Raising awareness of what’s on & where to find things locally
Issue 68 June 2020
www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages
Welcome
to the June Issue - our 6th anniversary! We can hardly believe that it's been 6 whole years since we started delivering to your door - how time flies! Speaking of time flying, as we're writing this we've been in lockdown for 10 weeks, something none of us could have imagined a few months ago. It's certainly not how we'd pictured 2020 but we're making the most of it! After switching up our distribution last month we are thrilled to be back with a full print run for June, last months mags seemed to fly out of their pick up points! Baldocks favourite pub turned grocer is still going strong with Rob slowly morphing into our very own Granville (from Open All Hours), he even has the brown overcoat! So far Rob and his team have raised over £15,000 to support local bands during the pandemic. We've learnt to celebrate a little differently too, with VE Day celebrations in full swing whilst maintaining social distancing, which was lovely to see. Lockdown birthdays are being celebrated with video calls, quizzes and cakes deliveries! We're all becoming tutors as we continue to homeschool to the best of our ability, having said that I can't say either of us fancy a career change - I never knew how much we would need to remember algebra in later life! Whilst we're all starting to learn to live with the restrictions let’s not forget how dangerous this pandemic really is. We were really shocked to hear the very sad news that Phil Hall, Landlord of Baldock's White Lion, sadly passed away,
after battling Covid-19. Phil will leaving behind a massive hole in the community our thoughts and prayers go out to his many friends and family. It's a somber reminder that we all need to stay put and respect the guidelines set - however blurry they may be. As shops and restaurants are starting to reopen and we can now say hi to friends or family from 2m away, let's all remember to stay safe and it won't be long before we can all get together properly. Until then we'll keep practising social distancing with the fridge! Until the next issue, stay safe
Paul & Jacqui info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk
Jacqui Calver 07973 788418
Disclaimer 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.
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When a Buerfly Flaps its Wings I am sure a lot of you have heard of Edward Lorenz, an American meteorologist who suggested at a conference in the 1970's that if a bu erfly flaps its wings in Brazil, a tornado will occur in Texas. He was referring to the fact that it was impossible to predict future weather condi ons if a small difference in the atmosphere occurred which could trigger vast and o en unsuspected results. This unleashed a scien fic revolu on called chaos theory, which academics have since applied to nearly all areas of human existence. This theory could be applied to Covid-19, a virus purportedly to have started in a small market in Wuhan, China that has caused unexpected chaos with regard to unprecedented death rates and economic decline across the world. Some members of the Baldock
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Coronavirus Support Group (BCSG) applied this theory when se ng up an organisa on that in some way could lessen the effects of the chaos that our town might face, and appealed to you to come forward and volunteer. You responded in droves to support the vulnerable people, who were required or advised to self-isolate, with essen al services such as helping with shopping or delivering medica on. We had been in existence 12 days before “Lockdown”, which created further chaos for some people as they lost or had their incomes reduced. BCSG responded by trying to relieve the effects of economic distress by working in partnership with Her ordshire County Council to provide fresh and staple food boxes, as well as a Listening Service to support people emo onally. So, as the restric ons of lockdown change, BCSG are s ll applying the same chaos theory to how we respond to the needs of the people in our town. It is a first in many of our life mes that we have seen en re sectors of the economy either closing or reducing their business. Some
people will have nowhere to go to offer their skills which they have spent years acquiring. We are now looking at se ng up a new service, “Bringing Business Back to Baldock”. With the voluntary help of the recruitment team of Investec, a finance company, we are looking at giving people guidance on how to present theirskills to new areas of the economy in their search for employment. We are also looking at prac cally suppor ng people to get back to work or rebuild their businesses by se ng up a “Baldock Future Trust Fund”. We will need to come to you again to make dona ons or respond to one of our Fund- Raising ideas to ensure we can support those individuals and families who will so badly need our help. When you next see one of those wonderful bu erflies in your garden remember BCSG, our efforts to help Baldock through this unexpected chaos and how we again need you to come forward to help us. Please contact us on 01462 892838 or email baldockcs0@gmail.com if you need support or wish to donate.
Earlier this year, you remember in the days before lockdown, Baldock Rotary club commenced a new project. Having already planted a small wood in Baldock commemora ng a century of Rotary's community service, the first trees in the second Baldock Rotary Community Wood have now been planted. Now the hard work begins. As part of Rotary's environmental mission, the Baldock Club have been seeking a site for a second woodland project. “Councillor Michael Muir, also a Rotarian, has been on the lookout for a vacant patch of land in the town and has iden fied a couple of acres of unused scrubland that are ideal for our needs”, said Rob Hemmings the Environmental Officer of the Rotary Club. Rotarian. Paul Redwood commented that “We have already raised most of the money for the project and we are ge ng ready to clear the land for plan ng. We already have 300 saplings being grown on and will get another 420 from the Woodland Trust in the autumn”.
It will be a superb community project providing a green corridor beside Ivel Springs containing a woodland walk and wildflower glade. “In me it will become a great community amenity for; children playing, picnicking, dog walking or just a gentle stroll in the country”, said Baldock Rotary President Prue Dixon. NHDC officers have been par cularly helpful in suppor ng the project with new gateways and advice on the landscaping layout. Clearing the land has started and plan ng is currently planned for later in the year. Baldock Rotary Club will be invi ng other community groups in the town to get involved in the task at that me. So watch this space!! Rotarian - Paul Lucke
In line with guidance from Government, Hartsfield closed to the majority of our pupils on Friday 20th March. Since then, we have been busy playing our part in the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic, suppor ng keyworker families and welcoming their children to our Rainbow Group at school whilst suppor ng those children and their parents/carers who remain at home.
Each week, teachers provide a variety of home learning resources suitable for children to complete both independently or with their parents/carers. Mrs Smith delivers weekly News Assemblies to children via our new Hartsfield JMI School YouTube channel, which has been very well received by everyone. We now have a number of YouTube stars amongst our
Lets get you ready for Summer' ' 6
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2020
staff, each delivering opportuni es for children to engage in different ac vi es, or seeing what our staff are ge ng up to whilst they too are at home. Our Rainbow Group children enjoy different ac vi es daily, o en started by a PE session led by Joe Wicks, followed by an opportunity to create a game, something edible, or ar s c. We have been fortunate, the weather has been kind and children have enjoyed plenty of me outdoors, crea ng dens, gardening and exploring nature. They also have me in school to complete their home learning tasks. The a ached photos show examples of their work. We are grateful to our whole school as well as the wider Baldock community, during these unprecedented mes, we feel lucky to have the support of those around us.
Weston Way Nursery School has remained open since the 23rd March for the children who have parents classified as key workers. Some of these professions range from paramedics, police, journalist and care workers to name but a few. The children have enjoyed coming into the nursery to use the resources familiar to them and to play in the garden. It has seemed very strange only having a handful of children in every day. The children and staff have coped admirably. New friendships have been formed and the children have adapted to having different staff with them through out the week. Staff have been working on a rota
basis coming in at various mes during the week. Many staff have been working from home. The children who are not able to a end the nursery have been receiving weekly planning from the staff. This consists of lots of lovely ideas for them to do at home with their family members. Themes for the planning have included, Magic, Pirates and Dinosaurs! I send out a song every Friday as that is when we used to get together for a weekly singing session. We are now pu ng plans in place to steadily invite more children to come back to the nursery. It is a very difficult and challenging me for us all at the moment. I have heard a number of MP's say that they think children who are 3 and 4 years old will be able to social distance! I have been the Headteacher at Weston Way Nursery School for over 20 years and I can confidently say they can not! The children are very resilient and they will get through this unprecedented me. I think we all just want to move forward into the new 'normal'.
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JUNE
2020
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#A Mile A Day Be
I have been watching with great interest the progress of a certain Be yLeigh Allinson, the granddaughter of one of Arsenal's great forwards Ian Allinson, who starred for the North London side during the 80's (who could forget his important influence in the semi-final replay result at White Hart Lane on 4th March 1987?) but started his football career at Baldock. At just 5 years old, Be y has only recently learned how to ride her bike without stabilisers and decided that she would u lise this newly obtained skill to help raise some money for our local Garden House Hospice, where her grandmother Jean works. The hospice provides free specialist pallia ve care for pa ents, families and carers facing life limi ng illnesses and has a specialised medical team of highly experienced doctors and nurses. However, the outbreak of Covid-19 put strain on their budgets, as their shops had to close and already organised events had to be shelved - so up steps Be y in her Arsenal football shirt who wanted to raise £500 to help Grandparents Ian and Jean had previously organised to take Be y to Euro Disney, but this obviously had to be cancelled when the whole of Europe was gripped by the coronavirus pandemic. However, generous Be y, undeterred by missing out on a longedfor visit to see Minnie Mouse and friends, used the £7 she had saved for the trip to kick-start her fundraising. The inspira onal young lady explained: “I have just learned to ride my bike without stabilisers. My nanny Jean works really hard at Garden House
to raise funds for them, but due to the current situa on they have had to cancel all their fundraising events and close their charity shops – which means they will lose around £25,000 a week. So I decided to help them raise some money by riding my bike for one mile every day un l the end of lockdown. I'm wearing my Arsenal kit for my granddad who used to play for Arsenal – but I also want to wear a different football kit everyday – so if any football clubs want to donate me a shirt to wear I would like that very much.” This is where I came in and decided that the least we could do as a local club was to send Be y a Baldock Town Youth FC shirt, which we had personalised with her ini als on the front and "Mile A Day" on the back to reflect the great work she is doing every day and #mileaday is now trending on Twi er. Only a erwards did I discover that her granddad was originally a Baldock player and this made the shirt even more special. Proud mum Faye said: “She's been amazing, we're so, so proud of her. We didn't expect her to raise so much money! It's really escalated and we're all absolutely blown away. We have had so much support from the world of football, everyone has pulled together to help from so many different clubs. We've had shirts from Stevenage, Wealdstone, Cambridge United, Boreham Wood, Hemel, Hendon, Adrian Mariappa @ Wa ord, Luton, Barnet, Staines, St Albans, Hitchin, Baldock Youth and Adult teams, Dan Ballard (England U17s Arsenal, Swindon and Northern Ireland interna onal) and even an Inter Miami shirt personally signed and posted to us from David Beckham, to name but a few and they keep coming. We can't thank everyone enough.” Dad Lee – who is boss of Hendon added: “I am immensely proud of my daughter. It's been a tough me for everyone, including people in football, and it's been enjoyable to watch Be y's progress to take our mind off things. I've loved spending me with her." Granddad Ian, is to donate his 1987 Li lewoods Cup final tracksuit to boost li le Be y's cause at a future fundraiser, adding “I'm so proud of Be y.”
Boreham Wood chairman Danny Hunter donated a signed Arsenal match ball to aid Be y's cause - from the club who were once managed by Ian, and who regularly host the Arsenal Women's side and U23 matches. Not only has Be y grabbed the a en on of local, na onal and interna onal football, the media has also picked it up and reported on her cause; some of you may have seen already seen her on the front page of our local newspaper and heard her on BBC 3 Coun es Radio, BBC Talk Sport and even a men on by Piers Morgan (love him or loathe him) from ITV's This Morning, in addi on to various social media posts by the likes of David Beckham. Through Be y's heartwarming efforts, the £500 target was quickly smashed and is now over £11,000, but Be y is not res ng on her laurels and despite having a couple of falls and the tears that went with it, is not giving up in a quest to raise as much money as possible for Garden House Hospice. Well done Be y, keep on pedaling!
You can follow Be y's progress on Twi er via her mum's feed; @FayeAllinson Dona ons, however big or small can be given via Be y's Just Giving Page; www.justgiving.com/fundraising/be yl eihallinsonamileaday Please support a li le lady gra ing every day for a great cause; if 5 year old Be y can get out and cycle a mile each day, I'm sure that you can make a few clicks with your mouse and help her to increase her fundraising! Juan Cowell Chairman of Baldock Town Youth Football Club JUNE
2020
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Looking After Your Health As lockdown restric ons begin to ease many of us are concerned with how we can look a er our health and protect against the threat of infec on. Like many you may wish to start by shi ing the excess weight gained whilst confined to your home. In mes of stress many of us turn to food or alcohol for comfort or distrac on. Whilst this is a natural response to a threat, long-term, can nega vely impact immunity, and our mental and physical health. Here are a few simple and easy steps you can begin to take today to help get back to a healthier way of ea ng, without the need for any special or restric ve diets. 1. Always eat the good stuff first! By making sure you have had a healthy meal or snack containing some protein, fat and veg, before allowing yourself the comfort or snack food you are craving, you are
much less likely to overeat these. 2. Don't have it in the house. If you are prone to comfort or boredom ea ng, then don't buy the foods you snack on in the first place. Go shopping when you aren't hungry and s ck to your list. Then later, when you are craving something, you'll either need to go out again or make it yourself; which reduces the likelihood you'll bother! 3. Only eat when hungry. Many of us eat habitually rather than when we genuinely need to, which makes it more likely we'll consume highly palatable foods like bread, crisps and chocolate. Wai ng un l your stomach starts to rumble before you eat can help reduce unnecessary consump on, as well as make your food more enjoyable and sa sfying. 4. Be prepared! Fill your cupboards with healthy, nourishing foods so that when hunger strikes these are what's available.
Ripe fruit, full fat yogurt, honey, nuts, cheese, oatcakes, peanut bu er, cold meats, veg s cks and dips, dark chocolate etc.. are all great foods to grab and nibble on when needed. 5. If you have chosen to eat something enjoy every bite and don't beat yourself up! A fist sized por on of a good quality dessert, when consumed a er a balanced meal, isn't the end of the world! Making yourself feel bad can be more detrimental to health than the food itself, and research shows this stress and guilt can fuel the cycle of comfort ea ng. These are strange and difficult mes and we are all doing the best we can under the circumstances. Now is not the me for diet and lifestyle overhauls but small, simple tweaks to your habits can make a big difference to protec ng your health and wellbeing.
Sophie
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2020
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CALVER
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
BROWNIE OR CAKE THE BIG QUESTION
“A girl should be two things classy and fabulous”
JUNE 17
14
TH
TODAY
Love Mum & Dad x x x
A M EHAMMONDS LIA JUNE 20
TH
14 TODAY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY FROM SUMMER TH
HAPPY 7 BIRTHDAY
Ranbir
Love from Dad, Mum & all your family x
ELEANOR HAPPY 17T BIRTHDAY TH
TH
19 JUNE 12
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2020
5 minutes with... ... Terry Cobby from *Tell us about Aqua Sensa on? We are a local family run water so ener company based in Sto old, covering Her ordshire and Bedfordshire. We supply and install water so eners and deliver water so ener salt. We are the local dealers for Harvey Water So eners (largest in the UK) and EcoWater Water So eners (largest in the World). *What is a water so ener? A water so ener is an appliance that uses sodium chloride, also known as salt, to treat hard water. Hard water contains an excess of minerals such as calcium, magnesium that can be an expensive nuisance for a home. The water passes through the appliance over resin beads and the resin beads perform an ionexchange. The resin chemically a racts the unwanted 'hard' mineral ions and exchange them with sodium ions. When the resin beads become saturated with the minerals, the so ener flushes them out with a salt solu on called brine. *Is so water safe to drink? So water is safe to drink except when the water hardness is above 400mg/l (in Herts and Beds our water hardness is between 320 and 380), but we always measure the hardness on every installa on. It is also recommended that you don't drink so water if your doctor puts you on a low sodium diet or to mix baby feed. But you can always have a hard water tap or 3-way tap fi ed, if you don't want to drink so water. *What are the benefits of a water so ener? Ÿ 100% no limescale in your home Ÿ Longer las ng and more efficient appliances
Be er for your skin and hair (especially if you have eczema or dry skin) Ÿ Much be er tas ng tea with no scum on top Ÿ Less me cleaning and less cleaning products (no salt in your dishwasher, 50% less washing powder, soap and shampoo) *What do I have to do to maintain the water so ener? That's easy, you just add salt! The Harvey water so eners take easy to load block salt and the Smart EcoWater water so eners take tablet salt and will email/text when they require salt as they are wifi enabled. We also recommend a service every 3 years which includes a clean and sani ze. *Do you have a full list of your services? We supply and fit water so eners (we can also offer a supply only service). We also are local dealers for Aquabion (water condi oners). We can supply and fit 3-way and ¼ turn drinking water taps. We are the local dealers for Quooker boiling water taps and Quooker filters. We also supply and install water filters, service water so eners and deliver water so ener salt. *Why choose Aqua Sensa on Thats easy, read our Which trustedtrader reviews. We are proud to offer an unrivalled sales and a er care service to all of our customers. We have over 30 years experience in the plumbing industry. We are also based in Sto old, literally 'on your doorstep'. * How do I get in touch? If you would like to get a quota on or advice you can contact us through our website at www.aquasensa on.co.uk, via email at info@aquasensa on.co.uk or give Terry a call 01462 835693. Ÿ
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2020
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Keep Your Rabbits Safe From Flystrike Flystrike is a most distressing condi on that can affect any animal, and unless it is caught quickly, it can be a very painful killer. Rabbits are very suscep ble, especially if they have a problem that makes it hard for them to keep their rear-ends clean and owners need to be vigilant. Unfortunately, the fly's are a racted to the smells of blood, faeces and urine, and they will lay their eggs on an animal that is injured or dirty. When the maggots begin to feast on the flesh of an animal, the results can be catastrophic, and it can all happen surprisingly quickly. Rabbits are par cularly suscep ble to flystrike especially if they are unable to keep themselves clean of urine and faeces. Urinary infec on or bladder stones can cause urine dribbling, which
soaks the fur with urine and unfortunately a racts fly's. Obesity can make it impossible for a rabbit to clean urine or faeces from its fur, other condi ons such as arthri s can make it very difficult for a rabbit to squat properly when it toilets and the fur can then become soiled. Also painful dental problems can also make a rabbit reluctant or unable to clean itself properly and can also result in a soiled bo om. The onus is en rely on owners to keep a regular check on their rabbits. But even healthy, ac ve rabbits get dirty bo oms from me to me. So regular checks must be done and even more in the summer months, try ge ng in to the habit of checking them at least twice per day. It takes only a few hours from fly's
laying eggs to maggots hatching and ea ng into a rabbit's flesh and once they are established, huge damage can be done, from which many rabbits don't recover. Generally maggots will need to be removed surgically. So take your rabbit to your local Vets so they can start removing the maggots and trea ng your rabbit as soon as possible. Rou nes to help prevent flystrike Ÿ Check your rabbit 's bo om daily Ÿ Remove any faeces Ÿ Wash and dry bo om if required Ÿ Change dirty bedding Ÿ If your rabbit has medical problems take it to your Vet Also remember to keep up to date with all your flea and worm treatments for your cats and dogs For any further advice then please contact Royston Veterinary Centre on 01763 242221 or Baldock Veterinary Centre on 01462 895579
'Look after your Pets Large & Small'
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2020
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Birding Baldock It's hard to find a silver lining is these troubled mes, but if there is one, it's that I've discovered the birds of Baldock. With the rules restric ng travel, I have been exploring the local countryside. I've been amazed and surprised at what I've seen. Red Kites and Buzzards are regularly seen on the surrounding farmland, even over my garden. With suitable habitat nearby, I have no doubt they are breeding near the town. Farmland birds are much in decline, Skylarks by 70%, Corn Bun ng by 80%, Meadow Pipits 40%, Yellow Wagtails 75%. The Yellow Wagtail is the only migrant amongst this quartet, arriving from Africa in April; the bright yellow males are unmistakable. They usually prefer damp habitats for breeding, but also make use of arable farmland. All four species are breeding locally. Chiffchaffs, Willow Warblers, Blackcaps, and Common Whitethroats can be seen in Weston Hills Nature Reserve; like the
Wagtail, they are summer migrants arriving from Africa. The two former are very much alike. The easiest way to separate them is by their song, Chiffchaff u ering their name several mes (chiffchaff, chiff-chaff), while Willow Warblers have a tuneful descending whistle. Male Blackcaps have a greyish tone with a black cap; hence the name, but the females have a brown cap. The Whitethroat has the feature that gives it its name, a white throat. The model airplane field just east of the town has not been in use due to the lockdown, and has a racted three of the less common migrants. Wheatears were perhaps not unexpected, the habitat ideal for them, but I did not expect to see Black Redstart and Whinchat in Baldock. There are less than 100 breeding pairs of Black Redstart in the UK. Winchat fair a li le be er, but their popula on has halved in the last 25 years.
Over the last week or two, Swi s have been seen above the streets of Baldock. Another summer visitor from Africa, their screeching call can be heard as they feed on insects high in the sky. Swi s spend most of their me in the air. They are said to both sleep and mate while flying.
I've also come face to face with a Roe Deer just outside the Town. We stood and watched each other for several minutes before it moved on. Now is a good me to explore the local countryside, you never know what you may encounter. Terry Brown
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2020
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Baldock Gardens By Graham Tapp
Here we are into June already, and Summer is here; unfortunately, the world is a very different place to what we had expected it to be. We now have to work under some very restrictive controls making garden retail very difficult. We have a legally enforceable social distancing regulations to have in place, 2 metres is the required distance between every person who enters the garden centre and travels around shopping. We also have to restrict numbers as we are limited to one person per thousand square feet of sales area. We are required to put in place one-way routes, meaning that no one will be able or allowed to return along the way they have just travelled. We are sorry that this makes your shop with us a bit longer than you or we would like, but all shops and public areas of retail have a Duty of care to their staff, and of course, customers. The Government has instructed and indeed is paying the Health and safety executive to inspect places like ours and issue fines or shut them down if found in breach of these regulations. Please be patient if when you arrive, there is a small queue. Better safe than sorry. Now imagine how that would affect flower shows? The most famous flower show in our industry and the world was required to be cancelled. The Chelsea flower show is the showcase for all the worlds plant breeders and growers. It is where we all go to see the best of the best, showing their new plants. The growers like us have several plants shows to visit throughout the year. Some of these shows are private, and by invite, only as they are showing products and plants that will be available in the next few years, inspiring days at these shows. These new, improved plants can take years to breed and cost thousands of pounds. I wanted to bring this to everyone's attention as I have been asked several times why similar plants cost different prices.? A simple and fair question, the answer is that leading-edge plants take years to develop. Let's take clematis, for instance, a threelitre pot planted with a reasonably standard variety would typically sell at say six pounds. It may if its a new variety cost more than twice that, say thirteen to fifteen pounds. The reason for the sizable
price difference is that us growers will firstly have to source the plant material. Probably it would be a seed or cutting raised plug plant, and maybe an established plant called a liner. The cost of which will include what is called plant breeders rights, this is a levy added to the price of each plant. This addition is paid directly to the person or company that developed the plant; the addition of a descriptive label is how it is generally collected. All protected plants grown and then sold must comply by law and have a label. Plant health follows on. All plants that sold to go into the European and United Kingdom environment must comply with some pretty rigorous inspections. When the plants are proven to be disease, and pest-free they are issued with a plant passport, this travels with that plant from the breeder's nursery to the grower's nursery, then onto the retailer. All this adds cost to the plant but ensures you are getting the best available. Plant passports ensure that pests and disease do not spread across national borders and get established. On top of this, many plants may take a year extra to get to a sailable size and quality, needing care and attention all of the time. The best plants deserve the best growing products. We use a top-quality growing medium, Pro 5 recommended by Which as the best buy for last year, we add long term slow release feeds to it so that you will be able to keep your plant in good condition even if you can't plant it for several days. We use recycled, and recyclable pots, all of our blue pots can be put into your kerbside collection, or you can bring them back to us for re-use. As I have discussed before there are some pest and diseases to be looking out for at this time of year, we have hot, dry days, warm nights, ideal for Mildew on apple
St Johns
Tapps, The Baldock Garden Centre
trees, red spider mite on just about any plant, Moth (caterpillar), leaf curl, rust, carrot fly etc., etc. Most of these are. exaggerated on poorly plants, so you must make sure your plants are well-fed, wellwatered and looked after daily if you can. Once some of these pests and diseases get established, they are challenging to get rid of and can make fruit and veg inedible. The thing to remember is that you may work on your garden or allotment for a few hours a day, but the nasties are eating and infecting it twenty-four hours a day, they never stop. Whether you are organically minded or using chemicals, you must not let up. The best time to find what's eating your valuable crops or destroying your show flowers is to go out with a torch at night, picking them off and squishing them is the most satisfying way of getting rid of them. Make sure you know the difference between the bad guys and the good guys, not everything crawling about on your plants at night are harming them, some of the most awful looking beasties are actually on our side. Searching out and eating those that are damaging our plants. I suggest using google lens; a quick photo could identify what it is and whether it is good or bad, you can then decide how to deal with it. If you remember seeing your neighbour poking around their garden at midnight with a torch? You now know what they were doing. Keep well and safe in these strange times. Cheers Graham.
HAPPY 9TH BIRTHDAY
THEO WEBB We love you lots 8th June From Mum, Dad and Bonnie xx
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Gordon Mead ‘HOWAY THE LADS’ 8th June
Love Anita, Victoria and Joshua
Happy B thday Gemma Chapman
Love Mum & Dad 14th June
Amelia Mabbitt
7
28th June
Happy Birthday Phillip & Joan Albon
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50 20
HAPPY GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
JUNE
2020
SPACE LAWN CUTTING HEDGE CUTTING LANDSCAPING PATIOS
ASHWELL
WESTON
Our immune system is a complicated structure of cells, ssues and organs that work together to protect your body. The thymus, bone marrow and lymph modes are key to immune func on as are our white blood cells which fight off infec on. When there are rogue pathogens in your body it rapidly tries to control the spread of all invading germs and gives your immune system me to mobilise and react against the specific infec on you're faced with. Here are some ps that can help you stay healthy and posi ve through these uncertain mes. Ge ng fresh air me spent in the garden even if the weather is not hot and
sunny, wrap up warm and have your lunch or dinner outside alfresco style. One way of giving your body some improvement is to increase exercise, this can be as simple increasing your pace, going up and down the stairs or just having some fun with the kids, this will increase oxygena on and level of leukocytes in the body that helps to fight off germs and bugs. Good nights sleep can help to increase your immune system so be aware of good sleep hygiene, keeping regular sleeping hours, waking up at the same me every day. Make sure you wind down before preparing for bed, try a warm bath but not too hot, wri ng a ” to do” list for the next day can organise your thoughts and clear your mind of any distrac ons. Do not do vigorous exercise, turn off all electronic devices for an hour before you go to bed. Relaxa on and mindfulness can also benefit your body and help it fight against viruses that suppress the immune system. Cor sol released during anxiety and stress will create havoc in your immune system if you are on high alert and causes other symptoms that interrupts your blood sugar levels which may encourage you to snack on sugary foods. The “power of posi ve thinking” is a popular concept, and some mes it can feel a li le cliché. But the physical benefits of posi ve thinking have been demonstrated by mul ple scien fic studies. A posi ve mindset can give you more confidence, improve your mood and even reduce the likelyhood of developing condi ons such stressrelated disorders which will not compromise your immune system. Start the day with a posi ve affirma on, focus on the good things, transform nega ve self-talk into posi ve self-talk, surround yourself with posi ve people, their posi ve words will sink in and affect your own line of thinking. If you are struggling and need some online help with anxiety or posi ve thinking, a lot of therapists including myself, are offering our services through zoom and face me. Kim Holloway – www.total-therapy.co.uk JUNE
2020
21
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2020
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Issues with the writing of Wills & Lasting Powers of Attorney during Lockdown Issues with the wri ng of Wills and Las ng Powers of A orney during lockdown It's been an 'interes ng' few months in the world of Wills. When lockdown was announced, the phone was probably ringing off the hook for most Will Writers and solicitors! People rightly wanted to get organised. Wan ng to be prepared in case the worst happened to them and their family. Gradually, that surge in enquiries eased – but it's s ll quite a busy me. So many people have had to adapt to working from home and doing everything remotely, and obviously, it's been the same in the legal profession. Most companies have found ways to help clients by new methods. At A R K we have always offered remote appointments but now they are second nature to us. We offer appointments by Skype, Zoom, What's App and of course by phone.
There are extra steps when clients have to prove their iden ty, but that's the only real difference. Whilst it's rela vely easy to hold a remote appointment, and then to con nue the process of dra ing documents; the signing part of the process can be problema c where people are self-isola ng or shielding. The Law Society are reviewing Will signing requirements, but they haven't changed anything up to the date I'm wri ng this. The requirement is s ll that the Will has to be signed in the presence of two people (not beneficiaries to the Will, so that rules out family) and that they then have to sign as a witness in the presence of the person who has made the Will. So, how can that be done in the current climate I hear you ask… Well, in most cases, it is possible to find a couple of neighbours who can watch the signing over a garden fence, or
through an open door or window. Safely maintaining the 2-metre distancing rule. The Will can then be placed on a table, doorstep etc to be collected/replaced in turn by the witnesses so they can complete their details whilst all three people are present (everyone needs their own pen of course). A bit of a faff but it works - and it sa sfies the legal requirement. In a couple of cases, with A R K clients, they haven't had neighbours they felt able to ask, so we've travelled to them (2 of us travelling separately of course). We've watched people sign documents through open doors (luckily on dry days) and that's been fine. Please don't be put off making a Will or Las ng Power of A orney because you are worried that you won't be able to get them witnessed. As the old saying goes –“Where there's a Will there's a way.”
WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY! “In these unprecedented times we would like to reassure you that if you are considering contacting us we are still here to help! In place of face to face appointments, we offer Skype, telephone and Facetime”
JUNE
2020
23
Courtlands Riding Stables & Pony Club Centre Always fancied horse riding but don’t know where to start? Why not come down and have a chat and see what we have to offer Our friendly staff and clients are always around Saturdays and Sundays 9am -12pm
A safe and relaxing environment for the whole family
Pony club rallies and activities Indoor & outdoor riding facilities
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01438 355121
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JUNE
2020
Night time BA walk On the evening of June 12th the Baldock and Letchworth On-Call Firefighters are raising much needed funding for the Letchworth Garden House Hospice Care. Due to recent events, fundraising has been minimal. The On-Call crew at Baldock and Letchworth fire sta on are willing to wear their full fire kit and breathing apparatus sets and walk a staggering 13.6 miles around the letchworth greenway. The fire kit and BA sets weigh a whopping 26kg, which is likely to distribute a helping of blisters and sore bodies. Guided by flashlights and torches, they will set off in the evening. Why? This is so that they can ensure minimal
interac on with the public and can maintain the social distancing rules. We are not asking for anyone to join us and endure this with us. All we are asking is for generous dona ons so that a top level of care can con nue to be given by the Garden House Hospice Care facility. Any dona on, big or small, will be gratefully received and will be a welcoming sight in what has been a tough year for chari es. Much love and support Baldock and Letchworth On-call Firefighters. www.justgiving.com/fundraising/bal dockandletchworthbawalk.
JUNE
2020
25
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We're planning to keep our front doors open and as much as possible our air condi oning units off – a p we picked up from guidelines in France. We hope this will keep fresh air circula ng and the virus away – we are praying for good weather! We're asking our designers to wear facemasks. So Harriet Kelsall has teamed up with a fantas c group of volunteers TrashChic in Cambridge – to get something comfortable and prac cal. And all the money raised goes to the NHS. It's a daun ng task for those that will be working in our shops. Beyond their normal job they'll be cleaning jewellery all the me, wearing protec on and keeping vigilant – this will be a challenge. Our workshop has been a challenge as it is long and thin. But luckily the more senior of our goldsmiths have workshops at home, so they will remain there allowing much more space for those that do not to work safely. A par cular issue for us is the passing of job packets from person to person. We'll be focussing our efforts on ensuring
Harriet Kelsall Reopens Balancing the need for safety of our designers and customers with the need for a wonderful, personal in-store experience is a challenge. We've looked at how other retailers are approaching this and have developed our own bespoke plan. We aren't a normal retailer, where customers browse, buy and pay at a ll, instead our customers sit down with designers and create unique pieces. So, how to do this safely? And in par cular, how to keep customers and designers two metres apart! Luckily for us, our showroom design is based around self-contained design areas, with consulta on tables to one side. So we've developed a way – using some furniture rearrangement, Perspex screens, surgical gloves and rigorous cleaning rou nes – that keeps within the government guidelines and makes working with a designer face to face possible.
everyone wipes down what they've touched – making it safe for the next person. We'll be drawing up a list of common “touch points” – switches, door handles and so on and asking the team to pay special a en on to those. Cri cal to our strategy is feedback from our staff and keeping what we do under constant review. We'll be considering asking customers to show their faces before entering and many other things too – it's very much work in progress at the moment. As we close every day we'll be looking into what went well and what didn't – developing what we do to suit this “new normal”. The good news is, we've seen an increase in enquiries as lock down eases. There's definitely a demand for special pieces of bespoke jewellery – perhaps the experiences we've all been through over the last few months has reminded us of the importance of family, friends and loved ones. Perhaps jewellery can play its part in celebra ng this. For more informa on and images please contact kate.beard@hkjewellery.co.uk or 01462 790565.
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2020
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THE ‘STAYING IN’ MOVIE GUIDE
Un l lockdown is over…
JUNE NETFLIX RELEASES
Sewing B's are now operating a drop off and collection service for all your sewing needs until the lockdown is over
Please phone 07938509672 for more details. Keep safe & stay at home.
Inside man - June 1st An intense crime thriller from the director Spike Lee. When a group of bank robbers take hostage & lock themselves inside a bank. NYPD detective Keith Frazier is sent to negotiate but things take a strange turn when the banks owners calls in a specialist to negotiate privately with the robbers on his behalf starring Denzel Washington.
The Last Days of American Crime - June 5th Set in the not-too-distant future, two men and a woman plan the heist of the century. But the U.S. government plans to secretly broadcast a mind altering signal that will wipe out crime and terrorism forever. Leaving the team just a few days to turn the crime of the century into the last crime in American history.
Hotel Transylvania 3 June 19th Mavis surprises Dracula with a family voyage on a luxury Monster Cruise Ship so he can take a vacation from providing everyone else's vacation at the hotel. The rest of Drac's Pack cannot resist going along. But once they leave port, romance arises when Dracula meets the mysterious ship Captain, Ericka. Now it's Mavis' turn to play the overprotective parent.
Hidden In Plain Sight June 1st Katie starts dating handsome and charming Nick. But the relationship soon goes from good to bad and she has to fake her own death and that of her son to get away from her abusive former partner. But when he discovers that they are still alive, he becomes intent on finding them. Katie is left with a choice: flee again, or finally take back the life that Nick stole from her.
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2020
Answer-phone on both numbers & will return all calls
Slimming Wld Recipe Supplied by
Sandra Lloyd
Roast Beef Hash Use the leftover beef from Sunday's roast to make a delicious American-style casual meal. You can use up any leftover boiled potatoes, too. And if you like hot and spicy food, add a finely chopped fresh chilli to the hash!
Ingredients Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
Low calorie cooking spray 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 340g boiled potatoes diced 340g cooked lean leftover beef, diced Salt and pepper 4 eggs 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
Method 1. Spray a deep frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and fry the onion gently for 8-10 minutes, until soft and golden brown. 2. Add the garlic and diced potatoes and continue frying for about 10 minutes, until they are crisp and golden. 3. Stir in the diced beef and season generously with salt and pepper. Continue frying and stirring occasionally until the hash is heated through. 4. Meanwhile, poach 4 eggs in a pan of barely simmering water, until the white are cooked and firm. Remove carefully with a slotted spoon. 5. Serve the hash sprinkled with chopped parsley with a poached egg on top of each serving.
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2020
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The 2.6 Challenge The UK's chari es need your help – How Letchworth Garden City Rugby Club U11's Team got involved in the 2.6 Challenge The Incredible Martin family taking part
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a catastrophic effect with the cancella on of thousands of events and the loss of billions in income through fundraising events. The Virgin Money London Marathon alone, which should have taken place on Sunday 26 April, is the world's biggest one-day fundraising event, which raised more than £66.4 million for thousands of chari es in 2019. Join the country and do the 2.6 Challenge to help save the UK's chari es. Here's how the U11's got involved? The 2.6 Challenge can be any ac vity you like – from running
2.6 miles to holding an online workout with 26 of your friends. A number of club members volunteered to help and support others during the coronavirus pandemic, not least the U11s who – lead by coach Paul Cha erton – have raised £700 for the East and North Her ordshire NHS Trust. Paul said “I'm always inspired by our fantas c group of players, parents and coaches who always amaze me with their support and generosity and genuine team spirt. I would like to thank each and every one of the group for their support in helping me to raise a fantas c total for our N H S Tr u s t . T H A N K Y O U EVERYONE from all at Letchworth Legends!” U11s Head Coach Mark Kendall commented “I would personally like to thank Paul for organising the challenge. The u11s squad never cease to amaze me with their efforts. Thank you to everyone for your con nued support. Well done.” Link to the video on Letchworth Garden City RUFC facebook page
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Mixed Ble ings The first thing I would like to say this month kind of leads me into the rest and I make absolutely no apologies for it. I was completely blindsided when I heard of the un mely death of our lovely landlord Phil Hall. I knew he had been ill for a while, but like many of you I never thought for one moment that he wouldn't pull through. There are very few that I call 'friend' but Phil was one of them. He took on and mentored my daughter when she worked in the Drum and White Lion. She was just eighteen when she started working for him and if any of you have an employee of a similar age you could probably imagine how that went for him. He was pa ent and understanding, with such an amazing sense of humour and zest for life. She is a be er person for having known him, as am I. I will miss him dearly at the rugby club lunches. The outpouring of love and respect for him on FB is only a small indica on of how we all felt about him, and I hope that it gave his family some comfort. During the last few months, I have been heartened by the spirit of our li le community. People have rallied round, quickly organising groups that
deliver groceries, pick up prescrip ons and just be there for someone to talk to. Another landlord has set up shop and is dona ng all profit to our local musicians. And the many wags of Baldock are keeping us laughing with their comments on the community FB pages (absolutely loved the stalker one guys). I've had a few lovely surprises this month. I do love a surprise, especially when it hits you at exactly the me you need it. I've had surprise brownies delivered by Baked by Blondies, I know I'm adver sing but I don't care, these two young ladies have used their lock down me to cook up a storm and they are making and delivering the most amazing cakes. I'm not a brownie lover, if I'm honest I find them too sweet, but these were just right and presented so well. Between me and the lockdown buddy, they didn't last long. Then just the other night… a wine delivery! OMG! Some wonderful person saw a comment I'd made on FB and le three bo les of the good stuff on my doorstep. By the way, I've also run out of Prada handbags. Just saying. I'm just about finished with my teaching qualifica on now, and again the help and support I've received has
humbled me. From my family who have had to put up with reviewing my Micro Teach almost daily, to my colleagues who have been on hand to cri c my poor a empts at assignments. This me last year I was wai ng to sit my English GCSE, now I'm wai ng to see if I can become a teacher. It's amazing what can be achieved when you pull on your big girl pants and put your head on. For the past eight weeks, we have had to deal with everything that this crappy situa on has thrown at us. We have laughed, cried, been frightened and been alone. We have been emo onally drained and confused. But we've come together. We are s ll together, and my biggest hope is that we keep doing the good stuff. We should never forget those who reached out to us, those that kept us from despair and those who just cared enough to leave surprises on our doorsteps. Because I feel that if we let those good things slide then we might as well give in. Life has changed, of that there is no doubt. Let us hope that we can hang on to the good stuff. Keep doing what you're doing Baldock, you're rocking this virus poop. Stay safe, erm..alert
Nicky
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2020
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Motorola VerveBuds 400 - True Wireless Bluetooth 5 In-Ear Buds
I spend quite a lot of me listening to music and audiobooks, so head-phones are an absolute must for me. I regularly listen to audiobooks in the evening, so the addi on of a set of wireless in-ear buds seemed like a plan! The Motorola VerveBuds 400 seemed to be a good balance between quality, func onality and price, so armed with a set, off I went home to test them out. The VerveBuds are very small in-earbuds that are barely no ceable (other than the bright flashing blue light!) and don't have anything protruding from them that you might have seen in other brands, so they can't be easily snatched from your ears on the tube!.
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The two buds pair independently to your phone device using a phone app, which has the added abili es to connect to Siri, Google Assistant or an Amazon Alexa account to use it as a personal digital assistant. You can also control audio, by playing, pausing or skipping forward and back by a combina on of 'taps' on each earbud. It sounds complicated, but a er a short while, you get used to it. Both ear-buds also contain microphones, so you can use them for hands-free calls. They can also be pair independently so that you can simply just wear one bud and use it as a hands-free kit whilst keeping alert with the other ear. The buds come with a neat metal
charging pod which magne ses the earbuds into place and provides several charges before it's own ba ery becomes depleted. The case itself can be charged using a micro USB cable. Once charged up the buds are switched on automa cally as soon as you open the case. Each bud tells you whether it's le or right channel and it's connec on status. Whilst listening to audiobooks, I favoured listening to the le channel in one ear. Sound qualitywise, the quality is very good, there are three different sizes of rubber to a ach to the buds to comfortably sit in your ear. The VerveBuds then tuck gently inside your ear which keeps them secure. You do have to play around a bit to get them in the right place, but once you find the sweet spot, it's all good. ABS earpieces. Priced at £59.99, the VerveBuds are not super-cheap, but the quality and func onality are excellent. Stay Safe, Ma WWW.THEGADGETMAN.ORG.UK
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JUNE
2020
Useful numbers Advice Citizen’s Advice Bureau Trading Standards Advice Samaritans
03444 111444 0300 300 8136 116 123
Councils North Hertfordshire District
01462 474000
Doctors Baldock Surgery
01462 892458
Dentist Victoria Place Dental Surgery
01763 313869
Emergency Utilities Gas Emergency Electric power cut
0800 111 999 0800 7838838
Hospitals Lister Hospital Queen Elizabeth 2 EMERGENCY HEALTH
01438 314333 01707 328111 111
Library Baldock Library
0300 123 4049
Police Police
01707 354000
Schools Knights Templar Hartsď€ eld St Johns St Marys Brandles
01462 620700 01462 895267 01462 892478 01462 892347 01462 892189
Travel Arriva Buses National Rail Enquires National Bus line
08701 201088 03457 484950 0870 6082608
Vets Baldock Veterinary Centre
01462 895579
Nurseries Weston Way Nursery Merry Go Round
01462 892172 01462 896322
Play Groups Magic Moments Merry Go Round
07709 618434 01462 896322
Plumbers Maben PE James
07949 120911 07816 586777
Window & Door repairs JML Windows Repairs Warrens Windows
01438 906300 01462 261401
Florist Blooms of Baldock
07747 195325
Barbers Micks of Baldock
01462 895002
Locksmith Lock and Glaze
07737885528
Mobile Hair Dresser Hair By Jacqui
07973 788418
Funeral Directors Shires - CPJ Field Baldock
01462 491149
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2020
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Please send your local snaps new or old to our facebook page or email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk
Pembroke Rd VE celebrations
June Gallery
Young William showing his appreciation to local Police Ofď€ cer Sean on the High Street 1949 VE Day at Weston Way Nursery
Chiltern Road VE celebrations
Grosvenor Rd VE celebrations
Mia Whitehead aged 5 Proudly wearing the rainbow
Baldocks very own Arkwright
01462 896164
AND VIEW THE FULL RANGE OF OUR PRODUCTS
Come along and view our full range of products on display in our new show room. Kindlelight’s friendly staff will be on hand to assist with any queries. Everyone is welcome. Ample parking and refreshments available.
APRIL
2020
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