theWI Adderbury & District Minutes of the AGM - Thursday 5th March at The Institute, Adderbury

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

held at The Institute, Adderbury on 5 March 2015

Minutes of the AGM held on 6 March 2014 were agreed as a correct record and signed by the President.
Financial Statement for 2014-15: Pauline Brown, our Treasurer, presented the Financial Statement for 2014-15. The accounts were approved by our auditor Linda Needle and showed a healthy carry forward of £1547.84. The auditor had drawn attention to the regulations about charity donations and care is needed to avoid exceeding the limit on these. The vote to adopt the statement was proposed by Caroline and seconded by Anne Neal. Pauline was warmly thanked for her report.
Annual Report for 2014-15: Bernice Mansell presented the Annual Report of our activities. This was received with a round of applause and adopted on a show of hands.
Election of Committee for 2015-16: Following the required resignation of current committee members, Trina Combes, Diane Danton, Margaret Halstead, Laura Martin, Bernice Mansell and Caroline Rathbone were willing to stand again. Gill Hunt and Chris Busby were happy to join the committee. No other nominations were received and the new committee was formed with these eight members. Other members could be co-opted later.

WI adviser’s address: Caroline invited our WI adviser, Stella Oakes to address the meeting and to supervise the election of our next President. Stella said that it was a privilege to be with us. She reflected on the role of the WI’s constitution and the emphasis on friendship and enjoyment and how these had already ensured the WI’s survival for a hundred years and would continue to do so. She spoke of the national and local diversity of the WI which was started for rural women but now has many urban groups. Stella used a three-tier cake stand filled with mini Easter eggs to show how the strength of the WI comes from the structure that links 200,000 members in WI groups in 69 Federations with the national body, Oxfordshire having 49 groups. Stella mentioned the importance in supporting members of the London and local offices, the trustees and advisers, and the WI’s publications, as well as Denman College which we are fortunate to have so close to us.
Stella informed us that the Resolution to be proposed at the national meeting in June is for Failing to Care. There will be a local question time addressing the issue on 29 April in Oxford town hall.
Voting for President: Caroline announced her resignation as President. As Diane Danton was the only committee member wishing to stand, she was elected on a show of hands. Stella declared Diane our new President and congratulated her.
Outgoing President’s address: Caroline thanked each member of the committee individually for their support, hard work and friendship, saying how much she had enjoyed her time as President. She made special mention of Pauline who had played such a vital part in setting up our group and was President for two years and then Treasurer for a further two. Caroline also thanked Carrol and Wendy for their catering for the Christmas meal and closed her address with thanks to all members for coming to meetings and for making Adderbury WI the success it is.
Any Other Business: Caroline thanked Stella and presented her with a bouquet of spring flowers. Diane presented Pauline and Caroline with bouquets and gifts and in return Caroline handed her the President’s gavel and wished her well in her new role.

Stella concluded the meeting, congratulating Caroline on her work as President and wishing the new committee and all the members a year of fun and friendship.