It has been some time since you heard from us officially, but this is due to my attendance at the Bermuda Conservation Conference. Due to the shipping schedule, I had to be away for two months. This seemed like a long time to begin with, but the benefits of the visits and meetings I was able to make before and after the Conference will be a great asset, I feel sure, and the time was well spent. As a teacher and latterly researcher, I had not met many of the people connected with environmental issues who visited the island, so it was a great opportunity to do so. Personal contact is so important, and at last St. Helena is realising this, and more people are travelling, meeting others and hopefully enriching our experience and making contacts who can help us, and we them.

We celebrated the inauguration of the SHNT, along with the museum on St. Helena Day. We had a table in the museum for payment of membership fees, sale of MF T-shirts and Peaks Pamphlets Although 21 May 2003 was the first anniversary of the Inauguration, the Office has not yet been going for a year, but during the 6 months ( +2 away) that we have been operational I think we have achieved quite a lot.

Many people are leaving the island, and it has been difficult to find an Administrative Assistant. This post has at last been filled, and I am so glad that we have now been able to engage the experienced services of Vanessa Yon to this part time post.  Vanessa works 3 days a week, and is a great asset. She has a BTEC National Diploma in Business and Finance (1990-92) She was Senior Accounts clerk with Small Industries authority – renamed St. Helena Development Agency, of which she became the Tourism Manager. She left work to bring up her children, but has been busily self employed meantime.
Chris Morris, our student volunteer from UK, finished work on 12 February, and returned home soon after. We thank him for his help, with much typing accomplished while he was here.
Our first 6-monthly Report and Financial Summary have been submitted to FCO as required under the terms of the grant. The Director has a half hour programme on local radio weekly, and is negotiating to have a monthly slot on local TV, to publicise the work of the Trust and the importance of our unique environment. Now that Vanessa is here, we hope to get on with the National Heritage Register, to include antiques etc .and other Projects
As the first year ends for the Trust Council, I would like to thank them for their attendance and support. Our AGM has been postponed due to unavoidable circumstances – my visit overseas, and now the Chief Auditor’s leave – having made it impossible to have the accounts audited on time. We have lost our Vice- Chairman, as Stedson Stroud is now assistant Conservation Officer on Ascension, and “at large” member, Michael Stevens is resigning from the committee. We thank them for their help. We have appointed a Nominating Committee, as required by the Ordinance, to receive nominations to replace them.
Three of the Inaugural Projects are going well, as you will see inside. The fourth awaits a Flax Mill, but we hope to have a working group meet soon to discuss wallboards etc., if the possibility of the Pipe Building in town being given to the SHNT becomes a reality.

Annual Subscriptions are now due and we hope that you will continue to support us.

I enjoy my work as Director of this new Trust, and look forward to the future with optimism.

Barbara B. George, Director

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