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We members know that our Societies are so much more than opportunities to hear excellent speakers on all subjects across the arts, together with related visits and tours. However, it often surprises me how limited outside knowledge can be of all our volunteering involvement.For example, The Arts Society Cambridge donated £1,000 to the Koestler Trust, a supporter of art in prisons. Its annual exhibition showcases the talents of offenders, secure patients and detainees; this year’s competition, themed ‘Inside’, is curated by Sir Antony Gormley. The free exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall in London is open to the public from 21 September THE ARTS FOR ALLto 15 November (koestlertrust.org.uk). The Malvern Hills branch has also been involved with the Koestler Trust. It grant funded six awards for an exhibition of artwork by people from prisons, secure hospitals and on community sentences, which attracted about 20,000 visitors.In southern Spain, local societies in Nerja and Costa del Sol collaborated with the Jorge Rando Museum and CEAR refugee centre in Málaga on a series of painting workshops and visits for 16 young people. The aim was to establish art as a useful tool for expression and personal development and included the creation of a mural on the wall of the refugee centre with the words: “The world can be the colour you imagine – a better world”.There are at least 195,000 known young carers in the UK (aged between eight and 25 years old), who are relied upon to help a family member with a long-term illness or disability. This year, The Arts Society West Wales is reaching out to those in Pembrokeshire. The children who will be participating have expressed an interest in animation art; the project will focus on the creation of animated stories.The local society in Wylye Valley is supporting a multi-sensory, ten-day exhibition in collaboration with Larkrise School, the Roche Court Educational Trust and Mencap. By using the help of contemporary by June Robinson,National Chairman166SOCIETIES NEWSThe Arts Society ReviewAutumn 2017