BuiltWithNOF
Group Events

PLEASE NOTE
 

For the minutes of the 2024 AGM - click here

The Trustees

 

To Members and Friends.

The normal venue for meetings is in the Village Hall, Station Road, Balsall Common and will take place on Wednesday afternoons – 2:00 p.m. for a 2:15 start.

 

Future Presentations for 2024

April 24th 

IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF WHITE MONKS

by Jan Cooper

The talk begins with a short history of the Cistercian Order of Monks followed by a pictorial tour of six great abbeys – Rievaulx, Fountains, Byland and Roche in North Yorkshire; Stoneleigh in Warwickshire (now a stately home and perfect example of a post dissolution mansion) and Mount St. Bernard in Leicestershire (the only working Cistercian abbey in England).

June 26th

COUNTRY BYGONES

by Robert Manton

A bit of a hands-on session this month! Robert will bring along some 40 objects, both rural and domestic. We will have the chance to handle, discuss and try to identify these artifacts. Robert will then explain what they are and what they used to be used for.

July - TBA

Visit to Coventry Watch Museum

August 28th

THE FIVE MATILDAS!

by Julie Howard

Set 998 years ago and is about the Matildas (five of them!) and the Norman Kings who ruled England for 88 years from 1066 until 1154.

This was an absolutely fascinating Royal House with power struggles, murder, plotting, fighting, coups…… men backed up by incredibly powerful women in their own right ….all called Matilda and two particular Matilda’s whose actions led to the deposition then restoration of a king.

It is a time which is full of events which changed the course of English history.

October 23rd

THE SWEET LIFE OF BOURNEVILLE

by Robert Booth

Bob Booth, chairman of The Bournville Society, has spoken to many groups and is the author of Bournville Through Time published by Amberley Publishing and The Sweet Life in Bournville: 100 years of the Bournville Works Housing Society. Pictures from many personal collections will be used in this presentation and aspects of the Cadbury legacy, the village architecture, the community and some of the lesser-known facts about Bournville will be revealed.

November 27th

YULE BE SURPRISED! WHY CHRISTMAS IS CHRISTMAS

by Steve Dimmer

A sideways look at the traditions of Christmas that we take for granted.  

Why a partridge in a pear tree? When did Santa first begin coming down the chimney? 

And Christmas trees were not introduced by Prince Albert. 

A fascinating and light-hearted journey through the festive season guaranteed to inform and delight!

This meeting is a Christmas Social Evening and visitors are invited to join members in enjoying some festive cheer.