**LANGPORT & DISTRICT HISTORY SOCIETY** _Registered Charity No. 1179718_ 

## **Trustees’ Report to Members 2021-2022** 

## **Membership** 

At the end of August 2022 we had 52 members (in 2020 we had 60). 

## **Strategic plan 2019-20** 

At our AGM on 4 October 2021, members approved a strategic plan for 2021-22.  Progress towards the objectives during the year was as follows: 

- a. Install  an  information  board  about  Bagehot  in  All  Saints’ Churchyard (Designed; being manufactured) 

- b. Renew the gravel and tidy up the Bagehot grave (done) 

- c. Continue to research into Langport Carnivals (no progress) 

- d. Continue to transcribe the burial records for Langport Cemetery (records for 1881-1931 are now on the website) 

- e. Pursue ways to get the _Langport & Somerton Herald_ digitised (digitised and added to the British Newspaper Archive in Jan 2022) 

## **Future Bagehot Action** 

Walter Bagehot’s briefcase was sent for conservation to the Spiral Path company in Westover.  Sadly, the business closed after the death of the owner, so we are still looking for a reputable conservator to undertake the work. 

An archive of the proceedings of the Bagehot Memorial Fund Steering Committee has been created and will be offered to the Somerset Heritage Centre. 

## **Talks venue** 

We  re-started our talks programme in October 2021 with our AGM at Hurds Hill, and continued to meet there in November and December (for the Christmas Social).  However, hire costs were relatively high, and the capacity was limited, so we moved our venue to the Langport & Huish Sports & Social Club in January 2022. 

Trustees discussed a suggestion that we should change our talks from evenings to afternoons in winter, but it was decided to leave the talks in the  evenings,  but  to  trial  some  additional  afternoon  meetings  in  the coming year. 

## **Visits** 

We were finally able to make our visit to the Mary Rose in Portsmouth on 18 May, which everyone enjoyed. 

## **Guided local history walks** 

We  have  conducted  a  number  of  guided  walks  around  Langport  for interested groups. 



## **Publications** 

During this period 9 e-newsletters were sent to members to keep them up to date with local history developments.  Those few members not on email were sent a printed copy. _Level Talk_ was produced as usual, appearing in February 2022. 

## **Thanks** 

I am very grateful to the Officers and Committee (Trustees) of the Society for  all  their  efforts  and  support,  and  to  you,  our  members,  for  your understanding. 

## **Feedback** 

Feedback  of  any  kind  from  members,  or  indeed  anyone  else,  is  very welcome. 

_Janet Seaton, Chair. September 2022_ 



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