CoScan’s Drinks Reception 2022: Eva Robards

CoScan’s Drinks Reception 2022

by Eva Robards

Dr Jenny Gimpel speaking with Professor David Goldsmith (Anglo-Swedish Society)

Photo: Chris Howell, CoScan

Our fifth Drinks Reception, again kindly organised by Alexander Malmaeus, was held at the Savile Club on 29 November. As well as on CoScan itself, brief presentatons were given on AngloDanish Society (Wayne Harber), AngloFinnish Society (Clive Suckling), Anglo-Norse Society, Grieg Society UK and the Norwegian Church (Paul Gobey), Anglo-Swedish Society (David Goldsmith), Danish Women in England and the Danish Church (Alette Rye Scales and Grethe Hauge), Finnish Church (Tina Falzon and Hikka Philips), Northants Anglo-Scandinavian Society (Jens Buus), SveaBritt and the Swedish Church (Karin Sjölin Frudd and Barbro McAusland), Viking Society for Northern Research (Alison Finlay), and York Anglo-Scandinavian Society (YASS, Eva Robards). Guest organisations giving presentations were the Norwegian Club (Constanse Bowes-Lyon and Maria Ellord-Nord) and LondonSwedes (Charlotte Ågren).

Widespread problems felt among the organisations are: attracting new membership, acquiring volunteers for the necessary committee/council tasks, and, after Covid, to get people to leave the comfort of their homes for events (‘to get them out of the groove and rekindle the flame’). There were calls for collaboration and sharing ideas. An example of a successful collaboration was that of SveaBritt and YASS, which was initiated at last year’s drinks party (see next page).