Northern Branch
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
09-11 March 2012 - Northern Branch Fam Weekend at Carlisle
19-21 October 2012 - Northern Branch AGM at Bradford
FROM YOUR CHAIRMAN
I have just returned from another very successful AGM weekend at York. It was good to see our branch well represented—not all were able to stay at the hotel but joined us for the different events of the weekend. I am not reporting on the weekend here as there will again be an AGM Supplement to the national GTOA News shortly.
We also had a very well attended branch meeting on the Sunday morning when we were joined by new associate and intermediate members. A warm welcome was extended to Malcolm Weaving (5711) of the Rendezvous Hotel, Skipton, to Laura Rhodes and Corris Sharratt representing North East England Tour Guides (8041) and Tess Pike representing Cumbria Tourist Guides (8027). Tess has taken the spotlight in this issue.
As a branch we seem to be going from strength to strength with a keen committee and support from the branch members. We now have two opportunities of increasing membership as I have negotiated free stands at the two Trade Shows which are coming up shortly in the north. On 4 February we will be exhibiting at the Tourism & Events Showcase at Harewood House, Leeds and on 25 February at the Great Days Out Fair at Event City, Trafford Centre, Manchester.
All gtos are invited to these trade fairs where you can gather ideas for future trips and holidays. You will find information further on in this newsletter.
Arrangements have now been finalised for our Northern Branch Familiarisation Visit over the weekend of 9-11 March at Carlisle. If you have not already booked, we still have room for more people. We have not yet reached the goal set by our last AGM meeting at Telford.
Due to some technical problems, we have had to change the venue for our 2012 AGM on 19-21 October. We will now be staying at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford. Full details and booking forms will appear in the next newsletter.
By now, I expect you have all made arrangements for your trips and holidays for the year. I wish you all every success with your organising and hope all your events go smoothly so that you can enjoy them as well.
Don’t forget—this is your newsletter—please let me have reports of good or bad trips so that other members can learn from them.
Best Regards
Regards
Pauline M Hutchinson, Chairman Northern Branch
NORTHERN BRANCH AGM
Telford 14-16 October 2011
The biggest attendance ever (40 people) for a Northern Branch AGM, met at the Park Inn Telford at 3.30 p.m. for what proved to be an exciting and enjoyable weekend.
The event kicked off on Friday afternoon with a chance to meet representatives of some of the local attractions and our Associates for discussions over a cup of tea.
The evening commenced with a Welcome Reception of drinks provided by Rezidor followed by a superb dinner in the hotel. Then commenced the fun: we were all taken back to our childhood by playing miniature games of ‘All the Fun of the Fair’ together with making Candy Floss and Popcorn - a couple of hours of simple fun.
With an early start on Saturday, we travelled by coach (sponsored by Bowens) to RAF Cosford where, after a short introductory talk, we were allowed to wander through the magnificent exhibits. Coffee and pastries completed our visit before moving on to Blists Hill Victorian Town at Ironbridge to meet the Victorians in their shops, cottages and workplaces before queuing for our fish and chip lunch. Cooked in beef dripping and served in a cone of paper like the old days (I bet they would have used newspaper if the health regulations had allowed) and eaten while sat on the benches in the park or other perches.
At 2 p.m. we departed for Bridgenorth and the Severn Valley Railway. Here we boarded the third carriage of the eight carriages pulled by a proper steam engine and travelled to Highley. We alighted here and waited for the train to pull out so that we could cross the line to the Engine House which houses the Visitor Centre with SVRs reserve collection of steam locomotives. Then cream scones and naughty but nice cream cakes were served with tea and coffee before our departure. We boarded the train again and travelled on to Kidderminster – standing room only as our reserved compartment had been commandeered by other passengers! All the better to see the passing scenery!
The evening drinks reception before dinner was sponsored by Greatdays Holidays. During the courses of dinner we drew the raffle which had raised £114 for the local children’s hospice Holt House.
The entertainment was completed with an artiste singing all the right songs for the age group and thoroughly enjoyable.
On Sunday morning, Laurie Kennard gave a short presentation for Norman Group Travel before our main business of the weekend – The Annual General Meeting of the Northern Branch.
Pauline M Hutchinson
Chairman, Northern Branch
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The business of the AGM was dealt with very quickly with favourable reports submitted by the Chairman, Treasurer (comfortably in the black) and Secretary. Avril Redfern was officially recorded as our new Treasurer and Martin Hay confirmed in the last AGM minutes as a member of the committee. Eileen Stevenson (1624) also joined the committee.
The AGM was closed and officially re-opened as a General Forum and Robin Millerchip, our secretary, reports on this below:
Report of Branch Open Meeting
Sunday 16th October 2011 GTOA Northern Branch
Park Inn, Telford
As we were fortunate to have Phil Moon the National Chairman with us, he was able to give some background to the two proposed new membership categories:
1) Commercial Membership intended for people who make a small profit out of being a GTO, and
2) Social Membership, intended for retired members who still wish to attend meetings.
The Commercial category will be discussed at the National AGM in January at York and the Social Membership has already been agreed by the National Committee. There was discussion on both items although my view of those in attendance as a whole was an air of slight puzzlement over the need for both extra categories.
In both cases views of branch members are encouraged so that if required we can make a Branch view on either with more clarity.
Members were encouraged to support next years Spring Fam visit to Carlisle as well as to encourage members from other branches to attend where possible. Carlisle is often a stopover place but sadly overlooked as an attraction in its own right and we hope to remedy this.
Pauline and Ray encouraged members to fill in the response survey form that was in the information packs given to all attending (those who lost them within a few minutes can be provided with further copies!). We all want to build on the success of this weekend and return of said forms will be a big help.
Members were advised that the despatch of the new 2011/2012 membership badges had been delayed, but to use that favourite phrase, they’re in the post.
Rightly, there were many expressions of how enjoyable and positive the weekend had been with the highest ever attendance for such an event and heartfelt thanks were made to Bob Walker, Ray Howarth and Annette Gallagher for all their hard work in making the weekend “Perfick!”
Robin Millerchip
Branch Secretary
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