Dinas Powys man to head Mensa in Wales

A DINAS Powys man has been elected as the new Regional Officer for Mensa in Wales for the next two years.

Giles Metcalf was elected unopposed after the previous officer, Julian Tandy, from west Wales, stood down.

Mr Metcalf has been a Mensa member for more than 20 years and has served on its Board of Directors.

Married with three children, he met his wife, Merry, at a weekend gathering in Manchester and proposed to her at a Mensa meeting in Newport.

Mr Metcalf grew up in Kent and worked as a research microbiologist for ten years before switching to a career in IT. He now works designing financial software for a company in Cardiff. His hobbies include making silver jewellery and gardening.

He said: “I am particularly pleased to be taking over during an important year for Mensa in Wales with the Annual Gathering being held in Cardiff for the first time in many years.

“This will attract members from all over the UK and further afield, and I am confident that members from the Penarth area will play their full part in helping to organise events and assisting people in finding their way around.

“One of my aims is to encourage more people to join Mensa, the organisation for people with high IQs (intelligence quotient).

“It has been estimated that two per cent of the population could qualify for membership, so there’s plenty of scope for more Penarth residents to join us."

He added: “Another aim as Regional Officer is to increase the number of get-togethers for members in different parts of Wales.

“We have started holding meetings in Penarth, for example, and anyone interested in the group is welcome to come along.

“The meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month in the Waterloo Tearooms in the Washington Buildings (10.30-11.30am).

“Anyone wanting more information is welcome to turn up at one of our meetings or to contact me on 029 21400098.”