Wymondham Music Festival Annual Public Meeting – Monday, February 10

Jazz Picnic with Dixie Mix (2013)

Head to Fairland Hall, Wymondham, Norfolk on Monday, February 10, at 7pm, for Wymondham Music Festival's 12th Annual Public Meeting.  Hear about plans for the 19th Festival Fortnight in 2014, plus a review of 2013. There will also be plenty of opportunities to ask questions and make suggestions in the meeting and chat informally over coffee and cakes.

The evening begins at 7pm with music from Ian Hireson and Mark Jolley, who normally perform as the Bays River Jazz Duo. Refreshments are also served at 7pm.

The main meeting begins at 7.30pm with a review of 2013, including the annual accounts, and then looks forward to the summer, introducing plans for the programme launch in May. Barbara Randall, Festival Secretary, will reveal some of the key highlights of the 2014 programme, including Festival Fortnight, which runs from Saturday, June 21 to Sunday, July 6.

John Wood, who has been Wymondham Music Festival Chairman for 14 years, is stepping down from the role at the Annual Public Meeting. He will be Vice Chairman for the forthcoming year and will continue to be Chairman of the Music Festival Trustees. John has also been Chairman of Wymondham Arts Forum since 2001.

John’s successor as Music Festival Chairman is Richard Elliott. Richard is a former Chief Fire Officer for Norfolk. He retired from the fire and rescue service in 2010 after 35 years, serving in a number of fire and rescue services, including London and West Midlands, moving to Norfolk in 2000 as its Chief Officer. Since retiring Richard has become a Trustee of a number of local charities, is an active Rotarian and also qualified as a ski instructor at Norfolk Snowsports Club.

John Wood said: “My time as Music Festival Chairman has flown by. I cannot believe I have been in the role for 14 of the Festival’s 19-year history! Brilliant teamwork by our hard-working volunteers has seen the festival grow in popularity year on year. I wish Richard success in his first year and look forward to my continuing involvement.”

Richard Elliott said: “During John Wood’s tenure as Chairman, Wymondham Music Festival has become firmly established as one of the most popular and diverse festivals in the county. I am delighted to have John’s support in my first year as Chairman and look forward to an exciting summer of music in town.”    

Keep in touch with Wymondham Music Festival and sign up for regular e-newsletters at www.wymfestival.org.uk.

Raveningham Gardens Norfolk - Snowdrop Season February 9 to February 23

Raveningham Gardens opens for the snowdrop season from Sunday, February 9 to Sunday, February 23 (closed Saturdays). See drifts of snowdrops in the main garden, Monday to Friday 11am to 4pm and Sunday 2pm to 4pm (dusk if earlier).

Galanthus Jacquenetta

Admission is adults £4, concessions £3.50 and children under 16 free; proceeds go to Priscilla Bacon Lodge, a centre for specialist palliative care services in Norwich. Tea and home made cakes served on Sundays.

Raveningham Hall is the home of Sir Nicholas and Lady Bacon. It was Sir Nicholas’ mother, Priscilla Bacon, who added snowdrops to the garden.

The 18th century Walled Kitchen Garden with its large glasshouses will be open and visitors will also be able to enjoy views across the new lake established at the turn of the Millennium and the contemporary sculpture in the gardens.



Raveningham Gardens (NR14 6NS) is 10 miles south east of Norwich, signposted off the A146 at Hales, then B1136, t. 01508 548480.

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Norwich 20 Group Launches 70th Anniversary Year at Norwich Theatre Royal

Norwich 20 Group launches its 70th anniversary year with an exhibition at Norwich Theatre Royal, from 24 January to 23 April, open Monday to Saturday 10am to 5pm.

The exhibition is part of a collaborative series at the Theatre Royal kindly sponsored by Targetfollow Estates Ltd. Curator Sarah Cannell has selected work submitted by Norwich 20 Group members for the show, which is staged in The Adnams Bar.

Joceline Wickham

David Jones

Norwich 20 Group was formed in 1944 after a touring modern art exhibition came to Norwich Castle Museum. Spurred by the public outcry, twenty local young artists mainly from Norwich School of Art and Design (now Norwich University of the Arts) created the group to promote understanding of modern art in Norwich.

The group is no longer limited to 20 and now has more than 70 members from across Norfolk.  All aspects of the practice of contemporary fine art are represented e.g. sculpture, print, photography and painting.

Over the years the membership has included nationally known artists, for example, Michael Andrews, Bernard Reynolds, Jeffrey Camp and Colin Self. Mary Newcomb, one of Britain’s best loved artists, famous for her visionary ruralist paintings, who died in 2008, was a member of N20G for many years. Her work often sold at exhibitions for around £20. It now changes hands for five figure sums. Current N20G members include David Holgate, Ros Newman, Vanessa Pooley, Laurie Rudling, Louise Richardson and Julia Sorrell, who is the group’s Chairman.

The group has strong links with Norwich's twin European cities and has held joint exhibitions with Novi Sad in Serbia, Rouen in France and Koblenz in Germany.

The group has a licentiate scheme and selects graduates from Norwich University of the Arts who are offered the opportunity to become members and exhibit with the group free of charge for one year.

Burns Night in Norwich - Saturday 25 January

Enjoy Burns Night, Saturday 25 January, at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich - a traditional Scottish night, with the piping of the haggis and a whisky tasting led by Dominic Roskrow, author of The World’s Best Whiskies and editor of World Whisky Review.

Menu
Starter: Traditional or vegetarian Scotch broth
Main: haggis stuffed chicken ballotine, neeps & tatties, cep puree, garlic & thyme sauce or mushroom, onion & Isle of Mull cheddar cheese tart
Dessert: Cranachan mille feuille (Oat cakes, whisky chantilly cream, poached raspberries, whisky & honey syrup, honeycomb).

Ticket: £35 per person. 

To book t. 01603 272008, e. events@maidsheadhotel.co.uk, www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk.

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