Here’s what’s worth knowing in Milton Keynes this week.
UK PADEL to open six-court Willen Lake club on 17 October
UK PADEL is due to open its new six-court club at Willen Lake on Saturday 17 October, moving the project from construction into operation after the planned venue was first covered by MK Digest earlier this year.
The club will have four covered, all-weather courts and two open-air courts. UK PADEL says the opening day will be open to people who want to see the new venue in action and try padel with its coaches.
Its weekly programme is set to include beginner sessions and social mix-ins, with rackets and balls available to hire. All six courts are designed to be accessible for adaptive padel, including wheelchair users.
UK PADEL says starter memberships begin at £25 for two months and include three coaching sessions. Readers planning to visit should check the Milton Keynes club page for the latest opening-day programme and available sessions before travelling.
🕒 Opens: Sat 17 Oct 2026
📍 Willen Lake, Milton Keynes
🎾 Six courts: four covered + two open-air
💷 Starter membership: from £25 for two months, including three coaching sessions
Padel in action at a Rocket Padel venue. The new UK PADEL Milton Keynes courts at Willen Lake are not pictured; the MK venue has two open-air singles courts and four covered doubles courts. Credit: UK PADEL
Delivery robots planned for Milton Keynes in Deliveroo rollout
Deliveroo and Coco Robotics are planning to bring pavement delivery robots to Milton Keynes as part of a wider UK rollout – but the service is not live in the city yet.
Deliveroo says the partnership will begin in Canary Wharf this October before expanding to Milton Keynes, Leeds, Stockton-on-Tees and Nottingham in the coming weeks and months. In Milton Keynes, Smoke and Pepper and 5 Akhis are among the restaurants named as expected participants when the service starts.
Coco’s fully electric robots travel at walking pace and use cameras, sensors and AI-driven navigation to move along pavements. Deliveroo says the robots are intended mainly for short-distance orders and will complement its existing rider network.
No firm Milton Keynes launch date has been announced, so this is a confirmed forthcoming rollout rather than a service readers can already select in the Deliveroo app.
🤖 Milton Keynes rollout: confirmed, but not live yet
🕒 Timing: “coming weeks and months” after the Canary Wharf launch
🍽 MK restaurants named include Smoke and Pepper and 5 Akhis
⚡ Robots are fully electric and designed to travel at walking pace
A Coco delivery robot. The Milton Keynes rollout is planned but is not yet live.
Credit: Coco Robotics
Free cat-neutering vouchers launched for local residents
RSPCA Milton Keynes & North Bucks has launched a limited campaign offering free cat-neutering vouchers to local residents on a limited income.
The branch says the campaign started on 1 October after a rise in the number of cats and kittens needing rescue across Milton Keynes and North Bucks. Residents can use the branch’s online application form to check whether they are eligible.
Only a limited number of free vouchers are available. The branch also offers its usual part-cost neutering support for some people on benefits, so applicants should use the current form rather than assume the two schemes have identical eligibility rules.
Anyone interested should check the branch’s neutering page and apply while the campaign vouchers remain available.
🕒 Campaign started: 1 Oct 2026
🐈 Support: free cat-neutering vouchers
👤 Targeted at local residents on a limited income
⚠️ Availability: limited number of vouchers
Left: Ana Ibarra / Pexels. Right: RSPCA Milton Keynes & North Bucks
MKUH treats 28 young patients in Paediatric Super Surgery Day
Milton Keynes University Hospital has confirmed that 28 children and young people were treated during its ninth Paediatric Super Surgery Day on Thursday 1 October.
The event brought together paediatrics, theatres, anaesthetics, day surgery, admissions and surgical-specialty teams. The first patient was seen at 7:15am and the last at 6pm, with procedures including tooth extractions, grommet insertions, excisions and tonsillectomies.
The concentrated surgery-day model is designed to increase theatre activity and help children receive planned treatment sooner. Waiting areas were also turned into child-friendly spaces, with hospital play specialists and welcome bags helping to make the day less daunting for young patients and their families.
MKUH’s 2023/24 Quality Account says Paediatric Super Surgery Days began in March 2023, with the first five events treating more than 150 young patients.
👧 28 paediatric patients treated
🏥 Ninth Paediatric Super Surgery Day
🕒 First patient: 7:15am | last patient: 6pm
🩺 Procedures included tooth extractions, grommets, excisions and tonsillectomies
Credit: MKUH
Real-time bus screens launch at two Woburn Sands stops
New real-time bus information screens have been launched at two stops in Woburn Sands, giving passengers live service information without needing to check a phone.
The screens cover buses calling at the Recreation Ground and Turnpike Road stops. Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership says they also include an audio facility for passengers with visual impairments and display the Marston Vale Line timetable.
The project was developed by Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership with Woburn Sands Town Council, with help from the Friends of Woburn Sands Station and installation by Vix Technology.
The improvement is limited to these two Woburn Sands stops rather than a citywide rollout, but it adds practical live information and an accessibility feature for local passengers.
📍 Screens: Recreation Ground + Turnpike Road bus stops
🚌 Shows: real-time bus-service information
🔊 Accessibility: audio link for visually impaired passengers
🚆 Also displays: Marston Vale Line timetable
Credit: Marston Vale Community Rail Partnership
What’s on in Milton Keynes
Looking for something to do locally? Here are a few ideas for the week ahead:
Weekday & Live Events ::
🕒 Tue 13–Sat 24 Oct:
🎵 MAMMA MIA!
The musical plays Milton Keynes Theatre across the week, with a running time of about 2 hours 35 minutes including an interval.
📍 Milton Keynes Theatre
🎟 From £39
More information →
🕒 Thu 15 Oct, 2pm:
🚲 MK Health Rides
Join a gentle, beginner-friendly staff-led cycle of around 8km (5 miles), usually taking about an hour. Under-18s must be accompanied by an adult.
📍 Campbell Park Pavilion, MK9 4AD
🎟 Free; no booking required
More information →
🕒 Thu 15 Oct, 7:30pm:
🎙️ Mark Steel’s in Town – BBC Radio 4 recording
Comedian Mark Steel comes to Milton Keynes for a recording of his BBC Radio 4 series Mark Steel’s in Town, with a stand-up show focused on the city itself.
📍 The Venue MK, Milton Keynes
🎟 Free; tickets available by application
Apply for tickets →
🕒 Fri 16–Sun 18 Oct, 10am–5pm:
🔫 Collectormania Milton Keynes
Showmasters brings its pop-culture convention to centre:mk, with film and TV guests, photoshoots, autograph sessions and memorabilia stalls. General entry is free; some extras are separately chargeable.
📍 centre:mk
🎟 Free general entry; paid photoshoots, autographs and other extras available
More information →
🕒 Fri 16 Oct, 8pm:
🎵 Nerina Pallot – Fire Escape Symphonies Tour
Nerina Pallot brings her Fire Escape Symphonies Tour to The Stables, supported by Mary Spender.
📍 Jim Marshall Auditorium, The Stables, Wavendon
🎟 £25 including booking fee; booking required
More information →
Weekend Picks ::
🕒 Sat 17 & Sun 18 Oct, 10:30am:
Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom (U)
A family-friendly 80-minute screening at MK Gallery Cinema, with morning showings on both Saturday and Sunday.
📍 MK Gallery Cinema
🎟 Adults £10; concessions £9; children £8; accompanying carers free
More information →
🕒 Sat 17 Oct, 12–4pm:
🍎 The Golden Jubilee Apple Day
Celebrate 50 years of the Community Orchard with The Parks Trust and Mid Shires Orchard Group at an afternoon of apple-themed activities and orchard discovery.
📍 Woughton Orchard
🎟 Free; suitable for all ages
More information →
🕒 Sat 17 Oct, 4pm:
🎵 Joy of Song – Polymnia
Polymnia marks its 20th anniversary with an afternoon concert in Stony Stratford, including a world premiere by composer Richard Barnard.
📍 St Mary and St Giles, Stony Stratford
🎟 £17 adults; £3 under-18s and students; tickets available on the door by cash or card
More information →
🕒 Sun 18 Oct; starts available 10am–12pm:
🍃 Orienteering with SMOC
South Midlands Orienteering Club hosts a Linford Wood event for beginners, improvers and experienced participants, with courses to tackle at your own pace.
📍 Linford Wood
🎟 £5 for individuals and family/friend groups (up to four adults); £2 club-member discount; no advance booking required
More information →
Explore more events and activities at MK Libraries.
Quick question for you
What kinds of local events would you like to see more of in MK Digest?
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See you next issue.
Toby
MK Digest