PROVISIONAL MINUTES OF THE 18th ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of THE FRIENDS OF MORSTON CHURCH

HELD BY ‘ZOOM’ VIDEO CALL AT WEST ACRE, MORSTON ON SAT 25th JULY 2020 AT 6.30 pm

 

Committee Present

Dr. Peter Tibbetts, Chairman

Mrs. Carole Bean, Deputy-Chairman

Mr. Rob Metcalfe, Treasurer

Mrs. Sandra Morris

 

‘Friends’ and Members Present

Mrs. G. Kay

Dr. A. Hardcastle

Mrs. S. Metcalfe

Mrs. M. Smith

Ms. S. Smith

 

1.Apologies. These were received from committee members Joc Wingfield and Susy Harrison. Apologies were also received from: Rev. I. Whittle, Mrs. M. Athill and Mrs. V. Wilson

 

2.Minutes of 17th AGM. Held at Morston Village Hall on Saturday 22nd June 2019 at 6.30 pm. Proposed as correct by Dr Tibbetts, seconded by Mr Metcalfe, they were unanimously approved and were signed by the Chairman as a True Record.

 

3.Matters Arising. The Chairman announced that the PCC had again proposed Mr Wingfield as their representative on the FMC Committee. Approved unanimously.

 

4.Annual Appointments/Reappointments. Dr Antonia Hardcastle proposed the re-election of Dr Peter Tibbetts, Mrs Carole Bean and Mrs Susy Harrison to the Committee. This was seconded by Mrs Sandra Morris. (Mr Rob Metcalfe and Mrs Sandra Morris were re-elected in 2019). The appointments were approved unanimously.

 

5.Committee vote for Chairman and Secretary. Dr Tibbetts was nominated for the combined position of Chairman and Secretary. This was proposed by Mrs Carole Bean and seconded by Mr. Rob Metcalfe. The appointment was approved unanimously.

 

6.Committee vote for Deputy-Chairman and Treasurer. The Chairman proposed Mrs Carole Bean to be re-elected as Deputy-Chairman (seconded by Mrs Sandra Morris) and Mr Rob Metcalfe to be re-elected as Treasurer (seconded by Mrs Sandra Morris). The appointments were approved unanimously.

 

7.Treasurer’s Report. (FY 2019-2020). Mr Metcalfe presented the accounts and stated that the FMC’s income was nearly £5000 up on last year and was the highest annual income to date. This was due to our best ever Book Sale and additional income from the very successful Impromptu Shakespeare event. Expenditure was significantly down on last year with just a few tail-end invoices from the major work carried out on All Saints’ in 2018/19. The balance of income over expenditure was therefore back into positive territory at just over £13,400. The balance in the Current Account is, consequently, up to just under £45,800.

The treasurer pointed out that both subscriptions and donations were up on last year.

 

8.Chairman’s Report (including the Architectural Adviser’s Report). The Chairman welcomed the attendees (both present physically or ‘virtually’) to this historic ‘Zoom’ meeting. He read out the Architectural Adviser’s report. This stated that the contractors have finished the repairs to the east window. The tower structure has been surveyed and written documentation for its improvement has been presented. The woodworm and beetle treatment has also been completed. He reported that the south-western corner of the churchyard has recovered with no sign of the spoil that had been spread over it. The faculty for the restoration of the tympanum has been applied for and granted. Although much work has been completed the 2016 Quinquennial shows that there is still another £75,000 worth of ‘Priority B’ work to be carried out (including structural work on the tower) and a further £60,000 of less urgent work. There is also a new flagpole holder built by Nick Hamond.

 

The Chairman thanked Mr David Carnwath for his report.

 

The Chairman also thanked all of the committee for their hard work at events throughout the year. last year we held the last Book Sale, which, with the plant sale and refreshments raised over £18,000. It is just as well that we were not planning one this year, as the emergence of Covid-19 would have caused it’s cancellation during the resultant lockdown. However, Rob Metcalf and family have still been collecting books and selling many at on-line auctions.

 

Last July we held a very entertaining and successful one-off event entitled “Tales and Ales” where we hosted the “Impromptu Shakespeare” theatre group in the very picturesque setting of the walled garden of Church Farm House. The chairman thanked Jill Kay for the hours and days of work she put into her garden to make it look so beautiful for the event. Despite there being a thunder storm and torrential rail just an hour before the start, 130 people were fed and watered, with a pie (thank you to Pukka Pies) and a pint, and highly entertained by a ‘Shakespearean’ play, which included local history and rivalries. The chairman thanked Sandra Morris, who organised the event which raised £2500 and also Rich Longley for his technical help.

 

For the last year the chairman has replaced Joc Wingfield in the organising of the Shovell Dinner and the Quiz and has realised just how much hard work he had put in over the previous 17 years! At the Shovell dinner we had a very entertaining talk by Tom Harrison and Neil Foster on their exploration of the Hanseatic Ports of the North Sea and the Baltic. Unfortunately, this year’s Shovell Dinner hangs in the balance due to the restrictions imposed on us by the Coronavirus pandemic and people feeling uncomfortable about attending a crowded event in an enclosed space. If it does go ahead, we certainly would not be able to have anything like the numbers that we would normally have. The annual Quiz has become a very welcome village event in the dark days of February. Due to popular demand, Joc was invited back to be quizmaster at the annual quiz in February, which was much appreciated by all the attendees.

 

The Chairman was delighted to report that we have eight new members this year

This past few months and into the foreseeable future is a difficult time for charities as the coronavirus has severely restricted the ability to hold events to raise funds. For this reason, the chairman particularly thanked the members of the “Friends of Morston Church” for their continued support and who are more important than ever in keeping revenue coming in to our charity.

 

9. 2020-2021 Special Events. After discussions it was decided to cancel the 2020 Shovell Dinner. It was suggested that we send out an appeal to those who would normally attend.

 

The 2021 Quiz was agreed to be on Sat 6th Feb. A decision will be made nearer the time as to whether the event is cancelled.

 

The 2021 Shovell Dinner will be on Sat. 16th October 2021 when Charlie Ward will give the talk that had been planned for this year, entitled “East Coast Sailing Barges and the building of “Juno”.”

 

The 2021 AGM will be on either Saturday 19th or Saturday 26th June. A decision will be made when the 2021 Tide Tables are published, so that we do not clash with an evening tide.

 

10.Fundraising. Mr Rob Metcalfe gave an update on the current evolution of the Book Sale. He stated that, we are still collecting books, which are being sorted and sold on-line. £3790 was raised after the last book sale in the last financial year and that a further £2331 has been raised to date this year. He asked members to keep alert for anyone who is looking to clear books out.

 

The Chairman stated that we now have 17 supporters on the on-line fundraising scheme “Easy Fundraising”, who between them have raised over £600 in the last year. 

 

11.The Tympanum Fund. The PCC has started a ‘Tympanum Fund’ to cover the cost of its restoration. There has been a quote of just over £65,500 of which nearly £11,000 of VAT can be reclaimed. Seven grant giving trusts have promised a total of £23,000 and there have been donations of £16,000. Fund raising activities have been put on hold until the autumn when the situation will be assessed.

 

12.AOB. It was suggested that we should investigate sources of funding for charities, whose income have been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

 

Mrs Kay suggested that, if social distancing was still in force in 2021, an outdoor event in her field could be held to raise funds. A Jazz picnic evening would be worth looking into, possibly including “The De Volkovitch Trio” from Morston. It was also suggested that we could sell picnic hampers as part of the fund raising.

 

Peter Tibbetts

Chairman