SRGC AGM 2008

[ChrisB]

Does anyone have more information about the AGM that takes place next weekend in Perth?  The only details I have are in the booklet I got in February.

[Susan Band]

Dear Chris,

It is held at the airport just outside Perth (bet you didn't know we had one) not walking distance from the train I am afraid. The AGM start by everyone bringing their own picnic lunches (wine provided), the AGM, presentation of prizes and then a talk by Jens Neilson on China.
I am sure if you want to come you will be able to get picked up from the train.

Susan

[Ian Y]

THE PROGRAMME FOR THE AGM  0N SATURDAY 8TH NOVEMBER IS:-

12.00PM GRAND PICNIC   You bring the food we supply the wine.

1.00PM ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

SHORT BREAK

2.00PM(approx) THE CLARK MEMORIAL LECTURE - JENS NEILSEN

3.00PM(approx) TEA AND BISCUITS(wait until you see the buiscuits )

[ChrisB]

Many thanks Susan and Ian.  Hoping to be there.....

[Anthony Darby]

Mmmm. James's 12th birthday and he wants to see James Bond in the afternoon so he can have his pals round in the evening. Vivienne is at the Stirling Highland Hotel Saturday and Sunday so I'm stuck.

[Maggi Young]

Now then, here are some photos, taken by Maggi and Christine Boulby at the AGM.......

  Actually, first pic is from the Council Meeting before the AGM, where  Ann Christie ( also our First Lady)  was given this bunch of flowers as a personal expression of thanks     for the work she has done to be SRGC Book-keeper and Treasurer since she stood in at very short notice last year. There have been many changes to banking system requirements and provision of new online secure payments since then and Ann has done a great deal of terrific work on behalf of the Club for which the Council is grateful, as indeed should we all be.... such beavering behind the scenes is vital to the continuing health of the Club. 



Speaking of unseen beavering....I must say a few words here about the SRGC Subscription Secretary, Graham Bunkall...... Graham, who lives far away in deepest England, works like a trojan for the Club on a daily basis. He was not able to attend the AGM but heartfelt tribute was paid to Graham and to the dedicated work he does on the Club's behalf.  With new credit card transaction regulations to contend with and so on, his task has been harder than ever in recent months and he has coped admirably with the very large workload to get everything tickety-boo!  Well done Graham, our thanks to you for your tireless efforts on our behalf... all the more laudable, in my opinion, because Graham can so seldom attend SRGC Events and so misses all the fun... and cake.......



No, your  eyes do not deceive you... this IS another SRGC 75th Birthday Cake.... (you may remember the lovely one we scoffed at the Discussion Weekend? Much more of this and we'll be eating the 75th SRGC 75th Birthday cake!! )
This one had been commissioned by our Honorary President, Mrs Bette Ivey, from that clever woman, Margaret Taylor...and was so pretty, it was almost too good to eat.....
but eat it we did.... though I have to say that somehow ( and I have NO IDEA how this happened.... I didn't get any!  ) I did find a plate where the cake had been sliced,  with a few crumbs and a bit of icing left lying, so I tasted that and can agree with the assembled thong that it was delicious..... sadly, it had been so popular that not only did I not get any, but, of course, there was none left for me to send a slice to Graham, either 

There were lots of scummyscrummy homemade buns and cakes to enjoy with afternoon tea, too, most of which came from Jean Band (how does that woman do it... there are 28 hours in each of her days, I swear it!) but none would have survived the post to Graham so he missed out again..... do you begin to see why I feel he is so selfless in doing his job for the SRGC? And to cap it all, he misses out on the plants and the people... bless you Graham for sticking with us nonetheless     

 The wonderful rich fruit cake from Margaret was the finishing touch to our Grand Picnic.... we bring our own food, but certain perks.... in this case good birthday cake... are provided....
you  will see that some picnic in a grander way than others........



David  and Carol Shaw and Ian Young


more to follow.......

[ranunculus]

There were lots of scummy homemade buns and cakes to enjoy with afternoon tea

I KNOW YOU MEANT TO WRITE 'SCRUMMY', MAGGI ... BUT SORRY I COULD NOT RESIST!   

[Maggi Young]

OooH, errrrr... whatta mistakea to makea    ! Yes, Cliff, I messed that up , didn't I ?

[Maggi Young]

Back to the AGM business, where various awards where given out.....now, some of the pix are mine and some are Christine Boulby's.... congratulations to Christine, by the way, who was one of those newly elected onto Council.
I am a bit hazy on who, exactly, won what, because I find taking photos in public rather challenging ....I hope others will be able to fill in the gaps in my report......
Stan da Prato won a merit medal, Cyril Lafong won his eighth gold merit medal certificate and the AGS Salver for most first prize points in Section I of the SRGC shows........ Tony Lee  is featured...... Michael Almond won a photographic prize, Anne Chambers was given  a lovely painting donated by the AGS in honour of the SRGC 75th anniversary which will become one of the annual awards, like the Golden Jubilee Salver which is awarded for outstanding service to the Club and which was won by Ian Young......mention was made of the importance of the Website and Forum and I was surprised and delighted to be given a special President's award of........??This photo was taken by Beryl MacNaughton!

Remember dear Readers, click the thumbnail pictures to see the enlarged images.....

[ChrisB]

I'm pretty sure its not knitting wool, Maggi.... do tell!

[Maggi Young]

Well, Christine, I am delighted to tell you that our thoughtful President had thought fit to mark my contribution to this website and forum with a tangible  expression of appreciation ..... in the glittery gift bag was a lovely box of chocolates!! How clever of the Prez to choose such an appropriate gift, eh??!! 

I think his expression in the photo was caused by the fact that I had just told everyone that as of Friday night 7th November), there were 666 registered Forumists.... not a number considered to be very lucky 


Happily, today, Sunday 9th November, there are now 669 registered Forumists! We're growing ! ( and yes, Cliff and David N and Paul et al, I KNOW that I will the one doing the MOST growing when I have scoffed the chocs!!
I will be sharing them with my Award-winning husband! That sounds really good, doesn't it? Perhaps I should have said, with my husband who has just won an award!! 

[Maggi Young]

Of particular interest to Forumists was the award of a Gold Merit Medal ( for 50 first prizes in Section I of SRGC Shows) to Brian and Shelagh Smethurst of Blackburn....oh, b*****r, that should be Bury . These Pudsey Piglets, our own favourite Black Pudding Girl, Shelagh, and her shy husband, Brian ( well, he's shy in that we never hear from  him in this forum!!) had made a weekend trip to be able to attend their first SRGC AGM..... here are some shots, including the actual medal... these are a new type... rather nice  I think.

Ian the Bulb Despot was keen to congratulate Shelagh and Brian, too. These English gastronomes are not able to attend too many SRGC shows, so accumulating fifty firsts isn't easy.

Remember dear Readers, click the thumbnail pictures to see the enlarged images.....

[Maggi Young]

Another SRGC member from south of the border, and lurker in the undergrowth of this forum... is my dear chum Alan Newton from Ponteland.......who also won a Gold merit medal this year but sadly he was not able to come up to the AGM. 

Happily,  quite a few folks from slightly further  North East in  England had made the trip ............
The major award of the afternoon was the creation of another Vice President of the SRGC.... this honour went to Gill Lee, from the North Northumberland Group... Gill has served the Club in many capacities and richly deserves this recognition.
My fellow snapper, Christine, who is also from that Group, was very proud of Gill and so pleased to be there to witness the happy occasion and this pic shows her in action.



Our newest Vice President



President Ian paid charming praise to Gill who looked very happy and proud.

[Maggi Young]

I nearly forgot (how could I??) to include this photo of the previous SRGC Secretary and all round good egg, Liz Mills, who was also on the receiving end of one of Mr President Christie's personal awards....  to thank her for all the work she has done in working with the Scottish Charity Commission review and with the Gift Aid authorities. The Charities Commission has been conducting random investigations into various types of  Registered Charities such as the SRGC, to determine whether or not their Charitable status is warranted. Liz has been busy responding to all the questions raised and the Club has been commended for its organisation and has been confirmed in its official charity status.  Also, in conjunction with that, the Gift Aid regulators wanted to check the Club to see if it was still eligible for the Gift Aid status and this, too, has been successfully comfirmed. While these appraisals are in large part a formality, it is nonetheless quite a task to comply with all the requests for information and Liz has done a grand job of providing all the necessary documents and proposals, etc.

She will have some peace and quiet after all that work , to make a fuss of her husband who is having/has just had (?) eye surgery.... hope it all goes well, Doug!


Looking very happy that this task is over... Liz and Ian pose together ..... are these two siblings...... there are similarities !

I don't think, by the shape of this gift, that this is chocolate..... oh, and Liz got a present of an empty pot, too..... the Prezz SAID it had a Lily bulb in.... 

[ranunculus]

Brian and Shelagh Smethurst of Blackburn .

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful ... I can't wait to see the Smethies tomorrow evening and find out when they were evicted from Bury!   

Heartiest congratulations to Ian and Maggi, Brian and Shelagh and all the other very worthy recipients ... and thanks to Maggi for making my day TWICE in twenty four hours.