Civic Societies Week: For Societies

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For Edition 3, click here.

Overview

Those of you who attended the Annual General Meeting in January will be aware that the YHACS committee has been working up the details of our first ever Regional Civic Societies Week to be held from 21st to 29th June. I am now writing to give you additional information to allow you to plan your own society's event in more detail.

The purpose of Civic Societies Week is to raise the profile of the civic society movement within the region. We want to make people and organisations aware of what we do, to appeal for their support and engagement with their local society and also with YHACS where appropriate. We also hope to see societies attracting new members from their own community as a result of the publicity and activities that are being organised. Civic Societies Week is not just about doing something for your existing members although you may want to involve your current membership in organising your events for the week.

So, thinking caps on! What activity could you run to promote an awareness of your own society's work within your community? Whether it be mounting an exhibition, hosting a public meeting or leading a guided walk of your town or village, there is really no limit to what you can do. All we ask is that it promotes the work of the civic society movement in a positive way and pulls in people who are not part of your existing membership. Remember that if you are doing something that involves the public directly (including existing members) you should have public liability insurance in place (such as the policy that can be arranged via the Civic Trust).

YHACS will be co-ordinating publicity and will be issuing press releases both directly to the press and to local societies to adapt for their own use with local press contacts. In addition we will be producing leaflets for you to use that set out some background information about the civic society movement and YHACS. We will be taking orders from societies for the number of leaflets required.

Sponsorship deal agreed

We are delighted to announce that we have agreed a sponsorship deal with Spawforths, a firm of Town Planners, Urbanists and Architects based at East Ardsley near Leeds. The company was founded by Peter Spawforth, formerly a chief planning officer in local government with professional experience of dealing with civic societies in Leeds, Wakefield, Pontefract and Ossett and who has since become a member of Wakefield Civic Society and a life member of Pontefract Civic Society. Peter established Spawforths in 1988 and is currently the chairman. On retirement from that post next year, he will become life president of the company.
In addition to providing financial support for Civic Societies Week, Spawforths have also agreed to sponsor an annual award, to be known as the Peter Spawforth Award to a Civic Society in Yorkshire and the Humber. While details are still be finalised, the intention is that, in 2008, this award will be presented to the civic society whose accomplishment in Civic Societies Week is considered the most merit worthy by a panel of assessors.

Next Steps

More details of Civic Societies Week will be announced at the YHACS meeting on 12th April. In the meantime, if you have not already done so, could you let me have details of any project or activity you are planning for the week together with the name, phone number and email address of the person who will be leading on this for your society.

For more details, email Kevin Trickett by clicking here