Golf, golf and more golf - plus a bit of fancy dress

I am a golf widow!! Well not a widow exactly as it is my son that plays not my husband!  I seem to spend my whole time running him from one golf competition to the next and then waiting for the phone call to pick him up again.  When he's not in comps he's either at the golf club or the driving range practising.  Still, it must be paying off - he's played in 5 comps recently and been placed in every one - plus came 4th Nett in the Lancashire U15 Boys championship and their school were Lancashire Schools Champions team nett runners up against some very illustrious competition - first time they've entered it :-)

Melissa's 18th - you may notice a theme throughout this blog - me and my friends seem to spend a disproportionate amount of our lives in fancy dress and wigs - ha ha!!!

Close Every Door

This was something very special - each show that Valley Academy does gets better and better but this really went that extra mile:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8wasMXAp0s

Flashmob!!!

We took the Rawtenstall market by storm - Valley Aloud choir flashmob - it was really good fun - startled a few old ladies shopping!  Sorry no video :-(

This month I was also out planting an orchard - as part of Incredible Edible Rossendale:

Ironically, it is situated at The Orchard on Helmshore Road in Haslingden, opposite the Sports Centre which apparently used to be an orchard but has had no fruit trees for as long as anyone can remember.   We planted over 50 assorted fruits trees, mainly apples, but some cherries, plums and pears too.

This town needs you - Civic Pride

Another way I like to spend my spare time is helping clean up our valley.  When time allows I volunteer with Civic Pride to help make our town look good - be it litter picking, planting flowers or weeding - every little helps  - we need all the help we can get - see this article in the free press:


http://www.rossendalefreepress.co.uk/news/local-news/civic-pride-time-you-join-3011958

I wanna live forever - Fame!

Another amazing performance from the Valley Academy team - I used to love this show on the tv - a looong time ago!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OgG0de1QjY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvarVFzBZrY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hB8XNBtE3Dk

Btw rights in most of the photos and videos on this blog belong to Nigel Taylor and his team without whom this blog would be a lot less colourful - thank you Nigel :-)

Whitaker Park

Now one of the things I like to do in my spare time  is volunteer with Incredible Edible Rossendale.

A project we are currently raising funds for is the old animal enclosure in Whitaker Park -  we have a page on Spacehive where people can pledge funds:

We have access to a disused animal enclosure which we would like to build into a family picnic area.

Whitaker Park in Rawtenstall Lancashire is where we have our first Incredible Edible Community Garden. We currently have a huge walled garden with fruit, vegetables and herbs available for the general public to plant, grow and pick. In 2012, we won a Level 5 Award from North West In Bloom (RHS It's Your Neighbourhood) and were described as 'Outstanding'!
We would like to develop an adjoining disused animal enclosure into a family area with picnic tables, bird tables/boxes and fruit trees. The area will be maintained by the general public.

What we'll do:

• Situate picninc tables and bird tables/boxes. Plant fruit trees

Why it's a great idea:

Aside from developing the award winning site, it will encourage people to come outdoors to a lovely park, visit Rossendale Museum (less than 50 metres away), and, watch wild birds whilst learning about fresh produce. Hopefully, people will eat food from the gardens whilst enjoying their seat!

Birthday treats

Not much to report in January really - it all seems a bit dull after Christmas - until we get to my birthday of course!  

Was going to meet my Mum at the wonderful Bistro des Amis in Skipton but snow stopped play!  Did manage to walk up to the village in our wellies for dinner at Vincenzo's though ...nom, nom!

And look what a fabulous purchase my hubby made for me from www.laralookfabulous.co.uk (he was under instructions - I've had my eye on this bag for months!!)