www.balkanspeacepark.org
Registered UK Charity No 1105447
www.justgiving.com/balkanspeacepark
Minutes of AGM 22th September 2012
Held at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Leeds 2.30 pm
Present:
Antonia Young President
Ann Kennard Chair
John Milsom Treasurer
Angela Selmani Secretary
Antonela Melonari, Richard Hargreaves, Gill Akhtar, Artan Karini, Keith Bowden, Peter Spafford, Marijana Dworski , Maarja Hallik - Committee Members
In attendance: Penny Munden, Sylvia Shatwell, Liz Jeffrey, Rachael Goodman, Allen Cooper, Chris Whichelo, Dave Newton, Christine Marshall, Emily Glass, Tom Phillips, Sam Phillips, Seth Pyenson, Helen Clarke, Emma Rogers, Maria Victoria Gabioud
Apologies: Graham Watson MEP, Nigel Young, Judith Walker, Ann Mcilwham, Jan Furniss, Rodney Oliver, Sara Humphries, Dick Scroop, Kastriot Frasheri, Gillian Gloyer, Alison Carter, Claire Ackland, Chrissy Eland
1. The Chair opened the meeting at 2.30 pm and welcomed everyone to the meeting
2. Minutes of last AGM 24th September 2011 - Reading
It was agreed that the minutes were a true and accurate record of the meeting
3. Reports to meeting:
Chair’s Report – the full report is available on the website - items include:
· Since the last AGM Sep 2011 we have held 3 committee meetings and 3 planning meetings for the Summer Programme (SP) in Thethi and Vermosh and a further meeting to discuss the wider international links. The location of meetings is proving to be a financial and time problem, which still needs to be addressed
· Website now working well, and Facebook page launched
· Handbook for volunteers, handbooks for co ordinators and curriculum file published
· Nigel Young undertook trip to contacts in European organisations to raise profile of B3P, and also attended at short notice a trilateral stakeholders’ meeting held in Gusinje, Montenegro, headed by UNEP
· Continuing links with Cracoe School – twinned with Thethi
· Funding granted this year again by American Embassy for the fifth year running
· Smaller fundraising events have been organised
· Thethi Vermosh and Lepushë schools ran successfully this year
· Still a need to update the 7-panel travelling exhibition and display elsewhere; discussions and plans are now going ahead
· STI bid in place
· Victoria Gabioud Rotary scholar spent 2 months in Albania, Antonia Young then also a further 5 weeks, setting up UNEP meeting in Shkodra, following on from the meeting in Gusinje
· Richard Hargreaves led a successful trek across the 3 countries of the Peace Park
· Thanks to the committee for their support
Treasurer’s report
· Accounts are presented up to 31st March, so any 2012 SP expenses are not included in the report
· The American Embassy funding still continues to support the Summer Programme
· We have just enough in the bank to support SPs in 2013, but it would be easier to do this if we can continue to receive US Embassy support
· Currency transactions are complicated, due to the use of four currencies
· Mark Rupa has released remaining funds belonging to B3PA
· We are grateful for the donation from Rosie Clegg’s family as a result of the collection at her funeral
· Bank statements required from Arian Gjura B3PA
Secretary’s Report
· Sponsorship forms are available for anyone wishing to become a member
· The Secretary expressed the need to fundraise if we are to continue to develop the SP
4. Election of Officers and Executive Committee for 2012/13
President: Antonia Young
Chair: Ann Kennard
Secretary: Angela Selmani
Treasurer: John Milsom
Committee members: Richard Hargreaves, Judith Walker, Peter Spafford, Marijana Dworski, , Antonela Melonari, Keith Bowden, Maarja Hallik, Gill Akhtar
Sylvia Shatwell, Nigel Young and Artan Karini were proposed and accepted as new committee members
Reconfiguration of Committee
· Ann Kennard will remain as Chair
· Sub committees are now in place as detailed below
· Finance Sub-committee: Led by John Milsom, members: Ann Kennard, Antonia Young, Keith Bowden, Jamie McCallum when available, and co opting Antonela Melonari when necessary
· Mapping and Cross border Sub-committee: Richard Hargreaves (sole member)
· Big Picture Sub-committee: Led by Nigel Young, members: John Milsom, Artan Karini, Ann Kennard, Maarja Hallik, also Victoria Gabioud until she leaves UK
· Website Sub-committee: Angela Selmani, Peter Spafford to write text where necessary + Paddy and Tim Taylor? for complex IT matters
· B3P Albania Sub-committee: Antonela Melonari, Antonia Young, Angela Selmani, Ann Kennard where necessary
· Summer Programmes Sub committee: Led by Angela Selmani, members: Antonela Melonari, Gill Akhtar, Sylvia Shatwell, Chris Whichelo and SP volunteers
5. AOB There was none
6. Next meeting dates
AGM 21st September 2013 - venue to be arranged
Committee meeting – 23rd March – Birmingham University (if possible)
Presentations, films and music
3.30 pm Refreshments were taken as the presentations and the following films were shown:
1) Victoria Gabioud - report on her contacts made in Albania/Shkodra
2) Richard Hargreaves - 3 country trek through the Peace Park area in June
(more details can be found on the website and Facebook page)
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.456810304364310.105237.456351234410217&type=1
3) Gill Akhtar - presentation/ slide show on Thethi 2012 Module 1
4) Thethi 2012 Film by Ivana Kostelecka Module 2 Thethi 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEyUYpXU1Rw&feature=youtu.be
5) Tom, Lydia and Sam Phillips’ film of Vermosh 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIopLoBwDSc
6) John and Meagen Sassman’s promotional film of Vermosh 2012 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyDwFHvtEjE
Sandwiches were served at 4.30 pm when further discussion took place about this year’s
Experiences, with ideas for next year being expressed.
B3P Raffle tickets were sold with excellent prizes
Promotional items were on sale along with cards and postcards
£65 was raised from raffle ticket sales and sales of promotional items – grateful thanks to
Angela for organising these fundraising parts of the meeting.
The meeting closed at 5.15 pm
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