Minutes of the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the Ladies’ Branch held on Tuesday, 8th May 2012 at Perth Racecourse, Perth at 2.15pm Present Office Bearers Claire McLaren (President), Jenny Bain (Vice President), Fiona Hardie (Junior Vice President), Sadie Anderson (Honorary Treasurer), Kate Caithness (Honorary Vice-President & Past President 1997) Centre Representatives Brenda Urquhart (Aberdeen), Liz Boswell (Ayr), Marion Pate (Border), Margaret Gibb (Braehead), Anne Templeton (Dumfries), Lillian Carnegie (Forfar), Sheena Murdoch (Galleon), Mary Robertson (Greenacres), Margaret Pottie (Inverness), Morag Wellman (Kinross), Marion Fraser (Kirkcaldy), Lynda Blackwood (Lanarkshire), Susan Fleming (Lockerbie), Joan Wight (Murrayfield), Margaret Hynd (Perth), Isabel Gillespie (Stirling), Kate Adams (Stranraer), Helen Murray-Lyon (Waterfront) New Centre Representatives Mary Anne McWilliam (Incoming Junior Vice President), Gail Munro (Incoming Treasurer), Marion Malcolm (Aberdeen), Wendy Henderson (Border), Maureen Wood (Dumfries), Kate Adamson (Inverness), Jackie Craig (Lanarkshire), Jean Gorrie (Murrayfield), Shelagh Fulton (Perth) and Maureen Parker (Stranraer) Past Presidents Norah Hay (1988), Kirsty Letton 1990), Marjorie Kidd (1992), Sheila Watson (1993), Alison McDermid (1996), Ena Stevenson (1999), Kathleen Scott (2001), Marion Murdoch (2002), Jeanette Johnston 2003), Anne Malcolm (2005), Marion Craig (2006), Patricia Thomson (2007), Sheila Miller (2008), Kay Gibb (2009), Brenda Macintyre (2010) Guests Councillor Bob Ellis, Patrick Edington (Royal Club President), Dorothy Knox, Willie Nicoll (Chair of the Board), Margo Nicoll), Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan and Vicki Adams (European Champions), Hannah Fleming and Abigail Brown (World Junior Champions), Jean Hammond, Maggie Barry, Valerie Mahon and Judith Carr (World Senior Silver medallists), Aileen Neilson Representatives from affiliated Curling Clubs Listed alphabetically by Club 69 Anne MacDougall Fossoway Ladies Alice Johnson Abdie Ladies Anne Nicol Fossoway Ladies Betty Paterson Abdie Ladies Barbara Baird Glasgow Ladies Elaine Semple Abdie Ladies Isla Kinnear Glasgow Ladies Judy MacKenzie Abdie Ladies Jill McEwan Glasgow Ladies Liz Paul Abdie Ladies Lesley Robinson Glasgow Ladies Margaret Cameron Aberdeen Ladies Liz Ross Glasgow Ladies Morven Findlay Aberdour Ann Mitchell Glasgow Ladies Valerie Browning Airleywight Ladies Maureen Gordon Glenfarg Ladies Sheila Swan Avondale Heather Lynne MacKenzie Granite City Ladies Catherine Beattie Ayr Jean Morton Granite City Ladies Hazel Keenan Ayton Castle Gwen Prentice Greenacres Christine Miller Ayton Castle Rhona Fleming Greenacres Ladies Liz Knox Ayton Castle Roberta-Ann Forrest Greenock Ladies Annette Blair Bank of Scotland (Fife) Elinor Ritchie Heart of The Highlands Jenny Stark 1 Bank of Scotland (Fife) Sandra Smith Hercules Ladies Pat Hughes Bathgate Teresa Hill Kilmacolm Liz Jamieson Belmont Ladies Anne Airey Kinross Ladies Elaine Spain Beresford Ladies Helen Lyburn Kirriemuir & District Ladies Barbara Sherriff Blair Atholl Christine Cheape Kirriemuir & District Ladies Marnie Ewart Bridge of Weir Maryel FitzRandolph Letham Grange Claire Milne British Curling Cate Brewster Letham Grange Mairi Milne Cambo Ladies Ann Turnbull Lothian Ladies Jeni Fleming Cambo Ladies Grace Brown Lynedoch Ladies Allie Lyburn Carrbridge Katie Adamson Lynedoch Ladies Cath McIntosh Carrington Aileen Pirret Lynedoch Ladies Christine Wilson Carrington Jean Hamilton Lynedoch Ladies Jean Yeoman Castle Kennedy Helen Young Lynedoch Ladies Joy Niven Castle Kennedy Janet McMillan Lynedoch Ladies Noreen Fordyce Coldstream Glynnice Lauder Mid Calder Christine Hamilton Colinton Ladies Jane Sinclair Mid Calder Christine Smellie Corstorphine Ladies Anne Marie Ross Nairn Ladies Heather Billett Corstorphine Ladies Isobel Edwards Orwell Ladies Edna Nelson Crieff & Ochtertyre Alison Strang Orwell Ladies Maggie Saunderson Dalhousie Ladies Margaret Will Orwell Ladies Maggie Saunderson Dalhousie Ladies Susan Skene Pentland Ladies Ruth Miller Denny Raye Rickard Pentland Ladies Susan Tooley Druids Caroleen Clark Perth Ladies Ann Davidson Dun Hazel Wood Perth Ladies Anne Sidey Dundonald Jennifer Mutter Perth Ladies Dorothy Garvie Dunfermline Ladies Lynne Stevenson Perth Ladies Kathy Cameron Dunfermline Ladies Mary Barr Perth Ladies Morag Ballantine Dunfermline Ladies Sheila Harley Perth Ladies Rita Drysdale East Kilbride & Haremyers Margaret Brown Raith & Abbotshall Ladies Anne Buchan Edinburgh Academicals Helen Thomson Raith & Abbotshall Ladies Beverley Brown Edinburgh Ladies Audrey Laird Reform Rhona Martin Edinburgh Ladies Catherine Edington Schiehallion Ladies Heather McLaren Edinburgh Ladies Catherine Russell Schiehallion Ladies Janet Cameron Edinburgh Ladies Helen Ritchie Schiehallion Ladies Margaret A Robb Edinburgh Ladies Moira Kinnear Schiehallion Ladies Margaret A Robb Eildon Helen Mathieson Schiehallion Ladies Margaret Donaldson Errol Janet Lynch Schiehallion Ladies Vilma Kirk Eskdale Christine Ross Sorn Annie Kennedy Falkirk Ladies Marlyn MacAulay St Boswells Nina Clancy Ford Ladies Anne Hogg Strathendrick Fiona Glass Ford Ladies Annise Waddell Symington May Steel Ford Ladies Helen Harvey Uplawmoor Jo Pegg Ford Ladies Janet Dun Waterbeck Anne Vevers Ford Ladies Jean Waddell West Stirlingshire Ladies Annette MacDonald Ford Ladies Sandra Jack West Stirlingshire Ladies Janette Wilson Forth Valley Ladies Margaret Mauchline 1. Welcome President Claire welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked Councillor Bob Ellis to open the Annual General Meeting of the Ladies’ Branch. 2 Councillor Bob Ellis: Honorary President Anne Smith, Honorary Vice-President Kate Caithness, President Claire McLaren, Ladies and Gentlemen welcome to Perth Racecourse, where many exciting horse races have taken place and also the many other events, which have graced this lovely area just outside the City of Perth. I feel very privileged indeed to being the first representative after last week’s local elections to welcome you all here today. I must pay tribute though to the hard work of past Provost, John Hulbert and the many others who worked hard and as a result of that hard work, were successful in getting City Status. We relish the many opportunities that now lie ahead of us. I note that The Royal Caledonian Curling Club was founded way back in 1838 and the Club has gone from strength to strength each and every year. This year is the Ladies Section’s 52nd AGM and I would like to congratulate you all on this and of course many thanks for choosing Perth, which has a very strong affiliation within the curling fraternity throughout the world. But how does a club like yours and the many other clubs and organisations succeed? It is down to dedication, enthusiasm and sheer hard work by volunteers and there have obviously been many of those throughout the years of your existence. Looking at your remit, this to me says it all – encouragement, friendship and communication at all levels. Long may your remit continue. Looking back a few years, I was one of thousands who watched Rhona Martin and her team win gold in Salt Lake City. More recently, in fact in March of this year, Eve Muirhead was declared the winner of my Sports Council’s Sports Person of the Year. Also, can I mention Aileen Neilson, the accomplished wheelchair curler, who this year won a sportsmanship, which was presented by Shona Robison, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport. There are many, many more very well known curlers amongst you here today as I learned from your President, Claire McLaren last night and I think that we would be here long into the evening if I mentioned them all. We have a long tradition here in Perth in the curling world and I am sure that many if not all of you have slid, if that is the correct term, down the rink at Dewars Centre. I myself have managed one game many years ago and I think it safe to say that I wouldn’t get picked by any team, whether it be a grassroots team or that of a higher level. Just watching it on the telly from my over-stuffed armchair, you don’t have to be an expert to realise just how much skill there is to make sure that your stone stops exactly where you want it to stop. I think that you do see that curling is a very friendly sport just as it states in your remit. It has always been lodged in my head that it is the taking part that counts and not the winning but isn’t it great folks when at the end of a National or International tournament when “Flower of Scotland” gets sang by the many supporters at rink-side and you see the many Saltires getting waved. Although I am looking forward to the Olympic Torch (and I am the lead Councillor responsible for it here in Perth and Kinross) passing through our area and of course the Olympics themselves, I am really looking forward to 2014 and the Commonwealth Games and hopefully being one of the many volunteers. And also we have the prestigious Ryder Cup coming to Gleneagles here in Perthshire also in 2014. We are a proud nation and very much a sporting nation as well, so I will finish by saying many congratulations on all of your past successes and on behalf of the Council and the City of Perth, I wish you all the very best in the weeks, months and years to come. Now, I know you are all looking forward to your AGM and I also am looking forward very much to hearing the various reports especially after reading the reports of last years AGM and of course who gets what positions, although I suspect that the wheeling and dealing has already taken place if it is anything like the clubs and organisations that I sit on. President Claire McLaren, may I now hand the proceedings back into your hands (applause). President Claire: Thank you Bill. The Council will generously provide teas and coffees for afternoon tea after the AGM. 3 President Pat, Past President’s, Honoured Guests, Sister Curlers, I am delighted to welcome you all to the 52nd Annual General Meeting of the Ladies’ Branch of the Royal Caledonian Curling Club, here at Perth Racecourse. In your booklet, you will find a list of apologies, obituaries, new and resigned clubs, an International Relations Report and the Ladies’ Branch accounts. I would like to begin with some introductions.