Sunday 5 April 2009

CRA Dinner 2009 - The Newsletter

This year I have decided to send e-mail newsletters to members advising them of progress with the preparations for the Dinner. If you did not receive the first newsletter, I have copied the text below for your convenience. If you believe that I do not have your e-mail address (or I have it recorded incorrectly) please let me know.

CRA Dinner 2009 Newsletter No 1

Welcome to the CRA Dinner 2009 newsletter. Now that I have the Membership Secretary “hat” as well as the one for the Dinner Secretary, I thought I'd use my newly acquired database to provide you with an update on preparations for the dinner.

To be honest, I also have an ulterior motive. After the losses of recent years, it is of paramount importance that the dinner covers its costs. The only way it does this is with a good attendance and I hope this newsletter acts as a reminder to you to put your cheque in the post if you haven't done so already.

Even if you know you are going to attend the dinner this year please respond promptly. A number of payments have to be made in advance of the dinner and this year the inestimable Pierre has insisted on payment on the night for the balance. This seems to me to be a perfectly reasonable request in the current climate and in would help me enormously if members paid as far in advance as possible.

A number of members have already responded and I am happy to report that after only a few weeks, we are looking at a healthy attendance. This year promises to be another memorable dinner and it gives me great pleasure to confirm that our main speaker this year will be Tom Harrison (CCF '47-'54) not forgetting the fact that our own Chairman Mick Crick is in his Presidential year of the OF Club.

You will be aware that this year, your committee has decided not to include wine in the cost of the dinner. There are a number of reasons for this, including the fact that some members choose not to drink (or choose to drink large amounts !) and others have long distances to drive. Members may be wondering what arrangements are in place for the purchase of wine and I can confirm that ample stocks are being laid on and members can purchase wine at the bar on the night.

I hope to have a wine list with prices for the next newsletter which I intend to send out at the end of April
.