From the Regional Officer
Dear Members,
As you will have gathered from her most recent message on the Website, Edelgard Moss said that she would be standing down as Regional Officer after four, busy and eventful years. I am pleased to report that I have been elected in her stead with the kind support of the Committee and all attendees at our Regional Congress and AGM on Sunday 11th October 2009.
My first duty is to thank Edelgard most sincerely for her service to the BWY South Region over the last ten years, firstly as Regional Training Officer and for the past four years, Regional Officer. I became Deputy Regional Officer about a year ago, having already been on the Committee for a year as Website Administrator and can now appreciate the excellent handover Edelgard has given to me, which makes for a much smoother transition for the changeover in Regional Officer. However, I am delighted to report that she will be returning the favour to me by becoming my Deputy for the next year!
The AGM also includes the Election of the Regional Committee. Sadly we will be saying goodbye to David Russell (Oxfordshire County Representative), Wendi Watson (South Hampshire and IOW County Representative), Shantipriya (Editor), Laura Finlay (Editor 2) and Jeanette Cassels, DCT Representative – I am sure you will join me in thanking them for their hard work and dedication to their roles, it has been much appreciated. Having been on the Committee myself for the last two years and having got to know them all it is sad to see them go. We also said thank you and goodbye to Gina Arnold – again! Gina very kindly came back on to the Committee to cover the role that she retired from last year, which has been very much appreciated. Thank you Gina. However, this does mean of course, that those positions that have become vacant have to be filled and I am very pleased to say that this was also on the Agenda on Sunday.
Please extend a warm welcome to the new Members to the Committee – Kim Pierpoint - Regional Secretary, Hazel Faithfull - County Representative for Oxfordshire, Mike Green – Editor, and finally Fiona Wells – DCT Representative. I would like to thank them for coming forward to take up the various roles. You will note that all their contact details are on the updated Our Region page of our Website.
At the Regional AGM, Beth Trotter, County Representative for Berkshire announced that she was retiring and made a request for someone to take over her role which she has held for five and a half years. I am very pleased to report that this position has been accepted by Michaela Welz, who now becomes Acting County Representative for Berkshire. I am sure you will all wish Michaela well in her new role, and her contact details will be included on the website in due course. Beth, thank you once again for your hard work over the years in Berkshire, it has been very much appreciated and we wish you well for the future.
The Committee and I very much look forward to working for you in the next year and if you have any queries, articles to go on to the website, topics for IST Days (we have a DCT who would LOVE to run one on any topic that is of interest!) then do either get in touch with me, our Regional Training Officer Jacquie Mees or any of the County Representatives. This is your Region and your Website.
Om Shanti, Tim