State of the Nation 2025/2026

Introduction

This is a 13th anniversary and it has been a year of innovation, development, and consolidation

Innovation

Paul Dulieu has introduced the Podcast and in doing so earned himself the name of ‘Podcast Paul’.

Scott Griffiths, inspired by Darren Lamb’s brief membership has tried to make us greener by setting up the EBF Arboretum and has to date overseen the planting of 366 trees. His task for this year is not only to add to the planting but find out where in Africa they are planted and organise a visit through our social secretary. Which is nothing to do with a real event that he is organising with Matt Barry, a 75 Kilometre walk along St Peters Way from Ongar to St Peters Church in Bradwell. The intention is to make it ‘Jump on’ and ‘Jump off able’ so that all of us will have an opportunity to be involved.

Blake Hammond has espoused AI and thereby, with the assistance of AI, induced lurid images which has given the WhatsApp chat groups an extra dimension. Indeed, the WhatsApp groups growth in use and number represents an extension to our social footprint that has also grown this year.

A almost parallel universe has arisen with the retirement the various members over the years and in particular Brian Painter and Nick Cooke this year, has seen the growth of the Old Gits lunch club. Labelled a ‘Git -together’, members meet every couple of months or so. Current members are also welcome provided they meet the age criteria over the being over 60 or feeling over 60. The venue is the Viper Public House at Margaretting.

The Membership Committee has seen something of a revival under the auspices of Terry as our membership Director and Jane Malyon as who as she announces every week has become a Chair or rather it’s Chair. As well as overseeing the important role of approving all new member applications and existing member renewals it should be seen by members as a link between the Members and the Board. It is there to deal with ongoing issues that affect members, a forum for any bright ideas you want to run up the flagpole……the committee is that flagpole. Make it work for you!

Development

At the heart of any networking groups development are the close ties that members have with each other and getting to know one another better. It is that inter reaction that better enables us to ensure that we fulfil our central purpose, to find business for each other both by way of referral and also by way of collaboration.

We are not a social club but through our social activities and the building of friendships within the group is fundamental.

We are not exclusive but should be quite the opposite. Nonetheless niche groupings can be incredibly effective in advancing our businesses.

We are not a charitable organisation, quite the contrary, but we support each other with any particular charitable venture that’s our individual members are involved in from time to time.

All of these diversions from our main purpose help us more effectively to develop that main purpose.

Consolidation

The innovation and development that has gone on makes us stronger, better, and more effective. But on an ongoing basis there are issues that we are currently addressing.

Badges: Not all of us have them, those that have them don’t always wear them. We are looking into alternatives

Training: Our email master class when new members join is being reviewed, reimagined and revamped

Private member offers: This new section of the website is for you all to put your own discounted offers to the membership at large. Some of is have done so. Check it out and add your own. This year Scott has overhauled our website. It is the principal tool in our operational armoury, and you should familiarise yourself with all of it’s nooks and crannies. Scott is to be congratulated on a brilliant site for us all to be proud of……and use.

Now, as always, I would like to run through various aspects of our group as they have changed over the year.

Membership

At the beginning of the year, we had 30 members but unfortunately there have been losses to our number. Retirement has accounted for two long time members, Nick Cooke and Brian Painter. On ‘the king is dead long live the king principle….’ Brian Painter our social secretary has been more than ably replaced by Paul Corrigan. Another long-time member Tina Walker left for Weston Super Mare. Other members came and went in the year like Jon Foster, Darren Lamb and David Moore and we also lost Vincent Goode, Melissa Jackson and James Humphries. Current number is now 23 with the introduction of our newest member Silvia Nedera, thereby lifting that burden from Sally Waters who seems to have been with us for ages anyway.

I am also pleased to confirm Terry’s earlier announcement that Steve Chilton of ERD Insurers approved by the Membership Committee

There are other potential members in the pipeline, and our numbers will rise but this year has been a reminder, if one were necessary, that there is a natural attrition to our membership and it is important to be aware as members of the need to keep inviting visitors.

Synergy teams

Over the year synergy teams have prospered.

Jane’s Business to Consumer group has been regularly well attended and she provides us with interesting topics of conversation at those meetings.

Paul’s Finance and Professionals group continues to meet on a Tuesday evenings every month and despite numbers being down we have had regular visitors who are not members and bring additional support to the operation of our group.

Leann’s Property group has now firmly established itself over the year.

Don’t forget about the benefits of inviting non-members who fit vacant categories to synergy team meetings both for the introduction of additional business to our group but also the prospect of inviting them to become members if they like what they see.

Financials

We have successfully maintained all levels of business passed and recorded. The emphasis is on recorded. Let’s make sure we continue to record referrals and amounts of business passed. It is important to accurately indicate the value of the seats that we occupy, particularly as an attraction to potential members. Our meetings always respond positively to visitors’ attendance and we seem to put over very well the friendly face of EBF, but to be able to statistically demonstrate the value of our seats is important.

Social

Paul Corrigan has excelled himself in the role of social secretary this year and has both promoted and enabled various of us too enjoy a variety of social events. He successfully organised our Christmas party at Olivers in Billericay, the Halloween get together.

There have been two poker nights chez Griffiths.

Airsoft underpinned by Blake has fuelled the militaristic fantasies of certain of our members. Remember, it’s perfectly safe….the guns aren’t real!

Equally of real significance and benefit to our interactions are the large number of social get-togethers that have gone a long way to cement the sense of community that has been established this year.

The social side of EBF whilst not fundamental is of substantial importance to the proper working of the group and the effective passing of referrals.

Please contact Paul if you have any events that need to be organised within the group and it does not have to be totally inclusive. Simply try and make sure that when there is an event that is only likely to be at attractive to a certain group, that it is made known to others by making it as inclusive as possible but the need to maintain our connections both business and social however exclusive is fundamental to us moving forward successfully.

As I said at the beginning. This has been the year where we have innovated, developed, and consolidated ourselves as an attractive and effective networking organisation. I hope that we can build on this as we go into 13th year and, ignoring superstition, make it even more successful.