.A petition has been set up at the Tales of Robin Hood tourist attraction for people wanting to show their opposition to the new "Brand" for Nottingham which removes the instantly recognisable Robin Hood symbol for the city.

And the current Sheriff of Nottingham, Coun Derek Cresswell is leading the fight to stop Robin Hood being brushed aside by Nottingham's image-makers.

He says the legendary outlaw should be at the heart of plans to promote the city - not the newly designed and controversial slanted 'N' symbol.

Coun. Cresswell said: "I'm hoping the people who have come up with this logo will have a serious rethink. I'm totally against it.

"They could have kept a role for Robin Hood. Go anywhere in the world and if someone asks you where you're from and you say Nottingham, they always say Robin Hood.

"You might think Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham are enemies but I don't want to get rid of him and he's no enemy of mine.

"A lot of cities would pinch him if they could; they obviously see the benefits of him. You can't take Robin Hood out of Nottingham."

Other former sheriffs are similarly harsh words about the new 'N' campaign.

Former sheriff Coun John Hartshorne, said: "I think this new brand and its promoters have got a major job on selling it in order to sell the city.

We should have stuck with Robin Hood while we worked on a new marketing strategy for this logo because it can't sell us on its own."

And another former sheriff, Ali Asghar, said: "I don't think we have been using Robin Hood enough.

I am not impressed by this one letter 'N'. It could be about Newcastle or Norwich and is not specially about Nottingham.

.The "Big N" a new visual identity for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire has been launched. The new brands celebrate Nottingham and Nottinghamshire as capital for culture, entertainment, shopping, countryside - and much else besides.

Based on values emphasising the ambition, independence and genuine nature of the area, the brands form a platform to communicate all that is good and positive about Notts as a great place in which to invest, work, live, visit, meet and study. According to Experience Nottingham, the organisation responsible for the new identity, the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire brands will soon be familiar across the city and county, creating a physical sense of place for visitors and residents alike. They will also create a unifying theme across diverse promotional campaigns.

The "Big N" has not gone down well with everyone however as it involves the replacement of the existing "our style is legendary" logo which features Robin Hood. It has led to widespread accusations (once again) that Nottinghamshire is dumping Robin Hood, one of the most recognisable "brands" in the world.

What do you think? Give your views at: www.robinhood.info/newforum/index.asp

See for yourself about the power of the Robin Hood brand on our Big N summary page

George Clooney and Brad Pitt are reportedly teaming up again for another Rat Pack-inspired movie. The two pals, who starred in the remake of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr's Ocean's Eleven and it's sequel Ocean's Twelve, are now in talks to revisit 1964 mob movie Robin and the Seven Hoods.

According to Hollywood insiders, Clooney has bought the rights to the film. In the original, Sinatra and Peter Falk played feuding Chicago, Illinois, gangsters.

Hollywood hunk Kevin Costner is planning a sequel to his hit 1991 movie Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves.

The 50-year-old Oscar-winner is hoping to cash in on the success of the film by producing a big-screen spin-off which will catch up with the legendary character and his merry men later on in life.

Costner says "Robin Hood : Prince of Thieves 2" will be set several years after the first film, with the characters now evidently older. "I am a little older - I could take the whole story a stage further which is an idea I am working on at the moment."

The Robin Hood Foundation, one of New York's leading poverty-fighting organizations, has honoured five New Yorkers at the Fifteenth annual Robin Hood Heroes Awards at The Plaza Hotel.

The breakfast was attended by leaders from Wall Street, government, and the entertainment, technology, and media industries, including Chancellor Joel Klein.

Each year, Robin Hood honours outstanding people whose work is transforming the lives of the poorest New Yorkers. Each of the organizations that the Heroes represent received $50,000 from Robin Hood. Presenting the Robin Hood Heroes Awards were Robin Hood board members Marie-Josee Kravis, Geoffrey Canada, Glenn Dubin, Paul Tudor Jones, and Harvey Weinstein.

The last resting place of the Zulu's elusive "Robin Hood" - rebel prince Bhambatha kaMancinza - may remain a secret after DNA tests were unable to prove whether hair and other human remains found in a London attic belonged to Bhambatha or not.

Prince Bhambatha vanished in 1906 after leading Zulu rebels against British troops in the Battle of Mome in protest against crippling taxes designed to force Zulu men off their land and into working on colonial mines.

Colonial authorities insisted afterwards that they'd recovered Bhambatha's decomposing body after the battle, but Zulu nationalists and Bhambatha's own family have consistently rejected the official version of the rebel prince's death.

The DNA tests by the SA National Blood Service (SANBS) were designed to prove that a lock of hair found in an English attic belonged to Bhambatha.

SANBS report says the findings are, however, inconclusive because the DNA extracted from the hair is 98 years old and therefore too degraded to be properly verified

The Village Theatre in Issaquah, Washington will offer the premiere of the new musical, Robin Hood: The Legend Continues, by two of Broadway's biggest names.

Lyricist Martin Charnin (Annie, Two by Two), librettist Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers) and composer Peter Sipos will see their new creation, on its feet at Village Theatre's First Stage in December 2004

Charnin will direct the new swashbuckling musical that sets the action 20 years after the "Robin Hood" story that's well-known (stealing from the rich, giving to the poor, and all that). Now, the children of Robin and his Merry Men get to interact with their parents (and each other).

According to Village Theatre, "This rollicking romp of a musical picks up the story 20 years later: Robin Hood and his Merry Men are two decades older, now with offspring as ribald and rabble-rousing as they once were. Disguise and intrigue, knockabout humor and swashbuckling adventure, and rousing music make this a wise, witty, wonderful take on a beloved tale."

The Manager of local Soccer side Nottingham Forest, Joe Kinnear has hailed the "unique" ability of Brian Clough and claimed he was "arguably" more famous than Robin Hood.

Clough, who died this month aged 69, led unfashionable Forest from English football's second tier to the league title and two successive European Cups in 1979 and 1980.and is widely regarded as one of the best English managers of all time.

Kinnear said: "Brian Clough was a unique manager who took Nottingham Forest from obscurity to the First Division title and then two successive European Cups. "He is as synonymous with Nottingham as Robin Hood is and Cloughie is arguably the more famous of the two! "They certainly don't make them like Cloughie any more. His passing away is a tremendous loss to the game."

An auction of a private Robin Hood Collection is taking place on Thursday,17th June at Bamfords Ltd, The Derby Auction House, Chequers Road, Derby, England at 2.30 pm.

Viewing is on Monday 14th June 10.00am - 8.00pm and
Tuesday 15th 1.00pm - 7.30pm.

There are 24 lots of mixed items ranging from Robin Hood related merchandise,books and memorabilia to pottery and collectible figures such as Royal Doulton.

Tel:01332 210000 for further details

Monday 12 April 2004 sees the launch of 'Legacy', a visual journey around Robin Hood country, at the Nottingham City Information Centre. The current Sheriff of Nottingham, Cllr John Hartshorne, will be there to chat about his role in the modern era and to sign copies of the video/dvds sold on the day.

There will be many costumed characters from Robin and his band to Guy of Gisburne and the medieval Sheriff of Nottingham. Lots of fun, games, swordfights and free gifts will be there.

Further information contact John Pearson on 01623 825456

COMING SOON - A VIRTUAL GUIDED TOUR ON-LINE AT BBC NOTTINGHAM

Specially written for Nottinghamshire by Richard Rutherford-Moore, author of three books on The Legend of Robin Hood, the virtual guided tour follows the popular 'Blacke Dickon, Forester of Sherwood' on a patrol from Nottingham to the northern borders of the county looking at many sites with an association to our world-famous outlaw, Robin Hood.

Each site visit features 'Blacke Dickon' himself in a combined audio-visual presentation describing the spot and in addition a 360 degree photograph. Richard describes the creation of the feature "The problem was to reach out and give a taste of Robin Hood and Sherwood Forest to an international audience. This was my idea how we could manage it. It was fun to get out and film the scenes - we had lots of feedback on the filming days from people we met along the way and they all gave us their best wishes. Hard work in every other respect as what the average viewer won't see are the long hours of design work by Dan Sinclair that went into creating the feature.

We've only actually done half the county so far but it's an on-going inter-active feature. I did ask Yorkshire officialdom some months ago if they wanted their bit including in the Robin Hood Country feature - I never got any replies but they might change their minds when they see the feature is up and running. The parts of the main feature I've seen are spectacular : I hope everyone enjoys the finished feature. " 'Blacke Dickon' himself will be presenting "Robin Hood's Nottingham" live for schools and tourists with special tours for Robin Hood fans at Nottingham Castle several times in 2004. Details of the dates of the tours will follow shortly.

Two security guards in Thailand have been arrested after they allegedly gave away hundreds of dollars' worth of money from a stash of notes they found lying on a road. The money had reportedly fallen from a Securicor van, the back door of which had swung open, the driver said.

Preecha Jaiboon and his friend Somchai Insuwan whom the Bangkok Post Newspaper dubbed as modern day "Robin Hoods"gave out cash gifts ranging from 300 baht to 50,000 baht at a temple where Mr Preecha had once lived, the paper said. Police arrested the men at their Bangkok home after being tipped off by people suspicious of the two men handing out wads of up to 10,000 baht to friends, monks and strangers.

"We have recovered more than 8.1 million baht from the suspects and some of the people they gave it to," a police spokesman said. The men faced a maximum five-year jail term, he said.

A Member of Parliament in the UK has challenged Nottingham to justify its claim to be the home of the Robin Hood legend. Wakefield Labour MP David Hinchliffe has tabled a motion in the House of Commons saying there is plenty of evidence pointing to the outlaw hero being born in Wakefield and dying at Clifton, near Brighouse.

But he faces an uphill task after officials in Nottingham vowed never to give up their claim. Mr Hinchliffe's Commons motion concerns road signs saying Nottinghamshire is `Robin Hood Country'.

He said: "I am challenging them to justify this claim. There is more and more historical evidence of Robin Hood being primarily based in Yorkshire."

But transport minister David Jamieson said Nottinghamshire had been historically connected with Robin Hood for many years. A Nottinghamshire Council spokeswoman said: "Many other counties have tried to claim Robin Hood. "But it is obvious from overwhelming evidence that he belongs here.

Nottingham's popular new atmospheric attraction, the City of Caves has won two top tourism publication awards, 'Tour of the Year 2004', and 'Nottinghamshire Family Attraction of the Year 2004' it was announced recently.

The awards have been won in conjunction with the Caves tour at Nottingham Castle. Judges from the 'Good Britain Guide' visited both tours incognito to see how it fared against the competition both nationally and regionally. The Caves beat off strong national competition to win the coveted 'Tour of the Year' award. Other winners included big national attractions such as Alton Towers, Royal Armouries and Edinburgh Castle.

"I am delighted that we have won two prestigious awards in such a short space of time," said Peter Armstrong, Chief Executive, "It means that all the hard work and effort to get the attraction off the ground has finally paid off. Working in partnership with East Midlands Development Agency and Nottingham City Council, we have ensured that Nottingham has another successful attraction within the region. We knew that the City of Caves would be popular, especially with local people and it's great that we can now share our success with them".

Jousting, comedy, real ale, a medieval hog-roast; early Christmas shopping; comic re-enactments, workshops, live music, theatre; a medieval village and church; hilarious walkabout characters, minstrels, jesters and jugglers .... you name it, it's all happening at Nottingham Castle at the 13th ANNUAL ROBIN HOOD PAGEANT on Saturday and Sunday 25 and 26 October from 11.00am - 5.00pm.

Paul Morgan, Event Organiser, said: "We are expecting over 6,000 people from as far as Japan and the States and of course across the country. Nottingham is now firmly on the map as the UK's 11th most visited city thanks to many events like the Robin Hood Pageant. "Everyone is fascinated with Robin Hood and this is an opportunity for children, families, and visitors of all ages to have terrific fun at exceptional value and to learn about the life and times of Robin Hood"

This year's Robin Hood Festival was the busiest ever according to the organisers Nottinghamshire County Council's Tourism & Country Parks Service.Visitor numbers over the seven days were well in excess of 64,000 - some 7,000 more than last year.

"This year's event was the busiest ever" said Nic Broomhead, Head of Nottinghamshire's Country Parks. "The fact that the weather during the week was better than last year was obviously a contributing factor. However, the many visitors we had from overseas as well as all parts of the United Kingdom will have planned their visit well in advance and the weather will have played no part in their decision to come to Nottinghamshire for the event.

It just goes to prove that the legend is still alive and well and where it should be - right here in Sherwood Forest." Plans are already in hand for next year when the Festival, which will take place between 2nd & 8th August, will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary.

Visitors to this year's Robin Hood Festival at Sherwood Forest Country Park, which is on from Monday 28th July until Sunday 3rd August, will be able to enjoy an extra treat with musical entertainment from two visiting Dutch families.

The Janissen family, from Tilburg, who first visited the Festival in 1994 and have been regulars at the event ever since, will be teaming up with Marcella de Bruyne and her daughters Gisella and Esmeralda Groenendal from Kockengen, who also come back every year for the event.

The two families first came across each other at the 1996 Festival and have been meeting up at Sherwood every year since. Last year, they decided to pool their joint musical talents to provide extra entertainment for Festival visitors.

The combined group, who call themselves 'The Crazy Dutch Regulars' will be playing a selection of traditional Dutch folksongs at various times throughout the Festival week.

The band includes four members of the Janissen family - harmonium player Arie (dad), recorder player and vocalist Hanneke (mum), viola player and vocalist Annique (daughter), and percussionist and vocalist Joy (grand daughter) - plus Marcella and her daughters.

"We came as tourists to the 1994 Festival" said Arie Janissen "and got so hooked on the event, that we have been back every year since. Over the years we have become great friends with some of the Festival's cast and really enjoy getting involved."

The Groenedal's first visit to the Festival was two years later.

"Every year, we say this is going to be our last visit to the Robin Hood Festival" said Marcella, "but we simply can't stay away! Meeting the Janissen family at Sherwood every year and now performing with them adds to our enjoyment "

Thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Sherwood Forest as the 19th Annual Robin Hood Festival - Nottinghamshire's biggest celebration of the life and times of its legendary hero - takes place at Sherwood Forest Country Park & Visitor Centre, near Edwinstowe.

The week's events start at 11.00am on Monday (28th July) with a Grand Opening Ceremony when Robin himself, alongside other members of the Festival cast, will be on hand to celebrate the start of the week-long extravaganza. Needless to say, the evil Sheriff of Nottingham will be trying to put a damper on the proceedings, but Robin and his Sherwood outlaws are determined the Festival should go ahead as planned. The ensuing skirmish between the two groups will provide a rousing and colourful start to the event.

Lots of the Festival's regular entertainers will be back again this year, including Alan a'Dale & Festa, Billy of Loxley and Prince Andrew of Edwinstowe, Grunal the Moneyer, Sir Ralph of Epperstone, Zebediah the Ratcatcher, What a Palaver, the Robin Hood Minstrels and The Singing Plague Victims. Newcomers to this year's event include The Sherwood Bandits, Pye Powder and Swank.

Popular re-enactment group Legends, will once again be recreating the daring exploits of Robin Hood and the Sheriff's men with live action skirmishes throughout the week, as well as showing off their skills in medieval combat and horsemanship over the weekend, when they will be staging the Festival Jousting Tournaments. Ye Olde Redtail Falconry will be demonstrating the skills of their falcons, hawks and owls on Wednesday (30th July).

No Robin Hood Festival would be complete without archers and, down by the Major Oak, the talented Forest Bowmen will be staging 'Have a Go' archery sessions on Monday, Tuesday Wednesday and Sunday.

The Festival programme offers something for everyone, ranging from open air theatre performances, through archery and a 'Catapult Castles' game, to two evening events - a 'Forest Feast' on Wednesday (30th July) and 'An Evening of Medieval Merriment' on Saturday (2nd August). The Medieval Crafts Fayre will be taking place down by the Major Oak from Thursday (31st July) to Saturday (2nd August) where costumed craftspeople will be demonstrating a range of ancient skills, and the popular Hunt the Outlaw event will be taking place on Friday (1st August). Alan a'Dale & Festa will be taking time out from the Open Air Theatre at the weekend to offer visitors the chance to try their hand at a variety of skills, ranging from juggling and stilt walking to diablo throwing.

As well as providing a stage for some of the entertainment, the Visitor Centre itself will house a number of colourful stalls featuring face painters, a potter, medieval tile making and paper & card making, as well as a selection of goods from the Robin Hood Souvenir Shop and barbecued refreshments.

Organised by Nottinghamshire County Council Leisure Services, the Robin Hood Festival attracts visitors from all over the country and further afield. Last year's event attracted nearly 60,000 visitors, despite two days of almost continuous rain. Entry to the Festival is free, and car parking costs £1.50 per car. Coaches, mini-buses with a minimum of 12 seats, and disabled badge holders are admitted free.

Further information on the 19th Annual Robin Hood Festival is available in a free programme, copies of which can be obtained from local tourist information centres and libraries, or from Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre, Tel: 01623 824490 and Nottinghamshire County Council's Marketing & Tourism Unit, Tel: 01623 824317 (24 hours).

July 2003 marks the 125th anniversary of Nottingham Castle Museum, and celebrates the restoration of the 17th century Ducal Mansion into the first municipal museum and art gallery outside London.

Discover the story of Nottingham Castle Museum in an exhibition which provides a showcase for some of the objects and works of art that were here in the early years.

It also features a selection of the weird and wonderful, beautiful and bizarre - that have been on show here since that opening ceremony 125 years ago.

Bestwood councillor John Hartshorne has been installed as Sheriff of Nottingham for the second time and also Deputy Lord Mayor. The two offices have been combined this year on a trial basis to bring Nottingham into line with most other local authorities in appointing two civic dignitaries.

Councillor Hartshorne is set to become the first Sheriff of Nottingham who can look forward to becoming Lord Mayor of the City the following year.

“I want to use my position this year and next to raise Nottingham’s profile and importance nationally and internationally,” he said. “The Sheriff of Nottingham is famous across the globe and I want to build a real partnership with people and organisations across the City to attract tourism and other enterprises to the City to help ensure our future prosperity."

A special event is scheduled for 7th - 10th July 2003 as the city of York in England plays host to the 4th Biennial Robin Hood Conference. Keynote speakers include Thomas H. Olgren, Mark Ormrod and Lois Potter who will be discussing a wide range of subjects related to the Robin Hood Legend.

The conference will be held at the King’s Manor, University of York Centre for Medieval Studies & York St John College. Conference fee: £40/$60 (waged), £20/$40 (students, unwaged, retired).

For full details of the Conference programme and details of how to book your place click here.

The hidden mysteries which lie beneath the City of Nottingham are again open to inspection as the newly titled City of Caves (formerly the Caves of Nottingham) opens its doors this month.

With caves dating back to the time of Robin Hood, visitors can enter and explore a whole new world and descend into the dark depths of the original Anglo Saxon tunnels, meeting real cave dwellers from its dramatic hidden past and see how these caves have been used and adapted over the Centuries by local people to escape and take refuge from the world above.

The new-look attraction includes the sights,sounds and smells of the only remaining medieval underground tannery in the country, including the spectacular Pillar Cave dating back to1250 AD.

All your wishes may come true at the Enchanted Well, with its ancient and magical spring taking visitors back to the mythical age of Druids, soothsayers and magicians.


The City of Caves attraction officially opens on 19 April 2003

The current Sheriff of Nottingham has caused a medieval stir by branding the current Nottingham Castle a "disappointment" for tourists and calling for its demolition.

Councillor Ali Asghar, who currently holds the historic post of Sheriff is reported as saying that the Ducal Palace which sits atop Nottingham Castle Rock should be knocked down and rebuilt as a proper castle with some sort of theme park.

A study inspired by Nottingham organisation Robin Hood Limited is currently assessing the feasibility of making the castle more of an experience for visitors and tourists including putting Robin Hood back into Nottingham Castle.

Hovever, many would like to go further and re-create a medieval castle on the site, a point of view which has both supporters as well as detractors who think we should leave well alone where our history and heritage is concerned.

For more details about this story click here

According to Blackstar, the entire Adventures of Robin Hood series from the 1950s starring Richard Greene is being released on DVD on March 24, 2003, on Region 2 discs only. Go to this link for more information:

http://www.blackstar.co.uk/video/item/7000000077218.

This is absolutely great news for anyone with a Region 2 DVD player. Unfortunately, for those people who can only view Region 1 or All Region discs for example in USA and Canada, this is not such good news. Hopefully, the DVD collection will be released soon in all formats which will allow everyone across the world to have access to this wonderful series. Further news will be posted here as soon as we get it.

Thank you to Bob H from the USA for sharing this news with us.

From now until 6 April, Nottingham Castle is hosting an incredible exhibition of the glass replica sea creatures designed and made by the 19th century German glassworker Leopold Blaschka and his son, Rudolf.

From their tiny Dresden workshop, the Blaschkas made thousands of glass models of squids, sea-slugs, cuttlefish, sea squirts, jellyfish, dead men's fingers and other sea creatures for natural history museums all over the world. Exquisite in its fine detailing and startlingly realistic, the Blaschkas' work is a remarkable example of the fusion of design, craftsmanship and industrial production at a time in the late 19th century when the public was fascinated by recently discovered marine exploration.

Profile Nottingham and Nottingham City Council have announced the appointment of the Continuum Group to undertake a feasibility study into the possible addition of a new visitor attraction at Nottingham Castle. The appointment was made following presentations by three contenders, by the project Steering Group comprising members of Profile Nottingham and Nottingham City Council

Continuum Group is responsible for the development of similar attractions such as Jorvik, the Oxford Story, Canterbury Tales and Whitby Abbey Visitor Centre. It was appointed based on this experience and considerable expertise in handling all phases of similar projects, from initial feasibility through to design and management of a visitor attraction. The company also has success in obtaining funding from a range of influential bodies such as Heritage Lottery and the European Regional Development Fund, which will be crucial if the attraction goes ahead following the study.

It is planned that the attraction would better meet the expectations of visitors to the Castle by interpreting Nottingham's heritage and links with the Robin Hood legend. The aim would be to bring more visitors to Nottingham and to complement existing attractions.

The Feasibility Study, which is to be completed by March 2003, will need to investigate a number of issues in order to assess the demand, economic impact and viability for a such an attraction. For example, the Continuum Group will need to evaluate local and regional demand, recommend how the content will be educational but fun and how it may be regularly revitalised. The project also requires an outline business plan, including cost/benefit analysis, evidence of sustainability and investment opportunities, as well as recommendations on such matters as transport links and the integration of different modes of transport, including parking needs.

The project must also meet the requirements of the Castle Development Plan and Conservation Plan as well as complying with other heritage and conservation agencies, such as English Heritage. The Continuum Group will also be expected to show how the plan meets the objectives of EMDA and the GNP, from which support funding has been obtained, identifying how the new attraction, if it goes ahead, will provide employment and educational opportunities and stimulate the tourism industry in Greater Nottingham.

The Tree Council has chosen National Tree Week as the ideal time to present a plaque and certificate to Nottinghamshire County Council to commemorate the selection of Sherwood Forest’s mighty Major Oak as one of the country’s great British Trees. The presentation will take place at Sherwood Forest Country Park & Visitor Centre on Friday, 29th November.

The Major Oak was chosen as one of 50 Great British Trees out of hundreds nominated by members of the Tree Council’s 7,500 strong Tree Warden Scheme to mark the Queen’s Golden Jubilee earlier this year, receiving more nominations than any other tree in the United Kingdom.

Jon Stokes, the Tree Council’s Director of Community Projects said: “In preparing this tribute to the Queen’s Jubilee, our aim was to turn a spotlight on to our living heritage. Like the Monarchy, these trees stand as glorious symbols of strength and continuity.”

As custodians of the Major Oak, Nottinghamshire County Council will be presented with a certificate as well as a commemorative plaque which will be placed near the tree.

“We were delighted that the Major Oak was selected for this special recognition,” said Nic Broomhead, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Head of Tourism. “The tree has been growing in Sherwood Forest for between 800 and 1,000 years and, with its strong association with Robin Hood, is known throughout the world.”

The Major Oak has received special attention throughout the 20th Century to the present day and has needed additional support since 1908. A completely new support system, which it is hoped will extend the life of the tree by another 200 years, was installed early last year.

Nottingham Castle is Nottingham's most famous and popular place to visit and it is hoped that a new study will soon be underway to investigate the possiblty of having a new heritage and Robin Hood attraction on the Castle site

The East Midlands Development Agency has, via the Greater Nottingham Partnership, granted funds to undertake a feasibility study to look at the demand, economic impact and viability of such an attraction. The aim is to include a high quality representation of the history of Nottingham and its famous legend. Subject to final approval by Nottingham City Council's Advice and Scrutiny Committee, it is planned to attract a commercial partner to come forward to make this project happen.

For further information contact Profile Nottingham at:mail@profilenottingham.co.uk

Sherwood Forest, renowned across the world as the home of Robin Hood has received a special royal visit in celebration of its new status as Nottinghamshire's first National Nature Reserve.

A formal declaration of the Forest's new status was declared by HRH The Duke of Gloucester in a special ceremony beneath the Major Oak.

He said: "I hope that no modern day Robin Hoods will use the trees as target practice, and more people will be able to come here to learn about trees and how they grow."

Sherwood Forest is a natural habitat for thousands of rare insects, animals and plants and is the 214th area in the country to be granted the special status by English Nature.

Amongst the many ancient oak trees in the foreas, the Major Oak is believed to be more than 900 years old, and is famed as a hiding place for Robin and his merry men.

The site will be managed by Notts County Council - which has pledged to maintain the forest for the next 500 years - and English Nature. The council also hopes the new status will help regenerate the surrounding area following the decline of coal mining.

Robin Hood is after new archers! The Tales of Robin Hood, on Maid Marian Way,is looking for new archers to enter into a fabulous competition to win a trip to Disneyland Paris.

Everyone who visits the attraction during half term week can enter the archery competition for free. You will get three arrows and have to try and hit the bullseye on the target. Everyone that manages this will be put into a prize draw with the chance to win a trip to Disneyland, courtesy of Skills coaches. To enter you must be under 15 years old and be over 4' 4'' tall.

For further details, you can contact the Tales of Robin Hood on 0115 948 3284

Friends, family and colleagues of Tony Robinson, the first black Sheriff of Nottingham, said goodbye this month in a packed service at St Mary's Church in Nottingham. In the Congregation were twelve former Sheriffs and Lord Mayors who paid their last respects to a much-loved and respected man.

Mr Robinson came to Nottingham from Jamaica in 1960. He worked as a bus driver for Nottingham City Transport for 25 years, and was an active member of the Transport and General Workers' Union.

On his retirement in 1986, he became city councillor for Bestwood Park.

He was appointed Sheriff for the first time in 1989 and also held the office twice more, in 1993/94 and 1997/98.

A literally groundbreaking discovery may just be evidence that Robin Hood really existed.

An 800 year old passage which it is believed may have been used by Robin Hood was exposed when archaeologists broke through the floor of a cave beneath the city's Galleries of Justice Museum. Some commentators have speculated that Robin Hood may have used the cave passage to escape from nearby St. Mary's church while surrounded by the sheriff's men.

The tunnel, 4ft wide and 5ft high, is thought to be several miles long. To read more about this story from the pages of our local newspaper, the Nottingham Evening Post, click here.

The Big Adventures Theatre Company will be presenting "Robin Hood" - a new swashbuckling adventure for all the family at two venues in the Nottingham area.

The first performances will take place in Nottingham on 27 & 28 July. For tickets and prices Tel: 0115 915 3648

The play will also be performed at the Hall site, Shipley Hill, in Shipley Country Park on August 4 at 2.00pm. For details and tickets contact the visitor centre on 01773 719961

Hammond Castle in Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA, hosts the third annual Robin Hood Faire for three adventure-filled days! Starting July 19 and running all weekend from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M., interactive theater company Pastimes of Revere will once again bring the legend of Robin Hood to life!

The Robin Hood Faire is considered the centerpiece event of the Pastimes faire season, which runs from April until September, and draws record crowds each year with its mix of adventure and romance.

According to show director David Stickney, the Robin Hood Faire has a much different tone than April's King Arthur Faire, which Pastimes also produced. "The King Arthur Faire is our epic show," David said. "Robin Hood is our high adventure, swashbuckler show."

Unlike a conventional stage play, the Robin Hood Faire environment is completely interactive with the audience, drawing them in and making them part of the story.

Last year's highly successful faire, which saw more than 3,000 visitors during its two-day run, told the tale of the ambitious Prince John's rise to power in the wake of King Richard the Lionheart's disappearance and Robin Hood's attempts to restore justice to the land. This year's plotline will add several new characters and more fully integrate the story of noble knight Wilfred of Ivanhoe with the world of Robin Hood.

The festival day will also feature a number of guest performers and musicians, a villagers' pub sing, merchants selling unique gifts and souvenirs, a mini gaming glen (a new feature for this year), and delicious food and refreshments.

And in the true Robin Hood spirit, faire organizers will be accepting donations of non-perishable food items to donate to Cape Ann Food Bank.

The Robin Hood Faire will run from 10 A.M. until 6 P.M. on Friday, July 19, Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21, rain or shine.

Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for students with I.D., and $5 for children. Proceeds go to benefit Hammond Castle's various restoration projects.

Validated parking and a shuttle bus to Hammond Castle are available at Stage Fort Park. Parking is $5 per carload with validation.Hammond Castle is not wheelchair accessible.

For more information on the Robin Hood Faire, contact Hammond Castle at 978-283-7673 or David Stickney at 781-853-0583.

Visit Hammond Castle on-line at www.hammondcastle.org, and visit Pastimes Inc. on-line at www.pastimes1.com. Promotional photographs are available for downloading at homepage.mac.com/pastimes/index.htm

Calderdale Council (West Yorkshire) are running a series of guided walks, called Outlaws and Nuns which take in Kirklees Nunnery, and a site claimed to be the grave of Robin Hood.

The Walks are on the 1st June, and 6th October 2002.

The walks must be booked - booking is available from Hebden Bridge Tourist Information Centre, Tel: 01422 843831. email: hebdenbridge@ytbtic.co.uk

New plans are afoot to restore Sherwood Forest to its medieval glory with the announcement of a new £5.5m conservation scheme.

The plans involve recreating the forests many woodland and heath areas and restoring ancient archaeological sites such as King Johns Palace and the Major Oak.

In addition, all the tourist attractions in the forest will be linked by a network of trails and paths.

Bob White, spokesman for the World Wide Robin Hood Society, said: There is a lot of untapped potential here because visitors from outside the county expect to see the whole Robin Hood thing and sometimes leave disappointed.

Anything that gets people working together for a common good has to be welcomed.

A Notts County Council spokesman said: This is a massive venture, which will considerably raise the profile and marketing potential of Sherwood Forest.

It will make a very big difference in terms of what the area looks like and how easy it is to enjoy and will once again make Notts an attractive place to visit

Richard Rutherford-Moore is a main contributor to the BBC Radio Nottingham programme A Sense of Place - a programme about a modern-day quest for Robin Hood in Nottinghamshire to be broadcast at noon on Sunday May 19th (Richards birthday) and repeated at 6.30pm next day.

Richards new book will be out soon and as part of the publication he has been invited by BBC Radio Nottingham to talk about his views on the world-famous outlaw and answer any listeners questions on a phone-in.

Richard will also be appearing in a new television documentary about Robin Hood later in the summer.

Richard has also been invited by the Nottinghamshire WEA to give three evening lectures and conduct two weekend site visits open to all examining Robin Hoods Sherwood Forest from January 2003. Details of this to follow.

Finally,as previously mentioned, Richard,s new book - ROBIN HOOD - ON THE OUTLAW TRAIL IN NOTTINGHAM AND SHERWOOD FOREST is due for release in May 2002. We will be providing details of how to obtain a copy in the very near future.

Sad news reaches us as we hear that former Sheriff of Nottingham, Barrie Parker, died on Monday, April 1, at the age of 60.

Barrie was elected to Nottingham City Council in 1983 to represent Strelley ward and served on many committees, including environment, housing benefits and tourism and public relations.

He served as Sheriff in 1986 and was created an honorary alderman of the City last year.

The third largest road race in the UK is back in Nottingham in September and this year's event is hoped to be the biggest and best yet.

The Experian Robin Hood Marathon 2002 will take place on Sunday 15 September and will comprise full, half and wheelchair marathons and a two and a half mile Fun Run.

Voted the second most popular marathon in the country after London by runners, organisers Sweatshop and sponsors, Experian, hope to attract even more runners than last year. The event, which has been taking place since 1980, is also the finale of the season for Britain's top runners competing in the UK Atheletics Road Grand Prix.

There are also all sorts of family activities taking place at the start/finish site on the day, raising money for nominated local charities. Entry forms are now available. To obtain a form and for further information visit www.robinhoodmarathon.co.uk

It is rumoured that film director John Boorman is to direct and produce the modern-day fantasy "Knight's Castle," a film adapted from Edward Eager's children's book of the same name.

The picture, set to start production this summer, is budgeted at upwards of $35 million.

Adapted by Tony Grisoni, "Knight's Castle" is the story of a young boy who time-travels from suburban Massachusetts into a fantasy world of knights, magicians and Robin Hood and begins a quest to capture the sword Excalibur.

Boorman first visited the fantasy genre with 1981's "Excalibur." His other credits include "The General," "The Emerald Forest," "Hope and Glory" and "Deliverance."

It is with great sadness that we report the loss of one of the leading authorities on the Robin Hood legend.

Nottingham man, Jim Lees, has tirelessly promoted his views on Robin's origins to a world-wide audience through such books as "the Quest for Robin Hood" and "The Exploits of Robin Hood, in the City of Nottingham".

Jim was always steadfast in his belief that Robin Hood was truly a Nottingham man and, through painstaking research, went as far as naming Robert de Kyme as the real man behind the legend.

Jim Lees passed away last month after a long illness. He will be sadly missed by Nottingham and Robin Hood enthusiasts throughout the world.

To read a full obituary to Jim go to: www.robinhood.info/robinhood/Jim_Lees_Obituary.html

Jim's nephew Robert Henshaw has pledged to continue Jim's work. Robert's article "Robin Hood of Nottingham and the De Kyme Connection" can be viewed at: www.robinhood.info/robinhood/RobertHenshaw.html

Our thanks to World Wide Robin Hood Society member Jack Philbrick who has sent us the following information.

Open Eye Productions is presenting "Robin Hood: The Musical " at the Athenaeum Studio two, 2936 N. Southport, Chicago, Illinois from October 5th thru November 24th. Open Eye Productions is in it's fourth season as a repertory company in Chicago, IL.

The story was written by Adam Burke, Music by Brian Posen and Rajit Souri. Lyrics were by Aaron Baar. The Director is Noah Simon. The musical has two acts which both take place in Sherwood Forest with minor location transitions taking place through the natural movement of the choreography.

Unlike any story rendered previously, the writers took a servant named Bob (Steve Welsh) and allowed him to develop into Robin Hood. His love for Maid Marian Lacy (Danielle Rhea) motivates him to do good deeds for the weak and win her love by keeping the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham (Jeff Ward) from marring her. Singing and dancing are tied together in a unique and fresh manor.

Most lyrics host a humor that supports the actors levity. Allin a Dale (Kevin M. Grubb) is the story teller. He weaves the story while taking an active role in the presentation to include rendering several sterling ballads. Bob's true identity is exposed in such a way that the band of merry men still consider him their leader to the end. He wins the maid and the Sheriff is banished. The total cast of sixteen were all gifted singers and dancers.

Click here for a photo of the cast and programme cover from the production.

Our thanks to Allen Wright who has sent us the following information about a radio documentary arising from this year's Robin Hood Conference in Canada which is due to be broadcast next week.

The documentary, entitled "Hunting Robin Hood" is the work of Professor Seth Feldman and is scheduled to be broadcast on October 8 on Canadian radio station CBC 1, right after the 9:00pm news.

Foreign listeners can click on http://www.radio.cbc.ca/programs/ideas/ to listen to the program at 9:05 Eastern Standard Time (0205 GMT).

Listeners will require Real Audio to hear the broadcast. If you do not have this you should click on an hour or so early for the free download.

The documentary includes, in order of appearance: Thomas Hahn, Allen Wright, Lorraine Stock, Stephen Knight, Barrie Dobson and Stephanie Barczewski There will also be readings by Med Lit Prof Penelope Reed Doob and Shakespearean actor Barry MacGregor and lots of music and film clips.

Anyone who has visited our Robin Hood Forum pages recently will have seen an excellent debate which has revealed some fascinating new theories and ideas about the possible origins of the Robin Hood legend.

And we are indebted to Graham Kirkby, one of our regular forum contributors who has set out his personal theory for inclusion in our "Fact or Fiction" pages of the website.

Graham's theory places Robin Hood as living in the latter half of the eleventh century and postulates William Peveril as the likely Sheriff of Nottingham and Robin's mortal enemy.

To see Graham's theory go to: www.robinhood.ltd.uk/robinhood/Graham_Kirkby.html

And to view the discussion for and against go to the Robin Hood Forum at: www.robinhood.ltd.uk/forumandhelp/forummenu.html

If you have a theory about the origins of the Robin Hood legend and would like us to feature it in the "Fact or Fiction" section, please let us know at: information@robinhood.ltd.uk

Step into the grounds of Nottingham Castle from 2-4 November and you will be stepping straight into the middle ages. The grounds are transformed into a medieval village for this annual celebration of Nottingham's very own legend - Robin Hood.

Enjoy great entertainment provided by jugglers, jesters, medieval puppeteers, as well as some old favourites including What A Palaver and the creepy Rat Catcher. Historical re-enactments bring the past to life and there will be the chance to have a go at archery. Craftspeople will be demonstrating skills that have been passed down through the centuries - wood turning, shoe making and coin striking to name a few.

The Pageant is open from 11.00am to 5.00pm on each day of the event. There will be a spectacular jousting performance, by the Nottingham Jousting Association, on the Castle Green at 3.30pm daily. Tickets will be available at the gate on each day of the event.

To see some of the sights and sounds of The Robin Hood Pageant, go to our Special Events page at: www.robinhood.ltd.uk/tourism/special_events_intropage.htm

Work on a new support system for Nottinghamshire's most famous tree - the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest - that will hopefully help extend the life of this famous forest giant has now been completed.

Estimated to be between 800 and 1000 years-old, the tree's massive bulk has been supported by iron chains and braces since Victorian times. The previous wooden struts, whilst effectively supporting the heavy branches, were seen as unsightly by many visitors and were also in need of renewal.

Nottinghamshire County Council, which manages Sherwood Forest Country Park & Visitor Centre, wanted to replace these with a system that was strong, but would be less visiby obtrusive. With the help of a £25,000 grant from Global Environmental Community Trust, funded through the Landfill Tax, a more slender steel system was identified for this purpose. The project was overseen by Richard Sales, the County Council's Country Parks Officer, who said: "Nothing like this has been attempted before. We had to plot the root system very caefully before deciding where to place the new suports.

However, now they are in place, not only do they loook much better, we hope they will help to extend the life of the tree by another 200 years."

Tim Challans, the County Council's Assistant Director, Community Services/Leisure said: "Tourism is vital for the local economy, and the Major Oak is one of the most popular attractions in Nottinghamshire.

Now that Sherwood Forest Country Park is fully open following the foot & mouth crisis, visitors will be able to see for themselves the difference this new support system has made. It will help to ensure that this magnificent oak is still around for our children and grandchildren to enjoy."

Nottinghamshire County Council's tourism team is going for gold in the Heart of England Tourist Board's 'Excellence in Tourism' Awards. The team's promotional strategy for its "On the Trail of Robin Hood in Nottinghamshire" leaflet was one of many submissions the Tourist Board received for the Marketing Campaign of the Year award.

These have now been narrowed down to just two finalists, which means that the campaign is in line to win either the Gold or Silver Award at the Board's Gala Dinner in Birmingham on 11th September. "On the Trail of Robin Hood in Nottinghamshire" was specially created to illustrate the diversity of places in the county which are associated with the legend.

Tracing the origins of the story back to pagan times, the leaflet links Sherwood Forest with Southwell Minster, Kingshaugh, Laxton and Papplewick as well as Nottingham Castle. The promotional campaign was formulated in association with Nottingham-based, Audax Communications. Media coverage generated for the new promotion was extensive, amounting to the equivalent of £300,000 worth of regional and national newspaper space.

In addition to the brochure, a promotional video was made for distribution to American travel agents. This in turn helped to persuade the California-based Discovery Channel to devote a documentary to our local hero.

Nic Broomhead, Nottinghamshire County Council's Tourism Officer, said: "To have our campaign recognised in this way is terrific. Whether we win gold or silver, it shows Nottinghamshire can provide tourism products that our visitors want to see combined with promotional campaigns that are well researched and focused on the right markets"

Robin Hood - nobleman or common peasant? These have been two separate views of our favourite outlaw which have been the subject of much debate over the years.

Now, a new examination of the 15th century ballads has suggested that Robin Hood fitted neither description. Instead he may have been a simple forester with responsibility for protecting the Royal Forest, therefore occupying a social position somewhere in-between that of nobleman and peasant.

This new research has been carried out by Richard Almond of Darlington College and Professor Tony Pollard of Teeside University who have examined the historical ballads for clues to the real background of Robin Hood. According to Richard Almond, although there has been a great deal of research into the ballads themselves, little research has been carried out into the significance of the language of these writings.

Close examination of the use of hunting and falconry terms in the rhymes has led to the suggestion that Robin Hood was a forest official who took refuge in the Greenwood following a misdemeanor.

The research is to be published in the journal of the Past and Present Society. More details are available at: http://www3.oup.co.uk/past/current/1700052.sgm.abs.htmlf

If you've ever fancied taking on the mantle of Robin Hood then you may soon get the chance to play your part in the battle of good against evil.

Californian-based game designers Cimemaware are currently working on an exciting new game entitled "Robin Hood: Defender of the Crown", which is due for release next year.

The product is based on Cinemaware's hit game Defender of the Crown, first released in 1986 on the Commodore Amiga. Defender of the Crown was subsequently converted to a variety of gaming platforms and sold over 1,000,000 units worldwide.

The game will feature powerful graphics and incorporate settings and backgrounds including Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Castle. Actors using local dialect will be providing the voiceovers for the game.

Robin Hood has a new adversary as the City chooses a new Sheriff of Nottingham for the coming year.

Having seen off the previous incumbent, John Hartshorne, Robins' new foe will be Joan Casson who was confirmed as the new holder of this historic post at a grand ceremony at the Albert Hall in Nottingham.

Joan, a local politician and former teacher will be aiming to keep a close watch on our favourite outlaw as well as representing the city at events throughout the year.

Click here for further details of the new Sheriff in our comprehensive Sheriff's section.

We are happy to bring news for anyone planning to visit our area that Sherwood Forest Country Park has now re-opened for visitors.

The Nottinghamshire tourism industry is asking for visitors to support the rural attractions over the holiday period and during the summer.

Some attractions have been closed for several weeks due to the Foot and Mouth disease restrictions but most have re-opened in the last few weeks.

Rufford Country Park is has also re-opened as well as the White Post Modern Farm Centre in Farnsfield. Wollaton Park, close to Nottingham remains closed to protect its herds of deer but all of the city centre's attractions including Nottingham Castle, The Tales of Robin Hood, The Galleries of Justice and The Caves of Nottingham are open as well as Newstead Abbey, the ancestral home of Lord Byron, in Ravenshead.

Advice to people travelling to the countryside is to keep dogs on leads, stay away from livestock and do not use bridleways or pathways that are currently closed.

Following the success of last years event, Nottingham Road in South Africa will again be holding its own Sherwood Festival on 5th and 6th of May.

The Robin Hood legends and other scenes from Sherwood Forest will come alive, as well as ballads, ditties, rymes, and maypoles.

Simon Stengel will perform medieval music whilst jugglers, jesters and magicians will entertain the king and all. The festival will also include an archery tournament, jousting, falconry, craft demonstrations, a treasure hunt and a craft market.

There will be fine food, including sheep on a spit, beverages brewed locally by Nottingham Road Brewing Company and of course, a taste of mead.

Details for the 3rd Robin Hood conference are now available.

The venue for this biennial event is the University of Western Ontario in Canada and the conference will take place from Thursday May 31st to Saturday June 2nd 2001.

Planned highlights of the proceedings should include: A screening of Douglas Fairbanks in Robin Hood (1922), a performance of Robin Hood ballads and Robin Hood and the Friar by the PLS of Toronto, workshops, paper sessions and guest speakers including Douglas Gray (Oxford University), Stephanie Barczewski (Clemson University) and Kevin Harty (La Salle University).

This year's Conference will follow the previous Conference which took place in Nottingham in 1999.

You can obtain full details and a booking form at the following website: http://www.uwo.ca/english/robinhood/index.html

"Princess of Thieves" is a made-for-tv movie set 18 years after the end of the film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and stars English-born actress Kiera Knightly as Gwen, the daughter of Robin and Marian.

Apparently. this is only the second time that a woman has been cast in the lead role in a film with a Robin Hood related theme.

Stuart Wilson plays Robin and Malcolm Mcdowell is the Sheriff of Nottingham.

It was filmed in Romania and has already been screened in the USA. Distributors are apparently trying to negotiate a deal for screening in the UK so we look forward to seeing this new twist on the Robin Hood legend sometime soon.

The man who re-wrote the record books with his theme song from the film Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves, is finally set to visit the home of the legend itself.

Rock star Bryan Adams will be headlining this years City in the Park festival at Wollaton Park in Nottingham on August 25th.

"(Everything I do) I do it for you" is bound to be one of the songs which will be played to an expected audience of around 25-30,000 fans set against the beautiful backdrop of historic Wollaton Hall.

The event is being organised by Daybrook House Promotions whose spokesman said; "We are very happy to secure such a top star who hasn't played Nottingham before, even with his association with Robin Hood".

Unfortunately, we have to report that the Nottinghamshire tourist attraction, The World of Robin Hood, has closed, almost certainly for good.

Based just 6 miles from the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, The World of Robin Hood attracted visitors from around the world to experience sights and sounds from the Crusades through to medieval Nottingham.

Of special interest were props and scenery from the film; Robin Hood - Prince of Thieves including the famous tax cart and the catapult which propelled two stunt men 35 feet over the walls of Nottingham castle.

Now that the attraction has closed, many of these items have been offered for sale either collectively or as individual items. We received an invitation to assess the current situation for ourselves and spent some time looking around the site.

Whilst the closure of the attraction is undoubtedly a major loss, it is to be hoped that many of the props, scenery and display items will find a home either in other attractions or with Robin Hood enthusiasts around the world.

City Leaders are considering a new 10-year plan to re-vamp Nottingham Castle.

The strategy, produced by the Susie Fisher Group, outlines proposals to develop the existing facilities and maintain the site as the jewel of the city's cultural heritage.

To read the report go to: www.robinhood.ltd.uk/castlereport

Nature experts are riding to the rescue to help preserve the most famous tree in the world.

The centuries-old Major Oak tree, deep in the heart of Sherwood Forest has reached a point in its life where it needs to be supported by wooden struts and beams.

But the struts have become rotten, putting the welfare of the Major Oak at risk.

Now, new steel frames and rubber cushions will be put in place and futher work will be carried out to keep the tree healthy.

In contrast to the wooden poles which spoilt the view of the tree, the new struts will be designed to blend in with the background of Sherwood Forest.

Work is scheduled to be completed by February 2001

Once again this year, the historic city of Nottingham saw in the New Year watched by a thronging crowd of about 6,000 revellers in the Old Market Square in Nottingham City centre.

And, on the stroke of midnight, the defining sound of the New Year came from the magnificent bells housed in the dome of Nottingham's Council House, the largest of which is called Little John.

Weighing a massive ten and a half tons, Little John was cast in 1928 and its chimes can be heard up to seven miles away.

It's fitting that the arrival of each New Year is heralded by the sound of a bell which bears the name of an integral part of Nottingham's most famous heritage

A historic tradition dating back over 1,000 years to Saxon times is set to continue with the official nomination of the next High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.

Although sometimes the source of confusion, the office of High Sheriff is distinct from the office of Sheriff of Nottingham, a position currently held until next May by Councillor John Hartshorne.

Sir John James Ingham Whitaker will take over duties from the current High Sheriff next March and joins 51 other High Sheriffs and Deputies from across the Country who have been nominated at a special ceremony in London, England.

In Robin Hood's time, High Sheriffs were powerful agents of the King. Some people believe that it was actually a High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire who became Robin's bitter foe, rather than the Sheriff of Nottingham town as is generally portrayed.

Today, the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire will be found assisting visiting judges and acting as a civic figurehead rather than pursuing outlaws through the wilds of Sherwood Forest.

This year's Annual Robin Hood Pageant runs from 27 - 29 October in the grounds of Nottingham Castle.

For the event, the grounds are transformed into a medieval village. There will be jugglers, jesters and medieval puppeteers together with historical re-enactments and craftspeople demonstrating their skills.

Jousting will take place at 3.45pm each day with performances by the Nottingham Jousting Association.

Admission prices are £4.50 for Adults and £3.00 for Children/Concessions. A Family Ticket (2 adults, 2 children) costs £12.00 - Price includes admission to jousting on that day.

For further details contact: 0115 915330

Nottingham's famous Goose Fair, the origins of which may date back to Robin Hood's time, was officially opened at 12 noon on Thursday October 5 by the Lord Mayor of Nottingham, Councillor Ian Malcolm.

The Lord Mayor rang a pair of silver bells after the Town Clerk has read the Proclamation in the presence of the Sheriff of Nottingham and other civic dignitaries.

Now in its 706th year, Goose Fair has something to offer everyone, from the latest white-knuckle rides to Victorian side stalls. It one of Europe's largest travelling fairs, with more than 150 rides and 450 games and exhibitions to thrill and amuse. And many thousands of people come from far and wide every year just to soak up the sights and sounds of this great event for our city.

Goose Fair was first mentioned in the Nottingham Borough Records of 1541 but the Charter of King Edward I, the first charter to refer to the city fairs, makes it clear that a fair on the Feast of St. Matthew was already established in Nottingham in 1284.

Sad news reaches us that the composer of one of the most recognisable songs ever written has died.

American composer Carl Sigman wrote the theme tune to the 1950's TV series "Robin Hood" which starred Richard Greene in the title role.

The song, which began with the line: "Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding through the glen", became a great success and, until recently, was the theme tune for Nottingham Forest football club.

Carl Sigman passed away in Long Island, New York. He was 91 years old.

Several months after its screening in the USA, viewers in the UK have had the chance to see a new documentary on Robin Hood

The History Channel's "True Story of Robin Hood", a programme in the "Histories Mysteries" series was shown on satellite TV this month here in Britain.

The World Wide Robin Hood Society was pleased to assist with some of the arrangements for the making of this documentary which also includes contributions from the former Sheriff of Nottingham, Mike Whittall.

Our colleague and local Robin Hood expert, Richard Rutherford-Moore took a major role in the production of this programme, which includes footage filmed in and around Nottingham.

We would be interested to hear your thoughts on the programme. You can leave your comments on our Robin Hood Forum page

Robin Hood's status as a truly global legend has been boosted again with news that a village in Austria has staked a claim to Nottingham's favourite hero.

The village of Donnerswachbald is already a popular attraction in Austria due to its splendid forests and beautiful landscapes. It now plans to hold a summer festival with children's attractions based around the Robin Hood legend. The new attraction is to be called "Robin Hood Land", a name which the village has gone as far as to register as a trademark in the expectation that the scheme will provide a major boost to tourism in the area.

The current Sheriff of Nottingham, John Hartshorne, has responded to the news by saying: "We have Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle and Sherwood Forest and there is no danger that any of that could be taken away. Robin Hood helps to attract approximately 11 million visitors to Nottingham annually and anyone who has tried to take any of it away from us in the past has had to answer to the Sheriff of Nottingham"..

The pub where Robin Hood may have slaked his thirst with a flagon of ale has moved into the new century by launching its own website.

Reputed by some to be the oldest pub in England, Ye Olde Trip To Jerusalem sits snugly in the shadow of Nottingham Castle and is one of the city's main tourist attractions. The website: http://www.robinhood.ltd.uk/robinhood/newsflash.html now gives everyone the chance to sample the atmosphere of this historic pub which is thought to have served ale for the garrison of Nottingham Castle as far back as 1189.

The Sheriff of Nottingham was the first person to log on to the site, which gives a wealth of information about the history of the pub, beers on sale and a tour of the premises.

.The 16th annual Robin Hood festival, Nottinghamshire's biggest celebration of the life and times of its legendary hero, kicked off on July 31 at Sherwood Forest visitor centre in Edwinstowe.

The week-long extravaganza included jugglers, jesters, strolling minstrels, street theatre performers, archers and medieval knights.

It saw the return of popular favourites Alan a'Dale and Festa, Hat Trick, Singing Plague victims and Sir Ralph of Epperstone. Jesting and juggling duo What A Palaver return to deliver their own brand of fun as does the re-enactment group Legends, which staged a display of medieval combat skills and a jousting tournament.

We have some pictures of the Festival on the website in the special events area under the Nottingham section..

Edwinstowe village in Sherwood Forest is the venue for a summer festival which takes place at 7.00pm each night from July 6 to 9.

The event will celebrate the history of the village over the past 1000 years and will of course feature Robin Hood and images of life in Sherwood in medieval times.

A full range of characters that have influenced the history of the village will also make an appearance on stage, from plague victims to soldiers and aristocrats. Edwinstowe residents will portray the characters and other performers will include the Thoresby Colliery band and the Robin Hood Minstrels.

There will also be an activities tent by the Sherwood Forest Craft Centre. You can more about the Edwinstowe Millenium Pageant by visiting their website at: www.robinhoodsvillage.org.uk .

Two stretches of medieval curtain wall which formed the boundary of the medieval castle were uncovered together with a brick building and boundary wall dating from the mid - 18th century.

The new discoveries mean that surveyors can build up a more accurate picture of the medieval castle and help gain a better understanding of how the castle developed over the years.

At a grand ceremony in the City, the new Sheriff of Nottingham, John Hartshorne, will be officially installed in his position together with the city's' new Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor.

John Hartshorne is a leading City Councillor and takes over the chains of office for the next year from the previous Sheriff, Mike Whittall.

As part of his official duties, John will actively promote Nottingham and of course, keep a watchful eye out for our old friend Robin Hood.

The Guardian newspaper ran a story headlined "Corruption reverses role of Philippines' Robin Hood", concerning the President of the Philippines, Joseph Estrada, who has seen his popularity slide from 60% to 5% since he came to power. An interesting aspect to this story is contained in the lines: "A recent survey shows growing public opprobrium against the 62-year old "peoples' champion", who made his name playing Robin Hood roles in more than 70 films before moving into politics". It would be interesting to know if any Subscribers have any information on these films and whether anyone has seen any of them. If you can let us know more, please get in touch and we can pass on the details in a future mailing.

A second article, also in the Guardian newspaper, reported on the new public record office visitor centre in Kew in London, England, which was due to be opened by the lord chancellor a couple of weeks ago. The centre will display for the first time some of the most unexpected and unusual items from the last 1,000 years of British history According to the article, on display will be "a long and tedious 14th century manuscript (which) is an account of porters' wages for the kings' chamber, for November 1324. One of them being paid off with 20 days wages because for some unstated reason he could no longer work was a certain "Robyn Hod", his departure from the royal service possibly marking the start of a new career in Sherwood Forest".

Other items in the collection relate to figures as diverse as Dick Turpin, Queen Victoria, Jack the Ripper and Shakespeare. If any enthusiasts visit the centre and would like to share their views on the collection, please let us know.

The article features the story of former Sheriff of Nottingham, Honorary Alderman Frank Dennett, who has finally solved the problem of the statue's missing bowstring.

The bowstring has been missing for several years, perhaps the victim of overzealous souvenir hunters, but Frank has engaged the services of the local ordnance factory to replace the missing 10-ft bowstring with a new, theft-proof apparatus.

As a former Sheriff, the irony of coming to the rescue is not lost on Frank. "If I'd done something like this 800 years ago, they'd probably have thrown me in the castle dungeon", said Frank.

He will read an official proclamation at the Festival to commemorate the event. "Robin Hood, The Legend of Sherwood" is making its world premier from 5th May - 14th May 2000 at the Performing Arts Center in Waynesville, North Carolina.

This will be a lavish live theatrical adaptation of Robin Hood, complete with stunts, elaborate sets and costumes. It also contains some original musical compositions to compliment certain scenes.

The production now has an exciting new website with full details of the play, information on the cast, a tour of Sherwood through the eyes of the characters and a great competition for Robin Hood enthusiasts.

For further details go to: Legend of Sherwood

The two rivals met on Valentines Day and used the slogan "come on, give us an X" to highlight the importance of local democracy and the need for active citizenship amongst Nottingham people.

Also part of the campaign was the reading of a poem "a valentine to history" specially written by Nottinghamâs very own Poet Laureate, Adrian Buckner.

Up to 30 people at a time would have ridden in a gondola suspended beneath the balloon at it took off from the grounds of Nottingham Castle. The ride would have provided breathtaking views of the surrounding Nottinghamshire countryside but, according to the authorities, would also have had a detrimental effect on the Nottingham Castle area.

The man behind the idea, Ian Walker, who also runs the Tales of Robin Hood tourist attraction, said he would now have to reconsider his proposals.

The statue of Robin Hood, which has stood outside Nottingham Castle since 1951, has been the focus of attention in more ways than one over the years as people have kept on removing the bowstring.

Now, Alderman Dennettt has teamed up with the local Royal Ordnance Factory with the result that a new, souvenir-hunter resistant, 10ft. "string" made of steel wire has been securely added to Robinâs bow.

Thanks to the former Sheriff, the hundreds of photographers who visit the statue each year will be able to get the "complete picture" of Robin Hood

The Robin Hood Campaign 2000 will include a new range of leaflets and promotional material including a video entitled "The Trail of Robin Hood" designed to be shown across the UK and United States.

One of the key themes of this "Robin Hood Regeneration" campaign will be to encourage visitors to examine the historical aspects of the legend and to visit lesser-known places with legendary connections such as Southwell, Edwinstowe, Papplewick and Blidworth.

50,000 leaflets will also be printed promoting Sherwood Forest as a medieval woodland with the aim of teaching people more about the ecology and history of the forest when they arrive. The campaign has been widely welcomed and should enhance the experience for any visitors planning to visit Robin Hood country this year.

Archaeologists made the find as ground near the city's Lace Market was being excavated to make way for Nottingham's new ice stadium.

The jug was found in nine pieces and a replica will go on display with the original at Nottingham castle museum. Pottery expert Paul Blinkhorn said; "finds in the Trent valley, at this time, are rare, but future discoveries may confirm that during the eighth and early ninth centuries, the river was a major trade route into the heart of the Mercian kingdom, and that Nottingham was a settlement of some importance.

The idea centres on a giant balloon complete with Robin Hood motif, which would hover 500 feet above Nottingham Castle tethered by a wire fixed in the Castle grounds below.

There would be space below the balloon for up to 30 people at a time to ride in a gondola giving amazing views of the surrounding landscape of Robin Hood country from the historic Castle through to the outlaw's legendary lair at Sherwood Forest.

The plans have been named "Project Little John" and would cost in the region of £750,000 to put into place.

The figures show that the number of foreign visitors to our city hit a record high of 225,000 last year making Nottinghamshire the most popular tourist location in the area.

A tourism spokesperson said; "most people's interest is sparked by Robin Hood - but when they get here they realise there is so much more." And in the build up to next summer, a new campaign will be launched around the Robin Hood legend to encourage even more people to come along and see what Nottingham has to offer.

The late Ron Crosby founded the Sheriff's Lodge banqueting hall in the city and was well known for dressing up as the Sheriff and entertaining the guests with medieval performances.

The memorial will serve as a fitting tribute to a man who did much to promote the Robin Hood legend in Nottingham.

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