Attendees:-
The following committee members were present: Richard Brown (RB), Steve Cashmore (SC), Peter Madelin (PM),Ken Burney (KB), Alex Picker (AP), Andy Collier (AC) and Phil Lloyd (PL). In addition, there were around 25 members present.
Apologies:-
Trevor Vennett-Smith, Roger Pease, Richard Saltmarsh.
1.Chair’s Opening Remarks (RB):-
This is our first AGM since the passing of our former President, Keith Hayhurst. Both RB and SC have contacted his widow, Anne, offering good wishes.
Our recent policy has been to recognise the passing of members via our magazine.
We have had two good meetings. At Lord’s there were around 80 attendees and at Derby around 40 attendees. Approximately 50% of members have attended at least one meeting.
We have a new venue next month – Hove. We were last there in 1995 when our guests were Pat Pocock and Robin Hobbs. This time, it will be Tony Pigott and, hopefully, Paul Parker – one of the one Test England cricketers. There could be a museum visit on the Friday night prior to our meeting, at which there will be no auction. Lunch will be chicken pie, mashed potatoes and vegetables. So far, RB has had little response regarding the proposed museum visit which would be hosted by Jon Filby. Please email RB URGENTLY if you wish to view the museum. As it is a February meeting, hotel accommodation, if needed on the Friday night, should be cheaper than usual.
We go to Leicester in March at which there will be an auction. RB has not, as yet, secured the guests and Roger Tolchard appears to be on holiday.
We have had some good guests recently – Clive Lloyd, Chris Cowdrey and Norman Cowans at Lord’s and Enid Bakewell at Derby.
In order to improve finances (a) our signed cards are now charged at £5 at the event or £8 subsequently and (b) the seller’s premium for non-members has gone up from 7% to !0%. These 2 changes should help finances going forward.
Committee meeting Minutes are now posted on our website as agreed at last year’s AGM.
Roles have been reconfigured for the production of our magazine in order to assist AP. RB and SC are helping out on the magazine.
CMS membership has slightly increased to 321. CMS has one of the larger memberships of the societies affiliated to the Cricket Societies’ Association.
Stephen Chalke, a long-standing member, has been approached and has agreed to become a CMS Vice President. Stephen has been a help to RB over the years and indeed gave RB contact details for our guest tonight, Richard Whitehead.
RB has no firm news, as yet, as regards a Patron or President – it is work in progress.
RB asked for last year’s AGM Minutes (13/01/2025) to be approved – they were carried unanimously.
2.Treasurer’s Report (PM):-
For the latest financial year there was a loss of £975 compared to a loss of £839 the previous year.
Member subs are slightly up whereas the auction income is down.
Interest from our reserve account is up but this may change with the Bank Base Rate coming down.
Regarding expenditure, there has been higher costs for meeting venues – especially Lord’s. Guest fees are also up.
Signed cards are now £5 or £8.
We hold around £15,000 in cash.
AP – should we charge, say, £10 for dealer tables at meetings? RB said that this would generate little additional income and that, instead, he asks for raffle donations from the dealers.
KB said that we need to formally adopt our accounts. This was done so unanimously.
3.Secretary’s Report (SC):-
Paid up membership is the same as last year = 296.
We have 391 followers on X (up 61). Our website generates lots of enquiries. SC thanked Roger Pease and his team for all their help in servicing these enquiries.
As agreed at the last AGM, Minutes are posted onto our website.
Thanks to those members who have submitted articles for the magazine. However, more articles are needed for the March edition (our 150th).
4.Further Reports by Committee Members:-
RB – there should soon be an article in Wisden Cricket Monthly about CMS. With the support of Phil Lloyd, we have produced a new advert. 500 copies are being printed free of charge as A5 flyers by Quantum Business Services. Furthermore, we have agreed reciprocal adverts with Annie Chave and her County Cricket Matters magazine.
Peter Griffiths – can we use the flyers to send to ACS members?RB said that cricket museums are usually happy to take leaflets.
RB said that he had been ill last year and realised that we had no Vice Chairman to fill in if necessary. KB had volunteered to take on the role which was ratified by the committee.
Magazine (AP): AP thanked SC and RB for helping out with the magazine. Gordon Bickley had also been a big help. AP was sorry for the delayed publication of one magazine.
PG – will the 150th magazine be a bumper edition? RB- yes, provided that we get extra content.
Phil Lloyd (PL) is taking over from Roger Pease. The next postal auction will largely be comprised from two large collections. The catalogue for the Leicester auction is currently being worked on.
Postal auctions are a lot of work and, therefore, may not happen in future.
5.Election/Re-Election of Committee Members:-
The co-option of PM and PL onto the committee was approved by the attendees.
RB advised that the current committee members are on a 2 years’ term. The re-election of the current committee was approved by the attendees.
6.CMS Constitution:-
SC explained the rationale behind the proposed constitutional changes. The attendees were asked for any questions, objections or proposed changes. There were none and all the changes were approved by the attendees.
7.Vote of Thanks:-
RB thanked the auctions team for their efforts.
PM gave thanks to Paul Goddard, our ex Treasurer, for his continued support. He also gave thanks to our auditor for his work.
8.AOB:-
AOB – Clive O’Donnell (CO) – we have 1,365 followers on Facebook of which 89% are men and 11% women. Around 50% of views over the last couple of months have come from India and Pakistan. Can we encourage some of these viewers to become CMS members?!
Should CMS offer a digital membership? PG – getting people on the subcontinent to join ACS has proved difficult.
RB – any society is only as strong as its membership. 2027 will see the 40th anniversary of CMS.
The AGM closed at 20:19.
Following the AGM we had an interesting session with Richard Whitehead, the author of Victory in Australia, a very detailed account of England’s tour to Australia in 1954/55.