Present: XXXX (President, in the Chair), XXXX (School Head), XXXX (Hon. Treasurer), XXXX (Hon. Secretary), XXXX (News Editor), XXXX (News Distribution), XXXX (Governor), XXXX (Staff Rep) and 44 others.

The President opened the meeting by welcoming the Honorary Members present, particularly XXXX, now in her 100th year.

1. Apologies for absence were received from 28 members. (Their names were on display.)

2. Minutes of the previous meeting held on Sunday 10 October 1999 were approved by the meeting.

3. Matters arising from previous meeting

   None

4. President's Report

   The President commenced with some general remarks to the meeting.

   Thirty people from the 1999 AGM had completed the pilot questionnaire. The President apologised that the chance discovery that her husband had a large tumour and non Hodgkin's lymphoma, and the subsequent treatment had meant that the new database had not been implemented. It did not require much more preparation, and she hoped that it would come into existence in the New Year.

   She had wondered whether the Association needed a Vice-President, to work with the President, so that work could be shared, hiatuses such as that of the database would be less likely, and there might be continuity. If the Association did need a Vice-President, then constitutional changes would be required. Ideas on this, or any other possible improvement, would be welcomed.

   The Memorial Bursary had been awarded to two very worthy candidates: XXXX and XXXX.

   The President welcomed Section 69 to the Association.

   On behalf of the Association, with the approval of the meeting, the President wished XXXX, in her hundredth year, the best for the future (and free copies of the Association News for ever, with love).

5. Hon. Secretary's Report

   1. Deaths

      Reported since the last meeting: Mrs Chamberlin (Irby Staff); Major Millman (Staff); Joan Lowe (Muir S7); Joan Bottomley (Sutcliffe S10); Elizabeth Gibson (Panton S14); Elizabeth Crookshank (Furness S24); Margaret de Gruyther (Black S34); Joanna Kidston (Panton S38); Sasha Rainy-Brown (S68).

   2. Section Representatives

      Sec 24 XXXX had replaced XXXX, XXXX having acted for a number of months in between; Sec 27: XXXX had replaced XXXX; Sec 59: XXXX had replaced XXXX. XXXX was the new Sec. Rep. for the leavers (section 69), with XXXX acting in her place for the first year.

   3. Web-site

      An email directory was being held on the new web-site for the Association at http://www.go.to/WBAssociation.

6. Hon. Treasurer's Report The balance (including prepayment subscriptions and advance receipts for the Association News) was £16890). The reserves had improved, but the database costs had not occurred yet.

   Governmental changes for charitable giving meant that the form at the back of the Association News was out of date. It would be corrected in the next issue, but meanwhile donors should contact the Treasurer.

   The AGM gave a vote of thanks to XXXX for his work as auditor, and accepted the accounts. XXXX was also confirmed as Auditor for the next year.

   The President thanked the Treasurer, and all the Committee, for the work of the past year. She reminded the meeting that £5000 had been allocated in 1998 to implementing the database. Actual costs incurred would be recorded by the School.

   The meeting agreed to the General Committee's recommendation of a grant of £200 to the School's Lacrosse Tour of the US in 2001.

   The Treasurer said that she had now had eight years in office, and had wondered whether to stop. Volunteers for committee posts, and as Section Representatives, were needed.

7. Hon. Editor's Report

   The printer's wife read the News, and spotted that some copies had missing pages. The editor requested that requests for replacement copies came through her.

   Photographs and advertising (if requested well in advance) could now be included.

   The number of copies ordered was causing concern. Section Reps would be asked to include a questionnaire with the News Requests to determine what changes might improve sales. The larger the print-run, the cheaper the cost per copy. In addition, 500 copies or more would mean that the Post Office would frank them rather than insisting that stamps were stuck on.

8. Head's Report Members were reminded that Sedgwick had closed, with year 7 going straight into the main houses. Another change meant that year 7 was now in the old Beaufort area, with the Sanatorium in the rest of the old Beaufort area. At year 8, girls transferred to Dorchester, Badminton, Holford.

   Girls now did 4 (with some doing 3 and some 5) AS subjects in year 12, and 3 A2s (equal to the previous A-levels) in year 13. Key skills in year 12 (IT, Communication Skills, Mathematical Skills, organised by Mary Phillips) replaced General Studies for University Entrance.

   In 2000, 27% of the School had been new in September. This was the highest percentage for six years. The Head visited Northern Ireland, and countries such as Germany, Hong-Kong, Japan to publicise the school, and the intake from London had increased. It had been thought that the day/boarding split would be 50/50 this year, but an increase in boarders in the summer meant that it was 40% day, 60% boarders, which was better.

   The previous Saturday, there had been a taster day for prospective 10-year-old pupils. 20 had come, for 5 lessons in the morning, followed by lunch, art, drama and sport in the afternoon, and then tea with their parents. There was to be a similar event for prospective VIth formers the following week. Contact was being made with a local school that only went up to 16.

   A levels had been slightly disappointing this year, but GCSE results were good. Westonbirt felt that it was selected as a school for the way the girls turned out, not because of its position on the lists.

   The Millennium Ball, with participants staying in dormitories, had been a great success, as had the production of Cosi fan Tutte outside the Orangery in the summer. There was an excellent programme of Music at Westonbirt available.

   The Head thanked her colleagues, including those present at the meeting (the Deputy Head, the Current Staff Representative, and the Marketing Manager), and the Association Committee, particularly the President, who was to become a Governor of the school.

   XXXX spoke of the time capsule at the Arboretum, in association with which there had been a display of art at the Arboretum, which had also been displayed in Tetbury, where it had been visited by XXXX.

   The President thanked the Head for welcoming the AGM to the school, and for the excellent arrangements for the day. She expressed the Association's thanks to XXXX for the organ recital in the morning.

9. Representative from the Governing Body's Report

   XXXX retired from being Chairman of the Governors in the summer of 2000 after 23 years service, and was succeeded by XXXX, a chartered surveyor. XXXX, an old Girl, is another Chartered Surveyor among the Governors. Other Old Girls that are Governors are XXXX who takes a special interest in the heritage of the building and the grounds and liaises closely with the Arboretum, and XXXX, who is on the Governors' Executive Committee.

   XXXX herself is the Governor responsible for IT. She attended a conference in London for such Governors, and following her report the school now employed a full-time Computer Manager. Safety measures had been recommended with regard to e-mail and web access.

   She had also organised an afternoon's introduction to the game of MiniBridge, which requires inferential logic and social skills.

   Piccadilly had been resurfaced, to improve the first impression of the school.

   A new swimming-pool was being planned. To help fund it, there was an option agreement to sell the estate yard, old pool and adjacent buildings. Outline plans for a linked pool and sports hall on a site between the old sanatorium and the old staff house / Sedgwick had been drawn up. Planning permission for houses on the site for sale, and for the new pool would be required.

   The work of running the school and the estate and buildings required careful management, and the ability to attract pupils. The support of Old Girls was much needed.

10. Database developments had been covered in the President's report (above).

11. AROPS / ISIS

    No-one had been able to attend the 1999-2000 meetings (there are two meetings a year). The advice received on paper (automatically, and by request) was a support and resource to the Committee, and thus the Association.

12. Date / venue / format for the 2001 AGM The AGM on Sunday 7 October 2001 would be at the School.

    In 2002 the Association would be 70. Volunteers were required to form a sub-committee to devise a special marking of this year. Those interested in helping should contact the President.

13. Any Other Business

    XXXX said that there was no Westonbirt team this year in the Silver Tassie. She was happy to continue organising, but more golfers were required. It was now necessary to qualify, though different people could play on the two days. Four golfers were required, but there was a need to build up a larger group of interested people.

The meeting ended at 4:40 pm.