Good evening, and welcome to the 2023 Long Service Club Annual General Meeting.  Thanks to each of you for taking the time to attend.

If it is your will, I shall be entering my third year as President.  The Executive Committee have been very busy throughout the year, and I thank them all for the support they have given me.  It is heartening to see that that this year we have a number of Members standing for election to the Committee.

After years of a slow decline in our Membership, we have this year had a nett increase of 61, almost entirely from people who are still in employment at Peterborough.  This increase was the result of a deliberate effort to target this group of people, in order to improve our demographic profile, have more relevance to the current Perkins business, and to ensure the future existence of our Club.

The reduction of the Service requirement for Membership to 15 years did not, in itself, lead to an increase in Membership.  In order to carry out this recruitment drive, we utilised our new banners and a 1-page “flyer” to man a stall at last year’s Open Day, and for a lunchtime and one full day presence in Frank’s.  We have also begun to utilise the internal communication facilities to “spread the word”.

Gaining new Members, and in particular those still employed, intensified the discussion about how to attract and retain the interest of this group.  The inclusion in our Events Programme that they could participate in has not raised much interest, so obviously something else is needed.  To try and answer some of these questions, and develop a forward strategy, Bill Guest has set up a 6-Sigma style project at Perkins, and will shortly start the “Voice of the Customer” process, to get a better picture of exactly what it is that Members want from the Club.  It is emphasised that this exercise will collect opinions from representatives of all of our Members – we must have a Club that caters for our existing retired Members, as well as the younger working Members.

I have already expressed my thanks to the Committee for their support, but I would particularly like to thank them for all the hard work that went into the delayed 60th Anniversary Dinner last year.  It was a fitting celebration of the Club’s long existence, and a great reassurance that Members wanted it to continue and thrive.  We are very grateful for the Company’s continued support, and in particular that of our Patron, David Goldspink, who is fully behind our efforts to increase its relevance to the business, and ensure its future success.

My thanks once more to my fellow Committee Members, and to the Members of the Club, for your continued support.

Garth Perry.

PLSC President