Mammal Society Annual General Meeting – 10th April 2022

Please join us for our AGM at 11am on Sunday 10th April 2022 to find out about the Society's activities over the last year. 

 

As last year, we will be holding the AGM by Zoom to join please click here.

 

If you cannot join via the link please enter the Meeting ID as 829 5111 9481 and Passcode as 668788. 

Agenda

The Agenda for the AGM is set to be as follows; 

Chaired by President: Penny Lewns

1. 1. Opening of AGM
   2. Approval of minutes of the last AGM held online on 18th April 2021
   3. Matters arising from the 2021 minutes 
   4. Report from Council
   5. Treasurer’s Report 
   6. Election of Officers of Council
   7. Election of Ordinary Members of Council
   8. Appointment of Independent Examiners
   9. AOB
   10. Close of AGM

Nominees

We have received nominations for four people to join council (biographies below). They are:

Rose Toney - Ordinary member 

Helen Mitcheson - Ordinary member 

Derek Crawley - Standing for Vice Chair 

Victoria Chanin - Standing for Honorary Secrutary 

 

Information on proposed Council Members and Officers

Rose Toney (Ordinary Member)

Rose is the former Training and Events Officer for the Mammal Society and has continued to take an active role as a volunteer since leaving her position in 2020. She currently sits on three of the Society’s special interest groups: Training Committee, Local Groups Committee and Conference and Events Committee.

With an MRes in Ecology from Aberdeen University, she has spent most of her career engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders from across conservation practice, policy, communities and research to take action to preserve the UK’s natural heritage. She has a particular interest in community science and mobilising local action to protect and enhance biodiversity. She has worked in a range of engagement roles within the third sector, research and statutory agencies for more than fourteen years and particularly enjoys working with volunteers.

She has a keen interest in recording methods, which she has explored both through her professional roles and as a long-term volunteer for a number of organisations, including the monitoring of a Scottish Wildlife Trust reserve for over a decade, where she recorded the first records of Pine Marten and Water Shrew (her favourite mammals!) at the site.

Helen Mitcheson (Ordinary Member)

Helen is an environmental solicitor practicing in England and Wales and is part of the Planning and Environment Team at Trowers & Hamlins LLP as well as being co-director of the not for profit Cet Law which specialises in furthering law and policy to protect cetaceans .  Prior to qualifying as a solicitor Helen worked as a marine mammal scientist and environmental consultant in the UK, the United States and Canada.  It was two summers spent in the Bay of Fundy, New Brunswick, learning about the plight of the North Atlantic Right Whale that opened Helen’s eyes to the importance of the interaction between scientific knowledge and law, and in particular the effective communication of this with regulators and policy makers.  This was a major factor prompting Helen to pursue a career in environmental law.  Helen has an MRes in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St Andrews and an LLM in Environmental Law from Newcastle University.  She regularly presents on the interaction between marine mammal science and law, including at both marine mammal and legal conferences.  Helen is also a guest lecturer on this topic at the University of St Andrews.   Helen also has a number of roles within the UK Environmental Law Association, including being a member of the Nature Conservation Working Party and she is qualified marine mammal medic with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue.  

Derek Crawley (Standing for Vice-Chair)

I have been a member of the Society for about 30 years, playing a more active role in the last 20 years. Previously I sat on Council for six years as Local Group Representative, retiring in 2018 but remaining co-opted for two years. I am a Trainer for the Society and currently sit on both the Training and Local Group Committees.

I lead Verification of mammal records on iRecord for the Society which followed on from the coordinating records for the Atlas Project with its’ subsequent publication in 2020. I received the Society’s Medal in 2021.

I am the founder chair of the Staffordshire Mammal Group and in my spare time for work I am a land based assessor and verifier for vocational qualifications, watch Otters and record as many mammals as possible wherever I am.

Victoria Chanin (Standing for Hon Secretary)

Victoria Chanin has been working with Scottish Wildlife Trust in their Saving Scotland’s’ Red Squirrels project as both Project Officer for the South West, and Communications and Public Engagement Officer for the project since 2019.

Prior to that, Victoria did bat, badger and botanical surveys as a sub-contractor for Alpha Ecology, a consultancy based in South-West Scotland, while volunteering at National Trust Scotland site Grey Mare’s Tail, an upland nature research with many botanical treasures, wild goats and peregrines nesting regularly.

When Victoria isn’t working she enjoys a bit of swimming in local lochs throughout the year and getting out into the mountains with her son and dogs.

More Information 

If members would like to nominate anyone else to stand for election they are very welcome to do so.  Nominations should be made in writing to the Hon Sec, Merryl Gelling, 99 Poplar Grove, Kennington, Oxford, OX1 5QR or merryl@spiresecology.com.

Draft Accounts 2021: Please find the SOFA (Income and expenditure report) and SOFP (Balance Sheet), both are still subject to Independent Examination.