Reception - Trust Annual Report 1980
In June the Council of the Trust held a reception for the Mayor and Council of the City of Winchester. The purpose was primarily to acquaint the councillors with the work and aims of the Winchester Preservation Trust, because it had become increasingly apparent since local government reorganisation that the Trust's reputation was not as well-known or respected as in the past.
Unfortunately the Mayor was unable to come, but the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ian Bidgood and many other distinguished guests came to the Great Hall at the Castle to meet council members of the Trust and to hear an address by Sir Hugh Casson.
In a fascinating and amusing talk Sir Hugh underlined the need for amenity societies at a time when short-term values actively work against a good environment, and claimed that they represent responsible and considered opinion in the now more fashionable and sometimes irrational preservation movement. In a talk which contained more wisdom than can possibly be reported here, Sir Hugh also reminded his audience that conservation is as much a moral and social problem (and therefore a politcal one) as it is aesthetic. Sir Hugh congratulated both the Trust and the City Council for their endeavours and successes in Winchester.
Apart from thanking Sir Hugh, the Chairman expressed his admiration for the comprehensive nature of a councillor's responsibilities compared with the more limited interests of the Trust, going on, however, to outline the breadth and diversity of the Trust's work and activities. He regretted that, to many councillors, the Trust was known only for its opposition to road schemes. This apparent emphasis was not of the Trust's choosing but because road improvements were now the greatest potential danger to the environment and therefore needed the closest scrutiny. The Chairman thanked the guests for coming and urged them to make use of the Trust as a forum of responsible opinion in the knowledge that we had more in common in our concern for Winchester than in any of our differences.
Following the reception the Trust received the thanks of the councillors and a provisional invitation to a joint discussion meeting with the Planning Committee.