1st March 2023

 

Hello Everyone,

 

As I said in my last letter, I’ll start at the end of January with our Winter Supper and lecture from Tyler Butterworth. After all the snags with train strikes affecting hid travel plans he arrived safely in Heswall after a long drive North.  

 

Heswall Hall looked very festive, in fact a number of people suggested we should have the twinkling light for all our lectures. The Committee, as always, worked hard to make a success of the evening and I think we all agreed the flowers were lovely. Perfect for the tables, not too tall, and appreciated by those who took them home. Our particular thanks to Daphne and Anita for arranging them. 

 

Especial thanks were due to Moira Fletcher for all her work with the caterers which ensured a delicious supper. The sticky toffee pudding with extra sauce and cream will be fondly remembered. 

 

We started of course with our speaker, Tyler Butterworth who guided us through the fascinating process of audition, casting, rehearsal and production of a play with many glimpses backstage. Our audience certainly enjoyed the evening.

 

We then came to our meeting on February 20th meeting, when Roger Mendham spoke on 

 

The Power of Photography

The aspects of history and of course of propaganda were explored in his lavishly illustrated talk. The power of a number of the photographs was indeed unmistakable and compelling. Thankfully there were no train delays or strikes to affect his journey.

 

I mentioned the forthcoming North West Area meeting on Monday 6th March to be held in Lancashire. A number of us from the committee will be attending, and I will report back.

 

Preparations for our own Wirral AGM on Monday 20th March are well under way now, and thanks to all who do so much to ensure that things are distributed and ready in a timely fashion. You may have noticed an addendum to the papers, to say that Anita Stokes has very kindly consented to remain as Web Manager for the time being. Equal thanks to Siobhan McCormick, who remains on Young Arts. This is very recent news, so was unable to be included previously. 

 

For those of you who like to scan our website, may I draw your attention to news under the Visits Tab:

 

A Curated Tour of JMW Turner - Dark Waters - with Lamin Fofana

 

has been arranged for 24th April, meeting at the Tate Liverpool at 10:30 am. A number of members have already expressed interest in this visit. Details of the September 28th to 30th trip to the Midlands and Birmingham are also now on the website. This promises to be very interesting, but perhaps as a local I shouldn’t display my bias. 

 

Details of the visit to Saltaire in May, by coach will be on the Web and at our lectures as soon as possible. 

 

Our next lecture, following the AGM is on 20th March. Twigs Way will be talking on

 

The Life and Art of Marianne North: Victorian Botanical Artist and Traveller

 

We have now passed the first anniversary on 24th February of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Almost impossible to believe, though it is such a constant presence on our screens and papers in all the ongoing horror.

 

For now let me finish by sending 

 

All very best wishes,

 

Yvonne Woodhead