Events
As well as the specific events shown below, click [Calendar] to see also many other notified meetings. The Calendar may be useful for planning individual and group schedules.
Events shown below as a General Meeting or Outing are open to all our members. Unless stated otherwise, the other events are specifically for members of the relevant group and you need to join the group in order to participate. Outings and some group events require booking. Click Outings for more information on booking trips.
A General Meeting is held usually on the first Tuesday of every month (except August) at 2.30pm in the Countess Free Church, 10 Chapel Street, Ely. See the list below for details. New members and visitors are welcome (admission £2).
If your group has an event that you think should be shown here or you see an error or omission in the Calendar please send the details to Peter Lee via the Website button on the CONTACT page.
| Dates for your Diary | ||
|---|---|---|
| October 2019 | ||
| Sat Oct 19th | Music | Music of Stage & Screen. Chris Bishop presents "Desert Island Discs" - guest, Councillor Lis Every. Methodist Church, 2 15pm. Entry £2 for all. NOTE CHANGE OF DATE. |
| Mon Oct 21st | Transport | Tim Young on ‘Percy Pilcher and the quest for flight', Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £1 |
| Mon Oct 21st | Arts and Crafts | Cardcraft. Button Cards. Witchford Playing Fields Association Hall, 2-4pm. |
| Tue Oct 22nd | Written Word | Book Lovers Group choose books by 'A favourite author', Ely Library, 2.15pm |
| Tue Oct 29th | Music | Guitar Plus Group: The Highly-Strung Guitar Orchestra (directed by Eddie Campbell) in a lively country music concert, Ely Beet Club, Between 2.30pm and 3.30pm, £3 (all welcome). |
| Thu Oct 31st | Gardens and Plants | Garden 2. Talk - Autumn Colour in the garden. St Peters Church Hall 2.30 |
| November 2019 | ||
| Fri Nov 1st | Transport | Rail Roving round Suffolk and Norfolk, including the East Suffolk Line and Sheringham (organised by Tony Weston), depart Ely Station 8.30am, ticket £18 with group or railcard discount |
| Mon Nov 4th | Gardens and Plants | Botany. Orchids - Their life history and other quirks. Given by Terry. Militia Way meeting room. 10.00am. |
| Tue Nov 5th | General Meeting | Jason Raper 'The History of Norwich Theatre Royal'. Jason is giving a power-point presentation on the history of NTR, with theatrical artefacts. Countess Chapel 2.30pm |
| Thu Nov 7th | History and Family History | History Group: Kevin Boardman on ‘The Stuarts: more dysfunctional than the Tudors!’, Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £2 |
| Thu Nov 7th | Bird Watching | 13:30 visit to Fen Drayton Lakes led by Nigel |
| Wed Nov 13th | Photography | Critiquing how to go about it constructively and objectively, presented by Tony Pleasance. Followed by open display of members' photos from last month's visit to Bury St Edmunds. Witcham Village Hall 1.45-3.45pm £2 |
| Mon Nov 18th | Transport | Terry McCarthy with ‘Spitfire Parade’, Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £2 |
| Tue Nov 19th | Gardens and Plants | Garden 1. Talk by Stuart Limpus. 'Winter Colour and Scent in the Garden'. Library Meeting Room, 2.15pm |
| Thu Nov 21st | Outings | Classical Spectacular, Royal Albert Hall, Evening performance, late return. £61, Sold out (there is a waiting list) |
| Tue Nov 26th | Written Word | Book Lovers Group on a theme to be arranged, Ely Library, 2.15pm |
| Thu Nov 28th | Gardens and Plants | Garden 2. Talk - Seasonal Flower arranging. St Peters Church Hall 2.30pm |
| December 2019 | ||
| Mon Dec 2nd | Gardens and Plants | Botany. Roots, corms and bulbs. Given by Bill. Militia Way meeting room. 10.00am. |
| Tue Dec 3rd | General Meeting | Sean Moyses, the Banjo Man. A selection of Dixieland, classics and country music, played by Sean, on a banjo, with a Christmas theme. Countess Chapel 2.30pm. |
| Thu Dec 5th | History and Family History | History Group: Peter Lee on 'The History of the Colorado River', Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £1 |
| Fri Dec 6th | Bird Watching | 17:30 - 21:30 WWT Welney, Swan Supper event, led by David |
| Wed Dec 11th | Photography | Seasonal Social and Nibbles for Noel whilst reviewing and judging our 2019 year-long project The Four Seasons. Witcham Village Hall 1.45-3.45pm £2 |
| Thu Dec 12th | Outings | The 1000-year Tour, Coventry, three cathedrals, the mediaeval St Mary's Guildhall, Christmas Market, £31 including lunch, 2 places available. |
| Tue Dec 17th | Gardens and Plants | Garden 1. Talk by Andrey Sankey. 'Joseph Banks' and Social Event. Library Meeting Room, 2.15pm (£3) |
| Thu Dec 19th | Gardens and Plants | Garden 2. Christmas fun and mince pies. St Peters Church Hall 2.30pm |
| January 2020 | ||
| Thu Jan 2nd | History and Family History | History Group: Members’ ‘House Histories: the house or what was there before it was built’, Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £1 |
| Mon Jan 6th | Gardens and Plants | Botany. Review followed by lunch. Militia Way meeting room. 10.00am. |
| Tue Jan 7th | General Meeting | Emma Sanders Magpas Air Ambulance 'Lifesaving Care by Land by Sea' Emma talks about the work carried out by Magpas. Countess Chapel 2.30pm |
| Wed Jan 8th | Photography | We haven't forgotten the Autumn 2019 project Night Scene. This competition will be judged at this meeting. Witcham Village Hall 1.45-3.45pm |
| Mon Jan 20th | Transport | Chris Holley reprises his 2010 talk on ‘Concorde - Birth, Life, Death & Afterlife’, Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £1 |
| Tue Jan 21st | Gardens and Plants | Garden 1. Annual Lunch at Scotsdales, Fordham |
| February 2020 | ||
| Mon Feb 3rd | Gardens and Plants | Botany. 100 years of the NIAB (National Institute of Agricultural Botany). Talk given by Dr Tina Barsby OBE, CEO of NIAB. Militia Way meeting room. 10.00am. |
| Tue Feb 4th | General Meeting | Dr Eric Somerville 'Opium eating in the Fens in the 19th Century'. The use of opium in the fens. Countess Chapel 2.30pm |
| Thu Feb 6th | History and Family History | History Group: Kate Cann on 'Henry VIII and his Six Wives', Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £1 |
| Mon Feb 17th | Transport | Nigel Macknight on ‘Regaining the World Water Speed Record', Ely Bowls Club, 2.30pm, £2 |
| Wed Feb 19th | Gardens and Plants | Garden 1. Talk by Peter Lee on 'Growing from Seed'. Library Meeting Room, 2.15pm |
| Wed Feb 26th | Outings | The King and I, Milton Keynes Theatre, Matinee performance. £58. Depart Barton Square 8.45am, return by 7pm |
| March 2020 | ||
| Tue Mar 3rd | General Meeting | Ian Keable 'Unmasking the Cock Lane Ghost' This is a return visit for Ian, with another talk on 18th century hoaxes. Countess Chapel 2.30pm |
| Tue Mar 17th | Gardens and Plants | Garden 1. Talk by Rodney Tibbs: 'Gardening Then and Now'. Library Meeting Room, 2.15pm |
| Wed Mar 18th | Outings | International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln and Belton House, Grantham (NT) £22 (plus entrance fee to Belton House for non NT members TBA) places available. |
| April 2020 | ||
| Tue Apr 7th | General Meeting | Peter Lawrence 'This Policeman's Lot-from the Krays to the Crown'.In his return visit Peter talk about his life as a police officer.Countess Chapel 2.30pm |
| Sun Apr 19th →Thu Apr 23rd | Outings | Spring Holiday in North Wales based in Caernarfon, £459pp, Single Supplement £120, singles and doubles available. |
| May 2020 | ||
| Tue May 5th | General Meeting | Phil Smith 'My Time as a Local Magistrate' Phil talks about his time served on the South Cambridgeshire Bench. Countess Chapel 2.30pm. |
| Tue May 26th | Outings | Chatham Docks, Kent, includes all exhibits (Call the Midwife tour optional) £31 includes coach and docks (approx £5 for Call the Midwife tour depending on numbers) Places available. |
| June 2020 | ||
| Thu Jun 18th | Outings | Lavender Farm, Heacham and Holkham Hall, North Norfolk. £12.80 plus coach (TBA) Lunch not included. Places available. |
| July 2020 | ||
| Tue Jul 14th | Outings | Guided walking tour of Saffron Walden and a visit to Audley End House, £5 plus coach (TBA) Places available. |