Former President Honoured with Lifetime Membership

The Credit Services Association (CSA), the voice of the UK debt collection industry, has honoured one of its former Presidents - Godfrey Lancashire - with Honorary Lifetime Membership following the announcement of his retirement from the CSA Board.

In a presentation at the CSA Gala Dinner in September, current CSA President Roger Lucas spoke of Godfrey's considerable contribution to the collections industry, notably as a strong advocate of proactive media communications that had helped improve the public face of collections nationwide:

"In his term as President many of us looked forward to his speeches, not just for the informed and interesting content, but also for his delivery," Roger says. "They were always eloquent and never boring! This eloquence, backed by a quick thinking intellect, was made full use of by the CSA in asking Godfrey to respond to many requests for interviews on radio and TV.

"Not many trade association representatives get anything from Nicky Campbell on the BBC's prime time consumer program 'Watchdog', but Godfrey clearly won the man's respect and in so doing made most of us feel proud, and advanced the image of the collections industry in the minds of many."

Dr Lucas said that Godfrey's work included representing the CSA in numerous meetings with MPs and Ministers, and ultimately influencing Westminster opinion: "We may never know what the value of such meetings may finally deliver," he concludes, "but we are completely certain of the value of Godfrey's contribution to our Industry, as a real giant."

Although retiring from the CSA Board, Godfrey will continue as the managing director of his own tracing and investigations business, London House International.