The Sherwood March 2017

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March 2017

The community café you may not have discovered yet Sam’s Workplace on Preston Road in Rainworth is a small community café you may not have discovered yet.

It is named after the son of one of the owners, who has Down’s Syndrome. It offers work experience placements for adults who have learning disabilities in a relaxed and informal setting, promoting their confidence and employability skills. But the café is more than this… it also has a sweet shop containing all your old favourites, and some new ones. 1p, 2p, 5p sweets, the choice is endless — and you get to choose your sweet mix! (Continued on page 23)

News & Information Page 3 & 5 What’s On Page 17 & 19 Rainworth Local News Page 23 Blidworth Local News Page 25 Edwinstowe, Bilsthorpe & Farnsfield Local News Page 27 Ravenshead Local News Page 29 Sport Page 32

Farnsfield Local History Society For its February meeting the society had the pleasure of welcoming Paul Hale, the recently-retired Rector Chori at the Minster. Paul entertained a very well attended meeting with an account of how the post of Rector Chori arose, illustrated with recordings of the music that developed over the centuries. We were told that the first record of a choir in Southwell Minster was as long ago

as the 12th Century and the first Rector Chori was appointed in 1499. It was explained that during the Middle Ages the members of the choir were always ordained and known as Vicars Choral. Extracts from the Archbishop of York’s Visitation Book showed that some were not averse to very non-ecclesiastical behaviour, such as being drunk, fighting during services or falling asleep due to getting back from

overnight visits to widow Agnes. (Continued on page 27)


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News & Information Local Libaries Bilsthorpe Libary Libary 01623 Bilsthorpe 01623 870216 870216 Wednesday 9.30am Wednesday 9.30am -- 1.00pm 1.00pm Friday 1.30pm Friday 1.30pm -- 5.00pm 5.00pm Saturday 9.30am Saturday 9.30am -- 1.00pm 1.00pm Blidworth Libary Libary 01623 Blidworth 01623 793775 793775 Monday 9.00am -- 12.30pm Monday 9.00am 12.30pm Wednesday 2.00pm Wednesday 2.00pm -- 6.00pm 6.00pm Friday 9.00am -- 12.30pm Friday 9.00am 12.30pm Saturday 9.00am Saturday 9.00am -- 12.30pm 12.30pm Farnsfield Libary 01623 883917 Farnsfield Libary 01623 883917 Monday 9.00am - 12.30pm Monday 9.00am - 12.30pm Wednesday 9.00am - 12.30pm Wednesday 9.00am - 12.30pm Friday 2.00pm - 6.00pm Friday 2.00pm - 6.00pm Saturday 9.00am - 1.00pm Saturday 9.00am - 1.00pm Rainworth Libary 01623 791038 Rainworth Libary 01623 791038 Tuesday 9.00am - 1.30pm Tuesday 9.00am - 1.30pm Friday 1.00pm - 5.00pm Friday 1.00pm - 5.00pm Ravenshead Libary 01623 794634 Ravenshead Libary 01623 Tuesday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm 794634 6.00pm Tuesday 9.00am - 12.30pm Thursday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm 1.30pm 6.00pm6.00pm Friday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm Thursday- 9.00am 5.30pm - 12.30pm 1.30pm Saturday 9.00am- - 12.30pm 6.00pm Friday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm - 5.30pm Saturday 9.00am - 12.30pm

Blidworth Parish Council

In recent weeks there has been a large increase of complaints received concerning dog fouling in Blidworth. Dog wardens will now focus on areas that have been highlighted to them. If a dog owner is witnessed not picking up after their pet a Fixed Penalty Notice ( £75 ) will be issued. Dog Waste Bins are provided in many areas for you to dispose dog waste in a responsible manner. Alternatively you can dispose of bagged waste in your general waste bin at home. It should also be noted that from 7 April 2010, Blidworth Play Areas, a person in charge of a dog shall be guilty of an offence if at any time he takes the dog on to or permits the dog to enter or to remain on any land to which this order applies, unless he has a reasonable excuse for doing so, or the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land, has consented (generally, or specifically) to his doing so. Dog owners should also remember that from April 2016 it is compulsory to have your dog microchipped and information registered on a database.

Many thanks , Geoff

3 Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Local Contacts Rainworth Health Centre 01623 794293, Warsop Lane Dentist 01623 798611 AMG Surgery 01623 695461, 59 Mansfield Rd Ravenshead Surgery 01623 795461, 30 Longdale Ave Joseph Whitaker School 01623 792327

Late Night Chemists

Sainsburys Pharmacy Nottingham road, Mansfield NG18 1BW 01623 557144 Mon – Sat: 8:00 – 22:00 Sun: 10:00 – 16:00 Rosemary St Pharmacy Rosemary street Mansfield, Notts, NG19 6AB 01623 622413 Mon- Fri 7:30 – 22:00 Sat:8:0022:00 Sun 8:30-22:00

Useful Contacts Domestic Violence Helpline 08082000247

Boots - St Peters Retail Park Station Street, Mansfield NG18 1BE 01623 653 926 Opening Times Mon - Sat 9:00 - 00:00 Orchard Pharmacy - Orchard Medical Practice, Stockwell Gate, Mansfield, Notts NG18 5GG - 01623 656586 Opening Times Mon - Fri 7:00 - 23:00 Sat 9:00 -23:00 Sun 10:00 - 16:00 Asda Pharmacy, Priestic road, Sutton in Ashfield Notts NG17 2AH – 01623 516222. Opening times mon 8:00 – 23:00 Tue, Thur, Fri 7:00 – 23:00 Wed: 8:00 – 22:00 Sat: 7:00 – 22:00 Sun: 10:00 – 16:00

Frank 0800776600 Shelter 08088004444 Newark & Sherwood Homes 01623 860740 N&S District Council 01636650000 Mansfield District Council 01623 463463 Notts County Council 08449808080

Church services

Blidworth 10.30am 3rd Sunday All Age Service, 3th Sunday Holy Communion Rainworth 10.30am 1st Sunday All Age Service, 3rd Sunday Covenant & Holy Communion Farnsfield 10.15am 4th Sunday Holy Communion Bilsthorpe 10.30am 2nd Sunday All Age Service, 4th Sunday Holy Communion Evening Services Blidworth No evening services in February Rainworth No evening services in February Farnsfield 2nd Sunday 6pm Bilsthorpe No evening services in February Blidworth Midweek – Tuesday 21st February 11.30am – 12noon followed by Soup Lunch.

Dear Readers, Welcome to the March edition of the Sherwood Community Magazine. At last we are starting to feel some warmth in the air and with new buds on the trees and daffodils pushing their way through the soil it seems spring is just around the corner. It’s a great time to don your outdoor gear and get out in the fresh air with lots of places to visit locally why not check out our ‘Diary Dates’ Page (p19) Of course it’s also often the time when we start to consider some serious spring cleaning and visit our House and Home page for lots of local services to help you with home improvements and maintenance. So sit back, relax and enjoy your local community Magazine full of local news just for you.

Diane


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News & Information

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Mark’s MATES: MP forms Environment Action Team Last year I started a programme of community action across the constituency that saw us litter picking in Hucknall, hedge trimming in Ollerton and all sorts of little projects supported by local volunteers. It was hugely successful and we got some great feedback from local residents who were pleased to see us taking direct action in our communities. We just felt that too often we were being passed around different councils and agencies trying to get something done, with nobody wanting to take responsibility, and we often thought it might be easier to just go and do the job ourselves — so eventually we did! This year I’m bringing it back and I thought why not go the whole hog and get some gear, and go out not just with my team from the office but to engage directly with communities too. So I got on to my farm shop uniforms provider (from my own pocket and at no cost to the taxpayer I should add) and here we are: Introducing Mark’s Action Team for

Environmental Support — or MATES. We’ll let you know in advance when we’re going out and what we’re doing, so you can come along and help out if you’re free. The more the merrier. If you know of a project, whether it’s a litter pick, a community hall that needs painting, hedges that need cutting back or whatever it may be let us know. We’ll get on to the relevant agencies for solutions where we can, and if the solutions aren’t forthcoming I hope that MATES’can step in and help. Come and be one of Mark’s MATES and do some good in our communities!

EIGHT local heroes — including a 94-yearold Neighbourhood Watch volunteer — have been rewarded for their community work by the mayor of Mansfield, Kate Allsop. She presented them with her commendation award, which recognises people who go the extra mile for their communities, at a full council meeting at the Civic Centre. They recipients were: lMembers of Forest Town Community Council, Sid Owen, Phyllis Gregson, Jim Gregson and Val Moss; lCharity fundraisers Jessica Simpkin and John Adkin; lCommunity volunteers Philip and Pam Bishop; lIris Goodall, of Upper Ladybrook Neighbourhood Watch. Mayor Allsop said: “Iris is well known in the community for helping the police, although she is not afraid to hold them to account, too. “As well as her Neighbourhood Watch work, Iris is also well known for supporting local groups and causes in any way she can.” Members of Forest Town Community Council were congratulated for their sterling work, which included organising

the neighbourhood’s Christmas lights, festive market and fundraising for and organising a Christmas party for 100 elderly residents. It has also staged other community events. The charity fundraising of Jessica Simpkin, of Rainworth, who has been fighting brain tumours since she was a child, was highlighted by local businessman John Adkin, when he contacted the mayor for help with a world record they were trying to break. Jess was diagnosed with her first brain tumour when she was four and was given a 30% chance of survival. On her 19th birthday, another tumour was discovered. Now, 10 years on, she is being treated for five more in the lining of her brain and her future is uncertain. Despite her illness, last year 539 Triumph motorcycles squeezed onto the MARR road in Mansfield, setting a new world record for the biggest parade of Triumph bikes. The event raised about £4,000 for the Children’s Brain Tumour Research Centre at the Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham. So far Jess has raised more than £30,000 for the charity. Mayor Allsop said: “The courage and determination of this amazing young woman is an inspiration and I am very

Mayor rewards community heroes with commendation awards pleased to recognise this.” Philip and Pam Bishop were awarded the commendation for 40 years of community volunteering. Philip, who has worked with the Samaritans and been secretary of St Mark’s Church in the town for many years, also organised the toddler group and Christian Aid group, edited and printed the weekly leaflet for church, and sings in a local choir. His wife, Pam, helped start the Mansfield Big Snore project for homelessness charity Framework and organises the St Mark’s Church breakfasts. She has been made an honorary canon at Southwell Minster in recognition of her service to the church. Both she and her husband have also been involved in the Maun Valley Citizens group. Mayor Allsop said: “All these community champions are a vital part of the life of Mansfield. Their help is priceless in maintaining and improving the quality of life in this district, so I am delighted to mark their efforts with my commendation award.” lTHE mayor’s awards are handed out at each full council meeting and are chosen from nominations emailed to mayorkateallsop@mansfield.gov.uk


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Security & Safety Know your online rights Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

With no queues, no crowds and no closing time, its easy to see whey so many of us choose to shop online, but while most of us know the high street procedure for faulty goods, refunds and other customer issues, knowing where you legally stand online can be confusing at best.

a trader it’s not a true auction, so you have protection under the Sale of Goods Act. To date, the law has not been tested enough for any hard and fast rules to have been set. Senior lawyer at Which? Legal Service, Peter McCarthy, says: “It’s a great time to buy online, especially with the new ruling on protection for credit card purchases abroad.

If you have ever felt that twinge of anxiety as you hit the OK tab to complete your online transaction, then this guide is for you. Consumer watchdog Which? has come up with the following guide to help you navigate and negotiate your way round the legal parameters of the internet high street.

confirming your order, you have a legally binding contract, but if it’s just an acknowledgment, then you don’t.

Changing your mind — Once an order is placed online, there is a cooling-off period starting the minute you place the order and ending seven working days from the day after receiving the goods, during which time you are legally free to cancel.

Faulty goods — Whether purchased online or on the high street, the seller is still responsible for the condition of the goods on delivery and its also worth noting that the seller must also bear the cost of returning them if they are problematic.

If you are buying a service, the seven working days starts the day after you place the order and if you agree that a service will start straight away you give up your right to cancel.

Special offers — Always check the terms and conditions, as some companies only accept the order when the goods are removed from the shelves and this may be after the offer expires.

Items which can’t be returned include: CDs, DVDs or software if the seal on the wrapping is broken; perishable items; and tailor-made or personable goods.

If you are charged full price, you don’t have to pay — you can simply send the goods back with the delivery driver.

Online protection — The retailer must give both a geographical and an email contact address. If you receive an email

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“But it’s also important to know exactly what your rights are before surfing the net for bargains.” According to McCarthy, shopping from home can be extremely problematic if you are not familiar with internet etiquette. “Online shopping isn’t always a case of ‘what you see is what you get’. It can be difficult when all you have to go on is a photo,” he said. “As well as your statutory rights, it’s worth checking returns policies, as these do vary. For example, online electronics supplier Dabs gives 10 days to return unwanted goods, whereas Amazon is much more generous, with 30 days.”

Auction sites — When buying goods privately there is little legal protection. The law on auction sites is unclear, but there is an argument that if you buy the goods from

Why wearable tech could be the future for personal healthcare Technology is at once marvellous and spectacularly frightening. After you reach 25 there’s already a million and one things you don’t know about what’s possible with even basic computer equipment, which most of those younger will be familiar with. The pace of progress is staggering and thankfully, on top of making it easier to play Clash of the Clans, the perpetual march is genuinely improving life in many ways — and there’s no greater potential than in the field of healthcare. The obvious ideal is an Elysium-style gizmo that we lie in and have any ailments — from cancer to coughs — instantly cured. Of course that’s probably a few decades away (and then some), but nevertheless the marriage of tech and health is, in theory, a harmonious one. The more time and money we spend on developing ways in which our creations can

help us maintain a clean bill of health, the more this will be possible. In addition to dividing opinion on whether Google Glass makes people look silly or not, wearable technology is arguable one of the most exciting and visible areas making inroads into the healthcare market. Samsung’s recently-revealed Simband is a

great example of exactly what we’re talking about. The device, which is a wristband with digital display, is still in its prototype stage, along with the Sami operating system (Samsung Architecture Multimedia Interactions), and already it poses a pretty exciting prospect. The gadget is capable of providing a number of readouts to the wearer, informing them of various aspects of their body’s functions. Stress levels, sleep pattern, heart rate and blood pressure fall under the wellness category; onset of fatigue, calorie intake and hydration under nutrition; and the activity monitor tells you how many steps you’ve taken in a given period, the kcal reading of your last workout, and the day’s ‘on-your-feet-mileage’ in distance and hours.



House & Home Citizens Advice warning on smart meter callers 9

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Local residents have been contacting Sherwood & Newark Citizens Advice for help after agreeing to have smart energy meters fitted to their properties and then finding themselves to be worse off — in some cases by more than £140 a year. “Smart meters are being rolled out across the country by 2020, but we really want to remind energy account holders that it is their energy supplier who will change their meter,” says Carol Jennings, energy adviser. “We have been hearing from residents, particularly on the larger estates, who have had doorstep visitors or phone callers claiming they want to make an appointment to install a smart meter. “In some cases, householders have been led to understand this is on behalf of the landlord or the council and have agreed — only to find that their energy supplier has been switched without them realising what was happening. “One of our volunteers had direct experience of this when a salesperson knocked on the doors of a member of her family and an elderly neighbour one evening and tried to pressure them into making an appointment for their meters to be changed.” Energy customers who are on a low

income, retired, or in households where people are disabled or in ill-health could be entitled to Warm Home Discount, which gives them £140 off their annual bills. Not all suppliers offer this and not all account holders who are eligible are awarded it automatically. Sherwood & Newark Citizens Advice are aware that a number of the companies visiting homes in our district do not offer it – which means some of the most vulnerable people in our community are losing this valuable help towards their bills. Sherwood & Newark Citizens Advice have also been dealing with enquiries from people concerned after watching programmes on TV or reading articles about smart meters. Their energy project provides individual appointments with impartial advice to anyone who wants help to find out if they can get a better deal on energy bills, or has problems with their supplier. Carol said: “We are happy to talk to anyone who is worried, but people who are on a standard tariff or a fixed tariff that is coming to an end soon could certainly find an appointment helpful. “The range of tariffs on offer can be quite complex and people are not getting the

detailed information they need to make an informed choice based on their personal circumstances, pattern of usage and preferences.” To arrange an appointment, call 01623 861769 and ask for the energy adviser. Energy customers who do not have a smart meter should be offered one by their existing supplier. More information about smart meters is at www.smartenergygb.org and about consumer rights at www.citizensadvice.org.uk Citizens Advice Sherwood & Newark Open Door Advice Sessions are held at New Ollerton: 5 Forest Court, NG22 9PL — Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9.30am2.30pm.

Gardening — Best gadgets for tidying When you think of gadgetry, usually the garden is the last thing on your mind. But we live in a smart age, when even the fridge can order food in, and so it should go without saying that there are many mod cons out there designed specifically for our little patch of private parkland. You don’t need to own a small holding or rambling plot to make the most of them, either. Which is good, considering the average UK garden is dropping in size, in line with the percentage of the population that has a garden of its own. Nevertheless, for those of us that do, no matter what the proportions are we would all appreciate a little help from time to time, so allow us to introduce our electronic essentials for keeping the garden tidy. Cordless everything Expect to pay: £90+ Let’s start with the basics. The easiest way to make your life easier in the garden without forking out for anything too expensive is by making everything else cordless. Almost all garden tools are available cordless now, so really it comes down to working out what you need and which products you want. Simple.

Multitools Expect to pay: £300 (not including extra attachments) Imagine a hedge-trimmer, leaf blower, cultivator, and line-trimmer all in one. Now stop imagining because this is real. Honda and Cobra both do very good business on their models, and for logical reasons. They reduce labour, and, over time, will pay for themselves in all the hours you get back not swapping and switching between tools.

Multi-purpose mowers Expect to pay: £500 These really are ingenious. Basically, you buy the base mower- usually more than your average but usually very good qualityand then you also choose which attachments you want to purchase. Regular options are pole pruners, brushcutters, and cordless blowers, but there are many more, meaning the only real problem is spending too much. Ride on mowers and tractor mowers Expect to pay: £5,000+ OK, so for one of these you will need a pretty big back yard, but no list of the best tools for keeping gardens tidy would be complete without a ride-on or tractor mower. It’s no wonder every advert shows the person in control of the machine beaming from ear to ear, they are so much fun, managing to make cutting a massive lawn rather pleasurable.


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Three of the most popular DIY projects you can tackle salvage shop, at car boot sales or from antiques dealers, or simply by visiting IKEA to achieve a more modern look.

DIY enthusiasts are never quite satisfied with their homes, always looking for the next opportunity to modify or improve. But for those who have never made a foray into the DIY realm, it can be difficult to know which projects are most suitable for beginners, and what projects will render the most notable improvements, especially if you are preparing a house for sale. A lick of paint This aspect of DIY is so obvious that many people don’t even consider it DIY, but the difference between a professional paint job and a thoughtless paint job can be huge. Whether you are refreshing radiators, transforming windows or completely redesigning a room with an exotic new coat of paint, painting is a simple way to have a big impact with minimal cost and effort. When painting, always move furniture away from areas you intend to paint and cover carpets and furniture with dust sheets to prevent paint splattering. Paint in brush strokes going up and down, never side to side. This ensures an even coat and smooth finish. If painting around a door frame, window or skirting board ‘cut in’ the paint. This involves very slowly and carefully painting around the item so you achieve a clean line finish.

If you are not confident, you can cover the window or door frame with masking tape, paint and then remove the tape once painting is finished. New fittings Kitchens and bathrooms are fertile ground for DIY. They have the advantage of having the essential components (bath, shower, sink and toilet in bathrooms, and units and sink in a kitchen) already installed. This means that a big impact can be made merely by changing the aesthetic elements, such as kitchen cupboard doors, tap fittings and tiles, to create a completely new feel. Such a makeover is easily accomplished and there are a wide range of new looks you can achieve, either by sourcing curious vintage pieces from your local architectural

Splash out on soft furnishings One of the simplest and most effective ways to transform any room is to reassess your soft furnishings. Removing carpets and fitting slatted flooring or restoring beautiful Victorian floor boards can look spectacular and create a strong sense of space when coupled with an attractive rug. Sewing new cushion covers is very simple and the only cost is fabric and thread. Re-upholstering a sofa is no job for an amateur, but it is relatively inexpensive and can change the feel of a room. You could also consider replacing curtains with blinds and covering painted walls with exciting new wallpaper. You could even source your own images and have them printed onto bespoke wallpaper. The opportunities are only limited by your imagination. There are plenty of other DIY projects beginners can consider, from installing homemade bookshelves to designing and framing your own artistic prints to be displayed on your walls. Search the web, looking at websites such as Pinterest, for inspiration of things you can achieve yourself.

What to grow and when To the inexperienced layman (or indeed woman), it seems like something of a mystery. How do people know exactly what seeds to plant in their vegetable garden, and, more specifically, when? But who has time to go looking?

Here’s a list of some popular vegetables us Britons are lucky enough to be able to cultivate in the back garden, and when’s best to start the sowing process. Potatoes How good are homegrown potatoes? We say very, very good indeed. In February or March get some potato bags and part-fill them with compost. As green shoots begin to appear cover those with more compost. Repeat until the end of the season (10-20 weeks later), as the foliage starts to turn yellow and die back. Now empty the bag and get ready to find your own homegrown potatoes, ready for dinner.

Peas A mainstay of the dining table, whether that’s as part of Tuesday’s quick tea or Sunday’s extended roast. Peas enjoy cooler climates, and should be sown between March and June, with the picking season extending from June to August. They will need some support for the stems of the pods — sticks of wood held together with netting will do. Oh, and did we mention that the more you pick these sweet greens the more they grow? Perfect. Onions and garlic Plant your onion bulbs and garlic cloves on well-drained soil in either spring or autumn. Then do nothing, until the foliage dies back and turns yellow, which should be late summer. Then hey presto, you have a new crop ready to be harvested. Dry out in the sun for a little while before putting them in storage. Easy as the pie

you’re about to use them in.

Beetroot Checking the soil is moist, sow beetroot seeds directly into the ground from March to July. It’s a good idea to separate each seedling by about 5cm as they grow to allow enough space for them to flourish. Then, between May and September, depending on how long ago it was they were planted- you should see a crop materialise, which is ready to be picked.


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Looking Good Spring fashion for 2017 When the warm weather comes you may feel like you want to wear maxis or short dresses. I have even seen some young Asian girls enjoy wearing fusion Indian dresses and tunic dresses during this part of the season. I am the kind of person who enjoys wearing these type of dresses but only occasionally. I find it can be just ideal to put on a pair of jeans and wear a trendy top. Here are some suggestions of tops you can wear with jeans or even dress them up with a smart pair of trousers or skirt. Just look at what’s new in fashionable sleeve designs for spring 2017.

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Spring into weight-loss action The dark winter days are almost gone and it won’t be long before summer is here. When the warmer weather arrives you’ll be wanting to wear lighter clothing and maybe even a swimming costume on the beach. Are you ready for this summer? Will you be sitting on the beach feeling fat and frumpy, wishing you’d tackled your weight earlier in the year or will you be the weight and size you want to be, feeling empowered and full of energy? We all have a choice and it’s your choice where you go from here. With our help you can become the weight and size you want to be but something in your life needs to change.

If you are prepared to have a mind-set change in the way you think and feel about food you will be able to achieve a change in your weight and size and have a happier healthier life. Why not use this early spring time to start you’re new lifestyle – come and talk to Margaret Turner who has specialized in weight management for many years. Call for a chat in complete confidence. 01623 556234 Margaret Turner, Cognitive and Behavioural Hypnotherapist, Clem Turner Therapy Practice. www.clemturner.co.uk

To Advertise ring Kerry on 01623 707017

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High End to High Street High-street favourite H&M has announced that it is to team up with iconic shoe designer Jimmy Choo, who will design an affordable range of footwear and bags for the brand this year. The collaboration will be the seventh major coup for H&M since their Karl Lagerfeld-designed line launched back in 2004. Matthew Williamson and Stella McCartney are among the major names who have created pieces for the store and the collaborations are undoubtedly what makes H&M a serious contender on the high street. But with Jimmy Choo shoes now available from £40, doesn’t this somewhat take the shine off of owning a designer label? Not so long ago Jimmy Choo, as worn by Carrie Bradshaw no less, was the last name in luxury fashion, to wear Choos was a sign that you’d made it in the fashion stakes. As the credit crunch has hit Britain, the fashion pages have loudly announced that the It Bag is well and truly over. Yes, these collaborations make high-end fashion accessible for all but you’re losing the originality, quality and craftsmanship that makes a designer piece so desirable. As Topshop opens its first US store, still trading off the original, street and celebrity-inspired designs that have made it the world’s most talked about fashion store, you’ve got to wonder whether H&M has missed the point with its collaboration ranges? True style is about originality and bravery, not wearing what everyone else is and flaunting a label. So buy H&M collaborations because they float your fashion boat, not for the label that is sewn in to the neckline — a Williamson kaftan or Choo heels aren’t impressive if they’re only bought for the label.


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Youth Zone

Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

15

Aunty Mavis and the Woollilots It was Saint David's Day and Aunty Mavis and the Woollilots went for a walk to the library. It was a nice day with a blue sky and a few bubbly-white clouds scattered about it. Some front gardens had snowdrops in them and others had daffodils beginning to show that spring was beginning to reveal itself. Birds were merrily singing and chatting to each other. Rooks were especially noisy. TheWoollilots entered the library and were greeted by the friendly faced librarian. They all chose a book each to read and settled down to read it . Aunty Mavis usually chose a story book and sometimes she chose a book of poems but today she chose a non-fiction book about the four seasons. Half way through the book, Aunty Mavis felt sleepy and she began to snooze and then to dream. She dreamt that there was a low grumbly noise beneath the ground and the sound of something plodding along but there was something-else ... it was a creature that looked a bit like a fairy

things that it came across.

'Hello Spring' called out the flowers.

but it had a spring for a body and a yellow flower for it's head. It seemed to be pattering beneath the ground too! The plodding creature suddenly appeared with a great big roar from beneath the ground... it was dark brown and big with silver scales all down it's back and head and tail. Also, it wore green wellies on several little legs. It wore big spectacles and wore a woolly hat. It seemed rather clumsy as it slid on some ice and bumped into a lamp post. 'Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr' it grumbled, ' There was the sound of laughter and flowers seemed to be giggling. 'You are so funny Mr. Winterdragon!' Mr. Winterdragon blew icicles on the windows of the library.

'Ping, ping, ping ' ... things that had slept in winter came alive and began to grow when Spring touched it. Flowers grew all over Wizworth! Suddenly 'PLOD!' A foot inside a wellie came down heavily on Spring... and thunder rumbled and grumbled and gave Spring a headache and for a few minutes she seemed to die but then ...'SPRING!'. She sprang up and grew a little more and laughed and smiled. 'You can't keep me down ... nature will always bring me back to life!' Mr. Winterdragon ...'I give in,' he said and plodded back beneath the ground to sleep until it was his turn to show his funny face again. ........... more to follow next time! © Christine Michael

'Spring is coming,' laughed the flowers and the birds and the leaves on the trees. Suddenly the fairy-like creature sprang up from the ground and greeted all living

Full marks for happy pupils association, says: “Governing bodies need to understand what parents think about their school.

Discipline, quality teaching and happiness are top of the class when it comes to parents’ priorities in their children’s schools. The results of a huge UK-wide survey into parental attitudes have revealed the top five areas mums and dads consider most important when evaluating their children’s education. Surprisingly, exam results don’t even figure in the league and rarely even hit the top ten for most schools. And while the focus may change as children grow, the core five essentials remain a constant for parents of both primary and secondary school pupils. School discipline, teaching quality and the child’s happiness claim the top three spots but parents are also focused on control of bullying and believe caring teachers are essential. However, empathetic teachers are more important to the parents of girls while boys’ parents rate potential development higher. Overall, when parents were asked how satisfied they are with each of the different areas of their child’s school, they are most satisfied with their happiness.

“Parents’ views can inform both the evaluation of the school’s current performance and the strategic plans for the future.

The statistics also show that as children progress through their education, parents’ concerns change. Parents whose children are preparing for exams obviously place greater importance on academic issues. Or, looking at parental views on academic subjects, history invariably scores well at the vast majority of schools, while religious studies nearly always rates poorly - apart from at Catholic schools, where it can outshine the study of the past. The finds — the results of more than 420,000 parental surveys conducted by schools across the country — were revealed at the launch of the Knowing your Parents briefing paper published by the National Governors’ Association and Kirkland Rowell Surveys, part of GL Performance. Emma Knights, chief executive of the

“The National Governors’ Association is encouraging all governing bodies to make sure they are collecting and thoroughly considering information from parents.”

Ian Rowe, general manager at GL Performance, adds: “Our survey results show that parents want schools to support their children in becoming well-rounded individuals that are happy, confident and socially and morally aware. “Of course, academic success is important but developing children as a whole is rated more highly than exam results.

“Parental views are an excellent way of informing school evaluation and strategic planning and this kind of activity should be considered good practice by primary and secondary schools alike. “Yet gauging parental opinion is not an easy task and response rates to online surveys in our experience are significantly less than paper-based surveys.”



What’s On

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17

Garden bird of the month The lesser redpoll is normally a winter visitor to gardens. I had never before seen this species in my garden until 2008, and since then I have had them in my garden every winter with the exception of 2011. The lesser redpoll is a resident of the UK but is found mostly in Scotland, Wales and north and east England. In winter they will move further south to escape the harsher weather of the north. Some even travel as far as the continent. In the mid 1970s the species drastically declined in numbers and as a consequence they are now a red-listed bird. However, it’s not all bad news because more of these birds now frequent our gardens and the main reason for this is the introduction of nyger seed by wild bird food companies. The bill of the lesser redpoll is perfectly adept at tweaking out this very fine seed. It seems that putting out nyger seed in

our gardens has been a saviour for this bird. How does one identify the lesser redpoll? It is a very small finch Photo: Tommy Holden about the size of a blue tit. It is an acrobatic bird and out in the countryside, you may see it in woodland, high up on the thin twigs of birches and alder. It may often be found amongst flocks of siskins. Its plumage is streaky brown in colour and it has a red forehead, hence its name. It also has a tiny black bib under its bill. The male often has a rosy pink flush on its breast.

The Cornwater Club Charity Shop has launched its Rags to Riches campaign to raise £1,000 to support its older people’s activity programme. The shop on Queen Street, Mansfield, is inviting members of the public and local businesses to bring their ‘rags’ — worn out or torn clothing, underwear, shoes, bedding, tablecloths, towels, etc — to the shop. They will then be sold to a local recycling merchant to raise funds. Currently over 85% of textiles are going to landfill sites, which is environmentally harmful. Of this, more than 90% could be re-cycled and given a new lease of life. These textiles can be reprocessed and used to fill vehicle seats or converted to cloth wipes — there are many uses. Shop manager Sharon Baum, pictured, said: “The shop currently recycles on average 12 tonnes of rags each year.

“We are now asking for support from the local community to recycle another three tonnes to help both the environment and raise £1,000 for the four-days-a-week older people’s activity programme run by our club.” The Cornwater Club, a local charity supported by the shop, aims to offer friendship and activities, so helping to reduce the loneliness that many older people experience. The £1,000 will be used to introduce new activities including dancing, language courses, photography and many more. The charity hopes to meet its targets by the end of March when it plans to introduce a broader activities programme.

Can you help turn rags into riches?

If you haven’t done so already, why not hang out some nyger seed and you may be fortunate enough to attract some lesser redpolls to your garden? Jean Powley Jean is a voluntary ambassador for the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Garden BirdWatch scheme in Nottinghamshire. If you enjoy watching birds and other creatures in your garden, then BTO Garden BirdWatch may be perfect for you. Please contact me if you would like a free enquiry pack at jpbirds@outlook.com or visit www.bto.org/gbw

Farnsfield Flower Club AGM news At our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 20th February, outgoing chairman Jenny Freeman spoke of a busy year of interesting demonstrations, garden visits and lots of participation in village events. She thanked the committee and members for their hard work and support. Jenny said sge was standing down this year but would remain on the committee and ceetings would be hosted by Committee members in turn. Also standing down was the media officer, Chris Cooper, and Ruth Milliken agreed to take on this post. All other officers and committee members agreed to stand again and were re-elected as follows: Secretary – Penni Wells, Treasurer – Margaret Short, with assistance from Glenys Booth, Programme Secretary – Sylvia Beaumont and Catherine Howell. After the conclusion of formal business, members were entertained with a fun sketch by Vera Franklin and the Farnsfield Florets. Members were served a delicious afternoon tea, prepared by the committee. On Monday, 6th March, we will be having a Spring Practis” led by Christine Baggaley at 2pm in the Lower Hall, Farnsfield Centre, New Hill. For details of requirements, ring 01623 882650. Our meeting on Monday, 20th March, will be a demonstration entitled Earth’s Boundless Energy with Di Smith (time and venue as above) and this will be a Bring A Friend Free” event, so we hope to have lots of visitors.


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What’s On Diary Dates for March 2017

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Rainworth Miners’ Welfare

Mon: 8-10:30pm Sequence dancing in concert room to live music. Admission £2 plus cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest (Lounge & Concert room) Tues: Pool League (Home Matches) evenings. Wed: 7:15-9:15pm Family bingo, children welcome with adults. Fri: Evening Cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest, plus Domino knockout. (Lounge only) Sat: Family bingo in Lounge 8-10:30pm, children welcome with an adult. Sun: Evening ‘‘Quiz for cash’’ in Lounge bar & cash bingo. Card bingo & Treasure chest.

The Venue Royal British Legion - Rainworth, Blidworth & District branch meet at The Venue every first Thursday of the month - at 7:30pm and everyone is welcome. Wed: 2pm “ Eyes down” Bingo Snowball every week. Sun: 12pm to 2pm Sunday Carvery £6 Adults, £3 Children, £5 Snr Citizens.

Rainworth Village Hall Mon: 11-12 - Swing into shape 18:00 - 19:00 Kids Taekwondo 19:00 - 20:00 Taekwondo Tues: 9:30 - 11:30 - Digital Photograpy 13:30 - 16:00 - Tea Dance (Ball Room) 18:00 - 19:00 - Yoga with Lynn 20:00 - 23:00 - Jive Junkies (Ball Room) Wed: 19:45 - 20:45 - Zumba (Ball Room) Thurs: 10:00 - 11:00 - Senior Stretch + Tone 12:00 - 16:00 - Over 50s club (Full at present, waiting list available) 18:00 - 19:00 - Taekwondo 19:30 - 20:30 Yogalates Fri: 18:00 - 19:00 Yoga 19:30 - 22:30 - Sequence Dance Sat: 10:00 - 12:00 Sewing Group, alternate saturdays Sun: 19:30 - 22:30- Sunday Sequence

Southwell

Thurs 2nd March: Tea, Toast & Toddlers 9:00am - 10:30am at Southwell Methodist Church Sat 4th March: Fairtrade coffee Morning 10:00am - 12:00noon at Southwell Library Sat 11th March: 10:30am - Leaves of Southwell Open day at Southwell Minster

Edwinstowe

Events at Sherwood Pines Bushcraft for Families Join the rangers for a day of bushcraft activities. Forest Live 2017 - Elbow Elbow’s rise over the past two decades has seen them become one of the most important bands in contemporary British music. Check them out at Sherwood Pines Forest on Sunday 25th June. Fungi Foray Join expert, Patrick Harding, for this ever popular talk and walk on how to find and identify various fungi. Overnight Bushcraft for Families Could you survive a night in the woods? Join the bushcraft team at Sherwood Pines to find out Wild Food Foray Join expert, Patrick Harding, for illustrated talks and forest forays to learn how to identify edible and medicinal plants.

Ravenshead

Wed 1st March: 10.00am Badminton 8.00pm: Theatre Group Thurs 2nd March: 9.00am - Jo Jingles 2.00pm: Thursday Art Group 2.00pm: Thursday Badminton 7.00pm: Bridge Club 7:30pm: Zumba Fri 3rd March: 10.00am Fun Chorus 2:00pm: U3A Knitting & Crochet Group 3:00pm: Music at the Hall-Features “An Evening With Mike d’Abo” Mon 6th March: 10:30am - Colliers Band Practice 6:00pm: Tom Doudie Retro Step Aerobics 7:30pm: Fitness & Swing Tues 7th March: 9:30am Pilates 10:30am: Yoga 1:30pm: U3A Mahjong 2:00pm: Functionally Fit chair based exercise class 7:30pm: U3A Cribbage Wed 8th March: 10:00am - Wednesday Badminton 6:30pm: Abbey Gates WI 8:00pm: Theatre Group Thurs 9th March: 9:00am Jo Jingles 2:00pm: Thursday Art Group 2:00pm: Thursday Badminton 7:00pm: Bridge Club 7:30pm: Zumba Fri 10th March: 10:00am Fun Chorus

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Sat 11th March: 7:30pm - Sinfonia Chorale at Southwell Minster Thurs 16th March: 8:00pm - Wine Tasting at The WI Hall Southwell Sat 25th March: 7:30pm - Lions Ceilidh Night at Minster School, Southwell Fri 31st March: 7:30pm - Free concert to Launch Fetsival at Southwell Minster

Farnsfield

Sat 4th March: 10:30am Pub walk for Parkinsons - meet at The Plough Inn Farnsfield. Monday, 6th March, Farnsfield Flower Club will be holding a Spring Practise led by Christine Baggaley at 2.0 pm in the Lower Hall, Farnsfiled Village Centre, New Hill. Monday, 20th March, Farnsfield Flower Club’s Meeting will be a demonstration entitled “Earth’s Boundless Energy” with Di Smith at 2.0 pm in the Lower Hall, Farnsfield Village Centre, New Hill. This is a “Bring a Friend Free” event.

Blidworth

Bards Poetry Club at Blidworth Bards at Blidworth meets every 3rd Saturday of the month at Blidworth library 10a.m. - 12 p.m. for poetry workshop, discussion, readings and a cuppa! Budding poets welcome.

Bilsthorpe

Wednesday, 15th March, Bilsthorpe Garden Club Meeting will be a talk entitled “Heritage” with Brian Jackson at 7.30 pm in the Lounge at Bilsthorpe Miners’ Welfare.

Theatre Royal

Wed 1st March: Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra Wed 1st March: After Hours Xenia Pestova & Shawn Mativetsky Sat 4th March: The Gang Show Mon 6th March: Dana Dixon Band Tues 7th - Sat 11th March: The red shoes Mon 13th March: Patrick Monahan... That 80’s Show Tues 14th - Sat 18th March Anita & Me Mon 20th March: Dave Alnwick - The Cult of Dave Wed 22 and sat 25th March: Opera North: Hansel and Gretel

Royal Concert Hall

Fri 3rd March: Sam Bailey Sat 4th March: Paul Carrack Sun 5th March: Justins Party Mon 6th March: Brendan Cole Fri 10th March: Supergroup showcase 2017 Wed 15th - Sun 19th March: Saint Petersburg Classic Ballet Tues 21st March: Yes Feat Anderson, Rabin & Wakeman (ARW)


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News & Views Everyone has got an opinion Have you noticed how most people have an opinion on most things? No matter whether it is immigration or Brexit or what the Government is doing. We are often so quick to criticise, so quick to call those who in ‘our opinion’ have got it wrong. If we look in the dictionary the word opinion is defined as ‘a view or judgement formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge’. Critics point out to us what is wrong, but that leaves us feeling bad about ourselves. Coaches show us what we did wrong, teach us how to do it right, and leave us feeling better about ourselves. Cheerleaders will lift your spirits, offer their help and assure us that we can succeed if we persevere. Which of these three are you? Or do you just have an opinion but choose to not even get involved in the solution? Beware. It is better to do something and not get it quite right than to do nothing at all. Learn how to build people up, if they are employees they will become more productive; if they are friends or family they will appreciate hearing a word of encouragement rather than the critical opinion that never changes. There are things that

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are broken within our local communities but most of sit back and do nothing and surprise, surprise nothing gets better. Maybe just maybe if we held out a hand of friendship to our neighbour rather than offering an opinion on their lifestyle things may start to improve. The Book of Proverbs in the Bible says ‘Like golden apples set in silver is a word spoken at the right time’. We can all change what comes out of our mouths. It may mean biting cruel words back. But, what harm can come from being a coach or a cheerleader. A kind word goes a long way but a harsh word (or opinion) may just come back to hurt you one day. The final word on this matter goes to someone who has divided opinion more than anyone in the last two thousand years: ‘So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you’ (Matthew 7:12) Wise words indeed.

Nottinghamshire council revises sibling policy Parents have won a battle over Nottinghamshire County Council’s decision to stop giving priority places to children with an older brother or sister at school.

Parents from High Oakham Primary School in Mansfield appealed to the Schools Adjudicator, who ruled the admission rule was unfair and should be revised.

Marion Clay, from the council, said: “It (the ruling) does not look back.

“It only looks to the future so the arrangements that were in place still stand, it would be very difficult to unpick.” The council said the policy would be revised for all county schools.

Church of England Services Blidworth and Rainworth

1st Sunday 9am St Mary’s Blidworth Sung Communion 10.30am St Simon & Judes’s Rainworth Morning Service 2nd & 4th Sundays 9am St Mary’s Morning Service 10.30am St Simon & Judes’s Sung Communion

3rd Sunday 9am St Mary’s Sung Communion 10.30am St Simon & Jude’s All Age Service 5th Sunday 10am St Andrew’s Mission Blidworth United Benefice Communion

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Bilsthorpe Heritage Museum

On Monday, 6th February, we enjoyed a group visit from Bilsthorpe Scouts and on Wednesday, 15th February, two members visited the William Booth Birthplace Museum as part of a Notts Museum Forum event. At our Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, 8th February, chairman George Cooper spoke of a very busy year of group visits and outside displays and numerous fundraising ventures. He thanked members for their support and hard work. All officers agreed to stand again and were re-elected as follows: Chairman – George Cooper, Vice-Chairman – Arthur Wheeldon, Public Relations Officer – Eric Purdy, Treasurer – Fred Hall, Archivist / Funding Officer – Andrea Swallow, Minutes Secretary – Christine Cooper. One trustee resigned but all other trustees were re-elected as follows: Bob Bradley, Lawson Little, Frank Jarvis and Margaret Jarvis, who now becomes shop and marketing manager. Alan Ward was voted on to fill the Trustees’ vacancy and would have responsibility for maintenance, together with member Brian Jackson. Our Tabletop Sale and Coffee Morning on Saturday, 18th February was well-supported and raised £427.67 for group funds. Thanks are due to all members who helped and everyone who donated raffle and tombola prizes, and those who made craft items. A special thank you to our guest stallholders (we hope they did well) and our guest helpers, Celia Smith and Anne Rose, who served refreshments, and Gillian Hattersly, Jan Jones and Debbie Jackson, who helped on stalls. First raffle prizewinner was Chris Cooper, who won a grocery hamper. Our next fundraising event will be a coffee morning on Saturday, 13th May (further details nearer the time). On Sunday, March 26th, our summer opening hours begin as follows: Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday from 10.00am until 4.00pm.Admission to the museum is free of charge.


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Rainworth Local News

23 To Advertise ring Kerry on 01623 707017

The community café you may not have discovered yet 50p, and sweets start at 1p each — but quality is first class. They said: “We love working within the community, and welcome anyone who is interested in volunteering with us. We can utilise any skills you have. “We are working on Mother’s Day gifts — check out our Facebook page for a super gift for that special mum, at a price to suit everyone.” For more details please contact Debbie or Vicky on 01623 797240.

(Continued from page 1)

It has been quickly discovered by pupils at local schools, and is frequented before and after school. Said Vicky Williams: “The pupils who come in here are all credit to their schools. “They interact fantastically well with our young people, who serve them. “Our best seller is a brownie with ice cream, which at 50p is a bargain.” Sam’s Workplace was first thought of by Debbie and Phil Colledge as a place for their son, Sam,when he finishes education. They said: “We were looking at provision after school, and there was very little that Sam would be interested in. “When we asked him what job he would like, he said he would like a sweet shop. “We self-funded our start-up costs and are extremely grateful to all our customers who use us.” The idea soon grew from a small sweet shop, to a community café to promote more social interaction for those who, traditionally, have felt isolated within their communities.

A hope package

In the crowd, one voice dared To ask for a dream – a hope-package Sterilised against the gauze of human nature. A stream flowed past the scene Of this extraordinary wanting – The tireless trickle of fresh spring water. It was unconsciously noted by all – The cleansing – from a source beneath surfaces, A pool in a rock-centre, pushing through cracks. In the most surprising places The force of the flow, The hope, becomes the magnificence of life. ©Christine Michael Originally published Poetry Now Published Angel on my Keyring

As more adults with learning disabilities joined the range of activities. The café has expanded and can now offer catering skills, customer interaction, the chance to work at allotments in Blidworth offering horticulture and small animal care, plus arts and crafts to produce goods for sale within the shop. They also volunteer at the local Riding for the Disabled stables, grooming their ponies and horses. Vicky and Debbie both stress that prices are kept to a minimum so that it is accessible for all. Bacon cobs are only £1, cupcakes are

Rainworth Diary Dates

Rainworth Miners Welfare Mon: 8-10:30pm Sequence dancing in concert room to live music. Admission £2 plus cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest (Lounge & Concert room) Tues: Pool League (Home Matches) evenings. Wed: 7:15-9:15pm Family bingo, children welcome with adults. Fri: Evening Cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest, plus Domino knockout. (Lounge only) Sat: Family bingo in Lounge 8-10:30pm, children welcome with an adult. Sun: Evening ‘‘Quiz for cash’’ in Lounge bar & cash bingo. Card bingo & Treasure chest.

The Venue Royal British Legion - Rainworth, Blidworth & District branch meet at The Venue every first Thursday of the month - at 7:30pm and everyone is welcome. Wed: 2pm “ Eyes down” Bingo Snowball every week. Sun: 12pm to 2pm Sunday Carvery £6 Adults, £3 Children, £5 Snr Citizens.

Rainworth Diary Dates

Rainworth Village Hall Mon: 11-12 - Swing into shape 18:00 - 19:00 Kids Taekwondo 19:00 - 20:00 Taekwondo Tues: 9:30 - 11:30 - Digital Photograpy 13:30 - 16:00 - Tea Dance (Ball Room) 18:00 - 19:00 - Yoga with Lynn 20:00 - 23:00 - Jive Junkies (Ball Room) Wed: 19:45 - 20:45 - Zumba (Ball Room) Thurs: 10:00 - 11:00 - Senior Stretch + Tone 12:00 - 16:00 - Over 50s club (Full at present, waiting list available) 18:00 - 19:00 - Taekwondo 19:30 - 20:30 Yogalates Fri: 18:00 - 19:00 Yoga 19:30 - 22:30 - Sequence Dance Sat: 10:00 - 12:00 Sewing Group, alternate saturdays Sun: 19:30 - 22:30- Sunday Sequence


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Blidworth Local News Blidworth and District Historical and Heritage Society meeting 25

Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Adrian Henstock was our lead speaker at February’s meeting. Adrian’s presentation was titled House Detectives and was about what to look for when trying to establish the age of a building, its history and its occupants. He was very knowledgeable and he told us about materials used, shapes of windows and archways and lots of other pointers to determine age and use. He also spoke of the documents that are available such as wills and title deeds that can be used to identify the occupants of a building. After the break Alan Higgins gave a really interesting presentation of the water colour paintings of 1800s Mansfield by Albert Sorby Buxton. He painted over 200 scenes of the town and surrounding district, which are an invaluable source of how Victorian housing, pubs and street scenes of Mansfield used to look. A favourite subject of his was the Rock Houses at the east end of Ratcliffe Gate. They can still be seen but there is no access to them. 130 of Buxton’s paintings can be seen in Mansfield Museum and they are well worth visiting. Our next three meeting details are as

Blidworth Monday Club news

Hi everybody, The club and members are all okay. The Monday meetings have been taking place at out HQ at Rookwood. We have been busy since out last contribution, two celebrations have taken place firstly a milestone Birthday, our members were recently treated to a birthday party to celebrate the birthday of our member, Mrs Thea Jukes. More recently members were treated to dinner / lunch to celebrate the club’s 30th anniversary. Dinner/lunch was prepared and served by our local baker, BJ Bakery. The club was formed back in 1987 by Mrs Marlene Brailsford, the warden on the Meadow Road Complex. After retirement Marlene continued to be our leader, and on this occasion was also accompanied by our only surviving founder members, Mrs Margaret Richards and Mrs Margaret Underwood.

follows: •7th March - Michael Harrison will be telling us about A Trading Voyage On The River Trent. This meeting will start with our AGM at 7pm, followed after refreshments by the speaker at 8pm. •4th April - Ian Morgan - Inspector Hopkinson’s Discovery. •2nd May - David Amos - D H Lawrence and the Eastwood Connection. The meetings are in the Function Room

of Blidworth Welfare. Doors are open at 6.45 pm. Ample parking is available. New members are always welcome, just turn up on the night. There is a small charge on the door of £2 to cover refreshments. We will be showing a selection of our archive of photographs at our meeting in March and we will have a presentation on a local aspect of the district’s history. We are pleased to announce that the Society’s book on Blidworth and World War 1 has been reprinted and will on sale at future meetings and through our website. We would like to see any photographs of the village and its people that we may copy and add to our extensive archive. If you would like more information please contact us through our website. You are also invited to submit articles relating to our local history for consideration for publication on our website. Please refer to the website for further details. Looking forward to hearing from you. www.blidworthhistoricalsociety.co.uk

Blidworth Rockings On Sunday 5th February the 95th Blidworth Rockings ceremony took place in the church of St Mary of the Purification, Blidworth. The Right Reverend Paul Williams, Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham, rocked baby Ethan Matthew Roberts in a flowerdecked cradle in front of the church altar. The cradle used in this service was given to the church in 1922 and has been used for every rocking since. It is traditionally a great honour to be the ‘Rockings’ baby and falls to the baby boy born closest to Christmas day from the parish of Blidworth. The Rockings commemorates the Feast of Candlemas — the day when the church remembers the presentation of Jesus at the temple in Jerusalem by his parents, Mary and Joseph. During the service a baby boy (representing Jesus) is rocked in a wooden cradle decked in white and yellow flowers, as a reminder of this story from Luke’s Gospel. The Rockings festival was popular in medieval times but it is believed that Blidworth is now one of the few churches in the world to mark this ceremony. Ethan slept peacefully while the Bishop

rocked him and the choir sang a lullaby. Bishop Paul also preached and presented Ethan’s parents, Luke and Sarah Roberts with a Bible and candle. Former Rockings babies attended the ceremony and Ethan’s name will join theirs on the Rocking name-boards in the church.


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Pick up your FREE copy at these locations every month If you do not receive a copy delivered to your home, you can collect one at the following locations:Rainworth: The Venue, The Library, Rainworth Miners’ Welfare, Rainworth Village Hall, Local Churches and Libraries, Nisa on Southwell Road, Londis on Preston Road, Sam’s Place on Preston Road Sam and St Simon & St Jude’s Church. Blidworth: Miners Welfare, Community Centre, The Library, Rookwood Community Centre, The Post Office, BJ Bakery, Leisure Centre, Voltz Cafe Bilsthorpe: Miners’ Welfare & Village Hall & Library Miners Ravenshead: Library and surgery and The CENTRE Any delivery concerns please call Chloe on

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Edwinstowe, Bilsthorpe & Farnsfield Local News

Farnsfield Local History Society (Continued from page 1) It was not until the end of the 16th Century that services were regularly sung in English and we were told how the choir was closed down during Cromwell’s time and how it developed again after the Restoration to the present day. Members very much enjoyed an amusing, instructive and entertaining evening. It will be our AGM on 8th March, followed by a quiz for members. New members will be welcome to join at this meeting. There will be no meeting at the village centre in April as members will be visiting the Nottinghamshire Archives office in the afternoon. There will be a coach visit to the National Memorial Arboretum on 31st May. For more information telephone David and Judith Milnes on 01623 882454.

27

Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Bilsthorpe Garden Club On Wednesday, 18th January, members enjoyed a New Year Dinner and Social Evening at the Copper Beech, booked by Dennis Lewin, who gave a vote-of-thanks to the staff of the Copper Beech and also Steve and Jenny Smart, who organised a door entry raffle, which was won by Dennis, and also an in the frame photographic quiz, which was won by a team consisting of Norma and Eddie Oxnard, Margaret Wright and Jenny Smith. Our meeting on Wednesday, 15th February, was an interesting and informative talk entitled Pests & Diseases with Liz Webster. Afterwards, Liz answered members’ questions and there was a chance to buy some perennial plants from her nursery. The raffle was drawn and the first prizewinner was Connie Roberts. Our meeting on Wednesday, 15th of March, will be a talk on heritage with Brian Jackson at 7.30 pm in the lounge at Bilsthorpe Miners’ Welfare.

Chinese New Year at Farnsfield Beavers During January our youngest section, Beavers aged 6 to 8, have been learning about Chinese New Year. Over the month they learnt about the cultures and gave their hand to making two full size fabric dragons with masks. Thanks to Faye Asher-Hibbett for sewing it all together. It was amazing!

Coming up for the second half of the term our Tuesday Beavers have a trip to Pets At Home to complete their Animal Friend Activity Badge and our Wednesday colony are taking a visit to Farnsfield St Michaels Church. In our other two sections the Scout section (aged 10½ to 14) have been completing

their astronautics activity badge. Designed and sponsored by the UK Space Agency, this badge is all about space exploration, experiments and building your own satellite. The Cub pack (aged 8 to 10½) have been finishing their fire safety badge where they took a visit to Southwell Fire Station. Can you help us with a badge? Join our four-week adult challenge to take a taster of Scouting. If you don’t like it after four weeks we’ll be surprised! Please contact Chris on 07779324341 or email join@1stfarnsfield.org.uk if you can help.


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Ravenshead Local News

29

The Rotary Club of Ravenshead and Blidworth Santa Success this Christmas THANK YOU to ALL who helped us and THANKS to ALL who contributed to our collections This year’s appearance of the Ravenshead and Blidworth Santa’s Sleigh included the Christmas Lights Switch-On Event at Ravenshead Village Hall, in addition to our usual outtings around both villages, and at Oak Tree Lane Tesco’s. We had the added benefited from better than usual weather resulting in a total collection exceeding £3690.00 All of this will be used to support causes within our own local community. In particular, we will be making donations to The Cornwater Club, John Eastwood Hospice, The Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire Air Ambulance and Aquabox.

that are based within the Ravenshead and Blidworth area, that are actively providing support to those in need within our communities that we have not previously supported. More news on this soon. Our Meeting Place – Oakmere Golf Club Oakmere Golf Club is our regular venue for meetings. We meet on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Wednesday night each month We would welcome anyone who would like to come along and meet us? Just call our secretary Mark on 01623 652472, or visit our website, http://www.rotary1220.org/rav/

In addition to our regular support of these important local charities, we are also currently seeking to identify a number of smaller local charities or support groups

Tree-cycle Campaign raises £1000 for Chairman’s charity An annual campaign which encourages Nottinghamshire residents to recycle their real Christmas trees has raised £1000 for Mansfield’s Portland College. Environmentally-minded Nottinghamshire residents have helped raised £1,000 towards a new minibus for Portland College leaners – after recycling their real Christmas trees.

For every 50 tonnes of Christmas trees sent for recycling throughout January, Veolia has donated £200 to Portland College. The specialist college, which is based in Mansfield and works with people with disabilities to develop their employability, independence and communication skills is Nottinghamshire County Council chairman Councillor Woodhead’s chosen charity for her year in office. Lea Hawkes, General Manager for Veolia says: “ This is a fantastic achievement and

Ravenshead Village Hall MONDAY Messy Play, Folk Dancing, Retro Step Aerobics, Fitness & Swing TUESDAY Pilates, Yoga, Mahjong, Fit Chair Based Exercise, Cribbage, Scrabble, Family History, Canasta

we would like to say a big thank you to all the ‘Tree-cyclers’ of Nottinghamshire for helping to raise funds for this worthwhile charity, while also helping the environment by recycling. This annual campaign has really captured people’s interest and I am pleased that residents have taken part.” Councillor Jim Creamer, chairman of the Council’s environment and sustainability committee said,

Each year, Nottinghamshire County Council’s waste contractor Veolia encourages people with real Christmas trees to take them along to their local recycling centre in January so that they can be shredded for composting rather than left to rot at the bottom of the garden.

Other News we are on Facebook – why not take a look and Like us. Search for for Rotary-Club-of-Ravenshead-Blidworth

“It’s good news that this initiative continues to help the environment and has raised money towards a new mini bus which will be of great benefit for students.” Damon Musgrove, Portland College’s fundraising manager. “This Tree-cycle campaign is fantastic; it has brought us a step closer to buying a much-needed, specially modified mini bus. With 400 learners on site, having this bus will open up many more opportunities, including learners being able to go on more leisure and educational visits, attend offsite training, work experience placements and getting to medical appointments more easily and comfortably.” To find out more about Veolia call 0203 567 4370 or visit www.veolia.co.uk/nottinghamshire.

WEDNESDAY Ladies Badminton, Theatre Group, Abbey Gates WI, Garden Group, Current Affairs, Photography THURSDAY Jo Jingles, Art Group, Badminton, Bridge, Zumba FRIDAY Licenced Bar Available in evenings Fun Chorus Choir, Knitting & Crochet Group, Beginners Tai Chi, Various Concerts etc. SATURDAY Licenced Bar Available in evenings A good day for Parties, Dances and all types of social gatherings SUNDAY A good day for Children’s Parties (Bouncy Castle Friendly) and all types of social gatherings For more information please call us on 01623 792148. Ravenshead Village Hall is a community Hall located in the centre of the Village. NG15 9BN is the nearest post code.


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Caring in our Community

31

Rotary Club of Sherwood Forest Continuing our excellent run of speakers, Dog Legislation Officer David Hikin, from Notts Police, came to talk to the group about the work they do in identifying dogs classed as “dangerous” and what happens to them when they are found. Many owners have no idea their pet is from a banned breed although, of course, there are some who choose not to know! The Rotarians took part in a guess-thebreed quiz after they had learned what characteristics to look for. A fascinating talk and interesting subject.

where regular ambulance and paramedic staff would be at risk, such as dealing with casualties at chemical incidents, patients stranded in a dangerous environment such as a tunnel, at a high level, or in a complicated road traffic collision. The selection process is most vigorous, carrying a 13-stone “injured” manikin, whilst wearing a 5-stone vest, climbing a high tower wearing the same, and negotiating their way down a dark narrow pipe, with obstacles in their way were some of the tasks they had to complete before qualifying for the team. Dave illustrated the talk with some excellent slides and was a very humorous and excellent guest.

President-elect Stella Herbert with Dave Hikin after the talk – no dogs were allowed! HART TEAM–Paramedic Andy Webster was our speaker at the end of January. He is one of the skilled EMAS ( East Midlands Ambulance Service) team members who work on the Hazardous Area Response Team, which in Notts is based at Mansfield. The HART Team respond to incidents

President Tim with paramedic and HART team member Andy Webster.

One event in the planning with the Rotary Club of Sherwood Forest is a sponsored Cycle ride, from Robin Hoods Bay to the home of Robin Hood, South Forest Leisure Centre, Edwinstowe. As you will see in future press releases, this will take part over the weekend of May 20th, and will be 200 miles cycled in 24 hours. The team includes police officer colleagues of two Rotarians, Laura Harmer and Dave Dennis, and others for whom the charity Cancer Research is close to their hearts and minds. The ride was launched at the Rotary Club of Sherwood Forest’s Charter Lunch on 29th January. A Just Giving Page has been set up for donations If you wish to follow their progress please ‘like’ the team on Facebook at Sherwood Forest Rotary Charity Bike Challenge 2017 And to donate – www.justgiving.com/ SherwoodForestRide2017 Up and coming speakers will include Sherwood Forest Crematorium, the Rotary Foundation, Worksop College, anyone is welcome, no pressure to join. However, as always, please consider joining Sherwood Forest Rotary and help people and charitable causes in Ollerton, Edwinstowe and surrounding communities, and support overseas humanitarian causes and disaster relief. Please email sherwoodforestrc@btinter net.com follow Rotary Club of Sherwood Forest on Facebook or visit www.rota ry1220.org/she Tim Wildgust, President.

New scheme offers young people in Notts a way into creative careers A new scheme is offering funding and specialist support for creative businesses in Nottinghamshire to take on their first apprentice. Ten supported apprenticeships are available through the Nottinghamshire County Council Creative Apprenticeships Scheme, which is being delivered in partnership with Futures, New College Nottingham and the Nottingham Craft Academy. Grants of up to £1,500 are available to businesses taking part, with additional specialist craft support included from Debbie Bryan of the Nottingham Craft Academy. Creative businesses eligible for the programme include any businesses that would describe themselves as creative, such as: Designer Makers Artists Creative organisations Creative retailers Galleries and museums

This new initiative targeted at creative industry sector follows the success of the County Council’s Say Yes to Apprenticeships project, which has helped fund more than 175 apprentices at businesses throughout the county since 2014. Councillor Diana Meale, chair of Economic Development at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “As we have already seen through our Say Yes To Apprenticeships scheme, apprentices can offer a wide range of benefits for small businesses, bringing enthusiasm, fresh ideas and increased productivity. “Creative and digital industries have been identified by D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership as priority sectors for the area and have a great deal of potential for growth. “Many of the creative industry companies in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire are part of the 85% of micro businesses in the area which would benefit enormously from the input of an apprentice but can sometimes lack the capacity and funding to

take one on. “We hope this project can help to plug that gap and at the same time, increase the breadth of specialist craft apprenticeship opportunities available for young people in Nottinghamshire.” Funding is only available to businesses which are based in the county of Nottinghamshire (excluding Nottingham City) and are looking to hire a young person from Nottinghamshire as an apprentice for the first time. Further information is available from the Nottingham Craft Academy. To register your interest, email make@ nottinghamcraftacademy.co.uk or call 0115 950 7776. Details are also available by visiting one of the drop-in surgeries at Debbie Bryan’s Shop in the Lace Market, Nottingham on: 8 March (4-5pm) 22 March (4-5pm) The deadline for making applications for grant funding is 5pm, Friday, 24 March 2017.


Sport

32 Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Rainworth Miners’ Welfare Football Club are on top form Following a thumping 4-0 triumph at Harrogate Railway Athletic during February, Rainworth MW Football Club are looking to carry that form into their March fixtures. That comprehensive victory in North Yorkshire ended a 14-match winless run, which had seen the Wrens plummet down the Northern Counties East League table to a position just above the relegation zone. It was all the more remarkable because the Rail had been one of the in-form teams in the division in the preceding weeks — they had gone into the match seeking their fifth win in a row. During that miserable run in the league, though, Rainworth had done well in cup competitions with four wins taking them into the semi-finals of the Notts Senior Cup and the quarter-finals of the League Cup. That Senior Cup tie was played just four days after the long trip north to Harrogate, when high-flying Northern Premier League club Basford United were the visitors to the Kirklington Road stadium. Sadly, despite outplaying their visitors in the first half the Wrens could not put the ball in the net, and two penalties conceded after half-time meant they missed out on a chance to play in the final. As this article was being prepared, Rainworth had two remaining fixtures during February, the short trip to neighbours AFC Mansfield on 18th, and the League Cup tie at home to Emley on 28th, with no game on Saturday 25th. But despite the chance of winning the League Cup beckoning, it’s league points that are now the priority for Julian Watts’ side. They have four fixtures currently sched-

uled during March, away to Staveley on 4th, home to Maltby on 11th, the seaside trip to Bridlington Town on 18th, and another long journey to the shadow of the Humber Bridge on 25th to play relegation-haunted Barton Town in a proverbial six-pointer after the scheduled game there on 11th February was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch. There may also be a League Cup semi-final to slot in should they succeed against Emley. As I wrote last month, the Wrens are crying out for greater support through the gates, and also more young blood to get involved behind the scenes. So we hope to see you there at the Wrens’ Nest in the coming weeks.

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