MINUTES OF THE

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF

THE FRIENDS OF STOW MARIES AERODROME (FOSMA)
HELD IN THE PRINCE OF WALES PUBLIC HOUSE, STOW
MARIES,
ON MONDAY 29 JUNE 2015 AT 7.30 PM
Attendees
As attachment A. By prior arrangement, Barry Dickens, of the SMGWA
Trust had been invited to attend the AGM, and he was joined, at the
invitation of the meeting, by Tim Mathews, also representing the SMGWA
Trust.
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies for absence received from Geoff Charge, Yvonne Charge, Mike
Rees, Ann Barrett, Dave Hollowell-Geddes, Alan Bithrey, Brian Oliver,
Clive Cooper, John Goodman, Brian Strudwick, Liz Willsher, Eric Willsher,
David Lee, Ian Hubbard, Jennifer Thorne, Graham Thorne
2. MINUTES OF THE 2014 AGM
Para 11 b) - limit to number of visitors on site at any one time should
read 500, not 3000.
Otherwise were accepted as a true record and signed by the Acting
Chairman.
3. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES
None.
4. ACTING CHAIRMANS REPORT
At attachment B.
5. TREASURERS REPORT
At attachment C.
Roger Smith proposed and John Foster seconded acceptance of the
accounts, and they were approved nem. con.
6. PROPOSAL AND VOTE ON FOSMA's FUTURE ROLE

The acting chairman outlined the proposed new roles for FOSMA (by ref
to slides shown here at Attachment D), that were the basis for the
resolution that had been proposed and circulated to all members prior to
the meeting. The essence of the resolution was that FOSMA would
become integrated into the Aerodrome management structure, that it
would substantially lose its financial independence, and that it sought
authority from this AGM to continue negotiations with the Trust on its
future role(s). The acting chairman emphasised the importance of being
able to achieve a good working environment for the future FOSMA role.
Barry Dickens of the SMGWA Trust was then invited to address the
meeting. He stated that the Trust want FOSMA to be fully integrated, not
in the wings, and able to make a major contribution. On the point of
financial integration, there is no option. The Trust have a number of
loans from bodies that will not condone 2 separate funding
arrangements. Money raised by FOSMA could be used to underpin the
museum fund, for example, spent in an identifiable fashion on specific
projects, but that all money raised comes into the Trust, and that there
would be transparency regarding finances.
The ambassadorial role is seen as the main role for FOSMA, essentially
outward-looking, and a great opportunity to promote the aerodrome to
outside bodies, schools etc. The Trust want an improved relationship and
better communications with FOSMA, recognising the communications
generally have been bad. The Trust will be submitting their business plan
very shortly, and will share their vision.
The Trust have been very short of money up to now, but the LIBOR grant
is seen as the saving grace.
The Trust wish to see the websites integrated, and Siobhan Collis has
been appointed website administrator.
On a final point, he said that this moment was a great opportunity, some
may not wish to join in, but times have changed.
Voting on the resolution was then postponed to the next agenda item.
7. QUESTIONS TO THE OUTGOING COMMITTEE
Roger Smith made the point that there is a ban on talking to the trustees
directly, and in certain quarters there is a great antipathy towards
FOSMA. Barry Dickens responded that FOSMA now have a direct link to
the Trust via himself, and that there were management changes
underway, and other people who will be employees in addition to the site
manager.
Corinne Lawson stated that she had suffered significant verbal abuse on
site and would not go back on site until the issue had been resolved.
Barry Dickens said that there were no excuses for this and that changes

were underway.
There was a general concern from the floor that there had been no
progress in maintaining the buildings, and that some collapse had
occurred. Tim Mathews said that architects had now been engaged but
that the real problem was a lack of money. Peter Sillett pointed out that
a WREN award had been made last November. Tim responded that the
Trust have not had this money, and that the conditions of the award
raised difficulties. Generally running costs for the aerodrome are a
problem, they are living from hand to mouth, and some Trustees are
putting their own money in. MDC had a small amount allocated but it
didnt get to the Trust.
However the Trust do expect that the LIBOR money will enable things
now to be done.
In view of the above discussion there was a general concern from the
floor about a lack of communication on site, that the Trust should spend
more time on site to provide the kind of feedback felt to be lacking.
Trevor Neale raised concerns about the lack of control of site income.
Barry Dickens responded that this will improve and that they had now
appointed Raymond Keitch, as the single responsible person in the role
of Financial Manager.
Roger Smith spoke in favour of the resolution, but expressed fears that
the very real issues that had arisen with FOSMA effectively banned from
the site still needed to be tackled. Barry Dickens said that new contracts
and job descriptions were being put in place to deal with the problems.
In response to a question from Trevor Neale it was stated that that there
would be a specific budget line for future FOSMA activity.
Dave Twyman pointed out that several loan offers had been made by
volunteer members but not taken up, that both the Trust and the
volunteers needed each other, and that 3 lead volunteers had given up in
recent times.
The vote
The acting chairman then called the meeting to order. The resolution (at
Attachment E) was read out and the meeting invited to vote. There being
no contraries the resolution was passed.
8. ELECTION OF OFFICERS AND COMMITTEE
Nominations had been received for new committee members from Roger
Smith, John Foster, Brian Arney, Roger Barrett, Les Tomlinson, and the
current membership of Bob Pluck, Derek Juniper, Corinne Lawson and
Roger Lawson.

Les Tomlinson then said that he was withdrawing his nomination.

This left 8 nominations for the required 8 positions, and all were duly
elected onto the new committee.

9. APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR FOR 2015/16

David Leslie had agreed to act as auditor for 2015/16, and his
appointment was approved.
10.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS

Corinne Lawson requested authority from the Trust to use the on-site
Dope Shop for the next FOSMA meeting, and this authority was given.

Meeting closed at 9:12pm.

Attachment A

Attachment B
Chairman's Report June 2015
Since the last AGM in June 2014, the year has been a bit of a Curate's Egg
for FoSMA good in some parts, difficult in others. From June to December
FoSMA advanced significantly in many areas, in fact it was a hectic period.
Membership grew to 270 by the end of the financial year, generating 5,035
in subscriptions and donations, with a promise of significant growth in
2015/16. This figure includes around 550 from HMRC, received once our
Treasurer had successfully obtained Gift Aid Charitable status for FoSMA.
FoSMA has continued financial support for the Aerodrome with payments of
3,123 for loans and payments to the trust and various materials and
equipment which the treasurer will expand upon later. We bought 10
ceramic poppies from the Tower of London display, with donations from the
Purleigh Bellringers, one for each RFC airman who died flying from the
Aerodrome. FoSMA organised a service of Remembrance in April when ten
local schoolchildren planted each poppy by the Memorial on the aerodrome.
We have also funded the construction of a special frame to display the
original poppies in the safety of the museum. What we have been unable to
do however, is get from the Trust any substantive aerodrome project that we
can support financially. This has left us with a small cash surplus, equivalent
to about a days takings at a fly-in, that has never the less become an
unfortunate target for some. But more on this later this evening.
1,178 has been raised from our monthly talks, and the visits that FoSMA
organises for volunteers. The most successful talk being the Blackbird SR71 talk by Col Rich Graham which brought in 330. We have already
contracted with speakers for the monthly talks throughout the rest of 2015,
with subject matter including the history of RAF Duxford and life flying in a
Tornado GR4 by Wg Cdr Nikki Thomas. Last October FoSMA organised a
coach trip to Martlesham Heath Control Tower museum for the volunteers,
which ended with a leisurely lunch at the Douglas Bader pub. Contact has
since been made with the volunteers at Brooklands Aviation Museum,
Shuttleworth Trust at Old Warden aerodrome, Bletchley Park, and
Lakenheath Airfield with a view to further visits.
We have also been out and about. Many local venues have been attended
by the Curatorial team and FoSMA members, together with the new display
trailer, for which we owe thanks to Michael Pudney, one of our Trustees.
This publicised both the Aerodrome and FOSMA, and took our merchandise
to new customers. Our special thanks go to Ed and Ant for towing the
trailer and setting it up on-site, and their many long arduous hours at local

Beer Festivals. FoSMA has also covered the transportation costs, and
members have collected, various artifacts for the museum.
But the star enterprise of 2014/15 was the Gift Shop, which under the
management of Trevor Neale and the shop staff took nearly 13,000
between opening in May 2014 and the end of the season in October. During
this time an on-line shopping facility via the FOSMA's website, was also
launched, which although not contributing much in the way of sales value,
did extend the impact of the aerodrome to a much wider audience. A
frequent request made by customers of the shop was for a guidebook about
the aerodrome. FoSMA managed to publish one and had 1,000 copies
available for the September fly-in. About 400 copies were sold between
then and the close of the season in October.
Also last September we made a successful bid for the services of a Retail
Management consultant, beating almost all other small museums in Eastern
England and getting one of the 5 free places on offer. As well as the
consultants advice and action plan FoSMA was offered a grant of 800
towards the Gift Shop expansion. The consultant visited us on 3 rd November,
and in addition to approving the grant put us in touch with Gainsborough
House Museum which was disposing of their gift shop furniture. These
items, estimated at a conservative value 1,750 were donated to us free of
charge. FoSMA collected the furniture in late November and put it in store
pending a move into larger premises promised by the Trust.
From this point things began to go awry and from December until now,
FoSMA has been largely treading water whilst it discusses with the Trust a
different working relationship. In the meantime it has become increasingly
difficult for FoSMA to undertake any activity on site and it has been virtually
excluded from all events on the aerodrome except the FoSMA talks which
have to be run after the site is closed to the general public.
In December FoSMA was informed that the Trust would be taking over the
retail activity, which would thereafter be run by the aerodrome manager.
FoSMA reluctantly passed about 6,500 of stock, furniture and the 800
retail grant to the Trust in January. A month or so later the aerodrome
introduced a season ticket scheme, competing directly with FoSMA
membership, and made it clear that if we wished to continue to offer free
entry to FoSMA members we would have to buy a season ticket for each
member.
The discussions with the trust to resolve these issues are nearing completion
and could lead to a very bright future for FoSMA but there are some
significant hurdles still to overcome. These will be the subject of tonights
resolution, debate and vote.

But life goes on and there have been many encouraging developments
elsewhere in the aerodrome. Most visitors will have noticed the Volunteers
erecting the new temporary hangar, which is now complete, with some help
from FoSMA, and is housing a collection of vintage aircraft. The museum
has expanded into the recently vacated workshops and new exhibits are
appearing all the time. The Dope Shop has been transformed into a
multipurpose lecture room and of course the furniture and stock we
transferred to the Trust is the core of the expanded and modernised new
shop.
The Trustees have been working hard and have obtained a grant from WREN
of 200,000 for preserving the M.T sheds, Night-flying equipment stores,
Pilot's ready room, and the R.E.stores. Also the recent award of a 1.5
million LIBOR Grant for the purchase and erection of two replica twinhangars was a major coup and on behalf of all our members the committee
wishes to congratulate the Trustees. This will ensure plenty of work for our
Volunteers over the coming months, and the aerodrome will be an even
more interesting place to visit when those buildings are restored. It is most
gratifying that all the hard work put in by the Trustees in the last year is
finally coming to fruition.
It only remains for me to thank all the committee for their hard work, Trevor
as Head of Retail for his astute purchasing powers and business acumen,
Corinne our Membership Secretary and Gift Shop display organiser, Roger
our Treasurer who persevered with the HMRC and invariably pursues me to
sign the cheques, Derek our Webmaster who confounds us with his technical
web skills, and Geoff our recent chairman, who additionally acted as a
visitor guide, worked on the static aircraft, organised all the FoSMA talks and
the early Volunteer Trips and quietly and efficiently responded to the myriad
of requests arriving through the website. Geoff was also a great calming
influence when things became heated. They have all supported the
aerodrome to the fullest extent allowed them and have been staunch
champions of FoSMA and its members, particularly when times were
frustrating and resignation was in the air.
On behalf of the Committee and members I must also thank all volunteers
who made the FoSMA Gift Shop such a success. Against all the odds, in
spite of harassment from a few, working in a small, cold, damp, space,
Trevor and the volunteers provided an efficient, well run, fully accountable
service for the aerodrome and its visitors. They proved, against the
prevailing views, that a gift shop was a viable service. We thank them all.
With all the many changes imminent at the aerodrome your committee
wishes to consult members about the future role of FOSMA. The resolution,
debate and vote later this evening will give you the opportunity to have your

say and hopefully give your newly elected committee a useful steer and the
authority to take whatever actions are appropriate after concluding
discussions with the Trust about FoSMA's future.
In spite of our short term problems, Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome will
prosper and grow. So to all our members we look forward to seeing you at
the Aerodrome for all the many events this year and next, and at the
continuously expanding museum and the growing collection of display and
flying aircraft. Please keep looking at our website for details of all the
changes, events and opening days, to get the most out of your future visits.

Thank you for your patience, and I will now hand you over to our Treasurer.

Attachment C
Treasurerss report on the audited accounts
You should have already received a copy of the 2014/2015 accounts. If not, I
have a few copies available here.
In view of the Acting Chairmans most comprehensive report covering the past
years events, I will only highlight a few areas of interest. As you can see, I have
attempted to show as many Income/Expenditure headlines as possible in the
accounts presentation rather then just a few with large amounts needing
identification.
INCOME
Membership subscriptions - 3050, an increase over the previous year of 515.
Membership statistics at 31/3/15 were as follows:Honoraries 15
Volunteers 91
Friends

167
273

And as at 20/06/15, renewals stand at 215 total.

Lecture income

- 1178, an increase of 431 over previous yr

FOSMA Retail

- 4047

SMGWAT Stock

- 1000

Gift Aid reclaimed - 554

EXPENDITURE
FOSMA continues to support the Aerodrome by funding the costs of Materials and
Equipment needed by the hard-working volunteers thus enabling them to carry
out routine maintenance of Buildings, Grounds, Plant and Equipment. These costs
are identified in the account headings .
Equipment purchased

- 579

this included a portable recorder and microphone for use by the Curatorial
team to interview donors.
And the collection of 2x Propellers for the museum (a cttee member
travelled to Wigan tom collect these)

Repair and Maintenance:

Buildings

- 420, mainly spent on paint/timber for the new shop area

Equipment - 125, fuel, mower bearings, safety clothing.

SUMMARY
At the end of the year you will see a surplus of 8216. However, without the
following items as previously mentioned the surplus would be 2615.
FOSMA Retail balance

4047

SMGWA Trust payment for stock

1000

HMRC Gift Aid Claim

554
5601

And finally, as we are nearing the end of the 1st quarter of this current financial
year, you may like to know that your committe has authorised the following
payments:Purchase of projector

300

Renovation (Sopwith Pup)

50

Materials for build of model planes

409

Model plane kits for resale

88

Starter motor for Peugeot

69

Donation toward purchase of MF tractor

990
1906

Bank reconciliation as at 27/06/15

Cash book 12827.87
General Fund

12040.07

MW7 Fund

42.80

Shared Learning Fund 671.00

Poppy Fund

74
12827.87

Attachment D

Attachment E

Friends of Stow Maries Aerodrome (FoSMA)

29th June 2015 Annual General Meeting
Resolution for Approval by Members
Background to the Resolution
Over the past three months there has been an intense dialogue between
FoSMA and the SMGWA Trust to examine possible future working
arrangements. FoSMA's financial independence, its role on and off the
aerodrome and whether FoSMA could be integrated into the aerodrome
management structure, have been key elements of the discussions.
Following the the changes being put in place by the Trust, the committee
believes we are very close to a workable arrangement that will expand the
role of FoSMA on and off site through a new ambassadorial operation,
provide FoSMA membership with a better window on aerodrome activity, and
through closer working with Trust be better positioned to support aerodrome
developments. However finding the resources to provide a steering
committee and the work teams to fulfil this expanded role could be a serious
obstacle.
The committee's view is that it will take about 6 weeks to establish whether
there are sufficient FoSMA members willing to participate in the committee
and work teams, and whether the changes being introduced by the Trust
will, in practice, be compatible with FoSMA being able to operate as the Trust
has requested. In the event that the resourcing needs or working practices
are not satisfactory an Extraordinary General Meeting will be called to
consider alternative actions.
Resolution for Approval
The committee wishes to continue working with its membership and the
Trust towards an expanded, integrated role for FoSMA, in return for FoSMA
surrendering most of its financial independence. The committee therefore
asks for the membership's approval to:
1. To work with the Trust, the aerodrome management and the FoSMA
membership, and over the next two months determine whether
integration will deliver the benefits hoped for by the Trust and FoSMA.
The report to be published to all FoSMA members.
2.

Give delegated authority to the Steering Committee to integrate

FoSMA into the aerodrome's structure, if the resourcing needs and
working practices are judged to be satisfactory by the Steering
Committee.