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Nottingham Arts Society Trip to Elton Hall and Gardens
Peterborough

On June 3rd 2024 a full coach of fifty members of the Nottingham branch of the
Arts Society set off for a day trip to Elton Hall and Gardens, situated just outside
Peterborough.

We were spared rain (which given recent weather seemed a genuine blessing)
and had the most enjoyable and informative day. The hall and gardens are still
owned by the Proby family and the development of the estate felt very much a
family affair.

We were welcomed with coffee and freshly baked scones, jam and cream (served
in the adjoining garden centre cafe) after which we enjoyed a fascinating tour of
the house given by well-informed guides. Highlights included an extensive
collection of paintings by Joshua Reynolds, as well as works by Gainsborough,
Constable and Millais. Other highlights included the small intimate family chapel
and three well stocked libraries.

After a soup and sandwich lunch the afternoon was spent exploring the stunning
and beautifully designed gardens. Although not extensive, their truly gorgeous
colour palette of whites, blues and purples made an immediate impact. The
variety and layout of the gardens included a number of fine features and intimate
spaces: clipped hedges, topiary, water features and a stunning piece of
contemporary sculpture. There was also a delightful orangery and a small shell
grotto.

The trip was a great success owing in no small part to the efficiency and quality
of the service provided by the Events Manager, Vivienne, and Wayne the chef at
the Mulberry Café.

For those Societies within a reasonable distance I would strongly recommend
Elton House and Gardens as a suitable venue for an enjoyable Arts Society trip.

Liz Holden - Outings Secretary

Photos of the day can be seen at Elton Hall photos

A full report of the awards to Iris Zhiting Guo, Hannah Hyman and Venetia Ejembi can be found at Young Arts Bursaries 2024

Reese Winstone collected photos of Bristol from 1840 to 1962 and built the archive.  Many of the photos were taken by him.

Volunteers will work at home and will transfer information in the Accession Books which record the details of each of the photos to an Excel spreadsheet - the template and full instructions will be provided.

Full details of the project and instructions for volunteering or getting further information can be found in Reese Winstone Photographic Archive Project

Following an external review in 2023, The Arts Society nationally put forward proposals for its future governance structure.
The purpose of these changes is to enable the Society to have a structure which equips it to meet the challenges it is facing post pandemic and one that is designed to be supportive of its new goals.  This was voted against at an EGM in June 2024. The latest information from The Arts Society is given here:

Announcement from the Trustees - June 2024 Thank you for participating in the debate and vote on the recent governance changes. The decision you made was to carry on with the status quo and as a Board we respect that. We said from the start that the vote was in your hands and now you have spoken.   When the Trustees met this week, for the first time since the EGM , the consequences of your decision were discussed.  Whilst the Trustees are obviously disappointed that the proposed changes which we put forward in the belief that these were in the best interests of the charity, and would ensure its sustainability going forwards, were not approved, we naturally accept the democratic process and result.   At the AGM on 23 August, four elected Trustees are due to reach the end of their term. None will seek to stand for re-election. In addition the Treasurer is due to end his 3 year term as a Co-opted Trustee at the AGM and will not seek a second term. Following the result of the general meeting, a consultation period, and subsequent communications, all but one of the remaining Trustees, including the Chair, will resign from office at the AGM.   Sufficient valid nominations have been received and there will be an election for 5 Trustees (increased from the 4 previously announced) to ensure that the new Board will have the minimum number of trustees required by the Articles. Election details will follow now that the nomination period has closed. It will then be for the new Board to decide on any further co-options as it deems fit. The Charity Commission has been notified of these changes.   The existing Trustee Board is committed to a managed handover to the new Board and wish them every success. We are now taking steps to ensure that this can be delivered whilst maintaining the overall financial stability of the organisation centrally, and of local Societies.   Some fundamental issues remain and will be for the new Board to address; these include the decline in both the number of societies and of the membership over a prolonged period of time, changes in social behaviour since inception, the demographic of the membership and the impact that a declining membership has on the service recharge per member.   It is important to note that, whilst we are a membership-based organisation, the assets are those of the charity and can only be used in furtherance of the charitable objects and not to support individual societies.   It is this paradox in terms of aims that led the outgoing Board to believe that the current model of governance was not sustainable and was in conflict with guidance from the Charity Commission regarding the need for trustees to govern only in the interests of the charity and not for the purposes of any other organisation.   We hope that the new Board, together with the Member Societies, will find another way to bridge this conflict and deliver the charitable objects in the context of the social, economic and technological challenges that we had hoped to overcome with our agenda. We will continue to support our local Societies as Members and enjoy what The Arts Society has to offer. The Board of Trustees

Online booking for these is available at Special Interest Days or Visits

For anyone who does not want to do this on their own, or does not have the necessary internet access, help will be available at the monthly lectures.  You will just need to provide your name, email address, telephone number, your membership number (if you have it with you), and how many people you are booking for.  If more than one, you will be asked for further details about them. You can also specify dietary requirements.  For visits, you will also need to provide a telephone contact for someone who is not on the trip. You will then receive an email about payment but, if you wish, you can pay with a credit or debit card when getting help with the application form. 

We have got more confident with form filling and card payments as the 2023/24 season has progressed, and hope to become even quicker in the future. 

The programme for 2024/25, including two days of special interest and one visit, is now on the website.

It is the East Midlands Area of The Arts Society which organises the work needed to set up Trails of Discovery, and their representative, Gillian Murphy, is responsible for working with small groups of members from different societies on trails in their locality.  She is anxious for members of all the local societies to get involved and wants to talk to them about ideas for projects or for offers of support.

Futher information on different types of trail can be seen at Trails of Discovery, and you can contact Gillian on glmurphy@btinternet.com or by telephone on 01909 540506.