Area: Newport (Wales)

'It all began with a letter from Foyle’s in January 1947 to the Mayor of Newport, Alderman Reg Tyack, suggesting that Newport might like to follow the example of other towns and organise a literary club ... The first dinner and lecture was held at the Westgate Hotel on the 23rd April 1947; we assume that the date was chosen to coincide with Shakespeare’s birthday. The dinners have continued since then and we now meet about six times a year for our dinner/lectures ... We have had a reputation for providing speakers of distinction to talk on subjects of literary or general artistic interest.'

Fortnightly meetings, usually on a Wednesday evening.

'The Newport Medieval Ship is a fifteenth century merchant vessel unearthed in the heart of Newport in 2002. Work on the Riverfront arts centre was paused while excavations could take place, and the timbers have since been undergoing a lengthy conservation process so the ship can be displayed to the public ...The Friends of the Newport Ship is a charity that relies on its members for their support and to demonstrate the continued interest in the Newport Ship; in short the Newport Ship needs YOU. By joining you will have access to many of the activities that we organise throughout the year from talks by members of the society and the Ship’s archaeological team to social evenings.'