On Our Doorstep Baldock December 2022

Raising awareness of what’s on & where

to find things locally

Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages

November has flown by and Christmas is just around the corner.

Baldock Rotary Club and their volunteers have been very busy over the last few weeks making the town look very festive, with the Christmas lights & decorations. The town Christmas tree has also been delivered ready for Stuart Matthews and the team to start decorating it, ahead of the Christmas Fayre. Father Christmas has already started his annual sleigh route around Baldock and the surrounds villages, spreading Christmas cheer and bringing a little extra festive magic to the town. Please use the QR code opposite to see when he will be visiting your road.

Kicking off December is the Baldock Christmas Fayre. The warm up party starts at 6pm on Friday 2nd December, and features a fantastic line up of local talented music acts and performers, headed up by Baldock's very own G La Roche! Saturday 3rd will see the high street filled with over 50 stalls including small businesses, gifting opportunities and fabulous food. All building up to the big light switch on at 6pm. The full line up and details are on page 27.

This year the towns Christmas tree, ,will be decorated with personalised baubles with names of local businesses and families. A really lovely tribute to the heart and soul of our town.

When it comes to Christmas shopping, please remember to try and shop local helping to keep the High Street alive. Tapps have a fantastic array of trees for you, in all sizes there's something for every home. For those that love a fresh turkey, the team at Oakley's Farm have locally reared birds ready to order, but please don’t leave it until the last minute. When it comes to gifts, local professional photographer David McDonald has gift certificates available, the perfect present for family's, especially those with little ones as you'll have professional photographs to treasure forever.

Enjoy your Christmas

Paul & Jacqui

info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

Disclaimer

or 07973 788418

All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however On Our Doorstep Baldock cannot take any responsibility for the content of adverts or services provided by the advertisers. Reproduction on whole or in part of this publication without prior permission from the publishers is strictly prohibited.

I’m a 40 year old father of 2. Born to an Indian father & Filipino mother. I grew up in London, before moving to Baldock when we had our first child.

I have been cooking at predominantly London restaurants for 14 years, most spent as head chef and more recently as an execuve chef for a small group of wine bars. I have been privileged in gaining experience at some of the very best kitchens in London such as Quo Vadis, Cafe au Vin, Rules & Le Cafe Anglais to name a few. I first entered the kitchen whilst travelling in Greece at first as a dishwasher before being allowed to prep fruit & vegetables.

Keys To My Dream

I lost my job as a result of the pandemic and being someone who doesn’t like to sit sll for too long, I decided to build a homemade tandoor in my garden. Aer trying it out a few mes my neighbours began requesng their weekend takeaways from me and it was here where @chefathome was born.

We offered weekend takeaways, Sunday roasts as well as private catering to local residents. The easing of lockdown restricons encouraged us to be innovave, and it was then that we decided to add our converted horse trailer to the family, using it to serve street food at events, fesvals & street food markets.

Our popularity started to grow and it has been that organic growth that has allowed us to fulfil our dream of opening our own independent restaurant, Eight. in our home town.

It has been the connued support of local people that have encouraged us to focus on supporng local in a lot of

what we do from beef, pork & eggs to gin, beer & coffee.

My ambion with Eight. is to not only create a warm, welcoming space for friends & loved ones to create memories together, but to also harness the enthusiasm of the next generaon of hospitality superstars.

We're working hard to get our doors open very soon, and menus are being finalised....

But first..... tell me your ideas to create our signature cocktail at opening. If we choose it, we'll be in touch to invite you to enjoy it on us on opening Non alcoholic versions welcome too!

As readers may know 20 High Street, formerly Templars, became temporary housing under the 'Everyone In' scheme during the pandemic. In March 2022 two planning applicaons were submied; the first to retain the 19 en-suite rooms for a further three years (22/01498/FP), and the second to convert the ground floor into an addional 10 en-suite rooms (22/00928/LBC), creang a total of 29 rooms for sheltered housing. These applicaons were discussed at a Planning Commiee Meeng on Thursday 1st December. The decision –unknown at the me of going to print –will immediately be published on the following webpage with further informaon: www.baldocktemplars.info

Over seventy objecons to these applicaons were published on the NHDC planning site, providing a catalogue of tesmonies and concerns including drug dealing, safeguarding of school students, an-social/violent

What is Happening to Templars?

behaviour, begging, loss of hotel accommodaon and loss of business and employment opportunies.

20 High Street is currently leased to Haven First, a housing charity with facilies in Hitchin and Stevenage. Undeniably their work is important; providing shelter for vulnerable people in North Herordshire. However, this should not be to the detriment of cizens and businesses. The overwhelming message from the community, parcularly the elderly, is that they no longer feel safe and that the High Street is not the right locaon for this facility. Stascally, Baldock now has a higher rao of sheltered housing beds per town populaon than Hitchin and Stevenage but, crically, no wider infrastructure of support. Without a permanent police presence ansocial behaviour connues to affect those who live and work in the town. A group of local representaves are now hoping to work directly with Haven First to address these issues. Whatever the outcome at the Planning Commiee Meeng, 20 High Street already has permission to be

converted into apartments with a ground floor commercial unit. With the imminent expansion of Baldock, an extra 3,300 houses, our town needs more – not less – commercial spaces for economic growth, businesses, and employment opportunies. With its commanding presence on the High Street, let's hope the building can once again serve as a commercial desnaon to make Baldock proud.

Dealing with property solutions since 1922

e Baldock Ber Festival 2023 upda

The 2022 Baldock Beer Fesval at Brandles school was our biggest yet, it was a huge success and enabled us to both donate funds back into a wide range of local community groups and top up our Hardship Fund, which is used to support individuals within our community in mes of need.

Brandles School has been our home since incepon in 2008 but it is a growing school with more pupils and much needed new onsite facilies. Unfortunately, that growth means that it is no longer praccal to hold the Beer Fesval on site during term me so, there will no Baldock Beer Fesval at Brandles in May 2023. However, we are looking acvely at running one or more smaller 'beer related' events in 2023 either as part of the Baldock Fesval and /or later in the year. Once we have firmed up these plans we will let everyone know here and via social media.

The search for a new site to hold The Baldock Beer Fesval in May 2024 is also underway but that is not without its challenges, given the size of site/infrastructure needed to put on an event of that size!

Lastly, the Trustees connue to consider donaon requests from within the community and are currently looking to make a material donaon from the Hardship Fund to support local families who are struggling more than most with the cost-of-living crisis

Brent Copsey (Trustee/Treasurer)

Baldock

Weekly Run Talk Run and Walk Talk Walk Groups.

(Part of a worldwide organisaon).

RTR-Every Tuesday AM and Thursday PM, gentle non-compeve 5k jog.

WTW - Every Wednesday AM, one hour walk, covering 2.5/3 miles.

All 3 acvies are Free, and have been set up to offer a safe space to exercise and talk to, and meet new people. No one is le behind as we will always regroup when appropriate.

The groups are lead by experienced leaders, around various circular routes surrounding Baldock.

There is no commitment to come every week and everyone is welcome.

Once the acvity is finished there is an opportunity to connue talking over a hot drink at Pixies Cafe or on Thursdays at the OWH.

RTR started in August 2020 and averages 8 people per session from a

group of 16 regulars .

WTW started in September 2021 and averages 15 people per week from around 20 regulars .

The groups are a great way to start your day and improve your mental and physical health. Come and join us and feel the benefits.

Tuesday RTR and Wednesday WTW Pixies Cafe 9.15am meet for 9.30 am start Thursday RTR Old White Horse 6.45pm meet for 7 pm start .

Register via Heylo App. Website Run Talk Run / Walk Talk Walk John, Mark, Sarah and Rachel

Running To Success

St Marys started the month with a year 6 basketball tournament in Letchworth. It's been 3 years since a basketball event has taken place, so we were really looking forward to it. Aer winning the majority of our games, we played Samuel Lucas. The winners of this match would be champions. Unfortunately for St Marys, Samuel Lucas were too strong for us and we finished 3rd overall; our best ever posion. In our final match, our team did performed a selfless act which was truly admirable and I'm ever so proud of them.

Next up were the A team football tournaments. We have found so much success in football tournaments over the last 7 years and went into both boys and girls tournaments full of confidence. Our teams couldn't find any momentum and it wasn't to

be this me as we finished 3rd and 4th. Huge congratulaons to our hosts and fellow Baldock school Hartsfield for winning the girls tournament.

Our school have been pracsing long distance running at the beginning of many PE lessons over the last couple of months, and the pracce really paid off at the big Cross Country event at KTS this month. Each school were able to enter 4 boys and 4 girls for both year 5 and 6. Aer leaving everything out there on the cross country field, our Year 6 boys finished 2nd and our year 5 & 6 girls finished 4th. I am pleased to announce that all 4 of our year 5 boys finished in the top 20 of 60 racers to become champions! We will be heading to St Albans for February for the County Cross Country event.

Sco Hagland - PE Coordinator

The Budget Seven Seater

All new Dacia Jogger

Dacia is known for building budget cars, but what you might not realise about the manufacturer is that it's also got a reputaon for excellent value.

Sure, you'd be nuts to buy a Dacia and expect BMW or Mercedes-Benz quality, but the truth is its cars punch well above their weight.

The Jogger is a people carrier, with its roof rails and cladded bits of bodywork giving off an impression of off-road and workhorse abilies – and it seats seven people.

It is good-looking and comes packed with equipment that defies its low price tag.

Even entry-level models come with cruise control, rear parking sensors, Bluetooth and digital radio, plus advanced emergency braking.

An eight-inch infotainment screen is added to the mid-range trim, which also gets parking sensors, a rear-view camera, automac wipers, electric windows, air condioning, and keyless entry.

I tested the top-of-the-ladder Extreme SE trim, so I also got SatNav, tracon

control, heated front seats, a leather steering wheel and LED lights.

The engine specs aren't anything to write home about, but you get a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo and a six-speed manual. However, a hybrid with an automac transmission is coming next year.

Somehow, though, Dacia has made the Jogger very light, so it accelerates reasonably well and has plenty of grip in the bends when taken at speed.

The steering provides a surprising amount of feedback, too, so it's anything but dull to drive. Meanwhile, the suspension setup is a good compromise between firm and comfy.

Admiedly, as it's a seven-seater, you might find these characteriscs don't resonate with your journey if you've got a car full of passengers. But at least when driving alone or with only a couple of people on board, it's decent.

A small powerplant means decent fuel economy, so 48.7mpg is achievable, according to official specs.

For the money, it's simply brilliant.

Oh, hang on. I know what you're thinking: “There's got to be a catch somewhere”.

Sadly, you're right. The big downside to the Jogger? Its one-star safety rang from Euro NCAP.

Oh, dear.

Never have I felt so frustrated – the Jogger has so much going for it.

Were it not for that, it's a car I'd highly recommend.

Fast Facts

Dacia Jogger Extreme SE TCe 110

manual trim as tested: Ÿ Max Speed: 114mph Ÿ 0-62 mph: 11.2 seconds Ÿ Combined mpg: 48.7mpg (WLTP) Ÿ Engine layout: 999cc three-cylinder turbo petrol Ÿ Max Power: (PS): 109 Ÿ CO2: 130g/km Ÿ Price: £17,395

Calling All Elf Hunters!

Santa's elves need your help! Aer spending me checking in on the local children and hanging out around town, they've managed to lose their Magical Elf Doors in Baldock and they need you to help spot them! You may not know this, but in order for Santa's elves to make it back to the North Pole in me for Christmas they have to go through their magic doors and only the right elf can go through.

Hidden around town, you'll find their specially painted doors in the windows of some of the places they've visited recently. Starng December 1st, they'll

appear for all to see, and it's up to you to find them and match the door to the right elf so you can send it home. So make sure you don't send Noelle Whizzlepops, the Christmas Cracker elf through Pepper Minsx's door or else he won't make it home!

You can collect your clue sheet at the Baldock Christmas Fayre from the Adopt an Elf stall, at the Baldock Community Centre, or you can download it from shorturl.at/lnMSU

You can collect your clue sheet at the Baldock Christmas Fayre from the Adopt an Elf stall, at the Baldock Community Centre, or you can download it from hp://shorturl.at/lnMSU - Clue sheets and the trail are free. This scavenger hunt was made in order to help raise awareness for a local community arts & cras group. The Baldock Kids Cra Club was created so that me and my son Henry could share in our love of coming together through art and imaginaon. It's our goal to give this to others by bringing families together through sharing their creaons and making

lasng memories. If you'd like to make a donaon to the Baldock Kids Cra Club so that we can connue to bring fun projects and affordable arts and cras acvies to kids in our community you can do so here: hp://shorturl.at/tIW59 Or please come along to our first meetup on 27th January 2023 at 3:30pm at the Baldock Community Centre!

The Gift of Health The

Are you struggling to know what to buy for people this Christmas? Is pain stopping your loved ones doing what they love to do? Why not help them on their road to recovery with an Amber Health gi voucher to see one of our Osteopaths?

32% of the UK populaon suffer from a musculoskeletal complaint. Musculoskeletal (MSK) complaints are a group of condions that affect the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. There are mulple causes of MSK complaints including direct injury, dislocaon, overuse injuries, poor posture, sprains injury either recent or previously, physical inacvity, being overweight, diet, smoking, older age and genec pre-disposion.

Symptoms of MSK complaints may include aching, sffness, burning sensaons, fague, muscle pain, pain that worsens with movement or

sleep disturbance.

Osteopathy is a form of manual therapy which is based on many different principles, one being the principle that the structure and funcon of the body are inmately related. If the structure is not balanced and healthy then the funcons is affected. For this reason, Osteopaths always assess a paent's whole body, as oen where we experience pain or MSK symptoms is oen a result of compensaons for another area of the body.

Osteopaths use a variety of techniques to adjust the body. These techniques can include arculaon and manipulaon of joints and so ssue, which increase joint mobility, relieve muscle tension, enhance blood, and nerve supply to ssues and aid the

body's own healing mechanisms.

Osteopathic care may also include self-management advice and support, health management advice, exercise therapy or onward referral to another health professional.

Osteopaths treat a wide range of condions including arthric pain, rheumac pain, frozen shoulder, joint pain, headaches arising from the neck, neck pain, tennis elbow, frozen shoulder acute and chronic back pain, lower back pain, hip osteoarthris, sciaca, knee osteoarthris, minor sports injuries, neuralgia, circulatory problems, cramp, digesve problems, and fibromyalgia and generalised aches and pains.

To buy a gi voucher this Christmas please call the clinic on 01462 490141 or email us on info@amberhealth.co.uk

BALSTOCK 2022 ANNOUNCEMENT

Greengs all.

Since Balstock 2022, back on September, the Balstock treasurer and commiee members have been crossing ‘I’s and dong ‘T’s in order to get a final sum of money raised for the 5 selected charies. Given the present economical climate, we aimed to get to 10 grand.

So, we are ckled silly to announce that Balstock 2022 raised a grand total of £15,000!!!

That’s £3000 each for Feed Up Warm Up, Stand-By-Me, Keech Hospice Care, Merry-goround Under 5s & LAKPA (Lister Area Kidney Associaon).

The Balstock Commiee would like to thank the people of Baldock and all the Balstock punters for their outstanding generosity. Special thanks to the Pubs and Businesses that gave extra to bulk out the charity amount. And again, thanks to all that helped make the fesval run so smoothly. 2023 is a fallow year for Balstock where the commiee can have a well-earned year off (and if you knew what they went through this year, you’d tell them to take 2!) Balstock will be back in the year 2024we hope to see you all there. Big Love from G & The Balstock Commieeover and out ll 2024 PS we’re sll not a cult

Baldock Gardens

By Graham Tapp

December 2022

Phenology, Hmm, an interesting word. Do any of us know what it means?

I didn't, well, I've never used the word as a description; I've depicted the effect numerous times and written about it but never knew what it was called. According to Wikipedia, It's the study of periodic events in biological life cycles and how seasonal and interannual variations influence these.

It's global warming again. I realise that I waffle on about this quite often, but this year has been an example of weather extremes and how it affects plants, animals and us. It's not my place to apportion blame; I don't have enough knowledge or appropriate skills to start pointing the finger. Something, though, is happening; back in August, I wrote a piece about the trees losing their leaves early, and they were, it was like autumn and the further East in Britain you went, the worse it got. I now have to say that what I and many other horticulturalists had expected and written about was for the leaf fall to worsen. It didn't. We were wrong; what happened was the weather suddenly got very much cooler (relatively). I wasn't here to witness the change as I was touring Spain to see the damage caused by their extreme heat, where some olive groves looked like they had been torched with a flame thrower and square mile after square mile of forest and farm was actually burned to the ground. The most shocking thing we did see was one of Spain's largest lakes reduced to a small muddy puddle. The problems they are having with their water supply are terrifying.

Some of the vineyards we visited had some of the worst shrivelled-up, ranklooking grapes you've ever seen; the leaves had burned into a dark purple and were lying on the floor in piles. Harvesting was well underway, and although the tonnage being picked was not going to please any of the owners, the Vigneron or the Vintner, the grapes tasted delicious, although, as I said, small and shrivelled.

No one would comment on the expected quality of the forthcoming wine.

When I got back to Britain, as I say, it had cooled significantly and had even rained in places. This rain was just

enough to save a significant percentage of trees from becoming entirely bald. What happened next is that although the temperature had dropped, it was still above the seasonal average, and as we moved into autumn, the weather was now causing the leaves to delay their drop. One extreme to the other, as of the middle of November, it is 17 to 21 degrees centigrade, and the majority of trees still have a high coverage of leaves.

Some trees have even regenerated and regrown new leaves, thickening the canopy.

In the Garden Centre, we have shrubs and trees that are heading for bud burst and will be developing leaves that shouldn't be out until spring next year. We even have Magnolias that will be flowering before long. And to my surprise, a local gentleman was mowing his lawn on the 11th of November.

The prolonged warmer weather last year caused problems with low-needle drop Christmas trees. Nordman's need a period of low temperature before they are cut for sale, and preferably a good stiff frost. The temperature last year stayed stubbornly above the required low level, and certainly, no frosts. Potentially causing trees to drop their needles, some more than others. Luckily we were informed by our grower that this could have been a problem; and offered to send us a replacement lorry load that had been frosted and at no cost to us, provided the original delivery was composted, which we duly did — the result of a twenty-plus-year relationship.

I am informed that this year even though we here in the southeast, we've had prolonged high temperatures, in Scotland, where our trees are grown, they have had the low temperatures and the frosts needed to fix the needles.

Varieties of Christmas trees are also changing to cope with the warming, so very soon, you will see some differently shaped trees, and the best thing is that they will come with the magic smell of Christmas.

As I've said before, Pests and diseases are likely to increase as plant material stays soft over winter. Chemical controls are withdrawn with no alternatives on the

horizon, not that that's a bad thing, I suppose, as we learn more about the effects of these chemicals on the environment and ourselves. We have started to use more biological control, that is, using predators to eat or destroy pests we need to remove from our plant nursery.

Using predators used to be a problematic proposition in that most pests are able to thrive in much lower temperatures than the predators we would like to use, so we have to wait until there are high enough pest numbers for the predators to eat and that the temperature is high enough for them to stay alive. Whilst we are waiting for the right conditions to establish, our crops and flowers are being devastated.

So global warming helps a bit by levelling the early season temperatures to allow us to get the predators in to do their work much earlier. I have never explained how they go about their wicked work.

So I have to give a warning to those of a weaker disposition; some of the description could put you off your dinner.

Vine weevils are little beetle-like insects that annoyingly eat notches out of your valuable plants; even worse than that, their grubs eat the roots off of most herbaceous plants and some shrubs or fruit trees. So the nematodes you will need to kill the Vine weevils are Steinernema Kruassei; these are, for want of a better description, microscopic worms. Supplied in a jelly-like substance that needs to be mixed as per provided instructions into water and then sprinkled with a watering can onto the soil or plant pots. Once applied to the soil, their mode of action is to swarm about searching out their food supply; when they find the vine weevil grubs, they enter them via all available orifices! Once inside the condemned creature in numbers, they release bacteria that then overwhelms the grub causing the equivalent of blood poisoning; the grub stops feeding very soon after the nematodes enter the grub and eventually starve to death.

Sorry for the description, but it's like describing our medieval history. How can you write about it without the gory bits?

That Time of Ye

Having been the master of my own Christmas for many years, I have finally succumbed to outsider influence. Let me just get this straight, I am not happy. As you are all aware, I am the Grinch unl at least the first day in December, and proud of it. I believe it to be completely overcommercialised. I close my ears to the C word and avoid all supermarket aisles that have the slightest hint of nsel. I have even been known to boyco certain shops if I spot anything the least bit Christmassy whilst wandering around in my shorts in August.

I like my Christmas to creep up on me, slowly, nervously, stealthily. On December the first, I open up my mind and say ok, you can come in now. Each day of December brings another layer of excitement and Christmas Joy. Well, not joy exactly, resignaon is more accurate. I don't decorate my tree unl the 17th, I don't go Christmas shopping unl aer this, and if I hear that Chris Rea has started his car, I turn the radio off. Having said that, I do love Christmas. I prefer the Christmas songs from the fiies and sixes, I even have a playlist on Spofy that I can sing along to. The best Christmas song ever wrien is of course Fairy Tale in New York. This is a fact.

Christmas eve is the best day ever, I am always taken back to childhood. The

more Baileys I have, the more I miss being six or seven (because I believed in magic and Santa then, not because I drank Baileys).

So why I am grumpily breaking with tradion now? My grandchildren are of the age where Christmas is excing, Santa is coming, and Rudolph is polishing his nose. Aer a heated debate with them last week, I agreed that I would decorate my Christmas Tree on the first day of December, I will make paper chains with them, and I will watch terrible Christmas films with them.

I will get through the month using copious amounts of alcohol. I believe that this is now my new seasonal roune unl they stop believing (secretly, I hope they never do) then I can have my miserable Christmas back. I do not care what they say, on New Years Day it will all be back in the lo.

As the effects of the cost-of-living crisis begin to bite harder, we can't all afford to be as charitable as we would like to be. Christmas is a me of year where a plethora of charies pop up and ask for our hard earned. Not all of us can afford to be so generous now. Charity for me comes in many other forms. Charity of thought, me, and deed for example. I like to think of myself as Charitable. I'm not a financially charitable person, I've never been in a posion to help others in that way. But I am happy to offer my

me, lend an ear, give a hug where needed, I've even been known to think nice thoughts. Its rare but it happens.

My Christmas thoughts go to all of those who give their me to others. These people are the best of the charity givers. Its easy to pop a quid in a bucket and walk on by. What's hard is to listen to a teenager with a broken heart. To sit with the elderly so they won't be alone. To pop to the shop in a blizzard for a neighbour who can't get out. Something as small as a smile and good morning can li a person for the rest of the day.

George Michael sang that charity is a coat we wear, twice a year. Not for these folk it's not. There is lile in the way of thanks and somemes the burden is great.

If you can afford to support financially, please do so, its vital for some. But the best charity you can give, is a lile bit of you.

If you celebrate Christmas or not, I wish you the very best of mes. My hope for you is that you get a decent amount of me off work, plenty of your drink of choice, and are able to be with the ones you love.

Merry Christmas and thank you for scking with me.

Don’t mess with Santa. It’s Christmas Eve and a wealthy family finds themselves as hostages when a team of mercenaries breaks into their home, looking for cash in the home vault. Unbeknownst to them, Santa Claus has just dropped down the chimney to make his delivery. While no one believes he’s the actual Santa, they definitely aren’t prepared for the hammer St. Nick is about to bring down.

Set 13 years after the first film, the sequel tells the story of the Sully family - Jake, Neytiri, and their children - as their land becomes torn apart.The family endures danger, battles to the death, and tragedy throughout the film.The couple are displaced from their homes and flee to the Metkayina’s waterworld, when an ancient threat resurfaces, Jake must fight a difficult war against the humans.

June and Jennifer Gibbons are twins from the only Black family in a small town in Wales in the 1970s. Feeling isolated from the community, they turn inward and reject communication with everyone but each other, retreating into their own fantasy world.After a spree of vandalism, the girls are sentenced to Broadmoor, an infamous psychiatric hospital, where they face the choice to separate and survive or die together.

Bruce Cogburn, a reclusive and controversial author of the famed book "The Infernal Machine," is drawn out of hiding when he begins to receive endless letters from an obsessive fan. What ensues is a dangerous labyrinth as Bruce searches for the person behind the cryptic messages, forcing him to confront his past and ultimately reveal the truth behind the book.

When you hit your 50s (and somemes earlier), you noce things starng to change. Hormones are playing havoc with your body and moods, excess weight is starng to collect in places that have never been an issue in the past, and you can't remember the last me you felt 'good'.

Your body aches when you get up in the morning, and your energy levels feel at an all-me low. You've forgoen how to look aer yourself, it feels like a lifeme ago that you last priorised your own wants and needs over those of your family, falling into a roune of self-neglect and your confidence is at rock-boom.

You're not alone feeling like this, it is the norm for ladies going through the menopause. Although it oen feels like

You Are Not Alone

there's no way to feel beer, there are most definitely soluons.

At The Pilates Corner we see this a lot in ladies that come to us in search for a way to feel beer about themselves. Exercise is proven to release endorphins, the feelgood chemical that literally makes you feel good. But did you know, you don't have to get sweaty to release endorphins? Our clients are oen surprised at the effect our Pilates classes have on their mental health as well as their physical health. Spending an hour or two every week for yourself is so valuable, and the posive knock-on effect it can have on other areas of your life should not be underesmated.

Pilates increases your stamina, energy, strength, flexibility, and self-confidence, improves your posture and reduces anxiety, not to menon the social aspect of group classes, you are sure to make new friends too! We specialise in helping women just like you feel great, let us see if we can help you too.

On Saturday, 21st January 2023, we are offering two FREE workshops to

women in their 50s to try Pilates out and see how it can help them. See our advert for more details.

If you can't wait unl January to make a change then get in touch with us on WhatsApp 01462 892 688 or info@thepilatescorner.co.uk Menon this arcle to get a FREE inducon (worth £25)

Baldock Christmas Faye

Aer another successful Christmas Fayre in 2021 we are back! With over 50 stalls spanning the High Street, St Mary's Church Hall, The Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre and the Community Centre, as well as family fun fair, internaonal food court, heated beer marquee and live music, this year will be bigger and beer than ever!!

We kick off the proceedings with our Christmas Fayre Warm Up Party at 6pm on Friday 2nd December. Our very own “G” La Roche will be there with his students from 6-6.45, followed by Magenta Slipperz at 7, then Mel & The Mannequinns at 8. The music will finish at 9pm, but we'll be there enjoying the fesvies, and serving drinks unl 10pm.

Then from 11am on Saturday 3rd December the tradional Christmas Fayre will begin with the venues opening their doors to welcome the shoppers, and the fun fair and food stalls start to trade. There will be the

r

inflatable stage by the Christmas Tree with Darren returning as the fantasc compere we've all come to know, and love, in recent years joined by his trusty, if a bit cheeky, side kick “Simon the Snowman”. Once again G has arranged a fantasc line up of our local, talented musical acts with a variety of performers:-

12:00 – Gemma Anne 13:00 – Charli Stephens-King 14:00 – The North Pole Elves

15:00 – Becky Benne

16:00 – Brook William Charles

17:00 – Steph Sco

18:00 – CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON 18:15 – Basket of Puppies

19:15 – iEgo Bianca

20:15 – Skimmington Ride.

The music will stop at 21:00, but the bar will be open unl 22:00.

We can't wait to see you all down there, and celebrate with you all in true Baldock Style!!

xxx

Lots of love and Christmas cheer to you all from us all at the Baldock Christmas Fayre Commiee. Katy, Tara, Stuart & Alistair

The children and families of Weston Way Nursery walked to Baldock Memorial Gardens to remember the past and reflect on the difference it has made to our lives today. We took the opportunity to see the collecon of poppies laid by members of community as we too laid a reef as a mark of respect to those who fought in World War 1 and to those who connue to serve our country as we also connue to hope for a peaceful future.

It was a pleasure to be joined by so many members of our nursery community on the day as the children walked there and back, and we were pleased to see the sunshine as the rain held off for us. It was a great opportunity for the children to connect with this historic event using their senses - head, heart and hands.

We are looking forward to welcoming parents/carers into the nursery later in December too as each group of adventurers has the opportunity to make their very own Christmas puddings. Perhaps you may smell the scent waing across Baldock......

ROGERSONS REMOVALS

The Bear – Disney Plus Masterchef this isn't. Michelin star chef Carmy Berzao returns to take over the running of his brother's low grade sandwich café following his tragic suicide. Bringing together a rag tag group of loveable catering staff and aspiring chefs, Carmy needs to hold it all together as he struggles to grieve, process his loss and focus on saving the business. Based in Chicago, the dialogue is delicious, the filmmaking moreish and with a stellar central performance by Jeremy Allen White ( of the US version of Shameless), over the course of 8 bingeable half hour episodes you'll be asking for seconds. Episodes 7 & 8 combined should sweep awards. A banging soundtrack to boot – it's the best thing on the box this year.

Too much choice out there?

Spend more time deciding what to watch than actually watching something?

LET BALDOCK'S RESiDENT TV GLUTTON HELP YOU ON YOUR MiSSiON!

This is Us – Amazon / Disney Plus

I know this isn't a new programme, but having experienced a bereavement this year I stumbled across this having missed the boat from when it was first broadcast in 2016. Introducing us to the Person family on their 36th birthdays, overweight Kate has a fridge full of junk food covered in admonishing post-it notes in her own hand. Jack is a father-to-be whose wife Rebecca is pregnant with triplets. Randall is a black city broker with a corner office in an otherwise achingly white firm. Kevin is a buff actor who stars in a terrible sitcom called The Manny, which requires him to be shirtless most of the me. The next 6 seasons will take you on a cross generaonal, me shiing observaon of family life that everyone can relate to. Not every episode hits the mark, but the one's that do, I promise you will have you looking back on your life, family memories and mes shared with those you love with warmth and tears to boot. Comfort viewing at its best – it demands watching with a snuggly throw and the phone off.

How to with John Wilson –iPlayer

HBO may have a reputaon for churning our high quality drama, but this documentary series by the aforemenoned film maker shows their eye for commissioning curveball series such as this. Ever wondered how to cook the perfect risoo? Why scaffolding is so prolific in New York or how to remember your dreams? John Wilson is on hand to help in a series of half hour skits that will help you how to figure life out. Somewhere between a Louis Theroux series and a roaming news report, its charming, awkward and hilarious in equal doses. All 2 series are on IPlayer now so catch them whilst you can.

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Royal British Legion Baldock

*BRANCH CLOSURE UPDATE***

As was announced recently on Facebook and today at the Remembrance Service, Baldock Branch RBL was facing closure due to the lack of members.

We were approached by a number of people today who were keen to get involved and it is clear there is sll a desire to keep a RBL presence in Baldock. We will therefore be postponing the Branch closure unl further noce.

No future meengs are planned at this me but if you are keen to get involved, please get in touch via Facebook Messenger or email rblbaldock@yahoo.com. Addional announcements will be made in due course.

If you would like further informaon about becoming a member of the RBL please visit the website. Previous Military service is not a requirement, all are welcome!

CUP SUCCESS FOR BALDOCK

Both teams went in to extra me with the belief they could win the game.

Sundon began to re as they were playing three at the back. Baldock remained strong and took the game to Sundon. It was not unl the second period of extra me that Baldock broke the deadlock with a great cross from Aran Du Pleuiss to find Miguel Groner in loads of space to volley in from outside the box, giving the keeper no chance.

On Saturday 19th November Baldock Town Youth U10's competed in the Autumn Cup final against Sundon Athlec.

Sundon had been unbeaten for two years and had already claimed a 0-2 win against Baldock at the start of the season.

Sundon made a strong start but Baldock began to gain control and had more chances. It ended 0-0 aer the first half, the second half went very much the same way with the best chance falling to Baldock when Tom Stokes took a shot but Sundon's keeper made the save. The game finished 0–0 at full me which is a rare thing at this age.

Sundon then needed to aack if they were to take the game to penales. Miguel should have made it 2–0 but hit the crossbar from a short range effort.

Baldock connued pressing and Miguel made it 2-0 with Thomas Burkhart winning the ball from a throw in and playing in to Miguel who only had the keeper to beat.

Baldock's defensive play was very strong throughout and goal keeper William Croughton made numerous saves to secure a clean sheet.

It was a brilliant game with both teams playing excellent football. Congratulaons to Baldock Town Youth U10's for the fantasc win.

December Gallery

Christmas fun on the farm

Guess who’s helping with the decorations

Young Adam with his bonre creation he made - Vicky Symonds

Sonny with his riding partner - Fiona Wotton First glimpse of this years tree

St Marys fireworks display -Emma Rowe

Redlift Hire helping out with the Xmas decs

Family fun on the swing -Soe Harrington

Janet MacDonald

Ashwell Church Martin Donoghue

Matthew Bartlett

Muntjac in Kim Wardles garden

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