Voice Magazines - Kirkby-in-Ashfield & Annesley Edition - August 2023

KIRKBY-IN ASHFIELD • ANNESLEY

12 EDITIONS READ BY OVER 162,000 RESIDENTS

20TH AUGUST 1940 Winston Churchill  referring to the RAF pilots, says ” Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few”.

Blundstone #587 Rustic Black

Blundstone #585 Rustic Brown

From the Editor

Dear Readers,

So now I’m just starting to think I’m a little bit psychic about the weather (or I’m Storm from X-Men) as last month I said, and I quote; “I just pray for rain”. If ever there was a lesson in being careful regarding what you wish for!! At the time of writing, we are a week away from the Y Not festival and as such, I am whole heartedly, categorically NOT praying for rain. I am a fair weathered camper/ festival go-er and as such, some nice warming sunshine has been requested.

Although one thing I am grateful for regarding the copious amounts of rain – the blasted midgies have gone to ground again! I had a bit of a nasty bite from one of them – obvs left it for a while (like 10days or so, probs shouldn’t have) until needing a killer dose of antibiotics. I wasn’t too worried until the Nurse Practitioner looked at it and went “Oooh, yep, antibiotics and if you don’t see significant improvement in the next 48hrs, get yourself down to A&E”. I said – “OK, what for?” (somewhat naively) and she said, “because you will need antibiotics intravenously by then if the tablets aren’t working”. No panic then #eyeroll. Anyway, a bit of googling and several panic attacks later, it’s all good thankfully.

Another month, another World Cup – Nope not the Football, this time it’s Netballs turn

and it is showing on the Beeb! As an avid fan and (fairweather) player, that’s me sorted for entertainment!

Speaking of entertainment, whilst most people were choosing between Barbie and Oppenheimer this month #Barbenheimer, we ended up at Elemental courtesy of our eldest Niece’s birthday. I can’t say I identified with the story of a fiery tempered young woman but I am now tempted to change my purple hair to red!

Workwise, we’ve created a lovely high street feature in the Matlock & Darley Dale magazines. Honestly, it is such a glorious place to go to and the high street is so beautiful with lots of varied shops – they deserve lots of support to keep them thriving. Our next features are scheduled for Christmas……sorry to mention it but it is coming around quickly!! That is assuming we can get some people to fill our Sales Vacancies – why wouldn’t you want to work here if you have experience in business-to-business sales?!

Happy Reading

WHAT HAPPENS IN AUGUST?

August is traditionally holiday time here in the UK, schools are closed, the weather is (hopefully) behaving itself, and Autumn still seems a while away, but what else is the month known for?

Here are a few fun (and not so fun) facts I discovered:

➤ August 1st is Lammas Day; this marked the start of the harvest season during the Anglo Saxon period. The name derives from an Anglo Saxon word - hlāfmæsse - meaning “loaf mass”. Bread was made from the first wheat harvest and blessed before being broken (not cut) into four pieces and buried in each corner of a barn that would be used to store the full harvest. Another loaf would be shared amongst loved ones. Both rituals were thought to protect the upcoming harvest.

➤ In the Roman calendar, August was first known as “Sextilis” - the Latin word for six - as until around 700 BC only ten months were counted. When an extra two months were added, Sextilis was bumped to the eighth month. The name August was not adopted until 8 BC, when it was renamed in honour of Emperor Augustus.

➤ In a non-leap year, August will not share its starting day with any other month. Of course I had to check! This year August 1st will fall on a Tuesday; of the other eleven months of the year, three start on a Wednesday, two on a Sunday, two on a Saturday, two on a Friday, one on a Thursday and one on a Monday. So it appears to be true - but as two other months this year also fall into this solo category, I’m not sure it is such a startling fact.

➤ The Earl of Sandwich “invented” the first sarnie in August 1762 and picnics have never been the same since. To be honest, I’ve always found this “fact” hard to believe - I mean, he couldn’t have been the first person in history to stick a bit of meat between two slices of bread.

➤ August is also the month of…Weeds! In the days of the Anglo-Saxons, August was known as “Weod Monath” or Weed Month, because it was when weeds and plants grew the fastest.

➤ August 26th, 1936, saw the BBC transmit its first high-definition television pictures.

➤ Martin Luther King delivered his famous “I have a dream speech”, August 28th, 1963.

➤ On August 24th, 79 AD, Mount Vesuvius erupted, destroying the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum. One thousand eight hundred and sixty six years later, on August 6th, 1945, the US dropped atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

➤ August 13th, 1964, Britain carried out the last two executions before capital punishment was abolished.

➤ August 16th, 1977, Elvis Presley packed up his blue suede shoes and left the world behind.

➤ Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris on August 31st, 1997.

Whatever you do this August have fun and remember that we could have been stuck with a month named Sextilis - imagine the innuendos!

We’ve had some amazing fundraising events at the hospice over the last few months, including the Paw -ty in the Car Park doggy event and a Car Wash, but the one that has pulled at our heartstrings the most was eight -year-old Thomas Brown’s sponsored walk.

His beloved Nanna was a patient at the hospice for six weeks before she sadly passed away in April this year. His family were so thankful for the care she received that Thomas came up with the idea of walking six miles to raise money for John Eastwood Hospice – one mile for each week his nanna was with us on the inpatient unit.

At the end of June Thomas put on his walking shoes, collecting bucket in hand and smashed those six miles, to date raising over £900 – such an amazing achievement!

Mum Stacey Brown said she is extremely proud of Thomas as she joined her son for the walk along with his uncle and grandfather.

If you would like to further support the hospice and show your appreciation for Thomas’s efforts you can donate via the Just Giving web page, by searching for ‘Thomas walks for nanna’.

John Eastwood Hospice Trust, Mansfield Road, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17 4HJ Web: www.johneastwoodhospice.org.uk email: contact@johneastwoodhospice.org.uk tel: 01623 622626

Thomas walks 6 miles in memory of his Nanna

The Kia Electrified Event.

Book Review

Year 1560. Italy. 15-year-old Lucrezia di Cosimo de’ Medici leaves the safety of her family home in Florence to begin arranged married life with Alfonso, Duke of Ferrara. Within a year, she was dead. The rumour was that her husband killed her.

The Italian Renaissance was a time of treachery, plot, power and sumptuous luxury. It was a dangerous time to be alive, but it was especially precarious for women, effectively held captive by their families and by outside society with little hope of release or rebellion. Their lives were largely lived in the shadow of the men at their side.

Maggie O’Farrell’s novel The Marriage Portrait is based in history. She uses historical fact and real characters from the period so finely that you feel totally enveloped and transported to the time and place.

The book is a delight, detailed and compelling – and such a page turner. Lucrezia may be trapped in this world, but she leaps out into your head through this book. A real treat if you like to be captivated by your reading matter.

SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES AND PEOPLE

The Enterprising Ashfield project offers FREE training and support for individuals and business who live or work in the Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield Towns Fund area.

Free skills courses to boost your CV.

Growth grants to help new business and sole traders.

Start-up grants to get that side hustle off the ground.

Support to hire apprentice and graduate talent.

Bespoke courses for businesses to plug skills gaps

Find out more at ntu.ac.uk/enterprisingashfield

Find us on Facebook @‌enterprisingashfield

Contact us at enterprisingashfield@ntu.ac.uk or call 0115 848 2813

I just wanted to thank you once again for the start up grant and support. My company is now live for business, and it wouldn’t be possible without your help.

I wanted to do this course to learn something new and enhance my CV. I now have skills in photo and video editing, photoshop and email marketing. It was really good to meet new people.

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Slimming World Recipe

Diet Cola Chicken

Method:

1. Spray a large non-stick pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a high heat. Add the chicken, peppers and onion and stir-fry for 5-7 minutes, or until lightly browned.

2. Add the diet cola, stock, passata, tomato purée, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and herbs and stir well. Bring to

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This is a true Slimming World Classic and for good reason. Packed full of flavour that will have you going back for more!

the boil, cover, reduce the heat to mediumlow and simmer for 12-15 minutes.

3. Add the sugar snap peas, stir and increase the heat to mediumhigh. Cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the veg is tender.

For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk

Ingredients:

• Low-calorie cooking spray

• 4 skinless and boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

• 1 red, 1 yellow and 1 green pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks

• 1 onion, finely chopped

• 330ml can diet cola

• 200ml hot chicken stock

• 8 tbsp passata with onions and garlic

• 4 tbsp tomato purée

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 2 tsp gluten-free Worcestershire sauce

• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce/tamari

• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs

• 200g sugar snap peas

Serves: 4 Ready in: 55 mins

Syns per serving: FREE

From a Modest

Garden Shed

Enterprise to a Flourishing Established Venture: Sliding Door Wardrobes’ Remarkable Journey

Today, we had the pleasure of meeting Ben Young, the proprietor of Sliding Door Wardrobes Ltd, at his impressive showroom in Nottingham. Sliding Door Wardrobes Ltd had humble beginnings in Ben’s parents’ garage in Kimberley, Nottingham, way back in 1996. At the outset, Ben’s mother, Jane, single-handedly managed the business. As time progressed and demand grew, the family made the decision to relocate to Bilborough, Nottingham, in 2001. Joining Jane in this thriving enterprise were Ben and his father, Peter, even though they were still operating out of a garden shed.

Following the unfortunate passing of his mother and his father’s retirement, Ben has taken the reins of the business. Taking it to new heights, he has brought the next generation on board, with his wife and daughter now actively involved in the company, along with the already established team, with over 40 years of combined experience at Sliding Door Wardrobes Ltd.

In 2004, recognizing the need for expansion, they took a pivotal step by opening a showroom just on the outskirts of Nottingham’s city centre. This new space provided a platform to showcase their bespoke, custom-built wardrobes. Their growth continued unabated, and in 2012, the showroom expanded further, offering an even greater area for customers to marvel at the beautiful wardrobes on display.

Vintage Rambles with rafaand Flake

We have been saving this walk for a nice summers day and luckily for us we chanced upon one, not least because the heavens opened not long after we got back to the car!

Rafa has now fully retired from the rambles. At 14 years (98 in dog years!) it is just proving too much for him. So Flake has taken on full responsibilities. Rafa has been teaching him all the important stuff, like how to pose for a nice picture, which way up to hold the map and which pockets Mum keeps the treats in. So, we will need a new name for the walks... any suggestions gratefully received!

6 MILE CIRCULAR WALK FROM PLEASLEY CHURCH

A medium length walk which should take you and your dog around 3 hours to complete. There are a few 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.

START: CHURCH OF ST. MICHAEL, CHURCH LA. PLEASLEY , MANSFIELD, NOTTS. NG19 7TD.

1. Standing on the road with your back to the church, turn right along the road to the very end. Then take the footpath on the right hand side of the road and follow it uphill and round to the left. Where the path splits take the right fork and pass beneath a pedestrian flyover.

2. Continue along the path beside a dual carriageway. After a short distance turn left onto a signposted footpath down some

steps. At the bottom of the steps turn right and then after a very short distance at a T junction of paths turn left.

3. Continue to pass through a metal width restrictor and then continue for some distance until reaching a path on your right. Turn right along the path going uphill with a stone wall on your right.

Don’t forget to mention Voice Magazines when responding to the Ads

4. At the top of the hill the path joins with another path. Continue straight to pass over a bridge, past a sign for ‘Mansfield’ on your left and after some distance past a footpath sign on your right. Continue straight and eventually pass underneath a stone arch bridge and then further on pass by a metal gate. After a short distance you will reach a road. Turn left along the road.

5. Continue along the road until reaching some houses on your left. At this point turn right along a single track road signposted for ‘St. Chad’s Church’. When you reach the church on your right continue straight ahead to cross over a metal stile onto a signposted footpath. Continue straight keeping a river over to your left.

6. After some distance you will reach a T junction with a lane. Turn right along the lane and after a short distance pass underneath a railway bridge. After this follow the lane around to the right and continue along the lane for some distance until passing through a metal gate onto a road.

7. Turn right along the road and after a short distance the road turns into a lane. Continue straight passing a ‘public bridleway’ signpost on your right and then further on pass a ‘public footpath’ signpost on your right.

8. Continue along the footpath and cross over a railway bridge. After cross over a stile and continue with a fence on your left. After crossing a 2nd stile continue until reaching a tarmac lane.

9. Continue straight along the tarmac lane until reaching a road. Cross straight over the road and continue along a single track road. Continue straight to the very end of the road and pass through a metal width restrictor onto a footpath.

10. Continue uphill with a hedge on both sides and then upon reaching a T junction of paths,

turn right to pass through a metal gate and cross an open field. At the far side of the field pass through a gap in the hedge to cross another open field. At the far side of this field upon reaching a lane, turn right along the lane and then immediately left to skirt along the edge of a field with a hedge on your left.

11. Continue to a large opening in the hedge on your left. At this point turn left to continue uphill along the edge of a field with a hedge on your right. At the top of the hill pass a yellow marker post on your left and continue to cross another field.

12. At the far side of this field pass a yellow marker post on your right, cross straight over a lane and continue downhill to cross another field.

13. At the far side of the field head into some trees and then down some steps onto a road. Turn right along the road to eventually pass back underneath the pedestrian flyover and follow the path around to the right back to the church.

PleasLey

Vale River Meden

MansfIeld Woodhouse

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.

To advertise please call 01773 549 035

St Chads ChurCH

PleasLey

Legal Guide: Top tips for first time student renters

If you can’t find a record of your deposit, then you are likely to be able to make a claim for up to 3x your rental deposit, and the claim amount increases each time your tenancy was renewed.

Legal Aid can help you fight eviction or disrepair

Choosing a letting agency vs private landlord

Before beginning your search for a property, you need to consider who you will rent through. Student letting agencies offer you additional security as they ensure your tenancy agreement, and the state of the property are legally fit to rent. But they can be a bit more expensive in the short term. There is nothing wrong with renting from a private landlord, but understand you’ll need to do a bit more legwork to ensure the tenancy agreement is legal and fair, and you’ll have to liaise with the landlord directly if there is ever a disrepair problem in the property. If you go down the private route, ask your university if they have a list of accredited landlords in the area. They will know best on which landlords to avoid.

Your deposit must be held in a scheme

Landlords are required by law to put your deposit into a secure government-backed scheme, so that it is safe and legally protected. This means they can’t simply put it in their own bank account. When you pay your deposit, they should be giving you a leaflet and the full details of which scheme your deposit has been placed in. At the end of your tenancy the landlord will notify the scheme, and the scheme can mediate any disputes if your landlord is threatening to withhold your deposit for unpaid rent, charges, or damage in the property.

There are only three schemes that they are legally allowed to put your deposit in. You can check for your deposit online by entering your name, postcode and tenancy start date.

• Tenancy Deposit Scheme: www.tenancydepositscheme.com

• My Deposits: www.mydeposits.co.uk

• The Deposit Protection Service: www.depositprotection.com

If your landlord is filing a possession claim or eviction, that would make you homeless, you can apply for Legal Aid to cover the cost of legal representation to help you fight it in court. There is a legal process they must follow; they cannot just change the locks without having gained approval from the court.

If the property has serious disrepairs such as mould, broken stairs, or pest infestation. You can also apply for Legal Aid if the disrepair in the property causes harm, or risk of harm, to the tenants.

Talk to your potential neighbours

The best research you can do before choosing a property, is to physically go see the property. Photos can be old or misleading, you can’t see exactly what the neighbourhood is like, and it gives you a great opportunity to knock on a door and ask someone, who actually lives there, what the landlord and neighbours are like. So don’t be afraid to knock on a door, you’d be surprised what useful information you will uncover by simply introducing yourself!

Resources you can trust

There are two great websites for student renters, that offer you a wealth of tips and checklists that will make this process easier for you.

• www.savethestudent.org

• www.ucas.com

And if you have problems, contact your local law firm with a Housing Law department and ask them for advice or help. Hopkins Solicitors is here for you, with offices in Mansfield, Sutton, Ashfield and Nottingham.

01623 782 789

info@hopkins-solicitors.co.uk

www.hopkins-solicitors.co.uk

Guess the words and Fill in the crossword ! Pitcherwits®

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

8 Link ID to URL in a glaringly vivid way (5)

9 Roast boar in five to make sure it’s well done! (5)

10 Secretory organ is the last in England (5)

12 Composer of velar form (5)

Down

2 The 30cm monarch? (5)

3 Dance the tango in Polynesia (5)

11 Bid farewell to aide, in turnaround (5)

13 Sweater pattern found in Ken’s CV (1-4)

1 Sip merchant’s brew to keep time, squaddy! (5,2,4)

5 Lion is a bit put out by attachment (7)

14 Ignore a difficult time? (4,3)

15 Kit destroyed after rum place for ‘apples and pears’ (5,6)

Down

1 Was dismissive about hog, filmed at odd angle (4,5,2)

4 Polly to fight with a difficult bit of sparkling (4,2,5)

6 Increased, and put on a pair, so to speak (5,2)

7 Brie is a dish for cold place (7)

Down:

Across:

ANSWERS FOR LAST MONTHS PITHERWITS

This puzzles has been devised by the brilliant Professor Rebus. For more of his puzzles visit www.pitcherwits.co.uk

16 Melancholy.

day, 10 Rig Veda, 12 Opine, 13 Wilco, 15 PVC.

Across

From supply only to full installation we offer the full package. Our experienced and knowledgeable design teams are here for you, offering a full, free of charge planning and design service. If you’re after a bathroom or kitchen we are serious about creating the best design possible to suit your budget.

THE LITTLE RED HEN HOUSE NORTHUMBERLAND

STUNNING HOLIDAY COTTAGE IN WARKWORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND

Treat yourself to a luxury break at the 4* Gold Award winning Little Red Hen House. An elegant and cosy holiday home just a 7 minute drive from award-winning and dog-friendly Warkworth beach.

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✽ A fully enclosed garden

✽ 2 small to medium dogs welcome (3 upon request)

✽ Fully equipped kitchen, including an American style fridge freezer

✽ Perfect for exploring the stunning Northumbrian Heritage Coastline

✽ Close to a range of dog friendly pubs, cafes and restaurants in stunning Warworth

✽ We have fast fibre Wi-Fi and smart TV’s

Search ‘The Little Red Hen House’ at:

please call 01773 549 035

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Unit F2, Concept 360, Chadburn House, Weighbridge Road, Mansfield. NG18 1AH

HERITAGE OF KIRKBY & ANNESLEY DIGGING UP A MYSTERY.

died in 1357. But Mr Pearson also saw that the effigy ‘ richly decorated with Tudor Roses’ had a tablet nearby with the Chaworth Arms and labeled Sir George Chaworth. This may have come from a Chaworth Estate at Langar, Wiverton as Sir George is recorded as dying in 1590 and being buried at St Andrews Langar.

Annesley is a small village on the way to Hucknall, then to Nottingham. This was not always the case. Having the Annesley Estates, the family who were Knights, had a part to play in the County if not the Country. Horses would come through his land, possibly stop and rest on a journey, then hunt in the forest, ride out in the fields.

Dennis Pearson wrote in depth in Annesley through the ages, about the families, Annesley’s then the Chaworth’s who inherited by marriage the Hall, along with other estates. He discusses the Annesley Old Church and some of the features, including the effigy on top of a tomb-chest.

Moved in the 1970’s to the New Church on the Hill, the effigy lies in front of the Chaworth Achievement. When in the Old Church the Knight was close to a Grave Slab noted to be of Sir Thomas de Annesley who

Ashfield District Council did take tours of, Colwick Hall and Church, Langar Village and Church, back to Annesley Old Church and finally the New Church. Stopping for lunch in the local Pub or a packed lunch in Langar Churchyard, you could read memorials to the Chaworth family, and visit the Chapel inside.

So the mystery is, I often check out the Old Churchyard and talk to visitors. A chap has permission to metal detect in some woodland nearby and he has often spoke to us about the history of little day to day objects he has found. Researching the features he takes up the story of the piece. Small and green, a piece of metal had been unearthed, a Griffin was bent on top, and a rope feature was over a symbol of a Rose. The rope indicated some form or livery.

In Annesley Church, the marble effigy can be seen, on its helmet is a rose symbol. There are so many variations we will be looking it up for a while yet. !

INTERESTED IN LOCAL AND FAMILY HISTORY, I HAVE A FACEBOOK PAGE “ANNESLEY OC HERITAGE EXTRA”, WITH MANY EXCITING FACTS ABOUT THE AREA WITH PICTURES AND COMMENTS. WHY NOT TAKE A LOOK?

This is on the marble helmet of the Knight.

This is the ‘ find’ .

Face of the Knight.

Inside Annesley Church.

Peak District Peat Bogs on the road to recovery

The word ‘bog’ doesn’t necessarily conjure up a positive image; in fact, it is downright negative. And yet the peatlands of the Peak are proving vital for our battle against changing climate and in holding back floodwaters through ‘slowing the flow’ when rivers are swollen after storm events. At the head of each main river catchment, the peat-bogs hold back vast quantities of water which are then released over time and alleviate potential droughts downstream. The bog moss alone holds about twenty times its own weight in water. What is more, the peatlands are wonderfully rich biodiversity sites too with unique species of plants, animals, and fungi. However, there is bad news because for over two hundred years people have drained and burned the peatlands, and our atmospheric pollution has killed off the vital sphagnum mosses which when healthy hold the water, provide habitat for rare species, and remarkably too, capture carbon that is laid down as peat. Two centuries of over-grazing by sheep has also done for the peat bogs and this reached its nadir in the late twentieth century. All in all, this is bad news, and a major cause of a collapse of what we now call ‘ecosystem services’ like floodwater control and carbon capture.

But there is good news today because with reduced sheep numbers, lowered air pollution, and some tender loving care, our bogs are bouncing back to life. Some of this is due to major investment in projects to block drains, alleviate soil acidity, and even to

re-seed sphagnum mosses back into the degraded peat landscapes. However, for me even more exciting, is the ability of nature to heal itself. My colleagues and I have been monitoring sphagnum mosses and rare flowers on Ringinglow Bog near Sheffield. It is doing what I call ‘self-rewilding’ as the peat-building bog mosses are returning with ten or more species now recorded in what was described as a ‘sphagnum desert’ back in the 1980s. This is in an area where there has been no artificial introduction of sphagnum, but nature has been left to repair itself.

Furthermore, the flowering plants of moorland and peat bog are also returning. The bog mosses are now joined by the elusive bog rosemary or ‘Andromeda’ which has returned in abundance. Last recorded in the 1960s and 1970s before the North Sea Gas pipeline cut a deep trench though both moor and bog, this plant has made a remarkable and unexpected recovery. Sundew is reappearing in its old haunts, along with one of my favourites, the diminutive upland lily, bog asphodel, and the archetypical flowers of wet bogs, the cranberry, and the cross-leaved heath. Not far away, the once extinct royal fern has reappeared and joins several other upland wet bog ferns such as hard fern, lemon-scented fern, and narrow buckler-fern.

As the bogs recover then so do associated wildlife species such as the upland dragonflies, goldenringed and black darter, and of course that often unnoticed denizen of upland bogs, the water vole. Golden plover, dunlin, and curlew are birds that also depend on these wetlands for their survival. Each visit holds the hope of the re-discovery of a precious species once thought lost forever.

Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues in the Peak District and elsewhere, is contactable on info@hallamec.plus.com. Follow his

Gardener’s Calendar

Top Tip:

ponds

They can encourage blanket and pond weed and blue green algae which can be dangerous for dogs and cause rashes to humans. You’ll know it’s blue green algae if you swirl a stick in the water and it comes out like blue green paint. However bubble fountains such as the little solar ones available in most garden centres help keep a pond healthy. Removing weed with a stick or net will improve its overall health, but leave the weed on the side of the pond overnight to allow any critters to crawl out.

Keeping a decent shape to your lavender for next year needs action once the flowers have gone over – usually around August. Lavenders tend to look straggly if left to their own devices. When trimming don’t cut back into old wood as this may inhibit growth. Cut back to green stem and this will allow an inch or two of growth before winter putting it in a good condition for spring. Prune your blackcurrant and summer fruiting raspberries once they’ve finished fruiting. Cut back this year’s fruited canes and stems and leave the green canes for next year. If you’ve got a glut – what a wonderful thought, having a glut of rasps ! – freeze them on trays and bag for winter glee.

Top tip: Take cuttings of fuchsia, geraniums and pelargoniums for more plants net year. They’ll root easily now. Cut a healthy stem below a leaf node, make the cutting about 3 inches long, take leaves off apart from a few at the top. You can use rooting powder but they’ll probably be okay without. Plant round the edge of a plant pot in a perlite/compost mix and they should be away in no time. Take indoors or keep in a frost free space over winter.

The warm humid conditions of summer are good for many parts of the garden but may not be so healthy for