Luton Town will be facing Premier League side Nottingham Forest away in the Third Round of the FA Cup.

The Hatters will be making the visit to the City Ground over the weekend of Saturday January 11th 2025, with a specific date, time, ticket information and any TV coverage to be announced in due course.

The tie will take place between a trip to QPR on January 6th and a home clash against Preston on January 18th in the Hatters’ Championship fixtures.

Luton will be playing against a Nottingham Forest side who currently sit 6th in the Premier League table after an impressive start to the Premier League season, including being the only side to so far beat the league leaders Liverpool in a Premier League game.

Rob Edwards’ side played out a pair of draws against Forest when the two sides were in the Premier League last season, with Luton coming from 2-0 down to draw in Nottingham in their first meeting in October last year and then scoring a late equaliser to draw 1-1 at Kenilworth Road in March.

The Hatters finished directly behind Forest in last season’s Premier League table, albeit 6 points behind a Forest side that had seen 4 taken deducted after being deemed to have breached the league’s financial rules.

The National Trust has announced The Parks Trust in Milton Keynes as a recipient of one of the ‘Trees of Hope’ Sycamore Gap saplings being gifted across the UK.

The big reveal of places where the saplings will be gifted came during National Tree Week last week, which followed a nationwide invitation and was announced just after the anniversary of the felling of the much-loved tree in Northumberland at the end of September 2023.

The Parks Trust was amongst nearly 500 applicants for the 49 saplings – one to represent each foot in height that the tree was at the time of its felling.

Homes for the saplings will all be in publicly accessible spaces, enabling many more people to feel part of the iconic Sycamore Gap tree’s legacy.

The Parks Trust have announced they have identified a suitable location for their gifted sapling in the north of the city within Stanton Low Park.

The chosen park is bisected by the historic Grand Union Canal and features ancient landmarks including the 12th Century remains of St Peter’s Church and underground remains of Stantonbury Manor house – marked by substantial earthworks.

As well as its heritage, the park also boasts an expanse of wildflower meadows and hedgerows providing great habitat for wildlife, a natural play area, accessible walking routes, and scenic views across the valley of the River Great Ouse.

The planting of Milton Keynes’ Tree of Hope in Stanton Low Park will be symbolic of regeneration, offering a place for reflection, celebration, and connection to the natural world.

Chief Executive of The Parks Trust, Victoria Miles MBE, said, “We’re incredibly proud and excited to become custodians of such a significant piece of Britain’s natural history. The planting of a ‘Tree of Hope’ here in Milton Keynes truly demonstrates the importance of nature for our city, and the benefits of green spaces that are loved by our communities.”

Andrew Poad, General Manager for the National Trust’s Hadrian Wall properties, added, “Each and every application for a ‘Tree of Hope’ told heartfelt stories of people’s emotional connections to the Sycamore Gap tree and the importance of nature. They spoke of loss, hope and regeneration from all four corners of the country, from towns, schools, colleges, community groups, hospitals and hospices, it’s been a privilege to read them all.”

“The tree meant so much to so many and through the ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative we are helping reach people across the nation, for generations to come.”

The entries were judged by a panel of experts from the National Trust led by independent judge and arboriculture specialist Catherine Nuttgens.

Catherine said, “The Sycamore is one of the most architecturally beautiful trees in our landscape. In summer, their dark green leaves create a canopy that looks almost like broccoli, while in winter, they create a silhouette that perfectly depicts what we think of when we think of a tree.

“The loss of any tree can evoke strong emotions – none more so than the Sycamore Gap tree. Its destruction felt utterly senseless, destroying the simple joy it brought to so many people for so many reasons. But the ‘Trees of Hope’ initiative has kept that sense of joy and hope alive, and it has been truly humbling to read through so many applications but a difficult task to select the final 49 recipients.

“The stories have come from every corner of the UK and every walk of life. Their words reflect the hope and kindness that human beings are capable of, which feels like such a fitting response to the loss of this precious tree.”

The saplings are currently being cared for at The National Trust’s Plant Conservation Centre, and they should be strong and sturdy enough to plant out in winter 2025/26. Recipients from across the UK include The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease in Leeds, Holly’s Hope in conjunction with Hexham Abbey in Northumberland, and The Tree Sanctuary and Tree Amigos in Coventry. For more information and to find out where in the country all 49 ‘Trees of Hope’ saplings will go, visit nationaltrust.org.uk/TreesOfHope

The organisers of the Forever Now festival in Milton Keynes have announced 17 names for their inaugural event, including the likes of Kraftwerk, Billy Idol, Johnny Marr and the Happy Mondays.

The event will take place at the National Bowl in Milton Keynes on June 22nd 2025, and the organisers have confirmed a myriad of names as performing their event.

A star-studded line-up confirmed includes Kraftwerk, Billy Idol, The The, Johnny Marr, The Motels, The Jesus & Mary Chain, the Psychedelic Furs and the Happy Mondays.

Others performers include Death Cult, Peter Murphy, The Damned, Public Image Limited, Berlin, Theatre of Hate, She Wants Revenge, Chameleons, The Motels and UK Decay.

The day is intended as an all-day homage to alternative culture from the late 1970s to 1990s, featuring music from a wide variety of genres and styles across this time.

All performers will be split across two stages, while there will also be a third stage called The Echo Chamber, which has been curated by music journalist John Robb and will see in-depth interviews, panel discussions, and artist conversations explore the stories behind the music, delving into the cultural movements and personal narratives that shaped this musical era.

Steve Homer, CEO, AEG Presents, said, “We are delighted to present a festival that reflects the rich heritage of artists in the alternative music field. The day will feature some amazing artists, unique sets, and collaborations not seen on a UK stage before. As the birthplace of alt counterculture, the UK is the perfect home for a festival to pay homage to alternative creative artistry.’’

Pre-sale tickets will be available starting 5 December, with a limited release priced from £85. General sale opens at 10am on 6 December through AXS and Ticketmaster, with VIP packages offering enhanced festival experiences. Fans can register now for pre-sale access and festival updates at forevernowfestival.co.uk.

The three MPs representing Milton Keynes voted for the landmark assisted dying bill in a second reading in Parliament last week.

MPs were voting on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) bill in a free vote where members were able to vote free from party lines.

The second reading vote on the principal of the bill saw it pass the House of Commons by 330 votes to 275, meaning it will move on to be scrutinised in further detail by committee before any amendments are submitted and it then comes back for a third reading to be fully approved by the Commons. It is believed it could still be several years before this option becomes available.

Under the proposed legislation, terminally ill adults with six months or less to live would receive the right to die once the request has been signed off by two doctors and a High Court judge.

All 3 of Milton Keynes’ MPs voted in favour, with MK North MP Chris Curtis and MK Central MP Emily Darlington both confirming in advance of the vote on Friday (29/11) that they would be in favour, while Buckingham and Bletchley MP Callum Anderson later confirmed it in his own update on social media after the vote in Westminster.

In a statement before the vote, Curtis said, “I would like to thank everyone who has taken the time to share their personal experiences and perspectives with me. I will be voting for the Bill to go forward, at which point I will be seeking reassurances to the concerns I have about the Bill in its current form.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by Darlington, who said “I have decided to vote for the Bill to go forward to Committee stage, because I believe that something this serious requires critical scrutiny in an extended Bill Committee which will be made up of all parties, all sides of the arguments and will last several months. I expect this process to result in the full exploration of the concerns that have been raised about this Bill in the past few weeks, and to result in amendments to improve the Bill. Should these not be resolved satisfactorily, I will consider voting against the Bill at the next stage.”

In a statement of social media after the vote, Anderson said, “The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill has passed its second reading and will continue its progress through the House of Commons. It is our duty as Members of Parliament to continue scrutinising the Bill with the sensitivity it deserves ahead of and during its third reading.

“It was a privilege to attend a debate which showed our parliamentary democracy at its most compelling, with carefully considered thoughts on both sides. It showed that we do not need to be polarised.

“And I’d also like to thank the people of Buckingham and Bletchley for their considered thoughts. I’ve heard from hundreds of people who care deeply about this issue, and every single individual has approached this topic with kindness.”