Dear Members,
Firstly, thank you to Steve and the MGGB council for inviting me to be your 73rd Chair, I am honoured to be asked and look forward to delivering an excellent programme for 2023/24.
I have given some thought to the potential themes for our next season and will share these with you at the July dinner close. Ahead of that, it would be wonderful to hear any ideas/requests for speakers you would love to hear from in 2023/24. If there are people, you would like us to approach please can you let Charlotte (at MGGB Admin on copy) know and I will do my best to secure them for you!
Like previous Chairs, I am keen to preserve what is best about the club and also continue to evolve it for the future. To help with this I am working on a short survey which I hope to get to you in early July to seek feedback on what’s important to maintain plus explore some ideas for new formats. The goal is not to replace our dinners, but to explore whether having some new formats might encourage different speakers and in turn new members. It will also be a chance to get your feedback on our new toastmaster, vote of thanks and its role, and other aspects on the running of the club. I believe we have not done a survey for a long time so I hope you will all welcome the chance to give your feedback.
Meanwhile, thanks again for the warm reception at Claridges when Matt announced me as the new Chair. Sadly, I’m at a wedding in June so will miss Dame Sharon White, but will be with you in July to pick up the baton from Steve and his wonderful stewardship this year.
Please do send in your speaker requests to Charlotte ( charlotte.whitaker@mggb.co.uk ) and I’ll promise to do my best with the help of our council to secure them!
Jess Burley