The meeting began at 7.10pm and was chaired by Kenneth White who welcomed everyone and expressed his salutations and thanks to Tony McManus.

After discussion, it was agreed that an active group should manage the work of the Scottish Centre for Geopoetics and the following were agreed:

director: Norrie Bissell; deputy director: Rachel Blow; secretary: Peter Gray; assistant secretary: Jenny Renton; treasurer: Richard Browne; French correspondent: Nanon McManus.

Following discussion, it was agreed that the secretary would investigate registering the Centre as a charity and that Kenneth White would provide a model constitution based on experience elsewhere.

Discussion also took place on how to extend awareness of geopoetics in Scotland eg by means of newspaper and magazine articles, and by the translation and publication of books such as Le Plateau de l’Albatros by Kenneth White, who was also preparing a shorter handbook in English as an introduction to geopoetics. It was hoped that Tony McManus’s book on the work of Kenneth White and geopoetics would be published at a future date and that a night to celebrate his life would be organised.

Kenneth White read from a recent statement prepared by the International Institute of Geopoetics and reported on the work of centres in different countries. The possibility of organising further seminars and symposia on geopoetics in Scotland was discussed and Anne Scott, who had previously organised a successful day event in Ayr, offered to help.

Dissemination of information by means of a newsletter, the International Institute’s website at www.geopoetique.net, an e-mail discussion board, and by issuing flyers at book festivals was discussed. Richard Brown offered to make the Centre’s newsletters available to the public at Mainpoint Books in Edinburgh.

After considerable discussion, a new subscription of £10, and £5 concessions was agreed. The Wiston Lodge weekend, where the work of the Centre would be taken forward, was also discussed.

The meeting ended at 9pm with a vote of thanks to former office-bearers and those who had attended.

Norrie Bissell