Clyst Caring Friends

Tuesday 21st November

Pinhoe Surgery

Annual General Meeting

7pm

 

Minutes

 

1)Those present

Trustees: Henry Gent, Robin Thwaytes, Sarah Gaisford, Henri Sansbury, Jean Govier, Malcolm Hillier.

Staff: Sam Peterson, Ros Dodd, Kerry Jackson, Toni Coulson, Fiona Conway, Danielle Hammond

33 Members and Volunteers

 

2) Apologies for absence

Daniel Lockyer, Angela Alford-Rukundo, Angie Hurren, Mr and Mrs Cusa, Joan Kelly, Cheryl Gibson, Lindsey Gibson, Sue Gibson, Colin and Christine Jarrett, Tony Kendall, Sally Kirby, Joan Martin, Barbara Sercombe, Denise Westlake, Angela and Ian Roberts,

 

3) Welcoming remarks from the Chair reminded us we are a grassroots membership organisation that really values the support from its members and volunteers. Sarah Gaisford thanked Lindsey Gibson for her eventful year applying her experience to helping update the charity’s policies and procedures as well as managing the unpredictable issues that occur day to day at the charity, managing the introduction of much staff training and new recording systems in the day centre. With the charity in a much better position we now feel confident as we pass on the reins to the new general manager Sam Peterson, who was introduced to the meeting.

The refurbished kitchen is now being used to provide meals for day centre clients, and the day centre team  managed to source Christmas meals for free supported by local businesses, which made a great end to the year.

Henry Gent thanked Sarah Gaisford for her hard work as Acting CEO of CCF during this change over period, she has now stepped down from this role.

 

4) Minutes of 2022 AGM were accepted as a true record, it was noted that Danielle Hammond and Toni Coulson were also in attendance.

Proposed: Malcolm Hillier

Seconded: Susan James

All in favour

 

5) Election of trustees

Since the last AGM Colin Jarrett has retired due to ill health.

The Trustees have co-opted Daniel Lockyer and propose that he should be duly elected.

The following trustees retire by rotation and stand for re-election.

Angie Hurren

Sarah Gaisford

Malcolm Hillier

There are no other nominations for trustees.

 

Proposed Miriam Leach

Seconded Toni Coulson

All in favour.

 

6) Treasurer’s report

The accounts haven been audited by an external examiner and have been uploaded onto the Charity Commission website.

It was noted that a loss was made again over the year 2022-23, 2 years with a loss following 2020-21 when the charity was last in profit. Although this is concerning, there were exceptional costs at the Day Centre, both a new boiler and the modernisation of procedures and essential staff training. There were also some increased costs due to rises in the cost of living. Encouragingly the charity shop takings were well up again in what was a record year. Charges have now had to go up at the Day Centre.

 

Questions from the floor:

Would the trustees be prepared to use investments to support work of charity if needed? Yes.

Why are the card charges so large? Answer is the Card Provider takes 1.7% of all transactions. Is this good value? Trustees will review this.

Why is telephone cost so high? Currently we are tied in to phone contracts. However this is under review, though we are limited to those that have coverage of the Day Centre.

Roger Sercombe commented that on seeing last year’s deficit in the published accounts he asked the current Treasurer Angela Alford-Rukundo how the 6 months since April 2023 have gone, and received the answer that the that last 6 months currently show a slight profit so next year’s accounts are likely to look much better.

Why have the charity’s rental costs risen so much? In fact the rent for the Day Centre has not gone up at all, but one payment for the previous year went into this year’s accounts so the amounts show a false increase.

 

Acceptance of this year’s accounts

Proposer Roger Sercombe

Seconder Clare Radcliffe

All in favour.

 

This concluded the formal part of the meeting.

 

The following dates were noted:

 

Christmas Bazaar Saturday 25th November Victory Hall Broadclyst. 10am

 

Pinhoe Christmas Draw Coffee morning URC Monday 18th December.

 

Cards of Pinhoe Church were on sale in aid of the charity..

 

Ronnie Tanner talked to the meeting about the Happy Bags that she sells in aid of the charity, mainly at the coffee mornings. She presented the charity with £40, having previously raised £140! Now making Christmas Happy Bags, which also sell for £1.

 

RS Dodd reminded the meeting of the weekly sales on Thursday mornings at the Victory Hall, and thanked Pat Sheridan for helping set up every week, her help is greatly appreciated.