contra Dance mid week Break with Cis Hinkle and "Victorious" band. look out for our course news to seen when bookings open.

3rd Stained Glass Window making weekend

17th to 20th October 2008
watch our course news to see when booking opens.

A new alphabetical index to the William Winter mss prepared by Geoff Woolfe and Tony Kelly is now available to download. The index includes an explanation of the pagination of the mss and shows which tunes were included in the book published last year by the Society

TWELFTH NIGHT TRIUMPH
5th - 6th January 2008

Halsway Manor reopened last weekend with a Twelfth Night week end of dance, music and celebration. This second annual "end of the festive season" event was attended by around 30 guests, many local but some from as far away as Birmingham and Surrey.

Alan Corkett, event producer and a Trustee of Halsway Manor, said "This is often a quiet time after the holidays so we stage an event far more relaxed and laid back than our normal courses. It helps people unwind after the hectic Christmas and New Year Celebrations."

While the Manor was closed to commission the new boilers a group of volunteers led by project director Ray Goodswen and project manager Chris Turner redecorated the Long Room.

Working to a very tight 35 hour deadline more than 20 volunteers stripped wallpaper, vacuumed curtains, refurbished the fireplaces, restored the exposed woodwork, cleaned the chandeliers and repainted the ceiling and woodwork. The work had to be completed before the contractors arrived to hang the new wallpaper.

The touch up after wallpaper hanging was completed ahead of schedule early on Saturday 1 December !

During the week the volunteers used well over 250 litres of paint and ate 56 breakfasts (not each!)

visit the web site to see photos of the during and after

Ray Goodswen, Project Director and Trustee commented "With the help of our volunteers we were able to take this opportunity to completely redecorate the Long Room which is our main public room."

Dick Little, Chairman of the Trustees said "We are grateful to the volunteers for giving up their time to help with this work. Without their expertise and enthusiasm we could not have acheived this wonderful result

I am particularly grateful to Coral Charles for allowing us to use the funds donated in memory of her late husband Ron, a long time supporter and volunteer himself, to fund this project."

After more than 50 years the boilers at Halsway Manor have finally been laid to rest. The old boilers were installed in the Manor long before Halsway Manor Society acquired the property

The Manor was closed for two weeks in November while the hot water systems were drained down and the new boilers connected. They were commissioned in time for the party on 1 December 2008. We have taken the opportunity to replace four old immersion heaters in the Manor with hot water fed direct from the new boilers which gives a reliable hot water supply for the newly en-suited rooms.

The new boilers are fuelled with LPG and the trustees expect to make significant savings in the heating costs withina very short time.

Said Cliff Branson, manager at Halsway, "staff and guests have never been so hot !"

Dick Little, Chairman of the Trustees commented "this is part of our commitment to upgrade the manor to provide modern facilities for all our guests. Just two weeks before the installation was due the old boilers finally failed requiring a very quick investment in electric heating. We are grateful to our guests for their understanding during that period."

William Winter evening

* 3 course dinner
* talk on the William Winter Quantocks Tune Book by Geoff Woolfe, the editor
* music from the Winter Tune book played by Miranda Rutter and Rob Harbron
6.45pm £15
Book tickets on-line

The leaders Information pack is published on 1 December 2007

It is intended as a guide for new leaders and a reminder for experienced staff.
We are always pleased to receive comments and suggestions to improve it

We expect to publish the next version on or about 1 June 2008

Halsway Manor Society now accept payment via PayPal for orders of the William Winter tune book

A group of volunteers will be refurbishing the Halsway Manor Long Room between 25th November and 1st December this year

If you are able to come along for a part or for all of the time to help us please contact Chris Turner on 020 8889 0634 or email
chrisdancing at aol dot com

We need reasonably fit and skilled painters and decorators who can work up ladders and perhaps on a scaffold as well as those who prefer to paint skirting boards

Overnight accommodation and meals will be provided as required

For musicians wanting to improve and share their skills in playing for folk dancing

the 2nd Sunday of the month 3 – 5.30 pm Jan – July 2008

Looking at techniques, musicianship and working with other musicians.

Held in the Brendon Room Halsway Manor Crowcombe Taunton TA4 4BD

Specialist Guest Tutors will be invited for some sessions

Further information: Brian Graham 01984 639155

On Sunday 2nd December, Halsway Manor will be holding its annual Craft Fair. This is an ideal opportunity to purchase unusual gifts in the lovely setting of the manor.

The manor will play host to a range of stalls including cards and gift wrap, home made preserves, corn dollies, scarves, lavender gifts, cakes, gift baskets, wood-turned items, jewellery, Christmas food, small furniture, toys and many others which will provide ideal Christmas presents.

A full list of stall holders will be available nearer the time

There will also be refreshments served throughout the day and Christmas music to enjoy.

The Manor will be open from 11am and entrance will be £1.50 (children free)

The new Author and Subject catalogues for the Kennedy Grant memorial Library are now available to down load from the Library website

The Yetties weekend is now fully booked. If you would like to join the mailing list email the manor

The tutors for this event will be Rod Stradling and Aidan Broadbridge who led the very successful 2007 event. Full details of the programme will be announced when booking opens shortly.

A revised index to the Winter Tune book has been produced and is now available to download in pdf format

Further research into the tunes and other notes to update the Book are now published on the Halsway Manor Website.

The 2008 Irish Set dance weekend has been booked for 30 May to 1 June 2008. The weekend will again be led by Ken lamport who has led the last two successful weekends. Details of artists and tutors will be announced later.

Lisa Greenleaf, Rodney Miller and Elvie Miller will be the featured artists for Halsway Manor's Easter 2008 Contra weekend course 20th to 25th March 2008

The new easier to use web site for Halsway Manor went live today 14 June. Please let us know what you think of it

Food allergies affect the lives of thousands of people every year. Everybody would like to eat a healthy diet but some are unable to because of their body’s intolerance to certain foods.

The producers that are attending our Food Fair will be displaying a vast range of products which can help to fill that gap for those with special dietary requirements.

A visit to the Food Fair could improve your daily well being and hopefully change your lifestyle.

AMBASSADORS FOR HALSWAY

Many thanks to everyone who volunteered to become Ambassadors for Halsway !

You are members of a select and important breed.

The article in the March Halsway Post appealed to lovers of the Manor to spread the word about its ambience and commitment to promoting folk traditions by taking publicity material to their song or dance club or other folk event.

33 Ambassadors from all over the country have already offered to help.

You may see them soon at an event near you with an poster of the Manor and talking enthusiastically about the folk activities we all enjoy.

We are delighted with this fantastic response, but we need even more Ambassadors if we are to raise awareness of our national residential centre for folk traditions across the land and at all sorts of folk venues.

If you would like to join us and support the Manor, please contact Elaine Norman through the Halsway office (Tel. 01986 618274).

Together we can help Halsway thrive !

Following unforseen circumstances we now have free dates 25/26 May 2007 and 30 June/1 July 2007: Ring the Manor on 01984 618274 if you want to book them for your late wedding or special event.

Following the death in 2006 of Peter Kennedy, the folklorist and collector, the Library that Peter collected over many years has now been transferred to the care of Halsway Manor Society

Ensuiting of the Manor has begun with Room 7 now completed. The remaining rooms will follow as planning permission and listed building consent is obtained.