Newsletter – June 2015
June 3rd, 2015Exercise daily, eat apples and get eight hours of sleep a day. Are these the latest tips on healthy living from the NHS? They could be, but in fact they are among guidelines given out a century ago to the first residents of Bournville, the model village built by the Cadbury family. Called the ‘Suggested Rules of Health’, the rarely seen document unearthed from the archives of Bournville Village Trust features 25 suggestions for ways to live a ‘healthier and therefore more cheerful life’. Sadly, chocolate did not appear on the list at that time. Perhaps if the list was published today a small amount of dark chocolate might be allowed!
Gillian Ellis, our speaker this month, is the Curator of the Bournville Village Trust and her enthusiasm for the job seems boundless. Part of the work of the Trust is to look after Selly Manor, parts of which date back to 1424, and also the mediaeval Minworth Greaves which was due to be demolished to make way for a sewage works but was saved by Laurence Cadbury who caused it to be moved and rebuilt. However, the major part of the work is to look after the Trusts properties and the 27,000 people who live in them.
We have no meeting in August but the next meeting is on 1st September when Ned Williams, a regular speaker for the Society, will present a talk on Alms Houses. Visitors are most welcome at all our events – see Home Page for details and contacts.