19 March 2020
Dear
members
Suspension
of meetings of
High
Country History Group due to coronavirus outbreak
You will all be aware by now of the need for social
distancing in light of the coronavirus pandemic to prevent a peak in demand
from our health service. We have seen within the last couple of days the
closure of public buildings, including museums, and postponement of events such
as Concerts. Church buildings are also closed for Public Worship
(although many church communities are being creative and doing things
differently).
So sadly, you will not be surprised to learn
that for the time being the High Country History Group will not be meeting.
Our AGM and talk for next week, 26 March, is therefore postponed. Our
meetings are therefore suspended “for the duration”, referencing the words used
in 1939.
I will remain Secretary and Acting Treasurer
until we hold an AGM, and Martyn will remain Chairman. Our Committee will
meet online by email as necessary.
We will continue to produce The Journal
quarterly. The March edition will be posted to you.
I therefore invite you to pay your membership
fee for 2020/21 to help with this expense. If you can do this online that
would be appreciated otherwise a payment by cheque is acceptable and will be
cleared when I next go to town and visit the Bank. The membership form
was attached to the AGM Papers, although I emphasise again the postponement of
the AGM.
Although we meet only eight times a year, I
am very conscious of the loss of social contact this will bring to many.
One of the strengths of these social groups is the opportunity to get together
and share the things that we have in common, which might not only be an interest
in history. Doing things together is something most human beings do very
well.
So I am going to ask you to do
something.
Next Thursday, when we will not be able to
meet, would you mind sitting down and writing something for the
Journal?
Some ideas.
Writing of your childhood memories.
Boris Johnson says the country is on a
wartime footing with government intervention in the economy as well as
restrictions of movement. To what extent is that true?
Did you live through the Second World War.
What was it like? Did people panic buy and hoard toilet rolls?
Or, are there any historic parallels with the
Covid-19 outbreak? I am thinking about ‘Foot and Mouth’ (2001); ‘Spanish
Flu’ (1919), ‘Great Plague’ in London (1665) and Eyam Derbyshire (1665), the
‘Black Death’ (1348/49), not that many of you will remember the latter.
These are not essays, but just ideas.
Please send them all by email (or post to
me). We can publish anonymously if you wish. I know many of you are not
writers but doing this together would be a lovely thing to do, and help us stay
connected to one another.
My intention is to keep in contact with you
as a Group. If you do have a need please contact me.
With kind regards
Andrew Smith
Secretary
High Country History Group
