Annual General Meeting 06-Sep-2025 Minutes
Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on Saturday 6th September 2025, from 14:00 to 15:00, via Zoom.
Present: Chris Huck, Liz Ashcroft, Henry Curry, Violet Rook, Vanessa Lister, Gary Carr, Keven Machin, Susan Cartwright-Smith, John Grieve, Louise Courtney, Gill Scholey, Sue Short, Alison Ringrose, Clive Ringrose, David Potter, Peter Pool, David Lake, Bob Rayner, Stuart Barnes, Victoria White, Claire Lynn, Emma Finlayson, Alison Hallett, Amber..., Kerri..., Lynda..., members of NAWG.
Ellie Stevenson joined the meeting at 2.10pm.
Apologies: Penny Ellis, Jennifer Margrave.
- Welcome: Chris Huck gave the formal welcome to the members present. He indicated the effect of lockdown had changed the habits of individuals and this was reflected by the membership of NAWG. The committee understand this and with the election it is hoped to progress a vibrant policy of participation and involvement into the next year.
- Matters arising: the acting secretary Liz Ashcroft asked if there were many matters arising from the minutes of the 2024 AGM. None where indicated and they were accepted as accurate. Ellie Stephenson was admitted to the meeting at 2.10 pm approximately.
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Election of officers and committee:
The Chair: Chris Huck was nominated by Liz Ashcroft, seconded by Violet Rook. Elected via a vote of the members on the Zoom call.
Secretary: Violet Rook was nominated by Liz Ashcroft, seconded by Chris Huck. Elected via a vote of the members on the Zoom call.
Treasurer: Liz Ascroft was nominated by Henry Curry, seconded by Violet Rook. Elected via a vote of the members of the Zoom call.
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Election of members of the NAWG committee: Susan Cartwright-Smith, Ellie Stevenson, Vanessa Lester, Henry Curry, John Grieve, Kevin Machin, Gary, Louise Courtney. Proposed by Liz Ashcroft, seconded by Chris Huck. All were elected via members on the Zoom call.
Gill Scholey ask about her election. She was advised that she had been elected for 2 years in 2024, and Jennifer Margrave also had been elected at that time as a committee member. Violet Rook had been elected for 2 years at that time in regard to being Membership Secretary.
Violet Rook then continued with the agenda items in the role of Secretary. The new Treasurer Liz Ashcroft was asked to read from the report sent by Penny Ellis.
- Treasurer's report: This had been sent with the agenda items. There had been a contra entry, concerning Wentworth. John Grieve said there had been two questions about this topic. The Treasurer indicated these would be discussed at the following meeting of the committee. Members were asked to accept the report. Members agreed to do so. Henry Curry proposed, seconded by Chris Huck. Liz Ashcroft gave official thanks to Penny Ellis for endeavours in regard to the post of Treasurer.
- Chairman's report: Chris Huck indicated he had made that in his opening welcome statement.
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Secretary's report: Henry Curry indicated he had progressed with the work of Secretary until early summer of 2025 when Liz Ashcroft became Acting Secretary. This work included organising the committee meetings, the monthly members meetings, the newsletter, and dealing with queries from members.
He had only one issue to mention which concerned membership. There should only be individual, group, and student membership. The international designation and the extra cost of such membership should be replaced by all members having the same fee. Committee members asked if international members had special privileges than other members. Other members mentioned about NAWG being a national organisation. It was explained that all members received the same services and there have been members from abroad on many occasions. The Membership Secretary indicated that just the day before the meeting a new member had applied from Canada. She had paid the extra fee. The committee voted in favour of this change.
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Membership report: Violet Rook gave the report, noting since the change of date for renewal of membership in July 2024, some members may have not been too sure of the new system. She had sent renewal reminders during the summer months. It was to be further noted that since many members may have been on holidays there should be at least a month's grace in regard to the removal of none paying members from the NAWG database. She had sent further reminders within the previous week and received four renewals.
Other topics undertaken were the updating of the database monthly, acquiring a new patron the poet Linda France and interviewing Liz Ashcroft on a local radio station podcast about the NAWG in an effort to encourage participation and involvement.
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Members' and open competitions report: Liz Ashcroft gave the report.
There had been entries 357 from 117 members. The largest section was the open poetry with 49 entrants. The short story which had to mention a "clock" was popular. The lowest entries were for the children's section, only one poem and one short story. One being from an eight-year-old, the other from a fourteen-year-old. Therefore, both applicants will be given a prize.
The open competition was said to still running with most submissions expected in perhaps the last week. Liz then handed over to Susan Cartwright-Smith to comment on the 250 competition.
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9a. 250 competition: Susan commented that the first Christmas competition proved popular and had a big prize. The second one only had thirteen entries, due to less publicity. She said it was essential that members of the committee and all groups and help to publicize the competition. She used her own X account, plus that of Carlisle Writers, also Facebook.
A new competition based on Halloween will start on 1st October. She will need to take advice on the changeover with emails. She too expects most submissions towards the last of the submission date.
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Online and events report: Henry Curry indicated a programme of events is to be organised for the next year. Tim Wilson, a tutor in Peterborough, will give talks regarding historic, thriller, and psychological writing topics.
Liz Ashcroft said the monthly "Meet the Committee" meetings were progressing on the first Tuesday of the month at 7 pm on Zoom.
Gary Carr added to the conversation about a meeting in October at Lichfield for sixteen members he had organised. It had been slightly delayed due to a tutor having an accident. He indicated eleven members were needed to break even. Already were six attendees. Committee members Vanessa, Chris, and Henry indicated they too would be attending.
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Festivals for 2026: the Secretary opened the discussion on the topic and asked for the opinions of the committee and the members present online.
Gary Carr informed the committee he had formulated a plan for a one-day meetup at Lichfield Guild Hall, which included a workshop, dinner, rooms, tutors, and a bar meal for up to seventy individuals, at a cost of £4,000 approximately. He had sent this to Penny Ellis the Treasurer and would forward to the rest of the committee if required. He stressed the need for face-to-face meetings, and he was not keen on hybrid meetings because of the need for too many individuals to monitor the Zoom meetings online.
The area was very central in regard to transport for members from many parts of the country. Susan Cartwright-Smith indicated that many individuals from Cumbria and the Southeast would find it difficult to get to Lichfield at times and hybrid meetings would be beneficial to those at a distance and with disabilities.
Dove Cottage Poets in Cumbria held successful hybrid meetings she indicated. She also said the committee had agreed to have small regional events to encourage participation. Gary said he would help with equipment and organisation when required to do so.
Liz Ashcroft suggested asking for a discount from some hotels. Gary said this was problematic since most wanted definite numbers, which would be a disadvantage for NAWG.
Vanessa Lister agreed that the idea put forward by Gary was more manageable and until NAWG could build up the numbers in regard to festival events.
The idea of a one-day festival was agreed by those present online.
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Website report: Henry indicated Kevin had originally created the website which he was now reviewing. Kevin said he will be reviewing the needs in regard to the website, the shop, and how members could upload their work for competitions during the next few months.
Liz Ashcroft asked if the website hosts Ionos would still be used. Kevin indicated that they would be for used, it would be cheaper and eventually he hoped to replace the said website hosting platform.
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Any other business: Liz Ashcroft indicated she was talking to a contact at the Arts Council about literary festivals. The hope was to get local groups to attend such festivals locally to promote the NAWG via posters, also to give away pens and memorabilia, to increase membership. Chris Huck and Violet Rook agreed.
Gill Scholey said a new discussion about what the NAWG is offering members. Violet Rook asked the members online could she take a screenshot photograph of those present. All agreed.
The Secretary thanked those present and closed the meeting.
The first committee meeting after the AGM would follow at 4.30 pm on Zoom.
The next meeting would be a committee meeting was then scheduled for 30th October at 7 pm.