Newbury’s Giant Easter Egg Hunt 25 March–2 April 2016

The giant Easter bunny is hopping around Newbury delivering giant Easter eggs to secret locations in the town centre, which can only mean one thing … the Giant Easter Egg Hunt is back!

Taking place from Good Friday 25 March until Saturday 2 April, this is a fabulous event for all ages.

Head for the Easter Toy Workshop in Parkway (open every day of the event 10.30am–4pm, with the exception of Easter Sunday 27 March) where there will be activities for children, including free face painting, arts and crafts, treats and toys to play with.

To participate in the Giant Easter Egg Hunt, collect an entry form from the Easter Toy Workshop in Parkway or from the main square in the Kennet Centre. Follow a trail around town – all within easy walking distance – to find 15 giant eggs and work out clues which will help you crack a secret code. Crack the code and return your form to the Easter Toy Workshop in Parkway no later than 4.30pm on 2 April.

Correctly completed forms will be entered into a fantastic prize draw: 1st prize a £150 John Lewis voucher; 2nd prize a £50 voucher for The Entertainer toyshop; 3rd prize a ‘You Crack me Up’ Easter egg from Hotel Chocolat. Prize winners will be announced on Monday 4 April.

Now in its third year, the Giant Easter Egg Hunt is fun for all the family, brought to you courtesy of Newbury BID, Parkway Shopping and Rainbows of Inches Yard, Newbury.

Newbury Spring Festival – Booking Now!

West Berkshire’s extravaganza of a musical festival happens in May but tickets are on sale from 1 March, and with so many brilliant performances planned you are advised to book early.

The first thing to be aware of is that this is no elitist music festival. With a variety of genres to choose from – and a wide variety of price-points – the Newbury Spring Festival is for anyone and everyone who enjoys music, and all are welcome.

In 2016 the Festival takes place from 7–21 May, at a variety of locations in Newbury and outlying villages. Every day for the whole fortnight there is at least one event at the Corn Exchange, and this is where you can collect a brochure for the full low-down on what’s on, where and when (there are daytime and evening performances), or look on line at www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk.

Whilst everything has a musical element, there are delights other than full-blown concerts to enjoy – some events come with a special twist.

For example, Rainer Hersch and his orchestra (above) is known for having audiences in stitches with his comic genius. Joe Stilgoe is another hot favourite, and this master of music and wit will be at The Vineyard where you can dine in style at the same time.

For jazz lovers there is not only the wonderful Clare Teal but also the National Youth Jazz Orchestra; and for guitar enthusiasts the legendary John Etheridge’s Sweet Chorus.

Quartets are a theme this year ­– including 4 Girls 4 Harps, Ferio Saxophone Quartet and The Escher Quartet – one of the USA’s leading ensembles who will perform at Englefield House, the same venue hosting none other than The Duke of Devonshire with his talk about his ancestral home, Chatsworth. Or how about hearing mega-star Elaine Paige in conversation at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s home?

For something a little edgy and different, Breaking the Rules is a part concert/part play about extraordinary 16th-century composer Carlo Gesualdo. Or how about ballet? The Royal Ballet is being screened live from the Royal Opera House with their premiere of Frankenstein.

Opera fans are catered for with a gala performance of Verdi’s Rigoletto at Combe Manor. On a lighter note the extravagent Little Baroque Company bring Bach’s Coffee Cantata to town (with coffee and cake an added temptation).

Children are well catered for too – again the Little Baroque Company lay on something special with their Tales Through Music. Sound Beginnings with Sleeping Beauty at Sheepdrove Eco Farm at Lambourn is especially aimed at babies and small children – truly the way to introduce little ones to the delights of the classics. And the delightful Hand to Mouth Theatre returns to the Corn Exchange with a charming and sweet puppet show.

With anniversaries this year of Shakespeare’s death and the Battle of the Somme, Newbury Spring Festival marks these with Stile Antico’s Touches of Sweet Harmony, celebrating The Bard, and international British baritone Christopher Maltman with The Solider – from Severn to Somme; a perfect opportunity to hear his magnificent voice in a local venue.

For lovers of everything classical there is a huge choice – from the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra to the remarkable young pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, from the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra to the Vienna Piano Trio, and from the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to award-winning choir Tenebrae performing Russian Treasures.

On the subject of choirs, everyone who loves to sing is invited to the ‘Sing Your Heart Out’ workshop, to rehearse and later perform with the Newbury Spring Festival Choir – guaranteed to be a fun day.

But that’s not all, so do pick up a brochure or look on-line to find out what else is in store.

www.newburyspringfestival.org.uk

Box office 0845 5218 218

Biddy at Newbury Artisan

What a busy half-term it’s been in Newbury, with the brilliant Halloween Haunt Hunt running all week in the town and then hot on its heels the first Newbury Artisan Sunday market taking place on 1 November.

Despite it being a cloudy day there were lots of sunny smiles in the town centre which was buzzing with families, couples and individuals out and about enjoying both the Farmers’ Market in Market Place and Newbury Artisan running the length of Northbrook Street.

The Farmers’ Market had a great choice of meats, fish, eggs, cheeses, apple juice, beers and fresher-than-fresh seasonal vegetables. Yummy. (And despite the fact that I’m told it’s going to shorten my life, I could not resist buying some delicious dry-cured bacon from a lovely lady from Dews Meadow Farm Shop.)

And then onto Northbrook Street where stalls stretched for just about as far as the eye could see.

Artisan is a well-used word at the moment but it perfectly described the eclectic, exciting displays of food, drink and crafts on offer.

Having arrived on lunchtime, the senses were alive with a huge choice of street foods, from paella and pulled pork rolls to pies and pastries. The bread, buns and patisserie were right up my street and mouth-wateringly good; never mind a sliced white, give me a rustic sourdough or seeded spelt loaf any day.

Tutts Clump Cider put in an appearance and was doing its usual roaring trade, and there was another stall with sparkling wine which was proving popular. Oh yes, and some gorgeous fishcakes to take home; they will be putting in an appearance on our dining table later this week.

And what else? Bags, cushions, hand-felted plant pots, and a clever idea of 3-D paintings crafted from your own photograph. The silver jewellery which you could have personalised, for example with your child’s finger print or your four-legged-friend’s paw print, looked very cute and would make a perfect present.

Then there were very pretty shabby-chic home furnishings, and vintage clothing put in an appearance with some cleverly reconstructed pieces that gave them a whole new look.

Jack FM was providing lively musical entertainment and children were enjoying colouring in masks at the Newbury BID stand, but one particularly intriguing stall that was attracting a lot of attention was the one offering the chance to hold a wild creature for £1. Personally I did not feel the need, but there were plenty of others who were enjoying having Hissing Sid draped around their necks!

Shops, restaurants and cafés that were open were also making the most of the extra footfall and drawing in the crowds, so it was good news all round.

All in all it was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours on a Sunday, and it’s great to know that Newbury Artisan is going to be a regular monthly event in 2016.

See you there next time.

Biddy x

 

 

 

It’s Halloooooween! Time for some half-term holiday fun

It’s that time of year when West Berkshire is awash with pumpkins and witches, cauldrons and bats, ghouls and ghosts, and things that go bump in the night …

From Friday 23 to Saturday 31 October, join the Halloween Haunt Hunt in Newbury town centre, brought to you by Newbury BID. Collect your special form from the allocated venue in Parkway Shopping Centre and follow a trail of cauldrons around the town collecting clues. Those who work out and find all 15 clues and crack a code will be in with a chance of winning something spookily special at the prize draw which takes place on Sunday 1 November at Newbury Artisan market.

From Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November there is the Bucklebury Giant Pumpkin Hunt at Bucklebury Farm Park (www.buckleburyfarmpark.co.uk) where you can take a walk on the wild side through their new spooky woodland maze.

Cobbs Farm at Hungerford (www.cobbsfarmshop.co.uk) have some great Halloween activities planned:
· Pumpkin carving takes place in their marquee Monday 26–Friday 30 October, 10am–4pm. Just turn up and get carving.
· Friday 30 October sees the Cobbs Farm Halloween Extravaganza. Dress up in your scariest outfit to enter their fancy dress competition and play some traditional Halloween games, including apple bobbing and pumpkin hurling.

Thatcham Nature Discovery Centre (www.bbowt.org.uk/nature-discovery-centre) has lots of Halloween entertainment:
· Tuesday 27 October – drop in between 11am and 4pm and make your very own ghost puppet at their Recycled Arts Workshop.
· Thursday 29 October – pre-booking is needed for the Spook-tacular Science event where you can make gooey Halloween slime in a wonderful workshop for ages 3–10. Sessions run 10–11am, 11.30am–12.30pm, 1–2pm, 2.30–3.30pm.
· Friday 30 October – another drop in event between 11am and 4pm: Green Halloween. Dress up in your best spooky outfit and enter the fancy dress competition, and watch out for all sorts of fun activities including Teresa Queen Bee with her Bee Punch & Judy Show, see the magical Mr Alexander's travelling show, create bubbles with pedal-power, make spine-tingling discoveries about hedgehogs … and much more.

Go Pumpkintastic at Five A Day Market Garden at Englefield, near Theale, (www.fiveaday.org.uk) from Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 October. Family activity sessions run 10am–1pm where you can carve a pumpkin lantern, decorate a magic wand, and find out about spooky and magical wildlife and traditions.

Or how about a Creepy Cruise? Children can dress up in their Halloween costumes and take a trip on the Jubilee Narrowboat from The Wharf in Newbury where Halloween horrors await! Creepy Cruises sail Tuesday 27–Friday 30 October, 2–3pm. Pre-book at Newbury Visitor Information Centre (tel 01635 30267).

Many people’s favourite Halloween creature has to be a bat, so why not go on a Bat Box Building Workshop? These batty half-hour workshops happen at Beale Park, Lower Basildon (www.bealepark.co.uk) on Wednesday 28 October, 10.30am–12.30pm on a first-come-first-served basis.

Shaw House in Newbury is in on the spooky happenings too:
· Join their Scuttling Rat activity day on Wednesday 28 October, 10am–4pm. This is where children aged 4–11 can make a scuttling rat and take part in a Halloween-themed trail. No need to book, just drop in. (Tel 01635 279279 for more details.)
· It will be Halloween Party Night on Saturday 31 October, 6.30–8.30pm. This promises to be ghoulishly good fun as in the grounds of Shaw House there will be Halloween trails, apple bobbing and snapping (make sure you take a torch). In the house there will be Halloween crafts, ghostly story time, and trick or treating throughout the night. Arrive dressed for the fancy dress competition at 6.30pm. Suitable for age 4 and upwards and must be pre-booked at Shaw House or Newbury Visitor Information Centre (01635 30267).

West Berkshire Museum in Newbury (01635 519562) is housed in a very old building, the perfect venue for these family-friendly Halloween activities:
· Make a Spooky Spider at their family activity day on Thursday 29 October, 10am–3pm, or get busy with tissue and glitter making a stained-glass pumpkin or ghost on Friday 30 October, 10am–3pm. These activities are aimed at 4–11 year-olds but older and younger children are welcome.
· As darkness falls, which members of the family will be brave enough to tour the  Museum at Night by torchlight on Friday 30 October, 6–8pm? Take your own torch and explore only by its light ...

Spooky-Tacula Shows take place in the Kennet Centre in Newbury on Friday 30 October at 10.30am, 12noon and 2.30pm. These shows are presented by CBeebies very own Alex Winters with lots of fun, games, music and challenges for fiendish young shoppers. Prizes for the best spooky fancy dress costume too!

2 Wild at Path Hill Farm, Goring Heath, near Reading will have a Halloween Extravaganza for ghouls, ghosts, witches and wizards on Friday 30 October, 9.30am–3.30pm. Dare to scare by arriving in fancy dress costume. Spend a ghoulishly ghostly time in the hair-raising Hardwick Woods. Make a broomstick or a woodland monster. Create your own spider’s web. Follow the pumpkin treasure trail and munch marshmallow ghosts. Play giants, elves and wizards, quidditch relay and ghoulish Guess What. Book in advance, ages 5 and over (www.2wild.co.uk).

Eddie Catz in Newbury (www.eddiecatz.com) is hosting a hauntingly good Halloween Party on Friday 30 October, 5.30–7.30pm. Magic and entertainment, dancing at the Halloween disco and a fancy dress catwalk competition with prizes for the best costumes. Entrance by ticket only and suitable for ages 2–8.

The Skeleton Ball at the Corn Exchange in Newbury is going to be a spook-tactular extravaganza on Saturday 31 October at 1pm, 3.30pm and 6pm. There will be ghostly activities, spine-tingling story time, dancing at the bone-jangling disco, prizes for the best fancy dress and much more. (Free but must be pre-booked: www.cornexchangenew.com.)

And finally, nothing will chill the blood as much as darkness falls on Halloween itself, Saturday 31 October, as hearing wolves howling. Do this at Wolf Howl Night at 7pm at the UK Wolf Conservation Trust at Beenham, near Reading (ukwct.org.uk). You’ll find out lots of fascinating facts about wolves at this event which must be booked in advance. You won’t see the wolves but you will hear them hoooooowl …

PLEASE NOTE: Parental supervision is required at most activities. A fee is chargeable for several of them and admission fees may also apply. Some events need to be pre-booked. Contact the venues for full details.

Hungerford Food Festival

Hungerford Food Festival - Sunday 4 October 2015

With over 50 stalls, sizzling street food and the buzz of live cooking demonstrations, this year's Hungerford Food Festival 11am - 3.30pm Sunday 4 October promises to be another inspiring celebration of local and seasonal fare.

This year's demonstrator chefs will include best-selling What's for Dinner? cookbook author and head of the Honesty Food Group, Romilla Arber; Head Chef of Blandys@Inglewood Gert Pienaar and leftovers queen Ilja Harvey for Love Food, Hate Waste.

As usual there will be plenty for local foodies to do. Come and test your ingredient knowledge (as well as your flexibility...) on the Young Farmer's Food Challenge version of Twister. Get your pinny on and enter the Hungerford Cook-Off or take up Barney's Pumpkin Challenge: last year local head gardener Barney Barnes displayed the largest pumpkin of his crop which weighed in at a whopping 95.5 kilos. Can you beat Barney this year? More details on how to enter our competitions can be found on www.hungerfordfoodfestival.com.

Local and award-winning food and drink producers will offer a tempting array of fresh produce, local meat and game, pies, beer, cider and wine, rapeseed oil, apple juice, honey, mushrooms, cakes, artisan bread and preserves ... with many offering free tasters and samples. And there will be plenty to feast on from Secret Pizza Society's popular wood-fired pizza, Andi's Finest German sausage and T.H.Burrough's burgers to Mrs B's saucy salads, Hog Crackle hog roast and Asian street food.

Hungerford Food Festival is proud to be part of British Food Fortnight and is kindly sponsored by Doves Farm, Audley Inglewood and Cobbs Farmshop.

Entry only £1 for adults (U16s free).

For more information please visit www.hungerfordfoodfestival.com or contact 01488 648534 or hungerfordfoodfestival@gmail.com

Biddy takes a Guided Walk

Did you know there are several different guided walks around Newbury? I joined one recently, and very much enjoyed the experience. 

You pre-book tickets at the Visitor Information Centre at the Town Hall in Market Place (01635 30267) and that is where you meet for the start of the walk. Each walk is for a maximum of 15 people, and tickets are £5 (with reductions for concessions, or free if you are under 16) and proceeds are all in a good cause as they go to the Newbury Heritage Fund.

The walks are led by local historians, members of The Newbury Society. Our group had the pleasure of being led by Phil Wood who started by giving us a potted history of the Market Place itself. We then made our way to the Wharf where we stopped again to hear about the area, the buildings and local characters.

We walked down to the canalside for more explanation and exploration, meandering slowly to the swing bridge and, eventually, back along the other side of the canal to St Nicolas church. 

We spent some time in the church – its cool interior most welcome on a hot day – before making our way outside and heading to the war memorial where the walk ended, with time for more fascinating facts and a chance to ask any final questions.

The walk is advertised as lasting approximately an hour; I got a lot more for my money as it ended up being a good hour and a half, but it all depends on how many questions get asked en route. However, rest assured it was all at a very gentle pace, with plenty of stops – definitely not a route march!

Walks take place throughout the summer on some Sundays at 2.30pm and some Fridays at 11.30am, with the next ones being on:

Friday 7 August 

Sunday 16 August - http://bit.ly/1TA1C1A

Friday 4 September - http://bit.ly/1TA23Jj

Sunday 13 September - http://bit.ly/1PbOBVF

As some of the walks take in different parts of the town, I am looking forward to going on another one soon.

Biddy x 

Battle Proms at Highclere Castle

A summer’s evening in the grounds of Highclere Castle (‘Downton Abbey’ to many fans); what could be a more perfect setting to wave the patriotic flag and sing a rousing rendition of ‘Rule Britannia’? 

This year’s Battle Proms takes place on Saturday 1 August, and is a chance to picnic in the splendid grounds of Highclere Castle – historic home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, and where the ever-popular television series ‘Downton Abbey’ is filmed – whilst enjoying eclectic entertainment, magical music and fantastic fireworks.

You are welcome to take your own picnic and relate equipment, or you can pre-order and let someone else do all the preparation so that you just turn up, relax … and have fun. 

The Battle Proms themselves have been staged since 1997, the first event taking place at Battle Abbey in East Sussex and the purpose being to create a stage for the live firing of dozens of replica Napoleonic cannon to the strains of ‘Beethoven’s Battle Symphony’. This year, of course, the event will be extra special, marking 200 years since the Battle of Waterloo.

The programme of events starts when the gates open at 4pm. Time to lift the lid on those hampers, pop the champagne corks and soak up the atmosphere.

Early evening sees a Napoleonic display of mounted cavalry taking to the battlefield.

Fast forward more than a century and see the vintage-style group The Rockabellas performing songs to mark milestones in the Second World War, reflecting the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and the end of the Second World War 70 years ago.

At 7.25pm comes the Battle of Britain Gun Salute, leading in to the main event: the magnificent musical programme.

All eyes will be drawn to the skies as the Grace Spitfire performs in perfectly choreographed style to the opening pieces of this evening of classical favourites, performed by the New English Concert Orchestra, conducted by Douglas Coombes and hosted by the BBC’s Pam Rhodes.

The event draws to a close at around 10pm, with, as you would expect from all the best Proms, a flag-waving sing-along, culminating in a spectacular firework display as a finale.

Pre-booked tickets from now until 31 July are £36 for adults (£40 cash on the gate and subject to availability so pre-booking is strongly advised); children age 5–15 £17 (free to those age 4 and under). Discounts for advance group bookings. 

To book tickets, reserve picnic hampers and furniture, and for all further details visit: www.battleproms.com. Tickets are also available locally from the Visitor Information Centre and Corn Exchange in Newbury.

The Six Bells at Beenham - Pub of the Year

We always knew it was good, that’s why we recommend it to you, however the West Berkshire Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has named the Six Bells at Beenham as their Pub of the Year!

They chose it for its quintessential English village pub feel, welcoming staff, and a great atmosphere that makes it feel like a home from home.

Chris and Glynis Harman have run the community-based village free house for the last 11 years and as a local resident, Mrs Harman has been in the pub trade most of her life. Husband Chris creates a mouth watering range of dishes using local ingredients and is extremely proud to have achieved this award twice in seven years.

So now you have no excuse not to visit! Why not pop in today, the Six Bells is located at The Green, Beenham, Newbury, RG7 5NX. For more details please visit www.thesixbells.co.uk or call 0118 971 3368.