Scotia Regional Assembly

Zoom Online Meeting �?? 10.30am

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Scotia Region are now seeking at least two nominations to go forward as Trustee to the Board.  If you know anyone who is interested, please ask them to drop the Secretary an email along with a copy of their (AA) CV/Resume - secretary.scotia@aamail.org

Scotia Regional Assembly

Scotia Regional 2023 AGM Agenda

Sunday 19th November 2023, 11:00

Calderwood Room (Education Centre), St.John�??s Hospital, Howden W Rd, Howden, Livingston, EH54 6PP

Zoom ID: 860 9943 1202 Password: Message

1. Chair opening of meeting & welcoming remarks

2. Attendees & apologies

Attendees: Adelle Chair, Norrie Treasurer, Matt Reclo, Martin AAGB Fellowship Archivist, John D Cumbernauld Intergroup, Archie, Stevie GSB, Joe (was in attendance to open the meeting room but had to leave for family reasons)

Apologies: Charlie (Cumbernauld, Secretary), Elma (West Lothian), Brian (Armed Services), David S (Forth Valley, SNC Delegate, Conference Delegate), Lesley (Lanarkshire), Jeannie (BELI, Conference Delegate), Paul (Lanarkshire), Caroline (PILO)

3. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising

Previous minutes discussed �?? no matters arising.

Proposed Martin Seconded Gordon.

4. Chair�??s report

5. Secretary�??s report

�?�      Jeannie has rotated out as BELI Region Rep. They have also now completed 3 years as a Scotia Conference Delegate and so will not be attending Region in future except on occasion as an observer. Jeannie would like to convey their thanks to Scotia Region for giving them the honor and responsibility to act as one of their Conference Delegates. Scotia Region thanks them for their service

�?�      Brian has stepped down as Scotia Armed Services LO. Scotia Region thanks them for their service. Brian wishes Scotia all the best. See Armed Services LO service update.

�?�      Contacted Charon and Andrina (Roundabout and Share Trustees) regarding price increase from £1 -> £2.

�??      Their response in full: �??Charon and I made a proposal at the Board meeting that the price of Roundabout and Share should be £2 to cover the cost of the magazines. The magazines cost £1.75 to be printed and there has not been a price rise for about 20 years. To make the magazines self-supporting this was our only option. Our proposal was accepted and there will be an article in the December magazines to explain in more detail about this.�?�

�??      I have responded asking if it�??s required for a service such as Roundabout or Share, especially valuable in areas such as PI, to be self supporting and have its costs completely covered by sale price? Do we have any alternatives, such as, continuing to have a percentage of costs subsidised from AA funds to help lower the end sale price? Awaiting Charon and Andrina to respond to my questions.

6. Treasurer�??s report

Close of business statement 2023

Exec Reports Proposed:      Norrie     Seconded:  Martin

7. GSB report

Stevie - No Board meeting since last Scotia meeting.

Scotia had written to the Board re. The increase in cost of Roundabout and Share. Whilst Roundabout is a Service to the Fellowship under their Terms of Reference, they say that they should be self-supporting. We will continue to monitor this as the year unfolds to measure any drop off in sales of the magazines and there may be further discussion to be had.

8. Intergroup reports

Borders & East Lothian:

Business Meeting held on 5th November. Request received to change time of future meetings from 10am on Sundays to 1pm to accommodate church attendance which was agreed.

Annual 1 day BELI Convention 2024 - Arlene appointed as Convention Liaison Officer. She proposed that target date for the convention should be 1/6/24. Flyer to be circulated seeking volunteers from Groups to form a committee led by Arlene to organise the convention. Response from volunteers requested by 15/12 with first committee meeting to be held on 14/1.

Public Information talks in Schools to be resumed -Flyer to be circulated to all groups seeking volunteers to assist with the talks

Donation - agreed to send £700 to Scotia Region

AGM/Business Meeting will be on Sunday 14th January at 1pm

Cumbernauld & District: 

�?�      10/18 groups in attendance

�?�      One-day convention report

�??      The one-day convention was very successful. There was much verbal praise and compliments about the sharing and organisation of the event. Thanks to the committee and other helpers for their input.

�?�      Gary H Telephone Service (Glasgow Region)

�??      Gary gave an informative talk about the telephone service in Scotland. He mentioned that there was an absence of engagement with the service in the Cumbernauld area. Michael C recalled the circumstances around the service restructuring in 2018 that resulted in a communications failure between this Intergroup and the service officers involved. Gary expressed his regret at this failure, and it was resolved to correct the situation. A new TLO was appointed, and he will take things forward from here.

�?�      Public Information

�??      Have some volunteers for doing schools and going to take this forward in the New Year whilst looking at Prisons and other areas of service.

�?�      40th Anniversary AGM will be on Friday 1st December at 6:30 (followed by business meeting)

Edinburgh & Midlothian:

Jemma - hoping to hold workshops every 2^nd meeting as this has been appreciated recently. A seminar was held at Ritson Clinic and there is discussion of a chit system being introduced in Midlothian.

Forth Valley:

great to have representation once again from Forth Valley.

Lanarkshire West/East Kilbride:

Andrew - First meeting of newly formed intergroup meeting went well

Top Gone Wells

�?�      Lanarkshire IG first Meeting in new Venue - 19 Groups represented

�?�      New Liaison Officers doing well in new roles

�?�      Looking to set up a internal Meeting for Liaison Officer - to share experience /

�?�      support & ideas

�?�      Exec Team preparing for AGM

�?�      New Group opening in November in East Kilbride

Areas to work on

�?�      Hoping to fill Vacancies at our AGM: Archivist LO, Employment LO, Region LO, Young Person LO, Vice Chairperson

West Lothian:  

Archie - West Lothian Integroup held a well-attended Workshop.

�?�      West Lothian Intergroup met on !st October. The meeting was well attended.

�?�      We had a visit from Martin The Archivist Rep who gave a very interesting talk on how we should keep our A.A. records up to date. When the group opened etc

�?�      Adiewell Prison meeting is well attended.

�?�      P.I. Rep been visiting some of the work places in the Ind Est asking if the helpline number can be display,

�?�      TLO Rep reported telephone help line was doing well

Intergroup Reports Proposed:                Seconded:

9. Service reports

Armed Services: 

Brian is stepping down from Region, (due to rotate out in March) as he is planning to move down to Manchester in the spring to be closer to my family.  He wishes Region all the best for the future. Here is his final report.

�??The Lanarkshire Council Website for the Lanarkshire Service Community,(Armed Forces/Veterans) has been updated recently. There is now over 35 Stakeholders on the Website and Alcoholics Anonymous is one of them. All sections of the Council have access to this Website, so it has a broad base. The Website is www.lanarkshirearmedforces.org.uk click on Leavers and Veterans, then click on Your Health and scroll down to our Preamble and Website.�?�

Electronic Communications:

Matt new equipment purchased for our Regional Hybrid meeting has worked well.

Employment:

Vacant

Health:

Vacant - this may be covered by PI over the coming year.

Public Information: 

Prisons & Criminal Justice:

Prisons Gordon has been covering Criminal Justice as well as Prisons and has attended the �??Drunk Court �??in Glasgow ... where the chit system has been endorsed by the sitting Judge and seems to be working well.

Prison meeting across the Region going well Addiwell ,Polmont and Shotts are well covered by Prison sponsors.

Roundabout:

Vacant

Telephone Helpline:

Young People:

Archives:

reported that a new archivist has started at the Borthwick ... who look after our Fellowships Archives. Martin was involved with her induction, and he will keep us up to date on the digitalisation work as it proceeds at the Borthwick.

Service Reports Proposed:         Martin        Seconded:  John

10. SNC

Matt reported all well and first meeting for the 2024 Convention has taken place with the venue at Dunoon booked.

11. AOB

Martin - The finance account that was used for the Kelvingrove exhibition will be closed with the funds distributed to the sponsoring Regions. £800.

Books will be sent to NSO for our archive.

Andrew - raised an item re NHS and could do with a call with Ann-Marie at NSO to better understand how this operates.... possible zoom meeting?

Adelle thanked all who attended both face to face and Hybrid.

Scheduled meetings

Calderwood Room,  St. John�??s Hospital, Livingston

Zoom Online Meeting - ID: 860 9943 1202 Password: Message

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And for that: I am responsible.