
Dear Members and Friends,
I'm delighted to welcome you all back to our regular newsletter and hope that you have had a restful and restorative summer break. We are looking forward to an active Autumn with some exciting online events coming up, including a brilliant concert on 29 September to celebrate the 90th Birthday of Australian Maestro Richard Bonynge AC CBE.
We are still hoping to return to in person events before the end of the year, and are keeping a close eye on government advice as to when they might be able to begin again. In that spirit of optimism, please do hold the morning of Thursday 10 December in your calendars for our annual Christmas Carol Service at St Mary le Bow.
Unfortunately, due to the current restrictions we will not be able to hold an in-person AGM this year. All Members will receive an email with details of the AGM and the documents required to register a proxy vote next Tuesday 8 September following our upcoming Board Meeting. As required the AGM will then be held in closed session in the week of 21 September.
I am also very pleased to announce that I recently met with the new Director-General of the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL), Dr Annette Prandzioch, and we have both committed to reinvigorating our historic partnership. Please contact the office for further details.
As a special treat for our Members we have also been gifted five copies of the new novel by the renowned Australian author, Kate Grenville, A Room Made of Leaves. An exploration of life in the early days of British settlement in Australia, the novel follows John Macarthur's wife Elizabeth as she travels from rural Devon to Australia.
Finally, I'm really pleased to say that Marina has agreed to continue making masks for BAS Members and Friends, with £3 from the sale of each mask going to support Fuel Our Frontline, the charity helping frontline NHS workers set up by our Member Michael Polak. To date we have donated £100 and hope to be able to continue to support this vital work over the coming months.
Please do reach out with any updates of your own for our next newsletter and keep an eye on your inboxes for more upcoming events!
Best wishes,
Damian J. Walsh
Chairman
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