2003 AGM was chaired by Marilyn Wallace. She thanked the Administrator for organising the programme and also the Czech assistants Jana Vastatkova and Katka Piknerova. She also thanked the many volunteers over the year such as Mike Coy who had cooked many excellent meals for the visiting groups.She also thanked the Czech Republic based assistants Firstly David Pribyl who had moved to France during the year, his post taken by Sarka Pichrtova and later by Gabriela Rejmanova and also Martina Chvostova for running our Czech bank account. Administrator Brian Smedley summed up the previous years programme. We had operated 30 projects involving 295 Brits to Czech/Slovakia ,495 Czechs to UK, 144 Lithuanians to UK and 33 Brits to Poland.
Despite this success the bad news was that Sedgemoor DC had rejected our twinning with Prague 6 which was very bad news as it meant a slap in the face for both our organisation and for Prague 6 council who had been assisting us for the past 8 years on the basis that a twinning would eventually become a formality. Pat Parker reported that Somerset CC might be interested in developing these links but pointed out that he had been speaking to them about links with Zlin region.
Financial report;-At the 2002 AGM the administrator had separated the account into 2 elements. Firstly the projects running account (Bridgwater International) and secondly the General Bridgwater Czech/Slovak Links account. The BCSFS account showed a balanced throughflow of £3301.16 which included grants of £2500 from the Bridgwater International account,£300 from the Mayor of Bridgwater plus additional fundraising and membership of £477. We had paid out an honorarium of £1200 to the administrator and £1268.83 to Czech assistants plus £660 to UK helpers during the year. We had affiliated to the YHA and the BCSA and our general admin costs were £172.33
After this years transition it was now time to formally separate these accounts to achieve our aim of the BCSFS becoming a grant aiding body for Czech Slovak Projects whilst the administrator set up Bridgwater International as a separate business which would run projects in its own right and as agents of the BCSFS. No formal minute was needed for this and the new position was noted
ELECTION OF OFFICERS 2003-2004
Chair;-Marilyn Wallace
Secretary;-Brian Smedley
Vice Chair;-Pat Parker
Vice Chair;-Tim Mander
Treasurer;-David Humphrey
Cllr Julian Taylor was the SDC rep on our society until May 2004.
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| Jan 18-25 Prague;- Danzatak>Prague 6 dance link up |
| Jan 28 arrival of Katka Piknerova –our new Czech assistant. |
| Charter trustees agree to name MORAVIA CLOSE
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| Feb 1-8 Moravske Bud;- Kazdance>>Prague+Moravske dance link |
| 18 FEB CZECH BUSINESS & CULTURE SEMINAR>1. opportunities in business, 2. tourism, 3. EU integration process, 4. cultural matters 5. promotion of bilateral links of region with the Czech Republic |
| Feb 14-21 Bridgwater;- Alkana to Chilton Trinity . Pat Parker co-ordinates/ a performance at the art centre on wed 19 feb |
| March 7-12 Cheddar;-Moravske Bud politicians to link with Young Somerset Ian Wallace has received a grant for hosting this trip. |
| March 19-24 Prague;-Mander family skiing trip to Jizersky hory |
| March 24-31 Prague/Olomouc;- Seamonster Plymouth group |
| March 31-April 6 Cheddar;- Fiserova school (Prague 6) >UK. |
| April 11-20 Prague ‘Vagon’ 13/Olomouc ‘u klub’ 15/UH Mir Klub 16/M.Bud Klub Pogo 17/Cbud 18/Prague 19/UK 20;-Czech rock tour (Webberbus) |
| April 14-19 Crowcombe ;- Lithuanian group (Vlad) |
| April 24-25 Olomouc :-MM band to Olomouc |
| April 25+26 Prague/Plzen;- Plymouth ‘Davis group |
| April 26+27 London;-Embassy + Royal Household +Unison football |
| April 27-May 2 Crowc;- Uh.Hradiste svatopluk choir to Somerset-+ Mr Gajdosik |
| May 4-10 Crowc- Uh.Hradiste Radim school; |
| May 9- May 17 UK;- Olomouc round Britain trip |
| May 7-14 Bratislava;-Chilton>Alkana ;-Pat & Jenny accompany this group to Bratislava. |
| May 19-23 Prague;-College Caterers to Prague |
| May 24-28 Prague/Ceske Budejovice;- Royal Household Football tour Games arranged vs Czech Senate & Hejtmans office |
| May 24 – 31 Prague/Olomouc:- Plymouth University Student teachers trip |
| June 1 –7 Crowcombe;- Kladno group with Zdena Biggsova |
| June 8-14 Bridgwater;- Arabska school Prague home hosts with Dr Soucek |
| June 7 –14 Crowcombe;- Ceske Budejovice group-Eva Kordova. Mike Coy does a xmas dinner |
| June 24-July 2 UK;-Lithuanian round Britain (Salvina) London>York>Edinburgh>Inverness >Oban >Glasgow>Lakes>Oxford. |
| June27/28/29 GLASTONBURY— Workers Beer Company tent at Glastonbury. |
| June 27 JANA VASTATKOVA from Olomouc-our 2nd Czech assistant arrives |
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| July 7-15 Prague/Olomouc;- Kings College Taunton DofE |
| July 7-18 Ireland;- Uh.Hradiste :-Round Ireland trip-Jana Hubena |
| July 19-26 Cornwall;- Prague Round Cornwall trip-Sarka |
| Aug 12-21 Czech- Slovak 5 Young Somerset leaders on holiday |
| August 17-23 Crowcombe;-Lithuania schools- vlad |
| August 15-22 S.England;- Round Wessex trip (Kladno) |
| August 23-31 Prague/;-Newcastle Youth service. This was a project organised with EU money and involved some disadvantaged Newcastle kids who had done a drug project and made a film. They travelled to Prague and linked up with Pavel Bem (later Mayor of Prague) who was a Czexpert in drugs. The trip was especially difficult because of the strong Geordie accents, |
| September 14-21 Crowc;- Olomouc / Bridgwater College |
| September 20-27 Crowc; C.Budejovice schools |
| October 2-7 Poland/;- Unison Football tour-multi national event This is a 4 nation tournament in Krakow involving Czech,Slovaks,Poles and Brits-sedgemoor UNISON will repreent UK, Antonin Machalas ‘Altech’ for Czechs. Milos and Fero dont bring a Slovak team so we share out players. |
| November 2-6 Prague Bridgwater College health & social care |