STOP PRESS!
SEE BELOW FOR DETAILS OF OUR PRESIDENT'S DINNER ON MAY 12TH WITH LORD CARRINGTON AND LINKS TO THE PROGRAMME FOR THE ARTHUR PHILLIP MEMORIALS EVENTS.

Here at the Britain-Australia Society office, we are busily coordinating our programme of summer events. Having recently moved into our new home at Australia Centre on the Strand, we are looking forward to hosting more events in Australia House. 

Details have just been added to the website regarding the forthcoming President's Dinner on 12th May.  The Right Honourable The Lord Carrington CH DL GCMG KG MC PC will host this exclusive and significant event at London's Charterhouse. Numbers are strictly limited. Full details and booking information can be found here: http://britain-australia.org.uk/events/event/presidents-dinner-2014/

2014 is an especially historic year for Britain and Australia, commemorating not only the centenary of the start of WWI but also the bicentenary of the death of Admiral Arthur Phillip, who led the first fleet to Australia and became the first Governor of New South Wales. The Britain Australia Society Education Trust will be honouring Admiral Arthur Phillip with a Memorial Stone Unveiling Ceremony at Westminster Abbey and the West Country Britain-Australia Society Branch has a full programme of events in Bath, where Admiral Phillip spent the last years of his life and is buried. The full Governor Arthur Phillip Memorial Programme and Booking Form are included on our Admiral Arthur Phillip Commemoration page: http://britain-australia.org.uk/about/admiral-arthur-phillip/

We hope to see you and your guests at our next event and so please may I remind you that memberships which commenced in April are now due for renewal. As a housewarming celebration, we are offering an incentive for one month only:

**Send us an email at office@britain-australia.org.uk including the names of new members to whom you have recommended the Society. If both memberships are valid, you will be entered into the prize draw to win a fine case of premium Wolf Blass wine**

The excitement continues as we are holding ballots for our highly prized Wimbledon and Lord's tickets. See the article below for details on how to apply.

If you have joined us at recent functions, you will know how much fun we have had lately! In July, Sir Donald Bradman’s family travelled to the UK to attend as guests of honour at our Ashes Dinner in the Long Room at Lords Cricket Ground. We had a sparkling wine reception in the MCC Museum to view the Bradman Collection followed by a gourmet meal and entertainment throughout the evening from soprano Greta Bradman. You can read more about the event in the following Daily Telegraph article: http://bit.ly/BAS-DTonGB

In September, we were invited to spend an evening in the Speaker’s Apartments in the presence of the Rt Hon. John Bercow MP. Then shortly before Christmas, we had the best seats in the house for Barry Humphries’ Farewell Tour ‘Eat Pray Laugh’ at the London Palladium. This was followed by an intimate, private reception at the exclusive Garrick Club in Soho where we were joined by Barry himself and surprised him with the Britain-Australia Society Recognition Award. You can read more about the presentation here: http://bit.ly/BAS-BHhonoured
 
In March, we were honoured to spend an evening in the company of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, at St James’s Palace. This was a tremendously special evening for 100 Britain-Australia members and their guests, as we enjoyed a spectacular recital from Greta Bradman and her pianist Gary Matthewman, followed by a drinks reception and chat with His Royal Highness. Photographs from the evening can be seen here: http://bit.ly/BAS120314

Of course the time honoured favourites of the Britain-Australia calendar remain, such as our annual Christmas Carol Service at the historic “Bow Bells” St Mary le Bow Church in the City of London. In addition to regular seasonal events like these, we are constantly expanding the programme with a diverse range of both fresh and traditional events. 

It is a very exciting time for The Britain-Australia Society and for British-Australian relations as a whole. During the recent AUKMIN meeting in London, the British and Australian Governments signed a joint statement on a significantly enhanced diplomatic network co-operation. Ministers also formally launched a new dialogue on Asia, involving foreign policy experts from the UK and Australia with the aim to promote our common interest in a stable and prosperous region. In a recent The Australian article, Greg Sheridan, reporting on the AUKMIN London conference, commented on the relationship between both countries: “Most people in both Australia and Britain don’t realise how close the operational, political, intelligence, military, diplomatic, and economic partnership really is. Now both nations are fully engaged, big players in the world. Australia is a big middle power, Britain a small great power. They are near enough in size, and very close in outlook, that they can be of great use to each other. This big, diverse Australia Britain agenda reflects a big and burgeoning relationship, happy with its history, but full of contemporary purpose”.

There has never been a better time to celebrate the inherent and enduring links between our two countries and 2014 is going to be even bigger for us than 2013. If you have any queries regarding your membership renewal then don’t hesitate to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you and to seeing you at an event very soon!