October 28th 2020 marked a first for the ELMC in that it’s Annual General Meeting was held digitally on Zoom. Whilst needing to keep the meeting quorate, restrictions had to be placed on the numbers invited to attend. Twenty eight brethren came ‘on line’ to include members of the board, together with representatives from the various ELMC committees. The RWBro Sir David Trippier and VWBro John Farrington attended in their capacities as President and Deputy President respectively. WBro Chad Northcott, Chairman of the ELMC and WBro Philip Price, Secretary of the ELMC were also present in their essential roles.
After giving an introduction and welcome the President, Sir David Trippier, invited the Secretary, WBro Philip Price, to take a register and to explain the voting procedure for the Appointed Representatives. Those not present had been invited to vote by Proxy.
The main business of the meeting was then conducted by the Chairman, WBro Chad Northcott. The Notice for the meeting and the Agenda and other documents had been previously circulated, the Notice being taken as read. The Secretary read out apologies for absence.
The Minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 26th September 2019 had been previously circulated and after being proposed and seconded the Minutes were approved without amendment.
The presentation of Accounts by WBro David Cowen, ELMC Treasurer, and the Auditors report by Andrew Warren, representing the Auditors, followed and a Resolution to adopt was voted on and accepted. The Chairman thanked both the Treasurer and the Auditors for their contributions.
The next business was to elect Directors who consisted of:
Sir David Trippier – President
John Farrington. – Deputy President
Chad A Northcott. – Chairman and Chairman of The Grant Making Committee
Philip Price. – Honorary Secretary
David Cowen – Honorary Treasurer
David Lightbown. – Chairman, Committee of Benevolence & Chairman, Hewlett
Court Committee
Stephen Thomson – Chairman, Fund Raising Committee
Robert SC Mitchell – Chairman, Museum Committee
Mrs Julie Ward – Director of Operations
Derek Thornhill
William R Waite
David Hudson – Provincial Grand Almoner
Steve Clark. – Provincial Grand Charity Steward
All were unanimously re-elected and the Chairman thanked them all for their past service and agreeing to continue to serve the Charity.
The auditors, Percy Westhead & Co, were re-elected for another year and thanked by the Chairman for their previous services.
Appointments were made to the ELMC Committees:
The Committee of Benevolence
The Grant Making Committee
The Fund Raising Committee
The Hewlett Court Advisory Committee
The Comforts Fund Sub-Committee
The Young People’s Sub-Committee
The Investment Committee
The Chairman thanked all those who had agreed to serve on the committees for the coming year. He also thanked the retiring members of the committees for their valuable work without which the Charity could not continue.
The Chairman handed back to the President who, on behalf of the Directors, thanked all who worked on Committees, helped with fund raising activities, social functions and events.
In closing the meeting the President thanked all for attending and concluded the business of the Annual General Meeting.
The Minutes of the Meeting will be published in due course.
Article by Gerry Russell
ELMC Communications Officer