Annual General Meeting 2008
Moray Federation of Community Halls & Associations
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The Moray Federation of Community Halls and Associations held their 35th Annual General Meeting at the village hall at Inchberry on Sunday, 23 November 2008. The meeting was well attended by halls representatives, guests, Moray Councillors, including Convener, George McIntyre who has a long association with the Federation, and a representative of Richard Lochhead, MSP.
The meeting was significant because it marked the retiral of two very long-standing members of the Federation. Bill Reid stood down as President, a post he has held since 1982. Bill Reid, from Dunphail, was one of the founding members of the Federation of Halls, when it was the Moray and Nairn Federation, with its first meeting at Archiestown in 1967. He has served as a member of the executive committee, as vice-chairman, chairman and president.
He was presented with a gift of a glass dolphin, set on a plinth with a plate noting his service from 1967 to 2008. The story behind the glass dolphin is that during World War II, in the harsh winter of 1944, Bill, aged 23, was with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the Ardennes, fighting the Battle of the Bulge. They were near a glass factory called Val St Lambert, near Liege. Bill and 2 other sergeants were befriended by a worker from the factory, a glass engraver, who took them to his home in the evenings for a beer. The Federation committee were able to trace the Belgian factory and obtain a small glass dolphin to present to Bill on his retirement. The present management of the glass factory were sympathetic to the request, gave a special price and despatched the dolphin immediately.
Also standing down was Vice-President, Molly Forsyth, who has served the Federation since 1977. She was vice-chairman in 1982 and chairman 1983-1986. She has been a vice-president since 1987. She was presented with a glass vase, engraved 'With Appreciation from the Moray Federation of Halls, 1977 - 2008'.
Pat Smith announced that she too was standing down as Convener and nominated Rosella Smith to take over the reins of the Federation. Pat will not be lost to the Federation as she has agreed to become a vice-president.
Office bearers elected for the coming year are:
President: Jim Anderson (Rothes)
Vice-Presidents: Jennifer Shaw (Lhanbryde) and Pat Smith (Birnie)
Convener: Rosella Smith (Portessie)
Vice-Convener: Anita Milne (Lhanbryde)
Treasurer: Tony Bowmer (Forres)
Secretary: Jackie Owsnett (Mosstodloch)
Advisers: John Ferguson and Reni Milburn (The Moray Council); Sandra Dow (Citizens' Advice Bureau)
Auditor: Robert Hyde (Elgin)