A Right Royal Knees Up!

Farncombe Courses celebrates its 10^th anniversary this September with an event fit for Kings and Queens.

The centre for leisure courses has spent a decade teaching visitors everything from bee-keeping and belly dancing to cupcake decorating and British history – all on a 400-acre estate between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon.

The celebration on September 15^th features talks from prominent royal historians as well as a selection of royal artefacts on display.

Historian and television presenter Kate Williams will lead the day with her talk ‘A Baby in the Palace: the Infancy of Princess Victoria’ focusing on the early years of Queen Victoria. Kate, a specialist in royal history, was a key commentator for both the 2011 Royal Wedding and the recent birth of Prince George Alexander Louis and works regularly on programmes with the BBC.

The afternoon will also feature a special presentation from Victoria McGuinness, historian and Projects Manager for the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford. The museum is soon to open a new wing in Broadway and Victoria will feature a selection of royal items from its collection.  

Says Mandy Morrison, Programme Manager at Farncombe Courses, “We’re thrilled to welcome Kate and Victoria to lead our 10^th anniversary celebrations! With the arrival of the Prince of Cambridge and 60 years since the Queen’s Coronation, 2013 is very much a celebration of the Royal Family as well as Farncombe Courses. We’re looking forward to the day itself and another 10 years dedicated to providing interesting leisure courses in the Cotswolds.”

Guests can choose from two tickets options for the day, Talk and Tea for £25 including both talks plus afternoon tea and cake from 3pm or The Full Works for £40 with the added Great British lunch from 1.30pm.

For more information or to book your place call 0333 456 8580.

It's competition time at Farncombe...

To mark the re-opening of the Dormy House Hotel, one of Cotswolds' best loved boutique hotels, we are offering a chance to win an all-inclusive stay by entering our Facebook competition. 

Dormy House Hotel is set within Farncombe Estate's 400 acres and is part of the Farncombe family of businesses. 

The Dormy House Hotel is now set to re-open on the 2nd August after a £multi-million luxury renovation. 

As we countdown the exciting new opening, we are offering one lucky person the chance to win an all-inclusive stay to sample the new Dormy delights! 

The Prize will include the following: 
-DB&B stay in one our comfy rooms with in-room complimentary champagne. 
-Three-course dinner with a bottle of house wine in The Garden Room followed by a private kitchen tour, with a chance to meet head chef Paul Napper. 
-A hearty two-course lunch in The Potting Shed, our rustic dining bar. 

All you have to do to be in with the chance to win is to enter our Facebook competition

Farncombe's 10th Anniversary

As we wait with baited breath for the arrival of the newest addition to the royals, Farncombe is getting ready to host a royal celebration to celebrate its 10^th anniversary of study breaks in the Cotswolds.

To celebrate a decade of life-time learning and new friends made at our 400 acre Cotswold Estate, Farncombe will host an afternoon of talks and teas.

Taking place on September 15^th, Farncombe will welcome royal historians as guest speakers to share their insights into the royals.

Tickets start from £25, to book your place, please call us on 0333 456 8580

Visit Farncombe at Olympia

Farncombe Courses is very excited to announce that we will be an exhibitor at this year’s 50 plus show.

Taking place on 11^th – 13^th July at London Olympia, the show is Britain's biggest show for the active over 50's. 

The 50 plus show is all about making the most out of life: Positivity, Activity and Creativity! 

Here at Farncombe we uphold these values.

Positivity: Our regulars know that we work hard to give you the warmest welcome and a memorable stay.

Activity: Our learning spaces and 89 bedrooms are brought alive by the tutors and students who visit us at weekends and on our summer schools

Creativity: Type and variety of courses on offer whether it’s getting your hips swaying to our dance classes or peaceful reflection with our painting classes, we’re certain to have a course to get your creative juices flowing!

This makes us a perfect exhibitor for the show, be sure to visit us at stand A23a and enter our competition.

Our exhibition will be offering a chance to win a weekend break for 2 people at Farncombe Estate to include a course of your choice, accommodation for 2 nights in a shared en-suite room and all meals during your stay

See you there! 

A Royal Celebration!

Farncombe Courses celebrates its 10^th anniversary with a right royal knees-up

on   

Sunday 15^th September 2013

Join us for a fabulous celebration of a decade of lifelong learning, wonderful weekends and study breaks in the Cotswolds!

On Sunday September 15^th, we welcome one of the country’s foremost Royal historians, Kate Williams, to talk on the topic of “A Baby in the Palace: the Infancy of Princess Victoria.”

Kate specialises in royal history and was a key commentator for the 2011 Royal Wedding.  Also speaking is another young historian, Victoria McGuinness, Projects Manager for the Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology in Oxford.  Her presentation features items from the museum, which is soon to open a new wing in Broadway.

There are two ticket options:

Talks and Tea     £25 to include both talks, with tea, cake and sing-song to finish 

From 3pm

The Full Works  £40 as above, but starting with a Great British lunch: roast beef,

                                Yorkshires, apple pie…  From 1.30pm

To book your place, please call us on 0333 456 8580

Busy Bees At Farncombe

Farncombe will be buzzing this July as it welcomes amateur bee keepers to a new course on the Estate.

The one-day Introduction to Beekeeping course is perfect for those new to beekeeping covering topics like the life of the honeybee, how to set up an apiary and products of the hive. 

Students will get to open a hive and handle bees on the day and all bee suits will be provided.

Chris Wells, experienced beekeeper, author and owner of Cotswold Bees Ltd. is leading the day. Said Chris, “This course is open to anyone with an interest in beekeeping but perhaps doesn’t know where to start. Bees are very important insects that we depend on for pollinating food plants but they have been in rapid decline over recent years. Keeping honey bees at home is one way to help preserve the population.”

Added Mandy Morrison, Programme Manager at Farncombe courses, “We like to offer an eclectic mix of courses throughout the year and have had a lot of interest in beekeeping with Chris. By the end of the day I’m hoping everyone will leave feeling ready to start keeping bees and enjoying their own honey!”

Farncombe is based in the heart of the Cotswolds, between Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon, just five minutes from Broadway.

For more information about Farncombe Courses or to book your place visit www.farncombecourses.co.uk  

A sharing event with a difference......

Here at Farncombe Estate we are hosting a leaflet exchange event on the 1st July from 4 pm - 6 pm. 

Guests will include those from popular tourist and leisure attractions in the surrounding areas for an opportunity to share leaflets with the venues and to network with other businesses. 

However its not all work! Guests can enjoy our beautiful 400-acre Estate in a location in the heart of the Cotswolds, whilst enjoying quint afternoon tea and cakes. The perfect afternoon in the country!

Our Farncombe courses attract hundreds of visitors and are considered a widely popular leisure activity in the Cotswolds. This event will therefore enable us to affiliate with other leisure venues by providing a mutually-beneficial way for us to get to know each other.