WINNERS
OF COOKHAM ON CANVAS
17
May 2013
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The
stunning setting of the new John Lewis Heritage Centre at the bottom
of Odney Lane was the backdrop for the Cookham on Canvas
exhibition opening night on 16 May. Artists were to be found out and
about Cookham painting furiously all last weekend despite the
very unkind weather and the result is a display of over 30 works
of art ranging from pencil drawings to oil paintings.
 The
judging began in the morning to find one outstanding piece and
the panel of Timmy Mallett, Ann Danks and Chrissy Rosenthall from the
Spencer Gallery, Marie-Ann Leonard from Bovilles art shops and Gail
Dorrington the event organiser had a very difficult task indeed.
She
explains "Our main difficulty was that there were so many
beautifully executed paintings, from experienced artists right through
to complete beginners so we were not looking for the best painting but
the painting that expressed most clearly the "Spirit of Stanley
Spencer" " Chrissy Rosenthall explained this to the artists
and their guests before Timmy took the crowded room through
every single painting pointing out all the good bits and how the
panel felt about the works during the judging process.
 And
so to the winners…
Prizes
of art materials generously donated by Bovilles art shops were
presented by Marie Ann Leonard to:
Junior
prize in the youth category went to 13 year old John Conacher
for his drawing of the war memorial. The detail in the drawing was
fantastic and he had been observed over the weekend out there in the
cold working all day on it.
Junior
prize for our younger artists went to 8 year old Mollie
Thorne for her water colour pencil painting of the Cookham bridge
and toll house. The judges loved her use of colour which shows
real promise for the future.
Over
all winner was Stephanie Gay who miraculously managed to
produce a silk painting over the weekend of the view from
Winter hill capturing the light over the reservoirs.You can see the
weather rolling in across the sky- an outstanding piece of work and a
unanimous decision by the panel.
 Second
place went to Michelle Jackson for a water colour pencil
painting of Cookham bridge.The panel picked this out because of the
way the artists had chosen her viewpoint from an unusual angle. The
details of the wrought iron work and the flower pots in the foreground
were very much in step with the spirit of a Spencer.
Third
prize awarded to Sarah Luton for her acrylic and oil painting
of a view looking directly down Cookham High street. Sarah was to be
found outside both days over the weekend under an umbrella to
produce this painting which included the kinds of details Spencer
would have painted; the bus stop, the cars and people standing
in their garden It is a painting of a moment in the here and
now.
Runners
up prizes went to Nancy Ovstedal, a view for the end of Mill
lane in the gardens of formosa court and to Ruth Daniel for a
water colour of a tree stump with a nest of moor hens.
Honourable
mention also went to Valerie Ann Benham for a view of Holy
Trinity churchyard.
The
exhibition is open to the public as part of the Cookham Festival Open
Studios Trail.
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BREAST
FEEDING IN THE HIGH STREET
9
May 2013
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A Cookham.com reader sent in this photo
of Cookham High Street, with thoughts of Ovey's Farm one hundred
years ago.
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COOKHAM
COMMUNITY BAY CLOSES
8
May 2013
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 After
five years of running Cookham Community Bay, Chris Harris is having to
call it a day. CCB offered to photograph items people wanted to sell and
put them on eBay. A percentage of the sales was kept by CCB and the
profits were shared between Holy Trinity and Elizabeth House. If anyone
wants to run it, Chris Harris would be happy to tell them what to do.
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RAINBOWS
THANK THEIR SPONSORS
2
May 2013
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The Rainbow Pre-school Barn Dance on
Saturday, 27 April was a big success. We'd like to thank our sponsors:
The Handmade Cake Company, Bradburys of Buxton, Countrystore Cookham,
Sanctum on the Green, The Vanity Lounge, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts,
Peaseblossom, The Pretty Pantry, Firstfruits Celebrations and Mucky
Monsters. We raised £450 and a great night was had by all.
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TASTE
OF SUMMER AND VIVI
30
April 2013
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 There's
a lovely event happening at Sanctum on the Green on May 19th
which celebrity chef Luke Thomas is supporting.
It's
in aid of a wonderful little girl called Vivi who has undergone a big
operation recently. She is brave beyond words and a real delight:
http://www.vivisventure.com/
The
Taste of Summer event on the 19th May is going to be a truly
memorable experience. It will include a cooking masterclass
with award-winning chef, Luke Thomas - Britain's youngest head chef, and
Peter Dickson will be hosting an auction.
Tickets
are £10 each and are available from Sanctum on the Green.
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LAMDA
SUCCESS AT HERRIES
28
April 2013
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Once
again, Herries pupils have achieved fantastic results in their
LAMDA
exams
(London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art). All of the individual
entries passed and many achieved merit and even distinction! All of
the group entries were also successful, again passing with either merit
or distinction. Head teacher, Sophie Green said:"Much hard work
went into the performances which the pupils gave during their exams and
I remain convinced that this is very much a confidence and self esteem
building experience for the children, as well as being lots of
fun!"
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THE
COOKHAM PHEASANT
22
April 2013
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Penny Bysshe sent this to cookham.com.
(Click on photo for larger image.)
 Here
is a photo of the pheasant I took this morning. It has taken about 10
days for him to peck bird seed from my hand. At first I threw the food
down for him at some distance, squatted down holding out my hand out
with some bird seed on it and watched while he pecked away, keeping a
careful eye on me all the time. I kept very still until he finished
eating. He would not let me get near him. Every day he would come a
little closer. He seemed to like it when I coo-cood at him. He coo-cood
back happily but would not come close. I was putting bird seed on my
bare palm but when I noticed how hard he pecked at the seed on the
ground I put a glove on. It took a couple of days for him to get used to
the glove. Every day he came a little closer and eventually he came
close enough to peck the corn on the ground around my hand but would not
take the corn from my hand. Then the day before yesterday he was very
brave and took a few tentative pecks from my hand before backing off.
Yesterday he was very confident, strutted up to me purposefully,
greeted me with a happy squawk and straight away started to peck the
corn from my gloved hand, his stabbing pecks sending the feed flying
everywhere! I was very glad I was wearing a glove! I know that he “does
the rounds” locally and presumably gets food from several homes
- I can hear his loud squawks echoing round the neighbourhood -
and wondered if anyone else had succeeded in getting him to
peck bird seed from their hand?
Lou wrote
in reply: "I’m in Cookham Rise and we have a pheasant who I
have called Frank (Spencer) because I rather uncharitably decided that
even for a bird with a brain the size of a pea, he must be
particularly silly to try and take up residence here with us and a
road full of cats! Sometimes he roosts on the tree outside my living
room window, which you’d think would be quite charming but he
screams VERY loudly at any one who has the cheek to drive past or
worse still, walk their dog past him!"
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NICE
WEATHER FOR DUCKS
20
April 2013
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John Lloyd-Parry, who is
well known in Cookham for his bird photography, spied some birds at the
famous (or is it infamous?) swimming pool at Cliveden. It looks like the
ducks were taking a rest after their swim.
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LUXURIOUS
BEDROOMS NOW AT BEL & THE DRAGON
19
April 2013
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 Bel
& the Dragon in Cookham Village has been sensitively restored to
provide five superbly luxurious bedrooms for their guests. There
are period features throughout this 15th century building that lend all
rooms their exquisite charm. All
the rooms are individualised, incorporating their own unique features. The
rooms are made comfortable by great
big beds, using White Company linen and towels. The rainfall showers are
the highlight of the magnificent bathrooms, many of which have
underfloor heating installed as well.
http://www.belandthedragon-cookham.co.uk/
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GOODBYE
CHARLES
18
April 2013
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 Cookham
residents who knew Charles Benson who lived in Cookham Dean will be
saddened to hear that he died on Wednesday 17th April 2013. Charles was
well known in the Cookhams and was the titular head for the jazz group
the Fabulous Shirtlifters. He was very active in Cookham Bridge Rotary
and was often to be heard as the MC at the Cookham Regatta and Cookham
Dean Village Fete. Charles had previously lived in Bradcutts Lane with
his family where they had a B&B, although Charles was actually an
engineer and had travelled the world working for multi national
electronic companies.
Thoughts go out to Charles' wife Diana
and his children and grandchildren.
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ANYONE
FOR CRICKET?
16
April 2013
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 Jon
Stewart, a resident of Cookham Dean, has set up a new and exciting
cricket academy for budding young cricketers in and around Cookham.
Jon says "It is
called the Thames Valley Cricket Academy and is based at Cookham Dean
Cricket Club on Monday evenings. We offer specialist cricket coaching
for talented young players from all clubs in the area."
You can find more
information on their website www.tvca.co.uk
There is a free
coaching session / trial on Mon April 29th and the full
academy starts on Mon 13th May.
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SPECIAL
RECOGNITION AWARD FOR BARBARA
13
April 2013
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 On
the 11th April 2013 at the JustGiving awards dinner, Barbara
Walmsley from High Road, Cookham received a Special Recognition Award.
The citation reads ‘This award
recognises your incredible 27 years of tenacious and dedicated
fundraising for Oxfam’
The only complaint Barbara has is that
it is now about 60 years since she first collected for Oxfam!
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RAINBOW
BARN DANCE
8
April 2013
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A diary
note! It’s time to don your dancing shoes and do-si-do your partner
for the annual Rainbow Pre-School barn-dance
at Pinder Hall on Saturday, April 27th. Whether you are seven
or seventy, single or married, an award-winning dancer or have two left
feet, we would love to see you there to help raise much needed funds for
our beautiful pre-school.
For
those Cookhamites who have never ventured to a barn-dance before, they
are tremendously energetic and social affairs and no previous experience
is required because a caller will guide you through the dances. While
most dances are danced in 3/4/5 couple sets, many others are “mixer
dances”, where you and your partner get to dance with lots of
different people.
Mid-way
thought the evening, we will be pausing for a ploughman’s platter,
guaranteed to tantalise your taste buds - a dish recently voted one of
England’s most important cultural icons. There will also be bar, and a
raffle. If you would like to purchase tickets for this very special
evening, which are £12.50 per person including dinner, please phone
Kathy Rickman: 01628 522 797. Be quick to avoid disappointment!
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COOKHAM
ON CANVAS
3
April 2013
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It
is not too late to sign up for the Cookham on Canvas event and take your
place at an exclusive talk in the Stanley Spencer Gallery on April 17th.
The event is part of the Cookham Festival 2013 arts programme.
The talk will give participants an idea of how the event will happen and
link the painting locations to works created by Spencer. Not to be
missed!
More details and for an entry form call in to the Stationery depot or
follow this link to the Festival web site where you can download it on
line.
http://www.cookham.com/cookhamfestival/programme/programme.htm#arts
The event takes place over the weekend of 11th and 12th May. Prizes of
art materials donated by Bovilles with an exhibition in the beautiful
new John Lewis Heritage Centre from 17th to 19th May.
Open to all including youth and children's categories.
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FORMER
INTERNATIONAL RUNNER OFFERS COACHING
3
April 2013
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 A
former international athlete from Cookham is launching a unique coaching
service for runners of all levels. Paddy McGrath of Cookham Dean Bottom
once ran for Ireland and Northern Ireland recording times that placed
him among the UK’s best runners. At the peak of his career, Paddy ran
1500 metres in 3:44 minutes and covered the half marathon distance in 64
minutes. Since his focus switched to coaching he has guided runners of
all levels from complete beginners to those competing internationally.
He holds UK Athletics coaching qualifications and will offer both
bespoke one-to-one or group coaching and workshops for keen runners in
the Cookham area.
“I have an expert
back up team of sport psychologists and sport nutritionists who have
worked with Olympians, so I hope to offer people the complete package to
boost their running whether they are starting out or wanting to get
faster,” says Paddy who also coaches the Cookham Dean Under 8 football
team in his spare time. “We’ll be holding a workshop on ‘how to
run a half marathon’ in June.”
For details, email paddymcrun@btinternet.com
or call 07714 950748. Check out Paddy’s website www.paddymcgrathrunning.com,
facebook page paddy.mcgrath.running or follow him on twitter @paddymcgrathrun
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LAND
AND SEA
3
April 2013
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 Local
artist Nick Kennedy is returning to the Gallery at Elizabeth House
with a new set of paintings under the title " Land &
Sea". It's an exhibition bringing together his most recent
paintings from travels abroad to Greece and France. Harbours,
sunsets, fishing boats all feature strongly, with a focus on balancing
light and colour.
Nick
studied Art and Design at Amersham College and Bristol University, then
taught Art at secondary schools before moving on to his current
vocation as Art Lecturer for East Berkshire College.
Past Exhibitions include Wolfson College, Oxford; Windsor and
Norden Farm Arts Centres; Maidenhead Art on the Street; Cookham
Festivals and South Bucks Art Week.
The exhibition opens on Saturday 6th April and continues to Friday 3rd
May. The Gallery - on Station Hill, Cookham Rise, SL6 9BS - is
open weekdays 9.30 to 11.30pm and Saturdays 10am to 4pm. Elizabeth
House benefits from a commission on all works sold. More gallery
details, including past exhibitors, are at www.thegalleryatelizabethhouse.org.uk
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ROTARY
CLUB FUN DAY
1
April 2013
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The Maidenhead Bridge Rotary Club
organised a family fun day on Easter Saturday. Sima from Sima's Action
Kids was one of the many performers giving their time for free.
More than 700 local people supported the event.
(Click on photo for larger image)
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COOKHAM
DEAN FOOTBALL CLUB IN CUP FINAL
1
April 2013
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Cookham
Dean Football Club are in the Cup Final of the Norfolkian Senior Cup
Final on Thursday April 11. The Norfolkian is Maidenhead's oldest
Footbal Club competition. On Thursday they will be playing Wraysbury
Village FC at Maidenhead United FC York Road Ground with a kick off at
7.30pm
Cookham
Dean normally wear Red/ Black but for the Cup Final but this time they
will be wearing the change strip of all Green.
Please
come along and cheer your local side on as they try to bring the
Trophy back home to Cookham.
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EU
FUNDS SECURE NEW GRANDSTAND FOR COOKHAM DEAN
1
April 2013
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 Sport
for Europe has confirmed full funding for a spectacular new grandstand
to be built on the old cricket common in Cookham Dean.
The
state-of-the-art structure will be prefabricated in Germany, shipped to
the UK and erected by a crack squad of German workers in less than a
British worker’s lunchtime.
“We
are thrilled with the announcement, and delighted with the size of the
cheque.” said Peter Bartlett, one of the supporters of the scheme. “We
applied for a grant for a temporary structure to cover the Gravity Grand
Prix, but to our surprise they have given us full funding for a
permanent erection.
“We
did point out to them that a mistake may have been made, but nobody in
Brussels wants to know. Apparently, there is no mechanism for returning
overpayments back to Europe because no member country has ever tried to
do it before. They said it would be much cheaper for us just to keep the
Grandstand than it would be to pass the legislation needed to set up a
refund system.”
However,
some in The Dean are outraged. One resident said “Before retirement I
was a very important person and although I fully support the idea, I am
angry that nobody has asked for my opinion. It would seem that because
the structure is prefabricated in Germany, it is governed by German
planning regulations not English ones. What is this country coming to? I
didn’t fight in the war just so these faceless Eurocrats could give us
a well-made, useful structure that will benefit the village for
generations to come, without even giving me a chance to rant about it in
the local pub.”
A
spokesperson for The Kaffers of Cookham Dean said “We welcome any
help, from whatever quarter. The Gravity Grand Prix is becoming a bigger
event every year, and last year some spectators couldn’t see properly.
The Grandstand will come in very handy, and we are currently looking for
volunteers to help turn the thing round for the Boxing Day Games.”
The
Gravity Grand Prix will be held on Sunday 1st September.
Further details including entry packs are available at www.cookham.com.
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