Editorial

Content for the newsletter must always be written significantly in advance due to the printing deadlines and this editorial is being typed in mid July for distribution at the end of August. By the time that our members read the editorial it is possible that the PESGB’s office will have moved – we are in the last stages before exchanging contracts and any late news will be included elsewhere in the Newsletter or on the web site.
I would also like to remind members that the changes to our constitution, approved last year, mean that we have to proceed with the nomination process for your Council earlier than in past years. In accordance with Article IV, Section 3, your Council via this editorial is seeking nominations for six vacancies on council, before 1st October, to serve for the period 2000-2002. The vacancies are for President Elect, First Vice-President, Treasurer, Field Trip Director, Aberdeen Director and Events Director. Further information and reminders about the election may also be obtained from the office and will be announced at the September London & Aberdeen lecture meetings.
The Society’s Events Programme continues to be successful as you will see from the report published this month (pages 28 to 32), together with the advance information for other events throughout the Newsletter. Members will have noticed that the September evening lectures have been moved to avoid clashes with the major event of the year, UK’99 which the PESGB is co-hosting with AAPG; this is a major conference and details can be found in this Newsletter and on the website.
May I also draw your attention to the major social event of the year which is notified in some detail on page 24 – the President’s Evening. Bookings open as soon as this Newsletter is published and we hope to see as many members as possible attending this fund raising event for the Society, which has a maximum capacity of 1,000. Additionally of course we welcome sponsorship for the President’s Evening and any organisation wishing to contribute to the evening is invited to contact the PESGB office. The usual Lecture Meeting and Hostelry visits will occur prior to the
event – volunteers for the reconnoitering exercise are welcomed and should contact the office for more details.
Your Council are also happy to note that membership numbers have remained in excellent state, as reported on page 47, although of course the return of any lapsed members together with the encouragement of colleagues to join the Society would be welcomed.
At our July meeting your Council were advised by the Treasurer that the Society is very much on target to achieve the aims set out in our 1999 Business Plan. This was implemented earlier this year to ensure the PESGB remains financially secure during this year ‘s industry downturn.
May I close by hoping that members have had a good summer and are ready to stride into the autumn by supporting Society events and providing the office and Council with feedback via the enclosed Membership Questionnaire.