Secretary’s Report 2023
From The Secretary’s Desk
Welcome to members and guests to the 2023 AGM and Reunion Luncheon.
The Highlight for the Association these past few months was the successful application for funding under the Saluting Their Service Commonwealth Grants Program 2022-23, to enable the Association to migrate the web site from the existing Content Management System, which will not be supported beyond August 2023. In October 2022, and on behalf of the Committee, Colin Bragg and David McDonald applied for a Grant of $10,000 through the Community Grants Hub. A very time consuming, lengthy and comprehensive application, and ultimately successful, was submitted. Congratulations on the fine achievement by Colin and David with the full support and assistance of the Committee. Grant Funds were accepted and approved by The Hon Matt Keogh MP (Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Minister for Defence Personnel) in January this year, and will be managed by the Community Grants Hub. The Grant of $10,000 was deposited in the Association’s bank account in February 2023.
Due to our on-line enquiry function, and the FAO page on our web site, I receive very little direct correspondence (i.e. letters / phone calls), but one was received from my Cousin (Sally Bertram) in Horsham who is involved with the local RSL in Horsham as Researcher/Newsletter author. Sally was researching one of our veterans (Ampt E.W) of the 2/3rd ALAA Reg’t on behalf of his daughter for the Horsham RSL newsletter, and had enquired about his WW2 Army deployment and history with the 8th Battery. With Research Officer David McDonald’s assistance, the information was forwarded to Sally. As a consequence of his research, David noticed a cousin?) VX25419 Gunner Maxwell Albert Ampt who was also in the Regiment. A decorated soldier. (See Sentry’s Log for details as well as the separate article in this year’s Take Post)
Once again, as a consequence of becoming incorporated, we are now required to submit an Annual Statement and Financial Report to Consumer Affairs Victoria for the financial year ending 31 December, 2022. This will be provided online by the 30/6/2023, after the AGM and two committee members sign the relevant declaration.
For the sixth year in succession, annual subscriptions are being held at $25.00 per member.
With the election of new Committee members Gaye Berry (Vice President), Ian Campbell (Treasurer) and Alisdair Crooke at the 2022 AGM, the Committee took the opportunity to examine our processes, particularly in regard to the organization of the AGM, our member data base and communications with members. i.e. email notices and invitations to Associations members online. Apart from a few teething problems, this has worked quiet well.
Donations
The Association is again appreciative of the generous donations received from members. They enable us to continue to underwrite the cost of the AGM / Reunion, to maintain / improve our website, to fund any unscheduled / technical enhancements to the website and to produce, print and distribute Take Post.
Thank you to all members who have made donations throughout the year, and in particular Foster and Cathy Crooke, Dot Harris, Doreen Bryant, Jeanette Tilney, Alan Donelly, Midge Donelly, John MacMillan, Trish Slattery and Mary Woodfield.
The Website
The Association website is closely monitored by Colin Bragg and David McDonald.
We have been aware for some time that we would need to consider replacing the Open Source Language which we presently use (Joomla 3) with Joomla 4 in 2023, or move to another Content Management System (CMS) such as WordPress, Hubspot, Magento or others, WordPress being the favoured option. The Saluting Their Service grant for $10,000 provides us with the great majority of the funds required to undertake the migration from Joomla 3 to WordPress. This work, expected to be completed by mid-year, will be under the guidance of our external technical support partner, Designsenseweb, and its principal, Malcolm Romano. It is expected that our current web site managers (Colin and David) will be involved in the transfer to WordPress. Our web site will not be off line during the transition.
Remembrance Group
We continue to remain the around the same numbers, approximately 90 active members. It was pleasing that 42 members and guests attended the 2022 AGM / Reunion Lunch, down a few compared to the previous year when we had 57 members in attendance.
Please remember to advise myself or Ian Campbell (Treasurer), or other committee members of any changes to your address, email and phone numbers, so we can upgrade our records, and keep in touch with further developments or events that maybe forthcoming later in the year.
Take Post
This year’s Take Post front page article will feature a small extract of the War Diaries of Cecil John Eric Rae, 9th Battery, prepared by Take Post editor Colin Bragg. There are other articles in Take Post which you will find well worth a read, and a little more informed of the capabilities of our veterans.
I would like to thank Colin Bragg for his tremendous effort and valuable time in sourcing wonderful articles that are headlight features in Take Post and formulating and preparing this year’s Take Post. Similarly, thank you to David McDonald for his forensic vetting to ensure dates, places, times, spelling and content from members of the Remembrance Group, are correct or added.
Thank you and kind regards to all.
Malcolm Wrigglesworth,
Honorary Secretary.
