Newsletter June 2016 [3.7MB, PDF]

PUBLISHED JUNE 2016
A Heritage Foundation update on our work and future events
Garden City blooms
We’re celebrating gardens and
gardening this summer with a
seasonal campaign to highlight
all the wonderful events taking
place across Letchworth to help
you enjoy the town’s gardens.
We’re working with groups across
the community to highlight talks,
tours and events, the therapeutic
benefits of gardening, and
the launch of our new Royal
Horticultural Society garden,
based at Standalone Farm.
The Garden Cities Show Garden has
been developed in partnership with
the RHS and local volunteers,
to showcase the global influence
of Letchworth and features plants
from Garden Cities around the
world. It formally opens this month.
It’s just one of the exciting summer
events in this Newsletter. Inside we
also bring details of special pop-up
opera at Spirella Ballroom and
outdoor theatre with A Midsummer
Night’s Dream at Standalone Farm.
We have news of an exhibition,
which explores Letchworth’s
signature Arts and Crafts style,
and of a new Food Tour, which
you can enjoy at your leisure.
There are details of inward
investment, our grants programme,
annual financial report, and the
annual Garden City meeting,
which takes place on 29 June.
INSIDE
• Summer Arts
PAGES FOUR TO FIVE
• Financial summary
PAGE SIX
• Meet our Board
and Governors
PAGES TWELVE TO THIRTEEN
PAGE ONE
PROPERTY NEWS
Inward investment update
MATTHEW FOULIS,
PORTFOLIO
MANAGER
We have seen a lot of activity in
the town in 2016, particularly in
some of our town centre
developments. Our refurbishment
of the Broadway Studio and
Gallery is complete and major
investment to create the
Broadway Theatre is well
underway. We are on programme
to finish the works later this year
and are looking forward to hosting
our first live events. These
developments will widen the
cultural offer of the town and
attract new visitors.
We have also seen the start of the
new Premier Inn hotel development
on Station Road which will provide
57 bedrooms and is expected to
complete by spring 2017.
To facilitate this development we have
successfully relocated the two
existing retail tenants, Amron’s House
of Fashion and Aspidistra Florist, into
the Arcade. We will also shortly see
the opening of the new Garden City
Brewery in The Wynd which offers
something completely new in the
town and is well worth a visit.
Outside of the town centre we have
started construction on a new 15,000
sq ft office and industrial building on
Works Road. This development is
expected to complete later this year
and will be the new home for FB
Chain Ltd who are currently located
on Jubilee Road but needed larger
premises in which to expand.
Elsewhere in the town centre we
have undertaken a comprehensive
refurbishment of 49 Station Road.
This property will be occupied by
Citizens Advice who needed to
relocate from their existing base on
Leys Avenue to expand their services.
We have also progressed plans to
redevelop St Michael’s House on
Norton Way South and have selected
Abbeymill Homes as our development
partner to deliver an apartment led
scheme. We have worked with
Abbeymill to prepare an appropriate
scheme design and a planning
application which will be submitted
to North Herts District Council, later
this year.
Generally we continue to see signs
of improvement in the market and
between November 2015 and the
end of April we completed 22 new
lettings and 17 lease renewals
across our portfolio.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
In conjunction with the Hertfordshire
Chamber of Commerce we are
hosting a free breakfast networking
event for businesses at the Broadway
Studio and Gallery on 21 June. The
purpose of the event is to share ideas
on how to develop new business
opportunities in the town. Further
details can be found at
www.hertschamber.com/event/
details/156 and we hope to see as
many businesses there as possible.
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PAGE TWO
COMMUNITY MUSEUM
Explore
our rich
heritage
An exhibition exploring
Letchworth Garden City’s rich Arts
and Crafts heritage opened in May
showcasing rarely seen treasures
from the Garden City Collection.
TOWN BANNER ‘FOURSQUARE OUR CITY’ FEATURES
IN THE ARTS & CRAFTS EXHIBITION, AND (BELOW)
HISTORICAL SHOPS IN THE FOOD TOUR
The exhibition offers an in-depth
look at Letchworth Garden City’s
signature early style, exploring
the simple life and romantic
idealism of Letchworth’s
pioneer early citizens.
A range of artefacts including
furniture, paintings, architectural
plans, photographs, textiles and
banners will go on display at the
Garden City Community Museum
until late August.
A range of Arts and Crafts inspired
merchandise and souvenirs are on
The exhibition also include profiles on sale alongside the exhibition.
the key players of the Arts and Crafts
Admission to the exhibition is free
movement in Letchworth, including
and the Community Museum in
Barry Parker, Raymond Unwin and
The Arcade is open from 11am-4pm
MH Baillie-Scott.
every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Exhibition Curator, Josh Tidy,
commented: “Letchworth attracted
some of the finest Arts and Crafts
architects in the country and this is
reflected in our architecture. Some
of Baillie-Scott’s finest houses are in
Letchworth as well as classic
designs by Parker and Unwin, and
Bennett and Bidwell. We’re delighted
to be able to share their plans,
drawings and paintings along with a
selection of furniture that featured in
these early houses.”
Visitors to the exhibition can also
enjoy a stroll around the town with
a new free trail leaflet, which takes
in some of the finest examples of
Arts and Crafts buildings in the
Garden City.
A new Food Tour and book, again
drawing on the rich archives of the
Garden City Collection, also launched
in May. The Food Tour was launched
at the Letchworth Food and Drink
Festival, with a published booklet
and a free digital tour available via
the Whitepoint app.
The illustrated booklet takes you on
a street-by-street tour around the
town centre, drawing on examples
of food establishments through the
ages and detailing their fascinating
history. It also includes the stories of
early settlers, when and why large
food production industries moved
to Letchworth and how influential
socialists and vegetarians nurtured
allotments and established
alternative food stores.
The tour via the Whitepoint app
will complement the booklet and
will enable you to learn about
Letchworth’s food history with
a quick tap on your smart phone
or tablet.
Both detail such treasures as the
Vegetarian Cycling Club started
by Alfred T Crouch.
The Food Tour booklet costs £4.99
is available, with the free Arts and
Crafts walking guide, from the
Local & Tourist Information Centre,
33-35 Station Road.
For further information about
the exhibition and tour see our
Events Calendar on pages
22-23 or our websites:
www.letchworth.com/
community-museum
www.gardencitycollection.com
PAGE THREE
ARTS & CULTURE
SAM WOMACK
BARBER OF SEVILLE
MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM
Midsummer spectaculars
With work underway to create our
new Broadway Theatre, we are
bringing distinctive cultural events
to venues across Letchworth,
under the newly-christened Beyond
Broadway banner - high-quality
events programmed outside of
the Broadway theatre and studio
spaces selected to appeal to
audiences of all ages. As part of
the thriving Letchworth Festival in
June, there will be pop-up opera
at the Spirella Ballroom and a
special outdoor production of
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
to celebrate Shakespeare’s
400th anniversary.
The opera is followed by four days
and nights of Shakespearean magic,
as Butterfly Theatre Company brings
a unique, promenade production for
all the family of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream at Standalone Farm from 21
to 24 June. Audiences at the eight
schools’ performances and four
evening performances will follow the
hour long show on foot as it weaves
its way around the cow sheds, barns
and gardens of the farm. The comic
tale of thwarted young lovers, fairies
and merry mayhem in the woods will
unfold around you with the sounds
of the animals as accompaniment,
guaranteeing to bring Shakespeare’s
much-loved classic to life in
a whole new way!
PAGE FOUR
These Beyond Broadway events are
part of our plan to use the revenue
from our unique Garden City legacy
to make the town a major, regional
centre for the arts, and the work
on creating a new theatre space at
Broadway Cinema is on schedule
for opening later this year.
We were delighted to have actress
Samantha Womack interrupt her
busy TV schedule to launch the build
of the theatre earlier this year. She
said:
“It’s really exciting to have this new
theatre locally, in this lovely building.
We have had many happy visits to
the cinema and I look forward to
the theatre coming this autumn.”
Screens Two and Three will reopen in
late July, with customers able to
enjoy a new foyer; and the theatre
itself will open in the autumn.
We are adding a stage and backstage
dressing rooms, air cooling system,
new seating, and a bar available for
private hire. Theatre previews and
back stage tours will take place in
November ahead of the first theatre
season in 2017.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream and II
Barbiere de Siviglia are part of the
Letchworth Festival, which features
walks, talks, theatre, music and
events. Find out more about the
festival and other events, and how to
book tickets, in our Out & About
Events Calendar on pages 22-23.
Work has been carefully planned
to ensure it complements the
www.letchworth.com/
cinema’s beautiful Art Deco design.
beyondbroadway
When complete, Screen One will be
www.buildingbroadway.com
able to change from a cinema to
theatre, and back, overnight, allowing
it to host theatre, children’s shows,
live comedy and acoustic music,
You can also enjoy a video
as well as mainstream films.
charting our progress on our
Local building firm Conamar have
youtube channel.
been working seven days a week to
www.youtube.com/user/
add a new theatre space to the
letchworthgardencity
iconic 1930s cinema. The cinema
is now closed to allow for internal
building work downstairs to
be completed.
ARTS & CULTURE
Provocative craft
A pot created by flamboyant artist
Grayson Perry is one of the striking
works in the second exhibition at
our new Broadway Gallery. This
Craft Council exhibition explores
the use of craft for social comment
and provocation. The Gallery
opened earlier this year in the town
centre, at 2 The Arcade, and will
host a varying public exhibition
programme of contemporary and
historic art, craft and design.
Hidden Agenda: Socially Conscious
Craft, runs from Saturday 18 June to
Sunday 14 August, and will display
objects from the Crafts Council
Collection which introduce
socio-political subjects covering
societal injustice, subversion,
propaganda, remembrance, monetary
value and economy in materials and
production methods.
LAURA DENNIS,
VISUAL ARTS
CURATOR
Richard
Smith
remembered
RICHARD SMITH
Hidden Agenda is a partnership with
Berwick Visual Arts, curated by
Doug Jones, whose work also
features in the exhibition. His piece,
Generation comprises 54 pairs of
cast chicken feet individually
finished by Jones and a team
of workers in a bronze foundry
in southern China.
Hidden Agenda also includes
Grayson Perry’s ceramic pot Mad
Kid’s Bedroom Wall, a glazed
and embossed ceramic vessel
depicting a teenager’s bedroom.
In the autumn, the gallery will
feature the work of Michael
Brennand-Wood, one of the most
innovative and inspiring artists
working in textiles today.
BROADWAY GALLERY
Then, from late November, we will
have an exhibition focusing on
Garden City pioneers, and
showcasing items from the Garden
City Collection which describe the
progressive, pioneering spirit of
those that established and settled
in Letchworth in the early years.
Broadway Gallery and cafe bar is
open Wednesdays to Saturdays 10am
to 5pm and Sundays 10am to 4pm.
For more information visit
www.broadway-letchworth.com
Our new Broadway Gallery launched its new art space this year with
a vibrant solo exhibition featuring the work of internationally acclaimed
artist Richard Smith, an abstract painter and printmaker born in
Letchworth Garden City. The inaugural exhibition, entitled Reunion,
celebrated his rich body of work spanning six decades, and sadly
proved to be the last exhibition in his lifetime, as Richard died in April.
It felt very poignant that Richard’s
last exhibition took place here in
Letchworth Garden City, the town
of his birth, and which he held in
strong affection throughout his life.
He had spoken to me of travelling
to the UK to see the exhibition this
spring, once the weather was a little
warmer, and he was curious to see
the town again, his last visit having
been in the 1990s.
Richard had shared with me many
fond memories of Letchworth
including roller-skating outside the
Broadway Cinema as a little boy,
playground jokes and pranks at
Westbury Primary School, and his
happy family home on High Avenue.
I feel deeply honoured to have had
the opportunity to show work by this
wonderful artist during his lifetime.
Richard Smith is survived by his
wife Betsy, sons Edward and
Harry, daughters-in-law Camille
and Bernadette, and grandchildren
Rose, Emma, Noah, Adeline,
Charlotte, and Julia.
A book was placed in the gallery
after his death, where tributes to
Richard were made by visitors.
This was sent to his family after
the exhibition closed, and given
the many warm comments
I am sure this will have been
a comfort to them.
PAGE FIVE
GARDEN CITY GRANTS
Grants
update
We give grants to a wide range
of groups and individuals who
live in or provide a community
benefit to the town. Already in
this grants programme we have
awarded £31,624 to 31 charities,
groups and individuals.
General Grants
Recent recipients include the
Khalsa Football Academy, granted
£9,200 to run a series of Futsal
workshops leading to the creation
of a Futsal League in Letchworth.
The academy supports young people
age 8-16 and adults through football
initiatives that provide programmes
for healthy living and lifestyles,
tackle antisocial behaviour and
provide a platform for participants
to play futsal and gain qualifications
and work experience.
Head Coach Bal Singh said:
“Thanks to the support of Heritage
Foundation and the NHDC Get Active
team we will be able to make a big
impact delivering bespoke Futsal
initiatives in the community.
The club will continue to use
Futsal in a positive way to tackle
issues such as participation in
sport and antisocial behaviour.”
Other General Grants recipients
this year include K and Y Activities.
We gave them £1,000 to support
the launch of a volunteer led
Sunday Café for adults with learning
disabilities, based at Mrs Howard
Memorial Hall. This is a new
group providing a social opportunity
over the weekend which isn’t
available at the moment.
PAGE SIX
In addition we gave a grants to
a range of groups including:
Ÿ £8,062 to Headway Hertfordshire
to part fund the support they offer
to clients in Letchworth who have
suffered an acquired brain injury.
Ÿ £750 went towards the annual
Duck n Dash event on Norton
Common, organised and led by
Freedom Tri.
Club Together
We have also given grants to groups
through our Club Together to activities
to help people enjoy time together.
Groups we have supported this year
include the Asian Day Centre for a
celebration meal; the Italian
Pensioners Club for a celebratory
meal; Reynolds Social Club for a day
trip; Wilbury Short Mat Bowls Club for
a celebratory meal; Wilbury
Community Forum for operational
costs of the monthly Community
Café; and Mind in Mid Herts to fund a
meeting space for their weekly
support group meetings.
Be the Best
The Be the Best programme is
designed to develop the skills and
talents of individuals or groups who
live in Letchworth Garden City.
Although young people more often
apply, it is open to all ages. Recent
recipients include Deaf Football Coach
Phillip Gardner, given £500 towards
the cost of travel and accommodation
at the Deaf Football World Cup;
Letchworth Roller Hockey Club;
Duathlon athlete Katie Harbon,
granted £500 towards the cost of
representing Great Britain at the Word
Duathlon Championships in Spain.
Heritage Grants
Six homeowners also received
grants totalling £8,400 towards the
refurbishment/replacement of windows
and doors and re-rendering as part of
the Heritage Grant Programme.
ALASTAIR STEWART,
HEAD OF CHARITABLE
SERVICES DEVELOPMENT
If you would like to know more
about our grant programmes
visit the website page
www.letchworth.com/grants
and if you are think of applying,
or feel we could help your group,
contact us by email using
[email protected] or
ring 01462 476057.
GARDEN CITY GRANTS REVIEW
Financial results
We are a self-funding
charitable organisation
reinvesting for the
long-term benefit
of communities in
Letchworth Garden City.
We’ve just published our
report and accounts for
the past 15 months ending
31 December 2015.
As a charity supporting activities
in Letchworth, it’s important we
share our financial results with
you each year.
Our resources and finances are
managed to maximise the money
available for reinvestment back into
the town via our charitable activities.
£8,339,000 was invested back
into the town in our last
financial period.
Income
£14,342,000
Outgoings
£13,550,000
Valuation gains
£13,624,000
Net movement
in funds
£14,416,000
Fund balances brought forward
at 1 October 2014 £130,477,000
Total funds carried forward at
31 December 2015 £144,893,000
Find out more
These figures are from our audited
annual accounts which set out
a full summary of our financial
performance. The full report is
available to download from
www.letchworth.com/
2015-accounts
or collect a printed copy from the
Community Hub, Station Road.
Garden City Meeting
Discover more about recent
and future projects, ask
questions and share your ideas
on Wednesday 29 June 2016,
7pm for 7.30pm Spirella Ballroom,
Bridge Road, Letchworth
Garden City. SG6 4ET
www.letchworth.com
PAGE SEVEN
GARDENS CAMPAIGN
Letchworth Gardening City
To commemorate the 300th
anniversary of the birth of Lancelot
‘Capability’ Brown, Visit England
has designated 2016 as the Year of
the English Garden. As the world’s
first garden city, we think it’s a
great opportunity to launch our
very own celebration to inspire you
to make the most of your garden,
allotment or window box. Letchworth Gardening City brings
together all the gardening related
activities and events taking place
in Letchworth throughout the year.
Howard’s plan for Letchworth was
to bring together the best of town
and country and more than
112 years later, our love for public
and private gardens continues.
Today we enjoy a strong partnership
with the RHS with the latest RHS
garden opening at Standalone Farm
(see next page). Letchworth also
boasts a wide variety of gardening
groups including Arch, Growing
People, Letchworth and District
Gardeners’ Association, Gardens For
All, Wild Flower group and Garden
Organic. So whether you are a keen
Our dedicated webpage will keep
you up to date with what’s happening, gardening enthusiast or a more
‘hands off’ admirer of all things floral,
how you can get involved and
we will keep you up-to-date with
signpost you to information to help
what’s happening across Letchworth.
you grow your own plants, flowers,
fruit or vegetables. Don’t miss this year’s Open
To inspire you further, you can
Gardens in Letchworth
browse through photos of the
The annual Open Gardens event takes
best gardens in town as well as
place in Letchworth on Sunday 19
a collection of striking images
June. Run by a group of volunteers,
from more than 100 years ago,
this hugely popular event sees more
showing early Letchworth residents
than 20 garden owners opening their
enjoying their domestic gardens. gates to the public. The Heritage
Foundation will run a free park and
Letchworth’s long love affair
ride service from the Spirella car park,
with gardens
taking you along a marked route to
You only have to drive through
tour the gardens. Tickets cost £5 in
Letchworth to see just how much
advance or £6 on the day with all
we love our gardens! Ebenezer
PAGE EIGHT
proceeds going to charity.
Gardens to Visit... in Letchworth
Five gardens in Letchworth have been
listed in the prestigious ‘Gardens to
Visit Guide’ produced by the National
Gardens Scheme. The charity has
raised millions of pounds for nursing
and caring charities by working with
gardening enthusiast around the
country to open their gardens to the
public. Donations and entry fees
made on the day are all given to
the NGS which are given directly
to their chosen charities.
www.letchworth.com/gardeningcity
www.instagram.com/
letchworthgardeningcity
Find out which gardens you can visit
in Letchworth this summer by visiting
www.ngs.org.uk
GARDENS CAMPAIGN
New RHS
garden at
Standalone
A show garden has been developed
in partnership with the Royal
Horticultural Society (RHS) and local
volunteers (Pictured left), to
showcase the global influence of
Letchworth with plants from Garden
Cities around the world.
Inspired by Parker and Unwin’s
master plan for Letchworth, the
garden will feature plants from
Garden Cities around the world.
Divided into zones, the garden will
include a Brazilian beach-inspired
sandpit, Magnolia trees from China,
Red Hot Pokers from South Africa and
a German Schreber vegetable garden.
An outdoor classroom in the
Australian zone, complete with
interactive materials, will inspire
children to create their own buildings
and even whole cities.
The garden has been designed by
landscape architect Charlotte Liu with
Elizabeth Towler and David Ames
from the Letchworth Garden City
Heritage Foundation and the RHS.
to many of the communities
developing in our towns and cities
across the UK today.
Read Elizabeth Towler’s gardening
column, and find out more about
Elizabeth Towler said: “The garden
our fabulous volunteers and how
has been designed to include a variety
you could get involved on page 15.
of uses as well as to be enjoyed by
visitors who will have the opportunity See the Out & About Events
to see the origins of many familiar
Calendar on pages 22-23 for
garden plants.”
more garden events.
The International Garden Cities Show
Garden will extend and enhance the
existing RHS In Bloom Garden by
designer Jon Wheatley, which was
brought to Standalone Farm last year
after being shown at the RHS
Hampton Court Place Flower Show.
ARCH Community group have built
the gardens and volunteers are now
planting hellebores, ferns, peonies,
grasses and many more varieties.
Sir Nicholas Bacon, RHS President
said: “This is an innovative and
creative community project that builds
on the heritage of the Garden Cities
movement, and is strikingly relevant
Park with care
Grass verges play an important
role in the quality of the local
environment, which we should
all try to protect. In order to
preserve these, please avoid
parking on grass verges as the
damage can take some time
to recover. If you have any
queries, the maintenance and
management of the verges is
conducted by Hertfordshire
County Council.
LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
CHARLOTTE LIU
PAGE NINE
SUSTAINABILITY
Our Eco
Home
project
We are working in partnership
with Willmott Dixon and BRE
(Building Research Establishment)
to transform a local heritage home
into a blueprint for energy efficient
solid wall properties. We are
responding to issues of early solid
wall homes being cold, inefficient
and having some damp problems,
with measures that protect the
heritage and character of these
early Garden City dwellings.
The home, in Common View, is
undergoing a complete refurbishment
and is being fitted with measures to
improve energy efficiency while
protecting its historic characteristics.
Once complete, detailed monitoring
will be carried out on the building’s
performance to assess the impact of
the changes.
Along with other local and specialist
partners, the results will be used to
help shape future retrofits in heritage
buildings and older properties locally
and also provide detailed evidence of
energy savings to encourage wider
use of similar techniques.
We wanted to learn more about how
these homes could be made more
energy efficient, maximising the
performance of the building fabric
itself and taking a holistic view of the
impact of the changes.
“We are also glad to be working with
Willmott Dixon and our partners on
this project, and are looking forward
to showing other residents what can
be achieved.”
To support research which will benefit
the local community, Willmott Dixon,
one of the country’s biggest privately
owned construction, housing and
property groups, which has its head
office in Letchworth, undertook the
design and is project managing the
work on a not-for-profit basis and a
number of suppliers are sponsoring
the project to help produce these
valuable insights.
BRE assessed the house to model its
baseline energy performance and
gathered energy use data from typical
homes in the area. A number of
performance specification options
were then developed for the Heritage
Foundation in line with current
David Ames, Head of Heritage and
Strategic Planning said: “As part of our government regulations for new
homes and more ambitious carbon/
commitment to sustainability we are
energy reduction targets.
aware of some of the issues arising
from living in early Garden City solid
The building is being fitted with
wall homes. Initially working with the
Pavadry wood fibre internal wall
BRE, we undertook a local
insulation, new windows, solar PV
community engagement exercise to
panels, a waste water heat recovery
understand these issues in detail.
PAGE TEN
system and a demand controlled
ventilation system from Aereco.
We are also working with the Royal
Horticultural Society to design a bio
diverse garden, including wild flower
beds, vegetables and the use of
free-cycled materials and water butts.
The property will be tenanted by
Howard Cottage Housing Association,
who along with North Hertfordshire
Homes, are also supplying
comparator properties. Monitoring
will be carried out by BRE for at
least 12 months to analyse energy
use and internal conditions, the
performance of various design
features and the experience of
the property’s residents.
www.letchworth.com/ecohome
.
According to records in our
Garden City Collection, 15
Common View was designed by
well-known Art and Crafts
architect Courtenay Crickmer, who
designed a substantial number of
buildings in Letchworth. The
houses (9-23 Common View)
were built in 1908 for Miss Annie
Jane Lawrence. Lawrence moved
to Letchworth from London and
employed William Harrison
Cowlishaw to design her open-air
school, The Cloisters.
CHARITABLE SERVICES
Bring on the
dancing horses
A beautiful display of equestrian dance and all manner of acrobatics
on horseback come to Standalone Farm this summer. The week of
performances by Galloping Acrobatics is part of a packed programme of
special events at the farm which includes donkey rides, animal display
teams plus all our regular handling sessions and tractor trailer rides.
In July Mike’s Donkeys visit for
a variety of riding and grooming
sessions, as well as talks throughout
the day. A Dog and Duck show is
on offer in August, with displays of
dog training and duck herding,
showcasing the talents of a team
of sheepdogs, with plenty of fun
and audience participation.
Birds of a Feather Flying Display
Team flutter by the same month to
showcase birds of prey; and the
Dog Display Team arrive later in August
to show off their tricks and stunts
around an obstacle course.
Vanessa Sawyer, Visitor Experience
Delivery Manager said: “We really
wanted to showcase why we love
animals so much and what better
way to do so than with a dancing
horse and other impressive display
teams. These events are fun for all
the family and we hope they’ll give
us our best summer yet.”
Standalone Farm is open from
10am to 5pm. Parking free.
Admission: Adults £6,
Child/Senior £5, Under 2 Free,
Registered Disabled also Free.
Day Ticket (5 people max 2 Adults) £21.
An annual pass costs from £25 for one
person to £70 for a family
(two adults and up to three children).
Additional family members can
be added at a cost of £10 a person.
Letchworth schools visits are
now free.
For more information and
workshop or show times, please visit
www.standalonefarm.com or find
us on Twitter @StandaloneFarm
or Facebook /StandaloneFarm
Or find further details in our
events calendar on pages 22-23
Children’s parties
Standalone Farm now offers children’s parties with packages including entry to
the farm; a dedicated party host and decorated party barn; tractor trailer rides
(weather permitting); a chance to feed the birds and a bag of feed per child; a CD
player; one free adult ticket with every two children attending the party; party
bags for each child; and the chance to stay on and enjoy the farm after the event.
Our Silver package also includes a private handling session with our small
animals, guinea pigs and rabbits and a lunchbox including sandwich, snacks and
a drink for each children of your choice. To find out more, please email info@
standalonefarm.com or call 01462 686775.
PAGE ELEVEN
OUR GOVERNORS
Alison Basford,
Elected Governor
Anthony Burrows,
Elected Governor
Arthur Jarman,
Nominated
Governor – Artistic
and Cultural
Activities
Camilla
Hamilton,
General Governor
and Board
Member
Celia Saunders,
Elected Governor
Charmaine
Rogers,
General Governor
Colin Chatfield,
General Governor
and Board
Chairman
David Roberts,
General Governor
Davinder Johal,
General Governor
Iain Frearson,
Nominated Governor
– Preservation of
Buildings and other
items of Historical
Interest
Ian Cotterill,
General Governor
and Board Vice
Chairman
Ian Mantle,
Nominated
Governor –
Education
Ingrid Horgan,
Nominated
Governor –
Recreational and
Leisure Activities
John Barry,
Elected Governor
John Hillson,
Elected Governor
Meet our
Board &
Governors
PAGE TWELVE
Our Governors are drawn from all
walks of life, with professional
experience ranging from the
Government Legal Department to
HSBC. The Board offer skills
drawn from retail, accountancy,
marketing, banking,
pharmaceuticals, planning and IT.
While our Governors include
retired businessmen, councillors,
mothers, and people with a
variety of different professional
skills and experiences on which
to draw.
Governors are all volunteers and play
a vital role in bringing the views of
the town to us as well as promoting
our role and activities in their own
communities. They are among the
first to be consulted on issues of the
day and on future initiatives.
OUR GOVERNORS
John Webb,
Nominated
Governor –
Preservation of
the Environment
Lynda Needham,
Nominated
Governor –
Deputy for
NHDC and
Board Member
Mark Boscher,
Nominated
Governor – Health
Matthew Glew,
Nominated
Governor –
Sporting Activities
Michael Durrant,
Nominated
Governor – Social
Welfare and the
Relief of Poverty
Michael Pisapia,
General Governor
Michael
Underwood,
General Governor
and Board
Member
Pam Burn,
General Governor
Priscilla Huby,
General Governor
Robert Riggall,
General Governor
and Board
Member
Roger
McIntyre-Brown,
General Governor
Terry Hone,
Nominated
Governor –
Deputy for
HCC and Board
Member
Tilini Sharland,
General Governor
Trevor Saunders,
General Governor
and Board
Member
William
Armitage,
MBE, Elected
Governor and
Board Member
The Board of Trustees is our
main decision making body. Nine
Governors are chosen from among
themselves, to serve on our Board,
with two of the nine reserved for the
nominees of North Hertfordshire
District Council (NHDC) and
Hertfordshire County Council (HCC).
The contact details for all our
Governors are on our website,
and we also hold regular Open
Sessions at our Community Hub in
the town centre where people can
drop in with ideas, questions and
suggestions.
sessions may move so please check
our website. Open Sessions this
year will be on 11 June, 9 July,
10 September, 8 October, 12
November, and 10 December.
The sessions are held every second
Saturday of the month except
August, 10am to 12 noon. They are
normally held at the Hub, 43 Station
Road, but due to building work
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation/about-us
PAGE THIRTEEN
ACTIVE LETCHWORTH
Supporting
the arts
Are you an arts practitioner? Do
you run a venue that may be
suitable for arts programming?
If so the Arts Forum would like to
hear from you. The recently
formed group, supported by us,
would like to discover more about
the regional arts scene by
creating a directory of artists,
performers, organisations and
cultural enthusiasts, together
with venues which may be able
to accommodate arts activities.
Get active
HELEN MACFARLANE,
ACTIVE LETCHWORTH
PARTNERSHIP LEAD
In 2014 the
Heritage
Foundation
engaged
consultants to understand the
sport and leisure activities taking
place in the town, overseen by
Matthew Glew (Governor for
Sport) and through face to face
conversations with clubs, groups
and leisure providers it lead to the
creation of Active Letchworth
earlier this year.
Discussions with groups were had
around activity needs and a strategy
document was produced. Then it was
recognised that a person in post was
required to put this strategy into
practice and that’s where I come in!
At the start of January, I joined the
Charitable Services Development
Team to lead the Active Letchworth
Partnership.
From the age of three I have taken
part in either dance, badminton,
netball, athletics or fitness training.
After completing my Sports Studies
degree, I worked at health clubs and
fitness centres in the treatment and
delivery teams. However, I was keen
to be more involved in community
development and my most recent role
was Health Development Officer for
St Albans.
I’m very excited to be leading Active
Letchworth and using my skills to
complement the vast range of
expertise already within the
partnership. I have met with many
health professionals and sporting
organisations to understand the
needs in Letchworth, and how we
can work together where there are
gaps in activity opportunities.
By producing a local directory,
the forum aims to introduce
likeminded artists to each other
and match up practitioners with
venues where they can display
their works, present their
productions or host classes and
events.
If you fit the bill or would like to
find out more, please email
[email protected]
If you’d like to be involved in shaping
the health and wellbeing future of
Letchworth or to find out more
about attending our forums,
I’d love to hear from you by email:
[email protected]
Sustainability Forum
As part of National Water Saving week, members of the Letchworth
Sustainability Forum opened a pop-up shop to offer free information, advice
and tips on water efficiency. The event brought 250 to the shop on Arena
Parade. There was interest in the information stands, some earnest
discussions, and useful contacts made. Volunteers from the Water Saving
Squad at Affinity Water (who provides all of Letchworth’s water) were on
hand; along with volunteers from Transition Towns Letchworth; and many
other groups. The Sustainability Forum said the event proved they are only at
the beginning of changing the attitudes of Letchworth people to water saving.
Find out about future events at: www.sustainableletchworth.org.uk/
PAGE FOURTEEN
GARDENING / VOLUNTEERS
Gardening
column
ELIZABETH TOWLER,
ENVIRONMENTAL
LANDSCAPE MANAGER
If you have been
too busy to
prepare your
garden for
growing any fruit or vegetables by
the time June comes around, there
is still time to sow salad crops,
French and runner beans and
carrots. You can also sow spring
cabbage, turnips and fennel
together with autumn/winter
salads through July and August.
However, we often concentrate so
much on our back gardens that we
tend to ignore our front gardens,
which are important as planting
there improves local air quality,
provides habitats for wildlife and
insulation for buildings.
Growing more plants in your front
garden rather than paving it has many
more benefits, however small the
space. Climbers are excellent and
they can be grown up trellis rather
than the wall itself. Honeysuckles
(evergreen varieties in particular)
are very versatile and provide nectar
for bees and cover for a host of
other creatures including nesting
sites for birds. They smell lovely too!
A wide range of plants in your front
garden will give the greatest benefits
to wildlife and provide cover over
MY FRONT GARDEN WITH GERANIUMS,
HEBE, ACHILLEA AND CAMPANULAS
the longest periods throughout the
year. Flowering and berrying plants
such as holly, lavender, sedums and
cotoneasters provide nectar for
insects, berries for birds and other
mammals and shelter for a wide
variety of wildlife.
If you are lucky enough to have the
space to be able to plant a tree you
will not only create a beautiful
frontage to your home but it will
provide much needed shade in
summer, habitats for wildlife and,
equally importantly, reduce the risk
of flooding by capturing rain on its
leaves and taking up water
through its roots.
A big thank you to our volunteers
We have a dedicated band of volunteers who make a huge difference to our work and help with everything
from planting and maintaining our gardens to helping ensure our archive is carefully conserved.
We could not have created the
RHS Gardens in The Wynd and at
Standalone Farm without the help of
a wonderful group of volunteers, who
gave up their time to dig and plant,
and have continued to help ensure
the plants are well cared for.
Our Garden City Collection also
benefits from help from NADFAS
(North Hertfordshire Decorative and
Fine Arts Society) and a group of
other volunteers, some of whom have
been helping to catalogue thousands
of items for the collection for several
years. In the last year our volunteers
worked for more than 1,900 hours
and helped us:
Scan................................10,107 items
Catalogue ...................... 28,676 items
Conserve in-house ........... 685 items
Vicky Axell, Curator of the Collection
said: “We would like to thank them
for all their hard work and dedication.
It enables us to catalogue some of
the big collections, including
cataloguing 2,000 architectural plans
and we are still finding hidden
gems in the files.”
There are many opportunities to
volunteer at the Heritage Foundation,
including at the recently opened
Broadway Studio and Gallery.
If you would like to get involved by
volunteering please email for any
of these projects please email
[email protected]
www.letchworth.com/rhs
www.gardencitycollection.com
www.broadway-letchworth.com
PAGE FIFTEEN
HOUSING
Survey aims to improve
access for all
A major survey of shops and businesses, and advice on how to improve access, is planned by the
Access Advisory Group as they step up their campaign to make Letchworth Garden City a trailblazing
town for accessibility.
The group are to work with national
disability information service
DisabledGo and the Letchworth
Business Improvement District (BID)
to visit every town centre business,
offer tips on improvements. They will
ultimately compile information on
their accessibility for DisabledGo’s
national website to enable more
people to plan a visit with confidence.
The plan is one of many activities by
the Access Advisory group who can
already boast an array of
achievements including amendments
on accessibility in the Letchworth
Garden City Heritage Foundation
new Design principles for shops,
and better signage to disabled
toilets in the town centre.
Celia Saunders (pictured), Governor
of the Letchworth Garden City
Heritage Foundation said:
“We hope to become a town for all
people to visit and enjoy and this is
an important step on the way.”
driver bays, and looking at road
crossings, dropped kerbs, and
town centre signage.
The Access Advisory Group was set
up and is chaired by Celia, with Penny
Wyatt and Councillor Sandra Lunn,
supported by local residents, the
Heritage Foundation and the BID.
It aims to make Letchworth town
centre more accessible to shoppers,
residents and visitors.
The group are not just focused on
the needs of disabled people but also
parents of young children and older
residents. Accessibility could mean
ease of use for people with babies or
toddlers in buggies, wheelchair users,
people with mobility issues, or
access to toilet facilities.
The group is currently surveying town
centre car parks to check on the
number and condition of disabled
The next meeting of the Access
Advisory Group is Tuesday 28 June,
11am at the Community Hub on
Station Road or in Foundation House
on Icknield Way. Anyone is welcome
to attend to offer input on accessibility
issues, or the most or least accessible
car parks in Letchworth. Or you can
contact the group by sending an email
headed: Access Advisory Group to
[email protected]
Fitness campaigns
Following the launch of the Falls Prevention campaign in 2015, staff at the Ernest Gardiner Treatment Centre
have been out and about delivering the ‘Don’t Fall for It’ talks to over 65s in Letchworth and Baldock.
The talks, aimed at providing education and information on ways for individuals to help reduce their risk of falling,
have so far been successful with lots of positive feedback. The talks will continue, so if you are a member of a social
group, society or live in a residential or warden controlled property and feel you would benefit from an education
session, then contact the Treatment Centre to book your slot. If you have had a fall or feel you are at risk of falling,
speak to your GP regarding a referral to the Treatment Centre for an assessment by our experienced team.
In response to the growing body of evidence of exercise management of back pain, the Treatment Centre has
been running a ‘Back to Fitness’ class. This class, run by physiotherapist Michelle Oates, helps individuals with
low back pain work on strengthening core muscles, increase their confidence with regards to exercise as
well as educating on managing day to day activities. The back class runs on Friday afternoons 2-3pm.
www.letchworth.com/treatment-centre
PAGE SIXTEEN
CINEMA
Outdoor Cinema
Our wonderfully popular outdoor cinema returns this summer with three nights of family films to enjoy
under the stars. The films will be shown on successive nights on Broadway Gardens as the cinema open
the Garden Screen, for one weekend only on Friday, Saturday and Sunday 19-21 August.
We decided to bring back the
screenings this year, in partnership
with North Herts District Council,
after a success last summer.
Jason Valentine, Venues Manager
said: “We had a fabulous time last
year, and demand was so high, we
hope more people will come along
this summer and enjoy an evening
with us under open skies.”
Cllr Jane Gray, North Hertfordshire
District Council’s Executive Member
for Leisure said: “There is something
special about watching a film under
the stars. Last year’s outdoor
screening proved really popular
and this year there is even more
on offer for families and the
community to enjoy.”
The films will start as the sun goes
down, around 8.30pm, and the trio
of films chosen for the summer’s
screenings will all be PG-rated.
Families are welcome to come along
with a picnic and make a night of the
events. There will also be soft drinks
and snacks available at a pop-up
cinema kiosk in the gardens. No glass
should be brought and people are
requested to take their waste home.
Tickets for Garden Screen films are
£7.40 each and gates open at 7pm.
To ensure audience safety and
enjoyment numbers are strictly
limited to 800. To avoid
disappointment on the night,
please book in advance online
or by visiting Broadway Cinema
or the Tourist Information Centre.
www.broadway-cinema.com
Cambridge Film Trust are providing
the high quality projection equipment
for the events.
PAGE SEVENTEEN
HERITAGE
Heritage
update
• Are you thinking of selling
your home? Please check
with us that there are no
outstanding consents
required for alterations to
your home. Our Heritage
Advisory Team (HAT) receive a
lot of late notice applications
for retrospective approval
before house sales can be
completed. To avoid last
minute problems and delays
with retrospective consent
from us, please contact
the HAT.
• The Scheme of Management
and most residential leases
include a covenant which
means homeowners need
consent from us for alterations
to your home. The HAT review
all applications and issue a
decision based on guidance in
the Design Principles and site
specific circumstances. If
consent is refused,
homeowners can ask for the
decision to be reviewed by the
Advisory Management
Committee, which includes two
independent architects and two
community representatives.
A final stage, if consent is still
withheld, is for the homeowner
to request an examination of the
decision by the Independent
Inspector, whose decision is
binding. The only part of the
process where there is a charge
is for the Independent Inspector.
This will normally be £275,
which is 50% cost of this
exercise. The full process
is detailed online.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation/
altering-your-home
PAGE EIGHTEEN
Celebrating
architectural
excellence
A PREVIOUS AWARD WINNER
Letchworth Garden City is carefully
planned to combine the best
elements of town and country
living and has many outstanding
qualities, with tree-lined streets
and green spaces, and homes
designed to harmonise with each
other. Architectural features such as
chimneys, dormer windows and
bay windows add visual interest
and variety to the street scene.
We are committed to promoting the
conservation of buildings and other
environmental features of beauty or
historic interest and this year
reintroduced Heritage Awards to
give public recognition to owners,
designers and contractors who
observe the highest standards of
design and workmanship when
carrying out restoration, alterations or
new building work.
More than 20 nominations were
received for categories including best
extension or alterations to homes in
the Heritage Area and a separate
category for more modern parts of the
town, most improved property
frontage and best commercial building.
After judging by local and national
experts in May the winners of each
category have been revealed and
include some really impressive
transformations. You can find out all
about the inspirational homes on our
website, which details the work
undertaken on each.
Later this summer we will share the
shortlist and offer you the opportunity
to vote for the overall winner.
Find out more about the entrants
and place your vote online
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-awards
INSTITUTE
VISITORS FROM JAPAN
RIBA PRESIDENT JANE DUNCAN
WITH DAVID AMES
Boost for
Garden Cities Institute
their aim to put green cities on the
international agenda, as they work
with the UN; our Academic Director,
Dr Susan Parham, contributed a piece
on how food was a key element of
the historic vision for Garden Cities;
the Foundation’s David Ames revealed
how Garden Cities could help tackle
air pollution; Andrea Van-Sittart of the
Royal Horticultural Society, considered
the role of the garden in Garden Cities;
and Dr Stephane Sadoux of our partner
Ursula Howard is keen to help us
Grenoble School of Architecture,
maintain her illustrious ancestor’s
legacy, and plans to contribute to work considered Garden Cities, affordable
housing and architectural innovation.
on the importance of modernity in
A new wave of Garden Cities and
the Garden City model. She believes
Suburbs, Villages and Towns was
the original Garden City Principles
advocated in the Government’s Budget
should be entrenched in new Garden
in March. And around the world
City schemes, with key modern
Governments, planners and academics
components, particularly around
contemporary architecture, efficiencies are considering new Garden Cities,
and sustainability in general. The Royal 100 years after the idea first spread.
Institute of British Architects’ (RIBA)
Officials from Japan visited the
President Jane Duncan headed a
Institute in April to discuss joint
delegation which toured Letchworth
working and study Garden City
Garden City to discuss joint working
policies and practice, and
on projects to reimagine the Garden
Letchworth’s design was considered
City for the 21st Century. The IGCI is
alongside Chinese ideal cities in a
a research, advocacy and resource
conference at the China Design
centre for global Garden Cities, and
Centre in London this spring.
our partners are now contributing
to a series of think pieces published
Our academic director has also
on our Institute website. In hers,
been driving forward the research
Anette Galskjøt of the IFHP, explained
programme and more than two
It’s been a busy few months for the
International Garden Cities
Institute, which is working with
an increasingly diverse range of
partners from around the world.
New partners include Cambridge
University, Ursula Howard, the great
grand-daughter of Ebenezer Howard
and the International Federation of
Housing and Planning (IFHP).
dozen University of Hertfordshire
academics attended a Garden Cities
research workshop in the spring, to
discuss opportunities to work with
the Institute. Future areas for
research are being explored including
piloting new ways of living together.
Historian Josh Tidy has created
an online resource with details of
international Garden Cities for
academics, professionals and
individuals who share our interest
in the Garden City movement
and its global legacy.
You can find out more about our
work and read the think pieces on
our website. Or visit the Institute,
at Norton Way South, to see our
exhibition on the growth of
Letchworth and the global Garden
Cities movement. It is open every
Friday and Saturday, 10am to 5pm,
or by appointment at other times.
You can also enjoy videos giving
a tour of the exhibition, and
explaining What is a Garden City?
on our YouTube channel.
www.gardencitiesinstitute.com
/resources/videos
www.gardencitiesinstitute.com
PAGE NINETEEN
PLANS
Update on our Five Year Plan targets
Our new show garden created this
year with volunteers and the RHS
at Standalone Farm is a beautiful
addition to the town and also features
plants from Garden Cities inspired by
Letchworth, highlighting once again
the town’s international influence.
We have made a good start
delivering on our Five year Plan,
which aims to recognise and
celebrate our unique status as the
world’s first Garden City; deliver
activities to ensure Letchworth
Garden City remains a vibrant
place to live and visit; and support
the social fabric of the Garden City.
In February we opened our new
Broadway Studio and Gallery and
work began to create a theatre space
at Broadway Cinema which will
open this autumn.
We have launched our year-long
research project to show heritage
homes with solid walls can be adapted
to include energy saving messages.
Residents will be moving in to the
home to test the measures, and their
energy consumption will be compared
with a similar property for 12 months,
to show the difference the energy
saving measures can make.
Work to clear Norton Pond has had
to be delayed to avoid interruption to
the breeding season of the frogs and
newts which live there, and make it
easier to dispose of the pernicious
weed in its depths. Work is expected
to begin in late autumn.
The Five Year Plan is available to
download from our website using
the link below or pick up a copy at
our Community Hub, the Tourist
and Information Centre or your
local community centre.
www.letchworth.com/
five-year-plan
Chief Executive to take new role
John Lewis, our Chief Executive, is to join the Peabody Group in the summer as Executive Director
Thamesmead. John will lead Peabody’s comprehensive regeneration programme in Thamesmead,
improving the area for residents and delivering thousands of new homes.
John joined
the Heritage
Foundation in 2010
from Milton Keynes
Partnership.
Reflecting on
his time at the
Heritage Foundation, he said: “Over
the last five years I have had the
opportunity to lead a great team at the
Heritage Foundation. I have really
enjoyed working with our Trustees and
Governors and the many partners,
community groups and businesses
which make up this unique town.
I am particularly proud to have
refocused the organisation
to maximise the support available
PAGE TWENTY
for local communities across the
Garden City, while ensuring that
we maintain and enhance our
local heritage.
“Our investment in the town over
the last five years has resulted in
increased business activity, new shops
and restaurants, the return
of North Herts College to the town
centre, the launch of the International
Garden Cities Institute and the opening
of the new Broadway Studio and
Gallery. I am delighted that our
continued investment in Broadway
Cinema has resulted in us being the
number one independent cinema.
And now the construction of the
new Broadway Theatre is underway
bringing more choice and activity
to the town.
“It has therefore been a big decision
to leave the Foundation. However
I feel that having just launched our
new community driven Five Year
Plan, which sets out our collective
ambitions for the future, it is a good
time for someone new to take
things forward.”
We will announce the new
CEO on our website
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
EVENTS CALENDAR
11 June – August: Garden City’s Gardens
Celebrating Letchworth gardens with
paintings, photographs and objects
from the Garden City Collection. At the
International Garden Cities Institute. Open
every Friday and Saturday from 10am - 5pm. www.garden-cities-exhibition.com
Events
calendar
Now until late August: Arts and Crafts
in Letchworth Garden City
Exhibition of furniture and art, with
objects from the Garden City Collection.
At Letchworth Community Museum,
The Arcade. www.letchworth.com/
community-museum
11 to 26 June: Letchworth Festival
The annual celebration of life in Letchworth
Garden City is an excellent opportunity for
our many clubs and organisations to
demonstrate their talents. Enjoy talks,
tours, walks, theatre, competitions,
special events and entertainment.
More information online.
www.letchworthfestival.org
11 June: Open Session
Meet our Governors and staff, share ideas
and ask questions. Drop-in session at the
Community Hub, Station Road. Check
website to confirm location, due to
building work. 10am – 12noon. Also on
9 July, 10 September, 8 October, 12
November and 10 December.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
11 June: Settlement Fair
Enjoy stalls and more at the annual event
at the Settlement, Nevells Road. 9.30am
to 12.30pm. For tickets and information
call 01462 682828 or visit
www.letchworthsettlement.org.uk
16 June: Letchworth Gardens
Illustrated talk by Vicky Axell, curator of the
Garden City Collection, who explores the
history of Letchworth’s gardens and
gardeners in this illustrated talk. At the
International Garden Cities Institute, 296
Norton Way South. 7.15-9pm. Free but
please book in advance at the Tourist
Information centre of online.
www.garden-cities-exhibition.com
17 June: Writing on the Dark Side
Q&A session with local bestselling crime
and horror authors Maynard and Sims.
Organised by Letchworth Arts and leisure
group (LALG). At Letchworth Library,
7-9pm. Tickets £3, available from the
Tourist Information Centre, Station Road.
20 June: Dr Helen Pankhurst
The great-granddaughter of Emmeline
Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia
Pankhurst, leaders of the Suffragette
Movement, talks about her life and work
for an international aid charity, as well as
feminism and the status of women’s rights
today. At The Settlement, Nevells Road.
7.45pm. Tickets £5.
www.letchworthsettlement.org.uk
18 June: Guided Walks
Join one of Letchworth’s Town Historians
on a stroll through some of the highlights
of the first Garden City’s history. Free. Also
on 16 July, 17 September, 15 October,
19 November. Find further information
about these Garden Cities Exhibition events
online www.garden-cities-exhibition.com
18 June to 14 August: Hidden Agenda:
Socially Conscious Craft
A Grayson Perry pot is one of the striking
works in this Crafts Council exhibition,
which explores the use of craft for social
comment and provocation. At Broadway
Gallery, 2 The Arcade, Wednesdays to
Saturdays 10am to 5pm and Sundays
10am to 4pm. More information online
www.broadway-letchworth.com
18 June: Rossini’s Il Barbiere de Siviglia
(The Barber of Seville)
Pop-Up Opera’s captivating adaptation of
Rossini’s masterpiece. At Spirella
Ballroom. Tickets £20/£15 Concessions.
More information at www.letchworth.
com/beyondbroadway
21 to 24 June:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Butterfly Theatre Company invite you
to experience a unique promenade
performance of A Midsummer Night’s
Dream. At Standalone Farm. Tickets
£12 Adults, £9 Children/Concessions.
More information at
www.letchworth.com/beyondbroadway
22 June: In The Footsteps of The Tudors
LALG visit to Penshurst Place and Hever
Castle, organised by the Monday to Friday
Plus Group. Tickets include coach and
entrance charges at both properties
£36.00 (£37.00 non-members). Trips in July
and August include Weald and Downland
Open Air and Beth Chatto Gardens and
Colchester Castle. Book online.
www.lalg.org.uk/mondaytofriday
PAGE TWENTY ONE
EVENTS CALENDAR
25 June: Armed Forces Day
Broadway Gardens will be the focal point
for the many attractions including military
bands, veterans associations, cadet
organisations marching bands and local
businesses supporting UKAFD.
More information at
www.armedforcesday.org.uk/event/
letchworth-armed-forces-day/
9 July: Open Session
Meet our Governors and staff, share
ideas and ask questions. Drop-in session.
Check website to confirm location,
due to building work. 10am – 12noon.
Also on 10 September, 8 October,
12 November and 10 December.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
26 June: Letchworth Cycle Grand Prix
The Letchworth Cycle Grand Prix visits
Broadway Gardens for its second year,
as part of the exciting Tour of Hertfordshire
Series. More information at
www.britishcycling.org.uk/events
10 July: Run Round the Garden
Festival of running with a choice of
races over 5k and one mile and
a one-mile fun run for under-11s.
www.runroundthegarden.org.uk
28 June: Visit to Lichfield
LALG History 1 Group tour the cathedral,
market and Samuel Johnson’s home among
other sights. Tickets £23 (non-members
£25) includes coach. Book online.
www.lalg.org.uk/historygroup
29 June: Garden City Meeting
Hear about our plans and share your ideas
with our staff and Governors at our annual
town meeting. At Spirella Ballroom.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
6 July: Trip to Stoke-on-Trent
LALG visit to the home of the pottery
industry. Tickets £20 (non-members £22)
includes coach. Book online.
www.lalg.org.uk/node/2219
Garden City
Collection Events
Ongoing: Food Tour of Letchworth
16 July: Town Centre Takeover
Exciting range of activities taking place
in the heart of Letchworth. Also enjoy our
General Market in Leys Avenue every
Thursday and Car Boot fair at Arena
Parade car park every Sunday.
loveletchworth.com/whats-on
23 July onwards: Summer at
Broadway Cinema
Look out for major films coming soon
including: Star Trek Beyond, The BFG,
Jason Bourne, Finding Dory, and
David Brent: Life on the Road. More
information and tickets online.
www.broadway-cinema.com
6 August, 1 October, 3 December:
Archive Tour of the Garden City
Collection Study Centre.
Discover some of the fascinating
stories behind Letchworth’s historical
artefacts with a guided tour.
From 9 September to 8 October:
Every Object tells a Story
Have you searched your history at the
Garden City Collection yet? Find out
the diverse stories which can be told
through items from our collection
at the Community Museum.
PAGE TWENTY TWO
28 July: Battle of the Somme (1916)
with Q&A
A rare opportunity to view a landmark First
World War documentary, made during the
first few weeks of the battle itself. In the
preceding talk, Stephen Barnard, tutor at
the Letchworth Settlement, will explain
how and why it came to be made and its
impact at the time. At Broadway Cinema.
Tickets £15. Booking details online.
www.broadway-cinema.com
1 to 5 August: Dog and Duck Show
Exciting displays of dog training (and duck
herding), showcasing the range of talents
of a team of sheepdogs, Performances
twice daily. At Standalone Farm,
Wilbury Road.
www.standalonefarm.com/events
4 August: The Audience (Encore)
Helen Mirren reprises her Academy
Award-winning role as Queen Elizabeth II
in the acclaimed West End production,
broadcast as part of National Theatre Live.
At Broadway Cinema. Tickets £10. Booking
details as for 28 July.
15 and 16 October:
Minecraft Family Event
Young digital adventurers wanted. Build
and explore Letchworth in the Minecraft
game and other creative activities.
More details coming soon.
Take yourself on a tour of Letchworth’s
town centre and discover more of its
culinary history with our illustrated
guide book, available from the Tourist
Information Centre or via the free
mobile app on Whitepoint.
2 July: The Spirella Company
Hands-on Collection Explorers
session exploring the history of
the Spirella Company in
Letchworth Garden City.
25 to 29 July: Donkey Riding
Get up close with some farmyard
favourites in a variety of riding and
grooming sessions as well as
talks throughout the day.
At Standalone Farm, Wilbury Road.
www.standalonefarm.com/events
8 to 12 August: Birds of a Feather
Flying display with birds of prey.
Entertaining, educational and enthralling
for children and adults. Running twice
daily. At Standalone Farm, Wilbury Road.
www.standalonefarm.com/events
5 November: Theatre and
Performers in Letchworth
Take a look back at the history and
influence of theatre, in this Collections
Explorer Handling Session.
December: Exhibition on Letchworth’s
early residents Exhibition on early
Letchworth’s pioneering community at
Broadway Studio and Gallery.
All these events are free and held at the
Garden City Collection, Wilbury Hills
Road or in our Community Museum or
Broadway Gallery in The Arcade. Events
at the Collection must be booked in
advance online as numbers are restricted
www.gardencitycollection.com
9 August: Béatrice et Bénédict
Berlioz’s ‘Beatrice And Benedict’, adapted
from ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, will have
its fully staged Glyndebourne debut in a
new production directed by Laurent Pelly.
Live screening. At Broadway Cinema.
Tickets £15. Booking details as for 28 July.
14 August: Romeo & Juliet
The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company
offer a new vision of Shakespeare’s
heart-breaking tale of forbidden love.
Live screening. At Broadway Cinema.
Tickets £15. Booking details as for 28 July.
EVENTS CALENDAR
15 to 19 August: Dog Display Team
Dog displays to totally amaze! See these
dogs tackle a variety of challenges.
Displays twice daily throughout the week.
At Standalone Farm, Wilbury Road.
www.standalonefarm.com/events/
19 to 21 August: Outdoor Cinema
Enjoy family films under the open skies.
At Broadway Gardens. Tickets and further
information online
www.broadway-cinema.com
26 September: Norma
Bellini’s classic bel canto opera is full of
wonderful melodies and opportunities for
star singing. But it is especially known for
Norma’s stunning showpiece aria, ‘Casta
diva’. Live screening. At Broadway Cinema
Tickets £15. Booking details as 28 July.
28 September: Cymbeline
Royal Shakespeare Company live
screening. At Broadway Cinema. Tickets
£15. Booking details as for 28 July.
8 October: Open Session
Meet our Governors and staff, share ideas
and ask questions. Drop-in session at the
Community Hub, Station Road. Check
website to confirm location, due to
building work. 10am – 12noon. Also on
12 November and 10 December.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
12 October: King Lear
Royal Shakespeare Company live
screening. At Broadway Cinema. Tickets
£15. Booking details as for 28 July.
15 and 16 October: Oktoberfest and
World Food Festival
Dust down the lederhosen and order your
stein at the Letchworth Garden City
Oktoberfest & World Food Festival.
loveletchworth.com/whats-on/
Insert after Oktoberfest: 17 October:
Cosi Fan Tutte
Don Alfonso - the puppet master of this
experiment in love - is here a theatre
director who uses all the sets, props and
tricks of his trade to invent new scenes to
challenge the lovers’ affections. Live
screening. At Broadway Cinema. Tickets
£15. Booking details as 28 July.
22 to 26 August: Galloping Acrobatics
Flamboyant vaulting horse display. At
Standalone Farm, Wilbury Road.
www.standalonefarm.com/events/
September to November: Michael
Brennand Wood exhibition
Showcase of work by the internationally
renowned textiles artist. Details TBC.
www.broadway-gallery.com
10 September: Open Session
Meet our Governors and staff, share ideas
and ask questions. Drop-in session at the
Community Hub, Station Road. Check
website to confirm location, due to
building work. 10am – 12noon. Also on 8
October, 12 November and 10 December.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
Late November to February 2017:
Garden City Pioneers
Exhibition exploring the progressive spirit
of early Letchworth settlers.
www.broadway-gallery.com
2 November: Anastasia
One of Kenneth MacMillan’s first creations
on becoming Director of The Royal Ballet
in 1970, Anastasia is a dramatic and
haunting exploration of Anna’s nightmare
of memory and identity. Live screening.
At Broadway Cinema. Tickets £15.
Booking details as 28 July.
12 November: Open Session
Meet our Governors and staff, share
ideas and ask questions. Drop-in session
at the Community Hub, Station Road.
Check website to confirm location, due to
building work. 10am – 12noon.
Also on 10 December.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
15 November: Les Contes D’Hoffmann
At the centre of these extraordinary
tales of clockwork dolls, magical glasses,
ghostly voices and sensual courtesans is
the vivid imagination of the drunken
Romantic poet Hoffmann. Live screening.
At Broadway Cinema. Tickets £15.
Booking details as 28 July.
26 November: Christmas Gala
Celebrate the start of the festive season,
with the annual Christmas light switch
on and many more different activities
across the town centre.
www.loveletchworth.com/whats-on/
8 December: The Nutcracker
In The Nutcracker, a sense of mystery
and magic pervades the theatre as Herr
Drosselmeyer sets in train the events that
see his beloved nephew, Hans Peter,
freed from the enchantment of the evil
Mouse King by the resourceful Clara.
Live screening. At Broadway Cinema.
Tickets £15. Booking details as 28 July.
10 December: Open Session
Meet our Governors and staff, share
ideas and ask questions. Drop-in session at
the Community Hub, Station Road. Check
website to confirm location,
due to building work. 10am –12noon.
Also on 14 January 2017.
www.letchworth.com/
heritage-foundation
To get in touch please email
[email protected] or visit
www.letchworth.com/entry-form
and fill out our online application
form. Entries must be submitted
by October but it is never too early
to apply.
Find out more about future events
There are many more events
planned and delivered by
community groups. For a full
round-up see the Local and Tourist
Information Centre (TIC) listings at
www.letchworthgc.com/
whats_on or the weekly Town &
Around column in The Comet. We
also publish a wonderful guide to
groups and activities in the town,
Out & About, which is free to pick
up from the TIC on Station Road.
The TIC tweet events at
@Letchworth_TIC
PAGE TWENTY THREE
YOUR FEEDBACK
Greenway
enhancements
Work is underway to enhance
and maintain the Garden City
Greenway to make it easier for
people to explore and enjoy this
outstanding outdoor amenity,
which surrounds the Garden City
estate where town meets country.
We’ve been enhancing the signage,
have cleared the arboretum and
trimmed overgrown borders.
This in addition to our weekly rounds
to pick up litter and the
tonnes of goods which are dumped
by fly-tippers. It’s never been a
better time to explore the Greenway,
Covering 13.6 miles of beautiful
which was created as a permanent
countryside, it is a great place to
commemoration of Letchworth
walk, cycle and explore with many
interesting places to stop off en route, Garden City’s centenary in 2003.
including Radwell Meadows, Willian
To help you explore, don’t forget
Arboretum, Wymondley Woods,
the free app available by searching
Norton Pond and Standalone Farm.
Letchworth Garden City Greenway
on AppStore. It can help you plan your
We have been working since the
spring to trim and maintain pathways journey, offer seven suggested
routes, and pinpoint your location.
and car parks, cutting the
grass and generally tidying up.
@LetchworthGC
/letchworthgardencityhf
www.letchworth.com/heritage-foundation
PAGE TWENTY FOUR
A free Greenway map leaflet is
also available from the Local &
Tourist Information Centre,
33-35 Station Road.
We would like to hear if you have any
suggestions for future measures
which would help even more people
enjoy this outdoor amenity. We’re
open to your ideas.
Contact us by:
Email [email protected]
Or write to:
Foundation House,
Icknield Way
Letchworth Garden City
Hertfordshire. SG6 1GD