From legendary Glastonbury Pyramid Stage to The Crooked Billet, Stoke Row – iconic songsmith entertainer performs up close & personal at the intimate Crooked Billet – October 7th & 8th
Born 25th April 1943, decades later he is still performing & doing what he loves. He’s recorded numerous million selling albums & singles finding fame all around the world. Also a star of TV & West End stage productions. Also featuring on the original Evita soundtrack & production.
Persuaded out of retirement in 2005 after his comic relief collaboration with Peter Kay reviving Tony Christie’s 1972 hit (Is This The Way To Amarillo) which remained number 1 in the charts for 6 weeks. Tony, diagnosed with dementia in 2023 is a proud ambassador for Music For Dementia. Despite his dementia diagnosis, when performing he remarks that ‘music is very therapeutic’.
Here’s just a few of Tony’s hits: I Did What I Did For Maria, Happy Birthday Baby, Don’t Go Down To Reno, Las Vegas, Most Beautiful Girl, Drive Safely Darlin’, You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’, Baby I’m-a Want You, The Way We Were, Smile a Little Smile for Me, Tequila Sunrise, (Is This The Way To) Amarillo.
October 7th & 8th. Two chart topping hit packed nights from an absolute legend & his super band.
67-year-old Janet Baldock, from Shalbourne, is walking the Wales Coast Path to raise money for Support Dogs while getting back in touch with her Welsh roots
Janet Baldock was so impressed after seeing the remarkable impact of an assistance dog, it inspired her to embark on a four-month long, 700-mile coastal walk.
She set off on a trek around the Wales Coast Path, having set out from Chester in April and, missing out the Anglesey part, hoping to finish the mammoth mainland challenge in Chepstow on 29th August: her 68th birthday.
The retired psychotherapist, who also worked as a British Airways cabin crew member for a year from the age of 58, has been racking up 15 miles a day, with her husband Nigel dropping her off on the path at around 7.30am and picking her up at about 3pm.
“15 miles at a time is a long way – I didn’t realise I was so fit!” said Janet, who lives in Shalbourne in Wiltshire but wanted to get back in touch with her roots, having been born in Port Talbot. She will even pass the house she was born in.
Armed with nothing but a backpack containing a flask of tea, sandwiches, chocolate, a first aid kit, her phone and a tracker, Janet is walking to raise money for Yorkshire-based Support Dogs, which trains and provides assistance dogs to help autistic children and adults affected by epilepsy or physical disability.
The grandmother-of-four, whose sons Peter and Christopher and grandson Lucas will be joining her later on in the walk, described what inspired her to fundraise for the charity.
“There was a family on This Morning with an autistic boy. They were saying how difficult it was for him whenever they were out as he used to get overwhelmed by all the sensory stuff going on; with the people and the noise and the lights. They never used to go anywhere and their other children also had to stay at home. But their support dog changed their lives completely – they could go everywhere and do everything a ‘normal’ family could. I was so struck by it because it didn’t just change the child’s life, it changed the whole family’s lives too. It really touched my heart.”
Janet said she was “loving” being on the epic walk, having completed 27 out of 58 stages, adding: “It’s all been fantastic. The highlight for me so far was getting to the end of Llŷn Peninsula.”
But Janet added that a low point was ending up in a field full of cows, where the path signs had disappeared and she got lost in “biblical” rain. She headed for the main road and had no choice but to climb over barbed wire fences.
Thankfully, she soon found the coastal signs and was back on her way.
Janet has just left Pwll Deri, near Strumble Head and she and her husband will next be staying in St David’s, followed by Kidwelly and then Mumbles.
She said the walk, which featured “very perilous, sheer cliffs” had been quite isolated so far, and she’d only met a Dutchman in Llandudno and an Irish girl going the opposite way, to Anglesey.
However, she hopes to meet a lot more people as she heads into Pembroke.
Janet has so far raised £910 for Support Dogs. To sponsor her, please visit www.justgiving.com and search for Janet Baldock.
To find out more about Support Dogs, please visit supportdogs.org.uk or call 0114 2617800.
Help this amazing local charity change lives with a fundraising event on Saturday, 13th September
Alton Football Club has chosen The Basingstoke and Alton Cardiac Rehabilitation Charity as its first ever local charity partner for the 2025-26 football season.
Also known as Cardiac Rehab, the Alton-based charity will be celebrating 50 years supporting the health and wellbeing of local people with heart disease in 2026. With a dedicated exercise centre in Chawton Park Road, they also provide rehab for cancer patients, pulmonary disease and long-COVID.
Carl Saunders, Chairman of Alton Football Club, says: “We are delighted that Cardiac Rehab will be our first ever local charity partner. Throughout the season we’ll be encouraging our players, members and supporters to raise funds for this fantastic local charity who help local people back to health through exercise.” Cardiac Rehab provides specialist programmes for those with, or at risk of developing, heart disease, helping them lengthen their lives and improve wellbeing through a mix of exercise, education and peer support. When the charity began in 1976, they were the one of the first dedicated community-based cardiac rehabilitation units in the UK. Since moving into their own purpose-built building in 1997 they have extended their programmes to provide rehab for cancer, pulmonary disease and long-COVID. Sarah Quarterman CEO of Cardiac Rehab said: ‘This charity partnership with Alton Football Club will help us raise awareness and vital funds to support our work. We are closely aligned with the NHS, and receive referrals from local doctors and clinicians, but we are not funded by the NHS and so rely on fundraising to keep costs down for our exercisers.
We provide over 60 hours of classes and circuit-based sessions each week. Every penny raised or donated during this season will be used to help more local people lengthen their healthy lives and improve wellbeing.” Denise Ellis, centre manager at Cardiac Rehab, has been working closely with the club to plan the charity partnership, which is launching with a special fundraising event on Saturday, 13th September. Denise said: “I’m excited to confirm that we’re launching the partnership with a great challenge. We will be at the Alton FC ground throughout the day on 13th September and we’re challenging players, families and supporters to help us row the 60km distance between the club ground and Wembley Stadium! We’ll have two of our rowing machines at the club and we’ll be collecting donations from the rowers and those cheering them on! It promises to be a great day of fun and community spirit.”
Step up to help this amazing charity in Britwell Salome from 10am on Sunday, 21st September Step up to help this amazing charity in Britwell Salome from 10am on Sunday, 21st September
Maggie’s, the charity providing free cancer support and information across the UK, is inviting local people to take part in a Walk or Run with Maggie’s event on Sunday 21st September at 10am, starting from Britwell Salome.
The event is open to everyone – whether you prefer a gentle walk or a more energetic run – and offers a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Chiltern Hills while raising vital funds to support people living with cancer, as well as their loved ones, at Maggie’s Oxford. And for those bringing four-legged friends along the route – dogs are very welcome.
Participants can choose to complete either 5km or 10km route, making the event suitable for all ages and abilities. Everyone who takes part will receive a finisher’s medal and a Maggie’s t-shirt as a thank you for their support.
Centre fundraising manager Jodie Mutch says: “We are excited to welcome the local community to join us for this wonderful event. Whether you walk, run, or bring long your dog, every step helps us provide the expert support that people with cancer and their families so urgently need. We’d love to see as many people as possible join us on the day.”
Distance: 5km or 10km.
Entry £20pp or family ticket e £35 (two adults and two or more children).
Eve Smith tells us about her new book The Cure ahead of her talk at Abingdon Library on 18th September as well as Wantage Literary Festival
Autumn is the perfect time to curl up with a good book. And if you’re partial to a good thriller, Eve Smith’s latest might well send chills up your spine, especially because the story is embellished with local detail to bring it to life…
“I first came to Oxford as a student,” Eve tells us. “I loved living in the city so when a job came up at an environmental NGO, I didn’t hesitate. My husband and I moved from London to a cottage in Hailey, where we’ve lived for the past 23 years. I write speculative thrillers, based around issues which scare me, often medical or technological advances that may have significant impacts on our lives. Oxfordshire is a treasure trove for research: there are so many science and literary events. All four of my thrillers are set here, so local readers may recognise some settings.”
The Cure, which has been picked by The Times as a bestseller of 2025 so far, is about a scientist called Ruth who stumbles across a cure for ageing while researching the disease that killed her young daughter. Just one injection a year reverses your biological clock, guaranteeing a long, healthy life. But Ruth’s cure is hijacked by an ambitious colleague who will risk anything to cheat death. He develops a super-premium upgrade, which has catastrophic consequences. Ruth’s life is shattered… until decades later, she meets Mara, a young investigator tasked with hunting down those who made the deadly cure, and an unlikely alliance begins.
“The idea of eternal youth has obsessed people throughout history. Huge sums of money are being invested around the world in real-life cures for ageing. So I wondered: what if we did actually discover the secret, and were able to radically extend our lives? What might the consequences be, when resources and space on our planet are already running out?”
Now that Eve has well and truly put down roots here in Oxfordshire, she’s keen to support local businesses. “My audiobook producers are based in Oxford: Isis Audio. I was lucky enough to visit their studios, and meet the narrators. Also, local bookshops and libraries are hugely important. They really champion local authors and I would urge everyone to support them – our towns would be a lot poorer without them.
“The Madhatter Bookshop in Burford, Jaffé & Neale in Chippie, the Wantage Bookshop, Daunt Books Summertown, Mostly Books in Abingdon, Blackwell’s and Witney Waterstones have been brilliant, as have local libraries in Abingdon, Carterton, Burford and Headington and Caper Books in East Oxford.”
As well as her talk at Abingdon Library at 6pm on 18th September (tickets £2pp including a free welcome drink; call 01865 815 005 or email abingdon.library@oxfordshire.gov.uk) Eve will host an Against Breast Cancer fundraiser at the Dean Court in Botley on 3rd October. And at 2pm on 31st October, she’ll give a talk for Wantage Literary Festival.
Visit evesmithauthor.com and follow her @evesmithauthor on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky and on X @evecsmith
The Illuminated Boat Parade, Henley’s most dazzling night is back on Saturday, 20th September; could you help save the highlight?
Get ready for one of Henley’s most enchanting traditions which returns at 7.30pm on 20th September! This magical annual event invites boats of every size, age, and style – powered or unpowered – to join a sparkling flotilla on the Thames. Whether you’re a seasoned boater or just love a good spectacle, this is your chance to be part of a truly unforgettable evening.
Picture Credit: Stuart Bailey
The parade was founded by Chris Taylor, entrepreneur and co-creator of Polly Pocket, who first lit up the river in Cookham in 2015. What started with just ten boats and a trip to the local pub, is now an event that has grown into a highlight of Henley’s calendar, bringing together families, friends, and boating enthusiasts from across the region.
Last year, about 50 boats, each beautifully decorated and imaginatively themed, captivated 3,000 spectators. This year promises to be even bigger and brighter. The flotilla will set sail from Fawley Meadows, travel up to Henley Bridge, and complete a second lap, with buildings and homes along the route illuminated in vibrant colours. It’s a free event for all spectators and a beloved tradition for many families.“Boat entry is now open and there are wonderful prizes to be won so the organisers would encourage everyone to get creative and register now to secure your place. A panel of celebrity judges, including Dame Mary Berry, Debbie McGee and Edd China, based at the historic Leander Club will select the winners. The club opens its doors to the public for the prize-giving ceremony. Peter O’Hanlon, the Voice of World Rowing, will be the compere and commentator for the evening.
Enjoy delicious food and drinks from the bars and food trucks on site. Whether you’re taking part in the parade or coming down to watch, it’s a full night of entertainment for all ages.
The Illuminated Boat Parade is also about giving back with all net profits going to charity. Chris says: “This year we’re once again supporting The Rivertime Boat Trust, a wonderful organisation that offers disabled and disadvantaged adults, children and young people an opportunity to develop a long-term involvement with the Thames, by providing a safe, supportive and stimulating environment aboard the charity’s boat Rivertime.
“This cherished event relies on community support, and this year we’re grateful to our special partners: Phyllis Court Club and Blue Peak, O’Brien Real Estate, The Relais, Toad Hall, Dallas & Co Solicitors, Pokhara Delight, Blanchards Law Ltd, Henley Town Council, Hobbs of Henley, Henley Royal Regatta, Leander Club, and Pink Spaghetti. If you or your business would like to help keep this magical tradition alive, please get in touch. Every contribution, big or small, makes a difference.”
Ready to light up? Register your boat now, plan your theme, and bring your friends and family for a night of community, creativity, and fun.
Visit illuminatedparade.com, see social media or email lights@illuminatedparade.com
The team behind award-winning Wood Festival invite you to enjoy the third Septembersong on the equinox weekend, 19th-21st September in Braziers Park, Ipsden
Septembersong offers a final burst of music and creativity before autumn. Set in the stunning grounds of Braziers Park, it combines top-class performances with workshops, crafts, and space to unwind.
Headliners include Steve Knightley, the West Country songwriter and former Show of Hands frontman, performing tracks from his latest album The Winter Yards; Hayden Thorpe (formerly of Wild Beasts) presenting Ness, his collaboration with poet Robert Macfarlane; and acclaimed Bristol artist Rachael Dadd, fresh from appearances at Glastonbury and Green Man.
Also starring are Merseyside hero Ian Prowse, Robin Bennett (The Dreaming Spires) and Danny George Wilson plus violinist Ellie Wilson debuting Moth x Human, a musical response to biodiversity data from local scientists. Beyond the music, festival-goers can enjoy the Old Ways Makerspace, harmony singing workshops, yoga and meditation sessions, and a Junior Makerspace for younger visitors. Expect storytelling from artists, a pedal-powered silent disco, and campfire singing after dark.
Braziers Park itself is a hidden gem – a working community, residential college, and architectural treasure in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Weekend tickets, including camping, are £109 for adults, with day tickets also available. Please visit woodhq.org/septembersong
Claire Salmon, trustee of the Goring and Streatley Young Musicians Trust, tells us how the team are nurturing musical talent and championing local, grassroots music
The benefits of developing musical skills at any age are well-documented in scientific literature, from boosting cognitive development to enhancing emotional wellbeing. With this in mind, the Goring and Streatley Young Musicians Trust was launched in February 2024 with the goal of expanding music- making opportunities for young people in our local communities.
The idea was also born out of real concern. Our trustees work closely with several community music groups in the area, and they had all experienced a worrying trend: the number of children learning instruments sharply declined during the pandemic – and this number had not bounced back.
Today, musical education faces multiple challenges – from competing demands on time and finances of parents and schools, to limited availability of qualified teachers, rising costs, and uncertainty around government funding. That’s why our charitable mission is focused on removing barriers, both financial and logistical and to ensure that every child in our community has the chance to discover the joy of making music.
We have approached this in a variety of ways and are currently focused at the primary school level. We have provided grants for new classroom instruments, small group and whole-class instrumental lessons, and special events such as our Brass Discovery Day, which brought live demonstrations and hands-on experiences to young learners. One of our most popular schemes has been our recent Starter Pack programme, which bundles an instrument, a qualified teacher, and five introductory lessons to give children a confident and supported start on their musical journey.
We are also very excited about our latest initiative – the launch of our “Brass Roots Ensemble”. We have put this together with Oxfordshire County Music Service, building on their work in our schools but also extending it to the community and is open to novice players of all ages. Our tutor will also be available for private lessons. The local concert band has volunteered to help support less experienced musicians so it is a really exciting collaboration between the county music hub, local teachers, local schools, and community music groups.
We are accepting new recruits now to start in September so if you are interested in learning or returning to playing a brass instrument, (or even trying it to keep up with your child!) please do look at our website for more information and to sign up!
We couldn’t do what we do without the support of those in our community and we are always keen to meet like-minded people. To learn more about how you can help or simply to get in touch, please visit goringandstreatleyymt.co.uk or follow GoringandStreatleyYMT on Facebook.
September brings a new school year and many of our best local schools are here to help your child thrive, including some unusual subjects to help shape modern minds
When you think of independent schools, what does that conjure up? You might picture the old-school: Latin verbs, echoing corridors, lacrosse sticks… But in 2025, as education continues to adapt to a changing world, many top schools are quietly reinventing the curriculum with a dose of modern relevance.
Today’s independent schools aren’t just nurturing future barristers and biochemists; they’re developing coders, conservationists, climbers, and culinary critics. So if you’re wondering what’s bubbling beneath the traditional school crest, here’s a look at some of the more unexpected (and exciting) offerings.
Game on
At Box Hill School near Dorking, a student-led Esports and Game Design club is taking off. “At first, it was just casual gaming after hours,” says one teacher. “Now, students are designing full game levels and competing in national Esports tournaments.” Far from being a distraction, gaming is proving to be a serious 21st-century skill, combining coding, design, media literacy and teamwork. Parents may take some convincing, but the students are all in.
Big questions, little voices
Godstowe School in High Wycombe is getting philosophical, with even its youngest pupils. The school has introduced Philosophy for Children (P4C), a discussion-based approach that uses books and real-life scenarios to explore concepts like fairness, time, and morality. “You’d be amazed at what a nine-year-old will say when asked, “Can animals have rights?” or “What is identity?’” says one teacher. “It’s like a mini TED Talk every Tuesday.”
Forest finds
At St Edward’s School (AKA “Teddies”) in Oxford, the Japanese practice of “shinrin-yoku” (forest bathing) has been introduced as part of the school’s wellbeing programme. Weekly walks in the woods, guided reflection, and screen-free time offer students a much-needed reset during stressful study periods.
Caring & sharing
The new kitchen garden farm at Frensham Heights near Farnham is home to four pygmy goats (Issy, Belle, Edith and Bea), named after their founders and a flock of different rare breed chickens. The farm sits between the junior school and the senior school hub (pastoral centre) allowing all ages, and the staff to benefit from the wellbeing effect.
Sport and outdoor education remain an important part of the Frensham offer. As well as a flashy new weights room, the high ropes in their woodland have had an upgrade with new platforms and a zipwire already added and more high platforms to follow. The extensive extracurricular programme offers archery, forest bathing, foraging, climbing, scuba, ultimate frisbee, high ropes and gardening. Climbing, wakeboarding, dry slope skiing and high ropes are also offered as games afternoon.
Material world
At Marlborough College in Wiltshire, traditional textiles have gone high-tech. The Design & Technology department is exploring smart fabrics, combining sewing and embroidery with conductive thread and microelectronics.
Robot ready
At Radley College near Abingdon, students are engineering their future in the school’s thriving Robotics and AI programme. Working with industry-grade kits and 3D printers, pupils design and build their own robots for regional and national competitions. From line-followers to maze-solvers, the challenges build coding confidence and practical problem-solving skills.
Learning buzz
At St George’s School in Ascot, biology has taken a buzzy turn. Pupils trade lab coats for beekeeping suits in a practical ecology and conservation project that’s creating a buzz. They manage their own hives, monitor bee health, and harvest and sell honey, tying the project into their business studies. The school also works with conservationists to track wild bee populations on local National Trust land.
Media magic
At Bedales School near Petersfield, students are leading their own podcast network. Discussions range from school lunches to teenage politics, all recorded, produced and hosted by the pupils. A termly radio show is also broadcast from the studio to the wider community, giving students valuable experience in script writing, sound editing, journalism and presenting.
Snow & serve
At The Oratory School between Wallingford and Reading, traditional team sports have been joined by fast-growing favourites such as Padel tennis, a fun, sociable hybrid of squash and tennis that’s sweeping across Europe. This complements the school’s existing quirky sport offerings such as Real Tennis – it is one of only four schools in the country to own a court. All pupils are coached in racquets by the Ladies reigning World Champion Claire Fahey.
Pupils also have the opportunity to take part in the school’s annual Alpine ski trip, with dedicated coaching for beginners through to advanced racers. Both activities promote balance, focus, and teamwork – with just the right mix of adrenaline and adventure.
These all reflect a deeper shift in education focused on curiosity, creativity & collaboration.
“We’re not anti-tech, we’re pro childhood,” says Gemma Taylor who is championing Smartphone Free Childhood
“I wasn’t comfortable with the idea of giving my 11-year-old a smartphone when she started secondary school. And yet I was about to sleep walk into giving her one as everyone around us, all her friends, were being given them.”
A sentiment that will strike a chord with many parents as the new term starts, especially for those starting secondary education.
Gemma Taylor was introduced to Smartphone Free Childhood by a friend and said it “gave me the confidence to stick to my guns in not getting her a smartphone and start to more actively encourage other parents to do the same”.
As Gemma says, it’s not easy to be that parent to go against the grain. SFC has established Parent Pact which encourages parents to unite and make local collective action. Across their regions, they are speaking with school leaders, parents, hosting information evenings at schools or in public spaces and speaking with MPs and councillors to highlight this issue and create conversations around the problem. Via the Parent Pact, parents can be united in delaying giving children smartphones until the age of 14 and social media until 16.
Almost 140,000 pacts have been signed nationally with Surrey leading the regions and high levels of take up in Hampshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire too.
“Parents are in an impossible position – either they give their child a smartphone with all the known harms, or they isolate them from their peers at a crucial time in their development,” she adds. “This is not about good or bad parenting. Every parent in every home across the country is grappling with this question of when to get their child a smartphone and how to protect them once they do. There is a vacuum of information or guidance from the government or the NHS about what age is the right age to get a smartphone, or how young is too young. Currently all the responsibility to protect children lies on the shoulders of parents.”
Find out more & sign up at smartphone freechildhood.org/parent-pact
So what are the issues with Smartphones?
Addictive by design: Smartphones are experience-blockers, preventing kids from engaging in the real world and having the childhood experiences that are vital for their healthy development. Kids are commonly spending 6, 7, 8, 9 hours a day on their devices, often more according to Ofcom, which is the same as a part-time job!
Mental health impacts: Research shows that the younger kids get their first smartphone, the worse their mental health is today.
Harmful content: Having unrestricted access to the internet in your pocket creates a gateway to extreme content and viewpoints that we wouldn’t expose our children to in real life.
Not to mention cyberbullying, sleep deprivation, attention problems, family arguments over screen time, etc…
Gemma Taylor is a Regional Leader for Smartphone Free Childhood, the parent-led grassroots movement aiming to change the norms around smartphone ownership and access to social media
