Book Club
Village Christmas and Other Notes on the English Year
9th December at 7.30pm
From the author of Cider With Rosie, Village Christmas is a moving, lyrical portrait of England through the changing years and seasons.
Laurie Lee left his childhood home in the Cotswolds when he was nineteen, but it remained with him throughout his life until, many years later, he returned for good. This collection brings to life the sights, sounds, landscapes and traditions of his home - from centuries-old May Day rituals to his own patch of garden, from carol singing in crunching snow to pub conversations and songs. Here too he writes about the mysteries of love, living in wartime Chelsea, Winston Churchill's wintry funeral and his battle, in old age, to save his beloved Slad Valley from developers.
Told with a warm sense of humour and a powerful sense of history, Village Christmas brings us a picture of a vanished world.
Membership Renewal
Time to renew your AMRA Membership
Membership of AMRA costs £15 per person, per year, and this becomes due in April of each year. The annual subscription of £15 can be paid by BACS to AMRA’s account number 63783863, sort code 30-98-97, name: Abingdon Marina Residents Association. Please note that this is a Business Account. Please use the payment reference box to show your name and address. For more information, contact our Membership Secretary, Tom Hardy, on Tomrw.Hardy@btinternet.com. Alternatively, feel free to write a cheque payable to AMRA, and to deliver it to Tom Hardy at 20 West Quay. Please complete the following details with your cheque:
Name: email address……………………………………
Address: phone number……………………………………..
AMRA SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
AMRA Social Sub-Committee
The social side of AMRA is run mainly by a Social Committee consisting of eleven volunteers led by the Social Secretary, who also sits on the Management Committee, ensuring that everything is cohesive. We are pleased to announce that Laura Johnson is currently social secretary. She is a great ideas person and you will enjoy her energy.
We organise three, free, get togethers annually paid for from members’ subs ...... a wine & cheese party in March to herald in the new season, an afternoon summer party for children as well as adults and a Christmas party when we also hold our Annual General Meeting before the fun begins!
In the past, we have also organised various outings or “get togethers” called, ‘AMRA extras’ ..... events where those members who choose to join in, just pay for the actual cost. These have included: wine tastings, fish and chip suppers on the Wallingford to Cholsey steam train and visits to various places of interest. There has also been the annual, ‘Boatnic’ often held in June where the boat owners amongst us, along with their friends, moor up at Days Lock for a picnic.
The AMRA Summer Party was held at lunchtime on Saturday 17th August.
The Social Committee supplied a magnificent BBQ (a chance for the men to excel with fire - fortified by plenty of beer!!) as well as summery buffet which included coronation chicken, a choice of quiches, handmade sausages rolls, parmesan scones, cheeseboard & French bread and a wide variety of rice and green salads.
The bar was open and the good cheer and excellent company were plentiful.
The afternoon was filled with activities and games for the young at heart.
Croquet, corn hole and boule were played on the grass.
After all the excitement, we chatted and whiled away the rest of the lovely day with cake and ice cream cones for the children.
AMRA members and their friends and family raised an amazing £165 which was donated to Neuroblastoma UK in memory of Marina resident Antonya Cooper who, with other parents, set up the Neuroblastoma Society.
BOATNIC
The Boatnic was held on July 13th and was again a great success. Four boats went in convoy from the Marina down to Day’s Lock, and an excellent picnic was enjoyed by all.
