Living Magazines - Berkhamsted Spring 2023

Welcome to the Spring issue!

It feels like it’s been a long winter and we’re enjoying the lighter evenings and looking forward to a bit of sunshine here and there! Don’t forget, the clocks ‘spring’ forward on 26 March!

Our garden feature looks at how you can attract birds and enjoy the dawn chorus outside your own back door, and if you fancy giving your home a spring makeover, why not go for gold with our simple ideas? For those troubled by insomnia, we’ve some handy hints on how to get a good night’s sleep.

If you’re shopping for gifts or treats do take a look at ‘shop local’ for ideas - our local retailers will appreciate your support, we’re sure.

As always, the magazine includes lots of local news. We also have a round-up of local events and days out in our What’s On section - there’s lots to do this spring and Easter - and of course many of us will be looking forward to the celebrations for the Coronation on 6 May.

And if you fancy a free night out, don’t forget to enter our competition to the Shawshank Redemption at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.

Meanwhile, our history feature focuses on Augustus Smith - who had a great influence on 19th century Berkhamsted, and is most famous for his role in the Battle of Berkhamsted Common!

If you want to be involved in the next issue, please email Naomi at editorial@ livingmags.info with your news prior to our summer issue.

Happy reading!

and Naomi Owner & Editor

Berkhamsted Raiders has been named Hertfordshire FA Grassroots Club of the Year for 2022.

The winners were selected by a panel of judges drawn from across Hertfordshire football, following nominations made by the public across a range of different categories.

Berkhamsted Raiders score top title Pub saves poplar tree

The owners of the Crystal Palace pub have responded to public demand and agreed to pollard a poplar tree outside the pub, rather than cut it down.

Campaigners made local news headlines when they protested about the planning application to cut down the tree - gathering 200+ signatures in a petition appealing for the tree to be saved. A letter from Punch Pubs to campaigners, explaining that a company has now been commissioned to pollard the tree, said: ‘Our core concern regarding the tree has always been health and safety. More recently, we have been concerned about the damage the tree’s roots have made to the surrounding grounds.’

Maggie Procopi, of Berkhamsted Environmental Concern Group, commented:

Raiders was recognised by the FA for bringing football to everyone in the community and for creating a positive playing environment for all to enjoy the game.

Raiders has a growing membership of over 1,300 and is still expanding its girls’ football section, with more than 350 players this season. The club also runs inclusive football for people with physical and neurological disabilities, walking football, and the increasingly popular Futsal format.

Chris Armond, Raiders Chair of Trustees, said: ‘It’s a genuine honour for the club to be recognised in this way. On behalf of the whole club, I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers, staff, parents and players who give their time and passion to making the club what it is.’

‘This is great news for the town! I’m delighted and grateful that the owners have reconsidered and decided to pollard the tree. Thanks go to Big Smoke Brew, Punch Pubs and to the very many residents who made their feelings known. Done carefully, pollarding should ensure the tree remains healthy and an asset to the area for many years to come. I’m looking forward to enjoying a pint or two sitting beside it very soon!’

World Blind Bowls Champion started at local club

Street party plans

Hertfordshire County Council is encouraging residents to apply now for street parties to celebrate the King’s coronation.

Anyone wanting to close a road for a street party will need to apply to the county council at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/streetparties by 26 March.

Recognising the social and community benefits of celebrating this historic event, the county council has decided to waive the usual road closure fees in the hope of encouraging as many people as possible to take up the opportunity to celebrate.

Hertfordshire has a strong reputation for community-held Royal celebrations, with the county hosting more than 560 street parties to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last summer.

We’d love to hear about your street parties - send details and pictures after the event to editorial@livingmags.info.

Coast in Australia to compete again at the World Blind Bowls Championships.

Fourteen years ago, Sarah Marshall decided that she needed to change her life and that trying to play bowls was the challenge she needed. The difference is, Sarah is blind. But she didn’t let that stop her!

Sarah joined Berkhamsted Bowls Club and, thanks to her fiercely competitive nature, she has persevered and progressed beyond her wildest dreams. Today, she is the World Blind Bowls Champion, having won the title in Cape Town in 2017. Soon she will be off to the Gold

Sarah is also the current Berkhamsted Bowls Club Ladies Champion, competing against sighted players. She has also represented Hertfordshire with distinction.

Sarah chose Berkhamsted Bowls Club because the club has developed an enviable record of nurturing aspiring bowlers of all abilities and ages, from the age of eight - the reason it won the English Club of the Year title in 2015.

If you’d like to give bowls a try, the club runs Open Days and free Taster Sessions - the first for this year is on Sunday 23 April at 10am. No need to book, just turn up and remember to wear flat-soled shoes.

Sarah Marshall, with her World Blind Bowling Championship Gold Medal, along with her sighted director Linda Ralphs

The last concert of Berkhamsted Music’s 2022-23 series brings the Villiers Quartet to Berkhamsted Civic Centre on Saturday 11 March.

They will play Britten, Beethoven, and a new work, Solicitudo by Philip Herbert, which

Quartet brings season to a close Wrapping up happiness

hhat do you get when you combine 474 rolls of sticky tape, 1,422 metres of wrapping paper, 2,718 chocolate coins and more than 3,500 donated toys and gifts?

Local group The Toy Hub managed to create 474 happy Christmases for local children and their families from these ingredients.

Toy Hub was set up by a group of local parents to support families and carers in the Tring and Berkhamsted areas including all the surrounding villages. The aim was to ensure no child went without a present to open on Christmas morning.

Thanks to toys and gifts donated by the community, and some busy volunteers collecting, wrapping and delivering, the

they commissioned as a reflection on their experiences during Covid. Like many artists, the Villiers had to be innovative during the pandemic. They have streamed performances and taken online coaching to a new level.

The Britten quartet in this concert is an online tutorial work, so this is an opportunity for students to hear it live.

The new season will open in October with the Barbican Quartet, followed by Emma Abbate (piano), Evva Mizerska (cello) and Peter Cigleris (clarinet).

Thanks to partners Indigotree, Berkhamsted Music has updated its website. See www.berkhamstedmusic.co.uk for dates and to buy tickets. There are also tickets on the door on the night.

Wgroup managed to create hundreds of happy Christmases for local families.

Plans are already under way for next Christmas - so watch this space!

Sunnyside’s up for open day

Sunnyside’s Activity Centre in Berkhamsted has two rest gardens nestling under mature fruit trees including a fine specimen of the rare Aylesbury prune. Visitors will also be able to see the vegetable growing area and extensive cane and espalier fruit garden, with a woodland and hazel coppice, each busy with wildlife.

Nestled alongside local allotments, the Northchurch site is a market garden and small animal farm. Vegetables are grown here to organic principles using ‘no dig’ methods, along with a variety of fruits.

The Hemel site also has a farm shop, and barista coffee in the Sunnyside Up café.

The Sunnyside Rural Trust Trail is bookable for you to explore – three sites on just one ticket!

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/44821/ sunnyside-rural-trust-trail

Sunnyside Rural Trust’s three gardens will be opening for the National Garden Scheme for the first time this May.

The trust has three six-acre gardens - in Northchurch, Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead - which will open on Saturday 13 May, 11 to 4pm for the scheme, which raises funds for charity.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Happy first birthday to Lussmans

Sustainable Kitchen in Berkhamsted High Street, which has recently won a spot in OpenTable’s top 100 list of the most romantic restaurants in the country.

Berkhamsted in the Media

January: Ashridge House plays a starring role in the latest video from singer Sam Smith. The video for I’m Not Here to Make Friends sees Sam and a cohort of glamorous chums partying in and around the house. The singer can even be seen swinging on a chandelier at one point - probably not the sort of behaviour usually encouraged by guests!

Just a warning before you head over to YouTube to take a look (or it’s also shared from our Facebook page) - the video is not family friendly!

February: ITV: Former Berkhamsted School pupil Casey O’Gorman, 26, from Tring, entered dating show Love Island, which is filmed in South Africa.

Gym club leaps into 50th year

Berkhamsted Gymnastics Club celebrates its 50th birthday this year.

The club first started in Ashlyns School PE hall and has grown from strength to strength over the years, offering fun, safe and progressive gymnastics to all ages and abilities in a dedicated facility on the Ashlyns School site.

The club also has a very active coaching academy, with many ex-gymnasts going on to become coaches within the club. They also attract people from outside the club to

coach, many through the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme.

The club is a registered charity that has supported lots of local causes and individual gymnasts throughout the years. As part of its 50th celebrations, the club will be holding a fun commemorative competition in the summer months to bring people together to enjoy the sport of gymnastics.

Berkhamsted Gymnastics Club runs classes six days a week for children aged three-plus. If you want to check availability and are interested in joining as either a gymnast or coach, email membership@berkhamstedgymnastics.co.uk for further information or visit the website.

Call for support in West Herts Hospital bid

Gordon Yearwood, who is spearheading the case for the ‘West Herts 21 Century Hospital Solution is calling for the public’s help in raising awareness and support.

He said: ‘We have managed to inform a number of key stakeholders of the case for a completely new 21st century, more accessible, centrally located hospital for the people of West Hertfordshire, instead of a towering skyscraper built in the Watford Hospital car park.

‘West Herts 21 Century Hospital Solution has recently raised the case with the new Integrated Care Board (NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex ICB) and with the Department of Health and Social Care. We are continuing our interactions with these key stakeholders and we believe that we are making some headway.

‘It would of great assistance if you are able to write to the CEO of the Hertfordshire and West

Essex ICB, stating how the congested Watford Hospital site is too inaccessible for most of the people of West Herts and how the proposed towering skyscraper hospital is far too high.

‘Please also put in your own words how you understand that a new 21st century hospital on a more accessible and more centrally located site can be built far quicker, for far less money and would avoid the unsafe situation where West Hertfordshire’s only A&E and Maternity hospital is located adjacent to West Herts only major football stadium.

‘The full address to write to is: The Chief Executive Officer, NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Board, Charter House, Parkway, Welwyn Garden City, AL86JL.

‘Together we will make further progress and achieve a decent hospital service for all the people of West Hertfordshire.’

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts is hosting a one-day workshop on 14 May, giving young male-identifying dancers aged eight to 16 the opportunity to experience classes in a range of dance genres, refine their existing skills and work with highly experienced professionals.

Attendees are also invited to take part in the Paul Watson Bursary Audition at the end of the day. The fund, created in memory of dancer Paul Watson, awards successful candidates financial

Boys Day of Dance workshop Christopher wins Civic Award

Congratulations to Christopher TalbotPonsonby, membership secretary and treasurer of Berkhamsted Citizens Association (BCA), who is the recipient of the Rotary Civic Award for 2023. His nomination outlined his many contributions to the BCA and Berkhamsted/ Northchurch over a lifetime of service. The award is set to be presented at the Berkhamsted Annual Town Meeting in the Great Hall of the Town Hall on 2 March.

support for training within numerous outreach opportunities at Tring Park School.

For more information and to book your place, please visit:

www.tringpark.com/holiday-courses

The BCA’s AGM and Environment Award (EA) will take place on Thursday 30 March at 8pm in the Town Hall. The EA began in 1981 and it is given annually for buildings and projects that enhance the town and its surroundings. Did you know there is

Roy Chapman Ltd

Tax year-end 2022/23: lay the foundations for your financial future

With reductions in tax reliefs and allowances looming for 2023/24, now’s a good time to ensure you’re taking maximum advantage of them in this tax year.

It’s always a good idea to take advantage of your annual tax reliefs and allowances wherever you can. This year, though, it’s more important than ever. In his first Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced reductions to a number of key allowances used by investors, as part of his attempts to shore up the nation’s finances.

Which key allowances are changing?

Capital Gains Tax

The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) allowance for the current tax year (2022/23) is £12,300. This means that when you sell investments, you can enjoy gains up to £12,300 before you pay CGT.

But following the Chancellor’s announcement in the Autumn Statement, from 6 April 2023, the CGT allowance will be more than halved to £6,000, before it halves again in 2024/25 to just £3,000 a year.

Dividend allowance

The Chancellor also set his sights on the dividend allowance. This is the amount you can earn from company shares, including dividends from money held in collective investments such as funds and investment trusts before Dividend Tax is charged. Currently, the dividend allowance is £2,000, but from 2023 it will be halved to £1,000 and then halved again to £500 in 2024/25.

Which allowances could I be utilising?

You can shelter your investments from Dividend Tax and CGT by holding them in tax-efficient wrappers, such as a pension or Stocks & Shares ISA.

Each year, you can pay up to £20,000 into an ISA or if you can tie the funds up until age 55 (57 from 2028), you can save into a pension.

If you’ve already fully funded your ISA or pension, you could consider a pension for a spouse, child or grandchild, or explore ISAs for your family. A Junior ISA can be a tax-effective way of saving a lump sum for the children in your life. Junior ISAs have a lower allowance of £9,000 a year (2022/23).

The value of advice

We can help you take advantage of the reliefs and allowances you’re entitled to.

In addition to making more of your wealth, this can also have a priceless impact on your financial wellbeing, sparing you the worry around paying too much tax or breaching rules and not paying enough. Get

in touch before 5th April

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected and may fall as well as rise. You may get back less than the amount invested.

An investment in Stocks and Shares ISA will not provide the same security of capital associated with a Cash ISA or a deposit with a bank or building society.

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from taxation, can change at any time and are generally dependent on individual circumstances.

Leisure centre update Can you help?

Redevelopment of Berkhamsted

Leisure Centre is under review in light of the current economic climate.

In a statement, Dacorum Borough Council said: ‘Since the initial decision to proceed with exploring the new build option, a number of factors, (including the ongoing impact in leisure from Covid-19, inflation rises and the increase in energy prices), have occurred which have impacted considerably on the cost of delivering the new build proposal.

‘In view of this, we will be revisiting all the options available for Berkhamsted Leisure Centre. We will consider all the feedback that has been provided by stakeholders and the public as part of this process and are still committed to providing an improved and modernised leisure facility for Berkhamsted.’

The outcome will be decided in July.

Reach Out is looking for people in Hertfordshire who can spare an hour a week to help an elderly person in their local area who is home from hospital, or living with frailty, and feeling lonely and isolated.

Reach Out offers companionship and practical support to people as they recover and rebuild their confidence. Many elderly people really appreciate someone popping in for a cuppa, or helping them by collecting small items of shopping. Reach Out links up people who are isolated with volunteers who can offer a friendly face and a chat.

Just giving a small amount of your time can make a huge difference.

Find out more at www.reachout-project.org. uk, email reachout@nhcvs.org.uk or call 01462 689403.

NEWS IN BRIEF

As we went to press, the Crepe Shack announced that it would be setting up a stall outside the Copper House as part of Berkhamsted market. The food stall will offer sweet and savoury options along with a breakfast menu.

Get a picture, get a vote

Areminder that for the first time, voters will need to show photographic ID to vote in polling stations at this year’s local elections. Residents are being urged to make sure they are ready to vote in May by checking they have an accepted form of ID.

Residents voting by postal vote do not need photographic ID.

Accepted forms of ID include a UK, European Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth

passport; a UK, EEA or Commonwealth drivers’ licence; and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card. Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.

Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of ID can apply for free ID online at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authoritycertificate or by completing a paper form.

Local elections will take place on 4 May.

School aims for sustainable future

As part of its commitment to incorporate sustainability into its teaching and learning, as well as its operations, Berkhamsted School has created an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Roadmap.

The report was developed with Orbis Advisory Ltd, with whom the school has been working closely since March 2022.

As the school’s first Annual Sustainability Report was published, Assistant Vice Principal Richard Thompson stated: ‘I hope that the steps we are taking will make a difference and will,

perhaps, encourage others in the local and wider communities to start their own paths to a more sustainable future.

View the report at https://tinyurl.com/2v7fdnsw

Castle’s ‘gem’ gets Grade II listing

over hundreds of years including an extension to create a Victorian soup kitchen.’

Berkhamsted Castle’s 17th century cottage has appeared in Historic England’s list highlighting 23 listed gems from the 240 sites across the country that were added to the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) during 2022.

The cottage is in good company - other sites listed include a picturesque watermill drawn by Constable, a Victorian fountain in Stocktonon-Tees, an Arts and Crafts doctor’s house in Manchester, and a Georgian folly in Cornwall. Historic England’s annual round-up says the cottage ‘acts as a time capsule, showing changes

Records suggest that the cottage started life as a stable and brewhouse in the 16th century. An upper storey was created in the early 19th century, when stairs and a new floor were added. According to a scrapbook belonging to Lady Marian Alford, the wife of the owner, a small extension and veranda were added and the staircase moved in 1865.

During the same year, another extension was built, which linked the cottage to a new building that acted as a soup kitchen for the poor - ‘the soup-house at the Castle grounds’ was mentioned in the Bucks Advertiser & Aylesbury News 26 January 1867. To protect those queuing to receive their soup at the kitchen door, another veranda was added to form a covered walkway.

The cottage is now Grade II listed, meaning that it will be protected from major change or demolition.

Save food from waste

Berkhamsted. This is food that can no longer be served by the establishments, but is still good to eat.

The volunteers make up parcels to be given out on a first come, first served basis. So there’s no guarantee on what or how much you will receive.

Organisers ask visitors to bring their own bag. There is no charge but donations are always welcome.

Berkhamsted’s Community Fridge is open every Tuesday morning at Open Door, 360-364 High Street from 10am-12noon.

Community Fridges are open to all - their aim is to stop food from going to waste - and in the current climate, have the added bonus of helping to cut down your shopping bill!

Volunteers collect surplus food from a range of shops and hospitality businesses around

Community fridges exist in order to cut out food waste from businesses. They are not food banks and there is no requirement to provide proof of income.

Food donations are accepted from cafes, restaurants and shops, as well as local growers. To financially support this project email communityfood@opendoorberkhamsted.co.uk

If you would like to volunteer, email volunteering@opendoorberkhamsted.co.uk.

you money by retaining your best talent and making you an “Employer of Choice”

Whilst we have made every effort to ensure these details are correct, you must confirm directly with the retailer.

3

WIN TICKETS TO THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION!

This is your chance to win a pair of tickets to the opening night of The Shawshank Redemption at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre!

The nation’s favourite movie is now being brought to life in an acclaimed stage event at Aylesbury Waterside from Mon 3 – Sat 8 April.

Based on Stephen King’s 1982 short novel, the thrilling stage production examines desperation, injustice, friendship and hope. Starring Joe Absolom (EastEnders, Doc Martin, A Confession and The Bay) plays the wrongly convicted Andy Dufresne with Ben Onwukwe (London’s Burning and Professor T) as his inmate Ellis ‘Red’ Redding.

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Shawshank Redemption on Opening Night, Mon 3 April, simply tell us where the production is set:

a) An office block / b) A prison / c) A military camp

For a chance to win simply answer the following question and go to our website to enter www.livingmags.info/competition.

Terms and conditions apply, visit website for details. Prizes will be allocated randomly. Closing date: 23 March 2023. Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. Production age recommendation 12+

“Once you enter the iron gates, you are transported to another world”

Lockers Park Parent

LOCKERS PARK

A life well lived

Berkhamsted has a link with the Isles of Scilly thanks to a 19th century resident, whose name will be familiar to readers who went to school in the town in the 1970s. Pay a visit to the fascinating Rectory Lane Cemetery and on the base of the cemetery’s foundation stone you’ll find the name Augustus Smith. He is listed here as churchwarden, but he had a far more prominent role in the town’s history. Augustus belonged to a wealthy banking family who were influential in the town. He was born at Ashlyns Hall, and had a reputation as a philanthropist.

In the 1830s, Augustus acquired the lease from the Duchy of Cornwall of the Isles of Scilly, for £20,000. He called himself Lord Proprietor of the Isles of Scilly and maintained a home there at Tresco Abbey. He was not always popular during his 35-year ‘reign’ as he began to change the islanders’

way of life. Those who were unable to find a job locally were expelled and he also moved families off some of the smaller islands - the locals dubbed him ‘The Emperor’. But in his favour, he also built a new quay at Hugh Town, planted gorse and trees to create shelter for agricultural land, and built schools. However, he is remembered more fondly in Berkhamsted, where he led the Battle of Berkhamsted Common in 1866. The Ashridge Estate was owned by the Brownlow family, and in 1865, parliament recommended that common rights should be transferred to the

Augustus Smith is a name entwined with Berkhamsted’s history

public. Lords of the manor were outraged by the idea and began to take action to ensure common land was part of their estates before any law could take effect. Lord Brownlow fenced off more than 400 acres of common land, blocking footpaths and bridleways.

Augustus, a radical MP by this time, hired 120 Irish navvies from the East End of London and brought them to Hertfordshire in a special train in the dead of night. In the early hours the men dismantled two miles of iron fencing, and stacked it in neat piles so they could not be charged with trespass with intent to cause damage.

Lord Brownlow brought a legal case against Augustus for trespass and criminal damage, but died before the case came to its conclusion. In 1870 Lord Justice Romilly determined that pulling down a fence was no more violent an act than erecting one and ruled in favour of Augustus.

Augustus also donated generously to local schools and is credited with restarting Berkhamsted School. The Grammar School was mismanaged and he led a campaign to bring in a new board of governors. Under his influence the emphasis moved away from classics such as Greek and Latin in favour of more modern subjects.

Augustus then turned his sights on the education of the poorer young inhabitants of the parish and proposed an elementary school where ‘boys and girls shall be taught reading, writing and arithmetic and other useful work’.

In 1834 a thatched workhouse was demolished to make way for the new parochial school. At the back of the school, Augustus arranged that an area of land was

cultivated by the boys, who could then sell the produce - giving them a taste of ‘practical’ work. The name changed to Park View School in 1948 and it finally closed in 1971.

In his memory, Berkhamsted’s first middle school, Augustus Smith School, opened in 1970 and was formally opened by Margaret Thatcher, then Minister of Education. Each year, its students spent holidays in the Scilly Isles, maintaining the connection with Augustus. When the school amalgamated with Thomas Bourne School in Durrants Lane, it was renamed Thomas Coram School and the memorial to Augustus was lost.

Augustus never married but had plenty of other things to keep him busy - his garden in the Isles of Scilly became well known for the temperate plants that thrived outdoors in the islands’ welcoming climate. Now the gardens are open to the visiting public and dubbed ‘a perennial Kew without the glass’. It is home to around 20,000 plants from more than 80 countries.

He was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Truro and President of the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.

From his home in Tresco Abbey, Augustus looked over to St Bunyan’s Church on the mainland, and this is where he was buried after his death in Plymouth in 1872. On St Mary’s Isle in the Isles of Scilly there is a tall stone monument to him in the churchyard. However, in Berkhamsted the stone in the Rectory Lane Churchyard is the only memorial left to this man who made such an impact on the town and its people.

1. Augustus Smith 2. The Augustus Smith Memorial in St Mary’s Churchyard ©Jowaninpensans

3. The Foundation Stone of Rectory Lane Cemetery ©Wikidwitch 4. Tresco Smith Monument ©Richard Croft 5. Augustus Smith as a young man

GOING FOR GOLD

All that glitters isn’t gold… add in a bit of yellow too!

For a long time, gold’s reputation as an interior décor colour was anything but opulent - a generation of faux variants had left the world’s most precious metal flagging rather.

Yet its return, along with a resurgence of yellow that’s as far from the kitchen marigolds as you can imagine, has opened up some fantastic new interior ideas.

But why are these particular colours making a comeback? Well, psychologists believe recent tough economic times have meant we favour shades with positive psychological qualities. Sure enough then, yellow screams happiness, optimism and confidence for the future; while gold is the colour of ambition, and more prosperous times ahead. What’s not to like?

Combine with black or grey

Gold, in particular, radiates against very dark tones, and the contrast between the shimmer of class and sheer blackness offers a classy touch that’s as mysterious as it is polished. Yellow, similarly, can really fire against an offset colour – in this case, we’d recommend grey.

It’s all in the accent

Rather than layering colours over an existing space, a recent trend has been to offer various hints of colours that add warmth and light, with gold and yellow right at the front of the queue.

So forget statement walls and instead replace pictures with gold frames. Paint a desk chair,

Rather than layering colours over an existing space, a recent trend has been to offer various hints of colours that add warmth and light, with gold and yellow right at the front of the queue

add a throw on a sofa, redo cushions, and perhaps even replace a curtain pole with golden tones.

Very quickly you’ll be adding a sense of class to a previously drab room.

Make a statement

Of course, nothing screams confidence like a statement wall or piece, and yellow is truly the colour of the moment for this.

A radiant wall, a sofa, even a contemporary picture that’s big and bold on this summer shade, can draw the eye to a room and light it up instantly.

Remember to offset with lampshades, seat covers or perhaps something as simple as a pot to reinforce your intentions.

Remember to offset with lampshades, seat covers or perhaps something as simple as a pot to reinforce your intentions

Exude exotic ambitions

Gold happens to go magnificently with another array of colours that are currently bang on trend: verdant greens. You know these – they’re the rich, lush shades one might find while trekking through the Amazonian rainforest.

It’s fortunate then that many high street homeware shops currently boast table lamps, doorknobs and other such adornments in a rich golden hue, and in the image of monkeys, tigers and parrots. It’s true - the sort of embellishment that might have appeared in an Indian Army Captain’s Bengali parlour can now also be found in the apartments of aspiring young hipsters… and some older ones too!

And finally, don’t go overboard As King Midas readily discovered, you can have too much of a good thing. It’s important to keep your glorious golden delights in perspective. So just as no one likes an excessive show of wealth, too much gold will inevitably overwhelm and create the opposite effect of looking a tad cheap.

INFUSED RAPESEED OIL SHORTBREAD

These delicious and easy-tomake biscuits are great to bake with children as they can be on the table in less than 30 minutes. Experiment with all sorts of flavours by using different oils.

This recipe features in the Chilterns Recipe Book (available via chilternsrceipebook.co.uk and many local shops). The book celebrates the best independent food and drink across the region plus the stories of the people who lovingly make them along with great days out, walks and where to eat out.

The recipe itself comes from award-winning Chiltern Cold Pressed Oil. The rapeseed is grown, pressed and bottled as oil at PE Mead & Sons Farmshop at Wilstone, near Tring – well worth a visit for the excellent farm shop and Farmhouse Kitchen.

Ingredients

• 250g flour

• 125g caster sugar

• 85ml Chiltern Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil

• Pinch of salt

• 40ml Chiltern Cold Pressed Infused Rapeseed Oil. We recommend using either rosemary, lemon or orange or substitute with 10ml of chilli oil for a subtle kick!

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, gas mark 3).

2. Grease a baking tray.

3. Sieve the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl.

4. Make a well in the middle and pour in the two oils.

5. Combine with a knife until a loose crumbly dough forms.

6. Press into the baking tray and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it begins to turn golden.

7. Cut into 16 pieces.

8. Allow to cool in the baking tray before removing and enjoying.

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SING-ALONG

Bring music to your life by attracting your own dawn chorus

There’s nothing more soothing and calming than waking up to a fresh, sunny, dew-glistening garden, nitrates lifting up off the soil and the gentle tweets, chirps and warbles made by an array of beautiful birds.

Nature’s early-morning concert is one of the summer’s greatest pleasures, and with a little encouragement, we can bring this dawn chorus to our front and back doors.

The birds you want to attract, and their songs

Robin – The robin produces a twinkling, crystal-like sound that flutters through the air. You’ll hear this little fellow all year round.

Great tit – A repetitive two-toned whistle that cuts through the air and is most prominent in early spring.

Wren – For many, the best improvised whistle of them all, with a raft of twists and twirls ending up in a rattling cacophony of noise towards the end.

Chaffinch

Willow warbler – Best characterised for a chain of notes that lowers as it progresses, the warbler’s song has clear gaps in between notes and a powerful chirp.

Chaffinch – Heard throughout spring and summer, the chaffinch offers a punchy, powerful array of notes that slows towards the end.

Blackbird – So typical of the bird itself, the blackbird’s song features notes drawn into each other that offer a range of tones and a stylish array of chords.

Common Blackbird

GARDEN

Song thrush – Heard throughout the year, the song thrush makes a sound closest to those slightly shrill mobile phone ringtones… but nicer!

Goldfinch – With elegant inflections and the occasional sound of a penny whistle thrown in for good measure, a chaffinch has an eclectic song and is heard from early spring.

The best ways to attract songbirds

in your garden. The flat, shallow bird bath is a great option and can be decorated with pebbles, rocks, ivy and perhaps even some sprigs of water lettuce.

Plants – Edible plants, berries, shrubs and wildflowers will keep your birds hanging around for long periods. Why go hunting elsewhere when they have a bounty of food and colour on their doorstep… or, rather, your doorstep?!

Bird feeders – At the heart of every bird’s focus is survival, and first and foremost that means a ready supply of food.

Unknown to many, the type of food you leave out will directly influence the species of bird you attract. For instance, suet balls are favourites with robins, blue tits and long-tailed tits; niger seeds are loved by greenfinches and goldfinches; starlings, robins and blackbirds will come if mealworms are on offer; while tits, finches and siskins love the fatty proteins of peanuts.

With this in mind then, spreading various specialist bird feeders out means colonies of birds will inhabit different parts of your garden.

Water – Whether bathing, playing in it or drinking the stuff, a supply of fresh water is one of the best ways to get birds engaged

Protection – Birds are always on the lookout for cats and other predators ready to disrupt their everyday pleasures of gliding from one branch to another, so the more space you can offer your feathered friends, the more they will relax and hang about.

By the same logic, don’t expect them to congregate around dense bushes where attackers may lay in wait – instead, position what they need in spacious places where they can keep an eye on danger.

Birdboxes – Many of us have attempted and failed to lure birds to our garden using birdboxes. In reality it’s a task that may not pay dividends until a year or so down the line; but if you persist with hanging these high enough away from cats and squirrels, and in a semi-sheltered spot where birds can nest in peace, you will eventually attract a family in.

Robin

Easy walking

WALKS AROUND TOWN

Start: Tring Railway Station.

>>> Alternative start points: National Trust Ashridge Estate Visitor Centre (nearest postcode HP4 1LT), and Wigginton Sports Ground, Chesham Road, Wigginton HP23 6HH

Distance: Full walk 8 miles/13km; Ashridge only option 5.8 miles/9.2km; Wigginton 5 miles/8km

Route

Turn left out of the station, walk past the Posting House (a former hotel) as far as the canal bridge and turn left along Beggars Lane.

>>> The optional Ashridge route starts from the canal bridge.

1. Where the lane narrows, take the path on the right past the barrier and continue uphill following signs for The Ridgeway. Follow this ancient trail for the next 1.4 miles. Cross the busy road, turn right up the surfaced path and then left up the path signposted The Twist. Cross the footbridge and continue uphill through a series of gates to a lane. Turn right for a few metres and left up the steps towards Tring Park. Stay on this path through more gates to reach a busy lane. Cross to the gravel driveway opposite, bear right along it and past a barrier into Tring Park.

2. Turn immediately left, follow the edge of the wood and go through a barrier to a surfaced driveway. Cross straight over, follow the path to a lane and turn left along it. The entrance to the sports ground, village shop and café is further down on the right. Continue down the lane to a road junction, turn right past the front of The Greyhound to the pub car park.

3. Cross the road to a path signposted Crawley’s Lane. Go through the gate and continue downhill through three further gates into a wood. Follow the path straight down past the junction with The Chiltern Way and out through the next gate into a field. The route follows The Chiltern Way for the next 2.5 miles. Continue directly ahead through the horse paddocks and three more gates to a path T-junction in the hedgerow. Turn right to join a concrete track down to a lane. Turn left under the flyover and take the byway on the right, signposted Cow Roast.

4. Go through the gates of Tinkers Lodge and walk along the wide track to reach a busy road by the closed Cow Roast Inn. Cross the road, turn right along the verge, take the first left down Wharf Lane and over the canal bridge.

>>> The optional Wigginton route starts here.

A choice of easy-walking, stile-free walks visiting Aldbury, Ashridge and Tring Park

Tring Park

5. Follow the lane round to the right, walk along it for 110m and turn left through a gap in the hedgerow. Go straight over the field, cross the railway bridge and the next field to a T-junction. Turn right to the next junction and then left to the main access track into Norcott Court Farm. Turn left and immediately right just before the farm entrance. Continue up past the metal barn, go through a gate, walk on a few metres and bear left through a gate in the wooden fencing. Follow the path ahead to the top of the field and go through a gate. Walk along the right-hand field edge and up through a small wood. Go through the next gate, bear left uphill and through a further gate. Follow the path down for a short distance and round to the right to a tall field gate.

6. Pass through the gate. Continue uphill through the wood and the next gate. Stay straight ahead to join a surfaced driveway, walk past the houses and onwards to a lane.

7. Cross it and turn right uphill on a path that runs parallel to the lane. At the top, turn left along a wide track, go through the gate directly ahead and past Old Copse Lodge. Continue directly ahead along the track for 550m to a 5-way junction.

8. Turn immediately left to a path junction with views of the Bridgewater Monument directly ahead. Turn right along a wide track and follow it all the way to Ashridge Visitor Centre.

9. From the entrance to the Centre, follow the fence round to the left past Brownlow Café and Monument Cottage. Stay straight ahead, follow the main path downhill for 200m and bear right to keep descending to a road (Toms Hill Road). Turn right, go over the road junction, walk past the pond, the Post Office and Aldbury Memorial Hall and along Station Road.

10. Just after the church, turn right through a gate on a path signposted Pitstone Hill and cross the field. (Musette Café is on

the left through a gap in the fence). Go through the next gate and left through a third just before a large barn. Follow the path beside the barn and on through two more gates to reach a T-junction. Turn left, go over a crossing path, down the concrete track and through a gate to reach a busy road. The official route turns right along the verge to return to Tring Station. For a safer alternative, cross the road and turn right along the field edge on an unofficial but well-used route. At the end go past a gate, cross the road and turn left along the pavement to the station.

Shorter options

>>> Ashridge shorter option – Don’t turn left into Beggars Lane. Instead, cross the road and walk down the slope to the canal. Turn left and walk along the towpath for just over a mile to a lane at Cow Roast Lock. Turn left along the lane to join the main route at Waypoint 5.

>>> Wigginton shorter option – After the bridge, turn immediately left past the lock and continue along the canal towpath for just over a mile to Bridge 135. Go under the bridge and turn immediately right up the slope to the road. Turn left along it to reach Tring Station and the end of the walk.

Thanks to the Chiltern Society and Andrew Clark

22,075 76%

The Grade I listed building that combines history, heritage, & hospitality

Once the home of Henry VIII, Ashridge House is fast becoming the hottest destination in Hertfordshire for weddings, work events, dining and days out.

Steeped in history, Ashridge House in Hertfordshire, on the outskirts of Berkhamsted and just 30 minutes north of London has been something of a best kept secret – until now. Set in 190 acres of landscaped gardens, whether you’re a history buff, a dog walker, a foodie, a business looking for an events venue or a couple in search of their dream wedding destination, Ashridge House has it all.

The back story

A Grade I neo-gothic country house with a sweeping staircase, corridors hidden behind bookcases, and spanning over 12,300 metres, Ashridge House began life as a monastery in 1283 until Henry VIII took to the throne and abolished them. Falling in love with the house, he then decided to make it his home for 11 years and is where Princess Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I) was raised. Queen Victoria also made her mark in the grounds, planting an oak tree as a four year old princess while staying there.

Rebuilt in 1808, besides being a private residency, it was also used as a wartime hospital, a ladies’ finishing school and a training centre for the Conservative party while for the past 60 years it has been used as a centre for business education.

Picture perfect

Despite its popularity as a business school, the picturesque grounds and lavish interiors have also meant that Ashridge House has become a mecca for couples getting married, earning them both regional and national awards. It’s also attracted the eye of television and music producers and has been used as a filming location for Netflix’s The Crown, Amazon Prime’s Pennyworth, Channel 4’s Married at First Sight and Sam Smith’s latest music video.

While the grounds are open to the public all year round, for those wanting a sneaky peak inside, Ashridge House also offer Champagne Tours where guests can explore the elegance of the house while sipping the finest fizz.

A new dining experience

For 2023, Ashridge House has also expanded its food and drink offerings. Alongside The Bakehouse which is already a go-to for dog walkers and cyclists in the area, the recently opened Acres restaurant sources local produce with seasonal menus that reflect the heritage of the house. Open from Wednesday to Sunday for both a la carte and Sunday lunch, it has something for everyone

Hot on the heels of the refurbished restaurant is The Vault, a cosy bar with wood panelling, comfy chairs and an extensive drinks menu that’s perfect for celebratory occasions, pre-dinner drinks or weekend get togethers. With plans underway to provide a shuttle bus to and from Berkhamsted train station in the evenings, it also means both locals and visitors to the area can enjoy English fizz, signature cocktails and local IPA from the UK’s most sustainable brewery at their convenience.

Explore at ashridgehouse.org

DREAMS

Recent research suggests around 10% of the world’s population – and up to 33% of Brits – suffer from sleep deprivation.

Symptoms include not being able to drift off, waking up in the middle of the night, and not being able get back to sleep once awake.

Yet by managing sleep routine, it’s possible to temper the effects of insomnia.

Sleep deprivation is not about just what happens at night. Lack of shut-eye can lead to tiredness during the day, feelings of irritation, an inability to perform even simple tasks, plus feelings of confusion, depression and despondency.

On the flip side, medical experts note that insomnia can be brought on by health conditions such as anxiety, depression and stress and these can cause restless nights both short and long-term. But what can you do to help manage it?

Routine

Creating and sticking to a solid night-time routine is essential for managing insomnia.

This should begin with a set timeframe for going to bed, encompassing a gradual but planned wind-down as the evening progresses.

Waking up at approximately the same time each day is also important – sleeping in too late can mean the body isn’t tired enough to embrace sleep that night.

Pre-sleep activity

Reading a book or taking a bath will help your body and brain to relax during the process of calming down towards sleep. Peaceful activities prior to bedtime will positively enhance your chance of falling asleep.

In contrast, it’s not wise to eat or drink anything substantial before retiring to bed, and avoid devices that emit blue light, such as televisions, smartphones or tablets.

Surroundings

Ensure your bedroom is fully dark, quiet and calm when you climb into bed. This will give you a head start in overcoming the battle against sleeplessness. Having fewer things to irritate or distract you is an important factor – even the ticking of a clock can keep brain function at levels that prevent it from relaxing.

In contrast, some insomniacs feel more assured with the presence of background noise. Technology can play an important role in this, with everything from full-on podcasts to pre-recorded sounds such as crackling fires, thunderstorms and white noise, all of which are proven to help some drift off. It may well be a case of trial and error in discovering what works best for you.

Comfort

To have a good night’s rest your body needs to be physically comfortable, so check your pillows are the right firmness for you, that your mattress is cosy, and you are neither too hot nor too cold.

However, if you work from home, resist the urge to take ’40 winks’ during the day. This will upset your circadian rhythm and make it more difficult to drop off at night.

Exercise during the day

While sleep is vital for the body to regenerate and recover from the day’s exertions, so too does it rely on having enough activity to feel it needs to drop into unconsciousness in order to rest and recover.

That means the more active you are during the day – physically and mentally – the more the suggestion of sleep is one your brain cannot resist.

PRESENTS

FRIDAY 7TH JULY 2023

ROB LAMBERTI

GEORGE MICHAEL

TRIBUTE

ULTIMATE ELTON NOASIS

THE FREDDIE & QUEEN EXPERIENCE THE DOLLY SHOW

SATURDAY 8TH JULY 2023

THOMPSON TWINS’ TOM BAILEY

LEEE JOHN OF IMAGINATION

DODGY THE SOUTH BLANCMANGE BIG COUNTRY FROM THE JAM THE DUALERS

WHAT’S ON

ALWAYS CHECK with the event organiser beforehand. Opening times and restrictions may vary. If you would like to include your event in future magazines complete the form at: www.livingmags.info/submit-event.

TUESDAY 7 MAR

Talks: The Mitford Sisters Wigginton History Society, Village Hall, Wigginton, 8pm. £4 inc refreshments. Speaker: Muriel Pilkington. cliff.mills@outlook.com

SATURDAY 11 MAR

Markets & Sales: Tring Farmers Market

Market Place, Brook Street, Tring, 9am-12.30pm. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Fine produce from around the district. www. tringfarmersmarket.co.uk

Fundraisers: Skydive 2023 North London Skydiving Centre (Cambridge). £50 registration, non-refundable. Minimum sponsorship £350. Why not push the boundaries and take to the skies to support The Hospice of St Francis? www.stfrancis. org.uk

Music: Villiers Quartet

Berkhamsted Civic Centre

7.30pm, £20. PurcellFantasias, Britten - Quartet in C Major No 2 Op 36 , Philip Herbert - Solicitudo, Beethoven - Quartet in F Major Op 135. www. berkhamstedmusic.co.uk

MONDAY 13 MAR

Music: La Boheme Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, 7.30pm.

Senbla presents Opera International’s awardwinning Ellen Kent Production featuring the Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv, with international soloists, highly-praised chorus and full orchestra. www. atgtickets.com/shows/ellenkents-la-boheme/aylesburywaterside-theatre

Film: Luzzu Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 8pm. Also Tue 14. Non-members £5 at door. For details of film please visit the website. berkhamstedfilm society. co.uk

WEDNESDAY 15 MAR

Talks: Ford End Watermill

High Street Baptist Church Tring, 8pm. Chris Tugby, the Mill Manager, talks about this little mill which was recorded in 1616 but is certainly very much older. tringlocalhistorymuseum. org.uk

SATURDAY 18 MAR

Music: Tring Music Partnership Gala Performance

Victoria Hall, 7.15pm. Join Tring Together and the Tring Music Partnership for a wonderful evening celebrating music in Tring. Tickets from Fancy That (cash only) or online. www. tringtogether.org.uk/tmp

SUNDAY 19 MAR

Markets & Sales: Berkhamsted Farmers Market

High Street, Berkhamsted, 10am-2pm. Third Sunday of every month. An opportunity for local customers to buy high quality produce direct from the producer. www. facebook.com/berkofm

MONDAY 20 MAR

Arts & Crafts: Seasons Art Class

Northchurch Social Centre, Berkhamsted. New 14-week programme. seasonsartclass berkhamsted@yahoo.com

Arts & Crafts: Paper Peony Workshop

Potten End, Little Heath Ln, HP4 2RY, 10.30am-1.30pm. £35.

Learn to craft a beautiful peony bloom and bud from heavy crepe paper.

www.berginandbath.co.uk

THURSDAY 23 MAR

Business: Tring BusinessMart

Meet other local business people to talk through ideas, plans or just to compare. www. tringtogether.org.uk

Theatre: The Hollow Boxmoor Playhouse, 7.30pm. Sat matinee

2.30pm. To 25 Mar. A leisurely weekend explodes into murder at The Hollow, home of Sir Henry and Lucy Angkatell, arguably Agatha Christie’s finest comic grande dame. www. hhtheatreco.com

Fundraisers: Murder in Writing Court Theatre. 7.30pm, Sat matinee 12pm. To 25 Mar. £21 each including food or a whole table for 8 people for £160. For the 12th year another murder mystery by author Karen Banfield. During the two intervals you will be served lunch/ supper and be able to work as a team at your table to guess who the murderer is and why. www.courttheatre. co.uk

SATURDAY 25 MAR

Music: Madama Butterfly Dunstable Grove Theatre, 7.30pm. For the first time ever the Ukrainian National Opera is coming to Dunstable as part of a UK wide tour with the premiere of Puccini’s opera. www.grovetheatre. co.uk/madamabutterfly-i3805

Music: Alan Barnes and Dave Newton

BJazz at the Civic Centre, Berkhamsted, 8pm. Full Bar facilities. Alan Barnes on saxes and Dave Newton on piano, friends and jazz colleagues since meeting at college 40 years ago. Terrific duo! www.bjazz.org

MONDAY 27 MAR

Film: Summerland

Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 8pm. Also Tues 28. Non-members £5 at door. For details of film please visit the website. www. berkhamstedfilmsociety. co.uk

WEDNESDAY 29 MAR

Talks: The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause

7.30pm Dr Louise Newson is one of the UK’s leading medical experts on the menopause. Attend the live event or watch online. Tickets via Our Bookshop in Tring. www. tringbookfestival.co.uk

THURSDAY 30 MAR

Talks: Berkhamsted Citizens AGM

Great Hall, Berkhamsted Town Hall, 8pm. With the Environment Award. Free to members and their guests, visitors £5. Come and see what was new in Berkhamsted/Northchurch building in 2022. www. berkhamstedcitizens.org.uk

FRIDAY 31 MAR

Film: Tring Cinema

Nora Grace Hall. Doors 7.30pm, film 8pm. See what’s on via website. www. tringcinema.com

SATURDAY 1 APR

Music: Tring Choral Society Spring Concert

St Peter and St Paul Church, Tring, 7.30pm. £15, under 18s free. Fauré Requiem, also Duruflé, Dubois, Charpentier & Saint-Saëns. www.tringchoral.org.uk

SUNDAY 2 APR

Music: Rosa Celeste Old Town Hall, Berkhamsted, 7-8.30pm. £20. Behind the Mirror with a luminous and uplifting programme of ancient and modern music especially arranged for clarinet violin and cello. www. behindthemirror.org

Music: T J Johnson

Quintet

Court Theatre, Tring, 7.30pm. From £20. An Evening with TJ Johnson and his Band in concert, performing tunes from his latest album, ‘Songs from the Jazz Country’. www. courttheatre.co.uk

Music: Chiltern Chamber Choir

St Peter’s Church, Berkhamsted, 7.30pm. Brahms Requiem and Parry’s Songs of Farewell. www. chilternchamberchoir.com

MONDAY 3 APR

Theatre: The Shawshank Redemption

Aylesbury Waterside

Theatre, 7.30pm to 8 Apr. Thu & Sat matinees 2.30pm. Starring Joe Absolom and Ben Onwukwe, based on Stephen King’s 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. www.atgtickets.com/venues/ aylesbury-waterside-theatre

Film: I’m Your Man Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 8pm. Also Tues 4. Non-members £5 at door. For details of film please visit the website. www. berkhamstedfilmsociety.co.uk

TUESDAY 4 APR

Talks: Tring Park Wigginton History Society, Village Hall, Wigginton, 8pm. £4 inc refreshments. Speaker: Kate Harwood. cliff. mills@outlook.com

THURSDAY 6 APR

Music: Krissy Mathews Band

Blues Bar, Tring. 8pm. www. bluesbartring.co.uk

FRIDAY 7 APR

Talks: The Volunteer Centre High Street Baptist Church, Tring, 10-11am. Representatives will be in Tring every month to talk to people about volunteering and to help promote local volunteering roles. www. support4dacorum.org.uk

SATURDAY 8 APR

Markets & Sales: Tring Farmers Market

Church Square, Tring, 9am-12.30pm. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Fine produce from around the district. www. tringfarmersmarket.co.uk

FRIDAY 14 APR

Fundraisers: Ladies Fashion Show

Potten End Village Hall, 7pm for 7.30pm start. Entry by ticket only, £8 including a glass of wine or soft drink. Clothes available to purchase on the night. For tickets call Gill Grainger. 01442 872336

Music: Martin Harley

Blues Bar, Tring. 7pm. The man with the Weissenborn & National Guitars. www. bluesbartring.co.uk

Film: Tring Cinema Nora Grace Hall. Doors 7.30pm, film 8pm. See what’s on via website. www.tringcinema.com

SUNDAY 16 APR

Markets & Sales: Berkhamsted Farmers Market High Street, Berkhamsted, 10am-2pm. An opportunity for local customers to buy high quality produce direct from the producer. www.facebook.com/ berkofm

MONDAY 17 APR

Film: The Courier Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 8pm. Also Tues 18. Non- members £5 at door. For details of film please visit the website. www. berkhamstedfilm society. co.uk

TUESDAY 18 APR

Business: Tring BusinessMart

Meet other local business people to talk through ideas, plans or just to compare. www. tringtogether.org.uk

Theatre: Dr Dolittle Court Theatre. 7.30pm, Sat matinees 11am & 3pm. To 22 Apr. From £15. Berkhamsted Theatre Company proudly presents the magical, marvellous, miraculous world of the world-famous Doctor John Dolittle. www. courttheatre.co.uk

WEDNESDAY 19 APR

Kids: The Chrysalis Project

Spring Meadow Farm, HP4 2SX. Also 26 Apr & 3 May. Nature exploration –breeding butterflies with outdoor activities and play for families with pre-school children. faithworkstrust. org.uk

SATURDAY 22 APR

Fundraisers: Chilterns

Dog Rescue Society Quiz Night

Ashley Green Memorial Hall, Two Dells Lane, Ashley Green, HP5 3RB. 7.30pm. Teams of 6. £10 per person. Food is not included – please bring your own food and drinks. There will also be a raffle. chilternsdogrescue. org.uk

Music: Steve Waterman

Quartet

BJazz at the Civic Centre, Berkhamsted, 8pm. Full Bar facilities. One of our greatest trumpeters, Steve Waterman, is joined by Ronnie Scott’s regular Gareth Williams on piano, Marianne Windham double bass and Dave Barry drums. www.bjazz.org

SUNDAY 23 APR

Sport: Bowls Open Day

Berkhamsted Bowling Club, Canal Fields, 10am-4pm. www. berkhamstedbowlsclub.co.uk

THURSDAY 27 APR

Music: Madama Butterfly Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, 7.30pm.

Senbla presents Opera International’s awardwinning Ellen Kent

Production featuring the Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv, with international soloists, highly-praised chorus and full orchestra. www. atgtickets.com/shows/ellenkents-madama-butterfly/ aylesbury-waterside-theatre

SATURDAY 29 APR

Fairs/Festivals: Spring Fayre

Until 14 May. www. tringtogether.org.uk

Music: Midge Ure

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre. ‘Voice & Visions’ tour, celebrating 40 years since the release of Ultravox’s Rage In Eden and Quartet albums. midgeure.gigantic.com/ midge-ure-tickets

SUNDAY 30 APR

Fundraisers: The Berkhamsted Walk

The annual Berkhamsted Walk offers three routes: Family (6 miles), Bluebell (12) and Challenge (18). Raise funds for The Children’s Society and enjoy a wonderful walk through the lovely local countryside. www.berkhamstedwalk. com

Music: Hertfordshire

Schools’ Music Gala Royal Albert Hall, 1.45 and 7.45pm. Over 2,500 young people in Hertfordshire share their incredible musical talent and celebrate the breadth and quality of music-making taking place in schools and communities across the county. hertsmusicservice.org.uk/ hmsgala

Gardens: Open Garden PATCHWORK, Hall Park Gate, Berkhamsted HP4 2NJ, opening for the National Garden Scheme, 2-5pm. Tulips and narcissi in profusion, azaleas and other flowering shrubs provide a feast of colour for the eyes. Adults £5, children free. Refreshments. Dogs welcome. patchwork2@ btinternet.com

TUESDAY 2 MAY

Talks: The Life of Agatha Christie Wigginton History Society, Village Hall, Wigginton, 8pm. £4 inc refreshments. Speaker: Geoff Bowdon. cliff.mills@outlook.com

MONDAY 8 MAY

Fairs / Festivals: Coronation Street Party 2pm to 6pm Berkhamsted High Street. Free event with music, street entertainers, face painter and food court. www.berkhamstedtown council.gov.uk

Fairs / Festivals: Coronation Event 2pm - 6pm. Church service at St Peter & St Paul, Tring, followed by music, activities, food and drink.

THURSDAY 11 MAY

Theatre: An American in Paris

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, 10am. From £6. A safe and welcoming screening of An American in Paris, especially for people living with dementia, their families and carers. Lights are left on low, there are no adverts, and the audience are able to move

around and sing along to musical numbers as they wish. www.atgtickets.com/ aylesbury

SATURDAY 13 MAY

Markets & Sales: Tring Farmers Market Market Place, Brook Street, Tring, 9am-12.30pm. 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Fine produce from around the district. www. tringfarmersmarket.co.uk

Gardens: Sunnyside Rural Trust Trail

Sunnyside Rural Trust’s three gardens in Hemel Hempstead, Northchurch and Berkhamsted will open for the National Garden Scheme for the first time, 11am-4pm. 3 sites on just one ticket. findagarden.ngs.org. uk/garden/44821/sunnysiderural-trust-trail

SUNDAY 14 MAY

Fundraisers: Bubble Rush Drift Limits Racetrack, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2RR. The Fun Run with a difference... Bubbles! New location for this year! www.stfrancis.org.uk

Music: Tring Chamber Music Summer SeasonTrout and Hummel Hastoe Village Hall, 7.30pm. Hummel Piano Quintet in E flat minor Op 87. Rachel Stott ‘Magical Thinking’ for solo cello and speaker, Penderecki Duo Concertante violin and bass, Schubert Trout Quintet. Howard Shelley Piano, Paul Barritt violin, Jonathan Barritt viola, Joey Koos cello, Roberto CarrilloGarcia double bass, Josephine Horder speaker. www. tringchambermusic.co.uk

THURSDAY 18 MAY

Business: Champagne

Networking Evening

Hosted by Gaddesden Place RDA. Free. Booking required. Contact organiser for more information. info@ solarioracing.com

FRIDAY 19 MAY

Sport: Stocks Golf Day

Stocks Golf Course, Aldbury, 9.30am. Teams of four £300 inc breakfast, refreshments and BBQ lunch. Tee up your best shot as you support Tring Together’s ongoing work with the community and local businesses. www. tringtogether.org.uk

Film: Tring Cinema

Nora Grace Hall. Doors 7.30pm, film 8pm. See what’s on via website. www. tringcinema.com

SATURDAY 20 MAY

Music: Sara Dowling Quartet

BJazz at the Civic Centre, Berkhamsted, 8pm. Full Bar facilities. Voted best British Jazz vocalist in 2019, Sara Dowling performs standards and originals with musicians well known at Berkhamsted. www.bjazz. org

SUNDAY 21 MAY

Sport: The Hemel Hillbuster

A choice of 25k, 60k or 100k sportive challenges take you over rolling Chiltern Hills and the stunning countryside of Herts, Beds and Bucks in support of DENS. www.dens. org.uk

Markets & Sales: Berkhamsted Farmers Market

High Street, Berkhamsted, 10am-2pm. 3rd Sunday of every month. An opportunity for local customers to buy high quality produce direct from the producer. www. facebook.com/berkofm

TUESDAY 23 MAY

Theatre: Curtains Court Theatre. 7.30pm, to 27 May. From £10. This hilarious whodunnit is packed full of catchy songs, unforgettable characters and plot twists galore. www.courttheatre. co.uk

THURSDAY 25 MAY

Business: Tring BusinessMart

Meet other local business people to talk through ideas, plans or just to compare. www. tringtogether.org.uk

SATURDAY 27 MAY

Sport: Bowls Taster Day Berkhamsted Bowling Club, Canal Fields, 10am-4pm. www. berkhamstedbowlsclub. co.uk

FRIDAY 2 JUN

Talks: The Volunteer Centre High Street Baptist Church, Tring, 10-11am. Representatives will be in Tring every month to talk to people about volunteering and to help promote local volunteering roles. www. support4dacorum.org.uk

SATURDAY 3 JUN

Fairs / Festivals: Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Show

Grange School, Alyesbury, 11-5pm. Also 4 Jun. Treat yourself to a holisitc therapy or 1-1 reading. Gifts with a difference. Talks, workshops & demos to help you on your journey. Relax with friends & family. Enjoy the positive vibe of a Deer Spirit Mind Body Spirit Wellbeing Show. www.deerspirit.co.uk

Fairs / Festivals: St Leonards Fete Parish Hall and Field, Jenkins Lane, St. Leonards, Tring. With circus juggling, live band, bouncy castle, classic cars, plant and book stall, raffle, dog show, tombolas, beer and Pimms tent, BBQ, cream teas and

much much more. www. stleonardsparishhall.uk

Music: 90s Indie Night Court Theatre, Tring, 8pm. From £13. Once again the Common People DJs will be down at The Court Theatre playing your favourite 90s tunes in support of Hector’s House. courttheatre.co.uk

PLAY BOWLS AT BERKHAMSTED

OPEN DAY - SUN 23 APRIL 10-4pm

TASTER DAY - SAT 27 MAY 10-4pm

PAY & PLAY- JULY & AUGUST

For further information – please see our Website, Facebook & Instagram sites

St Leonards Village Fete

Sat 3rd June 2023 1.00 - 4.30pm

Circus Juggling, Live Band, Bouncy Castle, Classic Cars, Plant & Book Stall, Raffle, Dog Show, Tombolas, Beer & Pimms Tent, BBQ, Cream Teas...and much much more! stleonardsparishhall.uk

What our customers say:

Thank you very much for your effort for keeping us, residents, in the loop of what’s happening in the area. Jelena.

BOOKS

Read your way into spring with this selection of books from local authors

A Love to Last a Lifetime

By Clare Swatman

If your first love came back into your life, would you risk a happy marriage for the one that got away? This bittersweet love story charts the dilemma of Erin, who is married to the solid, dependable Greg, who is hopelessly devoted to her and promises to love her for a lifetime.

Then back into her life comes her teenage love Adam - he’s handsome, funny and charming in a rock star kind of way. But he would often leave her broken-hearted before wheedling his way back into her life.

When Adam returns needing her help, Erin begins to wonder if it’s fatebut will she risk everything for the man she thought was The One?

If you’ve enjoyed Clare’s previous books, you’ll love this one too!

Clare Swatman is a former editor of Living magazines, and author of three women’s fiction novels, published by Macmillan, which have been translated into more than 20 languages. She has been a journalist for more than 20 years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home among many other magazines. She lives in Berkhamsted.

In Ice By Dave Sivers

Fans of Dave’s books will be glad to know that DCI Nathan Quarrel is back in his second outing - this time with a terrifying, twisty tale of a serial killer!

A house of horrors in a Hertfordshire village (Wigginton) is hiding a grisly secret - the bodies of five women hidden in three freezers.

It looks like a serial killer has been at work for a long time - will Nathan find the culprit before they strike again?

This is a real page-turner - with the added bonus of being set in familiar surroundings, from Watford and Hemel to Milton Keynes - there’s even a namecheck for Tring’s (currently closed) Tamarind restaurant! You won’t want to put it down - and there’s a fabulous final twist in the ending too.

This is Pitstone author Dave Sivers’ 10th published book. They include the popular crime fiction series (six so far) featuring the Aylesbury Vale detectives, DI Lizzie Archer and DS Dan Baines. The Scars Beneath the Soul and Dead in Deep Water were both top three bestsellers in the Amazon Kindle Serial Killers chart. Dave lives with his wife, Chris, and is a founder of the annual BeaconLit festival of books and writing.

When the Kite Builds: Why and How We Restored Red Kites Across Britain

By Dr Mike Pienkowski

We are so familiar with Red Kites flying over the area now that it’s easy to forget they haven’t always been here. This book describes the story of the successful reintroduction of red kites to the UK in 1990s, and how the Chilterns was selected as the initial location for the establishment of young chicks brought in from Sweden and Spain. The book’s author, Dr Mike Pienkowski, was the Chairman of the Red Kite Project Team, described by the RSPB as ‘the biggest species success story in UK conservation history’.

In the Middle Ages, Red Kites were a common sight across the British countryside and cities, where people valued them for keeping the streets clear of carrion (dead animals). However, later changes in attitude led to their extermination in most of the UK, and by the 1980s, they were one of only three globally vulnerable bird species occurring in Britain. Today, British kites now form 10% of the world population of the species.

The book charts the project, its success and explores the outcome for red kites and other species, the fight against illegal persecution and poisoning, and the changes in public attitudes.

Dr Mike Pienkowski has been involved in research and conservation for over 50 years. Proceeds from sales of the book go to UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum’s charitable conservation activities. He said: ‘I am delighted to get this book out. It is important to put such successes on record – I hope in a readable way. This is both to help others and to recognise the teamwork of a huge number of people in the UK and other countries.’

Barflies and Dubai: Stories of Skyscrapers and Sundowners

By Echo

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates; a place of sun and sparkling skyscrapers - where fortunes can be made by expats willing to relocate, and where tourists explore its attractions and revel in its obvious wealth. But this book looks beyond that to the seedier, grittier side of the city - its nightlife, where people of all nationalities and cultures collide. A collection of stories exploring some of the seedier - and sadder - tales that come from years of people watching.

The author, ‘Echo’, is a Scot, but also a long-term resident of Berkhamsted who has worked overseas on projects on all four continents, including Antarctica. Echo has seen the city of Dubai grow from the old failing oil town it was in 1998 to the sprawling tourist attraction it is today. The book was written in Dubai during the pandemic.

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What better gift can your dentist give you than being pain free?

When you need an emergency dentist it’s reassuring to know that you are in capable and experienced hands here at Bow House a Centre for Dental Excellence. If you’re suffering from severe dental pain, or any other dental emergency then please call the practice as soon as possible and your dental needs will be dealt with.