RHS Annual General Meeting 2007

Society fit for the future

Images: Neil Hepworth

A good year with a positive financial outcome was how RHS President Peter Buckley described the Society’s performance for 2006–07 as he chaired his first Annual General Meeting on 28 June.

Rather than focus on Society successes already detailed in the Annual Review, the President highlighted achievements to date, the most obvious of which was the opening of The Glasshouse at RHS Wisley, which he described as a ‘colossal achievement’ for everyone involved. He recognised the work of his predecessor Sir Richard Carew Pole and thanked him for his energetic fundraising skills that brought in £6.4 million – a record for the Society.

The Grow Your Own VEG campaign, which involved the four RHS Gardens, RHS Online and national television, has been an unprecedented success, putting the Society firmly at the centre of the current ‘grow your own’ trend, he said. More than 200,000 books to accompany the television series have been sold and the gardens have welcomed record visitor numbers.

Plans for the future

Education and the drive to encourage more people to garden is a key theme running through all RHS initiatives, which include the creation of a learning centre at RHS Garden Harlow Carr and new visitor facilities at RHS Garden Hyde Hall. At RHS Garden Rosemoor, the catering has now been taken in-house to improve visitor experiences, and in May its gift shop won a national award.

Membership remains high on the RHS agenda with a drive to increase numbers. ‘Membership is at the heart of, and vital to, the Society,’ he said, and added that the Society was still looking for new gardens so it could reach more people across the country. However it would only take on another garden after ‘the most careful consideration’.

Weatherproofing RHS finances

An operating surplus of £3.7 million was achieved in 2006–07, said RHS Treasurer Giles Coode-Adams.

This above-budget figure is essential, he said, to enable the Society to meet its future charitable aims and fund major projects.

Highlighting the solid financial contribution from membership, he revealed that in 2006–07 funds raised through this channel contributed 50 percent to the Society’s net income. So far this year financial progress has been good, helped by a sellout of tickets for the Chelsea Flower Show and interest in the Society-wide Grow Your Own VEG campaign. However, atrocious weather on key weekends in May and June affected visitor numbers. ‘Therefore we must secure a greater proportion of our net income from more weatherproof sources,’ the Treasurer said.

In brief

Members voted for four candidates to be elected to RHS Council. They were Elizabeth Banks (landscape architect), Nigel Colborn (re-elected, writer), Raymond Evison (clematis breeder), and Alastair Muirhead (finance specialist).

RHS Council confirmed the appointment of 14 members to serve as Vice Presidents of the Society during 2007–08. For the full list, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/about/councildirectors.htm

Questions from the floor reflected the environmental concerns of members. They covered public transport to and from the gardens, and the recycling of packaging from catering outlets.

For the Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements 2006–07 visit www.rhs.org.uk/about/reports.htm

Next year’s AGM will take place at 2pm, 1 July, in the RHS Conference Centre, Greycoat St, London SW1.

Download an Adobe Acrobat pdf copy of the 2007 AGM minutes (28KB)

The Secretary
Royal Horticultural Society, 80 Vincent Square, London SW1P 2PE
Tel: 020 7821 3039
e-mail: andrewsmith@rhs.org.uk