Secretary's Report

We set off wid finden' a new President an' new Vice Presidents et t' last AGM. Ted Relph hed his arm twisted to be t' new President, but et bottom Ah rather think he's gey set up wid his new job! We assd three uthers if the' wad be Vice Presidents, but nubbut yan teuk up t' reins - Len Hayton. Oor new Chairman is Tommy Coulthard, whea was oor Vice Chairman, and Bryan Dawson hes tekken on t' job ez Vice Chairman sea he can stan' in wen Tommy can't be theer.

Ez t' main on ye'll ken, last August, we lost yan o' oor Vice Presidents, Revd Wilfrid Braithwaite, whea used to be oor Chairman fer menny a lang `ear. Wilf was t' fella whea set up oor dialect sarvices. A gey few members mannished to git till t'funeral, but he'll be a greet loss tull us aw.

We've hed sum gud meetin's an' sek tho; we hed anudder gittagither wid aw t' other dialect societies i' North, t' Yorkshire lot hed t' job o' organism' it this time and the' hed it et a la'al spot cawd Boldron anenst Bowes, it was. a good do.

We hed oor backend meetin' et Orton, wen Bob Bowlam an Kim Bibby-Wilson fra' t' Northumbrian Language Society gev an efterneun's entertainment - wat a gud laff we hed! Noo fer t' November meetin' we went to t' Westmorland Coonty Showgrund, and wat a grand spot that was! T' Agricultural Showgrund Committee supplied us wid free tea and coffee, and the' wanted nea pay fer t' room owther; oor speaker was Jeff Swift a fella whea writes a la'al column aboot farmin' i' t' Westmerlan' Gazette ivvery Frida' - he was a gran' speaker, an Ah'm varra glad to say he's joined us.

Efter t' Kersmas brek, we gat i' touch wid t' Young Farmers Clubs to see if the' wad be interested in hodden dialect competitions fer ther' members. The' war gey set up wid t' idea, wid t' furst

competitions bein' held i' May, sum on oor members war deun t' judgin'. We've gitten twea trophies med - yan fer north and yan fer sooth district. We're hopen' thet t' winnin' entries'll be printed i' t' journal fer ye aw to see.

Oor spring meeting was et Underbarrow on a reet wild day, ther was a gud turn oot tho, to hear Mr Peter Cartmell, President ov t' Westmerlan' Damson Association tell us aw aboot t' fruit, hoo to grow it, pick it, use it, an sea forth.

We have lost several members during this past year in addition to Wilfrid, Jim Porter of Kendal, Mrs. Ray Dawson of Kentmere and Mr. Ian Barton of Lindal-in-Furness, Mr. Cornwell, Nottingham, John Peel, Southwaite and Mrs. McGregor, Appleby.

Last ev aw, Ah'd like to thank ivveryboddy whea helps et meetin's seem' to t' teas; mair hands wadn't cum amiss tho, cos it allus seems to be seame folk deun t' job. We cud deuh wid sumbody (yan er twea on ye) to see to t' stall - its nut easy tryen' to see tull mair ner ya job et yance. Thanks to them ez sells raffle tickets, these bits o' cash usually pay fer oor hall, sea er aw important. Enny volunteers wad be maist welcome.

Noo mind on - keep tellen' fwolk aboot t' society, fetch then wid ye tull yan o' t' meetins'. We allus mek visitors an' new members welcome.

Divvent fergit - be prood ev oor mak o' toak - use it as oft as ye can.