By the time you read this it will be too late for your investment club to enter the ProShare awards. I say this with complete and utter confidence, not because I have no faith in the guys and gals who put the Fool site together, but because as I write it is already too late!
A couple of years back H&G were lucky enough to be the inaugural winners of the ProShare achievement award for investment clubs. At that time this was a new category ProShare had created for clubs to enter. Prior to that there had only existed the Investment Club of the Year award (undoubtedly the most highly prized and prestigious), the Most Successful Club of the Year award (a straight maths calculation) and the Best New Investment Club of the Year, which is only open to clubs actually starting in that particular year.
Last year two more categories were launched, namely the Best Investment Club Website and the Best Investment Club Newsletter.
This year, so as to reflect the ever-increasing numbers of Investment Clubs being formed (which ProShare state is currently 400 per month), there are three new categories; The Best Use of International Investments, The Best Use of Collective Investments (for those who have investments in Unit or Investment Trusts) and the Best Young Club of the year (eligible for clubs who have 90% of their membership aged 30 or under).
So, to recap, there are now a total of 9 awards:
- The ProShare Investment Club of the Year award (sponsored by the London Stock Exchange) with a £2000 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Most Successful Investment Club of 2000 (sponsored by Barclays Stockbrokers) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Best New Investment Club of the Year (sponsored by Charles Schwab) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Best Investment Club Website (sponsored by Bloomberg Television) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Best Investment Club Newsletter (sponsored by Investing for Growth) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Achievement Award (sponsored by Investors Chronicle) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Best Use of International Investments (sponsored by NASDAQ) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy;
- The Best Use of Collective Investments (sponsored by its) with a £1500 prize and the ProShare trophy, and finally;
- The Best Young Club of the Year (sponsored by Working Lunch) with a £1500 prize, the Working Lunch trophy, a trip to the Working Lunch studio and the opportunity to make a short film for the programme.
Now, if you have never entered any of these awards, let me tell you it may well be worth doing so. First off, as you can see, all of the prizes consist of a minimum £1500, which is a sizeable chunk of money to a club. Secondly, it gives the club an excuse to actually analyse in written form what it has achieved over the year (depending on which category is being entered) and thirdly, if you don't buy a ticket, you can't win the raffle! I am not for one minute suggesting that the winners are "drawn", in fact I know there is a rigorous judging process undertaken by the judges, but you get my point. No entry = definitely no prize.
Regardless of whether or not you have entered, I can confirm that the awards dinner is well worth going to. This year the Dinner takes place on 26th February at the Thistle Hotel, Marble Arch, London at 6:30 (drinks reception) followed by a 3-course meal at 7:30 with speeches afterwards. Then comes the actual award ceremony and the champagne prize draw, with all formalities due to be over by 10:00. For those who don't have to go so early, the bar will remain open!
Tickets are available from ProShare on the special booking line 020 7220 1755 and cost £40 per person or £350 for a table of 10.
If you have entered one or more categories, then good luck! Maybe I'll see some of you at the dinner.
Fool On!
Where Next?
• Investment Clubs discussion board
• The Fool's Guide to Investment Clubs
• Fool Books -- The Fool's Guide to Investment Clubs
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