Wednesday 3rd September: Well a Lions rich few days, getting back up to speed with commitments I have made. First draft of my "Narrative", but not sure yet it it really hits the mark, will re and re-read for a couple of days. The event calendar now has some shape and looks forward to the end of 2015.

Monday afternoon and a visit to talk one-on-one with Robin Bickers, very amicable but not even the offer of a cup of coffee. After a long preamble I get round to the continuing sore that is The Whipper In. Robin does not believe that any change falls within the remit of the Programme committee, and should anyone, like a naive president, want to review options again it would not be treading on his toes, so a good start as that's really what I was angling for.

We discuss the 2015 programme and some progress has been made, but not too much that it is a fait d'accompli. Also Robin agrees that he will circulate progress to the Officers before our next meeting, ideal as Robin will not be there.

We discuss an evening specifically for the DG, Alan Hall and it's all agreed within 24 hours with Jayesh confirming he will visit on September 17th, and Alan Hall on Feb 4th 2015. 

We discuss apologies and which way round works best, i.e. apologising for an absence, or confirming an attendance. As I thought an assumption is made regarding Eddy Dorman and Verney and they were not asked for the cost of the meal recently, where four others were; this is not acceptable, different "assumptions" for different members.

I discuss this the next day with VP Mike, and we conclude that meeting attendance needs not to be an expectation of membership, but that all members should have a default position, either they expect to attend regularly and therefore need to apologise, or they do not expect to attend regularly and need to confirm attendance. At least this would be explainable to prospective members.

Mike has several ideas having read his Lion magazine, and we agree a Community Day would be a great idea for our 40th Anniversary celebrations; I ask Mike as VP, if he will lead a project to consult, plan and deliver our 40th celebrations, he cannot say no!