40 th Anniversary Dinner – Speech given by Paul Frampton, Chairman of HMA.
Good evening everyone!
I would like to extend a warm welcome to the 40th Anniversary celebration of Hythe Marina Village and to thank you on behalf of HMA for your support this evening. Windsor Castle only managed to get 160 people to turn up!
We are delighted to have Jon King, MDL Estates Director, Debbie Scott and her Marina colleagues, Michelle Hodgson from R & R and her team and Newton Bellasario from Lyndhurst Landscaping with us this evening all of whom are our key partners here in Hythe. We look forward to welcoming Amy Hillyer and Edward Iliffe tomorrow.
In the book Marina Developments ..so far Hythe Marina Village is described as an outpost of glamour and exotica with Port Grimaud nr St Tropez the inspiration for this project. Sir Christopher Cockerell, inventor of the hovercraft whose house is now nearing completion just beside us, laid the first brick on December 4th 1984 on what many regard as an unequalled development for boating enthusiasts. Happily Philip and Dianne Naylor who now own Hovercraft House are with us this evening – I was told they were keen to be here because they want their brick back. It’s lovely to see you.
But as you all know after 40 years Hythe Marina Village is now so much more than a place for boating enthusiasts.
It’s a fully matured community where most importantly people do well, where people see no good reason to act their age. It’s an activity centre, a place where neighbours become true friends, where we feel secure, supported and where a sense of wellbeing is a constant.
This is the real value of Hythe Marina Village, something Agents fail to recognize and exemplify.
Hythe is a great investment in what really matters in our lives.
I cannot believe there is not a waiting list as there was in 1985 with such a limited opportunity.
The HMA Board is a small group of volunteers doing their best to protect and enhance Residents interests and benefits. With more help and imagination, we could all do so much more to market Hythe Marina Village. It’s not about bricks, mortar and boats it’s so much more than that.
Central to all of this of course are our Partners MDL, R & R, those who service our community and our relationship with them. It’s not easy for people to cohabit even with those we love but especially with a commercially driven business within a cost sharing prescriptive Lease arrangement. Pre Nup if you like.
I see our relationship with MDL much like a marriage and today we are celebrating our 40th Anniversary.
I berthed in a number of different places with many lovely people before choosing MDL as my long-term partner. Some say I have had several wives but only one of my own!
But when you fall in love you don’t think about what you are signing up to. Let me give you a flavour of what I have had to put up with over the last 20 years.
- Every time I want to go out I have to call her, remind her of my name, and when she’s ready she locks me out ! I have to call her again before I can come home and she locks me in again usually with a load of other people I don’t know – she seems to know all of them. What’s that all about. I am only free to come a go for few hours each day! Takes some putting up with I can tell you.
- When I call her she often tells me tells me to standby, hold my position, make my approach with caution, I always do that – for God’s sake – and I have to wait if she’s talking to somebody else. When I repeat my very reasonable request she get the hump and tells me it’s over – I know she’s really upset when I have pushed my luck just that little bit too far when she says over and out. Then I know she doesn’t want to speak to me anymore. Well two can play at that game!
- There are times when she won’t let me walk right around the place and then there is all the lodgers, loads of them sharing my space – they are everywhere but she says they help to pay the bills. I suppose she has a point there – as long as they do!
- She keeps an eye on me all the time especially after dark, doesn’t like me doing any of the gardening and she won’t leave to me to keep the place tidy. She gets some other bloke to do that normally before I am up in the morning! But I don’t want you to think I am complaining about that – he does a good job.
- She’s also made her food preferences abundantly clear which I suppose is fair enough. I like a good curry and a pint too but oh my God I have to use a special code to get into the bathroom! I have to say she can be very thoughtful though. She does warn me every day if there is any wind about – writes it on a blackboard in 6 inch letters – imagine that! She must think I have lost some of my senses.
- A couple of years ago she even stopped me getting into the place – huge hole in the drive. That took some sorting out that did I can tell you but she does allow me to park one nice car outside the house so it’s not all bad. I have to put her sticker on it though! I’m a marked man!
- But now I get the feeling she’s beginning to be more concerned about my condition, most unlike her, doesn’t normally take much interest or notice of stuff going downhill, so I should probably look on the brightside – things might be getting better. What makes me think that after all this time? She’s only gone and plonked a Gym and a Bodyworks place where I can’t say I haven’t noticed them – right next to the pub! She says she only has my best interests at heart that it’s time to do something about my appearance – I need to look better, more attractive. Bless her but she’s going to have to work hard at that.
- Despite all of this we are still together after 40 years. I am beginning to wonder whether we are moving more towards a more civil partnership – not sure yet but I think it would be better than arguing all the time especially when we share such a nice place together. We shall have to see how we get on over the next 40 years.
This of course depends on a lot of help from some key people who just happen to be with us this evening.
From Jon and Amy, from Michelle and Rayana, from Debbie and her teams who I am sure will work hard in our best possible interests as far as they are able to. In rough conditions stabilizers are needed and its stability we hope for going forward – this is so important to us all particularly in this difficult economic climate.
There are people I need to thank on your behalf tonight.
This weekend has been generously sponsored by MDL, R & R and WP Fuels who fueled us up with Prosecco earlier this evening. This celebration would not have been possible without financial support. We are most grateful.
Amy Hillyer and her family will judging our decorative efforts on Sunday both houses and boats – we look forward to seeing them.
Debbie and her team who have had the most challenging time this year one way and another – keep smiling Debbie – we are all with you!
James and his team with all sorts of practical help getting this together.
We have a small gift for Jon, Michelle and Debbie.
And now our own HMA stars lead by Di and Muriel. What a team kindly assisted by Susan Bessey, Sharon Lawless, Jan Baker, Alistair Stubbs, Nigel Price, Nick and Grace Jeffrey all playing their part.
Thanks also to Liz Wigfield for writing the table plan so beautifully and John McGinn for all his brilliant MC and Commentary work this weekend.
Di and Muriel – Fantastic job – thank you!
Di tells me she will definitely not be doing the 50th but she is very happy to do the 60th
On your tables is a 3D printed Yacht or Launch kindly made by Matt Stone. We would like to ask each table to bid amongst yourselves for these and to let Di or Muriel have the proceeds in support of this weekend’s events.
We have a lot to celebrate – have a great evening, thank you again for your support and tomorrow should be a great day – Nicks in charge!
Now I would now like to invite Jon to say a few words.