English Wine Week is a celebration of English Wines between 28 May and 5 June; several vineyards are also taking part in Countryside 2011.

Great news! Countryside 2011 is finally upon us and there are almost 900 events on the Event Directory, which will give you plenty of choice when deciding what to do with your family and friends during May half term and the following week.

Following the fantastic piece about Countryside 2011 broadcast yesterday on ITV Meridian, today’s Daily Mirror has a feature in its ‘Welcome to the Weekend’ section, and we hope the Sunday Times will run a piece in the Style Section this Sunday. Yesterday, Countryside 2011 organiser Exbury Gardens welcomed HRH The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall to the steam railway.

ITV Meridian has today visited the Haredown Mountain Board Centre near Chichester in West Sussex, to find out about activities being run as part of Countryside 2011. The piece is due to be aired tonight on the 6pm news – don’t forget to watch!

No home is complete without its very own personalised map, with your address in the very centre of its local environment. Countryside 2011 partner, the Ordnance Survey, has donated a number of these to competition winners, and is running several events during Countryside 2011.

Countryside 2011’s second competition is coming to an end….the third competition will launch this Friday. Join in for your chance to win some great prizes.

With Countryside 2011 beginning imminently, you’re bound to need somewhere to stay. Rural Retreats features a range of establishments which have created a special discounted offer to link in with the Countryside 2011 fortnight of discovery.

With more than 870 events on the Event Directory, now is the time to start planning what new activities you might try over the next two weeks. Check out the fabulous array of events listed on the Directory…

To celebrate the launch of Countryside 2011, the South London Press is running a competition in its Pulse Magazine which will see one lucky reader get their family out into the Kent countryside for a whole weekend of outdoor activity!

Archery adds another string to Bedgebury’s bow as the ever-popular Bedgebury archery sessions are now well underway again and will continue right through the summer until the end of October.

Cider is an increasingly popular drink, agree retailers and journalists, and there are more than 15 real cider producers in Kent alone. Find out why during Countryside 2011….

Check out the new iPhone and Android app just launched by Explore Kent, to help you plan all your trips round Kent.

For all your foodie needs this weekend, why not visit Stonegate Farmers’ Market in East Sussex on Saturday 14 May, and stock up with a delicious range of seasonal and local produce from a number of local farmers and producers.

The Pebsham Countryside Park Project is an exciting initiative to develop and enhance the green space between Hastings, Bexhill and Crowhurst, an area of approximately 600 hectares (1480 acres) in East Sussex. The intention is to create a sustainable, multi-functional countryside area with space for leisure, relaxation, sport, ecology and education.

Every year NGS gardens across England and Wales welcome about 750,000 visitors to more than 3,700 gardens. Many of these can be found throughout the South East, most of which are privately owned and open just a few times each year. Why not visit one that’s close to you?

Forestry Commission England has launched a free iPhone app to find your local woodland, download handy trail maps or learn about trees with an easy to use tree identifier.

On Sunday 8th May join Rainbow Trust Childrens Charity for a ramble around Norbury Park. Free entry to Bocketts Farm included with every ticket!

Take a look what’s happening near you during National Family Week 2011, from 30 May to 5 June…