As was stated at the recent Annual General Meeting, there are very exciting times ahead in the Guild’s next chapter and I have some very ambitious plans that I will share with you very soon.

I must start by thanking former chairman Chris Basten for handing over the Guild in such a strong and stable position, both financially and operationally. That said, there are some big tasks ahead and this is a huge ship to steer, however I have surrounded myself with great people to help deliver my vision over the next three years.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the existing committee for their continued support and to welcome some new committee members on board to help drive the Guild forward.

We do hope you enjoy your new-look Stockpot magazine. It has come a long way in the past 15 years and will continue to evolve and be one of our key tools in communicating with all our members and the wider audience, albeit in this digital age. Starting with this issue and going forward, I have asked my vice chairman and ‘devil’s advocate’, Ian Nottage, and the Vice Presidents’ Council to share their thoughts and some words of wisdom within its pages.

Now, I have food to cook, dinners to attend, lunches to host, speeches to make, competitions to judge, citations to write, royalty to entertain, food festivals to arrange, awards to present, committees to sit on, presentations to make, funds to raise, relationships to bolster…

Lee Maycock
National Chairman

Click here to read the April 2016 issue of Stockpot