This Weekend's events...

Saturday 9th May:

Castle Ashby Colour Run @ Castle Ashby Gardens, 10am
In aid of the Cynthia Spencer Hospice. Castle Ashby is hosting a 5k colour run. Participants can walk, run or even dance their way around the course through the beautiful Castle Ashby gardens, with four colour stations where participants will be showered in vibrant colours. Entry costs £15 for adults, £7.50 for children or £40 for a family of four.

'May There Be Music' @ Christ the Cornerstone Church, CMK, 7.30pm
Piano and soprano charity concert to include Chopin Waltzes, Mozart Aria, Chopin Sonata No. 2 in B flat and more. Tickets cost £10. Proceeds to go to the funds of Cosgrove Parish Church.

Charity Race Night @ Carlton House Club, 7pm
Ticketed event, £10 per person which includes a basket meal, or for an upgrade ticket at £15, horse ownership will be included, giving you the chance to win £20 on the night. First race is at 7.30pm. Held by the Ride for Willen team.

'Songs for a Summer Evening' with Andate Choir @ United Reformed Church, Newport Pagnell, 7.30pm
Concert hosts, the Inner Wheel club of Newport Pagnell, are delighted that Andante have agreed to sing as a fundraiser for CAFFE (Computers are free for everyone). Tickets cost £10 and includes drinks and nibbles.

Nursery Plant Sale @ Village Hall, Pavenham, MK43 7PH, 10.30am-2pm
10 nurseries from six countries: Alpines, Clematis, Exotic plants, Herbs, Perennials and Shrubs, Roses, Shade-lovers, Sundries and vegetables. Come and buy high quality and unusual plants from the growers. Keen prices and good advice available. Entry costs £1.20. Free parking, tombola, refreshments and children's playground. In aid of the friends of St. Peter's- keeping our church building in good repair.

Barn Dance and Mini-Concert Choir @ Lavendon Village Hall, 7pm
With 'Cut a Caper Band' and 'Olney Singing For All Choir'. Choice of chicken curry or cottage pie meal. Tickets cost £12.

Woburn Sands Ceilidhs @ The Summerlin Centre, Woburn Sands, MK17 8SG, 7.30-11pm
With The Barn Rat Band, and caller Alison Heywood. Tickets cost £7 for adults, accompanied under 16's go free.

Sunday 10th May:

Annual Open Day @ Olney Bowling Club, 10am-4pm
Why not come along and see if the bowling club is for you? All equipment is provided, just wear a flat pair of shoes or trainers without ridges. Receive expert tuition from qualified coaches and experienced bowlers.

Militaria Fair @ Stantonbury Leisure Centre, 9.30am-3pm
There will be numerous top dealers with wonderful items present, including items such as helmets, uniforms, medals, coins, badges, books, armour, US WW2 items and much much more. Entry costs £4.

Saturday and Sunday:

Time Travelling History Festival @ MK Museum, 11am-4.30pm

There'll be a variety of activities available to join in with, including lessons in everything from making medieval coins to firing guns like those used during the English Civil war. See how people worked, lived, ate and occupied themselves during the early years of Henry VIII's reign, and in Saxon, Viking, Civil War and Medieval times. All this and more is available at the usual ticket price of £22 per family, for two adults and up to four children. 

What's on: This Bank holiday Weekend

The first of the May bank holidays arrives this weekend, and there are a few things going on you may want to get involved with...

All weekend:

Friday 1st-Sunday 4th May: Luna Flix Outdoor Cinema @ Stanwick Lakes, open 7.30pm
Approximately 30 minutes out from Milton Keynes, the open cinema at Stanwick lakes will be showing 3 different films over the weekend. Friday's showing is: 'Close encounters of the third kind', Saturday 'Moulin Rouge' and Sunday is 'Mamma Mia'. The outdoor screen is over 7 metres wide, and it's a great location to enjoy an outdoor film experience with friends and family. Bring a picnic and don't forget warm clothes and a blanket or picnic chair to sit on. The doors open at 7.30pm for picnics, and the film will start at around 9.15pm, according to dusk light. Tickets cost £9 for adults and £6.50 for children, pre-booking is essential, click here to book tickets.

Saturday 2nd- Monday 4th May: Rushden Cavalcade @ Bedford Road, NN10 0SN, 10am-5pm
The 37th Cavalcade of historical transport and country show; 'The big rally that starts the season'. Bringing over 1000 different exhibits from all over the country, attracting over 25,000 visitors each year, there's something for everyone to see and do, from tractor engines and vintage vehicles, to funfair rides and trade stands. Entry costs £8 for adults, £5 for children and senior citizens. Family ticket of 2 adults and 2 children cost £22. Free parking available.

Saturday 2nd-Monday 4th May: The Crooked Billet Festival @ Newton Longville, every day from 12 midday-10.30pm.
The Crooked Billet in Newton Longville are holding their first festival over the bank holiday period, and are hoping to make it a regular feature for years to come. Doors open at 12pm each day, and there will be 2 large marquees so the fun will be happening no matter what the weather. Saturday there will be face painting from 2-6pm, there will be music from cover band 'Inside job' at 2 and 4pm, and from 7pm will be video horse raising in aid of Willen Hospice. Sunday from 2-3.3pm will be John the jazz pianist performing live, and local musician Luke Ford will be performing at both 4.30pm and 5.45pm. There will be a whole evening of comedy entertainment from 7pm, ending at 10.30pm. Hog roast will be available Saturday and Sunday from 3pm, and BBQ will be available all day. Monday will be more relaxed, with background music, BBQ and plenty of ale.

Friday 1st May:

The Bedford branch of the Royal Anglian Regiment association @ The Keep, Bedford, 8pm
Monthly meeting, on the first Friday of the month. Bar opens at 7.30pm, meeting begins at 8pm. Open to any ex servicemen/women of any arm.

Cupcake Decorating @ Frosts Garden Centre, Woburn Sands, 10am and 1pm
Enjoy a cupcake decorating masterclass with a professional tutor to guide you through piping swirls and hand crafting sugar paste decorations, as well as how to master the iconic butter cream swirl. At the end of the day you'll go home with 6 of your own beautifully decorated cupcakes. The workshop runs for 2 hours and costs £40, pre-booking is a must. The workshop is part of Frosts' gardening and country living workshop series, offering monthly activities throughout the year. Click here for more information and to book.

Bedford art society @ Putnoe Heights Church, 7.15pm for 7.30pm start
Hashim Akib demonstrates the use of acrylics. Learn some new ideas, techniques and approaches to painting with acrylics. Entry is free for members, £5 for visitors.

Saturday 2nd May:

May Day Festival @ Campbell Park, 12-5pm.
The Parks trust annual fair. Dance around the Maypole and celebrate May Day. Free fun for all the family including Morris dancing, folk music, children's entertainment, stalls and children's rides.

Sunday 3rd May:

Dawn Chorus @ Hanson environmental study centre, Linford lakes, 4.30-6.30am
Join the expert ranger for National dawn chorus day, and discover the early morning bird call. Costs £2 per person. Meet at Hanson environmental study centre, Linford lakes, MK14 5AH.

Parks and fun run @ Willen lake north, 10am
Free fun runs for all ages and abilities, with a choice of routes from 2km to 10km. Starting from Willen lake North car park.

Open Mic Night @ The Two Brewers Olney, 8.30pm
A great night of music, and enjoying a great selection of drinks.

That Time Of The Month comedy club @ The Cannon, Newport Pagnell, 7pm
John Hastings and Chris Martin, Edinburgh Preview show. Tickets £5 in advance or £7 on the door.

Monday 4th May:

MK Marathon and half marathon @ Stadium MK, 10am
For runners and spectators alike, it's set to be a great day. With 4,500 acres of woodlands, lakesides, parks and landscaped areas within Milton Keynes, it's the ideal venue for a Green City marathon.

Sharnbrook Bowls club open afternoon @ Lodge Road, Sharnbrook, 2pm
Why not give bowls a try this summer? Come along and give it a try!

Hollington Wood Annual Bluebell Day @ Hollington Wood, 10am-6pm
Open day. Come and enjoy the bluebells and woodland. Admission is free but donations towards the upkeep of the woods are appreciated.

Quiz Night @ The Cowpers Oak, Weston Underwood, 8pm
£1 per person entry, teams of a maximum of 8 people.

...Have a great Bank Holiday weekend whatever you get up to!

Love MK day

The third annual Love MK day takes place tomorrow, aiming to not only promote Milton Keynes as a leisure and business destination, but also to harness the pride that many residents have in their city.

With the aim of spreading the love of the city worldwide, the hope is to also get past residents of Milton keynes involved who may have moved away from Milton Keynes, in order to spread #LoveMK far and wide.

Not only will the Love MK day encourage people to be proud of where they're from or live, but there is also the hope that it will help increase visitors and therefore profits to Milton Keynes. The visitor economy is currently worth over £200 million in Milton Keynes, and hopes are it can be increased further with some good #LoveMK publicity.

People are being encouraged to share photos of themselves either holding the poster or getting creative with '#LoveMK', and there are prizes up for grabs if the pictures are tweeted to '@DestinationMK'. The more creative the better- last year someone cut #LoveMk into their lawn, other ideas include making banners, painting the words on your face and more. Get involved and show some support to your city!

Olney man wins Parks Trust Photography competition

The winner of the Parks Trust 2014 photography competition has now been announced as being Jim Key from Olney, with an amazing photograph of the frozen Grand Union canal in winter. The photograph was taken from the bridge adjoining Stonepit field in Great Linford, and captures the sunrise coming up through the trees. The image is truly picturesque; the untouched snow on the roof of the house and canal boats, as well as the frozen canal, all look so fresh and untouched, it could be a painting.

As well as the overall winner, there were prizes for the categories of:

• Wildlife (won by Jo Angell)
• Parklife (also won by Jim Key with the same image)
• Landscape (won by Tim Skelton)
• young persons category (won by Eden Albiston)

The winning images and all short-listed images will be showcase this June at Milton Keynes Central Library, don't forget to go along and take a look!

Winner of the Parks Trust competition, Jim Key

The weekend's events

This one's a busy weekend, and so we've collected a list of 'what's on' for you. Bear with it, it may be long, but is filled with great ideas of what to do, including a great selection to suit all tastes and interests!

Friday 24th April

Sausage and mash supper with bingo and quiz @ Lavendon Village Hall. 6.30pm for 7pm start
Bring your own drinks, tickets cost £10.

Friday Night Films- Mr Turner @ MK Gallery, 7.30pm
A pop-up cinema offering an alternative film experience. The film is Mr Turner, which explores the last quarter century of the British painter J.M.W Turner (1775-1851).

Saturday 25th April

Newport Pagnell Singers- Choral Workshop @ Lovat Hall, Silver Street. 9am-4pm
The Sprig of Thyme. Want to sing in a choir? The singers are on the lookout for new members in every voice part. Why not join in for the workshop and see if it's something you would enjoy? You can book a place by clicking here.

The Yardley Hastings Heritage Society @ The United Reformed Church, Yardley Hastings. 10am-4pm
The theme of the open day is Yardley at war. If you have any information, documents or photographs of the village during this time or anything else concerning the village or villagers which you would like to share, then do bring it along. There is a dedicated cupboard for storing the photographs and document sand the facilitates to help you preserve your documents.

Olney Lace Circle- Lace and craft day @ Denton village hall. 10am-4pm
Tickets cost £3.50, this is a ticket only event. Tea and coffee available all day.

Trend:mk SS15 fashion showcase @ Middleton Hall, centre:mk. Saturday- Sunday 
The centre:mk's biggest fashion showcase, with live catwalk shows and great in-store discounts. Find out the trends for spring/summer 2015 and enjoy some exclusive offers from around 30 of the centres shops.

North Bedfordshire NCT nearly new sale @ Bedford athletic stadium, Barker lane, Bedford. 11.30am-1.30pm
Top quality baby and children's clothes and equipment at bargain prices. Opens at 11.30am for NCT members and 12pm for the general public. £1 entry fee.

The Great Sherington Garage Sale @ Sherington. All day.
Come to Sherington to grab a bargain. Sherington is about to open its garage doors for the first time on mass as a fund raiser for St Laud's Sherington. Come and see what bargains you can find. Pick up a pamphlet from Sherington village shop on Church Road, or from one of the participating garages for £1 to see where all the other garages are.

St George's Day All-Dayer @ Bletchley Working Mens Club. Midday-Midnight
Stolen Hours social club presents the annual St George's day all-dayer. DJ's playing Ska, Reggae, Motown and Northern Soul, as well as northern soul dance lessons with Fiona Smith.

Good Dog Owners' guide to MK @ Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. 2pm
An introduction to the parks of Milton Keynes for new dog owners, includes a short walk. Meet at Campbell Park Pavilion. £1 per person.

Foodie quiz night @ Browns of Stagsden. 7pm for 7.30pm start
Tickets cost £10 and includes a sausage supper. Teams of up to 8 people, with a prize for the winners. There will be a bar with local ale served.

Cowper & Newton Museum presents: Old Time Music hall @ Carlton House Club, High Street Olney. 7pm for 7.30pm start
David Pibworth produces a night of songs, variety, music and laughter to commemorate the Great War centenary. 'Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile.' Be transported back in time and reminisce with tributes to great acts such as Laurel & Hardy, Gert & Daisy and more. Tickets just £3, available from the Cowper & Newton Museum shop.

The Pad Presents: The Neville Staple Band + Ruts Dc @ The Corn Exchange, Bedford. 7.30pm
Including New Groove Formation, Hammy & Geoff and DJ Andy Attic. Neville Staple is one of the great figureheads of the second wave of British ska in the last 70s. Best known for his work as the singer in Ska and Two Tone legends The Specials, his solo tour features a selection of The Special's back catalogue as well as tracks form his second chart topping band, The Fun Boy Three, as well as reworking some original Jamaican ska classics and showcasing some brand new solo material.

Bradwell Silver Band Concert @ St James Church, New Bradwell. 7.30pm
Bradwell silver band spring concert and annual awards. The band will perform a selection of music to suit all ages and tastes. Bradwell silver band is proud to support players of any age who wish to learn a brass instrument, with free tuition and instruments. The annual Spring Concert is an opportunity for band members to celebrate and recognise the commitment and hard work of the players and supporters.

Sunday 26th April

Telephone and Post Office vehicle's day @ Milton Keynes Museum. All day
Discover more about the telephone and the ways in which we communicate. Postal and telephone vehicles from the past 60 years. Working telephones and switchboards will be found in the telephone gallery, Post Office films and videos and working telegraph and telephone equipment will also be on show, as well as the usual museum exhibits.

Age UK fashion show @ The Peartree Centre, Peartree Bridge. 2-4pm
Hand-picked clothes from the six local Age UK shops. Fabulous fashions, jewellery and other accessories for sale on the day. There will be live music, and visitors will receive a goody bag, glass of bubbly on arrival and canapés. Tickets cost £10 or £8 in advance.

Milton Keynes Marathon- Do you want to volunteer?

The Milton Keynes marathon and half marathon are now just around the corner, and if you've been preparing to take part you're sure to be well aware of how soon it is coming up. With just just 2 weeks to go, the marathon takes place on Bank Holiday Monday the 4th May starting at 10am, and this is the fourth year it has taken place.

As well as the main marathon, there is also the half marathon and then the Superhero fun run, so there's the opportunity for everyone to get involved. If you're not planning on doing the running, then why not head down and watch, or even better, sign up as a member of the event crew.

There are two main ways of getting involved as a member of the event crew on the day, and these are either in the stadium area or on the course. In the stadium, volunteers are needed to help with registration, information, baggage, marshalling, rewards and giving out medals at the finish. On the course, marshals will be needed to ensure safety at intersections and direct runners along the right route. As well as these two main areas, volunteers will be needed in photography, for driving and entertainment.

If this sounds like something you'd like to get involved with, you can sign up to volunteer online by clicking here. It can be a long and tiring day, but hopefully the sun will be shining and it'll be a great opportunity to get involved in something for the local community. You'll receive a medal for your hard work, as well as a packed lunch on the day and an Event Crew T-shirt to wear. You'll also get a medal at the end of your shift, and an invite to a special Event Crew thank you party, on Saturday 9th May.

There are a number of ways to get involved for all the family, whether you're planning on taking part, volunteering or cheering on the runners, as they raise some much needed funds for a selection of great charities. The 4th May is set to be a great day, and with temperatures set to rise it'll hopefully be nice and sunny; you may even find yourself needing that suncream...

Walk Safer in MK

Milton Keynes' Redways and underpasses provide a safe way of travelling around the city without having to cross the busy grid roads. However, when it comes to night time, it seems that many people are risking the dangers of crossing the roads rather than using the Redways, as a result of not feeling safe enough using them.

Milton Keynes Council has joined with MKWeb to launch the Walk Safe campaign. The idea is to encourage people to use the Redways, and to help make them feel a bit safer doing so. Plans include educating children about how Redways are safer than crossing the roads and making the routes to schools more interesting, to try and get younger children into the habit of using Redways and underpasses for both school and leisure.

MK college art students are being enlisted to help make underpasses brighter and more colourful. New LED lights have recently been added to all underpasses, and vegetation has also been cut back, all in a bid to help make the pathways clearer and help people feel safer.

Other problem underpasses, such as the Bletchley station underbridge, will be targeted to help make them feel safer and encourage people to utilise them, with the Bletchley underbridge having new lighting installed, helping pedestrians feel safer.

This campaign and the work surrounding it is a great cause, and more needs to be done to educate and encourage individuals in using the Redways and underpasses safely, rather than risking their lives on the dangerously fast roads, which have already had far too many casualties.

Free art exhibition: Created by inmates

A new exhibition opened earlier this week at MK gallery, to showcase a selection of artwork from prisoners for the next month.

The theme of the exhibition is 'Transformation'; showing the transformation in the physical sense in terms of how the material has become an art piece, but also in the sense of how getting creative has helped the prisoners improve their lives. The exhibition highlights the positive and important role that education plays in helping to shape and change lives for the better.

The artwork has been produced by Milton Keynes Offender Learning and skills students, from HMP Woodhill, HMP Springhill, HMP Hewell, HMP Sudbury, HMP Bullingdon, HMP Grendon, HMP Huntercombe and HMP Long Lartin.

The exhibition is free, and on the 17th and 24th April it will be manned by MK College Offender Learning staff who will be able to provide further information, detail and background to the work on display. The artwork has also been made into a book.

Come along to MK Gallery this month to have a look at the artwork and find out more.

Tomorrow's local society events...

Tuesday, as always, is the day for many local societies to meet, and there's a whole list in this month's Phonebox magazine of what's on this Tuesday, have a look below for a reminder...

Newport Pagnell and District Probus Club at the Carlton House Club, Olney, 12.15pm.
Join for a buffet lunch followed by a speaker; this month is Lyn Kirkbright, who will relate 'The heart of volunteering and how I got stuck in the chair!'

Bridge at the Royal British Legion, Newport Pagnell, 7.30pm. 

Olney Jazz Club at the Carlton House Club, 8pm.
Featuring the Richard Baker Quintet. Richard was originally a trained trombonist, and has worked in pretty much every genre of music and appeared on numerous recordings throughout his 25 year career. The quintet was formed in 2013 and is a ensemble reminiscent of the quintets led by the likes of Frank Rosolino and Carl Fontana during the 50's and 60's. Tickets cost £10 on the door. Good food also available.

Newport Pagnell Historical Society, the United Reformed Church, Newport Pagnell, 7.30pm
A talk from Hugh Granger on 'A journey by stagecoach'.

Bedford Floral Art Society at the Addison Centre, Kempston at 7.30pm
Members meeting, with flowers, fun and friendship.

Olney Archaeological Society at the Olney centre, 10am-noon
Talk from Dr Jill Eyers: 'The birth of an ocean: The opening of the Atlantic'. The talk will be about the separation of South America from Africa. All are welcome, membership costs £20, or sessions cost £3 per lecture. Refreshments included.

Emberton and District Flower Club at the Carlton House Club, 7.30pm
A flower arranging demonstration entitled 'As we go down to the woods' by Emma Remington, NAFAS demonstrator, lecturer, flower arranger and florist.

If you're part of a local society which isn't currently featured in the Phonebox magazine, do send your information through so that we can cover as many groups as possible.

Five Guys in Milton Keynes

If you've been to America you'll have probably come across Five Guys, a burger restuarant which uses fresh ingredients and peanut oil and gives you 250,000 different ways of ordering a burger.

Starting as a family business, with five sons, Five Guys began in Washington DC in 1986.
Today there are currently 20 restaurants open in the UK, with lots more coming soon, and most interestingly to us, one looks set to come to Milton Keynes.

Not to be compared to the fast food burger chains of McDonalds and Burger King, probably the closest comparison would be GBK (Gourmet burger kitchen) which is situated in the Hub in Milton Keynes.

To add to the variety of recent updates and additions to Milton Keynes, the addition of a Five Guys when there are currently so few in the UK makes the city stand out yet again. As well as this, Milton Keynes is home to the only Banana Tree restaurant outside of London, and the only Byron Burger in Buckinghamshire, making it quite a home to a number of up-and-coming names.

Five Guys has a unique way of ordering as well as uniquely fresh ingredients. It allows you to choose the size of burger you want (and is one of the few places you can order a small and still be full!) and then customise the fillings and sauces, similarly to the way you build a sandwich in Subway, but with potentially even more choices.

It's very early days so there's no plans set in stone yet, but it looks like the restaurant will be added to the already wide selection of restaurants at Xscape in the city centre, so keep an eye on our blog for any more updates.

MKFM given full time FM licence

Local radio station, MKFM, started in 2011, with the simple mission of bringing local radio back to Milton Keynes on FM. After 4 years of campaigning, the station has now been granted a full time licence by Ofcom. The decision was made yesterday, and means there are a number of exciting new plans for MKFM.

MKFM have just announced plans that they will be moving into a permanent studio in the Milton Keynes Intu shopping centre, and the FM service will be launched from here in the next few months.

A large number of people supported the campaign, and thorough showing their support helped the station secure it's licence, including members of the public, MPs, MK Dons chairman, the Mayor of Milton Keynes and more. Local charities, businesses, community groups, musicians and sports teams have also showed their support to MKFM, many of whom have benefited form the radio station in one way or another.

Until now MKFM has only been available on DAB Digital radio, but is now able to transmit on FM, with a license that can be renewed every 5 years. A popular station, it has around 20,000 Facebook fans and has achieved around 84,000 listeners each quarter. It seems MKFM has proven itself in popularity and shown it can provide what listeners want, with not just the radio station but also supporting numerous local community events.

The future of MKFM is now underway, and they will be hoping to start test transmissions in May this year.

This Weekend's Events

Friday 20th March:

The Pad Presents: Ian McCulloch (Echo & The Bunnymen) + Guests @ Bedford Corn Exchange, starts at 7.30pm. Echo & the Bunnymen were formed in Liverpool in 1978 and became one of the UK's most important bands. They have had numerous hit singles along the way, including Seven Seas, Never Stop The Killing Moon and Lips Like Sugar. Front man Ian McCulloch will also be performing solo, in a fully acoustic show with stripped down versions of their songs. A one-off experience. Tickets cost £18.50.

Quiz Night @ Olney Rugby Club, starts at 7.30pm.
All are welcome, cost is £3 per person, with a maximum of 6 people per team. The money raised will go towards the U18 girls rugby tournament in Gent. To register a team, email: christinebebbington@hotmail.com.

Saturday 21st March: 

Easter Coffee Morning @ Westbury Grange, Newport Pagnell, from 10am-12 noon.
Come and join the fundraising coffee morning, raising money for outings and treats for the residents of Westbury Grange. All are welcome to come along, there will be a selection of stalls, raffle and a wide selection of cakes and coffee.

Race Night @ Lavendon Village Hall, first race is at 7.30pm.
Plougmans supper will be provided, bring your own drinks. Tickets cost £8.

Olney Ward Councillor Surgery @ The Institute, Emberton from 12.30pm-1.30pm.

Newport Pagnell Singers: Great Choral Masterpieces @ Newport Pagnell Parish Church, from 7.30pm. Including excerpts from the following works: Gloria- Vivalidi, Messiah- Handel, Requiem- Mozart, Elijah- Mendelssohn and Requiem- Jenkins. An evening for all those who appreciate fine choral music- don't miss out. Tickets cost £10 in advance or £12 on the door.

ArtFULL Monthly Show @ The Centre:MK, Sidbury Arcade between doors 13 and 15, all day.
This is a free event, and the first of ARTfull's monthly shows in the centre:mk is 'Over the Top'. Featuring the limited edition bronze sculptures of Tim Cotterill, the Frogman and a special custom made Over the Top frog, there will be art to see, artists to talk to and more, including a free raffle.

MK Dons vs Notts County, and family fun day @ Stadium MK, from 12 noon.
Another chance to enjoy a family fun day at the Dons, with a selection of activities taking place around the ground from midday, and discounted ticket prices for all the family. Adult tickets start at £10, and under 18s go for just £1. For an extensive list of stalls and activities, click here.

Bark in the Park @ Furzton Lake, from 10am.
Bring your four-legged friends to meet other dogs and discover a new dog-walking route. Pre-registration is essential, costs £1 per dog. Walks are not suitable for dogs under 1 year old.

Sunday 22nd March: 

Museum Lunch @ Donzella restaurant, Stanley Court Olney, 12.15-3pm.

Open to friends, volunteers and partners of the museum. An opportunity to mix socially and contribute to raising funds for the museum. Cost is £15 for a two-course lunch. Email friends@cowperandnewtonmuseum.org.uk to reserve a place.

Orienteering @ Linford Wood, starting from 10am-12 noon.

The first of informal orienteering events which will run throughout 2015 for beginners, more experienced orienteers and runners. No special equipment is needed and no need to pre-register, just turn up! There are a number of different courses to choose from, in varying levels of difficulty and length. Costs £5 for individuals, couples and families, and £10 for groups with more than two adults. Click here for more information.

Creative Space @ The Stables, Wavendon, MK17 8LU, from 11.45am-1pm and 2.45pm-4pm.

Interactive music events for disabled children and their families. Come and make music, crafts and dance with the charity, 'Create'. The 75 minute event is unique, fun and interactive. Music will be performed by talented pianist, Derek Paravicini, who is himself blind and has severe learning difficulties. Tickets cost £6, call the box office on: 01908 280800 to book. 

The property ladder in MK

Milton Keynes, and it's surrounding areas, has recently been cited as the fastest growing urban area in regards to population, and has become a highly attractive location to live in. This is largely due to the easy commute to London, but also because of it's growing status and surroundings.

As well as being fast growing in population, Milton Keynes has experienced the largest net increase in jobs, the second highest rate of business start-ups and strongest growth in housing supply in the country. House prices are increasing faster than nearly anywhere else in the country, according to a latest report from Bidwells property consultants.

This all sounds promising if you're a Milton Keynes resident, but what if you're an aspiring resident, wanting to rent or buy in Milton Keynes, how easily is that done?

Renting may be seen as the cheaper option, but it can also be difficult to get onto the market. Many rental agencies do not operate on a first-come-first-served basis, and therefore it's not a case of the early bird catches the worm, but it seems to be down to a popularity contest or luck of the draw. Various agencies operate in different ways: some accept all viewings and toss a coin to choose the prospective renters, others let the landlord decide, sometimes based on job, others seeming to judge by the personality of the viewer as perceived and described by the letting agent. While rented accommodation seems in high demand, it does beg to question how these landlords choose. What puts you at a disadvantage? Are you better off going in as a couple or single? Do they prefer you to work long hours or be around the house more? Do they care if you work locally or are a commuter? It probably all depends on the personality and past experience of the landlord, although technically everyone should have a fair chance. It seems that even if you call up about a property almost immediately after it's gone on the market, you're either not the first, or you're the first and they still want to show 7 other people round. In this sort of market it seems a bit pot-luck, but at least Milton Keynes is apparently the place to be, when you do finally get in somewhere!

Theatre District MK up for a re-vamp

The Theatre District

The Theatre District in central Milton Keynes has a pretty good selection of restaurants, and of course the theatre, but in recent years it has become something of a ghost town, not picking up the same amount of interest as many other areas of the city.

With the large number of restaurants and attractions in Milton Keynes, there is a huge choice for people when choosing where to eat or drink, particularly among the chain restaurants which are at the Theatre District as well as many other areas in Milton Keynes, including the shopping centre, Xscape, Kingston and now the new MK Stadium restaurant area. With so much of the same, there needs to be something more than just the food attracting visitors, and this is where the Theatre District has been struggling a bit lately, often seeming very quiet and dead, particularly during the day.

However, all this is set to change, with a whopping £20million development plan which was granted just this week. The plan is set to create over 100 jobs, and will be completed in late 2016. The plan includes building a Premier Inn hotel with 130 rooms, as well as 234 square metres of retail and 994 square metres of leisure, which is likely to include restaurants and bars.

Jonathan Manns, Colliers International Planning Director who advised on the development, says: "In rejuvenating and expanding the Theatre District these plans also improve the wider public realm and enhance links to existing shopping facilities..."

Jack Paravicini of Bursha Holdings commented: "We're keen to create a 'family friendly' area with a vibrant daytime and evening economy that increases footfall and supports the adjacent gallery and theatre."

With a bit of work (£20 million worth!) it's hoped that the Theatre District will be back in the runnings in competing with Milton Keynes' other leisure areas. The building of a Premier Inn hotel in such a central location is sure to be hugely popular, and the surrounding restaurants and bars will be sure to benefit as a result of the customers it will attract.

On top of all this, intu Milton Keynes has also just announced a new development, a major face-lift which will feature a five-screen boutique cinema, new shops and green spaces. The development could cost up to £70 million, and would be the most significant development the city centre has seen in over a decade. Pictures and information about the proposal are on display until 22nd March.

Proposal for intu Milton Keynes development

How do you feel about all this development? In a time where landmarks such as the Point are being demolished, is it right that money is being put into expanding and re-doing the already more modern areas?

This weekend's events in MK

Friday: 

Comic Relief:
Whatever you're up to this Friday, you're bound to come across Red Nose Day in one way or another. The idea of making your 'face funny for money' is interpreted in a number of ways across the country. If you have children at school or work in a school you'll probably be wearing your red noses and raising money for comic relief there in one way or another, from bake sales and wearing red clothes, to danceathons, swimathons and quiz's. If you're not getting involved during the day, there's always the 6-hour marathon TV show on Friday night from 7pm. An evening of entertainment aiming to make you laugh out loud with a selection of stars, including the return of the classic shows; Little Britain, Mr Bean, and Vicar of Dibley among others. As well as the humorous, comedy elements, will be the more serious films and footage which show Comic Relief's charity work and where the money raised will be going to.

Locally, there are activities going on for comic relief in schools and other locations, one of these is in Stantonbury, with various activities taking place from 3.30-6.30pm. There will be face painting, with a professional makeup artist. You can be entered into the competition to win Best Funny Face by simply donating to Comic Relief, having your face painted and photo taken. There's also a bouncy castle, so you can make those funny faces while you bounce! From 7-9pm there'll be a table tennis tournament for Comic Relief, so you can pop on your nose and enter the mini tournament, both juniors and adults are welcome. The Commonwealth medal winner and current reigning world Ping Pong champion, Andrew Baggaley will be awarding the trophies. You can watch from Buskers cafe & bar.

Saturday:

80's night held by Domesticats, at Lavendon Village Hall. 7.30-11.30pm, Fancy dress is optional, but would be fun! Tickets cost £10 and the money raised will go towards Lavendon Village Hall. Come along for a great night of the 80's!

The Edelweiss Pirates at Stantonbury Theatre, 3.30 and 7.30pm. A show featuring the Edelweiss Pirates of Cologne, a group of teenagers in Germany during the Second Wolrd War who realise they must start showing their resistance to the Nazis. Suitable for ages 13 and over. Tickets cost £14, concessions £11.

Tennis Works at Stony Stratford Tennis Club (MK11 1AR) is holding a free indoor mini tennis session this Saturday. A great introduction to tennis, with fun and games. 4-6 year olds are welcome from 1-2pm, and 7-10 year olds from 2-3pm. For more information email Stony@tennisworks.net.

Milton keynes Gin Festival at the Buszy (MK9 1LR) All afternoon and evening, 2 sessions from 12-5pm and 6-11pm.
Over 60 different gins will be showcased, and visitors will receive a brochure with information on all the gins available to try. You will need drinks tokens to purchase drinks, available at the front desk. The cost is £4 per drink, including tonic and a fresh garnish. There will be live entertainment, talks from gin industry experts and food available to buy all evening, as well as the chance to get chatting with other gin lovers! Tickets are £6 and are available to buy here.

Sunday:

Mothers Day:
Beat the queues and book yourself a table at one of the lovely restaurants or pubs in or around Olney, Newport Pagnell or Milton Keynes for your Mum and family, and celebrate Mother's day locally. If the weather is nice, why not take a walk along the canal, or through the countryside or through one of the local villages to enjoy some local scenery.

Ant & Dec's Supercomputer is in Milton Keynes this Sunday! Come along to the centre:mk between 9am and 5pm to be in for a chance of winning 2 tickets to New York. The morning session is from 9am, and the afternoon session from 2pm. If you're over 18 come and get involved, come dressed to impress with your hidden talent, and see if you can wow the supercomputer!

Waterpark in Milton Keynes?!

If you picture a waterpark, you probably picture a tropical, hot location abroad, with slides, rapids and, most importantly, sun! However, this image could be all set to change, as it looks like Milton Keynes could be becoming home to the UK's largest waterpark.

The proposed location is the National Bowl in Milton Keynes, which was built in 1937 and has attracted numerous artists to the open-air amphitheatre which has a capacity of 65,000. An investment company has proposed the UK's largest indoor waterpark, as well as a range of sports facilities and enhancements to help make the location into a major UK event venue.

The company will be holding a meeting with Milton Keynes Development Partnership (MKDP) on March 30th. If the development goes ahead, it is likely to cost around £26m and create around 650 jobs.

An exciting tourist attraction if it does go ahead, adding to the collection of attractions popping up around Milton Keynes, and making it an even more desirable place to visit and live.

It's still early stages, but how do you feel about the idea of an indoor waterpark on your doorstep? Is it a great idea and something else to do with the kids and at the weekend, or does it take something away from the image you have of what a waterpark is and just not fit in Milton Keynes? We'd love to hear your thoughts!

World Book Day Today

If you've got children, or work in a school, you'll likely be very aware of today's world book day event. Children and teachers across the country are today dressing up as their favourite book characters and enjoying book related activities at school.

World book day is a celebration of reading; celebrating authors, books and illustrators. The celebration is worldwide, and is marked by over 100 countries across the world. This year marks the 18th World Book Day, and as well as celebrating reading, the aim is to encourage children to read and explore books and reading. Over 14 million book tokens are given out to children in this country, allowing them a choice of one of ten free books, or £1 off a book costing over £2.99 at a participating retailer.

We'd love to know if your child, school or workplace has dressed up or got involved for World Book day, and it would be great to see some photos of what you've dressed up as- feel free to share what you've been up to on our Facebook Page. We've already seen pictures of some Where's Wallys, Harry Potters, Peter Pan's and more, all looking great so far!

Go Blue For Willen!

Go Blue for Willen week runs from the 2nd- 8th March this year, and is a week of fundraising for a very worthy cause.

Willen Hospice provides complex and individual care to adults affected by life limiting conditions and illnesses. They also provide a great deal of support to the family and friends of those affected. Less than a quarter of funding comes from the NHS, meaning that the rest needs to be raised from donations and the support of the local community. 

Go Blue for Willen week is an opportunity to help raise vital funds for the hospice. The week will include a variety of events and activities with the go blue theme, for all the family to get involved with. People will be encouraged to wear blue, bake blue and take part in the organised activities throughout the week.

There will also be collections taking place at Milton Keynes, Bletchley and Wolverton stations between the 2nd and 6th, and at Kingston Shopping Centre on the 7th-8th March.

Across the week a special auction will be held where people can take part in an online auction and bid on Willen Hospice's ebay page for some amazing items donated by local businesses. These include a day trip for five to Centre Parcs, a signed MK Dons football, a hamper with wine from Harrods, a weekend pass to a British super bike event, a giant teddy, a Burberry watch, a family pass to Snozone, a HD TV and an amazing digital hamper including Xbox and laptop. 

On Saturday 7th March there will be a day of activity at Walton High in Walnut Tree. From 8am-12pm, the Hospice will host its first ever fill-a-bag sale, where people can pay £10 for a bag which they can fill with second hand and retro clothes. Later in the afternoon will be the Willen Hospice 'Zumbathon', with two hours of Zumba with three local instructors for just £10.

People are being encouraged to get their workplaces and schools involved, with wearing an element of blue during the week and making a donation to Willen Hospice. Whether that be a pair of blue socks or a bright blue wig, there are plenty of ways of getting involved. Blue-themed baking is another way of making money, you could arrange a blue-cake competition, or just bake something blue and donate the money, you could hold a blue bake sale in the office and donate the money to Willen.

If you would like to make a donation, please text: GBFW15 £5 to 70070 donate £5 and help Willen Hospice continue to offer its specialist care and support to patients and their families.

For more information about getting involved, click here.

Ousedale Admissions Debate

If you haven't yet seen the story regarding Ousedale school in the Phonebox Magazine then grab your copy now and take a read! If you have children at the school or live in the surrounding area, you may well have been aware of some high activity on social media over the last few days and weeks.

This is all due to a proposed change in admissions arrangements for the school, which would give priority to a select number of pupils with an aptitude for music. Applicants would be ranked and assessed on the highest levels of music, on a bowed, stringed, brass, woodwind, keyboard or percussion instrument.

Facebook and Twitter carried the story to begin with, with parents in particular voicing their views and opinions. It highlights the way news spreads today, and the impact that can be had if people share their views, and even set up online petitions. News travels far and wide, much further than if just discussed at the school gate, as would have been the case in previous years.

As the school is an Academy, they can arguably do what they like in terms of admissions outlines. However, in a time where getting a place in the school of choice can be a hard enough task in itself, to make priorities for those with musical aptitude didn't seem quite fair for many local parents.

10% of places were to be allocated in this way, according to aptitude for music, across the Newport Pagnell and Olney campus'. Not a high proportion, but it's enough to have an effect, and has clearly got people talking...

As a result of parents reactions and outcry, the school has decided to continue to make pupils in the catchment area a priority. It just goes to show the power of speaking out, and the power in a community standing together to fight for what they believe in.

This Weekend in MK

As always, there's a great selection of things to do in the Milton Keynes area this weekend, and we've collected a variety of events which will hopefully suit all tastes and ages. Have a look through and hopefully you'll find something fun to do this weekend, as February turns into March!

Saturday 28th 

Fossil Hunting for adults @ Stonepit Field, MK. 10am.
Fossil hunting doesn't have to just be for the kids, and this weekend the adults can give it a try, at Stonepit Field. Come fossil hunting and learn more about the geology of Stonepit Field. The adult education course costs £5 per person. Park in the car park on Wolverton Road, opposite Oakridge Park, Stonepit Field. Booking required, click here.


Ceilidh with Ock 'n' Dough @ Lavendon Village Hall, 7pm.
Ceilidh and ploughman's supper. Tickets cost £12 for adults, £6 for children up to 16. Bring your own drinks, wine will also be available to purchase.

Harmonies for Everly @ York House Centre, Stony Stratford, 8-11pm.
A great night of musical talents with harmonising songs and a substantial slab devoted to the Everly Brothers. Bar with real ale, cider, wine, soft drinks and other goodies will be available, proceeds go to the York House Centre. Entry is £5.

Art, Photography and Craft Exhibition and Sale @ The Chellington Centre. Saturday and Sunday, 10am-4pm. 
All artists, craftspeople, photographers, sculptors and woodworkers are invited to submit their work for exhibition or sale on Saturday or Sunday. Application forms are available from: art@chellington.org. Refreshments will be available. This is a fundraising event to support both the running of Chellington and the bursary fund, which all groups with needs can apply for.

Handmade and Vintage weekend extravaganza @ Middleton Hall, Centre:MK Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 10.30am-5pm.
A free event with 128 stalls full of authentic handmade and vintage items. High standards and great prices, great for gifts and things you just won't find in the shops. From fashion to food, art to interior design, there's a great range of items to interest you.

Sunday 1st March

Parks and Run @ Campbell Park, 10am start.

This is a free fun run for all ages and abilities, with a choice of routes from 2km to 10km. A great activity to get all the family out and about! The run starts at Campbell Park Pavilion car park, with a choice of 3k, 5k and 10k routes. (Routes may vary depending on weather conditions) 

St David's Day @ MK Rose, Campbell Park, 3pm.

An event to remember the patron Saint of Wales, involving songs and poetry, mainly in Welsh. This is a free service, all are welcome, come along and bring a daffodil or a leek! The ceremony will take place at MK Rose which is situated at the top of Campbell Park. The nearest parking is at centre:mk (John Lewis end).

Crossharbour Charity Fundraising Concert @ All Saints Church, Bow Brickhill, 3pm.

Charity fundraiser for Willen Hospice and ASTRA community charity. A dynamic new band from London's traditional Irish music scene. Refreshments will be provided and open session for all will follow. Tickets cost £8 per person, email sarah_malleson@hotmail.com.

Open Mic Night @ The Two Brewers, Olney, 8.30pm

Come and enjoy listening to some local artists and enjoy the open fire and a drink or two!