On Our Doorstep Baldock March 2023

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

Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages

March already? The start of the year has flown by!

By the end of February things were certainly starting to brighten up, with a few more blue skies and sunny spells it certainly feels like spring is on the horizon. Lets not lie, we've all stood by the window saying 'look it's still light, and it's 5pm', looking forward to enjoying the lighter evenings through March.

Huge congratulations to all who completed the Baldock Beast a couple of weeks back. A massive achievement to tackle the beast whether it's your first or fifth year taking part.

As Mother's Day is approaching on 19th March, don't forget to treat your mum and show her how much you appreciate her. A crowd favourite is afternoon tea at Tapps or treat her to an incredible meal at Eight.

The Big Lunch is back again this year and will be taking over the high street for the coronation. As always there will be a huge selection of local food suppliers and lots of activities for the little ones so there is something for the whole family. Tickets are selling fast, so make sure you purchase yours now to avoid disappointment.

In other news, congratulation to Luna, who have just celebrated their 3rd Birthday. And some of you may have noticed a new coffee shop in town - BatchFiftyTwo. I’m

hoping to pop in this week and sample some of their famous cookies.

On to April, and we have been asked to print the program for the 2023 Baldock Festival, which will be included in our April copy.

As always the festival starts at the end of April and runs for three weeks. Even tho there’s no Baldock Beer Festival this year, there will be plenty of other events to keep you all busy.

Happy reading!

CURTAINS & FABRICS BLINDS SHUTTERS CARPETS & FLOORING MOTORISED PRODUCTS

The snowdrops are out and it's another month closer to the Baldock May Fesval which means the commiee are in full planning mode. You will be able to find out about the 3-weeks of events in April's On Our Doorstep. Unfortunately, the Independent Baldock Beer fesval (a firm favourite of both the editors for a lile refreshment) won't be starng the fesval this year as they are having a fallow year. However, we are really pleased that both the Orange Tree and the Cock pubs will be hosng beer fesvals on different weekends during the fesval period. There will be loads of your favourite events so watch out for next month's edion and news on how you can buy ckets.

Baldock Festival News

One thing to start thinking about is your entry to the Baldock Scarecrow compeon. The inaugural scarecrow event last year produced some great entries and plenty of entertainment. But did you know that the tradion of scarecrows in Baldock goes back a lot longer. There has been a long history of crowning Scarecrow 'May Queens' up and down the country, which is why you oen see scarecrow compeons.

Baldock however, used to celebrate the May Lord and Lady. Two Scarecrows or effigies would be created out of rags, canvas, straw and other similar materials (like the old penny for the Guy Fawkes figures), and these would be dressed in donated clothes from friends and neighbours. There is an account in William Hone's Yearbook of 1832 that states the Lady would wear her best gown and an 'apron, kerchief and mob cap', while the Lord would wear a 'nutmeg coat, posied waistcoat, leather breeches, speckled stockings and half boots', as well as a 'second-hand flaxencoloured wig.' (not sure how many of

you have any of that lying around the house!)

William goes on to explain that several pairs of the May Lords and Ladies would be made and on the morning of May Day each couple would be seated on chairs outside the coages around the town decorated with may flowers. A table would be placed in front of them and on this would be a 'mug of ale, a drinking horn, a pipe, a pair of spectacles and perhaps a newspaper'. A hat would be le out to collect contribuons from suitably impressed passers-by. So we want you to think about your Scarecrow entries this year – maybe the coronaon Of King Charles III on the 6th May will inspire you, maybe you would like to celebrate Star Wars Day on the 4th May , Internaonal Nurses day on the 12th May or just have your own lord and lady –whatever you fancy we would really encourage as many people as possible to get involved let's have some fun and maybe you can win a prize !

FeelingGoodatWestonWayNurserySchool

The first full February week at Weston Way Nursery saw a focus on mental health and well-being through offering staff and children a Feeling Good Wek which enabled everyone to "Be kind and connect both body and mind". The week got off to an inspiring start as we were visited by Ark Farm which enabled everyone to connect through animal therapy. There is evidence that this improves self-esteem, feelings of sasfacon, energy levels and mood, as well as improving physical development, social skills and communicaon.

Everyone has also had the opportunity to be mindful about the sensory connecon with a range of foods and the health benefits linked to eang 5-aday. Have you ever taken the me to fully explore your sensory feedback to foods in your diet, e.g. have you appreciated the smell of celery, the sound of the crunch, the texture we feel between our fingers, on our tongue, noced the individual strands and the taste in our mouth and appreciated the high water content;. What else might

you explore which engages all 5 of your senses?

The children have also had the opportunity to further explore this key knowledge and skills as they have been creave chefs making a selecon of snacks. Following eang, we have then considered the importance of oral hygiene. We have looked at our smiles in the mirror and made sure we know how to brush our teeth. All the children have received toothpaste and brushing charts to encourage good dental care.

We have all recognised the power of music on our well-being and the impact playing so music in the background has us to relax and free our minds to think.

Our learning over the week, has certainly given us food for thought so that we can lead healthy and happy lifestyles each and every day.

Passion for Performance

Cupra is the performance brand of Seat, so its cars will be familiar to those who know Seat's range.

But the Formentor is exclusive to Cupra - there is no bog-standard Seat version. It is a different beast, too, with aggressive looks and a mean face.

There are plenty of trim levels, but it's the 2.0 TSI VZ2 310PS version tested for this review.

The VZ2 grade comes with 19-inch alloys, dynamic chassis control, smart interior lighng, LED lights, a 12-inch touchscreen with voice control and keyless entry/start. It also boasts SatNav, a DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a digital cockpit, lumbar support, sports pedals, an electric tailgate, a heated steering wheel and sports suspension.

The 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is linked to a seven-speed DSG automac. The powertrain provides a good deal of performance, geng to 62mph in just 4.9 seconds, and the handling is excellent.

This Cupra possesses an envious blend of comfort and performance, one that might push those seeking the former towards a SEAT Ateca and the laer towards a hot hatch. But that would be an injusce, as the

Formentor has plenty of agility and doesn't wallow about.

Inside, the cabin impresses with plenty of so-to-the-touch surfaces, an imposing steering wheel and a large infotainment screen. Frustrangly, though, there are few physical buons. Instead, nearly everything is done through the touchscreen, which is inconvenient when moving. Mind you; the digital instrument display is nicely laid out, informave and customisable.

You are not short-changed on space, either, with lots of room in the front and rear, plus decent headroom. However, the driving posion is lower than expected, partly as you sit in, rather than on, the deep bucket seats.

Four hundred and twenty litres of boot space is offered, but if you need more room, the seats fold flat in a 60:40 split at the pull of a handle.

You will get up to 33mpg (I averaged 31mpg), producing 192g/km CO2 in the process.

Safety-wise, the Formentor earned a five-star rang from Euro NCAP. It is equipped with adapve cruise control, a rear-view camera, forward collision warning, driver aenon alert, and lane-change assist, along with other technology.

Cupra Formentor

Overall, the Formentor is a car to be reckoned with, with generous equipment levels, a spacious cabin, good looks, and impressive performance.

It is not cheap, though, and that could count against it, but lower trim levels will shave off some of the expense.

Fast Facts

Cupra Formentor (2.0 TSI 310PS, VZ2 trim) as tested:

Ÿ Max Speed: 155mph

Ÿ 0-62 mph: 4.9 seconds

Ÿ Combined mpg: 33.2mpg (WLTP)

Ÿ Engine layout: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol, four-wheel drive

Ÿ Max Power: (PS): 310PS

Ÿ CO2: 192g/km

Ÿ Price: £42,795

When It's Spring Again

Spring has sprung. Well, sort of, nearly. As I sit here under the gray and billowy skies of what remains of Winter, I feel the srrings of the hope that accompany the season. Mother Nature is already dropping clues if you care to look, signs of rebirth and renewal are all around. Trees and bushes have started to bud, green things are pushing their way up through the frosty grounds and the promise of longer, warmer days is well on the way to being honoured. Just this morning I found a rather red looking Queen Bee on my windowsill, I gave her a drink and opened the window for her, when I looked again, she had gone. She's flown off to find a new home for her and the kids. It's a lile thing but just for a couple of moments I felt that all was good in the world of Nicky. Then I thought that she might have been eaten by Eddie and my pleasant lile buzz ended right there as I came crashing back to the harsh realies of life, the universe and everything.

We will soon be treated to the annual spectacle of Woods and small Groves filled with Snow Drops and Bluebells as we immerge from hibernaon to walk our dogs and children. I'm not a big fan of the Daffodil, but if you are lucky to catch sight of a field of Taffodils in the Spring, you are surely unable to stop that involuntary smile as they are one of the most cheerful flowers. Even an old missog such as I must succumb to their

infecous happiness.

As we are filled with the joyous bounciness that is spring, the urge to grab the dusters and cleaning fluids will soon overtake some of us and the annual 'Sweep away The Cobwebs of Winter' fesval will commence. This oen takes me by surprise. I will wake up one day in the next three weeks and declare loudly, that I can no longer live in this pit of intolerable filth and decay. I will throw my windows wide, grab the nearest brush and swing it round the house with gay abandon. Aer a few hours, when I am knee deep in the stuff I can't stand to look at any more, I will wish I had never started and curse the Mother for her changing seasons. Aer two days and three dump runs, I will sit, resplendent, in my polished and prisne home, feeling smug at a job well done. Exactly one hour aer I have completed this mission, the family that I haven't seen for weeks will descend all at once (grandkids included) and trash the joint completely. They will then leave, and I will stand in stunned silence, surveying the damage while I reach for that huge bole of wine le over from Christmas. Upside of that is the Christmas booze clear up, which I had forgoen to do. All of those half boles of plonk now have to go. This is followed the next day by a visit to the bole bank, where my fellow bole depositors think I had the party of the century last night, but all I did was guzzle the contents of my drinks

cupboard whilst singing (very loudly, and out of tune) to Les Mis and Dream Girls.

A few weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of supporng Letchworth Rugby Club in one of the most surreal venues I have ever visited. We played the Honourable Arllery Company at their pitch in the heart of London. Not all rugby clubs, but most are on the outskirts of a town, with views of rolling hills, woods, posh houses, and lots of rabbits. Not this one, it has a rugby pitch and a football pitch that are surrounded wall-to-wall by office buildings. Walking into the club house is like vising an old stately home. Much to the delight of the travelling crowd, the surrounding offices lent themselves perfectly to providing the most amazing acouscs which aided the baying crowd in making the most glorious noise to cheer on the lads. Letchworth have now won thirty-four games on the trot (we don't talk about the one draw) and are well on the way to a league table win and secured promoon to the Naonal Leagues. The club is fast approaching its one-hundredth season and this achievement would be the icing on the cake for them. Whatever happens, this season will be recorded in the clubs history books as one of the greatest, I for one am so proud to have been a part of that.

Nicky

Screen this months new releases

07572 532618

www.bb-carpentry.co.uk

CREED 3

SHAZAM

Out 3rd March

Still dominating the boxing world, Adonis Creed is thriving in his career and family life. When Damian, a childhood friend and former boxing prodigy resurfaces after serving time in prison, he's eager to prove that he deserves his shot in the ring.The face-off between former friends is more than just a fight.To settle the score,Adonis must put his future on the line to battle Damian -- a fighter who has nothing to lose.

Out 17th March

Bestowed with the powers of the gods, foster kid Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies get thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.

allelujah

Allelujah is a warm and deeply moving story about old age and celebrates the spirit of the elderly patients. When the geriatric ward in a smallYorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back by galvanizing the local community: they invite a news crew to film their preparations for a concert in honour of the hospital's most distinguished nurse. What could go wrong?

MUMMIES

Out 31st March Certificate

The film follows the adventures of three ancient Egyptian mummies who live in an underground secret city, hidden in ancient Egypt.The trio includes a princess, a former charioteer, and his younger brother, along with their pet baby crocodile. Through a series of unfortunate events, the mummies end up in present-day London and embark on a hilarious journey in search of an old ring belonging to the Royal Family.

16 Hurst Close Baldock, SG76TL

16 Baldock,

16 Hurst Close Baldock, SG76TL

‘From August 2021

we are shutting the doors in Mansfield Road and will be working from 16 Hurst Close, Baldock SG7 6TL Appointments only’

Please call 07938509672 for more details and to book www.sewingbs.co.uk

Please

‘For all your alterations, repairs and 1:1 sewing classes please phone/text to book

FURYOF THE GODS

– how to protect a disabled or vulnerable person in a Will

Do you have someone in your family who you consider to be vulnerable?

Someone who, for various reasons, may struggle to manage a large sum of money. Is it your son or daughter who may be physically disabled, or who has Downs Syndrome, ADHD, Ausm or Aspergers or another illness which may affect mental capacity?

Do you worry about how you could safely leave them money aer you are gone? You know they could benefit from an inheritance, and maybe you also want to treat all your children the same, but how would they cope with the sudden

inheritance of a large sum of money –and importantly, how would that affect the benefits they receive?

Did you realise that you could leave money in Trust for them, to be looked aer by people you appoint in your Will – people you would trust to look aer the money, to invest it wisely and to make sure it is advanced to your son or daughter as they see fit?

The money wouldn't belong to the disabled or vulnerable person, so it wouldn't affect their means-tested benefits and reassuringly, their generous nature couldn't be taken advantage of when you wouldn't be there to protect them.

The money would be available to them for all sorts of things – all the things you would have wanted them to have and enjoy. The Trustees could agree to money being spent on lovely holidays, nice clothes or stylish/praccal furniture etc and things that would never be afforded out of the benefits they receive; but that will make their lives easier and more enjoyable.

A Will Trust of this type is treated differently to most Trusts when it comes to tax etc. There are concessions which broadly mean that for tax purposes the assets are treated as belonging to the beneficiary/s of the Trust, so the tax treatment is much more favourable.

If you'd like more informaon about how you could use a Trust of this type to protect an inheritance for someone in your family (it will probably cost a lot less than you think), please do contact us on 01438 746977 or info@arkpowers.com

Happy 9th Birthday Olivia

Lots of Love Mummy, Daddy & Frey Frey xxx

March 31st

Lots of Love Mum & Dad X

HAPPY2 BIRTHDAY Edith nd

Love from Mummy, DaddyBruce&

r Happy Bithday Mum

Love Judy & Ma xx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Mile Child

Do you find it difficult to keep up with going to regular exercise classes? The good news is we are now offering online Pilates courses which can be done when it suites you!

Where did Pilates come from? The founder of Pilates was Joseph Pilates, he was born in Germany in 1883, his mother a naturopath and father a gymnast. As a child Joseph suffered from asthma and other ailments. Joseph turned to exercises and athlecs to help manage these ailments, he was enamoured by the classical Greek ideal of a man balanced in body, mind and spirit, and he began to develop his own exercise system based on this concept.

Joseph moved to England in 1912, no longer a sickly child; he worked as a

Pilates at Home

self-defence instructor for detecves in Scotland Yard. As World War 1 broke out Joseph was held in Knockaloe internment camp on the Isle of Man. Here he spent the next four years refining his exercise system with fellow internees.

What is Pilates?

Pilates is made up of 600 different exercises and variaons and is a method of whole-body exercise. Although there is an emphasis on core work, core strength alone is not the end goal of Pilates, but rather using the core strength to develop funconal and sustainable movement paerns throughout the body.

What are the benefits of Pilates? Pilates has been show to have a posive effect on depression, stress

and cognive funcon, reduce lower back and menstrual pain, increase core strength, balance and posture, prevent injury, increase energy levels, mood and movaon, improve flexibility and mobility, boost immunity, enhance sports performance, strengthen bones and help improve the quality of your sleep.

We are now offering a rang of Pilates classes from beginner to intermediate levels which you can do in the comfort of your own home at your own pace. If you would like to know if this would be suitable for you and safe, please phone the clinic on 01462 490 141 for advice or follow the link on our websitewww.amberhealth.co.uk

The Amber Health Team

Baldock Gardens

By Graham Tapp

It's spring at last, so it's time to start sowing all of those plants you've been dreaming about growing all winter. If, like me, you've been watching Gardeners world and all the other gardening programs. If you are suffering from withdrawal symptoms and can't wait to get back into the garden, then now is the time to get going.

If you only have a small garden or none at all, you can still get somewhere to grow; there are now such things as mini plots available. An innovation founded by the LDGA (The Letchworth District Gardeners Association), these are tiny allotments, small but with enough room to grow flowers and or vegetables; this won't break the bank as the cost is much less than a full-size plot; they allow the gardener to be involved with nature and, importantly, the social side of gardening.

Many people are put off trying by the fear of making mistakes; well, don't be; we all make mistakes, and even the best growers get attacked by pests and diseases and have weirdly shaped vegetables. I thought this would be the right time to write about vegetables and how to grow them simply and easily so that you can have a go, even if you only have a window box or a little border.

I would suggest for beginners that starting with salads would be the easiest, to begin with.

Lettuce is easy to grow, puts up with shade, and grows in cooler conditions than many other plants so that it can be grown earlier and later into the season, be aware that lettuce is not hardy and will not put up with frosts. Plant in row widths and spacing according to the variety; propagation instructions will be found on the seeds' packets. Lettuce can be grown in any container that can hold compost or soil and even grow bags.

The next suggestion for beginners is spring onions; these need to be grown in full sun. It's best to sow only what you think you will need, so I suggest you sow in three-week intervals, following the instructions on the packets. As with lettuce, you can grow spring onions in any container or grow bag. In dry, hot weather, you need to water when required; don't

overdo it. I suggest you pull the onions when they get to the size you prefer leaving those smaller ones to grow on.

A good old favourite for beginners and experts alike are runner beans.

Runner beans can be grown on the same piece of the garden year after year without any problems; they are not hardy, so do not try and get them growing too early; mid to late April is quite soon enough around here, and they will need covering with fleece for the cold. Spacing should be about 30 centimetres apart. Please don't get too carried away with complicated frames for them to grow up anything that will hold canes vertically to a height of two metres will do for your first go. If you get into the second and third years, you can look at all sorts of complex structures. Pick your beans often, so they are soft and stringless; many new varieties claim to be stringless, so go for them. When hot and dry, the flowers may not set or will fall off, just as the small beans are just forming; my Granddad always told me to spray the flowers with water from a hose pipe to increase the humidity and keep them cool. Newer varieties don't need it, and it's probably just too cold or windy for pollinators to do their job, don't panic; you will get beans eventually; even I still get frustrated when there are no beans on a plant that's two meters plus high.

One of my favourite vegetables to grow and suitable for beginners is courgette. Grow in fertile soil with lots of organic material mixed in; they will benefit from a high potash fertiliser, and don't let them dry out.

Courgettes can also be grown in any suitable container pot or grow bag. They might suffer from powdery mildew in hot, dry weather, making the leaves look silvery. Don't worry particularly it happens to the best of us. Courgettes will sometimes get all sorts of virus problems that will make the leaves go strange colours; many varieties are resistant, so look for them when choosing your seed, but don't worry; if it happens, you will still get some to pick. If you are feeling very adventurous and have a nice bit of fine soil, try growing

some root vegetables, parsnips or carrots. Parsnips do not like being started in seed trays and then transplanted, so sow them directly into the soil, where they will stay until harvesting.

Parsnips like the soil to be warmish to germinate, so don't sow them around the Baldock area until at least the end of April. Sow them about two and a half centimetres deep and about five centimetres along the row; seeds will take two to three weeks to germinate; a tip is to make sure you leave a line of string where you have sown them to remind you where they are. When the seedlings are about five centimetres high, thin them out to a distance of 20 centimetres between each plant. Water is needed when it is hot and dry to stop the roots from splitting. Parsnips store well left in the ground, so there is no need to dig them until you require them.

Parsnips do not like nitrogen-rich soils, so be careful when feeding them, or they will split.

Another root vegetable that is good for beginners is carrots. There are any amount of varieties and colours, so the choice is yours. You will find descriptions and instructions on the packets, so spend time looking or asking someone at the garden centre. Carrots also need to be directly sown as they do not like being transplanted; they are likely to take up to three weeks to germinate, so don't expect instant results. Thin the plants to about five centimetres apart once they are large enough to pick out, do not hoe them out, or the scent of the cuts will attract carrot flies. The carrot fly can be kept off your precious plants by using a horticultural mesh; make a cage just higher than the plants and drape it over, ensuring it is sealed to the soil.

Beetroot is another of my favourites to grow; treat them much the same as parsnips and thin them as soon as they touch together; unlike parsnips, small beetroot can be harvested and eaten directly or pickled and eaten later.

Until next month, enjoy your garden

Too much choice out there? Spend more time deciding what to watch than actually watching something?

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

Shrinking – Apple TV

Harrison Ford and the small screen are not a combinaon you would put together. Yet here he is in only his second ever tv show playing a psychiatrist passing on his world weary ps and advice to his fellow shrink, Jimmy, played by Jason Segel. Jimmy has had a lot to deal with over the past year with the loss of his wife, leaving him distant with his teenage daughter. Addicon and a lapse approach to his work (psychiatry/paent ethics are not his thing) see the series start with an episode that holds a clever twist at the end, seng it up nicely for the next 9 episodes. Wrien by the same team as Ted Lasso (also an Apple TV staple), Shrinking is an easy going watch with Jason Segel's high energy nicely combining with Harrison Ford, leaving you wanng one more bite out of this feel good drama.

The Last of Us – Now TV / HBO

Another zombie apocalypse drama would not usually peak my aenon, but The Last of Us is not your typical dish of undead ancs. With its origins hailing one of the most lauded computer games of all me, this adaptaon is first class from HBO. Pedro Pascal is Joel, a Texan construcon worker in his 50s and a semioutsider in the Boston quaranne zone, where he does grim maintenance jobs and has a side-line in the hidden market. Eventually, he meets Ellie (Bella Ramsey from Game of Thrones), a 14-year-old girl whom he must transport west across the ravaged US. Her body holds clues which might just save mankind. Episode 3 side-tracks to tell the story of 2 survivalists over the course of 10 years – as a standalone episode it might just be the best 60 minutes of TV you'll see this year. A tearjerker of an episode is not what you would associate with a zombie apocalypse. As usual HBO producon values are solid, and staying true to its computer game origins means there is a strong authencity. The protagonists may be the undead, but it is the living which show the true horrors of society on its knees.

Thank you to all the people that have recommended me as their personal estate agent in Baldock. I love working here and the town has always held a special place in my heart, it's just great!!

With 20 years experience selling homes locally

07860 950 957

Aquilia Acupunture in Balodck

About your acupuncturist

Lianne Aquilina is a highly qualified and experienced specialist acupuncturist.

Lianne has over 18 years of experience providing acupuncture for health and care. She graduated with a first class honours degree in acupuncture, has cerficaon in advanced acupuncture, is a member of the Brish Acupuncture Council and Affiliate member of the Brish Medical

Society of Acupuncture. She taught acupuncture clinical pracce at degree level at the University of Lincoln for 8 years. Lianne is a vising guest lecturer on health research and also acupuncture for ferlity. She coauthored a textbook Acupuncture for IVF an integrated approach to treatment management.

Lianne is a trustee for the research council of complementary medicine UK and a praconer governing board director of the Brish Acupuncture Council. The Naonal Instute Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends acupuncture treatment for migraine and chronic pain management.

"Following years of failed treatments, I then found a highly qualified acupuncturist by the name of Lianne Aquilina. She has changed my life. It has been a miraculous, life changing treatment for me. I would recommend her to anyone who suffers debilitang pain." Aquilia

Acupuncture

Paent

"We truly can not thank Lianne enough for all that she has done, going above and beyond. We credit her hugely in helping our lile boy come along. We We credit her hugely in helping our lile boy come along. We are no longer living under the cloud and our son is just the best thing that could have happened to us." Aquilia Acupuncture

Paent

Baldock Cricket

MSc

Baldock cricket club are already in light training for the 2023 season. We are always looking for new players of ANY ability.We have 3 saturday sides and a sunday side. We also run 2 age group sides.

If you fancy an indoor net we are running them every Sunday 12.30 ll.1.30 pm all the way through to mid April at; Hitchin boys school sports centre Grammar school walk, Hitchin, SG5 1JB Its a very friendly training environment so please come along.

If anyone local fancies umpiring for us during the summer please let us know. You will need to obtain a DBS (done free by the club) and all expenses will be covered and more. A solid grasp of basic laws is obviously key.

We have a decent facility with a bar (very well priced!) and a very inclusive feel.

BTCC would love to welcome anyone to come down and give it a go. many thanks for now. Contact at baldocktowncc@gmail.com or 07866 840011

Tricks Our Brain Plays On Us

- Cognive Dissonance

Most of us like to think we are in total control of the decisions we make and that we know the underlying causes of our beliefs and acons. In most cases, this is probably the case – somemes however, there are psychological aspects at play.

Take a look at the following games our mind likes to play:

You are more likely to say you enjoyed something if you paid a lot of money for it.This means that if you paid £100 for a theatre cket, you are more likely to say you enjoyed it (even if you didn't) than someone who paid £50 for the same show. This is caused by a phenomenon known as cognive dissonance.

Explained simply, this occurs when your situaon/acons/convicons contradict your true belief.

So, when your acons (in this case paying £100 for a theatre cket) contradict with your beliefs ('I know how to get good value for money at the theatre'), the only way to escape cognive dissonance is to change your belief regarding how good the play was. You believe a price ending in '99' is cheap because of the shape you make with your mouth when you say it.

Of course a price that ends in '99', such as £1.99 will at first appear cheaper as it is slightly cheaper than £2.00. But another more interesng reason why we

are drawn to these prices is due to the shape our mouths make when we say it. Words that force our mouths to open wide are associated with large shapes, while words that are smaller and more angular (i.e. 'ny', 'mini', 'pete') are associated with small things. A price ending in 'ninety-nine' therefore makes us think of a small price.

Signs of Cognive Dissonance

Everyone experiences cognive dissonance to some degree but that doesn't mean that it is always easy to recognize. Some signs that what you are feeling might be related to dissonance include:

Ÿ Feeling uncomfortable before doing something or making a decision.

Ÿ Trying to jusfy or raonalize a decision you've made or acon you have taken

Ÿ Feeling embarrassed or ashamed about something you've done and trying to hide your acons from other people

Ÿ Experiencing guilt or regret about something you've done in the past

Ÿ Doing things because of social pressure or a fear of missing out (FOMO), even if it wasn’t something you wanted to do.

What does this inconsistencyrelated discomfort look like in everyday life? Here are just a few cognive dissonance examples that you may noce in your own:

· You want to be healthy, but you don't exercise regularly or

Ÿ eat a nutrious diet. You feel guilty as a result.

Ÿ You know that smoking or drinking to much is harmfulto your health, but you do it anyway. You raonalise this acon by poinng to your high stress levels.

Ÿ You'd like to build up your savings but tend to spend extra cash as soon as you get it. You regret this decision later, such as when facing an unexpected expense that you don't have the money to cover.

Ÿ You have a long to-do list but spend the day watching your favourite shows instead. You don't want your spouse to know, so you try to make it look like you've worked hard all day.

Cognive dissonance plays a role in many value judgments, decisions, and evaluaons. Becoming aware of how conflicng beliefs impact the decisionmaking process is a great way to improve your ability to make faster and more accurate choices.

Kim Holloway www.total-therapy.co.uk

St Marys Sports Update

The New Year has been really busy for St Mary's Sports. I couldn't be more proud of our X Country runners. Geng out of bed to travel to cold St Albans for a run on a Winter Saturday isn't everyone's cup of tea. But they showed incredible spirit and fight to finish each race against Herordshire's very best runners.

To qualify for this race, the children had to finish in the top 20 in North Herts, which is an achievement in itself. To have them finish in posions of 14th, 15th, 25th etc in races with 100 true athletes from their own respecve district is an unbelievable achievement and something they should all treasure for the rest of their lives.

Congratulaons to our Indoor Athlecs team as both our boys and our girls team won the event against the best of Hitchin to qualify for the District Final aer half term. All of them were

absolutely amazing and thoroughly deserved to win.

We took 27 children to the District Dodgeball event in Letchworth, playing 21 matches, winning an incredible 20 of them, resulng in St Mary's becoming Champions.

Our children have also enjoyed netball and swimming events (thanks to St Francis for hosng), and we've also had 3 football matches here at St Mary's. We have a lot more sport to come! - Sco Hagland

All Boiler Maintenance, Serving & Repairs

Cod Cheek Scampi with Sriracha Mayo

This month's recipe is for one of our most popular dishes on the menu at Eight, cod cheek scampi. The first question that may pop into your head is "Where would I find cod cheeks?" There is an online fishmonger delivery service based right here in Baldock called Fish at Home (www.fishathome.uk). They stock cod cheeks which can be delivered to your door. All you need to do is meet a minimum order spend of £20.

The other great thing about this dish other than it being delicious and easy to make is that we are utilising a cut that is usually discarded. Most fish heads end up in the bin as it's an additional weight to transport for fish markets. There are a few fishermen that will extract the cheeks and sell them as a biproduct. The guys at Fish at Home then trim them up and deliver them ready to cook with. The only difference between this recipe and what we serve at the restaurant is that we batter the cod cheeks with a light, crisp batter whereas these are covered in breadcrumbs. Both are as delicious as each other. This recipe will feed 4 along with some bread and a cold glass of Riesling!

*500G cod cheeks - Cut them into bite-size pieces and marinate them in a bowl with a pinch of sea salt & some lemon juice. You can also use paprika and/or some crushed garlic if you like.

While the cheeks are marinating we can make the dip.

*200G good quality mayo

*1 tsp white wine vinegar

*1 tsp dijon mustard

*Pinch of sea salt

*50G of Sriracha

*Pinch of chilli powder (optional)

*Juice of a 1/4 lemon

Mix everything in a mixing bowl until well incorporated. Taste and add more salt or lemon if required.

Get 3 plastic containers at least 1 litre in size ready on your kitchen counter.

*100G plain flour

*1 tsp paprika

*Pinch of salt

*Pinch of finely ground white pepper - Mix together and put into one of the containers.

*4 eggs - Whisk together and pour into the 2nd container.

*150g natural breadcrumbs (panko breadcrumbs are the best to use) - Put that into your third container.

Fill a medium-sized frying pan with sunflower or rapeseed oil until the oil comes up to the first line on your little finger when the tip of your finger touches the bottom of the frying pan. Alternatively, if you have an air fryer you can use that. Heat up your oil to 180°C.

Whilst you're waiting for your oil to get hot you can start to breadcrumb your cod cheeks.

Cover 6 to 8 cod cheeks in the plain flour. Make sure every mm is covered, then toss it in the beaten egg and then cover liberally in the breadcrumbs. Once all the cod cheeks are breadcrumbed you can start to fry them off in small batches. They will take 4 to 5 minutes to cook through. If the breadcrumbs are getting too dark in colour then remove them from the fryer and finish cooking in the oven.

Drain off well on a paper towel and allow to cool slightly. Top with some finely sliced spring onions and serve with the sriracha mayo and a wedge of lemon.

If you struggle to find any ingredients in this recipe, feel free to pop by the restaurant where we'd be happy to pot some up for you to take home.

Enjoy!

Eight.

Chef patron of

ROGERSONS REMOVALS

Baldock Branch of the Royal Brish Legion needs your support!

Like many other RBL branches across the country, they have seen a decline in membership and unless they can recruit new members will unfortunately have to close. This means that the Royal Brish Legion will no longer be represented in Baldock and will not be able to take part in the Remembrance Service.

As a priority, the Branch are looking for a new Chairperson and Secretary. If sufficient volunteers come forward, there may also be vacancies for ViceChair and a number of Branch Commiee Members.

You don't have to be part of the Armed Forces community to join the Royal Brish Legion, everyone is welcome.

Please join them for an informal meeng to find out how you can get involved.

Monday 20th March 7.30pm

The Orange Tree Pub Norton Road SG7 5AW

For more informaon email rblbaldock@yahoo.com or look for further announcements on their facebook page

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Baldock Rotary celebrated Burns Night in magnificent style exactly on the 264th Anniversary of Rabbie Burns's Birth. Forty Rotarians, partners, friends and guests enjoyed an excellent evening at Baldock Bowls Club.

Our diners were "piped in" by The Wintringham Pipers and the evening meal began with the Selkirk Grace immediately followed by a starter of the tradional cock-a-leekie soup.

The big event of the meal where, with tradional Scosh music, the haggis was "piped in" and was presented to the full approval of all present. And what a lovely big haggis it was too! Rotarian Gordon Brooks addressed the haggis with Rabbie Burns' words and then proceeded to make the first cut with a dirk in the tradional way. And as all present tucked in to the haggis, neaps and taes, what beer to drink with it but a wee dram (or two wee drams for some!).

Dessert was the tradional Cranachan

made of oats, cream, raspberries and, wait for it, another wee dram in the mixture as well!

With diners replete aer such a meal the celebraon of Rabbie Burns connued with Rotarian Junior Vice President Garry Blyth giving an excellent speech for "The Immortal Memory", followed by a "Toast to the Lassies" proposed by Club Secretary John Prendergast and a "Response by the Lassies" given by Rotarian Janet Hammond.

Some of Burns' Poems were then read by Philip Belcher, aer which a raffle with many lovely prizes was run by Carol Brier. She always does a lovely raffle, does Carol!

Valenne Shanley, resplendent in an Irish kilt and naonal dress (shamrock and all) made a generous donaon to help the work of Rotary and this was received by President Thom Odd with much applause from all present.

This wonderful celebraon ended with

the tradional "Old Lang Syne" and tradional pipe music by Sarah, Carolyn and Philip of The Wintringham Pipers. Everyone's thanks to VicePresident Keith Brier and Carol for all their good work to organise such a great evening and to Helen and her team for such appesing fare.

Rotarian – John Hammond

Useful numbers

Citizen’s Advice Bureau

Trading Standards Advice Samaritans Councils

North Hertfordshire District Doctors

Baldock Surgery

Dentist

Victoria Place Dental Surgery

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

March Gallery

Huge turn out for the Baldock Beast again this year

Stunning frosty morning - Catherine McLeod

Roger Elias

Mark Hardman

Lisa Morgans

Weston churchyard, love the snowdrops bring hope & light at the end of winter - Lucie Blake

James Dearman

Sunrise over Avenue park Baldock. -Della Potter

Allen Churchyard

Low sun and mist - Weston Hills - Catherine McLeod