Minutes of the 102^nd Annual General Meeting held at 1330 on Saturday 12 October 2024  HMS PRESIDENT, London.

 Present:  Alison Towler (President) Carol Gibbon (Chair) Sheila Houghton (Vice Chair) Anne Cameron (Hon Treasurer) Janette Crisp (Trustee) Andrea Wrigley (Trustee)

Also in attendance: Heather Rimmer (WRNS BT)  Tina Hinchliffe, Clare King (Administrators/Minutes)

Senior Vice President: Anthea Larken CBE. Vice President: Janet Crabtree

49 members present (8 of which attended via Zoom including Vice President Rita Hoddinott)

Carol Gibbon opened the meeting at 1330.

1. March on the Standard – the Standard was marched on.
2. The Association Prayer – was said.
3. The President’s Address:-

Madam Chairman, Vice Presidents, Ladies – a very warm welcome to you all.  It is good to see you all here at HMS President, many having navigated the engineering works on the trains and other travel disruption.  Thank you all for making the effort.

In response to our message of loyal greeting and good wishes we have received the following reply from Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal:

“As Patron of the Association of Wrens, I send my very best wishes to the President, Chairman and members of the Association of Wrens and Women of the Royal Naval Services, on the occasion of your 102nd Annual General Meeting at HMS PRESIDENT, London, on Saturday 12^th October 2024.  I hope you have a most enjoyable meeting.” It is signed “Anne”, Patron The Association of Wrens.

It seems to me extraordinary that it is now nearly 7 years since my retirement from the Royal Navy, shortly after which Anthea Larken approached me with the words, “Alison, I may have a little project to interest you”!  It was her invitation to succeed her as President of the Association, which happened 5 years ago in 2019.  Little was I to know the challenges the Association might face in that all too short and all too rapidly to pass – time.  The greatest challenge, I thought, was the pandemic.  But we weathered that storm extraordinarily well, adapting to each of the difficulties it threw at us over a timeframe covering years rather than months, and encompassing as it did our Centenary and all the events planned for that important milestone.  We overcame all the hurdles with fortitude, working together to adapt to the changing situation in an atmosphere of positive cooperation and understanding of each other’s needs and aspirations and with a sense of togetherness that was noteworthy in its strength and sincerity.

There is no getting away from it that this year has been another challenging period for the Association.  Management of an Association such as this is never an easy task.  Few who have not held one of the higher offices of any Board of Directors of a Charity, Trust or other such organisation may truly understand how difficult it can be to get everyone moving in the same direction, to ensure everyone is on side, and to reconcile differences of opinion. So it has been that we have seen this past year a complete change in office staff, including Katharine who worked so hard for us for over 10 years, a Vice-Chairman, an unforeseen change in Chairman and a shake up amongst Trustees that happened all too quickly. These have indeed been difficult times, but we have to move on in positive vein.  At this stage I would like to give public thanks to Annie Lagrue for the energy she brought to the Association, for her thoughts and positive actions to engage more effectively with serving members of the Naval Services today, and for her enthusiasm for an Association with a long-term future.  Her communication via the digital medium in monthly updates was much welcomed by those who received it.  I would also like to thank Caroline Snell for her sterling work with the Wren Magazine, which was much modernised and became more relevant and accessible to a wider audience under her leadership of the Editorial Team.  I know how hard she worked on this, along with Karen Eynon and others, and that work must not be wasted. To Nikki Smith also for her work with social media, and also to Jackie Whitmarsh who completed nearly 2 terms as a Trustee and worked so diligently on social media in particular but also the Way Forward Group and other things during her tenure.  Our thanks should go to all these for their positive contributions to the Association.

We are now under the leadership of Carol Gibbon who has returned having already completed an extended period in office as Chair through the WRNS 100 events and as Chair of the 2020 Committee which organised the events around the Association Centenary – amongst many other things!  Carol, we are delighted to have you on board, and grateful for you stepping up at a time of some uncertainty for the Association.  Sheila Houghton, who was already a Trustee, has taken over as Vice-Chair, and we are very grateful for her commitment to this role and the wider experience she brings to it.

It most likely has not escaped the notice of any member here today that the administrative functions of the Association have endured much disruption over the past year while all this has been going on, not least normal channels of communication.  I am very pleased to say we are back on track.  We now have two excellent new office staff, Clare and Tina, and I’m delighted they are here today.  We also have a number of newly recruited Trustees to be introduced to you later in proceedings.  And with a good mix of Trustees, officers and administrators, we have the foundations to build a strong team and a modern and adaptable organisation for the future.  Most importantly we have a structure that can effectively communicate to all areas of the Association, and a team that can build a coherent plan of national events and actions that can include all areas of the current Association membership, whatever their age or degree of connectivity, as well as continue to draw in new members.

Finally on the subject of officers of the Association, it is with sadness I have to inform you that Mary Hawthornthwaite has had to stand down as a Vice President on health grounds.  I know that over the years she has made major contributions to the life of the Association.  We are very sorry to lose her and will keep in touch with her as best we can.

There have been many positives throughout this past year.  The highlights have for me been the official opening of Lanyard House in May and the D-Day 80 events this summer.  Turning first to May’s event, it was my great privilege to welcome our Patron to name the building we are fortunate to share with the RNA.  It is the Princess Royal’s 5th year as our Patron this year, and it was good to be able to invite her to one of our events in such a year.  The building’s former use as a communications centre has been reinstated as it is now a hub for communications with members and potential members of both of our Associations.  It has a name symbolic of unity and cohesion as well as utility well understood by naval personnel through the generations.  For both of our Associations, our Members are at the heart of everything we do.  We want to keep them close and to keep them in touch with what is going on.  Hence the name – Lanyard House.

As for D-Day 80 commemorations, the coverage on TV, radio, newspapers, social media – everywhere – included much that the ladies of the WRNS and other Armed Forces did in support of the operation.  It was humbling to be a part of any of their ongoing stories.  I was fortunate to attend the Palaise des Vaches commemoration at Exbury, for the unveiling of an art installation dedicated to the WRNS.  There I met several WWII Wrens as well as women now serving and had a very memorable day out with members of Portsmouth Branch and beyond.  I know that many members took part in a wide variety of events throughout the summer, and it was good to read about all the events as they occurred.

This time last year I was reflecting on the contributions of WRNS through the past century, especially those involved in the Battle of the Atlantic, and their relevance to the women in Service today.  My comments then are no less relevant now as this year we remembered D-Day and next year we will commemorate the end of the Second World War 80 years on.  The world was in turmoil then, and sad to say it is increasingly so again.  Not only conflict and war, but also the climate crisis, social and economic instability, and general uncertainty in an ever-changing world – seemingly everywhere we turn – pile worries onto our shoulders as seldom felt since the dark days of the middle of the 20^th Century.  It is at times such as these that the service we gave in the WRNS, Royal Navy and Naval Services stands us in good stead to overcome what is being thrown at us from every angle.  We can better draw on those reserves of strength and fortitude if we are united in an Association such as this which provides a platform for cementing camaraderie and mutual support.  Friendship and kindness should be at the heart of all we do. So now is the time to refocus and, as it were, re-boot.  I envisage a time of consolidation around our Head Office, a continuation of modernisation of our processes and of building new teams that work together in harmony.  We can’t all agree on everything all the time, and different people will have different views as to how best to take the Association forward.  But we can do this with kindness towards and respect for one another as a united Association with a common aim.

The President then made a presentation of an AOW 2020 commemorative vase to WWII veteran Kathleen Baines who had served at Sheerness as an anti-aircraft gunner and in an administrative role during the war.  At 105 years of age she is our oldest known member and a very special guest of the Association this year.

4. Apologies for absence:

       Vice Presidents: Julia Clark, Andrea Crook, Julia Simpson, Jill Stellingworth, Beryl Watt

     Members: 34

5. Acceptance of the Minutes of the 101st AGM of 14 October 2023

Acceptance of the Minutes of the 101st AGM was proposed by Jane Lancaster and seconded by Liz Mills.

6. Chairman’s Speech:-

Madam President, Vice Presidents, distinguished guests, ladies. I can’t quite believe that I am back in the chair having completed my last term of office in 2017. However, I feel very honoured to have been asked to become the Vice Chairman of the Association earlier on in the year, not thinking for one minute that I would end up as the Chairman once again. Things have changed somewhat since that time and we are always mindful of the future. I must thank our President Alison, my Vice Chair Sheila and the members of the Board of Trustees for supporting me during this transitional time. As I only took the role on in late July I haven’t got much to report for the year but I am anxious to get the Association back on an even keel and to assure our members that we are doing all we can to restore your confidence in making the Association as good as it can be for the future. By doing this we must continue to communicate with our members using all available means, this can be by the written letter, or using our website, Facebook and other social media platforms, or even just picking up the telephone for a chat to keep in touch.

We were very sorry to have to say goodbye to Katharine, our trusted office administrator especially as I helped to recruit her some ten years ago. But I am very happy to report that I was part of the interview panel in recruiting our two new office staff, and what a good selection that has proved to be. Tina and Clare have been a delight to work with and have shown much enthusiasm, efficiency and co-operation as they have settled into their new roles. I am also very grateful to Anne Cameron who has given up much of her valuable time in spending time with the girls in the office, helping with all that they have had to learn and answering their queries as and when they have occurred. I know they have appreciated the help that they have been given.

I would also like to thank our trustees who are leaving at the end of their term of office, Lyn Gannon who has worked so hard on the sales team and given so much of her time in attending various events selling our goods.  Alison Moffatt also has worked hard for the Association by being part of the Finance Committee.  Thank you to these ladies, unfortunately we are unable to thank them in person as they are unable to be with us today.

It is good as always to see Chris Walker attending as our National Standard Bearer and to congratulate her on winning the Standard Bearers Competition held in May at HMS Excellent again this year. I would also like to mention Gail Foster who took part in the competition for the first time and came first in the Novices Section. Fantastic results, you both looked very smart and are a credit to the Association. Chris also took part in the D Day anniversaries in France in June, what an amazing occasion that was by all accounts.

So, we must look to the future and make the Association fit for purpose in the 22nd Century. We must not neglect our many older and equally important members of the Association but we must find ways to make the AOW more attractive to our younger ladies who joined the Royal Navy as opposed to the WRNS. We may have to ask ourselves some challenging questions. Do we need to slightly rebrand our Association to incorporate these ladies? How can we effectively reach out to those who are still serving as well as those who have left the RN and wish to keep in touch with their fellow colleagues.  How can we cater effectively for the needs of these ladies to make sure they feel it is an Association that meets their future requirements as well as supporting the older traditions?

I personally take every opportunity when meeting ladies who I discover have served in the Women’s Naval Services to make them aware of the existence of our Association and to try and encourage them to join. I find it astonishing that we still come across people who have never heard of our organisation. We need to spread the word so it is up to all of us to reach out to our wider naval community including the men who may have had or still have female family members who have served in the Navy and need to know of our existence.

More of this later. Meanwhile, we know that publicity is always good and we were delighted to see our two elderly WW2 members of the Association – Christian Lamb and Marie Scott take part in the D Day anniversaries this year.  We are so proud of these ladies. It is hoped that at least one of them, Christian is going to be at the Cenotaph this year.  Apparently, she has never taken part before, so look out for her this year on Remembrance Sunday. So, thank you to you all for coming to the meeting today and for your continuing support for the Association.

• Annual Report of the Trustees and Audited Accounts:- Anne Cameron

Madam President, Madam Chairman and Ladies.

The 2023/2024 financial year completed with the overseeing of the independent audit by Moore Chartered Accountants.  I am happy to report that this audit commenced as usual in our HQ during May and was progressed off-site at Moore’s premises in Bath. The importance of this independent audit is to ensure our finances have been effectively managed and supporting documentation is maintained accurately. This can also be achieved by conducting an independent examination which would also meet with the Charity Commissions requirements. Due to the rising costs of the full audit, there is an intention to instruct Moore Chartered Accountants to carry out an independent examination for FY24/25 which would represent a cost saving of approx. £3,500 for the Association. I recommend this proposed course of action.

During my report I shall refer to the Statement of Financial Activities on Page 13 and the Statement of Financial Position on Page 14. I also draw your attention to the Financial Review on Pages 5 & 6 of the Report of the Trustees, which is augmented by this report.

The 2023/24 financial year to 31^st March continued to be affected by volatility in the financial markets albeit to a lesser extent. The value of total net assets rose from the previous year’s £1,131,479 to £1,189,755 a rise of approximately 5.2%. This can partly be attributed to improved performance from Investments resulting from higher interest rates and a lower expenditure on some operating costs.  I’ll say more about this later.

Whilst there is still some way to go to recover to pre-pandemic levels there appears to be some signs of improvement on the investment front, and it is important to note that the Association remains in a healthy financial position and continues to be assessed as a “Going Concern”

The 23/24 budget forecast prepared in March 2023 indicated that there would likely be an in-year cash deficit of £8,050 but instead a gain of £24,003 was made and whilst this compares favourably to the small gain of £2418 in FY22/23 it is important to understand the detail behind these figures. There are several factors that gave rise to the unexpected gain:

• Return on investments had been better than expected. The total income generated was £37,450 some 14% higher than that recorded in the previous year.  (This was partially due to interest rate rises and higher dividends).
• One of the main contributory factors was due to the receipt in the 2^nd Qtr of £21,404 which was an outstanding sum from a significant legacy that was received in 2021.
• The variance in Staff costs for the 2^nd year running with the Headquarters continuing to operate with 1 member of staff.
• Sales although slightly under budget exceeded the previous years figure by some margin with total trading activities raising £9,508 compared to £5,914 in the previous year.
• Some cost saving measures continued to be introduced to help balance the income and expenditure more favourably. One such example is by ensuring The Wren Magazine order is kept to an appropriate level commensurate with the demand for hardcopies and considering the take up of digital copies. Despite this we still receive several undelivered copies. The need to keep personal information up to date is therefore of paramount importance. On this note……….

The cost of ‘The Wren’ together with the postage absorbs the income generated through subscriptions provided by approx. 58% of the membership. A few Life Members have suggested that we cordially invite all LMs to contribute towards the ongoing costs of The Wren given the time lapse since Life Membership was abolished. I appreciate there are a number who already make regular donations but if not consideration of this would be welcomed.

As seen year on year Budget Forecasting is not an exact science, for instance income generated by voluntary means is never guaranteed or presumed. We therefore make a cautious prediction when forecasting the budget. As we see from time to time the generosity shown can easily change the landscape in a positive way.

Staying on Donations and Legacies, I draw your attention to the APPRECIATION shown on Page 6 where these income sources are acknowledged and recorded.

I must emphasise that all income generated in this way is gratefully received. I extend my sincere and grateful thanks to those Individual Members, Branches, and Informal Groups for the kind & generous donations made throughout the year totalling £9,939.  As shown on Page 13 the combined income from Donations, Legacies and other supporting income was £41,831. This provides very welcomed help towards achieving a healthy balance and is extremely important to the Association’s financial status.

Considering the wider finances –  on Page 13 you will note that the accounts show a positive Net Income of £58,276 as compared to the 22/23 negative figure of (£85,013).  The contributory factors are all those already described.  Regarding our investments, the strategy continued to be one of income generation.  Due to high interest rates which characterize an inflationary situation our Investment Manager from RBC Brewin-Dolphin took the opportunity to adjust some of the asset allocations to those   that benefit from these higher rates. This has been wholly consistent with our Income generation strategy as reported last year ensuring that we benefit from the financial opportunities that may arise. This ability to react to the prevailing market forces and inflationary pressures as seen over the last few years, has helped to minimise risk to our income potential and in fact improved it.

The investment portfolio was valued at £938,964 at the end of the financial year (a rise of approx. 6.4%). This compared to a value of £882,169 representing (a fall of 7.5%) in the same period of the previous year. This could signal a recovery but there is still a way to go to get back to pre-pandemic levels indicating that the effect of the geopolitical situation continued to be felt during the year. Despite the volatile markets, dividend income from the portfolio produced a net income over the year of £34,639 (Page 19 Note 5 refers). This was better than expected and exceeded the previous year’s performance.

The charities Savings Account held in the United Trust Bank remained intact with a healthy balance of approx. £84,300 receiving more favourable returns amounting to £2,811 again due to higher interest rates. This acts as a cushion to supplement any cash flow issues that may occur during the financial year in preference to selling off income generating investments. To date we have not needed to call upon these reserves which protects our status as a ‘going concern’. This position is critical to us and the auditors statement relating to ‘going concern’ can be viewed on Page 9.

To summarise, we continued to be in a comfortable financial position at year end 2023/24. But we must not be complacent, and I remain mindful that our income alone may not necessarily support us entirely in guaranteeing a positive in-year balance. Donations and Legacies therefore continue to be hugely welcomed. This is likely to be the case for the foreseeable future and hence my priority to ensure the impact from challenging financial markets along with inflationary pressures are minimised.  I have shown that this can be achieved by making well informed sound financial decisions, with measures being taken specifically to protect the Associations Funds. This of course needs to be balanced with the importance of promoting & investing in the Association. Looking at new ways to enhance the delivery of our Objects and Aims in the first instance and by so doing attracting new membership which is also a key priority for our longevity going forward. This completes my report, and I commend to you the audited accounts.

8. Adoption of the Annual Report of the Trustees and Audited Accounts

Adoption of the Annual Report of the Trustees and Audited Accounts was proposed by Hilary Howard and seconded by Anne James A vote by show of hands followed: all in favour, none against, no abstentions.

8a     To instruct the Accountant to carry out an independent examination in place of a full audit. To instruct the Accountant to carry out an independent examination in place of a full audit was proposed by Ruth Gundry and seconded by Rosemary Jenkins. A vote by show of hands followed: all in favour, none against, no abstentions

9. Appointment of Auditor – Moore Chartered Accountants

Appointment of Auditor Moore Chartered Accountants was proposed by Jan Vansen and seconded by Sarah Holmes. A vote by show of hands followed: all in favour, none against, no abstentions.

10. Appointment of Investment Manager – Brewin Dolphin

Appointment of Investment Manager Brewin Dolphin was proposed by Jenny Roe and seconded by Rachel Fuller. A vote by show of hands followed: all in favour, none against, no abstentions.

11. Appointment of Legal Advisor – Commander Caroline Tuckett RN

Appointment of Legal Advisor Commander Caroline Tucket RN was proposed by Lucy Ottley and seconded by Janet Crabtree. A vote by show of hands followed: all in favour, none against, no abstentions.

12. Result of Election of Trustees to serve for 3 years from today’s date until the date of the AGM 2026

The President explained that the Association had come very close to not being quorate due to the lack of Trustees shortly before the AGM.  Also, the voting forms for Trustees had not gone out with the summer edition of the Wren Magazine.  A postal vote would have been extremely expensive, and also nugatory given that there were fewer applicants for Trustee than vacancies.  After seeking legal advice on the situation the Trustees had therefore decided  that the 5 applicants for Trustee roles should  be co-opted.  The President said this was not an ideal situation, and that it was desirable to have proper elections for Trustees in future, but that the co-option process was in accordance with the Constitution and appropriate  under the circumstances.The Chair  then introduced the new ladies:

Sarah Holmes, Jane Lancaster, Lucy Ottley, Claire Talbot, Jan Vansen.

13. Confirmation of Vice Presidents, Chairman, Trustees and other Office Holders for the coming year

The President gave confirmation of Vice Presidents, Chairman, Trustees and other office holders for the coming year.

14. Any Other Business

 Jenny Miller asked what lessons had been learned regarding the recent removal of Annie Lagrue as Chair, and what  assurances could be given for the future. The current Chairman responded that lessons have been learned, we have new Trustees on board and we must respect the opinions of all Trustees. We are not proud of the way in which things happened and we have learnt from these mistakes. The President added that her letter to all members at the time addressed the situation in as much detail as could be given, but said lessons have been learnt. At its last review in 2022 the Constitution had been amended such that the Chairman’s role could be applied for by someone who had not previously been a Trustee or member of the Council and such a person would not have the experience of managing the Association that might be required.  Further, successive changes in Chairman, some of which took place around the pandemic, meant there was insufficient continuity in this post.  Also the onboarding process was not fit for purpose.  Jenny commented that roles need to be clearer to which the President agreed.

Jenny added that it was the language used to deliver the news that was a concern and the President replied that it was a point well made. The President said this was entirely down to her and apologised for any offence or concern that might have arisen as a result.  The President also said that she had let the members know what had happened in the spirit of transparency in which she conducted herself with the Association, that this was done quickly before she went on holiday and that this may have been a mistake for which she apologised.  Anne Marks commented that the Constitution doesn’t reflect the terms of reference. The President replied that the terms of reference for Chairman and Trustees are more a “what to do” than a ”how to do it”,  including consultation, approval of decisions at Committee or Trustee level as appropriate, and a collaborative and democratic approach to management of the Association.  Anne Marks said that the Trustees had acted outside the Constitution, that Annie had not been given any warning or chance to rectify  and questioned the legality of her removal.  The President said that she could not comment further on what exactly happened as there were people involved who were not present at the AGM.  What had happened would be regarded as unfair by some, but others thought it necessary.  She pointed out that the Constitution is unfit for purpose in some regards, not least being the absence of any general clause as to what should happen in “situations not provided for”.  There was no process for the removal of a Chairman, and neither was there a process for the removal of Trustees or of the President for that matter.  These matters would be considered at the next review of the Constitution which is due next year (2025).  The onboarding process was also defective and would be corrected.  Historically there had not always been a comprehensive handover of roles and there appeared to have been a dilution of knowledge over the years.   The President continued to say that the Chair is elected by the Trustees, not by the members and it was the Trustees’ decision not to continue with the current Chair. Officers should know how to work together but there needs to be more communication and more understanding.

Alison Brown – Yeovil asked the question: Were there any other chair nominations and asked if Carol Gibbon and Sheila Houghton will be carrying on in their current roles. The President confirmed that there were no other nominations.  The President also commented that insufficient members were putting themselves forward as Trustee, and expressed the view it was a matter of concern that there had recently been no competition for Chairman.  Carol Gibbon confirmed that she is happy to be in the role as Chair for a limited time to get us back on an even keel. She will bring her ideas and experience as previous Chair and will continue to consult with others for advice. She added it is a difficult role and she asks for everyone’s support to help us improve.

 Pat Farrington ask the question: Could all meeting minutes from the AGM and Trustees meetings be distributed to all members by post. The President advised that AGM minutes are published either in the Wren Magazine or distributed via branches and informal groups to avoid large postage fees. She said it was not viable to post everything to every member, though cost should not be the only factor.  She also advised that Trustees meetings need to remain confidential and she would caution against any suggestion of changing this.  Trustees need to be able to speak freely and then make decisions they may change their minds about as things progress.  In addition, the Trustees act in unity once a decision has been voted on, but the minutes may reflect a lack of unanimity.  It would be unwise to publish, for example, details of events or other plans that might not  come to fruition. The President added that The Wren would continue to be the main line of communication for members, and that every member should get a fair chance to apply for events rather than those more digitally informed getting a head start.  Heather Rimmer advised that she supported the President’s response as the WRNS BT do not share their meeting minutes and have no plans to do so. Anthea Larken, Senior Vice President also supported the President’s response.

 President’s Closing Remarks – the President closed the meeting. This year has been a huge learning curve and although I have very broad shoulders, I would not wish to go through it again. We need to have more understanding and more cooperation and a willingness to work together.

The business of the AGM having been concluded, the meeting was immediately followed by a General Meeting:

1. Introduction by Chairman

Carol Gibbon opened the meeting at 1445.

Following on from my introductory remarks for the AGM, how can we plan for the future? I am feeling positive that we can do this especially as we have five new co-opted trustees joining, all who have good strengths and qualifications which I am sure can be put to good use as we build the team together. We will need other new Trustees, and also to identify a longer-term Chair in due course, but I am hopeful this will arise naturally as the new team beds in and we work out where we want to go for the future.

As our President said, the first thing we need to do is to consolidate with our new staff and Trustees and take stock of where we are. We need a time of stability to get things moving again. As part of this we need to carry out an evaluation and to quote from a trusted friend: “What are we doing well, what could we do better, how can we engage our membership?” As already mentioned, what communication channels should we be using with our current members and what avenues are there for increasing our membership? Our Association is only going to survive in the longer term by retaining and valuing the members we have while recruiting more members. I do believe that communication is at the heart of this. So, it is my intention to make sure we have a representation with the Naval Service Women’s Network and other Associations where we can have a voice. It is also important that our Strategy team can get together to plan ahead to explore all options. This could be done in conjunction with the other committees involving the Trustees. We could also involve other members without them being Trustees to give us fair representation of what our members want from the Association. One aspect that is often mentioned are social get togethers and again we need a social events team to plan for these reunions. I would also like thank all our members who take on important roles within their local branches and informal groups, this often means giving up a lot of time and commitment and I can speak personally from my own Branch, one of whom is with us today, thank you Christine from Swindon.

It is good to report that for those members who don’t live near a branch or informal group, can now join in with the virtual group by means of a zoom meeting. I know that this has proved popular and I thank Sheila Houghton for  attending these virtual get togethers.

REMEMBRANCE SUNDAY – Once again we have had a huge response from our members wishing to march at the Cenotaph this year with over 100 members taking part. Brilliant. This shows there is still much enthusiasm from our members to represent the Association.

CAROL SERVICE & FUNDRAISING DINNER – It is very encouraging that our fundraising dinner in December at HMS President is now oversubscribed and in fact we have a waiting list. This is good news and just proves how important it is to be able to meet up socially.

2. The Administrator’s Report – Tina Hinchliffe gave the following report:

Membership Update

Current membership as at 3,341 which is 386 less than last year. (This figure may seem higher than previous years, however some time has been taken to sanitise the database which has created an inflated representation of this number due to previously double counted members) (A). Majority of new members continue to join via the website.

Database Analysis

We have taken some data analysis from our database of members and have found the following demographics:-

Under 40’s       –           8                                  Aged 40-50     –           54

Aged 50-60     –           478                              Aged 60-70     –           897

Aged 70-80     –           892                              Aged 80 +       –           689

No D.O.B Noted –       345

This analysis by members ages shows that there is a significant shortfall in younger members under 50 joining. (B)   Magazine percentage shows the split in numbers receiving a physical copy of The Wren (C) Membership demographic sheet (D) gives a ‘rough’ guide of number of members per area.  This information will allow us to potentially look at areas that may need support to increase members.

Events

Wimbledon Championship – Lest We Forget offered us 45 tickets across the 2 weeks period.  Feedback from those that attended is nothing but praise for the organisers at LWF and Wimbledon.

Cenotaph 2024 – We’ve had a total of 101 applications received out of a possible 120 spaces offered by the RBL. All applications have been uploaded to RBL portal for processing with tickets due out to members 30^th /31^st October.

Field of Remembrance – We have received 7 applications for this event with only 3 tickets available. We requested more tickets and rewarded with a further 3.

Christmas Fundraising Dinner 2024 – We have had a fantastic response to this year’s dinner and  fully sold out the 96 places. 13 are fully paid with the remainder to pay the outstanding balance by 30^th October.  We will be contacting those members over the next few weeks to request the balance.

Shop Orders

A significant number of members have contacted the office requesting paper copies of the Xmas order form as they either can’t or don’t want to order via the website. These calls have also led to an increase in non Xmas items such as Jigsaws, Tea Towels, Notepads and Pens, as members were not aware of them still being available if they do not visit the website.

Social Media

A noticeable increase in Facebook interaction, with members and other associations liking, sharing and commenting on our posts. A number of new members have joined us directly as a response from our recent Facebook posts. This includes a number of members renewing after a significant gap since their previous renewal.

3. The Sales Team Report – Janette Crisp gave the following report on behalf of Lynn Gannon.

All goods are advertised regularly by the office and are selling really well. Andrea and I have attended a fair few weekend events and had sales table at local branch meetings; goods sold well there too. Having the card machine has proved to be a good decision – sales of goods has definitely increased because of it. We have completed a stocktake and Andrea has now taken on this part of ship fully as my 6-year role as a trustee comes to an end

4. The Editorial Team Report – report not presented.

5. The Media and Marketing Team Report – report not presented.

6. The Church Report – Janet Crabtree gave the following report.

From the outside, The Jewel in the Strand project continues to move slowly on but it is beginning to pick up speed as we prepare to make the final bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) for the  funding and permission to start the delivery stage.  The Architects are drawing up the final plans and a Public Consultation is just coming to an end.  The Planning Application goes to Westminster City Council (WCC) and the bid to the NLHF in the second half of November.  We expect to hear from NLHF in late spring of 2025 and we just keep our fingers crossed the WCC are relatively quick with planning approval.  As I have said before we need to find the owners of the land surrounding the church, either WCC or Highways England as we need that land to build the access ramp. In the meantime, a team of Fund Raisers will be aiming to raise funds and pledges totalling £6 million to match fund the money from NLHF.  The team are grateful for the continued support given by former Wrens to the Appeal and I know that the AOW has pledged £1,000 to help kit out the kitchen. At the end of August we were visited by a group of QARNNS from Birmingham who were on a cultural visit to London.  They spent about 90 minutes in the church, were given a brief history and tour and told about the WRNS memorials and then served tea & cake. A service to mark the church’s 300th anniversary took place on Sunday 8th September, which was also the church’s Patronal Festival.  The service was conducted by the Bishop of London and we were joined by the choir of St Clement Danes.  About 20 members of the AOW supported the service and we were delighted to welcome six uniformed personnel from HMS PRESIDENT.  The ‘Friday Coffee Morning Team’ served the refreshments for the church. There will be a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 10th November at 1500.  The choir will sing Faure’s Requiem and the service will include readings, prayers and the Act of Remembrance.  If you are in London for the Cenotaph Parade, please consider joining us after lunch. This year marks the 40th anniversary of St Mary le Strand becoming the WRNS church and this will be marked at the Carol Service on Saturday 14th December at 1330 (not 1300 as printed in the magazine).  The Chaplain of the Fleet, the Venerable Andrew Hillier KHC will be joining us for the service.  Please do come along and join us.

7. A Report by the WRNS Benevolent Trust – Heather Rimmer gave the following report:

Madam President, Madam Chairman, Ladies, a report from the WRNS Benevolent Trust, firstly benevolence.

The handover from Mr R Collings (previous Grants Administrator) was mainly focused on ensuring that all historical data, documentation and paper-based processes were captured and implemented within the RNRMC Grants Database Blackbaud. This was achieved in a crude format, with a view to developing the process in 2024.  These behind the scene processes have not impacted on the delivery of grants which has seen a similar amount of grants awarded in 2024 to date.

As at the end of August, the Trust has spent £78,000 on benevolence which is £11,000 behind the same period in 2023.

Our highest spend is now on covering the cost of care, be it care provided within a care home or remaining in their own home.  To date over £34,000 has been provided to assist with this support.

Our spending on regular charitable payments, to those retired, as well as those who have not yet reached state pension age has reduced from £30,911 to £24,914 for the year to date.

One off grant applications continue to be awarded supporting such items as mobility scooters, white goods, funerals and house removal.  The amount provided to date is just over £19,000.

As always, we would like to see more applications for education and retraining as per our second charitable objective. Our Royal Charter allows for those wishing to retrain to be better able to support themselves and their families, however no grants have been made for education in the year to date.

The difference we’ve made – an ex-Wren has been receiving regular charitable payments from WRNS BT for nearly 1 year.  A review of her situation was due, so SSAFA sent a Caseworker round to see how she was doing and gather evidence of her finances.  During the meeting it became apparent her income had not increased very much from the previous year, but outgoings, mainly due to energy bills, were significantly higher. Her environment was well kept, she still drives to collect her food shopping and occasionally attends a quiz, farmers market or visits a café with others.  This ex-Wren is genuinely so very grateful for the regular payments from WRNS BT.  She even said during the visit “I don’t know what I would do without those payments, I simply couldn’t afford to live”.

Thank you card received from Ex-WREN whom received assistance for a cooker and flooring – “to all at WRNS BT, thank you for once again coming to my aid. It has allowed me to move off the estate, where I felt a prisoner in my own home, with drug dealers literally fighting on my doorstep. I am now happily settled in a sheltered housing bungalow, in a sleepy village, on the outskirts of town. I could not have made this positive change without your financial support and kindness. As previously I will continue to “pay it forward” in thoughtful deeds. I am blessed that you have saved me once again. I have a WREN nesting in my garden here, that has to be a sign from the universe, that I am home! Thank you, warmest regards”. So, on their behalf, thank you for your support.

Overall we have been very grateful to receive £21,213 from 5 gifts in Wills to date this year. Gifts in Wills are an incredibly generous and thoughtful way to support WRNS BT. We are so grateful that our beneficiaries are remembered in this way. We have a further 8 estates we are currently administering with more income expected this financial year and a total estimated future income of just under £85,000.

Annual Presentation in May – we held our first Annual Presentation at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in HMNB Portsmouth since the WRNS BT became a wholly owned subsidiary of RNRMC.  The Presentation attracted approximately 100 people and was attended by our Royal Patron, HRH The Princess Royal.

Our guest speaker was the inspirational and highly entertaining Capt Milly Ingham RN who spoke about her experience as the first female Captain to take command of a ship and what she had done throughout her career to date and the support of her various crews and the amazing stories of some of the incredible Serving women she has met and their successes achieved.  Her story of her journey was amazing and very thought provoking.

Transition, the RNRMC team have been fantastic to work with.  They are a very competent and enthusiastic team who have been totally flexible, patient and accommodating in their desire to understand what the Trust is all about, what is important to us and how they can help improve matters.  Thay also provide some new skills we can draw on. For example, they have a communications/public relations department, and also a full-time employee who deals solely with legacies which we still continue to receive for significant amounts.  But to help us all stay on track there exists between the Trust and the RNRMC a Service Level Agreement (SLA).  This 9-page document lays out in high level terms what is required of both parties and in July 2024 we had our first review of the SLA. Barring a couple of tweaks, it was deemed to be in pretty good shape and ‘fit for purpose’ as they say.  The SLA will be a standing agenda item at all Central Committee Meetings of the Trustee Board and will be reviewed every 6 months with a view to moving to an annual review in due course.

 Forthcoming Events for 2024 and 2025

• Remembrance Sunday – 10^th November 2024
• Carol Service at St Mary Le Strand – Saturday 14^th December 2024
• Christmas Fundraising Dinner at HMS President – Saturday 14^th December 2024
• Out Of Town Meeting – Portsmouth – 10^th May 2025
• AGM – Saturday 27^th September 2025 – note change of date
• Remembrance Sunday – Sunday 9th November 2025
• 2025 Carol Service & Fundraising Dinner – Saturday 13^th December 2025

Dates of Trustee Meetings for 2024-2025

• Saturday 23^rd November 2024 (Trustees only) – UJC London
• Friday 14^th March 2025 (Finance) – venue TBC
• Saturday 15^th March 2025 (Trustees) – UJC, London
• Friday 27th June 2025 (Finance) – venue TBC
• Saturday 19th July 2025 (Trustees) – UJC, London
• Saturday 30^th August 2025 (Finance) – venue TBC
• Saturday 27^th September 2025 (Trustees) – TBC [Post-meeting note: this may need changing due to the AGM now taking place on this date]
• Saturday 22^nd November Trustees only meeting – TBC

9. Any Other Business

Andrea Wrigley wished the President a very Happy Birthday and presented Alison with a birthday gift.

10. March off the Standard – the Chairman closed the meeting at 1505 and the Standard was marched off.

The afternoon concluded with refreshments, following which ex-Commander Ryan Ramsey RN gave a most informative and enjoyable presentation for which a vote