AGM 2011

The weekend was centred on the coast at Hunstanton, convenient for a number of local attractions. Based at the Best Western Le Strange Hotel with a range of alternative accommodation close by, there were organised visits to see the splendid deer parks at Holkham Hall and Houghton Hall.

Holkham Hall is a grand Palladian mansion designed by William Kent for Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester and is at the heart of a thriving 25,000 acre agricultural estate. Its surrounding deer park is home to about 800 fallow and a small herd of red deer. In addition to the Hall there is a Bygones Museum, History of Farming Exhibition, Gift Shop and Stables Café. For more information look on their website at www.holkham.co.uk

Houghton Hall was the residence of Great Britain's first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole with magnificent interiors designed by William Kent in the early 18th Century. www.houghtonhall.com. Houghton is home to several species of "exotic" deer and to a probably unique herd of white fallow. The Hall, museum, and gardens with the award winning 5-acre walled garden.

The Royal Estate at Sandringham, private home to four generations of monarchs and Norfolk retreat of HM the Queen is a short drive away with its house, church, garden and museum. www.sandringhamestate.co.uk

The National Trust site at Blakeney is also within an easy drive. http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-blakeney. Blakeney is a National Nature Reserve famous for its vast areas of rare habitats such as pristine saltmarsh, vegetated shingle and sand dunes, uninterrupted coastal views of sea, sky and big sandy beaches; it is an internationally important breeding area for sea-bird colonies and an important breeding and haul-out site for grey and common seals. Felbrigg and Blickling are also close by.

The annual Society dinner was held on the Saturday evening at the Best Western Le Strange Arms Hotel in Hunstanton, and there was an after dinner speaker. The formal Society AGM took place at the Hotel the following morning.