In the year during which we are to enter the third millennium, I hope that 1 may be forgiven for looking briefly at time and the changes that occur with the passage of time. Although clocks show us that time passes at the same regular pace, our ability to assess time varies with our mental and emotional state: a couple of hours spent in a pleasurable activity seems a short time, but even ten minutes in a dentist's waiting room seems a very long time.

As time passes, changes occur in all things, sometimes slowly, at others, rapidly. At times, the changes involve a building up process, as in development or growth: at others, a breaking down and decrease. We can observe this with the seasonal changes that occur in the natural world, each year.

At the time of our National Council, we enjoy seeing the daily growth and flowering of bulbs and other spring flowers; the opening of leaves on the trees and the emergence from hibernation of many insects and other invertebrates. After rapid growth in late spring, we can see the full glory of plant and animal life in summer. By the time of our Autumn Councils in the regions, the seeds and fruits are ripe for dispersal; the annual plants are dying; the leafy stems of herbaceous perennials are shrivelling and leaving dormant underground buds, and leaves on trees are changing colour and falling. In winter, plant life seems inert and unchanging, but dormant seeds and buds in the soil and small buds on tree branches are merely waiting for the right conditions to allow them to continue growth in the next spring.

Throughout the year, the rates at which changes occur will vary, so that, for example, observing a tree during April may record it changing from being leafless to being in full leaf, whereas the same tree would appear not to change at all if observed throughout the month of July. Yet again, the tree may change from being in almost full leaf to totally leafless during the month of October.

Over a much longer period of time, one may also see some rapid changes and others which seem very slow. Over a period of years, a woodland area may seem not to change much, except for the annual pattern of leaf growth and fall. However, the concentration of the sun's rays by a piece of curved glass - perhaps from a broken bottle - may overheat some dry leaf litter and cause a fire over a large area, in which - much of the above ground vegetation and animal life would be destroyed in a short time period. When the fire had died out, regeneration would occur, but only very slowly. Some dormant seeds or underground buds from the previous vegetation may begin to grow when the charred earth is moistened and modified by subsequent rains. The rate of regeneration may be more rapid if seeds are blown into the area from elsewhere or brought there by birds or mammals. The spread of vegetation to cover the whole burnt area may take a considerable time, but each year, changes due to new growth and regeneration would be seen. An observer of these changes could consider them as they appeared relative to three aspects of time: as things were in the past, as they are in the present, and how they will be in the future.

How do these thoughts on time and change affect NASO? We know that we have a long and interesting 'time past', since it is only two years ago that we celebrated the Bicentenary of the formation of the first Adult Schools and a year since we celebrated the Centenary of the first National Council. During 200 years, we have changed, sometimes slowly and at others more quickly, from being Groups that met to teach adults to read and write to Groups that meet for discussion to widen our knowledge, increase our understanding and develop friendships and social values. With the passing of the 1870 Education Act and the subsequent development of Board Schools and state schools for the education of children, our leaders realised that, by the time they were adults, most people could already read and write. So, the Handbook was launched in 1911. Over the years, slowly at times, the nature of the Handbook has changed, almost beyond recognition.

So, we come to the present. In this millennium year, as we embark upon our third century, we are able to use the 90th edition of our Handbook: a remarkable achievement! What is even more remarkable is that the topics, submitted initially by ordinary members and Groups and chosen for inclusion by the Handbook Committee some two years before publication, continually become relevant or topical, either nationally or worldwide, during the year in which they are being read and discussed. Long may our Handbook continue to act as a spur to active discussion, learning and understanding.

What do we see in the future? I know that, a few years ago, many were saying that we had no future - membership was declining, funds were being spent at a faster rate than they were being replenished by income and our assets were in serious decline. All these were signs of very unpleasant, rapid changes and breaking down. Fortunately, our leaders were jolted into realising that something must be done to halt the decline and reverse the changes. Thanks to the concentrated efforts of our General Secretary, our Officers, Executive and other workers over the last two years, many changes have been made; many new contacts forged; we have been awarded our first funding grant and, for the first time in many years, we have recorded a positive balance of income over expenditure. We have put a brake on the rapid breakdown and we now need a new impetus to enable us to rise, like a phoenix from the ashes.

I dare to hope that we shall have an interesting future! We need you - the members and Groups that we have now - to represent the dormant seeds and buds that will give rise to the new growth and regeneration of NASO. I want to challenge you all to grow something this year, for which you can gain sponsorship to enable us to raise more funds help NASO to grow.

You may have various ways of doing this: for example, a Group may buy a packet of sunflower seeds, give each member a seed to plant and ask that everyone seeks sponsorship from family, friends and neighbours for each foot of growth of the sunflower plant. You would have an interesting topic for discussion, some friendly competition between members of how to stimulate greater growth of their plants and some interest in NASO activities from your community, besides the increase in fundraising!

If you have no garden in which to raise sunflower plant, but are restricted to gardening in a window box or with houseplants, raise sponsorship for the number of flowers you can stimulate on your begonia, busy lizzie, petunia or violet!

Taking cuttings from your prolific plants and potting them in, say, yoghurt pots for sale at 1Op each could raise funds.

You may think of other ways to raise sponsorship for growth. I notice that a well known delegate's beard has grown quite a lot longer than last year - I would happily sponsor him 1Op for every additional millimetre that it will have grown by this time next year!

I hope that you will grow something for NASO this year, because by talking about us, you can get others so interested in NASO that they want to join us, thus increasing our membership.

So at the start of my Presidential year, I think of our pride in our past, my joy at the prospect of meeting so many of you during the coming year and my hope that you will join me in doing all that you can to ensure regeneration and growth, for our future.