FESTIVAL -- The town is filling up with visitors and performers for this, the 21st, anniversary year of the Presteigne Festival. Ticket sales are going well with some events - including the illustrated lecture at Titley on The Language of Flowers by Rose Kerr, of the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Offa's Dyke guided walk on Tuesday, August 26 - already sold out. Seats for the Birthday Gala Concert on Saturday, August 23, and the Festival Finale concert on Tuesday, August 26, are also selling quickly. Artistic director, George Vass, is enthusiastic about the wide variety of the highest quality music-making taking place over the six action-packed days of the festival. There are no less than 11 Presteigne Festival commissions this year, he says, including A Garland for Presteigne, a new song-cycle from ten outstanding composers, and a new work for string sextet, Children of Baghdad, by Adrian Williams, the Festival's founding director. Adrian's new work has arisen out of his anger about the Iraq war and his sadness at what has happened to the children there. As an expression of this anger and sadness he describes the music as 'explosive and unpredictable. How I felt about the war. Children of Baghdad is just that, a piece about feelings... very emotional.' The festival is honoured to welcome Robin Holloway as composer-in-residence in his 60th birthday year; other musical themes include a survey of American music, a feature of chamber music by Johannes Brahms, and a centenary tribute to Lennox Berkeley. The artist roster for 2003 is quite outstanding, with many favourite performers returning to take part in the special birthday festivities, and the programme is complemented with events for children, talks, walks, poetry and a one-woman show.

FLORAL ART -- The Presteigne and Borders Floral Art Society will be holding an outing on Wednesday, September 17, to the Avoncroft museum of historic buildings, with a visit to Webbs of Wychbold Garden Centre on the return journey. The coach will leave Norton at 9.15 am, with other pick-up points being possible. The cost for the coach and museum entrance is £11, and lunch at Avoncroft can be obtained if booked in advance. Contact Trish Jones for further details and to reserve a place on 01544 269380.

CHRISTMAS FAIR SURVEY --Presteigne Chamber of Trade is carrying out a Christmas fair survey, during August to try and establish what people feel about the Christmas fair, and how it might be improved. It has been a bit run down in the last few years and the chamber are hoping to make some improvements this year. There was some exchange of letters in the paper after the last one, and chairman James Tennant-Eyles reports that they are trying to respond to this. Chamber members and the general public are being asked to reply to the survey if they wish. The chamber members are being direct mailed with the survey forms, and the general public can get them from boxes in the Post Office, the Chemist, or Costcutter. The replies can be returned to the boxes or given to Clare at Don's Fruit and Veg, or sent to our secretary, Dawn Sandrey at Railway Bungalow, Stansbach, Leominster, HR6 9LW. There will be a draw from the replies, with cash prizes to encourage a big response! The first prize will be for £20, the second, £10, and the third £5. The survey will be asking for people's opinions on such matters as the timing of the fair - which day of the week, and what time of day - whether Father Christmas should attend, and if so whether his grotto should be in The Judge's Lodgings; should the shop window competition continue, and if so how should the judging be managed? Should the fair be a 'themed' event? such as a Georgian Christmas... So pick up a survey form, let the Chamber of Trade know your views and maybe win one of the draw prizes! The final entry date is Friday, August 29.

ART EXHIBITIONS -- Apart from the exhibition in support of St Mary's Church at Pilleth - from Friday, August 22 to Monday, August 25 - at Little Rodd, open from 11am to 5pm each day, there is also an exhibition of paintings by Jeannie James at The Rodd, from Thursday, August 21, to Sunday, August 31 - open from 11am to 1pm, and from 2pm to 6pm daily. Tea, cakes and coffee will be available at Little Rodd. In addition Lingen is holding its annual arts and crafts exhibition and sale over the Bank Holiday weekend of August 23/26. Each year the exhibition (the arts all-inclusive group) surpasses the previous year, with exhibits of excellent quality - and also very good teas! The exhibition will be in the village hall from 10.00 am to 5.30 pm each day.

MUM'S GROUP -- 'Churches Together' in Presteigne are looking into the possibility of setting up a group for mums of school-age children - some form of a 'get-together' to suit their needs. 'Churches Together is happy to facilitate this venture, but is looking for ideas, suggestions and comments from anyone who might be interested in joining such a group. They will be considering such matters as time and frequency of meetings, location, content etc. Options are open! Contact any member of 'Churches Together', or Suzanne Roberts on 01544 267339.

THE TOWN CLOCK -- Oh dear! Perhaps it's the hot weather....