LA President Rachel Burton welcomed guests and described the Association`s inaugural meeting, held at St Hild`s College, Durham, where the Principal was one of those involved in setting up that meeting. 89 women from across the North East joined in the first year, and the meetings alternated between Newcastle and Durham. One of the first V-Ps of the LA was Dr Ethel Williams, who had been the first female doctor in Newcastle (and apparently the first woman to drive a car in the city). Rachel then proposed a toast to the Association.

After lunch we heard an interesting talk about the historic building we were in. This was the original Mining Institute, built for the mine-owners, industrialists, engineers and scientists in Newcastle`s heyday as a centre for industry of all kinds, built on its coal, steel and lead. We then saw some of the historic rooms in the building and followed that with the ceremonial cutting of a cake and a few words from Jasmit wishing us many more years of success as an LA.