Twyford & Woodley - June 2012

Two big dates this month – Father’s Day on the 17th and The Diamond Jubilee on the 5th. We all love an extended weekend; let’s hope for sunshine so whether you’re hosting your own street party, joining someone else’s, having a long weekend break, gardening or making it up as you go along, we’ll all be in good spirits. There’s plenty going on throughout the county to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, from fun days to fetes and let’s not forget Father’s Day in all the excitement. Yes it’s time to buy a strange card with a golf caddy and ball on the front, or a picture of a pint with some funny quip about him being allowed down the pub. I love an excuse to go out for Sunday lunch…

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Local ale lovers will be first at the bar on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June for Twyford Beer Festival at Loddon Hall from midday. Now in its third year, the Twyford Beer Festival offers a choice of over 30 real ales, ciders, perries and wine, great music and good food. All real ales, ciders and wines are sourced from local breweries and vineyards. All the bands who will provide the entertainment over the weekend, are also local to the area. There’s no entry fee, ‘Beer Tokens’ are available to buy on the door, which you exchange for drinks. The festival raises awareness and much needed funds for Orchid, the men’s cancer charity. Doors open at midday and close at 9pm, Sunday from midday to 4pm. Find out more at www.twyfordbeerfest.co.uk 

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A new girl’s choir is being launched from September in Charvil. ‘Jewel Tones’ will be for girls between the ages of 10 and 18. Rehearsals will be held at Charvil Village Hall on Sunday evenings between 6.15pm and 7.45pm. The choir will be working mainly on folk songs, popular songs and songs from music theatre. The choir will be taking part in concerts, festivals and competitions both locally and further afield. Plans for 2012/13 already include participation in Maidenhead, Woodley and Cheltenham Festivals, carol singing, Music for Youth festival and several concerts in the area. The choir will also be having workshops from time-to-time to help with vocal technique and performance skills. There will be a maximum of 25 girls in the choir. Informal auditions will be held during June and July. For more details visit the website www.jeweltones.co.uk or call the choir’s Musical Director Suzanne Newman on 0118 9340589.

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St. Mary’s Church in Twyford is to be part of the official nationwide beacon of light chain that celebrates the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee on June 4th. Only sites approved by the Jubilee’s Pageant Master have been included in the 3,000 taking part in the chain, which will spread across Britain and the Channel Islands from 10pm until 10.30pm. The Queen herself will light the final beacon at Buckingham Palace. The lighting of the beacon in Twyford will be the final event in a packed evening of celebrations for all the family at St. Mary’s. Paul Bromley, one of the organisers, explains: “Although the event is based in the church it is intended to be a celebration in which the entire village can take part. We see part of the church’s role as reaching out to the community and we have planned activities to appeal to all ages.” The beacon will take the form of a searchlight reaching high into the sky and illuminating the church tower. It will be accompanied by a 15-minute peal of the church bells.

Elton John, Cliff Richard and Paul McCartney will also be in St. Mary’s that evening, on a big screen showing the Jubilee Concert which takes place at Buckingham Palace. Jessie J, JLS and Annie Lennox are among a host of other stars performing on the night. Other entertainment includes a barbecue organised by the 1st Twyford Scout Group and a beer tent supported by Ruscombe’s Bingham’s Brewery. Uncle Charley the clown and the local High Voltage Singers will be in attendance during the evening and there will be outdoor games and a high tea.

“The community really got together to celebrate the Christmas tree festival in St. Mary’s last year and we look forward to that happening again,” says Paul. “For our Jubilee party the fun starts at 4.30pm and goes on until 10.30pm. As people arrive they will be given a wristband which will allow them to nip back home and return later if they want too. We are asking for a nominal entrance fee of £1 for children and £3 for adults. Once we have covered the costs of staging the event we will make a donation to the Global Hearts for Children charity, which is based in Ruscombe.”

Tickets are available in advance from St.Mary’s church office, Brighton’s newsagents in the village centre, Hare Hatch Sheeplands or by phoning Paul on 0118 934 0642.

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The Twyford Singers will be celebrating 50 years of singing at their Jubilee Summer Concert on Saturday June 23rd at the Loddon Hall, Twyford. The concert will include stirring opera choruses, Parry’s ‘I was glad’ and the lyrical Brahm’s ‘How lovely is thy dwelling place’. The singers will also give the first performance of a specially commissioned work to celebrate their Golden Jubilee ‘The Company of Song’, the words of which have been written by Kevin Power, a local Twyford poet.

The concert starts at 7.30pm and tickets cost £8 including refreshments and £4 for accompanied children under the age of 16. Tickets are available on the door or on 0118 934 2406 or 0118 934 5985. For further details see the choir’s website at www.twyford-singers.org.uk.

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On 23rd and 24th June the Hurst Horse Show is taking place, but there is also a less well known art exhibition being shown in the village hall as part of the show. It is called Art on the hoof. Works in oils, acrylics, ink and watercolours from local artists including Alex Craggs, Jonathan de Mounteney, Liz Chaderton, Sarah Pye, Christine Rogers, Este Macleod, Nacera Guerrin, Julian Renouf, Jane Stewart will be for sale. Go along and see art in action with demonstrations throughout the day. The exhibition is open from 10am to 5pm and entry is free. Visit www.hursthorseshow.org.uk/artshow.php for more information.

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On June 24th, Charvil Girls’ Choir and Charvil Voices are combining for a summer concert at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts, Altwood Road, Maidenhead. Joining them will be the choir from White Waltham Primary School. The choirs will be singing a wide variety of music - popular, show songs, folk songs and classical. The concert starts at 7pm. Tickets are £10 and are available from the Norden Farm Box Office on 01628 778997. 

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Charvil Voices is a small and enthusiastic ladies choir who meet for rehearsals on Monday evenings between 8pm and 9.30pm at Charvil Village Hall. They sing a wide variety of music and take part in concerts, festivals and competitions. They also enjoy social and fundraising events. There are a few spaces from September. Ladies need to be able to sing in tune and it does help to be able to read music a little, as the choir sings mostly in three parts. For more information contact Suzanne Newman on 0118 9340589 or via our website at www.charvilvoices.co.uk

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Twyford Toddlers group meet at the Youth Centre (next to Loddon Hall) every Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9.30am to 11.30am. Babies and toddlers from 0-5 years are welcome there’s a huge range of toys and activities for them to participate in. For more information, call 07784886440 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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The friends of Ruscombe Wood are a friendly group of volunteers working for the conservation of a beautiful piece of woodland, found off Castle End Road in Ruscombe. The local people call it bluebell wood because of the carpet of bluebells that can be found there every spring. They meet on the first Saturday of the month from 10am to 1pm.

New volunteers are always welcome. No special skills or knowledge are necessary. They provide tools and guidance on the day's tasks. Old clothes and strong footwear are recommended. To find out more contact Stephen Loyd on 0118 9345784 or George Parker on 0118 9017719.

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Wargrave History Society meets on the second Tuesday of the month at The Pavilion on the Recreation Ground in Wargrave. Founded in 1981, the Object of the Society is to provide a common meeting ground for the study and discussion of, and research into, history in general, and of the local area in particular. To join the society costs £9 per person or, for a family, £12 and £8 concessions. Visitors are welcome at a cost of £3 per meeting. Visit their website at www.wargravehistory.org.uk for more information.

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The Berkshire Group of the Hardy Plant Society (HPS) is one of 40 local groups of the HPS is the UK. It offers a huge range of gardening activities from informative lectures to plant and seed sales. The Berkshire Group meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month at St Peter’s Church Hall in Earley and members are encouraged to bring along their own plants to sell. Visitors are also welcome at the meetings at a cost of £3. To join the Berkshire Group costs £5 for a single membership, and £7 for joint. You can apply online at www.berkshirehps.org.uk or call 01386 710317.

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Twyford Bridge Club meets at Loddon Hall on Mondays at 7.20pm. They can accommodate players without a partner and anyone is welcome to join. Call 0118 9700470 for more information.

Loddon Hall, Loddon Hall Road, Twyford RG10 9JA.

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Woodley Shopping Centre is now home to a thriving Saturday Market. Fresh foods, great vegetables, local produce and craft stalls fill the town centre - there’s even a bouncy castle for the kids. Occasionally some local brass bands join in the fun or Morris Dancers. Arrive early at 9am for the best choice. Find out more at www.woodleytowncentre.co.uk

Crockhamwell Road, Woodley Town Centre, RG5 4JZ.

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On Jubilee Sunday, 3rd June, the 6pm service at St. James the Great, Ruscombe, will be followed (after a short break to sip a Toast) by A Fanfare for a Royal Jubilee - An Organ Interlude played by Sylvia Collins MA. Donations are welcome with proceeds going to Age Concern (Twyford).

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Henley Symphony Orchestra is counting down to the Olympics. As part of the Cultural Olympiad and Reading Summer Proms Festival, HSO’s summer concert will include favourites such as Elgar's Nimrod, Chariots of Fire, Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture and the Making Music Overture, especially composed by Orlando Gough for the Olympiad. Concert-goers are welcome to enjoy picnics in the lovely college grounds before attending the concert in a giant marquee. HSO’s summer concert is on 24th June at 7.30pm at Shiplake College, Henley-on-Thames. Grounds open for picnics from 6pm. Call the box office on 01628 526504 or visit www.henleysymphonyorchestra.co.uk

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CP