Hello Everyone
We have been beset by one or two April Showers this month. It is also the month of change at SI with thank yous to our lovely outgoing Club Presidents and welcome to our new ones. I look forward to arranging a Zoom Meeting in July with all our new Club Presidents and afterwards meeting new Club PA Officers to hear your plans and ideas.
This month saw the first meeting of a Club Treasurers’ Network Group which I attended with Regional Treasurer Alison Elsmore. I hope Clubs find this helpful and that it helps ensure inclusion, consistency and good communication throughout Midland Chase Region.
As Covid-19 restrictions reduce it is also time to look at Membership and Extension. We were lucky to have Dishi Attwood (formerly of SI Lichfield, now of SI Leamington Spa) SIGBI Growth Plan Officer, to set up a Working Party of volunteers to see how we can retain our valuable members and attract new ones.
35 brave souls took up the challenge of Zoom Training from a professional company which was very well received, and should enable more of us to participate much more effectively in Zoom Meetings. I really do think we will be utilising Zoom for a while yet, perhaps seasonally when Winter weather precludes travelling, or when mobility issues arise. Most members can access it now and it is so good to include everyone every time if we can. We certainly enjoy excellent attendances and clubs are able to offer so much more in terms of events which appeal to a broader audience.
In the light of recent events, SI Stafford held a silent vigil expressing the need to eliminate violence against women and girls here and worldwide. It was vey well organised and marshalled and supported by the local MP and other organisations. You can read more about it here.SI Tamworth invited Lesley Smith from Tutbury Castle to speak in the guise of Peggy Knight who became a wartime spy in WWII. Peggy had written a book on her exploits and very exciting they sounded too.
This year’s UKPAC Study Day was a corker! The morning speakers on Modern Slavery were excellent and while the parliamentary speakers had to cancel in respect for the loss of HRH Prince Philip, we have something to look forward to now on Saturday 3rd July 2021.
The latter half of April has seen many of us receiving our second jab. There seemed to be fewer side effects and I hope you are all able to take advantage of the vaccines offered.
I wish every member good health and more happiness in the coming months as we edge towards normality again.
In friendship.
Margaret