"Since joining the Group I have made lots of good friends and journeyed on many great trips to beautiful parts of the country. It has greatly improved my quality of life"
Thu 1 Committee Meeting Upstairs at the Spread Eagle Croydon.
Sat 3 Country Walk In the Dorking area - join Andrew and the group - note the Flying Scotsman steam train may be passing close by us during part of this walk.
Sun 4 Ramblers Walk Jill leads. Meet East Croydon Station 9.06am. The walk starts at Lewes Station 10.00 am and we will go via Kingston windmill and church to ascend the South Downs. jillhall723@gmail.com
Fri 9 Barn Dance STANLEY HALLS SE25 Tickets £8. Doors open 7.00pm, dance finishes at 11.00pm. Please contact Ireen 07968 035522 umpfamily@hotmail.com to join Group booking.
Sat 10 Climping near Littlehampton Open-gardens day, including those of thatched cottages and a beach hotel. Fish supper and pub stop on return. £6 entry plus train fare £16.35. Nigel.
Sat 10 Carshalton Village Ceilidhs Barn Dance 7.30 pm start, £8 entry includes tea and cakes. Live band for the first half, recorded music for the second. jillhall723@gmail.com
Sun 11 Cycling from Croydon A one-way ride roughly following the Uckfield rail line to your choice of railway station. With Richard.
Thu 15 Meal out The Skylark (South End, South Croydon), from 7.30pm, planned by Margaret. Deals on curries.
Sat 17 Greenwich Day out to this historic town, riverside and park. William Edwards.
Sun 18 Open Squares Weekend Over 200 of London's attractive and often hidden squares are open to the public for this weekend - stroll through a few today.
Sun 25 Croydon food festival, COPSE publicity stand, and a town and country walk. The walk: Open to all, this is part of the Croydon Heritage Festival. Starting outside the Clocktower, in Katharine Street, at 2.30pm, this is a leisurely 2 – 3 hour easy afternoon stroll through familiar and some lesser-known green and open spaces in Croydon.
Also from 12 noon - 7pm. COPSE have a publicity stand at the Croydon Food Festival, in South End, South Croydon, for the public to come and find out more about COPSE.
Please come, either to walk, or to be present on the clubs stand, to meet and welcome potential new members. More information from Valerie, Andrew and Olga and in their recent email.
Olgameme@hotmail.com and valeriemcguinn@hotmail.com and Andrewthynne@hotmail.com
Thu 29 – Mon 3 Weekend trip away to the village of Beer, in South Devon. Not just for beer, either to camp or to stay dry in the YHA hostel in the village of Beer in South Devon.
Tim at timcpfcaldridge@hotmail.com
Fri 7 A summer evening cycle ride. With pub stop, with Andrew. andrewthynne@hotmail.com
Sat 8 Walk with Olga. to the Mayfield Lavender fields, near Banstead.
Meet at East Croydon station at 10.35 am to catch a train to Coulsdon South. The walk is about 5 miles total, to these beautiful lavender fields, with the option to be extended, bus 166 brings us back to Croydon.
Why not follow with a visit to the Summer Music Festival at Ruskin House, Croydon, where various musicians play from 12 midday to 10pm, with a garden party atmosphere. Details here: https://www.folkandblues.org/Festival.htm
Sun 9 Concert - Croydon Symphonic Band play at Dorking Halls in Dorking at 3pm. One of the leading wind orchestras in the south-east play music by Holst, Vaughan-Williams and others. For tickets – contact Gill – who plays in the band: jillhall723@gmail.com
Wed 12 – Thu 13 Theatre - a musical comedy whodunnit. Wednesday and Thursday
Join other COPSE members already booked to see the Mitre Players forthcoming production of "Curtains", a musical comedy whodunnit, at Sanderstead. More details and tickets here: www.ticketsource.co.uk/mitreplayers
Sat 15 Winchester A day trip to Winchester, with lots to see on this city tour. Book a place in advance for some of the sights on Ireen’s itinerary. Much to see and do, including Jane Austen Exhibitions (200yrs since her passing in Winchester), Cathedral, Great Hall, Old City Mill, (former Y.H.A. Hostel), musical celebration of St. Swithun's Day, views from St. Giles Hill - and tea & cakes at Gerry's home! Tours are booked for the cathedral and the mill. By train: meet at East Croydon Station, by 9.40am. By car: contact me for parking advice. Then all meet at Winchester station at 11.05a.m. Any queries, plus booking a tour place, to Ireen Best, umpfamily@hotmail.com or 07968 035522.
Sat 22 The Tudor Way - part 3. a walk with Keith - from Hartfield to the Pale, continuing another stage of this historic trail through the Weald and Downlands
keithrix1@gmail.com
Sun 23 Theatre - If a Sparrow Should Fall Tickets are now on sale for Gatton Community Theatre’s latest open air promenade production, If a Sparrow Should Fall - A Man in Search of a Miracle, taking place at Gatton Park, Reigate on July 12th-14th, 16th, 19th-21 and 23rd, all at 7.30 pm. The play is directed by Libby Egwuba and is a new piece of theatre written by Anna Thompson.
Tickets are priced at £12 for adults, £8 for children, family ticket (2 + 2) £30 and available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/gct or tel: 0333 666 3366. Booking fees apply. Suggested by Margaret Philipson.
Fri 28 – Sun 30 Sussex Music Festival and Camping Friday 28 July - Saturday 29 July - Sunday 30 July
Camping with live music, Lewes, Sussex at “Lewes Live 2017” a small festival on the outskirts of Lewes, which features 5 live bands on Friday evening, 14 more on Saturday, food stalls, Harveys Real Ale, and camping (next to your car if you have one). £45 weekend ticket (includes camping). Opens 4pm Friday, bands from 7pm. One drawback, have to vacant campsite by 11am Sunday.
Check the web site https://www.leweslive.com/
In our experience these small festivals bring a different, closer experience yet more relaxed vibe. Even if the bands are not well known, you can get up and personal with a range of live music – rock, ska, singer-song writers. Think of it as camping with the added bonus of some live music and a bar. We could either travel by cars if such are going, or by train to Lewes and a taxi / bus. On Sunday, we could have a chill on Seaford beach.
Let Andrew know as soon as you can, now, if you are interested. Andrew is on andrewthynne@hotmail.com
Sat 29 – Sun 30 Also If you aren't away with Andrew or missed Olga trip to the Lavender fields earlier this month, Carshalton Lavender annual harvest takes place this weekend , details on their website:
www.carshaltonlavender.org No planned group visit but you may like to go with others.
Thu 3 Open air theatre in Coulsdon at the Coulsdon Manor Hotel. Theatre Workshop present a spoof play version of "Dick Barton".
Tickets and information: https:////k?v=TWC_Online_Ticketslive.advancedticketing.co.uk
Tickets £10 or £7 for concessions/over 60's.
Fri 4 – Fri 11 Sidmouth Folk Festival. A week filled with folk music, singing, dancing, pub sessions, concerts, and cream teas, focused on the seafront and in the town centre of Sidmouth in Devon. Visit for a day or two, or all week. Plan your own trip here: https://sidmouthfolkweek.co.uk
Regular visitor to Sidmouth, Ireen can tell you more. umpfamily@hotmail.com
Fri 11 – Sun 13 Surrey Hostels Weekend A 2 night hostel weekend staying at 2 Surrey YHA Hostels, with a day walk from Tanners Hatch hostel on Saturday and a day walk from Holmbury hostel on Sunday.
Book your accommodation as soon as you can. Information from Paul Davidson. Pauldavidson@hotmail.co.uk
Sat 19 The Tudor Way - part 4. walk with Keith – from Nutley to East Hoathly, about 12 miles into East Sussex, continuing from where we ended on the last stage on 22nd July. Keithrix1@gmail.com
Sun 20 Eastbourne Air Show and Biggin Hill “100” Festival of Flight Both take place this weekend, on both Saturday and Saturday. The Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight fly at each, on both days. William Edwards plans a day visit to Biggin Hill on Sunday; prebooked tickets £22, more details here: https://lbhacommunity.co.uk
Mon 21 Visit The Proms at The Royal Albert Hall. Evening 7.30pm. The world's greatest classical music festival with a concert of a Beethoven symphony and overture, a Stravinsky violin concerto, and a premier of a work by maverick composer Gerald Barry. See Andrew for ticket information. Andrewthynne@hotmail.com
Sat 26 – Mon 28 Bank Holiday weekend - details to follow.
Wed 6 – Tue 12 Trip to Alnwick and Northumberland A 2-centre week away staying in two great hostels.
Barry and Margaret will announce details.
Fri 8 Stanley Halls Barn dance. details will appear here nearer the time: https://www.stanleyhalls.org.uk/whats-on/
Information from Ireen nearer the time: umpfamily@hotmail.com
Sat 9 The BBC Proms in the Park 2017. Likely to sell out very soon, ticket information here: (£44 - £79+ each). https://www.bbc.co.uk/
programmes/
articles/
3T66PD82XxwlCqrwnjt6Fwy/
proms-in-the-park-2017-london-how-to-buy-tickets ;
Britain's biggest outdoor classical music event, with Michael Ball, Steps, Bryn Terfel, Elaine Paige, Texas, and more, plus the Last Night of the Proms linkup with the Royal Albert Hall finale.
William Edwards.
Sat 16 – Sun 17 Open House weekend. London buildings open days; you may like to plan your own day out, with or without fellow COPSERs. Details will appear here: https://www.openhouselondon.org.uk/index.html
Sat 23 The Tudor Way - walk part 5. With Keith – this stage from East Hoathly to Lewes, about 10 miles, the final part of this trip through historic places in Sussex. Keith. Keithrix1@gmail.com
Sat 7 – Sat 14 Ibiza trip. A week away, or short break for those with limited time. Enjoy a holiday on the picturesque island of Ibiza. Days out on spectacular clifftops and coast, see island villages, enjoy the sunny Mediterranean. Information from Nigel; book now for best price. nigel.holidays@gmail.com
Thu 16 – Mon 20 A long weekend in Devon. With comfortable hotel facilities, Stan Spacey recommends the huge range of activities provided on site, at the Manor House Hotel. See your last Viewpoint for full details and see the hotel here: https://www.manorhousehotel.co.uk/
Stan is on stanspacey@hotmail.com for more details.
