90th Annual General Meeting 12th June 2019, Cheltenham Racecourse
Townswomen’s Guilds 90th Annual General Meeting, Wednesday, 12 June 2019 At Cheltenham Racecourse.
- MORNING SESSION -
We were pleased to have Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, our Patron, with us.
We gave a warm welcome to HRH and to the civic dignitaries who joined us:
The Lord Lieutenant for Gloucestershire and his deputy;
The High Sherriff of Gloucestershire; and
he Mayor of Cheltenham.
TG member Stef Shackley then took the full roll call with Banner March.
Ladies stood to receive our new National Banner being carried today, by its designer and creator, National Trustee, Jenny Thorne.
We also welcomed the following:
our President Dame Diana Brittan
our Vice President Eileen Bell CBE; and
our Honorary Life National Vice Presidents and former National Chairmen, Margaret Key, Pauline Myers, Sue Smith OBE and Iris Shanahan MBE.
Two new Guilds had opened since the last AGM:
Calow Townswomen
TSG - Coventry University
Then National Vice-Chairman, Janice Collins, introduced the mandate:
“INFORMING THE DVLA ON INDIVIDUAL’S HEALTH”
“TG calls on HM Government to require medical staff, police and other relevant agencies to inform the DVLA if an individual’s health is reducing their ability to drive safely.”
Proposer - Marilyn Lawton (NEC) on behalf of Valerie Burgess of Whittington Townswomen, who submitted the proposal, with Sheila Allen, also Whittington Townswomen, seconding it.
Nick Lloyd, Head of Road Safety at ROSPA, offered professional viewpoints both for and against.
A full debate took place with views on either side of the argument expressed by the delegates. Following a vote, the resolution was declared CARRIED.
Her Royal Highness presented the following awards:
Townswomen of the Year - Karen Moore from Sedgley Guild.
ABC Award - Prue Chadderton from Lincoln Minster TG.
The Chairman’s Award - “The oldest Guild - Totnes - 89 years”
HRH then addressed the meeting and as usual provided words and wisdom and food for thought.
Sara Trayers, TG’s National Recruitment Officer, then spoke about the ‘people’s picture’ before introducing the artist, Helen Marshall.
Keynote Speaker, Victoria Milligan, then provided the audience with a truly inspirational talk.
- AFTERNOON SESSION –
Honorary National Treasurer, Penny Ryan presented the Annual Accounts.
Adopted.
It was proposed that the National Trustees be authorised to appoint such persons as Independent Examiners for the year 2019/20 as will provide best value to the organisation.
Carried.
Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting in 2018, had been printed in the Autumn 2018 issue of the Townswoman magazine - no corrections had been notified.
Signed as a true record.
This year in lieu of a second mandate TG had reviewed its past mandates – presented by Vice Chairman Beryl Hales.
TG President Dame Diana Brittan presented the afternoon awards:
Membership Salver for the most new members - Woodley Evening for 15 new members.
Crown Green Bowls – winners were Anne Broadrick and Margaret Booth from Radcliffe Evening Guild.
Scarf competition - the winner was Judith Yates from Worsley Roe Green Evening Guild.
The runner up, whose design has been made into the tea towel, was Karen Moore from Sedgley Evening Guild.
‘Cake Off’ - the winner was Karen Moore from Sedgley Evening Guild.
Vice Chairman Beryl Hales then spoke about the TG Time Capsule.
The first part of the National Executive Committee was announced:
-
Barbara Cobain
-
Connie Nunn
-
Lynda Young; and
-
Jean Watkins.
We said goodbye to one of our National Trustees, Jenny Thorne.
Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal will continue as our Patron and Dame Diana Brittan had agreed to continue as our President.
Vice-Presidents for the year will be:
-
Dame Jocelyn Barrow
-
Eileen Bell CBE
-
Baroness Flather
The winning tickets for the Raffle, which raised over £7,000, were drawn by Ellie Fulcher from Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines:
Ticket Number
1st Prize 09914
2nd Prize 13119
3rd Prize 09920
4th Prize 20043
5th Prize 11255
6th Prize 09268
To celebrate our 90th Anniversary in style, we had some of our own TG talented Members who performed for us and the National Chairman was pleased to announce, “The Southern Belles” and their master of Ceremonies Jill Bird!
It was then time to announce the remaining roles for 2019 / 2020 Executive Committee…...
And the new National Chairman…...Penny Ryan.
TG member Norma Brinsdon then gave a vote of thanks to the outgoing National Chairman, Jenny Rideout who then gave her closing speech.
The new National Chairman, Penny Ryan then gave acceptance speech, introduced our Anthem “I am a Small Part of the World” and announced, ‘Dates for your diary’.
Carol Services 2019:
Liverpool on Tuesday 26th November
Chelmsford on Thursday 12th December
Exeter on Tuesday 17th December
Members only event - £7 for Order of Service
International Women’s Day on Friday 6th March 2019 (the 8th being a Sunday) at The Queen’s Hotel, Portsmouth - £32 for members/ £35 non-members
Information on tickets for the carol services and International Women’s Day, would be in the Autumn issue of the Townswoman magazine.
The date and venue for the next AGM in 2020:
Scarborough Spa on Wednesday, 17th June.
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