TO JULY 28: ‘Infocus at the Allen Gallery’: open 10.30am-4.30pm Tuesday to Saturday at The Allen Gallery, Church Street, Alton. Family-friendly exhibition by a group of 25 photographers. Free entry

JULY 13: Alton U3A coffee morning at the Allen Gallery, Church Street, Alton, 10.30am. Non-members welcome.

JULY 14: Last Night of the Proms in Alton Public Gardens, 7.30pm. Featuring music inspired by ‘Fire and Water’ performed by Alton Concert Orchestra, with Alton Operatic and Dramatic Society and Luminosa with soloists Christine Bothwell, Richard Seecks, Hannah Garcia and Mark Aston. organised by Alton Town Council in collaboration with the Alton Concert Orchestra. Free entry. Programme and Union flags available on the night. Bring rugs, deck chairs, picnic hampers. (The Public Gardens will be closed for setting up from 6am-6pm on Saturday and after the concert ends until 9am on Sunday.

JULY 14: Chawton charity ball in marquee in the grounds of Chawton House. Themed on The Great Gatsby, dress code is black tie and cocktail dresses. Bring your own hamper supper and dance to live music courtesy of The Cheers. Carriages at midnight. Run by Governors and PTA in aid of Chawton Primary School. Tickets £30 (£300 per table) via e-mail at [email protected] or via facebook.com/chawtonball.

JULY 14: Chawton charity ball in a marquee in the grounds of Chawton House. Themed on The Great Gatsby, dress code is black tie and cocktail dresses. Bring your own hamper supper and dance to live music courtesy of ’The Cheers. Carriages at midnight. Run by Governors and PTA in aid of Chawton CofE Primary School. Tickets £30 (£300 a table) via e-mail at [email protected] or via facebook.com/chawtonball.

JULY 14: Community fun rock painting at Alton Community Centre, 2pm-4.30pm. For those who want to get started or to paint, chat and share ideas with fellow rock painters. Suit all ages. £1 per person to include small bag of rocks, use of permanent pens and free tea, coffee, squash and biscuits.

JULY 14: Hampshire farmers’ market on Alton High Street, 9.30am-2pm. Locally grown and reared produce.

JULY 14: Alton Lions craft market on Cross & Pillory Lane and Alton Market Square, 10am-3pm. A wide range of locally crafted ware ranging from patchwork quilts to hand-crafted cards and from jewellery to chocolate, cards, paintings and wood turning items.

JULY 14: Froyle fete and flower show at the recreation ground at Lower Froyle, 2pm.

JULY 14-15: Lavender fields open days at Hartley Park Farm, Selborne Road (B3006), Alton, 11am-4pm. Walk the lavender and wildflower fields, mini tours, tractor and trailer riders, bouncy castle, Digger Den, welly-wanging, Tractor Ted Driving School, bee keeping, willowcraft, cream teas, refreshments. No dogs In aid of Cardiac Risk in the Young and The Rosemary Foundation. Entry £4, children under-12 free. Visit thelavenderfields.co.uk.

JULY 15: Alton bus rally and running day at Anstey Park, Alton, 10am-5pm. Static exhibition of more than 140 buses and coaches of all shapes and sizes, plus display of 200 other vehicles. Free bus service connecting the park with South Western Railway trains and Mid-Hants Railway Watercress Line at Alton station, and at Medstead & Four Marks, Ropley and Alresford. For timetable, visit bit.ly/2MLSLJ1. Free bus trips from the park around the villages. Programme available to buy on the day. Sales stands, catering outlets. Free entry. Visit altonbusrally.org.uk.

JULY 15: Alton Ramblers meet 8.50am at Alton Health Centre car park for 10-mile walk led by Lynn, starting 9.45am from the village green in Plaistow - park around the green and meet outside village shop (TQ006308). Lovely walk in Sussex countryside from Plaistow to the Sussex border path and on to Shillinglee, round the lakes and return via Birchfield Copse and Nell Ball. Bring lunch. Possibility of tea and cakes at the end. Call 01420 23323 or visit altonramblers.org.uk.

JULY 15: The Hook village show at Hartletts Park, Hook, noon-5pm. Stalls, games, fun dog show, fairground, food stalls, beer trailer, old vehicles, arena events. Plus Sweep’s sheepdog show and an opportunity to win £1,000 when you Challenge Mighty Smith, the world’s fifth strongest man. To be opened by local MP Ranil Jayawardena. Free entry.

JULY 17: Third death cafe at St Lawrence Church Hall, Alton, 7pm-9pm. Diana and Wendelien facilitate the conversation around death and dying, with tea and homemade cakes. Entry free.

JULY 17: Alton Ramblers meet 9.15am at Alton Sports Centre car park for seven-and-a-half mile walk led by Cathy, starting 10am from Queen Elizabeth Country Park car park (£5 per day). Meet near the visitor centre (SU718185). High hills, views, woodland, forest trails. Coffee shop at the visitor centre. Call 01420 23323 or visit altonramblers.org.uk.

JULY 17: An evening with UK astronaut Michael Foale at the Winchester Science Centre Planetarium, 7.15pm. Tickets £25. To book, visit winchestersciencecentre.org.

JULY 18: Alton Ramblers meet 950am at Alton Sports Centre lower car park for 4.8-mile walk led by Ray and Diana, starting 10am (SU704380). Walk on local paths from Alton. Call 01420 23323 or visit altonramblers.org.uk.

JULY 19: Beatrix Potter: The Tale of the Tales at Alton library, 7.30pm. Talk focusing on the creation of Beatrix’s ‘Little Books’ offering a fascinating insight into the life, art and writing of this talented Victorian writer. Tickets £5 - advanced booking essential - from Alton library or by calling 01420 85734.

JULY 20: Alton Natural History Society field meeting at Straits Enclosure for insects, including chance of Purple Emperor butterfly following 70th anniversary launch. Meet 2pm in Kingsley Country Market car park (SU 801386). From noon onward in restaurant if eating. Call Raynor on 01256 862541.

JULY 21: Alton Community Association playgroup 40th anniversary open day at Alton Community Centre, 10.30am-2pm. Opportunity for parents with children aged two to five to have a look around and meet the staff. Call 01420 85057.

JULY 21: Music in the Allen Gallery garden, Church Street, Alton, 11am-3.30pm. Free music courtesy of talented local musicians. Bring a picnic or enjoy refreshments from the cafe. Indoors if wet.

JULY 21: 123rd Bentley fete and flower show, 2pm.

JULY 22: Vineyards of Hampshire Wine Festival at Raimes Vineyard, Hinton Ampner, Alresford, noon-4.30pm.

JULY 25: Blood donor session at Alton Community Centre. Type O and B negative donors particularly welcome. Call the donor line on 0300 123 2323 or visit blood.co.uk.

JULY 26: A31 community wellbeing hub: drop-in from 10am-1pm at Chawton Park Surgery, Chawton Park Road, Alton. Open to patients of Chawton Park Surgery, Boundaries Surgery at Four Marks, Alton Health Centre, Bentley Village Surgery, and Watercress Medical at Medstead. Topic ‘Support’, featuring Diabetes UK, Parkrun, Boots (stay safe in the sun) and the British Red Cross. Tea and coffee available. Call your GP surgery or visit a31community

wellbeinghub.com.

JULY 28: Jigsaw drop-in at Parish Centre, Church Street, Alton, 2pm-4pm. Deliver completed puzzles, choose another puzzle to take home and complete. Join in completing a jigsaw on the day or just enjoy a cup of tea and a chat. (Monthly jigsaw drop-in session on last Saturday of each month).

JULY 28: Dolls House Day at the Curtis Museum, Crown Hill, Alton, 10.30am-4pm. A day to celebrate dolls houses big and small, with miniature furniture, demonstrations of miniaturist craft work, and accessories for sale. Free entry.

JULY 31: Blood donor session at Perins Community School, Alresford. Type O and B negative donors particularly welcome. Call the donor line on 0300 1232323 or visit

blood.co.uk.

* If you have anything you wish to be included in the What’s On column then please send details to the Alton Herald, 13 Market Square, Alton, Hampshire GU34 1HD, or email [email protected]. The service is free to clubs and charitable organisations.