BBC ONE’S ANTIQUES ROADSHOW
VISITS CHARLECOTE PARK

BBC ONE’s ever popular Sunday evening programme ANTIQUES ROADSHOW will be filming for its 33rd series at Charlecote Park, near Stratford-upon-Avon, on Thursday, 16^th September, 2010. The doors open at 9.30am and close at 4.30pm. Entry is free.

This will be presenter Fiona Bruce's third year with the Roadshow and she says, “Presenting the Antiques Roadshow is, for me, one of those rare and very lucky coincidences in television when you get to work on a show that you already love to watch. Exploring the human story behind every object is what makes Antiques Roadshow so fascinating. And everyone loves the agony and ecstasy of the ‘what's it worth?’ moment. The AR isn't just about antiques - it's history, beauty and drama all wrapped up in one.”

Some of Britain’s leading antiques and fine arts specialists will be on hand to offer free advice and valuations to visitors, who are invited to raid their attics and bring along their family heirlooms, household treasures and car boot bargains for inspection by the experts.

The last series, watched by an average of over six and half million viewers, included some intriguing objects such as a WW2 horse’s gas mask and a gallantry medal awarded to a pigeon. It also had some great Roadshow stories such as the bracelet found in the street which had belonged to Queen Victoria, a collection of 1930s posters bought for 50p in the 1970s and now worth over £30,000 and of course the first £100,000 plate seen on the Roadshow.

People with large pieces of furniture or other big items can send details and photo­graphs of their objects to: ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, BBC, Whiteladies Road, Bristol BS8 2LR or e-mail them to: antiques.roadshow@bbc.co.uk . It may be possible to arrange to look at the item in advance and organise transportation to the venue.

More information can be found at: www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow .

Wellesbourne Choral Society

Wellesbourne Choral Society sang at a wedding in Tysoe at the end of July 2010. The weather was good, the groom was handsome, the bride looked beautiful and the choir look very pleased to be there!

The Society’s new season starts on Tuesday 7 September at the Methodist Church, Bridge Street, Wellesbourne from 7.30 to 9.30pm. If you enjoy singing contralto, tenor or bass and think that you would like to join us, why not come along then? Try us out for a week or two before deciding whether to join the choir. If you can’t make that date then please contact our musical director, Margaret Cox (01789) 841826 who will be very pleased to give you any further information you need.

For the autumn season, the choir will be initially rehearsing for a music festival at the Civic Hall in Stratford on Saturday 18 September. After that, rehearsals get into full swing for the two performances of Christmas music. The first concert will be on Friday 3 December at Newbold Pacey Church at 7.30pm, with the second at St. Peter’s Church, Wellesbourne on Friday 10 December, also at 7.30pm. Please put the dates in your diary and we look forward to seeing you there.

Charlecote Park

Antiques of all kinds can be brought to Charlecote on Thursday 16th September for the BBC Antiques Roadshow. Admission will be free for everyone on the day.

There will be free entry to Charlecote Park for the Heritage Open Day on Saturday 11th September. From about this date the deer becoming less shy are more likely to be seen close to the main areas of the Park. Look out for the dates of the Deer Park Safaris in October (charges apply).

The long awaited repairs on the gatehouse are due to start on 20th September, and it is hoped that small groups will be allowed onto the gatehouse roof during this time: a unique opportunity to get a different view of the park and surrounding countryside.

Sunday 19th September sees another visit of the Falcons from JRCS Falconry to the Park. There will be a Walk with the Gardener at 2pm on 25th September.

Normal Park entry charges apply to these events.

For further details of opening, events, etc please contact Charlecote Park on 01789 470277 or visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-charlecotepark .

Wellesbourne Rugby Club

Due to the ongoing situation with the sports and social club building, Wellesbourne Rugby Club will, for the upcoming season, be training and playing at the Home Guard Club in Tiddington (Address: Main Street, Tiddington, Stratford-upon-Avon). The majority of the rugby players are residents of the village and are proud to play for Wellesbourne so this important decision has been made with careful consideration and following very positive discussions with the Parish Council about the future availability of changing rooms. Although the rugby team will be playing in Tiddington it will continue to support the Wellesbourne sports association throughout this period and will contribute in any way possible to the plans for the redevelopment of the sports building. Hopefully rugby will return to Wellesbourne ready for the 2011-2012 season.

On Sunday 25th July, a ceremony was held at Shah's restaurant where Shah and Clare Daniell presented Wellesbourne Rugby Club with their new sponsored kit for the 2010-2011 season. The club is very pleased with the kit and enormously grateful for the continued support from Shah and Clare and hopes to reward their generosity with an excellent season. The kit features a logo on the sleeve remembering ex-chairman 'Bam Bam' designed by Clare. The photo features Joe Aston, Clare Daniell, Shah and club captain Chris Thomas.

The season started on 28th August with the first home league game on 2nd October against Copsewood. The Home Guard club is not far away and on the Wellesbourne to Stratford on Avon bus route so it is very, very accessible for anyone interested in playing for or watching their local rugby team.

Tailpiece

Last year I replaced all the windows in my house with that expensive double-pane energy efficient kind. Today, I got a call from the contractor who installed them. He was complaining that the work had been completed a whole year ago and I still hadn't paid for them.

Now just because I'm blonde it doesn't mean that I am automatically stupid. So I told him just what his fast talking sales guy had told me last year, that in ONE YEAR these windows would pay for themselves! It's been exactly a year, I told him.

There was a deafening silence at the other end of the line, so in the end I just hung up. He never called back. I bet he felt like a right idiot.