On a Spring-like April day, Event Organiser Jackie Husain lead us back to
Canada Water, in London's Docklands,
for her first walk of the year, a continuation of last August's Architecture and Industry walk.
This time we started from Surrey Quays station and made our way past the replica Dockers' Shelter,
round Greenland Dock, through the Russia Dock Woodland, up Stave Hill and back to Canada Water library
for a toastie.
In March 2026, Event Organiser Hilary Kearney took us for a guided tour of the Grade I listed
Royal Courts of Justice, located on the Strand in Central London.
This event proved so popular, attracting nearly fifty bookings, that we had to be split into
two groups to ensure that the guide could control us all!
We learnt about the workings of the Appeal Court and the history of this magnificent structure,
with its 100 court rooms, mosaic marble floor and stained glass windows
(designed in 1866 in Gothic Revival style by an architect who really wanted to design a cathedral)
As usual, our first event of 2026 was our traditional
New Year Lunch, held at Croham Hurst Golf Club, Croydon, on Monday 5th January, which attracted 76 diners,
with options of turkey and xmas pudding, served with wine and crackers
For our final event of 2025, on Sunday 21st December, our Fellowship Secretary and Event Organiser,
Maggie Mahoney, took us to a participatory Carol Concert in the Royal Albert Hall
In October, Jackie Husain took us on her final walk of the year, from Selhurst to
Norwood Junction to view the "Blue Plaques" commemorating the social history of the area
In September, Maggie took us to a Symphony Concert in the Royal Albert Hall,
celebrating the music of (the legendary rock group) Queen
On a warm and sunny August day, Jackie took us to
Canada Water for a peaceful walk, exploring the Architecture and Industry
of London's Docklands via the 1980s Surrey Quays development, and along the line of the old river wall, with
its reminders of the historic docks and stories of the Mayflower.
We popped into the Thames-side Angel Pub for a quick bite, then continued through Southwark Park,
back to Surrey Quays station
In July, Hilary Kearney took us on a private visit to London's
Cinema Museum
near the Elephant & Castle, a former 19th century workhouse where Charlie Chaplin lived with his mother
and brother when a child.
We enjoyed a guided tour of the unique collection of cinema memorabilia from the 1890s to the present
day, followed by tea/coffee and biscuits, then a short film show of archive material
In June, Jackie's Summer Walk took us to many well known
Film Locations,
starting from the London Bridge area, including busy Borough Market and historic Crossbones Graveyard,
the final resting place of many "Winchester Geese".
We admired the changing roofscape along the Thames as we made our way to Blackfriars Station
In May, John and Sylvia Greengrass led us on a pleasant Woodland Walk, starting from
Addington Village, taking the road past The Forge towards Sparrows Den, and up through the woods.
We returned to Addington for lunch in The Cricketers pub
In April, Jackie led a small but eager bunch of us around Central Croydon to take a closer
look at the (sometimes surprisingly beautiful)
Street Art adorning Croydon's ever-changing urban landscape, as it adapts to the 21st Century
In April, 35 of us returned to McDermotts restaurant in Forestdale and tucked into their
award-winning fish and chips
In March, 36 of us fought our respective ways through snow flurries and accumulative
roadworks to enjoy our first Pub Lunch of 2025 at The Horseshoe on Warlingham Green
Our first event of 2025 was our New Year Lunch,
held at Croham Hurst Golf Club, Croydon, on 6th January
In January, April, October and December, 2025, a small group of us got up early and met at the Toby Carvery
in South Croydon, making modest inroads into their generous "All You Can Eat" breakfast buffet.
The "breakfast yorkies" were generally agreed to be a "Good Idea" and we stayed on in the
bar, drinking coffee, until we were turfed out as staff prepared for lunchtime.
In November, 2024, Dave Newland led us on his last
Autumn Stroll, this time through Regent's Park
In October 2024, event organiser Jackie Husain took us on a second visit to
Crystal Palace Park,
to visit the upper levels and the Sphinxes where the old Crystal Palace once stood, followed by a walk
round the "Crystal Palace Triangle Blue Plaques Shops Trail"
In August 2024, Jackie led us on a walk to see the dinosaurs (and llamas) in
Crystal Palace Park
In July 2024, event organiser Hilary Kearney arranged a private visit to the
Eel Pie Island Museum, where we learnt about
the historic significance of this island in the Thames, and its wild days back in the Swinging Sixties
In June 2024, Judy Dumbrill took us back to the Natural History Museum to see winning entries in the
Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition
In June 2024, Jackie Husain took us for a walk around South Norwood Lakes
In May 2024, our erstwhile Newsletter Editor, Dave Newland, led us on his final
Bluebell Walk, starting from
Polhill Garden Centre at Badger's Mount
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- Meanwhile, we continue with our regular programme of lunches and coffee mornings —
we hold seven lunches a year, which regularly attract about 30–35 attendees,
and two coffee (or breakfast) mornings a month for about 10–20 Members
- Our biggest event of the year is always our popular
New Year Lunch at Croham Hurst Golf Club (really our Christmas
Lunch, but held in January as something to look forward to in the New Year)
which regularly attracts over 80 diners
- In March and September, we partake of a 3-course lunch at the popular Horseshoe pub
on Warlingham Green
- In April and November, we sit down to Fish & Chips at award-winning McDermotts restaurant in Forestdale
- In May and October, we enjoy an Italian lunch at Ponte Nuovo restaurant in Croydon
- On the second Tuesday of each month, we meet for coffee in the
Clocktower Café, part of the Croydon Town Hall complex
- Four times a year we tackle the All You Can Eat Breakfast at the
Toby Carvery in Croydon on a Friday in January, April, October and December
- Four times a year (in February, May, August and November) we have coffee in the
Seasons Restaurant at Knights Garden Centre, Chelsham
- Three times a year (in March, June and September) we travel to Badgers Mount near Sevenoaks,
for coffee in Novell's Restaurant at Polhill Garden Centre
- And on the last Thursday in July, we hope for good weather when we meet for coffee in the National
Trust Café at Winston Churchill's home, Chartwell
If you have taken photographs at any of our Events and you'd like to share them with other Members,
we would be very happy to see them. Perhaps you'd like to write a short report?
Or, alternatively, if you do not want any photo of yourself to appear on our pages, tell the Webmaster.
Please email details to avivafellowshipcroydon@outlook.com
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