Minutes
Present
Barbara Wiseman, Fraser Addecott, Karen Hoy, Virginia Bridgewater, Chris Baker, plus two who don't normally attend (names unavailable) and two Brighton College students.
1 Yvonne Ridley cancels
Yvonne Ridley had been booked to speak at today's meeting but cancelled at lunchtime citing personal reasons. MANY APOLOGIES TO ALL THOSE BRANCH MEMBERS THAT WERE DISAPPOINTED – BUT THANK YOU FOR TURNING UP ANYWAY! It was particularly unfortunate that Yvonne could not come to this event -after the plaintive message in last month's note! To add to the confusion, staff at the Brighthelm centre were quite disorganised. Rowan Dore very kindly arranged for Brighton councillor Ken Bodfish to speak on the relationship between the press and local government in her place, but only six members were had arrived by 8pm so we rang him and asked if we could reschedule for another time. He wanted to watch the football anyway...
Two students from City College's journalism courses turned up. Although they were disappointed that Yvonne had cancelled, they did say that they are interested in future events but that there should be better promoted. One student also said that she had tried to join the NUJ but found the website difficult to navigate and no-one at her college seemed to know much about it.
2 Ideas to encourage better turnout
A couple more members arrived and the meeting turned to address the subject of low turnout. Members discussed ideas for themed meetings, ideas for speakers, reasons for low turn-out (including which day of the week would be best) and also what the point of the branch is overall.
Members agreed that good speakers are needed to boost attendance which means that we can attract better speakers.
Jemima suggested we could spruce up the website and add a free bulk emailing programme. This could allow members to automatically update their email address and would list bounced emails, etc etc.
Ideas for themed evenings included:
a) An Argus evening to encourage recruitment and provide support for current staff; a meeting specifically designed to introduce young or new journalists or students to the NUJ.
b) Jeremy could come and speak, we could provide some introductory info on the union, invite all local/regional news courses etc.
c) A meeting for freelancers with, perhaps, an experienced freelance talking about their work, a workshop on how to find work or start out as a freelancer and some union advice on working as a freelance. (Ask John Toner to attend?)
d) A session on training courses would be also be useful. The NUJ contact is Linda King.
Virginia asked if Jemima could mention the meetings on the freelancejournalism.com email discussion list.
Fraser asked the group what the actually point of the branch is. He suggested that a joint project might give the group some purpose and something to work towards, and used the Zimbabwean journalists' request for laptops as an example. The branch could work on raising funds for equipment, for example. Jemima suggested a sponsored swim (or a sponsored anything!) might be an easy way to start! Barbara said that the forum for elderly people is a good cause. Jemima said a 'cause' would also be a good way of getting everyone to know each other.
Speakers could be quarterly, which would allow more promotion to encourage attendance to meetings by building up awareness about events for 2 months beforehand. Quarterly meetings could also be tied in with news diaries, such as conference season.
David suggested that the branch could explore webcasting events so that other members could watch without attending in person. (This would involve videoing the event and broadcasting it through a broadband web connection.)
Karen Hoy updated the group on recognition for the Argus chapel. After an ACAS meeting at Headland House between Karen, Martin Willis, Don Mackglew and (I think) Simon Bradshaw they had agreed a bargaining unit of 69 people. Staff are being asked to return completed forms by 7 July.
Branch agrees that questionnaire would be the best way to ask members what they feel about branch meetings and what would be useful or more interesting for them Jemima will prepare one to be approved for the July meeting and to then be distributed with the branch mailshot.
A branch picnic had been suggested for August but Jemima is unwilling to organise (and attend) if most of the branch can't or won't attend. This question will be added to the questionnaire, along with asking members to RSVP to events so we can assess interest in different types of speakers and meetings.
Is the Arts Club the right venue?
Barbara Wiseman also asked the branch to commend Jemima for efforts in organising speakers.
