Hello!  We’re the Core Group, beavering away behind the scenes to keep South Oxfordshire LETS running smoothly.  Send us any suggestions or feedback, we’re always on the lookout for bright ideas. We have regular meetings and members are more than welcome to come along, or get more involved and join the Group.

The Core Group (we prefer not to be a committee) consists of a handful of members who keep the wheels of our LETS group turning.  Between us, we handle all the administration from Castle bookkeeping to Sterling book keeping and all the other things in between. ‘All the other things in between’ include arranging social gatherings, writing and compiling newsletters and local magazine articles, managing our website, email groups and membership lists, as well as a whole host of other things required to enable such a group to thrive, as it indeed does here in South Oxfordshire.

Here we are enjoying a Core Group meeting with a pub lunch

Current members:

Susan Renn – Treasurer and Responsible for the Directory

Susan Renn has the curious role of “Sterling Treasurer”, which means she deals with the club’s “real” money (rather than Castles) and processes applications from new members. She has been a member of LETS for many years and lives in Cholsey

Simon Wallis – Recorder for LETS accounts, and organises the e-mail group

Simon processes the Castles payments between members, either by paper or e-mail. Periodically he sends out statements of accounts for members to check their balance and that trades have been accurately recorded.

He is moderator of the wonderful LETS e-mail group, where members advertise their needs and services. He has been a member of LETS since the start, and among other skills earns copious Castles by helping with the computer needs of the distressed gentlefolk of South Oxfordshire.

Anna Harvey – responsible for the website

Anna took the plunge by offering to revive the website. After 7 years in a cute cottage in Cholsey, she now lives with her partner and two black cats in a cute cottage in Benson, and is continuing to find out about the amazing things LETS can offer and think of new ones. She also makes notes of our meetings

Maureen Buch (Mo)

Mo collects and publishes information in our slightly irregular newsletter, circulated to all members with news on past and future activities, both trading and social.  She has lived at Cholsey Meadows for the last few years and is a keen gardener.

Simon Renn

Simon is the latest member of the Core Group page and is usually the first contact for new members and processes their applications , see below for his contact details. He has done a huge amount of work lately, refreshing our documents and processes

During the pandemic several people have resigned from the Core Group, but will still be regular LETS members. We thank them all for their contributions over many years and hope to see them soon.

Our long-time Coordinator Jane Williams has decided to leave the core group due to pressure of work after Brexit. Jane’s official role has been coordinator, in practice she has taken chair, minutes, and been a prime mover in organising and hosting events and often holidays!

Maureen Wood has taken various roles including publicity and organising events, and and has resigned after a period of ill-health fom which we hope she will recover fully. Jean Semlyn has also decided to take a rest.

Huge thanks to all for their efforts and enthusiasm  for LETS over many years. The rest of us are determined to follow in their footsteps to make sure LETS is even better.

So now we are a little ‘thin on the ground’ in the Core Group but we have about 75 members. If anyone would like to help out with Core Group duties and plans please do get in touch – potentially, there are Castles to be earned!  We hope at least a couple of members may be willing to help us out, perhaps you would like to come along for a taste, we enjoy our meetings.  If you would like to come, contact any of the Core Group or email info@southoxfordshire-lets.org.uk