The Night Owl Rock Club Is Back

170 High Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1EP
Opening night 8 August 2009 from 9pm

The Night Owl Rock Club is Back. Cheltenham's oldest Alternative/Rock/Metal club will be re-opening on the 8th August 2009 with an all nighter called "From Dusk Till Dawn" from 9pm to 6am. Tickets are £3 before midnight, £5 after. The club will then be open every Saturday Night from 9pm to 4am playing the best music around with various DJs playing throughout the month with Shooter/Ale/Cocktail Bar, Drink Promos and much, much more.

For more information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

National Play Day in Pittville Park

5 August 2009, Pittville Park, 11am - 4pm

National Play Day will take place in Pittville Park on Wednesday, 5 August 2009. This free event will provide fun for the whole family. There will be 8 inflatables, climbing wall, games, such as coconut shy and hook-a-duck, face painting, tennis, golf, arts & crafts and much more. From 9.30am to 11.30am 'Look Ahead Fun Run' will take place, all proceeds go to The Children's Trust. For registration and more information about the run please call 01789 766960. For more information about National Play Day contact Kim Gibbon on 01242 774709.

For more information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Morgan Centenary Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse

1 - 2 August 2009, Cheltenham Racecourse

A most spectacular weekend of Morgan Centenary Celebrations is coming to Cheltenham Racecourse this August. The event, designed for the whole family, will be a feast of sights and sounds for all to enjoy. You will be able to admire Morgan Sportscars, historic and modern Morgans will be on display. Evening concerts will feature English Symphony Orchestra, One Night of Queen and Rolling Clones. Family entertainment will include Circus Performers, Steam Fair, Climbing Wall, Badge Making, Clay Modelling Rodeo Bull, Target Football, Stilt Walkers, Trick Cyclists, Zylo Ball and much more. Those who like driving will be able to take part in driving challenges - Morgan Centenary Concours, Ladies Driving Challenge, AutoSolo & Pit Stop Challenge.

SATURDAY PROGRAMME
One Night of Queen
The Rolling Clones
Malvern Brass Band
Steel Band
Jazz Band
Royal Artillery Parachute Display Team
Salsa Dancers

SUNDAY PROGRAMME
English Symphony Orchestra
Churchdown Male Voice Choir
Morris Dancers
Malvern Brass Band
Steel Band
Jazz Band
Royal Signals White Helmets Motorcycle Display Team
Croquet
Firework Finale

Festival Weekend Ticket cost £45 for both days, £25 Saturday only (£15 from 5pm), £40 Sunday only (£25 from 5pm). Tickets can be purchased online at www.morgan-centenary.co.uk/festival/festival.html.

For more information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

The Cotswold Male Voice Choir

Like to sing?! Now in its 60th year The Cotswold Male Voice Choir is a choir which enjoys both good efforts in their performances and a good social side to match. They are currently looking to add more members in order to match their commitments for 2009 and 2010 and of course beyond.

So if you can spare just one evening per week for rehearsal for just two hours then please get in touch. Telephone enquiries to the club secretary Paul Hipkiss on 01242 511139 or visit their website at http://www.cotswoldmvc.org/

CONCERTS PROGRAMME
Friday, 17th July 7.30pm
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Chance Street, Tewkesbury

Saturday, 25th July 5.30pm

Military and Civilian Services Displays and Youth Pageant, Hardwicke Court, Bristol Road, Gloucester

Saturday, 15th August 7.00pm

Winchcombe Parish Church

Saturday 5th September 7.30pm
St. Mary’s Church, Whiteshill, Stroud, tickets: Haydn Sutton (bass) - 01453 763255

Saturday, 26th September 7.30pm

Lonsdale Road Methodist Church, Gloucester, Celebrating their 100th Anniversary

Saturday, 17th October 7.30pm

St. Georges' Church, Church St., Nailsworth, GL6 OBP Reverend Stephen Earley. Supporting the Church Organ Fund.

Sunday, 25th October 7.30pm
Playhouse Theatre, Stroud Combat Stress Charity Gala Evening, for more details: 07860 523522

29th October - 1st November
Ely Cathedral and Godmanchester (Huntingdon)

Saturday, 12th December 7.00pm
Emmanuel Church - Christmas Tree Week Singing with Naunton Park School Choir

Wednesday, 16th December 7.00pm

Nazareth House - Christmas Music

For more information about The Cotswold Male Voice Choir and other Cheltenham clubs and societies please visit our Community section at www.cheltenham4u.co.uk/community.

If you are a member of Cheltenham club or society and would like to get your club's profile featured to promote its activities please get in touch. To find out how please visit our website www.cheltenham4u.co.uk/community.

Danter's Funfair in Cheltenham

9 July -12 July 2009, Montpellier Gardens

Yet again Danter's Funfair visits Cheltenham, promising a weekend of great entertainment. This time Danter's Funfair will be pitched with their amazing rides at Montpellier Gardens. The fair opens at 6pm week nights and at 2pm on Saturday and Sunday.


For more information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Cheltenham Town FC Fixtures 2009-2010

AUGUST
Sat 8 Grimsby Town H
Tue 11 Southend United CC 1st Round *H
Sat 15 Hereford United A
Tue 18 Rochdale *A
Sat 22 Bradford City H
w/c 24 Carling Cup 2nd Round
Sat 29 Darlington A
w/c 31 Johnstone’s Trophy 1st Round

SEPTEMBER
Sat 5 Dagenham & Redbridge H
Sat 12 Bury A
Sat 19 Rotherham United H
w/c 21 Carling Cup 3rd Round
Sat 26 Aldershot Town A
Tue 29 Shrewsbury Town *H

OCTOBER
Sat 3 Notts County H
w/c 5 Johnstone’s Trophy 2nd Round
Sat 10 Accrington Stanley A
Fri 16 Macclesfield Town *H
Sat 24 Port Vale A
w/c 26 Carling Cup 4th Round
Sat 31 Crewe Alexandra H

NOVEMBER
Sat 7 FA Cup 1st Round
w/c 9 Johnstone’s Trophy Area Qtr Final
Sat 14 Lincoln City A
Sat 21 Morecambe A
Tue 24 Barnet *H
Sat 28 FA Cup 2nd Round
w/c 30 Carling Cup 5th Round

DECEMBER
Tue 1 Torquay United *A
Sat 5 Northampton Town H
Sat 12 Chesterfield A
w/c 14 Johnstone’s Trophy Area Semi Final
Sat 19 Burton Albion H
Sat 26 AFC Bournemouth H
Mon 28 Dagenham & Redbridge A

JANUARY
Sat 2 Bradford City (or F.A. Cup 3rd Rnd) A
w/c 4 Carling Cup S-Final 1st leg
Sat 9 Hereford United H
Sat 16 Grimsby Town A
w/c 18 Carling Cup S-Final 2nd leg
w/c 18 Johnstone’s Trophy Area Final 1st Leg
Sat 23 Rochdale (or F.A. Cup 4th Rnd) H
Sat 30 Darlington H

FEBRUARY
Sat 6 AFC Bournemouth A
Sat 13 Barnet (or F.A. Cup 5th Rnd) A
w/c 15 Johnstone’s Trophy Area Final 2nd Leg
Sat 20 Morecambe H
Tue 23 Torquay United *H
Sat 27 Northampton Town A
Sun 28 Carling Cup Final

MARCH
Sat 6 Chesterfield (or F.A. Cup 6th Rnd) H
Sat 13 Burton Albion A
Sat 20 Port Vale H
Sat 27 Macclesfield Town A
Sun 28 Johnstone’s Trophy Final

APRIL
Sat 3 Lincoln City H
Mon 5 Crewe Alexandra A
Sat 10 Bury (or F.A. Cup S-Final) H
Tue 13 Shrewsbury Town *A
Sat 17 Rotherham United A
Sat 24 Aldershot Town H

MAY
Sat 1 Notts County A
Sat 8 Accrington Stanley H
Sat 15 FA Cup Final


Kick-off 3:00pm unless shown otherwise
* Kick-off 7.45pm

Midsummer in Montpellier 2009

18 July 2009, 12pm-9pm, Montpellier Gardens

Midsummer in Montpellier is a fantastic, free fun-filled day of family entertainment which takes place from noon to 9pm in Montpellier Gardens. The day will include live music and dance displays with mixed entertainment, local and sustainable market, Children's village, Danter's old-time fun fair and classic cars display.

The Children's Village is bigger and better this year. There will be workshops to inspire children and allow hands on experience of a variety of folk musical instruments. This will be run by Banshee 4 Schools who will also teach singing and dancing. Mini-montessori.com will be there with mini-montessrori "learning" "art" & "cooking" providing a environemtn that is fun and educational. The Play Rangers will also be on hand to entertain with a bouncy castle, face painting and a variety of arts and crafts.

There will also be O2 Rugby inflatable city and live music from The Jazz Badgers from 6pm-9pm. You can bring a picnic and enjoy the live entertainment.





VIDEO FROM LAST YEAR'S MIDSUMMER IN MONTPELLIER

For information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Activities for Children in Cheltenham This Summer

18 July - 28 August 2009

PLAY ZONE will be running 4 holiday schemes across Cheltenham this summer. They will provide fun games and activities in a safe yet enjoyable environment. There are 2 types of scheme running this summer, 8.30am-6pm or 10am-3.30pm, with Full, morning or afternoon sessions available. Both schemes provide a variety of play and sport activities, games and equipment. Along side the usual Wii, sports, Toys, games, chill out zone there will be swimming trips, National Play Day on 5 August and Cotswold Wildlife Park trips, Sports Tournaments and an olympic fun day (there is no half day available on this day). Play Zone will be available at Balcarras Sports Centre, Lakeside Primary School, Dunalley Primary School and Rowanfield Infant School for 6- 15 year olds.

Prices
8.30am-6pm Full Day £12, Half Day £6
10am-3.30pm Full Day £4, Concession £2. Half Day £2, Concession £1
For more information please call 01242 774408.

PLAYRANGERS will be running free activities, such as arts and crafts, Play and Sport equipment and other exciting games, at a number of Cheltenham parks. Every week on Monday from 10.30am-3.30pm Playrangers will visit Beeches Park, on Tuesday Naunton Park, on Wednesday Pittville Park, on Thursday Swindon Village Park and on Friday Hillview Park behind Hatherley Library. For more information please call 01242 774756

Play Gloucestershire Play Ranger service will be also available every week from 10am-4pm on Monday in Spring Fields Park, on Tuesday in Providence Park & Fishy Park, on Wednesday in Clyde Crescent Recreation Area & King George V Playing Fields, on Thursday in Clyde Crescent Recreation Area & Agg Gardner Playing Field and on Friday in St. Peter's Square from 10am-1.30pm. For more information please contact 07837 173245.

SPORT ZONE at Cheltenham Leisure Centre provides fun, safe and structured sessions in a variety of sport based activities, such as badminton, basketball, cricket, football, rounders, table tennis, swimming etc., supervised by sports leaders. Full day 8.30am-5.30pm £16.50, half day 8.30am-1pm or 1pm-5.30pm £11, week pass £73.50. For more information please ring 01242 528764.

SPORT IN THE PARKS consists of free informal sporting activities in Cheltenham parks and green spaces aimed at children and young people aged 11-18. No need to book, just come along.

Mondays - 1pm-4pm in Brizen and Hatherley, 6pm-9pm in Clyde Crescent and Whaddon
Tuesdays - 1pm-4pm in Springfield Park and Springbank, 6pm-9pm in KGV and Rowanfield
Wednesdays - 1pm-4pm in Swindon Village Playing Field, 6pm-9pm in Beeches Park and Charlton Kings
Thursdays - 1pm-4pm in KGV and Rowanfield, 6pm-9pm in Agg Gardener and St. Paul's
Fridays - 1pm-4pm in Agg Gardener, St. Paul's

For information about other Cheltenham events this summer please visit our Cheltenham Events Guide.

Buccaneer Blades Fencing Holiday Club

20 - 24 July 2009, Up Hatherley Village Hall
10th - 14th August 2009
17th - 21st August 2009


Buccaneer Blades Fencing Holiday Club is an all day holiday club for children. BuccaneerBlades use a system designed in conjunction with the British Fencing Association to bring safe fencing to 6-11 year olds, combining it with fun art and craft activities around fencing themes, such as pirates, knights and Star Wars to keep the children happy and engaged.

Times: 8.30am- 4.30pm Monday - Friday. The cost for the week is £100 or £25 per day. Check out their website at http://www.buccaneerblades.co.uk/ for registration forms. (Numbers are limited to 12 per club).

For information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

The Latest on South West's Regional Spatial Strategy

A legal challenge in the East of England has scuppered the government’s chances of announcing the final version of the South West’s Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS) this month, a development welcomed by Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood. The challenge was based on the failure of the Eastern RSS to make a proper assessment of the strategy’s impact on the environment. The announcement has not been made in Parliament by ministers but in a short emailed letter to local authorities by the regional director at the Government Office of the South West, Jon Bright.

The legal battle in the East of England has strong echoes of the Commons Environmental Audit Committee’s call for the RSSs to be suspended until their environmental impact had been properly assessed. Martin Horwood was a co-author of the EAC report.

“This delay buys valuable time for local campaign groups to co-ordinate action and increase support” says Martin. “It gives our local authorities more time to prepare their own legal challenges to the south west RSS. And it raises the outside chance of the RSS not being implemented at all before the next General Election. If that happens and if, as everyone expects, Labour goes down to a crushing defeat, a new House of Commons could vote to stop the whole mad strategy in its tracks. There are quite a few ‘ifs’ in all this, but this delay gives us a little more hope that we really can save the countryside around Cheltenham.”

Kings Chamber Orchestra at Cambray Baptist Church

4 July 2009, Cambray Baptist Church, 3pm and 7.30pm

Kings Chamber Orchestra, a London based professional chamber orchestra, will be performing at Cambray Baptist Church on Saturday, 4 June. The day will comprise of two events directed by Gerard Le Feuvre.

An afternoon Teddy Concert at 3pm is perfect for families. The children are invited to bring along one of their favourite furry friends! Kids classics will be presented with hilarious originality and interactive fun and will include a musical story about Tchaikovsky, a Russian bear and the "Great Chicken Kiev" balloon adventure. The concert is a relaxed musical event for all the family to enjoy. (Tickets £5 / £2.50).

A Russian Nights evening concert will take place at 7:30pm offering passion, romance and virtuosity! (Tickets £12 / £10 / £5 ). Come and join this relaxed musical event where the players of this outstanding professional orchestra move amidst the audience creating an atmosphere of fun and joyful involvement.

You can purchase your tickets at www.cambray.org/events/the-kings-chamber-orchestra

For information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Get Your Pet Microchipped This Month

Local MP Martin Horwood has called on all owners to ensure that their pet is microchipped as part of National Microchipping Month 2009, run by Petlog.

National Microchipping Month runs throughout June and aims to encourage and promote responsible pet ownership through microchipping as the preferred method of permanent pet identification. The scheme is run by Petlog, which is owned and managed by the Kennel Club, and has over 3.7m pets registered, with 40,000 new pets added to the database each month.

Last year Petlog handled nearly 100,000 calls relating to lost and found pets and reunited many animals with their owners. Petlog runs the only 24/7 pet reunification service in the UK from its dedicated call centre in Aylesbury, and is also a member of Europetnet, which ensures your pet can be identified if lost in over 20 European countries.

Caroline Kisko, Communications Director at the Kennel Club, said: “Throughout June, we aim to show more people than ever just how quick and easy the process of having your animal microchipped is. Deciding to have a pet is an important decision and one that results in a commitment to that pet for its entire life. An essential part of being a responsible pet owner is identifying them permanently.”

Martin Horwood MP said: “All pet owners should ensure their animals are microchipped as National Microchipping Month so rightly stresses. This is an issue I’ve already raised in Parliament and tried to promote locally. Petlog and similar schemes help reunite a large number of missing pets with their owners, and I urge vets as well as pet owners to spread the word of just how vital microchipping is.

“It’s very distressing for any owner to lose a much-loved pet, but through microchipping it gives peace of mind that should they become separated, they can generally be easily reunited.”

Petlog will be running further events throughout June to promote National Microchipping Month – to find out more information, or to get involved, visit http://www.nationalmicrochippingmonth.org.uk/

Meet Your MP Martin Horwood This June

Martin Horwood is the Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Cheltenham. If you need to discuss any matters with your local MP, you can arrange an appointment at his advice surgeries on Friday lunchtimes or evenings. Appointments can be booked by phoning the office on 01242 224889 or e-mailing martin@martinhorwood.net.

You can also meet Martin at various events taking place in and around Cheltenham.

Friday, 12 June 2009
9:45am
Martin will be attending a ‘Mock Trial’ competition for local primary schools, which is being held at Cheltenham Courthouse.

Sunday, 14 June 2009
2:00pm
Martin is officially opening GlosREC’s Mela at Leisure@Cheltenham in Tommy Taylor’s Lane. Please see http://www.glosrec.org.uk/ for more information about the Mela.

Monday, 15 June 2009
1:30pm
Martin is officially opening ‘Shakes2Go’, a brand new milkshake shop in Grosvenor Street, Cheltenham.
6:30pm
Martin will be meeting bell-ringers at St Marks Church to discuss proposed noise bills and also possibly having a go himself!

Friday, 26 June 2009
8:30pm
Martin will be presenting trophies at the Cheltenham Skittles League Presentation Dance, which is being held at Cheltenham Town Hall. For more details about this event please contact the Secretary, Charmian Sheppard, on 511971.

Saturday, 27 June 2009
11:45am
A ceremony of the Presentation of the Freedom of the County to The Rifles is being held. This is taking place at Gloucester Docks and then goes on to Shire Hall in Gloucester.
2:15pm
Martin will be saying a few words at the launch of ‘Cheltenham Connect’, a new initiative to strengthen the community of couth Cheltenham. The launch is being held at The Exmouth, Bath Road, Cheltenham. For more details please see Cheltenham Connect’s website: http://www.cheltenhamconnect.co.uk/. The launch starts at 10:00am, with Martin and the mayor speaking at around 2:15pm.

Sunday, 28 June 2009
10:00am
Martin is going to take part in a sponsored dog walk and family fun day ‘Bark in Pittville Park’, in aid of GCAB (Gloucestershire County Association for the Blind). For more details about this event contact Lucy Gooding on 01242 221170 or lucy.gooding@glos-blind.co.uk.

Thursday, 2 July 2009
2:45pm
Staff and students from the National Star College will be handing a petition to Martin in support of Mencap’s ‘Changing Places’ campaign. This calls for Changing Places toilets (with hoist, changing bench and lots of space) to be installed in all big public places.
For more information about the campaign and the presentation of the petition please contact Lucy Poulton, Communications and PR Officer at the National Star College on 01242 524478 or lpoulton@natstar.ac.uk.

Friday, 3 July 2009
11:00am
Martin is officially opening the new ‘Space Business Centre’, an industrial development on Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham (behind ‘The Range’). For more details please see http://www.spacebc.com/Location-22-Cheltenham.aspx or contact Alex Gale on 01932 445 068.


To keep up-to-date with Martin's Horwood's appearances in parliament please visit our website.

100 Cheltenham Jobs at FormFlo Could Be Saved

Cheltenham MP Martin Horwood has worked with company employees at threatened engineering business FormFlo to put together a rescue plan that could save 100 threatened jobs. He has contacted Lord Mandelson for support and introduced employees to Baxi Partnership, a company that has helped many employees successfully buy out their companies.

“The closure of FormFlo would mean 100 jobs disappearing in Britain, assets and technical knowledge being sold to Germany and another small nail in the coffin of British manufacturing industry” said Martin. “This would be a tragedy for many Cheltenham families and a sad day for our proud tradition of world-class engineering.”

“I’m delighted that the government is willing to help with advice and possible support and that Baxi Partnership have agreed a funding scheme in principle. We believe an employee buy-out is a perfectly viable option and I’ve written again today to FormFlo’s parent company Tomkins Plc strongly urging them to allow FormFlo management to share the information we need to put a real business plan together. I think it’s quite possible that this might be the best option for Tomkins and their German customer Hoerbiger as well. It’s much cheaper to keep a successful business going than to bear all the costs of redundancy, closure and transfer of assets.”

Martin has worked with FormFlo employee Andy Rhoden to put the rescue deal together and his letter strongly urges Tomkins not to take any pre-emptive decisions that would prevent this option being properly explored. He has also informed south west EuroMP Graham Watson, who is leader of the 104-strong Liberal group in the European Parliament which includes German MEPs alongside their British counterparts.

4-2-11 Activity Camp for Children This Summer

from 27 July 2009 onwards, St. Edwards Junior School

4-2-1's family run camp is back this Summer offering a creative alternative to sports-based camps. They run exciting themed weeks, workshops, and jam-pack the schedule with swimming, arts and craft, cookery, pottery, drama, music, games, quests, bouncy castles and more.

Camp 2's independence is encouraged via their newspaper and CommonRoom activities and younger children can rest with stories and puzzles.

The staff are well trained, professional and pride themselves on making sure every child has as much fun as possible and makes friends with other campers. Impromptu games of bench ball, rounders or water fights are common, as are quiet time activities after particularly lively swimming sessions.

All children are welcome and the staff are very happy to try and accommodate any special requirements or individual needs. The day starts at 8.45am and finishes at 4.30pm, with a time out facility available until 5.30. Prices start from £25 per day, daily and weekly bookings are welcome, from age 4 - 11.

For more information contact Louisa at activitycamp4211@hotmail.co.uk

For information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

See Premiership Trophy in Cheltenham

3 June 2009, 9am - 4pm, Barclays Bank, 128 High Street

The Barclays Premier League Trophy visits Cheltenham on Wednesday, 3 June. If you pop in to Cheltenham branch of Barclays Bank in High Street, you'll have the opportunity to have your picture taken next to the trophy. Donations are welcome, money collected will go to Piep Piper Appeal in conjuction with Star Radio.

For information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Cheltenham Racecourse Family Fun Weekend

23 - 25 May 2009, Cheltenham Racecourse

Cheltenham Racecourse will be the venue of a traditional family fun day this bank holiday weekend, full of exciting activities for the whole family. Steven Hill Funfairs will bring a large funfair with rides for children and adults, side stalls and bouncy castles. All three days will feature walkabout celebrity character guests at various invervals throughout the day. On Sunday and Monday children will be entertained by Uncle Brian's Funtime Clowning Spectacular. The entry is £1, free car park available.

Saturday, 23 May 2009

11am - 9.30pm

Radio Star Roadshow with Dr. Who and Daleks.

Sunday, 24 May 2009

1pm - 10.30pm

Fireworks display at 9.30pm, appearances by Noddy and Big-Ears, Starsky and Hutch

Monday, 25 May 2009

12pm - 6pm

Appearances by Peppa Pig and George

For information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Auditions for High School Musical

22 -23 May 2009, Cheltenham College Junior School Hall

Stage Experience, a registered charity providing a taste of professional theatre to young people by offering Performing Arts opportunities within a production directed and produced by industry specialists, is back and this time they are bringing High School Musical to the Bacon Theatre Cheltenham! This production will see the best of Gloucestershire's young talent come together to perform this high-energy musical with the backing of a professional creative and production team.

Have you got what it takes to perform on stage in one of the hottest musicals around? Then why don't you go for an audition. Auditions will take place 22 May, 7pm - 9pm and 23 May, 9am - 12 noon in Cheltenham. Call backs for main roles will be 23 May at 4pm — if you wish to audition for a main role you must also be available at this time.

SHOW DATES:

Show 1: Thursday 29th October 2009 at 7.30pm

Show 2: Friday 30th October 2009 at 7.30pm
Shows 3 & 4: Saturday 31st October 2009 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm

For more details and an application form visit http://www.hsm1.co.uk/ .

Cheltenham Science Festival 2009

3 - 7 June 2009, Cheltenham Town Hall and other venues

The guest director of Cheltenham Science Festival for 2009 is Carol Vorderman and she will be putting together a unique collection of events for you to savour. To stir up a good discussion, the festival theme for 2009 is heresy. 2009 is also 200th Anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin which is also reflected in this year’s festival events schedule. 2009 is the International Year of Astronomy, marking 400 years since Galileo first pointed his telescope at the sky.

As every year Cheltenham Science Festival will feature free Discover Zone, offering interactive science for all ages from 10am to 5pm every day of the festival at Cheltenham Town Hall, there will be also adults-only session on Saturday 6 June, 7pm – 8pm. Family Fun Days on Saturday 6 June and Sunday 7 June at Imperial Gardens are also free to join. There will be lots of interactive activities and live science experiments on both days from 11am.

And what are the highlights of this year’s festival? On Wednesday, 3 June at 6.15pm Olympic winner Sebastian Coe will reveal what it takes to have winning mind. Robert Winston will examine whether science can make you happy on Thursday, 4 June, at 4.30pm and retrace the steps of Charles Darwin on Sunday, 7 June at 10am. Richard Hammond is back in Cheltenham, this time with his Blast Lab to perform some crazy experiments on Friday, 5 June, from 12.30pm. Also on Friday you’ll be able to taste local beer from Battledown Brewery at 9pm. On Saturday, 6 June, at 2pm, you can join Dr. Alice Roberts, the presenter of the BBC series, when she’s retracing the The Incredible Human Journey, and at 4pm meet Evan Davis, BBC’s Dragon’s Den presenter, who will present his Beginner’s Guide to Economy. At 6.45 Cheltenham’s own science panel show begins with the comedian Dara O’Briain, Robert Ince and others competing for points.

PROGRAMME

Wednesday, 3 June
12.15pm Testing Times
2pm Susan Greenfield: An Individual
2.30pm Can we Solve the Climate Change Conundrum?
4pm The Impact! Debate
4.15pm Ten Zen Questions
4.30pm Blood and Guts: A History of Surgery
5pm Science Café
5pm Powering the UK
6.15pm Sebastian Coe: The Winning Mind
6.30pm Alzheimer’s
6.30pm Robot Surgeons
7.30pm Hero or Heretic?
8.30pm Walk the Talk
8.30pm Playing God – Risk in Surgery
8.30pm The Science of Curry
9.30pm Festival Star Party

Thursday, 4 June
10.15am The Big Bang and Beyond
12.15pm Rutherford
2pm Copernicus: Revolutionary or Plagiarist?
2.15pm The Future for Stem Cells
4pm Making the Planet Better
4.30pm Darwin’s Sacred Cause
4.30pm Can Science Make you Happy?
5pm Science Café: Interior Traces
5pm Supersense
6pm Alien Evolution
6.30pm Beyond Animal Research
7pm When to Listen to Heretics
8pm Shaping Nature
8.45pm Faith in Evolution
9pm Penisology
9pm Slam the Atom
9.30pm Festival Star Party

Friday, 5 June
10.15am Flood Defence
12.30pm Climate Change: Whose Responsibility?
2pm The Green Resurgent
2.30pm Good Bugs, Bad Bugs
2.30pm The Value of Land
4.30pm Greener Homes
4.30pm Synthetic Biology
4.30pm NESTA FameLab Grand Final
5pm Best of the Fest
5pm Quicksilver
6.30pm Water, Water Everywhere?
6.45pm Pandemics: The Threat
7.30pm Blazing Science
8.30pm Pandemics: Outbreak
9pm Beer

Saturday, 6 June
10am A Lifetime of Intelligence
12pm Computers of the Future
12pm Obsessive Compulsive
2pm The Incredible Human Journey
2pm Facing Disfigurement
4pm Cape Farewell
4pm Evan Davis: A Beginner’s Guide to Economics
5pm Best of the Fest
6pm Heresy – The Heart of Science
6.30pm FameLab International
6.45pm Not Rocket Science
6.45pm The Times Debate: Your Genetic Future
8pm Pain
9pm The Pleasure of Cars
9pm Apollo Mysteries
9pm The School for Gifted Children

Sunday, 7 June
10.15am Engineering Apollo
12pm Shop Tactics
12.15pm Bloodhound
1.15, 2.30, 3.45pm Anatomy Workshop
2.15pm Call My Scientific Bluff
3.30pm How was it for you?
4pm Animal Autopsy
4pm Heresy and Bad Science
4.15pm Digital Footprints: The Science
6pm Digital Footprints: The Ethics
6pm Weather Watch
6.15pm Hairy
7pm Andrea & Steve’s Over-ambitious Demo Challenge
8pm James Cracknell & Ben Fogle: Race to the Pole
8.15pm Clem Burke Drumming Project

Tickets are available at Cheltenham Town Hall box office, tel. 01242 227979 or online at http://www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/.

For more information about this and other Cheltenham events please visit our Cheltenham events guide.

Cheltenham Connect - New Community Initiative in South Cheltenham

From its small beginnings around a pub table in February a new community initiative is being developed that has already attracted a great deal of local interest and support. Focused on the residential and trading areas of The Bath Road (South End), Tivoli, The Park and The Suffolks, Cheltenham Connect aims to strengthen and empower the local community and to help protect it from the current economic downturn. It also aims to raise awareness of climate change and the need for the community to develop a low carbon and sustainable future.

Four working groups have already been established and each is now developing its own online network. They are: CC Buy Local, CC Go Green, CC Skillspace and CC Community. Ideas being discussed include a ‘Buy Local Pledge Week’, a ‘Buy Local Festival’, Swap, Share and Save schemes, skill-shares, resource shares, business networks and energy saving resource and advice schemes.

A full launch is being planned for Saturday 27th June at The Exmouth Arms in Bath Road and all are welcome. Each of the action groups will be there to share their activities along with local trading and residents associations, energy and sustainability organisations, local churches and schools, and local musicians and craftspeople. The aim is for the event to be full of good old fashioned fun with lots of information, but also games and entertainment, provided throughout the day. Everyone in the local area is invited to become involved with Cheltenham Connect and to share their own ideas. It’s very much a local project run by local people and could put South Cheltenham on the map as a place of thriving community focus and innovation.

Founder Wendy Ellyatt says ‘I am delighted how quickly things are moving. It just goes to show that a small number of people coming together within any local community can really make a difference.’

For further information visit their website at http://www.cheltenhamconnect.co.uk/, call Wendy Ellyatt 01242 572 803 or email wendy@cheltenhamconnect.co.uk.