New website

As from todays date this website will no longer be updated. For all information and contact details please visit our new information website at:

www.stamfordbridge1066.org.uk

The new email contact details are also as follows:

info@stamfordbridge1066.org.uk


This webpage will still be accessible for reference and past information only.


950th Anniversary Coin Competition

The overall winner and runners up of the Battle of Stamford Bridge Heritage Society 950th Anniversary Coin competition were presented last Friday. The competition was run in conjunction with the Schools in Stamford Bridge who designed class entries to be judged with the overall winner design incorporated into a limited edition coin. Callum Midgley was the winner with six class runners up who all received a coin in a presentation box and certificates.

The coin will remain in production for purchase by individuals at the price of £5 which comes numbered and in its own presentation case, a lasting and great way to remember our celebrations of the 1066-2016 anniversary year. Remember they are only available for a limited period, so order one today before production ceases....  BOSBHS members have already began to get their orders in. Contact myself and I will send your details on to Brian and Maxine who have been instrumental in doing this project.
The winning design on the rear of the coin.

Callum Midgley, the overall winner with his coin and certificate.

Thanks to Steve, Maxine and Brian who took time off to present the coins and say a few words.

The winner and class runners up with Steve, Maxine and Brian.

AGM report March 8th 2017

At the Battle of Stamford Bridge Heritage Society AGM last night March 8th, a new committee to oversee and determine the direction of the society for the foreseeable future was appointed.

As most people will know by now I have stepped down as the current Chairman of the society after serving since its inception, to pursue other projects, both professional and personal. I will however, still be a member and so will continue to play an active part in the events and projects I am interested in.

The new 7 person committee will meet next week to organise itself and arrange the specific areas they want to be involved in, since Toms passing the original Committee had shrank from five permanent members to two, not enough to really run the society as envisaged. I think the new members, who have all played a pivotal part in the society already,  have the expertise and knowledge to see us through the next phase of the development of the society, and I wish them all the best and good luck in that.

It was also agreed by the members present to vote to keep the current annual subscription of £10 per person as a permanent amount, this goes a long way to pay for some of the expenses we need to cover to be safe and legal, especially in attending outdoor events and dealing with the general public. Anyone not present at the AGM can you please arrange to make your new annual subscription at the next meeting. (see below)

Next Meeting & Dates for 2017/18
The following dates are the provisional meeting dates for the society 2017/18 season, at the Cricket Club in Stamford Bridge. However these cannot be finalised until Kirsty can confirm her diary.

2017

April 12th / May 10th / June 14th / July 12th / August 9th / September 13th / October 11th / November 8th / December 13th
2018
January 10th / February 14th / March 14th

Battle Show 2017
Decision is required asap on the next Battle Re-enactment show, as there have already been enquiries from both trade and the public about the place and date. The new committee will make this a priority decision as time is short to begin making arrangements depending upon the size and format.

Society Boat
The society has been offered the opportunity to buy its very own river boat. An inflatable, rigid type,it comes with its own petrol outboard engine, oars and vests. We have agreed to go ahead and buy it and plans are already taking shape about how we can utilise this great piece of kit for use on the river for research and locating the Roman and Saxon crossing points on the Derwent river in Stamford Bridge. Perhaps we can have a naming competition for it!

Coin Competition
The winner of the 950th coin design competition was announced at the AGM. A first production coin was brought by Brian and Maxine, and it looks and feels superb. The overall winner and the class runners up will all receive a copy with a certificate, with the arrangements for a presentation to be made with the school directly. Society members and the general public will also have the opportunity to buy one as a keepsake and commemoration for our efforts in 2016. Cost is £5 per coin which comes in an attractive presentation case, we have already began to take orders, - so get yours in now, this will be a limited production run and when they've gone, they've gone!

From todays date the Contact email for all BOSBHS enquiries is:

info@stamfordbridge1066.org.uk

AGM meeting MARCH 8th 2017.


NEXT MEETING & DATES FOR 2017/18

The next society meeting is the AGM on March 8th, 2017, (NOT March 15th, as provisionally mentioned at he last meeting), at the Sports Pavilion, Low Catton Road, Stamford Bridge.

It will be an important meeting to discuss and arrange the future of the society and how it can move forward for the next 5 years. Subs will also be due at the meeting, but, we need to decide whether we continue with the fee of £10 that was raised for the 2016 season, or whether we reduce back to £5 as originally planned. Please tell any members not present at the society meeting in February that they need to attend if possible, as members need to be present if they want a say in the future of the society and the decision making process.

Below is a transcript of the Chairmans Comment from the January Monthly Bulletin for those who may have not seen it yet.


CHAIRMAN’S COMMENT
As we begin 2017 I have been giving some thoughts to the year ahead, even though we normally have the BOSBHS year commence in March with the AGM. After the tremendous 2016 anniversary year last year and the positive feedback we received I foresee 2017 as a year of consolidation and of laying new plans for the coming years.

Now more than ever, the members of BOSBHS have to play their part, as I have decided to step down from the Chairman’s position and offer the future of the society into the hands the members. I will still be a member of the society and be active but will play no part in organising and arranging events or decisions of the committee, that is now for the society to do. My decision was actually made before 2016, but I felt it inappropriate to give it up considering the untimely passing of Tom and the plans for the anniversary year we had ahead. My reasons are personal, as there are projects and professional decisions I have deferred for the sake of the society, but, now require my attention and need to be implemented.

I will fulfil the obligations to the already ongoing projects I have initiated or been involved in, ie, tapestry, window, archaeology, etc

For the Society to continue the following is necessary:

A new committee to made up of new members offering experience and fresh ideas to take the society into the next 5 years. The new committee places should be as follows:

- Chairman
- Vice Chair
- Secretary
- Treasurer
- Membership & Fundraising
- Events & Publicity

I still believe BOSBHS should consider a bi-annual show event at Stamford Bridge. Maybe every other year a new show at Fulford could be organised, thereby still giving the Viking Societies and the public an event to attend, but allowing more time to be organised. This is only possible with closer ties to Chas Jones and Fulford, but by getting together with BOSBHS to help with the organising, it would allow the focus to be on Fulford and thus share the publicity. I see the two battles near to York as a singular event unique in 1066 and needs exploiting, it will also allow access to Fulford Historical Society and Parish Council to be more involved. Further talks with them are obviously needed, but the decision on the 2017 show needs to be made soon as time soon flies....

BOSBHS needs an integral, forward looking, 5 year plan, including archaeological, establishment of a new meeting place for the society, new projects for the village, signage, information boards, education and school visits, a living history sub-group, new heritage conservation and metal detecting liaison project and the most essential - funding. Heritage Lottery Funding application being the main aim for 2017, another reason I feel for this year to be one of consolidation and building on what has been learned. Stamford Bridge and its society members should take stewardship of the BOSBHS, it has made great strides in the last six years and will continue to do so under the direction of a new, strong and imaginative committee. 

I am giving the society this advanced information in the hope that by the March AGM anyone within (or without) the society with the inclination or desire to be a committee member can think it over. I won’t be putting myself up for consideration in the committee elections. The committee has over the last couple of years seen a reduction in its members and thus needs new blood and new people to make it a proper working group. I know in the past the committee has been quite loose and decisions were left to one or two on many occasions, but for the society to continue and abide by its own constitution it really does need full membership to take the decision making a step further, otherwise it becomes stale and a dictatorship, - which is not what our original community vision was for the society.
Chris Rock, January 11th


The following PROVISIONAL monthly meeting dates for 2017/18 are as follows. These will not be finalised until March, when a new promotional leaflet with the dates is printed.

(2017)
March 8th (AGM)
April 12th
May 10th
June 14th
July 12th
August 9th
September 13th
October 11th
November 8th
December 13th.

(2018)
January 10th
February 14th
March 14th.

2017 Hello to a new year...

As we say farewell to 2016 and hello to 2017 the BOSBHS have earned a great big pat on the back. 2016 was a memorable year, for many reasons. Tom’s untimely passing early on cast a dark shadow not only over our society but others too, but as reality sunk in, the society rallied round and with support and advice from friends, family, and members we managed to overcome the all the problems we faced.

It was a busy year for us, in between attending the shows and fayres, walks and talks, we organised a fantastic fundraiser ceildh, a popular village summer fete, and of course the 950th Anniversary Battle Weekend, which was a huge success. The BOSBHS Tapestry group re-organised and motivated themselves and have produced some wonderful embroidery, even Charles and Camilla were impressed by the standard of skill. Hopefully, 2017 should see an almost complete 12m tapestry by the end of the year.

We also spread ourselves far and wide, with invites from both Hastings and Waltham Abbey to attend their anniversary events. Yes, it’s been a sad, mad, happy and fulfilling 2016! Well done, and thank you to all those who supported and helped us achieve it.

So what’s in store for 2017? Well, there’s still lots to do….

We need now to consolidate what we have achieved over the last 5 years. We have proved our capabilities when we put our minds to it, and our long term goal of a 1066 Museum/visitor/resource centre in Stamford Bridge is still our central aim, but we need to look in depth at funding options for all our future projects, as it all takes money as well as passion!

The 1066-2016 new stained glass window design for the church is still ongoing, having been initialised in 2016 as a permanent reminder of our efforts in the anniversary year. With new housing in Stamford Bridge coming on line in 2017 we also need to invest in new members for the society, both to keep the momentum going and have fresh ideas and skills from new faces. There’s new archeological projects in the pipeline too which will hopefully answer some of the questions about the battle and the village which we need to know.

Anybody wishing to join or attend please come to one of our meetings, the next one is January 11th 7.30pm at the Cricket Club. Jim Ainsworth is our guest speaker and he will be delivering a talk about the ‘Two airfields of Pocklington’, something I will be particularly interested in hearing about. Non-members are welcome to attend too. Happy New Year from all at BOSBHS.

For more details contact Chris Rock, email chairmanBOSBHS@mail.com