Events in 2009 and before
Thursday November 26th - 8pm
Bedford Park Society Betjeman Lecture
Philip Venning , secretary of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), will be giving this year’s Betjeman Lecture, organised by The Bedford Park Society. Entitled, Our Legacy To Future Generations, it will take place at St Michael and All Angels Church, on November 26th at 8pm.
This year’s lecture is doubly appropriate as Sir John Betjeman was not only the Bedford Park Society’s first patron, but also a long-standing SPAB committee member.
SPAB hit the headlines in the summer when Prince Charles resigned as its patron, following a dispute over his forward to The old house repair book, which was supported by SPAB. The Prince felt that any alternations or additions to old buildings should be in the same style, while SPAB argued that a modern approach could be equally appropriate as long as it was sympathetic to the original.
SPAB was founded in 1877 by William Morris, who was closely associated with Jonathan Carr and his first garden suburb in Bedford Park.
Wednesday November 4th - Cards for Good Causes shop opens (right: Father Stephen Stavrou opens the shop with managers Gill Stevens and Anne Mower)
Friday September 25th to Sunday September 27th - Chiswick Book Festival
Events for adults and children in St Michael & All Angels Church and Parish Halls, and other Chiswick venues, in aid of reading and literacy charities and St Michael's arts and community projects
Tuesday July 14th to Friday July 17th - Parish Pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norfolk
Saturday June 13th to Sunday June 28th - Bedford Park Festival
See 'Festival' for details
Saturday May 16th - Christian Aid Quiz Supper
Wednesday February 4th 2009, Robert Muchamore
More than 200 young fans and their parents came to hear the author of the best-selling Cherub books, at St Michael & All Angels Church. He spoke about how he became a writer and his new Henderson's Boys series. He then took lots of questions and signed dozens of books. If your children don't know the books, they can find out more here: http://www.cherubcampus.com/the%20recruit.htm
The event was organised by Waterstones in Chiswick High Road, W4 1PD, 020 8995 3559, and was a forerunner to the Chiswick Book Festival in September
January 2009 - Trip to Holy Land, led by Father Kevin Morris- see Pictures
Events in 2008
Thursday November 27th - Hogarth & the Performing Arts - Jeremy Barlow
St Michael's Parish Hall - see below:
Saturday November 22nd - NCT Christmas Fair
St Michael & All Angels Parish Hall. A great day out for everyone! A fantastic opportunity to get your Christmas present shopping done, whilst offering something for all the family. Let the kids enjoy the face painting and tumble tots corner and visit Father Christmas to put in your present list, whilst you relax with a Starbucks coffee and lots of lovely food AND FANTASTIC MUSIC from our wonderful Jazz band J. There will be 20 great stalls selling fantastic products for you to purchase all those Christmas presents. All profits going to the charity, the National Childbirth Trust.
Wednesday November 12th - Bedford Park Society's annual Betjeman Lecture 8pm in St Michael and All Angels Church. It will be given by Alastair Lansley, the architect in charge of the marvellous restoration of St Pancras Station and its conversion to Eurostar terminal. Sir John Betjeman was instrumental in saving the Victorian station, when it was under threat in the 1960s. Tickets £7.50 at the door, proceeds to research into Parkinson's Disease, which Sir John suffered from.
Saturday November 8th - Hafla, Middle Eastern dance party - Parish Hall *
From 7-11pm, performances from Cynthia's students, as well as professional belly dancers from the UK, followed by a disco. Tickets £12 (booking recommended) Lebanese vegetarian food available for £8 (advance orders required). Cynthia 07960 427 687, or cynthiatabone@yahoo.co.uk, or www.cynthiadance.com.
* not organised by the parish.
Wednesday October 22nd - Just Deserts? Issues of Justice for Young Offenders
At 7.30 for 8pm, in St Michael & All Angels Parish Hall, Chiswick Churches for Justice and Peace will be hosting ‘Just Deserts? - Issues of Justice for Young Offenders‘, with representatives from HM Young Offender Institute Feltham and the Prison Fellowship of England and Wales. The evening will explore the prison professionals’ perspective on the social issues that lead to crime amongst young people, the importance of Restorative Justice Projects and how local faith communities can help through long-term support. All welcome. Admission Free.
Tuesday October 7th - Celia Brayfield - Creative Writing Course.
At St Michael & All Angels Parish Hall, author Celia Brayfield starts another 8-week creative writing course. Friendly, informal, suitable for anyone who would like to learn or practise imaginative prose - short stories, a novel, personal memoirs or life writing. 7.15 to 9pm. £160 for eight workshops. 07788 710 130 or celia.brayfield@virgin.net.
Sunday October 5th - Harvest Festival at St Michael & All Angels
10am - Family Service with singing led by the Junior Choir. Please bring gifts for the Upper Room and St Mary's Convent and Nursing Home. Non-perishable food items are most welcome, plus toiletries for the Upper Room.
Saturday September 6th - West London Literary Festival party
St Michael's held a party to celebrate the West London Literary Festival, on Acton Green. Local authors signed their books, includiing David Shreeve, director of the Conservation Foundation, whose new book Don't Stop At The Lights is just out (http://www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2394111); and Brent Furnas, whose novel My Forehead and Other Oddities is in a new edition. Profits from refreshments went to Macmillan Cancer Support (Chiswick Committee) - and there was music by Nadia Cripps and Jago Furnas.
Saturday June 7th to Sunday June 22nd - Bedford Park Festival
See programme for concert details and other events
Saturday February 2nd - Family Barn Dance
Friday January 25th - The Bedford Park Society Winter Party
Saturday January 19th -
Christian Aid Quiz Supper
Almost 80 people packed into the Parish Hall (right) for a highly entertaining quiz and delicious supper which raised around £1,800 for Christian Aid. Thanks to all those who took part and who helped make the evening
a success.
Repair and Repainting Appeal
It's official - the appeal for the repair and repainting of St Michael’s has been completed! We've raised more than £275,000 to restore the exterior and interior of the church (right) and are paying off the loans. Father Kevin Morris, the vicar of St Michael's, said: "It's a great achievement and I never thought we'd do it by the end of 2007, well ahead of our target! Thank you all for your help and hard work over the past three years."
Two of the fundraising events in 2007 that made it possible were the Bedford Park Festival and
St Michael's Venetian Masked Ball.