Secretary’s report for the AGM 2020
The tasks have not been onerous this year as the committee have only met once. We do the discussions by email. The 2019 Lucia event was very successful and Lucia in 2020 has been booked to take place on 6 December at Marchmont St Giles Church in Edinburgh.
There are letters to the Society requesting advice and information about moving here and finding work. Some I can deal with, others I send on to those who might be able to help. Some issues have focussed on acquiring settled status. There are always a trickle of requests from Swedish choirs who want to perform in Edinburgh. One was for a choir of 80 teenagers coming to Edinburgh in July 2020 and could I help with accommodation, venues, contact with local choirs and marketing. Or could SSS fund various enterprises.
I am grateful for the work done by Lina and Linda planning and organising events.
There is now a Swedish conversation group that meet in the evening in a pub in Edinburgh for those who want to practice their Swedish.
Book reading groups
There are three groups and all meet regularly in the homes of the participants. Two groups read Swedish books in Swedish and one group read books by Swedish authors translated into English. One of these groups meet in the evenings, the other meet in the afternoon. It is interesting to check the Swedish books on the book cases in the pubs run by Anna and Mike Christopherson and find books that we have brought to Edinburgh now available for others to read. We discuss the books and always the book has led to a wider discussion about Sweden as we remember. We get an insight into what people in Sweden now read and talk about as well as changes in the Swedish language since we were younger. You are welcome to join any of the three groups or two.
Coffee mornings
We met once a month in the home of someone who has invited the group. We meet old friends and some who have recently moved here. For some, these meetings are the only time they speak Swedish. We exchange news and views on what is happening here and in Sweden. Anyone who is free in the morning is welcome to join us, just contact us via the Website.