3. (f) MEETINGS .

One of the earlier activities required of the Regional office was the organisation of meetings, and endeavours were made to organise these through the medium of the Oxford Extra- Mural Delegacy, the W.E.A., a number of Rotary Clubs, various Chambers of Commerce, Brotherhoods, Round Tables, and so on. During April 1940 forty-two meetings were held under the auspices of the Ministry, seventy-six had been arranged, and 170 projected.

In April 1940 the first Regional Meetings Officer at Reading was appointed.

Voluntary speakers were at first recruited mainly from Reading and the locality, owing to the Meetings Officer's many contacts with likely people. They went to Rotary Clubs, Round Tables, Women's Institutes, Church meetings for women and factories. Almost the only subject at this time was “Morale” - talks to combat gossip and rumour. Later the list grew and in time there were voluntary speakers in nearly all parts of the Region.

When staff speakers were sanctioned by Headquarters in the summer of 1940, seven were employed for varying periods and two or three were loaned by other Regions for occasional spells of a month or so, principally to meet demands for factory talks.

In March 1941 Surrey passed from us to the South Eastern Region, and Dorset came into the Southern Region from the South Western Region, thus making it coterminous with the Civil Defence Region. The distance of Dorset from Reading, compared with the nearness of Surrey, meant a considerable change in plans for meetings - a change that was not helped by the original Information Committee, which covered the whole of the County. It was far too unwieldy and was later split up into more workable areas.

Monthly War Commentaries by the same speaker, generally a Staff Speaker, were a distinctive feature of our work in the winters of 1942 and 1943. These were given mainly in small towns and large villages not covered by Local Information Committees and at a time when there was need for informative background talks against which hearers could put events in the various theatres of war, when they happened. This was probably the most profitable period; not spectacular, but nevertheless we had evidence that much solid work was done. Places most worthwhile, which had taken regular commentaries, later had talks on the British Empire, America, Russia, China, France, etc.,

America's entry into the war gave us a new opportunity. Officers of the U.S.A. Forces and others addressed Rotary Clubs and public meetings, and several speakers on the Regional panel who had firsthand knowledge of America and her people rendered valuable service. We also sent many speakers to U.S.A. units and hospitals.

Naturally, when Africa, Europe and the Far East blazed up, our voluntary speakers, with some notable exceptions, hadn't knowledge to give up to date talks on current events, and Headquarters supplied speakers in increasing numbers.

From April 1940 to July 1945, 63 months, the Meetings Officer had an Assistant only for 27 months - August 1941 to March 1942 and May 1942 to November 1943. With more administrative help, more could have been done - more meetings and better - but with so much to do at the office, outside work had to be reduced to a minimum. When it was possible, it brought very 27 encouraging results.