All members of the Shrigley Association are urged to read the following statement very carefully.
THE SHRIGLEY ASSOCIATION: PROPOSAL FOR WINDING-UP
In the last Newsletterwe announced our conviction that it is time to wind-up the Association in its present form. We hold that view even more strongly now. Three considerations in particular are relevant:
i. There has been absolutely no response to the request in the Newsletter for expressions of interest in Committee positions.
ii. For various reasons - work commitments, holiday arrangements and family illness - it has proved impossible since Glasgow in February to hold a Committee Meeting. We have remained in touch with one another, but all business has been conducted at a distance, which is fundamentally unsatisfactory.
iii. Organising the Annual Re-union has proved so problematical as to leave us with a very difficult (and ultimately costly) task in trying circumstances. Despite all our best efforts, via the Newsletter and the website, most members are unwilling to commit themselves to attending until the last minute; and then request a variety of different types of booking, or simply turn up/do not turn up according to their immediate circumstances. Neither Savio House nor the Shrigley Hotel find this congenial; nor do we. The contract with the Hotel has had to be revised downwards and we still doubt whether even these revised numbers will be met. Similarly, and unsurprisingly, Savio House also now operates on a contractual basis, and any underbooking automatically incurs a loss to the Association. There is simply insufficient firm interest to justify continuing in our present form.
Earlier in the year Paul Barnes felt unable to discharge the duties of Events Co-ordinator from his base in Cornwall. Later Eric Baggaley resigned as Minutes Secretary/IT Co-ordinator. And, having indicated last September that he would serve one more year as Treasurer, but only one, David Murphy will cease to be Treasurer at the AGM.
Thus, if people do not step forward at the AGM to fill the posts of Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and Events Organiser (as a minimum), fully realising the work involved, we propose that we should arrange to wind-up the Association, as follows. Peter Roebuck and Mike Kilduff, in liaison with John Bergin and Keith Dransfield, would organise a final Re-union - a Grand Wake - for September 2011: there will be an absolute cut-off date for bookings of 31st August 2011. During the coming year arrangements would also be made, firstly, to get the Archive to the point where it could be lodged permanently in a suitable location; and secondly to 'freeze' the website - both as a permanent record of our activities since 1996.
Groups of members would perhaps continue to meet from time to time at Shrigley, Savio House or elsewhere: but in our view we have come to the end of the road as a formal Association; and we should disband in good order rather than get into further difficulties and simply fizzle out. We intend to place this proposal before the forthcoming AGM.
Peter Roebuck
on behalf of remaining members of the Association Committee
Reunion Bookings
I have been called upon to pay our bill at the Shrigley Hall Hotel for meal and coffee/biscuits bookings by 1st September.
I will accept no further bookings after 31st August.
Savio House has asked me to confirm names and numbers of those staying there on either the Friday or Saturday night of the reunion.
Again I would ask anyone intending to book to do so with me by 31at August.
Mike Kilduff
Secretary and Event Organiser
Full details of the programme, theme 'Life After Shrigley', and booking forms, can be found by clicking on 'Future events'.
Latest Newsletter with info on 2010 Reunion is available HERE
COMMITTEE MEETING : EASTERHOUSE GLASGOW 07.02.2010 Reports are HERE