Club’s events mark milestones

Late 2022 saw a host of wide-ranging and milestone Club events, making it busier than ever leading up to Christmas, writes Club Secretary & Chief Executive Andrei Spence This delivered a very successful period financially, and most importantly saw more members back at the Club who have not visited since pre-pandemic.

As a consequence the Club has been able to repay 64% of its covid related loan, allocate a significant amount to the Trustees to invest in the Lease Renewal fund, and undertake a small CAPEX project to benefit current members.

Thus we have been able to implement our strategy of dealing with legacy debt, future commitments and present day expenditure. This was only made possible by a remarkably flexible working team and members giving their support by returning in significant numbers.

We achieved stability in 2021, but 2022 was going to be the year in which we made great headway, or not – and what an extraordinary year it was. Following the pandemic, we were and still are experiencing supply chain issues, energy insecurity and war in Ukraine, all impacting greatly on how we live in the UK.

Finances in order

In late October I presented the 2023 budget to the F&GP Committee, which was accepted with minor adjustments. The Trustees also met for their bi-annual Financial Review with Rathbones to assess the performance of the Lease Renewal Fund portfolio; a job made difficult during a period of some market turbulence!!

Economic instability brought inflation not seen since the 1970s, industrial unrest, and rising food and energy prices. Political direction and stability has been hard to find, with three Prime Ministers, four Chancellors and a revolving door at DEFRA that saw three Secretaries of State in four weeks!

Most of all, however, the UK suffered the death of our late Queen and Patron, Queen Elizabeth II. Many of us knew no other monarch, and are still adjusting to the new King, and a different way in which the Royal family will connect and conduct its business.

Against all this the Club has been upheld by a superb team, largely new to many members, but who are consolidating their positions and knowledge of the Club. We have maintained a very low cost base in our attempts to meet budget and produce surpluses. But in all these things, we have tried to maintain the standards, experiences and enjoyment that members have a right to expect in their Club.

I would like to thank all members for their continued support. The huge achievements of the past year would simply not have been possible without it. Please tell your eligible family and friends about the Club, to ensure we are increasingly well-known as a place people want to be a part of.

This meeting also marked the last for Mrs Nicki Quayle, Chairman of Trustees, who left the position after her tenure of duty.

Nicki has been a stalwart supporter of the Club and was its first female Chairman in 2010. By the time you read this, the General Committee will have approved Nicki’s appointment as a Vice President of the Club.

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January Club EHO visit - team scores 5/5!!!!

State honours

The Club hosted its first State Honours dinner for three years, for members whose contributions to agriculture and beyond and have been officially recognised. Over 30 recipients and guests attended, and enjoyed a fascinating talk from guest speaker Sir Andrew McFarlane, President of the Family Division, Head of Family Justice, and a Club member.

Club team members

Recruitment has been a constant dragging anchor against our aspirations and we still have one or two small restrictions on services offered to members. I am very hopeful that shortly into the New Year these will be resolved and we can re-instate our Saturday and Monday services back to normal.