"Wanted - large dragon. Good condition. To preside over St George's Day dinner, April 25. Contact Dru Bentley (tel 567881) or Rosemary Herbert (572497) (using asbestos telephone?)". The search is on for a replacement dragon for this year's St George's Day dinner organised by the Friends of St James's Church, which will take place on Friday, April 25! The 7ft-long star of this popular event for the last two years is apparently injured and out for the season! The dragon is just one of many special features of this now well established occasion: others will include suitably patriotic prose and poetry readings between courses of the meal, and a raffle with all-English prizes, eg English cheese, wines etc. The dinner will again be held at the Thornbury Hotel, Avenue Road, with ticket prices held at last year's £21. For enquiries and table bookings, see numbers above.

Spending a penny in West Malvern could become more difficult if the threatened closure by the district council of the public toilets at the Dingle. At the same time, it may yet become easier at St James's Church where, following a generous donation from the Friends of St James's, the plans to install toilet facilities look more achievable than ever before. The need to cater for disabled people, the fact that the church is a listed building and the ramifications of church bureaucracy mean that it could still be some way off.

In the meantime, you can contribute by dropping a few coins in the appropriately named "Penny Jar" in the church.