Colin Wheeler, chief executive of the Society of Licensed V

Over the last 210 years the Society of Licensed Victuallers (SLV) has had to change and alter to enable it to adapt to the ever-changing licensed drinks industry and never more so than over the last 15 years. As we enter another New Year the SLV is once again poised on the threshold of great challenges and changes. Last year saw a dramatic change in attitude towards us from many pubcos, brewers and drinks companies and just as importantly from trade associations and an increasing number of grass-root supporters. A growing recognition and realisation of the work of the charity and the important role it plays in the licensed drinks industry. The overwhelming support received at the ALMR Christmas luncheon and the opportunity offered to us to address the delegates at the FLVA Conference are just examples of the value being placed on the SLV by the industry it serves. The recognition by state and other charitable agencies of the help and assistance we provide is proved every day by the numerous requests to our welfare department. Our response is always to try and assist wherever possible. We are competing alongside "national charities" for every donation we receive and the knowledge that there now appears to be an understanding amongst our very specialised constituency "that we can only turn for help to the very industry we support" is now being accepted. We are looking forward to the prospect of launching ourselves in October 2004, along with the Licensed Victuallers National Homes (LVNH) as a "new" charity that will serve the whole of the licensed drinks trade. We will be able to help all those in the industry from the very young with assisted places at the Licensed Victuallers Schools, housing provision via Anchor Housing Trust nomination rights, through to the sick, unemployed and those retired, with convalescence and monetary assistance. With a current annual expenditure of over £1m, we have found one of the most cost-effective ways of helping people has been with our advice line, ensuring that all those who qualify for state benefits receive their entitlement. We are sure our charitable expenditure will grow year on year as more and more people retire from the trade and are then faced with the stark reality of trying to live and survive on a fixed pension or, far worse, little or no pension. As well as providing charitable assistance the SLV as a membership organisation has been and will be developing new business-to-business benefits for those in the industry. Many of these membership benefits we have obtained by simply linking up with other organisations to provide us with the advantages of large purchasing power, for example our Barclaycard PDQ discount scheme and our legal help line. Successful licensees and business people are our life blood as supporters, fundraisers and most importantly as trustees of the charity. The current year will see us being recognised as "the charity for all those from and in the licensed drinks industry" who we will serve in an effective and compassionate way.