BRISTOL HANNOVER COUNCIL

MINUTES OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD ON 27th OCTOBER 2016

AT THE MANSION HOUSE, CLIFTON DOWN, BRISTOL

  1. Present were the Lord Mayor Jeff Lovell, Ann Kennard, Alderman Michael Withers, Jill Withers, Tony Kennard, David Perkins, Lynne Evans, Frank Titmarsh, Tim Illston, Jonathan Radnedge, Pat Hedges, Barbara Cowell, Jackie Millward, Sarah McRitchie, Steve Howie

Apologies:Alderman B. Hugill, Alderman C. Smith, Dr J. Veale, Councillor K. Dudd, K. Seery, P.Seath, P. Watson,G. Owen, Mr and Mrs Stephens, Mr and Mrs Dando, M. Allinson, Mr and Mrs Evans, Mr and Mrs. McAleavey.

  1. Opening Remarks

The Lord Mayor welcomed those present, looking forward particularly to next year’s 70th anniversary.

  1. Minutes of the last AGM

The minutes were agreed as an accurate record of the last meeting.

  1. (i) Chair’s Report

2015-2016 had been another very busy year for Bristol-Hannover Council, including many highlights, in particular the visit to Hannover in the summer. A proud moment had been the installation of committee member, Tim Illston, as Honorary German Consul, and we had sent flowers and best wishes to our stalwart friend, Gabi Ciecior, Head of the Kulturbüro in Hannover, on her retirement. Some of us attended the funeral of our friend and former Treasurer Derek Brockwell, and a tribute was also paid to John Veale, now in hospital and likely to come out into a nursing home, for all his devoted work for the twinning partnership since 1949.The full Chair’s report can be read on the website.

(ii)Treasurer’s report

In the absence of the Treasurer, the Chair presented the Accounts for the financial year 2015-2016, which had been prepared by the Bristol Community Accountancy Project, and these were accepted as a true record.

(iii)The reports were adopted with no amendments; proposed by Alderman Michael Withers and seconded by Frank Titmarsh

  1. The Lord Mayor proposed a vote of thanks to Ann and the committee.
  1. The following nominations were proposed and accepted for the Committee membership 2016-7:
  • Dr Ann Kennard - Chair
  • Vice-Chair - vacant
  • Lynne Evans – Secretary
  • Katerina Seery – Treasurer
  • Gerard Owen – website manager
  • David Perkins – Committee Member
  • Frank Titmarsh – Committee Member
  • Tim Illston – Committee Member
  • Liz Gill – Committee Member
  • Lynne McAleavey – Committee Member
  • Jonathan Radnedge – Committee Member
  • Richard Harris – Committee Member
  • John Veale and Brenda Hugill were made ‘emeritus members’ of the committee
  1. Subscriptions for 2016-17 to stay the same.

After the official business, we were treated to two colourful illustrated talks, from Jackie Millward and Sarah McRitchie of the Bristol-Hannover Badminton Exchange, and from Steve Howie from the Ariel Rowing Club, both groups having had lively and successful visits to their Hannover partners, with financial support from Bristol-Hannover Council. Both were looking forward to their exchanges in the Jubilee year of 2017 and Ariel are to celebrate 35 years of their partnership with Linden Ruderverein.