AGM Minutes

Item Topic Outcome Action: Who, When
1 Chairman’s Welcome 1st AGM under the new constitution. Welcome to everyone and thanks for attending.
2 Chairman’s Report There have been big advances in the last year. They are as follows.
The updated constitution reflects changes in the law and the aims of the charity.
Home checking, fostering and placement process has been consolidated.
Emergency kennelling being constructed for 4 dogs, 2 kennels at each of the homes of 2 of our foster homes.
The Newsletter is now up and running and issued twice a year.
The new website is up and running and work is continuing to build on it.
Payment process had been professionalised with an external accountant who oversees and verifies the Charities accounts.
A permanent fundraiser position has been made on the committee which has been given to Kerry Fitzgerald.
Preparation for the Charity attending Pointerfest has been completed.
Pointer Rescue has paired with other reputable charities in order to continue to help a pointers requiring help.
The charity still wishes to purchase a ‘Pointer Sanctuary’ and established a target to do so.
Public liability and foster insurance is now in place. Ongoing commitments and activities are as follows.
Increase fundraising by attending more events. Kerry has already started attending events in her local area to raise funds.
Next year will see the collation of submissions for a book entitled ‘Adopter’s Tails’ which will contain experiences of people who have adopted a rescue dog.
The committee will strive to keep up to date with legal developments that will affect the charity.
The committee are organising a weekend in Nottinghamshire to celebrate 45 years of PRS. The Great Northern Pointer Party and Country Fete will be on 8th and 9th September, 2018 near Clipstone.
The development of the Friends Sponsorship scheme.
The development of a committee meeting cycle at regular intervals.
The committee aim to be involved in more ‘active’ volunteering.
Develop a grants procedure and assessment of those needing assistance to look after their dogs. There are in the region of 500 dogs still alive that have been homed by PRS. The charity contributes to ongoing medical conditions for a few pointers and will continue to do so.
The numbers of dogs PRS help each year is between 60 and 85. These are normally 50% from UK and 50% from Europe.
The Chairman thanked everyone for their hard work and dedication.
3 Financial Report The draft accounts have been prepared for year ending March 2017.
Monies at 31st March 2017 were £134,324 whereas at 31st March 2016 they were £144,688 showing a loss. This can be explained by solicitor’s fees for overseeing the new constitution were almost £4,000, grants to others in the region of £17,000 along with a reduction in income from donations and calendar sales. Pointers in Need with given £3,500 to set up plus helping a number of dogs that commitment had been made to assisting before the separation.
There have been investigations into changing accounts to have monies in those that give the best return.
4 Secretary’s Report

There has been unprecedented changes within PRS over the last 12 months. The most significant event was the death of our founder and mentor, Beryl Bugden. The remaining Trustees and Committee are determined to continue building on the strong foundations she laid for the charity.

All the PRS forms have been updated and rewritten.

The constitution has been rewritten with legal guidance and submitted to and approved by the charity commission.

An accountant has been engaged to verify the annual accounts before they are submitted.

Digital Storm has rebuilt the website and have agreed to maintain it for a nominal sum which Richard May has agreed to pay as a donation. The previous site was most gratefully managed and donated by Samantha Reed.

Kerry Fitzgerald is attending a number events to raise the charity’s profile and funds. A number of new items with the PRS logo or just the logo pointer are now available.

5 Pointer Party

To celebrate 45 years of PRS there will be a Pointer Party and Fete on 8th & 9th September next year. Carol’s brother has kindly offered 3 fields, which total over 20 acres, free of charge. There will be a water supply in one of the dividing hedges.

A portable stage and sound system have been organised. Carol is using her contacts in the area to source Portaloos, Catering vans and Scout group to help. The public notification of this event will be at Pointerfest. Leaflets have been produced to hand out. It is hoped that a number of entertainers, demonstrators, stall holders etc. can be confirmed before Crufts in March, where it will be advertised and more detailed leaflets produced to hand out. Sponsors for the event will be needed.

The next committee meeting will be held in Nottinghamshire to enable the members to see the site and decide what will be required.

6 Pointerfest Richard and Carol will be representing PRS with the new gazebo and merchandise. Kerry is already committed to running the agility for the Pointerfest team.
7 Pointer Sanctuary The charity aims to raise £750,00 to purchase kennels. A regular donations income would assist in securing a loan for purchase should a suitable property became available before the target is met.
8 Friends Scheme A big push is needed to increase the number of people on the friends list. Forms to be added to adoption packs etc.
9 Newsletter Items for the next newsletter should be submitted by early September.
10 Association with other Charities There are a number of other charities that PRS work with such as Rushton Rescue, Give a Dog a Home Rescue Malaga, GASAH as an example. It is important that this continues and PRS does not become insular and unapproachable.
11 Adopter’s Tails This will be a book of stories written by those that have adopted a rescue dog. Contributions should be sent to Richard by March next year, so it can be published as part of the 45 year celebrations.
12 Fundraising

Kerry is now the new Fundraising Officer. Her assistance on the stand at Crufts was invaluable. She attends a number of events in her area. With the new donated gazebo and the new red themed merchandise, the profile of the rescue will be lifted. Ann Seward had drawn pointer Studies which have been produced into notelets which will be on sale at Pointerfest.

Kerry will be running a pre-Christmas online auction. Kerry could do with access to or set up a new PayPal account so that she is able to verify payments for online purchases and won auction items before dispatch. Carol and Kerry will be attending a dog show in Daventry in December with a stand.

Next year acquiring items for the Crufts raffle and ticket sales must start earlier than it did this year.

Calendar pictures should be submitted at the beginning of August. It has been suggested that the present ones are too large. Perhaps a desktop type to be produced for next year pending further discussion.

A sponsorship pack should be produced.

13 Any Other ‘Business

Facebook should be updated to say what we are about.

Home check and foster volunteer lists slowly filling. A volunteer form should be included in the adoption pack.

Home checks are mainly pointer friends but Alison and Leila have joined a Facebook group who are volunteer home checkers.

New foster agreement needed.

The view is that PRS prefer to be subtle and understated rather than bold and brash.

Tania to be asked to contact Sir Tom Courtney to ask if he would be willing to open the Pointer Party next year.

Thanks given to everyone on the committee for the time and effort everyone has given and how much has been achieved in a relatively short period.