minutes
| Sound Around Ards AGM | Sound Around Ards AGM | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 8th May 2025 | 2.00 pm | Londonderry Park Community Centre, Newtownards |
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| Meeting called by | Sound Around Ards Committee | ||
| Type of meeting | Annual General Meeting | ||
| Note taker | Alison Coyle | ||
| Attendees | Phil Baron (PB) - Chair, Alison Coyle (AC), Gordon Cleland (GC), Trevor Dillon (TD), Jim Hamilton (JH), Valerie Hassard (VH), Tom Johnston (TJ),Elizabeth Lemon (EL), Heather Marshall (HM), Joan Moore (JM), Irene McNair (IMcN), Libby Rankin (LR),Elizabeth Warden (EW) and guest speaker Christine Wilson. |
||
| Apologies | See seperate document | ||
Colour coding – Anything highlighted in red are actions
Welcome
Phil Baron (PB)welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for taking the time out to attend. He also extended a welcome to Heather Marshall who is interested in volunteering.
Apologies
Alison Coyle (AC) said she had received a large number of apologies this year with quite a few from volunteers who are still working, so she suggested that the next AGM be either in the evening or at a weekend to enable everyone who wanted to attend to be able to do so.
Minutes of last AGM
PB confirmed that all present had received copies of the last AGM minutes and papers sent out via email by the secretary. He asked if those persons who had been present at that meeting had any amendments or changes they wished made. As no-one had any changes, he asked if someone who had been present at the last meeting would propose the signing of the minute as a true record. Valerie Hassard (VH) proposed and Gordon Cleland (GC) seconded that the minutes be signed as correct. All were in agreement. Minutes signed by PB.
Constitution changes made at last AGM agreed and signed
PB read the amendments agreed at the last AGM and confirmed that they had been made to the constitution and so signed the new copy for records.
Actions from the last meeting
Contact be made with the Charity Commission to clarify if there is a minimum number of persons serve on committees.
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AC informed the meeting she had made contact with the Charity Commission and there was no minimum number of persons required for a committee as long as there was a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer. ACTION NOW CLOSED
AC and PB to get together and come up with a draft version of a listeners survey which AC would circulate by email for feedback.
AC stated that this action was now complete and the survey had been undertaken in the early summer. ACTION NOW CLOSED
Chairpersons report
PB presented a report of the work of Sound Around Ards (SAA) since the last AGM in May 2024 (Copy of his report is in Appendix 1).
No questions were raised on this report.
Secretary’s update on listener numbers
Alison Coyle (AC) gave her report and explained that even though there had only been an increase of 3 listeners we had in fact added 17 but had lost 14 during the period.
Jim Hamilton (JH) asked the Chair had there been any feedback from the Care Homes on how useful they found the CD? PB explained that some care homes use it as part of their activity hour and others take it to individual residents rooms. Libby Rankin (LR) asked would there be any advantage to one of the volunteers attending a session when the CD was being played. All thought this was a very good idea. Christine Wilson, who is a long time listener said she had visited a friend recently who had moved in to a care home and she had taken along one of her older CDs when she visited which the lady appreciated. Christine said she actually does this when visiting visually impaired friends as it seems to be well received. A copy of the full report is in Appendix 2.
Appointment of officer bearers for 2025/26 session
PB conducted the appointment of office bearers for the 2025/26 session and the following officers were re-elected on mass.
| Office Chair Secretary Treasurer Committee Committee Committee |
Occupant Phil Baron Alison Coyle Trevor Dillon Anne Johnston Gordon Cleland Valerie Hassard |
|---|---|
This was proposed by Elizabeth Warden (EW) and seconded by Irene McNair.
Libby Rankin was proposed as a committee member by Joan Moore (JM) and seconded by Valerie Hassard (VH). Libby agreed to serve. Passed unanimously.
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Arrangements for volunteers visit to Stormont
AC stated that 13 members had confirmed their attendance with 18 unable to attend and 4 had not yet replied.
She informed the meeting that she would be in contact with everyone who was attending to confirm all the arrangements for the visit. She also stated that Councillor Stephen Dunne (who had extended the invitation because it was our 45[th] anniversary) had said that he would like to entertain the attendees afterwards in the Councillors parlour to tea and biscuits. AC suggested she bring along a small cake for a photo opportunity. No descent to this suggestion.
Treasurers report
Trevor Dillon (TD) gave a brief explanation of the annual statement of accounts for the year ending 1[st] April 2025, (which can be seen in appendix 3). Also attached is the narrative for the financial review section of the Trustees’ Annual Report 2025 which goes in to all the detail (which can be seen in appendix 4).
TD made special mention of the donation from Tesco Springhill of £1500 this year.
TD again thanked the auditor Ernie Trew for his work on the accounts and AC asked would Mr Trew be prepared to be the auditor for another year. TD stated he would, but he thought that this may be the last year. AC asked should SAA present a gift to Mr Trew for his work, but TD suggested that we wait until he has decided to stand down and then make a presentation to him.
The adoption of the accounts was proposed by Tom Johnston (TJ) and seconded by Gordon Cleland (GC).
Any other business
Tree planting
AC informed the meeting that she had been approached by Councillor Stephen Dunne to see if SAA would be interested in being considered for a tree to be planted in their name to mark the 45[th] anniversary. He explained that SAA would have to apply to the Council, so AC had completed the paperwork and would inform the volunteers of their decision when she received it.
Listener “get togethers”
Libby Rankin (LR) suggested that SAA consider hosting an afternoon tea party for the listeners. AC said that the committee had already considered this, but thought it might be a logistical nightmare getting transport etc arranged. Jim Hamilton suggested we consider two events, one in Ards and the other in Bangor. After discussion it was agreed as a good idea and something that the committee should research further. Action – Committee to look at possibility of having a listeners get together.
Association of Talking Newspapers update
AC stated that SAA are one of now only ten Groups in Northern Ireland. In distributions we are the second largest and we are one of only two groups who still deliver the service via CD. Discussion followed about the process of changing from CD to USB and Gordon Cleland asked would the content on each USB each week have to be manually deleted before the next content was uploaded. AC explained she was only informing the volunteers that we are just one of two still using CD and she was not making any suggestion that we move to USB. Action – AC to speak to the technician at Craigavon TN re Gordons query.
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The meeting was then handed over to our guest speaker Christine Wilson, who spoke very eloquently and honestly about what it is like to be a visually impaired person.
There being no further business PB again thanked everyone for coming and said that he felt it was a very productive AGM.
The meeting closed at 3.30 pm.
Agreed as a correct record and signed
Chair _____ Secretary _____ Date _______
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Appendix 1 (Chairperson report)
CHAIRMANS REPORT. SOUND AROUND ARDS AGM 8[th] May 2025
Appendix 1 cont’d – page 2 of Chairmans report
Alisons knowledge of what help is available by way of funding bore fruit when a successful Lottery application resulted in funding being received enabling the studio to be revamped as well as allowing who were instrumental in establishing 544 some 45 years aeo to view the purchase of new recording and copying equipment and culminating with the opportunity to our newly refurbished studia, they were very impressed to say the least celebrate our 40th anniversary with a dinner at Royal Belfast Golf Club, where we were joined by several dignitaries but most importantly by a founder Member of Sound Around Ards and Ards Hospital in particular with modern technology. | That's the three fentlemen that Radio and three founder members of the Newtownards Lions Club who themselves conducted the very first recordings in early 1980. attended our 4057 celebration — of course they were treated to coffees
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Appendix 1 Cont’d
Appendix 1 Cont’d
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Appendix 1 Cont’d
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Appendix 1 Cont’d
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Appendix 2
10 through ’ general – outreach. Appendix 3 ( Treasurer s report Receipts and payment account)
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Appendix 3 Treasurers receipts and payments report
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Appendix 4 (Treasurers’s report – Narrative
Narrative for Financial Review section of Trustees’ Annual Report 2025
This year’s Finance Report is starting to return to normal patterns after last year’s finances were dramatically affected by the receipt of a substantial grant from the Community Lottery Fund Nt and the subsequent associated expenditure. However, the remaining grant funds have now been spent and this continues to distort the picture this year to some extent. Receipts for the year totalled £1,962, largely as a result of Tesco Springhill’s Charity Bookstall which raised a fantastic £:1500. The remaining income(£462) represented other donations, collections and bank interest received .
Payments for the year totalled £2,035 with a sizeable portion(£800) representing the remaining Lottery Fund expenditure. That leaves operational spend at £1,235 covering new postal wallets (£551), replacement discs(£289), publicity flyers(£149), insurance fees(£155) with the balance representing membership fees and sundry supplies. With additional income available from Tesco’s, we took the opportunity to purchase new postal wallets.
The net result for the year was that we operated close to break-even with a small deficit of £73. This gave us a small reduction in our bank cash balance from £3,039 to £2,966 as at 1“ April 2025.
In conclusion, the organisation’s finances remain in a strong position with a cash balance of £2,966. The current levels of cash held would be sufficient to meet over 3 years operating costs. This is comfortably within our target of ensuring that, at the very least, an amount equivalent to one-year’s operating costs (£900) is held in reserve at each year-end.
Trevor Dillon
Treasurer
End of minutes of 2025 AGM
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