First up is a new monthly meeting on Wednesday 3rd July. This will be hosted by Les Draper Eames at The Compass, Green Street, Milton Malsor, NN7 3AT. At the time of writing I'm not sure of the start time but if you turn up for 8pm you won't go far wrong. Our regular Northampton meeting is 25 hours later:
Thursday 4th July at 9pm sees us at The Abington, Wellingborough Road, Northampton, NN1 4EY. Originally a hotel, this pub has gone through several incarnations over the years - from horribly trendy in the 1970s to having its own brewhouse about 15 years ago. If you enter through the main door on Wellingborough Road we will be in the room on the left.
As ever, we're at the Millstream, Cambridge Road, Hitchin. Good food and good beer both available! Call me on [Phone Number] for more details and encouragement. The pub is about ten minutes' walk from the railway station.
Firstly, please join me at Jung's Continental Bakery and Patisserie on the Broadway in Beaconsfield for relaxed coffee, delicious cakes and pastries and pleasant chat from 10:30am onwards on Thursday, 4th July. After coffee we will walk to Beaconsfield Library to look at their celebratory exhibition on Enid Blyton's life and work.
As our regular "5th of the month" get together falls on a Friday I'm making this a new members evening. So if you've never been to one of our social events before and would like to see what you've been missing, suggest events for the future and meet other members, why not pop along to the Vat & Fiddle pub on Queensbridge Road (near Nottingham Railway Station) any time from 8.00pm until late. We are usually in the Golding's Room to the left of the bar (that has a large window looking straight into the adjacent Castle Rock Brewery) and the Mensa logo will be on display. Feel free to phone/email in advance if you need some persuasion to come along. We don't bite!
"A favourite book", kindly hosted by David Silver.
Please contact me if you wish to attend and I can let you have the address details.
Share one your favourite books with us.
Please bring the usual small amount of nibbles or soft drink.
Our first get-together this month is a Mongolian barbecue meal at The Sizzling Wok, in The Broadway, Bedford, on Wednesday 10th. We've been here several times before and it's always popular - it's a very social type of meal where you help yourself to raw ingredients (meat, veg, spices and marinades) and then give them to the chefs to stir fry for you. You can go back as many times as you like, so it's good value. It's also great fun, so do give it a try if you've never been! We'll meet at 8pm, but please let me know by Monday 8th if you plan to come along, so I can book a table if necessary
From 7.30pm on Thursday 11th we'll be at the Beekeeper pub/restaurant on Meadow Lane in Beeston for our "natter & nosh" event. Come and eat and/or chat. It's a Hungry Horse venue so good value. This month we have vouchers for one free drink with every main meal ordered. So that's a pint of Greene King IPA, Fosters, Strongbow, 175ml glass of wine, a Woo Woo cocktail, Coke, diet Coke or lemonade. This is a popular event and members come and go throughout the evening so stay as long as you like. Look for a yellow Mblem on the long table at the end of the bar near the food order point.
A team of us will be taking part in Nottingham Relay For Life from 12 noon Saturday 13th to 12 noon Sunday 14th. The venue is Harvey Hadden Stadium in Bilborough and you are welcome to visit us any time. There is free parking and free admission.
Proceeds from the event will go to Cancer Research UK.
Throughout daylight hours there is a whole entertainment programme (put together by yours truly!) including free zumba and burlesque classes, martial arts and re-enactment demonstrations, live bands playing a variety of music, themed fancy dress laps on the hour every hour, water zorbing, bunjay run and bouncy castle. Plus food stalls selling burgers, hot dogs, jacket potatoes, pastas, salads, soups, all day breakfasts and ice cream.
As well as at least one member of each team walking on the track for the entire 24 hours (to signify that cancer never sleeps) they will be organising fundraising activities too. Find us in the "Cocktail Crew" big white marquee, come and say hello, relax in our bar with a fruity cocktail and soak up the lovely fun family atmosphere.
All ages welcome!
If you, or anyone you know, have ever been diagnosed with cancer you are entitled to register for free and take part in the first lap as one of our guests of honour, receive a survivor T-shirt and attend a tea party at the event. Please get in touch if you'd like further information.
My "Cocktail Crew" team have already raised £5,000 this year for Cancer Research UK so a big thank you to everyone who has supported our raffles, sheep racing, greyhound racing, pamper night, quiz night, etc. It's very much appreciated.
Then we are heading off to one of the far-flung corners of the county for a lunchtime meal. It's on Saturday 13th July at 12.30pm, meeting at The Butchers Arms, Whittall Street, King's Sutton, OX17 3RD. Pre-booking not required but if you are coming along I'd appreciate being told so that I know who to expect. Once we have all met up we will grab some tables and make our selections from the menu (pay as you go). If it's a nice day we'll walk it off with a stroll round the village.
Postponed from June, our pub discussion topic will involve challenging our gut reactions with, 'Exactly why are taboos like cannibalism and incest wrong?' To add your pennyworth, do join us at the Adam and Eve on Lindum Hill, Lincoln, Saturday 13th July from 12.05 until we all go home 2 or 3 hours later, stay as long or short a time as you like, just listen or join in, have lunch or not ......
On Monday 15th we continue our Third Monday of the Month quiz meetings at The Barge at Woolstone. Please note that we will only be arriving from 8.30pm in time for the quiz at 9pm - we are no longer meeting earlier to eat first. The quiz costs £1 per person - there is no limit on team size, although if we have a large group we can always split into two. See www.vintageinn.co.uk/thebargewoolstone/ for location. If possible, please let me know beforehand if you're coming so we can reserve a big enough table.
Our regular get together at the Standing Order on Irongate in the city centre takes place from 7.30pm on Wednesday 17th. Come along for a meal, snack or just a drink, pop in for half an hour or stay all evening. New faces always welcome. Find us displaying a yellow Mblem in the low ceiling area at the rear of the pub
And now it's the turn of the Roadshow, which goes to a place I have been trying to put on the itinerary for a long time. On Thursday 18th July at 8pm we are going to Rushden Station, Station Approach, Rushden, NN10 0AW. The old railway station now hosts the Rushden Historical Transport Society and the old Ladies Waiting Room is now the bar. If you get there before 8pm meet us at the bottom of the stairs so that we can all go in together to be signed in. If you arrive later head to the bar and find someone to sign you in, then look for us. As it's a club there will be a £1 temporary membership fee to pay (unless you happen to be a member of the RHTS of course).
The last walk we did around Crich was popular so on Sunday 21st we're trying a different route. Meet at Ambergate railway station car park (£2.00 for 24 hours or free on-street parking may be available nearby) at 10.00am for a circular walk of four miles.
The route passes through Shining Cliff Woods, once a royal hunting forest and now a site of special scientific interest due to the huge variety of plants and animals so birdwatchers very welcome. You will see the Betty Kenny yew tree where Betty, her husband and eight children are said to have lived in the late 1700s. A bough was hollowed out to create a cradle and this is the origin of the "rock a bye baby" nursery rhyme.
After working up an appetite there will be an optional eat-as-much-as-you-like Chinese buffet lunch for £8 per person at the Memory Of China restaurant back near the railway station. Please phone beforehand to check the walk is still going ahead in case of rainy weather.
Continuing the Enid Blyton theme, we will visit the gardens of her former cottage at Old Thatch, Coldmoorholme Lane, Bourne End, Bucks. SL8 5PS on the afternoon of Sunday 21st July. Meet at the entrance at 2:30pm. See http://www.oldthatchgardens.co.uk/finding.htm for directions and parking. Refreshments are available at the cottage. If the weather is good we may go for a walk along the Thames afterwards. Please ring me on [Phone Number] or e-mail me at [Email] for directions / encouragement.
Pub meeting King's Head, Bridge Road, Hunton Bridge WD4 8RE We usually meet upstairs in the 'gallery' area furthest from the bar. The pub is easy to find from the dual carriageway (A41 Watford Road) From Watford turn right at the traffic lights, over the small bridge and then on the right. Look for the magazine or ask at the bar. New members are warmly welcomed.
For our midweek eating we are venturing out to the Pyewipe Inn on the Saxilby Road, Tuesday 23rd July at 7pm. All welcome but please book with me by Sat 20th, thanks.
As ever, we'll be at the Cowper Arms, Digswell, Herts (by Welwyn North station). Call me on [Phone Number] for more details and encouragement. The pub is next to the railway station, which is served by stopping trains from Kings Cross to Cambridge and Peterborough.
The highlight of the month is another wonderful tea in Helen and Paul's lovely garden near Spilsby on Sunday 28th July, 2.30-5.30. All very welcome, just let them know you plan to attend to ease catering decisions, [Phone Number] or [Email]
Sunday breakfast will be at 10.30 am (please note the slightly later time!) on Sunday 28th at Wetherspoons on Midsummer Boulevard West, next to Chiquito's and not far up from the railway station (NOT the other Lloyds/Wetherspoons nearer the shopping centre and next to Jury's Inn). Come for a full breakfast, a snack, or just a drink - look for the Mblem on a table.
At 7.30pm on Tuesday 30th our "eating meeting" will be at Fresh Ground, King Street, Belper. This eatery comes highly recommended by Mensa members and serves tapas, deli plates and daily specials along with a selection of teas, coffees, soft drinks, wines and speciality beers at very reasonable prices. Please book your place by 26th so a table can be reserved.