THE GARDENS ARE OPEN. ENJOY YOUR VIST - BUT DO OBSERVE GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE ON SOCIAL DISTANCING.  Most of our visitors enjoy the gardens whilst ensuring they follow the most recent guidance on social distancing. SALE OF CHRISTMAS TREES Saturday 12 December 9.30 - 13.00 Buy your Christmas trees in Caversham Court this year. Fine trees from a heathland management site will be on sale. Sadly there will be no other stalls this year, but all money raised will be shared between the regular stall holders, RSPB, BBOWT, Traidcraft and Reading bee-keepers and donations will also go to Reading Food Bank and Launchpad Covid-19 precautions will be in place with a one-way system entrance and track and trace system in line with RBC regulations. CHRISTMAS CAROLS Sadly, the traditional Christmas Carol Service In Caversham Court Gardens cannot take place this year, because of the uncertainty about Covid-19 lockdowns and regulations. We will look forward to renewing the event in 2021. NATIONAL POETRY DAY Thursday 1 October Caversham and Reading poets put up some of their poems in the garden for visitors to read and to celebrate National Poetry Day. The image shows a visitor reading one of the poems from the wall adjoining the long walk.  latHERITAGE OPEN DAYS GET IN ON THE PLOT  The Friends arranged four successful tours on Heritage Open Days during September. This year the theme for the days was Hidden Nature. Vickie Abel took five visitors for each socially distanced tour around the allotments hidden behind the walls of Caversham Court gardens, in what was the kitchen gardens of the former mansion. Her talk told of the way the kitchen gardens were used in earlier centuries and of recent allotment practices.  The image shows Vickie Abel taking a group on one of the tours The talk attracted much interest amongst visitors and volunteers. We now offer a talk on The History of Kitchen Gardens and Allotments, details of which can be found in Garden News. Have a look at our new video for this event which provides a flavour of what the Gardens offer. It can be accessed on the Garden News page of this website. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Wednesday 22 April Owing to government restrictions relating to Covid-19, The Friends were unable to hold their Annual General Meeting as planned. The A.G.M has therefore been held by e-mail/phone. All members have been contacted and have responded approving the minutes of the 2019 A.G.M., the Treasurer's Report and Accounts, and the re-election of officers and committee. Our speaker, Sir Roderick Floud, has kindly agreed to give his talk 'Purchasing paradise: the money that paid for the great gardens' (to include Caversham Park) at next year's A.G.M., April 2021, the date to be confirmed. CHRISTMAS CAROLS IN CAVERSHAM COURT GARDENS A successful carol service was held in St Peter's Church on 16 December, Because of a forecast of heavy rain showers the service had to be transferred from the gardens to the church this year. St Peter's was full to capacity with some 40 people unable to enter but who followed the service gathered around the porch. The service was compered by Simon Thomas and the singing led by the choir of St Peter's Church and the band of the local Salvation Army. We are grateful to the rector of St Peter's for hosting the evening, to Linda Humphreys-Evans for organising the event and to tea kiosk volunteers for supplying mulled wine and mince pies for those attending. Thank you also to the several sponsors of the evening whose support was detailed in the carol booklet and is greatly appreciated.  CADRA PANEL ON WILLIAM MARSHAL  CADRA have commissioned and recently installed an illustrated panel about William Marshal on the viewing platform of Caversham Bridge. The panel looks towards Dean's Farm where his home was thought to be and where he died on 14 May 1204. Marshal (the Earl of Pembroke) was lord of the manor of Caversham. He is reported to have given the land between the churchyard and the river (which includes the current gardens) to the Augustinian Notley Abbey in the 12th Century. He had a reputation as Englands greatest knight and served five sovereigns, ruling the country as regent to the young King Henry III. As regent he was responsible for ensuring the survival of Magna Carta after King John's death. More information is available on www.cadra.org.uk PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION The Friends held a photography competition earlier this year to celebrate 10 years since the refurbished gardens opened in the summer of 2009. We invited all our visitors to submit pictures which capture the spirit of the gardens through the seasons. To see some of the best entries and the winner - see Photography Competition. MADE IN CAVERSHAM FUNDRAISING CROQUET DAY A successful fundraising day was held in the Gardens organised by 'Made in Caversham' The event was well supported by visitors, the 'Friends' and by members of the Caversham Croquet Club. Those who participated enjoyed this tactical battle of mallet, hoops and balls re-creating a game which would have been played on the lawns of Caversham Court in its Victorian heyday. The afternoon was enhanced by some lively music from the Abbey jazz Trio and tea and cakes available from the ever popular tea kiosk. CHILDRENS CRAFT AFTERNOON Some 20 children joined volunteers led by our treasurer Hester to create a colourful collage for the garden inspired by its flowers. A great time was had by all and the impressive end product had an important message for us 'Flowers need bees and bees need flowers  SCHOOL VISITS This year we have enjoyed educational visits from local schools which have used the gardens as a link to their studies of issues such as global warming, local history and architecture. Pupils from Caversham Primary School enjoyed two days of visits in the summer to consider the importance of our trees in mitigating the effects of aerial pollution and some of the harmful effects of climate change.  More recently children from St Martin's Catholic Primary School, Caversham visited to enjoy a session with Gemma Solanellas designed as a practical approach to learn and have fun through heritage with hands on activities. The pupils enjoyed hearing about the gardens and their buildings, past and present, and were encouraged to observe, draw and erect a model from cards showing architectural features of the 17th century gazebo. |
