Launde Abbey

The Launde Abbey Fun Weekend over the August Bank Holiday weekend (August 28^th – 30^th 2010) look set to be another roaring success and the organisers of the event are now looking for applications from churches, charity organisations and businesses who would like to take a stall during the weekend’s events.

The fund-raising event, which takes place every August Bank Holiday weekend  is now very well established and last year’s Carnival themed event attracted around 2000 visitors over the three days!  This year the Abbey will be playing host to a Viking encampment, with living history presentations and battles during the weekend.

The Abbey’s Business Manager, Nick Quinn said “We have had a large number of requests for stalls during the weekend, following the success of last year’s event and our aim is to attract as many different types of stalls as possible again this year.  We are particularly keen to hear from craft businesses offering something a little bit different, as well as churches and charities looking to boost their funds or their membership.  If last year’s numbers are anything to go by, the event is likely to attract a large number of visitors over the three days.” 

Lunches, afternoon teas and other refreshments will be available throughout the weekend and the attractions will include games for all the family, a bouncy castle, plants, crafts, bric-a-brac, plus music to shop by.  There will also be a car boot sale on Bank Holiday Monday,

To book a stall or for more information, please contact the General Office at Launde Abbey on 01572 717254 or via e-mail:  laundeabbey@leicester.anglican.org

Forget school playgrounds, large anonymous car parks and early starts, come along to Launde Abbey’s Open Days on Monday, 31st May for a Car Boot Sale with a difference.  Set in the Abbey’s magnificent landscaped gardens the Car Boot Sale will take place amidst trees and flowers in this lovely rural setting, close to the A47 between East Norton in Leicestershire and Oakham in Rutland.  The Car Boot Sale will start at 11.00 am with setting up from 9.30 am so there is no need to get up in the middle of the night to sell your unwanted goods. 

The event, part of the Abbey’s regular fund-raising activities during the year will take place as part of the Annual Flower Festival and Open Days over the late May Bank Holiday weekend – 29th – 31st May 2010.  There will be fun and games for all ages, as well as an opportunity to see the floral displays provided by churches from the dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough, with lunches and refreshments available all day.  There will also be a Preview Evening on Friday, 28th May, including a concert in the Medieval Chapel, with sparkling wine and canapés, tickets for which are available from the General Office at Launde at £12.50 each.

For more information or to book a car boot pitch or a stall at the Craft Fair, please contact Suzanne on 01572 717254.   Unfortunately, no business traders are permitted in the car boot sale, but business stalls will be available throughout the weekend in the Abbey grounds, payable in advance.  All traders will be required to provide their own weather protection.  Car Boot Pitches cost £5.00 in advance and £7.00 on the day

We often need help in our gardens and throughout the year at our regular fund-raising events. 

Could you spare some time regularly to help out in our gardens with weeding, pruning and general tidying or do you have specific horticultural expertise that might assist our gardening team? 

Could you help at one of our fund-raising events?  There are many opportunities for people with different skills to get involved with the fund-raising work of the Abbey, either by manning stalls, helping us prepare for events or clearing up afterwards?  Could you perhaps act as a steward or help us prepare lunches and teas? 

Whatever your skills we would love to hear from you if you have some spare time during the year, either on a regular basis or for one-off events. 

Please contact Suzanne Page at Launde Abbey in the first instance on 01572 717254 or via e-mail:  Suzanne@launde.org.uk

“Launde Abbey are in urgent need of a large chest freezer to store cakes etc ready for our Flower Festival at the end of May.  Does anyone have an old one that might live another couple of months that they want to get rid of, or alternatively have one they would like to sell?  We are happy to arrange collection.  Please contact Suzanne Page on 01572 717254 or via e-mail Suzanne@launde.org.uk “

Our fund-raising continues into 2010 and the first major event of the year so far will be our annual Flower Festival and Open Days over the May Spring Bank-Holiday weekend 29^th – 31^st May 2010.  

This year we would like to invite churches from across the dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough to join us in our celebration of spring (and of course, remaining open) by providing a floral decoration for display in the Abbey buildings and/or grounds.  

Our theme for the Flower Festival will be ‘Renewal’, following the start of our renovation works in January 2010 and we hope that your church will be able to take part in this fund-raising event, either by providing a floral display or helping in some other way, such as serving teas and lunches or running a Launde stall.  If you would also like to raise money for your own church funds then for a small fee you could take a stall in the grounds or run a car boot stall on the Bank Holiday Monday. 

As your diocesan Retreat House we rely very heavily on fund-raising to enable us to continue to offer all that we are: an oasis of calm and place of prayer, where individuals and groups can meet and take time to reflect upon where they are and what they are called to be in today’s ever changing world.   

If you would like to take part, in any way, please contact Colin Towell or Suzanne Page in the first instance on 01572 717254 or e-mail suzanne@launde.org.uk to discuss how you can help. 

Apart from the floral displays, events over the weekend will include stalls, games, a bouncy castle, plus a craft fair and car boot sale on the Bank Holiday Monday.

Give the ladies in your life a well earned rest this Mother’s Day by treating them to lunch and tea at Launde Abbey.  Mothering Sunday lunches will be served on Sunday, 14th March 2010, after which guests are free to relax in the house or wander in the beautiful spring gardens before a delicious afternoon tea with cake. 

The Abbey, which is the retreat house for the dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough will also be hosting a family Easter Sunday lunch and tea on Sunday, April 4th 2010, which will include an Easter Egg Hunt for the children.

Pre-booking is essential for both events via the General Office at Launde Abbey on 01572 717254 or visit the website:  www.launde.org.uk.  Mothers Day Lunches cost £14.75 per person (Children under 12: £9.00 and under 3s free).  A family ticket is also available (2 Adults, 2 Children) for £42.50.   Easter Day Lunches cost £16.00 (Children under 12: £10.00 and under 3s free, including the Easter Egg Hunt).  A family ticket is also available (2 Adults, 2 Children) at £47.00)

Launde Abbey is appointing a Business Manager.  The details can be found on the diocesan website at

 http://www.leicester.anglican.org/your-church/subsite/current-vacancies.aspx

Visitors will be able to enjoy a Snowdrop Spectacular at Launde Abbey on Sunday, February 21^st and Monday, February 22nd 2010 when the Abbey opens again for Afternoon Teas.  Guests will have the opportunity to stroll through the gardens and wander through the magnificent display of snowdrops, to be found in the wooded walk behind the beautiful Tudor/ Elizabethan abbey near East Norton in Leicestershire.  Afterwards everyone can relax awhile over homemade cakes and tea.   

Visitors will also be able to visit the medieval Chapel and the walled kitchen garden during this relaxing afternoon.  The Abbey’s shop will be open all afternoon, selling locally produced jams, honey and other gifts.  

Launde Abbey is the Retreat House for the dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough, attracting thousands of visitors each year from across the East Midlands and beyond, who come for reflection, prayer and to meet with friends.  The Abbey also offers conference facilities and residential accommodation, welcoming groups from the business community, charities, musical and hobby groups, as well as church groups and parishes from across the country. 

The Reverend Tim Blewett, Launde Abbey’s Warden said:  “We are delighted to be able to share our beautiful gardens with visitors and friends once again and we also hope to attract guests who have not visited the Abbey before.  Every year the displays get more and more spectacular – hence the title of the event!  Launde Abbey is a great resource for the whole community – families, individuals and groups alike – and we hope to extend our welcome in 2010 by offering more events like these which are suitable for the whole family.  This year, visitors will also be able to see for themselves how the building works are progressing from the outside at the Abbey, following its successful £1 million public fund-raising appeal, towards the £2.6 million project for the restoration of the Abbey”. 

The Abbey will be open from 2.00 pm until 4.00 pm on both days and refreshments will be served all afternoon.  The cost is  £3.50 per person, including afternoon tea and a family ticket is also available (2 adults and 2 children) for £12.00 – under 3’s are free.  For more information please contact the General Office on 01572 717254 or visit the website www.launde.org.uk

As the Save Launde Abbey campaign is closing in on its target with only £85,000 needed to meet the £1 million target to fully complete the renovation of the Abbey there will be a chance to have one last look around the building before the interior building work begins.

On Wednesday 23 December the Abbey is opening its doors at 7pm, for informal Carols around the Christmas tree with mulled wine and mince pies on offer.

Tim Blewett, warden of the Abbey, is looking forward to the day, “I hope we will be celebrating the success of the campaign in meetings its target. We have received donations from individuals and businesses across the country so we see this event as a celebration of goodwill.”

The Friends of Launde Abbey Carol Service on Sunday 6th December at 4 p.m. at Launde Abbey, followed by tea and cake. All very welcome, bring friends and family.

SPIRITUALITY ADVISERS MEET FOR FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS

A national gathering of Church of England Spirituality Adviser’s met at Launde Abbey, Leicestershire, last week to explore ‘Spirituality as Mission’. The first meeting of its kind for 10 years, organised by the Association for Promoting Retreats (APR), saw representation from the majority of Anglican Diocese and received the endorsement of both Archbishop Rowan Williams and Archbishop John Sentamu.

The Consultation programme was the culmination of a years’ careful planning and included speakers from alternative spiritualities – The Revd Steve Hollinghurst and The Revd Simon Small – opportunities for conversations about Spiritual Direction, regional gatherings, prayer, worship and meditation. It followed a series of regional meetings in the spring, in which Spirituality Advisers nominated by their Diocesan Bishops were invited to give their input into the programme.

Chair of APR and Warden of Launde Abbey, The Revd Tim Blewett, commented “We are delighted to have provided a forum for engaging in spirituality for which there is such a growing need in our churches and communities.” He added, “The Consultation has been a place of open sharing, dialogue and listening, to which the response of Spirituality Advisers had been overwhelmingly positive and from which we have already made plans to set up regular gatherings of this kind both nationally and regionally.”

The Rt Revd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Woolwich and President of APR, took an active and leading role in the event and commented that there had been a “generosity of spirit and a genuine openness with which people engaged with the Consultation and explored the meaning of spirituality in Church and society today.” He also spoke of “sowing the seeds that will bring new life” to the significant and growing ministry of Christian spirituality

A full list of the events being held at Launde can be downloaded from the attached link

Launde Events 2010

The Launde Abbey Library will be closed and mostly packed away while refurbishment is taking place. If you have any books borrowed from the Library their return would be appreciated by December 4. 

Book will be available to read while you are staying at the Abbey until this date but we ask that you do not take any out on loan from the beginning of November. 

Thank you for your co operation.

 Rev. Tim. Blewett, Warden & Librarians

Today, The Right Reverend Tim Stevens Bishop of Leicester signed the official contract with WW Brown and Sons of Market Harborough for the year long renovation and refurbishment of Launde Abbey.

Bishop Tim said, “I am delighted to be signing the contract that signifies the start of the renovation of Launde Abbey. This project means a great deal to me and though I am aware that we still have to raise a considerable sum of money the support shown so far gives us all confidence this will be achieved.   I would like to thank Ian Neale with all his project management expertise and building industry experience for taking on the project management role on a voluntary basis. I am also pleased that a long established local company with an understanding of the ethos of Launde have been selected to carry out this work.”

Ian Neale project manager for the Launde Abbey renovation works is pleased to be working with W W Brown and Sons, “Browns put in a very competitive tender for this work and subsequently have worked with us to help to reduce the overall budget. With fundraising still continuing to ensure the long term future of the Abbey this help from W W Brown is invaluable.”

W W Brown and Sonshave experience of working at Launde Abbey having recently carried out works on the stable block and carefully moved the Oxford and Cambridge Hermitage to its new site. This understanding of and sympathy towards the work of the Abbey is added bonus to them winning this high profile work, particularly as the Abbey will remain open throughout the project.

Mark Brown is rightly proud of the heritage of the family business that was established in 1900, “we pride ourselves on personal service with the family directly involved.  As well as our own highly skilled employees who will be carrying out the general building works we will be using a variety of specialist firms. As with all Listed, historic buildings the work will be carried out to the highest possible standards.

The building work is now due to commence in November, while the fundraising teams are working as hard as ever to make certain their target of £1 million is achieved before Christmas.

Launde Abbey has received a prestigious tourism award for the third year in a row.

This year, against a record number of nominations, the Abbey received the Bronze award to add to the Silver and Bronze awards previously gained for the Tourism Experience category of the East Midlands Tourism Enjoy England Excellence Awards.

Tim Blewett, Warden of Launde Abbey, was delighted with the award, “considering the on-going fundraising campaign to secure the future of the Abbey and the threat of closure, this award is a testament to the dedication of the staff at Launde who have continued to ensure the Launde experience has not diminished despite their natural concerns for their own futures.”

The facilities offered at the Abbey will now remain open throughout a £2.5 million renovation and refurbishment programme for the main house, with a large number of bookings already made for 2010 and beyond. Fundraising efforts continue to ensure that the development project is fully completed to secure the long term future of this award winning retreat house.

More information on the fundraising campaign can be found at the website www.savelaundeabbey.co.uk . For general enquires call the Abbey directly on 01572 717254.

The Chef at Launde Abbey is busy planning more traditional Christmas lunches this December, following the success of last year’s dining specials.  The lunches, aimed at groups and individuals, are in response to calls for more traditional festive celebrations and they will be combined with some quiet time in the afternoon when guests can enjoy some calm away from the hustle and bustle of their Christmas preparations.

Launde Abbey is situated in a rural location mid-way between Oakham and the A47 at East Norton in Leicestershire.  The setting is perfect at any time of year, but guests walking through the doors at Christmas are assured of a particularly warm welcome and a really festive feel to the proceedings.

The Reverend Tim Blewett, Launde Abbey’s Warden said:  “We are pleased to be able to offer an antidote to the usual commercialisation and ‘busyness’ of Christmas by providing an environment where people can take time out to enjoy a traditional, home-cooked Christmas lunch with friends, family or colleagues in a beautiful, tranquil setting.  In fact, it is hard to think of a more perfect place to spend time during the festive season than Launde Abbey.”

Mr Blewett continued: “We have several dining rooms available so we can cater for individuals, family groups or even larger groups of up to 50 for any of our lunches.  We particularly look forward to welcoming people who have not visited the Abbey before as it will give them a wonderful opportunity to experience what we do here.”

Christmas Lunches will be available from 13^th – 18th December and guests will be able to enjoy a four-course meal with all the trimmings, followed by some quiet time in the Abbey grounds or the beautiful sitting room before a final mince pie and cup of tea to end the day.  There will be a special family lunch on Sunday, 13^th December, which will include a visit to Father Christmas and an opportunity to join in the Nativity Service in the Chapel.

Pre-booking is essential via the General Office at Launde Abbey on 01572 717254 or visit the website:  www.launde.org.uk.  Lunches cost £15.50 per person (Children under 12: £10.00 and under 3s free).  A family ticket is also available (2 Adults, 2 Children) for £46.00.   The family lunch on the 13^th will cost £16.50 per person (Children under 12:  £13.50 and under 3s £3.00).  A family ticket for this is also available at £57.50, as above.

 Launde Abbey would like to thank everyone who has supported them during the last few months.

If you are planning to have a fundraising event of any kind in the period up to the end of the appeal, please could you let their publicity co-ordinator know?
Please e-mail Ian Hughes at ihughes@rkh.co.uk

http://www.savelaundeabbey.couk/

 “We are very grateful and thankful for the generosity of all the people that have already contributed to the Save Launde Abbey appeal.   The clear public will from within the Diocese and beyond to save Launde Abbey convinced the Synod that the £1million target will be achieved. They in turn authorised a grant to enable the building work to start as soon as possible.

Even though the go ahead has been given to start the building work, we must not forget that we still need to reach the £1 million fundraising target, and we still have over £175,000 to raise. The Launde fundraising team are working as hard as ever to bring in the money needed to complete the project and have set a target to achieve this before Christmas.

Any support you can give to the ongoing appeal will be greatly appreciated, and donations can be made by using the appeal website www.savelaundeabbey.co.uk  
or by contacting Launde Abbey on 01572 717 254”.

+Tim