CEDARS VILLAGE
AUGUST 2010 UPDATE
A yes vote for Louisa
Emmeline Pankhurst was, according to reports, spirited, full of vigour and took no nonsense. So it was very apt that someone who displayed all those attributes should be welcomed to Cedars Village to give a talk about the turn of the century campaigner credited with winning the vote the women.
Louisa Reed dressed in Emmeline-style clothing, was armed with literature from the period and gave an incredibly entertaining talk – probably more correctly described as a ‘performance’ about Emmeline Pankhurst and her Suffragette Movement.
It was certainly wonderful entertainment and food for thought too.
Busy Bank Holiday
August Bank Holiday sees our annual fun day at Cedars. We spend the whole day playing, chatting, eating – basically having fun! We don’t always get good weather but with a bit of planning we can work around the showers, if there are any, and make sure the croquet tournament and barbecue lunch still go ahead.
Later there’s celebration cocktails in the bar and the winner of the Cedars in Bloom competition is announced. We round off with a session of Bingo and a wonderful spread of afternoon tea and biscuits.
This year we’re going to be donating some of the money raised from ticket sales to the armed forces appeal – a worthwhile cause and one which many residents support.
Cedars in Bloom
This is an annual competition which recognises the work done by green fingered residents to create beautiful gardens in their little piece of Cedars Village.
Judging took place a couple of weeks ago and there were some very positive comments. There were even entrants from the first floor apartments who had created some spectacular displays on balconies and window boxes. The winner will be revealed – and presented with their trophy – on August Bank Holiday Monday.
JULY 2010 UPDATE
Summer games
With Summer, finally here, the Croquet and Putting Greens have been used extensively, during the last month. All eyes will soon turn to the Summer Bank Holiday, when the croquet competition really hots up at the annual day long event with the presentation of a Winners Cup!
Blooming marvellous
Cedars in Bloom, our annual horticultural competition, will be judged later this month. We have beautiful grounds here at Cedars which are meticulously maintained by our team of grounds staff.
With no huge lawns to mow, residents get the chance to cultivate feature pots, hanging baskets and herb troughs on their patios. We have some very green fingers residents so competition is always fierce – but friendly of course.
We’ll let you know who takes the trophy off current holder John Corner in the coming months.
An evening with Mike
Later this month the Residents Association are hosting ‘an evening with Mike’. It’s a chance to hear all about some ‘tales of horror from The Tower of London’ (should be fun – or possibly very scary!).
Parsley and Thyme
The Herb Garden has been developed by Cedars’ resident, Dee Kramer. The results of her hard work aren’t just there to be seen and smelt but to be cooked with! Residents are now invited to snip off some chives, pull off parsley or nip off some sage to throw in their cooking pots. What a wonderful asset to have – fresh grown herbs on your doorstep.
JUNE 2010 UPDATE
Cactus Show
One of the our residents, Ina Hopkins has been looking after, caring and generally nurturing Cacti for many years – from long before she moved into Cedars. In fact she 'gifted' many of her Cacti to the Botanical Gardens in Gibraltar, before she moved here.
She did bring a few of her most prized plants and now belongs to a local Cactus group. Recently, a number of Cedars' residents joined her in the local Village Hall for the South of England Cactus Show and were there to witness Ina winning two trophies!
She was delighted to be able to show other residents and visitors to the show that Cacti are not just boring plants but flower as well! Amazing fact: Some of Ina’s Cacti are 50 years old!
Spring Bank Holiday Fun!
Residents turned out in numbers for a special Bank Holiday event. The bar was open and did roaring trade, with special cocktails to be had! A hot buffet then followed - you wouldn't believe this was Summer! - and then Bingo with tea and biscuits.
Derby Day
A tradition at Cedars Village is to 'celebrate' Derby Day with a flutter! And who are we to ignore tradition! We had great fun deciding which horses to back although quite a lot turned out to be donkeys in disguise!
MAY 2010 UPDATE
Pegged out
The sun is finally shining and the warmer weather has brought out our Croquet and putting green players. Most afternoons see a good number of residents out on the Croquet Lawn, deep in thought considering their next move!
The culmination of the season is the Summer Bank Holiday competition, where residents battle it against each other for the top prize.
Did you know when a ball hits the peg at the end of the game it’s ‘pegged out’?
A decade old
This month saw the 10th anniversary of our Luncheon Club. Founded by Margaret and Bev Rhodes, the monthly talk given by a professional speaker, followed by a three course lunch in the sumptuous Cedars’ restaurant has always proved to be popular.
This month Julian Hunt spoke about the area of the country – which Chorleywood is at the centre of – known as ‘metroland’.
Margaret Rhodes, gave the vote of thanks - a poignant moment for her after all these years. Resident Brian Williams wrote a special poem celebrating the event.
After the talk Pimms was served in the hall before lunch.
Subjects lined up for the rest of this year are:
- The Great Train Robbery
- Emmeline Pankhurst
- Television and Theatre today
- Hearing dogs for deaf people
- Humour in words and phrases
- Flowers of the Mediterranean
This is Mr Williams’ poem:
Cedars Lynch Club 10th Anniversary
Today’s the day, we all know, when
It’s Lunch Club’s birthday. We are 10!
Way back in the Millen’um year
‘twas Bev and Mar’gret’s bright idea –
Monthly talks, plus three course meal
Soon proved to have a wide appeal.
So for our Founders let us cheer
And for our fine Committee here –
For Doris, Hilda, Bob and Joyce,
And Ruth and Mac, let us rejoice,
And unsung heroes we expect ter
Work loop, and mike, and that projector.
Most grateful thanks of course to Lizzie
Out back there, and VERY busy,
And to her team, in kitchen small
To those who wait upon us all
To all these splendid girls and chaps
Let’s give them now a rousing clap!
And now before this poem ends
Let’s praise the Lord for food and friends
And all who help to run this club
OK now Liz, bring on the grub!
APRIL 2010 UPDATE
Easter Fun
Easter Monday at Cedars has traditionally had a function, organised by the Residents Association and this year was no different.
More than 70 residents enjoyed a buffet lunch in the fabulous Ballroom, followed by a game of Bingo for those who like to indulge, and the obligatory afternoon tea and cakes.
The weather was chilly but residents enjoyed each other’s company and a lot of laughs were had.
Digging up the past
This month’s Luncheon Club featured a talk by Colin Oaks, a local archaeologist based on local history. As usual the event was well supported and – as the name suggests – lunch enjoyed!
Lording it up with Jazz
To prove that Cedars’ residents are an educated ,informed and cultured group, an evening of Springtime Jazz at the House of Lords has been organised for late April. This is being hosted by the Purcell School for Young Musicians with which Cedars Village has a close connection.
Antiques roadshow
The director of a local auctioneers will be visiting Cedars soon to spot any hidden gems among residents’ treasures. Residents can bring what they have for a free valuation. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a surprise find!
MARCH 2010 UPDATE
Adrian’s evening
A marvellous evening was enjoyed when ‘a musical evening with Adrian’ took place in the Ballroom. About fifty residents were entertained by a very talented musical and song artist. No one was left in any doubt that everyone was expected to get involved, as the array of head gear proves.
After some early reluctance, many were up on their feet, dancing in the aisles! It just proves that there’s always time to have a ‘boogie’!
The evening was so successful, with many residents thoroughly enjoying themselves, that we reckon people will be queuing up to get tickets for next time!
Happy St Patrick’s Day
St Patrick’s Day was another of the themed evenings our restaurant manager organises throughout the year. The restaurant was fantastically dressed, obviously with green being the dominant colour! The meal was excellent and as usual great fun was had by all.
Exotic talk attracts huge lunch audience
The monthly Luncheon Club, which consists of a talk and then lunch, was particularly successful this month with almost 50 residents attending. They listened attentively to a talk given by Margaret Deakin, on The Andes, Amazon and The Galapagos islands. Very interesting indeed.
Music evening
Our monthly music evening was once again hosted by resident Frank Ashby. The venue is the foyer of The Cedars, normally round a large roaring fire - at least, during the colder months.
In fact it’s quite magical and almost ‘romantic’.
Frank chooses a varied selection of music to listen to generally on the theme of light classical. It’s well worth dropping in one month.
Happy Easter
Easter Monday will be a day to get together, eat, drink and have fun. The Residents Association is hosting an afternoon of fun with a cold buffet, bingo followed by tea and cakes.
FEBRUARY 2010 UPDATE
What a dull month!
How dull was February?! It’s been a dreadfully grey and cold month which we won’t be sad to see the end of! Thankfully we always find plenty to keep us warm here at Cedars. There was the romance of Valentine’s Day, the fun of flipping pancakes and the busy-ness of preparing for the spring and summer events.
Music is the food of love….
Well so they say. We’re not so sure but we are looking forward to our ‘Musical Evening with Adrian’ next week. It’s taking place in the ballroom which is a lovely airy room with beautiful views over our landscaped gardens.
10 per cent
We love a bargain here at Cedars so March’s 10 per cent sale is eagerly anticipated. It’s a great place to offload unwanted presents, clothes you’re fed up with or pictures which have become surplus following a decorating spree.
Just because we no longer want something doesn’t mean someone else won’t.
So everyone prices up items they would like to sale, brings it along to the sale and we sell it. We keep 10 per cent for club funds and the seller gets the rest. It’s a great money-spinner and a fun morning.
JANUARY 2010 UPDATE
New Year’s Eve
Around 50 Cedars Village residents celebrated the arrival of 2010 in the ballroom. The evening was a great success despite the bar running out of champagne - it’s a wicked world!. A big thank you to the hardworking ladies of the committee for their fantastic organisational skills.
Burns Night Dinner
Monday 25th January was Burns Night – a celebration of Scottish poet Robert Burns. We held our own Burns supper in the restaurant with more than 30 residents joining in the fun. Also joining us was Gordon Catto, known to several of us as the President of Grimm’s Dyke Golf Club.
He expertly gave the address to the Haggis. We don’t know what he said, but one thing was certain – this haggis was in no position to answer back. Liz provided first class food and drink. A very good evening all round.
Unwanted gifts
Now we don’t wish to sound ungrateful but….here at Cedars there are more than a few of us with – shall we call them – unwanted gifts kicking around in our homes. Everyone gets them – a duplicate of something they already have, a lovely item of clothing that just doesn’t fit, a picture that doesn’t work with the décor.
But, just because we don’t want the gift doesn’t mean someone else won’t. So we came up with an idea. We’re holding a 10% morning. You price your item, bring it along to the sale and we’ll sell it – taking 10% for our club funds.
Hopefully, it’ll be a really good money-spinner for the social club as well as a fun morning for residents.
DECEMBER 2009 UPDATE
Looking festive
Cedars looks particularly festive this year with our new lights lighting up the entrance way (click picture to enlarge).
Merry Christmas from all at Cedars Village!
Hat’s away
One of our talented residents Miss Jennifer Tanburn, an economist and company director, was a keen knitter between the ages of three and 33. She recently picked up her knitting needles again and knitted more than 20 hats to sell at our Christmas Fayre – which by the way overall raised £600 for local charities.
The grounds team liked her hats so much they commissioned her to knit one for each of them – five all together. Here she is handing over the smart green numbers (click picture to enlarge) which have come in very useful over the recent cold snap!
New Year’s coming
Tickets have sold fast for our traditional New Year’s Eve celebration which starts with drinks in the foyer and continues with a buffet, bingo and quiz – right through until midnight.
NOVEMBER 2009 UPDATE
Resident’s design in print
With Christmas fast approaching, Len Gridley entered into the festive spirit, taking part in Retirement Villages’ ‘design a Christmas card’ competition.
Len submitted a ‘Village’ watercolour scene and although not chosen as the overall winner, Retirement Villages’ Chief Executive Jon Gooding commended Len for his talents.
The winner of the competition was Eileen Ward from Elmbridge Village, Cranleigh.
Getting into the Christmas spirit
We have a full calendar of events to help us get into the Christmas spirit this year. Our own carol concert is going to be led by Geoffrey Brand, who will be keeping the fledgling Cedars Choir in tune with the piano and encouraging the audience to join in as well!
Those who can’t – or won’t – sing have no excuse not to join in as there will be some ‘choral speaking’ which sounds rather intriguing!
The carol concert courtesy of one of our local primary schools will probably be a more tuneful one! This is now an annual fixture at Cedars and we’re delighted that we’re able to welcome children into the village.
Resident Frank Ashby will be cueing up the Christmas music for an evening around the fire. It all sounds incredibly festive!
What a talented bunch!
This is some of the amazing artwork exhibited at Cedars Village’s Art Exhibition. Residents, friends and family gathered in the Ballroom to admire the stunning display of work by our art group.
Members were on hand to offer advice and information and some even pocketed a few pennies selling their paintings, drawings and sketches.
The art group meets every Monday morning in the ballroom. There is no pressure to produce the next Van Gogh – many of the group hadn’t picked up a paintbrush since school before moving to Cedars!
OCTOBER 2009 UPDATE
Coffee morning success
We’re rather pleased with ourselves here at Cedars Village. We raised £1,190 at our World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – just £10 short of last year’s total!
Everyone was so generous with their donations, cakes and time. The money has already been sent off to Macmillan Cancer Support to help the two million people in this country living with cancer.
Well done us!
Brush strokes
Cedars Village is staging an art exhibition of residents work in the Ballroom next week. It’s a perfect opportunity to show some of the brilliant pictures which our very talented residents have created in a semi-formal setting.
SEPTEMBER 2009 UPDATE
Happy 100th birthday
We hit a very special village landmark this month – Cedars Village celebrated its first 100th birthday. Around 70 guests, including neighbours from the village, friends and family joined Joan Thomson (pictured) in the ballroom for afternoon tea and a champagne toast to mark the special occasion.
Joan, who has lived at Cedars for 12 years, was serenaded by her grandson on the piano, listened to a speech by her son Hamish and watched a series of pictures depicting her life on a large screen.
A host of presents and cards were presented to Joan, including some from the Cedars Village Residents Association and flowers from Retirement Villages Ltd.
Music please
What a wonderfully relaxing and uplifting evening we had in the company of musicians from The Purcell School earlier this month.
The school is Britain’s oldest specialist music school and has The Prince of Wales as its patron.
We are honoured to welcome the incredibly talented pupils to Cedars Village from time to time and their most recent recital here was to a very appreciative full house.
The programme consisted of traditional and modern classics from Bach, Beethoven and Carl Nielsen.
A real treat!
Tea for two…
…Well coffee actually. As we write we’re in the final stages of preparation for this year’s Biggest Coffee Morning in support of Macmillan Cancer Care.
Last year we raised the magnificent sum of £1,200, thanks to the generosity of residents and staff. If we can get somewhere near that again we’ll be very happy.
Date for the village calendar
Last year we raised an amazing £1200 from our coffee morning, in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Organised by Valerie Selway and Margaret Budgen with support from a band of very willing helpers, they now hope to match if not surpass this total this year.
Hopefully as many residents and friends and family will come along to this year’s event being held in the main house on Sept 25th. These pictures illustrate perfectly the incredible support – and fun – we had last year.
September speaker
Patricia Purcell will be retelling her Tales of the Opera when she calls into the village on Sept 15th.
September film shows and events
Sept 17th – The Talented Mr Ripley – in the ballroom. The bar will be open in the interval.
AUGUST 2009 UPDATE
Bank Holiday Fun!
We’re all very much looking forward to the last Monday in August when we have our ‘Bank Holiday Fun day’. We pack lots of entertainment into the day with activities happening around the village including a barbeque, croquet competition, bingo, presentation of the Cedars in Bloom competition prizes and Bank Holiday Cocktails!
From village to village
We’re joining residents of several other Retirement Villages at Elmbridge Village in Cranleigh, Surrey for their Summer fete at the beginning of next month. It’ll be a lovely opportunity to meet other people who live in Retirement Villages and compare notes. Hopefully it’ll be the first of many get togethers.
Summer calendar
- Monday – Christian discussion group
- Tuesday – Canasta in the ballroom
- Wednesday – S-T-R-E-T-C-H and Mobility
- Thursday – Music evening
- Friday – Sewing group
Village trips
Two enterprising Cedars’ residents Hilda Bantock and Ruth Golder have been organising a series of trips over the last couple of years. Among their trips have been the Albert Hall, Chenies Manor, Brent Cross, Wisely, Savill Gardens, to see Billy Elliot and the Outside Shakespeare Theatre on stage.
Their latest trip was a visit to Windsor when 25 residents were taken by coach to Staines then took the scheduled boat service to Windsor, passing the historic Runnymded and other areas owned by the Crown, along the banks of the Thames.
After arriving in Windsor, in time for lunch, some residents made their way up to the hill to look at the Castle and do some shopping, while other pottered around. They then met together and were driven back to Cedars by coach.
Book group
The next meeting of the group will be on Friday 14 August in the foyer when we will be discussing Brief Lives by WF Deedes. Copies are available in reception.
JULY 2009 UPDATE
Cedars in Bloom
It’s watering cans at the ready as we prepare for the judging of our third annual Cedars in Bloom competition. We’re very grateful to Mr and Mrs Kemp from Chorleywood Horticultural Society who have again agreed to come and do the judging.
They’ll be in the village mid July to admire the dazzling displays of shrubs, hanging baskets and pots which we’ve all been nurturing, watering, feeding, weeding and pruning for the last few weeks and months,
There are a few different categories so everyone’s in with a chance. We’ll bring you news of the winners soon.
Film night
The “must see” film of the year is bound to be a huge draw to this month’s Film Show.
Slum Dog Millionaire was critically and publicly acclaimed and scored a clutch of Oscars. And now we’re all going to get to see it! And the bar’s going to be open in the interval!
Well-earned rest
As much as we know exercise is good for us, we’re going to take advantage of a summer break from our regular classes which will start up again in the autumn.
With so much beautiful sunshine to enjoy and our lovely grounds we’ll all be taking walks outside instead!
Village events – summer diary
• Monday – Christian discussion group
• Tuesday – Canasta in the Ballroom
• Thursday – film show
• Friday – sewing group
JUNE 2009 UPDATE
Antiques Roadshow at Cedars Village
We all busied ourselves dusting off prized possessions for the visit of Amersham Antiques. The director Hugo Lemon was really knowledgeable and gave an interesting talk about his work. Then he took some time to talk to us individually about some of our own antiques.
Unfortunately there were no million pound treasures discovered but we all had fun and went away having learnt something. Thanks to Margaret Smart who organised the event.
Cedars in Bloom
This is the third year we’ll have run Cedars in Bloom and some of the keener gardeners are already watering, weeding and planting in anticipation.
There have been some dazzling displays of shrubs, hanging baskets and pots and the hope is the whole village will be awash with natural colour again throughout the summer.
Keep checking for results of the competition.
Anyone for golf?
The putting pitch has now been reinstated by the ground staff and is open to all villagers. We look forward to it being well used over the coming months.