AGM
This year's Annual General Meeting was held at The Reel Cinema, Kingsbridge on Thursday 28th June 2007 at 9.45 am. Dr David Radford (Chairman), Mr Robert Woods (Treasurer), Dr Madeleine Radford, Mrs Diana McCoy, Mrs Veronica Barford, Mrs Margaret Hodder, Mrs Margaret Bird, Mrs Lucie Graham, Mrs Margaret Bolton King, Dr Anthony Barford, Mrs Mary Woods, Mrs Susan Girling, Dr Malcolm Waite, Mrs Yvonne Bennett (Secretary) and some 50 members were present.     Apologies for absence: Mr D and Mrs J Hailey, Mrs J Simon, Mrs R Singer, Mr C and Mrs D St Pier.
To receive and approve the Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting held on Wednesday 27th September 2006: Proposed by Cdr J McCoy, seconded by Mr J Browning and carried unanimously. To receive and approve the Chairman’s Report: The Chairman presented his report, a copy of which appears below. Acceptance of the Chairman’s Report was proposed by Mrs Lucie Graham, seconded by Dr M Waite and carried unanimously.  To receive and approve the Annual Accounts of the Society:
 To elect an Independent Examiner of the Accounts of the Society. It was proposed that the incoming treasurer should select an accountant at a competitive rate and this was approved by the members.

Chairman David Radford's Report – June 2007 

DavidRadfordThis is my second – and final - report to you as Chairman. My taking up the chairmanship of Devon Primary Care Trust means that I need to relinquish the chairmanship a year early, but thankfully Dr Malcolm Waite has agreed to take over where I leave off.
 As usual we had a very diverse series of lectures this year – our Programme Secretary, Madeleine Radford has consulted you both last year and this about preferred lecture topics, and the current programme reflects your  preferences.      

Thanks to the hard work of our Visits Organisers, we have been able to offer three very tightly co-ordinated and entertaining UK visits this year, and these have been well-attended by members, and in two cases were over-subscribed. Similarly, our Study Day Organiser, Diana McCoy, has arranged two well-attended study days.  The 2007 Christmas lunch will be held in Dartington Hall – a venue which proved popular in earlier years.  A recital of live music has been arranged for that event, so please do come along.

 This year has been more eventful than most in two ways. First, we have a new projectionist -  Ian Henderson.  Secondly, we decided to pull out of Kingsbridge Methodist Church as the Thursday venue because the logistics of blackout curtains and the need to move furniture was just proving too complex. Our move to The Reel Cinema in March means that we now have properly blacked out venues with raked seating for both sessions.  Ian is nevertheless confronted by quite a demanding equipment set-up at both venues, and we are indebted to him for his resourcefulness in keeping the show on the road.

This year has also seen a big turn-over in membership. About 30 new members have joined, however, which is quite a healthy recruitment rate.  The Committee has needed to keep a close watch on our finances; this year’s subscriptions were set at a level to halt our use of accumulated reserves.  Compared with other societies, our costs are higher because we run two sessions, each with above-average premises costs for the South West.  In common with other societies at a distance from London and the South East, we have faced above-average travel costs which need to be reimbursed to lecturers.  In common with all societies nationally, we have seen above-inflation increases in lecturers’ fees.  In short, all cost trends are upwards.  Nevertheless the Committee believes that we can hold subscriptions at their current level for 2007/8.  The Treasurer will give us his final view on this at the AGM. 

As planned, we have been publicising our lectures and –  where appropriate – study-days and visits in advance by regular articles in the Kingsbridge Gazette, which we believe has attracted more visitors and ultimately more new members.  Last year KEDFAS won the NADFAS’ National Media Award for our promotional poster design. This year, we were runners-up in the NADFAS national media award (Digital Section) for the quality of our web-site, thanks mostly to the hard work of our Web-site Co-ordinator, Dr Tony Barford. Our web-site has recently featured some photographic work by students of Kingsbridge College in our continuing attempts to capture the enthusiasm of younger arts students in the area. The web-site is a useful and free source of information about the Society.  In addition, Tony is beginning to use our members’ e-mail database as a means of communicating electronically, in view of the significant increases in postage costs we would otherwise face.  The web-site address is www.kedfas.org.uk.

 Apart from me, four other committee members are standing down after today; they are Bob Woods our current Treasurer together with Mary Wood, Yvonne Bennett our current Secretary, Diana McCoy our current Study Day Organiser, and Margaret Bolton King as our Thursday Membership Secretary.  Audrey Ayton stood down as Lecturers’ Hospitality Co-ordinator earlier in the year.  I am indebted to each of them for their support during what, as I have said, has been an eventful year in which the tight management of resources has been a dominant theme.  The AGM will hopefully approve the nominations we make to fill committee vacancies, and who ever is duly elected, I should like to wish them and the Society in general every success in the year ahead.      

David Radford, June 2007

The Treasurer presented a Reconciliation Staement for the 8 month period 1st August 2006 to 31st March 2007; the KEDFAS accounting year had changed following members’ approval at the 2006 AGM. The annual subscrption will remain unchanged for the current year 1997/1998. The statement had been examined by Dr D Howells. Approval of the accounts was proposed Mrs S Girling, seconded by Mr R Bunn and carried by the majority of members. It was proposed that the incoming Treasurer should select an Independent Examiner of the Accounts of the Society at a competitive rate and this was approved by the members.

Elections:                                                                                                                                                                   Election of the officers of the Society nominated by the Committee who recommended that:                                                
Dr Malcolm Waite be elected as Chairman. Proposed by Mrs V Barford, seconded by Mr R Parkin, carried unanimously 

Mrs Joan Pincombe be elected as Secretary. Proposed by Mrs M Hodder, seconded by Mrs D Hardiman, carried unanimously   Mr Richard Bunn be elected as Treasurer. Proposed by Mrs S Girling, seconded Mrs B Watkinson,carried unanimously  

Mrs Lucy Graham be elected as Thursday Membership Secretary. Proposed by Dr D Radford, seconded by Mrs A Blake, carried unanimously

Mrs Sue Wright and Mrs Jill Trumble be elected as Study Day  Organisers. Proposed by Mrs M Barnett and Mrs V Barford, seconded by Mrs E Smith and Mrs M Hodder, carried unanimously 

Mrs Jane Black be elected as Lecturers’ Hospitality Organiser. Proposed by Dr M Radford, seconded by Mrs L Graham, carried unanimously

Dr Tony Barford be elected as Publicity and Website Co-ordinator. Proposed by Mrs Y Bennett, seconded by Mrs B Watkinson, carried unanimously

To note co-optations made on to the Committee: Mrs Susan Girling.

Any Other Business:

On behalf of the membership Mr R Parkin expressed appreciation of the Committee’s hard work, and Dr M Waite thanked the outgoing Chairman for his work for the Society and presented him with a bottle of champagne.
There was no other business.

The next AGM will take place on Wednesday 25th June 2008 at 7.15pm prompt

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