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.

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.

What's on this weekend...

If you're looking for a way to spend the last weekend of the Easter holidays then look no further. With temperatures set to soar this weekend, we've got loads of activities you can get involved with to get out and about, enjoying the sunshine and the last of the school holidays.

Friday:

Bedford Art Society @ Putnoe Heights Church, 7.15pm for 7.30pm start
Juliette Orton creates beautiful pictures using many different materials. She shows how they are made and where her inspiration comes from. Those keen to try can also have a go themselves. Entry is free for members, or £5 for visitors.

Easter Experiences @ Experience the country, Newton Longville, MK17 0BU
This is the second day of the Easter experiences, where you can take part in a 1 hour activity and off-road thrills ride for £25. Suitable for adults and those aged 12 and up. Add another activity for just £10, including archery, axe- throwing, air rifles and segways. Also available are young person's driving experiences in a Land Defender of £25. Morning and afternoon slots are available and must be pre-booked. Call 01908 630665 to book.

Saturday:

Jahnaiah Fundraising Dinner Dance @ Hilton Hotel, Kents Hill Park, 6.30pm-1am

Fundraising dinner dance in aid of orphans affected by Ebola in Sierra Leone. The money raised will support an existing orphanage in Sierra Leone which is already looking after children whose parents have died during the Ebola crisis, and also to help bring light to the lack of medical equipment and diagnostic materials available in Sierra Leone during this time. Tickets cost £50, and includes a three-course meal, entertainment and much more. Auction and raffle also available. Dress code is black tie/traditional. Click here to buy tickets and for more information.

No 38 Vintage Emporium Event @ High Street Newport Pagnell, 9am-5pm

The No 38 Vintage Emporium on the High Street in Newport Pagnell is celebrating being open for six months. There will be special events all day, including live music, free ice creams from the Shake 'n' Scoop ice cream shack, and a photo booth taking old fashioned style photos. 

Non-Stop Pop, featuring Union J and Stereo Kicks @ Arena MK, Stadium MK, Doors open 5.30pm for 6.30pm start

Headliners Union J will be joined by Stereo Kicks, Bailey McConnell and Harry Mondryk. Show will end at approximately 9.45pm. Tickets cost £14 and are available to buy by clicking here. 

Sunday:

That Time of the Month Comedy Night @ The Cannon, Newport Pagnell, 7pm

Nick Helm, star of BBC3's hit comedy drama, Uncle, Russell Howard's Good News, 8 out of 10 cats, and winner of Breakthrough Artists at the British Comedy Awards 2014, will be performing in a night of stand up comedy entertainment. Tickets cost £8 in advance or £10 on the door.

The Pad Presents: Marika Hackman @ Bedford Esquires, 7.30pm

Marika Hackman with support acts Sophie Jamieson and The Darling Mundaring. Following the release of her debut album, We Slept at last, and new single Animal Fear, Marika Hackman's songwriting speaks adventure; join the adventure for a great night of entertainment from a talented musician. Tickets cost £8 and are available online here.  

HULA Animala Rescue Bunny Bonanza @ Glebe Farm, Aspley Guise, 1-3.30pm

Enjoy some Easter activities at the end of the Easter holidays. Just when you thought all the Easter eggs had been found, come and join the Easter egg hunt and take part in the Easter Bonnet competition. Meet the rabbit welfare association and see a presentation on how to care for your pet rabbit. There will be a dog parade at 2.30pm, workshop, and family fun and refreshments will be available throughout the afternoon.

Education Centre Opening Day @ Howe Park Wood, 11am

Join the Parks Trust education team to celebrate the opening of the new education and visitor centre at Howe Park wood. Parking avaialbe in the car park off Chaffron Way, opposite the Westcroft Centre. 

Whatever you do this weekend, have a great time! As always, if we've missed any events, please feel free to share them to our Facebook page. 

Social Paint in MK

If you're looking for something different to do for an evening out, Social Paint MK could be just your thing. Not just for the artists out there, Social Paint is a great night out for everyone. It offers a relaxed evening of painting for anyone wanting to get involved, and is held in a bar so you can enjoy a glass (or two) as you paint! There's even food involved, and whether you're looking to do some painting by yourself or want to have a fun evening out with friends or a partner, it'll be a great evening of entertainment, and probably different to what you've done before.

Wednesday 11th February at Loch Fyne in the Hub, Milton Keynes 
This is a Banksy Inspired evening, where you can come for a relaxed evening of painting while you enjoy a glass of wine and a light snack. Ticket holders can also enjoy a 30% discount off a meal before the event (reservations required).

Whether you've painted before and loved it, or have never tried it and always wanted to, it's a great evening of fun and creativity, and whether you come with friends or alone, it'll be a great evening. Why not give it a try?! Events will also be held in the following months, 5th March at the Slug and Lettuce again, 8th March at Giraffe Centre MK and 18th March at Loch Fyne in the Hub.

What's on in MK this weekend

The leaves have almost all fallen now and we're heading fully into winter, but we've still got a few of those sunny autumn days left (we hope). There's still a chance to get out and about this weekend, although you may need to wrap up a little warmer now. As always, we've collated a list of what's on in the local area to help you decide on what to do this weekend, and there's quite a lot to choose from!

Art in the Park

'Art in the park' is FREE family event happening this weekend in Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. It's organised by Islamic Arts, Heritage and Culture Milton Keynes, and is a cultural event celebrating the festival of Eid. The event aims to help build bridges between diverse communities through arts and culture, and there'll be a great deal going on for all the family to get involved with.

Events across the weekend run along a variety of artistic themes, including the 'art of integration' and the 'art of food', as well as workshops and much more. There will be a fairground, and exciting live music from a variety of bands including: Rhythmnreel and Bollywood brass to name just two. There will be an exciting 'digital wall' which will provide live interaction with exciting artists from around the globe. 'Arts of Food' will include some mouth-watering food demonstrations from TV chef Cyrus Todiwala OBE and a team of talented chefs.

Ultimately, this event aims to promote art and culture through education, encouraging more people to take an active interest and learn more about the cultures around them. Islamic art is filled with unusual geometry, pattern and colour, and this event gives all an opportunity to discover and find out more about the art.

Art in the Park is set to be a great couple of days, and is open Saturday 2nd August from 1pm until 7pm, and Sunday 3rd 1pm until 6pm, don't miss out!

(Please note: there is no public parking in Campbell park, the nearest car parks are at Centre:MK or theatre multi-storey; SatNav postcode for that is MK9 3NZ.)