Delivering a positivemessage22NADFAS REVIEW / AUTUMN 2010www.nadfas.org.ukIncreased membership, new levels of support for Societies and enhanced public recognition - all were inthe spotlight at this year's NADFAS AGMThis year's NADFAS AGMshowcased NADFAS'sachievements over the past year,as well as highlighting the Association'sstrategy going forward. Guest speakersincluded NADFAS President ChristopherLloyd and Vice Presidents PhilippaGlanville, Martin Drury and DesmondShawe-Taylor. Also addressingdelegates was Marilyn Scott, Director ofWoking art gallery The Lightbox, whichNADFAS has been closely involved withsince its inception in 2007. She wasfollowed by Nick Way, Director Generalof the Historic Houses Association.The benefits of NADFAS's grant-givingwere highlighted, and delegates enjoyeda talk -introduced by Dr AvivaBurnstock -by Katya Belaia, the firstrecipient of the NADFAS Zena WalkerScholarship, which has enabled her tostudy easel painting conservation at theCourtauld Institute of Art's Departmentof Conservation and Technology.Taking to the stage in the afternoonsession, National Chairman Gri Harrisonoutlined key achievements from the pastyear, including an increase inmembership to over 91,000 (the biggestincrease since 2004) as well as inwaiting lists (now at 6,000). She acknowledged new SocietiesNorth Bucks, Fylde, Oxford, Nelson(New Zealand), Waikato (New Zealand),and Waveney Valley, and praised thework of the NADFAS Training andSocieties support teams in helping easethe way for new and existing Societies."They have worked tirelessly to ensurethat training meets members' currentneeds. There are more presentationalskills days and more practical ideasbeing shared to save Societies fromhaving to reinvent the wheel."Focusing on the quality of theNADFAS-accredited lecturer selectionprogramme, she pointed to a consistentsuccess rate of 50% for the past nineyears. It was noted that digitalpresentations continue to grow inpopularity: one third of Societies nowuse digital; a further third is set to follow.NEW APPOINTMENTSArea ChairmenFarewells and expressions of gratitude were offered to outgoingArea Chairmen, while warm welcomes were extended to theirreplacements. OutgoingReplaced byJune Robinson ................................................ Lynn SladeEast Surrey Area ChairmanJoy Manners .................................................... Margaret Barrie Greater London Area ChairmanPrudence Smeeton .......................................... Anne PalmerNorth East Area ChairmanSusan Zuill ....................................................... Elizabeth BlackScotland & Northern Ireland Area ChairmanSue O'Brien also joins as Head of Training (Joint)Trustee BoardA warm welcome was also extended to new Trustee JuneRobinson during the Trustee elections, which also saw MilesRoberts and Jill Makepeace-Warne re-elected as Trustees, as well as the retirement of Lucinda Shaw Stewart.The current NADFAS Trustee Board is pictured below.

MEDIA AWARDSSocieties received recognition for theirresourcefulness and creativity in thisyear's Media Awards. The results,announced at the AGM, are listed belowin reverse order:PRINTED MATERIAL Highly-Commended:Liverpool DFAS - Newsletter andPromotional LeafletOrwell DFAS - Promotional Poster Runner Up:West Somerset DFAS - PromotionalLeafletWinner:Borders DFAS - Newsletter DIGITAL MEDIAHighly-Commended:Croydon DFAS - DVD: FairchildesMosaic ProjectTruro DFAS - Pre-lecture PowerPointPresentationBlockley DFAS - Pre-lecture PowerPointPresentationBirmingham DFAS - WebsiteExe DFAS - WebsiteRunner Up:Greater London Area - WebsiteWinner: Fylde DFAS - Websitewww.nadfas.org.ukNADFAS REVIEW / AUTUMN 2010 23Delegates enjoyed podcastsdemonstrating the work of ChurchRecorders and Young Arts, as well asone called 'NADFAS at Work' featuringWest Surrey Area Chairman DeniseTopolski and former Greater LondonArea Chairman, Joy Manners. Thepodcasts demonstrate the work carriedout by different branches of NADFAS,from local Societies and volunteers in alldisciplines, to the Association'shardworking Trustee BoardGri Harrison, who describedvolunteers as playing an "important roleas the public face of NADFAS", detailedthe achievements of all three disciplines.Sixty-two Church Records werecompleted in 2009, she said, bringingthe total to 1557. In 2009, HeritageVolunteers also embarked on 75 newprojects, while almost £170,000 waspaid in grantsto Young Arts initiatives.NADFAS Chief Executive David Bellthen took to the stage to consider thefuture priorities for the Association.Looking at Communication first, heurged members to make use of the newIT database, emphasising how it would"streamline your committee work andmake communications easier". He alsoflagged up progress on the onlineDirectory of Lecturers whose workingprototype was being tested at the timeof the AGM, adding that a facility foronline submission of lecturer feedbackforms was in the offing.On membership, he outlined boostedlevels of financial support for newSocieties, as well as hands-on supportfor vulnerable Societies struggling withfalling members or committeesuccession. He added that there wouldbe a major update of the NADFASHandbook in 2010 that would make thisvaluable resource "as convenient andaccessible as possible for members".On a final note, David Bell addressed the areas in which NADFAShopes to boost its public recognition.This includes development of NADFAS'sAbove: Media Awardwinners collecttheir prizes, while sponsorsand partnerscatch up withmembers Left to right: The TrusteeBoard: GriHarrison(NationalChairman);Nigel Yallop(National ViceChairman);Chris Robinson(Hon Treasurer[co-opted]);Jacqueline Ball;Danny Bonwitt;Liz Knox;Jill Makepeace-Warne;Miles Roberts;June Robinson; Kate Siebert;Heather Spencer;Janet Thomson;Colin Winchesternew presence on social media sitesFacebook and Twitter and increased use of the NADFAS podcasts. "We intend to make these more readilyavailable to members," he said. "They are a persuasive way of delivering a positive message to theoutside world."In her closing statement, Gri Harrisonstressed that with a new government inplace and austerity measures at the topof its agenda, the impact on the artscould be "profound", adding thatNADFAS's volunteer arms would be inincreasing demand as museums beganto feel the pinch.It only remained then for her to thankdelegates and remind everybody thatnext year's AGM would be taking placein Edinburgh. For further details on the 2011 AGMand how to book, turn to page 8