Telscombe

LIVING LIGHT PILATES: Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning in the Civic Centre. £6.50 per class or class pass for £44 (eight classes plus one free session). Contact Nicola Murray-Smith email: [email protected] phone: 07776 457752.

FITNESS PILATES: Every Monday morning and Thursday evening in the Civic Centre. Get fit, tone up, prevent back pain, improve flexibility and posture. Equipment provided, just bring some water. Only £6 per class or £40 for eight weeks. Contact Jennie Palmer email: [email protected] phone: 07825 702775.

CITIZENS ADVICE: Drop in advice surgery on the last Tuesday of each month from 10.30am to 12.30pm in the Civic Centre. Advice can also be gained via their website www.citizensadvice.org.uk. Adviceline 03444 111 444.

YOGA: Every Monday from 7.15pm to 8.15pm in the Civic Centre. Contact Jane email: [email protected] phone: 07703 167895.

DANCE CLASS: Little Stars Pre-School Dance Class for pre-school children aged 2 to 4 years, every Tuesday 9am to 9.30am at the Civic Centre. £3.50 per session. Contact Anneli Smith 07930 490058.

BINGO EVENING: Friday September 28, 6.45pm for 7pm start in the Civic Centre. Eight games played for £4, plus an additional Snowball (50p per single ticket) and Flyer game (£1 a sheet). Free cup of tea/coffee at half-time break. Proceeds to Mayor of Telscombe’s charity fund.

COUNCIL MEETING: The Amenities and Civic Centre Committee meet on Monday at 7.30pm. If there is insufficient business, meetings may be cancelled. Please therefore telephone the Civic Centre on 01273 589777 to ensure that a meeting is being held (an cgenda will be placed on the website). Meetings are open to members of the public who are able to ask questions for a 15 minute period at the start of each meeting. Meetings are held in Telscombe Civic Centre unless otherwise stated.

FOOTNOTES: Armed with a packet of biscuits, a pot of tea and a saucer of milk, Chaplin and I sat down to enjoy Last Night at the Proms this week. Many years ago as a student, I shared a six bed- roomed house in St. John’s Wood with another seven or eight students. Four or five were music students from the Guildhall School, so the house could reverberate with pianos, violins, etc., being played at all times of the day and sometimes the night. We would all make a party up to the Last Night of the Proms, and always I would be there, college scarf waving and balloon popping. Once we made it to the treasured place against the rail under the conductor’s stand. With the performance over, we would make our way home to continue the party into the early hours of the morning, with everyone, including the actors making a contribution. Luckily our landlord, who lived in the semi-basement, eking out a living from our rent and from selling the occasional painting was very understanding about the noise. The house was detached, so I doubt the neighbours were worried. Of course we had no fees to pay for our education. I had won three scholarships to my own Academy, that covered my very expensive books, my living costs to a degree, and the cost of all tuition, but I could have obtained grants for all three had I needed them. So different from today. They were halcyon times, and as I watch todays audience, I remember them well. ‘Jingoistic nonsense’, sneered an acquaintance, when I mentioned I had watched the programme. Well, maybe and maybe not. But we had no thought of that. We were there for the camaraderie, the fun, the beautiful music so superbly played and conducted. We were young and in love with life, as I see my own students are today. The future lay in front of us, but for those precious few years we had not a care in the world, epitomised by that one carefree evening. Go safely and enjoy your week.