Independent Computer Products User Group South East

The Club's Twenty-fifth Birthday Party was held at the WI Hall, Biggin Hill, Kent on Thursday, 16th June 2005. Nearly fifty members and friends enjoyed a delicious sit-down buffet supper organised by Peter Mitchell, his wife Janet, and friends.

The President, Mick Ryan, said, "It is a great honour to have founded the club twenty-five years ago, to be its President and to be able to come along to these events and club meetings. In the last five years, I have had several occasions to be very grateful that I founded the club and to be able to come back and ask for advice.

"Three years ago I offered to build a website, but soon realised that I didn't know how to build one, so I came up to the club and said, "Who can help me?" and they said, "David Annal. He has got a marvellous website". David sat down and listened to my ideas. I told him that it is about the eleven years that the Royal Air Force had a base at Jever in Germany. The website is www.rafjever.org and is about the stories of the Cold War from 1951 - 1961. David designed the structure for me and I am gradually building it up with records, stories and pictures. There are now some 4,500 pages. It is also called the Jever Steam Laundry. We have met up every year since 1957 and at this year's reunion I persuaded David to come with me. We were awarded the 'Golden Share' - an annual award, and I have brought this certificate along tonight to show you.

"I would like to thank a few people who have made this evening such a pleasure, particularly Peter and Janet Mitchell and their two helpers who have done such a marvellous job on the spread here. And I would like to thank Janet and John Bickerstaff who keep the club running, and Charlie Dutton our Chairman. It is nice to see a lot of the old faces, Joe Griffin and Kevin Viney who were with us when we started twenty-five years ago.

"I would like to thank you all for coming along this evening and for making it such a success and I hope that I will be around in another five years when we celebrate our thirtieth."

Mick's wife, Jo, then drew the raffle. Prizes had been donated by friends in the industry, most of whom are mentioned in the Discount Corner in the Newsletter. There were 14 prizes in all.

Among those attending were Eddie Carroll and Geoff Reeves, who had come over from Dublin, our printer Steve Geis and his wife, and Jonathan Cooley, our previous printer and speaker. Roger and Margaret Spreckley and Brian and Margaret Wise had come up from West Sussex, as had Joe and Chris Griffin. We were delighted to see so many members and their wives and it was a very happy and successful evening.

1981
Name changed to ICPUG SE (Independent Commodore Products Users Group - South East Region.

1984
Jim Tierney's machine code course.

11th July 1985
Mick Ryan, founder of the Club, made Life President. John Bickerstaff appointed as Chairman, Newsletter Editor - Barry Biddles, and Technical Officer - Tom Cranstoun.

September 1987
First weekend of Computers and Gourmet Food held at The Queen's Armes Hotel, Charmouth, Dorset.

June 1989
John and Janet Bickerstaff became joint Editors of the Newsletter.

21st June 1990
10th Birthday Party attended by members, friends, dealers and representatives from Commodore.

25th July 1991
David Annal and Len Beard joined the committee. Janet Bickerstaff was appointed Group secretary and Roger Spreckley became responsible for Financial Statistics.

July 1994
Commodore in trouble and went into liquidation. Name change proposed to Independent Computer Products Users Group.

June 1995
The 15th birthday was celebrated with this wonderful cake (I remember it well)

April 1996
Meetings moved from Biggin Hill Library to the WI Hall, Lebanon Gardens, Biggin Hill, Kent.

July 1999
Roger Spreckley resigned as Vice Chairman and Treasurer following his move to West Sussex. David Annal appointed Vice Chairman and Paul Court as Treasurer.

June 2000
Another party and another cake. A number of old computers on display including PETs, an SX64 and an Atari.

July 2000
John and Janet Bickerstaff retired as Chairman and Secretary but remained on the committee as Newsletter Editors. David Annal, Peter Reeve, Simon Tranmer and Dave Tyler also retired. Wilf Whittingham became Chairman and Martin Davies later took over as Secretary.

July 2001
Charles Dutton elected Chairman and John Bickerstaff became Vice President.

July 2003
Len Beard retired as Membership Secretary after 13 years service. Peter Mitchell became Events Organiser.

July 2004
Our Amiga expert, Alan Pfeil retired from the committee.

June 2005
25th Birthday Party celebrated with a sit-down buffet supper for about 50 members and friends. 14 raffle prizes donated by friends in the trade.

July 2005
Broadband installed at the WI Hall for the exclusive use of ICPUG SE members.