Gallery, October 2011

22nd October

Trafalgar Dinner

Our 2011 Trafalgar Dinner was held at the Chatsworth Hotel, Worthing

Guess who....

Worthing Mayor Cllr Ann Barlow and Branch Chairman Bob Scott

A Tot for the Mayor..

S/M Keith Merrett receiving his RNA Life Membership

Good Evening Shipmate Chairman Bob, Officers and Committee Members,

(aussi ex trésorier Shipmate Mike Andrews à Dieppe, les deux commissaires aux comptes [auditors], le Padre et Shipmates avec adresses e-mail)
I don't know if you were all as taken aback as me when I was awarded the honour of Life Membership of the RNA at the Trafalgar Dinner, though I suspect that most of you were in on the subterfuge. So I am surprised there were no leaks, you'll never make it in politics.
It really is a great honour, and I hope I sufficiently expressed my gratitude to our Chairman and fellow Shipmates at the Dinner. To be honest the element of surprise (together with a bit of help from the Rum Bosun) left me in a bit of a daze, although I do recall a kiss from the Mayor, fortunately a lady this year. I hope I didn't lose my Street Cred by being lost for words.
In the light of my elevation to the peerage rest assured that I will carry out my responsibilities with renewed enthusiasm. I have received many requests for more detailed and longer Reports from Area, which I think I can manage! In depth Treasurer's Reports are another possibility always assuming my PC allows me to produce any more (see below). More seriously, I am very much aware that I am part of a team in which we all play an essential role, as evidenced by our success as a Branch, which makes me very proud to have been selected for this award.
At the risk of boring you (me?!) with my ongoing saga I am still struggling to get the accounts up and running on "wonderful" Windows 7 which we are told is a great improvement on "rubbish" Windows Vista (which worked for me). I've got a "man" coming to install XP Mode on my PC (£20 per hour after discount) and he is almost! certain this will enable me to re-load the Branch accounts (they are not lost, it's just getting them back in a readable and editable format). If it's not sorted in time for the audit I could be reduced from Life Member to No Member. Don't worry the funds are safe in the Bank.
My apologies that it has taken me a few days to thank you all, I can't believe another week has gone by, perhaps I've been enjoying myself.
So thanks again Shipmates, and many congratulations to Di for organising another splendid Trafalgar Dinner which was certainly the most memorable for me.
Yours aye,
Keith