2006 - 2007 ANNUAL REPORT
TO THE MEMBERSHIP
The following report was prepared by the Secretary on behalf of your Committee and ratified by the 2007 AGM at Reading on 14 April.
Once again it has been an interesting and busy year for your Committee, who have deliberated on a wide range of issues. The highlight of the year was the 30th Birthday celebrations held at De Vere Venues, Reading, Berkshire.
1…GENERAL OFFICERS
The following, elected under Rule 7 a-d (Duties) have led the Committee throughout the past 12 months - Harry Worth (Chair) John Sheldon (Vice-Chair) Ian Williams (Secretary) and Peter Jays (Treasurer)
2…COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The following, elected under Rule 6 a-e (Committee) Members served the Association from April 2006-April 2007: Clive Brooks, Ray Higginson, Alf Kitwood, Les Lovitt, Graham McRoberts, Jay O’Donnell, Alf Tupper and Dave Wallace. AK was re-elected at the AGM and Peter Williams was elected onto Committee to replace Les Lovitt. Again, we have been well supported by our Patron, Andy Barnwell who has agreed to carry on as Patron for another term.
3…MEETINGS
The Committee held their Autumn interim meeting at the Rembrandt Hotel in Weymouth on October 7th. An ACA30 planning meeting was held at Wokefield Park on February 1st. The 2007 AGM (ACA30) took place at Wokefield Park, Reading on April 14th. A 2007 Social Sub-Committee was formed under the Chairmanship of our Patron and co-ordinated the 30th birthday celebrations for ACA30.
4…OTHER ASSOCIATIONS
We continue to maintain strong social links with the following sister FAA organizations and exchange correspondence and magazines; The FAAOA (Officers) FAAHA (Handlers), FAAAA (Armourers) RNR Air Branch and the TAGA (Telegraphist Air Gunners) We also, through Associate Members Andrew G. Linsley and John Beattie, support and maintain a cordial working relationship with the RNHF. We now have a further link with the Royal British Legion (see Note 5)
5…ROYAL BRITISH LEGION
In December 2005, your Committee applied to the RBL for the right to take an active part in the Whitehall and Royal Albert Hall ceremonies annually in November. This was granted and, for the first time ever, the Association paraded its standard during the Remembrance weekend in London. We were also represented at the Lee-on-Solent celebrations over the same weekend. Our inaugural standard bearer Alf Kitwood has been replaced by Roger Bigden.
6…RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STRATEGY
All Committee Members are committed to promote the ACA with a view to increasing our profile and Membership. POACMN Jay O’Donnell (771 SAR Flight) looks after all matters at RNAS Culdrose and WOACMN Phil Crick at RWSF (assisted by George Gardiner) represents the Association at RNAS Yeovilton. Sam Norris, with the RAF at Odiham, helps with all matters inter-service. ACA goodwill and promotional visits continue to take place on the Squadrons and at the major Air Stations. Future social events will continue to be advertised in and around the FAA. Joining forms are available to all serving Aircrewmen within the Fleet Air Arm. We have continued to support our station reps with communication and recruiting and our Membership from within the serving Aircrewman community is the best it’s ever been. TACAN is now distributed to all Squadron crewrooms regardless of ACA Membership therein.
7…MEMBERSHIP
Since the last AGM we have had 20 new members made up of 14 Full, 4 Overseas, and 2 re-joins. At the moment we have an Honorary member (Ms Peel) with no postal address. We have received 1 resignation. There have been no reported deaths since the last AGM. All Members now have their own numbered ACA Membership card and everyone was issued with a new car sticker. Following a decision made at the 2006 AGM and endorsed by the Committee in Weymouth, all incorrect payers do not now receive member benefits.
OUR CURRENT MEMBERSHIP STANDS AT:
FULL (Paying £15) 228 (including 4 pending)
FULL (Paying £10) 66 (includes 4 Associate
FULL (Paying £5) 3
FULL (Paying NIL) 39
LIFE 28
ASSOCIATE 7
ASSOCIATE (Paying £10) 4
OVERSEAS 31
HONORARY 19
TOTAL 425 (317 bona-fide + 108 incorrect payers)
approx 17 % of this number are serving Aircrewmen in all 3 services
8…FINANCIAL MATTERS
The Treasurer furnished the AGM with a rundown of the Association’s accounts for the year. These were made available in hard copy form to the Committee. The Associations accounts were checked by 2 independent witnesses on November 5th 2005.
9…TACAN
This is the Association’s main financial outgoing. Annual cost to produce is around £1190 and postage costs approx. £260 per annum. Edition 32 was despatched to Members at Christmas. This edition contained more colour content, and as a result, an increase in production cost. The magazine now costs approx £1.75 per copy. In accordance with a decision made by the AGM some years ago, Members in arrears with their subscriptions do not receive TACAN. We are actively seeking sponsorship for the magazine to help offset costs. Due to the continued close electronic communication between the Treasure and Secretary, we now encounter very few TACAN returns.
Those that we do encounter are quickly found, either by word of mouth or through the ‘lost souls’ page of the website.
10…ASSOCIATION WEBSITE (www.aircrewman.org.uk)
During the course of the year, Alan Paterson and Alan Ashdown have continued to develop the Association website. AP has decided to stand down and AA will run the website with the assistance of the Chairman. With Internet access now widely available, it is satisfying to know that most applications for Membership come from the website via the on-line joining form. We remain committed to support and develop this resource as a key to our future communications strategy. The current annual cost to maintain our site is £102.49 (Registration is £25 every 2 years and hosting is £89.99) We have now found our way onto various MOD, Naval and other Service Association links pages.
11…SPORTING EVENTS
John Sheldon continues as FO Golf. The 2007 Golf Championship was held prior to the AGM at Wokefield, where Razor Keen was ACA Champion.
12..FUTURE SOCIAL EVENTS/MEETINGS
The next Committee weekend will take place on 14 and 15 September 2007 at the RSH Club, Portsmouth. Research is ongoing to find a suitable venue for the 2008 AGM/Social Weekend (ACA30)
IAN WILLIAMS
ASSOCIATION SECRETARY
MAY 2007