The end of the British Iris Society???

[Greenmanplants]

Please close this down if inappropriate to the forum.  But I wondered if any of you, like me, have received their notification of the BIS AGM to be held on the 19th November and on reading the details realise that after 95 years the British Iris Society looks on the verge of folding.

Any strongly held views on this??

In a letter titled "Before we throw in the towel" Simon Dodsworth(Exec Committee Member) raises a few last ditch proposals including a 6 month moratorium, if he  can gather 2 or 3 energetic and committed people to engage with and consider what can be done.

I leave it at this for the moment....Maggi, please delete if you think inappropriate, or indeed if addressed elsewhere..I couldn't find any obvious alternative reference.

John Humphries
Inactive member for a long time but still gardening in Hampshire England

[Maggi Young]

My goodness John, of course you are able to post here about this.

It sounds a very worrying situation for the BIS - it's not good to hear that they are  having such problems, though it does seem that volunteers for a great many tasks in such organisations are harder to come by each year.

[Greenmanplants]

Thanks Maggi,

This is an appeal for any and all to reply here.

Are you members of the BIS, if so have you participated in their seed exchange.

Are you interested in keeping the BIS alive, at least in the short term to see what can be done.

I'm happy to attend the AGM on the 19th November and put forward any views.

Best regards

John H

I'm also happy to take non member views, particularly from any Iris growers out there wherever you are.

[johnralphcarpenter]

Thanks Maggi,

This is an appeal for any and all to reply here.

Are you members of the BIS, YES if so have you participated in their seed exchange. YES

Are you interested in keeping the BIS alive, at least in the short term to see what can be done. YES

I'm happy to attend the AGM on the 19th November and put forward any views.

Best regards

John H

I'm also happy to take non member views, particularly from any Iris growers out there wherever you are.

[Greenmanplants]

Ok...


As will come out in due course.  None of this is official notification or confidential.  Merely as I read the circumstances of the day.

The BIS AGM was held yesterday.

The BIS has not come to an untimely end.

During a protracted discussion at the AGM it was agreed to have a special committee re-instated to look in detail at the Constitution to see what can be done to modernise the outlook and give additional flexibility to allow the BIS to move forward.

That revised constitution will be put forward as a proposal to an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) at some time in the early 2017 for consideration and adoption.   Depending on the outcome of that, new officers will be put in place and the BIS will have the opportunity to move forward.

I'm sure fuller details of the AGM will be minuted in the Year book to be sent to all members.

[Maggi Young]

Wonderful news.
Robbie Blackhall Miles  has been writing about the dangers faced by so many societies -

Robbie Blackhall-Miles on the subject.....
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2016/nov/17/are-plant-societies-on-the-verge-of-extinction  .........where he begins  by  mentioning the travails of the British Iris Society who are on the point of folding.   

I think the active community worldwide of the SRGC and the number of resources provided free online to encourage and enthuse people  here are a big help in keeping the SRGC vibrant.

[Matt T]

Delighted to hear that there is a practicable way forward for the BIS.

Any club, society, group or association has to adapt in order to survive. Change can be hard sometimes, but is necessary to ensure a future. Luckily the SRGC seems to have been able to meet these demands in the past, often being ahead of the curve in reacting to a changing World. This depends on having the right people on board, and I'm encouraged by what I've seen that we can continue to evolve and thrive.