• Locally owned company
• Over 25 years of expertise in selling quality furniture
• One of the largest selection available in Cumbria
• 15 exclusive ranges of oak funiture including living, dining & bedroom
POT PLACE, STATION YARD, PLUMPTON, NR PENRITH CA11 9GT
7 DAYS A WEEK MON - SAT 10-5
At the time of completing this issue it’s just before midday on Good Friday. From just before 8am I was looking out across to the North Lakes Mountain tops, it was a frosty one and now we have a beautiful blue sky and I was listening to Pam and Steve on Eden FM, who else plays the Bay City Rollers?! Recently Eden FM has had a lot of positive feedback on its new playlists through the day, in the evenings and at the weekends. Its ‘Connecting our Community’ project is now getting out there more.
I’m quite excited about this edition; why? How often, if ever, do you get to write about events happening on your door step that only happen, for many of us, once in our life time. In chronological order, as a dyslexic writer, I love that word! I have shared my Penrith Lions experience on page 6; it got a lot busier in 2022 and is even busier now. Joseph’s first article on the history of Late Spring is a bit scary for the early days in the Role of the May Queen pages 6, 7 and 10. I am pleased to report that the tradition has change quite a lot since that time.
Of course, we have the Penrith Lions Club May Day Carnival returning and now less than a month away. It’s not just a Carnival, it’s the 40th Lions Carnival 1st May 2023! There’s more about this on pages 6, 16 and 17 and an opportunity to pre order you 48 page programme, filled with A LOT of history from 1981.
In that same week in May we have the local Parish elections, for me it is the Parish of Penrith, the
candidates are on page 26. A historical moment for the people of Penrith and Eden as it’s with no Eden District and Cumbria County Council in place since 1st April 2023. This issue of Eden Local is quite a contrast to May 2022. I wrote that edition before the Unitary authority elections and I stressed my concerns. It is still online to read via our website. I described this as a Titanic moment in time.
“The unitary council election set sail in late 90s. The Local Government Commission for England was the body responsible for reviewing the structure of local government in England from 1992 to 2002 and it was constituted under the Local Government Act 1992.”
With protests about some of the changes in the town Saturday 1st April 2023 and the realisation that Penrith is no longer in Cumberland I believe the penny finally dropped.
I didn’t release the article back then; I was a candidate so it was published after that May 2022 Unitary election. I’m not a candidate now of course so in case you missed it here is a small reminder. Sometimes you only get to say these things once!
“As I understand in July 2021 the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government announced that in April 2023, the non-metropolitan counties of Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Somerset would be reorganised into unitary authorities (Iceberg dead ahead). Did you get the memo, or see the social post? Did your local council alert you to this or was it presented that it had to be stopped by your local government representatives.”
“From the top tier of Government can it impact locally on Eden? Is someone popping down to lay a few bricks, install some electric charging points, sort out our parking problems and congestion in Penrith and are they going collect our garden waste in the rural areas? We have a Lib-Dem Coalition County Council and a Rainbow Eden District Council. Is it the
Government in No 10s responsibility to communicate to the voters in Eden about what the Unitary Council means and how it affects us in the future?“
“Through not knowing what the changes ahead are and disillusioned voters not knowing what they are voting for you could be witnessing a poor turnout in our Unitary authority elections before you get to read this. Let’s hope our local government authorities have communicated what we need to know, and they prepare us for what this means to us 1st April 2023. (The ships not turning fast enough we’re going hit!)”
“We will arrive at the end of that Rainbow, will there be a pot of gold for Penrith town to take on the current services managed by the Eden District Council, or will we find we’ve been led down the yellow brick road, with no red slippers. (to be continued…)”
I had to share that, everyone is entitled to a view. Is this the low point in my introduction? Will it be a vote of politics or a vote for the people Thursday 4th May? Our two local events in this busy May period are upstaged of course possibly by two people, yes they are people, at the end of the day, flesh and blood. Who on Saturday 6th May will achieve a dream which has almost taken a lifetime.
The Coronation of King Charles III & Queen Camilla is Saturday 6th May. There will be lots happening across Eden. I know over at Greystoke there will be Coronation celebrations that day which is sure to have some Kings and Queens in attendance. My thanks to Joseph again for local Royal History article pages 20, 21 and 23. Also on page 30 and 31 we have a huge Coronation Quiz.
I’m also putting together a Coronation programme as well as the May Day Carnival programme which you can pre order, and these details are on pages 16 and 17. There also details of local businesses selling them too.
Looking ahead by the time I start the June Eden Local that we print Monday 8th - May bank holiday the Eden FM new studio on the edge of Penrith should be ready for work experience students for the first time since 2019. If you know any year 10 or year 12 students looking for placements, please get them to drop Eden FM a line via its website. All those involved in the radio and local media experience are DBS certified.
Despite how good media is in finding bad news, I hope we have some positives for you in this edition. Look how far we have come since then in 2019. I look at my journals; I have one that I write in every day and there is a stack of them next to a stack of diaries in my office going back to the early nineties. It’s not the sort of thing you would have stored on your mobile phone, just like the stack of photo albums I have half a large bookcase full of CD’s, that help renew the Eden FM database of music.
By my desk, strange enough there is also a stack of 29, yes 29, May Day Lions programmes going back to 1981 and beside me is also a photograph album, on loan from Christine Romano. The first page is titled May Day 1981 and on the last page dated 4th May 2010 is a letter of gratitude for 30 years, from the Conservative Club for organising their regular Carnival Float. The final Honey bee Float pictures. Thank you for sharing these Christine.
Meanwhile, I have the magazine layout in front me also with just a view bits to finish. This piece I’m writing, means we’ll be off to print shortly.
I’ll be back out on your doorsteps soon, maybe delivering Eden Locals or selling you a Lions Carnival May Day programme!
Take care out there.
LeeMonday - Saturday: 5.30pm - 9.15pm
Sunday: 12.30pm - 8.30pm
Watch as our team of chefs transform ingredients into tempting dishes in the heart of the dining room. Bringing elements of the kitchen out in to the restaurant, enjoy the theatre and excitement as you wait. FYR Grill is open to everyone.
Friday 16th June, from 7.30pm
Dance the night away with a live performance tribute act, Beatles For Sale. Includes a delicious two course meal.
£49 per person
Friday 15th September, from 7.30pm
Dance the night away with a live performance tribute act, George Michael Live. Includes a delicious two course meal.
£42 per person
To book call the Events Team on 01768 868111 or email events@northlakeshotel.co.uk
Ullswater Road, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 8QT 01768 868111 | northlakeshotel.co.uk | danielthwaites.co.uk
Anybody visiting Penrith on the first Monday of May would have had a very good chance of seeing something that many people have always assumed locally would be there forever. To all intent and purposes the Penrith Lions Club May Day Carnival has been there since 1981. In 2001 it was moved to Sunday 5th August due to foot and mouth, more recently Covid closed everything down in 20202021. We then had her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Platinum Jubilee which was the main event in May 2022.
Just in case you didn’t know the Penrith Lions Club is back with its 40th May Day Carnival on the 1st May this year. Locally, it has become probably the biggest and longest running event in the town. Since March last year I’ve been collecting as many May Day programmes from the first to the last. Whilst I have managed to borrow 30 of these, my thanks to those who have come forward. I still need some more, my wish list is pages 16-17 why? Well these are now being scanned and reproduced as digital files a set of the originals belong in a museum possible just they have been printed. Long term the digital copies can be re-printed if needed.
So as we celebrate the 40th May Day Carnival and I have the honour and pleasure, as a volunteer of producing what I hope is a lasting memory banked and preserved for all to see for many years to come with a hard copy and digital copy on line. This is of course the May Day programme.
I suppose I treat every magazine publication I do as an individual project, but when everything stopped in 2019, the clock was ticking especially with events that needed to comeback as soon as they could. For an event that predominately is the first Monday in May that takes 12 months of planning, multiple groups, organisations, then there’s legislation and the multi-agency work and meeting, oh yes a lot of
meetings. Well, based on the small insight I had its a huge task, hundreds into thousands of hours. Even with that date almost cemented into everyone’s minds, based on me just writing this I hope it has re planted that seed of what the first May in Monday is for Penrith and the villages around it. As for the Lions experience, well, in short, I believe if we look after them, they’ll look after us. Over a dozen meetings later since March 2022 I still come away with more knowledge and understanding. This institution, this international charity that operates at a local level, needs to exist and it needs to continue. At a local level in simple terms, as a group they are all busy in the community and they work tirelessly on many projects and multiple events throughout the year, every year, to raise funds.
Whilst I haven’t been to the organisations official meetings, I have attended those specifically for the May Day Carnival and the sub committees and projects teams. It’s clearly been a well-oiled machine for many years but like any machine some of it needs looking after, a bit of TLC, a little bit of maintenance and sometimes new parts. Behind the Lions Men are their partners you don’t always see them but they are there doing their bit, which deserves more than medal at the very least a mention and recognition.
If you add up the years of dedication, the hours to organise and assist with events; well, it’s not hundreds of hours or thousands, I believe the Lions went passed a million hours of voluntary service a while ago. Many hands do make light work and it is a case of the more the merrier. I could talk about all the events, all the fund raising but now let’s get this Carnival back in town and get everyone there to show your support.
I’ll hopefully see a lot of you there.
over 55s
The perfect place to call home in Oxenholme.
Live independently in your own modern apartment, with onsite care for you or your loved one, if and when you need it.
Our Extra Care scheme has a range of spacious communal areas including a café/bistro and lounge. We also have a range of bungalows available for outright purchase.
Prices from £60,000 for a 25% share.*
Register your interest by calling 01539 678 288 or emailing info.castlesteadview@housing21.org.uk
Castlestead View, Burton Road
Oxenholme, Kendal LA9 7FY
housing21.org.uk
by Joseph Jackson
The celebration of spring in late April /early May is one of the world’s universal festivals. Every culture on earth both ancient and modern, mark the coming of spring and the rebirth of life that it brings.
The Celts celebrated Beltane on the 1st of May. This involved as always, lots of eating and drinking on the last evening of April and letting the house fires that had burned all winter, go out. Then at sun rise on the 1st of May tapers of flame would be lit from a sacred fire and taken back for the houses to light the new fires. The relighting of the fire and the returning sun was a symbol of rebirth. In Britain today, Mayday is celebrated all over the country with fairs, parades, dancing and food and drink. Some of you may remember, “Rose Fates and the May Queen” from times gone by. The origins of today’s celebrations have little to do with the Celtic festival.
The arrival of the Romans did not end the Celtic festivals but over the 367 years of Roman occupation, Beltane became diluted with the traditions not only of Rome but the many other cultures Rome brought into Britain.
Flora was the Roman Goddess of Spring; her festival was celebrated from the 28th of April until the 3rd of May and largely consisted of partying and a lot of lewd behaviour.
The most influential of the Roman festivals on
today’s May Day celebrations was the Rosalia Signorum (the Festival of the Standards.) This was a Roman military festival and originated in the early days of Rome when in October soldiers’ weapons were oiled and after a religious ceremony was carried out, they were put in to storage for the winter. The Rosalia Signorum was the celebration of spring and a ceremony was held to bring the weapons out of their winter rest.
By the time the Roman Empire reached its height, this festival had altered as in October it was no longer practical to put the weapons in storage as they were now a professional standing so wooden replicas were used instead.
At the end of April, the ‘return of the weapons’ was still celebrated and the Cohorts’ military standard (The Signium) was brought out and decorated with primroses. The soldiers would then parade through the local village or town with the standard which was then placed in the village centre and women and children would dance around the ‘Pole of the Signium’.
The pre-Christian Angles, Saxons and Jutes, who settled in Britain after the Romans, then brought with them their own gods (Woden, Thunor, and many others). They also celebrated the return of spring around the end of April and early May. Their festival was known as Eostre and was associated with the Goddess Ostara. The month of April was referred to as Ostarmanoth (Easter month) in ancient German (which today we know as English).
Continued on page 10
Painters rub turps onto the palette knife
Ready to reanimate old still life
Undergrads poison pigeons in the park
Bargees creosote the hull of their ark
To Eliza Doolittle comes the thrill
Of Spring creepin’ over ‘er windowsill
Last year’s leverets from hibernation
Box in testosterone altercation
In suburban Beds., Bucks. and Herts. survives
The ritual where the stay-at-home wives
Burn fingers, cut hands, snag tights, lose lashes
Pull muscles, slip discs, drop plates, break glasses
The life cycle calls for CrossFit routine Furniture shifting to rupture the spleen
The Mole this year has broken these habits
Scuttling past docile sleepy-eyed rabbits
Tormenting each one with “Onion-sauce!”
To meet Ratty down at the water course
In offices that have wintered unmanned Public spending must be swiftly replanned
Unspent funds clamour to be reapplied
From the daft schemes where no-one could decide
What to do or when or how to do it
Another case to file under “Blew It”
Protecting next year’s full allocation
The paradigm this year’s backwardation
So
On gender determination courses
To themselves they build a triumphal arch
We must beware these Ideas of March Rex di
March 15th 2023
We associate baby hares, baby chicks, and catkins with the celebration and it is easy to understand why as they also appear at this time of year. Easter is one of the movable festivals and the time it was held was calculated in accordance to the lunar calendar. In its pre-Christian form it was the same festival as what we now regard as May Day.
There are several origins for the May Pole, all of which are observed by different European cultures. The festival of the Rosalia Signorum is the earliest form of the ‘May Pole’, recorded in Britain.
Later the Saxons and the Norse all acquired the May pole tradition and its symbolism may be related to the practice of bringing a Yule (Christmas) tree into the home.
Their pole was seen as a symbol of Yggdrasil, the world tree, who they believed, its branches held up the sky.
The pole was basically just a thin tree trunk
stripped of its branches. It would often be decorated with garlands. The tradition of placing the pole in the same place each year such as a village green may be connected to the significance of the shadow that was cast from it each day at sun rise. This would mark the progress of the sun as the season changed into the Summer Solstice in June.
The use of ‘Eostre’ (Easter) in the Christian calendar was an expedient to adapt the newly converted northern Europeans to the new faith at that time, Christianity and allowing them to retain many but not all of their old traditions. When we look at Easter today other than the later additions of the resurrection of Christ, all of the traditions surrounding it are pre-Christian.
The May Queen dates back to the early preChristian roots of the festival. The Queen represents the practice of human sacrifice in Germanic traditions. The Queen would be chosen and treated literally as a Queen. She would be given fine clothes, jewellery, food and drink before being sacrificed to the gods. Due to modern health and safety guidelines this is no longer allowed!
During the protectorate of Oliver Cromwell, May Day like many other festivals, was banned. This ban continued until his death and was eventually restored in 1660. The Maypole has and continues to be seen as an anti-religious symbol by some churches.
The tradition of attaching ribbons to the pole for dancing are from the 19th Century rather than being an ancient tradition.
May Day remains less associated to a particular religion and is still a universal celebration of the return of Spring.
As someone who is currently knee-deep in a renovation project, I can confidently say that there are both pros and cons to taking on such a project versus buying a home that is ready to move into.
One major advantage of renovating a home is the ability to customise it to exactly how you want it. You have control over the design, layout, and finishes, which can result in a truly unique and personalised living space.
Additionally, a renovation project can often be more cost-effective than purchasing a move-in ready home, especially if you are
willing to put in some hard work.
However, as with everything, there are also significant downsides to a renovation project. It can be incredibly time-consuming and stressful, particularly if you are doing much of the work yourself.
Delays and unexpected issues can also arise, driving up costs and prolonging the project timeline. In addition, it can be difficult to accurately estimate the true cost of a renovation, which can lead to financial strain and unexpected expenses.
Ultimately, whether a
renovation project or a movein ready home is the right choice depends on your individual needs, preferences, and circumstances. It’s important to carefully weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.
This month it’s a look at the brightest planet that we can see in our night sky. Venus is the second planet from the Sun and is the nearest planet to Earth. It is often referred to as our twin as it is similar in size and mass and like us is a terrestrial (rocky) planet. However that is where similarities end as Venus is an inhospitable, hostile place. It is covered in thousands of volcanoes and its toxic atmosphere would not sustain life as we understand it.
Equivalent size (if Earth was the size of a cherry tomato!): Grape
Equator circumference: 38,025 km (23,628 miles)
Radius/Diameter: 6,052 km /12,104 km (3,760.5 miles/7,521 miles)
Distance from the Sun: 108, 000,000 km (67,108,089 miles)
Day Length: 243 Earth days
Year Length: 225 Earth days
Temperature: 462° C
Made of: Venus has a solid, rocky surface with mountains, valleys, plains and plateaus. It has an iron core which it is thought is largely solid due to a weak magnetic field. The surface of Venus appears to consist of fine grains of basalt (volcanic rock).
Features: Venus is the hottest planet in the solar system with surface temperatures hot enough to melt lead. Although not as close to the sun as Mercury, Venus’ temperature is higher due to its dense atmosphere which stops the Sun’s heat escaping causing an extreme greenhouse effect. The planet has an almost constant temperature whether at the poles or at the equator. It is thought that Venus may have been covered in a shallow ocean for about 2 billion years. The heat from the sun slowly evaporated this causing carbon dioxide to increase in the atmosphere resulting in its current composition of CO₂ and small quantities of nitrogen.
The planet is permanently encased in an 80 km (50 mile) deep layer of yellow clouds made mostly of sulphuric acid and sulphur dioxide (so will smell of rotten eggs!) The atmosphere is also immensely dense with pressures on the surface equivalent to that of being 1km (½ mile) below the surface of earth’s oceans. Mix this with the extreme temperature and hurricane force winds blowing at around 350km/217 mph it is a planet very different from our own.
Another unusual feature of Venus is that it has the longest day of any planet in our solar system. It spins very, very slowly with a full rotation on its axis taking 243 Earth days. However only takes 225 days to orbit the sun making a day on Venus longer than a year! Venus also spins clockwise (most planets spin anticlockwise) so on Venus the sun rises in the west and sets in the east! Like Mercury it has no seasons due to its shallow axis tilt. It has no moons or rings.
Mythology: Along with four other planets, Venus is visible to the naked eye. It is the second brightest celestial object that we can see; only our moon is brighter. It is the only ‘female’ planet; named after the Roman Goddess of love and beauty. It is not clear when it was first discovered but it is referred to as’ the most beautiful star in the sky’ by Homer who lived in the 8th Century BC, and is referenced in many cultures, ancient and modern for thousands of years. It is also known as the Morning Star or Evening Star depending on the time of year and its passage through the sky.
There have been many missions to explore Venus by NASA and other space agencies. The earliest was in 1962 and currently JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) has a probe gathering data from Venus’ atmosphere.
Join me again next month for another look at our solar system and the next planet…
By Pam WaggottReferences: www.nhm.ac.uk • www.funkidslive.com www.solarsystem.nasa.gov
Welcome back to regular readers and a very warm Spring welcome to any new readers this month!
I’ve decided to, once again focus this month’s article on the subject of Banter – something that can be great for morale if it is appropriate and a friendly exchange of remarks. Sometimes, though it isn’t appropriate. Remarks are made that are not acceptable to others and it can cross the line.
Employment tribunal claims relating to Banter have continued to rise over the last few years, and my clients continue to ask me to carry out training with their managers on bullying and harassment type issues, including the use of Banter, so I thought I’d share some of my thoughts and advice with you again. I hope it’s useful.
Good Banter is likely to:
Be fun for both parties
Reflect the personality of the individuals involved
Be between parties that know each other (familiarity is important)
Not be personal
Bad Banter should be avoided, and could:
Be in a group setting where comments or remarks could offend one or more people
Be humiliating for an individual or individuals
Include cruel nicknames
Include teasing or ribbing remarks
Include pranks
Include one-sided comments or remarks
Be when remarks are made, and the parties do not know each other well enough for the remarks to be acceptable
The law relating to harassment is set out in the Equality Act (2010). It states that harassment is unwanted conduct relating to one of nine
protected characteristics (age, sex, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and sexual orientation) which has the purpose or effect of either violating an employee’s dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for them.
The problem is that Banter can fall within this definition if it is unwanted, regardless of whether the person has told someone it isn’t acceptable to them, or whether they have accepted it before.
Employers and employees may be held liable for harassment, so employers are advised to:
Put in place a robust and well-communicated policy and guidance that clearly sets out the organisation’s commitment to promoting dignity and respect
Make sure any policies or guidance are promoted and properly implemented, so that everyone understands what is and isn’t appropriate
Provide training for all employees from the start of their employment and refresh this at regular intervals – annually is advisable
Ensure employees know what to do and who to contact should they have any concerns
Take action as soon as you can if an issue is detected – don’t bury your head in the sand!
Should you need any advice on Banter or any other employment matter, Quinn HR is only a call or an email away! We can advise on a whole range of employment matters and have access to additional, professional HR and Legal expertise should it be needed.
The following are typically some of the areas we support businesses with:
Employee relations – disciplinaries, grievances, whistleblowing, bullying and harassment
Attendance issues – sickness related and other
Performance issues – appraisals, managing poor performance and capability
Staff Handbooks – policies, procedures, standards and rules
Employment contracts – terms and conditions/particulars of employment
Employment Law updates
Recruitment and selection – recruitment processes, forms and job descriptions
Pay and benefits – pay structures and job evaluation
Reorganisation and redundancy
Let us help and reassure you on an ad hoc basis at an agreed hourly rate, or on a retained basis for a small, fixed monthly fee.
Maybe it is, but as I sign off the May Eden Local, within 48 hours I’ll be signing off my first attempt at a May Day programme for the Penrith Lions 40th May Day Carnival. Every May Day has had a programme but have you ever thought how much history is held in the 39 programmes that have been produced?
I’m not going to go through every single programme, because firstly, I haven’t got the space and secondly in my possession I’ve only got 30 of the 39 produced. However, all being well, people reading this might have one of those missing numbers. My Penrith Lions Club Carnival programme wish is at the end of this article.
We’ll start at the very beginning, a very good place to start, and it’s 1981. With just 4 pages, black ink on yellow paper priced at 20p, it included a lucky draw number; yes, every programme was individually numbered. The first prize that year was a Quart of Whisky! Just seven advertisers, one of these advertisers still advertises now. That’s a question and an answer you’ll find in the 40th Mayday Programme quiz. You can pre order nowdetails are at the bottom of the page with a list of sellers.
Back to the 1981 programme, the telephone numbers then had just five digits. What is now the Eden Local number appears as 62394 in the 1983 programme. I haven’t got a 1982 programme, have you?
Back to 1981, the schedule for the day included a coal carrying race, a lady’s pancake race and there was of course, the grand parade of floats, bands and fancy dress. A junior race took place, to the top of Fell Lane and back. The senior race was via Carleton, Roundthorn, the Beacon Summit and finished in Devonshire Street. Also listed was the Grand Gurning Competition, judged by the Gurning Champion, Tony Nicholson.
The event that caught my eye, however, is the following extract from the programme…
I’m guessing, hoping mainly that Tuesday 5th had to be in the school holidays. There was no May Queen and without the 1982 programme we have gap. So, on to 1983, Penrith Lions’ President, then Stan Calver, was ready for the weather…
That May Day, the stalls and competitions were running from 10am to 5pm. But it also had evening activities, so it didn’t stop at 5pm!
So, now you know why I’m interested in this A5 pamphlet of history which doubled in size to 8 pages in 1983.
Possibly health and safety also kicked in as the Coal became the limited Coal; complete the course and keep the bag, and it was out the door by 1984. The Wheelbarrow and Beer I think also disappeared, but the star of the Carnival was the first May Queen, aged 13, Amanda Hesser from Ullswater High School. And so it began.
The Carnivals were getting bigger. Sundays before the Bank Holiday Monday, included the Childrens’ sports day on the Foundry field and treasure hunts in the town, and inserted into the programme with the Events – at the time inserted to make it 10 pages, was details of concerts on the Friday before the weekend at the end of the 80s, with interesting choices of ink.
From the 90’s, everything was black and white for the programme, and it followed the same format. The prices soared in the early 90s from 20p to 25p and by 1999 it was 30p. The key pages generally remained; the Lions’ President’s opening, the May Queen presented with a photo, a ‘Who are the Lions?’ page and an important programme of events page. The Carnival was well established so why change?
As the Millennium dawned, 1st May 2000, the President, Malcolm Temple of the Lions’ Club Penrith 1999/2000 commemorated 25 years of ‘Lionism’ in Penrith. 2001 was a different story. It was all change as Foot and Mouth meant no May
Day Carnival. However, on Sunday 5th August 2001, the Lions were back! From 2002 it was doing what they did best. In 2017 the Carnival moved to another levela full colour programme celebrating the Lions Clubs around the world’s centenary, so the momentum of the event was great sailing through to 2019.
The rest you know, but 2023 is here and the programmes are on sale across the town now!
WISH LIST
1974 - 2023
Do you have any of the following May Day Carnival Programmes?
Years required are 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996,1998, 2011, 2012, 2015
Do you have any May Day Carnival photos or Photos of other Penrith Lions Club events?
We need to borrow these so they can be copied and re created for future projects and our archives.
Thank you
Please email lee@edenfm.co.uk
Call 01768 862394
You can purchase your Penrith Lions Club 40th May Day Carnival programme at the following outlets
Penrith Building Society, 7 King Street, Penrith
Cowpers Chemist, 49 – 50 King Street, Penrith
Hospice at Home 3 Little Dockray, Penrith
Clarke’s Fusions 10 Little Dockray, Penrith
Arragons Cycles 2 Brunswick Road, Penrith
Richardson & Son, Timber Merchants, 10 Roper Street, Penrith
Style-Line Hair & Beauty, 26 Middlegate, Penrith
Finesse Jewellery & Bridal 40 Middlegate, Penrith
Penrith Tourism Information Centre, Middlegate, Penrith
The Pot Place, Plumpton, Penrith
Promoting
Carnival
the
To Pre order your Penrith Lions programme now email lee@edenfm.co.uk Eden107.5
in Penrith in Penrith
Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT) and Penrith Town Council are working with Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) to bring the Solar Made Easy project to our area.
To find out more, come along to:
Property owners in and around Penrith are invited to get involved in the Solar Made Easy project, which can help you install solar panels on your roof.
This initiative is led by Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS) and has been brought to Penrith by your local environmental group, Penrith Action for Community Transition (PACT) and Penrith Town Council.
CAfS can help you decide whether solar panels are right for your home or business. If so, they will introduce you to two local vetted installers, who will provide you with quotes.
PACT and the town council are hosting a meeting about the project on Monday 22nd May 2023, 7-9pm, in Beaconside School, Hutton Hill, CA11 8EN. There you can meet CAfS, who will explain how the project works, hear from local residents who already have solar panels, and fire your solar questions at the installers.
To find out more about the project, please visit: www.cafs.org.uk/solar-made-easy.
You may also want to check out the potential for solar PV on your roof, via the interactive solar PV map of Penrith, and have a read through the solar PV FAQs – you can find the links to both on the CAfS webpage.
01768 899 773
Penrith and Eden are no strangers to royal visits, many of which were welcome while some others not so much! With the Coronation of King Charles III, we will take the opportunity to look back at royal persons who visited Penrith and the area.
The first fleeting visit in recorded history was that of the Emperor Hadrian, as he travelled to and from the Roman frontier in AD 120. Obviously, Penrith as we understand it did not exist at that time with the population being centred around Brocavum. But as the Roman road passes through the area now occupied by the town, we will add him to the list. The same can be applied to the Emperor Marcus Aurelius who toured the frontier some 40 years after Hadrian.
The Roman Road established over the slopes of Penrith is one of the main contributing
factors to the establishment of the town sometime between AD 815 – 830.
In AD 634 King Oswald of Northumbria arrived in Eden the few early Anglo-Saxon place names in the region can be dated to his annexation of Cumbria. Oswald had taken the city of Luguvallium (Carlisle) and renamed it Luel. He then travelled south arriving at Brocavum and the site was renamed Brougham, Northumbrian Anglish, meaning Fort with a Village.
The first official royal visit came in AD 927 with the great
gathering at Brougham to sign the Treaty of Eamont. Present were King Athelstan of Wessex & Mercia, King Constantine of Scotland, Owien King of Cumbria-Strathclyde, Uhtred of Bebbanburh, as well as several lesser sub-kings and nobles. The Treaty was signed at Maybrough Henge, creating the new Kingdom of England after which they gathered at the early church of St Andrews to give thanks.
It is possible that Athelstan returned to Penrith and Brougham on his way back from Scotland after the outbreak of war with Constantine, Strathclyde and the Norse of Dublin and Westmorland as they all allied with Scotland against Athelstan. This led to the Battle of Brunnanburh in 937; one of the greatest battles ever fought in Britain. Its location has been debated but new evidence is now placing Brougham as the likely location.
The next notable royal visit to the area was in 1091 and the arrival of the Normans under King William II. From 1018 to 1091 the River Eamont had been the border between England and Scotland making Penrith the first town in Scotland. William II pushed the border
north to its current location and sparked off 500 years of border wars in doing so.
Whether any of these royal personages other than the gathering of kings in 927 actually stayed in area is not recorded but considering the travel distances on horse during those times it is very likely long they at least rested here before moving on.
The first royal known to have stayed in the area was Edward I who on his invasions of Scotland marched his armies past Penrith. He stayed at Brougham Castle in July 1300 which considering the size of the king’s retinue would have cost Lord Robert Clifford a fortune in both money and resources.
The next on the list was not a king at the time but should still be mentioned as after his time in Penrith, he would become one of England’s most notorious monarchs. Penrith Castle had belonged to the Neville family but after the defeat of the Earl of Warwick at the Battle of Barnet, the Nevilles Northern estates were given to King Edward IV younger brother Richard Duke of Gloucester. In 1471 Richard was made sheriff of Penrith, Hutton, and Middleham and commander of the northern army on the border. Richard based himself in Penrith at what is now the Gloucester Arms he was well thought of by the local people and an able commander. Later as King Richard III would fight his last battle at Bosworth where he had enlisted the help of the soldiers and archers he had commanded in Cumbria.
During the 15th and 16th
centuries the borderlands of Cumbria became increasingly lawless. Penrith was situated on the far southern reaches of this reiver activity and thus escaped the worst of it. During this time Penrith became the major market in the area due to its safer distance from the border compared to that of Carlisle. This importance as the centre for trade especially that of livestock continued well into the 20th century.
During this time monarchs had little to do with the area that is at least in a positive way.
When Mary Queen of Scots fled from Scotland and landed at Workington, she was taken to Carlisle in May 1568 before she was moved to Bolton Castle, she was then hosted at Lowther Hall by Sir Richard Lowther. A letter from Queen Mary still exists thanking Sir Richard for his kindness and hospitality which did not do him any favours in the eyes of Elizabeth I.
When Elizabeth I died in 1603, Queen Mary’s son James Stuart
VI of Scotland became James I of England. On his way south to London for his coronation he passed through Penrith and stayed at Brougham Castle. England and Scotland were still separate hostile kingdoms so for the people of Penrith having the new Scottish king pass through as their liege lord must have been a strange experience. The Stuarts were perhaps one of the most disastrous royal dynasties of English history. James II was deposed from the throne by his daughter Mary and her husband William of Orange and they were succeeded by Queen Anne who died without any surviving children and was the last of the Stuart monarchs. James II remained in exile with his son James (the Old Pretender). The English throne had passed by act of parliament to George of Hanover who was also a descendant of James I.
At first the Hanoverians were not overly popular with the English but at least more
popular than the Stuarts had been. The Jacobites (supporters of James II), raised in rebellion under James’ son (the Old pretender) in 1715 and under his grandson Charles (Bonnie Prince Charlie) both of their armies stayed in Penrith trying to raise local support which was not forthcoming the town remaining steadfastly loyalty to the English crown but treated Charles Stuart with courtesy. In 1746 after the 45’ rebellion for their loyalty William Duke of Cumberland gifted ornate chandeliers to St Andrews Church and can still be seen in the church. From that time the town’s main hotel was the George Hotel named after King George II.
Up to this point Penrith’s royal connections have not been particularly peaceful ones but with the end of the Jacobite era caused England and Scotland to enter a time of relative stability. With the arrival of the railway in the 1840’s royal visits became something of a fleeting affair as they now sped past the town towards Carlisle. Since the end of the border conflicts in the 17th century, Carlisle had superseded Penrith as the main centre for trade and commerce although Penrith remained a healthy market town.
The Monarchs and family of the House of Windsor are no strangers to Penrith and Eden with King Charles III during his time as Prince of Wales visiting the town and area on many occasions. During sad civil war in the time of Charles I, Penrith remained steadfastly loyal to the king. Today during the visits by Charles Prince of Wales, Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the family that loyalty is still very evident.
On the sixth of June nineteen fifty three Happened Bess the Second’s coronation
This year it is the turn of Charlie Three
To be lion rampant of the nation
Postage stamps and coins will carry his head
To remind us all of upcoming change
The family tree his secateurs dread Some ermine robes will succumb to the mange
For Bess the Derby was lost to Pinza
Thirty three to one Crystal Mariner
Could put the hex on the House of Windsor
But whisper not – his colour is ginger
I suppose the bankrupt chefs and bakers
Will be jousting with royal recipes
While long forgotten silver screen fakers
Grab airtime for boot lickin’ homilies
Over centuries five we've had three kings
Whose nomenclature was Carolean
These Charlies may have had multiple flings
With partners not exactly plebeian
One lost his head to Oliver Cromwell
The Second to the thespian Nell Gwyn
We.ve still got the Third – he's alive and well May 8th he gives us an extra lie in
As the bells ring out in jubilation
To herald divides throughout the nation
While fingers point in stern condemnation
Street parties crumble in consternation
When each bossy organising matron
Who in her zealous determination
To ensure the residents' elation
Forgot the VIP invitation
Grateful for this early coronation
In the aftermath of the Jubilee
The King vaguely nods his approbation
As recycled bunting and flags come free
But Occasions are often marred somehow
At weddings and funerals all can see The storm a-brewin’, the family row
“ That's NOT fair! It's MY turn to plant a tree!! “
by Lee Quinn
I’ve been working with William for many years, and as I was working my way through my customers, to get feedback from their clients, I found myself taking to Mrs R who lives in Penrith.
As a business, UEP doesn’t have a set target audience. It covers domestic and some commercial businesses, and on this occasion the property was one in the Letting industry. Mrs R happened to spot William’s van, and then shortly afterwards, she saw the advert in the Eden Local!
So, we start at the beginning, which started with that first call. There was an instant reply, followed by a visit, a quote and a date. With at least 30 years’ experience in dealing with maintenance, general and cosmetic repairs associated with Lettings, Mrs R was impressed.
William’s skills but generally included some restoration, and the painting of external windows and doors. He turned up when he said he would, there were no adjustments to price, and he finished on time.
That simple question I always ask - would you recommended Ultimate Exterior Protection? “I already have!” was Mrs R’s reply, and they were in the same street.
I do like to talk to my customers regularly, and in our last chat over a coffee, William told me about a commercial job he had out of. He turned up as specified, with the right colours on arrival. A neighbour said to him, “that’s not the same colour!” but it was.
How did the work go? It included a range of
GUTTERS CLEANED, REPAIRED & REPLACED ALL EXTERIOR PROPERTY CARE 01768
Mrs J, did mention when it came to matching the colours that William is right on the mark!
May is a great time to plant as the soil has warmed up and is workable so here are eight of my top picks for perennials through the seasons. A perennial is a plant that will generally die back in autumn but come back again next year. Some are evergreen/semi evergreen and retain their leaves in winter. These are all wonderful for their flowers and interest at different times of the year, also giving something for wildlife.
Achillea (Yarrow)
Hardy and robust with elegant fronds of leaves and lovely flat topped flowers. Long flowering from June through summer to autumn, they come in a range of colours from pinks to bright yellow to rusty terracotta.
The sword-shaped green leaves provide structure and interest before the flowers appear in June. I love the exotic boldness of the colours - bright scarlet, orange or yellow.
Asters (many renamed as Symphyotrichum) (Michaelmas daisies)
Daisy-like flowers including some remarkable deep purple and blue hues, these are a super plant for late-season autumn flowering.
Anemone x hybrida (Japanese anemone)
Another one for autumn flowering, ‘Honorine
Jobert’ has white flowers and as it tolerates some shade the white will brighten a shady corner.
Aquilegia (Granny’s bonnet)
With a choice of colours and different heights, the nodding spring flowers range from gentle pinks to purples and even yellow. They will selfseed so watch out!
Bergenia (Elephant’s ears)
Underrated I think, as the glossy leaves are evergreen and the splashes of spring colour in pinks and whites are a welcome early sight after the winter months. Choose ones with leaves that colour in winter for extra appeal.
Hellebore (Christmas rose/ Lenten rose)
Fabulous for winter or spring flowers when little else is in bloom and another with evergreen leaves, these also tolerate shade.
Phlomis russeliana (Turkish sage)
Amazing statuesque yellow flowers in whorls around the central stem; I leave the seed heads to draw attention in winter too.
Now’s the time to spruce up the borders, maybe divide some of your existing plants and make space for a few new ones!
© 2023 Karen Roberts Garden Design
Hospice at Home are very excited to launch their flagship event for 2023, supported by Lakeland Mountain Guides.
We invite you to take part in our 10km ‘Summit at Sunset’ and experience an evening walk up Blencathra. Standing at 868m above sea level and also known as Saddleback due to the shape of the mountain, this is one of the finest and most iconic mountains in the Northern Lake District.
The ascent on Friday 18th August will be via Doddick Fell, and walkers will set off late afternoon. Once supporters reach the summit, the most fabulous views will be seen
horizon, walkers will be guided down, descending via Blease Fell.
This 10km route will not only be the most wonderful experience, but whilst conquering this route participants will be in the knowledge that they are helping local patients receive hospice care in the home, with support also provided for their loved ones.
Registration for this event will be £39 per person and supporters are asked to raise £75 each in sponsorship. Full support will be provided by Lakeland Mountain Guides to ensure your safety on the fells, and participants will also receive fundraising support, branded merchandise, snack and
The Candidates for the Penrith Town Council elections have been declared by Westmorland and Furness Council.
Three of the six wards will see elections taking place on the 4th of May 2023.
The wards of Penrith North with 4 seats has 6 candidates nominated.
Penrith South with 2 seats has 3 candidates nominated.
Penrith West with 3 seats has 4 candidates nominated.
Penrith East, Penrith Pategill and Penrith Carleton wards will not have elections as the number of candidates is equal or less than the seats with Penrith east having 1 vacant seat as only 2 candidates came forward for the ward.
The full list of candidates for all wards is as follows.
Penrith North – 4 seats
BALDERSTONE, William Conservative Party
DONALD, Paul Labour Party
JACKSON, Scott Michael
JAYSON, Daniel Marcus Liberal Democrats
KENYON, Ronald
NORMINGTON, Dale Conservative Party
Penrith South – 2 Seats
BURGIN, Roger Liberal Democrats
CLARK, Margaret
SMITH, Danny Labour Party
Penrith West – 3 Seats
JAYSON, Barbara Liberal Democrats
KNAGGS, Dave Labour Party
SNELL, Hilary Labour Party
THOMSON, Jeff Independent
Penrith East – 3 Seats
RUDHALL, Mark Brian Liberal Democrats
SHEPHERD, Charlie Liberal Democrats
Penrith Carleton – 2 Seats
HOLDEN, Deborah Mary Liberal Democrats
LAWSON, Douglas Ian Green Party
Penrith Pategill – 1 Seat
BOWEN, Valerie Ann Liberal Democrats
In the wards with elections taking place voters will require for the first time approved ID in order to vote at polling stations on the 4th of May.
Of the 15 seats on the Penrith Town Council 5 councillors will take up office without an election and 9 seats will face an election with 1 seat remaining vacant
In terms of dazzling colours, there is no other British bird to match the kingfisher. It is our sole resident representative of the Coraciiforme order, which also includes Europe’s most wildly exotic colourful birds – and occasional visitors to the UK: the bee-eaters and rollers.
The kingfisher is unmistakable, with its glistening plumage blue-green above and rich coppery orange below. It is most often seen as an azure dart, shooting low across a waterway at speed. By the time you point it out to any companions, it may well have disappeared from sight.
If you are lucky enough to see one perched on a low branch by the water’s edge, you could well be treated to a great wildlife experience. The kingfisher will sit patiently, looking into the water for prey, usually with its bill pointed downwards. At the right moment, it will dive at great speed, splash into the water to catch a small fish, then return to its perch.
Sometimes it will hover just
above the surface of the water before diving for prey. This behaviour is the norm for other members of the family – such as the pied kingfisher, a dapper monochrome family member found in Africa and Asia – but remains an occasional treat from our resident bird.
There are numerous threats to the survival of kingfishers. As with many other wild species, human disturbance, cats and rats frequently cause deaths. Pollution of waterways is of course harmful, and as kingfishers nest in holes in the riverbank, summer flooding can be devastating, wiping out entire populations.
The best places to look for kingfishers in Cumbria are really anywhere with clean water that
is still or slow-moving. Aquatic parts of nature reserves are of course good spots for them, but this is not a species that requires wilderness – they are often seen in sites that are decidedly less wild, such as Workington harbour and by the River Kent in the centre of Kendal. If you have a big enough garden pond, you might even be lucky and have them pay you a home visit.
Chris ScaifeMale kingfishers have an entirely black bill, females have an orangey-red patch at the base.
There are about 90 species of kingfisher around the world, most of which have brightly coloured plumage. The Australian kingfisher - the familiar, ‘laughing’ Kookaburra - is the heaviest of all the kingfisher species.
Kingfishers eat mainly fish, in particular minnows and sticklebacks, but also aquatic insects, freshwater shrimps and tadpoles.
They close their eyes as they dive into the water, so they are fishing blind! They bob their heads before diving to accurately judge the depth of the fish.
Find out how you can help support Cumbria’s wildlife at www.cumbriawildlifetrust. org.uk
©Joshua Copping © Chris Scaife © Thinesh Thirugnanasampanthar ©Tommy Holden
Cumbria Wildlife Trust welcomes back two breeding ospreys to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve
A pair of breeding ospreys has returned to Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve, raising hopes that this will be the landmark 10th year running for osprey chicks at this stunning wetland nature reserve near Witherslack. The pair first nested at Foulshaw Moss in 2013 and a year later raised their first chicks here.
The male White YW arrived on Monday 27 March but on his own. Over the coming days, two unfamiliar female ospreys arrived on the nest but neither stayed long. There were some nail-biting days to follow for osprey watchers, who were wondering where the female was and whether a rival would usurp the place of his long-term mate, Blue 35. Finally, much to everyone’s relief, Blue 35 arrived on Friday 31 March.
Paul Waterhouse, Reserves Officer for Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “This is always an incredibly exciting time of year, when after weeks of anticipation, the pair of ospreys
return to Foulshaw Moss. We can predict their arrival to within a few days, even though it follows a 4,000-mile-long migration. They often return to their familiar breeding grounds within hours or days of each other - always an awe-inspiring achievement! This year we had a few nerve-wracking days till Blue 35 came, but thankfully she’s here now!”
“We hope that this will be a landmark year for the pair. If they breed successfully, as we hope they will, it will be the 10th consecutive year that they’ve raised chicks at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve – a total of 24
of them so far! Two years ago we reached another milestone, when the 100th chick in Cumbria (a Foulshaw chick) was ringed, since 2001. These amazing birds of prey had been wiped out in the early 1900s by persecution, but since then, thanks to brilliant conservation efforts, their population has slowly grown. It’s fantastic to see the year-on-year breeding success of the Foulshaw pair playing a key part in this recovery.”
To view the ospreys close up, watch the 24-hour live streaming osprey cam, with sound, at www.
cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey-cam. Paul said: “You’ll be able to study their behaviour all through the breeding season. A highlight will be when we see how many eggs there are (hopefully in April) and start wondering when they’ll hatch. We encourage everyone to follow all these milestones with us on the webcam - and to tell us about what they see on social media too!”
Visitors are welcome at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve, which is open daily and located near Witherslack, off the A590. Staff will be on hand throughout the season to ensure you get the most out of your visit, including helping you use telescopes to see the osprey nest from one of the viewing platforms.
Ospreys Blue 35 and White YW started nesting at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve in 2014, following major habitat restoration by Cumbria Wildlife Trust. This large-scale conservation success story saw a 900-acre site, previously drained and used for commercial forestry and farming, being transformed back into a healthy wetland, teeming with wildlife.
The nature reserve is now home not only to
migrating ospreys, but other birds of prey including peregrine and marsh harrier. In the summer months, it’s alive with dragonflies and butterflies, wetland-loving plants such as Sphagnum moss and bog rosemary, and adders and lizards can be seen basking in the sun.
Cumbria Wildlife Trust is offering special half-day Wildlife Experiences at Foulshaw Moss Nature Reserve throughout spring and summer, to showcase the wealth of wildlife found there. You’ll have exclusive access to parts of the nature reserve not normally open to the public. For more details and to book, go to https://www. cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-experiences/ secret-side-Foulshaw
We hope you enjoy watching this family of ospreys through the webcam for the whole season. It costs Cumbria Wildlife Trust around £12,000 to get and keep the osprey web cam running for the season. If you can, please donate to help with the costs to keep this broadcasting for you at https://www. cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk/osprey-cam
Use #FoulshawOspreys to join the osprey conversation on social.
JSV Roofing carry out competitively-priced roofing services throughout the Cumbria area including:
• New roofs
• Roof and chimney repairs
• Flat roofing
• Maintenance-free gutter & fascia installations
With 20 years’ experience, we work to the highest standards using only quality materials and all our work is covered by a 10-year guarantee.
Competitively-priced, quality roofing services in Penrith and across the Eden Valley and the North Lakes.
CALL 01768 838019 NOW for your free, no-obligation quote!
www.jsvroofing.co.uk/penrith
9. In Season 5 of the Netflix drama series The Crown, which actor portrayed the mature Prince Charles?
A Greg Wise
B Dominic West
C Matt Baker
10. In 1969, where was Prince Charles invested as Prince of Wales?
A Cardiff Castle
B Conwy Castle
C Caernarfon Castle
1. King Charles was the first member of the Royal Family to gain a university degree. Where did he attend?
A Cambridge
B Oxford
C Edinburgh
2. In which building was King Charles born in 1948?
A Balmoral Castle
B Buckingham Palace
C Windsor Castle
3. In 1976, Prince Charles began 10 months of active service in which arm of the military?
A The RAF
B The Royal Navy
C Royal Marines
4. As well as being the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles was duke of which English county?
A Kent
B Gloucester
C Cornwall
5. What piece of music has become synoymous with coronations since it was written by Handel for King George II’s coronation?
A Für Elise
B Nessun Dorma
C Zadok the Priest
6. Organic foods are marketed by King Charles under which brand?
A Duchy Originals
B Cornwall Originals
C Windsor Originals
7. King Charles was the first grandchild of which king?
A George VI
B George V
C King Edward VIII
8. In 1966, Prince Charles attended school for seven months in which Australian city?
A Sydney
B Geelong
C Melbourne
11. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles were married in a civil ceremony, at Windsor Guildhall, in which year?
A 2001
B 2005
C 2011
12. What was the signature dish created for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II?
A Coronation Chicken
B Coronation Curry
C Coronation Cake
13. A species of which animal was named after Prince Charles?
A Frog
B Carp
C Pigeon
14. At 73, King Charles became the oldest person to accede to the British throne. Who held this record before him?
A King Edward VII
B King George IV
C King William IV
How much do you know about our new monarch?
Can you unscramble the letters to find out ten current royal
Five questions about the King’s official London residence
1. Buckingham Palace became the London residence of the British monarch on the accession of which ruler?
2. How many Royal and guest bedrooms are there in Buckingham Palace?
3. Which architect designed the Royal Mews, where the royal carriages, including the Gold State Coach, are housed?
4. In 1761, King George III acquired what was then Buckingham House as a private residence for whom?
5. During World War II, a German bomb destroyed which part of the palace that was rebuilt as the Queen’s Gallery?
