ConnecticutYankee
Member
Here's a useful link- open to all. https://www.facebook.com/groups/646758525781802/?ref=group_header
BHS Election & Rights of Members
- Thread starter Themis
- Start date
ConnecticutYankee
Member
PM me for proxy vote. I am trying to find a gdpr compliant way of listing people who will carry proxy votes.
honetpot
Well-Known Member
Look at the Caldicot principles for the use of information. As long as it is only used for that purpose and how the information,and what for all should be well. It’s only when you use it for a purpose not intended it gets murky
Themis
Well-Known Member
Here's something very useful from the FB page -
pink unicorn
Active Member
Here's something very useful to begin to understand why a meeting for a vote of confidence was petitioned. This is from the open public info page described above which is connected to the main Group.
Read more at https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...ety-c-k-up.767675/page-35#S4HusEdD6TEtozqp.99
Read more at https://forums.horseandhound.co.uk/...ety-c-k-up.767675/page-35#S4HusEdD6TEtozqp.99
pink unicorn
Active Member
The file attached is a summary of the concerms and questions,
Themis
Well-Known Member
INJUSTICE - I posted the following on the BHS Facebook page with a link to an information page. It was deleted and I am blocked from posting. "As a long serving member and former local Chair, who signed the petition, I respectfully request the right to use this space to provide access for members to further information about the important matters behind the requisitioned meeting. Members deserve the chance to understand the whole picture and make up their own minds on the very important vote." https://www.facebook.com/groups/646758525781802/?ref=group_header
Themis
Well-Known Member
POINT OF FACT - this is the second petition calling for a vote of no confidence.
The first petition, as the Chairman knows, was submitted at the 5 Jan meeting and withdrawn at the end of the meeting at his request with his assurance that concerns were heard, appropriate action would be taken and that the meeting would be reconvened in future. This second petition represents the view of 45, far beyond the 12 members required by the articles; a point also neglected in the recent letters to members and volunteers.
The first petition, as the Chairman knows, was submitted at the 5 Jan meeting and withdrawn at the end of the meeting at his request with his assurance that concerns were heard, appropriate action would be taken and that the meeting would be reconvened in future. This second petition represents the view of 45, far beyond the 12 members required by the articles; a point also neglected in the recent letters to members and volunteers.
Themis
Well-Known Member
From another thread tied to this one -
This letter has already been sent to the Chairman today by many of the signatories to the petition for a Vote of No Confidence. Any members of the who are happy with and support its content, might like to sign and send to david.sheerin@bhs.org.uk
There has been a LOT of work go into its preparation and I congratulate the prime movers on this – I know how many hours of work has been involved in double-checking all facts and trying to get the tone right.
If you are one of those with additional thoughts or concerns you would like to add, here is one suggested possibility: "Obviously, not all of us who support all of the information that those who signed the petition have managed to collate have seen everything detailed, but I have seen enough hard evidence to vote for the motion."
This letter has already been sent to the Chairman today by many of the signatories to the petition for a Vote of No Confidence. Any members of the who are happy with and support its content, might like to sign and send to david.sheerin@bhs.org.uk
There has been a LOT of work go into its preparation and I congratulate the prime movers on this – I know how many hours of work has been involved in double-checking all facts and trying to get the tone right.
If you are one of those with additional thoughts or concerns you would like to add, here is one suggested possibility: "Obviously, not all of us who support all of the information that those who signed the petition have managed to collate have seen everything detailed, but I have seen enough hard evidence to vote for the motion."
ECB
Well-Known Member
Pm me and I will be your proxy
ECB
Well-Known Member
Deadline Friday - BHS members - the deadline to register to attend the general meeting or to assign your proxy vote is Friday. Your vote is your voice. Use it or lose it. PM me if you need a proxy vote or want to find out more about why this meeting was requisitioned by petition of members.
ECB
Well-Known Member
If you need a proxy to carry your vote to the BHS meeting, pm me please. Deadline Sunday 7pm.
Themis
Well-Known Member
Here's a useful post from Facebook- In my opinion, this one of the "root causes" of the symptoms we observe. Some members primarily join the "charity" and others primarily join "the brand" for CPD etc and some join both. That range from "charity to CPD", in my opinion, used to be perceived as the unique selling point "USP" of the BHS - it was both a charity and a professional education body. Over time though, in my view, the governance (and governors) have not maintained the balance or perhaps, not managed the perception of a balance. It looks as if the "brand" is all important. We see changes of logo and then large flashy advertising with large price tags after the fact, without well communicated business cases in advance.
Themis
Well-Known Member
Quite a few of these sent recently -
Thank you for your email and your instruction to cancel your membership with the BHS.
The Board of Trustees and I are deeply saddened by the situation that The British Horse Society has found itself in this week; the General Meeting was a sad event for all of our supporters and there were no winners, regardless of the outcome of the vote. I am truly sorry that you feel that this is the end of the road for your relationship with the BHS after your many years of membership. I do hope that you will continue to observe our progress and eventually feel that you would like to take up your membership again.
Many thanks again for your committed support over the years.
Thank you for your email and your instruction to cancel your membership with the BHS.
The Board of Trustees and I are deeply saddened by the situation that The British Horse Society has found itself in this week; the General Meeting was a sad event for all of our supporters and there were no winners, regardless of the outcome of the vote. I am truly sorry that you feel that this is the end of the road for your relationship with the BHS after your many years of membership. I do hope that you will continue to observe our progress and eventually feel that you would like to take up your membership again.
Many thanks again for your committed support over the years.
Velcrobum
Well-Known Member
Perhaps this will be a wake up call to the trustees/senior management and fingers crossed change will start because BHS really cannot continue the was it was under the ex CEO. If indeed she really has gone from the organisation..................
Themis
Well-Known Member
I doubt this will be a wake up call. The Chair and Board sat stony faced as people described their experiences. And allowed an assault in front of them without comment or action.
onemoretime
Well-Known Member
I agree Themis I cant see any change in the near future. They have been having too much of a bean feast up there.
Velcrobum
Well-Known Member
I know I was there but I am trying to be optimistic!
Themis
Well-Known Member
Time to take off the rose tinted glasses. These 4000+ professionals are invisibly riding on the backs of the 100K members who buy insurance for £69 that only costs £9. And to top it off, the BHS gets gift aid of 25% on the £69! Only 12% goes to the charitable aims. The rest feeds the beast with a salary appetite of over £5 million and buys puppets for over £20K.
Themis
Well-Known Member
No but
I think we can guess that there is something to hide, i.e. the changes to the articles
Themis
Well-Known Member
The election results are "out" unofficially. Sally McCarthy, Fran Mason/Bremner and Tim Lord. And let's not forget Sarah Simpson - who stood unopposed and the fact that we have no welfare trustee. Checking back to the minutes of the general meeting, here's what Tim L said -
He said “I am voting against this resolution and I was slightly surprised coming here,given that all we had when we came was the statement of what the resolution was that there would be some sort of presentation that would coherently express why thisresolution has been out forward. We haven’t had that. What we have had is a numberof very good points, very good individual points about listening to people, about recognising history, I think history is very important and something we have so much stronger in the UK than in the US for example; the important ability to look backwards. And the role of the advisory groups. There have been a number of individual cases that have been brought up. None of these in my mind support a proposal of no confidence in the Chairman, Board of Trustees and Chief Executive. What they are, are some guidance and some feedback to the organisation as to how it can improve itself. So I think, one reflection of the success of a membership organisation is its membership; our membership is now at 106,000 I think, 108,0000; up 40 odd percent in the last however many years. That is amazing; people are joining us because they see value in The British Horse Society. That’s a fact.â€
Carrie Pillow said that the meeting was not an electoral stand. She said that Tim Lord should stick to the motion.
Tim Lord replied that “what I’m saying to you is that if there’s no confidence in theChairman, Board of trustees and Chief Executive, how do you say that whenmembership is going up? That is not from a electoral position, that is a fact.â€
Anne Vestey stood up to speak. “Could I just argue that, to ask you the question that Ireferred to in my talk, why you chose to go on social media and say that ‘it is an mischievous EGM bought about by those that add no value to us’ I believe it was you that put it on social media.†Tim Lord replied that he didn’t think it was him that had put that statement on social media.
I wonder why he never bothered to find out what the reasons were for the "vote of no confidence". What does that lack of action say about a trustee? In favour of the status quo? Also - wonder what he thinks about the loss of members since the general meeting.
He said “I am voting against this resolution and I was slightly surprised coming here,given that all we had when we came was the statement of what the resolution was that there would be some sort of presentation that would coherently express why thisresolution has been out forward. We haven’t had that. What we have had is a numberof very good points, very good individual points about listening to people, about recognising history, I think history is very important and something we have so much stronger in the UK than in the US for example; the important ability to look backwards. And the role of the advisory groups. There have been a number of individual cases that have been brought up. None of these in my mind support a proposal of no confidence in the Chairman, Board of Trustees and Chief Executive. What they are, are some guidance and some feedback to the organisation as to how it can improve itself. So I think, one reflection of the success of a membership organisation is its membership; our membership is now at 106,000 I think, 108,0000; up 40 odd percent in the last however many years. That is amazing; people are joining us because they see value in The British Horse Society. That’s a fact.â€
Carrie Pillow said that the meeting was not an electoral stand. She said that Tim Lord should stick to the motion.
Tim Lord replied that “what I’m saying to you is that if there’s no confidence in theChairman, Board of trustees and Chief Executive, how do you say that whenmembership is going up? That is not from a electoral position, that is a fact.â€
Anne Vestey stood up to speak. “Could I just argue that, to ask you the question that Ireferred to in my talk, why you chose to go on social media and say that ‘it is an mischievous EGM bought about by those that add no value to us’ I believe it was you that put it on social media.†Tim Lord replied that he didn’t think it was him that had put that statement on social media.
I wonder why he never bothered to find out what the reasons were for the "vote of no confidence". What does that lack of action say about a trustee? In favour of the status quo? Also - wonder what he thinks about the loss of members since the general meeting.
Velcrobum
Well-Known Member
Thank you for posting needless to say there is nothing on BHS website having just looked there for the results of the election!!!