AGM 2008 Report

THIS EVENT HAS TAKEN PLACE

Tuesday, 20th May, 2008
Art Workers Guild, Queen Square, London

Timothy West CBE, the Society's President, welcomed the fifty or so members attending. He explained that he had recently completed a run in a Pinter double bill, in which he did not appear until the second half; as he was to deliver the Annual Address at the conclusion of the formal business of the meeting and after a break for refreshments, this was a practice he intended to continue. The meeting was therefore chaired by the Society's Chairman, Ian Herbert.


Mike Ostler.
After the approval of the minutes of the 2007 AGM, the adoption of the Annual Report for 2006-07, and the approval of the Accounts for 2006-07, the meeting elected Mrs Eileen Cottis and Dr Valerie Lucas as Joint Honorary Secretaries, and Mr Barry Sheppard as Honorary Treasurer. Professor Christopher Baugh, Professor Richard Foulkes, Mr Mark Fox and Ms Sue Solomon were all re-elected to the Committee. Mr Mike Ostler, a past Chairman of the Society, had expressed his wish to retire. A presentation was made to him, with a vote of thanks for his long service to the Committee and the Society. Ms Kate Brown was elected to complete the unexpired portion of Mr Ostler's period of election to the Committee, and the appointment of Mr Marcus Risdell as a co-opted member was approved.

Mr G Laurence Harbottle was re-appointed as Honorary Legal Adviser and Mr David Jackson as Honorary Independent Examiner.

The Committee, on the advice of the Treasurer, had put forward a proposal for a modest increase in the subscription rate for Corporate Members, the great majority of whom were represented by agents in the USA, with payments made in dollars. The current exchange rate meant that these payments were insufficient to cover conversion and commission charges. It was agreed, therefore, that rates from October 2008 should be £35 in the UK and £40 or $80 dollars overseas.


Timothy West cuts the cake.
The Society's Research Awards for 2008, totalling £5850, were announced, with five out of the eleven recipients present to receive their cheques in person. [Full details of the awards and the recipients are given in the research awards section of this website.] The Society has now made grants totalling £94,800 to 214 recipients since the first awards in 1988.

The meeting was then closed and members and guests removed to another room where the President cut a cake in celebration of the Society's 60th birthday and excellent refreshments, organised by Committee member Ms Sue Solomon, were enjoyed.

The evening concluded with a very entertaining address by the President, Timothy West. The full text is to be found in the lectures section of this site.


Related Pages
Timothy West's address
Research Awards 2008
News Archive
News Front Page
26th May 2008
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