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PROGRAMME 2025
Thursday 27th March 2025
Sex, Scandal and the Royal Court
(Some 'saucy' stories 1660-1830)
Presented by Sarah Slater
And Spring Lunch
Sarah Slater is a tour guide at Hampton Court Palace, a guide lecturer and a public speaker.
LUNCH arrangements:
Spacing out our social events, we are going to continue to have a SPRING LUNCH in lieu of an autumn one. Having already experienced her excellent fare, we shall once more use the services of Nicola Leonard, from whom we shall order two choices of main dish and two desserts, and a vegetarian option, which you will be asked to select later after you have booked. Water will be provided on the tables, but please bring your own drink and glasses (wine is allowed) to accompany the meal.
Doors open 12.30pm for 1.00pm for the lunch only.
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The list for this event is now closed, BUT members can sign up to attend the talk if they wish. Anyone wishing to attend the talk at 2.30pm are invited to indicate below...the normal entrance charge of £4 will apply.
Thursday 10th April 2025
Notice is hereby given of
Annual General Meeting
of the North Hampshire National Trust Centre
Elizabeth Hall, Hook
Commencing at 2.30pm Doors open at 2.00pm
Followed by a Speaker:
A member of staff will bring us up to date with recent happenings at The Vyne.
No charge may be made for the AGM, so there will be a RAFFLE
** PRIZES FOR THIS WOULD BE MOST WELCOME **
There will be an interval for refreshments for which donations of cakes would also be very welcome
We look forward to welcoming all members to this meeting, at which you may renew your membership if you have not already done so.
You can find out more about being a volunteer at The Vyne.
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Your Committee will be on hand to listen to suggestions as to how to improve the service that the Centre offers its members.
Those members who are contemplating assisting with committee tasks will have a chance to discuss the roles with those currently undertaking them.
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There is no charge for attendance but a contribution of £1, or more, towards the cost of tea/cakes is suggested. Donations to the raffle will also be gratefully received on the day.
Thursday 22nd May 2025
Visit to Hever Castle
On arrival, members will cross the main road to go to the main entrance, where a five-seater buggy is available to navigate the drive. It will stop outside the Moat café, where our visit will begin with included coffee and biscuits. Manual wheelchairs are allowed on the ground floor – and are available on the day for a refundable £25 - but there is one step down to the Gatehouse.
There are five rooms to explore on the ground floor and the first floor is reached and exited by a stone spiral staircase, although a wide wooden staircase gives easy access. There are no lifts in this truly historic building!
* For security of your data, you will need a Google account to complete the Booking Form. If you don’t have a Google account, please CLICK HERE and follow the simple instructions on obtaining an account. There are no financial implications
Thursday 12nd June 2025
Outing to Kew Gardens
Join us for a wonderful day at Kew Gardens, which combines breathtaking natural beauty, world class science and over 200 years of history. The Gardens were founded in 1759 and, today, Kew remains in the forefront of plant/fungal science and conservation.
* For security of your data, you will need a Google account to complete the Booking Form. If you don’t have a Google account, please CLICK HERE and follow the simple instructions on obtaining an account. There are no financial implications
Wednesday 16th July 2025
Visit to Basildon Park House
via Beale Wildlife Park
Basildon Park is a fine 18th century stately home – with a somewhat chequered past. Built in 1776 for Sir Francis Sykes, it had been through a number of owners and had reached a sad state of dilapidation by 1952, when it was bought by Lord and Lady Iliffe. A remarkable restoration was then undertaken and the house was redeveloped with a fine collection of Old Master pictures and period furniture.
Beale Wildlife Park, situated alongside the River Thames, is an unusual ‘zoo’ with a wide variety of uncommon and endearing species – capybaras, meerkats, tapirs, lemurs, armidillos etc, all occupying attractive and spacious quarters within the Park.
* For security of your data, you will need a Google account to complete the Booking Form. If you don’t have a Google account, please CLICK HERE and follow the simple instructions on obtaining an account. There are no financial implications
Thursday 14th August 2025
Cream Tea and Talk
Toy Train in the clouds (Darjeeling)
Presented by Paul Whittle
Paul has been a travel lecturer for all of this century, since retiring from his earlier career in banking. He has visited over 60 countries and he is the Vice-Chairman of the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway Society. He will regale us with the story of the railway, supported by his photos of the ‘Toy Train’ that continues to be important to the area to this day. Although diesel engines currently do much of the work, some steam engines from the nineteenth century still continue to ply the tracks.
As we have to cater for a specific number, we must ask attendees to BOOK for this event.
Tickets will NOT be issued, but we shall have to turn away those who attend on the day without having booked – sorry!
* For security of your data, you will need a Google account to complete the Booking Form. If you don’t have a Google account, please CLICK HERE and follow the simple instructions on obtaining an account. There are no financial implications
Wednesday 17th September 2025
Visit to Gilbert White's House and Kitchen Garden Harvest Day in Selborne
Join us for this ‘self-drive’ outing to Gilbert White’s House, Gardens and his C18 Brewhouse. Our visit includes a guided tour of the House and coincides with ‘Gilbert’s Garden’ Kitchen Garden Harvest Day, when garden crops and range of heritage vegetables will be harvested and the kitchen garden given a seasonal clearing and tidying. Meet the kitchen garden team and ask questions on all aspects of traditional vegetable growing.
Friday 12th December 2025
Christmas Lunch at Highfield Park Hotel
Details to follow
