The normally jovial and smiling face that has beamed out at you from many issues of CMF News over the last four years, has not been smiling much recently, due to the significant problems we have encountered in the office during the last three months! I am most conscious that we are many months behind in asking members for their annual subscription, and we have received many gifts and subscriptions since the end of November, which we have not yet been able to acknowledge due to the very extensive difficulties associated with upgrading our membership database.

As a consequence we have not yet been able to produce 12 months accounts for 2003, nor finalise a budget for 2004. Charles Otim and I are now making progress in starting the catch up process, but please accept our apologies for the unacceptably lengthy delays. Normal service, and my smile should return soon!

Giles Rawlinson