Please remember the fifth of November, 
Gunpowder season and plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder season
Should ever be forgot.

So the poem went when Guy Fawkes and his partners in crime nearly succeeded in blowing up the Houses of Parliament and everyone in it, but they were of course just stopped before they could do it.

If you're looking for an experience for a couple of history lovers, you could look at The Gunpowder Plot Immersive Experience for Two at The Tower Vaults

The Gunpowder Plot Immersive Experience for Two at The Tower Vaults - Peak
£110.00 from Virgin Experience Days

It's 1605, and London is divided, with the peace of the nation balancing on knife edge.  Step into a world where spies and informants hide in the shadows.  Trust nobody as you go undercover and unmask the figures behind this infamous plot.  Try to escape the Tower, discover a secret safehouse - and make the journey to the Hosues of Parliament along the Thames.

You're immersed in a fully 360 environment with live theatre and digital technology - will you have what it takes to stop the plot?

Now, some scenes are very dark with loud noises, which some children may not like, so minimum age for this experience is 10 and under 16s must be accompanied by a paying adult. 

Please read the participant guidelines Virgin Experience Days give (and I quote)

• For your own safety, the experience may not be suitable for:
  Those who suffer from high blood pressure, heart conditions, asthma, back or neck conditions, epilepsy, or any type of medical condition affecting the senses of smell, vision, or hearing
  Those of a nervous disposition
  The elderly
  Those with disabilities, blind or visually impaired
  Those with sensitivities to scent, loud noises, or flashing lights
  Pregnant women
  Those suffering from breathing or respiratory problems, such as allergies or scent sensitivities
  Those who are prone to motion sickness
• A guest with a disability is entitled to a single free carer ticket. To qualify for this free carer ticket you must apply in advance and provide documentation 
• The experience is not fully wheelchair accessible but regular wheelchair accessible events will be run. Please register your interest for one of these accessible events
• The experience content, equipment used and restrictions may vary
  
  

Find out more from Virgin Experience Days!

Did you know that it's Afternoon Tea Week from Monday 8th August through to Sunday 14th August? 

What an opportunity to celebrate this great event by simply having afternoon tea!  You could create your own and invite friends round, get the kids to do one or you could treat yourself to an Afternoon Tea out!  These aren't membership experiences or subscription gifts, but they give your loved one the chance to get away from it all and the routine of life and just relax for a couple of hours. 

Visit to Kew Gardens with Prosecco Afternoon Tea
at The Botanical for Two
£110.00

Well, Virgin Experience Days loves Afternoon Tea experiences and they have a huge number to choose from, starting at £24.00.  (That's a Chilli Afternoon Tea for Two with Gourmet Tasting in Bedfordshire, normally £50). 

In fact, you can choose from Afternoon Tea in London, Champagne Afternoon Tea, Traditional Cream Tea, Luxury Afternoon Tea, Unique and Themed Afternoon Tea, (including Peppa Pig tea experiences and also a Kitty Cafe  - you can stroke and talk to cats while having your Afternoon Tea).  For gin lovers, there's Gin Afternoon Teas, or maybe the vegan in you wants to have a Vegan Afternoon Tea?

How about Fortnum & Mason Champagne Afternoon Tea for Two in The Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon?
(Was £172.50, now £120 at the time of writing)

You can combine Afternoon Tea with Doing Something or visiting somewhere, such as having a spa day.  You could go for a walk with an Alpaca, visit a birds of prey centre, trot off to see the animals at the Port Lympne visit sites such as the Royal Albert Hall, the Spinaker Tower in Portsmouth, the Palace of Holyroodhoue in Edinburgh or Windsor Castle.  Maybe you'd like to visit Bletchley Park or get a tour of the Kia Oval Cricket Ground, or head off to The View from the Shard or the London Eye.  Car enthusiasts could take in a Motor Morgan Company Factory Tour, but if you prefer the train, there's the chance to enjoy a tea on a steam train.  There are possibilities around the country!

Visit to Port Lympne Reserve and Afternoon Tea for Two
(Was £90, now £60 at the time of writing)

Anyway, enough of me rambling on!  Head off to Virgin Experience Days and have a look at their range.  And don't forget to have a look at their special offers! 

I love flower shows, so I'm thrilled to just remind you that the RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show takes place from 3rd August to 7th August 2022.

Dig deep for more information here

There are over 60 trade and nursery exhibits to look at, talks and demonstrations in The Potting Shed theatre and plant displays of plants such as cactus and bonsai.  And of course, you can keep yourself well watered and fed as you stroll round enjoying everything.

Don't miss The Secured Garden, created in partnership with the Essex Police.

You can shop for quality plants and get lots of tips and advice from expert nurseries as you take in their displays.  There's even a plant creche to look after your plants!

Craft lovers can be inspired by a mine of designs in the Craft in Focus pop-up marquee.  There are about 25 exhibitors, who constitute a selection fo the UK's finest craftspeople and artists.   If you're a craft lover, you could also pop along to the Craft & Design Fair at RHS Hyde Hall from 26th to 29th August 2022 

Normal garden admission applies if you want to go to the RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, and you don't need to book to access the show, according to the website.  It's free to RHS members and a guest.

You can buy tickets here - why not treat a loved one to a great day out?  

Become an RHS member here

There’s amazing news from ZSL’s London Zoo! 

Gaysha has given birth to THREE Critically Endangered Sumatran tiger cubs!  They were born on Monday 27^th June and footage on ZSL London Zoo’s hidden ‘cubcam’ shows Gaysha giving birth and then gently cleaning the cubs, and then dad Asim quietly coming to meet his new family. 

These three add to the critically endangered Sumatran tigers 

More about ZSL's work with Sumatran tiger conservation

There are only 300 Sumtran tiger cubs left in the wild so this is a really important event for the species.  ZSL works in two main areas:  the Berbak National Park on the east coast of Sumtra and the Dangku corporate Conservation Complex  which is in the south.  ZSL is undertaking a number of activities there, for it is part of the Sundaland biodiveristy hotspot and has some of the highest rates of deforestation in the archipelago.  Tigers are suffering from conflicts with humans and poaching, both of tigers and their pray.   ZSL has two “Wildlife Conflict and Crime Response Teams” to address key threats to tigers including poaching, illegal trading and other human-wildlife conflict.  You can find out more here

 

The 29th July is Global Tiger Day.  Many conservation organisations highlight the plight of tigers.
Why not adopt a tiger from ZSL as a gift or for yourself?

#WorldTigerDay  #InternationalTigerDay #GlobalTigerDay

Meantime, back in London...

ZSL London Zoo's new Sumatran tiger cubs will be named after they’ve all had their first vaccinations, when they are about 3 months old.  Vets and zookeepers will be able to confirm the sex of each cub then.   Meantime, the zoo staff are giving this very important family a chance to have some peace and privacy and quiet time, and paws crossed, the cubs are doing well.

This week (21 July 2022), Mum Gaysha decided it was warm enough for them to venture outside.  Find out all about it here!

Congratulations to Gaysha and Asim and everyone at ZSL!

By the way, A Summer of Colour is ZSL London Zoo’s celebration of nature's kaleidoscope, and it runs until 31 August 2022.  Find out more and book here