As we all know, our beloved Little Avoning Rose Festival is fast approaching, and each of us has a part to play. Townsfolk will be gathering in The Toasty Mink every evening this week for planning and socialising alike ahead of the festival.

Please come to the The Toasty Mink prepared to discuss your contributions towards setting up and running the festival, and please bring your sense of community spirit!

As summer comes to an end, and autumn approaches, we all expect more rainy days. It has certainly rained plenty since this noticeboard was last updated! However, Little Avoning residents who are often by the river, such as those who fish, have reported that the river has been rising more rapidly compared to recent years.

Be sure to take extra care if you venture outside of town in the near future. We hope that the rainfall will be minimal the day of the Rose Festival; however, rain or shine, our tradition will continue!

Within the past few days, there have been tidings of certain persons venturing out of town along the river towards the vicinity of the dreadful gallows. An anonymous source, an honourable individual with low echo sensitivity who went to investigate, has attested that they observed two silhouettes from afar, in the shadows of the abbey ruins next to the gallows, exchanging objects. The source startled the two when going to confront them, and the two figures fled before they were identified. However, one of them dropped an object which evoked a strong echo.

The trading of echoes is a frowned-upon activity, and as such, please notify the town constable if you have any other information regarding this taboo matter.

There was a row that erupted earlier in the week at The Toasty Mink. A few of the Smith brothers interrogated one of the Stuart brothers about some Stuarts selling glassware in the town market earlier that day. Apparently, the Stuarts' glassware was suddenly identical in style and colour to the Smiths'.

During the argument at the pub, the Smiths were shouting about their glassblowing methods were trade secrets that had been passed down through their family for generations, and that they did not make their usual amount of money at the market. People intervened before the shouting match got too heated, but many in the town are nervous that a violent centuries-old feud between the Stuarts and the Smiths, which had eased in intensity for a couple of generations, has started to greatly worsen once more.

We all break glass from time to time, and this is a wonderful opportunity to replace that “missing” vase or pitcher. Both of these fine families have excellent craftsmanship, so please support both at the next town market this week.

The town's beloved stuffed mink, which hangs above the bar in The Toasty Mink, is missing! Our publican, Ms Salome Scott, is especially cross that it has gone missing now, as the maypole is at risk of staying naked should the mink not be found before this year's festival.

To ensure the annual tradition of topping the maypole with the mink goes on this year, any help to track it down would be very welcome. In particular, if you have a well-bred hunting dog, Salome would duly appreciate your assistance.