Chairman's Miscellany - TrustNews June 2008
I write this in the first day of more normal May weather - grey and cool. The recent wonderful sunshine has advanced those members' gardens which will be open on Sunday, 8th June so there should be a repeat of the great success of last year. Do visit these differing gardens, relax with other Trust members and, in some, enjoy tea. You will find the list of gardens on a flyer in this issue of TrustNews. My thanks to the gardeners for their willingness to repeat this event.
I am pleased to report two splendid gifts to the Trust in memory of Pat Edwards. The first comes from her daughter Susan. Those who attended the AGM last September will recall the presentation to Pat of a painting by Keith Leaman of Cheyne Court. It was prized by Pat and it has now returned to the Trust. The second gift is from Jeffrey Smith, one of our Vice-Presidents. It is a painting of the Westgate and marks his appreciation of Pat's work for the City and particularly her interest in and support for that notable landmark. These paintings will hang in the Heritage Centre and the Trustees are most grateful for such generosity.
Members will recall my mention, in the last TrustNews, of a seminar to be held in March on the Dean and Chapter's proposals to build in the Inner Close and, particularly, in the Dean Gamier garden. The seminar was postponed and will now take place on 4th June. I will attend with Michael Carden and will comment in the next issue.
Sterling work by the Policy Group produced thoughtful and far seeing comments on the Winchester Town Access Plan. More hard work for the Trust took Norman Roberts to a conference on traffic in historic towns organised by the English Historic Towns Forum and to preparing a full report. The impact of traffic in the city has to be tackled and we welcome the broad approach being taken by Winchester City Council and Hampshire County Council. The comments and report mentioned above can be read on the Trust's website.
Finally, you will see details of a full and exciting list of walks this summer. My thanks to those who will lead the walks and especially to Chris Pile who has organised the programme and the successful series of winter talks in the Heritage Centre. May the sunshine return to enhance the enjoyment of the walks.