The Annual St Margaretsbury Bonfire & Fireworks Display is on Sunday 3rd November at the Recreation Ground, St Margaretsbury, Herts SG12 8EH.
Everyone is welcome to come along and enjoy this annual event, which is always lots of fun!
What are the approximate timings? Gates open at 4pm Bonfire lit at 6:30pm Fireworks at 6:45pm Ends at 7.15pm
How much are tickets? £20 Family of 4 £8 Adults £5 Under 14s FREE Under 3s
No booking required – pay on the door (cash or card).
There will be additional card terminals at the entrance to speed up entry, but if you can bring cash (exact amount) for entry that will help! Please allow plenty of time.
The December issue (that we are busy working on now) marks the conclusion of three full years of The Three Villages in print and online! We are taking this opportunity to reassess how we can best share, showcase and support our three villages in future publications.
We want to hear from you!
If you could take 5 minutes to complete our online survey, we would really appreciate it. Have your say and shape the future of our publication.
Slipper swaps are back in Hertfordshire County Council’s libraries this autumn. If you or someone you know is older or has a disability, please come along to one of the events where you can claim a free pair of slippers, get advice on keeping well this winter, and lots more.
As some of you may have noticed, there is a striking new bench in St Margarets!
St Margarets’ Parish Council received a request from a resident asking if they could provide a bench at the bus stop opposite St Mary’s Church on Hoddesdon Road. They agreed that a bench would be useful for residents, so chose a commemorative bench to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944.
Permission was sought from the Bus Infrastructure and Network Infrastructure Team within the Highways Department at Hertfordshire County Council to place the bench in its location and it was purchased from David Ogilvie Engineering Ltd who specialise in street and park furniture. It was part funded with a £500 Locality Budget Scheme Grant awarded by Cllr Jonathan Kaye at Hertfordshire County Council and the remainder paid for by the Parish Council.
Local resident Matthew King of MK Independent Ltd kindly donated materials and installed the bench. Cllr Jonathan Kaye at Hertfordshire County Council also generously provided a grant towards the cost.
It is really very beautiful and will give residents a place to stop and rest, while also remembering the brave souls who fought for their country and gave their lives for others.
I am sure you will all agree that this bench is a lovely and poignant addition to the village. Thanks go to the resident who suggested it and to the Parish Council for taking up the request.
We are on the lookout for projects to support with our Environmental Improvement Grant, with up to £3,000 in funding available for people or groups who are hoping to improve nature on their land and in their local communities.
Any project delivering improvements for biodiversity could be eligible, for example tree planting, hedgerow creation, wildflower meadow establishment or pond creation.
The grant is available for Hertfordshire community-based organisations, Parish and Town Councils, and to private landowners and land managers
Find out more about the grant and watch video case studies featuring previous recipients HERE.
Essex & Herts Air Ambulance (EHAAT) is looking for dedicated volunteers to join their team at the recently opened charity shop at 14 The Forum in Stevenage, which has been welcoming the community since July. They need enthusiastic individuals to help support this vital life-saving service.
EHAAT’s charity shops are essential in raising funds to keep their helicopters flying, providing critical care across Hertfordshire, Essex, and surrounding areas. As a shop volunteer, you’ll assist with tasks like sorting donations, pricing items, serving customers, and creating vibrant displays. It’s a great way to develop retail skills, meet new people, and make a meaningful impact on your local community.
Whether you can volunteer a few hours a week or more regularly, they’d love to hear from you. No experience is necessary – just a positive attitude and a willingness to help!
To learn more about becoming a volunteer at the Stevenage shop, visit ehaat.org/volunteer or stop by the shop to chat with the team. Your time could help save lives!
This month’s Equine Table Top Sale and Dog Show is on 27th October.
WHERE: Albury Village Hall, The Bourne, Albury WHAT TIME: 11am to 1.30pm
EQUINE TABLE TOP SALE Entry £1 (cash only) Lots of different stalls offering some lovely items for sale, including some non-horsey things too (like Erin’s Jewels). Refreshments including homemade sausage rolls and cakes on sale!
Book your tables in advance at £10 – numbers are limited. To book a table get in touch with Gail on 07747300095.
DOG SHOW Entry £2 per show per dog (cash only) Ribbons awards up to 5th place for all classes!
All fundraising goes to Cheshunt Animal Rescue, which provide a safe and caring environment for all the animals that come through their doors. They rehabilitate and release wildlife and take in unwanted pets. They strive to find loving forever homes for each and every animal that enters their homes. Find out more about the great work this charity do by visiting their website: https://cheshuntanimalrescue.co.uk.
AND A BIG WELL DONE… Equine Table Top Sale and Dog Show have just celebrated a big milestone. They have been working hard for 5 years now, raising an incredible £27,557.00 to help support 36 different small charities. Well done to Gail and her team of amazing volunteers!
Have you heard of Teddy Club? They meet every Thursday during term time, from 9–11am at The Wilshere Hall, Stanstead Abbotts.
It is for children up to 3 years old and their adults! With fun activities, singing, stories and much more, why not come along and make some new friends?
Local Sands supporter The 3 Churches Benefice will be giving bereaved families in Great Amwell, St Margarets and Stanstead Abbotts the opportunity to come together this Baby Loss Awareness Week, 9–15th October.
Sands, the charity that leads Baby Loss Awareness Week, works to save babies’ lives and support bereaved families. The Week 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.
This special week is represented by its blue and pink ribbon logo, this image 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 is hosting a Ribbon Display outside St Andrew’s Church and opening the church on Sunday 13th October from 2–4pm to support their Ribbon Run, which will take place from 2pm that day. They are putting together a team that plans to walk the 5km circuit from St Andrew’s to raise funds for Sands. Walkers and Runners welcome! To donate, visit the website: https://fundraising.sands.org.uk/s/7321/25326.
The loss of a baby or pregnancy is heart-breaking, and this is happening to families across the UK everyday. During Baby Loss Awareness Week, The 3 Churches Benefice wanted to create a special display to remember all the babies lost, whether recently or long ago. You can add a ribbon to our Ribbon Display on the railings outside St Andrew’s Church, Stanstead Abbots.
All money raised from the Ribbon Run will go to Sands, so they can continue to support families and reduce baby deaths, by investing in research and championing better maternity care.
For anyone who needs the support of Sands you can find more information on their website www.sands.org.uk .
The Three Villages 