Christmas Tree Festival 2–6pm on Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th December St Mary’s Church, Hoddesdon Road, St Margarets
The 3 Churches Benefice are holding a Christmas Tree Festival at St Mary’s Church, St Margarets. It is a wonderful opportunity for us all, as a community, to get into the spirit of Christmas!
Entry to the Festival will be FREE, but seasonal refreshments will be available to buy for those visiting. We will also have a tombola, children’s activities, a teddy tombola and craft stalls with some lovely homemade items. Any proceeds will go towards the work and upkeep of the church.
*NEW THIS YEAR* We also have a ‘Carols amidst the Christmas Trees’ at 5pm on Sunday 7thDecember. Don’t miss it!
Looking for a relaxing way to end the week and nourish your mind, body and soul? Join us for a Wellbeing Evening at The Hub on Friday 21st November from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.
This uplifting community event will feature taster sessions of holistic and healing therapies, giving you the perfect opportunity to try something new in a calm, welcoming space. Whether you’re curious about alternative therapies or simply want an evening to unwind, this is the perfect place to start.
Alongside the treatments, you can enjoy a delicious selection of hot and cold drinks, cakes and other yummy food – all designed to make your evening extra special.
Come along, relax and connect with others in the community while discovering new ways to enhance your wellbeing.
📍 Venue: The Hub, 2B High Street, Stanstead Abbotts, SG12 8AB 🗓 Date: Friday 21st November 🕡 Time: 6.30–10.30pm
For more information or to book a taster session, contact Joanne: 📞 07884 292323 📧 joannelyon662@hotmail.co.uk
Let’s make this evening one of relaxation, connection and positivity. Everyone is welcome – come along and give yourself the gift of wellbeing!
If you’ve ever dreamed of writing a book – whether it’s a gripping novel or a compelling non-fiction title – but aren’t sure how to get started, help is at hand.
Start Your Book is a new 2½-hour writing workshop led by experienced author, journalist and writing tutor Piper Terrett. This inspiring, in-person session is designed to help aspiring writers overcome the overwhelm and take those vital first steps toward getting their book underway.
Piper, a former Financial Times Group journalist and past lecturer in writing at London Metropolitan University, brings a wealth of industry knowledge and practical experience to the table. With an English degree from Cambridge and three published books under her belt – including a crime novel – she understands both the creative and structural aspects of writing a successful manuscript.
Held in the welcoming space at Nourish, Vale House in Hertford, this taster session is ideal for anyone who:
Wants to get started on their novel or non-fiction book
Needs help planning and organising their project
Could use a motivational boost and expert guidance
Attendees will also receive £10 off Piper’s full online course, Write Your Book, which is an in-depth 8-week programme launching this December. The full course covers everything from idea development and book planning to editing, publishing and even self-publishing options.
Whether you’re writing for personal fulfilment or hoping to publish, this workshop offers a supportive and informative starting point. It could be just the kick-start you need to finally get that book idea out of your head and onto the page!
DETAILS 🗓 Saturday 22nd November 2025 🕙 10:00am–12:30pm 📍 Nourish, Vale House, 43 Cowbridge, Hertford, SG14 1PN 💷 £30 per person
SPACES ARE LIMITED SO BOOK NOW!
To book or find out more: 📧 piperterrett@gmail.com 📞 07879 810795 🌐 dojustaboutanything.com
Did you read about the FREE digital skills group organised by The Community Alliance – Broxbourne & East Herts? It meets at the Nigel Copping Community Building and the next date is just around the corner!
This free, volunteer-led group is perfect for anyone who wants to get to grips with using a computer, tablet or smartphone. Whether you’re new to technology or just want to build your confidence, their Digital Champions will help you learn how to:
Navigate your devices with ease
Shop online safely
Access virtual appointments
Stay connected with friends and family
Sessions take place monthlyonWednesdays from 2:30 to 4:00pmat theNigel Copping Community Building (SG12 8GA).
There are two dates remaining for 2025: 13th November and 10th December.
BOOK NOW! 📞 Call 0300 123 1034 to reserve your place.
Just bring your charged device and start your journey toward becoming more digitally confident!
As we approach Remembrance Sunday, The 3 Churches Benefice invites everyone in our community to come together in gratitude and reflection. On Sunday 9th November 2025, we will gather to honour the courage, sacrifice and service of all those who have given their lives in conflicts past and present.
Our services this year will be held across the Benefice as follows:
9.00am – Remembrance Sunday Eucharist Service St John the Baptist Church, Great Amwell Begin the day with a quiet and reflective Eucharist service, offering time for prayer and thanksgiving for all who have served.
10.30am – Service of Remembrance Amwell Lane War Memorial, Great Amwell Join us outdoors at the Amwell Lane War Memorial for our traditional Act of Remembrance. We will pause together for the two-minute silence and the laying of wreaths. Please dress warmly and bring umbrellas in case of rain.
10.30am – Service of Remembrance St Andrew’s Church, Stanstead Abbotts This service will begin inside St Andrew’s Church before moving outside to the war memorial for the Act of Remembrance. We invite everyone to come prepared for the weather as we gather together in reflection and unity.
Remembrance Sunday is a meaningful moment in the life of our community – a time to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice and to pray for peace in our world today. We look forward to welcoming you as we stand together in remembrance and hope.
The countdown is on for one of the brightest nights in our local community: The Annual St Margaretsbury Fireworks Display!
This year’s spectacular event will take place on Sunday 2nd November at St Margaretsbury Recreation Ground, and it promises to be a brilliant evening for families, friends and neighbours alike.
What’s on Gates open at 4.00 pm, kicking off a fun-filled afternoon with something for everyone:
Mini Fun Fair from 4.00 pm – perfect for little ones (and the young at heart!).
Licensed Clubhouse Bar open from 4.00 pm – enjoy a sociable drink before the show.
Bonfire lit at around 6.30 pm, bringing that warm, autumn glow.
Professional Fireworks Display from 6.45 pm, lighting up the night sky in a dazzling show of colour and sparkle.
And that’s not all! There’ll be hot food, a catering truck and hot mulled wine to keep everyone toasty while you watch the fireworks.
Family-friendly fun The St Margaretsbury Fireworks Display is one of the highlights of our community year. It’s a wonderful opportunity to come together. Children under 3 go free and tickets are great value:
£20 Family (4 people)
£8 Adults
£5 Under 14s
You can pay by card or cash at the gate, but make sure to arrive early – on-site parking is limited and fills up fast.
WHEN: Tuesday 28th October at 7pm for a 7.30pm start WHERE: St Mary’s Church, Ware
St Mary’s Ware is delighted to be hosting journalist and author Stephanie Saldaña to speak about her latest book What we remember will be saved. Copies of the book will be available to purchase on the night.
Stephanie will be joined by Kurdish musician Ferhad Feyssal whose story features in the book. Ferhad will play some traditional Kurdish music.
Stephanie has offered the talk for no fee, but with the suggestion donations are asked for charity. So any donations received will go to Herts Welcomes Refugees (HWR). Local HWR volunteers with some of those supported by HWR are organising some cakes as part of the hospitality for the evening.
About the book… In an era of mass migration in which more than 100 million people are displaced comes this lyrical portrait of Syrian and Iraqi refugees and the belongings they carry. What We Remember Will Be Saved: A Story of Refugees and the Things They Carry is a book of hope, home, and the stories we hold within us when everything else has been lost.
Journalist and scholar Stephanie Saldaña, who lived in Syria before the war, sets out on a journey across nine countries to meet refugees and learn what they salvaged from the ruins when they escaped. Now, in the narratives of six extraordinary women and men, from Mt. Sinjar to Aleppo to Lesvos to Amsterdam, we discover that the little things matter a great deal. Saldaña introduces us to a woman who saved her city in a dress, a musician who saved his stories in songs, and a couple who rebuilt their destroyed pharmacy even as the city around them fell apart. Together they provide a window into a religiously diverse corner of the Middle East on the edge of unraveling, and the people keeping it alive with their stories.
Born of years of friendship and reporting, What We Remember Will Be Saved is a breathtaking, elegiac odyssey into the heart of the largest refugee crisis in modern history. It reminds us that refugees are storytellers and speakers of vanishing languages, and of how much history can be distilled into a piece of fabric, or eggplant seeds. What we salvage tells our story. What we remember will be saved.
About the author… Stephanie Saldaña is a journalist and religion scholar from San Antonio, Texas, whohas spent most of the last twenty years living in the Middle East. Saldaña studiedreligion at Harvard Divinity School and is the author of A Country Between and TheBread of Angels, hailed by Geraldine Brooks as "a remarkable, wise, and lovelybook. Her work has been published in The New York Times, Washington Post, WallStreet Journal, America Magazine, and Plough, and she has been featured on National Public Radio. Saldaña and her family split their time between Bethlehem and France. Twitter: @stephcsaldana
We’re putting together a FREE Christmas Events listing in our upcoming December print edition and we’d love to include as many local events as possible – from festive fairs and carol services to workshops, markets, light switch-ons and more!
This is all about supporting our amazing local community, so if you’re organising something special this Christmas, we want to help you spread the word.
Deadline to submit: Friday, 1st November
What to send us:
Event name
Date(s) and time
Location
Short description (25–50 words is perfect)
Website or social link (if available)
Contact details for readers (if needed)
Email your info to: threevillagesmagazine@gmail.com
This is a great chance to let the community know what’s happening and help make this Christmas season truly magical – and it won’t cost you a penny.
The British Red Cross are holding an Autumn Gift Fair, which will take place on Monday 27th October at Fanhams Hall, 10am to 3pm. The funds raised will go towards helping those facing crisis.
There will be a large variety of unique & interesting stalls, including clothing, textiles, jewellery, food and drink, and much more! It’s an ideal opportunity to purchase gifts for family members and friends while having a thoroughly enjoyable day out.
Light refreshments will be available. There is FREE parking within the grounds of the hall.
If you have any enquiries, please get in touch with emmajaneslater@redcross.org.uk.
The Three Villages 