The
chairman informed the meeting that he had received written notification
from George Booth that after two years of stewardship of the NCA's
funds he was stepping down from the post of Treasurer at the end
of December. The chairman thanked George for his successful efforts
in reorganising and simplifying the Council's accounts after a time
of considerable upheaval and changing of officers two years ago
and, of course, during the current period of financial upheaval
nationally and internationally. The committee echoed these sentiments
and expressed a unanimous wish that George remain as a delegate
on the management committee. Dave Whittaker, secretary, will oversee
the Treasurer's duties between 31st December and the AGM.
The
Treasurer, George Booth, presented a written statement of accounts
and expected that by the end of this calendar year the NCA's total
funds would show an increase on last year's figure. This represented
considerable progress bearing in mind the lamentable rates if interest
currently available for investment and deposit accounts. The NCA
insurance scheme has proved very successful, and more and more of
our member organisations are taking it up.
The
secretary reported receipt of an official invitation from the executive
of COM for three NCA representatives to attend a meeting on Friday,
22nd January, 2010 at the World Show in Porto with three representatives
of the IOA (COM.GB) to discuss the way forward during 2010 and the
lead-up to the 2011 World Show in France at which we would all hope
for an increase in the number of UK birdkeepers taking part. Current
communications with the IOA continue to be maintained formally in
writing between the secretaries and copies sent to both chairmen.
The
Chairman informed the management committee that our very successful
and energetic CBS Liaison Officer, Steve Nesbitt, had regrettably
decided to step down from his post for personal reasons and that
we shall need to find a replacement for this important position
at the next AGM. In the meantime, the secretary will continue to
keep our CBS members circulated with reports of all our meetings,
copies of which will also be sent to Cage & Aviary Birds. Our
Website Co-ordinator, Ghalib Al-Nasser, will place all reports on
the NCA website to keep everyone informed.
The
date of the next management committee meeting was agreed for 27th
January, 2010.There being no other business, the Chairman closed
the meeting at 2.40pm.
TOP
Management
Committee Meeting - 28th October, 2009
The
management committee of the National Council for Aviculture convened
an extra meeting on 28th October, 2009 at its official business
address in Davies House, Northampton in order to deal with a series
of events in which unfounded but potentially damaging allegations
against officers of the NCA were made in letters, e-mails and in
a public forum on the Feathered Flyer website.
In
three instances on solicitors' advice letters have been issued to
the authors of these unfounded allegations requiring withdrawal
of the allegations and a written apology. The fallacious statements
have now been removed and written apologies were received from all
of the authors.
It
is a matter of particular regret that two delegates of the FBF,
one of the four parent bodies which constitute the NCA and who have
as an organisation supported NCA policies to date, have been a party
to these false allegations and have betrayed the confidentiality
and trust of the management committee. Without consultation with
his own committee the current FBF chairman has attempted to prevent
the FBF's two most frequent attendees at NCA meetings from doing
so. The atmosphere thus created has caused another valued FBF delegate
to resign, leaving the NCA without its CBS Liaison Officer, a post
which the holder had filled with distinction.
The
ostensible catalyst for this series of attacks on the NCA is the
well-publicised application by the NCA to become a member of COM
in 2010 which has been ongoing for well over a year and which the
COM executive have been pleased to accept. The motives behind the
application were to enhance the representation of UK bird keepers
at international level, to benefit where possible from the experience
and expertise of our fellow bird keepers in Europe in such matters
as legislation and bird welfare and to encourage and facilitate
greater participation in European avicultural events and bird exhibitions
such as the World Show.
In
pursuit of these aims and with the encouragement of the COM executive,
the NCA has entered into negotiations with the IOA, currently the
sole COM-affiliated organisation in the UK, to discuss mutually
acceptable ways of co-operating as an enlarged group representing
UK bird keepers on COM. The IOA has for many years offered an excellent
transport service to UK exhibitors wishing to show at the World
Show and also supplies to its members COM-approved closed rings
which are required at all COM shows. Informal meetings are planned
for the near future and we hope soon to report positively on progress
made.
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Management
Committee Meeting - 19th August 2009
At
its meeting on August 19 at Markfield the Management Committee of
the National Council for Aviculture was forced to make the saddest
decision required of it in recent years. In July, 2009 at Rotherham
Magistrates' Court one of its Honorary Life Vice Presidents and
former Chairman, Sean Fitzpatrick, who had served the Council well
for many years, admitted guilt and was sentenced for a number of
infringements of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Since the
constitution of the NCA specifies that "Honorary Life Vice
Presidents shall at all times uphold with honour and dignity the
constitution, traditions and policies of the NCA", the Management
Committee was obliged at this stage to remove Sean's name from its
list of officers.
The
repercussions of this case go far beyond one individual, however,
since assumptions made by some or even many bird keepers about close
ringing and documentary proof of birds bred in captivity may be
ill-founded and others could be unwittingly in danger of contravening
the law. The regulations in this area and their interpretation are
complex and liable to change. As a result, the NCA is consulting
with DEFRA through the SUN group and directly with the British Bird
Council with the aim of giving its member organisations clearer
advice on how to proceed safely in these matters.
On
a more positive note the Management Committee was pleased to approve
an application by the FBL for the late George Coe to be listed in
the Hall of Fame for his lifetime of service to aviculture at national,
regional and local levels. A new design was also approved for NCA
diplomas which are presented to new entrants on the NCA's Roll of
Honour. See NCA website (www.nca.uk.net) for details of our award
schemes.
As
part of the NCA's contribution to the Strategy for Bird Welfare
it has made available on its website a series of fact sheets about
many aspects of bird care. Further welfare sheets applicable to
individual species or groups of species will be added over the coming
months. A new colourful, updated edition of the 'Welcome to Birdkeeping
Booklet' is now with the printers and will be available for distribution
from the NCA stand at the National Bird Show of the Year at Stafford
in October.
The
NCA confirmed its acceptance of COM's invitation to take up membership
from 1st January, 2010 and is in the process of arranging talks
with representatives of the IOA who, at present, are the sole members
of COM-GB and with whom the NCA would like to work for the benefit
of UK bird keepers interested in the international avicultural scene.
The NCA will also be represented at the next World Show in Porto
in January.
Several
amendments to the NCA's constitution were approved for recommendation
to the membership at next year's AGM. The majority of these resulted
from requests from affiliated CBSs and will allow greater flexibility
for such clubs to respond and contribute to the agenda of meetings.
Our CBS Liaison Officer, Steve Nesbitt, will be writing to all affiliated
clubs in the near future keeping them up to date.
TOP
Management
Committee Meeting - 24th June 2009
Two
NCA awards were approved at the Management Committee meeting held
at Fieldhead Hotel, Markfield on 24th June, 2009.
The
first was an NCA Diploma and entry onto the Roll of Honour for Don
and Irene Bardgett of the Waxbill Finch Society for many years of
service to the foreign bird fancy, in particular as society secretaries
and show secretaries, as UK first breeders of several species including
the Whiskered Lorikeet, and currently as joint breeding record officers
and publicity officers for the Waxbill Finch Society.
The
second was a posthumous recognition of the outstanding contribution
made to aviculture by the late Ian Hinze over a life time of bird
keeping and breeding. He was the first UK breeder of the Mali Firefinch
and enjoyed a reputation far beyond the UK as a foreign bird specialist
through his many articles for Cage & Aviary Birds and other
publications. His latest book on Waxbills is due to be published
in the near future. Ian's name will be entered into the Hall of
Fame alongside many other legendary aviculturists of the past. The
Roll of Honour and Hall of Fame can be viewed on the NCA website
at www.nca.uk.net as can details of all the NCA's award schemes.
NCA
Chairman Dennis Webster and Canary Council Chairman, Barry Mills
attended the latest meeting of the Bird Welfare Strategy Group in
Coventry on 20th May at which the final draft of the consultation
document on bird welfare was agreed. Now the NCA is embarked on
a rewrite of its many welfare and advice sheets for bird keepers
covering virtually every species, or groups of species, kept in
the UK today. For beginners to bird keeping, the NCA is also producing
a new edition of the colourful and practical guide "Welcome
to Birdkeeping" which advises on the needs of the more common
breeds of birds kept in the UK today and how they should be cared
for.
An
order has been placed for a new NCA stand to help publicise the
organisation and promote the hobby of bird keeping. The new stand
will be stocked with fact sheets and publications of interest to
the seasoned and would-be bird keeper alike. The new stand will
make its debut at the Bird Show of the Year in Stafford in October.
Steve
Nesbitt of Grantham CBS was appointed CBS Liaison Officer at the
NCA's AGM in April and produced a comprehensive written report of
his first two months in office. Not wasting a moment in an already
busy life, Steve has been out and about talking to CBSs in his area
and making telephone and email contact with others further afield.
Steve and other CBS members attending the AGM drew attention to
the need for more time and opportunity for CBSs to respond and contribute
to NCA policies and activities. As a result the Management Committee
reviewed and amended the timelines for contributions to AGM agendas
and to the conditions required for other general meetings. We hope
that this will improve communication between the NCA and its CBS
members.
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Annual
General Meeting and Management Committee Meeting - 18th April 2009
The
NCA held its 54th Annual General Meeting at the Fieldhead Hotel,
Markfield on 18th April, 2009 commencing at 10.30am and attended
by representatives of the four parent bodies (British Bird Council,
Budgerigar Society, The Canary Council and Foreign Bird Federation)
and affiliated Cage Bird Clubs.
The
Chairman, Dennis Webster (FBF/ZFS), welcomed those attending to
what he hoped would prove an informative and fruitful meeting. Written
reports were tabled by the Chairman, the Secretary, Dave Whittaker
(BS), and the Treasurer, George Booth (BS).
2008
was a very satisfactory year for the NCA, the number of affiliating
clubs rising to 105 and the number of clubs availing themselves
of the NCA public liability insurance reached over 70. In spite
of the credit crunch, the NCA's funds remain healthy and a modest
excess of income over expenditure was achieved which allowed the
Management Committee to recommend no rise in subscriptions and affiliation
fees for 2009/10.
After
discussion, the Management Committee has opted for the official
status of the NCA to remain as an "unincorporated Association"
rather than a limited company or a registered charity, for example.
The
NCA continues to contribute to the work of the Bird Welfare Strategy
Committee and the Chairman and Publicity Officer will be attending
the next meeting in Coventry on 20th May when the results of the
consultation over the draft strategy document will be decided. Thereafter,
the NCA will be producing welfare guidelines for Exhibition Birds
and Native & Foreign Species in line with the principles of
the agreed Strategy Document.
The
NCA's Exhibitor of the Year competitions were introduced in 2008
for CBS exhibitors at affiliated clubs' shows in all four sections
of Canary, British, Budgerigar and Foreign. Winners of Best in any
of these sections were eligible to compete. Those achieving Best
in Section most frequently during the show season received an award.
Tim Ward of Shrewsbury CBS was the winner of the Canary Exhibitor
of the Year, and he was presented with an engraved crystal bowl
by NCA President, Dennis Norton at the end of the AGM.
At
the Management Committee meeting held shortly after the AGM, the
following officers were elected:
