Corps of Drums Society

Committee Meeting 16 October 2011

Present P Nightingale (Chairman), G Fairfax, P Foss, J Goatcher, C Fairfax

As this was a intended to be a brief meeting to address some specific issues, minutes of the

last meeting were held over to be discussed next full Committee Meeting

1.  P Nightingale proposed that a one-off payment of £200 is made to Jon Emerson in

recognition of his work on the website.                                                                                  Agreed

2.  Because of the cost and the previous low attendance, G Fairfax proposed cutting down the

number of music meetings held at Kneller Hall to 4 per year: these would include the LMS

preparation.                                                                                                                                  Agreed

P Nightingale undertook to put together a programme for 2012 and circulate this to the

Committee                                                                                                            Action: P Nightingale

3.  G Fairfax has had a sword mounted and it is now ready to be awarded as the Richard

Holmes Award.  It is expected that it will be awarded to a Corps rather than an individual.  All

the Committee members are asked to define the criteria for making the Award, ready for

discussion at a future Committee Meeting.                                                                         Action: All

4.  J Goatcher expressed concern at the Society’s apparent inability to attract young people.

During the ensuing discussion, all present provided examples of attempts to support and

attract young people.  P Foss works regularly with schools in the Liverpool area, but they

have not joined the Society.  G and C Fairfax had been to St Dunstans College and left

membership application forms; P Nightingale described the situation where he had helped at

Felstead School, but they had shown no inclination to join the Society; J Goatcher is in

contact with Whitgift, who are members, although they no longer attend the Society Music

Meetings.  P Nightingale suggested that a way forward with schools who approach us for help

is for it to be a condition that they join the Society and that training is provided for them at our

Music Meetings.