Happy New Year! Towards the end of the group’s second year, one landmark has been passed. The membership of the group now stands at 41 family members and 22 individual members. That makes a minimum of 104 members. Membership has been growing steadily throughout the past year. More importantly, the number of members participating in the activities of the group has also increased. Attendances at the last four meetings have averaged around fifty, and visits usually attract about 24 members. Above all, the activities of the group must provide benefit and enjoyment for all. Encouraging attendances appear to bear this out.
A programme for the next fifteen months has been arranged, with just one date to be finalised. A full programme for the year 2002/03 will be published before the Annual General Meeting.
Appropriately, in the next year, the year of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, three of our events relate to recent history. The Annual General Meeting will have a 1950’s theme and members will be asked to participate! A visit has been arranged to the North Weald Aviation Museum, and a talk will describe World War II Defences in Essex. OK, so we’ll have to dip into the 1940’s as well . . . Other talks will present the Romans in Essex, Memorials of the High Country and Historic Forests of Essex. We’ll visit “Mashams” and the Police Museum in Chelmsford. In all an increase of one in the year’s activities is planned for next year. Please see the “Dates for Your Diary” in this newsletter for the activities, which have been planned for the next six months.