This Autumn Topshop partners with digital pioneer SCVNGR on its new student campaign, making it the first brand outside of North America to do so and cementing its position as the most digitally engaged fashion brand on the high street. From 5th September Topshop’s student fans can play the bespoke SCVNGR game via an app on their smart phone, completing challenges and earning rewards and exclusive offers.

Anyone within a 500m radius of a Topshop store can play the game. Students just need to download the free SCVNGR app for iPhone and Android, tap ‘Places’ and search for ‘Topshop’, and they can start playing the fashion-themed challenges immediately. The game works on a points system; players choose the reward they want and then do the challenges needed to accumulate that number of points.

Topshop’s style challenges will include activities such as snap a photo of your favourite ‘back to college’ outfit at Topshop, or tell SCVNGR which item you think most represents the brands trends. Rewards include a 20% discount instore and entry into a competition to win a £500 shopping spree. New challenges and rewards will be launched on 6th October.

Autumn 2011 will see the launch of a number of new and exciting initiatives including a new iPhone and iPad app, a shopable mobile website and the launch of Topshop Tumblr.

Mary Homer, Managing Director of Topshop, comments: “We’re always looking for new and innovative ways to engage our customers. Following the popularity of SCVNGR in the US we wanted to offer our student customers the ability to interact with our brand, on and off-line in a more fun and engaging way.”

Seth Priebatsch, CEO of SCVNGR, comments: “Topshop has established a fun, unique and popular brand identity over the years and SCVNGR’s game engine enables Topshop to convey this image through custom scripted challenges whilst inviting consumers to browse its collections. We are thrilled to be launching with such an iconic company as our first challenges and rewards retail brand campaign outside of North America.”

To claim the rewards, students must take their iPhone or Android into store together with their student ID. Although any Topshop customer can play the challenges, only students can redeem the rewards and would need to show proof of their student status with a valid student ID card.

http://www.topshop.com/
http://www.scvngr.com/

MASTERCLASS PRESENTS A GALA EVENING AT THE THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET

Thursday 15th September 2011
Theatre Royal Haymarket
Preshow Talk | 6:00 pm
Performance | 7:00 pm
Post Show Dinner | 10:00pm

Join us for this one-off evening of glamour and entertainment hosted in one of London’s finest West End Theatres.

Support Masterclass and help us continue to inspire and empower young people to achieve their full potential through theatre.

Preshow talk with renowned director Sir Trevor Nunn and an exclusive champagne reception during the interval.

Following the performance a glamorous dinner hosted by the Theatre Royal Haymarket Chairman, Arnold Crook and attended by leading lights from the theatre world awaits you in the stunning pool room of the Haymarket Hotel.

Ticket prices:
Best Stalls £140
Stalls £100
Premium Seats & Dinner £250
Table of 10 £2500
To book click the link http://www.masterclass.org.uk/fundraising/
or for more information please contact Blayne George on 02073899660 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

THE CO-OPERATIVE AND CARE INTERNATIONAL LAUNCH INNOVATIVE THREE-YEAR PARTNERSHIP TO SUPPORT FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

The Co-operative and CARE International UK have officially launched an innovative three-year partnership which will see £1.5m channelled to support entrepreneurs in the developing world by the end of next year, the majority of whom will be women.

The innovative scheme called lendwithcare.org encourages people in the UK to lend relatively small amounts to small scale entrepreneurs running their own enterprise in developing countries.

As opposed to making a one-off donation, people are encouraged to lend money to the entrepreneurs who repay the lender using the income from their growing business. Once repaid, the lender can then choose to recycle the loan to support another entrepreneur or withdraw the money.

The Co-operative and CARE International UK have set the ambitious target of leveraging £1.5m of loans by the end of 2012.

Dragon’s Den panellist and entrepreneur Deborah Meaden is a lendwithcare.org ambassador who travelled to Cambodia in March 2011, to see first hand how lendwithcare.org is helping people work their way out of poverty.

Deborah said: "I believe that providing the opportunity and framework for people to help themselves is the only sustainable way forward, and I saw this very clearly on my trip to Cambodia. The people there are willing to work to repair their lives; they just need even the smallest of leg-ups to get them started. It’s great news that The Co-operative is working with CARE International to support lendwithcare.org.”

Paul Monaghan, Head of Social Goals at The Co-operative said: “As a co-operative we believe in helping people to trade their way out of poverty. In the same way we pioneered Fairtrade, our support for lendwithcare.org will hopefully lead the way in helping to turn entrepreneurs’ plans into life-changing opportunities.

“Around three quarters of the entrepreneurs receiving loans are women and studies have shown that women are the ‘change’ agents of the family - spending a greater percentage of their income on the welfare of their households than men.”

Amongst the first staff from The Co-operative to support lendwithcare.org are 21-year-old twins Amy and Lucy Smith.

The twins, who work part time at The Co-operative Food store in Yateley, Hampshire, decided to lend to Esmeralda Nadela – an entrepreneur based in the Philippines wanting to establish a general store in her local community.

Amy said: “When we found out about lendwithcare.org we thought it was a great way of helping people, particularly women, to earn a sustainable living and provide for their family. When we went online we were amazed to see farmers, shop keepers, tailors all wanting to transform their lives through working and running a business not through receiving hand outs.”

Lucy added: “There were many worthy entrepreneurs to support on lendwithcare.org but we chose Esmeralda as she wanted to open a general store to benefit the community in a very rural area, and as we work for The Co-operative Food this really connected with us. It’s really important to provide for the local community; that’s what we do in Yateley and that’s what Esmeralda wants to do in the Philippines”.

Visitors to the website – www.lendwithcare.org – can view the profiles of entrepreneurs from all over the world and choose which business they’d like to support. They can invest towards the total needed, lending from £15 up to the full amount, and will be able to follow the progress of the entrepreneur’s growing business, to see how their new source of income is helping to improve many aspects of their lives. The loan is repaid to the lender over an agreed repayment schedule (usually a period of six to twelve months) and when the repaid loan is credited to the lender’s account, they can choose to withdraw the money, donate it to CARE, or recycle it into another loan.

THE BLADES AEROBATIC TEAM AT CHARTWELL

Millions around the world have seen the Blades perform at airshows and corporate events. They are among the best aerobatic display pilots in the world, flying the ultimate in high performance piston aircraft and they will be performing at this year’s Musical Salute to the RAF at Chartwell.

The Blades' pilots are all former Red Arrows and between them they have more than 20 years of display experience on Harriers, Jaguars, Hawks, Jet Provosts and even Boeing Stearman biplanes. The Blades' experience, expertise and dedication to perfection means that they are one of the most highly respected teams in the world. The Blades' display is not only popular at airshows, but also at any event looking for the 'wow' factor.
This year their aircraft carry the colour’s and logo of the Royal Air Forces Association, which is a UK based charitable organisation which provides care and support for past and present RAF personnel. Whether it’s an injured airman fighting to get back onto his feet, a young child missing their parent away on overseas operations or a WWII veteran needing a shoulder to lean on, the RAF Association is there to help.

The team will be performing at the concert on Saturday 3rd September and if you want to do more than just watch them you will have the opportunity to bid for a flight with them with the proceeds going to RAFA.
Tickets for the Musical Salute to the RAF are available from www.synergyeventsuk.com or by calling 01689 300005

RAFA – The Royal Air Forces Association are the chosen charity for the event. Further details of their work can be found at www.rafa.org.uk

JAMIE OLIVER LAUNCHES NEW FROZEN RANGE USING SUSTAINABLE FISH
“Jamie Oliver by Young’s” launches with 12 new delicious fish favourites

For the first time, Jamie Oliver is launching his own frozen fish range with Young’s Seafood Limited, to champion high quality, sustainable alternatives to species like cod and haddock. The Jamie Oliver by Young’s range - featuring MSC-certified pollock fish fingers and crispy salmon & pollock fishcakes – will be made in Grimsby and goes on sale nationwide next month.

Jamie Oliver says, “Fish is delicious and good for you but, as most of us know, we need to be careful about over-fishing. What I’ve done with my range by Young’s is focused on delicious, convenient favourites like fish cakes and fish fingers but I’ve made sure that we’re using sustainable fish so the mums and dads can buy a great product with no nasties.”

Jamie adds, “There might be people saying ‘why has Jamie gone into frozen?’ My fish with Young’s is frozen within a matter of hours of being caught – at its best - locking in all that fantastic flavour, no mucking about and as usual, I’ve been all over the recipes making sure we’re using chunks of fish and not minced fish. It’s about making simple, delicious food accessible and affordable without compromising on the environment.”

Natasha Gladman, Marketing Director at Young’s Seafood Limited, says, “Young’s has been producing seafood for more than 200 years, and we’ve long been committed to sustainable fishing as the industry leader. It was a natural meeting of minds working with Jamie on his range, and we’re delighted with the results. We’ve really been driven by our shared passion for fish stocks for the future and improving the nation’s diet.”

Stockists

Available nationwide from September 2011 in Asda, Co-op, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

For more information visit www.facebook.com/youngsseafood

KIDSFEST – THE FESTIVAL BY KIDS, FOR KIDS – 10 & 11 SEPT 2011

Slip into jelly wellies, slop down the custard slide & chuck a duck in the toilet at Farnham’s fundraising festival!

Loads of fun, original, creative and crazy activities devised by kids, for kids

Everything included in one-price ticket from just £7.25 for the day (under 5s free)

Festival will raise money to save the Bishop’s Meadow for the Farnham community

Kidsfest is the festival designed by children, for children, in a race against time to raise funds to save Farnham’s local Bishop’s Meadow from development.

The little festival with a big heart, which takes place on the 30-acre meadow in Farnham, will be filled with countless brilliant and crazy activities which only children could think up…from the ‘world-famous’ custard slide, the jelly welly obstacle course and lego-infested tent to punk choir, joke workshops and foot wrestling.

If you ask nicely, the kids might even let you join in…

All profits from the festival will go to The Bishop’s Meadow Trust, which has been formed to raise the money to save the meadow in Farnham for the community and for future generations of children. When the meadow was threatened with potential building development, newspaper proprietor Sir Ray Tindle stepped in and bought the land, giving the local community two years to raise £200,000 to repay the price. The Trust will take the land into its care and protection for years to come.

Daniel Roche, the 11 year actor and star of hit series such as BBC’s Outnumbered and Just William, will be making a special appearance at Kidsfest to declare the festival open at 12pm on Saturday 10 September 2011. Alison Duguid, Kidsfest Committee Member, said: “We are absolutely thrilled that Dan will be able to join us at Kidsfest this September.

He is a great ambassador for the festival, and we feel that his indomitable spirit, sense of adventure, love of the outdoors and fabulous humour sum up the true nature of Kidsfest.”

Book now online at www.kidsfestuk.org.uk - £7.25 event ticket (12-6pm) which includes all 101+ activities – and under-5s go free! Kidsfest takes place on the Bishop’s Meadow in Farnham, a pretty market town on the Surrey/Hampshire border, which can be reached in less than one hour on a direct line from London Waterloo and is an enjoyable place for a day out.

Kidsfest also includes a Kids Got Talent event on Friday 9 September (£10) and Farnham’s Big Night Out on the evening of Saturday 10 September (free; donations invited), so why not make a weekend of it?
For more information visit www.kidsfestuk.org.uk or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Follow Kidsfest on Twitter @kidsfestuk or ‘Like’ the KidsfestUK Facebook page.

Latest news: Twitter @kidsfestuk Facebook: KidsfestUK page

10 YEAR OLD GIRL CREATES NEW SPORT
A 10 year old girl, Shannon Davies, has created a new sport after being crowned the UK winner of Mookie Toys’ Too Cool for Rules competition, which saw children across the UK take up the challenge to create the official rules for a brand new sport, Tailball.

Shannon, a pupil at Belswains Primary School in Hemel Hempstead, won the title and a £750 cash prize for her school after beating off stiff competition from over 600 other entries from children across the UK. Her official rules will now be rolled out to Tailball enthusiasts.

Guy Orr, head of product development at Mookie Toys, explains: “Tailball provides a great introduction to racket games for younger children and really helps to build confidence in sports, so we thought who better to come up with the official rules for the game than the children themselves?

“We received a huge response to the competition and lots of fantastic entries, but Shannon’s entry really stood out. We would like to offer a big thank you and congratulations to Shannon and hope she enjoys teaching Tailball to all of her friends.”

Karen Yilmaz, Year 5 teacher and PE subject leader at Belswains Primary School, commented: “We are delighted that Shannon has won the competition. She had a fantastic time coming up with her rules and we hope lots of other children enjoy playing the new game as much as we did.”

Tailball offers a fresh new take on the traditional bat and ball game which features a unique ‘tail’ design which makes it easier to hit. A recent study conducted by the Faculty of Health at Staffordshire University also revealed that playing Tailball for just a few days can really help to increase a child’s confidence in their playing ability and improve coordination, making it an ideal entry-level game to racket sports such as tennis or badminton. For further information visit www.tailball.co.uk.

FROM THE HEART OF ITALY, PREMIUM ITALIAN WINES DIRECT TO THE UK

The British have always been savvy consumers of Italian food and wine. In fact, the UK is the second biggest European importer of Italian wines, but it hasn’t always been easy to get access to Italy’s top quality products. Finally, there is a company that is leading the field of online promotion of Italy’s vast array of premium wines directly to the UK. And that company comes straight from the heart of Italy.

DesignWine (www.designwine.co.uk) is a fresh, young company that, after redefining online wine sales in Italy, is ready to embrace the UK’s enthusiasm for Italian fine wines. The company’s mission is to open the window to the amazing world of Italian producers who are still local gems and reveal them to UK wine lovers. Fact is, over 60 per cent of the wines so loved in Italy, and offered on DesignWine, aren’t readily available in the British consumers...yet!

Based in Romagna, on the sunny Adriatic coast, DesignWine is a local company with a global horizon. Composed of an enthusiastic team of partners, the ensemble has worked together for decades on numerous international projects. Timothy O’Connell, President of DesignWine, a Chicago native, together with Alessandro Olivieri, Operations Director, manage an extensive team of partners and consultants. This enthusiastic group includes a wine tasting committee, technology & web team, graphics & communications team, global shipping company and international wine journalists, including an edgy wine blog in English and Italian.

DesignWine has an every changing collection of over 100 premium Italian wines and vineyards, the result of endless footwork by DesignWine staff and consultants, but one of the distinct features is the presentation of their exclusive Wine Selections, 6 bottle collections that tell a story about a wine region, a grape varietal or a unique theme. Coming in all price ranges, Selections are updated with new wines weekly and feature celebrated greats from Tuscany and Piedmont, as well as, Italy’s hidden gems from the islands in the south to the mountains in the north and all corners of the peninsula.

An ultra-secure, user-friendly website uses innovative searches and online sommelier support to guide clients through the numerous wine regions & types and grape varietals to find the prefect wine or Selection for each unique visitor. After navigating the inviting world of wine and choosing a Selection — six bottles with a theme epitomizing Italian quality —the wines arrive free of charge directly from the state-of-the-art storage to the UK consumer’s door in two days.

DesignWines’s inspiration is the passion, craftsmanship and pride that reverberate throughout the Italian wine world. The team sees in these singular products pure emotion in a glass. “There is passion in the way native grapes are cultivated and wines produced in Italy that is difficult to find elsewhere,” says President Timothy O’Connell. Today, DesignWine is expanding into the UK but this is only the beginning of an international role out planned for 2011 & 2012, including Germany, China and the US. Stroll through www.designwine.co.uk to appreciate the love poured into making a great glass of wine.

http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/

GRAVETYE MANOR’S PROJECT TO RESTORE WILD FLOWERS TO THE BRITISH COUNTRYSIDE

Kew Gardens made the contents of its seed vaults available to commercial seed producers and conservation projects for the first time this week, in an effort to reintroduce native meadow flowers to the British landscape. It is not just Kew Gardens that is committed to reintroducing wild flower meadows - Gravetye Manor has made it a primary aim to conserve its well-established wild flower meadow for years. Other privately owned establishments are said to be following suit , highlighting that this will soon become an ever growing trend within the UK.

The gardens at Gravetye Manor, dating as far back as 1598 are considered amongst the most influential in English gardening history. In 1884, the manor became the home of the creative, innovative and revolutionary gardener, William Robinson. Robinson’s ideas about naturalised planting, allowing nature to flow into the garden, were ground breaking and it was at Gravetye that he put many of his botanical experiments into practice. One of Robinson’s most innovating ideas was his creation of the English natural garden and the wild flower meadow which is still one of the most impressive features at Gravetye today.

Tom Coward, Head Gardener at Gravetye Manor comments:

“The wild flower meadow at Gravetye is managed as a late cut hay meadow. We are hoping to increase floral diversity by establishing areas of yellow rattle as this is a parasite on grasses. By reducing the vigour of grasses, this enables more wild flowers to establish themselves within the meadow. We also hope to establish colonies of natives such as Gynista Tinctoria and Orchis Morio by the introduction of local provenance seed. This will involve importing hey as well as seed collection. This autumn we will start a bulb planting program, planed to be spaced over four years. This will include natives such as Fritillaria, Lent Lilly and Snow Flake.”

In support of this cause Quintessentially Flowers has created a limited edition ‘Support The UK Flower Meadows’ bouquet, which features a number of rare British flowers.

For further information on Gravetye Manor or Quintessentially Flowers’ bouquet please contact Alex Allason: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it +44 20 3073 6752

HARVEST THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOUR- Celebrating British home-grown food
Gardeners’ World magazine is launching a nationwide campaign to promote British home-grown produce, with the country’s first Harvest Week (12-18 September). With more of us than ever growing our own food, the nation’s favourite gardening magazine is calling on gardeners to celebrate and share their gluts with friends and neighbours by hosting seasonal harvest parties.

The activity is part of Gardeners’ World Magazine’s Grow Yourself Healthy campaign, which aims to get Brits growing their own produce to boost the health of the nation. More Brits than ever are now growing their own, up 4% year on year (Gardeners’ World survey March 2011). As the survey confirmed, growing your own food doesn’t need a large outdoor space: 55% of us now grow veg in pots and containers, and 12% simply use a windowsill.

According to Adam Pasco, editor of Gardeners’ World Magazine: “Harvest Week is a great opportunity to bring friends and family together to enjoy the fruits of your labours – and what better reason to get together than to share food you have grown? Research has shown that nutrition and flavour are so much better, too, in home-grown crops compared to shop-bought. Once people who’ve never tried it before taste the difference, they’ll be inspired to grow their own next year – with all the health benefits that brings.”

Gardeners will find all they need to get the party started on the Gardeners’ World website, including recipes for party dishes full of home-grown fruit and veg, and harvest party games to keep all ages happy. Gardeners’ World is also running a competition for the most original harvest party idea, with the winning party receiving a supply of cider and apple juice for the day. There will also be £300 of National Garden Gift Vouchers to be won for entrants with other original party ideas.

Inside this month’s Gardeners’ World magazine, on sale now, is a guide to ensuring courgettes carry on cropping, as well what to sow and plant this month, and how to plant potatoes now for a Christmas Day harvest.

Find more information on Harvest Week at www.gardenersworld.com/harvest-week

POP-UP MUSICAL GARDENS CAPONATA & THE FORGE

-Wednesday 7th September-- One Day Pop-Up for Authentic Sicilian Restaurant & Live Music Venue in Camden-

Authentic Sicilian restaurant Caponata and sister performance venue The Forge in Camden, will be transforming their unique London space into an indoor musical garden for one day only on Wednesday 7th September 2011 (9am – 4pm).

At the heart of this botanical pop-up is the Potting Shed Bar, where guests will be able to enjoy a range of expertly made cocktails, mixed with fresh herbs from the garden and delicious infusions of seasonal fruit flavours. The bar’s signature mix is served in a watering can and is made from a refreshing blend of gin, raspberries, lemon juice and Chambord.

Birdsong will be piped throughout the garden and gourmet bar snacks will be available in a selection of pots, with themed treats such as Edible Cobweb of Pistachio or Rose.

A beautiful vertical garden is housed in the courtyard, where traditional homemade lemonade and Pimms will be served on tartan blankets for the first ever weather-proof British picnic.

Pass through a grove of real lemon trees into a Sicilian Secret Garden in the adjoining Forge performance venue, and enjoy a spot of lunch by Caponata’s talented Head Chef Vito Fanara as you listen to the live jazz music on the stage from 12-2pm.

If you are feeling adventurous, the Sicilian Secret Garden’s Nardini Grappa Bar has a choice of exciting cocktails and shots featuring Italy’s favourite national spirit, or be indulgent and order some authentic Sicilian Lemon Sorbet or a Cinnamon & Chocolate Cannolo.

For further details of events at the Forge, and concert listing, visit http://www.forgevenue.org/whats-on/

Caponata & The Forge
3-7 Delancey Street,
London,
NW1 7N

Caponata:
020 7387 5959
http://www.caponatacamden.co.uk/

The Forge:
020 7383 7808
http://www.forgevenue.org/

DORSET COUNTY SHOW 2011 REVS UP WITH WORLD FAMOUS MOTORBIKES AND DANCING SHEEP

THE UK’s number one motorbike display team ‘Bolddog Lings’ are ready to wow the crowds at this year’s Dorset County Show on September 3-4.

Now in its 170th year, this event is on track to be the most amazing show yet and break last year’s record of over 56,000 visitors. The Show in Dorchester has got an exciting range of attractions that showcase the traditional country life.

The Show is set to have over 6,000 animals and 450 tempting stands. Trade stand bookings are already up 10% for this year. Shoppers will be delighted that the Dorset County Show committee have decided to freeze ticket prices at £10 for adults (advanced tickets) and children go free!

The Bolddog Lings stunt team will perform a jaw dropping performance. They practice on the biggest ramp in the world and jump over 75ft. The Show will feature a wide selection of freestyle motocross tricks such as the ‘superman seat grab’, ‘Indian air’, ‘heel-clicker’, ‘rock solid’, ‘double-nac’, ‘switch blade’, ‘kiss of death’, ‘lazy boy’ and many more.

Show Secretary Sam Mackenzie-Green said: ‘They are amazing to watch, have you on the edge of your seat. I can’t wait to see them at the Show.

‘It is going to be great to see them zooming and wheel spinning round the main ring.’

A brilliant attraction for this year will be ‘The Sheep Show’, a humorous educational live stage show about sheep and wool. The sheep even show the audience a dance step or two! The act will interest people of all ages and gives a real insight to how the wool from a sheep’s back becomes a jumper.

Sam said: ‘The dancing sheep are becoming really popular so I had to get them at the Dorset County Show. The best bit is the presenters; not only is this a very funny display, but it’s educational, too.

‘Who knew a sheep could dance!’

Back by popular demand, there will be a large poultry tent where the public will be able to see and buy rare breeds of birds.

A grassy area has been set by for people to have picnics. You will be able to get your picnic from Dorset Food Hall, which is has local food producers including:

Adams Axemen, the country’s best-known lumberjack display team, will be showing their sheer strength with their exhaustingly good performance. The team are based in Bere Regis, Dorset, and have over 40 years of experience at shows. They definitely know how to pull a crowd with their lightning quick chainsaw sculptures.

Sam added: ‘Dorset’s Adams Axemen are amazing to watch, they show something completely unique and are incredibly strong to saw down logs so quickly.’

Titan the Robot is back by popular demand and will be strutting amongst the crowd. The giant 55 stone, 7ft 9in dancing robot will be mingling with showgoers.

Enter the men’s only cake baking contest. Last year over 20 ambitious men baked their banana cake in the homecraft category. This year the cake is Anzac Cookies. The recipe can be picked up from the show office or downloaded from www.dorsetcountyshow.co.uk

Other attractions this year include the fancy dress sheep class, Wolfman Shaun Ellis, Jonathan Marshall Falconry, carriage driving, cooking demonstrations, Woody The One Man Band, gun dog display teams and terrier racing.

For further information www.dorsetcountyshow.co.uk.

QUAGLINO’S TEAMS UP WITH LIVE MUSIC ACT THE ORGANIC JAM TO LAUNCH ‘Q COCKTAIL CLUB’

Much-loved Mayfair restaurant Quaglino’s and Carlo Rossi and The Organic Jam are delighted to announce a partnership for the autumn months. The Organic Jam will bring its unique musical mix to Quaglino’s stylish mezzanine bar on a weekly basis each Thursday night, and guests can also enjoy range of specially created cocktails from Quaglino’s mixologist Branislav Ivanic, for just £6.50. On the menu for August will be Grey Goose vodka-based cocktails including a Lychee Collins and for September, a range of Piper Heidseick Champagne cocktails inspired by London Fashion Week which will add a dash of glamour to Quaglino’s timeless elegance.

The Organic Jam is headed up by established DJ/producer/music director Carlo Rossi, who plans to work with an impressive selection of guest artists over the coming weeks. Already confirmed to appear are trumpet player Ben Edwards (Groove Armada, Basement Jaxx, Mark Ronson), electro-violinist Sarah Mallock (Madonna, Jay Z, Oasis) and Annie Davies, host and co-ordinator of the legendary Wednesday nights at Ronnie Scott’s.

Cocktail masterclasses will also be held once a month, on the third Thursday of every month, offering guests the opportunity to learn to mix their own cocktails and pick up all the tricks of the trade from Branislav and his team. These masterclasses will be different each month, following the themes of Q Cocktail Club. Tickets are priced at £20 and include tuition, two cocktails and a selection of nibbles. Anyone staying on to dine in the restaurant can enjoy 10% off their bill.

Quaglino’s - From its inception in 1929 by Giovanni Quaglino to its reinvention by Terence Conran, Quaglinos of Mayfair has been a destination restaurant, welcoming royalty, rock stars and high society alike. It offers an extensive brasserie-inspired menu and specialises in fresh crustacea and platters of fruits de mer. The art-deco inspired dining room features a sweeping central staircase and eight decorated columns, and the space also features a buzzing mezzanine bar and two private dining rooms.
Quaglino’s
16 Bury Street
London
SW1Y 6AJ
020 7930 6767
www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk
Twitter: @quaglinos
Facebook: Quaglino’s

HAVE SOME FUN THIS AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY AT DRAYTON MANOR THEME PARK

Summer is here and Drayton Manor Theme Park is the ideal venue for the August bank holiday weekend, with something to entertain everyone, whatever their age.

For Cartoon Network fans there’s the new Ben 10: Ultimate Mission rollercoaster, which was launched in April this year. The thrilling coaster takes riders on an out of this world journey along the track before launching passengers backwards to enjoy it again.

Also new to the park is the acrobatic dive show. The drenching excitement features five amazingly skilful divers who perform over 70 different dives including fire dives, clown dives, and the infamous high dive where they leap into a three-meter deep pool from a frightful 25 m in the air!

For thrill seekers, the park is also home to its much loved residents, the drop tower, Apocalypse, which will drop you at mind boggling speeds from 54 meters in the air. There’s also the skin-soaking water ride, Storm Force 10, where riders find themselves gliding down a steep hill and getting drenched from all directions. And we can’t forget the parks’ stand up rollercoaster, Shockwave, which will turn speed seekers’ worlds upside down.

For the younger generation, the park has the enchanting Thomas Land™ where younger members of the family can have an equally thrilling time as the older adrenaline junkies. New to Thomas Land for 2011 is Blue Mountain Engines, which has introduced four new characters to the attraction, Skarloey, Peter Sam, Rheneas and Sir Handel and it’s one of the many rides in Thomas Land which adults can ride with their children, offering a unique and fun experience for the whole family.

Drayton Manor is also home to a 15-acre zoo, which is an enjoyable experience for all the family. With over 100 species of exotic and more familiar animals from leopards and tigers to owls and parrots, you can encounter them all.

For more information on rides, prices and booking tickets go to www.draytonmanor.co.uk or call 0844 472 1960. For those who buy tickets in advance there are discounts available. Visit the parks’ Facebook page www.facebook.com/Draytonmanor or join them on twitter at www.twitter.com/Draytonmanor for regular updates on events and offers at the park.

SERVING AND SHARING – NEW CULINARY TALENT COMES TO THE COVENT GARDEN REAL FOOD MARKET

The Covent Garden Real Food Market, London’s favourite stop for fresh produce and lunch time treats, will host a series of guest stalls from some of London’s best food bloggers throughout August and September – giving Londoners yet another reason to visit their favourite foodie destination.

Every Thursday from August 18th – September 1st, a hand-picked selection of London’s foodie bloggers will be serving up their home-made dishes and sharing top tips from the Piazza, providing fans with a unique opportunity to meet the writer and sample some of the authors’ creations.

Participating food bloggers include:

· Thursday 25th August and Thursday 1st September: Rebecca Litchfield of At Number 98 http://atnumber98.blogspot.com will be selling a range of home-made marmalades, chutneys and jams. Rebecca started her first food blog, From a North London Kitchen http://jainlight.blogspot.com in 2008, and moved to At Number 98 in 2010. She dreams of building a jam empire from a farm shop on a small holding, but for now she’s living in London blogging about her passion for all things food

· Thursday 8th September: As a British Bengali food writer who has spent a time living in Japan, Rejina Sabur of Gastro Geek http://gastrogeek.wordpress.com has a particular passion for dishes with an "Asian" twist. Rejina will be selling crab and pea samosas, Indian sausage rolls, spicy fish cakes, lamb curry with smoked aubergine salsa and vegetable biryani, spiced roast pumpkin salad with beet leaf and home-made paneer, coconut and cardamom cheesecake with dark ginger chocolate cherries

Chris Dreyfus, Silver and Claret said:

“I’m a professional consumer. Serious about food and hospitality and passionate about high standards in terms of product quality and customer service, so I love Covent Garden’s Real Food Market for bringing artisan foods to locals in the neighbourhood.”

The food bloggers will be joining established traders including Crumbs & Doilies, The Dessert Deli and The Polish Bakery.

Now in its fifth year, The Covent Garden Real Food Market, run by former Borough Market Manager Chris Denning, is raising the bar for fresh produce markets in the West End. With a focus on supplying Londoners with food from artisanal traders across the UK, the market provides affordable meat, vegetables and other staples making it a valuable resource for those who live, work and love the area.

The award-winning district recently received the accolade of ‘London’s Best Gastronomic Experience’ as voted by the Visit London People’s Choice Award.

For more information visit: www.coventgardenlondonuk.com or follow Covent Garden on Twitter and Facebook – www.twitter.com/CoventGardenLDN / www.facebook.com/CoventGardenLDN

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