LANCING CLUB AGM 2010 – CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

In reading this year’s Club Magazine, I noted that my report spanned over two pages. I promise to be shorter this year. Since I last reported we have had a good-ish year. Actually a good year but with a couple of reservations.

On the social scene, we had a most enjoyable Reception here in HQS Wellington. Accordingly, we have returned by popular demand rather than because of my affinity with ships.

We held a really good Club Carol Service at Chelsea Old Church for which we are grateful to Canon David Reindorp for welcoming us so warmly and to Tom Robson for organising the excellent choir. The Service was followed by wine and mince pies after which we retired to the Pub. A most convivial occasion which we will repeat this year but with yet more emphasis on creating a Christmas Party atmosphere.

We were disappointed at having to cancel the Club Dinner – our Guest of Honour had to withdraw at short notice because he was summoned by Bill Clinton – mistaken priorities I know – and an alternative speaker late in the day would inevitably been less prestigious even if we could have found one. Reluctantly we made the decision to cancel.

The good news is that this year we return to the House of Commons for the Club Dinner on 5th November –yes, your Committee does have a sense of humour- where I am delighted to say our Guest Speaker is Sir William Gladstone. We are limited to 170 guests so early booking is recommended to avoid disappointment.

Next year marks the 200^th Anniversary of the Birth of Sir Nathaniel Woodard so we hope to have a ‘NAT 200’ theme to our Dinner which will be at the College on the last weekend in October.

OL Sports Clubs have been involved in a good level of activity: 

1. The OL Football Club although not reaching the Arthur Dunn Final this year achieved a respectable mid-table League position as did the second eleven. There was a good LOBFC Dinner in March where Chris Saunders was Guest of Honour.
2. There has been lots of activity in OL Fives with an excellent afternoon at the college last month. There is real enthusiasm within the Fives community.
3. Shooting continues to flourish under the ever youthful leadership of Ian Robinson and the new Club Captain Andrew Morley.
4. Golf. Our team won their first round match in the Halford Hewitt before losing to eventual semi-finalists Bradfield in the second round. Their recent Spring golf Day at Worplesdon was another good occasion.
5. You will see from the Club Magazine that Rugby is doing well.
6. Cricket appears to have come from deep and is now at least at periscope depth. A Report has been included in the Magazine after some years of absence and they have a good fixture list – hurrah!
7. A Sports Sub-Committee has been set up under the Chairmanship of Nick Evans with members allocated to specific sports to monitor and assist as required.
8. Your Club has made grants to football, fives and golf during the year 

David Rice will report shortly on our Finances but we have had a good year with our investments making a good recovery. In this respect I am most grateful to Harvey Rawlings for providing advice on our investments. As well as thanking David for his efforts as our Treasurer I would also wish to express the Club’s gratitude to Stephen Dexter for undertaking the Role of Reporting Accountant. 

A big item of Club expenditure is the Club Magazine. This year’s has again been the subject of very favourable comment. I recently attended the annual Old pupils Societies’ Annual conference and saw a large range of Old School Magazines. Ours compares more than favourably and I was somewhat proud to see how good ours is alongside others. We must thank John Selmon yet again for his fantastic effort in editing our Magazine; he too should be justly proud. I must also thank most warmly Richard Rawlings and Rob Black for their hard work in coordinating the advertising effort. We are however not complacent. Richard Rawlings is standing down after a long stint and as you know John Selmon has wanted to stand down for some years. You will have seen the advert in the Magazine for a new Editor and so I would ask if you know of anyone who would like to take on this role please encourage them to contact me. We will also take the opportunity afforded by having a new Editor of reviewing the format of the Magazine. [In response to a question from the Chairman, the AGM indicated unanimous support for the Magazine to continue in hard copy] 

Last year I said we would be reviewing the role of the Club in relationship with the Development Office. As you know the Development Office has been undergoing re-structuring and in my discussions with the Headmaster we have both agreed that the future link between the College and the Club must be right. While I personally feel we must work very closely indeed with the College, we must retain our own identity. Conclusion of this issue is an early objective for the new Club Committee.  Relevant to this are comments made at the Old Pupils Societies Conference by a Development Director from a School in the North. He said that his role as a Development Director was not ‘Fund Raising’ but ‘Friend Raising’. He was conscious that all too often Development Directors had achieved ‘Friend Razing’ rather than ‘Friend Raising’. I was delighted and I know this was a universal view that ‘one of us’ was appointed as Lancing’s new Development Director. Catherine already had a reputation for ‘Friend Raising’ and we wish her well in her new role at the same time thanking her for her work as OL Secretary. We also welcome Claire Welling as Development assistant; she is already making her presence felt within the OL community.

I would like to thank the Committee for their support over the year and in particular Anthony Phillips for his tireless work as our Club Secretary. David Wylie stands down after his 3 years on the Committee. David is not the most vociferous member of the Committee but when he speaks what he says is well thought out and complete commonsense. We will miss his wise counsel.

I must also thank you, Mr President, for your warm support and good humour. 

I am excited by the fact that we have 5 Club members asking you in a few moments to elect them to the Committee among them 2 Young OLs. 

Last year I said that I would stand down at this stage as your Chairman. Well two ‘Fs’ have contributed to me asking you shortly to re-elect me; F-ailure to identify a successor and F-lattery by some asking me not to go. Well this time next year I will have been your Chairman for 10 years. Enough is enough – enough for me, enough for the Committee and enough for you. So no expense is being spared in identifying a relief. That well-known firm of head-hunters, Ventham and Shute, are leading the search for my successor. [Shute seems more appropriate for firing than hiring!]. Please let them know if you know of anyone willing to take on this role.

In the meantime, I believe we can make good progress over the next year with a full Committee containing some new blood. It may be a coalition of widely differing views but we will deliver.

In summary, Mr President, I believe that the Club is in good overall health but as with any body over 100 years old there are some minor ailments. These can be cured over the next year and unlike human bodies of the same age, this one is not going to die in the next few years.

Accordingly, Mr President, may I ask that you invite the AGM to accept my report.