Our Christmas Party held on Wednesday 3rd December 2025
One table of our members enjoying a glass of mulled wine before our speaker. Mike Hurst told us of an Old Time Christmas. This was a light hearted social history of Christmas at home in the mid-20th century.
Raffle prizes which raised money for Wallingford Stroke Club
Our New Year Lunch was held at The Highwayman on Wednesday 21st January 2026
On a very wet and windy day we were all pleased to enjoy the company and a very tasty lunch at The Highwayman in Checkendon.
We are always welcomed by the friendly staff and are made to feel at home.
Our outings for 2026
Chiltern Valley Vineyard Tour and Tasting April 2026
A group of us visited the Vineyard and had a tour of wine production followed by a tasting with nibbles!
Mottisfont Abbey, Hampshire (National Trust) May 2026
Famous for its collection of old fashioned shrub roses which were in flower when we visited. The house has a collection of 20th century art and some interesting trompe l'oeil decoration by Red Whistler. A very warm day, one of the hottest so far this year!
Stratford on Avon in July
On a very hot day our group visited Stratford on Avon. In the afternoon there was a visit to the Royal Shakespeare Company costume workshop to see how costumes are made and to see their huge section.
Forthcoming events
OUR 5 DAY HOLIDAY TO AYRSHIRE COAST, ARRAN AND BUTE 2026
We travelled north stopping at Lowther Castle, a magnificent Gothic ruin recently renovated from a derelict shell.
From there we settled in to the Riverside Lodge Hotel at Irvine.
On day 2 we visited Culzean Castle and had a guided tour. In the afternoon we visited Robbie Burns birth place Museum including the cottage where he was born.
Day 3 saw us on the ferry to the Isle of Arran where we visited Brodick Castle and the magnificent gardens.
On our last day we took the ferry to the Isle of Bute at Rothesay. We took some time to enjoy the Victorian resort of Rothsay. In the afternoon we visited Mount Stuart, a 19th century country manor house, one of Scotland's most spectacular Victorian Gothic mansions.
Having a drink on our last evening at the Hotel before travelling home the next morning.
One very interesting stop off was the Devils Porridge Museum at Annan. We discovered what life was like for the thousands of Munitions Girls who worked at HM Factory Gretna during the First World War.