On 11 June 2011, at our annual Volunteers’ Party in the Garden, we were honoured by the presence of newly elected Mayor of Bath, Cllr Bryan Chalker (also former Chair of B&NES, and established member of our Institution) and Mrs Glenys Chalker.

Here we see the Mayor accepting a copy of Volume 12 of the BRLSI Proceedings, just published, from Marie-Louise Luxemburg, Proceedings Editor, also a BRLSI Director, and Chair of the Programme sub-Committee, some of whose members we see below at their monthly meeting earlier that morning.

Clockwise from Marie-Louise Luxemburg (Chair, also co-convenor History and Culture) we see also Paul Stephens (Budget holder, and some reports), Rodney Tye (Economics), Lindsay Keniston Udall (co-History) and Dr Steve Wharton (both co-French Civilisation and Culture), Martin Sturge (Botany, co-Speaking of Research, etc), Geoff Catchpole (co-Speaking of Research, World Affairs etc), Michael Davis (Adelard), Professor John Davies (co-Science), Philip Harper (co-Antiquity), Dr Rex Valentine (Visual Arts, Exhibitions), Dick Bateman (co-Geography), Dr Robert Blackburn (Literature and Humanities, including Music), Janet Cunliffe-Jones (Poetry, and PsC Secretary).

This cheerful event was well attended by some forty volunteers and their guests, and blessed with glorious weather. Some awards were presented to Bob Draper (Stalwart Volunteer and House Manager), Yvonne Gardner (Reception Volunteer) and Felicity McAvoy (Collection Volunteer) by the Mayor, and raffle prises were drawn by Professor Julian Vincent, chair of Trustees. For excellent organisation, we are indebted to Gill Silversides and some of her fellow helpers.
Martin Sturge