Dear Members,

Our AGM was held last Friday 12th July via Zoom.

As I reflect on my five-year tenure as President of the New Zealand Society, I am filled with gratitude and pride for what we have achieved together. This will be my final year serving in this role, and it has been an honour to lead such a dedicated and vibrant community. The process of recruiting a new president will be managed by a subcommittee, ensuring a seamless transition.

Firstly, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the current committee for their exceptional work over the past 12 months. Their commitment and enthusiasm have been invaluable. We also bid farewell to Louise Parkin, Elly-Marie Connolly, Ankita Sharma and Kerry Beeching, who are stepping down from the committee. Their contributions have left a lasting impact on our society. Kerryn supported the New Zealand community and Jayson Norris last Saturday working with others to put on a great fundraiser at the All Blacks screening. Amazing work!

Looking ahead, we are excited to announce the planning of our 2024 Christmas event featuring a Kiwi market on December 1st. Reflecting on the past year, notable highlights include the well-attended Waitangi Day ball and service, and the support of our new patron, HM The King, to whom we send our best wishes during his cancer treatment. Our collaborations with other New Zealand organisations have also been instrumental in our success. We look forward to a few more events this coming year, our first event witll be the Paris Olympic Games Opening Event with our French partners.

For the upcoming year, we are reviewing the format of the Waitangi Day Ball to ensure better cash flow through increased pre-sales. Mark your calendars for the Waitangi Day service on February 6th and the ball on February 7th. We are also exploring new events, including an art exhibition, to diversify our offerings. It is crucial to have a strong, cohesive committee to deliver these events, with the Treasurer involved in all planning stages to maintain financial oversight. The 100 Waka campaign continues to be a focal point, alongside new partnerships with Halo and Crown Removals, which have been beneficial.

At our recent AGM, we adopted the minutes from the prior meeting, reflecting on the progress made and acknowledging the efforts of those who have served. Our charitable grant to the Shakespeare Globe NZ Group underscores our commitment to supporting New Zealand culture, despite financial constraints. The financial report presented by our Treasurer, Rhonda Moon, highlighted a challenging year, with a slight cash loss. We decided to constrain the giving out of Grants for the year to build up a reserve. The Waitangi Day Ball's financial loss, despite fundraising efforts, was a significant concern. We must consider increasing membership fees to cover administrative costs and mitigate financial risks associated with large events.

Despite these challenges, our membership subscription receipts have increased post-Covid, and eliminating our storage facility has saved us thousands of Pounds annually. However, the ongoing financial sustainability of our events remains critical. We have a small number join the 100 Waka Club, and while efforts to secure sponsorship continue, the Halo initiative has yet to yield income. I commend Vice President Emma Creese for her outstanding work on our social media platforms, enhancing our visibility and engagement.

Looking forward, the committee must evaluate increasing membership costs to cover administrative expenses, reassess the financial risk of the ball, and ensure smaller events are well-attended and planned with foresight. With better cash flow management and strong event attendance, we could potentially increase our surplus by £15,000 annually. However, we cannot sustain current levels without these improvements. We need the input of you, and the community. Ball tickets will need to be bought at an earlier stage to secure our deposits.

We will continue to work with Harlands as our accountants, ensuring financial transparency and accountability. The newly confirmed committee for 2024 includes:

President: The Hon Clarence Tan Vice Presidents: Justine Redfearn and Emma Creese Secretary: Veronica Johnstone Treasurer: Rhonda Moon Committee Members: Aivale Cole, Claire Horan, Shivani Dayal, Stacey Minnell-Gault, Carla Potter, and Kara Śegedin. Patron: HM The King Vice Patron: HE The Hon Phil Goff CNZM (High Commissioner)

Finally, we have updated our terms to adopt gender-neutral language and will conduct a detailed review in the coming year. Our strategic goals include recruiting a new president, revising our mission statement, replacing our CRM system, planning for our 100-year event, embedding governance practices, collaborating with the NZ France Association for the Olympics, and rebranding to include Aotearoa. We also aim to become a registered charity by 2026, furthering our mission to support the New Zealand community abroad.

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we will build on our successes and face future challenges with resilience and unity. Ngā mihi nui,

The Hon Clarence Tan President New Zealand Society (UK)