HARDY PLANT SOCIETY
WORCESTERSHIRE GROUP

Minutes of the Annual General Meetingheld on Saturday 9 March 2013, commencing at 2 pm

Fifty members and one visitor were present.

  1. Apologies for absence were received from Becky Dale, Pippa Hilton, Ann Sheppard, Marilyn Wrightson, Sheila Webster, Gillian Blizard, Vivienne McGhee, Wendy Richards, Elspeth Napier, Margaret Stone and Linda Eggins.
  2. To receive and adopt the minutes of the AGM held on 10 March 2012.

    Proposer: Judy Pollitt

    Seconder: Alan Hale

    Passed

  3. Matters arising: none.
  4. Chairman’s Report

    In her report Mrs Drewitt once again looked back on another full year of activities despite some totally unexpected difficulties with hall hire which meant we had to have two meetings in different venues away from Peopleton. She thanked everyone for coming to Inkberrow in October and Crowle in December, and remarked that this year we should be at Peopleton the whole time.

    There had been a very varied and enjoyable programme of speakers and in addition, at the December meeting the Group had its usual excellent buffet lunch provided by members and the Christmas free raffle.

    She thanked Alwyn Stanley and Hazel Bartlett for hosting coffee mornings in their gardens during the summer which were well attended. Members had also been able to attend a cheese and wine evening at World's End Nursery, Hallow, hosted by Robin and Krystyna Pearce, where, on a rather cold summer's evening they were able to enjoy the garden and nursery.

    David Pollitt had decided to take a rest from organising a garden holiday but, ever the glutton for punishment, instead he took on the task of organising two days out to visit more local gardens – one in May to Bryan's Ground and Ashley Farm and one in July to the Old Rectory, Duntisbourne and Westonbirt School Gardens, both trips highly enjoyable and amazingly, considering the summer, with good weather. As we have come to expect from David, organisation was superb and many thanks go to him.

    A new venture for the current committee was a Plant Sale open to the public and held on the morning of our June meeting – yet another Pollitt idea! Thank you to everyone who contributed plants and helped out. We learned a lot from this initial sale, which was financially rewarding, and are repeating it in 2013.

    For the second year the group had a small display at Spetchley Plant Fair in April where unfortunately the weather did not repeat the previous year's glorious sunshine. There were also displays at both Spring and Autumn Malvern Shows: the group was awarded a First Prize at the former. Thanks must go to Pippa Hilton for the display at Spetchley, Nicola Content, HPS member and friend of Karen Hawcutt, for that at the Malvern Spring Show and Wendy Richards for the one at the Malvern Autumn Show, and Bob Brown for once again supplying plants. Last but not least, Mrs Drewitt also thanked John McGhee for devising and assembling the stands and organising the volunteers.

    Finally the Chair thanked the committee for their untiring help over the past year: Judith Doughty for all the hard work that went into being Secretary, John McGhee, who as Treasurer, made sure the Group stayed solvent, Julia Dale for resolving membership issues and organising refreshments, Marilyn Wrightson, Speakers' Secretary for another good programme, Celia Guest for organising coffee mornings and the raffle, Lynda Niccolls, Publicity Officer, who made our name known as far and wide as possible, Kathryn Elrick Smith for editing the Newsletter and Colin Doughty for keeping the website looking so good. She also thanked all those members who baked cakes for our meetings, manned the plant stalls and served the refreshments, not forgetting everyone else who attended Group events.

  5. To adopt the accounts of the financial year ended 31 December 2011, presented at the AGM of 10 March 2012 but examined after that date.

    Proposer: Lynda Nicholls

    Seconder: Audrey Stevens

    Passed

  6. To receive and adopt the accounts for the financial year ended 31 December 2012.

    The Treasurer referred members to the six-year review, which showed a surplus of £540 despite expenditure of £600 for display boards, to be depreciated over three years, the plant sale having raised approximately £500 before allocating expenditure.

    Membership now stood at 76, which meant increased revenue from subscriptions and a knock-on effect into donated plant sales, the raffle and refreshments. He thanked all those who had organised these activities. Coffee morning revenue was down, due to there being two rather than three. He warned that, although the Speakers Secretary was well within budget, expenditure for speakers, especially their travel expenses, and the cost of hall hire was rising. He added that it was hoped to invite one or two high-profile speakers in future.

    Proposer: David Pollitt

    Seconder: Kathryn Elrick Smith

    Passed

  7. To transact any other business of which 21 days' notice had been given: none.
  8. Election of Officers

    Proposed for re-election were Bev Drewitt as Chairman, John McGhee as Treasurer and Judith Doughty as Secretary.

    Proposer: Alwyn Stanley

    Seconder: Sue Chitty

    Unanimous

  9. Election of Committee

    Julia Dale, Celia Guest and Lynda Niccolls, having served for less than three years, offered themselves for re-election.

    Seconder: Jackie Davies

    Unanimous

    Marilyn Wrightson, having served for more than three years and there being no other nominations, offered herself for re-election.

    Seconder: Celia Guest

    Passed

    Colin Doughty, having served for four years, did not offer himself for re-election, although he was willing to continue as Webmaster outside the Committee. There therefore being a vacancy on the Committee, Kathryn Elrick Smith, as Newsletter Editor, offered herself for election.

    Seconder: Judith Doughty

    Passed

  10. Election of an independent examiner of the accounts

    Mr Jonathan Davies was proposed by John McGhee, seconded by Alwyn Stanley.

    Passed

The meeting closed at 14.18pm.

Judith Doughty, Secretary