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D FREE E R E V I L E D 4,800 COPIES TS OF N E D I S E R O H T EACH MONT FIELD R I A F & D L STOTFO s month: inside thi ts, nouncemen n a y l i m a s, F re.. Local new TTERs & mo E L R U O Y , s t Lo c a l ev en
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BROWS ON FLEEK Want perfect brows every day? Book your free microblading consultation today.
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From the Editor Welcome to February! Here we are already into our second issue of the year! February is one of our favourite months, with Valentine’s Day on the 14th and Shrove Tuesday on the 25th. Pancake Day is always fun in our home, with many attempts at flipping the perfect pancake - almost all ending in disaster and an awful mess to clear up afterwards! - Last week we welcomed a new addition to our home, Peggy an eight month old puppy. At least this year we won’t have to worry about the mess on the floor as she seems to have already perfected the art of hoovering up every single last crumb!
We hope you like the front cover of our February issue. This beautiful picture was captured by local photography enthusiast Samantha Haggerty. If you enjoy taking local pictures then why not send us your shots? We are always on the lookout for front cover pictures (just be sure to take leave room for our magazine masthead when perfecting your shot!). Speaking of photographs, we are keen to locate some new pictures for our memory lane feature at the back of the magazine each month. Do you have any old school photos or pictures taken of old Stotfold you would be willing to lend us? Please give us a call or drop us an email if you can help..
Lastly, we hope you enjoy reading the first of our two part series about the raising of the Navvy, a huge crane that used to be located in the Blue Lagoon at the rear of Fairfield. This crane was quite a feature and could be seen for many miles around until it was raised as part of a huge operation. You can use our handy new index on the right hand side to see which page this features on inside your February Stotfold News Magazine.
As usual, our thanks go to all of our wonderful delivery volunteers that enable us to reach all of the homes in Stotfold each and every month with your local magazine.
Until next month!
.
How to Advertise...
It’s easy to advertise in the Stotfold & Arlesey News Magazine. Simply give us a call or email us at stotfold.news@yahoo.co.uk and we’ll do the rest. Our deadline is always 6th of every month preceding publication.
Contents
School News:
Pix Brook Academy Central Bedfordshire Academy Fairfield Lower School Etonbury Academy Pippin Pre-School Roecroft Lower School St Mary’s Academy
Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 23
The rising of the Navvy - Blue Lagoon
Page 31
News from Stotfold Mill Bedfordshire Road Safety Partnership Town Council News Family Announcements Stotfold Scout News Larksfield Surgery News February recipe
Page 9 Page 12 Page 13 Page 20 Page 23 Page 27 Page 34
Features:
Regular items:
Editoral: Please email your letters or articles to stotfold.news@yahoo.co.uk or write to us at: The Stotfold News Magazine, 78 Hitchin Road, Stotfold, Hertfordshire, SG5 4HT. You can also call us on 01462 731986 (Office Hours -Mon - Fri, 9.30am to 5pm) Announcements: We are happy to accept announcements by post, telephone, email or through our facebook page. If you would like to make a donation in return for your announcement please visit: www.justgiving.com/gardenhousehospice We support this local charity and are so grateful for any donations recieved. Please mention that the donation has been made on behalf of The Stotfold/ Arlesey News Magazine. Disclaimer: Whilst every care is taken to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot accept responsibility for loss, damage or ommission caused by error in printing of any advertisements. CALLING ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS! To have your photograph featured as a future front cover of the Stotfold/Arlesey News Magazine please send it to: stotfold.news@yahoo.co.uk Thank you to Samantha Haggerty for this beautiful shot taken in December. This magazine is dedicated to the memory of Roy West.
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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Agent
Yet again, in 2019, we SOLD more properties in Stotfold than any other agent. FACT! Thank you for keeping us your Estate Agent of choice for yet another year.
For your free, no obligation valuation please call Kevin Duff on 01462 733730 and share in our success for 2020
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,
Community Christmas Concert.
I should like to thank John Street and his fellow Salvationists for arranging the Community Christmas Concert held on Sunday 15th December, it was a great event and lovely to see so many members of the community participating and enjoy it. My particular thanks go to John and to Nicola Brooksbank, the Salvation Army Captain for inviting the Stotfold Good Neighbour Group along and for donating the money collected during the concert to our funds. Everybody was so generous, with over £340 donated, (the Christmas spirit was certainly in evidence). Now that we are a charity, that becomes a whopping £500 when we apply for Gift Aid. It is really appreciated and will go a long way to keeping our help line open for another year.
Those people that attended the concert may have heard me mention that the Good Neighbour Scheme has recently had it’s 6th birthday and also received it’s 6,000th request for help. It is great to see and participate in, the tremendous work our volunteers are doing in helping members of our local community. With the support of events such as the Christmas Concert we hope to keep going for as long as we possibly can. Thank you all again for organising such a superb event and a very happy and peaceful New Year to you.
Kind regards,
Wendy Craig - Chair Stotfold Good Neighbour Group. Dear Editor, Following the past months which have been sad & difficult for me I would like to thank family members, dearest friends, caring neighbours & everyone I know for their concern, support & help to me during this time. This prompted me to think how we all love a thank you for a kindness, assistance or a job well done & so with a smile, many thanks to the dustmen, postmen & women, the Co-op staff, all other shop staff. To our local hairdressers & to the young person who delivers the Comet in the Crofts (in all weathers) Thank you too, to all those who deliver our Stotfold Magazine. Happy New Year. Mrs J Legate.
Please mention the Stotfold News Magazine when responding to adverts
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Stotfold Library Hitchin Road, Stotfold SG5 4HP Tel. 0300 300 8068 Opening times:
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School Holidays Tuesday 18th February 9am-12noon, Crafts. Wednesday 19th February 4pm-5.30pm, Lego Club. Thursday 20th February 9am-12noon, Crafts. Friday 3rd February 2pm-5pm, Crafts. Saturday 4th February 9am-3pm, Coffee and Lego.
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Free NHS Flu vaccination available for eligable patients
FREE Prescription delivery service to ALL Arlesey and Stotfold residents
FREE Repeat prescription "drop-off" and collection service from Arlesey Medical Centre and Larksfield (Stotfold) Surgery. Mon to Fri 8.45am - 1pm & 2.00pm - 6.15pm Saturday & Sunday - Closed
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31 High Street, Arlesey, Beds SG15 6RA
Every Tuesday (Term-time only) Storytime 10.30am-11am, for ages 2-5years. Rhymetime 11.15am-11.45am, for ages 0-3 years. Every Friday (Term-time only) ***NEW*** SATs Booster Club 4.30pm-5.30pm Brought to you by Wild Education, recommended for year 5 and 6 pupils, £8 per child per session, spaces are limited so be sure to book your child’s place by emailing wildeducation13@outlook.com.
EVENTS FOR ALL THE FAMILY (for ages 0-99) Every Wednesday Lego and Duplo Club 4pm-5.30pm Every Saturday Coffee and Lego 9am-3pm Wednesday 5th February Apprenticeship Advice – 2.30pm-5.30pm Celebrating National Apprenticeship Week with a representative who will be in the library to talk to you about potential apprenticeship opportunities and any questions you may have. No appointment necessary.
EVENTS FOR ADULTS Every Friday Knit and Knatter 10.30-12noon Wednesday 5th February Good Afternoon Club 2.30pm. This month local author Nicky Kemp will be visiting to talk about her debut novel “All You Should Be”. Come and meet new and old friends and enjoy some refreshments and a chat. £1 entry fee. Transport can be arranged by calling the library on 0300 300 8068. Thursday 6th February Adult Craft Classes 10-12noon. If you want to learn some new techniques, hosted by Donna Pearson, professional Card Maker. £4.50 each and all materials provided. Wednesday 12th & 26th February Roecrafters 2pm-4pm. Whether you enjoy cross-stitch, rug making, paper craft, rock painting, or any other type of crafting! Wednesday 19th February Stotfold Reading Group 2.15pm-3.15pm
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,
I just wanted your readers to know of the generosity and Christmas goodwill of Jan and Les of the Stag Public House on Brook Street. On the Friday after Christmas, Jan and her helpers provided a free Christmas lunch and a warm welcome to 20 of us, all local residents of Stotfold, and clients who use the Stotfold Good Neighbour Group. We really enjoyed our lunch and in particular the opportunity to get out and meet others after a rather quiet Christmas. We had lovely food and a very enjoyable time and would like to say a big thank you to Jan, Les and the staff at the Stag. Many thanks, A client of the Stotfold Good Neighbour Group.
Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
News from Baldock Rotary Club:
The Stotfold Town Council meeting of Wednesday 6th November approved the donation of a Defibrillator (AED) for Stotfold donated by Baldock Rotary and all associated necessary expenditure, i.e. security housing & installation, ongoing maintenance & insurance. The chosen (and agreed) location for the defibrilator is the Stotfold Baptist Church, where it will have 24/7 access. The specialist housing has been delivered, electrical work will commence in January, paddles and new batteries are on order. All being well, installation should be completed in January.
In other news, the Santa sleigh visit to Stotfold’s Co-Op store on the 8th December was a successful event, held jointly between Baldock Rotary and Stotfold Council members, plus other local residents. The visit raised £262.99. A division of the proceeds will be defined next week.
Many thanks are given to all who assisted.
Humphrey Pickering.
Through the pages of the Stotfold News Magazine I would like to thanks Greg of GSP Heating & Plumbing for always being there when I need him. My husband Derek died three years ago and was a plumber and always thought Greg did a great job. Thanks Greg,
Sheila Archer.
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,
Great picture of Stotfold CP Boys school in the January Stotfold News. To the best of my knowledge the names are as follows: Back Row. L -R Tommy Calce. Martin Welch. Dennis Ellison. Chris Wright. David Young. Simon Allen. John Campbell. John Saunders. 2nd Row. L-R Stephen Cawley. Anthony Darts. Robin Day. Wayne Bradshaw. Robert Richardson. Ian Bowden.Howard Lavers. Martin Hare. Christopher Saunders. Mick Temple. 3rd Row. L-R Peter Whitehead. Paul Silom. Paul Farmer. Barry Wood ( Teacher and Gamesmaster). Andrew Hill. Martin Rowe. David Cooper Front Row L-R Paul Colton. Neil Fitzpatrick. John Murray. Trevor Webster. Keith Gaynor. Chris Allen. Nigel Cooke. Best regards, Martin Rowe
CHIMNEY SWEEP
Dear Editor, Thank You to everyone who supported the Charity Christmas Fayre for Dementia. A grand total of £228.00 was raised -also a fluffy tombola and donations helped raise a total of £56.00 for Stotfold school pupil Ethan following the recent fundraising appeal. Thanks to Shefford and Stevenage Line Dancers, all who donated towards the raffle and finally Kath for her donations. Thank you all once again for your help and support, it is very much appreciated Bridget/Bridie
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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News from
Stotfold Watermill
Spring forward ….
By the time you read this it is probable that the first signs of spring are starting to appear. On a stroll around the local lanes there is every chance that you will start to see clusters of snowdrops appearing - unless of course they remain hidden under that white stuff that we do not wish to see! Hopefully, after a mild, but very wet, winter we will be enjoying some sunshine this month with the opportunity to walk around the nature reserve and spot the early indications of spring. By now the footpaths might have begun to recover from the work of the Ivel Drainage Board in the autumn and you might well be able to see the wildlife, birds and animals, becoming active on the now visible river. Remember to look out for the water voles that we know are again inhabiting the banks. With the arrival of spring we are now looking forward to planning for the new season at the mill. The milling team have been working hard over the winter months dismantling and cleaning the millstones and grain/flour chutes. As mentioned in a previous report, the miller has also restored an exciting new piece of machinery for visitors to play with when we reopen to the public at the end of March. You can get a preview of the mill in action before then by booking a group visit. Any organisation is welcome to arrange a visit, when we will give a presentation about the mill’s history and restoration, followed by a guided tour and, on pre-request, refreshments from Randall’s Tea Room. Now is the time to visit our website, www.stotfoldmill.com, to book for the coming months. A reminder too that we welcome visits from schools and youth groups. The Education team can offer a variety of sessions related to the mill and to the nature reserve that can be matched to curriculum or activity badge requirements. More information and a booking form can be found under Group Visits on our website. The beginning of this month provides the first opportunity to book a place on the art and craft workshops at the mill on offer this season. These are currently: 18 April - Pastel workshop with Jayne Rhodes. 25 April (am) - Lino print with Elaine Kelly, all materials and finishing included. 25 April (pm) - Fused glass with Elaine Kelly, all materials included. Anyone interested in taking part can email sallycreveul@stotfoldmill.com for more information and to reserve a place. Full details of all the workshops at the Mill will be available on the website.
All of these events and activities make for busy months ahead, but they will be entirely dependant on recruiting sufficient volunteers to help carry them out, so why not follow nature’s lead and Spring Forward to join one of our teams. There are a wide variety of ways that you can join us as a member of the friendly and sociable teams at the mill – look under Volunteer on our website. In particular, we urgently need someone to take on the task of leading the team in the Kingfisher shop. If you fancy offering our visitors the chance for some retail therapy in the mill, you could be just the person we need. Contact us now to discuss the opportunity. Later this month we aim to hold a recruitment drive, giving more information about how you can become a mill volunteer. See our local publicity or website for more details.
The biggest requirement for help is with the Steam Fair and Country Show, which this year takes place on 9th & 10th May. The Major Events team is working hard to make this a great success as the future of the mill is almost entirely dependant on the funds that it raises. Live at the Mill, the live music event on Friday 8th May, which precedes the weekend, will be a great way to enjoy the bank holiday evening and celebrate VE day.
We look forward to many of you joining us.
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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BUTCHERS BLOG A Very Happy New Year from the shop! We hope that 2020 is a good year for you all. We have been very busy during the run up to, and over Christmas and New Year. After months of planning and organisation we began the hard work of preparing all the turkey, cuts of meat, and sausages. Our chillers looked pretty impressive, with all the orders ready to go, and we were pleased with how smoothly everything went. We have had some good feedback and appreciation. As always we are proud to serve the community with good quality products.
Beginner courses in Stotfold Tuesdays 7.35pm and Wednesdays 9.15am
Improver and Intermediate courses available
There is a different buzz at Christmas time in the shop, It was a pleasure to serve and chat to so many of you. We were kept going by gifts of cake, biscuits, wine and pate!
Ordering online has been a popular choice this season and has enabled customer to shop locally through our website. We have most of our products on our website throughout the year, and it is easy to order for click and collect, or you can opt for a local delivery after 5.30 p.m. on a Thursday. But of course we do love to meet you face to face and it gives you an opportunity to see what we have to offer. This time of year is always focussed on family specials, and we still have our 6 items for ÂŁ30, again you can select these items on our website, or give us a call. Follow us on Facebook, where we update our specials, we are also available through the page to answer any queries. We always appreciate any comments or suggestions for products you would like to see in the shop. Our deli counter has a wide range of cheeses, pies and cooked meats, additionally we stock curry sauces, flour from Stotfold mill, free range eggs and many more items. Hot pasties and sausage rolls are available daily and are a popular choice for many.
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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Letters to the Editor Dear Editor,
On behalf of The Need Project and all who benefited from our help throughout the year I would like to thank all of our supporters who gave of their time, their money, their food, their prayers and their encouragement to us this past year. It never ceases to amaze me how much we achieve with what little we have, but non of this is possible without the incredible support of our local community. Our reports show that we are getting busier month on month and it doesn’t look like it is going to ease up anytime soon. We cannot solve all the problems, but we can do something to help and that is what counts. To list the people who have helped throughout the year and especially this Christmas would be a mistake as I know I would leave some one out, but you know who you are and thank you.
This year holds many challenges for us, but we are still here doing what we believe we are called to do. Our December report (which is available on our website,) shows some shocking statistics and illustrates just how busy we have been. 11 years ago when we started this project we never thought we would still be here and definitely not be as busy and big as we are today. We are still here, the past is gone and tomorrow more families will need food, clothing and furniture. We shall hopefully help these people receive these items safe in the knowledge that someone cares, so thank you all once again. Please keep up to date with our appeals and our news through our Facebook page, or call in to the centre in Stotfold High Street to find out more. Thanks for everything you do to help. Gordon - The Need Project.
Hopton
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Police tackle speeding among ‘fatal five’ road behaviours Over 1,100 people were killed or seriously injured on the roads of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire between November 2018 and November 2019. This equates to almost 20 serious injuries and at least one death every week.
The shocking figures were released by police as part of January’s speed campaign to remind motorists that speeding devastates lives.
Chief Inspector Jon Roche, Head of Roads Policing for the three forces, said: “Far too many lives are tragically lost or changed forever as a result of speeding on our counties’ roads. It’s the reason we are so passionate about preventing avoidable collisions.
“The faster you drive, the less time you have to react and any mistake by you or another is amplified by that speed. Speed limits are in place for a reason. Never exceed the limit for the road you’re on and please make sure your speed is appropriate for the driving conditions. “Speed limits are the top safe speed for that road. It is often safer to travel at lower speeds, such as in bad weather and where there are pedestrians or cyclists, particularly children. Don’t gamble with their lives or yours.”
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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News from
Pix Brook Academy. If this term is half as full as the last one, we are in for a lively few weeks. The last week of the Autumn Term was a particularly busy one. On Monday we had our visit from OFSTED in the form of Barbara Obrien, an educational expert. She spent the whole day in school. I am pleased to say that the report reads very well and makes a great many positive comments about the school. Pupils were referred to as being conscientious and courteous and were a credit to their parents and to the school.
Tuesday, we had our much-anticipated visit to the Pupils enjoying the carol concert pantomime. This is a great British tradition and I’m pleased to say that all pupils appeared to enjoy the performance. We have booked again for next year and hopefully we can make this part of the Christmas tradition at PBA.
Wednesday was the Christmas lunch, pupils enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings served by staff wearing compulsory Christmas cracker hats. Thursday was our Christmas Concert at St Mary’s Church. Over the years I have attended a great many Christmas concerts and I can say this was the very best. No doubt the location made a difference and I must again thank Reverend Bill Britt and Graham Clark for allowing us to use the church. Pupils performed a number of songs, both traditional and contemporary, supported by Bedfordshire Inspiring Music Service. The attendance by parents combined with the enthusiastic singing from pupils (and family members) made for a great atmosphere and provided a fantastic ending to what had been a superb term.
We now start a new term in a new decade. There is already much planned for this half term including Science day with Science teachers from the upper school, our assembly on county lines and a visit from an author for our creative writing day. In addition, we will continue to work with pupils to develop their understanding of key concepts with Maths and English supplementary lessons starting this term. Lots to look forward to. We look forward to updating you on our news from the start of the new term in the March issue of both the Stotfold and the Arlesey News Magazines.
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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News from
The Academy Of Central Bedfordshire
Welcome to our February news.
Our construction pupils made the Christmas tree from recycled materials for the Christmas tree festival. They also made a number of different Christmas decorations and gifts including phone holders and wooden speakers. This was then displayed in the school foyer as the main tree for the school. Each department made different decorations that were associated with their subject. This half term will see a number of students reach the level 1 award with the prospect of the Year 11 achieving their certificate before the Easter break. In the run up to Christmas pupils worked on Christmas crafts in Childcare and seasonal hair-dos for the festive period.
Our monthly coffee mornings at St Mary’s church continue to be popular and this month we are cooking and serving lunch for the Good Neighbour Group. We were invited to be involved a couple of years ago to provide an opportunity for members of the Stotfold community to get together during the winter months as people can feel quite isolated at this time of year. The Good Neighbour Group provide the transport and The Academy the food and service for a small voluntary contribution. The suggested amount is £1.50 and for that they get homemade soup, a sandwich, cake and tea or coffee. This month all proceeds are going towards Retina UK. Next month our Catering and Hospitality pupils will be making a cake for the Town Council's annual event. Christmas also bought The Academy a couple of gifts in the form of two baby goats for our farm.
Christmas tree
Christmas hairstyles
New baby goats for the Academy!
Now accepting card payments To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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News from
Fairfield Park Lower School We started back to school this term with a theatre group for all pupils called The Snow Queen. Lots of fun and audience participation was heard by all! A big Thank you to the PTA for funding this event. Last month some of our KS2 children participated in an athletics event in Bedford. The scores achieved by the students were very impressive! We took teams from both Ruskin and Dickens, there were 16 schools attending and Fairfield Park Team A came 1st and Team B 7th. Well done to everyone who took part! We are now waiting to enter the county level for the team who came 1st, continuing our platinum journey of attaining well at sports at FPLS. At Ruskin Drive the learning street has been enhanced, incorporating a library, computing, IT and cross curricular spaces for topic, the creative arts, music and immersive learning. Storage furniture is in place and looks fab and colourful in this space. The learning space has been enhanced by a new wall art skin and looks sensational; children think there is a real aquarium in our school!
The wall art celebrates our school curriculum, our bespoke curriculum that wraps around the statutory government’s National Curriculum. Our school curriculum focuses on ‘The Environment’; ‘The Arts’; ‘Diversity’, projects weeks allow the children to be immersed in these themes and they are then threaded through the National Curriculum subjects. This has also been replicated at Dickens Boulevard as well in the old ICT suite, which will be reinstated to a learning street in the summer term. Both fabulous learning spaces for our children to have memorable opportunities and creative spaces. There are many other highlights to look forward to this term: Chinese New Year, workshops and visitors in the school, respect and tolerance for other cultures and tradition; PE events such as gym festival, multi skills and athletics supported by Redborne school, building up our stamina for physical activity, wellbeing and life style choices; Trips by different cohorts to enhance the curriculum including the year 4 residential to Caythorpe; Mother’s day celebration, enjoying time with family and celebrating special relationships Parent consultations Tuesday 5th and Thursday 7th February. Our Value of the month: Positivity
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
FEBRUARY STOTFOLD 2020 actual master_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:11 Page 17
News from
Etonbury Academy. Happy New Year!
We hope you have all enjoyed a safe and restful Christmas break, and looking forward to an exciting year ahead. Many of you will be aware of our ETA Way. Everyone is respectful, Together we care and Always aim higher. This was embedded in all our work at Etonbury last year, and our students, staff and governors are fully engaged and recognise the difference it is making. As examples, these range from always aiming higher in lessons or constructive challenge at Governor meetings, respecting others in daily personal development sessions and raising money for those in our community that we care about. With the ETA Way in mind we have planned a year of events that make our school a great place to learn and develop to the best that we can be. Our Etonbury Juniors will be heading off on the Condover Hall activity trip to work together, care for each other and have challenging experiences to remember. They will be performing at Wembley in the Young Voices event and exploring Harry Potter World. Our upper school will be heading off to France on a History trip, musicians will be performing in Italy, and some will be challenging themselves on the Duke of Edinburgh Award. We cannot forget that our GCSEs are now ahead, and mock exams will be upon us soon. Our students frequently meet their Mentors throughout the year to make sure they are on track and discuss any support they may need, be it for their wellbeing or stretching their learning.
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With our building expansion complete, leadership and staff firmly in place and the support of all our community, our school continues to go from strength to strength. Our volunteer Governors meet regularly to discuss and challenge school performance. Our staff meet with our lower and upper schools to ensure smooth transitions and best practice is shared. Our student leadership team continue to share and support improvement in the school. We are all working together to continue our success in to 2020 and beyond.
Follow us on Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with all our news as it happens. As we enter our recruitment period we are always keen to hear from talented teachers, trainee teachers and NQTs who are considering their future choices. Please do contact us for an informal discussion or to simply be added to our talent list via email vlockey@bestacademies.org.uk or tel 01462 730391.
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2020!
craig@cisma.co.uk To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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PLANNING
NEWS FROM OUR PRE-SCHOOL
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Pippin Pre-School, Buttercup Road, Stotfold, Herts, SG5 4PF
www.pippinpreschool.co.uk * info@pippinpreschool.co.uk 01462 834897 Registered Charity 1028855 During the month of February the children will be celebrating Valentine’s Day, the Chinese New Year and Pancake day. We have lots of exciting activities planned for these topics including food tasting, dragon crowns, heart printing and pancake decorating. On 1st February we will be hosting an Open Morning for prospective parents looking to start their child with us in September, we will be open from 10am to 12pm, please pop along to view the premises, meet our staff and discuss any queries you may have. Holiday club will once again be open for February Half Term (17th to 21st inclusive), please contact the office via email at info@pippinpreschool.co.uk regarding availability. We charge £38 per day and are open from 7.45am, finish 6pm, all requests are on a first come, first serve basis. Our Committee are behind the scenes organising a race night for April, full details to follow next month. We are always looking for new members to join, so if you have a child attending Pippin and can spare a little time each month to attend a meeting and help out with fundraising activities we would love to hear from you, please email pippincommittee@gmail.com for further information. Our next Committee meeting is on 11th March 2019. Thank you for your interest in our Pre-School. We look forward to sharing more of our news with you again next month. Pippin now has its own Facebook page so if you haven’t already ‘liked’ us please do so to keep up to date with what is happening here at Pippin.
CARERS
We are a friendly group of carers who meet together on the 3rd Thursday of every month for a social afternoon with tea and cake. This month we meet on Thursday 20th February
If you are a carer and would like to join us, bring the one you care for to Stotfold Methodist Hall 2pm - 3.30pm You will be very welcome. 18
Email: info@stotfoldnews.co.uk
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News from
Roecroft Lower School. Spring term is often a teacher’s favourite term. The children are well settled in their classes and there are very few disruptions to the timetables, meaning that it is a term of non-stop teaching and learning that is full of additional opportunities that enhance the children’s classroom experiences. Please do look on our website for up to date events, they can be found on our newsletter and in our photo gallery.
Year 4’s in a Food Technology lesson
Our Year 4 children have been attending swimming lessons in Biggleswade and it has been noted on a number of occasions how well-mannered and beautifully behaved they are. They make me incredibly proud.
This year we thought carefully about the trips and visits we run in school, we decided it is important to experience and support our more local area, which means children will get the most out of these experiences, as travel times and risk of traffic have been reduced dramatically. They also now link more appropriately to the children’s learning. Our children will be experiencing the following: Reception – Visit to the library and animal experience in school with picnic Year 1 – Local community visit to the Mill and animal experience in school with picnic Year 2 – Visiting Knebworth House for science workshops Year 3 – Visiting Airbus in Stevenage and Faith Tour in Bedford Year 4 – Hazard Alley Milton Keynes and PGL in Cleethorpes An update from the Key Stage 2 Team:
It has been an exciting beginning to Spring term in Key Stage 2. The Year 4 children have started their swimming lessons, which is always one of the most eagerly anticipated parts of the P.E. curriculum! We have also been receiving Badminton lessons from a professional coach, which has been great fun.
In Science, the children have been studying electricity. In Design and Technology, they will be using their knowledge of electricity to design an independently powered vehicle.
Year 3 have been creating self-portraits and studying the artwork of Chuck Close. In Science they have been studying rocks and soils, and have been making fossils. Recently it was ‘Viking Day’, where Year 3 pupils developed their historical knowledge while learning different paint techniques, as well as printing and collage.
Established 1971
It has also been great to use the cooking room in school. The children have made mouth-watering pizza, jewelled couscous and carrot and orange muffins – all delicious! Please mention the Stotfold News Magazine when responding to adverts
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Stotfold's Café
Serving cooked breakfast, bacon/sausage rolls. fresh soup, jackets, sandwiches, milkshakes, cakes, tea,coffee & more!
EAT IN OR TAKEAWAY Hallworth Drive (next to the library near the traffic lights)
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Family Announcements HANNAH AZZOPARDI
Happy belated 16th Birthday Hannah! All our love Mum Dad and Jake xxx
CHARLOTTE PONDER & STUART PAGE
Congratulations on your Engagement! Wishing you a lifetime of love and happiness. From all your family & friends xx
ROBBIE FONE 23rd February Happy birthday to our Robbie
All our love your Fone family x
CHLOE & LILY
GRACE CHAFFEY
16th February. Happy 7thBirthday, Lots of love Mummy, Daddy & Jack x
JACK CHAFFEY
27th February Happy 5th Birthday, Lots of love Mummy, Daddy & Grace x
Have an amazing 13th Birthday. I love you both more than anything else in the world. Love from
ELLA WATERMAN
We cant believe you are 18 now! You have grown into a beautiful young lady with a heart of gold. We are extremely proud of everything you are & everything you Mummy xxx have achieved. PHIL LAWRENCE Love you further Happy Birthday Phil, than the moon & Love from back. Mum, Dad Katie, Harry and Ella x & Ben xxxx
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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STOTFOLD GARDEN CLUB Meetings and Trips Meetings are held on the second Wednesday of the month at St. Mary’s Church Hall, Church Road. Wednesday 12th February Simon White – ‘Rose Growing Made Easy’ Tea and coffee served at 10:15am. Raffle and please bring along any plants for sale. Wednesday 11th MarchAdam Pascoe For more information, contact Peter on: (01462) 834854 or 07758649721 stotfoldgc@gmail.com
Walk4Health Walks for February
Do you enjoy walking, would you like to join a social, walking group and enjoy the fresh air. - All welcome.
February 6th Scout Hut, Baldock Road, Stotfold Etonbury Wood (entrance near school) February 13th & 20th, The Crown, The Green, Stotfold. February 27th, Arlesey train station Meet at 10.45am.
BAL & CO. MOTOR CARE
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
FEBRUARY STOTFOLD 2020 actual master_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:11 Page 23
News from
St Mary’s CE Academy January was an eventful start to the New Year with the first of our monthly Collective Worships in the form of an Epiphany themed Service in which our children and staff were all involved and some even dressed up for the part! The service included a blessing of the school by Reverend Bill Britt from St Mary’s Church.
Our school clubs are all well under way as the children settle back into the new term. Also during February our children will be participating in several multi skills sports sessions. These should be enjoyable events for all those participating so look out for further details in our ParentMail newsletters and in bookbags.
February brings our ever popular annual Creative Arts Week between 10th and 14th; this brilliant event gives the children a chance to be involved in all sorts of creative activities for the whole week with a wide range of topics. Previous year’s sessions have included dance, drama, music, food tech, creative writing, art and many crafts so we’re sure there will be an activity for everyone to enjoy. For the first time ever our school and in particular some of our Year 4 children will also be participating in the Young Voices Concert involving over 6000 school children within the O2 London. Such an exciting and fulfilling experience.
The St Mary’s School Association have a film night event planned for our younger children taking place on Friday 28th February in the Academy Hall and another Happy Bags Collection planned for Monday 2nd March. This initiative encourages our families having a post-Christmas clear out to save their unwanted items, collect them into bags available from St Mary’s Academy office and deliver them to school on the collection date. They are then picked up by the Charity in return for a monetary donation dependent on weight, which the SMSA then uses to benefit our school children. Currently we are raising money towards a new Creative Suite. We would encourage any members of our community to please help us even if they do not have children currently within St Mary’s. The Charity will take clean clothes, paired shoes or trainers, belts, hats, accessories, jewellery, toiletries, console games, souvenirs, handbags, perfume and soft toys. Please also look out for further details on the SMSA Sponsored Bounce planned for Thursday 19th March. There will be a number of Class Assemblies held during February so we look forward to these. As always parents and close relatives are invited to attend and enjoy! Please look out for more information and dates in our weekly school newsletter or on our website. Our last day of this half term is Friday 14th February, with school resuming on Monday 24th for six busy weeks to take us up to Easter. Don’t forget World Cancer Day on Tuesday 4th, International Epilepsy Day on Monday 10th, Valentine’s Day on Friday 14th and Shrove Tuesday/Pancake Day on Tuesday 25th!
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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E L D E R LY C A R E WITHIN A
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We are extremely proud to introduce our new care home in Fairfield. Our aim is to provide outstanding care combined with exceptionally high quality facilities within a modern yet homely environment for those with residential, nursing or dementia care needs. Baycroft Fairfield has been built around the lifestyle and care requirements of each individual. As much thought has been invested into the elegant surroundings, innovative technologies, restaurant standard dining experience and the engaging social activities as the exemplary standards of care. These elements combined create the comfortable and happy lifestyle you or your loved one deserve; and one that we are committed to deliver.
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infofairfield@baycroft.co.uk
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
baycroft.co.uk
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Valentine’s Event at Baycroft Fairfeld On Friday 14th February 2020, Baycroft Fairfield Care Home on Hitchin Road will be holding a Valentine’s Day themed event from 2pm – 4pm, inviting the local community to join them for themed refreshments, competitions and a chance to look around their new home.
In true Valentines style, all monies raised throughout the afternoon will go to support to the important work done by the British Heart Foundation. The British Heart Foundation are coming along to the event with some Mini ‘Annie’ dummies if you fancy having a try at CPR!
Baycroft Fairfield, offers outstanding care combined with high quality facilities. The home is situated along Hitchin Road, close to Fairfield. If you would like to attend the event or would like further information, contact Yvonne Rolfe on 07881008191 or email yrolfe@baycroft.co.uk
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
FEBRUARY STOTFOLD 2020 actual master_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:11 Page 27
News from Larksfield Surgery (on behalf of the Larksfield PPG- Patient Participation Group)
Important News From The Practice
We are writing to inform you of some recent changes at Larksfield Surgery Medical Partnership. Since Dr Al-Badry has left Larksfield Surgery, we have been looking at ways of maintaining and developing our services. In order to continue to provide a high standard of care that is sustainable for the future, the Partners feel that, like many practices across the country, joining forces with another practice and merger will put us in a stronger position for the future. This is important with the ongoing growth of the local population and increasingly complex care required for individual patients. We are pleased to advise you that, on 2 December 2019, the Partners of Stanmore Medical Group, Stevenage, joined the Larksfield Partnership. We believe the practice will now be stronger, more resilient and in a better position to attract and retain new staff, across a wider range of specialities. We would like to reassure you that this merger will have no adverse impact on the way you will receive care from the Larksfield Surgery. You will still be seen here at Larksfield Surgery by a wide range of clinical specialists including Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Emergency Care Practitioner, Nurse Practitioner Prescribing. The administration teams will be combined to allow our systems and staff to function more efficiently. This will include development of telephone and other computer communication which will improve access and direct patients to the most appropriate care for them. The merger is being supported by Bedfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (BCCG) and NHS England, as they strongly believe it is key to ensure the continued provision of GP services for Larksfield patients in the area and resilience in the local healthcare system.
Contact details: Larksfield Surgery, Arlesey Road, Stotfold, Hitchin, Hertfordshire, SG5 4HB Phone for Appointments: 01462 732244 (Option 1) Phone for Test Results: 01462 732200 (Option 2) OPENING HOURS Monday: 8.00-13.00 14.00-18.00 Tues-Fri: 8.00-18.00 Saturday/Sunday: Closed EXTENDED OPENING HOURS from 07.00 - 08.00 on Wednesday or Thursday (not every week). Extended hours appointments must be pre-booked.
SCOTT GEEKIE
GENERAL BUILDER PROPERTY MAINTENANCE ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT GUTTERING REPAIRS PLASTERING
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TEL: 01462 732396 MOB: 07860 192689
deb.geekie@talktalk.net
Congratulations
to Dr Chin who gave birth to a baby boy on Saturday 14th December!
Medicines Management
Since the closure of the dispensary, we have evolved into a small Medicines Management team of three. We still process all the repeat prescriptions, add medication from hospital letters and deal with any queries you might have regarding medication. We also are able to issue emergency supplies of medication in certain circumstances. We are an active part of the medication monitoring process which involves making sure patients’ bloods and blood pressures are kept up to date. We are keen to go paperless and would like to let patients know that if you would like to register for online services, you would need to bring in some photo ID to reception so that you can request medication online. This service enables you to book appointments, check blood results and order your repeats from your phone or any electronic device. If this method is not suitable we do have a daily Medicine Management telephone list which you can ask the receptionist to add you too, this is for queries only and not medication requests. The turnaround of this service is usually 48 hours.
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Fly-Tipping Or Illegal Waste Dumping How To Report it... With the new year upon us many people use the time for a good old fashioned clear out...but is the rubbish disposed of correctly? If you see fly-tipped waste, or witness someone in the act of fly-tipping, here's what we need to know: Any vehicles involved can be prosecuted (please note registration numbers). It is possible to prosecute if only the vehicle, not the driver, is identifiable (the person controlling the use of the vehicle can be prosecuted) Report what you saw (were there people involved? What were they wearing?) Make note of where the fly-tip is (road names and town / village names are always helpful) State when you saw the fly-tipping (day, date and time are really helpful for us) We'll also need to know your name, your address and a contact telephone number. Don't worry; this information will only be seen by us (we may need to contact you as part of our investigation), You can report fly-tipping to us on 0300 300 8302, or email customer.services@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk.
North Herts Road Runners- 
Our Next Event Will Be The First Sat Of The Month 5k On 1st Feb At Letchworth Common With Free Entry.
We Welcome Runners Of All Abilities And Our Qualified Coaches Will Help Improve Your Running.
We Meet At The Spirella Building In Letchworth On Tues & Thurs At 7.15pm Further Details Are On www.nhrr.org.uk or call Ian On 01462639215
Friday Classes at St Mary's Church Hall, Stotfold and Fairfield Community Hall y Tr
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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News from Stotfold Football Club Very little football was played in December due to the wet weather, the first team beating AFC Oakley 4-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Beds Senior Trophy and winning their only league match 5-1 against Ampthill. The Development team drew their two league fixtures. Due to the weather the U18’s didn’t play any fixtures in the month. Our February fixtures:
The club would welcome your support for all three teams as we enter the second half of the season. Come on you Eagles! At the time of writing the club is anticipating moving into the new stadium in early February. Please follow our @twitter page and website for the latest updates. Roker Park The Green, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, SG5 4AN Tel: 01462 730765 E:info@stotfoldfc.co.uk
www.stotfoldfc.co.uk Twitter @stotfoldfc Email enquiries
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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February Recipe Sweet Potato and Carrot Tagine:
Place all the ingredients (except the couscous and coriander) in a large lidded non-stick frying pan and place over a medium heat. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Season well and serve over cooked couscous, garnished with chopped coriander.
Ingredients 1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed 1 tsp finely grated root ginger 2 tsp each of ground cumin and ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground coriander, turmeric and dried red chilli flakes 400g can chopped tomatoes ½ tsp artificial sweetener 250ml vegetable stock 300g potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes 300g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5cm cubes Salt and freshly ground black pepper Couscous, to serve (swap for cauliflower couscous to make this recipe gluten free) Roughly chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
The Green, Stotfold, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 4AN Tel: 01462 730521 email: office@kingsbaptistchurch.co.uk www.kingsbaptistchurch.co.uk Reg. Charity No 1136519
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Domestic Appliances To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
FEBRUARY STOTFOLD 2020 actual master_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:11 Page 31
Navvy 306 in the Lagoon
Written exclusively for the Stotfold News Magazine by Steve Maddox
Working in the chalk pit for 22 years and then abandoned when the pit closed, what became of the steam driven excavator that for many years poked its arm out of the water at the Blue Lagoon...
Part 1 of 3 parts – Early days Many locals may remember the ‘crane’ from the Blue Lagoon. Some would have dived off the jib in the hot summer days of childhood or teens. It was recovered from the chalk pit in 1977, and has only now got to a stage where it could soon be ‘working’ again.
Designed by James Dunbar the ‘306’ had similar principles to a previous Many locals remember the navvy’s ‘crane’ in the water steam navvy built by William Otis of Boston, USA, but it is believed to Credit Image – Ray Hooley have had driven rail wheels and was the first to have an all steel power shovel. Rustons obtained a patent for a full-circle (360o slewing) excavator from Whitaker Bros Limited of Horsforth, Leeds and built the machine under licence. Rustons then started development of their own full-circle excavator in 1902, known as the 12-ton Crane Navvy. The navvy from the Blue Lagoon ‘no. 306’ was built in 1909 by Ruston & Proctor, and is now the oldest in existence, of its type, in the world. In 1910 Ruston Proctor acquired Whitakers Bros including all drawings, patterns and associated items.
History The navvy, was originally purchased by Thomas Oliver & Son, Neath Abbey, Glamorgan on 3rd May 1909 from Ruston & Proctor Ironworks in Lincolnshire, and later brought to the pit in Arlesey. Working as a face shovel, quarrying chalk for the cement works off Hitchin Road. The navvy was ‘operated by Mr A. Albon and later by his son George. After 22 years, the chalk quarry closed 1931, leaving the navvy abandoned The ‘306’ during its working life at the pit. where it stood. It was felt at the time too costly to recover, and others since Credit image Ray Hooley. had abandoned the venture also finding the costs of salvaging the machine prohibitive. Contrary to what some might say, that the quarry ‘filled up over night’ – it actually took two years to fill. Then with just the top of the jib and part of the boiler visible above the water line, it stayed as a memorial to it’s short working life. Minerals from the chalk and clay made the water deep blue in colour, giving rise to the local name of the pit – The Blue Lagoon. The name has stuck and is known far and wide. For many years the 306 was a feature of the lake, with a local sailing club using it as a marker to sail around. The pit also attracted divers, fishermen and summer bathers to the local ‘beauty spot’, the latter even used the jib of the navvy as a diving platform. Be warned though the waters are cold and unforgiving, as too many have found to their cost.
Recover In 1973 a friend mentioned to Ray Hooley from Lincolnshire of the Rustons 306 in the pit and that he might like to rescue the old relic.Ray made enquiries and several visits to the site to come up with a plan to recover the steam driven navvy. It was on one of these visits that he met George who produced a photo of the nine crew members including his father and himself, taken in 1921. His father drove the navvy until the mid-1920s, and George was a stoker. George later became the driver until the pit closure. He offered to test the navvy once it was working again.
The three year preparation took place and initial surveys revealed a major pipeline running through the site, so a temporary surface had to be organised to protect this from fracture when the heavy lifting machinery was brought in. Local pilot Gordon Clarke was contacted to take aerial The original nameplate from the navvy pictured right. redit Ray Hooley. photos of the ‘lift’ as it was taking place. Divers were also recruited to place air filled bags to aid the recovery. The chalk pits staff taken in 1921 (above) Excavator Driver A.Albon (back row, far right) Everything was in place. Stoker G.Albon (front row 2nd left) Father & Son. Next Month Salvage of the Navvy from its resting place. www.stotfoldnews.co.uk
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Great End to 2019 for Stotfold Judo Club In October we were invited to Henlow Judo Club were Stephen Sweetlove, a well respected black, belt took a class and gave the judoka lots of great advice and honed their skills In November our juniors attended Hackney Judo Competitions, where Lewis Dixon & Robbie Young won gold and Hari Crowley, Thomas Graham & Jay Crowley won bronze. Also in November Jay Crowley, Laura Beech and Josh Peacock attended the British Schools qualifier, the standard of judo was exceptionally high and only Jay qualified for the next round. The North London Basho medal winners! December brought an amazing close to the year when 12 Judoka attended the North London Basho, and everyone medalled! Robbie Young Gold, Josh Peacock Gold, Toby West Gold, Alfie Garsden Gold, Josh Gold, Dave Burstow Gold, Lewis Dixon Silver, Hari Crowley Silver, Daniel West Silver, Laura Beech Silver, Amber Burstow Bronze and Harrison Burstow Bronze.
But it is not all about competing judo is a fantastic way to keep fit, meet like minded people and learn a new skill – If you want more information contact details are below or come down to the Pendleton Centre on a Wednesday, find out what Judo is all about. Beginners, Senior or Junior, are welcome, though there is a waiting list for juniors. The Juniors (5 to 15 years) are on the mat between 5.30 and 7.00pm. Followed by The Seniors (16 +) who train to 8.30pm. For more information contact: Lorna Seymour on 07734 563970 or stotfoldjudo@gmail.com for more information or seeour facebook page.
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Supply and fit windows and doors Soffits and fascias
Jonny Garside
79 Regent Street, Stotfold
01462 732248 or 07951 473505
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To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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St. Mary’s Academy Join Hospic Patients For Autumnal Arts & Crafts Garden House Hospice Care was delighted to welcome six children from St. Mary’s Academy in Stotfold to spend the morning with Hawthorne Day Services patients, as part of their Schools Educational Outreach service. The six children joined the Horticultural Therapy Group patients in the Hawthorne Centre for a creative morning of Autumnal arts and crafts. St. Mary’s Academy has its own allotment and brought along three of their ‘school-grown’ pumpkins to decorate with the patients in the session, together with animal leaf collages and suncatchers to put on display. The school’s pumpkin seeds will be used by the Horticultural Therapy Group in the Spring to plant in the Hospice’s new allotment. CLAIRE’S Susannah Parry, Community Engagement Schools and Colleges co-ordinator at Garden House Hospice Care, said: “It was wonderful to see the children and patients working together on creative activities, bringing lots of smiles and laughter. The patients learned about the children’s Gardening Club and the types of vegetables being grown in School, and in turn the children learned how Horticultural Therapy can benefit the patient.
Bringing schools and hospices together not only helps to raise awareness for the range of services we can provide patients living with life-limiting illness within our local community, but also hopefully helps to dispel myths and misconceptions about hospice care from a young age.” For local Schools wishing to learn more about the Schools and Colleges Educational Service, please contact: Susannah Parry on 01462 679540.
CAT SITTING Stotfold based cat sitting service Now in our 8th year!
Your cats looked after in your own home while you are away, giving you complete peace of mind.I am fully insured & can feed your cats once or twice a day. Other small animals can also be catered for. Please call Claire
07984 344 997
H B Decorators & Property Maintenance Interior & Exterior Domestic & Commercial
Painting, Papering, Coving, Wall Tiling
All home DIY jobs from fixing shelves to fitting doors, skirting boards etc. Established in Stotfold 31 years
Call Ken 01462 732960 or 07774 669603 Fully insured for all work up to £5 million
www.stotfoldnews.co.uk
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Diary Dates.... JIGSAW FESTIVAL
St Mary’s Church Hall Church Road, Stotfold Saturday 22nd February 10.00am – 1.00pm
Wonderful display of jigsaws for sale at bargain prices Charity No: 1131275
SAVE THE DATE “LITTLE LIGHT MUSIC” Concert by Cords Contemporary Choir at St. Mary’s Church, Stotfold. 21st March 7.30pm. Tickets £8 (to include a glass of wine) f01462 834165/730264. CHARITY SPRING FAYRE FOR ALZHEIMER'S Saturday March 21st, 2020 10am to 12.30pm Entrance Free.Bridget 01462 639279
Model Railway Exhibition
Stratton School, Biggleswade SG18 8JB
Saturday 15th February 10- 4.30 pm Organised by the East Beds Model Railway Society; Full details: www.ebmrs.org.uk
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TABLE TOP SALE
St Mary’s Church Hall Sat February 29th 10am - 12.30pm Raffle & Refreshments For availability of tables contact Chris on 01462 834108 Proceeds to St Mary’s Church Restoration fund.
STOTFOLD METHODISTS COFFEE MORNING & Bring & Buy Sale
Saturday 1st February 10am - 11.30am
Come along for a cuppa Cake Stall - Find a Bargain! Meet old friends & make new ones. ALL WELCOME
www.stotfoldmethodists.org.uk
Email: stotfold.news@yahoo.co.uk
FEBRUARY STOTFOLD 2020 actual master_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:11 Page 35
This photograph was kindly loaned to the Stotfold News Magazine by Mrs Sheila Archer. It features pupils from St Mary’s School, do you recognise anyone here? We do not have a name or a year for this shot - Can you help? If you have any old photographs you could lend us for this monthly feature we would love to hear from you!
More information from: Allison on 01462 733230 or 079983730291
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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Salvation Army Ladies Fellowship
February 17th STOTFOLD CHRISTIAN CHOIR Hazel Thompson
For more information Phone: 01462 730739 or 01462 731 072 10 Church Road, Stotfold, SG5 4LX
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Have you recently moved to the area, or just find you have some time that you would like to fill? We are a friendly group of ladies, meeting on the 2nd Wednesday of the month- Stotfold Memorial Hall, 7.30pm
12th February - Rita Mohammad. Handcrafted Beaded Jewellery & Raffle 11th March - Annual Meeting. Quiz & Raffle
8th April Michelle Rowley. Hello Flowers & Raffle
We have a varied programme of interesting speakers and other activities for the coming year. Contact: President, Jill Shepherd 01462 730751
Email: stotfold.news@yahoo.co.uk
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Useful Telephone Numbers Hospitals Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Trading Standards Advice Line
01525 402742 01525 841217 0300 300 8136
Hope Chapel King’s Baptist Church Methodist Church Salvation Army Hall Ladies Fellowship St Mary’s Church Friends of St Mary’s Fairfield Community Church
01462 01462 01462 01462 01462 01462 01462 01462
Churches
Council
686803 730521 646562 731072 730739 730218 834108 735704
Stotfold Town Council 01462 730064 Email: enquiries@stotfoldtowncouncil.gov.uk Central Bedfordshire Council, Priory House, Chicksands, Shefford SG17 5TQ 0300 300 8000 Email customer.services@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk Web www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk Waste Collection / Recycling / Dog Warden / Flytipping / Grass Cutting / Street Cleaning / Abandoned Vehicles 0300 300 8631 or 0300 300 8632 More Central Bedfordshire Council telephone numbers can be found listed at www.stotfoldnews.co.uk
Doctor
Larksfield Surgery Appointments Enquiries Out of Hours Service: MDoc Physiotherapy & Spinal Injury Clinic Arlesey Medical Centre www.arleseymedicalcentre.nhs.uk
01462 732244 01462 732200 Call 111 01462 735700 01462 732144
Ashwell Dental Stotfold Dental Surgery
01462 742353 01462 731938
Electricity Emergencies Gas Emergencies
0800 7 838 838 0800 111999
Childline National Menengitis Trust Samaritans NSPCC
0800 1111 0845 6000800 08457 909090 0800 800 5000
Howard Cottage Housing Association, Pioneer House, Norton Way South, Letchworth Garden City, Herts, SG6 1NY Grand Union Housing - all enquiries
01462 683307
Beds Police (Crime reporting) Community issues (Not crime reporting or emergency) Crimestoppers
01234 841212 01234 842515
Dentist
Emergencies Helplines
Housing
Police
0300 123 5544
0800 555111
Bedford Hospital Lister Hospital NHS Direct
01234 355122 01438 314333 08 45 46 47
Stotfold Library Arlesey Resource Centre & Library
0300 300 8068 01462 731469.
Beds Police (Crime reporting) Community issues (Not crime reporting or emergency) Crimestoppers
01234 841212 01234 842515
Coach & Horses Fox & Duck The Chequers Pub The Crown The Stag Tavern
01462 01462 01462 01462 01462
Box of Cakes Cafe & Cake Shop
07812 055587
Etonbury Academy Pix Brook Academy Fairfield Park Lower School Roecroft Lower School St Mary’s Academy Samuel Whitbread Academy
01462 01462 01462 01462 01462 01462
Pippin Pre-School SMASH, St Mary’s School
01462 834897 07971 354093
Tiddleywinks King’s Baptist Church Methodist Church (Friday AM)
01462 731072 01462 730521 01462 733985
Library Police
Pubs
Cafe
Schools
After School Clubs Toddler Groups
Nurseries
0800 555111
734135 732434 732333 731061 731098
730391 416243 830000 730336 730343 629900
Pippin Pre-School Poppies Nursery Poppyfields Nursery Treetops Day Nursery Stotfold and District Children's Centre
01462 834897 07833 927906 01462 830008 01462 734306 01462 730623
Trains (National Enquiries)
08457 484950
Greenacre Transfers Airports & Chauffeur Services www.greenacretransfers.co.uk
07555 70 78 48
Transport
Whitbread Wanderbus
Miscellaneous
Beds Rural Communities Charity Letchworth MS Unit Births, Deaths & Marriages Stotfold Good Neighbour Group
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
0300 123 3023
01234 838771 01462 487172 0300 300 8089 07599 925587
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DIRECTORY. Accountancy & Tax Sue Matejtschuk (SCM Accountancy) Abery Motor Centre AD Garden Rooms AJB Fencing AJ Day Builders AJ Premier Cloud Accounting Services Alfie’s Barbers Andy Leonard Painter & Decorator Arlesey Ladies Football Club Arlesey Pharmacy Arlesey Walk Groups Aquarius Garden Design Ashwell Software / Sigma Office Austin’s Funeral Service Barn Hair Studio Bal & Co Motor Care Beale Bros Butchers Bews Electrical Bickerdikes Garden Centre Big Minibus Hire Bookks Bookkeeping services Box Of Cakes Cafe & Cake Shop Brian McInally - Gas & Heating Engineer Broadband Communications BSH Glazing (Windows & Doors) Bugs ‘n’ Things Pest Control C J Flooring Carpet Cleaning - ACCS Ltd Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning - Steam 2 Clean Carpets & Flooring - Letchworth Carpet Centre Carpets & Flooring - Paul Faulkner Catsitter - Claire Centroheat Domestic Boiler & Heating Services Chequers Pub Chimney Sweep (Jesel Heat) Cleaning, Home Help & Errands Cole’s Decor Painter & Decorator Computer Services & Repair - Nick Saunders The Cooker Buddy Oven Cleaning Chris Webster, Stotfold (Correspondent for The Comet ) DK Home Improvement Darren Peters Property Maintenance Dennison’s - House & Garden Clearance DMC Tiling Dog walking & cat sitting - Smiley Pets Dog boarding, walking and pet care -insured Electrician - Terry C Seymour Switched On Electrical Services Fairfield Bowls Club - Stella Wilson Fairfield Players Fencing (AJB) First Step Estate Agents Foot Health Professional - Vicki Eagles Foot Pro Podiatry Forget Me Not Florist Garden Robin Gifford Dance Academy Graham Smith Brickwork & Paving Greenacre Transfers Airports & Chauffeur Services www.greenacretransfers.co.uk Guides - Stotfold Guide Association Hair Room - Hitchin HB Decorators Helpers Homecare Henlow Vets Heritage Paving Hertfordshire Roofing Ltd
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01462 624926 01462 733246 01438 313765 07837 791365 01767 314445 01462 539266 01462 658449 07889 903283 07981 432798 01462 731200 01462 638286 01462 731292 01462 742783 01462 438422 01462 835611 01462 731500 01462 730392 01462 834488 01462 673333 07817 766997 01462 734623 07812 055587 01462 337218 01462 732628 01462 730884 0800 026 8823 01462 732665 01462 629302 01462 732632 01462 481312 01462 731674 07984 344997 07885 415363 01462 732333 01462 733406 07913 005268 01767 310475 07521 279960 01462 810065 01462 834108
01462 701214 01462 733322 07522 354141 01462 231459 07894 561765 07913 005268 01462 236559 01462 730895 07811 738599 01462 624369 07837 791365 01462 659730 07812 399659 07377 536685 07904 537150 01462 815968 07585 221513 01462 731829
07555 70 78 48 01462 733322 01462 337818 01462 732960 01462 896853 01462 416416 01462 730682 01462 894089
James’s Carpentry & Handyman Service Jingles Ken Seaby Carpets Kip McGrath Education Centre Kitchen Ergonomics Kumari Chiropractic Leigh Skelding Counselling www.ls-counselling.com Locksmith Services New Kitchens North Herts Road Runners Ovenclean Painter/Decorator - Paul A Robinson
01462 234292 Jo 01462 456777 01462 733203 01462 672227 01438 222929 07479 945995 07876 826880 01462 290226 01462 812826 01462 639215 07954 300043 07761 751634 01462 232642 Paul Thomas Landscaping 07889 811065 Pendletons Sports Centre 01462 341114 Piano Lessons - Christine Walker 01462 731357 Pilates - Zanna Newton 07719 862371 Plastering - Sam’s Plastering 07856 428261 Plastering - Stotfold Plastering 01462 732600 Plumbing - A D Taylor Plumbing 01462 834713 Plumbing - ALM Plumbing 07950 311963 Plumbing - C Plumb 01462 700862 Plumbing & Heating - GSP Heating & Plumbing 01462 615922 Plumbing - J D Heating & Plumbing Services LTD 07474 444288 Plum-tek 01462 618058 Podiatry - FootPro 07377 536685 RH Gardens 01462 612033 Roecroft Centre - Maureen Winters 01462 730264 Stotfold & Arlesey Royal British Legion 01462 734133 Samaritans 01462 455333 Satchells Estate Agents 01462 733730 Saunders Garage 01462 730222 Scott Geekie Building Contractor 01462 732396 Sharp Security Systems 01462 734766 Sheldon Electricals 01767 448188 Slimming World 01354 462322 Solicitors - HRJ Foreman Laws 01462 458711 St John Badgers (6-10yrs) & Cadets (10-18yrs) 01438 218058 Stephens Estate Agents 01462 732121 Stag Public House 01462 731098 Steam 2 Clean Carpet & Upholstery 01462 732632 Stotfold Art Group 01462 628529 Stotfold Bowls Club 01462 628204 Stotfold Christian Choir 01462 731142 Stotfold Conservative Club 01462 730534 Stotfold Football Club 01462 730765 Stotfold Gardening Club 01462 834854 Stotfold Golf Society 07909 983956 Stotfold Good Neighbour Group 07599 925587 Stotfold Jujitsu Club 07970 329761 Stotfold Junior Football Club 07706 951263 Stotfold Junior Judo Club 07872 594499 Stotfold Karate Club (JKSK Karate) 07742 820 956 Stotfold Twirlers 07732 505614 Stotfold Mill 01462 734541 Stotfold News Magazine 01462 731986 Stotfold Parents Association 01462 730570 Stotfold Pharmacy 01462 730249 Stotfold Short Mat Bowls Club 01462 730841 Stotfold Women’s Institute 01462 730751 The Rooms 01462 835538 Tree Surgeon - 4 Seasons 01462 834136 Windows - Repairs & Installations (J Garside) 07951 473505 Window Cleaning - ACCS Ltd 01462 629302
List your business here for just £30 per year.
Please mention the Stotfold News Magazine when responding to adverts
FEBRUARY STOTFOLD 2020 actual master_Layout 1 30/01/2020 10:11 Page 39
Prospective children for 2020/21 welcome
To contact the Stotfold News Magazine please call 01462 731986
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