This letter is being circulated for us by HQ and has news for both existing and potential members of our Group. if you have friends you would like to invite to our activities, please do.
1. Monday 8 April 2024: Our Local Annual General Meeting
Notice is hereby given of the AGM of our sixty-third year to be held in the Conference Room, 1st floor, of the SAVS Centre, 29-31, Alexandra Street (not far from bus station), Southend-on-Sea, SS1 1BW at 2pm for 2:15. All CSPA members in the SS postal area are welcome to come and be Group members. They can also bring friends who may be interested in joining, either as full members of CSPA, or as Associate Group members.
See pages 2 and 3 for the AGM Agenda, a detachable slip for your nominations to the Group Committee, and a short summary of the accounts for recent years. A copy of the minutes of the 2023 AGM, and a full Statement of Accounts for2023 and 2022 (including a reconciliation with the Group bank account) will be circulated at the AGM.
After the AGM your Committee expect to have a list of other potential outings, and lunches from which we hope you will help us make selections for the rest of the year.
2. Thursday 9 May 2024: Coach Outing to Hastings and Rye
Cooks Coaches say: The coach visits Hastings first, in time for lunch, and goes on to Rye in the afternoon. Hastings, dominated by the castle, has a three mile long promenade, historic net shops, and a fishing fleet. Much photographed Rye has medieval buildings, smugglers’ inns and cobbled streets. The coach fare is £ 27 (lunch is not included). For Cooks’ pick-up points and times for this trip see the back page of this letter.
To book a seat(s): Complete the detachable booking form on the bottom of page 3. Please note that, for this outing, payment is required in advance. Payment may be made in cash at the Local AGM on 8 April, Otherwise, payment by cheque please, made out to Cooks Coaches, and sent with the booking form, to Mary King at Miss M King, 130 Essex Way, Benfleet, Essex SS7 1LP, to arrive as soon as possible and definitely by 11 April 2024. For a later booking, enquire by phone or email to Mary, or Betty Anderson, at the contact details on page 2.
1. Monday 8 April: At SAVS: Local AGM. After the AGM: discussing plans for rest of year 2. Thursday 9 May: Coach Outing to Hastings and Rye 3. Renewing Group Membership or becoming a new member.
3. Renewing Group Membership or becoming a new member: The annual Group membership subscription for 2024 is £6.00. This Group subscription is for those expenses not met from the subscription to HQ, e.g. the occasional rent of a local conference room. It can be paid at a Group meeting or send a cheque – payable to CSPA (Southend & District) – to our Membership Secretary: Betty Anderson (15 Cromer Road, Southend-on-Sea, Essex SS1 2DU). Please include your address, phone number and email address (if you have one). By providing these, you confirm your wish to be a Group member, and agree to the Group officers contacting you, when appropriate, about Group activities or other CSPA matters. Please note any preference between post, phone, or email contact where possible. (Note: when we meet at the SAVS Centre, there is a separate entrance fee of £2 each meeting to help with the rent. Tea, coffee, etc, are always optional extras!)
Contact details:
If we may be able to help with further information, or you would just like to chat, our contact details are:
Chair and Secretary: Mary King Tel: (01268) 794790 Membership Secretary: Betty Anderson Tel: (01702) 466335 Email: iandbanderson@btinternet.com
Committee Member: Richard Rubin Tel: (01702) 529712
Yours sincerely
Mary King (Group Chair and Secretary)
ANNEX 1: Agenda for the Local AGM on 8 April 2024 at SAVS at 2 pm
LOCAL AGM AGENDA 1. Chair to read the notice of the Meeting and report any apologies. 2. Minutes of the AGM of 17th April 2023 and matters arising. 3. Chair’s Report (Annex 2 below). 4. Financial Statement by the Acting Treasurer (Short summary of transactions Annex 3). 5. Thanking the Accounts Examiners – Mr. M Jardine and Ms. B McCarthy. 6. Election of Accounts Examiners for next year. 7. Election of Officers and Committee Members: Nominations to be with Mary King* By Wednesday 28th March 2024. (See Annex 4) 9. Any other business of which notice has been given to Mary* by 28th March 2024. * Address: Miss M King, 130 Essex Way, Benfleet, Essex SS7 1LP
Annex 2: Southend-on-Sea and District Group – Chair’s Report on 2023
Your Group Committee met about 10 times during the year. Dr David Owen, our new Greater London Regional Representative on the National Executive Council (NEC) held several Zoom meetings at which Betty Anderson, and another, represent us. Mary King also attended the London Regional Meeting in July. These are opportunities to be briefed by HQ, and discuss Group experiences, and the developments in the Review of Group and Regional Structure. In October, Betty Anderson was our delegate to the National AGM with Mary as an additional representative.
The Group’s social activities included a February talk at SAVS on “An East End Childhood”, and a guided walk round the streets of historic Rochford in May (with lunch afterwards). We had two coach outings on sunny
summer days using block bookings on Cooks regular coach trips. One in June went in the Essex countryside to lunch at a 16th century coaching inn in picturesque Finchingfield, and one in August to the cathedral city of Ely with its unusual octagonal tower. In September we had a walk round the historic 19th century garrison at Shoebury with lunch mid-way round at the excellent café. In October we had a walk or train ride down Southend’s mile and a quarter long pier to lunch, and in November a Quiz at SAVS, “Did you know that of London We also had the traditional Spring and Christmas lunches at Tomassi’s in Southend and a Summer lunch in July at Brewers Fayre on the Eastern Esplanade.
Thank you for your support throughout the year. Mary King (Chair)
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ANNEX 3: Short Summary of Accounts’ Transactions
Download newsletter to view
ANNEX 4: Nominations for new Group Committee
Existing Committee members: Mary King (Chair and Secretary), Betty Anderson (Membership Secretary), and Richard Rubin (Other Committee Member) are willing to stand again for re-election. Anthony Blinder, our Vice Chair for many years, for whose past service to the Group we are very grateful, has resigned. An increase in his personal interests means he is no longer able to offer time to the Committee. A new member or two would therefore be very helpful in widening our pool of ideas.
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Detachable slip for Nominations for the new Committee for Election at the Local AGM
Please complete and return by 28 March 2024, to Miss M King, 130 Essex Way, Benfleet, Essex, SS7 1LP
Chair: _____________________Vice-Chair:________________________Secretary:____________________
Membership Secretary: ____________________ Treasurer: _______________________
Other Committee Members, up to 3 names: ________________________________________________
Signed by: ————————————- Name (in capital letters, please): —————————————
________________________________________________________________________________________
Detachable booking form for: Coach Outing to Hastings and Rye on Thursday 9 May 2024
See page 1 for details, and page 4 for coach pick-up points and times. Payment may be made in cash at the Local AGM on 8 April, Otherwise, payment by cheque please, made out to Cooks Coaches, and sent with the booking form, to Mary King at Miss M King, 130 Essex Way, Benfleet, Essex SS7 1LP, to arrive as soon as possible and definitely by 11 April 2024.
Names (s): Pickup Point: _____________________
Number of seats Pickup Time: ________
Amount paid: £_________ Date Paid: ____________
Coach Outing to Hastings and Rye on Thursday 9 May 2024 – Coach pick-up points and times
To book a seat(s): See details on page 1, complete the detachable booking form on page 3, and pay as directed.
COOKS COACHES Pick Up Points & TIMES for 9 May
8.20 am SOUTHEND AIRPORT, BUS STOP, EASTWOODBURY CRESCENT
8.30 am SHOEBURYNESS, ST.MARY’S, NORTH SHOEBURY RD
8.35 am SHOEBURYNESS, KATHRYN CT ( THE CAMBRIDGE), NESS RD
8.40 am THORPE BAY STATION, ACACIA DRIVE
8.45 am SOUTHCHURCH, WHITE HORSE BUS STOP
8.47 am SOUTHCHURCH, TYRREL DRIVE
8.50 am SOUTHEND, QUEENSWAY, BUS STOPS BEHIND SAINSBURYS
8.55 am SOUTHEND, CRICKETERS PH, LONDON RD
9.00 am WESTCLIFF, LONDON RD, HALFORDS
9.05 am CHALKWELL, CHALKWELL PARK BUS STOP
9.10 am LEIGH ON SEA, ELM HOTEL
9.12 am LEIGH ON SEA, WEST LEIGH SCHOOLS
9.15 am LEIGH ON SEA, THAMES DRIVE
9.20 am HADLEIGH, HADLEIGH CHURCH BUS LAYBY
9.24 am HADLEIGH,VIC HOUSE CORNER, KILN RD
9.27 am THUNDERSLEY, KILN RD/KENNETH RD
9.30 am SOUTH BENFLEET, KENTS HILL LIGHTS (LONDON ROAD)
9.33 am SOUTH BENFLEET, TARPOTS COACH STOP (OPP CLARE RD)
9.37 am PITSEA, BROADWAY, BINGO HALL
9.40 am VANGE, BARGE PH
9.45 am BASILDON, SOUTHENHAY LAYBY, OPPOSITE BUS STATION
10.05 am GRAYS, OAK PH, SOCKETTS HEATH
10.10 am LAKESIDE BUS STATION (BUS STOP E)
