NEWS

Its name derives from the verb motaty—to wind, to wrap—and already one senses the rhythm of hands at work, circling fabric into form. No needle pierces, no scissors sever; for destiny, it was believed, must not be cut. Instead, strips of cloth—often taken from the garments of loved ones—are twisted and tied into the semblance of a human figure, most often a woman or a child. Thus the doll becomes a vessel of continuity, its very body composed of the lives it seeks to protect.

Strengthening the main staircase roof Engineers have reinforced the historic oak beams above the Main Staircase at West Horsley Place after discovering long‑standing cracks that showed signs of structural stress. To preserve the original timber, they added steel parallel flange channels alongside the beams, fixing them with specially designed plates so the load is safely shared without altering the historic fabric. Installing the heavy steels required careful planning and ski

As something of a departure from our TASHL trips, we offered a theatre opportunity to kick off the 2026 Outings. We thought to support both our local theatre, the Yvonne Arnaud and also the Ukrainian National Opera on their UK tour.   So, having secured fabulous seats, we set off on a wet Wednesday in February to enjoy a colourful and dramatic evening of Bizet’s Carmen, famously set in Seville.   This was an intimate performance delivered with gusto by a troupe travelling far