Regular Activities
Long Bennington Pre-School
Long Bennington Pre-school is a committee run childcare setting based in the heart of Long Bennington. Children can attend from two years old up until they start primary school. We provide a safe, caring, fun and stimulating environment for children to play, socialise and learn. Every child will be treated as an individual within the group and will be encouraged to develop their knowledge and skills at a pace appropriate to them, in order to produce happy, confident children well prepared for school.
Contact name: Julie Knapton Butler
Contact number: 07816 537242
Contact email: longbenningtonpreschool@googlemail.com
Post Office Outreach Service; Wednesday mornings (9 – 12) and Thursday afternoons (1 – 3pm)
The Post Office, in line with its objectives to reach rural communities, is providing an ‘Outreach’ service to Long Bennington. Proving to be an invaluable service to both local residents and the business parks the local facilities offered are:
Everyday Personal & Business Banking
Cash withdrawals; Cash deposits; Cheque deposits; Post Office Card account withdrawals; Bill paying
Mail Services
Drop & Go; Parcelforce Express; Stamps
Driving
Vehicle Tax
Travel
Travel Money Card; Foreign Currency – on request
Long Bennington Gardening Club
Long Bennington Gardening Club (VPA) is a group of friendly and enthusiastic amateur gardeners who meet monthly in the Village Hall for talks and demonstrations on a wide range of gardening topics. We also do a Spring and Summer show where entrants get to show off their produce and artistic floral talent in a variety of ways – open to visitors and children as well as members.
Each May we hold an open Plant Sale from donations from members and we also go on a summer organised trip and an evening visit to a local inspiring garden.
If you would like to join us as a guest you would be welcome!
Contact name: Fiona Shilling
Contact number: 07772 548758
Contact email: fionashilling@btinternet.com
Facebook: @Longbengardening
Website: www.longbenningtongardeningclub.com
Core Strength Pilates
1 hour Session of mat-based Pilates. Suitable for most levels. During my program of classes, we will focus on improving your posture, enhancing your flexibility and strengthening your core muscles, all whilst enjoying time with like-minded people.
Contact name: Amanda Marshall
Contact number: 07967 387969
Contact email: corestrengthpilatesuk@hotmail.com
Long Bennington WI
Founded in November 1918, we currently have over 50 members and are very much part of the community.
We meet in the Village Hall at 7.30 on the first Tuesday of each month (except August) to celebrate our friendship and enjoy a lively programme of talks, activities and outings. We also have a very popular craft group which meets on the first and third Friday of each month at 10.30 am in the Village Hall.
We can promise you a warm welcome and a lot of fun.
Try before you Buy! Your first meeting is free. Want to know more?
Contact email: margaret23butcher@btinternet.com
Long Bennington Art Group
We are a small group of village people who enjoy drawing and painting. This is not a taught group but you just ‘do your own thing’ with your own art equipment. We meet on a weekly basis in the Bar area of the Village Hall – Tuesday morning, 10 to 12 am.
Contact name: Margaret Butcher
Contact number: 01400 281935 or mobile 07484 140914
Long Bennington Tea’n’Chat
Tea-n-Chat is a village Church led event held on the last Friday of each month in the Village Hall, between 2.30pm and 4.00pm. The event is open to everyone, no matter how young or how old, and is designed to foster friendship and relaxation over a cup of tea, or coffee, and a cake. As mentioned, everyone is welcome, so why don’t you come along and join in?
Contact name: Hilda Owen
Contact number: 01400 282471
Electric Jive
A fun, social Wednesday night out. We teach modern jive which is an easy to learn partner dance. Come with a partner or not – we all dance with each other so it really doesn’t matter. We are a friendly welcoming group – why not give it a go? We dance to all types of music from swing to charts. The evening starts at 7:45 pm and is £8 or £6 for concessions. Happy Dancing!
Contact name: Sally Picker
Contact number: 07730 269969
Website: www.electricjive.co.uk
Monday Pilates Classes
Advanced Pilates
This one hour class is suitable for those with previous Pilates experience either mat or studio based. The class focuses on pelvic and core stability, total body strength, co-ordination, balance and flexibility. It is a mat based class and also uses small Pilates equipment.
Beginner and Intermediate Pilates
This class is for complete beginners and / or those who may have some experience of Pilates but for various reasons may want to refresh their knowledge and skills. The focus of the class is to learn foundational Pilates exercises, breathing techniques and optimal posture. Many muscular / skeletal problems can be helped with simple corrective Pilates exercises.
Contact name: Linda Brady
Contact number: 07850 618516
Long Bennington Wine Club
A monthly gathering of a fun and educational wine tasting session from 7pm to 9pm.
There will be wide variety of styles and prices and as the months go by, sommelier Raj Solanki will show you some tricks of the trade; including how to blind taste and a focus on certain areas or grapes.
It will be an open forum for those who want to know a bit more about the fermented grape, and for those that have a passion for trying something new
There will 8 wines to taste during each session and the price per person is £15
Booking is required. Contact raj@libradrinks.co.uk (07464 978151)
Vinyasa Flow Yoga
This yoga class is a dynamic class that combines movement with breath. It is suitable for all experience levels including complete beginners as modifications for poses will be given. The class itself combines breathwork, strength work and stretching in a repetitive sequence which can almost become a moving meditation. As the moves become more familiar you can start to explore each pose and find your version.
Wednesday mornings from 9:30 – 10:30
Chair Yoga
A gentle seated class to mobilise and stretch the whole body. Suitable for everyone of any age and ability and a perfect way to keep your body moving and your mind connected
Wednesday mornings from 11:00 – 12:00
More information on both of these Yoga sessions is available at : https://www.wild-earth-yoga.co.uk/
Eclectic Soul Sundays
All our music is played on Vinyl. We will provide you with a mix of Northern Soul, Motown, R&B, Modern and New Soul. Some you may have heard, some underplayed you may not, but we hope you enjoy our choices.
At each event there will be our Resident DJs and at least 1 Guest DJ.
Sunday afternoons/evenings once a month – see the Bookings calendar for the next available date
April 7th is our Charity Event for Rare Cancers. Should anyone like to donate a raffle prize we would gladly receive them. Contact Avril Kesteven on Facebook to donate
Hypnosis Relaxation
Join the weekly hypnosis relaxation group with practicing hypnotherapist Alex Crisp. Through focussed trance techniques Alex will help lower anxiety, boost positivity and motivation, and improve sleep. The cost is £10 per person and you should bring a mat and blanket to be able to lie down and relax comfortably
Thursday mornings from 10:30 – 11:30
More information on this is available at : www.hypno4life.org