Oxburgh Hall Norfolk Gets Watery Makeover

 A project to restore the water levels that have helped keep The National Trust's Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk standing for more than 500 years has been completed successfully in time for the 2014 season.

The mansion, completed in 1482, is surrounded by its original moat, which provides protection for the foundations. During 2013 staff noticed that the water levels in the moat were dropping at noticeable levels as the River Gadder, which feeds the moat, had lost water due to leaks in its man-made engineering structures in My Lady’s Wood.

The work involved repairs to the Gadder’s brick weir and sluice the removal of 1000 cubic metres of silt from the riverbed, and has taken nearly three months.

It has also enabled the National Trust, which owns the Oxburgh estate, to partly restore My Lady’s Wood to more like its original 19th century design,  including opening up more views of the Hall. The improvements have also provided a waterway for otter to visit Oxburgh.

Helen Gregory, Oxburgh’s Outdoors Manager, said “what a fantastic outcome, we now have a river full of water and not full of silt, with water flowing into the moat and maintaining higher water levels than we’ve ever had.”

Oxburgh Hall opens on Saturday, March 1, Saturdays to Wednesdays (seven days during school holidays) until November 2, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/oxburgh-hall .

Tree Planting Day at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden Norfolk Broads

Supporters of Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham in the Norfolk Broads backed the next generation of the garden’s trees at a special planting day on Friday, February 21.

John Debbage, one of the gardening team at Fairhaven, has established a nursery in the garden to propagate saplings. More than 80 oak, ash, alder and horse chestnuts, grown from seed gathered in the garden, are ready for planting in a copse at the end of the Ranworth Walk.

Louise Rout, Fairhaven Garden manager explained:  “We are asking our friends and supporters to donate £10 to the garden’s project fund in return for planting a tree.  We will maintain a record of all tree donations, so that donors can keep an eye on their tree as it matures. I would like to thank our friends who planted trees today. However, there is still time to support our appeal,” added Louise Rout. “Donors have until the middle of March to reserve a tree.”

To make a donation and reserve a tree, please call in at visitor reception, or email  enquiries@fairhavengarden.co.uk, t. 00 44 (0)1603 270449.  Additional tree planting days and times will be arranged. 

Back the next generation of Fairhaven Garden trees on Friday, February 21

John Debbage

Friends and supporters of Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham in the Norfolk Broads are being invited to back the next generation of the garden’s trees at a special planting day on Friday, February 21, starting at 11am.

John Debbage, one of the gardening team at Fairhaven, has established a nursery in the garden to propagate saplings. More than 80 oak, ash, alder and horse chestnuts, grown from seed gathered in the garden, are ready for planting in a copse at the end of the Ranworth Walk.

Louise Rout, Fairhaven manager explained:  “We are asking our friends and supporters to donate £10 to the garden’s project fund in return for planting a tree.  We will maintain a record of all tree donations, so that donors can keep an eye on their tree as it matures.”

To make a donation, please call in at visitor reception, or email  enquiries@fairhavengarden.co.uk, t. 01603 270449. Alternative tree planting days and times can be arranged.

Maids Head Hotel Norwich - Dragon Making Winner Announced

Ruby Pummell with her winning dragon and Deborah Cubbin, Sales Manager, Maids Head Hotel 

More than 40 dragons, created by children from Magdalen Gates primary school, have been on display at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich since Friday, February 7. Visitors to the hotel have been invited to vote for their favourite dragon. 

The winner of the first week’s prize, a family carvery lunch, is Ruby Pummell. Deborah Cubbin, Sales Manager at the Maids Head visited the school to present Ruby with her prize just before half term.

The dragons will remain on display at the hotel until Sunday, February 23, and visitors are asked to continue voting for their favourite. A second prize will be presented after half term, afternoon tea for one young dragon maker and their family.

The dragon-making project is part of Norwich Dragon Festival. The hotel also has a special Little Dragon’s Menu throughout the festival.

 

Christine Malcolm, General Manager of the Maids Head Hotel said: “Our dragon-making competition with Magdalen Gates Primary School is the first project in a new partnership with the school. The dragons make a very colourful addition to our reception and lounge areas. I do hope that visitors continue to vote for their favourite until the end of the festival.”

Hannah Collinson, Acting Deputy Head Teacher at Magdalen Gates primary school said: “Designing and making the dragons has been an exciting project for the children; creativity is an important part of the curriculum. It was wonderful for them to visit the hotel last Friday, meet the Lord Mayor and find out about such an important historic building in our local community.” 

For more information about the Maids Head Hotel t. 00 44 (0)1603 209955, www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk. 

Star Party at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, Norfolk Broads

Party with the stars at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham in the heart of the Norfolk Broads, on Saturday, February 22 from 7pm.  Telescopes will be set up for viewing the night sky, and there will talks all evening, courtesy of Norwich Astronomical Society and Breckland Astronomical Society. Do bring your own telescope and wrap up warm, but no torches as they destroy night vision. Entry is £3.50 adult, £2 child. Hot snacks, teas and coffees served in the tearoom from 7pm.

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden is at South Walsham, nine miles east of Norwich, signposted off A47 at B1140 junction, t. 01603 270449, www.fairhavengarden.co.uk.

Norwich Soprano Jane Manning returns for unique concert with Chamber Orchestra Anglia

Jane Manning: photograph Malcolm Crowthers

Chamber Orchestra Anglia and the University of East Anglia are presenting a concert with Norwich born international soprano Jane Manning at The Assembly House, Norwich on Thursday, 20 February. She is performing Shoenberg's Pierrot Lunaire, a piece which has probably not been heard live in the city for decades. Jane has performed the work more than 100 times since the 1960s.  

The concert begins at 7.30pm in the Noverre Suite. Jane Manning is giving a pre-concert talk (included in ticket price) at 6.15pm. Tickets are £15, concessions £12 and students £5, available from Prelude Records and St George's Music Shop Norwich and UEA Box Office.   

Pierrot Lunaire employs the technique of Sprechtstimme - requiring the vocal line to be half-sung and half-spoken. The presentation of the music featuring a vocal part with the backing of a small ensemble is similar to that of a cabaret, with the singer/speaking voice narrating a story. In the case of Pierrot Lunaire, the 'story' is told through 21 separate poems, originally written by the French poet Albert Giraud; Schoenberg uses the German translations by Otto Erich Hartleben.

The Assembly House concert is a unique opportunity to experience this extraordinary piece of music by one of its greatest proponents, Jane Manning, who has performed it more than 100 times. She has performed and recorded the work with great musicians such as Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Simon Rattle, Zubin Mehta, and has written a book on the performance and history of Pierrot Lunaire published in 2012 to coincide with the centenary of the composition of the piece. 

Sharon Choa, Chamber Orchestra Anglia, conductor on February 20, said: "it is an immense honour to have Jane Manning to perform this for us with principal players of Chamber Orchestra Anglia. The difficulty of the piece is such that only very few singers in the world could successfully tackle it; As a result, it is not often heard in a live performance and Norwich has certainly not experienced this music for decades. Jane Manning will also be giving a talk before the concert ensues - this promises to be both enlightening and entertaining. Audience members are encouraged to come both to the talk and the evening's performance which also includes Brahms' beautiful Clarinet Trio in A minor as a prelude of the evening's programme."

Dickleburgh Christmas Tree Festival Norfolk Donates £3,000 to Marie Curie Cancer Care

Cheque presentations at Dickleburgh Church - holding the cheques left to right:
Rev'd Norman Steer, Paul Fleet Marie Curie Cancer care and Rosemary Steer

Organisers of Dickleburgh’s 50 Christmas Trees in a Church festival met local Marie Curie Cancer Care volunteers at All Saints Dickleburgh on Monday, February 10, to present a cheque for £3,000 to the charity.

Marie Curie Cancer Care was the festival’s designated charity for 2013. Funds were raised through entry charges and a bucket collection. The Christmas tree festival, which marked its 10th anniversary in 2013, also has a public vote for the best tree with 23 cash prizes on offer for the winning trees, providing additional support for local organisations. Marie Curie Cancer care was one of the winners and the volunteers were presented with an extra £25.    

Rev’d Norman Steer, 50 Christmas Trees event organiser, who retired from the role after 10 years at the end of 2013, was the winner of the Inspiring Achievement Award at South Norfolk Council Community Volunteer Awards on February 7. He received a cheque for £250 for his nominated charity, Marie Curie Cancer Care, which was also presented to the volunteers on Monday.

Paul Fleet, Community Fundraiser, Marie Curie Cancer Care said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in raising such a fantastic sum of money. The income from the Christmas Tree fundraising will go towards supporting Marie Curie Cancer Care nurses across Norfolk. £3,000 is an incredible achievement and will help to pay for 150 nursing hours in the county”

Rev’d Norman Steer, event organiser said: “The Dickleburgh Christmas tree festival is delighted to be able to give Marie Curie Cancer Care £3,000 to support them in their work with caring for terminally ill patients in their own home. The symbol of hope, the daffodil, was displayed with pride throughout the festival and the slogan ‘Devoted to Life’ was clear to see in the fantastic statistics of the care given to over 38,777 terminally ill cases in the period 2012/2013. Our blessing and grateful thanks go to all of the members of the Marie Curie Cancer Care staff, doctors, nurses and carers and the dedicated team of fundraisers.”

Dragons at the Maids Head Hotel, Norwich

More than 40 dragons, created by children from Magdalen Gates primary school, arrived at the the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich on Friday, February 7 and were officially welcomed by the Lord Mayor of Norwich, Councillor Keith Driver.

The dragons will we on display in the hotel until Sunday, February 23, part of Norwich Dragon Festival.  A public vote for the favourite dragon will be open until Thursday, February 13.

Christine Malcolm, General Manager of the Maids Head Hotel said: “Our dragon-making competition with Magdalen Gates Primary School is the first project in a new partnership with the school. We will be developing activities with the staff to help the students learn about Norwich’s history and traditions. We are really looking forward to the Dragon Festival and hope to see lots of visitors in the Maids Head viewing the children’s dragons and voting for their favourite.”

For more information about the Maids Head Hotel t. 01603 209955, www.maidsheadhotel.co.uk.