The Sticks Magazine March 2013

Issue 8 March 2013

In this edition of the Sticks Exclusive interviews with 80’s Icon Hazel O’Connor, Eamonn Campbell of the Dublin Legends, Jane Ellis –Forshaw of ‘I Love the 70’s’ and Jack Dee BBC Radio 2’s Janey Lee Grace writes on think more eat less plus we introduce Secklow Sounds and review the Calcutta Brasserie We road test the Chevolet Camero 6.2 V8 convertible And much more Plus pages of events listings across Herts, Beds & Bucks

-2-

Welcome to the March edition of the Sticks magazine!

The most talked about magazine in Herts, Beds & Bucks With over 15,000 readers a month

In this issue: Interview with Hazel O’Connor Meet the Dublin Legends I Love the 70’s Jack Dee interview Road test – Chevolet Camero 6.2 Restaurant review – Calcutta Brasserie Introducing Secklow Sounds Work Life Challenge Janey Lee Grace Pearce’s Food

Page 4 6 8 10 13 14 16 17 18 20

Contributors: Janey Lee Grace, Martin Wilson, Terry Sullivan Donna Obstfeld

See you in April Editor & Sales:

Terry Sullivan

Layout and design:

Martin Wilson

Tel: 07756 274444 Email: thesticks9@gmail.com www.the-sticks.co.uk Follow us on twitter @thesticks9

Listen to The Sticks radio show at 10am on Mondays on Secklow Sounds www.secklowsounds.org

-3-

Breaking Glass Barefoot An interview with 80’s icon Hazel O’Connor

Coinciding with the publication of Hazel's long-awaited autobiography Breaking Glass Barefoot and celebrating the release of the digitally re-mastered DVD of Dodi Fayed’s iconic movie Breaking Glass which launched her into the spotlight, award-winning singer songwriter Hazel O’Connor is back.

Teaming up here with legendary performers - saxophonist Clare Hirst (Bellestars, Communards, David Bowie) and Sarah Fisher (Eurythmics) on keyboards the superb blend of the three voices and musicianship adds a sweet touch of class to their vibrant performance. Expect a sumptuous evening of some of the greatest songs from the 20th Century delivered with passion and fire- a soulful introspective dip into Hazel's stunning portfolio the old and the new with stories and tales from along the way.

Here live and onstage, her unforgettable songs from the film including Eighth Day, Will You, Big Brother, and If Only seem even more relevant in our present times. In addition to the release of Breaking Glass on DVD, this unique tour also coincides with the publication in paperback of Hazel's long-awaited autobiography Breaking Glass Barefoot.

With a critically acclaimed new album I Give You My Sunshine and a special Meet & Greet immediately after the show... you're in for a treat!

The Sticks had a chat with Hazel from her home in Ireland, ahead of her show at the Stables in Wavendon on Tuesday March 19th How did you first get into the music business and performing? It was really my brother Neil who was in a band called the Fly’s from Coventry and they did there own EP at the end of the 70’s and they got a record deal with EMI and I saw them supporting bands like The Rich Kids and the Buzzcocks and I was really inspired by them sort of post punk sound and I wanted to see if I could do anything like that. I asked him what I had to do and he told me “you have got to write songs Haze” and I said “show me how you do that”, so he gave me a quick masterclass in writing songs and I really enjoyed writing dare say I was not writing great songs at that time, then I got noticed by the film company for “Breaking Glass” and it shot from there.

How did Breaking Glass happen? I had done some demos and got involved with a small record company and someone gave my name to the film company that were making the Breaking Glass film. I went for my audition not thinking I would do any good at all, a bit shy really and unconfident and then Toyah came in the room - I thought she would get it as she was well know and an actress which I was not. It was at this point that I started reading a book called “Bring the Magic Out of Your Mind” which helped me use my mind in a positive way and then did a little exercise and asked for what really wanted and I

-4-

wanted the film part so I could get to write an album and do it with the record producer Tony Visconti who was miles in another sphere to me, all that wishing and dreaming seemed to work as I got the lead and got to write the soundtrack.

(Hazel was the first woman in history to write and perform all the songs for a film.)

You have just written your autobiography “Breaking Glass Barefoot” bet there are a few great tales in it? Oh yes! What I have tried to do is not slander anyone in it or if I do I don’t mention their name, because I was so sued in the 80’s that I would not lie to end up in court again. Also I don’t believe in telling tittle- tattle but I think they will know who they are. The most important thing I wanted to do is write it in a way that my anecdotes continued before I forget them all, before old age sets in, and my yardstick to include a story was if it affected me, if it was part of someone else’s story I omitted it.

What’s you favourite song? I think it would have to be “Will You” because it has travelled with me so long although I was sued for 13 years over the sax solo.

For more information on Hazel log on to her website www.hazeloconnorofficial.com To hear an extended version of this interview listen to The Sticks radio show Mondays at 10am on www.secklowsounds.org Interesting Facts about Hazel O’Connor you might not have known Hazel won the Variety Club of Great Britain’s 1980 Film Actress of the Year award.

Hazel’s Breaking Glass was nominated for BAFTA Best Film Soundtrack 1981 and was nominated for BAFTA’s Best Newcomer of the Year the same year.

Hazel gave David Bowie a hair cut the first time she met him in a recording studio as he had heard from Tony Visconti that she was wicked with a pair of scissors.

Hazel emerged from the court room dramas in 1984 with a settlement that allowed her to work again. RCA released the Martin Rushent/Neil O’Connor produced Smile album.

The video for one of the singles, “Don’t Touch Me” included the on-screen kiss between Hazel and George Michael and a million tabloid tongues wagged.

Duran Duran supported Hazel in 1980 Hazel performed in her first ever panto at Christmas 2006 and had a ball playing the baddie! “Quite a change to have people booing at you but wonderful to be able to hold an audience in your hand like that and knowing they were loving, hating you!”

If Hazel hadn’t followed a singer/songwriter career, she would probably have been either a herbalist or a naturopath.

-5-

The Dublin Legends Featuring Cannon, Campbell, Watchorn & O’Connor Sean Cannon, Patsy Watchorn, Eamonn Campbell & Gerry O’Connor are true legends of Irish folk music. Sean & Eamonn were members of The Dubliners for close to 30 years while Patsy joined “The Dubs” 10 years ago. Meanwhile Gerry was a member of the iconic Four Men & A Dog and has played the banjo with everyone from Sharon Shannon to Shane MacGowan and also tours with guitar legend Joe Bonamassa.

In 2012 the The Dubliners celebrated 50 glorious years in the music business. Highlights of the year were receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards rapidly followed by a sell-out UK concert tour, including a magical night at The Royal Albert Hall in London.

The early highs of 2012 were followed by a devastating blow in April with the sudden tragic death of founding member “Banjo” Barney McKenna. Subsequently, after 48 years of touring, John Sheahan decided to step off the tour bus and it was agreed that The Dubliners, as a touring band, would come to an end. Sean, Patsy, Eamonn and Gerry (who had the daunting task of filling Barney’s very big shoes for the remaining 2012 tour dates) wanted to keep the music alive and THE DUBLIN LEGENDS were born.

The lads are looking forward to entertaining all their old friends & fans in the UK, Scotland & Europe in 2013. THE DUBLIN LEGENDS will play all the classic songs and ballads known the world over; Whiskey in The Jar, Dirty Old Town, The Wild Rover, Seven Drunken Nights, The Rare Auld Times, Finnegan’s Wake, Molly Malone, The Monto, Hand Me Down Me Bible, The Irish Rover, Black Velvet Band & many more.

The Sticks managed to get an exclusive interview with Eamonn Campbell from his home in Ireland How long is it since you last toured? We finished our German tour on the 8th of December.

Do you have you a new album out? Not as yet, but one is planned for early 2013.

Is there anyone you would like to work /sing with? For me, it would have to be Imelda May, also would love for us to get together with Mumford and Sons.

Do you have any unfulfilled ambitions? I’d love to play Glastonbury folk festival.

What has been the highlight of your career so far? The 50th anniversary concert in the Royal Albert Hall in March, what an incredible experience - the warmth and goodwill directed at us from the audience was overwhelming. Also, being invited by the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and his good wife Sabina to dinner in Aras An Uachtaran in November to celebrate our 50th anniversary.

-6-

What has been the low point? Finding out that John Sheehan (fiddle player) had gone behind our backs and registered the name ‘The Dubliners’ so that the rest of the group couldn’t use it, plus the fact that he never told us to our faces that he had done so- that was a bad feeling.

What would you like to be remembered for? As a caring, compassionate human being.

What is your favourite song? ‘That’s All Right Then Mama’ by Elvis Presley.

What is the biggest change or changes you have seen in the music business over your long career? Definitely the advent of digital technology, its opened up a whole new world of sound.

Where is home for you? Home is Dublin.

How does the weekend usually start for you – Friday night? Weekends don’t mean a lot to me, especially when you’ve been touring. Saturday my wife Noreen and I do the weekly shop, I’ll more than likely watch a football match on the telly and go for a few pints of Guinness in the evening. Sundays start with a morning fry up, then prepare vegetables etc for the Sunday dinner, then go on my laptop and late afternoon, 6pm, go to my local to hear some amazing blues by Donal Kirk and (a guitar wizard) Jimmy Smith, these guys are just awesome.

What is your favourite food? Bacon and Cabbage with mashed spuds Do you cook? What is your signature dish? I love cooking. Noreen and my daughters Niamh and Ciara I reckon would say Chicken Broccoli with roast potatoes (secret recipe) Is it hard keeping healthy with meals when you’re on the road so much? Do you do restaurants or hotel food, sandwich shops or pubs? On tour I tend to look out for decent restaurants Which book are you currently reading? What do you tend to go for -- autobiographies, thrillers, etc? Currently reading ‘The Retribution’ by Val McDermid. My favourite books are thrillers.

What sort of music do you play at home? Favourite singers/bands? Elvis would be my number 1. Bob Seeger, Neil Young, Imelda May, Mumford and Sons and of course Waylon Jennings.

Are you a gig-goer? Or a theatre-goer? Or comedy gig goer? What have you seen lately? I always enjoy going to gigs and the theatre. I went to Mumford and Sons, 16th of December at the 02, Dublin - words can’t describe the gig.

What is your idea of a perfect weekend? The perfect weekend for me is spending time with my family in peace and harmony.

See The Dublin Legends at The Grove Theatre, Dunstable 12th and Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage 23rd March

-7-

I Love The 70’s I Love The 70’s is the sensational new show coming to The Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage on Thursday 21st March, featuring dynamic choreography and dazzling costumes with an all live band and three lead vocalists who’ll provide you with an intoxicating mix of everybody’s favourite songs from the 1970s.From Rose Royce’s funky street anthem ‘Car Wash’ to Elton John’s ‘Crocodile Rock’ this unique show has something for everyone with songs from all the great 70’s genres including Glam Rock, Disco, Pop and Punk. Featuring music from some of the world’s greatest musical artists such as Blondie, Abba, Bay City Rollers, Sweet, T Rex, David Bowie, Donna Summer and many more, I Love The 70’s will have you on your feet doing The Hussle, The Bump, The Freak and perhaps even The Funky Chicken before the night is over.

The Sticks chatted to Jane Ellis –Forshaw who is the director, producer and also she stars as Agnetha (from ABBA) about the show.

What can people expect when they come to watch the show? It is a all live show - live singing, live musicians and we cover all the spheres of the music from the 70’s a touch of glam, rock, pop and disco so hopefully there is something in there for everyone. It is a high energy, high octane show with amazing lighting effects and video projection and lasers. There’s quite a lot going on stage and with the cast involved as well.

Must be quite tiring then? Yes it can be but we really enjoy doing the show and hopefully the audience feed off us as well and get involved.

You play Agnetha in the show? Yes, ABBA were a big part of 70’s music I love it You sing, direct and produce shows - which do you prefer? I still enjoy the performing side that’s really my thing; the other parts come along with it afterwards. I started dancing then singing and the other bits followed on.

What’s your favourite song? There are lots of great songs in the show and I like different ones for different reasons but as a performer I love “Macarthur Park” but Donna Summer is not an easy act to follow.

Is there anyone you would love to sing with? I have worked in the West End in shows like Les Miserable, Jesus Christ and Godspell but would love to sing with ABBA. I love that music.

Who are your musical idols? Would have to be ABBA once again as I was brought up with it, my mum and dad used to play it around the house and in the car.

What has been the highlight of your career so far? Performing at the Manchester Opera House as it is just down the road from our home so everybody family and friends came along – it was like playing in our living room.

Is there a part you would like to play in the West End? I like the Wizard of Oz - I am a little bit old now but perhaps Dorothy. It is one of my all time favourite films as well.

-8-

-9-

Interview with comic Jack Dee Jack Dee has been away from stand-up for six years, so why is he so eager to return to touring now? "I want to spend less time with my family," he says in that familiar, deadpan tone. "I think that's a very good reason for touring. Everyone with children will surely agree with that. I think a little bit of absence from your family is actually a good thing. There are far too many diligent parents out there overdoing it and putting us to shame."

The comedian, who has been very happily married to Jane for the past 23 years and is the proud father of four children, admits that he was initially nervous about his return to the stand-up arena. But the moment he stepped onstage once again, his love for the genre was rekindled. He reveals that, "At the first warm-up gig I did after that six-year break, I felt like a complete novice. I didn't know where to begin. But almost immediately it came back. I've never taken it for granted – to do it well takes real application. But I have been gigging all year now, and it’s felt really good."

"When stand-up goes well, it's almost as if you can fly – that's how exciting it is for you and for the audience. There is so much risk involved that the tension can become very addictive. During the warm-up shows, I have been thinking, 'Wow, why have I been away so long?'"

"Now, I'm very glad to say, I've got my passion back. Touring the country doing warm-ups has been a really nice experience and has put me in a very good place for this tour."

"I keep putting in new stuff, so the act remains very fresh – otherwise it becomes sealed.

It's not very attractive when it becomes glib. I never want it to become set, like a play."

"It's very alarming when adolescence happens to your children. Most parents don't believe it will happen to them. But overnight, you lose the person you been living with for 10 years and someone else entirely emerges. Suddenly you’re living with someone who's metamorphosed into a lunatic."

How do you deal with that, then? "I deal with it by going out on tour and making jokes about it," Jack laughs. "But that's no help to people who aren't stand-ups. That's the only response I know to most things in life. Of course, anything like that forces you to look at yourself, so other strands from your life, such as religion and drinking, come in to the show."

Jack hastens to add that his act should not be taken too seriously.

"There is no sense of mission or self-analysis. It’s simply funny stuff that has occurred to me. I have never been a comedian who writes to a theme.

"That's why I never give my tours a title – I find it impossible to paint myself into that corner. My comedy is more visceral and less prescribed than that. The only thing that keeps recurring is that the show is a rolling review of my life."

- 10 -

Another constant in Jack's comedy has been his grumpy persona, a fact that has led his friend and fellow comedian Jeremy Hardy to dub him, "A little ray of sleet." But his curmudgeonly image only serves to enhance his material.

Jack, who was also appeared on such TV shows as Have I Got News For You, Q I, Never Mind The Buzzcocks and 8 out of 10 Cats, reflects on why this crotchety persona works so well. "I find it funny, and the audience do as well. I learnt a lot from playing the character of Rick Spleen in Lead Balloon. I go to great pains to say that Rick is very different from me, but no one believes that!

"But I really like that sense of someone who is the author of his own unhappiness and can't see that complaining about everything is only making things worse. You’re blaming everyone else for your problems and can't see that in fact you are to blame. I've always found that very amusing, and it's always been a big part of my stage persona."

He continues that, "There's nothing funnier than someone who thinks life has colluded against him, someone who believes that everyone has got it in for him. That's not a rare comic attribute – Woody Allen is the master of that style of comedy. But it works brilliantly for me.

"I can say anything in that tone, and people immediately know where I'm coming from.

In fact, audiences are almost expecting it. When TV went digital, I tweeted, 'No warning, no nothing, no signal, no TV for a week". I got a massive response. The idea was that I was paranoid that no one had consulted me – even though there had been a banner about the switchover across the screen for the last decade.” I can reassure everyone that in real life Jack is a far more genial character. He confirms that, "You need to be able to step away from that persona. That's how you can get a perspective on that attitude. That characteristic does exist within me. But because I'm feeding off it, I'm very aware of it and can identify it more accurately."

At the conclusion of what is bound to be a hugely successful journey around the UK, Jack is aiming to tour Australia. There is just one snag. "I haven't told Jane that I don't want to take her with me," he jokes.” I could just tell her that I'm touring around the North of England. But after a month, that might become slightly less believable. At some point I'll have to own up to her that I'm actually in Australia. 'I'm sorry, darling. When I said Grimsby, what I really meant was Sydney. It must have been a very bad line’.”

Thu 7th March Wycombe Swan, High Wycombe 01494 512000, www.wycombeswan.co.uk Mon 11th March Watford Colosseum 0845 075 3993, www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Tue 19th March Grove Theatre, Dunstable 01582 602080, www.grovetheatre.co.uk Thu 30th May Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury 0844 871 7627, www.atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre/

- 11 -

Pocket water purification – Have you got the bottle?

Everyone is familiar with the miracle of turning water into wine – well here is a modern day miracle designed with the outdoor enthusiast, office worker or international traveller in mind – instantly turning foul water into drinking water. No catch, just proven NASA technology for under 3p per litre.

Water-to-Go is an easy-to-use, pocket water purification bottle you can use anywhere to turn one litre of pond, stream or rainwater into drinking water – it will purify and remove over 99.9% of all contaminants including bacteria and chlorine.

Sports and fitness enthusiasts can now have an almost free supply of fresh drinking water whether out jogging, in the gym or on the track.

Dehydration will be a thing of the past. Sports centres and leisure clubs can have the bottles branded.

The filter system is in a 75cl re-usable plastic bottle costing £22.95 that can be dishwasher cleaned. The filters (packs of 2 for £14.95) will each last around 3 months and individually purify a total of 200 litres water. 200 litres of mineral water bought in 50cl bottles would cost £400 – with Water-to-Go it costs only 1.5p per 50cl compared with £1.00*.

The Water-to-go filter technology was developed for NASA in the USA. It eliminates 99.9% of viruses, bacteria and bad odours and taste from water whilst retaining the beneficial minerals such as sodium and magnesium.

Each day millions of people in the UK buy one or more plastic bottles of mineral water and throw away the empties – of which only 12% are recycled.** Dehydration can cause headaches, tiredness and loss of concentration, affecting alertness, so adequate hydration is particularly necessary for any activity requiring a good mental performance, such as driving, studying or working*** Water-to-Go is ideal for cost conscious, healthy living, environmentally aware people in recessionary times. Anyone buying 5 x 50cl bottles a week (many people buy much more) will make a saving of around £250 per year with Water to Go. Full information is available from: info@watertogo.eu or call 01582 841412 * Bottled water is now 35% more expensive that petrol at £0.65p per 50cl. ** Each year 70 billion plastic bottles from Europe and the USA go to landfill or end up in our oceans – that’s 250 million a week. 1 million mammals and birds die each year as a direct consequence of plastics poisoning. (Source of information above: National Geographic) ***Water makes up about 80% of the brain and any large change in water content will affect brain function. Dehydration, if sufficiently severe, adversely affects mental performance. Mental functions are affected to a different extent according to the degree of dehydration. When dehydration reaches about 2% of body weight, a significant decrease in short-term and long-term memory, motor coordination, reaction times, and perceptive discrimination may be observed. What precautions can people take to ensure they remain adequately hydrated when driving, at school or at work?

Significant water is lost just sitting in an air-conditioned car or office, so it is important to drink frequently. Ensuring adequate hydration during a long car trip may help to reduce road fatigue, and the same applies to sitting in a desk, either working or studying. Other measures could be to adjust the air conditioning or the amount of clothing worn to limit water losses through sweating.

Photo shows Steve Brown Captain of the UK Olympic Wheelchair Rugby team with his bottle - 12 -

Chevrolet Camaro 6.2 V8 Convertible To describe a £40,000 car as relatively good value isn’t something we would usually say.

But, when you consider that under the bonnet of this particular car lies the same 6.2litre V8 engine that sits in the Corvette (which itself starts from a tad under £63,000) the Camaro Convertible can be considered relatively good value. But is it overall? Andrew Merritt-Morling finds out.

That huge engine produces 400bhp and can haul the mighty American muscle car from 0-62mph in 5.6 seconds and on to a limited 155mph. There are three things you notice about the Camaro: (i) it only comes in left-hand-drive, meaning you sit on the ‘wrong’ side, (ii) it is huge and almost 2metres wide; and (iii) how narrow the windscreen is and how thick the front pillars are resulting in a large number of forward-facing blind spots.

Mix together and the romanticism of driving into the sunset on a deserted highway or cruising along a wide beach-front boulevard quickly evaporates from your imagination as you experience the unpredictability of the UK’s weather and our tight, twisty lanes.

Then there is the palaver of having to unbuckle and lean across the passenger seat to feed a ticket machine in a multi-storey car park.

At least it handles reasonably well with only some mild scuttle shake through the steering wheel when driving over bumpy roads supported by plenty of road noise entering the cabin, even with the roof up, thanks to the 20-in wheels.

The soundtrack is sadly missing. Turn the ignition key and you would expect to hear a cacophony of sound before the engine settled down to a deep rumble. But that’s not the case, evidence of V8 music only becoming noticeable under full throttle. Acceleration can be best described as brisk as opposed to exciting whilst the fuel consumption is horrifying. We struggled to achieve 18mpg against a claimed 21.5mpg.

Inside there is a lot of shiny black plastic whilst the electric roof has to be unlatched manually and cannot be operated when the car is in motion. The fabric is thin meaning that the rear screen vibrates a little at speed. The electronic gizmos which fold the roof are noisy in their operation, but at least with the boot stowed you do still have some luggage space left.

The cabin itself is attractively designed with homage paid to Camaros of old by the quartet of dials mounted on the transmission tunnel, complemented by a chunky instrument pod.

If you want a slice of traditional American muscle with a huge personality that will certainly get you noticed then the Chevrolet Camaro convertible could be just your car.

It is flawed, but it is also very likeable. Where else could you get V8 power with supercar levels of attention for less than half the outlay?

- 13 -

Restaurant Review - Calcutta Brasserie Calcutta Brasserie, nestling in the heart of Stony Stratford, is one of the most unusual venues for a restaurant, a converted church with amazing décor including sensational wall and ceiling paintings.

They offer a unique culinary experience; a culture, a history, a country rich with a subtle and spectacular diversity of ingredients, spices, cooking styles and tradition and a myriad of individual flavours imbued by different regions, delectable cuisine.

They pride themselves on the fresh preparation of each dish and the authentic and naturally sourced organic and free range ingredients not using any artificial colouring and natural herbs and spices, many of which are imported from India.

We have heard great things about this award winning restaurant so The Sticks decided to pay it a visit and try out the food.

After looking at the extensive menu we chose one of their banquet menus which included for starters Onion Garam Pakora -strands of Spanish onions crispy fried in a spicy gram flour batter, Vegetable Samosa – crispy fried filo pastry with spiced vegetables, Lasooni Murgh Tikka chargrilled chicken tikka in garlic yoghurt marinade, Lamb Shammi Kebab – Ground Lamb Patties with herbs and spices and roasted chana daal.

The pakoras were really crispy and full of flavour as were the samosas but the chicken was the highlight of the starters being tender, moist and tasty – the best I have had in a long time. I am a big fan of lamb patties and they did not disappoint.

Then for main course the selection was Murgh Makhni – tandoori grilled tikka of chicken simmered in satin smooth tomato gravy made with juices of roasted tikka and kasoori menthi in a makhani massalla sauce, Kori Gassi – chicken cooked with onions, ginger, curry leaves, tomatoes and abundance of black pepper, Lamb Rogan Josh - tender lamb braised slowly with aromatic hot spices and herbs, finished with chopped tomatoes, onions and fresh coriander leaves and vegetables including Bombay potatoes – potatoes roasted and cooked in spices and tomatoes, Mushroom and Vegetable Jalfrezi – button mushrooms, mixed vegetables and bell peppers cooked in spicy kadhai gravy, along with Basmati Pulao Rice and an assorted Nan bread basket.

The Murgh is a good twist on a classic dish and very enjoyable, I also enjoyed the Kori as there was just enough ginger to taste without being too much, but the star dish for me was the Rogan Josh, 100% full of flavour meaty, tomatoey but delicately spiced as well, a real treat to eat.

- 14 -

The Jalfrezi was an interesting mix of vegetables in good bite size pieces, very spicy with a good back- bite, the rice was plentiful in fact a little too much for us. There was a great selection of piping hot Nan breads including plain, garlic and peshwari which was stuffed full of moist coconut & sultanas All for ÂŁ16.95 and if you would like some extra of any of the dishes in particular you can just ask and they will bring it for you.

A great range of tempting desserts are available follow and we were tempted! I ordered my favourite dessert Gulab Jamun Aur Rabri and my guest the mango brulee. The Gulab Jamun did not disappoint the warm sponge balls in light custard were amazing, the brulee was very good too and had large pieces of mango in it. It is so nice that this restaurant is able to offer so much more dessert wise than ice cream.

Calcutta Brasserie offers great food, great value and attentive service without being over the top, well worth a visit.

7A St Paul’s Court, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes, MK11 1LJ 01908 566577 www.calcuttabrasserie.co.uk

- 15 -

INTRODUCING SECKLOW SOUNDS Secklow Sounds is Milton Keynes’ local radio station, bringing people and communities together.

We broadcast mainly on the Internet for the time being but with plans for permanent FM transmission. In addition to live and repeat programmes, our shows are also available for ondemand listening on our website at www.secklowsounds.org. Secklow Sounds is the brainchild of Mike Johnson, an award-winning local broadcaster, (2000, Andrew Cross Award for best programme by a Restricted Services Stations). We also have a Sony Radio Award Winner, Malcolm Jones on the team.

The first broadcasts were in December 2011 and since then fifty volunteers have come together to demonstrate a commitment to establish and maintain a station that is at the heart of the community and will provide a public service function for Milton Keynes. These volunteers, who are from a variety of backgrounds, cultural groups and age-bands, enjoy making informative and entertaining programmes resulting in a delightful mix of music, competitions, talent events, chat shows, and stories that are local and relevant. If there is a music genre that is not represented then there is ample opportunity for others to join and present it.

Station Director, Mike Johnson says, “The intention behind the station is to bring together people from all backgrounds to produce an unrivalled variety of programmes celebrating the rich diversity of cultures, music, food, and traditions that is Milton Keynes, and will include business, health, sports, the Arts, faith, and non-faith groups.” He goes on to say, “As a community station we will encourage participation from all citizens, defending their interests and reflecting their views. Cultural diversity is at the heart of Secklow Sounds and all ideas can be debated in our programmes, and a multiplicity of views will be presented.”

As part of its remit, Secklow Sounds has pledged itself to providing impartial Public Service Broadcasting for Milton Keynes. In this way, local authorities and other statutory and voluntary bodies within Milton Keynes will have a platform to engage the public in a unique way. Another commitment to local life is the determination to maintain the middle ground between commercial radio stations and the BBC; keeping the station for the benefit of the community.

Since the initial broadcasts, Secklow Sounds has been developing programmes and partnerships in preparation for the application to Ofcom for a 5-year full-time Community Licence during the next licensing round in 2014.

We work in partnership with local organisations such as Inter-Action MK, who allow us to use their headquarters for our studio and in return we provide training in radio production and presentation to their user groups. One such outcome is ‘The Groovy Gecko Radio Show’, presented by young adults with learning difficulties.

We have three shows that are produced and presented by students between 14 and 16, and there are more in development. We also provide work experience for students studying media and are soon to partner with Milton Keynes Academy to deliver production and broadcast training to their students looking to run the campus radio station.

One consistent comment we receive from visitors to the station is that, “There’s a family atmosphere.” We like it that way because we are dedicated to making everyone feel at home and able to present at their best and to develop as they showcase their talent and make programmes that will interest all Milton Keynes’ people. There will always be room for new ideas. We are looking to recruit new presenters so if you have some time, especially during the day, why not contact Mike Johnson on 07757 816316 or email mike@secklowsounds.org

Hear The Sticks Radio Show Mondays at 10am

- 16 -

Work Life Challenge

For many years now parents of children up to the age of 17 (18 if the child is disabled) have had the legal right to request flexible working. Some employers have voluntarily extended this to include all employees, but many will now be required to do so by new changes to employment legislation due to come into effect shortly (dates to be confirmed). However, although there is a legal entitlement to request flexible working arrangements, there is no obligation on the employer to honour the request.

The legal provisions require that an employee must be employed for at least 26 weeks before making the request and cannot have made a request within the last 12 months. Some employees may choose to waive these requirements, but if they do, they must do so for everyone.

Flexible working does not cover a sick child too ill to go to school or an elderly parent in hospital for a couple of weeks. Flexible working is a permanent change to an employee’s terms and conditions of employment and once agreed (and perhaps a trial period completed) any further changes or indeed reversion to original terms and conditions are subject to the 12 month rule and the company’s decision to accept the change.

So what might an employee do with their flexible working?

A parent may choose to work four days a week to enable them to care for their child on the fifth day – to achieve this they may reduce their working hours and pay by 20%, or they may work four longer days and reduced breaks to make up the time.

Another employee with a second home a significant distance away, may request to work from home on Monday and Friday and work in the office Tuesday – Thursday.

An employee with responsibility for elderly parents may start late each day and work late each day to enable them to get their parents up, washed and dressed in the morning.

The needs of each individual requesting flexible working will be different and the nature of the flexible working itself may vary, but it is ultimately up to the employee to identify a solution which works for the business and this should be clearly documented in the request for flexible working.

The business only has a duty to consider the request fairly and consistently. It is not required to accept any proposals which would damage the business. There is no point in a shop worker offering to work 11 – 8pm if the shop closes at 6, however flexible working may enable a business to provide longer opening hours or greater flexibility to its customers.

Clear Policy It is essential that employers have a clearly documented policy and if as an employee you want to request flexible working, get a copy of the policy and make sure you do your homework before putting in your request. www.dohr.co.uk - 17 -

Think More Eat Less author Janet Thomson comes to Watford Weight loss is a billion pound industry. With almost 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 5 children in England currently obese, it is estimated that by 2050, 9 in 10 adults and 2 out of 3 children will be overweight or obese. That’s a scary statistic by any standard.

Being a healthy weight will mean being in the minority! The cost of overweight and obese individuals to the NHS is estimated to be £4.2 billion and £16 billion to the wider economy. Both figures are forecast to more than double by 2050. As a nation we simply cannot afford it. What to do then? We all know people who ricochet from one diet to another and even if the weight comes off belong long its piled back on – and then some.

It’s been an interesting few weeks for me as I got to interview Martin Shirran author of the Gastric Mind Band for my Hay House radio show last week, he shared some fascination techniques for self hypnosis to change your mindset. We also on Radio 2 interviewed another fellow Hay House author transformational coach Janet Thomson about her book Think More Eat Less.

Janet Thomson has been creating weight loss programmes for years. With an impressive track record both academically and professionally, she has a unique approach that can be summed up in one sentence. “If you want to change your body, you have to change your mind.” Having achieved a Masters degree in Nutrition & Exercise Science, Janet realised that no matter how good the nutritional information you give is, unless people actually like what they are doing, they will self-sabotage and fail. Having qualified in a range of psychological therapies she now brings this vital and missing element to the forefront of her own THINK MORE EAT LESS programme.

Janet has some excellent testimonials from clients and they tend to keep the weight off.

The way it works is that Janet teaches us how to collapse food cravings, how to genuinely want to eat different foods, and how to want to be more active, completely eliminating the need for willpower; in fact Janet doesn’t believe will power exists! “It’s just a word people use to give themselves an excuse e.g. I gained weight over Christmas because I lost my willpower! as if it were like a set of car keys! If you think you need will power to lose weight, but tell yourself you don’t have any, then you are giving

- 18 -

yourself permission to fail, and are not taking any responsibility for the fact that you just eat too much”.

Understanding how your brain works and how and why we so often turn to food for comfort, and then how to reprogramme these beliefs and behaviours, is key to Janet’s approach. However the programme also contains some great information on how your body stores and burns fat, which foods cause this process to speed up or slow down, and she has taken all the hard work out of structuring a diet by simplifying it into an simple to follow Colour Code System. This is NOT a diet, but it is a really easy guide to help you choose the right foods that will not only maximise fat loss, but give you energy, prevent the normal highs and lows that we so often experience throughout the day, and leave you feeling energised.

Janet teaches the practical elements of her programme in her inspirational one day workshop THINK MORE EAT LESS. You may arrive with one mind-set, but you are likely to leave with another. The emotional and psychological changes are immediate and the weight loss soon follows. Most of Janet’s clients lose on average a dress size per month and swear they are not even dieting!

At last – the missing link to weight loss. It might not be the Holy Grail, but when we consider the gravity of the problem, this programme is worth a shot, indeed you find a way to lose weight and gain some life changing insights.

Think More Eat Less - The workshop is March 17th at Charters Health Club Watford YMCA. Special Offer £99 To book www.powertochange.me.uk Or call - 07788 738799

www.the-sticks.co.uk To advertise your event, show, restaurant or business In our April digital magazine Call 07756 274444 Or email thesticks9@gmail.com Prices from £50 per month - 19 -

Food Ideas from Pearce’s Farmshop & Café – The Allium Family Where would we be without the Allium Family? The members are incredibly versatile and key ingredients in many tasty and healthy dishes. They include onions, garlic, spring onions, chives, shallots and leeks. Allium is derived from the Greek word for garlic.

They are all rich in antioxidants and vitamins which contribute to anti cancer effects and organosulphur compounds that give them their distinctive flavours and aroma.

Onions have been cultivated for thousands of years and originally grown in the near East and central Asia for their antiseptic qualities; in Egypt they were used in mummification.

Probably one of the world’s most widely used ingredient, they vary in shape and colour from flattish brown to round pale bulbs but all with a papery outer skin protecting inner layers of pale crisp flesh. The yellow ones are hot and pungent, enough to make your eyes water and good for soups, ragus and stews, Spanish onions are the largest with brown skin and a mild sweet flavour, red onions are very sweet and work well eaten raw in salads. Pearl onions, often white are the smallest and good for pickling. Onions can be used as flavouring or a vegetable in their own right. They can be fried, boiled, roasted when their natural sugars caramelise beautifully, grated, sautéed or used in the classic dishes such as onion soup, onion tart and Spanish tortilla.

Spring onions, also known as scallions, green onions or salad onions are very young onions harvested before the bulb has had a chance to swell. Both the long slender green tops and the small white bulb are edible with a similar flavour to onions but much milder and can be used raw in salads, sprinkled on Chinese dishes or on Irish champ mashed potatoes speckled with chopped spring onion, or barbequed.

Garlic has been used for culinary and medicinal purposes for centuries and has the strongest flavour of all the Alliums. It is a hardy perennial that grows as bulbs which are made up of pinkish-grey cloves. Though we consider the bulbs to be fresh they have been dried in the sun. To cook, the cloves are separated, peeled and used whole, chopped or crushed. The easiest way to crush garlic is to place a clove on a board and using the flat side of small knife, press down firmly until squashed, the more finely crushed the stronger it will taste though slow cooking in the oven will mellow the flavour.

Leeks are the largest member of the Allium genus and can grow up to two feet long and don’t form a bulb. They were a favourite food of the Romans, eaten by the Saints and worn by the Welsh into battle. At their best during the coldest months of the year, they - 20 -

have a subtle sweet flavour, smooth texture similar to asparagus and are packed full of antioxidants. They are delicious cooked in any manner of ways, roasted, baked with a cheesy topping; braised, stir-fried or eaten raw dressed with vinaigrette.

Chives look like tufts of grass and can be clipped straight from the garden. They are really useful to add that mild onion flavour to dips, salads, soups or with sour cream to top a baked potato. In today’s recipe we’ve added them with onions to make a delicious loaf of bread.

Onion & Chive Bread Ingredients To make 2 loaves Small bunch chives 1 onion finely chopped 750 g bread flour 1 ½ tsp salt 425 ml water 25 g fresh yeast, or 2 ½ tsp dried yeast 60 g butter melted Method Put the water in a bowl and stir in the yeast, add all the other ingredients finishing with the flour.

Mix together well into a dough and knead. Leave in a warm place for an hour or so to prove and double in size.

Knock the mixture back and lightly knead again, shape into a loaf, rolls or sticks and leave to prove again for another hour or so.

Cook at 180⁰C for 35 minutes depending on shape.

Variation, for cheesy bread sprinkle grated cheese on top of loaf before cooking.

Pearce’s, the Farmshop and Café for fresh produce and good food on the A10 between Buntingford and Puckeridge. www.pearcesfarmshop.com

- 21 -

Herts Listings China in the East: An exhibition showcasing spectacular Chinese collections- Today to Saturday 16 Mar This exhibition features Chinese collections from a number of museum in the Eastern region; revealing the unexpected connections between China and the East of England. Part of the Eastern Exchanges festival; an official partner of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Programme. Free entry, open Tuesday – Saturday, 10.00 am – 5.00 pm, 01992 582686 Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, Hertford SG14 1DT Sweeney Todd - The Musical - the Demon Barber of Fleet Street -Tuesday 26 Feb 2013 to Saturday 2 Mar A Ware Operatic Production.

After the huge success of ’Titanic - The Musical’ last year, the same creative team bring you the hilarious ’Sweeney Todd’.

Unanimously acclaimed by the critics as one of Stephen Sondheim’s most powerful scores. Set against a backdrop of London with an original design, our production will be telling the story as if reading it aloud from the penny dreadful or a newspaper.

Media can manipulate the views of everyone today and that’s what we’re going to do with Sweeney Todd. Prepare to be entertained with a stage full of talent! Performances commence 7.30pm Tues to Sat with a matinee on Saturday commencing 2.30pm Prices from £13 - £20.

Parties of 10 or more discount of £1 per ticket.

Hertford Theatre, The Wash, Hertford SG14 1PS Billy Smart’s Circus- Wednesday 27 Feb to Sunday 3 Mar The most famous name in British Circus is back to entertain you. The 2013 UK tour is brimming with a dazzling combination of theatre, music and dance. Our amazing international artistes bring you a sensational mix of acrobatics, comedy, juggling, illusion and aerial feats. The all human performance will include a fantastic Australian flying trapeze act which has been the toast of the circus world, Desiree’s hand balancing act in which she fires a bow and arrow - with her feet!, acrobats, jugglers, breath-taking aerialists and even a fireman who works his routine on a flaming ladder. With comedy and spectacle this is Billy Smarts Circus at its amazing best, the cream of circus. Fairlands Valley, Stevenage from Wed 27th Feb to Sun 3rd Mar. There are two performances Wednesday to Saturday at 4.45pm and 7.30pm, with an additional show at 2pm on Saturday and a further two performances on Sunday at 12.30 and 3.30pm. www.billy-smartscircus.co.uk 0844 4155 228 Fairlands Valley, Stevenage SG1 1HN

California Suite - Wednesday 27 Feb to Saturday 2 Mar A witty play from Neil Simon, full of comical situations and delightfully outrageous characters. Set in the Beverly Hills Hotel, California, this hilarious play treats you to a comedic take on 4 different couples in a hotel suite. A nicely set up and fun play for you to laugh at, squirm at and enjoy! Weds 27th Feb to Sat 2nd March 2013 - every evening at 7.45pm, plus Sat matinee at 2.45pm. Tickets - £12 or £10.50 concession (over 60’s and under 16’s on all performances). Box office: 07917 324 179 or 0845 521 3453. The Pump House Theatre, Local Board Road, Watford, WD17 2JP Milton Jones- Friday 1 Mar Milton Jones is back on the road with another tour, this time imaginatively entitled On The Road. If you like the stuff he’s done on Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo or in any of the nine radio series he’s done for Radio 4 then this is the show for you.

Hundreds of his celebrated one-liners, plus pictures he drew. Clever, surreal but mainly just stupid stupid stupid. He’s won awards you know.

8pm. £21. Contact: 0845 075 3993 Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN Classical music recital - Friday 1 Mar Music by Mozart, Gershwin, Wagner, Elgar and Britten is on the programme in this first of series of classical music recitals ahead of a major orchestral concert in Letchworth on May 29. The recital features Shulah Oliver on violin and Simon Marlow on piano. The two have been performing together since 2003 and have given acclaimed performances across the UK. Mozart -- Sonata in e minor KV 3300c (304); Gershwin, arr. Heifetz -An American in Paris; Gershwin, arr Heifetz -- My Man’s Gone Now, from Porgy and Bess; Gershwin, arr. Heifetz -- It Ain’t Necessarily So, from Porgy and Bess; Britten -- Waltz from Suite Op.6; Wagner, arr. Wilhelmj -- Romanze; Elgar -Sonata in e minor Op. 82. Recital starts 7.30.

Tickets £10 (concessions £8) from 01462 670788 Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW A Midsummer’s Night Dream -Friday 1 & Saturday 2 Mar Shakespeare’s most popular comedy takes place in mythical Athens and an enchanted forest. There is a handsome fairy king, a misguided parent, star-crossed lovers, a weaver who’s transformed into a half-donkey, woodland fairies and elves. "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" deals with the universal theme of love and its complications: lust, disappointment, confusion, marriage. The plot focuses on three parallel stories: the trials and experiences of two sets of lovers camping in a magical forest, the world of the Fairy King and Queen and their

elves, and a group of rough craftsmen attempting to stage a production of "Pyramus and Thisby" for the wedding of the Duke of Athens. 7:30pm, £16.50 (£14.50 advance) Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX

details, why not pre-register for free entry on the day? Sun 3 Mar, 10am-5pm. Free in advance, £2 on the door. Contact: 0845 075 3993.Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN ’Out of This World-A Musical Journey through Space’- Sunday 3 Mar Hertford Symphony Orchestra presents this magical concert for children £7 Adults, £4 Children 2:30pm and 4:15pm Box Office 01992 531500. Hertford Theatre, The Wash, Hertford SG13 1PS

Chris Addison- Saturday 2 Mar - The Time Is Now Again Start time: 20:00. Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans. AL1 3LD Stay and Play at Hertford Museum- Sat 2 Mar The Andrews Room at Hertford Museum will be open for families to enjoy a free play session.

Come along and play with traditional wooden toys, make something crafty and read a book.

Whilst you are here why not use the discovery station toys to explore the galleries too? 10.30 am- 2.00pm, Free entry, 01992 582686. Hertford Museum, 18 Bull Plain, Hertford SG14 1DT

Nat Steele Quartet- Sunday 3 Mar Since Nat’s recent arrival on the scene, he has quickly gained a reputation as a cutting edge virtuoso.

Following in the footsteps of Milt Jackson, Victor Feldman and Cal Tjader, his playing is beautifully lyrical and melodic but always with a focus on a hard driving swing. 8pm. Tickets from £5 Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX

Pamela Thorby and Elizabeth Kenny (Octagon Music Society) -Sunday 3 Mar Pamela Thorby (recorders) and Elizabeth Kenny (archlute/theorbo/guitar) performing ’music to please the ear.....di sodisfar l’Orecchio’ 16th 18th Century Italian Music by Corbetta, Corelli, Fontana, D’Hervelois, Ortiz, Philidor, Piccinnini and Rogniono. Tickets £14, FREE for anyone under 26: Box Office 01923 224092 Starts at 4.00 pm.The Clarendon Muse, Watford Grammar School for Boys, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD18 7JA

Aesop’s Fables -Sunday 3 Mar Family show suitable for ages 4+ from Small Nose Productions.

Come and enjoy a brand new retelling of Aesop’s Fables. See the stories of ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’, ‘The Hare And The Tortoise’, ‘The Dog And The Bone’ and ‘The Travellers and The Bear’. All brought to life using singing, puppets, four human beings and a large amount of silliness! 2.30 - 3.30pm Tickets £9 / £11 / £36 family. Box office: 01727 850950. Trestle Arts Base, Russet Drive, St Albans. AL4 0JQ

Back to Broadway- Sunday 3 Mar A show that is a celebration of all that is best about Musical Theatre, from the heartbreaking beauty and power of Memory, Music of the Night and Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, to the feel good energy of Summer Nights and Footloose. Proclaimed as ‘one of the top 25 touring Musical Theatre productions to see’ by Musical Theatre News, Back to Broadway has brought together eight of the country’s most exciting singers and dancers from a host of leading touring Musicals, to perform a feel-good show the whole family can enjoy. Back to Broadway combines captivating performances with dazzling costumes, stunning lighting effects and an amazing New York setting as it brings the best of Broadway and London’s West End together. www.backtobroadway.co.uk 2.30pm, £10-£12.50, 01992 444504.Broxbourne Civic Hall, High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8BE

Birds, Bees and Pomegranates: Paintings and mixed media by Sarah Booth- Monday 4 to Friday 29 Mar A colourful exhibition from this Hitchin-based artist, Sarah Booth’s work predominately uses mixed media – paint is layered and scratched away, revealing glimpses of what was there before. She creates intrigue and a story, combining seemingly unrelated collage “treasures” together. Sarah Booth graduated from West Surrey College of Art and Design in 1990 with a BA Hons degree in Fine Art. After an inspirational residency at the Cypriot Art College in Pafos, she began to paint pomegranates, which still feature so much in her work. She says: “Inspiration comes from many places and I am strongly influenced by my travels through Asia, Cyprus and Ireland." Cafe Gallery.

Open Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.

Saturday 10.00 am to 3.00 pm. Admission is free to all Galleries. Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Watford Wedding Show -Sunday 3 Mar Watford Colosseum is hosting the Watford Wedding Show. The event itself will showcase over 60 amazing exhibitors for you to browse and chat with. There will also be fashion shows taking place during the day. So, whether you are just starting your plans or finalising the last few

North and South: Paintings by Mike RollinsMonday 4 to Thursday 28 Mar Mike Rollins is a Hitchin-based artist and illustrator whose atmospheric landscape and architectural

- 23 -

NATIONAL TRUST Watford and District Association- Thursday 7 Mar ‘Passports, Assassins, Traitors and Spies’ a talk by Martin Lloyd. Having spent 20 years stamping passports for H.M. Government, Martin will thrill us with a dramatic account of how the action of a group of assassins brought about a change in passport regulations, how unmasking a spy caused a modification in passport design, and how for one man the passport turned into a killer. Start time 8.00pm. Admission price for non-members is £2.

Stanborough Centre, St Albans Road, Garston, Watford WD25 9JL

paintings aim to convey a sense of drama and invite the viewer to form their own narrative.

"Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire, in 1969, I grew up surrounded by the rugged moorlands and gritstone walls of the South Pennines," he says.

"Subconsciously, my eye has been coloured ever since by this legacy of romantic ruins and stark views." Open Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. Saturday 10.00 am to 3.00 pm. Admission is free to all Galleries. Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW Recycled Fashion - Tuesday 5 Mar The ingenious work of pupils from St Christopher School, Letchworth Garden City, and other local schools. Their fashion show in the Main Gallery demonstrates how to create glamour and excitement from recycled material. Open Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 5.00 pm. Saturday 10.00 am to 3.00 pm. Admission is free to all Galleries. Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Moscow City Ballet - Romeo & Juliet -Thursday 7 and Friday 8 Mar Moscow City Ballet is currently at its outstanding artistic best – winning many new invitations to perform internationally. Romeo & Juliet is a signature piece in their entire repertoire – created by the artistic director to mark his seventieth birthday.

The orchestra, choreography, interpretation, beauty and outstanding virtuoso performances receive repeatedly rave reviews. ‘Big story ballets’ are the essence of Russian culture – composed, choreographed and premiered in Russia. Seeing performances by the Moscow City dancers never fails to add that magical ingredient of Russian soul. 7.30pm. £32, £28, £26, £23; Under 16s £10; Concessions and group discounts available. Contact: 0845 075 3993 Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

Pam Ann- Tuesday 5 Mar Start time:20:00. Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans. AL1 3LD Stevenage Family History Society - "Using Maps in Family History Research"- a talk by Steve Gooding - Wednesday 6 Mar Most initial family history enquiries start with Who? (the Family) and When? (the History) but the next question is usually Where?, which is the start of the process of finding out who our ancestors really were. To answer the Where? question a knowledge of the available types of maps is very helpful as they can provide a window onto the everyday lives of our forebears. As well as a brief overview Steve will present two important examples in detail, showing the type of information that can be extracted from specialist maps. 7:30pm 9:30pm. Visitors welcome. Visitor Entrance Fee £3. Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage SG1 1UP

Rumours of Fleetwood Mac Thursday 7 Mar Start time: 19:30. Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans. AL1 3LD The Enemy -Thursday 7 Mar Start time: 19:00.

The Forum - Hertfordshire Students Union, College Lane, Hatfield. AL10 9AB Small Acorn Events Spring Shopping Fair Saturday 9 Mar Fun, family event. Lots of stalls (childrens books, clothes, skincare & cosmetics, homeware, gifts & candles, cards, toys and lots more). Come and have a browse! Cream teas, light lunches and homemade cakes available at the popup vintage tearoom. Free entry 11am to 3pm. Drill Hall, Amwell End, Ware SG12 9HP

Harry Hill -Wednesday 6 Mar The self-styled floppy-collared loon is back with a live show that promises incontrovertible proof that God exists.

Joined by showband The Harry’s, there’s a section exclusively for Tongans, a chance to catch up on Harry’s Nan’s latest ailments, the legendary Stouffer the Cat and a debut solo stand-up spot by Gary, Harry’s son from his first marriage and recognisable for his role as Alan Sugar in Harry Hill’s TV Burp. There’ll be expertwhistler-of-chart-hits grandson Sam and an allsinging, all-dancing finale. Oh, and a giant sausage. 7.30pm. £30. Ages 12+. Contact: 0845 075 3993.Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

Spring Fair -Saturday 9 Mar A lovely variety of crafts made by local people including gifts, textiles, bags, jams, cakes, cards, jewellery, paintings, glass and more. Come along for your Mothers Day and Easter gifts. Open from 10am to 2pm. Free entry. Refreshments available. Kings Langley Community Centre, The Nap, Kings Langley. WD4 8ET

- 24 -

Moscow City Ballet - Sleeping Beauty -Saturday 9 Mar Moscow City Ballet is currently at its outstanding artistic best – winning new invitations to perform internationally. The orchestra, choreography, interpretation, beauty and outstanding virtuoso performances win repeatedly rave reviews. Sleeping Beauty, the evergreen tale of the love of a handsome prince and beautiful princess, is the glamorous jewel in the company’s repertoire. 2.30pm & 7.30pm. £32, £28, £26, £23; Under 16s: £10; Conc. and group discounts available. Contact: 0845 075 3993. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

Stevenage Choral Society - Duruflé RequiemSaturday 9 Mar Stevenage Choral Society and Royston Choral Society are proud to perform this Requiem Mass (Mass for the Dead) together. This piece uses a small orchestra and also an organ.

Although the piece was written in 1947 the choral music utilises plainsong themes to provide a gentle and serene piece of music...not strident like many other pieces of music of this era.

Musical Director (SCS)/Conductor (for Durufle) Robin Osterley Musical Director (Royston)/ Conductor (other works) - David Boarder Concert starts: 7.30 pm. Refreshments served in concert interval. Tickets: £12 Adults, £9 Concessions and £2 for under 16s Ticket Ordering by mail: Stevenage Choral Tickets, c/o 50 Longfields, Stevenage, SG2 8QB Ticket ordering by phone: 01438 220437. Church of St. Andrew and St. George, Cuttys Lane, Stevenage SG1 1XX

Fowlmere Farmers Market -Saturday 9 Mar A monthly Farmers Market. We have gained a reputation for our friendly and welcoming atmosphere. We offer a full range of local foods including meats, poultry and game, fruit & veg, eggs, award-winning savoury pies, cakes, bread, handmade biscuits, artisan cheeses, preserves, Greek and Indian snacks, plus a variety of locally produced crafts - something for everyone. A fundraising event for Fowlmere Village Hall, Registered Charity No. 284524 From 9am to 12 noon. Plenty of free parking, free admission, refreshments available, children’s play area outside. Fowlmere Village Hall, Chrishall Road, Fowlmere, Royston SG8 7RY

Mad Hatter’s Party -Saturday 9 Mar Come and party with us to raise funds to support the redevelopment of the east Common Playground in Redbourn. Wear a fabulous hat, crazy wig, mad hair… anything goes (optional). Fantastic live band playing 70s, 80s, 90s music (check out at www.junxionmusic.com).

Licensed bar at reasonable prices (over 18s only) Tickets £15 per person, on sale NOW from Redbourn Post Office, Redbourn Crown Pharmacy and the Redbourn Parish Centre. T All proceeds will go to the eastcommonproject.co.uk Party starts at 8pm until late. St Luke’s School, Crouch Hall Lane, Redbourn, AL3 7ET

Comedy Club - Saturday 9 Mar Our monthly Comedy Club returns, with Simon Munnery - one of the best comedians to ever get on stage anywhere. Don’t miss him - and Pete Beckley, winner of last year’s New Act competition, coming to enjoy his first full set at the club. And, as always, the inimitable Paul B Edwards tries to keep a vestige of order. Licensed bar. Doors open 7.30. Show starts 8.30. Tickets £10 (Comedy Club members £8) from 01462 670788.Letchworth Arts Centre. 2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3EW

Richard Thompson- Saturday 9 Mar 19:30.

Alban Arena, Civic Centre, St Albans. AL1 3LD Shaws Corner - Book Sale- Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 Mar Shaws Corner is holding a Book sale on 9/10 March. It is open between 12-5 and is free entrance. Coffee, tea and cakes will be available It is free entry and the contact number is 01438 832307. Shaws Corner - Ayot St Lawrence AL6 9BX

Tom Poster: Chamber Music Concert -Saturday 9 Mar Tom poster is internationally recognised as a pianist of outstanding artistry and versatility.

Equally in demand as soloist and chamber musician, he has established himself as a sensitive and passionate interpreter of an unusually extensive repertoire. Since his London concerto debut at the tender age of 13, Tom has appeared in a wide ranging concerto repertoire of over 30 major works, with orchestras and conductors around the world. Tom features regularly of BBC radio 3 as soloist and chamber musician, and appeared in both capacities at the BBC proms in 2008 & 2009. 7.45pm | Tickets from £5 Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX

Chinese State Circus- Sunday 10 Mar Two thousand years of tradition explode on stage with a spectacular two-hour extravaganza! Thirty Chinese artistes perform remarkable acrobatics, martial arts, live musicians and feature acts including a remarkable display of human juggling, the amazing legendary ’Bicycle Act’, the superb swinging poles, the sensational contortionist and the dynamic hoop divers with their amazing acrobatics. The formidable Shaolin Master known only as "The One" also makes his first UK appearance in this daring, breath-taking and thrilling family show. Suitable for an audience of all ages, with evocative sets, soaring musical score and extravagant new costumes this

- 25 -

will entertain the entire family long after the final curtain falls! Sun 10 Mar, 7.30pm. £26, £22, £18; Children: £21, £17. Concessions and family tickets available. Contact: 0845 075 3993.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

throughout the world, ELO played sell-out tours including Face the Music, Out of the Blue and Time, to name just a few. A seemingly endless list of hit records stormed the charts throughout the world. Radio broadcasts world-wide played hits such as Living Thing, Telephone Line, Wild West Hero, Sweet Talking Woman, and perhaps their most famous – Mr Blue Sky. Come and hear their greatest hits reproduced by the exciting and incredible ELO Experience! 8pm. £19.

Contact: 0845 075 3993 Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

Pennyfarthing Antiques & Collectors FairSunday 10 Mar Pennyfarthing Fayres presents a quality range of 70 stalls, including Porcelain, Jewellery, Glass, Small Furniture and much more. Ideal for finding that individual gift for Mothers Day. All enquires: 01438 813060 Adults £2.00 Seniors £1.50 Children under 16 years free 10am - 4.00pm. Wyllyotts Theatre, Darkes lane, Potters Bar, EN6 2HN

Letchworth and Baldock District Scout Gang Show- Friday 15 and Saturday 16 Mar A family variety show with a cast of Cubs, Brownies, Scouts, Guides and Explorers from Letchworth and Baldock. A fast running variety show suitable for everyone. Interval bar - tuck shop - and beverages available Come and ride the crest of a wave with us Laughter and fun for everyone Disabled access Show contacts flashing images and lights and smoke effects 15th March at 7.30pm 16th March at 2.00pm 16th March at 7.30pm All tickets £7.00 each available at Davids Music Eastcheap Letchworth or by contacting the Gang Show team direct on 01462 671183 or gang.show@hotmail.co.uk Interval bar, beverages and tuck shop. St Francis College Theatre, Broadway, Letchworth Garden City SG6 3PJ

Three Little Pigs: Circo Ridiculoso -Sunday 10 Mar An innovative re-telling of the classic Three Little Pigs; Danny has been delivered a story telling kit in a crate. All the props for the story are contained within...or are they? Danny has to try against the odds to enact the story without making a pig’s ear of it. He will recount the curly tale with lots of huff, puff and you’ll be blown away by his inimitable and hilarious physical comedy, circus skills and sheer pig-headedness.

"A master of his art..." UKtheatre.net "An undoubted joy for all the family" The Scotsman.

Sunday 2pm & 4pm | £5, 1 free adult ticket with every 2 children under 10 purchased. Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX

Three Counties Youth Ballet: Let’s Dance! Friday 15 and Saturday 16 Mar A spectacular production that will delight any dance lover.

Showcasing talented young dancers aged 7-17 in what promises to be a performance to remember. £15, £8 concessions Friday 15th March at 6:30pm Saturday 16th March at 2:30pm and 7:30pm Box Office 01992 531500. Hertford Theatre, The Wash, Hertford SG13 1PS

The Chinese State Circus presents ’Ying Yang’Thursday 14 and Friday 15 Mar The incomparable Chinese State Circus™ proudly presents their UK premiere ‘Yin Yang’ The highly awaited return of China’s greatest circus featuring the UK appearance of the formidable Shaolin Master known only as “The One" sourced specifically by Director Phillip Gandey. This unique extravaganza showcases only the best in entertainment; witness acrobats defying gravity as the ancient discipline ‘Icarian Games’ returns to centre stage. An act rarely seen in circus arts, steeped in tradition, this remarkable display of human juggling where the human body becomes catapult and catcher in an elaborate, explosive and highly choreographed presentation of power, poise and agility. Take a new look at the world’s greatest circus! Thurs - 7pm Fri - 5pm & 8pm.

To purchase tickets call 01992 441946 or visit www.broxbourne.gov.uk/whatson Broxbourne Civic Hall, High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8BE

St Albans MusicCity-16 – 24 March Immerse yourself in the twilight leafy metropolis that is St Albans MusicCity! St Albans has a rich musical history and continues to foster a vibrant scene.

This week is a celebration of that scene which encompasses everything from traditional folk, blues and jazz through to indie, metal and pop across all the key music pubs and venues in the district! MusicCity 2013 features an abundance of gigs at regular venues plus workshops and special events including a Folk Music and Dance exhibition at The Museum of St Albans.The opening Saturday will include MCU2 (MusicCity Unsigned) – a showcase of some of the finest local acts at The Alban Arena, featuring Jegisus, Said the Maiden, Chameleon Boy and Waiting for Katherine. The Horn will be providing DJs and the after-show party (with Tranquil Fury).Full details can be found at: 01727 866100;

The ELO Experience - Friday 15 Mar In 1970s Birmingham a musical superpower was established – Jeff Lynne and the Electric Light Orchestra became one of the world’s best known and greatest recording bands. Packing stadiums

- 26 -

www.lemonrock.com/musiccity and www.stalbans.gov.uk/musiccity or contact Grae at: grae.wall@leisureconnection.co.uk

Matchbox/Lesney/ Moko. A Joe Lock Toyfair Promotion. Free parking on site. Opens at 7pm to close to public at 8.45pm. Admission £1 Adult for this Wednesday event. Cold Rolls , Tea, Coffee etc. available at modest prices. Sheredes School, Cock Lane, Hoddesdon, EN11 8JY

St Barnabus Centre Wedding Show - Saturday 16 Mar A selection of suppliers will be available on the day to help in the planning of your wedding. Free Goody bags for all Brides FREE ENTRY, 11am - 3.30pm, 01245 362883. St. Barnabus Barn, Thorley, Bishops Stortford CM23 4BE

Watford Filmhouse -Friday 22 Mar Source Code: (Cert 12A) At last, an intelligent, modern sci-fi thriller! Think Groundhog Day re-made as a high-concept action flick and then merged with a thoughtful science fiction film and then completed with flashes of humour… Intrigued?

We think you will be... Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) has only eight minutes to solve a crime – luckily he lives those eight minutes over and over again whilst inhabiting the body of a stranger. Each time he re-visits those eight minutes he manages to gather more clues, but will he get enough information before the next crime is committed? A tense, emotional science fiction thriller. Doors and bar open at 7.15pm.

Film at 7.45pm. Members £4 Non-members £6.

Membership £10 per annum. WFH Members Booking Line – 07981819686. The Pump House Theatre, Local Board Road, Watford. WD17 2JP

Watford Philharmonic- Saturday 16 Mar Come and join the choir and orchestra of Watford Philharmonic Society for a glittering night at the opera. We celebrate the work of three of opera’s finest composers with well-known excerpts from some of their greatest works, including Verdi’s Otello, Britten’s Peter Grimes and Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman and Siegfried Idyll. An evening for opera lovers not to be missed! 7.30pm. £17, £16, £14; Under 18s and Child offers available.

Contact: 0845 075 3993. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN BBC Concert Orchestra - West End & Broadway Winners- Monday 18 Mar The very best of Broadway and West End…come to Watford Colosseum in a special evening celebrating the Golden Age of Musical Theatre. The 1950s and 60s saw the musical take off on both sides of the pond. On Broadway the greats Leonard Bernstein, Frank Loesser, Jule Styne, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim and Cy Coleman had their names in lights.The West End saw Noël Coward, Lionel Bart, Leslie Bricusse, Sandy Wilson and Andrew Lloyd Webber reign supreme. Stars from the stage including Graham Bickley join the BBC Concert Orchestra and musical maestro Richard Balcombe. So if you’re a fan of sleek, sharp and sexy musical theatre; enjoy the rhythm and razzmatazz of the big Broadway shows; or you’re simply after a bit of glitz and glamour, then this is the concert for you. This concert will be hitting the airwaves throughout the European Union and on BBC Radio 3. Mon 18 Mar, 7.30pm. £25, £21, £17. Contact: 0845 075 3993.

Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

Moonlight and Magnolias -Friday 22 Mar, Sat 23 Mar, Mon 25 Mar to Sat 30 Mar Legendary producer David O Selznick has just suspended filming of the most eagerly anticipated movie of all time, Gone With The Wind, scrapping the script and sacking its director in the process. He drafts in script doctor Ben Hecht to rewrite it, but Hecht happens to be the only man in the country who’s not read the novel. Along with director Victor Fleming, whom they’ve poached from the set of The Wizard of Oz, they have five days to rescue the film… By Ron Hutchinson.

Directed by Jack Wood. Performances 8pm.

Matinee on Saturday 30th March at 2.30pm.

Tickets £10. Box Office 01707 324300.Barn Theatre, Handside Lane, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6ST Easter Eggstravaganza- Saturday 23 Mar to Sunday 14 Apr A choc-o-bloc programme of Easter events with FREE chocolate in our Easter Egg and Bunny Hunts. With real bunnies and chicks to enjoy and farmyard animals, adventure play, fun fair rides, JCB Young Drivers Zone, bouncy castles and inflatable slide. You can pan for gold and take a ride on Tristan the Runaway Tractor. And if the sun decides to have a day off there’s plenty of undercover play in Woolly Jumpers indoor play barn. Daily 10am to 5.30pm.

Call 0870 129 9718 or visit website for details and pricing at www.willowsfarmvillage.com Willows Farm Village, Coursers Road, London Colney, St. Albans AL4 0PF

Hoddesdon Toy and Train Collectors’ Evening Toyfair - Wednesday 20 Mar The evening Hertfordshire Bi-Monthly event, to buy, sell, swap or obtain valuations on your old traditional toys including Cars, Buses and Trains, some lorries and farm related items, the opportunity to purchase many of the latest model releases.

Diecast and plastic , includes model railways from Hornby, Tri-Ang, Trix, Bachmann and american outline manufactures in popular sizes HO/OO , O and N including spare parts. Extensive

- 27 -

What the Dickens? -Saturday 23 Mar A comedy adventure to entertain the whole family. Young Charles Dickens is a rookie reporter on The Morning Chronicle. Investigating the foggy slums of Ye Olde London Towne, he accidentally stumbles on a story that could make his reputation. Follow our hero on the adventure of a lifetime! Expect a world of pockmarked pick pockets, cobwebby convicts, dark secrets and convoluted plots, and lots and lots of fog. This inventive and gripping comedy features just 3 actors playing more than 20 roles in 80 minutes of fast paced fun and thrilling action. Brimming with unfeasibly quick costume changes, stupidly surreal characters and wonderfully daft jokes; What the Dickens? is the most absurd contribution to the Dickens bicentenary you could hope to see. Tickets £12; £10 concs 7.30pm. Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX

Harrison. After taking up a scholarship at Berklee School of Music, Boston. Frank returned to join Gilad Atzmon’s Orient House, with whom Frank has recorded 7 albums, including BBC Jazz Album of the year 2003, Exile. We present for our closer this season, Frank Harrison. After taking up a scholarship at Berklee School of Music, Boston.

Frank returned to join Gilad Atzmon’s Orient House, with whom Frank has recorded 7 albums, including BBC Jazz Album of the year 2003, Exile. Hawthorne Theatre, The Campus, Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX An evening with The Calendar Girls! Thursday 28 Mar There is to be an amateur production of The Calandar Girls at Pendley Court Theatre, Tring from Tuesday 26th to Saturday 30th March and the Berkhamsted, Tring and Hemel Hempstead branch of Leukaemia and Lymphoma Research are organising a special evening on Thursday 28th March. You are invited to join us at a pre-performance dinner in the Verney Room at Pendley Manor, and then afterwards at the play at The Court Theatre. Both Angela Baker and Beryl Bamforth, two of the original Calendar Girls, will be joining us. The dinner will include two courses, a glass of wine, coffee and petits fours and cost £25 and we have secured a special rate of £10 per person for theatre tickets. contact Lesley Lee - 01442 862062 or dlee1@waitrose.com. Pendley Manor, Tring, HP23 5QY

Easter Egg Hunt -Saturday 23 Mar to Sunday 7 Apr Take a fun trail around Letchworth’s independent retailers, collect stickers along the way and exchange your completed map for a certificate and a chocolate treat! Look out for free fun and activities plus a chance to win a fantastic prize bundle! Letchworth Town Centre SG6 3DD Touch of Evil (Film, 1958, Cert 12A)- Sunday 24 Mar Introduced screening with David Lusted.

Murder, kidnapping and corruption are at the heart of Orson Welles’ moody thriller. Virtuoso camera work and immaculate direction showcase the talents of Janet Leigh and Charlton Heston.

7.30pm. Tickets: £7 (£4 members) 01923 223980 www.watfordfilmsociety.org Watford Palace Theatre WD17 1JZ

Easter Trail -Friday 29 Mar Easter fun trail for children, Knebworth House SG1 2AX Ashridge Easter Egg Trail -Friday 29 Mar to Monday 1 Apr Join us for our annual Easter egg trail. Put on your wellies and discover the secrets of the woodland at Ashridge and learn more about the creatures who live there. Answer questions along the way and collect your reward at the end. The event is sponsored by Cadburys and on Sunday and Monday extra family fun activities are provided free of charge! Also join in the National Egg and Spoon Race on Easter Monday. Don’t forget to bring your spoon! 10am4pm, £2.50, just turn up (details call 01442 851227) Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre HP4 1LT

Carmen -Sunday 24 Mar Directed by Ellen Kent, this dazzling new production set in Seville and reflecting a Goya painting, with fountains, flowers and orange trees, guarantees an evening of passion and romance. Carmen features some of the most evocative and best-loved melodies in opera, including perhaps the best-known baritone aria of all, The Toreador’s Song.

Starring international mezzo soprano Nadia Stoianova, whose portrayals of Carmen have won rapturous reviews, and featuring the full Chisinau National Philharmonic orchestra and chorus, as well as a rescue donkey. Sung in French with English surtitles. 7.30pm. £35, £31, £24; Under 16s £17.50; Conc. and group discounts available. Contact: 0845 075 3993 Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD17 3JN

Chris and Pui -Saturday 30 Mar CBeebies’ favourite double act Chris and Pui are bringing their road show to town. See Incy Wincy, Humpty Dumpty, the Grand Old Duke of York and – “oh my woolly word!” – Little Bo Peep all live on stage. Laugh, sing and join in with the Show Me Show Me duo as they perform sketches, rhymes and songs for pre-schoolers and their families.

Feel free to join in with your teddy or character toy – but hang on to it! Chris and Pui appear in Show Me Show Me on CBeebies. 11am & 2.30pm.

We Frank Harrison Trio- Sunday 24 Mar present for our closer this season, Frank

- 28 -

Adults £13, Children £11; Family tickets available. Contact: 0845 075 3993. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD17 3JN

Rushmere Country Park, Linslade Road, Heath & Reach Bedfordshire LU7 0EB Continental Market in Bedford -Til Sunday 3 Mar Come and sample the delights of the Continent! Professional continental market traders from France, Belgium, Italy, Spain, Holland, Poland and many more countries will be wearing traditional costumes, selling high quality products including Brittany biscuits, olives, Italian nougat and much, much more! Or, for those of you with a sweet tooth, there will also be freshly made crepes. As well as all of these delectable tasty goods, you will also be able to choose from a wide range of products including hand bags & leather items, children’s toys and pashminas! Midland Road MK40 1TJ

Easter Farm at Riverside Shopping Centre Saturday 30 Mar To entertain the family during the Easter holidays, Riverside Shopping Centre in Hemel Hempstead will be hosting an animal farm on Saturday 30th March. From 11am until 3pm, the farm will give children the opportunity to get up close and personal with a variety of animals such as pygmy goats, lambs, piglets and rabbits.

Experts will also be on hand to answer questions and offer advice on caring for the animals. Why not spring into the new season trends and pick up all the latest fashions from stores such as Debenhams, TK Maxx and H&M- Riverside has everything to ensure a truly excellent Easter!

From 11am until 3pm. Riverside Shopping Centre, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 1BT

Home Improvement Exhibition -Saturday 2 Mar Whether you are planning to improve, redesign or simply redecorate your home, you’ll find everything you need at the Home Improvement Exhibition. Admission is free and you will find lots of local companies ready to give you help and advice with your project. The Exhibition is open between 11am and 4 pm and admission is free. The Rufus Centre, Steppingley Road, Flitwick MK45 1AH

EasterJousting- Sunday 31 Mar and Monday 1 Apr Medieval Jousting 10.00 am to 5 pm.

Knebworth House SG1 2AX

Beds Listings Lambs, Lambs, Lambs at Mead Open Farm- Till Wednesday 17 Apr It’s lamb crazy at Mead Open Farm from February Half Term! , meet the new arrivals in the Lamb Nursery. So cute and fluffy, plus, twice daily, help the farmers bottle feed the older lambs! With some a little greedy, you’d better hold on tight! Plus, back for 2013, watch the 24/7 LambCam from home! Whatever the weather this half term, there’s stacks of fun at Mead Open Farm! Run wild in Shaggy’s PlayWorld, scale Giant’s Rock climbing wall, race go-karts, pat the animals and join in more farm fun. There’s so much choice! For more information and prices, visit www.meadopenfarm.co.uk or call 01525 852 954. Mead Open Farm Stanbridge Road, Billington, LU7 9JH

Hats Off To LED ZEPPELIN Tribute ConcertSaturday 2 Mar Led Zeppelin Tribute Group come to Haynes on their first visit to the Concert Hall. A popular venue the evening is expected to be a sell out so you are advised to book your tickets early. The venue has free parking and a licensed bar. Expect all the classic Led Zepp songs and lots of improvisation as well! Doors open 7.30 pm Concert Starts at 8.30pm, Tickets £10 in advance ( £12 on the door if not sold out) Contact 01234 381254 / 381122 Haynes Concert Hall, Northwood End Rd, Haynes MK45 3QB Ultimate 80’s Disco Featuring live music from SKA SOULS- Saturday 2 Mar Ultimate 80’s night with live music from Ska Souls and support act Sophie Lauder, Dance Troupe Dance Shak will be dancing for us again, Starting at 7.30pm until 2.00 am. 7.30pm till 2.00am. Book your tickets now for only £12 at www.eventique.co.uk/ultimate or for group bookings call 07796 380270. Riverside, Luton LU1 3JH

Heron Festival - Till Wed 24 Apr Visit Rushmere Country Park visitor centre between 23rd February and May 2013 and you will be able to see the grey herons returning to the heronry opposite the visitor centre. Use the telescope and binoculars (available between 11am and 3pm) to watch these magnificent birds lay eggs and raise their young. Or watch the birds live on our heron cameras from the comfort of the visitor centre. 11am - 3pm daily Entrance is to the Heron Festival is free. Donations are welcome to support the conservation of the heron’s habitat. Standard parking fees of £2 per vehicle apply.

Cruise & Luxury Travel Show - Sunday 3 Mar Complimentary Entrance Includes • The opportunity to meet and talk to a wide variety of our cruise line and tour operator partners • Incredible exclusive show offers • Enjoy informative talks and presentations throughout the day • Personal service from our experienced cruise & travel consultants There are limited

- 29 -

places available for the talks and presentations: AMAWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Azamara Club Cruises, Cruise & Maritime Voyages, Oceania Cruises, Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines, Great Rail Journeys, Hebridean Island Cruises, Holland America Line, If Only, Indus Tours & Travel, Rocky Mountaineer, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Star Clippers, Swan Hellenic, The River Cruise Line, Travel Indochina plus many more 09.30 to 3.30pm Telephone: 01234 326758 / 0800 028 0529. Sharnbrook Hotel, Park Lane, Sharnbrook, MK44 1LX

Centre, home to fish, reptiles and monkeys, while their brave challengers are attending the seminar. Places are limited and being snapped up fast, so sign up now! Entry forms can be downloaded from www.zsl.org/firewalk Gates open at 6.30pm, and fire walkers are expected to face the flames around 8.20pm. Spectator tickets are £8 for adults and £5 for under 15s, both prices include a BBQ token. Tickets are available until 4pm. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo, Dunstable LU6 2LF Getting to Know Your AGA Cooking Demonstration with Sarah Whitaker- Saturday 9 Mar An AGA demonstration for beginners – learn to cook like an expert on the AGA. All basic methods of cooking, baking, steaming, grilling, stir fry etc are covered. You’ll be amazed at just how much it can do! Meet other AGA owners and taste the delicious freshly cooked food. £15 per person 11.45am - 2pm The AGA Shop Vale Farm, Woburn Road A421 Nr Lidlington MK43 0NL

Free Art of Spoon Carving talk with Martin Hazell -Thursday 7 Mar Free lunchtime talk, Martin is a great friend of the forest, and has some very entertaining, informative stories to tell. Stop by in our Lakeside cafe afterwards for a cup of tea or lunch! 11AM - 12PM, Free entry, Contact: 01234 767037 Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS Not Guilty - Classic Rock and Blues- Friday 8 Mar Not Guilty give a three hour show of Classic Rock and Blues to get you rockin’. Come along, have a drink, enjoy the music, and support local live music and venues. Entry is free. The show starts at approx 8.30pm and finishes around midnight. The Thornton Arms, 1 Potton Rd, Everton (nr Sandy) SG19 2LD

Bedfordshire Symphony Orchestra Romanticism from Europe - Sunday 10 Mar A rousing start with Berlioz: Roman Carnival Overture; a treat with Dvorak: Cello Concerto; finishing with luscious tunes in Franck: Symphony in d minor. Soloist: Bartholomew LaFollette, Conductor: Michael Rose. 7:30pm; Tickets £10 £13; telephone Bedford Box Office 01234 718112.

Bedford Corn Exchange, St Pauls Square MK40 1LE

A Few of Our Favourite Things -Friday 8 Mar Talk looking at some of the treasures in Bedfordshire & Luton Archives Service chosen by staff and the public. Documents can be favourites for a variety of personal reasons and we consider documents ranging from the everyday to the extraordinary across 800 years of Bedfordshire history. If you have a favourite why not ask for it to be included in the talk? 1 - 2 pm.

Admission free. Telephone 01234 228833 to book a place or suggest a document for inclusion Bedfordshire & Luton Archives Service, Riverside Building, Borough Hall, Bedford MK42 9AP

Retro/Vintage/Handmade Fayre -Sun 10 Mar A family fun filled event encompassing all that is good in Retro, Vintage and Handmade. 20/25 stalls with an eclectic mix of sellers dealing in memorabilia, clothing, pop culture, art, fabrics, pottery, woodturning, glass, ceramics and lots more besides. Children’s art and crafts area, face painting, crafting demonstrations throughout the day. Music covering the 20th Century from the roaring 20’s, through the War years, Big band music, 50’s Rock and Roll, 60’s Flower Power, the Glam Rock 70’s, through to the New Wave of the 80’s and everything in between. Refreshments throughout the day.

Open to public 10.00am - 4.00pm Adults £1 Under 16 Free!Flitwick Village Hall, Dunstable Road, Flitwick MK45 1HP

The heat is on at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo -Saturday 9 Mar For the first time brave challengers can face fire at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo and raise money for conservation by taking on the Zoo’s new Fire Walk. ZSL Whipsnade Zoo will be fanning the flames on Saturday March 9 and welcoming fearless fire walkers to walk across red hot embers. Led by the Fire Master, those taking on this challenge of a lifetime will attend a “nothing is impossible” seminar before stepping out into the flames. Fire walkers can invite friends and family along to watch them embark upon their journey across the embers and then enjoy a complimentary barbecue at the event.

Spectators can explore the Zoo’s Discovery

Bedford Choral Society - Pianos and Choirs with Beethoven- Saturday 16 Mar Beethoven: Choral Fantasia; Piano Concerto No. 3; Mass in C. Soloist: Tim Grant-Jones, Conductor: Ian Smith.

7:30pm; Tickets £12 - £15; telephone Bedford Box Office 01234 718112. Bedford Corn Exchange, St Pauls Square MK40 1LE

- 30 -

Luton Aircraft & Transport Enthusiasts’ Fair Saturday 16 Mar The scope of the former Luton Aircraft Enthusiasts’ Fair has been extended to include other forms of transport. Models, books, postcards, slides, photos, DVD’s and assorted memorabilia should all be available in abundance, relating to transport: road, rail, air etc and military aviation. 10-30 - 15-00 Adults £ 3-00, Seniors £ 2-50, Children £ 1-00 Vauxhall Recreation Club, Gipsy Lane, Luton, LU1 3JH

cakes, jams and chutneys to buy. Plenty of free parking and something for all antiques collectors. 9.30am-4.00pm Admission £1.50.

Entry is free for children under 16 who are accompanied by an adult. The Weatherley Centre, Eagle Farm Road, Biggleswade, SG18 8JH Russell Kane- Sunday 17 Mar Russell Kane Posturing Delivery. Start time: 20:00. Corn Exchange Bedford, The Central Box Office, Bedford. MK40 1LE

Real Arts and Crafts - Saturday 16 Mar Craft fair featuring a wide range of high quality crafts including cards, jewellery of various kinds, ceramics, knitted and sewn goods, cakes, jams, pictures and silverwork. Goods on sale have been made by the stallholder or a member of their partnership. See www.supportbritishhandmadecrafts.co.uk for full details including a list of crafters showing. Open 9.30am to 4pm. Free entry Contact 07770 344914 Woburn Sands Memorial Hall MK17 8RH

Free Inheritance Tax Planning talk with Tachel Efetha- Thursday 21 Mar Free lunchtime talk, Rachel can take you through how to plan for the inevitable, without leaving problems for your family. Stop by in our Lakeside cafe afterwards for a cup of tea or lunch! 11am - 12pm, Free entry, Contact: 01234 767037 Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS Birds 4 Beginners - Friday 22 Mar Our ever popular walk; discover how to identify the birds that you see on your walks and in your gardens, and how to get the best out of your optics.

10:00am to 12noon Cost; adults £5, RSPB members £4, children £3, RSPB Wildlife Explorers £2 Booking highly recommended limited numbers. Tel: 01767 680541 RSPB, The Lodge Sandy SG19 2DL

Star Gazing Night- Saturday 16 Mar The RSPB have teamed up with the Bedford Astronomical Society to search for the planets and stars of the night sky. In addition there will be a chance to use your own equipment to take photos of the night sky with advice and assistance (details of equipment required will be supplied on request).

Short talks by the Bedford Astronomical Society and the RSPB will kick off the event. (If the night is overcast, a talk by the Bedford Astronomical Society will be given instead of the search for the stars). 5pm to late. Costs: Adults £5 per person, children £3. Please book and pay in advance.

Limited numbers tel: 01767 680541.RSPB The Lodge Sandy SG19 2DL

One For The Record- Friday 22 Mar to Tuesday 21 May The first of two major exhibitions by Bedfordshire & Luton Archives Service to celebrate their centenary. Showcasing its varied collections, and along the way telling the Record Office’s own story and how it protects our documentary heritage, be it on 12th century parchment or the latest computer file. The Exhibition will be accompanied with a range of talks and activities. Ask the Archivist sessions on Wednesday mornings 10-12, come and discuss our work or your own collections and research.

Tuesday 10:00 am-5:00 pm Wednesday10:00 am5:00 pm Thursday 10:00 am-5:00 pm Friday 10:00 am-5:00 pm Saturday 10:00 am-5:00 pm Sunday 1:00-5:00 pm Free. Contact 01234 228833 for more details. Wardown Park Museum, Old Bedford Road, Luton LU2 7HA

Nearly New Sale - Saturday 16 Mar Items for sale include baby equipment, Children’s clothes from birth, bedding, sleeping bags, quality preschool toys and much, much more. Some items are completely unused/boxed. sellers £8.50 (book early to avoid disappointment) (all tables must be pre-booked) buyers £1 sellers keep all money from sales however profits from entrance/table fees go to Bedford Hospital children’s Ward Appeal via Friends of Bedford Hospital. (charity number 1031015) 2pm - 4pm contact 0755 2906157 Tables for sellers £8.50 Admission £1 All profit from entrance/table fees go to Bedford Hospital Children’s Ward Appeal Sellers keep all monies from items sold. Athletic Stadium, Barkers Lane, Bedford MK41 9SB

“Highwaymen and Highwaywomen” talk with light supper- Saturday 23 Mar Local historian Paul Heley will be talking about local “Highwaymen and Highwaywomen” as well as about “Sally the Witch”. The Stagecoach era is rich in stories, but what is the truth behind these stories? Come and find out! 7.30pm Tickets £5.00 or 5 for £20! 01582 871092.Whipsnade Village Hall, LU6 2LL

Biggleswade Antiques Fair -Sunday 17 Mar Over 45 stalls offering a range of antiques from jewellery, glass, china, pictures, postcards, kitchenalia and militaria. Popular cafe serving lunches, hot and cold drinks as well as a range of

- 31 -

Choral Concert - Bach St John Passion Saturday 23 Mar An Easter concert featuring J S Bach St John Passion in the glorious acoustic of Woburn Parish Church. Performed by the Danesborough Chorus, conductor Ian Smith, with the Milton Keynes City Orchestra. Soloists include Andrew King as Evangelist and Simon Berridge.

7.30PM Tickets: £20 £16 (reserved) £10 (unreserved) from our box office - tel 01908 583460. Woburn Parish Church, Park Street, Woburn MK17 9PG

11am-4pm each day 01234 767037. Marston Vale Forest Centre, Station Road, Marston Moretaine MK43 0PS

Bucks Listings Cookery Demonstrations - The Dinner PartyFriday 1 Mar, Fri 15 Mar Discover a mouth watering selection of recipes that will dazzle your dinner guests. The session will also include techniques for garnishing desserts. The sessions include a two course lunch with wine, the chance to meet the team behind the scenes and a goody bag to take home including a recipe folder. 10.30 - 5.00 £45.00 per person.

Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Rufus Centre Spring Wedding Fayre Sunday 24 Mar Wide selection of exhibitors, fabulous catwalk shows at 12 noon and 2pm, live music, refreshments, large free car park. We now have our licence for civil ceremonies - take this opportunity to come and view our new ceremonies room! 11am to 3pm, Free entry, telephone Mary or Liz on 01525 631905. The Rufus Centre, Steppingley Rd, Flitwick, MK45 1AH

Joe Brown at the Milton Keynes TheatreSaturday 2 Mar One of this country’s best loved, most enduring, and acclaimed musicians, Joe Brown invites you to join him in celebrating 50 incredible years as a professional entertainer.

Back by popular demand, Joe returns with another two-hour musical celebration with his long-serving band, his daughter Sam and newest band member, record-producing son Pete.

Following on from the first leg of his 50th Anniversary tour where he played to sell out houses, the UK’s premier rock ’n’ roll legend, Joe Brown also celebrates the Gold record status of his 50th Anniversary Very Best Of album which was on the UK charts for eight weeks staying four weeks in the top 20. Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Easter Egg Hunt - Sunday 24 Mar Come and join us for a fun, filled afternoon this Easter with plenty to keep the whole family entertained. An egg hunt, stalls, games and lots of activities to get involved with-it’s a day not to be missed! £3 entry for children with each child receiving a chocolate Easter egg at the end of the egg hunt.

Come along to support your local hospice and for an enjoyable day out with the family! Time: 25pm Prices: £3 entry for children. Adults free of charge. Contact: Katrina Brooks - 01767 642412.

St John’s Hospice, Moggerhanger MK44 3RJ Easter Hunt Trail- Friday 29 Mar to Monday 1 Apr Follow the Easter trail and spot all of the pictures hidden in the woodland with a creme egg to collect when you finish! 10:00am to 3:00pm Cost: trail sheet £2. Admission fee: £4 per motor vehicle to non- RSPB members. Tel: 01767 680541. RSPB, The Lodge Sandy SG19 2DL

Joel Dommett @ The Comedy Cow - Saturday 2 Mar An evening of live stand-up comedy in a traditional, friendly comedy club setting. Seated at tables you will be brought 5 of the best acts of the comedy circuit. Headlining tonight is Joel Dommett who you may have seen on Skins, Impractical Jokers, Russell Howard’s Good News or one of a string of other TV appearances. Joey Page, a regular on Never Mind the Buzzcocks as compere and Funny Women Winner Suzy Bennett is opening. There will also be newer acts on the bill. Doors 7:30pm, Last Entry 8pm, Acts Begin 8:15pm. Tickets: £8 The Crown, 9 Market Square, Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes MK11 1BE

Arts & Craft Sale – Saturday 30 Mar Being held in conjunction with Houghton Regis Town Council who are holding an Easter Egg Hunt. The timings for the Arts & Craft sale are from 8am to set up and the public start arriving from about 8.45 onwards. We will be packing up from 12.30 onwards. Email: Paulinecobbett63@yahoo.co.uk. if you are interested in attending as a stallholder. There will be a fee of £3 for stall holders which will be collected on the day. 8am to 12.30 pm - £3 per stallholder. Library and Bedford Sq Shopping Centre, Houghton Regis

MK Handmade & Vintage Weekend Extravaganza Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 Mar Forget Brighton or Camden! Milton Keynes has one of the biggest handmade and vintage events in the country, where we transform the huge indoor area in front of John Lewis in Central Milton Keynes shopping centre into a VAST treasure trove, showcasing 120 of the finest authentic handmade and vintage stalls. You’ll

Easter Trail - outdoor Easter fun for kids! Sunday 31 Mar and Monday 1 Apr Come and celebrate Easter with our special egg trail, across the park and win a prize! £2 to take part-

- 32 -

find an eclectic mix of the cool and quirky, oneoff goodies of every kind for you, your wardrobe and your interior design, from fashions to furniture, home wares to home baking. For those with an individual style who love the thrill of the bargain hunt, or those who are after a special one-off expertly hand-made gift or treat, this is THE place to shop in this region. Our strict rule is gorgeous, affordable, unique, high quality. Allow a few hours to see everything! FREE ENTRY to explore 120 of the finest, most original and affordable stalls you’ll see anywhere! OPEN 2 DAYS In front of John Lewis, Middleton Hall, the centre:mk, Central Milton Keynes MK9 3ES

wonderful food heritage which Buckinghamshire has to offer. We will prepare Aylesbury duck, Waddesdon Estate game and demonstrate a wonderful selection of gourmet foods made with Buckinghamshire produce. Session includes a two course lunch with wine, the chance to meet the team behind the scenes and a goody bag to take home including a recipe folder. 10.30 - 5.00 £45.00 per person To book please Telephone 01296 653226, open Monday to Friday (except Bank Holidays), 10am-3pm or email: bookings.waddesdon@nationaltrust.org.uk Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Discover Dahl’s archives -Saturday 2 Mar 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm For 10+ years: a behind-the-scenes look at our archive store which houses Roald Dahl’s manuscripts and letters, with Collections manager and archivist, Rachel White. Free for Museum visitors. Call 01494 892192 to book. Free for Museum visitors, workshops at 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm. 8183 High Street, Great Missenden HP16 0AL

The Winter`s Tale at the Milton Keynes Theatre - Wednesday13 to Saturday 16 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ Solid Silver 60s Show 2013 at the Milton Keynes Theatre- Sunday 17 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

9 to 5 - The Musical - Monday 4 to Saturday 9 Mar 9 to 5 - The Musical Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Fences at the Milton Keynes Theatre - Monday 18 to Saturday 23 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Milton Jones -Wednesday 6 Mar 20:00.Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury. HP20 1UG

The Chinese State Circus presents ’Ying Yang’ Wednesday 20 and Thursday 21 Mar The incomparable Chinese State Circus™ proudly presents their UK premiere ‘Yin Yang’ The highly awaited return of China’s greatest circus featuring the UK appearance of the formidable Shaolin Master known only as “The One" sourced specifically by Director Phillip Gandey. This unique extravaganza showcases only the best in entertainment; witness acrobats defying gravity as the ancient discipline ‘Icarian Games’ returns to centre stage. An act rarely seen in circus arts, steeped in tradition, this remarkable display of human juggling where the human body becomes catapult and catcher in an elaborate, explosive and highly choreographed presentation of power, poise and agility. Take a new look at the world’s greatest circus! Weds - 8pm Thurs - 5pm & 8pm.

To purchase tickets call 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1UG

The Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular Show- Friday 8 Mar It’s fun all the way as the "Purveyors of Cool” come to town, with a sensational show featuring the greatest music of the 20th Century.

Wonderful memories of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Junior in a fabulous production that continues to be successful all over the world. With an abundance of class & style they take you on a trip back in time to vintage Las Vegas; hip, cool and a with their timeless soiree that still remains the hottest party around. It’s totally live and every song is an absolute classic - Come Fly With Me, Under My Skin, Mr Bojangles, Lady Is A Tramp, Mack The Knife and many many more of your favourites.

The BBC summed up this show in just one word MAGNIFICENT! To see, hear and find out more about the Rat Pack, visit their website at www.ratpack.biz Tickets are £17, £19 or £21 with FREE admission for a maximum of two under 16 years olds, with an adult paying for a £17 ticket! To book, please call 0844 871 7607 Don’t be late, the fun starts at 7.30pm.Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, Exchange Street, Aylesbury, HP20 1UG

Verdi’s Requiem - Marlow Choral Society and Princes Risborough Music Society - Sunday 24 Mar Two hundred years after Verdi’s birth, Marlow Choral Society and Princes Risborough Music Society perform Verdi’s Requiem, conducted by Christopher Grant with the Cygnus Orchestra of London. Soprano - Katherine Crompton, Mezzo-Soprano - Rosie Aldridge, Tenor - Edward Hughes, Bass - Christopher

Cookery Demonstrations - A taste of Buckinghmshire - Friday 8 Mar Our dedicated team of chefs will share their knowledge of the

- 33 -

Cadbury Easter Trails- Friday 29 Mar to Mon 1 Apr The National Trust and Cadbury are teaming up once again to celebrate Easter in style. Giant games, and free face painting, take part in a fun trail around the gardens to claim your Cadbury egg head. 10.00 - 5.00 (last trail at 4.00) £3.00 per trail, admission prices apply to visit the gardens. Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, off the A41 between Aylesbury and Bicester HP18 0JH

Jacklin. Start time: 7.30 pm. Tickets: Stalls/Circle £16; Upper Circle £12. For tickets please phone 01628 471015 (MCS) or 01844 342202 (PRMS) or contact the theatre box office: 01494 512000.Wycombe Swan Theatre, St Mary Street, High Wycombe HP11 2XE Marti Pellow In Concert at the Milton Keynes Theatre -Sunday 24 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

To be included in future listings

Lulu - WNO at the Milton Keynes TheatreTuesday 26 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Email: thesticks9@gmail.com

Cunning Little Vixen - WNO at the Milton Keynes Theatre -Wednesday 27 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

Putting ‘Listings’ in the subject line, giving details of your event and contact

Madame Butterfly - WNO at the Milton Keynes Theatre - Thursday 28 to Saturday 30 Mar Milton Keynes Theatre, 500 Marlborough Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 3NZ

details.

Deadline for April Issue

DAY OUT WITH THOMAS - Friday 29 Mar to Monday 1 Apr The steam train will be pulled by Thomas the Tank Engine™, under the watchful eye of Sir Topham Hatt the Fat Controller. This event is an excellent day out for all Thomas fans and there’s plenty for the whole family to enjoy.

Magic Show, Thomas story-telling, arts & crafts and Thomas videos in the cinema coach.

Miniature train rides. Telephone 01296 655720 (weekdays 9.30 - 4.30). Recorded information on 01296 655453. Buckinghamshire Railway Centre, Quainton Road Station, Quainton, Aylesbury HP22 4BY

15th March ----------------------------------

Great Missenden Easter Festival of Food & Drink - Friday 29 Mar to Monday 1 Apr Promoting regionally produced and internationally acclaimed artisan foods, the Great Missenden Easter Festival of Food & Drink is a great market place for both local and regional producers. Highlights of the Festival include Celebrity Chef Richard Fox, Sausage Making, Coffee Tasting, Food & Beer Matching, Children’s Cookery School, Masterclasses including Cheese Making, Home Smoking, Knife Skill, Cupcake Decorating & Burger Making. Plus a mini Chilli Festival, Street Food Vendors, Local Producers and a Craft & Gift section. Admission charges apply. Reduced rate advance tickets available to purchase online. 10am-5pm each day. Admission charges apply. Reduced rate advance tickets available online. For further information please email info@lovefoodfestivals.co.uk. Great Missenden HP16 9AE

www.the-sticks.co.uk To advertise your event, show, restaurant or business In our April digital magazine Call 07756 274444 Or email thesticks9@gmail.com Prices from £50 per month

- 34 -

HIGHLIGHTS FOR MARCH

Join Sid from CBeebies live on stage A fantastic fun-filled adventure, Perfect for families with children aged 3-7 Saturday 23rd March, Two shows, 11am, and 2pm, Tickets: £10

Ballet Theatre UK presents Alice In Wonderland- The Ballet Come with Alice on a magical adventure as she tumbles into Wonderland!

Friday 29th March, 7:30pm, Tickets: £16/£14, £10 under 16’s

The Manfreds 50th Anniversary Tour Maximum rhythm ‘n’ blues with former members of the original Manfred Mann Group Saturday 30th March, 7:30pm, Tickets £20

Pre-bookable theatre suppers are now available.

Please ring the Box Office to reserve a table.

Tickets from the Rhodes Box Office on 01279 651746 or www.rhodesbishopsstortford.org.uk

- 36 -