As I write this piece I feel Summer has finally arrived with temperatures in the mid 20Cs. Remember that hot weather brings its own driving challenges, not least staying hydrated during day trips and trips to holiday destinations and keeping calm during busy traffic periods, particularly during hold-ups where patience can be tested. Try to uphold the main advanced driving tenets of discipline, being systematic and focus.

I have some pieces of information to share with you. Firstly, our Associate Co-ordinator, Alan Prescott, has decided to hang up his clipboard at the AGM after 32 years diligently carrying out this role.

Every Associate joining the Group over the last 32 years would have come across Alan at some point. We owe Alan a huge gratitude for his service to the Group not only as Associate Co-ordinator but also as a dedicated Observer having joined the Observer team in 1989 and retiring as an Observer a few years ago. Thank you Alan.

I’d also like to thank our Vice-Chairman Phil Sharples who has decided to step down from this role at the AGM. Phil is also another dedicated member and Observer of many years.

Volunteering to support any cause can be very rewarding both personally and for the cause. It’s worthwhile reminding ourselves periodically of why we exist and what we contribute to society. Our mission, highlight, in the tag line above ’ Working to make our roads safer everyday’ is not just a sentence, but our passion. We aim to reduce death and injury on our roads by equipping drivers to be more confident, more skilful and safer.

We are on the look out for Observers to join our team following a significant reduction in recent years. If you are interested then get in touch.

Mark Farnworth

Group Chairman