London Guild of Weavers, Spinners and Dyers

LONDON GUILD OF WEAVERS, SPINNERS AND DYERS

Minutes of the Management Committee held on Saturday 12 th July 2014 at St. Stephen’s House, 48 Emperor’s Gate, London W7 4HJ at 10.00am for 10.30am

Present: Christine Eborall (Chair) Helena Timms (Secretary) Eve Alexander (Webmaster) Elite Bernet (Committee member) Jane Rutt (Membership Secretary) Karen Firmin-Cooper (Treasurer) Lyn Duffus (Committee member) Joan Scriven (Programme Secretary) Wendy Morris (President) Roberto Campana (Editor, Warp & Weft) Penny Brazier (Guest) (part time)

1. Apologies:

Apologies received from Jan Slater (Librarian).

2. Minutes:

The Minutes of the meeting held on April 12th 2014 were approved and signed by Christine.

3. Matters Arising:

Item 3. Selvedge – no success so far. Action: Jane to continue to try to contact. Item 3. Book Disposal – Some Mary Meigs Atwater books donated to Complex Weavers silent auction, individual books sold at $10 each, shuttle course sold at $300. The money will be put towards their exhibition. The other books have not been dealt with yet. Action: Wendy to dispose of. Item 3. Poster – Action: Wendy to forward to Eve and Christine. Item 3. Footnote – text added to website. Item 4. Accounts filed. Item 4. Signatories completed, waiting on final switchover this week. Item 4. Treasurer’s duties – updated and checked. Action: Christine to propose change in constitution to October committee meeting, prior to submitting to AGM. Item 4. Cheque – received and paid into account. Item 5. Online form – investigated by Eve and Wendy. Considered too hard to use. Action: Wendy to forward to Jane the form she has redesigned. Item 5. Warning leaflet – sent with last W&W. Item 7. Password – updated (dyeing14). Item 7. info@ recipients amends – done; noticeboard trial: in progress. Item 7. Emails – done. Item 10. Speaker introduction for September – done.

1 Item 13. Noticeboards – purchased and set up at meeting; Jane was thanked for organising. Item 15. Exhibition entries – done. Item 16. Association journal subscriptions and back copy sales – being done. Item 16. Mannequins – being returned by Anne Dixon at August Meeting, Association to be invoiced for parking expenses but no donation required. Action: Eve Item 16. AV instructions – written, need to be reviewed during afternoon meeting. Action: Christine, Roberto

4. Treasurer’s Report:

Current Status: the Treasurer’s report is in the Appendix. a) New format created for report to make it easier to review current position. Is not completely accurate at the moment due to lack of access to account. The Committee agreed the new format was very helpful. b) The change of signatories process is just about completed. c) Agreed that all payments into the account must have an accompanying email to Karen to explain what they are for. d) Karen will set up online banking to enable us to make BACS payments in future. Action: Karen. e) Deposits for equipment hire not to be banked as should not be treated as income. If a deposit cheque is close to expiry date (6 months) and item still on hire, the cheque holder to contact Karen to agree next steps. f) Agreed that where speakers travelling by car do not have a cost for mileage, to give 30p/mile as our guide rate. g) Cancellation policy for workshops – new policy needs to be written on workshop payments. To include payment upfront which will be put into account. If participant wants to cancel, they have to find replacement and get payment from them or forfeit full cost. Action: Karen to draft policy. h) Warp & Weft advertising – agreed to change from the current retrospective invoicing to advance invoicing at beginning of each year, starting January 2015. Invoices for this year to be sent out now. Action: Karen to send 2014 invoices and note regarding new system to the 4 main advertisers. i) Entry charge for guests – suggestion to change attendance cost for guests to £8. Maths on income for meetings to be done in time for AGM so can change it then if needed. Action: Karen to do a report for next committee meeting. When agreed, a new flyer/leaflet to be created to point out to guests the cost-effectiveness of joining. Action: Jane.

5. Membership Report:

The Membership Secretary’s report is in the Appendix. a) Membership is back up to about the same as last year, although there is still a decline from previous years. There is about a 25% non renewal rate. We need to get more information on why people don’t renew/join. Action: Jane to email non renewals and ask why they chose not to renew. b) We should have meet and greet people at all meetings to talk to new members to make them feel more welcome. Action: Eve to add to announcements asking for volunteers; include in next round robin.

2 c) More focus to be put on the study groups to encourage more current and potential members to join them. Name to be changed to Practical Interest Groups to change perception that they are for higher levels of skill only. Action: Eve to add to website and speak to Daphne. Programme card and poster for next year to include dates and times of the interest groups. Action: Joan/Publicity Committee

6. Programme Report:

The Programme Secretary’s report is in the Appendix. Potential draft schedule of speakers for 2015 discussed, updated draft from report to be recirculated. Action: Joan.

7. Webmaster’s Report:

The Webmaster’s report is in the Appendix. More members and pictures needed for gallery – pictures from study groups and national exhibition to be added, and request for more pictures in announcements. Action: Eve.

8. Warp & Weft report:

No written report. a) The publication schedule is confirmed as Feb/May/Aug/Nov for next year, with this year’s remaining issues to be in August and November. Lyn to confirm the schedule for each issue and a rota for proofreading. Eve to proofread next issue. Action: Lyn and Eve. b) Guidelines to be written for people writing articles and placed on website. Action: Lyn and Eve c) Revised copy dates for advertising (1 month before copy date) to be sent to advertisers and listed in W&W. Action: Karen and Lyn Consider asking the Fashion and Textile Museum if they would like to advertise, and allow one off adverts to attract more advertisers. Action: Roberto

9. Librarian’s report:

No report, but new book purchased by Eve on Jan’s behalf for library. It is ‘Weaving with Echo and Iris’ by Marian Stubenitsky (English version).

10. Coordinators for upcoming meetings:

October: Penny Brazier. November: Penny Penton. December: Wendy Morris.

Brief for future coordinators: introduce self and speaker, and ensure Q&A happens.

3 11. Workshops:

2 cancellations for summer school, hopefully will be filled through email and announcements. Visits to Sudbury silk mill and V&A to be revisited in autumn. London Cloth Company has decided to have open days and will advise of dates. Action: Roberto to progress.

12. 2015 Exhibition:

Update by Penny Brazier.

a) Penny Brazier, Jan Slater and Andrea Easey to have exhibition planning meeting in September to get started. b) Melanie Venes to write article for W&W on recycling to inspire people for the theme. c) Penny to give announcement at today’s meeting on exhibition. d) There will be a catalogue for the exhibition to raise additional funds and because this was so popular for the national exhibition. e) Suggestion to have touch samples and raw materials so that people can handle them to avoid people touching finished items, and introduction board for exhibition to show theme and ideas. f) Agreed that a juried exhibition is preferable, as this makes it eligible for awards, and ensures good standard of work. Suggested that awards be sought from Complex Weavers, Handweavers Studio, Wingham Wool and George Weil. g) Want to make more of the sales aspect of the exhibition, and remind people that sale items do not need to be theme-related. h) Agreed that the planning group would function as a task and finish group rather than a formal sub-committee, so that members do not need to be co-opted onto the committee. The group would report back to the committee at each of its meeting.

13. Publicity:

Subcommittee formed to discuss Elite’s ideas and questions: Elite, Jane, Lyn and Helena. Action: Elite to convene and report back to next committee meeting.

14. Refreshments:

A rota needed, this month Christine and Lyn. Action: Christine to set up rota.

15. Archiving a) Agreed that we need to bring everything together to review. b) We need to check files containing personal data that we would want to archive against the purpose it was given for. c) We will review options for archiving at a later date, including the possibility of putting electronic archive on website. Action: Karen to collect and review all files and make further proposals to committee

4 16. Association Matters: a) 2015 AGM to be held in London on 18th April. London Guild input may be needed, e.g. preparing information packs for delegates. Joy Godsell has offered to help prepare these. b) 2018 Exhibition: Not going to be held in London. Potential locations – Milton Keynes, Stevenage, Reading, Oxford. Roberto investigating Queen Mary University as a wildcard option. Timeframe assumed to be wider (mid-April to end June) for hosting, though will need to wait for AGM to confirm. Action: Christine and Roberto to progress.

17. AOB: a) VP position – agreed to propose Daphne Ratcliffe be added as VP at next AGM. Action: Christine b) Keyholding – Roberto to give his key to Karen, Jan to give her key to Elite, other keys to continue to be held by Jean Derby and Christine Eborall.

18. Date of next meeting: 18th October 2014.

5 Appendix: Officers’ Reports to the Committee

I. Treasurer’s Report

Committee Meeting July 2014 – Treasurer’s Report.

This report is provisional based on educated guesswork until I gain access to the account ‘proper’. I have broken our income and expenditure down into the principle functions and activities of The Guild in the hope you find it useful and informative.

Function/Activity Income Expenditure Balance (to date) (to date) (to date) Membership 2014 Payments 1202.50 2013 early payments (I think) 1210.00 2412.50 Monthly Meetings Jan Door 136.50 Jan Hall + Speaker 320.00 Feb Door 275.68 Feb Hall + Speaker 140.00 Mar Door 103.27 Mar Hall + Speaker 75.00 Apr Door 137.50 Apr Hall + Speaker 240.00 May Door 201.00 May Hall + Speaker 310.00 Jun Door 139.00 Jun Hall + Speaker 240.00 -332.05 Workshops April – Dyeing @ Spitalfields 550.00 460.00 90.00 Warp & Weft Expenditure to date: 2 issues; programme 1000.91 -1000.91 inserts; admin costs Library Income to date 30.90 30.90 Sales + Commission Income to date: Journals + yarn principally 151.00 151.00 Admin, Equipment + Publicity Expenditure to date: incs new sound 629.26 -629.26 system + notice board Miscellaneous Income to date: primarily donations 115.05 Expenditure from Float to date 32.43 -82.62 Equipment Hire Income to date: Hire £15; deposit £50 65.00 65.00 Exhibitions + Events St-Martin-in-the-Field Exhibition space hire 550.00 -550.00 for 2015 Website Expenditure to date: hosting and email 75.00 -75.00 admin costs

Start of year £6575.65 6 Current position £5610.45

Committee Meeting July 2014 - Matters arising.

1. Speaker Travel costs.

When a speaker travels by car and wishes to claim for the miles covered we do not have a ‘rate per mile’ allowance in place. I have contacted the Association and established they have an agreed rate of 30p per mile travel allowance for their members travel. I propose we follow suit so we have a travel expenses formula in place for when the need arises.

2. Workshop Attendees Cancellation Policy

There were several cancellations for the April workshop that were offered full refunds save a £10 admin fee. This was done as the workshop was fully subscribed and costs would be covered. If this had not been the case we have no policy in place to follow. I suggest for the sake of clarity and ease of implementation we should have a refund policy for paid events in place.

Proposal:

 Once a person has signed up for a paid event/workshop and has paid a deposit they are deemed to be committed to the event and liable to pay the full fee upon request regardless of whether they can attend or not.  No refunds can be given within one week of the event.  If a person is unable to attend and gives notice more than one week before the event, a refund ( less an administration fee of £10) will be permitted under the following conditions: a. The event must be fully subscribed or

b. The attendee finds someone to take their place.

c. Exceptionally, if after the event it is found costs have been covered (+ small profit for contingencies) then a refund may be offered. If there are several qualifying cancellations then any refund allowance should be divided equally between them. In all cases the refund sum will be determined by the amount of profit made and as a rule should not exceed ‘amount paid less £10 admin fee’.

3. Warp & Weft Advertising.

At present we have 4 principal advertisers:

- Texere Yarns - Tulsi Travel - George Weil - Handweaver’s Studio

We invoice annually at the beginning of each year for the 4 issues of the previous year. This means the receipt of monies has to be retrospectively accounted against the previous year’s accounts. The sums involved are not large so invoicing per issue doesn’t make administrative sense, however it might make accounting easier if we invoice after the third issue each year so that the monies are in the account ready for the January annual accounts reckoning.

I have not been able to determine information about advertiser invoicing as yet. The ‘what, how + when’ seems to have been lost between the two functions of Warp & Weft Editor and Treasurer. I believe we charge £100 per year at present.

7 If you agree to bringing the invoicing forward I can take it from there.

II. Membership Secretary’s Report

At the time of writing the current number of Guild members is 129. This breaks down into:

 9 Honorary members

 105 previous members renewing for 2013

 14 new members, of which one is a student member.

After the renewal reminder at the April meeting and in W&W 19 members renewed

2. Receipts

A total of £2053.50 in 2014 membership fees has been paid into the bank account. This breaks down as follows:

Type of member Number Fee (£) Total fees paid (£) Honorary 9 - - 2013 members renewing for 105 23 2415.00 2014 New (2014) members 14 25 325.00 New (2014) student members 1 13.50 13.50 GRAND TOTAL (to date) 129 £2,753.50

Compared to last year 2013 (£2,790.50)

Currently there are 2 new members in the pipeline and I think I have a renewal paid directly into the bank, but haven’t been able to confirm with Karen.

(I also have £7 as Annie Devries sent £30 from France- but I expect this can go towards postage)

3. Other Points

Wendy has been working on a version the renewal form which could be completed on-line, we agreed we would keep it simple but also try to make it an application form as well.

Jane Rutt

6.July 2014

III. Programme Secretary’s Report

The meetings for 2014 are progressing well, thanks to Penny Penton’s preparation.

August: Wendy Morris will be taking a session on Photographing our work

September: Gareth Jones is coming to give us a presentation on the British Wool marketing Board. Sadly, because he is coming by train, he is unable to bring his usual gift to Guilds of a fleece or 2!

October: Melanie Venes

November: Mary Sleigh.

December: Competitions

8 Programme in Preparation for 2015

Month Speaker confirmed Possible speaker/ TBC

January 10th Iren from Sheep of Steel

February 14th Matty Smith from Weavers Bazaar

March 14th AGM plus Bring and Buy/Table Possible talk from Stuart Groom? Top sale April 11th Textile basket weaving –Mary Crabbe May 9th Laura Thomas, Weaver

June 13th Brenda Gibson on Split Braiding or Complex Weavers July 11th ?? felt

August 8th In house workshops Sprang September 12th New Designers

October 10th ? Nancy from USA

November 14th Travel/Tapestry

December 12th Competitions

Questions for the Meeting

What do think of speakers on:

-Felting -Saori -Baskets -Braiding?

Any suggestions?

Joan Scriven

July2014

III. Webmaster’s Report

There is little change to report in the Analytics for the site with the vast majority of hits coming from the UK and most of those from London and surrounding areas. 2 or 3 pages are usually viewed per visit.

Hot News is receiving regular updates of new items and deletions of things past. I agree with a suggestion from Karen that we could have sections for months as they appear and I will need to contact Rob Butler (site designer) for help on how to incorporate new headings in the main area. However, in the meantime, I continue to change the ‘date of posting’ so that the items come up in roughly the order they occur and mostly in monthly ‘lumps’. The exception to this is brand new items, as I think they should pop up at the top 9 of the list so that people know they are coming at some point, then, after a while, I adjust the dates so they come in a sensible order.

I have updated various things which we decided should go into the Members’ Area rather than on the public part of the site, such as names and contact details of keepers of equipment Members may borrow. The list of items is still there but there is now encouragement for Members to go to the private area for details of keepers etc.

Please keep the suggestions for additions, changes, improvements coming.