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(Note that this is the web version of the minutes. Names of the living have been avoided by occasional slight changes in wording. The true minutes are held by the Hon. Secretary)
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Present: President, in the Chair, School Head, Vice-Chair, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, News Editor, News Distribution, Staff Rep and 27 others. (The meeting started at 14:45)
Apologies for absence were received from the Representatives to the Governors, and 28 members. (Their names were on display.)
Minutes of the previous meeting held on Saturday 1 October 2005 were approved by the meeting.
Matters arising from previous meetingIt was regretted that the date for the 2006 Reunion Day and AGM had had to be changed from the date announced at the 2005 AGM.
President’s Report The President had attended a number of events at the school in her position in the Association, including the Quiz Night in March (the Association team came 2nd) and a lunch with the leavers, as well as meetings and functions in her position as Governor. She and the Vice-chair had awarded Memorial Bursaries to 3 girls. The Executive had had an “away-day” to discuss matters such as, among others, the website (to be moved to the school site, but with the Association’s logo of an amaryllis), databases, the pre-payment scheme, archives. The database would be updated, but omit the more personal information - the rest had proved to be of great use. The Networking Officer was thanked. The post would cease to exist. The first point of contact at the School had changed; the previous person was thanked for all she did for the Association. The Association had received a legacy of £1000 from Wendy Forwood (French-Smith, 10), which could be used for improving Archive storage. The President thanked the departing Secretary, the Head for her continuing welcome to the Association, the Director of Music for his enjoyable organ recital in the Main Hall, and a member of section 44 (44) for her thought provoking sermon.
Rules The new Rules, previously circulated to members, were agreed. All pupils would now entitled to become Association members. Prepayments would occur when the girl joined the school, in whatever year.
Hon. Secretary’s Report
Deaths reported since the last meeting: Miss Margaret Guest (Staff), Muriel Robinson (Gay, 8), Wendy Forwood (French-Smith, 10), Mary Ferguson (11), Dawn Cookson (12), Anne Tyler (McLagan, 13), Georgina Kirkland (Birdwood, 23), Sally Watson (Lane, 24), Sue Lacey (Renshaw, 31).
Section Representatives: sec 16 would be represented by the existing representative of sec 23; there had also been changes in representatives for sections 34, 38 & 39, 63, 66. The first representative for section 75, cohort of 2006 was named.
Reunions: At the 2006 Reunion Day there was a celebration of “50 years on”.
Hon. Treasurer’s Report The Treasurer presented the examined accounts. The balance on 31 July 2006 had been £19,906, including Association News pre-payments of £5,964; £1,082 held by the school towards future database costs; £2,000 allocated to the database and not yet passed to the school ( who had had £3,000 so far), leaving £10,860.
The Treasurer asked for a volunteer to succeed her in August 2007.
The cost of the News had been within the price charged.
5 brooches had been sold in the last year, and £264 received from the school for pendants. £296 had been spent in replenishing stock.
This year, leavers had been given goody bags. £470 had been spent on pencils, bookmarks and biros all with Westonbirt Association printed on them. Though much appreciated, as an annual expense this would not be sustainable in the long term.
£97 was donated to the Memorial Bursary from last year's reunion. The value of the Westonbirt Memorial Fund was £101,104 on 31 July 2006.
The accounts were accepted by the meeting. The meeting agreed that the signatories to the Association’s bank accounts should be, as before, the President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer, any two of the three to sign).
The meeting agreed (with a vote of thanks) their appreciation to the Examiner of the accounts.
Following a query put by a section 30 member, it was agreed that a committee would be formed by the Executive Committee in November or March to look into the size of the Association’s reserves, and report to the AGM in 2007. The Treasurer explained that the NS&I appeared to be the only place that would hold money in the name of the Association rather than an individual, whose own tax affairs would be affected. Though the interest rate was low, it was free of tax. Even the NS&I would not allow a new similar account to be created. Information about any better place for the reserves would be appreciated.
Hon. Editor’s ReportThe section reps were thanked. The timings had worked well in 2006, and would be repeated in 2007 (packets would be sent to section reps in early Jan; section reps should issue news requests by the end of Jan or very early Feb; members should send news to section reps by 28 Feb; section reps should send collated reports to the editor to arrive by 9 March). Those that could were encouraged to send by email. It was totally acceptable for the remaining dozen or so to be sent hand-written or typed. .Serious chasing would start on 10 March. It was hoped this would enable the News to be issued in late July, which would have happened in 2006 if there had not been a 3 week delay as the printer produced new copies with the centre spread in the centre.
The Secretary having changed, a “chaser-up” was needed, someone who could spare most of the weekend of 10-11 March, and some time through the following week , to telephone section representatives, should any neither send in news by 9 March nor contact the Editor to make other arrangements.
The meeting was informed where donations for the Memorial Bursary should be sent. The page in the News would be changed.
Head’s Report 7 years ago, the Head’s aims had been to raise numbers, achievements and profile. There were 235 pupils (7 years ago it had been 185) with 29 in Sedgwick. Overall, 25% of the girls were from overseas, all with an excellent work ethic, with 35% in the sixth form. This year’s A-level results were 77% grades A and B (2 years earlier, it had been 69%). The brightest went to London, Bristol, Durham, Exeter; others to other universities. They were encouraged to understand that they would succeed if they worked hard. The girls were of mixed ability and 20% received learning support (dyslexia, organisational skills etc). The profile of the school had been raised - prep. schools had heard of Westonbirt and its good results, thanks to the marketing team. The school was frequently visited by recent old girls, who also kept in touch with each other. The member of staff who worked with the girls about to leave and the staff member who was responsible for keeping in touch with recent leavers and parents were named. The new Chairman of the Governors lived near-by, and also visited frequently.
On behalf of the Foundation trustees, the Head mentioned the forthcoming appeal for the new Music school, and asked the Association to support the Foundation. There would be a telethon in the summer of 2007, with cold-calling by girls asking for donations. There would be a letter with a form enabling one to requests no such calls. The funds would partly be for Music, and partly for the School and Bursaries.
A Heritage Trust had been formed with the Arboretum, and supported by English Heritage. This would lift the financial burden from the school of care for the historic aspects of the building etc, such as the project to replace the silk hangings in the Library, Ante-Library and Reading Room.
There were forthcoming events at the School to which all were welcome, and an Arboretum brochure with a suggested walk.
Representative to the Governing Body’s Report As well as Governor’s meetings and the Headmistress’s dinner for Governors and staff to meet each other, she had taken part in a Key Skills careers day for years 7 and 8, and attended the opening of the new Copland Leisure Centre. On the Board of Governors her allocated area of responsibility was Sport.
AROPS: The conference report was on display. The Secretary had attended the AGM, including the launch of “Schools at War” which included brief details about the experiences of Westonbirt and St John’s Bexhill in WW2.
Election of Officers The General Committee had elected as Secretary a member (named) of section 46, sister of the Association’s Representative to the Governors) who introduced herself.
Date / venue / format for the 2007 Reunion Day The Reunion Day would be Saturday 6 October 2007 at the School, by kind permission of the Headmistress. The Executive Committee would appreciate suggestions.
Any Other Business
Honorary Membership The General Committee had agreed to offer Honorary Membership to the past Head of Security, and the past IT Manager who had left in 2005, and that the previous President should be offered a Vice-Presidency.
The Archives cupboard had been sorted. It had been found that the Old Girls’ Club (which became the Association) had started in 1930. (The misunderstanding had been because the first AGM minutes were from 1932). The 75th anniversary had been missed, and the proposed Garden Party would be delayed until 2010.
A very old Association badge had been found in the Archive Cupboard; it would be used as the Presidential badge of office. (It had come from a display about the early years of the school; the material, and therefore the badge, may have come from Olga Riley (McDonald at school, then Woosnam-Mills, Section 1), but this was uncertain.)
The meeting ended at 15.50pm.
The President, on behalf of the Association, thanked the retiring Secretary. She was presented with a potted acer, contributed to by those attending the meeting.
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page last updated 13 March 2007