The evenings take time to organise by your Committee members, and cost the branch money, so please try to come along and support your branch and help to make it a success.. The buffet will initially be paid out of branch funds but in future members will be asked for a £5 donation as, to cover the cost of the buffet & room, we need at least 10 members to attend these evenings. 

Contact has been made with several guest speakers and future events during 2010 are currently in the planning stage, including a ranger led visit to Kielder Forest, a one day ammunition reloading seminar with Vince Reynolds, a visit to a local fallow deer park, rifle zero and practice range days.  Details of dates, venues and timings will be published in future editions of the Branch Newsletter and on this website page.

The Branch AGM will be held at Whalton Village Hall on Sunday 24th January 2010 and will be called to order at 1500hrs.

1. Agenda will be as follows:-
   1. Apologies for absence.
   2. The approval of 2009 AGM Minutes.
   3. The Chairman's written report on the Branch activities for the year, and the report of the Committees stewardship of the Branch.
   4. The Chairman's written report on the activities of the main Society.
   5. The Financial report by the Treasurer, and the presentation and approval of the Branch accounts.
   6. The election of the new Committee by paper ballot.
   7. Any other business.
   8. Closure of meeting.

After the main business of the AGM refreshments will be served whilst the judging of our three annual competitions takes place. The competition categories are:-

1. 1. Best head taken within the Branch area in the 2009 season.
   2. Best cull head (an animal selected as a suitable cull beast due to age, malformation, poor condition, etc).
   3. Best photograph.

It was decided at a Committee meeting early in 2005 that heads entered for either category should be Roe. The reason was to encourage the good management and cull planning of wild deer within the branch area, and the only wild species existing in our branch area in sufficient number is Roe.

On the evening of Tuesday 2nd February, at The Highlander Inn, we will welcome our first guest speaker of the year. Dr Alastair Ward from Defra will speak on the subject of Tuberculosis.

On the evening of Tuesday 2nd March, again at The Highlander Inn, our guest speaker will be Karis Baker from Durham University. Karis will speak about Roe deer genetics and the origins of our local Roe.

On Tuesday 6th April at Highlander Inn, our guest speaker will be Ed Dyson from Deer Initiative. Ed will speak on a number of subjects, including his experiences of deer management in Japan.     

We look forward to making 2010 a great success so we look forward to seeing you.  Please keep looking out for updates on this page.