Following the AGM on Wednesday, we welcome Veronica (Roni) Howard (previously co-opted), Brian Clasper and Arto Maatta as newly-elected members to the Board. Peter Bell and Richard Cowen, who had retired by rotation, were re-elected, while Jackie Hamer, Mark Harper and David Sowerbutts did not need to seek re-election this year.
There are still vacancies on the Board and any DBC member who might be interested in serving is invited to contact the Club at admin@durhambirdclub.org.uk to discuss this.
Planning is now underway for the 2025 Club Annual General Meeting, which will take place on Wednesday 10th September at 7.00 p.m. at the Washington Wetland Centre, Barmston Lane, Pattinson, Washington NE38 8LE.
The documentation for the business part of the meeting will be added here over the next few weeks. and will be complete no later than 25 August, with most papers available well before that.
The meeting will include annual elections. It is vital for the future of the Club and the development of its activities that we should strengthen the Board of Trustees. Four Trustees have left the Board in the last 14 months and others are expecting to retire in the next year or so and are keen to support a smooth transition to a new team. A printable/downloadable form for nominations to the Board, to be received no later than Sunday 23 August, can be found here.
Following the business of the meeting members are warmly invited to stay for a presentation introducing a major enhancement to the Club’s bird recording and member interaction arrangements. The Club will shortly be launching a new online platform, bird.club, through which members will be able to submit, view and download bird records in real time. This system will offer direct access, to subscribing members only, to Club-wide reporting data and create opportunities for improved interaction between members and between the membership and the Committee and the Board of Trustees.
The Club has invested significant time in developing the system and its introduction is intended to mark a significant step forward for the Club, providing a modern and efficient means of communication and data sharing, while remaining rooted in the Club’s long-standing principles of careful documentation and ornithological accuracy. It is hoped that this initiative will not only enhance the Club’s ability to submit and analyse records and share data but also help to reinvigorate member engagement and participation in the years ahead.
All members are strongly encouraged to attend.
- DBC
- Apr 17
