LITTLE MISSENDEN FESTIVAL starts today with a Tribute to John Tavener concert in the church at 8pm. Tomorrow at 10am and midday children from Little Missenden and Prestwood Infants Schools will be performing songs and sounds created in workshops with local composer Janet Davey. See the festival website for full details on www.little-missenden.org FIND OUT about the people, landscape and the buildings in an illustrated talk about Missenden Abbey - a Buckinghamshire Monastery, to be given by Mike Davis tomorrow at 8pm in the Oldham Hall, Church Street. Organised by the Friends of the Parish Church, tickets are priced £6 at the door and drinks will be available from 7.30pm.

DECEMBER 1955 saw the opening of the Misbourne School, the first rural secondary modern school to be built in the country, with an initial intake of 25 students - today there are 1,250.

Celebrations to mark the Golden Jubilee are being planned, starting on December 15 with an Evening of Celebration. This will include speeches by past Misbourne alumni from each decade, a show delivered by current students, the unveiling of a plaque marking the Jubilee and an opportunity for former students and teachers to catch up. They are also hoping to have an exhibition of archive material.

Sara Badrick (nee Peters) was one of the first students and she is hoping to assemble as many of her former classmates as possible. If you were one, or know someone who was, please ask them to contact Roger Thomson or Jan Wright at the school on 01494 862869 or email rthomson@bucksgfl.gov.uk A CONCERT by the Great Missenden Orchestra, conducted by Paul Luke, will feature music by Mozart, Bizet, Faure, Rachmaninov, Brahms and Schubert at the Parish Church on Sunday, October 16 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £7 (£6 concessions) and proceeds will be donated to the Church Organ Fund.

JOINT CHARITIES BAZAAR will be held in the Baptist Church Hall on Saturday, October 15 from 10am to 12.30pm.