As you may know, in April this year the British Records Association
convened a meeting of representatives of record offices' Friends
organisations.

At that meeting a small co-ordinating committee was
formed, with representatives from each of Wales, Scotland and the
North and South of England. Because it "meets" on e-mail, the BRA
chairman, Professor Paul Harvey, has dubbed it "the virtual
committee". Its members are Jerry Wright (Dundee), Mark Mainwaring
(National Library of Wales) Mark Pearson (Lancashire) and Isobel
Watson (Hackney). (E-mail addresses below.)

We are co-operating with the Friends of Dorset's Archives in planning
a National Friends' Day in Dorchester on 9th October 1999, following
up the successful event FoDA held in 1991. Ideas for speakers and
contributors are welcome.

Expressions of interest in attending are
invited from Friends groups ( or record offices contemplating
founding such a group). Contact for the Friends' Day: Mrs Jennifer
Hawker, Secretary, FoDA, 655 Dorchester Road, Broadwey, Weymouth,
Dorset DT3 5BZ; or e-mail Ann Smith at [log in to unmask]

Recipients are asked to draw the attention ot Friends groups withwhom
they are in contact, to this message, or to the forthcoming BRA
newsletter.

The HMC have encouraged Friends' groups to participate in this
discussion list in order to communicate with each other and with the
archives community. We would also like to compile a list of e-mail
addresses at which groups can be contacted, to add to the list of
postal addresses maintained by the BRA office (at the LMA, 40
Northampton Road EC1R 0HB).

Enquiries can be addressed to regional representatives as follows -

London & South - Isobel Watson ([log in to unmask])(co-ordinator)
Scotland - Jerry Wright ([log in to unmask])
Wales - Mark Mainwaring ([log in to unmask])
North of England - Mark Pearson ([log in to unmask])

Many thanks
Isobel Watson




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