Category Archives: On The Show

Bag yourself a bargain with an annual pass…

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civil war centreDid you know that, for less than the price of two Day Tickets, you can buy an Annual Pass that allows you into Newark’s number one visitor attraction as often as you want for 12 months?

The Girls Around Town didn’t, until Michael Constantine from the National Civil War Centre joined them in the studio for yesterday’s show…

Standard admission to the centre is currently £7 for adults, £6 for concessions and £3 for 5-16 year-olds, with accompanied under 5s admitted free. But pay just £11 for adults, £10 for concessions and £5 for 5-16s and you can return whenever you like for a WHOLE YEAR!

Open from 10am to 4pm seven days a week until the end of March 2016 (10am till 1pm on Christmas Eve, closed Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, summer opening hours from 10am till 5pm), you’ll find the National Civil War Centre on Appletongate next to the one of the other jewels in Newark’s crown, the Palace Theatre.

Check out the website for the story behind the centre and all the latest news of what’s on offer. There’s even an app to download which lets you explore key sites along the National Civil War Trail and experience the dramatic stories of characters including Charles I and John Twentyman, a local eye-witness.

With new temporary exhibitions every few months, not to mention regular special events and activities, there’s always something different to see and do for all the family at the centre.

So why not take advantage of these fantastic value passes?

Tina’s on tour!

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Winter fest picJune and Sue will be holding the fort in the studio this Saturday, while Tina takes Girls Around Town on tour!

She’ll be spending the day at the Ecocentre, taking part in their Winter Fest. And although she’ll be busy exhibiting and selling her BeLOVEd art from her heart, she’s promised to make time to report back on what’s going on around her…

One of the guests she’s sure to want to chat with is artisan baker extraordinaire Gail Hooley, who’ll be making mince pies in the eco-kitchen during the Victorian Christmas-themed event.

She’ll also have news of some of the other activities taking place during the day, from trailer rides and carol singing to wreath-making and other crafts. And no doubt sampling some of the hot chestnuts, winter punch and other goodies on offer as well…

There’ll be sweet treats for children who come in fancy dress and Santa will be making an appearance too.

The Winter Fest runs from 10am to 3.30pm on Saturday 5 December and you’ll find the Ecocentre at Home Farm, Lodge Lane, Screveton NG13 8JL – if you fancy a day out on the farm, just follow the link for directions or call Julia on 01949 21261 for more details.

And don’t forget to tune in or listen online from 10am to 1pm for news from the studio of more things Christmassy in and around Newark…

Dark tales for dark nights

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Megan's bookIt’s back to books on this week’s show, when storyteller/novellist Megan Taylor and publisher/writer Ian Collinson of Weathervane Press join June, Tina and Sue in the studio…

Megan’s latest book – published by Weathervane Press – is a collection of short stories, The Woman Under the Ground.  Her writing is brooding and mysterious and her characters are often the victims of absence and loss: a child taken to a neglected museum by her forsaken father; a woman revisiting the scene of an ended affair; a couple taking a road trip to try to reconcile the death of their daughter…

From dark adult secrets to night visitors and the dangerous passions of small girls, these stories explore fractured relationships and moments of self revelation. Definitely not fluffy chick-lit, but if you enjoy dark stories, you’ll enjoy these.

Megan’s first novel, How We Were Lost, a dark coming-of-age story, was published by Flame Books in 2007 after placing second in the 2006 Yeovil Prize. Her second, The Dawning, is a domestic thriller set over the course of a single night, published by Weathervane Press in 2010. In her third novel, The Lives of Ghosts (2012), she plays with ideas of inheritance, motherhood and the haunting power of memories that refuse to be suppressed.

She has also been published in an anthology of short stories by Nottinghamshire writers, These Seven (published in July 2015 by Five Leaves Publications) and regularly runs creative writing workshops in and around Nottingham.

Ian is founder of independent publisher Weathervane Press, specialising in publishing contemporary adult literary fiction by local writers. He created Weathervane Press in March 2009 with the self-publication of his own novel, I Love Samuel Taylor, and published his second, Find Amy, on Kindle.

Ian also writes and performs poetry and regularly writes reviews and articles for literary magazines.

Join the Girls Around Town and their guests on air or online between 10am and 1pm on Saturday – in the meantime, you’ll find more about Megan’s work here and about Weathervane Press here…