Branch AGM and Members' Day - Sunday 5th November 2023

Please find below details of our AGM and Members' Day for 2023. We have an excellent lineup of speakers and look forward to seeing you.

Please note that Mike Slater will be selling copies of his excellent book Butterfly Conservation - the Warwickshire Approach at the discounted price of £25. Please bring cash if you would like a copy.

Location

The event will be held at Littleton Millennium Memorial Hall, The Hall Way, Littleton, Winchester, SO22 6QL (Grid ref: SU 457,323).

Agenda for the Day

11:30	Doors open
12:00-12:05	Chairman’s welcome
12:05-12:50	Branch AGM
12:50-13:30	Lunch – please bring your own packed lunch; complimentary tea and coffee will be provided
13:30-13:45	Volunteers: The Wings of Butterfly Conservation by Kate Barrett (Butterfly Conservation)
13:45-14:30	Butterfly Conservation – the Warwickshire Approach by Mike Slater
14:30-14:50	Our Changing Moth Fauna by Mike Wall
14:50-15:30	Refreshments and photographic competition
15:30-15:50	How important is nocturnal pollination? by Dr. Max Anderson (Butterfly Conservation)
15:50-16:10	Monitoring our most elusive butterflies using UV light by Dr. Max Anderson (Butterfly Conservation)
16:10-16:20	Results of Photographic Competition – Lee Hurrell
16:20-16:30	Raffle Draw
16:30-16:40	Q&A and Chairman’s closing remarks
16:40	End of Meeting

Branch AGM Agenda

1. Apologies for absence
2. Minutes of the 2022 AGM (with acceptance vote)
3. Matters arising from the Minutes
4. Presentation of Accounts
5. Chairman’s Report
6. Election of new Main Committee members
7. Health and Safety Matters
8. Any other business (notified to Chairman no later than 29 October 2023)
9. Close of AGM

Minutes of the 2022 Branch AGM

Minutes of the previous AGM can be found here.

Election of Main Committee Members

Andy Barker will be standing down as Chair of the Conservation and Records Subcommittee at the AGM, and Lee Hurrell has agreed to take on this role moving forward. Likewise, Graham Nichol will be standing down as Treasurer, with Neil Goodall taking on this role. Their bios are below.

Lee Hurrell I have been passionate about the natural world, especially butterflies and moths, since young childhood, growing up at the foot of the North Downs in Kent. After spells living in Surrey and London, I've lived in Hampshire for a number of years, and in Winchester since 2020. I've been active in our branch since then, and currently sit on the Conservation and Records and Reserves sub-committees. I'm a keen photographer, record keeper and a full-time English teacher.

Neil Goodall I joined Butterfly Conservation in 2018 after hearing Sir David Attenborough talking about the Big Butterfly Count. My plan was to become active with the branch upon my retirement in 2020 but that was scuppered by Covid restrictions, so I jumped at the chance to join Fiona's working parties at MHD and Yew Hill in October 2021, and have been a regular volunteer at both reserves since then. I have also participated in many of Fiona’s field trips to other butterfly sites in Hampshire and the IoW. I started my first UKBMS transect in 2022 at MHD and added Ampfield Wood this year. Before retirement, I spent over 40 years working in various finance-related roles, half of my career in the private sector and, more recently, in the public sector. During that time, I have been able to build good working relations in various HQ / subsidiary settings, and firmly believe that I will be able to fulfil the position of Branch Treasurer working closely with Butterfly Conservation Head Office.

Photographic Competition

Prints will be displayed and judged in the following categories:

• UK Butterflies
• UK Moths
• Immature stages
• Overseas butterflies and moths
• First time entrants on any of the above subjects

All members entering images into the photographic competition do so on the following terms and conditions:

1. Image(s) must have been taken by themselves in the 18 months preceding entry into the competition.
2. Entrants agree that their images may be used for non-commercial purposes by the Branch. This includes publishing images on the Branch website, social media channels and in the Branch Newsletter and Annual Butterfly and Moth reports. Copyright will remain with the member at all times and will be acknowledged when images are used by the Branch.
3. All images must be prints not exceeding A4 size (297x210mm) in either landscape or portrait format and may be mounted or unmounted.
4. Entries are limited to three per entrant.

All members attending the meeting will be invited to complete a voting slip to identify their favourite image in each category and to choose their overall winning entry. The results will be collated and the winner announced at the end of the meeting.

First-time entrants

Following the success of this element of the competition in previous years and to encourage new member entries, we will be continuing with the category for images submitted by first-time entrants but otherwise on the same conditions as above.

Members unable to attend the day but who wish to submit prints may do so by posting them to Lee Hurrell, Whitebeams, Enmill Lane, Pitt, Winchester, SO22 5QR, to arrive by Saturday 4 November. Please ensure that you enclose a stamped addressed envelope if you wish your prints to be returned.