work of psychologists. We hope to organise the psychology taster day again and also in other areas of Wales. We conducted a small survey of our members to establish what they would like to receive from the Branch. Many comments centered on linking better with other areas of Wales, so we are in the process of providing, for example, more scientific meetings across Wales. Through the use of videoconferencing we regularly link to two branch members in Bangor and hope to expand this connection. We have been involved in policy consultation responses with regard to delivering the new NHS for Wales and reducing suicide and self-harm in Wales amongst others. Once again we contributed to the science exhibition at The National Eisteddfod (thanks again to Wynford Bellin). The annual student conference was held at UWIC and around 40 undergraduate students presented their work. Many thanks to the staff at UWIC for putting on such a successful event and to all the students for presenting their work and attending the sessions. Bursaries were given to Branch members to attend the Welsh British Psychological Society Student conference, Cognitive Science conference, Vision Science Society conference and BSA Risk study group conference, and money was awarded for a series of seminars that will bring together academic institutions from Wales and England with National Offender Management Service Wales and HMP Parc. We also sponsored PsyPAG’s conference dinner at their 24th annual conference at Cardiff University. Dr Nick Perham, Chair
Wessex Branch The Wessex Branch has again been busy this year, using its hub structure to reach out to members within the Branch’s boundaries and beyond. The AGM scheduled for February 2009 had to be abandoned because of bad weather. This meant the vote to change the rules to simplify and give greater flexibility to Branch operations also had to be postponed. It was decided to reschedule the AGM and the announcement of results of the vote to coincide with the Annual Conference in Brighton in April; this enabled the committee to meet members on ‘home territory’ and the opportunity to engage with the membership in a presentation and question and answer session. The vote to change the Branch rules was carried and members were duly notified. Following the AGM, the past and present chairs facilitated break out groups to discuss the requirements of the Branch by its members. One outcome of this was to highlight the need to relay information and concerns both down from the national Society and up from the Branch members. Further, members wished the Branch to facilitate connection between psychologists of all disciplines, both to serve as a support network and to provide an arena for discussing current social issues of interest not only to psychologists but also to the wider local community. On the third day of the conference the vice-chair presented a symposium showcasing research activity in local universities. Guest lectures on applied subjects have proved popular this year. Two given in the Solent hub drew audiences of between 70 and 80; these were ‘The Psychology of Success’ (Patrick Jordan) and ‘a CBT Approach to Dissociation’ (Fiona Kennedy). The latter was particularly informative in the light of NICE guidelines to using CBT. Fiona Kennedy presented the historical background to understanding dissociation and the current thinking on a CBT 38 T H E B R I T I S H P S Y C H O L O G I C A L S O C I E T Y