SA Edinburgh AGM 2020

SA Edinburgh AGM 2020

As an unincorporated association, we are legally required to hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) every year. The 2020 AGM was held online after our November assembly on Sunday 1 November. Here are the minutes (with thanks to Jenny Clarke, our secretary).

Sunday Assembly Edinburgh

AGM, 1 November 2020

Oct 2019 – Sept 2020

Present: Mark McKergow, Victoria Barker, Jenny Clarke, Felicity Edmond, Marie Hernandez, Sue Welsh, Claire Young (Committee Members)

Rayya Ghul, Sarah Haywood, Marie Hernandez, Rachel Miller, Scott Miller, Marilyn Robinson, Joan Robertson, Duncan Silander and George & Steve (sorry – don’t know your surnames).

Re-election of the Committee

Mark McKergow (Chair), Jenny Clarke (Secretary/Treasurer), Victoria Barker, Felicity Edmond, Marie Hernandez, Sue Welsh, Claire Young all agreed to remain on the Committee.

Chair’s Report (Mark McKergow)

  • A report on the year’s activities (attached) was tabled.  We ran online assemblies every week from late March – July as a response to the pandemic, since when we have run on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of the month. 
  • The Book Group continues to meet.
  • The Community Notice Board is working well in our aims to Live Better, Help Often and Wonder More.
  • We participated in the UK-wide Mega Assembly ‘All Together Now’ in September 2020.  A further international event is planned for 19 December 2020, ‘Yule Lockdown Rockdown’.

Treasurer’s Report (Jenny Clarke)

  • The Income and expenditure figures for the previous year (attached) was tabled.
  • The year started with almost £1,350 in the bank and ended with just under £500.
  • There were only 6 meetings at LifeCare when the average collections was about £90
  • The year’s charitable donations were to the North Edinburgh Food bank, Mercy Corps and LifeCare.  We ran a Bring & Bake event for the Yard.

Discussion arising

  • A bigger marketing effort to attract people in these Covid times was suggested.  The Edinburgh Universities Students Associations and their Chaplain services and NHS Chaplains would be a good place to start
  • Mini assemblies are well received and should continue even when physical meetings resume
  • Live streaming of physical meetings would be good
  • More “Wondering More” would be good.  A short “Wow slot”, where people would be encouraged to share their own Wow moments was suggested and Claire will include it in the next mini assembly
  • We’ll encourage socially distanced walks and Dialogue walks (on the phone if not face to face)
  • We’re always looking for good speakers, especially on our themes of eco-friendliness and inclusivity – and things of Wonder.  All leads welcome
  • Rayya will set up a Padlet account so that we can collect ideas and converse about eco and social justice issues more easily than on Facebook.  (The account has been set up at https://padlet.com/rayya_ghul2/3ncy1i72gidpwsgz)
  •  When setting up breakout rooms we should take care to remind people that everyone is responsible for making everyone in the group to feel welcome and play a part in the experience – however they want to
  • A pro forma email that people can send to their friends encouraging them to come to SA would be good.

Jenny Clarke, November 2020