Statement to Members of the BFS from Graham Joyce

Following this week’s events I have agreed to take on the role Acting Chair until an Emergency General Meeting can be staged in December. It will be my responsibility to organise and service the EGM, where elections will be held for a new Chairperson ratified by the membership.

The Chairperson and new members of the committee will be elected at the EGM to fill the current vacancies.

A formal set of the Society’s accounts will be presented to the EGM.

Meanwhile I will charge the committee with a priority agenda, which will include overhauling the Awards system; identifying and recommending new committee members; ensuring that proper records of meetings, decisions and accounts are transparent to all members of the society; and seeking to enfranchise a wider “Fantasy” base for the Society.

The proposed Corby Fantasycon will not now go ahead and we are looking for an alternative for 2012. The situation at this moment is fluid and we will attempt to keep members informed.

Whatever has happened recently, we should remind ourselves that in a time of serious economic downturn we had in Brighton our best-ever supported convention with well over 500 members. That’s astonishing. It proves that there is growing support for the Society and an appreciation of all that it offers. There are a number of things we need to address but right now we are looking for people who want to roll up their sleeves to restore and develop the reputation of the Society in its 40th year.

The EGM will in all probability take place before the next London Open Night. We look to the membership to help and support us in going forward.

Graham Joyce

Acting Chair

BFS

4 commentsback to post

#1NeilCFordOctober 10, 2011, 7:45 pm

This is excellent news. Thank you Graham for taking the reins. Now onwards to the future!

- Neil.

#2Cheryl's Mewsings » Blog Archive » BFS: We Have ProgressOctober 11, 2011, 12:21 pm

[...] Secondly Graham Joyce has been appointed acting chair of the organization. He has an official statement online here. [...]

#3rharkessOctober 11, 2011, 2:03 pm

I applaud Graham for taking up this role, and for his stated intentions for the society, particularly those of openness and transparency. I fully support any moves to make the membership feel more included, and to promote a feeling of ownership within the society.

So lets start by making the election at the EGM postal, and include all the members. Having the AGM at FCON was ideal. A huge percentage of the membership was present and available. This would not be the case at the EGM, where only a small subgroup would be able to attend in person.

#4Splinister | Oddments and Oddities by Maura McHughOctober 11, 2011, 3:15 pm

[...] an official statement with its response to the problems flagged with the BFS awards, along with a Statement to Members from Graham Joyce. I don’t feel the urge to comment on it (and I am a member of the BFS, btw) because it [...]

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