WOSA

www.wosa.org.uk

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Wigton Old Scholars Association held at Foxy’s Restaurant, Carlisle United Football Club on 09/07/2022

WELCOME

Chairman, Tony Ferguson thanked those attending, and invited all to take a few minutes to reflect on the past years.

APOLOGIES AND GREETINGS

Margaret Merry

David Yates

Margaret Smith

Angela (Taylor) Bourn

Cameron and June Walker

Tony and Jill Kemp

Avril Solari

George Hunter

Jill Forrest

Max Friedheim

Annette Reynolds

Ian Bell

Shona Collins

Iain Gillies

Peter Kurer

Mary Peel

REMEMBERING OLD SCHOLARS

Deaths since 2021 Newsletter:

2020/2021

December

Roy Stephenson 1941-44 Age 92

April

Geoffrey Blakely 1942-48 Age 91

May

Marjorie (Lowe) Lawton

July

Alison Moreton 1964-65 Age 74

November

Francis (Whigham) Smith Jackson 1932 – 37 Age 99

December

Colin Lawton

Mary Teasdale (Left 1958)

2022

January  

Margaret Maxwell nee Potts. Music teacher 1952 – 54 (and late 1960s)

Bob Bramwell 1941-45 Age 92

Richard McCallum 1953 -1958

March

Peter Robison 1957-1964

May

Isabel Moore. Music teacher 1954-56

MINUTES OF THE LAST AGM AND MATTERS ARISING

Apologies given that there was no agenda or minutes circulated from the July 2019 meeting. Members wanted Tony to go through the previous minutes in their absence.

Minutes agreed.

REPORTS:

EDITOR- Vacant

SOCIAL SECRETARY-Vacant

WEB -Vacant

TREASURER- Maurice, acting treasurer, advised of current position in relation to finance.

PRESIDENT’S FUND – Nil to report

GATHERINGS - Fewer due to the 2 years of Pandemic

AOB

Discussed the future of WOSA considering difficulties recruiting to key roles in the formal meeting. (As noted above). Unless we can recruit to these posts the association cannot continue in the present form.

Tony presented options to members for discussion.

1) Disband completely

2)  Have a team who organises (eg) a yearly lunch. There would be a structure, but without formal officers. There would be administrators, people managing funds etc. There would be no further newsletter, but contributions could be made to a website.

Tony stressed that our fellowship continues and that we take great pride and comfort in being part of this.  

Tony opened up the meeting discussion.

Helen Morris spoke about her optimism in taking this forward albeit in a less structured format. The committee had suggested putting out an invite, and if no response within a month we would begin the process of changing the organisation.

Kate Rayson asked about contacting the wider membership (who do not attend) to get their opinions.  Tony suggested that it would be extremely time consuming to contact all members individually.

Maurice reminded the group that Patsy and Marjorie has been trying to move on for several years and that attempts by various members to recruit has not been successful.

Bill Sykes mentioned the role of social media. There is a Facebook page. It currently is a closed group. Discussed re this and agreed it should be kept so. Members have to be verified prior to entry. It can be anyone who was at Brookfield or had a close association.

The Facebook page is Brookfield.Wigton.UK

There is a link on the current WOSA website which you can click on to get to this.

The website, as it stands, will come to an end in September. The committee have discussed re using Wordpress. The current website cannot be migrated.  John Taylor would be willing to host for a further year after the September date.

Kate asked about data protection. Member details are currently held in a secure data base. Letters or e mails could be sent to individuals to ask permissions. John would destroy original date base. Kate asked could we canvas the wider membership as they may have appropriate skills.

Bill suggests getting a proposal here re. changing, and if a 2/3 majority in the room were in favour, we could agree to carry this forward.  As we are an AGM, and we are quorate we can decide here.

John Taylor made a formal proposal that we discontinue WOSA as of today, and send an e mail or letter to the full membership notifying them of that decision if accepted by those present. Seconded by Malcolm Bell.

Addendum to the motion - An explanatory note re the closure procedure to follow regarding finance and other aspects of closure.  This would be a process which could take several months, so the committee will remain in place.

A vote was taken 2 abstentions, none against the motion.

The fact that the school no longer exists impacts on keeping this running. Malcolm Bell, who is a key member of WOSA and was previously against winding up feels that the time is right to discontinue with the formal committee. Malcolm spoke to Peter Kurer who was and is a very active member of WOSA, and he agrees that the time is right to stop/change. Malcolm feels a gathering would be an ideal way to say “goodbye”.

Discussion re what to do with residual funds. Guiding vote rather than an absolute decision. We will need an extraordinary general meeting.

1) Send to Quaker schools – rejected

2) Send to Society of Friends – accepted as a possibility

3) Distribute to local Friends meetings- accepted as a possibility.

4) Distribute to both- accepted as a possibility

NEXT PRESIDENT- n/a

DATE OF NEXT “AGM”

Discussed re date of a lunch meeting. July was formerly chosen because of practicality as it was held at the school. No absolute consensus reached although many favour an October date.

The committee will continue to exist in order to ensure all aspects of WOSA are properly discontinued. Several current committee members as well as other old scholars will be happy to work together on organising social events.