Tudor Squares AGM 7th February 2023 @ 7pm via zoom
Minutes
Jenny welcomed 18 people to the AGM and said that this meeting will be recorded as currently Tudor Squares has no secretary.
Apologies: Ann Reardon , Grant Thorne, Ann O’Malley, Liz and Dave Eastham
Minutes of last AGM had been received
Matters Arising. No matters arising
Chairperson’s Report
Tudor Squares now has only 60 members due ill health and old age – quite a drop from last year’s figure of 80
(And this includes some people who are not dancing for various reasons)
Again Ann Reardon and Grant Thorne kindly led a walk for Tudor Squares last June followed by a picnic. Once again they chose Chipperfield Common as it has lots of walking areas as well as plenty room on the common for us to enjoy our picnic and for the cricketers to enjoy their match. It was a scorching hot day so we pleased to find the shade of a large old tree. It was good to see some folk who no longer dance joining us.
We now have a dance planned for March only 3 years late!
We had to cancel a Mainstream dance in 2020 due to Covid
This is an afternoon dance at Warners End on March 18th from 2.30 to 5.30pm
Simon and Trudy Fielding will be calling Mainstream with some Pre-announced Plus tips.
I do hope that members will support our first dance since Covid.
It was a huge shock when Andrew Agathangelou very suddenly decided to give up calling. This affected our club at both Plus and A.
Becca Peel stepped into the breach at Plus, she is now calling at all Plus sessions which are now twice a month.
We are extremely grateful to Becca – very many thanks go the Becca.
Nick has had a very difficult task at A trying to fill the gaps left in the caller rota left by Andrew’s departure.
Kevin Lovell has been able to help up out on a number of occasions and has called on quite a few evenings.
Very many thanks go to Kevin. We do appreciate your help.
Granville Spencer has filled in for a number of sessions, but has unfortunately decided that travel to Hemel on a Friday late afternoon/early evening plus staying overnight at a Premium Inn was tiring, and was proving really not worth his while. So regretabley he has stopped calling.
Very many thanks to Granville, your calling was very much enjoyed by the dancers.
Andrew was also the club secretary. I have managed to record our Committee meetings but It is challenging to keep tracks of all that will be said at this meeting which is why I would like with your permission to record it.
Daphne Smith has kindly agreed to be Rep for both Mainstream and Plus. She is doing a sterling job. Very many thanks go to Daphne.
I do appreciate all the help that I get from the Reps.
I must not forget our wonderful regular callers, Debbie Peel, – Mainstream, Becca Peel – Plus and Simon and Trudy – A. They really are the backbone of the club.
Kevin Lovell and Granville Spencer have helped out at A this has been gratefully appreciated.
Terry is very supportive and on my behalf sends out my messages to all club members. He has also investigated the use of Facebook to publicise out club to try to find new members, he also used a platform that Kevin recommended – there were 2 responses but the people didn’t live very near to Hemel.
Now to the sobering bit
I must not forget our Treasurers, Colin and Tracy Hawkins.
They pay all the hall invoices and other expenditure.
Thank goodness we have managed to sort out the confusion with Invoices from Highfield whose invoices last year never reached us at the right time.
The projection for a deficit of £2000 in 2023 is sobering.
Colin and Tracy had calculated the savings achieved by making various changes.
Your committee held a meeting recently to discuss the various options and the savings achieved by each that Colin and Tracy had calculated.
Merging Mainstream and Plus gave the most saving , closely followed by increasing the charge at the club nights at all levels from £4 to £5.
It was decided not to merge Mainstream and Plus at present but to increase the charge at clubs nights from £4 to £5.
From 1st March the charge at Club nights will increase to £5.
This will result in reducing the deficit but the club will still be running at a deficit of £2000!!
On the bright side – dancers are gradually returning.
Ann and Grant have kindly offered to lead a walk for is again , this will be on June 10th. Location yet to be decided.
I have decided to step down at the next AGM so please give some thought to taking on the job of Chairperson.
We still have Covid with us, so stay safe,
Jenny
Treasurer’s Report.
Tracy and Colin have already circulated two sheets giving a summary of their report.
The total funds for the club for at 31.12.22 £5372
Fees at club nights provide the most income but are insufficient to cover the cost of the hall + caller fee.
The hall costs are £3973
Caller fee £2870
Income : subs + fees =.£6028. Outgoings = £7205
Colin has compared figures 2017-2018 when funds were £15,300
Expenditure : £3,500.
Those were the days!!
Paul Godley queried the costs at PLUS the costs seem to be very high for Plus. Hall at £67 caller £35.
Tracy will look at her figurers for Plus again.
Tracy has sent revised figures for Plus – thank you Paul for querying that
The results are a little better but all Sections still have deficits across the board. The projected deficit to the Club is now just under £2000 though, so an improvement.
Paul asked has anyone at A come to support Plus? Answer NO
Daphne : 15 plus dancers : but number attending 10
A couple of people don’t like the upstairs hall at Gadebridge so won’t be going to Plus and have not renewed their Tudor Squares membership.
Linda doesn’t like the pillars in the upstairs hall at Gadebridge and there are no blinds so the sun can stream in.
Daphne : Jenny and I will be looking at another cheaper hall to move Plus to.It is large enough for 1 square which is all we get at Plus.
Tracy : I have attached the revised projections for Plus. Apologies…I was originally going to project for 40 weeks for all sections, then decided to just do 20 for Plus…but forgot to halve the caller fees. Senior moment I am afraid! Thanks to Paul for spotting it.
The results are a little better but all Sections still have deficits across the board. The projected deficit to the Club is under £2000 though, so an improvement.
Plus and Mainstream reports : Daphne
Mainstream- 2 squares most evenings, Debbie is revising the moves with the dancers , they all seem happy with this and it has improved the dancing.
There is one new dancer who is very enthusiastic
PLUS is a different story, there is just one square.
The dancers do seem to enjoy the evening
Jenny and I will be looking at another hall which should be cheaper, it is a small hall , large enough for one square which is enough for the number of dancers who come to Plus
A report Nick
Jenny has already covered much of A
In the year so far I have had to cancel one evening.
Most evenings there are 2 squares.
One evening when Kevin was calling there were 3 squares
We need new blood, more people coming through the programme
We from another clubs do come.
PRO Terry – Publicity/ Public Relations Officer
I have spent quite a bit of time on the Tudor Squares website where events are published and there is a link to the BAASDC website which lists forthcoming dances. The website also provides the ability to send messages to all members via email.
Tudor Squares Facebook page also provides details of forthcoming events.
I looked at What’s App and Instagram to publish events such as the HoeDown but these have not produced any new dancers interested in joining the club.
Future Plans
!8th March Simon and Trudy calling Mainstream Dance at Warners End 2.30 – 5.30
10th June Walk Ann and Grant will lead a walk followed by a picnic, non walkers are encouraged to come to the picnic.
The picnic that Nick organised in Gadebridge Park went well, Nick offered to arrange another picnic .
17th August Highfield 7.30pm Brian Hotchkies will be calling Mainstream
This dance will be open to dancers from the. Clubs.
Initially I was told that Brian would be in the UK 15,16 and 17th August his dates then changed to 17,18,19th ie Thursday , Friday and Saturday which is not so good for us.
Brian will take a percentage of the takings so we must encourage people for other clubs to come.
Will find out if Hodgemill squares will come
Jenny will contact Granville re this dance.
Susie Kelly remarked that Brian calls very interesting Mainstream.
She also told us that she had been in hospital fro 3 days after having a possible minor heart attack, she was discharged with a huge number of pills
Election of Officers
All the current officers will stand.
Linda asked who these are. Jenny then listed the officers.
Chairperson Jenny Treasurer Tracy and Colin, A rep Nick , Plus and Mainstream Daphne, PRO Terry.
Secretary : Andrew left without notice and has not been replaced
It is a small Committee
Annual Subscription and Weekly Fees
The weekly fees will increase from £4 to £5 from 1st March 2023
The Subscription will NOT change it will remain at £5
A.O.B
Terry mentioned that there used to be club outing, Terry will ask all members if they would like to have an outing – someone will have to arrange it.