Annual Associate Members Meeting (AAMM) -
By: Chairman & Membership Secretary Martyn Cook
Hello everyone
I am starting my report in the same vein as my 2021 report, Covid-
Today it's more prevalent than ever albeit not so severe thank goodness, but still it plagues us. Most report that the first symptom is a sore throat and apart from feeling a little groggy that's it. We have many of our members who have contacted Covid in its various forms and who get better relatively quickly thank goodness. Obviously the number of vaccinations that we have had has helped the situation.
For those of you who are attending your first AAM meeting here is a quick reminder. Being a 'Charitable Incorporated Organisation' (CIO) we do not hold an AGM. This means no elections or re-
As Chairman I have a duty to give you a report on the society's activities and actions over the past year along with any changes to the line up of trustee's. Thankfully there have been no trustee resignations. I will as I did last year, email you this report and post it to those without an email address.
The above also requires our Treasurer to give you a report and following my report our Treasurer Pat Lisseman (Mrs) will deliver her report on the finances of the society.
Alan Powell our Secretary and Newsletter Editor volunteered back in July 2020 to produce "The MHAS Times" a monthly style new sheet in between producing our "Runway 22". The total number of New sheet Alan produced was 12. This kept members up to date and no doubt helped to prompt members into renewing their membership for 2021/22.
Our last meeting before the second lockdown was if I remember correctly March 2021. Our next meeting took place after the end of the 2nd lock-
In between however we still attracted some new members 11 to be precise. Unfortunately, we had 17 members however who did not renew their membership in 2021/22.
Unfortunately we lost 4 members during the year that we know of who past away. One of those was Alan Smith our Consultant Archivist and a Vice President. Jack Peck one of the Wednesday gang. From the 356th Fighter Group we lost Arthur Wong a 359th Sqd. veteran pilot and Inez Troge, wife of the late Eldon Troge also from the 359th Sqd. One ex-
What did we do during 2021-
On Friday 20th August Howard King arranged a visit to Flixton Aviation Museum it was our only group outside visit of the year. Flixton like MHAS had not been open and so we were the first to visit since the lockdown and they did us proud. Food and drink was in abundance and the personal tour they arranged was very well received.
On September 12th we held our now annual “Classic Car & Military Vehicle Meet” at the Control Tower. What an event. The people came but never left the same goes for the classic cars. It has always been a successful event but last year was phenomenal. As I said above we re-
In November we held our ‘Service of Remembrance’. Sadly we were unable to enlist an RAF senior officer to deliver an address but the RAF was represented by the presence of the Felixstowe No.356 ATC. The number of attendees however was encouraging; perhaps starting 30 minutes earlier encouraged people to come along. Shortly before the arranged service date we lost our Scottish Piper Rod Caird who has played at all of our services since 2013. He had played with the Ipswich Piping Society at our Classic Car event just 2 months
previously. We were please however to play the piece of music “Flower of Scotland” by a piper that Rod has always played as a tribute to him.
Strangely with the Covide restrictions such as they were the group visits to the Control Tower Museum increased, particularly schools. We have also had a number of private parties which Ian Lisseman our Museum Manager hosted.
Despite Covide and the 2nd lockdown work has gone on in the Control Tower Museum albeit with small projects. One on-
compound. We have now resumed our Sunday afternoon opening of the Control Tower Museum which hopefully will result in prospective members coming along and who knows, perhaps some of our members also.
Activities Planned for Coming Year 2021/22
We have as yet only agreed for one event the “Classic Car meet” to be held on Sunday 11th September at the Control Tower.
The annual “Service of Remembrance” will take place on Sunday 13th November.
That concludes my report for the year 2021/22
However, I cannot conclude without first thanking our President Mr Richard Barker and of
course the MHAS trustees. Their help and support throughout the year makes running our
society a pleasure even in these difficult times.
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Before I ask our Treasurer to give her report I would just like to remind those of you who have not yet renewed your membership for 2022/23 details of how and where, should you have forgotten.
Membership for 2022/23
Some members have already rejoined. You can pay by BAC's through your own bank
account the details are as follows...
MHAS Bank: NatWest
Account Name: Martlesham Heath Aviation Society
MHAS Bank Account No: 14670909
Sort Code: 602445
Use as your Reference your: SURNAME & MEMBERSHIP NUMBER
You can of course send a cheque directly to me my address it is follows...
Martyn Cook -
If you could include a stamp that would be very helpful, at the same time saving a little more money. But please, make sure that the stamp is on the Post Office paper in order that it can be easily peeled off. We have special cardboard envelopes to post your new membership card to you, so need of an envelope.
Alternatively, should you be in the area then you can put the cash into an envelope and put it through my door. The dog may bark but it will not eat it. (Please remember do not send cash
through the post).
Of course payment can be paid at one of our monthly meetings; cost of renewal is of course
just £7.00 just come and see me, I have your membership card to hand.
In the meantime our web site... www.mhas.org.uk is of course be the place to look for society information.
In the meantime from our President and trustees, please keep safe, it’s not over yet.
Martyn -
