Minutes of the OxVeg Committee Meeting, Thursday 17^th September 2009, 7pm

Venue: Barristers Room, Oxford Town Hall

Present: Paul Appleby (PA; chair), Paul Freestone (PF), David Huish (DH), Pam Hopcraft (PH), Rachel Foster (RF; arrived at 7.30pm).

Apologies: Heather Shepherd (HS), Sue Tibbles (ST).

1.     Reports and update from previous meeting:

• HS: No news other than the arrival of a baby daughter on 14^th August.  Hoping to resume secretarial duties in October?  HS to confirm.
• PA: Mailed the September issue of OxVeg News on 1^st September, a few days ahead of schedule.  Currently compiling the October issue on the assumption that HS is unable to do so at present.
• DH: £80 donation to the Vegan Food Fair, but no takings on the OxVeg stall (see below).  £100 taken at the Elder Stubbs Festival.  Balance currently ~£850, though payment of ~£100 for wall charts from Liz Cook is pending.  Stressed the need for careful financial planning.
• PF: Gave several radio interviews to promote the Vegan Food Fair and gave a cookery demo at the event.
• PH: Ran the OxVeg stall at Elder Stubbs Festival (with DH) – very successful.  Has sent payment for stalls at the One World Fair (Sat 21^st November) and the Green Fair (Sat 12^th December), both at Oxford Town Hall (awaiting confirmation).  The OxVeg Members Questionnaire has elicited only 5 replies, with only one member offering to help in any way.
• RF: Organised the Vegan Food Fair on 15^th August (see below).
• ST: Ran the OxVeg stall at the Vegan Food Fair, but had to bring her own leaflets owing to non-delivery of the stall as a result of a misunderstanding.

2.     Oxford Vegan Food Fair review

RF was congratulated on her incredible effort in organising the Fair.  601 people attended, twice as many as in 2008.  ~£300 in donations from visitors, plus donations from Animal Aid, Oxford Animal Protection, OxVeg, Tiffins Tandoori and various stall holders, but with the substantial costs the event probably only broke even (RF uncertain). Event considered a success overall, but of little direct benefit to OxVeg.  PF suggested charging a nominal amount for admission (e.g. 50p) in future to help cover costs and discourage freeloaders.  RF might take a break from organising the Fair in 2010.  PA suggested the need for an organising committee and greater forward planning in order to spread the load.  Recipes from PF’s cookery demo await uploading to the OxVeg website (Action HS).  These, together with recipes provided by OxVeg member Tracy Lean some years ago (recently rediscovered by PA), could form the basis of an OxVeg recipe booklet (a potential money-spinner given the success of Isle of Wight V&V “Meals Without Squeals†booklets).

3.     AGM (Thursday 15^th October, 7.30pm, Panel Room, Oxford Town Hall)

a) Rules for elections.  PA suggests that committee members be elected by secret ballot of members attending the AGM, including the option of voting against as well as for candidates, with all existing committee members being required to stand for re-election (unless they did not wish to do so).

b) Nominations for committee members (and intentions of existing committee members).  PA suggested that OxVeg members should be encouraged to stand for election to the committee via OxVeg News (Action PA) and recommended that committee members should make their intentions known regarding whether they intend standing for re-election (Action ALL).

4.     Forthcoming Events

Dining Out Club meal at The Star Inn, Stanton St John – Friday 18^th September, 7.30pm

Dining Out Club meal at Bangkok House, Hythe Bridge Street  – Friday 16^th October, 7.30pm

Probable OxVeg stalls at the One World Fair (Saturday 21^st November, 10am-4.30pm?) and Green Fair (Saturday 8^th December, 10.30am-4.30pm?), both at Oxford Town Hall.

5.     AOB

a) Attendance of non-committee members at committee meetings (PH).  It was agreed that these should be open to current OxVeg members only (persons may be asked to show their membership card) and that recordings must not be taken without the agreement of the committee.

b) OxVeg constitution (PH).  PA stated that OxVeg does not have a written constitution, although our membership of IVU and affiliation to The Vegetarian Society means that OxVeg must be run by vegetarians (or vegans) only.

c) Committee members’ contact details (PH).  PH requested that contact details including daytime phone numbers and/or email addresses be re-circulated (Action – HS to circulate a suitable form for completion by ALL).

(PA departed at this point, so the following items were discussed informally and no decisions were reached.)

d) Meatless Mondays (PA).  PA suggests that promoting the Meatless Mondays campaign (backed by Animal Aid, Sir Paul McCartney, &c – see www.meat-free-monday.com and www.supportMFM.org) might be a good way to give OxVeg some public & media profile. The campaign could be directed at Oxford City Council and/or the Oxford colleges and Brookes University.  PF reported that Katherine Morris has approached the chef at Mansfield College requesting that the college catering be wholly vegetarian on Mondays.

e) Celebration Buffet (PA).  OxVeg has some remarkable elderly members, including founder member Margery Jones (who will be 102 in October), former chairperson June Whitehouse (85 in December), and Derek Sherwood MBE, all of whom live in Headington.  PA suggests that OxVeg organises an informal buffet somewhere in Headington to celebrate their achievements, bearing in mind the fact that most of these persons are unable to attend DOC meals and other events owing to lack of mobility.  Possible caterers are the Coventry-based Green Garden Café (www.greengardencafe.co.uk) who normally charge £5-£6 per head for vegan buffets (plus a 40p/mile delivery charge).  Costs could be covered by charging guests (excepting agreed guests of honour) £7-50 or more.

6.     Next Meeting

OxVeg AGM, Panel Room, Oxford Town Hall – Thursday 15^th October, 7.30pm (open to current OxVeg members only).