Voice Magazines - Clay Cross & Surrounding Villages - October 2023

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GLOW IN THE DARK BOWLING EVERY THURSDAY AND WEEKEND (SELECTED TIMES ONLY)

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A LEAGUE PROGRAMME AVAILABLE MOST EVENINGS FOR THOSE WHO TAKE IT A LITTLE MORE SERIOUSLY

A WIDE RANGE OF DRINKS, SNACKS AND FOOD AVAILABLE

FANTASTIC OFFERS EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK, ALL ON OUR WEBSITE!

From the Editor

Dear Readers,

Tragedy has struck this month!

I’m not one to be dramatic and on the whole I don’t like to make a fuss, so

I’ve soldiered on with very little complaint but my right index finger has been broken readers!! It was a netball incident whilst going for a ball that was clearly mine and someone slammed their palm into my index finger causing it to buckle and implode (or chip, you decide!) at the knuckle bone. Suffice to say, I knew something bad had happened instantly and after chasing down some ice and some strapping, I finished the game (rather epically tbh, that adrenaline stuff is absolutely splendid in such circumstances!). Anyway, what hasn’t been splendid thereafter has been the lack of ability to use my right hand properly. It’s quite problematic in certain circumstances, losing the primary digit on the dominant hand, if you think about it….. typing, stirring coffee, cutting food up, picking up items… and other functional tasks. Throw in that I’ve not been able to do any exercise for 3 weeks and it has not made for a very pleasant month for Mr Liam and all those around me!! In typical form, I’ve been pushing as hard as I can to at least get back to Hockey asap. The Physio said that, as it’s a break, anything that involves a clenched

fist is fine after 3 weeks and as long as it feels alright to do so. Anyway, tested out the hockey stick on week 2 and all is well! Let’s see how long I can hold out for my beloved Netball!!

In other news, I’m sorry to be the one (although, if you’ve been into Tesco at Alfreton recently, they started it!) but we’ve started planning for Christmas, so now is the time to contact us if you want to promote something special for Christmas, shout about an event you are holding, wish your clients a lovely festive holiday time or feature in our High Street special if you are a retailer. We have all had a tough time since 2020 and every year, I like to bang the ‘Shop Local’ drum. Small businesses can’t survive without your help and as much as I love a generic national brand winter spiced pumpkin latte – with their billions of pounds of profits, they find it much easier to survive and thrive than the rest of us little fellas, so do us a solid and help out where you can this year – it is appreciated.

Happy Reading

THE DRIVE(WAY) TO SUCCESS!

After 5 years of continued growth Next Generation Home Improvements based on Butterley Hill in Ripley, have now established themselves as the leading installers of resin driveways & patios in The Midlands. They now have over 50 members in their team from the local area, ranging from resin layers, ground workers, surveyors, administrators, customer care staff and sales & marketing operatives, and have just taken on 4 local trainees who are quickly learning their trade.

To ensure their success continues they have invested in an upgraded operations unit in Sutton in Ashfield and as well as a redesigned display unit on the reception of their head office at Butterley Hill, where prospective customers are welcome to go and view different styles of resin driveways & composite fencing available to them.

They firmly believe that their success has been due to the quality of their workmanship. Director Lee Goddard points out “We only use our own highly skilled tradesmen to lay each driveway by hand to make sure we get the perfect finish. On top of this, we will only use the highest quality of materials, meaning that our customers will be left

with a glorious driveway or patio that they can be proud of”. Asked why he believes that the company is going from strength to strength, Sales Manager Bradley Stocks explained “Resin driveways are now the fastest growing home improvement in the UK and are getting more & more popular all the time. This is because how attractive they look, the fact they are non slip, and mainly because they require no ongoing maintenance like traditional surfaces. We get a lot of our work from word of mouth & recommendations so because we make sure our customers are happy, we get more work on the back of it. We also now offer composite fencing which is also incredibly popular due to it not needing to be painted or stained”.

Anybody wishing for any help, advice or information is welcomed to call into see their display at 25 Butterley Hill, Ripley or alternatively call on 01773 303181. They are also offer free, no obligation quotations.

The company would be delighted to quote on any customers work involving resin driveways, patios, composite fencing or gates.

Simply drop them a call on 01773 303181

The Ghost of our Celtic Past

All

The original Celtic celebration, Samhain (pronounced sow-ain) actually marked the end of one year and the transition to the next. The move from the abundance of summer and the harvest into the scarcity and cold of winter. Celts associated winter with death and believed the shift to the new year caused the veil between this world and the next to thin, allowing the spirits of the ancestors to visit.

As so often happens, a new religion, Christianity, absorbed and subsumed the old celebration.

And yet the old beliefs still linger, only now they are remembered in an orgy of “candy” consumption. Sweet stuff obtained by knocking on stranger’s doors and demanding it on pain of suffering “a trick” if the desired sticky treats are not forthcoming!

The idea that dead ancestors will come a calling, is relegated to dressing up as ghouls and ghosts.

To face painting and costume wearing. Honestly, our Celtic antecedents must be spinning in their graves. Imagine if the most sacred date in the Christian calendar was reduced to straight out consumerism and consumption.

Oh, hang on…

Of course Halloween is not just a British thingall though the way we do it now is definitely more North American than homegrown - the day, and those following are marked around the world. None more so than in Mexico with the famous Día de los Muertos (day of the dead).

Día de los Muertos is actually celebrated on November 2, but begins the day we designate as Halloween. The celebration is designed to honour the dead who, it is believed, return to their earthly homes on October 31. Then on November 2, relatives gather at gravesides to picnic and reminisce. Some gatherings even include tequila and a mariachi band…sounds fun.

We can blame our American cousins for the commercialism of Halloween. As a melting pot of many ethnicities, the traditions of different cultures were assimilated into a wholly unique way to mark the thinning of the veils.

An old English tradition of giving pastries called “soul cakes” to beggars in return for promises to pray for the dead of the donors, probably transmuted to “trick or treat”. Although there could also be links to “Mischief Night” which occurs around the same time as Halloween.

Dressing in outlandish “spooky” costumes may derive from the custom of wearing masks to confuse any visiting dead who decide to pop through from the other side.

Whatever the origins of the “customs” we now see being played out at Halloween, the overriding theme seems to be “spend money”. Buy sweets (I refuse to type candy again!), buy the kids costumes, buy decorations for your house, place of work…buy, buy, buy.

I shall, as usual, turn out the lights and keep the front door shut. Trick or treaters won’t be able to blame dental decay on me!

Hallow’s Eve. All Saint’s Eve. Samhain. The night when, allegedly, the “veils” between the living and the dead are at their thinnest.

FUN IN THE SUN AT CLAY CROSS GALA!

Clay Cross Gala, held on Saturday, 2 September 2023 was a huge success and took place for the first time in the town centre at Clay Cross Social Centre. The community came out in force to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment featuring International Drag Artist, Amandah Hart and activities including a Teddy Bears Picnic, kite making, bush craft skills and a ‘Rock Box’ demo. Stalls featured face painting, balloon modelling and Yorkshire Owl Rescue.

CLAY CROSS CHRISTMAS MARKET … SAVE THE DATE!

Clay Cross Christmas Market will be held at Clay Cross Social Centre on Saturday, 25 November 2023 from 10AM – 2PM. Santa’s Grotto along with charity, craft and trade stalls. Gifts and stocking fillers for all ages –prices to suit every budget. Come along and support this community event!

Charity Number: 700058

We aim to help amputees, their families and friends to adjust to the loss of limbs. We aim to help our members to meet up and support each other and also to provide social and educational activities.

THE SERVICES WE OFFER:

• We work in partnership to promote independence

• Support service – supporting people

• Promoting independence, confidentiality, rights, equal opportunities

• Review services

• Liaise with family, other agencies, older people, young people, people with a disability

• Improve quality of life

• Provide opportunities for involvement and access to activities

• newsletters

• monthly meetings

Battery, Charging Points, Tyres, Lights & much more, helping you stay safe. Call for details.

Ask about our scooter and equipment repairs and maintenance service. Safety checks and driving test available

Slimming World Recipe

Prawn Stir Fry

Method:

1. Mix together the cornflour, garlic, ginger, chilli sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sweetener, tomato purée and stock in a small bowl.

2. Spray a deep non-stick frying pan or wok with low-calorie cooking spray and place over a high heat. When hot, add the onions, peppers and 2 tbsp water and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the green beans and stir-fry for 3 minutes, or until all the vegetables are just tender.

Stir frys are such an easy win. Quick to prep and cook, loads of flavour and packed full of healthy ingredients. Perfect for a family feast!

3. Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the pack instructions and drain well.

4. Add the prawns and bamboo shoots to the vegetables and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, then add the noodles and the chilli sauce mixture and toss well. Simmer for 1 minute, or until the sauce has thickened.

5. Divide between 4 bowls and serve piping hot.

For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk

Ingredients:

• 2 level tsp cornflour

• 1 tsp chopped garlic in vinegar from a jar, drained

• 1 tbsp chopped ginger in vinegar from a jar, drained

• 1 level tbsp hot chilli sauce, such as sriracha

• 2 tbsp dark soy sauce

• 1 tbsp oyster sauce

• Pinch of sweetener granules

• 1 tbsp tomato purée

• 100ml boiling chicken stock

Serves: 4 Ready in: 20 mins

• Low-calorie cooking spray

• 200g frozen sliced red onions

• 300g frozen mixed sliced peppers

• 200g frozen green beans

• 250g dried egg noodles

• 400g frozen cooked and peeled prawns, thawed

• 225g can sliced bamboo shoots, drained

Syns per serving: 0.5

Tel: 01246 850276

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Book Review

SJ Parris’s Giordano Bruno books can become a bit of an addiction. They’re classy historical thrillers set in a period of immense global upheaval. This is the period of Elizabeth 1, religious wars, huge power struggles, treachery, intrigue and murders.

In the latest in the series - Alchemy - our urbane intellectual investigator Bruno is commissioned to dive beneath the surface of the dangerous political waters of early 1500s Prague. Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf the second is a man of science – not unlike Bruno himself, but unlike Bruno he is in thrall to power – the power of alchemy, turning base metal into gold and the search for the secret of eternal life.

These were dangerous interests to have at that time – the Catholic Church was very jealous of its control over huge swathes of Europe and as was shown by the Spanish Inquisition, willing to go to any lengths to protect that power. Science and alternative ways of thinking were not allowed.

Rudolf – and Bruno – and anyone else who gets in the way of the church, is effectively the enemy.

The twists and turns are delicious – as soon as you start to think the plot is unravelling in one direction, it’s off full at canter in another direction. And threaded through it all is considerable historical research, both of the times – as with the experience of the Jewish community in Prague at that time and with the plight of poor people. Rudolf was a real person, as indeed was Bruno, (in real life a philosopher and poet.) And though there’s no evidence he ever turned detective, there’s nowt wrong with a bit of dramatic licence.

The characters are fully drawn and there’s no shortage of wry humour. And if you like Signor Bruno there are another six books to go at.

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FESTIVE GIFT FAIR AT THE NEC - BIRMINGHAM

Thursday 16th – Sunday 19th November 2023

THE BIGGEST AND MOST LIVELY INDOOR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FAIR IN THE HEART OF THE COUNTRY IS BACK! .... FABULOUS BARGAINS, GREAT MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT AND SO MUCH CHOICE!

Be inspired and get your festive preparations off to a flying start at the ever-popular 4-day FESTIVE GIFT FAIR this November. Now in its 27th fabulous year, it remains one of the most popular Christmas Shopping events in the UK for a good reason!

The Fair will be bursting at the seams with a colourful, eclectic mix of unusual stocking fillers and presents, festive food and drink and great Christmas decorations for your home and garden. 325+ stalls all in one hall …. with clever gift ideas for all ages and tastes … and lots of Special Show Offers!

The festive atmosphere is always fantastic! While browsing the stalls, let the music get you into that Christmassy mood and enjoy being entertained by the Grinch … up to his usual menacing antics, Father Christmas with his amazing sleigh, a whole variety of Christmas harmonies by our live musicians and jazz stilt walkers who will be legging it up the aisles!

Make sure you visit the popular Festive Food & Drink area where you’ll find tempting stalls selling everything from cheese to chutneys, spices to spirits, puddings to preserves, chocolates to champagne, beers to brownies and hampers to hog roasts!

MORE THAN JUST A SHOPPING TRIP, IT’S THE START OF CHRISTMAS!

Join us with your friends and family for an inspiring and fun-filled day CHRISTMAS SHOPPING at the FESTIVE GIFT FAIR.

MAKE A NOTE IN YOUR DIARY NOW!

TICKETS ON SALE ON FRIDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER at www.festivegiftfair.co.uk

GREAT VALUE! - Advance adult tickets from just £7 (plus transaction fee)

Take advantage of the SPECIAL TICKET OFFER – ‘Buy 3 and get 1 FREE’ on advance Thursday/Friday adult full day tickets.

The FESTIVE GIFT FAIR is open daily 09.30 – 17.00

Thursday 16th – Sunday 19th November at NEC, Birmingham. For list of stallholders, entertainment programme and visitor information, please visit www.festivegiftfair.co.uk

Competition Time!

WIN A PAIR OF TICKETS

To be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets, simply locate the three Christmas symbols in the magazine and email the page numbers that they are on to: community@voicemagazines.co.uk – with the headline NEC tickets. All submissions to be in by 31st October 2023

Flake’ s Favourites

Re-walking Rafa’s Rambles

So we agonised over the new title. There were some great suggestions but we felt this way we could give a nod to Rafa, who walked the length and breadth of the local area for around 14 years, checking out the best walks, before putting his paws up. Rafa is still (slowly) wandering around his favourite parks and fields but the big walks are beyond him these days This month Flakey has re-rambled a walk we first featured in May 2018. It’s a great walk, with some lovely views, woods to explore and quiet country lanes. Perfect for a sunday stroll with your furry friend

6.5-MILE CIRCULAR WALK FROM THE CARRS PARK

A mid-distance walk which should take you and your dog around 2.5 - 3 hours to complete. The walk is mostly on trails and paths but there are a few short stretches of road so please take care. There may be some uneven and muddy terrain, so please wear appropriate footwear and as always, please follow the countryside code.

START: THE CARRS PARK, CHURCH ROAD PARKING, CHURCH ROAD, CHURCH WARSOP. NG20 0SF

1. Head back through car park entrance and turn left along the main road for a short distance, then turn right onto a main road signposted for ‘Meden Vale’. Continue along this road for some distance and then take the first right into ‘Manor Court’.

2. Continue to walk to the very end of this road and continue straight ahead onto a tarmac footpath threading between the houses. Follow the tarmac path around the back of the houses to pass through

a large wooden gate and turn right along a road.

3. Continue until reaching a T-junction of roads. Turn right and then continue straight ahead to cross over a river bridge. Shortly after, at a T junction, turn left to continue along a single-track road. Pass a farm on your right and then continue for some distance until reaching a gated single-track road on your right.

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4. Turn right to pass by the large metal gate and continue uphill. At the top of the hill pass over a railway bridge and then continue straight ahead. Eventually the road turns into a bumpy lane.

5. As you continue along the lane you will pass by a water treatment plant with a chain link fence on your left. When the fence on your left comes to an end, bear left and downhill to continue along the lane. Continue to the bottom of the hill and then begin to gently climb for some distance before reaching a crossroads of lanes.

6. Continue straight ahead keeping a hedge on your left and open fields on your right. Eventually the lane narrows into a footpath and begins to drop downhill towards some trees. Continue straight ahead into the trees passing through some metal posts and then ignoring a footpath to your right continue ahead keeping trees on your right and open views to your left.

7. Continue for some distance and then pass by a signposted bridleway on your left. Continue straight ahead going downhill until reaching the bottom of the hill and a signposted crossroads of footpaths. Turn right going gently uphill along a tarmac path and continue straight ahead for a long distance until reaching a track on your left.

8. At this point, ignore the track on your left and continue a little further to a yellow marker post and a track on your right. Turn right along the track and after a very short distance curl around to the left. Continue along the track for quite some distance and then ignore a track on your left to continue straight ahead.

9. After some distance ignore a signposted footpath directly ahead of you and bear around to the right to continue along the track going downhill. At the bottom of the hill at a junction of paths, bear right, then immediately left to take a small footpath going into the woods.

10. Continue for some distance and at a crossroads of footpaths continue straight ahead along a footpath with trees on your right and open views to your left. Continue until reaching a T-junction of paths with open views directly in front of you. Turn right and then after a very short distance turn left to continue along a farm track with a hedge on your right.

11. Continue along the farm track with a hedge on your right for a long distance. Prior to reaching a rail bridge directly in front of you and at a signposted footpath on your right, turn sharp left

to continue along a signposted bridleway and farm track with a hedge on both sides. After a short distance continue ahead going uphill with a hedge on your right and open views to your left.

12. At the top of the hill the track narrows down into a footpath with a hedge on both sides. Continue straight ahead until dropping into a dip and then turn right along a footpath going gently downhill. After some distance pass underneath a rail bridge and eventually reach a road. Cross straight over the road to continue along a narrow lane.

13. After a short distance you will reach a road. Continue straight ahead to go downhill along Sandy Lane. At the bottom of the hill, at a T-junction of roads, turn left and continue for a short distance and then turn right along Hetts Lane.

14. Continue straight ahead to a T-junction with a main road. Cross straight over the main road to continue straight ahead along a wide tarmac footpath with a wall on your left and a fence on your right. After a short distance continue straight ahead to cross over a river bridge. Immediately after crossing the bridge turn right to follow footpath with the river on your right.

15. Continue to wind along the footpath with the river on your right until reaching the car park and starting point..

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.

YOU CAN’T PLAY FOOTBALL WITHOUT A REFEREE

By Dom Stevens, Coach at New Tupton Ivanhoe F.C.

Do you watch kids’ football?

Have you ever said something to the referee or the volunteers running the line? Why?

How would you feel if I rephrased what you said to that ref, to your son or daughter about their ability to play football?

I am guessing you would think it was unacceptable.

Over my past 4 years of coaching, I have seen parents, managers, and players abuse referees. I do not know why!

Youth football cannot be played without the referee and those parents who kindly volunteer to run the line.

We are not watching professional football.

These referees tend to be newly qualified and are learning the game just as your sons and daughters are learning how to play football.

They equally deserve our respect and support to develop in the game.

I have coached teams that were both successful and unsuccessful. The team always played their best and tried to win every game. Decisions would sometimes go our way and sometimes against us.

Did I get frustrated when they didn’t, of course I did! Did I cross the line and shout abuse at the referee, no! Instead, I would ask the ref at half or full-time if I was unsure of a decision. I may learn a new law – there are a lot of them. A different angle on the pitch or

how they interpret the rules will lead to a difference in opinion. If so, you have to respect their decision.

Also, a ref may say: “Sorry, I got that one wrong.” In the split second they decide mistakes will happen, as they are only human.

New rules have been introduced by the F.A. for the 2023/24 season. Abusive behaviour by parents, players and coaches could lead to teams being deducted points.

It shouldn’t have come to this, but it is needed from the things I have seen.

I hope it leads to all involved in coaching, playing, and supporting kids football, showing a lot more respect to referees and volunteers.

If you think you can do better, there is a shortage of referees, so go and complete the course and get involved or volunteer to run the line for the team you watch. You can sign up to be a referee at www.derbyshirefa.com/referees/development-andcourses/the-fa-referees-course

Everyone is always welcome at New Tupton Ivanhoe F.C. What we won’t tolerate is abusive or threatening language or behaviour towards the referees, players, and volunteers.

I hope all the referees, players, and volunteers. have a great season.

If you are interested in Little Ivanhoes, The Wildcat Centre or joining a team please message the clubs facebook page at: www.facebook.com/newtuptonivanhoefc/ visit: www.newtuptonivanhoefc.co.uk or contact the Dave Hoult, Club Secretary on 07759 048 037

THE LITTLE RED HEN HOUSE NORTHUMBERLAND

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All Around the Shire

POCKET MONEY

When you were small were you given pocket money? Did you have to earn it and what did you spend it on?

My experience of obtaining money as a child was usually linked to doing jobs for my parents who owned pubs as I was growing up. I would help with stocking up bottles or emptying ashtrays, sweeping up and mopping the bar floors. As I got older, I would collect dirty glasses and wash them in a fearsome glass-washing machine with a rubber, nobbled stick that spun round while shooting water inside the glass. I felt very important if I was allowed to serve children with pop and crisps at the off-sales window. Calculations with pre-decimal coinage held no fear as it was all people had ever known. Shillings, half crowns, ha’pennies, thruppenny bits and sixpences were all gratefully accumulated. Saving was always encouraged. We all had money boxes and small savings accounts at the post office. What a big day it was to empty a full piggy bank and see your savings increase.

Of course, some of my earnings were spent, mainly on sweets and sometimes on comics. (Beano, Dandy or Bunty). In those days, penny chews really were a penny. There was a sweet shop opposite my school where we could purchase bags of sherbet, flying saucers, gobstoppers, liquorice, candy cigarettes and coconut mushrooms amongst many other delights. My brother sometimes spent his on caps for his cap gun or transfers which stuck on your skin like tattoos. What did you do with your pennies as a child?

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®

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 Only Newton could produce such material (5)

7 Sonar detection of fire-raising (5)

11 Have some bearing for the listener (3)

12 A test of your income from drawing pins, say? (3)

16 Open more than the junction (5)

17 Fraudulently make the smithy (5)

Down

2 Oz lager sounds a bit thin (5)

3 William Butler, as yet unplaced (5)

10 Accomplices in the theft of ‘diamonds’ (3)

14 Ridiculously opulent, but not on stopping (3-2)

15 Attempt to choose (2,3)

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

SUDOKU #39

Fill in all the numbers!

This is a sudoku

1 square grid

81 cells

9 3x3 blocks

1 simple rule: Use all the numbers 1-9, with no duplicates allowed, in any row, column, or block.

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

Gardener’s Calendar

October is the start of bare root planting. Apples and pears will be far less expensive if planted as roots rather than foliage-bearing trees later in the season.

Currants and gooseberries can also be planted bare root now and bare root roses will be delivered between now and spring. Dig a hole deep and wide enough for each plant or alternatively, if you live in a cold pocket with frequent early frosts, plant into a suitable sized container in good compost and put into a cold frame or greenhouse for the winter then harden off and plant out into the ground in spring.

Wallflowers can go into the ground as bare root plants now to flower in early spring and cowslips can be sown as seeds in trays in a cold frame as they need cold to germinate, while being protected from heavy rain. Ideally, they like to grow in shady wet places.

Top Tip:

Time to think about the outdoor beasties. Hedgehogs are preparing to sleep the winter away so if you think you have them as visitors leave out meat-based cat or dog food and water so they can fatten up. Leave windfalls for the birds. Plant croci and fritillary so there is early nectar for hibernating bumblebees when they emerge in spring.

You’ll be putting your bulbs in now. Daffs and crocuses can still go in, you’re not too late, but leave tulips till October.

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You can also explore our range of popular BBQ Cabins and visit our Hydropool Midlands showroom, with a range of self-cleaning hot tubs and swim spas on display.

Autumnal fungi of woods and pastures

Late summer and into autumn are certainly the seasons for mushrooms and other fungi, and especially the case with rain and periods of higher temperatures too. So, imagine my excitement when I came across what seemed to be a wild ‘horse mushroom’ in an area of old, unimproved wet pasture, and it was the size of a small dinner-plate. Of course, the business end of the fungus is its extensive network of hyphae underground and the ‘mushroom’ is merely the fungal equivalent of a flower. I carefully picked my prize and took it home with me. Now generally speaking, the edible , big ‘mushrooms’ look and smell like those bought from a shop, and the fragrance is very distinctively ‘mushroomy’. Indeed, most of the wild mushrooms of fields and other pastures with a whitish or ivory cap and brown gills underneath, are edible and good to eat. However, with fungi the bottom line is caution and unless you really know what it is then avoid. Each autumn a number of (sometimes knowledgeable) foragers manage to poison themselves and sometimes their families and friends too. Some of the poisonous fungi have horribly potent toxins as suggested by their names such as ‘death cap’, ‘destroying angel’, and ‘panther cap’; and so, these should be avoided at all costs. Nevertheless, as a rule of thumb, the ones which look like ordinary mushrooms and particularly with the dark gills underneath the cap, are good.

There was something not quite right about the specimen I had collected, and the first warning sign was the absence of the typical ‘mushroom’ smell. I also noticed that the stem and later the cap appeared to bruise rather yellow when handled. The gills were brownish but in fact a dull grey brown and not the rich, reddish brown of the field mushrooms and horse mushrooms. I was having doubts and my thoughts turned to a close relative of the edible mushrooms, the so-called ‘Yellow

Stainer’, a species that occurs in late summer and autumn in fields, gardens, and hedgerows. Worryingly, this is edible to a few people but poisonous to most, and whilst not actually deadly is one to avoid.

Just to be sure I cooked the specimen up and whilst it didn’t have the tell-tale iodine, inky smell reported for Yellow Stainer, it didn’t smell especially nice either. Moreover, as it cooked the plate of mushrooms turned a rather unpleasant and ominous yellow. It ended up in the bin! There are many edible mushrooms but only a handful which are unmistakable for something nasty and those are the ones I go for. The Yellow Stainer is the species responsible for most cases of moderate poisoning because it is taken as ordinary field mushroom or horse mushroom –avoid!

Another noticeable species if the ‘Fairy Ring Mushroom’ or Marasmius which again occurs in old or even ancient grassland and some rings are centuries old. Again, this is a species which is edible and delicious, but the problem here, is that certain very similar and related mushrooms which are poisonous often grow in amongst them. So once again if you are not sure then leave well alone!

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 @IanThewildside

Chatsworth fairy ring by Peter Wolstenholm

Yellow Stainer

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