A personal account of the AGM by Vince Raia, “The Bard”.

It was on a cold November day in the year of Blair 2005, when all were gathered in the village of Cosford for the ancient annual ritual of an AGM. Yes, once again, it was the annual meeting of the Large Model Clan to get together and chat about all the projects they might be building over the winter months, and all things aeronautical that would bore the pants off their poor long suffering wives and family! Over 120 people attended the meeting and gave their support so the Committee must be doing something right!

Colin Hammond and myself were kindly chauffeured up to the event by our mate and new’ish LMA member, he of ‘Henry’s Hangar’ fame, Henry Cooper. A lot of people, including us, had their vans and cars loaded with gear to sell at the ‘Bring n Buy’, although this year I think everyone forgot to bring any money with them as hardly anything got sold! But that’s another story.

When we went into the building it was great to enjoy the hospitality of the refreshment machine. It was just the job to thaw you out after standing in the freezing cold car park waiting to get in, and when the Committee sat down for their pre-AGM meeting, I was drafted in as the Committee’s new waiter, the Chairman and the Treasurer being highly delighted with their drinks!!

I must admit to always enjoying the LMA AGM, but this year it was a corker. We were first introduced to the LMA policemen who were there to quell any contentious goings on! Alias Dave’s Swarbrick and Horton, complete with their flashing blue lighted helmets! What a pair, our version of Laurel and Hardy, only needed Colin to play the music! A light-hearted start before the more serious business began.

Once we composed ourselves, it was onto the Officers’ reports, and uncle Ted telling us how he had managed to balance the books again to give us a healthy bank balance, and not increase the fee’s again for next year. ”Brilliant”. The other officer’s gave a summary of the year’s activities and how the LMA had achieved yet another record membership. It continues to grow from strength to strength – the secret of the LMA’s great friendliness and camaraderie seems to be out!

Then we got onto voting in the Committee, and I think it is great that our successful team have agreed to stand again for another year, for which we showed our hands in united agreement.

The business was toped off with a superbly funny and lighthearted banter about full-size antics. This was done by Sir John Willis and he really had us in stitches with his stories. John made this AGM one of the best I have been to, if you didn’t crack-up listening to his hilarious experiences whilst flying Vulcan bombers, you weren’t human! “Well done John I’m booking you for next year!”

Last year was a sad year for the LMA with quite a few well know characters and superb modellers passing-on, this year there were only two, (two too many). There were a couple of members who had been seriously ill this year, but still managed to attend the meeting, keep it going guys!

Next it was a spot of lunch in the excellent (and reasonable) restaurant at Cosford, then into the ‘bring n buy’ where all the unwanted goodies and those bored-with projects are for sale. There were some tempting models on sale, but this year it seemed that few people had any money to spend! I sold a new engine to a delighted chap, plus a model that I’d already sold and was delivering. My mate Henry sold his DR1 to a chap, but my mate Alan Cantwell wasn’t having much luck selling his gear. Still, I think having the ‘bring n buy’ is a great idea, it really rounds the day off. Are you all that scared of your wives, or did they nick all your money out of your pockets before you came?

Anyway, enough from me, I hope you all have a super Xmas, and a great new year, and I’m looking forward to seeing you all at the shows next year with your new creations, and looking forward to having a chat and a laugh over a beer or two.