PRESIDENTS REPORT - AGM SLOW FOOD NOOSA - 7 DECEMBER 2007

I am pleased to present this report to the Annual General Meeting of the Slow Food Noosa Convivium.

BREAKFASTS
The Convivium continued to organise monthly Breakfasts at Pilu Ristorante this year, in a delightful ambiance with some very good speakers

  • February John and Lexie Lightening from Slow Rise Bakery
  • March Jason Sgro from Spanner Crabs Noosa
  • April Dale Chapman Terra Madre 2006 in Turin Italy
  • May Steve Standish Organic Vegetable Grower
  • June cancelled due to commitment to Long Weekend functions
  • July Julie Norton Dietitian and Nutriton Consultant
  • August cancelled due to lack of numbers
  • September Acland Brierty from The Spirit House
  • October Bob Cameron environmentally responsible builder
  • November Anne Marshall Slow Cheese Festival 2007 in Bra Italy

All breakfasts were well supported by members and friends and ran at a small profit with the help of the monthly raffle.

FUNCTIONS
Our goal to hold a function for the members every 2 months was almost met
1 INTERNATIONAL SAUSAGE SIZZLE
with a Pavlova Competition, at the Art Gallery Riverside in March- a low cost event with family appeal
2 TASTE OF SLOW COOKERY CLASS
at Kin Kin Manor Cookery School in May – a French Autumn theme run by Anne Marshall and Matt Golinski- attracted 30 people- good feedback
3 ‘LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE’
in association with the Noosa Long Weekend Arts Festival – a film with food function
at the ‘J’- catered by Matt Golinski and the Rolling Dolmade company - attracted 110 people- a great success
4 SLOW FOOD SUPPER
for ‘Floating Lands’ Artists, for the Art Gallery – a Noosa Long Weekend event – catered by Matt, the Rolling Dolmade company and Anne Marshall. A fund raising function
5 SLOW FOOD CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION IN THE HINTERLAND
a coach tour to the Blackall Ranges with a visit and tasting at the Maleny Cheese factory and a Degustation Lunch at ‘the Reserve Restaurant’, Maleny was hailed a great success by the 35 delighted participants.

All functions ran at a profit.

The Slow Food Italian Pot Luck Lunch was cancelled due to heavy rains and floods in the area.

SLOW FOOD SCHOOL GARDEN PROJECT
After much discussion,we were delighted to launch this project, in June.. Leonie Shanaghan, an accredited and experienced Permaculture Gardener was commissioned to run the School Garden Project at Noosaville State Junior School for 6 months at a cost of $6,000.

Profits raised at the Cookery Class, Like Water for Chocolate and the Slow Food Supper were used to finance this project.

We were rapidly involved in a School Garden Blitz, a Planting Day culminating in 2 Harvest and Cooking Days with the children enjoying them immensely.

Katrina Ryan headed the School Garden Committee and liased with Leonie.

Peter Wolfe established a Slow Food Soup Kitchen at the Eumundi Markets to raise funds for this project.

My thanks to both Katrina and Peter who did admirable jobs

SLOW FOOD NOOSA WEB SITE
This was launched mid-year by founding member Leonie Palmer-Fisher, with Lucy Pallandre commissioned to execute the technical ‘stuff’ in setting out information.. This helps give Slow Food Noosa a professional image, looks very attractive and is a source of information for members and those interested in learning about our Noosa convivium.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
Slow Food Noosa had an Information table at ‘Celebration of Australian Wine and Food’
Event in May which gave us some very good exposure.

We hoped to do the same thing at the Italian Australian Spettacolare but this was cancelled.

We commissioned the design and production of a poster to explain Slow Food for such functions and this is on display at all the Breakfasts.

Katrina Ryan obtained a complimentary banner for Slow Food Noosa which is used to promote the Garden Project.

Jayne Keogh, our PR committee member, has helped us to promote some functions with very good results in the media.

A weekly Friday spot on local ABC radio, with John Stokes has been a valuable resource, presenting a recipe and dish prepared by Slow Food cooks.

COMMITTEE
This year we started with a small, inexperienced committee. As our experience grew, we have learned members strengths, developed systems and now have a much stronger committee.

Regrettably, Martha Shepherd is resigning and I am resigning from the position of President, both due to increased and unrelenting work commitments, with no lessening of our dedication to the Slow Food cause.

We have had a very active year organising enjoyable Breakfasts and Functions for our members and friends and the completion of a very successful School Garden Project, a first for this committee- and financially we are in credit.

I am very proud of our achievements and thank all the committee members for helping to make this happen.

A new committee will see many of the same faces in 2008, this stability, combined with some ‘fresh blood’ will be announced very soon, along with the program for 2008.
In finishing, I must appeal for all members to offer what help they can throughout the coming year, to assist Slow Food Noosa to continue to be a strong, viable and valuable member of this worthy international organisation.

My warm regards,
Matt Golinski
President, Slow Food Noosa 2007.


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