Five of the best: End the holidays with a day in the great outdoors

Aug 24 2010 Uxbridge Gazette

MARK the end of the summer holidays with a day appreciating the great outdoors.

Iver Environment Centre (formerly Iver Nature Study Centre) aims to encourage exploration, discovery and invention with its challenging, educational and, most importantly, fun summer activities. During the centre's festival weekend, children can enjoy archery, a rainforest walks experience making animal face masks, a mini beast hunt to discover what lurks in the undergrowth, and bushcrafts.

There will be lots of chances for children to get their hands dirty and even to learn how to make a woodland shelter.

what? Iver Festival Weekend where? Iver Nature Study Centre, Slough Road, Iver Heath when? Saturday, August 28 from 10am-4pm cost? Free (donations accepted) contact: 01895 270 730 see: www.ivernature.com

Visit Paradise City...

FANS of Slash, Axl Rose and company are in for a treat as Guns 4 Hire, one of the most talked about Guns 'n' Roses tribute acts in Europe, take to the stage in Ruislip.

The seven-piece act has played the Middle East, mainland Europe, Cyprus, Ireland and most of the major venues in the UK.

Maxxi 'Slash' Valentine, singer Axl 'J Dog' Rose and the rest of the band pride themselves on offering Europe's most authentic live Guns 'n' Roses experience.

what? Guns 4 Hire where? Tropic@Ruislip, Ruislip Social Club,Grosvenor Vale when? Friday, August 27 at 9.30pm (doors 8.30pm) cost? £12 (£10 in advance) contact: 01784 460 094

Celebrate runway victory

GIANT volleyball, kangaroo boxing and human table football. Sound like a weird dream? It's actually part of a family fun day to celebrate the scrapping of plans for a third runway at Heathrow Airport.

The event, organised by Hillingdon Council and the No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG), will feature live music and stage acts plus a barbecue, bar, fairground rides and lots more.

what? NoTRAG Family Funday where? Sipson Recreation Ground, Sipson Lane, Sipson when? Saturday, August 28, 2-7pm cost? Admission free see: www.hillingdon.gov.uk

Running for fun

HANCOCK said a pint of blood was an armful. Well a 5km run is only a little toe compared to even a half marathon, so get your running shoes on and get down to Hillingdon Stadium on August Bank Holiday Sunday.

The West London 5K will raise money for developing athletics coaching for children in the West London area.

There is also a one-mile family fun run at 11.45am, where all entrants get a goody bag and race certificate for crossing the finish line. * Entrants must be at least 17 for the 5km and at least 11 for the fun run.

what? West London 5K run where? Hillingdon Stadium when? Sunday, August 29 at 11am cost? Adults £10, children £5, families £15 see: www.runnersworld.co.uk

The building blocks of art

A GROUP of artists who say they 'respond to architecture, urban design and the built environment' will share a selection of their work at a new exhibition at Brunel University.

Artists and Architecture, which opened last Monday, will showcase the creations of Barbaresi and Round, a duo shortlisted for the Celeste Art Prize in 2006; Robert Currie, who creates intricate three-dimensional pieces from unusual materials such as unspooled video tapes; Nathalie Guinamard works with images from newspapers, magazines and old interior design books; James Winnett has examined the university campus's shifting architectural, social and historical make-up; and Mary Yacoob explores the concept of

what? Artists and Architecture Exhibition where? Beldam Gallery, Brunel University, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge when? Until Friday, October 8 from 10am-5pm weekdays cost? Free contact: 01895 266 074 or email artscentre@brunel.ac.uk see: www.brunel.ac.u,/beldamgallery