Minutes of the Meeting of the Friends of Blairs held on 26 October at St Bridget’s, Baillieston.

 

Those present:  John Brown

                         Anne Caruana

                         Peter Creron (Chair)

                         Dave McCann

                         Mgr J McIntyre

                         John O’Donnell

                         Raymond Caruana (Minutes)

 

Apologies:       Paul Bradford

                        Jim Cassidy

                        Peter Gorman

                        Brian McGuire

                        John O’Brien

 

The Chair opened the Meeting with a short prayer.

 

1.      Minutes of Previous Meeting

 

The Minutes were approved subject to the following amendments:

 

Requiem Mass – delete “McSorley” and insert “McElroy”.

 

Future Fund Raising - delete “Pauline” and insert “Roseanne”.

                                     delete “McInnis” and insert “ McInnes”.

 

2.      Matters Arising

 

November Mass – This will be held on 8th November 2008 in St Andrew’s Cathedral at 1 o’clock. It will not be a Requiem for former students etc but these will be remembered during the Mass. A stipend of £25 will be paid on this occasion.

 

Documents etc from the Curator of the Museum – The Chair reported that he was not aware of having received any documents from the Curator. He will check and report back at the next Meeting. The Treasurer will forward the outstanding cheque for the hire of the Portaloos on the Open Day on the understanding that the documents will be received in due course.

 

AGM 2009 – The Secretary has reserved the Chapel although at this stage a celebrant has not been approached. The Committee agreed that the Secretary should write to both Bishop Moran and Rev Bill Anderson with a request.

 

Communications – the importance of Committee Members remaining in regular contact outwith Committee Meetings was discussed. It was agreed that this was a useful and helpful aid and it should be encouraged but any communication should be done in a business like manner.

 

 

Future Events – The Committee decided that the ideal date would be 24 April. The Chair will discuss with Sisters Roseanne and Andrea, Holy Cross, Crosshill, Glasgow, the availability of the Hall. The Chair highlighted the need to restrict numbers to conform to Health & Safety Standards. The Committee also agreed that to maximise income expenditure on the buffet should be restricted to £2 per head. As an alternative to Committee Members wives and other Friends’ partners etc, preparing the buffet the Chair would approach the organiser of the previous buffet to establish what could be provided within the agreed limit.

 

Trust Fund and Gift Aid - In the absence of Brian McGuire the Committee was unable to hold a detailed discussion on the subject but it did agree that further information on the procedure should be obtained.

 

The Committee also agreed that care needed to be exercised on the transfer or making of any payments involving the Association. The Association had to be made aware of any such payments. For any individuals who wanted to make any payments these had to be on the basis of private donations rather than from the Association. On the question of Gift Aid alone, John Brown agreed to find out more information on the process and to report at the next meeting.

 

3.      Treasurer’s Report

 

The Treasurer reported that the total funds held were £2,431.20 comprising:

 

General Account - £1,365.29

Special Account  - £1,065.91

 

As agreed at the last meeting, the Treasurer presented a draft Financial Protocol. Subject to one amendment the Protocol was agreed and will be introduced with immediate effect.

 

The Treasurer reported that all expenditure relating to the Open Day had now been reported. As the Museum had received a substantial sum from donations made on the day, the Committee agreed that the normal donation made to the Museum by the Friends on the day of the AGM should not be made this year. 

 

The Treasurer raised the matter of the balance currently sitting in the Special Fund and its ultimate disposal. The Committee felt that as it had been agreed previously that a Board be erected at some future date, probably when the Muir Group had decided finally on their plans for the College, giving some history and explanation of details of the College, this should still be the case. However, they agreed that it would be useful to include in the Newsletter details of the expenditure to date and what had been supported.

 

4.      Newsletter

 

It was reported that the latest issue of the Newsletter was currently in preparation. It was hoped that the Newsletter would be issued before the November Mass.

 

The Chair reported that he felt that some parts of the Printer may need replacement within the very near future. The cost of replacement was not known. The Chair will look into the costs of repairs or if it would be viable to buy a new printer. He will report back to the next meeting.

 

The Committee discussed the wider use of e-mails and perhaps photocopying rather than printing. It was decided that there would be difficulties with e-mails. e.g. colour and downloading and that the costs of photocopying would be prohibitive.

 

 

5.      AOB

 

5.1 Congratulations – The Committee agreed that the Secretary should write conveying the Association’s congratulations to –

 

Archbishop Conti on the 50th anniversary of his ordination

Bishop-elect Toal on his appointment as Bishop of Argyle and the Isles.

 

5.2 Future of the Museum - Mgr McIntyre reported that he had received a letter in which had been set out some 7 options on the future of the Museum. He had been asked for his views but he felt that the Association was an interested party and sought views.

 

The Committee considered the options and decided that the most acceptable was including the Museum within a larger museum.

 

5.3 Secretary – Jim Cassidy had agreed that he would continue as Secretary. The Committee all expressed their satisfaction at this decision.

 

5.4 E-mail – The Committee expressed its concern about a recent series of e-mails that had been circulating. They considered them inappropriate and harmful to the future of the Association.

 

Following a detailed discussion the Committee decided that the Constitution of the Association did not preclude any member from setting up a separate Association. Reference was made to Para 4.5 – “…. To promote or establish or concur in promoting or establishing any other body for any purpose which may, directly or indirectly, benefit or advance the objects or interests of the Association and to acquire and hold as investments of the Association or otherwise deal with as may be considered fit for any shares, stock, debenture stock or securities of any such company”.

 

The Committee also commented that if any Member or other had a matter to raise that affected the Association then the correct medium for doing this was either through the Committee or at the AGM. It was agreed that e-mail circulation should be restricted to the Committee where it is a question of a Committee Member(s) and/ or business. Any other requiring notification to Members will go to Members generally.

 

Finally on this subject the Committee agreed that an item should be included in the next edition of the Newsletter.

 

6.      Next Meeting

 

The next Meeting will be held on 14 December 2008 at 19.30 in St Bridget’s, Baillieston.

 

 

Mgr McIntyre finished the meeting with a short prayer.

 

 

Raymond J Caruana

Minutes Secretary

31 October 2008