Bishop's Castle.

FIRST EXHIBITION AT NEW GALLERY: Jacs Collins, the new owner of The Gallery in Bishop's Castle said she was delighted with the encouraging attendance at the first private view she has hosted since taking over the business at the beginning of the month. The exhibition showcases the work of Jim Tucker, a collage artist, who uses and recycles found materials. Also on show is work by Carrie May, a recent Royal College of Art graduate from Dymock. Carrie's collaged paperworks and mobiles make a contrasting yet co-ordinating addition to Jim Tucker's work, which incorporates wood, metal and other salvaged materials.

Jacs Collins said: "Both artists attended the private view and were on hand to discuss their work with the many interested collectors. Several pieces were sold by Jim and Carrie and I am encouraged to believe that local buyers will support original and interesting work."

The exhibition continues until Saturday, May 17, together with a range of contemporary arts and crafts stocked in The Gallery until May 17.

Future collective exhibitions for the rest of the year are planned, hopefully to include the work of local artists and makers. Themes include: Home Front - To showcase domestic crafts, knitting/sewing/felting/domestic ceramic wares/lighting and artworks on the theme of family life. Sheepish - Flock to this show to see art and craft made about and from our woolly neighbours. Playroom - A show to bring out the child inside us all. Jacs is hoping to encourage kids of all ages to show their work. Bodylines - An exhibition to celebrate humanity in all forms and media. Into the Woods - The fire and iron crafts and art made from and about trees.

It is hoped that these themes will inspire and encourage local artists and makers to visit the gallery to discuss their work with Jacs, with a view to showing in a collective exhibition or a one-man show. She is friendly, interested in many types of art and craft, encouraging, positively critical, helpful and she doesn't bite!

Details of all these shows and all other news can be found on the website: thegallerybc.co.uk CHOIRS IN CONCERT: Following their very successful concert tour in Tuscany and Umbria last October the local Mynd Singers (director Philippa Whitaker) and the visiting Warwickshire Singers (director Paul Sudlow) will give a concert together in St John's Church, Bishop's Castle, on Saturday, May 10, at 7pm by kind permission of the Rev Paul Collins and the PCC. The conductor is Paul Sudlow and the organist, when required, is David King.

In October, the choirs sang mass in the Basilica at Assisi and gave two concerts, one in the Church of Santa Maria dei Ricci in Florence, the other in the Duomo of Citta' della Pieve.

The programme here, on May 10, will be based on music from the Tuscan tour together with some items that they sang when on a similar concert tour in Prague in 2005.

The concert is free, please note early starting time. There will be a retiring collection in aid of St John's Church.

The concert will be given again the following day, Sunday, May 11, in St Alkmund's Church, Shrewsbury, at 3pm. Tickets cost £5 on the door in aid of the concert cushion fund.

Clows Top.

CLOWS TOP & DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB: At the April meeting, speaker Keith Orchard Robinson, gave a talk on Derbyshire Well Dressing'. This custom has taken place in Derbyshire for the last 50 years. There is so much work involved and it takes a week of volunteers to complete the work. A wooden frame with protruding nails is used which is then smothered with a specially mixed clay. Materials are pressed into the clay to create a mosaic. A wide variety of materials is used such as twigs, moss, maize, parsley and flower petals. This work of art and celebration is a thank-you gift for the water in the wells and a lot believe this blessing has meant the wells have never dried up.

On Wednesday, May 28, speaker Peter Riley will give a talk on garden style developments. On Wednesday, June 25, speaker Angela Thompson will give a talk on designing with pots. It will also be the club's rose and sweet pea show.

On Wednesday, July 23, speaker Jayne Morris will give a talk on growing and using herbs.

If you're not a member, then come along to one of our monthly meetings on the fourth Wednesday in the calendar month at Clows Top Victory Hall. Doors open at 7.45pm, for the speaker at 8pm. For further details, call Marion Wilson on 01299 270475.

Clun Valley.

Stream of Sound: There was a walk up Clunbury Hill with a difference during the Easter holidays. Experienced leader, Catherine Murphy, was joined by a team of active listeners', local poets, folk singers and choir members.

There were 32 children and 18 adults involved in the project in which they worked with Stream of Sound, a youth choir from Stourbridge, to create original songs. The sun came out just as Catherine Murphy led the guided walks and, with the strong wind, Clunbury Hill was at its best. Catherine asked questions as they walked and the group composed words based on the answers.

The two songs that were created during the day were performed at a concert by Stream of Sound at St Cuthbert's, Clungunford parish church, in the evening.

The performance was wonderfully varied with all the vigour and range of a youth choir. Clungunford Village Choir hopes to perform the songs for the first time this summer.

New Function Room at Crown Inn: Owners of the Crown Inn at Newcastle, Debbie and Lindsey Linford-Gough, have just opened a new, multi-purpose functions and games room with seating for around 50 people to complement its busy 30-seater restaurant.

Senior Citizens' Club School Lunch: Clun Senior Citizens' Club will be having lunch at St George's School today (Thursday). Members enjoyed a delicious lunch on a previous visit to the school and they are looking forward to this one.

Newcastle Garden Society: Newcastle and District Garden Society's next meeting is tonight (Thursday) when the speaker will be Angela Thompson. She will be talking about fuschias. The meeting starts at 7.30pm in Newcastle Community Centre and visitors are welcome. Details from Gill on 01588 640216.

CADS Play Reading: Clun Amateur Dramatic Society will be reading The Restoration of Arnold Middleton by David Storey at their play reading tonight (Thursday). The reading starts at 7.30pm at Haslehurst Community Centre. For details, contact Jim Tipton on 01588 660397.

Live Music: Gravy Train plays at the White Horse Inn, Clun, tomorrow (Friday). It is Open Mic at the White Horse Inn on Wednesday, May 14, with Mark Haywood.

Quiz Night: It is quiz night at the White Horse Inn, Clun, on Sunday, May 11.

Christian Aid Week: Collectors in Clun are hoping that residents will support their door-to-door collection for Christian Aid week from May 11 to 17. Organiser, Jay Upton, says that Christian Aid does use its money well, and helps people of all faiths. "It believes in helping people to find their own solutions to poverty," said Jay Upton. "It works through more than 600 carefully vetted partner organisations in almost 50 countries. It does not give money to governments."

Director of Christian Aid, Daleep Mukarji, was himself a recipient of CA funds before joining the organisation. He was working to reduce poverty in India.

As well as a door-to-door collection, there will be the Clun Clothes Show on Friday, May 16, and a Christian Aid service at Hightown Community Room on Sunday, May 18.

Memorial Hall Play Area & AGM: After much hard work over the last three years, the refurbished play area at Clun Memorial Hall is finally open again. There were a lot of fundraising events and grants to pay for the work. Events ranged from a promises auction to a safari supper, and there were donations from the parish council, the fire service, Churches Together and individuals.

Clun Memorial Hall AGM is on Monday, May 12, at 7.30pm in the Memorial Hall.

Neighbourhood Watch: Clun Neighbourhood Watch will be meeting at the Maltings Café on Wednesday, May 14, at 7pm. The group first met on March 26 to discuss Neighbourhood Watch issues.

"It was gratifying to see how, by good liaison with our local police team, some ongoing Clun problems were finding solutions which are in the best interests of all parties," said Neighbourhoood Watch Clun co-ordinator, Linda Hurcombe. The group welcomes new members to join them on Wednesday - with the enticement of chocolate brownies!

ART GALLERY: Clunton artist, Noel Shepherdson, is having a one-man show at the Old Surgery Gallery in Clun from Friday, May 16. This is an annual event at the gallery.

Unfortunately, the gallery has to be closed from Monday, May 19, until Thursday, May 22. It re-opens on Friday, May 23, for the Bank Holiday weekend and Noel's show continues until Sunday, June 8.

Fairtrade Fashion: Clun Clothes Show promises to be a great evening out and a promotion of Fairtrade. It starts at 6pm on Friday, May 16, in the Hightown Community Room and there will be Fairtrade wine and soft drinks on sale while you watch the brave Clun models on the catwalk.

Tickets cost £3.50 and £1.50 for children and are available from Janet Davies at Davies Newsagents, Janet Bradbury at the post office and Richard Bright at Bright Flowers.

The Strettons.

WALKS: Tickets for the guided walks in aid of the Severn Hospice taking place on Saturday, May 17, should be purchased beforehand from Burway Books or Longmynd Camping and Leisure in advance of registration on the day of the walks. Cost of entry and lunch is £8 per person. Registration is at 9.15am on the day at the URC Hall and the walks start at 10am. There are two walks, one is a moderate walk through woods to the top of the Ragleth covering a distance of about four miles in an estimated time of two hours, and the other is a very strenuous walk to the top of Burway Hill via Cow Ridge in Carding Mill Valley, also an estimated time of two hours. Tickets can also be reserved by ringing the organisers on 01694 722759 or 723255.

The bluebell walk/run in aid of the Lingen Davies Cancer Appeal takes place on Sunday, May 11, at the Scout HQ from 10am to noon. Entry is £5.

CANCER CARE: The next get-together for Stretton Cancer Care will be the spring outing to Millichope Park on Monday, May 12, to see the display of bluebells there. This will be followed by afternoon tea in the village hall.

People raise money for Cancer Research and charities in many different ways, and this Sunday, Alistair Banfield will be doing a parachute jump in memory of his father, Peter, who died five years ago this month. He is aiming to collect £1,000 for the Institute of Cancer Research.

Stretton Cancer Care group cares for people in the Strettons and South Shropshire who have cancer, and their relatives and friends. It not only organises meetings and get-togethers for members but can provide details of benefits available to cancer patients and also provide informal home visits. For details about Stretton Cancer Care, please contact Robin Jukes-Hughes on 01743 718773 or Roger Wilson on 01584 878829.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Methodist Wives and Friends meet again on Tuesday, May 13, for a talk by Jonathon Cooke on climate change. The meeting will be held at 8pm in the Methodist Hall. The following Saturday, May 17, the group will be hosting a spring fayre in the church hall.

RAILWAY SOCIETY: Earlier this year, the Strettons Railway Society was formed to encourage railway modelling in all its forms as well as to promote the interest in railways and their preservation. With this in mind, the group is hoping to build a 00-gauge working layout of Church Stretton Station and goods yard as it was in its heyday. This will be set up for public viewing.

MAYFAIR LOTTERY: The winning numbers in the April lottery in aid of Mayfair Community Centre were 584, 480, 232 and 142, winning prizes of £100, £50, £20 and £10 respectively.

COUNTRY MARKET: The weekly country market held at Mayfair Community Centre on Fridays from 8.45am to 10.30am is back in business following its winter break, and has stalls offering cakes, produce, plants, cards and woodcraft items.

COFFEE MORNING: The Friends of St Laurence's Church will be hosting a coffee morning at the parish centre from 10am to noon on Saturday, May 10. There will be stalls selling cakes and preserves, plants, books, Fairtrade goods and St Laurence's merchandise. Entrance is £1 to include refreshments.

ART WORKSHOPS: The local Arts Society will be holding a workshop at Church Stretton School on Wednesday, May 16, from 7pm to 9pm when Heather Prescott will be on hand to teach pen and ink techniques. All are welcome to take part,whether expert or beginner, but need to take along their own materials and water colours.

RUNNING CLUB: Runners of all ages and abilities are invited to join the new Longmynd Running Club which meets on Thursday evenings at 7pm in the Scout HQ in Church Street.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The ring-and-ride scheme needs volunteers. If anyone would like to find out more, call 01694 722077. The South Shropshire Furniture Scheme's shop and advice centre also needs volunteers. Call 01694 724464.

IT COURSE: A free course on booking holidays online is on offer at Mayfair Community Centre from 10am to noon on Wednesday, May 21.

VISITING AUTHOR: On Sunday afternoon, May 18, there is a chance to take afternoon tea with Tim Pears, the author of A Revolution of the Sun and In a Land of Plenty at 3.30pm at the Longmynd Hotel. Tickets are £5 including tea and cake. For enquiries, ring 01694 723388.

QUIZ NIGHT: The Guides and Rangers will be hosting their quiz night at the parish centre on Saturday, May 10, at 7pm with proceeds going to the Air Ambulance and Church Stretton Rangers' funds. For tickets, please call 01694 723390.

CAKE BREAK: Mrs Audrey Seager would like to thank everyone who helped at the coffee morning held at 25, Stretton Farm Road, last week. Thanks also to those who donated cakes, bring-and-buy and raffle prizes, and all who attended. The event raised £450 for MS.

SPRING SHOW: There was a warm welcome for everyone at The Church Stretton and District Gardening Club's spring show at the Silvester Horne Insitute. Notices of gardens open to the public, the hospice walk and the primary school plant sale on Saturday, May 10, were given out.

In the show, there were three competition classes featuring a springtime flower arrangement, three stems of flowering shrub and five stems of spring flowers. The competition was judged by Mr Percy Price and first places were awarded to Ann Frost, Janet Aston and Daphne Wall.

During the evening, everyone was invited to test their gardening knowledge by identifying pictures of flowering plants and completing a crossword puzzle, with the winners rewarded with items to plant. The raffle was then drawn and the evening was rounded off with the serving of an excellent buffet.

PLANT SALES: The Friends of St Lawrence's Primary School will be hosting a plant sale at the school on Saturday morning, May 10. Cardington Village Hall will also be the venue for a plant sale and coffee morning from 10.30am on Saturday, May 10, with a bring-and-buy produce stall and bacon butties on sale. Proceeds will go to various charities.

CHORAL SOCIETY: The Stretton Choral Society presents its Classical Masterworks Concert at Church Stretton School on Saturday, May 10, and tickets are being sold through Burway Books, John Thomas Florists and choir members.

SENIOR CITIZENS' CLUB: The Senior Citizens' Club meets at the URC Hall at 2.30pm tomorrow (Friday) when the speaker on this occasion will be a representative from Age Concern. Visitors are welcome; transport can be arranged by calling 01694 722454.

RUSHBURY TOTE: The April tote in aid of Rushbury Village Hall funds was held at the Longville Arms. This month's winners were K and J Flavell and N Medlicott who each won £5, Mrs B Logan and R T Dale who each won £10, and T Priestley who scooped the £40 prize. The next tote draw will be held on May 31.

PUPPETS: The Sealegs Puppet Theatre will be at All Stretton Village Hall on Saturday, May 10, to present Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant at 7.30pm. Admission is £4 and £2.50 for children, and the proceeds will go to BLISS, the charity for premature babies and their families.

SCHOOL NEWS: It's exam time and pupils at both of our schools will be busy preparing for their SATs at KS1 and KS2 and Year 9. Year 11s will also be getting ready for their GCSE written examinations. Year 7 pupils will be visiting Stokesay on a humanities visit.

5:25pm Friday 9th May 2008

Print   Email this   Comment