PRESS RELEASE: 26 FEBRUARY 2008 IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GEORGE AFEDAKIS BECOMES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESIDENT IN ITS 80TH. YEAR

"There are so many wonderful prospects on the table this year, let’s all work together to achieve a better tomorrow for our borough," declared George Afedakis on being unanimously elected as the new President of Weymouth & Portland Chamber of Commerce, Industry & Tourism. "In the 2012 Olympics, we have a golden egg in our hands and we will need to work together with the borough council and everybody else to make the best of it for Weymouth & Portland."

Members voted for George Afedakis to succeed Andy Cooke at the annual general meeting at the Royal Dorset Yacht Club. Andy Cooke had earlier announced that on closely examining the president’s ribbon, he had realised this was the 80th. year of the chamber’s existence, having been founded in 1928.

The meeting started on a note of sadness as members observed a minute’s silence in memory of Lynne Herbert, a popular past president of the Chamber, councillor and mayor. Retiring president Andy Cooke summarised the previous year as being issue-led with the relief road, the Pavilion island development and increasing car park charges as major issues for the Chamber. He praised Anna-Maria Geare for the "phenomenal success of our business breakfasts at the Rendezvous," commending the Lloyds TSB team which supports and sponsors the early morning events.

Secretary Michel Hooper-Immins outlined a successful year for the Chamber. He said that as the longest established business organisation in the borough, the chamber had a leading role to play in interfacing with other relevant bodies such as the Weymouth & Portland Partnership, Open4Business and the various Olympic economic committees that had been established at county level. Membership had increased and greater liaison had been achieved with the neighbouring Dorchester and Bridport Chambers of Commerce & Trade. He thanked webmaster Xav Karounias of Anoc Ltd. for putting so much work into the informative new website www.wpchamber.co.uk which has been online for almost a year now, with many compliments from members and users.

Weymouth Town Centre Group chairman David Johnston spoke of a positive start to 2008 with the announcement of the revamped Victorian Shownight on Thursday 11 December. A sub-committee of the TCG, under the chairmanship of Shaun Hennessy, were busy working on plans for the event. He said it was essential the Chamber and the Town Centre Group worked closer together in the future.

Officers elected were: George Afedakis, President; Tony Harris, Senior Vice President; David Beaman, Acting Treasurer; Andy Cooke, Immediate Past President. Four new members were elected to the executive committee- solicitor Graham Whitehouse from Pengillys, Andy Manvell, Managing Director of Anvil Housing Ltd., William Llanducci, Operations Director for Sureline Buses and Paul Knight, Project Manager of Portland firm Willcraft. Re-elected were John Brooks, June Chorley and Trevor Matthews. Michel Hooper-Immins continues as Secretary of the Chamber and of the Town Centre Group.

ends