The forthcoming annual art exhibition in August/September 2026 reaches quite a landmark period for our Art Club showing our exhibition in the City Of London.

It is a long way back now since our founding in 1906 which, strange to note, was also the founding year of the Benenden Sanatorium in Kent – it is good that both groups are still in existence today and the Benenden Group was in fact founded by the the Post Office workers of the time – the first in history.

I remember in 2006 how pleased our members were to reach the century mark and so pleasing that enough of our members voted to carry on – and we have done just that!

When I look back at the past 20 years the one particular item that stands out is the £5000 donation from the late John Harrington that truly kept us going to this day. John was sincerely thanked at the time and we were pleased to make him one of our Honorary members – which I recall pleased him a great deal. This funding has slowly diminished so we could have a financial problem in the year ahead – but the current members are anxious to keep going as long as we can!

The coming show will be most important and we can but hope we can show a good selection to mark this date. We are once more based at the St Sepulchre Church where we have so many friends – let us hope this landmark date get the exhibits it deserves – good luck to all!

Ron McGill

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