World asthma day

World asthma day is an initiative organised by the global initiative for asthma (GINA) in order to raise awareness and improve the treatment of asthma around the world.

It began in 1998, and has been held on the first Tuesday of May ever since. A condition which affects around 235 million people worldwide, and over five million in the UK, it seems only right that a day be dedicated to raising awareness of asthma and how to deal with it. The day has a specific theme each year, and this year the theme is: "You can control your asthma", and the sub theme "It's time to control asthma".

Through days such as today, it is hoped that by raising awareness, the number of people affected by asthma will decrease significantly, and the effects of the condition will be less. For those with asthma, it can be potentially fatal, and so learning how to deal better with the condition can clearly save lives- awareness and preparation are key!

May: National Barbecue Month

Apparently, May is National Barbecue month, and so what more of an excuse could you need to get out there and 'throw some shrimps on the barbie' (only for the saying's sake, I'd much rather stick to the typical sausages and burgers myself!) It does mean it's that time of year to clean the winter muck off the barbecue if you left it outside over the colder months (now who would do that?!) and find your tongs and apron.

Now's a good opportunity to have a look at some bbq recipes, and try something different for this year's parties and bbq gatherings. There are some really unusual things you can try on the bbq, how about some veggie skewers, try vegetables such as peppers, zucchini, corn, aubergines, courgette and onions to create a healthy, flavoursome snack or meat replacement for the vegetarian option. For a spicy, meat-skewer option, why not try some jerk pork skewers; pork, pineapple and jerk seasoning to create a spicy Caribbean taste. Of course you have the classic burgers and sausages, and if you're looking to do something different with them why not try lamb burgers instead of beef, or make your own beef burgers with added seasoning and/or spices. Bbq season has only just begun, we're thinking we can get a fair few in over the next month! Hopefully the weather will cooperate with these plans!

For a few bbq recipes, have a look on Jamie Oliver's website, or on the BBC good food site, you'll find a few ideas to get your national bbq month off to a flying start!

What to do this bank holiday Monday in Milton Keynes...

Bank holiday weekends always tend to fill themselves up with family and friends visiting, jobs to be done and of course a bit of an extra long snooze, but if you're still looking for something to do with your bank holiday Monday, we've got a few ideas for you...

Hollington Wood are holding their annual Bluebell day, where the woods are open for free for visitors to explore as they wish, as well as see the pigs and piglets, enjoy a guided tour of the woods and, as the name suggests, see the carpet of bluebells on display. The woods are open from 10am-6pm, and  refreshments will be available, including their very own sausages cooked on fire bowls. A great day out and lots to see, make the most of this open day to enjoy these local woods which aren't usually open to the public.

Woolaston Courtyard is holding a wedding fayre and fashion show for all prospective brides, grooms and their families. 11am-4pm, as well as clothing will be photography, locations, entertainment services and more. Head that way if you've got a wedding to plan!

The MK marathon and half marathon are taking place across the city on Monday as well. While you'll be too late to sign up, if you're not already running, you might want to watch from a point, or otherwise avoid the areas where it will be taking place as the roads will be closed for the duration.

Then of course you've got all the usual events in Milton Keynes to keep you busy, there's the regular charity quiz night at the slug and lettuce in the theatre district, and the comedy open mic night at Robinsons wine bar in Newport Pagnell.

Whatever you do this bank holiday weekend, we hope you have a great time!

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!

Is MK getting greener?

In the April issue of the Phonebox magazine, we told you about a company introducing electric charging points at their offices in a bid to try and be more 'green' and environmentally friendly. The issue of protecting the environment has always been a huge one, and today it seems there are more options and ways than ever before, for individuals to be able to make a small difference. Electric cars are a fairly new thing but seem to be becoming more and more popular, with the hybrid option also particularly popular. Cities especially seem to be stepping up their green transportation ideas...

Milton Keynes is one of the leaders in this, with a fleet of electric buses zipping around the city. Milton Keynes is the first place in the UK to be proudly running the first all-electric bus route, still in it's early days, the buses are set to be reviewed to see how their usage and efficiency compare to the previous diesel vehicles, our guess is that they can surely only be better than before, but we shall see! The electric transport is definitely quieter, which on the whole is a positive, but as with everything, there have been complaints. A fair point is that they may be slightly more dangerous for pedestrians, who may not be able to hear the vehicle coming. Maybe there needs to be more emphasis on making people aware that new cars and buses might be quieter, and reminding them that they need to look as well as listen when crossing roads etc. While these types of transport are still in the minority, and are a relatively new concept, the fact remains the same that every little does help and so they are just steps in the right direction. Obviously the best for the environment would be if everyone walked or cycled, but that's not going to be viable for the majority we don't think!

What do you think about the new electric transportation?

May Day

Today is May day, and while nothing much happens for it nowadays, there are a number of ways it was celebrated traditionally. The traditions include dancing the maypole dance, and crowning the Queen of May, although why this dancing began is somewhat unclear, its origins are thought to have been from Germanic pagan times. Morris dancing is another May day tradition, where dancers dress up in full Morris dancing gear, but the day is traditionally associated with towns and villages celebrating springtime fertility, and celebrating this with feasts, village fetes and family gatherings. The May day bank holiday is on the following Monday after May day, and gives us another day off- bonus!

If you fancy connecting a bit with May day this year, then this Saturday there's a free family fun day at Campbell Park in Milton Keynes, from 12-5pm. There will be a maypole to dance around, children's entertainment, Morris dancers, stalls and fair rides.

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!)