AGM, 11th January 2020

By Andrew -
Another year, another Abingdon Green Gym AGM.  Usually this is our first gathering of the new year, however we had an outdoor session last week, just to throw in a curveball.

A respectable number of us, around fifteen in total assembled at the Methodist Hall along Appleford Drive, which was again the venue for our meeting. Following pre-10am teas and coffees to provide us with our collective caffeine shot, we kicked off proceedings by introducing an Oxford University student, Cassandra who is interested in working with us over the summer months. She gave a brief outline of her master's degree programme at the School of Geography and the Environment and her plans to join us do some research for her thesis. This would involve participant observation, interviews, and focus groups, to learn more about how biological conservation and human health and well-being can be integrated in green spaces.

 Following on from Cassandra, Kevin ran through some apologies from absent members and the minutes of last year's AGM. After hitting us with the shock news that he and Carolyn would be standing down as chairman and secretary respectively after 2020 (and will therefore leave two considerable pairs of boots to fill), we rattled through the subsequent agenda within a couple of hours.

 Selected highlights included the usual thorough financial report from Sally, a roundup of last year's sessions and locations from programme co-ordinator James, a summary of membership matters from Lesley and Eleanor making plans for planting sixteen saplings that she has already acquired, along the Ock Valley Walk.

 Once the formalities were out of the way, it was time to make our way along the road to Kevin and Carolyn's house for the main event. The buffet lunch! A Green Gym AGM without a subsequent feast would be unthinkable, and thus the usual vast spread was laid out before us, with contributions from all us attendees. A toast was made for the year ahead before we tucked in.

 We rolled home in the early afternoon, bellies full and ready for a busy programme of work sessions in the coming months in order to burn off all those extra calories!
-Andrew


A summary of last year's sessions.

A toast is raised.

A selection of desserts plus cheeseboard.



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