As AGM's go the Withington Co-op Party is possibly one of the most relaxed meetings to attend. Okeh, we got delayed whilst the Secretary nipped to the Co-op shop downstairs to buy the juice, beer and biscuits so ten minutes of gossiping whilst we wait. Everybody re-elected unopposed - not sort after posts then. Bit of a discussion about will there still be a branch next year with the organisational changes of the party in the north. Who knows, you just carry on until told not to... Agreed the donations to five our members standing in the local elections (3 as Lab/Co-op; 2 as Labour) just as long as they mention something about the Co-op Party in their leaflets.
Ideas for activity, and after the 90th Anniversary year of 2007 it didn't have that must-do buzz this year....Fairtrade Update (read can we sample some new world wines from the Co-op again), Robert Owen (acknowledge 150 years), Ship Canal Cruise (the Secretary has been trying to get six hours on a boat with a bar on the programme for years - this might be it - Liverpool here we come), Internet & Political campaigning (this one was mine but I could see the eyes glaze over when mentioning Super Tuesday, Twitter, Spinvox to some who arn't sure what YouTube and Facebook are). Maybe something on railways - an industry that receives a lot of public money and could be better run on more beneficial mutual lines (see forthcoming Social Enterprise and the Railways Conference by the Co-op Party in Swindon).
However it's making suitable time in people's busy agendas that's the issue.
