1st September 2023

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Welcome back to our website news after what I hope has been an enjoyable summer break, in spite of the weather. Perhaps best to just draw a veil over that aspect.

 

I am sure that many of you will remember that our last lecture, which now seems long ago indeed, was given by John Francis, on the subject of

 

The Lady with the Tutti Frutti Hat:  Busby Berkeley, Director and Choreographer

 

In my last letter of July 1st I see that I mentioned most of our forthcoming events, so do forgive the repetition if I briefly outline them here again for reference.

 

Our first date is September 18th, not only is that our next lecture, but also our New Members’ Lunch, once again to be held at Heswall Hall. Last year of course, when we were able to invite several years together, it was kindly hosted by Fenella and John Billington, in their garden. Our return to normal numbers heralds our return to lunch at Heswall Hall.

 

A number of us are looking forward to our September trip to the Midlands and Birmingham, on September 28th to 30th. I certainly am, ‘though we may not return in time for me to update my October letter in proper detail.

 

The North West Area meeting takes place in Lancashire on October 2nd, and is always interesting and useful to our Societies. Thanks to the organisers, who of course were responsible for the trips to the Vermeer Exhibition earlier this year.

 

November 6th is our Day of Special Interest, when Mary Alexander will be talking on the subject of

 

Why Paris?

 

Our Christmas Theatre Trip to The Royal Exchange, Manchester is on December 13th for the 2:30pm matinee performance of

 

Brief Encounter

 

The coach will be leaving Heswall Squash Club at 9:30am, allowing time for shopping and lunch before the matinee. It will return immediately after the performance.

 

The Christmas Meeting this year will be on Monday, December 11th at the normal afternoon time, on a suitably seasonal subject. We will of course be mentioning this again, as it is on the 2nd Monday of the month, rather than our usual 3rd Monday, and of course the date is on our website.

 

Our September 18th lecture will given by Peter Medhurst, and his subject is

 

Vienna - The Melting Pot of European Cultures

 

I am sure that many of us will remember the wonderful lecture he gave, in February 2021 by Zoom during the pandemic, when he illustrated his talk on the Genius of Beethoven by playing, live. It was a tour de force, and I look forward enormously to his next lecture.

 

The war in Ukraine still continues, though now joined by the dreadful situation in Sudan. We await the results of recent events with a sense of dread that even worse may follow. It now seems such a background to our lives that the danger is that it becomes normal, instead of the outrage which we all felt in February 2022. I could not have imagined that I would still be adding these comments to my monthly letter at that time. I hope you will understand that I feel it impossible now simply to stop.

 

To return to our own main business, the Committee looks forward to welcoming everyone back after the summer break, seeing friends again, and enjoying once more our very diverse lectures.

 

All very best wishes,

 

Yvonne Woodhead