QUIZ NIGHT - A quiz night at the Silvester Horne Institute on Saturday, 7.30pm with Ken Willis as question master will raise funds for Cancer Research UK. Entry is £5 and bookings should be made by ringing 01694 722713.

BLUEBELL WALK - The Tree Group is planning to host a bluebell walk in Helmeth Wood on Sunday from 9.30pm-11.30am. To find out more ring 01694 722109. No charge, but donations would be appreciated.

CAMERA CLUB - Longmynd Camera Club winds up the programme before the summer break with competition number five which is an open subject judged by John Bissell. The end of season awards will also be announced.

The club meets at the URC Hall fortnightly on Wednesdays during the season starting at 7.30pm and welcomes visitors. To find out more ring the secretary on 01743 353485.

ELECTION DAY - Thursday, May 2 is election day when the polling station at the Silvester Horne Institute will be open from 7am-10pm. The occasion also offers a chance to vote in the Shropshire council electoral division of Church Stretton and Craven Arms and the town council south ward.

COMEDY NIGHT - At the Longmynd Hotel on May 10. A two-course meal will be served at 7.30pm before the comedy at 8.45pm. Reservations made by paying is advance, the cost is £15.

BOOK SALE - A bumper book sale is planned for May 11 at the Silvester Horne Institute and will be open from 10am-4pm. If you have any books, CDs or DVDs you would like to donate please ring 01694 723292. All proceeds will go to Mayfair community centre.

KARUNA - Karuna is offering a one day scything course for beginners led by Andrea Gilpin on May 18, from 10am-5pm. Cost of the course is £54. In July a permaculture design course led by Chris Evans, Llooby Macnamara and Jess Clynewood is on offer. This is a two week residential course which must be booked in advance. Full details of both of these courses can be obtained by ringing 01643 751374.

GREEN PARTY - Green Party members and friends will be meeting at the Acorn Cafe at 10.30am for a preelection meeting on Monday.

CYCLE RIDE - Information about the Longmynd batch burner cycle ride is available from Plush Cycles in the Square. The event takes place on May 11, and supports Norbury primary school. Entry is £25 and the event is open to anyone over 16 years of age.

There will be plenty of entertainment on the day and refreshments available.

THERAPY - Bella-Marie Daniel is a new member of the therapy team at Mayfair specialising in neuro-muscular and facial tissue massage together with deep tissue facials. In addition she will be offering food intolerance testing and dietary advice.

SPRING SHOW - The local gardening club held its spring show last week at when Percy Price was invited to judge entries. The three winning entries with three stems of daffodils were Eve Dapling, D Small and Linda Bolton and for three stems of flowering shrub were J Turner-Jones, D Small and J Themans. For five stems of other flowers the winners were Rhoda Underhill, K Challis and D Small and for the arrangement of spring flowers the winners were Kay Challis, Eve Dapling and Rhoda Underhill. The Daphne Wall Cup went to Kay Challis.

Everyone was invited to test their horticultural knowledge with two quiz sheets. There was a buffet and plants sale. There were thanks to the committee members for the buffet and raffle. The club will now prepare for the summer show in August.

The next outing is to Lydney Park Gardens on May 8, To enquire for places ring 01694 720131.

SCHOOL NEWS - A tag rugby tournament takes place at Ludlow being the first round of the Tag to Twickenham tournament and now summer is here the cricket club will start again. Pupils are preparing to take part in the Bryntysilio visit in May.

Class one will be walking into Church Stretton for a visit to St Laurence’s Church.

SMALLHOLDERS - The March gettogether of the smallholders group was much more of a social event than a regular meeting with 25 unusual items to be recognised in the quiz which was all set to test their skills. Among the items were a jeweller’s last, a billiard cue re-tipper and a tonsil remover, but it was down to earth again at the April meeting with a talk on sheep endoparasites by Andy Clough. The usual seed swap, members exchange and members sale table again open for business. For those interested in moon planting the best time to plant above ground crops with outside seeds, flowering annuals, asparagus, endive and spinach is the new moon to first quarter. The first quarter to full moon is the time for sowing above ground crops with inside seeds such as beans, peas, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. Full moon to first quarter is the time for root crops, bulbs, biennials and perennials such as onions, potatoes and rhubarb, and in the last quarter to new moon it is time to spend weeding, cultivating, destroying pests and turning sod.

MAY FAIR - May 4 is the May Fair at Mayfair (11am-3pm) with sales of brica- brac, cakes and bakes, plants, books, CDs and DVDs, crafts, raffle and entertainment.

PLANT SALE - Bank Holiday Monday, May 6, Little Stretton village hall will hold a plant sale with teas available between 2pm-4pm.Donations of plants would be welcome.