Below is an account of the minutes of our A.G.M. in which we looked back over last year’s activities and made plans for 2014. After the business part of the meeting was concluded, there followed a film quiz and a lively game of Charades!

Minutes of AGM, held on Thursday 16^th January 2014 in Capel Library

• Welcome from Chairlady Di Barker
• Minutes of last year’s AGM read, approved and signed
• Treasurer’s Report:

Copies of the Accounts for 2013 were on the tables.  Liz Gulliver reported that as at 31^st December 2013 there was £86.60 petty cash, and £676.55 in the bank, making a total of £816.27 for the year. We were £53.12 down on last year’s profits, and we still have the Library/Vine Lounge rental of £360 to pay for 2014. Even after this we still have a healthy balance, and of course all this year’s subs still have to be paid. The accounts were approved, and Liz was thanked for her hard work as last year’s Treasurer.

• Chairlady’s Report:

Di reported that we had had a very varied programme of speakers and outings.

“In” Meetings included the Novelty Knick-Knack Competition, talks about the Azores, Gog & Magog, the Royal Year, Herbs (with Karen Kenny), a games night led by Pat when the speaker Mr Tyler was unwell, and a fun Royal Ascot Horse-Racing Night (also a replacement speaker after a last-minute cancellation.)In September dairy farmer Jason Salisbury told us about his Suffolk Cheeses with samples (which some of us enjoyed with a glass of wine!) and in October Alison Brain spoke about her work in a Ugandan orphanage bringing along some colourful necklaces for us to buy in aid of her charity. Colin Hopper followed in November with his “World of Optical Illusions” and our final speaker of 2013 was Mandy Bouttell with her exquisite embroidery work. We finished the year with our ever-popular Christmas Social in the Vine Lounge.

“Out” Meetings began with a DVD night in the Vine Lounge to see “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, followed by our Annual Meal at the Bramford Cock. In April some of us went to a production of “Improbable Fiction” in East Bergholt. May saw us on an unusual visit to the Ipswich Mosque, where we were made very welcome. In June we visited the local re-cycling centre at Great Blakenham where we learnt all there was to know about what we can and can’t re-cycle and even have our own certificates to prove it! Our day trip to Sandringham was a great success with wonderful weather, and the weather was also perfect for our Summer Barbeque at Penny’s, where she and her husband David made us very welcome and we had a lovely evening. Unfortunately in September our Indian Cookery demo was cancelled as the Speaker was unwell, but a few members still went to Dove Close and had Bingo and a Quiz.

In October we spent an evening at “Bramford Crafts & Candles” and learnt the art of “Décopatch”, covering papier maché shapes and boxes with layers of pretty coloured tissue – a very therapeutic evening! Our planned November coach outing to Cambridge had to be cancelled, unfortunately, due to lack of support.

We had our usual cake stall at Fun Day, selling every single cake and raising £73. We also sponsored (jointly with the W.I.) one of the floral displays above the shops at the precinct. A new venture this year was the Gordon Blackwood charity evening in the Vine Lounge where we managed to raise a total of £379 for the Community Trust. This event proved very popular and several people have requested a repeat for 2014!

At the “Festival of Trees & Lights” held on January 10^th/12^th  organised by the Friends of St Mary’s Church, Capel Ladies took part, decorating a Christmas tree in the church to symbolise “Singing in the Rain” as part of the theme this year which was “Films”.

Di concluded by saying that none of this would have happened without a great committee, and thanked Shirley (Outings), Mary (“In”  Meetings), Liz (Treasurer), Molly and Pat (Raffle), Wendy and Penny – who have done all sorts of jobs and stood in as chairman when she had been absent, and Sue (Secretary)for the website and various other jobs and ideas. Di also thanked Linda for putting up and taking down our posters, and Val and Dorothy who always make sure we have tea, coffee and biscuits for our refreshments, and who set them out at each “In” meeting.

Five committee members leave this year: Di, Shirley, Mary, Liz and Sue, so we will need some new faces to join Molly, Wendy, Pat and Penny to ensure our 46^th year will be a good one.

At the end of Di’s report, Linda Evans stood up and gave a vote of thanks to all the committee for another good year in 2013, and there was a round of applause.

• Any Other Business:

Mary mentioned that our next “In” Meeting  was to be a talk by Mrs Heather Prince entitled “Folk & Decorative Arts” on Thursday 6^th February in the Library at 7.45pm.

• Election of Officers:

There was only one volunteer to join the new committee. This was Jean Rollings, who offered to take on the job of Treasurer. Hopefully more people will come forward at our next meeting.

• The AGM closed at 8.10pm.