Norman Porter writes: (If you’d like to download the entire letter together with forms, please click here)
Dear Friends
Thank you for expression of interest in supporting the Friends of Great Bealings Church.
Our first meeting is to be held on Monday 18th July 2011 at 7-30pm in the Angela Cobbold Hall and we hope that you can join us.
We have now completed our “Launch Party Season” and can look back on nine separate meetings, with a total of around 90 people coming along to hear what we had to say. Our thanks to those who so kindly hosted the parties and to all who came along and ensured that the gatherings were so very worthwhile. It was good to exchange views, and to pick up on the range of ideas. We were also pleased to welcome a steady stream of visitors on our Open Day on June 25th.
As a result of the launch many have pledged their time and let us have one-off donations. I will be writing to thank you all personally. If you are a taxpayer, we hope that you could follow up your donation by signing the gift aid form on page 7 allowing us to claim the tax relief directly from HMRC. (to download a Gift Aid Declaration please click here)
Overall we are encouraged by the support at this initial stage of a large number of people living both within and outside the village, and have the confidence to move forward.
The first meeting’s objectives are to:
1) Adopt our draft constitution,
Please click here to read the draft constitution or you can download the pdf here. Hopefully it is clear, but Charles Barrington will be presenting an overview and fielding any questions you may have.
2) Elect the new committee,
The draft constitution requires FOGBC’s committee to comprise of 3 members from the PCC and two who are not on the PCC. This may be subject to amendment at the meeting. Of these we need to elect a Chairman and Secretary. If you would be prepared to serve on the committee please let us know in advance. We would not anticipate more than 4 meetings a year. To be successful, and for us to play a full and active role within the village it is important that we spread the responsibility for moving forward across several pairs of willing shoulders.
3) Set the membership structure
Members are entitled to vote at the AGM and participate in all meetings. Current givers will be deemed to be members. It shall be proposed (subject to a decision by show of hands) that the initial membership be set at £10 per annum per person. A second tier membership is also proposed of £100 per annum per person to include a ticket to all events scheduled in the calendar year. Both tiers will include a copy of the new Church history when published.
4) To draft an events calendar
In addition to membership fees and regular giving pledges, FOGBC will raise funds through holding a series of village/community events. We have a rich selection of ideas to follow up, and need to know which ideas will enjoy the most enthusiastic support.
Click here to view the Agenda or download a PDF here.
You will be aware that to close the gap between income and expenditure we are having to rely on many people to sign our pledge of support to become regular givers. If you are in a position to help in this way, we would be most grateful. Thank you again to those who have already signed up.
If you are not already a regular giver and wish to become one, your membership fee will be waived. Please return your duly completed Gift Aid Declaration and Standing Order forms marked for my attention at the above address.
Please complete the attached Pledge of Support Form (click to download the pledge form)
Please bring it along with you to the meeting or if you can’t make it please send your completed form to Norman Porter, Rill Cottage, Kiln Lane, Great Bealings, Woodbridge, IP13 6NJ.
If you’d like to be on our email mailing list please signup here.
We do thank you most sincerely for your support so far, and are confident that we have a firm basis on which to move forward to the next stage. We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the meeting on Monday 18th.
With very best wishes
Norman Porter
