The Central (Loc) Fund A

THE CENTRAL (LOC) FUND A.G.M. 2009

I WOULD BE LYING TO YOU IF I WERE TO SAY THAT THE LAST YEAR HAS BEEN EASY FOR THE CENTRAL FUND.

THE DEMAND FOR OUR SUPPORT HAS SEEN NO DIMINUTION. I ONLY WISH I COULD SAY THE SAME FOR OUR RECEIPTS!

HOWEVER, STRANGE AS THIS MAY SOUND, THE ADMINISTRATORS OF THE CENTRAL FUND ARE MOST GRATEFUL FOR THE MOTION THAT WAS RAISED 2 YEARS AGO, REQUESTING THAT WE SEARCH FOR A MORE EQUITABLE SOURCE OF FUNDING TO FINANCE THE MANY PROJECTS THAT THE CENTRAL FUND SUPPORTS. (I’M SURE I NEED NOT HERE DILATE ON THE MANY EXELLENT PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED OVER THE YEARS; MOST OF YOU WILL BE ONLY TOO AWARE OF THE BENEFITS THE SCHEMES AND PROJECTS HAVE BROUGHT TO YOUR PROFESSION)

YOUR ADMINISTRATORS HAVE SPENT MANY HOURS DEBATING AND DISCUSSING THE MATTER, AND WE HAVE CONCLUDED THAT VOLUNTARY DONATIONS ARE THE ONLY WAY FORWARD FOR A QUASI-CHARITABLE BODY SUCH AS THE CENTRAL FUND; HOWEVER, WE RECOGNISE THAT, WITH THE CURRENT METHOD OF FUNDING, THE BURDEN FALLS MAINLY ON CONTRACTORS. IN ORDER TO SPREAD THE FUNDING MORE EVENLY OVER THE WHOLE PROFESSION (CONTRACTORS AND PERFORMERS) WE HAVE MAILED A LETTER TO EVERY MEMBER OF THE PROFESSION ASKING EVERY INDIVIDUAL TO CONSIDER SUPPORTING THE CENTRAL FUND BY VOLUNTARY DONATIONS SENT STRAIGHT TO OUR TREASURER, MAYBE BY STANDING ORDER, DIRECT DEBIT, OR JUST A CHEQUE EVERY NOW AND THEN THROUGH-OUT THE YEAR. WE WILL ALSO BE ASKING THE LARGE OPTICAL BUSINESSES IF THEY WOULD CONSIDER ONE-OFF DONATIONS FOR SPECIFIC PROJECTS. (FOR EXAMPLE THE PHAST PROJECT)

WE WOULD NOW ASK ALL LOCs TO ENCOURAGE THEIR MEMBERS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FUND, IN ORDER THAT WE CAN CONTINUE THE GOOD WORK THAT HAS UNDOUBTEDLY BEEN OUR HALLMARK OVER MANY YEARS, AND WE HOPE THAT, WITH YOUR ENCOURAGEMENT, EVERY MEMBER OF THE PROFESSION WILL RECOGNISE THE WORTH OF THE CENTRAL FUND.

IN CONCLUSION, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT, ALTHOUGH I SPEAK VERY GLIBLY OF THE CENTRAL FUND SUPPORTING THE PROFESSION, I NEVER FORGET THAT IT IS ACTUALLY YOU WHO ARE SUPPORTING YOUR OWN PROFESSION.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION.