<div dir="ltr"><span id="m_5473241670248887361docs-internal-guid-b5c5fd7a-7fff-0d58-8c1e-90b5f31fca90"><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Message from Toby Manning:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Board is saddened to inform the membership that Colin Williams has resigned as President. He held the role from 2024, and before that spent 4 years as BGA Secretary. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">During his time as President, Colin oversaw important developments including the modernisation of internal processes, progress on branding refresh, expanded social media engagement, and increased national and international visibility, including preparations for a UK bid for the European Go Congress. </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Colin's tireless work is greatly appreciated.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Colin writes:</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> “</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(18,18,18);font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">In mid-March I had chest pains, which were diagnosed in A&E as a heart attack. There followed a several week stay in hospital. This event, adding to a previous heart bypass in 2018, has caused considerable worry for my family which I don’t want to repeat. Hence I have decided to make several changes to my lifestyle and commitments.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(18,18,18);font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As a result I notified the Board of my decision to resign as BGA President with immediate effect. I appreciate the timing is awful with the AGM looming, for which I apologise, but in reality I have little choice.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(18,18,18);font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(18,18,18);font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">I have been an Officer of the BGA for six years now, which has always been a privilege, and has usually been a pleasure. I will of course continue to play Go, though I may attend fewer tournaments. I look forward to meeting you in person at one of them in the future.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(18,18,18);font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Toby Manning, who was Colin's predecessor as President, has been appointed by the Board to replace Colin, and will serve at least until we hold an Extraordinary General Meeting on Wednesday 17 June  at 19:00 by Zoom for members to determine who should be President going forward. Details are given below. Members who wish to stand for President need to put themselves forward by 20 May.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The EGM has been timed so that people can watch England play Croatia in the World Cup at 21:00 (but we do not expect the EGM to last 2 hours).</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">
</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Board wishes Toby the greatest success in this transitional role and thanks him for his support.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-weight:700;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) – process and motions</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">As a Limited Company, we are bound by our </span><a href="https://www.britgo.org/files/articles/articles0525.pdf" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Articles of Association</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> which we are obliged to follow: to deliberately break them is illegal. The timing of Colin Williams' resignation, and its proximity to the AGM present particular issues. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Articles require us to replace Colin as President (Article 14) and the Board has appointed Toby Manning, who will serve until the AGM .</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">It is now too late for anyone other than Toby to stand for President at the AGM; the deadline for nominations other than the incumbent at the time (who can self-nominate, Article 10) has already passed (Article 33). Legally, we are in the same position as if Colin had resigned immediately after the AGM.</span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(255,0,0);font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"> </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">There are no provisions within the Articles for an election other than at the AGM.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">However, the Board wishes to give the members the opportunity to have a new President without waiting for a year. Accordingly we will </span><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">hold an Extraordinary General Meeting on <b>17 June</b> at which the position of President can be contested.  </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If there are any nominations for Presid</span>ent, other than Toby Manning, the membership will vote on who shall be the BGA President. Ther<span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">e will be two motions as follows (where '[X]' is the name of the person nominated by two members):</span></p><ol style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline">We note that the timing of the resignation of Colin Williams as President means that the Membership did not have the opportunity to approve the election of the President at the recent AGM. We believe that it is in the best interests of the BGA to have new energy in the role, and that [X] is best placed to move the BGA forward. We therefore instruct the Board to take the following actions:</span></p></li></ol><ul style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:47pt;list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline">To co-opt [X] onto the Board</span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:47pt;list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline">To require Toby Manning to resign as President </span></p></li><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:47pt;list-style-type:disc;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline">To appoint [X] as President</span></p></li></ul><ol start="2" style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px"><li dir="ltr" style="margin-left:15px;list-style-type:decimal;font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-style:italic;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline">In the event Motion 1 is passed, to co-opt Toby Manning, if he and the incoming board are willing, back onto the Board as an ordinary member.</span></p></li></ol><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:10pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Board will follow these instructions if the relevant motion(s) are passed (Article 9). Toby has personally committed to resign in the event that Motion 1 is passed. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">If the motion fails to pass then Toby will continue as President for the year.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This procedure therefore provides a pseudo-election for President. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt;padding:0pt 0pt 10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">The Board requires 2 members to propose/second the motion, and for [X] to indicate their willingness to stand by 4 weeks before the meeting, i.e. by 20 May (Article 31). Applications should be sent to </span><a href="mailto:secretary@britgo.org" target="_blank" style="text-decoration:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">secretary@britgo.org</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. In the event that this does not happen then the EGM will be cancelled and Toby Manning will continue as President until the 2027 AGM.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:10pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-variant-alternates:normal;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">This statement was approved by the Board on 19 April 2026.</span></p></span></div>