nuclear physics and dynamic personality

April 16th
The Education and Current Affairs sub-committee arranged a day school on radio-activity at the Civic Centre in Aylesbury. The title was How safe are we? The aim was to dispel a few myths so that we realised that the nuclear industry is not all bad news and that all of us have probably benefitted from the scientific and technological wisdom that has given us this branch of physics.
I'm no scientist but at the end of the day I had learned a lot about what radio-activity actually is, how it is used and how it affects our bodies when we come into contact with it.Power point presentations were the order of the day and we started with a really good session from Steve Barlow who works for the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) at Harwell: he made the physics understandable and even raised a few moments of humour.The questions showed that the audience were not only interested but keeping up with the information.
We then moved on to the medical benefits of nuclear physics under Katie Sturrock's direction. She works for Amersham International (now GE Healthcare) and told us about the advances possible in medical diagnosis and treatment. Once again really interesting, lively questions and a very good presentation.
Mike Farley, an ex-member of Bucks Museum Service described the way in which carbon-dating is used in archaeology using excavation finds from digs in the Aylesbury area.You would be amazed what a heap of bones Aylesbury sits upon!
After lunch Malcolm Grimston from Chatham House gave a very good prognosis of the future of the nuclear power industry and the reasons why we are going to have to build more nuclear power stations.Environmental solutions, although appealing and useful will not be able to meet the future demands predicted caused by a growing world population and global warming.
Then we were back with Steve Barlow for an explanation of how the UK is dealing with nuclear waste, its different categories and various solutions across the world. We got rather bogged down with the need for transparency in public consultations and enquiries but emerged at the end with a clearer idea of what was necessary.
It is difficult to make such an informative day appear as enjoyable as it was. It all seems deadly serious: it is, of course, but everyone was concentrating hard and finished up feeling that their little grey cells had been seriously challenged but they were very pleased to have attended. The standard and standing of the speakers in their professions was very high and never once did they talk down to us as a bunch of lay people.
I think I feel happier about nuclear power than I was. I did want to ask whether putting nuclear waste in containers arrested the half-life process ie.if the radio-activity cannot get out, can the radio-activity reduce itself as it does above ground? BUT I didn't, because I wasn't sure whether I would make an idiot of myself! If anyone can answer that query, please put me right.
April 19th
Back to the Civic Centre for the Bucks Federation Annual Council Meeting where the Rt. Hon Ann Widdecombe was the main speaker. Over 600 WI members attended drawn by the popularity of this dynamic personality.She talked about her writing, about her work in the Shadow Cabinet in nearly all the important departments and on television. In spite of the risk of losing her voice completely she spoke at length and with animation on these topics. It was unfortunate when she was having difficulty speaking at all, that the Civic Centre microphones began to play up and she and everyone else had to finish with a hand-held mike.
This is the meeting when the end of year financial figures are presented and our Hon Treasurer reported that although we were not as rich as we were last year there is still a profit over the year.Money had been lost on An Evening with Stella Rimington but other events had been well supported. It is only by members attending events that we survive financially. I thought Beryl Coombs deserved a round of applause as the treasuryship is a heavy load to bear.
It was interesting to hear about the Bucks three members who cycled Cuba for Denman College. Brave souls! I hope some WIs invite them to talk at their meetings because we had time only for a short account.
It was another excellent meeting, a mixture of business and entertainment. I always enjoy council meetings. It is such a good opportunity to meet fellow members and exchange news and views.