Bristol Orbit Club was founded by 5 ex-members of Bristol Rotaract Club in 1980. Prospective members should be over 40 and there is no upper age limit. We are a very friendly group who meet twice a month (1st and 3rd Mondays) to organise social events. Our membership fee is £10 a year £5 for Associate Members. There is no pressure to join right away.
(PLEASE NOTE: We have decided to make the White Lion in Westbury-on-Trym our permanent meeting place at 8.30pm. The Club has also decided to meet on Bank Holiday Mondays from April onwards, instead of the Tuesday).
OUR SOCIAL ACTIVITIES
Bristol Orbit Club organises lots of social events for members with regular Theatre, (2 members are "Friends" of the Bristol Old Vic Theatre ), Cinema and concert visits, walks, meals out and twice monthly Monday meetings at the White Lion pub Westbury-on-Trym (not August).
During the summer we like to attend a number of outdoor events such as Bristol Harbour Festival and outdoor drama and usually see several plays during the summer.
We have organised some short breaks in May to York, Chester and Aberdovey in Mid Wales. We have visited Ambleside in the Lake District and met up with friends from Nonsuch Orbit Club. In May 2010 we spent a week in The Peak District in and around Bakewell and Buxton with the highlight of the week, a day's visit to sensational Chatsworth House. Our latest short break to Aberdovey was really good fun and we visited the Snowdonia National Park, and took rides of some of the pretty steam trains. Our holiday at the LSE at Bankside in September 2011 was a very big success. The B&B Hotel was very friendly and its location was brilliant for getting around London easily and cheaply. Very good bus service from our hotel and next to the Thames for Clipper services. In September 2012 we travelled back to the LSE Hotel on Bankside London for the Club Holiday. It was again much enjoyed by everyone, with mainly good weather. See Photos on site. We returned to Bankside again in September 2013 and September 2014 as there are so many great things to do.
We also organise Days Out for the Club such as a trip to Cardiff Bay with a tour by boat up the river, a day out to Stratford-Upon-Avon and a visit to Frankie Howerd's country home in Somerset. We have also visited The Concorde at Filton. The day out by train to Portsmouth went very well with lovely weather and we had an interesting visit to Worcester in the Autumn. After touring the Cathedral to see Sir Edward Elgar's memorial, we drove to the cottage where Sir Edward Elgar was born. The museum was extremely interesting and informative. We had a wonderful day out to Gloucester - some photographs up on our site. In May we visited Tintern Abbey for the day (see photos on site) and in June we had a car trip to Ludlow photos up on site). Our day out to Plymouth guided by Bristol Orbit Club's Derek, a Plymouth local, was enjoyed by all and the day out to Exeter by train was brilliant. We also sometimes do Sunday Walks.
In April 2013 the Club spent a lovely long weekend in Loughborough where we stayed with one of our Orbit Club friends. See our photos on the site. We had lovely days out to Llandaff Cathedral in South Wales, Sherborne in Dorset, Devizes and a long weekend in Canterbury. In September we had another fantastic week's holiday at the LSE Bankside House London, and in November, four Club Members went to Stourhead for the day and had a lovely walk around the lake. It was chilly but the autumn colours were fantastic. See our pictures.
In May we have visited the Rococo Garden at Painswick in South Glos, and also had a day out to Caerleon in South Wales to visit the Roman baths, Roman Barracks and the Museum.
In September 2014 the club were again invited up to Aberdovey to stay with Andrew at his holiday house. We were extremely lucky with fantastic sunny and warm weather and visited Conwy Castle, Beaumaris Castle, Bodnant Gardens, Anglesea, and the famous station with the longest name in the world, Llfair PG. Especially exciting was the steam train trip from Aberystwyth up to Devils Bridge and back. Amazing views.
On Sunday 30th November 2014 three members of the Club drove to Worcester to visit the Christmas Market. We took the Park & Ride which was excellent and walked all over the town centre enjoying the Christmas atmosphere and looking at the lovely Christmas Stalls selling such a big variety of items. The Morris Dancers were performing in Friar Street and there was a Christmas Market going on in the Cathedral. Really lovely day out.
In May 2016, three of our members had lovely week in Lincolnshire staying in Colsterworth, just south of Grantham. We visited Burleigh House, Belvoir Castle, and Sir Isaac Newton's birthplace. We spent our last full day in the city of Lincoln and walked the castle walls, visited the vault where one of only four copies of Magna Carta are held and had a guided tour of Lincoln Cathedral. On our way home we stayed with a friend from Nonsuch Orbit Club, in Loughborough.
In September 2016 the Club visited London again to stay at the LSE on Bankside. Everyone had a lovely time and visited lots of attractions including two plays at the Globe.
In May 2017 three members again visited Liverpool. We met up with our Associate Member who lives there and visited the Liverpool World Museum's brand new Egypt Exhibition. We also visited the German U-Boat on the Mersey and went to Southport visiting Sir Anthony Gorman's Beach Art called "A Study in Time and Space" on the way.
In May 2018 we are booked for a short break in Liverpool. We have tickets for the Terracotta Warriors Exhibition at the Liverpool World Museum and the Viking Exhibition at the Atkinson Arts Complex in Southport.
Our next short break will be a week in Norwich mid September where we will be visiting all the famous sites in the city and taking a trip on the Broads.
In April 2019 we are off to Liverpool again to celebrate one of our member's birthday over the Easter Weekend. We will be visiting the "John & Yoko" Exhibition at the Liverpool Museum, the Mackintosh Exhibition at the Walker Gallery and the Lady Lever Gallery among other attractions and meeting up with one of our Associate Members who now lives in Liverpool.
Please contact our Secretary of you would like to meet the Club.
HELPING IN THE COMMUNITY
The new Bingo Game at Horfield Lodge was again very successful and our next game will be on 7th March at 2.30pm.
Our next Orbit Meeting will on Monday 15th April 2019 at the White Lion Westbury-on-Trym at 8.30pm. Phone our Secretary and come along.
Up-dated 12-4-19
