Mercedes-Benz Club - Voting for Directors, Summer 2025

Election

The Club has a number of Director vacancies and 3 more are retiring later this year at the end of their three year term of office. These are Clive Henderson (Chair), Stuart Mathieson (Strategy & Systems) and Dennis Parker (Finance). We therefore need to appoint up to six directors.

Four members have responded to a Club advertisement and so they are not in competition with each other and if elected, all four could be appointed.

If the number of votes FOR each candidate is higher than the number AGAINST each candidate, then that candidate will be elected as a Director of the Club, expiring at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting in 2028.

The voting is now open and will close on the 18th August 2025. The results will be available on the Club's website soon after at https://mercedes-benz-club.co.uk/club-news/

NOTE: You can only vote once per computer address. If a joint member at the same address needs to vote, they should do so via a smartphone with WiFi switched off. This will give their vote a different computer address.
Candidate: Eleanor Thain

Eleanor has been a Member for nine years and has been proposed by Stuart Mathieson and seconded by Emma & Paul Ventham and Philip Thain

Eleanor Thain's statement:

I want to help the Club communicate better with its Members, so they get to know about and enjoy everything it can offer. I am also keen to publicise the Club to the largest possible number of non-Members and make them aware of the benefits of Membership and thus increase the membership.

I would like to volunteer to manage:

Communications: Internal - ClubNews/eNewsletters/Regional/Model Register and Volunteers/Officials. Set up an IT support system for Members who are not IT confident to increase their involvement and participation and simultaneously reduce this burden on the Office staff. To further reduce mail expenditure as far as possible by increasing electronic communication with members.

Communications: External - Keeping the Gazette, leaflets, adverts and any other outward facing printed and electronic materials relevant and attractive to Members and potential Members.

In both of these areas, I can continue to contribute to keeping the Club's Website up-to-date, clearly written, and easy to use for all Members. Contribute to our effective use of Social Media and using Public Relations to support Marketing with the Motoring Press, for example.

I am also offering my experience in:

Volunteer Management: I believe many Club Officials would benefit from better management and support with co-ordinating, publicising and ticketing events, training opportunities, showing appreciation, possibly their own specific area(s) of the Club website.

Managing MRCs: to help create good events, help with writing attractive and informative event information and sharing model specific information. Learning from the best examples in and outside the Club. Building up this area of Club engagement, creating another reason to join.

About me: After 10 years working for HMRC in various roles, I ended up in their Press Office dealing with National TV, Radio and Print journalists, writing Press Releases and internal communications with staff. I later worked in Financial PR, using PR alongside paid advertising to create a bigger impact.

After having four children, I returned to work in Local Government, writing information materials for the Council website, developing and innovating another Council website for families with children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

I set up and trained a group of volunteers, parents of children with SEND, "Parent Champions", with assistance from the Family & Childcare Trust. We won awards from Coram and the Mayor of London, and made a big difference to a large number of families. I am still in touch with the Parent Champions, five years after retiring.
Candidate: Paul Micklethwaite

Paul has been a Member for nineteen years and has been proposed by Stuart Mathieson and seconded by Mark Taylor and Christopher Axelby
Paul Micklethwaite's statement:

The Club has made great strides over the last few years on the IT front with online event booking and the re-vamped website; the new Membership System will take things to another level by streamlining and automating processes for members, Club officers and Admin staff. Over the last couple of months, in my role as Assistant Systems Director, I have gained an understanding of the systems and processes which are used to support the efficient running of the Club. In addition, I have participated in meetings with Oxygen (our third-party supplier) relating to the development and roll-out of the new Membership System.

Going forward this year, my aim is to gain a deeper understanding of the IT operations of the Club and to assist the current Systems Director with the testing and roll-out of the Membership System. If I were elected to the role, my main priorities would be to bed in the new system through appropriate training and to continue working with Oxygen to resolve any teething issues, and also consider potential enhancements to the system after a suitable period of operation. In addition, I would lead a review of the Club website to identify potential new features and functionality; areas that could be enhanced, for instance, include ‘Cars for Sale’ and ‘My Account’ pages. On a broader level, I would work enthusiastically with other Board members and Club officials to contribute to strategy and the related ongoing challenges to recruit, engage and retain Members.

In terms of career, I have over 35 years IT experience gained in a number of research and higher education institutions, including six years at UKAEA Harwell and Rutherford Appleton Laboratories in Oxfordshire, three years at ESA in Holland, and several management and development roles at the University of Leeds including a few years working for a spin-out company in the heady days of the dot com boom.

I celebrate my 20th anniversary as an MB Club member in September this year and am looking forward to playing a more active role in the Club.
Candidate: Keith Newell

Keith has been a Member for five years and has been proposed by Mark Taylor and seconded by Charles Oliver and James Wynne.
Keith Newell's statement:

If my application is successful what I will bring to the Board is a proven portfolio of personal qualities, skills and experiences from my personal and professional life :-

Ability to manage resources both human and fiscal
Ability to cope under pressure
Proven innovative approach to problem solving
Socially and politically aware
Experience, a total of 41 years of classic car club membership and involvement from Drive it Days to Concours competition.
I am open minded, balanced approach and mindful of the impact of brave and decisive decision making. I am a strong team player but can lead when necessary.

The club faces a number of issues including :-

Why is membership falling ?
Why are vibrant BME communities under represented in membership?
Why do we struggle to recruit enough new younger members ?
Is the remit of the club too broad ?

For example, in the current Gazette ( market place ) there are Mercedes cars for sale ranging from £350 to £40,000. How do we provide access to members to satisfy so many different needs within a budget that enables the club to thrive ?

I am passionately committed to the future of the club and like you all want to enjoy events, activities and driving the car.

I believe that I have qualities, skills commitment and experience to join the Board and make a positive and meaningful contribution to the club.
Candidate: Phil John

Phil has been a Member for six years and has been proposed by Andy Bray and seconded by Jimmy Marshall and Christopher Rayner.
Phil John's statement:

If I am elected, I will commit to do my best for the Club and its Members during my term of office to ensure the ongoing success of the Club in the services it provides to Members.

I will aim to continue to maintain the Club's financial situation on a sound footing by ensuring that all financial transactions are properly approved, recorded and reported and that the Club's financial assets are safely and constructively managed.

I will ensure that timely, accurate and regular financial reporting is provided to the Board to enable them to make decisions based on a clear financial knowledge.

Where appropriate, I will provide Members with appropriate updates on the Club's financial position as directed by the Board.

I will work with Board members and other colleagues to produce budgets and forecasts based on the best financial information available, so that the potential financial impact of future plans, for business as usual and specific projects, are understood in advance. In addition, I will assist other colleagues in the Club, where appropriate, to progress specific activities and initiatives to a successful conclusion.

I will use the transferable skills and experience gained from my professional career for the best interests of the activities of the Club.

Finally, and not least, I will remember that the prime purpose of the club is to provide services to our Members to enable them to maximise the use and enjoyment they get from their Mercedes vehicles and ensure that my efforts reflect this.