Events organised by the Society have a blue banner. We include local events, which have a green banner.
You can purchase tickets to Society Events using our ONLINE SHOP
Pam Szadowski, a U3A member, will be taking groups of up to 20 people on Village Walks this year. Famous landmarks, people and buildings on both sides of the river will be incroporated.
The walks will begin at The Mill Theatre and then Pam will let you discover, in no particular order, details about... Aberlash House/Mill House, The Ferry, The Coppa Club, Sonning Court and Sonning Lock, St. Andrew's Church and the churchyard with the opportunity to go inside the church and see some of the features of this important building. Also covered will be the history of Holme Park Estate and a walk along the High Street as well as the following iconic buildings - The Bull, Turpins Cottage, The Grove, The Red House and The Deanery.
There will be no charge for these walks but you must book your place by filling in this form: Walk Sign-Up or by texting Heather Kay on 07851 775467.
Our Speaker, Lionel Williams, trained as a medical photographer and is from the Royal Medical Museum in Reading. His talk will cover the history of, and changes to, the hospitals in Reading from 1837 to the present day. Although mainly concerning the Royal Berkshire Hospital, which opened in 1839, he will also cover the Battle & Prospect Park Hospitals.
To book a place please use our online shop
Tickets include a glass of wine or soft drink and are £5 for members and £6 for guests.
A chance to visit the 130 acre arboretum nect to Nuneham House in Nuneham Courtenay. Originally created in 1835 with a collection of North American conifers it was taken over by Oxofrd University in 1947. It is a place of rare trees managed by the Oxford Botanic Garden to ensure their survival outside their threatened native habitats.
We will meet near the car park entrance at the Aboretum (directions) at 10.30am. So park your car and look for familiar faces!
We would encourage you to car share. And hopefully we'll find a pub for lunch where we can gather afterwards
Cost is £5.90 (for over 60s) - pay direct to the Arboretum.
The Thames is the longest river in England, fllowing through three areas of outstanding natural beauty. It has inspired generations of painters, poets and authors. We are pleased to announce that Duncan Mackay will be presenting an illustrated talk giving us an insight into some of its more obscure areas. He is the author of "The Secret Thames: A Bird's-Eye View of Britain's Most Famous River"
To book a place please use our online shop
Tickets include a glass of wine or soft drink and are £5 for members and £6 for guests.
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 16th November.
This year we will again sample the delights of a three course supper provided by Save Thyme Cooking from Wargrave.
Tickets £25.
There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp.
We are indebted to Gordon & Mary Jones of West Drive who have kindly offered their garden (thank you again) for us to host our garden party.
Tickets must be purchased in advance online at S&SES Online Shop or by contacting Penny Feathers by telephoning 0118 934 3193 or email to penny.feathers@btinternet.com. Tickets £15.
John Turney will be taking a group of up to 20 people on a Village Walk.
This walk will begin at St Andrews Church and then John will take the group through the village pointing out buildings and the interesting people who have lived there.
There will be no charge for these walks but you must book your place by filling in this form: Walk Sign-Up or by texting Heather Kay on 07851 775467.
The fire at Windsor Castle was over 30 years ago, but for many who live locally the memories of the blaze, visible from the surrounding areas, remain strong. The fire broke out on the 20 November 1992 and destroyed 115 rooms. Amy Stocker, from the Learning team at the Castle, will talk about how the fire started, how it spread and the remarkable restoration process that took place.
To book a place please use our online shop
Tickets include a glass of wine or soft drink and are £5 for members and £6 for guests.
Graham is an experienced blue badge guide for the south of England and organises tours. This talk will detail the villages who were able to welcome their servicemen home after the battles of The Great War.
To book a place please use our online shop
Tickets include a glass of wine or soft drink and are £5 for members and £6 for guests.
Terry lives in Wargrave Hall and decided to research the history of the house. The house was built in about 1770 and Terry will tell us ts story, spanning 250 years, and the interesting people who have lived there. He has even written a short book about it.
To book a place please use our online shop
Tickets include a glass of wine or soft drink and are £5 for members and £6 for guests.
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 18th November.
This year we are pleased to welcome as our guest speaker villager Cathy Haill who will be telling us about being Curator of the Fun Things at the V&A.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets £25.
There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp.
Neil is an adventurer and writer who, with 2 friends, attempted to ski the length of Norway, more than 3,000km. Having contracted Covid in 2020 and suffered from Long Covid for 16 months he was determined to get fit and healthy enough to undertake this challenging trip in 2022.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £4 for members and £5 for guests.
Volunteering Day
Pearson Hall will be open for local charities, societies and organisations to showcase their activities and attract new members and volunteers. Teas and cake will be served by members of the WI.
Niki McCann gave a talk about this 220 acre organic/biodynamic farm and the history of the Oppenheimers at the Society AGM & Supper in 2022. Now you have the opportunity to see it for yourself!
Waltham Place is a fine example of what can be achieved through sustainable horticulture and agricultural practises. We will enjoy a guided tour of the Ornamental and Kitchen Gardens with their gardeners, plus refreshments, cakes and bakes.
SOLD OUT
Barn Dancing In Pearson Hall
Barn Dance encouraged by a professional caller both children and adults can take part in a Ceilidh/Hoedown with prizes awarded for the best dancers. Alcohol and soft drinks will be available from the Sonning Club.
There will be no charge but you will need to have an entry ticket for the hall.
Click here to open your email system and apply for your tickets.
AbbaStars, Choral Performance & Maypole Dancing
In Pearson Hall for families and friends to get together. Two of the AbbaStars group will be performing. Tables will be set up for 100 to sit inside and a similar number in marquees in the gardens of the Sonning Club. Bring your own picnic, a prize will be given for the best decorated hamper. Alcohol and soft drinkswill be available from the Sonning Club.
From 3pm there'll be a choral performance in the hall and maypole dancing in the gardens by children from Sonning CE Primary School.
There will be no charge but you will need to have an entry ticket for the hall, there will be room for another 100 attendees in the Sonning Club and in the marquee on the lawn.
Click here to open your email system and apply for your tickets.
Celebratory Dinner in Pearson Hall organised by the Society
A three course meal provided by Emma’s Kitchen followed by an after-dinner-talk by Sonning resident Dr Susan Jenkins, Curator of Westminster Abbey.
Cost will be £25 per head which will include champagne to toast the newly crowned King. Wine will be available to buy, as usual, for £10/bottle. A maximum of 80 tickets will be available to buy from 2nd April by credit card payment on our website sonning.org.uk or by cash or cheque from Penny Feathers on 0118 934 3193. Seating will be 10 tables of 8 per table.
You'll be able to book for this on April 2nd using our online shop
Tickets are £25.
Graham Horn is a fully qualified Blue Badge tourist guide for the South of England and specialist speaker. We will explore the Kennett and Avon Canal, one of Britains premier inland waterways. He will tell us how and why the canals came about, how they worked and their subsequent decline. We will also learn about the restoration of the last four decades.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £4 for members and £5 for guests.
Top Gun Maverick is a 2022 sequel to the 1986 film Top Gun. It stars Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer reprising their roles from the original film. In the story, Maverick confronts his past while training a group of Topgun graduates, including the son of his deceased best friend,for a dangerous misson. Dur 131 mins.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests).
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door or via our online shop
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
You're very welcome to bring your own refreshments, alcholic or otherwise
Brian Hunt will be telling us about the two VC medal winners who are buried at St.Andrews, Sonning.
Our speaker Brian Hunt, a Rotary member will give an illustrated talk about the Iives of the two soldiers who were awarded VCs during The Boar War, their bravery and active service. We will learn of their involvement with the Home Guard during WW11 and how they lived long and active lives in Sonning.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £4 for members and £5 for guests.
The Railway Children Return is a 2022 drama film directed by Morgan Matthews and written by Danny Brocklehurst. It is a sequel to the 1970 film The Railway Children, itself based on the E. Nesbit novel of the same name. The film stars Jenny Agutter, Sheridan Smith, Tom Courtenay and John Bradley. Dur 95 mins.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests).
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door or via our online shop.
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 19th November.
This year we are pleased to welcome Niki McCann who will be talking about the work at Waltham Place where there has been a manor house for a thousand years. The farm, with its myriad traditional and rare breeds, attained biodynamic status in 2006 and their approach is a holistic one where the farm and the wildlife is viewed holistically - as one organism rather than a series of separate enterprises.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets £20.
There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp.
July 1969. Apollo 11’s astronauts will walk on the moon. A huge satellite dish near a sheep farming Australian town has been chosen to beam the live pictures globally. The whole world is depending on scientist Cliff Buxton (Sam Neill) to steer the eccentric crew who man the telescope through a sea of mishaps, that threatens to spoil the small towns finest hour. Dur 95 mins.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests).
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door or via our online shop.
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
An insight into the long history of Shaw House, near Newbury.
Thomas Dolman built a new house on the Shaw estate in 1581 and it still stands there today.
Our Speaker, Sarah Somerville, is the Visitor Services Officer there and as such will be an excellent guide to its history and treasures. If we're lucky she may add in some gems about Downton Abbey because she used to work at Highclere Castle!
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £4 for members and £5 for guests.
The Last Bus, winner of the International Competition Award at the BARI International Film Festival. Stars Timothy Spall with Phylis Logan, Natalie Mitson and Ben Ewing.
The heart-warming tale of a pensioner who has just lost his wife and uses his free bus pass to travel to the other end of the country, where they both originally came from. He embarks on a nostalgic trip carrying his wife's ashes in a small suitcase. In doing so he meets lots of local people.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests).
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door or via our online shop.
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
Graham Horn, a highly regarded Blue Badge tour guide who knows an awful lot about the South of England will be speaking about the who-might-have-beens when it comes to the royal succession.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £4 for members and £5 for guests.
We will be given a guided tour and a talk about this well known vineyard followed by a sampling of the produce. You are invited to bring your own picnic or to visit one of the local pubs for lunch afterwards.
Please make your own way to Fairmile Vineyard, Fairmile, Henley on Thames RG9 2LA.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £10 for both members and guests.
Tony Weston focuses on 2,000 years of people needing to cross the River Thames.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets as usual are £4 for members or £5 for guests
Our speaker, Simon Wenham is a part-time tutor in the Department of Continuing Education at Oxford University. He has written several social history books about the importance of leisure during that period. His talk will explore how society had fun and entertained themselves - with particular emphasis on boating and the growth of Thames-side boatyards like Salters and Hobbs of Henley.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets as usual are £4 for members or £5 for guests
Our previous speaker, John Painter, a Friend of the Abbey who promote awareness of the Abbey's importance. He will take us into the museum to show us some artefacts and then we will have a guided tour around the ruins.
John will explain how the Abbey was founded by Henry 1, a great medieval King in 1121 and it's rich history.
Tickets will only be available in advance and places will be limited so you'll need to be quick.
To book a place please use our online shop or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets are £5
Nomadland won Best Picture at the 2021 Oscars.
Frances McDormand stars and won the Oscar for Best Actress, and the film also won best Director and Best Cinematography. The movie follows McDormand's character, Fern, as she pursues a nomadic lifestyle after losing her livelihood in the Great Recession of the late noughties.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests).
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door or via our online shop.
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
The Father won the viewers' vote from the 10 films on offer at the previous presentation.
Anthony Hopkins plays the role of a mischievous and highly independent man who, as he ages, refuses all assistance from his daughter [Olivia Colman].
Hopkins gives a moving Oscar winning performance as a man with dementia in a film full of intelligent performances, disorienting time slips and powerful theatrical performances.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests).
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door or via our online shop.
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 20th November.
Although Sacha Dench will not be attending, her colleagues Sacha Clements and Ruth Howell will be here to speak about Conservation Without Borders and their 3,000+ mile circumnavigation of the British Isles in a green electricity powered paramotor - the Round Britain Climate Challenge).
Tickets SOLD OUT. There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp.
Please note that we are limiting the numbers to 60 people, so please book early to be sure of your seats.
Reading Abbey was founded in June 1121 exactly 900 years ago. It was one of England's foremost and wealthiest monasteries inhabited by monks for more than 400 years. During the medieval period it was an important pilgramage centre, providing lodgings for the royal household and many famous names until its demolition by Henry VIII in 1539.
The Abbey and its surroundings area fell into decline for 3 centuries. Some alterations were undertaken during the Victorian period but it was not until 2018 that the ruins were fully restored and opened to the public. John Painter will be delivering an illustrated talk about this ancient building.
To book a place contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets as usual are £4 for members or £5 for guests
William Smith was born in 1769 in Oxfordshire at the beginining of the industrial and agricultural reveolution. He trained as a land surveyor, later worked in the Bath area and whilst with the Somerset Coal Canal Company was able to study engineering structures, land drainage and fossil remains within the layered sub-strata. His great coloured map depicting the geology of England, Wales and part of Scotland helped to shape the ecomonic and scientific development of Britain, and according to a recent publication "changed the World".
The speaker, Owen Green works in the Earth Science Department at Oxford University and is currently Chair of the Oxfordshire Geology Trust, a charity which helps promote geology to the general public.
The evening starts at 7.30pm and strict covid-19 rules and social distancing will apply for your safety. Tickets cost £4 for members, and £5 for guests, but as the numbers in the Hall will be limited to between 20 and 30 please plan ahead and either book online or contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193 or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com to secure your place.
We are indebted to Gordon & Mary Jones of West Drive who have kindly offered their garden for us to host our Society Garden Party.
Further information will be made emailed to our members as soon as the arrangements have been confirmed.
Tickets must be purchased in advance online at S&SES Online Shop or by contacting Penny Feathers by telephoning 0118 934 3193 or email to penny.feathers@btinternet.com. Tickets £10.
Sonning Parish Council and the Sonning & Sonning Eye Society encourage you to come to a public meeting where the subject of the Neighbourhood Development Plan will be presented
If we do not have a Neighbourhood Development Plan for Sonning
then Wokingham’s Local Plan Update will control all of these decisions
We hope to take less than an hour to explain to you what an NDP is and why Sonning urgently needs one. Then we would like to hear your thoughts and will open the discussion to everyone, during which time drinks and nibbles will be available, and we will take questions. Please join us at any point during the evening.
For further information please visit Sonning.info
Doors open at 7.00pm, the meeting will start at 7.30pm
Professor Peter Worsley is an Emeritus Professor of Quarternary (Ice Age) geology, affiliated to Reading University, and a world expert on the geological history of the Thames Valley. The Thames is one of Britains’s oldest rivers and during the last three million years has suffered major changes to its size and catchment area. Climate changes and movements in the earth’s crust have progressively resulted in the valley form we see today.
It should be an excellent evening. Do join us for a welcoming drink and bring a guest.
To book a place contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets £4 for members, (£5 for guests)
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 16th November.
Tickets remain at £16. There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp. The guest speaker will be Sally Hughes, Managing & Artistic Director of The Mill at Sonning.
Enjoy a welcome drink before the AGM starts at 7.15pm
Professor Alastair Driver, who visited the Bardia National Park in Nepal earlier this year, will be giving a talk on this expedition entitled “To Kathmandu and Beyond”.
Amazing photos of tigers, a jeep safari through the jungle, and a truly stunning variety of wildlife will all be covered in this illustrated lecture.
It should be an excellent evening. Do join us for a welcoming drink and bring a guest.
To book a place contact Penny Feathers on 0118 9343193
or email penny.feathers@btinternet.com
Tickets £4 for members, (£5 for guests)
If you are new to the area do join our experienced guides as they describe the architectural heritage and development of our village through key buildings and how the river crossing helped to shape the village you see today. The walks start at 2pm, last for 2 hours and you are advised to wear comfortable shoes and bring protectection against inclement weather.
There is no charge for these guided walks but numbers are limited so booking is essential. Please contact Diana Coulter via email to diana.coulter@mac.com or on 0118 969 2132. Bookings open on August 12th.
Set in beautiful countryside near Stokenchurch, the Wormsley Estate is the home of the Getty family and the Garsington Opera. The Walled Garden dates back to the mid-1700s and was designed by a contemporary of Capability Brown. It was neglected for the best part of a century but brought back to life by Penelope Hobhouse, the celebrated garden designer.
A private visit has been arranged to see the Garden on Wednesday 22nd May starting at 10.30am. The cost is £6 per person. Car sharing is advised and it will be followed by an optional pub lunch nearby. More details to follow.
Cost of attendance is £6 for members (places are limited) so contact Pauline Simmonds to reserve a place.
The Greatest Showman is a 2017 American musical film directed by Michael Gracey, staring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michele Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
The film is inspired by the story of P. T. Barnham’s creation of the “Barnam and Bailey Circus” and the lives of its stars.
Cost of attendance is £5 for members (£6 for Guests)
and will include a glass of wine.
At Pearson Hall. Tickets available on the door.
Doors open 7pm, programme starts 7.30pm
Isambard Kingdom Brunel was initially employed as an engineer in 1833 to build a rail link between London and the west country via Bristol but he encountered many difficulties. He had to develop new methods of construction and over the years, as more projects were added, he went on to create a whole range of original designs and technical solutions. Lionel Williams' talk will cover the construction of the great railway.
Cost of attendance is £4 for members (£5 for Guests)
and will include a glass of wine.
Tickets available from Penny Feathers.
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 17th November.
Tickets remain at £16. There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp. The guest speaker will be Brigadier Maurice Sheen and he'll be talking about 'Sandhurst in the Sand'
Enjoy a welcome drink before the AGM starts at 7.15pm
Following the article in the Summer edition of Bridge we are pleased to confirm the arrangements for the tour of Loddon Brewery which will take place on Saturday 13th October, 2018. The planned tour will start at 1500 hrs. Chris Hearn, the owner will give us an insight into the back ground to the brewery together with an explanation of the brewing process followed by plenty of time for sampling. Taxi’s at 1730hrs!
Tickets: Members - £10.00. Non-members - £12.50; or £15.00 to include single Society membership to December 2019 Tickets available at the Village Show and also from Penny Feathers. Contact her by email to penny.feathers@btinternet.com or 0118 9343193.
A walk led by Brian O'Callaghan & Diana Coulter
If you have ever wondered why we are so lucky to have so many lovely buildings in Sonning, or indeed why the streets go through the village in the way they do, then our walk exploring the village’s history and buildings will be just for you.
Led by Brian O’Callaghan and Diana Coulter, “Sonning: an architectural and historical walk” will take place on Saturday 29th September 2018 starting at 2pm. Brian and Diana will meet you in the churchyard near The Bull. They will start in the church and then cover Pearson Road and the High Street. The walk takes about two hours, so appropriate footwear is recommended, and it ends back at The Bull, where a choice of tea/coffee venues are then nearby. For safety reasons we need to limit numbers, so please book a slot via Diana on diana.coulter@mac.com or 0118 969 2132.
A talk by The Rev Ian Browne
Former Senior Chaplin of Oundle School
We have decided to take a fresh look at the artist and designer - John Piper. For over fifty years he lived in Fawley Bottom near Henley, where he died in 1992. His work has recently been on display at Dorchester Abbey or the River and Rowing Museum, but in the past his paintings were exhibited in The Gallery in Sonning Eye, so several of you may remember seeing his work on display nearby.
The presentation will focus mainly on his wonderful stained-glass windows, examples of which can be found locally in Nettlebed and Pishill, as well as a variety of churches throughout Oxfordshire and the Chilterns. He also worked on many important commissions across the country, including windows for Coventry and Liverpool Cathedral, but one of the earliest examples of his distinctive style can be seen in the chapel at Oundle School, near Peterborough
We are delighted to announce that The Rev Ian Browne, a former Senior Chaplin of the School, has kindly agreed to give us a talk on the subject. He is an expert on Piper’s work and will explore his interest in glass and the effect it had on his art.
Enjoy a welcome drink before the talk starts at 7.30pm
Tickets: £4 for members and £5 for guests
A talk on War Heroes
by pupils of Sonning Primary School
Last year the Society provided support to the pupils of Sonning Primary School in a project to research the history of the Sonning Heroes who gave their lives in the wars.
The pupils presented their findings to some of us in December and it was so interesting that they have agreed to repeat it but to a wider audience, including their parents.
Please note that although this is a "by invitation only" event members of the Society are welcome to attend but should contact Annabella Marks at dunsden@aol.com so that the school can cater for numbers. Refreshments will be provided.
Enjoy a welcome drink at 6.30pm before the talk starts at 7pm
Tickets: no charge
A talk by David Barber
The Queen's Swan Marker
David Barber, the Queen’s Swan Marker will give us an insight into this ancient ceremony – dating back over 800 years. The event takes place on the Thames during the third week in July when the Swan Uppers, dressed in a scarlet and white uniform, man a flotilla of traditional skiffs, row up the river and round up the swans
Over a five-day period they stop at various locks and riverbanks in search of cygnets. They weigh and measure the young birds in each area, check their health and collect data. Fishing hooks, dogs and the changing wildlife along the Thames affect their numbers but this annual event helps to preserve the population, conserve their environment and provide valuable information.
PS. We hope to arrange a visit to watch this event as it passes through Sonning at a later date.
Enjoy a welcome drink before the talk starts at 7.30pm
Tickets: £4 for members and £5 for guests
A talk by Renton Righelato, one of the authors of 'The Birds of Berkshire' will be treating us to some ornithological tidbits. Details to be published in due course.
Enjoy a welcome drink before the talk starts at 7.30pm
Tickets: £4 for members and £5 for guests
Our AGM and Supper will be held in the Pearson Hall on Saturday 18th November. Tickets cost £16. There will be a welcoming drink and the AGM starts at 7.15 pm sharp. The guest speaker will be Jesse Elzinga, the Headmaster at the Blue Coat School, and he'll be talking about 'Current Themes in Education at Reading Blue Coat School and Beyond'.
Enjoy a welcome drink before the AGM starts at 7.15pm
Tickets: £16
In May, under the guidance of the veteran explorer Col John Blashford-Snell, Alastair joined an international multi-disciplinary team on a trip to the Colombian Amazon near the borders of Brazil and Peru. Alastair's brief was to explore this relatively unknown region and record the wildlife for educational and scientific purposes. The team also included doctors, dentists and engineers.
Photographing and filming the wildlife was an important part of Alastair’s role and he has kindly offered to give a talk, with images and film clips from the expedition, in the Pearson Hall on Friday 13th October.
The evening starts with a welcome drink at 7.30pm
Tickets: £4 for members and £5 for guests
HERITAGE OPEN DAYS were established in 1994 and for many years now our Society has organised a ‘Village Walk’ to support this important Heritage Festival. Events are held up and down the country giving everyone a chance to explore buildings normally closed to the public, join a guided tour, or just learn more about their local community.
If you are new to the area or interested in history do join our experienced guides on an “Architectural and Historical Walk” around Sonning in September. The walks start at 2 pm in the Churchyard near The Bull and last about 2 hours on the following dates:-
Thursday 7th September
Friday 8th September
Saturday 10th September
Alastair Driver was appointed as the first conservationist for the River Thames in 1984 and led on the conservation of this world famous river and its tributaries for 18 years before becoming national Head of Conservation for the Environment Agency. He recommended the creation of the Thames Valley Park wetlands in the late 1980s and has advised on the management of the site ever since. He has also led many guided nature walks here for local organisations.
During this walk Alastair will point out wildlife as we go, catch insects to show in the hand, and explain the history of TVP.
An account of this walk was published in Issue 52 of Bridge
The meetings are held at 6pm in the Committee Room at Pearson Hall.
All members are welcome.
The dates for 2024 are:
| Wednesday 7 February | Wednesday 10 April | Wednesday 12 June |
| Wednesday 14 August | Wednesday 16 October | Wednesday 11 December |