Brand New Soft Play Opening 🎉

Good morning, Wycombe!

It’s the Wycombe Pulse, your local newsletter that has now fully abandoned any pretence of keeping up with its New Year resolutions and has settled into the slow, grey trudge through January… 🥴

But fear not - there’s plenty on in Wycombe this week to get excited about.

Some highlights:

🛝 New soft play at Cupcake Kangaroo
🧘🏻‍♂️ Men’s wild wellness evening
🎤 Open mic night recruiting local performers

Plus sushi making, a vision board workshop, messy play, book signings and a whole lot more to keep those January blues firmly in check. Let’s get into it… 👇

🟡🌈 Follow the Yellow Brick Road to Panto Magic in Hazlemere! 🌈🟡

Looking for a brilliant family treat that won’t blow the budget? This January, The Hazlemere Players proudly present The Wizard of Oz Pantomime — a joyful, song-and-dance spectacular that proves great theatre doesn’t have to come with West End prices.

Join Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion on a colourful adventure through Oz, packed with toe-tapping tunes, cheeky jokes, plenty of audience participation and, of course, a wicked witch or two. It’s a true musical panto with singing, dancing and acting — perfect for ages 5 to 95.

📍 Hazlemere Community Centre
🗓️ 23rd, 24th, 30th & 31st January — 7.30pm
🗓️ 24th & 31st January — 2.30pm

🎟️ £5 children / £10 adults / £25 family 

With a fully Oz-themed venue, merch, ice cream and a full bar, it’s a proper panto outing. And best of all? It’s created by local volunteers — even Dorothy herself is from Holmer Green.

➡️ Buy tickets here
Book early — opening night has already sold out! 💚

Editor’s Highlights

🧘🏻‍♀️ Brothers of the Wild

📍Slohaus, Peterley Manor Farm | 🗓️ Weds 21st Jan, 6.30pm
A 2-hour immersive evening for men to reset body and mind through breathwork, cold plunge, sauna and a grounding closing ritual. A powerful way to start the year from a place of presence — not pressure.

🎨 Vision Board Workshop

📍The Front Room | 🗓️ Sat 17th Jan, 7pm
Kick-start your year with an inspiring evening of creativity and goal-setting. All materials are provided (just bring any magazines or photos you love) and it’s a lovely chance to connect with like-minded people and set clear intentions for the year ahead.

🧭 Kingswood Orienteering Races

📍Kingswood Woods | 🗓️ Sat 17th Jan, 10.45am
A fun outdoor adventure sport for runners, families and total beginners, with a choice of courses from junior-friendly Yellow to expert-level Green and a fast-paced Score challenge. You’ll race between woodland checkpoints using a map and timing chip — no experience needed, just enthusiasm.

📚 Robert Thorogood Book Signing & Meet the Author Event

📍Marlow Bookshop | 🗓️ Tonight, 6.30pm
Celebrating the publication day of The Mysterious Affair of Judith Potts, the 5th installment in the Marlow Murder Club mystery series.

🍣 Sushi Making Workshop

📍The Front Room | 🗓️ Sat 17th Jan, 10.45am
Learn to craft four types of authentic sushi in a fun, relaxed 90-minute session, with all ingredients and a drink included. Perfect for beginners and food lovers alike; you’ll even take home about 17 pieces of your own sushi!

I’m back on Wycombe Sound this morning with Colin, chatting all things Wycombe Pulse and sharing some of the brilliant events coming up around town over the next few weeks. 📻 Tune in live at 10.30am or catch up online if you miss it!

Displays & Exhibitions

✍🏼 Licence to Write Display
📍Roald Dahl Museum | 🗓️ Until Sunday 1st February
The signed, original manuscript of You Only Live Twice, written by Roald Dahl, on display at the museum — as well as a few other treasures.

🐉 Wyrd Wycombe Gallery
📍Creative Hub, Church Square | 🗓️ 20th Jan - 3rd Feb (open Tue, Fri, Sat & Sun)
Ahead of the dramatic Wyrd Wycombe dragon-slaying pageant on Sun 1 Feb, folklorist Stevyn Colgan and local historian Mark Page are unveiling a free exhibition revealing the hidden myths of the Wycombe Wyrm…

🚂 HWDMRS Open Day
📍11 Duke Street | 🗓️ Sat 17th Jan, 11am
Join the High Wycombe and District Model Railway Society for their open day where you can view their club layouts, see their working scale model of West Wycombe Station and test track.

🛍️ Markets

• Flackwell Heath Market | The Three Horseshoes Pub | Sat 17 Jan | 9am-12pm

• Cooper’s Market Old Amersham | High St | Sun 18 Jan | 10am-3pm

• Record/CD Fair | Wycombe Arts Centre | Sun 18 Jan | 9.30am-3pm

🎤 Calling all Performers!

Ready to take the stage? Singers, rappers, poets, comedians and musicians are invited to step up and show off their talent at this friendly open-mic night by Front & Centre at The Front Room on Thursday 5th March.

DM Front & Centre to sign up and take your moment in the spotlight.

🚘 Fancy a Short Drive?

🍷Crime & Wine
📍The Odney Club Cookham | 🗓️ Sat 17th Jan, 6.30pm
A killer evening of chat with authors Robert Thorogood and Louise Candlish, book signings and behind-the-scenes crime writing. Tickets include a glass of wine, canapés and book discounts.

🐶 Dog Walk with Clare Balding
📍Cliveden National Trust | 🗓️ Fri 16th Jan, 10am
Join broadcaster Clare Balding for a dog-friendly winter walk — includes a signed book, hot drink & treats for pups!

🎼 Andrea Bocelli Candlelight Opera Experience
📍Windsor Parish Church | 🗓️ Fri 16th Jan, 5pm
Performed by pianist, string and vocal duos — all bathed in the glow of hundreds of candles. Expect iconic Bocelli favourites like Time To Say Goodbye and The Prayer.

🧘🏻‍♀️ Mind Body Balance Workshop
📍Flow Marlow | 🗓️ Sun 18th Jan, 2pm
Expect CBT, pilates, reiki, Ayurveda and more.

🔍 Family Fun Finder

🎨 Tiny Tots Messy Session
📍CSK Church | 🗓️ Tues 20 Jan, 9.15am
Please come dressed in clothes you are happy to get messy in and join in with painting, shaving foam play, jelly play and more. Snack, singing and story time will follow.

🎭 Robin Hood and Maid Marian Pantomime
📍Lane End Village Hall | 🗓️ Fri 16 & Sat 17 Jan
Various times and future performances available.

📖 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Storytelling
📍Roald Dahl Museum | 🗓️ Sat 17 and Sun 18 Jan
Expert storytellers will be reading extracts from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory all day, free with museum entry.

🎉 Entertainment

• Northern Soul Night at Cressex Community Centre on Saturday 17th January at 7.30pm.

• Lucky Saint Sampling at The Crown Penn on tonight from 5.30pm-7pm — try some of Lucky Saint’s alcohol-free range.

• Drink & Draw at Mad Squirrel on tonight at 8pm.

🧠 Quiz Nights

• Belle Vue — tonight, 8pm.

• The Flint Cottage — Tuesday, 7pm.

• The Crown, Penn — tonight, 7.30pm.

Sports & Activities

⚽ FOOTBALL

• Wycombe Wanderers vs Northampton Town away on Sat 17th Jan. KO 3pm.

• Wycombe Wanderers FC Women vs Reading FC Community Trust away on Sun 18th Jan. KO 2pm.

🏉 RUGBY

• High Wycombe vs Reading away on Saturday 17th January

💃🏻 DANCING

Kizomba Dance Nights – Every Tuesday at The Judo Centre
Discover the soulful partner dance from Angola with friendly weekly classes, followed by social dancing until late — no partner or experience needed. ⏰ Doors 7.30pm, class 7.45pm, social from 9pm | 💷 £8 class+social (£5 social only) | 🚗 Free parking & licensed bar on site.

🏃🏻‍♂️ RUNNING

Regular runs: Parkrun (Saturday, Rye Lido, 9am) | Junior Parkrun (Sunday, Pann Mill, 9am) | Risborough Run In The Park (Sunday, Wades Park, 9am).

Community Notes

VOLUNTEERING: The Chiltern Rangers are holding an Introduction to new Volunteers on Thursday 22nd January at Deangarden Wood. Come along, meet new people, enjoy some fresh air, and try something different.

DEATH CAFÉ: A Death Café offers a welcoming and supportive space to talk about death, dying and bereavement for people of all ages and all beliefs (not recommended if you have been bereaved in the last 6-12 months). No need to book. Monday 19th Jan, 5-6:30PM, Cote Brasserie, Marlow.

TOWN COMMITTEE MEETING: The High Wycombe Town Committee are meeting on Tuesday 20th January at 7pm. You can read the Agenda and watch the webcast here.

WORK EXPERIENCE: Garsington Opera are hosting a Work Experience Week for ages 16-18. This is a rare chance for young people to go behind the scenes of a producing opera company, shadowing departments from marketing to backstage tech during an intensive week 13–17 July 2026. Applications close 31 Jan 2026 — perfect for anyone curious about creative careers in theatre and opera.

🧩 The Wycombe Wordle

Six guesses. Five letters. One Wycombe connection. Let me know if you get it!

🟩 Right letter, right spot
🟨 Right letter, wrong spot
⬜ Not in the word

👉 [Play here]

That’s a wrap for this week’s Pulse!

Have a brilliant weekend — but before you dash…

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See you next Thursday,
Steph