ON Wednesday, April 1, at 7.30pm two of the Good Afternoon Choirs founded by Grenville Jones will join together for a concert at St John’s Church, Keynsham where they will welcome very special guests, Keynsham Show Choir.

Keynsham Good Afternoon Choir lead by John Hare and South Gloucestershire Good Afternoon Choir lead by Matt Finch are excited to be coming together to perform a wide-variety of songs as a massed choir of more than 100 voices! The choirs are part of a Good Afternoon Choir family of more than 30 fun and friendly, Mixed-voice Community Choirs with 1,400 singers who “sing in the afternoon” around the South West, Wales and London.

Keynsham Show Choir lead by Fran Jones will also delight the audience with songs from smash hit West End musicals as well as lesser-known off-Broadway gems, all sung in accapella.

Good Afternoon Choir Founder Grenville Jones said: “This will be another very special concert for our members with a mix of music to suit everyone. It will be a great night of music for John, Matt and the Keynsham and South Gloucestershire Good Afternoon Choirs who very much look forward to welcoming Keynsham Show Choir.”

For further information visit the Good Afternoon Choir website – www.goodafternoonchoir.org

Tickets for this concert are priced £12 (under 16s Free) on the door from 7.00pm or available from gac.ticketlight.co.uk or by calling 0844 888 9991.

1976 in the UK was a year of drought followed by floods. The average house price was £12,704. The average wage was £72 a week. A pint of beer cost 32p. A loaf of bread was 19p. Concorde made its inaugural commercial flight, and Chew Valley Choral Society was formed to sing Handel’s Messiah.

We are not sure when this picture was taken but we think it was probably taken in the very early years of the choir and the location was Chew Valley School. We recognise a few of the faces but if anyone has any memories of the choir at that time, or knows anyone who does, do get in touch via the website www.chewvalleychoral.org.uk

Our first concert of our 50th anniversary year will be on May 9, 2026, in the beautiful setting of All Saints Church, Publow, and will be a celebration of the Chew Valley and surrounding areas.

We have been working with local history groups and others to explore our shared past through music and stories. With their help, we are putting together a selection of music and spoken word to give a flavour of the rich and varied history of our area.

Messiah will feature later in the year with a ‘Come and Sing’ workshop afternoon on Saturday, June 13, in Bishop Sutton Village Hall and a concert in St John's Church, Keynsham on Saturday, November 28. You are invited to sing in either or both of these.

For more information on all of these events visit our website www.chewvalleychoral.org.uk

IN 1848 John Webb Singer, from Frome, started an art metal works which became the pre-eminent British foundry responsible for some of the most famous statues to be seen all over Britain and abroad.

On Wednesday, April 29, the Harptrees History Society has invited Sue Bucklow, who has made a special study of the foundry’s history, to explain how and why this happened.

Using original albumen prints and images printed from surviving glass negatives, the talk will be a visual feast, bringing to life the foundry and some of the most famous statues cast there. Hear stories of General Gordon, Boudica, King Alfred and “Lady Justice”, as well as surprising connections to Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin.

The society meets in West Harptree Memorial Hall, BS40 6EG and doors open at 7pm. Booking opens for visitors, who are very welcome with a donation of £3, on April 15.

Just email: [email protected] with subject line ''April 2026”.

ON Sunday, April 19, from 2.30pm, at Old School Room, Chew Magna, a 70th anniversary event of the Chew Valley Lake’s Inauguration is to be held.

Chew Valley Local History Society, supported by Harptree History Society, Pensford History Group, Chew Valley Films and Stanton Drew Woman’s Institute will offer a celebration of the Lake, and Queen Elizabeth II’s visit.

The event will feature memories of what was, and is, a ‘golden day’ for many of those who saw Her Majesty.

A spokesperson said: “We detail some of the events and thrills.

“We celebrate the residents whose homes are now sited under the lake. Before the Ministry of Works archaeologists visited ‘for a week or two’ in 1953, the history of the valley was virtually a blank, considered by the Ministry of Works as barren. We will show you a selection of the thousands of finds, providing, evidence of settlements and communities for over 8,000 years which was excitedly recovered from only a small part of the valley.

“We have collated stories and facts about the construction of the lake and finally provide some beautiful examples of the residents and visitors, who share the lake with us today.”

Due to the limited capacity of the Old School Room we recommend reserving a ticket in advance - £5 for adults, younger visitors free. In mid-March there is only a small number of 2.30 pm tickets available, but more 6pm tickets – contact rcade47@gmailcom. Entry on the door if not sold out.

Tea and cake is available from 3pm to 6pm (excluding a gap for VIP teas).

The spokesperson added: “We hope that you will enjoy a superb afternoon/evening.”

RESIDENTS at Crandon Springs Care Home in Wells are enjoying an exciting new addition to their activities programme with the introduction of a large, state-of-the art digital interactive touch screen.

The new LifeSize Touch Screen has been introduced to further enhance life enrichment activities, particularly for residents on the home’s dedicated Memory Lane community. Designed to support those living with dementia, the technology offers engaging and stimulating experiences tailored to a wide range of abilities.

Residents have been thoroughly enjoying exploring the screen’s interactive features, which include art and painting applications, music, quizzes, reminiscence tools, puzzles, matching games and sensory activities. The technology supports both individual and group sessions, encouraging meaningful interaction, collaboration and connection. For more personalised engagement, the screen can also be easily taken into a resident’s room, enabling one-to-one sessions tailored to individual interests and needs.

The introduction of the interactive screen demonstrates how digital innovation can work hand-in-hand with traditional activities, enhancing wellbeing while showing that people of any age, skill level or ability can benefit from new technology with the right support. By offering alternative ways to express creativity and stay mentally active, the touch screen is helping residents experience the joy of engaging, learning and discovery in new ways.

Emily Merchant, activities coordinator at Crandon Springs, said: “We are always looking for meaningful ways to enrich the lives of our residents, and the new interactive touch screen is a wonderful addition to our home. It’s great to see the engagement it brings, particularly for people living with dementia. The screen enables creativity, conversation and connection, whether that’s in a lively group session or a quiet one-to-one activity. It shows that technology can be accessible, inclusive ad beneficial at any stage of life.”

Crandon Springs Care Home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. Crandon Springs provides residential care and dementia care for 64 residents, from respite care to long term stays. For more information about the home, including the many activities and events organised for residents and the wider community, visit the website: www.barchester.com/home/crandon-springs-care-home , Follow on Facebook , or call 01749 685180.

CHEW Stoke Church School has been working with a food nutritionist to develop a new menu, launched on March 23.

A spokesperson said: “We are pleased to let you know that we will be introducing a new school menu. Over the course of this term, we have been working closely with our pupils to design a menu that is both appealing and enjoyable for them. Their feedback and ideas have played an important role in shaping the choices that will be available.

“Alongside this, we have collaborated with the food nutritionist at Edwards and Ward, our school meal provider, to ensure that the menu meets all required food standards and continues to offer balanced, nutritious meals for our children.

“At Chew Stoke, we strongly believe in involving pupils in decision-making wherever possible, and this project has been a wonderful opportunity to do just that.”

The new menu may be viewed here: files.schudio.com/chew-stoke-church-school/files/documents/Spring_26_Alternative_menu_Chew_Stoke(1).pdf