chairman’schat BMW Car Club Chairman - Jamal Blanc The 38th Annual General Meeting It’s been a busy few months since I last shared an update, making the most of the lockdown to progress several projects. On Saturday October 10th the Club held it’s very first virtual AGM, whilst we missed seeing the usual faces and sharing a coffee, it ensured compliance with any sudden travel restrictions. Attendance at the AGM is generally considered a barometer of how well the committee are performing – a low turnout indicates no immediate concerns and it’s business as usual, but on the other hand, a full house could mean we’ve fallen foul of the rules! With an unexpectedly high number of priorities to manage, we can be forgiven for scheduling the AGM so late in the year. This was done not only to allow for some wiggle room in the current situation, but to familiarise ourselves with the recent growth in platforms capable of hosting this important event. With members able to join from anywhere and on any device, we are more accessible than ever before, the entire event can be recorded, shared and archived for future reference. Adopting more agile working practises represents a shift in the mindset of the Board of Directors, usually the biggest hurdle, conference calls have replaced face-to-face meetings, successful trials of real-time member sign-ups, remote working, aimed at overcoming geographical constraints and benefitting from operational efficiencies, we were better prepared to respond to the challenges of the pandemic than we thought. A milestone for the Club, was an update on the new Membership Management System, presented by our Project Manager, Neil Robinson, and a live demonstration from Khalid Rafique of Next Step Heritage. Comprising of four main modules (Membership, Ecommerce, Website, Technical Database), the website is currently undergoing user testing, a major step towards completion. We are on target to deliver a much better user experience, event based sales with more payment options, automating the entire process with less reliance on the Office. Magazine Production With our ambition and commitment to widening the scope and appeal of Straight Six, the Board of Directors made
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the difficult decision to terminate the agreement with Hine Marketing. Straight Six will now be designed and distributed by Cedar Group, and all Advertising managed by Next Step Heritage, both of whom we have developed a successful relationship over the past few years. This decision was not made lightly, but we feel we now have the capacity to bring these elements back in-house, allowing us to maximise spend, and offer our sponsors a range of new advertising options linked across all channels, an exciting new chapter in our development. On behalf of the club, I would like to thank Nick Hine and the team for their support over the years and wish them well. For advertising, please contact advertising@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk or call Madeleine Lillywhite on 07885 447968. BMW SommerFest 2021 With the expected competition for spaces, we have been scouring the UK for suitable venues to host the inaugural BMW Sommerfest 2021. With a moving spectacle at the heart of our plans, the need to be centrally located with easy access for as many members as possible, there are ongoing discussions with our Racing partner about a potential collaboration in July 2021. More information will be provided as it becomes available. Technical Register A platform that contains an archived library of technical information, FAQs and how-to articles, common faults and fixes, parts exchange, classifieds, organised hands-on demonstrations and Seriesbased technical days, is not going to be easy. However, we do have the benefit of time, the soon to be delivered Technical Database, and Nick Thomas. North East Chairman and newest addition to the Board of Directors, Nick, will be leading this new Register, with the task of creating a group of technically proficient individuals with the capability to provide practical tips and advice, an invaluable service to our members in helping them keep their cars on the road.
what has been an entertaining and highly successful BMWCCR racing series to our members. Neil will now focus on running our Motorsport and Trackday Registers. Club Structure Having a team who work well together has made my job alot easier, and that is set to continue: • Michelle Evans, as Club Manager will oversee all accounting and operational duties, supported by Anya Edwardes and Lisa Davies. • The Editorial Team made up of Lisa Davies, Jeff Heywood and Andrew Coles has worked well over the past year, and will continue to develop Straight Six. • Richard Stern, Series Director, will support and develop the growing number of Registers as more models are released. • Dave Evans, Regions Director, the planned conference was interrupted by recent events, but is considering the virtual options. • Martyn Goodwin, Retailer Liaison, has accepted the role of Vice Chairman to add to his responsibilities. • Nick Thomas, Technical Director, will create a template for the new Technical Register. Being entrusted by you, our members and partners, to oversee the Club’s operational activities, responsible for its staff, identifying objectives, reducing risks, and protecting our image in the public domain remains an honour. My thirty months in the role of Chairman have flown by, I cannot be more proud of how the team has performed and what we have achieved under sometimes difficult circumstances. Jamal Blanc | Chairman BMW Car Club GB.
Neil McDonald After five years on the Board and given his all, Neil has decided to step down as Motorsport Director, and I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Neil for his unwavering support, and for delivering www.bmwcarclubgb.uk
