President's Report

 

Dear Members,

Firstly a big thank you to you all for being gentle to a first-time Ballarat Wine & Food Society President. The job has been made that much easier having a wonderful Committee to support me along the way. I would like to particularly thank Anthony Singleton for stepping in for me on those occasions I have been unable to join you all. Anthony had a pretty busy two years in the role with both the hosting of the Victor Gibson Weekend and having to navigate dinners during a worldwide pandemic. 

I would also like to thank outgoing Committee members Andrew Lewis and Gabe Yanes.  Andrew is stepping down as Food Master and his Committee role to have a long holiday while Gabe will step down as Treasurer and from the Committee while he spends time overseas with his family.  Thank you both for all your work over the years! Thanks also to Dean Stevens (Secretary), Andrew Rohan (Wine Master), Andrew Bradley and Shaun English (Cellar Master) as our Committee.

We lost a Life Member of our society over the past year in Les Dickinson. We had a wonderful send off for Les at the Provincial Hotel. Trudi and Julianna represented the family and shared wonderful stories of Les. Trudi contributed wines from their family cellar to help us celebrate the life of Leslie Patrick Dickinson the Second. 

2023 looks like being a great year for our Society. There has been an influx of new restaurants that will help our incoming food master. This, together with Shaun English' tantalizing cellar buys over the past year, I am sure members will benefit greatly for years to come with an influx of wines from Italy, Spain and the home of terra rossa - the Coonawarra.

Regards,

Paul Martino