Arts and Leisure Activities
We were previously known as “Leisure Activities”
Now our remit has now been broadened to include “the arts”, such as music, drama, art appreciation, museum and theatre trips. On this page, you can see upcoming events read book reviews and try out our topical quiz. |
|---|
| |
We continue to organise demonstrations, lectures, instruction and competitions in leisure and sporting activities |  |
|  |
The Bridge Club meets on Wednesday mornings in The House and holds bridge lunches twice a year. |  |
The Mah Jong Club also meets fortnightly in The House. There are taster days for activities that members have expressed an interest in |  |
Among the regular events which take place are 10-pin bowling, scrabble and darts tournaments
Darts Tournament
The next season of the Darts Tournament will run from March to September 2024. The final is booked at Hethersett Sports and Social Club, NR9 3DB on Tuesday 22nd October 2024.
See flyer for more info and application form Darts Tournament 2024
Bridge Day Wednesday 6th March 2024
A day for Bridge players to come and join the friendly Bridge group (this session is not suitable for beginners)
See flyer for more info anf application form Bridge Day
| Oh Yes, We Did! | |
|---|---|
 | TAKEOVER BY ALL FEMALE? TROUPE OF ESCAPEESAre we safe, is this contagious, will we go viral, will it happen again?Last night we were made aware that a number of females from a supposedly “in”/”un” - secure facility, attempted and then succeeded for almost half an hour, to take over the airwaves. They called it a “panto”! At this time of year? Or was this an evil viral or even binary code word for something else? No men were seen during the entire half hour and there has been some concern expressed for their well being, safety and sensitivity in being elsewhere. Unfortunately, most of these women (for that is what they appeared to be!) were in heavy disguise and it was difficult to discover any identities of the miscreants. |
Another seemed completely caught up with the subject of gold and the banking of bags. She revealed that she was wearing a very expensive and therefore very small hat – had she purchased it with some of this coinage? |
One of their number, dressed in silver and waving a star, sang a lot. |
  | |
 | The “small p” police are now searching for the above silver-clad one, as well as one with pink hair and large glasses, who had paid unfortunate homage to an Australian Dame of some previous vintage. Another wore a red hood and yet another had snow white hair and a penchant for ribbons. They were accompanied by still more strange characters wearing flowers and disguises. All of them were constantly interrupted by a final character wearing a black silk hat with antlers or such like sticking out of the sides. Some signage was also displayed whether to attract help or to give a warning was not made clear. |
Any person with information about this “virtual” takeover should keep it to themselves and hopefully not have sleepless nights. There will be no reward except the knowledge that viewers participated in something that will probably not/possibly happen ever again??? |  |
| |
 By “A.N.onymous” | |
| SPRING BOOK REVIEW | |
|---|---|
CAVALIER by Lucy Worsley
‘Cavalier - The Story of a 17th Century Playboy’. by Lucy Worsley This is the life story of Sir William Cavendish, first Duke of Newcastle, who was one of the 20 grandchildren of the remarkable Bess of Hardwick, most of whom either acquired or married titles. They included his cousin, another William (Wilkin) Cavendish, Earl of Devonshire who inherited Chatsworth House. As a Cavalier, William took great care over his appearance, with long flowing hair, and elegant clothing. He was passionate about his great houses, horses and women, a cultured inhabitant of the courtly world of Charles I. He wrote poetry as well as a definitive guide book on training horses in the art of ‘manege’, with balletic movements and leaps in the air. This amazing horse dancing can still be seen, in the very riding house that William built at Bolsover Castle. If you have seen Lucy’s TV programmes, you will know that she is a mine of information and alongside pictures and plans of the houses and characters, has filled this book with the nitty-gritty and dirty reality of life in a great house of the time, the conspiracies, the sexual intrigue and the gossip. After the defeat at Marston Moor, where most of his men were slaughtered, William escaped to France and then spent the years of the Commonwealth living in Rubens House in Antwerp. There he tutored the young prince Charles in horsemanship, before returning with him when he became Charles II. Like his father and grandmother before him, William was a great builder and Lucy describes them all as being ‘afflicted with an expensive mania for architecture and design’. Like them, he too had a building project ongoing (Nottingham Castle) when he died at Welbeck Abbey. Before he died of Parkinson’s Disease at the grand age of 83 years, he poured scorn on himself as an aged lover in a poem: With a dry palm and crow’s feet in his eyes, Stoops in his back and nothing by his thighs Increasing belly and decreasing Member And no wit left, but past sins to remember. Lesley Sanders |
The committee will continue to strive to generate new and exciting opportunities for fellow members.
As well as arranging outings to places of interest, the Sub-Committee also organises the annual Federation holidays.
We encourage members throughout the Federation to submit new ideas and requests to us through the Federation Office, so we can add new pursuits as well as old favourites to the calendar.