Editorial

A shorter editorial than I had anticipated this month as members have been responding to the Membership Survey long after the original deadline. We felt that it was important to include the responses from as many members as possible in the overall analysis and this has led to the delays in the analytical process. I am also delighted that Bob Leppard (Director of Field Trips)
has contributed a summary of the reasons behind some of the changes that have happened to communications over the past few months. Bob’s piece may be found on pages four and five of the Newsletter.
By October 8th some 613 members had submitted responses, representing some 11% of the membership which is a pleasing result for a generalist survey. Obviously we cannot make any fundamental assumptions about the feelings of those members who do not wish to complete the questionnaire. It is however probably correct to state that where members wish to make specific comments about the PESGB they will complete the survey.
Comments from our Scottish members about activities that are organised in Aberdeen will be reviewed by the Council with the aim of improving services to our Scottish members over the coming
months.
As Newsletter Director it is pleasing to note that 512 members (83% of those returning questionnaires) ranked the Newsletter as either first or second of the twelve activities which we asked for ranking. The Membership Directory was ranked first or second by some 350, 57%, members. At the other extreme the President’s Evening was ranked last or second last by 26% of members responding.
A fuller analys is of the results of the questionnaire will be published in the next PESGB Newsletter.
May I also draw your attention to other items of particular interest in this Newsletter? We have further, preliminary, information on PETEX (pages 38-40); details of Earth Alert, being organised by
the GA next June, which should provide an ideal way of getting families involved in geology (pages 33-3 7); and an article on Lift (pages 78-79).
Enclosed as an insert with this Newsletter are details of those members standing for the Year 2000 PESGB Executive Council. Also enclosed is a ballot form. The PESGB is a democratic Society, run by its members, for its members. Please use your right to vote. Ballot forms must be returned to the PESGB office by Friday 3rd December. The results will be announced at the December London & Aberdeen Lecture Meetings.
Finally I should remind you about the booking deadlines for the President’s Evening. In order to allow the PESGB to control the costs of the evening we have to give final numbers attending to Shell ‘s catering function a number of days before the evening. It is therefore essential that you book as soon as possible for the Evening; we will be unable to accept bookings received after December 6th.