Vote in BBOWT photo competition

Karen Neville

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Karen Neville

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Choose your favourite in the People’s Choice Award, voting open until August 26th

Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) has opened public voting to select the first-ever ‘People’s Choice Award’ winner of its annual photography competition.

Nature lovers of all ages have sent in their best shots of animals, plants, people and scenery at BBOWT nature reserves and in the community.

For the first time ever, the vote has also been thrown open to the public with a new ‘People’s Choice Award’. The winner will not only enjoy pride of place as the public favourite, but also receive a Nexcam solar-powered trail camera, perfect for capturing remote shots of camera-shy creatures.

Votes for the shortlisted photographs can be cast by visit https://www.bbowt.org.uk/peoples-choice-award which will remain open until Monday 26th August.

Rachel Levis, BBOWT’s Head of Events, said: “It’s always such a treat to see so many amazing photos of wonderful wildlife taken on our patch, and this year has been no exception! We’ve been sent stunning summer scenes on our reserves, macro shots of insects with incredible detail, and precious wildlife moments captured for all to enjoy.

“We’re excited to have introduced the People’s Choice Award this year which will get our supporters involved with the very tricky judging decisions. With a superb selection, we know it’s going to be a hard choice, but we can’t wait to see which photo is crowned the winner!”

It’s also not too late to submit photos for this year’s wider competition, with entries for all nine categories remaining open until Monday 26th August.

Each year the competition attracts entries from across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire, with nearly 150 people submitting almost 500 photographs for judging in 2023.

Selected by a panel of expert judges, all category winners will enjoy a workshop with wildlife photographer Steve Gozdz from GG Wildlife Experiences and receive a copy of the 2025 BBOWT wildlife calendar featuring their winning entry.

In addition, this year’s overall winner will be awarded a Technaxx bird feeder camera station, while the winners of the Children and Teen categories can claim a bundle of nature books for their school libraries (or to the schools which they nominate).

The Trust is extremely grateful to GG Wildlife Experiences for once again sponsoring this year’s competition. For full details on how to enter, visit https://www.bbowt.org.uk/photocomp24

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Luxury afternoon Tea in Berkshire

Karen Neville

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Karen Neville

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Celebrate Afternoon Tea Week, August 12th-18th, with pure indulgence at the Royal Berkshire, Ascot

Guests can take a seat for a luxury afternoon tea at Royal Berkshire, whether in The Polo Bar, Fork restaurant, or out on the terrace during the warmer months.

Those visiting will indulge in this English tradition in a charming English setting, a treat for everyone who experiences it. Royal Berkshire also offers special family-friendly afternoon teas on Halloween and Easter, with specially curated menus and activities designed to delight even the youngest guests.

Head Chef Jamie Brown and his team are behind the menu development, which features seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. Menu highlights include honey roast ham and wholegrain mustard sandwiches, Early Grey tiramisu and Baileys cheesecake. Available all year round: from 12:00pm to 5:00pm daily, Monday to Friday in The Polo Bar or garden terrace weather permitting and Saturday & Sunday in Fork restaurant, for £42 per person. With 15% off Adult Afternoon Tea Monday-Friday for the whole of August.

Book at https://www.exclusive.co.uk/royal-berkshire/food/afternoon-tea/

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Foodies Festival at Stoke Park

Karen Neville

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Enjoy a fun-filled weekend at Foodies Festival in Stoke Park, August 30th to September 1st, with a celebration of food, drink and music

Top chefs, tasty food, delicious drinks and live music are coming to Guildford for the first time with Blue, Sister Sledge and Symphonic Ibiza courtesy of the Foodies Festival 2024.

Watch MasterChef champions, Michelin-starred and top local chefs cooking their signature summer recipes in the La Española Chefs Theatre. Among those taking part are Alex Payne who has worked with Gordon Ramsay and Heston Blumenthal and now has the Michelin starred The Tudor Pass at Great Fosters, Egham. Channel 4 Sunday Brunch bread expert Jack Sturgess, aka Bake with Jack and former MasterChef winner Druv Bhaker will also be showcasing their skills.

Learn how to make show-stopping cakes in The Pots & Co Cake & Dessert Theatre with expert bakers. Great British Bake Off stars will share their best baking hints and tips live on stage with easy to make recipes that are as delicious to look at as they are to eat.

Sample new wines, champagnes and cocktails in The Drinks Theatre. Eat delicious street food from around the world. Taste new flavours and meet artisan producers. Have fun all day with chilli eating competitions and food challenges! Kids can have fun at The Kids Cookery Theatre.

At the all new cook school, get hands-on in an authentic Thai Green Curry Cook School session with MasterChef star Yui Miles. £25 per person (45 min sessions).

The Flavour Town Fire Stage will host demonstrations of amazing fire-cooked recipes all day long, such as Louisiana Cajun Chicken, salmon cooked to perfection and Cowboy Butter Tomahawk Steak. Pop along anytime you want to and stay for a taste – you won’t want to leave!

Kicking off the live music on Friday night is Symphonic Ibiza taking you on a journey through the legendary sounds of the White Isle fusing iconic Ibiza dance anthems, live vocals, a sensational DJ and an amazing live orchestra. Close your eyes and you could be back partying in Ibiza. Kathy Sledge headlines on Saturday, 31st August. The singer, songwriter, author, producer, manager, and Grammy-nominated music icon is the signature voice in Sister Sledge known for anthems such as We Are Family. Blue round off the weekend on Sunday, 1st September. Formed in London in 2000, the four piece have sold a phenomenal 16 million records, scored multiple number one hits and collaborated with some of the world’s biggest stars including Elton John and Stevie Wonder, as well as winning two BRIT awards.

Guildford – Foodies Festival

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Ewe-nique entertainment at South Downs Show

Karen Neville

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Head to Queen Elizabeth Country Park for attractions and entertainment galore for the whole family on August 10th and 11th at the South Downs Show

Awesome arena acts, entertaining attractions, dog shows and demos and so much more are all in store at this year’s South Downs Show.

Set in Queen Elizabeth Country Park with some of the most spectacular views, the South Downs Show is a weekend show with plenty to do for the whole family – including the dog!

The awesome arena acts include The Knights of Nottingham. Knights and horses will combine for hard hitting medieval jousting displays and tournaments and the jousting shows will be filled with sword swinging and gut punching thrills. Anything can happen and often does, with fantastic audience participation for all ages and comedy included!

Little Nippers allows spectators to see Ridgeside group’s fantastic dogs do what comes naturally to them! In the arena they will race both over obstacles and chase the electric lure at full speed. The public will have the chance to ‘have a go’ with their own dogs – whatever their breed and ability!

One act you won’t want to miss is the ‘ewe-nique’, educational and seriously funny Dancing Sheep Show, a fun-filled presentation showcasing nine different breeds of sheep. Each one has a story to tell with interesting facts and figures relating to their variety. Look out for Nobby the Norfolk Horn – he’s the star of the show… and he knows it.

Test your skills on miniature catapults and crossbows with Fireside Attractions, or take up the challenge of archery of laser clay pigeon shooting. You can even try medieval axe throwing or how about getting up close animals of all kids with Reptile Academy, Miller’s Ark, and Dunreyth Alpacas. Sadly you can’t take them home!

View the South Downs from above aboard the new Ferris Wheel and the Old Thyme Funfairs’ Helter Skelter, the only complete wooden example still on tour. Watch out for the Magical Musical Bike with his catchy tunes and quirky activities, and be amazed by Jake’s Circus Skills. Can you pick up a few tricks of your own?

Get back in touch with traditional skills and the great outdoors with Blackwell Bushcraft or take on a new challenge and try the climbing wall and VR experience provided by the British Army.

Do you have a four-legged friend or want to meet some more? Head to the Dog Zone for competitions, displays, and retail therapy. Enjoy a game as a family, including Giant Outdoor Games or Crazy Golf, best undertaken with an ice cream or take a drive on the Mini Landrovers – no parents allowed!

There’s so much to do you’ll need to go both days. The South Downs Show is prebooked tickets only so make sure you book at South Downs Show.

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Join DINOTRAIL at the Friary

Karen Neville

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Roar into summer with the free family event in Guildford from August 5th to September 1st

Dinosaurs will be making a stomping comeback at The Friary’s roarsome summer holiday event DINOTRAIL with an exciting collection of lifelike dinosaur models.

From Monday 5th August until Sunday, 1st September, visitors of all ages will be able to embark on a prehistoric journey, encountering some of the biggest and most formidable creatures to ever walk the earth.

These amazing prehistoric displays will be located throughout Guildford’s biggest shopping centre and will allow dino fans the chance to get up close and personal with all their favourite dinosaurs to include Doris the Dilong Paradoxus, Danny the Deinonychus, Stan the Stegosaurus, Vanessa the Velociraptor and of course the king of the dinosaurs, Tony the T-Rex. Plus, there will also be a display of some adorable baby dinos and hatchlings! 

DINOTRAIL promises to be an unmissable experience for families to create memories and enjoy during the school summer holidays… and it’s absolutely FREE!

As part of this prehistoric adventure, visitors can participate in an engaging trail by collecting a free Dino Fact Sheet available in-centre or also online at the centre’s website. This fun educational activity will challenge young explorers to find out and learn more about each dinosaur while uncovering fascinating facts about these prehistoric creatures.

Katie Watt, Centre Manager of The Friary Guildford, said: “We’re delighted to bring the dinos back to The Friary this summer! It’s a fantastic opportunity for families to come together and enjoy a free, educational experience during the school holidays here in the heart of Guildford. After the success of our summer event ‘Dinos Rock!’ last year, we’re confident this year’s event will once again bring a lot of joy to all dino fans especially the little ones as they interact with these amazing life-like dinosaur models and embark on a thrilling summer adventure.”

DINOTRAIL at The Friary will captivate the minds of both young and old, fostering a love for history, science, and exploration allowing imaginations to take flight like a ptero-dactyl as visitors embark on a prehistoric journey right here in heart of Guildford. It also provides the perfect opportunity to capture a Dino selfie or two!

To find out more about DINOTRAIL visit The Friary Guildford or follow The Friary on social media channels, Facebook and Instagram.

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Water, water everywhere…

Karen Neville

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Artist Helen Grimbleby unveils the next ‘episode’ of her Nature Sketchbook

August. Long school summer holidays in full flow. Seaside trips. Rock pooling, crabbing, fishing, sea swims, fish and chips, ice-cream.

Dip a bucket to find treasure; maybe shrimps, anemones, limpets, snails and crabs. Perhaps hiding in the seaweed, a starfish, a magical creature, textured moon rock, always holding form and what a beautiful form it is. Gently return the sea creatures to their rock pool home to refresh when sea water comes in or travel on the next tide.

If you don’t find a crab in a pool, dangle a line from the harbour and see what bites. Take care! Their claws can nip.

Carefully swim, not too far now. Or snorkel. There’s a whole mysterious world just below the surface.

Ice-cream can be so nice and cool on a hot summer’s day, especially for cheeky herring gulls.

The ocean is hugely important to “Regulate rainfall and droughts, hold 97% of our planet’s water, and absorb CO2, help keep the carbon cycle in balance. From food to jobs, it’s a lifeline for billions of people, too” (World Economic Forum)

All is not well with our water systems. 75% of UK rivers pose a risk to human health. Only 14% of the UK’s rivers are in good ecological health, even then, they fail to meet chemical standards. Read more from The Rivers Trust or Surfers Against Sewerage. Significant polluters are often large organisations. We can care and be responsible for how we use our sewerage systems. Better to start somewhere, no?

De-stress. Walk along a river or a canal. Rest by a beautiful lake or pond.

Dragon flies, damsel flies, kingfishers are just a few streaks of bright colour you might see. According to scientific research being around water is fantastic for our emotional and psychological well being and an antidote to our often otherwise frenetic lives.

“Plans to protect air and water, wilderness and wildlife are in fact plans to protect man.” Stewart Udall

Helen Grimbleby is a West Berks/ North Hants based artist who is inspired by the natural world’s changing seasons. After exploring outside, she enjoys writing, illustrating and painting larger landscapes at her home studio (@helengrimblebyart).

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Discover Black Oxford

Karen Neville

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Join the inaugural Black Heritage Bus & Walking Tour with an expert guide

Take a one-of-a-kind journey back in time and into the present to discover the rich narratives of Black scholars who have made a lasting impact in academia, law, politics, and the arts.

Walk the paths they walked and explore the spaces where they exchanged ideas, nurtured their intellects, and made a difference, with expert insights from the friendly and skilled tour guides.

The highlight of the tour on August 10th, September 14th and October 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th, will be the engaging bespoke live commentary curated by author and historian Pamela Roberts, who’ll breathe life into the stories she so meticulously researched and studied, all while enjoying spectacular views of Oxford from the comfort of the bus.

Pamela is an award-winning creative producer, historian, and published author. She produces creative projects utilising archival or academic information, making projects accessible to the wider public by removing barriers of accessibility or academic jargon to present and bring untold stories to life via theatre, media, literature, lectures and tours.

The author of Black Oxford: The Untold Stories of Oxford University’s Black Scholars, her work as Founder and Director of Black Oxford Untold Stories has raised the profile of many black scholars at the University of Oxford.

Learn more about Black Oxford at blackoxford and book a tour at Oxford Bus & Walking Tour- Black Oxford Untold Stories

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Award-winning carer Semu Sithole

Karen Neville

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Home care worker Semu Sithole cherishes working with people and helping them through her role with Countywide Caring

“The most fulfilling thing I can do” is show Semu Sithole, Home Care Worker at Countywide Caring, Wallingford, describes her work.

She says: “Being a carer to me is just not a career and how much I do, it is an amazing feeling I get when I provide hope and reassurance to those in need and seeing the difference it makes to their lives.”

And Semu clearly has made a difference to many lives being awarded the Newcomer to Care Award.

She arrived in the UK from Zimbabwe early in 2023 and despite suffering a personal loss in her home country she remained committed to providing compassionate care, embodying the spirit of empathy for which she has now been rewarded.

She explains. “The support of a carer improves someone’s quality of life and makes them feel valued as an individual and person. I get fulfilled when I leave someone clean, happy, comfortable and with a smile on their face and them looking forward to another day.”

Semu herself has received great support from Countywide Caring management team and staff which she says is “second to none and has contributed greatly to me being great carer”.

Countywide Caring Registered Manager Heidi Kennedy describes Semu as “the kind of person you would like to have more of in your workplace” adding: “The clients regularly request to have her for their visits, they feel very safe with her due to her calm approach and the kindness in how her care is delivered.”

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Join the Garden Party in Didcot

Karen Neville

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Celebrate events & activities in open community spaces at Didcot Garden Party this month

Didcot Garden Party is returning throughout the summer holidays to bring exciting events and sports activities to Cornerstone Arts Centre and local parks in the town.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils are bringing lots of free activities for families and young people until August 31st. Head to the courtyard at Cornerstone for the launch of this year’s party from 10am to meet the ‘naughty flock of sheep’, join The Crew on a voyage into the unknown and dance the day away to live music with DJ Strange.

All the events at Cornerstone will be taking place outside in the centre’s decorated courtyard during the six-week period. Enjoy music from the acoustic Funkinsteins (2nd), the Flamenco Thief on 23rd, theatre with Quentin Blake’s Mrs Armitage on Wheels, 3rd and find out more about your community at the Communities Come Together Day on 17th.

Try a free badminton taster session on 10th and 31st at Didcot Leisure Centre, join Fusion Fest on the 10th and celebrate the global cultures in our communities and tuck into a special foodie event at Cornerstone on 30th.

If you fancy getting active then there are a variety of ways to get involved all for free. Whether you fancy junior bootcamp, giving skating and scooting a go, family yoga or badminton, just turn up and give it a go. Aged 4-12 and want to join a dancing session? Pre-booking essential.

Full details of all these events and more, dates and venues on the downloadable brochure at Didcot Garden Town.

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Take a seat on the HelloBench

Karen Neville

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Give a warm welcome to the HelloBench – reset a while, chat and beat loneliness with the new initiative in Woodley & Wokingham

Sit down and have a chat – that’s the simple invitation going out around Woodley and Wokingham in a bid to combat loneliness and help people to make connections.

The initiative called HelloBench will see plaques placed on benches in parks, town precincts and shopping areas inviting you to ‘sit down and have a chat’ and encourage people to ‘get us all talking to each other”.

One of those behind the project is Aliya Musa. She explains a little more about the idea: “Loneliness and depression are close bed fellow and here in Woodley and Wokingham, a grass roots initiative is growing to get us all talking to each other, maybe a little bit more.

“To scoop up those of us, who find it not so easy to start a conversation. It’s for people who for whatever reason find themselves on the margins. Maybe you spend quite a lot of time on your own at home, maybe you are a new mum, maybe someone who works from home, maybe you’re retired. No matter your age, if you’re lonely perhaps you haven’t even noticed it creep up on you.”

In 2018, the Government published a strategy to combat just this problem and many organisations, both central and local government, have been investing in and implementing programmes to reduce the stigma around loneliness. The 2023 Campaign to End Loneliness report acknowledged the effect Covid had on the issue and believes people need to be more connected.

There are already programmes to combat loneliness in the local community with over 50s clubs, ‘chatty tables’ in cafes, lunch clubs and outreach programmes, many of which were set up during the Covid lockdown and continue and others which Aliya concedes have fallen by the wayside adding there’s always room for more.

Friendship benches or buddy benches are not a new idea and many already exist in schools.

The initiative was launched on July 13th, two days after World Loneliness Day. HelloBench benches will all be labelled clearly and marked on Google maps which you’ll be able to find on the Facebook page. Aliya says: “The hope is that even if one or two people are helped each week on these benches – that’s a worthwhile hello.”

She issued a special thanks to Vicky Cooke, owner of Vammahs Print and Design who has provided the signs for the benches and a banner on T-shirts on launch day last month.

More benches are welcome and if anyone in the locality, wants one in their area, just get in touch, support is available to make that happen. Visit HelloBench – Facebook for more details.

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