St Margaret's Institute
Community Centre

30 Polstead Road, Oxford

Following the success of its half-million pound appeal SMI
are pleased to announce the following events:




Forthcoming Events
Sat 24 April 2010Spring Ball 7.30 - midnight
Sat/Sun 8/9 May 2010Artweek display by local artists
Sat 12 June 2010Gardens Open 2pm - 6pm
Friday 12 Nov 2010400 Club Dinner 8pm - 11pm
Weds 22 Dec 2010Community Carols 7pm - 8pm
Fri 31 Dec 2010New Years Eve Party 9.30 -11.30pm
Tea and Talks 2009/10
Wednesdays 1.30pm - 3.30pm
Talk 1.45pm – 2.45pm
Entrance £1.00 including tea and cake...
3rd February 2010The White War: about the book by Mark Thompson
7th April 2010How do we achieve holistic healthcare? by Derick Wade

and previous ones

Tea and Talks3rd March 2010Oxfordshire Churches: Hilghlights and developments by David Boswell
Wine Tasting12 Feb 2010This popular event hostyed by Graham Harding raised £304.  Many thanks to all concerned!
Community Lunch20 Jan 2010An  annual event enjoyed by some not-so-young friends and neighbours
Tea and Talks6 Jan 2010Creation Theatre: the challenges and rewardsof setting plays in Oxford venues by Nicola West
Informal New Years Eve party31 Dec 2009An enjoyable informal party finished at 11.30 (European time New Year)!  Perhaps 2010 will be better than 2009...
Community Carols22 Dec 2009About 40 attended, enjoying carols, readings, mince pies and mulled wine.  We had a collection and donated £90 and 60 mince pies to Simon House on Christmas Eve
Tea and Talks2 December 2009Knossos - Present and Future by Don Evely
Tea and Talks4 November 2009Nine Centuries of Sculpture in Oxford by Katherine Shock
400 Club Dinner13 Nov 2009 an enjoyable evening for our supporters, attended by some 48 people
Tea and Talks7 OctoberPolar Bears and Intergalactic Travel by Mark Haddon
120th Birthday and Friends of SMI dinner3 October 2009 - a Victorian Soiree with musical entertainment, a talk by Tanis Hinchcliffe, contemporary food and wines
Gardens Open13 June 20097 gardens were generously opened on a lovely sunny afternoon.  £1035 raised will contribute to the improvement of the front garden at SMI.
Concert by Hugh Petter16 May 2009held in St Margaret's Church - proceeds of £455 went to SMI and Sightsavers
Art week display by local artists9/10 May 2009held in SMI front rooms
Tea & Talks1 Apr 2009Heather Veevers - Art and Deaf Awareness
Spring Ball14 March 2009the profit from the ball was £900.  77 people attended.
note: the costs of previous Balls held during the appeal were paid from the revenue from room hire, so that the full proceeds could be donated to the appeal
Tea & Talks4 Mar 2009Julia Summers - The Stranger in the House - men returning from WW2 and its effects on the women
Wine Tasting 14 Feb 2009given by Graham Harding - raised £480 for refurbishments at the Institute
Tea & Talks4 Feb 2009David Clark - The Oxford we have lost - recording the City's vernacular past
Community Lunch28 Jan 2009Some 30 people attended.  Many thanks to all the helpers, and to Eve for her skills on the keyboard
Tea & Talks7 Jan 2009Liza Picard - Oddities of London Life 1350 - 1850
Informal New Years Eve Party31 Dec 2008no doubt quieter than some, this finished at 11 pm
Community Carols23 Dec 2008about 50 people attended and a collection was donated to the Limes Club
Tea and Talks3 Dec 2008Edna Forbes - From Slype to Garden Suburb: Blue Plaques and Victorian Oxford
Piano Recital by Hugh Petter in St Margaret’s Church.22 Nov 2008Hugh's spectacular performance and loyal following generated £400;  75% of the proceeds went to the Institute and the remainder to Sightsavers
400 Club Dinner14 Nov 2008Some 70 people attended this enjoyable event for members of the club
Tea & Talks5 Nov 08Christina Hardyment - Dream Babies: the rise and rise of the babycare manual
Party to celebrate Humphrey Carpenter memorial window, and launch of 'Friends of SMI'

4 October 08A well attended celebration, with jazz by the Park Town Strutters, and a supper of mushy peas and pies...
Open morning and unveiling celebration4 October 08  A well attended occasion attended by the Lord Mayor and with a speech given by Libby Purvis
Tea & Talks 1 Oct 08Alistair Lack - - Travels with my Auntie: my life with the BBC
Gardens Open Day14 June 08This event raised over £1000 towards the Humphrey Carpenter Memorial Window.
Grand Dinner at Oriel College 11 April 08 Guests of honour were The Lord Lieutenant & Mrs Hugo Brunner; The Lord Mayor and Mrs John Tanner, The Chaplain to St John's College - Revd Liz Carmichael.  Our thanks to the Provost, Sir Derek Morris for his kindness.
The Making of Victorian Oxford 2 April 08 A well-attended talk by Annette Mayer
Promises Auction 28 March Raised £2800 towards the Lease and Refurbishment Appeal
March Ball 2008
8 March 08 £2983 was raised at this highly successful event
Snobbery & Tradition in North Oxford
5 March 08 Over 40 attended this talk by Ann Spokes Symonds
Community Lunch 13 February 08 Over 30 Senior Citizens were entertained at this event
Recital in St Margaret's Church 9 February 08 £711 was raised for the lease appeal and £240 for Sightsavers by Gabriel Amherst (cello) and High Petter (piano)
Disasters - Acts of God or Acts of Man?
6 February 08 A well attended talk by Ian Davies
Oxford Bach Ensemble
12 January
This Concert in St Margaret's Church raised some £1500, shared between the Institute and New College School.
Bird Flu - should we be afraid?
9 January 08
a talk by Dr Elspeth Garman
Informal New Year's Eve Party 31 December 07  Some 14 local residents saw the New Year in relatively quietly...
Community Carols
21 December 07
Over 80 people attended and £120 was raised for Simon House
The Oxford Novel 5 December 07
nearly 40 people attended the talk by Charlie Lee-Potter
Wine Tasting 30 November 07
Graham Harding's event raised over £1300 for the lease appeal
400 Club Dinner 9th November 07 The annual non-fund-raising event
Concert by Hugh Petter in St Margaret's Church 6 October 2007 This well attended concert raised £905 for the Institute and a further donation to Sightsavers
Open Morning & 118th Birthday party
6 October 2007 Following an opening speech by John Goddard, City Council Leader, a total of £345 was raised through book, plant and refreshment sales. 
Gardens Open 16 June 2007 10 Gardens were opened, and with teas and plants sales, £1340 was raised
Art Weekend Display 26-28 May 2007
Jumble Sale 21 April 2007 £1600 was raised on this occasion - many thanks to all
Wine Tasting 16 March 2007 £1550 was raised on this highly enjoyable occasion thanks to Graham Harding
The 007 'Dressed to Thrill'*  Dance 24 February 2007 £2490 was raised on this gala evening
Old People's Christmas Party 10 January 2007 a social occasion
Informal New Year's Eve Party 31 December 2006 A well attended social event!
400 Club Dinner 17 November 2006 The annual non-fund-raising event
Piano Recital by Hugh Petter 11 November 2006 We are most grateful to Hugh and the others involved in this event, which raised £850 towards the SMI lease appeal.
Open Day 7 October 2006 We would like to thank the Sheriff of Oxford, and all those who took part. £300 was raised towards the Lease appeal.
 Drinks Party at St Hugh's 9 September 2006

£1236 was raised towards the lease appeal.  Many thanks to our hosts, and all concerned.
Local Gardens Open 17 June 2006 £1040 was raised through this delightful event.  Many thanks to all
Art week: Displays at SMI 28/29 May 2006 Many thanks to all those who supported this event
Grand Jumble Sale 2006 8 April 2006 The proceeds of the sale and subsequent disposals amounted to £3400
Promises Auction 14 March 2006
£6,600 was raised, under the hammer of Charles Ross on this splendid occasion - Many thanks to all concerned
St Valentine's Mardi Gras Ball 28 February 2006
This event raised £2600 towards our lease appeal
Bishop's Farewell 17 February 2006 The Parishes of St Margaret and St Giles held a  party for  Bishop Richard Harries to mark his impending retirement
An evening of Afghan Music 11 February 2006
This event was in support of The Exuberant Trust
Variety Evening 28 January 2006 £778 was raised by the Church Events Committee for our appeal
400 Club Dinner 25 November 2005 This was a social event for donor club members
Antiques Roadshow supported by Mallams 15 November 2005 Valuation fees and subsequent sales raised £1552 towards the lease purchase
Open Day with opening by Sir Derek Morris 29 October 2005 proceeds of the day raised  £538 towards the lease
Poetry Readings in St Margaret's Church 25 September 2005 The PCC kindly donated the gross proceeds of  £180 to the lease appeal
A Round-table discussion on the future of General Practices in North Oxford 4 October 2005
This important discussion raised about £180 for the lease appeal
Musical Evening in the Principal's garden at  St Hugh's College 10 September 2005 Although this event had to be transferred to the Institute because of the weather -  £600 was raised for the Lease Appeal
Gardens Open  - 
Plant Sales and Tea/Coffee
25 June 2005
some 105 visitors came. £605 was raised for the Lease Appeal
Art Week  -  Art Displays
with tea and cakes served in the front rooms
 28 ,  29 & 30 May 2005 some 150 visitors called in at SMI
£71 was raised from tea sales.
Jumble Sale of the Century 9 April 2005 £1408 raised for lease
Madrigals and Mulled Wine 12 March 2005 £326 raised for lease
St Valentine's Ball 26 February 2005
£2500 raised for lease
Hustings - chaired by Frances Lannon, Principal, Lady Margaret Hall
4 February 2005 £900 raised for lease
New Year's Party 31 December 2004 a social occasion
Community Carols 23 December 2004 £100 raised for Children's Society
400 Club Dinner 16 November 2004 a social occasion
Launch of our local appeal by the Lord Lieutenant, Hugo Brunner  2 October 2004 £12,000 raised for lease
Information Day 22 May 2004 a community occasion

Our previous '2 o'clock Talks & Tea' series included the following speakers:

Mark Davies Murder and Death in 18 century St Margarets
Simon Townsend The New Banbury Museum
Andrew Dilnot St Hugh's
Phillip Blackwell Blackwells Books
Chris Gosden Romans in South Oxfordshire - a major Ritual Centre at Marcham
Alison McDonald Flora of Port Meadow

Along with our successful projects appeal, that's a total of some £520,000 we will have raised - but there's still a fair way to go to finish off the lease appeal, so please help!



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