Tadley Treacle Fair headlines today's (Sunday) events

THE Tadley Treacle Fair is being held today (Sunday).

Organised by the Lodden Valley Lions the fair will bring rides and attractions to the north Hampshire village, including donkey rides; circus skills; a climbing wall and a parade of vintage vehicles.

The Lions are hoping to top the £10,000 raised for charity at last year’s fair, which attracted 4,500 visitors.

The Treacle Fair starts with the traditional procession from Burnham Copse Primary School at 12.30pm, led by the 14th Eastleigh Scout and Guide Band – better known as The Spitfires. The new mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Anne Court, will also be at the head of the procession in a horse-drawn carriage, before she officially opens the fair at the main arena at around 1pm.

An action-packed main arena features Pony Club mounted games, dance displays by Tadley-based group Dance Phaze, a parade of vintage vehicles and The Spitfires providing more music.

A children’s arena offers circus skills, clowns and jugglers, along with face-painting. The Loddon Valley Lions have also organised donkey rides, a climbing wall, water balls and a bucking bronco. There's also book and bric-a-brac stalls, a coconut shy and a display of vintage vehicles. Other attractions include fairground rides, a food village, hog roast, trade and charity stalls, carriage rides and ferret racing.

Tadley youth council will also be giving out 600 orange and black wristbands, aimed at encouraging interest in the its website prior to the expected opening of Tadley’s new youth centre, The Point, in November.

Admission to the Treacle Fair is £2 for over-16s, £1 for children aged five to 15. Off road car parking is free.

For more information visit www.loddonvalleylions.org.

The National Gardens Scheme open gardens event will be held at Springfield Cottage, Stockcross and Rookwood Farmhouse, Stockcross, from 1pm until 5pm. Combined admission price with Rookwood Farmhouse £5; children free.

The West Berkshire Ramblers will be meeting at 10am in Leckhampstead Village Hall car park for an easy-to-moderate 4.5-mile walk to Chaddleworth and back, from a Walks in the North Wessex Downs series.

The ramblers will also be setting out at 9.10am at Newbury Bus Station, to catch the 9.13am bus to Cods Hill, East of Woolhampton for a 13-mile walk back to Newbury via Beenham, Frilsham and Cold Ash. Bring sufficient food and drink to last the day.