The Annual General Meeting of the Association was at the end of last week in London and I managed to make contact with 3 other Scottish Members, I think that was all of us that were there.
Next, in August, it is Summer School 2019 at Askham Bryan College near York. \u00a0This particular Summer School has proved immensely popular and sadly 60 applicants were turned down and didn’t get a place. \u00a0Never before has a Summer School been so oversubscribed. \u00a0It is hoped that there will be more courses at the next one in 2021. \u00a0Places are awarded to applicants on an ‘out of the hat’ basis, there is no favouritism, but I have been fortunate enough to get a place on the Spindle Spinning Course so will be there in August. \u00a0I hope to see some of you there.
Next year’s big events will be a Conference\/Guilds Gathering and a National Exhibition. \u00a0It’s hard to believe we need to be thinking about the exhibition already! \u00a0It’s in Lancashire in September 2020 and it’s time to start thinking about entries. \u00a0The theme for the selected section is ‘Coal, Cotton and Canals’ and the un-selected section is a 6″ ring, themed as ‘Still Waters’. \u00a0Whilst making entries for the selected section, do remember that a sample or feelie piece is obligatory, so the judges can tell from your photograph what your piece will be like, and so that at the exhibition itself there is something for the public to handle.
As of last year the Association has a new website and there is a mass of useful information there about future events and also about the study opportunities that are currently around. \u00a0The Foundation Certificate in Spinning is available and the one in Natural Dyeing will be available soon. \u00a0At a higher level the Certificate of Achievement continues to thrive and beyond that the Certificate in Advanced Textile Studies is being revamped.
The new website also gives individual Guilds the opportunity to use the website for their own information and news and my own Guild, Tweed, has just made the decision to give up its own website and use this opportunity.
You should be getting the Association Newsletter every month or so and I hope that you make it available to your members. \u00a0If they would like to receive it directly they can sign up to do so.
It would be good to hear back from all of you that you have received my email. \u00a0I would also be interested to receive any local newsletters that you produce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Barbara Wright <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rep for Scotland and Northern Ireland<\/p>\n\n\n\n