•The Windmill Players AGM PACK 22". August 2024 ## **AGM Agenda 2024** 1. Welcome & Opening Remarks 2. Apologies 3. Minutes to AGM 2023 4. Secretary’s Report 5. Directors’ Group Report 6. Friends of the Windmill Players Report 7. Theatre Workshop Report 8. Treasurer’s Report 9. Proposals & ElecNons - CommiQee Members - Trustees - 10.Changes to ConsNtuNon ## **Message from our President Maureen McCrea** Starting the season with the popular Murder Mystery tour followed by the great production of “The Corn is Green” at the newly refurbished CRE8IV Little Theatre and then two further productions, I am confident that with full commitment from everyone the Windmill Players will have a successful year. I reiterate it is a privilege and honour to be President of the great Windmill Players. Thank you. Maureen McCrea ## **- Secretary Report for AGM 2024** A welcome to all our members! The past 12 months since the last AGM have been successful, exciNng and also evenOul for the Windmill Players. We’d like to thank all members for supporNng our Social events this year. The Mince Pie evening was very enjoyable, with thanks to Roger Lloyd Jones for providing the fabulous entertainment at our Christmas social event. We’d also like to thank Jackie Rhodes for so ably organising the Summer Bowling Tournament, with members and friends compeNng for the newly renamed ‘Anne George Memorial Trophy’ in memory of a much-loved, muchrespected and much-missed member of the Windmill Players. season ‘Love on the Dole’ went on to win ‘Best Drama’ at the NODA awards; along with all the plays performed in 2023, we received a magnificent total of 11 nominaNons at the local district NODA awards in February. To receive so many nominaNons this year really is an amazing achievement, and is testament to all the talented people in our society. CongratulaNons to the director (Bernard Melling), cast and crew of ‘Love on the Dole’; and also, to Ruth White for winning ‘Best Leading Female Character in a Drama’ for her role as Megan Winterburn in ‘The Incident Room’. Both ‘Love on the Dole’ and Ruth White went forward to the next round: the NODA North West Regional Awards Gala in May. Our second play of the season ‘Farndale …Christmas Carol’ received a very posiNve NODA review, calling it ‘a slick and reassured producNon … expertly directed and expertly delivered’. Unfortunately, our third play of the season, due to be performed in June, did not go ahead. Soon aeer last year’s AGM, consultaNon on the future of Thornton LiWle Theatre began. There was much uncertainty regarding the handover of Thornton LiWle Theatre by Wyre Theatres, and at the Nme when we should have been audiNoning and rehearsing our third play, we sNll had no indicaNon of Nmescales or who would be taking over the running of the theatre. The commiWee and Trustees had much discussion on alternaNve venues, made contact with, and visited, various locaNons (including churches, church halls, colleges, schools, community centres, and the Marine Hall) and considered costs, venue suitability, audience needs, etc. The Nming of the announcement for the handover of the theatre to Cre8iv Theatre Group did not work in our favour, and it is with sadness that we had to cancel the proposed June play. We look forward to our next play in October, to be held at the newly named Cre8iv LiWle Theatre. We are excited to be working with Cre8iv Theatre Group, developing further valuable links, and building relaNonships with their team. Bookings have been made for Oct 2024 and Feb 2025 We’ve had much involvement in community events, including our ever-popular Murder Mysteries in local libraries, N-Vision talking newspaper, the Theatre Workshops and play reading group. Members of the Trustees and CommiWee again aWended the Year11 Awards at Millfield School, as the Windmill Players sponsors one of their awards annually. We conNnue to adhere to all the new procedures and policies from the licence holders to enable us to perform their plays. We have welcomed 5 new members; we now have 58 members. We’d like to thank all members and Friends of the Windmill Players for their support this year. Cath Edmonds, July 2024 ## **DIRECTORS GROUP REPORT FOR AGM 2024** The Directors Group consists of Angela Hudson, Di Timmins, Linda Whitworth and Steve Cook. The decision to expand the group to four was taken at a commiWee meeNng in late 2023/early 2024, as the membership of the group had gone down to two. The group meets regularly, around once per month, and more frequently if it is felt there is a need. The job of the Directors Group is to accept suggesNons for plays and directors, and consider whether these are appropriate for The Windmill Players. ‘Appropriate’, in this context, covers: - a) ArNsNc consideraNons - b) Audience expectaNons - c) Financial consideraNons - d) Membership expectaNons All the above have to be considered in detail before The Windmill Players moves forward on a producNon, and includes extensive conversaNons with prospecNve directors. In 2023/early 2024, we were acutely aware of the problems around Wyre Theatres’ situaNon, which made it impossible to book our normal June dates (we normally book February, June and October every year, well beforehand, at Thornton LiWle Theatre). This led to a period of instability, created by Wyre Theatres’ inability to offer us any assurances that we would be able to book the theatre. As a result of this, we had to pass our June booking (although we and the rest of the commiWee looked extensively at other possible venues), and decided instead to put our efforts into the upcoming producNon of “The Corn Is Green”, which is to be held in October/November 2024. During the period when we did not have any producNons in development, the group spent Nme discussing with potenNal directors any possibiliNes for the future, and reading scripts that had been submiWed. As a result, we have the following planned: _February 2025 – Comedy directed by Colin Johnston (details to follow) June 2025 - Play directed by Ruth White October 2025 - Play directed by Bernard Melling February and October 2026 as yet do not have directors. Di Timmins has offered to direct a comedy in June 2026._ Other acNviNes have conNnued, such as the Wednesday Workshop (see separate report), a physical theatre workshop and play-readings. Charitable undertakings include this year’s Murder Mystery library tour and also acNviNes we undertake such as Talking Newspaper for the Blind, and Outreach work with the Just Good Friends group in St. Annes. We have also implemented an idea brought back by the commiWee: that everyone taking part in a producNon should make a donaNon of £1 each Nme they aWend. This has been well received by casts. As we go forward, working with the CRE8TIV group, and with thanks to CharloWe and her team at Starlight Studio for their support, The Directors Group now feels that aeer an unseWling period, the course is set for a new and exciNng phase of The Windmill Players’ development. diN 18/7/2024 ## **FRIENDS AND MEDIA REPORT FOR AGM 2024** As soon as the play is cast, the Friends’ Secretaries write a le6er to the Friends of the Windmill Players (comprising of those formerly on our Patrons list, our Life Members and those on the Mailing List). This le6er is sent out either by post or email, informing our Friends of the dates of the producDon with a short synopsis of its theme, and telling them that it is now adverDsed on Cre8iv Li6le Theatre’s website, and how they can book Dckets. A reminder is sent out to those on email about four weeks before each producDon, reminding them about booking, if they haven’t already done so. By this Dme the Media Team have created Posters, Flyers & Banners adverDsing the new producDon. These will be distributed to The Li6le Theatre for display and as many places around the area who will take them. Large banners will be displayed outside the theatre approximately 4 weeks before the run of the play. Our Webmaster (Peter Jones) has put all the relevant informaDon, and how to book Dckets, onto the WP website. Posts will be regularly put onto Facebook adverDsing the play. As we were unable to stage a June ProducDon, owing to the uncertainty surrounding the Li6le Theatre earlier in the year, we kept in touch with our Friends by email informing them of the situaDon, and assuring them that we were looking forward to inviDng them to “something special” which we were planning already for our October ProducDon. they join by accessing the link on our Windmill Players website. During the month of June, we telephoned many of our Friends sDll receiving noDficaDon of our plays through the post. Eighteen of those Friends told us that they are now no longer able to a6end our ProducDons due to ill health and mobility problems but encouraged us by thanking the Society for the many years of pleasure and entertainment they had previously enjoyed. We recognize that a number of our audience perhaps leave it to the “last minute” to book seats, and that reminders and good publicity (on social media and with printed flyers) bring in those who book seats on the night at the Box Office. Linda Whitworth and Pauline Powell (Media Team) ## **WINDMILL THEATRE WORKSHOP REPORT FOR AGM 2024** The Workshop opened again in September 2023 and has worked steadily and successfully throughout the year. In November we recreated “Is Witchcrae a Crime” for Cleveleys Library. The presentaNon, set in the round’ was based on a poem by Margaret Atwood called “Half Hanged Mary” and was built on improvisaNon. We had previously performed in Thornton, but it was sNll a challenge and a learning curve for me. Thanks must go to Peter Jones for his work on the sound. Aeer Christmas we began working on our next project The projected dates for this are early 2025 and we have a grant as secured through LCC to develop this. We are taking our Nme because this is an ambiNous venture which has involved extensive research. The presentaNon is based on the life of Peter Hesketh (the man who was responsible for the Fleetwood Railway and the building of Fleetwood). Most of our research is now done, and we have started to work on the scenes through improvisaNon. It has been suggested that we work through the summer so watch this space! As our weekly classes conNnued Emma Davies again joined us to lead some of the sessions and Steve Cooke has now been “bribed” to become “joint leader” with me. We have welcomed one or two members although aWendance numbers have been lower this year as some members have been in other producNons, which were thoroughly enjoyed by the audiences. Our core membership, as based on the WhatsApp Group membership, is 14. In spite of this we have had a successful year. The work has been excellent and I, for one have thoroughly enjoyed it. Angela Hudson TREASURERS REPORT TO FOLLOW ## **Fund Raising Group: Report for AGM 2024** A funding group was established early in 2024, with regular meeNngs since, and comprises of Cath Griffiths, Angela Hudson and Steve Cook. Its funcNon is to consider and make appropriate funding applicaNons, as supported by Windmill’s status as a Charitable Incorporated OrganisaNon, and aligning with the Windmill ConsNtuNon objecNves as follows: - l to advance educaNon in the subjects of the art of drama and musical theatrical performances for all in the local community; - l the promoNon of the art of drama and its understanding and appreciaNon for the public benefit in parNcular, but not exclusively, by the delivery of theatre producNons and workshops. The central theme of funding applicaNons, so far, has been developing live community theatre to the public, expanding the current Windmill staples of the Workshop and Murder Mystery producNons of recent years. Focus is also around developing the confidence in the spoken word of the players while also encouraging audience parNcipaNon. Extra funding will enable wider publicity, enhanced staging including the purchase of extra props and set furniture, hire of costumes and transport. To date two funding applicaNons have been submiWed: 1. Lancashire County Council Local Member Grant Scheme. This builds upon community links with local Councillor and Windmill Players Hon. Patron, John Shedwick. £700 has been secured for 2024/5 and will be used to develop the projected Workshop producNon on the Peter Hesketh Fleetwood Story. This will parNcularly seek to offer an educaNonal component around local history with rehearsals to commence later in 2024 with performances planned to take place early in 2025. 2. One Stop Community Partnership Programme. Successful applicants receive an iniNal grant of up to £1000 and begin partnership with their local One Stop store (Thornton). An applicaNon form has been submiWed to expand the remit around the successful Murder Mystery programme and a decision is expected week commencing 13[th] August 2024. Moving forward, there is an opportunity to take up a free subscripNon from the Chartered InsNtute of Fund-raising and take advantage of professional advice and guidance. A more developed business plan, as based around a revised ConsNtuNon, would be integral to future progress here. Steve Cook July 2024 ## **Motions for The Windmill Players AGM 2024 from the Trustees** ## **Background to Motion 1.............The "three year requirement"** The Foundation Document (the Constitution) for The Windmill players CIO shows, at paragraph 13, that at each AGM one third of the Trustees shall retire from office. At the time of the 2024 AGM there will be 5 Trustees and David Baxter and Di Timmins will be the two Trustees who will retire. At Paragraph 16 of the Foundation Document, it shows that a Trustee "who has served for three consecutive years may not be re-appointed for a fourth consecutive term but may be reappointed after an interval of one year." This means that for David Baxter and Di Timmins their engagement will end at the date of the AGM as both became Trustees in 2021 when the Windmill Players CIO was formed. They wish to continue in post and can do so if the relevant paragraph in the Foundation Document is amended by omitting the "3 year requirement." A change to the Foundation Document can be agreed by the membership at an AGM if at least 75% of those present vote for the change. The "three year requirement" in the Foundation Document exists as a recommendation from The Charity Commission but is not obligatory for the Windmill Players CIO. The requirement for one third of the Trustees to retire at each AGM will remain. For those Trustees to whom this applies at AGMs from 2025 onwards, the opportunity will continue to exist for them to be re-appointed at the AGM if they wish to be considered for re-appointment and if the membership agree by a **majority** vote of those members present. ## **Motion 1** The Motion for you to approve and which is supported by the 5 Trustees in post at present is: Paragraph 16 of the Foundation Document should be amended by removing the second sentence and retaining the first sentence as shown below: - Any person who retires as a charity trustee by rotation or by giving notice to the CIO is eligible for reappointment. A charity trustee who has served for three consecutive terms may not be reappointed for a fourth consecutive term but may be reappointed after an interval of at least one year. ## **Background to Motion 2 .......The quorum for Trustee meetings** A further change to The Foundation Document is proposed by the Trustees and this relates to a quorum for Trustees when they wish to reach a decision on a matter relevant to The Windmill Players CIO. The minimum number of Trustees for the CIO to operate is three. (Paragraph 12 3 (a) of the Foundation Document). The maximum number of Trustees allowed is twelve. (Paragraph 12 3 (b). At present there are five operational Trustees and a sixth person is standing for election at the AGM This is Liz Danielewicz who is a past chairperson of The Windmill Players. The present Trustees support her application. The Foundation Document at Paragraph 19 3 (a) shows how a quorum for meetings of the Trustees to have an implementable decision is quantified. It shows " a quorum is five charity trustees or the number nearest to one third of the total number of charity trustees, whichever is the greater". With the number of Trustees being five (perhaps six) this paragraph is very difficult to operate because it means that decisions cannot be made unless all of the five Trustees at present in post (or five of the six Trustees if a sixth Trustee is appointed) are present at a meeting. By changing this paragraph a quorum will be easier to achieve because it will be half or just over one half of the Trustees in post. ## **Motion 2** The Motion for you to approve (again a majority decision of the members present) is: "Paragraph 19 3 (a) of the Foundation Document be replaced by: (a) No decision shall be taken at a meeting unless a quorum is present at the time when the decision is taken. The quorum, if there is an even number of Trustees in post, will be half the number of the Trustees in post. If the number of Trustees in post is an uneven number, then the quorum will be the nearest number to over one half of the total number of Trustees in post. The Trustees may, from time to time, change their definition of a quorum as long as the revised number for the quorum is more than one half of the number of Trustees in post. A charity trustee shall not be counted in the quorum present when any decision is made about a matter upon which he or she is not entitled to vote. (b) Questions arising at a meeting shall be decided by a majority of those eligible to vote. (c) In the case of an equality of votes, the chair shall have a second or casting vote." June 2024