MBLA: Annual General Meeting 2026
This is to notify all members that our AGM will be held at Penzance Sailing Club, Albert Pier, TR18 2LL on Wednesday 11th March 2026 commencing at 7.30 (open from 7.00 p.m.) with agenda. If you want to include additional agenda items please let us know before 3rd March 2026.
Nominations for Committee Members and Trustees
Please let us know by 3rd March if you have Nominations for Committee Members and Trustees. Nominees must be willing to stand. You can also put yourself forward and if that is the case, you will need to be formally proposed and seconded.
Nominations (for any role); Agenda Items; and Apologies can be submitted via our website, using the sequence:- happyreturn.org (scroll down) > Learn More (list at the left) >
Contact
Send us an email
Officers standing down as of March are:-
Chairman and Trustee - James Walker
Treasurer and Trustee - Dave Keast
Membership Secretary and Trustee - Mark Mitchell
Heritage Officer and Trustee - Marieanne Davy Ball
Officers willing to stand again are:-
Secretary and Trustee - Julia Johnson
Membership Secretary and Trustee - Mark Jennings
Other Officer and Trustee - Una Taylor
Other Officer and Trustee - Tim Evans
Officer vacancies:-
Chairman and Trustee
Treasurer and Trustee
Other Officers and Trustees x 2
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MBLA - 2026 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
ON WEDNESDAY 11TH MARCH 2026
Commencing at 7.30 (open from 7.30 p.m.)
Venue: Penzance Sailing Club, Albert Pier, TR18 2LL
AGENDA
1/. Welcome
2/. Apologies
3/. Minutes of the 2025 AGM (20th March 2025)
4/. Matters Arising from 3/ above
5/. Reports
1 Chairman
2 Secretary [errors in minutes, and /or additional admin info??]
3 Treasurer : annual reports : Receipts and Payments, Assets & Liabilities
4 Membership Secretary
6/. Election of Officers
1 Chairman
2 Secretary
3 Treasurer
4 Membership Secretary
5 Other Committee Members x 4 *
7/. Any Other Business
8/. Date of next Meeting March 2027
* Note: although the Marieanne Davey Ball is standing down as a Committee and Trustee Officer, she is kindly continuing to take care of the MBLA heritage.
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Minutes of the previous meeting.
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MOUNT’S BAY LUGGER ASSOCIATION
Penzance Sailing Club, Albert Pier, TR18 2LL. 7.30 pm, 20th March 2025
MINUTES OF THE 2025 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Present.
Committee :- James Walker (Chairman) David Keast (Treasurer) Julia Johnson (Secretary)
Mark Mitchell ( Maintenance and Membership Secretary)
Marieanne Davy Ball (Heritage Officer)
Carol Alway
Liz Wood
Una Taylor
Other Members :- Paul Acreman, Mark Jennings, Mary Hallard, Tim Evans, Hermione Morrison, Helen Shackleton, Lloyd Turner, John Diston, Nina Smith, Peter Hanks, Susanna Hanks, Stewart Bradley, John Tellam, David Oldcorn, Nick Darling, Caroline Keane, Amanda Noddeboe, Nigel Walker.
1/. Welcome.
James Walker opened the Meeting at 7.30 p.m. and welcomed those attending.
2/. Apologies.
Bob Glanville, John Van De Hoff, Fee Mohan, Amanda King, Ken Sharp, Paul Izaard, John Sullivan, Johanna Snel, Roger Roberts, Pat Beaghan, Benjamin Oldcorn, Mike Halse, Lorna Halse.
3/. Minutes of the 2023 AGM, held on 8th March 2024
These were accepted as a true record, and signed by the Chairman. (Proposed by Mark Mitchell; seconded by Hermione Morrison).
4/. Matters Arising from 3/. above.
No Matters arising.
5/. Reports
5/. 1 Chairman.
THANKS
The Chairman addressed all attending expressing gratitude to the committee and special thanks to our departing trustees Liz Wood and Carole Alway for their years of support. He further gave special thanks to Dick Belton for maintaining the MBLA website; Nick Darling for his woodworking skills and whose generosity of time and craftsmanship save the association many thousands of pounds; and Marieanne Davy Ball, our Heritage Officer for securing financial donations from The Folkestone Fishing Museum and the National Historic Ships Association.
Special thanks also extended to John Van Der Hoff for his work as skipper and safety officer and stand-in treasurer in the absence of David Keast; along with all skippers and mates for making it possible to keep Happy Return sailing.
SAILING EVENTS
Total number of sailing events were up to 52, being 8 more than the previous season; and included trips to Scilly Isles, Brittany, East of The Lizard, Porthleven, Mousehole and special occasions for the Sea Cadets.
87 members sailed at least once, with the most sails being Julia Johnson, Mary Hallard, Mark Mitchell and Stewart Bradley.
Liz Wood, Mary Hallard and Fee Mohan championed fund raising which along with the monies initiated by Marieanne’s efforts met the target of £5000 to go towards the work being carried out at Sandy Cove boatyard.
Our maintenance members headed by Mark Mitchell have been working hard to spend said mentioned funds which help to pay for replacing rotten bulwarks and gunwales topside, not to mention slipping the ship in Newlyn Harbour to service below waterline planking, seacocks, anodes, prop shaft and other areas which require attention. Much work is still in progress and much still to be completed before sailing starts in the new season.
The Chairman thanked one and all for their ongoing support to enable the Happy Return to continue sailing.
5/.2 SECRETARY - nothing to report
5/.3 TREASURER
The Accounts for the year ending 28th February 2025 were distributed to those in attendance. These showed Receipts, Payments, Assets and Liabilities. The Treasurer highlighted various points including the following:-
Total Income was £18,761. Most income came from Membership Subscriptions, one time donations, Boat Fund Contributions, Merchandise Sales and 50:50 Lotto.
Total Expenditure was £12,445.
Surplus for the year was £6,316.
Total Assets stand at £54,787.51. Liabilities stand at £700.00 (Annual subscriptions paid in advance). Net Assets £55,487.54.
The Treasurer extended gratitude to John Van Der Hoff for deputising in his absence.
5/.4 MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
Membership increased from 156 to 182 applications this year. Notably new members were often introduced by existing members and the secretary re-asserted the association’s continuing desire to increase the membership. There is a place for a wide spectrum of people with equally variant scope of skills, interests, dedication and enthusiasm who are always welcomed with joy and satisfaction in the association, despite the grumbly old croaks who continue to express themselves in the stern, with, it has to be said, grace and patience.
6/. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
6/.1 CHAIRMAN, SECRETARY, TREASURER, MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY
and OTHER OFFICERS
Liz Wood and Carol Alway stood down from the Committee.
All other officers agreed to continue to serve for the coming year, and were proposed by Stewart Bradley and seconded by Nigel Walker.
Nominations had been received to fill the 2 vacancies. Mark Jennings was proposed by John Tellam and Seconded by Carol Alway. Tim Evans was proposed by Hermione Morrison and seconded by John Diston.
There were no objections raised and the voting carried unanimously.
7/. NO OTHER BUSINESS
8/. DATE OF NEXT MEETING 11th MARCH 2026
Meeting closed at 20.00hrs.