Lucy answers the phone, and you introduce yourself. She is pleased you rang, as she has some information to run through with you.
She confirms the date and time of the next meeting, and gives you the street address for the meeting venue. You ask if she can send you through the previous Minutes, Terms of Reference and membership list for the Committee. Lucy offers to email them to you.
Although you want her to email the documents so you can save them to a file on your computer; you only have a small home printer. You ask if she can also post a copy of them out. She asks if you have any questions.
You ask her if there is any reimbursement for travel expenses, such as parking fees or public transport fares. She explains that the Committee can reimburse you for parking and public transport fares, or provide taxi vouchers in advance (you request some taxi vouchers for the first meeting).
You remember that one of your peer consumer representatives is required to maintain absolute confidentiality about the Committee work they do. You ask Lucy about this, knowing you are supposed to report to the Consumer Coalition after each meeting. Lucy explains that it is fine for you to report on the work of the Committee, provided the Consumer Coalition does not discuss this work outside of the organisation. She also explains that sometimes the Committee will ask members to keep certain items confidential, but that these will be clearly identified.
A short time later, you receive an email from Lucy, thanking you for getting in touch. She confirms that she has put the previous Minutes, Terms of Reference, membership list and taxi vouchers in the post to send to you; and she has also attached electronic copies of each of these.