The Kew Guild Annual General Meeting was held on Saturday 8th September 2018 in The Mansion, Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6TN, at 2.45pm

The President, Jean Griffin, welcomed everyone to the first Annual General Meeting of the Kew Guild CIO.

Further to the previous AGM, members voted 30/0 to confirm their agreement of the transfer of operations from the ‘old Guild’ to this new CIO.

The Kew Guild CIO met three times during 2018, the first meeting of the new CIO being in January. Meetings were well attended, and the meetings were quorate in accordance with the new CIO (three or one quarter of trustees).

Members who passed away during the 2017-18 Guild year are: Margaret Benham, Viscount Michael Blakenham (ex RBG Kew trustee), John Brookes (Honorary Fellow), Geoff Collins, John Halhead, Norman Hickman, Michael Lycett and Ron Rule. Members present stood for a minute silence in honour of those passed.

• The annual accounts have been prepared, approved and signed.
• Membership: 309.
• The Membership Secretary post continues to be vacant and needs to be filled asap.
• There were two events during the year – Bodenham and the Isles of Scilly, plus another hugely successful Annual Dinner.
• The Journal was published on time and on budget.
• Awards Scheme: A total of £10,908 from the five named Funds and General Funds was available. In total £9,302.80 was awarded, leaving £1 605.20
• Mike Fitt OBE was nominated and elected as a Fellow of the Kew Guild.
• Consideration to be given in the future to offering Trustee and Officer roles to Fellows.
• Marcella Corcoran to receive the George Brown Memorial Award.
• A review of the Award Scheme is to take place and comments were invited from members. Martin Staniforth and Sylvia Phillips made some suggestions which will be taken into consideration.
• The President thanked everyone involved in the changeover to the CIO.
• Annual subscriptions will remain at £27 for ordinary members and £15 for students for the 2020-21 year.
• David Hardman, Pamela Holt, Sylvia Phillips and Susan Urpeth retired as Trustees.
• Peter Styles and David Simpson were elected as Trustees subject to Fit and Proper Persons checks.
• There are NINE trustees for the Kew Guild CIO year 2018-19:
  Margaret Jean Griffin, Stewart James Henchie, Harold Graham Heywood, Chris David Andrew Kidd, Frederick Anthony Overland, David Alan Simpson, Alan James Stuttard, Peter Styles and Timothy Upson.
• Officers for the Kew Guild CIO year 2018-19:
  Honorary Secretary VACANT
  Honorary Treasurer VACANT
  Membership Secretary – Nomination of Jean Griffin
  Honorary Journal Editor VACANT
  Events Officer VACANT
• There were no nominations, other than Jean Griffin as Membership Secretary and therefore members were asked to approve the following remaining in place:
  Consultant Secretary: Sara Arnold
  Voluntary Treasurer: Linda Baharier
  Journal Editor: Sparkle Ward
  Voluntary Events Co-Ordinator: Brian Phillips
• Members present voted to accept new Membership Secretary, Jean Griffin; To accept Sara Arnold, Linda Baharier, Sparkle Ward and Brian Phillips remaining in their roles.
• Peter Styles took over from Jean Griffin as President for the year 2018-19. Peter said he was honoured to become President and hoped that the year would bring more interaction with students and Kew in general and to carry on the hard work on the constitution and rules. He added that he had attended the Students Award Ceremony at Kew yesterday and the Director in his address had particularly mentioned that the Kewites he encountered on his many trips abroad gave great store to the continued lifelong friendships that they forged at Kew. This is why the work of the Guild is so important.
• Date of next meeting: Saturday 7th September 2019, in The Lady Lisa Sainsbury Lecture Theatre, RBG Kew, at 2pm.