Well, happy Christmas everyone! I very much hope you and yours enjoy a restful break after another difficult year.

Caroline and I have decided to take three weeks off over the end of the year, and go and be hermits somewhere other than Sydney. So, if you are trying to get hold of us, don’t be surprised if there is no answer – it’s one of the few places within two hours of Sydney with no phone signal! Glorious.

But before that, next weekend (Sunday 13th) we have the AGM and CLA Christmas Party. We are still very much expecting to have it in person in Tunk’s Park in Lane Cove National Park. We will kick off the AGM at 11am (and will have a Zoom line open too for those who would like to join remotely), followed by the BYO picnic in the park from about 12 onwards.

The agenda for the AGM is largely as in prior years (sign-off of the financials, appointment of the committee, review of the year that was, plan for the year to come) with the notable exception that we will be asking for your endorsement or otherwise of the revised CLA constitution.

The revised version was sent out earlier this year for consultation, and the final version is on the members area of the website (in the Member Jungle site, under CLA Documents). We need 75% approval of all those attending the AGM for this to be ratified and would value your presence and vote on the day.

Additionally, if anyone would like to nominate for any of the roles on the committee, or simply to join as a general member, we are always on the hunt for willing volunteers.

In particular this year we need some help with:

• Motorsport, where the team is going to need some additional support following David Mackie’s move to Queensland; and
• A replacement (as if that were possible!) for Anne in the role of Vice President, following her well-deserved retirement this year following many years of wonderful service to the club.

In other news, the new ominously-named Omicron variant of the COVID virus is causing the press (with nothing better to do) to drum up a crisis. Very sadly, this week we lost another great name in motorsport with the passing of Sir Frank Williams, and just so you don’t think I’ve completely lost my British roots, a mention of the weather, which continues to dampen spirits (at least in Sydney, I can’t really speak for anywhere else as I haven’t been there in such a long time).

On a brighter note, I got some encouraging photos of the Eleven (top), which continues to come back together looking rather dashing. The Elite repairs (above) have made the next step towards a coat of paint, although the rain is slowing that process down as the abnormal moisture in the air apparently upsets the quality of the paint – I do wonder how they ever manage to paint cars in, for example, the UK?

On that note I will wish all of you and your families a restful, joyful and above all safe summer holidays, and given that we will next speak in 2022, a very Happy New Year too, and may it be a bit easier than the last two.

Pip pip,
Ashton