SoFA Festive Lunch 2022

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Decorations

The SoFA festive lunch 2022 for our members was held at the Waterfront Hotel (previously known as The Bliss Hotel) at the beginning of December. This provided an ideal winter warmer in comfortable surroundings with time for catching up with friends. 

The dining room was decorated in an assortment of colourful and sparking trees and stars.  The clear blue sky and a bright winter sun added to the attractive panoramic surrounding in the dining room.

SoFA Festive Lunch

Sunglasses were an asset!  As usual, the table layout enabled friends to lunch together as well as enjoy the company of other members.  

Our event organiser Maggie and the hotel chef provided a menu selection to suit all tastes – vegetarian, traditional, and lots between. 

Starting with the popping of Christmas crackers, the good food and service and great atmosphere ensured a friendly and fitting end to SoFA’s 2022 activity programme.  Congratulations to Maggie. 

As members of the National Trust and SoFA we know how to have a good time throughout the year, partaking in a variety of events and outings.

We all look forward to our next get together on Saturday 14 January at United Reformed Church, Formby.  Visitors welcome!

Article supplied by Frank Hyland, with thanks.

If you are not  a member, but would like to attend one of our events or are interested in joining our Association, please complete our Contact Form.

Brockholes – Andy Rowett

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Andy Rowett
Andy Rowett

For our third talk in the 2022–2023 programme SoFA welcomed Andy Rowett, who gave an interesting and informative presentation on Brockholes, a nature reserve on the site of a former quarry near Preston.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust (LWT) began the redevelopment of the disused quarry in 2007, following the transfer of land from the quarry to the WLT, it was formerly opened in 2011. The newly developed site became known as ‘Brockholes Nature Reserve’, an area of lakes, meadow and woodland.

LWT starting with a small group of like-minded people interested in wildlife and fauna, the site now has over 30,000 members and is the biggest voluntary conservation area in the North-West.

Brockholes has become a popular site, with its iconic floating visitor centre, and popular hides, for both families and school parties.

Conservation and habitat management remain the priorities to encourage birds and wildlife over the 20,000 acre site. A boardwalk takes visitors through the reed beds which attracts insects and wild birds, including the Reed Warbler, and Sedge Warblers, other winged visitors include Avocets, Chiffchaff, Lapwings and Sand Martins.

Butterflies, moths and badgers also inhabit the site, there is clearly something for everybody. Andy spoke of the site with such enthusiasm that I suspect many of our members in the audience will be making a note to visit this fascinating site in the not too distant future.

LWT are also involved with saving Sefton’s squirrel population. An orphaned baby squirrel, named Ainsley, was recently given round the clock care until he could be returned to the wild. It is very encouraging to know that our local squirrels’ welfare is being looked after by multi agency conservation groups.

The November speaker meeting was the last one of 2022. Our next event is our Coffee Morning on 14 January 2023.

If you are not a member, but would like to attend any of our events or are interested in joining our Association, please complete our Contact Form.

Article provided by Edwina Alcock, with thanks.

Winter Events at Speke Hall

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Speke Hall
Speke Hall

A member of the SoFA Group has brought to our attention winter events at Speke Hall which you may be interested to attend.

There are carol singing choirs at Home Farm restaurant, on Saturday 10 December Oriel Singers and on Sunday 11 December Liverpool Community Choir. Both these events are on between 1.30pm and 3pm.

Whilst you enjoy some festive food, you can enjoy being entertained by these choirs, and even join in the singing if you feel like doing so.

There are many other winter events going on at Speke Hall so check their website here for more information about what is happening during December.

If you would like more information about SoFA, or are interested in joining us, please contact us using our Contact Form.

Liverpool Anglican Cathedral presentation

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Liverpool Anglican Cathedral presentation

For our second talk in the 2022-2023 programme, SoFA welcomed John Stoddern, a guide from the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral.  He began by outlining the timeline to Liverpool becoming a city, the appointment of the first Anglican bishops and the actions to provide the city with a cathedral to reflect its status.  

Exterior Anglican Cathedral

John gave details of fund-raising activity that amassed a sum equal to £7m at today’s rates. With his slide presentation, he took members around the site chosen for the cathedral, its history and the sourcing of materials.  He gave insights into how the present design was decided, modified and assembled to create one of the largest indoor religious spaces worldwide.  

Hot Air Balloon

We explored the main internal features and the fascinating history of their patronage, together with some interesting details of the present art work and exhibits. He informed us of the event when a hot air balloon was inflated inside the cathedral, which demonstrated the height of this marvellous building.

John informed us that if we were brave enough to climb the 217 steps to the rooftop, we would be rewarded with some wonderful view of the city throughout the year.

Members enjoyed a well-rounded and informative talk that clearly benefited from John’s long association with the cathedral.

Article provided by Frank Hyland, with thanks.

If you are not a member, but would like to attend any of our events or are interested in joining our Association, please complete our Contact Form.

View from roof of Anglican Cathedral

TigerMuffin Soap presentation

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Soap making
Matthew soap making

TigerMuffin Soaps opened our new talk programme on Friday 23rd September. SoFA opened the latest season of talks with an entertaining presentation by Matthew Lepp from TigerMuffinSoaps of Formby in the new venue, Christ Church in the centre of Lord Street, Southport.

Matthew and his sister enshrined their family nicknames in the firm they started 20 years ago.  We learned about the ingredients and processes to make shower gels, soap, bath bombs and then chose colours and fragrances for live demonstrations.  During the demonstrations, we heard snippets of the history and development of soap and its manufacture from Matthew’s extensive knowledge of the subject.  At the end, members were able to buy some early Christmas gifts!

The new venue for our talks will prove popular with members and visitors.  Convenient for buses, trains and nearby car parks, some members also took advantage of the church café ‘1821’ to have a drink and meal before the talk.  

If you are not a member but would like to attend any of our events, SoFA holidays or are interested in joining our Association, please complete SoFA’s contact form.

TigerMuffin soaps for sale

With thanks to Frank Hyland for submitting the article.

Plas Newydd

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Plas Newydd
Plas Newydd House

Members of SoFA visited Plas Newydd, Llanfairpwll, Anglesey on Wednesday 14 September 2022.

There were 42 of us on board the Don Fraser coach.  Our first stop was at Grosvenor Garden Centre, Chester where Edwina had arranged for us to have coffee/tea, we were treated to a choice of home cooked shortbread, gingerbread person or a chocolate chip cookie. These were well received, tasty and very much appreciated.

We arrived at Plas Newydd House and gardens in time for lunch, which was served at the visitor centre.  Considering it was a Wednesday afternoon in mid-September there were a lot of cars in the car park and people in the café.

Plas Newydd Menai Strait

The walk to the house was along a lovely tree-lined path where there was much evidence of red squirrels, unfortunately we didn’t see a single one.  The rear of the house came into view with the Menai Strait flowing in front of the property with several yachts on the water.

As we entered the house we saw exhibits of the Marquis of Anglesey’s uniforms, his artificial leg and many other artefacts.

During our visit we were lucky enough to view the current exhibition entitled ‘Rex Unfinished’. This was an exhibition of Rex Whistler’s work, which included several ‘unfinished’ artworks.

Many of us were fascinated with the mural Rex created for the family.  The mural is over 17.5 metres long and is an imaginary view from the windows of Plas Newydd. It is worth visiting this venue, if only to see the details of this painting.

There were lots of interesting flowers and bees in the Italian terrace as well as a couple of water features.

Plas Newydd Rex Whistler

The ice cream was very popular with our members, with unusual flavours such as ‘ginger biscuits’ and ‘bara brith’.

We all returned to the bus on time and had quite a good journey back to Southport, thanks to the safe driving of Pat.

It was a most enjoyable day, a very big ‘thank you’ to Edwina for arranging this outing for us.  Now we are all looking forward to the next one she’s planning for 2023.

If you are not a member but would like to attend any of our events or are interested in joining our Association, please complete our Contact Form.

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