Association Reports
Dear Secretary: Please do not forget to send your quarterly club report to the editor of Kent Active by 1st October 2007. Any photos must be of good quality for reproduction.
Allington-AllARA:-
When 50 of our members set off in March to see a show at The Brick lane Music
Hall, they probably did not expect to arrive at a restored church. Mr Vincent
Hayes, the owner of the brick lane Music hall, has had to move twice due to
rising rent charges. He finally found an old church-St Mark’s in Silvertown
owned by the Newham Council which had been deconsecrated in 1980. Mr Hayes was
granted a 25 year lease and the church restored to reflect an ‘Old Time Music
Hall’. The show was very professional and thoroughly enjoyable. Thank you
Marilyn for arranging such an entertaining outing. Joyce Foster.
Ashford-AARA:-
Outings for this club will include such delights as a Torquay holiday (July)
Hastings (July) and a visit to Faversham and the Ephraim Gardens (Aug) and then
in September they are going to see ‘High Hopes’ at Swalecliffe. They will also
be taking part in the KentARA Race Nite in October. Their Christmas Dinner is to
be held on the 12th January at the British Rail Bowling Green not December as in
the last Active.
Ashford South—ASARA:-
Lots of goodies for members of this club, these have included a Surrey Tour and
River Trip (April) Syon House and Richmond Park (May) Worthing (June) Leeds
Castle and a Glen Miller Concert (July) Pashley Manor and Merriment Gardens
(July) and then there are the visits to Hythe Venetian fete, The BBC TV and the
Albert Hall all in August.
Birchington-BiARA:-
The BiARA Babes presented their summer show “Come Rain or Shine” at Birchington
Centre on Thursday 31st May. The show was very colourful and the scenery that
was done by our producer Shelia Anderson was excellent. The songs that were sung
were well known, so that the audience were able to join in. The sketches were
very funny and well performed; we even had our own Marilyn Monroe played by
Sally Gould. Even Bill Wigley excelled himself in the telling of jokes. The two
clowns played by Doris Escudier and Joan Wigley who did a reflection act with an
invisible mirror was well acted. The final scene of the Maypole with Morris
Dancers inter-twinning the ribbons around the Maypole was done very well. So
congratulations to the cast for an enjoyable afternoon. Irene Hawksbee.
Cheriton-ChARA:-
News about outings is that they went to Godinton House in June and are off to
France in July. The Chairman led them on a Safari in June through Port Lympne
(perhaps they will send me a report of this walk) in June there was a skittles
evening at the Lydden Bell (any excuse for a pint!) and a lunch at the Grand
Hotel in July
Ditton & Malling-DaMARA:-
We have had some very enjoyable outings in the last few months, The Brick House
Music Hall, very entertaining, Windsor Great Park and a trip around the
countryside, most interesting, especially the new modern building at the park. A
day in London and the Portobella Road area, very nice with great weather. We
look forward to a cruise on the Wey and the Thursford Show later in the year
together with the Margate Variety Show, always a winner this one, very
professional, gets better each year. The Chairman Trevor Brimsted and his wife
Pat held a race afternoon during Ascot week and raised a tidy sum of money for
charity. Tony Mulcuck.
Downswood-DoARA:-
Although we are a small club we managed to fit in the usual activities. There
are activities arranged for 4 Fridays of each month and include a walk, games
afternoon, social afternoon with a quiz or something similar and the normal
meeting with a speaker. In May we had our annual ‘do’ at Appledore and some of
our members took their caravans and arranged a walk, picnic and games together
with a seasonally decorated hat competition and if the weather turns bad we can
retire to the caravans. A trip to London earlier this year was very enjoyable
and included lunch at Covent garden, a River Cruise and a trip on the ‘Eye’ with
glorious weather. We have a holiday booked to Torquay in October and we have
been fortunate to have joined ‘BeARA for some of their holidays. Eve Wells.
Dartford-DartARA:-
Possible outings for this club will include the following: A Constable Country
Panorama in August, Cambridge & Duxford in September and a Christmas Market in
December. When this newsletter comes out members will be enjoying a holiday at
Warners at the Bodelwyddan Castle Historic Hotel in North Wales. Their Saturday
events have included a Cockney Night in April, An Abba Spectacular in July and
to look forward to is a Nostalgia Night in October. Looking way ahead they are
organising a Fjordland Wonders for August 2008 through the Thomson Lifestyle
Cruises and will possibly be sailing on the Celebration.
Folkestone-FARA:-
21 members plus 1 dog enjoyed their monthly ramble through woods and parkland in
Brockhill Park. A bright and sunny day , 3 miles brought them to the castle
Hotel, Saltwood for an excellent lunch sitting in the warm sunshine. We have
many outings planned . One ambitious one is to see the Tutankhamun Exhibition in
London on the 27th March 2008! Deposits are already coming in - nothing like
looking ahead with optimism. We have arranged for a ‘Day Trip to France’ in
October with lunch. It is very useful being so near the Channel Ports. Norma
Nunn.
Hawley and Sutton-HaSARA:-
The year 2007 started well, members listed were 111. January outings were Dinner
& Dog racing and a holiday to Majorca and a Pub Lunch at the Greyhound. 11th
January our Drama and Singing members performed their revue at our monthly
meeting. February our Pub Lunch was at the Carvery, our monthly speaker was
comedian Paul James, well known presenter for radio Kent. £60 was donated to the
RNLI. March saw us eating at the Colliers Arms, 2 groups represented our club at
the Area 5 Quiz held at Hartley, we came joint 3rd from 16. Wendy Nevard.
Headcorn-HeadARA:-
For a new club they are doing splendid, Social Mornings and Afternoons are being
organised as are walks and a Lunch Club. Outings have been and are going to be
for: Monet’s Garden, France, The White Rock Theatre, The central band of the
Royal British Legion at Hastings, The London Eye and River Cruise with a 4
course carvery lunch at the Rembrant Hotel and finally another show at the White
Rock Theatre ‘Roll Out The Barrel’.
Kemsley-KemARA:-
Earlier in the year we enjoyed a trip to Sittingbourne Greyhounds, a very good
evening, a Pub Lunch at the Vineyard, Sittingbourne. We have planned another
lunch in July to Stonebridge Cottage, Faversham. A trip to Borde Hill Gardens,
Haywards Heath is also planned for August. Our New Age Kurling sessions are
going very well. We are starting a darts team at the Kemsley Arms once a week.
Our club is also organising an Autumn Fayre in September. Derek Carnell.
Larkfield-LARA:-
Thought we would give you some idea of what LARA is up to this year in the way
of outings and holidays. During the first half of the year we went to the Ice
Show at Brighton, had a bowling holiday at Trouville on the Isle of Wight
(April), visited Parham House and Gardens (May), had another holiday this time
to Scarborough (May), visited Denbies Vineyard (June), and are going on a Lee
Valley Cruise (July). Stella Lloyd, who has been organised our outings and
holidays for many a long year, is going to concentrate on only doing the
holidays as from next year, so we want to say a big ‘thank you; to her for all
the hard work she has done for us. Stella Bates.
Medway-MedARA:-
Members spent an enjoyable day at Rye Market and then on to Hastings where the
weather was great. By the time the Kent Active is printed we will already have
made a day trip to Folkestone, with Worthing lined-up for the next month
followed by a visit to the Shepherd & Neame Brewery/Farming World then later in
the year we go to see ‘The Sound of Music’. Our Tinsel & Turkey break has been
booked for Bracklesham Bay. Peter Vickery.
Rainham-RainARA:-
May saw 48 of our members enjoying a holiday in the Lake District based at
Kendal. This included a cruise on Lake Coniston and visits to John Ruskin’s
house, Dove Cottage and Keswick. We ventured abroad with a day trip through Le
Tunnel to Boulogne, a very enjoyable day around this historical fishing port,
stopping at Cite Europe on the return. Two other trips have been to Woburn Abbey
and to Beth Chatto’s Gravel garden at Colchester. Here they were privileged in
meeting 92 year old Beth. V. Jenson.
Romney Marsh-MarshARA:-
We celebrated our first anniversary with a lovely cake made especially for the
occasion, this was enjoyed by everyone at our first AGM. A real community spirit
exists within our club and many new friendships have been formed. We are pleased
that Gerald and Peter decoded to open an ARA in our area. With 2007 full of
activities, events and outings we are looking forward to another great year. A
thank you to our members for all the help given to the committee.Doreen Farrell.
Sittingbourne and
Milton-SaMARA:-
Delights in store for members of this club include: A Day out at Hastings in
July, Scarborough also in July, In November there will be a social afternoon at
the Conservative Club, Milton and also in November they will be off to
Ilfracombe for a Tinsel and Turkey break followed in January with a visit to the
Tutankhamen Exhibition.
Southfleet-SouthARA:-
Membership continues to grow slowly, but surely. Our Glee Club singers are much
in demand at care homes and clubs in Thanet. Our newest venture, thanks to a
generous grant from the Co-operative Society, with which we purchased some ‘New
Age Kurling’ equipment. We would be happy to welcome any other ARA for a
friendly game of this sport and a ‘cuppa’, please call 01843 603332 to arrange a
match.
Swanley-SwanARA:-
During May we visited Bexhill-on-Sea for a lovely ‘Pub Lunch’ and made a tour of
Suffolk including Jimmies ‘Pig Farm’, HMS Ganges museum ay Shotley and a quiet
idyllic afternoon in Constable Country. Among our speakers have been Mel Rees, a
very humorous man, Anne Moore, a member of SwanARA who related her African
experiences. We had our 10th Birthday party in June and were entertained by Paul
James and Billy Nutt (Just the Two of Us).
Walderslade-WaldARA:-
There has been plenty going on at WaldARA over the past months—a falconry and
birds of prey, a talk, puppets, piers and pantomime availing us of some behind
the scenes of various celebrities and a grand afternoon of singing and humorous
turns from the LARA singers. This followed our usual cream tea at this time of
the year. Sandwiched between these events was at rip to the bulb-fields of
Holland, a great success. No complaints from the members.
Whitstable-WARA:-
Our last report ended with our members looking forward to the Spring holidays.
Our first group went off on the Dutch Buldfields Cruise at the end of April, a
relaxing cruise with fine food, visiting Hoorn, Voleendam and the wonderful
Keukenhof Gardens. Our second group set of sat the end of May to Weymouth with
trips to Poole and Swanage. A great success. The rest of our time was filled
with 4 theatre trips, 3 speakers, 4 strolls. 2 coach trips and an Art & Crafts
Exhibition and we still had time to fit in Club meetings and other regular
weekly activities. A wonder-full quarter. J. Harris.