Our current membership is 156. This year we have had 83 members who have not paid membership by today and have therefore been withdrawn from the list of members. This compares with 47 members who had not paid by the AGM in 2002 and 31 who had not paid by the AGM in 2003. I have had no response from 198 letters sent to ex-pupils or members of staff. So far we have not had a any member applying for life membership, maybe £100 is too much as many of our members are pensioners and we should consider a smaller sum.

It is with regret that I must report the death of an Honorary Vice President, Miss Betty Foord (1933-1940). She gave many years service, firstly to the Old Girls’ Club, then giving excellent advice to our new committee when requested and supporting our functions over the past three years in spite of failing health. We shall all miss her. I have been made aware of the death of two other ex-pupils since our last AGM. Anne Neal nee Brown (1947 – 1954) and Pauline Potts nee darling from Canada (1940 – 1945). We have also had the resignation due to failing health of Olga Appleton nee Crowther (1935 – 1941)

We had a very successful Joint Autumn Dinner attended by 61 members and their guests. We had one member from Eire, one from Australia, two from South Wales, two from France and four from Spain attending as well as others from all over England.

Last year we had attendance of 75 members at the AGM and lunch, this year there are 49 but we have had 32 apologies for absence, many from members of staff or ex-pupils from the sixties. I have been informed by Julia Brown (Miss Batterham) that there is a bi-annual reunion of pupils and staff from the sixties also meeting in Scarborough this weekend. By my calculations there should be roughly 1500 to 2000 of us remaining, who were either pupils or staff at the old school so we haven’t made contact with the majority of them yet, we really do need to contact them to keep our numbers up.

I have still had no response to the request for material for a newsletter. Some of you must have things to say about schooldays, memories of staff and other pupils or your lives post school and I need them badly if I am to produce anything worth reading. All the rest of the membership is now requested to submit a biography, with then and now photographs if possible. I hope to publish and send out all the biographies in time for the Autumn Dinner. Please do send them as soon as possible, indicating if you do not want them published for the rest of the membership to read or if you would prefer that they did not go on the web site. Any other material is also very welcome, some of you have led very interesting lives and more than a brief biography would be welcome, your memories of places lived, people met, holidays taken, journeys made can all be fascinating to most of us.

The response to fund raising activities for the Glauert Memorial Prize over the past year has been very mixed. We sold quiz sheets at and just after the AGM (this year more were returned) and at the Autumn Lunch, the winners were awarded Marks and Spencer vouchers. We are intending to sell quiz sheets again at the AGM, we hope for good support and that even more people will return them this time.

The coffee morning held at Green Tor was supported by 15 members. 3 members apologised for not attending sent a donation for the fund and there were 2 further apologies for non-attendance. The barbecue held at Lindhead Cottage was supported and thoroughly enjoyed by 14 members and 5 friends or relatives from out of town, with 3 apologies with donations from members who were unable to attend. Peter and Anne Chouler provided the ideal setting for the barbecue, the weather was kind and the food excellent value. I have copies of the marinade for the chicken for those of you who attended and requested it, please collect it from me. We had hoped that these events would attract a better attendance and could become annual events with members fetching friends and families to swell the numbers. As our membership in the immediate area of Scarborough numbers 112 your committee finds this a disappointing response to both events.

Miss Briggs has sent me some information about the Glauert Memorial Scholarship which I have placed on the notice board and hope that you have seen. How many of you knew that there was a Scarborough United Scholarship Fund? I feel strongly that having received free education and a grant and free board and lodgings to attend further education, as did many of us who attended the old Girls’ High School, we should support our current students who are now having to pay towards their further education either now or in the future and feel that we should ensure that at least our prize should be perpetuated as the more we can raise the more we can give and every little helps.

The Autumn Dinner this year is to be hosted by the Old Scarborians’ Association and is booked at the Palm Court on Saturday, September 25^th. Their secretary will be sending out further details closer to the time. Please support this event and bring your partners with you, they do not have to be old boys of the Boys’ High School to attend. Last year it was extremely enjoyable, the Palm Court were very hospitable and provided an excellent meal and I look forward to this future event. As some of you do not wish to attend a joint function your committee has again arranged an Autumn Lunch on Saturday, October 30^th, 12.00 noon for 12.30pm at the Palm Court Hotel at an approximate cost of £12.50 and if the membership decides we hope thatagain you may bring guests.

I have enjoyed working for the Old Girls’ Association since we revived it in 2001 but will not be standing for re-election as I feel that a younger person may be better able than I to continue to encourage this revival. My deputy Evelyn has indicated that she is willing to take on this position if we have no nominations from the floor and will make a very able secretary but she will need a deputy, proposed from the floor to give occasional assistance.

Thank you

Muriel E Robson