MARLOW

These Christmas shoe boxes should be filled with gifts suitable for everyone in the family from baby to granddad. Customs regulations in Romania prohibit medicines, coffee and tea, dried or tinned fruit and money.

Suggestions that will fit into a shoebox include sweets, biscuits, gloves, socks and tights, balloons, school items such as pens and notebooks and toiletries.

Last year generous folk of Marlow made up 120 boxes to be sent to the hard-up Romanian families, adding to a nationwide total of around 30,000.

Leaflets giving all the necessary information are available from All Saints Church, Tiddlywinks parents and toddlers group on Monday mornings at the Methodist Church or direct from Liz on 01628 471325.

Clarks shoe shop in the High Street will be happy to give a shoebox - or three - if you say why you want them. The filled boxes are needed to leave Marlow by the end of October, so it is not too early to be thinking of Christmas.

LACK OF A COOK has forced the cancellation of the Cameo Club's lunch at Liston Hall on Friday, October 28. The problem could exacerbate a crisis at the club and reduce lunches for the needy to just one a month.

If you can help out this very worthy club, which suffers like so many because its willing band of helpers are getting a tad older each year without any new recruits coming through, then do contact the Community Association on 01628 472558.

GOATS APLENTY were bought at Marlow Carnival and Christ Church in Quoiting Square would like to say a big "thank you" to everyone who visited their stand. Support for this effort meant that a total of £880 was raised. Thirty two goats will be bought to aid poor families in Africa. The church supports Farm Africa and the appeal to "buy a goat" struck a chord with those at the carnival. It was helped by the two goats, Zoe and Mandy, who were loaned for the occasion by Bucks Goat Centre.

FIRST WEDNESDAY of the month brings the Farmers' Market back to the Causeway on Wednesday. It is open from 9am until 1.30pm.

SEVERAL LOCAL charities will be putting Christmas cards and gifts on sale at the Methodist Church in Spittal Street on Saturday, October 8. The sale will be on from 10am until midday.

MRS LILLWALL-SMALL will entertain the Evening Townswomen's Guild with Memoirs of Japan on Wednesday evening. The Guild meets at Liston Hall at 7.45pm and newcomers are always welcome.

SHIRLEY ARNOLD'S stunning photographs once again adorn the town's calendar for 2006. An advantage of this calendar is that once the month has elapsed you can use the picture as a postcard. It can be bought from All Saints Church, the tourist office and other key outlets in the town and costs just £3.70.

AS PART OF the world's biggest coffee morning to boost Macmillan Cancer Relief funds, there is a gathering at the Methodist Church in Spittal Street today. All are welcome for a coffee and a chat between 10.30am and midday. Whittards in the High Street is also supporting the charity and will be serving coffee from 10am to 5pm.

KUNG FU, Karate and Kickboxing are taught by qualified instructors at Court Garden on Friday between 5pm and 9pm. Adults and juniors are welcome. Tiska Shotokan Karate is also taught at the same venue on Sundays from 11am to 12.45pm.

WITH THE NEW TERM STARTED, the Marlow Theatretrain is again on track at Sir William Borlase School on Saturday mornings between 10am and 1pm. Young people, aged six to 18, can join in one hour of dance, one hour of drama and a third hour of singing, with the object of performing in local shows and, perhaps, even London West End productions.

Ability is not essential and there are no auditions, but if you would like to know more telephone 01628 474247.

TOM SMART, head chorister at All Saints Church and a bishops' chorister, has sung his last service as a treble in the church choir.

Clem Virgo, director of music at the parish church says: "Tom has been a quite outstanding, utterly loyal, reliable head chorister and has sung many taxing solos. He has made a magnificent contribution to the men and boys' choir for five years and we are delighted that he wishes to join the men's section, initially to sing alto."

ABIGAIL BORROWS has begun a new term of her Gentle Exercise and Movement classes for the over 50s at Liston Hall. The over 60s meet for an hour from 1.15pm. The fun through exercise for the over 50s begins at 2.30pm. Weekly cost is £4.50 and first timers can visit and try a session.

AT THE OPPOSITE END of the scale, Jane Douglas has a busy time at Holy Trinity School on Thursdays. She teaches Youth Moves from 3.45pm onwards.

There are other dance sessions so ring her on 01628 440109.