YJA Chairman’s Letter December 2018

December 10, 2018

To all YJA Members and prospective Members

As you will hopefully be aware, since being elected in June, the YJA Committee has been working hard on a review and overhaul of our operations, our image, our events, awards, and our offering to attract new members.

As a reminder, the aim of the Yachting Journalists’ Association is to promote greater awareness of all aspects of leisure boating through the professional services offered by its members. These include all media in its wide-ranging areas, PR professionals and students.

At the last committee meeting it was agreed we should aim to further boost the benefits offered to our members, which includes our famous International Press Card, recognised around the world, an online listing for every member in our directory, and access to premier events including the Yachtsman of the Year Awards, and the annual Cowes gathering.

• Additional benefits of membership are:
• Free entry to boat shows
• Free entry for full members to the World Yacht Racing Forum (usual cost EUR 700)
• Free entry to museums and galleries using press card
• Networking opportunities with likeminded media pros
• The Salon Nautique Boat Show in Paris has confirmed press accreditation is available for full YJA members. Register online and bring your YJA membership card. We are approaching other organisers to confirm the arrangements also.

We are actively seeking additional benefits we can offer to members, so if you have any ideas or suggestions as to how we can achieve this through association or liaison with other companies for example, then do please let us know. Similarly, we are very keen to expand the base of our membership further, so if you know someone working in the ‘marine business’ in some form of media or PR, then please encourage them to become members. The more we are, the stronger our voice will become.

We have also initiated a new ‘YJA Supporters Package’ with a fresh approach to funding, and we would encourage everyone with any possible ‘target’ companies who could benefit in this way. We have created 4 levels of support ranging from a Platinum level, where just 3 companies may take advantage of this, through to a Br

The nomination period for our famous ‘Yachtsman of the Year’ award and ‘Young Sailor of the Year’ awards is underway with many nominations received in what was a stellar year for the sport. The winners will be decided early next year, with the date and venue of the awards ceremony to be publicised soon.

We are very pleased to announce that Musto Clothing has kindly offered to sponsor our ‘Young Blogger of the Year’ competition, aimed at encouraging interest from younger people with an interest in the sport, and who by entering the competition also become student members of the YJA. The results will be announced next-year.

If you have visited the YJA website recently, you will see that a new design and layout has been launched which is more in keeping with the new look we are targeting for the Association. There is also a forum for members to discuss issues and ask advice. Log in to this is available to all paid up members.

Finally, as of November 1, 2018, all membership fees became due and we would appreciate and welcome your renewing your membership once again. Payment may be made online through the website using PayPal, or by cheque or bank transfer. Our esteemed Treasurer Mike Ford who has been working hard for the YJA for many years and deserves our heaetfelt thanks will have been in touch with you I am sure, so please look out for and respond to his emails.

I’d like to thank the members of the YJA Committee too, who give their time for free to help keep the long tradition of the Association going. Chris English has been working as YJA Secretary for many years now also, so do please thank him whenever you have the chance as his input and suggestions are invaluable. With their support, I really feel we can move the YJA into a new era of success, with new ideas and opportunities, which will prove valuable and worthwhile to everyone involved with the YJA.

Thank you for your continued support, and we aim to offer further news on the latest developments shortly.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas and a very successful and prosperous 2019.

Kind regards

Clifford Webb

Chairman
YJA