Talk: “Walking Alone from Land'S End to John O'Groats”
Visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Illustrated Talk: “Reflections on Working for the National Trust”
Visit to the Society of Merchant Venturers, Bristol
Lecture Lunch at the New Inn, Halse
Illustrated Talk: “Wild Flowers of the Blackdowns”
Visit to Avonmouth and Portbury Docks
Visit to Painswick Rococo Garden, Glos, at Snowdrop Time
National Trust Quantock Centre AGM
Visit to the Somerset Military Museum, Taunton
Illustrated Talk: “Organic Gardening”
Visit to the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory and Worcester Cathedral
Visit to Clarks Village and Shoe Museum, Street
Illustrated Talk: “The Calvert Experience”
Visit to Cothele and Gardens, near Saltash, Cornwall
Visit to the GWR Museum and National Trust Headquarters, Swindon
Concert with Dan Green and Friends
Saturday 6 January 2007
West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, 2.30pm
When he retired, Andy Dickson, a former Scoutmaster, decided to
walk alone from Land's End to John O'Groats, with only his
mobile phone for company. He tells an amusing tale of his encounters
with various people, one of whom chose to walk part of the route with
him.
Children's Hospice South West (which plans to open its
second hospice early in 2007) is a beneficiary of his journey and of
the talks he gives.
Wednesday 10 January 2007
For those with an interest in Britain's rich naval
background, the
Historic Dockyard
at Portsmouth offers a wealth of
attractions. Among them are Henry VIII's favourite warship, the
Mary Rose (built 1510), Nelson's
HMS Victory (built 1759-65) and
HMS Warrior, launched in 1860 and in her time the most formidable
warship in the world.
There are several museums and interactive displays illustrating
our Navy's worldwide activities up to the present time.
Wednesday 17 January 2007
Heathfield Meeting Hall, Monkton Heathfield, 2.30pm
By popular request, we will be running our fourth Quiz Afternoon
– just the tonic for a winter's afternoon. Teams will be
made up of four. Bring your partners or friends, or come on your own
and help to form a team on the day.
Saturday 20 January 2007
West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, 2.30pm
Tom Burr worked for the National Trust for 40 years. He started
as Assistant to the Director-General in 1963 and during the last eight
years of his career was responsible for liaison between the Trust and
the 200-plus centres and associations. He formed centres in German
and Belgium. He describes his years with the Trust as “huge fun
and a great privilege”. Tom Burr will talk not only about
memorable events and fine houses but about some of the fascinating
people he has met.
Thursday 25 January 2007
The
Society of Merchant Venturers has had an important influence
on the history of Bristol for more than 450 years. Its work includes
the management of Bristol Docks, exploration of new lands and the
building of the Great Western Railway and
Clifton Suspension Bridge.
It also has an important educational role, is responsible for
almshouses and nursing homes and is a trustee for many local
charities.
Merchants Hall contains fine furniture, pictures, porcelain and silver.
Saturday 30 January 2007
Ian Billinge, a member of the Quantock Centre, will give a
light-hearted talk about his experiences of working in a bank 50 years
ago. He will reveal some of the terrible secrets of what really
happened behind the formidable doors of the great institution where,
as he will confide, he became a manager by mistake.
Saturday 3 February 2007
West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, 2.30pm
David Allen returns – this time with his great knowledge of
the habitats of the wild flowers of the Blackdown Hills. His keen
interest in natural history and conservation come to the fore, and we
discover flowers we never knew existed more or less on our doorstep.
Tuesday 6 February 2007
This is another trip being repeated by popular demand. At
Avonmouth Docks a guide will join the coach and we will tour both
docks. The guide will explain the workings of the docks and some of
their history.
Saturday 10 February 2007
Cheddon Fitzpaine Village Hall, 7.30pm
The 50-strong Taunton Concert Band, whose players range in age
from 15 to 80 years, will present a concert of light music under the
baton of Martin Wills. This symphonic wind band has won a number of
medals for performances in regional and national competitions. It has
a varied repertoire to suit all tastes, including military marches,
music from stage and screen, and traditional and classical music.
Wednesday 14 February 2007
In the 1730s, Charles Hyett built a substantial Georgian country
house, today known as Painswick House He died three years after its
completion. His son, Benjamin, took over and transformed a coombe
hidden behind the house into a flamboyant pleasure garden.
In the 1950s, Lord Dickinson inherited the property but could not
afford the upkeep of a large part of the garden and the planted
woodland. However, in 1976 there was a resurgence of interest in 18th
century gardens, and in 1984 restoration began.
It is now in the hands of
Painswick Rococo Garden Trust. A
six-acre garden combines long vistas and geometric patterns with
informal paths and “off-centred” designs.
Saturday 17 February 2007
The 35th Annual General Meeting of the National Trust Quantock
Centre will be held at West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield,
at 2.30pm.
After the meeting, Ann Bowring, a National Trust voluntary
speaker, will give an illustrated talk entitled “
Tyntesfield
– a Gothic Gem”. She will take the audience on slide-show
“tour” of the inside of this spectacular Victorian country
house in North Somerset which was rescued by a £3 million public
appeal.
Friday 23 February 2007
During this visit to the
Somerset Military Museum, the Curator,
Lieut-Colonel David Eliot, will describe the distinguished role played
by the
county regiment in the nation's history. The Museum is
small and can accommodate only a limited number of people.
Saturday 3 March 2007
West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, 2.30pm
Have you ever wondered how to get rid of slugs and snails without
polluting the environment or poisoning the birds? Paul Hending,
gardening contractor, contributing editor to the magazine Organic
Gardening and a former lecturer at
Cannington College, will give
advice on this and other vexing problems.
Tuesday 6 March 2007
A “Visitor Experience Tour” of the
Royal Worcester
Porcelain factory will include an introductory film and a guided tour
to watch artists and craftsmen at work. We will see how gold is
applied and how the chinaware is fired in huge kilns.
A short walk away is
Worcester Cathedral where there will be a
guided tour in the afternoon. The present building dates from 1084
and includes the largest surviving Norman crypt in England,
King John's Tomb, Prince Arthur's Chantry and the early 12th
century Chapter House.
Wednesday 14 March 2007
Clarks Village has more than 90 outlet shops offering up to 60 per
cent off the price of many famous brands. The Museum has a fine
collection of shoes, starting in Roman times.
Saturday 17 March 2007
West Monkton Village Hall, Monkton Heathfield, 2.30pm
Caroline Roberts or Chris Slater will talk on the history of the
Calvert Trust and its purpose today in providing holidays for disabled
people and their families.
The holidays take place at Keswick (Cumbria), Keilder
(Northumberland) and Wistlandpound, (North Devon). The amazing
activities include abseiling, horse-riding, carriage driving,
canoeing, kayaking, sailing, archery and orienteering – all
accompanied with a qualified instructor.
Wednesday 21 March 2007
The
Cothele riverside estate includes a granite and slate-stone
house, built mainly between 1485 and 1560, with later modifications.
It was a home of the Edgcumbe family for many years. It has fine
collections of textiles, armour and furniture.
Outside, the formal gardens overlook a richly planted valley
garden below, with a medieval dovecote and a Victorian summer house.
At the quay are interesting old buildings which house a tea room and
outstation of the
National Maritime Museum. The restored sailing
barge, Shamrock, is moored alongside.
Friday 30 March 2007
Swindon's main claim to fame was as the headquarters of
“God's wonderful railway”, the
Great Western. Today,
it is also home to the headquarters of the National Trust.
STEAM, the GWR's museum housed in the Victorian railway
works, recreates the lives and work of the thousands of people who
designed, built and maintained the railway, its rolling stock and
every facet of its life. There will be an opportunity to see the
nearby “Railway Village” where the workers were housed.
Heelis, next door to STEAM, is the
National Trust's new
state-of-the-art headquarters where we will have a guided tour of the
building. Alternatively, there will be a chance to browse in the
Great Western Designer Outlet Centre, also in the old railway works.
Saturday 31 March 2007
Cheddon Fitzpaine Village Hall, 2.30pm
This will be the fourth of our informal Saturday afternoon
concerts by Dan Green and Friends – concerts which have proved so
popular in the past. We are promised a mixture of lighter items with
more serious pieces and some innovations this year. And, of course,
there will be songs from Tony Lister, with Chris Ball at the piano
– always a favourite!
Talk: “Walking Alone from Land'S End to John O'Groats”
Visit to Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
Quiz Afternoon
Illustrated Talk: “Reflections on Working for the National Trust”
Visit to the Society of Merchant Venturers, Bristol
Lecture Lunch at the New Inn, Halse
Illustrated Talk: “Wild Flowers of the Blackdowns”
Visit to Avonmouth and Portbury Docks
Taunton Concert Band
Visit to Painswick Rococo Garden, Glos, at Snowdrop Time
National Trust Quantock Centre AGM
Visit to the Somerset Military Museum, Taunton
Illustrated Talk: “Organic Gardening”
Visit to the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory and Worcester Cathe
Visit to Clarks Village and Shoe Museum, Street
Illustrated Talk: “The Calvert Experience”
Visit to Cothele and Gardens, near Saltash, Cornwall
Visit to the GWR Museum and National Trust Headquarters, Swindon
Concert with Dan Green and Friends