Annual General Meeting 2020
AGENDA
To be held online via Zoom at 4:00 pm on Sunday 22nd November 2020
1. Welcome and Introductions Muhayman Jamil, Secretary
2. Review of the year Muhayman Jamil, Secretary
3. Official Business Alastair Johnston, Treasurer
Approval of minutes of 2019 AGM
Presentation and approval of the accounts Nov 2019 – Oct 2020
Membership
4. Looking forward to 2021 Muhayman Jamil and All
new equipment
Evian to Lyons Challenge August 2021
….and all the rest!
5. Election of Committee Members All
6. Any other business All
MINUTES OF 2019 AGM
Held on Sunday 24th November 2019
at the Mitre, 24 Craven Terrace, Lancaster Gate, W2 3QH
Present:
Richard Alamo, Member
Reuben Aszkenasy, Member
Mike Bennett, Member
Sam Carlisle, Committee Member PR and Publicity
Aymeric Figereau, Member
Isaac Harvey, Member
Muhayman Jamil, Secretary
Alastair Johnston, Treasurer
Eddie Lee, Member
Kevin Ly, Committee Member
Yannick Mango, Member
Alison Mosca, Member
Mark Murfin, Member
Alan Paxford, Founder Member
Singe (St John) Rogers, Committee Member
Karen Timms, Member
Ross Townsend, Member
MJ welcomed everyone to the seventh AGM of Wheels and Wheelchairs (WaW), noting that the meeting was now quorate, as the votes of those present (17) together with proxy votes received (12) exceeded the minimum number needed for quoracy according to the constitution (20 voters). He opened by acknowledging that last year we had a President and that Janet Richards’ welcomes had always been heartfelt, engaging and to the point and that Janet’s death had had a profound impact on Wheels and Wheelchairs.
MJ apologised for the lack of wheelchair access in the venue but explained our regular venues were either too expensive or too busy to host the AGM. Further thought would be put into this next year. ACTION - Committee to research more appropriate venues.
MJ illustrated his review of the year (Nov 2018 to Oct 2019) a presentation and summarised the main activities:
In Dec 2018 WaW teams participated in the ‘Santa Run’ in Battersea Park.
As usual WaW enjoyed the festivities on the London Skate-organised ‘Santa Skate’
In January we suffered the irreplaceable loss of our President, Janet Richards. The strength of feeling and genuine sentiment was felt from everyone she met in London, Belgium and France. We did her proud at her funeral with a skating cortege, the chair Karen arranged, and the bench in Battersea Park, made possible with donations from the London skating community and also from Mobile en Ville (MeV) in Paris. The bench was officially dedicated at an event attended by both skaters and Janet’s family. This day was also the first day Isaac Harvey attended an ESS skate.
Throughout the year WaW participated in many well-attended ESS outings in Battersea Park. Muhayman thanked all the ESS folk for making us so welcome, and helping with the pushing. He noted we had had many new guest wheelchair users. Elvi’s friends Curtis, Izzy and Chris joined us, as did Peter Braithwaite’s friend Mike.
Similarly, WaW had also participated in many Sunday Stroll streetskate outings throughout the year, and Muhayman thanked the LFNS organisers, marshals and skaters for their welcome and support.
WaW participated in the ‘Easter Bunny Skate’, and ‘Halloween Skate’.
MJ attended the Rollathon in May with Mobile En Ville.
WaW travelled to le Mans, but unfortunately the event was cancelled due to a heatwave in the region. The WaW team drove back to Neufchatel-en-Braye and spent an afternoon skating the voie verte (disused railway track) towards Dieppe, before continuing by car to Paris and participating in the ‘Rollers and Coquillages’ Sunday skate.
In September we celebrated Elvi’s 18th birthday with a huge ESS party and skate attended by Elvi’s friends and family.
A week later WaW entered two teams in the 3rd Paris Roller Marathon. We travelled by Eurostar on Saturday and stayed overnight. Team Isaac successfully completed the full race, and Team Elvi successfully completed the half marathon in very challenging rainy and wet conditions throughout!
Presentation of Accounts. Alastair presented the financial accounts for the period November 2018 to October 2019, making the following comments:
Income for this year was just over £5k, most of which came from the generous donations from the London Skating community. Both London skaters and MeV had made special contributions for the funding of a bench to commemorate Janet Richards.
Expenditures were more evenly balanced amongst different budget headings than the previous year, which had been dominated by the London to Brussels Challenge. The largest category of expenditure (£1.7k) was ‘events’ (including entry fees, accommodation and travel for wheelchair users). Janet’s bench had cost £1.1k. Equipment storage (£817) represents a new expenditure for 2018/19 which will be recurring.
Expenditure exceeded income by £1k, and this deficit was paid for out of accumulated funds from the previous year. Reserves now stood at £1.4k, lower than any time in the previous five years.
However, at the beginning of November (i.e. not included in the current accounting period), WaW had received a National Lottery Fund grant for £9k for the purchase of new equipment plus storage.
Official Business
AJ introduced the minutes of the previous AGM meeting (which took place in November 2018). The minutes were approved unanimously.
Members present voted unanimously to approve the WaW Accounts for the period Nov 2018 – Oct 2019.
The meeting agreed to maintain membership subscriptions at £1 per annum, and those present renewed their membership.
Looking Forward to 2020. MJ made a presentation on future plans and aspirations for WaW:
WaW will play a key role in MeV’s planned long-distance skate Challenge from Evian to Lyon in the last week of August 2020. In early November MJ and AJ assisted Hubert Crepy with route checking a substantial section of the route, and reported that the scenery is stunning. There was some discussion around fees for participation which MeV set at 450€ per person, inclusive of travel to and from Paris, and accommodation and food. It was suggested WAW should consider subsidising the cost for participants and volunteers, as well as wheelchair users and carers. ACTION: Further discussion and decision by WaW committee regarding costs. Suggestions were also made for fundraising. ACTIONS: MJ and Kevin Ly to liaise with Eddie Lee on potential Islington dinner. MJ to liaise with Singe Rogers on potential New Year’s Eve fundraiser.
WaW was very pleased to announce that it had received National Lottery Grant for £9,010 at the beginning of November following a successful second grant application, initiated by Nathalie Richards (Janet’s cousin), and supported by Jessica Parish and AJ. This funding must be used to purchase equipment and storage only. The exactly specifications of the new equipment had not yet been decided, but preliminary research had been done and this would include two high-quality customized sports wheelchairs suitable for long distance endurance challenges. It was decided we should retain the current storage facilities nearby Battersea Park and possibly consider a larger unit. ACTION: AJ and MJ to make proposals to the committee for the acquisition and storage of new equipment in view of future plans and possibilities for WaW.
WaW would continue its regular participation in ESS and the Sunday Stroll in 2020.
WaW hoped to participate in the le Mans (parade), and the Paris Marathon in 2020.
WaW looks forward to another successful year of fun events, growth and consolidation in 2020.
5. Election of Committee Members. MJ and AJ were re-elected unopposed as Secretary and Treasurer respectively. However, both of them felt that it would be advantageous to mentor others in their roles in order both to improve members’ participation in the business of the club and to ensure continuity in the event that they stood down. Kevin Ly and Singe Rogers would continue as committee members, and furthermore volunteered for being mentored. ACTION: MJ and AJ to liaise with Kevin and Singe respectively, and report back to committee on progress. Karen Timms volunteered to join the Committee. Isaac Harvey was elected to the post of President of WaW. Sam Carlisle was re-elected to the Committee, and will have special responsibility for publicity, including website content. Ross Townsend volunteered to assist with ‘webmaster’ issues. Stuart Beresford was not re-elected as Committee Member with responsibility for IT because he was not present at the meeting. All votes regarding committee members were unanimous and unopposed. ACTION: Sam to ask Stuart if he wishes to continue with responsibility for the website/IT.
6. Any Other Business.
Janet Memorial Skate: It was agreed we should commemorate Janet on the anniversary of her death. ACTION: Karen to propose ideas of how this can be done.
Should WaW become a registered charity? ACTION: Sam to investigate and make proposals for the committee.
It was agreed that WaW should hold regular committee meetings throughout the year. ACTION: AJ to organize date and venue for the first meeting. AJ to include all relevant topics and points for action from the AGM in the agenda.
Muhayman and the Committee thanked all those who have supported and participated in events, and/or had generously donated their time and money to ‘Wheels and Wheelchairs’ throughout the year!
7. The next meeting will take place in November 2020. The meeting closed at 6.40 pm.
