Sticks October 2016 by The Sticks

Issue 44 October 2016

In this edition of The Sticks Exclusive interview with John Lodge of The Moody Blues Interview with Joe Swift Russell Grant’s October Horoscopes Win a table for 10 at the UK’s Favourite Christmas party (worth £500) Win 2 tickets to see Legend of a Band – A Tribute to the Moody Blues Hero Cheese of the Month Advice from Consensus HR BBC Radio 2’s Janey Lee Grace – Platinum Awards And much more Plus pages of events listings across Herts, Beds & Bucks

Welcome to the October edition of The Sticks Magazine! The most talked about magazine in Herts, Beds & Bucks With over 16,000 readers a month

In this issue: Exclusive Interview with John Lodge Interview with Joe Swift HR Column from Consensus HR Curwens Column Art Column Russell Grant’s Horoscopes for October Janey Lee Grace – Platinum Awards Win a table for 10 at the UK’s Favourite Christmas party (worth £500) Sonny’s Film review Hero Cheese of the Month Big Barn Food Column Win tickets to see Legend of a Band – A Tribute to the Moody Blues Listings – Herts, Beds & Bucks

Page 4-7 8-9 10-11 13 14 16-17 18 19 20 21 22 24-25 27- 38

Contributors: Terry Sullivan, Janey Lee Grace, Sharon Struckman, Toby Archer, Russell Grant, Matthew Pinto – Chilcott, Sonny Etchell

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

Listen to The Sticks Radio Show at 10am on Mondays (repeated on Thursdays at 11am) on Secklow Sounds FM 105.5 FM www.secklowsounds.org

Exclusive Interview with John Lodge of The Moody Blues

The Moody Blues' John Lodge, bass guitarist and vocalist, was born in Birmingham, England. John bought his first guitar when he was 13, spent 2 years understanding the guitar and then with Ray Thomas formed a band with the “wonderful” name of El Riot and the Rebels. John’s love of bass playing came from listening to the "riffs" of early rock 'n' roll records and exploring why they added a huge dimension to the rhythm, energy and emotion of music. When he was 16 he bought his “beloved” Fender Precision Sunburst Bass. John played this bass on Nights in White Satin, Singer in a Rock ‘n Roll Band, Isn't Life Strange and most of the songs recorded by the Moody Blues. Growing up in Birmingham he was always fascinated by cars and from an early age wanted to be a car designer. He served an apprenticeship and went to Aston College of Technology, later Aston University, where he achieved a Higher National Certificate in Mechanical Engineering .... John’s love - Cars and Rock and Roll ... After completing his college course he met back up with Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder and joined the Moody Blues in 1966. Since then he has written such classic songs for the Moody Blues as Ride my Seesaw, Isn't Life Strange, I’m Just a Singer in a Rock 'n' Roll Band, Sitting at the Wheel and Steppin' in a Slide Zone. John has been married to his wife, Kirsten, since 1968, and they are the parents of two grown children. Their first child, a daughter named Emily, was born in 1970; Lodge wrote "Emily's Song" for the 1971 Moody Blues album, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. His son Kristian was born two years later. Lodge has spoken on several occasions about his belief as an evangelical Christian, and credits his faith with preventing him from sinking into the dangerous elements of the rock music business.

Ten years ago John began his boutique wine label ‘Krisemma’, with the goal to share his favourite wines from around the world. His first vintage was a red wine from Napa Valley, California, his second a red Bordeaux from France, and his current wine, a South African Elgin Chardonnay has recently won two Trophies in the International Wine Challenge, including Best South African Chardonnay, and Best Elgin Region Chardonnay. The Moody Blues have sold 70 million records worldwide, 15 Platinum Discs and start another tour of the United States in October 2016. John recorded his first solo album Natural Avenue in the 70's and has just released his new highly acclaimed album 10,000 Light Years Ago, with the opening song In My Mind being nominated by Prog Magazine for Rock Anthem of the Year. The Sticks managed to catch up with John during his recent solo tour of the UK Your new album 10,000 Light Years Ago is very different to the Moody Blues stuff? Yes it is and I am so enjoying playing it live, but it is probably an extension of me being with in the Moody Blues, as I like the big dramatic type of songs like Isn't life Strange, Steppin' in a Slide Zone and I’m just a Singer in a Rock 'n' Roll Band. I love all the big anthem type songs and we have loads of them in the Moody’s set and that is what I wanted to do on this album, particularly with the return of vinyl that is what intrigued me, with vinyl at 180 gram you can get full frequency and that was exactly what I wanted to do, I wanted to get the full frequency sound coming off that vinyl. On a day off recently, I was looking round a music store and could not believe that they are starting to make radiograms again. Yes there was this radiogram, brand new with a beautiful turntable and digital radio it was really modern, a great piece of furniture for the house. Tell us a little about the early life and how you got into music I was born in Birches Green, Birmingham. It was a council house development, that was probably built just before the war because I know a bomb landed in the cul de sac near where we lived (not that I was there in those days) and knocked a few of the houses down. It was a very nice place and I grew up there. I went back last year to have a look at the house I was born in, it was quite interesting. I went to a little school called Birches Green Junior which was in a temporary building, the pre fabricated type with wooden rafters and wooden corridors with holes in, where you would drop your dinner money down the hole and never see it again. They were great times but what was good for me particularly, but did not notice at the time, was that every afternoon we used to have a quiet period, where they used to play classical music and sit down for around half an hour.

I think some of that must have got in to my psyche somewhere because when I started to understand rock and roll all the harmonies I remember came out and added to the way I write songs. When I was as young as 7 I was fascinated by cars, I think I drove my first car when I was about 10 years of age and I am still fascinated by them, not the engines but the design and the philosophy of them. So when I was about 10-11 years old, I wanted to be a car designer. I was fortunate enough to pass the 11 plus and then I went to Central Grammar School and later to college at the Birmingham College of Advanced Technology for engineering and the world opened up for me and I saw lots of things I would not have seen if I’d stayed in Birches Green. Unfortunately when I left school the car industry was falling apart and cars were being designed in Italy and I saw my career as a car designer disappearing. At the same time when I was 13 I brought my first guitar, an acoustic steel stringed one from a neighbour for £2 10s, I had no idea how to play it and I spent ages trying to work out how a guitar worked. I started off playing basic skiffle chords like Lonnie Donegan and played songs like Freight Train and then I discovered real rock and roll and became a musician - but I carried on at college until I finished the course, but every night and every weekend I would be playing in a band. Sadly I don’t have that guitar but I still have the one I got aged 15 in 1960 and I actually wrote Ride my Seesaw on it, it cost me £18 and that was a lot of money in those days. It was around that that time that I met Ray Thomas; I think we met on a bus to be honest; it was a long time ago and for a strange reason I knew he sang a few songs (but I don’t know why I knew that). We started talking and he said lets form a band together, we found a guitarist an old school friend of mine and we also knew of a drummer who lived by us as well so and we rented a Scout hut and we started rehearsing and that was it then we became El Riot and the Rebels, we used to wear Mexican outfits. We went in to Dunn’s in the centre of Birmingham and brought 5 sombreros, it was great fun. From that group how did the Moody’s get together? I am a bit younger than the other guys and I was still at college, and there was a thing called The Merseybeat and they came to Birmingham and did auditions for Brumbeat and we went along with El Riot and the Rebels and we did not get to the final. Ray said to me “this is ridiculous and I think I want to go to London” but I could not go as I was still at college but at the same time, Mitchells and Butlers, which was the brewery in Birmingham at the time, they were trying to put a band together that would play at their pubs, so they went round asking musicians, they asked Denny Laine, Ray, Mike Pinder and me but I thought I cant do it I have another 18 months at college. Well they put this band together called the M & B 5 taken from the initials of Mitchells and Butlers. Then they decided to drop out of the backing of it for whatever reason, so then the M & B 5 went down to London, dropped the 5 and 6

became The Moody Blues and they recorded “Go Now” which was a big hit. Then about a year later Ray rang me up and asked if I had finished college yet (and of course I had) he told me to get down to London “as we are going to reform the old band, it is still going to be The Moody Blues and I want you to come and be in the band”. So I went down and Denny had left and I met Justin (Hayward). That was June 1966 and that was it, we formed the new band then. The basis was that we were not going to play anyone else’s songs, as we had done that for 5 years, we were going to write and play our own music and that’s what we did. We also got rid of the blue suits that everyone seemed to wear in those days and wore what we wanted on stage. Did you think it would last 50 years? I was so into music, I never even thought about what was going to happen tomorrow. If you plan you get it wrong because you will miss other things that happen for you. Over the years of the MB’s career things have happened you would never think that would ever happen. It is that thing that if your prepared and ready and a door opens up and then you can go for it. Who were your musical influences as you were growing up? They were all left hand boogie piano players because I realised that was the driving force of any rock and roll record, so people like Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis. Also I listened to all the riffs of people like Eddie Cochran, that’s what drove me on I thought I have to learn all these riffs, and at the same time a song writer Buddy Holly came along. Buddy Holly was actually my total mentor. Do you still play the keyboards now? I write on keyboards, but I am not very good on the piano. I seemed to be able to see chord formations and harmonics and I can work out riffs, I am not a great keyboard player!!!! So how do you go about writing a new song? There is no set pattern sometimes I write it on the bass guitar, sometimes the piano, other times on the organ or acoustic guitar or electric guitar. The song takes over and it just seems to happen. What comes first the tune or the words? It could be either, like “Isn't Life Strange”, I wrote that song with only one line, which was the title it just repeated and went on and on. With that one I wrote the melody first but “Steppin' in a Slide Zone” came from the lyric. 10,000 Light Years Ago came from a very strange acoustic guitar rhythm. Why is the album called 10,000 Light Years Ago? It was based on the thought processes I had, that the past has gone forever, but the future is always in reach and I had this discussion with an academic and he said it should be called “10,000 Light Years away” and I said “no you have missed the point, if you look up into the sky of a night and you see all those stars up their and we have no idea if they are still there because light has been transmitted such a long time ago also you could never travel to these places as they probably don’t exist anyway and like you see in this record is who I am today and what brought me to this place.

Joe Swift Interview By Brian Donaldson

Gardening has long been a mainstay on British television, and Joe Swift is currently one of the genre’s most popular small screen presenters. He’s fronted the likes of Gardeners’ World, Garden Invaders and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show while he’s also written books such as The Plant Room and Joe’s Urban Garden Handbook. Away from the cameras and covers, he gets involved in community and school gardens, and is an ambassador for the National Gardens Scheme and patron of the Horniman Museum . And now he’s taking his expertise and personality on tour for A Man About The Garden, with live shows which will feature his memories of starting off in landscape gardening in the mid-80s, his rise to become an acclaimed garden designer, and the eventual move into TV. But above all, what will come across is his unconditional love of gardens, whether big or small, commercial or private, contemporary or classic. “It’s been something that’s kept me going and I really love it,” Joe tells me. “I like the people in the industry, I like the fact that you’re always learning, and I love that it’s very creative. And now I write about it, have ended up on TV, and do live tours; I find that they all feed off of each other and improve my garden design. Over the years a lot of funny stories have come up. For the show, I’ll have a lot of slides and visuals, but it’s not an evening lecture about gardening, it’s much more light entertainment. There will be a 10-15 minute Q&A but I will not be talking about dead plants.” So if your perennial has recently passed away into herbaceous heaven and you feel the need to share with someone about your grief, best not make that person Joe Swift. “I think, ‘just dig it up and put something else in and take responsibility: you killed it!’ I want to think more positively and creatively rather than just about keeping a dying plant alive. A lot of these evenings with gardeners tend to be a little like Question Time, and I like to think that my events will still be informative but hopefully just a bit more fun. I think the audience will soon realise that we’re not here to talk about the pH of their soil.” His convoluted route into the gardening world will be familiar to many in his audience no matter their own chosen profession. “I’m the classic art school dropout. I felt a little bit in the lurch so did some travelling and went to spend time on a kibbutz. Friends of mine had been there and hardly spent any money, yet came back looking healthy and tanned; all you had to do was get yourself there.” So, Joe spent six months in Israel, working in the fish ponds, quickly becoming hooked on life in the fresh air. “I just loved working outdoors so when I came back to London with one art A-level to my name, I started working for this landscape 8

gardening company. It was for this guy who was half-actor half-gardener, and I worked beside this hippy gardener called Antonia who was amazing and taught me so much. I started at the bottom, mixing up cement for the landscaping guys and later I went to Australia to landscape in Melbourne and Sydney. I had experience behind me so when I came back to the UK I studied garden design properly.” In some way, Joe Swift’s journey to expressing that deep passion and genuine love for his job on a stage could perhaps be seen as inevitable. After all, he has actors and writers in his family: his dad is Clive Swift who most famously played the brow-beaten husband in BBC sitcom Keeping Up Appearances while his mother is acclaimed novelist Margaret Drabble. And his late uncle, David Swift, was best known as the badly-behaved news anchor Henry Davenport in Channel 4’s classic 90s satire, Drop the Dead Donkey. So, was a life of writing and performing almost inevitable? “People say that it’s in the blood but I’m not so sure,” reckons Joe. “The funny thing is that I forgot my lines at my primary school’s nativity play. Both my parents went to Cambridge and my brother and sister went to Oxford yet I was an art school drop-out. But yes, I did end up writing and performing; it’s just that I’m so passionate about gardens and gardening that I’ve really just found my thing.” Looking back on his career to date, Joe pinpoints the moment he considers his proudest achievement. “In 2012 I won a gold medal at The Chelsea Flower Show which is the pinnacle of garden design. I’ve been presenting The Chelsea Flower Show since about 2001 so a lot of people associate me with that. I’ll be talking about what it takes to get a gold medal. It’s quite phenomenal really; there’s an incredible amount to be done because your garden has to go up in three weeks, stay up for a week and then back down again in a few days; you have a quarter of a million pound budget and away you go. There’s no room for error and it’s on such a global stage. If you’ve made a crap garden or if you’re in any way embarrassed about it, you’ve nowhere to hide.” While garden design, TV and Joe Swift eventually all found each other, he could well have been performing for a living on a very different kind of stage: the rock ’n’ roll one. “We started off as a teenage band and then kept going after we left school, gigging around a lot of clubs and pubs around north London. We were all convinced, in our own minds at least, that we would be rock stars. It was an early 80s, post-punk thing: we thought we were The Clash. We called ourselves Tumbling Dice after a Rolling Stones song because the Stones were named after a Muddy Waters song. We thought, ‘well that worked for them, so it’s bound to happen for us’. It didn’t.” Joe Swift: A Man About The Garden Saturday 1st October, 7.45pm www.hertfordtheatre.com Hertford Theatre 01992 531500

Dismissed for Having Dirty Hands A recent employment tribunal has ruled that Greggs, the national bakery chain, was right to dismiss a worker for not washing his hands. The employee was an experienced baker who did not wash his hands before returning to the food production area. The employment tribunal stated that Mr Donovan should have appreciated the seriousness of breaching Greggs’ hygiene rules. It ruled that Greggs was right to dismiss him. The tribunal outcome stated: “The claimant accepted that he was aware of the importance placed on hand washing by the respondent, illustrated by the training given to its staff and reinforcement of its importance in the company handbook and in bakery communications. “The claimant also accepted, due to his own experience within the food industry, the importance of hand washing with regard to food safety… “The reasons put forward by the respondent’s witnesses for taking a ‘zerotolerance’ approach are reasonable and sound in a competitive industry where an outbreak of illness traced back to them could have serious consequences in terms of their reputation and success as a business.” Greggs has a zero-tolerance approach to breaches of its hygiene rules. This resulted in the instant dismissal of Mr Donovan who had worked at the company for 11 years. Mr Donovan admitted to not washing his hands before re-entering the food production area. However – his claim for unfair dismissal arose from his belief that his dismissal was too harsh. The tribunal did not agree, stating that Gregg’s decision fell within the range of reasonable responses. It accepted the employer’s principal reason for instant dismissal; that the claimant could no longer be trusted to follow hand-washing rules thereby posing an unacceptable risk to Greggs’ customers and reputation. Mr Donovan’s experience was considered as a potentially mitigating factor. The tribunal ruled that in fact, Greggs was entitled to expect better from such an experienced worker. Comments from Consensus HR: “Rules, policies and procedures are put in place to ensure that everybody within the team knows what is expected of them,” states Matthew from Consensus HR.

“This includes reaching the required legal and operational standards when providing the products that their employer offers. “It can become too common for employees to become blinkered and forget the basics such as personal hygiene. I experienced this during my roles within hospitalities and Welcome Break. “Employees need to understand the reasons why procedures exist. They must remember and apply their training and knowledge. Disregarding the requirements of their role creates issues such as the Greggs’ case to erupt. “Similarly, companies need to ensure that they practice what they preach. I see too many companies that have the right attitude but inconsistent or poor behaviour. Too often I hear the common excuses of: “I did not have enough time”, “I have never been trained how to do it properly” or “The right tools weren’t there” – it simply isn't good enough.” Matthew advises: “All employees and managers should always remember to carry out a task like it is the first time they are doing it. This means completing the task to the correct standard required by law and best practice. This is regardless of the amount of time they have been in the role.” Would you like to know more about disciplinary and grievance procedures? Do you have concerns about a current situation within your workplace? Contact Matthew for an informal discussion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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

YOUR LOCAL SOLICITORS CAN YOU AFFORD TO CHASE BUSINESS DEBTS? The Registry Trust Press Release states that the “number of debt judgments against businesses in England and Wales fell for the seventh consecutive year in the first half of 2016”. In fact it’s now down 19% from the same period last year. This trend is an inevitable consequence of soaring court fees in civil debt claims which many argue is obstructing access to justice. Unfortunately, it’s often small and medium sized businesses that suffer the most because they simply don’t have the resources to start a legal action. Needless to say, it’s more important than ever to make sure you have effective procedures for protecting your business from bad debt. Curwens’ Top Tips: •

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Know your customer – make sure you know who you’re doing business with. If they use a trading name, check whether the actual business is a registered company, partnership or a sole trader. Do you have methods of communicating with them, other than an email address and mobile number ? Does your customer have the means to pay? – make use of free services such as the Insolvency Register or Companies House to do regular checks on your customers throughout your business relationship. Be alert to warning signs such as overdue accounts. Contracts – even if you don’t have a written agreement (preferable but not essential), you should make a note at the time of the agreement of exactly what was agreed by each party. It’s also vital that you make sure the person instructing you has authority to do so. Be prepared – if you are considering litigation, you will come to appreciate the importance of good record management. Try to keep copies of any emails or letters and notes of any telephones calls in relation to the disputed matter. If you require any legal assistance, having an organised file and a chronology of events will help save you money on legal fees. Cash Flow – Whenever possible try to get part payment or a deposit upfront or if not, at least make sure the cost is agreed upfront (in a signed agreement is again preferable) and then invoice as soon as the job is finished or at regular intervals if it’s a lengthy project. Payment Terms – if you include standard payment terms within the contract, make sure they are clear, reasonable and consistently applied.

If you need legal advice and help to recover your business debts, speak to Sinead Kelly about our fixed fee Debt Collection service, “Prompt Pay”. Call Sinead on 0208 363 4444

Curwens have offices in Royston, Hoddesdon and Enfield.

PAULA OSBORNE - TEXTILE ARTIST I have always had a passion for arts from an early age. Best memories of school days were of “cutting and sticking” in infant’s school and drawing and painting throughout juniors. Learning to use a sewing machine during high school opened up a whole new world. Arts and crafts took second place to my career in optics and raising my family of three boys. Now they have all flown the nest I have decided to work part time so that I can explore the arts and craft world once more. For many years of just an enjoyable hobby I am now experimenting what I can do with fabrics, wool, thread, crystals and glass beads. Landscapes dominate my work as the ever changing colours I see from my window inspire me to represent what I see in what I make. Interested in reiki for many years I have also made pictures using crystals sewn into the fabric to represent the chakras. I am always exploring different techniques and experimenting with different materials.

Paula’s work is on display at Mardleybury Gallery which is an eclectic place displaying and selling, original art, limited edition prints, cards, ceramics, sculptures, jewellery, glass, woodwork and photography. They have a permanent gallery exhibiting the art of established artists who live in the UK and more recently we also have artists from other regions around the world. In addition, the Gallery offer a diverse range of art workshops throughout the year, for more information please check out our art workshop page. For more information, you can go to www.mardleyburygallery.co.uk

Russell Grant's Monthly Horoscopes October

ARIES March 21st - April 20th

CANCER June 22nd - July 23rd

The New Moon on the 1st presents a golden opportunity to find love or launch a business partnership. You will have to work hard to strike a healthy balance between your personal and professional lives during the first half of October. Don't be resentful if your nearest and dearest want to spend more time with you. Your career success is reliant on a rewarding social life. Stop pouring all your energy into work. The Full Moon on the 16th prompts you to make a change. You may decide to radically alter your appearance as the first step on this journey. Conserving resources is strongly advised for the final days of October. Find ways to make materials stretch as far as they possibly can. Fix broken appliances instead of buying new models. Prepare meals at home rather than eating at restaurants. Rent movies online as an alternative to going to the cinema.

The New Moon on the 1st is ideal for finding a new home or welcoming an addition to your family. A relative or roommate could bring welcome stability to your household. Your love life will be a source of profound pleasure during the first half of the month. Don't let nosy relatives interfere with your private life. Setting healthy boundaries is critical to the health of a romantic relationship. Career demands could become increasingly stressful in mid-October; it may be necessary to miss a family gathering. The Full Moon on the 16th could present an opportunity to get ahead, provided you are willing to make some personal sacrifices. Working unusual hours or adopting an unfamiliar role could be in the cards. It will be difficult to devote much time to your best friend or romantic partner during the second half of the month. Be honest with loved ones about your limited availability. Don't make promises you cannot keep.

TAURUS April 21st - May 21st LEO July 24th - August 23rd The New Moon on the 1st is ideal for launching a fitness routine. Taking up a graceful sport like dancing or ice skating will appeal to your artistic side. Don't push yourself too hard to impress someone who has taken your fancy. The last thing you need is to incur an injury. An argument with a colleague could erupt in October. Do your best to fulfil your responsibilities, even if it means dealing with a hypercritical know it all. The Full Moon on the 16th will put an end to a period of isolation. Solitary pursuits won't seem so lonely during the second half of the month. If you're looking for love, you could find it with someone who shares your deep appreciation for beauty and luxury. Are you already in a relationship? Your amour could get a big pay rise or promotion. Go and celebrate.

The New Moon on the 1st is ideal for taking a course to boost your qualifications or launch a new creative project. Intellectual pursuits can bring tremendous pleasure. Domestic activities can also be fulfilling during the first half of October. Take this opportunity to shop for beautiful furniture and artwork. Don't get drawn into a power struggle with a contentious colleague. It's better to develop a reputation for being a good team player. The Full Moon on the 16th will bring a legal matter to an abrupt close. Although you may not be happy with the result, it will be a relief to have this situation resolved. A romantic relationship will resemble a rollercoaster ride as October draws to a close. Work on your communication skills as a means to resolve these differences. Listening more than you speak will keep this alliance alive. If you're single, stop looking for love and focus on a creative hobby instead.

GEMINI May 22nd - June 21st The New Moon on the 1st will put you on the path to love. If you already have a partner, let your amour wine and dine you. Are you single? You could meet someone special at a restaurant, nightclub or spa. It will be hard to resist the charm of someone with a musical laugh. Don't let a creative block get you down. Inspiring breakthroughs can occur while you're doing routine chores. The Full Moon on the 16th is ideal for attending a party. You could make friends with a provocative rebel who prompts you to look at life differently. A close partnership will show signs of strain at the end of October. Try not to push a business or romantic partner into a hasty decision. If you show respect for their boundaries, the two of you can hammer out a compromise. An engrossing work assignment will bring you lots of intellectual stimulation during the final days of the month.

VIRGO August 24th - September 23rd A moneymaking opportunity will arrive at the beginning of the month. This will be a great time to create some financial security for you and your family. Putting a deposit on a home is a distinct possibility. Resist the urge to spend more than your budget will allow. When it comes to spending, trust your head instead of your heart. It may be tempting to take advantage of a last minute sale around the middle of October; don't fall prey to a slick sales pitch. The Full Moon on the 16th could bring about some unexpected expenses. Try not to be overwhelmed by these bills. You can fulfil these obligations if you stick to your budget. As October draws to a close, you will be given a chance to acquire new skills. Seize this opportunity while it lasts. The more you know, the easier it will be to land the kind of work you want.

which is a welcome escape from intense public scrutiny. Beware of making enemies in the early stages of your new job. Concentrate on building bridges instead of instilling fear during the first half of October. The Full Moon on the 16th will prompt you to make some important changes to your domestic life. Moving to a stimulating area will make you feel less isolated. During the second half of the month, your social life will pick up. Attend as many parties and get togethers as possible. Being surrounded by affectionate, supportive people will give you an optimistic outlook. Devoting more time to artistic pursuits will help you find creative solutions to mundane problems. Allow yourself to think outside of the box at the end of October.

LIBRA September 24th - October 23rd Updating your look will bring good results from the very start of October, when the New Moon makes you yearn for a change. Adopting a more fashionable look will boost your confidence. More money for luxuries will become available during the first half of October. Take this opportunity to buy some beautiful furniture and artwork. You could find some impressive pieces at antique shops and flea markets. Don't let a loved one's erratic behaviour ruin your plans during October. The Full Moon on the 16th marks a turning point in an intimate relationship. This may be a chance to break free of an oppressive business or romantic alliance. Landing a new job is a distinct possibility at the end of October. Take this opportunity to build some financial stability for yourself. Don't let a former friend lay a guilt trip on you. The last thing you need is to get pulled back into a troubled relationship.

AQUARIUS January 21st - Feb 19th The New Moon on the 1st prompts you to expand your horizons. Taking up a course of study, exploring different spiritual philosophies and travelling overseas are among the possibilities. Exploring unfamiliar vistas will make you aware of options you didn't previously see. Don't let fear get in the way of taking risks during the first half of October. Treat mistakes as learning opportunities. The Full Moon on the 16th will prompt you to make changes to your daily routine. Divest yourself of odious responsibilities that make you tired and anxious. Career opportunities will start arriving during the second half of October. Don't be hasty about accepting the first offer that comes along. You should set your sights on a position that draws upon your unique vision and strong managerial skills. A social gathering at the end of the month will put you in contact with influential people. A well connected friend will be happy to write you a reference.

SCORPIO Oct 24th - November 22nd The New Moon on the 1st is ideal for retreating to a private corner and getting some rest. Taking a break from your social activities will give you more time and energy for a passionate romance. If you're looking for love, you could find it at a house of worship or adult education course. Changing your views and values will put you on the road to romance. Are you already in a serious relationship? Take a glamorous holiday with your amour during the first half of the month. You could hear lots of criticism from a neighbour or relative. Don't let these negative remarks bother you; people tend to be very jealous. The Full Moon on the 16th marks a turning point with your health. Resist the temptation to push yourself too hard. Gentle exercise will have a better effect than rigorous workouts. Money will be tight as October turns to November; be resourceful.

PISCES February 20th - March 20th The New Moon on the 1st could attract an additional source of income. Money from an inheritance, legal settlement or insurance refund will allow you to launch your own business or pursue your dream career. Instead of spending these resources on creature comforts, you will invest them in your own happiness. Friends may not understand this impulse, but don't go all prickly or defensive. Those who love you unconditionally will suspend their judgement and give you their full support. You don't need to maintain relationships with anyone else. The Full Moon on the 16th will attract a sudden windfall. You might have to assume some new responsibilities, but don't let that scare you. Acquiring cutting edge skills will take time and patience, but it can be done with the help of a tutor. Resist the temptation to exaggerate your experience. It's better to admit your ignorance and take a beginner's course. Don't worry about impressing arrogant authority figures.

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23rd - Dec 21st The New Moon on the 1st will be an ideal opportunity to pursue a cherished dream. Your hard work and experience will help you forge the lifestyle you've always wanted. Whether this means setting down roots in a beautiful community or traveling the world for work is immaterial. The important thing is to visualise what you want and start doing things to achieve it. Don't expect your loved ones' approval. Cautious types will warn you not to do anything hasty. They don't share your need for adventure. The Full Moon on the 16th will prompt you to launch a bold creative project. Your charisma will attract lots of romantic attention during the second half of October. If you're single, you could meet someone special at a nightclub, antique shop or environmental organisation. As the month draws to a close, you will be given more responsibility at work. Your diligence and efficiency will result in a big promotion.

www.russellgrant.com Call Russell Grant's Psychics & Mediums now on 0906 539 1526 (ÂŁ1.50p per min + phone access charge, 18+) or pay by Credit/Debit card on 0207 111 6162

CAPRICORN Dec 22nd - Jan 20th Calls to 0906 cost ÂŁ1.50p per minute plus your phone providers access charge;18+ only. All calls are recorded for your protection & safety. This Entertainment service is regulated by PhonePayPlus and is provided by Russell Grant Astrology Ltd. Customer Services 0808 206 4514

The New Moon on the 1st presents an exciting career opportunity. Getting paid to do what you love will be the answer to a prayer. You might be operating from behind the scenes,

JANEY LOVES 2016 PLATINUM AWARD WINNERS! It’s finally here! We’ve been sourcing the best of the best in excellence and innovation in natural, organic and eco products, alternative treatments and therapies, and wellbeing books and charities, to bring them into the mainstream with Janey Loves 2016 Platinum Awards, in association with UK Health Radio and there were a good number of ‘gongs’ for Hertfordshire based companies. Award entries were selected after ‘real life’ testing by a panel of esteemed Judges, alongside yours truly including TV and Radio personality Zoë Ball, TV presenter and ‘voice coach to the stars’ Carrie Grant, entrepreneur and beloved Organic living guru Jo Wood, best-selling author and researcher Lynne McTaggart and UK’s leading expert in women’s nutritional health Dr Marilyn Glenville. There were also consumer votes from readers and the public via embedded on-line buttons. Tiny companies jostled alongside multi-nationals to compete for these prestigious awards. We were thrilled to have category sponsorship from AEOS, Viridian Nutrition, AuthorCraft and The Taymount Clinic. Winners attended a special Award Winners Breakfast in Central London at the end of September. We are proud to announce some of our winners, in the Skincare & Beauty category: AEOS (active energized organic skincare) won an accolade as did NATorigin for great organic make-up, and Herts. based Konjac sponge won again. We had some innovative entries into the Mother & Baby category, including Herts. based companies Easy Mom and Baby, and Mamababybliss. In Food & Drink we celebrated chocolate and coconuts of course! Choc Chick now have the most amazing raw chocolate drink and Tiana fair trade organics won accolades again. Our Health & Wellbeing category was sponsored by AEOS, Our winners included Incognito who do the most effective insect repellent spray (yes needed even at this time of year) Home/Garden & Pets - sponsored by Viridian Nutrition known for their superb quality vitamins and supplements, brought us some innovative products for pets from Brodpod and our Author category – sponsored by AuthorCraft, a network to support writers whether they self-publish or are with a mainstream publishing company, Brought mainstream and self-published books alike. For the first time we had a category for Practitioners & Therapies – sponsored by The Taymount Clinic, based in Letchworth, Herts. We had not one but two Herts. based winners, Susie Gower from Becoming a Mama specializing in natural fertility and Peter and Tamara Donn who run The EFT training centre. Congrats to all, do check out the full list of winners at www.janeyloves.co.uk 18

Win a table for 10 at this year's Best Christmas Party at Aldenham Country Park, Watford (worth £500) Aldenham Country Park, Watford, will be hosting the region’s most sought after Christmas party this year. Best Parties Ever has organised a lavish masquerade ball in the country-side setting and it is set to be a night of indulgence, illusion and intrigue which runs from Thursday 1st December till Thursday 22nd December. From behind a glamorous mask, guests will be welcomed into the elegant venue complete with living statues and Venetian street theatre. The first stop will of course be one of the event’s intricately carved stone feature bars where visitors can relax with a drink in hand and watch the unique talents of live entertainers. The sumptuous four course dinner will take place amidst the palatial splendour of Venetian masks and classical candelabras. Whilst enjoying the delicious food, guests will continue to be entertained by fabulous vocals, dance and costumes is interwoven with thrilling displays of acrobatics. Finally, with a full stomach, party goers can head to the party’s casino or slip back behind your mask and dance the night away! Be sure to enter this competition so that that you and nine friends will be in with a chance of winning a table at this unforgettable evening! We have one table of ten to give away on any night of your choice (subject to availability). To be in with a chance of winning, simply answer the question below…. What date is the first masquerade ball in Watford? Email your answer along with your name and a contact phone number to: thesticks9@gmail.com Closing date for entries noon on Friday 11th November 2016

For more details of to book your table www.bestpartiesever.com

The Nice Guys Review by Sonny Etchell From Shane Black, writer and director of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) and Iron Man 3 (2013) comes his latest delve into the neo noir genre, The Nice Guys. Following the apparent suicide of a famous porn star, two private eyes: Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and Jackson Healey (Russell Crowe) cross paths to investigate the case in 1970’s Los Angeles. Gosling and Crowe give excellent performances and have surprisingly good chemistry. The ongoing bits of dialogue between the duo, in which they bounce off each other effortlessly with hysterical wit and banter, make for some of the best moments in the film. Gosling in particular is hilarious and his character is the stand-out of the entire film. Angourie Rice is also fantastic as Holly, daughter of Holland (Gosling) and plays a big part in the movie, adding a nice dynamic to the buddycop, crime story. The Nice Guys is technically wonderful. The setting of late 70’s L.A is beautifully captured and recreated to the point that it felt like a movie from that time. The Nice Guys is a hugely original film, a credit to Shane Black’s genius writing and direction. The balance of comedy, violence and heart is created perfectly and the unconventional and unclichéd storytelling is what further proves Shane Black to be a great filmmaker. The Nice Guys was a thoroughly entertaining flic in what has been a somewhat hit or miss year for film. Its hugely original films like this that we need to support if we ever want to see anything other than sequels and reboots.

www.sonnyetchell.com

Hero Cheese of the Month - Picos Blue A smooth, creamy blue cheese made in Northern Spain with a mix of cows and goats milk and wrapped in Maple leaves. Picos Blue is made in the Austrian Mountains of Spain and was traditionally matured in high caves in the cold, damp and salty winds of the Bay of Biscay. The steep and high peaks are one of the most beautiful sites of Spanish geography and were once the barrier which led to the isolation of the geographic region of Leon. Picos de Europa, also known as Valdeon, is a Spanish blue cheese produced in Valdeon Valley of Castile-Leon region. Made all year-round with cow or goatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s milk or a mixture of both, the cheese has very dense blue veining and comes wrapped in maple or chestnut leaves. Since leaf wrapping is no more allowed these days, it comes wrapped in leaf printed aluminium foil. Queso di Valdeon has been awarded a status of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) to regulate the production, processing and preparation of the cheese. In 2005, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food granted the cheese an award for best Blue Veined Spanish Cheese. A bold and salty cheese, Valdeon uniqueness lies in its manufacturing process, which includes long and traditional maturing in the cold, damp cellars until the cheese reaches a mature or medium mature age. The pate of Valdeon has a soft, granular texture and pale yellow colour and is full of small cavities filled with blue moulds. Covered by a coarse, inconsistent rind in dark grey shades with little red marks, Valdeon is very strong and spicy in taste similar to Roquefort. A powerful smelling cheese, Valendonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greasy, buttery paste is perfect for preparing any kind of blue cheese sauce. The rich smell of the cheese makes good company with fresh fruit and strong red wine or sherry. For more information, contact www.thecheeseplate.co.uk or email directly to toby@thecheeseplate.co.uk

Potato Potatoes are cheap, nutritious and naturally fat free. In my opinion, that makes it the perfect food. A natural source of fibre and contribute to your recommended daily intake of several vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C and B6. Vitamin B6 has several important functions, including contributing to normal red blood cell formation, normal functioning of the nervous system and the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. So why is it then that over recent years the humble potato has had a bad wrap? Which seems ridiculous considering it is a staple food for most of the world. From mash, baked, jacket, boiled and in salads, it is one food that never disappoints and is almost expected at every meal. Ten interesting Potato facts 1. Potatoes were first eaten more than 6,000 years ago by indigenous people living in the Andes mountains of Peru. 2. The Incas measured time by how long it took for potatoes to cook. 3. Religious leaders denounced the potato because it wasn’t mentioned in the Bible. 4. Potatoes are the world’s fourth food staple – after wheat, corn and rice. 5. Potatoes are grown in more than 125 countries 6. Every year enough potatoes are grown worldwide to cover a four-lane motorway circling the world six times. 7. China is the world’s largest potato producer. 8. Namibians each eat an average of 110 kilograms of potatoes every year – not quite as much as the Germans consume. 9. In 1778 Prussia and Austria fought the Potato War in which each side tried to starve the other by consuming their potato crop. 10. During the Alaskan Klondike gold rush of the 1890’s, potatoes were so valued for their vitamin C content that miners traded them for gold.

www.bigbarn.co.uk 22

WIN 2 TICKETS TO SEE LEGEND OF A BAND â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A TRIBUTE TO THE MOODY BLUES

Legend of a Band featuring the music of the Moody Blues performed by six legendary musicians, singers and songwriters comes to Watford Colosseum on Sunday 27 November and we have one pair of tickets to give away in our free-toenter competition. Simply answer the question below and you could be in with a chance of winning. Drummer Gordy Marshall and keyboard player Paul Bliss come direct from performing on the Moody Bluesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; 2015 nationwide tour. They are joined by 10CC lead singer Mick Wilson, Leona Lewis and Westlife guitarist Tim Maple plus James Blunt and Joss Stone bass player Malcolm Moore.

It’s a chance to experience impeccable performances of classic Moody Blues hits including Nights in White Satin, Go Now, Tuesday Afternoon, Legend of a Mind (Timothy Leary’s Dead), I Know You’re Out There Somewhere, Question, Isn’t Life Strange – plus Justin Hayward’s Forever Autumn and a show-stealing rendition of Eve of the War from Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds. The evening is an intriguing insight into the kings of the concept album – the Moody Blues. Relive classic, million-selling albums Days of Future Passed, In Search of the Lost Chord, On the Threshold of a Dream, To Our Children’s Children and more. Both Gordy and Paul have performed with the Moody Blues for more than 20 years – playing the world’s most prestigious venues, including Madison Square Garden, Wembley Arena, The O2 Arena and Royal Albert Hall. Mick’s incredible vocals have also featured with likes of Lionel Richie, Kylie Minogue and Smokey Robinson. Tim’s credits include a long list of hit singles, including composer for Celine Dion’s Think Twice. And, as well as recording hits with the likes of One Direction and Alison Moyet, Malcolm is a mainstay of West End musicals. Prepare for an intimate evening of sensational musicianship and iconic songs that define a generation. To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, answer this simple question:

The Moody Blues are best known for their hit single: a) Nights in White Satin, b) Nights in White Polyester c) Nights in Black Latex Send your answer along with your name and contact details by email to thesticks9@gmail.com by noon on Wednesday 23rd November The winner will be drawn at random. Editor’s decision is final and there is no cash alternative. To buy tickets contact the box office: 01923 571 102 www.watfordcolosseum.co.uk Legend of A Band – a tribute to The Moody Blues Sunday 27 November – 7.30pm Watford Colosseum Rickmansworth Road, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD17 3JN. Tickets £23.50, concessions £21.50 01923 571 102 watfordcolosseum.co.uk Facebook.com/LegendOfABand Twitter.com/LegendOfABand LegendOfABand.co.uk GRTEntertainments.com

HERTS 10K â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Run or Walk

The HERTS 10K is Rennie Grove Hospice Careâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flagship fundraising event, attracting thousands of runners and walkers every year and raising valuable funds to support the charityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services across Herts and Bucks. The event starts and finishes at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden and is a beautiful multi-terrain course through the Hertfordshire countryside. The event returns on Sunday 9 October to celebrate its eleventh year, and promises to be as popular as ever! This is a friendly event which is ideal for runners who are looking to take part in their first timed event. Many runners enjoy the event so much they return each year and say the Herts. 10K is their must do run of the year. Everyone who signs up for the run will receive a technical t-shirt and a medal as a memento of their achievement. Family and friends are encouraged to come along and cheer on the participants as they cross the finish line. To find out more and to book your place visit www.herts10k.com

their own work. Knebworth House, Stevenage SG1 2AX

Herts Listings Hatfield House Dogs Unite - Sat 1 Oct Calling all super dogs! Enjoy a great day out in the stunning grounds of Hatfield House, and help raise vital funds and awareness for Guide Dogs. Back by popular demand! Hatfield House, Hatfield AL9 5NQ

Mum2mum Market - Baby & Kids Nearly New Sale - Sun 2 Oct 12pm - 2pm Buy top quality baby and children’s goods at our award winning pop up indoor market as seen on Dragons Den. Plenty of Stalls under one roof giving you the best choice and the best bargains! Leavesden Green Community Hub WD25 0BW

The Comedy Loft - Sat 1 Oct Daliso Champonda, Andrew Ryan, Suzi Ruffell. The Comedy Loft - Watford WD17 1AW

Willow 10K, 5K, Junior 1K and Toddler Dash - Sun 2 Oct Willow’s annual 10K is a great race for beginners and experienced runners alike. In 2014 we had nearly 1,000 runners take part making it our biggest event yet! The race will be started by Willow’s Life President, Bob Wilson. Hatfield House, Estate Office House, Hatfield AL9 5NQ

Fundraising Craft & Gift Fair - Sat 1 Oct This event is being held to support Cancer Research. Come and help us raise funds for this worthwhile cause and support your local craft fair showcasing local talent. Leverstock Green Village Hall, Village Centre, Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead HP3 8QG 2016 Search for a Singing Star - Sat 1 Oct Do you love singing? Do family and friends say how great you are? Are you a karaoke king or queen? Or perhaps you already sing and want to get to the next level? Are you willing to make your singing dreams come true? Knebworth House, Cobbold Barns SG1 2AX

Highfield Park Apple Day - Sun 2 Oct Come and enjoy a day to celebrate apples. This event is just one of many apple days which are run all over the country. You can buy apples grown in our orchards, taste and buy delicious Highfield Park apple juice. YMCA Watford @ St Albans Health Club, Russet Drive, St Albans AL4 0DB

Jo Harman - Sat 1 Oct Jo Harman is an award winning vocalist and successful international touring artist who has performed at some of Europe’s most prestigious venues. The Daily Mirror called her ‘the finest female soul blues vocalist in the UK’ Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Barkway Antiques & Vintage Fair - Sun 2 Oct This fair is in its fifth year and offers a wide range of stalls and items. From jewellery to Clarice Cliff, collectables to kitchenalia, we aim to offer something for everyone. Barkway Village Hall, Cambridge Road SG8 8BS An Evening with Keny Sansom - Tue 4 Oct An evening with the legendary Kenny Sansom, hosted by Perry Groves! Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Ashridge Estate - Ashridge in Autumn walk Sat 1 Oct Explore Ashridge at one of the most scenic times of the year on this guided walk through the estate. Join some of our very knowledgeable volunteers for a six mile walk through the estate during our wonderful autumn colours. Ashridge Estate, Moneybury Hill, Berkhamsted, HP4 1LX

Halfway to Paradise - The Billy Fury Story Wed 5 Oct Billy Fury was Britain’s own Elvis. With looks like James Dean - he was Sex on legs and the girls went wild for him! Billy’s own band, the all original Furys Tornados, replay live his 29 timeless hits. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Vintage Tea Afternoon - Sun 2 Oct A very popular Vintage Afternoon Tea whilst enjoying the quieter instruments in the collection. St Albans Organ Theatre, St Albans AL1 5PE

A Potted History of Code Breaking at Bletchley Park in World War I - Wed 5 Oct 7.30 pm. This talk by Nick Miers, launches the Winter & Spring Programme of the North Herts Association of the National Trust. Meetings are held on the first Wednesday of each month at Christchurch, Bedford Road,

The Glass Fair @ Knebworth - Sun 2 Oct Leading specialist fair with around 70 exhibitors selling fine antique and collectable glass alongside contemporary artists showing

Hitchin SG5 1HF. Visitors welcome, £2 per meeting. Tea/coffee served.

Just The Tonic, Saturday Night Comedy Sat 8 Oct Mike Wilmot, Leo Kearse, Paul McCaffrey. The Comedy Loft - Watford WD17 1AW

An Evening with The Rubettes featuring Alan Williams - Wed 5 Oct An evening with original Rubettes Alan Williams, John Richardson and Mick Clarke as they play the hit’s and tell ‘like it was’. Accompanied by Steve Innes Etherington. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Leo Green - Sounds of the 50s - Sat 8 Oct Following his hit BBC Radio 2 series, Leo Green presents Sounds of the 50’s Live. Leo’s musicians and singers perform hits from the likes of Elvis, Buddy Holly, James Brown, Sam Cooke, Bill Haley, Frankie Laine, The Drifters, Julie London. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

The Tempest - Thu 6 Oct Prospero and his daughter have been wronged, set adrift in the Mediterranean by a usurping sibling and a rival king. They have lived on a deserted island for 12 years ... well, almost deserted. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Theatre Organ Concert - Sat 8 Oct John Mann - President of the cinema organ society makes another welcome return to St Albans. St Albans Organ Theatre, St Albans AL1 5PE

Romeo & Juliet - Thu 6 Oct In many ways Shakespeare’s timeless tale of `star-crossed lovers` is a study of loss of innocence set in an era when a young girl of marriageable age, was expected to conform with her father’s wishes. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

The Premier Hertfordshire Wedding Fair Sun 9 Oct The Hertfordshire Wedding Fair, St Albans is Hertfordshire’s premier and oldest county wedding fair. Whether you are looking for the latest wedding gift ideas or a beautiful wedding venue from around Hertfordshire or beyond. Alban Arena AL1 3LD

Heart & Soul - Fri 7 Oct An evening of good food, good company, and great music for you to dance along to. Heart & Soul features live music from our very own Dr Chris Bowles and The Jazz Goats. Watersmeet Theatre Rickmansworth WD3 1EH

Not Just An Afternoon Music Concert - Sun 9 Oct In support of the Trinity Life Church, Royston, Building Fund, we have FOUR acts for you in four hours, which also includes poetry and interviews. The Old Bull Inn, 56 High St, Royston SG8 9AW

Hertford Food and Drink Festival - Fri 7 to Sun 9 Oct If you’re a ‘foodie’ then Hertford Town is the place to be. Hertford Town Centre SG14 1DF

Octagon Music Society: Castalian String Quartet - Sun 9 Oct Haydn: Quartet in G Op 76 No 1, Ades: The Four Quarters (2010), Bartok: Quartet No 6. The venue has excellent acoustics, level access and ample free parking. The Clarendon Muse, Watford Grammar School for Boys, 70 Rickmansworth Road, Watford, WD18 7JA

Hoddesdon Charter Fair - Fri 7 to Sun 9 Oct High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8TL Ashridge Estate - Fallow Deer Rut - Fri 7 Oct to Sun 16 Oct Join our rangers at this exciting time of year to watch fallow deer in the rutting season. On this very popular wildlife walk it is often possible to get close to these majestic animals and watch the males locking horns. Ashridge Estate, Moneybury Hill, Berkhamsted HP4 1LX

Hertford Castle Beer & World Food Festival - Sun 9 Oct 12noon – 18:00 Free Entry, Charity Donations Welcome. Hertford Castle grounds will be filled with a multitude of world food stalls from Italian to Chinese, Thai to Mexican. Hertford Castle Grounds Hertford SG14 1HR

Supreme Queen - Sat 8 Oct Supreme Queen have been paying homage to the world’s most theatrical and dramatic Rock band, Queen since 1995, and in that time have had a huge impact on audiences across the UK. Wyllyotts Theatre, Wyllyotts Place, Darkes Lane, Potters Bar EN6 2HN

Bishop’s Stortford Antiques and Collectables Fair - Sun 9 Oct 9.30am - 4pm. Bishop’s Stortford Football Club, Woodside Park, Dunmow Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 5RG "Wild Scotland" Richard Revels - Wed 12 Oct Illustrated talk organised by Watford Local RSPB Group. This new digital presentation

shows recent pictures of the marvellous wildlife and countryside of this country. Stanborough Centre, 609, St Albans Rd, Watford WD25 9JL

Vienna Festival Ballet Presents: Snow White - Sat 15 Oct Join Vienna Festival Ballet on a magical journey with their unmissable production of Snow White. World premiere choreography propels this timeless fairytale and answers the question; who is the fairest one of all? The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Isabel Hospice Comedy Night - Wed 12 Oct Join us for a wonderful evening of entertainment from some of the most talented comedians on the circuit! Bob Mills will be headlining our very first Isabel Hospice comedy night. Rhodes, 1- 3 South Road, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Shenley Apple day - Sun 16 Oct Apple Day is a nationwide event held at locations ranging from village halls to National Trust houses. Every October Shenley Park Trust hosts an Apple Day Event where you have the opportunity to: Sample and buy many different varieties of apple. Shenley Park, Radlett Lane, Shenley WD7 9DW

Limehouse Lizzy- The Greatest Hits of Thin Lizzy - Fri 14 Oct Limehouse Lizzy continue to keep the spirit of Celtic rock icon Philip Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy alive, well and dominating stages worldwide. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

The Letchworth Hall Hotel Wedding Fair Sun 16 Oct Visit this period wedding venue in North Hertfordshire. Enjoy two fashion shows featuring amazing bridal gowns at 12:30pm and 2:30pm. See local companies including John Lewis, Welwyn. Doors Open 11am-4pm, free entry and free parking. Letchworth Lane SG6 3NP

Michael Portillo - "Life: A Game of Two Halves" - Fri 14 Oct It took Michael Portillo little more than 10 years to get a seat in the Commons and then rise in power and esteem to a point where he was a favoured leader of his party and possible future PM. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Carnage Mud Run - Sun 16 Oct Carnage is the first of our bi-annual 5KM/10KM mud runs. Crammed full of man-made and natural obstacles, take part individually or as a team to raise money for charity, get fit or ‘Just have fun’. Edge Outdoor Activities, Westmill Farm, Ware SG12 0ES

Fascinating Aida’s Dillie Keane - Sat 15 Oct Dillie Keane takes a short break from her Fascinating Aïda gal pals to present her first solo show in 557 years. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Roy Wood & his Band - Sun 16 Oct The Alban Arena, St Albans AL1 3LD

Moonlight Walk - Sat 15 Oct A night to remember. Take part in this 10 mile walk around the streets of St Albans under the light of the full moon. Westminster Lodge, Holywell Hill, St Albans AL1 2DL

The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars present The Ronnie Scott’s Story - Sun 16 Oct Direct from London’s world-famous jazz club, The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars, led by the club’s musical director, take to the stage to celebrate ‘The Ronnie Scott’s Story’. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

An Evening with Ian Waite and Camilla Dallerup - Sat 15 Oct Join Ian Waite and Camilla Dallerup from Strictly Come Dancing plus professional singer Paul Amer & guests for a spectacular evening of Dance, Singing and stories from their time on the BBC hit show. The SandPit Theatre, Sandringham School, The Ridgeway, St Albans AL4 9NX

Radlett Music Club Presents: The Fitzwilliam String Quartet -Tue 18 Oct This quartet performs a wide repertoire, often on period instruments. Formed in Cambridge in the 60’s, they developed an international reputation for the works of Shostakovich. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Just The Tonic, Saturday Night Comedy Sat 15 Oct Junior Wilmot, Vince Atta, Wayne Deakin. The Comedy Loft, Watford WD17 1AW Letchworth Beer and World Food Festival Sat 15 & Sun 16 Oct Letchworth Town Centre SG6 3BB

Derek Acorah - The Soul Reunion Tour 2016 - Wed 19 Oct Derek Acorah is one of the foremost names in the world of Psychic Phenomena, as well as a celebrity, author and

performer like no other. Derek is a thoroughly modern medium whose appeal crosses the generations to young and old alike. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Just The Tonic, Saturday Night Comedy Sat 22 Oct The Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue. The Comedy Loft - Watford WD17 1AW Pumpkin Festival - Sat 22 Oct to Wed 30 Nov Free pumpkin for every child from Willows Pumpkin Patch with a pumpkin-tastic time for all the family. There are daily pumpkin carving competition with prizes, Pumpkin Hunt, Match the Scarecrow. Willows Activity Farm. Coursers Road, London Colney, St. Albans AL4 0PF

Forbidden Nights - Thu 20 Oct A classy new all male variety show with full theatre production and explosive choreography as seen on Britain’s Got Talent and TOWIE. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

The MGM Story - Sat 22 Oct The MGM Story traces the history of the Golden Age of Song and Dance and tells the tale of how the studio fostered the talents of stars, including Judy Garland and Gene Kelly and composers such as Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and many more. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Seann Walsh - One for the Road - Fri 21 Oct ‘He remains one of the most entertaining observational comics on the block’ the Independent. The Lie-in King returns with a brand-new show. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL Fitzwilliam String Quartet - Fri 21 Oct Programme includes:- Beethoven: String Quartet Op 74 Beethoven: String Quartet Op 95 Beethoven: String Quartet Op 135 Admission price includes programme Ticket £12 (free for 8-25 year olds and carers accompanying a disabled ticket holder) Benslow Music Trust, Ibberson Way, Hitchin SG4 9RB

An Evening with Pam Ayres - Sun 23 Oct Pam Ayres has been making the nation laugh for over 40 years. Her work is funny, and approachable. Her hair-trigger timing, her eye for the detail of everyday life and for the absurdity therein, makes for an art that hides art. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Blake: Songs from the Stage and Screen - Fri 21 Oct Songs from the stage and screen with Brit-Award-Winners Blake. Fresh from recent appearances on the Graham Norton Show, Strictly Come Dancing & The One Show, British harmony trio Blake present a brand new tour. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Wrestlefest - The Return - Sun 23 Oct Thunderslam Wrestling presents… Coming to Rhodes this season is the return of Wrestlefest! First seen in 2005, it’s the show that gave rise to a host of enormous characters who furiously fought their battles against a backdrop of dancing girls. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Factor 2025 - Sat 22 Oct Adapted from the bestselling novel of the same name ‘Factor 2025’ and following a sell-out performance in London’s West End, Author/Comedian Johnny Tait presents a comical, cynical and controversial look at the manipulation of participants. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Ashridge Estate - Halloween Crafts - Mon 24 to Fri 28 OctCome and try to make the spookiest thing you can and follow our Halloween trail. Come to the visitor centre and try out our spooky crafts. You can also follow our Halloween trail. Booking Not Needed. Children’s event. Dogs on leads welcome. Ashridge Estate, Moneybury Hill, Berkhamsted HP4 1LX

Samhain Celebrations - Sat 22, Mon 24 to Sat 29 Oct Join us for an exciting day out to celebrate the start of the Celtic New Year with loads of hands-on activities!! * Hands on Activities: Explore the Haunted Forest which leads to the Whispering Glade. Celtic Harmony Camp The Iron Age Settlement, Brickendon Lane, Brickendon SG13 8NY

Halloween Trail - Mon 24 to Sat 29 Oct Complete our Halloween trail around Rhodes to get a chocolate reward! Bishop’s Stortford Museum at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG The South - Mon 24 Oct Public Halls, Harpenden AL5 1PD

Halloween Crafts - Mon 24 to Fri 28 Oct This Half Term, come down to Rhodes where you can make a spooky mask in time for Halloween or Guy Fawkes. No need to book, just drop in between 10am and 3pm. Bishop’s Stortford Museum at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Pumpkin Trail and Treats - Wed 26 to Fri 28 Oct Pumpkin activities and fun in the Garden, plus Pumpkin disco. Knebworth House SG1 2AX Just Like That - The Tommy Cooper Show Thu 27 Oct Tommy Cooper was a true comic genius. His impeccable timing, misfiring magic, trademark fez and quick-fire gags made him an international star and a true icon of the 20th Century. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

The Town Mouse and The Country Mouse Tue 25 Oct An enchanting and heart-warming telling of Aesop’s classic fable, packed full of fun, music and song. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL Glastonbabies - It’s Bear Fun - Wed 26 Oct Glastonbabies return to Rhodes with a bear themed bonanza packed with song, dance and interactive music. Expect to be Bollywood dancing with Baloo, romping through an immersive musical version of We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, while folk dancing away. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Make It Spooky - Halloween Craft Workshops - Thu 27 Oct Make Fabulously Freaky Halloween Masks and Puppets. There’s a whole range of frighteningly good characters to choose from including witches, wizards, cats, vampires and more! The SandPit Theatre, Sandringham School, The Ridgeway, St Albans AL4 9NX Fire Walk for Peace Hospice Care - Thu 27 Oct Could you walk over burning hot coals for Peace Hospice Care? Sign up to our Fire Walk on Thursday 27th October and see if you’re brave enough to take on our next challenge. Caledon Community Centre, London Colney AL2 1PU

Bug Hunt - Wed 26 Oct A treasure hunt to find a series of smiley wooden bugs, with a prize at the end. Follow our bug trail to find out more about the insects and other creatures who live in Highfield Park. This event is aimed at young children. West Lodge, Hill End Lane, St Albans AL4 0RA

The Elvis Years - The Story of The King - Fri 28 Oct Celebrating 10 years on the road this year, The Elvis Years is an outstanding musical production which brings to the stage the incredible and compelling story of the ‘king of rock and roll’ – Elvis Presley. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Family Arts Festival - Pumpkin Trail & Treats - Wed 26 to Fri 28 Oct Come along in your Halloween fancy dress (adults too!). There will be a children’s fancy dress competition during the afternoon, which is judged at about 3.15pm in front of the Garden door of the House. Knebworth House Park & Gardens, Knebworth Park, SG1 2AX

The Little Mix Experience - Fri 28 Oct If you’re a fan of one of X Factor’s finest exports you’re sure to L.O.V.E. The Little Mix Experience! Four hugely talented girls pay tribute to one of the UK’s finest Girl-Bands. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Stepping Out - Wed 26 to Sat 29 Oct Richard Harris’ Stepping Out is a regional theatre favourite. A rollicking comedy, full of sparkle and zest, it was awarded the 1984 ’Evening Standard Comedy of the Year’ when it premiered in the West End. The Pump House Theatre and Arts Centre, Local Board Road, Lower Watford High Street, Watford WD17 2JP

Level 42 - Fri 28 Oct Level 42 Sirens II Tour 2016 + Guests. Watford Colosseum, Watford WD17 3EX

Sinbad The Sailor - Wed 26 Oct All aboard for the new puppet adventure from Theatrix Arts. An old shopkeeper is just about to shut up shop at the end of a long day, when he comes across a magical ancient book that contains amazing adventures. The SandPit Theatre, Sandringham School, The Ridgeway, St Albans AL4 9NX

Boxing for Billy 2016 - Fri 28 Oct iBox Promotions proudly presents Boxing for Billy 2016, an annual fundraiser with former British and Commonwealth Super Featherweight Champion and WBC Lightweight Champion Kevin Mitchell Holiday Inn, St George’s Way, Stevenage SG1 1HS

Just The Tonic- Sat 29 Oct Troy Hawke, Spencer Jones, Pierre Hollins. The Comedy Loft - Watford WD17 1AW

Mark Steel: Who Do I Think I Am - Fri 28 Oct It never really bothered me that I’d never met my mum. It never occurred to me I needed to meet her to ‘find out who I was’, as it didn’t seem likely I’d discover I was someone different to who I thought I was. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Redbourn in Bloom Craft Fair - Sat 29 and Sun 30 Oct High quality Craft Stalls, ideal for Christmas presents. Raffle, Refreshments available. Proceeds towards Redbourn in Bloom’s planting schemes to enhance our village. Redbourn Village Hall, High St., Redbourn AL3 7LW

Image Musical Theatre: Beauty and the Beast - Fri 28 Oct One of the most popular fairy tales of all time, this story still fascinates and moves people of all ages. When Beauty sees beneath the ugly frightening exterior of the Beast she discovers a loyal and loving heart. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Back to Bacharach - Sat 29 Oct Back to Bacharach celebrates the magical music of Burt Bacharach, one of the most accomplished popular composers of the 20th Century, who together with Hal David penned some of the most memorable and iconic hits that stand the test of time. The Radlett Centre, 1 Aldenham Avenue, Radlett WD7 8HL

Big Girl’s Don’t Cry - Sat 29 Oct Featuring the Eastcoast Boys celebrating the music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons Oh what a night awaits for all music fans . . during the 60s and 70s No1 hits Sherry, December 1963 (Oh What a Night), Walk Like a Man, Rag Doll. Bishop’s Stortford Theatre at Rhodes Arts Complex, Bishop’s Stortford CM23 3JG

Remembrance Concert - Sat 29 Oct Watford Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra will perform the ever popular Mozart’s Requiem. along with Butterworth’s A Shropshire Lad, Massenet’s Meditation from Thais, Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1 and John Williams’ Theme from Saving Private Ryan. Watford Colosseum, Rickmansworth Road, WD17 3JN

The Ashridge House Wedding Fair - Sat 29 Oct The Ashridge House Wedding Fair promises to be a unique wedding fair simply like no other! Enjoy the rare opportunity to view inside Ashridge House and enjoy their simply stunning grounds. Ashridge House HP4 1NS

Samhain Festival - Sun 30 Oct Enjoy the Exciting Workshops by Visiting Performers Owl Flying Display with Barnie the Barn Owl, Google the Great Grey Owl and Quarny the European Eagle... Come and Join the Festivities & Celebrations for a Great Day Out for all the Family! Celtic Harmony Camp The Iron Age Settlement, Brickendon Lane, Brickendon SG13 8NY

Arts & Crafts Fair - Sat 29 Oct Tewin Horticulture, Arts and Crafts Society Arts and Crafts Fair. A wide variety of stalls selling locally made arts and crafts and produce including jewellery, decoupage, woodcraft, traditionally made teddy bears, paintings and prints. Tewin Memorial Hall, Lower Green, Tewin AL6 0JX

The Hatfield House Wedding Fair- Sun 30 Oct A simply wonderful wedding fair - with superb fashion shows held in the historic Old Palace at 12.30pm and 2.30pm featuring the latest bridal gowns together with live entertainment. Meet over 60 quality local exhibitors. Hatfield Park AL9 5NQ

T Rextasy - 40th Anniversary Tour of I Love to Boogie - Sat 29 Oct Sweeney Entertainments presents T Rextasy I Love to Boogie Marc Bolan, with his band T.Rex, was one of the most flamboyant and charismatic stars of the original glam rock era. The Spotlight (formerly known as Broxbourne Civic Hall). High Street. Hoddesdon EN11 8BE

Halloween - Mon 31 Oct Spooky Halloween plays and tours around the grounds after dark. Shepreth Wildlife Park, Shepreth SG8 6PZ

The Little Mix Experience - Sat 29 Oct If you’re a fan of one of X Factor’s finest exports you’re sure to L.O.V.E. The Little Mix Experience! Four hugely talented girls pay tribute to one of the UK’s finest Girl-Bands. The Spotlight (formerly known as Broxbourne Civic Hall). High Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8BE

Beds Listings Truly Yours C. B. - Sat 1 Oct The Story of Charlotte Bronte. Written and performed by Alison Neil. Alison Neil is a fantastically talented actor who brings humour and interest to the life stories of historical 32

wellies and join the Rangers for a family walk. Complete some of the ’50 things to do before you’re 11 3/4’ on the way and collect stickers and scrapbooks when you get back. Booking Not Needed. Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade LU6 2GY

characters including Mrs Beeton. Odell Village Hall MK43 7AS Jumble Sale - Sat 1 Oct Flitwick & Ampthill Sea Cadets are raising funds for their unit. Cadets and their friends and family are decluttering & re-cycling all their pre-owned & pre-loved items ready for their next jumble sale. Flitwick & Ampthill Sea Cadet Unit, Althorp Close, Flitwick MK45 1HY

Autumn Walk and Lunch with the Head Gardener - Fri 7 Oct Seasonal highlights and a tour of the Swiss Garden in the company of our craftsman gardener, who will share the story of the garden, those who created it and the recent restoration project. The Swiss Garden, Old Warden SG18 8EP

Open Gallery - Sat 1 Oct Do you love art and photography and do you have a particular passion for the countryside? LJ Creative Studio’s, College Farm, Lovell Road, Oakley MK43 7RX

Family Arts Festival - Why the Whales Came - Fri 7 Oct Created by the same team who brought you the acclaimed and much-loved production of I Believe in Unicorns, Why The Whales Came is full of fun, mystery and adventure. Luton Library Theatre, Luton Central Library, St George’s Square, Luton LU1 2NG

Luton MrBead Bead Show - Sat 1 Oct String & Loose Bead & Pearls Supplies for the Home Jewellery Maker. Many different gemstone beads like jade, turquoise, agates, jasper, carnelian, coral etc. Stockwood Hotel, Stockwood Crescent, Luton LU1 3SS Family Arts Festival - We’re Going On A Bear Hunt - Sat 1 and Sun 2 Oct A family go on an expedition of a lifetime running down the grassy bank, wading through the cold river, squelching over the oozy mud, stumbling into the dark forest, then peering into a cave what will they find? Luton Library Theatre, Luton Central Library, St George’s Square, Luton LU1 2NG

Fruit Foray Day - Sat 8 OctLearn what you can and can’t pick on a foraging trail in the nearby woodland followed by preparing your finds into yummy pickles and jams for the winter. Clophill Eco Lodges, Old Church Path, Clophill MK45 4BP Hopes and Dreams concert - Sun 9 Oct A Sunday afternoon concert in which Min-Min Peaker (soprano), Richard Heyes (piano and organ) and Alex Mnatzaganian (piano and voice) perform songs from opera to rock & pop to contemporary hymns in aid of Youth Inspired. Christ Church Bedford, 117 Denmark Street, Bedford MK40 3TJ

St Peter’s Church Jumble Sale - Sat 1 Oct A popular annual event. Loads of good quality stuff including some new items. All the usual - bric-a-brac, books, mens, ladies and children’s clothes, household textiles. Bags and shoes, books, toys, White elephant etc. The Village Hall, Pavenham, Bedford MK43 7PE

Family Arts Festival - The Bravest Mouse Sat 15 Oct A poignant and heart-warming short play for children from Full House Theatre. Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Betty and Stanleys house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. Leagrave Library, Marsh Road, Luton LU3 2NL and Marsh Farm Library, Lea Manor High School, Northwell Drive, Luton LU3 3TL

Sunday Stroll - Sun 2 Oct A gentle, guided stroll around the Country Park, led by our volunteers. £1 payable on the day to the leader. Meet at Forest Centre Reception. Suitable for dogs, wheelchairs and buggies. Forest Centre MK43 0PS Race Day & Roaring Twenties Finale - Sun 2 Oct Race Day & Roaring Twenties Finale at Shuttleworth closes the main event season. We will have live Music from the Polka Dot Dolls and the ‘Make & paint’ station with Airfix & IPMS Brampton (free) Shuttleworth SG18 9EP

Biggleswade Art Exhibition - Sat 15 and Sun 16 Oct Art exhibition, original paintings for sale by local artists. Refreshments available. Northill Village Hall, Northill SG18 9AE Cheeki monkeys BIG baby and children’’s market - Sat 15 Oct Pop-up Baby and Children’s Market/Event and Fun Family Day

Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate - 50 Things Walks - Sun 2 Oct Grab your

from our talented local Artists and Craftspeople. Items include card making, canal craft, crotchet work, drawings. Village Hall, Sundon Road, Harlington LU5 6LS

Out The place where "smart parents" shop! SAVE up to 90% on quality pre-loved goods! Plenty to keep the little ones amused Buy and sell babies and children’s toys. Trinity Arts and Leisure, The Bedford Sixth Form, Bromham Road, Bedford MK40 2QD

Singing for Change - Sat 22 Oct Join us for an evening of wonderful choral performances by Caritas Harmony in support of the Lutonbased children’s charity, Level Trust. Level Trust exists to remove the barriers that poverty brings to a child’s education. St Mary’s Church, Luton LU1 3JF

An evening with Oye Santana - Sat 15 Oct You’re going to love Oye Santana, performing the music of Carlos Santana - the best Santana tribute in the world! Playing four decades’ worth of hits from Black Magic Woman and Oye Como Va via Carnaval, Dance Sister Dance. UK Centre for Carnival Arts, 3 St Marys Road, Luton LU1 3JA

Philharmonia Orchestra: Bedford 2016/17 Season opening concert - Sat 22 Oct Krzysztof Urbanski conductor Natalie Clein cello Grieg Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1 Dvorák Cello Concerto Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition (arr. Ravel). The season opens with scenes of orchestral story-telling. Bedford Corn Exchange St Paul’s Square Bedford MK40 1SL

Photography Night Shoot (The Collection) Sat 15 Oct This nightshoot will give you the opportunity to photograph a selection of The Collection’s aircraft and vehicles in atmospheric night conditions and aircraft ‘crews’ in period dress. Shuttleworth SG18 9EP

The House Shuttleworth Wedding Fair - Sun 23 Oct Visit The Bedfordshire Wedding Fair and the beautiful House at Shuttleworth. Enjoy two fabulous fashion shows at 12.30pm and 2.30pm featuring the latest bridal gowns. Doors open 11.00am-3.30pm with free admission and parking. The Mansion House, Shuttleworth Park, Old Warden Park, Old Warden, Nr Biggleswade SG18 9EA

Fungal Foray - Sun 16 Oct If you are mad about mushrooms or find fungi fascinating, enjoy a walk around the beautiful Swiss Garden and adjoining woodland in search of interesting species of fungi found growing naturally in Bedfordshire. The Swiss Garden, Old Warden SG18 8EP Family Arts Festival - The Bravest Mouse Sun 16 Oct Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Betty and Stanley’s house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. When Stanley leaves for France, Timble takes his chance and stows away in his backpack. Luton Central Library, St. George’s Square, Luton LU1 2NG

Family Arts Festival - The Bravest Mouse Mon 24 Oct Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Betty and Stanleys house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. When Stanley leaves for France, Timble takes his chance and stows away in his backpack. Farley Community Centre, Delphine Close, Luton LU1 5RE

Farmers’ Market - Sun 16 Oct A selection of stallholders selling local, hand-made produce. 10.30am - 3pm. Free entry and parking. Forest Centre MK43 0PS

Ghosts, Ghouls & Goings On - Mon 24 to Sun 30 Oct Grab your cloaks and steady your nerves as your little horrors scare themselves silly this Halloween. Mysterious goings-on await you at petrifying Wrest Park. Wrest Park, Silsoe MK45 4HR

Crafts, Cake and a Cuppa - Sun 16 Oct Come along to this well-established craft fair as there’ll be a wide variety of high quality local handmade art and craft items, with many different crafters attending. Tea, coffee and light refreshments available all day. Free Admission. Woburn Village Hall, Crawley Road Woburn MK17 9QD

Family Arts Festival - The Bravest Mouse Mon 24 Oct Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Betty and Stanleys house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. When Stanley leaves for France, Timble takes his chance and stows away in his backpack. Hockwell Ring Community Centre, Mayne Avenue, Luton LU4 9LB

Exhibition & Sale of Art & Craft - Sat 22 Oct Harlington Society of Art & Craft are pleased to welcome you to our 2016 Annual Exhibition & Sale of Art & Craft. View and buy work

Broomstick making - Sat 29 Oct Get ready for Hallowe’en by making your very own broomstick! Get your broomstick license and race your ’stick across the Downs. £7.50 each. Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade LU6 2GY

Family Arts Festival - Dotty The Dragon Tue 25 Oct Blunderbus Theatre Company is proud to present this enchanting fairytale adventure with a very happy ending. This clever new show comes to life with an irresistible blend of live music, fabulous puppets and high energy storytelling. Luton Library Theatre, Luton Central Library, St George’s Square, Luton LU1 2NG

Wyboston Lakes Wedding Fayre - Sun 30 Oct This event is regarded as one of the very best wedding events in the area. It is set in the lovely Willows Centre which is a beautiful, venue for a stunning wedding with lots of space, on site accommodation for all as well as a beautiful courtyard. The Willows Centre, Wyboston Lakes, Wyboston MK44 3AL

Family Arts Festival - The Bravest Mouse Tue 25 Oct A poignant and heart-warming short play for children from Full House Theatre.Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Betty and Stanleys house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. Houghton Regis Library, Bedford Square Centre, Tithe Farm Road, Houghton Regis LU5 5ES

Family Arts Festival - The Bravest Mouse Sun 30 Oct Timble lives with his family underneath the floorboards of Betty and Stanleys house. He is an adventurous mouse and is desperate to see the world. When Stanley leaves for France, Timble takes his chance and stows away in his backpack. Stockwood Discovery Centre, Stockwood Park, London Road, Luton LU1 4LX

Marston Monsters - Kids’ Outdoor Activity Tue 25 Oct Join us collecting autumn leaves in the Country Park and then making a mask, to turn yourself into a true Marston Monster! Make sure you dress for the outdoors parental supervision required. £4 per child Forest Centre, Bedford MK43 0PS

Bucks Listings Kids’ Halloween Disco - Wed 26 Oct Get your costumes ready - it’s time for our yearly Halloween disco, with party games, prizes and plenty of dancing. Booking essential. Tickets £8 per child, parental supervision essential. Includes food box and drink. Forest Centre, Bedford MK43 0PS

Jay Millers Circus - til Sun 2 Oct Now in its 29th year, returns by popular demand celebrates with an all new presentation for 2016. Its the show that all members of the family will enjoy. Along with our very popular zany man of mirth & humour, Clown Peppi. Gold Hill Common Chalfont St Peter SL9 9DG

Family Arts Festival - Halloween at Stockwood - Fri 28 Oct Find all the spooks and thrills the museum has in store for you this Halloween! Make a Halloween lantern, play seasonal games such as apple bobbing and make something creepy to take home. Come in fancy dress - witches, ghosts and ghouls welcome. Stockwood Discovery Centre, Stockwood Park, London Road, Luton LU1 4LX

Chalfont Crafty Collective’s Macmillan Coffee Morning with Handmade & Vintage Fair - Sat 1 Oct Drink coffee (or tea), eat cake, meet friends, browse and buy some fabulously affordable handmade & vintage wares and raise money for a very worthwhile cause, Macmillan Cancer Support, doesn’t that sound like a good morning out? St Peter’s Parish Hall, Church Lane, Chalfont St Peter SL9 9RJ

"Call My Bluff" - Sat 29 Oct A New World and European Wine and Food Tasting Evening Including a mystery wine! Shillington Village Hall, High Road, Shillington SG5 3LL

Wear it Pink - Sat 1 Oct Support Cancer Research Get your pink clothes on and show your support for this worthy cause. There will be street entertainment, face painting, balloon modelling and much more. High Street, Aylesbury HP20 1SF

Pumpkin Festival & Macbeth Performance Sat 29 Oct Don’t buy pumpkins from a supermarket - come and carve locally grown ones with us & take them home to decorate for Halloween! Also Face Painting, Cake Stand, Music and a special performance by the Hemlock Dancers. Clophill Eco Lodges, Old Church Path, Clophill MK45 4BP

Pop Up Art Exhibition - Sat 1 to Sun 30 Oct Six members of The Little Kimble Art Group will be selling their work at a " pop up" A Little Bird Told Me Gallery. The Barn

Courtyard, 25 High Aylesbury HP22 6DU

Street,

Wendover,

Autumn Season Tuesday Garden Tour at Cliveden - Tue 4, Tue 11, Tue 18, Tue 25 Oct Yellow, red, bronze and gold, discover the Autumn colours at Cliveden as they unfurl in the formal grounds. Come along every Tuesday in October for this free garden tour with one of our experienced gardeners. Cliveden Road, Taplow SL1 8NS

Family explorers: Autumn leaves and Hallowe’en - Sat 1 to Mon 31 Oct The leaves are looking awash with colour. Pick up our autumn leaf spotter guide to spot the leaves before they fall. Can you catch any as they fall'. Stowe, New Inn Farm, Buckingham MK18 5EQ

Stowe - Toddler Tuesday: Wild art - Tue 4 Oct Drop by the cafe for fun toddler activities and meet other families in our local community. Drop by the cafe for fun toddler activities and meet other families in our local community. Stowe, New Inn Farm, Buckingham MK18 5EQ

Wild about Wool - Sat 1 and Sun 2 Oct Have a go at different types of traditional knitting. Wool related activities with many expert volunteers. Solve your knitting conundrums by talking to our friendly experts. Come and have a go at crochet and knitting. Chiltern Open Air Museum, Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont St Giles HP8 4AB

Murder at Quay Cottage - Thu 6 to Sat 8 Oct Winslow Players’ latest offering: a thrilling murder mystery set in a cottage by the sea. Winslow Public Hall, Elmfields Gate, Winslow MK18 3JA

Comedy Cow with Howard Read - Sat 1 Oct An evening of stand-up comedy featuring 4 or 5 stand-up comedians presented by the award winning “The Comedy Cow”. Headlining this evening is Howard Read. York House Centre, London Road, Stony Stratford MK11 1JQ

Little Missenden Festival 2016 - Fri 7 to Sun 16 Oct The Little Missenden Festival has an unbroken tradition of high-quality musicmaking in a unique Buckinghamshire village setting. The Festival features promising young talents as well as nationally and internationally famous artists and composers. St John the Baptist Church, Little Missenden, Nr Amersham HP7 0RA

BBOWT Plant and Produce Market - Sat 1 Oct Choose from a wide selection of good value home-grown plants and home-made cakes, pickles and preserves....plus books, crafts, gifts and excellent refreshments all to raise funds for local wildlife conservation. Great Missenden Memorial Centre HP16 9AE

Morgan & West’s Utterly Spiffing Spectacular Magic Show for Kids - Fri 7 Oct Time travelling Victorian magic duo Morgan & West unload another boxful of bafflement and impossibility. Witness a mountain of mysterious magic, a hatful of hyper-reality, and of course a truck full of tricks and tea. Chearsley Village Hall HP18 0DP

Craft and Vintage fair - Sat 1 Oct In the lively Olney Centre, Olney High Street, we present our Craft and Vintage Fairs, featuring a lovely mix of craft and vintage stalls; something for everyone and every pocket. There is so much to see! The Olney Centre, High Street, Olney MK46 4EF

Introduction To Rothschild Wine - Sat 8 Oct Join us in the cellars for a formal tasting of eight Rothschild wines from estates across the world. The tasting will focus on the diversity of the Rothschild range and encompasses a broad spectrum of styles and grape varieties. Waddesdon Manor, Aylesbury HP18 0JH

Bisham Abbey Wedding Fair - Sun 2 Oct All the needs of your special day under one roof. Cars, Cakes, Menswear, Bridalwear, Photographers, Entertainment, Jewellery, Hair & Make Up, Stationery and much much more... Marlow Road, Bisham, Nr Marlow SL7 1RR

Making an Impression Print Exhibition - Sat 8, Tue 11 to Sat 15, Tue 18 to Sat 22 , Tue 25 to Sat 29 Oct A wonderful exhibition of stunning and affordable hand pulled prints by members of the Beds, Bucks & Herts Print Society. On display are a rich variety of prints made by printmaking techniques including woodblock, linocut, screenprint, collograph. Buckinghamshire County Museum and Roald

Get Creative Family Arts Festival – Paint the Museum Walls - Sun 2, Sun 30 Oct Get creative and messy at the museum in partnership with The Get Creative Family Arts Festival Paint the Museum walls. Enjoy a Large Mural Painting Workshops with our resident artist for October: Nicky Moorhouse. Wycombe Museum, Priory Avenue, High Wycombe HP13 6PX

Dahl Childrens Gallery, Aylesbury HP20 2QP

Church

Street,

Open Air Museum, Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont St Giles HP8 4AB

Cheddington Food and Drink Fayre - Fri 14 Oct Come and join us in a celebration of eating and drinking!! Now in it’s eighth year, there will be many stalls displaying and selling locally produced food and drink. Cheddington Village Hall, Church Lane, Cheddington LU7 0RU

Tring Indoor Craft Market - Sat 15, Sat 29 Oct A wonderful indoor event where you will find locally talented traders selling their high quality hand made items. You will find Leather, jewellery, wooden crafts, candles, Forever Living and Usborne books, photography. Tring Baptist Church, 89 High Street, Tring, HP23 4AE

Charlie Landsborough - Fri 14 Oct Charlie Landsborough heads out with his band on his only UK tour this year playing songs from across his entire career. Many artists talk of giving something back, and some actually do. Charlie Landsborough certainly does. The Stables, Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes MK17 8LU

Charter Fair - Sat 15 Oct Annual Charter Fair in Buckingham town centre. The fair includes, dodgems, sideshows, haunted house and much more. The fair will be opened by the Town Crier and Buckingham Mayor Cllr, Andy Mahi at 1pm Buckingham Town Centre MK18 1JP

Owen O’Neil: Red Noise - Fri 14 Oct Owen O’Neill has performed Red Noise all over the world from New York City to villages in the Yorkshire Dales. He is a veteran of this mix of Poetry, Theatrical Monologue and Comedy, managing to blend all three to perfection. Ley Hill Memorial Hall HP5 3QR

Family Arts Festival - Why The Whales came - Tue 18 Oct Children Gracie and Daniel have been forbidden to go near the mysterious and seemingly dangerous Birdman. Stantonbury Theatre, Stantonbury, Milton Keynes MK14 6BN Harry Hook- About Africa - Tue 18 Oct Film Director and Photographer Harry Hook spent his childhood in Kenya and has been filming beautiful images of the African Continent and its people for over forty years. Aylesbury Waterside Theatre HP20 1UG

Orion and the Dark - Sat 15 Oct Peaceful Lion Orion is scared of more or less everything. He’s terrified of wasps and monsters, afraid of sheds and storms, panicked by spiders and fearful of heights but there is one thing that scares him more than anything else. Stantonbury Theatre, Stantonbury, Milton Keynes MK14 6BN

Concrete Pint Beer & Cider Festival - Wed 19 to Sat 22 Oct The 23rd Concrete Pint will feature 90 cask beers, many of them local-ish to the area. The Buszy, Station Square, Elder Gate, Milton Keynes MK9 1LR

Sweeter than Roses – William Shakespeare Sat 15 Oct Those lovely people who brought you evenings with Samuel Pepys, John Dryden, and some exquisite Jacobean and other period music are back for another delightful evening. York House Centre, London Road, Stony Stratford MK11 1JQ

StonyBreakDown! 5 - Sat 22 Oct Well chaw my gator and hogtie my stogie, the banjos, mandolins and fiddles are back for a fifth glorious evening of Americana. This time we welcome: Band of Brothers, Stained Glass Bluegrass, The Rocky Road Pilgrims, and The Jackson Creek. York House Centre, London Road, Stony Stratford MK11 1JQ

Cat Weatherill: Lost in the Lamplight - Sat 15 Oct Join one of Europe’s most magical performers for an evening of deliciously atmospheric tales, told by lamplight, with song and an array of musical instruments. You will be spellbound. Suitable for 12 years and over. Akeley Village Hall MK18 5HB

Michael Lunts: Flanders & Swann Revisited Sat 22 Oct Flanders and Swann meet John Betjeman in this delightful and witty musical evening bringing together two great exponents of British humour whose work remains as funny and perceptive today as it did in the Fifties and Sixties. Pitstone Memorial Hall LU7 9EY

Harvest Festival - Sat 15 and Sun 16 Oct Discover the fascinating traditions of our farming history. This ever-popular annual event provides a unique opportunity to explore the sights, sounds and smells of harvest past, with the Museum’s restored threshing machine working hard. Chiltern

Half-term: Hallowe’en trail - Sat 22 to Mon 31 Oct Follow our creepy hallowe’en trail

through the gardens to unravel the darker side of the Sleeping Beauty story. Picking up from where we left off at Easter, the terrifying tale of Sleeping Beauty continues. Stowe, New Inn Farm, Buckingham MK18 5EQ

you are in for. The Old School Room, Weedon HP22 4NS Drypoint Prinitng Drop-In Workshops - Sat 29 Oct 10.30am – 12.30pm and 1.30pm – 3.30pm Have a go at drypoint printing – no mess, quick and fun. Run by artists from Bucks, Beds and Herts Print Society. Suitable for families. Small charge per person per print. Buckinghamshire County Museum and Roald Dahl Childrens Gallery, Church Street, Aylesbury HP20 2QP

Waddesdon Manor - Horrible Hallowe’en Sat 22 to Mon 31 Oct Throughout half term there will be our ever popular Hallowe’en trail as well as pumpkin carving and much more. Check back nearer the time for full details. Booking Not Needed. Suitable for children of all ages. Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, near Aylesbury HP18 0JH

Stony Oktoberfest - Sat 29 Oct MKBiergarten and York House Centre have teamed up to offer Stony Stratford (and everyone else!) a chance to enjoy the Biergarten experience, but on a larger scale. York House Centre, London Road, Stony Stratford MK11 1JQ

Dirty Beasts Creepy Half Term Craft Activities - Mon 24 to Fri 28 Oct Be inspired by Roald Dahl’s Dirty Beasts to create your own creepy creatures to take home. A different creature each day. 10am - noon, 1 3 pm, all ages. Buckinghamshire County Museum and Roald Dahl Children’s Gallery, Church Street, Aylesbury HP20 2QP

Halloween Bonfire & Fireworks Party - Sat 29 Oct Annual Bonfire & Fireworks Party. This popular event, organised by Princes Risborough Rotary Club and with the Fireworks Display by Total Pyro. Princes Risborough School Playing Field HP27 0DR

Journey’s End - Thu 27 Oct Immersion Theatre Company March 1918. "The war to end all wars" Anxiety builds in Captain Stanhope’s claustrophobic dugout as the threat of an imminent German attack looms over the battalion. Stantonbury Theatre MK14 6BN

Claydon Spooktacular Party - Sat 29 Oct Dress up for the occasion and enjoy the delights of Claydon after dark on this very special evening. Discover your future in the crystal ball, be amazed by magicians and dare to see what goes bump in the night in the black and white hall. Claydon, Middle Claydon, near Buckingham MK18 2EY

Family Arts Festival - Bad Guys - Fri 28 Oct Stars of CBeebies Spot BotsFamily friendly slapstick comedy group Three Half Pints are back with a bang this year. Derek, Ernie & Dick are really bored of being good. It’s just GOT to be more fun being a baddie. Stantonbury Theatre, Stantonbury, Milton Keynes MK14 6BN

Amersham Concert Club - Sat 29 Oct Chamber Music Concert given by Amy Green – saxophone, Christine Zerafa – piano. Divertimento ~ Roger Boutry, Concerto in D minor ~ Alessandro Marcello, Piece en forme de Habanera ~ Ravel, Six Studies in English Folk Songs ~ Vaughan Williams. Dr Challoner’s High School, Cokes Lane, Little Chalfont, Amersham HP7 9QB

Halloween Spectacular - Fri 28 Oct Bring the family to our unforgettable, unmissable evening of spooky fun for all ages Chiltern Open Air Museum, Newland Park, Gorelands Lane, Chalfont St Giles HP8 4AB Aylesbury Beer Festival - Fri 28 and Sat 29 Oct Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity is excited to announce the return of the Aylesbury Beer Festival! Bucks CC Sports and Social Club, Lower Road, Stoke Mandeville HP21 9DR

Dotty The Dragon - Sun 30 Oct Blunderbus Theatre Company Dotty is a baby Fire Dragon. She lives in a dusty old castle with her grumpy dad, Mr Dragon. She loves to watch the children playing in the village below, and wishes she could play with them too! Stantonbury Theatre MK14 6BN

Victor & Albert Talk About Love - Fri 28 Oct An evening of comedy, music, interaction and a little sprinkling of magic. Think of Morecambe and Wise (with a piano) dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century and you will get a good idea of the evening

Family Arts Festival - Underneath a Magical Moon - Sun 30 Oct Through her open window Wendy Darling gazes out at the night sky dreaming of blue lagoons, magical moons and the stories that she can tell. Stowe House, Stowe, Buckingham MK18 5EH