Calendar
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The final event of this years steaming season is our hugely popular Steam Gala. As well as our beam engines in steam and pumping to keep the canal full we will also have live music from jazz to folk, dance, classic cars, traction engines in steam, stalls and crafts. All set in a Victorian theme for the weekend to ensure a fun filled time where all the family can get up close to the action.
Canal boat trips will also be available from the landing stage below Crofton so you can see the canal as the Victorian working barges would have seen it.
Our volunteers will be wearing Victorian costume in place of the usual white boiler suits to add to the occasion.
There will also be plenty of delicious food from the Engineman’s Rest Café and a BBQ to provide freshly cooked meals and snacks. Locally brewed craft beers as well as soft drinks will also be available from our bar in The Old Smithy.
We look forward to seeing you!
Watt’s Orbit
Bringing History to Life Through Sound
A Transcendental Tribute to James Watt
Watt’s Orbit is an immersive surround sound performance created by sonic artist Bobby Bird, using location recordings of engines designed by Scottish engineer and inventor James Watt, whose development of steam power helped spark the industrial revolution.
A performance of the composition will be given at St Mary’s Church Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire on 23d September 2017. Doors open at 7pm, with the performance 7.30-8.30pm. The date and location has been chosen to coincide with the last steaming weekend of the year at nearby Crofton Beam Engines, where the 200 year old Boulton & Watt engine featured in the composition can be viewed before the concert. Crofton’s engine house, bar & cafe will remain open between 5-7pm especially for concert ticket holders. Tickets: £10 each. Available from www.wattsorbit.org or onsite at Crofton.
About the artist: Bobby Bird was born in Handsworth Birmingham. He grew up with a fascination for both engines and sound, rebuilding BSAs, releasing albums as Higher Intelligence Agency and creating sound installations. He first saw a Boulton and Watt Engine in the former Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry, which he visited regularly throughout his teenage years. With Watt’s Bicentenary approaching in 2019, an idea which he had conceived of many years previously, came to fruition with an inaugural performance of Watt’s Orbit in James Watt’s final resting place, St Mary’s Handsworth, in September 2016. The performance in Great Bedwyn will be the second performance of Watts Orbit, with further performances planned for 2019.
34 Artists across 16 venues for 10 days. Walk around Hungerford and discover artists’ work displayed in businesses throughout the town. There will also be workshops, interactive exhibits, school displays, and a pop-up shop in the Town Hall. Pick up a map from the bookshop, library and other local outlets.
Located just off the A4 Bath Road is Thatcham Memorial Ground, home to Thatcham’s biggest boot sale. Thatcham Memorial Hall and Grounds is a registered charity (charity number 300214). The money raised helps maintain the grounds and make improvements for the community.
Sellers can arrive any time after 07.30 (please do not arrive before this time as we need time to setup). Buyers will be let in at 08.30 so get there early if you want time to set up and grab a coffee from the catering van.
We have space for 150+ sellers and parking for 250+ buyer vehicles. The memorial car park (by the tennis courts) is 50p for two hours, the council car park (by the cricket club) is free on Sundays and the overflow car park is free after 9am (it does not open until 9am due to health and safety reasons). For more information on available parking click here.
If you are a buyer please remember to park sensibly, it does get very busy but if you are struggling to find a space contact a marshall who will try to help but cannot work miracles :). We have a large overflow car park open from 9am as well as limited disabled spaces. There is a nursing home in the area so please do not use their private car park or parking by the entrance to ensure they have access for medical vehicles at all times.
Learn to prepare Spring Rolls and Spicy Samosas. We’ll be chopping, mixing and wrapping in this foodie workshop, and taking our creations home to cook. All ingredients provided.
This will be a creative workshop with the Artist and experienced teacher Rebecca Swainston. Participants will be encouraged to observe their suroundings and helped to make a lively visual record of their walk. Suggested approaches will provide stimulus for each drawing for a relaxed, fun and informative morning of drawing.Accompanied teenagers and adults.
The dates for the Repair Cafes in 2017 will be: 24 September, 12 November.
All are held on Sundays, between 2-5pm. Keep the dates free and come along!
Repair Cafe will be joined by Free Shop, which is moving from its current ‘first Saturday of the month’ slot. So, an opportunity to bring, take, or both, running alongside the Repair Cafe.
Background:
The Repair Café movement is a reaction to today’s throw-away mentality. Bring a broken item to the café and volunteers will help you mend it, advise on repair or explain why it can’t be fixed. It’s a social way of keeping good stuff out of landfill. The café bit is important, have a coffee and some cake whilst waiting 
Visit www.repaircafe.org for more info.
Thanks to SBC New Shoots grant and to Sugru for help with our Swindon start up costs.
PLEASE NOTE:
The Repair Café is an international concept, brought to Swindon by residents and Eastcott Community Organisation. Our volunteer repairers are usually able to help with laptops, textiles, clothes, bric a brac etc. We are unable to help with electrical items.
Any repair advice or assistance provided by individuals outside the Repair Café (including advice given on this Facebook page) are a private arrangement between individuals, and the Repair Cafe/Eastcott Community Organisation accepts no liability for any outcome of the advice or assistance offered.
34 Artists across 16 venues for 10 days. Walk around Hungerford and discover artists’ work displayed in businesses throughout the town. There will also be workshops, interactive exhibits, school displays, and a pop-up shop in the Town Hall. Pick up a map from the bookshop, library and other local outlets.
Enjoy a morning of drawing with fellow artists in this inspiring environment, and perhaps linger for coffee afterwards.Part of the Arts for Hungerford Visual Arts Trail
A series of free weekly drop-in sessions designed to provide support for people living with dementia and their loved ones.
Join us each week to experience the relaxing power of nature through crafts and other activities and enjoy a piece of delicious homemade cake with a hot drink. Don’t worry if you’re not artistic, or would prefer to just enjoy the cake, everyone is welcome!
These sessions are free thanks to generous donations, which mean that the cafe can continue for 2017.
34 Artists across 16 venues for 10 days. Walk around Hungerford and discover artists’ work displayed in businesses throughout the town. There will also be workshops, interactive exhibits, school displays, and a pop-up shop in the Town Hall. Pick up a map from the bookshop, library and other local outlets.
Recent work from a group of Mid Wales Textile Artists.
In 4 sessions students will learn how to smock, basic smocking stitches and how to pleat fabric ready to smock. You will aim to make a small sampler of smocking stitches, this sampler can be used as an insert for a book or to make a lavender sachet or simple pin cushion.
Dates: Tuesday 26th September, 3rd, 10th and 17th October
Skill level required: Beginner
Cost: £76 – Book Now
Reminiscence Group at Hungerford Library
Come and talk about past times and share your memories.
The first meeting will be on 27th September 2016, 11:00am-12:00pm.
Cancer Support Group for peopling living with or affected by cancer and/or their carers and loved ones past and present.
A friendly and welcoming new local group, they warmly invite you to join us for free tea/coffee & cake, whether you want to share experiences, listen, seek information or meet people.
“Nobody gets nervous when I mention ‘The Big C’ It’s a shared experience not a conversation stopper”
- Meets last Tuesday of the Month
- Bear Hotel 2pm to 4pm
34 Artists across 16 venues for 10 days. Walk around Hungerford and discover artists’ work displayed in businesses throughout the town. There will also be workshops, interactive exhibits, school displays, and a pop-up shop in the Town Hall. Pick up a map from the bookshop, library and other local outlets.
Learn upholstery techniques while working on your own project with visiting tutor Kate Powell
We are able to offer this course for £150 for 6 sessions (27th Sept, 18th Oct, 15th Nov, 31st Jan, 21st Feb and 21st Mar)
A networking group for ladies in business in and around Marlborough – because there’s no point being fabulous all on your own! Join the facebook group to post events; share things about your business; post a testimonial or recommendation of a product or service used and offer advice, tips, support and inspiration.
The group meets every 4th Wednesday every month at the cafe at St Peter’s Church, SN8 1HQ
Stay for the whole session or just drop in for a quick coffee. This is a no membership, no fee informal networking group. No competition, just plenty of Support, Collaboration, Friendship, Inspiration and Motivation!
Run by Diana Barraclough
Description-Beach combing wouldn’t be complete without picking up a perfect pebble.
So come and make a pebble out of clay, using a slab and coil technique.We will decorate them and they will be fired for you and will be weather proof for your garden.Part of the Arts for Hungerford Visual Arts Trail. Tickets available from ArtsforHungerford.com or buy in person at the Hungerford Bookshop
Recent work from a group of Mid Wales Textile Artists.
34 Artists across 16 venues for 10 days. Walk around Hungerford and discover artists’ work displayed in businesses throughout the town. There will also be workshops, interactive exhibits, school displays, and a pop-up shop in the Town Hall. Pick up a map from the bookshop, library and other local outlets.
Recent work from a group of Mid Wales Textile Artists.
Madame Danielle Simpson, a native speaker of French living in Newbury, leads a weekly conversational French class. We welcome people of all abilities. Most members of the class can sustain a conversation in French without resorting to English. If you would like to join the class, come along and see what we do. It is an enjoyable couple of hours each Thursday morning. It will keep you in contact with the language and others who live around Newbury and speak French.
When and where
Every Thursday morning from 10-12 in Saint Joseph’s Church Hall in Newbury.
Craft and Chat at Newbury Library
Bring along your knitting, sewing or any craft to our free Craft and Chat group. The group meets every week on Thursday, between 11am – 1pm.
http://info.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=30251
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WBerksLibraries
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newburylibrary/
Upbeat dance class inspired by Strictly Come Dancing. Plenty of Latin and Ballroom rhythms to keep you moving!
Friendly group.
For more details see fitsteps.co.uk
James Hamilton talks about his exhilarating and critically acclaimed new biography of the artist Thomas Gainsborough – recently Radio 4 Book of the Week – to coincide with Hungerford Visual Arts Trail.
Tickets £6 (includes a glass of wine and £5 off the book on the night)
Including Supper
34 Artists across 16 venues for 10 days. Walk around Hungerford and discover artists’ work displayed in businesses throughout the town. There will also be workshops, interactive exhibits, school displays, and a pop-up shop in the Town Hall. Pick up a map from the bookshop, library and other local outlets.
The area covered by Penny Post:
Penny Post is proud to be part of:
