Minutes of the committee meeting held in The Mullions Hotel Breakfast Room.
Wednesday 26th Februar 2020. Das Treffen begann um 7.30 pm.
1. Welcome and apologies for absence
VORHANDEN: David Atkins (chairman) DA, Tom Winn (vice chairman) TW, Marina Richards (treasurer) MR, Jacqui Ritter (Sekretär) JK, Peter Fry PF, Barbara Fry BF, Käfige Butler, Catherine Atkins, Paul Badman, David Brunt DB, Martyn Butler, Sue Genge, Viv Squire and Helen Phillips.
ENTSCHULDIGUNGEN: Claire Axten, Trevor Skinner, Francis Knight, Sally Wood and Kay Strain
2. Minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 22nd Januar: DA checked that everyone had read the minutes from the previous meeting and signed them as a true record
3. Matters Arising not on Agenda: DA stated that a copy of the diary dates will be taken to Gravenchon, when we visit in April, so as dates for the exchange in 2021 can be discussed.
4. Chairman’s Report: Recently the meetings had been very long and DA said that it was mainly due to himself being the new Chairman and there had been a lot to discuss. A reminder that we should all be mindful of time so as meetings don’t go on for too long.
5. Secretary’s Report: All receipts for membership, lottery and Gravenchon payments have now been sent to members. It was agreed at the November meeting that receipts will now be sent instead of membership cards and for any payments received. If any member has made a payment since the November meeting and has not yet received a receipt, but would like one, please contact JK.
6. Treasurer’s Report: Please see the financial report at the end of the minutes
Coach and Ferry to Gravenchon has been booked. MR is currently waiting for the invoice from the coach company.
Current account balance £8,671.81
Deposit account balance £8,052.93
7. Association reserves: DA stated that there is no update on this as yet. The reserves/deposit account has roughly been the same for the last 3yrs but before then there was about £1000 more in the reserves. DB talked about the reasons why the reserves have gone down. We no longer receive the large grant from Clarks and haven’t done for a few years now. We have fewer members which impacts on fund raising events as fewer members, family and friends are attending events. We have lost some of the large fundraisers like the BBQ which used to raise about £400. The association had started to spend more on hosting as it was felt that we had to “keep up with the Joneses” but this has been looked at in recent years and reined in.
8. Membership & Member’s Welfare: Sadly the daughter of long standing members Grace and Bernard Squire has passed away. A card of sympathy was sent to Grace and Bernard by DA on behalf of Street Twinning. Sharon along with Marie-José and Hervé who used to twin with them sent a bouquet of flowers and card.
JK reported that we have 64 members, 58 adults and 6 children (since the meeting a further two have paid their membership and so the total is 66)
DA sent a card on behalf of Street Twinning to Sharon Paimpare in France as she has had a second operation. Sharon sent an email saying how lovely it was to receive it when she returned home and is recovering well.
BF said that Reg Alford and Sally Wood have reluctantly decided to no longer travel to Isny with the twinning. This is very sad news as they have both twinned with Isny for many years and even went on their own one year when no one else could go. They both still hope to be involved with the Street Twinning Association and it’s events in this country as much as they can.
9. Visit to Gravenchon Wed 15th – Sun 19th April 2020: An email went out on 20th Feb with updated information for everyone travelling to Gravenchon. Unfortunately the Methodist Church is not available as planned for the pre-visit meeting but a new venue will be found. DA is hoping to book a venue for Monday 23 rd March as the feedback from members was that people could make this date.
The sewing has started for the gifts for Gravenchon.
The coach driver now has a host and they have hosted the coach drivers in the past and so know where to park the coach etc. and he/she will be well looked after.
Thank you to all the people who have paid their final payments, just a few left to pay.
10. Visit from Isny 2020: Mon 26th – Sat 31st Oct: 31 people will be travelling from Isny to Street. There are 12 first timers coming over including a family of 5. Avril Berry has very kindly offered to host the family as we have been unable to find a family for them to twin with. Avril does not mind if a family is found and plans change so if any member knows of a local family who may be interested in hosting in Oct then please still get in touch.
There will be 7 children in total coming over. One traveller is flying over but the rest by coach and so there will be a coach driver to find accommodation for this time. We will need to find a place for the coach to stay and so Stuart Wells will be contacted as Millfield were very helpful when Gravenchon visited last year.
The exchange trip in 2021 has been discussed with Isny and it could possibly be during the Easter Holiday or in the May School holiday. More information will follow shortly.
11. Visit of Isny Town Band: DA is looking at the practicalities of everything. Street Drum and Trumpet Corps, Wells City Band and the COSMIC Wind Band are all on board for the visit. One couple who usually come over with the Isny twinning will not be coming over in October but they will travel over for this event instead. More information to follow as soon as we have it.
12. Fundraising and Events: In the past there have been German and French evenings which were good fun but not money makers. Other fundraisers in the past were BBQ, cheese and wine, disco. If any member has any good ideas to raise money please get in touch but on the understanding that we need people to own events and help do the prep work.
a) Community Event – Sat 29th Feb: Emails have gone out to all members asking for help on the stall and a rota has been sent to the people who offered to help. Viv Squire and Sue Genge offered to help whilst at the meeting and so their names were added to the rota. Thank you in advance to Tom & Kay Winn, Sally Holz, Shirley Gunter, David Brunt, Kay Strain, Reg Alford and Peter & Barbara Fry for volunteering. Francis and Jacqui are happy to set up and take down and fill in if needed.
b) Bric a brac market stall – Thurs 9th April: BF & PF hope to be around for this event as they have all the bric a brac. JK will send out an email to all members a couple of weeks before the event to ask for volunteers.
c) Quiz – Sun 17th Mai: Booked
d) Choir event: Carried forward
e) Pizza Evening: Sally is looking into this, carried forward as not at tonight’s meeting
f) Baltonsborough Show – Aug 2020: MR will look into this
13. Webseite & Facebook: All being kept up to date
14. Publicity: JK has sent a report about last year’s visit to Isny to Local Reach. The report also states that they are coming over in Oct and that we are looking for a local family to host in October and she will contact Nub News ASAP.
15. A Policy Document for the Association: DA nothing to report as yet
16. Lotterie: Congratulation to the winners this month
1st prize no. 52 David Mozley
2nd prize no.69 Gabbie Butler
3 rd prize no.5 Sam Richards
Helen Phillips suggested that instead of sending cheques would it be easier to send directly to people’s bank accounts. MR is happy to do this and so if you would be interested in your winnings being paid in this way please forward the relevant bank information to m.richards67@btinternet.com
17. AOB: A date for the AGM was agreed by the committee for Wed 21st Oct and is planned to be held in the Crispin Community Centre. TW will book it from 7 – 10pm and the meeting will start at 7.30pm.
Meeting Closed at 8.15pm