What’s On in October

1 & 2 OCTOBER

The 22nd Ashwell Book Weekend Sat 10am-5pm Sun 1.30pm-4.30pm St Mary’s Church, Ashwell Entry £1, under 16s free A great selection of books to browse and buy for children and adults, both fiction and non-fiction. Tea, coffee and cakes available.

1, 7 & 8 OCTOBER

Ladies’ Day 7.30pm Meppershall Village Hall, Shefford Tickets £12. HATS Drama Group presents the award-winning comedy ‘Ladies’ Day’ by Amanda Whittington. Bar opens 7.00pm. www.ticketsource.co.uk/hats-drama

2 OCTOBER

Fun Charity Quiz 8pm Five Bells, Henlow Village £2.50 per person. Teams of up to 6 members. Prizes for the first two teams and last place. Raffle. In aid of Guide Dogs (Bedfordshire Branch). T: John 07511 631045 E: quizzesforcharity@outlook.com

3 OCTOBER

Monday Meet Up Social Group 10.30am-12pm Baldock Library Meets first Monday of the month with a different theme every month. Theme for October is ‘Spoken Word Artist’. Drop in for a cuppa, a chat and make new friends.

3 OCTOBER

Soft Toy Sleepover 4-4.30pm Baldock library Settle your toy to bed with a story. Toys to sleep at the library and be picked up on 4 October.

3, 6, 9, 13, 17, 20, 24, 27 & 31 OCTOBER

Retired Persons Table Tennis Club Mondays 11am-1.30pm, Thursdays 1.30-4pm. Memorial Hall, Stotfold The club plays both doubles and singles. Monthly subscription payable. Vacancies for new members (but not beginners). Please email Terry for further details. Email: terrygriffiths50@gmail.com 62

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 OCTOBER

Monday Painting Group 9am-12pm. Letchworth Corner Sports Club, Whitethorn Lane Meets every Monday. Each term we choose a selection of subjects to paint. Tel: Valerie Williams 01462 624439 Email: mondaypainting@lalg.org.uk

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 OCTOBER

Stevenage Singers 7.30pm for 7.45pm The Music Centre, The Nobel School, Mobbsbury Way, Stevenage Stevenage Singers are ready to welcome new voices! They are so confident that you will enjoy it that they are giving you the first month FREE. Tel: Heather 01438 365769 Email: Info@stevenagesingers.org.uk Web: www.stevenagesingers.org.uk

3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 OCTOBER

Staplers Folk Dance Club 8.00-10.00pm. St Johns Community Hall, St John’s Road, Hitchin Members £3, guests £4. Meets Monday evenings. Dance a wide variety of styles from dances written in the 1600s to modern American Contras and Squares. Web: www.staplers.org.uk

3, 10, 17 & 31 OCTOBER

Stevenage Choral Society 7.45pm. Stevenage Music Centre, Mobbsbury, Stevenage Meets every Monday during term time. No audition necessary. Meet like-minded people of all ages and abilities. Tel: 01438 365769 Email: info@stevenagechoral.org.uk Web: www.stevenagechoral.org.uk

4 OCTOBER

Black and White Bookmaking 10.30-11.30am Baldock Library Free – donations welcome Even newborn babies enjoy books. Come and find out more and make a special book to share with baby. Spaces limited so booking essential – call into the library or phone. Tel: 0300 123 4049

4, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25 & 28 OCTOBER

Bridge Club 1pm Howgills, South View, Letchworth £3. Tuesdays and Fridays. Play from 1pm. Beginners and improvers – we play very friendly Rubber Bridge. Tel: Gill Cheaney 01462 686806 Email: bridgeclub@lalg.org.uk

5 OCTOBER

Aircraft Enthusiasts’ Group 1pm Shuttleworth ‘Women Pilots of the ATA’ by Ted Martin. Meets first Wednesday of every month. Entry to Shuttleworth £19.50 or email to book free entry ticket. Email: 99aegr@gmail.com Web: www.a-e-g.org.uk

5 OCTOBER

North Herts Association of the National Trust 7.30pm. Christchurch, Bedford Road, Hitchin Non-members £3 on the door ‘Secret London Virtual Walking Tour’ with Diane Burstein, one of London’s best-known and versatile tour guides. Tel: 07831 111062 Email: colettehouse@gmail.com www.facebook.com/nhertsant/

5, 12, 19 & 26 OCTOBER

Hinxworth Art Society 10am-12pm Hinxworth Village Hall Drawing, painting, coffee and chat. No need to book. Email: 99aegr@gmail.com

5 & 19 OCTOBER

Meet and Compete 2-3.30pm Stevenage Library The group meets every other week in the front area of the library to play scrabble and other board games. All ages welcome.

6 OCTOBER

The Arts Society North Herts Doors open 10.15am, 11am-12.15pm Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Eastcheap, Letchworth ‘John Singer Sargent – Much More than a Modern van Dyck’ by Frank Woodgate. Visitors welcome. Lift access. Web: theartssocietynorthherts.org.uk Please mention The Villager and Town Life when responding to adverts

WHAT’S ON IN OCTOBER

6 OCTOBER

Poetry In Its Environment 3.30pm Baldock Library Tickets £1. Poetry reading by local poets J.S. Watts and Chris Burleigh. Spaces limited so booking essential - call into the library or phone. Tel: 0300 123 4049

6 OCTOBER

Celebrate National Poetry Day 7-10pm Hitchin Library Entry £2. All about ‘The Environment,’ with local poets from North Herts and Central Beds. (Poetry ID). Hear personal interpretations of classic and contemporary poems. Book an open mic. slot on arrival. No advance booking needed. Email: djsapt@gmail.com

6, 13, 20 & 27 OCTOBER

Hitchin Thursday Art Club 9.30am-12pm. St. John’s Community Centre, St. John’s Road, Hitchin We meet every Thursday for painting and drawing, etc. We are a friendly group who enjoy art and chatting. Tel: Mike 07977 347707

7, 14, 21 & 28 OCTOBER

Bridge Club 1.30-4.30pm Springfield House, Old Stevenage Community Centre Play social cut-in Chicago Bridge. Play is informal and friendly. Tel: Richard Bean 01438 221517

8 OCTOBER

The Ultimate Decades Disco Doors open 7.15pm, 7.30pm-11.30pm Tickets £5 + booking fee STMA Digswell Hall, 10, Hitchin Road, Shefford The Players at STMA present all the best sounds from the 60s, 70s and 80s. Tel: 01462 816336 Web: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ themeppershallplayers

8 & 28 OCTOBER

Sabbath Service 11am & 7pm Stevenage Liberal Synagogue welcomes members and visitors to their sabbath services on the second Saturday morning and fourth Friday evening of the month. Tel: 01438 300222 stevenageliberalsynagogue@gmail. com Web: www. stevenageliberalsynagogue.org.uk

10 OCTOBER

Icknield Quilters 7.45pm Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock Meets second Monday of the month. Visitors welcome.

12 OCTOBER

Letchworth Music Concert 7.45pm. Howgills, 42 South View, Letchworth Tickets £15, under 18/students £7.50 Quartet Camerata will be playing music by Haydn, Beethoven, Piazzola and Verdi to open the first concert of the new season. Tickets available at the door.

14 OCTOBER

Unicorn Ceilidh Doors open 7.30pm St Mary’s Church Hall, Church Street, Baldock With 3 Sticks and caller Sheena Masson. Red Cuthbert Morris TBC in the interval spot. Ceilidh dances are great fun, easy to learn - and addictive! Book online. Tel: Alan Creamer 07946 439095 Web: www.unicornceilidhs.org.uk

15 OCTOBER-16 APRIL

Changing Times: A Century of Modern British Art Exhibition The Higgins, Bedford Free entry. Visitors will find sculpture, paintings and works on paper by some of the best-known and well-loved names in British art. Web: www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk

16 OCTOBER

Not Strictly Jazz 5-7pm. Tickets £20, 10-18 years £10 Fairfield House & Studio, Fairfield Road, Biggleswade Live music performed by exceptional musicians. Tel: 01767 312176 Email: sarahwiggs@hotmail.co.uk

18 OCTOBER

Stevenage RSPB Local Group 7.30pm. The Friends Meeting House, Cutty’s Lane, Stevenage Members £3, non-members £4, accompanied under 16s 50p Talk by Ann Scott entitled ‘The Silk Road’. Tel: 01438 236310 Email: trevorstorey54@gmail.com

19 OCTOBER

Hitchin Flower Club 7.30pm Church House, next to St Mary’s Church Churchyard, Hitchin Visitors £8. ‘Loosely Round the Solar System’ a floral demonstration by Christine Long.

20 OCTOBER

Hitchin Friendship Club 2.15-4.15pm. St Michaels Mount Community Centre Meets third Thursday of the month. Interesting talks, pub lunches, day trips, coffee mornings, holidays and much more. Refreshments, book exchange, raffle and quiz. Tel: 07974 374106

27 OCTOBER

Stevenage RSPB Local Group Trip to Fowlmere. Meet 10.00am No charge for RSPSB members Morning walk around the RSPB Reserve in Cambridgeshire to look for resident birds and arriving winter visitors., plus trout and crayfish in the spring waters. Meet in the car park at grid ref 54/TL 408458. Postcode SG8 7SH. Leader Trevor Storey. Email: trevorstorey54@gmail.com