Thalia Theatre Company, an arts related learning provider for disabled people based in Norfolk are delighted in the success and interest sparked from their Exhibition of Batik Prints held at Anteros Arts Foundation, Norwich.

The exhibition which featured vibrant Batik Prints created by members of Thalia Theatre Company was held at the gallery for two weeks (extending its run due to popular demand).

As the culmination of a project supported by Norfolk Community Foundation’s Comic Relief Fund, Thalia members researched African culture and artwork, which included learning the process of Batik Print Making.

A private view to launch the exhibition was attended by local artists, curators and funders who had the opportunity to meet the artists. Throughout the following two weeks the exhibition was open to the public and had approximately 50 visitors per day. Gallery visitors expressed their regard for the exhibition in positive ways, one visitor conversed ‘as a batik artist myself I am amazed at the breadth of work, the calibre and talent of the artists’.

Thalia Theatre Company is pleased to announce that in total they sold £600 worth of art! If you are a venue or curator interested in exhibiting more of Thalia’s work please get in touch with the Artistic Director Molly Rose-Hutchinson molly@thaliatheatre.co.uk.

 
Holly Bodmer
Creative and Admin Assistant
Thalia Theatre Company
Reg Charity number: 1105132
Member of Norfolk Social Enterprise Network

If you are 14 - 25 and want to try a sport for the first time or try a new sport then look no futher. 

Sportivate sessions in Norfolk are offering you the opportunity to enjoy taster sessions in a range of activities. No experience required.

Courses running during October - December are listed below. Further courses to be added shortly.

Visit www.activenorfolk.org/sportivate for further information


is a nationwide campaign providing opportunities for teenagers and young adults (including disability sport) to have a go at sports is a National Lottery funded programme and is part of the Play element of Sport England’s London 2012 legacy programme ‘Places People Play’ will try to encourage young people to continue to regularly take part in sport


Golf at Sprowston Manor (18-25)
When: 6:30 – 7:30pm, Monday 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st October and 7th November
Cost: £10 for 6 hours coaching (normally £50)

Snowboarding at Norfolk Snowsports Club (18-25)
When: 8:15 – 9:45pm, Monday 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th October
Cost: Broadland Residents - £15 for 6 hours coaching (Normally £60) Non-Broadland Residents - £20 for 6 hours coaching (Normally £60)

School of Strength at Oasis Sports and Leisure Club (18-25)
When: 10:30 – 11:30am, Saturday 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th Oct, 4th and 11th Nov
Cost: £10 for 6 one hour sessions (normally £33)

Archery at Wymondham High School (16-25)
When: 6.30pm - 8pm, Start date 11 October (Duration 8 weeks)
Cost: Only £15 for 8 week course

Horse Riding at Eden Meadows Riding Centre (16-25)
When: 7pm - 8pm, Start date 1 November (Duration 6 weeks)
Cost: Only £25 for 6 week course

Ladies Boxercise (16-25)
When: 6.30pm - 7.30pm, Start date 1 November (Duration 6 weeks)
Cost: Only £10 for 6 week course

Learn to Ski at Norfolk Snowsports Club (14-19 years)
When: 10 - 11.30am, Start date 29 October (Duration 4 weeks)
Cost: £15 pp in advance

Learn to Ski on a Sunday (19-25 years) at Norfolk Snowsports Club
When: 10:30 – 12pm, Start date 23 October (Duration 4 weeks)
Cost: £15 pp in advance

Climbing at OPEN (14-25)
When: 6pm - 7pm, Start date 3 November (Duration 6 weeks)
Cost: Only £5 (usually £30 under 18's/£35, 19+)

Gymnastics at The Norfolk Academy of Gymnastics (14-25)
When: 5pm - 6pm, Start date 29 October (Duration 6 weeks)
Cost: Only £1 per session. Pay in advance or pay and play.

Snowboarding at Norfolk Snowsports Club (19-25)
When: 7pm – 8.30pm, Start date 6 October (Duration 4 weeks)
Cost: £20 pp in advance

Volleyball at UEA Sportspark
When: tbc (Duration 6 weeks)
Cost: £10

Don't forget 85% of driver switch onto Auto-Pilot when driving on local trips.


Also remember we have just said we moan of other drivers,
but remember that's what they say - they too moan of other drivers.
Lets make sure it's not us.

Remember: To hold a driving licence is a Privilege not a Right.
We must all make sure we are not guilty of falling into the rut.


So lets just list those items again...


If we take the first letter of each word... I will let you decide what word you finish up with.

The Bad Driver
Bad driving leads to aggressive and reckless driving.

Always drive relaxed.
Good drivers always plan every situation, always keep alert and calm - always read the road ahead.
Always try to be a spaceman (oops or woman)

Always create space!

Space means:

Relive days gone by with this nostalgic, lavishly illustrated look at life in the British countryside from the Victorian era through to the 1960s. It explores every aspect of rural life, from the practicalities of growing and rearing food, to the intense hard work required of young and old, the craftsmen, the industries and the markets. 352 pages, softback.

People across west Norfolk are benefiting from quicker treatment for low back pain.

The West Norfolk and Wisbech Clinical Commissioning Consortium launched the new standardised service in February and it is already reaping results.

So far 453 patients have made use of the service.

Under the new service, patients who visit their GP with low back pain are given painkillers and a leaflet detailing beneficial exercises. This enables them to keep active during the first two weeks of their symptoms.

If symptoms persist, the situation is then reviewed and the GP refers the patient through NHS Norfolk's Choose and Book service to a physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath for further treatment.

Patients who have 'red flag' signs, such as spinal cord compression, serious neurological symptoms or suspected cancer, are referred directly to Mamoun Abdel-Gadir, an orthopaedic consultant at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn.

Previously, when patients had sought advice from their GP about low back pain, they were automatically been referred to a physiotherapist, chiropractor or osteopath, which could involve a wait of up to 18 weeks.

This meant that patients were sometimes resting their backs. Not keeping active meant that their condition could then become chronic, and ultimately require more treatment.

Sharon Stevens, project manager at the West Norfolk and Wisbech Clinical Commissioning Consortium, said: "We have had fantastic feedback from patients to this new standardised service. If you have a bad back you want treatment early, and this is what we aim to give."

Sue Crossman, Interim Chief Executive of the West Norfolk and Wisbech Clinical Commissioning Consortium, said: "This 18 month pilot aims to improve long term outcomes for patients with back pain, with quicker more sustainable recovery, reducing complications, time off work and associated psychological consequences.

“We will be evaluating the service in November to determine how effective the new pathway is."

www.norfolk.nhs.uk

  

A new Olympic inspired triathlon relay event suitable for athletes of all abilities and triathlon families is being held at Sportspark, at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, on Sunday 2 October. Active Outdoor Sport is hosting the Team Triathlon event.

The Team Triathlon format comprises teams of two men and two women and each team member completes a ‘super-sprint’ triathlon consisting of swimming, biking and running, before tagging off to their next team mate.  Distances for the triathlon event will be a 200m swim, a  4.5km bike course and 1200m run. The swim will be in the Sportspark pool, the bike course is a two lap loop on the university campus roads and the run will be on the Sportspark athletics track.  It is suitable for participants of all ages and abilities and aims to appeal to novices, youths and experienced athletes alike, and to develop the sport among new audiences.

Simon Edwards, Director of Active Outdoor Sport said: “I am very excited and pleased to be hosting this event in collaboration with Sportspark.  I am hoping it will attract a wide audience of competitors, from experienced and mature triathletes to those who have never taken on the challenge of a triathlon, and youths alike.”

Active Outdoor Sport will be running three different race categories for teams:

Rookie Racers
Teams of two males and two females made up of novice athletes that are new to triathlon or have only competed in a handful of races.  For those aged 11 to adult.

Frantic Families
Teams to be made up of one or two families.  Each team must contain two adults and two children (please note, children do not have to be related but the team must include at least one of their parents). Teams must include two males and two females and there is no maximum age for the children as long as one of their parents is also in the team.

Warriors
For teams of experienced athletes aged 15 upwards. Each team must consist of two females and two males.

Trophies will be awarded to the top three teams in each category.  There will be a maximum of 16 teams in each category. The event costs £60 per team to enter.  For any team members that are not members of British Triathlon then a day membership must be purchased at a cost of £4 each (£2 for U18s). Online entry for the event can be found at entrycentral.com and further event entry and race information can be found at the Active Outdoor Sport website.

Simon Edwards added: “I hope by hosting such an event and with the increasing profile of the sport through the Olympics, more and more people will discover the fun and passion that triathlon can bring!”

Active Outdoor Sport provides events, Lake Swim Centre, training and leisure breaks based around open water swimming, cycling, running and triathlon to motivate and inspire you. For more information visit www.activeoutdoorsport.co.uk, email simon@activeoutdoorsport.co.uk or telephone 01603 446620.

Sportspark is open to everyone and boasts some of the best sport and leisure facilities in the UK. Over 40 different activities can be played at Sportspark and the facilities can be used on a pay and play basis, offering complete flexibility. However for regular users there are various memberships which offer extra benefits, but there is no contract and no joining fee.

Mary Webb: Journeys in Colour
at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts

The largest ever exhibition of works by the artist Mary Webb opens at the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, on Tuesday 27 September and runs until Sunday 4 December. Writing in the Observer, art critic Tim Hilton described Mary Webb as “a little known but treasurable artist”. Mary Webb has been producing bold abstract work for nearly 50 years as well as teaching painting at art schools in Harrogate and Norwich.

Journeys in Colour celebrates Webb’s work from 1965 to the present day and includes 60 paintings together with screen prints, drawings and collages. A new series of works never seen before, which have been inspired by a trip to Utah, USA, will be on display. The exhibition also includes a number of works by the artist from the UEA Collection of Abstract and Constructivist, Art, Architecture and Design, which is permanently housed at the Centre.

Journeys in Colour runs alongside the continuing exhibition, The Face of the Artist: Photographs by John Hedgecoe. A ‘fantasy coffin’ from Ghana, which was specially created for Griff Rhys Jones as part of the BBC television series Hidden Treasures of Africa, will also be exhibited at the Centre this autumn as part of a display that will explore ideas about the art and culture of the Ghana.

“Colour is my main concern, and the emotional and spatial sensations it can evoke, frequently linked to the memory of place. From quite early on I wanted to see what one could do with colour on its own. I like making two or more colours work very hard together to make a lot of things happen. At the same time there are a great number of things I wish to avoid, one the hardest is avoiding having a centre, or part of the picture that claims attention more than the rest. Rather I want the colour to set up a process of renewal where relationships change with the looking. First assumptions are confounded the longer the painting is contemplated and this is how I like to them of them, as objects of contemplation” – Mary Webb, artist.

Mary Webb’s work is abstract and striking, the designs composed of squares and rectangles using a bold palette of colours. Colour is evenly applied within each section and the shape of her work is always square. Webb has the sensibility of a landscapist, much of her work produced as reflections on her travels, naming her works after the places that inspired them. Her most recent series of works relate to a trip to Utah in USA. Other localities that form the basis and titles for works in the exhibition include Corsica, Crete, Isle of Manhattan, Russia, San Luis, and San Filippo. Other works relate to places closer to where she lives such as Dunwich in Suffolk and Brancaster in Norfolk.

The exhibition reveals Mary Webb’s continued interest in experimenting with colour. The Spring Colour Study series (1993), produced when Webb wasn’t travelling and was working on generating ideas in her studio, is a typical example of her setting herself a challenge and posing herself the question “what would happen if…?”. She explains that the “choice of colour was an attempt to find a red red, a blue blue etc” and that the black lines around the shapes were “the result of curiosity about what would happen if I put them there” commenting that “up to then colours did not have a boundary round them. It made the shapes very distinct but hard to arrange”.

Mary Webb studied in the Department of Fine Art at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne from 1958 to 1963. She then took a postgraduate course at Chelsea School of Art from 1963 to 1964 before teaching at Harrogate for two years. From 1966 until 1990, Webb taught painting at Norwich University College of the Arts (then known as Norwich School of Art). Mary Webb met Sonia Delaunay in Paris during the 1960s and cites her as an influence. The exhibition this autumn includes a work by Webb from Centre’s UEA Collection, which explicitly acknowledges the importance of Delaunay, entitled Hommage à Sonia Delaunay (1969).

Journeys in Colour runs alongside The Face of the Artist: Photographs by John Hedgecoe. The exhibition celebrates the Sainsbury Centre’s acquisition of more than 450 portraits by Hedgecoe, one of the most significant photographers in the history of British photography. It includes photographs of artists such as Dame Barbara Hepworth, David Hockney and Sir Stanley Spencer. A central focus of the show is images of artists including Francis Bacon and Henry Moore, who feature in the Centre’s collections, alongside their works.

Also during the autumn, a Ghanaian coffin in the form of television camera will be the unusual focal point of a new display about Ga art and culture at the Sainsbury Centre. The coffin, which is remarkably realistic despite its scale, was specially created last year for Griff Rhys Jones as part of the BBC television series Hidden Treasures of Africa. It is the first time since the television programme was broadcast that the general public will be able to see ‘fantasy coffin’. The display will make links with African objects in the Centre’s Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection, and in the spirit of the Collection, show that art can be found in all manner of objects.

Not long ago a juvenile female Marsh Harrier was brought to the Sanctuary by Stephen Hall, who found the bird with a damaged wing over at Southwold on the Suffolk coastline - an area prevalent with reed beds & marshland which form the natural habitat for this rarely-sighted species.

After a trip to the vet for a check-up and some further treatment & rest-&-recuperation time at the Sanctuary, the bird was passed ready for release and it was taken back to the place where it was found. Here we met Stephen again, who carried out the release - Any reports that the Harrier flew strong, circled a few times and then was joined by another Harrier.


Mr Hall said "I would like to thank Suffolk Owl Sanctuary for their expertise and work in getting this bird back to full health,and also allowing me to have the chance to be involved in the release of such a beautiful creature back into the wild".

Suffolk Owl Sanctuary Blog

Felbrigg 'Walk4Life Day' walk this Sunday 25 September - be part of this fun national initiative for everyone - click here for more info!

Active Norfolk EDP Sports Awards 2011! This will be taking place at the Forum on Wednesday 30 November. More information about the categories is available at www.activenorfolk.org/sportsawards

Look out for the new FREE club development workshops for facilities funding and Sportivate projects - visit www.activenorfolk.org/courses

The inaugural Village Games Finals took place on Sunday 4 September at the UEA Sportspark and were a huge success! For more information about the day including photos visit www.activenorfolk.org/villagegames. Get your village involved for next year!

The latest Coaches' Voice magazine should be winging its way to coaches who are registered on the Active Norfolk coach database. A pdf copy can be viewed and downloaded by clicking here.

Are you aged 16 to 25? NEW Sportivate activities available for you to have a go at - snowsports, golf, gym sessions - no experience necessary - www.activenorfolk.org/sportivate

NEW autumn GetBackInto programme is confirmed - visit www.activenorfolk.org/getbackinto

Visitors to Aylsham's two markets during the Aylsham Food Festival - 30 September to 2 October 2011 - will have the opportunity to taste a wide variety of locally produced foods. 

The Country Market, in Aylsham Town Hall on Friday 30 September, 8.50am to noon, will be offering 'tasters' from a variety of home made cakes, pies, cookies and savouries. Meanwhile, the Farmers' Market on the following morning will have a whole range of locally produced samples, from asparagus chutney to burgers, apple juice to fish pâté, cheese to sausages.

Aylsham's annual Food Festival is all about promoting local food and its producers. Giles Margarson, chairman of Slow Food Aylsham which organises the Festival says, "We are delighted that so many local producers will be offering samples of their food this year. Coupled with the Festival Dinner and the Big Slow Breakfast during the Festival weekend - both of which use local produce, Aylsham's Food Festival really is a showcase for food from our area."

Aylsham's Food Festival is now in its sixth year and is organised by Slow Food Aylsham, a branch of the international Slow Food movement. This year's Festival is running in association with Norfolk Food Festival and enjoys support from Broadland District Council, Aylsham High School, J B Postle and the National Trust. There is more information at www.slowfoodaylsham.org.uk