Sun April 26

Mon April 27

Sun April 26

Mon April 27

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6.45pm                    

Odney Club,       

Odney Lane,    

Cookham   

BBC Any Questions?

BBC Radio 4 launches the Cookham Festival with its flagship programme, chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby.  Arrive by 6.45 and bring your questions!  The programme goes out live at 8pm. Tickets: free and available through the Festival ticket office. Some tickets will be allocated to local organisations so be sure to book early. 

The Festival provides the chance for everyone – all ages, all abilities – to try their hand at something new or develop existing skills. The workshop leaders are all qualified and experienced and they will offer quality tuition. So have a go and have some fun. Space is limited so please book early. All materials provided unless indicated otherwise. Not sure what to expect? Call Gail Dorrington on 01628 541700 for advice.  An opportunity to try your hand at:

Rainbow Squares - Embroidery with Joan McQuillan, Windsor and Maidenhead Embroiderers Guild. Elizabeth House, Station Hill, Cookham.

10.30am to 12.30pm Tickets £8.

Charcoal Drawing inspired by the wildlife drawings of Ralph Thompson at  Holy Trinity Parish Centre with tutor Paul Robbens. 11am to 1pm Tickets £8.

Working with clay - Earth Fire and Water, at Holy Trinity School led  by Ted Harris. 2pm-4pm Tickets £8.

Paint an acrylic seascape in an hour!     

Landscape painting demonstration by Howard Birchmoor at Holy Trinity School, School Lane, Cookham. 2pm to 4pm Tickets £8.

Jo Jingles Junior Music workshop

Fun music, singing and movement for babies and young children (3 months – 7 years) with their parents and/or grandparents. 10.30am to 11.30am at Cookham Library, High Room, Cookham. Tickets £3

11.00am

Rehearsals       

The Odney Club

Odney Lane

7.30pm 

Performance

The Odney Club

Cookham Sings!

For all those who love to sing. Enthusiastic choral singers from Cookham and elsewhere are invited to get the Festival off to a rousing start by performing opera choruses ‘from scratch’ under the Direction of Ralph Allwood, the Director of Music at Eton College. Rehearsals in the morning and afternoon. Performance in the evening.  Music will be provided. Sopranos, contraltos, tenors, baritones and basses. Open to all.

Come and have a go. 

If you would like to take part in this event please contact John Hedger, 2 Mallard Court, Worster Road, Cookham SL6 9JG

07801 276648    01628 523911  jhedger1@btconnect.com

Tickets: Participants £10 and Audience £5 Click here for more info

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8.00am  

Holy Trinity Church,

Cookham

BBC Sunday Worship

The BBC brings its regular Sunday radio service to Cookham.

Full details from the Parish Office, Holy Trinity Church.  

4.00pm

Lea Barn

Winter Hill  

Stromenti at The Barn – “All in a garden green.”

A bouquet of musical delights from Handel and Telemann, including their mutual enthusiasm for rare and exotic plants. Stromenti is a Cookham Dean based group led by Roger and Judy Deats. They specialise in baroque music played on period  instruments.  Roger plays viola da gamba and recorder; Judy sings and plays recorder. They are joined by Alison Bowler on harpsichord and Alexandra Webb on violin. There is no charge but a collection will be taken for charity.

6.00pm

St John the Baptist  Church, Cookham Dean

Festival Evensong

Come and enjoy choral evensong in the delightful church in the Dean.  Note that the service starts at 6pm, 30 minutes earlier the usual.

8.00pm   

Pinder Hall

An Evening of Modern Jazz

Rising tenor saxophone star Vasillis Xenopoulos is bringing his quintet to Pinder Hall for an evening of modern jazz. The hall will be arranged in cabaret style to enable patrons to bring their own food.  Drinks will be available from the bar.  The evening will be compèred by local jazz trombonist Clive Burton. Tickets £8 Click here for more info

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3.00pm       

Parish Centre Churchgate

Cookham      

Move Over Stanley - Make Room for Fred

An illustrated talk on Fred Walker by Jean Hedger.

Jean Hedger explores the life and work of Frederick Walker, a great artist who died young and is buried in Cookham churchyard. The times he spent in the village and the paintings he produced in and around Cookham are little known to the residents of today. Jean's talk will expand on the works which will be shown in Fred Walker's Cookham, one of the exhibitions in the festival. Tickets £3.50

8.00pm

Holy Trinity Church

Cookham

Great American Tunesmiths of the 20^th Century

Back for his second Cookham Festival, well-known pianist Gordon Collins presents an illustrated talk on the well-known (and not so well known) composers behind some of the most memorable tunes of the 20^th century. Tickets £5  

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4.00pm

Furze Platt Senior School

Main Hall 

Jan Dunn's Festival Workshop

Award winning film director Jan Dunn will return to her school, Furze Platt Senior School, to present a workshop on her career in the film industry The workshop will take the form of an interview and a question-and-answer session which Jan will illustrate with clips from her films. Tickets are £3 and are available from the Festival Box Office, The Stationery Store, Station Parade, Cookham Rise. Click here for More Info

8.00pm

WI Hall

Cookham Dean 

April Showers Poetry Evening

"Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote the droghte of March hath perced to the roote” – and if you don’t know what our great 14^th century poet, Geoffrey Chaucer, was on about, you’ll just have to come to this poetry evening to find out! The evening is a celebration of Spring in Poetry – YOUR poetry, other people’s poetry, which you are invited to read. The evening will be directed by local poet Mike Springate. Very informal, lots of fun. Tickets £12 to include a home-cooked meal. Bring your own wine. Proceeds to St John the Baptist vestry funds for Sunbeams and Friendship Lunches. Click here for More Info

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Further afield with Spencer  

This guided walk will take you beyond the High Street to see some of the less visited sites of paintings by Stanley Spencer. With tea in the Parish Centre to round off the afternoon. Meet at the Spencer Gallery, High Street, Cookham. Tickets £5  

8.00pm 

Cookham Dean Village Hall   

Barbershopera  

Barbershopera is a new award winning four-part harmony musical which is musically inventive, cleverly choreographed and overwhelmingly funny with plenty of laughs, tears and enormous vibratos. Featuring Toni and The Guys they received critical acclaim at Edinburgh this summer with a follow-up London run. Tickets £10 Click For More Info

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Odney Club,

Cookham

Painting day

Come and paint in the beautiful riverside gardens of the Odney Club in the company of Cookham Arts Club. Bring your own equipment. 10.30-4pm. Free admission, just turn up on the day  

6.30pm

Stanley Spencer Gallery

High Street

Cookham  

A Family of Artists

Stanley Spencer’s daughter Unity joins us for a programme of memories of the artistic Spencer and Carline families Tickets £5 The Timing is designed to allow you to attend the next Festival event. 

8.00pm

Pinder Hall  

“Another Cookham Resurrection!” by Michael Johnson

Could such a thing happen in Cookham? Well, Stanley Spencer thought it could, but this dramatic performance at the Pinder Hall owes comparatively little to Spencer and rather more to a Hungarian film on a similar subject, and to Michael’s not always entirely serious imagination. He has assembled a cast of enquiring Cookham people to consider the proposition, supported by recordings made by several Cookham Worthies with music sung by members of the Cantorum Choir. Tickets £8  

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3.00pm

Parish Centre  

Ralph Thompson: a very rare creature 

A talk and discussion led by Wyn Reilly "An extremely rare creature”  was Gerald Durrell's opinion of a good animal artist and the special tribute he paid to the distinguished animal artist, Ralph Thompson.  Wyn Reilly, Ralph's stepson and close friend, will talk about his life and work, assisted by Ralph's artist friend, Chris Tyrrell, and surrounded by Ralph’s work at the Festival’s special exhibition. There will be plenty of time for questions, discussion and contributions from people who knew him. Tickets £3.50.

8.00pm 

Pinder Hall  

Cookham Comedy Club

Cookham Comedy Club is an exciting new attraction compèred by local comedienne Helen Huscroft and featuring six award winning comedians. Local stand up comic Tom Rosenthal heads the line up following rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival. He will be joined by Suzy Bennett, Rik Moore, Sara Pascoe, Brett Goldstein, and Nick Helm. Tickets £6 click here for more info.

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Art Workshops

The Festival provides the chance for everyone – all ages, all abilities – to try their hand at something new or develop existing skills. The workshop leaders are all qualified and experienced and they will offer quality tuition. So have a go and have some fun. Space is limited so please book early. All materials provided unless indicated otherwise. Not sure what to expect? Call Gail Dorrington on 01628 541700 for advice. An opportunity to try your hand at:

Rainbow Dyeing - or Drop in and Dye with Karen Malik of Windsor and Maidenhead Embroiderers Guild. Elizabeth House,Station Hill, Cookham. 10.30am to 12.30pm Tickets £8.

Charcoal Drawing inspired by the wildlife drawings of Ralph Thompson at  Holy Trinity Parish Centre, with tutor  Paul Robben. 11am to 1pm. Tickets £8.

Working with clay - Earth Fire and Water, at Holy Trinity School, led  by Ted Harris 2.00pm to 4.00pm Tickets £8.

Drawing from a live costumed model - at Holy Trinity School led by Pamela Clarke. Bring your own equipment. 2.00pm - 4.00pm Tickets £8.

4.00pm

Holy Trinity Church 

Cookham (Note change of venue)

Two Tenors for a Fiver

An afternoon recital of music for tenors given by father and son duo, Malcolm and Jonathan Stork, with accompanist Gordon Collins.  Tickets £5  Click Here for More Info.

8.00pm  

Pinder Hall

Cookham 

“Another Cookham Resurrection!” by Michael Johnson

Could such a thing happen in Cookham? Well, Stanley Spencer thought it could, but this dramatic performance at the Pinder Hall owes comparatively little to Spencer and rather more to a Hungarian film on a similar subject, and to Michael’s not always entirely serious imagination. He has assembled a cast of enquiring Cookham people to consider the proposition, supported by recordings made by several Cookham Worthies with music sung by members of the Cantorum Choir. Tickets £8  

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11.00am  

Holy Trinity Church  

Cookham

Festival Service         

Holy Trinity Church hosts our Festival service this year with the wonderful singing of the church choir.  

3.00pm

Herries School

Kenneth Grahame At Home

A local view of life in The Wind in the Willows.

A New Entertainment devised by Jean Hedger from material concerning the Grahame family and readings from the children's classic Wind in the Willows. The setting for this will be Herries School, the very house in which the family were living when stories were written which would later form part of Grahame's famous book. Jean, who previously adapted The Wind in the Willows for dramatised readings on Cookham FM, will be working with some of  the local actors who took part in those programmes Tickets Adults £4 Children £3  

7.30pm

Holy Trinity Church 

Cookham   

The Festival Concert

An opportunity to hear national award winning Taplow Choir, together with some of  the best local young musicians, in a varied programme of choral and instrumental music under the direction of Gillian Dibden. The choral programme will be drawn from a repertoire spanning many centuries and will be combined with solo pieces from young instrumentalists. 

Tickets £8.00.  Click here for More Info

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11am

Holy Trinity School 

School Lane

Cookham

Drumming Workshop

Led by Richard Latham of Rich Rhythms the workshop promises a creative and energetic time for all ages.  Participants are encouraged to create a piece of ensemble drumming to be performed at the ‘May Day on the Moor’ event in the afternoon Tickets £6 Adults £3 Children under 12.

12.30 to 9.30pm

Cookham Moor

May Day on the Moor 

The  Festival closes with an exciting afternoon of art, music family entertainment and fun, culminating in Cookham’s first ever open air charity rock concert, Let’s Rock the Moor in the evening.

May Day on the Moor will be a fun-packed afternoon showcasing the best of the Festival, with Participation Art, Maypole and Morris Dancing (join in!!), workshops, Jo Jingles and much more. Local art groups and other societies will be on hand to get you involved - and the event opens with the finishing line of the annual Windsor Parapet Breast Cancer Trust Charity Walk (click for more information) . Full bar and food service with a barbecue and menus from India and China. Free entry.

6.30-9.30pm   

Cookham Moor  

Let’s Rock the Moor!

Open Air Charity Rock concert featuring Nick Heyward, Soul’d Out, Temposhark, The Plants, and Burdock. Gates open 6.00pm, concert starts at 6.30pm  click here for more info

Tickets adults £15 Child (under 12) £10

Early bird bookings before  28^th February adults only £12 and children £8 Book online at www.cookham.com or from 

The Stationery Depot, Station Hill, Cookham; 

Sainsbury’s, High Street, Marlow; 

Martins, The Parade, Bourne End or 

Sainsbury’s, Market Street, Maidenhead. 

Holy Trinity Parish Centre

Two exhibitions will be held at the Holy Trinity Parish Centre.

Open daily throughout the Festival from 2.00-4.30pm. Admission Free

ANIMAL MAGIC

A rare opportunity to see a large number of original paintings by the acclaimed Cookham Dean painter, Ralph Thompson, friend of Stanley Spencer and illustrator of books by Gerald Durrell.  Ralph also appeared on a series of BBC television programmes demonstrating his remarkable skills as a painter of animals. Come to talk about Ralph Thompson on Friday 1st May.

Fred Walker’s Cookham

The exhibition Fred Walker’s Cookham will tell the story of his life and display reproductions of his etchings, watercolours and oils. The artist Frederick Walker(1840-75) was commonly known as “Fred”. He painted many scenes around Cookham and the Thames including a goosegirl in Cookham High Street, bathers at Odney, Marlow Ferry, a rainy day in Bisham and almshouses in Bray. His gravestone is in Cookham churchyard and there is a fine memorial plaque inside the church. Come to the talk about Fred Walker on Monday 27^th April.

Elizabeth House, Station Hill, Cookham  

2.00pm - 5.00pm every day throughout the Festival

Embroiderers Guild Exhibition  

If you thought embroidery was cross stitch and tablecloths, you will be amazed at the art and creativity of the Windsor & Maidenhead Branch of the Embroiderers Guild. Admission Free  

Cookham Library, High Road, Cookham

Young People’s Art

A unique opportunity to see striking work by developing young local artists.  

Open throughout the Festival During normal library opening hours. (Mon 2-7 Tues2-5 Wed 2-5 Thurs 10-1 ,2-5 Fri 2-5 Sat10-1pm) Admission free.

The Festival provides the chance for everyone – all ages, all abilities – to try their hand at something new or develop existing skills. The workshop leaders are all qualified and experienced and they will offer quality tuition. So have a go and have some fun.  Space is limited so please book early. All materials provided unless indicated otherwise. Not sure what to expect? Visit our website for more information or call Gail Dorrington on 01628 54700 for advice.  Tickets are £8 unless indicated otherwise.

Modelling with Clay with Ted Harris

25^th April and 2^nd May.   2.00pm-4.00pm

Holy Trinity School, School Lane, Cookham

With tutor Ted Harris, experienced local potter and ceramicist. A chance to try your hand  at clay modelling. For all ages.: bring the family.

One of the ways a society is judged is by its pots. Come and try your hand, for all ages. Get them dirty immersed in the clay. Try throwing, modelling, making tiles - why not make a tree of life?   

Charcoal Drawings with Paul Robbens

25^th April and 2^nd May  

Holy Trinity Parish Centre, Churchgate, Cookham 11.00am-1.000pm

With Tutor Paul Robbens  Charcoal Drawing inspired by the wildlife drawings of Ralph Thompson. No matter what your ability Paul will help you explore this sensual and versatile medium.

Embroidery with Windsor and Maidenhead Embroiderers Guild

Elizabeth House, Station Hill, Cookham 10.30am to 12.30pm 

1.  Saturday 25th April  

Rainbow Squares - Stitching with Joan McQuillan

Embellish a four-inch square of hand dyed brightly coloured fabric with hand stitch Take a stitch and create rich textural surfaces by using different threads and working freely and creatively.  

2. Saturday 2^nd May  

Rainbow Dyeing or Drop in and Dye with Karen Malik

Create a stunning piece of cloth by mixing brightly coloured dyes in the tray. Learn the recipes so you can repeat the process at home  

Paint an acrylic seascape in an hour!

Landscape Painting Demonstration by Howard Birchmoor

Saturday 25^th April.  Holy Trinity School, School Lane, Cookham  2.00pm-4.00pm

Join Howard Birchmoor with your painting materials or just come to watch. You will need acrylic paint, brushes and watercolour paper or canvas to take part. With projection and sound amplification. Not sure what to expect? Visit his web site at www.howardbirchmore.com   

Drawing from  Clothed Live Model led by Pamela Clark

May 2^nd.  Holy Trinity School, School Lane, Cookham 2.00pm - 4.00pm

Bring your own equipment. 

Jo Jingles Junior Music workshop

Saturday 25^th April. 10.20am to 11.30am

Fun music, singing and movement for babies and young children (3 months – 7 years) with their parents and/or grandparents. Tickets £3. 

10.30am - 11.30am  Cookham Library, High Road, Cookham.

Drumming Workshop

4^th May 11.00am Holy Trinity School, School Lane, Cookham

Led by Richard Latham of Rich Rhythms the workshop promises a creative and energetic time for all ages.  Participants are encouraged to create a piece of ensemble drumming to be performed at the ‘May Day on the Moor’ event in the afternoon Tickets £6 Adults £3 Children under 12  

ODNEY SCULPTURE GARDEN

Daily throughout the Festival 10am - 6pm (except April 26th *) Admission via Guide/Catalogue £2 on the door   Refreshments available. 

The gracious grounds of the Odney Club provide the ideal setting for a striking new Festival highlight – the Odney Sculpture Garden.  With local artists at its heart, the Odney Sculpture Garden will feature the imaginative works of some of the best sculptors in the country.  

Beneath the ancient cedars, across the tended lawns, hidden in herbaceous borders and playing in the water garden, the joy of sculpture awaits you.  Follow the trail and discover work by artists from all over England, including many by artists closer to home.  Some names you will recognise, others will be new to you – all brought together for the Cookham Festival by ARTSPACE of Barn Galleries near Henley.

Our  thanks to Bridget Fraser of Barn Galleries and to the John Lewis Partnership for making this inspirational idea possible.  Click here for more info

*On Sunday April 26, 2pm to 6pm, the Odney grounds will be open as part of the National Gardens Scheme, a scheme where private gardens open to the public for charity.  Admission £4, Children no charge,

TAKEN IN THE COOKHAMS - A Photography Challenge

A new photographic competition for digital photos (click here for more info) on any subject, but must have been taken in the Cookhams. First prize is a Fuji camera kindly donated by Fuji.

Entries must be submitted online to www.cookhamfestival.co.uk, or on a disc to Gerry Clark, Garlands, Dean Lane, SL6 9BE Two age groups: Adults and Children under 16 years of age. A prize will be given for the best photo in each group and winners will be displayed at the May Day on the Moor event on May 4^th and on www.cookhamfestival.co.uk. Free to enter.  

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  ARTISTS’ OPEN STUDIOS 

Click here for MAP of all Open Studios

There is a huge variety of quality artwork being produced in studios around Cookham and Maidenhead. This is a unique opportunity to see into the artists' creative world, allowing you to admire their work, take inspiration from a look around their workspace, and talk with them about techniques, tools, media, and processes. From front rooms to garden sheds, including 'the world's smallest studio', you can make this creative trail around Cookham and Maidenhead and discover the deep pool of artistic talent on your doorstep. All free entry and many paintings will be available for sale.

David Colthup  

Architectural subjects, paintings, drawings and working meccano models

Pencil, pen and ink, pen and wash and watercolour images of architectural subjects such as churches, town scenes and portraits of people’s houses

93 Broom Hill, Cookham 01628 529861

Opening times as follows: 

	24th April, 10-12.30 & 2-4pm	25th April 10.00am-12.00pm.2.00-5pm
	26th April  11-12.30 & 2-4pm	27th 28th and 29th April   10-12.30 & 2-5pm
	30th April 10-12.0pm  &  2-5pm	1st May 10-12.20pm and  2-4pm
	2nd May10- 1pm  3rd May  2-6pm	4th May  10- 1pm  &  2-6pm

Fiona Cradduck

Illustrator and printmaker. Fiona has recently finished her second book for children, she teaches drawing and creative writing. Painting and printmaking in progress.  

Kendal, 75 Pinkneys Road, Maidenhead SL6 5DT  01628 629087 click for map

Opening times as follows: 

Gail Dorrington

Paintings inspired by travel and people met along my journey - colourful, vibrant and verging on the abstract

Greengates Studio, 20 Guards Club Road,Maidenhead SL6 8DN  01628 541700 click for map

www.gaildorrington.co.uk  

Opening times as follows: 

Clarissa Galliano

Recent Work : Still Life and Portrait Painting with supporting drawings

66 Lower Cookham Road, Maidenhead SL6 8JZ 01628 625 938 click for map

www.clarissagalliano.com

  Opening times as follows: 

Eunice Goodman

Exhibition  of paintings, figurative to abstract, sculptures paper to bronze. On the spot portraits, conté, charcoal, commissions by arrangement

92 Cookham Road. Maidenhead SL6 7HS  01628 784435 click for map

  Visits by appointment only 01628 784435

Jo Hall

Landscape and still life in charcoal, pastel, watercolour, also imaginative drawing using sgraffito

and frottage techniques giving an interesting take on some very familiar objects. 

Morar, Altwood Close, Maidenhead, SL6 4PP 01628 783455 click for map

Opening times as follows: 

April 29^th and 30^th May 1^st 11.00am – 5.00pm  

Sarah Luton

Traditional landscapes in watercolour and pastel. Recent work includes portraits in oil and charcoal

30 Oaken Grove, Maidenhead SL6 6HQ  01628 636558 click for map

Opening times as follows: 

Mandy McAllen

Acrylic, collage, watercolours Strong elements of light and atmosphere create a filmic quality in Mandy’s work. Recent work is more textural and includes collages and acrylic on board and canvas.

Spring Cottage, 27 Summerleaze Road, Maidenhead SL6 8EW 01628 633541 click for map

Opening times as follows: 

Juliette and Dennis Palmer

Juliette is showing watercolour paintings of ancient places, French villages, English gardens and fishing harbours.

Dennis exhibits– recent travel photographs and monochromes from 50 years ago

Melmott Lodge, The Pound Cookham SL6 9QD  01628 523089  click for map 

Opening times as follows: 

April 24^th,25^th,26^th,27^th,28^th,29^th,30^th, May 1^st,2^nd,3^rd,4^th 10.00am-6.00pm    

The Vicary Family

Michael Vicary -  local landscapes

The late J S Vicary -  marine paintings 

The late V T Vicary - pottery

4 Malvern Road, Maidenhead SL6 7RH  01628 629187 click for map

Opening times as follows: 

April 25^th and 26^th 2.00p – 6.00pm May 2^nd and 3^rd 2.00pm – 6.00pm  

Joanna Yates

Botanical and abstract fine art in acrylics and watercolour.  Photography and greeting cards. Commissions always welcome.

Committee Rooms at rear of Pinder Hall, Lower Road, SL6 9EH click for map

01628 819054  

Website address: www.fidgiti.com

Opening times as follows: 

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The Box office – at The Stationery Depot, Station Parade, Cookham Rise – opens on March 21st

General Enquiries about the Festival to Michael Copland on 01628 630375  

Click Here for Booking Form

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