The Putney Society held its Annual General Meeting on Monday evening at the Community Church on Werter Road, welcoming members both in person and via video conference.
The evening combined the business of Society elections and financial reporting with an inspiring address from former Putney MP and local resident Justine Greening, who spoke movingly about social mobility and her personal journey from a working-class background to Westminster.
Financial Overview: Stability Amid Rising Costs
Treasurer Andrew Nicol presented the accounts for the year ending 31 December 2024, highlighting a small deficit but leaving total reserves comfortably above the Society’s target reserve.
Income was down 4%, driven by fewer social events and a slight decline in membership subscriptions. Expenditure rose by nearly a fifth, including a significant one-off cost for the development of a new website, and increased expenses for committee and AGM meetings. Members approved a £4 rise in subscription fees from 2025 for those opting to receive the printed Bulletin.
Elections and Committee Updates
The meeting confirmed the following officers:
• Chair: Robert Argüile
• Treasurer: Andrew Nicol
• Vice Presidents: Derek Purcell, David Radcliffe, Hugh Thompson
• The Secretary position remains vacant, with an urgent call for volunteers.
New Executive Committee members include Serena Binnie, Alison Fishwick, and Nazim Osmanick, alongside several re-elected members.
Panel Highlights: Active Year for Local Engagement
Each of the Society’s four Panels reported a busy year:
• Transport Panel: Worked closely with Wandsworth Council on air quality monitoring and responded to Heathrow expansion consultations.
• Open Spaces Panel: Maintained strong partnerships with local environmental groups and ran the expanded Front Garden Awards across 28 streets.
• Community Panel: Engaged in Roehampton Green Team projects and public health partnerships.
• Buildings Panel: Continued to monitor planning applications and development trends, including efforts to influence local conservation policy.
Justine Greening: Personal Reflections and National Vision
The standout moment of the evening came with a speech by Justine Greening, who returned to her local roots to address members on the importancep of social mobility. Drawing on her own story — including the formative impact of her father losing his job at British Steel — Greening spoke about the role that education and opportunity played in her path from a state school in Rotherham to becoming Secretary of State for Education.
She emphasized the need for continued efforts to close opportunity gaps across the UK and shared insights from her post-Parliament work, including founding the Social Mobility Pledge, which encourages businesses and institutions to open up access to careers and development.
Her heartfelt talk was met with strong engagement from members during the Q&A, underscoring the Society’s commitment to tackling both local and broader social challenges.
