AGM 2012
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of Tyne and Esk Writers held on Monday 26th March 2012 at the John Gray Centre, Haddington.
1. Members were welcomed by Brenda Thomson (Convenor)
2. Apologies were received from Ken Angus, Richard Broadhurst, Alan Gay, Julia Graves, David Purdie, Margaret Raven and Rachel Woolf. There were about 25 members present together with Tom Murray (Creative Writing Fellow, Alison Hunter (East Lothian Libraries) and Philip Wark (Midlothian Libraries).
3. Brenda Thomson presented her Annual Report:
Tyne and Esk Writers Convener’s Report: December 2010 – March 2012
I took on the convener’s role officially in December 2010, a month after Tom Murray, the creative writing fellow for Tyne and Esk Writers was appointed. Tom has visited groups regularly, been instrumental in organising workshops and a social event, flown the flag for Tyne and Esk Writers at events other than our own, given feedback to our writers and generally been a very positive influence on the groups and on Tyne and Esk Writers as a whole. Tom, Alison Hunter -‐ from East Lothian library services, Philip Wark -‐ from Midlothian library services , the reps and I have worked well as a team to provide a service to you which, we hope, suits your needs. In January 2011 the social event which was intended as an introduction to Tom had to be cancelled because of snow. Later, we held a social which was organised by Tom. This was a successful evening with forty five of us taking part and all of the groups being represented. In the Spring Tom ran two mystery workshops – one in Dalkeith and one in Musselburgh. These were well attended and some people booked into both.
The Young Writer of the year competition took place in June 2011 with Tom as the judge of the finalists. The overall winners for the primary sector and the secondary sector came from Midlothian. Just under 500 youngsters took part in this event which was a huge improvement on its inaugural year in 2010. We were sponsored by the Scottish Seabird Centre. Jenny McAllister, the education officer at the Centre helped to fly our flag by encouraging the children, who visited the Centre, to enter. The two top prizes were boat trips round one of the islands in the Forth.
The WOTY took place in 2011 and, yet again, Kesleys Bookshop sponsored it. There were a few more participants in both sections than in the previous year. The winner, Marie MacPherson, was not a Tyne and Esk Writer. Tom Bryan and A.C. Clarke were our judges.
With a little prompting, the organisers of the Lennoxlove Book Festival invited us to take part in a one hour show case event in the magnificent Great Hall. The event went off really well and our readers all seemed to enjoy reading at that venue. Our slot was well supported by family, friends and visitors to the Lennoxlove Book Festival.
On the 12th November we had a Workshop Day. Five workshops which involved Zoe Strachan, Cathy MacPhail, Gerry Cambridge, Matthew Fitt and Tom took place. We built in time for a forum and a window for Colin, Alan G. and Tom to talk about publishing. ADer supper we had an open mic. We had very good feedback on all aspects of the day but I was aware that some people felt that the day was rather too long for them to stay for the evening session.
At the committee meeting in December, Philip informed us that Midlothian Council would not be able to fund Tyne and Esk Writers in the financial year 2012/2013. However, later that month, it was decided that it was likely that we would be funded for one more year and that is what has happened.
East Lothian, too, is continuing to fund our organisation for the coming financial year. As a result, we have been able to extend Tom’s contract for four months, until the 29th July.
This is actually the second time that we have extended Tom’s contract. It was first extended in November 2011 for an extra five months. Because of the uncertainty about funding there was a delay in setting in motion the plans for this year. However, they are now well underway.
In January, because of continuing doubts about the next financial year’s funding, the reps had a business planning meeting to consider the way forward. The most difficult and contentious area was about whether or not to introduce a membership fee. Of the eight groups, only four were prepared for the introduction of a membership fee unless there was an absolute need. A balanced view of this was necessary and it was decided, at the commiTee meeting in March, that we could not introduce a membership fee at this point in time and would have to find more imaginative ways to raise funds.
Recently, we had a request from the Carers’ Centre in Dalkeith asking if someone would run workshops for the carers. There have two responses to that and we are in the process of organising this.
One book was published via our publications support scheme. It is Ken Angus’s ‘Honolulu Penny.’ It is on sale here this evening. Please consider buying it and the other books, also on sale, to support our authors. We have agreed to offer greater support to those who publish through Tyne and Esk Writers. This will come mainly in the form of a mentoring scheme whereby published writers will offer advice.
In order to try to encourage new members to join us, 5000 fliers have been printed. They should now be in all of our libraries.
Colin gave the website a facelift last year. It now provides far more information than before. A forum was introduced to the website. To begin with it was well used and it has been a pity that writers have not continued to use it productively. Two of our members, Karen Duncan and Diana Stevens have been trained to help Colin with the forum on the website.
Scrivens has continued to be published. It is now being edited by Karen Duncan. Prior to that, it was edited by Jo Gibson and, before that, by Stephanie Taylor.
On behalf of Tyne and Esk Writers I would like to thank
• the library services of East Lothian and Midlothian Councils and, in particular Alison Hunter and Philip Wark. Funding is a very important aspect of Tyne and Esk Writers. The funding from library services is one source of monies that has provided funding for our creative writers. Equally as important is the generous amount of time and resources which are given to us. Without those, Tyne and Esk Writers would not be able to function as it does.
• Stephanie, Jo, Karen, Diana and Colin for our communications systems.
• Gordon Bell and Tessa Thomas for being involved in updating the constitution.
• the Scottish Seabird Centre and Simon Kesley for their sponsorship in the competitions.
• Tessa Thomas for paying our bills promptly in the past and Diana Stevens for picking up the baton and becoming our treasurer in recent months.
• Tom for all of his positive support to all of our writers.
• Graham Leake for his supportive role.
• Graeme Bettison for offering to do an analysis of where Tyne and Esk Writers are at, prior to a business plan being developed.
• the reps and members for all the small things that are done when requested.
• anyone that has been missed out by default.
The Way Forward.
At the committee meeting it was decided;
• To invite Tom to continue in post for a further four months until the 29th July. We will have a period without a creative writing fellow. During that period I shall actively seek funding from bodies such as Awards for All and the Postal Lottery.
• not to introduce a membership fee because it was clear that some members would leave Tyne and Esk Writers. We may have to consider this as a serious option at some point in the future, perhaps around December of 2013.
• to continue with the WOTY but to alter the prizes so that there is no division between East Lothian and Midlothian and the individual prizes are larger. (Simon Kesley has agreed to provide the same cash value in book tokens. Cathy MacPhail and Gerry Cambridge have agreed to be this year’s judges.)
• to continue with the YWOTY. (This is being sponsored by Tyne and Esk Writers, the Scottish Seabird Centre, four Tyne and Esk members and possibly one of our writers’ groups.)
• to run three workshops and to have supper prior to the WOTY awards ceremony which will take place in Haddington Town House on the 27th October. The only reason that East Lothian is being used rather than Midlothian for events is that Midlothian does not have a venue of the type that we need at the moment. The Arts centre is being refurbished and there is a charge for Penicuik Town Hall.
• to reintroduce open evenings formerly known as the roadshows. At these open evenings everyone will be asked to make a donation and the donations will go into Tyne and Esk Writers bank account. Traditionally, the hosts have provided the wine etc. and that will continue.
• to request donations for wine and non-‐alcoholic drinks except at book launches.
• to provide more support to authors who are involved in the publications support scheme.
• to consider the possibility of running in-‐house competitions.
• to continue to produce Scrivens as part of the Service Agreement with library services.
• to seek funding for the purpose of employing a creative writing fellow early in 2013.
Brenda Thomson (Convener)
26th March, 2012
The Report was formally adopted
4.. The Statement of Accounts was presented by Diana Stevens (Treasurer) The Accounts were formally adopted.
5. Brenda Thomson stated that the present office holders would remain in post, if approved, for about twelve months. There was no objection. The membership was asked to consider nominating, or volunteering as, successors by March 2013. There were no immediate responses.
6. Members were invited to propose other motions or matters for discussion, but there were no further topics raised.
The Meeting was followed by a break for refreshment and an ‘open-mic’ session of readings which appeared to round off the evening satisfactorily.
[Graham Leake 2nd April 2012]
GROUP REPS AND LIBRARIANS FOR EAST LOTHIAN AND MIDLOTHIAN
BRENDA THOMSON – brenda.murray@virgin.net
Convenor
GRAHAM LEAKE – g.leake@talktalk.net
Vice-Convenor
ALISON HUNTER – ahunter@eastlothian.gov.uk
(East Lothian librarian)
01620 828 202
PHILIP WARK philip.wark@midlothian.gov.uk
(Midlothian libraries)
0131 271 3971
BRENDA THOMSON – brenda.murray@virgin.net
Dunbar Rep.
DAREN COGDON – darencogdon@hotmail.com
Penicuik Rep.
GRAHAM LEAKE – g.leake@talktalk.net
Dalkeith Rep.
DIANA STEVENS diana.sue@btopenworld.com
Treasurer
GRAEME BETTISON graeme.bettison@tesco.net
Minutes Secretary
ANGIE TOWNSEND – angie.townsend@tiscali.co.uk
Musselburgh Rep.
BILLY GRAHAM – w.graham38@btinternet.com
Haddington Rep.
JASMINE REAVLEY – jasmine.r@live.co.uk
Poetry Group Rep.
JAMES BRANNAN – jazybrannan.2@hotmail.co.uk
Port Seton Rep.
KAREN DUNCAN – prehisteria@sky.com
Scrivens Editor
A copy of the draft Minutes of the September 2011 Committee meeting can be downloaded here.
And the December 2011 draft Minutes here.
Minutes_Mar_12_txt (pdf)
