As the days slowly grow and the noonday sun creeps gently higher, your thoughts will be turning to all that 2012 holds in store. In our plans for local history in the coming year, there are the old favourites and several new features.

   We have a delayed start, wires were crossed and our January AGM will now be held in February but don’t worry because we have crammed several extra events into the shortened year. Please try to get along for 7 pm on Monday, February 20th to take part in our AGM and sign up for the coming season.
   
  Our first presenter Rachel Greenwood is the principal conservator at the North Yorkshire County Record Office and as well as describing how they preserve and maintain a warehouse full of historic documents some of which date back over 700 years she will detail how you can take care your future family heirloom papers for your great great grandchildren. The visit to the Record Office on Wednesday 22nd February is limited to a maximum of 15 persons so please get in touch with me if you would like to go- it is designed for those who haven't been to the County Record Office before  and would like to know how to use the facility to carry out their own research.
 
   March sees a return of Barry Harrison and he will be delivering a lecture he has prepared for the British Association of Local History, to be given in September 2012- we are getting a sneak preview!
  
  In April Gordon Hetherington will talk about the extraordinary life of Gertrude Bell who was a true pioneer achieving extraordinary feats for a woman of her time.
  
   Peter Clarkson and John Webster will regale us in May (date and time to be confirmed) with the story in words and pictures of our Sports club from its earliest days and knowing Peter there will be digressions as he displays his extraordinary powers of recall.
   
  Also in May we are really privileged to receive a visit from the Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Study Group- over a weekend (18th-20th) they will measure and survey 6 to 8 of our most interesting properties, returning in September to deliver a printed and illustrated report on what they have found.
   
  You will see from the programme that there are many more treats in store over the course of the year so do come along and pay your unchanged membership fee to receive another slice of past times in these parts.

  We look forward to seeing you in the near future

Geoff Taylor