2015 BRANCH CONVENTION AND AGM

Merrilee Berrisford

This year the annual gatherings of BotSoc SA were held on 16 September at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in Port Elizabeth in a room above the Mandela Café, part of the Student Union. In the courtyard below us the SRC election was happening with lively singing and dancing once voting was over. Present at the Convention were the President, Prof George Bredenkamp, Chairman of Council, Andrew Blackmore, five Council members, Executive Director, Zaitoon Rabaney, Executive Assistant, Catherine Browne, nine branch chairmen and the auditor, Richard Browne.

In the morning we listened to an overview of the year from a cheerful Andrew Blackmore where he reiterated that the three focus areas of BotSoc are membership, operations and conservation. He stressed the need for the Society to be relevant in a rapidly changing South Africa.

The future of these annual gatherings was on the agenda as they involve considerable expenditure. We all felt that we did indeed benefit from meeting together but felt that there has been a major omission over the years in that there is not a specific time set aside for the branch chairmen to talk together. This happens at mealtimes and is very fruitful. The outcome was that there will be a meeting as usual next year with a slot for the branch delegates. There may be workshops for sharing projects, hacking being a possible topic.

This article is a general information sheet and should not be used or relied on as professional advice. No liability can be accepted for any errors or omissions nor for any loss or damage arising from reliance upon any information herein. Errors and omission excepted. (E&OE)