Oxford Meeting and AGM on Saturday 15 March 2008

Hosted by the Oxford University Museum of Natural History

Within the United Kingdom, the Hope Entomological Collections are second in size and importance to the national insect collection at the Natural History Museum, London. The collection houses over 25,000 arthropod types, and comprises over 5 million specimens.  The collection includes many specimens of great historical interest from such sources as the Hope-Westwood and Verrall-Collin collections.  For those wishing to consult the collection during the day, please contact Darren Mann in advance (darren.mann@oum.ox.ac.uk) or on (01865) 272957.  All of the meeting is open to both members and non-members, although only members are allowed to vote on any motions put to the AGM.

How to get there

Oxford has a busy and congested city centre and car parking is limited and expensive for a full day.  There are excellent transport links to Oxford centre via train and bus, as well as a series of ‘Park & Ride’ locations around the ring road with regular bus links to the centre.  Here car parking is only 60p for the day in addition to an inexpensive return bus fare.  The Oxford University Museum of Natural History is open between 10.00 and 17.00 seven days a week.  It is located on Parks Road off Broad Street in central Oxford.  Admission to the Museum is free.  The full address is: Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PW.

Programme for the day

10.30    Arrive, coffee, display of exhibits (these may be of live or dead insects, photos, literature etc.)

11.00    Introduction and Society notices - Rob Parker/Darren Mann

11.05    Talk by Tony Pittaway: “From net to web: the rise of the Internet in the study of Hawkmoths”, followed by discussion

12.15    Presentation and discussion of exhibits

12.30    Lunch (bring your own packed lunch or forage in one of the nearby pubs or eateries)

13.30    Annual General Meeting: with elections, reports and Presidential Address, Part1 (AGM notice)

14.30    Intermission

14.45    Presidential Address, Part 2, given by Rob Parker: “Working at Butterfly Re-establishment - Lessons from two case studies ", followed by the conclusion of the AGM

16.00    Tea, followed by the opportunity to join a tour of the entomological collections, led by Darren Mann

17.00    Close of meeting and depart