Author Archives: Anna Bond

Baby Loss Awareness Week: 9th to 15th October 2026

Baby Loss Awareness Week, which runs from 9 to 15th October every year, is a time for everyone in the baby loss community and beyond to come together, to remember much-loved and missed babies, and raise awareness of pregnancy and baby loss.

Sands – the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity – leads this special week. It is represented by a blue and pink ribbon logo, which has been the inspiration to create Ribbon Displays up and down the UK, in every community, inviting those who have experienced loss to come together and remember their babies. 

The 3 Churches Benefice Ribbon Display
The 3 Churches Benefice is hosting a Ribbon Display outside St Andrew’s Church, Stanstead Abbotts. You are encouraged to add your own ribbon of remembrance during the week. The church will also be open from 2–5pm on Sunday 11th October for quiet reflection.

The 3 Churches Benefice Ribbon Run
From 3pm on Sunday 11th October, a team will run/walk the 5km circuit from St Andrew’s to raise funds for Sands. Walkers and Runners welcome!

To donate, visit https://fundraising.sands.org.uk/fundraisers/sarahforrest

The loss of a baby or pregnancy is heart-breaking, and this is happening to families across the UK everyday.

If you are in need of any support locally, please do reach out to The 3 Churches Benefice: vicar@3churches.net / 07488 914972.

For anyone who needs the support of Sands, you can find more information on their website www.sands.org.uk.

Saying Goodbye Service at St Albans Cathedral
On Monday 12th October at 7pm, in St Albans Cathedral, Saying Goodbye (part of the Mariposa Trust) will be hosting one of their special services. This is for anyone who has either personally lost a baby at any stage of pregnancy, at birth, or in early years, or who has been affected by family members’ or friends’ loss.

To read more on the charity, please see the Saying Goodbye website, which you can find at: www.sayinggoodbye.org.

St John’s Quiz Night

WHAT: St John’s Quiz Night
WHEN: 7pm (for a prompt 7.30pm start) on Friday 16th October
WHERE: Great Amwell Parish Hall, Great Amwell, Ware SG12 9SG

St John’s Quiz Night will be held on at 7pm (for a prompt 7.30pm start) on Friday 16th October at Great Amwell Parish Hall. Fundraising for St Johns Baptist Church damp course on the left of the stained-glass window.

  • £20 per ticket includes dinner.
  • Teams of up to 8.
  • Bring your own glass, drinks, cuttlery and nibbles.
  • Dinner: Choose from fish and chips or chicken and chips (vegetarian option available). Please state your choice when booking.

For more information or to book your tickets, please contact Bryan (bjbrace122@gmail.com).

Advertiser of the Month: Audidiology

Hearing care is about much more than simply being able to hear the television or follow a conversation. For Audidiology, it is about helping people reconnect with the sounds, conversations and everyday moments that matter to them.

Founded by audiologist Didi Lampert, Audidiology provides independent, personalised hearing care across Hertfordshire and London, including from its clinic at Dolphin Medical Centre in Ware. Didi’s approach combines clinical expertise with ongoing support, with patients seeing the same audiologist throughout their care.

Audidiology offers a range of services, including comprehensive hearing consultations, hearing aid fitting and rehabilitation, ear wax removal, tinnitus management and custom hearing protection. The Complete Hearing Clarity Consultation goes beyond a standard hearing test, looking at hearing health as well as how hearing difficulties are affecting everyday life. Patients receive a personalised Clarity Report, with the results explained in straightforward terms.

The practice also offers a mobile concierge service, bringing hearing care into people’s homes across Hertfordshire and London. This includes hearing consultations, hearing aid care and ear wax removal, with the same clinical standards as its clinic-based appointments.

Didi has particular expertise in hearing and balance disorders and is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council and a full member of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists. He has also carried out thousands of microsuction ear wax removal procedures and has experience working with both adults and children.

For local residents who are finding conversations harder to follow, wondering if their hearing has changed, or simply looking for professional advice, Audidiology offers a chance to talk things through without feeling rushed.

The Ware clinic is at 6–7 East Street, Ware, SG12 9HJ and appointments are also available at home. Same-day, evening and weekend appointments are offered, subject to availability.

To find out more or arrange an appointment, visit http://www.audidiology.com, email hello@audidiology.com or call 07342 976541.

Seen it at The Three Villages? Tell them!
Our advertisers help keep the magazine free for everyone across the three villages. If you use a business you’ve discovered through our magazine, let them know – it’s a small thing that helps us show local businesses that advertising with us works.

Interested in advertising with us? Get in touch – we’d love to tell you more.

A Night of Jazz Piano Comes to Hertford

WHEN: Wednesday 7 October, 7.30pm
WHERE: BEAM Hertford, The Wash, Hertford SG14 1PS

Jazz lovers have a date for the diary this October, as acclaimed pianist James Pearson brings his show, 125 Years of Jazz Piano, to BEAM Hertford.

James Pearson is the Artistic Director of Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and a core member of the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. He will be joined for the Hertford performance by Sam Burgess on bass and Chris Higginbottom on drums, also core members of the Ronnie Scott’s All Stars.

The evening promises an entertaining journey through the history of jazz piano, spanning 125 years and celebrating some of the great names who have shaped the genre. The programme includes music associated with legendary pianists such as Fats Waller, Art Tatum, George Shearing, Dave Brubeck and Oscar Peterson.

For anyone who enjoys live music, this is a chance to experience the sound and history of jazz piano in the intimate setting of BEAM Hertford, with musicians who are closely connected to one of London’s most famous jazz venues.

125 Years of Jazz Piano with James Pearson takes place at BEAM Hertford on Wednesday 7 October at 7.30pm.

Tickets and further information can be found on the BEAM Hertford website: https://beamhertford.co.uk/whats-on/p1-125-years-of-jazz-piano-with-james-pearson/

Harvest Festival – Sunday 4th October

The three villages will come together on Sunday 4th October for this year’s Harvest Festival, with a Harvest Thanksgiving Service followed by a traditional Harvest Lunch.

Harvest Thanksgiving Service

The morning begins with a Harvest Thanksgiving Service at 11am at St James’ Church on Roydon Road, Stanstead Abbotts.

The service is an opportunity to give thanks for the harvest, the work of those who grow and produce our food, and for the local community. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in this annual celebration.

Harvest Lunch

Following the service, the Harvest Lunch will be held at 12.30pm in the Haybarn at Stanstead Bury Farm, just a short walk from the church.

The lunch will celebrate the harvest and locally produced food, with seasonal ingredients helping to bring everyone together around the table.

Book Your Place

Tickets for the Harvest Lunch are £20 and must be booked in advance, as places are limited.

Book via Eventbrite: https://tinyurl.com/4dkydah3

Come along, give thanks for the harvest and enjoy a meal with friends and neighbours from across the three villages.

Win a Signed Copy of Annette Hannah’s New Novel!

Have you got a favourite spot beside the water in our local area?

Perhaps you love watching the narrowboats on the Lee Navigation, have a favourite bench beside the River Lea, or enjoy a particular stretch of waterside path. Maybe it’s somewhere you walk regularly, somewhere you’ve been going for years, or simply a place that makes you stop and enjoy the view.

We want to hear about it!

Local author Annette Hannah, who lives in Stanstead Abbotts, has kindly donated a signed paperback copy of her latest novel, Dining at Davinci’s, and we’re giving one lucky reader the chance to win it.

The novel is set across two timelines, following 17-year-old Dolly Davinci in 1975 and Gracie Hart in 2018, whose lives become connected through friendship, art and the discovery of a canal boat filled with memories.

The book’s canal boat setting inspired our competition, so we’re asking you to tell us about your favourite local waterside spot.

And don’t worry about writing an essay — 50 words or fewer is all you need!

How to enter

Send us your answer, along with your name and contact details, to
threevillagesmagazine@gmail.com
by 1 October 2026.

We’ll choose our favourite entry and the winner will receive a signed paperback copy of Dining at Davinci’s from Annette.

So, where’s your favourite waterside spot?

Get your entry in — we’d love to hear about it!

Indoor Equine Table Top Sale and Dog Show

With the colder weather arriving, Equine Table Top Sale & Dog Show has moved back indoors! Come along on Sunday 27th Sept 2026, 11 till 1pm, to Albury Village Hall (SG11 2JD) and help raise funds for Deer and Wildlife in Danger.

TABLE TOP SALE
Browse a variety of equine-related items and other small business-holder stalls, meet fellow enthusiasts, and pick up some great finds in a warm, indoor setting.

Entry for buyers £1

Tables for sellers £10. Limited tables available booking is essential! 07747300095 to book

DOG SHOW
The dog show is a bit of fun for all, with rosettes 1st to 5th place. Dog show is sponsored by Keiths Canine Services. Dog show will be held outside on the concrete unless the weather isn’t great and dogs are welcome in the hall. Entries will be taken on the day (£2 a class).

CLASSES
11.15am Waggiest tail
11.30am Prettiest lady
11.45 Gorgeous fella
12.00 Best rescue
12.15 Best trick
12.30 Best Junior handler
12.45 Judges favourite

Why not head down to Albury Village Hall this Sunday, have some fun and help a fantastic charity!

The Great Big Walk for Herts

Local charities Future Living Hertford and CHIPS are inviting local people to put on their walking shoes and take part in the Great Big Walk for Herts on Saturday 26 September at Hartham Common, Hertford.

There is a route for everyone, with a half-marathon and 10km guided walk beginning at 10am, followed by a family-friendly 5km walk at 2pm. Tickets cost £15 for the half-marathon, £10 for the 10km walk or £10 per family for the 5km route.

The event forms part of the Helping Herts campaign and will raise vital funds for two local charities. Future Living Hertford supports adults and children affected by domestic abuse, helping them recover, rebuild their lives and move forward with confidence. CHIPS provides specialist powered wheelchairs for children and young people.

Emma Fleming, CEO of Future Living Hertford, said: “The Great Big Walk is a lovely opportunity to get outdoors, spend time with friends or family and support two local charities. Whether you choose the half-marathon, 10km or family walk, every step will help us continue supporting people in our community. We would love to see individuals, families, walking groups and workplace teams joining us on the day.”

Participants can also choose to fundraise, and donations made through the Helping Herts campaign will be match funded – doubling their impact for the charities.

For more information, tickets or interview requests, please contact:
info@futurelivinghertford.co.uk
01992 537344

Emma Fleming
Chief Executive Officer

FREE Digital Skills Group in Stanstead Abbotts

Want to master your computer, tablet or phone?

Community Alliance Broxbourne and East Herts hold monthly Digital Skills group sessions which are free, friendly and volunteer-led by Digital Champions. They can teach you to do simple things like navigate your devices with ease, online shop, access virtual appointments and stay connected with family and friends.

Upcoming sessions take place on 23rd September and 21st October from 2.30pm to 4pm at Nigel Copping Community Building, Stanstead Abbotts, SG12 8GA. See the poster below for further dates…

Call 0300 123 1034 to book a space.

Vanessa Lynch
Digital Skills Co-ordinator

A new art adventure begins in Hertford this September

ALLOW ME TO (RE)INTRODUCE MYSELF: An Art & Photography Show in Two Parts by Farhid ‘Fats’ Shariff

Friday 11th – Sunday 20th September
Opening Night Friday 11th at 8 pm

We are excited to announce our next guest show. Farhid ‘Fats’ Shariff will have Part One of his art & photography show at Brothership with opening night on Friday 11th September.

This is the first stop in a brand‑new art adventure – a release of 38 works of art and photography from the world of Farhid ‘Fats’ Shariff. Both galleries in his series will show a different slice of the collection, but ours is where it all begins. If you’re the kind of person who likes the full story (and we know you are), you can grab the complete collection in The Times of Farhid Fats Shariff zine, available exclusively at each show. More details live on our events page.

Music supplied by superstar DJ Alex Turnbull.

Come for the artwork, listen to the music, leave with a zine.

Brothership Studio

Where to find us:
14 Bull Plain
Hertford
Herts
SG14 1DT

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