st albans NOW Jan 19

st albans

NOW January 2019

Healthy New Year Walk, Talks & More Big Garden Bird Watch Event Cinema NOW at The Local Theatres

What’s on & lots more

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To Adv

Welcome to January I’m sure like us you’re probably thinking of promises you’ll make to yourself, about healthy eating, exercise, and maybe helping neighbours a bit more, perhaps bringing in someones wheelie bin, or checking on elderly neighbours, particularly at this time of year, the odd Random Act of Kindness can make a huge difference.

Raise a glass of fizz and have a Happy New Year one and all...

Jane & Wendy 12 months £33 per edition £40 per edition £49 per edition £84 per edition

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Walk, Talks & More

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birds, ghosts & soilders

NOW at The Local Theatres

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music, drama & more

NOW for Some Music

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folk, jazz & classical

NOW at The Alban Arena

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music for all

Big Garden Bird Watch

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get counting

Happy New Year!

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music, magic, museums & more

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Healthy New Year healthy body, healthy mind

3 months £43 per edition £52 per edition £64 per edition £110 per edition

other options are available

Please get in touch jane@theNOWmagazines.com 07983 588291

Deadline 10th Jan for Feb edition

Event Cinema

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drama, opera & comedy

NOW at the Museum

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games in the galleries

Do Something for Charity

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thinking of others

What’s on in January & February

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Index of Businesses

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Planning a Party?

Celebrate in style with a party at The County Club, St Albans A private members club that has been in the heart of the city for over 125 years The Club is perfect for parties and we’ve hosted many 30th, 40th and 50th birthdays.

We have a great bar, function room and outdoor terrace and can also cater for buffets The Club is just 100 yards from the City Station and has onsite parking If you would like to view the Club or check availability, please call or email us, and we’ll do all we can to make your party special 29 Ridgmont Road St Albans AL1 3AG 01727 759445 manager@thecountyclub.org

To Advertise: 07983 588291 jane@theNOWmagazines.com

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Healthy New Year RED January Whether it’s running 5k, walking to work, a morning swim or taking your bike out for a spin, join the thousands of people around the UK kick-starting 2019 in the most positive way.

The charity, Mind is continuing their partnership with RED January, a community initiative that encourages you to support your mental health by doing something active every day. It can provide you with a goal and a focus in an often tough month, empowering you to start the year as you mean to go on. All achievements are celebrated, no matter how big or small and the RED community is there to support you every step of the way.

While taking part you can fundraise for Mind, or just do it for your own well-being. In 2018, the RED community raised over £1 million, helping to continue the vital services offered by Mind.

Register now at mind.org.uk/redjanuary

The Biggest Loser starting 7th Jan Change your life forever in just 12 weeks, get fit and healthy, look good, feel great, and make new friends along the way with The Biggest Loser Challenge. You’ll be supported and motivated by the expert team at Everyone Active to: ● Get the body you've always wanted ● Build confidence ● Reduce stress, tension and risk of disease ● Improve mood, energy and sleeping patterns ● Improve fitness levels and life expectancy The challenge is run by The Hospice of St Francis why not transform your life and the lives of patients at the Hospice by signing up now stfrancis.org.uk

Dryathlon Can you stay sober for 31 days?

Take on the ultimate test of willpower by going booze-free this January and raise vital funds to help beat cancer.

Not only will you be raising money for life-saving research but you’ll also have a hangover free month and get all these benefits too: ● Have more energy and get more done ● Sleep better or even snore less ● Cut the boozy calories and lose weight ● Eat more healthily and increase your activity ● Have a healthier, happier bank balance ● Feel a sense of achievement ● Get a fresh outlook on your alcohol consumption Why not sign up to be a Dryathlete today cancerresearchuk.org

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A Simple Guide to Sustainable Weight Loss Following through from the approach I take with clients in my practice, my new book, The Weight Loss Puzzle covers many aspects concerned with weight gain such as nutrition, stress, poor digestion, sleep, and limiting beliefs. It’s a quick, easy read, aimed at busy people, while being packed full of information, ideas and tips, including a variety of simple quick recipes for weight loss and a healthy lifestyle.

The book is available from Amazon and visionholisticweightconsultancy.co.uk Jacqueline Rayment

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Walks, Talks & More

RSPB Walks

St Albans Ghost Walk

All events are run by RSPB volunteers and are free with an optional donation of £1 to the RSPB. Park Street Pits and How Wood 4th Jan 8am Guided walk at the flooded sand and gravel excavation pits which provide four fishing lakes, wooded areas and open fields making a varied habitat. There is an optional brunch.

Park on the road by the playing fields on Park Street Lane AL2 2NE Harpenden Lea Valley 6th Jan 8am - 10.15am Guided walk identifying local birds. Meet on the River Lea bridge, at the junction of Crabtree Lane and Marquis Lane.

Bird Watching at Rye Meads Nature Reserve 13th Jan 9.30am With its many trails and hides, the reserve beside the River Lea, offers close up views of wintering birds including snipe, green sandpiper, shoveler and teal. With an optional visit to Amwell Gravel Pits in the afternoon. Park in Amwell Lane, Stanstead Abbotts SG12 9SU Batford Springs and Leasey Bridge 23rd Jan 9.45 am Half day birdwatching walk. Meet on corner of Station Road and Marquis Lane, Harpenden.

Call the leader if you plan to go on 01582 764226 rspb.org.uk

15th Jan 7pm - 9pm Why not discover the hidden and ghostly side of St Albans on this chilling walk led by a St Albans Tour Guide. You will visit local places noted for strange events, and hear stories of well known (and lesser known) ghosts.

The walk, in aid of Crohn’s & Colitis UK’s Mid & East Herts Local Network, is free but donations towards the charity will be appreciated.

Age 12+ The Clock Tower St Albans AL3 4EL eventbrite.co.uk

Sustainable St Albans Low Carbon Lifestyle 14th Jan 7.30pm - 9.30pm Guest speaker Carolina Karlstrom will discuss the opportunities and challenges of living a low carbon lifestyle. No one can do everything but we can all do something, so why not go along for an inspiring evening which will include time for questions, discussion and networking.

Free, but please book: sustainablestalbans.org/our-planet-events/ The Harpenden Arms, Harpenden AL5 2TR

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Luton Hoo Walled Garden Talk: WWI Soldiers at Luton Hoo 25th Jan 10.30am - 12.30pm Who were the 99 men on the Luton Hoo Estate Roll of Honour? Hear the story of how the people behind the list of names was discovered and glimpse into what the Estate was like during WWI A donation of £5 for the garden revival project is requested, no need to book Luton Hoo Walled Garden LU1 4LF (there is no entrance from the hotel) lutonhooestate.co.uk or 01582 721443

St Albans Green Ring This continuous 6.5 mile cycling and walking route around the City connects many of our green spaces, beauty spots and heritage sites, schools, workplaces, leisure facilities and residential areas.

The route extends from Townsend in the north to Fleetville in the east, Sopwell in the south and the Verulam Estate to the west, passing some 13 green spaces.

Among the places linked by the route are Batchwood, Clarence Park, The Wick, St Albans Rail Station, the Sopwell Ruins, Westminster Lodge, the Roman Museum and Theatre, Verulamium Park and the Cathedral.

To see a map of the Green Ring follow this link stalbans.gov.uk/transport-and-streets/ greenring/

Cervical Cancer Prevention Week 21st - 27th Jan Smear tests aren’t easy for everyone, but they can save lives. Every day in the UK 9 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3 women lose their lives from the disease.

It’s the most common cancer in women aged 35 and 75% of cervical cancers are prevented by cervical screening (smear tests), however 1 in 4 women don’t attend this potentially lifesaving test.

To reduce your risk: - Attend cervical screenings when invited - Be aware of the symptoms, - Seek medical advice if necessary - Take up the HPV vaccination if aged 11-18 - For more information or to get involved with fundraising visit jostrust.org.uk #SmearForSmear 2019

Binas Beauty Promotion & Nails £15 for Professional Freelance Make Up Artist

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Please call to book 07712 211825 binasbeauty1 binasbeauty1@gmail.com www.binasbeauty.co.uk

Great Offers Available This Month, Call or Check Online

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NOW at the Local Theatres

Swing Time with Five Star Swing 20th Jan 6pm Swing-along with songs from Glenn Miller, Sinatra, Basie and Ella Fitzgerald, with Simone from the Ivy Benson Orchestra, and Herb Miller The Sandpit Theatre AL4 9NX Big Band (Glenn’s brother) £19.50 Exhibition on Screen: Rory Bremner & Jan Ravens Degas; Passion for the Perfection 22nd Jan 7.30pm 6th Jan 3pm She's Merkel To His Trump. He's Boris to her This film tells the fascinating story of Degas’ Theresa. Two of Britain's finest impressionists pursuit for perfection through both come together to create a unique mix of experimentation with new techniques and lessons impressions and satire. £21, age 16+ learnt from studying the past masters. £5 Icons: Celebrating The Legendary Divas Fame 26th Jan 7.30pm 19th & 20th Jan Packed with non-stop hits from the leading ladies Set in the 80s in New York City's High School for of music this show is guaranteed to have you the Performing Arts, this is the story of a group of singing and dancing all night. £22 students who commit to four years of gruelling radlettcentre.co.uk work. The show explores the issues that confront many young people today. A heart-warming Maltings Arts Theatre AL1 3HL musical about trust, team work, ambition and Lot Vekemans' Poison making your dreams come true. £14, concs £12 17th - 19th & 24th - 26th Jan sandpittheatre.co.uk After not speaking for ten years, an estranged couple is forced to understand what happened to The Radlett Centre WD7 8HL their marriage and their lives. Can they help each The Elvis Years - The Story of the King other to make sense of the past so they can both 10th Jan 7.30pm move on?

Join Mario Kombou (Jailhouse Rock, West End), maltingsartstheatre.co.uk an all-star band and award-winning singers on a Abbey Theatre AL1 2DL journey through over 50 golden greats. With film footage, and hits such as Suspicious Minds, Blue Silly Cow by Ben Elton 18th - 26th Jan Suede Shoes, Hound Dog and many more. £24 Doris Wallace has everything a tough tabloid The American Four Tops Show: columnist could want; a toy boy, a ready supply Get Ready Cos Here They Come! of drugs and the prospect of her own TV show.

12th Jan 7.30pm But then everything starts to go wrong. A laughDirect from the USA, with powerful vocals, and cleverly choreographed dance routines this show out-loud comedy presented by Company of Ten abbeytheatre.org.uk is guaranteed to leave you breathless! £23 Michael Portillo, Life: A Game of Two Halves The Barn Theatre AL8 6ST 13th Jan 7.30pm The Lion in Winter by James Goldman Since leaving politics Michael has shown us his 18th - 26th Jan love of the great railways and the effect they have Henry II throws a Christmas feast for the newly on the daily lives of people around the world. crowned King of France. Also home for the Listen to his story, told with a “parliamentary holidays are Henry’s three sons, each eager to standup” wit, followed by a Q & A and book take the throne, and his manipulative wife signing. £18 Eleanor of Aquitaine. The need to appear a Think Floyd - Live in Concert happy family doesn’t stop each Plantagenet from 18th Jan 7.30pm secretly plotting to take the others down. £13 Recreating the atmosphere, visual magnitude barntheatre.co.uk and musical excellence of Pink Floyd. £24.50

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NOW for some Music

St Nicholas Church Harpenden AL5 2TP Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra 12th Jan 7.30pm Myaskovsky Serenade in E Flat Tchaikovsky Variations on a Rococo Theme Richard Strauss Overture and Dance Scene from Ariadne auf Naxos Mozart Symphony no. 40 in G minor All proceeds to Harpenden charity, the A-T Society. Advance £12, on the door £15, child £5 hertfordshirechamberorchestra.org.uk

The Horn

Maltings Arts Theatre St Albans AL1 3HL The Town Musicians of Bremen and Megan Wisdom 4th Jan A trio of musicians perform mainly original traditional and contemporary music, supported by a singer with a passion for the traditional folk songs of the British Isles.

Herts Jazz David Newton Trio 8th Jan Multi award-winning pianist in a class of his own.

Alan Barnes Quintet 15th Jan Together with top trumpeter Mark Armstrong and a sound rhythm section they breathe fresh energy into some classic material.

Neil Angilley Trio 22nd Jan The piano maestro is back, with his own trio performing his latest original suite “The Lake District” from his newly released CD. Jam Experiment 29th Jan The Ingham brothers have found a successful niche in jazz, with an unusual instrumentation forming the basis of their original material. maltingsartstheatre.co.uk

Bedford Corn Exchange Bedford MK40 1SL Ga Ga - Queen Tribute 12th Jan 7.30pm A Queen show like no other, no wigs, no makeup and definitely no false moustaches, just a host of massive Queen songs played like they were meant to be. £18, concs £16 The Best of Wham 18th Jan 8pm £20 in advance see page 12 bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

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St Albans AL1 3TE Whole Lotta DC 19th Jan 9pm The band deliver a true AC/DC experience every time, recreating that classic sound using the same Sonor, Gibson, Gretsch and Musicman instruments and Marshall Cabs used by the band today. Advance £12, on the door £14 The Spitfires 31st Jan 8pm Influenced by reggae and ska through to punk and soul.

Age 14+, under 18s to be accompanied by an adult. Advance £13.50, on the door £16 thehorn.co.uk

St Peter's Church St Albans AL1 3HG Pastime With Good Company 5th Jan 7.30pm With seasonal pieces and dance music by William Byrd, Walter Lambe, Henry VIII and others. Performed by the Pastime Ensemble, the Hengrave Singers, the Stonefield Consort of Viols and the Abberley Recorder Consort.

Free, collection in aid of Friends of St Peter’s.

Amadeus Chamber Orchestra 26th Jan 7.30pm Debussy ~ Danse Sacrée et Danse Profane Mozart ~ Piano Concerto no.21 in C K467 Mozart ~ Symphony no.31 (Paris) K297/300a Ravel ~ Pavane pour une infante défunte Ravel ~ Le Tombeau de Couperin Advance £13, on the door £15, child £3 amadeuschamberorchestra.org.uk

Wardown House Luton LU2 7HA Violin Duo from Rising Stars 27th Jan 2pm - 4pm Two classical violin rising stars, Spanish violinist Lucia Veintimilla and Dutch violinist Tim de Vries, present a programme ranging from baroque to contemporary music. £7 lutonculture.com/wardown-house

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WIN tickets for The Best of Wham!

18th Jan 8pm Bedford Corn Exchange St Paul's Square, Bedford MK40 1SL Featuring the best of George, Andrew, Pepsi and Shirlie with sensational vocals, choreography, costumes and an awesome live band. This show includes all those hits, a few B side favourites and a couple of early George Michael bonus songs.

This fun-loving, vibrant, megamix tribute to the pop sensation of the 80s will be loved by 'Young Guns' of all ages, so come along to the 'Club Tropicana'.

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets email ‘WHAM’ by 8th January to wendy@theNOWmagazines.com

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Do You Enjoy Making Music?

Abbey Gateway Orchestra has been instrumental in the life of local musicians for more than 50 years, first as the Oakwood Orchestra, then the College Orchestra and now as Abbey Gateway Orchestra.

We are a friendly, welcoming group of diverse players who are encouraged to play to our best ability and to enjoy music making. The orchestra is well suited to musicians wanting to ease back into orchestral playing after a gap.

Abbey Gateway Orchestra boasts its own stable of composers, soloists and assistant conductors.

They all contribute to innovative programming and community projects. This season players have the opportunity to perform original and neglected repertoire alongside mainstream symphonies, to volunteer to play a concerto with the orchestra at a workshop, to accompany carols at a Christmas sing-a-long concert, to perform original works written by A Level students at a local school and to provide a live orchestra for a ballet school.

We meet during term times at 8-10pm on a Thursday evening at St Michael’s School, St Albans. If you are interested in joining us, we currently have vacancies for additional players, especially in the violin and viola sections. For more details, please visit the vacancies section of our website, email andrew@abbeygateway.org or call 07769 672308. abbeygateway.org

Classical Guitar Tuition

www.merlinmiller.co.uk 07831572618

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Build • Replace • Repair

For All Your Carpentry & Property Maintenance Needs

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NOW for Some Art Exhibition: Colour Snap 3rd Jan - 7th Feb Five national and international artists investigate a playful approach to colour, exploring the ways in which it shapes our world. Using installation, moving image, painting and textile work, the exhibition encourages physical, emotional and personal responses to colour.

UHArts, Art and Design Gallery, Hatfield AL10 9AB uharts.co.uk

Arts on Prescription Photography Workshops 12th & 19th Jan 2pm - 4pm Arts on Prescription offers art classes for people suffering from mild to moderate depression, anxiety or stress. These workshops will explore your creativity with a camera. Beginners are welcome, full cost £5, concs £2. Please call 01727 819303 or email rose.gooding@1life.co.uk for a referral form for your GP or support worker Mind in Mid Herts, St Albans AL1 3RR mindinmidherts.org.uk

British Wildlife Photography Awards A Celebration of British Wildlife 21st Jan - 24th March The awards celebrate the work of amateur and professional photographers and the beauty and diversity of British wildlife. Winning images are chosen from thousands of entries in fifteen separate categories including two junior categories. The Overall Winning Image (pictured) ‘Contrails at Dawn’

by Paul Colley. Ghostly contrails reveal the flight paths and wing beats of Daubenton’s bats. This was a challenge of photographing the high-speed flight of these small mammals in the dark. “No other image in my portfolio had been so clearly conceived and yet so difficult to achieve.”

The extraordinary range of subjects and the imaginative way they are portrayed, shows that in Britain we have some of the most talented photographers in the world.

Stockwood Discovery Centre, Luton LU1 4LX bwpawards.org

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NOW at the Alban Arena Beyond the Barricade 11th Jan 7.30pm £23.50 The best of Broadway and the West End, together with a live band. This show delivers the material as if the audience is watching the original performance.

Back to Bacharach: What The World Needs Now Concert Tour 12th Jan 7.30pm £23, £21.50 A fantastic show for all ages, friends and family.

The vocalists have recently performed on tours with Strictly Come Dancing arena tour, Jesus Christ Superstar ,The Phantom of the Opera, My Fair Lady and Miss Saigon.

The Johnny Cash Roadshow 13th Jan 7.30pm £24, £22.50 Songs from the San Quentin live album will be performed mixed with all the hits and favourite songs that we all know and love.

Glenn Miller Orchestra 14th Jan 7.30pm £25, £23 Audiences of all ages will be thrilled by the sound of this amazing Big Band.

The Estefan Experience 17th Jan 7.30pm £23.50 This show stopping Latin extravaganza includes a 12 piece band with Cuban themed singers and dancers and the most iconic Pop songs of the era ‘‘Rhythm is Gonna Get You’, ’Dr Beat’, ’Coming Out Of The Dark’ and many more.

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ABBA Forever 18th Jan 8pm £23.50 The unique Abba sound is replicated, using a sixpiece band featuring electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards and piano, drums and bass guitar, for a well-polished show.

The Hertfordshire Wedding Fair 19th Jan 11am - 4pm Free A Concert in Honour of Jim Rodford 20th Jan 7.30pm £25 The Zombies with special guests Arc present a concert in memory of legendary St Albans musician Jim Rodford (bassist for Argent, The Kinks, and The Zombies among many others).

The Classic Rock Show 22nd Jan 7.30pm £34.50, £24.50 From AC/DC to ZZ Top and everything in between. This show brings the original recordings back to life ending in a show-stopping guitar duel that is definitely not to be missed.

Swinging at the Cotton Club 24th Jan 7.30pm £22.50 Step back into 1920s and ’30s New York City and through the doors of Harlem’s hottest nightclub, ‘The Cotton Club’. This action-packed show celebrates the music and dance of New York’s most celebrated nightclub.

Royal Marines Band Concert 25th Jan 7.30pm £27, £24 The Band and Corps of Drums, H.M. Royal Marines present classical, popular and military music, organised in aid of charities by the local Rotary Clubs.

A Luther Vandross Celebration 26th Jan 7.30pm £22.50 Celebrate ‘The Velvet Voice’ with many of the greatest dance anthems and love songs ever written, fronted by international Luther Vandross tribute Harry Cambridge and his 10 piece band.

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant 29th Jan 1.30pm & 30th Jan 10.30am £14, £12 Based on the classic children’s books, Elmer is a celebration of individuality and the power of laughter!

Think Floyd 31st Jan 7.30pm £24.50 This extraordinary band, dubbed the Definitive Pink Floyd Experience, are renowned for their stunning celebration of the music of one of the world’s greatest bands.

01727 844488 The Alban Arena AL1 3LD alban-arena.co.uk

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New Year Skating

Tower of London until 6th Jan 11am - 8pm Skate at London’s most iconic historical landmark, take in the magic and ambience of the castle beside the Thames, which offers a unique and unforgettable setting. There’s something for everyone whether you are a novice or an expert. toweroflondonicerink.co.uk

Hampton Court Palace East Moseley, Surrey KT8 9AJ until 6th Jan 11am - 8pm Skate against a backdrop of one of the greatest palaces on earth, Henry VIII’s historic home, with spectacular views of the Thames-side Tudor palace. Alongside the Ice Rink Café and Bar with a delicious new winter menu. hamptoncourticerink.co.uk

Van Hage Garden Centre Great Amwell SG12 9RP until 7th Jan Experience the magic of ice skating on the undercover ice rink. Different skating sessions include 6Skate, Parent and Toddler and Special Needs. Skating aids are available to hire for less confident skaters. vanhage.co.uk

Somerset House The Strand, London WC2R 1LA until 13th Jan 9am - 9pm Skate day or night with family and friends, at this beautiful ice rink. Skate Lates feature a special series of music nights throughout the season. Or enjoy après-skate and treat yourself at Fortnum’s Lodge. somersethouse.org.uk/skate

Natural History Museum Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD until 20th Jan 10am - 10pm Experience the thrill of skating surrounded by fairy lights nestled in frost-covered trees, with the smell of mulled wine and toasted marshmallows in the air. nhm.ac.uk

Canary Wharf Canada Square Park, London E14 5AH until 16th Feb Skate beneath the towering skyline of London, and glide across the ice beneath a canopy of flickering, fairy-lit trees. canarywharf.co.uk

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It’s Still Panto Time!

Aladdin until 3rd Jan The Radlett Centre Fabulous music, hilarious comedy, dazzling sets and costumes and lots of audience participation. radlettcentre.co.uk

Cinderella until 6th Jan The Alban Arena AL1 3LD With Rachel Stevens (S Club 7) as Cinderella, children’s favourite, Ben Faulks (CBeebies’) and local legend, Bob Golding, this time wearing the trousers! alban-arena.co.uk

Aladdin until 6th Jan CW Entertainment Welwyn Garden City AL8 6BX Be enthralled by a magic lamp, a wishgiving Genie and the search for true love as Aladdin wins the hand of the beautiful Princess Yasmin. cwentertainment.co.uk

Robin Hood until 13th Jan Milton Keynes Theatre With Soap favourite Shane Richie as Robin Hood, comedian Peter Piper as Friar Tuck and Musical Theatre star Gina Murray as The Spirit of Sherwood. atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes

Aladdin 13th Jan: Abbey Theatre AL1 2DL 24th - 27th Jan: Harpenden Public Halls AL5 1TE The Hurst Children’s Theatre Group bring you a show packed with songs, jokes and lots of audience participation - fun for all the family. £11, concs £8 hctg@live.co.uk

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Big Garden Birdwatch 26th - 28th Jan

The Big Garden Birdwatch started in 1979 when the RSPB were looking for a simple winter activity for junior members. They asked them to count the birds in their gardens, all at the same time, so they could work out what the UK's top 10 most common garden birds were.

Biddy Baxter, then editor of Blue Peter, liked the idea so much that she featured the survey on one of the programmes. They thought only a few hundred children would take part but they actually received more than 34,000 forms!

And that's how the 'one-off' activity grew into the yearly event it is today, although it wasn't until 2001 that adults were invited to join in the fun too.

With over half a million people now taking part, and almost 40 years of data, Big Garden Birdwatch allows the RSPB to monitor trends and understand how individual birds are doing.

As the format of the survey remains the same, the scientific data can be compared year-on-year, making your findings valuable to scientists.

With results from so many gardens, the RSPB can create a 'snapshot' of bird numbers across the UK. While changes in bird numbers can seem scary we've lost more than half our house sparrows and three-quarters of our starlings - it isn't all doom and gloom. Since Birdwatch began blue tit numbers have risen by 20% and the woodpigeon population has increased by a whopping 800%.

Your results help the RSPB spot problems, but more importantly, they are also the first step in putting things right. That’s why it's so important to count our garden birds, so make sure you do your bit.

Share your experiences on social media - don't forget to use #BigGardenBirdwatch rspb.org.uk

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Stamp Out Albatross Deaths Next time you receive a letter in the post, save the stamps, send them to the RSPB, and they’ll convert them to cash to help save albatrosses.

15 out of 22 albatross species are threatened with extinction. The main threat being death on a hook at the end of a fishing long-line. The Albatross Task Force is helping to save the birds from extinction both at sea and on land. They show fishing crews how to stop the birds from being killed and share the best techniques and tools.

The RSPB is working to stop the needless slaughter of these amazing birds and bring them back from the brink of extinction.

Working with stamp dealers and specialist auction houses, they can raise money for this vital work. Each stamp has a very small value, but in large quantities they can make a difference!

When you send your stamps, you're helping give albatrosses a brighter future by helping raise thousands of pounds for their conservation. Not bad for little bits of paper that would end up in the bin!

Please cut the stamp from the envelope, leaving about a quarter of an inch (6mm) paper border and send them to: RSPB Stamps, PO Box 6198, Leighton Buzzard, Beds LU7 9XT rspb.org.uk

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Happy New Year!

The Close-Up Show

London’s New Year’s Day Parade 1st Jan 12 noon free Watch the spectacular parade along the streets of London's West End. Starting at 12 noon on Piccadilly, then travelling along the following route: Piccadilly Circus, Lower Regent Street, Waterloo Place, Pall Mall, Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, Whitehall and Parliament Street.

There’ll be dancers, acrobats, cheerleaders, marching bands, historic vehicles and more, so enjoy a colourful celebration of contemporary performances and traditional pomp and ceremony, with huge balloons, music and confetti filling the air.

With more than 10,000 performers representing the London boroughs and countries from across the globe, this fantastic event attracts around 600,000 spectators and live television broadcasts in the UK and abroad. lnydp.com

Hyde Park Winter Wonderland until 6th Jan Daily 10am - 10pm, except Christmas Day There’s lots of new attractions this year including Peter Pan on Ice, Ice Sculpting Workshops, and a Comedy Club but let’s not forget the usual favourites, including an even bigger ice rink, jaw dropping acts in the Circus MegaDome, Giant Observation Wheel, Bar Ice and so much more. hydeparkwinterwonderland.com

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19th Jan & 16th Feb 8pm £17.50 An intimate evening of close-up magic, trickery and sleight of hand with three talented magicians. The audience will be limited so you can be as close to the magic as possible.

Magicians of contrasting styles will perform a 25-minute set each, typically with cards, coins and borrowed objects. A short interval between acts will help you catch your breath before the show resumes. Prepare to be amazed!

Age 10+ Hertford Theatre SG14 1PS hertfordtheatre.com

Tring Natural History Museum Workshop: Slipper Wednesdays until 9th Jan 10.30am £3 Discover nature indoors during the chilly months every Wednesday morning.

Toddler Time until 8th Feb 2.30pm Borrow something special and help your toddler explore and play around in the Museum, self led, drop in.

Tring, HP23 6AP nhm.ac.uk

St Albans Young Musicians Competition St Albans Cathedral Music Trust is inviting local pupils to take part in the eighth Young Musicians Competition which offers students a unique performance opportunity along with the chance to win cash prizes. To enter just upload a short sound file by 11th February.

Entry is free and students can enter under a number of categories, including Instrumental Ensembles, Vocal Ensembles, Bands, Orchestras, Choirs, Pop Groups, and as a Soloist in Strings, Brass, Wind, Percussion, Organ or Piano. Shortlisted entrants will be invited to take part in the Finals Competition in St Albans Cathedral on 3rd March. stalbansymc.org.uk

The Roald Dahl Museum Phizz-wizzing Thank You Letters 2nd Jan 12 noon, 1.30pm & 3pm Be as polite as Miss Honey and make a swishwiffling thank you letter for a sparky grownup, inspired by some of Roald Dahl’s letters. Create a special folded letter and get the chance to experiment with some swashboggling inks made with unusual ingredients such as tea, raspberries, beetroot and more.

All materials supplied. Age 5+ The Roald Dahl Museum, Bucks HP16 0AL roalddahl.com

New Year's Day 1st Jan 9.30am - 4pm Come along to Bletchley Park this New Year's Day and help us welcome in the New Year. Bring along family and friends and take in some fresh air with a walk around the historic site. The Gin Nook will be on-hand, mixing their unique cocktails including Hot Toddy’s, Spiced Chilli Hot Chocolate and Warmed Spiced Gin Punch. Hot chocolate, toasted marshmallows and roasted chestnuts will also be available.

Bletchley Park, Bucks MK3 6EB bletchleypark.org.uk

IWM Duxford Tour: Duxford Uncovered: The Historic Site selected dates in January Explore some of the notable wartime buildings crossing the historic Bailey Bridge into the rarely seen North Camp. Hear the story of Group Captain ‘Woody’ Woodhall, the mischievous Station Commander, as he led RAF Duxford’s men and women through the Battle of Britain.

View the Grade II-listed Officer’s Mess, former barracks and NAAFI store where Duxford’s servicemen could relax after a long day’s efforts during war and at peacetime.

This tour is conducted on board Duxfords’ new electric vehicle.

Please book, £10, child £5 IWM Duxford, Cambs CB22 4QR iwm.org.uk

Brambleton Model Railway Club Exhibition 19th Jan 10.30am - 5.30pm As always, the exhibition caters for both families and model railway enthusiasts with a mix of layouts, preservation stands and traders. There will also be an O gauge model of the now closed Harpenden East station.

Harpenden Public Halls AL5 1PD brambleton.org.uk

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New Year in the Garden

Recycling after the Festivities Christmas Trees 'Real' Christmas trees can be recycled and are often turned into chippings for parks. The council usually has special collections or organises drop-off points. Otherwise just take them to the local recycling centre. Remember to remove all decorations.

Christmas Cards Most cards are paper based and can be recycled with the envelopes, either in your home recycling collection, at local recycling points or at banks in supermarket car parks etc. Any ribbons, glitter or bows must be removed.

Christmas Decorations If your tinsel and glass or plastic baubles have lost their sparkle dispose of them carefully in the general waste.

Cover it up Dry off and cover up garden furniture to protect it from rain, cold, ice or even fungi. Buy furniture covers or store in a shed or garage, it will last longer.

Grow your own Aim to grow more fruit, vegetables and herbs, anything from buying a couple of tomato plants to taking on an allotment.

Compost more Include kitchen waste such as vegetable peelings, apple cores and teabags. Many local councils offer a good deal on basic plastic composters.

Use that space If you have a cold frame, porch, conservatory or greenhouse use it to increase what you can grow and when you can grow it. Raise summer flowers in it, force some bulbs in the winter or make offseason sowings of salad crops.

Mulch more Whether it is well-rotted manure, garden compost, used compost from a seasonal bedding display, grow bag or leaf mould, make it into mulch. Apply it a couple of inches or more over the soil surface, to improve its ability to conserve moisture, and help keep weeds at bay.

by Pippa Greenwood

Christmas Tree Lights Fairy lights can be recycled at recycling centres.

Some local authorities collect small electricals as part of their collections and may also provide collection bins at supermarkets etc

Wrapping Paper Non-foil wrapping paper can be re-cycled but remove all sticky tape and ribbon and ‘do the scrunch test’- scrunch up the paper, if it doesn't spring back it’s non-foil and can be recycled.

Batteries Don't throw old batteries in your bin, as they contain hazardous materials. Bag them separately and take them to the recycling centre, or drop them off at a battery recycling point in shops around town.

Local Recycling Centres Harpenden: Dark Lane, off Grove Road AL5 1QB St Albans: St Albans Road AL4 9XR recyclenow.com

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Stagecoach Students Stand Out! At Stagecoach Harpenden and Stagecoach St Albans, performing arts training starts at 4 years old. Early Stages classes for 4-7 year olds provide one and a half hours of coaching in dance, acting and singing; half an hour for each discipline. The young ..if you want your performers are split into two child to ‘Stand age groups of 4 - 5½ years and 5½ - 7 years, so Out’ and give teaching is focussed at the right level for each age shyness ‘the range. The older children boot’ book are gently prepared for entry your two week into the three hour main school at some time during trial now! their 7th year.

have fun learning songs with movement. All children are gently encouraged to sing solo to increase confidence. Dance classes help to improve spatial awareness and posture through warm-ups, corner work and simple fun routines.

Learning new steps and remembering routines is an excellent way to develop good memory and recall skills, whilst having great fun just enjoying dance.

Early Stages take part in two performances per year: a Demonstration of classwork to parents and a Mini-Show on stage in costume. Many of Harpenden and St Albans’ older students began their Stagecoach journey in Early Stages and many have stayed for the greater part of their school lives. They find friends who share a In Early Stages classes, the emphasis is on FUN, common interest in the performance arts and confidence building and creativity. Children are broaden their horizons. also encouraged to develop important life-skills So if you want your child to ‘Stand Out’ and give through public speaking exercises and drama shyness ‘the boot’ then call your local Principal games that enhance concentration and now and book your child on the two week trial! coordination and improve social skills. In Singing Places are limited for January so pick up the classes, the students learn breathing techniques, phone today! take part in rhythm and tuning exercises and

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Event Cinema Encore: Berliner Philharmoniker Live: New Year's Eve Concert 1st Jan 4pm Conducted by Daniel Barenboim, and Broadcast LIVE from Berlin. Barenboim, one of the Philharmoniker’s oldest friends, also takes on the role of soloist in Mozart’s Piano No. 26 – a work of sparkling beauty and nuanced expression.

Plus four famous works by Maurice Ravel, which create an impressive synthesis of elegance and originality. The highlight is the Boléro, perhaps the most stunning crescendo in music.

National Theatre Live: The Tragedy of King Richard II 15th Jan 7pm Richard II, is irresponsible, foolish and vain. His weak leadership sends his kingdom into disarray and his court into uproar. Seeing no other option but to seize power, the ambitious Bolingbroke challenges the throne and the king’s divine right to rule.

The Royal Opera House Live: The Queen of Spades (Opera) 22nd Jan 6.45pm & Encore: 27th Jan 2pm Tchaikovsky's most ambitious opera contains some of his greatest music and is a powerful study of destructive obsession. In this intense work of obsession and the supernatural, Gherman is caught between the woman he loves and a destructive fixation. Set in 1890, in his study, Tchaikovsky imagines the opera into life as his own story, its characters giving voice to his unfulfilled desires. This is an engrossing portrayal of a tortured creative artist and a gripping piece of gothic storytelling. Sung in Russian with English subtitles

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Wilde Wednesday: A Woman of No Importance 23rd Jan 7pm Olivier award-winner Eve Best and BAFTAnominated actress Anne Reid star in this new production of Oscar Wilde's comedy. An earnest young American woman, an English lord, and an innocent young chap join a house party of fools and grotesques. Oscar Wilde's marriage of glittering wit and Ibsenite drama satirised the socially conservative world of the Victorian upperclass, creating a vivid new theatrical voice which still resonates today.

The Royal Opera House Live: La Traviata 30th Jan 6.45pm From the thrill of unexpected romance to a heartbreaking reconciliation that comes too late – Verdi’s La Traviata is one of the most popular operas. Its wealth of melodies includes the famous Brindisi and the exuberant ‘Sempre libera’. Lavish period sets and costumes enhance the reality of a moving story based on true life.

Sung in Italian with English surtitles National Theatre Live: I'm Not Running 31st Jan 7pm Do I run? This is the question which is facing Pauline Gibson. She has spent her life as a doctor, the inspiring leader of a local health campaign. When she crosses paths with her old boyfriend, Jack Gould, a stalwart loyalist in Labour Party politics, she’s faced with an agonising decision.

Welwyn Garden City Cinema AL8 6BX cwentertainment.co.uk

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NOW at the Museum until 3rd March Exhibition: Game Plan: Board Games Rediscovered The Trail of Lost Games: Some of the game pieces have escaped the Game Plan exhibition and are hidden around the museum. Pick up a trail sheet at the Welcome Desk and hunt for the missing pieces.

The Great St Albans Games Swap: Bring in your unwanted games and swap them as part of the Game Plan exhibition, drop in, grab a drink from the café and get gaming!

Games in the Galleries until 3rd Feb free Play with giant games and get competitive at the games tables.

Town Hall Tour: Mayors, Magistrates & Museums 8th & 29th Jan 2.30pm free but ticketed Discover the fascinating functions and hidden stories of the historic spaces of the former Town Hall, from the glittering galas and balls in the Assembly Room to the cells where prisoners were held.

Workshop: Mobile Boats 20th Jan 2pm - 4pm free Create a hanging boat with artist Suman Gujral.

Inspired by the artist’s installation in the Gallery, Suman will bring her own printed-paper that you can use to cut out boat shapes and more. All ages Game On! 26th Jan 11am - 4pm free Try your hand at a new game or remember some classics at this game’s day. Drop in for an hour or stay for the day, as St Albans Board Games Club present a variety of games for you to play.

For all ages so come along, meet new people and game on!

Workshop: Today’s Flowers 27th Jan 2pm - 4pm free Make a flower picture with artist, Jane Glynn.

Inspired by the artists paintings in the Gallery, use natural materials, collage and paint to create a flower picture. All ages Museum Minis 29th Jan & 26th Feb 10.30am & 1.30pm £3 A story, craft activity and museum hunt inspired by Game Plan. Ages 2 - 4, accompanied by an adult St Albans Museum + Gallery St Peters Street AL1 3DH stalbansmuseums.org.uk 32

NOW at the Cathedral St Albans Symphony Orchestra New Year’s Day Concert 1st Jan 7pm from £16 Welcome in the New Year with a concert of dance and film music.

Conductor: Tom Hammond Lunchtime Organ Recital 16th Jan 12.30pm free Timothy Easter, Harpenden St Albans International Organ Festival Recital 19th Jan 5.30pm free Colin Walsh, UK The Big Sing Festival 26th Jan Rehearsal: Marlborough Rd Methodist Church 11am Performance: 6.30pm Singers £8, audience £5, child free Learn new songs in a variety of styles from jazz to pop, gospel to soul, and perform to family and friends in the evening, supported by a full band of professional musicians. No experience needed.

Franz Liszt: Life, Music and Franciscan Faith 30th Jan 7.30pm £12.50 Liszt was inspired from childhood by a profound Christian faith, and his work reveals his intense and life-affirming spirituality. Words, live piano music and pictures blend to open up a fresh perspective on this fascinating man and his work. Pianist: Florian Mitrea. Speaker: The Rev’d Iain Lane, Tutor in Christian Doctrine stalbanscathedral.org

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Do Your Child’s Glasses Fit Well?

Did you know that if your child’s glasses slip down their face this can make them far less effective? Meaning their eye sight doesn’t develop as well as it should.

Choosing the right frame is critical, a child’s face is not just smaller than an adult’s but the bridge of their nose is less developed. Secondly, children are more active than adults, so their glasses face the challenge of running, jumping, playing and even going upside down on a climbing frame. And thirdly, all glasses loosen with time, as we take them on and off, the repeated action changes the shape of the frame. Ideally we’d like them to use both hands to take them on and off, but it’s not reasonable to expect that every time. Add to that, warmth from the face, acids released by the skin and a growing child, and a frame that fitted well to start with can become loose.

So what should you do to ensure your child gets full benefit from their glasses, with the lenses centred on the centre of their eyes?

When choosing a frame for your child, speak to the dispensing optician (DO), they train for 3 years and are qualified in ophthalmic dispensing. Ask the DO to select three or four frames and ask your child to choose from this range.

The width of the frame should match the width of your child’s face. Once they reach the ear the sides should curve downwards. If they curve too early, they can push the frame down on your child’s nose which can cause slipping. Smaller frames tend to be lighter and less likely to slip. Discuss whether plastic or metal frames are the best option. A headband can help the glasses stay on: some frames for babies and toddlers come with a headband included.

Many children leave the optician with well-fitting glasses, but after a week they may start to slip. Don’t worry, this is perfectly normal, just ask the optician to adjust them as they are trained to make sure they fit well.

And if you have struggled to find a frame that’s a great fit for your child, you’ll be pleased to know that Alicia Thompson, Director of Examinations for the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, is carrying out research into the fit of children’s frames. Her innovative research project captures 3D scans of children’s faces so that accurate post-capture measurements can be taken. Children’s faces have different proportions to adult faces, but the glasses are often just scaled down versions of adult designs. Manufacturers are already using this new research to create frames that can be made specifically to fit children, so it will soon be easier to find great fitting frames for your child.

Clive Marchant FBDO President of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians

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At Your Local Libraries St Albans Main Library The Maltings AL1 3JQ The library will be closed from 1st - 9th January for refurbishment. From 10th January children’s activities will take place in the Children’s Library: Baby Rhyme Time Tuesdays 10.30am & 11.30am Toddler Tales Mondays 2.15pm Saturday Stories Saturdays 2.15pm Activities last half an hour, with a suggested donation of £1

Harpenden Library High Street AL5 2RU Toddler Tales Tuesdays 2.15pm A mix of lively stories, aimed at toddlers and pre-school children but babies are welcome too. Enjoy the stories together and then spend time browsing the picture books.

Suggested donation £1

Redbourn Library Lamb Lane AL3 7BP Mon / Tues / Weds / Fri 2pm - 6pm Thurs / Sat 9am - 12 noon Adult Workshops The library will soon be offering adult workshops and activities on Thursdays, let them know if there are any you would like to be made available.

Rhyme Time Fridays 10am free Singing session for babies and toddlers.

Storytime Fridays 3.45pm free All welcome, but aimed at pre-schoolers.

Volunteers The library is run by volunteers and is always looking for more people to help out, pop in to find out more.

Herts Libraries App You can manage your library account, reserve books, renew loans and even borrow e-books and audio books via the BorrowBox using your Hertfordshire library account.

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UK Tour for Recovery

Do Something for Charity Polar Bear Plunge 1st Jan Start the year with a splash for charity at the Sub Aqua Club outdoor pool, Cottonmill Lane, St Albans. Last year lots of brave people plunged into the icy water of the unheated pool to raise money for charity.

Now’s your chance to join the 400+ plucky past plungers ranging in age from 5 to 67, or be a supportive spectator helping cheer them on. Fancy dress costumes are welcome, and prizes are awarded.

Food, hot drinks, music, raffle, a bar, and glitter tattoos (waterproof of course), all guarantee a unique start to your New Year. All plucky plungers receive warming hot chocolate, a hat and some treats. All money received will be split equally between Earthworks St Albans, the Ollie Foundation and The Counselling Foundation. polarbearplunge.org.uk

Morgan works as a lunchtime mentor for The Living Room Herts (TLRH) which is a free to attend alcohol and addiction centre. He has been in recovery for the last five years and is raising funds and awareness for TLRH, and is doing a charity motorcyle ride in April aiming to cover 2500 miles around the UK visiting over 30 rehab and drug and alcohol services.

His aim is to get people talking, as it was doing that which changed his life. Morgan has gained his motorcycle licence and travelled around Europe, and is now training to be a counsellor, in the hope that he can play a part in helping people recover from mental health issues.

Morgan told us “The work done by TLRH can change people’s lives, some who are barely able to talk or communicate start to change. You see a smile where there wasn’t one before, you can almost see the weight being lifted from their shoulders as they begin their new journey. And when you see people leave excited about the future that lies ahead, it is humbling to watch.”

Please follow Morgan in support of his "UK tour for recovery 2019" for TLRH. livingroomherts.org

New Year New You 17th Jan 10am - 11.30am Do you want to change your style for 2019? If so come and hear Rebecca Mitchell and Rachel Kempinska Smith, personal stylists for House of Colour talking about how to change your wardrobe and feel better in your clothes.

You’ll be able to ask questions and get insider hints and tips. All money raised goes to Home-Start Hertfordshire. Why not learn how to dress better and help Hertfordshire families at the same time.

That's a win all round!

Torrington Hall, Holywell Hill, St Albans AL1 1HD UK registered charity no 297489

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Make Your Will Month Write or update your Will in February and support Rennie Grove Hospice Care Throughout February, a selected group of local legal experts from across Herts and Bucks are donating their time and legal expertise to write a standard Will in return for a donation to Rennie Grove Hospice Care.

Good sense tells us that everyone should make a Will and regularly update it, but surprisingly few people actually do. However, if you don’t plan ahead, the law may not deal with your estate as you would have wished. Having an up-to-date professionally written Will is the best way to ensure that your estate is distributed in the way you wish when you die.

Sue Varvel, Director of Nursing at Rennie Grove explains: “Leaving a gift in your Will means our nurses can be here for families in the future.

Through your legacy you’ll be helping us to bring the very best care to local people of all ages at the time they need it most.”

If you would like to find out more about leaving a gift in your Will, please call 01442 507344 or email legacy@renniegrove.org Local solicitors supporting Rennie Grove’s Make Your Will Month:

Abbey Law, St Albans 01727 839162 City Lawyers, St Albans 01727 228890 Davis & Co, Harpenden 01582 761121 Harrowell & Atkins, Berkhamsted 01442 865671 Pictons Solicitors, Tring 0800 302 9448 Sherrards Solicitors, St Albans 01727 832830 Taylor Walton, Harpenden and St Albans And if you are able to consider leaving a gift in 01582 765111 your Will to Rennie Grove, this will enable more patients in the future to have the choice to remain Witts Moloney Solicitors, Hemel Hempstead at home and receive its specialist services.

01442 219394 By getting involved in Rennie Grove’s Will writing scheme in February you will be getting your own affairs in order as well as safeguarding Rennie Grove’s service for future generations with your donation.

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A New Year Read

Deadlier than the Male Wives of the Generals 1677–1937

by Trina Beckett

The Idea in You: How to Find It, Build It, and Change Your Life Martin Amor & Alex Pellew If you’re fed up with the daily grind and thinking of starting your own business, this book could give you the kick start you need. It’s packed with advice and encouragement for turning ‘your daydream into dynamite’ with case studies, exercises, useful resources, along with plenty of practical information.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective Way to Banish Clutter Forever Marie Kondo If you feel like you’re drowning in a sea of ‘stuff’, this book might help.

Kondo encourages us to only keep those possessions that ‘spark joy’.

There are some great tips and tricks, and most importantly, Kondo helps you think about the emotions connected to items, and the kind of life you could have if you lived in a less cluttered space.

The Girl in the Garden

Melanie Wallace

A single teenage mum, a grieving widow, a photographer, a recluse and a man trying to do what’s right. Characters with very different outlooks and lives, but their stories are all entwined. And their flaws, hopes and buried dreams are all too identifiable. They all need to allow themselves to heal and trust if they’re to take those first steps towards a better life.

The Great British Sewing Bee: From Stitch to Style Wendy Gardiner

The companion book to the fourth series of the BBC2 show The Great British Sewing Bee, offers advice on everything from choosing fabric to altering designs. There are also more than 25 patterns included, with projects ranging from a Babygro to a cocktail dress. Aimed at all abilities, this could prove to be indispensable for new and experienced sewers alike.

Bloom: Navigating Life and Style

Estée Lalonde

Beauty and lifestyle vlogger Lalonde has gained much critical acclaim for her daily musings on style, beauty, food and life in general. She talks about the highs and lows of her life, including overcoming depression, anxiety and low self-esteem. A book for dipping into when you need a bit of inspiration.

Making It Up As I Go Along

Marian Keyes

In this collection of essays, Keyes gives us a hilarious insight into her daily life and thoughts. While it’s laugh-aloud funny, there’s also a good dose of reflection. Keyes isn’t afraid to poke fun at herself and reveal her own vulnerability. By doing so, she reminds us that we’re often our own worst critics and sometimes we need to just go easy on ourselves.

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This is a highly revealing study of the influence of wives on the careers of outstanding British generals from the eighteenth century to WWII. These notable wives tend to be disregarded but, as Beckett demonstrates their influence has often been profound. She uncovers a hidden dimension in the rise to prominence of some of Britain’s most famous soldiers and documents a series of fascinating relationships between powerful men and equally powerful women.

Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough, and Dorothy, Countess Haig are perhaps the most famous examples who played important roles in their husbands’ brilliant careers.

However, sometimes the lives of leading commanders would be more hindered than helped by their wives. Paulina Wood proved such a disastrous hostess that she almost destroyed the career of Sir Evelyn Wood, and Lord Robert’s reputation for jobbery owed much to his wife Nora’s constant interference in appointments.

These perceptive and absorbing case studies reveal much about the women whose lives Beckett portrays and the contribution they made to their distinguished husbands’ military careers.

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What’s on in January 42

until 27th Jan It’s Still Panto Time! see page 20 until 16th Feb New Year Skating see page 20 until 3rd March Exhibition: Game Plan: Board Games Rediscovered St Albans Museum + Gallery 1st Polar Bear Plunge see page 36 London’s New Year’s Day Parade see page 24 St Albans Symphony Orchestra New Year’s Day Concert St Albans Cathedral, dance & film music, 7pm, from £16 3rd Jan - 8th Feb Exhibition: Colour Snap UHArts Art & Design Gallery, Hatfield AL10 9AB artistic investigation into the kaleidoscopic experience of colour, free 6th Exhibition on Screen: Degas; Passion for the Perfection The Sandpit Theatre, St Albans AL4 9NX £3, £5 sandpittheatre.co.uk New Year Winter Wildfowl Walk Panshanger Park, Hertford SG14 2NA, 10am - 12 noon hertswildlifetrust.org.uk 8th - 12th Harpenden Gang Show Harpenden Public Halls harpenden.gs 9th Walk: St Albans Day Out by Rob Smith, St Albans City Station AL1 5HE, 11am - 1pm, £9 - £12 eventbrite.co.uk 11th Beyond The Barricade The Alban Arena, 7.30pm, £23.50 alban-arena.co.uk 12th Back To Bacharach The Alban Arena, 7.30pm, £23 & £21.50 alban-arena.co.uk Ga Ga - Queen Tribute Bedford Corn Exchange, MK40 1SL 7.30pm, adult £18, concs £16 bedfordcornexchange.co.uk Hertfordshire Chamber Orchestra page 10 13th Aladdin Abbey Theatre, Hurst Children’s Theatre Group, £11, concs £8 hctg@live.co.uk The Johnny Cash Roadshow The Alban Arena, 7.30pm, £24, £22.50 alban-arena.co.uk 14th Talk: Low Carbon Lifestyle see page 6 Glenn Miller Orchestra The Alban Arena, 7.30pm, £25, £23 alban-arena.co.uk

16th Lunchtime Organ Recital St Albans Cathedral, 12.30pm Choir Open Evening new voices welcome, please visit quorumsingers.org.uk to register 17th - 19th & 24th - 26th Lot Vekemans’ Poison see page 8 18th Abba Forever The Alban Arena, 8pm, £23.50 alban-arena.co.uk The Best of Wham Bedford Corn Exchange, MK40 1SL 8pm, adult £20 18th - 26th Silly Cow by Ben Elton, Abbey Theatre, AL1 2DL abbeytheatre.org.uk The Lion in Winter The Barn Theatre, WGC AL8 6ST barntheatre.co.uk 19th Exhibition: Brambleton Model Railway Club Harpenden Public Halls, 10.30am - 5.30pm 21st Jan - 24th March British Wildlife Photography Awards see page 16 22nd Talk: Harpenden (& other) Butterflies in Verse by Dr Richard Harrington, Harpenden Public Halls, Harpenden Local History Society, 8pm 25th Talk: WW1 Soldiers from Luton Hoo Luton Hoo Walled Garden LU1 4LF, 10.30am - 12.30pm lutonhooestate.co.uk Families First St Albans Council Chamber, St Albans Council AL1 3JE 1.30pm - 4.30pm Burns Night Fleetville Community Centre, Royal Road, St Albans AL1 4LQ Royal Marines Band Concert The Alban Arena 7.30pm, £27, £24 alban-arena.co.uk 26th The Big Sing Festival see page 32 Amadeus Chamber Orchestra see page 10 Icons: Celebrating The Legendary Divas Radlett Centre, 7.30pm radlettcentre.co.uk 26th - 28th Big Garden Bird Watch see page 22 29th & 30th Elmer the Patchwork Elephant The Alban Arena 1.30pm & 10.30am, £14 & £12 30th Talk: Franz Liszt: Life, Music & Franciscan Faith St Albans Cathedral, a fresh view on this fascinating man & his work, 7.30pm, £12.50

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What’s on in February 44

1st The Chicago Blues Brothers The Alban Arena, 7.3pm, £23.50 5th Clark Tracey Birthday Gig Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans 7th Horne Section The Alban Arena, 8pm, £16 8th Talk: Poetry Recital: War & Peace St Albans Cathedral, 8pm, £10 Forbidden Nights The Alban Arena, sexy but classy evening ladies night, 7.30pm 9th Lunchtime Recital St Albans Cathedral, 1pm, free Carillon Chamber Choir St Peter’s Church, St Albans AL1 3HG, Songs of Chaos & Eternal Night, 7.30pm, £15, concs £13 / £5 carillonchamberchoir.org 9th, 10th, 16th & 17th Behind The Scenes Tours Claydon House MK18 2EY, join the conservation team & find out what goes on behind the scenes, 11.30am & 1.30pm, please book, 0344 249 1895, £5 9th - 24th Colours of the Rainbow Trail St Albans Museum + Gallery, bright, colourful family trail inspired by current art installation by Liz West 10th Claude Debussy Centenary Concert Weston Auditorium, Hatfield AL10 9EU de Havilland Philharmonic Orchestra, 3pm, £18, concs 12.75 12th Ari Hoenig Trio Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans, unique style of drumming that has influenced thousands of young players 13th Lunchtime Organ Recital St Albans Cathedral, 12.30pm 16th St Albans International Organ Festival Recital St Albans Cathedral, 5.30pm, free 17th Film: Young Picasso The Sandpit Theatre, St Albans AL4 9NX, 3pm, £5 18th - 22nd Half Term Art Camps see page 2 Half Term Trail & Craft Ashridge Visitor Centre HP4 1LP, 10am - 3pm, £3 19th Margo & Mr Whatsit The Sandpit Theatre, St Albans AL4 9NX, 11.30am & 2.30pm, £8/£6

Art Themen/Xhosa Cole Sextet The Maltings, St Albans, mix’n’match gig by Clark featuring HJ Patron, Art Themen and BBC Young Jazz Musician, Xhosa Cole The Amazing Bubble Man The Alban Arena, 2pm, £12.50, £10.50 21st Peter Pan & Captain Cook The Sandpit Theatre, St Albans AL4 9NX, 11.30am, £5/£3 Building Mayhem! St Albans Cathedral, find out how the Cathedral was built, learn about objects found during a recent archaeological dig, plus arts & craft activities, 10am - 12.30pm 22nd The Searchers: The Farewell Tour Bedford Corn Exchange Fairport Convention The Alban Arena, 7.30pm, £26 22nd - 24th That Good Night Memorial Hall, Marford Rd, Wheathampstead, romantic drama about family relationships, love & forgiveness set in Italy, 8pm, £10 wheathampsteaddramaticsociety.co.uk 23rd The Sixteen Choir & Orchestra Monteverdi’s Vespers of 1610 St Albans Cathedral, famed for its thrilling rhythms, grand choruses & beautiful solo movements, 7.30pm, from £12 24th Respect to Aretha The Alban Arena, 7.30pm, £24.50, £23.50 Film: Paddington 2 The Sandpit Theatre, St Albans AL4 9NX, 3pm, £3/£2 26th Talk: Howard Roberts from Hammonds End Farm Harpenden Public Halls, Harpenden Local History Society, the challenges & rewards of growing arable crops in this part of Herts, 8pm John Turville Quintet featuring Julian Arguelles Maltings Arts Theatre, St Albans Talk: Hedgehogs & How to Help Them Howlands Baptist Church, WGC AL7 4RW learn about work of Hetties Hedgehog Rescue, their natural history, hibernation & threats, with an expert in hedgehog rescue & care, 8pm -10pm, please book, suggested donation £5 hertswildlifetrust.org.uk 26th Feb - 7th March Exhibition: Jewish Living Experience St Albans Cathedral, an opportunity to learn more about the Jewish faith 28th Talk: Driverless Cars: The Impact on Society, St Albans Cathedral, 7.30pm, £10

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Index of Businesses Domestic Appliance Repairs Aerial Installations & Repairs 17 Concorde Aerials 17 Leigh Hibon Art Classes Start Art! GDS Art School Beauty Binas Beauty & Nails The Cove Spa Building Services Brockhall Building Services Open Plan Solutions

Education 16 Kumon 16 Electricians Alban Electrical Services 7 Anderton Electrics 7 Fencing Verulam Fencing 43 Fireplaces & Heating 40 Fireplaces & Heating Direct

29 19 19 27 40

Carpentry / Joinery Chris Smyth

Garage Doors 14 Garolla

41

Charity Traid

Garden Centre 36 Burston Garden Centre

27

Children’s Art Camps ArtShed!

Children’s Early Learning Gymboree

Gardening 2 Chrysalis Garden Services Green Edge Gardens

26 23

Cleaning Daily Poppins Domestique Mobile Maid Services

29 Hearing Services Hearing Healthcare Practice 11 5 Locksmith Lock Around the Clock 14 39 39 Loft Ladders 39 Home Counties Loft Ladders 21

College Oaklands College

Mortgage Services 45 Ashdale Mortgage Services 31

Chiropodist Kathy Witchard

Music Tuition Conservatory Roof Solutions Nu-Look 9 Carolyn Hall Merlin MIller Dance & Drama Orchestra Penny Waterman School of Dance 29 Abbey Gateway Orchestra Stagecoach 28 Oven Cleaning Ovengers Dog Training Classes Dogs Trust Dog School 47

Painters & Decorators CB Decorators M & M Decorators

33 33

Plasterers A Merson Plastering

33

Plumber DJ&M Plumbing Services Ltd

43 & 47

Roofing GJ Smith Roofing

41 & 43

Shutters Just Shutters The Harpenden Shutter Company

35 35

Slimming Lighter Life Vision Weight Consultancy

5 4

Soft Furnishings Sue Smyth

35

Tree Surgeons Fircroft Tree Surgery Ltd

23

TV Repairs JB TV Services

19

Venue Hire The County Club

3

Wedding Show Luxury Wedding Show Back Cover

13 13

Will Planning / Writing Rennie Grove Hospice Care Westminster Wills Ltd

37 31

13

Windows & Doors Cloud 9 Kings Windows

15 14

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