Central And Finally

Northampton has been celebrating the Chinese New Year at the town's Market Square.

Organised by the Northamptonshire Chinese Society with support from the borough Council, the event involved a mix of traditional entertainment including dragon and lion dances, acrobats and martial arts demonstrations.

It followed the success of Northampton's first-ever Chinese New Year celebration back in 2015, which attracted more than 7,000 visitors.

Leicester: Newarke Houses Museum and Gardens - Sunday from 2pm

The efforts of the Women of the Great War have long been credited as a significant reason for the winning of the female vote.

With the political landscape of the past 12 months being at the forefront of everyones mind, it's hard to imagine a time where half the population were denied the freedom of expression or political opinion.

Hosted by Cynthia Brown, this talk will look at the experiences and contributions of women to the efforts of the first world war, and the effect those efforts had in later years.

The talk will focus on the wartime roles of women in the home and in local industries, as wives and widows of men in the forces, and on their own account in the Women’s Land Army and other wartime services.

Refreshments will be available, booking is essential.

Kidderminster: Worcestershire Museum, Hartlebury Castle, Sunday 11am-4pm

The RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch is an initiative encouraging people all around the UK to give at least an hour to discover the bird life in their area.

This weekend, you can take part in the project alongside other budding wildlife watchers by joining the Hartlebury Castle Big Bird Watch.

Use binoculars to see which birds you can identify, try the bird quiz, create your own Bird Blow Darts game and make an Apple Bird Feeder to take home.

The project has been taking place since 1979 and allows the charity to monitor trends and understand how birds are doing. Don't forget to register online for your free big bird watch pack.

Nottingham: Old Market Square, Saturday 11:00 to 16:00

It's still a week to go until the beginning of the Chinese new year, and this year it's the year of the Rooster, but theres plenty to get involved with to get you in the mood ahead of the official celebrations.

With a brand new free event showcasing Chinese culture in Nottingham's Old Market Square this weekend, there's no reason not to get involved.

Visitors can expect food, drink and craft stalls, live singing and dancing and even traditional lion dance performances.

And to compliment the events, a Nottingham-based artist will also be illuminating the University's iconic Trent Building with an array of images to capture contemporary and traditional elements of Chinese art and culture.

Herefordshire Welly-Wanging: Brockhampton Park, Sat & Sun 11:00-15:30

Dig out your wellington boots and enjoy the fresh air of the Herefordshire countryside at the National Trust Brockhampton Estate this weekend.

There are six walking routes on the estate suitable for all ages and abilities and during the winter months when the trees are bare, wildlife is more visible than at any other time of the year.
There will also be a Welly-Wanging competition.

Welly Wanging is a British folk sport requiring competitors to throw their Wellington boots as far as possible and is now a world-wide competitive phenomenon with a set of regulated rules from the World Welly Wanging Association.

You can also pick up a free copy of the '50 things to do before you are 11 ¾' booklet and see what adventures can be had at Brockhampton Estate.

East Kirkby, Lincolnshire: Saturday January 21st - 10.00am-4pm

The Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre is a family run museum set up over 20 years ago.

It is now widely seen as a living memorial to the 55 and a half thousand men of Bomber Command who lost their lives during World War Two and holds one of the rarest aircraft, an Avro Lancaster Bomber, in its collection.

It also features many rare models of wartime vehicles which cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

The sky is the limit for a fun-filled, educational, family day out at the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre this weekend. Under 5s are free and you can even bring the dog!