The Association’s annual AGM was held at Nordic House on 12 September with 18 people attending. At the 2014 AGM, the future of Nordic House was discussed and a decision was made to create a sub-committee to examine the issue and to send out a survey to members. The results have been collated and a position paper including the survey published. The paper was due to be presented at the AGM, but unfortunately all three members of the sub-committee were overseas at the time. The result of the survey was handed out to members present at the AGM. Copies are now available at Nordic House. If anyone has questions to the survey, please send an email to anyone on the committee and we will pass it on to the sub-committee.

The Association has been lucky to have had Hella Hackett as our treasurer for eight years and she stood down from this role at the AGM. We would like to sincerely thank Hella for all her work over this time. We hope and know that she will still continue to support the Association, in the coming years. Nina Herrero has offered to take on the role of treasurer and we welcome Nina to the committee.

On 20 September, Niels and Lyn Dahl organised a car rally through the Perth Hills. Five cars took part, enjoying the sights and the wildflowers, and finishing with a picnic. Thank you to Lyn and Niels for their work in organising the rally and congratulations to Lisa and Allan, and Lis and Leif for coming in first and second.

We hope this event can become an annual spring event in the coming years.

Our latest Busy Bee was held on 18 October. Eleven people attended and all worked pretty hard to reduce the list of jobs. The sprinklers were fixed, the front rail repaired and painted, and the garden and house spruced up ready for our next social function. Thank you to Gunnar and helpers for a great job.

We are now moving into the festive season and this will start with a social barbecue on 7 November at Nordic House. This is always a popular event so please book early to attend. The Over 50s Christmas Lunch is scheduled for 27 November; another event that attracts a large turn-out. The Association will also have a table selling Christmas decorations and sweets at the Swedish Association’s Christmas Bazaar. This event is to be held on 29 November in Shenton Park and again is a very popular outing in the lead-up to Christmas for Nordic people. Anyone willing to help out at the table, please contact Marianne. Details of all these event are found elsewhere in SCANPOST.

The Children`s Christmas Party and Lucia Parade will be on 13 December, this year at a new venue. The Latvian Centre is no longer available and we will instead hold this event at the Centenary Pavilion in Wilson and there is plenty of parking in front of the hall. All the usual Christmas specials will be there; a real Christmas tree, singing with Father Christmas around the tree. The celebration will end with delicious hot dogs and the traditional Lucia Parade.

Our Christmas celebrations will finish with the Christmas Church service on 17 December at St John’s Lutheran Church in Northbridge where the Danish priest to Australia, Bente Holdgaard, will celebrate with a traditional service. Tea, coffee and sweets will be available afterwards in the church’s new hall.

As always, it has been a busy year for the Association and its members. We hope that you can join in some of the social events leading up to Christmas and we wish you and your families all good wishes for the festive season and for a healthy and happy 2016.

With best regards
The Committee