FRIENDS OF ST LAURENCE CHORLEY
Inaugural meeting of pledged members
Sunday November 25 2018
at St Laurence Church


Present: Rev’d Fr Neil Kelley – Presiding
Michael Welsh – Project leader
42 members
Apologies: James Laidler, Jane Morwood, Anne Watts, Anne White
1. Neil Kelley opened the meeting at 12.00


2. Michael Welsh gave a verbal report on progress to date, he said that he had so far received 43 pledges with a nominal value of £2,550 this was short of the target of 50 pledges but in line with the financial target of £2,500. The first phase of the project to establish the viability of the concept of the Friends was completed and members would be asked if they wished to proceed to the next phase - setting up the organisation and establishing the operating infrastructure - by adopting the draft constitution that had been circulated previously. The objectives of the friends as stated in the draft were as follows:
* To raise funds for the care and maintenance of the buildings and facilities of St Laurence Church Chorley;
* To promote the use of the church buildings as a community asset for use by local affinity groups and other appropriate organisations;
* To exploit the opportunities offered by modern technology and engage with a wider audience in the UK and overseas to raise awareness of the role of the church buildings in the history of Chorley and the surrounding area and their significance for the identity of the town.


3. Neil Kelley put the following question to the meeting:
Do you wish to adopt the draft constitution in principle and proceed to establish the Friends of St Laurence Chorley as an independent organisation?
The question was answered in the affirmative, unanimously, by show of hands.
4. It was announced that a constituent meeting of the Friends organisation would be held on Sunday January 13 at 12.00 at St Laurence at which members would be asked to elect the committee and officers as set out in the constitution, approve banking arrangements and authorise the calling in of pledges.
The financial year would run from January 1 2019; vesting day for pledges would be January 31, it was hoped that the majority of pledges would be executed by standing order. Members were urged to put their names forward for election to the committee.
5. The public launch of the Friends is scheduled for Friday April 5 with an event in the Lancastrian Room at Chorley Town Hall; this will mark the end of Phase 2 of the Friends project which will then move to a fully operational state.
6. Neil Kelley closed the meeting at 12.30pm