the time of year has arrived when parents of young children are having to think about their formal education and where they will be when the new year begins in September.

St Mary’s Pre-school is holding an Open Day on May 16 from 9.30 until 11.30. They point out this is a golden opportunity for parents, who haven’t had to consider this before, to see the facilities and activities.

It’s a chance to meet staff, other parents and committee members. As a tempter, I’m reliably informed there will be a cake sale. Those proceeds go to pre-school funds; remember it’s a registered charity.

ANOTHER charity that will benefit from an activity that engages a lot of the local population is Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Marlow Music Makers choir are busy rehearsing to deliver three nights of lively music in aid of this important charity. Musical director Barbara Whitehead said: “I am delighted to announce that this is the charity chosen for support from our 2013 concerts. Hearing dogs provide their recipients independence, confidence and companionship by alerting them to important household sounds and danger signals. They also help their recipients overcome the isolation that deafness can bring.”

These MMM concerts are usually very popular and tickets go quickly. So, although there’s a while to go before the summer concert on July 4, 5, and 6, at Marlow’s United Reformed Church, it may be worth your while going to Insight Opticians in the High Street now, or ring 01628 484618 or 01494 883392. The price of £9 includes a glass of wine and light refreshments.

ALTHOUGH there has not been space enough to document here all their successes, it’s quite obvious from information distributed through Neighbourhood Watch, that the Thames Valley Police are having a great deal of success in our area.

A number of schemes have targeted crime scenarios, resulting in an impressive list of arrests and, more importantly in a significant reduction in those crime categories. True, there is a national trend of reducing crime, but somehow the tone and volume of TVP announcements would suggest their effectiveness has been particularly fruitful.

If you want to know more of the details, your own local NW representative will be able to inform you. If you are not sure who that is, then ask around your street; good for community relations, but if you are stuck, the police will no doubt point you in the right direction. Just don’t dial 999 number for such a general enquiry.

KEEPING on a police theme, John Barlow gave a report at last week’s Valley Plus meeting about how TVP is keen to be seen to be doing the things that concern most of us most critically.

The aim is to establish a structure of how best to use police resources – with formal input from the public.

If you want to know more about how to get involved, contact me and I will pass your interest on to John Barlow.

REFLECTING on his last year’s activities, particularly related to the London Olympics, Sir Steve Redgrave spoke to a large and enthralled Valley Plus audience. The matters he covered were fascinating because, without compromising any individual competitors’ viewpoint, he was able to talk about events and their consequences on participants in a reflective and analytical way that just isn’t, or can’t, be the subject of TV or radio discussion. He put into the context of their career status and progression competitors’ reactions to their success or otherwise at the games. For instance, why was bronze such an overwhelming triumph to some, when silver seemed to condemn others as total failures. In all cases, the public would perceive any medal as a success, even if the recipient fell short of a predicted gold.

Steve talked about the complex psychology and motivations of these highly-honed sportsmen. Their world is much more complex than many of us might conceive.

Another very rare opportunity for us was to handle and be pictured with the very Olympic torch carried by David Beckham.

An even rarer experience, we had the opportunity to handle and picture one of the 204 actual ‘petals’ that made up the Olympic cauldron – its copper all charred after two weeks of continuous burning.

In all we were treated to what was probably a unique review of the Olympic spirit.

Finally, when asked if he had been inspired to row by the Marlow Regatta, he replied: “Marlow Regatta meant to me that the fair was coming to town – though I was vaguely aware that some messing about in boats usually took place somewhere on the river, but that had no appeal until a teacher offered an escape from maths lessons to make up the crew for rowing training – now that seemed a pretty good deal.”

An excellent talk, astutely and brilliantly delivered.