At the start of a New Year, I must begin by thanking everyone, especially the Officers and Councillors for their outstanding support and commitment during 2001. It has been an exceptional period for the Institute and will be a landmark in its history as the year that the Institute finally became of age. Our purchase of Corrosion House will be a lasting reminder of the year when the Institute also achieved due recognition by becoming members of both the Engineering and Science Councils. It was also a year of change with retirement of a quite a few long serving Councillors and the election of many new faces, especially at Executive level. It was moreover a time of growth, when most other bodies, by contrast, are in decline. We had a financial surplus, outstanding Conferences at Edinburgh (in partnership with NACE UK) and at Swansea University, organised by the Corrosion Science Division (GSD), two successful seminars by Yorkshire Branch and an excellent Christmas Luncheon at The Whitbread Brewery. This latter event was an ideal opportunity for me to present President's Plaques to Eddie Field and Derek Hoskins, for their outstanding service to the Institute over many years. Ken Lax of Gorroconsult who has sponsored the Speaker for the Luncheon also made a presentation of a cheque for £250. This 250 Club is gradually taking off and will make a significant contribution to reducing the mortgage on Corrosion House. Other memorable days included those at Twickenham and cruising up the Thames. Two new Branches were created and our membership increased by around 30% over the last twelve months. This is a great start to my appeal to everyone to play their part in doubling our membership by the 2002 AGM. Each member is urged to recruit just one new member and if we achieve this target, the resulting critical mass will bring significant benefits to all our members. The Science Council is preparing a petition to the Privy Council for the creation of "Chartered Scientists" (GSci) for recognition of professionals who feel that Chartered Engineer is not appropriate to them. These include Chemists, Physicists, Mathematicians, Astronomers, Geologists and of course Corrosionists among many others. As we are Full Members of the Science Council, I expect our Corrosioiiists will be among the first to be recognised and designated as Chartered Scientists. In this connection, I urge all our members to encourage their colleagues who are so qualified to join the Institute and I also entreat everyone to assess their own present grade of membership and apply as soon as possible for upgrading if they meet these requirements.

No review of last year's achievements would be complete without reference to the Institute's Training and Certification Scheme. Its Governing Board, under chairmanship of Roger Hudson with a revitalised Committee, are making phenomenal headway on many different fronts. Roger is also Chairman of the Yorkshire Branch and I was very pleased to present him with a new Chain of Office sponsored by D&A Griffiths Associates in memory of the late Ken Griffiths, the previous Branch Chairman. The Training Scheme run by Ruane and T P O'Neil with Dave Griffiths as Scheme Manager has become well established and internationally recognised. Although most courses are run at the Rotherham Centre, some have been held overseas and this trend is increasing. As featured of the Front Cover, the recipient of the 1000th Training Certificate was Ken Grosby who was presented with his certificate at the AGM. Peter Morgan was responsible for setting up the approved GATAP training Scheme in Bahrain and this too is likely to be run elsewhere in the Middle East.

We had a cheerful AGM which followed the Seminar held in Sheffield last November. David Deacon is now President Elect and has started work on various projects which will greatly enhance the Institute and its reputation as the centre of excellence of all corrosion related matters. I am also very pleased that Roger Walker was elected Hon Treasurer and I am able to rest easier knowing that he is in control of our financial affairs, ably assisted by Dr Tony Collins as Assistant Hon Treasurer and Eddie Field our General Secretary and previous Hon Treasurer. Dr Sue Impey of Granfield also joined the Trustees as Assistant Hon Secretary to support Dr Jim Burnell-Gray, our diligent Hon Secretary. As Sue is also the Hon Sec of CSD and Jim its Past Chairman, I am confident that increased harmony will be achieved. Already the CSD with Dr Alison Davenport as Chair has been the main force in the creation of the exciting new National Branch for our younger members. Young ICorr is open to all members under 35 years, even if they already support a local branch. This Branch was launched at the AGM and has aroused great interest and a growing number of new members to the Institute. Although Fred Palmer was very impressed by the Young IGorr Committee members that he met the Christmas Luncheon, he felt that he should respond by setting up an OAP or Senior Citizens' Branch. Anyone so interested should contact Fred directly. He's already planning an Inter-Branch Bowls competition and is taking bets that his side will win.

Dr Bob Akid joins the Executive as the website co-ordinator and Dr Robin Jacobs takes on a newly created role of co-ordinator of the CPD Scheme which has been set up 'in line with the Engineering Council Directive and was approved at the AGM. I also welcome the other Councillors who were elected, namely David Dore, John Parr, Brian Pitt and Nick Thorday.

As an Irishman, I had grave concern that the Irish Branch based around Cork, my home-town, had gone into decline. I am most grateful to Dr Tony Betts of Enterprise Ireland and to David Deacon for all their efforts to re-establish the Institute in Ireland. David and I attended a meeting in November Branch was inaugurated and its Committee elected. Their first event will be a half day Seminar on 21 February at the Lecture Theatre, Enterprise Ireland, Glasnevin Centre, Dublin, on the theme of 'Corrosion in Ireland' and centred around the many aspects of the ongoing refurbishment of the famous Halfpenny Bridge.

I am also visiting Cork on 15 February to help restore this Branch to its former level of vigour and interest with the support of Sean Quinlan, Pat Duggan and others.

David has also been the catalyst in the creation of a Seminar on the proposed maintenance painting of the Forth Road bridge which will be held at the Herriot-Watt University on 7 March. The day will start with visits to the bridge and end with the Scottish Branch AGM at which I hope to attend and present a separate paper on plant maintenance in the gas industry. The whole event promises to be very popular and early registration for the Seminar is well advised, while I hope all Scottish Branch members will make a special effort to attend the AGM. The day should present an incredible opportunity for networking and recruitment as there has been much interest shown bv a wide range of disciplines and organisations, many of whom have had no previous connection with the Institute. I am also indebted to Dr Anne Neville for all her work and dedication as Chairman of the Scottish Branch.

Preparation continues apace for our Conference in partnership with Advantica Technology. We have had a good response to the 1st call for papers, but will welcome others especially any dealing with certification, training or knowledge transfer. At present this event promises to be larger and more successful than Edinburgh's and is being endorsed and publicised by a number of the larger Institutes. Finally, for the past two years, it has been a personal goal to improve this Journal. It has taken considerable effort and cost, but I now believe we have a Journal which reflects the resurgence of the Institute. Please help its continued improvement by submitting local reports with photographs, articles, letters, news from industry and also by advertising, whether that be business or recruitment We may not be able to publish all of them, but it would be marvellous to have too many to choose from. It is your Journal - please make use of it.

John T. O'Shea - President