Anyway, July is always a busy one for us, social gatherings, birthdays and sports tournaments and this year has proven to be no exception. I played in a Netball tournament at the start of the month, it had rained of course, so the outdoor courts were slightly slippy and I went down like a sack of spuds! My team were very impressed with my splits….so was I tbf, didn’t know I could still do that!! It got me thinking whether I could have a goatgeriatricgymnasticsintheOlympics? (I know there isn’t such a thing but there should be, gives us all something to aspire to rather than watching the very talented butexceedinglybendyyoungsters).
Atthetimeofsendingtoprint,theOlympics haven’t quite started yet but I’m games ready…..bought myself some earplugs to blockoutMrEmily’swittering!!
HappyReading,
PS: Don’t forget to mention the ‘Voice’ when you use any of the companies in this
PostcardsThe Text Messages of Their Day
We are so used to the instancy of our 21st century text messaging and social media we forget that until fairly recently, handwriting a note on a postcard and dropping it in a post-box was actually the fastest way to reach out to someone.
The postcard as we know it today has its roots in the mid-19th century. The first known picture postcard was sent in 1840 by Theodore Hook, a British writer and practical joker, who apparently posted a hand-painted card to himself. However, it wasn’t until 1869 that postcards began to be officially issued by postal services. The Austrian government was the pioneer introducing the “Correspondenz-Karte,” a simple, pre-stamped card intended for short messages.
The late 19th and early 20th centuries marked the Golden Age of postcards. Advances in printing technology made it possible to produce cards in large quantities, and they quickly became a popular means of communication. Postcards featured everything from scenic views and portraits to humorous cartoons and advertisements. They were an affordable way to send a quick note, share travel experiences, and stay in touch with loved ones.
One amusing aspect of early postcards was their use as a form of social media. Much like today’s Instagram, people would send postcards to boast about their travels, share snippets of their lives, and even engage in a bit of oneupmanship. “Wish you were here” became more than just a phrase—it was a way to showcase exotic destinations and adventures and make your friends and family jealous.
And who can forget the “saucy” seaside picture postcards? Full of cheeky innuendo and double entendre.
Postcards also played a significant role during wartime. Soldiers sent them from the front lines to reassure their families, and patriotic themes and propaganda were common on the cards. During World War I and II, postcards provided a vital link between soldiers and their loved ones.
With the advent of telephones and the internet, the postcard’s popularity waned. Why wait days for a message to arrive when you could just pick up your mobile and send a photo or an email? Yet, despite these technological advances, postcards never truly disappeared. In recent years, they have experienced a nostalgic revival. Collectors seek out vintage postcards, some of which can fetch a hefty price.
Picture postcards can also be a great way to remember the trips you make—tangible images you can stick in an album instead of scrolling through your mobile phone. With the added bonus that the images are taken by professionals, not the out of focus, skew-whiff shots you may have managed to take.
As we hurtle through the digital age, the postcard remains a cherished means of communication. A reminder that sometimes, the old ways are the best ways. So, the next time you’re travelling and want to brighten someone’s day, consider sending a postcard. A small gesture with a big impact that could really cheer someone up.
These articles are researched and written by Laura Billingham, a local content writer and author. Laura moved to the Peak District several years ago to pursue her passion for writing.
16th/17th/18th Aug
Mr Jonathan Harper BSc(Hons) Podiatry. HCPC registered Podiatrist/Chiropodist, Member of the Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod)
20 Years NHS/private practice experience treating foot and ankle disorders for adults and children.
• Offering treatment for the following:
• Corns, calluses, other problematic skin problems. Thickened/fungal nails
• Infected ingrowing toenails ingrowing (Nails surgery under local anaesthetic available)
• Verrucas and warts (hands and feet)
• Fungal skin and nail infections
• High Risk group foot care and diabetic foot assessments
• Foot and ankle pain and sports injuries including injection therapy
AMBER VALLEY RUGBY CLUB
PRE - SEASON IN FULL SWING!
Pre-season has started, and the men’s rugby team is back! The guys are excited yet dreading the tough drills-they love to joke that they “hate” me for it. But it’s all in good fun. Our sessions are filled with high-energy workouts, skill-building exercises, and team spirit. Everyone is pushing their limits, gearing up for a fantastic season ahead. Join us for the fun and intensity—training has never been this exhilarating! Contact Stuart at 07966 867 946
After a successful season, getting promoted will make it hard to replicate past success. Our goal is to consolidate while building the squad. We’re excited to welcome new and experienced players. Push yourself out of your comfort zone—it might start a journey to the World Cup one day. With a huge emphasis on the women’s game next year, why wait? Join now and be part of a great team. Training is twice a week in a relaxed yet progressive atmosphere. Come down and give it a go! Contact Gareth at 07595 520 537.
The Minis and Juniors Presentation Day was a massive success with a fantastic turnout. Senior men’s and ladies’ captains presented awards, supported by other senior players. Kids had a blast on inflatables and enjoyed a fun game of tag rugby against the coaches. A big thank you to all the volunteers in the kitchen and bar. We celebrated the first girl winning the Compound Fitness All Blacks Award. Training has now restarted on a reduced timetable, but full-season training resumes in August. Contact us for more information on joining the team! For those interested in joining, call Paul at 07790 403 043.
More than just a club, we are the #ValleyFamily. You can visit our website www.ambervalleyrfc.co.uk, Facebook & Instagram pages to contact us or follow what we do. You can find us at Lower Somercotes, Somercotes, Alfreton
@Prioritystairlifts
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COACH TOUR HOLIDAYS
Premier Blinds , Curtains and Shutters.
I met with Grant and Linda of Premier Blinds at their beautiful home in Eastwood, where they told me all about how their business began.
At 17 years old, Grant began his soft furnishing life at a furniture shop called “Charles Brown & Sons of Eastwood”, who specialised in commercial blinds and curtains. Grant worked there for many years and gained a lot of experience and knowledge about the industry.
In 2006 Grant, and his wife Linda, combined forces, and started Premier Blinds & Curtains. They opened a showroom on Grosvenor Road in Ripley, where they stayed for 10 years. The showroom was a place to showcase the wide range of soft furnishings with ‘made to measure’ curtains and blinds as well as cushions and bed throws etc on show and a range of stunning Café style, Tier on Tier shutters which come in an array of colours. The showroom also displayed their ‘make-up service’ where customer could bring in their own fabrics for Premier Blinds to make bespoke Roman blinds, curtains etc.
9 years ago, Grant and Linda decided to run their business from home this was the best decision they ever made. Premier Blinds are still a professional, friendly business offering the same services with the same high standards
who, no longer have the costs of a showroom so can pass these savings on to their customers.
This husband and wife team work side by side offering the complete package Grant is the expert in the soft furnishing, whereas Linda, is the expert in organising the whole business. She deals with all aspects from the first call in, taking all the enquiries, to arranging fitting of the completed product. Linda, also based from home, will be your contact, she makes sure everything runs smoothly and that you are completely happy with the product and service. Grant, being the specialist will come to your home to measure and quote, and then to fit your new purchase. Grant has 30 years’ experience in the soft furnishing industry so, if you are unsure what you are looking for, Grant can definitely help.
Would you believe that until last year, I had never been on holiday to Greece?
We spent a whole day discovering the story of the Parthenon and the Acropolis starting off at the new Acropolis Museum followed by a guided walking tour to see it for ourselves.
I changed all that by having a wonderful short break in Chania, Crete in May, but I will tell you about that another time, because now I want to tell you about the amazing city break, we had in October.
We flew from Birmingham for a 4-night trip to Athens. If you’ve ever been lucky enough to visit, you will know how compact it is, so many of the historical sites are within walking distance.
Now, I say you can walk everywhere, but who doesn’t love a sightseeing bus. They have different routes, we opted for the city line, but if we had longer, we would have added the beach riviera line. Yes, there is a beach just outside Athens. If you wanted to stay for longer, you could even turn your trip into a twin centre holiday. City and beach.
When you think of Athens, the picture in your head is the Acropolis and is a must for any visitor, but there is so much more to see. Let me tell you what we did.
Top tip: Doing the museum first brings the visit to life. Pre-book both to avoid the queues and to guarantee entry.
For the other city sights we bought a pass to cover them all including the museums. We managed to see The Ancient Agora, Temple of Zeus, Roman Forum, The Tomb of the unknown solider with the changing of the guard, Archaeological Museum, National Gardens, Panathenaic Stadium and so many more places.
The other place we visited that was pretty special was the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion at sunset. Again, we pre-booked as this is a bestseller.
You don’t have to be a history buff to love Athens, as it is a vibrant city by day and night, it’s a fabulous place for foodies and for people watching. We met people from all over the world during our stay.
If you think Athens is the place for you, please get in touch.
What a combination...tasty chilli, gooey cheesy and crispy wedges! Perfect as a meal with some salad or as a side with a bbq. Yum!
Sprinkle in the cumin, fajita seasoning, paprika and a few twists of black pepper. Cook for 10-15 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in the fresh tomatoes. Remove
Preheat your grill to high. Tip the wedges into an ovenproof dish, spoon over the mince and sprinkle over the cheese. Add the chillies, if using, and grill for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to brown. Divide between 2 plates and serve.
Ingredients:
Serves: 2 Syns per serving: 6
2 baking potatoes, cut into wedges
• Low-calorie cooking spray
• 250g lean beef mince (5% fat or less)
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
• 230g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp fajita seasoning*
1 tsp paprika
• 2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 80g reduced-fat Cheddar
• Fresh green jalapeno chillies, finely chopped (optional)
*Spice blends are Free so long as they’re made from herbs and spices only and don’t include any Synned ingredients, like sugar, flour or oil. Check the label to be sure and count the Syns as necessary.
Ready in: 1 hour 20 minutes
Alfreton & District Heritage Trust
AUGUST 2024
TRAMPS AND STRANGERS
Around the time of the First World War and indeed afterwards, times were hard for ordinary people. Many were forced to travel the country looking for work.
Some were artisans or tradesmen and for them a night in a common lodging house was where they laid their weary head.
In Alfreton there were two lodging houses, one on King Street and the other one attached to the Travellers’ Rest on the High Street. Both were used by tramps and strangers to the town and these people were generally regarded with suspicion by town inhabitants, after all, they had a good lot of pride and didn’t want their tranquility disturbed by these “nothings to nobody”
Most of them were badly shod and poorly clothed and known
to the police as persons of ‘No Fixed Abode.’ Some of the tramps just went straight through the town making for the Workhouse in Belper to spend the night, the other alternative being a night outdoors with the sky for the roof, the earth for their bed and the stars and moon for light. A hedgerow or barn perhaps something of a luxury.
A night’s doss as it was known, at the Travellers’ Rest lodging house was sixpence a night. No money, no doss and strictly cash. The landlord of the pub controlled the lodging house and it was he who made the rules. He didn’t expect them to frequent any other pub but his, they were his lodgers and had to be his customers. Beggars could not be choosers! If any rule was broken they would be thrown out for the police to deal with. He sometimes met
his match though, obviously not all his residents were weak and weary.
After the First World War it was not only tramps walking through town. There were also ex-service men, many disabled, who had no jobs or homes and were seeking work and lodgings. It was a very hard time for ex-service men and some had to resort to begging or busking to survive. For those staying at the Travellers Rest, a home fit for heroes it was not.
All this happened a long time ago in the Travellers’ Rest. The smoke filled, dimly lit rooms of the pub are long gone, along with the spittoons, sawdust covered floors and beer at 3d a jar. The lodging houses were closed down and the many wanderers that stayed to rest passed on and are now forgotten. The workhouses became hospitals and the freedom to roam seems to be no more.
On Saturday, 7th September, 2024, we will resume our programme of talks at Palmer Morwood, Hall Street, Alfreton. They start at 1pm and you will be sure of a warm welcome. They will be held every two weeks and details of the programme will be available soon.
Should anyone wish to sponsor a speaker then please contact John Rayson on 07925 360 718 for further details.
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Flake’ s Favourites
Re-walking Rafa’s Rambles
5½ -MILE CIRCULAR WALK FROM STRELLEY HALL, STRELLEY
A medium length walk which should take you and your dog around 2-3 hours to complete. There are a couple of short sections of road so please take care. Most of the walk is on paths and trails but please wear appropriate footwear and please follow the countryside code.
One of the good things about a disappointing summer is that the milder weather allows us to get out and about with our dogs a bit easier. So why not make the most of it with this cracking little walk!
We begin outside Strelley Hall before crossing over the M1 and following a section of the Robin Hood Way to Swingate. We walk past the Swingate Water Tower and then loop through some nice countryside bordering Kimberley and Awsworth before heading back towards Swingate and retracing our steps back to the start.
START: PARK ON ROAD OPPOSITE THE ENTRANCE TO STRELLEY HALL, MAIN ST. STRELLEY. NOTTS. NG8 6PE
1. Standing with your back to the entrance to the hall, turn right and walk along the road keeping a stone wall on your right. Continue to pass through a gap adjacent to a large metal gate to continue straight ahead along a gravel lane signposted bridleway.
2. Follow the lane as it bends around to the left and crosses over the motorway. Immediately after and at a T junction of lanes turn left along a lane signposted bridleway. The lane narrows and bends to the right then continues with a hedge on your left and open views to your right.
3. Keep walking straight ahead for some distance ignoring any routes off. The lane will turn to gravel and then join with a single lane tarmac road with a hedge on both sides.
4. After some distance the road turns sharp to the right and you will have a house directly in front of you. Go to the left of the house to take a marked footpath with a hedge on your left. Follow the footpath as it turns sharp left and then sharp right. Upon reaching a road turn left.
5. Pass a water tower on your right and continue with a tall metal fence on your right. When the fence ends turn sharp right onto a footpath signposted for ‘Kimberley’. When the metal fence ends and gives way to a wooden fence continue until reaching a road.
6. Turn left along the road until it ends then keep straight ahead along a marked footpath with some trees on your right. When the trees end, keep straight across
an open section of field and then continue with trees on your right. Just prior to reaching the very far side of the field turn right into the trees along a footpath going downhill.
7. Follow the path back out of the trees and keep on it ignoring any other path to the right, keeping a drop to your right. You will head back into some trees for a short distance. At a yellow marker post on your left turn right ignoring the path uphill in front of you. Pass another marker post on your left to emerge back out of the trees.
8. Continue to pass 2 more marker posts on your right. A short distance after the second marker post the hedge on your right ends. At this point be sure to keep left along a footpath and ignore a metal swing gate that you can see over to your diagonal right.
9. Continue along the footpath for a short distance then pass through some trees until reaching a marker post on your left and a tall signpost in front of you. At this point turn left following the arrow and the ‘Great Northern Railway Path’. Continue along the path with trees on your right and just a few trees and then open views to your left.
10. Walk along this path for some distance ignoring any paths to the left or right until reaching a hand rail on your right and a set of steps down to a road. Turn left along the road for a short distance and then turn left to cross over a stile onto footpath marked for ‘Strelley’. Continue along the footpath to cross over another stile and into a field.
11. Walk straight ahead across the field, going gently uphill and staying close to some trees on your left. At the far side of the field and a T junction with a lane turn left along the gravel lane. After a very short distance, at a signpost, turn right along a path to pass through a metal swing gate. Continue straight
ahead through another field, keeping some trees on your right. Ignore any paths to the right to reaching another swing gate. Pass through some trees and then cross a field staying close to some trees on your left.
12. Keep ahead to cross a stile adjacent to a large metal gate then continue with trees on your left. At the far side of this field pass through a gap adjacent to a large metal gate and onto a lane/road. Turn left and then immediately keep left to continue along a gravel lane going gently uphill signposted for ‘bridleway’.
13. Continue uphill for quite some distance until reaching a T junction of lanes. Turn right to continue along a gravel lane. After some distance you will pass a footpath on your right signposted for ‘Cossall’. Continue ahead along the lane as it bears around to the left and turns into a tarmac road. Follow the lane around to the left and pass some houses on your right. When the houses on your right end continue straight ahead to pass a tall metal fence and a water tower on your left.
14. Just after the water tower and just prior to the first house on your right, turn right along a footpath. Follow the path, and then join the road, retracing your steps from earlier straight ahead along the road as it becomes a bridleway, then a path. Continue as it turns sharp left and then turn right to cross back over the motorway. Follow the lane around to the right and pass through a gap by metal gate back onto the road you began on to return to the start.
This walk is for illustrative purposes only. Voice Magazines Ltd takes no responsibility for anyone who chooses to follow this route and encourages all walkers to obey all byelaws and signs and to respect the area they are walking in, ensuring they pick up all dog mess and obey the countryside code at all times.
STRELLEY HALL
Babbington
Swingate
Awsworth
Kimberley
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Guess the words and Fill in the crossword !
Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures.
Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours.
Across
1 Hit the ground running on raft of styling details (6,5)
5 Spot members for a walk on deck? (3,4)
14 Carroll’s sky flyer used as drinks holder (3,4)
16 Prevent from passing lbw at hockey? Ridiculous! (5,3,3)
Across
9 Throw it up to where the organ is (4)
10 Leave out of my inclusive talk firstly (4)
11 Log growth of Northern tree (5)
12 Resonant, and sent out as colours mixed (4)
13 Tackle the terrible rage (4)
Down
2 Positive reply, but a bit slowly established (3)
3 Donkey to arrive in the passage of time (3)
7 Omitted when caught underside (4,3)
14 Also sounding like a pair (3)
15 Goodbye willow, less the tree! (3)
1 Crustacean violin player? (7,4) 4 Reserve yurt in the attic? Bonkers! (11) 6 Tenet, loosely held, points to an alliance (7) 8 ‘Garbage in, garbage out’ era now in such a state (7)
The Bee Sting by Paul Murray is a hefty book. Shortlisted for last year’s Booker Prize, winner of any number of other prizes and scoring highly in many book of the year recommendations, it’s a 650 page immersive dive into a well-to-do Irish family trying to recover from the 2008 financial crisis.
Make no mistake, the Barnes are in deep trouble. From running the biggest company in the area, they’re now on the edge of bankruptcy, children are going astray, marriage on the edge and to
make things worse, because they had a position in the local community, everyone knows what’s going on.
It’s great entertainment, funny and tragic at the same time and great on the human condition, the writing is sharp and clever and stylistically quite different. Mr Murray is also very good at pulling the rug from under readers so you never know quite what to expect.
It might be long but it’s a real page turner and full of insight into what makes people tick.
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Mike’sMusings
Our resident muser has the mike...
Mike is always glad to hear from you at : mike.musings@outlook.com
If I was Prime Minister I would……………..?
(Part 6 of………?)
Following on from June’s complaint about condiments in sachets in pubs/restaurants, Gill from Jacksdale, has a similar gripe. “Am I the only one’, she asks “who finds that it takes ages, and is sometimes nigh on impossible, to open some packaging? The manufacturer kindly instructs us to simply peel-back the wrapping to gain access to the product. Sometimes I’m lucky and can manage it straight away, but more often than not I have to resort to using my teeth”.
Gill suggests that this problem can be quickly resolved, once and for all, by bringing together CEOs of the offending companies, lock them in a room with 50 samples of their non-peeling peelback product and tell them that without the use of scissors (or teeth), they will remain there until all packets have been opened.
Finally, on food, and this is personal as it involves my grandson Finlay. I happened to say the day after he had been out for a sumptuous meal with Grandma and other members of the family – I’d been invited, but it clashed with the football - that I had come home to enjoy some crackers and cheese for a light tea. Unfortunately, as there was no cheese in the fridge, I resorted to putting brown sauce onto the crackers, to add a bit of flavour. To say he was shocked is putting it mildly. “No cheese Grumps?” he wailed, sounding just like Wallace (of Gromit fame), “that’s not right!”
His youthful suggestion to right this wrong, was to make it illegal to have crackers in the house without
any cheese. Forgetting that his grandparents were, albeit briefly, offenders, he would have any such householders named, shamed and publicly humiliated.
Finally, for this month, in the first week of 2024, we endured Storm Henk as it brought misery to many, principally as a result of flooding. Whilst sympathetic to all those who suffered, and personally thankful that his property was safe, Bob, from Tibshelf, got most upset by another outcome of the storm.
The night that the wind strength was at its peak, coincided with recycling bins being left out to be collected the following morning. As a result, once day had dawned, it was no surprise to Bob to find that his village was worse than a rubbish dump with bottles, cans, cardboard and the like, strewn everywhere.
To limit the possibility of this happening again, Bob would make it mandatory that all bins put out for collection have their lids facing away from the prevailing wind. Spot checks would be carried out, and those not following this reasonable request, would be given a high-viz jacket, litter grabber, three bin bags and ordered to scour the streets and hedgerows collecting rubbish before dropping off the bags – full of course – at the appropriate depot. Anyone found cheating by e.g., simply emptying neighbours’ recycling bins, would be made to carry out the task again, but this time as part of a closely supervised naturist work party.
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All Around the Shire
DAYS OF SUMMER
Summer is finally here and with it comes memories of endless school holidays and playing out until it was time for tea.
Our adventures were unplanned and we had nothing with us except perhaps an empty jam jar for catching minnows or frogs. Our friends were our fellowadventurers. We didn’t seem to get hungry, cold or tired. If we did pop home, we might have a stick of rhubarb with a saucer of sugar, eaten on the doorstep. Berries were picked and eaten when in season. Dens were made, improved upon, abandoned and new dens made. My dad recounts times of how he and his mates caught the early morning milk train going from Derby and ending up in Blackpool. All this with no money and no plan.
Family days out would certainly have included a rucksack or a duffel bag with paper folded map, an
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itchy tartan rug, a thermos flask with a cork stopper or bottle of cold tea. And always sandwiches. The fillings could include jam, luncheon meat or spam, fish paste, potted dog or smelly egg. It all tasted good out of doors.
We grazed our knees, fell into and out of friendships, had fights, got lost and got into mischief. But we made wonderful memories.
Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information.
Beat the Summer Rain!
We all know how unpredictable a British summer can be and the feeling of disappointment when those long-planned events must be deferred due to bad weather or the spontaneous gettogethers turn into damp squibs.
There are two companies, however, who have a solution to solve those problems and make hosting possible, whatever the weather.
Cabin Master and Arctic Cabins create high-quality garden rooms and BBQ cabins, featuring exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs, so that you can enjoy the outdoors in comfort - all year round.
The ultimate garden luxury, you can find a timber cabin which suits your lifestyle perfectly.
From a new office space, gym or dedicated hot-tub room, to a relaxing garden room or kitted-out BBQ cabin to enjoy your favourite food with friends and family, there are so many ways to enhance your everyday with these multi-functional garden features.
And it’s easier than ever to find out more at the duo’s openair show site in Stapleford, Nottingham - which is also the location of an exciting event coming this August.
Ambassador of Arctic Cabins and a proud owner of one of its designs, celebrity chef Aldo Zilli is coming to the Nottingham site to demonstrate how you can transform your outdoor get-togethers and everyday meals.
Sunday 4th August from 11am to 3pm, Aldo will cook his favourite BBQ recipes for guests to see and sample.
While you’re visiting the site, you can also explore the Hydropool Midlands showroom to find out more about its selfcleaning hot tubs and swim spas to add another element of relaxation to your garden.
Gardener’s Calendar
Top Tip:
Your containers will be stuffed with roots by now, especially with all the rain, so it’s a good idea to keep them looking good by feeding them a little more, and keep up with the deadheading and watering – they’ll get dry very quickly.
If individual plants in the pot start to suffer, ditch them and replace with new space fillers in a bit of new compost.
Cut back faded perennials and take out straggly stems. You may find new growth already coming on behind and in any case the new growth when it does come through will look much brighter.
This is the last chance to cut back this year’s flowering philadelphus to ensure you’ll get flowers next year. Also cut back rambling roses, taking back about a third of stems once they’ve flowered, making room for next year’s growth.
If you’ve had a wildflower area this year, this is the time to mow it – plants will have scattered their seed ready for next year’s display.
Pinch out the growing tip of your tomatoes. You might get more flowers now but the fruit is unlikely to ripen before cold weather comes along - plus it means the plant puts more effort into existing trusses.
SUMMERTIME SWALLOWS
It is said that ‘one swallow does not a summer make’, but of course these summertime visitors are one of our most evocative birds of the Peak District. There are two cousins of the swallow which are also stunning little birds but perhaps less widely known. These are the sand martin and the house martin, the former occurring in nesting colonies along rivers like the Derwent at Chatsworth. There they establish colonies of nests in holes made in soft, sandy riverbanks. With white undersides and dull, brown plumage on the back and upperparts, this is the least known of the swallow tribe. The house martin nests in constructions of clay and other material that cling to the undersides of house-eaves and structures such as bridges and the like. These little birds have brilliant white undersides and strikingly white rumps, with blue-black upperparts. They are very noticeable as they fly around houses and other buildings. The most obvious difference between swallows and martins is the long tail streamers so characteristic of the former.
Swallows are also closely associated with human habitation as they build their nests on rafters and beams or shelves in buildings, and so need easy access to fly in and out. The adults become very tolerant of people being nearby as they come to feed the increasingly demanding youngsters. Once the baby swallows leave the nest, with a diet made up entirely of flying insects, they are still dependent on their parents for a regular supply of food. Of course, this is becoming a problem since aerial
insect populations are generally plummeting and this is an issue for insect-feeders such as swallows, martins, and swifts during daytime, and bats in the evening and nighttime. Such a situation is now compounded by extreme weather and this year, long periods unseasonably cool and wet, which are bad conditions for insects like moths.
We can help all these iconic birds by supporting initiatives for more wildflower meadows to aid the flying insects. So, ideas like ‘no mow May’ are great but of course this also needs to include not mowing until late July so that butterflies, moths, and other insects can thrive and hatch as adults. The other key to success is in leaving areas a little more untidy in both gardens and the countryside, again so insects can survive. Being a member of the local Wildlife Trust is good in supporting nature reserves, and the National Trust also manages wonderful flower-rich meadows, for example, on their Longshaw Estate behind the Grouse Inn at Froggatt. Take a look there and you will see how groups of swallow and martins hawk the insects over the flowers.
If you have space, then allowing swallows to nest in outbuildings is essential for their future, or perhaps putting up house martin nestboxes under eaves etc also helps. You can even make a difference by allowing or creating areas of wildflower meadows and wildflower lawns. Indeed, every little helps and we can all do our bit to secure the future of these lovely birds with benefit to us too, as their presence tells us of summertime.
