On Our Doorstep Baldock June 2022

Raising awareness of what’s on & where to find things locally

Issue 92 June 2022

Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages

Fully booked to July 2022

Welcome Welcome to the June issue!

Lovely to see so many of you out and about in Baldock over the May festival period. The ever popular beer festival was a hit as was the classic car show which seemed bigger than ever before. As always a massive well done and thank you is owed to the volunteers and organisers that make these events possible, it's no small feat.

As we step into June the festivities continue with the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and extra long bank holiday weekend to look forward to. We've heard plans of BBQs, street parties and all sorts of novelty games, we'd love to hear how you're celebrating and feature your jubilee photos in next months Gallery page.

The Big Lunch is back on Sunday 5th June, taking over the High Street. Make sure you grab your tickets early as it's set to be another sell out year!

If that wasn't enough we also have the 220ft inflatable assault course taking over Howard Park on Saturday 11th June, followed by the colour fun run on Norton Common.

That's sounds like a pretty epic day out to us!

And we mustn't forget Father's Day is approaching too, it falls on Sunday 19th June this year.

Exam season is well and truly underway, with all the

young students sitting their GCSE’s and a levels.

Just a few more weeks to push through before a nice long summer break. Our youngest is sitting her GCSEs at the moment and we can confirm the stress for students and parents is no joke. We've learnt more in the last few weeks than we did when we were at school ourselves!

Please take a read about Baldock's latest planning proposal on page 30. Cllr Michael Weeks has sent over plans for a homeless hostel at Templar's and The George in Baldock.

Until next month

Paul & Jacqui info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk or 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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3

BALDOCK TOWN U13 TEMPLARS The team has evolved over the UP FOR THE CUP! campaign, playing some lovely Baldock Town U13 Templars completed an impressive first season in the Mid-Herts Rural Minors League when they won a cup final and claimed runners-up spot in Division Two on the same weekend earlier this month.

The 15-strong squad – ten of whom have been with the club since they first started training at Under-6s and playing matches at Under-7s – beat Bishop's Stor ord 6-3 at Barnet FC's stadium and training ground, The Hive, on Saturday 7th May. More than 50 parents, grandparents and the players travelled down the A1 together on a coach specially booked for the occasion, before celebra ng the success in the Old White Horse a erwards.

The lads were s ll in bed early enough to be ready for their final league match the following morning, with a 4-2 win over Harlow Town Hawks securing second place in the division on goal difference from Bocas Jogabonito.

The Baldock boys switched from the Royston Crow League last summer, and enjoyed playing against new opponents and experiencing different challenges to what they had previously faced.

football and scoring plenty of goals, but most importantly conduc ng themselves in a spor ng manner at all mes.

In total they played 25 league and cup matches, winning 19 and losing six.

They scored 116 goals and as well as winning the Division Two Cup Final, they also had a good run in the League Cup, bea ng two Premier Division sides before being knocked out in a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Division One champions Chars Youth at the quarterfinal stage.

All of the players in the squad deserve recogni on for their achievements over the season, and they are: Callum Armitage, Archie Davies, James Gibbens, Alex Groves, Tom Hammonds, Cam Hone, Callum O'Brien, Daniel Pike, Henry Robinson, Sam Robinson, Josh Skinner, Corey Thrower, Marley Wa s and Tom Wa s.

They will collect their runners-up trophies at a league presenta on day on Saturday 5th June, and should be promoted to Division One as a result of

that second-place finish, although that is s ll to be confirmed by the league.The players and coaches would like to thank our wonderful group of parents for their constant support, driving the extra miles in the Mid-Herts League and their help se ng up the pitch at Avenue Park, running the line, being match delegates and selling tea and coffee, with special thanks to Kerry Thrower for the la er as well as organising social events.

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Greetings from the Baldock, Bygrave & Clothall Planning Group You haven't heard from us for a while but we are s ll ac vely looking out for progress on any of the plans to expand, and hopefully enhance, our town and local area.

The Neighbourhood Plan You will probably remember that, with your input, we secured a Neighbourhood Plan for Baldock, Bygrave and the surrounding area. This is a set of policies about how any future development in the area should be designed and delivered. It works alongside the policies that North Her ordshire Council will have in its Local Plan (more on this below). Our Neighbourhood Plan has been formally adopted (“made” in technical speak) and the planning policies included in it carry equal weight to the Local Plan.

That means that any planning applica on has to observe the policies that we have set out.

The Local Plan (North Her ordshire District Council) The Local Plan covers the whole of North Her ordshire. The plan currently

in opera on was wri en way back in the early 1990s and a much needed new version has been wri en and revised many mes over the last few years.

Several consulta ons have been conducted by the District Council (going back as far as November 2013). There was an independent examina on of the plan, and the report of the Inspector is due soon. There will then be a few final stages to step through before the plan can be adopted. Once that has happened, land which it has allocated for development – including around Baldock – will become available for planning applica ons to be made on it.

The Master Plan for Baldock's expansion (Her ordshire County Council) Her ordshire County Council, who own the land which is being earmarked in the Local Plan for development, have partnered with a development company called Urban and Civic. We understand that they have been reconsidering the overall design vision for the poten al sites around Baldock, although there are

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2022

no detailed plans of this yet and nothing can be finalised un l the Local Plan has been adopted. We understand that there will be a public consulta on on their plans and that they will work with North Her ordshire Council and local groups to refine it. We will be looking to ac vely work with them to ensure that the extra safeguards that we have secured as part of the Neighbourhood Plan are honoured. We must stress that this is just a design plan. Any actual building works must s ll be approved by the District Council, taking into considera on both the Local Plan and the Neighbourhood Plan.

As we get more informa on we will update our website www.bbplan.co.uk If you have signed up with us you can also get informa on via our news le er.

If you have not yet signed up then please send a request to info@bbplan.co.uk.

We are always on the look out for local residents, with a par cular interest/exper se in planning, to join the team. This is going to become increasingly relevant as we near the culmina on of the planning stages.

Please reach out to us if this is you!

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JUNE

2022

7

News from Hartseld The sun is shining as I write this ar cle, bringing thoughts of summer and the many school ac vi es this term.

A er lots of hard work over many months, towards the now completed statutory SAT's assessments, our Year 6 children are heading off to PGL for a residen al week of fun filled ac vi es designed to encourage team spirit, resilience and determina on. This is always a much coveted week away from the rou ne of school and an opportunity to stay away from home with their friends.

Our Year 4 children also spent a couple of nights away from home recently, visi ng Hudnall Park. For many children this is the first opportunity to stay away from home. While there, they spent me studying rivers, iden fying invertebrates, as well as sketching landscapes and building shelters. I hear the game and film evenings with

cookies were also a memorable part of the visit!

Our Key Stage 2 Choir took part in the mass singing event at the o2 as part of the Young Voices concerts. They enjoyed rehearsals in the a ernoon followed by a performance in front of a full house of parents and carers represen ng many schools across England. The singing was amazing, the night was late and the seats very high but it was very worthwhile and memorable!

Other year group trips this term include a visit to Herrings Green Farm and Birds of Prey Centre for our Recep on children, a Farmers Day at Cel c Harmony for children in Year 3 and visits to the RSPB at Rye Meads and Marston Vale for Year 1 and 2 children.

Days out are a valuable opportunity for children to bring their classroom learning to life.

At Hartsfield, we are looking forward to the Pla num Jubilee which brings an opportunity for all children to enjoy celebra on days for this once in a life me na onal event. Featuring bouncy castles, royal themed ac vi es and the

chance to wear red, white and blue to school, this promises to be a day children will remember for many years to come.

The Friends of Hartsfield con nue to offer fundraising ac vi es for our community to enjoy. As part of the Baldock Fes val, we were pleased to recently host a Fun Trail which saw Photo Laurence Browne many families complete a treasure hunt and the opportunity to enjoy a hot dog as well as spending me with family and friends on the school field. We also held our second pre loved uniform sale, which will become a regular event across the school year. Thank you to everyone who supported these events which raised over £350 for school funds.

During the second half of the summer term, we look forward to welcoming nursery children to Hartsfield for welcome visits as part of their transi on to primary school. At the other end of the school, our Year 6 children will have the opportunity to visit their secondary school prior to star ng the next phase of their learning journey in September.

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9

Drive Tall with the New Toyota Aygo X

Every car is fair game to get the SUV crossover treatment nowadays – and the latest one to receive it is Toyota's li le city car, the Aygo.

Add some cladding to the exterior, raise the ride height by a few cen metres and add an 'X' to the end of the name (even though it's pronounced 'cross') and voila!

Although the Aygo X looks like the Aygo city car, it's more closely related to the Toyota Yaris, as it's based on the same pla orm.

And while the X will be sold alongside the Aygo for the moment, the inten on is this new one will eventually take the place of the standard Aygo.

Only a solitary 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine is offered. It produces 72PS and comes with front-wheel drive. You do get a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or a Con nuously Variable Transmission (CVT), though.

Thanks to its light weight and small-scale engine, running costs are likely to be low.

There are no surprises behind the wheel, though. The powerplant is slow-moving, and while its looks might garner a second glance, nobody will be praising the X for its ability to move away from the traffic lights.

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In the me it took to get up to 62mph, I could work out that the Aygo X is far be er as a motor to drive around town in. First, the higher ride height means visibility is superior to a standard city car.

And, despite its passive performance, it feels sprightly in heavier traffic.

Given the Aygo X is featherlike, it can wind its way through traffic with ease.

Its handling won't be winning many awards, but it does the job, while the addi onal ride height means the suspension has more give in it. This springy set-up helps to smooth out flaws in the blacktop.

The body lean is more no ceable than in the regular Aygo, but it's not excessive. And, thanks to the light steering, the Toyota is agreeable to drive.

The CVT gearbox is okay – it means there's only one gear, so, for all intents and purposes, it's an automa c. This may make things easier around town, saving you from endless gear changes.

Toyota has developed it well, but I s ll found myself preferring the manual 'box.

The interior is nice, too, and full of funkiness. Some of it will be recognisable to anyone familiar with a

Yaris interior, but the Aygo X creates its own persona.

Of course, this is a small car, so there isn't a tremendous amount of space inside. The front isn't too bad, but adults will struggle to fit – let alone get comfortable – for any length of me in the rear.

Boot space measures up at 231-litres, and you get 829-litres with the rear seats folded down in a 50/50 split.

If you need an inexpensive new family runabout that's perfect for dropping the kids off at school and heading into town to do some shopping, it certainly cks the right boxes.

Fast Facts Toyota Aygo X (manual, Edge trim) as tested: Ÿ Max Speed: 98 mph Ÿ 0-62 mph: 14.9 seconds Ÿ Combined mpg: 56.4- 58.8 Ÿ Engine layout: 998cc three-cylinder petrol Ÿ Max Power: (PS): 72 Ÿ CO2: 109-114 g/km Ÿ Price: £16,505

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11

Screen this months new releases

JURASSIC WORLD

MEN Out 1st June

Out 10th June

Men is a surreal and terrifying horror film. In the aftermath of a personal tragedy, Harper retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, hoping to find a place to heal. However, someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her.

What begins as simmering dread soon becomes a fully formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears.

This is the conclusion to the Jurassic era as two generations unite for the first time. Jurassic World Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed.

Dinosaurs now live and alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will determine whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.

Certificate 18 Running Time 100 mins

Certificate PG

Running Time 146 mins

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THE BLACK PHONE

LIGHTYEAR

Out 24th June

Out 17th June The origin story of Buzz Lightyear, the hero who inspired the toy, Lightyear follows the legendary Space Ranger after he is marooned on a hostile planet 4.2 million lightyears from Earth alongside his commander and their crew. As Buzz tries to find a way back home through space and time, he is joined by a group of ambitious recruits and his charming robot companion cat, Sox.

Finney Shaw is a shy but clever 13year-old boy who is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of no use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer's previous victims. And they are deadset on making sure that what happened to them doesn't happen to Finney.

Certificate PG

Certificate 18

Running Time 100 mins

Running Time 102 mins Answer-phone on both numbers & will return all calls

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2022

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Family Fun on Sunday 12th June at TRY FEST Letchworth Rugby Club, SG6 2EN Superb live bands and acts FREE PARKING Kids Entertainers Fair Ground Rides Fully Licensed Bars Award Winning Catering

Adult tickets just £15 12-17 year olds £7.50 Under 12's get in Free!

Grab your tickets now: www.tickettailor.com/events/tryfest/643225

WWW.TRYFEST.CO.UK

Try Fest 2022... A helping

hand for our Ukrainian Friends Try Fest the new family music fes val for north herts are to donate 100 FREE passes for Ukrainian refugees and their hosts for Sunday June 12 th as a show of support for the beleaguered European country Joint organiser Richard Maskell who owns London Road Recording Studios in Baldock said “ We have all watched with horror and concern the unfolding events in Ukraine and the poor people who have had to flee o en with not much more than what they stand up in. We know that people in North Herts have already been more than generous in making homes for them during this terrible me and we would just like to say our own li le thank you and give them all a good day out that what should be a great Fes val in June.”

Richard is running the fes val jointly with the commi ee at Letchworth rugby club and they are confident that they will reach full capacity in year one with a fantas cally varied lineup over the two days from acous c folk to hard rock and live DJs as well as many amusements for

Success For St Marys younger members who are coming.

Dave Sharp of DB Sharp and Sons builders who are the main sponsors of this years event added “This will be a great day out for our Ukrainian friends and as main sponsors we want to extend a further ten pound each so they can enjoy some extra hospitality on us!“ The free passes may be obtained by phoning joint organiser Brian Burke who is hos ng the folk stage on 07768274037. ….. and vouchers for the hospitality will be given out on the day once you have arrived ( names will be on an envelope) .

Tickets for Try Fest are s ll available and can be purchased by going to the Try Fest site as in the advert next door!

It will be a great family day not to be missed !

BB

St. Mary's boys football team defied the odds to finish 3rd in the Wix County Cup. A er winning our district championship, we went onto represent our district against the other school champions in Her ordshire. This is the 1st me the compe on has happened since St Mary's were crowned County Champions way back in 2019!

For St Mary's to consistently finish in the top 3 in the last 6 County tournaments is phenomenal. We are a 2 form entry playing against schools with up to 6 classes per year, so to constantly be there or thereabouts is a real achievement and a real credit to all of our children at the school, who absolutely love their sport.

Our next crop of footballers coming through are all keen and looking forward to next season already.

Sco Hagland

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2022

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY

SUMMER 17th June

Ch lo e

Stephens-king Lots of love from Mum, Jody & La a

22

4th June

Happy 20th Birthday

Callum Knights

LAWN CUTTING HEDGE CUTTING LANDSCAPING PATIOS

Lots love Mum

June 4th.

Happy 10th Birthday

ASHWELL

Summer Haer th

19 June

Love from Mum, Dad, Jayden & Aaron HAPPY BIRTHDAY Gordon Mead

Love Anita, Victoria & Joshua XX

50

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2022

ROGERSONS REMOVALS

WESTON

Celebrating it’s 100th Year Satchells is celebra ng its 100th year this year. Many of you reading this will have dealt with us during that period but by way of an introduc on I am Alan Hilditch. I am 53 and joined the property industry working for my father many years ago, having worked for him during my engineering appren ceship.

Satchells is our family firm covering four genera ons. Over the years we have seen many fluctua ons in the marketplace with recessions, Brexit, Covid and now high energy prices and interest rate rises, so what is new and exis ng in the marketplace.

2022 has started very well with a very buoyant market both for those selling or le ng houses. 2022 is going to be an exci ng year, we are now entering a phase of new technologies and advances in property building with zero carbon footprint houses, the first of which is for sale being built by Paul and Page in Therfield in Her ordshire, we are also seeing green lenders only lending on houses with an A rated Energy performance cer ficate.

The government are under pressure to deliver new homes for first me buyers

and at Satchells we have sold several sites locally that will gain planning and help to solve this, so if you have land and you are not sure if it can be developed or have buildings that could be converted, please contact us.

The commercial market is also very strong. Some say that the internet has killed the high street, I strongly disagree, towns thrive with that personal service and crea ve and unique products, if the me for High Street shops is over, I would have shut my six offices years ago.

Satchells con nues to expand with new staff joining and appren ces star ng with us and it's great to see the younger ones mature into great members of the team. Some of our team have been with us for over 20 years like Chris ne McGuire who we all know and love who ran Baldock office for many years with me and is now reducing her hours but s ll with us and hopefully will be for many more years.

Satchells have also added Alex to the team , he is responsible for our Estate Management. We look a er and manage many developments of houses

and apartments in Her ordshire and Bedfordshire and to fulfil this role to the best of our ability, we have created a role for a full me member of staff to head this division up.

2022 will be a very interes ng year and I believe the housing sector will remain strong. Even if moving home is not in your plans, we can also offer assistance if you are thinking of re mortgaging. Please contact for a no obliga on chat, as we can provide advice and search the whole of the market to get you the best financial solu on.

Satchells is a rare bread in the industry, if its land or property related whether residen al, commercial, lease extensions, planning advice and land sales then we have a solu on.

01462 892041 JUNE

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2022

Baldock Gardens

By Graham Tapp

June has arrived; hopefully, it will be hot and dry, at least for Wimbledon starting on the 27th, not so much for our gardens because they need some rain every now and then. With the tennis coming soon, I thought I would whet your appetite by writing about strawberries; you will no doubt have purchased a punnet or two from the supermarkets or been adventurous and been to the local (Graveley ) pick your own farm. I would imagine not many of you wonder about the variety you are eating or how it was grown? Or who raised it? Some of this information is available on the wrapper over the punnet, and I doubt if any thought is given to the systems available to the grower to produce the best crop they can.

There is a significant change on the way, varieties being purchased by the supermarkets have been relatively stagnant for some years due to grower and buyer preferences. One type, Elsanta, a dutch bred strawberry, has been at the top of the availability list voted by customers as the sweetest, classed as sweet and perfectly ripe. A few competitors are now on the horizon; a couple has just started to find their way onto the shelves; one of them, a favourite of mine, is a strawberry bred at the NIAB East Malling research station in Kent; called "Malling Centenary." It is likely to take over from Elsanta due to its high percentage of juicy class 1 very sweet, perfectly shaped fruits with good texture and aroma.

Another variety now on the supermarket list is "Malling Allure". It is similar to "Centenary", but harvest time is later, so it is the natural extension to the season; it is quite possible now with other early varieties to buy British strawberries from mid-January through to the end of October.

Although giving an average crop weight lower than some others, these new plants give a higher percentage of class one fruits and are easier to pick due to the fruit being held on longer trusses.

I have managed to get some of both to grow for my own use and cant wait to start picking them for the table.

They will grow in a number of ways; I will use what is known as the table method, where the plants are grown in long bags of growing medium placed on a narrow table at shoulder height so that the berries can be picked at ease without bending down. Secondly, they will be growing in wire hanging baskets lined with a unique perforated plastic film; the perforations are large enough to let excess water drain away but not big enough to allow the plant roots out. The third way will be grown in ten-litre pots, one plant in each. I will use different types of growing mediums in each system, but they will all be inside the same growing tunnel.

I have another strawberry that I grow called Ostara; this is a variety we have been growing here since 1986, when we used to produce it by the thousands for the farm shop.

Did you know what country grows the most strawberries? No, nor did I, a bit of a shock; it is China; they produce just short of three million tons; yes, I was shocked at that too; I have no way of imagining what 3 million tons of strawberries looks like. The USA is next with just under 1.3 million tons, and Mexico is third in the world rankings with 653 thousand tons; the United Kingdom produces 131 thousand tons and ranks 13th. I'm a bit disappointed at being 13th; I had imagined that we would be in the top 5.

Another surprising fact is that at Wimbledon, a portion of at least 10 class one berries will cost ( last year's figures) £2.50. the tennis fans will eat 27 tons, served with 7000 litres of cream.

If I have tickled your taste buds enough to have a go at growing some for yourself, then it's not too late if you buy lateseason plants; you could get to pick a few this year and quite a lot next year. No special equipment or compost is needed as you could grow them in your flower

borders or a window box; sunshine and plenty of it is what they need, they can be grown in semi-shade, but it will reduce the sweetness. Never in complete shade and never ever let the plants dry out; on the other hand, don't flood them by watering too often as they don't like sitting in water.

Grow bags, or special high capacity planter bags would be a good option if you don't have room to plant in the garden. They will control over watering for you as they have perforations a little way up from the bottom, allowing a small water reservoir but draining off any excess. Bags would be the best option for beginners or early learner gardeners as they come ready to go apart from cutting holes in the required places and planting them up. Just remember to feed them regularly; any soluble feed mixed into the water would do but don't overdo it, follow the recommendations on the container; you can get more scientific with the feed as you get a feel for it and become more experienced. As with all types of growing and gardening, start small and build up from there; keep it fun and enjoyable, or it will become a chore.

Don't get overly worried about pests and diseases for a start; they will arrive mostly in the second year, but by then, you will have gained experience enough to cope; just come into the Garden Centre and ask me or look it up. Your biggest problem will be birds they like Strawberries as much as us and will be trying to eat them while your attention is elsewhere; birds, of course, won't share the berry they started nor will they finish the same one, so you get peck marks over many of your prized fruits; netting is the answer as long as you make sure it is far enough away from the plants to stop them reaching the berries.

Give them a try, even if it's just one or two plants. I'm always about to help if you need it. Enjoy your gardening.

Cheers,

Graham

JUNE

2022

19

We are Red Kite Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Service. Our services include a helpline with volunteers who are present to listen, empathise and believe every caller. They are trained to teach grounding techniques and EFT (Emo onal Freedom Techniques) and work with each caller to decide how they want their recovery to move forward.

As an Independent Rape and Sexual Abuse Charity, Red Kite offers its services to anyone over 18 (16 if they are not in school, employment or training) irrespec ve of whether they want to report to the police. We also con nue to support them as required if they do.

Beyond our helpline sits our Recovery Services in which we offer a range of talking therapies to enable people to reconcile their experiences, process them and begin to put them into the past so that they can begin to thrive and live well within their families and communi es.

We understand that talking about rape or sexual abuse is not the most comfortable topic to discuss but un l we educate people about the prevalence of rape and sexual violence in our communi es and tackle the issues that underpin and sustain it, we are going to struggle to make an impact and reverse the number of lives damaged by the effect of sexual violence.

You can reach us on our Helpline 01279790450 or via enquiries@redkitesupport.org.uk or follow us on social media.

We are always recrui ng for volunteers for a variety of roles, including on our helpline, so please contact us if you are interested

JUNE

2022

March jewellery clinics at the Baldock Community Centre are1st and 22nd of June from 11am -2 pm

Walk away from toxic relatiships One of the hardest things we do throughout our lives is to recognise the toxic people in our small worlds and deal with it in a way which leaves us in a peaceful state of mind.

I am now surrounded with the people I want in my life, people I trust. There is no one in my close circle that I don't want there, but it was a hard slog of learning lessons, which mainly consist of how not to fall into the same trap.

Unfortunately, this is a skill that takes a life me to develop. When we are young, we gather as many people to us as we can, we keep hold of school friends because they have always been in our lives, and we don't tend to let them go easily, regardless of what they do to us, or what their character develops into, we con nue to allow these people to guide and advise us through some major phases of our young selves, and the wake-up call can be devasta ng.

I won't go into detail, but I've done some pre y bad stuff in my life because a 'friend' has asked me to and because they are a friend and they wouldn't make me do bad stuff I've acted appallingly. I've lied and cheated to cover friends. I've been in rela onships that with the benefit of hindsight, horrify me.

The thing is, you don't know that you are in a toxic rela onship un l you are

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out of it. The real horror comes when you wake up and you realise what you have done, what you have allowed to be done to you and perhaps others because you were loyal to a friend or trying to keep a roman c rela onship going. Some mes you know its wrong but maybe for the sake of the kids or because you are lost and don't know what to do about it, you keep going because you are sure things will change.

I'm fairly sure that people are not inherently toxic, just certain pairings.

What I mean is that there are partnerships/friendships that enhance each other and have only the absolute best of inten ons for each other, if you then take the same two people and pair them with someone else the poison just starts to seep out of them over me. Its such a slow process that neither person knows what's going on un l it's too late.

They were right when they said, 'With age comes experience.' While I've not perfected the art, I am now in a place where I can tell if a person will be toxic for me, but this s ll takes some me and occasionally I get it wrong. I guess it's because I want to believe that a new friendship will not only last but be good for me. Its no longer such a big deal to absent myself from them. I'm done with the 'big scene' and now just walk away slowly. The trouble is, that you have to

lower the emo onal barriers in order to let new people into your life, you have to take the chance. Because if you didn't how would you know? Living a life closed to new people is no life at all.

If I were to presume to offer advise I think it would be this; Listen to the people in your life that you trust. Hear what they are telling you about that person, because they see it, they see everything you can't or won't. Listen to yourself if you are uncomfortable, unhappy, or suffering. Muster all the courage you have and walk away. It's easier said than done I know, it's hard to walk away, but your emo onal health (and some mes physical health) depends upon it.

Not to make light of a serious subject, but a er eighteen years, I've just extradited myself from a toxic rela onship with my phone company.

It's taken me weeks of phone calls and I'm finally free. Of course, they want me back now, but I won't go back. I've been ignored and treated like a fool, and I realise, they only want me for my money. Trust me, from one friend to another, stay away from Virgin media.

Nicky

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Bouncy Castle Hire

M. 07884 430741 E. claire@goodridgeaccountants.co.uk W. www.goodridgeaccountants.co.uk

All Boiler Maintenance, Serving & Repairs

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JUNE

2022

SUPPORT TO SPORT & EXERCISE There are people that are mad for sport and addicted to workouts but if you are not one of them, then deciding to get fi er may not necessarily be on your agenda. We've all been there – joined an exercise class and the person next to you bends double while you are s ll thinking about it.

At Amber Health treat elite athletes and all kinds of sports people, helping them to maintain fitness and recover from injury through Osteopathy and Sports Massage. But we also see people who don't exercise but know that they need to get fi er.

Why is exercise so good for us? It increases cardiovascular health, keeps you flexible, improves strength and is very good for your mental health too.

Staying fit and exercising will prevent problems developing in later in life allowing you to keep doing the things you love to do.

Ge ng started if you don't do any exercise currently, can seem hard.

Advice given is o en to park at the

other end of the supermarket carpark or walk instead of using the bus. All great stuff but if you are carrying a few extra pounds and get out of breath easily, then making these adjustments may not be simple and you may risk injury or aggrava ng exis ng health condi ons.

The start of every journey begins with the first step and there is one thing we can all generally do is walk and many people in the last 2 years discovered the joy of a stroll. Build up the distance according to how you feel and soon you'll find you can go further. Aim for a daily walk – ask a friend to join you.

No ma er how unfit you are, even if your last bit of exercise was the egg and spoon race at school, we'll help you.

Having a quick skeletal check with an Osteopath to avoid developing injury is a good place to start. Our Sports Massage Therapist can help too with exercise advice and massage to prepare you for your chosen ac vity.

The Team at Amber Health 01462 490141

Call now 07821 406265 Ÿ Specialising in UPVC locks and

handles Ÿ All Lock and handle repairs and

replacements Ÿ Window hinges/handles/locks Ÿ Door alignments

Excellent & professional service 10% off when quoting “On Our Doorstep”

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Chiropodist

07957 544054

Karen Perry 'Custom Fit Supportive Orthotics’ Home Visits or Baldock Surgery

ACCSLtd

Window Cleaning 20 years experience Reliable and efficient

07957 544054

Curtains, Duvets & bedding

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IAN SIMPSON Carpentry and Joinery All aspects of carpentry work undertaken Kitchen, Bedrooms, Doors, Windows 25 years experience Free estimates Please call 01462 851695 or 07967162448 E-mail ij_simpson@hotmail.com

24

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2022

4 Sun Street, Baldock. Sg7 6QA 2c St Francis Way, Shefford. Sg17 5DZ

PodZilla™ Flexible Tripod, a useful addition for Content Creators As suddenly as it was very quiet two years ago, suddenly a of slew of technology has arrived this week, giving me plenty to think about over the summer months.

The first piece of tech is a very cool and useful gadget aimed at content creators, but also for day to day smartphone and camera users..

The Joby Podzilla is a flexible tripod mount that can pre y much fit or be fi ed anywhere to secure your camera or smartphone in place.

The Podzilla is a simple and secure device which can stand rigidly as a mini tripod or be wrapped around items such as tree branches, chair legs are even your arm, to provide the most

effec ve and edgy of shots.

Along with the Podzilla tripod, you also receive the GripTight™ 360 Phone Mount which safely clamps your phone in place and allows for 360-degree rota on for horizontal and ver cal video shots.

The phone mount also includes addi onal mounts for compa ble microphones and lights to give you even more of an edge.

The Podzilla doubles as a grip, if you want to use it, so it's a jack of all trades!

The device has been built using an aluminium flexible core, which makes bending the three legs extremely easy, but also incredibly grippy too combined with its rubber grip.

It's lightweight at .25kg and has a 1/4" inch standard tripod mount with a flexible ball-head with push-bu on locking. The phone clamp can handle smartphone widths of between 6,7 8.8cm.

I've used mini tripods before, but this is my first chance with a flexible type and I found it fun to use and very useful.

I was able to film hands-on videos and use if with my ac on camera to get some cool footage, all in all, I'm impressed and at around £35 for the full kit, I thought it was extremely good value for such a high-quality product.

The Joby Podzilla is available from joby.com

Matt WWW.THEGADGETMAN.ORG.UK

DEADLINE for our JULY issue is 16th JUNE

Your Local Home Improvement Specialists

07572 532618 www.bb-carpentry.co.uk

JUNE

2022

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‘WE GUARANTEE TO BEAT* your existing home insurance renewal quote in the SG postcode.’

For most people their home is the biggest investment they will ever make and the things they keep in it are their most prized possessions.

As your local broker our role is to select the policy most suited to your individual needs.

Ensuring peace of mind for our customers is at the heart of what we do.

To make sure your most treasured possessions are properly covered contact the Emperor of insurance.

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2022

* T&C APPLY

Weston Way Nursery Teddy Bears Picnic A er being rained off in the first week of the Baldock Fes val, Weston Way Nursery eventually got to enjoy their annual Teddy Bears Picnic on Wednesday 18 May in glorious sunshine. Children and adults aplenty, arrived clutching their bears ready to enjoy their tasty picnics. One child even brought Paddington Bear to the picnic (who we suspect had his favourite marmalade sandwiches packed especially for the event!) Families took the opportunity to chat to others whilst exploring our beau ful surroundings. The event was supported by Premier Educa on who came along to allow the children opportuni es to explore mul sports, yet the archery was so popular,

children were determined to take aim in their efforts to hit the bullseye! Alongside this, was a teddy bear raffle so many families took home more bears than they arrived with and there was also the opportunity to paint a pebble which will

be added to our fairy garden in the near future. Throughout the a ernoon, the sound of laughter and people cha ng filled the air and seeing so many smiling people illuminated the garden.

In the words of Henry Hall: “If you go down in the woods today, you're sure of a big surprise If you go down in the woods today, you'd be er go in disguise For every bear that ever there was Will gather there for certain because Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic Every teddy bear who's been good is sure of a treat today There's lots of marvellous things to eat and wonderful games to play Beneath the trees where nobody sees They'll hide and seek as long as they please That's the way the teddy bears have their picnic…”

Thank you to all of the families (past, present and future) who supported us at the event. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Mrs Kelly Nichol, Weston Way Nursery Headteacher

Advertising from £20 per Issue info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Raising awareness of what’s on & where to find things locally

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www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk villages

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Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding

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of what’s on & where to find things locally

2022

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Vehicle Accident Repair Specialists

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2022

Slimming Wld Recipe Supplied by

Kirsty Brown

Barbecue Pulled Pork Wondering how to make pulled pork that falls apart beautifully?

Cooking it low and slow is the answer!

Our Syn-free BBQ pulled pork is brilliant in a butty.

Enjoy with delicious summer slaw!

8 hours 25 minutes Serves 4 k

Ingredients Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

500g passata 5 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp mustard powder 2 garlic cloves, crushed 3 level tbsp sweetener 1.5-2kg pork shoulder, visible fat removed

Method 1. In a small bowl, mix the passata, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, mustard powder, garlic, sweetener and seasoning. Transfer to a small pan and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.

2. Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan until hot, then sear the pork on all sides. Transfer to a slow cooker, coat with the sauce and cook for 8-12 hours on low.

3. Remove the pork from the slow cooker and place on a cutting board. Allow the meat to cool for approximately 15 minutes, then shred into bitesized pieces using two forks.

4. Remove the sauce from the pan and set aside to drizzle over the meat later.

Come & Join Us! Mondays at 5pm & 7pm Tuesdays at 9:15am Baldock United Reformed Church White Horse Street Call Kirsty on 07517944461

07572 532618 www.bb-carpentry.co.uk JUNE

2022

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PLANNING APPLICATION YOUR VIEWS ARE REQUESTED Temporary Change Of Use For 3 Years Templars, 20 High Street Planning Applica on 22/00927/FP The owners of the above have submi ed a planning applica on to fashion 10 new en-suite units for the homeless, in the former downstairs bar area. This will be in addi on to the dozen or so units already in situ.

In the wider public interest I am seeking the views of this community.

As it stands at this moment, this applica on will judged and decided by a planning officer. If this ma er is 'called in' by a councillor, it will be deferred to the planning commi ee for a decision.

Do let me know your thoughts and I will address them all appropriately; michael.weeks@northherts.gov.uk Considera ons in support or against should be sent to planning.control@northherts.gov.uk Regards Cllr Michael Weeks Follow the QR code to Northherts council website to leave your view 30

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2022

Is Pilates the best exercise for me? *What does Pilates do?

Pilates lengthens and stretches all the major muscle groups in the body in a balanced fashion. It improves flexibility, strength, balance and body awareness. *How is Pilates different from Yoga?

Pilates is partly inspired by yoga but is different in one key respect – yoga is made up of a series of sta c postures, while Pilates is based on pu ng yourself into unstable postures and challenging your body by moving your limbs.

For instance, imagine you are lying on your back, with bent knees and both feet on the floor. A Pilates exercise may involve straightening one leg so that your toes point to the ceiling, and using the other leg to slowly raise and lower your body. You need ght abdominal and bu ock muscles to keep your hips square, and focused a en on to stop yourself from pping over. *Does Pilates make you sweat?

In Pilates, your muscles are never worked to exhaus on, so there is no swea ng or straining, just intense concentra on. The workout consists of a variety of exercise sequences that are performed in low repe ons, usually five to ten mes, over a session of 60 minutes. *Am I fit enough to do Pilates?

The Pilates method is taught to suit each person in the class and exercises are adapted as required to ensure they are appropriate for everyone. Due to the individual a en on, this method can suit everybody from elite athletes to people with limited mobility, pregnant women and people with low fitness levels.

*I've never done Pilates before, what's the best way to start?

All of our classes at The Pilates Corner, Baldock are suitable for both beginners and more experienced par cipants, we offer classes during the day me, evening and weekends. Get in touch and you can come in for an induc on to see what it's like before joining a class.

We are now offering 6-week long Beginner courses. Star ng on Friday, 10th June from 11:00am-12:00pm. You don't need any experience to a end just the willingness to learn. We provide everything else you need!

On Our Doorstep readers can take £10 off the course price (Usually £97) with the code JUNEMAG. Spaces are limited to 10 per course so visit www.thepilatescorner.org/beginners to book your place today.

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Serving the people of Hertfordshire for 26 years

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Looking Forward to the

CONGRATULATIONS

Jubilee Celebrations The Jubilee is proving to be a wonderful opportunity to get cra y with the children! We have created our bun ng for the Preschool using our hands and feet; folded some retro Union Jack Fortune Tellers; and our ssue paper Union Jack is a work in progress and is a great way to get our children working their li le finger muscles!

We are also ge ng involved in the Weston village Jubilee celebra ons by taking part in the Church Flower Fes val over the bank holiday weekend. Rather than s cking to tradi onal flower arranging we have decided to take part using our beau fully cra ed paper flowers. The children have really enjoyed choosing their favourite colours and making extra flowers to take home for their parents.

We have been talking to the children about the Queen and the Royal Family, and we have lots of fun pretending to be the different members. The children feel the Queen is “very old…….and has been working for a very long me”.

We will be having a li le red, white, and blue party, and will be baking and decora ng our royal crowns. We have also collected s cks from our beau ful countryside so that we can make ribbon wands to ignite the children's imagina ons.

Peanuts Preschool welcomes children from the day they turn 2. We offer funded places and work in partnership with Weston Primary School. If you would like any further informa on, please contact us on 07736 124327 or peanutspreschool@hotmail.com

Carol & Peter Clark On their platinum wedding anniversary on June the 2nd 2022 They married in 1962 & have lived in Baldock for 60 Years and still think it's the best place to live

Baldock’s favourite for 30 years Dog and Cat… Our hoomans went shopping and to the Bootsale Left me on my own with the cat Who pushed a plate of ham from the side Which gave me a cool pink 'ham hat!'

The cat said “you'll be in trouble whereas I will purr and be fine!”

Our hoomans tripped over the prostrated cat And dropped two bottles of wine!

One hooman shouted at the other “I saw you kick at the cat!

You can make me a sandwich for lunch with some ham, but cut off the fat!”

With that, Cat and I made ourselves scarce behind the sofa!

Baldock Bard We're back 6.30 sellers, 7 am buyers See you there!

DAY TRIPS – MORE AVAILABLE ONLINE

Adult

3 6 7-9 19 20 21 27 27 31 1 2 2 3 5 10 10 10 10 14 18 25

£35 £55 £50 £47 £39 £25 £39 £78 £49 £52 £78 £32 £65 £36 £46 £65 £59 £19 £45 £50 £49

Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Jul Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug Aug

Tower of London Moat Walk Suffolk Punch Trust & Woodbridge Hampton Court Flower Show Sandringham & Norfolk Lavender Sutton Hoo & Aldeburgh London Kensington Museums & Shopping Sandringham Flower Show Only Fools & Horse – Theatre Royal Evening Buckingham Palace:The State Rooms Frogmore House & Windsor My Fair Lady – Coliseum Matinee Norfolk Broads Paddle Steamer Mamma Mia – MK Matinee Stamford Mkt Day & Barnsdale Gdns Horsedrawn Boat Trip & Cream Tea Pretty Woman – Savoy Theatre Matinee The Cher Show – MK Matinee Milton Keynes Shopping Cromer Pier Show Hampton Court Palace & Gardens Tower of London inc Moat Walk

Twice Weekly Seaside Trips on Sale Now Thursford Xmas Show Dates on Sal e Now HOLIDAYS AVAILABLE ONL INE

I richmonds-coaches.co.uk

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2022

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June Gallery

Please send your local snaps new or old to our facebook page or email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

Taken by pilot Rob Jarvis and his co-pilot, 10 year old Amber Jarvis on Saturday 14th May during the street fair, they even waved at the tower trippers as they ew over!

"That's the way toGunner do it!" in the Daffs full house for the punch & Judy show Katy Matthews

Baldock U13 Templars before their cup game, coach Stuart Hammonds couldn’t attend the game but the boys made sure he was there in spirt.

Festival Ladies in Green

Clothall Common scarecrows - Sarojini Ellis

Felicity enjoying the day

Sandon JMI School Choir

Young Awstyn at the Classic car show

BB - Peter Gill Beerfest fun - Peter Gill

Melissa Kendall

Porsche Speedster @archiesautotube

Alistair Willoughby with his nephews and niece

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 Hartseld St Johns St Marys Infants St Marys Juniors Brandles

01462 620700 01462 895267 01462 892478 01462 892347 01462 892156 01462 892189

chrismead-roofing@outlook.com

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 Peanuts Preschool

01462 892172 01462 896322 07736 124327

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

Travel Agent Amenity Holidays Ltd

07452 832840

Locksmith Lock and Glaze

01462 338676

Mobile Hair Dresser Hair By Jacqui

07973 788418

Funeral Directors Shires - CPJ Field Baldock

01462 491149

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