Chairman’s Blog Thursday 28th March 2012
What a great meeting!!
28 members and 4 guests. 32 in all makes it our best turn out yet… and we did it without Paul Booth… and yet there was still somebody in the car park at 5.48am, – Jason Nortey.
Guests included Ed Crocker for the second time and who it is anticipated will be a member next week. Stewart Roberts a business coach and Diane Mathews an electrolysist. I do hope she joins, if only to find out the lengths some of us blokes will go to to improve our appearance.
When I say that there were 28 members present it is a slight exaggeration. David Plumley our revered Education and Development Officer only managed to get to his seat by approximately 7.30am . Up until that time his place had been very ably filled by a bottle of Merlot which duly introduced the Education Slot and which equally ably delivered by Scott. On the Visitors Sign in Scott had also been credited with inviting Stewart Roberts and on that form he credited thus… as “Scott the Web”. I think a comma should have been inserted after the word “Scott”, but given his contribution to the group through the development of the Website hence forth he will be referred to as Scott the Web. Suggestions for names for other members can be the subject of your comments to this Blog if you wish.
Given the numbers not only did we have a busy 60 second round but also everybody behaved themselves and did not overshoot their 60 second allocation.
The first notable contribution came from Neil Lewer who declared that he did “very small infills”. Apparently “it’s the way he fits’em “(wardrobes that is). Marcelle talked about the “ Four C’s”. The first I think was a carrot. I cannot remember the rest of the vegetables she then quoted as I was engaged in urgent discussion with the bottle of Merlot sitting next to me.
Alan Shaw spoke a lot about modelling. It started out as some job he had for a Leisure Centre, but by the end, perhaps partly induced by my conversation with the bottle of Merlot I had visions of him stretched out on a Chaise Longue surrounded by voracious artists paint brushes in hand. He declared that he found it relaxing.
Nick Morgan was very much into portable displays. It had a slightly longer title than this but I could not get it written down in time. Anyway what he meant were roll ups, pull ups, and pop ups. The first is of course a cigarette, the second is a form of exercise and the third was probably a reference to David Plumley who had just arrived at this point.
Now to the more bizarre section of the 60 second round featuring three of our more eccentric contributors. Chris Sadler knew exactly what he wanted over the next two weeks……some work! Two large jobs apparently have been pushed back. May I suggest a photo shoot with Alan Shaw. At this time of the year he will have to do without fig leaf. Kevin Radford told us about two Eskimos in a Kayak only to be topped by Brian Painter who regaled us with the tale of an actor who had stage fright. As usual it went back to his childhood and a school play where he was dressed as a sheep but delivered his lines as a “woof” rather than a “Baaa”. Being without any concern for the demands of subtlety here goes “It was obviously a woof in sheep’s clothing”.
I understand the actor was cured of his stage fright but now has a fear of flying animals
Either way, Richard Reed has a really good offer for South Africa. I will not attempt to quote the price but any of you wanting to join Marcelle in South Africa should get on to him straight away.
Graham Wright was absent through his wife’s illness. We wish her a speedy recovery. It was his 10 minute slot so thanks to Terry Maylin for stepping into the breach, literally at the very last minute. His message was that sensible credit control and his effectiveness as a debt collector starts with you. When you take the order, at its most simplistic, you need to be certain of exactly who you are dealing with. When you do work for anyone you obtain full details that will enable you to successfully pursue them if they decide not to pay you. A very useful and very well delivered message which deservedly bore immediate fruits. Later on in the day I watched the telephone enquiries coming in for chasing debts for both members and their referrals.
Finally I wish to record that Jason was awarded the Oscar. This was not a reward for fitting a parrot to my car last Sunday in freezing conditions but because he once again ( for the fourth time) threatened us with his Barclays cheque book. Anyway he brought to an end an excellent 60 second round.
There were 32 people present, there were 41 referrals passed which is a really great strike rate and bodes well for future recorded business.
I cannot finish my Blog without recording a welcome to JJB Electrical as our most recently acquired members. I am looking forward over the coming weeks to meeting all of the Buckleys. Mark and Ian of course have been to several meetings but this week father John was there, so that’s 3 so far!!
As we welcome new members I hope that in the coming weeks we can sustain this week’s level of attendance which really was part and parcel of it being such a good meeting. In anticipation of next week…
“Scott The Web” – i’ve been called worse!
How about the following:
Neal the Varnish
John the Pig
Adrian the Bulb
Mark the Spark
and of course… Alan the Rugby Club and Casino
“Plum, the Techie” ? … or “Plum, the Geek” ?
“Alan, the Keddie” ?
“Richard, the “Trip” ?
Eccentric Contributor – I resemble that remark.
Another great blog reminding us all of a very good meeting. I thought the 10 minutes was excellent and very helpful .
The photo was good as well I either looked deep in thought or maybe it was trapped wind , or judging by the look of surprise on Jason’s face not so trapped wind – i need to stay off the mushrooms.
Perhaps it should be Neal in the varnish
“Neal, the Joint”
Plum the bad joke?
I would prefer not to be Nick the Signs just in case someone does