Bishops Castle

ARTS FESTIVAL - Over 40 events, the majority of them free, make up the programme for Bishop’s Castle Arts Festival which started yesterday and runs until the evening of Sunday.

All over the town you can find art exhibitions and workshops, artisan markets, craft workshops, a pantomime, a film, talks, live music, dancing, singing, literature and poetry, washed down with excellent food and drink. One of the very few paid for events is a visit to the Three Tuns by Mike Piggott’s Hot Club Trio on Saturday at 8pm. Mike is one of the UK’s top jazz violinists and music by Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grappelli and the Quintet of the Hot Club of France all feature during the evening. Tickets £10 from Bishop’s Castle Town Hall or the Tuns. Other music includes an organ recital by Mike Plunkett in Bishop’s Castle Church, folk music with Sue Harris, Castle Voices and BouZaTina in the Three Tuns, a samba band workshop in the Church Barn, a singing workshop and concert with Rapsquillion in the Methodist Hall, Bishop’s Castle Orchestra and AMP young rock musicians in the Three Tuns.

There are plenty of chances to dance too. You can try out morris dancing with the Shropshire Bedlams and Martha Rhoden’s in the Three Tuns and join in with the 18th century style Alphabet Dancers at the same venue (different day). Rosa James leads a Balkan ceilidh with music by Bellamonda in the Church Barn.

Castle Artists will be exhibiting their latest work in the public hall, while the town hall hosts an exhibition by Keith Noble and the Poppy House welcomes Bishop’s Castle Arts Society. Gallery Eighteen has watercolours by the Ellesmere Watercolourists, while Gerry Barwell at Bank House previews work for the Shropshire Hills Art Week.

Art and craft workshops include watercolour painting, peg loom weaving, junk mail crafts, origami, scrap modelling, wet felt making, block printing and knitting.

The spoken word also features widely at the festival when Bishop’s Castle writer Paul Binding reads and throws light on a little known story by Hans Christian Andersen. Phil Rickman, author of the Merrily Watkins mystery novels, talks about his career. Bryan Podmore will share his enthusiasm for American poetry while David Preshous takes Virgil and The Iliad as the subject of his talk.

Jim and Diane Gaffney have examples of Ikat textiles from Indonesia to illustrate their talk in Bishop’s Castle Town Hall and Bishop’s Castle Film Society have already shown Finding Vivien Maier as their contribution to the festival. At the SpArC Theatre tickets are on sale for four performances of the Castle Player pantomime Mother Goose , starting today. The festival office is at Bishop’s Castle Town Hall, call 01588 630023.

CREDIT UNION OPENING TIMES - Bishop’s Castle information point, situated in the Church Barn, is open every Monday morning from 11am to noon for your local Shropshire Credit Union. Volunteers can provide information on the benefits of membership and help you to complete application forms for membership and loans. Arrangements have now been made to pay in both cheques and cash at Bishop’s Castle Post Office into Shropshire Credit Union deposit accounts. For more information call 01743 2522325.

TWO NEW MEMBERS ENROLLED - After sharing their Christmas celebrations and dinner, members of Bishop’s Castle Mothers’ Union began the New Year with the AGM, chaired by Rev Sarah Hare, who also led the eucharist and enrolled two new members. Linda Ross, the new diocesan president, was the speaker at the February meeting. New members and visitors are very welcome. Call 01588 630042.

FIRST WINNERS OF 2016 - Diana Newcombe won £21.50 in the January draw in aid of Lydham Church, Norman Jones £12.90 and Janet Preshous £8.60. If you want to join the monthly draw call 01588 638486.

BISHOPS CASTLE DIARY, February18-24

TODAY

  • Art exhibition - Keith Noble, Bishop's Castle Town Hall, until March 12. 01588 630023.
  • Weekly produce market, Bishop's Castle Town Hall, 9am. 01588 630023.
  • Origami butterflies workshop – Clare Linford. Castle Hotel, Bishop's Castle. Age ten plus, free, 10am and 2pm. Book on 01588 630200.
  • Workshop, junk mail garden. The Gallery, Bishop's Castle, £5, 11am.
  • Organ recital, Mike Plunkett. Bishop's Castle Church, free, 12.30pm.
  • Bishop's Castle Arts Society open meeting, Methodist Hall, free, 2pm.
  • Peg loom demonstration – Helen Knights. Sheepish shop by Town Hall, Bishop's Castle, free, 2pm.
  • Talk on Virgil and the Iliad – David Preshous. Church Barn, Bishop’s Castle, free, 2.30pm.
  • Castle Players, Mother Goose. SpArC Theatre, Bishop’s Castle. £6/£4. 7pm. 01588 630321.
  • Talk on The American Voice in Poetry–Bryan Podmore. Castle Hotel, Bishop's Castle, free, 7.30pm.
  • Balkan ceilidh. Three Tuns, Bishop's Castle. £6/£4. 7.30pm. 01588 630200.
  • Lydham, More and Snead WI. Even More Hats – Bob Jameson. Lydham Village Hall, 2.15pm. 01588 650775.
  • Coffee morning. Renew your deanery magazine. Lower Gardens, Lydbury North, 10.30am.
  • Lydbury North WI. Pictures in Harmony – Ian and Hilary Templeton. Lydbury North Village Hall, 7.15pm.

TOMORROW

  • Castle Players, Mother Goose . SpArC Theatre, Bishop’s Castle. £6/£4. 7pm.
  • Ikat Cloth- Jim and Diane Gaffney. Bishop's Castle Town Hall. Free, 7pm.
  • Block printing workshop – Drusilla Cole. Bank House, Bishop's Castle, 2pm. 01588 638458.
  • Local folk night with Bouzatina, Sue Harris and Devil's Chair. Three Tuns, Bishop's Castle.
  • Castle Artists exhibition. Public Hall, Bishop's Castle. 10am-5pm. Until February 21.
  • Pony Club day, open to all. Walcot Stables, Lydbury North, £40, 10am- 4pm. 01588 680514.

SATURDAY

  • Artisan market. Bishop's Castle Town Hall, 9am. 01588 630023.
  • Castle Players, Mother Goose. SpArC Theatre, Bishop’s Castle. £6/£4. 2pm and 6pm. 01588 6303321/638038.

SUNDAY

  • Arts Festival service. Bishop's Castle Church, 11am.

MONDAY

  • Shropshire Credit Union. Church Barn, Bishop's Castle. Weekly, 11am-noon. 01743 252325.

TUESDAY

  • AGM. Bishop's Castle Civil Defence Bowling Club. Six Bells, Bishop's Castle, 7.30pm.
  • Bishop's Castle Town Council meeting. Bishop's Castle Town Hall, 7.30pm. 01588 638141.
  • Sock Club, knit and drink tea. Chai Shop, Bishop's Castle, 2pm. 01588 630435.

WEDNESDAY

  • Footpath Walking Group. The Wrekin. Meet Harley Jenkins St car park, Bishop's Castle, 9.30am. 01588 630165.
  • SW Shropshire Gardening Club. Making a wildlife garden – Jenny Steel. Lydbury North Village Hall. Guests £5. 7.30pm. 01588 660753.

CORRESPONDENT - Julia Parker 01588 680445 jparker228@btinternet.com.

 

Clee Hill

WI - Clee Hill WI report. The president Marina Clemt opened the February meeting, with a warm welcome to everyone including our three visitors and hoped they would enjoy the afternoon. Our oldest member Lucy Broome was the winner of the monthly competition for 2015. The cup was presented to Lucy at our New Years lunch, which members enjoyed, and we all went home with a mystery gift.

Secretary read the minutes and the correspondence, also items from the WI news were discussed. Thanks given to Christine and Alison for 2016 programme. Alison had prepared a quiz, this tested our memories, as all the answers came in the form of old money, plus a total in £, S and D at the end. Three members won. Competition judged Dorothy first. Raffle prize won by Brenda.

The meeting finished with a delicious afternoon tea. The speaker for March 7 is Adrian Williams.

 

Clows Top

GARDENING CLUB - Clows Top and District Gardening Club. February is an unfortunate month, being cold and miserable.

However, there are signs of life erupting from the ground with crocus, iris reticulata, snowdrops and cyclamen coum giving splashes of colour all through the garden.

February is the most wonderful month, when we start to see the first shoots of spring just nudging their way into the world. First you spot the snowdrops, then the aconites. Next emerge the scilla, crocus and grape hyacinth. The garden is no longer dormant, it’s bursting with life.

Gardening is one of the few hobbies that are relaxing, enjoyable and very rewarding. Our garden club has a very friendly atmosphere, everyone is welcome. It’s a great way for exchanging gardening knowledge, learning new ways of doing things and sharing tips. Non-members welcome to any monthly meeting. The annual subscriptions are now due for the coming year, membership £10 per annum. Our next meeting will be on Wednesday and the speaker for the evening will be Rosemary Winnel with a talk entitled nature of Wyre.

Diary Dates: March 23, spring show and gardeners questions with Derek Walker; April 17, coach trip to RHS Wisley; April 27, bulbs for the unusual, Ross Barbour; May 14, plant sale and coffee morning; May 25, an evening with Bill White; June 22, rose and sweet pea show and visit to ‘Little Bullockhurst’, Rock; July 14, visit to Worralls Mill, Abberley; July 27, Burford Angels, Paul Benson; August 20, Clows Top summer show; August 24, hedgerow and garden medicine, Rowan McOnegal; September 28, autumn show; October 26, New Zealand, Ray Sturdy; November 23, AGM and members social evening.

Don’t be afraid to come along, we are a garden club not a horticulture society. We have a great programme of speakers as well as evening visits to local gardens.

Clows Top and District Gardening Club meet the 4th Wednesday in the calendar month at Clows Top Victory Hall. Doors open 7.30pm, for the speaker at 8pm. Admission: members £2 or non-members £4. Free refreshments. Further details telephone Marion Wilson 01299 270475 or email: clowstopdistrictgardeningclub@hotmail.co.uk.

 

Clun

SOUP AND PUD LUNCH - Clun Methodist Church, tomorrow, noon. A lunch to raise funds for Christian Aid.

SATURDAY PRODUCE MARKET - Hightown Community Room, Saturday, 10am-noon. All sorts of baked goods, preserves and fresh produce for sale, and this month ‘plant lady Jane’ is back, which definitely heralds the spring. £1 entry includes tea and biscuits.

FILM: Flicks in the Sticks presents: The Theory of Everything (12). Running time 123 minutes. Llanfair Waterdine, Everest Hall, LD7 1TU, Saturday. Doors open at 7pm. Tea, coffee and light refreshments are served; feel free to bring your own wine and glasses if you prefer. This film chronicles the life story of Astro-physicist Stephen Hawking. Tickets: adult £4, under 18s £2. Enquiries: 01547 510672.

SOUP AND PUD LUNCH - Clunbury Village Hall, next Thursday, February 25, 12.30- 2pm. Back by popular demand. All are welcome. Cost: £5.

OSBORNE AND AFTER FESTIVAL – Get Carter (15), The Three Tuns, Bishop’s Castle, March 9. Doors open 7.15, Osborne display and talk 7.30pm, film starts 8pm. Tickets £4 on the door.

As part of Clun’s Osborne and After festival, the cult film Get Carter is being shown at The Three Tuns Inn, Bishop’s Castle. Starring Michael Caine as gangster Jack Carter, who travels north to Newcastle to investigate when his brother dies mysteriously in a car “accident”, the film also features a very scary John Osborne as gangland boss Cyril Kinnear. This is the film above any other that deserves the description “gritty”! The film is preceded by a talk about John Osborne.

OUTING - Also as part of Clun’s Osborne commemorations there are a few seats left for Tim’s Travels outing to Derby Theatre on March 17, to see a performance of John Osborne’s Look Back in Anger . Sixty years since the play was first produced at the Royal Court Theatre in London, the theatre is staging the play to mark the anniversary. The play, set in Derby, was to have a radical effect on British theatre and introduced The Angry Young Man to the world of theatre and far beyond.

CYCLE SPORTIVE - Advance notice: Arts Alive/Flicks in the Sticks fundraising Cycle Sportive: sign up now.

On June 29, Arts Alive and Flicks in the Sticks we will be running Tour d’Arts Alive 2016, following last year’s success. This cycling event will begin and end at Clun Memorial Hall and is suitable for all ages. It features three routes to choose from, of varying lengths and degrees of difficulty. It isn’t a race, but a great day out on bikes in beautiful countryside.

The route is well-organised with clear signs and there are plenty of tea and cake stops. There is room for all-day parking at the Memorial Hall. The organisers are particularly keen to see women of all ages and backgrounds participating – it’s the only sportive in the West Midlands that British Cycling’s women’s network Breeze has recommended as women-friendly. Sign up now to support the arts in Shropshire – while you have plenty of time to dig the bike out of the garden shed and get training in the spring sunshine. Full details are online at tourdartsalive.co.uk

 

Ludlow

COFFEE MORNING AND BRING AND BUY SALE - Display of Tapestries by Ludlow Cancer Support Group member, Jack Andow on February 26. Meetings take place at Parish Room, St Peter’s Church, Henley Road, Ludlow SY8 1QZ 11am-12.45pm on the third and fourth Fridays of the month.

 

Tenbury

LENT SOUP LUNCHES - Will be held every Wednesday, until March 16, at Tenbury Methodist Church Hall, noon till 1.30pm. Please come along and enjoy good soup and good company, with donations accepted for Christian Aid. All are welcome.

SLIMMING WORLD - Buford Parish Hall, Tenbury Wells, Wednesday 6.30pm. Contact Jo 07748 765863.

EASTHAM GARDEN CLUB - Would like to invite you to join them on a trip to Kew Gardens to visit the Brazilian Orchid Display and many other treasures of Kew, February 29. £32 including coach fare and entrance to the gardens. Depart 7am from Eastham Memorial Hall, return 4pm from Kew. Contact 07788 140249 or 01584 781609 for details and to book.

BOOKS, TEA AND TALK - Love reading? Why not join us for a friendly chat? Meet at Tenbury Library 2pm last Friday of every month. Collect the next book at the library desk.

WOMEN’S WORLD DAY OF PRAYER - Receive children. Receive me. Praying for Cuba. All are welcome to join us, ladies and gentlemen too. March 4, 3pm St Mary’s Church, Tenbury Wells, followed afterwards by light refreshments.

THE FILLING STATION – Come and join in a new and informal way of expressing the Christian faith in monthly celebration meetings to strengthen and help local Christians and their churches. Tonight at 7.30pm, in the Penlu Sports Club (next to the hospital) we will hear the Rev Nick Crawley, who is the regional area director of The Filling Station organisation, speak to us. Future meetings will be held on the third Thursday of each month. We look forward to seeing you. For more information contact Sue (after 6pm) 01584 781384 thefillingstation.org.uk

 

The Strettons

SSIF LADIES GROUP - The ladies and children of the South Shropshire Interfaith forum group met recently to discuss all aspects of marriage within each faith, hearing about the Jewish, Islamic, Bahai and Christian customs. The talks were illustrated with pictures form wedding albums and readings from the marriage services. The next meeting will be on April 2, at the Pilgrim Centre in Craven Arms when the topic under discussion will be life and death.

BUMPS AND BABES - The parents and toddlers group welcomes bumps and babes at the Parish Centre on Thursday mornings during term time from 10am-noon.

HISTORY - The local history group will meet at the library today from 10am-2pm when people are invited to pop in and share their stories and photographs of life in Britain during 1914-20. From 1pm-4pm access to Ancestry is available for research into local and family history.

BRIDGE CLUB - Meets at All Stretton Village Hall on Thursday afternoons from 1.30pm to 5pm. Ring Dom on 01694 723128 to find out more.

PANTO TIME - All Stretton Village Hall is the venue for the pantomime Red Riding Hood which starts tonight at 7.30pm and will be staged tomorrow and Saturday. A matinee on Saturday afternoon will be at 2pm.

Ticket sales are through Burway Books and John Thomas Florists and cost £5 for adults, £2.50 for under 16. There is a reduction of £1 on the adult ticket for Thursday night.

WINTER TALK - Joan Liebrecht will be at Mayfair Community Centre tonight to give a talk about China and Mongolia. Doors open at 7pm when coffee and tea will be served before the talk at 7.30pm. Admission is £4.

DRAMA - As part of the Friday night at the Horne tomorrow, Box of Tricks will present Chip Shop Chips by Becky Prestwich. Tickets cost £15 including a fish and chip supper, and are being sold through Burway Books, John Thomas Florists and Town Council Offices. Doors open at 6.30pm and the show starts at 7pm in the Silvester Horne Institute.

BREAKFASTS - Freshly prepared breakfasts are served at Mayfair on Saturday mornings from 9am- 11.30am, and 11am for last orders available weekly until February 27.

OUT AND ABOUT - Maria Wootten will be leading a wildlife walk at Catherton Common, 10am Saturday.

Ring 01746 718151 to reserve a place or find out more. Also available 10am-2pm the National Trust has an introduction to geology on Wenlock Edge. £10 per person, for further details call 01694 725000. Both events take place on Saturday.

PARKINSON’S - Jill Wallbank will be at the Parkinson’s Support group meeting 2.30pm Monday at Mayfair Community Centre to introduce “easy exercise”

BIRDS - The local ornithological group holds its meeting at the Methodist Hall at 7.30pm on Monday when John Arnfield will give an illustrated talk about birds in Shropshire gardens. Visitors are always welcome , admission is £2.

ANNUAL MEETINGS - The AGM of the country market will be held at 2pm on Monday at Mayfair Community Centre, and the market will re-open on March 11.

The AGM of Pazapa Church Stretton will be held at the Parish Centre at 7.30pm-9pm on Tuesday and the Strettons Area Community Wildlife Group meets at Church Stretton School at 7.30pm for its annual pubic meeting on Wednesday.

NETWORK - On Wednesday the Network group will meet at 2.30pm in the Methodist Hall to prepare for Women’s World Day of Prayer which will take place at St Laurence’s Church at 10.30am on March 4.

TREE GROUP - Trees and woodland is the illustrated talk by Phil Tidey, Wednesday 7.30pm in the Methodist Hall, arranged by the Tree Group. Visitors welcome, admission £3.

HELP WANTED - Help to improve rectory wood and field as part of a working party next Thursday, February 25, and also on March 24, starting from 10am and meeting at the Church Street entrance.

SMALLHOLDERS - South Shropshire Smallholders Group held its AGM in January and elected a new chairman and welcomed a new committee member who will work on promotions. After the treasurer’s report was received there was discussion on new ways of advertising and simplifying the website. The AGM was followed by a presentation by Diane Garrini and her husband who spoke about their re-location from semi- urban home counties to a Shropshire smallholding. The February meeting gave everyone the chance to hear about emergencies on the farm from Emily Denton of Shropshire Farm Vets. There were sales tables of smallholder items and produce and a members’ exchange table for other items wanted or for sale as usual. The newsletter pointed out that hedgerow removal requires planning permission as they offer cover for wildlife and should be protected.

SCHOOL NEWS - St Lawrence’s Primary School has set up an on-line petition site for the swimming pool SOS. After half term Taiko Drumming Club for years four, five and six will continue for four weeks until March 16, as will kwik sticks hockey at Ludlow and pupils will take part in the area athletic finals at Ludlow and the Shropshire School games finals.

There was a visit from the local firemen and women and a chance to see the fire engine. Both schools are collecting Active Kids Vouchers available from Sainsbury’s up until May 5.

Church Stretton School students have returned from Berlin, and others visited Bishop’s Castle to meet children’s author Cathy Cassidy. There have been several successes on the sporting front. Champions of change collection realised £593.36.

The PTA’s Mynd Drover challenge walk on June 25 has already attracted nearly fifty entrants and is part of the Walking Festival. Runners are also welcome and should register in the usual way online or by sending the completed entry form to PTA, Church Stretton School, Shrewsbury Road, Church Stretton SY6 6EX if no e-mail facility. Entry fee is £20 paid in advance to Mynd Drover Challenge.

CLIMATE CARE - Stretton Climate Care hosts a meeting on February 26, 7.30pm at the Methodist Church.

There will be a chance to find out more about sustainable heating systems and new ways to lower your energy bills. Find out about latest technology behind these systems, new heating systems for the present and future including air and ground source systems and automated biomass heating systems. Chance to discuss and share ideas on improving energy efficiency in the home.

NATIONAL THEATRE - Next live event to be screened at Church Stretton School is As you Like It, next Thursday, February 25, 7pm. Pay at door or pre-book your seat and also your meal if you wish to dine beforehand. The comedy play Hangmen will be shown live on March 3.