VIEWFINDERS OF ROMSEY CAMERA CLUB

Minutes of Annual General Meeting held 3 July 2007 at Jubilee Hall, Timsbury

                The Chairman opened the meeting at 7.45pm (32 members present)

1.                APOLOGIES :     Chris & Hilary Hammond, Sharon Lochray

2.                MINUTES OF 2006 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (4 July 2006)
                These were approved (proposed by Alan Hancock, seconded by Pat Ball) and signed as a true record.

3.                MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES  :  Number Item 7 (Subscriptions) amended to Item 8
                Peter Read queried whether the item in item 7 (Treasurers Report) stating no Hall rental rise until July 2000 was correct.
Andrew Kirby said this was correct.

• CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Stan Stubbs opened his report by saying it had been another successful year for Viewfinders with a varied and interesting programme that has had something for everyone.

Throughout the season we have seen a steady increase in membership which now stands at a healthy 60 plus. We must all make sure that this growth continues next season. The digital camera has increased the number of people who have become interested in photography and he stressed that it is important for us all to promote our club and encourage some of them to join.

On behalf of the club he thanked the committee for the smooth running of the club during the season. Special thanks go to Jean Russell for organising the raffle and Basil Hopkins for organising the kitchen. Basil also sits on the hall committee as the club’s representative and does a great job in looking after the club’s interests. Thanks must also go to Peter Read who is the club’s webmaster and was sure that the members agreed that he has set up a great website. Peter also runs an online Photoshop course for club members. Final thanks went to Chris Hammond for organising Senior Citizen Shows and to those members who present the shows.

Stan said that he had thoroughly enjoyed the last year as club chairman and thanked everyone for their support and kind comments as it does make a difference when you know you are appreciated. He said that it was his intention to stand as Chairman next season but due to new duties being elected on to Wiltshire Parish Council and Newton Toney Parish Council he felt that these two positions would make it difficult for him to carry out the duties of club chairman. He had therefore decided not to stand as Chairman and was grateful to Jack Whitemore who was willing to be Chairman. Stan had therefore decided not to stand as Chairman but was willing to stand as vice chairman.

Next years programme looks like an exciting one covering all aspects of our wonderful hobby and was sure that Viewfinders will have another successful year.

Finally he mentioned that at the last committee meeting he had proposed that Pat Ball should be made an honorary member. The committee unanimously approved the proposal. Pat has served on the committee since the day he joined and has held just about every post. He was sure that all members will join him in thanking Pat for being such a great servant to the club. All members unanimously agreed with the proposal for which Pat thanked the club for this honour.

Stan then read out an e mail received from Chris Hammond concerning Senior Citizen Shows. In he said that during the winter season Viewfinders presented a full programme of Senior Citizen Shows in Romsey with a total of 15 events at Bridge Court, Wakeford Court and Homemead House. As always the shows were well received and we received a number of donations from residents’ collections which have been passed on to the Disabled Photographers Association. We have also given several “spin-off” shows where we have been recommended to other charitable organisations, such as the Romsey Disability Forum, Hearing Concern and the Woodley Friendship Club. This year’s shows were presented by 6 club volunteers (thanks to Pat Ball, Jim Flux, Terry Jamieson, Norman Pease and Brian Woodruffe). Chris Hammond will be putting together next season’s programme during August and more volunteers would be welcome. He would also like to hear of any potential new venues.

• AUDIO-VISUAL GROUP

Steve Williams reported that the Audio Visual Group has 5 members and during the last winter season the group had given 5 presentations to various groups. These were at the New Evergreens afternoon women’s club in Shirley, Romsey Evening Townswomen’s Guild, Ordnance Survey Travellers Club, Curdridge Pensioners and St James Methodist Wednesday Club in Shirley. All shows have been digitally produced using Pictures to Exe software and thanks must be given to Arthur Budden and Norman Pease for the use of their digital projectors and equipment. The group regularly meets on a monthly basis at member’s houses usually in the morning to discuss techniques, rehearsals for presentations and to show any new sequences.

• DIGITAL IMAGING GROUPS

Pat Ball reported that the first digital group still meets every last Thurs of the month as it had done for the past 7 years. They are not all club members (4 out of 8) and it has become more of a social group. Techniques are fairly well known and most of the time is spent on audio visual work as Norman Pease is one of the experts in this.

Jack Whitemore said that the second group only met once in the past year and has stopped doing gimmicky things and concentrate more on quality. The group is still prepared to give one to one advice to anyone who needs it.

• TREASURERS REPORT

Andrew  Kirby reported that the Income and Expenditure Account for the Financial Year ending 30th April 2007 has been audited, signed by the auditor and copies circulated to members at this AGM. He thanked all those who helped with the raffles and refreshments which raised over £330, £55 more than last year. He also thanked members making donations and enabling income to be obtained from our display boards and digital projector. Last, but not least, he thanked Liz Whitemore for auditing the accounts.

Profits for the fundraising evenings were £275, £17 less than last year’s £292. Hall rental rates were the same as last year’s, but will rise again in July 2007, by about 10%. Our use of the hall has reduced, saving £124 compared with last year. Southern Federation expenses and all insurance premiums were covered by the budget and £34 less than last year. The digital projector has been self-financing, expenses incurred being less than rentals received. An additional item of expenditure was the replacement of defective trophies and the purchase of screen calibration equipment at a total cost of £243. When the hall rental to the end of April is paid, income will exceed expenditure by £505-35.

After hall rental the second highest expenditure was on lecturers and judges, this was forecast to be £664 this year, but was in the event £597, helped by one free lecture and a few very reasonable charges. Increasing fuel costs and scarcity of local judges and lecturers means the forecast cost for the coming year is £807. The programme secretary has had to look further for judges and lecturers and this has an effect on costs.

If this year’s paid up membership of 62 is maintained, no increase in subscriptions will be required for the coming year because the forecast increase in rent and judging fees of £321 can be contained within the subscriptions.

At this point Terry Jamieson thanked Andrew and Liz for producing such a well written Income and Expenditure Account which was easy to understand.

The Treasurers report and accounts was unanimously accepted by the meeting (Proposed Terry Jamieson & Seconded :
Clive Feltham)

• SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR 2007-2008

In view of the Treasurers assumption that if this years membership of 62 is maintained and the forecast increase in rent and judging fees of £321 can be contained within the subscription there was no need to increase the subscriptions for 2007 -2008. Therefore the subscriptions for 2007-08 will remain at :

Individual Members……………………………                £36
Married Couples……………………………….               £33 each                Over 65………………………………………….£5 concession on the above rates

9.                ELECTION OF OFFICERS FOR 2007-2008
                The officers and committee for 2006-2007 were elected as follows :

                As it was decided to split the tasks of the Internal Competition Secretary, Terry Jamieson would be the coordinator of Internal Competitions and organise and run the Prints and Slides Section of the Monthly Assessments.

                Martin Brown had volunteered to do the Internal Trophy Competitions and was elected onto the committee as an extra member : Proposed – Mark Koernich and Seconded by Lynn Lambeth.

Peter Read had volunteered to organise the digital imaging section of the monthly assessments but would not be a member of the committee.

Pat Ball emphasised that this would be his last year as Programme Secretary so a new programme secretary would be needed at the next AGM.

Alan Hancock queried the Digital Panel Trophy and who would run this. Martin Brown would do this being responsible for Trophy competitions.

At this point Jim Flux proposed a vote of thanks to Jill Koernich for doing such an excellent job as Internal Competition Secretary  for the last 3 Years.

Jack Whitemore then thanked Stan Stubbs for being an excellent Chairman for 3 years. He said it was not an easy job especially trying to thank a judge or lecturer who has not done a very good job but Stan had done this very effectively.

10.                ELECTION OF AUDITOR
Liz Whitemore was willing to continue in this role and was elected unopposed as auditor (proposed by Sheila Read, seconded by Lynn Lambeth).

Stan said we owe a great deal of thanks to Liz for this and her willingness to continue.

11.          SPF DELEGATES FOR 2007-2008
Terry Jamieson was happy to continue as SPF Delegate for 2007-07 and Jack Whitemore said he would act as the other SPF Delegate as he would be attending the meetings anyway.

• SUBJECTS FOR  LES FREDERICKS TROPHY 2007-2008

There were about 32 suggestions for subjects for Les Fredericks Trophy so it was decided to vote for one in groups of 4 which reduced the number down to 9 subjects. These were Action – Adventure – Alien – Ambition – Patterns – Close Up
Frosty Mornings – Circles - Abstract
After being put to the vote :

• the subject for prints will be PATTERNS
• the subject for slides will be CLOSE UP
• the subject for Projected Dig Images will be ABSTRACT

The Les Fredericks Trophy will be held on 22nd April 2008

• ANY OTHER BUSINESS

1.   Jill Koernich suggested that all the work entered in the Les Fredericks Trophy should be new work and not seen before.
This would require a rule change. Members present agreed with Jill but there was some doubt raised about finding new work with slides as few members take slides any more.

It was left for the new committee to formulate a rule for this and would be put on the agenda for the next committee meeting.

• Peter Read queried why we don’t have joint meetings with the Romsey Art Society any more.

Pat Ball explained that in recent years interest from both groups had waned almost to the point of embarrassment. Attendances dropped off and it was clear we couldn’t sustain interest from either group so it was mutually dropped.

• Liz Whitemore asked whether we could have the printed programmes on card rather than paper.

Pat Ball assured that they would be on card.

• Peter Read mentioned that Winchester Camera Club have organised to purchase a profile system. About 10 members have chipped in £100 towards the cost and wondered whether members from this club would be interested in doing the same.

Jack Whitemore didn’t think there would be the support for this considering that only a few people had taken up the hire of the calibration monitor purchased by the club with a £3 hire charge.

Before the meeting closed there was a reminder of the Barbecue to be held at George Marsh’s Garden on Tues 31st July.

There being no further business the meeting closed at 8.55pm.

Steve Williams (Secretary)

This page last updated, 21 June, 2008.