Chairman’s report 2024
Well what a year it has been for us! We just keep going from strength to strength.
Our year started off with the April One Day Workshop run by Sue Cheviot. Six courses ran Willow and garden structures, , Watercolour , Progressive Pastels, Silk scarves, Vintage jewellery art and Mixed media A very enjoyable event which made a surplus. Thank you Sue.
Another successful Summer School has flown by. Months of planning and gone in a week.
We had 185 students booked onto 257 courses. More students than ever on more courses. 82 students were new to us.
Final totals
Surplus income £2065.60 with some petty cash still to come out Plus £991.67 FGG Plus £991.67 =£3,057.27
An amazing result considering we don’t break even until the end of June. Surplus income - £2,065.60 with some petty cash still to come out
133 booked for one day
56 booked for 2 days
26 booked for 3 days
2 booked for 4 days
40 booked for 5 days
Judi Whitmore won the prize for booking first this year. The ink was barely dry on the all colour brochures, Nigel’s idea, when her booking form came through. This year we started off with 36 courses, again the most ever, Booking proved difficult for some because there were so many courses to choose from... We welcomed back our regular tutors who all offered courses, some with a different medium, a different focus, twist or animal. Bookbinding with Anna proved very popular, with students becoming members just to get onto her courses.
We welcomed new tutors too.
Clair Hodgeson, Watercolour. Her students really enjoyed the week with her, learning many new skills, as did Elvis the pigeon who stayed in the roof space of the classroom until he was coaxed down.
Tabitha Fedden ran 2 very successful Lino Printing classes and Rachel Shilston ran a wonderful Mosaic class. Claire Salmon brought in Free Motion Embroidery classes which proved popular too. They will all be asked to return.
Floral wreath making and Silk painting had to be cancelled due to no takers. Other low numbers classes carried on with room sharing and a reduction in tutor fees.
More booking were taken by email this year, with bank transfer being the most popular way of paying. Although saying that we did have a significant number paying by cheque or cash (58). Which Phil diligently paid in. A lot of students phoned me asking if there were spaces, this personal touch was useful if the classes were full and I could offer other courses. More students on more courses inevitably means more paperwork, but the system in place works and is readily accessible. Problems arose when students cancelled their courses, mainly due to hospital appointments or forgetting what they had booked on.
Catherine launched her most ambitious publicity campaign in Gloucestershire. She visited 164 places, giving posters/brochures/talking to shopkeepers/group leaders about us. And the she made sure that
they were topped up. Every last brochure/poster were made to work. We had gained a lot of publicity this way and we in return advertised these places at Summer School. A band of volunteers also helped with distribution and making sure that we had a presence on Facebook. The large poster in Sharon’s window made sure that if you lived in Newent you knew all about it. The survey carried out at SS will show us how successful those places were and where to target next year.
The website had over 3500 hits this year, the most ever and I kept updating the places left.
The week started off with each student being given a map of the school to find their classrooms. This worked well and with a couple of tweaks will be used again next year. The school opened up early for the tutors, who then had a whole hour to themselves before teaching began – this is so important for them.
The entrance hall looked welcoming. The marketplace was overflowing with amazing works of art. It raised £111.18 and customers were happy with their purchases.
New Beginnings table raised £266.33 – a very popular table, changing on a daily basis. Well done Nigel and Carol for manning this.
The raffle raised £385, with all prizes donated.
Seb sold chisels and mallets to his woodcarving class, which had been taking up space in Phil’s attic. Easels found new homes, with donations given to us.
Nicky Artworks paid the flat rate of £25.
Stuart Petrie gave us £94.15 from the sale of Art ltd. His art shop is very reasonably priced and will be coming back for two days next year.
Watching paint dry took on a new meaning, watching Kate Smith as Artist In residence, complete three paintings. The subject of each painting emerging from the canvas. She sold two of the paintings. This proved a very popular event. Likewise Jackie Ginley demonstrating Vintage Art Jewellery had a lot of interest, with people booking up for the Nov ODW on the spot.
The entrance hall buzzed with excitement all week and newcomers were very impressed with the whole event, which only gets better. The suggestion box has many suggestions in it for us to think about.
The majority of students were happy with the meals and refreshments on offer. There were problems in the kitchen because three members of staff had left abruptly, the Friday before. We have noted the comments regarding some items that didn’t come up to standard and will be addressing the issues next year. We welcome feedback at any time. The majority of staff brought their own mugs which is helpful to the waiting staff.
We gained 6 new members.
We received many favourable comments about the event, especially from newcomers.
We appreciate the school support in putting on the SS. We would like to thank Di Lightburn, site manager. the site team, canteen staff, cleaning staff and Head teacher for making it possible. The school looked clean and inviting. Any problems that arose during the week, were quickly sorted out, although Elvis took a little longer.
There is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes, unnoticed to put on such an event. Without the constant hard work and support of the committee it would be difficult to do. Every committee member adds his/her experience and knowledge to the organisation and Phil, Kate, Nigel, Carol, Sue, Catherine, Joyce and Bev all deserve a big thank you.
We finished the year off with the November ODW . 5 classes ran, Abstract Art, African art, Vintage jewellery art, Bird wreathes, Batik. All were well attended and very enjoyable, 33 members and 29 nonmembers. A surplus was made.
A very good year for the committee. Who knows what next year will bring?
Gill Webb 2025.
GLOUCESTERARTS AND CRAFfs GROUP FINANCIALSTATEMENTS forthe ended 31st Decernber2024
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CURRENT AWS 22JSO 3.749 Credit(¥s 150 NErcurfjENT ASSEISIILVWIES) FinarKed lyr. CAPrrACCouNT 21.767 &frpiusJiDtlk*lknY BaLinc¢cll
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TOT COME SaieolEqLU Interest L851 S7 3127B AGM IT6 In 78 li.5 TutL¥Fees 10.175 10 LXX I]0 I0 1>) zo 517 PATT 318 3L177 , NETFIIOFITlfLfJss12024 L533 E W £ 1192 4WJ t 1.762 £
GLOUCESTERARTS AND CRAFfs GROUP FINANCIALSTATEMENTS forthe ended 31st Decernber2024
-.Jg.l31&.S... .i?O/.Zc>L TreasUr
CURRENT AWS 22JSO 3.749 Credit(¥s 150 NErcurfjENT ASSEISIILVWIES) FinarKed lyr. CAPrrACCouNT 21.767 &frpiusJiDtlk*lknY BaLinc¢cll
Iso
TOT COME SaieolEqLU Interest L851 S7 3127B AGM IT6 In 78 li.5 TutL¥Fees 10.175 10 LXX I]0 I0 1>) zo 517 PATT 318 3L177 , NETFIIOFITlfLfJss12024 L533 E W £ 1192 4WJ t 1.762 £