Lorraine Harrison

November 2007

Tue 30th Oct

Well, it’s been some time between Newsletters and for this I apologise. Unfortunately, sometimes life takes over and the best laid plans of mice and men count for very little.

It is, perhaps, fitting that I have this opportunity of writing this Report for what is possibly the last Newsletter into which I will have input, bearing in mind the close proximity of our Annual General Meeting on the 29 November at which I will come to the end of my tenure of the Chair of Newquay Chamber of Commerce and Tourism.

During the time that I have been in the Chair, we have launched our website, changed our Corporate Image, sponsored Newquay in Bloom Partnership, sponsored Newquay Male Voice Choir, to mention but a few, attended meetings too numerous to mention and we have represented the business community to the best of our ability, as has always been the case.

It has been a bitter-sweet experience with many highs and some lows and, although it has been extremely hard work, it has been a character building experience for me. I have had the opportunity of meeting some amazing people and I have worked and interacted with many more. I have built some bridges and knocked some down and I have made many friends and this has been shown in the volume of tickets that have been sold for this year’s dinner and dance (192 and still counting).

It is, however, an unfortunate fact that all of the members that are attending are ones that know me personally and it is a sad indictment of our trade association that the membership isn’t really aware of how much work is done in the background. I remember well, when I first joined the Executive of the Chamber of Commerce, that people complained constantly that they had no idea what we did or what our purpose was. It was for this reason that I decided that, during my term in the Chair, I would raise the profile of the trade association, so that everybody knew exactly what we were doing at all times, whether they were members or not.

This has, however, backfired — in a nice way, it has to be said, from my point of view — in that the profile of the NCCT has been raised massively, but more so the popular profile of the brand that is “Lorraine Harrison”. I very much appreciate the support that I have received personally and I am touched by many of the comments made about what I have achieved during my term in office. But, once again, I have to reiterate that my two years in the Chair of the Newquay Chamber of Commerce and Tourism isn’t, and never was, about Lorraine Harrison — it was about building Newquay’s Trade Association into something that the Town’s business community could be proud of. Lorraine Harrison will be gone and forgotten very quickly, but the NCCT will continue on, fighting for the business community and for the recognition of Newquay as the premier resort, not only for Cornwall, but for the whole of the country. This work and its continuance is all the more relevant as we head into a new era with a new Unitary Authority and the changes that that will bring.

It has been a huge honour and a privilege to have been able to serve Newquay in this way and I would ask that you, the members, and the business community continue to support your trade association in any way you can. We constantly need new Executive members which involves attending one meeting a month. From that one meeting are generated various relevant chores with which you may, or may not, wish to become involved. The choice is yours. However, the stronger the membership and the Executive, the stronger the voice of Newquay’s business community.

To conclude, the NCCT Dinner and Dance is to be held on 09 November at the Hotel Victoria. Details are here on the website and it would be lovely to see as many members there as possible. Our AGM is to be held on 29 November, also at the Hotel Victoria. Please do come along.

Lorraine Harrison
Chairman
Newquay Chamber of Commerce & Tourism