I'll include some of the AGM paperwork from the AGM held at Artsite in Theatre Square:
Friends of Swindon
Museum and Art Gallery
29th Annual Report
There is more certainty this year about the future of
Swindon Museum and Art Gallery; it is good news that there are plans to open it
on the first floor of the Civic Offices in Spring 2023, when it will have been
closed for 3 years. We very much support the reopening of the facility and look
forward to normal service being resumed at the museum and gallery, in its new
location, with opening nights, in person talks and a buzz about the place. We
are well aware that Covid is far from over, but as we learn to live with it,
and get fully vaccinated, there is a feeling that life is getting back to
normal, and we are able to meet each other, and do things we took for granted before,
once again.
We have provided 10 talks and 5 trips since the last AGM,
and tried to keep the spirit of the Friends going, under difficult
circumstances; we have learnt that although Zoom talks are not as good as the
‘real thing’, they do enable us to invite speakers from anywhere in the world
with an internet connection to speak to us. We will continue with those talks
sometimes, but look forward to having a room in the Civic Offices where we can
meet and hold talks.
I have kept the blog up to date with photos and text about
talks, trips and activities, so if you’d like to review the year, there have
been around 26 posts this year, just put www.friendsofsmag.blogspot.com
into your browser. It’s amazing to see that posts go back to 2011 when Ray Ward
posted the first entry on 10 June, a write up of a Visit to the Bate Museum and
included mention of Paul Ricketts playing a harpsicord, apparently owned by
Handel.
The Friends were launched in 1993 on July 6th
with a talk by the Friends’ Patron Desmond Morris, attended by the Mayor Doreen
Dart and 160 guests. The first A5 newsletter was published in the autumn and
posted to the Friends’ membership. Nowadays we have an informative monthly online
newsletter produced by our deputy Chair, Dr Barbara Swann, back copies of this
can be found on our website: www.friendsofsmag.org
.
We are going to celebrate our Pearl Anniversary, 30 years of
the Friends, with an extra special series of talks, including some of our past
favourite speakers. I am hoping that we might be able to have a special
celebration on the 6th of July, plans are afoot!
Although slightly out of our remit as Friends, I would like
to give you an update on Apsley House. It was in public ownership and has been
used by the community for almost a century, and is currently empty and up for
sale. The Friends were successful in their application to make it an asset of
community value, and now South Swindon Parish Council have expressed an
interest in putting in a bid to buy the building, triggering a six month
moratorium on the sale while they make a business case for buying it.
Meanwhile, the Friends’ committee gives invaluable service
for which I am very grateful. As ever there are changes among the committee
members, Susanne Webb has left us this year and we have gained Martin Styles as
a committee member.
Finally, and most importantly I’d like to thank the Friends
for their continued loyal and invaluable support, I’m hoping that we go from
strength to strength in our Pearl Anniversary year with Swindon Museum and Art
Gallery open again in the Civic Offices.
Linda Kasmaty
Chair, Friends of Swindon Museum and Art Gallery
19th October 2022
Annual General Meeting
AGM held on Monday 29th November 2021
Via Zoom
1.
Apologies
for absence: Martin Savage, C &
D Bent, Elaine Jones,
Present: 41
members
2.
To
approve minutes of the AGM held on 26th November 2020: Previously circulated to all members. Accepted as a true record. No matters
arising.
Proposed: Jane
Caudwell. Seconded: David Hughes.
3.
To
approve the annual report: Proposed:
Sue Gray. Seconded: Jeanie Dickie.
4.
To approve the annual accounts.
As at year end April 2021.
Proposed: Angela Atkinson. Seconded:
David Hughes.
5.
To appoint/reappoint auditors and a
member to be an observer.
Audited: Scrutinised by Mark Powney. Observers: Linda Kasmaty and Tim Carroll.
6.
To elect the Officers and Ordinary Members
of the Committee.
Vice chair: Barbara Swann. Elected
for 2 yr term from November 2021..
Secretary: Rosemary Savage. Elected for 2 yr term from November 2021.
Ordinary com members: Angela Atkinson, David Hughes, Martin Newman,
Susanne Webb, all elected for 1 yr term.
Mike Bradley, Rachel Voyce and
Katie Ackrill, resigned from the committee, the Chair and committee members
express thanks for their contributions.
Invitations to Friends to join
the committee and Paula Jones has agreed.
Put to vote, passed. None against.
7.
To receive reports on the year from
Committee members. A Powerpoint presentation by Linda Kasmaty noting that
2023 will be the 30th anniversary of the Friends association.
There were 13 Talks by Zoom over
the last year and 2 Trips. Details of the Speakers are in the Newsletter. Trips were by own transport to Russell-Cotes
museum in Bournemouth where 9 painting from Swindon Art Gallery were on
display, and to Wiltshire museum in Devizes for the Ravilious exhibition.
A campaign ‘Save our Museum and
Art Gallery’ has been started as a separate group to encourage SBC to find a
home for the whole collection until the cultural quarter becomes reality.
The Treasurer and the Membership
Secretary gave details of the year’s figures.
Membership is at 252 with several new Friends this year and a few not
renewing.
8.
To receive a report on the current
closure of Apsley House. The
building is now closed, presumed to be nearly empty of the collections. An offer from South Swindon Parish Council
has been made to SBC, to be on the agenda at Cabinet Meeting 1st Dec
2021.
There followed questions:
Apsley House offer by SSPC
decision? No response yet. Juliet Wood
Civic Offices offered by SBC as
potential display home; are the upper floor currently used as meeting rooms
large enough? Awaiting Cabinet decision. Adrian Moore.
Apsley House has no lift, but the
Civic Offices also has poor access.
Irene Cooke.
Comments from M Newman: the
listed buildings of AH and CO need only best possible access. Grants were not applied for during the last 2
years.
Acknowledgement that AH is now
unsuitable and that SBC should be pressed to move the collections to Civic Offices. Maria Drysz, Sarah Finch-Crisp, Michael Gray.
Why should the Art Gallery be
displayed separately from the Museum collection as seen in the cultural centre
plans? Juliet Wood. No reason known.
9.
To receive a report on the proposed
Cultural Quarter at Kimmerfields.
Plans seen March 2021, no funds available
but the Friends positively support this vision for the Town Centre.
10. To
consider any matter or proposal of which due notice has been given, in writing,
to the Secretary or Chair. None put
forward.
11. Discussion/AOB. No AOB. Discussions during the presentations.
The meeting closed at 21.00 hrs.
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