AREA MEETINGS

Purpose

Area Meetings are held up to twice a year (in spring and autumn) in response to the wishes of local Societies. The Area Meeting is the forum for the Area Support Team and Societies to reflect together on their activities in the preceding months and to discuss future plans. The main focus of Area Meetings should be to allow Societies to network and exchange ideas in a positive and supportive environment.

Organising An Area Meeting

The Chair of the Area Support Team (CAST) will have already agreed the meeting costs when setting their Area budget at the start of the year.

Timings given are approximate and should be amended to suit local circumstances.

The CAST and the Area Secretary should decide on the date of the meeting and the location. Some Areas prefer a regular centrally placed venue and others move around the Area with a different Society hosting each meeting. Continuing to use Zoom has its advantages such as saving venue costs and travelling but lacks the opportunities for members to network in person.

• The CAST should decide on the number of members, over and above the Chair, from each Society who are invited to intend.

• The AST should meet to discuss the meeting, its content and theme (if any).

• Refreshment and catering for the meeting should be agreed and appropriate arrangements made.

• Draw up a circulation list for the meeting to include all members of the AST, Society Chairs and relevant guests if known at that point.

Six Weeks Before The Meeting

Write to everyone on the circulation list confirming the details of the meeting. Ask Society Chairs to confirm who will be attending the meeting, submit the details of any questions or issues they would like to raise and send in cheques for lunch if appropriate. Request all members of the AST to submit reports in time to circulate in advance of the meeting. Reports from members of the AST should not be read out at the meeting unless there is something to add.

Four Weeks Before The Meeting

Draw up the order of events for the meeting and circulate to attendees together with reports from the AST, notes from the previous meeting and other information relevant to the meeting such as the attendance list, directions to the venue, link to the Zoom meeting (if appropriate) etc.