Old time Hyde Heath

Step back in time to the good old days when men wore drape jackets, drainpipe trousers and sported long whiskers (we don’t mean Teddy Boys), and ladies dressed in gowns and fanned themselves continuously – even when it wasn’t hot. When theatre announcers introduced shows with tongue-twisting sentences like “… the sublime, the stupendous, the subtle, the sartorial, the scintillating, the sinuous, the slightly sinful, the superfluous, the sonorous, the shimmering, striking talents of …” etc.etc.
The age of the Music Hall will be brought back to life at Hyde Heath Village Hall on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 November when Hyde Heath Music Hall Society together with the Rotary Clubs of Great Missenden and Amersham, presents ‘The Good Old Days’. Though not quite the Leeds City Varieties, from where the TV programme ‘The Good Old Days’ ran for 30 years, nevertheless Hyde Heath Village Hall will do its best to recreate the atmosphere of a Victorian-Edwardian music hall.
Shows start at 7.30 for 8pm, tickets at £15 include fish & chips supper and can be obtained from Alan Jones, Tel: 01494 863887 E-mail: alaj77@hotmail.com.

Harpist comes to Amersham

There cannot have been many occasions when someone has played the harp in Amersham. So for those who would like to experience a rare occasion when this does happen, Friday 27 November is a date to pencil in. Robin Ward, a leading harpist formerly from New Zealand, will be performing at St Michael’s Church, Sycamore Road. The concert starts at 7.30pm, tickets at £8 for adults and £3 children under 17 from 01494 726680. Robin Ward is one of only a handful of triple harpists in the world and actually builds his own instruments.

Calling Bell Lane area residents

Some residents living around the Bell Lane area of Little Chalfont may not be aware of its existence, others may think they are no longer active. But the Bell Lane Area Residents Association or BLARA is alive and well – and still kicking. Their Annual General Meeting will be held at The Sugar Loaf pub on Monday 16 November at 8pm.
In view of the antisocial behaviour which some residents have been on the receiving end of in this neighbourhood recently, this meeting provides an opportunity to air grievances. The group has been established for some time now and surprisingly seems to get less support at a time when it needs it most. It also has good contacts with the police and other anti-crime organisations such as Neighbourhood Watch.
Anti-social behaviour has become a nationwide problem which seems to be growing and now even rearing its ugly head in places where only a few years ago it would have been unthinkable.

Fun for life

Drama For Life the long-established Little Chalfont-based group for youngsters
is back in business following the half-term break. Their activities take place at Little Chalfont Methodist Church in Chalfont Avenue, a stone’s throw from Chalfont and Latimer Station. However they also run various classes in Great Missenden, Beaconsfield, Rickmansworth, High Wycombe and Farnham Common.
DFL is aso involved in more activities than the name suggests, as well as drama, kids are tought about dancing (Dance For Life) and music (Musical Theatre For Life). The Staff are fully CRB checked, mentored and professionals within their disclipline. They are:
Coral Ash - PGCE Cert.Ed Dip.Theatre Mountview Acadamy, The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and Bucks New University.
Louise Jones BA Hons. – Central School of Speech and Drama.
Patrick Rufey – BA Hons. The Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Nicky Short – Dance Teacher.
Alice Henry – Junior Drama teacher.
For more information contact Coral Ash: 01494 762130 dfldramforlife@tiscali.co.uk

Hospice week at Cafe

Local Polish folk-singing group Amershamki serenaded customers at Amersham’s Cafe Africa last Saturday, as part of a fund-raising programme for young victims of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster in Ukraine. Although it is 23 years since the accident happened, many young victims who were irradiated but managed to grow into adulthood, have passed on serious health problems to their offspring. Some children are severely disabled while others are terminally ill and the country which seems to have inherited the worst of the problem, Belarus, has welcomed much-needed voluntary international help to cope with it. The British-based Friends of Belarusian Children’s Hospice have been involved in raising funds and helping in other ways since 1999. There are now eight establishments run by Belorus Children’s Hospice throughout the country providing palliative care for the children and support for their families.
Café Africa in Chesham Road, is a ‘not for profit’ establishment which specialises in serving either local, ethically sourced or fairtrade products and supports all local charities. November has been dedicated to Friends of Belarusian Children’s Hospice which will be the recipient of this month’s profits.
Another fund-raising event on behalf of Friends of Belorusian Children’s Hospice takes place on Thursday 12 November when the renowned TV journalist Kate Adie presents a talk about her work. This includes covering some of the world’s most dangerous conflicts in the last thirty years. Entitled ‘Into Danger, Risking Your Life For Work’, the talk will be held in St Michael’s Church, Sycamore Road, Amersham starting at 7.30pm. Tickets at £15 from Waterstone’s, Sycamore Road or by phoning 01494 727409/726483/722899 or ann@friends-bch.org.uk

Chiltern Community Awards

Nominations for The 2009 Chiltern District Council Community Awards have to be in by Friday 30 October. Residents are invited to nominate someone who they think merits some recognition of their work. These can be:
A local volunteer who helps run a club, supports their local community or even helps support their local neighbour. There are seven different nomination categories with a special awards ceremony taking place on Friday 4th December 2009 at the Chiltern District Council offices in Amersham.
Categories of awards:
• Group Award: For the group which have voluntarily contributed skills and time to the benefit of a community in Chiltern District
• Individual Award: For an individual adult (25 - 65 years old) who has shown commitment and dedication in the giving of time, skills and enthusiasm to the benefit of a community in Chiltern District
• Older and Bolder Award: For an individual over the age of 65 years who has made a major contribution to the community in Chiltern District through volunteering
• Young Volunteer Award: For a young person up to the age of 25 years old who has provided time and talent to the benefit of a community in Chiltern District
• Business Award: To reward the best example of a volunteering partnership between business and community groups.
• Long Service Award: To reward those volunteers who have served a community organisation within Chiltern District for many years, at least 20 years significant service
• Young Carers Award: A new award in 2009 created to recognise the contribution made by a young person up to the age of 25 years old to support a family member in need of special care
To find out more:
http://www.chiltern.gov.uk/site/scripts/news_article.php?newsID=676

Arriva there by bus

Many people believe that the age of bus travel in this part of the world is all but dead, owing to the high ratio of car ownership and usage. Yet a free booklet which is available from Amersham Library shows it is anything but that, in fact the number of places you can get to from Amersham is quite surprising, for a motorhead. A few might find it surprising that it is possible to take a bus to and from Hemel Hempstead with its excellent shopping centre, but that is exactly where Arriva and Redline routes 52 and 62, go. For example an Arriva 52 leaves Amersham Station at 49 minutes past the hour every weekday morning and arrives at Hemel Hempstead Bus Station less than an hour later. The passengers alight without having worried about traffic and parking and all the other little irritants which motorists today are forced to negotiate on almost every journey. There is also a Saturday and Sunday service.
In fact all the major shopping centres closest to Amersham, including Watford, High Wycombe, Slough and even Uxbridge are very well-served by buses, the timetables for which are included in this booklet. The A30 Chesham to Heathrow airport via Amersham service, which has already been publicised in Chiltern Voice Amersham area, is also in this publication.
A half a century ago a bright spark called Dr Beeching believed railways were finished because of the motor car, so he systematically embarked on a plan to close them all down. Thankfully he was removed before he could dismantle the whole network. Today public transport is enjoying a bit of a revival and to see where you can get to from Amersham by bus, just pop into the library and pick up a ‘Chiltern and South Bucks’ guide to bus services.