PINK is the order of the day today. The fish and chip shop will be decorated in pink; staff will be dressed in pink for the day (I expect to be one of the greatest expanses of pink on display); the whole aura will be pink; if you support the Breast Cancer Campaign, come along in something pink, whether you are male or female.

Incidentally, although much rarer in men, there are about 400 male breast cancer cases a year in this country. For a number of statistical and mainly sociological reasons, once diagnosed, the outcome is usually less promising for men.

Much more promising for tonight’s fish and chip customers is that Lady Ann Redgrave will be adding encouragement to dig deeper into your pockets and purses to donate your change (and a bit more?) to this cause that proprietor, Gav Singh, supports so vigorously each year.

VALLEY PLUS next Tuesday, October 29, offers members (non-members, just £1) another enticing subject. The Cookes (chairman and treasurer) went to the Galapagos early this year.

Apart from a wealth of pictures and discussion of the renowned local fauna, both wet and dry, the couple hope to offer some explanation as to why the indigenous inhabitants represent such a significant element in the evolution story and how Darwin was able to demonstrate his proof of the process.

As always, there are likely to be large numbers attending, so come early. The last time the Cookes presented, on India tea growing, there was a packed house.

MARLOW Music Makers is going to the dogs. Well, more precisely, the proceeds from their 2013 concerts will be going to some very special dogs, the Hearing Dogs for Deaf People.

Musical Director Barbara Whitehead notes that “Hearing dogs provide their recipients independence, confidence and companionship by alerting them to important household sounds and danger signals. They also help their recipients overcome the isolation that deafness can bring”.

As for MMM’s likelihood of going to the dogs more figuratively, nothing could be further from the truth. Earlier this year, they decided to increase their performances to two for each individual concert, such was the demand from their audiences. Now, for the forthcoming Christmas concert, they will be performing the programme on three consecutive evenings, December 5, 6, and 7, at the United Reformed Church, Oxford Road, Marlow, starting at 7.30 pm. Tickets for the concert, which includes a glass of wine and light refreshments during the interval, are £9. They will be available from Insight Opticians, High Street, Marlow or by telephoning 01628 484618 or 01494 883392.

From experience, I can tell you that this group performs to very high standards, including of course several valley residents. Their musical crispness, coupled with commitment of interpretation, make this group an appealing act in more ways than one. Owners of Hearing Dogs will certainly endorse that.

REMEMBRANCE Sunday is just two weeks away and preparations are in hand for the Remembrance Day Service in Marlow Bottom. This year the service will be held in Burford School Hall, a change from the usual venue of St Mary’s Church which is beginning to be too small to accommodate everyone comfortably. The service will begin at 10.30 and will include an Act of Remembrance during the service around 11.00 o’clock.

Even if you are not planning to attend the service, please give generously to the Poppy Appeal. The money, which was a bit short of targets last year, goes to a wealth of long-term help and support activities for ex-servicemen and their families, in many cases adding essential funds to make their lives tolerable.

TALKING about providing essential support to very needy people, do remember Joan Gilber’s and Mary Blow’s jumble sale tomorrow, October 25, in aid of Romanian children. It starts at 2pm, at St Mary’s, and you can still leave donations of bric-a-brac in Joan's car-port, right up to mid-morning tomorrow, or at the church, after that.

ILLUSTRATING that it’s not just here that strange unseasonal things are happening, my sister-in-law, who lives on the Bassin d’Arcachon, near Bordeaux, sent me a recent picture of the crocus flowers, full out, in her garden.

It leads me to wonder, cautiously, whatever happened to spider fortnight this year? Were my cats the deterrent, or has there been a drastic decline in populations? Those garden spiders, the ones that make orb webs between any two up-standing plants, were also pretty rare this autumn.

THERE’S not a lot of detail available about the various traditional valley Christmas events, as yet. But do keep November 23 free for St Mary’s Pre-school bazaar, and then, one week later, the Village Hall Pre-school event on November 30.

If you feel more energetic and flamboyant, then maybe you should consider the Marlow Rotary Clubs’ Santa Fun Run.

Last year over 1,700 Santa-dressed participants raised over £23,000 for charity.

A good source of information is on http://www.santasfunrun.org/ HALLOWEEN party? Try the Barn Club on November 1, that’s next Friday. Everyone is welcome, that’s whether you are a member or not for the night. Admission is free and there's a host of competitions and various children’s and adults’ tom-foolery to enjoy. Come in fancy dress and possibly win a prize. All you need to know is on www.barnclub.net/page11.htm