www.nadfas.org.ukNADFAS REVIEW / WINTER 2011 69SOCIETIES NEWSEach June, Croydon DFAS emailsall the primary schools in theborough inviting bids for a £500grant to carry out an art project.The funding comes from voluntarydonations contributed by membersof CDFAS and is usually sufficientto support two schools.The bids are judged for theirability to actively engage pupils,teachers and parents in theproject. A major criterion for theaward is that as many children aspossible are involved. In 2010-11, additional NADFASfunding was obtained whichenabled a third school to besupported. The three schoolscompleted very different projects:one produced dry-point etchings;another constructed a largemosaic for an external school wall;while the third had the childrendesign and make a felt wallhanging for the Parish Church. The wall hangingcommemorated not only the 400thanniversary of the King JamesBible, but also the re-designationof the church as a Minster. OBITUARIES?MARGARET BEDFORDLeeds DFAS is sad toannounce the death ofMargaret (Peggy) Bedford on5 September 2011. Peggy(pictured) was head of theLeeds DFAS HeritageVolunteer team in LeedsLibrary from 1984-2008, ateam she started when shefirst joined the committee.Caroline Bendix, the NADFASbook conservation expert,remembers her as "a veryspecial person - kind, fun,intelligent." Our thoughts arewith her family - Caroline andJonathan and her fivegrandchildren. ?RAY SIMPSON Ray (pictured, left) was untilrecently, when illnessprevented it, Treasurer forEast Sussex DFAS, and diedon 18 September. His wifePatricia, a founder member ofEast Sussex DFAS, had servedas Chairman for many yearsand is currently President ofthe Society. Patricia and Rayarranged tours and visits forthe Society over many years. Croydon generates young interest in artMore than 500 children wereinvolved in the projects,photographs were taken and filmsmade. The photographs and filmsare shown to CDFAS memberswhich enables them to see howtheir contributions are helping thechildren learn about art.In July, the Society alsocelebrated its 40th anniversarywith a lunch at Addington Palace,formerly the summer residence ofsix Archbishops of Canterburyand, more recently, home of theRoyal School of Church Music. The principal guest, GriHarrison, the National Chairman,spoke enthusiastically of thecontinuing growth anddevelopment of NADFAS andpraised the Society for itscommitment to education.Stirling DFAS celebrated the many talents ofits members with an exhibition of art andcraftwork in several different media(including embroidery, marquetry, oilpainting, jewellery, icons, quilting,lithography and pastels) from 29 June to 2 July 2011. The exhibition was opened bythe President, the Countess of Moray, theevening before, when members couldsocialise and enjoy a private view with aglass of wine. Also featured were fascinatingdisplays of the work of the HeritageVolunteers in the Stirling archives, copies ofsome of the six Church Records and agarden history book researched bymembers, together with examples of thework of the Young Arts group. Theexhibition was intended to make the work ofNADFAS better known north of the borderand the interest shown by visitorssuggested that this aim was being achieved. Stirling showcases its talented Society

70NADFAS REVIEW / WINTER 2011www.nadfas.org.ukSOCIETIES NEWSANNIVERSARIESDorset County DFAS and York DFAS have both beeninvolved in separate exhibition projects.Dorset County DFAS has again been asked to providevolunteers to steward an exciting exhibition at the DorsetCounty Museum in Dorchester. The Museum has beenselected as one of just six venues from across the UK tohost the British Museum's touring exhibition, Pharaoh: Kingof Egypt. The DCDFAS volunteers will be working inpartnership with the Museum and will be responsible forover 130 objects from the national collection including large-scale granite and limestone sculptures. The exhibition will bein Dorchester from 17 October 2011 to 22 January 2012.Meanwhile, York DFAS enjoyed a reception on 21 Marchin the Upper Library of the Minster Library in the Old Palace,Dean's Park, organised by Professor Bill Sheils to thankthose who had helped with the exhibition on The Great LostLibrary of Alcuin's York. The exhibition, which ran in Marchand April, was partly sponsored by York DFAS.York's Roman past and its Viking prosperity are still avisible part of the city's identity so it is easy to overlook tothe city's eminence in Anglo-Saxon times. Alcuin of York,who was renowned as "the most learned man anywhere tobe found" was educated here and oversaw a library andschool of international distinction. The exhibition shed lighton what happened to this extraordinary collection of books.Above:An exhibit on display at Dorset County MuseumLeft: Prof Bill Sheils, curator Mary Garrison and YorkDFAS Chairman Chris ShepherdA new Record from King's Lynn teamNew exhibition projects for Dorset County and York?HASLEMERE DFASA concert featuring varioussizes of recorder, a couple ofvintage viols and aharpsichord got the 40th-anniversary celebrations ofHaslemere DFAS off to atuneful start. The DolmetschTrio played a selection ofpieces in All Saints,Grayswood, followed by a teaparty across the road in theVillage Hall, the venue for thefirst Society meeting in 1971.In attendance were NationalChairman Gri Harrison, WestSurrey Area Chairman DrRoger Allen, Haslemere'sDeputy Mayor, CyndyLancaster, and former HDFASPresident and foundermember Jane Britten. Fancycakes were served on prettychina loaned by thecommittee, following aspeech by HDFAS PresidentRoscelin Rees.?WOBURN DFASThe annual Garden Party was a special event this year for members of Woburn DFAS as it was 35 years since theSociety was formed. It wasfitting that the event took placeat Woburn Abbey, the home of the Society's President, the Duke of Bedford. Three members who were at the original formation were on hand to help guest of honour Brian Cairns cut the cake.The newly restored gardensand sculpture exhibition madea wonderful backdrop to avery enjoyable event.Heritage Sunday was anappropriate day for King's LynnChurch Recorders to present theRecord of All Saints church, SouthLynn. The church, the oldest inKing's Lynn with an anchorholddating from the 14th century, wasvisited over the weekend by manypeople exploring the town'snumerous heritage sites, and adisplay about Church Recording.Thanking her Church Recordinggroup for their hard work,Chairman Alison Wakes-Miller alsopaid tribute to local historian PeterSykes, a founder member of thegroup, who recently retired fromChurch Recording.