Past Social Events
Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Party – Sunday 5th June 2022
Preparations started early for this year’s Summer Party. The Committee was keen to make this milestone a special celebration. We especially wanted to encourage as many new members as possible to attend. With Jonathan’s help, the Chair designed a lovely invitation, which was delivered to all households. 60 people responded to the RSVP. Apologies to one member, who unfortunately missed out.
Sally explored the legal aspects of road closure, health & safety and insurance. She put up appropriate notices and obtained the licence from the Council. Hopefully no one was inconvenienced.
The Parks Dept. (OCC) eventually cut the grass in Sadler Walk but quite a bit of work was required to prepare the garden for the party. Our thanks to Gregg Brisk, & Chris & Roger for trimming the bushes and raking up the grass.
Keeping an eye on the weather forecast, we decided to erect 3 gazebos on Friday evening. We are grateful to Roger, Michael & Carol Wills, Philip Wootton, Jonathan & Gregg who helped to erect the tents and to John Shelvey, Jussi, Maria & the girls who assisted with the dismantling.
On Friday we were very sad to hear that Sally & Robin had both caught Covid. It was especially disappointing for the Chair after all her hard work. They wished us well and Chris & Michael stepped in.
Despite light drizzle on Sunday morning, we erected the trestle tables and benches on Trinity Street, as pre-arranged. Caroline added a nice touch with her colourful flower arrangements. Bunting was hung up. BBQs were in place and drinks laid out. We were ready to go.
On arrival members were treated to a glass of Elizabeth Moynagh’s delicious fruit punch. We thank her and her team of little helpers. Chris gave a short speech of introduction and Roger had written a rhyming Grace and Toast for the occasion. See here for a recording of this. We toasted the Queen and sang God Save The Queen, accompanied by Ruth on her flute.
As usual people brought a delicious array of food to share. Thanks to the 3 BBQ chefs, Roger, Mike Moynagh & Ian who kept a close eye on individual’s food as it was being cooked, there were no complaints.
The pudding competition generated a lot of interest and the table was brimming with an array of creative entries. We are most grateful to Celine Wills for agreeing to be our judge, ably assisted by her daughter, Beatrice. The winner was Anna Turnbull, certainly our youngest entrant, for her superb hazelnut meringue layered pudding. The prize, kindly donated by Michael & Carol Wills, was a meal at the Handle Bar Café.
Next to the puddings on a separate table was one of the biggest cakes we have ever seen. Caroline created a masterpiece, ably assisted by her son, Adam. Thank you so much. A slice of cake and a cup of tea rounded off the proceedings, kindly provided by the tea ladies, Cristina, Carol, Caroline and Liz.
As you can see this was a real team effort and it was lovely to see quite a few new faces. Our final thanks go to you all for supporting this event. Everyone joined in and hopefully, had fun.
You will see photos of the event here – please note these photos are only available to SENDRA members. Please contact the Chair if you need a password.
Chris Knight Secretary
Ravenna Talk
On Friday 6th May a small (but distinguished!) group of SENDRA members gathered for coffee and cake at 45, Trinity Street to hear Rosemary Fennell talk about her recent trip to Ravenna.
She gave us a fascinating, illustrated description of the vibrant mosaics and beautiful marble interiors within the many beautiful buildings in that ancient city. And she skilfully placed these priceless art treasures within a geographical, historical, political, and even a theological context! Her keen eye for detail, and her penetrating observations made the people and events depicted in these mosaics really come alive in surprising, and often humorous ways, notwithstanding that they mostly date from before the eighth century AD.
We so grateful to Rosemary for a most entertaining and informative morning. If other SENDRA members would like to share their holiday experiences we would be only too delighted to organise further little gatherings of this sort.
Liz Woolley Tour
On 8th May, Liz Woolley did a tour of the St Thomas’ Parish. Those of us who joined this tour had a real treat! Liz gave us a fascinating glimpse into how our neighbours in the Parish of St Thomas lived in the past. We learned of the interesting, and sometimes combatative, history of prominent local families (the Oxford equivalent of the Montagues and the Capulets!), what it would have smelt like living next to five breweries, and how Osney Abbey was at one time the third largest abbey in the land. If you get the chance to experience a tour another time, do take it. See photos of the event below:
SENDRA’s 40th Anniversary
On 30th October 2021, SENDRA celebrated its 40th anniversary with a bring and share barbecue. The event included planting of a commemorative tree and a cake. Below are some photos of the event.
Christmas Party 2021
Our Christmas Dinner at The Handle Bar Cafe on Monday 5 December 2021 was great fun. We had sole use of the lovely upstairs room, which was beautifully decorated, warm and inviting. The staff were delightful and the food, was delicious. We were sad that Frances & John Stobbs could not join us, as they were self-isolating, but a takeaway was easily arranged.
Summer Party – Sadler Walk Garden
14 August 2021
On Saturday 14 August, we were at last able to get together for our Summer Party in Sadler Walk Garden.
As always it was a jolly occasion and we were particularly pleased to meet new members along with some of our regulars. Despite missing friends, who have managed to finally get away, and others on holiday in the UK, 47 of us, including Liz Woolley, local historian, Bob & Jo Price, Cllr. Brad Baines, Sgt. Neale and two Community Police officers, joined in.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the wonderful spread of finger food, which was, as usual, an equal balance of savoury and sweet delights. Momina & Ali helped to erect the two gazebos, which thankfully were not needed, as it was a lovely dry balmy evening. Thanks too to Roger for all his help and to John Price for his efforts, ensuring that the Sadler Walk bushes were neatly trimmed.
Poetry Recital
Paula Peters (Claire) – One Hundred Field Names of Oxfordshire
One of our SENDRA neighbours, Paula Claire, has recently been awarded the prestigious Cholmondeley Award for her concrete, visual, sound and performance poetry over 60 years. On Saturday afternoon 10 July about 20 of us gathered outside the gates of Number 11 Dale Close to hear Paula talk about her career in poetry, her work with children and her current activities. What fun it was to listen to her tell her stories so enthusiastically and then join with her in reciting her 1980 poem “One Hundred Field Names of Oxfordshire” as a group. We started slowly and then got faster and faster – first Andante, then Moderato and finally Prestissimo – enjoying the rhythm of the words. We laughed and laughed.
Since we adopted the Common Agricultural Policy when we became part of the EU many of the old field names have been lost and replaced with numbers. This is so sad because the names are wonderful and many go back to Saxon times: Dean Pightie, Pinx Heron, Clatterpits, Sturt …. It is so good that they are being preserved in poems like Paula’s.
Many of us stayed on after the recital to look at Paula’s latest work: “Our Kingfishers Pathway” – a visual poem about the wildlife, flowers and willow trees along the banks of the Castle Mill Stream, behind many of the Dale Close and Trinity Street houses, up to the bridge on Thames Street, a pathway that many of us walk along every day. What a beautiful spot this is.
A note from Paula –
“The display in my garden was of 20 double-page spreads from my artist’s book limited edition of 10, OUR KINGFISHERS PATHWAY. Artist’s books limited editions are a special genre, they take many hours to design, printed in high resolution on acid free paper, signed and dated, aimed at Special Collections and book Collectors. If anyone would like to download the 3-page introduction to the book you can see this by clicking on this link
It would be nice if someone in SENDRA could collate neighbours’ sightings as time goes on, adding to my article. I claim our wildlife is exceptional in a town centre.
Please read what has now become a famous ecological poem BINSEY POPLARS written 1879 by Gerard Manley Hopkins, graduate of Balliol College. He laments the felling of a row of these trees and warns against the wanton destruction of greenery – done in a moment but taking many years to replace.”
SENDRA Open Gardens
This event on Saturday 10 July was a great success. We are so grateful to Liz Moynagh for organising this event so efficiently. Also thank you to the members of 18 gardens who kindly shared their private spaces with us. It was outstanding to see the variety and scope and to witness first-hand what can be achieved in a small courtyard garden. Wandering around at our leisure on a dry day was a delight. Meeting up with friends old and new great fun and the highlight a birthday drink with Philip & Annie Wootton, an event which has been cancelled many times.
See photos of this event below:
SENDRA 