HARVEST festival will be celebrated this Sunday at Christ Church at the usual time of 9.30am and everyone is welcome. The church will be decorated in the traditional way with examples of the local produce and this is a particularly relevant event in the church calendar to us living in a rural community. The service will be followed by Harvest Elevenses which is a bring-and-share light refreshment - please bring a small offering if you are able.

Also at the service, toys, crayons, pencils or any items small enough to fit into a shoe box are being collected to send through the Tanzanian link to the children of Mtwara. The country has not had rain for three years and every family's money is being spent on basic survival, so any items we can send will help towards the children's education at a tie that is becoming increasingly desperate.

The Malvern Hills District Brass Band is giving a concert in the hall on October 31 at 7.30pm. This is a charity concert, the proceeds being donated to Memorial Hall funds. The brass band was formed 25 years ago and has become well known for its appearances in local parks, fetes, garden parties and festivals, playing an extensive range of music to suit all tastes. It has successfully completed in brass band contests and has played at the Albert Hall twice. The band's musical director Mike West has been with them since September 2002. He began playing the cornet at the age of ten with the Salvation Army and has conducted various well known Midlands bands over the years. He is currently a peripatetic brass music teacher for the Sandwell Education Department. Tickets are priced at £5 for adults and £3 for children and can be had in advance from Allan Wood on 633698, Hall committee members or at the door on the night.

Don't forget the circle dancing tomorrow, Saturday October 11, at 7.30pm and the illustrated talk on the Arctic by David Fletcher on October 17.

Also another reminder that the Garden Club meets this month on Wednesday, October 15, when Daphne Everett will be talking about the History of English Gardens.