Chairman’s Report for the Year 2009 - 2010

To suggest that the outcome of last years Annual General Meeting could have been envisaged at the time might perceived as something of an understatement.  That aside, the reasons behind those outcomes have already been made clear to all concerned within the membership, so my Report for this current year aims to reflect on what has been done within the Federation and the likely plans for the near future.

Following the AGM of the 25 October, 2009 it was agreed that, as no nominations could be accepted based on the constitution of 2006, an interim committee be appointed.  The task of this committee would be to resolve the problems which has been identified just prior to and during the AGM, such that, at a later date, and Extraordinary General Meeting would be held in order to formally appoint a new Committee.

A large part of the difficulties which had manifested at the time of the October AGM related to matters concerning Companies House, FoBBS being a Company Limited by Guarantee.  These matters focused initially on the lack of Annual Returns from FoBBS to Companies House for the previous two years.  Further issues arose concerning the Federation’s accounts for the financial period of 2007/8 and 2008/9.  Correspondence from Companies House set a deadline date by which completed and accurate Annual Returns be submitted before legal action would be taken against FoBBS and its Directors.  The Returns were submitted in good time and accepted by Companies House.

Over the next few months, the interim committee met on two occasions during which time, the role of FoBBS as a national bonsai organisation were evaluated.  It was recognised that, over recent years, the Federation had been trying to operate with an ever diminishing Committee (at the time of the AGM, the Committee comprised just three individuals, one of whom had taken on two officer roles).  A change of direction was clearly needed, first by re-establishing a larger, more viable Committee and then determining FoBBS’ future role in the short to medium term.

The EGM of the 2 May, 2010 resulted in the establishment of a new, formally elected Committee, comprising eight full members, one co-opted member and two ex officio members (webmaster and administrator).  Apart from ratifying the new Committee, the EGM also passed a motion requesting that the current FoBBS constitution be reviewed and changed to a more manageable document.

Since the May EGM, progress has been made in a number of areas.  The constitution has been revised and is being submitted to the membership to be voted on.  The new constitution still covers all the necessary criteria, but it has been possible to condense much of the previous document and provision is now in place should any constitutional changes be required in the future.

The ‘Bonsai Instructors’ book has been re-introduced following a period of some years since the ’Speakers Book’ was last published.  As with that publication, the ‘Bonsai Instructors’ book lists bonsai speakers and demonstrators from within the UK and is made available to those societies which are fully paid up members of FoBBS.

The ‘New Talent’ competition is retained and already one of the heats has been held at the Wessex Show earlier in the year.  Other heats are planned, culminating in the final to be held at the Sussex Bonsai Show this next August.  The winner will then be entitled to represent the UK at the European Final, to be held at the European Bonsai Association Congress in Ratingen, near Düsseldorf between the 30 September and 2 October, 2010.

One of the major criticisms directed at FoBBS in recent times concerned communication of information to the membership.  Since last years AGM, every effort has been made to provide a steady flow of information to the membership on a regular basis, and this would appear to have been perceived favourably on the basis of reported feedback.  Likewise, during the same period, re-establishing the FoBBS website was identified as a priority, and now, thanks to the efforts of Nigel Wright, our new webmaster, a sophisticated but easily accessible website in a new format has been established and is regularly updated: see www.fobbsbonsai.co.uk.  

As part of the ‘shop-window’ for FoBBS, this website plays a significant role in promoting the organisation, as well as providing information on member societies, borne out by the fact that, on average, the site is gaining between 2,500 and 3,000 ‘hits’ per month since it came on line.

An idea raised early in 2009 was to consider establishing regional areas which encompassed certain bonsai societies. The concept was that, should a society within a regional area wish to put on an event, e.g. bonsai exhibition, convention or even just bring in a notable guest speaker, the other societies in that region could participate and share in putting on the event. The process of establishing regional areas is already underway, with representation already in place for three regions (S. Wales and the South West, Central Southern England and the Midlands). There is still a need, however, of sorting out regions for the remainder of the U.K.

What has to be remembered is that the Federation is an amateur organisation comprising societies, commercial and individual members.  Those involved in the running of FoBBS are, like those on society committees, individuals who have occupations and other commitments and voluntarily give of their time.  This does not imply that the FoBBS Committee on its own dictate the roles that this organisation sets out to achieve.  The effective functioning of the Federation should reflect, as far as possible, the wishes of the membership, balanced by what the FoBBS Committee sees as being feasible both in practical and financial terms.

Dr. Malcolm Hughes : Bonsai Profile

Malcolm's introduction to bonsai came about in 1972 when he started reading around the subject and began creating bonsai from nursery material. In 1977, he joined the Midland Bonsai Society, becoming a committee member in 1979 where he took on the role of Show Secretary, a position he maintained for 5 years. He also became involved in editing the Society's Newsletter, together with producing a booklet on bonsai written with his wife Kath.

During 1981 - 2, he was the representative of the Midland Bonsai Society key in the discussions leading to the formation of the Federation of British Bonsai Societies which officially came into being in April of 1982. In 1984 he was elected to the Federation Committee as Assistant Secretary and from 1986 until 1989, was Secretary to that organisation.

From 1986 he represented the Federation of British Bonsai Societies at the 3rd European Bonsai Association Congress in Valencia, Spain, promoting the U.K's proposal to host the next European Bonsai Convention. The following year he was one of the co-ordinating team which organised the 4th European Bonsai Congress, held at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham .

In 1989, Malcolm was elected as Chairman of the Federation of British Bonsai Societies, a post held until 1992. At the same time, he was also elected to the Board of the European Bonsai Association and for five years, edited and produced that organisation's newsletter.

In 1990, he participated in the design and development of the National Bonsai Collection, established at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and in 1993, became Chairman of the Friends of the National Bonsai Collection, an educational charity associated with the National Bonsai Collection and the Botanical Gardens.

The year 1991 found him, together with his wife, organising the Bonsai Clubs International Convention, held at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham . At the time, it was one of the largest such conventions held outside Japan and the first occasion that Bonsai Clubs International had held an event outside the United States.

Following the retirement of Peter Brown, one of the founders of the European Bonsai Association, Malcolm was elected as that organisations second President in 1995. With that appointment came the role of European representative to the World Bonsai Friendship Federation; both appointments he held until the year 2000.

In 2001, he retired as Chairman of the National Bonsai Collection, but continued on the committee as treasurer and technical advisor, a role he continues with to this day.  He is also now the Chairman of the South Staffs Bonsai Society, a position to which he was appointed in 2004.

In recognition of his contribution and that of his wife Kath, to bonsai at both a national and European level, he was invited in 2006 to the Board of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation in the capacity of consultant, a position he retains to this day.  In 2009, he found himself re-appointed as Chairman of the Federation of British Bonsai Societies and has now, once again become  the U.K.'s delegate to the European Bonsai Association.

Over the years he has been involved in bonsai, he has represented the Federation of British Bonsai Societies at a number of bonsai events in Europe, Japan and the U.S.A.  He has studied with a number of well known bonsai personalities, including Peter Adams, Dan Barton and Salvatore Liporace; he is also involved as a speaker and demonstrator on the subject, specialising in cedars and pines, as well as running bonsai workshops from his home.  Most recently, he and his wife put on the first “Best of British Bonsai” event in Birmingham, which took place in April, 2009.  They are now both involved in planning the second such event, to take place in April 2011.

Outside bonsai life, prior to his retirement in 2006, he was Head of Medical Psychology and Physiology at Birmingham City University, lecturing in the field of neuro-psychology and psychopathology.  He became an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society as a result of his contribution to establishing academic courses in counselling and psychotherapy. His research specialised on the psycho-biological reactions of stress as a cause of illness; this later focussed on studies into psychological factors associated with cancer.

He still retains academic commitments, being called upon as a specialist visiting lecturer at the University as well as supervising students undertaking research for their Ph.D.'s within the field of biomedical studies.

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