Society 2023 AGM Minutes

The meeting was opened by the Chair of the Board of Trustees Professor Kerry Brown at 18:00hrs with forty six Members present (forty four Members and 2 Affiliate Society Members, 21 present in the hall and 25 online via Microsoft Teams.)

Welcome: Professor Kerry Brown

All members present were welcomed to the meeting. Professor Brown told the meeting that 2022 had been a year of considerable change to the Society as it focuses on its charitable public benefit remit, it was noted that a lot of work was ongoing, Society excavations at Lees Court Estate, Trottiscliffe, excavation assistance to Affiliate Societies SHAL and DROP, continuing evening lectures and conferences, publication of Archaeologia Cantiana and the Magazine and the introduction of a monthly Newsletter to name a few actions. During the year a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) had been negotiated and signed with Maidstone Museum. The MOU clearly sets out the relationship between the Society and the Museum, giving us better access to our material, as seen by the recent exhibition with all our gold torcs on display, the MOU puts the Society and our collections at the heart of the new dedicated Archaeology gallery that will be opened in 2024.

The new Constitution (v2) which had been agreed by the membership had been fully implemented, with the reduction of Trustees down to 12.

Society Administration: Clive Drew, General Manager

The meeting was informed about the Trustees Elections. As agreed at the 2022 AGM the Election went live on the Society’s website in January 2023 at the same time the membership via email were given the opportunity to stand for election.

As there were more vacancies than applicants there was no need for a formal election poll. Therefore the following changes were noted.

Trustee Retiring:

• Mr Stephen Clifton

Trustees re-elected:

• Ms Kate Kersey

• Mr Michael Curtis

Elected Trustee:

• Mr Mike Pearson

2022 Annual Review : Clive Drew, General Manager

The meeting was taken through the 2022 Annual Report and Accounts. It was noted that the Society made a substantial loss of £403,088, half of this loss was attributed to a down turn in the value of the investments as a result of world wide events in particular the war in the Ukraine having a negative impact on the markets.

Comments from the members were noted about the level of expenditure and lack of fund raising to counter the additional expenditure. The meeting was told that fundraising was a continuing process which will be considerably expanded in 2024.

The Management Team were introduced noting the additions of Andy Ward as Curator, Craig Campbell as Archivist and Jacob Scott as Digital Manager.

The meeting was told that the 2024 AGM there is likely to be a vote on Constitutional Changes to allow for Museum and Archive Accreditations.

2023 Moving Forward : Richard Taylor, Deputy General Manager

“Discovering Kent’s Heritage. Bringing the past to the present for everyone” is the Strategy that the Society is pursuing. Strategic planning and activities will have the following outcomes:

• Curation and conservation of the Ozengell Collection will eventually lead to its exhibition in Thanet

• Making our survey equipment and associated training available to all Affiliate Societies.

• Using our new new Membership System called VeryConnect which will improve communications and increase membership

For 2024 the Society wishes to deliver the following:

Fit for purpose website, 2 x Society excavations, 3 x Conferences, 3 x work placements, Archaeologia Cantiana, 2 x Magazines, 6 x Newsletters, continuation of our Social Media output, digitisation of Society heritage asserts, Museum and Archive Accreditation, and expand and enhance the relationship with Maidstone Museum.

Any Other Business

Dr Brian Philp informed the Society that he has some 900 boxes of archaeological material from his excavations that he wished to donate to the Society subject to suitable storage being made available.

There being no further business Professor Brown closed the meeting.

Dr Brian Philp presenting the Society with Johns Durkin’s annotated copy of his book Roman Site at Springhead (c.1848)