| Date | 12th January 2020 |
| Time | 12:50 |
| Location | Lloyd Park Community Room, Lloyd Park, Walthamstow E17 4PP |
| Chairing | Marilyn Moseley |
| Minutes | Colin Bootle |
Present
| Aileen Hamdan | chair, instructor | AH |
| Ewa Nevisandah | treasurer | EN |
| Colin Bootle | vice-chair | CB |
| Sankofa Small | director | SS |
| Aaron Whitaker | instructor | AW |
| Marilyn Moseley | volunteer | MM |
| Wendy Saville | volunteer | WS |
| Jin Jie | volunteer | JJ |
| Syeda Ahmed | volunteer | SA |
| Nadia Rogmati | instructor | NR |
| Peter Jones | volunteer | PJ |
| Flavia Columba | student | CF |
| Doreen Wakefield | student | DW |
Apologies received
| Itricia Byer, Daniela Garlashelli, Zuzanna Jonczyk (ZJ) |
Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 6th October 2019, were agreed.
Matters arising from minutes
Action points:
- “Join Dao Lu” page created on website
- Phone system, calls AH and CB only. SS volunteered to be added
- 100 copies of new licence ordered and received
- PositiveTools4Life joint project – cancelled as they did not receive funding
- Cottages in North Yorkshire – too expensive and short supply in peak season, so no further action
- WS to consider canal boat day trip this spring or summer (boats take 10-12 people)
New Projects
Dao Lu Awards Event
AH introduced the Dao Lu Awards event + AGM to take place on Saturday, 8th February 2020, from 4.30pm to 7.30pm at:
The Foster Hall
(St Barnabas Church Hall)
Wellesley Road
Walthamstow
London
E17 8JZ
Dao Lu was set up in 2013, and we supported our Master, Shifu Browne, with grading. This continues to be the case. As this type of grading is unsuitable for some of our students, we wish to recognise their achievements and long attendance. It is not an alternative to grading. The expected format is:
- opening
- long attendance group (certificates) to recognise achievement in Tai Chi and support for Dao Lu
- volunteers recognition
- explain not grading
- wear tai chi uniform/clothes
- each class give a performance each class decides (2 min each)
- instructor showcase
- coffee/tea
- individual showcase
- socialising
- feedback so can adjust for future awards
- AGM
CB to create the agenda for and chair the AGM
Chinese New Year 2020
There will be four events to celebrate Chinese New Year involving Dao Lu:
- Tai Chi with violin / GP open evening at Triangle House Health Centre, Thursday 23rd Jan, 6.30 – 8pm
- Tai Chi demo + workshop on Saturday 25th January at CRATE Building, a new venue near St James Hospital
- Chinese arts / performance, an external event at Regent Hall, Oxford Street, on Saturday 1st February. AH has tickets
- Dao Lu Awards + AGM on Saturday 8th February at Foster Hall, students and instructors showcasing Tai Chi
World Tai Chi Day
SS introduced planning for World Tai Chi Day 2020. It is normally on the last Saturday of April, but we celebrate on the next day, to combine with our Sunday classes. We normally celebrate in Lloyd Park, but this year SS has approached the Olympic Park, Stratford. There is a lottery grant for £1,000 – chosen at random, not necessarily by quality of application.
We have applied for funding to cover the Timber Lodge hire, which has both indoor and outdoor areas. If successful, we can have workshops, pay instructor fees, volunteer expenses etc. If unsuccessful, we will still go ahead, but will pay £350 for venue. Students can bring refreshments.
The aim is for every student to bring one person who is currently not doing Tai Chi. The date is Sunday 26th April, 10am – 1pm
We intend to show Tai Chi is suitable for people of all ages, gender, abilities etc.
Marketing – Stratford area, Timber Lodge, Triangle House, Leytonstone/Leyton
Finance
Accounts
The accounts were circulated before the meeting.
New accountants
EN to confirm with an accountants in Chingford, at a fixed £600/year. They already have four CICs on their books. Price includes annual accounts, submission and use of their address (with any letters received scanned and emailed to us).
Contracts
Crest has had their budget cut and wish to try new activities, after three years.
Honey Lane (retirement home) – new management has cut costs by closing this class.
The contract for Kings St Pancras Hospital has ended, as planned, after one year. The building is being demolished.
AH requested all to look out for organisations involving people with learning disabilities or dementia as in our experience they really appreciate the value of Tai Chi.
Contracts at PIP and Hendon are still continuing. PIP has other branches, AH to contact. These contracts do not provide a significant amount of money to Dao Lu, but is of value for our instructors.
Governance
Data collection
CB introduced his ideas for a class attendance registry application. Dao Lu is a “to the doorstep” organisation, without any fixed location. We need a portable system that is easy and quick to use – e.g. by one volunteer (with backup volunteer) to take attendees and register new students. Agreed for CB to go ahead as proposed. Agreed Bootle Ltd to be paid at proposed rate. Expected timescale two months. No alternative applications had been suggested.
Agreed the Dao Lu safeguarding policy should be on the website.
Promotion, Media and Communication
Leaflets – agreed to go ahead with another print run. Telephone number to be added to front. Leyton Yogo Studio and Handsworth classes to be deleted (Handsworth may be restored). Add Instagram if account created in time.
AOB
Social
CB investigated cottage rental in N. Yorks for August 2020, 4 nights. Too expensive at peak period, decided not to follow up.
WS to continue planning a Dao Lu canal boat trip for Spring or Summer 2020, as a day trip.
Hoodies
Agreed this would be just the iron-on logo, with retailers of a selection of suitable hoodies being circulated. Supplies ready-made with logo are too expensive at £30.
Next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Saturday, 16th May 2020 2 – 4pm at a local venue (tbc) e.g. Crate.
Chair of next meeting: AH
Minutes to be taken by: CB
Action points
ALL to find organisations locally that support learning difficulties or dementia, so we can contact them regarding providing Tai Chi sessions
SS to continue organising World Tai Chi Day 2020 at Olympic Park, Stratford
AH to organise Dao Lu Awards event for 8th February 2020
CB to chair AGM after Dao Lu Awards event
CB to create student register application
CB to order leaflet prints, with small modifications
WS to organise canal boat day trip
EN & ZJ to order 100 Dao Lu iron-on logos and suggest 3-4 hoodie suppliers so students can order plain hoodies themselves.
End of meeting
The meeting closed at 14:50