ACTIVITIES

The Society holds regular talks and meetings in the UK and the USA and arranges visits to places of interest connected with Beatrix Potter.

An annual Linder Memorial Lecture is given to commemorate the contribution to Beatrix Potter studies and research made by Leslie Linder and his sister, Enid. The first of these was given at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1981 by Margaret Lane, as Patron of the Society.

International Study Conferences take place in the UK (Lake District or Scotland) and the USA.

The Beatrix Potter Society launched in April 2005 an exciting project. Entitled Introducing Beatrix Potter, it supports and brings together Members giving talks or providing presentations to adult groups about Beatrix Potter, and those who might be interested in doing so. A new leaflet with brief biographical details of Beatrix Potter and a short book list, as well as information about the Society itself, is available as a hand-out. This Society initiative will help to bring the legacy of Beatrix Potter to a wider adult audience. A record of such events is kept by the organisers of the project – in the UK and the USA – who receive feedback questionnaires so that the success of and response to these presentations can be monitored.

Society Members in the UK, USA and France are already involved in events within this scheme. There is a translation of the leaflet into French.

The Society has an extensive slide collection from which Members may borrow material to enhance their talks – this service is only available in the UK at present.

If you would like to be involved in this new venture as a speaker, or would like to arrange for an Introducing Beatrix Potter event for your group, then please contact info@beatrixpottersociety.org.uk.

One of the most important activities of the Beatrix Potter Society is the reading of the Little Books by Society Members to children in their local libraries and schools. Started in 1998 in the UK, as an initiative during 'The National Year of Reading', in 2001 in the USA and in 2004 in France and Australia, the scheme grows steadily year by year. The classic tales are now being enjoyed by thousands of children, some of them hearing the stories for the very first time.

Supported by a visual aids pack supplied by the publisher Frederick Warne, each Reader has display material together with worksheets and outline drawing masters that may be photocopied by the library or school. Many of the Readers also have copies of the large format editions of The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck (now sadly out of print) which enable large gatherings of children to follow the story more easily. Some Readers have other personal Beatrix Potter related items which they display or use during the event and each Reader conducts the ‘Reading’ in their own way, with relation to the age of the children and the specific needs or interests of the group.”