Thursday 24th April. 12 noon Meet at Nero’s at Gloucester Green Bus Station, Oxford, OX1 2BU. There will be a homemade Inklings tour of Oxford City, and we will end up in the ‘Eagle and Child’ Pub for lunch. The Inklings were a set of Oxford Dons who initially read the manuscripts of their books to each other before publishing them. Most famous members included JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis.
Saturday 26th April. 11am Meet at Salts Mill café which is on the 2nd floor of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre of Salts Mill, Victoria Road, Bradford BD18 3LA. The organiser Janet Parker will be there to meet you with a copy of OMEGA on the table. This former textile mill contains shops, dining facilities and four art galleries which contain over four hundred works by David Hockney. It is both free to visit and to park. The car park is at the rear of the mill with a postcode of BD98 8AA and there is close public transport access. Should you wish, there is the additional option to visit the United Reformed Church, in Roberts Park, close to the River Aire and Leeds/Liverpool canal tow path or take a guided tour of this iconic town.
Saturday 26th April. 11am Meet in the café of Calke Abbey, Ticknall, Derby, DE73 7JF, before looking round the house and the collections within. This is a National Trust property.
Saturday 3rd May. 11am Meet with Jean Hertzog, the Vice-Chairman online to chat. This is an International Zoom offering a chance to join in an informal discussion with members from all Regions and Nations. The topic for this month will be ‘A special place’. This topic is so wide that you could talk about almost anything. Contact Jean by 30th April for her to arrange to send you the log on details. jean.hertzog@aoug.org.uk
Monday 5th May. 10am Meet at the Wightlink Ferry Terminal at Portsmouth Harbour station, The Hard Interchange, Portsmouth PO1 3EB, to catch the 10.15 catamaran to Ryde Pier Head. From there, take the next available Island Line train to Smallbrook Junction, changing on to the Isle of Wight Steam Railway train to Haven Street, for the Real Ale Festival on the Isle of Wight. Return on the 15.08 or 15.47 services from Smallbrook to Ryde Pier Head, then the next catamaran to Portsmouth. Through tickets are available from Portsmouth to Smallbrook but not on the Steam Railway. Admission charges are approximately £22 (2024 prices).These times will be subject to alteration in 2025; if intending to join us, it is essential to advise the Local Contact, Mike Bechley, by 31st March 2025, for confirmation of timings
Wednesday 7th May. 2pm Meet in the car park of The Sill, Once Brewed, Bardon Mill, Hexham, Northumberland, NE47 7AN, to visit nature displays and have tea in the café.
Sunday 11th May. 1pm Meet at The Boathouse, Station Road, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1AZ. Boat trip with Vintage Afternoon tea run by Hobbs of Henley. For this sophisticated trip the cost is £42 per person and places fill up fast so let the Executive Rep know as soon as possible if you want to go on this memorable trip. If you want to go and cannot afford the full price there will be a limited number of tickets at half price. It is a three-hour cruise.
Tuesday 13th May 8pm Zoom Book Club – Join South West members to discuss the book of the month. May 13th A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe Please contact the Local Contact, Liz Ashcroft, before the end of April to be added to the list to receive the log on details.
Wednesday 14th May. 11am Meet and join us for a visit to Dr Neil's Garden, 5, Old Church Lane, Duddingston, Edinburgh, EH15 3PX, next to Duddingston Loch and near Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh. It is not just a mere garden to see beautiful plants and trees. It is a place to take time out to relax and connect with nature, just as was always the intention of the two doctors, Nancy and Andrew Neil who conceived the garden and started implementation in the 1960s. Plants are available to purchase. Admission is free and lunch/ snacks can be had in the Church Cafe. Travel by bus from Haymarket or Lothian Road with Lothian bus number 12 which stops on Duddingston Road West, near the Duddingston Kirk car park. By car, parking is available in Duddingston Kirk's car park.
Association of Open University Graduates AGM and Social Weekend 16th -18th May 2025 All interested members and guests must complete the necessary booking form as circulated in the 2024 Winter OMEGA and return it with the required payment to AOUG Office, Walton Hall Milton Keynes MK7 6AA by the end of March 2025. Later bookings can only be accepted after consultation with the AOUG Vice-Chairman, Jean Hertzog via info@aoug.org.uk . However bookings for excursions with full payment may be accepted up until 14th April 2025. Later bookings can only be accepted after consultation with the AOUG Vice-Chairman, Jean Hertzog via info@aoug.org.uk . The excursions on offer are Friday 16th May - Clifton Suspension Bridge Visitors' Centre Saturday 17th May - SS Great Britain Sunday 18th May - Aerospace Museum
Thursday 22nd May. 11am Meet online with other Welsh members to chat about anything of mutual interest. Please contact the organiser, Jean Hertzog, by May 19th to be included on the log on details list Thursday 19th June. 11am Meet online with other Welsh members to chat about anything of mutual interest. Please contact the organiser, Jean Hertzog, by 16th June to be included on the log on details list. Thursday 24th July. 11am Meet online with other Welsh members to chat about anything of mutual interest. Please contact the organiser, Jean Hertzog, by 21st July to be included on the log on details list.
Saturday 24th May. 11am Meet in The Old Barn Tearoom at 1620s House and Gardens, Manor Road, Donington le Heath, Hugglescote, Leicestershire, LE67 2FW, before looking around the house dating back to the 13th Century, furnished in early 17th Century style with gardens laid out in the same 17th Century style. Follow in the footsteps of the Gunpowder Plotters! Admission is £5.95 per adult or £5.00 for concessions.