Kate Toibin writes about the FSA Environmental Walk: click here for article Charlie Lister writes about the Recipe Exchange Roundtable and other things: for his blog click here Mavis Pilbeam's impressions of Farringdon and a talk about John Constable: for her article click here Rhiannon Rutley's reflections on the staging of the Burial at Thebes at Dartington: click here How the Burial at Thebes connected us to New York. Read here Jack & Maureen Smith (Jack was chair of Farringdon Parish Council)13th Dec 2010 "Congratulations on another really enjoyable and well supported event! I'm talking about the candlelit concert by "Rough Music" in the church... Such events warm my heart and make for a greater community. ") Linda & David Wright 23 July 2010 12:54:36 Hello Janet, Now we are six... thankyou for another wonderful FSA evening.. the rain did not dampen our spirits and we look forward to the next event! linda&david Ed & Carol Holbeche 20 July 2010 21:33:53 Dear Janet, We are sending some photos taken last Weds night. Despite the weather upsetting your plans, it was a very enjoyable evening. Carol was thrilled to, at last, meet Carol Drinkwater and it was nice for me to meet up again with Mike Thorn (double bass player with project brassens) , Thank you Jeannie Finlay 17 July 2010 17:08:46 Thank you for a fantastic evening. I really enjoyed it, more than anything i've been to for ages and ages. Pure magic - everything! I have been to Dartington, Cheltenham and lots of other literature festivals but this was brilliant - Carol is so impassioned for her subject. I loved the music too. The George Brassens, played so brilliantly. Thank you for an absolutely marvellous evening. Sarah 17 July 2010 08:18:22 Janet this is very late but thank you for such a vibrant and interesting evening............the church comes into it's own for these events. Would have loved to have been sitting amongst olive trees in your garden but it was all fine and thank you for the delicious canapes and cakes...........everything.................you give so much to everyone. Big hug and much Love, Sarah.xx Allie Giles 16 July 2010 14:37:07 Hello Janet. Many thanks for bringing together an excellent and stimulating evening really enjoyed it. Carol Drinkwater was captivating. Clare Sawyer 15 July 2010 21:49:52 Happy Birthday FSA!! xx Michael Buckland 15 July 2010 21:45:18 Hi Janet, Lovely evening last night. Well done you for marking 6 years with a great Janet flourish !! Here`s to the next 6., Eleanor 15 July 2010 21:41:23 Dear Janet What a brilliant evening you put on last night. you both worked so hard So many lovely touches to include the little canapes and the Otto Lenghi tartlets. The vanilla taste certainly came through - a very fresh taste.. Carol was captivating. What a very special person. I had no idea she was such a mover and shaker.. I knew we had problems with the destruction of honey bees and butterflies but it's at crisis point and we all have to do something. I don't think I have the clout to take on the pharmaceutical companies - but that's what is needed. To think that all the delicious olives we eat are contaminated with pesticides. As for the band ,well, how brilliant were they?? I I would love to come and see the olive trees before they go..... Hats off...... Liz 15 July 2010 21:34:51 Hi Janet....great evening thanks so much for organising it......inspirational talk by Carol and cosy communal feast accompanied by cool music.......it must have taken mega preparation, one is never helped by english weather systems!!! Good luck with Little Pod. with love for now LIZx Tony & Gillian Salter 15 July 2010 21:32:13 Janet Many thanks for last night which was both interesting and fun. We are well aware of how much work went into it all behind the scene, and it is only a shame that the weather did not reward you appropriately! Well it is England! Not only that but I personally got plenty of exercise getting up and down from my chair - well if I will choose a seat in the middle of corridor what do you expect?! Again many thanks for a really successful evening. Blessings Tony and Gillian Sally 15 July 2010 21:28:27 Oh! Janet darling, What a memorable and stupendous celebration of the legendary FSA's SIXTH birthday!! Many many congratulations on the sheer organisation of such an event (bloody english weather!) but it really was such a cosy & festive atmosphere in the Hall that I don't think could have been replicated al fresco.Carol's talk was spellbinding & thought provoking with such a clever mix of the personal & global. I don't know how long you will have the olive trees as I didn't manage to get to your garden to gaze at them & wonder at their survival techniques refined over 6,000 years or more & really would love to see them for myself.Many congratulations on the most glorious celebration Sally 15 July 2010 21:19:53 Dear Janet Thank you and all your helpers for a fantastic effort last night. It was true community spirit. We enjoyed the talk by Carol Drinkwater very much and your canapes were delicious. A truly stupendous way to celebrate the FSA conception!!! Alana and Tony 25 May 2010 22:18:40 Dear Janet, What a triumph! It was a brilliant production. What a talent Joan McCready has - she simply was Helen Lewis. It was profoundly moving and uplifting. We are still talking about it. Thank you again. Susan Bliss 25 May 2010 22:14:51 Dear Jan, We really enjoyed 'A Time to Speak'. The intimacy, both of the venue and the reltationship between the McCreadys and Helen made it a very moving & poignant performance. Amazing that you brought it all the way from Baltimore for us to appreciate in Exeter! Sarah gillard 06 May 2010 18:30:44 A Time to Speak: Many thanks Janet in giving us the opportunity of such a memorable and moving event; one which will last with me for always. For anyone to experience what Helen did and bring so much joy and creativity through her passion for dance says it all. Thanks also to Joan for a powerful performance and Sam's personal account of Helen. malcolm joyce 04 May 2010 13:16:48 A Time to Speak - thank you A deeply moving performance. It was a wonderfully moving evening for me the more because I have visited Auschwitz and Terezin an experience that I will never forget. Malcolm 04 May 2010 09:04:30 I just consider myself so privileged to have been part of that spell bound audience last night. I am overwhelmed by Joan's stunning performance That alone makes it an evening to remember without taking into consideration the tale it told so altogether it made it a truly historic occasion at the synagogue. I would not have missed it for the world & am still mulling over so much of the text & pictures painted so skilfully with Sam's wondrous script. Only sorry that I didn't see the dance videos as they must have added a deeply poignant touch. Many many thanks for creating something so stunningly special & an evening that will linger long in the memory. many many congratulations Sally Sedgman 03 May 2010 16:26:00 It is impossible to measure the impact of last night’s performance which ‘resurrected’ not only Helen Lewis experience but that of others – particularly those ‘named’. It was perfectly pitched and the McCready’s delivery and sustainment of the audience deep attention quite astounding. It was profoundly inspiring. Thank you for bringing this to our locale; I will be looking for the book now. Best Gill 31 January 2010 15:15:42 Thank you so much for the 'Ottolenghi' experience. We loved the food, enjoyed good company and entertainment. You must have spent a lot of time organising the evening with thanks to Dave, yours jackie & Simon Bolt 31 January 2010 15:02:34 Our first contact with FSA on Saturday night of the 16th January, and we were most impressed by the sense of community and of course the wonderful food. Thank you so much. We will buy the cook book on the strength of the food and would love to become members of the society. Thank you for such a lovely evening and looking forward to hearing from you. Linda and David 31 January 2010 15:01:03 A Feast in Farringdon A sumptuous array of colourful dishes were lovingly prepared by Janet Sawyer in January. Janet, having been inspired by a visit to Ottolenghi's restaurant in London, had the wonderful idea to host an evening of his dishes in Farringdon & brighten up a winter evening.It was a magnificent feast for the eyes as well as for the tastebuds - a great variety of dishes of flavoursome foods of bright mediterranean colours & all tasted delicious. The meal was followed by a very entertaining play & a quiz which was enjoyed by all. Truly an evening to remember. Thank you Janet & Dave. When's the next one! margot Lynch 31 January 2010 14:56:21 Congratulations on a brilliant evening (16th) and the food was DELICIOUS. Fran 29 January 2010 13:30:09 It was amazing exploring such a selection of taste and colour of Ottoleinghi's food I am still talking about it now and ordered a copy from the library the librarian was very interested being a veggie most of the food is very exciting already brought some items to try out, very encouraging thank you for this discovery. Allie Giles 24 January 2010 12:02:25 Janet, you've done it again! What a super evening! We had such a lovely time, but the only trouble was we all suffered from over-eating afterwards as all that exquisite Ottolenghi food was simply far too good to resist!! Loved the George play - it was highly embarrassing though as had tears pouring down my face I was laughing so hard!! I must mention the Alcestis play last summer too while I'm at it as yet another superb event - the standard of acting was truly phenomenal and it was held in such a lovely setting. Enjoyed the local cider too! You really do spice up our social diary Janet! Thank you, I'm so glad we live near to Farringdon! Vicki Blundell 22 January 2010 08:57:18 I’d like to say a big thank you to Janet and David for the wonderful Yotam Ottolenghi evening on the 16th for the FSA social 2010. I’ve never had Ottolenghi meal before but the blend of flavours where exquisite and the cooking so good that I and my friends thought Janet had Ottolenghi hidden in her kitchen!! But no! It was all the intrepid duos hard work. The courses were all cooked exceptionally well including the desert of fruit tart filled with cream flavoured from Janet’s wonderful Vanilla pods. All finished off with champagne truffles. Heaven! Imogen Hallam 21 January 2010 19:35:52 Thank you, thank you, thank you for another truly wonderful evening with the FSA! Janet's 'Ottolenghi' dishes were absolutely delicious - bursting with all sorts of exquisite textures and flavours... and what a lovely, sociable way to share a meal together too, at those great long trestle tables! Thanks too to the brave actors from Tiverton who not only provided comedy, but a quiz while we waited for that mouth-watering dessert. When's the next one Janet?! Angie Carney Jill Robertson 03 October 2009 12:35:34 I really enjoyed the dog show yhis afternoon and would love to know how much was raised for the Guide Dogs for the Blind. I'd love to see the pictures of the dog show but can't find them on the site. Am I missing something? Can you send me a link please? Best wishes. Jill Robertson 26 July 2009 17:55:10 re Alcestis - what a billiant production -better than anything I've seen lately in theatre. Congratulations to you and the whole cast and all the backroom boys who made it run so smoothly. Ix Iris Robinson 20 July 2009 17:10:52 Great play, great production. Heracules was amazing!!!! Rosie Mullin 18 July 2009 16:35:05 Well - I came away amazed at the stunning production of Alcestis performed at the Froginwell Cider Barn on Thursday. Many many congratulations to all the actors and crew behind the scenes who have obviously worked so hard to provide us with this outstanding performance. Special mention and thanks to a marvelousHeracles! Philipa Collett 17 July 2009 10:17:34 What a Herculean effort! Phil - a superb production and you make a stupendous Hercules too. Congratulations to all the cast - certainly worthy of Dartington and beyond! The lghting was fantastic. The costumes and set helped create a memorable and very 'gripping' evening. Hoping for at least one sunny evening for you all this week. Congratulations to Janet of course and what a wonderful setting. More seats needed next year! Delicious picnics too..... Elenor Selley 16 July 2009 15:49:59 Superb opening night for ‘Alcestis’ congratulations to all involved and a hug for Janet! Yet another incredible production for the FSA...... I think you have just introduced the youngest member of the audience Edward [10yrs] to Greek theatre & Ted Hughes ...Well done. Sarah Hills Ingyon 25 May 2009 11:02:01 Just wanted to say how much i was touched by the whole Buddhist teaching weekend,including Janets very warm hospitality and home. Mick Brown 16 September 2008 11:24:15 The Tony Cox concert -Such a wonderful experience! A very moving and talented musician, a memorable event. Thank you!! Can't wait for the next time! Julie Pownall 14 September 2008 09:44:56 Dear Janet/Tony Cox Thank you so much for the concert last night at the lovely Farringdon Church. I am now listening to "You Asked For It" & "Tenderosa", marveling at Tony's expertise and musical talent with Mervyn Davis' amazing creation! The church was the right venue for, what was for us a truly, spiritually uplifting experience. We wish Tony, Debs & Tula all good things whilst they are here in the UK. Thank you once again. Mike & Julie Jones 08 August 2008 23:25:36 work from 5 of the artists who will be exhibiting with the FSA during the DAN exhibition can be seen at the Sth West Academy exhibition.................... work from 7 of the artists who will be exhibiting with the FSA during DAN have been selected to represent East Devon at the Thelma Hulbert Gallery in Honiton............ 14 artists will be exhibiting with the FSA this year when the exhibition opens on Sat 13th in Farringdon Village Hall............ If you want to be invited to the Private View - please e-mail:fsadevon@hotmail.com for the following options 3-5.30pm cream tea with the artists, 6.30-7.30pm live music and wine with the artists, 7.30 - 10pm .. gallery open during the guitar concert in the church.... janet sawyer 25 June 2008 06:28:21 Dear FSA!! I am so thrilled of your amazing success and the greatly organized programs that you are running! Dear Philly how was the comix workshop ?!?! OH Im sure it was great! I would so much love to be there.... Lovely Janet, for once more you prove how many opportunities are there and how dreams can always come true if passion exists! I wish you all the luck and keep on with that wonderfull job. Devon is very lucky to have you guys!! Lots of love, Violetta, your friend from Greece. x x x Violetta Kontodaimon 18 June 2008 14:43:48 I would just like to thank everyone for a great evening. I really enjoyed the play, the whole atmosphere and setting. Lucy and Brian were absolutely fantastic, they looked and sounded spectacular. Gaerwen Bahi 13 June 2008 12:16 Dear Janet, A bit late but I could not let another day go by without thanking you for a wonderful evening back on 23 May. I thought BURIAL AT THEBES was just a marvellous experience. The venue, of course, the superb acting, the clarity - oh, just everything. We still talk about it. I sent a mass of texts to friends pressing them to visit you the next day, but of course everyone is booked on a Saturday. The production is so wonderful that I feel sure you will be asked to present it again through the summer. Please let me know if you do. I might well come again and I would certainly press others to experience it if at all possible. All best wishes, Frances Talling 08 June 2008 19:35:20 Dear Janet, I must congratulate you on a very fine performance of 'The Burial at Thebes'. The opening as a garden party was quite inspired and made all the audience immediately feel a part of the unfolding drama. The obvious good-humour between the actors added to the friendliness of the occasion. Also, the setting in the churchyard was really atmospheric and made the whole performance very special. Even the weather was kind for the outdoor performances, so I guess the gods were looking down favourably on you! I hope you will be encouraged to produce another play! Diana Symes. Diana Symes 07 June 2008 15:22:07 A Triumph! Congratulations on a great first night, I hope the rest of the week goes as well for you. We all had a splendid evening, your vision for it all came to fruition and you deserve all the plaudits. It was passionate and dramatic and very entertaining. Well Done. Love Gentian I just wanted to congratulate you all for a truly spectacular show! You should both be very proud and very happy that it all went so well. It really is a major triumph to achieved this with so few resources - worthy even of King Creon perhaps!! Truly Farringdon is on the map!With best wishes David T Hi Janet. The performance last night was really engaging and Jane was absolutely outstanding. Jane Russell, Exeter College Dear FSA, I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the Burial at Thebes on Saturday night. The acting was fantastic and the staging very inventive. Well done to all those involved - what a wonderful night. Kind regards, Penny Harper Hello Janet Thank you for the extra visitors you gave us in May! I hope they all enjoyed their stay in Farringdon and will talk about their visit to all their friends. I think you did an amazing thing and can't quite believe you managed to put on a package tour, act as guide, produce a play, act in a play, act as hostess, organise the local council and still stay calm! Well done, your play was exceptional and well liked and it was cleverly supported by the very interesting and well produced literature. Genius! Thank you again With love from Liz This is a quick email to say well done regarding Burial at Thebes which I attended on Saturday evening. It was first class. My favourite character was the Guard. I look forward to the next Greek tragedy. Best wishes, Fiona. Many Thanks. The play was superb and no doubt will leave a lasting impression on us all. Much love S.xx Janet, I must tell you I thought the play was excellent and we enjoyed it hugely. Such an unusual experience - tony's and my first taste of Greek Tragedy - and the actors, venue and production put together a memorable evening for us. Dave Hill in particular, and also Jane Wicks were so very strong of course but very ably supported by the rest of the cast so that the narrative flowed, drew us in, and lifted us above frozen fingers and toes. All hail to the actors too for being seemingly unconscious of the arctic conditions. All the accessories were so well developed too - Posters and programme from Phigbilly were in a class on their own and the drink at the beginning, entertainment, blankets and little hand warmers were the product of careful thought and bright idea. Sorry we could not stay afterwards: one of our number had a significant problem with the cold. When I see something exciting and fresh like this, I'm frustrated that more people did not get to see it. Will you enter Burial for any competitions or do you have any plans to show the play on any other occasions? In the meantime, I must rush back to Tipton Times production, and please note that we have now set up a dedicated TT email address for future use. Very kind regards and congratulations to you all, Barbara Pugh Hi Janet I really enjoyed the trip. It was great to see so much in such a short time. It was very cultural and great that your play went so well. You all did a great job in a short time period as well. Lisa Scully-O’Grady Dear Janet, Hope you've started to recover from your efforts re the play et al. I have heard so many good reports from everyone who saw it, it was a real triumph and as I said it spoke very powerfully to me. Love, Sandra Dear Janet, Thank you for a lovely experience on Saturday. I thought the play & it’s setting was magical. What a star Antigone is going to be.What breadth of vision you have to have thought it up & still to bring it all off so well. Love, Ann Thank you so much for a wonderful evening. The play was wonderful- the setting spectacular, the production great – and such an amazing conception. We have to hand it to you – quite something that no-one else could have done! W, A and Em. 07 June 2008 14:36:36 Flawless performance of a fascinating interpretation. Congratulations to everyone involved. I'll certainly mention it in my 'modern drama' essays next academic term! Charlie Lister, (English student at Cardiff University) 05 June 2008 21:00:14 What a wonderful production! Congratulations to everyone involved in 'Burial at Thebes'. It kept me enraptured for 2 hours and the setting and evening was perfect. When is the next one? Tina Morgan 30 May 2008 20:29:49 Congratulations to performers, production team, stage managers & the weather. All dreams must have been realised and more, and the Arts Council be regretting they were not associated with something so enterprising and unusual. A pity Seamus Heaney was not with us in person ....... or was he? Barbara 29 May 2008 10:57:33 Congratulations to all on the Burial - the balance of "pro" and "am" made it just right. It was amazing to have produced something so good out of nothing - no theatre, no existing, not even a roof!!! Sarah Hills-Ingyon 28 May 2008 13:39:57 Janet Outstanding Burial at Thebes – though only as we would expect from you! Well done to all involved and we look forward to the next production What a pleasure – congratulations Sarah & Richard Hills-Ingyon 24 May 2008 11:10:35 Had the pleasure of watching Burial at Thebes on Wednesday evening with the drama students from Clyst Vale. Great, thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience,regardless of the freezing cold. Thanks to all participants and looking forward to the next one. Angela Handy 29 March 2008 17:38:51 The artwork that children did at the Devon Launch of The Legend of Aranrhod, as displayed in the Gallery on this website, is fabulous! Congratulations to the children involved and to the FSA for including them so artfully in the Gallery. Beautiful. Geoff Anderson 13 October 2007 00:00:00 Just met Janet today at an art class in Farringdon Village Hall and have come to the website to see what she was talking about. Wow! Your art society is very impressive and the website is great. Will be looking forward to future events and am only sorry I've missed so many good ones already... Lily Neal 02 October 2007 00:00:00 This has been my first visit the the website and I just wanted to congratulate and thank all those who have been involved in putting it together. It really is excellent and gives us all much to build on. David Tyzack 04 September 2007 00:00:00 I very much enjoyed the Last of the Summer Wine evening yesterday, the first event I have been to. Very relaxed and sociable with great music. Well done! Lucy Bolt 19 February 2007 00:00:00 What an excellent site! I am very impressed. Well done. Roger Morgan 17 January 2007 00:00:00 I've just had a good look at your web site, at Janet's invitation, and would like to add my best wishes to your message board. Keep up the great work FSA. Looking forward to joining you at one of your events one day... Aimee 15 January 2007 00:00:00 I learnt of the FSA & its website from (lovely) Janet after sitting next to her at dinner. I shall definitely visit the website again to check for interesting events & look forward to seeing Janet,David & others at a FSA event soon! With best wishes for a happy 2007. Steve Homer. 12 January 2007 00:00:00 Wishing everyone at the FSA the very best wishes for 2007. Hopefully, we will see each other in the not too distant future...anyone coming to New York, please do not be shy to ask Janet for my contact info. Naushad 11 January 2007 00:00:00 Hi everyone! I'm delighted to find the website and to soon be associated in my small way with the great movement which is FSA. In June, and again in October of this year, I'll be giving a workshop on the Enneagram, an ancient system that describes 9 personality types and their interrelationships, It's very accurate and profound. You should recognise yourself and perhaps some of your loved ones! Please stay tuned to the details which should come up on the website shortly. I'm very much looking forward to meeting all (or some) of you then. Joanna Parker 09 December 2006 00:00:00 Wishing everyone in Farringdon a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Angela Wright This year, Crealy is donating a water-pumping Roundabout PlayPump to children in Africa, using donations from guests, staff and the money usually spent on Christmas cards. Festive Greetings! Angela and all at Crealy 16 October 2006 00:00:00 Dear Janet, Congratulations for the work you have done. It is great. One day I will come to see you and again Congratulations!!!!! Your friend from Greece. Mary Rose 06 July 2006 00:00:00 Best of luck with the forthcoming festival of arts event. Mike Ford 26 June 2006 00:00:00 Easy to use, colourful, interesting and full of great events. Well done to all in FSA. I look forward to visiting one day soon. Jill 23 June 2006 00:00:00 I too have been encouraged to leave a comment! Congratulations on all the good work you are doing in Farringdon and getting your excellent web site up and running. The Farringdon History Society is right behind you. (and closing fast!) Alan 19 June 2006 00:00:00 I've found you! It's a very attractive and colourful site with clear navigation - even I didn't get lost. The Summer Festival is ambitious but you have the people in Farringdon to pull it off. Janet, let me know as soon as you can whether the FSA wants Blagovest under their aegis in 2007. I may be doing an autumn tour as well, so mid-Sept to mid-Oct may be an option as well as mid-May. Meanwhile have a good year. Geoff Anderson 18 June 2006 00:00:00 Hello! Very vibrant and intriguing website, I particularly enjoyed reading Kate's description of Farringdon walk! Toby 13 June 2006 00:00:00 Janet is encouraging me to leave a message here for anyone with an interest, inter alia, in ceramics. I have just completed the organisation of an exhibition called 100 Devon Potters, on until 9th July, at the Burton Art Gallery, Bideford. Worth a trip? Look forward to meeting other members of FSA at the Arts Festival early next month, where Clayworks will be involving as many as possible in handling clay! Paul Vincent 12 June 2006 00:00:00 The website is great and a fantastic way to show off all you have acheived so far! Keep up the good work and I look forward to watching the FSA grow even more. Della Pike 04 June 2006 00:00:00 The FSA stand at BBC Springwatch today attracted masses of interest. I didn't even pick up the book I had taken with me - we did not stop chatting to people all day! Many thanks to Alana, Helen, Peter and Barbara, Alan and Will, Dave and Dan for helping out today. Many thanks also to Tina, Alasdair, Annie, Helen B, Alex and Joy for entrusting their creations to me for the day. Our stand looked very beautiful. One man asked me for details of my marketing company! weather was glorious, the setting perfect. Janet 02 June 2006 00:00:00 Thanks to the new website, I'm enjoying finding out about the FSA although Im stuck in the sticks of London. Long may the FSA flourish! Catherine