Chairman’s Message Update

One Year On: So much seems to have happened in just over a year since we were admitted into the Lord’s Taverners’ family! Two telephoned AGMs, one Annual Conference, various financial sponsorships, two major fund-raising events, social activities and some wonderful fellowship. It all adds up to an eventful and exhilarating twelve months.

Our Executive: We were fortunate to have minimal turn-over of executive, giving us the chance to consolidate on our beginnings. The following were elected:

Membership: Our current membership after only eighteen months is 79 members, of whom 14 are women. It has been encouraging that so few members have failed to renew membership, hopefully indicating satisfaction with where we are going. Three members have asked for special leave during traumatic situations, while two have moved out of the region and had to resign.

With the guidance of our John Howard and Dr Ruth Tinker, we are just launching out on a program of Corporate Memberships for local organisations in order to enrich our ‘partnerships” with local communities. It will be interesting to watch the progress of this program, especially in the outlying communities of our captains.

Captains: We now have nine Captains throughout Northern NSW, even after three were unable to continue due to other commitments. These members have been enthusiastic in their efforts to promote Lord’s Taverners in the “outposts” of our region, and were closely involved as we sought participants in our Top Sports Camp for disadvantaged youth.

Developments in the regions of our captains: We have established a sub-committee under the chairmanship of our Vice-President, Denis Byrne, to investigate how we can promote Taverners in the outer parts of our “territory”, and more importantly, to develop programs to help both cricket and disadvantaged youth in these places. Captains and other local people have submitted ideas for us to examine, and we will be following up in the next few months. We will be conducting a special cricket day at Tenterfield where cricket has been dormant for a number of years, and we will sponsor a visit of coaches and young players from the Lismore area to assist us in revitalising cricket in that town.

The Top Sports Camp: After a successful application for a grant from the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, we planned a residential camp for disadvantaged youth at Southern Cross University in January 2011. Captains and other members found children aged 12 – 15 who are disadvantaged from within our “borders”, and they were to be treated to a smorgasbord of sporting activities including swimming, surfing, tennis, soccer, lawn bowls, golf, athletics, basketball and, of course, cricket. Accommodation was to be in campus village, the activities were to be on local sporting venues and the instructors were all fully accredited and experienced sports personnel, with general supervision by Taverners. But the tsunami and floods in Queensland and northern NSW frustrated this activity, and it has been postponed until January 2012. All personnel were disappointed and volunteered to try again next year, and all facilities and equipment are again available.

www.lordstaverners-northernnsw.com.au is the address of our website. The work of our Tricia Howard has been outstanding in establishing a vibrant and topical site to promote the work of all Taverners, and not just our local branch.

The Top Sports Dinner: In late August we held our first “Top Sports” Dinner (“Top Sports ….” being nomenclature that we have adopted to establish a local recognition) and featuring local sporting identities Kevin Junee (ex Kangaroo half-back), Craig Foster (ex Socceroo), Jodie Fields (Australian Women’s cricket captain) together with the ABC’s Jim Maxwell. It was an outstanding event both socially and financially, and certainly raised the profile of The Lord’s Taverners in this area.

The Top Sports Luncheon: Only several months after the Top Sports Dinner, we were fortunate to gain the services of Adam Gilchrist as guest of our Top Sports Luncheon on 23rd November. Adam is revered locally, and this was his first public event for many years, so we had a bumper crowd and a really successful event. Having accepted the role of Patron of our branch, Adam was be invested into the position by President Warren Noble at the luncheon.

Twenty20 Secondary Schools cricket competition: A dedicated sub-committee organised a very popular and successful cricket event for secondary school cricketers in September. Year 7 and 8 students (both boys and girls) competed for the Matthew Phelps Shield, whilst students in Years 9 and 10 competed for the Adam Gilchrist Shield. A round robin series was held in four centres on Day 1, whilst two weeks later, semi-finals and finals were held at two centres. The winners will be presented with their trophies by Adam at the Top Sports Luncheon. This will now be an annual event, with Cricket NSW looking to become involved in expanding the event into the outer regions of our “territory”.

Finances: We currently have $20,000.00 in our account, with no outstanding moneys owed or owing.

Thanks: Our branch owes a vote of thanks to the following:

1. Southern Cross University for their encouragement and continued sponsorship.

2. Lew Cooper, for his unrelenting support and advice.

3. Our local sponsors.

4. The media throughout northern NSW.

5. Jenny Dowell, Mayor of Lismore, and local parliamentarians for their ongoing support and enthusiasm.

6. All of our members for regular attendance at meetings, for constantly canvassing new members and for their unceasing support and encouragement in all that we do.

Stan Gilchrist, Chairman

Lord’s Taverners Northern NSW Inc.