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Channel Islands Air Search 1980 - 2008 - 28 Years of Search & Rescue Service |
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Jersey Friends of Air SearchPresident's Report 2004Derek Short, Chairman of the Jersey Trustees, approached me in early May this year to see if, subject to Committee approval etc, I would consider being proposed to succeed Tony Girard as Chairman at a future date. Having been loosely associated with CIAS in some way or another since its inception in 1975 (then employed as Marine Operations Officer at the Harbour Office), I readily accepted the offer, bearing in mind the responsibilities attached. I soon became fully aware that the prime objective of the Jersey Friends is to raise funds, thus ensuring that Lions Pride remains on service for its pivotal role as the principal locally based air asset available to the SAR Authorities in both Jersey and Guernsey on a 24 hr. basis. Subsequently, I was voted in as President on 14th June, a day prior to my 65th birthday and my retirement! It was coincidental that Lions Pride over flew the Yacht Club during the Committee meeting – not a prearranged event - but a call out to search for a missing person off Noirmont Point. I had previously attended the October 2003 and April 2004 Sunday lunch events at Jersey Potteries, where I renewed my acquaintance with several old friends and colleagues, all long standing supporters of CIAS. Linked with an excellent lunch, these proved to be both convivial occasions and worthwhile fund raising events. Ron Baudet’s faultless and excellent arrangement of these annual lunches and associated raffles deserves special mention as they form the two principle public fundraising activities of the year. Having been in post for some two months only, I am still in the formative stage of getting to understand how the Jersey Friends function: also, most important, the interaction between the Jersey and Guernsey Friends. I have, however enjoyed a recent and valuable acquaint visit to Guernsey, where Roddy Ray excelled in role of host. As will be appreciated by all members, 2005 with mark the 25th Anniversary of CIAS and to celebrate this, our Patron, His Excellency Air Chief Marshal Sir John Cheshire, has kindly agreed to host a Reception to be held on Tuesday 14th June 2005. Full details of this and other events will be circulated nearer the time. Continuing the theme of our 25th Anniversary, I feel this will also provide the ideal opportunity to raise the profile of CIAS in Jersey and in turn, increase our fundraising ability. All locally based charities are finding fundraising more difficult as we experience the more stringent economic situation that now prevails. However, we have the opportunity to build upon our forthcoming 25th Anniversary, linked with the excellent record of operational achievement, and I look forward to both your support and ideas on how we can best achieve this. I have spoken with Richard Haycock, collection box coordinator, and look forward to meeting with him and his team later this year. These are, in my view, the ‘unsung heroes’ of the Jersey Friends, and I would like to personally thank them for their invaluable contribution to the fund raising effort. I would like to thank the Committee for electing me to this challenging position, which with your support, input and encouragement, I will pursue with vigour, to ensure that both our profile and fund raising activities are to the fore in respect of the Jersey public and the marine community (both leisure and commercial) in particular. I would also like to especially thank Tony Girard for his excellent work during his time as President, also his recent personal support to me – and his offer of continued support in the future. Rest assured, I will be taking advantage of it! Thanks also to our Treasurer, John Wetherall for his efforts with compiling and producing our accounts, which were professionally audited very recently with some rigour. On a cautionary note, whilst our 2004 accounts show a healthy increase, it has to be remembered that the general level of donations is actually downward, if we deduct the two specific engine replacement donations from Mourants and Lloyds TSB, secured through the direct involvement of Derek Short. In conclusion, I look forward to working with my fellow Committee members, the Trustees and Supporters of the Jersey Friends of CIAS in the forthcoming 25th Anniversary year.
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The Queen's award for Voluntary Service 2005
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Please email us if you require more information about the work of the charity. Registered Charity in Jersey (no. 104) and Guernsey (no. 53)Copyright © 2002-2008 Channel Islands Air Search. Designed by Ivor Bisson. |
