Good news!  We have just taken delivery of a new supply of the beautifully presented and well received “A Guide to the Geology of Martley”.  These are for sale at £17.00 each and make a wonderful gift and a reference for our special area.

TVGS held its first (and planned to be annual) Christmas Dinner with lecture at The Talbot Knightwick on 8^th December 2014. Twenty Six attended and listened attentively to not only a fascinating and engaging talk by Tom Sharpe but also at intervals the challenging strains of a group of itinerant Morris Men rehearsing just the other side of a porous dividing wall.  Tom’s stentorian voice was however a match for the bells, whistles, drums and jiggy things that Morris people get up to in tucked away rooms in the countryside.  In good and amused heart he turned up his volume as necessary and told his tale of William Smith and the map—the first geological map of a country.  2015 is its two hundredth anniversary and Tom is among those leading numerous celebrations and commemorations planned for the year.  The Talbot hosted us most comfortably and reasonably, we enjoyed the meal and suspect Tom actually enjoyed the Morris Men’s challenge, certainly his email in response to Janet’s thanks indicated that he had enjoyed the whole experience:

Thank you for your email. It was a pleasure. I really enjoyed the evening and my tour the next morning. I’ve been lecturing for many years now, to lots of different groups, and I can say without doubt, that my visit to the Teme Valley was by far the most enjoyable lecture visit I’ve ever made. Your friendliness, hospitality, and especially the enthusiasm of your members (and of course the Morrismen) made it a visit to remember . 

Thank you Tom for your very gracious reply. We certainly feel we have made a new friend in the higher geological atmosphere and look forward to your returning to deliver another topic and perhaps update us on the celebrations.

Some of you are engaged on the Knighton Mapping Project, others know of it.  Arthur has recently successfully applied for more funding (£500), following on the GA informing us on our recent visit that they had money to give but no-one was asking.  Well done Arthur, don’t spend it all at once!

Before Tom Sharpe’s visit on 8^th December a few of us had a go at raking leaves, mowing and generally tidying up at Martley Rock—thanks for that and to Ben Cartwright, not a TVGS member but a footpath maintainer, who equipped with janitorial supplies, walked across the parish, around all seven of our interpretation boards and cleaned them.

As last year, Ian Pennell and I travelled to Burlington House in Piccadilly (directly opposite Fortnum and Mason’s) for this year’s GA gathering.  On Friday, after a tasty stand-up lunch with wine, following which I managed to stay awake, the meeting of affiliated societies.  TVGS is affiliated to the GA; amongst other things we are covered by the GA’s insurance.  It was good to meet with new faces and old friends and to discuss matters of relevance to all of us.  The minutes have not yet been issued, this was the agenda with my brief notes in italics:

1. Activities during the past year (Report from the Meetings Group)
2. List of publications of Local Societies–Diane called for all our walk leaflets and events–we gave those to her later and I shall keep her advised
3. Electronic publications–we receive 2 printed copies of the GA magazine. To save costs I shall request it electronically and distribute from that source.
4. Geolab–this is an initiative to take geology to the people around the country but NOT those already engaged. We requested participation at last year’s meeting.  This would be a full day’s geology training, classroom and field, free to those who attend.  Slightly slower start up than envisioned but kicking off shortly down South.
5. Geoconservation matters–Launch of Geodiversity Charter for England; Ian and I attended the launch in Parliament a couple of weeks ago, see the report in ‘News’
6. Future Regional meetings/Festival/Conference–a number of significant regional meetings are planned, details should appear in the minutes
7. Research Grants including new UKOGL Award--plenty of cash available from the GA–ask!!
8. Rockwatch & Curry Fund reports–Rockwatch is for young persons.  TVGS wishes to engage more fully with the organisation

Affiliates are asked to encourage their own members to join the GA (35/yr with electronic magazine, £40 with paper); 12 or more members means TVGS has free membership

Lesley Dunlop asked for notification of tufa deposits for a database she is establishing.  I have sent her the two local major ones–Southstone Rock and Barrel Heald

It was suggested that walks in the countryside could be made much more interesting if a geologist was along–suggest this to Walkers are Welcome and The Ramblers

Our ‘local’ fossils collection and display is becoming urgent–help wanted

Saturday 1st November, Geology Festival at UCL Gower Street as last year, 30 or so stands, around 15 geology societies and once again many familiar faces.  Well worth attending, our stand looked good, we had the projector showing slides and films and there was plenty of interest.  We had put together a ‘press pack’ and this proved a good move with 13 from 15 being given out (and to date 2 weeks later, 4 societies have booked firm dates to visit Martley in 2015, these are South Wales 18th April, Reading 19th April, GA 8th August and Farnham 18th October). For your reference our press pack consists of:

• TVGS Information Sheet
• Why not come to Martley on a Field Trip (opens with above)
• Leaflets on Martley-Exposed, Trail 1, 2 and 3, Scar Cottage Champions
• A3 map of Martley geology and trail routes

Had time to visit ‘The Poppies’ after the exhibition. My photo has had some treatment and looks like it needs more

This talk with, dare I say, its possibly less than appealing title (to some), was a triumph, a tour de force by Dr Tim Carter (a TVGS member) of his life as a medic and a medic very interested in geology. From the Cambridge tours of Spitzbergen that we have been made aware of by others(!), Tim travelled widely, becoming more and more focussed on the effect on health of working with the Earth’s natural geological resources. From asbestos, to flint, gold mining to volcanoes Tim provided historical records and current analyses of these threats and the effect on the lives of those in the industry. Most of those exposed were male manual workers and literally at the coal face, in desperate conditions of dust, heat, humidity, noise, impact with little or no protective clothing or other safety measures. As local examples, the needle pointers from Redditch–high pay, short lives, and the anthrax outbreak in Worcestershire, brought in on hides from overseas.

Reluctantly, employers were forced by legislation to consider the plight of these poor people and to improve conditions. Today, Health and Safety is the butt of many jokes but go back a few years and it is astonishing the changes that we at first resisted that we now easily accept–would YOU consider riding a motorcycle without a helmet or driving a car without a safety belt in 2014?  We all did in total naivete a few years ago (if you are near my age, that is!).

I well remember visiting the asbestos mines at Penge in South Africa, on business, and seeing dust blowing around from the dumps and noting posters put up by the Safety Department (as it was known) encouraging workers to “wear your mask to live to a good age” etc.

As we heard when Andrew Bloodworth talked last month, there are still many thousands of workers in terrible conditions, forced by circumstances of poverty and no choice to be part of the supply chain that allows us to luxuriate in our technological goods. So, the problems are very much still with us. Nevertheless through the work that Tim and his associates have done and continue to do, urgently, the knowledge base has expanded dramatically and many solutions are known (but still not always implemented). Finally Tim left us with a sobering thought that safety issues lie before us and of an unknown dimension, from such possible threats as fracking, methyl hydrates, potash and so on.

Thanks Tim for a great evening, keep up the good work.

Mike Brooks who, as many of you know, has created and made available the interactive iPhone and Android Apps covering the whole of the GeoPark Way has been busy again.

Firstly you might recall he gave a talk in August on how he develops the Apps.  You can read his notes HERE.

Secondly, he led one of the GeoFest walks held in the parish in August and has prepared notes on the trail (Trail 3) that bring it to life brilliantly.  See these notes HERE.  Take his notes with you if you walk this trail.

Mike you are becoming indispensable–take care!

What a worthwhile trip to a place pronounced Arkle, adjacent to the Wrekin.  Mike (Brooks–apps man) has prepared a first rate record of the trip led by Alan Bates, Member Number 75 (he likes to remind me).  Well worth the read, see it HERE.  Takes time to load.
Outstanding place to go outdoor walking, riding, cycling, and geologising.  Geology field trips are where the science comes alive, particularly if led by an expert such as Alan, tho he is very humble about that.

Representatives from TVGS were invited to Parliament to the launch of a GeoDiversity Charter for England.  To read it click HERE.  TVGS is cited as a ‘good’ example. This is a document that proposes that geology should be afforded the same status as, for example archaeology, in planning and development.  Reflect that for new building sites, many agencies are brought in to deal with fauna (Gt Crested Newts are everywhere aren’t they?), flora, ancient history and so on but that geology is not.  As a consequence geological features and formations are at risk of obliteration.  Given that the diversity of geology in the country is without parallel in the world, and that the science commenced here, it does seem to be an omission that our rocks are not given more thought and protection.

Ian and I enjoyed our visit (for both of us our first) where, after the expected airline type search, all belongings in a tray including belts–oops, we were allowed to roam free (it seemed) taking in these historical scenes.  Entering through the magnificent Westminster Hall (from 1097),

up steps where once King Charles 1, on another auspicious occasion, made a speech.  To the crossing

(Lords to our right, Commons to our left) where often TV crews are busy with our governors, though they did not trouble me or Ian, then up steps to Committee Room 11.

Opened by Lord de Mauley,

we heard Lesley Dunlop, Chair, English Diversity Forum and our old friend Rory Mortimore give introductory speeches, during which time neither explained why we were all there–oh to be uninitiated.  After a short, very, break five more short talks from Melanie Border, Chair UK Geoparks Forum, Rob Palmer from the aggregates industry, our good friend Graham Worton on Dudley and Wren’s Nest, Christine Taylor et al, a Hampshire based group Rockband on a community project using Lottery finding, some of who’s outcomes are of great interest to TVGS and Sam Rose on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.  Summary and close was provided by the Chair of Natural England, Andrew Sells.

And no tea, coffee or even water offered or available!  We retired, on the advice of a local bobby, to the well known Red Lion pub in Whitehall.

Well, TVGS did it again!  

Thanks to our volunteers, for the first time we were able to staff and put on very credible displays (with rocks!) at both the above symposium and at Chantry Applefest.  The symposium was an important event, ORS is not much discussed and this was designed to raise its profile and record latest findings.  There will be a paper, no doubt.  Hilary and Wendy travelled down with the kit and set up our stand on Friday 3rd, early start needed as opening time was 9am, in Brecon. Ingrid, on her own–thanks Ingrid–covered for Saturday and brought back the display items.  Our President, Dr Paul Olver chaired part of the symposium and I think was very proud of the TVGS show and our attendance
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