Welcome and Happy New Year to all Senators

It’s a New Decade and I hope everyone is ready for an exciting (pink themed) New Year for our Senate.

Firstly, I want to thank Chris for the excellent job he has done as our 2009 Chairman, he will be a hard act to follow, but if Paul Hill and David Butcher’s Antiques Road Show themed “Old Relics” introduction to 15 past Chairmen at the Drumming Out Banquet on the 16th of January is anything to go by, this year is going to be full of Fun, Surprises and more great Friendships.

It seems only fitting that I was ‘Drummed In’ on the 16th as your “2010 Senate Chairman” exactly 24 years after my Senate membership certificate was signed. In fact, I am only the fourth Lady Chairman, and the first Senate Chairman from Northern Ireland.

Well my first Chairing duty at the Senate Breakfast on Sunday 17th January was indeed an experience. As I am sure many of you are now aware, my fun theme this year is “The Senate has been Pinked” and unbeknown to me the Senate Breakfast room had been decorated in pink with some Senators even wearing pink bow ties/ties, pink shirts, pink blouses etc. I was also, among other things, presented with a ‘Pink Cowboy Hat’ that I pledge will travel with me to all Senate events, in fact it has already been to the USA Senate Winter Board meeting, which was on the 21st to 23rd January.

Now to the important bit, when we all get the chance to meet up again. This year fellow Senators have organized an excellent programme for me, and I hope that you will all find an event of interest to you. Information is available in each newsletter and booking forms are available on the Senate website – www.britishsenate.org.uk and you can also contact the organizers direct.

If you do not like what you see! Or if for some reason cannot attend an event on the programme, why not get together with other Senators and organize your own, don’t forget to tell us all about it, actually – I’d love to join you.

My aim this year is:-

• To encourage Senators to enjoy the fellowship within the organization whether it be Local, National or International.
• To promote British Senate to the best of my ability within the Senate organization.
• To work with JCI UK and encourage more fellow Senators to assist in building a bigger and better organization.
• To work with JCI UK in building relationships with Rotary International.
• To work with the Irish and Scottish Senate Chairmen in developing the relationship between our organizations
• To enjoy my pink year – humour me.

Have a great year and I look forward to meeting you at some stage in 2010.