August 2010

A visit to the Edinburgh military Tattoo -  outstanding pipes, drums and international marching bands but not forgetting the huge contribution our troops are playing in the world.

August 2010

A very special visit to the Passion Play at Oberammergau.  It is a very moving performance  reliving the events of Holy Week from  the entry to Jerusalem to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  You actually feel part of it, experience how a crowd can be turned in a week and how the High Priests saw their authority so challenged that they were prepared to see Jesus flogged and crucified in such an inhuman way – man’s cruelty to man has no bounds.  You feel drained at the end.

June 2010

Champagne and Canapés at Fryerning  House for the Brentwood and Ongar Conservatives the day was enhanced by excellent musical entertainment.

May 2010

Heather Royal wins her first race at Bangor ridden by Tony McCoy

April/May 2010

Mistress Cooper delivers Miss Cooper and Close Harmony produces CoCo.
 

April 2010

Keith and Rita join Lucy, Emily Annabel and Jack in Portugal for a family holiday.  Kaya joins for a few days  and shows her skills on the racetrack.
 

March 2010

Piper Royal at Plumpton looks magnificent but bleeding problems brought his racing career to an end but he has a future as a jump horse.  However, Busker Royal gets ready  for a late season challenge.
 

March 2010

The winter  affects  racing but horses still have to go out.  Rustic Deacon at Marcus Foley’s yard near Marlborough. 

 

Winter 2010

Snow gripped the country.  Fryerning House can be as attractive in winter as the summer – but less easy to get around.
 

South Africa  January 2010

Our  first visit to South Africa with friends Robin & Judy Heffer and what an experience. A first class hotel on the waterfront in Cape Town with a magnificent view of Table Mountain – so surprisingly close.  We saw so much – Bantry Bay on New Year’s Day, Table Mountain visit and  the Test Matches at Newlands. A winery visit with huge casks and throughout the area  reminders of the great contribution by Nelson Mandela. Then there was the Kirstenbosch Gardens, a Carnival in Franshoek, the Kanjo Caves, an Ostrich Farm, a Safari Park and Elephant Sanctuary.  Above all a  very friendly people proud of their country and anxious  for you to enjoy the visit.  The question we got asked when we returned “do you feel safe?” – a lot safer than in many other cities in the world!
 

December 2009

Keith and Rita with the Deacon of the Coopers of Glasgow, Alistair Campbell,  present a cheque for £100,000 to Graham Goodridge-Cox representing the Marie Curie Hospice Appeal.  Fryerning Foundation have contributed £8,000 to the appeal and the London Coopers £15,000

Ceilidh Royal has first run at Ludlow, beaten by ground.

Round off with carol services and lunches ahead of a family Christmas before a holiday after an extremely active but nevertheless highly enjoyable and rewarding year.

October 2009

Greenwell reunion dinner in the City brings together many of their former partners and associates. Keith was a partner before moving to Morgan Stanley.

Busker Royal wins first race over fences at Fakenham with Barry Geraghty on board.

Rita and her Ladies Conservative Committee organise sell out dinner  for Party Chairman Eric Pickles.  Event  raises over £3000  making a total of £6,000 raised over the year for Brentwood Conservatives.

A very mild Autumn sees in the gardens at Fryerning House at their very best.

Tim promoted to Director at Sky – one of their youngest.

Hammermen Dinner in Glasgow where Rita is a member. She receives the Burgess ticket, equivalent to Freedom of the City.. Rita and Keith with Collector Alistair Campbell and wife Pam with Deacon Hammerman Ian Young and Barbara.

Busker wins second race over fences, again at Fakenham – this time over 3 miles  with Champion jockey Tony McCoy in the saddle.

September 2009

Keith and Rita host lunch for 30 friends who go back to St. Michael’s Church youth group (AYPA)  where Keith was active before marrying Rita.  A wonderful day in the garden and an opportunity to catch up with friends – many of whom are now grandparents.




Off to Roth – Brentwood’s Twin Town in Germany  for the 30th Anniversary celebrations.  Keith was the inspiration between the twinning of Brentwood and Roth and the Associations first Chairman.  A special presentation was made to Keith and others who have contributed to the  the twinning over those 30 years





Rita and Keith stayed with old friends Rudiger and Elke.

 

August/September 2009

A final round of events in Glasgow before Keith hands over to successor as Deacon.  Wine Bluffers event raises funds for Marie Curie Appeal, charity event on Tall Ship Glenlee with Glasgow chain Gang and visit  to two Cooperages to make awards to apprentices.
 

August 2009

Rita’s’ Birthday is celebrated at Pontefract Races and then Dinner with Norman and Di Gundill, who run Pontefract, and old friends Clive and Lydia Crosby from Ingatestone.

After extensive pre-training at Lyndsay’s Farm under the  guidance of Caroline  White, Busker Royal, Piper Royal and Ceilidh Royal return to Nicky Henderson.

July/August 2009

Lucy and her team organise highly successful CHIPS programme over 2 weeks attended by hundreds of children.
 

July 2009

Fryerning Foundation sponsors Golf Day for Brentwood Mayor Tony Sleep’s Charity Fund. Tony and Mayoress Jean are long standing friends of Keith and Rita.

Fryerning Foundation sponsors Midsummer Night’s Dream at the home of neighbours Ray and Maggie Pattison.  Event raises over £2,000 for CHIPS play scheme in Ingatestone of which Lucy is organiser.  Performed by Ingatestone & Fryerning Drama Club of which Keith is President.

Off to Glorious Goodwood with friends at the end of the month.

June 2009

Summer in full swing with Derby, Ascot and World Twenty20  Cricket at Lords.

Keith hosts business dinner in Glasgow for Coopers with Lord Levene as guest speaker.

Keith attends reception at 10 Downing Street in recognition of support given by Fryerning Foundation to the Marie Curie Hospice Appeal in Glasgow.

Coopers’ Heritage Committee organises Summer Ball at Merchant Taylors’ Hall  to mark Mayoral year of Alderman Ian Luder and Lady Mayoress, Lin.

Tim celebrates 30th Birthday with party at Fryerning House.

Keith retires form the Board of Brentwood School Governors after 15 years.
 

May 2009

Fryerning House Garden at their very best with Azaleas and Rhododendrons in full bloom and the fish are hungry.

Fryerning Foundation sponsors and  benefits from proceeds of Ingatestone Rotary Club Golf Day. £4,000 presented to PARC, a charity which provides support  for children with  physical and mental disabilities based in Braintree.

At last a fine early summer day for the annual ‘Champagne & Canapés’ at Fryerning House   for Brentwood Conservative Ladies Committee. Almost £2,000 raised with 140 attending.
 

April 2009

Essex County Cricket Club AGM – Keith as Treasurer presents Annual Accounts – in profit, and detailed briefing on Ground Development Project.

Close Harmony gives birth to colt, Calvin.
 

March 2009

Coopers’ Heritage Fund in London, of which Keith is Chairman, organised sell out event in Mansion House. The event raised £52,000 split between the Lord’s  Taverners, St. Johns Ambulance and Coopers’ Heritage Fund.  It was a sell out event and included contributions  from prominent Lord’s Taverners – Chris Tarrant, Richard Stilgoe and  Nicholas Parsons.
 

March 2009

As Deacon Keith presided over the Annual Dinner and Dance of the Incorporation of Coopers. This year attended by the Lord Mayor of London and the Lord Provost of Glasgow  as well as the Deacon Convener and Collector of the Trades House and the Deacons of  12 other Incorporations and the Master of the Coopers’ Company in London.

Over 50 Coopers  and friends from London  came to support the evening  which included traditional Scottish reels and a cabaret, a tour of Glasgow and a party on the Saturday evening.
 

February 2009

Dinner held at Coopers’ Hall  with the Courts of London  and Glasgow dining together  in the presence of HRH Earl of Wessex.  The occasion marked Keith’s year as Deacon and the first Cooper to have served as Master Cooper in London and Deacon Cooper in Glasgow. Probably the first of any City Livery Company.

Snow falls produce beautiful pictures of Fryerning House gardens.

 

January 2009

Keith and Rita visit Berlin to see Rita’s stepbrother, Dieter.  For Keith it is also a time to recollect earlier visits when the Berlin wall separated the City – so much has changed in Europe since  its fall 20 years ago.