Minutes of Monday 17th February 2020 Club Meeting

Chair welcomed everyone to the February meeting. Though it was a little late all members were wished a very Happy New Year and that Santa brought everything they had wished for. A welcome was also given to Stuart, Janine’s husband, Sheila Clark, Sheila Boyes and Helen Reynolds.

Chair said she had a few notices for tonight.

Members who had bought a NAFAS Diary were asked for comments on the quality. One or two adverse comments were received and these would be fed back to Area.

Members were asked if they had picked up a notice from Lisette listing a programme of events for the Sales Table so all knew in advance what was planned for the forth coming months. Members were asked if they could make donations to the relevant month for example plants, seedlings, cakes, tombola prizes etc. Chair said more leaflets would be available to the March Meeting for those still wanting one.

On the list there were a couple of trips pencilled in:
Harrogate Spring Show on Sunday 26th April. Lisette had produced a list for anyone interested to add their name. We are hoping to keep as last year. Names and payment would be need by the March meeting so the coach and tickets at the slightly reduced price could be booked.
Breezy Knees. We were asked to book a further trip to Breezy Knees and we are planning this for 15th May which is a Friday.
17th June is our usual trip to Lisette’s for our summer garden party. Thankyou very much Lisette we really do appreciate it.

Chair stated that on the notice board there are several letters. One from the National Chair of NAFAS Dr Christina Curtis, the Minutes of the last Area Council Meeting held on the 25th January and also two from Steven Lane the Chief Executive Officer for NAFAS. Members were asked to have a read of these for themselves.

From the Area minutes and Steven Lanes letter Chair then gave a brief summary of the two 2019 Diamond Anniversary events in London which had made a loss of £137,326 and what had been put in place to prevent a recurrence of this type of loss in the future.

Chair acknowledged that members would have many thoughts but did not intend to have a discussion tonight as it is obvious the Board was fully committed to addressing the issue and that we had been assured that the money will not be regained from NAFAS members.

Moving onto a more lighter note:

The Area Lunch will be held at the Parsonage Hotel near York on the 11th July. The cost is £33 and includes Jocelyn Brookes with her talk entitled ‘My Box Of Treasures.

The 2020 NAFAS weekend is the 7th -9th August at the Marriott Hotel in Leicester and there are posters on our Notice Board.

Chair then said it was time to introduce and welcome our demonstrator for the evening Janine Grey. Janine was last with us in 2018 and her title tonight was ‘Playing with flowers’.

Janine did seven lovely arrangements, some using fully biodegradable floral foam and others using a variety of other mechanics. Many of these arrangements were split so that many could go into the raffle at the end of the evening.

Eulie Henriques gave the Vote of Thanks.

After the Flower Dip members were thanked for attending the evening. They were reminded to use the in gate when leaving due to the works being carried out on the pavements. Members were informed the next meeting would be on the 16th March when Sarah Hopps will be updating us on her plants and answering our questions.

Members were invited for refreshments in the Blue room and were wished a safe journey home.