Chairman’s Business Networking Blog, Thursday 14th July 2016.
A relatively small turnout. 15 members were there at the start of our short form meeting designed to finish at 8.a.m. so that we were able to get over to SNAP for a guided tour.
Clearly several members saw it more as a safari and tuned up suitably attired. As if dressed for a tiger hunt, Brian Painter, Alan Shaw and David Plumley were stunning in their “white hunter” gear and added a sartorial edge that has been missing from the meeting in recent weeks. Your sharp eyed correspondent also noticed at the end of the meeting that Nick Cooke donned a jacket which veered towards Khaki. I think we should all revisit our wardrobes in order to add tone to our meetings in the weeks to come.
Anyway!….. To the meeting itself. Apologies for absence took slightly longer to read out than usual and in the absence of last week’s Oscar winner, Jo Jones, Brian Painter did the honours. It was a 60 second round of imagery rather than substance.
Kim Redwood-Lee went in blind to a well-known estate agent to do their books.
Alan Shaw talked of an application for change of use for a garage. He failed to tell us what said garage was going to be used for and I was left with a vision of a bijoux mansonette with up and over doors.
Brian Painter told of the infatuation of a 47 year old supermarket worker for a 20 year old checkout girl. He had apparently been consulted so that the girl could be put out of the mind of the drooling 47 year old. In searching through the sub-conscious of this desire drenched wretch he discovered that in reality this love crazed shelf stacker did not wish to have the young ladies charms banished from his consciousness at all leaving our poor Pilgrim helpless.
David Plumley told us of the importance of a company’s name and how, with an eye on the fact that his business pulled things together he landed on the name Integrate. All of this was on topic and was fine but then we came to Kevin Brooks, he told of an unsuccessful foray to withdraw money from his Nationwide Book and had to be persuaded that however valid his savings were with said building society it was no use going to the Halifax if you wanted to draw money out. A man so oblivious to his surroundings deserved something to wake him up and he was awarded the Oscar accordingly.
Many of us in the meantime told how we had been assailed by “The Inventor” The Inventor is a sort of anti-super hero who tackles the world’s wrongs by boring everyone to death. Scott Griffiths, Howard Bullock and Terry Maylin were the dastardly rogues who were successfully assailed by “The Inventor” who I am told IS now to reverting to wearing his underpants over his trousers in order to be more effective. It depends what you’re doing I suppose…
Nick Cooke talked about beams. I thought he said that he was stealing beams but I think he was just talking about steal beams. Anyway the rule of thumb is, the wider the gap the bigger the beam.
Allan Moller is developing his own theme now. For the third week running he talked about a job that he didn’t take on…well maybe it was only the second week but it seemed like three weeks. He needs a session with The Inventor!!!!
All of this made for an amusing 60 seconds round.
It was Good Egg Award time and by an overwhelming majority the winner for all sorts of reasons was one of our white hunters,Alan Shaw. It was entirely coincidental that the colour of the Egg matched his bush ranger kit.
Given the paucity of numbers the referrals and testimonials round was surprisingly successful. 17 referrals and by the end of the day we were creeping up towards £10,000 worth of monies recorded.
The meeting drew to a close by 7.50am and we then took our instructions from Richard Reed and headed off to SNAP’s premises.Everyone but the White Hunter and Good Egg found it first go.
Any ambivalence that I might have felt was dispelled immediately by a presentation of how the Charity had grown over the years and its present set up
The enthusiasm of the staff and the effectiveness of the presentation made me feel that it really was a very worthwhile Charity that we are supporting and the immediate future should continue to support. They do seem to be very successfully fulfilling a genuine need in the community that local government could never provide. They are the very essence of what a good Charity should be and should do.
See…I am not always cynical.
I would thoroughly recommend anybody who was not in attendance to arrange to go and see the Charity in situ.
An excellent meeting and a very enjoyable morning. I am definitely looking forward to seeing you all again next week.
Sorry to have missed this meeting. Especially as this was the one arranged with SNAP.
The Inventor managed to keep me on the phone for several minutes. In the end I was saying “No!” in rather the same way as I say it to Obi (Hugo’s new puppy). Remember that, just in case you get a call.
Well done Alan. You received my vote. I don’t know if anyone has won the JGE two periods in a row but who knows you might be up there again.
The few in attendence this week certainly made up for the missing many with their enthusiasm and the trip to SNAP was excellent – a real eye opener.
PS: did anyone notice how “on trend” Alan Shaw’s shoes were….
Try saying “Alan Shaw’s shoes” ten time in a row really quickly!
sounds like i missed a great meeting which although few in numbers was very lively and more importantly a great referral round of 17 well done to those who were there- i am back next week.
Quite incredible what SNAP has achieved but such a tragedy that all children are not born fit and healthy, makes me appreciate how lucky my family is. JGE Alan, where did you buy those shoes? I want a pair! Hope we’re back to full strength next week.
Great report and sorry to have missed the ‘fun’ and SNAP tour. I think all you needed was for David Attenborough to give a running commentary on the entire and the lesser spotted ‘inventor’
I did get there in the end. I’ve registered to walk the Thames Bridge Challenge in September and will be collecting for Snap. What a great cause!
Another great meeting, i guess my trend is for quality customers. Selectivity can be a byproduct of being established, you know!. Have a great weekend!, cheers, Alan