Events and Monthly Treats!

Trentham Gardens have got some pretty special events for half term if you are with children. On 17th and 18th this weekend they have Wilderness Survival Skills from 11am until 3pm. From 17th until 25th February the miniature train will be free from 12 noon until 3.30pm. There are Mini Beast Encounters on 24th and 25th February from 10am - 3pm, and Falconry Displays on 19th and 20th between 10am and 3pm. The Monkey Forest will be open this week too with Face Painting and a Quiz! We'll note some things from the South of the County and Stafford during the next couple of days!

For the south of the County next week, Kinver Library has some half term craft sessions with children. The RAF Cosford Museum opens its doors at 10am every day and it is free (there are parking charges). The Brewhouse Burton is putting on lots of half term activity including a T-Shirt creation workshop on Monday and a Puppet Play event on Tuesday. Jeremy Hardy will be there on 25th April so you are advised to book early if you are a fan! Please let us know what else you hear about!

In the North of the County the Keele Chapel Singers have a concert playing Schubert and Pergolesi tomorrow night the 24th February at 7.30pm in the Keele University Chapel. In Tutbury Village Hall next Friday 2nd March the silent film of The Phantom of the Opera plays to the band Minima playing live music. It is on at 7.30pm and if you want to take youngsters it recommends 10+ age group.

There's a One Woman Show by Jane Upton called 'Finding Nana' charting a love story between a grand-daughter and her Nana. It's recommended for age 14+ with smiles and sadness. It plays at Pattingham Village Hall (WV6 7BB) on Monday 5th March at 7.30pm and King's Bromley Village Hall (DE13 7HW) at 7.30pm on Thursday 8th March. It's all on the 'Live and Local' website!

Great Things Happening in March! This will have to be a list, and we have already talked about The Phantom of the Opera on tomorrow night at Tutbury Village Hall at 7.30pm (silent film and live music!) and Finding Nana on 5th and 8th March at Pattingham Village Hall and Kings Bromley Village hall respectively (see above). However there's also a folk opera interpretation of The Wind in the Willows tomorrow night (2nd) at Broughton Parish Room (ST21 6NW) and Carmen the Bizet opera is on the Live Event Cinema at various venues Vue in Newcastle, the Gatehouse in Stafford and the Red Carpet Cinema near Burton (Barton Marina) on 7th March. There's folk music on 15th March at Swythamley and Heaton Community Centre north of Leek (SK11 0SJ) and on the same day a one woman show at the Foxlowe Arts Centre at 7.30pm, and a one man show on Friday 16th March at Draycott in the Clay Village Hall (DE6 5BY). We'll continue this at weekend at look at shows and events towards the second half of the month! Please let us all know about any local events you are hearing about!

More for March in Staffordshire! Canalside Farm (Great Hayward near Stafford) are doing a Mothers' Day Tea from 8th to 11th March. The Betfred Midlands Grand National takes place at Uttoxeter Racecourse on Saturday March 17th. In the Event Cinema offerings (live from the National Theatre, Royal Opera House or the Met New York) Macbeth is playing on 4th and 8th April. The Keele Chapel Singers are doing a concert for Easter at 7.30pm in the Keele University Chapel. (£7 open to all). Cosi Fan Tutte is playing at cinemas on 31st March. 12th - 18th March is National Butchers Week, so Canalside Farm are planning special roast meals.

The National Theatre and the Royal Opera House broadcast live events in several of our cinemas. The main ones are the Red Carpet Cinema at Barton Marina, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, the Vue Cinema at Newcastle-under-Lyme and the Odeon at Festival Park in Stoke. I'm pleased to report that Julius Caesar is being broadcast live from the National Theatre on 22nd March!

National Mills Weekend - you may want to note that Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th May has been designated National Mills Weekend. We are quite well blessed in Staffordshire with Mostly Lea Mill a couple of miles north of Stone, Shirley's Potters Mill at Etruria in Stoke and Brindley Mill in Leek. Make a note in the diary folks, it's always an interesting day out!

For the Easter Holidays you might well want to use the Trampoline Theme Park on the Stone Business Park (ST15 0SS) The telephone is 01785 719930. They are open 9am - 4pm and the price is £5 per child. There is a cafe open during the trampoline time!

Events for April include some great films at the Stoke Film Theatre which include a version of the Magic Flute on Tuesday 10th April and The Square on Saturday 14th and Tuesday 17th April at 7.45pm. The Abbotsholme Arts Society have a couple off lovely concerts with cello and piano (Bach, Debussy, Brahms) on Friday April 20th and the Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Choir on 26th April (01543 263304).
At Anslow Village Hall on Wednesday 11th April 7.30pm there is a show about Amy Johnson (01283 812849) and on Thursday 26th April there is a great show called Wicky Wacky Woo which has great music and lots of funny bits (5+ age recommended).

At the Stoke Film Theatre, Friday 20th and Saturday 21st April as always at 7.45pm is the highly acclaimed 'You were never really here' directed by Lynne Ramsay starring Joaquin Phoenix. Julius Caesar is having its National Theatre encore at the Vue Cinema and others this Monday (April 16th) at 7pm and we'll report on May events for your diary pretty soon!! In the meantime don't forget our lovely parks in Staffordshire as the warmer weather arrives! Enjoy April!

Some super Spring Time treats for May! The Wool festival (a celebration of all things Woolly!!) is on 12th and 13th May (www.wool-j13.uk) at Lower Drayton Farm in Penkridge with sheep shearing, live music exhibitors' stalls and a textile exhibition and fashion show! (ST19 5RE). There is a play for children called The Magical Hat Shop at the Mitchell Arts Centre (ST1 4HG) on Saturday 19th May 1pm and 4pm on Broad Street in Hanley. The New Vic Theatre is putting on Whisky Galore from 16th May until 2nd June (www.newvictheatre.org.uk). Let us know about anything else you have heard about. There's an opera on at Vue Cinema and others this Saturday so we'll post more details.

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Welcome to pensionpat! You and every other reader are invited to meet us at Heavenly Free From Foods at 3pm on Monday 18th June. We'll buy teas and coffees for everyone and owner Paul has promised cakes including Black Forest Gateaux, Cheesecakes and Death by Chocolate on offer at £2.50 - £3. All products are vegan and there are lots of interesting products in the shop if the allergy problem affects you or any friends or relatives. Meanwhile if you have any queries you can ring Heavenly on 01782 966879 or Paul on 07872 944868. Please let us know if you can come and join us. It's obviously early enough to change that date if anyone would like to come but can't make it then!

Hi AnnB thank you for the reminder re the wool festival.
We often take our DGC to Lower Drayton farm for events such as Halloween and lamb feeding.
Can I suggest that any GNers wishing to visit the farm check out wowcher for reduced admission tickets

Thanks Cherrytree59 a great tip there about wowcher, it can work out quite expensive at some of these places when the children are old enough to pay for (just gone through that barrier with two of them!)

There are lots of good things coming up in June as usual. Swan Lake is showing at cinemas (from the Royal Ballet) on Tuesday 12th June at 7.15pm. (it's usually at the Vue Newcastle, the Odeon Stoke, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre and the Red Carpet Cinema at Barton Marina). Macbeth is playing at Stafford Castle from 28th June until 14th July. The Hartshill Midsummer Fair takes place on Saturday 23rd June 10am - 3pm at the North Staffordshire Medical Institute. There are walks at 1.45pm every Thursday starting by the Noah's Ark. It is always a different route and there is a stop for tea and coffee and a chat. We have our own Meet Up on Monday 18th June at 2.30pm in Heaven Sent on Merrial Street Newcastle. For people further south we'll do the same at Canalside Farm on Friday 29th June at 11am!

Show and Tell - the art show at Staffordshire University in Stoke takes place next week and is always a fount of inspiration and pleasure. This year it is called Show and Tell and it is open:
Tuesday 12th June 10am - 8pm
Wednesday 13th June 10am - 8pm
Thursday and Friday (14th and 15th) 10am - 6pm
Saturday 16th June 10am - 4pm
There are pictures, ceramics, sculptures, textiles, film and more!
It could also be extremely inspiring for grandchildren as well as ourselves and it is free of charge! Enjoy!

Don't forget our Meet Up at Heavenly Freefrom Foods in Merrial Street in Newcastle Staffordshire on Monday next (18th June) . We'll arrive about. 2.30pm and should be nattering until about 4pm so drop in any time!! The coffee is on us, but you might want to sample the cake!! See you there!

Meet Up in the Central/South of the County this Friday at Canalside Farm in Great Haywood near Shugborough just outside Stafford. 11am this Friday morning 29th June and there are opportunities to visit the shop and even pick some fruit. We hope to see you there!

Gransnetters will be in the coffee shop folks! (Friday 29th June 11am at Canalside Farm, Great Haywood)

I'm hoping to make it.

Brilliant pensionpat and anyone else up for joining us. We'll be at the Canalside Farm Cafe at 11am today and I'll stick up a 'Gransnet' sign on the table, be there or be square (and who remembers that!!!)

More events. 'Once upon a Mattress' based on the 'The Princess and the Pea' is a musical showing at Lichfield Garrick from 30th July until 4th August. Lower Drayton Farm is putting on the Middle of Nowhere Festival from Friday 27th until Sunday 29th July with rock, blues and country music. The Meet Up went well at Canalside Farm for the four of us who came.