Minutes November 2021

Minutes of the committee meeting held via Zoom.

Wednesday 24th November 2021. The meeting started at 7.30 pm.


  1. Welcome and apologies for absence:


PRESENT: David Atkins (chairman) DA, Barbara Fry (vice chairman) BF, Jacqui Knight (secretary) JK, Peter Fry PF, Francis Knight FK, Catherine Atkins CA, Kay Strain KS, David Mozley DM


APOLOGIES: Sally Wood, Tina Della Valle


  1. Minutes of the meeting held on 22nd September 2021:


DA checked that everyone had read the minutes from the previous meeting, and it was agreed that they are a true record. Signing of the minutes will take place at a later date.


  1. Matters Arising not on Agenda: None


  1. Chairman’s Report: Good number of members attended the AGM and also there were a few that joined the online zoom. It was well worth doing a hybrid and people on zoom could hear the meeting. Not spoken with the parish council as yet about the possibility of having a photo of the French plaque displayed in the parish rooms, this will happen as soon as possible.


  1. Secretary’s Report: Nothing to report


  1. Treasurer’s Report: Marina was not present at the meeting. DA reported that the only outgoings have been the payment for the room for the AGM, insurance, and bottle of wine for Chris Ford for checking the accounts.


Please see the financial report at the end of the minutes.

Current account balance £7797.20

Deposit account balance £8059.32


  1. Membership & Member’s Welfare: JK reported that about half of last years members have renewed their membership so far. Receipts have been sent for all payments received to date. John and Maureen Parfitt have said they are remaining with the twinning but won’t be travelling abroad. Sheila Urwin has sadly decided to leave twinning, Sheila unfortunately never got to travel to Isny with the twinning but has helped out many times on various fundraising stalls and an email was sent by JK to thank her for all her help.


  1. Visits:


Meeting with Sharon Paimpare in Street: DA, CA, FK and JK met with Sharon recently when she visited Street. It was a very positive meeting and dates were discussed for us to visit Gravenchon in 2022. As stated at the AGM the early part of the year when French and English children are both off school was thought to be problematic for various reasons. Sharon has now confirmed with us that the majority of the Gravenchon twinners cannot host in the April, May, or August holidays. October was the other option and Sharon is now checking with her members to see if they can host sometime during the half term holiday between Sat 22nd to Sun 30th Oct.


Zoom with ND de Gravenchon: JK is going to send Sharon some possible dates for a social zoom in December but if this is too short notice to arrange the zoom then it might not take place until the New Year.


Isny: BF doesn’t think we will hear anything further from Isny until the New Year reference making plans for them to visit Street next year.


  1. Fundraising and Events:


Bric-a-Brac Stall at Street Market: An email will go out to members to ask if anyone has any toys or suitable items that would make good Christmas presents to go on a stall on Thurs 16th Dec. This will probably be more for advertising Twinning rather than a fund raiser as we might not make very much money. In the email we will also be asking for volunteers to help on the stall. FK has offered to set up and break down.


January Social – Venue and Format: DA said that it would be around £50 to hire a church hall for a social event. A discussion then followed about possible days and times and a Saturday was decided. BF suggested afternoon tea and this was agreed. It was agreed that there would also be something to do at the event such as a game or short quiz but no raffle. The two options were the United Reform Church, or the Mission Church and the committee agreed on the United Reform Church which is on the High Street. DA will look into dates, and it won’t be until January and so the Committee will communicate through email or WhatsApp as there is no December meeting.


  1. Website & Facebook: PF reported that the AGM minutes have gone onto the website and JK reported that the lottery winners were posted on Facebook.


  1. Publicity: DA and JK still need to put together a newspaper article. This will now happen in January. A brochure will be put together early next year using some of the Parish Council grant. This will be a good advertising tool for attracting new members and when approaching schools.


  1. Lottery: TW has now handed over the running of the lottery to KS. A letter will go out to members before Christmas about the lottery and a reminder will go out in early January before the first numbers are drawn for the start of the year.


1st Prize no.47 Trevor Skinner (donated to Oxfam)

2nd Prize no.48 David Mozley

3rd Prize no.14 Claire Brunt


  1. AOB: None


  1. Chairman’s Closing Remarks: DA suggested having a hybrid for the January meeting like we had at the AGM. Some committee members felt that as the meetings are so short at the moment we may as well keep them as zoom meetings. Once exchange dates have been arranged there will be more to organise and discuss and so to then meet up in person. This was agreed. DA thanked everyone for attending the meeting and special thanks to David Mozley for attending his first committee meeting as a committee member.


Meeting Closed at 8.05pm

Date of next meeting: Wednesday 26th January 2022 at 7.30pm

To be held via Zoom.