New garden open for NGS

Dear Blogger

Message from Allyson, Shropshire National Gardens Scheme publicity.

Open on Sunday 9th August: Broadward Hall We're proud that the wonderful, historic landscape at Broadward Hall, Clungunford, will be opening for the first time for the National Garden Scheme in Shropshire on Sunday 9th August. The whole estate, in the south Shropshire Hills, is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and contains a wealth of historic features including a Victorian walled garden (currently undergoing restoration), extensive herbaceous borders, roses, ancient trees including giant Sequoias and other historic elements - there is lots to experience and enjoy at this beautiful garden. Refreshments will be served on the terrace for all to enjoy in the (hopefully) sunshine! NB: Due to current restrictions some areas may not be accessible. Dogs welcome on leads. TICKETS NOW ON SALE at: https://ngs.org.uk/product-category/garden-tickets/the-midlands Click on the image below for more information:

MORE SHROPSHIRE GARDENS RE-OPENING - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY! All tickets bookable in advance from the NGS website: www.ngs.org.uk Tickets usually go on sale on the Monday before the opening date NEW DATES BEING ADDED ALL THE TIME   Sun 23rd August:  Edge Villa, Yockleton, Shrewsbury: Pictured below: Tickets go on sale on Monday 17th August Sun 30th August: Sambrook Manor, Sambrook, nr Newport Sat 5th Sept: Windy Ridge, Little Wenlock, Telford Sun 6th Sept: Windy Ridge, Little Wenlock, Telford Wed 16th Sept:  Hodnet Hall Gardens, Hodnet, nr Market Drayton Sat 19th Sept:  Ruthall Manor, Ditton Priors, nr Bridgnorth Sun 20th Sept:  Ruthall Manor, Ditton Priors, nt Bridgnorth Sun 27th Sept:  Sunningdale, Wem Fri 2nd Oct:  Offcot, Kinnerley, nr Shrewsbury  NEW GARDEN - EXTRA DATE ADDED Sat 3rd Oct: Offcot, Kinnerley, nr Shrewsbury   NEW GARDEN - EXTRA DATE ADDED Sun 11th Oct:  Millichope Park, Munslow, Craven Arms

The National Garden Scheme raises money for caring and nursing charities including Macmillan, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson's UK, The Queens Nursing Institute, Horatio's Garden, Maggie's Centres, The Carers' Trust and MIND, the mental health charity.  The National Garden Scheme also supports gardening apprenticeships and community garden schemes https://www.ngs.org.uk/who-we-are/beneficiaries

Sabrina boat trips on the River Severn in Shrewsbury

Dear Blogger

A message from Sabrina Boat Trips.   It looks like a super day to have a gentle, and informative trip down the River Severn in Shrewsbury.

Good Morning,

We have good availability for trips all week. We are finding that on the actual day the trips are filling up a few hours before so only pre-booked tickets are guaranteed top deck seats.

Could we please ask that all tickets sold are booked in with us at the office on 01743 369 741. Please advise customers that the tickets they purchase from you will not guarantee them a space on a particular trip, so they will need to call us in order to book their places.

 Availability of boat trips today are as follows:-

11am – Available

12pm - Available

1pm – Available

2pm – Available

3pm – Available

4pm – Available

Refreshments on board as normal

Please ensure passengers book with us in the office. The link below gives you information of our Covid19 measures if your guests would like to know

https://www.sabrinaboat.co.uk/are-we-sailing-today

We have got a few new theme events coming up including a quiz night, BBQ Cruise, Fish and Chip Cruise, Gin Tasting, Cheese and Wine tasting with Tanners

Take a look here.

https://www.sabrinaboat.co.uk/evening-trips/themed-cruise-events

Thank you for your support

Many Thanks

Dilwyn Jones

Owner

01743 369741 / 07817 404 599

www.sabrinaboat.co.uk

 

Heavy horses working on the Cliffe Sunday & Monday 9th & 10th August

Dear Blogger

Message from David Shearan.                                                                                                                                                                                       What a great opportunity for families, and especially children, to see heavy horses at work, as they would have done hundreds of years ago.

Harrowing with Heavy Horses 

Help needed on the Cliffe 

How do you fancy exercising your muscles whilst helping with the heathland restoration on the Cliffe? How would you like to see the heavy horses in action and maybe have a go yourself. Can you spare a few hours on either Sunday 9th or Monday 10th August or both?

The heavy horses will be back that weekend with harrows to scrape up and gather the bracken litter. Teams of volunteers are needed to collect the litter and load it onto trailers so that Rangers from the Shropshire Council Countryside team can remove it.  The bracken litter will be used elsewhere as a mulch.

The lady who manages the horses is offering to run short sessions showing how the harness is fitted and how she works the horses and you can have a go on the reins too if you want.

Anyone can come along and for as long as you like. If you are young and fit and strong then you might want to do several hours or even both days. If you are not so young then you can do as little as you want or just watch the others. Come on your own or as a family but bring gloves and a rake if you have them, and bring refreshments if you plan to stay for a few hours.

Start time is likely to be 9am and finishing time 3pm so you can come along any time within that period.

Please let David Shearan know if you want to come and tell him what day(s) and time(s) suit you so we can manage the numbers properly and safely. 

David's email address is dave.shearan@icloud.com

See the Meteor Show from your garden

Dear Blogger

It seems ages since we heard from Karen, our Little Ness Astronomer,

Meteor Shower

Info from UK Astronomy Events:

The Perseid meteor shower starts slowly ramping up...The beauty of this event is you don't need any equipment just a coffee or hot choc grab the kids or partner and go out into your garden or a nice dark field and look up.

The peak of the shower happens in the middle of August usually 12/13 but we entered the cause of the shower a dust stream left from a comet in July and won't leave it until the end of August, so the shower of meteors slowly builds up each night to its peak then slowly dwindles back to normality.

These fixed events like the Perseids are named due to the location in the sky from where the meteors radiate, the Perseids are named so because they seem to come from the constellation Perseus in fact from around the ancient hero's head. 

Perseus rises pretty much from when the sunsets I'd say around 10pm onwards to the North East, now if you don't have a compass handy put your left arm out towards the setting sun, your right arm straight out the opposite side, bring them both together in front of you and look up probably slightly to your right you should see a slightly off W in the sky. Cassiopeia the vain queen, Perseus is just below this.

As the night goes on Perseus rises and so you will get a better chance to see the meteors, later in the night some say around 2am will be best so set an alarm and get a hot drink.

What can we expect to see?

Well every year they predict 100-120 an hour but..... your never going to see this amount I'm sorry to say because of light pollution, the moon which isn't to bad rising as a crescent around 2am at its peak but I personally have laid on a field with my wife and counted 67 in around an hour and a half. 

But its unpredictable as its a dust lane left by a comet with dense areas within it so you never know.

Community consultation re Yardley convertion to Children`s Home

Dear Blogger

Please read this poster, it is important.

Message from Colin Case.

Enclosed is a Poster from Shropshire Council advertising a Community Consultation on 11^th August.

Note that the invitation is ONLY for residents of Ruyton Parish – I appreciate that households beyond our Parish Boundary receive these emails.

 

Colin Case    B.E.M. Tel:    +44 1939 260 628 Mob:  +44 7860 904 006 VOIP: +44 1939 328 243 www.ruytonxitowns.org .uk

 

Gardens open for National Gardens Scheme this weekend

Dear Blogger

Message from Allyson, Shropshire NGS publicity. Remember to book your visit on the NGS website.

View this email in your browser

Beautiful Shropshire gardens to enjoy in the sunshine OPEN TODAY  -  Fri 31st July Opening for the first time for the Scheme,  this lovely, cottage garden is a delight!  Offcot, Kinnerley, nr Oswestry (easy access from the A5) is packed full of delightful herbaceous planting, pond, stream, full of birds and wildlife, lovely places to sit and enjoy a summer's afternoon.  The garden bar will be open for visitors to sit in with refreshments available. (WC also available) TICKETS NOW ON SALE at: https://ngs.org.uk/product-category/garden-tickets/the-midlands Click on the image below for more information: Open Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd August Ruthall Manor, Ditton Priors, Bridgnorth. This ever-popular garden is a delight of design and clever planting enhanced by many mature trees, some rare, and interesting sculptures and features.  No refreshments at the garden but the cafe and pub in Ditton Priors are both open. TICKETS NOW ON SALE at: https://ngs.org.uk/product-category/garden-tickets/the-midlands Click on the image below for more information: Open Sunday 2nd August: Merton, Bicton, Shrewsbury.  A delightful, mature, botanic garden full of the most interesting trees from around the world, coupled with an extensive collection of hostas, pond with huge gunnera and deep, full herbaceous borders.  Refreshments available in aid of Omega, the end of life care charity:  https://www.omega.uk.net TICKETS NOW ON SALE at: https://ngs.org.uk/product-category/garden-tickets/the-midlands Click on the image below for more information: MORE SHROPSHIRE GARDENS RE-OPENING - DATES FOR YOUR DIARY! All tickets bookable in advance from the NGS website: www.ngs.org.uk Tickets usually go on sale on the Monday before the opening date NEW DATES BEING ADDED ALL THE TIME   Sun 9th August: Broadward Hall, Broadward, Clungunford,  NEW GARDEN (pictured below) - TICKETS FOR THIS GARDEN GO ON SALE ON MONDAY 3rd AUGUST Sun 23rd August:  Edge Villa, Yockleton, Shrewsbury Sun 30th August: Sambrook Manor, Sambrook, nr Newport Sat 5th Sept: Windy Ridge, Little Wenlock, Telford Sun 6th Sept: Windy Ridge, Little Wenlock, Telford Wed 16th Sept:  Hodnet Hall Gardens, Hodnet, nr Market Drayton Sat 19th Sept:  Ruthall Manor, Ditton Priors, nr Bridgnorth Sun 20th Sept:  Ruthall Manor, Ditton Priors, nt Bridgnorth Sun 27th Sept:  Sunningdale, Wem Fri 2nd Oct:  Offcot, Kinnerley, nr Shrewsbury  NEW GARDEN - EXTRA DATE Sat 3rd Oct: Offcot, Kinnerley, nr Shrewsbury   NEW GARDEN - EXTRA DATE Sun 11th Oct:  Millichope Park, Munslow, Craven Arms Thank you to everyone who is supporting our garden openings and helping us now raise significant sums for our nursing charities - your support is very much appreciated.  You are assured of a safe visit to an NGS garden in Shropshire - we have carefully worked out numbers and timing with each garden owner, so you can relax and enjoy the garden and help support our nurses at the same time. If you have any difficulties purchasing tickets in advance please contact me or the garden owner. Many thanks, Allison Walter, County Organiser, Shropshire, National Garden Scheme allison.walter@ngs.org.uk Our on-line shop is OPEN - lovely range of National Garden Scheme merchandise available in aid of our charities, including this fun tea-towel! Click here to go to the NGS Shop: https://ngs.org.uk/shop The National Garden Scheme raises money for caring and nursing charities including Macmillan, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Parkinson's UK, The Queens Nursing Institute, Horatio's Garden, Maggie's Centres, The Carers' Trust and MIND, the mental health charity.  The National Garden Scheme also supports gardening apprenticeships and community garden schemes https://www.ngs.org.uk/who-we-are/beneficiaries

Willow Gallery, Oswestry August newsletter

Dear Blogger

Message from Willow Gallery, Oswestry

WILLOW GALLERY Oswestry View this email in your browser Newsletter August 2020   DANIEL YEOMANS ~ Hay Bales at the foot of Snowdon ~ Oil on canvas Also see below Dan's Call to Artists OUR NEW WEBSITE willowgalleryoswestry.org We have revamped our website and hope you like the new look. It's designed to be more mobile-friendly and provide clear information as well as make it easy to buy artworks and shop items online. As, hopefully, we move on from lockdown, there will be plenty to tell you about, so do please check for latest updates. EXHIBITIONS SHROPSHIRE GUILD OF CONTEMPORARY CRAFT 1 Aug - 19 Sept ROBERT SHELTON Rocking Windsor chair Elm & ash Exhibiting an array of crafted delights from some of the best makers in the county and borderlands, with prices from just a few pounds for a small piece of pottery to larger sums for an intricate piece of jewellery or that perfect one-off chair...   NICOLA RUDD Sash Cowl Handwoven textile ED BROWN Landscape Vases Ceramic LINDSEY KENNEDY Dutch floral vase Mosaic   CAROLINE BENNETT Finned Form Stoneware NICOLA HAIGH Blackbird Machine embroidery SARAH PIPER HEAP Puffin broach Copper & mixed metals RALPH JANDRELL Large rimmed dish with hare design Earthenware Online Makers Click BELOW LEFT to see textile artist JENNY O'LEARY explain how to play around with batik, including sketching, applying wax and dyeing, and BELOW RIGHT watch LEO DONAGHY (bleating of sheep in the background!) showing how to make a gelli plate, perfect for creating small-size monoprints using Chinese brush techniques.  GETTING BACK TOGETHER Our craft workshops, with Jenny, Leo and other regular tutors, will return as soon as possible AUTUMN EXHIBITIONS 26 Sept - 14 Nov BORDERLAND VISUAL ARTS Our local well-established arts group missed their scheduled slot in May/June, and will be exhibiting this autumn instead. RE-VIEW TEXTILE EXHIBITION Merseyside-based, the artists make 2D and 3D work in many sizes using felt, dye, paint, print, stitch, weave and crochet. Textile artist JUNE McLAUGHLIN'S Corona Kid, inspired by those naughty Llandudno goats who came into the town during lockdown and got up to mischief! June creates art out of all things woolly - check out other handmade pieces in our shop. RECENTLY SOLD [PICTURED RIGHT] A Shropshire Lane, one of two large oils by artist-in-resident KARL ROBINSON-BRAY. By coincidence, the paintings, two of a series depicting winter landscapes, are both heading Down Under, their new owners perhaps having nostalgic memories of winter snow, being a kid and loving that time of year. During lockdown Karl spent a lot of time working alone at the gallery. Come and see his latest work and have a (socially-distanced) chat.  Other recent sales have included [BELOW, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT] two evocative views in oil by RICHARD DUPUY, a beautiful textured abstract composition by PAULINE JORDAN, hand-blown bowl by glass artist THOMAS PETIT, part of his fabulous 'Monochrome' collection, an evocative evening view of Aberystwyth by ANN WILLIAMS, and REBECCA STOCKBURN's watercolour of Brigid, Irish goddess of spring. For those not yet ready to venture out, the gallery continues to present an extensive collection of art and craft online, and can take telephone (01691 657575) as well as online orders. Can you help forge an artistic twinning? Best-known for his stunning oil portraits and plein air landscapes, Daniel Yeomans, who began his career in Wales and is now living in Switzerland, issues a Call to Artists Sitting beneath the dramatic ridge of the Dents du Midi, Champéry has a special relationship with North Wales with its hosting, every year, of the much-loved Welsh Alpine Ski Championships. In January next year I will be holding a Welsh/Swiss-themed exhibition during the championships to build on this relationship and start to forge an artistic alliance between Champéry and Llandudno. I therefore hope to raise interest in both towns with regard to setting up exchanges, painting trips and exhibitions so that on alternate years artists from Switzerland will go over (as a group) to paint with artists in North Wales, and vice-versa the following year.   Artists in both North Wales and Région Dents du Midi, I would love to hear from you. Please email me directly and share your thoughts. Many thanks Dan   Click here if you would like to download an A3 poster regarding Dan's project KINOKULTURE  Oswestry's community cinema Ruth and Ian are planning to re-open on Friday 4 Sept with all safety measures in place. Keep an eye on their website for updates. Click on graphic for more information FURTHER AFIELD RIP Bob Sketch by Irene Muir Bob, the cat whose relationship with the recovering heroin addict who adopted him inspired the best-selling book A Street Cat Named Bob, has died after being hit by a car. He was at least 14. Musician James Bowen found Bob abandoned and injured in 2007. Bob gave him a reason to get up each morning, and he began taking the ginger cat, often seen wearing a scarf, with him when busking or selling The Big Issue in London. Bob's story was later made into a film - and also draws attention to the serious issues of homelessness and how the drug culture on the streets cannot be ignored. Linda McCartney Retrospective Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool 8 Aug - 1 Nov 2020 Major exhibition of Linda McCartney's photography includes more than 200 images not previously seen, from the music scene of the 1960s, Sgt Pepper, Abbey Road and the Rolling Stones, to family life with Paul. Art combines mathematics, technology and stalks This impressive crop circle, described as a Templar cross inside two circles and an outer border, appeared in July in the middle of a wheatfield in Northeast France.  Crop circles are patterns produced by flattening crops, created anonymously during the short midsummer nights, and provoking puzzlement, delight and intrigue among the press and public alike. Reports of crop circles date back centuries in Europe, particularly England, but the complexity of the designs, many of which have a mathematical basis, has escalated in recent years, reflecting a serious and science-literate artistic movement. The patterns today, it is generally accepted, are created using GPS as well as lasers and microwaves to get the perfect proportions and shapes. They still nevertheless retain their mystery - and some continue to claim they're beyond scientific understanding and see the work of alien visitors... CONTACT US Tel: 01691 657575 email: willowgalleryoswestry.gmail.com Website: willowgalleryoswestry.org Facebook: Willow Address: 56 Willow Street, Oswestry, Shropshire SY11 1AD Editor: Hilary Moorcroft August 2020 FORWARD TO A FRIEND         DAVID BANNISTER Apollo & Daphne Oil on canvas