Membership of the Beverage Standards Association (BSA)
Why join or why stay as a valued member?
We are approaching our BSA financial year end (2018/19) and Cate will soon be sending out our invoices for your low-cost membership of the Association right through to March 2020.
It is important to remind you that there is only one paid member of staff in the BSA who is Cate, our admin and finance resource (Secretariat) on a part time basis. Others, including the Directors, and Head of Centre give their time freely. The full funding of the BSA by membership is used for the benefit of our members and our training efforts.
We are on the cusp of Brexit and the uncertainty that this brings the UK. One thing is for certain; things will be changing – and European applied norms and standards should no longer apply in favour of our own replacements. I believe this is where the BSA can add value and expert knowledge, as we are active at many levels including a potential liaison with CESA to expand our influence.
The BSA has this year continued its unparalleled work with City and Guilds Barista training centres -and our overseas centres continue to grow in number, and numbers of candidates.
Our Head of Centre for Barista Skills training, Martyn Herriott reports that the BSA will be offering new exclusive BSA City and Guilds assured courses in support of our main courses. I have also had the privilege to visit some of the training centres and CPD courses the BSA has run and met passionate people who are proud about their craft.
Tea will also be higher in profile this year, leading to BSA supported and endorsed events in preparation of the inaugural UK Tea Brewers Event and Championship in 2020.
Our new BSA web site is now live and will offer support, blog and chat, plus industry articles to our members. This has been a significant investment of our member’s fees.
The BSA is proposing to re-launch the Cafe Accreditation process during this year which has proved to be very popular in the past, with many entrants being assessed by our expert team and awarded their coveted certificate. This is your chance to enter your customers!
During 2018, we were proud to welcome as new members some well-known companies and some returning ones – and this brings additional group knowledge and resources for our members.
We have the services of our own Dr Robert Mallerman, who is a Chemistry expert and Metallurgist. Dr Rob is available upon request to answer questions and offer advice about metal corrosion, water borne and chemical issues.
Our work with OOH magazine continues apace, and I am pleased to report that I have represented the BSA at several high profile events such as the British Breakfast awards, and have contributed on Sky TV and radio programmes. I welcome any member’s news for print, new innovations and idea’s which can be printed for free the magazine. We also have strategic alliances with other trade magazines and exhibition organisers.
Cate, our Secretariat, has been active in the information dissemination role and we are making more regular output on LinkedIn, Mail Chimp, magazines and Twitter.
I do hope that you will renew your membership – or join – and come along with us all as members to achieve new things and find more benefits. Any association is only as strong as its member’s. Your subscription should be fully tax deductible and will see only a very modest increase for the first time in many years by 3 %.
Please do call me direct – 07711 087662 – or email me at chairman@beveragestandardsassociation.co.uk if you have any comments or suggestions and I welcome the chance to speak to you at any time
Best Regards,
Steve
