AGM 2008

 

Friends of St Mary's Church, Cricklade, Wiltshire, U.K.

 

Chairman: Hugh Dudley, 4 Pleydells, Cricklade, SWINDON, SN6 6NG

Secretary: Gerry Dudley, 4 Pleydells, Cricklade, SWINDON, SN6 6NG

Treasurer: Tony Barratt, 13 Boundary Close, Stratton, SWINDON, SN2 7TF

 

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Annual General Meeting

 

The Friends of St Mary's Church, Cricklade

Held on Tuesday 11th November 2008 at Brook House, Cricklade

Present: Fr Philip Beasly, Eddie Condon, Tony Barrett, Edmund Lee, David Tetlow, Ray Tetlow, Louise Aitken, Seymour Aitken, Helen Clift, Bernadette Yarnold, Tricia Snape, Rene McEvoy, Gerry Dudley

Apologies:       Anne Wykeham-Martin, Janet Heneghan, Margaret Stephenson, Fr Richard Barton.

 

Minutes of Previous AGM:  The Minutes of the previous AGM were adopted.

Proposed: Tricia Snape. Seconded: Peter Baister

 

Chairman’s Report:  Chairman’s Report

Another very active year with one of our long- term ventures coming to a great conclusion and our largest fund raising activity for some time.

 

Church Building

Small changes and alterations are planned but these are still seeking planning and permission we will

discuss in more detail when these are at a definitive stage.  In early October the ceiling by the new screen was repaired and the outside coping stones near the screen were also repaired, this curing the damp that had occurred.

 

The Churchyard Cross and Lantern

After all the years planning, discussions with our architect and numerous meetings with the relevant

authorities our contractor Ward & Co. carried out a superb job on the restoration.  I would like to thank

Ed Lee for the report he prepared for our Newsletter and the photographs taken by Tony Barrett some of which we used in Ed’s report.

 

Church grounds

The work carried out by our party of volunteers has not only made the grounds a peaceful garden to enjoy but their work again has achieved another award this year from the RHS “Britain in Bloom Competition”.  We will continue to develop the gardens with their help.

 

Millennium Pageant

In order to produce and present the Pageant, because of it’s anticipated expenses, it was necessary to raise funds and my how we did it!  The Concert performed by the children of Prior Park Prep School was an evening to remember, not only raising money for the Millennium project but also for the school’s pet charity – Helen House Children’s Hospice.  Our own fund raising activity, “Proms in the Garden” was a tremendous success in spite of the weather.  The work put in by everybody was unstinting and the generosity of Louise and Seymour in allowing us to use their garden made it all possible. This was so successful that a number of people asked for a repeat performance next year or some time in the future.  I am not sure the organising team are as enthusiastic! The money raised meant that Bernadette Yarnold could proceed with her innovative production. 

The Pageant itself was presented on 9 and 10 October and was a resounding success.  Bernadette’s

concept and production led us along a clearly defined path of the history of the Church on the site at St

Mary’s and the performance by the staff and pupils of PPPS will be remembered for a long time.  Our

heartfelt thanks go to everybody involved in the whole event they can all be very proud.

 

Fund Raising Activities

Although our main fund raising activities concentrated on the “Proms in the Garden” there have been

other events. The PPPS Concert, Cricklade Festival Open Day at the Church, Coffee Morning at Brook

House, sponsored Cycle Ride and various raffles.  The one omission this year was the Cricklade Show,

unfortunately the Show was cancelled due to extremely wet weather during the run up to the Show.  We

are however booked in and paid up for next year’s Show.  All events were financially successful and the

amounts raised are clearly shown in the Treasurer’s Balance Sheet.

 

As mentioned at the beginning of the report it has been an extremely active and busy year made easier by the tremendous support of all those on the Committee and other “Friends”.  Our Treasurer Kevin Allen stepped down during the year and the position was filled by Tony Barrett.  Our thanks go out to Kevin for all the work over the years in looking after our finances.  Our thanks are also extended to Tony for the smooth transition of the hand-over and the way he has put his own mark on the presentation of the accounts.  It is hoped that Gerry Dudley and myself will present to both Kevin and Cathy (for her great work on the Newsletter) a small gift in the near future.  I should also like to give my thanks to our

Secretary Gerry, for the tremendous amount of work she puts in to keep us all informed and up to date. 

For those who have not recently looked at our website it is well worth a re-visit.  David Tetlow is doing a

superb job- and for that David thank you.  Another website worth visiting is the Clifton Diocesan website

when with various links you can listen to Trish’s “podcast” on the Pageant.

In conclusion, thank you all for your support during the year and I look forward to working with you for

another year.

Eddie Condon 11.11.08

 

Treasurer’s Report:  See separate Sheet.

 

The Treasurer explained that because there are gaps in the financial paperwork, he has been unable to get the accounts audited.  This will be rectified when the new signatories have been forwarded to the Bank who will then furnish missing statements etc.  It was proposed that the completed accounts will be adopted at the first Committee meeting of the Friends of St Mary’s which will take place in January 2009.

Proposed: David Tetlow.  Seconded Peter Baister.

 

The matter of the Organ fund finances was raised.   The money raised has been held in The Friends account until such time as payment for the new organ is necessary.

The fundraising for the new organ has raised £5,420.  The cost of the organ will be £8,550.  Eddie Condon suggested that The Friends donate the sum of £580 to make the final contribution up to £6,000 which will mean that the Parish will contribute the remaining £2,550.

Proposed by David Tetlow and seconded by Seymour Aitken.

 

Bernadette Yarnold asked if funds had been allocated to the proposed changes within the building of the church.  Eddie Condon explained that the changes were currently only in the planning stage. Planning Permission and Diocesan Authorisation had not yet been obtained and therefore costings could not be obtained.  However, The Friends would only be required to contribute some of the

costs incurred and that the major financial responsibility would be on Parish funds.

 

Election of Officers: 

Eddie Condon agreed to serve for one more year as Chairman

Tony Barrett was duly installed as Treasurer due to the standing down of Kevin Allen.

Gerry Dudley agreed to serve for a further term as Secretary

 

Gerry Dudley informed the meeting that Ann Wykeham-Martin had decided to stand down from the Committee because of other commitments, but would be happy to help in an Ad Hoc capacity when required. Eddie Condon commented that Bernadette Yarnold, though not currently serving on the Committee, would be very welcome at any meeting she feels she is able to attend.

 

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

 

Peter Baister expressed concern that recently every Sunday after Mass, parishioners have been requested to make a contributions to various fund raising events, and that none of these appeared to be to any of the current 3rd World Charity Appeals.

 

The meeting was informed that recently the Parish had sent over £1,500 to a Rwandan appeal and that we have regular OXFAM appeals which provide assistance to these needy causes.

 

Eddie Condon suggested that 2009 should be a quiet year from the point of view of Friends fundraising, since we have no immediate call on our financial resources.  It was decided to take part in our three “regular” activities that bring in small amounts into the Friends’ coffers.  They are:  The Cricklade Festival, The Cricklade Show and our usual Autumn Coffee Morning.  This was agreed by all present.

 

Bernadette Yarnold asked if there would be a marking of the 25th anniversary of the resumption

Catholic Worship at St Mary’s. It was felt that this should be a Parish celebration and a purely social event, with no pressure to raise funds, but that it should not be organised through The Friends.

 

Louise & Seymour Aitken presented the Committee with a drawing of St Mary’s, by the late David Hoad.  David’s wife, Claire, had expressed the wish that it should be used as the Committee see fit, to raise funds for St Mary’s.  Gerry Dudley was asked to send a letter of thanks to Mrs Hoad.

 

Tricia Snape suggested that that a limited number of copies of the signed drawing be made and sold and that one copy should be retained from which such items as notelets or postcards could be made and offered for sale to visitors etc. This was considered a good idea and Eddie Condon agreed to find a suitable method of copying etc.

 

Bernadette Yarnold asked if the Committee had considered raising the Annual Membership Fee.  The suggested amount was £10 from the current £5.  After discussion, it was felt that in the current national  financial crisis, it would not be prudent to raise the fee, but possibly wait until next year and review the situation.

 

Peter Baister raised the point that the booklet on The History of St Mary’s needed to be brought up to date and improved with good colour photographs etc. David Tetlow agreed to forward the template to Peter and Tony Barrett agreed to send some of the photographs he has of the interior and exterior of St Mary’s to be incorporated into a new booklet.  Peter agreed to provide a template for the Committee to decide on, and it was felt that the improved booklet could be sold for £2.50 instead of the current £1 charged.

 

Rene McEvoy asked if there was any connection between the Abingdon Ct Farm history and St Mary’s that might be included in the booklet, but was informed by Bernadette Yarnold that the land in question was not connected with St Mary’s, and would therefore not qualify for mention in the church history.

 

The meeting was shown a picture of St Mary’s which will be presented to Kevin and Cathy Allen at an appropriate time, as a token of our thanks for the work they have both undertaken for The Friends of St Mary’s. This will be given to Kevin and Cathy once Eddie Condon has contacted them to make the necessary arrangements.

 

The meeting ended at 8.45 p.m.