MINUTES
OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD AT
THE DEAL CENTRE FOR THE RETIRED">
MINUTES
OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD AT
THE DEAL CENTRE FOR THE RETIRED, KENT
ON 21ST MAY 2005 AT 1.p.m.
|
1.
Welcome and Introductions
The
Chairman welcomed the people listed below to the second Annual General
Meeting of the Charity and appreciated how far many people had travelled
to do so.
Present: |
|
|
Mr.
Francis Glynn |
Mr.
Bryn Limbrick |
Mrs.
Elizabeth Ashington |
Ms.
Sarah Travers |
Mrs.
Claire Creedon |
Mrs.
Juliette Casciaug |
Mrs.
Julie Limbrick |
Mrs.
Kay Skingsley |
Mrs.
Jennifer Hamilton |
Mr.
Jo Evans |
Mr.
Jon Skingsley |
Mrs.
Danielle Middleton |
Mrs.
Shirley Britton |
Mrs.
Ann Price |
Mr.
Nick Middleton |
Mr.
Tony Britton |
Mr.
Bob Aston |
Mrs.
Margaret Combey |
Mr.
Martin Tanner |
Mrs.
Anna Aston |
Mrs.
Jenne Kaduruwana |
Rev.
Ivor Howells |
Mr.
Gordon Pagden |
Mrs.
Suzanne Pinkney |
Mrs.
Joan Howells |
Mrs.
Linda Pagden |
Mrs.
Doreen Turner |
Mrs.
Dawn Webster |
Mrs.
Edith Bonser |
Mrs.
Carolyn Taylor |
Mr.
Paul Webster |
Mrs.
Una Stanley |
Miss
Naomi Taylor |
Mr.
John Parkin |
Mr.
Geoff Pollard |
Cpt.
L'Estrange |
|
2. Apologies:
Mr.
& Mrs. Vann |
Mrs.
Ellie Trelawney |
David
and Pamela Brodie |
Mrs.
Sue Cliff |
Angela
Davis |
Tony
and Helen Murtagh |
Mr.
Parfitt |
Rosie
Holder |
Nick
and Shelia Plaister |
Mr.
Savage |
Caprice
Britton |
Mr.&
Mrs. Beckingham |
Jo
Savage |
Mr.&
Mrs. Dallimore |
Ivan
and Vivienne Smith |
Mia
Ford |
Elaine
Croucher |
Richard
and Faith Burfoot |
|
3. Minutes:
Minutes
of the Inaugural Meeting held on 30.05.04 were PASSED and signed.
|
4. Election of Officers:
Chairman:
The nomination of Mr. Francis Glynn was seconded by Mrs. Middleton and
CARRIED.
Treasurer: The nomination of Ms. Sarah Travers was seconded by Mrs. Sue
Pinkney and CARRIED.
Secretary: The nomination of Mrs. Julie Limbrick was seconded by Mr. Bob
Aston and CARRIED.
|
5. Nominations to the Executive Committee:
The nomination of Mrs. Shirley Britton was seconded by Mr. Jo Evans and
CARRIED.
6. Resolution to the Constitution: A Charity Commission approved
resolution to the Constitution had been posted on both GES and GTS web
pages and a written copy circulated to all Charity members. It was
proposed by Mr. Bob Aston, seconded by Mr. Bryn Limbrick and CARRIED
that the resolution be ADOPTED.
|
7. Annual Report: (Summary circulated - full copy in minute
book.)
The Chairman, Mr. Glynn, clarified the difference between GTS
administering projects on behalf of existing sponsors/other charities,
as opposed to GES funded and managed projects initiated, monitored and
supported in liaison with GTS in The Gambia.
Mr. Glynn updated attendees on the progress of all the Charity's
projects and sought members preference on the existing and proposed
logo. The proposed logo was adopted.
The commitment to job creation, sponsorships, the support of education
and minimal administrative expenses remained of paramount importance. Of
equal importance he added was the Charity's philosophy to, via
transparent monitoring and clear audit trails of income and expenditure,
to tackle the Gambian culture of dissipating funds.
The Chairman also outlined the considerable costs attached to storage
and shipment of donated goods/materials and whilst a small bi monthly
space allocation was available to the Charity it was he added far more
beneficial to both the Charity and the local economy to actually
purchase identified materials in The Gambia. This was not always
understood or taken on board by many supporters who understandably wish
to choose and purchase goods aimed directly at the children, i.e. pens
and books.
|
The
Chairman then requested Mrs. Limbrick, Secretary, to present her Project
Monitoring Report following her recent visit to The Gambia. The report
covered:-
San Yang Community Meeting - re. Skills Centre
London Corner Nursery School - Serekunda
Bakoteh Community Library
Youna Sports Hall
Kololi Accommodation
NGO (Non Governmental Organisations) status meeting with Assistant
Director - Banjul.
Bakoteh Nursery School.
Mrs.
Limbrick also advised the meeting of her visit to the S.O.S. Village -
Bakoteh.
The criteria
status for NGO status was circulated and along with priority setting and
other issues is to be included on the agenda for the next Trustee
Committee Meeting to follow the AGM.
|
Queries and shared information by several members included:-
The Essau Project - sponsored by John and Kay Skingsley,
Dawn and Paul Webster re. GTS accommodation in Kololi
San Yang project background by Margaret Combie.
The Chairman outlined plans for developing valuable and structured
support to visiting volunteers, teaching assistants and gap year
students.
Mr.
Glynn closed his report by advising the meeting of the trustee
prioritisation of introducing a workable educational curriculum hand in
hand with a teacher support system. Initially to be implemented in
Bakoteh Nursery School and eventually, once proven successful, to be
sourced in all GES/GTS schools.
|
He
then introduced Mr. Jo Evans, retired Headteacher, who is moving to The
Gambia shortly to implement his designed curriculum and support systems.
Mr.
Evans argued that a successful curriculum needed to utilise the innate
curiosity, creativity and willingness to learn found in all young
children. He showed some examples of the supporting resources needed to
implement this, and explained some of the ways in which these resources
linked together. He ended with an appeal for help in the creation of
further resources. This appeal received several positive responses from
the attendees.
|
7. Treasurer's Report: (Full copy in minute book, report and income and
expenditure sheets circulated.)
Ms.
Travers reported total income for the first year of GES had been
disappointing at £4,009.21 - due in part to slow fund raising, low
membership numbers and the Asian Tsunami disaster.
Transfers
from Alliance and Leicester to The Gambia would not incur charges and an
Instant Reserve Account had been established to obtain a better rate of
interest.
Ms.
Travers closed her report by advising members renewal of the annual £10
membership fee would become due on receipt of the Charity's registration
number and Gift Aid facility. She respectfully requested members to
consider arranging a Standing Order for future renewals and to ensure
either she or the Hon. Sec. were advised of the arrangement to assist
records.
Adoption
of the Annual Report and Accounts were proposed by Carolyn Taylor,
seconded by Mrs. Aston and CARRIED.
|
8. Questions and Comments: The meeting discussed in depth the problems
of widespread corruption indigenous to Africa and the resultant
withdrawal of some banks and other large organisations. Hence the
importance for GES to uphold monitoring and close liaison with the
Gambian Link Staff was recognised to be of major importance. The
Chairman's eventual permanent residence in The Gambia would greatly
assist this undertaking.
The
Chairman thanked all present for their enthusiasm and support and
invited all to network and socialise for the remainder of the afternoon
if they wished.
Meeting
closed 4.30p.m.
|
Use
Easy
Search
as your search engine
and raise funds for GETSuk |
Make
your internet purchases through
Easy Fund Raising-
& raise funds for GETSuk at no extra cost to yourself |
|
|