UNITED KINGDOM Association NEWSLETTER

IPENZ (UK) NEWS ITEMS

• Corporate Identity - we need to decide whether to retain our own incorporated body, with its own set of rules, or to disband the Association and become a branch of IPENZ, the same as any branch in NZ. After much discussion and deliberation on the issue, the committee propose that the 'IPENZ UK Association' remain as an incorporated body but that it takes on the duties of a branch to a larger degree than it has in the past and, to all practical purposes, become the 'UK Branch' of IPENZ within the revised IPENZ branch structure.

• UK Membership - this is currently based on members who have paid the UK subscription (72 people during the 2002/2003 subscription year). The new 'UK Branch' approach would define membership as those members on the IPENZ database registered as being resident in the UK (currently 192 people). This would dramatically increase our membership numbers and possibly the geographic spread of our membership across the UK. This may require a more diverse approach to where we hold events in the future to enable all UK members to participate in UK Branch activities.

• Method of Funding - it is proposed that funding for IPENZ UK would come primarily from Wellington with members in the UK paying a 'UK Branch' subscription to Wellington as part of their annual fees, the same as members do in NZ for the regional branches. This would effectively reduce the present rebate of NZ$90 that UK resident members receive to around NZ$70 but it would replace the annual subscription charged by the UK Association which is currently £10 per annum. The net cost difference to present members would effectively be nil. The effect on the Association's funds would be an increase in income but there would also be an increase in costs due to the much larger number of members. However, the net effect on the Association's finances is not expected to be detrimental.

Subscriptions due for 2003/04 - see attached reply form

The proposed changes in IPENZ branch funding mentioned above would lead to this subscription being collected via Wellington from 2004 onwards.

Forthcoming Events

After the fantastic turnout last year to hear about "The Collapse of the World Trade Centre Towers", we are lucky to have been invited by IEAust to attend another joint technical talk. If you have seen the recent controversy in the press about Nanotechnology, and remain none the wiser as to what it all means and where it is leading 21st century society, then now is your perfect opportunity to find out. The following brief sets the scene for the topic of discussion:

The history of society is punctuated by the advent of a new technology that completely changes the way we live. The examples are endless - the ability to make iron, bronze, concrete and steel; the development of the printing press, the steam engine, television, transistors, silicon chips and the Internet have all provided benefits unimagined by the generations who went before.

Recently, powerful new microscopes have revealed how the behaviour of materials can be influenced by controlling their structure at the level of atoms and molecules. This knowledge, combined with other 21st century techniques, is enabling scientists to create materials and devices with exciting new properties that have important applications in industries and sectors as diverse as - construction, aerospace, energy, the environment, health, safety and even food and drink.

Date:	Friday, 23 May 2003
Time:	6:45pm for light refreshments for a 7:30pm start
Location:	Ove Arup Offices, Kingsgate Room, Carlow House, Carlow St, London
Tube:	Mornington Crescent
Cost:	£5/person

Please fill in the attached reply form and return it as soon as possible, latest by May16th to the Hon Secretary. You should already have received an email with advanced details of this event at the end of April to enable you to circle the date in your diaries.

Annual General Meeting

The Agenda, minutes of the last AGM and copies of the Accounts for 2002/2003 will be available at the meeting.

Nominations are invited for the posts of Chairman, Honorary Auditor, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer, and the Committee for the year 2003/2004. We are also looking for volunteers to assist with the production of the newsletter and database management. Send nominations signed by the proposer, seconder, and nominee to the Honorary Treasurer - address details on AGM reply slip enclosed. Nominations may also be made from the floor at the meeting. A special thank you to the committee for the time and effort that it has put in over what has been challenging year.

So, please come along and take part in the meeting. This event is your best opportunity to make your views known on what we should do and to vote on the future arrangements for IPENZ UK. The Annual Reception releases the members to the agreeable task of meeting together with all the others who have come along, and to enjoy a time of pleasant eating, drinking, and discourse with old and new friends.

Please gather your party, complete the enclosed reply slip and return it to the Honorary Treasurer without delay so that we can organise the catering and let New Zealand House know the names for their security personnel. Please note that if your name is not listed with security there will be strictly no access to the Penthouse.

Note the details:

Location:	The Penthouse, New Zealand House, Haymarket, London
Date:	Tuesday, 10 June 2003
Time:	AGM:	6:15pm for 6:30pm
	Reception:	7:15pm for 7:30pm
Cost:	£12.50 per head to cover food and drinks

Please arrange your party and reply as promptly as you can to help ensure that the Committee can make all proper provisions to welcome you to a successful evening.

Annual BBQ and Family Fun-day

The details:

Location:	Henley-on-Thames Rowing Club, about a mile from the town centre across the river and right into Wargrave Road (A321) as shown on the enclosed map. Rail travellers use Thames trains from Paddington or Reading
Date:	Sunday, 17 August 2003
Time:	12: noon onwards
Price:	£8.00 per head (children free) plus some help please with salads, desserts, and furniture as described below

Please gather your guests, complete the Reply Slip and return it without delay so that preparations can proceed in good time. Melissa Kirker (Tel 0118 934 2437 in evenings) has kindly volunteered to coordinate the salads. She will coordinate your offerings to avoid, as far as possible, imbalances in our provisions. Please let her know what you propose to bring. In general, the requirements are:

-	from committee members and partners	-	a salad or dessert plate
-	from other members and partners	-	a dessert plate, if you wish
-	from everyone	-	some garden chairs, tables, sun umbrellas, if you have them, games and a helping hand with the laying out of tables, food, clearing and the washing up on the day

New Zealand Society

The NZ society can be contacted via their website at www.nzsociety.co.uk

Other UK Association News Items

• Articles for the Newsletter
  As always contributions to the newsletter would be very much appreciated. If you have any news for us, events, etc., that you would like us to tell people about in the newsletter, please email or fax them to the Hon. Secretary. Feel free to write about the projects you are working on, any differences in British practice compared with NZ, or how you resolved any particular difficulties encountered.

• Website
  We are fortunate to have a great IPENZ UK Association Website at http://www.ipenz.org.uk. Membership information and details of upcoming events are regularly updated and available over the Internet.

  To allow more efficient communication in future, could all members please register their email address with the IPENZ UK Email List (on the website). This will enable improved information flow in the future.

• CPEng Introduction
  This is a reminder that as of 31st December 2002, applications ceased for professional membership under the 1924 Engineers Registration Act. The register has been closed, but will remain active throughout 2003 whilst engineers apply for CPEng Registration.

  Since 1st January 2003, IPENZ has been receiving applications for registration on the CPEng register. Now is a good time to check how the changes affect you - either as a professional member, or as a graduate pursuing chartered status.

  Find out more at www.ipenz.org.nz/ipenz/finding/cpeng.

Dates for Your Diary

Combined Technical Talk	Friday, 23 May 2003
IPENZ AGM at NZ House	Tuesday, 10 June 2003
NZ Society - Toast Life Food & Wine Festival	Saturday, 12 July 2003
Summer BBQ	Sunday, 17 August 2003
Autumn Technical Talk	Sept/Oct 2003 (details to follow)
Joint Christmas Soirée at NZ House	Friday, 5 December 2003

Return to Top	***	IPENZ UK Association Contacts
Previous Newsletter	Newsletter Archive	Next Newsletter