This weeks local news

QUIZ TRAIL STARTS: If you enjoy quizzes but don't always have the answers the Festival Quiz Trail is for you. It provides you with the answers to 25 questions and the questions are displayed on the windows of various local town centre businesses. All you have to do is match the questions to the answers - nothing could be simpler. The Quiz Trail is free and runs from June 1 to June 23 to coincide with the Busking Bonanza on Saturday June 22. Entry forms are available from News Express and ITech both in Stafford Street and the library in the High Street. There is a cash prize for the best entry. The organisers would like to thank the local businesses for their support.

ECCLESHALL CRICKET: This Sunday May 26, Eccleshall CC take on Stone and Oakamoor in a T20 festival of runs at the Roy Thomson Memorial Ground. Play starts at 10.30am and there will be a Pig Roast, BBQs, Music and a bar from midday. On Monday May 27 Eccleshall Cricket Club take on Eccleshall Rugby Club in the annual grudge match. Lots of fun and friendship. Play starts at midday. Come and have a great day of FAMILY FUN at Eccleshall Cricket Club.

By the way they have SKY SPORTS as well

NATIONAL GARDENS SCHEME: The annual scheme of open gardens for charities is underway and the list of gardens is contained in the directory which is available from the library and the hospice shop free of charge. The first garden in Eccleshall is open on Sunday May 26 between 2pm and 5.30pm at Heath House, Offley Brook, ST21 6HA

ARCHIVE SERVICE: On Saturday July 13 the Archive Service and County Museum Service will be in Eccleshall at the Methodist Church room between 10.30am and 4pm. If you live in Eccleshall and district and are interested in local or family history then this is for you. Find out more about the history of the town and get help with your family history.

ACOUSTIC NIGHT: Next month's Acoustic Night at the Royal Oak takes place on Thursday June 6 starting at 8pm in the grand room upstairs, Admission is free and the raffle raises funds for Katharine House. All singers and acoustic players welcome.

ROTARY CLUB: There will be no Club meeting on Monday May 27 because it is a Bank Holiday. The next meeting will be on Monday June 3 for a business evening at the George Hotel.

ECCLESHALL W.I.: Eccleshall WI meeting held on May 9 was a resolution meeting, The members voted to support the resolutions to be proposed at the forthcoming national AGM, namely The decline of the high street and town centre and changes in the WI constitution. The delegate for our area is a member of Broughton WI. After business was done the club enjoyed a Beetle Drive. The competition was a scone either sweet or savoury and the winners were 1st Ann Chamberlain, 2nd Joan Apps and 3rd Joan Davies. The club's next meeting will be on Thursday June 13 when John and Susan Weston will be giving a talk on the history of the NGS in Staffordshire.

PARTY TIME: The Reverend James Graham and his wife Amanda celebrated birthdays with eighty friends at the community centre last Saturday, it was a sixties themed fancy dress evening.

SUPPORT GROUP: The K.H.H Eccleshall Support Group was presented with a certificate marking 15 years of service and raising almost £54,000. This was presented to Mary Boden the group leader by the Trustees at the Annual Volunteers Evening held this year at the Rangers Football Ground. They would like to thank our wonderful community for their continued support of K.H.H. which provides so many free services to help those who are terminally ill and their families.

Their next fund raising events are a Flower Demonstration by Di Scott MBE, called 'Light a candle for....' at Eccleshall Community Centre on Wednesday June 12 starting at 7pm, tickets £6 includes tea or coffee and biscuits, the flowers will be raffled.

BASKETS UP: The members and friends of the Ecclian Society will be hard at it on Sunday June 2 erecting the hanging baskets in the town centre. Some sixty baskets will be hung and a number of mangers will be put in place. The work will start at 10am outside the home of the Baskervilles 72 High Street and any volunteers who wish to assist would be most welcome.

OPEN Mic EVENING: The next Star Inn open mike session is this Sunday May 26 starting at 8.30pm. If you are a local musician and would like to take part do pop along.

FREE ADVICE CLINIC: On Saturday May 25 Claire Tweed of Hacking Ashton solicitors will be providing a free legal advice clinic at their premises at 8 Stafford Street between 10am and 12 noon. Please call to make an appointment on 01785 851489.

On Thursday June 27 the firm will be taking part in the hospice Big Cuppa event to support this charity between 10am and 12noon and invite people to support them.

SNOWBALL PRIZE WON: The weekly Sunday evening quiz at the Kings Arms reached the final 'must be won' snowball quiz last Sunday May 19 when twelve regular teams battled it our with a fifteen round particularly difficult questions. The £100 snowball prize was won by XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The snowball is not allowed to rise above £100 to discourage people entering just for the money rather than the fun of the chase.

YOUNG FARMERS: The Young farmer meet at the Royal Oak on Wednesday June 1 starting at 8.30pm.

ECCLESHALL SINGERS: The annual meeting of the Singers takes place on Tuesday May 28 at the Methodist Church starting at 7.30pm. Reports from the current officers of the choir and the election of the new officers will take place.

POLICY FORUM: The next in the series of policy forums arranged by the Constituency Conservative Party takes place at the Kings Arms on Thursday May 30 starting at 7.30pm. The subject of the evening is 'Working Families' and it is open to anyone who wishes to attend whatever their political belief.

MEN'S FELLOWSHIP: Members of the Trinity Men's Fellowship group will be meeting at The Bell on Friday May 31 for lunch at 12.30pm. The more agile members of the group will start the day at 10.30am with a walk around the countryside.

BUSKING BONANZA: The Stafford Borough Council is sponsoring the forthcoming busking event being held in the town on Saturday June 22.

RACHAEL CLEGG: Rachael is the principal oboe player in the Manchester Camerata who will be accompanied by Elena Nalimova on the piano. The concert takes place at the St Michael's & All Angels Church at Adbaston ST20 0QE on Sunday June 2. Tickets are £6 each and the concert starts at 5.30pm. Ring 01785 280373 for tickets.

COUNTRY MUSIC NIGHT : On Saturday June 1 the S A Country Music Club has its monthly event at the Community centre in Shaw's Lane starting at 8.15pm. Bring your own drinks. The new number to contact the organisers is 01630 673033.

MIDSUMMER MADNESS: A supper organised at the London House by the local Conservative association takes place at the restaurant on Monday June 24. Tickets are available at £15 from Susie Guild 850473. It is a fund raiser for the party but promises to be non political just good food to which we are welcome.

DETECTIVE WORK: Raymond Faulkner will be the guest speaker at the Eccleshall Wives meeting on Thursday May 30 in the Parish Room starting at 8pm.

SERVICE OF LIGHT: On Sunday evening starting at 6.30pm the Evensong service includes the 'Service of Light'.

LONG WET GRASS: Due to the wet weather and spells of sunshine the grass in the Holy Trinity churchyard has grown apace and gave the mowers a tough time last Saturday. the usual two hours of work was reduced to one. More volunteers are needed for the fortnightly mowing and if you could help for an hour you would be most welcome. The next session (weather permitting) is on Saturday June 1 starting at 9.30am.

TREES TRIMMED: A number of the trees in the old vicarage at the end of the High Street have had treatment over the last two weeks. Several were rotten and need to be removed. The trees are almost landmarks of the town and the necessary work will leave them in a much better condition.