The 105th Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday 23rd October from 8:30 pm at Chester Road Sports and Social Club, hosted by President Arthur Miller.
On this occasion, there was a mixture of the usual well established stalwarts, plus a healthy and very welcome element of younger members. The President, Arthur Miller, was in the chair, and, after his welcome, apologies for absence were submitted and the minutes of the 105th Annual General Meeting, held Wednesday 24th October 2018 were also approved.
Arthur presented his report on his year in office. He said that the highlight of his year had been the Annual Dinner, which he and his wife had enjoyed enormously. He thanked Tim Gulliver for helping him with the organisation and for providing him with a list of dos and don’ts. At the Remembrance Service held in Woodfield Hall, he thought his order of service had been well received. He thanked Kerry and her team for preparing the Hall. The tea and cakes were very welcome. At the Evensong Service held at St Mary’s Church, a former pupil had led the congregation on the Regicide and the King's words had been used effectively. The King's Anniversary ceremony in the Town Hall was well attended and Old Carolians had enjoyed Arthur's piece on the Divine Right of Kings. Thanks were due to the Mayor and for the tour of the room and its contents. The barbecue was the best attended for many years, and Arthur praised all the members, their wives and the Old Girls' Association for all their efforts in the evening's success. The Autumn Event, a nostalgic Vinyl Evening, was appreciated by those that attended and Peter Picken was thanked for organising the fish supper. That is what keeps the Carolians a vibrant Association, with many members' contributing. Arthur concluded by saying that he had really enjoyed his year and gave the new President, Stephen Wyer, all best wishes for an equally successful year in office. Arthur presented Stephen with his medal of office. Arthur also thanked Tim Gulliver, Peter Picken and Norman Broadfield for their help during the year and presented them with special Emma Bridgwater mugs as a token of friendship and thanks.
Peter Picken presented the Association's accounts for the year. Subs had been up by £192, and Peter Guy and Norman Broadfield had been mainly responsible for this improvement. DVD and tie sales continued, while the barbecue and the Autumn Event had all made profits. The Dinner had been a huge success. Peter had just paid the bill for the Magazine, a total of £1854, including postage of £325. Postage in England is £1.50 each, and £5.30 to foreign lands. Thanks were especially due to Steve Brownlow for posting 200 copies via the school post, and to members that hand-delivered copies. Peter and Auditor Tony Kidd were thanked for all their efforts. Martin Easton then reported on education grants. Cheques had gone out to students and there were 13 at £100 each. The meeting then approved the calendar of Carolian events and meetings for 2019–2020.
Election of Officers:
Thanks were expressed from new President Stephen Wyer for the honour that the Association had bestowed on him. He promised to work tirelessly in the Association's cause. He said that his father had been a President of the Association and this was a matter of huge pride for him. Stephen had attended the Grammar School at Woodfield and had then transferred to the joint comprehensive on Chester Road South. He had fond memories of both places and said that there were a lot more opportunities at King Charles I School today. He ended by thanking the Association again for electing him, and he thanked Arthur for an excellent year in office. There was a period of noisy applause. The following officers were then approved and elected:
Senior Vice-President: Martin Wall
Junior Vice-President: Laura Hutchins Payne
Association Secretary: Tim Gulliver
Treasurer: Peter Picken
Membership Secretary: Peter Guy
Magazine Editor: Norman Broadfield
Website Administrator: David Slater
Auditor: Tony Kidd
The following were elected onto the Committee:
Steve Brownlow (Headteacher, ex officio), Charlie Combes, Joel Douglas, Martin Easton, Stuart Harris*, Martin Hobson, Dave Laverty, Colin Lloyd, Arthur Miller, Ann Mullard, Roger Perrin, Ken Ryder, Ian Sandall, Peter Vaughan, Anthony Williams*, Richard Woolley and Pat Yarnold. A special mention is given to those marked *, as they, in addition to Joel, have helped to bring down the average age of the Committee!
Other business:
Dave Allen, President of Hartlebury Old Elizabethans Association, had passed away.
A trip to the Tutankhamun London Exhibition was being organised with the Old Girls Association, and possibly one to the Welshpool Railway.
A letter of condolence would be sent to the family of Charles Talbot, who had also recently died.
Enormous thanks were expressed finally to Norman for his production of the Magazine. This remains a stupendous and unique yearly achievement.
The Meeting closed at 8:45 pm.
'Captain' Peter Vaughan (from the 'Class of 54'), Chief Political Correspondent