Our first Thursday Northampton event is on 3rd May at 8pm and it's one with a difference. Join us in the function room of The Picturedrome for the monthly "Film Lab", which is an eclectic mix of videos, slide shows and music by local artists. Admission is free but you will need to get there fairly early to guarantee a seat.
Please join us on the 3rd from 8pm for informal First Thursday chat at The Old Beams at Shenley Lodge. We will try to get a table in the small room at the right hand end - look out for the Mblem or mag. See http://www.mcmullens.co.uk/oldbeams for location, menu etc. Feel free to join us for a meal or just a drink.
Regular first Thursday of the month meeting and what better way to start the Easter weekend? Come and join us! We'll be around for our usual mix of lively conversation and a good atmosphere. As always, 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.
There's lots happening this month starting with our regular get together from 8.00pm on Saturday 5th in the Golding's Room at the Vat & Fiddle pub. This is on Queensbridge Road near Nottingham railway station, close to Broad Marsh bus station and with free parking right outside. It's good to see that attendance has been increasing over recent months. Males and females of all ages welcome.
Hopefully the Spring weather will be kind to us as the first of our country strolls is on Monday 7th May at 11am. The "LIV" walk is a 3 mile circular from Brixworth (not to be confused with Blisworth!), followed by a pub lunch. Park safely somewhere in the village and meet outside the Coach & Horses in Harborough Road. This event is weather permitting so you might want to phone me before you set off. If you can't make it for the walk feel free to join us for lunch around 12.45pm.
Continuing our "natter & nosh" events we'll be meeting at the Beekeeper pub in Beeston from 7.30pm on Thursday 10th for good value food and/or drink. Come early, come later, pop in briefly or stay all evening. We should be on the first long table near the food order point but a yellow Mblem will be on display.
2SaOTM, Saturday 12th May, 12.05, until 2pm.. or 3pm.. or longer. Do join us at the Adam & Eve on Lindum Hill, Lincoln for lunch or just a drink. Our main discussion will start at about 12.30 on 'How important are the Arts?', then we will wander off onto other topics. For encouragement: [Email]
Sandy and Janine are kindly opening their home on the Mackworth Estate to members for an afternoon and evening of activities on Saturday 12th. Come along from 5.00pm for tea and cakes on the lawn with the option of playing boules or croquet or even trying a spot of country dancing. All this is weather permitting, so fingers crossed for warmth and sunshine! Or come later for an evening of music, board games, table tennis or just chatter. Soft drinks, hot drinks, cakes and nibbles will be provided but please BYOB if you wish to drink anything else. An Indian or Chinese take away meal can be ordered in the evening for those who wish to eat. Come whatever time you want and stay as long as you like. Please ring [Phone Number] for directions, information and to say you'll be there.
On Saturday 12th May we have a country walk in and around the beautiful north Beds village of Felmersham (where I grew up, not that I'm biased!). Meet outside the village church at 10.30, and we'll have a gentle walk around the nature reserve, cross the river via a series of islands, and return on the opposite bank. We should be back in time for lunch at the village pub, and can finish off with a stroll around the village if anyone is interested.
Our regular get together at the Standing Order on Irongate in Derby city centre will take place from 7.30pm on Wednesday 16th. Find us on one of the long tables in the low ceiling area at the rear of the pub. A yellow Mblem will be on display. We have recently seen some new faces and more are always welcome. There are usually 12-20 of us so a variety of conversations is guaranteed. Phone [Phone Number] or email [Email] for directions if required.
Due to various reasons, I'm afraid I wasn't in a position to arrange events in Leicester for May before the magazine and Empress went to print, however the regular "Third Thursday of the Month" meeting WILL still be going ahead on Thursday 17th at 20:00. We'll be meeting up at The Craddock (http://tinyurl.com/leicsMensaTTOTM), so look out for the Magazine or yellow mBlem on a table somewhere. Give me a call on [Phone Number], or drop me an email at [Email] for more details.
And finally, the Roadshow meeting is on Thursday 17th at 8pm. This month's meeting is in The Countryman at Staverton, just a couple of miles from Daventry. The pub is on the A425 Daventry-Southam road that skirts the village.
On Saturday 19th May at 2.30 pm I will be holding a planning meeting at our house (contact me for the address if you intend to come). I'd like to know your suggestions and ideas for future Mensa events in and around the Milton Keynes and Bedford area, and in particular I'm keen to find out if anyone is willing to organise anything that particularly interests them - a visit, a lecture, a walk, a theatre trip - whatever takes your fancy that you think would attract other people as well. It would be especially good to attract some new faces, but I think we need to be offering some new events in order for this to happen. You bring your ideas and we'll provide tea, coffee and nibbles.
Do come and stretch your brain at my house near Alford on Sunday 20th May, 3-5 with a bit of 'Teatime Thinking'. General discussion over tea and cakes on ideas of the main philosophers but no previous knowledge required, anyone and everyone can join in. This month: Engels - Are shareholders exploiters? For encouragement/directions: [Email]
We're making a return visit to Nottingham Greyhound Stadium in Colwick on Friday 25th. I'm suggesting a 7.00pm rendez-vous time but gates open at 6.00pm with the last race finished by 10.30pm so you can arrive and leave whenever convenient. Tickets cost £5 each for admission and race card (usually £6) and all money will go to Cancer Research UK as the stadium have kindly donated the tickets as part of their charity tournament. We'll be allocated a dog to cheer on the night and if it wins will go forward to the final in October. Under 18s are admitted free of charge if accompanied by an adult. A fun night out for all ages.
We end the month in the usual way with good food and drink 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. If the weather's fine, we might be outside for a bit!
The following evening, from 7.00pm on Saturday 26th, I'll be hosting a Eurovision Song Contest party in the private function room of the Bowman in Hucknall. Tickets cost £16 and include a three course buffet of European dishes, two large screen TVs to watch the contest live, a Eurovision quiz to test your trivia, optional fancy dress and more. Royaume Uni nul points? Please book by 19th.
Sunday breakfast will be at 10.15 am on Sunday 27th, at Carluccio's in the Centre:MK. Feel free to come for a full breakfast, a snack, or just a drink, but if possible please let me know by Saturday 26th so we have an idea what size table to grab when we arrive. We will probably be in one of the red booths just outside the restaurant.
Those who came to the tour of Stewart Linford's furniture factory in January last year may want to join us on the afternoon of Sunday 27th May to visit "Windsors in Wycombe". This has nothing to do with the Royal Jubilee, but is an exhibition of antique Windsor chairs at West Wycombe Park (National Trust). If the weather is good we will also walk round the park and gardens and then find some refreshments in West Wycombe village.
We will meet at the entrance kiosk near the car park at 2:15pm. Please ring me on [Phone Number] or e-mail me at [Email] to let me know you are coming.
Looking ahead there are a number of events planned for the rest of the year.
In late June / early July I will be arranging a guided evening walk with a local expert to seek out glow worms near Princes Risborough. I am assured that when it rains the insects still glow, it is just that the humans won't come out to see! There will be a small charge, expected to be less than £10, for this event. If you are interested in coming, please drop me an e-mail or phone and tell me which evenings are best for you, eg weekends or mid-week. Final dates may change depending on the season, but if I know you are interested I can contact you and let you know in good time.
Further ahead I am planning a trip to Hughenden Manor to see an open air performance of Much Ado About Nothing on Saturday 4th August at 7pm. Reserve the date now. Tickets (£16 / £12) are available from the National Trust on 0844 2491895.
There are some local members who would like to host informal (scoring optional!) Scrabble evenings in their own homes on a regular basis. If you would be interested in taking part, please contact me and I will co-ordinate some initial dates and venues.
Pub meeting at the Essex Arms, Langley Way, Watford. WD17 3EG
Please look for the Magazine on the table.
New members always warmly welcomed.
Finally our "eating meeting" at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th will be an Italian meal at Gino's in Ruddington. See menu at www.ginos-ruddington.com. On Tuesday the restaurant have an offer of any pizza, pasta or chicken dish for £6.95 or 20% discount if ordering a starter and main course. Please let me know by 25th if you'd like to join us so a table can be reserved.
We will meet as usual at the Old Mill at 7.45-ish., the pub set back from the London road, next door to the Esso petrol station on Berkhamsted's High Street, (the old A 41 before they built the by-pass).
Come and chat / drink/ eat and meet. New members welcome.