Reports on Outings and Days of Special Interest: 2008

  • Treasures of Saffron Walden: Tuesday 7th October 2008
  • Dianne Howes writes....

    The study day in Saffron Walden was a great success.

    The group had a warm welcome at The Fry Art Gallery. We were quickly seated and served with coffee and tea, and quite the best selection of biscuits of any trip that we have been on!

    Sally Sans-Renton provided us with an introduction to the founding of the museum and then went on to discuss the work of the various artists on display.

    There was 2 hours of free time for people to lunch at will and explore the market.

    In the afternoon Rosanne Kirk-Patrick gave us an excellent guided tour of St Mary the Virgin Church. She is a NADFAS church recorder as well as being a blue badge guide of Saffron Walden.This was very evident in the methodical and knowledgeable way that she introduced us to the various artefacts and points of interest to be found in the church.

    Both speakers were very good and the rain stayed away, so all in all - a good day!

  • Nazeing Glass Works
  • : Friday 4th April 2008

    This first NADFAS visit was organised by Dianne Howes who contacted Andy McConnell from The Antiques Road Show following his lecture in January. He suggested that a study day might be set up at Nazeing Glass Works, particularly as it is in our area. This was the first time that the glass works was opened up to tours of the factory and the museum. The owner, Stephen Pollock-Hill, was most co-operative and the two visits were a great success. Around 100 members were able to see at first hand the various processes involved in the glass making and admire some of the end products of these processes in the excellent glass museum that is on site.

    Mrs Ann Hollis, Chairman, commented at the January meeting that the Nazeing visit would be a "first" for NADFAS, as was the most successful day at the Dolmetsch Workshop in October 2007.

    Saffron Walden: Study Day October 2008

    A brief history of Welwyn Garden DFAS

    With the 30th anniversary of the founding of our society in 2010, chairman Dianne Howes brings our history up-to-date.

    What is NADFAS?

    Founded in 1968 by Patricia Fay, NADFAS is an arts-based charity, with over 340 local Decorative and Fine Art Societies in the UK and Mainland Europe. All NADFAS Societies subscribe to the aims and objects of the National Association: the advancement of arts education and appreciation and the preservation of our artistic heritage. NADFAS promotes these aims through lectures on the fine and decorative arts in their widest sense, through study days, visits and tours and through volunteering activities, such as Church Recorders, Heritage Volunteers and Young Arts and the giving of grants.