Secretary’s Annual Report
Over the past year, we have held numerous Council meetings, during which we made significant progress on our website development plans. Working closely with Paul, we agreed that our key priorities are to streamline the membership process through the website and enable delegates to book conference places directly online.
I have also been working with Critical Minerals and Women in Mining to develop our Memoranda of Understanding. These discussions are progressing well and are developing into strong, mutually beneficial partnerships.
One of the largest projects I undertook this year was organising the free geology field trip to Devon for geology teachers and professionals across the industry. Fully funded by Royal Holloway, University of London, the trip provided delegates with three nights in a geologically significant location, alongside excellent networking opportunities, comfortable accommodation, and even a complimentary bar. The event was a great success and highlighted the value of collaborative outreach within our community.
Following an introduction to The Intelligent Miner, I was invited to write a feature article for their termly digital publication, with the aim of submitting the final draft by November 2026.
Throughout the summer, I have also secured our next President, Luisa Hendry, better known online as Scottish Geologist. Luisa is a passionate advocate for geology and public outreach, and with her substantial social media following she is ideally placed to help us grow ESTA membership and increase conference attendance in the years ahead. She will formally introduce herself to members at the conference in Leeds this September.
Preparations for the Leeds conference have also included organising the conference goodie bags. This has been made possible with the generous support of companies including Cornish Lithium, Critical Minerals, and, of course, the University of Leeds.
Finally, Aaron Lockwood has expressed an interest in becoming involved with ESTA, and we have discussed how he could support the organisation through ongoing website maintenance. His generous offer of both his technical expertise and time would be a valuable asset as we continue to develop our online presence.
