For all those who read this newsletter but weren’t at The Trout on Thursday 25 April – because you aren’t members or couldn’t make it, didn’t know about it – you missed a very enjoyable evening.
Following the Club AGM we began our slimmed-down awards – you can find out why they were slimmed-down at the end of this review.
There were three award categories: Business Student of the Year, the Howard Dowler Award and the Bob Warren Hospitality Award. The awards were ably compered by Richard Martin (Cotswold Woollen Weavers) whose introduction asked what if there were no businesses? Towns and villages would be dormitories – we need businesses (particularly local ones; even more so with the changing climate). We need businesses for food, clothing, the homes we live in, for enjoyment, and much more. Businesses provide more than goods and services, they provide places to eat, drink, relax and socialise. They create community, bringing people together, and for many small business owners it’s a way of life – you are the business.
On to the awards. The three Business Student winners were: Harriet Elliott (re Garb – reuse of clothing aimed at young people), George Whittingham (Café with DJs – coffee shop with a difference) and Oliver Rowlands (Carwyn’s Classics – restoring classic cars). The awards were presented by McGills.
The Howard Dowler Award, presented by Neil Dowler (Fairford Roof Tiles), son of Howard, who was one of the founding members of FLBC, this year was truly an award for community service, going to Lechlade Bloomers, a small group of local volunteers who are responsible for planting and nurturing the beautiful floral and plant displays that greet Lechlade’s visitors each year. Their job is not easy, particularly with the ever more unpredictable weather, so thank you.
The final award was the Bob Warren Hospitality Award, instigated by the late landlord of The Trout, a riverside pub that has stood on the banks of the River Thames for hundreds of years. You can read about its history on The Trout’s website – I just have; every day is a school day! This award, chosen from members’ entries, was awarded to the landlady of The Trout, Penny Warren! A well-deserved award – read on.
The evening concluded with a delicious buffet, prepared by The Trout. The brie and mango parcels were amazing. The evening was sponsored by McGills, chartered accountants, to whom the Business Club is very grateful. All successful businesses have a good accountant to advise them.
Our slimmed-down awards: the Steering Group is a very small group of FLBC members, who have businesses to run as well, doing our best to provide informative, useful events on a monthly basis, with a strong social aspect. If you think of the Steering Group as a minibus, we have two drivers (Nick and Ian) and there are empty seats if anyone wants to join us as we travel along, looking for interesting businesses, people, places to go. You don’t have to rock up to all the planning meetings but more ideas, help with planning events etc would be much appreciated.
Written by Miriam Weisinger, T A Reed (Wiltshire) Ltd.
