AGM 2020

VALE & DOWNLAND BEEKEEPERS’ ASSOCIATION

Registered Charity No: 1015801

This year the Vale and Downland Beekeepers’ Association AGM is to be held on Friday 29th October. We had hoped to delay it so that we could hold a physical meeting but have been advised by the Charity Commission that it must go ahead as normal. This means that we will have to hold an online AGM using Zoom, which will be new territory for us, and we hope that as many members as possible will join us. Detailed email instructions will be sent out to you prior to the meeting, with a link for you to join us online. Additionally we will be holding a test meeting on Tuesday 13th October at 7pm so you can check-out using Zoom.

To prepare for the AGM, we have already posted out to all active registered members a proxy voting form & trustee nomination form. Michael Havard Bilton, as Chair, will be running the AGM and you will need to return your proxy voting form, telling him how you wish to vote for each Trustee nomination. A stamped addressed envelope is provided for you to return the form as we are unable to accept these forms electronically. For family members we have included an additional proxy voting form. You will note on the reverse of your form as a security measure we’ve included some of your membership details.

We all need to read a few additional documents which you can download below:

The Agenda – DOWNLOAD.
Draft 2020 minutes – DOWNLOAD.
2021 Accounts – DOWNLOAD.
2021 Programme – DOWNLOAD.

The Trustees are proposing that next year’s V&DBKA membership fee, due 1st November 2020, is waived for existing members. This is because Covid 19 has prevented us from undertaking many of the activities that we would normally undertake throughout the year and we feel this is an affordable and fair way of paying you back for your patience and support through a difficult period. We have looked carefully at our finances and are happy to confirm that the Association can afford this as a one-off measure. There is a set of boxes at the bottom of the proxy voting form for you to register your vote on this proposition. This does not affect your basic BDI, additional colony insurance, or BBKA subscriptions which will all still be due and charged at the prevailing rates.

The existing trustees would very much welcome you joining us in becoming a trustee by nominating yourself on the nomination form which has been posted out to you or can be DOWNLOADED HERE. Trustees are formally appointed to run the Association and are bound by the rules for trustees set by the Charity Commission. Committee meetings are held approximately 6 to 8 times a year and trustees are expected to help organise and take part in the activities of the Association. For those who want to help with the running and organisation of the Association, but who might not want to take on the full responsibilities of being a trustee, there are also non-trustee positions such as Deputy Apiary Manager, Annual Delegate to the BBKA, Swarms and Spray Warning Officer and Librarian. Non-trustee post holders attend meetings if issues related to their area are being discussed, but do not vote. As we look to update our constitution, it is likely that we will follow best practice and introduce time limits on how long trustees can serve, so we absolutely need new people to step up THIS year and join us in running the Association. Nominations received before the AGM will be voted on during the meeting.

The nomination form can be either returned in the SAE along with the proxy form, or scanned and emailed to Moraig Lowman, our secretary at secretary@valeanddownlandbees.org.uk. Both forms must be received by the due date noted to count. If you have any questions for the AOB item of the AGM, please also submit these to the above email address by Monday 12 Oct. If we are unable to answer your question at the AGM, it will be discussed at the next Committee meeting and a response provided.

We look forward to seeing you all on Zoom!

Yours in Beekeeping

The Trustees