AGM 25th November 2016
Nearly 40 Twinners gathered in the Dunmow Day Centre for the Annual General Meeting on Friday 25th November, to be welcomed by Chairman Wendy Barron.
In recalling the year’s events, the Chairman paid tribute to Treasurer Willie Fraser who has run our most successful fundraiser, the Caledonian Evening, for 6 years assisted by family and friends. Sadly Willie has decided that 2016 was his last. Instead we are planning a Country and Western evening, probably in March.
As previously reported, the visit to Dourdan in May was highly successful, with a trip to the chateau of Amboise followed by wine tasting in a local cellar. The visit dinner, held this year on the Friday, was excellent. As always our French hosts looked after us extremely well throughout the visit, right up to the prolonged farewells on Sunday morning.
David and Patsy Beedle had again generously hosted the traditional barbecue ‘thank you’ to members.
We met our Dourdan friends again in October at Arundel, where we visited the Castle and lunched in the Norfolk Arms before fond farewells. The Chairman thanked her Vice Chairman (and family) for looking after everything because of her antipodean absence.
The Fish Supper was the final event prior to the AGM, another chance for members to get together over a mixed fish and seafood buffet.
The Chairman reminded everyone that our events in Dunmow, besides being for their enjoyment, also help to raise money for the visits of our Dourdan friends. Fortunately our funds are in a reasonable state for their May 2017 visit. The Treasurer reported that having made a surplus of £2976 this year, Twinning now has a balance of £6514, compared with £3538 a year ago.
Turning to the new Website the Chairman thanked David Aldridge for obtaining a grant of £800 from Stansted Airport Passenger Community Fund covering set-up costs. With the technical assistance of Keith Schorah (dunmoweb) David had designed the Website and taken on the task of posting articles. The Chairman thanked David and Keith for their work, and encouraged members to refer to it.
The Chairman thanked all the Committee for their hard work. She requested members to reply promptly to communications from the extremely hard-working events secretary, to assist her in arranging socials and trips.
Mike Barnard would be standing down from the Committee but would continue as official photographer. He was thanked for his many contributions.
Finally the Chairman announced that sadly our President, Pat Schorah, had decided to stand down. She has been involved with Twinning since its inception and has done an enormous amount for us.
Gaenor Jones, also a founder member, was elected as the new President. The Chairman, Treasurer and Secretaries were re-elected, as were other Committee members. June Milne was elected onto the Committee.
The formal business being concluded, members partook of a ploughman’s supper, accompanied by wine.