Letter from the PDA CEO

Dear Members,

I trust my letter finds you all in good health and that your work is going well.

Speaking to Members across the country, the general consensus is that most appear to be busy with order books looking promising. Let’s hope that the easing of restrictions means that the grip of Covid-19 is loosening a little. Please continue to check the regular updates and advice on our homepage. You will all have received your invitation to renew your Membership back in December. For those of you who have already paid in full, may I thank you for doing so. For those still to pay, could I urge you to do so by 28 February. Subscriptions are our key income stream that enable us to continue to support you and to improve our services and offer. Once Membership is renewed, you will receive your new legal card containing the unique token code enabling you to access the Markel Law business and support hub. It is worth noting that this Member benefit alone would cost £190 per annum were it to be purchased individually.

For those who do pay in full by the end of February, you’ll be entered in our prize draw, with a Graco Ultramax hand-held airless spray machine as first prize in our prize draw. This is a really valuable piece of kit for any painting and decorating business. After two years of lockdowns, restrictions and worry, we wanted to give our Members the opportunity to enjoy a treat on us, so we also have three runners-up prizes to give away which allow each winner to choose an experience from a range of options from country manor hotel stays to a night glamping in a yurt, or activities such as zorbing, bungee jumping or scuba diving. Finally on the topic of subscriptions, for any Member who may be having difficulty in paying their subscriptions due to financial constraints, please call our head office and speak with our Membership Services Manager, Denice Harper, who is happy to advise on alternative payment methods.

We recently welcomed judges from the Institute of Clerks of Works to shortlist the Trophy Awards entires, there were 87 received in total across the seven categories, the highest number for several years. Judges’ site visits will begin in February. May I wish the very best of luck to all those shortlisted. We look forward to seeing you at Plasterers’ Hall, London on 7 July 2022.

Our four apprentice competitions are now arranged. This year we will be visiting Accrington and Rosendale, Coventry, New Kent, and Doncaster Hub Colleges. The application forms are available on our website, so if your apprentice wants to demonstrate their talents and be one of the winners joining me on stage in London on 7 July, please submit the entry form as soon as possible, as the closing date is looming!

Our new website is one year old this month. We have sent out a survey asking for your feedback on its usability, ease of navigation, and features. Any suggestions for future improvements to the site are all welcome, please do return the survey, the website and your profile page are your shop window for potential clients to find you and request a quotation. I do hope to be able to meet some of you, along with some of our Associate partners at our Activity Day on 19 May at Redditch Golf Club. You will have the chance to play on an 18-hole professional golf course, or, if that’s not for you, then we have a Paintballing Experience as an alternative. Full details and booking form are on page 16. So, until the next time, take care, Spring is only just around the corner! Here’s to a positive and busy 2022.

Neil Ogilvie

Chief Executive neil@paintingdecoratingassociation.co.uk