Annual General Meeting

Thursday 14 September 2017

This meeting provides our members the opportunity to have their say in how the group should be run and developed over the coming year. All committee roles will be up for election at this meeting.

The buisiness of the AGM will be followed with a planned Open Mic session, including pieces from the 80th Anniversary Anthology.

Entry to the AGM is free to all members

 

Review of Meeting

The meeting was split between the Annual General Meeting and open mic after coffee.

AGM: Summary of Minutes 2017:

The full AGM Minutes will be published at the 2018 AGM, as per the constitution.

  • WSW has £4,251.50 funds in hand.
  • WSW had eighty-three members by the end of 2016/2017.
  • Thanks to Phil Williams for his work on the 80th Anniversary Anthology.
  • WSW publicity is on Facebook and on line/hard copy in local publications.
  • Richard Buxton was Competitions Secretary for the latter part of 2016/2017.  
  • Thanks to Dave Simpson for organising the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 programmes.  Dave has resigned, so there is a vacancy for a Programme Manager. Please let a committee member know if you would be interested in this role.
  • The committee were re-elected. Cherrie Taylor offered help on an ad hoc basis.  
  • To volunteer to help and/or be on the committee, please let the committee know.
  • WSW had an enjoyable and constructive year in 2016/2017.  Members agreed that the church hall is a much better venue than Heene Gallery. The heating will be switched off/down whilst speakers are ‘up front’, as it is noisy.
  • Colin Hawes was elected as the auditor, for 2017/2018.  
  • Alison Hawes was awarded honorary membership for her work over the years.

Constitutional changes

  • All members will receive the newsletter by email.
  • Saver members will no longer get a free entry voucher for WSW members' competitions. The plan is to make members' competitions generally free to enter, so this would no longer be a benefit for this grade.


Discussion and Future Plans

Richard Buxton is planning three competitions for 2017/2018:

  1. Flash Fiction: set and judged by Tracy Fells, linked to the October Flash Fiction evening.  There will be a mini competition in the workshop and prizes!
  2. Poetry: linked to Lorraine Mariner Poetry Workshop on 14th December 2017.
  3. Short Story: linked to the Steyning Festival in summer 2018. - WSW will collaborate with Steyning Bookshop on a short story competition. Entries open October 2017/close in March 2018. Details of the competition to be circulated to Sussex writing groups.  Tell Richard and/or committee member of groups and to volunteer to help with judging the early rounds.    


Programme 2017/2018

The programme for 2017/2018 is in the newsletter and on WSW web site.  Ideas for future events/activities included:

  • A special event every couple of years.
  • Writer forums between meetings.
  • Showcase evening, more than open mic, and could be on a Saturday.  
  • Get involved in Shoreham Wordfest in 2018.
  • Smaller groups to focus on writing exercises/workshops/sharing work.
  • Day For Writing – a retreat for writing, like the Beach Hut Poets.


Open Mic

1.    Liz Eastwood performed a poem/story about a homeless war veteran and his traumatic life, who finds love with a passing stranger.  Derek played guitar and voiced the words of the veteran.

2.    Terence Brand read one of his great Singapore stories.

3.    Sally Fadelle read four poems. She started with Glass of Milk, about trying to get milk in Glastonbury where all sorts of weird and wonderful things happen. It was funny. The protagonist gets a spliff & drink, pays £10 to buy milk from a homeless man then sees a Tesco close by. Her untitled poem was about change of seasons. The next piece was about the impact of the ‘dreaded bedroom tax’, The Saga of Roger & Ray. She finished with The Day Before You Came, which she ‘wrote yesterday’.

4.    Paul Coleman read a well-crafted poem, Reclaimed and a touching haiku.

5.    Cherrie Taylor read her superb poem It Couldn’t Happen Here from the anthology.

6.    Lyn Jennings warned us that her poem, Alliterative Ailment, would be extremely sad (it was funny).  The first line started with ‘I am the luscious lady Lynne from Levant’.