Minutes of the Wye Valley Music Annual General Meeting

Sunday 16 October 2022, 2:00pm; St Mary the Virgin Church, St Briavels, GL15 6RG

Present: Corinna Arnold (Chair), Margaret Ralph (Secretary), Mike Haines (Programme Secretary), Martin Fenn-Smith, Michael Bradley, Alice Hogge. 

Members Present: Committee members (as above), Gill White, George Tute, Christine Haines, Jean Sheraton, John Hurley, Jennifer Harland, Douglas Battesby, Richard Jones, Chris Mackintosh, Ursula Williams, Jack Hanbury, Susannah Hanbury, Judy Craven, Mike Topp, Michael Sullivan, Claire Nissel.

Welcome: Corinna Arnold thanked members for their attendance and notified them that all reports from the meeting would be made available to them via the Society’s website in due course.  Details of the AGM had been circulated via the website since 13^th September 2022, thereby giving the 21 days’ notice required under the Constitution.  There being 22 members present, a number greater than ten or 10% of the present membership of the Society, CA declared the meeting to be quorate under the provisions of the Constitution.

Agenda:

1.     Apologies: Keith Norman, Sue Norman, Ian Hall, Carole Hall, Jane Maw-Cornish, Jenny Clifford, Melanie Mackintosh.

2.     Minutes of the 2021 AGM, held on 17^th October 2021: these had been made available to members via the website since November 2021 and CA asked that they now vote to adopt them.  Proposed: Christine Haines.  Seconded: Jennifer Harland.  Approved.

3.     Chair’s Report: CA summarised the previous year’s activities, highlighting the resumption of the Society’s concert programme following lockdown and drawing attention to the Society’s two community engagement programmes.  She thanked her committee and paid tribute to Margaret Ralph, who would be stepping down as Secretary, and she asked for members’ concerted help in growing the committee.

4.     Secretary’s Report: MR thanked members for their continued support of the Society.  She informed them that the piano remains in good condition and that the Society now also possesses an electronic piano, valued at ca.£200, which has been used to good effect by Wye Valley Music in Schools.  She announced that it was with regret that she was standing down as Secretary and joint-coordinator of WVMiS, and she welcomed Alice Hogge to the role of Secretary and Lindsay Hollies to the WVMiS sub-committee.  She concluded by reiterating CA’s call for new committee members.

5.     Treasurer’s Report: Copies of the Society’s accounts for 2021/22 were distributed at the start of the meeting.  CA apologised to members for their late dissemination, explaining that David Rees had been unwell and that, in his absence, she would present the annual Treasurer’s Report.  She thanked Martin Fenn-Smith and David Shoubridge (the Society’s Independent Examiner) for their assistance in compiling and reviewing the accounts.  In summary, both income and expenditure had increased in 2021/22 because of the resumption of monthly concerts and the grant and donations income for the Society’s two community engagement programmes.  Total income for 2021/22 was £31,121 while total expenditure was £22,116, leaving a surplus of £9,004.  Available cash at the end of July 2022 was £21,242, while cash assets stood at £23,955.

Richard Jones asked whether Gift Aid had been claimed on donations.  CA replied that it had not yet been claimed but that DR intended to do so.  CA asked that members approve the 2021/2022 accounts.  Proposed: Judy Craven.  Seconded: Christine Haines.  Approved.

6.     Election of Officers and Members of the Committee:

i.               MR stood down from the Committee and her role as Secretary with immediate effect.  AH agreed to stand as Secretary.  Proposed: Ursula Williams.  Seconded: Jennifer Harland.  Approved

ii.              All other Officers and Members of the Committee had agreed to stand for re-election.  CA asked that the following be re-elected en bloc: Corinna Arnold, Mike Haines, David Rees, Michael Bradley and Martin Fenn-Smith. Proposed: John Hurley.  Seconded: Judy Craven.  Approved.

7.     Appointment of Independent Examiner: Members were asked to agree that David Shoubridge be re-appointed as Independent Examiner.  Proposed: Jean Sheraton.  Seconded: John Hurley.  Approved.

8.     Proposal to amend the Constitution:  Members were asked to agree the following amendments to the Constitution:

i.               That Article 2 be amended to reflect the community engagement activities undertaken by the Society, by adding a fourth Object: “To provide community engagement programmes bringing music to local schools, care homes and other groups that would benefit”;

ii.              That the sentence “Admission to any or all of its concerts shall be open to the public” be moved from Article 9 Finance to Article 8 Equal Opportunities;

iii.            That Article 9.2 be amended by the addition of the wording “and online banking transactions” so that it states “A banking account shall be opened in the name of the Society and cheques and online banking transactions shall be signed by any two of the Officers”.

Proposed: John Hurley.  Seconded: Claire Nissel.  Approved.

9.     Programme Manager’s Report: Mike Haines outlined the highlights of the previous year’s concert programme, emphasising both the variety and quality of featured ensembles and the loyalty of the Society’s audience.  He stressed the need for the Society to grow its audience numbers so as to be able to continue attracting high calibre performers and requested members’ assistance in publicising the Society’s work.  He welcomed members’ feedback and suggestions with regard to future programming.

10.  Community Engagement Updates:

i.               Wye Valley Music in Schools: CA, MR and MH described the ongoing work of this programme, which has reached 16 schools in the Lower Wye Valley and ca.2000 children to date.  They emphasised the breadth of the programme, from choir-support to performances by top-quality musicians, and introduced their new Young Professional Musician Training Programme, which will see recent Conservatoire graduates working with trainer Dr Sue Young to develop workshops tailored to primacy school pupils.  They thanked the Lark Trust and private donors for funding the programme.

ii.              Wye Valley Music in Mind: AH introduced the work of the Society’s latest community engagement programme, outlining its aims and describing activities at its monthly outlets, the Music Memory Café in St Briavels and the interactive live music sessions at Severn View Care Home in Chepstow.  She noted that the Music Memory Café had featured on BBC Radio Gloucestershire’s Anna King Show and that the Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance is now looking to open two new Music Memory Cafés based on WVMiM’s format.

11.  Items for Discussion (advance notice required): No items for discussion had been requested prior to the meeting. 

12.  AOB: None.

CA reiterated her thanks to members for their attendance.  The meeting concluded at 2:35pm.