Outings Reports 2016
Kensington Palace – May 2016
Tuesday 17th May saw a coach load of 58 SVU3A’ers depart Sutton Bonington for Kensington Palace but upfront sat the trip organiser Peter with £690 worth of expired entry tickets. This alarming fact was only discovered the night before when the tickets were inspected. But two hours into the journey and with the help of the Palace Security Police, bless-um, the palace booking department accepted that incorrectly dated tickets had been issued and agreed to grant us access to The Palace. Drama over, the visit was wonderful with lots to see, the sunken garden was a picture although it was at the end of the winter bulb season, good news for some as free ‘Royal Garden’ daffodil Bulbs were available to take home. The lucky ones also saw the Royal Princes arrive by helicopter.
‘Garden & Soap Trip’ – June 2016
This trip almost went without a hitch, that is after the missing pre-booked Ness Botanic Garden guides were replaced (the originals having been sent home!) What a beautiful garden with lots of interest to suit everyone, even ‘hot-rod’ riders!
After Lunch it was on to Port Sunlight Village for an introductory talk at the Museum, which was excellent. Even by today’s standards the village was impressive. Lady Levers Art gallery was beautiful and the artwork breath-taking. All told it was a great day with wall to wall sunshine (almost) and lots to see and do. Given that the day had involved a fair few miles of walking it was with relief that the coach was on time to take us home.
Outing Report – Salford Quays – 1st September 2016
The first port of call was ‘The Lowry Gallery’ where guides awaited. Laurence Stephen Lowry, the unwanted boy, the man, the rent collector, the artist, the carer - all featured in the excellent guided tour and brought a new meaning to the many aspects of Lowry’s work. The guide walked us through his famous paintings of ‘Matchstick People’, Smokey Mills, Football crowds and Yorkshire landscapes, into the disturbing images of the ‘Red Eyed Man’ with its overpainted hidden portraits of his ‘bed recluse mother’ and himself. The images of an imaginary sister who both his parents yearned for and the ‘The Funeral Party’ depiction of a boy dressed as a girl and Visa-Versa. I was sorry when the tour ended but felt that I had been given a profound insight into the life and work of this famous artist.
Imperial War Museum - North
Not your typical War Museum with lots of powerful armour, massed weaponry and terrible imagery – yes it was there to be found with ample reminders of the WW1 & WW2 horrors. But for me there was more of a feeling about the place, the darkened gallery with wrap round sound and images did much to heighten that feeling. The voice overs of actual people caught up in conflicts and the impact and aftermath of recent events in Kosovo, The Falkland Island and The Gulf etc. There was much to remind us of the consequence of conflicts and perhaps most poignant to me was the tortured and twisted window frame from the Twin Tours which Anne and I visited just 12 months before 9/11.
Whilst enjoying a pre-departure relaxing cup of tea and cake in the Lowry Café it was time to reflect on my past five years as SVU3A Outings Organiser during which we have visited Palaces, Castles, Historic Ships, Radio telescopes, World Heritage Towns and much more and for some inexplicable reason the sun always shined. I would like to thanks you all for your support.
Peter Hickling