What can you do as a member of the Cambridge Society of Paris?

I concluded the recent News Bulletin with a rhetorical question: “Is there anything that can be done by members of the Society outside the work done by the Committee?”

I responded, with a nod to Flanders and Swan, “Indeed there is and I shall tell you all about that .. another time!”

Well, now is that time, and it is important. It is wonderful that the Cambridge Society of Paris has grown so much over the last year; your support is hugely appreciated. The more active the Society, the better. The more everyone is involved, the more it will flourish. So, some thoughts:

•        Events: first, foremost, and above all, you will be highly welcome at all the events. Any that appeal. The Society is there to be enjoyed

•        New members: From every point of view it is beneficial to increase the membership. Do please encourage others to become members

•        College Representatives: this is working incredibly well, and we now have representatives for nearly every College. However, some are still floating. If you would like to be the representative for your College, and if the post is still open, you would be more than welcome

•        Committee: we currently have a couple of places available on the committee. We are guarding these carefully, but I would be very happy to speak to anyone who might like to put their name forward

•        The Cambridge Cutting Edge Lectures: a long-term programme of top-class lectures on modern topics of burning importance to humanity, to be run in partnership with one or two major Paris based institutions. We already have early speakers pencilled in, but it would be wonderful to hear your ideas for topics and for potential speakers.

•        Glory Days of Paris: a cycle of four or five lectures bringing together the heady days of Les Années Folles through to post war Paris: Dadaism and surrealism; the writers painters and photographers; the introduction of jazz; Simone de Beauvoir, Jean-Paul Sartre and existentialism. Your input, and ideas for inspiring speakers, would be most welcome.

•        Venues: every event requires a venue. For Berlin cabaret somewhere exotic in Montmartre or the Marais. For Glory Days, Montparnasse or St Germain des Prés. For dinners, grand and impressive or cosy and atmospheric. I am constantly on the look-out. Ideas please

•        Events: What would you like in the future? Don’t hesitate to come forward with suggestions. Over and above, if you would like to run an event, A to Z, as Edward Archer does with the carols, Clare Hohler with the Shakespeare, and George Young with the walks .. you are on!

•        Trevor Brown Bursary: such a very worthwhile aspect of the Cambridge Society of Paris, master-minded by Terry Quinn, assisting current Cambridge students to visit France to study French life and culture. We want to expand this further. Can you help by introducing suitable applicants, or even donating to help funds?

Happy Holidays! If thoughts spring to mind, do please ping an email: anls@lyndon-skeggs.com.

With very best wishes,

Andrew Lyndon-Skeggs

President Cambridge Society of Paris

10^th July 2018