A message from the Hon. General Secretary

During these unprecedented times, the Society has had to make several extraordinary decisions to maintain a robust leadership structure and ensure the Society continues to function effectively for the membership.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and our inability to hold the 2020 Annual General Meeting Council have had to adapt and bring in some operational rules to get the Society through pandemic related problems.

In the ordinary course of events, the election process was opened to Members wishing to seek election to various vacancies on Council, namely the position of President and five Trusteeships. Within the timeframe of the election process, I received one application for the position of President and five applications for the Trustee vacancies on Council. If matters had proceeded usually, I would have sought your endorsement of these applications at the AGM in May. Applications received as follows:

At Council on Saturday 29th February 2020, our President Dr Gerald Cramp told the meeting that he was stepping down as President at the AGM in May. The application from Professor Kerry Brown to become President was considered, and Kerry received the unanimous nomination from Council to become the next President. Also, at

Council Gerald received the unanimous nomination to become a Vice President of the Society.

Prior to the country going into “lockdown”, the decision had already been taken to temporarily close the Society with the cancellation of all face-to-face meetings, including the AGM. The Society was left in a predicament whereby we have a President, a Presidential Candidate and a Vice Presidential Candidate both of whom were also standing as

Trustees and no means for our Members to endorse these matters at an AGM. The result of this would have been Council being short of 5 Trustees and thus quorum issues as well as the Society without a President in post.

President: Trustees:

Professor Kerry Brown

Dr Gerald Cramp Professor Kerry Brown Ms Hazel Basford

Mr Chris Blair-Myers Mr Peter Titley

It was decided to create two temporary positions – President-Elect and Vice President-Elect. Both positions would come into effect on Saturday 16th May 2020 and would only remain in existence until the next Annual General Meeting of the Society at which our Members can correctly decide the issue of President and Vice President. It was agreed that the position of President- Elect would have the same authority as if the post holder was appointed as President by the members.

Professor Kerry Brown will become President-Elect, and Dr Gerald Cramp will become Vice President- Elect. It was also agreed that the five candidates for Trusteeship would be co-opted onto Council with effect from the 16th May 2020. On 27th March 2020 Council took these decisions via a conference call.

I trust these decisions meet with your approval and let us hope for more settled times.

Clive Drew, Hon. General Secretary