Welcome to the page for the Monica Edwards Appreciation Society (M*E*A*S).
The Society was formed by Sue Winn (Membership Secretary) and Joyce Bailey (Treasurer)
to raise awareness of this wonderful author's writing and the background and historical context of the books.
We aim to encourage members to contribute their own items to
The Martello, the magazine of M*E*A*S
which is published twice yearly: contents are a
lively mixture of articles, research, anecdotes,
quizzes, crosswords, poetry, reviews -
anything and everything related to Monica
Edwards' work and of interest to, and provided by, her readers!
We also aim to promote the books as they are republished by Girls Gone By.
Why do we like Monica's books so much?
They are well written, interesting, and about people we would like to be or to meet. The distinct worlds
of the Marsh and the Punchbowl,
each so clearly evoked, seem timeless; the books need no great shift of the imagination to be read and enjoyed today.
A recurrent theme in the messages on this site is the feeling readers had that he or she was the only
person who read and loved the books:
this is of course not true! There are many faithful and younger, newer generations of readers,
collecting and re-reading the volumes they so love.
We hope that this Society will provide an opportunity for members to share their feelings
and thoughts about Monica's stories.
Over sixty years since the publication of Wish For A Pony readers are still captivated by the adventures of Tamzin,
Rissa, Meryon and Roger and their friends at Punchbowl Farm: Lindsey, Dion, Andrea and Peter;
not forgetting all the fascinating other characters, including the four-legged ones!
Events and Visits
Following the first M*E*A*S visit to Rye Harbour in 2007, and the visit to the Punchbowl in September 2008 there have been successful repeats
in the following years, as well as regular visits to Thursley and the Devil's Punchbowl..
We are delighted to hear any suggestions you may have for events.
and
We hope that you will join the Monica Edwards Appreciation Society
Details of the forthcoming visit to the Punchbowl - on May 18th 2013 are on the Special Announcements page.
Subscriptions:
(Please print the Membership Form
and send it with a cheque payable
to 'Monica Edwards Appreciation Society' to the address on the form)
UK: £7
Euros: £8 11E
USA: £9 18$
Australia: £10 22$
New Zealand: £9 22$
Note for Australian readers:
If you would like to send a sterling cheque, but are worried about the cost of doing so,
you can contact Susan Stannard who has kindly offered to use her personal UK bank account
to forward your dues on receipt of a A$ cheque. Please note that this is entirely a kind
gesture on Susan's behalf, and is taken completely at your own risk.
Susan's contact details: