St Albans City Centre is the place to be on Saturday 22 June – for Alban Day.
For the first time, the annual Alban Pilgrimage will be united with the Alban Festival - which was previously held on the following day - to create one spectacular, unmissable event.
The Pilgrimage, a vibrant procession of giant puppets that tell the story of Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr, begins at 11am from St Peter's Church.
This will be organised by the Cathedral which will also stage family-friendly activities at the Abbey Orchard where people can enjoy a picnic.
Alongside its regular Charter Market, the Council will provide a number of other exciting attractions including live music at the Clock Tower, craft activities, face painting and a treasure hunt.
Thousands of people are expected at the event which is sponsored by St Albans BID.
There will also be activities by Vintry Garden to celebrate Windrush Day, which is on 22 June too, including a steel pan player, a community choir, Caribbean food and a dominoes tournament.
Get involved in St Albans Greener Together and join other residents, community groups and businesses in creating a more sustainable future for the District!
St Albans Greener Together is a District-wide network of inspired individuals and organisations committed to improving the local environment.
This Council-backed initiative has been developed with the University of Hertfordshire to offer local people opportunities to:
Learn about sustainability solutions from experts,
Share ideas and take part in creating positive change,
Discover and get inspired by the many initiatives and actions already happening,
Access opportunities to apply for funding.
The St Albans Greener Together website will be launched in mid-May. In the meantime you can find out more about this new initiative here. Please also come and find out more at our stand at the SustFest Expo, 7-9 June - details below.
This year’s St Albans Sustainability Festival includes a spectacular new event – the SustFest Expo.
The Expo will be at the Alban Arena from Friday 7 to Sunday 9 June.
On the Saturday and Sunday, there is free entrance to a drop-in event including stalls, expert speakers, exhibitions and workshops.
SustFest24 continues until Sunday 16 June with numerous events held throughout St Albans, Harpenden and the villages, often involving schools and community groups.
The Festival’s aim is to inspire people to adopt more sustainable lifestyles for the good of the planet.
A full programme of events is available on the SustFest24 website. These include a pre-loved fashion show, part of the Expo, a workshop on how to turn an old T-shirt into a useful bag and a 35-mile walk.
We publish Sustainability News three times a year and email it free to subscribers.
The publication is packed with news and information about the important issues of sustainability and the need to tackle the climate crisis.
You can sign up to have it emailed to you here .
 Twenty-one of the 56 seats on the Council were up for election on Thursday 2 May and you can see the results here.
The political composition of the Council is now Liberal Democrats, 47 Councillors; Conservatives, three; Green Party, three; Labour, two; and Independent, one.
There was also a county-wide election for the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner with Jonathan Ash-Edwards being elected.
Photo: counting the votes at Batchwood Sports Centre.
 To mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, a piper will play a lament at Hatfield Road Cemetery in St Albans.
The cemetery contains the graves of a number of people who died in the Second World War as well as other conflicts.
In the countdown to Thursday 6 June, the date of the Allied invasion of the Normandy beaches, pipers have been playing in various locations across the UK.
George Carr, a local piper, will be at Hatfield Road Cemetery at 11am on Thursday 30 May. Everyone is welcome to attend to pay their respects to Britain's war dead.
On 6 June, the subsidised lunch club at London Colney's Caledon Community Centre will have a D-Day themed lunch while the anniversary flag will be flown at the war memorial.
At Harpenden Common, a commemorative beacon will be lit at 9.15pm as darkness falls.
You can find more about D-Day celebrations here.
One of the Charter Market’s most popular and best-known traders has died after a long illness.
David Vyse, better known as Noddy to fellow traders and customers, had been working at the market for almost 25 years, taking over his own fruit-and-veg stall in 2016.
After falling seriously ill, Noddy was unable to attend the Market for some months with his family keeping the business going.
Away from the Market, he was a top breeder of Hackney horses, a rare breed of high-stepping carriage horses.
The Hackney Horse Society recently presented him with its Service and Dedication Medal for “his great contribution to the breeding of this magnificent animal and his support for the Society.”
Markets Manager James Ó Nuanáin paid tribute to Noddy and said: “He was a lovely man and will be sorely missed by the Markets community, shoppers and traders alike.”
Year two pupils from Margaret Wix Primary School in HIgh Oaks, St Albans, have enjoyed an educational field trip to our Charter Market.
They spoke to many of the traders, questioning them about their products and how long they have been working at the Market.
Among the stalls they found most fascinating was Chiltern Pet Food which sells pig snouts, bull horns and other delicacies.
They also examined the crochet keychains and clothes at CreArtive Designs and the amazing range of fresh produce at Ceylon Fish (pictured).
Markets officer Geeta Rebaudengo said: “The children had a lot of fun and learned a great deal about the Market’s long history and its importance to the local community. It was a valuable exercise for all involved.”
 Say hello to Mohammed Gbadamosi - one of the many new traders to be attracted to the Charter Market.
HIs Every Fish Bar sells "a different kind" of takeaway from his customised van.
As well as classic fish and chips, his menu offers a vegan option using soya as well as Caribbean jerk and chilli versions. Sides include plantain and cheesy chips.
Mohammed said: "It is fusion fish and chips and we have something delicious for every palate."
He has just started trading at the Market on Wednesdays and said: "I've been very impressed and business is building up."
Photo: Mohammed, left, with his assistant Dimitru Rusu.
Two events are coming to the Charter Market, on a site by the Saint and Sinner pub, on Saturday 25 May as part of St Albans Greener Together transport month.
Let Dr Bike prepare your bike for your summer cycling at a free repair workshop.
Experienced mechanics will check everything from wheels, brakes, gears and tyre pressure to lights and pedals. Minor adjustments can be made and advice given on major repairs.
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Enterprise Car Club St Albans will be showcasing their vehicles on the same day. The club provides access to electric vehicles in the City that you can rent by the hour or the day.
Membership - just £10 for the rest of 2024 - includes fuel, servicing, MOTs, breakdown cover, damage protection and cleaning.
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Don't forget - we are giving away 10 tonnes of compost on Sunday 19 May to help people fertilise their gardens and green spaces.
The compost will be available at our recycling contractor Veolia’s depot at Sandridge Gate Business Centre, Ronsons Way, St Albans, AL4 9XR. Drive past the Household Waste and Recycling Centre for the location.
You can collect it from 7.30am on a first come, first served basis. You will need to bring a shovel and bags with up to five bags per car allowed.
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Step2Skills are holding an Inclusive Job Fair at the Alban Arena on Monday 21 May from 10am to 3pm.
This is aimed at adults with leaning and physical disabilities, sensory needs, neurodiversity and mental health conditions.
The fair is free to attend and among the many employers who will be there are the Council, Barclays Bank, Sky Studios Elstree, McMullen’s Brewery, Octavius Infrastructure and XMA.
It is advisable to book here as spaces are likely to be limited for each hourly slot.
 Our waste contractor Veolia's staff rescued a lost and injured cat found wandering around their St Albans depot.
The team checked the cat for a microchip. leading them to her previous owner in Newcastle.
Determined that the cat was treated for its injuries to its tail, they took her to a 24-hour vet.
The new owner, who had lost their pet five weeks ago and had given up all hope, was then tracked down through a Facebook group,
After recovering from its ordeal, Veolia's staff reunited her with her grateful owner.
Photo: the cat moments after being found, left, and back home safe and sound, right.
Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care run Compassionate Cafés in St Albans and Harpenden.
They support local people, helping them to cope with grief, loneliness and isolation following the loss of a loved one.
The cafés are informal occasions and do not act as a support group or counselling session.
Alison May at Rennie Grove Peace said: “They offer a chance to share loss with people who understand, to find new friends and to share positive moments together over a cup of tea.”
There are six drop-in cafés held in the District at various locations, days and times. There is no need to book and you can find details about them here.
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