15th January (Wednesday) - 7.00pm Deal Town Hall Frances Smith on "Travelling in Mongolia"
19th February (Wednesday) - 7.00pm Deal Town Hall Julius Bannister will describe his "Day at the Races and Night at the Opera" Mr. Bannister charts the course from a child with a love of music, to actually becoming a professional musician. His first boss was Max Jaffa and today Mr. Bannister heads up Village Concerts that takes music into primary schools and provides live music in small rural village locations through a series of light music concerts with his Astor Palm Court group. Yes, of course he brings his violin, and entertains with a veritable chocolate box of music we have loved.
18th March (Wednesday) - 7.00pm Deal Town Hall The Society`s Annual General Meeting followed by cheese and wine. As a result of Covid - 19, this meeting was cancelled. Meetings for the rest of the year have been cancelled for the same reason.
2021 An online committee meeting was held on 29 March to confirm Executive and Committee members.
22 September (Wednesday) - 7.00pm Deal Town Hall Assuming all covid-19 restrictions have been lifted and the Town Hall is again open for business, we plan to hold an "American Supper" evening where you bring your own food, drinks, place settings and guests.
November - Date and venues to be decided later Given the precarious situation with Continental trips we have decided to hold our November lunch at a local vineyard restaurant, followed by a visit to a Christmas Market.
October Meeting Wednesday 20th October at 7.00pm at the Town Hall Melody Foreman – Spitfire Girls November Meeting Wednesday 24th November at 7.00pm at the Town Hall Veronica King – Private Investigator December Meeting Wednesday 8th December at 7.00pm at Walmer and Kingsdown Golf Club The ever-popular Christmas Quiz and this year, a fish and chip supper
2022 January MeetingCancelled due to Covid February MeetingWednesday 16th February at 7.00pm at the The Town Hall - American Supper in the presence of the Kellet Gut Shantymen Kellet Gut Shantymen were formed in January 2018 for a one off performance for the midwinter festival at the Coach and Horses Pub on the Deal/Sandwich Road. Since then, 2 performances at the Deal Centre for the Retired, busking on the pier apron, Deal Maritime Museum fundraiser, Rosslyn Court guesthouse in Cliftonville, the Fez pub in Margate, Astor Theatre in Deal.
March MeetingWednesday 23th March at 7.00pm at the Town Hall
Our AGM, followed by Cheese and Wine and the Ukulele Rollers
April Meeting - Wednesday 20 April 2022 An Introduction To Hallmarking – Adam Phillips May Meeting - Wednesday 18 May 2022 A Wine Tasting Evening June Meeting - Wednesday 22 June 2022 A Life in Photography – John Cross July Outing - Thursday 14 July 2022 Godinton House and Gardens, near Ashford. CANCELLED
September Meeting - Autumn Friendship Day – Thursday 29 September 2022 For the golf tournament part of the day, a party of 12 golfers will be coming over from St Omer – 10 men and 2 women. We’re expecting a number of our “twinners” to come over and are putting together a programme of activities for all the non-golfers – theirs and ours. A 2-course dinner will be served at the Golf Club at 5.30pm-6.00pm in the evening. October Meeting - Wednesday 19 October 2022 Putting On The Panto – Helga Wood
November Meeting – Wednesday 16 November 2022 A change of plan for the November meeting. We had intended to book a coach trip across to France – a return to the lunch and shopping day that we’d done regularly before the pandemic – but as it seems likely that outings like this will not receive the level of support needed to make them viable at the moment we decided to hold a meeting at the Town Hall instead. What we’ll be doing is having a musical evening featuring local musicians with the usual buffet served “cabaret style” rather than the serve-yourself arrangement that we generally have. More details to follow in the next newsletter. December Meeting - Wednesday 7 December 2022 - Christmas Quiz and Meal To be held at Walmer & Kingsdown Golf Club 2023 January Meeting - Wednesday 18 January 2023 A report on the Kent Scouts’ expedition to Antarctica – Alan Noake ReQuest2021 is a programme of activity centred around an expedition to Antarctica to commemorate the Shackleton-Rowett Expedition of 1921-1922. 100 years after Sir Ernest Shackleton’s ship Quest sailed to Antarctica a ten strong team of Scouts and leaders are recreating the original ethos of the expedition by undertaking their own voyage to the frozen south. The ten participants undertook research projects whilst in Antarctica on issues such as climate change, energy, exploration, education, health and the environment. Findings will be presented in a range of engaging formats including photography, soundscapes, reports, artwork and interactive forums.
February Meeting-Reinstatement Of Annual Dinner – 6.30pm for 7.00pm, Wednesday 15th February 2023 We have arranged for this to take place at The Courtyard in Sondes Road on Wednesday 15th February. The restaurant is offering a two-course meal with a choice of main course and dessert. The cost will be £25 with a supplement of £5 for cheese in place of a dessert and you can add a glass of their house wine for £4. And, of course, the bar will be open should you wish you buy other drinks …. March Meeting - Wednesday 8 March 2023 - Our AGM As in previous years, the meeting will be followed by a Wine and Cheese evening, during which we will be entertained by The Ukulele Rollers.
April Meeting – 7.00pm Wednesday 19 April 2023 Our next meeting will be held at the Town Hall on Wednesday 19 April. Our speaker will be Russell Miles, talking about his work as a wildlife photographer. Afterwards there will be the usual finger buffet and glass of wine.
May Meeting - 7.00pm Wednesday 17 May Speaker: David Reid, The Early Days of Twinning
June Meeting - 7.00pm Wednesday 21st June 2023 Speaker: TBA
Friday 7th July 2023 Coach Trip to Hampton Court Flower Show At the last meeting, when Sue asked if there would be interest in this trip, there was a good response, so we have gone ahead and booked the coach. Many people contend that this show is better than Chelsea – certainly there is a great deal to see here, often with ideas for what to do with a typical garden rather than the more elaborate show gardens seen at Chelsea. As well as the show itself, there are plenty of options for eating and drinking or you can take a picnic and eat it sitting by the river. All in all it should be a great day out!
The price for the outing will be £62, which includes all the costs associated with the coach as well as the entry fee for the show itself. If you’d like to go, please complete the form at the end of the newsletter and return it, with payment, to Ernie Couchman at the address shown, to reach him by 17th May.
As space on the coach is limited, in the first instance we’re offering it to paid-up members, so if you haven’t renewed yet (see below) you can add your renewal subs to this booking. Once we know how many members wish to go, we’ll open it up to friends and guests.
September 9th and 10th - TheSaint Omer Beer Festival and twinning get together in France. The Deal Hop farm is taking over a coach on the tunnel on 9th September and they do have a few seats left for our members, please see attached letter from them about booking your place. Alternatively, some of our French friends would be happy to offer you accommodation for the weekend so that you can visit the Beer festival and see a bit more of this lovely French city. Again numbers are limited and I do need to know quite soon if you would like to do the full weekend (9th and 10th of September).
September 21st - Return Golf Match. This is between AA St. Omer Golf Club and Walmer and Kingsdown Golf club. The golfers will be traveling by car. If anyone would like to go for the day under their own steam, then let the Society know as we can then arrange for you to join the meal at the end of the match. Once again, our French friends are happy to entertain us while the golf is being played (just one thing it will be an early start!)
November Meeting - 7.00pm Wednesday 22nd November 2023 Speaker: Martin Crowther – "A Fun History of Christmas"
Christmas Quiz and Dinner – Wednesday 6th December 2023 The ever-popular Christmas Quiz and Dinner will once again be held at Walmer and Kingsdown Golf Club, where we’ve been so well looked after the past couple of years. Watch out for details in the coming weeks so that you can book your places and choose your meal.
February Meeting – Provisional Date Wednesday 21st February 2024 As last year’s reinstatement of the Annual Dinner was well-received we’ve decided to make our February meeting a repeat of that event. We’re currently researching details, but are hoping that we can sort something out at The Fox, the newly-opened restaurant opposite the pier. Further details when we have them … watch this space. March Meeting - 7.00pm Wednesday 20th March 2024. Our AGM in Deal Town Hall Followed as usual by Wine and Cheese and entertainment.
April Meeting - 7.00pm Wednesday 24 April at Deal Town Hall Speaker: Peter Woodley, his subject “A Musical History of the BBC” May Meeting - 7.00pm Wednesday 22 May at Deal Town Hall Speaker: TBA June Lunch - Tuesday 25 June at The Three Compasses