Secretary's Report from AGM 2016-17
Our total membership at the beginning of March 2016 was 80 and we
have been fortunate to gain eight new members.
Over the year the average attendance has been 58.
The programme of speakers has been varied and enjoyable, thanks to
Elizabeth Veasey for her hard work in finding speakers, which the Guild can
afford, and liaising with them to ensure they attend the meeting.
Our summer party in June was a commemoration of the Queen’s 90th
birthday. We had sandwiches, cakes, tea
bread and strawberries and cream. Songs from the shows were played in the
background. Elizabeth Veasey read a poem
she had written to enter an HQ competition and the poem was highly commended. Sheila
read a passage from a book about the Queen and the book was presented to
Elizabeth Veasey, the winner of the fascinator competition. We ended the afternoon playing card bingo.
The coffee morning in August was well supported. A handicraft stall, book stall, card stall
and raffle helped raise funds.
At our November meeting, Heather Lines cut our 66th birthday cake,
which we had with our tea and coffee.
We celebrated our 66th birthday in December with a lunch at The
Chateau and this was well attended by members.
The meal was excellent and the service good. Elizabeth Veasey read ‘A Yorkshire Nativity’
from ‘Head over Heels in the Dales’ by Gervase Phinn and Sally Thomas read ‘The
Second Coming’ by Alan Titchmarsh. A
quiz was set by Elizabeth Veasey. Guests from Federation and Sanderstead
Evening Guilds were present and thanked members for inviting them.
The various groups met throughout the year and you have heard of
their activities from the individual reports.
The guild supported both Federation and National events throughout
the year. Sheila Plant attends the
Federation council meetings as our delegate and has given detailed reports of
these meetings. Several members enjoyed
a lunch at the Old Whitgiftians in May following the Federation AGM. The
Federation Leisure Day in July was well supported as was the Federation Council
Meeting in November, with lunch and speaker, at the Old Whitgiftians. Invitations were received from Sanderstead
Evening and Beddington Evening Guilds to attend their birthday celebrations and
members of our guild were happy to attend.
A few of our members attended Beddington Evening Guild’s Garden Party in
July. We also joined Beddington Evening
Guild for their Mystery Tour in September. Sheila and Brenda Johnson attended
the National AGM in Bournemouth as observers. We were unable to provide a
delegate but Sheila gave a report on the proceedings. Some of our members enjoyed a day out in June
to The Carr Taylor Vineyard in Sussex, organised by Federation. Ten of our members attended the National
Carol Service at Chichester Cathedral in December. Six of our members attended an educational
lunch in Bromley in April, organised by HQ. We have also taken part in
Federation holidays to north Devon and Scotland.
We have had various visits and outings throughout the year. Elizabeth Veasey organised visits to Wimbledon Theatre to see ‘Chitty,
Chitty, Bang, Bang’ in July, ‘Sister Act’ in November and ‘Evita’ in February. Elizabeth also organised an outing to Canterbury
in June. Beryl Watts organised a day out
to Windsor in August followed by a short cruise on the River Thames with a
cream tea. All these events were well
supported by members.
As usual, members have supported the Shoe Box Appeal, organised by
St Paul’s URC. Pam Oubridge said 221
boxes had been sent to support children in Moldovia. The Knit and Natter group was pro-active in
making knitted items for the boxes.
I think this has been a varied year with something to suit
everyone and I am sure you have all enjoyed it.
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