Dear Members

The AGM has come and gone, a new committee has been appointed and, believe me, it is a committee with dynamic forward thinking and new-look aspirations.

Before I introduce them, the committee members to you, it behoves me to note that serious and professional work sessions, facilitated by Mrs Ansie Esterhuizen, have been conducted to determine firstly, the relevant sub-committees within the committee and secondly, to formulate strategies for the way forward.  Consolidation of all workgroups produced an exciting and thought provoking process.  Any ideas that you, the members, have in this regard will be welcomed.

YOUR COMMITTEE AND SUB-COMMITTEES

(Established in terms of defined objectives)

1. Executive Committee

• Chairman:                        Cdr Claude Harris, SA Navy (Ret)
• Honorary Secretary:          Capt Colin Sharwood
• Honorary Treasurer:          Mr Braam Esterhuizen

Sub- Committees

2.   Marketing and Promotions 

• Convenor:  Cdr Peggy Pysden, SA Navy (Ret)
• Capt Kevin Wise
• Cdr Jasper van der Westhuizen
• Lt Col Laurie Moore

3.  Planning and Projects

• Convenor: Cdr Ricky Groome, SA Navy (Ret)
• Mr Sean Gourley
• Lt Col Laurie Moore
• Co-opt Mr Braam Esterhuizen

4.  Facility Maintenance

• Convenor: Mr Sean Gourley
• Cdr Ricky Groome

5.  Events Co-ordination

• Convenor:  Mrs Ansie Esterhuizen
• Cdr Charl Maritz
• Co-opt  Cdr Peggy Pysden

VERY, very briefly, here follows aspects of the actions plans of each sub-committee for the medium to long term:

1. Executive Committee

Document and Optimise Administrative and Operating Processes and Procedures

2. Marketing and Promotion

a. Boost Membership

b. Conduct Market Surveys – members are sincerely requested to participate.
Decisions will be made on the responses we get back, no matter how many.

c. Increase Communication with Members\d.            Optimise Utilization of Club Facilities

3. Planning and Projects

a. Construct a room-in-the-roof with a deck

b. Improve accessibility to the Club – upgrade parking facilities

c. Accommodation – acquire self-catering units for members as overnight or holiday accommodation

d. Upgrade internal facilities – toilets, flooring, electrical wiring etc

e. Redesign the existing Club area – upgrade bar area, provide a dedicated smoking area, maximize utilization of function areas.

4. Facilities Maintenance

Incorporated in the above

5. Events co-ordination

I am not passing on a full programme of events as planned at this stage – these will be communicated in good time via sms and/or email as they occur.  Herewith however, a taste of what you can look forward to:

a. Monthly Steak and Prawn evenings – depending on popularity

b. Monthly Choir Practice – details to be promulgated

c. Curry, Italian, Greek, Mexican evenings

d. Potjiekos Competition

e.  October Beer Fest

f.  Soup and port, cocktails, whiskey tasting and oyster devouring evenings!

By the time you read this, the first Steak and Prawn evening will have been held.  Advertising this event by sms proved to be most satisfactory as bookings filled up rapidly.  Thank you for your support.  A Soup and Port evening follows on 28 June.  Details will once again be promulgated by sms.  Also, do keep 11 July open for the next event which will be either a curry or Italian evening.

Although 1957 was the year the SA Navy took over the old established Royal Naval Club, the Committee felt it more appropriate to celebrate our 50^th anniversary next year as it was on

31 July 1959 that we became the Seven Seas Club.

The events committee, and Anita who will be doing all the catering, are working really hard to make the year ahead an exciting one for the Club – so please support them and make their efforts worthwhile.

Having said so, we also need our members to assist us by providing feedback regarding events.  Not only does this equip us to make better decisions regarding future events and promotions, but also assists us in projecting trends. 

As can be observed from the above, we are in effect, with some trepidation but, much courage entering uncharted territory, as far as our Club is concerned, whilst engendering a paradigm shift in moving away from the old perceived dinosaur syndrome.  What do I mean by that?  Simply, lets move forward, not forgetting our past traditions, but lets look towards the ultimate utilization of the wonderful facilities that we have.

ISSUES ARISING

Subscriptions.  Subscriptions are coming in very slowly and many are still outstanding.  The Committee thus has no option but to take stern action as appeals appear to have no effect.  As of mid July 2008, defaulters names will be posted on the notice board and final letters of demand will be dispatched, so please try to pay-up before then.

Proposal for Membership.  We wish to remind members that Proposed Members must be introduced to the committee.  Several applications for membership have recently been referred back to the proposer as the Committee was unable to determine suitability for membership.  We are in the Club every 3^rd Tuesday of the month after meetings.  Members too are requested to peruse the notice board where applications for membership are posted and provide feedback to the Committee, if and when necessary, regarding acceptability.

Email addresses and cell phone numbers.  Please confirm that your details regarding the aforementioned are up to date.  We experience untold problems with undelivered emails and sms’s.  Recently, 198 sms’s were sent, 10 were faulty and 40 not delivered.  Need I say more?

NEW MEMBERS

Since last writing in November 2007, the Committee congratulates and welcomes the following new members to our Club.  We wish you many years of happy socializing in our midst.

R Adm F. Koetje, Cdr S. Malepe, Mr P. Burghart, Col A.C. Wylie, Mr W.J. Gregory-Francios, Mr J.P. Payne, Lt L. van Zyl, Lt M. Botha, Lt C. Pringle, S Lt J.F. Kruger, Esn L.R.Rickert,

Mr K. Croome and Mr K.R. Wood.

CROSSING THE BAR

It is with sadness that we announce that our longstanding members, John Beswetherick and Malcolm Leggatt have crossed the bar.  Our sincere condolences are extended to Norma Beswetherick and Sue Leggatt, and their families.

CORRESPONDENCE

Correspondence received from the British High Commission (Pretoria), requests us to make known that Veterans Day will be held in the UK on 27 June 2008 and that the UK Armed Forces Veteran’s Lapel Badge was launched in May 2004 by the Minister of Veteran’s to recognize all military service within HM Armed Forces.  Eligibility has been extended to war widow(er)s whose spouse died of an illness or injury attributable to their service in HM Armed Forces and receive war pensions.  Veterans of other Armed Forces who served alongside HM Forces, are not eligible for the badge.  A modified UK Merchant Seafarers Veterans badge is also available.  You can apply by visiting the website http://www.veterans-uk.info or email: veterans.help@spva.gsi.gov.uk

Finally, and in conclusion, our best wishes to you all.

Peggy Pysden