Voice Magazines - Ripley & Marehay - August 2023

‘23

RIPLEY • MAREHAY

12 EDITIONS READ BY OVER 162,000 RESIDENTS

8TH AUGUST 1963

Britain’s Great Train Robbery – £2.6M stolen from Royal Mail.

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!

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.

✽ 2 spacious en-suite bedrooms

✽ 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:

*SALE* PRICES REDUCED ON 2023 BOOKINGS! *SALE*

Blundstone #587 Rustic Black

Blundstone #585 Rustic Brown

BRIDLINGTON BEACH FUN & EUROPEAN YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS

A glorious weekend in June saw thirty-two enthusiastic RASCALS Lifesavers back at Bridlington for the much-anticipated yearly beach training session. A departure from the usual single day of fun, the beach event has become so popular with our athletes that a full weekend of beach training was warranted. For a lot of our younger lifesavers, it was their first time at a beach training session, so the Saturday instruction and demonstration day was exactly what they needed. After the very important warm up, it was straight into beach flag elimination race training, lifebuoy launching and beach sprinting. With some time to lunch and lounge in the sun, it was into wet suits and straight into the warm waves. Safety with our younger lifesavers is paramount. Our coaches spent time before each activity explaining and demonstrating the sea skills while ‘spotters’ stayed close to all the lifesavers in the sea. After a Saturday night of well-deserved relaxation and partaking in the local culinary fare (delicious fish’n’chips), it was back on the beach early Sunday morning to put Saturday’s instruction into action. It was Sunday competition day! Our lifesavers can be a competitive bunch, so all that energetic racing was not only great experience for the lifesavers, but super to watch for all the parents and carers who journeyed north for the weekend. July would see all that beach training tested when RASCALS competed at the Blyth Beach Festival and were delighted to take third place – not bad for a team based in land locked Derbyshire!

Mentoring the younger lifesavers on the beach were Heather Watson, Luke Waterfall and Freddie Postlethwaite. All three athletes have just been selected for the GBR Youth Team competing at the European Youth Lifesaving Championships in Gorzów Wielkopolski and Międzyzdroje, Poland. Congratulations on this great achievement and well done to Heather Watson who was thrilled to be named Youth Vice Captain. We look forward to following their competitive journey from the European championships (August) to the Lifesaving Commonwealth championships (September) in Canada. It just goes to show, who knows where a competitive lifesaving session in a pool in Ripley with RASCALS can lead! If you would like to expand your swimming activities or try something new, please contact us.

If you would like to expand your swimming activities or try something new, please contact us. contact@ripleyrascals.org.uk | www.ripleyrascals.org.uk

The Kia Electrified Event.

02/8/23- Scarborough

£20.75pp

06/8/23- Whitby £24pp

11/8/23- Southport

£22.50pp

15/8/23- Skeggy

£19.75pp

02/9/23- Bridlington

£20pp

24/9/23- Whitby

£24pp

1/10/23- Manchester

£22pp

15/10/23- Shrewsbury

£20pp

04/11/23 - Liverpool

£22.50pp

03/11/23- Birmingham

Christmas Market £21pp

09/11/23- Beverly Christmas Market £20pp

17/12/23- York Christmas Market £20pp

15-17 September - Llandudno £160pp £190 Single Supp

27-29 October - Blackpool

Illuminations. £160pp, £190

Single Supp.

29/10/23- Melton Mowbray and Stamford £19.50pp

Contact us on 07799 894644 or Email connor.bacon@ecoachesalfreton.co.uk

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

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

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

RIPLEY & DISTRICT: HERITAGE TRUST

A RIPLEY DOCTOR BEFORE THE NHS

additional qualification in midwifery, he also no doubt, helped bring many a baby into the world.

Much has been made (quite rightly) of the role played by international staff in the foundation of the NHS in 1948, but it mustn’t be forgotten that many doctors and nurses from abroad had settled and were working in this country well before then.

One such was Dr Mullan-Feroze of Ripley. Born in Mumbai and trained there and in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Dublin, he began his career as a doctor in one of the Rhondda Valley pits, later moving to Denaby pit in Yorkshire. Whilst there he was awarded the silver life-saving medal of the order of St John of Jerusalem for his role in treating the injured in a pit disaster in 1912.

After a spell in Leek, he joined the practice of Dr Hall in Ripley in 1915, paying the equivalent of £65000 to secure his partnership. By 1917, he had settled in to the routine of a doctor in an industrial town: private patients, certainly, but also treating the numerous accidents at the pits and works, and conducting postmortems. He was clearly well liked: many obituary notices give particular thanks for his treatment of the sick and dying. Having an

He joined the Freemason’s Okeover Lodge and was Worshipful Master in 1926. He was the Clarke’s family doctor and through Ada Clarke, got to know and was liked by D.H.Lawrence who he treated for the flu in 1919. He apparently figures in the novel “Aaron’s Rod”, written in 1922, as Dr Sherardy. He married in 1932 and had two children, by this time living in Shirley Road, also his surgery. His son Michael took over the practice in the mid-1950s; both father and son were important figures in the town in the early days of the NHS.

THE LIFE-SAVING SILVER MEDAL OF THE ORDER OF ST JOHN

SHIRLEY HOUSE

DR FEROZE IN 1917

THE MANSFIELD & DISTRICT BRANCH OF THE ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION

The National Royal Navy Association, (RNA), Charity Headquarters are based in the Portsmouth Naval Base from where they co-ordinate and advise over 20,000 members in 370 branches throughout the UK and abroad – We also have a network of over 19 affiliate clubs which you can pop into at any time.

The Association is open to serving and ex Royal Navy, Women’s Royal Navy and Royal Marines and their families

To join; - go to the Royal Navy Association web site or write to our branch secretary, S/m Andrew Hamilton at the branch address. There are no joining or monthly fees, we are all SHIPMATES, (S/m) together. We also run our own Facebook page and there is an RNA Community Facebook page.

The National RNA Standard. All branches have their own identifiable standard.

Shared backgrounds and equality in rank, the same bonds, mindset, and even language (Jackspeak!). We are all equal. We are the heart and soul of the RNA.

To each other and our dependents. Our loyalty is to all our shipmates, our local communities, the personnel, and dependents of the Royal Navy, along with other charities or organisations with naval connections.

Our pride in serving our country never leaves us. Nor do we forget those who have fallen for our country or who fight now. We are deeply honoured to represent them on both at a national and international level.

Friends in fun, fellowship and need. Your shipmates will always be here for you, whether it’s about a job, ideas for a fun day out or just an arm around the shoulder. We will never leave you or your dependents

The RNA has within its structure, several specialist groups where members are encouraged to join if they have an interest in that subject, these include:

• American Football

• Classic Cars

• Cycling

• Fishing

• Equestrian

• Genealogy

• Golf

• Collectors

• Model Makers

• Motorcycling

• Camping

• Caravanning

• Sailing

• Rugby Union

• Winter Sports

• Woodcraft

All the above groups are organised and run by members for members.

THE MANSFIELD & DISTRICT BRANCH OF THE ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION

We are the Mansfield and District Branch of The RNA and are based at the Forest Town Arena where we meet every second Sunday of the month at 1100 hours .

As a charitable group we endeavour to raise funds to pay for the running of our branch. Thank you to our local ASDA, Morrisons, Farm Foods and Wilkos for raffle prize donations.

We also allow financial grants and helpful aid to causes who have similar aims to the RNA. As a branch we organise and attend social functions both formal and informal, all run

We attend formal parades within the community and Naval/Armed Forces events where we display our official Branch Standard and wear our official dress and medals. We also attend and advise on funerals of shipmates and

Danielle can be seen modelling the hat that everybody wanted. Thank you Danielle a very special lady and wonderful model.

Transporting a non-driving member who had recently suffered a stroke to our monthly meeting and safely home again.

A Naval Veteran, who trained new recruits at HMS Raleigh, was housed in a local care home, and had serious memory problems but could recall this period in his life and was very proud to discuss this with any of the care staff. After some research, we were able to print colour photos of training activities at HMS Raleigh plus a door plate which gave his name and rank and a picture of the Petty Officer rank insignia.

We have even been asked to sound a bosun’s call at a local funeral and pipe the Royal Navy veteran into the church at the request of the family.

There is a place for you on our crew where you can share the unity, loyalty, patriotism, and comradeship of fellow servants of the sea

There is no need to be on your own!!!!!!!!! Come and join our crew and be part of the..

ROYAL NAVAL ASSOCIATION.

We aim to offer support to all our members and requests from the public thus we have on board, a permanent Welfare Officer who arranges visits to wherever needed to

Members man the stall at Mansfield Armed Forces Day 2022

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.

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

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.

07375 559 374

your home the value &

your home the value &

your home the value &

AWARD WINNING timber windows & doors

Whether your home is a country cottage, a Victorian semi, a modern town-house or a converted barn, enjoy a 10% discount off all timber windows and doors in our Summer Sale until the end of July 2023.*

Whether your home is a country cottage, a Victorian a modern town-house or a converted barn, enjoy 10% discount off all timber windows and doors in Summer Sale until the end of July 2023.*

AWARD WINNING timber windows & doors

Whether your home is a country cottage, a Victorian semi, a modern town-house or a converted barn, enjoy a 10% our Summer Sale until the end of July 2023.*

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. discount is applicable on all www.timberwindows.com products.

Whether your home is a country cottage, a Victorian semi, a modern town-house or a converted barn, enjoy a 10% our Summer Sale until the end of July 2023.*

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.

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.

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.

*10% discount is applicable on all www.timberwindows.com products.

*10% discount is applicable on all www.timberwindows.com products.

TEL: 01773 747456

Email: info@derwentwindows.co.uk

www.timberwindows.com

Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pm

Visit Our Showrooms

The Old Church, 31 Nottingham Road, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3AS

The Old Church, 31 Nottingham Road, Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3AS

The Old Bank, 1 Radcliffe Road,

The Old Bank, 1 Radcliffe Road, West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, NG2 5FF

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

A N AUT UM N C ONC ERT IN RIP LEY, DE RBYS HIRE

THE FISHPOND CHOIR

Musical Director: Claire De la Haye

Accompanist: Dr John Hickinbotham

THE FISHPOND CHOIR WILL BE PERFORMING TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THE MOTOR NEURONE DISEASE ASSOCIATION

FRIDAY 22 SEPTEMBER 2023 – 7:30PM START

TICKET PRICE: £10 (under-18s free or small donation )

DOORS OPEN AT 7PM

ALL SAINTS CHURCH, CHURCH STREET, RIPLEY DE5 3BU

The evening includes an information stand about Motor Neurone Disease and ongoing research

There will be a raffle; Simple refreshments will be served during the concert interval.

Ticket Office: Di Fretwell Tel: 01773-852460; Enquiries: fretwelldiane@gmail.com

Tickets will also be available at the door on the evening.

https://www.mndassociation.org/ Registered Charity no. 294354

forget to mention Voice Magazines when responding to the Ads

Time for a Story!

Enid Blyton stories were a huge part of my childhood, and I would guess the same could be said for many people my age.

Who can forget The Famous Five, Noddy, The Faraway Tree, Malory Towers, and The Naughtiest Girl?

But did you know that she wrote more than 800 books in her lifetime, making her one of the most prolific authors of all time?

Born in London in 1897, she trained as a teacher and in 1918 went to work in a boys’ prep school in Kent before becoming a private governess. In the 1920s she began to write for Teacher’s World magazine and also authored educational books. Her first foray into fiction was a very slim volume of poetry published in 1922, but it was 1938 before her first full length novel for children was published.

During the 40s and 50s Enid wrote prolifically, it wasn’t uncommon for her to write and publish 20+ books in a single year - as an author myself I stand in awe of anyone that can be so creative, so consistently.

Tragically, by the late 1950s, it became apparent that Enid was suffering from dementia. She passed away in a nursing home in 1968 at the relatively young age of 71. I can only speculate, but I expect that without dementia, she may well have continued to write and create her stories well into her 80s and beyond.

Enid’s stories were very much a product of the times in which she lived, they are very white, very middle class, and she expressed attitudes towards race that cannot be condoned in the 21st century. But at their heart, they are cracking good stories that appeal to children even today.

I’m pleased to read that many of her books are being reissued with minor modifications. The original language, which is so appealing to young readers, is being retained whilst words and themes that are not in keeping with today are being subtly changed.

Many of the books have been adapted into TV series and films around the world, and apparently, an Enid Blyton book is sold at the rate of one every minute! In total, over 500 million copies of her books have been sold globally…I bet she didn’t see that coming when she released her first volume of poetry.

Books and reading were a huge part of my childhood and I’m so pleased that my 2 year old grandson seems to be equally as enamoured with the written word. Sadly, not all children are so captivated by books, preferring TV, mobile phones, and online games instead.

They miss so much by not reading. They never get to feel the excitement, the delayed gratification of turning the pages to the next scene. Their imaginations are not fired. They miss out on the joy of sitting peacefully with a book, seeing the story unfold in their head.

If you have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, do them a favour - buy them a book…please!

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.

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)

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)

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

GreenhousesRus

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Gardener’s Calendar

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.

Top Tip:

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 ponds

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 website

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All Around the Shire

MEMORIES OF MY MOTHER’S DRESSING TABLE

Some of the recent items we have acquired for our reminiscence sessions are a box of Carmen heated rollers with pins and a vanity set for a dressing table (a long-handled mirror and brush set). This has started me thinking about what my own mum held dear.

Although she had no time to sit and preen at the dressing table, my mother always found a small space where she could lay out some special items. Her vanity set had been a gift to her on her 21st birthday, it included a hand-held mirror with a matching brush and comb.

She owned a wooden, shell-encrusted jewellery box containing her earrings: clip-ons or screw-back type were the fashion then. Her beads, necklaces and paste pearls were laid out on a tray, with the longer strings hooked onto the side of the mirror. The tray also held a variety of trinkumtranks like odd buttons, curtain hooks, pins, coins, dry-cleaning tickets, hairpins and hairnets.

A lidded glass pot contained scented talcum powder and a soft puff for dusting after a bath. She also always had a pot of

Pond’s vanishing cream at hand and was never seen without lipstick.

A bottle of Tweed perfume and Avon “Sweet Honesty” stood together with a small flask of 4711.

At the back of the table was a spray bottle of hair lacquer and, later, a set of Carmen heated rollers and a bonnet hairdryer.

Some items came and went as the years passed but the object she treasured most on her dressing table, was an aged photograph of her own mum and dad.

I do hope you have memories of a dressing table that belonged to someone special in your life.

Janet and Paul Barrass are