I was honoured and delighted to be elected as your new Chairman at the well attended AGM at Colets on April 6th following another very successful Club Finals Weekend. I have been able to serve the GB Vets Club in various ways since taking over from the dearly remembered John Timperley as Hon Secretary in 1992. To become your Chairman following the retirement of John Woodliffe after his twenty years service is at once a challenge and a privilege.

We were all pleased to acclaim John's magnificent contribution to our Club with a special presentation.

In our 50th Anniversary Book 50 Years On, John most appropriately provided the final article Looking Forward-The Future of the Vets Club of GB. In a paragraph on the Club's strengths John highlighted friendly Inter-Club Matches, Tours, the Annual Club Tournament and Doubles. I am pleased to report that, at the first Committee meeting under my chairmanship in June, which was also attended by our President, it was agreed that we should drive the Club's ambitions forward in these areas. All members took upon a task- led by Match Manager David Smith- to organize at least two new friendly fixtures each during the 2014-15 season. Some of these may be the revival of previous events, but others may be new.

With regards to Tours, although we recognized the increased cost of long-distance overseas Tours, we plan to investigate the viability of nearer Tours and, perhaps, of inviting overseas teams to tour Great Britain with the help and support of our Club.

We also considered a number of other ideas including the opportunity to sponsor a Midlands/Northern based Festival of Squash, the relaunch of the Veterans' Doubles under the auspices of the GB Vets and the expansion of the range of events in our Annual Club Tournament to provide separate events for "non- elite" players. I agreed to talk with both England Squash and England Squash Masters to discuss these initiatives.

I do believe that this combination of reviving previously successful events and pursuing some new initiatives will reinvigorate the appeal of our Club for our current and future members whilst preserving our objectives and our fundamental values.

Tom Hendry

p.s.. If you have not already bought a copy of our splendid 50th Anniversary Book, then do contact Nigel Belle! And, if you would like to comment upon this, my first, Chairman's Message then please email me on twhendry@yahoo.com or write to me at my home address in the Handbook. If you want to help our club, then get in touch with any member of the Committee.