I come to the role of treasurer after a working lifetime in finance and accountancy although I haven't done a day’s work in that sector since I retired in 2009!   I  am trusting that what is needed still remains.  I have however since retiring spent a few years teaching Italian within U3A at a fairly elementary level although many who started as beginners ended up (due to their efforts not mine ) with a very good level of proficiency on which they have since built.

My only knowledge of the Italian language is best described as "fluent-ish but far from faultless”.  Like most of us both fluency and faults increase with a glass or two of wine in a social setting .

During my working life I spent periods of time in Italy and used that time to build on my early student experiences in the language and in the country.  Since then  Italy has been the first choice destination for holidays for me and my wife and we can’t wait for a safe resumption of visits there . 

I've been a member of the Cheltenham Italian Society for many years on and off  (I say that because some years I must simply have failed to renew and possibly came along as a guest,  and it's been interesting to see the many changes).

Now we are presented with a whole new set of challenges as we have no fixed home and I look forward to working with the present committee and other officers to keep up all the many happy traditions of the society. This will be a lot easier when we get back to those  regular face-to-face meetings which offer the opportunity for members to speak Italian as well as to hear it from some of our speakers

I've also taken on the role of librarian which now involves physical custody of our books and DVDs as well as we have no other home for them.  I hope members will continue to read and view these books and DVDs and will feel free to contact me at any time on darryl.whitehead [at] gmail.com (please replace [at] by the usual symbol) or by phone (01242) 227519 to arrange for a pick up of books or DVDs.

My husband and I are farmers and live near Cheltenham.  I have been a member of the Italian Society for many years. 

I grew up in Rome as my father worked for FAO which is part of the United Nations.  I still speak Italian and the Cheltenham Italian Society enables me to enjoy listening to both Italian and English speakers on a wide range of Italian-related topics.

My family and I have returned to Italy many times spending holidays walking in the Dolomites and in the hills around Ravello or visiting friends in Rome, Florence and Sassari in Sardinia.

I'm a retired teacher, interested in the arts, particularly painting and literature.  I love walking and gardens, cooking and entertaining friends and family.

I have travelled fairly extensively in Italy and have a reasonable understanding of the language but am certainly not fluent!  Whenever l visit, l am reluctant to leave.  It just feels comfortable and stimulates my interests.  I enjoy CIS in the company of friendly like-minded people. 

I am keen on keeping the books and DVDs safe and we want as many members as possible to be using them.

Do these writers stimulate your interest? Bassani, Calvino, Eco, Fallaci, Levi, Moravia, Pasolini, Pirandello, Sciascia, Silone, Svevo, Verga. We have classics for all these writers in our library as well as a selection of other contemporary writers. We also have an almost complete collection from Andrea Camilleri of his Montalbano novels. 

Although we have moved out of Parmoor house we still have a library which has in all about 110 books and about 20 DVDs freely available to members .

Our treasurer Darryl Whitehead has also taken on the role of librarian and and is keeping safe the books and DVDs and we want as many members as possible to be using them.

The entire library has been collated on a ► spreadsheet ◄ and is available for you to make your choices by opening up the attached file.

You should be able to see the titles and following the guidance in the library, find out more about the books.

The next stage is simple; just contact Darryl by phone (01242) 227519 or by email at darryl.whitehead [at] gmail.com  (relacing [at] by the usuall symbol) and let him know which you want to borrow. 

Darryl will bring the item to the next meeting but if you are desperate to have it earlier individual arrangements can be made for pick up et cetera. 

When I was three, my parents moved to Trieste and I attended an Italian school for three years.  After a further three years of home education, I went to school in England.  

By then my parents had moved to Genova, where I was able to spend all my school holidays, before we moved back to the UK, when I was 18.  

Since those days I have had business trips and holidays in Italy.

I love the Italian language, scenery, culture and history and most of it's food.

I am supporting many free Italian learning courses on MemRise available on the web and by their App. (See "Useful Links" then click on "Italian MemRise courses".)

To contact the Committee, please use the "Contact Us" tab above or use the link below to the page with the email address.

http://cheltenhamitaliansociety.org.uk/AboutUs/ContactUs.aspx