SADDLEWORTH MUSICAL SOCIETY
Minutes the Annual General Meeting held at 7.30pm on Thursday 20 May 2021 on Zoom
Present
David Illingworth (President), Ian Ball (Chairman and Publicity Officer), Gerry Ball (Show Manager), Stephen Banham (Concerts Manager), Elaine Shaw (Treasurer), Valerie Kavanagh (Secretary), Alice Rea (Business Manager), Michelle Rutter (General Committee Member), Linda Edwards (General Committee Member), Margaret Barber, Frank Boocock, Alison Bradbury, Martin Bradbury, Claire Bullock, Michael Clegg, Vernon Cressey, John Hall, Annie Illingworth, Martin Kavanagh, Tracey Kayley, Mirriam Lawton, Margaret Rawlins, Jane Reynolds, Kathy Duffy, Janet Roche, Carole Street Brown, Anita Stuttard, Barry Stuttard, Caroline Wallis, Richard Wallis and Kath Winterbottom,
In attendance: Alasdair Gordon (newly appointed Musical Director)
1 Apologies
Rose Hall (Fundraising Officer), Linda Richardson (general committee member), Brent Andrews, Eileen Arthur, Carole Cressey, Edna Green, Gail Healey, Colin Heywood, Kevin Lawton, Elaine Lumb, David Shipp, Margaret Ulyatt, Anne Wright, Peter Wakefield (retiring Musical Director) and Louise Brennan (Accompanist)
2 Minutes of the previous AGM
The minutes of the AGM held on 1 October 2020 had been circulated to members. Acceptance of the minutes was proposed by Vernon Cressey, seconded by Mirriam Lawton and agreed by a show of hands.
3 Matters Arising
There were no matters arising.
4 Chairman’s report
Ian Ball’s report had been circulated to members. There were no questions.
5 Musical Director’s report
Peter Wakefield’s report had been circulated to members. There were no questions.
6 Treasurer’s Report and Accounts
Elaine Shaw’s report and accounts had been circulated to members. There were no questions. Acceptance of the Treasurer’s report and accounts was, proposed by Vernon Cressey, seconded by Michael Clegg and agreed by a show of hands.
7 Constitution
The proposed revised Constitution had been circulated to members. Michael Clegg proposed an amendment to paragraph 5c to include the Producer. The paragraph should read:
“There shall in addition be offices of Musical Director, Producer and Accompanist which shall not be subject to annual election but shall be appointments made by the Committee. The Musical Director, Producer and Accompanist shall hold office for such periods as the Committee may from time to time determine.”
Adoption of the proposed Constitution together with this amendment was proposed by Vernon Cressey, seconded by Gerry Ball and agreed by a show of hands.
The Chairman thanked Valerie Kavanagh for preparing the Constitution.
8 Election of Committee Members
Election of the following existing Committee Members en bloc was proposed by Vernon Cressey, seconded by Martin Bradbury and agreed by a show of hands.
President David Illingworth Chairman Ian Ball Treasurer Elaine Shaw
Registered Charity No 503676
Thursday 20 May 2021
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ACTION
Secretary Valerie Kavanagh Concerts Manager Stephen Banham Shows Manager Gerry Ball Business Manager Alice Rea Fundraising Officer Rose Hall General Committee Member Linda Richardson
There had been no nominations for the post of Publicity Officer. Linda Edwards volunteered; her election was proposed by Valerie Kavanagh, seconded by Michael Clegg and agreed by a show of hands.
This left a post of General Committee Member vacant. Kathy Duffy volunteered; her election was proposed by Valerie Kavanagh, seconded by Ian Ball and agreed by a show of hands. Kathy Duffy will now serve the remaining two years of Linda’s three-year term of office.
Ian Ball told the meeting of the Committee’s decision to thank three long-standing members of the Society by making Mirriam Lawton a Vice President, and awarding Life Membership to David Illingworth and Margaret Rawlins.
9 Any other business
9.1 New Musical Director
Alasdair Gordon, the new Musical Director, introduced himself and spoke of his association with the Society for a number of years as a member of the orchestra. He is looking forward to rehearsals and finalising arrangements for the Christmas Concert with the Chairman.
9.2 Future plans
Ian Ball expressed the hope that the Society will soon be able to sing together in the rehearsal room and perhaps sing some of the music learned in Zoom rehearsals.
The first event following lock-down is planned for 5 December 2021 at the Civic Hall. As there should be more time to rehearse than usual, this can be bigger than our usual Christmas Concert - more like a Spring concert. Ian invited all members of the Society to contact him to tell him know what they would like to sing.
Spring concert on Sunday 15 May 2022 will include some of the material the Society was unable to perform in 2020 or 2021. Boarshurst Band has agreed in principle to join us for this concert.
Alice Rea confirmed that the new school building is on schedule and SMS should be able to use it for the show in Autumn 2022. Anita Stuttard said it would be necessary to begin planning as soon as possible as a new venue will require more work than usual. Alice will provide plans of the building.
Ian said there will now be a two-week break, with no Zoom meetings, by when he hopes to know when we will be able to meet at Uppermill Methodist Centre.
David Illingworth asked if we have lost members during the last year and will need to get membership numbers back. Ian replied that we still have members who do not attend Zoom rehearsals and some people, whose membership has lapsed, have indicated that they will return when the Society is able to resume normal activities. Once it is possible to meet together in a rehearsal room membership will be promoted on social media.
Mirriam said that to encourage people to join we need to know what we will be doing. Ian replied that details will be publicised as soon as possible and that initially members will meet to sing for the fun of it and get back into the habit of singing together, then rehearse for the Christmas concert.
Linda Edwards will use social media to distribute links to the four videos produced during the last year to encourage new members.
The meeting finished at 8.15 pm
Registered Charity No 503676
Thursday 20 May 2021
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SADDLEWORTH MUSICAL SOCIETY Annual Accounts 2020/2021 I have examined the Receipts and Payments which form the basis of the above accounts for the year ending 31st March 2020. Nothing has come to my attention in connection with this examination that gives me cause to believe otherwise that the accounts show a true and accurate reflection of the SMS'S accounting records. l am not aware of any matter to which your attention needs to be drawn in orderto obtain a proper understanding of the accounts. The detailed records and logical manner in which these records were presented made it easy to check the relevant income and expenditure in order to finalise the check on the income expenditure & balance sheet. Michael A. Clegg External Examiner th Dated . 24 April 2021 47, Palin Wood, Delph