THERE were very few empty seats when Marlow Town Band and FZH Blasorchester Kelkheim-Hornau put on a joint concert at All Saints Church. Conductors Ian Young and Uwe Deparade got the very best out of their talented musicians. The Mayor of High Wycombe and the Mayor of Marlow were in the audience to hear the bands alternate with a programme that ranged from polkas to pop. The Marlow Band cheekily included the theme from The Great Escape as one of their numbers as, apparently, this evergreen war story is one of Germany's top three all-time movie hits.

After two hours Ian Young brought the concert to a close conducting the two bands with Hootenanny, a show stopping mixture of favourites which allowed the musicians to enjoy themselves and brought a well-deserved encore. Many will be hoping that it will not be too long before the Kelkheim band from High Wycombe's twin town will be back playing in Marlow again.

TOP honours at the Marlow and District Horticultural Society's autumn show were taken by Bea Ward when she retained the Hughes Challenge Plate awarded for the best exhibit. It is the fourth time she has won the Plate and she received the trophy from Marlow's mayor, Cllr Maurice Oram, who presented the prizes at what was regarded as the best show for years.

Bea Ward also won the Dorlen Cup and the Booker Garden Centre Cup for her magnificent collection of flowers and she will be hoping for success again this weekend when she shows at the High Wycombe show for the first time.

Another winner was Abigail Hargreaves from Oak Tree Road who made up a posy for a blind person and an edible necklace. The 5 year old picks up her gardening interest from her grandmother, says Abigail's father David.

Next year the Marlow gardeners switch their autumn event to Liston Hall.

Other winners at this year's show included the T O Wethered Cup for six kinds of vegetables Mr W Gibbs, Wright Cup for gladioli Mr R Wood, Members Challenge Cup for three kinds of vegetables Mr L A Timms, Wethered Cup for most prize money in 17 vegetable classes Mr J Young, Roland Pounds Trophy for best shallots Mr L A Timms, Weir Cup for Rock Garden floral exhibit Mrs Pauline Float, WRVS Bowl to exhibitor gaining most points in four floral arrangement classes Mrs Pauline Float, Molly Bailey Cup best floral exhibit Mrs C Gilman, Novice class Mrs J Pearson for her Cottage Garden exhibit.

Jacob White won the Gavin Cup for his model made with fruits, vegetables or flowers and another junior winner was Adele Pearson for her arrangement with a fairy-tale theme.

The Challenge Cup to the exhibitor gaining most prize money in 12 domestic classes covering jams, chutney, cake and bread making Mrs J Pearson. The Open Handicraft section was won by Mrs Dorothy Walsh with Stephanie Powell clinching the under16s Challenge Cup for her handmade exhibit.

BOTH the Marlow Amateur Operatic Society and the Marlow Choral Society are combing the area for new talent for their future productions.

Andrew Stafford will produce Gilbert and Sullivan's Yeoman of the Guard, which the MAOS will put on at the Shelley Theatre next spring. Together with musical director David Haseldine he will be unveiling his plans for the new production over a glass of wine at Liston Hall at 8pm on Thursday September 13. Singers, experienced or not, as well as backstage artisans, are more than welcome to attend. If you can't get along but are interested please make contact with the chairman, Michael Leggate on 01628 484618.

Marlow's Choral Society, which has over 80 members, is also recruiting for the new season and their first rehearsal is at the Methodist Church on Monday September 10. They are preparing for their November presentation of Vivaldi's Gloria and Benjamin Britten's St Nicholas, as well as for the annual carol festival, which is usually a sell-out at the Shelley Theatre.

THE Chiltern Society is staging a Moonlight Walk this evening. The four miles stroll along the river begins at 7.30pm from the car park at Mill End.

RISING to the Top is the title of a weekend of music being staged at Clayton's in the Oxford Road Saturday, September 1 and Sunday. It gets underway at noon Saturday, September 1 when, for 12 hours DJs will be spinning a varied programme from jazz funk to Latin fusion. Over the two days more than a dozen presenters will be pitching their music and the mixture will be repeated from noon on Sunday, winding up with a special guest picking up the microphone at 9pm. Entrance is £2.

AT the Methodist Church hall next Saturday Dilys Morgan Scott is staging a Five Rhythms Dance Day, exploring movement, energy and self expression. The organisers say that while the dance is sacred connecting body, heart and soul it is not always serious. The day goes on between 1and 8pm and costs £55.

THE Sue Ryder Home at Nettlebed will receive the proceeds from Sunday's Marlow's Town Twinning's Petanque Charity Open Triples competition at the Hand and Flowers public house in West Street. Cllr Maurice Oram, the Mayor of Marlow, and a holder of the Marly-le-Roi Medaille d'Honneur de la Ville, will present the prizes on Sunday.

SOMBREROS at Seven is the title of the Bisham Concert Band and Banda de l'Agrupaccio Musicale de Cerdanyola del Valles joint evening of music at Wycombe High School for girls on Sunday September 9. It starts at 7pm and tickets cost £4 and £3 can be reserved with a phone call to 01494 482152.

FORMER pupils, parents and staff are invited to the 25th Anniversary of Spinfield School next Thursday at Terrington Hill. Celebrations are from 2 to 5pm and again in the evening from 7pm for a couple of hours. Mrs MacGregor in the school office, on 01628 473551, is hoping to put on a display of memorabilia over the years and if you can help out with old photos, etc, please give her a ring.

FINAL performances of Brer Rabbit Visits Africa and Shakespeare's The Tempest, this summer's offering from the Puppet Theatre on the barge in Higginson Park, take place Saturday, September 1. Curtain rises on Brer Rabbit at 2.30pm with the Shakespearean offering at 8pm. Bookings are handled on 07836 202745.

If you haven't caught up with the puppets in Marlow, two performances of Brer Rabbit are being staged at Cliveden on Sunday week at 2.30 and 4.30pm.

MARLOW Town Councillors meet at their offices in Court Garden on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

PROVING to be a popular event, which the public want to visit, the Farmer's Market returns to the Causeway on Wednesday morning offering best quality local produce from 10.30am.

TOWNSWOMEN'S Guild members welcome Mrs Jupp when they begin their autumn programme at Liston Hall on Wednesday evening at 7.45pm. She will talk about Victorian jewellery.

AFTER a break this month the pram service for parents and minders takes place at All Saints Church on Tuesday at 11.15am. After opinions were canvassed there is a possibility that both the monthly pram service and the popular TGIS service, held on the first Sunday in the month, may be held on a more regular basis at the church.

THERE should be a smile on the faces of the regulars at the flea and collectors market Saturday, September 1. It is business as usual at Liston Hall when the sellers open up their stalls from 9am.

August 30, 2001 9:54