02/10/2026
FROM THE CHAIR
After 21 Years, It’s Time to Hand Over the Keys
After 21 years as a member of the East Sussex Jaguar Enthusiasts Club committee, and having had the privilege of serving as Chairman, this month’s AGM will mark a significant personal milestone for me as I step down from the role.
It seems remarkable to think that more than two decades have passed since I first joined the committee.
During that time, the region has changed enormously, but one thing has remained constant: the
enthusiasm, friendship and shared passion for Jaguar and Daimler that brings us together.
I have always believed that a successful regional club should be about far more than simply owning a Jaguar. It should be about people, friendships, experiences and creating memories. Cars may initially bring us together, but it is the people who make a club successful.
Over the years, I hope I have played my part in helping shape East Sussex into the active and welcoming region that we enjoy today. We have developed a varied calendar of breakfast meetings, lunches, drive-and-dines, major car shows, weekends away, road trips and special events, while our monthly newsletters and increasingly strong social media presence have enabled us to communicate with members in a much more immediate and engaging way.
It has been particularly rewarding to see our approach recognised beyond East Sussex. Members of the Jaguar Enthusiasts Club board have commended our region for the standard at which it operates and have
highlighted aspects of what we do, including our social media presence, as an example of how other regions can develop their own activities.
That recognition belongs not to one individual, but to everyone who has contributed along the way.
A Team Effort
No Chairman can run a successful region alone.
I would therefore like to offer my sincere thanks to the fantastic committee we have today and to all those
committee members who have served alongside me during the past 21 years. Each has brought their own
ideas, enthusiasm and commitment, often giving up a considerable amount of their own time behind the scenes.
I also want to thank our members. Your support of our meetings and events is ultimately what makes
everything worthwhile. Whether you have been involved for decades or have only recently joined us, you are part of what has made East Sussex such a strong region. There have been countless memorable occasions along the way, from relatively simple Sunday gatherings to some very special Jaguar events.
The photograph accompanying the title of this article of me with the late Norman Dewis OBE and Wyn Percy at
Goodwood is particularly special. Norman was not only a great friend to myself, he was a great friend to the Jaguar community and someone whose extraordinary contribution to Jaguar's history requires little
introduction to enthusiasts. Moments such as these remind me just how fortunate I have been to meet some remarkable people through our shared passion for the marque.
JAGtechnic and the Club
My involvement with Jaguar has, of course, extended considerably beyond the club.
For many years I was also fortunate to be able to support the region commercially through JAGtechnic, the Jaguar and Land Rover specialist business that I founded and subsequently sold in 2021.
JAGtechnic became a major sponsor of the region, and I was always pleased that the business could give something back to the Jaguar community that had supported us.
The above photographs of the JAGtechnic premises are a reminder of another chapter of my Jaguar life,
one which often overlapped naturally with the club, Jaguar Heritage, motorsport and events such as Goodwood and the Millie Miglia.
For me, the business and the club were never simply about cars. They introduced me to extraordinary
people, created friendships and provided experiences that I could never have imagined when I first
became involved with Jaguars.
“Cars bring us together, but it is the people, friendships and memories that make a club truly special.”
Not Goodbye
Although I am stepping down as Chairman, I am certainly not disappearing.
I believe that after 21 years it is healthy for the region to have new ideas, new energy and a new
committee taking it forward. I will remain available to the incoming committee in an advisory capacity whenever my experience or knowledge may be useful, while hopefully having a little more opportunity simply to turn up, enjoy the cars and spend time with friends!
I leave the Chairman's position enormously proud of what we have achieved together, but also excited to see where the next chapter takes the East Sussex region.
To our present committee, every previous committee member, our sponsors, the wider Jaguar Enthusiasts Club and, most importantly, our members – thank you.
Thank you for your support, your friendship, your enthusiasm and for making the past 21 years such an
enjoyable and memorable part of my life.
The Chairman may be stepping down, but my enthusiasm for Jaguar – and for the East Sussex region – most certainly isn't.
Paul Chipp-Smith
Chairman – East Sussex Region
