Phonebox speaks to Peep Show actor and stage star Robert Webb

"Everyone speaks very highly of the theatre in Milton Keynes"

Robert Webb (left) will be at MK Theatre from today (April 7th) in Jeeves and Wooster: Perfect Nonsense.

I felt a bit of a fake waiting for Robert Webb to pick up the phone. Everyone seems to have their favourite moments in Peep Show, and I had never seen an episode. Robert stars as the sarcastic and selfish Jez in the BAFTA-winning show about two dysfunctional flatmates, which is heading into its final series later this year.

It seemed his current character is a million miles away from his most famous role, as Robert is currently touring the UK as the brash and energetic Bertie in Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense. 

An adaptation of the P G Wodehouse novels and TV series staring Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry from the 90s, he has returned to the role following a 3-month stint as the character in the West End.

When we speak he’s in a B&B in Canterbury, the morning after their first performance in the town. 

“I thought the audience were a bit quiet but they were clapping like crazy at the end. We thought, where have you been for two hours?" explains Robert. 

The actor stars in Jeeves and Wooster.

The show follows the aristocratic Bertie Wooster and his dutiful butler Jeeves (played by Jason Thorpes). Having enjoyed four and five star reviews, the Olivier Award-winning production has gone on a national tour. 

Robert adds: “It’s a lovely part and I’m delighted to get the chance to do it again. Bertie is such a big and energetic part to play and it’s easy to enjoy. If you don’t enjoy it, you’re not doing it right.

“I first went to see it when Stephen Mangan was playing my part…” He paused and laughed, “now I say my part!”

Performing at MK Theatre from April 7-11, it’s Robert’s first time in the town.

“Everyone speaks very highly of the theatre there but no, I haven’t been before. I’m a Milton Keynes virgin!”

In the comedy, one of Bertie’s friends suggests he puts on a play. Naturally he turns to the ever-faithful Jeeves to stop him making a fool of himself as Robert explains: “Jeeves is playing half the parts. Between him and another butler they play all the other characters. It’s the fun of not having enough actors on stage for 15 characters.”

Did he take any inspiration from the comedy duo of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie?

“I had a quick look at what Hugh was doing but it’s a very different ball game on TV. If I played it this big and bold on TV I would look like I was out of my mind. It’s a very different medium.” 

The actor, originally from Lincolnshire, has regularly appeared on stage but is best known for his TV roles. Alongside his comedy partner David Mitchell, who also stars in Peep Show, their BAFTA-winning sketch show, That Mitchell and Webb Look, ran until 2010. Panel show appearances include Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Would I Lie To You? And Have I Got News For You. He’s even currently starring in the Post Office adverts. 

But acting on stage each night to a new audience is completely different.

“It’s lovely to do your job for two hours and then go home,” laughs Robert.

“Filming days are long. I’m not moaning, but the bit in-between the acting and cut is only about 15-20% of your time. A lot of it is waiting. You can’t really relax as you will always have a scene coming up.

“You don’t really tune out. It’s a marathon in a way and you feel you’ve worked hard, but the work of the actor is very small.”

Playing Bertie until June, it’s clear he loves being on stage: “Theatre is great. When you’re doing it, you’re really doing it. When you’re not, you’re not.

“It makes a difference when the audience is right there, especially with comedy. You step it up a gear to help it along. You get a lot in the way of feedback from that.”

Robert (right) with his Peep Show cast mates. 

It’s been widely reported that the final series of Peep Show will be filmed later this year, following a three-year break since the eighth was broadcast on Channel 4. For Robert, filming starts in September, following a nice long break with his family.

Can he tell us anything about it? (I suspect not). “Nope,” he laughs. 

“They won’t die and they won’t win the lottery. You could see Mark and Jez in the same flat in their 70s one day. If everything goes terribly right for them it won’t be Peep Show. They will be unhappy.”

You may think this would be a sad ending, but not for fans of the show. The comedian is hugely proud of everything it has achieved too.

“It really is terrifically good,” adds Robert, “and I can say that because I don’t write it! It’s been a big part of my life and a joy to play Jeremy. He’s so rude and sarcastic. It’s been a fun challenge making the guy likeable, but I’ve been living in a post-Jeremy world for a few years now.”

And the future? “I don’t have a grand plan. I’ll be unemployed in September! Playing a Doc Martin type character would be lovely one day, but I’m not bored of comedy.”

I better see if I can find a Peep Show box-set. 

Jeeves & Wooster runs from April 7-11 at MK Theatre. Tickets available on (0844) 871 7652 or atgickets.com. 

MISCHA ALLEN

Partial Eclipse- Look outside tomorrow morning!

A couple of weeks ago you may have read one of our blogs about the upcoming partial solar eclipse, set to take place tomorrow morning. Find out a little bit more here, with what's happening and how to best watch it happen in a safe way...

How?

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, which causes a shadow to be cast onto the Earth. The Sun is 400 times bigger than the moon, but because it is 400 times further away from Earth than the Moon, they look the same size. To experience the total eclipse you need to be beneath the Moon's shadow.

What?

There is going to be a total solar eclipse which will be visible across the arctic and Northern Europe. It is going to be the first solar eclipse seen in Europe for over a decade, and the best places to view it are going to be The Faroe Islands and Svalbard. Many parts of Northern Europe will witness a partial solar eclipse, which is what we will see. 98% of the sun will be blocked out and most of the country will be thrown into darkness. The National Grid have been preparing for the loss of 2 hours of solar power for over nine months, although if it is a cloudy day tomorrow there won't be as much to be seen.

When?

In England, we are likely to see the partial eclipse between 8.21am and 10.41am tomorrow morning, the best time to view it will be at around 9.30am. As always, looking at the sun is extremely dangerous and can seriously damage your eyes, so while many will be heading out to view this spectacle, make sure you do so safely. Reflections of the partial eclipse can be seen through using a mirror or putting a pinhole in a piece of paper and reflecting it onto a piece of plain paper, or you can get hold of special eclipse goggles or glasses. There is also going to be a live streaming online of the eclipse, which you can watch by clicking here. The next eclipse to be seen in Europe won't happen until 2026, so don't miss it!

Juice diets- healthy or not?

The idea of a juice diet - consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables, can sound like a good idea, and surely has to be a lot more healthy than a slice of pizza or cake. It's one of those diets celebrities often attempt, and is often talked about at this time of year- with the new years resolutions and health kicks. You would think that having liquid rather than food would help you lose weight, and while this is somewhat true, there are a number of downfalls and health risks to juice diets.

Fruit has a high amount of sugar, making it quite high in calories. Not only can this sugar damage our teeth, but can hinder the weight loss regime. One suggestion is to drink fruit juices and smoothies through a straw, to prevent the sugar from resting too much on the teeth and causing tooth decay. Studies show that we need more vegetables than fruit in our diets, and a diet of fruit juice doesn't typically cover this, rather it provides the opposite. One way around this is to introduce vegetable juices and vegetable based smoothies into the diet, such as a spinach smoothie, which provides a good number of health benefits while helping even up the fruit/vegetable ratio.

Another first for MK...

Milton Keynes is becoming known as a place of biggest, bests and firsts, being home to one of the largest indoor snow slopes (Xscape) as well as one of the largest shopping centres (15th largest in the UK), and driverless cars, which are set to be trialled here later in the year.

This year there's another 'first' coming to the city, with the UK's first ever 4DX cinema. Home to 3D, D-Box and now a shiny new 'Super Screen', Milton Keynes' Cineworld has been undergoing renovations for some time now, and 4DX is rumoured to be the next big thing.

If you've been to certain theme parks across the world, you'll have probably come across 4D cinemas; the same as 3D but with added effects such as water and moving chairs. The 4DX sounds like it's going to be going that one step further, showing films in both 2D and 3D with the added effects of high-tech motion seats, fog, wind, lightning, strobes, bubbles, water and rain. As if this wasn't all enough, there's apparently also going to be 'scents', which, depending on the film, could be good or bad. Most children have sat in front of the TV screen thinking how amazing it would be if we could have 'smell-a-vision' and now it appears to arrived, on our very doorstep.

If it all goes as well as it sounds, it's sure to be one of the biggest and best experiences of cinema to date, making you really feel as though you are well and truly in the movie. How much this is going to cost hasn't yet been revealed, but it's sure to be a novel experience which, being the first in the UK, will definitely bring people from near and far to the city.

The experience will be launching later this month, on the 30th January, with the first film to be shown in the screen being 'Kinsman: The Secret Service'. 4DX in considered the biggest step in cinema technology to date, and as the first place to have it in the UK, Milton Keynes is an exciting place to be right now. If you love cinema and want to be right in the action, then this is a must try. Whether the multitude of effects will be all too much or will really make you feel like you're there, we'll have to wait and see, but it's definitely going to be a big thing for milton Keynes, we can't wait to try it for ourselves!

National Soup Month

January is the national month for soup, which you can understand why, with the cold weather it's the time of year you're wanting hot meals and snacks, and for those in a January health kick, it's a fairly low-calorie meal.

Soup also has a great importance though, particularly for some in our city. Milton Keynes is home to a number of soup-runs, which not only operate throughout January, but all through the year. Groups of volunteers head to meeting-points across the city, and hand out soup and sandwiches to the homeless people there. With their set stopping places, people in need know when and where to go for some warm soup, and it really is a lifeline to some of those who are sleeping rough on the streets. A number of cafes, coffee shops and restaurants are also involved, donating leftover food at the end of the day to be given to the homeless.

These volunteers head out into the cold to serve those in need, and spend time chatting and listening to those for whom life can often get quite lonely. This January, why not let the fact that it's soup month encourage you to help out, either by donations or by getting involved with the soup run yourself.

Click here to visit the MK Soup Run website for more information.

Big old quiz of 2014

Did you manage to see the Big Fat Quiz of the year this year? It's always a fun way to see how much you can remember from the previous year, and be reminded of some of the most random and most popular news stories.

We've put together a short quiz for you, using a few of the top news stories from last year. Scroll all the way down to see the answers and find out how well you can remember the news of 2014, both local and national.

1. Luis Suárez bit a footballer during one of the World Cup matches, what team were they playing at the time?
2. Which Milton Keynes store last year had over £1 million worth of goods stolen from them in the early hours of the morning?
3. Where was the huge warehouse fire which took place in Buckinghamshire in January last year?
4. UKIP councillor David Silvester declared last year that he believed what had been caused by gay marriage?
5. What was the name of the robotic spacecraft which landed onto a comet, for the first time in history?
6. MK Dons thrashed which football team to which score in August last year?
7. Which animated film in March last year won two Academy Awards and became one of the few films to take more than $1 billion at the box office? (hint: there's a snowman involved)
8. Which ex-MK Dons player featured in this year's 'I'm a Celebrity Get me Out Of Here'?
9. Which famous former boy band member posted a video of his wife's labour, featuring him singing and dancing?
10. What was it that put Milton Keynes into the Guinness World Records last year?  

Last minute plans for NYE?

With Christmas having been and gone, the next big social event on the calendar is New Year's Eve. If you got a bit carried away with Christmas preparations and haven't made any New Year's Eve plans, we've got a few ideas for a last minute New Year!

1. Tag along to someone else's plans: Your first stop when looking for a last minute New Year's eve arrangement, see what family and friends have planned and see if you can tag along!
2. Hotel party: There are numerous hotel New Year parties across Milton Keynes, and they're always sure to provide great food and entertainment, but usually at a pretty hefty cost. There may still be some tickets about, a simple google search should sort you out if you want to chance it!
3. Find a local 'do': Churches, village halls and community groups often hold New Year's eve parties which are open to the local community. Again, a google search should find you some. In Olney there's a party at Lavendon Village hall with a 7.30pm for 8pm start, with music and a two-course meal for £14. Bring your own drinks and glasses. Also, the Bull Inn Olney are having a New Year's party at £20 a ticket with a buffet, disco and some great drinks prices on the night.
4. House party: Why not invite some friends and family round and have whatever type of party you want! Whether it be a fancy dress party, come dine with me night, games night etc., there's no reason why you can't have a great night in and avoid some of the high drinks prices that are typically enforced on New Year's eve.
5. If all else fails and you're stuck for ideas, head over to any bar or pub and you're sure to find a buzzing atmosphere to see in the New Year! 

The biggest thing about New Year's eve is who you spend it with, so don't get too worried about trying to find that "big event". If you're not the partying type and like to get your beauty sleep, it probably won't be too different to any other day for you, but if you are, with the right people you're sure to have a great night no matter what you do! Whether it's been a good year or you're glad to see the back of it, let's welcome in 2015 and make it a good one from the start! Happy New Year! 

A Post-Christmas Safari walk

If you're looking for a way to burn off some of that Christmas food and get a bit of fresh air, why not give this month's Phonebox walk a go? For something free to do at what is an expensive time of year, this is a great option, especially if you have friends and family staying with you who you want to show around the local area.

This month it's a 'safari walk', taking you around the scenic area of Woburn with the added possibilities of seeing animals such as wallabies, elephants and deer en route!

The walk is approximately 5.5miles and is a circular walk lasting around 2 and a half hours. There are a number of quaint and lovely tea shops and pubs offering refreshments in Woburn to enjoy before or after your walk, or both!

Have a look at pages 40-41 of December's Phonebox magazine, or follow the link here to visit the online magazine (shown below).

How do you spend your Christmas Eve?

We can't quite believe it's here already! The advent calendars are very nearly empty, Santa's on his way and we're looking forward to Christmas Eve tomorrow! While the big day is obviously Christmas day, Christmas Eve has a lot of excitement of it's own, with the anticipation of what the next day will bring and hanging up the stockings over the fireplace and little kids (and big ones!) not being able to sleep for excitement.

Thinking about Christmas Eve, we're wondering- do you have a Christmas Eve tradition? Some people do, others don't, so we thought we'd take a look at some ideas of what you could be up to this Christmas Eve...

Midnight Mass- A tradition which has been around for donkeys years, attending a Christmas Eve church service is something many people do, whether religious or not, to see in Christmas day. There are a number of services being held across the local area, and a few have been listed below for your information:

• St Bedes Newport Pagnell: 8pm for "Midnight Mass" but at an earlier time!
• St Peter and St Paul Parish Church Newport Pagnell: 11.30pm for Midnight Eucharist
• Newport Pagnell Methodist Church: 11.30pm for a Christmas Eve communion shared with the URC.
• St Peter and St Paul Olney: 5pm Crib service and 11.30pm Midnight Christmas service

If a Christmas service isn't your thing, then how about the Christmas Carol Evening with Sutcliff Baptist Church at Olney Infant Academy, for some carol singing followed by a warm drink and mince pie at 6.30-7pm.

Newport Pagnell Lights Switch on- Tomorrow!

The Christmas festivities are getting into full swing this weekend with the Newport Pagnell lights switch on day. As you'll know if you've been before, it's far more than just the lights being switched on, it's a full day of stalls and various entertainment, ending with the lights switch on at 5pm.

The day begins bright and early for all those involved with the stalls being set up at 9am, opening at 10am. There will be a variety of stalls hosting various products, from crafts to foods, to other stalls giving things away and promoting their business or cause. The High Street is set to be buzzing, and we've got a few specific things going on to wet your appetite for the days events...

Visit Santa: The United Reformed Church will be hosting Santa's grotto from 1-5pm, and it costs £3 to visit Santa (gift included). They will also be holding other activities, including bauble decorating, Christmas card making and reindeer food making.

The Parish Church will be hosting their Christmas fair from 10am, with a selection of stalls selling gifts, books, crafts, Christmas cards, hats, scarves and much more. There will also be a raffle, tombola and refreshments served all day. There will be carol singing for all once the lights have been turned on.

Newport Pagnell Baptist Church will have a 'Get in the Picture' stall, where you can come and have your photo taken as part of the Christmas story, either by putting your head in the picture frame or by dressing up as a character from the nativity. You can then download your pictures for free from the website over the following week.

The Methodist Church are asking for volunteers to come and help decorate their three Christmas trees, with your own dedication or wish. Stop by between 2-6pm, tea and coffee will be available.

Brooklands Centre will also be holding their Christmas fair on the day, from 10am-4pm with stalls, hot dogs, chutney tasting, tombola and more. The Historical Society will also have a stall, as well as the Newport Pagnell Town Council, who will be serving mulled wine and Christmas games.

There will be a variety of live entertainment from 1pm, including performances from Diamonds theatre school, singing and more. There will be carol singing around the Christmas tree with Olney brass band at 4pm followed by a parade to the Swan revived hotel at 4.45pm, and then the lights will be switched on. Come along for some great Christmas festivities!

Please note- the High Street will be closed  to traffic for the Christmas Lights Event from 8am-7pm. From the Union Street to Ousebank Street junctions. 

Name your car day- Have you?!

It's an official, national day, so we thought we'd better mention 'name your car day.' So, the question needs to be asked- have you named your car? Some people like to give their car a personality, and I suppose spending a lot of time alone together, you might want to imagine that your travelling companion has a bit of a personality. But how do you come up with a name for a car?!

Some may use the colour of the car for inspiration? Ie. Blue Bruce, Silver Sheryl, Black Bill, or maybe the type of car: Clive the Corsa, Carol the Clio, Mike the Micra? Or imagine the car to be a pet and give it a pet-themed name?... inspiration may be running low, we'd like to hear if you've named your car, and if so what is it called? We're wondering if more cars have boys or girls names?! If you haven't already, maybe today is the opportunity to give your car a name, or maybe you think it's a bit of a crazy concept, we're on the fence! Don't forget to comment on our Facebook page!

'Let it go, let it go'

The film 'Frozen' by Disney has gone down a storm since it's release, and children everywhere (and adults, come on admit it!) have been singing that song 'let it go' for a number of months now. Well, if you're not bored of the film yet and want to join others who love it too, why not come along for a Frozen sing-along at the Chrysalis theatre at Willen Park South tomorrow (Friday 8th August).

There are two showings, one for kids and another exclusively for adults. The kids showing is at 4.30pm and will be followed by the adult screening at 8pm, with the bar opening at 7pm before the adult's screening. The film will feature subtitles to aid you in your singing (incase you don't already know the words off by heart) and it's sure to be a great atmosphere. People are encouraged to dress up to the theme of the film (no real-ice snowmen though please!) to really get you into the spirit of things.

With popcorn, singing and costumes, it's set to be a lot of fun. If you haven't managed to see the film yet make every effort to come along, watch the trailer below for a sneak peak...

 

Milton Keynes International Festival Kicks off tomorrow!

The amazing MKIF 10-day festival begins tomorrow, and is set to be bigger and better than last year on a number of levels! With events taking place across Milton Keynes, including two new locations at the Cathedral of Trees and Willen Lake, the themes of sounds and music will be ever present throughout the events. The events are varied and unique as ever, all interpreting the themes in different ways and presenting different nationalities through these works of art. Tomorrow kicks off with a number of events including:

• Architects of Air: Pentalum. A huge inflatable sculpture with domes, labyrinthine tunnels and a variety of colours, Pentalum is a celebration of the beauty of geometry and is inspired by Islamic architecture, Gothic cathedrals, modern architecture and nature. Walk through this luminarium and experience it for yourself! Find it in Middleton hall, centre:mk from Friday 18th- Sunday 27th July, 11am-6pm each day. There will also be a number of concerts taking place over the 10 days within Pentalum, don't miss out on this unusul experience! Adults £4, children £3.

• Rosemary Lee: Under the Vaulted Sky. Award-winning choreographer Rosemary Lee has collected an assembly of over 100 dancers and musicians who will lead the audience on a journey around the Cathedral of Trees in a promenade performance. This will draw on history, nature and stories inspired by this unique and magical location. Including live music from composer Terry Mann, this will be an unusual performance in an unusual setting. The performance will run on Friday 18th- Sunday 20th at 2pm, 4pm and 7pm. Adults £7, children £5.

The Two Brewers Presents: Beer and Cider Festival

The annual Beer and Cider Festival is back again, Friday- Sunday at the Two Brewers in Olney. There will be a large selection of ales and 10 different ciders, including Orchard Pig 'Explora' and Gwyet 'Farmhouse Scrumpy' on offer over the weekend. It's always a great weekend, so make sure you stop by at some point over the weekend.

What's on When?...

Friday 11th: 5.30pm-11.30pm
Music from 8pm with local band 'Spaced Out'

Saturday 12th: 11.30am-11.30pm
Music from 12 midday until around 11.30pm, acoustic music until 7.30pm and local band 'Charlie's Uniform' from 8.30pm

Sunday 13th July: 12 Midday- 7.30pm
Rock with BOFF Band heats- various bands go head to head for a place in the Rock with BOFF Finals, and the World Cup final will be shown at 8pm on the big screen so you can enjoy the music, food, drink and football without having to move a muscle!

The event will be include a BBQ and live music throughout the weekend, and the World Cup final on Sunday night will provide the perfect close to the event. With plenty to eat, drink and enjoy, it will be a really laid-back festival with great music around the clock, and the marquee in the garden will mean you're comfortable whatever the weather!

For more information visit the Two Brewers website, or find them on Facebook.

Ice Cream!

Pinch, punch first of the month, and welcome to July! We've just discovered here at the Phonebox magazine, that July is National Ice Cream month in America. Apparently, back in July 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated the month as National Ice Cream Month, with National Ice Cream day being the 14th July 1984, and it has been continued ever since...I wonder why?! We don't appear to have such a day here in the UK, but considering there's a town named Olney in the United States, and we love ice cream, we guessed it would be rude not to show our support and help celebrate this National day! So what are you waiting for, get out there and treat yourself to some ice cream! You've got an excuse...sort of!

Pimms anyone?

Wimbledon is here! It kicked off last Monday, and is now in full swing. If you're a tennis fan and have been watching the games so far, whether on the screens or at the courts if you've been lucky enough to get tickets, you'll no doubt have seen numerous people there eating that famous Wimbledon speciality of strawberries and cream, and sipping glasses of Pimms and champagne. The question we want to know, is just how much do they get through each year?

Strawberries and cream

Last year, around 8615 punnets of strawberries, which contain at least 10 strawberries each, were sold each day of the competition, and over 7,000 litres of fresh cream were served with them. That's a total of around 28,000kg of strawberries, around 112,000 punnets across the whole event! Last year, the cost of one of these punnets was £2.50, and while a bit pricey, they are all picked the night before and arrive at Wimbledon at 5.30am to be expected and then sold that day, so are sure to be the freshest possible!

Pimms

Possibly the most famous trademark drink of Wimbledon, Pimms can always been seen being sipped by the fans. Last year, around 200,000 glasses of Pimms were drunk, and around 20,000 bottles of champagne consumed... that's a fair bit of bubbly!!

Here are some of the other catering statistics for you from last year's event...

300,000 cups of tea and coffee

250,000 bottles of water

207,000 meals served

200,000 glasses of Pimm's

190,000 sandwiches

150,000 bath buns, scones, pasties and doughnuts

135,000 ice creams

130,000 lunches are served

100,000 pints of draught beer and lager

60,000 Dutchees

40,000 char-grilled meals served

32,000 portions of fish and chips

30,000 litres of milk

28,000 kg (112,000 punnets) of English strawberries

25,000 bottles of champagne

15,000 bananas

20,000 portions of frozen yoghurt

12,000 kg of poached salmon and smoked salmon

7,000 litres of dairy cream

6,000 stone baked pizzas

...There's something different for you to think about as you watch the games! Enjoy the Wimbledon season!

Sainsbury's in Olney?!

The recent consultations regarding a Sainsbury's potentially being built in Olney has caused quite a mixed reaction. Whether the news has left you eager to get shopping or ready to wage war, your view is likely to be shared by many in Olney.

So what are the proposals? Well Sainsbury's want to build a 22,000 square foot supermarket at Warrington Road and Lavendon Road, and would include a petrol station. The store would create 160 jobs, an obvious positive, as well as a more convenient shopping location for Olney residents. On the other hand, a large store would inevitably create yet more traffic through the already busy town, and could possibly take customers away from some of the local stores which have been running for years. However, are people more concerned with keeping tradition and preventing busy roads, or would most rest in favour of having a local supermarket in a convenient location?

If you have a view to share or questions to be asked, make sure you get along to the public consultation at the Olney Centre on Friday 4th July from 2-7pm, and Saturday 5th July 10am-2pm, where members of Sainsbury's development team will be discussing the proposals and answering questions. Comments forms will be available for visitors to leave feedback.

Research which Sainsbury's are using as one of the needs for the store include figures showing that 73% of people currently leave Olney to do the majority of their shopping. Is this a valid reason do you think? Do you find you have to do your shopping elsewhere if you live in Olney? Maybe that's what you prefer to do?! We'd love to hear your views, please comment below or send us an email: editor@phoneboxmagazine.com.

What's on in and around MK this weekend

It looks like summer is actually here, so we'd better make the most of it! As always, check the Phonebox Magazine's 'live and local' listings, in print or online, for ideas of what's on, in and around the Milton Keynes area.

Saturday 14th June

Odell Village Fete and Family Dog Show 
@ Scout field, Horsefair Lane, Odell, MK43 7AA, 2pm
Held in the pretty North Bedfordshire village by the river Ouse near Harrold and Odell Country Park. Come along for a great day out. There will be a number of attractions at the fete and dog show, including:

• Bouncy castle
• Gift and bottle stalls
• Tombola
• 'White elephant'
• Side shows
• Bedford Brass Band
• Children's sports
• Refreshments including ice cream, Pimms and more

Stony Riverside Fair
@ Millfield, Willow Lane, Stony Stratford, 1pm-4pm

Presented by the volunteers of the Stony Stratford Riverside Parks Group, it's the annual family Stony Riverside Fair on Millfield. It's set to be a wonderful afternoon with fun activities and free attractions for children.

World Cup- England's first game, 11pm England v Italy
Chances are you'll be watching this late match from the comfort of your own home, but if you'd rather see it in a crowd there are a few places you can watch the match. Olney Football Club is one such place, where they'll be showing all of the England matches on their big screen. Come along and cheer on England as they play their first World Cup match, against Italy.

Sunday 15th June

HULA Animal Rescue: Purrfect open day
@ South Midlands Animal Sanctuary, Glebe Farm, Salford Road, Aspley Guise, MK17 8HZ, 1pm-4pm

It's national microchipping awareness month, so come and have your dog, cat or rabbit microchipped for just £10. Entry is just £2 for adults, kids go free.
Events during the day include:

• Bazaar and book store bargains
• Meet the resident farm animals
• HULA dog parade at 2pm
• Fun and games for the children
• Delicious refreshments
• Children's toys, books and clothes 

Bletchley Park Presents: Sir John Dermot Turing
@ Bletchley Park, 2pm-4pm

Sir John Dermot Turing is the nephew of Alan Turing (1912-1954), who is well known to have been one of Bletchley Park's leading cryptanalysis, as well as a founder of the science of artificial intelligence. He will present an overview of the family background, life and achievements of his famous ancestor. Ticket-holders are welcome to arrive throughout the day to enjoy Bletchley Park at their leisure. The session will begin at 2pm with a talk from Sir John Dermot Turing, followed by a Q&A session at 3pm and then tea and cake at 3.15pm in the Billiard room, followed by a book signing.

As always, there's a great deal on this weekend, and on top of these events, as the usual things to see in and around milton Keynes, if the sun stays out why not visit a lake, woods or country park?
Whatever you may be up to this weekend, have a good one!

Phonebox Walk

Hooray for another bank holiday weekend! It seems only yesterday we were off for Easter, not that we're complaining, and now it's already the first May bank holiday. We've got our fingers crossed for some nice weather this weekend, and if we get lucky with that, why not give our Phonebox walk a try? You can follow the link to the interactive magazine here, or have a flick through your hard copy if you've got one (which might be easier so you can take it out with you and not get lost!)

This month we've got a nice 5 mile walk for you, which should take around 2 hours and takes you through countryside and along the canal and riverside to Cosgrove. We hope this walk inspires you to try others of your own, and to explore and make the most of the lovely places surrounding Milton Keynes where you can walk and enjoy picturesque scenery. Keep your eyes peeled for next month's Phonebox walk, or if you can't wait until then, why not flick back to a few of the old copies and try a few of those walks?! Enjoy!

May is here!

Welcome to May! The new issue of the Phonebox magazine should be arriving on your doorstep over the next day or so, but if you've not got it yet and just can't wait, or are a bit more into reading online than in print, have a look at the latest interactive issue here.

We've got some great content for you this month, including an interview with ABBA reunion star Vikki Holland-Bowyer, the latest on the local sports clubs, an interview and feature on Hollington wood, as well as all the regular slots and more.

As always, we love to hear from our readers, so do comment on the blogs or send us a letter to the magazine if you have anything to share with us! We're currently hard at work here on the June edition of the magazine, which seems a bit crazy seeing as we've only just entered May, but it does promise the hope that summer is just around the corner.

We hope you enjoy the latest issue of the mag, don't forget to share it with your friends!
(If you need help on how to navigate the interactive blog, have a flick back a couple of weeks to a blog post which will talk you through how to get the most out of it, enjoy!)