Motion #28

Green Seniors Report

Report of Green Seniors Special Interest Group

Membership is currently 438 Green Party members having grown from 357 in March.

Green Seniors held their AGM on 15th January 2024. Appointments to Committee were incomplete as the day previously three of the candidates Freda Davis, Eric Walker and Nicola Watson had been put on No Fault Suspensions by Regional Council (these suspensions are still in place).

The AGM confirmed the election of Diana Toynbee (Secretary) Jay Ginn (without portfolio), Alex Geddis (without portfolio) and Erwin Schaefer (Media) to Committee and subsequently Andrew Bradbury and Sandy Irvine have been made co-opted members (without portfolios). Alex Geddis volunteered to take on the Membership portfolio during Eric Walker’s suspension.

Despite the ongoing suspensions, which have also drained some of the remaining Committee members’ time, the Committee met monthly throughout the year (save for a break during the General Election) with all Seniors members notified of the opportunity to observe meetings. Typically 20 or so members have observed each meeting chaired on rotation by the Committee members.

Several of the meetings have had guest speakers followed by Q&A. Speakers so far this year have been Hazel Pegg on the ecology and peace movement in the 1970’s and 80’s, Sandy Irvine on the work of the Elders Council in the North East, Hamza Egal on their plans for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Caroline Russell on their work on the London Assembly on campaigning for toilet provision in the Capital.

Green Seniors stall at Party Conference attracted interest and support from across the Party, reflecting the value of the experiences of long serving members and activists in the life of the Party.

Green Seniors sends a representative to the monthly Equality and Diversity Committee. All such meetings this year have been attended with a report made back to Seniors Committee. Committee have appointed an ERO to plan the elections to Committee ahead of an AGM early in 2025.

Green Seniors Committee 15th October 2024