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Dec 2013/Jan 2014 Issue 4
With the closure of Russell & Dorrell and now Dreams Beds, The Bedroom Centre Ltd. is now the only independent specialist bed shop in Worcester. This family run business with just two showrooms, the other being on Worcester Road, Malvern Link, continues to prosper with their policy of “Like for Like we will not be beaten on price”. The Bedroom Centre’s extensive range of divan beds, bed frames, ottomans, adjustable beds, special sizes made to order, pocket spring, memory and medical foam, latex, orthopaedic beds and mattresses offers customers the widest choice available. The Bedroom Centre also stocks a selective range of Bedroom furniture and headboards. Most beds and mattresses can be delivered within seven days and for a minimal charge they can even dispose of your old beds and mattresses. So should you be in the market for a new bed or mattress why not call into your nearest Bedroom Centre Store and check out what’s available. You will be surprised, if not amazed, at the choice, price and personal service offered. The Bedroom Centre Ltd City Walls Road St Martins Gate Worcester WR1 2JA Tel:- 01905-729077 sales@the-bedroom-centre.co.uk
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Dec 13/Jan 14
Editor’s message
Welcome
Seasons Greetings!
to the Dec/Jan edition of
Published & edited by:
Christmas is traditionally a time of giving. For some charities this is especially important, like Worcester Snoezelen who you can read about on Page 20. Last year they launched a ‘Big Build’ appeal to improve their facilities, which help to improve the quality of life for hundreds of disabled people every week.
Sascha McDonald, All About Local Magazines Ltd Barford, The Crescent, Colwall, Worcestershire WR13 6QN sascha@allabout-local.com www.allabout-local.com www.facebook.com/allaboutmagazines www.twitter.com/allaboutlocal
Of course Christmas & New Year are also about spending time enjoying ourselves, you’ll find lots of ideas elsewhere in the magazine to make the most of where we live.
Editorial: James - 07762 148355 Advertising: Helen - 07722 226712 Distribution: All About Worcester is distributed to 14,000 homes and businesses. Magazine design:
Have a great Christmas and a good start to 2014!
I hope you enjoy reading this edition, let us know what you think.
Independent Design: Jane - 07989 393153
Front page photo: The Christmas Lights Switch On,
Contents
photographed by All About Magazines
Pantomime 60 years Christmas Eating Cosmetic Treatments The Arts Festival
6 10 13 16
Local Talent Worcester Snoezelen Recipe: Chocolate Tart Notice Board
18 20 22 24
What’s On 26 Malvern Theatre News 28 Index 30
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What’s On/Notice Board: Monday 13 January
Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publishers cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or omission caused by error in the printing of the advert. All artwork is accepted on the strict condition that permission has been given for use in the publication. Adverts are accepted under the understanding that descriptions of goods and services are fair and accurate.
Advertisement copy: Wed 15 January
All About Magazines does not endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise - without prior consent of the publisher. All About Local Magazines Ltd is registered in England and Wales Company No. 7200758
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60 years of pantomime On a dark autumn evening, in a rehearsal room at Perdiswell, a little bit of showbiz magic is taking shape. Twenty members of the Kays Theatre Group are busy rehearsing for Cinderella, their latest pantomime which opens at the Swan Theatre on 17th January. 2014 will be the sixtieth year the Kays Theatre Group has performed. In that time, they have become a firmly established part of the festive season in Worcester. ‘This will be a special year’ says Peter Sanderson, Chairman of the group. ‘Cinderella is a rags to riches story that’s a firm favourite with audiences. Our performance this year promises to be spectacular, with the Harlequin Dancers who have won many awards, as well as our talented cast, professional costumes and sets.’ The group’s roots lie in the Kays Catalogue Company which was a major employer in Worcester for many years. Thousands of people worked for Kays and it became a central part of life in the city. The company may have gone but its Theatre Group remains, and many of its members were long-time employees of the company. Sue Cassidy was a PA to one of the Directors at Kays. ‘My first show was Aladdin in 1996’ she says. ‘I was a single mum, working hard, and
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the Theatre Group was my social life. It still is! I’ve played many parts including a Dame and a Baddie as well as comedy roles and singing in the chorus, it’s just great being a part of such a fun team.’ Sue Sanderson is one of the Directors of Cinderella. ‘I’ve been involved for 33 years and haven’t missed a single show’ she says. ‘I started by helping backstage on ‘Jack and The Beanstalk’ and in the years after that I went on to play many principal parts. A show takes about a year to create, from acquiring the script until the moment it’s on stage. Paul Milton is already busy writing the play for 2015! This production was drafted in the spring, we auditioned in June and the rehearsals started in September. At the moment we’re busy choosing scenery, costumes and props.’ Paula Dymock is choreographing the chorus and the dancers for this year’s show. ‘I started out with the Beryl Gough Stage School at the age of seven, later on I went to study dance in London before I returned to Worcester and
If you’re interested in becoming involved with the Kays Theatre Group, you can contact them via email at secretary@kaystheatregroup.co.uk
started a dance school.’ Paula now brings on new generations of dancers at the Harlequin Stage School, many of whom take part in the pantomime. Some of those dancers are helped by the Kays Theatre Group, which awards a bursary to help young performers develop their skills. ‘We’re a charity’ says Peter Sanderson, ‘as well as entertaining, we are here to help the community and give something back.’ ‘We’ve upped our game over the years’ continues Peter. ‘We have become more professional, buying in professional costumes and sets. We also have some great local talent among our cast who have honed their acting, singing and dancing skills over many years. We receive many complimentary letters from audience members and we also win awards. Two years ago we were voted The Best Pantomime in the West Midlands by the National Operatic and Dramatic Association. It was the second time we had won it.’ ‘It’s always a happy friendly show’ continues Peter. ‘The cast on stage enjoy themselves immensely, that really comes across to our audiences and they love it. We welcome new members and we’re particularly keen to see younger people join us.’ ‘It’s such a friendly crowd’ continues Peter’s wife Sue. ‘One of our members is 80 years old and still helps out. This year he’s even making a cameo appearance on stage. For me, this group is like a big family.’
Cinderella is at the Swan Theatre from 17th to 26th January 2014. For tickets and information please call the Kays Box Office on (01905) 425299 or visit their website, www.kaystheatregroup.co.uk
Kays Theatre Group is producing a commemorative brochure to mark the last sixty years, a scrap book of memories and photographs of past productions. It costs £5 (+£2 postage) and is available by emailing marketing@kaystheatregroup. co.uk or by contacting the Kays box office. It will also be available to buy at performances of the pantomime at the Swan Theatre.
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Well-Being
Christmas eating with a difference By Tracy Reck, Personal Fitness Coach based in Worcester From a fitness and diet perspective, most of us see Christmas as an opportunity to let go, eat to excess and sit around watching sparkly television programmes without the usual guilt of feeling like we should be working or exercising or dieting or generally looking after ourselves.
It’s the one time of year where it feels like it’s okay to have chocolate for breakfast, champagne with lunch and sweets in shiny wrappers from dawn till dusk. After all, we’ve worked hard this year, we deserve to have some time just to kick back. And a couple of weeks indulgence isn’t going to hurt. But, you know, there is a different way to approach this holiday. Which would, I suggest, enhance our enjoyment of it all the more. Here it is then. How about we use Christmas as an opportunity to practice the same good habits we’ve been working on all year? I know, radical, right?! I know Christmas is about feeling good. It is in our house too. But I also know that our brains need a bit of training to learn what makes us feel good so they can best guide our decisions. So answer me this question: 1. When you eat well (and by ‘well’ I mean fresh veggies and fruits, lean proteins like chicken or fish and a balanced amount of wholesome carbs like brown rice or even wholegrain pasta) how do you feel in yourself afterwards? How does your belly feel? Happily full and energised, both physically and mentally (because making a good choice always carries with it a big burst of feelgoodness), right? Then contrast that with the way you feel when: 2. You’ve just eaten a big indulgent blow out meal, full of fat and carbs. How do you feel then? I’d wager that after a meal like that, your experience is a bit more characterised by these words; bloated, stuffed, uncomfortably full, gassy, lethargic, guilty, regretful? It’s enjoyable at the
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time, but afterwards you kind of wish you hadn’t eaten it. Does that ring any bells? What I’ve learnt over the years is that the more times you eat like the first example, the more you learn to associate feeling good with foods that are actually good for you and your cravings for those foods increase. The more times you eat like Example Two, the more your brain associates feeling good with foods that are not so great and your cravings for those foods increase. The reason for that? Brain chemicals and physical feelings. With a healthy wholesome meal, as long as you made it tasty too, you’ll feel good physically (because good food leaves you feeling energised and light) and mentally (because you’ll feel pleased with yourself for having made a great choice). Over the longer term, these foods will lift your levels of serotonin and dopamine, making you feel happy and motivated. With junk foods, well, they’ve been created in such a way as to stimulate the reward centres in your brain. Salt, sugar and fat will have your brain buzzing with happiness for a short while, but leave you with a bloated feeling (and sometimes guilt) long after those pleasure centres have switched off. What’s happening here is a powerful but short term lift of both serotonin and dopamine, the same happy chemicals as above. But unfortunately, your brain will remember these good feelings more strongly and clearly because they are present immediately.
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www.beautycentreworcester.co.uk To start the process of working our way around this happy brain chemical quagmire, we need to retrain our brains, by eating good food more often and, in so doing, frequently presenting to our brains the evidence that good food makes us feel great. And what better time to do it than Christmas, where we can use the general vibe of festivity and exuberance to tag even more happy feelings onto fresh, healthy food? Make a commitment to give your belly a big helping of goodness this year with a side of indulgence, rather than the other way around. Maybe ask Father Chrismas for a cook book to help! Have a great Christmas! Tracy Reck is a personal trainer, nutrition and willpower coach. If you’re planning to attack some new year’s resolutions come Jan, you might want to check out whether Willpower School is something that could help you! Take a look at
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cosmetic treatments what to consider patients’ medical history’ says Elizabeth. ‘All treatments are safe when administered correctly, by a competent practitioner, to appropriate patients. Patients who have a history of certain medical conditions or who are on some drug regimes may not be suitable for aesthetic injections.’
How do you know your cosmetic injector is qualified and safe? ‘If you are considering a facial aesthetic treatment, it is imperative that you question your practitioner about their competence’ says Elizabeth Evans from Cosmetic Injectables Worcester. ‘There was a story in the papers recently exposing how a beauty therapist had misled patients about her qualifications; it’s important to realise that all injectable treatments can only be administered by suitably qualified doctors, dentists or nurses.’ After more than three decades of working for the National Health Service, Elizabeth retired and set up her cosmetic injection practice nine years ago. ‘I have completed comprehensive courses of study in order to carry out this work and regularly attend ongoing training and professional development to ensure best practice and clinical excellence’ continues Elizabeth. ‘Patient safety is paramount and treatment will only proceed if I am satisfied with patients medical history and motivation for treatment!’ ‘I offer an initial consultation to every new patient to establish their needs, expectations, understanding of how the products work and, of course, their clinical suitability for treatment .’ continues Elizabeth. ‘As well as injectable treatments I also provide chemical skin peels, dermaroller needling and mesotherapy treatments.’ At the first consultation, patients complete a medical questionnaire. ‘Before deciding on any treatment, it is important to find out about
‘It is important to realise that there are no ‘quick fixes’. Patients are asked to return for review two weeks post-treatment, to assess treatment outcome and patient satisfaction. Ongoing treatments are individually planned, and agreed by patients, based on a less is more philosophy and natural appearance outcomes.’ For more information, please call Elizabeth on 07876 336480 or visit www.cosmeticinjectablesworcester.co.uk
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All About...
The Arts Festival More than sixty years old, the Worcester Competitive Arts Festival is an opportunity for students of music and drama to showcase their talents. It takes place in March, but there’s still time to enter the competition as Margaret Pawson, one of the organisers, explains. Photo by Malcolm Holland Photography
When did the Festival begin? The Worcester Orchestral Society Music Festival, as it was originally known, was founded in 1951. Sir Adrian Boult, as President of the Society was closely associated with Mr Arthur Benoy, the County Music Adviser who took over and ran the festival as The Worcestershire Music Festival. ‘With Speech and Drama’ was added to the title in 1993 and a few years ago the present title was adopted.
What is the purpose of the Festival?
To showcase the talent of musicians, actors and verse speakers ranging from primary school age children through to adults. It is a competitive event with some cash prizes and trophies and medals awarded to each class. Everyone who takes part is a winner as the ability to perform is, in itself, a life achievement worth applauding and a great opportunity to develop confidence in performing.
Are you impressed with the standard of entries? Every participant, whether they be a beginner or a mature student, shows courage and determination to perform and enjoy themselves. They learn from the adjudicator’s comments how they may go on to further enhance their work. At the Festival Concert, which showcases
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outstanding talent, two Worcester Arts Council trophies are awarded for high achievement along with the Michael Lunney Prize for Acting. For me, the best part of the Festival is watching the young people blossom and grow in confidence through participation in competitive and non-competitive classes for six years and under.
Is the competition open to all?
Yes, young and mature students are encouraged to participate, it is open to entrants from all over the County and beyond. You can enter via the Festival website (see the address below) where a syllabus and entry forms can be downloaded. The syllabus can be found in libraries and is distributed to many Worcestershire schools as well as to teachers of Music and Drama. They are also available from the Festival Secretary on request. The deadline for entries for the Festival is January 13th, 2014. The festival days are Saturday March 8th and Saturday March 15th. Sponsors are warmly welcome as we are a small Charity run by a few volunteers who are in some way involved in the arts. If you would like to become a Sponsor, please contact me via email at margaret_pawson@btinternet.com.
Is the Festival open for the public to attend? Where does it take place? The public are very welcome to attend the Festival at the Royal Grammar School on The Tything in Worcester. There will be a Festival concert one week later in Perrins Hall RGS. All are welcome, there is a small entry charge.
For more information about the Festival, please go to www. worcestercompetitiveartsfestival. org.uk If you would like a syllabus and entry form for the competition, please contact Marian Walters on (01905) 820558 or via email at marian-walters@tiscali.co.uk
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music feature
Local Talent
By Dave Webber
I’m Dave Webber, and I present a show highlighting local music talent on Choice Radio, the service for Worcestershire Royal Hospital. This month I want to tell you about Stripped Down Blues, a talented group of musicians led by a man with a love for jazz and blues music.
Bob Jones is 70, not an age when many of us are creating a new band or playing gigs late into the evening. But then Bob has a passion for music, which began sixty years ago when his older sisters started buying records of jazz and boogie woogie. Listening to the early pioneers of rock and roll cemented a love of music in Bob which has stayed with him his whole life. Fast forward to 2004 and Bob started playing Blues at the Cellar Bar’s open-mic night on Foregate Street. Doubling up with his friend Rod Jones on Harmonica, Bob remembers ‘we couldn’t believe a couple of pensioners could make a much younger crowd like us, but they did!’ In January of 2005 Bob started to look after the music night at the Cellar Bar, and the evening took on a Blues slant, with local musicians joined by others travelling from Malvern, Birmingham and Warwickshire. Bob began to jam with Darren Mather, a harmonica player who was keen to develop his talents in good company. Andy Dent joined them next on lead guitar and then Garrington T Jones, who was working as Stage Manager for the group, began to play with them on bouzouki (he is also a member of the blues-trio Stomping on Spiders). Earlier this year Tonina Westgate became the group’s bass player, turning Stripped Down Blues into a five piece ensemble.
The group’s ambition for 2014 is to develop and perform more of their own music. ‘When we do a gig we’re not one of those bands that plays exactly timed sets’ says Bob, ‘but we’ll play for as long as there’s an audience.’ In many gigs this year they might hit stage before 9pm but rarely leave before midnight. Bob is keen to point out that Stripped Down Blues is an ensemble with everybody contributing, different members singing lead vocals for different songs. ‘With so much talent, an old-fashioned band leader would expect conflict, but that’s not our style. As players, we complement each other rather than compete and I hope that means the band will continue to make music together for many years to come.’ Stripped Down Blues perform regularly in and around Worcester, to find out where you can see them next, check their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/strippeddownblues You can hear more of Dave’s interviews with local musicians on Choice Radio at choiceradio. org.uk and clicking on Live! In the Past. Choice is the hospital radio service for the Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester, a voluntary service broadcasting a wide variety of music and programmes for patients seven days a week.
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Community Group
worcester snoezelen Hundreds of people use the facilities of Worcester Snoezelen in St. Johns every week. Glenn Louis Pettit from the charity tells us more about what they do.
We offer a multi-sensory environment for use by people with moderate-severe learning disabilities of any age. We have a number of spaces, each filled with stimulating and interactive equipment ranging from projected images, fibre optics, bubble tubes, gentle music and heated waterbeds. This kind of therapy was pioneered in the Netherlands which is where the word ‘Snoezelen’ in our title comes from. We also have a very popular hydro-therapy pool. Our Arts Initiative incorporates an extensive music service which promotes a rich variety of musicmaking opportunities in addition to offering the specialised movement-sensitive software Soundbeam. Clubs and workshops in Art and Drama are also accessed by a wide variety of people of all ages and abilities. We are an independent registered charity and this year we’ve been celebrating our 20th anniversary. We began in 1993 as a small centre. We were set up by Penny Brazier, who went on a training course about Snoezelen therapy. She was so inspired by what she saw, that she decided there was a real need for people in Worcestershire to be able to access this. Around 400 people come to us every week from as far away as the Welsh border and Birmingham. Some come for a single session lasting an hour in a sensory room, others come for half a day or longer, to enjoy one of our spaces, use the pool and to make music. It’s a major life-enhancing facility for many people. Some have been coming to us since we first opened. Our ‘Activity Wednesday’ is a popular day each week, which is based in St John’s Youth Centre and offers music-making workshops, sports and social activities to a vibrant group of people of mixed age and ability. Workshops like this have helped some of our members bridge the
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gap between leaving school and growth into adulthood. Providing so many of our members with the opportunity to form special friendships and develop new skills is what makes Worcester Snoezelen so special. We are currently running our Big Build Appeal which was launched last year. This is a very ambitious project in five stages to refurbish our existing facilities and build new ones. We have most recently completed the renovation of our White Room, an amazing space with an array of lighting, which generates an atmosphere of calm and stability. The second stage is the rebuilding and enhancement of facilities for our hydrotherapy pool. Later stages will see other multisensory rooms improved and by 2015 we hope to have a dedicated arts centre. We’re fortunate to receive kind support from a number of people in the Worcestershire community who realise that this is a time of real need for our charity. If you’re an individual, community organisation, local school or business who would like to support our vital community resource by way of undertaking a fundraiser or sponsoring some equipment then you can contact Worcester Snoezelen to find out how you can help.
If you’re someone interested in exploring the activities that Worcester Snoezelen has to offer then you can find the information you need by contacting the charity. Worcester Snoezelen 3 Turnpike Close Worcester WR2 6AB, 01905 748229 www.worcestersnoezelen.org.uk
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Recipe
Chocolate Tart Kindly provided by Richard Potter, Red Hen Cookery Chef parchment, roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin.
This dessert is the perfect choice for Christmas entertaining, it’s indulgent, rich and it can be made well in advance! Orange and dark chocolate tart ingredients
For the base: • 250g plain flour • 125g unsalted butter • 90g caster sugar • 1 whole egg • Zest of 1 orange • Pinch of sea salt You will need a metal cake ring measuring 15–17cm diameter. For the chocolate ganache: • 225g double cream • Pinch of sea salt • 120g dark chocolate (minimum of 70% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces • 50g good quality milk chocolate, broken into small pieces • Zest of 2 oranges
Serves 8 Method 1. Either in the bowl of an electric mixer or by hand beat the sugar, butter, salt or zest together until well combined. 2. Beat the egg until smooth then gradually add it into the sugar and butter, beating well with every addition until well combined and smooth. 3. Add the flour and mix until it comes together and forms a ball of dough, shape into a flat round and then wrap in cling film and chill for at least an hour. 4. Pre heat the oven to 180C, and line a baking sheet with baking parchment. 5. Briefly knead the chilled pastry until softened slightly and then, between two sheets of baking
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6. Place the dough onto the lined baking sheet, prick all over with a fork and then chill again for 20 minutes. 7. When chilled, bake for 12-15 minutes until the pastry is dry to the touch, but not too dark, remove from the oven. 8. While the pastry is still warm, press your cake ring into the pastry, using it as a giant cutter, to cut out a base for your tart. Leave the ring set into the pastry. 9. Carefully remove the excess cooked pastry from the outside of your cake ring. Allow to cool completely. 10. To make the filling, add the zest and salt to the filling and bring up to the simmer over a gentle heat. 11. Set the chocolates and butter in a heat proof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water and allow to melt. 12. When melted pour the cream mix over the chocolate and stir until fully incorporated and smooth. Allow to cool for a few minutes. 13. With a pastry brush, brush some of the ganache around the edges of the pastry base and cake tin and then place into the freezer to set. This will seal the base and stop the ganache leaking out. 14. When set, pour the remaining cooled ganache into the tin and then place into the fridge for at least eight hours to set fully. 15. When ready to use, take a hot knife and run it around the inside of the tin and then carefully lift the ring off the tart, or gently flash a cook’s blow torch around the cake tin to allow you to remove it. 16. Decorate the top of your tart how you wish, maybe with chocolate shapes, gold leaf or chopped nuts. 17. Serve a thin slice with maybe a drizzle of double cream, Enjoy!
tional Inspira g in Teach
Relaxed Environ ment
December Mince Pies & Mulled Wine Tuesday 3rd £30, 6pm - 9pm The Perfect Christmas Roast Sunday 15th £50, 11am - 3pm
Visit Chocolate Deli, New Street and try one of our selection of tea’s and coffees, complimented with our finest handbaked cakes! Loyalty Cards now available in the coffee shop. All of our chocolates and mouldings are handmade by Chocolate Deli at our unit at the Jinney Ring Craft Centre, Hanbury
Chocolate Deli Coffee & Patisserie 53 New Street, Worcester, WR1 2DL. Tel 01905 611324 Jinney Ring Craft Centre, Hanbury Road, Bromsgrove B60 4BU Tel: 01527 821693 www.chocolatedeli.uk.com • info@chocolatedeli.biz
Festive Fudge and Truffles Tuesday 10th £35, 6pm - 9pm The Ultimate Yule Log Wednesday 18th £40, 6pm - 10pm Children’s Cookery Courses Sat 21st, Mon 23rd & Mon 30th £38 per day 9.30am - 3pm We have lots of offers on most of these courses if you book more than one place so why not take a look at www.redhencookery.co.uk or give us a call on
01905 422997 RedHenCookerySchool @RedHenCookery
To advertise please call: 07722 226712 or email worcester@allabout-local.com
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Notice board Meditation Group
and 9pm We meet on Fridays between 7pm some San se, Hou at the Friends Meeting ) 1UG 1 (WR er cest Wor in e Plac ed hten enlig all of s hing teac We follow the Masters. rs or All welcome. Suitable for Beginne rs itato Med d experience
Donation £5. Please telephone Ann ils or Andy on 01432 850884 for deta
Oddfellows Would you like to be part of the world’s oldest and biggest international friendly society? Our motto is “Making Friends and helping people” Annual membership subscription is £25 (or £23 if paid by direct debit), anyone who joins now will receive a £5 gift voucher from Head Office and also a £5 gift voucher from the Worcester District.
For information and an application form please contact John Bradley on (01905) 355241
OOME CAROLS AT CR
th December at
Sat 7th & Sat 14
3pm
) rk (WR8 9DW h, Croome Pa 4 of Croome Churc ily m Fa ; £5 £10; Children t) ts ul us Tr Ad l s: na et Tick (Natio from Croome £25 available 905 370005 01 s: y Wilk Contact Beck rg.uk nationaltrust.o becky.wilks@ e before om ro C to try e free en delicious e, Tickets includ pi warming mince a t, er nc co your tmas present d even a Chris hot punch an for children!
rs.com
www.hillssinge
Small Message? ! It’s free for groups
al.com
sascha@allabout-loc 07906 573352
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Feb Deadline:
Mon 13 Jan 2013
Organising an e for your groupvent Based in Worc ? Email us the d ester? james@allabo etails: utand you can g local.com message out et your homes and b to 14,000 usine in Worcester! sses
udeville The Worcester Vaart, Whatever your to perform it this is the chance
ry-telling, short ces of poetry, sto Enjoy performan music. or , dy me plays, stand-up co ur creativity with wn and share yo Please come do Vaudeville. of s dition us, in the finest tra ate Street, llar Bar on Foreg month. We meet at the Ce ery ev y evening of the first Thursda
derwood contact Russell Un For details please .com or ail tm nderwood@ho via email russell_u group ok bo ce fa ’s Vaudeville join the Worcester
Make a real difference in someone’s life, become a volunteer
Talking Newspapers for the Blind Volunteers needed Tape Copiers: We need people to carry out the copying of tapes (once a month or more) 1 - 2 hours on Friday mornings. Readers: We need readers (once a month or more) on a Thursday for 1 - 2 hours starting at 7pm. Clerical: We need clerical people who can give one hour, either Thursday afternoon or evening, once a month. The Worcester Talking Newspaper and Equipment Service for the Blind is a long established charity that produces and sends out weekty talking newspaper cassettes. Contact Ann at Worcester Volunteer Centre on 01905 24741 or email on ann@wvc.org.uk Many more opportunities are available to people wanting to give a hand at:
Worcester Volunteer Centre 33 The Tything, Worcester, WR1 1JL www.worcestervolunteercentre.org.uk
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Find us on
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December
sat
Winter Wonderland with Malvern Hills District Brass Band at Huntingdon Hall, Tickets: £8 (concessions £7, children £5). Call the box office on (01905) 611 427
sun
Recorder Group Workshop presented by the Fontanella Recorder Quintet, from 12 noon with a concert at 3pm (Huntingdon Hall), Call 01306 627332 for information
7
8
tue
10
sat
14
sat
21
sun
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A Good Christmas Box A talk by conductor and musician Donald Hunt on the music that has played a significant role in his career. At the Elgar Birthplace Museum, tickets £5 including festive refreshments Call (01905) 333224 A Venetian Christmas sung by Worcester Cathedral Choirs. 7.30pm at the Cathedral, tickets £8-£15. Call (01905) 611427 A Victorian Christmas with Blast from the Past an evening of music, song, stories and drama from the time of Dickens and Hardy Huntingdon Hall at 8pm Tickets from the box office The Commandery Kitchen Christmas Party 1.30-5pm, take a traditional trip back in time to the Commandery in the Victorian era. Call (01905) 361821 for information
January
sat
11
Tony Hawks, Fridges, Frolics and Films Tony combines storytelling, stand up, musical comedy and film clips in two hours of fun at Huntingdon Hall, tickets: £16 Call (01905) 611 427
For more events in Worcester go to:
www.allaboutworcester.com
What’s on wed
15
sat
25
fri
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IT and Job Seeking Support in the main library, level 3 at The Hive, come between 2.30 & 3.30pm for drop in support to gain internet and email skills, cv and cover letter word processing and assistance for seeking jobs online. Support is free, no booking necessary, just turn up & ask a member of The Hive team for details Felting Found objects a free family workshop, led by expert felt maker Caroline Merrell. Transform wool fibres into something beautiful. At Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum Space is limited please book (01905) 25371 Friday Fun for families with pre-school children at The Hive these monthly sessions are led by Worcester Children’s Centres, join them in the Children’s Library for free, interactive, lively fun!
Market Days
Worcester Country Market Days Home-made, home-grown & hand-crafted Every Friday: 9am - 11am, St Johns Library, Glebe Close, WR2 5AX Crowngate Market Monday - Saturday, Angel Place, Worcester Centre Farmers Markets Every 4th Saturday of each month at St Peter’s Garden Centre, Broomhall, Norton WR5 2NY 21 December & 25 January, 9.30am - 2pm The Fold Market - Christmas Special in December Every 4th Sunday of each month at The Fold, New House Farm, Bransford, Worcester WR6 5JB 22 December & 26 January, 10am - 2pm
FREE
for groups
To promote your February & March 2014 events: email james@allabout-local.com or call 07762 148355 it is free for local not-for-profit groups. Deadline: Monday 13 January 2014
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To advertise please call: 07722 226712 or email worcester@allabout-local.com
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Sewing Courses, Craft Workshops and Parties For ladies, Children & Teens
Contact Heather on: 07790 403933 www.craftyladiesmalvern.co.uk MUSIC, SINGING & MOVEMENT WITH JO JINGLES ‘’Come and join Jo Jingles for masses of musical fun, dancing and movement.” Classes across Droitwich and Worcester for all ages from birth to school. No class fees for babies under 6 months. Call Rachael on 07792 131285 www.jojingles.com/worcesterarea
Dance with Deb CLASSES AT HOLY TRINITY PARISH HALL, LINK TOP, MALVERN:MON AT 10am - Ballroom/Latin £5pp MON AT 11.15am - Modern Sequence £5pp MON AT 6.30pm - DanceFit £5pp MON AT 7.30pm - Ballroom/Latin £5pp NEW TEA DANCE EVERY 1st Tuesday of every month Malvern STARTS with a FREE TEA DANCE on Tuesday 7th January @ Malvern Cube, Albert Rd North - Normal cost £3.50pp. 1pm – 3pm EVERY 1ST & 3RD FRIDAYS OF EVERY MONTH – TEA DANCE – AT HOLY TRINITY, LINK TOP, MALVERN 2pm – 4pm £3.50pp BALLROOM & LATIN EVERY 2ND SATURDAY OF EVERY MONTH AT HOLY TRINITY, LINK TOP, MALVERN 8pm – 10.30pm (bring your own refreshments) £6pp For more info contact Dance with Deb: 07760 763967 info@dancewithdeb.co.uk www.dancewithdeb.co.uk
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What’s on Malvern Theatre News
Malvern Theatres Christmas Open Day Sat 7th December Join Malvern Theatres on Saturday 7th December from 11am for their Christmas Open Day and enjoy a host of special activities for the whole family! Take a backstage tour, enjoy a selection of food from the festive menu at Scene Bistro or sit back and relax in the cinema for one of the special Christmas screenings! Visit Father Christmas in his Grotto or join him for Afternoon Tea in the restaurant, and if you still have time for more there’s face painting and carol singing! There’s something for everyone and entry is free, so come along and soak up the atmosphere this Christmas! Advance booking is advisable for the backstage tours and Afternoon Tea with Father Christmas. For more information or to book tickets call the box office on 01684 892 277 or visit malvern-theatres.co.uk
www.allaboutworcester.com
facebook.com/ allaboutworcester
To advertise please call: 07722 226712 or email worcester@allabout-local.com
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Index Art/Music/Theatre Cinderella 27 Malvern Theatre 29 Business Support
30
Vivid Windows 3 Wrought Iron by Phil 5 Home help/clearning/care
All About Magazines Miso Communications Builders/Maintenance
31 12
Clean for You Oven Clean IT/Telephone
21 21
Miso Communications Telephone Extensions Worcester Computers
12 19 19
G&K Decorators Mike Swain Rhino Versatile Carpenters
14 15 14
Painter/Decorator
Marvin Goodger SC Beard Carpenter Car Services
14 15
Discount Tyre Centre St Johns Garage Classes & Training
17 17
Crafty Ladies Dance with Deb Massage Training Red Hen Cookery Food & Drink
28 28 11 23
Chocolate Deli Four New Seasons Roots at Rushwick Health & Fitness
23 19 23
Bringing Massage 2 U Cosmetic Injectables Ogles Farmacy Scott Wroe Hearing Centre The Beauty Centre Home Improvements
11 13 9 9 11
Cloudey 2 Clear Dream Doors Worcester Capital Installations Hillview Soft Furnishings Francis of Malvern LDC Kitchens Malvern Glass Ready Rent
21 25 14 21 BP 12 12 17
G&K Decorators Pest Control
14
Muddy Boots
17
Plumbing & Heating AB Plumbing Clive Green Plumbing Paul’s Plumbing SRD Plumbing Wilkins Chimney Sweep
14 15 15 15 14
Restaurant Four New Seasons
19
Shops/Shopping Carnival Records` Francis of Malvern Ogles Gifts Roots at Rushwick The Bedroom Centre The Hop Pocket
18 BP 9 23 2 8
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