AGM

6th May 2026

AGENDA:

  1. Apologies for absence.
  2. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting. (these will be available to all members in the weeks prior to the meeting and will not therefore be read out).
  3. Matters arising.
  4. Chairman’s Report
  5. Treasurer’s Report
  6. Elections for 2026-2027
    • Secretary – Petronella was elected in 2021 for a second term after a break. She is standing down.
    • Committee – present members are: Tony Meadley (AGM 2021, 2024 as Chairman), Caroline Morgan-Smith (since 2018 as Sec, 2021 as member), Petronella Byrde (Secretary 2021,) Liz Mason (2023), Linda Wood (2023), Nick Harding (2024 and Treasurer 2025) and Jenny Yearley.
    • There is a vacancy for Secretary – please consider. Also a vacancy for a Committee Member. Jenny is standing down.
    • Alison Johnstone has kindly agreed to do the website.
  7. Any Other Business.
    • Church House Hall Open Day – Saturday 6th June

MINUTES OF 27th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held at Church House, Bridport on Wednesday 14th May 2025 at 8.30pm

Present: Tony Meadley (Chairman), Alison Johnstone (Treasurer), Petronella Byrde (Secretary), Caroline Morgan-Smith, Liz Mason, Linda Wood, Nick Harding and 13 members.

1. Apologies: Elaine Boswell, Val Braithwaite, John Broome, David Buckley, Roger Smith, Pete & Chris Watson, Gill and Peter Wingfield, Jenny Yearly.

The Chairman welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming.

2. The Minutes of the May 2024 AGM had been available to everyone prior to the meeting. They were accepted as correct and signed.

3. Matters arising: none.

4. Chairman’s Report:

The text of the Chairman’s Report is attached. Thanks to all who make Club “work” and keep up-to-date.

5. Treasurer’s Report:

The Accounts and Notes had been circulated in advance. Attached. The Treasurer noted that insurance on the older equipment had been terminated, but said the new Committee may wish to insure the new laptop and accessories.

Alison asked how many used the website – about 14 of those present.

6. Elections for 2025:

No names were put forward for Treasurer or Committee member. Eventually, a job-share was agreed with Caroline taking money on Wednesdays,including banking it, and Nick would take on the Accounts for a year. Huge relief all round. There was a discussion on whether to have a card reader (no, not at present); allow people to use BACS (difficulty of knowing who had sent money) and club will stay with cash/cheques for now. Graeme noted that Weymouth club’s bank charges for BACS and deposits. BSD’s NatWest is still free. About a third of their club use BACS and half cash. Paul suggested we could pay for a term at a time. And cosider phone banking.

7. AOB:

a) None notified in advance. Paul noted thanks to the growing Weymouth contingent who contribute to teaching. All agreed!!

Tony closed the meeting and dancing recommenced at 8.47.

CHAIRMAN’S REPORT 2026

The past year marked a milestone for Bridport Scottish Dancers as we completed thirty years of dancing in September 2025, and we celebrated with the Anniversary Dance on the 4th. October in Salway Ash village hall. Some fifty members and guests enjoyed dancing to the wonderful music of Strathallan with our jovial MC Andrew White, and it was great that nine original founder members were present. Founder member Robert Dawson sent a message with his good wishes for the continuing success of the club. Chris Watson made the gorgeous anniversary cake which she gave as a present, and a sumptuous feast was provided by the dancers.

Celia and I were overwhelmed by the number of dancing friends who came to celebrate our Diamond wedding anniversary at the dance party on 20th. August. Thank you to everyone for being with us and to MC Andrew and Val Braithwaite for the lovely cake.

The attendance at our weekly sessions has held at between two and three sets with still mostly equal numbers of the sexes, and we are very grateful to Liz, Sue, Irene and Andrew for their regular input. We must give special thanks to Liz for her valuable input with the tablet for programming the weekly set lists. This has made it so much simpler for club evenings, and now the remote control has been added – although some of us have yet to fully explore the potential of the device. Last summer’s social evenings with guest teachers were fun and well attended

Our committee members are always ready to help during our weekly sessions and summer socials, and were a great support at the Anniversary Dance, so many thanks to all of you. The joint appointment of Nick and Caroline as co-treasurers has worked well, although there were some frustrating and farcical communications with NatWest over signatories, addresses, prime contact and online banking. It took them all of nine months to finally get themselves together, so hopefully we’re there!

We must give special thanks to Alison to her sterling work in maintaining our excellent website, which is so easy to access, and provides dancers with links to videos and cribs which I know many of you now use before the weekly classes. Lastly many thanks to Petronella for her excellent work as our secretary for the past five years.

I would like to finish by saying that both Celia and I appreciate your tolerance with our mobility problems. We are hoping that various surgical interventions will help us during the next few months and that we will be more agile. Depending on how things work out, I am very happy to continue as your chairman for at least the coming year.

Tony Meadley

14th May 2025

AGENDA:

1. Apologies for absence.

2. Minutes of the last Annual General Meeting (These will be available to all members in the weeks prior to the meeting and will not therefore be read out). 

3. Matters arising.

4. Chairman’s Report.

5. Treasurer’s Report. 

6. Elections for 2025/26

    a)  Treasurer –  Alison was elected AGM 2019 – and is retiring. She has kindly offered to continue to do the website.  

    b)  Committee – present members are: Tony (AGM 2021, 2024 as Chairman), Caroline (since AGM 2018 as Sec, 2021 as member), Petronella (Secretary 2021), Liz (2022), Linda (2023) , Nick (2024) and Jenny (2024).               .   

    e)  There is a vacancy for Treasurer – please consider. Also a vacancy for a Committee Member. 

7. Any Other Business. Please notify the Secretary, or in her absence any other Committee Member, in writing two weeks before the meeting if you wish to raise any other subject, ie by 30 April. 

a) 30th Anniversary Dance 4 October – Band has been booked, evening from 6 for 6.30 to 10 pm – slightly earlier than usual.  Bring and Share supper. 

There will be social dancing before and after the meeting.

MINUTES OF 26th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Held at Church House, Bridport on Wednesday 15th May 2024 at 8.30pm

Present:   Malcolm (Chairman), Petronella  (Secretary), Caroline, Tony, Liz, Linda  and 16 members.

1.  Apologies:  Alison (Treasurer), Elaine, Roger, Pete & Chris, Jo, Sheila. 

  The Chairman welcomed everyone and thanked them for coming.

2.  The Minutes of the May 2023 AGM had been available to everyone prior to the meeting. They were accepted as correct and signed.

3.  Matters arising: none. 

4.  Chairman’s Report:

The text of the Chairman’s Report is attached. 

5.  Treasurer’s Report: read by PB. 

The Accounts and Notes had been circulated in advance. Attached. Since members agreed to increase club night entry to £3 a loss has turned into a surplus of £300.  However, attendance has decreased over the last few years. Expenses remain much the same, except IT is up as we no longer get a start-up discount. There were no questions.

6.  Elections for 2024:

ML encouraged members to step up. Being on the Cttee is not onerous – most business done by email or a quick huddle on club nights. Alison has agreed to be Treasurer an extra year. The dance sub-group do a lot of the preparation. Malcolm stood down as Chairman and Tony Meadley was elected unanimously. Nick and Jenny were elected as members, making the Cttee 8 strong.

7.  AOB:

a) Picnic in the summer?  Not really necessary now we have a Summer Social programme.

b) 30th Anniversary Dance on 4 October 2025: TM has booked Strathallan Band. The dance will be from 6/6.30 – 10pm, Bring and Share supper at Salway Ash VH.

c)  TM said he is now a Trustee and Cttee member for Church House.  Of 15 regular users, only 4 are represented on the Cttee.  They would welcome new members.  About 3 meetings a year.

Malcolm closed the meeting and dancing recommenced at 9.02.

Contact: tonymeadley@icloud.com