Chairman: Mr. David Aldous-Cook

Vice-Chairman: Mrs. Helen Ellis

Hon. Treasurer: Mr. Philip Holliday

Hon. Secretary: Miss Carol Y B Jenkin

         Registered Charity No. 277499           

 Events  

Monday 27th February, 2012 - Exclusive 'Friends Only' Chelsea Walk.

Eleanor Jackson will lead a tour through parts of Chelsea a fascinating village within London 

Complete and return the booking form in the February Newsletter. 

Tuesday 24th April, 2012 - Exclusive 'Friends Only' Grace and Favour Apartments at Hampton Court - Talk by Ian Franklin, Warder at Hampton Court.

Ian Franklin returns to give a new talk on the Grace and Favour Appartrments.

Complete and return the booking form in the February Newsletter. 

Tuesday 17th July, 2012 - 8 pm - 34th Annual General Meeting held in Cheam Library.

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING     

The 33rd Annual General Meting was held on Tuesday 19th July 2011 and was chaired by the Mayor of Sutton, Councillor Gerry Jerome. The positions of Vice-Chairman, Hon. Secretary and the ten Ordinary Members of the Friends of Whitehall Council came up for election this year and the results were: Helen Ellis was re-elected as Vice-Chairman and Carol Jenkin was re-elected as Hon. Secretary. The following were elected as the ten Ordinary Members - Wendy Bradley, Trish Carey, Pat Jackson, Valerie King, Jenny Lugton, Audrey Piddington, Geraldine Pike, Gerald Smith, Joyce Steeds and Daphne Wood. Christine Emery stood down this year, but we are pleased to say she will still be serving on the Programme Sub-Committee.

Yvonne Jenkin, who has served on the Executive and Programme Sub-Committee since the first elections in 1979, also stood down this year. During all her years of service she has also been involved in many other activities - in the early years the tea room was filled with numerous gateaux and small cakes as well as the cake stalls at the fairs, including sugar Easter Eggs; flower arrangements for the ground floor rooms were provided throughout the year and she has continued to design and arrange the Christmas evergreen swags; catering at  various social events, including the summer brunches; serving in the tea room, at fairs and the jumble sales and delivering newsletters. David Aldous-Cook thanked Yvonne for all her past work. 

                   Chairman's 2011 Report 

The past year has been overshadowed by the economic situation of the country, and I was invited, with other Heritage Friends, to a meeting in October to discuss the cuts anticipated in the Heritage department. The Smarter Services Review had to find 25% reduction in Council expenditure over the next three years. After further meetings in January, February, March we were informed that the budget proposals for Whitehall had been concluded and we had escaped comparatively lightly this year. Mr John Phillips retired from the Heritage Department in January and I would like to thank him for all the help he has given the Friends; luckily he is still assisting us as a volunteer and we hope for more of his talks in the future.

Our fundraising events took place as usual through the year with only one cancelled through the snow. A good social evening was enjoyed in September with a Fish and Chip Supper, a great success and it made a profit as did the Victorian Bazaar in October. The November Mistletoe Market held in the Parochial Rooms also added to the finances. The Friends had the now traditional Coffee Morning in December, well attended and enjoyed by all.

January started brilliantly with the floodlighting of Whitehall, a difficult project coming to fruition after five years. Also in January we had the annual Jumble Sale, a decrease in merchandise but an increase in quality and takings.

Valentine Fair in February, Easter Fair in April, both had pleasing financial results. In march we had a talk on Kew Palace from Ian Franklin and we hope to hear from him again in 2012.

We put the flags out on Charter Fair day, attracting 400 visitors - free entry, but a good trading day for the Friends and the house. At the time of writing we are approaching the 33rd birthday celebrations on June 18th, the title of the event is "Ship Ahoy" to link with the exhibition in the house to mark the 150 years of the Killick Martin shipping company.

All these events could not be arranged without the ideas and hard work from the committee members and our two co-opted Friends, thank you all.

Mt thanks also to Daphne Wood, our bookseller, Barbara Whisson, our Membership Secretary, Derek Betts for all his work on the Website, our Treasurer Philip Holliday and Miss Carol Jenkin, our indispensible Secretary of 20 years.

Finally I would like to thank all the Friends for their support during my first year as Chairman.

                                                                            David Aldous-Cook  

         Past Events