Eden Local Issue 170 by Lee Quinn

ISSN 2516-1431

Your Independent Community Magazine Penrith and areas of the Eden Valley

Eden 107

SINCE

1873

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Mike Craven Book Launch & Signing Penrith Town Council Annual Report Newton House show home open! The Hiking Household Red Squirrel Conservation

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Cumbrian Local Publications • Issue No.1 170 • Distribution Over 14,000 Doors

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Contents Introduction by Lee Quinn

Pages 4 - 6

North Lakes Hotel and Spa

Pages

7–8

Manic at the Attic By Lee Quinn

Page

Book launch & signing with Mike Craven

Page

The nasty smell that won’t go away!

Page

Eden Local – The Facts

Page

Cumbria Oak Massive Sale Now on

Pages 14 - 15

Just One Call by Lee Quinn

Page

Penrith Town Council Annual Report 2020/21

Pages 17 to 20

Newton House show home open!

Page

The right to live and work in the UK?

Pages 22 - 23

16 21

May Word search Page 23 The Hiking Household

Page

Where is your head at? Pauline Richards

Page

Pam’s Flower Power May – Lily of the Valley

Page

Spring has sprung with Karen Roberts

Page

James Clarke of Penrith by Sydney Chapman

Pages

28 - 29

Red Squirrel Conservation

Pages 30 - 32

Keeping Calm and Carrying On Part 2 by V

Pages 32 - 34

The Last Word is Consultation

Page

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Eden's Country Gardens

Regular Garden Care and Maintenance

updates

Lawns • Hedges • Weeding • Flower beds Strimming • Pruning RHS Qualified Gardener

Eden FM Notice: Eden Local prints various articles, features, and advertisements. Although these appear in Eden FM, any opinions expressed are the opinion of the author, these are not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. ©Copyright Eden Local 2020. The contents of this publication are written specifically for our readers, no part may be

Call 07901 146334 edencountrygardens@gmail.com www.edencountrygardens.com

reproduced elsewhere without express and prior permission.

Welcome to our 170th Issue Cumbria, the UK and the World.

Welcome to your May Eden Local. As we headed for print in the third week of April, our distribution started just before the bank holiday. With more new delivery teams and a print run of over 14,000 magazines, we have the added bonus of not just having an extra four pages, which is a decision not taken lightly, but the regular welcome to new readers continues. You might be just one in approximately 2000 people to be opening this page for the first time ever, or in a while. Easter was different for many of us, but with many hours of planning, Steve and I, in our capacity as volunteers of Eden FM did complete a live broadcast on Easter Sunday from St Cuthbert’s in Great Salkeld. As a small independent station, we streamed the service live on social media, courtesy of Steve filming. I was the sound man, monitoring the live feed on 107.5 FM and via www.edenfm.co.uk, which was broadcast on the internet across

There were many highlights from that day, including the glorious sunshine. I believe everyone would have taken a bag full of memories from that day home; mine was looking out of the door at the congregation attending the service outside, so much hope from where we were a year ago. It was just one call from John Slee of The East of Eden Mission Community, with a small ask towards a very rewarding experience shared. As we do every month, my wife and I and one of our daughters help with deliveries. We are part of 32 teams of local people delivering the Eden Local, and we would like to get up to get 40 teams. As discussed with a new business just this month, I reconfirmed as I do with all businesses that a part of their contribution is the funding of these teams. Part of the funds raised also go towards helping Eden FM Radio stay on air 24/7. It’s a busy time, and Easter Sunday, Great Salkeld

whilst as a volunteer at Eden FM Community Radio I am just one of 24 regulars. We only do so much and whilst I am still working on the new Eden FM website, I am also actively preparing to launch the new Cumbrian Local Publication’s website in May which details all the areas we cover as advised by a reader of Eden Local. There is a lot we are doing which we haven’t done in a while that covers quite a broad spectrum in the current climate. As a community magazine, for the first time last month we returned to Shap and many of the areas around it as we expand further in the CA10 postcode, and for the first time with this issue, we hope to extend back in to CA16 and up in to areas of CA8 for the first time, following the River Eden. On my rounds delivering, I always make time to talk to quite a few people; more recently this has been in the areas we haven’t delivered to for a while like Clifton Dykes and Melkinthorpe, just to name a few of a list of 20

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villages and hamlets. It also gives me a chance to catch on to what is going on. As a magazine that is posted through doors, this list is on page 13. Over the coming months we are checking the door count. I have entered into the debate of what is the difference between a hamlet and a village. As I understand it, a hamlet becomes a village when it has a church, so what does it mean when that church becomes a domestic property? Some hamlets can be a village or a town. If there is anyone out there who has thoughts on this, please let me know. I did stop at the site of Wetheriggs Pottery and observed the plots for new houses, some already sold, so I have added them to the distribution list. I suppose this site will be the Old Pottery. On a search it is down as Wetheriggs Pottery, Clifton Dykes; logically I suppose as it is the pottery and Clifton Dykes is Wetheriggs Road. There are a lot of things that as a magazine we have set out to do and we are striving to achieve. As you have already seen on page 2, we have an Eden Local full-page advert. Something we haven’t really been doing is advertising ourselves. Whilst our June magazine is almost complete with bookings before we have printed May’s edition, I thought it was a good opportunity to present a lot of what we do; fundamentally we communicate for free. Of course, as explained to a lot of businesses and organisations, we support local groups and provide affordable advertising for pennies not pounds. The end result is a free publication.

I constantly remind people that to design, print then post the Eden Local is free, but a cost covered thankfully through continued and growing support from businesses and organisations in the community. As I put it to someone recently in one of the current three local authorities, prior to print, the community shouldn’t need to pay to find out what is actually going on. In fact, on page 35 there is more on this thought. Perhaps sometimes I write too much; perhaps with my heart on my sleeve. Perhaps sometimes I think too much about things ; unfortunately we can’t change who we are. So, let’s take you through what we have for you this month. With so many lights going on outside, with British Summer Time beginning, we have our sunlit evenings as we head out of our last month of Spring. This edition is distributed prior to the next step of the Government road map back towards, we hope a new normality and less restrictions from 17th May. It’s still early days, but we now have weeks rather than months until that final step on Monday 21st June before Midsummer’s Day on 24th June. I have started reading the new book, Dead Ground, by local author Mike Craven. I was fortunate to receive an uncorrected bound proof from the publisher, which prepares me for some planned interviews and a book signing at the Hedgehog Bookshop in Little Dockray, Penrith on Saturday 12th June. More details are on page 11. 6

Sometimes I do feel almost spoilt with the knowledge I get handed just through the amount of people I meet, and as Eden FM prepares to launch a new Show ‘Going Green’ like the Local Wildlife Show and the ‘Your Home’ show, I also caught up with Mike O’Kane of the Attic and talked about ‘up cycling’. Some say, “one man’s rubbish is another man’s gold.” In the early seventies I remember using an old pram and pieces of wood to make a pedal less go-cart, with rope for steering that we called a four-wheel nag. Just walking around The Attic show room, I did see some nice handles, but they were on the wrong cabinet in my opinion. And whilst I didn’t like a particular picture which stood out from about 60 others, Mike explained that a lot of people just buy the pictures for the frames which are a bargain and a saving. The full article is on page 10. As ‘almost’ neighbours, Mike O’ Kane is one, but so are Darren and Laura of One Call Roofing. It was at the end of 2018 they first made contact and we eventually

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met in January 2019. One Call set off in the Eden Local in the February edition; and they haven’t missed a month yet. You can learn so much from your customers, and even more when they ask you to contact their customers for feedback on the work they have completed. In previous editorials this has formed the body of what I have written about, however, we are of course in a different situation and I’ve booked the next story with Darren and Laura before the end of the summer, to deliver an update of achievements over the summer; our thoughts like most are about coming back from COVID as a business.

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Well, we are almost there, and the bluebells are already popping through. It’s a welcome back to North Lakes Hotel and Spa, a welcome to Eden’s Country Garden, The Hiking Household, Lumen Therapy and the Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group (P&DRSG). Once again and always a thank you to those voluntary writers for our regular articles and of course we have part two from ‘V’ so we can Keep Calm and Carry on!

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Finally, thank you for taking the time to pick up 107 your Eden Local.

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I’ll be back in June - you take care out there. Lee

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Phone: Email: lee@cumbrianlocal.co.uk www.cumbrianlocal.co.uk Cumbrian Local Publications Ltd, Suite 6, Cumbria House, Gilwilly Road, Penrith CA11 9FF

01931 713675 • 07840 674196 robertleckie@live.com 7

North Lakes & Spa we love hosting celebrations, whether a big life anniversary moment, a small toasting occasion, or just an intimate afternoon tea, we want to make your celebration the very best.

We all know the importance of good mental health in helping us relax more, achieve more and enjoy our lives more. And we all know the importance of sharing this time with our family and friends. With the positive news received from the Government on the lifting of restrictions, here at the North Lakes Hotel & Spa we are preparing to fully open our doors to our leisure guests, once more offering you the opportunity to unwind, relax and recharge after what has been a turbulent and

challenging 12 months. Celebrate seeing your family and friends by dining in FYR, with its vast fireplace and dancing flames, or on our outside terrace complete with fire pit. From family Sunday lunches to stylish fundraisers and black tie events, here at

And for that amazing moment when you realise, that for now, it’s all about you our Spa is a haven for the senses with all you need to feel rather special! From our warming sauna to our bubbly whirlpool, a steam room for deep breathing and swimming pool for a refreshing dip. Transport yourself into a world of gorgeous pampering treats because we have it all going on, with experts who hold the key to tranquillity. Start your journey to relaxation by visiting our website www. northlakeshotel.co.uk or by contacting one of our team on 01768 868111 or e-mailing events@northlakeshotel.co.uk We look forward to welcoming you.

SPECIAL OCCASIONS AT NORTH LAKES HOTEL & SPA Whether you’re celebrating a missed birthday, an upcoming anniversary or simply being back together, we have something for everyone at North Lakes Hotel & Spa.

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For more details please visit northlakeshotel.co.uk or call us on 01768 868111 or email events@northlakeshotel.co.uk 9

Manic in the Attic by Lee Quinn

Mike & Andy O’Kane

Kit out a two-bedroom property for £500, or is it about a budget, the environment or personal preference? ‘All of the above!’ Mike O’Kane runs the family business ‘The Attic’ which he set up four years ago. It sells good quality, second-hand furniture, household items and antiques, all reasonably priced. It’s a real family affair and a mix of old and new skills with Mike’s wife Gill, his son Andy, his daughters Laura (website) and friend Christine. There’s his cousin Andy and dad John who also help out moving things about. You may have experienced setting up a home either on your own, with a partner or a friend or even a few friends.

donations of furnishings from my family, but most of what I needed I bought on a budget from a place just like The Attic. You can be creative, selective or retro on a budget. The Attic as a business has three key functions in house clearances, removals and retail. We live in an age where we are asked to think more green. The retail side of reusable furniture and a lot of other items at affordable prices at The Attic isn’t a new concept, it’s a common sense approach. On arrival at any house clearance, The Attic never really know what they are going to find, but the task is simple in that if a property has to be emptied, it has to go somewhere, and in the current climate to find a home for something has to be better than sending it to the tip, which would literally be a total waste. Some items of course are projects of creativity and up cycling - the opposite is down cycling, when the recycling

process creates materials of a lower quality and functionality than it was originally. Most up cycling involves converting or collecting materials from a product or products to create a different product or material. All Blankets, linen, clothes books collected by the team are donated to The Great North Air Ambulance charity. ‘It’s Manic in the Attic’ and as a business it has just moved to its new light and bright showroom on the Gilwilly industrial Estate with parking directly outside. There is plenty to explore from the time you walk in the door. Pretty much everything is for sale, even the two 8ft by 4ft sponge throwing boards of Buzz Light Year & Woody, Superman & Wonder Woman. So, whether it’s a bargain hunt for a novelty, a little project, you want to save some money or it’s the real deal in setting up a home for less than £500, it’s worth a visit and if you can’t get there, you can look on line. Any items you can’t collect can be delivered.

At some time during your life, if you haven’t already, you may or might have experienced a move out for a new start, or you’ve had to empty a property for a reason. In my first experience of setting up a home in the early eighties, I had an assortment of For more details, call Mike 07855 744 041 or 01768 840657 or email mokane07@tiscali.co.uk Open Monday to Saturday 10am – 4pm • 36c Gilwilly Rd, Gilwilly Industrial Estate, Penrith CA11 9BF www.fiveminutesspare.com/the-attic-furniture-shop online 10

Book Launch and Signing Mike Craven comes to Penrith In a follow up to our introduction of local author Mike Craven who is preparing to launch his 7th book ‘Dead Ground’ which we featured last month, Mike has been the lime for his 6th book the Curator for a top award as revelled by THE BOOKSELLER in an press statement 15th April by Mark Chandler “2021 Crime Writers’ Association (CWA) Dagger awards longlists have been revealed with J K Rowling, Ian Rankin, John Banville and Stuart Turton among the authors chosen. Honouring the very best in crime writing, the annual awards are the oldest in the genre with previous winners including Ian Rankin, John le Carré, Reginald Hill and Ruth Rendell. For the Gold Dagger, which is awarded for the crime novel of the year, 2019 winner M W Craven, returns with The Curator (Constable). The former probation officer credited the CWA Debut Dagger competition in 2013 for opening the door to his career as an author”.

Mike Craven. Photo by Gary Barton

Can it get any better, the book Dead Ground will be officially launch Wednesday 3rd June Mike is around in Penrith during this week and through the Hedgehog bookshop in Little Dockrey you can now contact Evonne to pre your copy and have it signed by Mike with a dedication. Mike will be dropping to Eden FM pre book launch but he will be live from around 12.30 – 1.30 Friday 4th June on 107.5 FM and online via our website click and listen. Would you like to meet him? Because 12th June he will be available to sign books in a special social distance set up at The Hedgehog Book shop from 10.30 to 12.30 Saturday 12th June. it is proposed for this to be outside via a minimum 2 by 2 metre open covered tented area. This is what Mike had to say ‘I am absolutely thrilled that my first in-person signing event 11

since, 2019 is taking place at the Hedgehog Bookshop. Dead Ground is the fourth, and in my opinion best, book in the multi award-winning Washington Poe and Tilly Bradshaw series and, after the year we’ve all just struggled through, to be able to launch it in a local independent bookshop is extra special. I can’t wait to talk all things Tilly and Poe with local and not-so-local readers.’ To pre order your copy of D W Craven Dead Ground contact the Hedgehog Bookshop via email info@ thehedgehogbookshop.co.uk you can call 01768 863003 or call in to the shop. Mike will be signing books on that day but he will be pre signing copies for the launch and up to the 12th June for those people who cannot attend the event. To submit questions to Mike for the Eden FM show 4th June please email lee@edenfm. co.uk before 31st May

THE NASTY SMELL THAT JUST WON’T GO AWAY! by Jeff Thomson

‘FRESH AIR FOR PENRITH’ The shock of opening my front door one morning to the nasty smell of the Penrith ‘pong’ led to me to start asking questions ! What is it ? Who is responsible? Why has no one done anything to stop it? Why do the local councils allow this to happen? First, I questioned, the local planning authority, Eden District Council. I soon found out very view planning applications from the animal renderer Omega Proteins, ever come to the planning committee for debate, discussion, vote. Most Omega planning applications, including the 2017 application to build a £20million multi-fuel thermal oxidiser at Wildriggs, are ‘delegated’ to officers. The multi fuel oxidiser was given planning approval without discussion, without public consultation, without environmental impact assessment, without transport impact assessment, without any planning committee members’ discussion or vote. Now, in 2021, the Environment Agency has ‘caught up’ with EDC, revealing ‘multi fuel’ means ‘waste products’ including category 1 meat & bonemeal. That’s a change of use for the Wildriggs site, from category 3 animal rendering to category 1 waste processing. COUNCIL REFUSAL It is disgraceful the public-elected body, supposedly responsible for planning policy will take no responsibility for its actions allowing so many Omega applications to ‘go through’ under ‘delegated’ powers. It allows officers (paid public employees) to decide on issues which will affect

the quality of residents’ lives and impact on tourism enjoyment, development and growth. Fresh AIR for Penrith wants to stop the ‘pong’ and make Penrith a pleasant (odour free) place to live with a thriving tourist economy. Campaign actions include creating a Facebook page Fresh AIR for Penrith; a website www. freshairforpenrith.co.uk; an online petition with over 1200 signatures, demanding EDC stops approving Omega planning applications; press releases and other marketing initiatives; tv and radio interviews; continually lobbying EDC, councillors, the Environment Agency and MP Neil Hudson. Requests made to Omega for debate, have been unanswered. OUTCOMES MP Neil Hudson is planning a ‘virtual’ meeting with Fresh AIR for Penrith, EDC and the Environment Agency; Omega’s £20m oxidiser/waste incinerator permit application to the Environment Agency is, after public consultation, under consideration; Eden District Council has seven ‘live’ planning applications from Omega on its books for decision. The big questions of EDC are – will the decisions be ‘delegated’ or taken by councillors ? Will the applications be approved or rejected ? Fresh AIR for Penrith is a resident-led community campaign to make Penrith a better place to live, work and enjoy. Please support, like and share on Facebook, sign the petition and when you smell the ‘pong’ report it to the Environment Agency on 0800 80 70 60.

PA I D C A M PA 12I G N A D V E R T

Eden Local - Your Local Independent Community Publication – The Facts The information here is based on customers questions - past and present. Can the Eden Local be beaten on price? No The Eden Local is ‘Free’ to everyone in the area it covers. It relies on doors and not sales. There is cheaper advertising available, but none to match the coverage of the Eden Local.

‘no junk mail’ or ‘no leaflets’, we are fortunate to be accepted through over 99.9 percent of doors with this displayed. We calculated that based on the cost of the design and printed of an A5 leaflet, plus then sorting and inserting it is cheaper to the customer to take a full page in the Eden Local.

Can it be beaten on readership? No Newspaper readership is generally based on Print Readership which is 3.2 x sales. This is 3.2 people per purchase of a newspaper. Based on 14,100 doors as opposed to sales, the estimated readership of the Eden Local would be 45,000 readers.

Does Eden Local have any unique selling points? Yes Relying on doors in the area we cover, which is close to 300 square miles every month from the centre of Penrith, is better than relying on sales. We increase our distribution every month because in Eden new doors become available every month. This guarantees new readers and potentially new customers for our advertisers.

Does the Eden Local cover every door? No The Eden Local is delivered to every accessible, safe and economically viable door. The increased building of apartments with secured entry systems can limit the distribution; sometimes they are accessible, sometimes not. We welcome contact from any resident who will help with this.

Eden Local is the only printed media in Cumbria with a radio station behind it which is Eden FM Community Radio. Together with social, print and broadcasted media, they deliver a concept for clients called ‘Being Seen and Heard in the Community we serve’ covering all demographics.

Unlike Royal Mail, we are unable to send our delivery teams up long drives and private roads to deliver a free magazine.

Will Eden Local expand further than the target area it has of Penrith and the 100 Villages and Hamlets it operates in? Yes

We like our teams to be safe, so where dogs are loose in gardens or yards, and areas with unsafe footways are not covered. Unfortunately, we do not at present cover every ‘hole in the hedge’ and all remote premises between villages and hamlets.

We are currently recruiting and searching for more teams in postcode areas CA4, CA8 and CA16 with a few routes available in CA10 and CA11. We are looking to the current census results, because if we reach 17,000 doors based on the newspaper Print Readership x 3.2 equation, converted to doors our readership prediction would be possibly more than the actual population in the area we cover, with an estimated 9,000 doors still to cover.

Do you deliver leaflet inserts? No We are reviewing this at present and we have put leaflet inserts on hold. With an increasing number of properties with letterboxes displaying 13

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JUST ONE CALL

By Lee Quinn

If there is something I’ve gained in my experience of producing the Eden Local, it’s paramount to engage with the customers. It’s not about selling advertising, which is the life blood of the magazine, but spending time with the clients.

booked up. Seeing prices beaten isn’t always a good thing, and another point raised by Darren was with the increasing costs of materials and shortages coming out of Lockdown, will corners be cut where they can, to make a profit which isn’t actually there. Some of these shortages, I learnt from Darren, are that key components like the wooded slats the tiles are fixed to have gone up in price by 50%. Potentially for the smaller roofing companies, there is a concern over the availability of tiles in 2021.

That said, I believe a lot of what I do in this respect is echoed by most of the businesses and organisations I work with. Meeting Darren and Laura again of One Call, it’s always good to catch up and interesting to find out how the industry of Roofing is coming back from the Pandemic, with their team that can boast over 20 years’ experience in this trade.

Tile production decreased in the first lockdown and it’s not back to full capacity at present. The bulk orders for roof tiles in their tens to forty or sixty thousand, are placed by large housing developers, and they are first in the queue with the smaller independent roofing contractors behind them. One Call is asking potential customers to call now so they can pre order materials well in advance which in many ways is the normal way when you’re planning, project management and budgeting a roofing job.

Roofing is an essential part of any property or building. If it isn’t done right, the consequences are obvious. So, whilst you might think it’s seasonal, it is more of a requirement and when its needed you need good project planning, unquestionable safety requirements, but ultimately you need a roofer you can trust. As an advertising publication, the Eden Local through experience and not a legal requirement, chose to create its own vetting process for some of the industries it works with. Based on our knowledge of roofing and roofers and having experience in the building industry, primarily in Steel and Timber, roofing isn’t complicated if you get the right roofer, because then you get the right roof.

If you are planning to stay at home this summer or you’ve been thinking about a new roof, now might be a good time to make ‘One call’!

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In talking to Darren, One Call have attended a number of ‘re-roofing’ jobs that were previously done by other ‘roofers’ discovering so many problems and corners that had been cut by these previous ‘roofers’ the only option is to do them again. In the current climate as I learnt, we are not short of people who are happy to work on roofs, but have we got enough qualified roofers?

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Penrith Town Council Annual Report 2020/21 The Mayor’s and Deputy Mayor’s Reflections This last year has been a year like no other in which the world has and continues to struggle with Covid-19. 2020 has been a turbulent, worrying, and sad year for us all, but Penrith Town Council could not be prouder of the Penrith Community and how they have all pulled together. Although the end is in sight it is really important at this time that we continue to comply with all measures, only going out when necessary, wearing a face covering when out, washing our hands and maintaining that 2m distance to reduce the spread. The NHS has done a brilliant job in tough circumstances and the Eden Primary Care Network are

doing a fantastic job getting through the vaccination cohorts. As the author, Charlie Mackesy says ‘We are tired but the dawn is coming so hold on’. We have had to adapt learn new skills with delivery shopping, click and collect, technology as we go on line for yoga, dance lessons, meetings and family gatherings, with the newest most used phrase being ‘you’re on mute’. This year has seen many people volunteer to help their neighbourhoods and we applaud you all. Where there was not a local support network, the Town Council worked with the Eden Resilience Group to coordinate local volunteers to support vulnerable people with shopping and prescription collections. We have to say a huge thank you to everyone that has volunteered all key workers, shop workers, school staff, and the Fell Runner minibus who have given up their time to assist with deliveries. We are still available and continue to provide support as best we can in partnership with our local churches, groups, volunteers, businesses, Eden District Council and Cumbria County Council and although our staff are working from home, they can be contacted should you need to do so by email or phone. Our website and social media have continuously informed the community to help address concerns and we have worked with business representatives to 17

provide information about local businesses that have stayed open to enable people to shop and buy locally. The Town Council along with the BID and Chamber of Trade successfully lobbied Eden District Council to allow free parking in off street car parks to help essential workers who had to come into town to work. This support was greatly appreciated and we have to thank the District Council for allowing free parking until the end of December. There is no doubt our shops and business have had a hard time and will continue to do so for some time to come. Business owners have worked hard to make premises Covid secure and some have changed their way of operating to offer a take away service or click and collect whilst being closed. It is more important than ever to support local businesses and ‘Shop Local’. We have some wonderful businesses, many of whom stepped up to provide home delivery during the first lock down, and they really do deserve our support. Over the last year, we donated £3,000 to Penrith Foodbank and helped primary school children who did not have access to stationery at home by purchasing 400 craft bags. We purchased paper, pens, pencils, scissors, rubbers, glue and books with support from grants from The Cumbria Community Action Fund, Cumbria County Council

Doug Lawson and Barnardos. These bags were delivered by volunteers from the Fell Runner Community Transport Service to school and direct to some families. We were looking forward to proving the community with a large free family event in May to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. After so much planning, it was disappointing to have to cancel the event, which we had organised with Brougham Hall Wartime Weekend, Penrith Lions and Penrith Rotary. However, we were able to move The Cry for Peace Around the World and the Nations Toast online by creating a video and we thank them for their enthusiastic involvement. Cumbria in Bloom and Britain in Bloom also rightly cancelled their events however; there was still some amazing work by local people who continued to make Penrith bloom during the year. Throughout the year, we continued to engage with community groups and regularly updated the Penrith in Bloom social media pages. We have also provided grant funding and/or Officer support to help with projects and initiatives when required. Stomping Ground developed a Nature Trail for us that provided work sheets for families to complete

as they did their daily walk during the first lock down. We also commissioned a film to highlight the work of volunteers and others in town to act as a record of 2020 and the efforts to keep Penrith blooming during Covid. The film has captured Penrith’s strong community spirit, volunteer determination and peoples’ genuine love for the town and one another. The film can be found on our website and is an inspiring watch. Despite no onsite judging taking place and with the aid of the film documenting their work, the Community Gardeners received an amazing 15 awards in 2020, including the overall ‘Outstanding’ Award from Cumbria in Bloom for everything they have done during a very difficult year. The ‘Friends of Penrith Railway Station received an RHS Certificate of Recognition. The Community Gardeners also received an award for Station of the Year and the Town Council received a recognition certificate for the support we give to our community groups. Other community projects have been developed during the year such as a Community Garden on a formerly derelict area of common ground at Ullswater Community College. Teachers support the project with local volunteers and the Team from Stomping Ground. The Town Council were delighted to be able to provide support and funding for a tarpaulin that has been used as a shelter in the Community Garden so work and activities could continue during adverse weather. A sunny Remembrance Day was also very different, as church services were not permitted, however it was important 18

that we marked the day to remember those who lost their lives in conflicts across the world. Representatives Penrith organisations that normally attend the civic service and parade, were invited to lay a wreath. A short but poignant section of the day was live streamed onto our social media when, at 11am the church bell tolled whilst the Last Post played by Chris Form from Penrith Town Band and Rev David Sergeant read out the citation which was followed by Reveille. Trudie Smith, who donated her time to the Royal British Legion and Help for Heroes, took photos of all those laying wreaths uploaded to social media to mark the occasion. Christmas was quickly up on us and hope for a Christmas with our families. Again, we had to arrange this occasion slightly differently. The Council were grateful to Penrith Lions Club and Penrith Business Improvement District who installed the Christmas Lights and the Christmas tree in the Cornmarket area. Thanks to Usbar (Amey) who installed and removed the tree this year, as COVID-19 restrictions prevented the Lions volunteers from doing so. We were pleased

Scott Jackson

to support Eden Valley Artistic Network’s Window Wanderland in Penrith that was part of the national Window Wanderland project. It ran from the start of December and finished at the start of March. Free creative packs were made available for anyone who wanted to take part and a local musician or band could be heard via posters with QR codes in local business windows. We hope that on your walks you enjoyed the sights of windows that had been transformed into magical scenes. We would like to acknowledge the amazing contribution of Cameron Stewart. In December 2020, he launched his Christmas Campaign to give every resident and member of staff in the three care homes in Penrith a card and gift at Christmas. He collected gifts and donations from individuals and businesses and with the surplus gifts, he raised money to provide extra treats for residents and staff. He also received a letter from HM Queen acknowledging what he had done. Not content with resting on his laurels, he went on to campaign for people to make 3422 cards to the staff in Carlisle and Penrith Hospitals and Penrith Health Centre. However, the generosity of the public has meant that homemade cards were delivered to staff all the hospitals and NHS sites in Cumbria. Penrith Town Council’s Youth Advisory Panel has been established since 2019 and discusses issues important to themselves and other young people in the town and the wider world. The main aim of the panel is to bring about greater benefits for young people to Penrith Town Council’s decision-making. During January 2020, the Youth Advisory Panel worked with Penrith Leisure Centre and

Cumbria County Council to organise an online survey to gather youth views on what young people felt about Penrith. The survey’s aimed to encourage feedback on a range of topics; advantages and disadvantages of living in the town, shopping, local transport, cultural activities, sports, pastimes, affordability of things to do, challenges and reasons for not getting involved in local activities, mental health, loneliness, drugs and alcohol and climate change. Information from the analysis will feed into the development of the Town Council’s Strategies. The Survey outcomes were shared with Lancaster University and the University of Cumbria to help them triangulate data in their Youth Needs Evaluation. It was also shared with Penrith Leisure Centre who wanted to identify what leisure activities young people would like in Penrith, and with the Community Development Team at Cumbria County Council and Cumbria County Council’s ‘Young Peoples Working Group.’ The hope is that during 2021, there will be scope for more young people to join the Youth Advisory Panel and support our other important work and projects such as climate change. After declaring a climate emergency, the Council developed a broad overarching strategy to help Penrith on its journey to carbon neutrality. Importantly, it set out the Council’s ambition to engage and work with the people of Penrith to bring about the kind of transformation that the crisis demands. In January 2021, the Council agreed to resource the strategy and a dedicated officer will be appointed in the spring to lead the project delivery and 19

a grant fund will be available to encourage and support local green projects. The Council also recognised that as a critical first step to empower the community to play a role in tackling climate change, it had itself to act as an exemplar to other organisations and businesses. Officers and Members will attend Carbon Literacy training and encourage other organisations to do likewise. Carbon Literacy training provides awareness about the causes of and solutions to the climate crisis for the individual and organisations. The Council hopes to inspire others to undertake similar green initiatives and is keen to collaborate with like-minded people and groups. Penrith Town Council is a member of the Zero Carbon Cumbria Partnership (ZCCP), which involves nearly 70 organisations spanning the public, private and third sectors with the aim of delivering a coordinated partnership emission reduction programme to bring about a zero-carbon Cumbria. The project has been awarded £2.5 million from the

National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund, for a five-year Zero Carbon Cumbria project. Eleven of the organisations in the ZCCP, including Penrith Action from Community Transition (PACT), will be involved in directly delivering elements of the Lottery-funded project and the whole partnership will be involved in wider decarbonisation programmes in order to reach the county’s zerocarbon goal. This has been developed by Cumbria Action for Sustainability and their hard work and passion must be acknowledged

and create a LCWIP (Local Cycling Walking and Movement Infrastructure Plan) for Penrith with workshops and consultation being held in the next few months. A communication, marketing and branding for Penrith group will continue to work with partners to promote and share key messages about recovery and reopening and we are working with partners and stakeholders for the Borderlands Place Programme to create a Place Plan for Penrith. This collaborative approach is bringing together all three levels of local government, key stakeholders and most importantly residents. Our approach is one that is being seen as an example of good practice and is being duplicated within the County.

This gives a flavour of the things that the Town Council has been involved with but it is not an exhaustive list.

The Council will be looking ahead to the outcome of Local Government Reorganisation and is preparing itself to positively engage with partners in the months ahead. With the potential onset of local government reorganisation, the Council resolved at its meeting of Full Council on the 30 November to again state its expression of interest in the devolution of a range of assets and services from the District Council and we very much hope that devolution will recommence when a decision is made.

Looking forward We are working with stakeholders to support the recovery of Penrith and we encourage everyone to support local businesses, as they start re-opening. 2020/21 continued to see the Council seek to manage its assets as effectively as possible. During the summer of 2020 the Town Council installed improved inclusive play facilities at Fairhill. We are keen to continue our work of improving community assets. We now own Thakka Beck Field, which is used for informal recreation, and connects the A686 with Tynefield Drive. Northern Gas Networks are in the process of installing utilities underneath part of the field as part of wider infrastructure improvements across Penrith. When this is completed, we will explore options with the community on the improvements they may wish to see to the field to improve access and informal recreation. We are about to start improvements in one of our allotment sites that has been experiencing flooding problems for a number of years. We will be working closely with members from The Penrith Allotment Association to deliver the project.

The Town Council looks forward to 2021/22 and working with the town’s businesses, Community Gardeners, volunteers, local groups and residents to highlight our beautiful town and to continue to making a difference. We would like to thank you all, our community, our Councillors and our officers.# Councillor Doug Lawson Mayor and Councillor Scott Jackson Deputy Mayor

Partnership working is essential to Penrith’s future growth and success. In 2019, the Penrith Town Working Group was established to bring together local authorities, key stakeholders and partners to identify and deliver projects that are of benefit to the town. From this partnership the outturn from the Penrith Parking and Movement Study, is progressing to develop a timeline of projects, identify funding opportunities, and to create a communication plan that will ensure that residents are consulted and kept up to date with developments.

office@penrithtowncouncil.co.uk Telephone:

01768 899 773 Write: Penrith Town Council, Unit 1, Church House, 19-24 Friargate, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7XR Please get involved in helping to make Penrith a Carbon Neutral Town.

A group has been established to scope and plan the proposed Cycling and Movement interventions

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Do your Employees have the Right to Live and Work in the UK?

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO AND WHAT HAS CHANGED? Any of your employees who are considered to be EU nationals, who wish to continue living and working in the UK (after 31 December 2020) must apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. As 30 June 2021 deadline is fast approaching, do you know if they have, and can you ask them if they have applied? THE NEW SYSTEM From 1 January 2021, the UK applied a new points-based global immigration system and anyone who wishes to work in the UK must meet the criteria set out. Free movement for EU citizens also ended on 31 December 2020, and this meant that people arriving in the UK by 11pm on 31 December 2020 could retain their rights to live and work in the UK by applying to the EU Settlement Scheme, although there are some exemptions, for example individuals who have serious criminal convictions cannot apply. The application deadline is 30 June 2021, and if an individual doesn’t meet this deadline, they will lose their rights to healthcare, employment, renting properties and state benefits. Any individual who has previously been granted ‘indefinite leave to remain’ in the UK also needs to make an application. This will ensure that their immigration status is updated along with documentary evidence, which is required to prove their right to work in the UK.

WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY IS IT TO APPLY? It is the individual’s responsibility to apply to the Scheme. The employer is not involved in the process, however, can an employer ask their employee if they have applied, given the serious consequences of an application not being made? The advice is that you shouldn’t ask your employee and you shouldn’t ask to see any evidence of an application or their status. The reason for this is any questions of this nature could be seen to be discriminatory as they link directly to an individual’s nationality and/or race. As an employer, if you are concerned that your employee has not made an application and they should have done, you could prompt a discussion by asking them whether they need any help or guidance with an application to the Scheme. DO YOU NEED TO CARRY OUT RETROSPECTIVE CHECKS ON EMPLOYEES? So long as you carried out the appropriate checks for EU nationals in your employment before 1 January 2021, you don’t need to repeat the process. You also don’t need to carry out any checks on these employees to confirm they have been granted ‘presettled’ or ‘settled’ status. DO YOU NEED ANY OTHER EMPLOYMENTRELATED INFORMATION OR ASSISTANCE? If you would like any further guidance or assistance in relation to this topic or any other employmentrelated topic, I am here to help – able to offer advice and provide information as needed. The following are typically some of the areas I support businesses with: 22

• Employee relations – disciplinaries, grievances, whistleblowing, bullying and harassment

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• Pay and benefits – pay structures and job evaluation • Reorganisation and redundancy

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The Hiking Household Contact Information: Email: laura@thehikinghousehold. com Website: www.thehikinghousehold.com Instagram: thehikinghousehold

The Hiking Household is designed to be a go-to guide for families of all abilities who are keen to get outside with their brood! Whether you have one baby, two toddlers or are a family of 6, like myself, The Hiking Household is here to offer you some fresh ideas to enjoy the great outdoors together. A little about me: I am a Mum to four young children six and under and a wife to an offshore husband. I have been a stay at home mum for six years now and I have found during this time that when I am outside with my children everything seems that little bit easier, they can be as noisy and boisterous as they like! Not to mention the many health benefits that coincide with being outdoors! Lockdown has been tough on us all and now, more than ever, physical and mental well-being needs to be at the forefront of our mind. I hope that my website allows you to access, and make use of, the family friendly walks that I have provided around Cumbria and the Lake District! Please don’t be put off if you feel you aren’t much of a walker or an ‘outdoorsy’ family – most of these walks are very basic and manageable for all abilities

quality of your family time. This is the time to get outside that little bit more, if the last 12 months has shown us anything it is that local, outdoor exercise is not only crucial, but advised! Follow my family and I on instagram @ thehikinghousehold to see first hand the adventures that we get up to. Most recently we have begun our Wainwright journey with all four of my children having completed seven Wainwrights in the last few months. The walks that we showcase are fun, shorter in length and little leg accessible! If we can get out, so can you :) We look forward to having you join our fun and hope that you are able to make use of the website and find some local walks to enjoy. The website pinpoints the walks starting points on a map, there is also a key showing if the walk is pram accessible, if there are toilets, a car park, refreshments on site and more!

Parenthood is full of ups and downs, often feeling at your highest one moment and your lowest the next. Exercise, and being outside in general, has been shown to drastically improve your health and mental well being. I hope that The Hiking Household is able to show you, and your family, that being outdoors is not only great for the children, but it also improves your mood and the

(OPTIONAL:Please do get in contact if you have any queries, would like to know more about any of the walks or have any walks you would like to suggest.)

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Pauline Richards 25

PAM’S FLOWER POWER

May – Lily of the Valley

One of the most appealing spring flowers, the Lily of the Valley has the most glorious scent. Its small and delicate bell shaped flowers nod on arching stems and large glossy leaves make it a welcome sight in woodlands and garden. However, be warned, its simple beauty hides a deadly secret; every part of the plant is highly toxic and can be deadly!

Convallaria majalis is a herbaceous perennial plant that is native to the northern hemisphere and likes to be in a moist, sheltered and shady part of the garden or woodland. They grow from rhizomes that spread readily making them good groundcover. They are easily divided and can be planted in other parts of the garden. The flowers are happily cut to be included in bouquets or posies. Lily of the Valley is the birth flower for May and other names include May lily, May bells, Our Lady’s Tears or Mary’s Tears. Lily of the Valley is often mentioned in the Bible, and in particular in the Song of Solomon. It is said to represent the tears Eve shed after she was expelled from the Garden of Eden. The symbolism of tears continues with those cried by the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross turning into the flowers as they hit the ground. There are other examples of folklore, the earliest perhaps being that the flower is named in honour of Maia, the daughter of Atlas as is evident in the second part of the Latin name majalis

meaning ‘belonging to Maia’. Lily of the Valley is said to protect gardens from evil spirits and can be used as a charm against witches’ spells. And as so often is the case the fairies are also involved in some folklore. The bell shaped flowers are of course the perfect size cup for fairies to drink from! Gently fairies, hush your singing: Can you hear my white bells ringing, Ringing as from far away? Who can tell me what they say? The Lily of the Valley Fairy Cicely Mary Barker On 1st May 1561 King Charles IX was given the flower as a gift of luck and he continued the tradition by giving the women in his court a posy of the scented flowers each year. In France at the beginning of May bunches of lily of the valley are sold and in some European cities people still wear a sprig on May Day. 26

In the language of flowers it is unsurprising that due to its association with the Bible and Mary, it is considered a symbol of chastity, purity, modesty and happiness. Since the Middle Ages it is frequently used in wedding bouquets not only for its symbolism but also for its beautiful scent. For some brides it is an addition to the traditional ‘old, new, borrowed and blue’ items to be included their wedding day. In Holland the flowers is often planted in the gardens of newlyweds as a sign of association with love and happiness. As mentioned this beautiful plant is highly toxic. All parts are poisonous – the stems, leaves, flowers and berries are all dangerous particularly to children – it can result in vomiting, nausea, diarrhoea, headaches, disrupted heart rhythm and even the risk of death. It is safe to cut the flowers but you should wash your hands afterwards…just in case, and ensure children do not eat any part of the plant – the berries are particularly attractive and sweet tasting. More flowery facts in coming months will include flowers such as honeysuckle, larkspur and poppy. By Pam Waggott References. www.gardenguides.com www.flowers.org.uk www.ftd.com www.flowerfairies.com www.woodlandtrust.org.uk

Spring has sprung tomato. There’s still time to sow seeds in April and pot them on but otherwise small plants are readily available at garden centres and the initial work has been done for you! Radishes and “cut and come again” lettuce are also an easy and speedy grow. Seeds can be sown outside now; in a container is fine.

As lockdown releases and spring has sprung it’s great to be outside and soak up a bit of much needed Vitamin D. Now could be the time to think about taking the plunge with “grow your own”. It isn’t that hard to get something going with just a few herbs for example. And if you can find space for a pot there is nothing more tasty than a home grown

Flower seeds are really satisfying too. Take dahlias which are pretty expensive to buy but some will grow quite easily from seed. I’ve started off cactus dahlias this year and they’re nearly ready to pot on. I have stored the tubers from last year’s dahlia crop ‘Bishop’s Children’ to plant up again this year too. Dahlias are tender and so you need to wait until after the last frosts to move them outside. Some people find they can overwinter them with mulch but I lift the

tubers and store them for planting again next year. They flower late into the season so give flamboyant colour in September when lots of other flowering plants are done and dusted. In other news, we have a pair of mallard ducks on our pond which is very exciting as they are here every day and we suspect the female has a nest nearby. But even without the ducks I’ve been seeing plenty of small critters in the pond which in its first year is already providing a much needed habitat for wildlife. If you’d like advice about starting a pond or ways to encourage wildlife into your garden then get in touch. © Karen Roberts Garden Design

07856 528893 • karenrobertsgardendesign@gmail.com 07856 528893 karenrobertsgardendesign@gmail.com

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29/10/20

James Clarke of Penrith (1745-1790) Surveyor, Topographer, and Freemason Article by Sydney Chapman

Born at Watermillock, James Clarke is remembered as author of the ‘Survey of the Lakes of Cumberland and Westmorland and Lancashire, together with an Account, Historical, Topographical, and Descriptive, of the Adjacent Country’. The Museum has one of these folios which appeared in 1787 containing eleven large engraved maps. They demonstrate his exemplary draughtsmanship, and include the first detailed map of Penrith and a diagram of the view from Penrith Beacon. He described the local culture and dialect and inserted a section on ‘The Border History’ which had done much to shape the character of the region. As proprietor of Penrith’s Griffin and White Swan inns he witnessed the area’s emerging tourism market. Though profiting from it he criticised writers like Thomas Gray, and fellow Cumbrian the Rev. William Gilpin who had encouraged a new breed of traveller to search

for ‘picturesque’ views. Clarke poked fun at the antics of their readers and their enthusiasm for mountain views. He disregards the higher ground, concentrating on the routes between Penrith and Ambleside. This focus was emphasised in the title of the third, more portable, quarto edition ‘by the Late James Clarke’, published in 1793: ‘Plans of the Lakes … with an Accurate Survey of the Roads Leading to them from Penrith, Keswick, &c.’. The Museum also holds a copy of this rarity, bound in original drab paper-covered boards. Interested in agricultural improvement and trades Clarke highlighted the diversity of Penrith’s thriving rural economy. He provides a plan of the town with a key to the location

of its markets, described as ‘disposed in a manner truly astonishing in so small a town: the wheat-market is in one part of the town; rye and potatoes in another; barley in another; oats and pease in another; live-cattle, horses, and hogs have also their distinct markets’. He was an active Freemason holding office in Penrith’s first Masonic Lodge, ‘Unanimity’, founded in 1776. The ‘Survey’ is dedicated to H.R.H. Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, Grand Master; other high ranking masons, and the ‘Brethren of the Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons’. He linked a silver ornament found near Penrith (a fibula of the Viking age, now in the British

Map of the Town of Penrith

called for a pint of ale and a pipe” then “having lighted the pipe he was seized with a fit of coughing, fell down on his face and expired immediately”. In later years a story circulated that his wife had consoled her anxiety during his absence gathering materials for the book by informing neighbours of his demise. A subscription was got up for her, but he re-appeared soon after, taking charge of the provision Museum) with various orders of medieval Knights including the Knights Templar, recalling that ‘to this day the order of Knights Templars is retained among that ancient and respectable (masonic) fraternity’. On July 4, 1790 the ‘Cumberland Pacquet’ reported how “James Clarke of Penrith … went into a public house called the Blue Bell, about three miles from Sutton Coldfield and five from Litchfield,

and continued the carousing. The third edition (1793) of his ‘Survey’ stated it was being “sold for his widow” and in March 1809 the ‘Pacquet’ advertised for sale the remaining copies and the copper plates used for printing the work.

View from Penrith Beacon

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Red Squirrel Conservation LET'S GO NUTS FOR OUR RED SQUIRRELS

It's our fifth mammal in our wildlife feature, as we present our ninth localised article. I believe we really have got to get behind this situation to support the volunteers and specialists in their field, helping the survival of our ‘flicky’ tailed friend. It's one for now which determines a future. It's an appeal presented to us now and it won't go away, an invasion of nature on our doorsteps. We are so fortunate to live where we are and have this species around us, and what we need to do, if nothing else is stay alert, raise awareness and protect what we have, to be enjoyed with a little human help across Eden and our county, so that generations can continue what we do today to survive. Via email and phone, I spoke to Robert Benson, P&DRSG Chairman. I also via email spoke to Heinz Traut, Project Manager of Red My project, Red Squirrels Northern England, collaborates with 32 volunteer groups across the North of England, including P&DRSG. We are currently coordinating the delivery of the annual spring monitoring programme (300 sites across Cumbria & Northumberland) alongside local groups. Results from the last 8 years’ surveys

Squirrels Northern England. From my conversation with Robert, I linked with Julie Bailey P&DRSG Administrator/Treasurer who I’m very grateful to, as a very busy person, who has provided me with the body and soul of this update, would welcome new members and donations. Can you imagine if via this article we had a response of 100 people signing up? But imagine if they all told a friend or got a family involved. With over 40,000 people reading this magazine, I hope we can do better than that. But first, a short piece from Heinz Traut.

have demonstrated that the red squirrel range in Northern England has been maintained by the efforts of local groups like P&DRSG. This year will be our 9th year of the survey and we look forward to the results, following the pause of surveys in 2020. And the rest is over to Julie, before I thank you for that fantastic cover photo!

Red squirrels.

The native red squirrel was widespread in Britain before grey squirrels arrived! Following the introduction of the invasive greys in 1876, red squirrels rapidly disappeared from many areas as they were pushed out by the insurgent greys. Thankfully, red squirrels continue to reside in Cumbria due to the tremendous efforts of the 16 red squirrel conservation groups in the County. Collectively, these groups, each with individual needs, make up the Cumbria arm of the umbrella organisation Northern Red Squirrels 30

(NRS). There are also a further 16 groups making up the Northumberland arm of NRS. Through the squirrel management programmes of these 32 groups, the much loved iconic red squirrels can survive and thrive into the future however, overcoming many of the challenges the grey squirrels bring is no mean feat! GREY SQUIRRELS. Grey squirrels out compete the reds for food and habitat and are carriers of the squirrel pox virus disease (SQPVD) which is fatal to red squirrels. Wherever there are grey squirrels, they wreak havoc and not just through being competitors and spreading disease!

EYES AND EARS Sightings of squirrels (red or grey) are so important to the Cumbria groups and you can help by reporting any squirrels that you see or hear about via this link to the NRS groups - www. northernredsquirrels.org.uk/report-sightings

BARK STRIPPING. Bark stripping by grey squirrels causes major economic, social and environmental damage to trees. EFFECTS ON OTHER WILDLIFE.

PENRITH & DISTRICT RED SQUIRREL GROUP

Grey squirrels are predators of bird eggs and will also kill and eat fledglings and adults. They are also known to raid nests of dormice and eat them too!

Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group (P&DRSG) is your local registered charity committed to preserving red squirrels in their natural environment within the Penrith & District area and their protection from extinction in the wild. P&DRSG work tirelessly at extending their existence here, using dedicated Red Squirrel Ranger contractors and volunteer operatives working across a vast area of approx. 650 square miles.

PROPERTY DAMAGE. Houses, sheds and outbuildings often have problems with grey squirrels – the greys tear up insulation and chew through roof timbers, electrical cables and pipes.

Continued on page 32

2020 – 2021 Keeping Calm & Carrying On

It is without doubt that the tremendous success of P&DRSG’s work for red squirrels to date has helped to protect these enchanting creatures and prevented them from becoming extinct and could not have been achieved without effective grey squirrel management and the support of our members. Red squirrels are now present throughout the woodlands of our groups’ area and we also hear from many members who are now enjoying the company of red squirrel visitors to their gardens. The regular income from group membership helps us to plan work activities and our aim to sustain red squirrel presence in this glorious part of Cumbria. MORE MEMBERS LIKE YOU, MATTER. You can help keep this area Red for both now and future generations to come by becoming a member too! please. Contact us below to sign up. Annual membership starts from as little as £20 but please feel free to give more; the more you give, the more we can do! A regular contribution by standing order would be much appreciated as would some meaningful sponsorship or a major donation. All membership money is spent on red squirrel conservation here; as one of the last places in England where native red squirrels still exist and they need you now!

Julie Bailey

P&DRSG Project Manager Penrith & District Red Squirrel Group Woodside, Armathwaite, Cumbria, CA4 9SX Tel : 07788 264571 Email : info@penrithredsquirrels.org.uk Website : www.penrithredsquirrels.org.uk Facebook : www.facebook.com/PDRSG01

Part 2 By V

So we sat there together in the safe, cosy bubble of our car. So many memories! Where did all the time go? Our lives, full of excitement and adventures, have passed like lightening and here we are, along with our peers, waiting patiently for the ‘Hope’ jab and day dreaming about......... Circular skirts, layers of starched petticoats with shirt type tops and white ankle socks. Gone were Lisle thread and even Nylon stockings with seams up the back worn with uncomfortable suspender belts and in came sheer tights which made you look bare legged. We were all very ‘with it’ as they called it back then. Gone were the old-fashioned dances and bands, our local band, The Cheviot Ranters, were all old men with accordions and fiddles and the girls sat on one side of the village hall and lads sat on the other side. Girls would have to wait until a lad asked her to dance, never the other way round. Then In came Elvis Presley, Cliff Richards and a host of other Pop singers the era of Rock and Roll arrived. Our generation became the Rock and Rollers, the Jiving kings and queens and the expert Twisters teetering around in winkle picker shoes with stiletto heels. No more waltzes and polkas for us. Blue jeans and rock and roll were here to stay. Miniskirts and Hotpants soon followed, with 4-inch platform shoes, the lads wearing button down collars, Slim Jim ties and drainpipe trousers. I looked around the car park at my peers, most of whom, like us, must be finding the ‘Lock Down’ situation difficult and, like us, they won’t be concerned for themselves, they will be worrying about their children’s health and their grandchildren’s’ future. I thought how wonderful they all are, they’ve danced the night away, flopped into bed at 3am and up again at 6 to go to 32

work, brought up families and made it to 2021, everyone a winner, everyone worth their weight in gold. They have lived life to the full through good times and bad and still, they remember how to be well-behaved. They, like us, will all remember the tension of the Cold War and the threat of the Atomic Bomb. The discussions about bringing children into this troubled world, the fall of the Berlin Wall, numerous famines and natural disasters over the years, the Polio epidemic, Scarlet Fever, Measles and all the inoculations we’d had to line up for at school. Then there was Asian Flu, Foot and Mouth and Mad Cow disease. They had, met, fallen ‘in love’ and married in a time before ‘living together’ and Partners had been invented. No ‘Pill’ so no family planning, potluck whether you had children or not. No Anti-natal clinics, no ‘Scans’ but they knew the awful fear of Thalidomide! I can’t forget the midwife ‘s words when she handed me my first baby ‘It’s a boy, you can count his fingers and toes’. And I did just that and still recall the relief when I realised, she was right, my baby was perfect.

Pregnancy was a personal and private time, full of joy, hope and not a little fear. Pretty Maternity dresses preserved our modesty. No Baby Showers, or Gender Reveal parties, only the quiet knitting of tiny white booties and bonnets. We viewed giving birth as something we expected and wanted to do on our own. Men had played their part but were not needed at the ‘Coal Face’ so to speak. Giving birth was a personal experience and women were rightly proud to sit up in bed, looking as pretty as they could, to present their men with a baby. Ten days in the Maternity Ward was the norm and new mothers were taught the basics of baby care. How to handle, how to feed, how to bath, and how to put to bed. No disposable nappies just a steeping bucket and lid full of Nappysan ready for a continuous flow of soiled and smelling terry towelling nappies to be thoroughly rinsed, washed by hand and then boiled, to return them to sparkling white before they were hung outside to dry and for all to see. No wonder children were potty trained as soon as possible, the incentive to achieve a toilet trained child was very strong.

room by another volunteer. The room is empty except for four chairs. Sit here for 15 minutes to make sure you’re feeling ok! I sit on the first chair, look around at the well-spaced-out chairs. Social distancing! Of course.

Most of us left our ‘not very interesting’ jobs, or we put our career on hold to look after our children. From their moment of birth, we talked to our babies and we kept on talking through toddler stage to school age and on. No mobile phones to distract us from continuously talking and teaching. Only one hour a day of Children’s TV so no TV screen or PC screen for child minding.

An old man is ushered in and sits down well away from me. He doesn’t look too well cared for or very healthy, his eyes are almost closed. As I watch he is slowly leaning over to his right-hand side. Oh, my word! Is he ill? Is he going to fall over? I keep watching him sinking to the right, I’m looking around for a nurse at the same time.

So, I sat there watching all the folk whose memories would more than likely match ours and thinking and chuckling to myself about how the world has changed in 77 years and how we have all adapted to change, some welcome and some not so good, we’ve coped and lived through some unpleasant and worrying times. Most of us would have left school at 15, got a job and worked five days a week, paying our Income Tax and National Insurance, and paying our parents for our bed and board with just enough cash left, if we were lucky, for the ‘Pictures’ on Saturday night and to buy the latest Buddy Holly record.

John arrives and sits down, he spots the old fellow and asks him if he’s OK, the man mutters from behind his face mask then nods that he is. Its then I notice a round black ‘thing’ on the floor next to my seat! I lean over to get a closer look, Oh it’s a digital Egg timer. I look and see there is one beside each chair. Oh! that’s why the old man is leaning over, he’s not having a heart attack, he’s trying to see his Egg timer. Thank goodness for that.

I know some would say that at 77 we’ve had our life and that it’s the young people who are important now. I have heard those views spoken and there may well be some truth in what they say but I hope that, when this Pandemic is over, and it will be one day soon, we will still live in a society that recognises the contribution that Oldies like us have made. Because one day, if, like us they are really lucky, they will enjoy being Oldies, with memories of a lifetime of, happiness, joy and exciting adventures and they’ll still be useful for baby sitting and the Bank of Mum and Dad.

I’m starting to giggle again about the timers, the nurse didn’t mention them, and I assumed we would be timing ourselves. Quite nice that she thought our eyesight and hearing was up to scratch though. John and I smile at each other under our masks and peer at our digital minutes going down. ‘Your cooked! you can go now’ says John as my Egg timer pings. Then his Egg timer pings, and our duty is done! We thank the nurses and volunteers as we eagerly head for the door. Outside again, freedom, fresh air and face masks off. Back to our car like all the rest and home for a nice cup of tea probably just like our peers! Chuckling to ourselves, one more adventure under our belt. And, if all goes well, we’ll be back in a few weeks for the sequel!

4.23 and its time to move, out of the car, stretching our cramped legs and straightening ourselves up. On with our masks and clutching our authorisation letter like all our peers we head for Reception on the dot of 4.25. Names please? Oh yes, we have you, Mr and Mrs Reed? Are you in the same bubble? Do you live together? Are you allergic to anything? All questions answered and with a suppressed little chuckle we are ushered inside, me one way and John the other, one volunteer each. All very professional they ask another list of questions and I answer as we walk along.

Thank you, NHS and thank you to all the delivery men and women: The Teachers: the shop workers: the bin men: Post men and women: paper boys and girls: good neighbours not forgetting the army of volunteers. We may seem to take you all for granted but we appreciate you all. What we would do without you! I can’t even begin to imagine. We’re lucky to be living in the 21st century; and especially now that we know about the Egg timers.

A Nurse comes forward, the vaccine phial and syringe in her hands. Coat off, sleeve rolled up, sit down please, this may hurt – Jab!! Oh! dear It did!!! This way please, I’m ushered into another 34

THE LAST WORD From the opening editorial to the penultimate page, in the weeks leading up to the print of this issue I spent hours into days chasing for information. On Page 12 we have a paid advert for a campaign which has led to a Consultation by the Environmental Health Authority relating to the Omega Protein plant. I was one of thousands of residents to receive a letter about this Consultation, this possibly was press released.

At the time there was another consultation, the Strategic Housing and Economic Needs Assessment (SHENA) also running which commenced 13th November. This was extended to 31st January 2021. In short, in the week leading up to print of the Eden Local I was told there were 25 detailed written responses, two enquiries by phone, of which one then submitted a written response for the DEHS consultation.

The last word feature - this is ‘Consultation’.

It was confirmed by EDC that consultations are communicated through a variety of media: through the Council’s website, Facebook and Twitter, as well through the local paper and emails/letters to those on their Planning Policy consultation database – which included Clerks of all our Parish Councils.

What is a consultation? Well, we go straight to the meaning or should I say the noun which is ‘the action or process of formally consulting or discussing’. Some reference to this described as similar: discussion, dialogue, debate, negotiation.

There were 33 responses to SHENA, of which 10 were from Parish/Town Councils; 5 were developers/landowners and 8 were private individuals. Other respondents included an adjoining local planning authority, statutory consultees and other organisations.

Firstly, I am not going to debate the CA11 0BX, Omega Proteins Limited, EPR/HP3238AF/V002: environmental permit consultation. There are almost 40 sections of information relating to this permit consultation. As the consultation opened 5th February and closed 31st March, the Environmental agencies site has posted 72 responses from the consultation from residents. I randomly selected 40. Most of these are against any further development of the Omega site as it has failed for so many times to control the smell and not complied with its existing environmental rules.

What comes next as a result of these consultations? The Executive will determine the future direction of the Local Plan review at its meeting on 20 April 2021. To conclude, a consultation is there for you to have a say and make a contribution. We estimate there are between 52- 53,000 people living in the Eden District. Next month the Last word might just be ‘Communication’. Should it be free or should we have to pay for it?

Draft Eden Housing Strategy 2021 – 2026 Consultation (DEHS) Eden District Council (EDC) Started 9th December 2020 and it closed 20th January 2021. I raised concerns with EDC on 18th January and questioned that during the pandemic should this not be advertised more and extended as it was finishing 20th January 2021. No figures were available on how it was progressing.

That’s enough consulting for today. My details are at the front of the publication. I hope we learn more from this in the future. 35

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