Unmissable events

Exhibition January 5–April 22 ‘Thelwell: Laughter and Landscapes’ (above), Mottisfont, near Romsey, Hampshire. The much-loved cartoonist’s familiar characters are joined by watercolours, satirical observations and early-wartime sketches (01794 340757; www. nationaltrust.org.uk/mottisfont)

January 8–19 ‘FBA Futures 2019’, Mall Galleries, The Mall, London SW1. Annual exhibition of contemporary figurative painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking by outstanding art graduates (020–7930 6844; www.mallgalleries.org.uk)

Festival January 9–February 3 London International Mime Festival, various venues. The best contemporary visual theatre, with circustheatre, juggling, puppetry, live art, mime and physical theatre (020– 7637 5661; www.mimelondon.com)

Talk January 11 Scotland: Wildlife of the Highlands, Brockington Building, Loughborough University, Leicestershire. Sue Ablett discusses her time on a wildlife safari at Aigas Field Studies Centre in the Scottish Highlands. The talk will be in Lecture Theatre U020 from 7.45pm, from £3.50 on the door with free parking outside the building (www. rspb.org.uk)

January 16 Choosing Companions for Your Roses, Sculpture by the Lakes, Pallington, Dorset. Join Thomas Stone MCI Hort MPGA, former head gardener at Mottisfont in Hampshire, to learn how to create harmonious borders. At 2.30pm, £15 or £25 when combined with the morning talk, Everything You Ever Wanted to Ask About Roses, at 11am (07720 637808; www. sculpturebythelakes.co.uk)

Auction January 15 The Barbara Holliday Collection of Modern British Art, Jewellery and Antique Furnishings, Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers, Stansted Mountfitchet, Essex. Lots include a bronze bust of Count Basie by Eduardo Paolozzi, a bronze eagle by Elisabeth Frink and oils by Cedric Morris and John Nash. From 10am, viewings January 11–15 (01279 817778; www.sworder.co.uk)