Newslink December final

Area News
Scotland AGM: Another Great Meeting
Brian
Thomson
MSA GB Scotland
When around 70 people congregate at Castle
Cary Hotel for a Sunday morning meeting it
can only mean one thing: Yes, it’s MSA GB
Scotland’s training and AGM.
The event actually starts on the Saturday
afternoon with committee members
gathering to discuss, plan and set up what we
can in preparation for the members and some
non-members (not for long though) arriving
the next day, eager to hear what’s going on
in our industry, and what changes are
heading our way.
The doors open to attendees at 9am for a
prompt 9.30am start, and it’s great to see
people arriving well before then just to get
‘booked in’ and meet other members for a
good catch-up.
On arrival, it’s collect your named lanyard
from Jean Harvey’s table – she’s got finding
your badge down to a seamless art ... it’s all
down to laying them out alphabetically! –
collect a conference pack containing flyers
from meeting sponsors, the agenda for the
day and some goodies from MSA, get your
name marked off the attendance sheet and
you’re free to go and find a table.
Theme for the table names this year was
classic cars, Anglias, Cortinas, etc.
The meeting itself was opened bang on
time by the Scottish chairman Steven Porter,
who offered everyone a warm welcome and
ran through what the day was to hold.
First up was Stuart Lochrie of Bright
Coaching, who offered what was just the first
in a number of excellent presentations. He
had the audience doing their morning
exercises and explaining various coaching
techniques available.
Next up was Carol Mackie from AI
Insurance solutions Ltd. Her presentation
was very much from the heart as far as what
she could and would do to assist MSA GB
members with any issues regarding obtaining
a replacement dual controlled car if their own
was off the road after an accident.
After a break the audience were treated to
the training duo of Kev and Tracey Field from
Confident Drivers. Again they had the room
involved in discussions, questions, and even
re-inventing the wheel as we know it.
Just before the break for lunch,
presentations were put on hold to allow the
Annual General Meeting to take place. Steven
Porter read out his chairman’s report for the
year before handing over to Mike Yeomans,
(MSA GB National Chairman), to preside over
the nominations of the Scottish committee
for the next 12 months.
Steven Porter was voted in as chairman for
another year, with Bryan Phillips voted in as
deputy chairman and as editor.
I will take on the roles of secretary and
treasurer.
One of my duties was to read out a note
from Shelagh Oakes who informed the
committee that she would be retiring and
giving up her membership of the MSA GB
after 34 years.
Peter Hearn, DVSA
After a hearty lunch it was the turn of
Peter Hearn, who is the DVSA’s Area
Operations Manager North. The audience had
plenty of questions for him, with information
“After a break the audience were
treated to the training duo of Kev
and Tracey Field from Confident
Drivers... they had the room
involved in discussions, with
plenty of questions...”
34 NEWSLINK n DECEMBER 2023