30 Apr 2009 Minutes

Present: Cliff Burd, John Dixon, Ken Flude, David Willavoys and Janet Martin.

15/09	Appointment of Officers
	Cliff Burd was appointed as Chairman Janet Martin was appointed as Secretary. John Dixon proposed that he sought someone to take on the role as Programme Manager. Next years programme was almost completed. John Dixon was appointed Acting Membership Secretary. Margaret Day was to be asked to assist with refreshments.
16/09	Acting Treasurer’s Report	John Dixon
	John presented the statement of accounts from 1^st April 2008 to 31^st March 2009. The balance at the end of the financial year was £5,591.13 a surplus of £384.84. However, an error had cost the society £368.00 because of problems with printing the bulletin. Next year the budget will be tight. It was agreed that David Willavoys would help Bill with admissions to meetings. Recommendations To leave membership fees and entrance fees for non-members as they are, but to increase ex-pats subscriptions because of postage. (£11 & £12)
17/09	Future of the THS Bulletin
	John Dixon advised that he felt £5 was a good price for members to pay even though production was subsidized by £100. In future the subsidy will have to increase but this was something that the Society could afford. The whole point of the Bulletin was to feature stories about Tewkesbury and the Woodard Award encouraged a lot more articles from non-members. The Committee discussed the format, style and size of the Bulletin and it was agreed that A5 size would be considered. This would be an agenda item for the next Committee Meeting Item to be added to agenda for the next meeting about the style, size and format of the next Bulletin. Recommendations The Committee agreed to keep the Bulletin going for another year.	Janet Martin
18/09	Rotating Chairman’s Report	Cliff Burd
	Cliff Burd reported that he had nothing further to add.
19/09	Secretary’s Report	Janet Martin
	Tewkesbury YMCA Railway Society had sent the Society details of their evening steam charter on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway on Saturday, 20^th June 2009. It was agreed that this would be publicised at the AGM as part of the power point presentation.
20/09	Membership Secretary’s Report	Ken Flude
	Ken Flude reported that the THS had gained 10 new members and that the THS had 50 plus members. He anticipated a good turnout at the meeting in May and hoped that non-members could be encouraged to join in September.
21/09	Publications Report	John Dixon
	John Dixon reported that this year had been a good year for publications. Dave Wathen had given £50. Sam Eedle is proposing to put all his Bulletin articles in an anthology. (Bulletin to be acknowledged).	Sam Eedle
22/09	Website	John Dixon
	John Dixon reported that Derek Benson continued to maintain the website. Derek had provided indexing and search facilities on the website so that you can do a word search for example. It is a very quick and very useful addition to the website. John Dixon said that Derek had been very proactive and committed to the THS.
23/09	Programme	John Dixon
	John Dixon reported that the planned programme for 2009/2010 was as follows: September – Richard Surman on Folk Music October - Martin Middlebank to talk about the Somme November – David O’Connor from Charlton Kings History Society to talk about Cheltenham’s water crisis to Tewkesbury’s benefit. January – Social Evening February – Members Research Evening plus speaker perhaps to talk about the Forest of Dean free miners. March – Chartist settlement in Staunton. April – Annual General Meeting May – Tewkesburians enjoying themselves (Dixon/Burd)
24/09	Oral History Report	Ken Flude
	Dave Wathen had done a good job on oral history. Ken Flude reported that he had a friend in Cheltenham who might be able to take on this role in the future and he said that he would take chase it up.	Ken Flude
25/09	Contemporary Archives	Cliff Burd
	Cliff Burd reported that he had obtained some brochures from Bathhursts which had been found in a shop. Bathhurst used to build boats for the Norfolk Broads. The brochures will be kept in the Museum. Cliff said that he was trying to find someone who could look at properties that are being restored and repaired in Tewkesbury. He had an approach from a volunteer who could carry out this role.	Cliff Burd
26/09	Heritage Report	Cliff Burd
	Cliff Burd reported that Tewkesbury Museum had received a letter from Tewkesbury Borough Council confirming the minute removing the allocation of Tewkesbury Borough Council Members as trustees to the Museum. It is intended that the artifacts be transferred to the trustees. However, Keith Slipper the Managing Solicitor at the Borough Council was going to check with the Charities Commission first.
27/09	Research Co-Ordinator	John Dixon
	John Dixon reported that the historical copies of newspapers were now on-line and he had arranged for two volunteers to identify Tewskesbury related material. Cliff Burd said that he had been getting requests from Ian at Alison’s Bookshop to do another publication about the pubs and main restaurants in Tewkesbury. He has started to do this.	Cliff Burd
28/09	Date and Venue of Next Meeting
	The meeting will be held on Wednesday, 2^nd September 2009 at David Willavoys house at 31 Twixtbears, Tewkesbury GL20 5BT - at 7.00 pm.
29/09	Any Other Business
	It was agreed that Honorarium payments would go up to £35 plus a free bulletin. Confirmed by DW, CB, JM. – JD abstained.

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Tewkesbury Historical Society