Monday 9th December 2024
The Chair, Dr. Joanne Backhouse, welcomed the President, Dr. Ashley Cooke and the members to the Annual General Meeting of Wirral Ancient Egypt Society and led the meeting beginning with a vote on accepting the minutes from the 2023 AGM, which was passed.
1….Apologies were received from Joyce Hayles.
2….Treasurer’s Report…….our Treasurer, Cheryl Hanson sent out the financial details to members by email in advance of the AGM and hard copies of the accounts were also made available at the meeting. Cheryl went through the income received and expenses incurred during the year, with a net profit of £313.11. Funds held at the start of the year were £3846.19 and at the end £4159.30, giving a healthy financial position. The Society’s account is held with Lloyds, who have announced a change in early 2025 which will involve bank charges for operating the account, using cheques and paying in cash. Other banks either do not offer this type of account or also make similar chargers, or are likely to in the near future. Lloyds will now, however, offer internet banking with free online transactions, and this option will be used as much as possible to minimise the new charges.
3….Membership……..The society has 57 members as of today compared with 53 in December 2023. 4 new members joined in November, taking advantage of the offer to be able to attend the December AGM plus buffet as an extra.
4….Dr. Backhouse then gave her report on the year’s activities and remarked that we had enjoyed a series of interesting lectures throughout the year, including an excellent lecture on Senenmut from Dr. Campbell Price and lectures from our members Dr. Judith Corbelli and Dr. Gina Muskett. In 2025 we can look forward to hearing another member, Dr. Jacky Finch, on medical matters and will welcome a new speaker, Sarah Shepherd on tourism and travel in the Great War. Heidi Koepp-Junk returns in April by Zoom talking about her recent excavation results, and Dr. Peter Lacovara will be speaking on zoom about the Hyksos expulsion in September. She then moved on to look at nominations for the committee for 2025.
5…Nominations for the committee for 2025….. As no new nominations were made, the existing committee were voted to remain in situ for 2025. The Chair thanked the present committee members for their efforts in 2024 and Colin Armstrong-Liles for his excellent work on the website. The Chair then spoke about the ongoing need for more members to volunteer to join the committee. Last year we gained Cheryl Tempest and Steve Tasker, whose contributions have been invaluable, but we are only 6 and we need 5 to make a quorum to function. 2 members will be away in January and February 2025, which might create a problem if decisions need to be made.
6….This year Cheryl Tempest arranged 2 visits; to the VGM in Liverpool and to visit the stores at the World Museum. Next year she is hoping to plan a visit to Swansea, possibly in April as an overnight stay, to view an exhibition visiting there from Harrogate. She has also produced some really useful and informative newsletters keeping us up to date with events in Egyptology. Steve Tasker will continue to bring books to be sold at monthly meetings as well as making Egypt-related slate and wood objects to boost society funds and gift to our lecturers as a thank you.
7…. The Chair…..then introduced the President Dr. Ashley Cooke, lead curator at the World Museum, Liverpool, to give the annual Presidential Lecture.
8….AOB…..no questions came from the floor so the Chair closed the AGM.
The December meeting continued after, Dr. Cooke’s lecture, with a buffet and raffle.