The Strettons

HORSE AND PONY SHOW: The Church Stretton and District Horse and Pony Show, which also includes dog classes, will be held at Green Farm, Longnor, on Sunday. The show programme will include classes for showing, working hunter pony, mountain and moorland, clear round handy pony, mounted fancy dress, show jumping, dressage and gymkhana, as well as the dog show classes. The show offers qualifying classes for Midland Association of Riding Club Champions and schedules are available by ringing 01694-751287 or by visiting www.midarc.co .uk

ARTS FESTIVAL: After a two week programme of events the 40th Church Stretton and South Shropshire Arts Festival celebrated a very successful run which saw many of the performances completely sold out. The arts and crafts exhibition was also well supported with sales topping over £5,000, well up on previous years. Many thanks to all who supported the events and to those who entered items in the exhibition which helped to make the festival such a success, and also to those who gave their time to ensure everything ran according to plan.

SCRAPPIES: Scrappies Children's Scrap Store will soon be closing for a well-earned summer break so there is just two more week-ends left to stock up with any requirements for summer fetes and carnivals. The store will be open from 10am-3pm on Saturday and then closes its doors until 11am on September 6. However, Danny Jones, the new craft worker at Scrappies will be out and about at Bridgnorth Festival along with the volunteers on Saturday, August 26. Danny will be with Scrappies for 12 months sponsored by a grant from the Local Network Fund. He comes from the Conwy area and has been involved in craft work with children and young people since the mid-80s when he started to work for the Conwy Valley Arts Group. He has also worked for the Conwy Youth Service as a visiting craft tutor and was a stage manager and prop maker for both CHAPS and the Colwyn Abby Players. He is committed to recycling and preserving old crafts from fire-lighting to rope work, and is looking forward to the challenge of working with people, and particularly those from the more rural and deprived parts of Shropshire. Contact the store by telephone on 01694-722511, by email on Info@scrappies.org or visit the website on www.scrappies.org

SUMMER SHOW: Garden enthusiasts can look forward to the Church Stretton and District Gardening Club Show at the Silvester Horne Institute on August 26 (2.30pm). Schedules are available from Salts the Ironmongers in the High Street, or direct from John Bricknell at 67, Shrewsbury Road. Closing date for entries is Thursday, August 24.

SCHOOL NEWS: As part of their geography GCSE coursework, Year 10 pupils at Church Stretton School went on a trip to Liverpool to do an urban study of the city. It had been part of the plan to take the ferry across the Mersey from Birkenhead, but since it was too windy for this to happen they had to travel under the river instead via the Wallasey tunnel. The visit took them to the Maritime Museum and at the Albert Docks where they spent time asking shop owners and tourists various questions which were relevant to their coursework.

Year 9 pupils entered the first round of the Mock Trials which were held in Telford Magistrates' Court earlier in the year. This was a competition where a number of schools took part , acting out an actual court case against other schools by defending or prosecuting the accused. During the day the pupils were up against Thomas Adams School, Wem, and Charlton School, and although the team did not win through on this occasion they did receive £50 towards books for the library.

AROUND AND ABOUT: Winners in the July tote draw in aid of Rushbury Village Hall funds were Mrs P Ballard and Mrs V Stanley who each won £5, Mr A Bennett and Mr and Mrs D Hook each winning £10, and Mrs J Furber who scooped the £40 prize. The next draw will be at the flower and produce show on Bank Holiday Monday.

More village news in this week's Ludlow Advertiser