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EVENING BARBEQUE How the Society could have picked such fine weather for a perfect Summer evening is remarkable. Under cloudless skies and in the beautiful setting of Bill and Maggie Skelton's garden in North Drive, over 50 members of the Society enjoyed some wonderful food and the opportunity to chat with some old and new friends A raffle raised £133 for Chestnut Tree House but this sum is likely to be increased when a small surplus from the evening has been calculated. (Photos by Sylvia Verrinder) (29 June 2010))

BLUEBELLS WALK Thanks to Mike Pearn, our leader, and the good weather, nearly forty of us had a wonderful visit to the woods on the last Wednesday in April. The exceptionally cold Spring could not be forecast and we would liked a week's delay to enjoy the bluebells at their best, however out they were and a very fine show. The walk started from the Dover car park and headed north into lower Wepham Wood past Gibbet Piece where a notorious highwayman met his end; shortly after we then turned east along the edge of Upper Wepham Wood all the time passing hosts of bluebells.. Mike stated that the ideal condition for bluebell growth was in beech wood with Spring sun easily able to penetrate the sparse top growth at this time of year, but the dense canopy over the Summer providing the bluebells with the opportunity they need to prepare for the next year's flowering. It certainly was a visible contrast with the nearly total absence of bluebells under fir and birch. For the last leg of our triangular walk we headed south past Oldfield Copse and Wepham Ball back to the Dover. The walk of nearly 3 miles took just under 2 hours and was a thoroughly enjoyable experience fior ladies, gentlemen and dogs. Let's hope we can do it again next year. Peter French . (Photos by Tom Hempenstall) (29 June 2010))