What's On

The classic Christmas Nativity tale will be told at Two Rivers shopping centre on Tuesday 23rd December when Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and stable animals arrive for a special display.

Families can enjoy a magical and traditional Christmas atmosphere and meet and greet some furry festive friends as well as learn more about the Nativity story between 11am and 4pm at the Costa Coffee ring.

This is the new development planned for Majestic House in Staines.

Planning permission for one huge building on the site in the High Street was obtained earlier this year but the land was bought by new owners Landid and Rreef in January who have scrapped the plans in favour of a more open development.

Two Rivers Shopping Centre will be getting into the spirit of Christmas when approximately 150 carol singers from Spelthorne Schools join The Salvation Army Band on Thursday December 4 from 6.30pm.

The Salvation Army is one of the largest, most diverse providers of social services in the UK. Worldwide there are over 1.6 million members, with programmes including homeless centres, drug rehabilitation centres, schools, hospitals and medical centres, as well as nearly 16,000 church and community centres.

Local drama group, Thorpe Players, is looking to the future with its next production. The play, "Comic Potential", is set a few years hence, when daytime TV soaps are even further down the scale than they are now. Actors are not always Humans any more, some of them are Androids. But what happens if an Android falls in love? Director Karen Noble was drawn to this futuristic love story, saying that "This play gives the group a great challenge; it is a chance to show both human and mechanistic movement and emotions. It is wonderful opportunity to explore beyond the norms of our currently known limits."

The group is presenting the play at Thorpe Village Hall, Coldharbour Lane, on Wednesday 3rd to Saturday 6th December at 8pm. Tickets are a credit-crunch friendly £8 and are bookable in advance on 07923 583295 - any unsold tickets are available on the door each evening. "Comic Potential" is by Alan Ayckbourn and is written with all his usual observant wit. He gives us an heartwarming play which is sometimes farce, and sometimes something much deeper, set in a time when "everything has changed, except human nature".

An Italian Market will be coming to the pedestrianised area of Staines High Street on Thursday November 20 and Friday 21.
The market, called "Italia In Piazza", imports all of the food it sells except the bread directly from Italy, which includes cheeses, cured meats, biscuits, pastries, cakes, olive oils, balsamic vinegar and olives.

Staines Christmas parade will start at 11am on Sunday November 16 in the High Street with the Staines Brass Band entertaining the crowd with Christmas classics.

Following the parade Father Christmas will be in Elmsleigh Shopping Centre until 4pm and giving free Reindeer Antler hats away.

Santa brought a little Christmas cheer to Notcutts garden centre on Saturday November 8 when he handed out gifts to youngsters.

He arrived on the Rotary Clubs of Shepperton's seasonal sleigh and allowed children to meet his festive farmyard friends including his trusty reindeer.

A fundraising effort involving volunteers walking barefoot over 1,200ºF coals after two hours training has been called off because the effort was "not viable".

The event, which was organised for Saturday (25), was arranged by the Staines Chamber of Commerce and had to be postponed because not enough people signed up for it to make it worth the money to put on.

A fun day will be held on Friday October 31 at Two Rivers Shopping centre to give families the Hallowe'en experience while staying safe.

The shopping centre is inviting families to come in fancy dress between 11am and 4pm and find 10 pumpkins in shops around the complex.

Thameside Art Group will hold an Autumn Art Exhibition on Saturday October 18 from 9.30am to 4.30pm.

The exhibition will be held at St Peter's Church Hall in Laleham Road, Staines, and Mayor of Spelthorne Cllr Simon Bhadye will be visiting at noon.