Enjoy Fairhaven Garden's Majestic Autumn Colours

Visit Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham on Sunday, November 6 and enjoy a fabulous autumn colours tour with Head Gardener, Ian Guest.

 The Autumn Colours tour begins at 11am and will last for 1½ hours. Normal admission charges apply, adult £5.50, concessions £5 and child £3 (under five free).

The autumn colours are spectacular and will be at their best on November 6, especially the many ancient oak and beech trees. Pride of place goes to the huge 950 year-old King Oak, which was a sapling at the time of the Battle of Hastings – believed to be the oldest tree in Norfolk – along with its near neighbour the Queen Oak.

The tour will take visitors down the Beech Walk, along the Broads Walk with its views of the garden’s private broad and past tree-lined dykes.

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is at South Walsham, nine miles east of Norwich, signposted off A47 at B1140 junction, tel. 01603 270449, http://www.fairhavengarden.co.uk/. The garden is open daily all year, 10am to 5pm (closed Christmas Day). There is wheelchair access to most of the garden, including the Sensory Garden. Visitors requiring special facilities are advised to telephone in advance. Mobility scooters available. Dogs are welcome on leads; small charge to cover poop scoop.

Norfolk Deaf Association Launches new Friends Group

The Friends of Norfolk Deaf Association is a new group aiming to support the work of Norfolk Deaf Association (NDA) and raise much needed funds for the charity.

The Friends group will be officially launched at a special open event at St James Mill, Whitefriars, Norwich on Thursday, November 3, courtesy of Jarrold and Sons Ltd. The evening will begin with a canapé reception at 6.30pm followed by a presentation at 7.15pm by Peter Prinsley FRCS, Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich and James Paget University Hospitals. Mr Prinsley will talk about ‘What can surgeons do for deafness?’

 During his time in Norfolk, Mr Prinsley has introduced bone-anchored hearing aid devices and the use of lasers in surgery for deafness. He writes regular articles about ear disorders and balance problems. A recent feature for the British Medical Journal identified the possible dangers to hearing for people who play golf.

To book a place at the November 3 event contact Karen Shepperd at NDA tel 01603 404440 (suggested donation for attending the evening is £5).

Frank Eliel, Chairman of the Friends of NDA said: “NDA as a charity relies on donations for most of its income, backed by some welcome financial support from Norfolk PCT and charitable trusts. In these difficult times none of these sources is assured.” “It costs just £15 a year to be a Friend of NDA (£28 a couple),” continued Mr Eliel. “As a Friend you will know that you are helping secure the future of a vital charity that has served the people of Norfolk since 1898. Our Friends will also be invited to social events and lectures that will give them the chance to meet each other, have fun and learn about the latest research into issues surrounding hearing loss.”

Tony Innes, Chairman of the NDA added: “I would like to thank the Friends committee, led by Frank Eliel, for their support. For many of our clients NDA is a lifeline fulfilling more than 6000 appointments a year and offering our services free of charge. The Friends are going to play a key role in helping the charity maintain its proud record of caring for Norfolk residents for more than 100 years. Peter Prinsley is a good friend and it was my pleasure to work with him for many years. I am delighted that he has agreed to come and talk to us.”

Christopher Doggett, Group Finance Director, Jarrold and Sons Ltd said; “Jarrold is pleased to support the launch of the Friends of NDA. I have been NDA Treasurer and Trustee for six years and view the creation of an active Friends group, with supporters from the local community, as an important development in securing a sustainable future for the charity.”

The launch of the Friends of NDA is being supported Mr Richard Jewson, HM Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk and Patron of NDA, Cozens-Hardy LLP, Jarrold and Sons Ltd, M+A Partners and Mills & Reeve LLP.

Norfolk Deaf Association, http://www.norfolkdeaf.org.uk/, tel. 01603 404440 (voice/minicom) was founded in 1898, originally as a benevolent society. The charity aims to improve the lives of young people and adults with all degrees of hearing loss through information, support, awareness and communication. The key services are Hearing Support Service, Befriending Service, Tinnitus Support Group, Deaf Awareness Training and Hard of Hearing Club.

Chamber Orchestra Anglia 10th Birthday Concert at The Forum Norwich

Chamber Orchestra Anglia (COA) is staging its 10th birthday concert at The Forum in Norwich on Sunday, November 6 at 7pm.

Returning to the venue where the professional orchestra was launched in 2001, COA is presenting a programme of music from medieval to contemporary. The Forum event is the first of a monthly series of 10th anniversary concerts in the Norwich 12 buildings, in association with Norwich HEART (Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust).

The main work on November 6 is Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale. Nigel Rees, presenter of BBC Radio Four’s Quote, Unquote, will take the role of narrator. The evening will be compered by BBC Radio Three presenter Christopher Cook. The Soldier’s Tale was written and first performed in 1918. This Faustian story focuses on a young soldier who gives his fiddle to the Devil in return for riches and luxury and then battles to regain control of his life.

Animations by Virtual Past of the Norwich 12 buildings will also be shown in The Forum’s Fusion Gallery as part of the evening’s celebrations.

Tickets are £12 for the main atrium (cabaret style seating) or £15 on the Pizza Express bridge. A three-course meal at Pizza Express, price £12.95, is available for bridge ticket holders from 6pm. Tickets from the Theatre Royal Box Office, tel. 01603 630000, http://www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk/.

Other dates arranged so far are: Aviva Atrium, Surrey Street, December 14, The Guildhall, Caley’s Cocoa Café, January 14, St Andrew’s Hall, February 3, featuring Griff Rhys Jones and The Assembly House, March 2. For up to date information on the programme see http://www.chamberorchestraanglia.co.uk/.

Sharon Andrea Choa, COA founder and Artistic Director said: “We are very excited to be returning to The Forum to mark our 10th birthday and launch the Norwich 12 series. I would like to thank The Forum, Norwich HEART and all the members of the Norwich 12 for their support. Using music to connect with the community and connect people is always what we aspired to do. This series of concerts will hopefully do just that and more. It is going to be a memorable 12 months.”

Chamber Orchestra Anglia’s key aims are to forge new links and relationships with other art forms and scientific disciplines and present inspiring and accessible classical concerts. The orchestra’s artistic director and principal conductor, Sharon Andrea Choa is Director of Music at UEA and conductor of the UEA Symphony Orchestra. The leader of the orchestra is Simon Smith, an outstanding violinist who has performed extensively as a soloist with the Philharmonia Orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.

Festival of Architecture Pecha Kucha Evening at Cinema City Norwich

FANN-XI, the Festival of Architecture in Norwich and Norfolk, brings a first to Cinema City, Norwich on Wednesday, October 26, 8pm for 8.30pm start – Pecha Kucha 20 x 20.

Pecha Kucha 20x20 features quick fire presentations on architectural themes. Devised in Tokyo in 2003 as a way for young architects and designers to network and show their work in public, Pecha Kucha allows each architect just 20 seconds to show 20 images. The name comes form the Japanese term for ‘chit chat’.

Tickets for Pecha Kucha are £4 from Cinema City box office, www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Cinema_City.

Jon Greenfield, Chair FANN-XI steering group said: “Some of our best young architects will be putting their presentational skills to the Pecha Kucha test. It will be a fun evening showcasing some excellent work.”

For more information about FANN-XI see http://www.fann-xi.org.uk/.

Fairhaven Garden Halloween Spooky Trail Monday, October 31

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham invites you to scare yourself silly on the haunted trail round the garden – the 12th annual Halloween Spooky Trail on Monday, October 31, from 6pm to 8pm.

Admission is adults £5.50, senior citizens £5 and children £3. Visitors can go round the trail as many times as they dare and should bring their own torch.

New this year is Thundermental with fire breathing, fire poi and body grinding. The Rockin’ Monks will be back with a selection of spooky songs. Watch out for Chinese firecrackers, Dracula appearing from his coffin, the Grim Reaper in his boat and zombies, mummies and witches on the trail, along with a firework finale.

Hot soup, sandwiches and snacks will be on sale in the tearoom. For further information telephone 01603 270449, http://www.fairhavengarden.co.uk/.

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is at South Walsham, nine miles east of Norwich, signposted of the A47 at the B1140 junction. The garden is open daily all year (closed Christmas Day) 10am to 5pm.

Art Architecture Trail – Norwich – FANN-XI - Festival of Architecture

FANN-XI (Festival of Architecture in Norwich and Norfolk) is staging an art trail in cafés and galleries around Norwich from 10 to 28 October, featuring work art by architects, as well as artists who use architecture and the built environment as their inspiration.

The Workshop Café Bar, 53 Earlham Road – Cityscapes, Toni Hayden, gouache cityscapes including Venice, Gozo, Marrakech and Corfu, 2 to 29 October, open daily 10am to 11pm (Mondays 5pm to 11pm).

Bicycle Shop, 17 St Benedicts – Tour de France, Jeannine Gavaghan, a series of freehand ink sketches produced on a cycling trip around Europe, and Interlocking, Rajhita Mahendran, a series of abstract mixed media artwork inspired by interlocking objects and structures, 4 to 30 October, Tuesday to Saturday 10am to midnight, Sunday 11am to 11.30pm and Monday 12noon to midnight.

The Playroom, Norwich Playhouse, St George’s Street, Annie Hall, a series of semi-abstract plan-like cityscapes, 8 to 29 October, daily 10am to 11pm (from noon on Sundays).

Grapevine Gallery, 109 Unthank Road, artist Gerard Stamp, and architects Trevor Price and Vaughan Keal, 10 to 28 October, Monday to Saturday 10am to 5.30pm.

St Andrews House, Art and Designs students from City College on the Access to HE diploma, work includes paintings, designs for textiles and images of constructions, 10 to 28 October, Monday to Friday, 10am to 5.30pm.

Expresso Café, St George’s Street – Unidentified Buildings, Philip Walmsley, a series of small and large drawings showing the relationship between the interior and exterior spaces of unidentified buildings, 10 to 28 October, Monday to Saturday 7am to 5.30pm and Sunday 9am to 4pm.

Studio Urban Blu, Princes Street – as Portrait, Andi Gibbs, a series of 2D work provoking thought around the relationship between the city, movement, people and change, 10 to 28 October, Monday to Friday 10am to 3pm.

Plot_One - Art meets Architecture, 3 St James Court, Whitefriars . Exhibition curated by architecture student Frankie Bainbridge Plot_One brings together the best of this year’s Art Trail and a myriad of other fascinating artists who's work explores the connections between art and architecture. Monday 10 to Friday 28 October, 11am-4pm.

Gallery 18/21, Tombland – Present Practice featuring Jeremy Taylor, John Maddison, David Rock, Birkin Haward, Sir Bernard Feilden and Will Allsop, 16 to 28 October, Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.

For more information see http://www.fann-xi.org.uk/, email info@fann-xi.org.uk, tel. 01603 706632.

LSI Architects (Norwich and London) has won a RIBA East (Royal Institute of British Architects) Spirit of Ingenuity Award for The Haven at Horning. The Haven is a low energy new private residence in the heart of the Broads that required sensitive design due to its prominent location and used best environmental practice. The Haven was one of two winners in the Residential Design category.


LSI Architects has also won the Galvanizers Association Sustainable Award 2011 for The Haven, as well as Norfolk Association of Architects New Residential and Specialist Trade – Carpentry and Joinery awards. The Haven has been shortlisted for the CPRE Norfolk Awards 2011.

The RIBA East Spirit of Ingenuity Awards recognise the design ingenuity and architectural excellence of architects and their clients across the East of England for schemes designed within the region. There are seven award categories.

The Haven replaced an existing house in an area subject to frequent flooding. Its prominent location on the riverbank required a contemporary design that would complement the local area.

Trevor Price, LSI Partner who led the project said: “We are delighted that our work to develop a high quality, low energy modern dwelling to enhance the local area, has been recognised with a RIBA East Spirit of Ingenuity Award. The Haven was created using the sustainable design principles that are set out in the sustainability guide that we researched and produced for the Broads Authority, which is now part of the National Park’s local development framework.”

“To solve the problem of flooding risk, the house was raised 1.3m above the ground,“ added Trevor Price. This combined with the open structure of the boathouse allows flood water to flow across the site and gives the owners a superb elevated view.”

Maria Hammond, Planning Assistant at the Broads Authority commented that the project makes “a positive contribution to the character of the Horning riverside and the wider Broads landscape, demonstrating how a sensitively designed contemporary solution can be a welcome addition to a familiar scene.”

Sustainable Design

The building is insulated above current standards and constructed mainly in timber, is clad with Accoya and also uses galvanised steel. The house has a sedum moss roof. The energy for underfloor heating comes from a ground source heat pump and photo-voltaics on the boathouse roof provide the electricity. The house in-use is virtually carbon neutral.

www.LSIarchitects.co.uk

Photograph: Blue Pearl Photographic