1 North Costa Blanca Branch of the Royal Air Forces Association MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING held 12.00-13.00, 13th February 2012, at Los Arcos Restaurant, Pedreguer 0. Welcome by the Chairman The Chairman welcomed 80 Branch Members to the AGM. He also gave a special welcome to Marcus Aurelius, who has been a Branch Member since 2006 but had been unable to attend meetings due to health problems. Mr. Aurelius thanked the Welfare Officer, Jan Elders, for arranging to send visitors to see him whilst he was convalescing at home. The Chairman also welcomed 8 potential new Members, namely Dennis and Doreen Alblas, Bev and Hike Ives, Michael and Phyllis Gore, James Gagnon, and Alan Gibbs. The Chairman invited the Welfare Officer to give the RAF Association Dedication, after which the Chairman said a short prayer remembering all RAF personnel who have given their lives in the Service and to ask remembrance for the two Branch Members who had died since our last AGM, namely Bill Pratt and Bill Townshend. The Chairman also asked Members to remember Maureen Greig, the wife of one of the Branch s Life Members, who had recently passed away. Neither the Branch President nor the Vice-Chairman was able to attend the AGM, but they had sent messages of greeting to the Branch. The Vice- Presidents were also unable to attend but had sent messages to wish the Branch every success with the AGM. 1. Present Robert Hunt (Chairman) Brian Flowers (Secretary) Kevin Elders (Treasurer) Jan Elders (Welfare Officer) Alan Gill (Entertainment Officer) Wings Appeal Officer (Shane Martin) Stephen Lemon (Flyer Editor) Colin McNae (Webmaster) 2. Apologies Gaby Ferenczy (President) Harry Raven (Vice-President) Phil Chaney (Vice-Chairman)
2 3. Approval of the Minutes of the 2011 AGM Approval of the Minutes of the 2011 AGM was proposed by Len Hewitt, seconded by Brian D Souza, and agreed unanimously. 4. Matters arising from the Minutes of the 2011 AGM None. 5. Consideration of Reports from Committee Members for 2011 (a) Chairman The Chairman thanked all the Committee Members for their diligent work in 2011. He also thanked other Branch Members who had assisted with various tasks, plus all the Branch Members for their continued support for the Branch and their participation at Branch Meetings and social events. The Chairman thanked Ray Harris for his sterling work as the Branch Standard Bearer since 2004, which was recognised with the presentation to Ray of the 2011 Branch President s Certificate. The Chairman also thanked Hugh Norton for ably taking over the Branch Standard Bearer duties. The Chairman congratulated Jan Elders for being awarded a European Area President s Certificate in recognition of her excellent work as Branch Welfare Officer in 2010. He also congratulated the Wings Appeal Officer, who had received the 2010 European Area Wally Mariott Trophy for outstanding work by an Associate Member, in her role as the NCBB Wings Appeal Officer. The NCBB had contributed 5,000 to the Wings Appeal in 2010 and also in 2011, and was awarded European Area Certificates for these contributions. The NCBB had been awarded the Shakespeare Trophy as the most efficient Overseas Area Branch in 2010, and RAFA-HQ had recently informed the Chairman that the NCBB had been awarded the trophy for the European Area Branch achieving the biggest increase in membership in 2011. A copy of the Chairman s report is attached as Appendix A. (b) Vice-Chairman The Vice-Chairman was unable to attend the meeting, so the Chairman read the Vice-Chairman s report. The Vice-Chairman had improved the NCBB s publicity with photos and articles published in several local newspapers and in the Air Mail.
3 He had carried out a comprehensive survey to determine whether the Branch Meetings should be transferred to another venue or not. The final decision was to remain at Los Arcos, although the outcome was finely balanced. The Vice-Chairman had also volunteered to be the Branch Deputy Treasurer. A copy of the Vice-Chairman s Report is attached as Appendix B. (c) Secretary s Report The Secretary reported that the Branch Membership had increased from 130 to 144 in 2011, (an increase of about 11%). Branch Membership on 1 st January 2012 was 133, as several members had returned to the UK and there were a few lapsed members. The average attendance at Branch Meetings in 2011 was 65, slightly lower than the figure of 68 for 2010. The proportion of Members who stayed for lunch after the Branch Meetings was unchanged at 75%. A copy of the Secretary s Report is attached as Appendix C. (d) Welfare Officer s Report The Welfare Officer reported that she had travelled 1,800 km in the course of her duties as Welfare Officer in 2011. The Welfare Officer thanked the Deputy Welfare Officers, John and Meri Snell, and all the other members who had helped with welfare work in 2011. A copy of the Welfare Officer s Report is attached as Appendix D. (e) Social & Entertainment Officer s Report The Social & Entertainment Officer, Alan Gill, reported that there had been a total of 19 Branch social events organised in 2011. Unfortunately, the Flying Day had been cancelled due to bad weather, and the Skittles alley venue had closed down. The Social and Entertainment Officer s Report is attached as Appendix E. (f) Wings Appeal Officer s Report The Wings Appeal Officer thanked the Branch Members for their generous support for the many raffles and other fund-raising initiatives. She also thanked the members who had taken over the organising of raffles in her absence. The Wings Appeal Officer had helped to organise a Horse Racing night in April to raise funds, taken part in a sponsored walk in May, and participated with a Wings Appeal stand in two exhibitions in Albir and Benidorm in March and September respectively.
4 A total of 3,293 had been raised from Wings Appeal initiatives, plus a further 2,765 from raffles etc, giving a total of 6,058. This had enabled the NCBB to donate 5,000 to the RAFA-HQ 2011 Wings Appeal. A copy of the Wings Appeal Officer s Report is attached as Appendix F. (g) Flyer Editor s Report Stephen Lemon, the Flyer Editor, thanked Branch Members for submitting articles for The Flyer, and he thanked Pauline Flowers for proof-reading each edition and for suggesting changes where necessary. The Flyer Editor s Report is attached as Appendix G. (h) Webmaster s Report The Webmaster explained that members details had been removed from the website at the beginning of 2011 for privacy protection. New features had been added such as photos of presentations to Branch Members, plus an Interesting Aviation section. The Webmaster s Report is attached as Appendix H. 6. Consideration of the Treasurer s Report The Treasurer reported that Branch funds at the end of 2011 were 8,301.57, which represented a decrease of 1,363.60 compared to the end of 2010. This was mainly due to a 600 subsidy for the Branch 7 th Anniversary Dinner, a subsidy of 302 for The Flyer, plus travel costs for the Standard Bearer to attend a RBL event in Alicante and the European Area Conference in Gibraltar. The Treasurer thanked the independent auditor, Norman Dunnington, for auditing the Branch Accounts. Norman reported that the balance sheet was accurate and he congratulated the Treasurer on his excellent financial records. Income was down slightly for most items although the income from raffles was up 350 on 2010. Approval of the Branch Accounts was proposed by Dick Smedley, seconded by Ann D Souza, and approved unanimously. A copy of the Treasurer s Report and the Branch Accounts for 2011, plus the Independent Auditor s Report and the Chairman s observations, are attached as Appendices J1, J2 and J3.
5 7. Reappointment of Branch President and Branch Vice-President The reappointments of the Branch President, Air Commodore Gaby Ferenczy, and the Branch Vice-President, Harry Raven, were proposed by Len Hewitt, seconded by Alan Page, and approved unanimously. 8. Election of the following Committee Officers for 2012 Chairman - Bob Hunt Vice-Chairman - Phil Chaney Secretary - Brian Flowers Treasurer - Kevin Elders Honorary Welfare Officer - Jan Elders The election of the above Committee Officers was proposed by David Keir, seconded by Brian D Souza, and approved unanimously. 9. Election of the following Additional Members of the Committee for 2012 Social & Entertainment Officer Wings Appeal Officer Webmaster Flyer Editor Deputy Wings Appeal Officer Deputy Welfare Officers - Alan Gill - Shane Martin - Colin McNae - Stephen Lemon - David Keir - John and Meri Snell The election of the above Committee Members was proposed by Mary Bird, seconded by Sue McNae, and approved unanimously. 10. Election of the Independent Examiner Norman Dunnington agreed to continue in the post of Independent Examiner, which was proposed by Hugh Norton, seconded by John Snell, and approved unanimously. 11. Nomination of Branch Delegates for RAFA Annual Conferences and EAC The nomination of Margaret Hunt as the Branch Delegate at the European Area Conference in Blackpool on 18th May 2012, was proposed by Ann D Souza, seconded by Alan Page, and approved unanimously. The nomination of Brian Flowers as the Branch Delegate for the RAFA Annual Conference in Blackpool, 18-20 May 2012, was proposed by Brian D Souza, seconded by Hugh Norton, and approved unanimously. The nomination of Kevin Elders as the Branch Delegate at the European Area Conference in Amsterdam, 12-14 October 2011, was proposed by David Keir, seconded by Meri Snell, and approved unanimously.
6 12. Consideration of Resolutions forwarded by Branch Members The Secretary confirmed that no resolutions had been received by the deadline. 13. AOB The Chairman explained that the Branch had to make a choice between Guernsey and Benalmádena as possible venues for the 2013 autumn European Area Conference. The total costs of each option were about the same, but travelling to Benalmádena from the Costa Blanca was more convenient than travelling to Guernsey from the Costa Blanca. John Snell pointed out that there would probably be more NCBB Members willing to travel to Benalmádena than to Guernsey. A vote was taken which produced a large majority in favour of the Benalmádena bid. 14. Date of Next AGM The date of the next AGM will be announced in due course. List of Annexes Appendix A: Chairman s Report Appendix B: Vice-Chairman s Report Appendix C: Secretary s Report Appendix D: Welfare Officer s Report Appendix E: Social & Entertainment Officer s Report Appendix F: Wings Appeal Officer s Report Appendix G: Flyer Editor s Report Appendix H: Webmaster s Report Appendix J - 1: Treasurer s Report Appendix J - 2: 2011 Branch Accounts Appendix J - 3: Independent Auditor s Report and Chairman s observations Appendix J - 4: Chairman s Reply to Auditor s Report (Brian Flowers - Rev.4-8th th March 2012)