• BAKEWELL • BASLOW • PILSLEY • CURBAR
• CALVER & CALVER MILL • GREAT LONGSTONE
• LITTLE LONGSTONE• ASHFORD IN THE WATER
• STONEY MIDDLETON• LITTON • CRESSBROOK
• TADDINGTON • OVER HADDON • WARDLOW
• TIDESWELL • EYAM • GRINDLEFORD
• NETHER & UPPER PADLEY • FOOLOW • GT HUCKLOW
JUNE 24
11 EDITIONS, READ BY OVER 152,000 RESIDENTS
BASED IN WIRKSWORTH, GOODWINS ARE A TEAM OF KITCHEN, BEDROOM AND BATHROOM CONTRACTORS THAT MANAGE YOUR PROJECT FROM START TO FINISH. GET IN TOUCH TODAY. OUR VALUES
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2023 was a record breaking year for turnover for Next Generation Home Improvements in Ripley and the company have continued to provide customers with great service in 2024.
They also made an appearance on television’s DIY SOS, providing a new resin surface for Treetops Hospice in Risley as well as featuring at The Newark Garden Show. So all in all things are going well for this local business and Director Lee Goddard wants to continue moving forward. He states “we put our success down to the high standard of work that our installers adhere to. It is important to remember that a driveway is the main focal point at the front of a customer’s
home so it is essential that we make sure it looks fantastic. With this is mind, we have continued to keep our installers trained to the highest of standards and make sure they keep a pride in their work. Our installers are a credit to the company and our 1000’s of satisfied customers speak so highly of them which is lovely to hear.”
As well as specialising in resin driveways, paths & patios, Next Generation also offer Aluminium gates, composite fencing & garage doors. They are more than happy to offer help, advice or no obligation quotes. They welcome customers to call into their offices on Butterley Hill or call them on 01773 303181.
The company would be delighted to quote on any customers work involving resin driveways, patios, composite fencing or gates.
Simply drop them a call on 01773 303181
Have you have suffered a bereavement whether this be recently or a while ago? Are you struggling to find local support?
therapeutic groups are for adults struggling with bereavement and are facilitated to ensure all are safe, respected, cared for and heard
‘We were in this together, we shared. The group was much more powerful than other support for me, others helped me and I helped them.’
Our groups are referral only, but you can call and refer yourself. We want to ensure the service is suitable for you, your relative or your client.
Please call us for more information or a chat about the service.
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A team of Hope Valley solicitors swapped legal briefs for lyric sheets as they joined the starstudded recording of a song highlighting a cause close to their hearts at Steelworks Studio in Great Longstone.
‘Check Your Boobs’ – which was sung by a celebrity line-up headlined by ‘Show Me The Way To Amarillo’ star Tony Christie – is the lead song from the forthcoming ‘Wendy’s World’ musical. The theatre production is set to be a satire-ridden take on the life of Chesterfield’s Wendy Watson who made history 30 years ago when she became the first woman in Britain to have both breasts removed in preventative surgery. Her daughter, BBC radio presenter Becky Measures, underwent the same procedure in 2004 after finding out she had an 80 to 90 percent risk of developing breast cancer.
Graysons – the Hathersage-based legal firm renowned for championing the careers of female solicitors – has partnered the inspirational pair on their ‘Mother Daughter Breast of Friends’ campaign and podcast series.
They are providing expert advice to people affected by breast cancer on matters concerning lifetime planning, wills, and legal issues related to medical negligence, including cases of late breast cancer diagnosis or misdiagnosis.
Laura Cowan, head of Graysons’ private client team, said: “Wendy’s World’ is more than just a musical; it’s a testament to Wendy Watson’s pioneering work, including the founding of the Hereditary Breast Cancer Helpline. It’s a musical reminder of the importance of self-awareness and proactive health measures and it has been a privilege to be part of her inspirational drive to raise awareness and make a difference.”
Graysons Solicitors specialise in property, family law, lifetime planning, wills, estates and trusts, elderly client services, personal injury, and clinical negligence.
Graysons Solicitors are are based at Brunel House, Heather Lane, Hathersage S32 1DP. Tel: 01433 520022. They also have offices in Sheffield and Chesterfield.
A quote I love that is sometimes mistakenly attributed to a hero of mine, Sir Winston Churchill, is “you make a living by what you get; you make a life by what you give.’’ I am proud to say that this is clearly an ethos that the vast majority of people in our area embody and from talking to residents I hear time and time again the way volunteering benefits not only the wider community, but also directly enriches the lives of those that volunteer. Like many in Derbyshire Dales, I was a Reservist when I was younger, and I was more recently honoured to be part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme. I have always found volunteering very fulfilling. It can challenge and teach and most importantly you are able to give back to the community that you love, and that has no doubt given so much to you.
I am a big believer that being part of a voluntary organisation such as the Scouts, Brownies or Armed Forces Cadets gives our young people a solid start to a life of volunteering, with an emphasis on community enrichment and traditional British values. Every single club such as these requires a host of adults who give up their time on a voluntary basis to ensure our young people have access to these organisations. These people deserve our thanks.
As a mother of four boys, I have spent my fair share of rainy Saturdays on the side of sport fields and I want to pay tribute for a moment to the coaches who give up their time, often as volunteers, to ensure our young people have access to sport. I have seen how being part of a club can nurture shy children into confident and self-assured young adults and this impact should not be underestimated.
You do not have to look far to see the work of volunteers in action. Our streets are often kept clean by community litter-pick groups, green spaces are planted out with the most beautiful flowers by community gardening groups and we have befriending services who help those who are lonely. We all know our local Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal sellers and the Armed Forces Breakfast organisation do brilliant work to bring Veterans together. Our Town and Parish Council teams work all year round and I would hazard a guess that on nearly every street, in every village, there is someone looking out for another neighbour who may be older, more vulnerable or just going through a hard time. Times can be difficult and uncertain but, in our villages, in the places we are so privileged to call our home, the meaning of community and civic pride is alive and well.
If you need my help, please do not hesitate to contact me at sarah.dines.mp@parliament.uk or 0207 219 1751.
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Over 20 years ago we purchased our first carpets from T. Nutt & Sons who also fitted them. Today ALL the carpets and floor coverings in our four bedroomed house were supplied and fitted by the above company. We have just replaced the hall, stairs and landing carpets plus the lounge carpet but only because I wanted a change of decor!! Second time round for Nutts. The experience of choosing carpets is second to none. No-one could be more helpful with suggestions on style, colour etc. The fitters have been excellent in every way. If you want friendly support with expertise, this is the place to come!!
Treat yourself to a luxury break at the 4* Gold Award winning Little Red Hen House. An elegant and cosy holiday home just a 7 minute drive from award-winning and dog-friendly Warkworth beach.
✽ 2 spacious en-suite bedrooms
✽ A fully enclosed garden
✽ 2 small to medium dogs welcome (3 upon request)
✽ Fully equipped kitchen, including an American style fridge freezer
✽ Perfect for exploring the stunning Northumbrian Heritage Coastline
✽ Close to a range of dog friendly pubs, cafes and restaurants in stunning Warkworth
✽ We have fast fibre Wi-Fi and smart TV’s Search ‘The Little Red
5pm - 8:45pm Tuesday to Thursday
5pm - 9:30pm Friday Saturday
Sticky chicken drumsticks and chips with American-style salad
Method:
1. Put the chicken, spices and 1 level tbsp sriracha in a large bowl. Mix everything together using your hands, until the chicken is evenly coated. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
2. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6.
3. Spread the chips out on a large, non-stick baking tray in a single layer and spray with low-calorie cooking spray. Spread the drumsticks out on another non-stick baking tray. Put the chips on the shelf below the chicken and cook for 20 minutes, then turn
everything and swap over the trays. Cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
4. At the same time, toss together the celery, cucumber, lettuce and radishes. Mix the yogurt with the chives, lemon juice and garlic granules, and season lightly.
5. Stir the yogurt dressing through the salad and scatter over the reserved chives. Brush the remaining sriracha evenly over the chicken. Serve 2 drumsticks per person with the chips and salad
For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk
Summertime makes us think of eating al fresco whilst soaking up the sun. With a mix of spicy sticky chicken, light crispy chips and cool tasty salad, this dish is perfect for those chilled out days ahead.
• 8 chicken drumsticks, skin and visible fat removed, flesh scored
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• 2 level tbsp sriracha
• 800g floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper or King Edward, cut into chips
• Low-calorie cooking spray
Serves: 4 Syns per serving: 1/2
For the salad:
• 4 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 cucumber, halved lengthways, deseeded and sliced
• 2 little gem lettuces, shredded
• 200g radishes, chopped
• 200g fat-free natural yogurt
• ½ small pack fresh chives, chopped, reserving some to serve
• Juice of 1 lemon
• ½ tsp garlic granules
Ready in: 55 minutes (plus 1 hour to marinade)
It goes without saying that Margaret Atwood is best known for The Handmaid’s Tale; but this Canadian author has written over 50 books – mostly fiction but also essays and even poetry.
Old Babes in the Wood comprises 15 Atwood short stories. Short stories tend to be something you love – because they’re short and pithy and easily read; or hatebecause you don’t get time to develop a relationship with the characters. But these are Margaret Atwood short stories and as with most of her writing she takes them to another level.
As you’d expect they are sharp and smart and in parts funny about the foibles and eccentricities and humanity of people – in this collection, often older people. People are always centre front in her tales. Some of the stories are sad – they’re quite personal to the author who lost her partner fairly recently. In other places she strays almost into sci-fi. There’s a real range to get your teeth into.
Are they fairy stories? That’s for you to decide.
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Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures. Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours.
Across
1 Go round a meerkat duo? Not likely! (4,1,6)
8 Near to shut, say, the shop (5-2)
11 Break it, upon a state that’s ideal (7)
16 Correct level of fancy trim to hang out (5,6)
Across
5 Basking shark spotted in the resort (3)
7 Under-water replacement player? (3)
10 Producer of brewed Red Beer (7)
14 I’ve come to compete (3)
15 Good enough to have some sticky stuff (3)
Down
2 Turn out a selfish leader? (4)
3 Alternative of fermentation lees (4)
9 Over-priced soak? (5)
12 Push out on arduous trip (4)
13 Two people, together with a bit of a list? (4)
1 It’ll be getting foggy if you badly mis-govern it (7,4)
4 Bunny-walker to be made into abbot’s fir (7,4)
6 Lie about cube being jeans colour (3,4)
7 Frugal cutting down under Swedish leader (7)
It may be just me but in the pantheon of weirdly designed animals, the giraffe has to be at, or near the top of the list.
Evolutionary theory tells us that they developed their extraordinarily long necks in order to reach the most succulent vegetation found at the tops of trees.
My simplistic brain can’t help but think…well why did they not just eat something lower down? And what did they eat before their necks stretched so much?
Don’t get me wrong, I have absolutely nothing against giraffes. In fact their faces are really rather appealing, all angles, big eyes and long, long eyelashes. They even have the equivalent of fingerprints as no two giraffes have the same coat pattern. But they just seem so blinking awkward!
It’s a wonder any baby giraffes survive the fall from mum’s…errr…rear end… to the ground. Given the fragile nature of the long newborn neck, it must be very easy for it to break in the event of a less than safe landing.
That fact alone has me amazed that the species managed to survive and evolve. And have you ever seen giraffes fighting?
Apparently they find it very difficult to lift their legs off the ground to kick out, which is what most ruminants would do. So, instead, they bash their necks together…really, really hard.
Honestly, they are so badly designed that their necks are too long for them to drink unless they splay their legs out before dipping towards the water source. I mean… really!
Their circulatory system also has to cope with the fact that their blood pressure dips dangerously low when they bend their head to drink. The jugular veins have developed incredibly elastic walls and large one-way valves that allow the veins to expand significantly and prevent the blood from flowing back to the brain when the giraffe’s head is lowered.
The poor creatures can’t even lie down for a proper kip either. They do “lie” down with their long legs tucked underneath them, but the neck is usually still upright. Occasionally, and only for very short periods of normally not more than 5 minutes, giraffe can sleep with their head resting back on their rump.
Five minutes sleeping!
I could not be a giraffe!
Joking apart, there is a serious side to this article – June 21 is World Giraffe Day – a day to remind us that giraffes are in fact an at risk species. There has been an almost 30% population decline over the past three and a half decades, leaving an estimated population of 117,000 individuals.
They may be ungainly and awkward, but they do deserve to be respected, cared for, and allowed to flourish, as does every other species on this planet we all call home.
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I have recently acquired a magnificent piece of social history: a Reckitt and Sons vintage demonstration box of the type used by travelling salesmen. It contains sample items of many of the products Reckitt’s made. Their earliest creation was laundry starch in 1819. The dolly blue bag and black lead followed in 1852. It is now a worldwide company.
Alongside the dolly blue bag is a “cream tint” bag. We have asked many people through our social history talks, and no one is able to remember the red and cream bag or knows what it was for.
We would welcome any information on this item. One of my favourite products was, and still is, Windowlene -pink and fragrant, smeared on your glass would bring your windows up a treat, polished to a shine with newspaper. Reckitt’s has been at the forefront of health and household products for two hundred years, developing brands like Dettol, Steradent, Harpic and Strepsils.
For me, the smell of Brasso particularly brings back memories of my father polishing his army buttons and buckles. He was a regular in the Sherwood Foresters and is still as well turned out as ever. He used to sing a song about “Shine up your buttons with Brasso” but only the clean version! My husband, Paul, learned the other version in the school cadet corps. When we show this very special item at our presentations, it elicits warm and fond memories of familiar items we have grown up with and will continue to grow old with.
Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information.
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The origin of quilting is unsure, but this method of using fabric and stitching goes back centuries. The first stitching needle ever discovered is over 40,000 years old, it is made from the bone of a bird.
A carved figure of an Egyptian Pharaoh found around 34,000 BC, shows him wearing a quilted garment. So, it is safe to say that quilting has been around for a very long time and when you think about it, it’s obvious why. Clothes made with layers of fabric, especially when using a padded layer, makes for extremely efficient insulation, as we know today with our padded jackets and coats.
It’s believed that crusaders brought the idea of quilting to Europe from the far east in the 11th century. Some of the earliest quilting in Europe is found on bed covers. These were often mentioned in inventories and often became family heirlooms.
During medieval times many people will have worn some kind of quilted garment, padded clothing is both light and warm. Knights would use quilted garments under their armour for comfort and to protect their bodies from the chain mail and the metal breast plates. Waistcoats, petticoats,
skirts, jackets, and bodices would have been worn; some were even decorated with embroidery.
Quilting is made by stitching two pieces of fabric, usually with a third padding layer sandwiched in between. Once held together elaborate patterns can be stitched through all three layers. Many elaborate examples of highly embroidered clothing can be seen in the Victoria and Albert Museum, for example, an Indian hunting coat which displays the beautiful crafts of both quilting and fine embroidery.
Almost every country in the world has used and uses quilting. Around the globe people have adapted quilting styles and garments to suit their own cultural needs. During the 19th century quilting flourished when fabric became more easily obtained.
Early North American settlers established quilting as a tradition. A combination of patchwork and quilting became popular. Women often formed a quilting ‘bee’ a gathering together to make a quilt for a girl about to be married, the aim being to complete the quilt in one day. These quilts were created by stitching small pieces of fabric together
forming different attractive shapes and patterns, each style being given a different name, such as nine patch, log cabins, flying geese, eight-pointed star and many more. Random ‘crazy’ quilts were also made using oddly shaped scraps of fabric.
Patchwork and quilting combined is what comes to mind for most people these days when quilting is mentioned. I have heard of people using pieces of their children’s clothing patched together to make a family quilt.
At Bakewell Old House this year we have a fantastic display of quilts on show, you can even have a go at patchwork yourself.
The museum is open every day of the week from 11am to 4pm so do come along and have a look. The quilts are displayed in our principal bedroom, but please note, the museum, one of the oldest buildings in Bakewell, is crammed full of other things to appeal to you whatever your interest. We have memorabilia and intriguing exhibits involving our town. From Tudor times to Ashford marble, to WW1 and on to interesting local legends and stories, Bakewell Old House has it all.
Our museum truly is a hidden gem.
Don’t forget our popular group tours of the town, tours of the museum and ghost tours are all available as are museum tours for schools. Please see the website for opening hours and prices. Alternatively contact the museum to book or for details of tours.
Often mistakenly called a ‘hawk’, the kestrel or windhover is perhaps our most familiar bird of prey, and it is a falcon related to the diminutive merlin and the awesome peregrine. This was the bird of prey which seemed to survive the nadir of our raptors during the bad days of the 1950s to the 1980s. Ruthless persecution and use of persistent pesticides eradicated most birds of prey like common buzzards, sparrowhawks, peregrines, and red kites. These species hung on in the western parts of Great Britain but were largely extinct in and around the Peak District. The exception to this was the kestrel which seemed to quietly go about its business and was largely under the radar. This species also benefitted from the new motorways and dual carriageways which proliferated from the 1960s onwards and provided abundant verges full of mice and voles for kestrels to hunt. Indeed, it was in such places that most people became familiar with the windhover. They also adapted well to high-rise living in towns and cities and to disused or abandoned old quarries. In the absence of predation by or competition with the other raptors, the kestrel thrived, and along Peak District gritstone edges, it was possible to see ten or more birds in a single afternoon. However, in recent years it seems that the kestrel population has shrunk somewhat, and this may be because the other birds of prey have recovered
considerably and re-colonised the region in good numbers. Both common buzzard and peregrine falcon will compete for space and even predate the smaller kestrel, and so their numbers and distribution have now reduced. Indeed, the most frequently spotted birds of prey are probably sparrowhawk (a species which is certainly thriving), and common buzzard. The latter can be seen soaring over breeding sites with several birds in the air at any one time. The other coloniser is of course the spectacular red kite, though these still lag behind buzzards in the Peak. Another bird of prey yet to recolonise is the osprey which passes through on migration but as yet (I think) has not nested. Hopefully, the moorland hen harriers are starting to return, though peregrines still seem to do better in the urban areas than they do in the wild spaces of the Peak.
As numbers of these species continue to grow, there will be more competitive interactions between them, and with other potential rivals for space such as the raven. None of these birds likes its neighbours to be too close!
Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues in the Peak District and elsewhere, is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ & Twitter @IanThewildside
• Drain Jetting
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email: jandasweep@tiscali.co.uk
office: 01629 815222
Ashford in the Water, Bakewell, DE45 1PY Andy: 07831 310731 Ashley: 07787 074414
You might think you’re doing them a favour, but it usually leads to floppy soft growth, which is more likely to collapse in rain or wind – not that we’re expecting this summer to have any of that! Staking is pretty important but don’t tie them in too closely, they need to bend with the wind but if you do lose stems, cut them back cleanly and you may get new growth below.
Prune philadelphus, forsythia and currant now they’ve finished flowering. They produce next year’s flowers on this year’s growth so pruning early gives more growth before winter.
If you want to lift this year’s tulips to clear beds or pots, wait till the foliage has turned yellow – generally about six to eight weeks after flowering. Cut off the stems, remove the foliage and leave the bulbs to dry then store in a paper bag somewhere dry and cool. Offsets –the little bulblets which grow alongside the main bulb can be pulled away, and treated as above then replanted in autumn about eight to ten inches deep. The main bulb can be planted around six inches deep in late autumn and even through until December or early January, although that display will be later.
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