MEMBERS’ CORNER
Members’ Corner Budding Artists! Four of us from Giffnock NWR had a fun afternoon with a difference in November. We visited Vine and Canvas Painting and Wine Studio in central Glasgow. Heather, our art tutor, guided us through the use of acrylic paint and different brush types. As novice artists we started off hesitantly, but soon moved on to flourishing strokes, enthusiastic dabbing and mixing colours, no doubt due to our creative juices being awakened
Celebrating 35 years!
On a gloriously sunny day in September last year, 10 members of Harwich and Dovercourt NWR set out for Markshall Estate in Essex, to mark the 35th anniversary of the founding of our group. LO Jan asked members to wear something with the colour coral or jade. For many it was our first adventure since the lifting of Covid restrictions in July, and very welcome. On arrival we had a brief refreshment stop and a short welcome talk by a member of staff before joining our volunteer guide Brian for a walking tour of the grounds. An excellent and very informative guide, Brian drove his buggy around which was also available to
Above: Leighton Buzzard NWR, having a little sit down during a lovely walk in Swanbourne, Buckinghamshire. Still young at heart!
by intervening sips of wine. A great afternoon and we each went home with our very own masterpiece of that day’s image.
Below: Carnon Downs and Playing Place NWR enjoy their food, as you can see from the spread they put on for their Spanish evening, which included a Tarte de Santiago. They are also a handy bunch: they used a craft evening to make Christmas cards with scraps of material.
Good lives
Like many groups, Thame NWR had been having the majority of our meetings via Zoom. One of these was an obituaries members should they need a little rest. evening. It sounds a bit serious, but it was When we reached the lake, some of us not grim at all! regretted not having bought fish food We covered Barry Cryer, who gave for the large carp, who were so used to many of us a lifetime of chuckles, and visitors that they headed to the side on Eileen Ash, a cricketer who died in sensing visitors, in the hope of being fed. December aged 110. Fortunately Brian did bring some with him One member wrote an obituary for so we were entertained by the feeding Anne Boleyn and another shared the fish, quite a remarkable sight. obituaries of a couple of academics The arboretum was of special interest with its variety of trees from different parts known to her. Others told us about family members where they learnt more about of the globe, and we were especially their achievements from the obituaries taken with those of the southern than they ever did during their lifetimes. hemisphere (Gondwanaland) such as the It was a good evening, not too onerous monkey puzzle from the dinosaur’s age, on anyone, and worked well on Zoom. the curious ancient Wollemi pines and the Wendy Prestage scented eucalyptus. Later, Brian left us Thame NWR to wander at our leisure on our way back to the Visitor Centre for lunch, taking in the walled garden on the way. After lunch chosen from freshly made sandwiches and a large selection of delicious cakes, there was an opportunity to visit the gift shop and to purchase plants from the garden centre. There was so much to see that a return visit is essential, perhaps at a different season. Jan Dunbar Harwich and Dovercourt NWR
To Wendy!
Above and right: Some of the 12 strong team from Beccles NWR, thoroughly enjoying their TTT evening
In October last year Chandler’s Ford Group D met for a celebratory lunch (above) to remember Wendy Aspden who died in 2018. Wendy was a great member and, at that time, the oldest member. She had so enjoyed being one of us that she left a donation for a group celebratory lunch. Members were able to share some fond and amusing memories of her time with us, as well as enjoy an excellent lunch, which was held at the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens Garden Restaurant. Hillier Gardens is a world class arboretum with a variety of walks that are enjoyed by many in the group. It is a place of beauty, for contemplation and peace, and was a fitting place for us to remember Wendy. NWR Magazine Spring 2022
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