Please meet your new committee for 2026. We are a friendly and supportive group who work well together to organise the art related lectures and events for the Arts Society Alresford membership. If you are interested in joining our committee please contact one of the members below.

We currently have vacancies for Chairman, Vice Chairman and Special Interest Day co-ordinator.

You can find contact details for each of the committee members under 'Our Society' and scroll down to 'Committee'

Due to essential works taking place near to Itchen Abbas & Avington Village Hall, there will be no electricity on Tuesday 28th October and unfortunately this means we cannot accommodate the AGM meeting or October lecture. However, we have been able to secure the following Tuesday, 4th November and therefore will be moving the AGM to this date at the same time of 2pm. We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause and sincerely hope that you will be able to join us.

In addition, the October lecture; The English Garden, which was due to be presented by Gillian Taylor, will have to be rescheduled for another time as Gillian is committed elsewhere.

Our Programme Secretary, Julia, has been busy behind the scenes, and has fortunately been able to secure a replacement lecture at very short notice. We are delighted to welcome Joanne Rhymer, to speak on the Barbizon painters and details can be found on the lectures page here.

THE ARTS SOCIETY ALRESFORD 

WE HEREBY GIVE NOTICE THAT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) 
OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ARTS SOCIETY ALRESFORD 
WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY 28TH OCTOBER 2025 AT 2.00PM

AGENDA

1. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION
    
2. THE CHAIR WILL BE TAKEN
   Since the Society has neither a Chairman nor Vice Chairman, it is proposed under Clause 5 (b) of the Constitution that the Vice President Louise Biddiss takes the Chair.
    
3. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE 2024 AGM 
   The meeting will be asked to approve the Minutes of the AGM held on 22nd October 2024 (which are taken as read).
    
4. MATTERS ARISING 
    
5. NOMINATIONS FOR ELECTION & RE-ELECTION OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEE MEMBERS
   (Notice of which has been duly given, with proposers and seconders, by way of Mailchimp circulation as well as at the meeting on 23rd September 2025, and will also be displayed at the AGM).
    
6. RECEPTION OF THE COMMITTEE’S ANNUAL REPORT
   (The Report along with other papers for the AGM is being made available in electronic form).
    
7. RECEPTION OF THE TREASURER'S REPORT
   (Available in electronic form).
    
8. APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS
   (Available in electronic form).
   The Chairman will move a resolution that the independently reviewed and signed accounts be approved by the Members.
    
9. RESOLUTIONS
   That the membership fee be increased to £50 per member for 2025/26 (up from £46 per member).
    
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
    Unless notified to the Secretary or Treasurer prior to the AGM, there are no items to consider.

We give notice that committee member Fiona Scott-Morton has resigned from the committee with immediate effect due to family commitments. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Fiona for all she has done to support The Arts Society Alresford, for many years as Membership Secretary and more recently as a committee member. Fiona continues her membership of TASA and we look forward to seeing her at lectures.

At the March committee meeting, it was felt appropriate that the Arts Society Alresford publish an annual acknowledgement of members who have died in the previous 12 months. This will be circulated with the AGM notices in September. Therefore, if you would like a family member or friend who has been a member of The Arts Society Alresford to be remembered, please notify the Membership Secretary (tracey.pontin@btinternet.com) before September 1st 2025.

THE ARTS SOCIETY ALRESFORD 
WE HEREBY GIVE NOTICE THAT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM)
OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ARTS SOCIETY ALRESFORD  
WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY 22ND OCTOBER 2024 AT 2.00PM 

AGENDA 

1. THE CHAIR WILL BE TAKEN
   Since the Society has neither a Chairman nor Vice Chairman, it is proposed under Clause 5(b) of the Constitution that the Vice President Louise Biddiss takes the Chair
    
2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE 2023 AGM
   The meeting will be asked to approve the Minutes of the AGM held on 24th October 2023 (which are taken as read)
    
3. MATTERS ARISING
    
4. ELECTION & RE-ELECTION OF OFFICERS & COMMITTEE MEMBER (notice of which has been duly given, with proposers and seconders, at the meeting on 24th September 2024 and will be displayed at the AGM)
    
5. RE-ELECTION OF COMMITTEE MEMBERS
   The elections will be made en bloc.
    
6. RECEPTION OF THE COMMITTEE’S ANNUAL REPORT (the Report along with other papers for the AGM are being made available in electronic form)
    
7. RECEPTION OF THE TREASURER’S REPORT (available in electronic form)
    
8. APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS (available in electronic form)
   The Chairman will move a resolution that the independently reviewed and signed accounts be approved by the Members
    
9. RESOLUTIONS
   That the membership fee be increased to £46 per member for 2024/25 (up from £45/member)
    
10. ANY OTHER BUSINESS
    Unless notified to the Secretary or Treasurer prior to the AGM, there are no items to consider.

The Arts Society, Alresford
(Member of The Arts Society)

NOMINATION OF OFFICERS

The Committee Members have nominated the following for election as Chairman at theAGM on Tuesday 24th October 2023

Carol-Anne Harrisson (Vice Chairman 2023)

Proposed by Michael Kerby 

Seconded by Jane Varrall

The Committee Members have nominated the following for election as an OfOicer

Hon. Secretary  Sue Osman 

Proposed by Julia Kerby 

Seconded by Marguerite Colbeck

The Committee Members have nominated the following for re -election as an OfOicer

Hon. Treasurer Michael Kerby

Proposed by Jane Varrall

Seconded by Adrienne Edgerley Harris (2021-2022 Chairman)

'The officers…shall not hold the same post for more than three consecutive but such a term may beextended with the agreement of the Committee and after the endorsement of the AGM’ (Constitution 5a).This we seek to do in MK's case.
 

Hon. Membership Secretary Fiona Scott-Morton

Proposed by Michael Kerby 

Seconded by Gilly Greenwood

Committee Members willing to stand for re-election Julia Kerby (Lecture Programme)

Lucy James (Outings and Virtual Tours)

Jane Varrall (Arts Volunteering- formerly Young Arts) 

Helen Ellis-Brown (Website and Publicity)

Proposed en bloc by Marguerite Colbeck

Seconded by Gilly Greenwood

THE ARTS SOCIETY ALRESFORD
WE HEREBY GIVE NOTICE THAT THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) OF THE MEMBERS OF THE ARTS SOCIETY ALRESFORD WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY 24th October 2023 at 2pm.

AGENDA

1.    THE CHAIR WILL BE TAKEN
The Chairman, Louise Biddiss, will take the chair

2.    APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE 2022 AGM
The Meeting will be asked to approve the minutes of the AGM held on 25th October 2022
(which are taken as read)

3.    MATTERS ARISING

4.    ELECTION OF OFFICERS (notice of which has been duly given, with proposers and seconders at the meeting on 26th September 2023 and will be displayed at the AGM)

5.    ELECTION OF OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The elections will be made en-bloc

6.    RECEPTION OF THE CHAIRMAN’S ANNUAL REPORT (the Report along with other papers for the AGM are being made available in electronic form)

7.    RECEPTION OF THE TREASURER’S REPORT (available in electronic form)

8.    APPROVAL OF THE ACCOUNTS (available in electronic form)
The Chairman will move a resolution that the independently audited and signed accounts be approved by the Members

9.    APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT EXAMINER
The Chairman will move a resolution that Keith Brundrish, who has agreed, be appointed as independent examiner of the accounts for the coming year

10.    RESOLUTIONS
That the membership fee be increased to £45 per member for 2023/24 (up from £40/member)

11.    Any Other Business
Unless notified to the Chairman prior to the AGM, there are no items to consider.

27 September 2023

EVENT BOOKING INSTRUCTIONS
 

Dear Members

Please note that inline with Head Office we have updated our policy with regards to the booking of paid events.

If you would like a copy of 'General Notes for Members regarding Booking for Outings and Special Interest Days etc', please email louise@dilloway.net

Chairman

SATURDAY 29TH JANUARY 2022.

Tracey Sheppard - Glass and Eye Too.  Glass  engraver and Master of the Artworker's Guild.

Based in Winchester, Tracey is one of the UK's foremost glass engravers.  She will demonstrate the techniques and tools she employs in her work.  This will be a zoom lecture at 6.30pm - £20 per device.

FRIDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 2022  AT ITCHEN ABBAS & AVINGTON VILLAGE HALL.

Kim Wilkie - Internationally renowned landscape architect and writer, who also lives in Hampshire will be speaking on Towards a Sustainable Landscape.  £25 per ticket for drinks and canapes.  Lecture will be an hour starting at 7.15pm.  

Please apply for tickets via the website  www.itchenvalleychurches.org/martyr-worthy-lectures.  Enquiries : Verity Coleman 01962 882800 or Gilly Greenwood 01962 779 540.

I am delighted to announce that Adrienne Edgerley Harris is willing to be nominatedfor elcetion as Chairman of The Arts Society Alresford for one year, 2022, at this October's AGM. The Committee is delighted by this news as I am sure all members will be. 

Louise DIlloway

Chairman

Please register your vote by Friday 30 April 2021

Regrettably visits for June and July 2021 have been cancelled owing to the uncertainty of the current  pandemic situation  See Visits section for further information

Please go to Special Interest Days on this website for up to date information

We extend our heartfelt sympathies to Our former Chairman, Marguerite, who has recently lost her husband,Logan,in a terrible accident. 

CAROLYN BATEMAN

We reported the untimely death after a short ilness of Carolyn Bateman earlier in this year. I felt the notice  should be repeated at this time of our AGM. Carolyn was a member of the society for many years and served on the committee for 8 as a general support member and heading up our Heritage Volunteers at the Gurkha Museum, Winchester. Recently, she was helping Antoinette with Outings. Carolyn had so many skills and talents. Her lively personality and friendliness is very much missed by her friends in the Society. 

Louise Dilloway, Chairman

It is with sadness we notify members of the death this September of Jill O'hagan, a former Treasurer and Committee Member of the Arts Society Alresford.May she rest in peace.

As members are already aware, unfortunately due to the covid 19 restrictions, we are not able to hold our three Autumn lectures in the Hall, and these will be delivered via Zoom webinar link.     All the information relating to this and instructions on how to register for the lecture etc., will go out via a mail chimp email one day ahead.

Prepare to be immersed in Sicily with Paul Roberts talk : From Greece to the Normans - The Splendour of Sicily on Tusday 22nd. September.

HAWK WALK

All the places forthe hawk walks on 2 and 9 October are now filled. 

Please let Louise know if you would be interested in adding your name to the waiting lists for a Hawk Walk with Anita Ebdon of Hampshire Hawk Walks, on 2 Octber  11:00 am  and 9 October 2:00pm. The walks take place in the grounds of Chawton House. Anita will use two of her Harris Hawks  in the grounds demonstrating their skills. As an outdoor meeting we are not so restricted by Covid rules. Chawton House is also open to serve refreshments out of doors. Everyone would make their own way to Chawton House.  I understand the new director of the Jane Austen House Museum has upgraded their dispalys  and it may be possible to make a group booking to visit there as well. 

If you are interested in more details please email louise@dilloway.net

 The Village Hall at Itchen Abbas cannot accomodate our numbers for the lectures in September, October and November 2020. We are delighted that these will be delivered via a Zoom Webinar link. Members will receive notification about how to access the link in due course.

Louise Dilloway

August 2020 

A CRYPTIC QUIZ FOR ART LOVERS 

This has been created for us by a fellow-member of the Arts Society Alresford.  If you would like a copy of the answers and explanations please send an email request to louise@dilloway.net.

1    Whose portrait of whom, displayed in the Uffizi, captures a famous piece of nasal surgery from 15th-century Italy?

2    Which 16th-century painter paid homage to his Habsburg patrons by delivering vegetables?

3    Who stands 4.34 metres tall not far from the River Arno?

4    A great French novelist created a character who dies in a gallery while rapturously viewing a "little patch of yellow wall" that appers within a (real) 17th-century painting. Who was the author? Who was the artist? And in which town did the painter find the patch?

5    Which marine artist from abroad reached his last mooring at Piccadilly in 1702?

6    Who was the Victorian father-figure, working under lock and key, that became celebrated for his depiction of fairies?

7    Which 19th-century painter's memoir of exotic travel sounds as though it came from the Ark? 

8    What set of artists joined together as "prophets" in the 1890s?

9    Which former Parisian gatekeeper turned the Jardin des Plantes into a jungle?

10   What artistic grouping from the early-20th century might appear to have attracted some Conservative cavalry?

11   Which artist helped to give Tom Rakewell an outing to the Sussex Downs in the 1970s?

12   In the late-20th century whose glasswork became centred somewhere between Oxford Circus and Holborn? 

Enjoy!           

From Head Office The Arts Society is offering:

A Community Website

A blog from Florian Schweitzer

Films every fortnight by accredited lecturers

and much, much more! 

Please log in to the headquarters website and  enjoy many arts items in these days of lockdown and cancelled or postponed lectures.

Louise Dilloway

Chairman

A new Children's Trail was launched this morning at ST MARY'S CHURCH, EASTON .This trail was creatd by committee member Sandra Fletcher with help from Judy Bishop and under the encouragement of Janet Pooley our area organiser. Please take your children or grandchilren to the church and enjoy the fun of discovering more about this church and indeed about church art and architecure in general. 

The Notice advising Nomination of Officers prior to the 22nd October AGM is in the documents section of this website.

Many thanks,

Sarah Rees

THE CHURCH CAR PARK

The church car park is again available for us to use. Please make a row of cars along the side fence,then leave a gap fpr reversing and then another row of cas behind the first row. If more parking is neeed then make a row facing the big gate alongside the fence tio the churchyard. The church is anxious abut the state of the new surface because of the dry Summer, so we are asked to take great care when driving onto and over the surface to park our cars. Please  try to avoid doing too many manouevres to find a space to leave your car. 

Many thanks.

Louise Dilloway

Chairman

Please remember that for three months after Easter it will not be possible to use the church car park because it is being resurfaced. Please allow extra time to find alternative parking spaces. Perhaps it may be possible to combine the journey with a fellow member to help alleviate the situation? If you are using the spaces at the village hall please try to park as neatly and space efficiently as you can while avoiding using the roadside which may impede traffic driving up to the businesses above the hall. 

Many thanks.  

This year we have given £1,000 to Perins Academy in support of their annual school production. This year they performed Bernstein's 'West Side Story' at The Grange,Northington. Our sponsorship helped to buy in a choreographic expert to help train the cast in the complex dance moves demanded by this musical. The  media reports of this amazing production have been wonderful. It was a rare opportunity for a large cast of performers,musicians and back stage support people from the school and from Alresford to experience performing in a professional opera house.We feel proud to have supported a school where emphasis is given to the creative arts. 

We are again financially supporting Perin's Academy annual production through our Young Arts programme. This year the school is performing Bernstien's  West Side Story at The Grange, Northington. Tickets are availabe from The Grange box office from 24 April using the code EARLY BIRD.   

Members will be sad to hear of the recent deaths of Judy Rake and Pat Vallacott.Both were loyal and supportive members of The Arts Society Alresford.Pat was one of the very first members of the group  when it was set up thirty years ago. We  send our very best wishes to their families and friends at a sad time. 

Louise Diloway

Chairman

I am delighted to announce that Judy Bishop has won the ballot for the person whose name has been forwarded to be entered in the national ballot for the chance to represent The Arts Society Alresford at a Buckingham Palace  Garden Party this summer.  There are approximately 300 societies and there are 30 places.  I was allowed 500 words to justify our choice.  I hope I have done her justice and that she will be chosen to go. 

Marguerite

Chairman

Te Arts Society Alresford

The Lilacs

Homestead Road

Medstead GU34 5NA

margueritecolbeck@hotmail.com

30th January  2018

Dear Member

Buckingham Palace Garden Party

As I mentioned at Tuesday's meeting, to  mark our 50th anniversary, The Arts Society has been offered thirty places  to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace this summer.   Each local society has been asked to nominate one member.  The Arts Society nationally will then choose thirty from the sum of the local nominations.  We have to justify our choice, and this person must be providing excellent service to our own local society, as well as being active in the community.  Your committee has short listed the following three candidates as follows, in alphabetical order:

Judy Bishop

Janet Pooley

Angela Stansfield Smith

I would be very grateful if you could vote for one by sending your choice by email to me asap, ideally now!!!

Many thanks

Marguerite

Chairman

The Arts Society, Alresford

Please click on "Our Society" scroll down to "Documents" and click on "2018 Lectures for complete list

Joanna Hardy enthralled members with her knowledge, experience and the fun of jewelry at this study day.

Fewer members attended than we hoped would, but the smaller number of participants added to the special atmosphere. Members were able to find out from her about their own items of jewelry.

The catering was superb, delicious food and plenty of it.  In fact many members went home with doggy bags!!