Around fifty members were in attendance at the AGM on 29 June at the National Liberal Club in London. Our Chairman, Barbara Field-Holmes, having welcomed everyone, spoke about the challenges the Society has faced in recent years, with the feeling sometimes that we were travelling through a dark tunnel, but she assured us that we are now very much emerging back into the light with much positive news to report. She highlighted the social events we have enjoyed over the last year, including our new Spring prize-giving, and thanked her fellow Council members for their tireless work in organising venues, speakers and competitions. All our self-funding events were so successful that they brought in a small profit. Barbara spoke also about the many jobs Council members undertake, and said it was no secret that more volunteers are needed to come forward. We are very lucky that one such member, Janice Grande, has now offered her services as Hon Secretary, a post that has been vacant for some time, and Janice was warmly welcomed into the role. Barbara also welcomed Rebecca Harding onto Council. Rebecca could not be present, but had already attended one Council meeting and has agreed to join us, in a marketing capacity. The Council will now be looking at ways to advertise and promote the SWWJ and attempt to attract new and younger members, including approaching universities which run writing courses, writing groups throughout the U.K. and placing printed ads in the writing magazines
Benita Cullingford, the SWWJ’s treasurer, talked us through the accounts which are showing a healthy profit, boosted by a kind donation of £1000 from a past member, and confirmed that we are now again in a position to offer 2nd and 3rd prizes in all our major competitions. The Society will be launching a new class of membership on 1 October, aimed specifically at unpublished writers. ‘Writer’s Debut’ will include one year’s membership and a full manuscript critique by a specialist reader from among the SWWJ’s own members, operated on similar lines to the Romantic Novelists’ New Writers Scheme, but with six categories, to include non-fiction, plays and poetry as well as adult and children’s fiction.
Recent Comments