16th December 2019 · Branch AGM and Christmas Evening

There was an attendance of 20 or so Members for this Meeting, which doubled as an AGM and a Members Evening.

The AGM , usually a fairly short part of the evening’s proceedings, covered the normal items on an AGM Agenda. However, as the current Branch Secretary had previously intimated his intention to step down from the position due to ill health, there followed a lengthy but unproductive discussion as to who might be willing to take over the position. The proceedings were heard by all present, but did not necessarily involve all present.

The Meeting closed after about seventy minutes, no nominations of suggestions as to a successor to the position of Branch Secretary. It was noted that out of a Branch with a membership of over 100 members, and despite some good attendances, the graph was moving downwards.

Questions were asked as to the viability of a Branch with no Secretary. It was pointed out that there currently existed a large part of the next years (2020/21) fixture list, but ominously, when the question of the legality within RCTS Rules of “no Branch Secretary”, it appears that such a situation could not properly continue.

It was suggested that a letter/email be sent to all local members. This was left open subject to any future meetings at Branch level, but the feeling was that there seemed little preparedness for a new potential Branch Secretary to offer his/herself.

The Members Evening went ahead after Christmas “nibbles” – Tommy Tomalin presented one of his famed traffic jams in which Members had to set themselves in the proper order of the individual station names of which each Member received one. Much hilarity, and we even appeared jointly to know where our old stations were to be found! This was followed by a random selection of slides taken by former Member Brian Denny. Enjoyed by all, but one of Brian’s better traits was not adequate information, so a lot of, doubtless correct’ guesswork ensued!