Talk by Steve Collins, Chair RUG 8

Hi All

We hope you are in good health despite the lengthy lockdown and that you are already enjoying the recent relaxation of the rules.

On 17th May the restrictions will be lifted further and larger groups will be allowed to meet outside

We do hope you will join us on Tuesday 25th May when we will celebrate this important next step towards normality with our first face to face get-together since last September!

This reunion event will again take the form of a picnic in the historic surroundings of Runnymede.

Here are the details:

Date: Tuesday 25th May at 12 noon – provided it’s not raining!

Meeting Point: The National Trust car park on the opposite side of the road to the NT tea shop. Parking is free to NT members and otherwise costs £1.50 per hour payable at a meter. Suggest you pay for two hours.

Picnic Site: This will either be in the car park field as last time or across the road in the large Runnymede memorial field. Your committee will be there early and will direct you accordingly.

Food and Drink: Bring your own food and drink as well as garden chairs and anything else you need.

Toilets: There are toilets inside the National Trust tea shop lobby.

Social Distancing: Please try to maintain two metres social distancing.

Face Coverings: At outdoors events with social distancing there is no requirement to wear a face covering. However, if you feel more comfortable please do wear one. In any case, please bring a face covering and be ready to wear this when chatting with any other member who has chosen to do so. We want everyone to feel comfortable at this reunion event.

Questions: If you have any queries please simply email me.

Confirmation: We really hope you will be attending and would appreciate an email to confirm.

All of us on the Committee greatly look forward to this glorious reunion on Tuesday 25th May.

With best wishes,

George

UPDATE: 24MAY2021
Dear TSCC Members,
We have changed the date of the “Guided Walk Around The Lake & Cream Tea” from 22nd June to Friday 2nd July. This is to be able to include members who would find the walk too difficult and would like to use the buggy.
Unfortunately, no buggies were available for 22nd June.
Everyone who put their name down for this event was given a selection of alternative dates and we have settled on 2nd July, this being the only date that all could make.
It occurred to us that with the change of date it may be that other members who could not make the original date may now wish to join us on 2nd July.
If you couldn’t make the original date but would like to come on the 2nd July please let Jackie know as soon as possible.
Best wishes,
George

Led by an experienced Painshill guide, this gentle walk around the Serpentine Lake will enable you to
take in a series of simply stunning views while discovering more about the garden’s history and its
creator, the Honourable Charles Hamilton. The entire walk is on the flat, along wide accessible
pathways. The tour lasts approximately 90 minutes and will be followed by a relaxing opportunity to get
together and chat whilst seated at reserved tables under an open sided marquee overlooking the
garden. A bottomless supply of tea will be provided, accompanied by a tasty scone with jam and cream.

UPDATE 27MAY2021
Flyer now available.
12 August 2020
Dear TSCC Members,
Following the success of the 2020 cruise last week it is proposed that we broadly repeat the same format for next year.

The proposal is for the Cruise to take place from Monday 12th July commencing again at Boveney followed by one night at Cookham (next year in the lock moorings below the weir), two nights at Hurley with the usual games afternoon, Friday at Sonning and the possibility of a VIP visit to the Fawley Steam Museum near Henley on the Saturday or Sunday if we can organise this (they only offer these at the weekends).

Mark and Jackie have booked a boat from Kris Cruisers from Monday 12th July but warn that this company is already heavily booked for 2021 and so anyone who would like to hire a boat for the cruise would need to act quickly.

If you would like to take part in this cruise please let me know.
Best wishes,
George

Dress: Casual
Please park on Fairmile Park Road with consideration for the neighbours
Cost £10.00 per person
RSVP to George Barber
Payment to the TSCC in the normal way Ref: BBQ
If you need a reminder of the payment details please let us know.
We do hope you will be able to join us!

Boating for all including trips on the
wheelchair-accessible Wheelyboat
Plus – opportunities for rowing, canoeing
or sampling the fun of a Stand-Up-Paddleboard

Bring your own picnic
Riverside chairs and tables provided. Tea and coffee included
Changing facilities available
Cost £2.50 per person – payment on the day
RSVP to Mark Marriott
We do hope you will be able to join us!

This relaxing Sunday afternoon event will take place in the Amphitheatre, a large oval lawn in the centre
of the Park cocooned all round by banks of trees. Musical entertainment will be provided by the Sarah
Jane Eveleigh Jazz Quartet who have built a strong reputation in and around the south east over the
past few years with their exciting and varied repertoire and captivating performances. Led by Sarah Jane
Eveleigh, a passionate vocalist and storyteller with a mastery of jazz timing, the band features a talented
line-up including dynamic jazz pianist Andy Walls, accomplished double bass player Mike Bennett and
respected drummer Andrew Eveleigh. They will entertain with array of jazz and Latin standards as well
as reworkings of some contemporary classics.
They will play two 60 minute sets, the first from 1.00pm – 2.00pm and the second from 3.00pm – 4.00pm
with an hour’s break during which a leisurely picnic and convivial conversation can be enjoyed.
Bring your own chairs and picnic. In the unlikely event that you run out of liquid refreshment, a prosecco
van and mobile bar will be on hand to provide emergency back-up supplies!
It is a bit of a walk from the entrance to the amphitheatre so we have obtained exclusive use of a shuttle
buggy to ferry all members not wishing to proceed on foot.

UPDATE 10 July 2021
Dear All

Further to my previous email, a huge thank-you to all who have responded so swiftly.

With responses now received from almost all participants, I am able to report that without exception the preference is to defer the trip until the same week next year, so that is what we now will do.

Hopefully by that time Covid will have become something have learned to live with, and life will be a bit closer to the old normality that we so much took for granted.

With thanks again and best regards

Mark

UPDATE 31MAY2021
I think we have recently spoken to everyone who has booked up for the Canal du Midi Cruise.

Currently it looks like the conditions may not be right for the cruise to proceed as planned this September – and at present things are not moving in the right direction.

We intend to take the final decision in July before the balance payments for the flights and boats fall due.

If at that point France is not on the UK ‘green’ destination list or there are restrictions imposed by France, we plan to reschedule the trip for the same week in 2022 (Friday 23rd – Friday 30th September).

Le Boat’s prices are increasing significantly next year but the good news is that they have agreed to honour our 2021 prices if we need to reschedule.

If we do decide that we need to postpone we will be in touch with you at that time to discuss your options.

Needless to say we very much hope that, if we do need to postpone, you will be with us on the Canal du Midi in 2022.

We wanted to give you a heads-up so that if this decision does become necessary it will not come as a total surprise.

However, fingers crossed that between now and July the ‘Indian variant’ is brought under control, France removes its restrictions, and the UK government moves France to the green destination list!

It is starting to look a little less than certain but there are still a couple of months to go and everything is possible.

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries.

With best regards

Mark and Jackie
UPDATE 2 DEC 20: We need to inform you that, because of the difficulties the holiday industry has been going through this year, it has been necessary for Le Boat to reduce costs by streamlining its operations.

Unfortunately these measures will include the closure of the bases where we were due to start and finish!

Luckily there are other bases along this stretch of the canal and we will now be starting from Castelnaudary, a nearby base that we had also initially considered.

This is upstream of Carcassonne so it has the advantage that we will not now have to double back to visit this historic World Heritage Site which is a major highlight of the cruise.

Our final destination will now be Homps which is a charming village with an interesting waterfront and a number of attractions.

And finally, now that you will be making a further payment, it would be sensible to obtain your travel insurance if you do not have an annual policy. This will ensure that your payment is protected in case of cancellation, for example because of illness. Also, because we will no longer be in the European Union, travel insurance is essential to cover any medical eventuality during the trip.

UPDATE 4 MAY 2020: We expect this event to proceed as planned with air travel the only potential issue.

Please see the attached flyer for our 2021 Autumn Cruise in which you will see that Mark and Jackie have put together what promises to be an excellent and value for money week on the Canal du Midi.

At last, the dates for the most rescheduled event in the history of the TSCC are finally firmed up and we will definitely be departing for our Bath and Bristol Autumn etaway exactly one year after it was first supposed to happen!

An updated flyer with the new dates is attached.

Please take a look to remind yourself of the exciting itinerary with a great mix of organised activities plus free time to explore on your own – or simply chill out in the sumptuous surroundings of our superb hotel in the very heart of Bath.

We really hope that with normality largely restored and two jabs in your arm you will be raring to join us for a joyous reunion in the best tradition of our getaway events.

Please email jackie.m@tscc.org.uk as soon as possible to secure your place on the coach. A small deposit will be required by the end of June but the balance will not be payable until a month before departure. And even more good news – the price is unchanged from last year!

This superb Getaway event has been long in the planning and we can’t wait to get together for three days of fun packed adventure with all our wonderful TSCC friends from whom we have been so sadly separated for far too long.

We look forward to your confirmation email.

With very best regards

Mark and Jackie

Please see the attached flyer for the Annual Dinner and note that we need your confirmation and menu selections by Friday 22nd October please.

Why not bring friends and make up a table.

Please reply to jackie.m@tscc.org.uk

Best wishes,

George