Music & food, the perfect combo

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There’s more than just food on the menu at Thame Food Festival on September 24th and 25th

Music & food, the perfect combo

A wonderful celebration of live music magic, sponsored by local company Adactus, is promised at Thame Food Festival where an eclectic line up will span eras and genres.

The dedicated stage will be hosted and presented by the Thame Music Academy where through-out the weekend the Adactus stage will host a variety of local and national musicians. The mix of artists has been carefully choregraphed to appeal to many of the visitors to the festival and gives an opportunity to enjoy true music while soaking up the atmosphere. So, expect a unique blend of blues, rock, pop, reggae, beats, folk and soul.

Based in Thame, Adactus have been helping restaurants to figure out which tech solutions add value for their guests and their employees for over 20 years. A successful hospitality business offers great experiences through their food, service, and the environment they create.

Adactus MD Scott Muncaster said: “Being based in Thame, we love the food festival. So, we are really pleased to be sponsoring the music stage at this year’s festival, with loads of talented musicians performing. See you there!”

Lotte Duncan, Patron and Organiser of Thame Food Festival also said: “People just love the opportunity to chill out and enjoy the live music at Thame Food Festival. The stage is perfectly sandwiched between the FestivAles Pop Up Pub and the Children’s Activity areas, with an area of covered and uncovered seating alongside all the delights of the Artisan Food Market. So, the ideal spot to stop, have a drink, tuck into some food, relax and enjoy the music.”

This year’s event aims to have more than 130 artisan producers alongside demonstrations from many leading chefs and bakers. The event naturally attracts a number of high profile celebrities from both the chef and baking world including Master Chef and Great British Bake Off stars.

The festival is easily accessible from Thame town centre with plenty of free parking if coming from further afield. Entrance in advance is £12 per day (until the 16th September) and all accompanied children under 12 go free.

Find out more

See Thame Food Fesatival’s website for details thamefoodfestival.co.uk

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Guildford Design Awards Exhibition in Surrey

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Interested in good design? Interested in exciting new buildings in the borough? Interested in sustainability?

The Guildford Design Awards Exhibition concludes its travel round the villages at West Horsley Place on Saturday, 29th October, 10am-4.30pm.

The exhibition will then have two days at the Guildhall in Guildford; on Friday 18th & Saturday 19th November, 10am-4.30pm.

The Guildford Design Awards were established to encourage and recognise; good design in new buildings and external spaces; restoration and conservation projects which ensure the legacy of our heritage buildings; projects which demonstrate sustainable energy principles and exemplary environmental awareness. The Awards help to establish a sense of civic pride in our built environment and improve our awareness of the importance of good design and the benefits it brings to our daily wellbeing.

Make sure to catch the travelling exhibition of the 2020 and 2021 award-winning projects to coincide with the Heritage and Architecture Open Days. Admission is free. Learn about some the excellent quality of commercial, public and community buildings, individual houses, multiple housing, conservation and regeneration projects and public art

Exhibition locations, dates and times:-

The Guildford Design Awards is a joint project between the Guildford Society and Guildford Borough Council, applications for the 2023​ Awards ​​(which as 2022 awards were postponed because of the pandemic, will include projects completed between June 2021 and June 2023), will be open next spring.

Submit an entry...

Potential entries are welcome over the next 12 months – email [email protected]

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The mystery of Christie

Karen Neville

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Wallingford honours one of its own with the return of events for the Agatha Christie Weekend from September 9th to 11th

Everyone loves a good mystery and without doubt the “Queen of Crime” is Agatha Christie, today almost 50 years after her death her books are still read by millions and adapted for TV, the cinema and stage.

The writer and playwright lived in Winterbrook for over 40 years writing many of her novels featuring sleuths the Belgian, Hercule Poirot and the quintessentially English Miss Marple, here.

The museum’s Agatha Christie exhibition At Home with the Queen of Crime offers a glimpse into her life

The Agatha Christie Weekend begins in Wallingford Museum on the Friday night at 7.30pm, with a Who Dunnit challenge, use clues to find your way around the Museum’s nooks and crannies as well as it’s fascinating exhibits, to learn more about Agatha Christie while detecting the answers to solve the murder!

The museum’s Agatha Christie exhibition At Home with the Queen of Crime offers a glimpse into her life, photos of her home and memories from local people who met her including shop assistants and her staff.

On Saturday, take a guided walk along the Agatha Christie Trail, starting at Wallingford Museum at 10am and finishing at St Mary’s Church in Cholsey, where both Christie and her husband, Max Mallowan, are buried.

In the evening don’t miss the great Murder Mystery Dinner at Cholsey Great Hall. The setting is a wedding reception, so please feel free to dress to impress. You are cordially invited to the impending wedding of Lady Mary Campbell to her betrothed, Jamie Lamont. The Father of the Bride requires you to bear witness… and keep the naughty groom in check, strictly no fighting! Everyone’s a suspect – can you solve the case..?

You’re invited to solve the crime and dine on a delicious three-course dinner provided by The Little Artichoke. Alicensed bar will be available too. Places are selling fast (£40). Find out more at cholseyvillage.com
On Sunday, enjoy a guided walk around Wallingford, taking in some of the town’s historic sites and buildings, as well as its Agatha Christie and Midsomer Murders connections, starting from under the Town Hall at 11am.

For full details of events, costs and bookings please visit wallingfordmuseum.org.uk

Find out more

Find out more in a newly published 42-page fully illustrated book: At Home with Agatha Christie: the Wallingford and Cholsey Connection. The book opens the door to give a rare glimpse of Agatha’s real home at Winterbrook House, drawing on the varied memories of those who knew and met her. These reminiscences have been gathered over the years by local authors Judy Dewey and Tony Rayner who have now brought them together to tell a unique and fascinating story.

The book is available in Wallingford Museum for £8.50, where you can also see the splendid Agatha Christie exhibition and view some of her original hand-written letters, wallingfordmuseum.org.uk

It can also be purchased at www.piepowder.co.uk and some local bookshops.

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Trail blazers!

Liz Nicholls

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You can admire Surrey Sculpture Society’s talents at Savill Garden thanks to the Art in the Garden exhibition from 21st September until 1st November.

Marrying the vibrant colours of autumn with an equal variety of sculpture, this exhibition has become an annual event at The Savill Garden, one of Britain’s finest ornamental gardens.

Its 35 acres of gardens are perfectly sited within the boundaries of Windsor Great Park at Englefield.

This year, Art in the Garden Exhibition features 45 artists exhibiting more than 60 sculptures, all set off perfectly by the garden’s stunning seasonal highlights.

Visitors can expect the traditional and the experimental, from moving and thought-provoking to dainty and bold pieces, on a journey of discovery and enjoyment.

Surrey Sculpture Society chairman says: “We’re delighted to be partnering with the team at The Savill Garden to stage what has become an annual highlight in our calendar. It would be hard to improve on the gardens themselves, however, yet again the team have devised a new and intriguing trail allowing the sculptures and landscape to complement each other beautifully. We are thrilled to be able to showcase our artists’ work to the public in such a prestigious and welcoming venue.”

The society’s trail designer Dawn Conn adds: “I’ve been privileged to design this curated event that prides itself on showcasing and selling unique sculptural pieces in this beautiful outdoor setting. I’m excited to present the huge diversity of materials and mediums used in the sculptures: from stone to bronze, jesmonite to glass, mosaic to metals, rubber to resin, along with an increased focus on sustainability using more reclaimed timber, upcycled metal and recycled bronze.

Visitors can expect the traditional and the experimental, from moving and thought-provoking to dainty and bold pieces, on a journey of discovery and enjoyment.

Find out more

The Savill Garden is at Wick Lane, Englefield Green, TW20 0UU. Admission to the sculpture exhibition is included in entrance to The Savill Garden. For further info visit

windsorgreatpark.co.uk/en/experiences/the-savill-garden

and follow @WindsorGreatPark on Facebook, @WindsorGtPark on Twitter and @windsorgreatpark on Instagram.

Also visit surreysculpture.org.uk, follow @SurreySculptureSociety on Facebook and @surreysculpturesociety on Instagram.

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Hogs Back celebrates 30 years

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Hogs Back Brewery marked its 30th birthday with a special ’30 at 30′ celebration, inviting 30 local loyal drinkers to join them for a celebratory pint

The 30 at 30 celebrations, held at the brewery in Tongham, brought back happy memories for guests, as they recalled where they had enjoyed their first pint of Tongham TEA.   

For Nigel, his first pint at the King William IV at Mickleham, was ‘love at first taste and it has been an enduring love story!‘.  Martin was ‘lucky to taste the first brew of TEA, with the original Hogs Back brewer’ and John remembered drinking it “with my father, explaining to me what real beer tastes like.”  Several guests had enjoyed Tongham TEA at weddings and birthday parties. 

Hogs Back Brewery managing director Rupert Thompson said: “We wanted to celebrate our 30th birthday with thanks to loyal customers who have supported us for 30 years – as without them, we wouldn’t be here today. 

“Over the years, TEA has been requested as the beer at many weddings and other celebrations, so for a whole generation of local people, it has a special place in their lives.  

“Many also spoke about coming here with their parents to collect a barrel of Tongham TEA and are now doing the same with their own adult children. We’re of course delighted to see this tradition continue, and by inviting some of these younger drinkers to join our celebrations, we hope that they too become lifelong Tongham TEA drinkers!” 

Ready for harvest

The ’30 at 30′ gathering was one of the last to be held in the Hogs Back hangar this summer before it switches from being a bar and event space to become the hub of the hop harvest, which starts at the end of August. Hop bines cut in the hop garden just yards away are brought back to the hangar where they are sorted, then dried and vacuum packed that they can add flavour and aroma to the brewer’s beers all year. 

Bringing in the hops from the 8.5 acre field is expected to take several weeks and will be celebrated at the Hogs Back Hop Harvest weekend on 24th and 25th September. The Hop Harvest Festival on the Saturday offers a fantastic musical line up including top Queen tribute band Majesty, while the TEA Party on the Sunday is more family-focused with a range of children’s entertainment. The full range of Hogs Back’s beers, including Green TEA, brewed with hops freshly-picked in the hop garden, will be available on both days: https://hogsback.co.uk/products/hop-harvest-party-2022 

The biggest event on our calendar

Thompson said: “The Hop Harvest festivities are the biggest event on our calendar and were attended by 2,500 people last year. And as we’re the only brewer of any size to have our own hop garden, it is a uniquely Hogs Back celebration. 

“Hops, like all crops, need water to thrive and the recent drought will have an impact on this year’s harvest.  We’re not expecting to repeat last year’s bumper crop, but we will still harvest a good quantity of our own home-grown hops, which contribute to the distinctive flavour of our beers. And, as they are grown just yards from the brewery rather than imported from afar, they are reducing our food miles and helping us achieve our goal of being an ever more sustainable brewer.”   

Hogs Back will harvest three hop varieties this year: Fuggles, used in Tongham TEA; English Cascade, used in its Hogstar lager and Surrey Nirvana Session IPA and Farnham White Bine, a traditional local variety that the brewer saved from near-extinction. 

Contact Hogs Back Brewery

Visit their website

Give them a call: 01252 783000

Socials: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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A new lease of life

Karen Neville

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Recycling her knowledge and sharing it with others has helped The Upholstery Yard in Liss to flourish

As The Upholstery Yard celebrates its first birthday owner, Georgina, says starting and opening her own business is one of the best decisions she has ever made.

“It’s hard to believe that just 12 months ago The Yard was an old farm building and we were on our hands and knees cleaning and fitting out the workshop ready to start classes and our upholstery services within two weeks,” says Georgina.

“The workshop is now transformed with six individual workstations for students, easy access to all necessary tools and materials, and there’s plenty of space for everyone to work in comfort. Natural light floods in and with its views of the beautiful Hampshire countryside, The Yard provides a refreshing place to work and learn.”

I especially like seeing students get an immense sense of achievement as they progress their skills and complete their upholstery projects

The weekly leisure classes are filling up steadily as word spreads through recommendations and via the website. The classes cater for mixed abilities from complete beginners to those with more experience wanting to further their skills and creativity in a friendly environment. Everyone works at their own pace and Georgina is on hand to provide guidance and lots of encouragement, and of course, tea, coffee and biscuits! For people just wanting to have a go or to try something different, there are Experience days too.

“Sharing my knowledge and inspiring others is really important to me,” says Georgina. “I especially like seeing students get an immense sense of achievement as they progress their skills and complete their upholstery projects. I originally took up upholstery as an evening class and realised I had found a pastime that I loved. During the pandemic I decided to take the plunge and start up my own upholstery business. It was crazy and hard work getting everything set up in a matter of weeks, but I have no regrets!”

We aim to make them comfy and stylish again giving them – and often their owners too - a whole new lease of life!

There are so many interesting aspects to upholstery from re-covering furniture, learning traditional skills, modern techniques, rejuvenating old furniture, to making amazing statement pieces using bold new fabrics.

Georgina adds: “These days customers who use our upholstery and recovering services are keen to refresh or upcycle sofas, chairs and headboards that might once have ended up in landfill. We aim to make them comfy and stylish again giving them – and often their owners too – a whole new lease of life!”

Find out more

To find out more about The Upholstery Yard’s classes and services, please visit the website: theupholsteryyard.co.uk or email [email protected]

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Sobell House Hospice’s Rainbow of Ribbons

Liz Nicholls

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Activities & Events

Last weekend saw an ancient red oak tree in Oxford’s University Parks transformed into a rainbow of colourful ribbons fluttering in the summer breeze in memory of loved ones.

Local hospice Sobell House has been asking those that have lost loved ones to remember them and celebrate their life by dedicating a ribbon and making a donation to the wonderful care they provide. Hundreds of ribbons have been dedicated to form the Rainbow of Ribbons display, which will remain in the University Parks until Tuesday 30 August. After this, the display will be moved to Sobell House’s reception for one month, during which time people can collect their ribbon if they wish to keep as a treasured memory. So far Sobell House has raised over £12,700 through the Rainbow of Ribbons celebration, which is enough to pay for 21 days of care for a patient on their specialist in-patient unit. If they could raise another £5,400, these vital funds could cover the cost of care for a patient for the whole of September.

Beth Marsh, Director of Fundraising at Sobell House, says: “The Rainbow of Ribbons display is a magnificent and emotional sight to behold. Being part of the installation of this display was an honour, seeing the names of so many loved ones no longer with us – I would like to urge people to visit and add to the stunning piece of art”.

The Rainbow of Ribbons display is a magnificent and emotional sight to behold

One of the families that have contributed towards the glorious Rainbow of Ribbons is the Beach family, who wished to remember their beloved husband, father and grandfather, Brian.

The Rainbow of Ribbons display is located within the park along West Walk, between North Lodge and Keble Gates, and will move to Sobell House’s reception on Tuesday 30 August. The team at the Hospice will continue to regularly add colourful ribbons to the display at the Parks and in the Hospice. To add a ribbon is simple – just go to sobellhospice.org/ribbons or call the Charity team on 01865 857007 to make your pledge and your ribbon will soon feature on this beautiful piece of art.

Every year, Sobell House Hospice Charity needs to raise around £2 million towards the running of the hospice. Sobell House has been providing palliative and end of life care to people with a life-limiting illness since 1976. It also, crucially, supports them and their families at an emotionally devastating time.

Find out more

To find out more about the hospice and how you can get involved, please visit sobellhouse.org

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Makers & shakers!

Liz Nicholls

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Activities & Events

Local businesswomen Libby Witney & Chloe Blair tell us more about the RenARTgades Modern Makers Fair – the next one is Saturday 3rd September!

Libby & Chloe wanted to bring more attention to the amazing local makers and encourage people to shop small whenever they can.

They knew each other from going to markets with their individual businesses. Chloe, whose business is Peaches and Tea, is a polymer clay artist who makes jewellery, accessories, DIY kits and teaches workshops at various local locations. Bright and colourful earrings, focusing on bold shapes and designs are Chloe’s speciality.

I never have a plan of what I want to make, I just start making and follow the journey

She says: “I just make whatever makes me happy, what colours I’m drawn to at the time and go with the flow! I want to make things that make people happy – both the person wearing them and the people who notice them! I want to make art for your ears, I never have a plan of what I want to make, I just start making and follow the journey.” Everything is handmade in her Newbury studio and even her small children have shown an interest in clay, the colours, and the need for quality cookie cutters…

Libby is the owner of Magpie and the Mob, an online colourful shop of awesome things for your home and life, all 100% made and designed by independent UK makers. She also runs workshops with The Ugly Duckling Pottery Cafe where you can learn how to paint different styles of lettering on your pottery. The idea for Magpie and the Mob began during the 2021 lockdown, while Libby was teaching art remotely to her secondary school students. “I made it my mission to try and support all these makers who bring me such joy online, by buying from them and spreading the word in a time where physical markets weren’t allowed. When my husband said to me that I didn’t have the space or money to keep doing this, I turned it into a business! And it became Magpie and the Mob!”

RenARTgades attracted more than 700 visitors to their last event, with stall-holders saying it’s just what Newbury needs.

If we don't support local businesses, they disappear

We ask Libby (LW) & Chloe (CB) to share their love for local…

Q. What do you love about this area?
CB: “The people! There are so many people who appreciate the tiny businesses we showcase and understand the importance of shopping small to keep these brilliant businesses running.”

LW: “We’ve both lived here all our lives, we went to school here and grew up here. I love being this close to the canal and lovely places to walk, as well as some amazing local business where you will find me spending a lot of my time!”

Q. Why should we all support local?
LW: “People are always saying we need more independents but if we don’t support local businesses, they disappear. It’s so difficult for small businesses at the moment with the increasing prices, let alone having to compete with large companies, there are far too many billionaires in the world that don’t need our money!”

CB: “We have more bills and taxes to pay than Elon Musk! Your money to him is a drop in the insanely deep pond, to small businesses it’s dinner for tonight and fuel there and back to get the weekly shop – they need it and vastly appreciate it more than the bigger brands!”

Some countries around the world have even started prescribing creative activities to help people with their mental health

Q. Do you think we all need more colour and creativity in our lives?
Both: “YES! Every single person has the ability to be creative, you just need to find your outlet. There are so many benefits to getting creative, some countries around the world have even started prescribing creative activities to help people with their mental health. The world can be so grey and miserable.”

Find out more

The next RenARTgades fairs at The Globe Garden, Newbury, RG14 5HB, are on Saturday, 3rd September, 29th October (a Halloween special), 19th November (Christmas lights switch-on) and Friday, 16th December (evening Christmas fair + live music).

Visit peachesandtea.co.uk and magpieandthemob.co.uk and follow @peaches_and_tea_ @renARtgades and @magpie andthemob on Instagram.

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Discover dog-friendly venues in Newbury

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Newbury Business Improvement District are launching a new Dog-Friendly Trail Map in time for National Dog Day

The handy pocket Dog-Friendly Trail Map has launched online in advance of National Dog Day on Friday, 26th August, to help raise awareness of Newbury’s dog-friendly venues in the town centre.

The guide also supports the national and independently owned cafes, coffee shops, pubs, and eateries.

Copies of the map are due to be distributed in matching display boxes to all 20 independent businesses and some of the national brands featured, as well as at the 48 independent businesses included on the Independent Retail Map, launched in July.

There will be a further map in late summer / early autumn, this time sporting a vegan-friendly theme

The Dog-Friendly map includes a brief description of each venue and is set to become a useful resource for dog owners to discover the best dog-walking routes within walking distance of the town centre, while signposting to dog-waste bins in and around the area to encourage keeping Newbury clean and tidy. View the map online at: visitnewbury.org.uk/maps.

The themed maps produced by the BID are the second in a series of town centre maps for Newbury under the umbrella term ‘Newbury Town Trail Maps’.

Newbury BID, the not-for-profit organisation behind the Visit Newbury brand will also be releasing a further map in late summer / early autumn, this time sporting a vegan-friendly theme. This map will promote 59 vegan-friendly businesses extending from hospitality to retail and hair and beauty venues across the town centre.

The aim of our beautifully illustrated pocket guides and online interactive Town Trails is to help support our local businesses and raise the profile of our wonderful town centre

Kirsty Lemberger, Marketing Manager at Newbury BID, says: “We’re so pleased with our dog-friendly trail maps and hope the handy pocket-sized format will encourage dog-walkers to use the map on a regular basis to locate dog waste bins in the town centre and enjoy exploring new dog-walking routes in the area.

“The aim of our beautifully illustrated pocket guides and online interactive Town Trails is to help support our local businesses and raise the profile of our wonderful town centre. Launching our dog friendly map in line with the nationally recognised National Dog Day will help to increase awareness further while supporting a cause important to dog-lovers in West Berkshire and beyond!”

Maps are available to collect across the town centre at most businesses featured on the map, and from Newbury Library, West Berkshire Museum, and in the Old Town Hall.

If you run a business in Newbury Town Centre and would like to be included on an upcoming map, please email: [email protected].

To find out more about what’s happening in Newbury, please visit: visitnewbury.org.uk/newburys-calling.

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Happy 5th birthday to The Lexicon

Karen Neville

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Bracknell’s fabulous shopping centre is celebrating and you’re invited to join them

Celebrate The Lexicon’s fifth birthday with forest giants, seedling sprites, night forest theatre and a special birthday proms taking place in the town centre from August 24th to September 4th.

The Bracknell Giants, so popular last year, will return with two new friends. Bracknell Forest Guardian Elderma and the adventurous Will Wildwood, boasting an integral slide.

Also new for this year is The Night Forest theatre show, where younger visitors and their families will meet five fabulous forest creatures. Using holographic technology, these characters will appear to come to life as part of this interactive show. Places to attend The Night Forest Show can be pre-booked, with all proceeds going to The Lexicon Charity Fund.

Younger visitors and their families will meet five fabulous forest creatures

There’s also a Seedling Sprite Trail to follow, pick up a trail sheet and unlock the secrets for the chance to win some wonderful prizes, a host of fun entertainers, giveaways, a special birthday Proms taking place on Saturday, 3rd September and much much more.

The birthday proms will feature performers giving away birthday badges, tote bags and cupcakes.

From Monday, 5th September The Lexicon will be giving away five fabulous prizes donated by Beaverbrooks, Pandora, Marks & Spencer, Wagamma and Primark so keep your eyes on their Facebook page!

They will also reveal which local community groups have been awarded £5,000 each from The Lexicon Charity Fund.

Bracknell Forest Council and The Lexicon have teamed up to create the Bracknell Forest Festival so make sure that you put a note in your diary now.

Find out more

Find out more by visiting www.bracknellforestfestival.com

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