Welcome to the latest edition of our Newsletter. We look forward to seeing you at our AGM.

Your Guide to Sheffield & District Group’s Annual General Meeting

When: Thursday, 14th March 2024.
Where: The Hilton Room, Sheffield Cathedral, Church St, Sheffield S1 1HA – see photos below (please contact the Group Secretary if you need directions).
Why: Everything we do on your behalf is driven by the people elected, the decisions taken and the subscriptions arising from the meeting.
Who: Most importantly, YOU. (Please let the Group Secretary know if you would like to contribute to any items on the Agenda, but are unable to attend, so your issue(s) can be raised.

Please do come along if you can. Tea, coffee and good company are available from 1.30 pm

Agenda

1. Welcome & Introductions (Chair)
2. Apologies
3. Annual Review & Reports
4. Adoption of Accounts; Secretarial & Membership Reports:-
5. Election of Sheffield & District Group Committee Posts:- (Chair; Secretary; Treasurer; Membership Secretary; Committee Members (6); Auditors (2)).
6. Social break
7. Reports on National & Local activities
8. Any Other Business the meeting)

Group Elections/Nominations

Group Officers and Executive Committee will be elected by a paper vote at the AGM on 14 March. Nominations are invited for the following posts:

• Officers: Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Membership Secretary,

• Executive Committee Members: (6 to be elected)

• Auditors: 2 to be elected

Nominations must reach the Group Secretary by Tuesday 12 March (see contact details below).

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Financial statement for FY 2023

This was the first year that we requested subscriptions since the pandemic and we became concerned at the low numbers of members that responded. By the end of April in previous years there had usually been some 150 responses, a mixture of subscriptions and subscriptions with added donations. This year there were only 55. In a later newsletter we informed you that subscriptions were down and that funds would be seriously depleted by the end of the year. The response of members was amazing and we received a further £500 from 32 members, some of whom had already responded earlier in the year. As a result, funds are in a much healthier position. For that we are extremely grateful. This level will be needed in order maintain our increasing activity levels and because the cost of hiring a room for the 4 open-to-all -meetings per year. Venue costs have risen by some 25% due to having of find a replacement venue to the Quaker House. However, we have been very fortunate to secure a room in the Cathedral, hence remaining close the centre of Sheffield next to the tram route. Other committee meetings are held at a low cost by Zoom. Activity continued to increase slowly over the year and we sent 3 delegates to the CSPA HQ AGM in October for the first time since the pandemic.

The accounts have been audited and a copy of the signed accounts will be available at the AGM.

Linda Garner

Treasurer.

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Please help us to help you Subscribe £2 to Sheffield & District Group in 2024

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£2 local subscription from everyone represented by CSPA Sheffield & District Group would cover our expenses in 2024 – these include travel, room hire, delegate costs, affiliations and administration. Currently we rely on generous donations from a core of our members to balance our accounts. Of course, we would welcome any additional voluntary donations you can give us in 2024. Cheques and cash will be gratefully accepted at the AGM.

Otherwise, you can pay, by cheque or bank transfer, using the following details CSPA Sheffield Group, Bank Code 08-92-99, A/c No. 65467264. In the reference box, please give your initials and surname. Please confirm any bank transfers you make to lindagarner1@hotmail.co.uk and address any cheques to Linda Garner, 6 Moorwoods Avenue, Sheffield S35 2WA.

Looking Back

Group Secretary, John Houghton reviews Group Activity 2023/24

Firstly, I want to thank the Chair and all Group Committee members for their individual commitment and hard work, which led to the recognition of our Group as worthy of thanks at the National AGM in October.

•  Every member of the Committee has made a major contribution this year, within the Group, Regionally and Nationally.
• We have participated fully in meetings and activities in North East and Cumbria Region.
• The Group Chair is participating in national Working Groups looking at how we better build CSPA to meet the future challenges facing us post-lockdown. He continues to ensure that our views are fully considered.
• The Group Executive Committee met 4 times last year (via Zoom, to avoid additional venue costs). Key issues discussed were reported to members in the Group Newsletter
• We held 4 Quarterly Members’ Meetings in 2023:
  • March: Annual General Meeting.
  • June: Nominations and Motions for the National AGM.
  • September: Consideration of National AGM Agenda, Motions and Candidates.
  • December: AGM Review and Social Event.
• Due to HQ changes to Group Newsletter, made without consultation or proper guidance, I was unable to distribute any Group Newsletters timeously until September 2023. We have now revised our production and circulation arrangements, including paper-free e-versions. I hope members find this satisfactory.
• Mike Buckley, Linda Woollen and I were delegated to represent the Group at the National AGM. We had 4 Motions included in the Agenda and all of us spoke at the event. All our motions were carried. Andy Aitchison was re-elected as North East and Cumbria Regional Representative, and Les Priestley was re-elected as a National Executive Committee Member.
• We continued our affiliation to the Yorkshire and Humber Pensioners Convention (YHPC) and participated in meetings and activities whenever possible (subject to location and cost effectiveness)

John Houghton

Group Committee Meeting – 8 February 2024

Firstly, we hope all members will join us in welcoming Mrs S Bray as a new member of our Group.

At our meeting, we agreed the priorities are to:

• strengthen and build our Group by finding and recruiting more potential new members.
• find new ways to offer support and better access to Group members living outside of the Sheffield City area, starting with invitations to join committee members for coffee and a chat closer to their home. In the light of membership numbers, we are looking first at Chesterfield/Dronfield, Worksop, and Retford as possible pilot locations.
• use the “Later Life Ambitions” toolkit, recently circulated by CSPA HQ, to lobby Parliamentary candidates for constituencies within our catchment area, ahead of the forthcoming General Election, to protect the interests of our members.
• review whether it is still right to continue holding member meetings on Thursdays. It would really help our review if you could please let the Group Secretary know this is a barrier, which prevents you from participating in Group Activity, or conversely, if moving it to another day adversely affect your participation.
• National Vice Chair, Don Makepeace, has sadly been forced to stand down as a result of ill health. Don has earned the respect and friendship of many of us in CSPA over the years.
  
  Group Officers and Committee Members have, unanimously, asked me to record in this Newsletter our heartfelt thanks to him for all he has done for us. We hope all members will join us in wishing Don the very best for the future.
• The NEC has invited Groups and Branches to nominate candidates to replace Don. At the time of writing this Newsletter, no candidate has yet sought our nomination. The Group Executive Committee will monitor developments and update members at the AGM.

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Sheffield & District Group Committee

Group Chair: Mike Buckley 29 Adelaide Road, Sheffield S7 1SQ jmwbuckley@hotmail.com Tel. 07885 560878

Group Secretary: John Houghton 85 Whirlowdale Road, Sheffield S7 2NF jhoughton85@gmail.com Tel: 07952 304628

Group Treasurer: Linda Garner 6 Moorwoods Avenue, Chapeltown, S35 2WA lindagarner1@hotmail.co.uk Tel: 0114 240 3381

Membership Secretary: Linda Woollen 40 Richmond Park Ave. Sheffield S13 8HA

lindawoollen54@gmail.com

Other Members:

Andy Aitchison, Steve Anderson, Les Priestley, Judith Roe, Beryl Wardley.