Poignant performance from St George’s School

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Community concert raises £3,000 for DEC Ukraine Appeal

A community concert, organised by local preparatory school St George’s School Windsor Castle and hosted by Windsor Parish Church, raised over £3,000 for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal.

Beginning with a champagne and canapé reception, more than 100 parents and members of the local community took their sets for the event on April 28th and enjoyed a stirring rendition of Fauré’s Requiem.

Led by the school’s director of music, James Wilkinson, the 40-minute piece of work was performed by the St George’s School Chamber Choir, accompanied by an ensemble of professional musicians. Four of the senior choristers of St George’s Chapel Windsor Castle, all Year 8 students at the school, joined the stage for the spine-tingling Pie Jesu.

“It was an exceptional and highly poignant performance, perfect for the occasion,” commented William Goldsmith, head of St George’s School Windsor Castle. “As a school with the values of kindness, honesty and courage, we felt rightly compelled to use some of the breadth of talent that exists across the school to support the plight of the people of Ukraine in a positive and meaningful way.”

The money raised, through advance ticket sales and donations on the night, will be given to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal to help provide food, water, shelter, healthcare and protection for families fleeing conflict in the country.

“We are extremely grateful for all of the generous donations from those who attended, the musicians and performers for donating their time and the support from the school’s parent body and wider community to enable the event to go ahead,” added Goldsmith.

Windsor Parish Church, Brill Media, Run Print Run and Luxe Flowers were among those to support the event.

Further information about St George’s School Windsor Castle can be found at www.stgwindsor.org, or by attending the school’s upcoming open event on Saturday 21 May. Interested families are invited to register for the event via the website or by calling 01753 865553

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Journey into the Magical Forest

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LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort is opening its newest attraction this Saturday, 30th April – step inside and explore

Take an enchanting new walk-through The LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort’s newest attraction as The Magical Forest opens this weekend.

The immersive experience which marks a new realm in the story of its multi-million pound land, LEGO® MYTHICA: World of Mythical Creatures, is set to capture children’s hearts and imaginations when it opens this weekend.

Model Maker Will Saunders (28) puts the finishing touches to some of the mythical LEGO creatures that populate The Magical Forest, the new immersive walkthrough experience launching at the LEGOLAND ® Windsor Resort this Saturday. Will laid the final bricks to a snappy plant model and the vibrant baby Lava Dragon. All the LEGO ® Models were built using over 80,000 LEGO bricks

The finishing touches have been applied and the swirling vortex of dazzling lights offers a glimpse into how guests will start their adventure in this parallel universe, where LEGO creatures come to life using awesome Augmented Reality (AR) with surprises in store around every corner.

Fan-favourite, Bits & Bobs and the friendly baby Alicorn, will surprise guests as at the enchanted waterfall before they head deep in the heart of The Magical Forest. Guests can also expect to unearth secret LEGO habitats hidden beneath the undergrowth and foliage, but just beware for the giant Venus Fly Trap which can be a little snappy – especially when they first meet intrepid young explorers.

The adventure hots up as first look imagery reveals how the habitat shifts from an enchanted forest to a landscape of lava where guests will come eye to eye with a group of Crystal Claw Crabs and a super-sized LEGO dragon egg, before braving the grand finale by entering the magnificent Lava Dragon’s cave, who is stirring inside.

Activated exclusively via the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort app, families will set off on an intrepid adventure where an AR overlay takes users on a journey narrated by Bobs as he’s magically brought to life and transforms from LEGO to his real-life form in The Realm. Bobs guides guests along The Magical Forest pathway as you meet other creatures from the realm, including; Crystal Claw Crabs, Baby Lava Dragons, Venus Fly Trap and the incredible Lava Dragon herself.

Families will get to help Bobs find his missing wing, breathe fire like a Baby Lava Dragon, and play with the Crystal Claw Crabs; before witnessing and getting to capture a photo of the amazing mother Lava Dragon in full flight. With each creature, you discover you’ll also add a special virtual card to your digital collection with facts and stats about them.

To celebrate the launch of The Magical Forest there are also two exclusive AR Pop Badges featuring the Crystal Claw Crabs and baby Lava Dragons to collect.

LEGO MYTHICA: World of Mythical Creatures also features the UK’s first ever flying theatre ride, Flight of The Sky Lion, which takes guests on a mind-blowing 4D film adventure on board a flying gondola where they soar, swoop and dive with guardian Maximus on an amazing adventure through the epic world.

The land which is full of epic adventures waiting to be discovered also includes the Fire and Ice Freefall drop tower ride and the exhilarating water ride, Hydra’s Challenge.

To book visit www.legoland.co.uk

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May recipes: Green queens

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We’re celebrating the green goodness with two brunch recipes to herald Alresford Watercress Festival

Kedgeree with Watercress

Ingredients:

• 100ml Whole Milk
• 2 smoked haddock fillets
• ½ tbsp olive oil
• ½ Onion, chopped
• Small piece ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp curry powder
• 100g basmati rice
• 2 eggs
• 80 watercress, chopped finely

Prep: 10 minutes | Cooking:  30 minutes | Serves: Two people

The origins of ‘Brunch’ are unclear. Some food historians think the meal has its roots in England’s hunt breakfasts – lavish multi-course meals that featured such treats as chicken livers, eggs, meats, bacon, fresh fruit, and sweets.

Others believe Sunday brunch derives from Victorian times when staff were given the Sabbath off and they left their lords and masters with enough food to graze on throughout the day while, yet others look to 1930s New York and the abundance of dining spots for the origins of classic brunch dishes from eggs Benedict to bagels and lox.

So, indulge that weekend feeling! Chow down on this fantastic brunch recipe at your leisure and revel in easy, comforting food.

Method

Heat the milk and around 50ml of water in a large pan on a low heat. Add the fish, skin-side down, and poach for around 5 mins. Remove carefully and flake it – set aside and reserve the liquid for later.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and fry the onion before adding garlic, ginger, turmeric and curry powder. When the onion is soft, add the rice and let it soak up the flavours in the pan.

Make the reserved poaching liquid up to around 150-200ml with water before adding it to the pan. Simmer for around 10 minutes.

Boil the eggs for around 6 minutes – this should give you a gooey yolk (boil for longer if you prefer.)

Once the rice is cooked, stir through the haddock and watercress. Quarter the cooked eggs and place on top to serve.

Mushroom & Watercress French Toast

Ingredients:

• 2 Slices thick crusty bread
• 1 egg
• 100g mushrooms, halved
• 1 clove garlic, minced (optional)
• 80g Watercress, chopped
• 50g grated Swiss cheese
• Butter

Prep: 10 minutes | Making: 10 minutes | Serves: One person

This is another fabulous tasty quick brunch recipe, perfect for a lazy Sunday morning or indeed a snack whenever you fancy.

Method

In a bowl, beat the egg and add a little salt & pepper. Dip the bread in, covering both sides.

Heat some butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the eggy bread for a couple of minutes, flip it and sprinkle the grated cheese on the side that is cooked so it melts.

Meanwhile, heat a knob butter in a pan over a medium heat (add garlic if using), cook the mushrooms. Add the watercress as the mushrooms start to brown and cook for no longer than a minute, so that the watercress has just wilted.

Serve the mushrooms and watercress on top of the cooked bread with lots of black pepper.

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Beacon Hill Beer Festival is back!

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After two years the popular beer festival returns to Hindhead Royal British Legion Club with an amazing array of beers for you to enjoy

Get a head start on the Platinum Jubilee celebrations by sampling a selection of beers themed around the occasion, as well as a selection of British ciders, and a handful of international lagers as part of the Beacon Hill Beer Festival.

On Friday 13th May from 5pm we will be open to everyone to kick off the celebrations with live music from The Bierkeller Boys, a Bavarian Oompah band who are ready to get everyone on their feet with plenty of clapping, swaying and thigh slapping.

Saturday 14th won’t be any less exciting! Organizers say: “We open at 1pm for an afternoon of beer, lager and cider tasting. Shortly followed by what is sure to be a fiery FA Cup Final with Liverpool vs Chelsea on our big screen, with Liverpool aiming to become the first English team to win the quadruple, so we are sure to be in for an exciting game before we get right into the evening. There will be live music from The Noize to get us up on that dance floor for the night.”

An incredible weekend awaits at Hindhead Royal British Legion, Beacon Hill Road, Hindhead, GU26 6QB with a variety of breweries already lined up to take part:

Breweries:

Brolly Brewery

Crafty Brewery

Greene King

Longdog Brewery

Siren Craft Brewery

Surrey Hills Brewery

TripleFFF

Windsor & Eton Brewery

Elusive Brewery

Flack Brewery

Ciders supplied by:

Hogs Back Brewery

Mr Whiteheads Cider Co

Lagers from around the world:

Kirin (Japan); Pacifico Clara (Mexico); Moosehead (Canada); Sagres Export (Portugal), and Tusker (Kenya).

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New Guildford Festival – ShyneFest

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Family-friendly, live music festival with kids activities, entertainment, camping, glamping, silent disco, bars, food stalls, escape rooms, animal encounters and loads more!

Join ShyneFest on the 3rd – 4th June at their new venue, Merrist Wood, for a weekend of live music from Lightning Seeds, Jesus Jones, The Farleys and loads more, including top tribute band Guns2Roses!

Upgrade to boutique glamping tents for proper luxurious camping, have a kickabout, play giant chess, enjoy some rides, eat delicious food and have a cocktail or a pint from one of their bars.

This will be their 5th year and it is going to be the biggest and best yet!

See the lineup

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Lifelong learning and mental fitness

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You don’t have to run a four-minute mile…

…to follow in the footsteps of Roger Bannister.

On a windy day in May 1954, a 25-year-old medical student broke track and field’s most famous barrier – the four-minute mile. Roger Bannister won fame at Oxford’s Iffley Road track, with a time of 3 minutes and 59.4 seconds.

Bannister, who’d been born into a working-class family, showed promise in education as well as running. After retiring from athletics, he enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a neurologist. He made the Queen’s Honours list twice for his contributions to sport. Then, in his 70s, he returned to his studies – by taking short courses at Oxford University’s Department for Continuing Education.

Bannister knew that mental fitness carries many of the same benefits as physical fitness, including improved health, mental resilience and longevity. As a research neurologist, he would have understood brain plasticity – how a stimulated brain forms new synaptic connections at any age. Many studies (including one published in The Lancet in July 2017) cites educational attainment and lifelong learning as among the most important factors in preventing one-third of future dementia cases.

Among the topics Bannister explored as an adult learner were the philosophies of Hegel and Wittgenstein, the politics of Asia and America, the making of modern Europe, the history of the Cold War, and the archaeology of Roman Britain.

He went on to complete a longer course too – an Undergraduate Diploma in Creative Writing. Bannister joked with his poetry tutor that writing a villanelle was harder to achieve than breaking the four-minute mile.

For most of us, breaking a record in track and field is off the table – but lifelong learning is always well within reach. You can follow Sir Roger Bannister’s example at Oxford, choosing from more than 1000 short courses and longer programmes, taught both in Oxford and online.

Learn more: www.conted.ox.ac.uk

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April recipes: Feed your family

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Say bye-bye to boring dinners with exciting recipes from Chefs In Schools, by Nicole Pisani & Joanna Weinberg

Nerissa’s butternut squash cake

Ingredients:

• 125g/4½oz unsalted butter
• 125g/4½oz golden caster sugar
• Two free range eggs
• 200g/7oz cooked butternut squash
• 250g/9oz self-raising flour
• One teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Edible flowers, to decorate

For the icing

• 100g/3½oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 100g/3½oz soft light brown sugar
• 85g/3oz maple syrup
• 220g/7¾oz cream cheese

Prep: 15 minutes | Cooking:  45 minutes | Serves: 8 people

“This recipe is one we share with every school we work with,” writes Nerissa Buckley, school chef trainer.

“It was developed out of necessity but became a hit. I was at a school one day and we needed a cake ASAP for lunch. We like to get as much fruit or vegetables to our cakes as we can and I was hunting around for some to put in, when I remembered we were baking butternut squash whole in the oven for the next day. It was a lightbulb moment… and what a yummy result.”

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 and line a 20-cm/8-inch cake tin with reusable baking paper. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat again until pale and creamy.

Add the cooked squash, flour and spices and gently fold in to combine. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until lightly golden on top and a knife or skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Make the icing while the cake is cooling: beat the butter, sugar and maple syrup (an electric beater makes this easier) until light and airy, then add the cream cheese, a quarter at a time.

Continue to beat for about two minutes until smooth and thick.

When the cake is completely cool, smear all over the top and sides. Decorate with edible flowers.

Ingredients:

• 400g/14oz hummus
• 24 baby vegetables for “planting” e.g. radishes,  carrots (with leaves if possible), baby cucumber and  tenderstem broccoli, trimmed and peeled, with tops on, or cut into small spears
• Flatbread, to serve

For the ‘black soil’

• 75g/2¾oz stale, good-quality bread
• Olive oil
• 75g/2¾oz black olives, pitted
• 50g/1¾oz pumpkin seeds
• One teaspoon cumin seeds
• Generous pinch of chilli flakes

Prep: 5 hours (drying time) | Making: 10 minutes | Serves: 4-6 to nibble on

EDIBLE GARDEN

“he first time Oli and I made the Edible Garden, a Nopi classic, for Gayhurst School was just an epic moment for me – educational, beautiful, joyful, with the kids all eating vegetables. It was everything in one moment and I remember thinking that we were on to something here.” Nicole Pisani.

For this recipe you’ll need two small loaf tins or other vessels deep enough to “plant” the veg into – tumblers or squat mugs also work.

Method

First make the “black soil”: preheat the oven to 100°C fan/120°C/250°F/gas mark ½. Toss the stale bread in a little olive oil and arrange with the black olives on a baking try and pop into the oven (turned off) to dry out for four or five hours. Place a dry frying pan over a medium heat and toast the seeds and chilli flakes until fragrant. Transfer to a blender with the dried olives and bread and blitz together.

Tip the mixture back onto the baking tray and rub the soil together to feel if it is dry enough. If not, return to the low oven for an hour or until dry.

Divide the hummus between the loaf tins. Scatter over the black soil and plant in the veg. Serve with flatbread.

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LEGO’s super-sized celebration cake

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Check out this super-size LEGO cake to celebrate LEGOLAND hotel’s 10th birthday & welcoming visitors for fun

There were no soggy bottoms in sight when a birthday cake with a difference was unveiled at the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort to kick off its 2022 season.

The talented model makers at LEGOLAND Windsor have been hard at work building a super-size LEGO cake. Standing at an impressive four-foot-tall, built using an incredible 18,272 LEGO bricks, weighing over 50kg and with ten LEGO candles included, the supersize cake is now on display outside the 148 room LEGOLAND Hotel throughout its milestone birthday year.

With ten LEGO candles included, the supersize cake is now on display outside the 148 room LEGOLAND Hotel throughout its milestone birthday year and is the latest incredible LEGO model on display at the Resort and Hotel.

Helen Bull, Divisional Director at the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, said: “We’re well and truly in party mode this year, as we open the Resort for our 2022 season. We have so much for families to enjoy, from our new brick building experience – The Brick – opening in April, to the first anniversary of the UK’s first flying theatre ride Flight of the Sky Lion in LEGO MYTHICA.

Helen Bull, Divisional Director at the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, said: “We’re well and truly in party mode this year, as we open the Resort for our 2022 season. We have so much for families to enjoy, from our new brick building experience – The Brick – opening in April, to the first anniversary of the UK’s first flying theatre ride Flight of the Sky Lion in LEGO MYTHICA.

“The LEGOLAND Resort Hotel is celebrating 10 years since it first opened its doors in March 2012 and we’re marking this milestone with a host of celebrations including the unveiling of our giant LEGO birthday cake! We can’t wait to welcome families back into the Resort this year and hope that guests will join us at the hotel for a slice of real cake very soon.

”Guests to the LEGOLAND Resort Hotel during this celebratory year will see LEGO Ollie the Dragon receive a birthday makeover as he guards the hotel entrance sporting a colourful party hat. The party atmosphere continues inside the hotel where guests will be greeted with sweet scent of birthday cake as step foot inside the reception. With an array of party decorations, new party evening entertainment, pop badges up for grabs, birthday themed food and drink items added to the menu and fun new birthday themed LEGO building challenges.

But that’s not all! To add to the bricktastic excitement, families staying at the Resort Hotel and Castle Hotel in 2022 will now get priority access to the rides from 10am-11am*.

Overnight stays at the LEGOLAND Hotel are from £90per person for a bed and breakfast stay with one day entrance into the theme park. Guests visiting the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort this year can look forward to a host of great attractions including a brand new brick building experience ‘The Brick’ coming to Miniland this April. Kids and their parents can fully immerse themselves in this new experience filled with thousands of LEGO bricks while building, LEGO masterpieces together.

Intrepid explorers can also voyage through the portal to visit the parallel universe of LEGO MYTHICA®, full of epic adventures, powerful guardians and mythical creatures waiting to be discovered. Families can soar through the skies on the UK’s first flying theatre ride, Flight ofThe Flight of The Sky Lion is found in the heart of the multi-million-pound land.

For more details on the LEGOLAND Windsor Resorts opening times and the Resort Hotel’s 10th anniversary year, or to book a stay visit www.legolandholidays.co.uk

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Showing support for Ukraine

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Reading Biscuit Factory independent cinema is one of several across the country previewing Olga in aid of the DEC

Reading Biscuit Factory is joining the show of support for Ukraine with a series of preview charity screenings of Olga. 

Fifteen-year-old Ukrainian gymnast Olga, exiled in Switzerland, is trying to fit in with her new team in her new home. But as she prepares for the European Championship, the Ukrainian people stage a revolution. 

Olga is left a powerless, distant bystander as her mother, an investigative journalist, faces danger as she challenges a brutal regime. 

Can Olga reconcile her personal goals with the history unfolding in her homeland? 

A donation will be made from each ticket sold to support Ukraine via the Disasters Emergency Committee. 

Olga is showing on Sunday 20th March, 4pm; Tuesday 22nd March, 12.30pm & Thursday 24th March, 9pm. 

Book tickets at https://readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk/whats-on/olga 

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Music brings people together

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Haslemere Methodist Church is the venue for a series of stunning lunchtime and evening concerts 

Haslemere Methodist Church is bringing a varied programme of instrumental classical music to the community through it’s ‘music brings people together’ series of concerts. 

The project, spearheaded by flautist Susan Milan, embraces not only a concert series, but also an educational programme to inspire young musicians in local schools through workshops and a woodwind competition planned for May this year. Susan is a professor of the Royal College of Music and Trinitylaban Conservatory of Music and Founder and Director of the British Isles Music Festival

The new year brings three evening concerts given by members of the London Chamber Music Group, the resident ensemble of Haslemere Methodist Church, and three lunchtime charity concerts given by young musicians from UK conservatories of music.  

The concerts are held in the beautiful Sanctuary of the church with its friendly atmosphere and lovely acoustics.  

The next lunchtime charity concert of the year is on Thursday, 10th March at noon and this will be given by The Bauhaus Trio, young musicians from the Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester. Featuring Samy Okuma-Chin on violin, Josh Mountford on cello and pianist Nye Hughes-Watts, the trio will perform works by Mozart and Mendelssohn. 

Samy Okuma-Chin (violin), Nye Hughes-Watts (piano) and Josh Mountford (cello)

Admission is free with donations welcomed for charities chosen by Haslemere Methodist Church.  Enjoy cappuccino and cake in the coffee room before the concert. 

Thursday, 17th March is the date for the next evening concert with an instrumental quintet of Susan Milan (flute), Nicholas Ward (violin), Matthew Jones (viola), Sebastian Comberti (cello) and Gabriella Dall’Olio (harp). They will perform an evening of classical and romantic chamber music by Beethoven, Ravel, Ropartz and Jongen. 

Nicholas Ward (violin), Matthew Jones (viola), Susan Milan (flute), Sebastian Comberti (cello) and Gabriella Dall’Olio (harp)

Director of the London Chamber Music Group, Susan Milan said they are enjoying being the resident ensemble of the church, adding: “It is a joy to perform in the lovely Sanctuary, with its spacious seating and lovely acoustic.” 

The group is also keen to support young musicians from schools in the area, particularly wind players and a woodwind competition is being planned for ages 12-18 after Easter along with workshops for primary and secondary schools. 

Susan said: “These will be given by young professionals who performed in the British Isles Music Festival and from UK Conservatoires. State and Independent schools have no financial support from the local council for music. I would welcome donations from music lovers in the area, who, like me, wish to encourage and support the next generation of musicians and music lovers.” 

If you can help email: [email protected] 

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets: £18, age 12-17: £9, under 12: free.

Enquiries telephone: 01428 652202 / 07876 198498

Email: [email protected] Online: www.wegottickets.com

From: Chamberlain Music, Wey Hill, Haslemere and at the door.

Refreshments available in the interval. Doors open at 7.30pm

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