Firstly, thank you to everyone that supported my concert at St Barnabas Church, Linslade, on 11 October. You raised an amazing £1700 for our local Macmillan Support Group.

Huge thanks also to the magnificent Keep on Rockin’ Choir for such a great evening’s entertainment. It’s always fun to attend a musical event where you know nearly all the words to all the songs. Macmillan and the team at St Barnabas were brilliant.

October was quite the musical month. The Mayoress and I also attended the Leighton-Linslade Royal British Legion Branch’s Poppy Prom at All Saints’ Church. The Bedfordshire Band of the RBL and the Chanteuses Choir were on sparkling form.

I also attended Hospice at Home’s AGM where I heard they had a very successful year recruiting volunteers and raising funds to help those needing palliative care in our community.

placeholder image — Keep on Rockin' Choir

Last week I spoke at the Churches Together AGM held in St Barnabas Church about the potential benefits of more collaboration between the group and the Town Council on activities and issues within our community. Members were very keen to engage and I hope we can put a few joint projects together in the coming months.

Earlier this week, I visited Men in Sheds at Pages Park where I was made very welcome and told I didn’t need to be any good at making or fixing things which is just as well for anybody who has ever seen my disastrous attempts at DIY. They’re a great bunch and, if you’re looking for something to do midweek, why not pop along and spend an afternoon with them.

My next fundraiser will be a Bingo Night at the Brooklands Residents Association Club on Friday, 14 November, to support the Leighton-Linslade Cancer Support Group. There will be a professional caller, a raffle and the bar will be open. Full details can be found on the Leighton-Linslade Town Council website, App or by contacting Julie Murphy at the White House.

Before this I hope to see you on 9 November at one of the Remembrance Sunday Services at either of the War Memorials in Church Square at 11:00 or Linslade Garden of Remembrance on Mentmore Road at 12:45.

Hospice at Home Volunteers cheque presentation at AGM

Related to the above, at 10:45 on 11 November, prior to the Schools Remembrance Day Service in Church Square, a plaque will be unveiled adjacent to the War Memorial commemorating the incredible contribution to the Allies’ global WWII campaign made by the many women and men who worked at Q Central, based in our Town. If you’ve never heard about this – look it up or read The ‘Secrets of Q Central’ edited by Paul Brown – I promise you will be shocked, amazed and immensely proud to live here – I am!