March 2021 by onourdoorstepbaldock

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

Issue 77 March 2021

www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages

Welcome

We've definitely started to notice the evenings getting lighter again, which is always a good sign. Looking forward to long summer evenings and dinner cooked on the BBQ. Our daughters keep reminding us that there are just 12 Mondays left until Summer and that is sounding pretty good to us. The Feb half term came as a very welcome break from homeschooling - for the parents as much as the students. Pretty sure you could hear the sigh of relief across the town as the laptops shut on Friday evening. This next half term always feels a little shorter than the rest with the Easter break just around the corner at the end of the month. Hopefully by that time we might have a little more freedom and options to keep the kids busy. We're honoured to have an amazing profile on Jonathon Crump from the famous Crumps butchers of Ashwell written by young Bill Bowkett, ex-Knights Templar Student and now a freelance jouralist. Well worth a read and a visit if you haven't been before. Jacqui Lemon, a local Personal Trainer, has shared some of her ‘at home’ workout tips with us this month. Check them out on page 26. It's fantastic to see the vaccine roll out continuing and picking up momentum. Just last week Paul went to the Letchworth centre for his first dose. The process was very straightforward and very well organised! While we're all used to hearing 'support local, shop local',

especially after last year, how often do we try something new locally? For us it must have been a good 10 years or more since we'd had a meal from the Lancer restaurant so we thought we'd give it a go and we were not disappointed. We had an amazing takeaway and will deﬁnitely be ordering again soon. Mother's Day falls on the 14th this year, best not forget and leave it to the last minute again! It's a great opportunity to use some local business and services to treat the mother ﬁgures in your life. The girls at Baked By Blondies are baking up a storm and creating Mother's Day special brownie boxes that are now available to ship across the UK, so there really is no excuse for not sending your mum a little treat this year. Stay safe

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.

MARCH

2021

Show Giving today ... the Love ...for Baldock’s tomorrow Baldock & Clothall WI Obviously we are unable to meet in person so we decided to ask members to make pom poms in shades of green that one of our more ar s c members could fashion into a heart to show our commitment to help reduce climate change and raise awareness for this important subject. We hosted a coﬀee morning via Zoom for anyone who wasn't sure how to make pom poms (I for one hadn't made one for well over 50 years!) & we did have some quite hilarious mishaps on the day. Not all WI members are cra ers! Café Luna in Baldock is currently only open for takeaway food and drinks but it is very popular with locals and they very kindly agreed to put our heart in their window and also keep climate change leaﬂets available for distribu on to anyone who is interested. They even suggested ligh ng the heart up for the evenings!

MARCH

2021

Baldock Futures Fund 2021 This year will con nue to present challenges for our community and all that we have come to expect, enjoy and value in our towns and surrounding villages have been put on hold. We know this is also true within your own homes , some of you may also suffer financially and we are here to help. The people who have come forward to be voluntary Trustees are diverse and are from their early 20s to mid 70s and there is an ethnic, gender and professional mix. With these different skills and perspec ves, we are able to be crea ve and innova ve in how we meet need. We have encouraged our donors not only to give money but to meet urgent need by dona ng IT equipment. One of our Trustees has linked with our local schools to ensure this equipment is compa ble with the different learning pla orms. Need comes in many forms so please contact us if you want help with either grants or loans.

Please also contact us if you have ideas about how we can help our community at this diﬃcult me. We con nue to work closely with individuals, chari es and organisa ons from Ashwell, Baldock, Clothall Village, Hinxworth and Radwell , valuing every ones contribu on Contact – www.baldockfuturesfund.co.uk or telephone 07815308124 Vivienne Reed - Baldock Futures Fund.

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Hartsfield Birdwatch While we eagerly await the update from Government about the wider reopening of schools, we con nue to have some children in yeargroup 'bubbles' learning within school, whilst most are learning remotely from home. From home, children have regular opportuni es to engage with their class teachers and friends via Google Classroom or Zoom. This provides the opportunity to listen to stories, receive learning informa on for the day and 'chat' with friends who are in school or at home. We have all become adept at Zoom and similar online pla orms to enable staff mee ngs, training and professional mee ngs to con nue. Mrs Smith our Headteacher, records weekly assemblies for our children which can be watched via our YouTube channel: Hartsfield School took part in the 20th Anniversary of the RSPB Big Schools' Birdwatch. In our 'bubble' groups we set up a bird area with fruit

and veg fat balls, tasty pinecones and cleaned the birdbath before taking our places to spot the feathered visitors. Crows, feral pigeons, blackbirds, red kites, and a robin were our top birds. Our home schooler friends did not miss out because they watched the BBC Live Winterwatch lesson with us, we all cheered together when we heard the 'Hartsfield School Baldock' shout out by the Winterwatch team and completed the bird ID quiz together too. This made this year's Big Schools' Birdwatch really special. Before half term, it was Feeling Good Week in Her ordshire schools, with Hartsfield children taking part in crea ve and holis c ac vi es as part of Wellbeing Wednesday. The week also included Safer Internet Day and allowed us the opportunity to share messages and ac vi es about how to stay safe online – something which has never been more relevant with the increased use of technology. As a staff team, we are hugely grateful for the messages and gestures of support from our community, in what

has been a year none of us could have predicted, and I'm sure, that all of us hope comes to a safe end soon. As I write this, the sun is shining and we are experiencing a very cold snap with a dus ng of snow on the ground – some calling it 'The Beast from the East 2'. Nature shows signs that Spring is on the way, bulbs are beginning to show their heads and we have even had a kind delivery of daﬀodils for our staﬀ room. We look forward to warmer, sunny Spring days when children can fully enjoy our outdoor facili es.

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MARCH

2021

Happy Birthday

Olivia Rose

March 8th

We love you to the moon and back. From Mummy, Daddy & Freya. xx Happy Birthday

Harrison Willans 12th March

Love from Nana Kim & Mike xx Happy 9th Birthday

George Gough

‘G G’ Love Mummy, Daddy, Maisy, Max & all your family who can't wait to see you soon for a big party!!

Neil Cherry

With love from Valerie, Emilie, Sophie & Ryan xxxx 8

MARCH

2021

It’s all about me... Have you ever been in the situa on where you've lost a family member and you haven't known where to start with arranging the funeral they would have wanted, and/or dealing with their estate? There are many things we can do in advance to make things easier for loved ones when the me comes. Here are just a few ideas: * Write down what you have! It may seem silly, but just because things are obvious to you, it doesn't mean that other people will

be able to work things out easily. These days we don't get many items of wri en correspondence – statements are o en sent electronically; so, it may leave your family wondering which company you had a credit card with, who your mobile phone contract was with etc, etc. If you'd like a template to follow to record 'Useful informa on about me' there's one on our website. Visit www.arkpowers.com and go to the resources tab. You’ll ﬁnd a free download available there. * What about the funeral? You can go for the ul mate way to be organised for your family by paying for your funeral in

advance, but if you don't do that, at least give your family a clue about what you would want. A big full-on funeral, a small in mate service, a burial, a crema on, a certain c e l e b ra nt , ﬂ owe rs – o r n o t , charitable dona ons? There is so much to think about. It will come to all of us one day so why not be prepared for your loved ones' sake – save them the trauma of having to decide what you would have wanted by se ng that out for them in advance. * You can go one step further and make some notes about your life – celebrants we speak to explain that families o en ﬁnd it hard to piece together enough detail for a eulogy. List key dates and events that younger family members wouldn't necessarily know about. It will make for a more accurate story of your life when your loved ones are remembering you fondly during the funeral service. *Make a Will is obvious of course; but a staggering 54% of the adult UK popula on haven't got around to it. This can cause real problems and can mean that everything would passto people you wouldn't have wanted to inherit at all! * Sen mental gi s – do you have ideas about keepsakes you'd want family member to have to remember you by? Valuable items should be included in your Will, but you can leave inexpensive items in a separate le er of wishes. Just a few ideas - but hopefully we've given you something to think about…

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2021

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Sign of the times Lately, I have been musing on how technology is taking over our lives. Not just because of the pandemic but in general. I suppose this situa on we are in has heightened our need for it; a er all, for some it is the only way to see loved ones, get groceries, and have any sort of contact with the outside world. We have a house WhatsApp group now, so instead of me screaming up the stairs when it's dinner me, I simply message everyone quietly and soberly that there is food, and they all unplug and mosey on downstairs for vi les. If I am shopping, they just message me if they need anything. We also have a family group to keep up with day-to-day stuﬀ. I have several work groups, rugby related groups and friend groups. There is Teams, this is a work thing where we all get together for work team mee ngs. Then there is Facebook, Instagram, and Twi er. Oh, and let us not forget Toc Tic or whatever it's called and the many, many other social pla orms that I haven't heard of because I am too old and to be honest really can't be bothered with. I do not do Twi er, I had an account for a few years and rarely bothered with it, just looked at it occasionally. I got a bit fed up with it and decided to get rid of it when it got all poli cal and boring. I have an Instagram account too but just cannot get to grips with it. I have seen Tic Toc posts but don't understand it at all. I'm obviously too old to understand the need to ﬁlm myself doing something stupid for 'likes'. But then I am from the lucky genera on whose stupidity was never recorded and, unless witnessed, will remain between me and my conscience forever.

I despair when I see people at concerts recording it on their phone instead of living the moment. I don't suppose they ever watch those videos again and if they do, do they get that same memory buzz? I can remember the feel of every concert I have been to, the smells, the music, the atmosphere. Walking through the crowds at Twickenham as we made our way back to the train sta on, looking at the crowds of thousands at Knebworth, these things s r me because I was fully there and not looking at them through the camera on my phone. Saying that, I did sleep through a concert at Knebworth, much to the dismay of my then boyfriend who had paid for the ckets. We had decided to do the whole thing and camped out in the grounds the night before, no sleep was to be had that night and I just could not help myself. I slept right through Elkie Brooks and Santana and woke up for the headline act of the Beach Boys (cannot stand them) I only went for Elkie and Santana and I'm s ll gu ed to this day. I think it might have resulted in a breakup between my boyfriend and I as well, so it probably counts as the worst concert I have ever been to. I do worry where this is all going, are we to be a world that does not speak? Will our thumbs grow to resemble a mouse pad? Perhaps we will have implants so that I can just think 'Daughter' and I will be instantly connected to her head. What a chilling thought that is. I had to do a quiz the other week for our online Teams meet and I did some ques ons on War of the Worlds. During my research for this I came across the Jeﬀ Wayne recording and as I hadn't heard it for some me, decided to play it. I adore

this album, I have it somewhere in the house and listen to it every few years. I read the book when I was youngish and along with Dr Who, it inspired my enduring love for Sci Fi. Having just finished a rather dull and unengaging book, I decided to read it again. The trouble is my inner voice has now turned into Richard Burton and I can't read it in my own voice: it is quite off pu ng. I'm crossing my fingers that we will begin the long way back to normal next month, but I hope now the worst is behind us. Lock down isn't fun but lock down in the Winter is complete pants. I'm looking forward to a nice lazy pub lunch, in an actual pub, with people.

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MARCH

2021

Business As Usual

New Audi A3 Sportback By Tim Barnes-Clay - Follow on Instagram @tbarnsclay

Audi's A3 resolutely created the premium compact car segment back in 1996. Now, 25 years on, the fourth genera on of this incredibly successful motor is here. All powerplants in the latest A3 Sportback excite with their commanding torque and erudite running characteris cs. In Britain, the premium five-door model comes with a few engine versions, both with qua ro and front-wheel drive. The 1.5 TFSI, reviewed here, is fi ed with a mild hybrid system (MHEV). With this unit, the German automaker is con nuing its electrifica on policy in the premium compact sector. A belt alternator starter (BAS) nourishes a 48volt electrical system that incorporates a lithium-ion ba ery. During brake applica ons or when decelera ng, the BAS recuperates power and feeds it to the A3's energy storage unit. When driving away and gathering speed, it supports the TFSI with torque. With the MHEV system, the Sportback can glide

MARCH

2021

with its powerplant deac vated for around 40 seconds, helping with be er consump on. Got that? Good. Aside from a fidgety ride around London's ru ed roads, I found the Audi A3 Sportback to be a decent alterna ve to the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Once out of the clogged urban sprawl and on the motorway, my review car was tranquil, quick, and planted. The unity of the slick-changing manual gearbox and the 1.5-litre engine makes for a confidence-inducing, dynamic and comfy ride. The suspension is not blatantly so like some Mercedes models can be, but it doesn't jar you, either. When I swung off the M1 onto snaking rural routes, the A3 did a fine job of ironing out imperfec ons in the tarmac. And it's on the country bends that you begin to become cognisant of the 35 TFSI S line's assured and flat cornering conduct. Indeed, behind the ller, the A3 is immensely competent and doesn't thrust its judiciously punchy ap tude

into your face, as much as, say, a similarly powered BMW 1 Series does. The energy is subtle, but there are mountains of shove when you need it. Even completely weighed down with possessions and people, the car never runs out of steam and allows you to get through many miles readily. There's ample headroom, and there's reasonable legroom in the front. As for the rear, a couple of adults will easily ﬁt into the back seats. What's more, as Audi has done away with the three-door version of the A3, back-seat passengers needn't fret about ingress and egress. If you need to frequently transport more than two rear-seat occupants, though, it's somewhat limited behind the A3's front seats, so you'd be be er oﬀ shopping for a bigger motor. The A3 Sportback's 380 litres of boot space equals that of the BMW 1 Series, and it's bigger than the 370 litres found in the A3's other rival – the MercedesBenz A-Class. As well as decent cargo capacity, the A3 houses a convenient

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MARCH

2021

Gemma Carter 28th March

Lots of Love Mum, Dad & Lucy th

Happy 17 B thday

Mazza

Best wishes the Calvers Happy Birthday

Holly Calver

18th March

Happy 25th Birthday 7th March

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MARCH

2021

WE ARE TEN YEARS OLD! Ambers 10th Birthday It was in 2010 that we bought the old Woolwich Building Society shop at 19, High Street, ripped it apart and made it into a custom designed health clinic that we opened in March 2011. Since then, almost 10,000 local people have passed through our doors for care and treatment. Staggering and rewarding! This year, I am celebra ng my 30th year as a registered Osteopath. My vision of building the brand of Amber Health with a team of Osteopaths and complimentary therapists, to give pa ents the best treatment for their individual situa on, has been realised. Kay Walton, in our admin team, has been with Amber Health since it

opened its doors and remembers well the first day. “I was shown round in the January by Tim, when the building was busy with plumbers, electricians and builders. It was hard to imagine how beau ful the clinic would become. We had had training the previous week, but I do remember being a bit nervous when we finally opened the door and waited for the phone to ring. It was very exci ng though.” Over the years we have seen countless different injuries and condi ons from people whose necks have locked as they cradled the phone on their shoulder (not recommended), mums to be who came for acupuncture to help promote

the start of labour and people who overdid it on a new exercise regime etc and have treated everyone from war veterans to super models, racing drivers to acrobats, pop stars to ballerinas. I wanted to create a mul -disciplinary clinic with a ght team of professionals, dedicated to making people be er. We are now seeing more GP referrals and have helped the NHS by doing triage for local surgeries during lockdowns. It's a fantas c business to be involved in and although it has its challenges.....I would put my wife Claire and our twins, through it all again! Thank you to everybody who has visited Amber Health! Happy Birthday to Amber! Tim Moynihan, Director and Osteopath, Amber Health. info@amberh ealth.co.uk 01462 490141

MARCH

2021

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'Bespoke Jewellery Retailer of the Year’ Independent jewellers across the country took to their laptop's last night to honour and support the hardworking independent jewellery sector, where Her ordshire's own Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery proudly won 'Bespoke Jewellery Retailer of the Year' at Retail Jeweller's UK Jewellery Awards. The 2020 awards ceremony, that was originally to be held at The Tower of London, went virtual, with par cipants encouraged to raise a glass to the hardhit sector from home. The night brought together the jewellery industry's finest for a celebra on of the hard-working field. The new category of 'Bespoke Jewellery Retailer of the Year' was introduced for 2020, specifically celebra ng bespoke retailers. Judges commended Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery, describing them as “a true bespoke jeweller in every sense of the word.” The acclaimed bespoke jewellers specialise in individual design made possible by a team of qualified designers on hand in every studio. The

importance placed into each customer's story can directly be seen in the Halls Green studio, with each designer's desk surrounded by personal cards and le ers of thanks from their customers. The panel of judges further commented: “this business was singled out for its steadfast dedica on to customer led jewellery, se ng the bar for bespoke jewellers in the trade.” Owner and founder, Harriet Kelsall responded gleefully: “We couldn't be happier. 2020 has been such a

challenging year for everybody, including those of us in non-essen al retail. It has been tough but s ll successful thanks to our amazing, loyal customers and our brilliant, agile and hardworking team. Harriet went on to say: “This award is such a wonderful prize to win a er such a tricky me and we are all even more inspired than ever to keep telling our customers love stories and life stories in the form of beau ful bespoke jewellery.” The bespoke jewellers have won numerous previous awards for their ground-breaking concept of a working design studio combined with eyecatching retail, including winning 'Bridal Jewellery Retailer of the Year' at 2016's UK Jewellery Awards and 'Bou que Retailer of the Year' in 2013. Harriet Kelsall Bespoke Jewellery's Her ordshire, Cambridge and Primrose Hill studios are s ll open to the public for you to see talented designers and goldsmiths alike hard at work crea ng beau ful jewellery. www.hkjewellery.co.uk

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MARCH

2021

Baldock Gardens By Graham Tapp I have written in the last few editions about the pests and beneficial insects found in and around our gardens. We can make a choice, to use chemicals for the removal of these pests or to use the so-called organic method. My story in this choice starts back in the 1950s, born into a farming family in 1954, I grew up less than a decade after the second world war had finished, the most destructive war of all time. Food was very short, and rationing was still in force. The farming community, expected by society to grow food as efficiently and quickly as possible, used whatever means at their disposal to do that. I often saw my Dad come in after a days work with a funny yellow or brownish pink colouration to his skin, caused by him spraying apple or cherry trees with nicotine, copper or tar-based washes, to name a few. In those days, we, the farming society, swished this stuff around, not fully understanding the consequences. In their defence, there was nothing better or a substitute. Let me now justify what I am saying and explain from the farmer's side; they were, as I have just described, under tremendous pressure to produce food for the nation. With advice and governance from the Government department, the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. We need to understand that during the war. Farmers had orders to plant up or grow on all and any bit of land that the Government inspector thought was able and good to be used. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Some of the land used was never good enough for any production without massive chemical and unnatural assistance. Shortly after the war finished, farmers soon discovered that it was unsustainable and got out of the business. Most who stayed and worked at it did so in a less saturated market and could just about make a living with a minimal profit. If we step forward to the mid-1950s, my Grandfather was a Naval Engineering officer, land based at Chatham dockyard in Kent. He and my Grandmother lived in a large charming 1930s house with a vast back garden, which along with their extensive allotment, he grew lots of vegetables and flowers. This allotment and garden, in contrast to all of the farms I knew, did not knowingly have any chemical input.

After what seemed like miles pushing Grandads wheelbarrow down to the allotment just passed the railway line, my first job on arriving would be to find all of the earwigs we had trapped from the night before; these traps were made from various length canes with paper, straw or hay scrunched up put inside then placed upside down on top of the cane. I realise that everybody knows that's how to catch earwigs, but did you know that the secret is to have the cane only six inches or fifteen centimetres above the plant's tops and that the cane needs to be touching the plants. Earwigs love to climb and can't stop themselves from doing so; if there is an attached pole to climb, they will go to the top and stay put if you have provided a lovely little home at the top for them. The next job was to count the slugs we had caught; now, we had several ways of reducing slug numbers. Grandad had several wooden planks around and about the allotment. Short offcuts leftover from the construction of his shed, our secret clubhouse; guess who the members where? These wooden planks were left untreated, just bare wood. It was down to me to lay them wherever I wanted around the allotment. The secret was to leave them a couple of days before picking them up. I would usually get half a dozen slugs or snails, several woodlice ( Pea bugs ) and lots of Centipedes or millipedes. I was under strict orders not to touch them. Grandad told me that they would bite me and then I would Die, so I didn't go near them. The best way and the one I loved, was to sink a little bowl into the soil with the top level with the ground, and then the best bit was that Grandad would produce from our clubhouse two bottles of beer and one bottle of lemonade, he said that there were two essential things to remember! The first was to pour the first beer bottle into the bowls just to the top. The second and most important was that he had to drink the second one and I should drink the lemonade; the best secret of the clubhouse was that I was allowed to drink some of the beer, but only if I didn't say anything about it to Granny. Now the next cure for slugs and snails was just amazing to a little boy. He used some of my Mecano set and we constructed a windmill that would sit on the clubhouse roof, and this would be

connected to a bicycle dynamo. We spent hours and hours dismantling old radio transformers and laying the wire around the plants. When connected to the dynamo and the wind made it go around, it would electrocute the slugs and snails, thus killing them. As I got older, I realised that the dynamo had nothing much to do with the system at all, but it was just the copper wire keeping them away. My other job was walking up and down the rows of plants looking under each plant's leaves and to pick off anything that shouldn't have been there. I had to pick it off and put it in the collecting pot, the slugs became food for the chickens. In my formative years, this was the conflict I had to live with chemicals or not? I realised from watching Dad that it was not generally profitable to farm as my Grandad had. In the Mid 1970s, I was at Agricultural Horticultural college, where we studied what everyone now would consider out of date methods. Chemicals that are now banned, like DDT, Mercuric oxide, Symazine and Gramoxone, were always recommended and used. Organic growing as we know it now was in its infancy and was only profitable for smaller one-person farm units. By the late 1970s, I worked for The Royal Dutch Shell Research Company, where they worked on trials for environmentally kinder chemicals, tried and tested into integrated systems of working with predators. From 1980 to 1986, when I managed several farm and horticultural units. It was commonplace to be using predators rather than chemicals, and organics had taken a much larger slice of the market. I would say about the chemicals available today is that they are much safer than they used to be. You can read scientific papers that our many great research centres have published, most of these are on Google scholar. Theny ou’ll be able to make an educated decision based on scientific facts. I have been using a minimal chemical regime for years, using them only when there is no other option. I hope that helps give cause for thought and helps if you have a garden or allotment problem.

Graham

MARCH

2021

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MARCH

2021

WESTON

SUGAR: ARE YOU ADDICTED For many of us, reaching for a sugar ﬁx in the a ernoon is a habit that has been ingrained in our lives since childhood, but now it appears that it may be more than a bad habit, it could be an addic on. Sugar occupies a cherished role in the human diet hardly needs a men on. A er all nearly 2,500 taste buds located at the p of the tongue are dedicated to the pursuit of sweetness. Despite the fact that we are increasingly conscious of our health and weight, and that 59% of us watch the amount of fat in diet and 37% watch calories, we s ll love snacks, especially sweets and chocolate. The pa ern of avoiding and bingeing can lead to addict-like eﬀects and studies

have shown that sugar affects the same 'feel good' hormones as some street drugs, so while a cheeky a ernoon doughnut isn't the same a drug addic on it can s ll mess with our body and brain. Overloading on sugary foods has been shown to alter the parts of the brain that control how much you eat; this could lead you to over eat. Suffice to say our mind has a profound effect when it comes to diet. Your body is perfectly capable of producing its own sugar in form of glucose, the body's only fuel from your body fat. When the body gets addi onal sugar from any outside source it stores that surplus in the form of fat. Simple sugars, when ingested are rapidly released into your blood stream making you feel good, but at the same me triggering a surge of insulin from your pancreas to bring your blood sugar levels down again. Over me this can impact the ability of your pancreas to secrete adequate insulin and reduces the sensi vity of your cellular insulin receptors. Also excess blood sugar is o en stored as fat which in turn reduces cellular recep vity to insulin. While there are some diets out there that promote cu ng out all forms of sugar, this is difficult to maintain and may lead to frustra on and a sugar binge. Instead trying to cut down slowly and retraining your taste buds can help. Try cu ng out one sweet food a week, over me you will find you no longer crave the taste. Op ng for healthy sweet foods such as fruit and natural yoghurt is another great step to take, try replacing your usual sugar fix with fresh fruit and see how you get on. If you're hungry your are more likely to reach for high sugar foods so be sure to include high protein meals in your diet to help you feel fuller for longer If it is the habit side of things you are finding hard to kick it may be worth seeking the help of a hypnotherapist as dealing with food addic on they can help to break nega ve habits and re-programme the mind in a healthy way. Kim Holloway www.total-therapy.co.uk MARCH

2021

JONATHAN CRUMP Jonathan Crump is not the welltrodden, masculine stereotype you and I come to expect from a butcher: old, grumpy, and carnivorous. Sure, he appears on Zoom call donning a tradi onal catering jacket – whiter than his velvet hair – and heavy co on apron. But during my hour-long conversa on, Jonathan came across, above all else, as a gentle man. By his own admission, he is “quite a shy guy”. However, get him in room, like I did, and Jonathan comes out of his shell with an endearing passion for food. (I prefer to label him a conscious carnivore, but more on the 'meat' later.) Situated in the picturesque village of Ashwell, Jonathan comes from a long line of butchers. His grandfather bought the shop he currently runs – simply called 'Crump's – in the 1920s for just £200. The business would then be run by his father, his brothers and later himself. Although, according to Jonathan, it was “never what I expected to be” having started out as an engineer. His ﬁrst love was cars and he liked to “engage” himself with classic motors. Jonathan's then sought a greater apprecia on of butchery, which, like engineering, he saw as a cra requiring great focus. He took on this new direc on and with that came the mentorship of his father. The best lesson Jonathan's father could teach him was “pushing me around”. One moment Jonathan would be slaughtering and preparing meat round the back of the shop, the next he would nervily be coming face-to-face with customers that “don't know what they are talking about”. His father taught Jonathan everything he knew; from anatomy to knife cu ng. A er his father's re rement and the departure of his brothers from the company, Jonathan was given the challenge of carrying his family's legacy in his capable hands – a shop that has existed for over a century. I am happy to report that Crump's con nues to serve the North Her ordshire community and beyond, winning mul ple awards and receiving posi ve reviews in newspapers like the Daily Telegraph. He has even had highproﬁle celebri es visit his shop: from 22

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2021

actress Ruby Wax (“a bit sharp, not the easiest person to serve”), to singersongwriter Kiki Dee (“absolutely lovely”). He may not like to admit it, but Crump (or Crumpy, as he known) is a bit of a local celebrity. Talk to anyone on the streets and ask who Jonathan is, and I reckon they would all have a personal anecdote to tell. His care-free persona and humble a tude has made him a popular ﬁgure among locals who con nue to ﬂock to his store, even during the pandemic when purse strings ghtened. Between March and May of last year, sales of beef across U.K. high street butchers doubled. Jonathan is no anomaly in this trend. “March onwards, we've been busy, very busy. Customers are willing to stand outside whatever the weather. During the “toilet roll saga”, as Jonathan called it, he began “seeing customers we've never seen before…one chap came from St Albans [50 miles away] to buy ten chickens”. Simultaneously, the sudden upturn in demand has not fazed Jonathan. “All the me, we're having to keep enough stock [of meat] in hand, just in case. We don't like to say no to anybody.”

Coronavirus has been a relief to people like Jonathan, because for the last thirty years private butchers have been caught in the cle of supermarket domina on. He said the emergence of chains in nearby Baldock, Royston and Bun ngford has been the “biggest challenge” to face his brand. In 1990, Britain had around 15,000 butchers' shops, but today that figure is around 5,000. However, consumers have made an effort to buy local during the pandemic, empowering businesses like Crump's during lockdown. “We are a butchers' for life, not just Covid.” This leads on to Jonathan's other great passion in life: animal welfare. He makes sure his produce – which predominantly comes from East Anglia and Suffolk – is free-range, wherever possible. “It's all quality produce, cared for properly, and slaughtered as humanely as possible. At the end of the day, if we're going to rear

animals and kill them to eat them, I'd like it done properly, not just not on the mass scales. With some of these supermarkets, all they want is a commodity screwed down to a minimum profit.” In fact, all of Crump's meat and poultry is RSPCA monitored. I ask why he cares so passionately about the provenance of his produce. “Growing up ea ng substan al quan es of meat was what I always did. But a er a holiday to India, and because of the way I saw they were trea ng animals, I went vegetarian for two weeks. I just couldn't eat it.” He later added: “I realised that there's no need for us to eat the quan ty of meat that we eat.” This vivid memory of Jonathan's changed his life and be er connected him to his cra . Now it has come to the point where if Jonathan dines at a restaurant and the staff are unsure about its origins, he will refuse it. “It's my passion to know that it's been properly cared for,” Jonathan insists. “Not some poor, old, barn reared pig that's come from Belgium or goodness knows where. That to me is just wrong. It shouldn't be that way”. Part of the benefit of buying from private butchers is transparency at a me when people are becoming more conscious about what they buy and who from. “The supply chain is all connected. I can trace it back to the field of the animals grew up in and knowing that they've had a good life. We've got some rare beef breeds coming through and I know that they've been grass-feeding in Norfolk.” What therefore of the vegan boom, I ponder? Last year, Rudy's Vegan Butcher opened in Islington, north London which saw droves of customers queuing outside its doors. Jonathan completely “sees the point” of the lifestyle based on his personal experience. However, he is not concerned for himself and his business. Jonathan is pessimis c about the concept of vegan butchers taking hold and finds the term 'vegan meat' misleading to consumers. “Meat to me is the flesh of an animal. Calling it a vegan butcher in my mind is controversial. I don't have anything against anybody who wants to do what they want to do. But it's just the way it's worded. It's confusing to people.” Would he ever sell vegan meat? I wondered. His response is animated. Just a stern shake of the head to imply “no”.

He loves meat too much, albeit in “modera on”. But therein lies another issue I put to Jonathan and that is the aging proﬁle of professional butchers. A recent survey by the Agriculture and Hor culture Development Board revealed that threequarters of Bri sh butchers have been working for more than 20 years. If there is one factor threatening our butchers, it is that many struggle to ﬁnd workers. Luckily for Jonathan, he con nues to have links with training colleges and insists the industry is s ll popular among young people. “My youngest butcher just turned 30. And he's been his whole life in the butchery trade. But as you say, [my] other two chaps are in their 50s. There are people I do get enquiries from; quite o en school leavers that want to come and train. It won't be on the numbers like it used to be, but I'm sure it will carry on.”

Whatever arises next for Jonathan Crump, he says he is proud of keeping his li le countryside shop going, all in his family's name. “It's always a challenge just to keep a small business going like this whilst others [butcher shops] are disappearing.” At least Crumpy has his op ons; he stocks cheeses and vegetables and is applying for an alcohol licence. “I am turning into the one-stop shop for the whole area…apart from stocking loo-rolls, that is.” Bill Bowke

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Baldock Plan Update Some of you will remember ar cles in earlier edi ons of this magazine, describing the work that the Baldock Bygrave and Clothall Planning Group has been doing to develop a neighbourhood plan for the area. This is a communityled ini a ve, by a commi ee of volunteers, to secure a be er future for Baldock Bygrave and Clothall. It is designed to work alongside the NHDC's Local Plan, to clarify some speciﬁc details that you have told us are important to you, the residents of Baldock and surrounding villages. Plans being ﬁnalised by the district and county councils for the substan al growth of Baldock over the next twenty years make this par cularly important. The Neighbourhood Plan includes policies to: Ÿ Prevent local services and infrastructure coming under pressure from any new development, and secure be er facili es for the area (such as improved cycleways and addi onal places to meet and play sport).

Require new buildings to be welldesigned and to minimise their environmental impact. Ÿ Protect and improve key areas of open space, including Walls Field next to Hartsﬁeld School, and the informal recrea on area to the east of Clothall Common. Ÿ Maintain a physical and visual gap between Lower Bygrave and the edge of Baldock. Ÿ Protect the historic character of Baldock and the villages in the area. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to its development by providing comments and feedback as we created and edited the plan. We have been quiet for a while but now have some important informa on to share with you. The NHDC's cabinet has voted to accept the Neighbourhood Plan for Baldock, Bygrave and Clothall. The ﬁnal version is available on the website: www.bbplan.co.uk. This is really good news as now the plan will carry some weight when Ÿ

planning applica ons are made. However, the ﬁnal step that is needed in order that it will carry the same weight as the NHDC's Local Plan is the referendum. This is due to be held alongside the local council elec ons planned for May 6th. Please make sure you are registered to vote and to use a postal ballot if that is your wish. This must be done by 5pm 11 working days before the polling day. Everyone will be asked to vote simply Yes or No to accep ng the plan. Please take a look at the website where you will ﬁnd lots of informa on about the details of what is included in the plan. This will allow you to vote from a posi on of understanding.

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

www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk villages Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding

MARCH

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

of what’s on & where to find things locally

Issue 74 December 2020

www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and

2021

surrounding villages

Lockdown Exercise Tips For most of us, being in lockdown has robbed us of our daily ac vity level. We've lost our.... ▪️ Daily commute to work or school ▪️ Walk to the shop for lunch ▪️ Leisurely shopping trips ▪️ Sports and group ac vi es ▪️ Trip to the gym

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A Fond Farewell to Ms Millett I took up the posi on as Headteacher of Weston Way Nursery School on the ﬁrst of January 2000. (I was teaching in a nursery class in Salisbury). I was on maternity leave the previous September, spending a rainy weekend in Bournemouth, when I picked up a Times Educa onal Supplement from Smiths. In the Jobs Vacant Sec on was the Headship at Weston Way. My parents lived in Baldock and I had a ended The Knights Templar School as a student so I was immediately tempted to apply. With a great deal of encouragement from my family I ﬁlled out the applica on form and made the trip to visit the nursery the day the applica ons were to close. I knew from that ini al visit this was where I wanted to be! I handed in my applica on form and the rest is history! I moved to Baldock with my daughter Emily, 4 years old and my son Owen, 5 months. We lived with my parents while my husband stayed in Salisbury un l we sold our house. He joined us a few months later and we bought a house in Po on.

When I started at the nursery there were 120 children and 9 members of staff. 60 children came for two and a half hours in the morning and then another 60 children came for two and a half hours in the a ernoon. The nursery is set in an acre and a half of mature woodland and I remember joking to my Dad that I had the responsibility for more trees than I did children! Over the 21 years I have been here I have seen many changes, we are now open from 8.00am un l 5.00pm every day and some children are here for up to 45 hours a week as opposed to 15 hours in 2000. I now have 27 members of staff. We now offer a vast array of extra provision ranging from holiday play schemes, a er school clubs to include Forest School, Football, Lego, Yoga, Science Club, Disco Duck and Music. I consider it a privilege to have been able to work with such a dedicated and professional staff over the last 21 years and I will have many happy memories of the children and their families. It is not a great me to be taking early re rement and I am not making any

plans for the future while we are living in such uncertain mes. What I do know is that I am going to enjoy taking a rest from responsibili es and decision making. Thank you to everyone in the community who has supported the nursery and myself, while I have had the great experience of being the Headteacher of such a very special Nursery School. Jane Mille - Headteacher

To Promote Your Business In Our Next Issue Email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Raising awareness of what’s on & where to find things locally

www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk villages Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding

MARCH

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

of what’s on & where to find things locally

Issue 74 December 2020

www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.u k

Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and

2021

surrounding villages

13th Baldock Beer festival 13 is deﬁnitely unlucky for some as the 13th Baldock Beer fes val was cancelled last year. You may have seen that the 13th beer fes val will not go ahead in 2021 via their facebook page. We caught up with Tara Geere, chair of the Beer fes val charitable Trust about the decision. 'Given the large numbers of people that a end this free fes val, and the logis cs involved we had to make an early decision. We could not safely run the event given the space and numbers involved. The commi ee is wai ng to see whether we might be able to run an event later in the year, dependent on Covid-19 restric ons. We are commi ed to con nue to run the Beer fes val when it is safe to do so and will con nue to give our support to other events in the town either run

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2021

through the Baldock Events Forum or the other Independent events like ourselves such as Balstock and the Baldock Fes val. The Independent Baldock Beer fes val was set up and is run en rely by volunteers with the aim to raise money for the community. We have raised an incredible £90,000+ to date for the community. We were s ll able to support local families and community ini a ves (such as giving £5000 to the community minibus fund) in 2020, despite running no event. The Baldock hardship fund s ll has a small amount available to donate. A huge thank you goes out to Dale the Landlord from the Engine pub who topped up the hardship fund with a £1000 just before Xmas so we could support local families. Last year we had to pay out £5000 on storage containers and managed to apply to NHDC for a £1000 grant but will need to do some more fundraising to cover the container costs at some point. Watch out for any updates on our facebook page. Un l we see you again soon stay safe.

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Slimming Wld Recipe Supplied by

Sandra Lloyd

Shish Kebabs Lean minced lamb is blended to a paste with yogurt, spices and fresh coriander, then moulded around the skewers to make tasty kebabs.

Ingredients 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped 2 level tbsp gram ﬂour Low calorie cooking spray 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 tsp mild or medium chilli powder 1 tsp ground cumin Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1.5cm cube ginger, peeled and chopped A small bunch coriander leaves, stalks removed and chopped Ÿ 500g lamb mince (approx. 20% fat) Ÿ 2 tbsp fat-free natural yogurt Ÿ 1 tsp garam masala

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Ÿ Ÿ

Method

1. Put the ginger and garlic in a food processor with the lamb. Add the chopped coriander, amchoor or lemon juice, spices, ﬂour and yogurt and blend to a paste. Transfer to a bowl and season well with salt and pepper. 2. Preheat the grill. Divide the mixture into 8 portions and mould each into a sausage around a metal skewer. Spray with low calorie cooking spray and grill for 8-10 minutes, turning once. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and sprinkled with chopped coriander.

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Weston Way Bake Off We recently invited the children who a end Weston Way Nursery School to a Valen ne's baking challenge. They were asked to bake some cakes at home to reﬂect the theme of Valen nes. We had a great deal of interest and the children sent photographs of their entries to the school. There are lots of photographs of the many cakes on our school website. If you take a look you can see from these that the children thoroughly enjoyed the challenge. It was very diﬃcult to select a winner but we were pleased to announce

that Anoud was crowned 'star baker'. Anoud also has a great video on YouTube of her making the cakes at home. You can see the video on our Facebook page. Ms Mille delivered the prize to Anoud at her home at the beginning of the half term break. At the present me the nursery is open to children whose parents are cri cal workers and vulnerable children. The staﬀ are looking forward to welcoming all the children back to the nursery as soon as it is deemed safe to do so.

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5 minutes with... ...Maxwell Lloyd from *To those that don't know of you, can you introduce them to your business and tell us a bit more? Kindlelight is a family business, specialising in the produc on and installa on of windows, doors and bespoke builds. It was originally founded by my Grandfather and over the years has handed the reigns to my Dad and now myself (although they both like to s ll be involved)! Next year we'll be celebra ng our 40th anniversary. We have diversified over the years, manufacturing many of our products in-house and being able to offer some incredible products and meet bespoke demands in design and colour. *What makes you so different to other glazing companies? We are a local company, based in Baldock, we have a state-ofthe-art showroom for our customers to view their products, colours, materials and finishes in person before they order. Our Sales Team is happy to meet customers in the showroom to discuss their plans, whilst showing them our unique op ons available at Kindlelight. (Unfortunately, our showroom isn't open currently due to Covid 19, however we are hos ng video mee ngs where you can s ll view the products over Zoom). We also offer the best in industry guarantees of up to 25 years. *What keeps you going day to day at Kindlelight? With a keen, personal interest in architecture and engineering, I thrive on the opportunity to push the boundaries of design with our products. Another important aspect of our business, close to home, is suppor ng our community, ensuring they're safe

and secure. Many people (including my wife!) o en look at glazing and doors as a cost-saving exercise, however I must emphasise the safety aspect which doors and windows must provide to us and our families in our homes. Kindlelight only offers the safest products, all compliant with PAS 24. *What is PAS 24 and why is it so important? PAS 24 is a set of assessments and tests designed to assess the security of a door or a window against the effects of an opportunis c intruder. *You've men oned bespoke projects, are there any interes ng projects you can tell us about? We were chosen as main windows and doors contractor for manufacture and installa on for Which? Magazine when they renovated their Her ord Headquarters. Some places your readers may know of and visited, we installed the glazing for Letchworth and Hitchin Leisure Centres swimming pool galleries. One of the team favourites, we installed bullet-proof glass for MI5 (ssh!) *What is one thing you would like Kindlelight to have achieved? Going on Grand Designs. I watch it every Wednesday! *What else does Kindlelight offer? Kindlelight can also offer bespoke build projects. We have ability and experience working with Project Managers, Architects and Builders. We also take a lot of the stress and queries away in managing, at mes, complex planning applica ons and par cularly in Letchworth, Heritage applica ons which we must comply with.

MARCH

2021

NEW VETS DELIVER

Weston Primary & Nursery School News

Staying on top of your pet's flea, ck and worm treatment is impera ve for both your pets and your household health and wellbeing. Fleas can live in temperatures at -2°C, so on the contrary to popular belief, it is important to keep up-to-date with rou ne treatment even through the winter months. It can be difficult though some mes to keep track of what and when you gave treatment, especially in the middle of a pandemic. So whilst it is not business as usual, we can s ll help you to stay on top of preventa ve treatments. Very recently we have set up “Vets Deliver”, where for a monthly direct debit, you can have your cat or dog's flea, ck and worm treatment delivered to your door when it's due. Taking all the hassle out of having to remember when it's due and avoiding unnecessary journeys. Your cat or dog will have to have been seen by one of our Vets in the year to qualify. If this is something that sounds of interest to you, or if you want more informa on please call one of our recep onists at Royston on 01763 242221 or Baldock on 01462 895579 and they will be happy to help.

about birds, ponds, shelter building and much more. Some of our children made wonderful bird feeders. We even had a shout out live for taking part. We have also been learning about the Ancient Egyp ans, the United Kingdom and modes of transport. The children have made masks, pencil cases, wri en in hieroglyphs, built vehicles and created explosion art pictures inspired by the work of ar st Roy Lichtenstein. We are s ll hopeful that schools will reopen later in March as planned and are really looking forward to welcoming our children back into the classroom so that we can enjoy our learning together once again. Just a quick reminder that the closing date for our Nursery applica ons is Monday15th March. If you would like more informa on please contact the school oﬃce on 01462 790317. Stay safe and well.

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MARCH

2021

It is hard to believe that we are approaching March. It is lovely to see the school grounds coming alive, a true indica on that Spring is well and truly on its way. It brings with it renewed op mism and hope that the school will reopen to all pupils very shortly. We have been watching Primary Nature Live twice a week run by the Field Studies Council. We have learnt

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Rotary's Support to Eradicate Polio Rotary in Baldock is probably be er known for its support of community projects and sponsoring events such as the Christmas lights in the town, Father Christmas and the sleigh, Open Gardens and the Jazz Concert. Rotary is probably less well known for its support of interna onal projects. One project received acclaim in the Houses of Parliament when an MP said that “Rotary had made a 'monumental contribu on' to global eﬀorts to eradicate polio”. The reason for this praise being that Rotary members, volunteers and supporters across the world have raised over $2 billion in the global ﬁght to eradicate the disease by helping to immunise and protect over

2.5 billion children around the world. Many people may not actually know what the polio disease is…it is a disabling and lifethreatening disease which spreads from person to person and can infect a person's spinal cord causing paralysis and o en immobilizes a pa ent's breathing muscles. It is contracted predominantly by children. In 1985, when Rotary first got involved, it is reported that the number of paraly c cases was over 350,000 each year and the disease was prevalent in 125 countries. In 1988 Rotary joined the “Global Polio Eradica on Ini a ve (GPEI)” which was founded to fight the virus's spread and disease burden with a global vaccina on campaign. By 2017 the global community effort had

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resulted in the eradica on of the virus down to it being in circula on in only three countries across the world, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan and since then Africa has been declared free of the 'wild polio' strain. Rotary will accelerate its efforts to copletely eradicate the decease and will con nue its fundraising programme to enable campaigning, health worker training and vaccina on programmes which will all help to stop the disease returning. Interes ngly there are similari es between Covid-19 and polio and the work that Rotary has achieved in figh ng polio has helped countries around the world to be er deal with their cases of Covid-19. Baldock Rotary will also con nue with its contribu ons towards this so worthwhile campaign and although our ability to undertake fundraising ac vi es have been seriously constrained this year, we will look to resuming our events and ac vi es in 2021 when restric ons permit. Your support in the fundraising ac vi es of Baldock Rotary is gratefully appreciated and when these efforts result in saving lives, par cularly the lives of children, all of our combined efforts become so worthwhile. For more informa on about Rotary and the 'End Polio Now' programme please visit www.endpolio.org Rotarian - Paul Lucke

COPY DEADLINE for the April issue is 16th March

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2021

March Gallery

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

Ted and his friends looking forward to lunch

Elise's rst snow day-Glynis Myers

Rob Hemmings the inspiration behind the new Rotary wood

Bentley Blue enjoying the hills - JB

Happy 1st Birthday Luna

Brinley and Ted on a BFF Walk-Eve Knott

10 year old Eleanor, who completed 65 miles in her 4-week walk/run Hitchin Belles FC challenge for Hatties Rainbow of Hope Appeal

Fraser Mclaren his son Kian helping to keep Baldock tidy

Courtesy of Jacqui Elias 34

MARCH

2021

New born calf from Ella at The Egg Shed

Chilly morning at the allotment - Darren Armes

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

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

Florist Blooms of Baldock

07747 195325

Locksmith Lock and Glaze

07737885528

Mobile Hair Dresser Hair By Jacqui

07973 788418

Funeral Directors Shires - CPJ Field Baldock

01462 491149

MARCH

2021