As I write this in late February, we are still in the grip of winter, with snow flurries falling by my window, but I'm sure the promise of spring and long hot summer days is not far away. We certainly have a full programme this season to make the most of our opportunities of promoting Copped Hall as a centre for culture, the arts and education. By now you will all have received your copies of the green book, so will know of all the events we have planned for you. I won’t list them again as I am sure they appear elsewhere in this newsletter, but I'd like to ask you to give them as much support as you can. These fundraising events are so important to the restoration of the Hall and without your support our task would be that much more difficult.
The one thing we arrange exclusively for the Friends of the Copped Hall Trust is our annual outing. This year we will be going to Dover Castle. It has just finished the most extensive restoration that English Heritage has undertaken. We have also arranged for us to have a private tour of the secret wartime tunnels. The date will be 8 May and we will be giving details closer to that date but please contact Frances Dennett to book your places as soon as possible, as the coach is likely to be overbooked and it has to be first come first served.
Those of you that have visited the mansion recently will know how much progress has been made. The project is getting more and more exciting all the time. Of course the more helpers we have the easier it gets. So if you think you'd like to get involved with lending a hand you would be made most welcome. Whether you'd like to help in the gardens,mansion, on refreshments or at events, let us know or come along on a Sunday morning and we'll show you the ropes. You will see later on in the newsletter an appeal for help with stewarding at our larger events, when we are particularly in need of extra assistance.
Tables in the south room being set up for the civic reception held by the new chairman of Epping Forest District Council, Penny Smith, in October last year. Photo: Epping Forest District Council
I will be continuing with the Friends’ garden visits again this year. It had a slow start last year but I'm sure it will gain momentum in the future, as seems to be the way with new events we organise. For those that are not familiar with the concept, the Friends open their gardens to other members of the Friends as a fundraising exercise. You choose what date you'd like to invite other Friends to your garden and I then advertise your event by news bulletin. If you charge a pound or two for entry, useful funds will be raised for Copped Hall. We all enjoy looking around other people's gardens and it's a fun way of making friends and getting to know other members.
Of course things like the garden visits will not work if we can’t communicate with the membership at short notice. That is why I thought it important to bring in email news bulletins. We now send news bulletins at regular intervals to well over 300 addresses. So, if you'd like to receive these extra communications from us, please send your email address to coppedhallnews@talktalk.net.
So, in closing, may I wish you a most enjoyable year at Copped Hall, whether you are a volunteer working in the Hall and gardens, a visitor looking forward to great events or just a supporter watching goings on from afar.
Dave Karaskas
Chairman, Friends of the Copped Hall Trust