ORLETON AND DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB MINUTES OF ANNUALGENERAL MEETING 30th JULY 2024

There were 23 members present at the meeting

1.         Apologies:

Marion Forrester, Stephen Hancocks, Eric and Joan Waters

2.         Minutes of the 2023 EGM: 

                        Proposed            David Davies

                        Seconded            Jane Cross

                        Carried                Unanimously

3.         Matters arising:        none

4.         Chairman’s report:  click here to view

5.         Treasurers report:    click here to view

6.         Adoption of reports:

                                    Proposed            Monica Todd

                                    Seconded            David Davies

                                    carried unanimously  

7.         Election of Officers:

            There having been no nominations / volunteers since the EGM in July 2023,

            all existing members remain in place

                        Chairman                    Nick Russell

                        Vice Chairman            Peter Furneaux

                        Treasurer                     Gail Scott

                        Secretary                     Monica Todd 

                        Proposed         Maggie Jennings

                        Seconded        Jane Cross

                        Carried unanimously

8.         Election of committee members:

            There having been no nominations / volunteers since the EGM in July 2023,

            all existing members remain in place

            Ghi Arundale              David Davies

            Proposed:    Morwenna Lloyd     Seconded:    Andrew Nichol              Carried Unanimously

9.         Appointment of Auditor:

            Peter King has agreed to audit our accounts

10.       Any other business:              None  

None AGM Business:

1.         Outings and meals:

As the number of people attending the November lunch has been dropping, would members prefer an evening meal.

Agreed evening meals preferred so one will be arranged for November / December

2.         2025 Programme:

            Work on the programme nearly completed and new webmaster working on website

3.         Webmaster / website:

            Stephen Hancocks is taking over as our webmaster

4.         Social media:

            Thanks to Marjan Bartlett-Freriks we now have a Facebook page

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2024

I think this is the 9th or 10th report I have written as chairman (I don’t think I wrote one in 2020!) but I think having the AGM in July is rather better than December! At least we are not out on a cold dark night wishing we were by the fire.

This has been another very good year for the club with finances in good shape and interesting speakers and talks. Our membership is still increasing as is the numbers of visitors and I would like to thank Marjan who put us on Facebook as I think having a Facebook page has almost certainly got us a bigger following.

The plant sale raised more money than ever before and as part of that I should like to thank the “Tea Ladies” – Alison (Coggan), Jane (Turvey), Anne (Sinclair) and Carol (Brooking) who do such a marvellous job and as they refuse to take any expenses, even though they produce wonderful cakes, the committee thought we should give them a small present to show the club’s gratitude.

I would also like to thank Marleen (with help from Marjan) for organising the exciting programme for next year. Marleen has stepped down and Programme Secretary and I thank her for all her efforts.

We look forward to the show and Jane has been very busy organising this, please remember the words of our vegetable judge although they could be from any of our judges “It is their job to judge not ours to decide it is not worth putting the exhibit in”. So please do enter whatever you have and don’t think someone will have done better, if it has been a difficult year to grow a plant, the chances are everyone has had the same problems. Last year at the last minute I entered my onions, I am not sure if I have ever mentioned it before but they got first prize much to my surprise.

Thank you all for coming and let’s look forward to another year.