The Geological Association’s annual bash for its outlying societies, when those that can afford the trip to the capital, are allowed to venture into the hallowed halls of the Geological Society/Association in Burlington House.  This is directly opposite Fortnum and Mason, in Piccadilly.

A finger buffet with wine and fruit juices preceded ‘the annual meeting’ chaired by President Professor Rory ‘chalk’ Mortimer (dated to visit TVGS in April). Yours truly represented Martley and aroused a few indignant jeers from the South-Easters by stating that we had more geological diversity than any other area in the country.  True or not everyone present now knows about TVGS and where we are—until that time the River Teme was either in Devon or the North East.

I was proud to stay awake actually, the room being warm and not all of the discourse arresting.  Several novel and worthwhile ideas were put forward and I suggest we move on with some of these.  My choices–GeoLab—a free geology day, part classroom part field, for adults, directed by GA to their syllabus, taught by staff they would sent to the regions.  There is a realisation that a gulf exists for many (I agree!!) between the average lay person’s knowledge and the professional’s and that some quality, down to earth, keep it simple learning would be a good idea.  A second initiative is that of Rock Watch, 20 years old, the geology society for young persons, a simply wonderful organisation full of ideas, courses, field trips, competitions and so on with great hands on educational activities.  We are keen to imbue a love and appreciation of geology in the children of our eleven local primary schools and it seems most sensible to develop this with guidance from the Rock Watch team.

Day two, an early start, with me wrestling my suitcase of leaflets, laptop, camera, toothbrush etc from train to platform to pavement at St Pancras, along to Gower Street and the magnificent University of London venue for the geology exhibition day and where Ian and I met up.  We quickly put up our ‘stand’ alongside Paul and Sue Olver’s Woolhope display, found a coffee and settled in to the enjoyable experience of a day meeting a wide variety of most interesting and interested people.  We sold two geology audits (only three left, note), some maps, jotted down the names of likely speakers and chatted to most of the geological society stallholders.  There were 34 stalls, of these 14 were geological societies, mainly fairly local, 8 other stands selling rocks and minerals, 7 with books, the rest miscellaneous.  A separate large room was devoted to Rock Watch, with many activities including radio controlled trilobites, fossil hunting, fossil modelling and so on—excellent.

A most worthwhile trip, good ideas, new friends, publicity for Martley and for our efforts.