Every three months or so throughout the year we place an article in various local publications. We have included these articles below and hope you find them of interest.
MARCH 2010 Another year has gone by and the winter is firmly behind us. I think we’ve all seen enough snow this year to last a lifetime! Now to thoughts of Spring flowers and Summer holidays ahead. At this point in the calendar we have many events already planned for the year with many more yet to be confirmed. Last year was an excellent year both in terms of club membership and some extremely enjoyable activities. Hopefully this year will be no different. In April we have the clubs Anniversary Dance & Buffet. Everyone is welcome so do phone or look at our website for more details. Better still, become a member beforehand as admission prices for all events are then reduced. We have a Meal at Izumi in Maldon arranged for late March, a Quiz night at the end of April, a Dance and lots more to look forward to. Not forgetting a regular monthly social evening which take place in members homes. Always very enjoyable with lots of yummy things to soak up the tea and coffee and a very good way for new and prospective members to meet some of us and find out a bit more about the club. For our summer highlight, please pencil in a date now - Saturday 26th June we will be holding a Dance at Maldon Town Football Club featuring a live local band called ‘Abbey Rogues’. All the old sounds and many new are expected and as the venue is large with a great floor for dancing, the evening promises to be a very lively and for some, a nostalgic one. Keep an eye out for more details and ticket prices. The clubs functions are open to anyone although membership benefits provide cheaper admission and bi-monthly newsletter and event calendar as well as the opportunity to offer your suggestions about the club and participate in the organization if you are that way inclined. We always welcome new committee members and helpers. At our dances the DJ’s will play any type of music you request so the club has something for all age groups and tastes and generally appeals to the over 40’s If you are young at heart you should enjoy our company as no doubt we would enjoy yours! DECEMBER 2009 Deck the halls with boughs of holly……… As we are now well embedded into the winter months we can look forward to the gaiety the festive season brings. We now have almost 200 members and always welcome newcomers. The more the merrier as they say! especially at our dances (to which I might add, not all 200 turn up at the same time!) They are held in various venues in and around the Maldon area. Some halls have licensed bars and at others you can bring your own drinks. We try to cater for all preferences and pockets. Music played covers from the 60’s to the present day. Whatever is requested. One thing is certain – they are never dull evenings! If dancing is not for you we arrange as many varied events as the calendar and member support allows. Look on our website and you will see quiz nights, excursions, walks, coffee mornings, social evenings, to name but a few. There are no age restrictions although the club generally appeals to the over 40’s age group. Since my last update we had a wonderful trip on the only surviving paddle steamer in the world, The Waverley. Despite gale force winds, a crowded boat and being bussed back from Tilbury where the boat was forced to stop – it was an absolutely brilliant day out. We also hosted a great live music evening with a local band ‘The Southern Soul Machine’. They played hits from the 60’s to the present day with numbers practically everyone knew all the words to and they sung along to prove it! The dance floor was full of shakers and shimmiers, rockers and rollers – a great night out and a great pity for those who missed it. But never fear, there will be another evening of live music in the not too distant future. We are looking ahead to lots of activity over the next three months. Christmas of course brings the usual round of dances and dinner evenings along with a New Year’s Eve party which this year is in a hall where you can bring your own food and drink. Makes for a great party atmosphere and keeps the cost down too. January and February dates are booked and you can view these on our website. Better still, come along and meet some of our members and if you decide to join you will receive a bi-monthly newsletter and events diary. Membership is £14 to join and £12 annually thereafter.
SEPTEMBER 2009 The leaves of brown came tumbling down...... I’m not trying to wish the summer goodbye but after the wonderful weather we had in June, July certainly left a lot to be desired. If you haven’t yet been to any of our events you missed a lovely day out to Wroxham. A coach, train, boat and shopping trip all in one day and the weather was glorious. We had a lovely evening barbecue in the garden of one of our members last month and of course the usual regular events such as dances, quizzes and socials inbetween. There will be a trip to Leeds Castle on 12th September and a Paddle Steamer trip on 3rd October so you still have time to get in touch and maybe join our merry throng. On Saturday 31st October we are holding a dance with a live band at Maldon Town Hall (Jubilee Hall) which promises to be a really lively evening. We have on a number of occasions in the past featured a big name 60’s or 70’s band during the year. This year we have decided to support local musicians and are pleased to present a hot local band with a great reputation. The Southern Soul Machine are a 6 piece band that play soul and Motown from the 60’s and 70’s. Tickets are £8 for members and £10 for non members so why not come along and give a local band your support and enjoy a great evening of music and dancing. Don’t forget to bring your own drink as there is no bar in this hall. By the time my next article comes to press we would have already finalized our plans for the Christmas period (yes it’ll be that time again). We try to fill our social calendar with lots of festive dinners and dances to get us in the mood and generally enjoy ourselves. If you take a look at our website you can find our calendar with items several months ahead so it’s easy to plan your weekend activities in advance. If you decide to become a member you will receive a regular newsletter with comprehensive details of activities that are not on the website, such things that include addresses for example. Admission charges are also cheaper to members. Well, enjoy the rest of the summer and don’t be too disheartened about the falling leaves – before you know it, it’ll be Spring again! JUNE 2009 Hasn’t it just been a lovely start to the summer! Flowers are blooming and so is the club. We’ve had some lovely activities over the past few weeks. The usual regular disco dances, social and games evenings etc. but we also included a Barn Dance which was great fun as nobody took it too seriously - well one or two, but mostly everyone had a great time. Our Anniversary Dance was well attended and thanks go to the ladies who organized the yummy buffet. Pretty good value at £5 for an evening of music, dancing and food wouldn’t you say? Many members were also fortunate enough to join in the celebrations of two weddings! Congratulations to both couples and we wish them every happiness for the future. There was a lovely day out in May to the beautiful palace and gardens at Hampton Court. The coach picked us up in Maldon and as the weather was kind we had a very enjoyable day out. If you’re thinking about coming along and joining in with some of our events, take a look at our website and you will find all the information there. There is a coach/train/boat trip planned for July 25th and a trip to Leeds Castle on September 12th. The summer brings other bonuses with the monthly Sunday walks being delightful and usually one or two barbecues courtesy of some of our very hospitable members offering the use of their lovely gardens. The club is renowned for its varied events and good social atmosphere. Our members are generally in the 40 plus age group with a common interest in having a good social life. Single, married, attached or otherwise, whatever your social status you are welcome to join us at any of our events. MARCH 2009 After-eight Social Club – here we are again, for yet another year! But now Spring has sprung – or is about to and we have a lot on the calendar again for your enjoyment. We try to organise as many varied activities as the calendar will allow and this year is no exception. We kick started the early part of the year off with a Barn Dance on the 21st March. There is the clubs Anniversary Dance on 11th April, a coach trip to Hampton Court on 16th May with a quiz and our regular dances, social and coffee evenings inbetween. Please do come along and meet some of our members or phone if you would like more information about any of our events. Everyone is welcome. The average age group at our functions seems to be in the 40+ range with some younger and many older. In fact a very varied range of people to meet and mix with as we cater our activites to suit as many members as possible. Have a look at our newly constructed website which also gives a calendar of events as well as some information about the club which we hope you will find of interest. Hopefully it will become one of your ‘favourites’
DECEMBER 2008 Seasons Greetings! Who would have thought that a whole year could go by so quickly! It seems like only a couple of months have passed since I first decided to write about the club. However, I am very glad I did. Bringing the After-eight Social Club to the attention of the community has had a wonderful effect. Not only for the club itself, but for the many new members that have joined. Although you don’t have to be a member to come to any of our events, many people find when they do come along they like what they see and return time and time again. Added to this, admission is cheaper if you’re a member. I do like to mention a few things we’ve had during the past few months in the hope that you will feel you have missed out on some good entertainment and decide to come along to future events! We had a lovely day out in Constable Country. Spending a couple of hours strolling around the beautiful village of Lavenham, taking time for lunch before going on to enjoy the rest of the afternoon at Flatford Mill, Dedham and the surrounding countryside. The years highlight was a Dance Night with a celebrity performance by the 70’s band ‘VANITY FARE’. What a fantastic evening that was. Very nostalgic for those old enough to have seen them first time around and still rocking with sounds of the current decade.
Flaming June – we hope!
If you haven’t already arranged your Christmas festivities it is not too late to join us for some partying. We have a Dance Night on December 20th at Maldon Town Football Club and our New Years Eve Dance is at North Woodham Village Hall.
Our AGM is this month and there may be some changes to the Committee. If you are already a member of the club, don’t forget it is not too late to offer your services on the committee. The more the merrier. However, there are many events already confirmed for next year and any new blood on the Committee can only add new ideas to the already varied calendar we have planned. We are a not-for-profit organisation so all monies are ploughed back into the club.
SEPTEMBER 2008
In the summer time when the weather is fine........ Well most of the time anyway. We have had some glorious sunshine that has added to the enjoyment of our outdoor events. Our Summer Ball in June was a great success. Pimms on the lawn, an excellent dinner, then we danced the night away. We are already planning a similar event for next year! The Two excursions we have had recently, one to Constable Country and another to Kew Gardens, were all the better with such lovely weather. (A trip to Bruges is planned for October if you’re interested?) We are also fortunate enough to have some very hospitable members who offered the use their beautiful garden for a barbecue evening. There have been two barbecues this summer which made really enjoyable social evenings.
So what next? We have a fabulous evening arranged on Friday 24th October. The highlight of the year - a dance with optional 70’s fancy dress. Oh go on have a go! Any old clobber will do, from micro to maxi, bell bottoms, ethnic, kaftans, hippy, floral, punk, tank tops, platform shoes. The 70’s were a real mish-mash of styles. And if that’s not enough to entice you, the evening will feature the added attraction of a celebrity performance by ‘Vanity Fare’. For those of you not quite old enough to remember, they were a hit group in the late 60’s early 70’s. Do you remember ‘Hitchin a Ride’ and ‘Early in the Morning’ or ‘I Live for the Sun’ No? Okay, I must be older than most of you but trust me, they play great music.
With the nights drawing in and Christmas only just around the corner we have a great festive season to look forward to. Our Christmas Dinner Dance is earlier this year, on 29th November at The Bewick Suite in Maldon. This is always a very popular evening so do get in touch early if you would like to come. Later there is our Christmas Disco Dance on 20th December at Maldon Town Football Club, and naturally the season wouldn’t be complete without a New Year’s Eve bash which surprisingly enough - yes you’ve guessed it - will be on 31st December. You’ll have to go a long way to find an evening with good company and dancing for just £5.00 members and £7.00 non-members. There is no bar at Woodham Village Hall so it’s a ‘bottle and glass do’ which keeps the cost down on what can sometimes be a very expensive evening out. You are welcome to bring your own nibbles and things to keep you going through the evening. One way of getting rid of the last few Christmas leftovers!
Whether you are a couple or unattached, feel free to come on your own or with friends. Whatever your social status we are sure you will find a very warm welcome.