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Ballet for the boys
YOUNG aspiring boy ballet dancers were taught by ex-professionals during a Boys Day of Dance at Tring Arts Educational School last week.
Boys aged between six and 15-years-old from small dance schools in and around Herts were taught jazz and ballet by ex-professional dancers from the Northern Ballet School and ex-artistic director of the English National Ballet Company, Matz Skoog.
Outreach co-ordinator and organiser of the day at Tring Arts Educational School, Christine Reynolds said: “A lot of these boys are probably the only boy in their class, or even their whole dancing school. To dance with other boys and to be taught by male teachers is really inspiring and self-affirming to them that they should continue dancing.”
The specialist dance, drama and music school has held dancing days for boys in the past, but this year had the biggest response.
Mrs Reynolds said: “With films like Billy Elliot and programmes like Strictly Come Dancing, it has become more and more cool to dance. It is something to be respected and enjoyed. So instead of the misconceptions we have had in the past, people are thinking it is cool. Attitudes are changing.”
At the end of the day many of the youngsters auditioned for the Paul Watson Bursary Fund, which grants a junior a year's worth of weekly, four hour, free training sessions at the prestigious school.
A total of 42 boys took part in the special day on Friday, May 12.
The award was set up in memory of dance teacher Paul Watson, who passed away last year after a battle with bone marrow cancer. This is the first time the bursary has been given and a winner is expected to be informed soon.
High hopes for festival
RECORD breaking crowds are expected for this year's Tring Canal Festival.
Following the success of last year's canal celebrations where more than 12,000 locals and visitors turned out, volunteers are hoping this year will be another hit.
Tring Canal Festival will be held alongside the Wendover Arm Canal on the B488 Icknield Way, Tring on Sunday, May 28 and bank holiday Monday, May 29.
There will be 150 visiting canal boats for the event, boat trips, a craft fair, classic vehicles, traction engines, trade stands, entertainment , a dog show, a real ale bar and catering.
The popular event is organised and run by volunteers from the Wendover Arm Trust, with all cash raised going towards further restoration of the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal.
Admission costs £6 for adults, £4 concessions, £3 child (aged five to 15), £15 for a family ticket for two adults and up to three children.
For more details call 01442 827702 or visit www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk .
Volunteers snap to it
Have you got an eye for a good photo?
The Iain Rennie Hospice at Home is appealing for volunteer photographers to cover a number of roadshows, visits and village events through the Chilterns area of Herts and Bucks.
Helpers are also needed for the hospice offices in Tring. Roles include data processing volunteers and a sponsored event administration assistant.
People to help out with managing the Berkhamsted Pepper concert box office are also needed between June 12 and July 21. Computer literacy with experience of Excel is needed.
If you would like to find out more please contact voluntary services manager for the hospice Rozina Ahmad on 01442 890222, email rahmad@irhh.org or call into the hospice offices at 52a Western Road, Tring.
Schools united scores a hit
AN UNLIKELY combination of football and school coursework teamed up for a fundraising tournament in aid of Breast Cancer Research.
Students at Tring School came up with their idea to complete a coursework requirement to organise a leisure event.
Eighteen teams of five sporting sixth-form students competed on May 5 at Tring Sports Centre and each paid £2.50 to take part raising about £220 for the charity.
Stephanie Naughton, aged 17, who studies leisure and recreation and helped organise the event, said: “Most of the sixth-form took part and lots of people came to watch.”
Each tournament match lasted for six minutes and the final was won by a team of lower-sixth form boys.
Poirot auction proves hit for fans
POIROT fans turned out for a special auction of David Suchet's antiques at Amersham Auction Rooms.
The actor decided to sell off many of his collections after moving from a country mansion into a modern
London flat with his wife, Sheila.
One fan of the TV star picked up an early 20th Century stationery box for £130.
Director at Amersham Auction Rooms, Hugo Lemon, said: “The stationery box sold very well, probably four times what you would usually expect from it, just because it had more of a link to David Suchet as an actor and writer.
“The person that bought that item probably bought it because it belonged to David Suchet.”
Nearly all the items of about 30 lots sold during the auction on Thursday, May 4.
Mr Lemon said: “Certain pieces were bought because they had links to David Suchet, but some of the items were just in very nice condition and that is why they sold well rather than them specifically belonging to David Suchet.”
Mr Suchet has strong links with Tring and is patron of the Wendover Arm Trust - a charity dedicated to promoting the restoration of the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal.
Mr Suchet was so pleased with the auction rooms that he plans to sell some more of his antiques, which do not fit in at his new home.
For more information about sales being held at Amersham Auction Rooms visit www.amershamauctionrooms.co.uk or call 08700 460606.
Make date for Victorian fun
The date of this year's Tring Victorian Fiesta was incorrectly printed in The gazette's Dacorum Business Directory.
The town's celebrations are always held in the High Street on the last Friday in November.
This year's Victorian Fiesta will be held on Friday, November 24.
Palettes at the ready
Dennis Romer | GET creative and help hospital patients by taking lessons with a Tring artist.
Retired Dennis Romer, above, teaches art from his home studio in Station Road to raise cash that he uses to buy equipment for art classes with paraplegic patients at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Mr Romer, 73, has been painting all of his life and passes on a wealth of artistic knowledge to his students.
He said: “The NHS have no money for occupational therapy so from time to time I have to buy pads and brushes for my art class.”
Since he began teaching at the spinal unit at Stoke Mandeville Hospital seven years ago, five of his students have taken up painting professionally.
Mr Romer said: “A doctor who observed my classes said to me the biggest disease is boredom and what I do helps relive boredom for patients.
“I also enjoy it, I enjoy meeting people.”
Classes at Mr Romer's home cost £5 per lesson and are held every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm.
Mr Romer said: “Anybody can learn to paint. It is a very friendly art class.
“This is my way of just getting a few pounds to buy art materials for the hospital classes.”
To find out more call 01442 823061.
The town we built!
YOUNG pupils turned town planners at Dagnall School to teach them about building.
The school held a Lego workshop allowing the budding builders to learn how towns are made.
Head teacher Jennie Marriner-Kyle said the children had enjoyed the workshop.
She said: “It was for them to become young town planners for the morning. We had a building expert in who taught them the basics of how to lay the bricks and they decided what buildings you would find in a town or city. They then built them and put them on our town plan.
“All the pupils took part and hopefully they enjoyed themselves and learned something at the same time.”
Holiday help for kids club
A TRING after-school club has been awarded a grant
towards training and equipment for club activities.
The Local Network Fund has give the Three-Two-Six After-School Club £3,335.
Cllr Olive Conway, the club's chairman said: “This grant will help us to obtain NVQ status, equipment and to take children out on holiday club.”
The Local Network Fund -administered by the Herts Community Foundation - still has £420,000 available for local voluntary or community groups.
To apply for a grant, contact the Local Network Fund by calling 0845 1130161.
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