A new Chair for GLHA

At the GLHA’s AGM on June 17th, representatives from the Association’s 54 member groups elected Sally Self, from Cheltenham Local History Society, as Chair for 2024 - 25. Since she retired from the teaching profession, Sally has volunteered for many local history activities including leading a group of volunteers cataloguing documents at Gloucestershire Archives. She has researched and written articles for the British Association for Local History and for the Cheltenham Local History Society’s journal. She is also a trustee for the Gloucestershire County History Trust which produces the Victoria County History books. She joined the GLHA Committee in 2019.

 Attendees gave an appreciative thank you to the retiring Chair, Dr Steven Blake, who stood down from the post after 12 years. Steve was instrumental in setting up the Association in 2012 and has since worked tirelessly to promote interest in local history across the County.  A generous gift was presented to him on behalf of member groups and individuals and everyone wished him well in his ongoing research work.

In thanking everyone, Dr Blake said, “Serving as Chair for the past 12  years has been both a pleasure and a privilege, and I step down in  the knowledge that I helped to create and sustain an organisation that I believe to be of great value to the County's local history community and a worthy successor to the GRCC Local History Committee that preceded it. I am also confident that with Sally Self as the Association's new Chair and all existing Committee members - with whom I have worked so harmoniously over the years – continuing, the Association is in very good hands”.