Group meetings are the heart of NWR and an amazing 10,000 are held each year - at least! That is an incredible amount of discussion, chat, research, learning, fun and laughter. 

Two NWR groups in the Midlands got together recently for a fun-filled evening of Brazilian drumming.

Inspired by accounts in the NWR magazine of other groups’ travels, eight members of Woolton Hill Group organised an away break to Gloucestershire.

Defining what is special about NWR is something we have tried to describe since we started in 1960. What is the difference between NWR and the WI or U3A, or any of the online groups such as Meetup groups or Together Friends? Sometimes it is easier to say what we don't do - get involved with fundraising or engaged in campaigning - than be concise about what we are. However let's try!

Have you joined a gym? Are you cutting down on alcohol? Have you decided to be kinder to yourself or others? What is your New Year’s resolution?

What do pickled children, whipping and kidnapping have to do with Christmas? We all recognise the jolly old white man with red cheeks and a red fur suit - but who was this man and where did our beloved Santa come from?

Every year, St Thomas's Church in Salisbury holds a tree festival. This year, there were around 108 entries and Salisbury NWR entered this magical fairy tree! The design is based on a traditional story from Australia about the origin of the fairy on the Christmas tree.

Matlock NWR Visit to Hoe Grange

Following Brexit, British and overseas tourists alike have been making the most of the weak pound and choosing to spend their holidays in the UK. And they are not the grimy backpacker type or the sort that enjoys cheesy arcade game caravan sites. These are sophisticated travellers who want to holiday in style.

Last week was Trustee Week. If you wonder what we get up to, here is one week in the life of a trustee (me!).

Trentham NWR spent a day on the buses, exploring life as viewed from the top deck. Member, Sarah Akhtar, tells us about their adventure...

A presentation by Nigel Daley at the Staffs Moorlands Restoration conference in September 2015 about the renovation of Biddulph Old Hall from a rundown ruin to a “des res”, proved so popular that it prompted the organisation of an NWR visit.

A whistle and a honk of the horn. “Phoooar I’d like a piece of that!” shouted one man out of the window. “Smile love!” called the other as I did my best to ignore them...

On the Sunday morning of the NWR Conference weekend a large group of us were taken on an underground tour of the Victorian sewers of Brighton. There are 48km of sewers - but we only walked along 366 metres! 

The conference this year was full of interest, lively conversation and fun! Fortunately, my journey to Brighton was considerably less traumatic than some, due to ongoing industrial action and flash flooding in London.

On 12 May 2016, anyone in the UK could record their diary and send it to the Mass Observation Archive, which is housed at The Keep in Brighton. The Mass Observation Archive specialises in material about everyday life in Britain and our members were asked to send their diaries in, not only to The Mass Observation Archive, but to NWR as well so that we could get a glimpse into a day in the life of our members.

A film, a community event, a Facebook group, a great deal of research and a lot of fun.

Having built up quite a surplus of cash in the group's bank account, thanks to a win in the Telephone Treasure Trail and the prize draw for new members at the National Conference in Glasgow last year, Pickering and District members decided to splash out on a lunch date with a local celebrity, actor/director Dominic Goodwin.