HAVING read the anonymous letter
(in last week’s Advertiser) regarding
the recent closure of the
Wykeham Club, I am left with no
alternative but to respond with
limited but valuable information.
 

When the closure became reality I was
unaware of the time factor to bring the
closure to a conclusion.
 

Legal advisers brought to my
attention the requirements by law and
under the club’s constitution to
proceed. Subsequently any future
meeting of the membership must be
seen to be legal in order to pass any
resolution that has been debated and
agreed by a democratic procedure.
 

To be able to ensure that such a
meeting has been legally convened and
debated I have personally had many,
many meetings with accountants,
potential administrators, who have in
addition on behalf of me and the
membership, had meetings with legal
advisers.
 

This has come at cost to the club, apart
from the disruption of my own business
and my time that could have been spent
on my personal life with my family.
 

Not one week has passed since closure
where I have been able to keep on top of
matters. This has not been easy for me
as chairman, especially having no officers
or committee to take the burden.
 

I hasten to add that this has been one
of the major problems, to conform to
the law to convene a special meeting
that cannot be called unless there is a
full committee and six officers, a total of
16 to proceed to the first step.
 

I could have quite easily put the keys
of the club through the letterbox and
walked away as so many had done,
however I could not do that as the club
has been my life and means so much to
me and many others.
 

So not only did I feel obliged to
respond to this letter, it also allowed me
the opportunity to provide some
information.
 

It beggars belief that the small
minority of members that did their best
to bring this club to its possible demise
did not make themselves known at the
last AGM, they could quite easily have
spoken to me for information, as others
have done, however they hide behind
the pen.
 

Finally I say to the anonymous
author(s) of the letter: get yourselves a
backbone and be as proud to speak your
mind as I am to make every effort to
save this club.
 

Dennis Kenway, chairman
Wykeham Club,
Osbourne Road, Andover