London Clarion Cycle Club
2023-04-18 20:30 - 22:00 (Europe/London) | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
From their website:
“The London Clarion Cycle Club is an inclusive, friendly community of cyclists from all around London. Founded in May 1895, we are one of the capital’s oldest cycling clubs and take our motto “Fellowship is Life” from William Morris. In an effort to promote socialism, members would cycle out to meetings and distribute literature while enjoying a glass of ale! We promote socialist, anti-fascist and feminist values while remaining collective and politically minded.”
Join us for a presentation on their history, purpose and activities.

The Search for the Yeti – talk by Clare Walker
2023-04-25 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
After Clare’s talk on Women Spitfire Pilots back in November. demand was high for another visit from her.
So here she is to tell the story of her husband’s trip to the Himalayas with Chris Bonington in search of the Abominable Snowman. Did they find him, or did he find them? Take your seat and find out!
Visit Clare’s website for details of her and her talks.

Builders Arms Quiz
2023-05-02 20:30 - 23:00, 2023-07-18 20:30 - 22:00 | Builder’s Arms Pub, 65 Leslie Park Road, Croydon, CR0 6TP

In the Footsteps of Ewan MacColl
2023-05-09 19:00 - 23:00 | Stanley Arts, 12 South Norwood Hill, London, SE25 6AB, United Kingdom

Spring into Summer - Walk with Olga
2023-05-16 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Olga will take us on a walk. From her email:
We are going to have a very local walk as it starts getting dark about 8.30 – SO…
Meet by the main entrance of Park Hill in Barclay Road (near the Magistrate Court) at 19.30
We will walk through Park Hill and then towards Lloyd Park. It is going to be an easy and relaxed three miles walk.
On the way back we can go for a drink to The Porter and Sorter near East Croydon station.

Our Trip to Chile
2023-05-23 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Olga and Marco
NOTE that this event has moved from its original date of 16th May

Captions & Chatter
2023-05-30 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom

Evening Walk: Merstham lakes
2023-06-06 19:00 - 22:00
Margaret will lead this walk.
Meet at East Croydon at 19:00 to catch the 19:06 train to Merstham which arrives at 19:23. Margaret will meet you at Merstham station.
We will walk around Mercer’s Lake and possibly some other lakes in the Merstham area. The walk is mainly flat. We will finish with a drink at the Feathers pub.

Trees4Croydon Presentation
2023-06-13 20:30 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
This is a presentation by Trees4Croydon, where we will determine the scope and nature of COPSE’s participation in this year’s event.
Full details to follow – watch this space!
(NOTE Barry’s walk, originally scheduled for this date, will now be on 27th June)

Ken's Kroydon Kwiz
2023-06-20 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Remember the Croydon Roundabouts theme during lockdown? Oh, the fun we had!
This is your chance to relive those halcyon days – and impress your fellow COPSErs – by demonstrating your encyclopaedic knowledge of your town’s most (or possibly least) interesting features.
Not to be missed!

Evening Walk: South Norwood Country Park
2023-06-27 19:00 - 22:00
NOTE This walk has been rescheduled from its original date of 13th June to accommodate the Trees4Croydon event.
Barry will lead this walk
Meet at Blackhorse Lane tramstop 19.30 for a walk through Brickfields Meadow and South Norwood Country Park. Returning from Arena tramstop to Addiscombe for a drink at the Claret & Ale. (1 minute from the tramstop) or continue home towards E. Croydon.

Visitors' Open Evening
2023-07-04 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
A chance to be greeted, meet some Club members and find out what we do.
Come along to our Hall from 8.15pm

Ice Cream Walk
2023-07-11 20:00 - 22:00
Meet at 8pm outside Fairfield Halls Croydon for a 60 to 90 minute stroll through lesser visited parts of Croydon culminating at an exciting new ice cream parlour.
A bus ride back to the town centre and visit to a recently re-vamped pub so bring travel passes.

Mull Retrospective
2023-07-25 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
In May this year twenty of COPSE’s finest spent a week in a lodge on the beautiful island of Mull, in the Inner Hebrides.
A great time was had by all, enjoying the island in numerous ways – touring, wildlife spotting, walking, boating, eating & drinking and playing silly games.
This evening we’ll present a multimedia experience to relive the trip and show the rest of you what you missed. Should be a fun and informative night.

Summer Stroll
2023-08-01 20:30 - 22:00
Meet outside our Tuesday meeting hall from 8pm for an 8.15pm departure. We will walk for 60 to 90 mins / approx. 2 miles, through South Croydon taking in the lesser visited Haling Grove and the spaciousness of Purley Way Playing fields. Majestic architecture, flora and dusk skies will amaze us.
You can curtail the walk with a ride on the 119 bus but eager copsers will wish to conclude the walk via the enigmatic Violet Lane and The Waldrons, dip down via an old Club haunt and up to our usual watering hole of Ruskin House (approx. 9.45 / 10pm).
Andrew

Lesley's Trip to Uzbekistan
2023-08-08 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Unbeknownst to most of us, earlier this year Lesley went on a tour of Uzbekistan.
Why?
Where?
How?
Turn up to find out! She’s come back with an outstanding set of photos and tales of her trip, and now she’s going to share them with the rest of us.

Quiz Nite
2023-08-15 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Andrew will entertain us with his ingenious Quiz!

Captions & Kit
2023-08-22 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Yes, this time it’s Captions and Kit!
This Tuesday we have a variation on our ever-popular “Captions and . . . “ themed Club Night.
Not only . . .
. . . has Linda has selected the usual challenging set of photos for you to apply your wits to, and recognition will undoubtedly fall to the wittiest.
. . . but also . . .
. . . a novel “Kit” component of the evening.
This is your opportunity to unload or acquire items of kit, while benefitting our favourite charity, Shelterbox. As Ireen explains below, the original thought was to buy / sell / haggle over outdoor kit of the kind COPSE people often have occasion to use, but there’s no reason to confine ourselves to that – anything you no longer want to give house or shed room to is eligible.
Also, as a seller you decide how to split the spoils with Shelterbox – 100/0, 50/50, 0/100 and points between, the choice is yours.
Here’s the full explanation, from Ireen’s email:
Dear All,
A suggestion from Keith S, concerning similar experience with another club, will be taken forward for COPSE at our Tuesday, 22nd August evening.
Our programme had “Captions” listed and this will now become “Captions & Kit”!
The idea is that all Members are invited to bring along items that they wish to part with and that funds raised will be put aside to add to our annual ShelterBox donation.
Occasionally, some COPSErs do advertise that this or that is available, “if anyone wants it.” Of course, outdoor activity gear such as walking poles etc. might be well received but other items you would appreciate parting with (thereby gaining more house space!) might also find new homes.
Some large tables will be available to display things and you can label your contributions with your name and set price – or perhaps bartering might happen. Anyway, we’ll give it all a try.
The “Captions” part of the evening will still provide its usual chances for the fun of creative thought but we’ll add this opportunity to sell/buy, while people are milling around thinking about the photos on the wall.
PLEASE ESPECIALLY NOTE THAT ANY ITEMS REMAINING UNSOLD MUST BE TAKEN AWAY AGAIN. We shall not be adding them to our upstairs storeroom!

Regards,

Ireen Best (07968 035522)

Chi Kung: the Shibashi
2023-09-05 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Let Teresa continue her introduction to Chi Kung / Qigong by introducing you to the Shibashi.
Explanation shamelessly ripped off from another website:
“Shibashi” means eighteen and Shibashi Qigong is a wonderful set of 18 Qigong exercises practised as a whole for maintaining all round good health and wellbeing. The movements are simple, gentle and flowing, and a joy to practise.

The Autism talk originally scheduled for this date has had to be postponed. With luck it will appear in the Autumn programme.

Singalong with Steve
2023-09-12 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Steve Barbe returns to again take an impromptu COPSE choir through its vocal paces. No singing ability required, this is purely about enjoying the process of exercising your lungs and making some (possibly musical) noise.
Steve brings humour and freshness to get the most unpromising vocalisers up and joining in.

Jana's Quiz
2023-09-19 20:30 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Jana’s put together an entirely novel and mysterious Quiz for us all. Come along and enjoy!

Gatliff Planning
2023-09-26 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Gatliff Time!
This evening is one for Planning for the Gatliff Marathon, and your chance to go hands-on with your support for this major Club event.
Unlike last year’s effort there’ll be no struggles with the field communications system. Instead it will be an evening of creating, packing and sorting materials for the big day. Margaret will be there to organise, give information and answer your questions.
The event takes place on Saturday 14th October, and has been many months in preparation, led by Margaret. I’m sure you’re all aware that, in addition to its intrinsic benefits as an enjoyable occasion, the Gatliff has long been a major contributor to Club funds and a factor in keeping our Subscription as low as it is. It deserves your support in every way possible.
I completed the 25K last year, and I’m down to do it again. If my ancient limbs can do it, what’s stopping you???
Ken

100 Spaces in 100 Days
2023-10-03 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
A talk by Nicola Hunt
Nicola entertained us last year with the very well appreciated “Grand Day Out in Croydon” talk she gave with the RSPB.

This time her theme is Croydon’s open spaces. Expect to learn a lot more about them than you thought you knew!

Acoustic Jam at Oval Tavern
2023-10-10 20:15 - 22:00 | Oval Tavern, Croydon, 131 Oval Road, Croydon, CR0 6BR, United Kingdom
“You know, I don’t like straight lines. The problem is that most instruments are square and music is always round.”
So spoke Tom Waits, and he should know. But I’m here to tell you that, in Croydon, music is Oval!
This week COPSE will invade the Oval Tavern, so there’s nothing on at the Hall.
Keith S has organised a visit to the Open Mic night at the Oval Tavern. Come along to enjoy a drink or two with your COPSE pals and some good music in an informal setting.
In case you missed Keith’s email last week, here are the details again:
As mentioned last night, next weeks club night (10th), will instead be at Croydon’s “oval tavern” for their weekly “songbird” open mic session 🎙🎸🎵 for mostly local singers + songwriters which normally starts about 8pm
I’ll be getting there about 6.30pm where three adjacent tables of four have been booked from 7PM on a “first come, first served basis”, so try to get there early or you’ll have to find a seat at the back somewhere.
if you haven’t been there, the pub offers “reasonably priced” food served until 9pm + there’s a good selection of real ales, ciders, wine + coffee, where all details should be shown on their website.
“the oval tavern” is at 131 Oval Road CR0 6BG + about ten minutes walk from east croydon stn down cherry orchard road, where oval road is second on the right + the pub is near the end on the left.
if you have any queries, please let me know.
Keith

Whist Drive
2023-10-17 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
What’s a Whist Drive? Ask your Grandma!
Or, better still, come along to a games evening where Keith R will revive this ancient social event for our delight.

My Ancestor the Arctic Explorer with Clare Walker
2023-10-24 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Clare, who has entertained us with great effect with her talks on Women Spitfire Pilots and The Search for the Yeti, returns with another riveting tale.

AGM
2023-10-31 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom

Hatches, Matches and Dispatches with Gloria Morris
2023-11-07 08:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Gloria has a highly recommended tale to tell of her life on the front line of Registrations!

Autism: Talk by Vivien Dawes
2023-11-14 20:15 - 22:00 | South Croydon United Church Hall, Aberdeen Road, South Croydon, CR0 1EQ, United Kingdom
Tuesday evening we have a special presentation on a subject many of us are affected by but know very little about: Autism. Viv Dawes is an Autism Advocate and clearly an expert in her field – you can see a range of her publications and activities on her website here. From her introduction:
I am Viv Dawes, a late-identified and diagnosed autistic lived experience advocate, writer and trainer. I am also the parent of a ND teenager. I have over 25 years’ experience of working with vulnerable young people and adults, including neurodivergent people. I have many years’ experience in delivering training, online and face to face workshops, management of programmes and have vast experience and understanding of how to work with vulnerable young people and adults.
She’s also the sister of our member Teresa, and as such comes well recommended to us!
Teresa’s words from last week’s email:
Just wanted to encourage you all to please be present for my sister’s talk next week. I think many of you will be able to relate to the presentation and also to become better informed about neurodiversity and autism.
Come along for what should be an evening of enlightenment for us all.
