A COURSE combining learning English with acquiring computer skills and practical tips about looking after your car has started this week at SKIDZ, in Leigh Street, High Wycombe.

The course is the brainchild of Christina Marotas of the Wycombe Continuing Education Office, who has been involved with teaching English as a second language for a number of years.

The course is to run for seven weeks and the two-hour sessions are held on Mondays from 1pm and twice on Thursdays (10.30am and then again at 1pm).

Christina is enthusiastic about the success of this course, as it will provide practical linguistic, computer and useful mechanical skills to the participators.

The course has about half a dozen interested individuals, but there is room for one or two more people.

So if you know someone who can benefit from this course then Christina would be delighted to hear from you telephone (01494) 522021.

THE Muslim community celebrates the festival of Eid-Al-Adha on Tuesday.

Eid-Al-Adha is one of the two major festivals in the Islamic calendar and commemorates the story, shared with Christianity and Judaism, of Hazrat Ibrahim's (Abraham) willingness to sacrifice his son Ismaeil in the name of God.

The Eid services in High Wycombe, under the auspices of the Mosque Committee, will be held at the Jamia Mosque in Jubilee Road, the Islamic Centre in Totteridge Road and the Islamic Centre in Rutland Avenue at 8.30am, with a second service at the Jamia Mosque at 9.45am.

Eid prayers will also be offered at Jamia Rehmania in Castlefield and the Islamic Centre in Totteridge Drive, High Wycombe.

This year it will be interesting to note how the community copes with the lack of the usual variety of Halal meat products, in the face of the ban on the movement of animals, due to the current foot and mouth emergency.

Apart from the requirements of lamb, mutton and beef for the Eid dinners, many lambs are also needed to commemorate Hazrat Ibrahim's sacrifice of a lamb in place of his son.

I suspect poultry can easily be substituted for many mutton, lamb and beef dishes but it will not be easy to obtain an animal for sacrifice in the name of God, which many Muslims undertake as part of their religious belief.

Interestingly, so far, the ban on the movement of animals has not yet been reflected at meat retail outlets, as no doubt suppliers are relying on meat available from storage.

Whatever the circumstances I would like to wish all the readers of the Free Press a very happy and joyous Eid.