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The Trinity Festival Tour 2005 - Page 3
by Linda Dobson
(7 May 2005)
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Then on the way back to the
car, I came across an unusual flower, not known in my part of the country
– does anyone out there know the origins of the lesser spotted Maltesers??!!!
Later on, we visited
Elizabeth House’s Spring Market, we had some lovely much needed coffee
and currant buns (a huge thank you to whoever made them, did we need them
after our marathon walk earlier today!). It was so lovely to see a painting on the wall of
Northumberland’s own Bamborough Castle and thanks to Mike Copland for
telling us the origins of it. Liz
Dye very kindly posed with Elizabeth House’s new member.
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If we lived there (I wish),
my Mum would love to join so she can learn the computer and play the piano
– Elizabeth House is such a wonderful venture for the Village.
Next we went to the Parade to
hear the music. Now I thought it was me who was supposed to make myself known
to Lynda Mallett – she turned the tables on me and came up and asked was
I Linda from Newcastle! It
wasn’t until I downloaded these photos that I realised Barbara Walmsley
was in the background on one of them.
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We had a great chat with
Lynda and Timmy, then coffee with them at Manzanos (thanks Richard for
lovely coffee), then the Band joined us.
I was rather concerned how the youngest member could reel off the
names of all the Wombles (quite a normal everyday thing to do!!!) – I
thought they were of my era, suppose he’s seen them on video?!
Mike Copland also joined us. It
was really lovely sitting having coffee in the open air (not something you
can do in Newcastle in April for the weather). We were ‘gently
persuaded’ (weren’t we Lynda?) to get tickets for Monday night’s
Barn Dance. Then we got a
telephone call from Liz K and we arranged to meet up with her on Monday
for coffee at Cliveden, it was getting more exciting by the hour.
We passed Cookham Dean
Village Hall tonight and counted fourteen cars parked there, obviously
“The Big Read” where ‘The Woman In White’ was being discussed was
having a very good turn-out.
Sunday 1 May
The day dawned bright, this
was the weather which we class as “true Cookham weather”, although at
2.15am we had a musical rendition from the skies which lasted a good hour
– did anyone else hear the thunder or was it just me?
Tonight was the penultimate
finale of the Trinity Festival, the Cantorum Choir Concert at Holy Trinity
Church.
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I don’t think there was a
single seat left. They performed Haydn’s ‘The Creation’ and they were out
of this world, the time flew by. A
huge huge thank you to all the performers (Conductor, Soloists, Choir and
Orchestra) for such a wonderful night, the music transported you to the
heart of it, you completely forgot where you were, I was in another world.
The Conductor (Sally Stafford) was absolutely fantastic, her eyes
were alive, she lived the music and she lifted everybody.
I couldn’t get over how much she looked like my friend Heather
from home too. My Mum said she was exhausted after the Concert as she had
been conducting with Sally! My
Mum’s a retired Music Teacher in case you’re wondering.
People who know me in Cookham
always ask me what’s happening in the Village when I go down there as
with reading Cookham.com each day they tell me I know more than they do
and call me the Cookham Oracle! But
I have to admit, I didn’t know anything about the Cantorum Choir at all,
thankfully I do now and hope I will be able to attend more of their
classic Concerts in the future. Everyone sitting around us in Church loved the Concert and
equally loved Sally’s conducting, she was a pleasure to watch.
The Concert ended all too soon and suddenly I realised it was dark
outside and I’d have to walk back through the Churchyard, this thought
didn’t actually inspire me much at all – have you ever walked through
a Churchyard late at night?
Monday 2 May
We had a last look inside
Holy Trinity, it was so peaceful in there once again, we could hardly
believe a wonderful Concert had taken place there less than twelve hours
earlier. Then it was time to
head for the Odney Club, we bumped into dear Sonia and Patrick Bell once
again, whilst looking at the marvellous artwork on display which had been
produced throughout the Festival. We
initially met them in St John’s at the organ recital and kept meeting
them all over the place at different Concerts, they made us so very
welcome and we look forward to meeting them in July.
The prize winners were
announced just after twelve noon, to huge applause.
I was so pleased to hear Charlie Chaplin won one of the categories.
This is the picture it was all about, a wonderful landscape of
Cookham, which was used throughout the Trinity Festival.
I did manage to catch the
real Pro in the act, I hope it comes out well in next week’s Maidenhead
Advertiser. It would be great
if someone could scan me the newspaper cutting through please.
Liz took us up to the Coffee
Club at Cliveden this afternoon, I felt like Royalty driving down the
gravel path towards Cliveden House. We
had a lovely time there and Liz showed us the swimming pool at the heart
of the Profumo Affair. A million thanks Liz for everything.
Tonight was the grand finale
of the Trinity Festival – the Barn Dance, held at Bourne End Community
Centre (it was a Barn really, we kept telling ourselves that!).
The entertainment was
provided by ‘The Lokel Yokels’, who were nestled on the stage amongst
bales of hay and cows (not real ones) and a piglet (the latter belonging
to Mrs M). Apparently one of
the 3D cows belonged to Lorraine Kelly – I think LK is magical as she
makes me laugh, but I have no idea why she should own such an object and
don’t really like to enquire!
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A huge thank you to everyone
who made the evening a resounding success and especially to my dance
partner Roger (see you in July). We
left absolutely elated, saying our goodbyes along the way.
As we left, Lynda Mallett told us we were already on Cookham.com
(which didn’t surprise me at all, with the amount of cameras around) and
there were some photos waiting on my E-Mail for me at home – millions of
thanks Lynda, you really helped to make our holiday special.
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During our twelve day
holiday, we also managed to visit a ‘few’ other places namely, Jane
Austen’s house at Chawton, Bledlow and Wallingford (Midsomer Murders),
Haddenham (Rosemary & Thyme), Henley Rowing Museum (the Wind in the
Willows Exhibition was adorable), Claydon House, Greys Court, Windsor
Castle, Cliveden (to see the gorgeous bluebell woods), Turville (Dibley
– they really do have a lady Vicar there!!), Russell’s Water (Chitty
Bang Bang – a sweet little Village, as sweet as Truly Scrumptious) and
not forgetting Bray and a spot of retail therapy in Maidenhead (where my
Mum left her umbrella).
For any of you out there who
think as we’re from Newcastle we’re staying at The Odney Club (Timmy
and Mike that goes for you), I can confirm we’re not with the Odney.
I’m now off to the MetroCentre determined to get a tee-shirt
printed saying “We’re not with the Odney!” as so many people think
we are. I think that will
raise a few laughs.
Thank you to everyone in
Cookham who made our holiday so wonderful, it gets harder to leave every
time. Isn’t there anyone
out there who requires a PA?! Thank
you to two very special people (you know who you are) who have looked
after us so well when we’re in Cookham, we love you both very much
indeed.
As the Trinity Festival drew
to a close, so did our holiday, which of course we were both very sad
about, but we can console ourselves with the fact we’ll be back in the
wink of an eye (well 27th July isn’t that far away is it?).
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