SCARA Christmas Message 2024

First of all, I’d like to wish all SCARA members, their families, friends and non-SCARA members who might read this note, a Very Happy Christmas and all the very best for 2025. 

During the year SCARA has seen a number of successes and your committee will progress and develop these as we go into 2025 which will be a special year for SCARA - see below!

Twenty twenty-four saw 20 new SCARA members and it saw the regional plans continue to progress with events in Southampton, Liverpool, Birmingham and Stanford le Hope near Tilbury.   All successful and all planned to repeat next year.  

If there is anyone in Yorkshire who, with the support of the committee, thinks they might set up a Yorkshire/Manchester regional event we would like to hear from you.  We feel there are enough people in that important area who might welcome a SCARA gathering, especially as the regional events have become so popular in the other parts of the country.   And on a related volunteer point, should anyone be interested in joining the SCARA Committee please let me know through scarasecretary@gmail.com.

The Golf tournament held in Essex in May and won by Steve Barraclough was a great success.   Steve was presented with the silver rose bowl so generously presented by Lady St Johnston.  She is delighted that the rose bowl remembers her family and is presented to a SCARA member each year. 

The highlight of 2024 was an excellent reunion lunch in November held again at the ISH venue in Portland Place.  With around 100 people attending a very enjoyable day was had by all.  Noticeable this year was the increased number of new attendees all of whom were very welcome.   It also had an international flavour with visitors from Belgium, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands all reporting a great day out meeting up with former colleagues and friends.  We were aware a number of regulars were unable to attend due to holiday and business commitments so imagine if we can harness the first-timers from 2024 as well as our regular guests to achieve an even better lunch in 2025….  

The 2025 lunch will also be a SCARA Birthday party.   Under the Chairmanship of Bob Bowen SCARA held its first meeting on 9th December 2005. The other Committee members that day being Ian Thornton, Paula Sumray, Peter Brabyn, Bernie Heard and Richard Willey.   Robert Woods agreed to become President and we are delighted he retains that position within SCARA today. Twenty years of SCARA is certainly worth celebrating. 

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and looking forward to seeing as many of you as we can at a SCARA event in 2025.   

David  Cross

SCARA Chair