Welsh Journals

THE ROYAL INSTITUTION OF SOUTH WALES ANNUAL REPORT OF THE COUNCIL JANUARY 2005 TO JANUARY 2006 This has been an active year for the Council and Institution. Our evening lecture programme, prepared by Bernard Morris, has the usual variety and high standard of speakers. Thanks again to Bernard. In the Newsletter we provide a summary for those unable to attend, or those wishing a reminder. The President's Invitation Lecture for 2005, held in October, was given by Professor Mike Hulme, Executive Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climatic Research at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, who started his academic career here in Swansea. It was an expert and accessible account of the elements involved in Discovering Climatic Change a very topical subject. The series of lunchtime talks held in February and March, under the title The Museum at One, dealt with Swansea in 2005. They created much interest and attracted a steady audience of about 50. A visit to St Fagans National History Museum was organised by Eirwen Davies in June, to follow up the talk on the restoration of St Teilo's Church Tal-y-Bont, which has been moved from Pontardulais to St Fagans. Members also visited the National Waterfront Museum as 'guinea pigs' before it opened, and duly filled in their assessment sheets. The Sunday afternoon Children's Club continues to flourish and on occasion there has been a waiting list for places. This year we also supported children's workshops in August. Our thanks go to the Museum Education Service staff who do so much to organise these events. In an attempt to engage with older children, this year we have instigated the RISW Science Prize for 2005. Minerva 13 appeared at the end of October and was launched at the Book Fair. This is a fascinating read with varied articles including an update on the RISW Archive Project. We thank again our editor, Jenny Sabine. The Book Fair, our third organised by Michael Gibbs, was very successful. There was a wide range of bookstalls and sufficient refreshments (remember 2004 when we nearly ran out!). It seems to have become a selling and socialising Fair looked forward to by many. Here we should mention the publication during the year of Ronald Rees's very readable book, Heroic Science: Swansea and the Royal Institu- tion of South Wales, 1835-1865.