Cheltenham Mineral & Geological Society.

About the Cheltenham Mineral and Geological Society

Based in Cheltenham, the CMGS Society has been in existence since 1968. We are a non-profit making society, which exists for the benefit of its members.

The Society comprises a committee of members elected from the general membership who administer the various functions of the Society. Membership is currently £12 per annum. Junior members, 10 to 15, are welcome free of charge, as long as they are accompanied by a fee-paying adult.

The Society has its own constitution and safety guidelines for field activities and maintains public liability insurance through the Geologists’ Association.

The CMGS is affiliated to the Geologists’ Association, a member of NAMHO, and a member of the Cheltenham Arts Council.

Below are some links members may find helpful.

Geologists Association www.geologistsassociation.org.uk

Southampton Mineral & Fossil Society. www.sotonminfoss.org.uk

Russel Society www.russellsoc.org/

Gloucestershire Geology Trust www.glosgeotrust.org.uk/

Bath Geological Society www.bathgeolsoc.org.uk/

Northern Mine research Society www.nmrs.org.uk/

Aims of the Society

The Cheltenham Mineral and Geological Society exists to provide a friendly and informative forum for promoting interest in and knowledge of all aspects of mineralogy, palaeontology and geology. We achieve this with talks and workshops on these and related subjects, field trips to a variety of locations and a general interchange of information and ideas on our Society evenings. We also communicate with our members through our quarterly newsletter, Quartzzzz.

We are also publishing a new Junior Quartzzz news letter

Society Evenings

These are usually held on the second Friday of each month except January and August .

Meetings are from 7.00 to 10pm.

Lectures start at 7.30pm

The Century Hall post code GL51 4TB

They are a mixture of talks and workshops covering a wide range of topics. Auctions, quizzes and competitions are usually held at the December and March meetings.

Our Society shop is available at most meetings where members can buy mineral and fossil specimens and equipment at discount prices. The Society library is also available at most meetings where members may borrow from a selection of geological books and journals. Refreshments are available and a raffle is held at most meetings.

See our full program of social events for more details.

Field Trips

A programme of regular Field Trips is organised for members in the period between March and October each year. These trips visit a variety of sites, including working quarries, to enable members to collect minerals and fossils and to study the geology of the area.

Day trips have ranged from Alderley Edge, Wenlock Edge, the Welsh Borders and South Wales to the Cotswolds, Mendips and the Jurassic Coast of Dorset. Field Trips for longer periods have included Derbyshire, Cornwall and the Isle of Wight.

See our full program of field trips for more details.

Other Activities

In addition to the regular indoor meetings and field trips, the society has organised trips to museums and exhibitions.

The Society regularly provides displays at local mineral shows to promote our activities.