THATCHAM FESTIVAL2 9-17th October - Thatcham Town Council
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
THATCHAM
FESTIVAL
2021
9-17th October
at various venues across Thatcham
Music Exhibitions & Fairs
Talks Outdoor Events
Walks Dance & Theatre
@
ThatchamFestival for individual event listings
Email: enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk
www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Tel: 01635 863592
MAYOR’S WELCOME
I am so pleased to say that this year, the 21st Thatcham
Festival, we will, with fingers crossed, be welcoming you
to an extensive programme with live events to the fore,
although in some cases we will also be showing events
online, as one of the benefits of a restricted programme
last year was taking content online.
It’s so great to welcome back established organisations
who have regularly featured as part of Thatcham Festival.
In particular choral and orchestral groups were hit hard by
the pandemic and it’s so good to see many of them at this year’s Festival.
We also have many new events, ranging from author talks and poetry workshops,
to walks in the beautiful countryside that surround Thatcham. I will be doing
my best to attend as many events as I can and saying hello to many of you.
Most of our events are free but in some cases their popularity or capacity
size does make it necessary that we charge a nominal admin and booking fee,
but we still hope that you will give generously at many of the events to two
charities that are part of my Mayor’s appeal this year: Thatcham Town Cricket
Club and Swings and Smiles.
All my best wishes for a fabulous 2021 Festival.
Councillor John Boyd
Mayor of Thatcham 2021-2022
Thatcham Town Council Note from the Organisers
Brownsfield Road,Thatcham, Please note all ‘live’ events will adhere
Berkshire, RG18 3HF to latest Government Covid Guidelines.
Please see our website or Thatcham
Tel: 01635 863592 Festival Facebook page for the latest information
Email: enquiries@thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk on the event you are interested in or have booked.
Website: www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk
Facebook: @thatchamfestival ALSO ONLINE BOOK
Twitter: @thatchamfest
Instagram: @thatchamtc
Visit Thatcham Tickets can be booked via
Festival Facebook Eventbrite. Note, we will still
page for viewing leave some tickets available on
2 online events. the door on first come basis.
EVENTS AT A GLANCE
Saturday 9 October Thursday 14 October
The Big Thatcham Fest-Off. History of Thatcham Town Centre
Music, Spoken Word, Night Market Corn Exchange Taster Sessions
‘Finding your words’ with Steve Tasane
Friday 15 October
Storytime with children’s author
An Evening with Beenham Wind
Anita Loughrey
Orchestra Open Rehearsal
Photography Exhibition
Nigel’s Funny Rhymes
Festival Leisure and Craft Fair
Thatcham u3a – Open Afternoon
Friends of Thatcham Library
Kennet School presents Best of
Coffee Morning
‘The Brits’
Greenham Common Heritage Walk
Saturday 16 October
Sunday 10 October Come-and-Sing with Watership
Photographic Exhibition Cantabile
Thatcham Festival Lost and Found Incantata Ladies Choir
Dance Gala
The Roots of Jazz – Music concert
Bird watching talk and walk
‘Finding your words’ with Steve Tasane
Blue Plaque Unveiling
Author talk with Children’s Author
Monday 11 October Laura James
Curiosities of Thatcham Talk Author talk with Wild Author
Nicola Chester
Tuesday 12 October
Newbury and District Hackspace
Paul Hancock and Mark T:
Open Day
Music from the Celtic Nations
Arts Exhibition
Mini Fest Messy play for Under 5’s
Fun on The Field
Wednesday 13 October Infant Schools’ 5-a-side Football
Guided Tour and Talk of Greenham Festival
Control Tower
Talk and Q&A on The Comedy Scene: Sunday 17 October
It’s a funny old business Cold Ash Brass ‘A Night at The Proms’
with West Berks Rock Choir
I’m Sorry KATS Haven’t a Clue
Theatre Show Church Graveyard Tour with
Dr Nick Young
Bird watching talk and walk
Arts Exhibition
Printed on paper
3
WORDS OF RECOVERY – THATCHAM
Photo, Alex Bamford
These last 2 years have been unlike any other but hopefully we are slowly resurfacing as a local
and global community. We are pleased to announce that as a reflection of this Thatcham Town
Council, in partnership with Newbury Building Society and Sovereign, will bring Words of
Recovery as our feature launch event of Thatcham Festival in 2021.
Words of Recovery provides an opportunity for Thatcham’s communities to think and create
words or poems which reflect our hopes as we emerge out of lockdown. The most relevant
entries will feature in a future publication and there will also be prizes supplied by Newbury
Building Society. To inspire you, a giant poetry installation The Recovery Poems will be
touring venues in Thatcham on October 8th and 9th culminating in a brand new event The Big
Thatcham Fest-Off on Saturday evening, October 9th (see details in Music section).
There are also related workshops to inspire you by award-winning author and poet Steve Tasane
on Saturday 9th and Saturday 16th (See Talks Comedy and Words).
The Recovery Poems is produced by leading outdoor arts company, Emergency
Exit Arts and features poems on a double-sided trailer created by artists and poets
Robert Montgomerie and Deanna Rodger.
To enter our Words of Recovery competition please go to www.newbury.co.uk
or call 01635 555700.
To see where The Recovery Poems will be touring, see Thatcham Town Council website page
www.thatchamtowncouncil.gov.uk/events/a-festival/
Competition entry forms can also be picked up from Thatcham Town
Council Reception, Thatcham Library and Newbury Building Society
Branches in Thatcham and Newbury.
4
MUSIC
9 The Big Thatcham 12 Paul Hancock
Saturday Fest-Off Tuesday and Mark T
4.30-10pm Thatcham High Street 7.30pm Music from the
Music, Spoken Word, Celtic Nations
Night Market Old Bluecoat School
Launch Event for Thatcham Join Paul and Mark T for
Festival will be The Big a concert of music from
Thatcham Fest-Off which will Ireland, Scotland, Brittany
see Thatcham High Street and Wales. Instruments used
closed to traffic and in its place include Uillean Pipes and
a stage with live acoustic music Bouzouki, Bodhran plus
and spoken word presentations. Songs and Whistles.
BOOK
Alongside a night market of £1 admin fee. Book via
street food, gifts, community Eventbrite at:
FREE stalls and besides all of this a www.thatchamfestival.
giant 20-foot-high installation ALSO ONLINE
eventbrite.com
‘The Recovery Poems’ which
ALSO ONLINE will be visiting various locations
in Thatcham.
Photo, Alex Bamford
Photo by Sue Lloyd
5
15 An Evening with 16 Come-and-Sing with
Friday Beenham Wind Saturday Watership Cantabile
7.30pm Orchestra 11am- St Mary’s Church
Open Rehearsal 12.30pm Church Gate,
Thatcham Baptist Thatcham
Church With new Musical Director
Beenham Wind Orchestra invite Bethan Williams at the
you for an evening of music helm, local Choir Watership
making. Whether you’d like to Cantabile are inviting everyone
dust off your musical instrument, to come along and sample a
sit in amongst the orchestra or taste of the fun and reward
pop in to listen, you’re warmly that singing offers, teens to
invited to join us. Only need adults and all abilities welcome.
to book if you’d like to play FREE If you have missed singing with
or sit in with the orchestra so people during a prolonged
we make sure you have your period of ‘no singing’ now is
own music. Contact details: NO BOOKING your chance. Refreshments
REQUIRED are available.
andrew.s.willis@gmail.com
or 07730735075
16 Incantata Ladies Choir
Saturday St Mary’s Church,
7.30-9pm Church Gate,
Thatcham
A concert of musical delights
including folk songs and
FREE songs from the musicals,
guaranteed to put a smile on
your face. Incantata welcome
NO BOOKING new members, no auditioning
REQUIRED
required!
6
17 Cold Ash Brass
Sunday presents ‘A Night
7pm at The Proms’
with support from
West Berks Rock Choir
St Mary’s Church,
Thatcham
Cold Ash Brass have been a part
of Thatcham Festival since it
began and recognising how hard
it has been for the community,
will be putting on a Proms
style concert with music from
16 The Roots of Jazz – well-known and new British
Saturday Music concert composers. Programme will
7.15-9pm Thatcham Parish Hall celebrate some classic prom’s
A special event for The music with West Berks Rock
Festival brought to you by Choir returning to the stage
Thatcham Evangelical Church with audience invited to join in.
as accomplished London West Berks Rock Choir will
based sextet The Roots of provide a support programme
Jazz take you on a journey of with their popular rescoring of
the history of Jazz showing its British songs. This event is likely
connections to slavery as well BOOK
to be booked quickly.
as its biblical connections.
£3 admin fee. Book via
£1 admin fee (donations on Eventbrite at:
door). Book via Eventbrite ALSO ONLINE www.thatchamfestival.
BOOK at: www.thatchamfestival. eventbrite.com
eventbrite.com
Please see Thatcham Town Council website or Thatcham Festival Facebook page 7
for latest status on live events and for how to access online events.
8
TALKS – COMEDY – POETRY
9 Storytime and craft 10 Blue Plaque Unveiling
Saturday making with children’s Sunday Thatcham Garden
2-3pm author Anita Loughrey 10.30am Centre, Benham Hill,
Thatcham Library Thatcham
Designed for children aged 4 to Thatcham Garden Centre was
7 years, local author Anita has formally known as Henwick
had over 100 books published. Fruit and Flower Farm in the
Specialising in children’s illustrated early 1900’s, but over time
non-fiction picture books as well became known as the French
as teaching creative writing to Gardens, largely due to the fact
BOOK
children and adults. that the method for cultivating
the plants was a French system.
Book via Eventbrite at
The gardens remained until
ALSO ONLINE www.thatchamfestival.
c.1957. A mushroom farm
eventbrite.com FREE
replaced it and lasted until
1982. A few years later the
9 Words of Recovery NO BOOKING
site was developed to what we
see today. Please join us as we
Saturday Workshop ‘Finding REQUIRED
unveil our 4th Blue Plaque in
3.30-4.30pm your words’ with
Thatcham as part of a series
award-winning poet of planned installations by the
ALSO ONLINE
Steve Tasane Heritage Working Party.
Thatcham Library
Where do we start to find the
right words to express feelings 11 Curiosities of
or to start a story or poem? The Monday Thatcham with
pandemic has pushed feelings of 7pm Dr Nick Young and
grief and hope to the forefront Graeme Stewart
and in this free workshop, Steve Thatcham Town
will show you the building
blocks to express your ideas and
Council Chamber
Thatcham is well known for
to create inspirational sentences
its history but there are many
and poems. These may act as
bits of its history that are little
starting points to our Words of
known. Join local historians
Recovery Competition. (See info
Graeme Stewart and Dr Nick
on page 4). Suitable for primary
Young to find out more about
school age to centenarians! FREE
FREE some of the less well known
Walk up or register facts of Thatcham’s history.
on Eventbrite at Book via Eventbrite at:
BOOK www.thatchamfestival. BOOK www.thatchamfestival.
eventbrite.com eventbrite.com
Please see Thatcham Town Council website or Thatcham Festival Facebook page 9
for latest status on live events and for how to access online events.
13 Guided Tour and
Wednesday Talk of Greenham
Midday- Control Tower with
1.20pm Professor Andy Kempe
Greenham Control
Tower
A guided tour of Greenham
Control Tower and an illustrated
talk on the curious history
of Greenham Common from
prehistory to present times.
What was Noah’s Ark doing
on Greenham Common?
Who was No Bones Billy? Why
was the Millennium Falcon
here? All these curiosities will 14 History of Thatcham
be revealed in this fascinating Thursday Town Centre with
talk by Professor Andy Kempe. 7pm Dr Nick Young
£5 donation (to Greenham Thatcham Town
Control Tower (registered
Council Chamber
charity)). Book via Eventbrite
Many of us visit Thatcham
at: www.thatchamfestival.
BOOK Town Centre daily but
eventbrite.com
how many know where its
boundaries are or when
Talk and Q&A on Thatcham was first a town, or
13 FREE
Borough? This and more will
Wednesday The Comedy Scene be covered in this talk by local
6.30-7.30pm with Comedy promoter historian Dr Nick Young.
BOOK
Graeme Coulam
Book via Eventbrite at:
Old Bluecoat School www.thatchamfestival.
It’s a funny old business ALSO ONLINE
eventbrite.com
Comedian and Comedy
Promoter of Hungerford
Comedy Club and soon to be
launched Thatcham Comedy 15 Nigel’s Funny Rhymes
Club, Graeme Coulam opens Friday Burdwood Community
the door backstage on life 7.45-9.30pm Centre
as a comedian. Graeme’s Thatcham-based Nigel Smith
FREE own journey has included will entertain with stupid
performances at The Comedy poems and jokes which as he
Store and Edinburgh Fringe, says ‘’will hopefully bring a
and he’s shared dressing rooms smile to your face after a really
BOOK
with many famous names. rubbish year!” Suitable for
Book via Eventbrite at: adults only. Book via Eventbrite
www.thatchamfestival. BOOK
at: www.thatchamfestival.
eventbrite.com eventbrite.com
1016 Hungerford Bookshop 16 Hungerford Bookshop
*Author photo, Jeremy Prout
Saturday presents an author talk Saturday presents an author
1-2pm with Children’s Author 3-4pm talk with Wild Author
Laura James Nicola Chester
Thatcham Library Thatcham Library
Perfect for children aged 6-8, Nicola* will be reading from
come and meet the author of the of her new book On Gallows
Adventures of Pug series, Laura Down. This book from the
James whilst she reads from award-winning nature writer,
her hilarious new book ‘News is the story of a life shaped by
Hounds - The Puppy Problem’. landscape – of an enduring love
Hear all about Gizmo the City of nature and the fierce desire
Dog, who moves to the village of to protect it. Nicola grew up
Puddle with his journalist human, FREE by Greenham Common and
then create a newspaper article has fought passionately for a
with Laura. Signed copies of countryside in which she is so
FREE Laura’s new book will be available BOOK invested and yet over which
to purchase. she has no ownership.
Book via Eventbrite at: Book via Eventbrite at:
BOOK www.thatchamfestival. ALSO ONLINE www.thatchamfestival.
eventbrite.com eventbrite.com
17 Church Graveyard Tour
Sunday with Dr Nick Young
2pm and St Mary’s Church,
3.30pm Church Entrance,
Thatcham
The local parish church holds
many details about our history.
16 Words of Recovery Join local historian Dr Nick
Saturday Workshop Young who will take you
around the churchyard sharing
2.30-3.30pm Thatcham Library
See entry on 9th October details about many that are
buried there as well as the
FREE history of the church itself.
Book via Eventbrite at:
Photo, Alex Bamford
www.thatchamfestival.
BOOK
eventbrite.com
Please see Thatcham Town Council website or Thatcham Festival Facebook page 11
for latest status on live events and for how to access online events.EXHIBITIONS – FAIRS – OPEN & TASTER DAYS
9 Festival Leisure Also on The Broadway we have:
Saturday and Craft Fair
10am-3pm St Mary’s Church
and The Broadway
All of the organisations
taking part in the Festival 11am Enjoy a selection of songs from
Leisure & Craft Fair are based local acapella group Harmony
in and around Thatcham. The Choir Newbury.
craftspeople are exhibiting
items that they have made 12pm Live Cooking
themselves and many items Demonstration by
will be for sale.
Colline Watts from
In the Church we have Colline’s Kitchen
a selection of handmade It’s the month of October
products such as cards, and many of us will carve
candles, jewellery, papercrafts, a pumpkin, but what to do
handbags,woodwork, with the discarded pieces?!
leatherwork, paintings and Well, Colline will demonstrate
much, much more. how to make pumpkin soup
On The Broadway we have and pumpkin fritters with
local clubs and organisations ingredients sourced from
with fun competitions, Thatcham Market, to show you
FREE
tombolas and displays how you can avoid wastage.
recruiting for volunteers
or simply showcasing what Colline is behind Colline’s
their organisation does for Kitchen, that aims to be the
NO BOOKING
Thatcham’s community. go-to place for healthy and
REQUIRED
sustainable food. See more
here www.collineskitchen.com
1pm Book reading by
Heather Barnett
Thatcham based author
Heather Barnett will read
from her hilarious debut novel,
Acts of Kindness, which is an
uplifting mystery about the
power of human kindness set
in a sleepy Wiltshire village.
Signed copies of Acts of Kindness
will be available to purchase.
12Photo, Adam Hillier
9 Photography Exhibition
10 Exhibition of
Saturday recent photographs
Sunday by Thatcham 12 Mini Fest, messy play
9.30am- Photographic Club Tuesday for under 5’s
5.00pm Old Bluecoat School 10am-1pm Frank Hutchings
(4.30pm Sun) Thatcham Photographic Club Community Hall
welcomes all people wanting Free fun for our youngest
to take photographs. Despite Festival goers! Enjoy a morning
restrictions of the 18 months, FREE of messy play and arts and crafts
we have continued meeting as in partnership with the Central
best we can. A selection Family Hub. Refreshments will
of these photos are in this NO BOOKING be on sale raising money for
year’s exhibition (can also REQUIRED
Swings & Smiles.
be seen on our website
FREE www.thatchamphotoclub.com).
We provide a warm welcome
and helpful advice to new 14 Join practitioners from
NO BOOKING members on a multitude of Thursday the Corn Exchange
REQUIRED
camera techniques. 11.30am- Newbury for three
5.30pm FREE taster sessions
Frank Hutchings
9 Friends of Thatcham Community Hall
Saturday Library Cake and Learn the basics of knitting
Coffee Morning and crocheting in Stitch and
10am-
Sew (60 mins), enjoy gentle
Midday Thatcham Library stretching with the aim of
Enjoy refreshments whilst
improving overall flexibility in
finding out all that Thatcham
Stretch and Flex (60 mins) and
Library has to offer.
explore a range of different
FREE
art forms and processes in our
FREE
Creatives Club (60 mins).
NO BOOKING Book via Box Office at
REQUIRED
BOOK 0845 5218 218.
(Calls cost 2p per minute).
Please see Thatcham Town Council website or Thatcham Festival Facebook page 13
for latest status on live events and for how to access online events.15 Thatcham u3a – 16 Newbury and District
Friday Open Afternoon with Saturday Hackspace Open Day
1.30-3.30pm The University of the 9am-4pm Hackspace located
3rd Age in Car Park of The
Thatcham Catholic Hall, Moors Playing Fields
The Open Afternoon is an If you are interested in making
opportunity for the general things and using the latest
public to meet the variety of technology, then come along
leisure, sport, art and other to our open day. There will be
society stalls and welcoming demos and opportunities to try
members of u3a. u3a is a laser cutting, engraving plastic,
self-help organisation for CNC 3D wood craving, 3D
people who are retired or FREE
Printing and metal machining
semi-retired, generally aged on a lathe. Hackspace is a
over 55, affiliated to the Third wonderful resource to have in
Age Trust, to promote lifelong NO BOOKING Thatcham and they are very
REQUIRED
learning and social contact. welcoming to new members.
FREE
We encourage and help
members to set up and run
a wide range of different 16 Fun on The Field
NO BOOKING
REQUIRED
groups, based on their own Saturday Thatcham Memorial Field
skills and interests. 10am-4pm Alongside a showcase of classic
cars and sports cars, there will
be craft stalls and a fun fair and
16 Infant Schools’ 5-a-side FREE
other attractions for a great
Saturday Football Festival family day out.
From The Moors Playing Field NO BOOKING Donations on entry (towards
9am-1pm Thatcham Tornadoes are REQUIRED Thatcham Memorial Foundation).
pleased to be holding the
annual Infant Schools’
5-a-side Football Festival at
FREE The Moors Playing Field. 16 Thatcham Arts
Spectators welcome. 17 Exhibition
Saturday Old Bluecoat School
Sunday An exhibition of paintings
and drawings in a variety of
10am-4pm
media by local amateur and
professional artists. Many
FREE pieces available for purchase.
Tanya’s Taster workshop
NO BOOKING
Plus, Tanya’s Taster workshop
REQUIRED on the use of pastels aimed
for beginners, 4.15pm on
16th. Booking only through:
TanyasArtnCraftStudio@
yahoo.com
14THEATRE – DANCE
10 Thatcham Festival Lost 13 I’m Sorry KATS
Sunday and Found Dance Gala Wednesday Haven’t a Clue
Shows at: Kennet School Main Hall 8pm Thatcham Parish Hall
4.30pm & With a theme of Lost and Based on the long running
6.45pm Found, The Dance Gala will be and successful BBC Radio
a spectacular showcase of the 4 show ‘I Haven’t a Clue’
breadth of dance styles and antidote to panel games, four
talent in Thatcham and West KATS members will be given
Berkshire, with dancers ranging silly things to do in 2 x 30
from 5 years to 85, and styles minute episodes which include
including contemporary, street favourite rounds such as
dance, ballet and tap. Featuring ‘Mornington Crescent’
MF Dance, Linden School of FREE (re-named Cowslip Crescent)
Dancing, Silver Swans & Tap and The Uxbridge Dictionary.
with Sonia Brown, Elevate Book via Eventbrite at:
Escalate Dance Company, BOOK
www.thatchamfestival.
Twilight Dance Company, eventbrite.com
BPDCompany, West Berks
Ballet School, Elibah School of
Dance, Relevé Dance, Dance
Phaze, Trinity School, Chance
to Dance Stars CIC, The
Downs School as well as our
host venue Kennet School.
Ticket price: £3
(profits go to Thatcham
Mayor’s chosen charities).
Book via Eventbrite at:
BOOK www.thatchamfestival. 15 Kennet School presents
eventbrite.com Best of ‘The Brits’
Friday
7pm Kennet School Main Hall
Kennet School’s outstanding
dancers bring you an evening
of award-winning dance to a
soundtrack of some of the
FREE best songs from ‘The Brits’
prestigious 44 year history.
Tickets available through:
HGray@kennetschool.co.uk
BOOK
or call 01635 802121
15WALKS
9 Greenham Common
Saturday Air Base Heritage Walk
10am with David Skyrme
Meet Greenham
Common Control
Tower
A guided 3-mile walk on the
military history of the base.
We visit key sites (external
views only) including WW2
memorials, the old runway,
the decontaminations suite,
a fire training plane and the
cruise missile bunkers.
Walk approximately 3 miles
and just over 2 hours.
£5 donation to Greenham
Control Tower, registered
charity. Book via Eventbrite
BOOK at: www.thatchamfestival.
eventbrite.com
10 Bird watching talk 13 Bird watching talk
Sunday and walk with Wednesday and walk with
2pm Graeme Stewart 10am Graeme Stewart
Thatcham Nature Greenham Common
Discovery Centre, Control Tower
A talk and gentle stroll around
Lower Way FREE
Greenham Common to see
A talk and gentle stroll around
what birds frequent these areas.
the Discovery Centre Lake
FREE
to see what birds frequent Book via email:
BOOK
these areas. events@bbowt.org.uk
BOOK
Book via email:
events@bbowt.org.uk
16Now taking
CHRISTMAS ORDERS
Both instore & online
Our award winning Beautiful free range slow
family run butchery grown turkeys
& delicatessen has Well hung local beef
everything covered to from Cold Ash
make your Christmas
Artisan cheese and
unforgettable and cured meats
extra special at the
dinner table. Cooked hams and pies
Oven ready beef wellingtons
A great selection of unique
gifts and gift vouchers
Co-operate gift hampers
also available
See our website for more info:
www.cookandbutcher.co.uk
Or call 01635 226067
We are at:
17 The Broadway Thatcham RG19 3HXPARTICIPATING VENUE POSTCODES Burdwood Community Centre...............RG19 4YA Frank Hutchings Community Hall.........RG18 4QH Greenham Control Tower.......................RG19 8BZ Hackspace Workshop............................... RG19 3LB Kennet School.............................................RG19 4LL The Moors Playing Field........................... RG19 3LB Old Bluecoat School.................................. RG18 4JT St Mary’s Church.......................................RG19 3PN Thatcham Baptist Church........................ RG19 4YF Thatcham Broadway.................................RG19 3HP Thatcham Catholic Hall.......................... RG18 3AG Thatcham Garden Centre....................... RG18 3AN Thatcham Library..................................... RG18 3AG Thatcham Memorial Field....................... RG18 3AG Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre......RG19 3FU Thatcham Parish Hall.................................RG18 4JP Thatcham Town Council Chamber.........RG18 3HF
You can also read
