AGM - End of the old Year / Start of a New

Thursday 8th April.Penkridge Round Table AGM; the end of one year and the start of a new year for Penkridge Round Table. We meet at the (newly renamed) Hatherton Country Hotel, Penkridge. A swift pint then settle down to quite a decent meal three-course meal. As always there is a good attendance for the AGM, with 22 tablers, including Steve Glaister, the current Area Chairman.The AGM isn’t overly formal, there is structure and an agenda to the meeting, but lots of good humour and barracking. Each of the table officers gives a report on what they’ve done during the year. In most cases they give up their role, but often then take on a new role. For the community events that we organise we have committees, which helps share out the workload. We have a few traditional elements to the AGM, that I think help reinforce the long history of Round Table.We also have some new elements, and I’m the second in-coming Chairman to be faced with Richard Biskier’s mind-over-matter challenge of smashing my fist through a thick piece of wood (which he bravely hold aloft). I achieve this, on second attempt, with much applause - and much hilarity when it doesn’t break the first time.I then take over from Pete, the out-going chairman, and he relinquishes his chain of office. This looks ominous but is quite simply a ribbon with a small badge for each of the past chairman, adding Pete’s makes 34 past Chairman of Round Table - that’s quite a history! I see my role as Chairman as being a custodian of Penkridge Round Table, to keep it going, encourage our members and attract new members - through having a good social programme and continuing to have community events that raise money for charities and local good causes. Ensuring that they provide fun and entertainment for our members, their families and the wider community. So I read a short speech to the AGM telling the members what I want to do in the year ahead, then I introduce the officers for the coming year. We have a swift drink at the bar, then retire back to Pete’s house for a post AGM party!