Dao Lu Board Meeting
| Date | 19th January 2019 |
| Time | 13:45 |
| Location | Leyton Yoga Centre |
| Chairing | Wendy Saville |
| Minutes | Colin Bootle |
Present
| Aileen Hamden | chair | AH |
| Marilyn Moseley | treasurer | MM |
| Colin Bootle | vice-chair | CB |
| Wendy Saville | volunteer | WS |
| Daniela Garlashelli | volunteer | |
| Jin Jie | volunteer | |
| Ewa Nevisandah | volunteer | |
| Janet Allman | volunteer |
Apologies received
| Itricia Byer |
| Syeda Ahmed |
| Sankofa Small |
Minutes of previous meeting
The minutes of the previous meeting, held on 16th September 2018, were agreed.
Matters arising from minutes
No matters arising from the previous minutes that were not on the agenda for this meeting.
Finance – sustainability
A meeting with STJC students was held on 21st October 2018, which proposed and agreed amongst attendees:
- Fees charged three times a year
- £70 per third year
- £2 extra for weapons/fan-form
- ALF remains at £25/year
- No family or multiple class discounts were agreed at the meeting
The board discussed this further and amended the proposal to:
- The fee to be £25 per month
- The fee covers unlimited sessions per month, so students can be encouraged to attend multiple classes, and switch easily when unable to attend their usual class
- Drop-in class rate to be £7
- Volunteers requested to encourage and help cash payers to move to cashless regular payments
- Family discount: £20 per month for additional members of same family
- Annual Licence Fee (ALF) to remain at £25
- For those who take no sessions in August, the £25 monthly fee covers their ALF
- The new fees structure to start on 1st April 2019
- Payable on 1st of each month
- Paid by standing order or cheque
- Confidential arrangements continue for those unable to afford these rates
Action point: AH to circulate this new fee structure and ask students for comments. We will then give students a two month notice period (February and March) for implementation from 1st April 2019.
Finance – accounts
Accounts are ready for submission to the accountants once some instructor invoices have been completed for the financial year.
The expected balance after those invoices have been paid is expected to be close to zero. This is normal and expected, as we do not need to make a profit, and have sufficient reserves in case of a small loss.
Governance – directors
Sankofa Small has come forward with a request to become a director. She has been an active Dao Lu student for approx. 5 years and has skills that will be of great benefit to Dao Lu CIC and the board.
Her request was granted with gratitude by the board, with immediate effect.
Ewa Nevisandah has volunteered to become the Dao Lu Treasurer, and a director.
Marilyn Moseley has decided to resign as Treasurer and as a director, as of 31st March 2019.
To maintain the Dao Lu quorate of at least three directors, with a single treasurer, Ewa Nevisandah will become Treasurer and a director on 1st April 2019.
Action Point: CB to inform Companies House of the director changes.
The board expressed immense gratitude to Marilyn Moseley for her contributions as Treasurer and as a director, including the introduction and switch to Quick Books, and for on-boarding Ewa Nevisandah in this role.
The board is also grateful to hear that Marilyn Moseley intends to keep a supervisory role.
Governance – DBS/insurance
WS no longer requires a DBS, as is currently not volunteering to work with children and/or vulnerable adults.
Gudrun Fritz will no longer be working as an instructor for Dao Lu CIC. Therefore Dao Lu CIC no longer requires that she have a DBS check or insurance, neither of which she is willing to obtain.
All current DBS requests have now been completed.
Projects and new groups
Triangle House NHS centre, near Leytonstone Fire Station – a new class started on 17th January. AH is the lead instructor.
A new class will be starting in Coronation Gardens, Leyton, after Easter half-term. AH is the lead instructor.
A new twice-monthly carer group has started, with Itricia Byer as the lead instructor.
A new monthly session has started in a new care home in Waltham Abbey. Joe is the lead instructor.
A new massage taster session will be piloted on Thursday 24 January in Priory Court Community Centre. Joe is to teach a new carer group how to massage. Dao Lu volunteers to take part and learn new skills as well.
A taster session was run at One Hoe Street as part of the opening of the first London Borough of Culture year. AH is requesting that this become a regular class during the London Borough of Culture year.
Action point: AH to circulate Make it Happen funding information launched on 17th January. All to think ideas for application and forward ideas to AH.
Media and Communication
Our telephone number is still out of action. There was a reported £1.50 fee. Action point: CB to check this, and try to recover our number.
CB reported difficulties in creating the new licence booklet. Action point: CB and AH to visit a publisher that AH recommends.
AOB
Nadia Rogmati has requested that she becomes a lead instructor, now that she has a black sash. Action point: AH to mentor Nadia.
Instructor training – with the increased number of instructors, it is imperative that Dao Lu CIC presents a consistent and high-level of instructor and session quality through regular training and mentoring. Action point: AH to organise this. Instructors giving instructor training will be paid for their services.
T-shirts: we currently have no red T-shirts, originally proposed for performances, but do have stocks of white ones. It was commented that white T-shirts show up better on a dark stage. An alternative would be the white and light-blue tai chi uniform. Suggestions were made for Dao Lu “polo” and “hoodie” style clothes. Agreed to sell white T shirts to class participants now and postpone discussion/decisions about other options to a future meeting.
Next meeting
The next meeting will be held on Sunday, 28th April 2019, at 11am in the Bowls Pavilion, Lloyd Park. Action point: AH to book the room.
Chair of next meeting: Janet Allman
Minutes to be taken by: Colin Bootle
End of meeting
The meeting closed at 15:45
Action points
CB to inform Companies House of director changes.
AH to chase LBWF that there be a regular London Borough of Culture class.
CB to check the telephone bill and try to recover our number.
CB and Aileen Hamden to visit a publisher that Aileen recommends, for the license.
AH to work with Nadia Rogmati to enable her to become a lead instructor.
AH to organise instructor training.
AH to book the room for the next board meeting.
AH to add T-shirts and performance uniforms to a future agenda