EVENTS taking place in Blackburn, Burnley, Darwen, Hyndburn, Pendle, Ribble Valley and Rossendale for Thursday, April 14 and the days ahead.

What's on today

2pm - Chairman Barry Kilby, defender Clarke Carlisle and ex-Clarets including Jimmy McIlroy, Frank Casper, Stan Ternent, Brian Flynn and John Francis will be on hand at the club to sign copies of Dave Thomas's book Entertainment, Heroes and Villains, which covers the story of Steve Cotterill, Owen Coyle and Brian Laws at Turf Moor. Admission is free and a refreshments bar will be open.

2pm-5pm - A free health check runs at Darwen Health Centre when people aged 35 to 74 who are registered to a GP in Blackburn or Darwen can undergo assessments for cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar.

6pm - A games and real ale night at 3 in a Bar, Darwen, features traditional card and board games, chess and dominos. Guests can bring their own.

7.30pm - The next meeting of Blackburn Aglow International is at O'Marleys Red Lion, Whitebirk Road. Booking is essential. Phone Chris on 01254 201215.

7.30pm - Stars of variety will be out in force for a special show to raise money for the East Lancashire Hospice. The Thwaites Empire Theatre, Blackburn, will host the charity night. Comedian Des Day will act as compere. Doors open at 6;45pm with the show scheduled to start at 7.30pm. Tickets, priced £10, from 01254 605500.

7.30pm - Blackburn Rovers will be hosting a Q&A with legend Tony Parkes at Blues Bar, Ewood Park. Tickets cost £5. Call 0871 222 1444 to book a place.

8pm - local rock band India Mill play The Blackhorse in Redearth Road, Darwen.

Friday, April 15

11am-12noon - Dave Thomas will be signing his book Entertainment, Heroes and Villains, which covers the story of Steve Cotterill, Owen Coyle and Brian Laws at WHSmiths in Burnley town centre. John Mullin and John Francis will also be there.

12.30pm-1.30pm - Dave Thomas will be signing his book Entertainment, Heroes and Villains, which covers the story of Steve Cotterill, Owen Coyle and Brian Laws at the Burnley club shop. John Mullin and John Francis will also be there, and Martin Dobson and Paul Fletcher will be on hand for autographs.

1.15pm-3.30pm - Blood donor sessions take place at Community Link, Bury Road, Haslingden.

5.15pm-7.30pm - Blood donor sessions take place at Community Link, Bury Road, Haslingden.

5.30pm - Top stuntman Paul Swift will show off his driving skills at Gaskell Motorbodies, off Alan Ramsbottom Way, Great Harwood. There will be a barbecue and a chance to sit in with Paul at the event in aid of Help the Heroes and Radio Lollipop. Admission is £1.

7.30pm - The Mayor and Mayoress of Padiham will be hosting their Final Countdown, in the Town Hall ballroom. Tickets cost £5, including buffet supper. A raffle and auction will be held. All proceeds to the Mayor's Community Fund. Artists include Mr Fizz-Eek and Abbie Scarlett, from TV’s Take Me Out.

7.45pm - Teams can enter a fun quiz night in aid of Edenfield Parish Church at Edenfield Cricket Club, Gincroft Lane. Maximium of four per team. Entry costs £5. Call David Foster on 01706 825648. Supper available.

Saturday, April 16

9.30am-11am - St Peter’s Church in Haslingden is hosting an indoor car boot sale on Saturday to raise money for church funds. Admission is free.

10.30am - A memorial stone is set to be unveiled by Pendle MP Andrew Stephenson in memory of Derek Gascoigne, Colne’s environmental action group manager and Colne in Bloom stalwart, at the Birtwistle Avenue Community Centre, near Alkincoates Nature Reserve.

10.30am-12noon - Borough councillors in the North Manor seat, which covers part of Ramsbottom and Summerseat, are staging a surgery on Saturday. Jim Taylor, Dorothy Gunther and David Higgin will be at Rowlands Road Methodist Church.

10.30am-12.30pm - There will be an Easter coffee morning at St Margaret’s Hapton. Admission £1.

10.30am-3.30pm - Free NHS health checks will be available at Darwen Leisure Centre. If you are aged 35 to 74, and registered with a Blackburn or Darwen GP, you are entitled to a check which takes around 20 minutes. The checks can help prevent heart disease, stroke, diabetes and kidney disease. Call 0800 917 6072 to book an appointment.

2pm - The Darwen Over 50s Activities Group 40s and 50s musical afternoon is at The Central United Reformed Church, Duckworth Street. Tea and sandwiches will be served and 1940s and 1950s music provided by Clive. £6. Call 01254 772827.

7pm - A quiz night is being held at the David Street Club in Barrowford in aid of Barrowford Labour Party.

7.30pm - The Ladies in Harmony Women's Institute Choir will sing at Longridge High School. Tickets are £5 and include refreshments. Call 01257 462730.

7.30pm - Accrington Town Hall will host a ‘Last Night at the Proms’ event with the Fodens Band in aid of the Hyndburn Mayor’s charity. Tickets are £10 from the mayor’s office, or the venue.

Sunday, April 17

10.30am - Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu will be welcomed to a special Palm Sunday service in Newchurch. The service takes place at St Nicholas Church.

1.30pm - A procession will wind through Whitworth town centre as part of the town's St George's Day celebrations. Setting off from the corner of Market Street and Tong Lane it will end at the Riverside at around 2pm. It will be immediately followed by a service of celebration, featuring live music and a performance of the Pace Egg play by the Curtain Theatre Company.

2pm - Members of the Royal Society of St George are starting their annual celebrations with a service in Blackburn Cathedral. The Blackburn and East Lancashire Branch is marking St George’s Day with the event. Standards of the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, British Legions and uniformed organisations will be presented, and the service will be attended by local mayors and the recently-appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire, Peter Mileham. The public are also invited to the service.

2.30pm - Haslingden Choir will perform a special concert at St Mary’s RC Church, in the town, and will be followed by afternoon tea. For more information about future events, contact the choir’s secretary at waidew@btinternet.com.

Monday, April 18

7pm - Lincolnshire-based Dr Jo Ojadi will address members of the Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship at the Red Lion, Whitebirk Road, Blackburn. Call Phil Myers on 01254 888982 for more information.

7.30pm - Residents in the Harle Syke area of Burnley will be able to discuss local issues with police officers at a community meeting next month. The police and communities together meeting takes place at the Jubilee Street Community Centre.

Wednesday, April 20

9.30am - A women's network group is opening a new branch in Burnley. The Pink Link Ladies, which has bases in Blackburn, Preston, Lancaster, Chorley and Blackpool, will be run in Burnley by Catherine Curry. It is being launched at the Higher Trapp Hotel, Trapp Lane.

1.30pm and 4.30pm - Video footage of rock’n’roll legends performing in East Lancashire has formed a new exhibition. The Haworth Art Gallery will unveil an installation called Remember Th’Imp in memory of the Nelson Imperial Ballroom. The venue played host in the 1960s to bands including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Who. The exhibition by music production student, John ‘Bernie’ Fullalove from Clayton-Le-Moors, recreates its golden years with video footage and memorabillia. The one-day only exhibition is free.

7.30pm - The Accrington Clef Club perform at in the lecture hall of Accrington Library, St James’s Street. For more information, contact the club on 01254 823331.

7.30pm - A candlelight concert to mark Holy Week will be given by the Renaissance Singers in Blackburn Cathedral. Called Tenebrae: A Journey into Darkness, it will feature a mix of poetry, choral and organ music on the themes of the Passion. During the performance, candles will be extinguished.

Thursday, April 21

7pm - A meeting about plans for a gay pride festival in Burnley takes place at Guys as Dolls. The idea to hold East Lancashire’s first such event was floated earlier this year and more than 200 people have now joined a Facebook group supporting the idea for a festival this summer.

Saturday, April 23

1pm-8pm - A festival to celebrate St George's Day will take place in Colne. The free family event featuring music and entertainment will run in the town centre. There will also be fairground rides, face-painting and donkey rides to keep children entertained.

2pm - The Easter Bunny will visit Nelson Manor Care Home, Barkerhouse Road, for an Easter egg hunt. Other attractions include an Easter bonnet contest, games and stalls. Residents of the new 70-bed home are baking cakes and making craft items to sell, with proceeds going towards trips and outings.

Sunday, April 24

12.45pm - A 'The Parable of the Bridesmaids' service, led by Andy Williams, minister at Sion Baptist Church, takes place at Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre, Barden Lane. Soup and rolls served.

1pm - An Easter egg hunt is to be held at Cherry Tree Cricket Club in Blackburn.

2pm - Supporters are being urged to sponsor ducks for the annual charity race at Wycoller Park, near Colne.

Friday, April 29

3pm - Villagers in Helmshore are organising a community picnic to celebrate the royal wedding. The celebration will take place on the lawns at St Veronica’s Church. Everyone is welcome to join in by bringing a picnic.

7.45pm - Soldiers from the Duke of Lancaster's Regiment will play a one-off football match against AFC Darwen to raise funds for the Army Benevolent Fund. The match will be held at The Salmoners'

Anchor Ground and features local soldiers who have recently been on tour in Afghanistan. It is hoped there will be a series of guest appearances on the night. Admission will be £5 for adults and £2 for pensioners and children up to 16. Organisers are also looking for raffle prizes for the event. Anyone wishing to donate a prize is asked to email: afcdarwen@hotmail.com.

Saturday, April 30

1.30pm - The Mayor of Pendle, Coun Tony Beckett, will cut the ribbon at new shop Dezyre, in Manchester Road, Nelson.

8pm - A smash-hit show fresh from sell-out gigs at London's O2 Arena is set to take Motown fans in Pendle by storm. The Magic of Motown show recreates the harmonies, slick moves, stylish looks and legendary musicianship Motown is renowned for. The American show brings a cast performing hits by the Supremes, Temptations, Four Tops, Jackson 5, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. The show will take place at the Muni, Colne. Tickets cost £16.50. Call 01282 661234.

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