Meeting review – 1st November 2012

Chairman’s Blog – Meeting  Thursday 1^st November 2012

Some months come in like a lion, some like a lamb. November comes in like a slug, dark and oppressive with the whole of the Winter before us…..oh dear!!

Fortunately all those who attended this meeting were cheered up by a lively and comfortingly amusing meeting.   It started with the Jib Jab animations whilst we networked before breakfast.

27 members attended and 2 guests – our prospective photographers, Chris Sadler and Rosemary Cleave.

The Education Slot, delivered by the Education and Development Officer himself, ran through the importance and essential requirements of the 60 second presentation.   Was it useful? ………..yes.   Did it improve the 60 second round?……….probably no.

Chris Smythe was trying to sell decoration for Christmas……or was it Christmas decorations?

The Whimsical Mike Topping, as always concerned for people’s security, felt recent changes in the law made it useful to have as part of your security armoury a shotgun so that you could shoot burglars although he did quite rightly warn that shooting them in the back might cause a problem. Such whimsy was carried over into Alan Shaw’s presentation.  His referrals wish list included instructions to design a Woodman’s Cottage which he then corrected to a edifice that was a cross between a Wendy House and a Woodman’s Cottage…..might that be a Wendy Cottage?   Of course “Wendy” sort of sounds like “Windy” and he immediately moved on to public toilets!!!

Now we were all awake!!!   Whether there was some element of inspiration gleaned from Alan Shaw’s presentation or not, Nick Morgan was suggesting that plain plate glass should have something impressed on it  or in some other way placed upon it to avoid banging into it.   His slogan was “Leave something other than the contents of your nose”.   A handkerchief draped over the glass would probably do.

Michael Adelizzi is slipping into old age.   This time supplying a walk in shower for the old folks that even had a seat.   This sent me off into a slight flight of fancy.   Why not adapt the seat and make it a toilet….the nearest thing that Michael could produce to a BOGOF.

Now those of us who still read books and have yet to be totally overtaken by the digital age felt we were being catered for by Adrian Crosdale as Serious Readers.   This I felt was going somewhere recognisable to the likes of Brian Painter and myself.   My hopes were dashed by the revelation that all we needed was a light bulb.   Still there were elements of comfort there.

Spectacular feat of the day was Kevin Brooks hoisting of one of him employee’s in a portaloo 40 feet up off the ground.  It reminded me of the reference by Terry Maylin last week to the principle of “mutual trust and confidence”.   No doubt inspired by loos and employees being subject to extreme pressure, Kevin Radford tried to inject “a squeaky bottom” moment into his 60 seconds by give dire warnings to the liabilities of Directors and Shareholders of Companies and the possibility of personal liability occurring particularly in relation to health and safety.   It sort of paved the way for Brian Painter who treated us all to an imitation of a jumbo jet in trying to get over the dangers of smoking.    Now there is a situation where a loo can be suspended 40,000 feet above the ground.   It slightly alleviated the morbid subject and won him the Oscar, probably for his perfect landing as he sat down afterwards.

Revelation of the week – Dawn Ribnell is a qualified Motor Cycle Instructor.   This was a prelude to her 10 minutes which was well received.

The referrals and testimonial round produced good statistics.

Last month approximately £90,000.00 worth of business was declared.

The first day of this month showed a further £24,000.00 worth of business written and referrals (with a few stragglers arriving towards the end of the meeting) amounted to 30.

The winner of the Performance League for October was Kevin Radford, a clear winner.   Congratulations Kevin.

Don’t forget the Christmas Dinner on the 21^st December, late bookings can still be received and watch out for an e-mail providing details of the 2 menus that will be available to choose from.   Please respond to Tina Walker’s e-mail and give us advance notice of your preferred menu.   You do not have to make the selection of food, simply the selection of menu.   This will enable us to give advance notice to the restaurant and facilitate the collection of monies for the food prior to the meal leaving only the drink bill to be decided on the night.

See you all next week.