Review of the meeting on 1st April 2025 by Piers Rowlandson
Eight members were present and apologies were received from three.
Piers Rowlandson was in the chair.
The meeting started with a brief AGM which included a review of our financial position: healthy. We have a new bank account with Virgin Money which does not incur charges.
Subscriptions are not due until June.
Piers Rowlandson was appointed secretary.
The website is coming back to life. It may be that the secretary is the only person who can add to the forthcoming events and meetings, write a blog or add to the chat room. I will ask Ian to add user names and passwords for all members.
Outside speakers were discussed and the general view was that once or twice a year would be a good idea but no names were put forward. It was mentioned that a speaker might expect to be paid in the region of £50 to £75 for an hour.
In the second half of the meeting, three contributions were read out.
1. The Leopard by Christian Johansson.
This is part of a chapter of a murder mystery thriller, the main character being a psychopath. Vivid writing and chilling was the verdict.
2. Near Hagen, Germany 1939 by Janet Denny.
In some ways, this novel is a follow-up to her first book about her father who was killed in WWII: The Man on the Mantelpiece. Near Hagen deals with the experiences and feelings of a nineteen-year-old student living near Hagen in 1939 as the Nazis rise to power. Beautiful descriptions of the wildlife and the countryside contrast with the political situation and the smoke from factories churning out war machines.
3. Ann and Tom by Lesley Pardoe.
This is a time-slip novel about the Lord of the Manor's daughter Lady Ann and her father's shepherd, Tom. Aimed at twelve-year-olds it has a lovely simplicity and the local West Country dialogue adds to the atmosphere.