Pre 2022 Newsletters

Chairman’s Newsletter November 2020

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Dear Members,
 
Kay Carman
We have been open from 12 noon to 5pm since the 3rd of September! 
 
I thank all of the members who have been able to visit us and enjoy the camaraderie again! Peter, our new Caterer, has been serving wonderful sandwiches with chips or salad plus delicious afternoon cream teas with smoked salmon sandwiches, scone, cake & strawberries!!
 
With of course Chris our Barman serving our drinks! We have also had lovely background entertainment some Monday afternoons! So we have seen a return to happier times here at the CAA for 2 months now!
 
Our Kitchen received a 5 Star Rating from the Westminster Council Inspector last week!! So huge Congratulations To Peter Cliffe!!
 
To protect everyone the Government has re-introduced a nationwide lockdown from Thursday 5th November, so we will have to close our doors again after business on Wednesday 4th of November!
 
So please come to see us on the 4th, have a drink and some food!
Malcolm will only man the office for one day a week, so if you have any queries leave a message on the Club phone or call me, live,  on 07768 126994. I will be happy for a chat!!
 
Unfortunately the club is suffering financially the same as every other business in the country! By the end of December we will have lost,  from our main income,  3 tenants from our office suites because of the Covid situation, so we are looking for new tenants!!
 
I am so sad to report that our wonderful long time club and previous Committee member, Peter Durrant , sadly passed away. Peter was the epitome of a TRUE GENTLEMAN! A marvellous raconteur with amazing charm and humour. He gave so much joy to the club. He was greatly loved and will be greatly missed by  so many of us! Love and Thanks from us all Peter. RIP.
 
For a list of those club members who have passed away since the Covid restrictions started, please click on the Final Curtain link on the Home Page.
 
However – We will keep positive and weather the storm!!! Keep in touch with each other! Especially members who live alone! Keep smiling! We are all here for each other! You have your membership book so CALL someone!! Don’t feel down or depressed you are NOT ALONE! Call any of the Committee for a chat!!
 
Hopefully we will ‘re open on the 3rd of December!! I have spoken to Peter and if we are allowed we will have some bookable Christmas festivities together! All socially distanced of course! Haha! Or HoHoHo???
 
Depending on Government directives. Let us be POSITIVE!! Long live the wonderful CAA!!! WE WILL SURVIVE!!
 
All my love to you all!!
Kay Carman.
So proud to be your Chairman!

Chairman’s Newsletter August 2020

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Dear Members,

Kay Carman

The Committee has agreed to open the Club on Thursday, 3rd September, for a trial period throughout September to see if it is financially viable for us to open.

Initially the Bar will be open from 12 noon to 5pm Monday to Friday. Last orders will be 4.30 pm. Only Credit/Debit Cards will be taken for Bar payments. No cash will be taken by the Bar staff.

We may stay open slightly later once we are into a regular routine. We all have to be flexible.

A limited Menu of various sandwiches, prawn cocktail, salad, chips and Afternoon Cream Tea with tea or coffee, will be available from our new caterer, Peter Cliffe read more here.

Please support him when you come to the Club and order something to eat with your drinks. We hope to have a pianist playing softly downstairs in the Hall some afternoons.

The Club is being thoroughly deep cleaned in accordance with rules because of the Corona virus. Signs re social distancing and health rules will be displayed alongside hand sanitizers, etc. A one way system around the Club will be signposted.   

Please bring your own masks & gloves etc. for your own protection. You do come into the Club at your own risk. Members of the Committee will be setting out tables & chairs in the Bar and Concert Hall.   

Because of social distancing, seating space will be restricted. Therefore, whichever day or days you wish to come in you must phone up to reserve a seat please. Otherwise you may be disappointed if you just turn up and we are full.

Phone either: 0207 836 3172 or 0207 254 6074

Please leave your name and number. This may seem complicated but we have to adhere to Government guidelines!

Sadly, we have lost quite a few longstanding members during lockdown, from various illnesses not just the virus. Once we are back to normal we will have a Tribute afternoon/evening memorial to them. We send loving thoughts & support to their loved ones.

Over lockdown our Benevolent & Samaritan funds have been helping our members who have applied for assistance, all confidentially. These two funds are the raison d’être of our Club! Please phone either of the two numbers above for any information about assistance.

It has been and still is an awfully worrying time. Try to keep smiling & try to stay positive! I know it is hard but if you need to talk just ring myself or another Committee member. 

We are here to help & support you however we can! If you have a problem or a question about the Club, just call!

All my good wishes to you all,

Love

Kay Carman,

Chairman on behalf of the Committee

Chairman’s Newsletter July 2020

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NEWS FROM THE CHAIRMAN KAY CARMAN – JULY 2020

Kay Carman

The committee had a ‘virtual’ meeting on Thursday 9th July to discuss the reopening of the club.

It was decided to have a ‘deep clean’ throughout and the air conditioning fully serviced. Judith is arranging PPE, hand sanitising dispensers, perspex screens etc to enable us to create a safe environment.

Two or three Committee members will come in during August to sort out social distancing seating and tables in the Bar and Concert Hall areas using the small red cabaret tables. Malcolm will help sort out the bar regarding stock etc. Our new caterer Peter will also be on board.

Our aim is to reopen slowly but surely in early September. This all depends of course on Government directives and monitoring the overall situation. So we have to be flexible and cannot open fully for a while. We will gauge our member’s response and take it from there.

We want to be ready to respond to the ever changing situation and be fully prepared as much as we can be to open in early September, at least for a drink and some food and to be able to meet up safely with our friends again. Exact timings will be known at a later date – thank you for your wonderful patience and understanding.

Unfortunately we have inevitably lost some of our members during the lockdown. We will celebrate all their lives when we are back at the club. Our most recent passing is stalwart ‘C’ Member Tony Davey.

Tony contributed so much to our club! He, with his lovely wife Betty came to every function and brought their friends as well. He was (quite literally) a giant among men. Tony and Betty graciously gave us use of their house and grounds for our 100th Birthday Garden Party on 6th July 1997 – our Centenary Year! We can never thank them enough for that! RIP Tony; all our love and thanks to you along with our love and support to Betty and the family. We are here for you.

‘A’ Members remember that the Benevolent Fund is there to help you in these difficult financial times, so please contact Barbara Daniels for information. Any other members can apply for help from the Samaritan Fund – please contact myself or Malcolm for information.

These are strange, awful times but dear members please try to keep smiling and please stay safe! You have the member’s book so contact any of us if you wish to talk.

Love from Kay x

Chairman’s Newsletter March 2020

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Kay Carman

The AGM in March 2019 was well attended, the main topic being the club refurbishment. At the end of a long discussion, Bryan Naylor said that we must spend ‘whatever it takes.’ So, thank you Bryan for that because we practically have a brand new club now. 

We spent more than our original budget but we did so in full knowledge of the implications and we had a Cost Consultant on hand all the time! We are still very healthy financially and we did not have to borrow any money as all expenditure was within our means. 

It is a new era for the club now and we move forward positively. I am very proud and honoured to have ‘spear headed’ the project. It was a long seven months dealing with all the aspects involved and I have certainly learned a huge amount!

I thank the committee for their support and Deputy Chairman Jonathan Brosnan for his full support during the year. But in particular, Ron Wallace who over the years has sorted out the maintenance of our club and saved us a lot of money. This year he kept an eye on the builder’s progress! 

Also Chris Hare, who has been a huge support and always been POSITIVE with me about the work. They both came to as many fortnightly site meetings as they could. 

Judith Quiney has worked tirelessly for the Club. Packing all the boxes and everything ready for the storage units in May and reorganising BT accounts, so that we could continue in a temporary office on the fifth floor from July. 

Judith also was a great help with ordering new furniture, fixture and fittings and then, when we came back in the refurbished building in November, helping unpacking boxes and sorting out the new IT issues in the office and card machines and picking up snagging issues. She has been invaluable, giving so much of her time to the Club. 

Grateful thanks to Malcolm our Secretary, who handles the Office and Val, his assistant, who have coped with the office upheavals since we moved back in. Malcolm has had to come in very early some mornings for workmen and deliveries. They hardly ever have a sick day off! 

Thanks to Liam, our hard working stage manager and the guys who set out the chairs. Malcolm, our doorman, has had a knee operation and expects to be back in March. Also our bar staff, who cope with every eventuality with a smile. 

As we settle into our new club, there are still a couple of snagging issues such as extra stage curtains and photos back on the wall. Sally and her team have continued to supply popular meals but the committee, as part of good practice in a new era, have put the brand new kitchen up for tender. Sadly, Sally has decided to leave. 

We have had a good response from individuals and firms to take over the franchise. Interviews have already been conducted. Unfortunately, the 4th floor office firm went into liquidation and the 3rd floor firm have been having financial difficulties, but we have recouped most of the money they owe us. It is ongoing. 

So, we are looking for new tenants. We thank the Trustees of our Benevolent Fund who work quietly and confidentially helping our ‘A’ members. If anyone knows of members in need please contact them. Also the Samaritan Fund is there to help other members. Please contact the Committee. 

Our social functions continue to sell out! Our hall capacity is slightly reduced due to an extended stage area and our sound and lighting desk now being situated at the rear of the hall. 

The Committee has decided to TRY OUT opening every SATURDAY EVENING from April from 5pm until last orders at 11.15pm. Sadly, we have lost quite a few members this year but, since January, we have brought in new members who have been on the waiting list for quite a while. 

I have really enjoyed this year as your Chairman and I thank you for your wonderful support and your patience during all of the closure. We have a great new Club! Onwards and Upwards! My love to you all.

KAY CARMAN

Chairman’s Christmas Message 2019

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Dear Members,

OMG! At last we are OPEN!!! Hooray!!!

Kay Carman

There are one or two things to tidy up and I imagine it will be into 2020 before we have all the photos up in the Bar area and the important pictures up around the place, plus the Honours Board in the Hall. We are trying to have our wonderful Jack Warner settled somewhere special in the Club. Eventually we will be fully completed! I will let you know when we have the final Hand Over from the Building firm!

I thank you for your donations / contributions that we are receiving. We do need them as our coffers are quite depleted, but we do have a great new club which will take us into a new era! I am writing to you to thank you personally. We will be having Fundraising events in 2020, so keep an eye on the website and the club Notice board.

Unfortunately we have two empty office suites at the present time due to two firms folding. We used one space as our temporary office for nearly 5 months and our Managing Agents are looking for new tenants. The Christmas Season is now upon us. Many of you will be very busy in Pantos, Christmas shows, Cabarets  etc. either on Stage or behind the scenes. On land or on the high seas! Or just enjoying the holiday season. Wherever you are, myself and the Committee send you good wishes..

The two Opening Night parties were a huge success. Thanks must go to our President Anita Dobson who spoke to everyone on the 22nd and her lovely husband Brian May popped in to see us as well! Our two Christmas parties were sold out immediately too. Sorry for you members who missed out on both events! There are a few seats left for our Burns Night on January 24th. We have a great Jazz night on February 28th featuring Dominic Ashworth and his quartet. Dominic has been nominated UK No1 Jazz Guitarist and is a truly world class musician.

Our main function is our Sparkling CAA. Ball on 22nd March 5pm at the Royal Garden Hotel Kensington. Fantastic bands and Cabaret. Tickets £70 members £75 guests. See the booking forms please.

I hope you like the new club. The Committee and myself do! Haha! I am very proud to have “spearheaded” the project. It has been 7 months of hard work but in a masochistic way I have enjoyed it! Haha!! I have learned a huge amount about building works etc.!! I thank the Committee and Dep. Chairman Jonathon Brosnan, for supporting me, but I must thank three of them in particular who have always been there when I needed them. Ron Wallace, Chris Hare and then, especially in the last three months, Judith Quiney.  I thank Malcolm our Secretary who has been up with the larks many mornings since we took back the premises about two months ago! He is ready for a rest now too!!

All the staff are pulling together now to get everything back in order and I thank them.

I hope you all have a great time over the holiday season! I am off to spend Christmas with my family in South Africa!

My love to you all and thank you for your support! ……………………..

Kay Carman.