MPPG, AGM 2018 to be held Tuesday, 13th Nov, 7.00pm

We are holding our AGM on Tuesday 13th November at our club rooms, Room 7, Phillipstown Hub, 39 Nursery Rd, Phillipstown.
The following reports won't be read at the meeting but questions arising from the reports may be tabled.
The agenda is at the bottom.

Mt Pleasant Potters Secretary’s report for 2018.
It has been a busy year for our club,
Our three classes have been full thanks to tutors Allan Mauger and Shona Clarkson. Michael Michaels did a Wednesday stint, Amy Michaels ran the children’s holiday classes with Brenda filling in the last school holidays. These classes are very important to us as they help with the growth of our club.  School holiday classes were aimed at 12 to 16 years old we had a reasonable response for that group.

Membership is getting stronger: with about 100 members, this will fluctuate a little each year, but most continue to use club days and night.

Kiln usage is high, they are well used by the members with just a few rules to understand the process and bookings which we are updating to keep it simple. Kiln repairs: with the EMC programmers being sent to be repaired, fixing the probes, the kiln work is ongoing as the kilns are in constant use, we all  need to monitor and write down any changes in the firings, anything that goes wrong power cut off etc.
Maintenance has been work in progress during the year with the library now at the end by the outside door displaying our collection, shelving is around the west side giving us more space. The glazing area is tidier, as the chemical shelving and moulds are all now on the east side.
The kiln shed has been strengthened, new locks on the kiln doors, gravel for Raku kiln, a pathway for the winter wanders to the kiln shed and the red table lifted up; this all makes the rooms much more usable, thanks to Rudi Jensen and the maintenance team for their smart thinking and hard work.

Phillipstown Hub The potters have a representative meeting with the hub once a month to discuss the running of the hub with the other eight to 10 groups, who are tenants of  the hub; we are all involved. We are working through an insurance plan with the hub for our group; this will be in action soon.
The potters take part in hub activities when we can; we are working through collaboration and working together to make it a permanent place.  Tiles for the pizza oven were made and plate decorating for the communal loaf held in Labour weekend are two recent activities, the plates were decorated with some of the holiday club children and used in the evening bread making meal. On gala days we have open pottery day where people can play with clay.

Weekend workshops we have had several of those, a slip workshop, making your own glazes, The raku club is ongoing with Leigh-Ann. 1st Sat of the month club days with Anne, all these activities are worth attending to gain a more little knowledge. Wood firing with Halswell potters group was very successful; we will continue to run these workshops and other days with your ideas.
Clay buying: this is a privilege for members to buy; please check that your clay numbers correspond with the book and follow the guidelines in buying.
Web site is constantly being hit with class and club enquiries, this web site will grow as we utilise it fully as a club
We had a successful constitution change in May this now has been updated to the year 2018.
We have had donations of glaze materials & books from Genevieve Forrester & Barbara O’Donnell. These will be used in the making up of glazes etc. The books will be stamped with our logo and incorporated into the library. The books are to be reference only just until we get them all catalogued.
It has been a good year for our growth as a pottery club in the east side of town we have the full support of the Phillipstown hub and the Linwood, Woolston, Phillipstown community council.
Shona Clarkson 2018

Raku Club Report
A small gathering of Raku enthusiasts, supported by Mt Pleasant Pottery meet around the first Saturday of the month.

This was a new initiative that started in July, with our final firing for the year on November 10th, so we have embraced five months of fire and smoke.

We now have a great collection of Raku glazes – white crackle, an update blue crackle (Mt Pleasant special), copper penny and a naked Raku slip. In October we tried the Obvara method (Baltic Raku) and this will be further explored in 2019. Some great results were achieved, and thank you to all the members who came along and participated, helped, laughed, and revelled in the flame.

I am happy to continue to facilitate this event in 2019 and reiterate that it is open to all.  Even if you have nothing to fire it is a great morning and good coffee and cake is always welcome!

Have a safe and happy Christmas
Leigh-Ann

FACEBOOK Report
As for end of October 2018 - 132 followers  - 50 more than in January 2018 with an average 100 interactions per month.
I am keen to get as many pictures as I can to post on the Facebook page - Classes, club day, club night, works of students (with their agreement).
Members can send the picture to the MPPG Group on Messenger with informations about it and I will publish them. 

SATURDAY Morning
Since we started to open the Studio on the first saturday of the month, we have had a few potters turning up which is great.  
We are now having rake firing most of the saturdays that we are open which is great.
Would be good to reach more members if they want to practice their skills during the weekend.

​Anne Goddard

MPPG 2018 Website Report

We had to resurrect our website about 12 months ago and with the help of QPM Design we have a platform that is easy to use and a helpful provider when a little over-the-phone training is required. We have had a number of good comments from other pottery clubs and no complaints from members. 

Our total hits for October was 218, with 29 hits for ‘Club News’; it is gratifying to know members are using the site.

Our Gallery page is a work-in-progress; the plan is to use the page to illustrate some of the significant pieces and potters we have in our cabinets. This will means some changes over time. I would also like to see some of our own member’s work go into the Gallery - don’t be shy!

I’m also happy to receive articles from members, with or without photographs. If you have photo’s in your article, please send them as a separate file as it’s the only way I can get them into the page.

Have a merry festive season.
Graham Maguire

Club Day Report
Duty Person Bill Bromley
Club Days every Tuesday from 10am to 2.30pm

​Between four and eight members use the rooms and their abilities range from beginners to intermediate, working mainly on the wheel and some handwork. At least four small bowls are made on the wheel by each potter. Shelves are available for storage and pots can be left in rooms for drying before trimming. 
The members are learning to load, fire and unload the kilns under supervision of an approved operator. Also members are attending courses to learn how to fire the kilns. Some members are buying their own chemical materials and mixing their glaze recipes sourced from our library or computer. Members are encouraged to read pottery books from our new library. Club glazes and brushwork are used to decorate these and some pots have been sold at Lyttelton market.
The room cleanup and wet floor wash, with our new vacuum cleaner, is shared with members after each session. 
All the potters are making some very good pots and having a fun time.

Agenda for AGM November 13th,  time 7pm, at room 7 Phillipstown hub
Apologies: Jackie Foulkes, Megan Salole,
Minutes from 2017 AGM and the special meeting in may 2018.
Matters arising from the minutes of 2017 AGM.
Matters arising from the special meeting in May, 2018.
Correspondence:
Secretaries report: Shona Clarkson
Financial report:  with Subs discussion.
Election of officers:
Chairman     Anne Goddard         nominated by Shona Clarkson 2nd Lorraine Jansen
Secretary    Graham Maguire       nominated by   Leigh-Anne  Obrien 2nd                               
Treasurer Ken Doidge                  nominated by Shona Clarkson  2n
These are the committee members who are standing for 2019 collectively
nominated by Shona Clarkson  2nd Brenda Benge, Leigh-Anne Obrien, Loraine Jansen
 Three  more to join the Mt Pleasant committee; these can be co-opted during the year.
General business
Constitution was discussed at our special meeting 8th May and has been approved; this has been circulated during the year to members and will be resent again.
Web site report: Graham Maguire.
Face book report: Anne Goddard.
Classes report: Shona Clarkson.
Room club day: Bill Bromley.
Kiln usage report: Shona Clarkson.
Maintenance report:
Club activities 2019: Renate Galetzka
Phillipstown hub report:

​Club, end of year, Christmas: pizza oven at the hub,  Tuesday 11th December 6.30 start. Members to bring  pizza toppings, bases supplied.

Members standing down from the committee: Bill Bromley, Shona Clarkson and Allan Mauger The committee would like to thank these members who have contributed their time whilst on the committee and wish them good potting for the future.