Report on Conference held at the The White Rock Theatre, Hastings 9th - 10th May 1998

Saturday Afternoon

Rebecca White, Vice President gave the Presidential Address. At her first ANC she was told not to speak at all and embarrass her group! She hoped that no one here had been told the same thing this year. As she had been put into room 101 at her hotel, that started her wondering what things members of the NEC (National Executive Council) would like to put into their "Room 101". Their answers were car sunshades, the doves who used to live in the roof of Nicholson House, car sunshades, the Tower logo earrings, negative talk about 18 Plus, and car sunshades!

Then came the usual problem of finding people who can count to be tellers and ballot paper counters. The apologies for absence included Francis Wallington and this announcement raised the usual cheer!

The minutes of the 56th ANC were accepted with no matters arising. Then onto the Federations report and accounts for 1997. After some questions these were both accepted.

Then it was on to the motions. The first motion proposed raising the full membership fee to £25 with 10% of the membership fee being returned to the member's Area. Donna Verall, Kent Area Chairman, on behalf of the NEC, proposed the motion. The intention is that the money raised would be used for a particular project. This could be publicity, development, abolishing the Area levy etc. It was felt by the NEC that this would give members a greater say in how funds are spent and would encourage recruitment. Arguments were made both for and against. On one hand one person felt that raising the fee mean we would lose members. On the other people believed that you get what you pay for and that we represented good value compared to social organisations. To pass the motion a 75% majority was needed but only 62.2% were in favour of the motion, so it was lost.

The second motion (proposed by Sandra Cawthra, Mid west Area Chairman) was that a six month membership be introduced for people who are unable to reside in the country for a full year. The motion was carried.

The next important business was the tea break but where were the biscuits?

Darren Emmons, Wessex Area Chairman, proposed the motion to amend the posts on an Area Executive Council. The aim of this is to reduce bureaucracy. An amendment was proposed to add the post of PRO. The amendment was lost. The original motion was then carried.

The motion regarding the reqirement of Area Conferences and Area Group meetings to be held at least twice a year each was passed.
 

Sunday Morning

Andy Bond had been nominated for the post of National Chairman. He then made his proposal speech. Apart from the odd bit of pontificating and being next the next in line of handsome (?) and beautiful National Chairpersons, he will also be following his dream. This dream is to be the first National Chairman for more than ten years to stand up at an ANC and say that the Federation has increased its year on year membership. He wants us to have a renewed perspective, renewed aims, renewed goals, renewed pride and involvement and for us to be able to say "Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty we are free at last!.

The highlights of last nights dinner dance were Sandra dancing on the tables and discovering a miracle cure for loss of voice (tons of alcohol!). Amazingly Tim from Marlow didn't seem to win any raffle prizes - he must be losing his touch!

The motion to allow an associate member to be elected as Area Chairman had the wording amended slightly. There was just one speaker against who said that she felt the motion could have been withdrawn in view of the age range motion being passed yesterday. The motion was lost.

The next motion concerning extending the power of the GPC (General Purposes Council) to enable them to respond quickly to any emergencies. The NEC chose to speak against the motion. Thay felt that the NEC or the ANC should make decisions and not just the four members of the GPC. The motion was lost.

The final motion was to change the majority needed to change the Constitution from 75% to 66%. An ammendment was porposed to change the figure to 70% instead. The amendment was lost. The original motion was then also lost.

The first item under the facility for National debate was the image of 18 Plus. One speaker said that we needed to publicise ourselves more in order to create general awareness of our Federation. A change of name was suggested to get away from being confused with Club 18-30. It was suggested that the best way to create and promote our image was for us to go out sell ourselves.

The facility for National debate continued with Clive Bryant speaking on the subject of how to ensure the future of 18 Plus. He felt that National holidays are the jewels in the crown which is 18 Plus. However, our crown is slightly tarnished and needs a good polish. A pontificating Andy Bond then gave his views on the way forward.

Sunday Afternoon

The result of the election for National Chairman was announced. Andy Bond was elected.

Andy then gave a presentation on the new Area structures, assisted by all the other Area Chairmen who gave their views on the restructuring of their particular areas. Basically they all liked the proposals and think it will be a good thing. There was a vote to endorse the restructuring.

Sandra Bradshaw gave the National Chairman's address. She was pleased that there had been an increase in the number of motions received but would like to see more debate. She enjoyed the Conference and thanked everyone for making it fun and relaxing. Three and a half years and four conferences later she is sad but tired and ready to move on. However, she can take one year off and then return to bring more beauty to the National Chairmanship!

Her reminiscences included car shades, the number of men who have claimed to have slept with her, fielding a love triangle in a hospital, and using the gents loos as they have no queue to stand in. People also seem to have a thing about her knickers. The look on the faces of the NEC when she loses her temper will always stick in her mind.

She had various people to thank - the two companies she has worked for who think they were letting her go to the doctor, dentist, etc. on many a Friday afternoon, given her days off sick when she has been too tired to go into work, and given her use of the phone. She also thanked her car mechanic, the AA men who have rescued her many times, BT for a good phone link and her trusty Renault which finally died last year. We haven't seen the last of Sandra yet!

A silver tankard was presented to Vaughan Wonnacot in recognition of all his hard work as Nicholson House Officer. The girls in the office have always found him very supportive. He has done a lot of the maintenance work himself and spent a lot of the time painting the place and has even been seen washing the windows!

Sandra was then given a present from a "secret admirer" - a sun shade! She then received a gold record (a spray painted version of that well known hit (?) record the 18 Plus song) and a crystal Winnie The Pooh as a thank you for all her hard work as National Chairman.

Presentation of Trophies

During the presidential closing address, Rebecca White said that we have made changes this weekend but we mustn't rest on our laurels. We have to go back and put in lots of work. Rebecca came to two consecutive ANC's at which her group were runners up for the President's Trophy. She decided that she didn't want to be runner up for a third time, so she planned her campaign in the car on the way home, carried it out and her group won the trophy the following year. So start working now - don't wait a day, a week or a month.

The Conference was closed by The National Chairman, Sandra Bradshaw.

 Last updated 22 February 2007 by webmaster@18plus.org.uk