ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH PHILATELIC SOCIETIES LTD

REPORT OF COUNCIL TO THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2007

1. OFFICERS AND COMMITTEES 2006-07

CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL Prof. J.C.West

VICE CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL C.T.Poynton

OFFICERS OF THE ASSOCIATION

General Secretary M.P.Brindle - Treasurer H.V.Feldman - Membership Secretary A.D.Godfrey

Publicity & Publications Officer E.G.Longbottom - Editor R.J.West - Company Secretary M.J.Elliott

MEMBERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

The Executive Committee consists of the Officers of the Association and the following members:

Chairman P.Kenton - Prof.J.C.West (Chairman of Council) - J.A.Davies - B.Feltham - A.J.Griffiths

F.E.Kiddle - C.Oliver - S.M.Oliver - H.A.Osborne - W.C.Robertson - J.Sussex

CHAIRS OF COMMITTEES AND OTHER OFFICERS

Awards S.M.Oliver - Congress A.J.Griffiths - Exhibitions F.E.Kiddle - Financial Development M.J.Elliott

Public Relations - W.C.Robertson - National/Specialist Societies H.A.Osborne - Small Grants P.J.O'Keeffe

Workshops and Seminars - J.Sussex International Relations - Dr.A.K.Huggins Website Co-ordinator - D.Alford

2. INTRODUCTION

Council met on 1 July 2006 at Sutton Coldfield by kind invitation of Streetly Philatelic Society. AGM and Council was welcomed by John Field, President of Streetly who reminded us that the first meeting of ABPS had been held in Streetly in 1994 and that he had been President then, too.

The Hon. Treasurer will report a sound financial year with good budgeting and control of expenditure. However, costs have risen, responsibilities have increased and external sources of funding are now very limited.

Directors are Tony Bosworth, Mike Brindle, John Davies, Hugh Feldman, Alan Godfrey, Phil

Kenton. Geoff Longbottom, Hugh Osborne, Bill Robertson, and John West.

The Executive Committee: Graham Childs and Ray How retired from the Executive during the year and we thank them for their contributions. Graham was a member of the Congress Committee for 17 years, latterly as Chairman, and Ray held a number of posts, latterly being Regional Development Officer and was a Director. On 30 June John West, Chairman of Council, and Richard West, Editor of ABPS News for seven years, will step down and we thank them both for their invaluable services. Also retiring will be Michael Elliott whose experience has been invaluable in the post of Company Secretary. Hugh Feldman will leave the post of Treasurer.

The ABPS Website (www.ukphilately.org.uk) is now well established under the leadership of David Alford and in tandem with the National Philatelic Society. A significant number of links with society websites have been established and further ideas for development are welcomed. The full accounts for 2006 will appear on the website.

The Executive met at Sutton Coldfield and has met four times subsequently at HSBC, Canary Wharf. Thanks to them for generously providing accommodation and to John Davies for facilitating arrangements. The Policy Group met in August at the same location. An Extraordinary (Special) General Meeting was held at Torquay on 25 November 2006.

3. MEMBERSHIP

Details of membership in 2006 with comparative years are as follows:

Figures should be regarded as approximate as the reporting year does not coincide with the subscription year. However both local and specialist society figures reached a high in 2003 (or 2002) and show some decline since. This is partly owing to merger or closure of societies but also partly to withdrawal of societies from the Association at the rate of two or three a year. One or two societies join each year as well. In addition, the membership of many societies is decreasing, so the figures give no room for complacency on the part of anyone who has the long-term future of philately at heart. We are grateful to Friends and the increasing number of Patrons who give personal support to the Association.

4. THE BIG ISSUE

During the Summer of 2006 thought was given to increasing subscriptions. There had been only one increase since the first meeting in 1994 to offset inflation, increasing responsibilities and the reduction in charitable and business support. The Executive recommended an increase from 60p per annum per British based member to £1.

An Extraordinary (Special) General Meeting was held at Torquay on 25 November to debate the issue. A number of societies sent comments or votes by post; others sent representatives. There was a lively debate, many being sympathetic to the need to increase income, while expressing the need to see clearer evidence of spending needs. Had a vote been taken, opinion would have been clearly split. The Chairman of Council therefore decided to withdraw the resolution to enable fuller information to be sent to all members so that the matter could be debated again at the AGM.

Following discussion by the Executive, John Davies drafted a document summarising the benefits of membership of ABPS. A proposal was then prepared by Bill Robertson and circulated to societies with E-Bulletin 6. This proposal is available on request from the secretary. It forms, as it were, the case for the rise.

The concerns expressed by those who opposed the proposed rise included the following:

Smaller societies cannot afford it,

The Association has a healthy balance,

The Association is mainly for national and international affairs, not for ordinary members,

The Association does not do much for Specialist Societies; it is mainly for local societies,

The rise is too much, too quickly,

The Association spends too much on....(usually international affairs or ABPS News),

The Association should get funding from the national lottery.

The original subscription was deliberately set low; even so, a rate of £1 in 2008 compared with 50p in 1994 would be the equivalent of a rise of 4p a year or 5% a year.

5. PUBLICATIONS, PUBLICITY & COMMUNICATIONS

ABPS News is published four times a year and provides regular philatelic news and features. To be truly effective we would like its content to be available for all members of societies and we would welcome views on how this could be better achieved. At present key items and abbreviated news is put into the E-Bulletin and more and more information is available through the web-site. Is this the right way forward? With a new editor, Hugh Feldman, responsible for the September issue, this would be a good time for members to advise us what you want to see in the pages.

The Association's E-Bulletin has reached issue 6 and is being published when required at about four issues a year. Approaching half of specialist societies receive it by e-mail and almost two thirds of local societies do so. The remainder receive their copy by post and we would like to hear from societies which would like to convert to e-mail receipt. Just send us your e-address. The aim of the Bulletin is to provide more up-to-date information in a brief format and we are pleased that some societies copy items or the whole Bulletin into their own Newsletter or onto their website.

The Handbook and Directory 2007 was published at the beginning of the year. It offers a comprehensive guide to Federations, national, local and specialist societies together with a wide range of information on events, locations and contacts in the British philatelic world. John Hammonds set a high standard in producing previous editions and we are fortunate that Geoff Longbottom has been willing to take over from him. Producing this guide is the single biggest task that the Association undertakes and we are grateful to the many club secretaries and correspondents who have provided information and ideas. Information is now updated as soon as practicable so it should be possible to build on this edition in future years. We believe that this is an essential reference work for secretaries and others to keep at hand. Geoff Longbottom along with Alan Godfrey manage the Association's database which is updated constantly enabling us to reach members reliably. The Association also produces a series of advisory booklets, such as “Competitive Exhibiting at Local and Federation level” by Dr. Alan Huggins – a new edition of which is currently being written.

6. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL EVENTS

The Executive of ABPS is committed to testing out various formats for national events such as combining a national show with Congress, holding competitions with the national show rather than at Stampex and has also considered holding national competitions every second year.

The biennial National Exhibition was held at Torquay 24-25 November 2006. It was decided to hold the national competitions at Torquay with an international section and this helped the event as the various classes attracted a very wide range of collectors, indeed the entries were approximately double the number of 2005. Individual results were published in ABPS News for December 2006. The strength of this competition provided clear evidence that collectors want annual competition at this level. The Inter-Federation (ABPS Cup) competition was won by the Kent Federation ahead of nine others all of whose marks were close. We hope that even more Federations and Associations will enter next time. The Riviera Centre at Torquay proved an excellent venue and chairman Barry Horne and his team are to be congratulated on the success of the event.

The Association and the National Philatelic Society have provided joint information stands at a variety of national shows and fairs organised by Dane Garrod of N.P.S. and his team. The British Philatelic Trust, formerly our other partner, is no longer involved. However our link with N.P.S. remains strong and N.P.S. is represented by Chris Oliver on the Executive of A.B.P.S.

Workshops and Seminars organised by Federations and the N.P.S. have been provided with appropriate experts or team leaders by the Association. For trainee judges the qualification is provided by the Association as well.

7. YOUTH

Many individuals and organisations give up time and energy to support and develop philately with children and young people. The Association is not directly involved but assists by passing on all the income derived from our Dealer Patron scheme. We are very grateful to the dealers who contribute to strengthening the future of philately in this way.

Stamp Active Network (S.A.N.) provides activities for young collectors under the leadership of Pat Grimwood-Taylor. The British Youth Stamp Championships, sponsored by Stanley Gibbons Ltd, were displayed at Torquay in November. The Stamp Active Competitions this year were displayed at Spring Stampex 2007 and sponsored by the Great Britain Philatelic Society.

We record with great regret the death of Anne Dummer who did so much for young collectors in Kettering and nationwide.

8. CONGRESS

The 88th Philatelic Congress of Great Britain was held at Renfrew under the chairmanship of Margaret Morris and as part of the celebrations of the centenary of the Caledonian Philatelic Society. A wide ranging programme was much enjoyed by all who attended and included a further contribution by David Beech as well as one by Dr. Roger Schnell, one of the new signatories to the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists. Congratulations to the Chairman and all of her team as well as Bonhams and Stanley Gibbons.

9. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

The International Committee is responsible for the organisation of all international aspects of philately within the United Kingdom. This includes exhibiting and competing abroad, the cost of which, however, is paid by the exhibitors. Following the sale of the British Philatelic Centre, the Association has had to make alternative arrangements for the reception, storage and return of entries and exhibits and for the storage of the travelling boxes which are now at Tilbury with the A.B.P.S. Frames.

The Committee provides commissioners to ensure the safety of exhibits in transit and abroad and provides members of the juries which judge entries. These are responsible and time-consuming jobs and we are grateful that members are willing to make such a commitment.

10. AWARDS

Congratulations to Kenneth E. Norris who has been awarded the Congress Medal. Since 1969 Ken has been heavily involved with the Association of Scottish Philatelic Societies (being President of Congress in 1979 and National Exhibition Secretary from 1983 to 1989), the Dundee Philatelic Weekend and Glasgow 2000.

Congratulations to the following on receiving the Award of Merit:

David Allen, Petersfield and District Philatelic Society

Michael Clarke-Williams, Portsmouth and District Philatelic Society; James Fryer, Bolton Philatelic Society;

William D. Hogg, North West Philatelic Federation; Julian H. Jones, Hampshire Philatelic Federation;

Gwen Killpack, Banbury Stamp Club; Donald R. Knight, Barnet Philatelic Society;

Brian Presland, Hampshire Philatelic Federation; Lynn and Malcolm Roberts, Enfield Philatelic Society

The association is grateful to all those who have sent nominations and to Susan Oliver and her Committee for their deliberations. The Committee scrutinises all the nominations it receives and welcomes nominations (forms available from the Chair).

The Society Journal of the Year competition results for 2006 were as follows: in the local and federation category the winner was Sheffield P.S., the runner-up was Croydon P.S. and joint third were Cornwall Philatelic Federation and Redditch P.S.; in the specialist society category the winner was the Canadian P.S. of G.B., second was the Revenue Society of G.B. and third was France and Colonies P.S. The entry was higher than in 2005. Many journals now use colour and superior printing techniques and contain a wide variety of serious articles, letters, features, snippets, reviews, calendars, reports, advice and news.

11. CONCLUSION

The challenge for the Executive of the Association is to persuade the rank and file membership that, for all its limitations, the Association is worth paying for. The challenge for the members is to recognise that we are better off with a national association to organise and promote philately than without.