in spite of the fact that we have not been able to fundraise.

The accounts were proposed by Anand Pillai and seconded by Gillian Pett. All were in favour.

The November 100 Club was drawn. No. 11, Wendy Heap was the lucky recipient.

  1. Proposal to reduce the membership fee for this year

A proposal that we should reduce the membership fee as we were unable to organise many activities was voted on. The majority voted to keep the usual fee so that  the balance in the bank could be built up for a rainy day.

  1. Election of new committee members

All members of the committee apart from Tony Smith were re-elected.

8. AOB

Patrick asked whether a date had been decided for the French visit here but it all depends on what is happening with the virus.

The meeting closed at 20:00.