HMS Collingwood Association
AGM 16.30pm Friday 17th April 2009
At Dauncey's Hotel, Weston Super Mare
1. Chairman's Opening AGM Welcome Dennis welcomed everyone to the reunion and proceeded with the meeting
2. Apologies for absence There were no apologies
3. Deceased Shipmates
The secretary provided the following list of members who have crossed the bar:-
James Aldridge, Jack Bell, Bill Gee, Harold Morris, Harry Hopkinson, Alan Howe, Joe Rigby, Arthur Collins, Sidney Claridge, Ken Prince, Alf Ellis, Jack Fisk, John Fairclough, Albert Bentley,John Parkinson, Eric lambert, Brian Fisher, Elizabeth Waddington (wife of Stan)
A minute's silence was held in remembrance.
4. Minutes of last meeting The minutes of the last meeting were read out and accepted.
5. Matters arising Constitution, see secretary's report below
6. Chairmans Report Dennis raised the following points:-
1. We have an urgent need for people to become officers of the association, please volunteer.
2. Our Padre Rev Clifford Taylor is very ill in a Hoppice on the Isle of Wight. Flowers and note have been sent
3. Rev Michael Massey has stepped in to take our service on Sunday
4. S/M Pennington is a member and a Padre but cannot travel.
7. Treasurers Report
Ron Davis our treasurer stated that interest rates are going down so our money is not earning as much as it used to. However we still have too much money in the association accounts so he proposed the following:-
1. Following our subscription free year in 2009 a further free year be held in 2011. 2010 will be a normal rear and subs will be required
Proposed - Ron Davis
Seconded - Ivor Dando
Carried unanimously
2. We should donate £1500 to charity. After some discussion it was decided that £1000 be donated to the Help for Heroes charity and £500 be donated to the Flying Angel Mission to Seaman charity
Proposed - Bob Venman
Seconded - Peter lacy
Carried unanimously
8. Report for Website, Publicity, Secretary, Membership Secretary and Welfare - Brian Cox
Before starting there are a couple of things that affected my performance over the last year
Operation - convalescence enabled me to bring the membership lists up to date.
My Father in Law - This New Year has been a ghastly and sad time for my wife, which meant less work for association by me (we buried Frank four weeks ago)
8 Cont. - Website
1. Changed to new provider. Our previous one had lost interest. The new one is Chris, Ron's nephew.
2. Main aim - it is a simple site so the that slowest, basic dial up user can get it
3. We now get most of our new membership applications from the website (using the downloaded PDF form)
4. We get requests from commercial companies for links on our site: usually book sellers, Christmas card sellers and such like. I haven't put any up yet but if nobody minds maybe I will.
5. We gat requests from ordinary people for help finding ex-Matelots or just people who knew them. I'm thinking of having an Contacts page.
6. As a result of some Internet communications with Janet Fitzjohn we now have a copy of her Fathers early history of HMS Collingwood. There are some paper copies here at the hotel if you would like to read it and it will be reproduced in the newsletter and on the website.
7. To give me an idea of our Internet audience: How many members have a dial-up web connection using the phone line? How many have broadband connection. Thanks - most have broadband
8 Cont. - Publicity
1. Started off with lots of emails to local newspapers. There is a list on the Internet
2. After consultations with the committee I placed an advert for the association in the Pompey Evening news. Cost was £875.74 for 4 weeks. I'm afraid I don't know much about advertising and we did not get much response. It was in the jobs section, which I think was the wrong place - these newspaper people don't know how to take an organisation like us. We need to re-think because we MUST advertise. Maybe the personal ads
3. I have put a notice about us in the ‘HMS Collingwood' section of the Friends Reunited website.
4. I always put an ad in the reunions section of the Navy News
8 Cont. - New Constitution. (Secretary)
1. This has been completed in accordance with last years AGM
2. See the leaflets; there are not enough to go round so please read and pass on. If you want one to keep please see me and I will post one to you.
3. There is a copy on the website: go to the membership page and click the link
8 Cont. - Membership List
1. As I have said my operation last year and the consequent time off work enabled me to bring the membership listing up to date. Fortunately Ron was able to help.
2. My aim is to put it on the website with password protection. More news later
3. Since I took over last year 14 new members have joined.
8 Cont. - Welfare
1. Since Jacks death this has been a joint effort by Ron and me. We can't guarantee our accuracy because we rely on people telling us the news. I have written some letters of condolence on behalf of the association
2. With regard to some of the more recent deaths; I would like to add my own word of gratitude for having had the privilege of knowing (and drinking with) shipmates Jack Bell, Albert Bentley and Brian Fisher.
3. If anyone knows how I can get a submariners dolphin badge please let me know. It is for worthy member.
8 Cont. - Wives do it Wet and Dirty (raising money for the Help for Heroes charity)
1. Rachel Cousins wrote to me asking if the association would like to sponsor the girls when they made their attempt on the famous Commando assault course in Devon.
2. The money raised went to the ‘Help for Heroes' Charity.
3. I circulated the committee and all were in favour with Ron suggesting we donate £500.
4. Service wives Rachel and Joe and Carol completed the run and came to our Bournemouth reunion to thanks us for our support.
5. Members also made private contributions to the sponsorship and all our reunion charity collections were donated to the cause! The association and its members altogether donated £1000
8 Cont. - Subscription Holiday
For 2009 see the notice in the newsletter. If you have any questions speak to Ron or me.
8 Cont. - In response to the article in our newsletter publicising the RNEBA I have a suggestion: We should ask our Chairman to write the author (who is a member of both associations) of this article asking if he would write a similar piece of publicity in the RNEBA newsletter for us. Agreed.
* Cont. - Finally, I must have some help. I cannot continue to do all these jobs. I am a working man and my spare time is precious. We need to fill at least three of the posts that I am covering.
9. Advertising the Association
Dennis stated that he intended to produce a card publicising the association for the Newsletter editor to include in the newsletter envelope. Members will be requested to pin the card up on suitable public notice boards. The Vice Chairman appealed for ideas for reaching younger people and a discussion followed which included Internet networking sites, visiting Collingwood.
10. Election of Association Officers and Committee Members
There being no volunteers there was no election
11. Reunion and AGM 2010
There was a discussion about where to go next year and it was felt that we should try a midland location to try encourage northern and southern based members to attend. Vanessa of IOW Tours agreed to look into the possibility.
12. Charity for this Reunion
Help for Heroes was again suggested to be our charity for this reunions raffles.
Proposed by Ron Davis, Seconded by Charlie Smith; Carried unanimously
13. Bill Gee Memorabilia
Dennis stated that Bills wife had provided a lot of Naval memorabilia, which she hoped we could sell and present the money to Bills Hospice St Cuthbert's. These items would be available throughout the weekend.
14. Slops
Dennis is now running the slops and it was hoped that listing would be provided in the newsletter and on the website.
15. Any Other Business
No AOB
16. At 17.30 Hours the chairman declared the meeting closed.
