This year’s Beeston Festival Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held at the Beeston Village Community Centre on Saturday 6 October. Top of the agenda was cake!
Now, I have been to many AGM’s and I can honestly say they mainly comprise of a lot of talking generally, with the chairperson presenting their report, followed by the secretary and then the Treasurer accounting for every penny of the income and expenditure. Then by the time they get to the end you’re so hungry, you can feel the hunger pains in your stomach, if you’re lucky you will be served a little bit more than tea and biscuits.
Well !!!! – this one was an AGM with a difference. I arrived and was greeted by Councillor Gabriel, who offered me what I thought was a choice of cakes, which brought a smile to my face. But then I realised, she meant a slice from one of the cakes on offer. Now, when I say cakes, I mean think of the Great British Bake Off, think of the YMCA’s Women’s Institute cake baking afternoon tea. There was a pavlova cake, chocolate cake, carrot cake, walnut cake, sponge cake and not for getting the crème de la crème of American doughnuts – a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts.
I obvious felt I should throw myself into this AGM and sampled three slices of the Pavlova. Then, I began eyeing up the Caramel ice doughnuts and the white chocolate icing, roasted almonds doughnuts and to follow just a small slice of the walnut cake. I didn’t want to be seen to be too greedy.
Oh, I almost forgot there was also tea, coffee and fruit juices. There was even an entertainer, a Magician who went around the tables performing party tricks with playing cards. He even set a card on fire by magic – how did he do that? The shock of this stopped me from eating for a brief second and made me realise the calorie count. So I called my AGM afternoon tea tasting to an abrupt end.
Councillor Ogilvie said: “It was our intention to make this event informal and a bit different.”
They did get around to approving an annual report and accounts. There was a very good discussion about next year’s festival. Everyone was relaxed which I’m sure helped. So 2014 is the year that the Tour de France cycling race starts in Leeds – apparently it’s called “le Grand Depart”.
The 2014 Beeston Festival will be full of cycling to mark this special occasion. There was talk of cycle generators to power PA systems; cycle-powered smoothie makers (mmmm); BMX tricks; cycle proficiency advice; a sculpture made out of cycle parts; a “Sky Ride” from the city centre and a South Leeds triathlon finishing in Cross Flatts Park. I’m not sure if all these ideas will come off, but even half of them do it’s going to be a great day. Put the date in your diary – Saturday 8 June 2014.
I would like to congratulate the committee and their team of volunteers for delivering a brilliant 2013 Beeston Festival. As for next year’s Beeston Festival Tea Party, sorry I mean AGM. I can recommend it to everyone and suggest the committee lay on the same spread as this year.
You can download the Annual Report and Accounts here: BF annual report and accounts 2013 copy
