Netherfield Festival Local people took part in a host of new activities during the Netherfield Festival, funded by the Netherfield Regeneration Project, recently. A festival shop, set up in the local centre, was the focus for events, which included free courses in aromatherapy and first aid, the design of a Netherfield Quilt and exhibitions of the purposed new buildings and new play areas. Young people from the area painted a mural on the side of the Woughton Action Centre and events with Langlands School included a resident potter, a swimming club and a sports and barbecue evening. Artist Bill Billings painted playground murals and a free breakfast was provided on a special Breakfast Bus. Together with pupils from the Redway School, children also took part in a theatre project with Interaction, and visited Hazard Alley. Residents were able to have property postcoded in a free scheme run jointly with Thames Valley Police. Olympic swimmer, Nick Gillingham, opened an exhibition of reminiscences of residents of sheltered housing schemes in the area. Throughout the festival, the Living Archive Project collected residents’ views of living in Netherfield, which have been put together in a book. Called “What’s Netherfield to you?” - it is on sale from local shops, the doctor’s and dentist’s surgery and from Living Archive, Stratford Road, Wolverton, priced £1. The Council's Regeneration Officer, Marie Osbourne, said: “The festival helped bring local people together by providing a wide range of activities. Our thanks go to everyone who helped with the organisation and who came along.” The next stage in the regeneration project will be consultation with the local community on improvements to some of the garages. Construction will start in September on the new Children's Centre.