SHORT notice, I'm afraid, but tomorrow morning (Saturday, August 16), from 10am until 11am, in Marlow Bottom Village Hall, the local Conservatives have arranged an opportunity for you to hear Steve Baker MP answer any questions residents may have, to listen to their views on any topic, to take those views on board and to respond to them.

So what will be discussed? That’s up to you! The cycle path? The new community building? Street lighting on the C100? Traffic signals at Handy Cross? Education standards? Immigration? EU membership? Scottish independence? Please do come along, to talk about what you want to talk about! County, District and Parish councillors will be there too.

After thoughtful discussion, all involved will decamp to the Royal Oak in Bovingdon Green from 11.30am-12.30pm.

SPORTING those 4,500 legs I mentioned last week is not some giant millipede, it’s about half that number of dedicated runners all dressed in Santa suits, raising money for charity, some of it for the runners’ own nominated good cause, some for the main fund managed by the Rotary Clubs of Marlow and Marlow Thames, with a major donation going to Marlow Age Concern.

This year will be the tenth Marlow Santas fun run, hoping to beat last year’s £20,000 total. Olympic gold medallists Sir Steve Redgrave and Naomi Riches have already reserved their places to run; now, I know it’s a long time until Christmas, but you need to put it in your diary now, and perhaps plan to do a spot of training .

There will be much more to be said in coming months, but the organisers need to start planning for the expected numbers now, since organising the Rotary Santas Fun Run involves a lot of work to make it fun, safe, and successful, and that’s the responsibility of the members of the Rotary Clubs of Marlow and Marlow Thames who organise everything from handing out the Santa suits, providing water on the course, marshalling the route, clearing away rubbish and lots more to make the run slick and safe.

Visit www.santasfun run.org or call 01628 476610 for more details.

This five kilometre run is very much a community event and Santas Fun Run is open to all ages and abilities, wheelchairs, disabled or able bodied. Families and groups are particularly welcomed. Mummy Claus or Santa’s little helper and dogs are welcome as are pushchairs.

MARLOW Museum deserves a bit more publicity than I had space for a week or two back. Apart from their plans for commemorating the Great War and how Marlow was involved, they had a notable photographic competition earlier this summer.

The winners of the 2014 Children’s and Young People’s Photo Competition – ‘Memories of Marlow’ – were awarded their prizes by Nicola Baker of Marlow Camera Club at the museum on Saturday, July 19. Also present were the Museum Chairman Mike Hyde and Secretary Della Fitzgerald who organised the competition.

The youngest winner, with first prize of £25 in the Under 7s photo section, was Henry Coombs aged six, of Marlow Bottom and Burford School, with his black and white Portrait of a Barber. Henry explained his picture: “This man has been a barber in Marlow for 48 years. His most famous customers are actors Terry Thomas and Tom Chambers, as well as broadcaster Raymond Glendenning.”

George Read, aged seven, of Marlow C of E Infants School, won the £25 first prize under 13s video section, with his Interview with Robin Cooper. In the video George interviews Robin Cooper, who has lived in Bisham for over 60 years and who used to visit his grandfather, who lived in Bisham, 80 years ago. Robin talks about swimming with his family at the old Marlow Bathing Place and remembers when the Thames froze near Marlow bridge and showed George one of the ice skates he wore to join the crowd on the river.

Jack Beasley, aged 15, of Maidenhead and Claire’s Court School, won second prize in the 12-15s photo section for his black and white portrait, entitled A Childhood Memory, of his mother by the grave of Colonel Wethered in All Saints churchyard.

The overall winner, with total prize money of £55 and Junior Membership of the Marlow Camera Club, was Hayley Hunt, aged 15, of Sir William Borlase’s Grammar School, Marlow, for her colour portrait of well known local figure Dr Rachel Brown, one of the few people alive who can remember all the events surrounding the opening of Higginson Park by General Sir George Higginson. The 100-year-old veteran of the Crimean war had led the campaign to raise funds for the park.

All the participants had to do detailed research into Marlow’s past to illustrate their entries – a further emphasis of the value of the museum and its activities. Turn to page 11 for more.

SHORTAGE of space prevented me from commenting earlier on Marlow Music Makers’ summer show. Movie Melodies deserves words of praise to commend the work of this enthusiastic and highly musical group.

Their three shows in July were sell-outs, and enjoyed by all, including one lady, likely their oldest audience member who, at 104, was probably the only one there who pre-dated most of the myriad numbers in the show.

Apart from being delighted by the excellent, tightly disciplined performance of the singers, the audience was helping Helen & Douglas House which is Marlow Music Makers’ 2014 selected charity to support. Marvellous entertainment. Their Christmas event will also be delivered in three shows, December 3, 5 and 6, but I will give you good notice of that in the autumn.