AGM REPORT 25.4.2001.The following reports were given: Co-ordinator & membershipMembership has remained mostly stable but with fewer members joining in the past 4 months. Kents turnover is still increasing year by year with over K20,000 being traded in 2000. This is a sign of a healthy scheme. The Steering group have kept scheme ticking along, many thanks to all of them - valuable additional help and input from Steve Howells and Bridie Diamond. Also well done to Steve who took the initiative and gained funding from SLDC to put on an Arts&Crafts Exhibition - more later. The photocopier has massively reduced admin costs which is reflected in a 50% cut in annual membership Kents fee. However, bit of a Cash crisis - see 'Cash' item below. Last AGM for Rick as co-ordinator, a very enjoyable and rewarding 5 years but now feel someone else needs to inject some fresh energy. Directory & newsletters.Schedule and layout to remain same for coming year. Website.It is being used by members and non-members. Designed for members to use for fast, convenient reference and to offer info to non-members acts much like a central notice board in town - likewise it will only be accessible to some and not others and the info offered is only that which is available to all the members in paper form. A reminder that no confidentiality is compromised. Stewards.Nothing to report Election of Steering Group.Co-ordinator: VACANT but Rick will continue till someone takes over. Membership: Beren Aldridge & Andrea Margolit agreed to take over membership role. Cash accounts - Jenny Glover elected unopposed. Kents accounts - Pauline Brocklehurst elected unopposed. Directory & newsletters - Martin Wise elected unopposed. Socials - Bridie D and Steve H offered to help out with tasks for socials. Publicity - Chris Green (258) offered to help out with information. Cash.We have always tried to keep cash a low key affair as this is not what LETS is about but we have to have some to pay for postage, paper and hall hire. However, we have very little cash funds, which causes problems with cash flow from time to time - suggestions for reducing cash expenditure were agreed;
New Constitution.Proposed by John Cameron, seconded by Andrea Margolit, accepted by the meeting. This was the same version which was sent out with the last newsletter. Open ForumDirectory & newsletters - Some members felt the directory had a lot of obsolete membership numbers against services. Martin agreed to be more vigilant in future but also made a plea for members to notify him with changes to their entries. The 3 yearly clear out was mostly seen as a good thing to help keep things uptodate. Special Interest Groups / Socials - suggestion that members with similar offers may get together and form a stronger group - benefits - if members need someone to do something then this group will know who is currently offering this. More socials, more chance to meet like-minded people. Find it hard to earn Kents? - if there is a special reason that you or a member you know cannot earn enough Kents to balance your Kent payments a request can be made to the steering group to make a credit from the 'Benefit Account'. Or if you know of a member that is in need why not donate straight into their account / do a trade for free. See next item. Kents Aid!This newsletter contains a blank cheque to use for you to donate Kents to a member who needs extra help from the community or into the Benefit Account where it will go to help a member that applies. Arts & Craft Exhibition - photos of LETS services or trades are needed - contact Steve(112). Andrea M. offered help with press releases. Publicity - the aim is to make sure info is available at the places people would expect to find it (eg library, CAB) as well as a few other places like cafes. Chris Green (258) will soon be getting onto this but if you know of a place that wants info please contact her. Vacant role of co-ordinator - Rick will continue to carry out this job until someone volunteers to take over. 3 members have offered support if needed. DID YOU KNOW YOU CAN PAY YOUR ANNUAL SUB IN CASH RATHER THAN KENTS? Contact Pauline. Cheers, Rick |
NEW MEMBERS.
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261 MEMBERS UPDATES.
205 O: English, Shakespeare study. 248 Urgent Want: Accommodation mid June - End August. £ or K. 238 O: Aromatherapy & massage when most convenient; Companion for outings etc.; Feeding people's cats & dogs when away. No accommodation available. 259 Roger McD has sent in a very long list of the wide range of services heÕs offering. For the full list see the next Directory. However, he's offering most items under Buildings, Gardens & Hort., Help, several items under Business, Health, Domestic, Education, Transport, and Tuition. Basically, if you want something done, there's a good chance Roger can help! 162 CD copying, photocopying; Personal: communication & motivation; Marketing, direct mail etc; Microsoft Office, Word Excel tuition |
Special Interest Groups.Some services and items are permanently offered and fall into specific categories eg. Health, Computing etc. Could we organise a system whereby groups of people offering similar services would be personally known to each other? Therefore when a member needs a service from you which you are unable to fulfil, you might know where those needs could be met. It would link you up with others and into Lets generally. There are 16 categories in the Directory, each of which could have a "co-ordinator". Could you be one of them? Time could be paid in Kents. If you would like to pursue this idea further please contact 026. |
Email List Grows.As described in the last directory, those with computers and internet access now have two new eLETS opportunities. The first is simply a list of members' email addresses. Many members have email facilities and it was requested to include the details in the address list, however, it makes more sense to do it digitally. The second opportunity is to have newsletters and directories emailed direct to your computer, rather than have a paper version delivered. You may find it more convenient in this form. For both options, which are separate - joining the address list will not subscribe you to the directories by email list - and confidential - addresses are not shared beyond the scheme - please contact John ( Update - Now Geoffrey , 262 ) or sign up at the web site. |
LETS QUIZ CHALLENGE.No one entered the quiz so no prizes were awarded. The answers were:!
Total: 598 |
Lets Myth No. 62"They don't put Wants in the Directory anymore." This seems to be a particularly common myth, but it's not true. The change made when we re-did the Directory was that Wants only stay in for one issue of a Directory or Newsletter. This means it stays current. If you wish to put a Want in for longer, you have to send it in again, or make it a Permanent Want. It will then stay in until you delete it. The reason few wants appear is that very few people send them in! Perhaps folk simply phone people up when they want something. |
Keen To Trade!
O: Secretarial/ Office/ computing work inc. text & word processing, spreadsheets; Access to internet, email & tuition
Firewood sawing & splitting |