FREE COMMUNITY GAMES DAY - Families can enjoy a free day of sporting fun at a community games day in Bishops Castle on September 22. Bishops Castle tennis club is organising the event and they want lots of other local sports clubs to join in as well. Club chairman Loveday Hickey said, “Starting at 11am, we have free activities for all ages at our Love Lane tennis courts and we are well on the way towards producing a really good day. Have a go at hockey, football, cricket, bowls, volleyball, tag rugby, petanque, table tennis and throwing games. If you get hungry, Tahira Paul from the new shop ‘Chai’ is setting up her foodstall for the day. We also have a tennis tournament for juniors aged 11-13 and 14 -17, with racquets provided if you don’t have one. The contest has a fee of £5 but this gives you free tennis club membership until the end of March 2014 and everyone who takes part gets a T shirt and a commemorative medal.” Look on http://www.bcltc.btck.co.uk/ to get an entry form.

MUSEUM MONTHLY DRAW - Nick Hoare won the top prize £17.50 in the latest draw in aid of the House on Crutches Museum Collection Trust. John Bailey won £10.50 and Prue Dakin won £7.

LINDA SAYS BONJOUR - French classes for adults begin again in Bishops Castle on Wednesday in a new venue, the Grange Road community centre. The teacher Linda Atkins offers two levels - further beginners at 6.40pm and intermediate level at 8pm.

Linda has been teaching adults for many years in Bishops Castle and she programmes the course to meet the needs of the groups. Further beginners follow the French Experience book one and the intermediates use Breakthrough French book three. If you are interested, call her on 01588 620557 or come along to a trial lesson. You will be very welcome.

USING MEDICINES WISELY - Bishops Castle and District Carers Group welcomes you to their monthly meeting on September 16 from 2pm to 4pm at the Coverage Care Home, Stone House, Bishops Castle. This time the guest speaker is Jan Daley from the Medicines Management Team and she will talk about ways to help you remember to take your medication; recognise side effects of medication and how to take your medicine most effectively. She will also be happy to talk to you on a one-one regarding any issues you may have with your medication. Refreshments will be available. For more information call Jenny on 01694 722024 or e mail: maysi@hotmail.co.uk RAILWAY SOCIETY WINTER TIMETABLE - Bishops Castle Railway Society is back in business with a packed autumn and winter programme of lectures. The first meeting is tomorrow (Friday) at 7.30pm in the Methodist Hall, Bishops Castle when Ned Williams gives an illustrated talk on Colonel Stephen’s Railways. Call 01694 722473 for details.

The Railway Society museum, in a lane next to the Crown and Anchor Vaults, will continue to open on weekend afternoons from 2pm to 5pm until the end of October. Entry is free.

VISIT TOWN HALL RENOVATION SITE - The renovation of Bishops Castle town hall is well underway. J Harper and Sons started work in June on the 18th century Grade II* Listed building and renovation works have uncovered some interesting discoveries.

Philip Belchere, the conservation architect leading the scheme said, “It seems that the building underwent major works at the turn of the 20th century. Having stripped out the inappropriate insertions and alterations we can see that far more of the original building had been removed than anticipated. However we are uncovering some interesting finds that are helping us understand how the building was first constructed and how it has been altered over the last 250 years.”

A key aspect of the renovation project is to get more people interested in local heritage and there will be an opportunity for people to see the progress to date on accompanied site tours on September 13.

Places are limited so booking in advance is essential. Anyone wishing to participate will need to be physically fit and wear appropriate clothing and footwear for a building site. A full health and safety briefing will be given prior to going on site. If you would like to book a place, or find out more about the Town Hall project please contact Sam Hine, Project Manager on 07974 772840 or email sam@samhine.co.uk.

Regular updates and photographs of the town hall project can be found at the site office at 14 Market Square, at the Dudley Building Society and on Facebook BIG WEEKEND AT RATLINGHOPE CHURCH - Ratlinghope church is taking part in the Hereford Diocese festival of churches over the weekend of September 14-15. Step Back in Time at St Margaret’s begins on September 14 at 10am, with a service on Sunday at 9.45am and ending at 4pm of that day. Vicky Harley is the secretary of Ratlinghope PCC and she says, “We invite you to visit our beautiful church to share our memories of special occasions and festivals held over the last 25 years.

Our church lies in a peaceful valley between the Long Mynd and Ratlinghope Hill. It was established in 1209 as a priory church linked to Wigmore Abbey and the present building probably dates from the 17th century. Major restoration work took place in 1904, when arts and crafts windows by James Powell and Sons were installed. The churchyard of St Margaret’s is also well known for the grave of last known Sin-Eater in the area.” The light refreshments will be served in the church, while The Bridges pub is nearby for food and local ales. The Stiperstones is further up the road.

MAREHAY GARDENERS - Carol and Stuart Buxton opened their garden at Marehay, near Ratlinghope once again this summer as part of the National Gardens Scheme and raised £1914 for cancer charities. This is a record amount and the couple thank everyone who came.

CHURCH FETE SUCCESS - The Rev Norman Morris thanks everyone who helped make the recent Wentnor fete such a success. Speaking after the event he said, “We were blessed with very fine weather on Bank Holiday Monday which was a welcome change from the struggles of last year. All the stalls and attractions did extremely well. Over £4,500 was raised which will be distributed in the usual way - £1000 each to the parishes of Wentnor, Ratlinghope, Norbury and Myndtown, with £500 going to Norbury village hall which is shared by all four parishes. Many thanks to everyone and well done.” Earlier in the summer a flower festival in Wentnor church raised £6050.

BISHOPS CASTLE DIARY September 6-14 TOMORROW (FRIDAY): Bishop’s Castle Railway Society. ‘Colonel Stephen’s Railways’ - Ned Williams.

Methodist Hall, Bishops Castle, 7pm.

Call 01694 722473.

* Kemp Valley Community Wildlife Group, Moths and Nosh evening.

Lydbury North. £7.50, 7.30pm. Book on 01588 680590.

* AGM Onny Valley social club.

Norbury village hall, 7.30pm. Call 01588 638570.

SUNDAY: M&J Travel coach trip.

Mystery tour. Pick up in Bishops Castle. Call 01588 640273.

* Pet service. Mainstone church, 11am.

MONDAY: Bingo, Powis Arms, Lydbury North, 8pm. Call 01588 680396.

TUESDAY: Bishops Castle town council meeting. Enterprise house, Station St, 8pm. Plans on view 7.40pm.

* Little Fish Parent and Toddler Group. Stay and play, Methodist Hall, Bishops Castle. 1pm-3pm. Book on 01694 723465.

* Footpath Walking Group. Manafon.

Meet Harley Jenkins St car park, Bishops Castle, 9.30am. Call 01588 620668.

* Mainstone WI. Pastries - Nikki Simpson, Mainstone village hall, 7.30pm. Tel 01588 640585 WEDNESDAY: French classes - Linda Atkins, Grange Road Community Centre, Bishops Castle. Further beginners 6.40pm, intermediate 8pm.

Call 01588 620557.

NEXT THURSDAY: Film. Summer in February (15). SpArC Theatre, Bishops Castle. £4.50/ £3. 7pm. Call 01588 630321/638038 to book.

* Joe le Taxi. Crown and Anchor Vaults, Bishops Castle.

* Norbury and District WI. Ghosts - Dorothy Nicolle. Norbury village hall, 7.30pm.

SEPTEMBER 14: Auction. Bishops Castle public hall. Call 01743 462763 * Festival of churches. Music, crafts, stalls. Lydbury North church.

* Festival of churches. Step Back in Time. Ratlinghope church, 10am.

Continues Sunday.