Noticeboard

Library

Training department

New members department

bookstall

Library

A reminder of our rules for creatures and their companions when using the Society’s library:

• We must not damage the books in anyway
• We must keep quiet when using the library
• All creatures must first be approved by the Head Librarian’s Companion (a sphinx), before being allowed in the library
• We must not seek knowledge to use against another creature
• We will abide by the exclusions (as explained by the librarian on duty) preventing us from reading certain books
• We must not try to enter – on pain of death – the Universal’s reading room.

A final reminder to all Fire Imp companions – do not under any circumstances bring your fire imps into the library. All of them have been banned by Nefertiti the Sphinx as a number of valuable books have already been reduced to cinders in recent months. Head Librarian

Our copy of ‘Vanishing Acts: Camouflaged Creatures’ has disappeared – please can you check at home whether or not you have taken it by mistake. Richard Dove, Librarian

The Society’s book club will be reading this month the newest publication to come from our presses, ‘The Gorgon’s Gaze’. We will be meeting to discuss it in the tea rooms on the last Saturday of the month as usual.

Training Department

Notice to all mentors: the next ‘Training the Trainers’ course will be run in the first week of July.

We will be looking at such issues as:

• managing the first encounter – risks and responsibilities
• what to do when your companion runs wild
• treatment of minor injuries (bites, stings and burns)

We will be devoting one session to a particularly hot topic:

• fair weather friends? – weather giants and Kullervo

If you would like to attend the course, please send an SAE to Mrs Chawdry in the Training Department.

Examinations

Written examinations for Grades one to six will take place during the school holidays – remember to check the notice board for times later this week. Mentors - please make suitable arrangements for the practicals with qualified companions (a list of these can be obtained from the reception)

New Members Department

Assessment weekends – the schedule for the next few months is as follows:

20-21 May – Suffolk and Norfolk
27-28 May – Birmingham and the Midlands
June – Glasgow
July – Ipswich
July – Oxford
August – Edinburgh
September – London

Would the secretaries of all chapters please ensure that the details of candidates are submitted well in advance of these dates. Late submission could well mean that assessment is delayed to the following year. Ivor Coddrington

Trustees’ Newsletter March 2006

From Frederick Cony and Gard, the Rock Dwarf, Company of Creatures of the Four Elements

Greetings to members of the worldwide family of the Society for the Protection of Mythical Creatures!

It has been over sixty year since we have had a confirmed sighting of the Society’s enemy, Kullervo. (A mere blink of an eye in time, according to Gard, but to humans almost a lifetime.) However, rumours are multiplying that Kullervo is resurgent. Many of you have reported disappearances among your companion species – some, we fear, to join him in his battle with humankind. Please keep us informed of any suspicious signs in your regions.

Kullervo himself is notoriously hard to locate due to his ability to change his shape into that of any mythical creature. Despite this, legend tells us that he always keeps his mismatched eyes – one gold, one acid yellow. If you see any creature fitting this description DO NOT APPROACH! Alert the Headquarters immediately and help will be despatched immediately.