Bees, bunnies and babies: 12 things to do in the Bishop's Stortford area this weekend
If you're looking for inspiration for alternatives to a 24-hour TV sports marathon for this weekend's FA Cup semi-finals and the London Marathon, here are 12 highlights from our weekly in-paper Listings guide to tempt you elsewhere - including a couple of premature St George's Day events! The weather forecast is for sunny intervals and temperatures of 21C (70F) in the Stortford area for both Saturday and Sunday.
SATURDAY
1. Introduction to home jewellery making, Bishop’s Stortford Museum, Rhodes, 10am, tickets £35 – This workshop covers the basic and essential skills needed for home jewellery makers whilst creating your first pair of earrings or necklace to take home with you. All materials are provided apart from lunch.
2. Fundraising coffee week, Bishop’s Stortford Baptist Church, Twyford Road, 11am-12.30pm, tickets £4.50 (inc unlimited drinks) – This event will benefit Project Waterfall, an initiative to deliver clean water facilities to coffee-growing communities. Speciality coffees will be served alongside teas, cakes and sandwiches.
3. Clavering Spring Fayre, Clavering village hall, 11am, entry 50p in aid of St Clare Hospice – High-quality and hand-made artisan items for sale, as well as pre-loved goods including furniture, clothes, toys, books, household items and bric-a-brac.
4. Honeybee keeping and hosting talk, Cammas Hall Fruit Farm, Needham Green, Hatfield Broad Oak, 11am-12pm & 2pm-3pm – Kevin Hancock, inventor and creator of the Gardener’s Beehive, gives a talk about the ongoing plight of the bee and what can be done to help the declining honeybee numbers.
5. St George’s Day Mini Beer Festival, Bishop’s Stortford Cricket Club, Cricketfield Lane, 12 noon-10pm, admission free – Bishop’s Stortford Community Sports Trust and the Secret Sausage Shop present a festival of food, drink and cricket in the form of a barbecue, beer and a match between Stortford and Hoddesdon (starts 1.30pm).
6. St George’s Day Celebrations, Bishop’s Stortford Social Club, South Street, 8pm –
Charlie Davis, an old-fashioned party-style act, performs cockney sing-along songs. Pie and mash with liquor from Manzes of London will be served all day, along with jellied eels.
7. Laughing Bishops Comedy Club, United Reformed Church hall, Water Lane, Bishop’s Stortford, doors open 7.30pm, show starts 8.30pm, tickets £15 on the door – Paddy Lennox introduces headliner Gordon Southern, American Will Franken and Paul F Taylor. Over-18s only. Cash bar, real ale and vegan curry by Rekha Joshi for £6.
SUNDAY
8. 2018 Essex Championship Rabbit Show, Birchwood High School, Parsonage Lane, Bishop’s Stortford, 8am-5pm – The largest rabbit show in East Anglia, with over 300 bunnies and 13 specialist breed clubs.
9. Coffee, Croissants and Conversation, Carluccio’s, North Street, Bishop’s Stortford, 9.30am-11.30am – An informal meet-up for people who want to share a conversation in French and English over coffee and croissants.
10. Open day, Gardens of Easton Lodge, Little Easton, near Great Dunmow, 11.30am-5pm, tickets £4.50 (free for under-16s) – The first open day of the season is a chance to enjoy spring leaves and to learn about the gardens from primary school pupils who have been studying their history and will be showcasing their work. Children’s activities include a Dragons Trail.
11. Baby Fair, Bishop’s Stortford High School, London Road, 1pm-4pm – The NCT is hosting this event to showcase pregnancy and baby-related services. Sling and baby massage demos, mini first-aid classes, talks from supporting services including midwives and ante-natal teachers, lots of cake and much more. The first 100 visitors will receive a free goody bag.
12. The Manuden Singers, Players and Soloists, St Mary’s Church, Manuden, 7.30pm, tickets £10 adults, £5 children, call 01279 812157 to book – The Manuden Singers, Players and Soloists, directed by Ian Priest, will perform JS Bach’s Easter Oratorio, Handel’s Anthem for a Royal Wedding and Mozart’s Ave Verum and Vespers. Proceeds to Herts & Essex Samaritans.
