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Civic Trust. For many years the Society was registered with the Civic Trust. Several months ago the Trust went into administration and was replaced by The Civic Society Initiative. We are studying the format, aims and objectives of this new body as they become clear, to see whether the benefits of membership will justify paying the proposed substantial increase in the annual subscription.

Damage to the Cross kerbstones. Members will be aware that the Parish Council has become concerned about the repeated damage to the sandstone kerbing and direction arrows and has written to the DCC requesting a solution. The Society has also written in support and recently attended a site meeting with the Parish Council and the DCC who have agreed to produce an answer for consideration.

Annual General Meeting. This is the last newsletter before the AGM on March 4th and members are reminded that any nominations for office must be lodged in writing with the Hon. Secretary Hazel Blackhall (702552), 35 Monsom Lane Repton DE65 6FX by February 18^th.

Future Programme.

There will be a general election sometime before June and this may well require a change of date for one of our talks because the Village Hall will be in use as a polling station. Any date change will be advertised as soon as possible.

Attached to this newsletter is a revised 2010 programme containing two alterations. The first is an addition when on Saturday 2^nd October Dr Kevin Leahy will be giving a talk on the recently discovered Staffordshire Hoard. He is giving a similar talk locally the night before and despite being extremely busy has agreed to stay on and be with us on the 2^nd.  Kevin, a National Finds Adviser and an expert on Anglo-Saxon artefacts, has catalogued the Hoard and is co-author of the book describing “the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.” He was last in Repton helping Martin Biddle dig in the 1970’s! More details later.

The second alteration concerns the December meeting. For the last few years this has taken the form of a coffee morning. However there are more and more similar events now at this time of the year and over the recent years the numbers attending have steadily fallen so the committee have decided to have a members evening instead on Thursday December 2^nd. We have several ideas for the format but would welcome more suggestions. After the recent event we were able to send a cheque for £125 to the Derbyshire Communities Foundation.

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Saturday January 23^rd. Howard Drury, who presented Central TV’s “Gardening Times” for 10 years will present “Forty Years of Gardening Tips”- a must for all gardeners. The Society has helped the Village Show Committee arrange this bring your own food, drink and glasses event. Tickets are £4.50 from Frances Wimbush 703180.

Thursday February 4^th. Tom Corfield, Assistant Organist at Derby Cathedral will be giving a talk entitled “Englishness in Music.” We often say of Elgar or Vaughan Williams, for example, that their music sounds typically English but what exactly do we mean? Is the Englishness definable or does it defy any sort of analysis? His talk offers a few thoughts together with musical illustrations. He has for many years run successful musical appreciation courses for organisations such as the WEA.

Saturday February 13^th. Music of a different kind when Bill Smith and Gypsy Jazz will be returning for another evening featuring the young jazz violinist Ben Holder. There are a few tickets left (701838) - £ 7.50 each bring your own food, drink and glasses.

Thursday March 4^th. Much of the inspiration for Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution came from the wildlife he observed on his visit to the Galapagos Islands. These islands have also provided supporting evidence for the theory of plate tectonics. Colin Bagshaw will explore both of these aspects in his talk which will be followed by the AGM.

Thursday April 1^st. 2010 marks the centenary of the death of Florence Nightingale. Pat Smedley, who talked to us in 2008 about the life of Florence, is returning to set out a day in the life of a Nightingale probationer circa 1874. She will be describing the type of women who became probationers, their ward diaries, the work itself, training lectures etc.

There are four trips planned for this year the first being to Cambridge on Thursday April 29^th. The coach will leave Repton at 8a.m and there will be a coffee stop en route. In Cambridge Richard Morris will be our guide for a tour of the City. Richard was a master at Repton and now lives in Cambridge and is confident that he will be able to gain access to buildings that are normally off limits to the general public. There will be free time at the end of his tour and the coach is due to leave at 4.30p.m. Maps will be available. The cost will be £13.50 for members and guests, £15.50 for visitors.

The second trip is for members and guests only using their own transport to the Roundhouse in Derby on Thursday 10^th June at 6.30p.m. for a guided tour. This building and other old railway structures adjacent to Derby railway station lay derelict for many years but now form part of Derby College and have been beautifully and sympathetically restored to provide classrooms, library etc. There is ample parking alongside. Entry is free but there might be a small charge for refreshments – details later.

Then on Friday June 18^th the coach leaves Repton at 8.30a.m for the Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich. This magnificent structure was built in 1875 to connect the river Weaver and the Trent and Mersey canal 50 feet above in order to expedite the transport of goods by barge from the river onto the extensive canal network and vice-versa. Salt was one of the cargoes.  It was out of action for many years but has been restored with visitor centre, museum, landscaped grounds, cafeteria etc. and was winner of the Cheshire “Tourism for All” award in 2008. Our visit includes a commentary and ascent or descent using the lift in the British Waterways trip boat. We then travel to Wollerton Old Hall Garden arriving at about 1p.m. “Possibly the most beautiful personal garden created in the last 25 years” according to Chris Beardshaw. This garden is also in the recommended section of the RHS handbook. There is much to see and an excellent Tea Room for lunches etc. and a plant sales area. The coach will leave at about 4p.m. The cost will be £21 for members and guests, £23 for visitors. This is a larger amount than usual but it does include entry fees to the lift and garden and the trip on the lift.  

Finally on Saturday September 11^th our destination is Liverpool leaving Repton at 8a.m. After coffee etc. at the Albert docks a Blue Badge guide will join the coach for a 2 hour tour of the City stopping at various points before returning to the docks for lunch. The restored docks contain the largest group of Grade 1 listed buildings in Britain in which are now housed the Tate Liverpool Art Gallery, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum, the Beatles’ Story as well as many individual shops, wine bars, coffee shops, restaurants and Tourist Information Centre. The afternoon is free to stay at the docks, take a trip on the Mersey Ferry or else revisit the City. Many of the iconic buildings are about twenty minutes walk away and there are bus services passing the docks. Maps will be available. Departure is planned for 4.30p.m. The cost will be £14 for members and guests, £16 for visitors.

Finally just a reminder that annual subscriptions are now due and we do hope that you will renew your membership. Subscriptions remain at £3 for an individual and £6 for a household. Please either pay at the next meeting or contact Wendy Bateman, 2 Shakespeare Meadows, Repton, DE65 6SB – cheques payable to Repton Village Society.