Blog » National Chairmans' Diary
National Chairmans' Diary
National Chairman’s Diary
September: After the National Council meeting in Stafford, Marion and I headed down to La Lavandou in the South of France, stopping on the way down at Dijon. We had a great holiday, relaxing by the sea with the odd glass of wine.
October: Back after our two-week break it was time to travel up the North Road to Pontefract to join members of the Yorkshire Branch for their annual Ladies night at The Kyte Hotel, Darrington. We arrived fairly early to find that Ken and Joyce Morgan and David and Brenda Wynne had beaten us to it. Only one thing to do, meet in the bar. We were joined quite quickly by Jim and Joan Jump and members of the Yorkshire Branch including Keith and Doreen Sykes, who had flown over from Spain for the occasion. As they say in the muck-shifting world “the craic was fierce”. All too soon it was time to get changed for the evening. A nice meal, short speeches, good music and good company, all the ingredients for a successful evening.
Our thanks to David and Gillian and the Yorkshire Branch committee.
November :The first Friday was the date for the Glasgow Branch Gentlemen’s Evening.We had travelled up on Friday morning, the A1 running quite smoothly, crossing the country via the A66, onto the M6 and then on to Glasgow. The Crowne Plaza is on the banks of the Clyde in a quite picturesque location, with the BBC Scotland offices on the opposite bank. After a cup of tea it was time to get changed. Marion and Carole were going out to dinner with Ruby Longmuir and Trish Cochrane while I had been invited to the Top Table at the Gentlemen’s evening. First, a visit to the bar for a drink and chat with Hugh Brown and Alan Toale, then upstairs to join the Top Table guests.We were piped in and served a very good meal, the Glasgow Chairman Don Cochrane presented their Apprentice of the Year with his award and it was time for the speeches. All I can say is “how do they do it”! Jokes and stories flowed like the wine. A fine evening and I was congratulated on wearing my St George’s bow tie and cufflinks.
Our thanks to Don and Trish Cochrane and John and Ruby Longmuir and the Glasgow Branch committee for making us so welcome.
The Annual PEMIC awards took place at Birmingham City University on the 16th. Gerry Bingham had arranged for National Officers and Branch Representatives to attend. I met National Treasurer Gerry Hill and Life President Frank Fiveash along with Peterborough & District Branch Representative Mary Lancaster at Gerry’s house for a light lunch prepared by Carole Hill, then we all travelled to Birmingham for the evening awards ceremony. The foyer was jam-packed with delegates while we waited for the event to start. We were soon seated and National Vice Chairman Professor David Edwards started the ball rolling by announcing the recipients, including Neville Rowell, long time Branch Secretary, of the Silver Medals followed by the prestigious Gold Medals, among the awardees were Chris Miller our National Registrar, and Vic Spilliard, from our Staffs & Midlands Branch. Once again, a different meal, but the good company of fellow CMPE members. The comedians were working hard, hampered by a ‘hardly-up-to-it’ sound system. My thanks to Gerry Bingham for co-ordinating this event and to PEMIC for all the hard work involved.
28th November: Barns Hotel, Cannock was the venue for the Stafford College Apprentice Awards. Marion accompanied me to this special evening. There were approximately sixty people to see these two young men receive their awards. Staffs and Midlands Branch have been holding this awards evening for many years. Photos of CMPE stalwarts Neville Rowell, Chris Miller, Mike Clancy, David Fielden and Andy Webb were among many presenters over the years.
Pat Perry assisted by Pete Roberts both of Stafford College, outlined the events leading up to these awards with excerpts from their college reports. The Staffs and Midlands Branch provide two shields and an amount of money which goes towards tools for the two winners. Jamie Trewen, of A P Webb Ltd was the winner of the Level 3 award and Robert Davies from Land & Water Grp was the winner of the Level 2 award. Friends, family and work colleagues led the congratulations to the worthy winners. Well done to everybody involved.
Next on the evening agenda was a presentation by Sean O’Hara, Midlands Area Sales Manager with Liebherr, videos of the extensive product range were shown. The after sales side of things were summed up by Service Supervisor Jamie Rushton. We saw that a queue was forming which meant that the buffet was ready and the plate of Beef and Ale Pie went down very well. Liebherr had provided some models and Pens for the Raffle and I think that everybody went home with something from Liebherr.
My thanks to Neville Rowell and the Staffs & Midlands Branch members, for making Marion and I so very welcome.
December : Marion and I have been invited to the Aberdeen Branch Annual Dinner Dance and so we are looking forward to that. In the mean time may I take this opportunity to wish you all the very best for Christmas and may the New Year bring you Health, Wealth and Good Fortune.
Bob Nugent
National Chairman
