Category: Events

Saturday 17th was a great evening with the Papa George Band. We were treated to a stunning first set of classic blues numbers. Kicking off with their great version of Taj Mahal’s ‘Strut’, we were completely mesmerized by the supreme musical skills of Papa George on lead guitar and vocals and Pete and Tom providing terrific back up on bass and drums.

Following a short break for a tasty meal of chilli, baked spuds and slaw their second blues set, if anything surpassed their first. Stevie Wonder’s ‘Superstition and ‘I Wish’, ZZ Topp’s ‘Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings’ being just some of the fabulous numbers we were treated to.

A wonderful show, helped along by all the usual volunteers providing support and sustenance. Another great WERFA evening to remember: come back soon George! Dick Knox

For all following events please email les@lesmccallum.com or phone/text 07510 632 109 to book tickets.

Blues night

Saturday 17th November at 8pm’    **Papa George Band**

With many years of playing live music to rock and blues audiences in the UK, Europe and US, this London based band will deliver a night of true passionate blues. As well as playing originals, they include a range of classic blues covers including material from the great blues artists…

Winner of US, UK and European awards, Papa George is described in press reviews as

“…an amazing blues vocalist and guitarist…”

This is another one that will be a sell out so please book early. Always a great night, back by popular demand.

Starts 8pm ► Bar open ►    Tickets £15 (light meal included)

Contact Les on les@lesmccallum.com or ring/text 07510 632109

Coming up in 2019:

• Film night: Sat 19 Jan – Incredibles 2.
• Quiz night (date TBC).
• St Patrick’s night – March (date TBC).

This year we are mixing the popularity of Bake Off with our traditional Autumn show to have a ‘Bake & Make Off’ which we’d like as many residents as possible to take part in.

We’ll be serving tea, coffee and cakes and there will be stickers and prizes for the best in each category. Come in on Sunday morning between 11.30 and 13.00 with your entries. 50p for each entry (20p for children).

So we have an idea of numbers, if you’re thinking of entering or have a child who wants to join in, could you message Barbara on 07930 328091 or fill in the Contact form on the WERFA website.

https://www.werfa.org.uk/index.php/contact-us/

Also let us know if you would like to set up a stall (eg activities, fund-raising etc)

Luckily, our technical challenge is not hidden under a piece of gingham – we’d like you to bake eight cheese scones using the recipe below.

We are having the following Bake or Make categories to enter:

1. Cheese Scones (see recipe below)
2. Black forest gateau
3. Make eight of your ‘picnic in the woods’ decorated cup cakes
4. We’d like you to make a mushroom quiche
5. Best Woodlands Estate photograph – children & adult
6. Draw a picture or make a collage of trees and leaves –  children & adult
7. WERFA’s best marrow or other home grown vegetable
8. Show off your best home grown five Apples
9. Create a picture of any Woodlands animal – children & adult
10. Make a model of Little Red Riding hood or The Fox.
11. Write your Woodlands Estate poem – what does it mean to you?
12. Bunch of flowers from your garden, balcony, allotment or local walk.

Cheese Scones (makes 8)

Ingredients

225g/8oz self raising flour, pinch of salt, 55g/2oz butter, 25g/1oz mature Cheddar, grated and 150ml/5fl oz  milk

Method

Heat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the butter.

Stir in the cheese and then the milk to get a soft dough.

Turn onto a floured work surface and knead very lightly. Pat out to a round 2cm/¾in thick. Use a 5cm/2in cutter to stamp out rounds and place on the baking sheet. Lightly knead together the rest of the dough and stamp out more scones to use it all up.

Brush the tops of the scones with a little milk. Bake for 12–15 minutes until well risen and golden. Cool on a wire rack.

“Maybe we should close those doors?” Mean Mary said when the WERFA crowd joined her in a chorus of chickens, geese, ducks and hounds “think of the neighbours”- but most of the neighbours were there!

Mary deftly and expertly swapped between banjo, guitar and fiddle, playing tambourine and rhythm with her feet – ballads, tractor songs, the Celtic ‘Minstrel Boy and ‘Kerry Dances’ and the occasional Christmas Carol

The rousing ‘Sweet Jezebel’ contrasted with the soft and lilting ‘Blackbird Blossom’.  ‘Listen to the Mocking Bird’ was a lovely duet of guitar and fiddle.  She and her road-trip brother , Frank, accompanying her on guitar and vocals, teasing each other like all siblings do.  We heard a little of  their shared lives- their snake-catching mother, Mary writing songs since she was four and now writing novels too.  But the teasing and banter stops when the important things in life happen, and for Mary and her brother, that’s music.

Mary loved the fabulous bluegrass set, posted it on her Instagram  page, and thanked Les, Elaine and Mike for its design and installation.  Joyce and Leslie did a great job on the lights and sound – Catherine, Paula, Emily, Lorraine and team fed us all well, and staffed the bar.  There was even a ‘Guess the Weight of the Boris Pumpkin’ with a cornucopia of a prize – thanks to Bob’s allotment.

The final “Leaving on a Jet Plane” showed off Mary’s versatility and her lovely voice.

I think she promised to come back in two year’s time- let’s hope so!

Kate Hennessy

Having no knowledge about guitars or guitar playing I did not know what to expect at WERFA on Saturday – what an interesting evening it was!

Andy turned out to be an excellent musician and raconteur. (NB no surprise to those who have seen and heard him play jazz.) We followed his journey from his first guitar through to his many professional experiences, from youthful prog rock bands to the world of ocean cruise work to playing for star singers and cool jazz. All of which were interspersed with visual presentations. We even had a quiz interlude identifying the artist and song from the guitar riffs he played for us. The tremendous guitar playing by Andy, his recollections and  knowledge of guitars and guitarists made for a very different and enjoyable evening.                                                  Wilma Greig

Saturday 7 July at  8pm,  Andy Williams – Guitarist

Andy is an accomplished guitar   player who has performed at several  major venues including the Festival Hall. He has also performed at previous WERFA Jazz events and been noted for his relaxed, informal but superb performances.

This time, Andy will treat us to a variety of different music genres using different types of guitar, with a few good intros and stories thrown in.

This promises to be a great evening’s entertainment with something for everyone.

Starts 8pm ► Bar open ►    Tickets £15 (light meal included)

Contact Les on les@lesmccallum.com or ring/text 07510 632109

Mean Mary, 25 August

Bluegrass, Blues and Folk from a star musician all the way from Nashville.

More details to follow.

Early booking strongly recommended

Contact Les: les@lesmccallum.com   07510 632 109

Stephen Moss

BBC naturalist, author and birder will be returning to WERFA later this year – Date tba

A group of regular supporters from Spring Grove Residents’ Association joined WERFA at the recent square dancing evening.

To lively authentic Appalachian music from Enoch’s Gold Hill Trappers and encouraged by the excellent caller, groups eagerly joined together for some enthusiastic dancing which was great energetic fun.
The tasty chilli beef supper added to the theme of the evening.
Another enjoyable evening at Woodlands – our thanks to all involved from friends at SGRA.

Bruce has done it again; kept the whole room captivated and transfixed as he took us with him back to Antarctica to see once more the minke whales and penguins and to Norfolk to glimpse a hen harrier. He stressed time and again that art is an abstraction. It’s not about reproducing a photographic-style image, it’s rather about capturing the soul of the beast, letting the brush strokes reflect the movement of nature as though the brushes themselves are a physical part of what you are painting.

His demonstrations exemplified his words, bold brush strokes recreating forms deeply ingrained in his mind’s eye, the shape and angle of fin or wing, with a looser pastiche of background to provide the setting. As his pictures took shape so his words tailed off, words morphing seamlessly into the unfolding landscape. It was enthralling to watch Bruce at work and see the scene take shape before one’s eyes; he truly did make something more permanent from the fleeting.

BRUCE PEARSON     Friday 6th April

An informal talk and painting demonstration from the great wildlife artist

Not to be missed.  Bruce has just returned from the Antarctic –as always, this will be a fascinating and memorable evening. Tickets £8 including light  refreshments. les@lesmccallum.com or phone/text 07510 632 109

Zoe Cano  Wed 25th April 7.30pm

Often described as a female Bill Bryson, Zoe will present a fascinating insight into the joy of travel. Amongst other incredible adventures, she toured across the USA in 2012 as a solo motorcyclist riding a Triumph Bonneville and has just returned from a trip around New Zealand.  Opting for the quieter back roads, Zoe uncovers parts of the world we rarely hear about.  Zoe is the author of 3 books ‘Bonneville Go or Bust’, ‘Southern Escapades, and ‘Chilli, Skulls & Tequila’

Tickets £8 include a free glass of wine/beer. Book with Les.

ENOCH’S GOLD HILL TRAPPERS Sat 24th March
Square dance and professional caller. This promises to be great fun.

BRUCE PEARSON Friday 6th April
An informal talk and painting demonstration.
Please note: Bruce has just returned from the Antarctic. As always, this will be a fascinating evening.

ZOE CANO Wed 25th April
Travel writer and adventurer.

Lots of other things on the horizon – more info nearer the time.