Don't mention the Guild...

So I attended the NSW Knitters' Guild AGM this weekend. Oh boy.

I received a very warm welcome from the incoming Vice-President - I was amazed at how enthusiastic she was about the fact that I was there, and she really made the point that she was glad to see a young person... and how the Guild really wants to attract more young people to join.

That attitude seemed at odds with a lot of things that later transpired.

I got to witness first hand some of the resistance shown by members of the Guild toward changing things to make them more accessible - namely making information available on the web and leveraging the knowledge and skills of existing members who want to help with activities.

Questions were seen as personal attacks. There was no mention made of how members could get involved and help. It seems a sad thing that the Guild has members who can (and want to) help with things like enhancing digital photographs or properly storing and archiving the collection of knitted work, but these people are turned away or dismissed because those in charge want to do it their way.

The incoming Secretary was inaugurated but later resigned the same day - something which I was quite upset about as I know that she had some wonderful ideas for the future of the Guild.

I really wonder how the Guild will go about attracting and keeping new members if they are so resistant to embracing the things that will enable them to do so.

I'm considering trying to get in as Secretary... I am just waiting to try and find out some more about the duties required and I want to see if I can gauge the time I'd have to put in. If all else fails, I'm going for committee next year. there needs to be a serious shift in attitude.