British Federation of Women Graduates AGM Telford, July 2008
In July over 80 members of the BFWG met at the University of Wolverhampton, Telford for their AGM. The accommodation and conference facilities were close together which made life easier than some previous venues. The new shortened format for the AGM enabled federation business to be completed in two business sessions. One of the major issues was the Federation’s finances. Much work had been done to sort out the accounts and there are now separate accounts for core business and the scholarship funds. We now have a budget in surplus and the new finance committee showed that our investments are being managed carefully and our expenditure is being kept in check. A resolution was passed to set up a working group to report back to the next AGM on the future running of our scholarship funds. Since Christmas, all work at the BFWG headquarters has been done by volunteers, especially our President, but someone will need to be employed part-time. As there are enormous peaks and troughs in the workload they will have to be flexible.
For the third year in a row there was no increase in the annual subscription. The President commented that she was the first president to have seen her term out without a subscription increase. Three resolutions on Gender Equality/Duty were adopted and it is hoped local associations will work on these. The theme of the conference was ‘Education for a Sustainable Future’. Our key note speaker was Professor Cynthia Burek, Professor of Geodiversification at the University of Chester and her topic was ‘Education in Geodiversity for a Sustainable Future’. She put forward various ideas on what sustainable development is but suggested the best definition was ‘that which meets the needs of today without compromising the future.’ An abstract idea which needs to be turned into a reality. She sees her role as producing sustainability literate graduates. Geodiversity refers to the rich variety of rocks, fossils, minerals and natural processes forming our landscapes and soils. It provides ‘the stage on which biodiversity acts out its role’. She then told us about the various international, government and voluntary iniatives that have enabled various sites, both here and elsewhere in the world, to be preserved or maintained. On the Saturday afternoon four workshops were held which later reported back. They were on ‘Zero Waste – Essential Waste for a Sustainable Future’, ‘Options for Sustainable Development’, Educational Skills for Sustainable Development’ and ‘So you think you can lead.’ Social and Leadership Skills for the Future. At the Gala dinner our guest speaker, Professor Joy Carter, the Vice Chancellor of Winchester University spoke of her passion for the environment. She reminded us of Rachel Carson’s work on the ecology of marine life and her concern at the profligate use of pesticides after the 2nd World War. She believed new policies and behaviour were necessary to protect both human health and the environment. Joy Carter finished by producing a silver package – a baguette containing filling. This, she explained to her audience, was modernization – a symbol of women wrapping around one another to aid each one of us to continue educating humanity for a sustainable future.
The president of the IFUW, Louise Croote from New Zealand, encouraged us all to become techno savvy as she feels this is the way forward. She told us about a video conference held across the Pacific. It was held over a fortnight with each item being on the web for 24 hours. However she does also agree that face to face conferences like ours remain important. She finished by saying, ‘We need to think globally, act locally and personally for change.’ When trying for change the hardest part is getting the first 30% of people to agree with you. After that it is easier to bring the remainder with you also. As the AGM finished at midday on the Sunday many took advantage of this to make a visit to Ironbridge. Robin Ketteringham |
