How would you like to enjoy an entertaining afternoon of humorous anecdotes from Gervase Phinn and a cream tea at the Old Swan Hotel? And, at the same time, you could be helping to raise funds for the Friends of Harrogate Hospital. Funds which could finance projects such as making a playground, so that small patients at the hospital might actually want to go outside for some fresh air and exercise.  For further details, please follow this link.  Gervase Phinn

On the 5^th / 6^th / 8^th March for International Women’s Day, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)  we will be putting the spotlight on some of the female casualties buried at the site. This is a completely new tour about casualties we’ve not spoken about before.

Sister Florrie Prest from Bilton is just one of the female casualties at Stonefall cemetery, who will feature in the tour.

On the 12^th / 13^th / 14^th March the CWGC will be highlighting the casualties from East Africa, Fiji, the Caribbean, Canada, Australia and New Zealand who are buried at Stonefall Cemetery.

More information including booking details can be found here: Commonwealth War Graves Near You: Book Tours | CWG

Anyone who is no longer in full-time employment is very welcome to join u3a. Please look at the website : u3asites.org.uk>Harrogate for further details and membership application forms . These are also available in The Library. For any enquiries about membership please use the dedicated line 07715 429 249 .

The free online Silver Sunday event is hosted using Zoom and is suitable for absolute beginners – plus there is no upper age limit. As it is online, there is no limit on location as anyone from the UK (or the world!) can join in. After the hour-long class, all participants can make a cup of tea and join in an informal chat with all the Silver Sunday Silver Swans® attendees. The classes are open to anyone (male or female) – no previous dance experience necessary.

Silver Swans® is an initiative of the Royal Academy of Dance. Following research into dance practice for older learners, the gentle Silver Swans® classes are specially designed for the over 55s to help improve mobility, posture, co-ordination and energy. The online Silver Swans® classes, hosted on Zoom by the Janet Lomas School of Dancing, are specially adapted for a smaller home environment by experienced and fully qualified Silver Swans® licensee, Johanna Hadley.

Silver Swans® online ballet classes at the Janet Lomas School of Dancing have been featured on ITV Tonight ‘How To Age Well’ with Martin Kemp in March 2021 and the Royal Academy of Dance’s RAD@Home series. Their in-person Silver Swans® ballet classes in Bury have been featured on BBC Two’s ‘Darcey Bussell: Dancing to Happiness’, BBC North West Tonight, BBC Radio Manchester Breakfast and Drivetime shows, That’s Manchester TV and in The Times, Daily Express, Radio Times and local press.

The free online Silver Sunday event is hosted using Zoom and is suitable for absolute beginners – plus there is no upper age limit. As it is online, there is no limit on location as anyone from the UK (or the world!) can join in. After the hour-long class, all participants can make a cup of tea and join in an informal chat with all the Silver Sunday Silver Swans® attendees. The classes are open to anyone (male or female) – no previous dance experience necessary.

“The classes have been easy to follow and achievable at home.”
– Maureen, age 71 – Silver Swan®

For more details on how to register for the free event, please visit:
https://www.janetlomasdance.co.uk/silverswansevents.html
https://silversunday.org.uk/event/online-silver-swans-ballet-class-2/

Suzanne has arranged for the Lunch Club members to meet at the Dower House at Bond End, Knaresborough. This has been a popular venue in the past and there is space to meet inside and out, depending on the weather. ‘Newly under the helm of Victoria Vasallo Storm restaurant is fast becoming a must visit on the Yorkshire dining scene’. If you would like to reserve a place for yourself (and a friend?), please contact Suzanne Marland by telephone 01423 560384  or e-mail:  suzie.marsland@gmail.com  Closing date for bookings is August 30th.

The grotto will be open to visitors on December 5th and 6th

Elizabeth Smith from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission travels around the country talking about the work of the CWGC which maintains all the headstones and memorials to the fallen of WW1 and WW2 throughout the world. As well as talking to groups and school children, last year she conducted two fully-booked Heritage Day visits to Stonefall Cemetery in Harrogate, which included the histories of some of the nearly 1000 air crew members who are buried there.

Elizabeth will be giving free tours of the war graves at Stonefall as part of Heritage Open Days over the weekend of the 12^th / 13^th September. The numbers are very limited (5 to a tour and only 6 tours) due to Covid restrictions. All tickets need to be booked in advance and the link to book is via the HOD site: https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/visiting/event/commonwealth-war-graves-walk-and-talk-stonefall-cemetery-harrogate

Update September 3rd    –   All places have now been booked.  Thank you for your support.