Now that lockdown is being eased, it is time to update you on how the Surrey Archaeological Society is dealing with this unpredecented situation.

Since lockdown started in March, as already advised, we have postponed all scheduled face to face meetings and field activities, and closed our Research Centre (incorporating our library) at Abinger.  But behind the scenes the Society has continued to work well with trustees and officers operating from their own homes.  All our systems operate remotely and post and emails can be monitored and answered promptly.  Most operational meetings, including trustees, Council and sub-committees, have moved to Zoom which has worked well for us. Some projects, where paper or on-line based, such as palaeography, have also continued using Zoom.  

We are monitoring the gradual removal of lockdown closely but the Trustees must remain in alignment with Government regulations, which are evolving rapidly .  It is difficult to predict when we will be able to continue our usual physical activities, such as excavation or geophysics, as official guidelines appear to preclude them at present.  As soon as we feel we can continue, even on a revised basis, this will be announced on our website under the Events section and on the front page and in our Bulletin. This also includes lecture and conference meetings scheduled for the autumn.  These are usually held in local village halls, most of which have yet to re-open.  We are building contingency plans to move these meetings to Zoom if physical meetings are not possible.  Arrangements will be announced here on our website and in our Bulletin as soon as they are known.

The Trustees are keeping the situation under day-by-day review and are eager to resume all our activities as soon as we possibly can.