Held in the Trust Room, <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> <strong>College</strong> at 4.45pm on Saturday 27 September 2008 The chair was taken by the President, Dinesh Dhamija, having been taken in his unavoidable absence for the initial items by Ge<strong>of</strong>f Harrison as the senior Vice- President at the meeting. Others present were Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Robert Lethbridge, Master, John Adams, Peter Bates, the Rev Anthony Brown, Jonathan Bryant, Dr John Cleaver, Dr Gerald Coles, John Creasey, Alan Edward, John Gamlin, Ge<strong>of</strong>f Harrison, Dr Tim Johnson, Jack Lassman, Garth Lancaster, Ron Lorimer, James MacQuhae, Ken Olisa, Nicky Padfield, John Pearman, Noel Pilling, Christopher Pratt, Jeremy Prescott, Iain Reid, Peter Sanderson, John Sertin and Brian Wicks. Apologies were received from Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Alan Cuthbert, Sarah Asplin, Dr Ray Kelly and Chris Rann. Secretary’s Report Jeremy Prescott reported as follows. In February, the <strong>College</strong> President (Dr Michael Potter) hosted the Society’s London Drinks Party, this year at the Pitcher & Piano near Trafalgar Square. Again it was a wellattended evening. At the London Dinner in May, we enjoyed the usual wonderful evening, with good food and wine (the red wine again a gift from Graham Nutter’s vineyard, Chateau St Jacques d’Albas) and fine speeches. Attendance was slightly down on recent years, which we attribute to holding the dinner on a Friday evening - it will be held on a Thursday next year. We congratulate and thank John Cleaver for another magnificent issue <strong>of</strong> the Journal. 7,400 copies were distributed to members (2007, 7,100). As usual your committee has met twice in the year, in May and yesterday. The meetings resolve any points regarding the year’s programme and other Society matters. This Reunion is again a superb and well attended event – with a record guest list <strong>of</strong> 424 (2007, 386) including 196 (2007, 170) from invited years, and with a total attendance including student performers and sports players participating in Reunion events <strong>of</strong> over 500. Our congratulations and thanks go to the Master and Fellows, to the Development Office team who make the arrangements, and to all <strong>College</strong> staff. We enjoy magnificent hospitality in surroundings for which the gardeners in particular are to be commended. We thank our President for a splendid year in <strong>of</strong>fice. The next few years will be dominated by the <strong>College</strong>’s 150th Anniversary Appeal. The Committee has heartily ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING endorsed the Appeal on behalf <strong>of</strong> members. As marks <strong>of</strong> its support for the Appeal, the <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Society Trust (which was the charitable arm <strong>of</strong> the Society) has recently transferred all its assets – some £200,000 – to the <strong>College</strong>, and the Committee proposed that the Society itself donate £10,000 to the Appeal. Treasurer’s Report Jeremy Prescott reported that the Society had achieved a surplus <strong>of</strong> some £1,800 for the Society’s financial year to 31 July 2008, compared to £1,900 in the previous year. Subscription monies received from current members <strong>of</strong> the <strong>College</strong> were up by some £500, nearly matching the increased cost <strong>of</strong> printing and distributing the <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Journal to members, for which the cost per copy was broadly unchanged. The Journal is funded on a ‘pay as you go’ basis, with subscriptions from current members <strong>of</strong> the <strong>College</strong> funding the costs for current and past members, and the overall surplus will therefore fall over the next few years unless the level <strong>of</strong> life subscription fees (currently £63) is increased. The London dinner achieved a surplus <strong>of</strong> some £200. We budget to break even on this event, and the surplus reflected the generous donation again <strong>of</strong> wine by Graham Nutter. The assets <strong>of</strong> the Society at 31 July 2008 were £31,167. These are lent interest-free to the <strong>College</strong> to the benefit <strong>of</strong> the <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Society Trust fund at the <strong>College</strong>, income from which supports a range <strong>of</strong> student and research activities. He concluded by thanking the Hon Auditors for their work. Report from <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Society Trust Limited John Adams reported that the assets <strong>of</strong> the Company, totalling £203,133, have now been transferred to the <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Society Trust fund at the <strong>College</strong> in support <strong>of</strong> the <strong>College</strong>’s 150th Anniversary Appeal. Income from that fund will be used to make similar grants in future. The Company is now being wound up. In the year to 5 April 2008, grants totalling £9,922 had been made by the Trust (2007, £8,533), the major items being Research Awards totalling £4,652, Milner Watson music and drama awards totalling £2,500, a grant to the <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Chamber Opera <strong>of</strong> £1,200, and a grant to the <strong>College</strong> Library <strong>of</strong> £750. Election <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>ficers and committee members The following proposals were agreed unanimously: • Graham Nutter be President for the year <strong>2009</strong>–10 • The <strong>of</strong>ficers be re-elected • The three retiring committee members, Sarah Asplin, Nicky Padfield and Chris Rann be re-elected. 79
<strong>march</strong> <strong>2009</strong> 80 Election <strong>of</strong> auditors John Jenner was re-elected and Jeremy Maynes was elected in place <strong>of</strong> Dr Michael Potter, who stepped down on his election as President <strong>of</strong> the Society. Mr Jenner and Dr Potter were thanked for their services. Donation by the Society <strong>of</strong> £10,000 to the <strong>College</strong>’s 150th Anniversary Appeal The Committee’s proposal was confirmed by the meeting. London drinks and London dinner dates The next London drinks will be held on 17th February <strong>2009</strong> and the London Dinner will be on Thursday 30th April. There being no other business, the meeting was declared closed. Minutes prepared by Jeremy Prescott, Hon Secretary, and signed by D Dhamija (President) on 25th November 2008. The <strong>Fitzwilliam</strong> Society donates £10,000 to the Appeal JRAC
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