Caerphilly May Events
May sees a variety of enjoyable events in the Caerphilly area of Wales. Highlights include a living history display of medieval siege warfare techniques and a chance to see the dogs of the Search and Rescue Dog Association in action.

"Rhythms of the World" Festival
The UK's largest free festival of world music will take place in Hitchin. Hertfordshire from July 11-13 this year. This multicultural community arts festival, now in its 12th year, highlights the Hitchin Festival.

Herefordshire wildlife weekends
A series of weekend breaks, exploring the wilder side of Herefordshire, are now available to members of the public. The ‘Wildlife Weekends’ are designed to give visitors to the county an opportunity to discover the variety of wildlife and landscape in Herefordshire. Operated by the Herefordshire Nature Trust, they are based mainly on nature reserves, and cover a range of subjects, such as badger and bird watching, countryside crafts and river wildlife safaris.

London’s Eastside Guide
A new ‘Waterside restaurants, bars and pubs guide’ has been launched to promote the diversity of eating and drinking venues in London in the area from the Tower east to Canary Wharf and the Isle of Dogs. The new guide features a wide variety of establishments, from traditional pubs to floating restaurants and top class restaurants.

National Trust Volunteer Opportunity
The National Trust charity has appealed for volunteer "room stewards" to help welcome visitors to its many properties throughout England, Wales and Northern Ireland. If you enjoy meeting and talking to people and are interested in the historic environment, why not donate some of your time?

Croft Castle re-opens
Croft Castle, near Leominster in Herefordshire, will re-open to the public on the 18 April 2003 after a £1.4 million refurbishment. Visitors will once again be able to enjoy a tour of the house and a walk in the grounds and garden. To celebrate the re-opening there is a lively events programme in store which includes regular walks, talks and family activities.

Renishaw Hall Opens
Renishaw Hall, 17th c home of the Sitwell family, has opened to visitors for 2003 with a full schedule of events and exhibitions. The Hall, located 7 miles from Sheffield, also hosts a special Easter event including an Easter Egg Hunt. on Sunday 20th April. Children hunt for 100’s of blocks of wood, which they exchange for chocolate eggs.

Easter Weekend National Garden Scheme openings
Throughout England and Wales there are 564 different opportunities in April to visit gardens opening for the National Gardens Scheme. Most gardens which open for the Scheme are privately owned and are of varying styles and sizes each with their own individual flair. At this time of year the wide variety of spring bulbs, planted in drifts in some gardens, intermingled in mixed borders in others, planted in woodland, by water or in containers is a joy for the garden visitor. And visiting gardens is an excellent way to pick up an idea for one's own garden! Full visiting and contact details for gardens can be found at the NGS website: www.ngs.org.uk

New ‘Wedgwood Story’ Exhibition
A new exhibition opening at the Wedgwood Story Visitor Centre, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, will show the innovation and the extensive range of the famous Wedgwood pottery company over the past 244 years. 'The Spirit of Wedgwood' opened on April 1, and will form part of the visitor centre tours until February, 2004. As well as established lines, the exhibition includes unusual and curious items not normally associated with the company's ceramics.

Thames paintings on show at the Guildhall Gallery
An exhibition at the Guildhall Gallery in London showcases 50 years of paintings depicting London's river. Titled "Homage to the Working Thames" the exhibition runs from 3 May - 15 June 2003. Artist and author Terry Scales has lived by the Thames all his life and has devoted his painting career to exploring and recording the river's life and livelihoods. In this reflective exhibition, spanning more than a half century of work, he explores the ever-changing life of the River Thames.

Rochester Sweeps Festival
Chimney sweeps and Morris dancers will be frolicking in the streets of Rochester, Kent, next month. This year's Sweeps Festival runs from the 1st May through to 5th May. Hundreds of Morris Dancers descend on the City of Rochester and turn the City into one big festival of music and merriment. The Victorian High Street comes alive to dancing, music and street entertainers.