TALBOT HEATH OLD GIRLS’ ASSOCIATION
Agenda for the THOGA Annual General Meeting, Talbot Heath School Saturday 9th September 2017 To be held at 12.15 pm in the Mary Norton Hall
1.
Apologies for Absence
2.
Minutes of previous meeting
3.
Matters Arising
4.
Officers’ Business
5.
Notices of death since July 2016
6.
Any Other Business
7.
Date of next meeting
Secretary: Mrs C R Wood, Peel House, High Street, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wilts SP3 6PS cwood@talbotheath.org 01747 870930
TALBOT HEATH OLD GIRLS ASSOCIATION
Minutes of THOGA Annual General Meeting held at Talbot Heath, in the Main Hall, at 2.15 pm on 2nd July 2016 Present: Mrs Angharad Holloway (Head); Mrs Celia Wood (Secretary); Miss Austin- Smith (former Head); Miss Christine Dipple (former Head); Ruth Peacock (Minutes). Elizabeth Arbuckle (née Gausland), Tara Barron, Sheran Bailey, Angela Bowden (née Scott), Jo Churchill, Rosemary Courtney, Margaret Bossom (née Yarrington), Hazel Cook, Fleur Croker (née White), Vivien Custard, Nicola Godfrey (née Malby), Morag Griffiths (née Nicholson), Susan Halliwell (née Nicholson), Val Hartridge (née Taylor), Kathryn Hearfield (née Rees), Judith Loader, Elizabeth Anne Maynard (née Ashworth), Jill MacLeod (née Richards), Margaret Neville, Alison Noice (née Brightman), Beverley Norford (née Hirst), Anne Pitcher (née Kempe), Janet Webber (née Nicholson), Madeleine Wentworth (née Jones), Penny Wills, The Head, Mrs Angharad Holloway, opened the meeting by welcoming everyone, especially Mrs Barbara Rowe, who left the school in 1936. She explained that the AGM was taking place on the same day as the first ‘Modernism on Sea’ festival at TH, celebrating the architectural and cultural heritage of the building, from the 1930s – a Modernist gem. All present were welcome to visit the various festival activities and all had open access to look round the school and grounds. 1. Apologies: Mrs Averil Dalby (née Nowell), Mrs Janet Stone (née Fiander) (Treasurer), Miss Louise Garcia, Mrs Sarah Lane (née Ford), Mrs June Fraser (née Cull) 2. Minutes of last meeting 12th September 2015 – were unanimously agreed and signed by the Chair, Mrs Holloway, as a true record. 3. Matters arising – there were no matters arising. 4. Officers’ Business: Mrs. Holloway said this had been an exciting year for the school, as it celebrated its 130th birthday, with the focal point of fund raising for its partner school in Rwanda through the 130 sponsorship challenge, raising £6,000 in total. 120 people ran in the Bournemouth half marathon, raising £2,000 to enable the school to buy a water storage tank; pupils had engaged in a variety of fund raising efforts around multiples of 130, including baking cakes, swimming and sailing. One 7 year old pupil did 130 hula hoops whilst reciting from a joke book; Mrs Holloway herself made 130 sandcastles; two members of staff cycled 130 kilometres in a morning, with the start and finish in the hall. In total, the school raised £20,000 for charity in one year and she was sure the school founder, Mary Broad, would have approved of the continuing school ethos of serving others. The ‘Modernism on Sea’ festival taking place over the weekend at TH, was the culmination of a year of events. Academically it had been another great year with the school finishing top of all schools in the area for exam results. Sport activities were flourishing and 3 girls were competing at Junior Wimbledon this year. One of these girls had been able to stay at the school due to the generosity of an old girl through a bequest. Mrs Holloway expressed appreciation for gifts and legacies from old girls which
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helped girls whose circumstances change. Work is continuing on establishing, in a dedicated space, a well catalogued archive of photos and documents. Help from old girls would be greatly appreciated, especially in identifying names and cataloguing photographs. The Treasurer of the Old Girls Association, Janet Stone, has resigned and the school’s Director of Finance, Mr Ives, will oversee the accounts, ensuring they are held as a separate entity. The Secretary, Mrs Celia Wood, thanked all old girls for keeping in touch throughout the year. Letters are constantly arriving with news, gifts and appreciation of newsletters and the Chronicle. More than 50 people were attending the AGM lunch and tea including younger old girls in their 40s. She wished to encourage all old girls to take part in the Association, in order to ensure its continuation. Finally, she added that the name of an old girl spelt incorrectly on a board in the hall would be corrected this summer. Mrs. Holloway thanked Celia Wood for doing a fantastic job and always going the extra mile, trying to ensure the organization was vibrant. A thousand former pupils have been in touch with the school in the last year. The school greatly appreciated help from old girls especially with careers advice, giving an example of a girl hoping to join the RAF who received offers of advice within minutes of an appeal being sent. 5. Notices of death since publication of Chronicle 2015: Mrs Holloway read the following list of old girls who had died in the last year: Josephine Clark – who left in 1956 Liv Ponzeer (née Allen) Barbara Thrift – who left in 1957 Patricia Atfield – a member of staff Sonja Reed (née Pickering) – who left in 1949 Evelyn Bentley (née Kohn) – who left in 1950 Christine Howlett (née Kirby) – who left in 1963 Nina Alcock (née Reiss) – who left in 1942 Joan Hawkins (née Legg) – who left in 1941 Mary Waller (née McDonald) who left in 1954 Diana Belcker (née Goss) who left in 1961 The list would be displayed in the room during the meeting. 6. Any Other Business: Celia Wood asked everyone to fill in their name in the visitors’ book at the back of the room. Sheran Bailey thanked Mrs Holloway for offering lunch as well as tea at the AGM. 7. Date of next meeting: Mrs Holloway said the next meeting would be 9th September 2017, to coincide with the school hosting part of the Dorset architectural heritage weekend, with photos images and materials from World War II. The meeting ended at 2.45pm.
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