Open Circle Dufton is a friendly social group who have been established for about the last twenty years. We meet on the first Wednesday of the month for 2 hours in Dufton's comfortable, refurbished Village Hall for a talk lasting about an hour, with a good speaker or an entertainer, and then afterwards we have a pleasant social time together. At gatherings, free refreshments are available or you can bring your own bottle. We also have an occasional outing or coach day trips at additional costs.
Membership runs from January to December and currently (2025) costs £20 pa payable in January, then pro-rata (subject to group review annually in October). If you have not joined up you can attend as a guest for the small cost of £5 on the night. Donations towards the cost of speakers are also welcome!
The programme of events is below. You can also request one from the Events Co-ordinator, Ges Quarmby, ges789@gmail.com or 017683 52628.
Open Circle Club Programme for 2026
meeting every 1st Wednesday of the month in Dufton Village Hall [CA16 6DB] at 7.30pm
Events Co-ordinator – Ges Quarmby – 017683 52628 Email ges789@gmail.com
January 7 Boccia – Anne Cradock – Kirkby Stephen
Fun, games and gentle exercise after all the celebrations. This is a great game rather like petanque but with soft balls, thrown at the jack from seated positions. It is a paralympic sport, suitable for all ages & abilities.
February 4 Games & Talent Night – All Members and Guests
This is the night for you to shine. Please come along for a night of fun and performance. What are you good at? A little talk, a song; a poem, playing a muscial instrument, magic, card tricks? Please let me know and we will put together a little programme. Please don’t be shy – it’s just us!
March 4 Unravelling A Complex Ice Age Landscape - Paul A. Carling, University of Southampton
The Lune Gorge and the uplands of the southern Shap Fells represent a key area in developing an understanding of the dynamics of the last glaciation – “The Ice Age”. Here ice masses from southern Scotland, the Lake District and the Howgill Fells interacted in the area of the upper Lune Valley and within the Eden Valley. The background to glaciations is introduced and key glacial landforms that help understand ice behaviour are explained. The dispersal pattern of Shap granite boulders moved by the ice is an important tracer of regional ice movements and local ice dynamics. Early ice flow in the vicinity of the Eden Valley and upper Lune Valley was easterly across Stainmore Gap (route of the A66) as far as the east coast of England. Later the ice moved south for a time into Lancashire before a final ‘last gasp’ over the area of the upper Lune Valley as far as the Solway and the lower part of the Eden valley. The talk finishes with a consideration of how we can date these landforms and thus constrain the timing of different phases of the glaciation. Paul Carling is a retired Professor of Physical Geography from the University of Southampton. He lives near Orton south of Penrith and is interested the researching the history of the natural landscape development in the Lake District, the Howgill Fells and the Western Pennine hills.
April 1 Women of our Local Railways – Anne Taylor
Two railways, the Stainmore Line and the Eden Valley Railway, were subsidiaries of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, opening in 1861 and 1862 respectively. A number of women worked on these lines until closure in 1962. This talk tells some of their stories. Anne’s book available.
May 6 Daily Bread: The History of Wheat, Milling, Flour and Bread - Bob Price – Acorn Bank Watermill Trust.
Flour will be available to buy.
June 10 (2nd Wednesday to avoid Appleby Horse Fair). Marvellous Markets – Dutch Flower Auctions, the German Christmas Markets and others – Kathleen Williams - Oldham
This talk is primarily about the Dutch flower markets or Auctions and the growing and marketing of flowers in the Netherlands. It also covers the German Christmas markets and the value of local markets.
July 1 Cotton at Cummersdale: The Stead McAlpine Story -Ros Downing –[ yes persuaded her to return]
The history, technology and artistic side of the fabric printing company.
August 5 Being on The Great British Bake Off – Abbi Lawson
Abbi will tell us about her experience of being on the TV show in 2023 and will also talk about about foraging and eating seasonal food. She will give a baking demonstration using an ingredient that’s currently in season and everyone will get to taste something afterwards.
September 2 The Meaning, Mystery and Magic of Cumbrian Gravestones. - Mark Hutton
This talk looks at the origin, development and artistry of gravestones in Cumbria, focusing on the origin and meaning of the symbols used in the 18th century. For example, a gravestone at Keswick shows two women holding up a huge skull in one hand whilst pulling up their skirts with their other hand. What does this symbolism mean? And what message is it intended to convey? Come along to this talk and find out.
October 7 The Last Charge of the Calcutta Light Horse – Neil Hannah
This is a tale about the last battle fought by a British militia in India, the Calcutta Light Horse. The action however, takes place not on horseback but on the high seas, and not in the days of the British Raj but in the darkest days of WW2, and involves not professional soldiers but accountants, bankers, and civil servants who nonetheless strike an important blow for freedom in the dying days of British India. It is a tale of a top-secret British operation against enemy shipping but there is enough sex, bribery and corruption to make this a tale to remember, and it was, until our time, completely secret.
November 4 Fellside Flower Company – Emma Greenshaw
Emma will talk about her experiences developing her Flower growing and arranging business, based in Long Marton.
December 2 Christmas Pub Meal