Ceesay Nursery School AGM Minutes

Present: Diane Fisher, Dawn Dobson, Saori Imoto, Michael Wilkinson

Apologies: Sue Eastwood, Patricia Somerset, Will Marlow

1. Welcome and introduction of new and existing steering group members.

Michael Wilkinson – worked in public sector youth offending services, youth services and education services, primarily with children and young people. He has an interest in developing services for young people and children abroad and is keen to meet Mr. Ceesay and assist anyway he can in the development of the nursery school.
Saori Imoto – came to the UK from Japan two years ago with her banker husband. She has a background in urban planning and design and is learning garden design. She became interested in helping after hearing about the charity from Diane and Dawn.
Dawn Dobson – Treasurer, professional accountant and Diane’s daughter. She does the accounts, transfers money to the school and has set up good, simple financial systems.
Diane Fisher – Chair, set up the charity after a visit to West Africa in 2007 to do some work for another schools charity in the Gambia. She brings experience of living, working and teaching English in West Africa, professional teaching and teacher training experience and experience working with charities and NGOs in the Gambia.

2. Election of Officers

3. Annual Report and Accounts

Diane advised officers that the annual report was still in progress and would be sent to all officers during the week beginning 27th October, 2014.
Dawn Dobson reported on current state of the charity’s accounts. Full information will be included in annual report. These are available on request.

4. New Initiatives

Diane reported on the possibility of providing small business loans to families to assist them in keeping their children in school after sponsorship is terminated. Diane met with representatives of two charities: Street Child and Street Child Africa. Both meetings were positive and yielded a number of interesting ideas. Street Child currently operate a Family Business scheme and have expressed an interest in supporting our efforts, perhaps as a pilot in the Gambia, a country in which they are looking to expand their services. Action: Diane will follow this up.
Diane reported on progress of arrangements for trip in February 2015. Five participants have already purchased flights and Saori Imoto is possibly joining trip dependant on gaining necessary visas.
Diane also advised the group on insurance for the trip, recommending Insure and Go.

5. IT and Communication

Diane reported that she had found a website editor willing to work on our website, on a volunteer basis, Will Marlow. He is currently working for a large insurance broker in the City, managing their website, so he will certainly have the expertise needed. Diane will advise us about specifics and what he will be doing to the site, as he has the time to take this on.
Diane also made a request for officers and sponsors to supply old Nokia mobile phones that could be taken to Gambia to be given to families and teachers at the school. Action: Diane will contact Charlton Manor School and post a request on the current website and Facebook page.
After discussion action: Michael agreed to research a JustGiving site and to report back at next meeting as to how we can get a JustGiving webpage to help with our fundraising.

6. Fundraising, Buffet and Quiz

Location: St James’ Hall, Prebend Street, Islington N1 8P
Date: Sunday 23rd November, 2014
Time: 14:30 – 17:30 (Hall rented from 13:30 – 18:30 to allow time to set up and clear up)
Cost: £20 (if bringing a food dish), £25 (if not bringing food)

7. Next Meeting

8. AOB