Committee Meeting – 1st March 2010

Minutes of FAS Committee Meeting 1st March 2010

Attendees

• Peter Campbell-Burns
• Eric Grieve
• Kevin Pretorius
• John Price
• John Rees
• Danny Thomas
• Peter West
• Steve Woodbridge

Minutes of the Last Meeting

The minutes of the last meeting were accepted:

Closed actions:

• Eric has passed on minutes from past meetings to Danny
• Feedback on Chris Lintott’s expenses has been obtained from Guildford AS.
• Officers AGM reports were placed on the society website
• Website has been updated with details and pictures of new committee members.
• JP to question members on level of interest in day trip and ideas for future programme topics (absorbed into new proposal for a questionnaire).

Open actions:

• EG Decimation of low interest books from Lib – Will be done by April, Eric to produce a list.
• EG to speak to Army on future of Aldershot Observatory.

Reports

Treasurer: 

• JR reported that he has online access to the account and the history which will allow him to forecast the end of year balance.
• The FAS subscription was paid to take advantage of a significant early registration discount.
• Balance of account is currently £1216. PW has paying book and £317 of fees to be banked.

Webmaster / SAGAS Co-ordinator 

• PCB reported recent magazine style articles have brought a lot of traffic to the site. 
• Action: PCB to look at issue of printing pages from the website e.g. minutes of meetings
• FAS chaired January SAGAS meeting
• SAGAS can be excellent resource for finding speakers.
• Action: PCB to get materials for the Gowestry Meadow treasure hunt from Barry Bellinger for SAGAS to consider using at Herstmonceux.

Programme Secretary:

• KP reported that it is difficult to find close speakers in reasonable distance and more member presentations need to be encouraged.
• KP now has the FAS speaker list and Barry Bellinger’s list of speakers contact details. 
• Action: PCB to talk to SAGAS and get a list of speakers.
• May meeting will now be KP on “Measuring the Universe” and October will be an observing session lead by SW/EG in October.
• Action: PCB to update schedule on the web page.
• Chris Lintott visit; 37 of 50 spaces filled; only 6 non-members have requested places.
• Action: DT to bring a camera to the meeting to record the event.
• Action: PCB to meet Chris from train to Fleet, with JR/DT as back up.

Membership Secretary:

•  Update on collection of fees: PW reported 22 of 40 members have paid.
• Action: PCB/PW – Send out reminders as previous years.

Observing Co-ordinator:

• Update on planned society observing sessions SW – October booked for observing session with contingency plans in event of poor weather.

Recruitment and retention of society members.

• Flyers have been distributed on notice boards, but the internet and word of mouth have been the most effective ways of bringing in members. Local press welcome articles on society events and this is seen as a good way of publicising the society’s activities e.g. Chris Lintott and Aldershot observatory visit.
• The committee agreed that questionnaire to solicit feedback from members is a good idea. The objective will be to find out how the society can be improved.
• Action: PCB to look at use of Survey Monkey and will refine a list of questions.
• Action: DT to email draft questions to PCB

Outreach activities for 2010

• Observatory visits planned for 24 April, 2pm for society members and their guests. This coincides with National Astronomy Day.
• Action: PCB to update website, JP to announce at next meeting.
• 3rd of June scheduled for Historic Society visit organized by PW.
• Herstmonceux weekend festival is too far away to be a potential recruitment opportunity. Committee concluded that members wishing to visit can make informal arrangements to travel together, but the committee will not organize a trip.
• Fleet Carnival offers an opportunity to have stalls either in the High Street or The Views.
• Action: PCB to enquire if we can get space and borrow a PST for solar observation.
• Following the recent lecture at the Cody AS with Institute of Maths and its Applications, KP will look at arranging an observing session at Cody to see their Zeiss telescope in action.

Website

• The website should be used to promote the societies activities and generate interest from potential new members. More contributions from members are required to sustain the content e.g. projects, news and what’s on type articles.
• Discussion regarding social networking e.g. Facebook, Twitter concluded that such sites are of limited value and would be hard to maintain.

Club telescopes

• The telescope recently presented to JP has no mirror, a very heavy mount and requires de-rusting and cleaning. The committee concluded that it is not transportable or feasible to use it as a “club telescope.”
• PW has been given a 7” lightweight reflector.  This scope is a potential club telescope if it were given a new mount.

AOB

•  Library list needs to be made more accessible on the website
• Action: PCB/DT to look at an additional page.

Date of Next Meeting

•   Next meeting 8pm on 14 June, KP kindly offered to host the meeting.

FAS Meeting Calendar