A Night of Hope

Tonight is Halloween, and while you may have been ready to carve your pumpkins with scary faces and getting ready for some 'safe scares', World Vision are using Halloween to highlight the reality of life for children in Syria, for whom a 'scary' night happens every night.

This Halloween, World Vision are asking that you carve a heart into your pumpkin instead of a scary face, to show the children of Syria that they have not been forgotten and turn a night of fear into a Night of Hope. As well as standing up for a cause, which you can also donate to via text, the heart pumpkins look really nice and add a different twist to the tradition of pumpkin carving!

Never carved a pumpkin before? It's actually pretty simple...

1. Just cut around the stalk by cutting around the stem in about a 5cm radius to create a bit of a lid. 
2. Then scoop out the filling, using a spoon, and get it as clean as you can so that more light will shine through. 
3. Draw on and cut out your shape, a heart if you're trying out this idea, using a small knife and cutting away from yourself incase the knife slips. 
4. Finally, pop a tea light inside the pumpkin to see the shape glow out, and position it in your window for all to see.

Fireworks- What's on nearby this November?

There are plenty of events to choose from in and around Milton Keynes this November, don't miss out on some fireworks and bonfires!

Turvey Village Firework Display, Saturday 1st November @ Turvey Village, free parking off Carlton Road. Tickets cost £3.50 for adults and £1.50 for children. Food and refreshments available and will include a BBQ. Gates open at 5.30pm, the bonfire will be lit at 6pm and the firework display will start at 6.30pm.

Fireworks Frenzy, Saturday 1st November @ Santa Pod Raceway, Wellingborough, Northants.
Fireworks Frenzy is a great day out for all the family. open from 4-7pm, it's a spectacular afternoon and evening of fireworks, live action including 'Podzilla' the monster truck and a great stunt display, a hinge bonfire, fun fair, refreshments and bar, as well as family entertainment. See the website for more details.

Thornborough Bonfire night with torchlit procession, Saturday 1st November @ Thornborough Village.
Everyone is invited to join in the traditional village Torchlit procession which starts at 6.30pm from the Two Brewers, High Street, Thornborough. the procession leads directly up the Nash Road to the venue on the outskirts of the village. Tickets are available from the Two Brewers and outside on the night from 6pm. Parking is available along the High Street and Village Green. Gates for the bonfire and Fireworks open at 7pm.

Spectacular Fun Fair and Fireworks display @ Campbell Park, Milton Keynes
The Fun fair is in town from 30th October- 9th November, and the firework display will be on Sunday 2nd November, at approximately 7.30pm. A great night of fun fair and fireworks!

Olney Town Fireworks, Sunday 2nd November @ The Recreation Ground, off East Street, Olney.
This fantastic fireworks event has added a live one-man fire show, featuring fire eating, music and comedy, ending with a spectacular finale. Gates open at 5pm and the display starts at 6.30pm. Refreshments will be available, including burgers, a licenced bar, hot chocolate, stone baked pizza and real coffee. There will also be activities for the kids, including face painting and a small fair. Tickets are £5 on the gate or £4 if bought in advance, and family tickets are £11 on the gate or £9 if bought in advance.Tickets can be purchased from the Phonebox magazine, Olney Library, C.T Wilson, McColls Newsagents and Stephen Oakley Estate Agents.

Bozeat Annual Fireworks display, Wednesday 5th November @ Bozeat Playing Fields on Harrold Road by Dychurch Lane.
Gates open at 6pm and the display begins at 7.30pm to end no alter than 8pm. Admission charges are £5 per adult and £2 per child.

Ampthill Fireworks, Friday 7th November @ Ampthill Park, Woburn Road, Bedfordshire.
Ampthill Fireworks is an annual community fireworks display, featuring a pre-show of live acts, fairground and various food outlets. The event has something for all the family, with no alcohol or sparklers allowed within the park. Gates open at 6pm, pre-show at 6.45pm, lighting of the Ampthill Beacon at 7.30pm and fireworks at 8pm. Tickets are £6 in advance for adults, £7 on the gate and £3 in advance for children, £4 on the gate. Car parking is £2.

Join Tickford Abbey on Thursday 6th November at 6.00 pm. 

Hot food and drinks to enjoy while watching a spectacular display.  Fireworks will be at 6.30 pm.Address: Tickford Abbey, Priory Street, Newport Pagnell, MK16 9AJ.

Proposed Wind Farm Cancelled

A wind farm which had been proposed to be built near Milton Keynes has now been dropped- after the company behind the scheme 'ceased interest' in it. RWE technology have decided not to develop the proposed Nun Wood Wind Farm near Lavendon and Bozeat across the local authority areas of Milton Keynes, Bedford and Wellingborough. 

Robin Basten, RWE Innogy UK’s regional development manager, said: “It’s with great disappointment we have decided to cease our interest in the Nun Wood Wind Farm development.

“We believe it is a good site for a wind farm and could have made a significant investment to the local area in addition to helping to tackle climate change. 

"As a company we remain committed to developing onshore wind, which is an abundant energy source and plays an important role in helping to secure the UK’s energy supply.”

Those of you against the wind farm will be pleased to hear this news, while the eco-conscious among you may not be so pleased. The reasons for the loss of interest in this scheme is somewhat unclear, maybe we should watch this space to see whether there will be any interest from elsewhere.

What do you think about wind farms? Do you think this is good or bad news? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Spooky Railway Walk this Halloween...

Milton Keynes theatre of Comedy actors and Olney drama club, are teaming up to provide a spooky evening of entertainment this Halloween (31st october). Come along to Clifton Reynes, Olney, and walk the disused railway track. It's like no other spooky walk, and you will be led along the railway by your guide as you are surprised by zombies, pirates, witches and other spooky characters.

The walk is designed to be scary in the same way that a pantomime villain can be scary, and your guide will send off any unwanted spooky guests for you, so it's suitable for all the family.

Wrap up warm and bring wellies and waterproofs, each walk will last approximately 30 minutes and it may be chilly and wet, a torch may also be useful. You are welcome to come in fancy dress if you would like, from ghosts and ghouls to superheroes and fairies!

Tickets MUST BE BOOKED IN ADVANCE, and you need to select your chosen time slot when you book. Tickets cost £4 each, or £13 for a family ticket, and children's tickets include a glow stick and quiz sheet. You can book your tickets on the MKTOC website by clicking here.

Hope MK is back- Young People Making a Difference in Milton Keynes

Last year you may have read about an initiative called Hope MK in the Phonebox magazine. Well it's that time of year again, and during the half-term break starting tomorrow (27th-31st Oct) more than 130 young people aged 11-17 will be out across Milton Keynes, challenging the negative stereotypes which are usually associated with them. By giving up their school holiday to run a variety of community building & social action projects, they will demonstrate that young people are not lazy, apathetic & good for nothing.

Through an initiative called Hope MK, a small army of 130+ young people will spend their mornings with the Hope MK team being trained & equipped, before heading out to projects taking place in communities across Milton Keynes each afternoon. Projects include children’s work, drop-in cafes, a social media project, Messy Church, community clean-up/gardening, & play sessions. All the activities are free, and everyone is welcome to join in. 

The team will be dressed in purple & yellow hoodies to make sure they stand out, but also to challenge the widely held misconception that wearing a hoodie means you’re a threat or a nuisance. At last year’s event over 100 young invested a total of 5400 hours in communities across the city; this year we anticipate that will increase to 6500 hours!

‘Seeing so many young people committing to give up their half-term break to invest their time & energy to bless communities across MK is amazing. We hear so much about young people leaving the Church, so it’s great to know that these guys are leaving for the right reason: in order to go and serve others & share the hope that can only be found in Jesus Christ.’ Ricky Rew – Hope MK Team 

The initiative ends with an event for Year 7-13s from 7:30pm on Friday 31st at St. Paul’s School to celebrate all that’s been achieved through the week, and will feature a variety of activities including sumo suits, inflatable demolition derby & gladiator podiums, and human foosball. 

Twenty churches, six local & four national organisations have been working together for a year to plan & prepare for the event. Look out for the teams of purple & yellow hoodies around MK during half term!

Hope MK is a partnership of churches and organisations across Milton Keynes. 

Half Term Activities in MK

MYIMA @ Hollington Woods Wednesday 29th October- Over Half term, MYIMA will be offering family earthy explorer sessions. Story Express will be from 10.30m-1pm for children under 6 years, and Earthy Explorers: Nature Detectives will be from 2-4.30pm for children over 6 years. The sessions will be packed with uniquely interactive and creative activities to promote ecological awareness with a sprinkling of Halloween for flavour! Booking is essential as spaces are limited. The sessions cost £4.50 for 1 child, £8 for 2 children or £11 for 3. Email Jessica Flowers on badgerfish21@yahoo.co.uk to book.

Milton Keynes Museum- Half term activities all week from 11am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday. MK museum is open all half term for family frights and spooky goings on. Seasonal children's activities will be on offer, and you can meet Professor Beamish and his diabolical devices!

Bletchley Park Presents- Family Fun Wednesdays (29th October)- There will be activities for the whole family, including a range of craft and spy workshops for all ages, children's guided tours,  trails, quizzes and handling competitions. Have fun while learning about the home of the Codebreakers!

There are also a number of Halloween activities this half term, including some spooky walks at Howe Park Wood and the Spooky Railway Walk at Clifton Reynes in Olney, to name but a few!

These are just a handful of activities going on, there are a lot more available in your local area!

Don't forget the clocks go back tonight so you get an extra hour in bed tomorrow morning!

Dirty Dancing in Milton Keynes

Dirty Dancing is currently at MK Theatre until the 5th November, and following our interview with Roseanne Frascona in the October edition of the Phonebox magazine, we were excited to see the show for ourselves.

For both the fans of Dirty Dancing and those less acquainted with the film, this show is one which gets feet tapping and engages all, with the excellently choreographed moves and gripping storyline, it definitely feels as if the film has been brought to life.

It is hard to believe that Roseanne, who plays Baby in the show, came from an acting background with little dancing experience, as her dance moves are flawless, as are the rest of the cast's. Her resemblance to Baby from the film is uncanny, making you feel like you're really involved in the film.

The on stage connection between Baby and Johnny was electric as we watched, and feeling rather caught up in the moment, it was over before we knew it, all too soon.

The show had the classic tunes, including time of my life, as well as those famous lines of 'I carried a watermelon' and 'nobody puts baby in the corner' which Dirty Dancing has become so famous for. All in all it was a great night, and we can't recommend it highly enough! Dirty Dancing will be in Milton Keynes for another two weeks yet, so do get along there if you can.