Making a return visit to Phoenix FM today after 5 years, was JULIE GOWERS of the BRENTWOOD ART SOCIETY.
Why now you may well ask?
Well this year marks the 60th anniversary of their founding.
It was back in 1958 when a new resident to the borough, a certain Mr REGINALD BALCH, feeling that the area could do with an injection of art and culture, advertised his intentions to form an art society in the local paper.
Only 3 people responded to his original announcement, although since then the group has thrived and now boasts a membership of more than 40 people, with new members joining annually.
The Society’s annual exhibition at Brentwood Library will be focussing on their achievement of reaching this milestone anniversary. The exhibition runs from Saturday 3rd to Thursday the 29th November, with a pre-view evening on Friday 2nd November which will be opened by the Mayor of Brentwood.
Members meet twice weekly on Monday and Thursday evenings between 7:30 and 9:30 at the art studios in Brentwood School.
The Monday practical session is tutor lead, whilst the Thursday meeting is an untutored “life class” featuring a number of professional models, both male and female.
In addition to this the Society arranges a number of weekend workshops and art trips.
Given that the annual fee is just £25 + a studio fee of £5, the society consider themselves to be excellent value for money.
Clearly given that the themes and tutoring involved are maintained at art school standard, this is not a group for ideally suited to complete novices. Nevertheless anyone interested in joining should initially call the membership Secretary, Margaret Hurst on 01277 227205 or e-mail brentwoodartsoc@gmail.comFurther information can be found on the Society’s website http://www.brentwoodartsociety.com.
Listen here to what Julie told me today: –
In this 60th year the Society is especially keen to trace any surviving relatives of their founder, MR REGINALD BALCH, and also of their first chairman, Major C. V. HANSON, and Secretary, Mr R. COLE-STOKES, so if anyone could help that would be a special bonus.
The Society would be very pleased to hear from anyone who can help, but you can also send details to us by e-mailing radio@phoenixfm.com, but if you use that method make sure that you mark it for my attention otherwise it may well vanish into a “black hole”!
Now we’ve been hearing a lot in the news recently about some people in the USA being on the receiving end of various exploding devices, however in the second hour of today’s show we heard how some citizens across the pond have been falling victim to exploding toilets!
The exploding Flushmate II 501-B devices, which sell for the equivalent of about £85, have resulted in property damage of more than half a million pounds and resulted in two dozen injuries, including one person who needed foot surgery.
Well I guess that could have been a lot worse!
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission has told owners to stop using their systems immediately.
Buyers are also advised to turn off the water supply to the unit before flushing to release any internal pressure.
The commission said in a recall statement that the defective systems can “lift the tank lid and shatter the tank”, leading to possible “impact and laceration hazards to consumers and property damage”.
So there you are sitting there quietly minding your own business, as it were, and the next moment suddenly find yourself being blasted into orbit!
Well I never!
See you again next week,
Scott
