London's Cable Car & Christmas Lights etc.

Our first view of the Thames Cable Car.

Waiting for our Blue Badge Guide to arrive.

On the 12th of this month I visited London with my local WI.  Arriving by coach at the the North Woolwich Peninsula I took photos while waiting for our Blue Badge Guide to arrive.

As soon as she'd introduced herself and issued us with our tickets we hurried over to the O2 Arena for lunch as time was tight.
Being nervous of heights I wondered how I would cope, the Cable Car is an amazing 300 feet high.  It can carry 2500 people an hour.  It was and still is sponsored by the Emirates Airline and travels from the North Woolwich Penisular to the Royal Victoria Dock, linking the O2 and the Excel Centre. 

Directly after our lunch we hurried back just in time for us to board.

And then we were on our way.

Amazingly I felt very safe, safe enough to stand and take some of these photos. Seeing the Thames from this height I could see the tight curves which I hadn't appreciated before.  Unfortunately the weather could have been better so that we would have seen views of places further away, although the mist gave the scene an ethereal look.
Directly after disembarking we got back on board our coach, this time with our guide.  She was really amazing with all the facts she had at her fingertips.  Telling us about the different docks and what each one was designated to what kind of cargo.  How the Black Wall Tunnel had bends in it due to it's being built when horses were the mode of transport and, evidently, if the horses had been able to see the light at the end of the tunnel they would have bolted.  Among other buildings we passed there was the Church of St Michael of Paternoster Royal, where Dick Whittington was buried.  The original church had been burnt during the Fire of London and was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, it was also bombed during World War 11 on both occasions his remains were searched for but never found; although a mummified cat was found.
After a comfort stop at the Natural Museum we reboarded the coach to see the Christmas Lights, as it was now dark enough to show them at their best.  Harrods has a team of twenty who dress their windows all year, they were splendid, each one depicting a fairy tale.  Fortnum and Mason coincidently had chosen Dick Whittington as there theme.  Our guide explained that when lights were first used in Oxford Street they were paid for by the big department stores that lined it.  Now they have different sponsors, this year it's Marmite.  The Christmas Tree in Trafalgar Square, donated by Norway as a thank you for our help during the war, is lit by Christmas lights going up and down as is their custom, not round and round.  We also gleaned the fact that Christmas Stockings came from the Dutch who traditionally filled their childrens clogs with sweets etc at Christmas time.  When they moved to America there were no clogs and so they hung up their stockings.
Our final stop was at the South Bank where we could get a coffee and wander the Christmas Market.  Then it was time for home.

The Wonderyears at Wentworth Golf Club

We were fortunate to be invited back to the Wentworth Golf Club, for the second year running, to perform in their Christmas Concert.  These concerts are run yearly in their beautiful ballroom which is graced with chandeliers and magnificent paintings.  The proceeds of the concerts are given to a charity chosen each year by the Golf Club.

This year children from Abbey School in Farnham were first to perform and sang Christmas Carols, then it was our turn. Dave our MD encouraged the audience to sing along with us; as he does with all our concerts. We sang well known Christmas Songs including 'White Christmas' and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree'.  Two of our singers, Joan and Marianne, entertained with a Christmas skit.  After the interval we were joined by the Christ Church Choir and sang Christmas Carols. Ken Morgan, a member of both Wentworth and Christ Church gave a Christmas message based on the rules of golf. 

Ian, our assistant technician setting up our mics with our two guitarist, Paul and Keith looking on while Paul T, our sound technician fine tunes our sound equipment. 

Ian, being watched this time by Paul,Tom, one of our singers and John, our keyboard player.

Keith, Paul and John tuning up.

Some of our singers relaxing before the show.

Vera, Barbara and Christine all Christmassy with their hats on ready to go on stage.

The Wentworth Golf Club ballroom ready and waiting for our audience to arrive.

We were all very well received and I might add very well looked after by the staff who supplied us all with excellent refreshments.

 www.wonderyearsrock.com

My Experience as a Film Extra

Entrance to the film location

Another new experience for me was gained, once again through being a member of The Wonderyears.  Our MD and Founder, Dave Thomas, had been asked by and Assistant Director of a film called 'Lilting' if any of our group would like to be extras on this project.  Five of us decided we would and were asked to join the film crew on their film location last week.
We were made very welcome by everyone, the Assistant Director, Emlyn Pool; who had been liasing with us, put us at our easy and explained what we were needed to do.  Although we weren't to paid for doing this we were 'fed and watered'.

The scenes we were to be part of where the actors were in a Residential Nursing Home, let's hope that our parts are not a depiction of the future as we were to be filmed as some of the residents.  We were asked to sit around this large lounge, and I mean large, some of us read books, some played scrabble (or pretended to) while Joan knitted.  We weren't the only extras, the ones we met were Sam, from Egham New Singers, John, who's son had seen an advert and so applied through this, and Dorothy, who was a local WI member.   (I do apologise for the quality of the photos) the last photo is of myself in one of the places I sat to read).

The story involved five characters, although I only saw four.  There was Ben Wishaw - Richard, the main character. Cheng Pei Pei - Junn, a resident who could only speak Mandarin (Cheng Pei Pei is a well know actress in her own country, this will be her debut here).  Naomi Christie - Vann, a translator. Peter Bowles -Alan, the love interest for Junn and Andrew Leung - Kai, a partner of Richard.  I was amazed at the amount of times the scenes were played out, as the camera repositioned.  This must take a lot of stamina on the part of the actors as they had to repeat the exact words and actions over and over.

There was lots of waiting around, though when off set we spent the time getting to know some of those members of the filming crew who were behind the scenes and the other extras, or as on the forms we signed Supporting Artistes.  Naomi found time between scenes to introduce herself, she was really lovely in all ways.

Some of the film crew watching the run through of scenes that have just been filmed.

Sam reading between takes.

Queuing for lunch (Joan is behind Ben Wishaw).

The kitchen, this isn't in the film.

We were told by Emlyn that the film will be going to the Film Festivals and then will go on general release. We, the extras, will be on the credits.  The whole experience was good despite the waiting around and feeling cold on the first day. 

I wonder what will be next on my agenda of my life?
















The Wonderyears at SCC Dementia Conference

Dave (our MD) myself, Barbara, Ken, Brenda, Christine (singers) and Keith (lead guitarist) Taken in one of the dressing rooms.  The photo was taken by John ( keyboard player).

On the morning of Tuesday the 20th November we, The Wonderyears, were invited by Surrey County Council to perform at their conference on Dementia.  This was held in the HG Wells Halls in Woking, I personally hadn't seen inside this building although I'd passed it many times on my visits to Woking either visiting my daughter, when she lived in the town, and for shopping expeditions.  I was pleasantly surprised.  There were four of us who'd travelled to the venue together and on entering the building were welcomed by two receptionists who directed us to the main hall.  This was already set up for the conference and we soon joined our friends on stage for our sound check.  Later we were ushered up into some dressing rooms and given refreshments.  This was very welcome and I'm sure helped us give a good performance at our alloted time which was received with a good round of applause and compliments.  We were only on stage for a short while but felt it had all been worthwhile. The organisers of the conference were looking for a surprising and high impact opening to the day - I think The Wonderyears delivered.

www.wonderyearsrock.com

Youtube and The Wonderyears @ Guilfest etc

Bert, our oldest singer, who is almost 90, with our MD and Founder Dave.

Rosemary, she has moved out of our district so we are sad to say is nopart of the chorus.  Here she is at Wokingham Food & Drinks Festival singing a rock song.

The following two photo's are of some of our singers dressed up for our rendition of Peggy Lee's 'Woman'.

Colin with Ken

John with Jim

Three of our singers at Guilfest, Alan, Colin and Ken.

The singers gathering prior to going on stage at Guilfest for our traditional hug.

Being part of The Wonderyears has been an amazing experience for myself and from what I understand the rest of our group.  Monday rehearsal is fun night and performing concerts something we all love to do.  The fact that we have been able to raise thousands of pounds for charities is something of which we are all pleased and glad to do.  How many people can say they have sung on stage at the Hackney Empire, which is what we did when we reached the semi finals of Sky's 'Must Be The Music' and the Hammersmith Apollo, the place where we sang at the semi finals of 'The X Factor'. 
If you go to Youtube you can watch and listen to some of the songs we have sung in the past, these were videod at the Guilfest Music Festival of 2011, Wokingham Food and Drinks Festival and the Staines Club for the Blind.  

The links to the Staines Club for the Blind are:-

http://youtu.be/KoZ_6G0Oslc

http://youtu.be/jLrzKh19WoY

Please note that this is not the full chorus or band.  If you wish to see all you wil need to enter in the search Wonderyears Rock Chorus. I hope you enjoy.
www.wonderyearsrock.com

The Performing Arts Library and The Surrey History Centre

As one of the volunteers for our local library I had the priviledge of being given a guided tours of the Performing Arts Library, which is housed in the Denbies Wine Estate building and the Surrey History Centre. 

Even though I've been a member of the library for many years I hadn't known the existance of the Performing Arts Library, it's amazing what you can borrow on your library card. Here there obvious things like scripts of plays and scores of music, cd's,dvd's and books regarding everything to do with drama, music, dance and cinema.  These include  how to's, such as learning to play an instument or indeed make one or you can obtain a pattern for a costume.  There also books on acting techniques and make up.  

The library is very efficiently run by a small dedicated team it's incredible what they can achieve as with their network through the country they can obtain answers to almost every request put to them.  They also, for a small fee run a lending facility to groups, for singers and choirs there are 6000 music sets, amazing. 

 

At the Surrey History Centre we were first taken through the ideas sewn into the tapestry and glass panels on display in the vestible, all sorts of things were incorporated from discoveries, Magna Carta, Maps right up to date technology. There was also a story board on the life of the real man beind the character depicted in The Journeys, a World War 11 play as well as the reception desk and promotion leaflets. The first department we visited was the Archeological Dept., where we were taken through the process of what happens from being on digs to bringing artifacts back the centre cleaned, catalogued and preserved.  We were particulary interested in a dig not far from me, this was in the fields that belonged to St Anne's School where my children attended.  When a search is done on a planning request and there is a possibility of an historical site they send an archelogist along.  One of the fields was sold to a company to have a housing site built on it.  The first thought was there wasn't anything there but when the digging started things came to light that really changed their minds.  The site goes way back in prehistory, Bronze and Iron age and even flints dated back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic age, a book is being published on their findings.  They are currently working on the Woking Place site.  In their store room where some old books which had been left to dry and be search for insects, if insects were found they had to be put into a heated cabinette then a cold one and perhaps back into heat, incase eggs had been missed.  We were then taken up to a repair room, though the lady there also had the responsibility of some maintainance of apparatus.  She showed us a book she was repairing and her progression.  Two things surprised me, the first was she wasn't wearing gloves.  She explained that it had been found that gloves did more harm than good, they also inhibited touch and feel.  The second was that to get rid of dirt and mould written pages were soaked in water, the book she was repairing was a millitary pay book from Loseley House, the ink is made of iron and gall so doesn't run.  Sadly there had been a flood at the house and lots of documents have been destroyed or need a lot of repair work, Surrey History Centre had offered to store them prior to the flood but the house had felt inclined to hold onto them. She was also repairing a map which was fastened onto the front of a light box, this was able to show flaws easier than leaving it on a work surface.  From here we were taken to one of the two main store rooms which are kept at a constant temperature with air crculation, also there were pipes with special gas in case of fire up towards the ceiling, this did have a small amount of oxygen in it, just enough to keep one person alive should they be trapped (noone had tested it).  The tall stacks were on rollers, moved by a winding handle, at night it was important for them to be put back to their original placement.  Certain maps and books were kept in acid free paper, the largest near to where they could be taken out for any member of the public who wished to look at them.  Lastly we were shown the area where the general public came to view requested items.  Everything is catalogued on their website which you can view with your library card, most things can be photocopied.  Some items can be taken out on loan.

 

At both these places we were given a warm reception, no question was too much trouble to be answered.  Both were a delightful experience and a big learning curve.   

 

 

 

The Wonderyears RG Walk November 2012 in Windsor Great Park

Taken near Saville Gardens



First view of Cow Pond



Second view of Cow Pond

Third view of Cow Pond

Following Christine, Viv and Mary along the side of Cow Pond

Horse and carriage travelling around Smith's Lawn

This walk was with friends from The Wonderyears Ramblers Group.  We started at Bishopsgate, this is an area in EgHam.  Not sure where the name originated, perhaps copying the London name.  The London area was after a gate that used to be an entrance into the City of London.  It's reckoned that this was named after Bishop Erkenwald, who was also associated with Chertsey Abbey.  The park used to be forest that went as far as Chertsey where pillars can still be seen of another entrance.
We followed the road towards Smith's Lawn, famous for Polo where you can even watch royalty play, turning towards Saville Gardens from there we took the rhododendron avenue to Cow Pond, where cattle used to be watered.  After walking around the pond we rejoined the avenue back to Bishopsgate to have a coffee in the Fox & Hounds Public House where we were joined by Ellen who couldn't make the walk on this occasion.