CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

This year seems to be going by quicker than ever, then they all do as we get older. Since the last newsletter we have had the AGM, a meeting by your committee with Dr. Iain Gray, the day out at Oxford, the arrangements for the Airbus Open Day. Yet to come is the day out at Exmouth, the Short Break, and Xmas Lunch. Now all these things do not just happen they have to be organised, and your committee have been busy doing just that. Which leads me to the point that I made at the AGM in that we need some “younger” members on the committee, not young, as our association The Retired Management Association does mean that you have done your stint working and have now retired, my request fell on deaf ears at that time so we are making another serious plea to our “younger” members in particular to consider giving us some support in whatever way suits you best.

Bill Brand has referred to this elsewhere in this newsletter, so please give it some consideration, it is not because your committee are about to collapse (I hope) but in the interest of continuity and the further success of the association, and its 520+ members.

The meeting with Dr. Iain Gray was very encouraging and many issues were discussed; including communications with Airbus, the sale of Airbus, and the Open Day, which up to then we had been unable to discover many details, Dr. Gray made a very generous offer to help us resolve the problem, the rest you know about as you have received your invites and when this is published you may have enjoyed the day.

The outing to Exmouth is yet to come, it is over subscribed but we have (again I hope) coped with the problem, we are going to have a bigger coach! I look forward to it as we used to keep our first cruiser at Starcross, and a chance to revisit the area will be interesting. This is followed by the Short Break to Norwich in October, it is better supported than last year and we welcome some new faces, but we would still like to see some more. If you are thinking of something to do or somewhere to go in October why not give this some serious thought, it is not too late.

It is just a little too early to talk of our Christmas Lunch yet, but arrangements have to be made and we look forward to meeting you in very convivial circumstances, if it is as good as in the last few years then it will be well worth coming and talking with old and new friends.

Finally we are looking at the Airbus sale and how it affects BAE pensioners. The most obvious concern is if the pension fund loses the Airbus employees how will it effect the fund financially, so far we have been reassured by all that we will not lose out, but no details or concrete plans have been available. This is not very satisfactory and we will keep trying through all channels available to us to find out more. Area 8 and your representatives Peter Aze and David Moakes (a trustee of the fund) are being asked to find out more and keep us informed. Meanwhile have a good summer and enjoy yourselves whatever you are doing, talk to you again in the autumn.   

                        Frank.

Frank Webb

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