ONE: Celebrate World Laughter Day

NO, we're not having a giggle, the Harrow Observer really is urging you to celebrate World Laughter Day.

Harrow Laughter Club, a laughter yoga group based on the border of Pinner and South Harrow, is encouraging people to its infectious chuckle-fest party on Saturday.

The session is run by Harish Chavda, who told the Harrow Observer last year: "We start with 10 minutes of education then we get through 20 different exercises, like laughing 'ho ho' and 'ha ha'.

"Then we laugh as a group. We begin by pretending to laugh as though you're on a mobile phone. One person laughs and then everyone else starts to laugh too - it's contagious.

"We laugh for 30 minutes and then there's a cool down.

"As part of my laughter group I teach people how to laugh on their own.

"There's a technique using a mirror. At times when I get stressed I use the technique."

Mr Chavda will give an introduction to laughter yoga for 15 minutes before participants enjoy a 45-minute exercise-driven period of laughing.

This will be followed by an hour-long World Laughter Day party.

What? World Laughter Day

Where? Harrow Quakers' Meeting Hall, 456 Rayners Lane, South Harrow

When? Saturday, May 2 at 2pm

Cost? £3 to cover running costs

Contact: Organiser Harish Chavda on 07812 690 810

TWO: St George

A NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN design for a stained glass window featuring St George slaying the dragon has gone on display at Harrow Museum.

The 4ft drawing of the patron saint of England with the monster is one of six renewed by a specialist company for Harrow Council in time for the museum's medieval themed May Day on Monday.

Experts restored faded colours and repair tears in the fragile sugar paper-style fabric sketch before framing it.

Like the other five pieces, it was produced in the early 19th century as a template for glass manufacturer Whitefriars of Harrow, whose factory was in Wealdstone - although it is still a mystery whether the window itself was ever made.

What? Design for St George window

Where? Harrow Museum and Heritage Centre, Pinner View, Harrow

When? Weekdays between noon and 5pm (closed Tuesdays). Weekends between 10.30am and 5pm

Cost? Free

Contact: 020 8863 6720

THREE: Guided walk

CESSPITS and courthouses are just two of the interesting items on the itinerary for the latest instalment of Jonathan Edwards' historical guided walks around Harrow on the Hill.

Following on from a previous walking tour about the area's drinking holes, Jonathan will escort ramblers through the Hill's public services over the years.

That means visits to former fire stations, the town's old courtroom and the police station, as well as stops where residents of past centuries would have found open drains, cesspits and an outbreak of cholera... and thankfully the site of the settlement's first hospital!

These ever-popular walks are organised by Harrow Hill Trust. Jonathan has recently taken over guide duties from respected historian Don Walter.

What? Guided walk

Where? Meet on the green next to Blues in High Street, Harrow on the Hill

When? Sunday, May 3 at 3pm

Cost? £3 adults, £2 concs, children free

Contact: hhtinfo@aol.com

FOUR: Imperial Players

THREE card-playing 70-something Jewish women barricade themselves in their synagogue after it is announced the building is to become a strip joint.

The rebellious trio's last stand is documented in Stuart Permutt's play One Last Card Trick, the latest production from North Harrow based am-dram group Imperial Players.

Sally Wright, directing the troupe for the fourth time, said: "It was inspired by the closing of the West End Synagogue in the late 1990s.

"The main characters who meet in their social club don't agree with the synagogue committee, which decides to sell the building to developers.

"The situation described in the play is very relevant to the present times, when an increasing number of places in London are subjected to commercial development.

"The play has some universal themes which should appeal to everyone, such as the importance of friendship. Moreover the play tackles increasingly common theme of dementia.

"One of the characters suffers from dementia and the play shows how her friends loyally support her."

Incidentally, there are only 12 members of the Imperial Players now and they are looking for new people to join to help out in any way they can: acting, stage design, costumes and lighting.

See www.imperialplayers.co.uk for more details.

What? Imperial Players

Where? St John Fisher Church Hall, Imperial Drive, North Harrow

When? Thursday, Friday and Saturday May 7, 8 and 9 at 8pm nightly with a 2.45pm matinée on May 9

Cost? £5, concessions £4

Contact: 020 8866 1082

FIVE: Keeping it mello

A FESTIVAL celebrating the Mellotron keyboard - a revolutionary predecessor of the synthesiser that stored hundreds of weird and wonderful sound samples - is being held in Kilburn this weekend.

The instrument's pre-recorded bank of noises included sounds taken from a symphony orchestra, a church choir, a samba combo and rock'n'roll drum rhythms.

Contributions from the keyboard can be heard on The Beatles' Strawberry Fields Forever as well as Moody Blues' Nights in White Satin, and in more recent times the device has enjoyed something of a comeback, with Radiohead, The Kooks and Paul Weller using it in recent compositions.

The unplugged gig, called Mellofest 2 and featuring at least three of 'the beasts' on stage, will comprise performances by Jakko Jakszyk with special guests Martin Orford and Robert Webb from King Crimson alumni 21st-Century Schizoid Band.

Revellers will get to enjoy special video appearances and a Mellotron workshop and, if time permits, an 'open Mellotron' session.

What? 2nd International Mellofest

Where? The Luminarie, 311 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn

When? Saturday, May 2 at 7.30pm

Cost? £7 in advance, £9 on the door

See: www.mellofest.com