THE SHRIGLEY ASSOCIATION MINUTES : MINUTES of the COMMITTEE MEETING held at St. Benedict’s, Easterhouse, Glasgow on 27 January 2008.

The Meeting commenced at 4.00 pm.

PRESENT: P. Roebuck (Chairman), G. Bell, J. Bergin, R. Caulfield, M. Crossan, T. Devine, J. Doogan, Fr C. Garrick SDB, F. Gilfedder, B. Gill, V. Gill, J. Hughes, M. Kilduff, J. McArthur, Bro D. MacDonald SDB, Fr J. McGarry SDB, D. Murphy, B. Murray, T. Quinn, L. Skehal, T. Walker.

APOLOGIES: E. Baggaley, P. Barnes, J. Burke, J. Clarke, J. Lomax, B. O’Neill, F. Riley.

1. CHAIRMAN’S COMMUNICATIONS

On behalf of the Association and the members present, the Chairman thanked the Rector, Fr McGarry, and his colleagues for once again making available their facilities at St. Benedict’s. Having consulted David Murphy, the Treasurer, he would present a cheque for £100 to Fr McGarry immediately after the Meeting to cover any expenses and as a token of gratitude.

2. MINUTES of the MEETING at SAVIO HOUSE, 7 DECEMBER 2007

With one minor correction to Minute 10 (£50 should read £55}, the draft Minutes were accepted as a correct record.

3. MATTERS ARISING

Min. 1. (d) Rev. J. Crowshaw had indicated his inability to take up a co-option as ’southern’ representative on the Committee. Having consulted both parties, the Chairman proposed, and the Meeting agreed, that P. Barnes be co-opted in his stead.

Min. 4 (a-c) In addition to having discovered that the Association was ineligible for consideration for charitable status, the Treasurer had also recovered the Association’s ’books’ from his predecessor.

He was continuing to pursue the questions of the annual fee, a Life Membership fee, and the possibility of providing credit card payment facilities for members; and would report back to the next meeting of the Committee, scheduled for early July.

Min. 4 (d) The Chairman reported that he had met three members of the Wosser family, just outside Dublin, earlier in the month. It was highly likely that some of them would attend the forthcoming Annual Re-Union in September.

Min. 7 Following on from the last Committee meeting, M. Kilduff spoke to his paper ’Updating Records and Offering Choice’, outlining and explaining proposals for bringing the Association’s database up-to-date, and for providing members with clear choices as to the level(s) of information which they wished to receive from the Association. Each part of this exercise was designed to complement the other. The entire membership of the Association would be contacted about this via the next circular. It was agreed unanimously to proceed along the lines he had proposed, and that the next circular would be issued at the beginning of March.

The Joint Secretary also circulated copies of the draft ’Welcome Pack’ which he had been asked to prepare by the December Committee Meeting. Members felt that this was a valuable innovation and were invited to get back to Mike with any further comments/suggestions.

4. MATTERS RAISED BY THE SCOTTISH GROUP OF MEMBERS

i. Support for the Salesian Community in Easterhouse

John Bergin reported on a meeting he had attended with Fr Jim McGarry SDB, Fr Charles Garrick SDB, and John Clark, which was held to explore ways in which Association members might assist the Salesian Community in Easterhouse. A number of suggestions were raised, including the Parish Youth Group, Summer Playscheme, Parish Accounts, Administration & Organisation, Funding Applications & Reports to Funders, the Upkeep of Buildings & Gardens, and Fundraising Activities.

Members agreed to consider which, if any, of these items they might be able to support, and to feedback to John, who would arrange to meet Frs Jim and Charles within a month of this meeting. John agreed not only to arrange the meeting but also to inform members when it would take place.

ii. Spiritual Retreat

Brendan Gill introduced a discussion of the possibility of arranging a one- or two-day retreat, and agreed to progress arrangements and to report back.

iii. Visit to Turin

Members were supportive in principle of a visit to Turin in 2009 to mark the 80th anniversary of the opening of Shrigley. John Bergin undertook to make some initial enquiries about possible arrangements, and to report back.

5. FORTHCOMING COMMITTEE MEETING IN THE SOUTH OF ENGLAND

Originally, it had been planned to hold this meeting to co-incide with the Feast of Mary, Help of Christians on 24 May. For a variety of practical reasons this had proved impossible. The meeting was now scheduled to take place on the weekend of 4-5 July 2008. Arrangements were being put in place by Paul Barnes in collaboration with Rev J. Crowshaw, the meeting facilities of whose parish in Great Missenden would be utilised. Paul was exploring local accommodation possibilities, and also the prospects for a visit to one of the Salesian houses in the region.

6. ANNUAL RE-UNION (SAVIO HOUSE/SHRIGLEY) 19-21 SEPTEMBER 2008

This event was being organised and co-ordinated by Bernard O’Neill, with assistance from Fr Bernard Parkes SDB and Keith Dransfield. It was designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Class of ‘58. For reasons beyond his control, Bernard’s arrangements to attend this meeting had broken down, but members were furnished with various papers he had prepared, including a timetable and further details.

Bernard and the Chairman had had useful discussions with colleagues at both Savio House and the Shrigley Hotel. The Hotel was continuing to hold the special price for Association members (£55 pppn, b & b) and was proposing to provide Saturday luncheon facilities similar to those so much enjoyed last year. A key feature of the programme would be a structured presentation of reminiscences on the Saturday afternoon. The Concert would be organised and delivered by the Class of ‘58. It was hoped to organise an auction of Shrigley ‘artefacts’ and colleagues were invited to donate any they felt able to part with.

These various proposals were welcomed and endorsed, with the following comments. It would be better to timetable the Cemetery Service for immediately after lunch on Saturday, to be followed by the presentation of reminiscences; and the Saturday evening Concert should commence at 7.30 pm rather than later.

On the Chairman’s proposal, it was agreed that an element of subsidy should be provided to any relatives of the deceased attending the Cemetery Service who had not attended last year, as a means of underlining the Association’s warm welcome to them.

Further and fuller details of the arrangements would be made available in the forthcoming circular.

7. In the absence of any other business and with thanks to all concerned for their lively participation, the Chairman drew the meeting to a close at approximately 4.45 pm.