Minutes of Committee meeting 5/11/25

Minutes of Committee Meeting at the Chairman’s residence

 10.00  am on Wednesday 5^th November 2025                                                                                    

Apologies– Chris Dunn (CD), Ian Ibbotson (II), Lawrie Coulthard (LC) Copy to Richard Kay (RK)

The minutes of the September meeting were approved and signed off.

Our bank balance stands at £11,823 after paying September hall hire, MD and new music. 15 members have so far paid subs. It was confirmed that new members should pay subs pro rata after their initial 3 month experience period.

Saturday 22^nd November. Concert at Whixley village hall, at 7.30 pm. GC has visited the hall with Rita and Ian McNeil (who also has access to recording). The space behind the stage which is needed as a green room had not been booked so GC paid the £11 to secure this. RK is liasing with  former member Ben and a dance group to complete the concert programme.

Saturday 13^th December. Concert at Holy Trinity Church, Knaresborough 7 pm.. GC has inspected the venue and met the warden. A green room has been identified and a co-ordinator for the concert night has been nominated by the church.  2 choir pews will be removed to allow us to line up as usual. There is no general parking at the church but some spaces at the church will be reserved for blue badge holders.

Tuesday 16^th December Concert at Woodlands Methodists, 7.30 pm (in lieu of HMVC rehearsal). This is our annual concert at our host venue, no fee charged and collection on retiring.

Friday 13^th February. Visit to Brackenfield prep school,.  Morning visit for 2026 Sing Out concert

Friday 27^th February. Boston Spa Methodist Church. Joint concert with Rodilians ladies’ choir.  GC and LC have visited twice, the second time with RK. Any joint songs will present a problem as there is no room for both choirs to stand together. The balcony may have to be used.

Sunday 1^st   March York Choir Festival 7.30pm. This is not competition but a choir festival similar to Harrogate. We have been allotted a 20 minute slot. DM is available.

Saturday 21^st  March. Harrogate Competitive Festival. The choir competition will be held in St Martin’s church, Leeds Road. RK will not be available if we have to sing in the evening.

Saturday 9^th May. Harrogate Community Choir Festival. The Stray Notes choir have reserved this date, we await an invitation.

Saturday 6^th June annual Sing Out concert. See below for venue options.

October 2026. Joint afternoon concert with Eastwood Collieries MVC. Date to be agreed.  Probable venue West End URC

As noted in (2) above, the situation of 3 members who have not returned after the summer break will be clarified by section reps. Members who have resigned have been deleted from the distribution list. A potential new bass has decided not to continue due to night driving from Chapel Allerton. Forms for attendance for the first quarter have been issued to section reps.

Whixley, 22^nd November. LC has received tickets for the event priced at £15 for adults. Posters and a Facebook promotion have  been produced by Rita with material from LC, however RK wants the list of songs to be left flexible so no programme can be produced. Our general flyer will be available to promote the choir.

Knaresborough 13^th December.  A poster and a Facebook announcement has been produced by Holy Trinity church based on detail supplied by LC, however promotion  needs to be supported by HMVC.  If RK has decided on the songs to be sung by 2^nd December, there may still be time for a programme to be printed.  

Woodlands Meths. 16^th December.  LC is preparing a poster for this concert which will be promoted by the church and by LC.  No formal programme is required however a list of songs and PDFs with the words of communal carols will be given to a steward for overhead projection.

Boston Spa Meths. 27^th February. Poster to include ticket availability from church committee members (with mob. numbers)  also from Yeadons hardware store. Poster will also include Rodilians QR code and secretary contact . Promotion on HMC and Rodilians facebook pages. The church will promote within the Methodist circuit and beneficiaries Martin House have been contacted by LC about their logo and promotion on their facebook page.

Venues so far contacted have not been accommodating for our initiative, however TG and RK will visit St Roberts social club with a view to booking a 10 week singing course in April and May 2026. (The original target of February-March was considered impracticable).

The promotion of this course needs to be our next major task, and RK is quite rightly concerned that that it does not take up too much of his time/energy!!

These are pretty much up to date with Christmas concerts advertised and the google drive shared with all members. Documents to be stored on the google drive should be sent to RK who has access. RK has removed the old audio recording and will consider how to put what we have onto the website or Youtube. More informal photos from rehearsals and concerts are always welcome and we should approach local schools for volunteers to help with publicity and social media.

TG is still seeking a meeting with Lizzie following the appointment of a new head teacher at Pannal primary school  in order to set a date for our school visit. Following a suggestion by Ian Brocket that West Park URC could be configured for the Sing Out audience, TG will investigate this at an upcoming meeting of the West Park organising committee. Our contact for hall hire at the High School will also be at this meeting.

GC has been contacted by a co-ordinator of Spofforth and Follifoot primary schools about participation in Song Out. They could be considered for Sing Out 2027 along with Richard Taylor school.

Elwyn has told Lister House in Ripon that we could not perform there until the spring. They can afford full fees for MD and accompanist but most care homes have fewer funds and very little performance space. We should work up a programme of up to 1 hour for a small group of singers to sing either with just an accompanist or with backing tapes.

10.00 am at Woodlands Methodist Hall. (confirmed with the administrator)