Annual General Meeting 3rd Aprill 2025
Report by Russell Lownsbrough FIPG
For the last two years, we’ve hired a room for our AGM at the City Pride pub in Farringdon. In the past we’ve borrowed a room in the Goldsmiths Hall. A very grand place to be sure, but it made the event very austere and the post event socialising almost non-existent. By comparison, the current incarnation of the AGM is a far more sociable and relaxing affair.
In attendance were Dania Tarcinale, Janet Weller, Russell Lownsbrough, Annette Warham, Amanda Li Hope, Leonid Dementiev, Antonio Bonanno, Richard Chown, John Daniels, Jorge Mario, Zoe, Harding, Jessica Jue, Leo Hadgi-Petrou, Richard Bull, Janet Barber in person and Stasia Parker, Andrew Ashcroft, Jennifer Bloy, Paul Bailey-Green, Daniel Moran, Robert Goldsworthy via Zoom.
Proceedings began with the Approval of the previous years minutes and continued with an Address from the current Chair Janet Weller FIPG. In the Address, Janet appealed to all members to help us complete the archives of the IPG, shared the data from our membership survey, outlined our updated constitution and mission statement, listed the achievements of the last year, called for volunteers for our interview process and announced this, the website you are currently reading. She went on to praise the efforts of the Executive committee who all work voluntarily for the IPG and its membership.
Following this votes were taken and approval sought for membership subscriptions (no change), Finacial Report (approved), Executive Committee (no change), new and improved governance documents (approved).
This was followed by Any Other Business, in which there was lively discussion about various topics including demonstrations, education and skill-sharing. As a result of these, an education committee will be formed and a new WhatsApp skill-sharing group chat will be created to compliment our Social and Technical group chats.
Janet closed the meeting with the following statement:
You will have heard every past Chair say that an enormous amount of work goes on behind the scenes, that their respective executive committees, who give freely of their time, for the upkeep and advancement of The IPG, have gone over and above the call of duty. I truly believe that the people sitting before you at this table, and Jenny on Zoom, are the hardest working and most dedicated team you could wish for, to be the driving force behind The IPG. Despite reminding them that they are not obliged to attend every single meeting called, and there have been many, many meetings during the last 12 months, every single one of them have made the effort to be there, every single time. Why? Because they care deeply, because they are passionate that the IPG continues to grow in strength and numbers year on year, that we keep ourselves relevant and up to date, in an ever-changing world of technological advancement, and that future generations of IPG Fellows, Associate Fellows and Members alike are represented in the best possible way every single day. Please join me in thanking your Executive Committee for their incredible hard work and dedication.
After that we all got down to the also serious business of socialising and sampling all the excellent pizzas for which the pub is renowned.
Finally, thanks to Amanda Li Hope for organising the venue and especially to Adrian Mohr for the monumental task of Minuting the entire evening.
