Charlecote Park staff and volunteers came to Wellesbourne for the Street Fair in June and Councillor Roger Wright took the opportunity to visit the stand and find out more about the National Trust.
July events at Charlecote will start with a Bat Walk on 3rd July - a bookable event, costing £5. We are all hoping for beautiful warm summer evenings for the two Heartbreak open air productions this year - The Secret Garden on Sunday 11th July and Love in Shakespeare on Saturday 24th. Bring your picnic and enjoy the performance and the setting.
There will be a Walk with the Gardener at 2 pm on Saturday 24th July as well as the usual park walks held most days with volunteer guides.
The first Charlecote Children's Club starts on Tuesday 27th July and will be held on every Tuesday until the end of August, from 2 to 4 pm. No charge.
For further details please contact Charlecote Park on 01789 470277 or visit: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-charlecotepark .

WELLESBOURNE LIBRARY

Five minutes to dying

The good news is that work on converting the library to a multi-function resource centre including facilities for children is progressing.

The bad news is that at least 4 trees in the piece of ground it occupies have had to go.

Peter Davies has made a photographic record of the last moments of some of these lovely trees and here is just one of them, above: the rest follow.

Upton House’s ‘Top Ten’ for Family Fun this summer!

Outdoor Activity Pack – pick up a free ‘House Party Game’ with lots of fun stuff to help you explore the stunning gardens. Be careful not to land on a House Party square or you might have to do a forfeit!

Family Feast – Order a family size plate of Bangers and Mash for everyone to tuck into at the Restaurant!

Detective Quiz – take the quiz round the house and be a spy for Lord Bearsted's rivals!

Picnic Party – bring friends and family for a picnic in the Orchard – kids' and grown-ups' packed lunches are freshly made in the Restaurant to save you the hassle.

Fun Family Events: 7&8 August, 12-4pm: Millionaires House Party weekend, with dress-up and dancing!
20 August, 1-4pm: Hobby Horse Activity Day, make your own hobby horse and test it in our special arena!

4 & 5 September, 1-4pm: Murder at the Millionaires Mansion, can you follow the clues and work out who did it?

Woodland Wandering – tell us your ideas for Woodland Walk as we develop new things to make it more fun for families.

Playtime! - Blow away the cobwebs and play some games in the Sunken Lawn, make daisy chains and roll down the slopes.
Wild Child! - Keep a canny-eye out for Upton's wildlife. Lots of birds, bugs, butterflies and even a grass snake were spotted last summer!

Join in the Party - Get a taste for country house life, play snooker on the billiards table and dominoes in the cosy Inglenook.

Ice Cream Dream – summertime always means ice creams all-round!

Compton Verney

Stratford's award-winnning art gallery

Reader special offer - 2 for 1 admission* Print off a voucher at www.comptonverney.org.uk/2for1
* admission ticket of lesser value is free.

Opening times and prices:
Compton Verney is open from 27 March until 12 December 2010. Tuesday – Sunday and Bank Holiday Mondays 11am–5pm. Admission to Compton Verney is £8 Adults, £6 Concessions, £2 Children, £18 Family. Under 5s are free. Admission includes entry to the gallery and grounds. The gallery is home to six permanent collections and a changing exhibition programme.

Tailpiece

(Or eat your heart out Antiques Roadshow.)

A man came into an auction house carrying an oil painting and with a violin tucked under his arm.

“Goodness, gracious”, said the expert he consulted, “a Canaletto and a Stradivarius in one morning, whatever next?”

The man's face lit up in anticipation and he asked the burning question, “What are they worth then?

“Unfortunately not a great deal” said the auctioneer. “You see Stradivarius was a hopeless painter and Canaletto couldn't make violins for toffee.