Raising awareness of what’s on & where to find things locally
Issue 67 May 2020
www.onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages
Welcome
to the May 2020 issue! For the first time ever On Our Doorstep won't actually be coming direct to your door! You may be reading this issue online or having picked up a copy from one of our local pick up points to help support social distancing. Are you really living 'in these strange times' if you don't mention 'strange times' at the start of every phone call, email or text message? So avoiding that phrase April was certainly a month to remember! It's been a month of firsts. Our first video call social gatherings, the queens first birthday unmarked by a royal gun salute and G La Roche's first performances from his balcony in his dressing gown. Amongst it all there does seem to be a reassuring feeling of community and togetherness like never before (especially considering we rarely see other humans nowadays). Our youngest is back to homeschooling herself with Knights after the Easter holidays and the little routines are starting to feel a little more normal. I think we can all agree that the occasional ‘lie in’ is rather welcome. Meanwhile middle child has made some changes to her daily routine and London commute. She now gets up and ready for work and commutes to her new office - the garden! Rob from The Orange Tree has turned his pub into a local green grocers, stocking fresh local vegetables and Chapman's butchers burgers, fish and chips take away on Fridays and burgers with fries on Wednesdays. The Orange Tree weekly quiz has even become an online event.
We've seen lots of families creating challenges and games to keep themselves entertained. On that note, we'd love to see what you've all been up to so remember to send in your photos for our gallery page to be featured in out next issue. Once again we have updated our usual movie page to show you what's being released to watch from the comfort and safety of your sofa. Wednesday has become our regular family film night complete with popcorn and makeshift pick'n'mix bowls. Until the next issue, stay safe
Paul & Jacqui info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk
Jacqui Calver 07973 788418
Disclaimer All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however On Our Doorstep Baldock cannot take any responsibility for the content of adverts or services provided by the advertisers. Reproduction on whole or in part of this publication without prior permission from the publishers is strictly prohibited.
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Baldock - Communi at its best Normally when Paul or Jacqui talk to me about wri ng something about the fes val for On Our Doorstep in April, I am in full planning mode with the rest of the beer fes val and main fes val commi ee members. April is a busy month for both commi ees, with day jobs and either confirming or driving round picking up supplies ready for the two-week fes val. Over the last 13 years that I have been involved, I normally get to talk about what a great community we live in. Thanking the people who a end our events and support us and the army of people that give up their me to help us to raise money for our community. The Covid-19 pandemic has really made me think about the word community. Community is commonly described as a group of people living in the same place or having a par cular characteris c in common. And when
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you think about the characteris cs of our community, it isn't hard to work out why people want to live here. The kindness, support and willingness to help others shines through. I have been so proud, and (I won't lie a li le bit overwhelmed at mes) when I have read the numbers of helpful responses to requests on social media, the numbers of people who are volunteering through the Baldock Coronavirus support group. I have listened to the concerts put on virtually by G (Balstock) La Roche, tuned in to the virtual pub quiz / bingo nights at the Orange Tree which has morphed from pub to grocer and then chippy to meet the needs within the community, whilst raising money for the musicians who normally would be performing for us. I have queued with others at Tesco, safely overseen by the amazing staff who have made it bearable by having
music and boos ng morale with their dances. I have wandered round Baldock on my daily exercise inspired by rainbow's, Easter trails and teddy bears as part of the children's teddy bear hunts. I have ordered and collected take away cream teas from Tapps and seen how other local businesses have responded to the needs of customers safely. I have even smiled at the number of interes ng new Ofsted ra ngs posted in windows by parents home schooling. I have stood on my doorstep every Thursday with the rest of my street and clapped for key workers of all professions and never been so proud of my amazing community. This year will be remembered by many people in years to come, in different ways but I know that we will also remember that it was a me when our community came together and supported each other. Tara Geere
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To alleviate the misery of losing income, we are sending out “Food Fairies and Elves” who will drop boxes of fresh and dry food on doorsteps. Ÿ Through our newsle ers, Facebook and website, we will keep in touch and offer prac cal advice - such as how to keep yourself well-nourished and physically fit. We will let you know what is going on in the town and try to raise morale. Ÿ We also want to help you with your pets and will take dogs for a walk or assist with visits to the vet. Now, and since we started, talented individuals have come forward with ideas as to how we should support each other. The steering commi ee will always listen carefully to any proposal because it's your town too. If anything in this ar cle resonates with you, please contact us. Whether it is for help or to help someone else, or you have the most brilliant idea to share, either phone 01462 892838 or email baldockcs0@gmail.com BCSG Steering Commi ee Ÿ
Baldock Coronavirus Support Group Amazing, magical and brilliant are some of the words to describe how people are suppor ng each other during lockdown in our town. From small beginnings, BCSG has grown into an organisa on that is reaching out to the elderly, families and single people affected by the threat that coronavirus brings to our community's health, wealth and general well-being. We have divided the town into six zones and our volunteers started off by delivering prescrip ons, doing shopping and checking by phone if isolated people were coping. Our front-line neighbourhood volunteers have kept their ears and eyes open and have reported back to our steering group members what is affec ng our community. Using social networks, we are con nually iden fying groups of
people who require our support and tailoring our services to meet this need. We are aware that some people have lost their incomes overnight and are struggling financially; these are people who were coping very well before lockdown. We know that some feel desperate and some in isola on are feeling bored, lonely and helpless. We are now increasing our efforts to help pull Baldock through this difficult me in the following ways: Ÿ By offering a specialist 'Listening Service' run by trained volunteers who will help you ar culate what you are feeling by listening to you. They are trained to be able to recognise if you need addi onal support and can give you contact details of those who can help.
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EMERGENCY PARCELS North Hertfordshire District Council (NHDC) has begun distributing 150 food, hygiene and cleaning parcels to local groups, to ensure our most vulnerable residents get the help they need during the Coronavirus pandemic. Across Hertfordshire, food parcels have begun arriving at the doors of people who have been told by their GP's that they can't leave their homes because severe health conditions put them at risk of coronavirus. Whilst Hertfordshire County Council is leading on this initiative, because the take up of the parcels was slightly lower than the Government anticipated, NHDC has been able to obtain 150 packs (a mixture of food, cleaning and hygiene parcels), which it is distributing to local charities and organisations who are coming into contact with those in need. Organisations who have received the packs so far include homeless charity, Feed up Warm up, the Need project who distribute food parcels to those in need, the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation and the Salvation Army, all of whom received 10 packs each. NHDC also delivered packs to Hertfordshire Constabulary as they reported they are encountering vulnerable residents on home
If you require assistance, contact Herts Help who are providing grocery packs. To find out if you quality call: 0300 123 4044 or visit: www.hertsindependantliving.org/food-andgrocery-packs For health and wellbeing advice, contact the North Herts Healthy Hub. Call: 01462 474111, email: healthyhub@northherts.gov.uk
visits. NHDC's Healthy Hub, a service offering health and wellbeing advice, received the remaining parcels as they are also receiving requests for assistance from vulnerable residents. Cllr Judi Billing, NHDC's Executive member for Community Engagement said: “We welcome the provision of food parcels, which will be a huge help to those who are unable to leave the house to shop and those who are struggling to access food and essential supplies. While Hertfordshire County Council are doing a great job of running the scheme, we are co-ordinating our efforts with them so that we can reach even more of the district's vulnerable people�.
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Lock Down As I write this, we are in week three of lockdown with the prospect of a few more weeks coming at us. My work closed a week before lockdown so I have been working from home for four weeks. It took a while to se le in if I'm honest. I was furnished with some tech equipment and sent on my way to organise a produc ve and comfortable work environment. It didn't go well. I ini ally set up at the kitchen table, I knew the WIFI was a bit dodgy in there but felt that it was the most obvious place to be. What is it about WIFI? You can tune into it halfway up your street but just try to connect when you're in your toilet. The town can connect to your WIFI but if you're in the wrong room… nada! Half an hour later, whilst being a li le sweary, I moved into the living room. Work have provided me with a collapsible table, so I set that up with a kitchen chair in a li le corner and off I went. I managed a day. I got up and moved about quite a bit to stretch and stuff but even with the frequent coffee trips which inevitably resulted in frequent toilet trips, by the end of the first day my back was killing me. I am now sat on a cushion on the floor with my legs tucked under the coffee table, right in front of the telly (which I was trying to avoid). Every morning I move the tech stuff into posi on and every evening I pop it back
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on the li le table out of the way. This has served to define going to work and coming home. At work, I have a super-fast PC, two screens and a comfy chair. At home, I have my old laptop, a surface (I-Pad to those non-techy folks out there) and a cushion on the floor. My youngest is also working from home, so the drain on the household WIFI is something to behold. When you are used to working at the pace of a Cheetah and suddenly have to cope with the speed of a Snail things tend to get a bit sweary. In that first week anyone standing outside my house could be forgiven for thinking they were an audience member at the World Swearing Championships with both my son and I vying for the most inven ve and loudest swear words we could find. A er four weeks, we have almost found a balance having both pulled back on our expecta ons of the achievable and we seem the happier for it. I'm finding the WFH thing a li le more hazardous than I thought possible, I was told that I didn't have to sit in front of my PC all day and that I am able to go do other stuff to get a break. That's all well and good, but when I'm doing other, things, bad things seem to be happening to me. I have had yet another driver rear end me whilst I was out doing some shopping (that's four not my fault car accidents in three years and I'm a bit over it now). My Dougy got beaten up by a girl dog during a walk. You already know that he is a big jessy, so he made a big fuss over it and Eddie had to race to his rescue by barking at her to see her off. It was
all a big drama over a li le scratch; and I ended up at the Lister out of hours a er cleaning my bathroom. I was cleaning the les and reached for the bleach, it wasn't bleach, it was toilet cleaner. I then poured bleach over the toilet cleaner and deeply inhaled the fumes from the resul ng chemical reac on, opened the window to ven late and carried on cleaning. By the evening, I had developed a rather worrying cough, wheezy chest and shortness of breath so had to go to the OOH doctor for lung and oxygen checks. Both myself and Doug are just fine, but none of these things would have happened if I had been safely at work with my fast PC and comfy chair. I haven't visited Weston Hills since the start of this and I miss it. It occurred to me the other day how quiet life is out in the world at the moment. Planes have gone, cars are fewer, life has slowed and its lovely. I would love to be able to visit the Hills just to hear the silence because this is the sound of my childhood visits. The roar of traffic from the bypass will be gone and the buzzing of low flying planes overhead is no more. Some mes the noise up there is too much, I would love to experience the real sounds of this 'peaceful' place once more. I'm also missing watching it wake up, seeing the subtle signs of life returning to the trees, each week bringing new colours and shades. I have one eye on the telly while wri ng this and it is repor ng the story of Captain Tom Moore. What an absolute legend that man is. At the moment his total is nearing thirteen million pounds. For those of you that haven't heard about this (I doubt there will be many) he has chosen to walk around his home 100 mes to raise money for the NHS before his 100th birthday at the end of the month. He completed this today but has sworn to keep going as long as we keep giving. I have a feeling that by the me this is printed he will have surpassed the 20 million mark. So, I just wanted to say Happy Birthday Captain Tom, I hope you enjoy many more of them. Now that's a real hero and I will no longer moan about my numb bum from si ng on the floor. Stay at home. Stay safe. Help save all of our Health Care Heroes.
Nicky
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Hollywood - May 1 This is the brand new period drama mini series from Glee and American Horror Story's Ryan Murphy. Set in post a World War II Hollywood. A group of aspiring actors and filmmakers The show is about a group of aspiring actors and filmmakers desperate trying to make it in Hollywood in the 1940s, whatever it takes. - Netflix
The Wrong Missy - May 13 When Tim Morris (David Spade) meets his dream girl and their relationship quickly escalates through texts, he throws caution to the wind and invites her to his company's corporate retreat on an island resort… However, when a past blind date from hell shows up at the airport for the weekend getaway instead, he learns way too late that he's been texting ‘the wrong missy’. -Netflix
White Lines - May 15 White Lines will be your next Netflix obsession, the series centres around Zoe Walker, who leaves her quiet life behind her, after her brother, legendary Manchester DJ Axl, is found dead on the island of Ibiza nearly 20 years after he first disappeared. She quickly heads down a decadent and dangerous path. - Netflix
Lovebirds - May 22 A romantic comedy with a twist. Every happy couple has one moment that defines their relationship, this happened for Leilani and Jibran when they are unintentionally embroiled in a hit and run murder in New Orleans. The couple get drawn into a criminal conspiracy, and realise the only way to clear their names is to solve the mystery themselves. -Netflix
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Dear All In these unusual times we at Sandon JMI School hope you are all well and safe. School is a bit different for us at the moment and we are so proud of the way our pupils are coping with current events. As you know, we are open for key worker children and providing lots of learning opportunities for children to complete at home. We are all impacted by the current events and know that each family situation is different, with the majority of parents now working from home.
Michelle Je�rey 26th May
Love from Mark, Alfie and Phoebe Happy 9th Birthday
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Louise Tapp
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Our wonderful teachers have been communicating with the children over ClassDojo. This is a platform that allows teachers, pupils and parents to communicate with one another. It has been a great success and wonderful to see what the children have been getting up to during their time at home. The children who have been in school have been participating in a variety of activities and due to the lovely weather, we have been able to spend lots of time outside in the garden. The herbs are thriving and we have been planting lots of seeds. Many of the seedlings are now ready to put on our community produce stall. If you are walking or driving past please have a look at what there is, any donations can be put through the school letterbox. Please do take care we hope to invite you back into school soon. Best wishes, Emma McGill
HEARTFELT THANKS TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY Providence Court care home in Baldock would like to thank rela ves, friends and the local community for the con nued messages of support and generous dona ons received. Home Manager Alison King said: “In the past few weeks we have received so many kind messages and dona ons from not only our resident's families but also local people and businesses. It really has made us feel such an important part of the community here in Baldock thank you”. Staff at Providence Court are keeping spirits high during these uncertain mes
with lots of singing and laughter. They are also ensuring that residents maintain contact with their loved ones using telephone, FaceTime, Skype, email and plenty of old-fashioned le er wri ng. The home even has its own personalised postcard. Visit Providence Court's Facebook page to see some of the wonderful ini a ves. Residents have even been able to stay connected to their faith when they watched a live stream on YouTube from Baldock Bap st Church. Special thanks to; A local ar st that delivered beau fully hand-painted pebbles – one for each resident, a large bouquet from Baldock Methodist church, Baldock Tesco's – gi sets and toiletries for the ladies and gents, Nobel School in Stevenage delivered protec ve visors. Jane, a local lady crocheted expanders to make our face masks more comfortable, and another kind lady who remains anonymous sent us 15 po ed miniature rose pants that are now looking lovely around the home. We have also received le ers and pain ngs from Shephalbury Park Primary School pupils. Providence Court is run and managed by not for profit care provider Quantum Care recently ranked in the UK's Top 20 Large Care Home Groups 2020 by carehome.co.uk independent review site. This is tes mony to our invaluable workforce for their dedica on and commitment to delivering an excep onally highquality service to our residents, even during the most difficult of mes like we are experiencing right now.
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Baldock Gardens By Graham Tapp
May 2020 Times have changed. We now have everyone self-isolating in their houses and gardens, suddenly many people have discovered that strange hobby gardening and growing. They have entered into my world and have now been asking me questions about all sorts of things, just as well really, it seems that many people have some extraordinary ideas of how their garden happens. Due to the Government shut down, we have had to close the Garden Centre to public access and put our staff on long time leave of absence (furloughed). The family business is now being operated by just four of us, Susan, Louise, William and myself. We have been able to change very quickly the way we make our products available to our customers; what we have done is go entirely over to order and collect. The ordering is over the phone or by a new online system via our website. What we have discovered is that many customers know the result they would like to achieve but with no idea how to achieve it. Firstly there is a misunderstanding of what compost is all about; it is basically a growing medium to hold the plant roots, to supply the plant with nutrients and water, allowing it to grow. That said there are many types of composts for different plants, they have different structures some more open than others, some have more nutrients than others, and some hold more water than others. Without getting more technical, what I am trying to say is that when a potential customer asks over the telephone for some mud to grow some seeds, where do we start the questioning to find out what they are trying to do? There also seems to be a lack of understanding of why a packet of seeds will have a growing date and a harvesting date. As I have said many times, what do we tell someone who in February proudly brings in a three-litre pot with a very sick looking two feet high tomato plant growing in it? There seems to be the same sort of thing going on with people, asking for tender bedding plants, sweet corn or courgette plants in the last weeks of March into the first few days of April.
Just because the sun is shining bright and the temperature is ten degrees above the normal for this time of the year. It does not mean it will carry on pretending to be summer. It will revert to winter, with cold and frost. By the time you read this, it will be May, and we will have all of the tender plants ready to put out to make your garden pretty. You will still have to be cautious with the weather and be prepared to cover with fleece as we have had devastatingly destructive frosts here in Baldock into June, we lost a whole polytunnel of bedding on the ninth of June once. I am writing this on the 17th April, and The Government have tonight announced that the Lockdown will continue for another three weeks, that means that all Garden Centres will have to remain closed to the public. You will not be allowed to come inside to view and choose our plants, seeds, pots and products. We have got around that, you will be able to order on our new system and collect from our gates, you will be issued a collection time from gate A or B so that we can keep you all to strict social distancing. Payment will be by Bank transfer so that will be non-contact also, all trollies used will be disinfected between customers. Everything will be available, provided we can get the deliveries, please
St Johns
Tapps, The Baldock Garden Centre
remember that the whole horticultural industry has been shut down. While this has been going on, we have been working away growing lots of lovely Perennial plants, bedding plants, basket plants and of course vegetable plants. So there is no excuse not to make you gardens and houses look fantastic. Technical help and general advice will be available by email, so send me an email on graham.tapp@tappsgardencentre.org I will endeavour to reply with an answer as quickly as I can. I realise that we are in unprecedented times and it is challenging for you all, but if we can help with your gardening, we will do whatever we can. To order for collection, please telephone 01462 896302 ( Garden Centre ) or log onto www.tappsgardencentre.com Susan and Louise will be managing the phones, William will be looking after the digital side making payments and orders as smooth as he can. I will be looking after any queries; we will all be looking after the plants. In the meantime, I have been building a new outside plant sales area and a new allotment area to grow vegetables and salad for the Tea room for when it can reopen. If we have an excess of vegetable or salad produce, we will sell it on, so keep your eyes open. Keep well, keep safe, best wishes Graham and everyone at Tapps Garden Centre.
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Build Your Own Action Cam Build your own Ac on Cam with a Raspberry Pi Zero. We've been locked down for some weeks now and although I have been very busy with family, my business and gadget reviews, there was s ll me for me to have a play with another project which was building my own Ac on Cam. I have been a fan of the Raspberry Pi computer since its launch back in 2012. For those of you who don't know what it is, the Raspberry is a single board computer built to promote computer programming in schools and developing countries. These are very small computers which have both HDMI and USB Ports to allow you to connect to a Keyboard, Mouse and Monitor. A er downloading the opera ng system from their website and wri ng it to a MicroSD, you power it up using a USB cable and you are away!
As well as the Pi computer, there is also a massive range of addon peripherals which connect via various ports, such as a dedicated camera port which I will be using for my project. I specifically need a camera module.
I could just plug in a USB webcam, but it will be too bulky, so I have bought an official Pi Camera Version 1.3 which will record Full HD at 30fps and take 5MP s lls. This cost me 10 and comes with 2 cables, one for the standard Pi and one for the smaller Pi Zero. I also bought the official Pi Zero Case which comes with 3 different lids for different projects, but importantly one of these is to mount the camera. Once assembled, I ran two special commands (raspis ll and raspivid) which confirmed everything was plugged in ok by record a s ll 5MP image and a short HD video.
I mounted to the camera to my bike helmet by adap ng a couple of old GoPro mounts and a aching a small phone power bank to the side of the helmet using velcro. I was then able to power the Pi Zero for some hours using this method.
I then spent a very large amount of me searching Raspberry Pi forums on the web to find the right method for recording video and saving it to MP4, I was also able to live stream video from the Pi to Facebook Live and Youtube and using my phone hotspot I was able to live stream the video whilst riding my bike during my daily exercise. The Camera works well and a er a bit of trial and error, I was able to get good results and the project could be easily u lised as a car dashcam as I was able to configure the video recording to start as soon as the device was powered up. I am sure that with a li le bit more coding, I could have it func oning as a proper helmet cam or dashcam. The video quality is very good and it is very sa sfying to complete a project like this and get the results you are looking for. If you are interested in building your Pi-powered camera, keep an eye on my website as I will be uploading a proper video over the coming weeks. Sending you all my very best wishes at this very difficult me. Ma Porter WWW.THEGADGETMAN.ORG.UK
The Pi comes in different shapes and sizes, the high-end Raspberry Pi 4 being the most powerful and expensive at about £50. For my project, I have used the Raspberry Zero W which is £9.80 and includes WiFi and Bluetooth. The Zero is very small indeed at 66.0mm x 30.5mm x 5.0mm in size. This is a fully func onal computer which will run a Chrome web browser and play 1080p HD video! M AY
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Pub turned Grocers
The Orange Tree Public House has been reinvented as a Grocers Store and OffLicense, during the Coronavirus pandemic Pub licensee Rob Scahill has swapped pulling pints to selling essen als like bread, fruit, vegetables and dairy products, giving older people, vulnerable residents and NHS workers the chance to book a private shopping slot. Rob said “I've had nurses coming straight from their shi at the Lister [Hospital]. I've had firemen, police and so on". All the produce is sourced from local suppliers at COST price plus 10% to cover
u lity bills and a further 20% to got to the Baldock Musicians Support Fund. This fund has been set up to support local musicians who would normally be plying their trade in pubs and clubs, which they are no longer able to do. It is specifically for those who are struggling the most - full mers or low wage earners with families for instance. Distribu on is managed by The Balstock Music Fes val Commi ee, so all applica ons need to be made to them via their Facebook page and not to The Orange Tree. Please give what you can afford, because Music is everything.
M. 07884 430741 E. claire@goodridgeaccountants.co.uk W. www.goodridgeaccountants.co.uk
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WESTON
JACK O'LEGS - The Weston Giant'
The most curious and enduring legend of this locality is that of Jack O' Legs. The earliest account of the story is found in Nathanial Salmon's 'History of Hertfordshire' (1728): 'In [Weston] churchyard are two Stones, or rather Stumps of Stones at almost fourteen Foot asunder, which the Swains will have to be on the Grave of a Giant…. About 70 years ago a very long Thigh-bone was taken out of the Church chest, where it had lain many years for a Shew, and sold by the Clerk to John Trediskin who, we are told, put it amongst varieties of Oxford.' (ie John Tradescant, the botanist; no trace can be found of this bone in his collection).
Jack O’Legs’ grave in Weston churchyard
'This Giant, called Jack O' Legs, as Fame goes, lived in a Wood here, was a great Robber, but a generous one, for he plundered the Rich to feed the Poor. He took bread from the Baldock Bakers frequently, who taking him at an advantage put out his Eyes and after hanged him upon a knoll in Baldock Field. He made them at his Exit but one single Request, which they granted: that he might have his Bow put into his Hand, and wherever his Arrow fell he should be buried, which happened to be in Weston Church-yard.' Other Hertfordshire historians writing in the 19th century gave accounts of the tale with variations as supplied by their informants. One had him living in a cave. Others emphasised the Giant's size by relating how his eyes were put out by a baker's peel (the wooden shovel used to place loaves in an oven) or his predilection for looking into upstairs bedroom windows in the town! Another identified the scene of his depredations as Jack's Hill on the Great North Road near Graveley where, incidentally, there was once a 'Jack's House' in the 18th or 19th centuries. Salmon's account indicates that the story was current c1650, but the earliest apparent reference comes in John Skelton's poem 'Speak Parrot' written in 1521, which contains the line, 'The gibbet of Baldock was made for Jack Leg.' The poem is a long,
rambling and often impenetrable diatribe against Cardinal Wolsey and the line appears to be almost randomly inserted among other sayings. That Skelton, a Norfolk man who had studied at Oxford and Cambridge, knew of 'Jack Leg' and expected his audience at court to know of it, too, suggests that this tale, which is now purely local, was once widely known. A further invective against Wolsey, 'Why Come Ye Not to Court' contains these lines: 'Such a prelate, I trow, Were worthy to row Through the straits of Marock To the gibbet of Baldock.' The implication presumably being that Wolsey deserved to die a felon's death and that the gibbet of Baldock meant something to the audience because of its association with 'Jack Leg'. The notoriety, in Henry VIII's time at least, of Jack and therefore of Baldock's gibbet (which stood on the corner of London Road and the High Street) rather strengthens the likelihood that our legend concerns a real outlaw of unusual size (from his name). Perhaps he had met his end not long before Skelton was writing, but the legend seems to refer to a much earlier time, a time when an outlaw could be lawfully captured by the townspeople and hanged, for this is the essence of the tale stripped of its more obvious exaggerations. The Templars claimed a right known as infangenthef, the right to summarily hang a thief caught redhanded within their jurisdiction. In one of the two surviving 13th century records of this right being exercised in Baldock, the felon was brought before 'the court of Baldock' and sentenced to hang by the Templars' bailiff of Baldock 'without suit' ie without proper legal process, a procedure little different from a lynching to our eyes. Such rights were being challenged by the Crown in the late 13th century and
A woodcut of Robin Hood, 1508
Such rights were being challenged by the Crown in the late 13th century and seem to
have survived much beyond that time; therefore it is possible that, if Jack existed at all, it might have been early in Baldock's history (ie in the century-and-a-half or so after 1150). Judicial mutilation, such as the putting out of eyes to which the legend may refer, was more used in the earlier part of that period than the later. Tales of the exploits of outlaws were common in the Middle Ages and some were spread around the country by means of ballads, poems or plays. Possibly, in some such way, Skelton came to hear of Jack, but nothing of the kind survives except the oral tradition. This, in the way of these tales, has been enlarged over the years, often with borrowings from other outlaw stories. A common feature of these was that the outlaw was a skilled bowman operating in the greenwood. The story of Jack's last request is similar to a post-medieval version of a medieval poem called, 'The Death of Robin Hood' (and to the legend of Piers Shonks of Brent Pelham) and his generosity with other people's money recalls that greatest of outlaws. Jack's hope, related in one version, that a chapel should be built where his arrow lands, 'for the benefit of his soul' reflects the pious deeds mentioned in the medieval 'Gest of Robyn Hode', who heard three masses a day and endowed a chapel at his home in Barnsdale (Yorkshire). Nevertheless, the story of Jack's execution is unusual, perhaps unique, and the story is very specifically local, which rather suggests an origin independent of other tales. The legend of Jack O' Legs is a remarkable survival kept alive hereabouts from generation to generation for many centuries. Not long ago almost every child in Baldock knew the story; how many know it today? It would be a shame if it only became a subject of antiquarian interest, so why not go up to Weston churchyard (when we can socialise safely again) to see the stones and take your children and grandchildren with you. BK, Baldock Museum & Local History Society. First published in The Baldock Mail, October 2010
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Caring for your Pets in Spring We would like to remind everyone that chocolate may be delicious to us, but it is not the case for our pets, especially dark chocolate so always be aware, also please remember that dried fruit, such as raisins and sultanas, can be extremely toxic to our pets even in small quan es. If you think your pet may have eaten something they shouldn't, please call your Vet for immediate advice. Flowers are a vibrant addi on to any home but may pose a threat to pets. Lilies are par cularly toxic to cats. All parts including the stem, leaves and pollen can cause your cat to become seriously unwell. Daffodils, tulips and
hyacinths can cause problems too, especially the bulbs. Veterinary advice should be sought immediately if your pet becomes unwell a er being around flowers, even if you are unsure whether any has been ingested. Fleas – While fleas are seen all year round, they do prefer warmer temperatures. You may no ce fleas are more of a problem now than winter months. Make sure you are trea ng your pet regularly with an appropriate product. Ticks - As the weather starts to get warmer we see
more cks. These are not only creepy but can carry some nasty diseases. Make sure your pet is protected, check with us what treatment you can use. Many of us like to venture into the garden as the weather improves. Some types of mulches and fer lisers can be toxic to pets. Please ask your Vet for advice before use if you are unsure.
Slug pellets are another garden product that can be toxic to our pets. If you think your pet may have eaten slug pellets please seek immediate Veterinary a en on. Our 24 hour Emergency Service is operated by our own Vets so you will always get a familiar face who has access to your pet's medical records. Call 01763 242221 or 01462 895579 for Royston and Baldock Veterinary Centres.
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WAYS TO COPE DURING SELF-ISOLATION It is a me of uncertainty, confusion and frustra on. No ma er who you are, you'll have been affected by our current climate. We are not wired for this level of uncertainty and change. You might have some personal losses connected with the virus, struggle with financial security or being apart from loved ones, or have plans and dreams for the future that have to be postponed or given up. Take this me for reviewing what's really important and le ng go of some of the other stuff. At a me when there's greater uncertainty about life than we're used to tolera ng, we all feel more vulnerable. Significant changes to our daily lives and rou nes are very unse ling; things feel more out of our control than they usually do. Anxiety is a normal day-to-day feeling, just like hunger, excitement and redness. It's a part of how we ra onalise things and make decisions. One of the most effec ve ways of managing these feelings is to breathe. This might sound too simple to be true, but by slowing our breathing down will
help when feeling anxious or not in control. Following these simple steps will greatly reduce anxiety. Ÿ Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly as is comfortable, without forcing it. Ÿ Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth. Ÿ Breathe in gently and regularly. Some people find it helpful to count steadily from 1 to 5. You may not be able to reach 5 at first. Ÿ Then, without pausing or holding your breath, let it flow out gently, coun ng from 1 to 5 again, if you find this helpful. Ÿ Keep doing this for 3 to 5 minutes. Pay a en on to your thoughts unhelpful thinking pa erns such as catastrophising and rumina ng keep us stuck in an anxious place. If you no ce you're caught up in this type of thinking, ground yourself by placing your feet firmly on the floor and really no ce how that feels. Look around you and name five things you can see. The idea is to bring your a en on to the present moment, rather than being lost in your
thoughts. Connect - we're wired to connect with other people, so selfisola on and distancing are challenging for us. However, as well as the tradi onal telephone, we have many online pla orms helping us connect with each other. Make it a priority to keep in touch with loved ones, and maybe even get back in touch with people you've lost contact with. Be kind - give yourself a break and be as kind to yourself as you possibly can. Would you speak to your best friend the way you speak to yourself? Probably not. The bo om line is that we're all humans trying to get by in life and we all deserve to feel loved and supported. Online hypnotherapy can be just as helpful and successful as face to face sessions. O en offering more flexibility in appointment mes in the comfort of your home, all you need is a reliable internet connec on and somewhere you will not be disturbed during your session. The brightest rainbows follow the darkest of storms Stay Safe. Kim Holloway – www.total-therapy.co.uk
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CHALLENGING TIMES FOR THE KNIGHTS TEMPLAR SCHOOL On Thursday 19th March, the government announced that school should shut their doors from Monday 20th March for all students apart from children of Key Workers. This news was not unexpected and KTS has already started thinking about what 'School at Home' might look like. Sadly, there was nothing that we could do to prepare the students who were 'full steam ahead' towards their GCSE or A Level exams. The news that the exams had been cancelled was devasta ng for our young people. Many years of hard work lead up to these life changing exams and it is the 'final test' for them which means so much and is the springboard for the rest of their lives. I was pleased that we were able to hold some celebra on events on the Friday (social distancing being recognised as well as we could) and at least the students were able to spend some me reflec ng on their me at KTS and say goodbye to their friends. All 1,350 students and 140 staff are now working from home. Teachers are se ng work for each lesson and the students are comple ng this online and sending it back to their teachers. I know that some students are ge ng together using technology such as Zoom or FaceTime to discuss their work and support each other. Each family is having to juggle their own family circumstances, including limited access to technology, so it is challenging,
but on the whole this new way of learning is as usual at KTS, bringing the very best out of everyone. The staff are or course, having to juggle their own family circumstances as well. I have been incredibly impressed with the way the students and staff have responded. Some great work is being done and of course, students are having to be so much more independent than they would have to be in school. I have copied in some of the work that the students produced before the Easter break. I must also
pay tribute to our parents who have kept the rou nes at home – such an
important aspect of successful learning. Some of our community have been busy making personal protec ve equipment for health workers. Jonathan (year 9) has been using his 3D printer to make face shields and our design and technology department have been using the school facili es to make PPE as well. Our Science and DT department have donated all their PPE equipment to the NHS. When the school opens again, we will all have been through one of the most challenging periods in our lives. As a Headteacher in this me, you need teams to make things work. I have a great team of support and teaching staff who have enabled a smooth transi on to 'School at home'. The highlights however are our students, who constantly amaze me. Their ability to adapt, keep focussed and disciplined is quite extraordinary. With this forced change on the way we all work, will we change some of the ways we educate in the future? Well, me will tell on that, but what I can say is that the school mo o of 'Courage and Courtesy' has been demonstrated over and over again
during the last month or so. I am so proud of the staff and the students and their a tudes to adap ng and demonstra ng great resilience and perseverance – all the quali es that I would expect from our school community. Tim Litchfield - Headteacher M AY
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ROTARY NEWS As with most community-based activities Baldock Rotary Club is currently locked down but not totally inactive. Communication has been maintained between members using a well-known video conferencing package. Other communication has been undertaken with quips and humorous material being circulated by members which has given everyone a little something to smile about in these difficult times. We even expect a few members to show us some new talents that they have learned since we saw them last. Also, a number of our members are actively involved with the Baldock Coronavirus Support Group which is doing a great job supporting
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vulnerable people in the Baldock area. One project that has recently come to fruition relates to an international donation made by the club. Last October Baldock Rotary invited trustees from the Kenya Trust to give a talk at one of its lunches. As a result of that meeting Baldock Rotary offered to make a donation to the Trust to support an appropriate project. The donation made provided funds to a school located in town of Thika, in Kiambu County, central Kenya, about an hour's drive from the capital, Nairobi. Variety Village currently has 93 students and a capacity of 120. It is a residential training centre catering for both boys and girls from the ages of 15 to 25. Children with special needs are particularly welcome and these include students with physical, visual, hearing and mental impairments. The students study a particular skill for two years then sit a government trade certificate examination. On passing the students are then able to apply for jobs within their particular trade. The donation enabled the school to purchase a replacement bandsaw for students on the carpentry course and has resulted in students being able to learn carpentry and woodworking skills that have enabled them to produce furniture and cabinetry items that have been made to order. The work that has
been undertaken has generated funds for the running and upkeep of the school. The Principle of the school indicated that the addition of the new bandsaw had made a significant improvement to the woodworking and carpentry facilities within the school and his thanks go to Baldock Rotary Club for their kind donation. The photograph show students proudly standing next to the new bandsaw with the plaque made by students on the signwriting course. Paul Luckett - Rotarian
Slimming Wld Recipe Supplied by
Sandra Lloyd
Cajun Chicken Pasta Salad Family favourite flavours, filling pasta and chicken and a zingy low fat dressing!
Ingredients Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
460g chicken breasts, boned and skinned 2 tsp Cajun seasoning Low calorie cooking spray 140g dried pasta shapes 1 red pepper, deseeded amd chopped 1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped 1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
For the creamy dressing: Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ
2 level tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise 142g / 5oz fat free natural fromage frais grated zest of ½ lemon
Method 1. Cut the chicken breasts into thin strips and place in a shallow container. Sprinkle the Cajun seasoning over the top and turn the chicken over until it is well coated. 2. Spray a cast iron grill pan lightly with low calorie cooking spray and place over a medium heat. Add the chicken strips and cook for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until they are cooked right through and golden brown. Remove the chicken and drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively, cook under an overhead grill. 3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta shapes in a large pan of lightly salted water boiling water for 8-10 minutes (according to the packet instructions), until just tender. Drain well and cool. 4. Mix the chicken, pasta, red and green peppers and spring onions in a large bowl. Season with a little salt and pepper. 5. Mix together all the creamy dressing ingredients until well blended and spoon over the chicken and pasta mixture. Toss gently together and sprinkle with parsley to make an appointment or for a free consultation call
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hairdressing
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May Gallery
Please send your local snaps new or old to our facebook page or email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Young Marsya sitting in front of her rainbow on the A507 Buntingford Road simply because nobody would have seen a rainbow picture in her window! Simon Holtom
Aimee Louise, age 5, helping her mum make face shields for our NHS heros An excited member of the Andrews family, spotted her school whilst out enjoying her daily exercise
Young Violet, helping to deliver our April issue Bluebells over at Hitch Wood Roger Elias
Young Enzo helping to trim the neighbours hedge
Busy night at the Fair Mr Balstock G La Roche - Ian Helmore performing on his balcony
Celebrating nternational Day in style. Lucy Browning
Local woods, full of Bluebells - Matthew Bartlett
Love this shot of The Cock -Emily Herbert
Sun setting over the town Graham Tapp
Well done Sebastian Lemon who ran a marathon in his very small garden (2638 laps) on Easter Sunday. I did this to raise money for NHS Charities together and managed to raise ÂŁ1900.
Useful numbers Advice Citizen’s Advice Bureau Trading Standards Advice Samaritans
03444 111444 0300 300 8136 116 123
Councils North Hertfordshire District
01462 474000
Doctors Baldock Surgery
01462 892458
Dentist Victoria Place Dental Surgery
01763 313869
Emergency Utilities Gas Emergency Electric power cut
0800 111 999 0800 7838838
Hospitals Lister Hospital Queen Elizabeth 2 EMERGENCY HEALTH
01438 314333 01707 328111 111
Library Baldock Library
0300 123 4049
Police Police
01707 354000
Schools Knights Templar Hartsď€ eld St Johns St Marys Brandles
01462 620700 01462 895267 01462 892478 01462 892347 01462 892189
Travel Arriva Buses National Rail Enquires National Bus line
08701 201088 03457 484950 0870 6082608
Vets Baldock Veterinary Centre
01462 895579
Nurseries Weston Way Nursery Merry Go Round
01462 892172 01462 896322
Play Groups Magic Moments Merry Go Round
07709 618434 01462 896322
Plumbers Maben PE James
07949 120911 07816 586777
Window & Door repairs JML Windows Repairs Warrens Windows
01438 906300 01462 261401
Florist Blooms of Baldock
07747 195325
Barbers Micks of Baldock
01462 895002
Locksmith Lock and Glaze
07737885528
Mobile Hair Dresser Hair By Jacqui
07973 788418
Funeral Directors Shires - CPJ Field Baldock
01462 491149
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AND VIEW THE FULL RANGE OF OUR PRODUCTS
Come along and view our full range of products on display in our new show room. Kindlelight’s friendly staff will be on hand to assist with any queries. Everyone is welcome. Ample parking and refreshments available.
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