Sticks July & Aug 2014

Issue 22 July/August 2014

In this edition of The Sticks Exclusive Interview with BBC Three Counties’ Nick Coffer Win tickets to see Bugle Boy Our new Hero Cheese of the Month BBC Radio 2’s Janey Lee Grace on Summer Ice We review The Embankment Restaurant in Bedford We road test the Toyota Aygo And much more Plus pages of events listings across Herts, Beds & Bucks

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Welcome to the July/August edition of The Sticks Magazine!

The most talked about magazine in Herts, Beds & Bucks With over 16,000 readers a month

In this issue: Exclusive interview with Nick Coffer Curwens Column Win tickets to see Bugle Boy I Need the Toilet!

Art Column Overcoming Anxiety Car Test – Toyota Aygo Janey Lee Grace on Summer Ice The Embankment Restaurant Big Barn Food Column Hero Cheese of the Month Listings – Herts, Beds & Bucks

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Contributors: Janey Lee Grace, Terry Sullivan Donna Obstfeld, Andrew Merritt-Morling, Jo Coker, Sharon Struckman

See you in September!

Editor & Sales: Terry Sullivan Tel: 07756 274444 Email: thesticks9@gmail.com www.the-sticks.co.uk Follow us on twitter @thesticks9 www.facebook.com/sticksmag

Listen to The Sticks Radio Show at 10am on Mondays on Secklow Sounds www.secklowsounds.org

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Exclusive Interview with Nick Coffer Nick Coffer is a radio broadcaster on BBC Three Counties Radio, author, cook and dad.

Nick recently sat down for a chat with The Sticks to talk about his career, his life and family.

How long have you been on Three Counties? August 2010 was my first programme, I think it was August 19th and I had been doing about a years worth of guesting and talking head stuff and I just took the idea of the food show to Mark Norman, who was the then editor, and said how about we do this and he said what a great idea and I thought oh no what have I done!

Are you originally a local boy? Yes I am from Watford so I am very much a Hertfordshire boy. I love Hertfordshire, I moved around for many years, I lived in France and then in East London and somehow I ended up in Bushey and marrying a Bushey girl, not quite sure how that happened. It was where I was brought up and I always thought I was not going to stay here but you do end up gravitating back.

What had you done before you got in to radio? I had previously run my own businesses, I ran one when I was in France where I was supplying French retailers with English fashion brands then I came back to this country where I set up a business where I was supplying mineral water to the restaurant trade and it had it’s period when it did really well particularly around 2006/7 and then it started to get in to trouble in 2008, when the recession had started to hit and in late 2008, early 2009 I decided to close the business.

It was a good decision as the business was losing money but I was able to close it with some money still in the business, by that I mean if I had carried on for another 3 months I probably would not have had a penny but by stopping there and then everyone was paid out, the business did no go broke, I just decided to stop. I had a chunk of money and then decided to become a stay at home dad, that was early 2009 and my wife went back to work, my son was a year old at the time. I then tried a number of things, I wanted to open a café and all sorts of other ideas came to mind. One of the things I did do was I filmed myself cooking with my little boy in the kitchen on a couple of occasions and thought they were quite cool, although never been in front of a camera before or recorded anything and then created a little wordpress blog called “My Daddy Cooks” and I registered the name “mydaddycooks.com” and that was September 2009 and between then and Christmas I put up 8 or 9 videos of me and Archie cooking and it all went a bit mad and then over the Christmas I withdrew my last £250 from the bank and I was not quite sure what I was going to be doing next, then straight after the Christmas holidays in January 2010 BBC London news phoned and said can we come and do a report on you and Archie and the videos, and that went out and the Evening Standard saw it and put Archie on the front cover and then I got a book deal. That’s the potted history, although at no point had I consciously set out thinking I am going to be a radio presenter, not at all. Often with radio I think life experiences are as important as other 4

experiences you are bringing that to your programme. I am quite pleased I lived my 37 years before going on air, I am not saying that’s the right way but it works for me.

Ultimately people want to hear presenters with the life experiences, don’t get me wrong there are some brilliant 21 year old presenters out there but I think, particularly for the audience that I have got, they want people who are a bit lived and there are large chunks of radio you can’t teach, there’s lots you can learn and you learn every single day but there are large parts that are innate, it is just if you get the opportunity to show that or not, don’t get me wrong that’s only half the battle the rest is learning to do it well. The likes of Iain (Lee) and Jonathan (JVS) have this innate ability to be on air and communicate.

It was about 3 months after I signed my book deal with Hodder & Stoughton that I started my food show on Three Counties and all of those things came from me being very pro-active and having ideas and taking them to people and saying what about this and them saying, I quite like that! I had been doing my Saturday show for about 18 months and then took over the afternoon show (noon till 3pm) in March 2012, because afternoons are very different as in they are not news lead. Yes, it was an interesting jump and I love afternoons because it is a time when you can just kick back a little bit, relax and play your favourite music and it is all about the guests where as Iain and Jonathan are very much current affairs lead as is “Drive” with Rob and I love talking to the local mum who has founded a charity as much as I love talking to David Jason or Amanda Holden etc and that’s the beauty of the programme that I can get that scope of some one who is mad on matchsticks modelling all the way through to Jake Clemons, that’s why I enjoy it; then also I go out of the studio every Friday and that’s when I really get to eyeball the people who listen to me because if you don’t know who your talking too you’re, going to sound rubbish, you have got to know who you’re talking to, why they are listening and when you go on an outside broadcast that’s just the best opportunity because you get to meet the listener, for good and for bad, sometimes they don’t like you, but that is alright but more often than not I get a real sense of who my audience is. I am at my happiest if you plonk me in the middle of a busy pub with a microphone.

Who chooses music and sources the guests for your show? That’s quiet an involved question so I will give you the simplified version. My producer Nia Visser books the guests, she is the one on the lookout for who to talk to and why to talk to them but it is a collaborative effort I will see things that I want her to find but predominantly she is forward planning the programme, the music is a mixture of our core play list and other things that I love and occasionally something that Nia fancies chucking in as well. I play in a 3 hour show anything up to 30 tracks and that gives me quite a lot of scope to mix up the well known stuff along with bits of me. I think music is another way to show the stuff you love and showing your personality a little bit, also the beauty of music is it shapes the programmes so I can shape the music depending on the guests etc., say Iam doing a really sad downbeat interview it’s likely that I will come out of it with quite an upbeat song and vice versa if I am talking to someone who is

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really, really hyper, I would probably play Gabrielle Aplin or Leonard Cohen just to slow it down a bit, to me music is very important.

Being on the radio and having a new baby and young family must make your life extra busy? I think that I have never worked harder than I work at the moment but at the same time I have never been happier in what I do. Bearing in mind everything I do, one way or another is a creative thing whether it is being on the radio or all the hours of preparation that each show requires or writing a cook book or writing articles for newspapers, what ever it is it is going to be creative and with that in mind you never actually stop. I don’t have a job where I can just switch off when I come home, on the contrary I am always doing, doing, thinking normally about 3 am one of those creative periods, “oh I‘ve just got an idea” so yes I am juggling a lot. Conversely I am lucky I get to take my son to school and on a good day I am home by 5.30 pm so I can be making supper or worse case just after supper, that’s because of the time slot I have got. It is not just the 3 hour show, for each one it is a minimum of 2-3 hours preparation.

Have you had any disasters during a live broadcast? Not sure where on a scale of 1-10 this is, but I once spilt wine all over the mixing desk and put the studios out of action for 4 days, which was not ideal as it was the Saturday before the big schedule change on the Monday morning, that made me very unpopular. It was funny, as I spilt the wine my head was basically saying all the swear words in the world but somehow my mouth just carried on talking! Also I have had a kitten walk all over my buttons and play a strange medley of station jingles and trails. I have been lucky and not had a major disaster, I do occasionally press the wrong buttons but I think listeners are not always looking for slick perfection.

Tell us a bit about your cook books. In 2011 I brought out “My Daddy Cooks” and I have a new book out called “The After School Cook Book” I am chuffed with the new book, it is basically “My Daddy Cooks” grows up. It is what happened when I realised I had a school aged son and all the implications that has in our food and family life. He will come home from school absolutely knackered and he needs instant refuelling or he will turn up from school with a few friends that I was not expecting, so “The After School Cookbook” is what it says on the cover, it is a book for parents with children 4 to 18 and it just fills that need for food that is either quick and/or cheap and tasty. All the recipes are just my signature recipes, very simple, non fatty, non chefy, good grub that children will enjoy. The food side of my reputation has been built up by not being a chef, I am a dad that cooks food that works, and that children can get involved in cooking as well. I am proud of the new book, my favourite chapters are one called Mind The Gap which is all about what to give your kids in that horrible bit where you pick them up from school and you have another hour, hour and half before they are going to eat supper and one called 2+2=7 where you go pick you son up and their friends mum can’t pick them up you so have inherited 2 other kids. There is a lot of fun in the book, it was written with a smile, also a lot of work has gone into the book I have sweated blood, tears and onions; it is like having a new baby publishing a book.

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What would cook for me if I came round for dinner? That’s a tricky question. There would be a 9/10 chance that if it was for a family meal, I would cook a pasta or stir fry dish, that is my turn to for the middle of the week. I always have a ready supply of bacon in the freezer and can normally do something in around 8 minutes.

Anything you would like to do i.e. dream job? I absolutely love what I do and I genuinely everyday never underestimate the privilege of going on air with an audience which has grown with me, of which I respect and it respects me and has been through things like my wife’s miscarriage and the birth of my baby. It was Stephen King that said “don’t forget to enjoy what you are doing” so even when I have only had 3 hours sleep when the baby keeps me up all night I realise that I am so lucky to be on air and that people listen which you can never take for granted as there are an awful lot of radio stations out there. I enjoy the theatre of TV but I have always been a radio listener, I have always gone to bed listening to the radio. Radio has withstood all the technological advances of the iphone, MP3s and has embraced them as well, to still be ultimately one person with a microphone talking to a load of other people. I love the absolute simplicity of it, which will never change the intimacy of it. I think radio has an ability to connect where other mediums don’t. I am comfortable going on air as I am comfortable about being exposed, I don’t mind that feeling, and I thrive on it. It is like this book, it has been with me and in my head for 2 years but for people reading it today it is the first view they will have of it so it is a weird feeling. I have a little theory about creative projects that is that if my listener has any idea of the work that has gone into a radio programme or my book then I have not actually done my job because actually it is irrelevant, so if I am giving them any sense that I have prepped for an interview the night before then I am not doing my job but if they listen and think that’s a really interesting interview then I have done it right. I take great pride that people want to be entertained, touched, moved and to connect with you, what they don’t want is a presenter to go on air and say I worked so hard on this.

Do you have time for hobbies and interests? Yes, I am a huge Arsenal fan so I go every home game or at least as many as I can and I am a very lapsed cyclist, I need to get back on the bike. Also at the point I am with my family I would be lying if I said I had this amazing social life. I regret not having more time to read and do stuff, but when you have a 6 year old, 3 year old and a 9 week old they are going to take up a lot of your time.

Are you a gig goer, theatre goer or comedy show goer? I am not really a comedy gig guy, the 25 year old in me would want to go to an indie gig as that’s what I was brought up with but I like live performance so the theatre would be the number one choice.

Who are your favourite singers or bands? My all-time favourite would be Bruce Springsteen, I love American female singers like Emmylou Harris and Mary Chapin Carpenter also Pink Floyd. I was brought up with a lot of reggae in the house so like Ska things like Toots and the Maytals and The Selecter, I have very diverse tastes.

Who would be your favourite dinner guests dead or alive? This is such a difficult question, I would invite Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith because her and Springsteen would be an interesting pair, and my granddad who died in 1983, so would be great to catch up with him, hope he would be proud of what I have done, as he was a professional after dinner speaker, he was a very funny guy, he was also in music halls.

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How would you describe yourself? I would say I am very easy to read but at the same time private, I am very, very loyal and very discreet but at the same time I go on the radio and talk so it’s a bit of a paradox, also very passionate. If I had to use one phrase it would be passionate bordering on obsessive for things that I do and for getting things right. Fundamentally I am just a normal family guy who is not getting a lot of sleep at the moment!

Listen to Nick on BBC Three Counties Radio Monday – Friday 12 noon till 3 pm and Nick Coffer’s Weekend Kitchen, Saturdays 12 noon till 2 pm Also Nick could recently be seen across TV, print and online media as the face of Sainbsury’s ‘Make Your Roast Go Further’ campaign. In the adverts, Nick showed how to make delicious recipes with leftover pork roast. He also recently created and presented a video for Pancake Day in support of Lyle’s Golden Syrup’s ‘Save our Pancakes’ campaign. He is a regular contributor to Netmums.com, where he creates recipes and presents cooking videos.

You can order Nick’s books via these links:-

My Daddy Cooks: www.amazon.co.uk/My-Daddy-Cooks-Recipesfamily/dp/144471371X/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_y

The After School Cook Book: www.amazon.co.uk/The-After-School-Cookbookaffordable-ebook/dp/B00IORP8BC/ref=dp_kinw_strp_1

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HOW TO START YOUR OWN BUSINESS The economy seems to be recovering, and things are looking up – so maybe now is the time to reach that secret goal of being your own boss.

Starting up your own business can be exciting and challenging, but you need to be prepared. Ask yourself some basic Questions:• Where is your funding coming from / have you done a Business plan?

If you are hoping for assistance from your bank they will want to see that you have planned the way ahead.

• Are you going to be a sole trader / a partnership / a limited company?

You will need the paperwork in place to clarify who owns the business, and what powers they have (often dealt with in Partnership or Shareholders Agreements). If you are formally incorporating a company, you will need specialist documentation including the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

• Do you need premises and/or staff?

You will ideally need a formal lease agreement for the premises – to ensure you cannot be evicted without reasonable notice and also the correct “use” for those premises (such as retail or office) Every member of staff should have a contract of employment – to protect both you and them. Also, remember the implications of Auto-enrolment in respect of employee pensions.

• Have you got a friendly accountant to provide you with tax advice?

It is important to know what tax you should be registered for and are liable to pay – otherwise how can you calculate what to charge for your products or services to ensure you make a profit • Have you taken any legal advice?

Unfortunately, the days of relying on a “gentleman’s handshake” are gone. Ensure any supplier contracts or Terms and Conditions protect your business as far as possible.

• Have you considered marketing / a website?

This will all need to be budgeted for, and you need to be aware of what statutory information is required on emails and websites • Have you got insurance?

Most people consider it vital to insure their premises and stock, but what about equipment and even key members of staff?

At Curwens LLP, we are always happy to have an initial chat with you on the telephone to run through exactly what help you need. So if you have any questions just give us a ring on 01992 463727 or have a look at our website www.curwens.co.uk.

Curwens LLP are your local solicitors based in Royston, Hoddesdon and Enfield.

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Win 2 tickets to see Bugle Boy at Alban Arena, St Albans on Wednesday September 10

The Critically Acclaimed Hit New Musical ‘Bugle Boy’ exploring the life and work of legendary band leader Glenn Miller is set to tour the country again after its highly successful 2011; 2012 & 2013 UK Tours; including a full house standing ovation in the West End Garrick Theatre receiving terrific reviews from both critics and audiences alike and hailed a Triumph.

'Bugle Boy' by English Award Winning Playwright Den Stevenson; traces the life of legendary music Icon Glenn Miller from leaving college to play in various bands including his own as he searches tirelessly for over twenty years, with the constant support and love of his wife Helen, for a unique band sound.

When he eventually succeeds in his quest; he and his family only enjoy the fruits of fame for three short years. When America joined the Second World War after the bombing of Pearl Harbour; he joins the Army, forms the subsequently famed A.E.F Band and flies to Europe to play to the Armed Forces; then goes missing in mysterious circumstances.

Den Stevenson became obsessed with making a musical about the great band leader whilst being Booker for Glenn's younger brother Herb Miller and his Orchestra; honing his unique concept on English soil before presenting the Show in America - firstly in Virginia and then on Broadway 'Bugle Boy' features all of Glenn Miller’s famous and instantly recognisable tunes including amongst others Little Brown Jug; Moonlight Serenade; Pennsylvania 6-5000; Chattanooga Choo Choo; Kalamazoo; American Patrol and many others - which has seen this not to be missed Critically Acclaimed Show play to packed audiences and standing ovations across the Country putting everyone who sees it... In The Mood shouting for more!

The first correct entry drawn in our exclusive competition will win a pair of tickets to the show. To enter please answer this simple question: The musical is called Bugle Boy but Glenn Miller did not play the bugle, what instrument is he famous for playing?

Email your answer together with your name, address and daytime phone number to: thesticks9@gmail.com Closing date: Noon Thursday 4th September The prize will go to the first correct entry drawn on Thursday 4th September. There is no cash alternative. Usual publication rules apply; the Editor's decision is final. www.thebugleboy.info

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I Need the Toilet Now I know this is a strange title, but on an increasingly regular basis, a client, an employee or a friend tells me they need the toilet! I have even caught myself announcing to the kids…. “I’m just going to the toilet”. On close inspection, I find I am justifying why I am not doing something else like supervising homework, cooking dinner or clearing up. Why do I need to carve out time to do something so natural and why do I have the need to justify myself?

So the next time someone announced their ‘need’, I asked why they felt they had to tell me. The answer: because I’m so busy, I don’t really have time to go and as a result feel guilty going. As an employer this concerns me and I have even resorted to telling staff to go to the ‘little girls’ room’ and then call me back. As a friend I have pointed out that they can’t possibly do a good job at work (e.g. as a retail medical professional) if they are desperate for the toilet while seeing patients.

So who is plying on the pressure? Is it family, our boss or ourselves?

If it is family, we need to learn to manage expectations, they are allowed to go and so are we.

If it is ourselves, then we need to improve our time management, work smarter not harder and ensure that we make time for regular pit stops, so that we don’t find ourselves caught short.

If it is our boss, company policy or peer pressure, then the situation can be harder to manage. It is essential to stay well hydrated during the day to achieve optimum performance in any job. The water machine, the coffee machine and the staff room all encourage us to take on fluids, but our bodies also need us to get rid of toxins.

By law, every restaurant must provide the public with access to a toilet and every workplace must have an arrangement for staff access to a toilet, even if it is a shared facility.

In discussion with my gardener, I was surprised he made it home everyday for lunch – he confided that the reason for this was ….. because he had trained himself to not need the toilet before or after his lunch break.

As an employee you must manage your time to ensure you are able to take regular breaks and make use of those breaks even if you don’t need to go at that point in time.

You may not be able to go later! Employers need to be mindful of medical needs and a duty of care towards staff – when you gotta go, you gotta go!

is an HR practice working with the business, education and charity sectors to “make the workplace a better place to be”.

01923 504100

www.dohr.co.uk

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enquiries@dohr.co.uk

Complexity Sculpted Through Simplicity There’s something so quintessentially human about Andy Thomas’ sculptures. They are beautifully elegant, figurative works which captures the purest moments of our experiences.

Working from a studio within Welwyn Equestrian Centre in Hertfordshire, Andy Thomas creates abstract, ergonomic sculptures of the human form ‘combining the negative and the positive’. He was previously working in Welwyn at Digswell Arts Trust where he was granted a studio for three years.

The mark of a memorable, constantly satisfying sculpture,’ Andy believes, ‘is always underlined with the renewed interest and excitement generated when it's studied from every angle’, an idea which is an obvious influence in his work.

‘Heading for Home’, a bronzed and gently sloping depiction of a mother and her children, from the front displays a natural element of maternal exasperation, but from behind we see unquestionable maternal love. Warmth, born of the sculpture’s hues, radiates from the figures to touch the emotions of the viewer – whether they are mother or child.

The delicate craftsmanship of Andy’s work, which he admits stems from genuine firsthand experience rather than formal education, is exquisite. The curves of ‘Heading for Home’ alongside the bumped texture of ‘Compassion’ equally reflect the natural complexity of human relationships, but without compromising beautiful simplicity.

Oblivious to Andy’s audience, the embracing figures of ‘Compassion’ are similarly honest and captivating in their intimacy.

The search of solace within sculpture is an overwhelming aspect of Andy’s creations. The reflection of philosophical tranquillity apparent in his sculptural representation of ‘Contemplation’ is a powerful front for his smaller figurines.

It is a projection of the individual when unaware of her audience, engrossed in her own imaginings.

Andy Thomas exhibits across the width and breadth of the United Kingdom. ‘Embrace’ (his newest sculpture) an ‘eternally loving couple entwined in happiness’ has recently been installed at the historic gardens of Compton Acres in Bournemouth, the first in the edition is held privately in France. Currently, his work is also displayed at Cecilia Coleman Galley in London, Art Van Go in Knebworth, Riverside Galleries in Barnes and Barnet and at PS Arts in Datchworth.

Facebook - www.facebook.com/pages/Andy-Thomas-Sculpture Twitter - @andytsculpture Written by: Meg Browne, an A-Level student at Barnwell School, hoping to work in photographic journalism, and currently studying English Literature, Media Studies and Photography.

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Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety Jeff Jeff woke up with a gasp, clutching his chest, fighting for his breath, as wave after wave of what felt like electric charge hit his body. This had happened every morning for the last three weeks. Every morning he thought he was going to die. The first time it happened his wife rushed him to hospital, convinced he was having a heart attack. It was there he was told that he was having an anxiety attack, not a heart attack, as all the tests showed his heart was healthy. Jeff was convinced that the doctors were wrong. He didn’t ‘do’ stress. He often said that, as the MD, he was the one who created stress not the one who suffered with it! How could he have anxiety? Sure, he’d had to remortgage the house to fund a precarious business expansion and his daughter had been hospitalised with anorexia, but he never considered for a moment that he wasn’t coping. Further medical tests continued to point to anxiety as the problem though and every morning without fail he would wake up gasping for air.

Sonia Sonia watched with horror as one of the mothers at the toddler group pulled out a sesame seed snack from her handbag. ‘I’m starving’ the mother said…I haven’t had a minute all morning…I’m so glad I remembered to bring my snack today’. As the mother opened the packet and started to eat the health treat Sonia’s body filled with fear and her mind started firing off one terrifying thought after another, ‘Oh no…those seeds and going to fall on the children and one of them will choke’ ‘What if my little girl is allergic to sesame seeds and stops breathing’ ‘I have to get us away from here’. Sonia smiled weakly, said she wasn’t feeling too well and excused herself.

Barely noticing the sympathetic smiles of the other mothers and trying to look as normal as possible, she gathered up her little girl and rushed to her car. Once home, she stripped them both of their clothes and put them straight into the dustbin. Then she carefully and thoroughly bathed the baby and herself, until her fear started to ease. Sonia wore plastic gloves for the rest of the day so that she wouldn’t contaminate her little girl when she touched her or spread any of the sesame in her house. Sonia knew she wasn’t being rational but she simply couldn’t stop herself from behaving like this.

Clare As she reached the end of her run Clare allowed herself to feel pleased … she had managed the best time and distance so far in her marathon training. Almost immediately, she heard her mothers voice in her head, ‘How dare you be pleased with yourself you pathetic creature? You know you are no good at anything, never have been and never will be, bane of my life you were … not like your brother’. Clare felt the breath pull out of her body as her stomach turned in that horribly familiar way it did every time she remembered her mother. This time the sensation built to an unbearable level and Clare stopped dead in her tracks, doubling over in pain. Her mother had been dead for several years but the abuse she doled out when she was here was enough to last Clare a lifetime. Clare dropped to her knees and began sobbing in the street. I will never be rid of that woman she thought, how will I ever be happy?

Jeff, Sonia and Clare* are all suffering with anxiety, albeit in different forms and with varying causes. Mental Health Foundation statistics show that anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health problems in the UK. Whilst 2.6% of the population experience depression and 4.7% have anxiety problems, as many as 9.7% suffer mixed depression and anxiety, making it the most prevalent mental health problem in our population as a whole.

What Is Anxiety?

Essentially, anxiety is a product of the workings of our amygdala, a small, almond shaped part of our brain. The amygdala releases stress hormones - adrenaline and cortisol - to activate our fight or flight system when we are threatened. This is a crucial part of our survival mechanism, as it

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gives us the where withal to run away from or stand and fight a source of danger. In Jeff’s case, his amygdala is releasing stress hormones in response to the financial threat of remortgaging his house and the emotional threat of his daughter being hospitalised. Unfortunately, Jeff believes he is coping with these challenges well and so is failing to understand his symptoms. Naturally, his amygdala is going to keep on sending him the message until he pays attention. The amygdala isn’t the most sophisticated part of our brain and it can’t distinguish between a scary thought and a real life threat, so Sonia’s amygdala responds to her fearful thoughts by producing stress hormones, making Sonia feel more afraid, increasing, in turn, her vulnerability to having scary thoughts. The only way Sonia feels she can break this cycle is by washing the threat away. Years of verbal abuse from her mother have left Clare (and her amygdala) on red alert for danger and, although her mother has died, her negative influence still goes on. The years of fear have now brought Clare to breaking point, with predictably acute anxiety symptoms.

How Is It Treated?

As Jeff, Sonia and Clare’s cases show, every individual has a different experience of anxiety and a unique set of circumstances creating their anxious symptoms. Effective treatments for anxiety need to be tailored to meet individual needs. Counsellors and Psychotherapists take varying approaches depending on their core training, or modality, as it is called. Some will look to resolve early life experiences that have created the vulnerability to anxiety, an approach that may be best suited to Clare’s experience. Others will use more solution focused approaches, like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), looking for practical ways to identify and break the patterns of anxious thinking, which would probably suit Jeff and Sonia well. At some point in most approaches to anxiety a professional will explore the client’s past and current environment; their home and work life, how much sleep they are getting, what and how often they eat and drink, how much exercise they are taking, how much contact with other people they have. This assessment allows the therapist to recommend actions to reduce anxiety, such as how to improve sleep patterns and increase physical activity. Some therapists will look at exactly how the client is experiencing anxiety, in which contexts, for how long, how often, how they behave when they feel anxious, how much they understand about anxiety. From this they can see ways to increase the client’s capabilities by teaching anxiety management skills, such as relaxation, breathing, redirecting attention, mindfulness and thought observation. The client’s beliefs about risk and anxiety may be challenged, to change the way that they think about the problem. At some stage in the treatment professionals may also explore the client’s sense of self, their values, identity and purpose in life, often demonstrating that anxiety is not who they are, rather it is something they have learnt to do.

What ever approach is taken, the key to recovering from anxiety is knowing that you have it in the first place and then finding a professional who you can trust to help you recover. No-one need suffer with anxiety for life.

Julie Sale UKCP Registered Psychotherapist COSRT Accredited Psychotherapist Operations Director Local Counselling Centre If you would like help to recover from anxiety please contact us on 01462 674671 hello@localcounsellingcentre.co.uk www.localcounsellingcentre.co.uk

*names and details have been changed to protect anonymity

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Road Test –Toyota Aygo

by Andrew Merritt-Morling

There is no denying that the Toyota Aygo is the more striking of the trio of city cars that includes Citroen’s C1 and Peugeot’s 108, with which it shares its platform. The front is dominated by an ‘X’ that is available in an array of colours to build on the increasing trend for personalisation of small cars and which is complemented by angular headlights and with project lenses and standard-fit LED running lights.

In the flesh, a more distinctive and we think masculine look has replaced the bug-eyed but cute looks of the previous generation. This second generation Aygo model has developed some attitude and confidence. The bold looks somewhat mask the aerodynamic attention to detail that starts with a front splitter and goes on to the double-bubble roof and ends with fins set into the rear lights.

Only one 1.0-litre engine is available, and that is related to the old Aygo’s. But don’t let this fact put you off. It weighs just 69kg, contributing to the total 60kg weightsaving compared to the previous generation. Output has been increased very slightly to 69bhp and in our test car, came with the optional x-shift automated manual transmission.

With the x-shift, the Aygo can officially return 67.3mpg on the combined cycle and emits just 97g/km of CO2, ensuring that if falls below the current 100g/km threshold for payment of annual road tax in the UK. Both figures are a marked improvement on the 62.7mpg and 104g/km of the previous model, but are still below the 68.9mpg and 95g/km of CO2 achieved with the standard-fit 5-speed manual.

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But the x-shift gearbox lets the Aygo down. In E-mode and when you put the car under heavy acceleration, there are very noticeable delays in swapping from one gear to the next thanks to the single-clutch set-up. At the same time the engine revs hard before changing up. In more routine driving, the problem is not as pronounced, but is still evident which somewhat tarnishes the experience. Perhaps the best way of summarising the x-shift is that it needs patience.

On the move, the new Aygo is quieter at motorway cruising speeds and wind and road noise are well subdued, bringing a welcome bonus. The jolly thrum when the engine is revved remains, however, which is a good thing. We will look forward to seeing whether the composure evident on smooth Dutch roads gets translated to the more pock-marked surfaces associated with British roads. As it is, even on the roughest roads we were able to find in Holland, any kickback refused to be transmitted through the steering wheel and the ride was relatively pliant. With the emphasis on comfort rather than sporty prowess, the most likely fun to be associated with the Aygo is choosing from the myriad of personalisation options that will be available to you as an owner rather than from behind the wheel. However, it is possible to lift a rear wheel if you are able to safely push it into a corner.

Inside, the Aygo has matured into a sophisticated little runabout. The materials are very pleasant to the touch and those trading up from the previous generation to this one will notice that there is a lot less exposed metalwork. As you would expect for a new generation of car, interior quality has been heavily improved. Blocks of colour help to break up the scratchy plastics, but you still notice that it feels cheap in places, particularly the lower down the cabin you move. The standard-fit 7-inch x-touch system offers a simple touchscreen user interface for audio, phone and vehicle functions and it has all the technology you could need.

The boot opening is slightly wider than before whilst the available space has grown from 139-litres to 168. Despite the increase, it is still quite diddy – as is the accommodation in the back. Even if you are of average height, those sitting behind the driver will only want to endure relatively short journeys – although those sitting behind the front-seat passenger could be slightly better off. Access to the rear is fine though through the second pair of doors – even though they do not open particularly wide. We have not had the opportunity of trying the 3-door version, but obviously entry and exit to the rear will be more compromised.

Space up front is good though and excellent visibility is afforded thanks to the slimmer A-pillars. A fully adjustable driver’s seat and a steering wheel that adjusts for both reach and height makes getting comfortable a quick and easy affair. Storage is provided by good size door bins and in the front there are twin cup holders.

www.first4auto.com www.facebook.com/first4auto Twitter: @first4auto

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Summer Ice Summer, and the promise of long hazy days cycling and messing about are here. When I was a kid we used to disappear for hours rolling down grassy banks and then rock up home saying we were hungry and thirsty, if we were lucky we’d be offered an apple or a glass of water but try running that one past my kids now.

Getting the teenagers out from behind their smartphones is no mean feat, rolling down a hill could mess up their designer hoodies (though it might make a good selfie to upload to Instagram) - and as for accepting an apple as a snack....Fail!

Soft drinks and fizzy drinks were for special occasions when we were kids, but now it’s constant, even those of us who pride ourselves on being health conscious parents feel obliged to provide fruit juices, cordials, or one of the seemingly healthy alternatives, such as organic cola or cloudy lemonade – if it’s organic or cloudy it must be healthy right? Sadly no, while a standard can of Coca Cola or Pepsi contains 9 teaspoons of sugar, a slightly bigger bottle of ginger beer, cloudy lemonade or sparkling elderflower can contain between 9 and 13 depending on the brand. Ouch! Let’s stick to ice lollies to quench our thirst then….. mmm perhaps not, in addition to the high sugar content there’s also usually all manner of preservatives, flavouring et al. Make your own lollies?

Definitely - but don’t use the aforementioned juices, lemonades et al. For a super healthy lollie, blend some summer berries with Tiana coconut water and freeze, the coconut water is naturally sweet and great for rehydration – nothing added. www.tiana-coconut.com For a great dessert try Shrek green sorbet 1 tablespoon coconut water, the pulp of 2 kiwi fruits, 1 shot live wheatgrass juice – 2 teaspoons of Squeeze of lime Tiana raw organic coconut nectar Blend all the ingredients and freeze – serve with fresh mint.

It could give you (and the kids) the energy boost to roll down the hills. By the way, a great source for frozen wheatgrass is www.livewheatgrass.com Meanwhile I’ll be holed up for much of the summer sampling and testing lotions, potions, makeup and natural cleaning products for the 2014 Janey Loves Platinum Awards, we aim to recognise the best of the best in organic and natural, on the shortlist are some Hertfordshire companies including Konjac Sponge (brilliant for cleansing and taking off make-up) Wholistic Research Company, a brilliant one stop shop for equipment et al, Welwyn Health Foods and of course the brilliant products unique to them, The Haramaki and The Bamboo Healing products and then just over the border in beds Logona Cosmetics who a brilliant range of natural skincare and make-up and even gorgeous bright nail polish that doesn’t contain some of the scarier chemicals As the title of my book says it really is possible to Look Great Naturally – without ditching the lipstick Watch this space winners will be announced and of course at www.janeyleegrace.com

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Restaurant Review -The Embankment, Bedford Nestled along the riverside in Bedford is the rather aptly named Embankment Hotel and Restaurant. With the River Festival happening mid July, we thought we would go along to see what this award winning establishment is all about.

As we arrived the place was buzzing with the alfresco tables full as the diners enjoyed the weather. I was pleased to be shown to mine, in the cool inside the restaurant which was also busy. Every night, alongside the A la carte menu there is a themed special menu - on the night we visited (Friday) it was seafood evening.

Before ordering our food we both enjoyed some juicy olives along with some crusty, soft bread and creamy butter.

For starters we ordered from the fish menu Pinney’s smoked trout, golden beetroot, white bean & orange salad – a beautiful tasting fish dish from Suffolk with something I had not had before in the form of golden beetroot, which had a fabulous taste and together with the citrus salad, blended well with the trout. From the A la carte menu my colleague chose Grimsby Smoked Haddock Kedgeree with a poached free range egg the kedgeree was creamy with a perfectly poached egg on top and had a good balance of flavours.

For main course I again chose from the Friday menu a whole roast plaice with crab & fennel butter, petit pois, along with Sautéed potatoes, this tasted so fresh and moist and not overcooked, my colleague enjoyed the free range chicken & ham hock pie with Madeira sauce and parsley mash – the pie filling was wonderfully moist and tender, topped with a crispy light pastry.

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For dessert we ordered a bramble apple mousse with cider fritters – the mousse was so light with an intense apple taste, a really enjoyable pudding and red wine poached pear accompanied with Caramel sauce and Vanilla ice cream – pear tasted like mulled wine along side the smooth, creamy ice cream –a real treat.

Alongside some wonderful food we tasted some refreshing drinks including a really nice, False Bay Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa and, from the alcohol- free cocktail list, a Apple Mojito – made with cloudy apple juice, fresh lime, mint and sugar that was just perfect on a very warm evening.

Whether you are visiting Bedford for the River Festival or any other time the Embankment is well worth a visit for a full 3 course meal, light snack or a drink.

Embankment Hotel and Restaurant The Embankment Bedford MK40 3PD 01234 261332 www.embankmentbedford.co.uk

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Local Honey With the number of honey bees under close scrutiny by the experts as levels fall, it’s no surprise that we’re paying more than ever for a pot of this golden nectar.

Honeybees are the most important polinators and producers of honey. They gather nectar from flowers and plants and carry it to the hive or nest and in the process help plants reproduce. Other worker bees then take over, preparing it for storing by adding enzymes. Water evaporates away and this, together with the action of the enzyme, turns the nectar to honey.

Honey has long been recognised as a natural remedy and has been used as a medicine for thousands of years. It has antiseptic properties that help ailments such as sore throats, burns and cuts.

No bees, no fruit?

Plus, it’s pretty damn delicious spread on toast, drizzled over yoghurt, stirred into warm roasted parsnips, or used as an alternative to sugar. The possibilities are quite simply endless, which is why we all love it so much.

More Honey Facts: - 80% of the pollination of the fruits, vegetables and seed crops in the US is accomplished by honeybees.

- There are over 25,000 species of bees worldwide.

- An adult worker bee’s lifespan is about 45 days during summer months.

- A typical Bee colony consists of 30,000 to 60,000 bees.

- Male bees are called “Drones” and they do not have stingers, their only purpose is to mate with the queen bee.

- A queen bee can sting multiple times without dying.

- 99% of the bee colony is made up of female bees known as worker bees.

- The average honey bee’s wings flap over 183 times per second.

Bees have an excellent sense of smell which allows them to find their hive.

- Honey Bees actually dance when they return to the hive to tell the other bees where the flowers are.

- Honey is the ONLY food source produced by an insect that humans eat.

Beekeeping is also becoming more popular than ever, with people erecting hives in their back gardens and producing their own delicious honey.

To find out more about honey and bee-keeping courses visit www.bbka.org.uk, or alternatively for fun, facts and trivia, head over to www.honeyassociation.com They say that eating locally-made honey can help alleviate hay fever symptoms, so the best possible honey is one made just down the road.

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Hero Cheese of the Month - Parmigiano-Reggiano (Parmesan) This month’s Hero Cheese is Parmesan, as a table cheese?

Why not! Although in England traditionally used as an ingredient cheese, parmigiana makes a great table cheese too.

A protected cheese that can only be made in the provinces of Parma, Reggio Emilia, Modena. Bologna (west of the Reno) and Mantua (south of the Po).

Each cheese is made from raw milk of grass or hay fed cattle using natural whey starters and calf rennet, finely milled (about the size of rice grains) which is then pressed, floated in a brine bath for around 20 days. The cheese is then placed in a maturing room, turned regularly for 12 months.

Grading takes place in the form of a consorzi parmiagiano-reggiano, who by just using a hammer taps each cheese to identify any cracks and voids in the cheese, only then is the consorzio's mark branded into the rind.

Parmesan is an excellent freezing cheese to, as it has a low moisture content. The rind can also be eaten and it makes a great ingredient to add to your pasta sauces.

Try this cheese with a Prosecco or even better a Franciacorta, Italy's answer to champagne! As it has a high lactic acid content (the crunch you find in mature cheese) the lactic acid reacts with the carbon dioxide in the fizz, creating a sherbet sensation on the palette which is truly remarkable!

26 High Street, Buntingford, Herts, SG9 9AQ www.thecheeseplate.co.uk Tel: 01763 271533 Email: Toby@thecheeseplate.co.uk

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July Herts Listings Art from the Hart - Tues 1 to Fri 11 Jul An engrossing exhibition of painting and sculpture from Tina Hart, Karen Phillips, Michael Phillips, Brooke Phillips and Selda Khoy, artists based in the Netherlands and in the UK. Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Tea Dance -Tue 1 July 1pm Mr Wonderful return to the Colosseum with a series of glittering dance events suited to beginners and seasoned dancers alike. Come with a partner or on your own, come for a dance or just a chat - we'd love to see you. Get your dancing shoes on and take to the floor for a graceful, elegant and nostalgic afternoon of dancing. The Colosseum’s Tea Dance will evoke memories of a forgotten era and create memories of a new one.Tea, coffee and a selection of cakes will be available.

Tickets: £5.00.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk The Trials of Oscar Wilde - Weds 2 Jul Thursday 14 February 1895 was the triumphant opening night of The Importance of Being Earnest and the zenith of Oscar Wilde’s career. Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX Sense and Sensibility - Weds 2 Jul Join Chapterhouse Theatre Company this summer for an evening of Regency wonderment as Eleanor and Marianne Dashwood make their first forays into the exquisite world of eighteenth-century society. Broxbourne Civic Hall, 67 Riversmead, Hoddesdon Work by Lizzy Lane - Weds 2 to Tues 29 Jul An exhibition of wall-based sculptures inspired by the insect world, focusing on colour, pattern and texture, plus collographed prints that also draw inspiration from the insect world.

Letchworth Arts Centre, 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Outside: Where I Have Been. Paintings by Jane Glynn - Weds 2 to Tues 29 Jul Jane Glynn’s new work is a growing pictorial diary inspired by time spent outside each day. Letchworth Arts Centre 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Royal Air Force Band - Thu 3 July 7pm A Grand Massed Bands Concert in aid of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, the RAF’s leading welfare charity. The Central Band of the Royal

Air Force, one of the country’s very finest military bands, under the direction of the RAF’s Principal Director of Music, Wing Commander Duncan Stubbs, will perform both on its own and with Mill Hill County High School’s outstanding Concert Band. The 240-strong Mill Hill County High School Year 7 Chorus will also contribute to a varied and entertaining programme. The concert will also feature a performance from Emma Kershaw, singer in “Women the Band” and West End performer having appeared in shows such as Les Miserables and Fame. Tickets £16.00.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Retail Independents’ Day Late Night Shopping Fri 4 Jul Local independent retailers will be putting on an American Snack Trail around town with late night shopping for all. With promotions, in store entertainment and samples on offer. Hertford Town Centre SG14 1DF Sonisphere Festival 2014 - Fri 4 Jul Headlined

by Iron Maiden, Metallica & The Prodigy.

Knebworth Park, Nr Stevenage SG1 2AX Ladies’ Night - Fri 4 Jul 8pm Calling all ladies!

An evening full of gorgeous male entertainment, a cheeky drag queen, a devilish cocktail on arrival and a scrumptious three-course meal the night is set to tantalise all your senses! In July we welcome wickedly funny drag queen Davina Sparkle with entertainment from the breathtaking Blu Steel and magnificent Magic Micky! Over 18s only. Contains nudity. Tickets: £30.00 includes 3-course meal and the evening’s entertainment.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Art in Clay - Fri 4 Jul to Sun 6 Jul The 20th Art in Clay Hatfield is a large-scale ceramics event showcasing work by 200 carefully selected makers. The festival continues its highly successful formula of individual makers’ stands.

Hatfield House, Hatfield AL9 5NQ Childwickbury Arts Fair - Fri 4 to Sun 6 Jul A three day arts fair featuring over 60 artists of all mediums including painting, ceramics, carving, textiles, jewellery, wood, glass, metal sculpture and much more. Childwickbury Estate, St Albans AL3 6JX Comedy Club - Sat 5 Jul Paul B Edwards hosts another anarchic evening of great comedy, with Pierre Hollins and Mandy Knight. Licensed bar.

"An unsung hero of new comedy. Don’t miss this true professional at work. Letchworth Arts

The Magic Of Motown- Baby Love – 50 Years Of No1 UK Hits Tour - Thu 10 July 8pm The allnew, all-star 2014 The Magic of Motown-Baby Love Tour is celebrating 50 years of UK No1 hit singles at Watford Colosseum. Featuring more chart toppers than ever before, starring the music of the Temptations, Supremes, Four Tops, Jackson 5, Isley Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie and more, the show marks the official arrival of Motown style, sophistication and musical brilliance to these shores. The legend of the great record label lives on, live on stage: five-star performances revive more than 36 back-to-back massive Motown classics with all the dazzling dance moves, glittering costume changes and superb musicianship synonymous with the label. Book now, don’t let the magic of Motown stay away too long. Tickets: £26.00 £25.00 £22.50 Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN.0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Centre 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Radlett Art Society Annual Exhibition - Sat 5 to Sat 12 Jul An exhibition of over 300 paintings in watercolours, acrylics, oil, pastel and mixed media; also ceramics and 3D works and original cards, all for sale. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL The Art of Arms - Sat 5 Jul to Sat 30 Aug From hand axes to samurai swords, this exhibition will showcase our extensive weaponry collections from around the world. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, Hertford SG14 1DT The Hut People - Sat 5 Jul Champions of the standing ovation, The Hut People are rapidly gaining more and more of a reputation as one of the hottest and most entertaining folk/world acts on the UK roots circuit. Old Town Hall, High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE

Ware Operatic Summer Concert - Fri 11 and Sat 12 Jul The Award Winning Ware Operatic present their Summer Concert, A Night Out in the West End. Come and enjoy listening to songs and music from your favourite West End shows.

Ware Drill Hall, Amwell End, Ware SG12 9HP

Oaklands Primary School BBQ and Fun Day - Sat 5 Jul An afternoon of entertainment complete with BBQ, licensed bar, music, games, stalls, bouncy castle, displays and a raffle. Oaklands Primary School, Great North Road, Welwyn AL6 0PX

Vintage and Classic Vehicle Display - Sat 12 Jul This year sees the event in its 20th year in Hoddesdon town centre and is as popular as ever with visitors and exhibitors alike. Over 160+ vehicles will be on display. High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8UB

The Herts Cycle Challenge - Sun 6 Jul The Grove House Herts Cycle Challenge is back! Join us on Sunday 6th July 2014 and cycle your choice of two fantastic routes – 25 miles or 50 miles – through the scenic Hertfordshire countryside.

The Old Albanian Rugby Club, St Albans AL3 6BB

Gordie MacKeeman & His Rhythm Boys - Sat 12 Jul Hailing from Prince Edward Island, Canada, the award-winning Gordie MacKeeman and His Rhythm Boys serve up old-time roots music with an energy level that practically yanks you out of your seat.Old Town Hall, High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE

Songs of Praise with Pam Rhodes - Sun 6 Jul Enjoy a picnic in St Leonard’s churchyard before Songs Of Praise with Pam Rhodes. As part of the Sandridge 900 celebrations this event unites six churches from that ancient parish. St Leonard’s Church, Church End, Sandridge, St Albans AL4 9DL

Highfield Park Summer Fete - Sat 12 Jul Come and join us for a fun day at a traditional summer fete, there will be lots to do in the lovely setting of Highfield Park. Enjoy a wide range of craft stalls and attractions. Highfield Park, St Albans AL4 0RA

Big Band Bash - Sun 6 Jul Commencing at 12 noon. This year featuring four local big bands.

The Old Bull Hotel, High Street, Royston, SG8 9AW Oh! What a Lovely War - Tues 8 to Fri 11 Jul By Theatre Workshop, Charles Chilton, Gerry Raffles and Members of the Original Cast Joan Littlewood’s Musical Entertainment Directed by Coral Walton. Barn Theatre, Handside Lane, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST

Is that a Balloon? - Sat 12 Jul Can you really make anything out of balloons? Becky and Bobby from The Balloon Show can! Through this fast, funny, interactive show, watch the story unfold with the help of balloons and puppets.

Gadebridge Park HP1 3AE

Sculpture in the Garden - Weds 9 Jul to Sun 31 Aug An exhibition of contemporary sculpture in the stunning setting of the Garden at Knebworth House. Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Dance Fusion- Sat 12 - Sun 13 July Sat 5pm, Sun 2pm and 3pm. Rise Studios present their 6th Summer Show, Dance Fusion. Showcasing a

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The Stars From The Commitments - Fri 18 July 8pm Since 1993 The Stars from The Commitments and their band have performed 1,500 shows to over 6 million people worldwide, playing all the soul classics from the awardwinning movie, The Commitments. The show consists of 2 hours of sizzling soul including: Try A Little Tenderness. Take Me to the River, In The Midnight Hour, Chain Of Fools, Mustang Sally, Treat Her Right, Hard To Handle, Nowhere To Run, Destination Anywhere, Dark End of the Street plus many more. Appearing from the Alan Parker movie The Commitments of 1991 are: Kenneth McCluskey as Derek “The Meatman” Scully – Guitar, Michael Aherne as Steven Clifford – Keyboards, Dick Massey as Billy “The Animal” Mooney – Drums.Tickets: £20.00, £18.50.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

variety of dance styles including ballet, tap, street, hip-hop, performing arts and contemporary dance. Talented performers from aged 3 to 18 years will entertain you with contrasting routines, vibrant costumes and a variety of uplifting and funky music. Their enthusiasm and love of the arts is plain to see.

We promise you will leave this show with a huge smile on your face! Tickets: £15.00. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN.0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Muscle Warrior 10K & 5K Charity Race - Sunday 13 Jul A 10K & 5K race set in the stunning grounds of Haileybury Independent School in East Hertfordshire in aid of family charity The Muscle Help Foundation. Haileybury School, Hertford Heath SG13 7NU Race for Life Stevenage - Sun 13 Jul Ladies, it’s time to take the fight to cancer at Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. Let’s face it. Cancer doesn’t care who it affects. It can ruin everything without a second thought. Fairlands Valley Park, Broadhall Way, Stevenage SG2 8RH

St Albans Art Society Summer Art Exhibition Fri 18 to Sat 26 Jul Old Town Hall, Market Place, St Albans AL3 5DJ Codicote Village Day - Sat 19 Jul A fantastic family fun day that kicks off with a parade at 1 o’clock then continues on the field until 6 p.m.

The Great Field, Bury Lane, Codicote SG4 8XY

Harpenden Lions Club Highland Gathering - Sun 13 Jul A fun day out for all the family, with a Scottish flavour and featuring Pipe Bands, Solo Piping, Highland Games and Dancing and so much more. Rothamsted Park, Harpenden AL5 2EF

Hatfield House Battle Proms Concert - Sat 19 Jul The 14th annual Hatfield House Battle Proms Open Air Concert. Hatfield House, Hatfield, Hertfordshire AL9 5NQ

Little Berkhamsted Fete, Craft Fair & Fun Dog Show - Sun 13 Jul 11.30 - 4pm. Fun for all the Family including Pony Rides, Punch & Judy Shows, Vintage Tractors, Birds Of Prey, Bouncy Castle, Stalls, Refreshments & much more. Church Road, Little Berkhamsted SG13 8LY

The Knebworth Country Show - Sat 19 and Sun 20 Jul All day entertainment which may include birds of prey, working dogs, children’s entertainment as well as arts, crafts, gifts and food marquees. Knebworth House, Knebworth SG1 2AX

Classic Motorcycle Event - Sun 13 Jul This year Hoddesdon town centre will see its first Classic Motorcycle Event in the High Street. This event is being held by Hertfordshire Superbikes in conjunction with Broxbourne Council. High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8TN

Hellfire Comedy Club - Thu 24 July 8pm What a great night! A curry and three of the finest up and coming comedians to entertain you. In July we’ll be welcoming Zoe Lyons who blends observations, stories and anecdotes without alienating anyone who isn’t gay or a woman despite being named the 81st most influential lesbian and gay person in Britain! Zoe will be joined by Roger Monkhouse one of the most original and distinctive acts on the comedy scene combining charm and menace to control any audience. A great night not to be missed!

Tickets: £18.00 (includes curry and the evening’s entertainment) Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Romeo & Juliet - Thurs 17 Jul The Lord Chamberlain’s Men present their open-air, all male production of the greatest love story ever told. Hatfield Forest CM22 6NE Rare Productions Presents: Les Miserables School Edition - Thurs 17 to Sat19 Jul Originally adapted from Victor Hugo’s timeless novel, Les Misérables School Edition introduces a new generation to the grand and inspirational story that has touched the hearts of millions. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Captain Calamity’s Mega Party - Thurs 24 Jul Following the ’sell out’ popularity of Captain

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Jul 10.30 am – 3.30 pm (last entry 3.00 pm) Meet The History Man as he demonstrates a wealth of arms and weapons used through the ages, for very different reasons! Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, SG14 1DT

Calamity’s Mega Party in January; he’s back again with another hour of marvellous magic, brilliant balloonery. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL George’s Marvellous Medicine - Garden theatre - Thurs 24 Jul Garden theatre for families performed by Illyria (equity approved Theatre Company) Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Pride and Prejudice -Sat 26 Jul Heartbreak Productions are delighted to present a fresh and contemporary adaptation of the world-renowned Pride & Prejudice. Hopleys, Much Hadham SG10 6BU

The ELO Experience - Fri 25 July 8pm The legacy left by Jeff Lynne & The Electric Light Orchestra barely needs any introduction – suffice to say that between 1972 and 1986 they achieved more combined UK and US Top 40 hits than any other band on the planet! ‘10538 Overture’, ‘Evil Woman’, ‘Living Thing’, ‘Diary of Horace Wimp’, Don’t Bring me Down’ and of course ‘Mr Blue Sky’ went on to become the soundtrack of our lives. Blending rock rhythms with classical influences, ELO also released many classic albums such as ‘A New World Record’, ‘Discovery’ and ‘Out of the Blue’, and many sell out tours further established them as one of the most important and influential bands ever.

Formed over 7 years ago, The ELO Experience are the world’s foremost tribute to this great band. With a stunning light show and large screen projection to further enhance the experience, why not come along and enjoy this incredible show which accurately reproduces the songs and sounds and takes you on a musical journey through time. Tickets : £20.00, £18.00.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Race for Life St Albans - Sun 27 Jul Ladies, it’s time to take the fight to cancer at Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life. Let’s face it. Cancer doesn’t care who it affects. It can ruin everything without a second thought.

Verulamium Park, Holywell Hill, St Albans AL1 2DL Summer Musical Theatre Workshop - Mon 28 Jul to Fri 1 Aug These popular workshops offer a unique experience that is very similar to a professional rehearsal and performance of a musical. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Beds Listings Bedford School Theatre Play ’DNA’ by Dennis Kelly - Tue 1 to Thu 3 Jul Following the great success of ’Chatroom,’ by Enda Walsh, Matthew Gouldesbrough returns to produce and direct another contemporary and thought provoking play. Bedford School Theatre, Bedford School, De Parys Avenue, Bedford MK40 2TU

Vision Of Elvis - Sat 26 July 8pm A Vision Of Elvis starring Rob Kingsley and his sensational band and singers is recognised as Europe’s most authentic & successful tribute to Elvis Presley.

This show brings you a full evening featuring all the classic hits, from the hip swiveling 50’s Sun Studios to the Movie Years and the 1968 Comeback Special with the finale being the electrifying Jumpsuit Concert Years. Recognized as the “Official European Champion” by winning Europe’s Largest Elvis competition, Rob Kingsley has also the distinction of being the first Elvis Tribute Artist to perform live at the new Wembley Stadium, with other prestigious venues Worldwide to his credit, he even has authentic costumes that were made by Elvis’s personal costume designer. This show leaves the audience in no doubt that they are witnessing a truly authentic Elvis show as Rob Kingsley has the total package. Tickets: £19.50, £17.50. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN.0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

American Themed Evening - Fri 4 Jul Come dressed in your favourite American outfit or as an American Star! There will be light hearted quizzes, activities and fun before a light supper – included in ticket price. Whipsnade Village Hall, off B4540, LU6 2LG Langford Family Fete - Sat 5 Jul A great day out for the family, with the usual Craft stalls, Children’s rides, Barbecue, Magic show, Dance and Sports displays. Langford Village Hall and Playing Field, Mill Lane, Langford SG18 9QB Alive and Singing Rock & Pop Choir and the Sam Lewis Rock Band - Sun 6 Jul A unique and spectacular event in the history of Alive and Singing as a 150-strong choir perform legendary rock and pop repertoire in rich harmony LIVE accompanied by the fantastic Sam Lewis. King’s House, 245 Ampthill Road, Bedford MK42 9AZ Shefford Annual Duck Race - Mon 7 Jul Acorn Pre-School & the Mighty Oaks annual Duck Race.

Ready, Aim Fire at Hertford Museum! - Sat 26

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Bedford River Festival Dragon Boat Race - Sat 19 Jul Raising money for local charities. Bedford Rowing Club, Bedford MK42 0AX

As well as racing ducks down the river, there will be Tombolas, a raffle, face painting, bouncy castle, food and drink. Fun for all the family!

The Bangkok Lounge, 2 Bedford Road, Shefford SG17 5DJ

Bedford River Festival – Sat 19 and Sun 20 Jul The Embankment, Bedford

Lillian Boutte - New Orleans Jazz Ambassador presents ‘Jazz on a Summer’s Evening’ - Fri 11 Jul St Peter’s Church, Bedford is thrilled to be host to Lillian Boutte who will be performing a unique Jazz, Gospel and Blues Concert. St Peter’s Church, De Pary’s Avenue, Bedford MK40 2TX

Bedfordshire County Show – Sat 19 and Sun 20 Jul Old Warden Aerodrome SG18 9EP Cranfest - Sat 19 Jul A small festival with an eclectic mix of music, craft, food and entertainment for all ages. Cranfield United FC, Crawley Road, Cranfield, Bedford MK43 0AA

Flower Festival - Sat 12 and Sun 13 Jul The beautiful thirteenth century parish church which lies at the heart of the village of Campton will be filled with floral displays, photographs and artefacts. All Saints’ Church, Campton SG17 5BN

Crafts, Cake and a Cuppa - Sun 20 Jul There’ll be a wide variety of high quality local handmade art and craft items, with many different crafters attending as well as a charity stall. Tea, coffee and light refreshments available. Woburn Village Hall, Crawley Road Woburn MK17 9QD

750th Melchbourne Feast Day - Sun 13 Jul It’s the biggest celebration that Melchbourne in North Bedfordshire has ever put on. And it’s all because we’re 750 years old! It’s a Summer Fayre. Melchbourne Park, Melchbourne MK44 1BD

The Sooty Show - Thur 24 Jul Izzy Wizzy Let’s Get Busy - It’s The Sooty Show! Direct from Citv, Sooty heads into town in a fabulous new show to delight the whole family. Joining the nation’s favourite bear will be Sweep & Soo. Bedford Corn Exchange, St Paul’s Square, Bedford MK40 1SL

Companion Dog Show - Sun 13 Jul 11th Annual Companion Dog Show Linslade Recreation Ground, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 2LR Beds Garden Carers - Bedfordshire Fayre and Picnic - Sun 13 Jul There will loads to see, a blue’s band, loads of stalls including fab home made cupcakes, a retro sweetie cart. The Anglers Rest site in Clapham Bedford. 106 Clapham Road, Clapham, Bedford MK41 7PJ

Cafe in The Tower - Sat 26 Jul Drop in between 2.30-5.30 pm to sample a delicious range of cakes and cookies to go. All Saints Church, Odell MK43 7AA Fibre-East - Sat 26 and Sun 27 Jul Two day event celebrating working with natural fibres with the emphasis on British Wool....fibres, yarns, notions, dyes, demonstrations for the craft enthusiasts in the world of spinning & weaving.

Redborne Community College, Ampthill, Bedford MK45 2NU

Bromham Show - Sun 13 Jul Annual Village show attracting up to 3000 visitors. A large central arena with many exciting displays including sheepdog & duck display, mini football, marching band and much more. Village hall playing field, Village Road, Bromham MK43 8JP

Pre– World War 1 “Upstairs Downstairs” Picnic - Sun 27 Jul Dress up in clothes from the early 1900s and bring your whole family along for a fun day which will include an exhibition about pre WW1 life Upstairs and Downstairs, activities for children. Whipsnade Village Hall, off B4540, LU6 2LG

Close Up and Personal Airshow - Sun 13 Jul This show gives you the chance to get up close to our amazing aircraft and speak to our pilots and ground crew. The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome SG18 9EP End of Term Summer Disco - Fri 18 Jul Celebrate the end of Summer term at the Forest Centre this July with an end of term disco party!

Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Wings & Wheels Airshow Sun 27 Jul Shuttleworth Collection is delighted to welcome classic car owners and classic car groups to our airshow. Coupled with all our own historic vehicles on display in the static arena. The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome SG18 9EP

High Street Heroes - Rock Band Concert - Fri 18 Jul An evening of music by the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Stereophonics, REM and the like – something for everyone! Whipsnade Village Hall, off B4540, LU6 2LG, Bedfordshire LU6 2LG

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History Walk - Sat 5 Jul Join writer of the popular book ‘Langley Park: A Brief History’, John Watson, on a walk around Langley Park to learn about its fascinating history. Langley Park, Billet Lane, Iver SL0 0LS

Minibeast Safari - Mon 28 Jul Recommended for ages 4-10 Kids love to delve and discover the bugs, beetles and beasties living in the undergrowth on the reserve. Booking essential Children must be accompanied by an adult. RSPB The Lodge Sandy SG19 2DL

St Mary’s Village Carnival - Sat 5 Jul One of the biggest rural Carnival’s in the country, set in delightful rural location below Dunstable Downs.

Free admission, free parking & plenty of free entertainment. Edlesborough Green LU6 2HS

Bucks Listings Health Matters: Art and mental health - Tue 1 Jul Tom Cox, artscape project manager at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, discusses the importance of art in hospital settings and how this can benefit long term health and wellbeing. Conference room, Whiteleaf Centre, Bierton Road, Aylesbury HP20 1EG

Vivaldi...Purcell...Charpentier: a summer concert of Baroque favourites - Sat 5 Jul An exciting summer concert of baroque favourites including Vivaldi’s Gloria, excerpts from Dido and Aeneas by Purcell and Charpentier’s Te Deum. Arts4Every1, Desborough Road, High Wycombe HP11 2PU

Beers, Bevvies and Brewing - Weds 2 Jul Taste locally brewed beers from Rebellion, Malt and Chiltern breweries plus locally made English wines and cheeses. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Roald Dahl Festival - Sat 5 Jul 11am - 3pm Buckinghamshire is home to the famous children’s author Roald Dahl who lived in Great Missenden and every year a festival is celebrated in his name. Market Square, Aylesbury town centre HP20 2QF

Family History Talk: Tracing Marriages: Legal Requirements and Actual Practice, 1700-1900 - Weds 2 Jul Based upon years of painstaking primary research, including studies of thousands of couples, this talk explains how, when and where people in past centuries married.

Methodist Church Hall, Queensway, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2HB

Craft and Vintage fair - Sun 6 Jul In the lively Olney Centre, Olney High Street, we present our Craft and Vintage Fairs, featuring a lovely mix of craft and vintage stalls; something for everyone and every pocket. The Olney Centre, High Street, Olney MK46 4EF

BBC Antiques Roadshow - Thur 3 Jul BBC One’s ever popular Sunday evening programme Antiques Roadshow will be filming for its 37th series in the grounds of Chenies Manor, near Amersham WD3 6ER

Paul Lewis (piano) and Bjorg Lewis (cello) at Jordans Music Club Summer Festival - Sun 6 Jul Our season closes with Bach and Beethoven.

Bach’s suites for solo cello are a mainstay of every cellist’s repertoire, and have been described as ’music to refresh the spirit’. Jubilee Hall, School Lane, Seer Green, Beaconsfield HP9 2QJ

Day Out With Thomas - Fri 4 to Sun 6 Jul Thomas & Friends™ fans have the chance to meet their hero over the weekend.

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Summer Celebration - Sun 6 Jul Country talks, guided walks, music, demonstrations and displays. Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Open Air Shakespeare - Fri 4 Jul London Contemporary Theatre Company presents their production of William Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer’s Nights Dream’. Bring a picnic, blanket, sit back and enjoy! Willen Lake, Milton Keynes MK15 0DT

Hazeldene Farm Annual Sheep Shearing Day, Food & Craft Fair - Sun 6 Jul Come and watch our sheep shearers hard at work at our annual sheep shearing event. All usual activities are available including our food and craft fair and children’s activities. Hazeldene Farm, Ashridge Road, Chesham HP5 2XD

Little Missenden C of E Infant School Summer Fete - Sat 5 Jul Please join us for a fun family afternoon and help us raise money for our infant school. There’ll be bouncy castles, BBQ and bar, cafe, ice creams, coconut shy, tombola, raffle & silent auction. Little Missenden C of E Infant School, Little Missenden HP7 0RA

Romeo & Juliet - Sun 6 Jul The Lord Chamberlain’s Men present their open-air, all male production of the greatest love story ever told. Waddesdon Manor HP18 0JH

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Aylesbury on Sea - Sun 6 Jul You don’t need to leave town to be beside the seaside. For one day only this summer, Aylesbury-On-Sea transports a whole host of traditional seaside fun to Kingsbury for a day. Kingsbury Square HP20 2QP

stalls between 2 and 5.30pm. Fulmer Village SL3 6HD Open air theatre - Sat 12 Jul Open air production of Treasure Island. Willen Lake, Milton Keynes MK15 0DT

Bucks in the Great War - a talk by Ian Beckett - Sun 6 Jul Professor Ian Beckett, University of Kent and Bucks Military Museum Trust, will give a talk on the military in Bucks, the impact of war on society and the legacies.

Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Vintage Train Steaming Open Day - Sun 13 Jul A chance to ride on our historic Vintage Stock dating from the 1890s with no extra charge.

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Rock Choir - Tues 8 and Weds 9 Jul Enjoy a magical, uplifting performance for UK’s favourite contemporary choir. 8 East Common, Gerrards Cross SL9 7AD

Arts & Crafts Fair - Sun 13 Jul The Speen Group 5th Annual Charity Arts & Crafts Fair will be hosting many exciting local designers & artists of jewellery, ceramics, wood, art, quilting, glass, greeting cards, plants, food and much more.

Village Green, Hampden Road, Speen, Princes Risborough HP27 0RU

Valley of Song - a musical by Ivor Novello presented by Wolverton G&S Society - Thurs 10 to Sat 12 Jul Valley of Song is Ivor Novello’s very last musical; left unfinished at the time of his sudden death, and completed by his longtime collaborator Christopher Hassall. Holy Trinity Church, Old Wolverton Road, Wolverton MK12 5 NJ

Wingrave village fete - Sun 13 Jul This year Wingrave will once again be hosting their fete at the park. So come along and join us and let’s make this year a great success. Wingrave Sports and Social Club, Wingrave HP22 4QB Summer Fair and Craft Marketing - Sun 13 Jul In support of the local charity, the Thomas Ball Children’s Cancer fund, the Missenden Abbey summer fair raised £1500 last year. This year we’re doing it all again, bigger and better!

Missenden Abbey, London Road, Great Missenden HP16 0BD

Tiny - Fri 11 Jul Tiny Talk Time: Funny Faces A special time at Wycombe Museum for the under fives. Enjoy stories, trails and craft activities, inspired by the Museum collection and gardens.

Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Penn Festival - Fri 18 to Sun 20 Jul The Family Friendly Boutique Music Festival Buckinghamshire's family friendly boutique music festival returns to The Big Park HP7 0PL

Pearl Jam - Fri 11 Jul Milton Keynes Bowl, Milton Keynes MK5 8AA Caribbean Charity Summer Ball - Sat 12 Jul Friends of the Caribbean’s theme for this year’s annual charity ball will be a celebration of Bob’s music. Hilton Double Tree Hotel MK1 1ST

Kimblewick Country Fair & Horse Show - Sat 19 Jul A Great Family Day Out for all the Family!

Parades, displays, Stunts & Relays, Traditional Country Games , Vintage Vehicle Display Farmers Market & Trade Stands , Horse & Family Dog Show. Dodd’s Charity, Kimblewick, Aylesbury HP17 9TA

Hands-on Archaeology - Sat 12 Jul Meet archaeologist Jill Eyers, as seen on BBC’s Digging for Britain, and other archaeologists and enthusiasts. Handle and identify local finds and find out about local digs. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Juliet Lawson - Sat 19 Jul Juliet Lawson and Kelly Oliver. Christ Church URC, Marlow SL7 2NL

Electric Daisy Carnival UK - Sat 12 Jul Artists performing: Fatboy Slim, Steve Aoki, Pendulum (DJ set), Simon Patterson, Laidback Luke, Danny Howard, Steve Angello, Sigma, Jack Beats & Sander van Doorn. Milton Keynes Bowl, Milton Keynes MK5 8AA

DNC Summer Production - Sat 19 Jul Nikita & Co present their annual “Summer Production” featuring up to 100 dedicated students, giving them a unique platform to showcase their talents and achievements.

Norden Farm, Altwood Road, Maidenhead SL6 4PF

Fulmer Day Village Fete – Sat 12 Jul Fulmer Day is a fun-filled day of entertainment for the whole family; the centre of the village will be full of food, arts and crafts, music and activity

For The Fallen - Sat 19 and Sun 20 Jul A musical evening presenting the music of the

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times from 1914 to the present day. 8 East Common, Gerrards Cross SL9 7AD

Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Wing Carnival - Sat 19 Jul Free to enter. Theme this year ’Summer Holidays’ Arena Events to watch, Children’s Entertainer, Free Punch and Judy, Craft and Produce Tent & BBQ. Jubilee Green, Off Redwood Drive LU7 0TA

Flicker and Flash Robots - Tues 29 and Weds 30 Jul explore electric circuits and make a flashing robot. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue. High Wycombe HP13 6PX Aylesbury Farmers’ Market - Tues 29 Jul Find fantastic local produce at Aylesbury Farmers Market on the last Tuesday of every month. Also browse the stalls of the Vintage & Craft Bazaar to find unique handmade, antique and collectables. Market Square, Aylesbury HP20 1TW

Hovercraft Racing - Sat 19 and Sun 20 Jul The 4th round of the 2104 British Hovercraft Racing Championship. It will feature 70 of the country’s top pilots. Claydon House, Middle Claydon Buckingham MK18 2EY Steaming Open Day & Harley Owners Group Rally - Sun 20 Jul A chance to ride on historic Vintage Stock dating from the 1890s with no extra charge. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Tæppa’s Tump Ladies Morris dancers performing with Owlswick Morris - Tues 29 Jul Come alone and enjoy the music and dancing.

The Swan Public House, Grove Lane, Great Kimble HP17 9TR

Marlow River History Walk - Sun 20 Jul Learn more about Marlow’s ancient and fascinating links with the River Thames on a guided walk with members of the Marlow Society. The walk will take approximately one and a half hours.

Marlow Museum, Court Garden Leisure Centre, Marlow SL7 2AE

Herts listings

August

Ultimate Elton And The Rocket Band - Fri 1 August Some tribute artists look like their idol, some sound like their idol. Paul Bacon as Sir Elton John does both! Close your eyes and you won’t believe your ears, open your eyes and you won’t believe them either! Rapidly established as the foremost Elton John tribute act in the UK, Ultimate Elton and The Rocket Band present an uncannily accurate reproduction of the classic live shows of one of pop music’s most successful and best-loved artists - performances that also often feature some of Elton’s actual costumes, bought from his ‘Out the Closet’ sales! Featuring Your Song, Candle in the Wind, Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me, Sacrifice, Crocodile Rock, I’m Still Standing, Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting and many more. You simply won’t find a closer tribute to Sir Elton John. Tickets: £22.50, £20.50. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Big Litter Pick - Weds 23 Jul Our annual big litter pick, help us clear the litter from one of our busiest parks. Furzton Lake, Milton Keynes MK4 1GA Buckinghamshire Family History Society Open Day - Sat 26 Jul Buckinghamshire’s major family history event has something for everyone - whether beginner or experienced researcher and wherever your ancestors came from. The Grange School, Wendover Way, Aylesbury HP21 7NH Fifty Great Bird Pictures - Sat 26 Jul 2pm3pm. A special talk providing a whistle stop tour of bird art history by Katrina van Grouw, author and illustrator of The Unfeathered Bird - a beautifully illustrated book. Buckinghamshire County Museum and Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery, Church Street, Aylesbury HP20 2QP

Rhythms Of The World Festival - Sat 2 Aug Gates 11am, Hitchin Priory, Hitchin SG5 2DL Eastern Electrics Festival - Sat 2 Aug Hatfield House AL9 5NQ

Steaming Open Day & Sunbeam Rapier Owners Rally - Sun 27 Jul A chance to ride on our historic Vintage Stock dating from the 1890s with no extra charge. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Hugless Douglas - Sat 2 Aug Hugless Douglas is a huggable, lovable young brown bear who wakes up one morning in need of a hug. He tries to find the perfect one, but none of them seem quite right. Gadebridge Park HP1 3AE

World Picnic - Sun 27 Jul Our annual celebration of music, dance and culture from the world. Bring a picnic, sit back and enjoy.

Rock at the Castle - Sun 3 Aug The Rock Festival returns once again larger than ever.

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Pyramids – The Cartoon Classic Comes to Life!

Scooby-Doo, Shaggy, Fred, Velma and Daphne arrive in Egypt where they must solve the mystery of Pharaoh Hatchepsout’s Pyramid.

Easy, you say?... Not if the gang has to deal with mysterious mummies plus the wrath of the Pharaoh who will transform anyone who dares to approach the pyramid… into stone! With hilarious physical comedy, popular tunes and special effects, the whole family will enjoy this new episode live on stage. Zoinks… book early for best seats! Please note: Scooby-Doo! The Mystery of the Pyramid is a loud, vibrant, action-packed children's show which contains spooky fun and content that may not be suitable for children with a nervous disposition or certain linked medical conditions. Parental discretion is advised. Tickets: £20.50.Children: £15.50.

Family Offer: £62.00. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Come along to see the hottest local acts.

Hertford Castle Grounds SG14 1HR Royston Charity Kite Festival - Sun 3 Aug A charity event run by the Rotary Club of Royston which usually attracts more than 2,000 people to see various displays by kite-flyers. Therfield Heath, Royston SG8 5BG Creative Colosseum- A Summer Activity Week Mon 4 - Fri 8 August Ages 7 – 14: All welcome, no previous experience necessary. Perfect for anyone who likes the performing arts. This brand new creative arts week is designed especially for young people to try out new skills, brush up existing ones and work as a team on a great variety of performing arts activities. The actionpacked week is run by a team of experienced professionals and devised here in Watford for local people. At the end of the week everyone is invited along to the climax of the week in a big, colourful and fun packed carnival parade around the Colosseum. Course Fee - £180 for the week Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Family Discovery Morning: To Infinity and Beyond -Thurs 14 Aug Sun, moon and stars – you will discover them all in the Cathedral. Find out also how the Cathedral can act as a compass and tell you which direction you are looking at. St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard, St Albans WD19 6UH

Elstree Film Studios/Dreamcatcher Media’s film making Summer Camp - Mon 4 to Fri 22 Aug Students who enrol for our one week course will receive all the fundamental instruction they need to get to grips with completing a short film.

They will make a 5 minute film in 5 days and get a DVD. Elstree Film Studios, Borehamwood WD6 1JG

Flamstead Scarecrow Festival - Fri 15 to Sun 17 Aug This festival is a Fun, Family, Fundraising Event, held in the picturesque village of Flamstead, Hertfordshire. This highly successful and unusual three-day event grows in popularity each year. Village of Flamstead AL3 8DJ

Textured Lives - Tues 5 Aug to Mon 29 Sep An exploration of the textured world using photography. An exhibition of work by Charlotte Prior. Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Can fish drink tea - Sat 16 Aug The watery adventures of a submarine in the street, a barbie in a fish and the sweet revenge of a teabag. Old Town Hall, High Street, Hemel Hempstead HP1 3AE

Family Discovery Morning: War and Peace Thurs 7 Aug To mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War this trail will look at how conflict and resolution are depicted in the Cathedral. St Albans Cathedral, Sumpter Yard, St Albans WD19 6UH Classic Vehicle Day - Sat 9 Aug Waltham Cross, EN8 7AN

Tewin Classic Car & Craft Show - Sun 17 Aug Upper Green, Tewin, AL6 0LY Brass Band Concert and Castle Open Day - Sun 17 Aug Traditional Brass Band Concert on the lawn with a chance to explore the Castle and soak up its history. Enjoy the music with a cup of tea and a slice of cake. Hertford Castle SG14 1HR

High Street,

Romeo & Juliet - Sun 10 Aug The Lord Chamberlain’s Men present their open-air, all male production of the greatest love story ever told. Hatfield House AL9 5NQ

Milkshake! Live - Wed 20 Aug 1pm and 3.30pm Starring some of your milkshake favourites this brand new musical spectacular is sure to have children up on their feet and singing at the top of their voices! Joining this fantastic show will be two milkshake presenters, who will take us on a fun milkshake adventure; bound to dazzle and delight! The show features brand new songs, classic favourites and funky dance routines, plus

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Of The Pyramid - Thu 14 - Sat 16 August Scooby-Doo and the gang are back by popular demand and with even more Spooky Mystery and fun - this time in the

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plenty of laughter, bags of audience interaction and bucket loads of fun for all the family too!

Tickets: Child £12.00, Adult £14.00. Family Offer (4 tickets) £48.00. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

new! Don’t miss it! Tickets: £13.00, Children: £11.00, Family Offer (4 tickets) £42.00. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN.0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Bank Holiday Classic Motor Show - Sun 24 and Mon 25 Aug An enthusiast’s paradise with cars on display, Arena events, autojumble and trade stands. Tickets include admission to the Garden and Dinosaur Trail as well .Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Angelina Ballerina - The Mousical - Live on Stage - Thu 21 - Fri 22 August Everyone's favourite little star, Angelina Ballerina, pirouettes onto the stage in this sparkling musical packed full of singing and dancing.

Angelina and her friends think their dreams have come true when Camembert Academy wins the opportunity to appear in their favourite television programme ‘Dancing With Mice!’. But when the girls and boys have very dıfferent ideas for the show and just can’t seem to agree on anything, it’s up to Angelina as Dance Captain to ensure that the show goes ahead. So put on your ballet shoes and join Angelina, Alice, Gracie, Viki, AJ and Marco for the most stupendous Mousical of the year! Tickets £15.00, £12.50.

Family Offer (4 tickets) £55.00, £48.00.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN. 0845 075 3993 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk

Ashwell Show - Mon 25 Aug This annual country show offers a great day out for all the family.

The regular highlights include the horse events, dog shows, vintage cars and tractors, superb trade stands plus beer tent and food. Elbrook Meadow, Mill Street, Ashwell SG7 5NE Heydon Summer Arts and Crafts Drop In! -Thurs 28 Aug Join us for a fun filled arts and crafts day at our Heydon centre. There will be lots of gluing, painting and creative making to be done all with an animal theme! Wood Green, Heydon Centre, Highway Cottage, Chishill Road, Heydon SG8 8PN Open Air Cinema Screening at Hertford Castle showing The Original Italian Job (PG) - Sat 30 Aug Bring a picnic rug, bring some snacks and sit back, relax and watch an old favourite movie with the Castle as a spectacular backdrop.

Hertford Castle Grounds SG14 1HR

Mike Belgrave’s Krazy Komedy Show 4 Kidz Sat 23 Aug Stand Up comedian, children’s entertainer and star of the BBC Worldwide TV show Best In Town, Mike Belgrave invites you to his hilarious new kids show. Stupid songs & balloon slapstick. Letchworth Arts Centre 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

WGC FC Craft Fair and Car Boot Sale – Sun 31 Aug Welwyn Garden City FC, Herns Way, Panshanger, Welwyn Garden City AL7 1TA

HeARTwood Summer Festival - Sat 23 Aug The annual Heartwood festival will have many activities for all the family to enjoy including bird-box making, willow weaving, teddy bears picnic and guided walks. Heartwood Forest, St Albans AL4 9DQ

Beds listings There’ll Always be an England - Fri 1 Aug Neil Sands and his great team are back with the new 2014 production of their amazingly popular patriotic nostalgia show. Come and enjoy a wonderful feel good afternoon filled with magical musical. Bedford Corn Exchange, St. Paul’s Square, Bedford MK40 1SL

The Sooty Show - Sun 24 August Izzy Wizzy Lets get busy – It’s The Sooty Show! Direct from Citv, Sooty heads into town in a fabulous new show to delight the whole family. Joining the nations favourite bear will be Sweep, Soo and Sooty’s TV Partner Richard Cadell - who will be attempting to keep Sooty from getting up to mischief! Boy will he have his hands full! It’s Sooty’s Birthday party and things aren’t going to plan. Sooty and Sweep get messy baking the Birthday cake and will Soo ever decide which dress to wear? Special party guests include legendary Sooty favourites Butch the bulldog and Ramsbottom the snake. So join in with all the fun and games at Sooty’s Birthday Party! There’s also a chance to meet Richard and Sooty after the show. A spectacular mix of magic, music and mess- guaranteed giggles for Sooty Fans old and

Pond Dipping and Dragonfly Hats - Outdoor Adventure - Mon 4 Aug Have a go at pond dipping and make a dragonfly hat. Look for dragonfly larvae in the pond and find out which dragonflies live in the park. Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS Minibeast Safari - Kids’ Outdoor Adventure - Fri 8 Aug Join us on a hunt for minibeasts in the park. Search with sweep nets in the long grass,

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Frosts Chilli Festival - Sat 16 and Sun 17 Aug Whether you like it ‘meek & mild’ or ‘hot & spicy’, Frosts have a sizzling bank holiday weekend lined up for you! Frosts Willington, Sandy Road, Willington, Bedford MK44 3QP

look under logs and see what’s hiding in the bushes. All equipment provided. Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS An Evening of Lewis Magic - A Magical Evening for all the Family - Fri 8 Aug Lewis Joss has been performing magic since 2002 and has worked with and met with the likes of Dynamo, Derren Brown, Paul Daniels & Debbie McGee. Drinks available. Whipsnade Village Hall, off B4540, LU6 2LG

Tribute Concert: Queen, ABBA, Robbie & more - Sunday 17 August This popular evening event features tribute acts performing classic hits from the likes of Abba, Queen, Robbie Williams, Blues Brothers, Elvis, Neil Diamond and Tina Turner.

Whether you’re a dancing queen, killer queen, or an angel - this night’s entertainment should get you all shook up! The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome, SG18 9EP

Summer Fete - Sun 10 Aug Held in the grounds and the 19 acres field behind the hospice with steam engine rides, stalls, games, BBQ, hog roast, cream teas, fun dog show, Classic Car display & Archery. St John’s Hospice Moggerhanger MK44 3RJ

Wolves and Woofers Companion Dog Show and GSD Rally with Rescue Rally - Sun 17 Aug Annual dog show featuring Rescue Rally for all those special doggies who have been rescued, companion dog show with pedigree and novelty classes, GSD Rally and CDC classes - 70 classes.

Top End Farm, Little Staughton, Colmworth Road MK44 2BY

WWI Commemoration Airshow - Sun 10 Aug 2014 marks the centenary of the beginning of the First World War. As our nation prepares to come together to mark this anniversary, Shuttleworth holds this very special air show. The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome SG18 9EP

Minibeast Safari - Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Mon 18 Aug Join us on a hunt for minibeasts in the park. Search with sweep nets in the long grass, look under logs and see what’s hiding in the bushes. All equipment provided. Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Pond Dipping and Dragonfly Hats - Kids’ Outdoor Adventure - Mon 11 Aug Have a go at pond dipping and make a dragonfly hat. Look for dragonfly larvae in the pond and find out which dragonflies live in the park. Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0PS

Kempston Fun Day - Sat 23 Aug Organised by Bedford Lions Club in association with Kempston Rotary Club. Addison Howard Park, Bedford Road, Kempston, Bedford MK42 8PN

Footprint Forest - Kids’ Outdoor Adventure Fri 15 Aug Time to get messy with this outdoor art project. Take off your shoes and socks to paint tree trunks with your feet and roll up your sleeves to make hand print leaves. Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Edwardian Picnic and Evening Airshow - Sat 30 Aug Soak up the atmosphere at our elegant evening airshow, our first Edwardian-styled picnic with special features throughout the evening. The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome, SG18 9EP

Flying Proms - Saturday 16 August Now in its 17th successful year, join us for this most spectacular event, which is truly one of the highlights of the airshow season at The Shuttleworth Collection. Experience the thrill of seeing our unique vintage aeroplanes give stunning aerial display sequences to a backdrop of classical music performed by the 50 piece National Symphony Orchestra. The grand finale will be an exciting firework display. The Shuttleworth Collection, Old Warden Aerodrome, SG18 9EP

London Road Summer Family Fun Day - Sat 30 Aug Lots and Lots of fun things to do and enjoy.

Lots of Business and Organisation Stalls. London Road Methodist Church, corner of London Road/ Barford Avenue, Bedford MK42 0DS

Bucks Listings Sense and Sensibility - Fri 1 Aug Join Chapterhouse Theatre Company this summer for an evening of Regency wonderment as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood make their first forays into the exquisite world of eighteenth-century society. Waddesdon Manor Nr Aylesbury, Waddesdon HP18 0JH

Music at St Mary’s - Buffalo - Sat 16 Aug Buffalo are a local folk group who play blue-grass music. St Mary’s Church, Eaton Bray LU6 2DP

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This Feeling - Sat 2 Aug This Feeling featuring The Rifles (acoustic), Sean Grant & The Wolfgangs and Swoons \'Like a mad 60\'s carnival\' Serge, Kasabian. The Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes MK12 5LT

entertainment, displays, owls, Noddy’s car, Hog Roast & refreshments.

Warwick Road, Beaconsfield HP9 2PL BioBlitz - Sat 9 and Sun 10 Aug Come along and help local naturalists to record all the living things in Stony Stratford Nature Reserve over 24 hours. Activities will include guided walks, bird watching & pond dipping. Stony Stratford Nature Reserve, Queen Eleanor Street, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes

Monks Risborough Horticultural Society Show - Sat 2 Aug One of the best horticultural shows in the area. But it is also much more than that and provides an afternoon of entertainment for all.

Rangers’ Football Ground, bottom of Peter’s Lane on A4010, Monks Risborough HP27 9LZ

The Waddesdon Manor Country Fair- Sat 9 and Sun 10 Aug All day entertainment which may include birds of prey, working dogs, children’s entertainment as well as arts, crafts, gifts and food marquees. Nr Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP18 0JH

Pride and Prejudice - Sun 3 Aug Heartbreak Productions are delighted to present a fresh and contemporary adaptation of the world-renowned Pride & Prejudice. West Wycombe Park HP14 3AJ

Funny Faces in Clay - Tues 12 & Thu 14 AugGet busy with clay and model some funny faces in clay. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Peter Pan and The Lost Boys - Tues 5 Aug Grab your skateboard and prepare yourself for a fast and frenzied journey back to your childhood.

Langley Park SL0 0LS

Proms in the Park - Fri 15 Aug The Parks Trust and Milton Keynes City Orchestra present an evening of uplifting music, fireworks and fizz!

Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Bug Eyed Beast Hand Puppets - Tues 5 & Thu 7 Aug Create your own amazing hand puppet with moving mouth. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue. High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Roman Weekend - Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 Aug Join us for a fabulous re-enactment weekend, with historical falconry displays; cookery demonstrations, and a chance to explore the life of a Roman metalworker. Waddesdon Manor HP18 0JH

Play in the Park - Weds 6 Aug Celebrate National Play Day by joining us at a fun packed event with play activities for children ages 3 - 16 years. Open 11am - 4pm. Vale Park, Aylesbury HP20 1DX MK Playday - Weds 6 Aug Biggest free playday in Milton Keynes. Come and join in the fun and play at annual event - MK Play Day. There will be lots of games and activities and fun to be had by all.

Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Drive In Cinema - Sat 16 Aug This year the Drive In Movie will be the classic film Jaws directed by Steven Spielberg. Watch the hunt of the man eating shark from the comfort of your car.

Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Free Kids Daredevil Thursday - Thurs 7 Aug Get a birds eye view of Aylesbury town as you brave the zip wire in the upper High Street, or join a team and race to disarm a bomb in the bomb squad tent on Market Square. High Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1SL

Open Air Film Festival - Sun 17 Aug See the movies like never before in the great outdoors!

Campbell Park, Avebury Blvd, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ Moving Mail Weekend with Postman Pat & Jess the Cat - Sun 17 Aug Metropolitan No. 1 will be steaming following her triumphant return to London’s Underground System!! Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Archaeological Finds Identification - Sat 9 Aug Every year thousands of objects are found by members of the public. Ros Tyrell will identify your finds and record them on the Portable Antiquities website. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Mosaic Madness - Tues 19 & Thu 21 Aug Design a fab coaster using glass mosaic tiles. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue. High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Bekonscot Model Village 85th anniversary weekend - Sat 9 and Sun 10 Aug 85 years as the worlds oldest model village will be celebrated with a special weekend of

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The Great War Centenary Event -Sat 30 Aug Join us for a special event in the Museum and Gardens to commemorate the start of WW1.

Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Frosts Chilli Festival at Woburn Sands- Sat 23 to Mon 25 Aug Whether you like it ‘meek & mild’ or ‘hot & spicy’, Frosts have a sizzling bank holiday weekend lined up for you! Frosts Garden Centre, Newport Road, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes MK17 8UE

Open air theatre - Saturday 30 Aug Open air production of Alice in Wonderland. Willen Lake, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DT

Rover Car Rally - Sun 24 Aug Rover Car Rally This annual event attracts a growing number of lovingly restored cars. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre - Steaming Open Day - Sunday 31 Aug Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

Beaconsfield Country Fayre - Mon 25 Aug Fun for all the family at the Beaconsfield Country Fayre. Attractions this year include dog show, birds of prey flying display, giant inflatable slide, Bouncy Castle, climbing wall, great balloon.

Windsor End, Beaconsfield HP9 2JW Pre - 78 Vehicle Rally at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre - Mon 25 Aug This is the big one that usually attracts around 200 cars and trucks.

Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

To be included in future listings Email: thesticks9@gmail.com Putting ‘Listings’ in the subject line, giving details of your event and contact details.

Deadline for September Issue 15th August ………………………………………………………………………………

August Bank Holiday Fayre - Mon 25 Aug Why not come along to The Woburn Sands Band Annual August Bank Holiday Fayre. The Band will be performing throughout the afternoon and there are many stalls including Tombolas, The Grand Draw & BBQ. Mowbray Green, Woburn Sands, Milton Keynes MK17 8QQ Aylesbury Farmers’ Market - Tues 26 Aug Find fantastic local produce at Aylesbury Farmers Market on the last Tuesday of every month. Also browse the stalls of the Vintage & Craft Bazaar to find unique handmade, antique and collectables. Market Square, Aylesbury HP20 1TW

www.the-sticks.co.uk The No1 what’s on and lifestyle magazine in Herts, Beds and Bucks Over 16,000 readers every month read about what’s on, where to go and what to do

In a Flap - Tues 26 & Thu 28 Aug Make a large, animated bird with flapping wings. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Promote your event, show, restaurant or business in our digital magazine or on our website

Children’s Week -Tues 26 to Fri 29 Aug 4 Come to Willen Lake for the last week of the school holidays for fun and games. Willen Lake, Milton Keynes MK15 0DT

Call 07756 274444 Or email thesticks9@gmail.com Prices from £10 per month Follow us on twitter @thesticks9

The Bucks County Show - Thurs 28 Aug The Show starts at 8.00am all the way through until 6.00pm. Weedon Park HP22 4NN

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Finmere Festival - Sat 30 Aug Featuring a fun dog show, 5k fun run, interactive dance events, beer festival with live entertainment in the evening. Also trade and craft stands, BBQ and other refreshments. Playing fields, Finmere MK18 4AT

Listen to the Sticks Radio show every Monday at 10am at www.secklowsounds.org

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