The Friends of Romsey Abbey – Events 2023:
This programme of events is organised by the Friends, with first priority for all bookable events (shown in black) given to members. All meals and refreshments at own cost unless shown otherwise. (** = non-FRA event)
January
Friday 20th January: Coffee morning in the Town Hall. 10am – 11.30am. Entrance £2. Members and non-members all welcome.
March
Friday 17th March: Coffee morning in the Town Hall. 10am – 11.30am. Entrance £2. Members and non-members all welcome.
April
Monday 17th April: A cruise on the River Thames, from Walton-on-Thames. Led by Colin & Rosemary Davis. £85 (inclusive of coach, boat and lunch). Payment with booking please.
May
Friday 19th May: Coffee morning in the Town Hall. 10am – 11.30am. Entrance £2. Members and non-members all welcome.
Tuesday 23rd May: Arundel Castle and Gardens: Depart Romsey 9.30am, return by 5.30pm. Led by Jill Hall. £40 for castle entrance and minibus. Lunch at own expense. Payment with booking please.
June
Sunday 11th June: FRA AGM in the Church Rooms, 4.30pm. Followed by a Friends’ Strawberry Tea (£5), and Choral Evensong dedicated to FRA at 6.30pm. Payment for tea with booking please.
Monday 26th June: Stourhead (NT) and the Brush Factory. Depart Romsey 9.15am, return by 5.30pm. Led by Andrea Wooldridge. £20 for minibus. Payment with booking please. Lunch at own expense. Non-NT members will need to pay entrance on arrival.
July
Friday 21st July: Coffee morning in the Town Hall. 10am –11.30am. Entrance £2. Members and non-members all welcome.
Tuesday 25th July: Day trip to Dorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire. Leave Romsey 10.30am, return by 6pm. Led by Dick Hewett. Lunch (own cost) in cafes/pubs in Dorchester. £30 including minibus, group tour of Abbey, and tea/cakes. Payment with booking please.
August
Tuesday 15th August: Churches tour: Four churches in the Avon valley. Guide: Brian Woodruffe. Depart Romsey 9.30am, return by 4.30pm. Led by Dick Hewett. Pub lunch (at own cost). £15 for minibus and donations to churches. Payment with booking please.
September
Tuesday 12th September: Raimes Vineyard and the Watercress Line (to be confirmed): Depart Romsey 9.30am, return by 5pm. Led by Rosemary Barker. Lunch in Alresford at own expense (no advance arrangements). Likely price: £50 for minibus, vineyard tour and train. Please register interest, but no payments until trip and price have been confirmed.
Friday 15th September: Coffee morning in the Town Hall. 10am – 11.30am. Entrance £2. Members and non-members all welcome.
October
Tuesday 10th October: FRA Annual Dinner at The White Horse. 7.15pm for 7.30pm. A 3-course dinner with pre-dinner drinks. Light musical entertainment. Organised by Jill Hall and Dick Hewett. Expected price: £40 per person. Payment with booking please.
Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd October: ** Ethelflaeda Festival in Romsey Abbey. Event sponsored by FRA.
November
Friday 17th November: Coffee morning in the Town Hall. 10am – 11.30am. Entrance £2. Members and non-members all welcome.
Saturday 25th November: ** Abbey Christmas Fair, including Tombola Stall run by FRA. In the Abbey, 10-2pm.
December
Saturday 2nd December: Trip by coach to the Mill (Theatre) at Sonning for lunch and a matinee performance of Cole Porter’s “High Society”. Led by Colin and Rosemary Davis. Price for coach, lunch and theatre seat: £95 per head. Payment with booking please.
Sunday 17th December: ** Provisional date for Service of 9 Lessons and Carols in Romsey Abbey. 6.30pm. All members welcome. (FRA provide one of the readers.)
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** We would also remind you of the regular monthly parish event: Last Sunday of every month: Afternoon Parish Tea and cakes, with the Romsey Abbey Catering team. 4pm in the Church Rooms.
** In addition to the events listed above, we will also be working closely with the Abbey Social Committee. Details of their events will be announced in due course. We will keep you posted!
| Members need to be aware that FRA do not provide insurance cover for personal injury or loss and therefore attend events at their own risk. Transport by minibus or coach is covered by their fleet insurances, whilst venues likewise have their own insurance cover. |
| For more details of any event:
See the Friends’ noticeboard in the Abbey, If you wish to check any details, please contact the organiser of the event as shown on the list, or email events@romseyabbeyfriends.org, or ring 01794 500523. |
| To book for events (those in black):
Members may book as follows. Either pay on-line direct to the FRA bank account at TSB, Sort Code 30-97-14, Account 31345360, Reference ‘EVENTS’, and email events@romseyabbeyfriends.org to confirm you are booking and have paid on-line, identifying which events are involved. (This is the preferred method.) Or write a simple note listing the event(s) for which you are booking, and post to: The FRA Bookings Officer, 42 Botley Rd, Romsey, SO51 5AP, enclosing one cheque to the total value, payable to ‘The Friends of Romsey Abbey’. You are invited to combine payments for more than one event into a single cheque or on-line payment. Confirmation of booking and receipt of payment will be given. Bookings accepted from 15th January onwards. Members will be advised when any trip is full. In that instance, members are invited to register to join a waiting list, however please do not send payment until requested.
Members may wish to note that all events are priced to ensure costs are covered with a planned minimum break-even attendance, which is less than full capacity. An event will be cancelled, and refunds offered, if too few people book to reach the break-even figure. Any surpluses generated by attendance being over and above the break-even figure are added to the overall funds of the Friends for use in future projects for the Abbey.
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