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).

A musical weekend!...

It's that time of the week where we give you another great list of what's on this weekend in the local area, it's all rather musical and Christmassy!

Saturday 13th December:

Newport Pagnell and Olney Club Christmas Fair @ The URC Hall, High Street, Newport Pagnell, 10am-3pm.

Free entry. A wonderful selection of local arts and crafts people with something special for those last-minute Christmas gifts.

Olney Village Fair @ The Church Hall, Church Street, Olney, 11am-3pm
'For lovers of original vintage'. Come along for some crafty bargains and items. Entry £1.

Tickford Abbey Christmas Craft Fair @ Tickford Abbey, 2-4.30pm.

A great selection on offer, including Christmas cards, handcrafted Christmas ornaments, hand decorated mugs, edible Christmas treats and more, created by Tickford Abbey's residents and staff members. 

Danesborough Chorus Christmas Concert @ St. Mary's Church, Woburn, 7.30pm.

Combining traditional favourites with a selection of new carols, our Christmas concert will be a feast for your ears and offers plenty of opportunity for audience participation. Tickets cost £10/£8 for adults and £3 for children, including refreshments.

Bozeat Windmill Singers: Unashamedly Christmas Concert @ Bozeat Village Hall, 7.30pm.

Tickets cost £7 and are available on the door.

Carols & Brass @ Parish Church Hall, Newport Pagnell, 7.30pm

The Newport Pagnell Singers and Olney Brass team up to present a traditional Christmas concert with audience participation. Tickets cost £10 and are available from Cambourne Travel, Newport Pagnell or Wilson's Olney.

Sunday 14th December: 

Carol Singing for all @ The R.C Church, West Street, Olney, 7.30pm

A warm welcome to everyone to join the church choir to sing some favourite carols and to enjoy mulled wine and mince pies in the Olney Centre to conclude the evening. Entrance is free, donations to Cafod will be greatly welcomed.

Angels at the Abbey Christmas Fair @ Alston Road, Bradwell Abbey, 11am-4pm.

Come along for some Christmas fun: Santa's grotto, seasonal music and singing, children's activities, mince pies and mulled wine, and numerous stalls offering some great gift choices. Free entry.

Milton Keynes Monopoly Board will be revealed tomorrow!

The exciting new Milton Keynes monopoly board is to be released tomorrow, and the secret of which places are being used on the board will finally be revealed. There has been a fair bit of speculation as to which places will feature on the board, particularly what will end up taking the place of Mayfair and Park Lane on the original London monopoly board. Suggestions have included Woburn, Woughton on the Green and Loughton as some of the top places, but the answers are being kept under wraps until tomorrow, where the board will be revealed at 9.30am at into MK, outside Hollister. We're waiting to see whether Olney will feature on the board! The big reveal is set to be done in 'spectacular style', and a giant board will be unveiled in the city for all to see.

Keep your eyes and ears open tomorrow to find out what has been included on the board, and don't forget you can also buy a copy of the game tomorrow, at an RRP of £24.99, at a variety of stores including WH Smiths, John Lewis, The Works, Waterstones, Waitrose and Toys R Us, and from a variety of online suppliers including Amazon. 

Friday Events ...

This weekend is full of events- you definitely won't be stuck with nothing to do!

Here are a few things on tomorrow in the area...

"The history of Britain as you've never seen it before" Outdoor theatre @ Woburn Abbey, 7pm.
This is an open-air show which is suitable for all ages. Join the critically acclaimed Pantaloons Theatre Company race through the centuries in this delightfully inventive open-air show. The historically hysterical show is filled with songs, sketches and silliness. Don't miss out!
Entry is from 4pm, so bring a picnic blanket or low-backed chair, and why not enjoy a picnic in the gardens before the show begins?! Tickets cost £13.50 for adults and £9.50 for children.

Another open-air show tonight is: "A Midsummer's Nights Dream @ Willen Lake South (mini-bowl)
London Contemporary Theatre Company presents William Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer's Nights Dream.' Picnics are welcome. Please bring your own seating and remember warm clothing. Gates open at 6pm for a 7pm start. Suitable for families and children over 8 years. Adult tickets are £12, children £8.

Olney in Flower kicks off tomorrow @ The United Reformed Church, Olney
Firday 4th- Sunday 6th, 11am-4.30pm come along and see some fantastic flower displays. Many local businesses, schools and organisations will be represented through their displays, and there will be refreshments including homemade cakes. There will also be musical entertainment throughout the day.

Check the blog tomorrow for a list of Saturday's events!

Flowers and Lakes! This weekend...

This weekend the main events seem to be revolving around flowers and lakes. Slightly random you may think, but the events themselves are some pretty good ones!

SATURDAY:

Great Linford Waterside Festival  started yesterday and runs through to Sunday. It's a free event with the exception of parking which is £2.50. It's set to be a great event, have a look at the website here. Saturday the opening times are 11.30am-7pm and Sunday 11.45am-5.30pm. 


St Laud's Church Flower Festival and Open Gardens 'BYGONES', together with Sherington Historical Society Biannual Scarecrow Competition. Come and see the beautiful arrangements in the St Laud’s Church and then take time to view the gardens and hunt out the Scarecrows around the village. The festival is open both Saturday and Sunday, from 11am-5pm.

Woburn Abbey Garden Show is open Saturday and Sunday, 10am-5pm, and has something for everyone to enjoy. In a friendly and accessible environment, you can enjoy an introduction to gardening, the opportunity to improve or learn new gardening skills and purchase wonderful plants and garden items. Live music entertainment. Tickets are £11 adults, £10 seniors and £6 for children. For more information visit their website. 


And over to the lakes... There are a couple of events happening over at Willen lake On SUNDAY:

Peace Pagoda Anniversary, from 10.30am-3.30pm.  

The programme to commemorate the anniversary will include a Buddhist ceremony, multi-faith peace prayers, speakers on anti-nuclear and non-violent actions, and an afternoon multi-cultural celebration.

Dragon Boat Festival 

The Milton Keynes Dragon Boat Festival takes place in aid of Age UK Milton Keynes. Join in the fun, raise and boat and compete for the title of Dragon Boat champion or cheer on your favourite team from the lakeside. Find out more here.