ORLETON AND DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB
MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD 18th DECEMBER 2018
There were 36 members present at the meeting
1. Apologies: Christine and John Berry, Julian Todd, Shelley Choat, Jane and Chris Turvey, Eddie and Trisha Clanzy-Hodge
2. Minutes of the 2017 AGM:
Approved: proposed Nick Russell
Seconded: Marjan Bartlett-Freriks
Carried unanimously.
3. Matters arising: none
4. Chairman’s report: copy attached
5. Treasurers report: copy attached
6. Programme Secretary’s report: The programme for the 2019 was presented and is now available on the web
7. Adoption of reports:
Proposed: Jane Cross
Seconded: Peter Furneaux
Carried unanimously
8. Correspondence: none
9. Election of Officers:
a) Chairman – Nick Russell
Proposed: Peter Furneaux
Seconded: Di Belton-Elliott
Carried unanimously
b) Vice Chairman – Peter Furneaux
Proposed: Nick Russell
Seconded: Monica Todd
Carried unanimously
c) Secretary – Monica Todd
Proposed: Diane Russell
Seconded: Caroline Seaman
Carried unanimously
d) Treasurer – David Davies
Proposed: Jane Cross
Seconded: Di Belton-Elliott
Carried unanimously
e) Booker Keeper – Gail Scott
Proposed: Nick Russell
Seconded: Monica Todd
Carried unanimously
10. Election of Committee Members:
The remaining Committee members, who had not been elected as Officers were prepared to stay on the Committee.
Christine Berry, Jane Cross
Proposed: Diane Russell
Seconded: Caroline Seaman
Carried unanimously
11. Appointment of Auditor:
Helen Webb has agreed to audit the account again next year.
12. August Show:
Monica Todd gave a full report on the successful 2018 Show
13. Any other business: None
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2018
This is the fourth Chairman’s Report that I have written, and I am pleased to say that we have come through another year in good financial shape with a new website.
Yet again the show was a great success and again a very big thank you to the show subcommittee for all their hard work and also to the helpers on the day for making it such a success. We instituted a few changes to this year’s show and these did appear to make it run more smoothly than the past.
Although we are in the dark and dismal middle of winter, I would ask you to think about the light and hopefully warm days of spring and support either by growing plants for or buying plants from what has become the annual plant sale. A very big thank you to Hilary and Sheila for their great efforts and work to make it such a success, although not due to open our doors until 11 am we had a large queue at 10.45 and the first few minutes felt like Black Friday. The plant sale raised over £1,000 for club funds which enabled us to keep our ticket prices affordable with a significant discount for members for our celebrity speaker, Christine Walkden. This ensured we filled the hall and made a very small profit on the night.
It would take too long to mention all of the speakers we have enjoyed this year but as ever for me it was again a case of talks I thought would not interest me and frankly had I not been chairman that I might have missed that had me most fascinated, I almost feel I am the world’s second most authority on mistletoe and have been telling many friends that a variety also grows on conifers!!! I say it every year but please make an effort to attend the talks, you never know what you might learn.
I am told the outings were equally enjoyable with trips to The Lavender Farm (which I didn’t attend due to work) and Stockton Bury which I did on a very warm day.
This year we have enjoyed meals at The Cider Barn, sadly I was unable to attend the November Lunch at the Riverside as I was away. This replaced the annual Titley Lunch which has been discontinued.
I am pleased to report that membership is healthy but as ever please encourage anyone you know with a minor interest in gardening to join, the discounts off seeds etc easily pay the subscription which remains at £12.50
I would also like to thank those who have volunteered to go on the committee and also those not on the committee who freely give their time and expertise to help the club.
As I mentioned at the beginning this is my fourth report as chairman and under club rules the club officers are only supposed to stand for three years. As such it is the intention of the current secretary and chairman to stand down at the end of this year. We are aware that they are members with other plans and ideas for the club and this should give them time to organise their own committee and stand for 2020.A club is only as strong as its members and I thank you for coming to the AGM.
TREASURERS REPORT:
As Nick has already said ODGC is in a healthy position and showing a profit.
£12.50 membership doesn’t cover Hall rental and speaker costs but it is supported by our ancillary events including the plant sales and the annual show.
Without the plant sale producing over £1,000 we would have to increase the membership fee.
This year we have paid out a one off cost of £400 for our new website plus an annual cost of £150 for maintenance and hosting.
Meals and trips cover themselves.
