LeDFAS 20th Anniversary Lunch

Not content with merely having birthday cake and wine, as at last month's lecture, LeDFAS decided to celebrate its 20th anniversary in style this month.  We had a special lecture followed by lunch in the superb surroundings of St John’s School. 

Bertie Pearce is a Professor of Punch and Judy, and he entertained us with an account of how this much-loved English tradition had developed from the medieval Italian Commedia Del'Arte.  Although it is now associated with children, it was originally entertainment for adults and it had a subversive streak not far removed from the Spitting Image satires of the 1980s and 1990s. 

He showed us some of the Punch and Judy props, such as the crocodile and the swazzle: a little diaphragm that performers hold in their mouths to produce the strange voices that are associated with the characters.  He gave us first-hand stories of some of the problems experienced by the performers – such as children trying to touch the puppets (which he effectively deterred by using the crocodile to snap their fingers).

After a short interlude, chatting in the sunshine in the school's splendid courtyard, we went into lunch in the hall.  Lunch was of a quality standard that was more like a top restaurant than the school meals that we remembered from our childhoods.  And wine wasn't a feature of school meals either – but of course it was necessary on this occasion, so that we could drink the appropriate toasts.

It was worth celebrating the efforts of the volunteers over the last 20 years who have helped to make the society such a social success. 

 LeDFAS chairman John Andrews and president June Robinson cutting the cake

Press Notice

LeDFAS 20th Birthday

On Wednesday 8 March we celebrated our 20th anniversary as a society: one branch of many in the National Decorative and Fine Arts Society (NADFAS).  Leatherhead is particularly privileged in that our branch president, June Robinson, is also the chairman of what has now become an international organisation.  She joined our chairman, John Andrews, for the celebration and helped him cut the superb cake (which had been baked by his wife Mary).

We had a most enjoyable lecture by John Ericson, on the subject of art inspired by wine.  He is a very popular speaker and the event was well attended.  He started with a joke that got everybody laughing, and the humour continued throughout his talk.  Pictures of the infant Bacchus, and some cartoons on the subject of the over-enjoyment of wine, were particularly amusing.

He showed us some beautiful decanters and interesting corkscrews, noting that there are more than 300 British corkscrew patents.  He continued by talking about the importance of wine labels, which have a great influence on which bottles we choose to buy.  Château Mouton Rothschild has invited famous artists to contribute artworks for its labels, which have become collectables.  We all learned a lot about wine and its accessories.

At the end of the talk we had glasses of wine to celebrate (though sadly not from that château).  People stayed longer than usual to chat to each other, and that rounded off the evening.

John Andrews, Leatherhead DFAS Chairman is delighted that our President June Robinson has received a BEM in the Queen's Birthday Honours

In the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List, National Chairman, June Robinson, has received the British Empire Medal for her services to the community in Surrey.

 For the past 6 years June has been and is currently Chairman of the Leatherhead Community Association (LCA), a charity based in the Institute, gifted to the people of Leatherhead by a Victorian benefactor – with no bequest to sustain it.   To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Olympic cycle races which passed the building and the 120thanniversary of the Institute in 2012, she led the design of a superb wall sculpture commissioning the Fire & Iron Gallery and with local young people involved in its creation.  This was funded by the LCA, Leatherhead Society of NADFAS and Surrey County Council.

 A member of Mole Valley District’s Heritage Open Days committee for 15 years, in 2015 the Team won national recognition by the Civic Society with an award as “Star Organisers”.

 June founded the Leatherhead Decorative & Fine Arts Society in 1997.  During her Chairmanship the Society sponsored arts opportunities for children including the creation of a school mosaic, a workshop on stage design and a photographic project in the local primary school.  She is now President of the Society.

 As Chairman of NADFAS East Surrey Area she negotiated a partnership with the National Trust property at Polesden Lacey for NADFAS volunteers to create reproductions of Edwardian costumes to be worn by stewards and volunteers at themed events. These costumes and the skills of over 30 volunteers are valued highly by the Trust and visitors.

 For the Leatherhead Theatre, which has no local authority funding, she has promoted a number of events.  In 2013 there was a NADFAS lecture to complement screening of the film “Summer in February”, raising £3,500 towards the fund for equipment to stream live events. Then in 2014 a lecture and screening of the film “Mr Turner”, raised a further £3,000.

 In her spare time, she is also a Trustee of the Friends of Leatherhead Parish Church, a non-denominational charity dedicated to raising funds for the maintenance of a beautiful mediaeval building, which “just swallows money”.