Bishop's Castle furniture show, romantic railway story, junior hockey academy, Beauty and the Beast, food festival, new school term and more (From Ludlow Advertiser)

Bishop's Castle furniture show, romantic railway story, junior hockey academy, Beauty and the Beast, food festival, new school term and more

9:33am Thursday 13th September 2012 in Bishop's Castle

TWO NEW MEMBERS AT FURNITURE SHOW – The Real Furniture Group welcomes visitors to its 15th annual exhibition during this weekend’s Michaelmas Fair in Bishop’s Castle.

The venue is the Community College hall and the show is open from 10.30am each day. Two new members will be exhibiting for the first time: Terry Browne, of Brampton Bryan, who specialises in traditional Celtic chairs and Matthew Thomas, who designs cutting-edge contemporary furniture using wood, steel and glass.

ROMANTIC RAILWAY STORY – Every year Bishop’s Castle Michaelmas Fair has included a pictorial exhibition of some aspect of local history. This year’s display, entitled ‘Going Places’, brings together a unique accumulation of photographs and memories of transport and travel in southwest Shropshire. A continuous slideshow and collection of books and documents complete an exhibition which should not be missed. ‘Going Places’ will be on show in the Cadet Hall, New Street, Bishop’s Castle from 10am to 5pm on Saturday and Sunday. Admission is by ticket as part of the Michaelmas Fair.

JUNIOR HOCKEY ACADEMY – Bishop’s Castle Junior Hockey Academy begins its fifth season on September 25, offering children between the ages of four-and-a-half and 11 the chance to meet regularly and enjoy playing together. The academy is led by Jim and Vanessa Campbell and meets every week in the sports hall at SpArC in Bishop’s Castle.

To register your child, come to the foyer of SpArC in Bishop’s Castle on September 18 at 4pm. Each session costs £1. Call 01588 638978 for details.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST – Castle Players will hold two readthroughs and auditions for their pantomime Beauty and the Beast today (Thursday) and on September 20.

Come along to the Top Room of the Three Tuns in Bishop’s Castle at 7pm.

“We will then be rehearsing every Thursday night until Christmas at Three Tuns,” said Castle Player stalwart Sue Midwood.

LOCAL COMPANIES AT FOOD FEST – Two local businesses took part in the recent Ludlow Food Festival: the Three Tuns Brewery from Bishop’s Castle and Chilton Damson Gin, based at Myndtown. Both attracted good crowds to their stands. John Russell from the brewery had his full range of six beers on offer. Nearby in the food hall Philip and Fiona Rogers-Coltman were celebrating as Gold Winners in the 2012 Great Taste Awards, organised by the Guild of Fine Food and seen as the Oscars of the food world. The couple make 3,500 bottles of their damson gin every year, using locally sourced damsons of the old Shropshire prune variety.

NEW SCHOOL TERM – A new school year has started at Bishop’s Castle Primary School, with 140 pupils on the roll. Twenty-four children in Year 6 will be going on a trip to Pembrokeshire for a week on Monday accompanied by their teacher Gareth Davies and headteacher Andrew Barker. The group will be staying at a youth hostel in Broadhaven, near Haverfordwest. A programme of coastal walks, surfing and sports activities has been lined up, as well as visits to Skomer Island, St David’s Cathedral and a lifeboat station. Back at the school, Classes 1 and 2 (aged 4-6) will be walking down to the SpArC Theatre on October 18 to see the play Funnybones. Mr Barker has invited parents to join their child for school dinner at family lunch on one of the next five Fridays.

BIGGER BOOK SALE – Organisers of the Great Book Sale in Bishop’s Castle Town Hall have been given so many books they are making it a two-day event. The sale will now run on September 29 and 30, from 10am on both days. The event is another fundraiser for Target 250, in aid of the renovation of Bishop’s Castle Town Hall. For more details call Evelyn Bowles on 01588 638851.

BISHOP’S CASTLE DIARY September 13-22 SEPTEMBER 13: Castle Players auditions for Beauty and the Beast.

Three Tuns Top Room, Bishop’s Castle.

7pm.

SEPTEMBER 14: Film – The Pirates.

Cert U. SpArC, Bishop’s Castle, £4/£2, 6.30pm. Call 01588 630243.

Christian Aid harvest stall. High Street, Bishop’s Castle, 10am.

Quiz in aid of Friends of Bishop’s Castle Community, Home and Hospital, Inn on the Green, Wentnor.

£7 inc supper.

Alphabet Dancers – traditional English dances, Lydham village hall, £2.50.

Second and fourth Friday of month, 8pm. Call 01743 891117.

SEPTEMBER 15: Michaelmas Fair weekend, Bishop’s Castle, £5.

Michaelmas soup and refreshments, Methodist Hall, Bishop’s Castle, 12.30pm.

Zumbathon in aid of breast cancer research, top field, Community College, Bishop’s Castle, £5, 2pm.

SWSHAS exhibition - ‘Going Places - Historical Transport in SW Shropshire’.

Cadet Hall, New St, Bishop’s Castle.

10am-5pm. Continues Sunday.

Real Furniture Show, Community College hall, Bishop’s Castle, 10.30am- 6pm. Continues Sunday Big Michaelmas Sing with Castle Voices, Bishop’s Castle Church, 5pm.

Call 01547 520339.

Farmers’ market, Town Hall and Market Sq, Bishop’s Castle, 8am to 1pm. Call 01588 638141.

Flea and collectors’ market. Bishop's Castle Town Hall, 9am to 4pm. Call 07970 409045.

House on Crutches Museum, Bishop’s Castle, 10.30am-1pm and 2-5pm.

Race bikes exhibition, New St, Bishop’s Castle. Free with donations to Welsh Air Ambulance and Help for Heroes, 10am-5pm.

SEPTEMBER 16: Bishop’s Castle Michaelmas Fair. House on Crutches Museum, Bishop’s Castle, 10.30am- 1pm and 2-5pm.

SEPTEMBER 17: Footpath Walking Group, Hopesay. Meet Harley Jenkins St car park, 9.30am. Call 01588 630165.

Quest Group talk - ‘Near Death Experiences’. Grange Rd Community Centre, Bishop’s Castle, 7.30pm. Call 01588 630648.

SEPTEMBER 18: Registration day for Bishop’s Castle Junior Hockey Academy. SpArC foyer, Bishop’s Castle.

£1 a session, 4pm. Call 01588 638978.

Bishop’s Castle WI: ‘Islands around Australia’- Pam Love. Methodist Hall, Bishop’s Castle, £3 guests, 7.30pm.

SEPTEMBER 19: Bishop’s Castle Film Society, Le Havre, Three Tuns, Bishop’s Castle, 8pm. Call 01588 680445.

Childminding information day, Enterprise House, Bishop’s Castle, free.

Book place on 01588 638038.

Bishop’s Castle Friends of the Earth.

HES office, above pharmacy. New St entrance, 7.30pm.

Onny Valley Social Club. Day trip to Bala Railway. Call 01588 650607.

SEPTEMBER 20: Castle Players auditions for Beauty and the Beast.

Three Tuns Top Room, Bishop’s Castle.

7pm.

Bishop’s Castle Friends in Retirement Club, Grange Community Centre, Bishop’s Castle. Fortnightly, 2pm. Call 01588 638315.

Coffee morning, Abbeyfield House, Oak Meadow, Bishop’s Castle.

10.30am. Call 01588 630000.

‘Using Social Media in your Business’, Enterprise House, Bishop’s Castle, £30.

6.30pm. Call 01588 638038.

Concert and dinner, Walcot Hall, Lydbury North, £35, 7.30pm. Call 01588 680570.

Lydham, More and Snead WI. ‘Red Kites’ – Leo Smith. Lydham village hall, 7.30pm. Call 01588 650315.

Lydbury North WI, ‘Lady Burgh’s Seamstress’ – Sarah Thursfield. Village hall, 7.15pm.

SEPTEMBER 21: Bishop’s Castle fire fighters’ promise auction. Three Tuns, Bishop’s Castle. Doors 6.30pm.

Bookworms - talk by Katherine Swift.

Lydbury North village hall, £5. Call 01588 680302.

SEPTEMBER 22: Auction, Public Hall, Bishop’s Castle. Call 01743 462763.

Jumble sale in aid of Norbury Church.

Norbury village hall, 2pm.

Supper concert in aid of the ‘Porridge Project’, Lydham village hall. Call 01588 650352.

Children’s art and craft day. Norbury village hall, 9.45am-noon. Call 01588 650244.

If you have any news for the paper, or a coming event to promote, please hand a note addressed to Julia Parker over the counter at Bishop’s Castle Post Office, call 01588 680445 or e-mail jparker228@btinternet.com.