Author Archives: David

Visit to Highgrove 12th June 2013

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On a somewhat overcast day 26 of us visited the Prince of Wales’ Highgrove Estate (15 acres of garden tended by 12 gardeners as well as the HRH when he has time). In a short video made by Prince Charles, he explained the garden’s development and his organic principles. He incorporates lots of the gifts he receives into the various estate gardens. Camilla must be relieved that the urns etc. do not end up in the house!

Reclaimed ecclesiastical stone is used in landscaping the gardens. Perhaps HRH gets this as the next prospective head of the Church of England? The gardens also show that bind weed and ground elder are no respecters of princes and can only be got rid of organically by constant digging and weeding.

There is a large walled garden which incorporates a semi circle of apple trees pruned into the shape of coronets with the yellow crab apples in season to provide the golden balls.
The Arboretum includes the National Collection of 70 different specimens of Birch. Behind is the Sanctuary where HRH often goes to contemplate (it is his shed at the bottom of the garden but not a pigeon in sight!).

In the next garden are 3 beautiful large olive oil jars sculpted out of Welsh slate chippings.

The famous Wildflower Meadow Garden started with a seed mix nicknamed the ‘Gloucestershire Farmers’ Nightmare’.

 

The tree house built for young Princes William and Harry has Welsh slate stairs and is on 4 Welsh slate pillars.

The Prince’s Thyme Walk has 20 varieties of Thyme and shrubs clipped in to all sorts of geometric shapes .This is HRH’s pun that visitors walk through time along it!

The Prince has a statue of a child donated by Latch (a children’s’ cancer charity in Carmarthen who are invited to visit Highgrove every year).

Finally we entered the Turkish Carpet Garden designed by HRH and others and which won silvergilt at the 2001 Chelsea Flower show. The garden and central mosaic water feature were based on a Turkish carpet in Highgrove.
Many thanks to Anne Thomas who arranged a wonderful day out with impeccable timing, organisation and weather.

Peter & Eirwen Sykes

Summer Lunch 14th July

Hosted by Diane & Colin Thomas, 52 Windsor Road, Gerrards Cross, SL9 7NF

Cost £20 each
Map 
Note that parking may be difficult – there is limited parking in Wayside Gardens, Camp Road, Meadway Park and the Hedgerley Lane spur (right at the lights and right again).

 

2013 AGM – Friday 17th May

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We had a tremendous turnout for the 2013 AGM, over 60 people travelled to the Coleshill Village Hall.

As Chairman, Gwyndaf John welcomed everyone and remembered all the events that had been organised over the past year. Membership at the yearend was 109 paid-up members (plus a few honouree ones).

Our Treasurer, Graham Beavan, went through the accounts which showed that we actually made a slight profit for the year; the books are looking quite healthy.

Jonathan Pegler then took us through the proposed amendments to our Constitution. Jonathan explained that the original Constitution was drawn up over 10 years ago when the Society was first proposed and the actual running of the group has deviated from that over the course of the years. The revisions refer to small things like the approval of the accounts, membership of and elections to the committee.

What may have been a dry subject was brightened up by some lively questioning from the floor, but with a couple of very minor revisions, the new Constitution was unanimously approved.

Gwyn, then turned to elections to the committee. This year, four members of the committee are standing down, after many years of really fantastic service, these are: Bob Ford, Eileen Mitchell, Hugh Griffiths and Maldwyn Pugh. Bob and Hugh are past chairmen, Eileen was our Treasurer for many years, and Maldwyn was secretary and did most of the administration behind the scenes for many a year.

Gwyn congratulated them all, and presented them with small tokens of the Society’s appreciation. At this point, Gwyn announced that he was standing down as Chairman, and would be succeeded by Jonathan Pegler.

Jean Owen is a welcome new addition to the committee. The remaining officials were re-elected for the following year. So the new committee is:
Life President……………..Ann Evans
Chairman…………………Jonathan Pegler
Vice Chairman……………to be appointed
Minutes Secretary………..Kay Day
Treasurer…………………Graham Beavan
Membership Secretary….Ann Lawrence
Other Members…………..Anne Thomas, Jean Owen, David Powell, Gwyndaf John

Jonathan and Gwyn gave fair warning that other members could be co-opted onto the committee – and therefore no-one should feel safely out of the running.

Ann Tennant’s team then provided an excellent hot meal with choice of puds and coffee.

The entertainment for evening was provided by Maldwyn Pugh , who gave an interesting and amusing talk about his childhood growing up in a welsh dairy business in Soho. Maldwyn described his family memories and those of wartime.

As his talk progressed he started to reveal stories of some of the characters he got to know as a child and teen. Maldwyn then started talking about some of the street trade that he was able to observe from his vantage point living above the Soho streets. He also offered to reveal even more if approached discreetly after the talk.

We finished about 10pm and there were willing hands to help clear the hall before we left.

AGM – Join the Committee!

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The next meeting of the Chiltern & District Welsh Society will be on Friday 17th May at 7:00 for 7:30pm at the Coleshill Village Hall.

This meeting will propose to update the Society’s Constitution (the first amendment in over 10 years) to reflect the way the the society is currently run.

The Agenda for the evening is:
1. Apologies for absence.
2. Approval of Minutes of AGM 2012.
3. Chairman’s Report.
4. Membership Secretary’s Report.
5. Treasurer’s Report.
6. Revised Constitution – proposal and adoption
7. Election of Officers and Committee.
8. Any other business.

Attachments:
AGM Details 2013
AGM Minutes 2012
CHILTERN DISTRICT WELSH SOCIETY CONSTITUTION proposed May 2013

After the formal meeting there will a Buffet Supper prepared by Ann Tennant and her team, followed by a interesting and amusing talk by Maldwyn Pugh on “Growing up in Soho”.

Please note – Bob Ford, Hugh Griffith, Eileen Mitchell and Maldwyn Pugh are standing down at the AGM after many years of valuable service to the Society. If any members would be interested in joining the committee please put yourselves forward or nominate a suitable willing volunteer, as fresh faces with new ideas are always welcome. Contact Gwyndaf John on telephone 01753 884490 or email gwyndafjohn@btconnect.com.

Next events:

Highgrove House 12th June
Ann Thomas has one or two tickets left for a visit to the Prince of Wales’ garden at Highgrove on Wednesday 12th June. Cost approximately £40

Summer Lunch, Sunday 14th July
12:30 until 4pm
Hosted by Diane & Colin Thomas, Windsor Road, Gerrards Cross

Trip to Cardiff 9th to 12th September
Organised by Jonathan Pegler
Among the attractions: Magnificent Caerphilly Castle, the Brecon Mountain Railway, and the National Trust’s Dyffyn House & Gardens visit to the Penderyn Distillery and a lunch at the Glyndwr Vineyard

The Society’s Annual Golf Day – Friday 30th August 2013
at Oaklands Park Golf Club
Four ball followed by lunch

St David’s Day Dinner

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About 55 members and their guests gathered at Gerrards Cross Golf Club on Friday 1st March to celebrate Saint David’s Day.

The evening started with the usual welcoming drink at 6:30. On taking our seats at the tables our Chairman Gwyndaf John greeted everyone and our Life President, Ann Evans, said grace. This was followed by the meal of prawns, lamb and bread and butter pudding, well prepared and efficiently served by the staff, during which conversations flowed freely.

The meal really was incidental; everyone awaited the entertainment, harpist Claire Jones.

A slip of a girl off stage away from her harp, turned into a colossus on stage with it.

Her programme included traditional Welsh tunes and modern compositions, each accompanied by comments on the piece, some historical, others personal, some of her experience as the official harpist to the Prince of Wales. She told us of her career, playing for the Prince, and, on one occasion, a private session for the Queen herself. She described her tours around the world, including the time when she played the Men of Harlech on the arrival of the Welsh Rugby team at one official function. She showed us many photographs to illustrate these occasions.

She played like an angel, the audience was enthralled. Unfortunately it had to end, but not before a question and answer session on the harp and its intricacies.
Claire Jones
Many of the audience were so impressed that they bought some of Claire’s CDs.

No Saint David’s Day evening is complete without the traditional singing around the piano, John Breese was in good form on the ivories, and helped bring a very memorable evening to a rousing end.
St Davids Delilah
An evening all those present will never forget.

You can find out more about Claire on her website

Future Events
Our next event will be the AGM at Coleshill village hall on Friday 17th May.

Ann Thomas is booking tickets for a visit to the Prince of Wales’ garden at Highgrove on Wednesday 12th June

Please let Gwyndaf know if you’d be interested in a trip to Cardiff, organised by Jonathan Pegler on September 9th to 12th
Highlights will be visits to Tintern, Caerphilly Castle, Brecon Moutain Railway, Duffryn House and Raglan Castle.

The Summer Lunch will be on Sunday 14th July

St David’s Day Dinner & the Quiz Night

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St David’s Day Dinner

Our St David’s Day Dinner this year will be held on Friday 1st March at Gerrards Cross Golf Club.

The entertainment this year will be provided by the renowned harpist Claire Jones.

A Welcome drink will be served from 18.30pm with Dinner from 19.15pm

Tickets are £40 per person.

Wine with the meal is not included in the ticket price but can be purchased on the night from an excellent selection available.

The three course meal will be served, with coffee & mints to finish. The menu will be:

 

Marinated Prawn Skewers (Lemon & herb) with mixed leaves

Alternative option: Leek & Potato Soup

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Roast Saddle of Lamb with Roasted Winter Vegetables, New Potatoes, Apricot Stuffing, Red Current Jus

Alternative Vegetarian option: Roasted Mediterranean Vegetable and Pesto Tagliatelle

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Bread & Butter Pudding & Custard

Alternative option: Fruit Salad (with cream)

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Tea/Coffee & Mints

Song-sheets will be ready for our usual rousing finale with John Breese at the piano, so all we need is for plenty of members and guests to turn up!

 

Please return the booking form, with your cheque(s) made payable to Chiltern District Welsh Society. So that we have an early indication of numbers please would you email Gwyndaf with numbers. If you wish to form a table with certain other members & guests let Maldwyn or Gwyn know.

 

Quiz Night Friday 25th January

Twenty four brave members of the Welsh Society braved the winter weather to venture to the Coleshill Village Hall on a dark night in January.

We arranged ourselves into 5 teams of between four and six people.

Mr Jonathan Pegler set the fiendish questions in 7 rounds with subjects such as General Knowledge, 2012, Quotations, Chilterns & London and a Welsh round.

Fish and chips arrived to great acclaim about 8:30pm and gave a brief break from the questions. Jonathan reassured us that the questions were really very easy, it was only finding the answers that was difficult!

Competition was fierce, with each team trying hard not to be last. After a challenge to the electronic scoring system and a re-count a team called ‘the Odd Group’ declared themselves the winners and rushed to claim the glory and prizes.

Quiz Winners - The Odd Group

Quiz Winners – The Odd Group

We finished about 10pm and it was amazing how quickly the hall was cleared of tables and chairs with so many volunteers.

Thanks to Jonathan for all your hard work in preparing and running the quiz.

 

January Update

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The first event in the Society’s 2013 Calendar will be the Quiz Evening with Fish & Chip Supper at Coleshill Village Hall on Friday the 25th January at 7 for 7.30pm.

Post Code: HP7 0LN
Map

The cost will be £12 each (including the Fish’n’Chips). Please bring your own drinks, glasses and cutlery.

The quiz on this occasion will be ‘home grown’ – I hope it won’t be not too difficult!

Please let Maldwyn know if you wish to attend (01494 763461).

We are finalising the rest of the 2013 programme and the programme cards will be distributed shortly, but the next event will be :

St David’s Day Dinner at Gerrards Cross Golf Club on 1st March 2013 with Harpist Claire Jones – 7 for 7:30pm.

 

 

Additionally:
The London Glamorgan Society are having an event on Tuesday 29th January.
Chris Bryant MP will be talking about his personal experiences surrounding the News of the World phone hacking scandal. The scandal led to the establishment of the Leveson Inquiry.
Venue- Medical Society of London, 11 Chandos Street, Cavendish Sq, W1G 9EB
Drinks and light refreshments at 6.30pm and the main event of the evening will commence at 7.15pm. The cost of the evening will be £27 (if you’d like to go email  Geoffwalters52@googlemail.com).

Chairman’s Report – Winter 2012

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The Annual Golf Day at Oakland Park at the end of August was held in glorious weather, despite it being one of the wettest years on record. It was decided by acclamation that we would seek to repeat the event at the same time and the same place next year.

For the two events in September, most members restricted themselves to just one choice so attendance was widely spread and both were much enjoyed. Thanks go to Anne Thomas for her inspiration and detailed planning of the Buckingham Palace trip. Hugh Griffith’s daughter studied at Jesus College and thanks to that connection he started organising the Oxford event. The attendees took lunch in the panelled dining hall at Jesus College and enjoyed the rare privilege of a tour of the Fellows’ Library. There we were allowed to read and touch some special books of great historical significance. These included a first edition of the Bible in Welsh dating from the reign of the first Queen Elizabeth. The two official guides who then took us around central Oxford added to the pleasure by their humour as well as their knowledge.

A coachload of members travelled in for the biennial London Welsh Festival of Male Voice Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall Concert. On this occasion we sat in the front rows of the balcony – an excellent position for the concert except for Kay Day’s guest who suffers from vertigo! We heard exceptional Brass Band music as well as the wonderful singing from the massed choirs. As usual several choirs had come up from Wales and also one from as far away as Glasgow.

Looking ahead, Christmas drinks will be held at the home of Jonathan & Jayne Pegler for the second year in succession. The catering will again be in the capable hands of Ann Tennant, this time with the assistance of a couple of young helpers to serve. The wine and canapés are provided free of charge but members are required to come prepared to join in some carol singing!

A highlight of our 2013 programme will be the presence of the renowned harpist Claire Jones at our St David’s Day Dinner. We have been fortunate that our President, Ann Evans, knows Claire personally. Until recently the Official Harpist to the Prince of Wales, Claire performed for the newly married Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at their wedding reception in Buckingham Palace and she is now ready to perform for our Society. The Dinner will be on March 1st. Get ready to book your tickets soon.

A suitable venue is required for our Summer Lunch next June. Could you provide one?

And finally thanks to all who have chosen to pay their subs by Standing Order.

Gwyndaf John

September 2012 Update

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This is an update on the two events we’ve had so far in August and September.

On 20th September we will also have our Tour of Oxford with a Welsh theme, and I’ll add a report as it becomes available.

Maldwyn still has some tickets available for the Male Voice Choir Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 13th October, so please contact him if you’d like to come along.

 

At the end of August we had the  very enjoyable Golf day at Oakland Park Golf Club.   A full description will follow, but I’ve added Maldwyn’s photographic record of the event below (bottom of the page).

Buckingham Palace

On 4th September,  Anne Thomas organised a trip to see the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace and a tour of the gardens.

Here is Jayne Pegler’s account of the day.

Tuesday 4th September was a glorious day. Some twenty five of us met at Buckingham Palace for our tour of the State Apartments.

Equipped with our earphones we were guided through the Throne Room, the Picture Gallery, the Dining Room, the Music Room,  the Ballroom, to name but a few; and instantly became absorbed into the lavish and historic world surrounding us. Elaborate cornices, lanterns and domes rose resplendent above us encrusted with symbolic motifs such as shamrock, rose and thistle (where was the daffodil or the leek?!) whilst regal red and gold engulfed us. The great masters from Titian to Van Dyke graced the walls and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s manuscript of the anthem he’d composed for the Diamond Jubilee was a centre-piece in a calm blue, lapis-lazuli pillared Music Room. The Ballroom, much loved by Queen Victoria, was home to eleven foot high and almost six foot wide English crystal chandeliers which apparently are lowered and sprayed with water before being hand dried with a soft cloth and raised into position. Did anyone recall that particular episode in “Only Fools and Horses?!”

Nash had a field-day when he transformed Bucks House into Buckingham Palace. No wonder he was relieved of his duties for exceeding the budget!

The dazzling diamond display of royal crowns, tiaras, necklaces, earrings and brooches was truly spectacular. When you read this, Jonathan, I particularly like the necklace …..

Our afternoon was spent in the gardens with Keith, our highly informative and entertaining guide.

We strolled along the Queen’s Walk admiring the champion trees, shrubs and the design of the borders. Apparently, only ten gardeners attend to the vast grounds! The roses were still in bloom and we viewed the particular rose bed the Prince of Wales had laid in memory of the Queen Mother. The tennis court on which Fred Perry played, and later McEnroe and Borg, gave rise to some interesting tales and all too soon we finished our delightful visit on a peaceful note beside the lake.

Many  thanks to Anne Thomas for organising such a wonderful outing for us. How ever did she even manage to get the weather right?!

 

Golf day at Oakland Park Golf Club