Member News: FOHT new Council & Annual Report 2022

The Friends AGM on 5 April 2023 at Torrens Rowing Club was well attended with an upbeat vibe and lots of chatting among members.  Thank you all for your membership, engagement and volunteering to keep the Friends and Heysen Trail alive.

Please welcome the incoming Council Members listed below who will continue that commitment.

2023 FOHT Office Bearers & Council Positions

Reminder that the revised FOHT Constitution adopted in 2022 included provision to assist renewal that all member are elected for 2 year terms, a limit of 3 x 2 years continuous in an Office Bearer position and maximum 12 years continuous for any Council member.

• President – Neil Hendry
• Vice President – Melanie Sjoberg
• Secretary – Vicki Stewart continuing in current 2 year term
• Treasurer – Basia Samcewicz continuing in current 2 year term

Council Members

• Continuing in current 2 year term – Barbara Deed; John Babister; Margaret Fletcher.
• Newly elected: Paul Bond; Judy McAdam; Ross McDougall; Kathy Wright; Mark Fletcher.

FOHT achievements and financial statements were presented and approved at the AGM.  The FOHT Annual Report for 2022 outlining those presentations is attached for your information.

Annual The 36^th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Heysen Trail and Other Walking Trails Inc will be held at 6.30pm Wednesday 5 April 2023 at the Torrens Rowing Club Functions Centre, Victoria Drive, Adelaide.

Call for Council Nominations

Seeking nominations from our members, for election to the following Council positions:

• President
• Vice President
• Ordinary Council Members

To nominate, please complete the nomination form (page 2 of AGM notice) and provide to The Secretary by 27 March 2023.
Forms may be submitted via email: heysentrail@heysentrail.asn.au; or deliver/post to Friends of the Heysen Trail, Suite 203, Epworth House, 33 Pirie Street Adelaide, 5000.

AGM Agenda

1. Apologies
2. Acceptance of Minutes of Annual General Meeting held on 24 March 2022
3. President’s Report
4. Treasurer’s Report
5. Election of Returning Officer
6. Election of Councillors
   • President
   • Vice President
   • Council Members
7. Appointment of Auditor
8. Report from Honorary Members Committee
9. Other Business
10. Close of Meeting

Registration

Members must register to attend the AGM via our website walk/events program to meet space limitations.

David joined the Friends in 1996 about the time he retired from teaching. Within two years he had become entrenched in the office and become co-Membership Secretary in 1998, a post he held until 2009. At the same time, he joined the Walk Committee and started leading walks for the Friends.

The genesis of the End to End walk program

In 1999, at Walk Committee meeting, David suggested that, as we maintained the Trail, maybe we should also be facilitating our walking members to undertake the Trail, End to End.

As the first walk started in 2000, it was known as the Millenium Walk, however over time this has morphed into End-to-End One and then the End-to-End programme.

Consequently, he co-lead the first End to End, starting in 2000 and finishing in 2006 and then 2002, not happy with heading north, he started a southern trek from Parachilna south which he completed the next year.

The End to End walks have become extraordinarily popular as a result consequence of a simple suggestion, he made in 1999. The result so far is 15 groups and over 1,100 people introduced to hiking and the Heysen Trail.

David, the Administrator

Trail Maintenance at Bridle Gap

David joined the Friend’s Council in 2003 and became Secretary in 2006, a position he held until 2008.

He was also a keen participant in maintenance, as Section Leader, strong, resilient, and resourceful and like many big men, quiet and thoughtful. His counsel was always considerate and considered.

In 2007, David was elected as an Honorary Member for his considerable contribution to the Friends.
In 2017, Walking SA bestowed on David a Special Recognition Award for his contribution to walking and the Friends.

Cliff – Change Agent

Cliff will not be well known to most Friends Members, however he played a pivotal role in the organisation’s resurgence in the early 2000s.

He realised the financial survival of the Friends depended on left over grant money that accrued interest, in the days when investments did that. And that was not very much. At that time, the Friends’ council dealt with the entire management process and Cliff thought that streamlining the various processes, using the committee structure, would benefit the organisation. Consequently, subcommittees of the Friends, i.e., Walking, Membership and Marketing, Financial and Trail Maintenance could focus on their tasks, improving efficiency. This, plus a dynamic council, could concentrate on increasing membership, revitalising the walking programme and generating yearly surpluses that could be churned back into the Trail though the Maintenance Committee. As a result, this lead to a massive increase in membership, doubling in 2 years, and to some extent, the End 2 End programme.

Apart from his association with the Friends, he was the economics professor at the University of South Australia, economics advisor to Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser, introducing him to Grange, amongst his various achievements. Our condolences to his family and friends.

Tributes

“Sharp, focused, and unstoppable. Great Council member, and always there when needed. Didn’t stop even when very ill. Formidable. Vale Cliff. Well remembered.”
Simon Cameron

“Great intellect – set the Friends on a path to create the large, successful organisation we have today. Vale Cliff.”
Robert Alcock

Friends of Heysen – Constitution Review – Member Information Session

FOHT Council has decided to review our 35 year old Constitution to modernise and refresh it to meet our current needs. Council is undertaking consultation with committees and members to help build a framework for the next 35 years.

Why?

The Constitution outlines the rules for how the Friends manages the finances, policies and priorities for our activities: walks program, trail development, office and promotion.  Council members think it is a good opportunity to revitalise how we manage the Friends and encourage newer members to become more involved.

Interested members are invited to an information session that will outline key proposals, answer questions and obtain feedback from members.

• Wednesday 16 June at 2pm
• Tuesday 29 June at 6pm.

Members will need to register via the Friends Walk/Event on-line system as numbers will be capped and usual COVID requirements apply.  A draft document will be available.

Council will consider any feedback and issues raised before seeking legal advice on the provisions and any formal process.

The current Constitution requires that proposed changes be presented at a special Meeting of Members or Annual General Meeting.

To be held on Friday March 19th 2021

You are invited to attend the 34rd Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Heysen Trail and Other Walking Trails Inc. The meeting will be held at 6.30 pm on Friday March 19th 2021. The venue will be the Woodville Lawn Bowling Club, Oval Avenue, Woodville.

We are seeking nominations from you, our members, for election to the Friends Council at the AGM. There are vacancies in the following positions:

• President
• Vice President,
• Secretary,
• Treasurer and
• half of the remaining members.

Our Constitution calls for not less than four and no more than ten non office-bearing members.

You will also hear about our Association’s activities in 2020 and plans for 2021.

Come along and meet your council (they are the people who make the decisions). Find out what we intend to do to further develop, maintain and promote the use of the Heysen and other walking trails.

COVID SAFE: Members are asked to register to attend the AGM via our website walk/events program or phone the office. Numbers may need to be limited to meet space requirements as defined by SA Health at that time. Safe hygiene and social distancing will be in place.

Please note socialising after the formal meeting will not occur again this year, consequently, please don’t bring a plate.

If you are thinking of becoming more involved, please check the information and nomination form that you find in the Autumn issue of the Trailwalker, which will be issuing shortly.

AGM Agenda

1. Apologies
2. Acceptance of Minutes of the previous AGM held on August 28th 2020.
3. President’s Report
4. Financial Report
5. Election of Returning Officer
6. Election of Officers
   • President
   • Vice President
   • Secretary
   • Treasurer
   • Council Members
7. Appointment of the Auditor
8. Election of Honorary Members
9. Other Business
10. Close Meeting

Any member wishing to move a motion at the AGM should be aware of the Constitutional requirements:

‘Notice of any such motion proposed to be moved at a General Meeting by any member not being a member of the Council shall be signed by the proposer and seconder and shall be delivered to the Secretary at least seven days before the meeting. No motion moved by any member other than a member of the Council shall be entertained by the meeting unless notice thereof has been given as aforesaid.’

The President speaks

Friends of Heysen Trail Annual General Meeting 2020- Rescheduled from March

Now that Covid 19 restrictions have eased the Friends is able to convene its postponed AGM.

• President Report on 2019
• Treasurer Report for 2019
• Election of Council Members
• Approval of Auditor for 2020/2021
• Nomination of Honorary Members.

The meeting will be held at the usual location – The Woodville Bowling Club,
Oval Avenue, Woodville, commencing at 6.30 pm.

Members are asked to register in advance as numbers may still need to be limited to appropriate space requirements as defined by SA Health at that time.  Safe hygiene and social distancing will be in place.

Please note socialising after the formal meeting will not occur this year, consequently please don’t bring a plate.

To be held on Friday March 20th 2020

You are invited to attend the 33rd Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Heysen Trail and Other Walking Trails Inc. The meeting will be held at 7.30 pm on Friday March 20th 2020. The venue will be the Woodville Lawn Bowling Club, Oval Avenue, Woodville.

We are seeking nominations from you, our members, for election to the Friends Council at the AGM. There are vacancies in the following positions:

• Vice President,
• Secretary,
• Treasurer and
• half of the remaining members.

Our Constitution calls for not less than four and no more than ten non office-bearing members.

Our guest speaker will be a double act this year, Paul Nicholas and Eric Felgate. They managed the restoration and renovation of many of the iconic huts along the Trail including Mayo, Marschalls and Curnows with the help of men from Uniting Communities men’s shelters. This is their story!

You will also hear about our Association’s activities in 2019 and plans for 2020.

Come along and meet your council (they are the people who make the decisions). Find out what we intend to do to further develop, maintain and promote the use of the Heysen and other walking trails.

If you are thinking of becoming more involved please check the information and nomination form that you find in the Autumn issue of the Trailwalker which will be issuing shortly.

Please bring a plate. The bar will be open for drinks. Coffee and tea will be available.

AGM Agenda

1. Apologies
2. Acceptance of Minutes of the previous AGM held on March 22nd 2019.
3. President’s Report
4. Financial Report
5. Election of Officers
   1. Vice President
   2. Secretary
   3. Treasurer
   4. Council Members
6.  Appointment of the Auditor
7.  Election of Honorary Members
8.  Other Business
9.  Close Meeting

Any member wishing to move a motion at the AGM should be aware of the Constitutional requirements:

‘Notice of any such motion proposed to be moved at a General Meeting by any member not being a member of the Council shall be signed by the proposer and seconder and shall be delivered to the Secretary at least seven days before the meeting. No motion moved by any member other than a member of the Council shall be entertained by the meeting unless notice thereof has been given as aforesaid.’