CHAIRPERSON'S REPORT 03
It is a great pleasure to present this report.
During the past year Cape Town branch members have been able to enjoy a wide variety of meetings and functions as diverse as the Gold of Africa Pangolin Night Tour to the economic overviews given by Nicky Veldtman.
We have met each other over coffee and croissants at breakfast and enjoyed the company of the 2002 Businesswoman of the Year, Kim Mc Farland at a packed lunch at the Winchester Mansions. The functions committee have worked hard to create a package of different events in an attempt to offer something for everyone in some interesting venues and I believe, from the increased numbers of attendees, that they have succeeded remarkably well. My sincere thanks to them all.
Special highlights were the superb Christmas lunch at the Vineyard Hotel when our generous members raised over R7000 on the raffle for the Blouvlei School and donated enough toys and gifts for each child at the school to receive one. The Golf Day at Clovelly was not only a financial success - with the proceeds also being donated to Blouvlei - but a chance for friends and partners to enjoy the fun. Finally, our Regional Achievers' Awards Dinner, held last week, provided an opportunity for six remarkable women to be applauded for their achievements. Our CEO Niven Postma was sponsored to fly from Johannesburg to join us and gave us an interesting overview of the evolution of the national BWOY competition and the local awards. It was a glittering occasion, enjoyed by everyone and my special thanks go to Ferose Oaten for her fabulous Powerpoint presentation and to both Ferose and Jenna Monk for being the driving force behind the event.
I'd like to congratulate both of our winners Dr. Susan Vosloo - heart surgeon, winner in the Professional category and Jackie Leone owner of Leo Foods, winner in Entrepreneurial category. Both of these ladies will be joining all the other Regional Achievers at the Businesswoman of the Year Banquet in Gauteng in August.
This year we have also spent time developing the mentoring opportunity that is naturally available through the diverse range of our members' abilities. The MTN brainstrust is being piloted in Gauteng but we didn't want that to stagnate our efforts whilst we awaited its roll-out nationally, so two committee members have been putting together the MSMind sessions the first of which begins on 24th July with two further sessions planned on 21st August and 25th September. Judging from our members' initial response to this initiative these will be the first three in an ongoing programme. Thanks to committee members Tina Thiart and Mpho Mashengete for organising this.
I'd also like to recognise the work achieved by Mpho in aligning the BWA to CITF (Community IT Foundation) so that we can participate in that initiative by mentoring two of the students from Glendale School in Mitchell's Plain. CITF are working with Old Mutual to take their old computers and refurbish them and then set up formal computer training facilities in schools in the disadvantaged areas. We were privileged to be included in the donation to the Glendale High school in Mitchell'sPlain
As you probably all know the highlight of our BWA national calendar is the BWOY banquet which this year is being held at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand on 28th August. Profits from this evening go into the bursary fund and every year this money is divided proportionately between the branches and is used to offer deserving women a small bursary towards their advanced studies. This year the Cape bursary was divided between two recipients Jaana Ball doing her full time MBA and Gwen Baumgart going the part time two-year MBA both at the UCT Graduate School of Business.
The size of our membership has seen a healthly increase this year with an average of 8 new members joining each month bring membership in the Cape to 289. There has been an exciting resergence of membership in the Helderberg area thanks to the efforts of Helderberg committee representative Helen Gooderson. Cape Town members have also been taking the treck out to this truly lovely area to enjoy a series of interesting networking lunches at some spectacular venues. Thanks Helen.
Our newsletter continues to give members a variety of subjects to enjoy, even in its new format on our Website. Thanks to current committee member Justine Wyatt for being our editor and to all who have contributed a variety of fascinating articles over the past year. Also we need to regonise the incredible achievements of Tygerberg committee member Rene Bonzet who, along with organising a variety of events in her region has been our Press liaison. Her efforts have optimised press coverage for the BWA during the past year. Thanks so much Rene.
Finally my thanks to Nedbank for their continued support and in particular our outgoing Nedbank Champion, Nicky Elliot for always being there when we needed her. Nicky has always supported us with such good grace and humour and we will miss her. However I am also pleased to welcome Ronel de Wet, who is our new "Champion". Ronel, we all look forward to working with you.
In wrapping up, I'd like to thank my current committee Mpho Mashengete, Ferose Oaten, Tina Thiart, Justine Wyatt, Marion Ellis, Glynnis Gillot, Logandree Gouden, Helen Gooderson, Rene Bonzet and Jenna Monk for assisting me through an interesting although sometimes turbulent year. My sincere thanks go also to Cheryl Stein, our branch co-ordinator whose tireless efforts at all our functions and behind the scenes keep our branch matters on track. Cheryl - thank you so much.
To our members I'd like to say that as the BWA continues to expand so do the opportunities afforded members, but without your continued support we would not be able to offer the women in business in our country the voice that we do, so please assist us to grow by chatting about the organisation to associates and friends. Look out for some more interesting meetings and fuctions and PLEASE make a date in your diary now for our Charity Ball and Auction on 4th October at the new Arabella Sheraton. Proceeds from this occasion will boost the coffers of Maradadi and Grandmothers Against Poverty and Aids.