Summer 2013

Welcome to Riseley WEA

Riseley WEA is an adult educational organisation where we offer two sessions of lectures per year on a variety of cultural subjects - a Spring Term and an Autumn term.

With a history going back nearly twenty seven years, we have covered a wide variety of subjects, from history, architecture, music, art, film and many more.

All our lectures are delivered by tutors with extensive knowledge of their subjects and a great deal of experience in teaching interested and enthusiastic adults.

Everyone is welcome.

We meet in the comfort of Riseley Village Hall Lounge where we start each meeting with a welcoming cup of tea or coffee and biscuits.

WEA Centenary

100 miles, 6 counties, 1 day - 1 July 2013

Reaching the ripe old age of 100 is no mean feat for any organisation; it's a birthday worth celebrating!  The Eastern region centenary calendar is filling up with events and activities, and now Media Officer Tim Arnold has set himself a centenary challenge: to cycle 100 miles through all six counties in the Region - in one day!  But there's another reason why Tim's celebrating: this is his tenth year of working at the WEA, and the ride will take place exactly a decade to the day when he started on 1 July 2003.

He is doing this to raise money to support the region's work with those facing social and economic disadvantage, so please visit his fundraising page to dontate through Virgin Money Giving.

Tim said: "I was already thinking about doing something to mark ten years of working at the WEA when Eastern Region became part of my remit.  I started thinking about how I could tie the centenary in, and then it came to me: a century cycle ride.  I am a fairly keen cyclist - I commute by bike as much as possible and have done a few long rides before, most notably the Dunwich Dynamo - but since becoming a dad I haven't had as much time to ride, so I'll need to train hard to get fit enough - it won't be easy!"

Tim decided to add to the challenge by designing a route which takes him through all six counties in the Region.

"I've mapped out a rough route which allows me to pass through all the counties in Eastern Region, ending up at the Regional Office - Cintra House in Cambridge.  Over the next few weeks I'll be working out how I can meet as many WEA people as possible along the way, and hopefully tie in some quick learning activities!  I'll be using social media and geotaggingmy content so people can track my progress along the way.

I wanted to highlight the fact that the WEA is a charity, so this is fundraising activity, too.  I'm aiming to raise £1,000 to support our mission in the Region, and will also be looking for sponsors - decent tyres aren't cheap!  And by coincidece rather than design, this ride also fits nicely with one of our education themes - health and wellbeing."

Click here to visit Tim's fundraising page with Virgin Money Giving

Tim will be blogging about his preparation for the ride over on our blog.  Follow Tim's progress on twitter @TimArnoldWEA. He will be using #WEAEastern100 to tag related tweets.  Good luck, Tim!

Autumn Course Riseley

This Autumn's course will be Songs, Satire and Social Commentary by David Price.

An entertaining look at history through operettas and musicals – covering both the events depicted in them and the historical context in which they were written.

This course will include France in the 19th century (Les Misérables, Orpheus in the Underworld); Weimar Germany (Cabaret, The Threepenny Opera); Belle Epoque Paris and Vienna (The Merry Widow); Depression-era America through Hollywood film musicals; racial tensions in America (Show Boat, West Side Story); the real story of the Trapp Family portrayed in The Sound of Music; pop musicals of the 1950s and 60s and the so-called “Sexual Revolution”; and what some of today’s blockbusters can tell us about our own time.

Illustrated with film clips and musical extracts, photos and cartoons from satirical magazines.

Details of date, time and cost to follow.

Northamptonshire WEA

Our friends and neighbours in Northamptonshire will be running a programme of guided visits during summer 2013 - just one remaining!

VISIT TO DRAYTON HOUSE LOWICK NNI4 3BG
Fee £11 Wednesday, 3 July at 10.30 am

Drayton House has been a family home for almost
a thousand years. The core of the house built by
Simon de Drayton about 1300 and has a unique
spiral cantilever oak staircase of c.1680 and a
superb embroidered State Bed of 1700. The house
passed to the Sackville family in 1770, but only two
rooms were changed. The house, therefore, still
reflects its medieval origins and the taste of the
Baroque period, and remains very much a family
home. Please note there are many steps and
staircases on the tour.
Meet in front of the house
 Further Information from Peta Jellis 01933 356914
Booking essential - tickets needed