Minutes of the Associa/on Annual General Mee/ng held on Friday May 24th 2024 at the Hub Portchester PO16 9UY at 19:15.

1. Apologiesforabsence.
Apologies received from Tina Shaw, David Mugford, Karin Hughes, Stuart and Sarah Anderson, David Atkins, Heidi Ruppert and Tony Cudlip.

2. Minutes from the 2023 mee/ng and any maIers arising - held May 12th 2023.
These were accepted as a true record, proposed by Jan Almond, seconded by Phil Skinner.

3. ReportsfromcommiIeemembers-
3a Chairman's report. The chairman started his report for the year by welcoming deputy mayor Louise Clubley to the meeIng. Roger listed the achievements; ten commiKee meeIngs have been held, a very successful Tastes of Germany evening and a typically boisterous Advent carols being the highlights. The coffee mornings in Westbury Manor hosted by Babs have aKracted a good following. The trip to Pulheim last autumn was very well received with our hosts showing their usual warm welcome and arranging some good visits; being unable to join the visit was personally much lamented aQer the very successful visit to Pulheim Roger made in August with the official borough party.
Seeking new ways to promote the associaIon Roger has been in dialogue with the borough’s chief execuIve. We will seek new collaboraIons with groups across the borough this year and our first associate member, Titchfield Boxing club, are making arrangements to visit Pulheim for a boxing match.
Pulheim recently gained a new chairman, Stefan Heidrich, and bi-monthly online meeIngs between us are planned. We have also recently joined the BriIsh-German AssociaIon as part of our plans to revitalise our associaIon. The PartnershchaQ in Pulheim decided to postpone their plans for an autumn visit this year to spring 2025, hopefully raising enough interest to fill a coach; as in the UK coach travel costs there have risen substanIally. Mid May has been suggested for this visit.
We have two social events planned - the 40th anniversary lunch on July 6th at the Bold Forester Sarisbury Green, and a skiKles match with the Vannes group on Friday October 4th. On July 20th between 10:00 and 4pm we will have a stand at the Fareham Community showcase event in Fareham Precinct, help in running this from members will

be needed.
Roger closed by thanking the members of the commiKee for their efforts to ensure our links to Pulheim remain vibrant and appealed to members to consider joining the commiKee as we seek to widen our reach across Fareham borough.

3b Treasurer’s report. The treasurer introduced the fiscal statement for the associaIon, idenIfying that income was down this year following the decision to reduce subscripIons where there had been no acIvity in preparaIon for a Pulheim visit. The 2 key events in the year, Advent and Tastes of Germany, both raised small profits which helped us see a small overall posiIve balance of £57.52. Interest on the business account of £66.15 saw the balance increase to £5,274.01.

Katrina TroK proposed accepIng the fiscal statement, seconded by Lisa WhiKle and accepted by the meeIng.

3c Secretary’s report. We have issued 6 newsleKers to members this year and have been working on various publicity materials to promote the associaIon over the summer. We have created a new website under a Fareham Twinning domain name, this is currently under construcIon and should become available in July. The membership list is now updated with recent changes to email addresses of members and an effecIve electronic mailing list. The use of Hill Head Sailing club for two events has been most welcome with the most recent a revival of Hilde’s Kaffee und Kuchen. We look forward to some equally entertaining events in the coming year.

4. Appoint a new independent auditor. The treasurer proposed ChrisIne Seymour for the role for 2024/25, seconded by Jan Almond and accepted by meeIng

5. Proposals for changes to the associa/ons cons/tu/on.
The chairman introduced the small amendment idenIfied by the commiKee as necessary to remove an anomaly introduced into the consItuIon by the amendment to clause 13 accepted in 2023. By adding the words ‘other than paragraph 13’ at end of clause 8a the circumstances for voIng rights created in clause 13 will now be valid during either an AGM or an EGM. Following further clarificaIon of the amendment it was adopted unanimously by the meeIng.

6. Elec/on of associa/on officers for 2024-25.
Deputy Mayor Louise Clubley took the chair for this item. She thanked the associaIon for inviIng her and her consort this evening, especially given the recent mayor making ceremony at which several guests from Pulheim had aKended. She spoke of her warm support for the aims of the associaIon and its long established Ies to our European neighbours which she has long shared in her membership of the Vannes twinning group.

She was most keen to see the associaIon thrive and achieve its objecIve of encouraging interest in the associaIon from the younger generaIon of Fareham populace.

6a Elec/on of Chairman for 2024-25. Katrina TroK proposed Roger Price, seconded by Jan Almond and unanimously voted into the chair. In accepIng Roger re-iterated his commitment to growing the associaIon whilst emphasising the role of every member in achieving this through their personal contacts. In response to a quesIon from Jan Almond, Roger described how we will be wriIng to every group on the councils list of organisaIons across the borough and has started a dialogue with local schools and youth services to explore how the aims of the Erasmus scheme, sadly a vicIm of the UK departure from the European Union, could be revived with a new scheme between UK and Germany being introduced. Katrina TroK idenIfied Scouts and Cubs as potenIal groups to liaise with, and Lisa WhiKle the opportuniIes at local fetes such as that in Portchester.

6b Elec/on of Treasurer for 2024-25. Roger Price proposed Babs Collins, seconded by Jean LuckeK and accepted by the meeIng.

6c Elec/on of Secretary for 2024-25. Roger Price proposed Bob Seymour, seconded by Jan Almond and accepted by the meeIng.

6d Call for commiIee members. This years council representaIves will be Lisa WhiKle and Fred BirkeK. Roger Price nominated Karin Hughes and Mollie Aldred, Babs nominated ChrisIne Seymour and from the floor Jan Almond was encouraged to join this years commiKee.

7. Any other business. There being no items raised by the membership the meeIng closed at 20:00.

Twenty two members of the group a3ended the AGM with our new council member Lisa Whi3le and her consort Paul. A full list is available from the secretary along with the full report from the chairman.