Yealm Gardens Society
51st Annual General Meeting – Tuesday 28th October 2025 – AGENDA
7.30 WIC Hall
1 Apologies for absence
2 Minutes of AGM held on 29 th October 2024
3 Matters Arising
4 Secretary’s Report
5 Treasurer’s Report and appointment of Accounts Examiner –Liz Woodd Walker
6 Nominations and election of Committee.
Current Committee:
Chair –
Treasurer John Alexander
Secretary Rosemary Smith
Show Secretary Judy Davis
Membership Secretary Maura Moore
Speaker Secretary & Social media Lisa Allwood
Garden visits & Liaison with U3A Jacqui Gough
Committee members Zoe Oldman, Paul Hardy, Jo Sharp, Sophie Beijie
7. Nominations – new committee members
8 Confirmation – President: Carol Buckland
9 Any Other Business
YEALM GARDENS SOCIETY
Minutes of 50th Annual General Meeting
Held on 29th October 2024 at 7.30 pm
The Secretary welcomed all those present and invited everyone to stay following the AGM & Jim Stephens talk on camellias for a glass of wine.
Apologies for absence
Derek Pretty, Healther Ulewicz, Bob & Jill Mariner Yvonne Musto, Jane Lethbridge , Sophie Beije, Rosemary Watts, Ann Williams, Nigel Wain, Lyn Jones ,Becky Snowdon
Minutes of 49th AGM October 2023
Minutes of the AGM held on 31st October 2023, having been published on the website, were considered a true record of the meeting.
Proposed : Sue Spooner Seconded : Dermot Cox followed by a show of hands.
There were no matters arising
Secretary’s report 50th AGM
Welcome to a special AGM of the Garden Society – our 50th and a cause for celebration . In 1973 a group of like minded individuals got together to listen to talks on horticulture and to go on garden visits in the surrounding area.
Gardens and Gardening is an eternal and relentless pleasure to be shared and leads to new friendships, ideas and shared knowledge.
I think you will agree those thoughts are still current today and the Society is thriving with 112 members and an average of about 40 attendees at our talks.
We have had a good year with many interesting and varied speakers organised by Lisa. I think one of the stand out evenings was Stella Exley with the hilarious title of Camassia, Chris, Chelsea & Chaos. I think the title said it all and I have never heard so much laughter at a garden society talk! Do remember if you have any suggestions of speakers please do let us know and we can follow it up.
In the summer we enjoyed six lovely local open gardens ending the afternoon with tea and cakes in the garden at Appledore – not only did members get great pleasure and interest from their visits but £500 was raised for Greenfingers a charity providing gardens and outdoor spaces at child hospices giving families precious time together outside.
Jacqui organises our garden visits – Hestercombe proved very popular after our talk on the restoration . Jacqui works with U3A to combine on some visits We always welcome suggestions from members for gardens to visit..
In May Carol & George kindly opened their garden again for the Plant Sale – always a happy and also profitable morning with money raised from plant sales and cakes. We make a donation every year to St Lukes and the rest of the takings support the Society costs of speakers, hall hire etc. Yealm Cottage is such an ideal venue opposite the Post Office and such a beautiful garden.
Fordbrook Nursery were again helpful in letting us have plug plants to sell at a generous discount – remember also YGS members can receive a 10% discount at their Brixham nursery.
If you are taking cuttings or collecting seeds please keep them for us to sell next year.
After the interruption of Covid we have not held our usual annual Show – next year we hope to arrange an event – of course this involves a considerable amount of work – we have two members of the committee, Sophie & Judy who have kindly offered to head up a team but we would be delighted to hear from any of you who would like to volunteer to join them .
‘Thank yous – Committee , Carol & George for their support and also organising the school potato challenge – Liz Woodd Walker for examining the accounts, Jane Lethbridge for decorating the porch for the Church Flower Festival and Lyn Jones for the Harvest Festival decoration.
Carol Buckland thanked Rosemary for her work as Secretary.
Proposer for acceptance of Secretary’s report Liz Woodd-Walker Seconder: Christine Wilson followed by a show of hands
Treasurer – John Alexander had posted the accounts for the year on the website and as there were no questions it was accepted by a show of hands
Appointment of Account Examiner – Liz Woodd-Walker
Proposer: John Alexander Seconder: Carol Buckland followed by a show of hands
Nomination and Election of Officers and Committee for 2024/25
In accordance with the Constitution the Officers and committee resigned. As there were no nominations for the floor the following were to be re-elected
Treasurer John Alexander
Secretary Rosemary Smith
Membership Secretary Maura Moore
Web/newsletter Lisa Allwood
Posters Zoe Oldman
Visits/Liaison with U3A Jacqui Gough
Committee members Judy Davis, Sophie Beije, Jo Sharp, Paul Hardy
Vote on bloc to accept these nominations
Proposer: Andrew Moore Seconder : Laurie Wilson followed by a show of hands
Confirmation that Carol Buckland happy to continue as President
Meeting closed at 8 pm followed by Jim Stephens talking on camellias – a beautiful evergreen that is well suited at to our West country climate. His expertise will advise us on which varieties to choose and how best to use them in our gardens. Having worked with the National Collection at Mount Edgcumbe he now judges camellias at RHS shows.
Yealm Gardens Society 