Marlow

10:42am Thursday 17th January 2002

A RAUCOUS audience consisting mainly of adults casting off the years to relive their youth made up the sparse attendance at last Saturday's special gala performance of Dick Whittington at the Shelley Theatre. Joining in the songs and banter, they also helped raise £650 for the Macmillan Nurses charity when town mayor, Councillor Maurice Oram, was presented with a cheque by Mike Bennett of the Marlow Entertainers who put on the evening.

Dick Whittington is the 39th pantomime the Marlow Entertainers have produced since they were formed in 1962. Kim Halliday makes a fine Dick Whittington in her panto debut with the Entertainers but it is Melvyn Wilkes as Sarah the Cook and Alan Barnard as the wicked King Rat who maintain the seasonal pantomime jollity with their inter-action with the audience.

Louise Edmunds, in her first principal role with the Entertainers, is a fetching Alice Fitzwarren and Entertainers veteran Elizabeth Wilks scores as Fairy Bow Bells, who helps the pacey story line along. But all the cast, including the ten young dancers, work hard under the direction of Lesley Fewell and choreographer Elizabeth Chiappetta and the result is a tune-full, laughter-packed outing, ideal for the young at heart. A vote of thanks should also go to pianist Sara Shipton and percussionist Kevin White and all the backstage team.

Dick Whittington is Marlow's only pantomime. There is still a chance to catch it. Final performances are this evening at 8pm and on Saturday at 2.30pm and 8pm.

WORKAID, the Amersham-based charity who provides new and refurbished tools for use in Africa, has now topped its 700th project. Since its conception in 1986 Workaid has shipped over 65,000 hand tools, 2,815 typewriters and 3,389 sewing machines, together with a vast amount of other equipment, to help improve African lives and living conditions in very poor communities.

In 1986 Workaid had just three volunteers, a few second hand tools and no request for help. Today some 200 volunteers deal with an average five requests a week for help.

on Saturday between 10.30am and midday a coffee morning is being held at White Stacks on the Bisham Road to raise money to buy new tools and on Sunday week there will be a collection of tools in all Marlow churches to help the charity. Ray Richards on 01494 765506 has information on Workaid's current requirements but generally needed in good condition, or capable of easy refurbishment, are sewing and knitting machines, dressmaking accessories, horticultural and vehicle maintenance tools, plus carpentry and horticultural tools, except lawn mowers and powered garden machinery.

THE local branch of the British Red Cross is staging a quiz night to celebrate the refurbishment of its headquarters in Victoria Road. The hall has been given a complete makeover with a new floor, decorations, curtains and so on. To mark the event teams of eight are required to participate in a quiz night on Friday, February 1, at 7.30pm. A fish and chips and ice cream supper is included in the £8 ticket price. To register your team or book a place call 01628 471609/473790 (answering service).

ENERGISE 2002 Half Term sports activities, offering sports coaching for ten to 14 year olds, is now a feature of a leaflet from the Area Information Office in the High Street and from Court Garden Leisure Centre. Marlow has no venue for next month's activities as all coaching will be centred on the Royal Grammar School at Amersham Road in High Wycombe. Sports coaching available includes mixed hockey and tag rugby, girl's basketball and football, plus boy's football and full contact rugby. The sports start the week of February 11-15.

WEEK of Prayer for Christian Unity will be marked by an ecumenical Service at the Valley Church at Burford School in Marlow Bottom on Sunday at 6.45pm. St Peter's School is the venue for a Unity Supper on Wednesday at 7.30pm.

Today and from next Monday until Thursday Churches Together in Marlow lead prayer services at the Methodist Church in Spittal Street between 12.30pm and 1pm.

CAROLERS who sang outside Waitrose last month raised £401 for the NCH charity.

FINAL WEA course this term begins at Liston Hall on Monday when Richard Van Bueren begins a series of eight lectures on the life and times of the composer Tchaikovsky. It begins at 10am and it is possible to enrol at the class if it is not full. Cost of the course is £36.

DETAILED map of the new waiting restrictions proposed as part of the Marlow Transportation Strategy has attracted a great deal of interest at the Area Information Centre in the High Street. It will now remain on view until the first week of February.

A TEN mile ramble along the Thames and over Winter Hill is taking place on Saturday. Meeting point is at 9.30am in the car park at Cookham.

HANG Em, Shoot Em, Flog Em. Taking the mystery out of Magistracy is the subject of Tony Kayes talk, which has been organised by the Marlow Society and takes place at Liston Hall on Tuesday. For non-members of the Society, it will cost £3 to hear Tony Kaye, a past chairman of the Bench, make his presentation.

UNFORTUNATELY MP Paul Goodman was hospitalised and forced to miss last Saturday's clinic at Liston Hall. However, he is scheduled for another surgery in February so any constituents who need help or advice can get further information by ringing 01494 521777.

THE figure of £455 from the raffle mentioned on the night, rose to £1200 as final takings were totted up and divided between The Fragile X Society and The National Autistic Society, following December's Carol Concert put on by the Marlow Choral Society.

WEDNESDAY is the last day members of the Four Season Club can submit nomination papers for their 2002/3 committee. The club's annual meeting will take place at Liston Hall on Wednesday, February 6.

FOLLOWING their visit to Wantage for the Rosebowl challenge, Marlow Camera Club enthusiasts return to their home base at Bovingdon Green village hall for next Tuesday evening's meeting. Then it is competition time with Joe Dodgson from Stoke Poges visiting to judge prints and slides with the theme of motion.

CHRIST Church in Quoitings Square hosts its traditional Burns Supper, complete with haggis, bashed neeps and chappit tatties on Saturday week. Proceeds from the evening, which features traditional Scottish entertainment and dancing, will be given to the church Cornerstone refurbishment project.

LATEST issue of Intermission, produced by the Spittal Street Methodist Church, reveals that, following the closure of the Bryants Bottom and Lacey Green chapels, the Bourne End chapel is to cease worship at the end of June. All is not gloom, however, a 20% increase in church attendance is reported for Lane End and both the Naphill and Cryers Hill chapels are clocking up 150th anniversaries.

ALL Saints Thrift Shop re-opens next Friday. It has been closed since December 14.

GOOD news for local terpsichoreans; Gamba, the dance and ballet specialists, is now operating at 8 Liston Court.

AFTER six years as a senior hostess with Marlow Community Associations Cameo Club, Molly White is easing up on her duties. Volunteers are being sought to take over her duties and to fill other necessary roles for the club, which helps the elderly and housebound. Call 01628 472558 if you can help out in any way.

By John Willis

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