FANN13 – The 2013 Norwich Lecture – Thursday 7 November at University of East Anglia

Norfolk Association of Architects’ 2013 Norwich Lecture will be given by internationally renowned Portuguese architect Álvaro Siza Vieira on Thursday 7 November, 6.30pm for 7pm in Lecture Theatre 1, University of East Anglia, Norwich

The lecture is in association with UEA and is supported by RG Carter. The lecture is free, no booking required.

Álvaro Siza Vieira accolades include the 2009 RIBA Gold Medal, the Venice Biennale's Golden Lion, the Pritzker Prize and the International Union of Architects Gold Medal.  The event brings FANN13, the Festival of Architecture in Norwich and Norfolk to a close. For more information see www.fann.org.uk

Great Yarmouth Graveyard Walk – Heritage Walks Autumn Holiday Special – October 31

Great Yarmouth Minster

Great Yarmouth Minster and its graveyard is the setting for The Graveyard Walk at 2pm on Thursday, October 31. Meet at the Fishermen’s Hospital gates at the northern end of the market to hear fascinating stories about characters laid to rest in this large consecrated area next to the medieval town wall. 

Places must be booked in advance on 01493 846346 or at Great Yarmouth Tourist Information Centre, Marine Parade. Prices: £6.50 adults, £4.50 children (7-16), under 7’s free; 10 paying people minimum required for the walk to go ahead. Price includes refreshments.  Walk lasts approx. two hours. 

There’s the tomb of a sailor killed by pirates and a ghost story about an Egyptian princess. Hear about James Sharman (d.1867), the first curator of the Nelson Monument. Charles Dickens based the character Peggoty in David Copperfield on Mr Sharman, who served on HMS Victory at Trafalgar as a ‘pressed man’ and claimed to have carried Nelson’s body below decks.  

See the monument commemorating those who died in the suspension bridge disaster of 1845 and discover the bricked up gate where some of Nelson’s sailors took their final journey, visit the town cemetery where sailors and merchants lie side by side next to six listed memorials.

For more information about Great Yarmouth’s Heritage Walks see www.heritage-walks.co.uk. 

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden - Norfolk Broads - October Half Term Activities

It’s Grow Your Own Oak Tree Week at Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden, South Walsham in the Norfolk Broads from Saturday, October 26 to Sunday, November 3, daily 10am to 5pm. Head into the garden and forage for your own acorn, then take it away in a recycled pot filled with Fairhaven leaf soil.

Then on Tuesday, October 29, it’s Bird Day with the RSPB, from 11am to 3pm. Prepare your garden for birds this winter by making bird feeders and bird boxes (small charge for bird box).

Normal entry charges apply for both activities: adult £6, senior citizen £5.50 and child £3.50 (under five free).

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

The garden is open daily all year, 10am to 5pm  (10am to 4pm during the winter and closed Christmas Day). Free entry to tearoom, gift shop and plant sales.

There is wheelchair access throughout the garden, including a 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.

Fairhaven Garden - Norfolk Broads - Halloween Haunted Trail – Thursday, October 31

Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden at South Walsham in the Norfolk Broads invites you to scare yourself silly on the spooky trail round the garden – the 14th annual Halloween Haunted Trail, on Thursday, October 31, from 6pm to 8pm. 

Enjoy watching fire artists and live music from The Grim Reapazz. Watch out for Dracula appearing from his coffin and zombies, mummies and witches on the trail, along with a firework finale at 7.45pm. 

Tickets cost, adults £6, concessions £5 and children (age 3-16)  £3.50. Visitors can go round the trail as many times as they dare and should bring their own torch. Ticket only event, to book t. 01603 270449. Hot soup, sandwiches and snacks will be on sale in the tearoom. Please note this event is not suitable for children under 3, pushchairs and dogs.

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

The garden is open daily all year (closed Christmas Day) 10am to 5pm (closes 4pm in the winter), free entry to tearoom, gift shop and plant sales. 

Maids Heads Hotel Norwich – Young Polish Head Chef Launches First Menu

Marcin Pomierny (28), the new Head Chef at the historic four-star Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, has launched his first seasonally inspired menu, entirely sourced from Norfolk suppliers.

Marcin, who trained as a chef in Poland, has worked in Norwich since 2005. He arrived in the UK with minimal English, secured a job as a kitchen porter and has learned the language and the British way of running a kitchen on the job, to become a Head Chef in just eight years. He was a finalist in the Craft Guild of Chefs Young Chef of the Year competition in 2008.

Marcin Pomierny and David Lovett

Marcin leads a young brigade of six. David Lovett (25), Sous Chef, is also new to the Maids Head. A self-confessed tearaway as a youngster, he left school with no qualifications, but was inspired to pursue professional cooking as a career when he began as a kitchen porter in Norwich aged 18.

Highlights from the new menu:
Starters
Norfolk rabbit & chicken terrine, celeriac remoulade, spicy chutney and toasted sourdough bread.
Dill salmon gravlax, blini, pickled cucumber, beetroot & caper dressing.
Main Courses
Pumpkin & potato gnocchi, wild mushrooms and runner beans, mixed leaf salad.
Seared fillet of sea bream, saffron turned potatoes, buttered spinach, crispy leaks and sauce vierge.
Desserts
Pear tarte tatin, clotted cream ice cream.
Hazelnut parfait, vanilla marshmallow, candied hazelnuts, shortbread, chocolate sauce.

Marcin Pomierny said: “Working at the Maids Head gives me the opportunity to be creative. I test all new dishes with staff before they go on the menu. I am planning to develop some Maids Head signature dishes based on traditional English food and am very keen to secure a second AA Rosette for the restaurant. I am very happy to teach my team and help them progress, focussing both on the method of cooking and its presentation.”

David Lovett added: “I like to make dishes that people can’t make at home. It’s all about the texture and creativity. Marcin, who is know as ‘Magic’, is a very hard worker and creates a good atmosphere in the kitchen making it a strong team.”

Christine Malcolm, General Manager the Maids Head Hotel said: “We run a very busy multi-faceted catering business combining the restaurant, lounge and bars with special functions, conferences and weddings. Marcin and David have brought energy, creativity and passion to our kitchen and share our ambition to make the Maids Head one of the top food destinations in the region.”

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

FANN 13 – The Festival of Architecture for Norfolk and Norwich 10 October to 7 November

FANN13, the Norfolk Association of Architects’ biennial festival celebrating the county’s contemporary architecture, returns from Thursday 10 October to Thursday 7 November with a packed programme of events in Norwich.

Many of the events are free and include an exhibition showcasing Norfolk architects’ work and Perspectives talks at The Forum; The Norwich Lecture, this year given by internationally renowned award-winning architect Álvaro Siza Vieira at UEA; architecture inspired art at venues across the city; children’s events at Norwich Castle and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts; Tea with an Architect on Norwich Market; a photography competition in association with EDP ‘NorfolkIs’; Pattern Book an exhibition on tumblr by first year students at Norwich University of The Arts and films and a Pecha Kucha evening at Cinema City.

Matt Wood from Lucas Hickman Smith, Chair of the FANN 13 steering group said:  “We have created an exciting programme of activities in Norwich, which we hope will increase interest and understanding of the role that contemporary architecture plays in Norfolk’s cultural life and the changing face of the county. We are also looking forward to welcoming Álvaro Siza Vieira to Norwich. His lecture at UEA on 7 November will close the festival. Do come along and meet us at The Forum, enter our photography competition and take part in our events.”

For full details go to www.fann.org.uk, email info@fann.org.uk and follow the Festival on Twitter @ArchiFestival #FANN13 and Facebook.

FANN 13 Events

FANN 13 Exhibition: the Festival Exhibition at The Forum, Thursday 10 to Thursday 17 October and Sunday 20 to Wednesday 23 October inclusive, showcasing work of Norfolk’s architectural practices, in the city, county and further afield. Winning projects in the Norwich Society’s Annual Awards and the South Norfolk Council Design Awards will also feature. Meet and chat with local architects every day from 9am to 6pm.

Architects exhibiting: A Squared Architects, Chaplin Farrant, Keith Day Architects, DPA Architects, Feilden & Mawson, Hudson Architects, Ingleton Wood, Henry Kelf, Lambert Bardsley Reeve, LSI Architects, Lucas Hickman Smith, NPS Group, Parsons + Whittley, Margaret Paxton, Purcell Architects, Reynolds Jury Architecture, Roberts Molloy Associates, SMG Architects, Lewis + Tyrrell Architects and The Whitworth Co-Partnership.

Perspectives: a series of free early evening talks aimed at giving fresh perspective on architecture in the region:

 David Bussey on George Skipper, in association with the Sainsbury Centre’s Masterpieces: Art and East Anglia. Wednesday 16 October, 6.30pm to 7.30.pm at The Curve in The Forum. David Bussey will discuss the work of leading Edwardian and Norwich born architect, George Skipper.
 John Worthington on Collaborative Urbanism: The Shaping of Enjoyable Places, in association with Norwich University of the Arts. Tuesday 22 October. 6.30pm to 7.30pm at The Lecture Theatre, NUA, Duke Street, Norwich. John Worthington is co-founder of DEGW, Director of the Academy of Urbanism and Patron of the Urban Design Group.
 Reenie Elliott on Invisible Architecture: Coast, Nature and Artifice
Wednesday 23 October, 6.30pm to 7.30pm at The Curve at The Forum
Contrasting American, Dutch and British examples, including tidal and extreme landscape conditions, architect Reenie Elliott considers how formal architectures are reclaimed for the wilderness. Challenging oppositions between nature and artifice, Reenie will discuss regional attitudes to these cultural constructions, and how they shape our understanding of architecture.

Junior Architects: Half-term events to inspire the budding architect.
 Curious Architecture: Norwich Castle, Timothy Gurney Gallery, 28 and 29 October, 11am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Design your own folly with help from local architects. Drop in family activity, free with museum entry.
 Space Shelters: Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts, UEA, 31 October, 10.30am to 3pm. Work with artist Liz Ballard and architect Liz Harris to build temporary shelters inspired by habitats designed for Mars and the Moon. Price: £18, £14 concessions; includes materials; Booking essential, t 01603 593199, event suitable for young people aged 12-15.

Playing with Space: a collection of short films and video-clips exploring how buildings and urban spaces are used and abused in a variety of unexpected, amusing and sometimes frightening ways. Sunday 20 October, 11am and 12 noon (runs 58 minutes), free event at Fusion, The Forum. Originally curated by Tim Philips and Norwich-based artists Townley & Bradby for firstsite in Colchester.

NUA Architecture: The Pattern Book – first-year architecture students from Norwich University of the Arts will be creating a live exhibition of their first impressions of Norwich, sharing pages from their sketchbooks via Tumblr and Twitter. Follow the online exhibition from 10 to 25 October at patternbook.tumblr.com.

FANN13 Pecha Kucha
Pecha Kucha is a fast-moving presentation format in which speakers talk to 20 slides each for exactly 20 seconds. Presentations can feature any creative subject, for example art, design, travel and food. But expect the FANN13 PK-Night to feature plenty of architecture! Cinema City Bar, Sunday 20 October, 20.20hrs. Anyone can register to present – see www.pechakucha.org/cities/norwich for more details.

Tea with an Architect: Norwich Market, Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 October:
If you’re thinking about a building project but don’t know where to start, our Tea with an Architect event is a great opportunity for you to bring in your ideas, designs and questions for a free consultation with a local architect. Donations to Shelter, RIBA supported charity. Event in association with Norwich City Council, Tea With an Architect and The Little Red Roaster. To book an appointment go to http://teawithanarchitect.com/events/fann-event.

Norfolk Association of Architects’ Norwich Lecture 2013
Thursday 7 November, Lecture Theatre 1, UEA, 6.30pm for 7pm, free event.
The Norwich Lecture will be given by internationally renowned award-winning architect Álvaro Siza Vieira. His accolades include the 2009 RIBA Gold Medal, the Venice Biennale’s Golden Lion, the Pritzker prize and the International Union of Architects Gold Medal.

Photography Competition: Norfolk has many beautiful buildings and structures, old and new, side by side. Architecture surrounds you every day: your walk to work, your city, your village, your house. Together let’s paint a picture of the real Norfolk thorough the contemporary architecture that surrounds us. Open competition in association with EDP NorfolkIs; plus under-15 competition, see www.fann.org.uk for more details (closing date 10 October).

Architecture in Film: architecture surrounds us, forming the backdrop for our daily lives. It is no surprise that it also features in films – rarely as the main event, but always adding atmosphere and context. A short series of films at Cinema City, Norwich:
 Red Road (18) (2006), directed by Andrea Arnold
Sunday 13 October at 5.20pm, introduced by Charles Barr, Professor Emeritus of Film Studies at UEA.
 A Clockwork Orange (18) (1971), directed by Stanley Kubrick
Thursday 17 October at 8.15pm, introduced by Peter Kramer, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at UEA, and author of A Clockwork Orange (Controversies).
 Farenheit 451 (12A) (1966), directed by François Truffaut
Monday 21 October at 8.30pm, introduced by Dr. James Benedict Brown, Lecturer in Architecture at NUA.
See www.picturehouses.co.uk/cinema/Cinema_City or call 0871 902 5724 for ticket prices.

Constructing Excellence AGM 2013 – The UEA Exemplar Low Carbon Building
A talk by Ben Binns of the UEA’s Adapt Low Carbon Group and Ben Humphries of Architype Architects. Monday 14 October 2013, 6.30pm to 8.30pm, The Curve at The Forum (see www.fann.org.uk for booking details).

Norfolk Deaf Association Opens New HQ on Thorpe Road Norwich

Norfolk Deaf Association (NDA) has moved to new headquarters at 120 Thorpe Road in Norwich, and marked the opening of the new office with the charity’s Annual Public Meeting on Thursday 19 September.

Pictured left to right are Christopher Doggett Treasurer NDA, Tony Innes, Chairman NDA and David Baguley, Head of Service Audiology / Hearing Implants,  Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, who was guest speaker at the Annual Public Meeting

Tony Innes, Chairman NDA Trustees explained: “Our old office at Silver Road had served us well, but had become less suitable for our needs, with difficult first floor access. Our lease was coming to an end, so we decided to look for new premises. The office at 120 Thorpe Road, close to Norwich station and well served by public transport, is just what we need. The premises are on the ground floor, with good wheelchair access, dedicated parking spaces and much better facilities for our clinics, supports groups and volunteer training.”  

Sylvia Rogers from North Walsham, a volunteer with the NDA Hearing Support Service added: “I suffer from hearing loss and know how important it is to have people who can understand your problems, so I trained as a volunteer 18 months ago and work at the Hearing Support Service clinic in our head office. Thorpe Road is much more convenient; we have a better room for the clinic and it is easy to get help and advice from staff who are close by. Being involved with NDA keeps me up to date and makes me realise that I am not alone.”      

Jack Bradstock has been working as a volunteer at the Assisted Listening Devices clinic for a year: “Thorpe Road is very easy to find and more people have been coming to our clinics. The office is on the ground floor, so it is easy for visitors of all abilities to enter the building.”

Norfolk Deaf Association 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.

Hearing Support Service – volunteers help people affected by hearing loss, advising them on the use, cleaning and maintenance of hearing aids. Home visits are offered for those with limited mobility, and there are 50 static clinics and 28 mobile clinics, provided by the Listen Here! Bus, in towns and villages in Norfolk. The mobile clinic also visits 25 sheltered housing complexes. The timetables for both the static and mobile clinics can be downloaded from the website at www.norfolkdeaf.org.uk, or tel. 01603 404440 (voice/minicom).

Static Clinics include Blakeney, Coltishall, Fakenham, Gorleston, Holt, Ludham, Sheringham and Wells-next-the-Sea. Mobile Clinics include Acle, Aylsham, Bunwell, Dereham, Diss, Harleston, Hingham, Hoveton, North Walsham, Reepham, Stalham, Swaffham, Taverham, Thetford, Watton and Wymondham.

In addition NDA runs an Assistive Listening Devices advice and support clinic on Thursday mornings between 10am and 1pm at the Thorpe Road headquarters.  This is ideal for anyone thinking of buying equipment to enhance hearing. A wide variety of equipment is on display including induction loops, wireless listeners, flashing and vibrating doorbells, vibrating alarm clocks, smoke alarms, telephone amplifiers and mobile phones.

Norfolk Deaf Association is at 120 Thorpe Road, Norwich NR1 1RT, t. 01603 404440
(voice/minicom).