Voice Magazines - Broadmeadows, South Normanton, Blackwell, Newton & Hilcote Edition – June 2026
We work in Broadmeadows, South Normanton, Blackwell, Newton, Hilcote & all surrounding areas
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Hello Readers,
IT’S COMING HOME!!!
Well, I’m not sure it is but we live in hope, whilst we all become armchair managers and critics! Still, it is usually a nice thing for us all to have the same common agenda for a few weeks. Although, I’m not sure this one is going to be as popular as previous World Cups, based on the ticket sales and the times of the games for those of us watching at home. I wonder how many of your colleagues, family members or friends are trying not to find out the result until they can watch the game on catch up at a more reasonable hour?! The last time we did that at Voice HQ was when Traitors was on…..ooooh, the hullaballoo over who is watching it in real time and the ‘hurry up’ calls for those of us watching it on catch up! Anyway, I can’t see that being a problem for us with the World Cup, as we have two rugby fans, one who doesn’t like sport and me who can’t stand to watch anything for more than 8 minutes at a time now I’ve entered my Peri-Menopausal stage of life – oh the days when I used to be able to concentrate!! So, it looks like Liam is going to be venting to himself on this one!!
He is especially pleased with the front covers this month as it took him back to his childhood days of Subbuteo and Shoot! magazines. I’ve put a fiver on with my friends that he’ll have purchased a Subbuteo board and all the players before the year is out….still, a cheaper mid-life crisis than most I suppose! Although, I remember my brother having a Subbuteo board when I was a kid but it was only to be kept in his room because it took up too much room elsewhere. Mind you, my brother wouldn’t have wanted it in the open because sure as eggs is eggs, I would have done something to the players, apparently #eyeroll. I’m not that convinced I would have done anything if I’m honest, it all seemed pretty boring to me – that said, if it would have annoyed him……..hmmmm!
Happy Reading,
Emily x
THE FOOTBALL WORLD CUP 2026: WHERE DRAMA MEETS DELIGHT
Every four years (and occasionally when FIFA’s calendar needs a bit of reshuffling and a strong cup of tea), the world collectively remembers that nothing quite unites humanity like 22 people chasing a ball and billions of people insisting they could “definitely do better up front”.
The 2026 Football World Cup arrives with all the usual ingredients: hope, heartbreak, tactical debates in pub corners, and at least one nation suddenly becoming experts in “expected goals” after watching a single YouTube video.
2026 World Cup promises to be the biggest yet, both in scale and in snacks consumed per match. With 48 teams, an extra 16 on 2022, fans are preparing for a tournament where the group stages alone feel like a full-blown saga. There are early favourites, dark horses, and at least one team that will be described as “technically very good, but a bit chaotic defensively” — a phrase that usually translates to fireworks at both ends.
The expanded format has also introduced a new kind of global diplomacy: nations bonding over shared frustration at a 3am kick-off, questionable refereeing decisions, and the universal truth that penalties are just emotional warfare in slow motion.
On the pitch, the football is expected to be fast, furious, and occasionally baffling. One minute a perfectly drilled counterattack slices through a defence like a hot knife through butter; the next, a striker skies the ball into orbit, prompting millions of viewers to instinctively look up as if they might actually see it.
Off the pitch, the World Cup remains a masterclass in collective behaviour. Entire countries will temporarily restructure their daily routines around kick-off times. Productivity will dip. Tea consumption will rise. And at least one uncle somewhere will loudly declare that “we should’ve brought him on earlier” regardless of which teams are playing.
The 2026 tournament also brings with it the usual parade of breakout stars. A previously unknown winger will suddenly become the most talked-about person on the planet after one dazzling run. A goalkeeper will achieve cult status for saving a penalty with what can only be described as pure instinct and a mild lack of coordination. And a striker will inevitably go on a scoring streak that defies physics, logic, and anyone who forgot to pick him in their fantasy football team.
But beyond the stats, the tactics, and the endless punditry, the World Cup is still gloriously simple. It’s about hope. It’s about shouting at a television like it owes you money. It’s about strangers hugging in the street because a ball crossed a line.
And in 2026, once again, the world will stop — not because it has to, but because football, at its best, is impossible to ignore.
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HERITAGE TRUST
HISTORY DETECTIVES
In my article last month on Croft Infants’ School, Alfreton, I mentioned that we work closely with the school, both at the Heritage Centre and in class.
Along with the staff and in conjunction with the National Heritage Lottery Fund we have produced two Heritage Trails in Alfreton, especially for children. It’s their chance to become Heritage Detectives! The launch of the Trails will take place on the 17th of this month, and we hope the children will enjoy a look into Alfreton’s past. It is always a pleasure to work with pupils and staff at Croft and it’s fitting they should launch our project.
If your School or organisation would like to participate at a later date, contact details are on our website. (See below) You may contact us direct at ajrayson@ outlook.com. Both Trails are designed to take about an hour.
At the Heritage Centre we often receive requests for help and last month was no exception with a request from Monmouthshire to locate the grave of Frances Stephen Glover. We have always worked closely with staff at Amber Valley Borough Council, and once again their help was invaluable. The grave was quickly located, photographed, and sent to South Wales. It’s always nice to help, especially when you receive a kind thank you in return.
Being a bit of a History Detective myself, I couldn’t leave it there though. I needed to know more about the man and the life he lived:
Francis Stephen Glover was born in Derby in 1884 and died on the 12th of February 1960 at 45 Prospect Street, Alfreton, the family home. He became a Postman in Alfreton in 1905 and retired aged 60 in 1944 after 39 years’ service. On his retirement from the Post Office, he was awarded the Imperial Service Medal “For Long and Meritorious Service.” After his
retirement, he worked as a commissionaire at the Odeon Cinema, Alfreton, and is pictured here with film actress Lana Morris during her visit to a Peak District Stage School production of Red Shoes at the Odeon on Thursday, 31st May 1951.
From 1914 until his return to the Post Office in 1919 Mr Glover served in the Leicestershire Regiment. His experience at the Front during the October of 1914 was published by Alfreton Journal. Here is an extract:
“On the Saturday night (24th) their infantry attacked in swarms, and though we caused terrific execution, they did not stop till they were about 30 yards from our trenches. The next day they gave us an awful time for about 12 hours, it gradually getting worse towards night. They advanced en masse. There seemed to be thousands of them. We repulsed them again with heavy loss. Before morning we were told to retire about 500 yards, as the position we were holding was too dangerous. The next day we were relieved by the Durhams. We lost between 450 and 500 killed and wounded in that little scrap.”
Truly a life of Service to his Country and Community. Remembered today.
Lena Morris and Mr Glover on right. Others unknown
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BIRCHWOOD METHODIST CHURCH, SOMERCOTES
invite you to a STRAWBERRY
LUNCH
Saturday 20th June 2026 from 12.00 noon to 2.00pm
Various meat & quiche salads & strawberry based desserts available
Our Church roof is crumbling on the inside, letting in rain water which is causing extensive damage to the plaster and other parts of the church. This church has an almost 900 year history; it houses the cenotaph in remembrance of the fallen, as well as several other monuments of local significant historical importance.
Countless weddings have taken place in our church in its time, bringing families together; baptisms, welcoming new additions to our community; and funerals, bringing people together during times of sadness, comforting them in their grief and sharing as they say goodbye to loved ones.
Together as a community, we can breathe new life into our church With your help, we can repair the roof and the damage caused by rain water, keep our doors open, and continue to serve our community for generations to come.
SHAUNS FRUIT & VEG
Slimming World Recipe
Chicken and chorizo paella
MONDAY 5.30PM & 7.00PM
THE HOLIDAY INN
Carter Lane East, DE55 2EH
The Fieldings, Huthwaite Road, NG17 2TF SOUTH NORMANTON
Nothing says summer like eating a paella, al fresco, in the sun with a cold drink at hand! This tasty recipe will soon become a favourite over the summer months!
1. Spray a paella pan or large non-stick frying pan with 1 cal cooking spray and put it over a medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, chorizo, celery and carrot and stir-fry for 6-8 minutes, or until softened.
2. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken, tomato purée, paprika and saffron. Pour in enough water to just cover the rice, and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to mediumlow, cover and simmer
for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. When there is only a little water left in the pan, stir in the peppers and peas. Continue to cook for 5-6 minutes, or until the rice is just tender and the chicken is cooked through. Add a little boiling water if it gets too dry.
4. Season lightly and scatter over the parsley. Divide between 4 bowls and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
• 1 cal cooking spray
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 100g chorizo, roughly chopped
• 3 celery stalks, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely cubed
• 2 large tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and roughly chopped
• 300g dried paella rice
• 4 skinless and boneless chicken
2cm pieces
• 4 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika
• Large pinch of saffron threads
• 200g roasted red peppers in brine from a jar, drained and roughly chopped
• 200g frozen peas
• Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped, to serve
• Lemon wedges, to serve
COACH TOUR HOLIDAYS
WORCESTER/SEVERN VALLEY
Worcester Whitehouse Hotel Mon 6th - Fri 10th Jul
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EASTBOURNE
Haddon Hall Hotel Sat 18th - Sat 25th Jul
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EXMOUTH
Ashton Court Hotel
Mon 20th - Fri 24th Jul
5 Days - £525
2026 BROCHURES ARE NOW OUT
TO BOOK A HOLIDAY PHONE 01773 590 808, 01246 604 764 or 07483 357 958
1 simple rule: Use all the numbers 1-9, with no duplicates allowed, in any row, column, or block.
These puzzles are devised by the brilliant Professor Rebus. For more of his puzzles visit www.pitcherwits.co.uk
THE ROYAL EDINBURGH MILITARY TATTOO
Salutation Hotel Perth Fri 7th - Sun 9th Aug
3 Days - £450
WINCHESTER & NEW FOREST
Winchester Royal Hotel Sun 9th - Thu 13th Aug
5 Days - £599
BOURNEMOUTH
Marsham Court Hotel Mon 10th - Fri 14th Aug
5 Days - £599
MOBILE BOOKING OFFICE LOCATIONS
3rd Thursday of each month 9am – 1pm | Alfreton Severn Square Car Park (Outside Poundstretcher)
3rd Friday of each month 9am – 1pm | Sutton-in-Ashfield, Portland Square
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AMBER VALLEY RUGBY CLUB
END OF SEASON AT AMBER VALLEY RUFC – LOOKING AHEAD
As another rugby season draws to a close, it’s a great time to reflect on everything that’s made this year special at Amber Valley RUFC.
From our youngest players taking their first steps onto the pitch, our junior teams growing in confidence, and our senior squads battling week-in week-out, this season has been full of effort, development and team spirit. The men’s team have shown real determination, continuing to push forward and improve, while our women’s section has been working hard behind the scenes to build and strengthen the squad, ready for an exciting return next season.
None of this would be possible without our dedicated coaches, volunteers, supporters and sponsors who give their time and energy to keep the club thriving.
Although the league season may be over, rugby at Amber Valley certainly doesn’t stop here. Our summer touch rugby sessions are a great way for all ages and abilities to stay involved, have fun, and keep active in a relaxed social environment. Alongside this, ongoing fitness and training sessions will be running throughout the summer.
Make sure to keep an eye on our social media pages for all the latest updates, session details and ways to get involved.
Here’s to building even bigger and better for next season! ����
Interested in giving rugby a try? call Stuart 07966 867 946 for the men, Gareth 07595 520 537 for the ladies and Paul 07790 403 043 for the Minis and Juniors.
More than just a club, we are the #ValleyFamily. You can visit our website www.ambervalleyrfc.co.uk, Facebook & Instagram pages to contact us or follow what we do. You can find us at Lower Somercotes, Somercotes, Alfreton
Mr Jonathan Harper BSc(Hons) Podiatry. HCPC registered Podiatrist/Chiropodist, Member of the Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) 20 Years NHS/private practice experience treating foot and ankle disorders for adults and children.
• Offering treatment for the following:
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STUNNING HOLIDAY COTTAGE IN WARKWORTH, NORTHUMBERLAND
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.
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✽ 2 small to medium dogs welcome (3 upon request)
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✽ Perfect for exploring the stunning Northumbrian Heritage Coastline
✽ Close to a range of dog friendly pubs, cafes & restaurants in stunning Warkworth
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A dogs Day out
This fabulous walk first featured in 2014, however very little has changed in that time to when we walked in last in May. We all (flake included) really loved this walk. As well as the trails it takes in some lovely countryside and loops around the Pleasley Pit, with some fantastic views.
6-MILE CIRCULAR WALK NEAR ROWTHORNE VILLAGE
A moderate walk for you and your dog. The route should take around 2-3 hours. Whilst a large part of the walk is trails and paths there are some fields to cross with uneven and potentially muddy sections, so a good pair of boots are advisable, especially if it has been wet. There are a few sections of road, so please take care and, as always, follow the countryside code.
START: Rowthorne Trail Car Park, Rowthorne Lane, Rowthorne, S44 5QQ
1. Exit the car park at the far end onto a path which bends round to the left. At a T-junction of paths turn right onto the Rowthorne Trail.
2. Continue along the trail for some distance, cross over a crossroads of footpaths and keep straight for a long distance until eventually reaching a large ‘Rowthorne Trail’ sign on your left. At this point bear right to pass through a gap adjacent to a metal gate. After a very short distance, bear right again and pass through a gap onto the Teversal Trail.
3. Turn left along the Teversal Trail and continue straight until reaching a wooden gate. Pass through the gate, cross a trail and then pass through a width restrictor to a T-junction of trails. Turn right and continue along this trail to pass through two more width restrictors.
4. Continue straight and pass by a car park on the right and a chimney stack on the left. Continue until the trail bends sharp left and back on itself. On the bend turn right and then immediately left and head towards a large wooden gate and signs.
5. Pass through the gate adjacent to the wooden gate and bear left to continue on a well laid path uphill. At the top follow the trail as it bends sharp right. Pass through a metal gate next to a large wooden gate. Bear left to continue along the trail for some distance keeping a large lake on your right-hand side.
6. On the other side of the lake, at a crossroads in the paths, turn left to pass through a metal gate. Bear left to continue along the footpath. Pass a lone gate before bearing right and pass through a metal gate. Shortly after a wooden bench on your right, turn left along a footpath heading downhill
7. With a hedgerow on your right, at the bottom, turn right at the crossroads onto a bridleway. Continue along the bridleway to meet a main road. Cross diagonally left and continue along country road signposted for ‘Stoney Houghton’. At a sharp right-hand bend in the road continue straight ahead along a signposted bridleway.
8. Continue straight, keeping a careful watch for a crossroad of footpaths, with a marker post on your left. Turn left here, through a gap in the hedge and continue straight to cross an open field. Upon reaching a hedgerow, walk straight ahead, keeping the hedge close on your right. At the end of the field pass through a gap onto a tarmac road.
9. Turn left on the road and continue for a short distance before turning right onto a residential street. At a T-junction turn right and follow the road around to the left. Where the road bends right, continue straight to enter ‘Back Lane’.
10. Follow ‘Back Lane’ to the end. At the T-junction turn right along a main road for a very short distance before crossing the road to climb some steps. Turn left at the top and then sharp right along a path. Continue onto a residential street and then after some distance take a signposted footpath on your right. Follow this right then left and into an open field.
11. Walk sharp diagonally left across the field to pass through a gap in the hedge. Then cross another field and eventually through a gap onto a country road.
12. Turn right along the road and after a short distance turn left along another road. Eventually the road bears sharp left and continues until reaching the car park on the right.
This walk is for illustrative purposes only. Voice Magazines Ltd takes no responsibility for anyone who chooses to follow this route and encourages all walkers to obey all byelaws and signs and to respect the area they are walking in, ensuring they pick up all dog mess and obey the countryside code at all times.
Martin Vee and The Pacifics were now practising in the big store shed Ron’s dad had built just behind the family house on Carter Lane. If they happened to practice on a Thursday night, they had to set up amps, drums and all their gear amongst boxes of fresh fruit and vegetables Mr Smart senior had bought that morning from Nottingham wholesale market. So, there was always an apple or pear to munch on during rehearsals.
The band were now gaining popularity beyond the confines of South Normanton parish.
“Getting more gigs or bookings, as they were called back in the day, was not much of a problem,” says Ron. “Live music was becoming much more popular with pubs, clubs and welfares switched on to this demand. We tried to learn a new song each week to add to our set list,” Ron added. “But this was much more difficult than it is today. Our policy was to buy a 45-rpm record of the new song we wanted to practice and play it repeatedly picking out chords, guitar solos, verse and chorus sequence, and the drums. We would listen to the song, write out a line of lyrics at a time, then we would retreat to Dad’s shed and give it a go.” It took the lads 2/3 hours to pin down a new number before adding it to their repertoire. This is made much easier today with Spotify, You Tube and on-line lessons.
The band were now covering a mixture of Shadows instrumentals and songs by Cliff Richards, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Lonnie Donegan, Elvis, Neil Sedaka and one of Andy Williams famous hits, Can’t
Derby Students Rag Week 1968
Get Used To Losing You. Ron takes up the story. “I remember one song by Screaming Lord Sutch called ‘I’m a hog for you baby’, for some stupid reason, just before we played that song, the four band members turned their backs to the audience, donned pig masks and turn back, sheer madness, but it went down well.”
The Monsal Head Hotel and The Lathkill Dale Hotel in the Peak District, although a bit out of the way, were now ‘hot spots’ and packed in the crowds. “Apart from our local patch we were especially popular around Staveley and Whittington,” Ron adds. “We were regulars at The Elm Tree too in Heath where we must have played at least twenty times.”
Martin Vee & The Pacifics had earned themselves a modicum of success in their short term together as a rhythm band with their repertoire of smooth and schmaltzy pop songs. But there was now a seismic shift in the musical landscape in the mid 1960’s. The Beatles were on their way to becoming the most influential band of all time, the iconic Rolling Stones had entered the scene with their fast paced vigorous and energetic rock style. Followed by The Kinks, The Hollies, The Doors, The Who, Pink Floyd and The Searchers these were what the young of The Swinging 60’s wanted to listen and dance to, this is what they demanded. In 1964 Bob Dylan released his album ‘The Times They Are -A-Changing’ and so it was for these young enthusiastic wannabe musicians. It was also a time when Martin Vee and The Pacifics were dissolved and morphed into The Paperback Edition. To be continued.
Part five to follow…
Words by Roger West with the help from Ron Smart & John Brown.
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Martin Vee & The Pacifics
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MIKE’S MUSINGS
Am I the only one, or are others becoming increasingly fed up with American words, phrases and customs taking over our language/way of life? PART 4
Well, you, the reader/s are certainly not letting me down on this topic. I reckon I’ve got enough material now to see me through until, hopefully, that unhinged orange-haired madman currently residing in the USA at 1,600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, has been told to move out. When it happens, and, to paraphrase him, it will undoubtedly be the GREATEST flitting the history of the world has ever seen.
Whatever, amongst the many responses to land in the mike.musings@outlook.com in-box was this one from Stuart. Just when and why, asks Stuart, were we supposed to use the American phrase get go instead of the much simpler, and typically English, ‘start’? He also takes exception to the habit now of calling a sequence of TV dramas as ‘seasons’. Is there a problem with using our traditional ‘series’? Finally, he asks, whose idea was it – he suspects an American - when we change the clocks in March to use the phrase ‘DST’ (Daylight Saving Time) and not the traditional BST (British Summer Time)?
I almost expected Stuart’s email to end with a GRRRR! Not to be outdone, the next that I opened was from John in Shirland/Higham, and his frustration was clear because… because he did.
John’s gripes included the slow creep on this side of the Atlantic of the use of the phrase train station instead of railway station and, should you
ever meet him, don’t even think about using the word awesome. This makes his blood boil and he might end up doing something to you that you’d both regret!
Eric, in Alfreton, is not happy with the almost universal use of “Hay” when people meet up whilst going about their business. Perhaps, with tongue a little in cheek, he asks, why can’t people use the proper and eloquent (?) form of greeting round here and just continue to say “ey up”?
Our neighbour’s son, a talented lad and very musical, recently told me that he had failed his A Level in Aboriginal music. He was clearly upset and this was not helped by my wife chipping in and asking “Didja redo it?’
There’s a wee village somewhere on Skye that has no modern plumbing and, even today, in the 21st Century, the folk there draw their water from a source deep below the village square. To save a bit of money, the rope on the bucket was recently shortened. That didn’t go down well!!
It may only be a rumour, but apparently singer, Paul Simon, at a recent concert in Milwaukee, was incensed when his dressing room chiller failed to keep his Perrier at the temperature he had demanded. It comes to something when a famous star like him shouts at a fridge over bubbled water.
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Who remembers the radio programme “Listen with Mother”—a 1950s favourite presented by a team of “aunties” and “uncles”—sharing stories, songs and nursery rhymes for mothers and children?
I also loved “Watch with Mother” on 1960s television, with programmes such as Andy Pandy, The Flowerpot Men, Trumpton and The Woodentops. Though aimed at pre-schoolers, it captivated older children—and plenty of adults too. Did anyone else think Andy Pandy was a girl?
Another favourite was “Blue Peter”. Many will remember Valerie Singleton, John Noakes and Peter Purves, along with their pets: Shep, Petra, Fred (or Freda) the tortoise, and Jason the Siamese cat.
Most people have a standout moment too - perhaps the baby
elephant or the Advent crown. And then there was Play School, with its “through the round window” opening and toys like Humpty, Jemima, Poppy, Big Ted and Little Ted.
We hold these names and songs close. Those early programmes grew up with us—and the memories often stay with us into old age.
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 PROMISE, BY DAMON GALGUT
The Promise is the Booker Prize winning story of a wealthy white South African family trapped between the dubious morals of the apartheid era and the need to change – and what that struggle does to them as people. It moves from big issues to the daily personal details of family life, sibling rivalry, overbearing in-laws.
It starts at the funeral of matriarch Ma, who promised a small shack and a bit of land on their vast estate to her personal black servant, Salome. It’s a promise denied after her death and never kept, but it comes to define the Swartz family.
Over the four-decade course of the book, the family - never less than dysfunctional –splinters. The younger members despise the old ways and make their own futures. But they also change and this is one of the great strengths of the book – the way it shows how humans develop – for good and bad. Heroes can become lost too and the underdog can triumph.
It may sound a serious book and it is, but there’s a good deal of wry humour, considerable depth and a great understanding of how complex we human beings are. A thought-provoking read but worth the effort.
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
7 What a peculiar spare weapon! (5)
8 Former deed is precise (5)
9 Forerunner of the repeat (2-3)
11 Old counter’s strange, picturesque secret is out (5)
Down
2 Change later, and change again! (5)
3 Bounced out to say, “Wait!” (5)
10 I’ve an odd notion it’s innocent (5)
11 Silence can be quite unnerving (5)
Across 1 Holdall, afar off for your fifty cents’ worth (4,1,6)
5 It gets longer once nested by proxy (7)
12 Still expecting work at tables (7)
13 Man who clumsily overshot September night-shiner (7,4)
Down
Final distance that can be done on an elastic house? (4,7)
Dish for mutants to root out? (5,6)
It could be raised, if yob were to be reformed (7)
We’re into Chelsea Chop territory. Chelsea, because it’s around the time of the Chelsea flower show late May/mid-June – and chop because it’s what you can do to a good number of clump forming perennials to make them bush out and produce more flowers.
It’s not a rule – lots of gardeners don’t go there; but there are advantages and disadvantages – and you can split the difference and cut some stems and leave others on the same plant. It’s a good method for the likes of rudbekia, helenium and salvia – all bushy perennials but not for the likes of peonies or poppies which produce blooms on a single stem.
The chopped plants will flower later and produce smaller flowers, but more of them. It will stop them getting leggy and being prone to rain and wind damage as they grow and they won’t need staking to keep them upright. Or you can just do the front growth of a clump – about a third of the stem just above a leaf nodeand leave the rest to grow, so you get shorter and more flowers and taller and more elegant on the same plant.
While we’re talking about producing more growth, this is the time to pinch out the growing tips of fuchsia to help them bush out and give more flowers later.
Deadhead repeat roses to encourage new growth, leave single flowering roses to produce hips later in the year.
Low
SUMMERTIME STARLINGS AROUND THE PEAK
When the recently-fledged juvenile Starlings arrive in summer they cause plenty of confusion and largely because they look so different to the adult birds. However, at garden feeders and the like any confusion is soon allayed by the parent birds noisily feeding their offspring against a rising cacophony of sound. Drawn to mealworms and dried calci worms especially, but also to suet bars and suet dumplings, there can often seen to be thirty or more Starlings at the feeders. With populations in long-term decline these sorts of numbers are welcome and encouraging. Indeed, once quite common bird species have experienced dramatic and worrying population declines, and many are still going down. The Starlings have been through a sharp fall in numbers but may hopefully be on the way up again, and certainly the flocks in my wildlife garden suggest this may be so. As so often the case, the cause of the problems mixes habitat loss and degradation, intensive farming, climate change, and especially down in the lowlands, increasing urban sprawl. There is also the modern almost clinical tidiness of buildings which removes potential nesting sites for birds like Starlings, Swallows, and House Sparrows.
So, the Starling is a bird which has gone from being abundant or super-abundant, to one where its fortunes waned over recent decades, but may be picking up again. Readers will be aware of the wintering populations which in part are visitors from Continental Europe and as far away as Russia, and which give us the tremendous ‘murmurations’ at roost sites like Stony Middleton. However, it is our breeding birds that have really suffered and, in their case, the loss of nesting opportunities in older buildings and sites like tree-holes certainly had a bad impact. The site loss was compounded by climate change (summertime droughts) and the growing impacts of twentieth-century moorland management with extensive drainage of formerly wet moors and bogs. Drying the moors and bogs caused dramatic declines in available food in summer, particularly damaging for newly-fledged youngsters. These birds would descend on the upland moors in frenzied flocks as they love to feed on masses of emerging craneflies which are especially abundant on damp moors and cotton-grass bogs. But with moors drained and dried, the cranefly larvae (gardeners’ ‘leatherjackets’!) were gone. Synchronised hatching of adult craneflies in May and June, meant good times for Starlings, and for other birds like Red Grouse, and on lower-lying wet pastures, Rooks, Carrion Crows, and
wading birds such as Common Snipe. Dried-out moors and pastures cause declines in all these.
But we can do our bit to help. Despite current advice to not feed garden birds during summer so as to avoid spreading nasty diseases, my own view is that this is not the best solution. So, be clinically clean with food dispensers, avoid the use of a summertime bird-table which may encourage bugs to fester and spread, but provide hanging feeders like mealworm holders, spiked apples, and suet bars. So many birds are losing habitat, especially with current planning guidance to ‘build, build, build’, on greenspaces, Green Belts, and National Parks, that they need our help. Well, Starlings, both adults and juveniles arrived in abundance in my wildlife garden, and I am doing my bit, and the Starlings are feasting (see videos on social media below).
Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ & Twitter @IanThewildside Bluesky @ianthewildside.bsky.social
