Voice Magazines - Ripley & Marehay - January 2025 by Voice Magazines and Artliff Design & Print

From the Editor

Happy New Year Readers,

Perhaps you didn’t recognise me and the mag as it landed on your doorstep with everything being so different!! We’ve overhauled the design and added some new features to give it a fresh new feel for the new year.

Psychologically, I love the changing of the year. It just feels so cleansing and myself and the team very much feel like that with the magazine changes. We thought that as we had so much turbulence last year, why stop there! It’s hard to believe that this little magazine will have been going for 15 years this September, but it has survived all that has been thrown at it so far. We’ve had some wonderful feedback over the last year in particular but we are determined not to rest on our laurels, so we are going to get back to our roots, with a real focus on championing local businesses and community groups.

Our Christmas give away was one example of this and it was a huge success with tons of entries. The winners will be announced in the February edition as this edition has to go to print earlier than usual. But don’t be disappointed if you missed out, we’re planning more special giveaways throughout the year.

More big news… we’ve (finally) got a live website again! It’s been about 6 years in the

making and has evolved so much without ever going live, but we’re really pleased with the end result, and we hope you like it too.

One of my personal traditions is to start each year with some resolutions/targets/bucket list items/whatever you want to call them! Strangely, I don’t think I set any last year as I somehow seemed to know that it wasn’t going to be a goer!! However, this year feels different, I feel more hopeful – so plans are afoot for us! In the meantime, we’re off to see out 2024 in style, travelling at 100+mph face first down a zipwire in Wales! I wonder what 2025 has in store for us all?

Happy Reading,

PS: Don’t forget to mention the ‘Voice’ when you use any of the companies in this magazine

In a remarkable achievement that highlights the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation, brothers Richard and Matthew Noon were crowned winners of the world-famous award, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2024 UK Midlands & South West ‘Transformational Leaders’.

This accolade not only showcases their exceptional leadership but also emphasises the company’s dedication to excellence, with yearon-year growth, now exceeding £20 million in turnover and a global presence.

Expanding their global enterprise through establishment of a warehouse in the USA represents a game-changing level of growth, successfully entering new markets, expanding

their reach, and increasing their customer base through distribution partnerships in the Middle East, Caribbean, Australia, and the USA.

This strategic move has positioned Rock Fall UK not only as the world’s fastest growing safety footwear brand but also as key players in the global market. Rock Fall UK, Wimsey Way, Somercotes, Alfreton. DE55 4LS

Richard and Matthew Noon

ONWARDS AND UPWARDS IN 2025

Every great success story starts somewhere, and Voice Magazines is no exception.

The very first edition in 2010 was a 32-page magazine, targeted at a handful of homes in Swanwick, Riddings, and Leabrooks. Fast forward to today, and the magazine is a must-read across 11 editions, from Bakewell to Selston, Ripley to Kirkby and everywhere in between, and reaching a whopping 152,000 residents every month.

But let’s take a trip back to 2010. Picture this: Emily, the founder of Voice Magazine, is staring at her first edition. It’s 32 pages long, and every one of those pages represents blood, sweat, and probably more cups of tea and coffee than anyone should consume in a week. Delivering to 2,500 homes was no small feat either—especially when you’re also holding down another job.

In 2012, Emily took the leap, moving to premises in South Normanton, marking a major milestone. Having an actual office meant fewer late-night sessions at the kitchen table and more room to dream big. From there, things started snowballing (in a good way, not the “rolling downhill in winter” kind).

The magazine’s reach grew, the pages multiplied, and Emily’s vision for Voice Magazine as a community resource really began to take shape.

But everything has to keep developing and changing in order to flourish and grow, and you may have already noticed that this January 2025 issue looks a little different from previous magazines.

Yes, that’s right—Voice Magazine has had a New Year Makeover!

The brilliant covers are still the stars of the show—it’s the inside that has changed. You’ll notice:

• TOP TIP’S (This month on how to stay healthy)

• DID YOU KNOW? (This month has little known facts about health and fitness)

• SPOTLIGHT ON (An advertiser is spotlighted throughout all 11 editions for the month)

• WHAT’S ON? (This month is about Park Runs near you)

I see this New Year, New Voice Mags edition as a gym membership for your brain—packed with all the things you need to kick-start the year without actually making you sweat ��

Voice Magazine’s journey from humble beginnings to a monthly staple is proof that with a bit lot of determination, gallons of tea and coffee, and maybe a few “what am I doing?” moments, you can achieve amazing things.

A small army of people now deliver the 11 editions across 70 towns and villages, and Voice has a team of people all working to create the best magazine they can.

Emily and her nearest and dearest no longer have to do everything themselves. Let’s be honest, even superwoman Emily would struggle to produce and deliver all those mags by herself… although I bet she’d have a go.

So, here’s to (at least) another year of connecting communities, sharing stories, and maybe even sneaking in a few more jokes along the way.

Because if you can’t laugh at life—or your first attempt at a Park Run—what’s the point?

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This season has been full of excitement. Our men’s team has battled hard in some gripping matches, while the women’s team continues to grow and thrive, showcasing skill and camaraderie. Meanwhile, our Minis and Juniors are having a fantastic time learning the game and building confidence. A special shoutout goes to Lewis Terry, named November’s Men’s Player of the Month, sponsored by the Seven Stars Pub in Riddings, for his outstanding commitment on and off the field.

At Amber Valley Rugby Club, we’re more than a team - we’re family. Join us in 2024 and tackle your goals with us!

Interested in having a try call Stuart on 07966 867 946 for the men, Gareth 07595 520 537 for the ladies and Paul 07790 403 043 for the Minis and Juniors.

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 DE55 4NQ

Lewis Terry

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COACH TOUR HOLIDAYS

CROMER

Slimming World Recipe

Pasta Cauliflower Cheese

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.

2. Put the pasta in a large bowl, pour over 800ml boiling water then set aside to soak.

3. Put the cauliflower florets and sage in a non-stick ovenproof dish (about 23cm x 20cm), spray with low-calorie cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes. Add the cauliflower leaves and roast for 5 more minutes.

4. Drain the pasta and add to the cauliflower along with 100ml of the stock. Stir well and cook for another 5½ minutes.

5. At the same time, put the cottage cheese in your food processor and add the remaining stock and half the Parmesan. Season lightly and blitz to form a smooth sauce, then add the egg yolks and give it another quick blitz.

6. Stir the spinach through the cauliflower and pasta and put the dish back in the oven to cook for 2 minutes. Give everything a good stir, then pour over the sauce and mix well.

7. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan on top and return to the oven for a few minutes to brown. Divide between 2 plates and serve with a mixed salad.

Serves: 2 Syns per serving: 6

Ingredients:

• 200g fresh fusilli pasta

• 1 small cauliflower, cut into little florets, small leaves reserved

• 10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

January is all about comfort food, whilst staying on plan and this recipe ticks both boxes by combining two classics, mac ‘n’ cheese and cauliflower cheese. Cheesetastic! For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk

• Low-calorie cooking spray

• 1 vegetable stock pot, dissolved in 150ml water

• 300g fat-free natural cottage cheese

• 60g grated fresh Parmesan cheese or vegetarian alternative

• 3 egg yolks*

• 100g baby spinach

*Pregnant women, the elderly, babies and toddlers are advised to choose eggs showing the British Lion stamp if eating raw or partially cooked eggs.

Ready in: 40 Minutes

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Ripley & District Heritage Trust

JANUARY 2024

BERTHA’S SERIOUS STARES

Long before the days of selfies or photo ID, people still found it useful to have photographs of themselves, mostly in the form of “Cartes de Visite”, small cards, usually in rather serious poses, originally left when paying a visit to someone.

There were a number of photographers in Ripley who produced cards; William and Bertha Davies were one.

William was a Crimean War veteran who came to Ripley in 1860 as sergeant-instructor to the newly-formed Volunteer Corps, but whose day job was as “agent” for the Butterley Company, looking after their extensive housing stock.

His daughter Bertha seems to have run the business when William was at work, starting around 1887 when she was 20. In the 1891 census she is listed as a “photographist”. She seems to have continued the business after her father’s death in 1900, using her maiden name –she had married in 1892.

Their studio regularly moved: cards have addresses in Bridle Lane, Greaves Street, Nottingham Road and Outram Street over a period of less than twenty years: possibly William was using premises he found through his Butterley job.

Her older sister Margaret also seems to have been trained in handling chemicals: she married the chemist John Wain in 1880 when she was 16 or 17, and later became a powerful figure in the town’s politics. Wain’s Chemist later became Hurst’s, still on the same site.

The photography business closed in the early years of the twentieth century when Bertha moved to Bradford with her husband.

Nevertheless, there are still many visiting cards with the Davies name on them gathering dust in drawers in the town. Few of them can be identified now (they usually didn’t have names on them) but there will be many people whose ancestors stare seriously out from them.

A dogs Day out

This walk is a true Classic! We first featured the walk in 2016 but since then they have built a new Visitors Centre at Sherwood Forest. Well behaved dogs (what’s one of those?!) are permitted in the cafe.

The walk takes you past the Major Oak, a true beauty itself but there are many other beautiful old, gnarled and majestic oaks to see. A real treat for dendrophiles!

6-MILE CIRCULAR FROM EDWINSTOWE VIA THE MAJOR OAK

A moderate walk for you and your dog! This walk is fairly flat and should take around 2½ hours to complete. There is a range of terrain, with some possibly muddy and uneven sections. There are a few sections of road, so take plenty of care. And, as always, follow the countryside code.

Starting Point: Jubilee Park, Trinity Road, Edwinstowe. Notts. NG21 9RW.

To find the car park take the first right-hand turn off Trinity Road, just before some flats. Pass through the flat’s car park into the ‘Jubilee Park’ car park.

1. From the car park take the tarmac path heading towards a recreation ground and passing by a sign board on your left reading ‘Jubilee Park’. Follow the tarmac path until reaching a circular children’s play area directly in front of you. Follow the tarmac path around to the left of the play area and at the far side bear right along a path until reaching a gap in the hedge.

2. Pass through the gap and onto a lane. Turn left along the lane and continue until the lane bears sharp right. Continue around to the right and now continue straight ahead with a hedge on your right.

3. Continue until you reach some trees and then pass by a yellow marker post on your right. Continue straight ahead with trees on your left and open fields on your right.

4. After some time you will reach a T junction with a lane. Turn right and go gently uphill along the lane. At the top of the hill pass some stables on your left and then ‘The Archway House’ on your right. After, continue straight along the lane for some distance until reaching a main road.

5. Cross the road diagonal left, pass through a gap and then turn immediately right along a trail signposted for ‘Sherwood Forest’. For a short distance the trail runs parallel with the road and then a very short distance after passing over a crossroads of paths the trail bends sharp to the left.

6. Follow the trail around to the left and then continue for some distance and pass over a crossroads of paths signposted for ‘bridleway’ and ‘Sherwood Forest’.

‘Visitor Centre’. Ignoring all other footpaths to the left and right continue for a long distance following the signs for ‘Major Oak’. Upon reaching a T junction of paths turn right and pass by The Major Oak on your left.

8. Follow this path staying close to a wooden fence on your left. Continue ahead along the path, following signs for the ‘Major Oak Trail’. Continue straight ahead and eventually pass the cricket ground on the left and the Visitor Centre on your right. Continue straight to pass through a small car park and onto a road.

9. Turn left along the road until reaching a T junction with a main road. Turn right along the main road and continue straight ahead to pass through a set of traffic lights onto Edwinstowe High Street.

10. Continue straight along the road for some distance until crossing over a river bridge. A short distance after the bridge turn right along ‘Mill Road’. Continue along Mill Road for some distance and then just prior to a ‘national speed limits’ sign and railway bridge turn right along a signposted ‘Bridleway’.

11. Continue along the bridleway with a river on your right. After some distance cross over a wooden river bridge and then continue straight ahead until reaching a hedgerow directly in front of you. At this point turn right along a lane and continue with the hedge on your left.

12. After a very short distance the lane bends sharp to the left. Follow the lane around to the left and continue straight ahead until reaching a gap in the hedge on your right. Pass through the gap and back into Jubilee Park. Retrace your steps back to the carpark.

7. Continue straight to the top of a hill and then at a crossroads of footpaths turn right signposted for

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.

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TIMBER WINDOWS & DOORS UNTIL THE END OF JANUARY

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VISIT THE STUNNING

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The Old Bank, 1 Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, NG2 5FF Tel: 0115 9818 777

Opening Times: Monday - Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pm

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Email: info@derwentwindows.co.uk www.timberwindows.com

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Whether your home is a country cottage, a Victorian semi, a modern town-house or a converted barn, enjoy a 15% discount off all timber windows and doors in our Winter Sale until the end of January 2025.* Please visit us to explore our range of beautifully crafted engineered timber doors and windows, and get expert advice on enhancing the value and beauty of your home.

Our showrooms are housed within a fantastic former church building in Ripley, Derbyshire and a former Bank in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. Both showrooms provide a welcoming and spacious environment to see and experience the full range of timber windows and doors.

*15% discount is only applicable on www.timberwindows.com products.

WINTER MORNINGS

In the days before central heating, fitted carpets and double glazing, it was a hard job heating the house in the cold months.

Bedrooms were chilly and ice often built up on the inside of windows during the night to greet us on winter mornings.

Continental quilts were a distant invention and we made do with sheets, blankets, eiderdowns and sometimes coats over the bed. Children often slept in the same bed for warmth. Topping and tailing was not unknown. We would sometimes snuggle in with mum and dad in the middle of the night when the hot water bottle had lost its heat.

Only the living room was heated. The front room only at Christmas. My memories involve early mornings when we children were brought downstairs and bundled up on the settee under a blanket watching mum light the fire. She would roll sheets of newspaper into either log shapes or doughnut rings around her hand and place them in the grate with a firelighter to kindle a flame. She would then gradually add sticks and bits of coal to build up the fire. The spectacular part was when she held up a sheet of newspaper to draw the fire and create a blaze. Sometimes, she wasn’t quick enough to pull away the paper and it caught alight.

Funnily enough, I don’t remember ever feeling cold even when trudging through snow to school. We must have had a lot of love to keep us warm.

Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information.

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

5 Foolishly ran out of bean curd three times! (5)

7 Pet to turn ‘quiet’ (5)

11 Bothering to get rid of tedious article (3)

12 Brief invitation (on paper at least) to burgle? (1,1,1)

16 They have a thousand containers of seasoning (5)

17 Tree, say, where the sunworshippers are? (5)

Down

2 Last ‘ouch’ to bestow (5)

3 Ill-fitting, and/or gassy! (5)

10 The injurious bits of a credit (3)

14 Teacher, talking about a bit of silica (5)

15 From the 26th onwards, bear can be African ‘horse’ (5)

13 Bubble bath for Jack? Who’s he to talk? (7)

18 Hoarder hits out at Terriers (11) Down

Entrances have gasket twice replaced (6,5)

1 Preparation, 2 Urn, 3 Inn, 4 Glad tidings, 6 Excited, 7 Beeline, 8 Rejoice, 14 Art, 15 See. Across 1 Raw, sea-green ingredients that bring in the bacon? (4,7) 9 Relaxes as weathered by wind and sun (7)

Showy Nordic design of little white flower (5,6)

Could be a July, American flyer (7)

Supply line for talking? (7)

1 Plum pudding, 5 Newborn, 9 Alec, 10 Just, 11 Igloo, 12 Aunt, 13 Iced, 14 Adheres, 16 Nutcrackers.

BOOK REVIEW

If you’re looking for something funny and clever to wake your brain up after a diet of Christmas telly, turkey leftovers and too much mulled wine and chocolate, you could try a dose of Unruly by comedian David Mitchell

This book, subtitled A History of England’s King and Queens, is for anyone who sat, bored out of their mind in school history lessons through turgid recitals of battles, civil wars, princes, beheadings and revolting peasants.

Mitchell studied proper history at Cambridge, but as he says, the past is largely unknowable, - an

infinity of former “nows,” And so if you think of how little we today really understand about what’s going on now… Plus we always have to look at who related the stories – and what purpose they were serving.

Described as Horrible Histories for grown-ups, it’s funny and sweary, full of narcissists and crazies and interesting and amusing analogies to the present day – from their now to our now. It will be interesting to see what the history books will say about us in 400 years’ time, but we can only hope they have a sense of humour.

Gardener’s Calendar

Top Tip:

If your de-decorated Xmas tree is still standing forlornly down the bottom of the garden, it is possible to do something useful with it.

Local authorities will usually collect for their garden composting schemes, but you can also chop it into bits and stack it. It will rot down and disintegrate in a couple of years but in the meantime provide a good habitat for wildlife. Compost the decomposing stems of perennials and cut the leaves of hellebores back so you can see the drooping flowers more clearly. Upright hellebores are on the market if you’re looking to replace established ones, but a judicial trim can have a similar effect. If any of the hellebore leaves have black spots, bin them, otherwise the disease will spread.

Hardy dwarf fruit trees such as apples can be planted now. The advantage of dwarf fruit trees is that you can get a good crop in a couple of years –and that you can plant them in a good-sized pot and they don’t take up so much garden space. But make sure they are genuine dwarfs. Always plant where they can stand in full sun.

Prune apple and pear trees while they are still dormant.

WINTER ROBINS BRING SEASONAL CHEER TO THE GARDEN

The humble robin is perhaps the most quintessentially ‘Christmas’ bird in the garden. Both male and female hold territories throughout the winter and therefore both sing, and the song is subtly different from that of spring and summer. Associated with Christian Christmas celebrations, the red breast is supposedly symbolic of Christ’s blood on the cross. In a more mundane, day-today connection, the robin soon learns to follow the gardener around the garden in case a possible prey item is disturbed and easy pickings become available. From such behaviour, the garden robin easily adapts to taking food if offered, and quickly will come to bird-food such as dried mealworms or calci worms for example. Given such treats as bait, they learn to come when called and if you make a twittering noise with pursed lips, it works a treat. In recent years, I have also noticed how robins are adapting to different types of feeders, including hanging dispensers of sunflower hearts or peanuts, and especially fat-balls and suet dumplings. Whilst not yet accomplished feeders like say blue tits and great tits, they are nevertheless becoming more daring. Another adaptation to modern living is their habit of nipping indoors during cold weather, and favoured places seem to be garden centres and other glasshouses. I have seen this in both the more commercial big store style garden centres and in the more focused horticultural premises. Do let me know if you have observed this too.

However, when I go in the garden and ‘talk’ to my favourite robin whilst offering mealworms, there is an evolutionary background to the behaviour. So, whilst I like to think the bird understands me, and the neighbours probably think I am barking, the real reason is that the robin reacts to me as a large animal blundering through the bird’s natural forest habitat. A grazing herbivore disturbs vegetation and soil which makes insects and other min-beasts available to the sharp-eyed robin. In other words, when a robin follows you around the garden it is adapting its long-evolved behaviour to the modern world and the opportunities afforded by our twenty-first century lifestyles. At this time of

year, the availability of food can be a vital matter for insectivorous birds such as robins, and a prologued cold snap means two things. Firstly, if weather is frosty then available food is in short supply, and secondly, particularly overnight, the smaller birds lose body heat and therefore stored body-fat. Then, if they cannot replenish the lost energy source, they can easily die. The food put out in our gardens across the region then makes a huge difference to survival rates of these and of other garden birds. As I mentioned earlier, mealworms, calci worms, and either suet dumplings or fat-balls, are ideal. A lowcost food can be made with vegetable suet, lard, and birdseed. Also, during cold weather a frequent cause of death in smaller birds is a lack of water when the usual source are frozen solid, and so provision of available water is important.

Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues in the Peak District and elsewhere, is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ & Twitter

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