Snowdrop Spectacular at Launde Abbey

The pretty woodland walk behind Launde Abbey is the setting for the annual Snowdrop Spectacular at the Elizabethan/Jacobean Retreat House near East Norton in Leicestershire. The Abbey will be open from 2.00 – 4.00 pm every day from 25th February until 10th March 2013, when visitors will be welcome to stroll through the gardens and wander amongst the magnificent display of snowdrops. (Suitable footwear is advisable as some areas may be muddy following rain or snow.)

Afterwards everyone is invited to relax in the dining room over tea, scones and jam. (Cost: £5.00 per person, under 3s free).

The Abbey’s shop will be open all afternoon, selling locally produced jams, honey and other gifts.

Launde Abbey is set in beautiful rolling countryside between Oakham and Belton in Rutland, just off the A47 in Leicestershire and attracts thousands of visitors each year from across the East Midlands and beyond. The Abbey also offers lunches, morning coffees and teas throughout the year..

Other events in the Abbey’s calendar include Valentine’s Day lunches and dinners on February 14th and Mothering Sunday lunches on 10th March, which also coincides with the end of the Snowdrop Spectacular.

For more information please contact the General Office on 01572 717254 or visit the website www.laundeabbey.org.uk.


Photos: The snowdrops in full display; the winter pond at the front of Launde Abbey


Launde Abbey is the residential Retreat House for the Dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough, offering Christian hospitality to all people, with or without faith. It provides an oasis of calm which allows both individuals and groups time to reflect upon where they are and what they are called to be in today’s ever changing world; a place where people can come to learn about themselves and others.

Enquiries to: Suzanne Page on 01572 717254 or suzanne@launde.org.uk

Tea Tasting in the Leicestershire Countryside

I was recently invited to a ‘tea tasting’ evening at The Old Brickyard Tea Garden, just outside Scalford (near Melton Mowbray). As I’d never been to such an event before, I was curious to see how it worked.

The first thing I discovered was that there are around 1500 varieties of tea, all of which come from the same tea plant known as Camellia Sinensis. Where the plant is grown, in what type of soil and climatic conditions, and when the leaves are picked, are all factors contributing to each variety’s unique flavour.

I then learned that the amount of time the tea is infused is critical to its taste. It’s precision stuff and Anna, our hostess, and owner of the tea room used a timer to get the infusion of each tea just right.

When ready, the tea was poured into a cup for us to taste. We each took a spoonful directly from the cup and were encouraged to slurp it noisily, swirling it around our mouths to ensure that the tea and plenty of oxygen reached all the taste receptors on our tongues for an even taste. Normally, you would then spit the tea out but, thankfully, we swallowed then moved on to the next!

There were nine different types of green and black tea to try, no two even remotely similar, and virtually each a favourite with somebody! I particularly liked the Darjeeling First Flush (made from very young shoots).

It was a very pleasant evening and an experience I would recommend.

The next tea tasting session will be on Monday 10 December from 6.30 to 8pm and is FREE! (A great stress-buster in this busy period running up to Christmas!) Click here for more information

For more information about The Old Brickyard Tea Garden, click here.

This post is adapted from an article which appears in the December/January 13 issue of Village Connect.

Artist's work explores Leicestershire’s past

A free temporary exhibition exploring the work of John Flower, one of Leicestershire's greatest 19th century illustrators is currently on display at Melton Carnegie Museum.

John Flower worked during the nineteenth century and produced a wonderful array of watercolours and sketches, and was chiefly known for his architectural drawings, many of which were of buildings in Leicester and Leicestershire.

Born in Leicester in 1793 John Flower was apprenticed to a framework knitter in 1806, his interest in drawing and natural talent led him to give drawing lessons before he was twenty years old. He gained the famous Leicester embroidery artist Miss Mary Linwood as a patron and spent a year in London studying with the watercolour artist Peter de Want. He returned to Leicester working as a landscape artist and teacher of drawing.

In 1826 he published a volume of lithographs 'Views of Ancient Buildings in the Town and County of Leicester'. This new exhibition on Flower's life and work is entitled 'A Self-Taught Genius' and is on display at the museum until the end of December.

David Sprason, Leicestershire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adults and Communities said:

"John Flower's beautiful illustrations are an inspiration to all those who see them and this exhibition showcases his extraordinary skill and his contribution to the history of Leicestershire. I would urge people to go along to the museum and take a look at the wonderful pieces on display."

The museum is also hosting a range of events and activities for visitors throughout October including:

• Wacky Wellies on Thursday 20th October, 10.15am, 11.30am and 2pm
It’s the season for jumping in muddy puddles so join the museum for this wacky welly workshop. (Free Event - pre-booking is required, all children must be accompanied Tel 0116 3053860)

• Myths and Beasties - Family Learning Sessions every Saturday throughout October for craft based workshops from 10 am-12.
(Free event pre -booking is required. Suitable for children aged 4+ who must be accompanied Tel 0116 3057806.)

For further information about the exhibition or any of the events above, please call: 0116 305 3860, email meltonmuseum@leics.gov.uk or see: www.leics.gov.uk/meltonmuseum.

'Looking at Landscape' in the rural Midlands

Landscape painting inspired by the gentle rolling hills of the rural English Midlands is the focus of an exhibition at Charnwood Museum which runs until 10 April.

'Looking at Landscape' reflects the way that people have looked at, interpreted, recorded and used the Leicestershire landscape throughout history - in both artistic and scientific ways.

Click here for more information and pictures

Film and Green Day in Bottesford - March 2011

The community group Vale Villages in Transition have organised two events which will take place at Bottesford Village Hall in early March.

On the evening of Friday 4th March from 7.45pm, the group will show the film “The Power of Community”, which tells the inspiring story of how Cuba coped with increased fuel prices by switching to sustainable agriculture and urban food production.

On Saturday 12th March from 2pm to 6.30pm, the group are organising a Green Day, which will feature local food providers, energy saving advice, kids’ activities and much more.
For further information, visit http://www.valevillagesintransition.org.uk/FutureEvents.html, or contact the group on 07812 564 059.

Both events have been supported by Climate Friendly Communities grant funding from the Communities Cutting Carbon project (http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/climate-change). The funds were made available thanks to the support of each of the local authorities in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

This news item is taken from http://www.ruralcc.org.uk/latestnews.html

Getting ready for the summer fests

It might seems ages until the summer festival season gets underway, but organisers are already hard at work planning their various events, to make them even better than the ones they held last year!

Here's a flavour of what's on offer in this area - more information in future issues of Village Connect and on this blog. 

Glastonbudget - Turnpost Farm, Wymeswold 27-29 May
Europe's biggest tribute and new acts festival.
http://www.glastonbudget.net/

Hosefest - 2 July
A big event in a small village in the Vale of Belvoir. Lasts all day starting with the Hose Village Fete and followed late afternoon and into the evening by the Hosenbury Music Festival. A great family day/evening out!
http://hosefest.org.uk/

Fristock, Frisby on the Wreake - 9 July
Held every summer at the village cricket ground. Bar, barbeque & free camping. Tickets sell like hot cakes for this popular event!
http://www.fhrcc.co.uk/fristock/main.htm

Then of course there's the Party in the Park which is part of the Stathern Festival, usually held during the second half of June (dates not yet confirmed). Check out the website for updated information:
http://www.stathernfestival.co.uk/


For information about festivals around the country, try
http://www.efestivals.co.uk/