So you’re interested in Shakespeare? (Well, the picture obviously caught your attention…) Or maybe, ever since school, you hate him and all his works? Fair enough. What I want to know is: if you love him, would you welcome an opportunity to get to know him better? And if you hate him, would you be willing to give him one more try? I only ask because I’m kind of astonished at the number of people who turn up for my talks on the various Shakespeare plays that the Players have put on over the years, and I’m wondering whether there’s an appetite for some kind of local Shakespeare group that might take things to the next level.

What is the next level? You tell me. It could be:

• Talks on Shakespeare – any aspect you like. (That would probably mean more of me to start with, but if we can get some momentum going it might also mean actual professional scholars/actors/directors who can be persuaded to do something not-too-academic for the price of a nice meal.)
• Group trips to Stratford to see shows or visit the houses where Shakespeare and his family lived
• Similar trips to London for theatres and historic Shakespearean locations
• Events focusing on current GCSE/A level set texts
• Shakespeare-themed, sack-fuelled annual dinners
• All or none of the above

If this sounds in any way your cup of tea, please call me on 851055 or email me at editor@blewbury.co.uk with (preferably) some specific thing you’d like to see or hear or do, or just a general ‘might be interested’. Shakespeare, to me, is an inexhaustible mine of miracles and wonder, so it would be good to find people who might want to do some more digging!  Thanks for reading.  Chris Whatmore

The Vale of the White Horse Active Communities team will be at Ticker’s Folly Field on Wednesday 31^st May from 2-4 pm to run a multi-sports activities event at our new Outdoor Table Tennis Table.

This Active Communities team, who helped us acquire the new outdoor table tennis table, are keen to promote its use. They will organise a range of fun activities suitable for all ages  and abilities. There will free bats and balls to be won and all sorts of other surprises in the half-term sunshine. Do come along in comfortable shoes ready to have fun, be active and win prizes.

In the meantime the Blewbury Table Tennis Club welcomes new participants of all ages and abilities at our weekly Blewbury Village Hall sessions every Tuesday from 5:00 – 6:30pm.  Roger Murphy, Chair of the Blewbury Table Tennis Club

Just in the last few days our brand new top quality outdoor table tennis table has been delivered, constructed and installed on Tickers Folly Field. Huge thanks to the District Council, who gave it to us, to the Parish Council, who brokered the deal, and to all who helped in different ways with this exciting venture – especially Mark Shayler, who did the groundwork and put in the concrete base and playing area.

The table is there now 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone to go to play on it (although we don’t yet have floodlights installed!). Some tips for first time users are to take a cloth or old towel with you to wipe down the surface as it often gets wet or slightly muddy overnight. Also take your own bats and balls, as there is nowhere there where we can store them. And finally try to choose a time when the wind isn’t too strong! Table tennis is fine as an outdoor game if the conditions are still, but if the wind is strong it can be very difficult to have a good game.

On Saturday April 1^st and 8^th from 2-3pm members of the Blewbury Table Tennis Club will be up there with bats, balls, and coaching advice (if needed), so why not come up and have a go on Blewbury’s new play area? Also if you want to play on our four fabulous indoor tables do join us for our regular Blewbury Table Tennis Club sessions in Blewbury Village Hall every Tuesday from 5-6pm. All standards and ages welcome.

Roger Murphy, Chair, Blewbury Table Tennis Club