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Coscan Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland

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Coscan Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland CoScan Confederation of Scandinavian Societies of Great Britain and Ireland Patrons: Their Excellencies, The Ambassadors of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden Contents: 4 Message from the President: Mark Elliott 6 Chairman’s Message: Eva Robards 7 Youth and International Officer: Helena Schmidt 8 Guest writer: Sid Bradley 10 Chairman goes to: Eva Robards 14 Midsummer/St. Hans: Eva Robards and Anna Sophie Strandli 16 Midsummer celebration among Societies 19 Northamptonshire and Northants Anglo-Scandinavian Society: Gunilla Loe 21 The History of Northants Anglo-Scandinavian Society – from early beginnings: Manja Ronne 22 Scandinavians at the London Olympics: Mark Elliott 26 Anna Sophie’s Kitchen 28 It seems a long time ago…: Gunilla Loe 29 Northampton Swedish School: Kerstin Banham 30 From the book shelf 31 NFA taking Norway to Flotta: Jean Crichton 32 The Grieg Society of Great Britain: Beryl Foster 33 Extreme Arctic – two months in Svalbard: Katherine Pears 34 Mingling with royalty in Sweden: Felix Morgan 35 Three days of rain in Bergen: Jean Crichton 36 Not just IKEA and ABBA: Duncan Street 37 Running for success in Stockholm: Ruby Pester 38 Silent Heroes (Tause helter) – operation Freshman and others: Iain Robertson 39 Legal Advice: Mark Elliott 40 Ferry routes for passengers: Eva Robards 42 Olympic Fever – Helsinki 1952: Juhana Aunesluoma 43 Scandinavian Crime – Discussion with Christopher MacLehose: Mark Elliott 45 CoScan Conference in Tallinn, Estonia: Lynne af Rosenborg 46 Member Societies 2012 47 CoScan Executive Committee/CoScan Trust fund 48 CoScan Patrons 49 Quiz on Iceland 50 Become an Individual Member – a Friend of CoScan 3 creating a world-wide community in Message which distance and time-zones mean from the less and less. CoScan will surely now begin to take its proper place in President that world. The York AGM itself was another Mark Elliott welcome sign of our vigour. York has long been home to our meetings in the years between overseas Over the years I have spoken, Conferences, centrally placed and probably too often, of Scandinavia accessible for most of our members. and northern Europe generally as a In 2012 the local society, YASS, haven of sanity in a troubled world. excelled themselves as hosts and put Looking out over the peaceful fells on a programme as stimulating in its of the Lake District from our cottage way as the “CoScan Goes To…” window, one can easily forget events organised in recent years by external stresses and see only what is the Shetland and Orkney societies. stable and eternal. But it would be The setting for both meeting and wrong to pretend now that anybody dinner was the medieval Bedern is unaffected by the economic strains Hall, relatively newly restored and afflicting Europe. Unwise perhaps to the perfect setting for a small say more, in a piece written function - it is rare to achieve the inevitably some while before combination of antiquity, modern publication and in the midst of rapid catering and unthreatening size. The and unpredictable change. Let me at informality of our YASS hosts put least wish you all as easy and secure us at our ease from the start, and a summer as may be, and the space they led us in a kind of pan-Nordic to build up strength to face any sing-song at the end of the dinner challenges which may lie ahead. which sent everybody away in the “You all” in that last sentence is best of spirits. Check out (as they beginning to mean more than it did. say) the collection of photos now At the Annual General Meeting held posted on our Facebook page for the in York at the end of April, we had proof. Of course York is special. encouraging news of the growing Not many cities can boast ancient interest in CoScan stimulated by our walls and historic buildings in quite Facebook page and the efforts of such profusion - some of us were Helena Schmidt. The meeting agreed treated to a tour by a real expert, a to ease the procedures for those YASS member, who pointed out seeking CoScan membership from rarely-noticed architectural and outside the UK. Like all historical quirks and knew all the organisations we are in need of new anecdotes behind them. The Minster (and younger) blood. The web is is an amazing building - its fine peal of bells was being rung almost 4 throughout the Saturday of our meeting, perhaps not just in honour of CoScan’s presence, and the choir were in fine voice at a service on Sunday morning which was full of inspiring words as well as traditional ceremonial. But there are other cities and towns in Britain with much to offer. The model of an extended weekend, with opportunities for AGM in Bedern Hall CoScan members to get to know each other a little better and to share experiences which may illuminate as well as entertain, is well worth copying by other societies in future years. There is plenty of time to address the programme for 2014 and thereafter, and for the moment our sights are set elsewhere. In 2013 we are promised another overseas venture, to Tallinn in Estonia; there Peter Campbell, Eva Robards, Mark Elliott, is a note about our plans elsewhere Norman Pike in this issue of the magazine, and the opportunity is not to be missed. I should not take up more space. But at risk of repeating things I said in the 2011 magazine, I must remind you that without our Chairman, Eva Robards, much of what has been good about CoScan in the last year would not have happened. She has been tireless in her enthusiasm and From the auction creative energy. This issue of the magazine will contain plenty of evidence of what she has been doing, and I will not try to spell it out. Please support her – with ideas, comments, reports and articles, and above all offers of active participation. In its seventh decade CoScan is as relevant as ever. But it needs its members to keep it flourishing. Scandinavian sing-song Photos: AW Robards 5 Chairman’s message pleasure and duties, but above all we renewed friendship and made new Eva Robards ones. Naturally I would like to thank members from YASS (York Anglo- Scandinavian Society) for help with this event, especially John Christmas and Bernard Turgoose. Next year’s AGM is a Conference in Tallinn (‘Danish castle/town’, as the name debatably can be interpreted); arrangements are well underway thanks to the organising committee from SKOL (Scandinavian Klubb of Lincolnshire). Network might be an over-used My visits to societies around the word, but I am going to employ it as country represent another kind of I think that this is the essence of meetings. CoScan. A local association has Here, ideas come forward that everything to gain from reaching out otherwise may have stayed dormant. to other fellow organisations, both One example of issues that have regarding friendship (something emerged is public liability insurance; that most of our societies have as a when this was raised, it became motto in one way or the other) and apparent that here is an area where useful information. There may also CoScan should look after its be financial benefits, The Grieg members; therefore I have been in Society of Great Britain (new contact with an insurance broker and CoScan member) offering other got offers on what can be provided at CoScan societies to have the same present. Some societies already have privileges regarding reduced-price such an insurance in place, but if tickets as their own members. yours hasn’t and you’re interested: Meetings offer excellent do get in touch with me about this – networking opportunities. At the or any other area of concern that you AGM in York I was therefore would like to bring up (you don’t pleased to see as many as 35 have to wait for me to arrive on your delegates from 11 societies, doorstep). travelling from the Orkneys and Yet another kind of meetings are Shetland in the north, Wales in the those with the Embassies. The west, and London in the south – a CoScan committee meets each contrast to what normally happens at autumn with the Cultural Affairs ‘non-conference’ AGMs, with only Officers from the five Embassies to committee members turning up. The exchange relevant mutual meeting in York covered a good part information and discuss ways of of the weekend and was a mixture of possible collaboration. 6 Personally I am grateful for help on up and forwarded as a help to our various issues over the last year; in hardworking Editor. particular I would like to say thanks All in all, meetings are essential for to Vigdís Pálsdóttir who will finish creativity. It is mainly in contact an eight year term and return to her with others that sudden insights native Iceland, so unfortunately we appear – ideas which you didn’t will lose her in early July. know yourself that you were capable The last type of meeting I will of. ‘It is by friction that we sparkle’, mention here is the Editorial Board. says Jonah Lehrer in his book on By bringing people together, how creativity works. Let’s see a bit numerous good ideas were born, more of each other and make most of which have been followed CoScan sparkle! Youth and International Officer Helena Schmidt We are reaching new people from all over the world, approached by Let’s talk! stakeholders and private persons with a love for Scandinavia, and we are linked up to a large number of friendship organisations.
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