Presteigne

FUN DAY -- A very successful Fun Day took place on Sunday, May 5, in Wentes Meadow. Organised by the Chamber of Trade, with the assistance of the Twinning Committee, it raised £752.62 which has been divided equally between the Chamber of Trade and the Twinning Committee. The event was very well attended with a variety of amusements, including 'smash the bottles', a coconut stall, fun machine, balloon stand, bouncy castle and skittles. There was a car boot sale and various other stalls. Entertainment was provided in the form of a seven-a-side football tournament, and a pet dog show. Refreshments were available at the barbeque and in the scout hut where there was tea and cakes.

KILLER QUEEN CONCERT -- Presteigne St Andrew's Football Club are organising a Killer Queen tribute concert, in Knighton Community Centre, on Saturday, May 24. Supporting bands will include The Roaring Forties, AKA Soul Supply and the Sultana Brothers. Tickets will be £12.50 (in advance) and £15 (on the door). Telephone football club chairman, Alan Randell, on 01544 260485 for tickets and information.

new centre is progressing well, with the feasibility study going ahead and the plans taking shape. Why not help matters along a bit further - and have your car washed at the same time - by driving along to the re-cycling centre car park on Saturday morning, May 31? The local Fire Brigade will be helping as well, so proceeds will be split between the two ventures.

OPEN GARDENS -- Several gardens around Presteigne are opening their gates in the coming weeks - some already well-known and loved, and also with one or two newcomers. Bryan's Ground, in Letchmoor Lane, is now open every Sunday and Monday, 2- 5pm, until July 14, and is definitely worth a visit, with its seven acres of formal and informal gardens, water features, follies and young woodland - all in a beautiful setting looking southwards towards the Lugg. It is so interesting to see how this garden is developing through the years under the care of David Wheeler and Simon Dorrell. Admission is £3 with children £1.

Knill opens its gardens on Saturday, May 31, and Sunday, June 1 - between 2 and 6pm, with cream teas and a flower stall, and with the Halcyon Singers performing on the Sunday afternoon at 3pm.

Edward Bulmer's Court of Noke gardens, between Staunton-on-Arrow and Pembridge, will be open for the weekend at the end of June, 2-5pm. Based on fascinating Stuart origins the water gardens alongside the River Arrow are being carefully restored on an old 10-acre site. Home-made teas will be available, and entrance is £2.50, with children free of charge.

A new-comer to the famous 'Yellow Book' Richard and Jane Barton's garden, at Ivy Cottage, Kinsham, is opening for Sunday and Monday, June 1 and 2, 2-6pm, and also at the end of June. Developed and extended over the past 10 years, this pretty cottage garden is packed full of scented and interesting herbaceous plants, old-fashioned roses and shrubs - and with plenty of sunny corners to sit and admire it all - with particular favourites being the many different types of hardy geraniums and campanulas. This year Jane is chairman of the Herefordshire and Mid Wales branch of the Hardy Plant Society, and is an enthusiastic 'plantswoman', while Richard undertakes the construction work and has a real eye for line and design in the garden. Admission is £2, with children free; and teas are available on Sundays only, in aid of All Saints' Church, Kinsham.

CHAMBER OF TRADE ANNUAL DINNER -- The annual dinner was held at the Radnorshire Arms on Monday, May 12, and chairman James Tennant-Eyles was delighted to welcome 43 members and guests of the chamber to an excellent dinner. The guest speaker was Andy Hazel from Knighton, a local large scale sculptor, who has worked all over the world and in all sorts of situations. In his own words, he has been everything from the Queen Mother's gardener to a fish packer in Alaska. He has worked with the Tuareg Arabs in the Middle East and spent time working in Afghanistan. Recently he has completed a study of churches in Radnorshire and has made models of the most interesting, forming a collection that is now on a two year tour all over the UK. He gave a most fascinating talk, with slides, about his varied and extraordinary life and interests. Mr Tennant-Eyles, in his chairman's address, observed that those who had read the local papers, recently, would know that the Chamber of Trade had been going through a difficult time due a lack of support, and he took the opportunity to thank those members who had continued to support the chamber's efforts in the last year. Mr Tennant-Eyles mentioned particularly ex-chair, Clare Powell, for her efforts over the last two years, and also the treasurer of many years, Dewi Edwards, and the excellent and extremely hard-working secretary, Dawn Sandrey. All three of these are obviously gluttons for punishment as they have agreed to stay on for a further year to support the chairman; Clare as vice-chair and Dewi and Dawn in the same posts. Mr Tennant-Eyles also thanked the patrons, James and Sue Woods. They have continued a tradition of support set up by a previous occupier of Kinsham Court who was a loyal support to the chamber. Their wise words and steadfastness were much appreciated at the monthly meetings which they have regularly attended for many years. President Eddie Taylor also came in for great appreciation. As far as the chairman was concerned, Eddie is 'Mr Presteigne' and his support of the chamber was much valued by all. Colin Kirkby's ongoing efforts with the refuse disposal site and the scheme which generates funds each year for various organisations in the town were also applauded. Mr Tennant-Eyles observed that: "This year we are going to make an effort to get more people involved in the chamber so that they may become aware of what it is about. We intend to do this in a number of ways. We intend to undertake one or two purely social events which we hope members will attend with friends, and hopefully encourage potential members to attend. In this context we plan a cheese and wine summer evening event at Boultibrooke, possibly with musical entertainment; and later in the year a magic lantern evening probably also at Boultibrooke, and perhaps with a wine tasting. We also plan a works visit, venue to be advised later in the year. We are aware that the Llanandras Christmas Fair has been less than inspired in recent years, and we have received some criticism in this respect, some of which we accept. So we intend this year to try harder. We will be seeking opinions and ideas on other aspects of the chamber's activities. There may even be a draw from the replies received with an exciting prize. I do not think it is often realised how much the chamber does for the town, it supports several events with financial assistance, for example the vintage sports car weekend and the fireworks display, and produces a town guide of one sort or another. It runs, as part of its need to raise funds, various events such as the recent fun day, and it provides the Christmas lights and the Llanandras Christmas fair. All these things are a necessary part of its activities but they are also of great benefit and enjoyment to the people of Presteigne what a pity it they were all to cease."