Past Events

Friends Annual Meeting July 2023

A selection of photos from today’s Friends’ Annual Meeting 2023 at Foxlease - they tell their own story.

FRIENDS DAY TOO April 2023

Another enjoyable weekend of fun, craft, music and laughter with Friends at Foxlease. The pictures tell their own story!

New Years House Party 2022/23

A fabulous time was had by all those lucky enough to attend the New Year's House party and there is just a flavour of that shown in the photos here. Why not put a date in for the next New Year's House Party from 29th December 2023 to January 2nd 2024! Book your accommodation directly with Foxlease.

We finally closed our 60th year of Friends of Foxlease with the New Year House Party. We were there at the start of the year and we closed the year making and celebrating unusual traditions from around the world and a glass of bubbly to welcome in 2023. Having raised the 100-year celebration flag we lowered it and raised the Friends of Foxlease flag in its place, just for the remainder of our weekend stay. We again enjoyed a superb meal on New Year’s Eve and some members braved a paddle in the river on New Year’s Day whilst others enjoyed a walk into Lyndhurst. Less active members enjoyed the challenge of a 2000-piece jigsaw puzzle, which took 6 days to complete! Wassailing on New Year’s Day saw us on Apple Tree campsite, enjoying a traditional celebration to ensure that there will be a good crop of apples, helped with spiced apple cider for the tree and for the Friends! A five-minute pantomime rounded off the evening. Fun and laughter, singing, a scavenger hunt, with daily ‘Wake and Shake’ for exercise. All included to make a fitting end to the Centenary and 60th Anniversary year.
If you are not a member of Friends of Foxlease, I encourage you to join us.
Gwen Bartlett Chair of Friends of Foxlease

Friends Weekend

We had a wonderful relaxing time with Friends of Foxlease at the weekend on 1-3 July and some members stayed until the Monday morning! We had activities, crafts, singing, sales, the Annual Meeting in the brand new marquee, some Voices from the Past at Foxlease and tours of the Estate. The pictures tell their own stories I hope with newly restored furniture (thanks to Friends), photos inside the House and around the estate, and generally everyone having a lovely time. I am sure most of us put on a pound or two with Frank’s excellent cooking and we were thoroughly spoilt! It was good to get back to normal after the various lockdown restrictions and thankfully the weather was kind to us too. Put a date in your diary for 2023 from Friday 30 June to Sunday 2nd July. Details nearer the time.

29th March – 3rd April was our spring event, including Friends Day Too, called Centenary Capers. Each day was split into decades by organiser Sue starting with 1922-1932 on the first day and bringing us right up to date on the Sunday. Activities included cocktail/mocktails, games from the period, making fabulous bunting that now decorates the Foxlease estate and some very enjoyable Laughter Yoga! Tie dye, Indian head massage, walks in the forest, campfire singing and our fabulous Spring Fayre INCLUDING the amazing human fruit machine! There was so much more during the six days and, before a wonderful Sunday lunch, Manager Bryan gave us a great update on how Friends’ fundraising had benefited Foxlease! See the Friends of Foxlease facebook page for more details.