League of Friends for Dartmouth & District Healthcare Commitee Meetng 9th January 2023
Minutes
Present: Mrs. Carol Lingard (Chairman), Miss Susan Pound (Vice Chairman), Mrs. Jean Atkins (Secretary), Sheila Boswell, Mrs. Valerie Vince, Mrs. Gill Secretan.
Apologies: Mrs. Christine Roberts, Dr. Paddy McConaghey, Mrs. Lianne Baldock.
1. Welcome
Carol welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending.
2. Treasurer’s Report
This was presented.
3. Chairman’s Report
Carol wished everyone a Happy New Year and thanked them for coming. It had been ages since the last meeting and the League had not been very active for a while. Carol had tried to attend all the online meeting and report back, though the closing of the Hospital, Covid and the loss of her husband had played havoc with her life.
She is due to meet with Lesley Darke next week, the interim planning officer for the Trust, who is going to bring designs for the artwork the League will be paying for. Carol will photograph them and circulate for members opinions.
After 13 years Carol would be stepping down as Chairman once the Health and Well Being Centre is operational, probably Easter 2023. She hoped someone would take on the role, but feared we could go the way of other Leagues who had lost their Hospital and folded. Paddy had felt that this is what should happen as recruiting new Trustees is nigh on impossible and fund raising is becoming more difficult without younger members to help. The League would need to make a decision on what to do with existing funds, possibly ‘drip feeding’ to various organisations over time.
There is a meeting of the Devon Association of League of Friends at the end of the month and Carol thought the decision to disband would be approved.
Carol thanked members for their support over the years she had been in the ‘hot seat’.
4. Future
Discussion ensued on the future of the League and it was felt that due to the age of the current members and lack of new Trustees we would no longer be able to actively fund raise, but would dispose of current funds by supporting local charities on an ad hoc basis over time. Carol said she would prepare an article for the local press to see if anyone was interested in taking over the reins and create a new team. She would also contact the Charity Commission to seek advice on where we stood in this situation.
The Trustees agreed to make some donations right away to the following causes:
a) Dartmouth Food Bank - £1,000 b) Devon Air Ambulance - £500 c) Dartmouth Caring - £500 d) RNLI - £500 e) Training for staff in Dartmouth - £1,000
Carol would keep members advised of any developments.
The meeting closed at 2.35p.m.
League of Friends Dartmouth hospital
- Tax Year 2021 2022 Income & Expenditure Account 2021/22 Income Donations & Legacies £ 31,035.50 Total Income for Year £ 31,035.50 - Less Overheads: Donations £ 2,279.31 Thristy work £ 539.28 Total Overheads £ 2,818.59 Surplus (deficit) for the year £ 28,216.91
profit
I can verify that these aecounts are a true reflection of the year 2021-2022. Due to the closure of the Hospital, Covid and the death of the Chairman's husband there has been very little activity on behalf of the League. Jonathan Hawkins -south Hams and Devon County Councillor 6101123