FOTA AGM Minutes

The posts are a little out of sequence but that is because these minutes have been reviewed by the Board members so they should be pretty accurate but they are still draft minutes and if there is a correction please make a comment.

 FOTA – Friends of the Theatre Association.

Minutes of the AGM held May 12^th 2010

The meeting was called to order on the second call at 6.30 p.m. The President thanked the 13 members for attending.  

Board members present: President David Radford, Vice President Pauline Naylor, Treasurer Arthur Hill, Secretary Graham Cherry,  Helen Tomlinson, Norma Wilson and Helen Young.

Apologies were received from Pat Suart, Sid Wright, Julia Bretton, Doreen Slater, Eddie Barnett, Reg Harding, Frank Morris, Wendy Smith, Ellie Bennetts.

Minutes of the 2009 meeting were taken as read unanimously and there were no matters arising.

President’s report

The President presented his report and drew attention in particular to:

The absence of Pat Suart for much of the year meant that the Board operated with 7 members and efforts to increase this had proved unsuccessful. He considered that there was no urgent need to increase the number of Board members but expressed concern that ano domini was having an effect.

The raffles held this year had been a great success and this change of direction would continue.

The anniversary booklet had been produced and was adjudged a success. Financially there was a profit due to thirteen sponsors of 100 euros each and 2 reprints had been made. 731 copies had been printed and 100 remain to be sold. There were two additional outlets at David’s Bookshop and Woodys. He explained the difficulties with the substandard work of Xpress print. The sense of the meeting was that the matter should continue to be pursued.

He thanked the desk helpers for their work in the year.

Acceptance of the report was proposed by Gloria Harding and seconded by Sweelan Ford.

Treasurers report

The Treasurer presented his report. He drew attention to good attendance at the lunches which although they made no direct profit produced a good raffle return. The trips had been well attended particularly the later ones.

Profits had increased by 2000 euros and 11000 euros had been handed over to SALVA.

Revenue from cards again declined slightly and it was thought this would continue as more people relied on e mails as a cheaper alternative or simply cut back with the increase in postal charges.

Acceptance of the report was proposed by peter Pillinger and  seconded by Gina Foster..

Re-election

The retiring members of the Committee were re-elected unopposed.  

Any Other Business

The organizational relationship with SALVA was discussed and it was explained that at present FOTA came under the aegis of SALVA. It was possible that FOTA could become more firmly the social and fundraising subcommittee of SALVA but the necessary constitutional arrangements were being examined by Howard John who is currently indisposed.

Ana Atteck told the meeting that as the maximum revenue handed over in any one of the last five years fell below 25,000 euros it was possible for FOTA to be an independent legal entity and this possibility of keeping FOTA independent of SALVA would be pursued with Ana’s help.

Questions were asked as to the frequency of raffles and why there were no plans for one for ‘Putting on the Glitz’. The President explained that the Board considered that it was only worthwhile with the longer running big musicals and ‘raffle fatigue’ might become a problem.

The President informed the meeting that an examination of the early minutes of FOTA revealed that the 25^th anniversary of FOTA was on June 1^st. 

The Secretary told the meeting that the blog had been expanded a little so that members could be kept informed of productions and auditions as well as Trips and Lunches etc.

A group called ‘Fuengirola’s Theatre Friends’ had been set up on Facebook – the name FOTA could not be used as this was used by the Formula One Teams Association – and currently had 119 members. This meant that some information of FOTA’s activities was getting out to non members who were cross referenced to the blog.

The Secretary of SALVA conveyed the thanks of the Board of SALVA for the efforts of FOTA at fundraising and informed the meeting that SALVA had improved profits by 20,000 euros in the past year (this included the 11,000 euros from FOTA.

There being no further business the meeting concluded at 7.20

Cordoba Trip

Delighted to say that we set off with practically a full coach and produced over 400 euros for FOTA and hence the theatre's funds. I am told the highlight was the visit to the Alcazar gardens which were stunning.
I had been to Cordoba the week before as a birthday treat so didn't go on this trip. That means if you took any photos and want to upload them for everyone to see feel fee to do so.
Any other comments?

FOTA Day Trip to Cordoba

When you look in travel agents windows and see the cost of day trips you wonder how we can possibly do it for the price. The trip to Cordoba is 35 euros and that is less than operators are asking for when they offer a simple excursion day. Our trip also has a break for tostado and coffee and lunch included and the incomparable Gina as hostess. So how do we do it. Well partly by aiming to do something special for members and partly by not making a profit until the coach is practically full.

Although we intend that you will see the other places for which Cordoba is famous the Mezquita cannot be ignored. Once one of the most beautiful buildings in the world it proved a template for Islamic buildings everywhere. Even if you have been a hundred times this is not a building where you slope off for another coffee whilst the party goes in.
But Cordoba offers more. The Alcazar and its gardens are both beautiful and tranquil.





Not far away are two more sites. The Roman bridge has been recently restored as have the Arab baths where the Caliph held daily meetings.

 Cordoba isn't a large town and these buildings are near to the area known as the Juderia. A maze of twisting streets they are the picture book image so many people have of Andalucia. In early May the patios of the houses are open to show off the flowers in thousands of pots, baskets and containers. The festival will be over by the time of our visit but the flowers remain and are lovingly nurtured through the year.There are some famous and intriguing photo opportunities round here.

Taking Steps

This Friday marks the opening of the last play for this season and it is a corker. Alan Ayckbourn reckons to have only written two farces, a job for the experienced playwright, and this is one of them. It was dedicated to the immortal farceur Ben Travers when it opened on September 28th 1979 in Scarborough where his plays regularly first see the light of day. The opening night ran for 17 minutes longer than the dress rehearsal because of the laughter. This was so loud it blew the theatre's ancient relay system.
It went on to become one of the biggest hits at the theatre since it opened in 1955 and a huge commercial success there becoming the first play to run for more than 100 performances there.
Michael Billington describes it as: a 'riotously funny farce – it also reminds us that farce at its very best is inescapably about something: in this case, women's hunger for freedom and the difficulties of rational communication.'
Ayckbourn talks of plausible people in improbable situations.


The play is directed by Ana Atteck who directed 'Absurd Person Singular' last year. Surviving from the cast of that play are Jules Vander ( also a memorable Mrs Wicksteed in 'Habeas Corpus' to underline her comedy credentials) and Stephen Burns. The cast is made up with  Salon Established performers. 
Enjoy.