Get ready to "samba on down" to the Odell Village Fete on Saturday 16^th June, in Horsefair Lane and the Scout Field! This year attractions include "Sambanistas" – a samba band which will set the carnival mood for a fun afternoon. Once again there will be pony rides, boat trips, Beat the Goalie, children’s sports and all the usual fun side shows. In addition, this year look out for:

Carnival Hat Competition

Let your imagination run wild in our carnival hat competition – who says the British are too stiff and starchy?

Quiz: "Who wants to win £50?" – not quite millionaire stakes but still irresistible!

and a Colouring Competition and Fruity Fun Trail for the younger visitors. Good prizes are also to be won in the Lucky Programme Competition and the Raffle. All in all, a fun-filled programme for a not to be missed event.

The Open Road

With restrictions on access to the countryside and the closure of the many footpaths with which Odell abounds the daily walker has been set quite a challenge. With yellow restriction notices and red-and-white tape facing you at every turn it is not easy to ring the changes when walking your dog twice a day.

Not wishing to add to the problems of the countryside I have adopted a new routine in as cheerful a manner as I find possible, but with such a limited number of roads available I find myself restricted to just two options. I have noticed, however, that whereas I used to meet, on a regular basis, a number of Odell dogs when out in the Country Park, I now rarely see any of them at all. What do their owners know that I don't? Where do they go each day that I have yet to cotton on to!

My two dogs have now ceased to strain longingly towards their usual footpaths and no longer turn automatically in the direction of the park. They now seek out and greet new landmarks along their daily route. For the first 2 - 3 weeks, every time a car or bus thundered past their shoulders they used to get a fit of sneezing but this no longer happens so it would appear they are now acclimatized to the pollution pouring out of the exhaust pipes. It is becoming a routine, on the narrow pavements, to cling to the walls as the traffic roars by with just inches to spare. In wet weather we are now accustomed to being drenched in a sheet of water thrown up by the speeding cars - those narrow pavements leaving nowhere to hide! What my dogs cannot get used to, however, is the almost daily trick played on them by the bus drivers. Do they do it on purpose I wonder, or is it just by chance? Every time I pass a stationary bus the driver releases the hydraulics with such a loud hiss it sends both animals leaping for safety.

It is not all bad, however. When I started walking the roadways it was Winter, but Spring is now upon us and I find myself gaining an intimate knowledge of the hedgerows as they steadily turn green. I know where the daffodils are and small clumps of tulips. Despite the best efforts of the man who cuts the grass verges, I know where violets can be found, white on one roadside and deepest purple along another. There are celandines and primroses and a road that runs like a waterfall when it has been raining. I now meet and greet a completely different group of people as I step out on a daily basis along these roadways.

The new routine is certainly different and it is certainly hard on the feet and shoe leather. I find it heavy going getting up Castle Hill every day and I have noticed that the walks take about half the time that they used to, but I am getting to know parts of the parish with which I used to have only a passing acquaintance. I have found, however, together with every other dog owner I have spoken to on the subject, that we all agree on one thing, our dogs claws are in the best condition that we have every known them!

Note: At the time of writing the footpath restrictions were still in operation.....let us hope that by the time you read it some, at least, will have been lifted.         Barbara Corley

Next month’s meeting

This will be on May 8th at 7.30pm in the Village Hall. It will be our AGM and our chance to thank everyone who has helped over the year. We will also have time to discuss this year’s resolutions which are to be taken to the national meeting in June.

Hostesses      Jill Cheadle and Audrey Dempsey                   Rachel Halton 720572

Thank you all so much for all your support in so many different ways, I’m sure you will be as pleased as we are to know that the final sum raised was the magnificent total of £452.35. The Appeal Committee was delighted and informed us that with support like this they hope to open the unit in 2002. May I also thank all the ladies of Odell W.I. who worked so hard to stage the event and for giving up their time to run it.             Rachel Halton 720572

The Ouse Valley Arts Festival was launched on Saturday 21st April at Bedford School by the great Band Leader Humphrey Lyttelton. The festival features a wide range of arts events for all tastes and ages and includes this year opera and music theatre, choral music, contemporary dance, jazz, chamber music and contemporary dance.

Highlights include Cantamus and the Weber String Quartet at Turvey Abbey on 1st May, John Zaradin at Unilever Theatre Hall on 3rd May, a Gala performance of Fiddler On the Roof at the Mill Theatre , Sharnbrook, the Beverley Quartet at Milton House Barn (6th May) and the final concert is at Hill House with the Oxford based Sheldonian Trio.

Tickets for all events are available from the Central Box Office: phone Bedford 269519. A 24 hour booking service is available.

May 2001

Thank you to everyone who is using the recycling bin situated in the car park. Beds Council DSD department continue to make regular Saturday morning collections and as a consequence, donations to the Hall and Scouts funds.

Disability Access and the future of the Village Hall.

Initial plans are being prepared for approval. Possible funding sources are being researched and hopes are high!

Annual General Meeting 23^rd April 2001

The AGM will have been held on 23^rd April by the time this goes to press, so a full report will be included in the next edition.

Quiz Night 5^th May 2001

Get yer thinking caps on, the annual quiz returns - 7.30 pm for an 8 pm start. Book your team’s table at only £2 per team member (children £1). Suitable for all, ‘cos it’s fun and there are even questions that I can answer!!

 Treasure

We have located an ancient village parchment showing the location of buried treasure belonging to the well-known pirate of Ye Odell, Greybeard. With his band of ruffians, Greybeard once plied the waters of the Great Ouse, robbing fishermen, ramblers and farmers. History has it that he buried his ill-gotten gains in this area and now we have his map.

Experts are at this moment very carefully cleaning it up and deciphering the exact location so that when the foot and mouth crisis is over we can hunt for it. We will need some children and adults to help us so watch this space in future editions so that you can join the Great Treasure Hunt.                    Rob Lee 720730 on behalf of the Village Hall Committee

ODELL - Barbara Fowler - 720481

Smoking Cessation Classes

A joint venture with Sharnbrook Practice will commence on Tuesday 24th April. The meetings will be held at Harrold Surgery from 7.30 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. each Tuesday and are FREE. The course lasts 6 weeks. More information - ring Harrold Reception 720225.

Next meeting of the "Friends" - Thursday, 3rd May at 7.30 p.m. at the Surgery

Coming in 2001…

Fiddler on the Roof – musical by Joseph Stein – May 4^th – 12^th.

7.45pm, Saturday matinee 3.00pm.

Meet Tevye ,his family and the close knit community of Anatevka as they go about their

daily lives. Watch the story unfold with humour and drama and enjoy the lovely songs including ‘Matchmaker’, ‘Sunrise Sunset’ and ‘If I were a rich man’.

Don’t miss this superb musical – book early!

Tickets.

Ouse Valley Festival Gala Performance Friday 4^th May – Tickets £10 (including a glass of wine) only from the Central Box Office, Bedford.

Other performances: (see below for booking details)

Matinee Saturday 5^th May (3.00pm): £5.

Monday 7^th May £6.

All other performances £8.

Smike – Sharnbrook Youth Theatre – musical – 24^th – 28^th July.

Whodunnit? By Anthony Shaffer – comedy – Sept. 25^th – 29^th. Classic spoof "Who done it".

Sweeny Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – musical thriller – Nov. 9^th – 17^th..

Bookings may be made one month beforehand from:

Bedford - Central Box Office, Harpur Suite - tel: 01234 269519

Wellingborough - The Castle Box Office - tel: 01933 270007

(Both of the above accept credit card bookings).

Sharnbrook -by returning your booking forms in person to The Village Trader, 28 High Street.

Group Sales - Alison Bean - tel: 01234 781372 – 10% reduction for parties of 10 or more.

Enquiries/Mailing list 01234 782377

All performances start at 7.45pm. Seats can be reserved. 

1^st 8.00pm Cantamus and Weber String Quartet, Turvey Abbey.

2^nd 7.30pm Contemporary Dance with ‘Octane’, Sharnbrook Upper School.

3^rd 7.30pm John Zaradin, Unilever Theatre Hall.

3^rd 7.30pm Friends of Harrold Surgery Meeting at Surgery.

4^th 7.30pm Fiddler on The Roof Gala Night, Sharnbrook Mill Theatre.

5^th & 6^th Bedford Morris Men in North Bedfordshire villages.

5^th 7.30pm Quiz in Odell Village Hall.

6^th 7.30pm Beverley String Quartet, Milton House Barn.

7^th 7.30pm The Sheldonian Trio, Hill House Barn, Carlton.

8^th 10.30am Meeting Point. venue TBA.

8^th 7.30pm W.I. AGM Odell Village Hall.