December 2024

From the flight Deck:     Brevet Club Newsletter December 2024

Well, well,  it is well past time that a newsletter should have been written but I guess better late than never, and what better time than the end of the year and the festive season.

The current year with the Brevet Club has been very much the same effectively as what we have being doing over the last few years. A survey was sent out early in the year to ascertain what direction the members would like the Brevet Club to take going forward or retain the status quo. Apart from the fact that the response to the survey in numbers was relatively poor the general feeling of those that did respond was that the majority were satisfied that the direction that the committee was currently taking was the one which most members were happy with. The committee will always be responsive to any member suggestions of how it could be improved.

The matter of membership numbers is still a cause of concern for some members of the committee, and although we have remained relatively static as a total, the number who attend both our “sports afternoons” and luncheons are gradually declining. However, the number attending the recent Xmas luncheon at the Chateau on the Park was a welcome exception to that, long may it last. My generation are not getting younger by the day, and it behoves the next generation to take up the banner and continue running the Brevet Club, along with taking over as committee members, not just join and then seldom be sighted at any function. The “new generation” committee members Spot Wilson and Ross Cammell have both been very welcome new members with Spot carrying out a sterling job as Club Secretary. I will be looking for some possible new committee members prior to our AGM in June 2025.

The AGM in June saw Peter Foster resign as Treasurer and Kenn Cox be voted in to that role and as an Executive Committee member. The Brevet Club will be forever indebted to Peter for his expert guardianship of club funds over a ten-year period. Notwithstanding some recent health issues Kenn has settled in well as the Treasurer. The AGM also voted two members, John Lay and Peter Foster to be life members of the Club, thank you both again for your years of service to the Brevet Club. Russ Cross also put his hand up and was voted onto the committee, thanks Russ.

In no particular order the Committee has been also involved in the following during the year.

Naming rights for the State Highway 1 (SH1) overpass at the Airport has been an ongoing issue for a long period of time and this year a formal submission was made to NZTA. Following numerous attempts to have this submission moved along an approach was made to the office of the new Minister of Transport, with an immediate response from NZTA declining our application. NZTA claimed that it already had a name, the Gateway Bridge”. We were naturally disappointed with this outcome, but within their response was an offer to have further discussions in the New Year. Although the name “Gateway Bridge” was used when an initial competition was held to design the structure, we cannot find any evidence of this name subsequently having been used. One idea we want to approach NZTA about is to perhaps have the bridge named as the “Sir Keith Park Gateway Bridge”. John Lay and I will canvas this idea with NZTA in the New Year at a meeting, the date of which is yet to be settled.

There are new legislation requirements for Incorporated Societies to be approved by 5 April 2026. Spot Wilson will have a look at these requirements over the summer break and investigate what we need to add and/or modify so as it is approved well before the required date. It is no small task as the website model is 27 pages long, although we have  a draft of another Incorporated Society’s proposal which we may be able to imitate, and it is only 18 pages long. Considering our current Constitution and Rules are 9 pages long of large font it does seem bit of an “overkill”.

I was very keen to have a social calendar for 2025 established prior to the end of 2024 to allow members an early insight to the year ahead. Kevin Jones volunteered to construct a social calendar for 2025 which was approved by the committee and is attached to this newsletter. Obviously, it can be subject to amendments going forward!

Otherwise the year of 2024 has been relatively straight forward and we look forward to 2025.

It just  remains for me as President and on behalf of the rest of the committee to wish all a Merry Xmas, a happy and prosperous New Year and may 2025 bring along good fortune to all.

Graeme Thomson

President

The way we were:

Brevet Club Social and Meetings Programme for 2025

January        

21        - First Club Day for 2025

February      

4          - Club Day - (Committee Meeting)

19        - Lunch at Chateau on the Park

March

4          - Club Day

18        - Club Day

April

1          - Club Day - (Committee Meeting)

16        - Lunch at Chateau on the Park

25        - ANZAC Day (Friday)

29        - No Club Day

May

13        - Club Day

27        - Club Day

June

10        - Club Day – (Committee Meeting)

24        - AGM  - Lunch at the Club

July

8          - No Club

22        - Club Day – (Committee Meeting)

August         

5          - No Club

20        - Lunch at the Chateau

September   

9          - No Club

14 (Sun) -Battle of Britain

23        - Club Day – (Committee Meeting)

October

8          - Lunch at Chateau on the Park

21        - Club Day – (Committee Meeting)

November

4          - Club Day

18        - Club Day

December

5 (Fri) - Lunch at the Chateau on the Park

16        - Club Day – (Committee Meeting)

2026

January        

20        - First Club Day for 2026

Be careful what you wish for ……………

The Price of Freedom

is Eternal Vigilance

Keith Jolly, Editor