Held for the first ever time in our new Ladybridge Hall premises, which easily accommodated the large team turnout of 42 team members present, the AGM followed its usual format.
Reports were presented by our Chairman, Tony McNally, and our Team Leader, Garry Rhodes, highlighting the many developments and issues that have occured over the teams last year.
A very comprehensive report on the teams finances was then presented by our Treasurer, Mark Scott, who explained away how purchasing a new Landrover, building works at our Ladybridge base, and the KEELA clothing purchase, had reduced our assets from around £55,000.00 around the middle of last year, to our current total of £3,500.00 ! ( have you ever seen a team treasurer cry ! )
The annual open voting elections then took place for our 12 Team Council positions, the full list of which can be viewed in our membership area, on this website. Outgoing team Council members included Ann Shaw, Dave Healey ( in his role as Secretary ) and Jim Wareing, all three having given sterling service.
Our Team Leader, Garry Rhodes, was elected into his 16th consecutive year of office, in this very demanding post, ably supported by Geoff Seddon, our Deputy Leader, elected once more into the post he has held continuosly since September 1992. ( he was our Team Leader in the 1970’s, and is an ex Team Chairman ).
Tony McNally, was elected yet again, as our Chairman, the post he has held with tact, diplomacy and statesmanship, since September 1992.
New Team Council members are Craig Lamb, as Training Officer, ( an ex member of the NCB Mines Rescue Service ), and a Financial Advisor outside of the team, who joined the team in 1994. Claire Morrissey is our new Team Secretary, a teacher in Warrington, Claire is the latest member of her family to join the team, joining herself in 1999. Our last new Council member is Alistair Greenough, elected as one of our five Equipment Officers, with specific responsibilities for our casualty care and medical equipment items. Alistair is an Accident and Emergency Nurse at Warrington Hospital, and obviously brings this knowledge to this very important post.
As ever, the AGM concluded with a lively discussion on how much we set our individual membership subsciptions / donations at, ( for those interested we pegged the amount at just short of £85.00 for the year, who knows, one day, with grant aid or a wealthy benefactor we might just be able to announce a zero amount ! – we can but dream ! )