MEMBERS of Wem Civic Society held their 42nd AGM last week.

There was general agreement that a ‘real’ meeting was greatly preferable to the hybrid Zoom/telephone/postal 41st AGM of last year.

Tributes were paid to Bob Dibben and Mike Begley, members who will be much missed.

The new officers for 2022 are: president Edwin Thorpe; chairman Oliver Richardson; vice chairman David Smith; hon. secretary Shelagh Richardson; and hon. treasurer: Liz Mayer.

The autumnal meetings of 2021 had been well received with speakers George Nash, Toby Neal, John Pinfold, Alan Reade, and Neil Robinson ranging in topics from antiquarian books to the airfields of north Shropshire, to Harris Barges on the Ellesmere Canal.

Speakers have been engaged for the monthly meetings this coming year with subjects such as ‘The Craft of the Silversmith’, ‘Shropshire Porcelain’, ‘History of Archery’ as well as talks relating the buildings of Wem. The Wem-Heritage group will be arranging food-related events in September with a talk on ‘Food, Glorious Food’ – a history of food; stories of the food shops of Wem; a reminiscence session on the food of previous decades with tastings. This will all tie in with the Harvest Market. A trip is to be organised for June and a ‘Not the Christmas Social’ in spring.

Once the weather improves, the ‘Within the Town Gates’ project will continue. The initial recording work for Aston Street has been completed.

The Members’ Forum - The Glory that was Wem, followed the AGM.