#Herts August 2018

# HERTS Su m m er 's h er e:

August 2018

Wh at t o see an d w h er e t o go

M y #Her t s:

Pict u rNew e percolu f ect m n: t h e Lor d Beau t w if ituhl im ages Lieu t en an t

of #Her t s

2

What's on in

#Herts

GOING UNDERGROUND We look at Royst on Cave

FOOD IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS We go Al Fr esco f or a su m m er t im e t r eat

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Nat u r e by t h e r iver

WHAT'S ON IN #HERTS Cat ch u p w it h Ocean Colou r Scen e at Kn ebw or t h

SUPPORT CLAIRE AUSTIN Headsh ave f or ch ar it y

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FOOD AND DRINK

Celebrating the best of summer Al Fresco style A unique pop-up rural outdoor dining experience has been developed.

what he has picked and why. There is long wooden table and chairs set up amongst his farm grown vegetables and wild flowers that can seat 20 people. You will then be served platters of scrumptious food that he has freshly prepared that day.

Hertfordshire based, Lee Maycock, the founder of LBM Food Solutions and Foodies on Tour, and chairman of the Craft Guild of Chefs, has now launched his new outdoor dining experience, Foxholes Garden Kitchen in Hertford.

What?s better than settling down to a table of friends and family to enjoy a long-relaxed food experience while watching the sun set with a chilled glass of wine over a delicious mid-week supper in an outdoor setting.

His rural farming project plants, grows and cooks in the field, showcasing organic produce and nature's larder; his unique outdoor dining experience is aptly named ?Roots?.

At the start of the evening Lee

He decides the menu on the day with produce that is ready, abundant and at its peak and the only produce he adds is the meat that comes from Foxholes Farm Shop. takes everyone on a tour of his plentiful garden and explains Foxholes Garden Kit chen Tel: 07973918334 Email: Lee@lbmfoodsolutions.com FB Foxholes Garden Kitchen

To give you an idea of the superb culinary extravaganza you will

experience, this is what we indulged in. This 5-course tasting menu included garden oven baked fennel seed

cornbread followed by half the garden on warm wood fired sourdough bread which was delicious, followed then by

smoked beef brisket with pink fir potatoes, barbequed courgettes and a sweet pea and wild flower salad. To complete

All pict ur es by Shar on St r uckm an

the evening, Lee served an absolutely mouth-watering dessert, mirabelle plum posset made with clotted cream and borrage honey and to close this fabulous dining experience a warm piece of yellow courgette, lemon & pistachio cake made with ground almonds. A perfect al fresco dining experience.

You can bring you own refreshments (no ice buckets supplied) but there is ice cold flavoured water with cucumber and wild mint on the table and the cost is ÂŁ35.00 per person.

You can book your place via his Facebook page, Foxholes Garden Kitchen or email Lee@lbmfoodsolutions.com or phone him Tel: 07973918334

There?s no reason why you can?t experience the magic of Thursday evening summer dining and enjoy

an extraordinary culinary experience beneath the setting sun of Hertford.

POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER FOR HERTS David Lloyd

Why we must report all instances of hate crime ?Hate Crime?is a relatively new term, but sadly the crimes themselves are all too common.

encouraging the recording of hate crimes among police forces and Hertfordshire Constabulary has given extensive training to officers to help identify and support hate crime offences. Hertfordshire?s victim care centre Beacon is available to support people whether they have reported the incident to the police or not.

They are offences which single people out for who they are, what they believe, and even their physical and mental disabilities.

Ultimately, they are crimes of intolerance and ignorance.

There aren?t many occasions that I, as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hertfordshire, want to see the crime figures go up. Hate crime, however, is one area of crime which is much under-reported, and I welcome more people coming forward and informing the police about these incidents.

Since I was first elected, five years ago, I have appealed to people across the county to report these crimes. To stop brushing away the nasty comments as just something people felt they had to tolerate. It encourages segregation and creates a sense of fear. It has many forms: verbal abuse, a disgusting comment on a social network, a bloody attack on the streets.

This is unacceptable behaviour.

Many of us will have witnessed it in some form or other. We all know we should probably say something, but who has challenged it? It?s that low level tolerance of hate crime which creates the

atmosphere where someone goes on to stab a man purely on the strength of his accent or the colour of his skin. My plan for policing Hertfordshire is called ?Everybody?s Business?and we all have a duty to call this behaviour out when we see it.

A recent report into hate crime, carried out by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), emphasised the importance of the police getting their response right first time and at the beginning of their contact with victims.

To some, there is a perception that the police don?t take these crimes seriously. I can assure you this is not the case and where there have been shortcomings, a lot has been done to address that. The government has made progress in

We have also launched a Hate Crime Strategy, setting out how we must go further to prevent these crimes in the first place, prosecute those who commit them, and support the victims throughout - and beyond - their journey through the criminal justice system.

We have seen an increase in recorded crime figures - I believe this shows a greater confidence in the ability of our detectives and police officers to investigate and prosecute this absolutely abhorrent behaviour. We will not and must not tolerate any form of hate crime, wherever it happens and whoever it comes from.

Beacon can be reached by visiting www.hertfordshirebeacon.org You can report a hate crime by visiting www.herts.police.uk or by calling 101. In an emergency always dial 999.

Royston Cave - a #Herts mystery which is worth discovering The Cave was discovered by accident in August of 1742 by workmen erecting a bench in a butter market in Mercat House (since demolished). A millstone was found in the ground, which when lifted disclosed a vertical, well-like shaft, about 2ft (60cm) diameter and 16ft (4.8m) deep.

Toeholds had been cut in the chalk on opposite sides to form steps. A small boy was "volunteered" to make the first descent. It was found that the Cave was more than half filled with earth and "debris".

The domed ceiling, now bricked and grilled, was complete and partly tiled.

It was said to have been within a foot (30cm) of the surface of the road. Also noted was the existence of what is now called the East Shaft; an opening then almost closed by several courses of clunch blocks painted red to look like bricks of which only two or three courses now remain. It is believed to have been a chimney or an air vent.

In the expectation of finding buried treasure the shaft was enlarged and the Cave was emptied quickly, uncovering the carvings in the lower part of the chamber. There was no scientific archaeological investigation made at the time but according to the Rev. G. North who visited the Cave shortly after its discovery the contents included, apart from earth, some decayed bones and a skull, fragments of a small drinking cup and a small unmarked piece of brass. The millstone, which covered the entrance, is now in two pieces, one forming the last step of the present entrance, the other lying alongside. The original entrance is closed and now lies under

the only place in the cave wall not covered with carvings. Mr. Watson was able to charge 6 pence for each visit, an appreciable sum in those days.

He also effectively took over the cave and ever since then cave and house have been in common ownership as "The Cave House and Estate".

the road.

Opening the cave Early visitors came down the original (north) entrance with the help of ladders but in 1790 the present entrance was made by Thomas Watson, the owner of what was then called the Town House on the opposite, north side, of Melbourn Street. He was a bricklayer and in the cold winter of 1790 there was nothing for his men to do, so they were set to work cutting the 72ft (22m) long tunnel between the Town House and

In 1964 the Cave, Grade I listed by English Heritage, was leased from the then owners by Royston Town Council who installed the railings and lighting.

The History Society monitored humidity and temperature for a full year and found that the humidity was always high and the temperature steady at 10°C (50°F).

Katherine's Yard, Melbourn Street, Royston, Herts SG8 7BZ Tel+44 (0)1763 245484 (weekdays only) info@roystoncave.co.uk

The Main Event

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great events to catch in #Herts

Pendley Shakespeare Fest ival 2018

Summer Dance School A very exciting & exclusive

1ST AUGUST - 12TH AUGUST 2018 This magical, outdoor

opportunity to work with some of UK's leading national &

Shakespeare Festival returns to

international dance companies,

Tring with two of The Bard's

artists, choreographers &

most popular works: Much ado

performers. Akram Khan Dance

about nothing (Wednesday 1st

Company James Cousins Dance

August to Sunday 5th August)

Company Russell Maliphant

and Richard III (Wednesday 8th

students and seniors. Family

Dance Company Team Kinetix

August to Sunday 12th August).

tickets for two U16s and two

Parkour & Free-running

Set in the grounds of 19th

adults from £58 uncovered,

Danielle Buttle ? Street Dance

century Pendley Manor - a

£74 covered. Parking available

August 6th-10th, 10am - 4pm

tudor-style mansion, now an

on the meadow next to Tring

Beningt on Chilli Fest ival

exquisite country hotel this

Athletic Football Club, behind

annual festival will celebrate its

Pendley Manor.

25TH AUGUST - 28TH AUGUST 2018 Started in 2006 the Chilli

70th anniverary in 2019.

Festival is a hugely popular Evening performances start at 8pm. Matinees start at 3pm.

Gates open two hours before each performance; bring your own picnic or dine in style at Pendley Manor (to book your pre-performance dinner call 01442 891 891).

The BIG Summer Dance School 6TH AUGUST - 10TH AUGUST 2018 Hot House Dance ? BIG

family event attracting thousands of visitors over three days, offering a chance to buy chilli plants, products and sample foods from around the world.

Ticket prices start from £18

Stalls are set

uncovered, and £24 covered.

up throughout

Concessions available for U16s,

the garden and

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The Main Event

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great events to catch in #Herts

a wide range of refreshments is provided to help you cool down, including cold beers and ice creams. Come worship the pepper at Benington Chilli Festival next August bank holiday weekend!

Entry Price ADMISSION: Adults ÂŁ8.50.

Children: Under 16s ÂŁ2.50, Under 12s Free The festival will also see the

Each night there will be

premier of ?Britpop Classical?

apprearances by a host of club

which will feature a full

classic stars including Black

orchestra together with rock

Box, N-Trance, Rozalla, Alison

band and guest soloists

Limerick, Angie Brown and

some of the best of British rock

including The Farm?s Peter

Urban Cookie Collective.

and dance music. The Main

Hooton, Republica?s Saffron

Outside the rocking arena, Cool

Stage will be headlined by

and Heaven 17?s Glenn

Britannia will be tending to the

Happy Mondays and Ocean

Gregory, with others to be

needs of rock & dance music

Colour Scene ? with amazing

announced, performing unique

fans with camping, glamping,

supporting artists including

versions of Britpop classics.

street food, themed bars, street

Feeder, Razorlight, Embrace,

Cool Britannia has also teamed

entertainers, funfairs, kid-zone,

Lightning Seeds, Peter Hook &

up with the legendary Ministry

fireworks, trade stands, karaoke

The Light, Cast, Heather Small,

of Sound. Housed in the Big Top,

and much more!

Dodgy, Space, Toploader, The

they will feature some of the

South and more still to be

best club DJs of the era

announced.

including Todd Terry, Brandon

Redbourn Classics Mot or Show & Village Fet e 15TH SEPTEMBER 2018 Redbourn Classics Motor Show

Cool Brit annia Fest ival at Knebwort h Park 31ST AUGUST - 2ND SEPTEMBER 2018 Cool Britannia will feature

Block, Jazzie B and Alfredo.

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The Main Event

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great events to catch in #Herts

and Village Fete is back for its

bar, live music, children's rides

The iconic Great Hall set will be

2nd year on Saturday 15

and activities and fun for all the

decorated with over 100

September on Redbourn

family.

pumpkins suspended from the

Common from noon -5pm.

ceiling as well as a Hallowe?en

There are spaces for 250 classic cars plus 50 vintage tractors, trucks and motorbikes. Vehicles should be 25 years + and entry

feast dressing the long tables.

Dark Art s at Warner Bros.

St udio Tour London- The

Visitors are invited to try out

Making of Harry Pot t er

their wand combat moves against Death Eaters in a live duel demonstrating how battle

event is also open to the public;

28TH SEPTEMBER - 11TH NOVEMBER 2018 Throughout the Hallowe?en

all donations on the gate will be

season, visitors will discover the

walking down a darker,

given to local charities. There

filmmaking secrets behind the

spookier Diagon Alley.

will be village stalls, hot food,

wizarding world?s Dark Arts.

is by pre - booked ticket. The

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scenes were directed, all before

Who will be the winners and losers as we revisit the summer of '76 M y #Her t s by Dar r en Ist ed Now that World Cup glory has eluded us (and of course for non-football fans it doesn't matter if it has anyway) there's only one topic of conversation in town - blimey what a summer!!!

Perhaps here in #Herts we should have guessed what was in store as we suffered the cold hard winter which dragged on and on. I can recall the first week of May and a stunning weekend of hot weather being the introduction to this remarkable spell.

But even then there were some mixed spells to follow and here at #Herts towers there was even a log fire lit in mid-may.

But since then it has been the most amazing of seasons and for those who can recall '76 it really is getting to those levels. Indeed after we lit a fire in May, the nature diary notes that our last drop of rain was June 16.

June 16? With no sign of a splash in the centre of Herts going into the next month that could be 6 to 8 weeks without water.

So what will be the impact of all this remarkable weather - and who wins and loses as a result? Well one truly hopes that tourism in #Herts is given a filip. It's a remarkable place to visit for a whole host of reasons and the good weather has to be an enticement. Some venues will of course benefit more than others and red hot favourite to capitalise is the Lavender Fields just outside of Hitchin - it seems that lavender just laps up this incredible heat and that remarkable purple will be going strong for some time.

In the world of nature it's a game of two halves for the butterfly. Just like England v Croatia, all seems to be

going swimmingly initially as the hot weather is a delight for the butterflies who are not only surviving but thriving.

Alas the prognosis is not so great for next year as of course all around us habitat is dying due to lack of water. This means that a scarce food supply will impact on the caterpillars (and hence the butterflies) for next year.

While the sun is giving home-based holidaymakers the smuggest of grins at the moment, longer term of course who knows when those smiles will be wiped off. For starters it's predicted that whatever the weather, small Christmas trees will be much more expensive at the end of 2018. And if that weren't bad enough - Christmas dinner faces a price hike as peas look set to rocket in cost.

So enjoy it while you can and soak up the sun safely.

Her majesty's Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Robert Voss CBE

A remarkable year has already passed as the Lord Lieutenant I cannot believe it is already 12 months since Her Majesty The Queen appointed me as Her LordLieutenant of Hertfordshire-how the last 12 months have flown by.

The list is endless and without the tens of thousands wonderful volunteers-many organisations and charities simply would not or could not exist.

People have asked me what have been the most memorable and surprising aspects of my first year in the role.

Presenting British Empire Medals on Her Majesty?s behalf is the crowning glory and to see people from all walks of life honoured for the work they have done to help their community-often for many years-is extremely humbling (and anyone can be nominated for an honour-see Lieutenancy website) and have given me some of the best memories of my first year as Her Majesty?s representative.

Was it the weekend spent at Windsor Castle-living for a couple of days immersed in history including the Queen's private library; or meeting Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace; or receiving a number of Royal visitors to Hertfordshire?

Learning about the military in the county and appointing my own cadets-including for the first time a police cadet; spending time with Hertfordshire?s wonderful police force including a night ?on duty? with the patrols (Yes I did enjoy speeding down the A1 at over 100 mph with the blue light flashing...!); or learning about the magistracy as Chairman of the Advisory Committee.

No...I think the most memorable aspect of the last 12 months has been meeting the people of Hertfordshire volunteering in so

many different ways-at hospices and hospitals; with youth movements including the huge number of scouts and cadets in the county; at churches and other religious establishments; at the vast number of charities for the homeless, the disabled, the vulnerable, the elderly, the sick, the needy, in museums, in church halls, with St John's, The Prince's Trust, DofE, The Samaritans, CABs, and so many more.

August gives me a couple of weeks respite and September and October onwards is wonderfully busy with numerous presentations of Queens Awards for Voluntary Service; Queens Awards for Enterprise; British Empire Medals; receiving several Royal visitors coming to the county as well as continuing to meet the great people of Hertfordshire. And preparations are taking place for the release of the Lieutenancy film-?A County at War?and the commemoration of the centenary of Armistice Day in November as well as RAF100.

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Topreleasesfor theupcomingmonths

Here we go again!

Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Five years after the events of the first film, Sophie Sheridan is preparing for the grand reopening of her mother Donna's hotel, after her mother tragically died a year earlier. She is upset because two of her fathers, Harry and Bill, are unable to make it to the reopening and she is having trouble in her marriage to Sky, who is in New York, and over her memorialising her mother?s life but forgetting about her own. Cast: Amanda

Seyfried as Sophie Sheridan; Meryl Streep as Donna Sheridan-Carmichael; Lily James as Young Donna; Christine Baranski as Tanya; Jessica Keenan Wynn as Young Tanya; Julie Walters as Rosie Mulligan; Alexa Davies as Young Rosie; Pierce Brosnan as Sam Carmichael; Jeremy Irvine as Young Sam; Colin Firth as Harry Bright, Sophie?s possible father, Sky's possible father-in-law, and a British banker; Hugh Skinner as Young Harry.

Fangs for the summer entertainment Dracula Hot el Transylvania 3: Summer Vacat ion In 1897, Dracula (Adam Sandler) and his friends disguised as humans are travelling on a train to Budapest. Professor Abraham Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan), a monster hunter, boards the train and unveils the monsters; the monsters escape by climbing through the roof and Dracula pushes his friends from the train for their safety. Van Helsing has a special interest in destroying Dracula, but is constantly outsmarted by him.

Cast: Adam Sandler as Count Dracula: Andy Samberg as Jonathan "Johnny" Loughran: Selena Gomez as Mavis; Kevin James as Frankenstein: David Spade as Griffin, the Invisible Man; Steve Buscemi as Wayne: A werewolf; Keegan-Michael Key as Murray: An ancient mummy; Molly Shannon as Wanda: Wayne's werewolf wife; Fran Drescher as Eunice: Frankenstein's wife.

Cinewor ld St evenage: 0871 200 2000 www.cineworld.co.uk Br oadway Let chwor t h: 01462 681088 www.broadway-cinema.com Odyssey St Albans: 01727 453088

www.odysseypictures.co.uk Royst on Pict ur e Palace info@roystonpicturepalace. org.uk roystonpicturepalace.org.uk The Rex Ber kham st ed 01442 877759 therexberkhamsted.com

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Saving water when the hot weather takes a hot with our wildlife

Br oad Bodied Ch aser in GH w ildlif e gar den (c) Josh Ku bale Robin in gar den Š Jon Haw k in s

Saving wat er At this time of year wildlife activity is at a lull ? the frenetic activity of spring is over and the hot weather has set in. The birds that sung their hearts out and bred in the spring are now reserving their energy moulting and renewing their feathers. The flowers have bloomed brightly but now start to look parched in the sun.

This summer is no exception, in fact it has been hotter than ever, and while al fresco dinners and

long, balmy summer evenings are always welcome, long periods of hot weather and low rainfall can put a lot of stress on our wildlife.

Hit the hardest are our delicate river and lake habitats.

supporting the large insect population that so many animals rely on for food. Sustained hot weather and low rainfall can have a hugely negative affect on local species, but there are ways we can help.

Wat er short age Save wat er, save wildlife A myriad of wildlife relies on all of our local water sources. From the obvious need to drink and wash, to

Remember that every litre of

water you use is a litre less in our local rivers and lakes, and therefore a litre less for local wildlife.

· You could save 6,500 litres of water a year by turning off the tap when you brush your teeth

There are some simple ways to save water that won?t impact your day to day life

· Only run your washing machine and dishwasher with a full load ? this uses less water than two half loads.

· Install a water-butt in your garden to collect rain over the wetter months and use the water on your plants during the dry months. Remember to only water early in the morning or late at night ? water will simply evaporate in the hot midday sun. · Grass is hardy and doesn?t require constant watering ? let it go brown and don?t panic. Come the next rainfall it will turn green again.

· Take showers instead of baths ? and make them quick!

Help wildlife in your garden

Aside from saving water whenever possible so that it stays in the rivers, there are other things you can do to help too.

· Put out water. It?s that simple ? top up existing features such as bird baths, or pop out a bowl or something larger for wildlife

struggling to find a source to drink from. · While it?s not essential to water grass ? and in fact uses unnecessary water ? it?s a good idea to water plants (from a butt or old dish-water if possible) to keep these habitats thriving for the animals that rely on them for food. · Consider putting out some additional food on very hot and dry days. Dry conditions force worms to tunnel deeper into soil, making it harder for animals like birds and hedgehogs to feed. · Ensure there are some shaded, cool places to wildlife to shelter in ? log and stone piles are perfect.

River M im r am Tew in bu r y © Tim Hill

Employees who pull a sickie may be dismissed for gross misconduct Tollers Employment team highlight this situation, which has been tried and tested in the Employment Tribunals. An employee who ?pulls a sickie?has acted dishonestly and is in fundamental breach of their employment contract. As such, it can be gross misconduct.

Employers wishing to rely on this should make sure that the principle reasons for dismissal of such an employee, who has acted dishonestly in breach of their contract of employment, should be based on their conduct, not their capability to attend work. This is an important distinction, as it is their conduct that matters. An employee?s capability issues are irrelevant if they have committed a fundamental breach of their contract in acting so dishonestly. ?Pulling a sickie?could therefore amount to gross misconduct.

W hat does t his mean for you?

This is good news to employers

who become aware of employees who are exaggerating or falsely calling in sick to work. Employers may wish to implement certain measures that will help them gather evidence of such dishonest acts by employees who pull regular ?sickies?.

As an employer you should make sure that you have evidence in support of the employee?s dishonesty. This could include, but is not limited to, surveillance or social media. An employer should

"An empl oyee?s capabil it y issues are irrel evant if t hey have commit t ed a f undament al breach of t heir cont ract in act ing so dishonest l y. ?Pul l ing a sickie? coul d t heref ore amount t o gross misconduct ."

make sure that the evidence is considered by a medical health professional, such as Occupational Health, for their comments as to what an employee is in fact capable, or not capable of doing, specifically whether or not the activities they have been caught carrying out whilst off sick, could mean that they are well enough to do their job.

Need some advice?

Talk to Tollers! We are here for you.

Tollers?Employment Team are here to help should you have any queries regarding the above judgment or require advice in relation to dealing with employees who may be acting dishonestly in with their sickness leave, do not hesitate to contact us on 01438 901095.

Ways to keep the ashes of a loved one Wit h t h e popu lar it y of cr em at ion st or age can be var ied With cremation on the increase, there are now many different ways to keep a loved one?s ashes. We look at some of the options?

made to fit into your home. You could have a pretty floral urn, a teardrop-shaped urn, a wooden heart, a box decorated with dried leaves or a fabric urn made from wool and embroidered with a name plate.

Int erment and burial The traditional storage for ashes is an urn or casket that can be buried in a cemetery or perhaps in a natural burial ground. Today you can choose one made from a range of materials including banana leaf, seagrass, oak and bamboo.

There?s even one made of corn starch that decomposes when it?s underground.

Wat er urns If you?d like to have a water burial for your loved one, you can get biodegradable water urns made from natural materials such as recycled paper. They?re designed to float on the water for long enough to say your goodbyes before they gently sink.

Scat t er t ubes Some people prefer to scatter ashes in

For t he garden

a place that had a special meaning to the person they?ve lost ? perhaps a favourite woodland walk or a clifftop overlooking the sea. Scatter tubes come with special easy-to-scatter tabs and can be recycled or composted afterwards. They can also be personalised with a picture that celebrates your loved one.

Rain, snow, sun ? urns and caskets made from natural materials will withstand the elements to stay with you as each season passes. These weather-friendly caskets come in a range of designs from pretty pebbles through to Buddha heads. * At Austin?s, they have a range of urns and caskets that are provided by Forever Urns.

For t he home When you want your loved one close by, there are urns and caskets that are

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Designing a 'dementia friendly' place to live A new ?dementia-friendly?home has been developed jointly by leading building science research centre BRE and experts from Loughborough University. The building is aimed at helping educate housebuilders, carers and relatives on how to better support those living with dementia.

The design is geared to help dementia sufferers remain at home for longer than in a normal home, thus dramatically improving quality of life and reducing the cost of care to the state and relatives. The home was opened by Lord Richard Best OBE DL, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Housing & Care for Older People on the BRE Innovation Park in Watford.

Dementia care costs families around ÂŁ18 billion a year and affects about

850,000 people in the UK*. The figure is expected to rise to more than one million in the UK by 2025. Two-thirds of the cost of dementia is paid by those who suffer from the condition and their families. This is in contrast to other conditions, such as heart disease and cancer, where the NHS provides care that is free at the point of use.

The 100sqm Victorian house has been adapted to cater for different types and stages of dementia, and is aimed at allowing sufferers to live independently by addressing their day-to-day needs. The upper floor of the home has been adapted for the more advanced stages of dementia.

The building design has been developed around the needs of two specific personas (or avatars), Chris and Sally. The design narrative describes how the features of the building have been adapted to support Chris and Sally as they age well at home. The prototype will be supported by short films detailing how dementia affects Chris and Sally on a good, average and bad day, with different actors re-creating the different stages of dementia. These films have been created by the University of Loughborough.

The dementia-friendly converted terrace house includes: -

Clear lines of sight and

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colour-coded paths through the home that help guide people towards each specific room -

Increased natural lighting, which is proven to help people stay alert during the day and to sleep better at night

-

Automatically controlled natural ventilation to provide good indoor air quality

-

Noise reduction features, to reduce stress

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Simple switches and heating controls, and safety sensors in high risk areas such as the kitchen

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Homely, simple and familiar interior design to help promote rest and relaxation

The ÂŁ300,000 project has been designed by HLP Architects, and is based on the ?design for dementia principals?previously developed by Dr. Rob McDonald (Liverpool John Moores University) and Bill Halsall

(Halsall Lloyd Partnership). Moving forward, the home will also be used to assist Loughborough University?s ongoing research into how the features are used, with a view to further improving ways to support homeowners with dementia.

Director of BRE Innovation Parks Dr David Kelly comments, ?Many of the ideas put forward in the prototype home are just good sense for us all to incorporate into our properties to adapt to the process of ageing.

Currently, the average cost of care** can be between ÂŁ30,000 ? ÂŁ40,000

per annum. Creating environments which allow people to live independently at home for longer could save a significant amount. That money could instead be channelled into research that alleviates the condition and reduces the emotional stress to the individual.?

The project draws expertise from a number of specialisms at Loughborough, from the schools of architecture, building and civil engineering, design, and sport ? and is based on a wealth of dementia research carried out at the University.

Phot ography by Brendan Fal vey

If you have enjoyed t hese images of #Hert s by Brendan Falvey and would like t o find out how t o order t hem cont act on t he det ails supplied here

Email: bjpfalvey@gmail.com Phone 07572681805 www.brendanfalveyimagery.co.uk

Work doesn?t have to be hard to be productive. We?ve made our conference rooms an easy-going, inspirational space with the privacy and tranquillity you need to work in comfort. All our superbly appointed meeting rooms are located in a self-contained area on the first floor, with a range of room sizes and configurations, as well as a dedicated and experienced support team to make your event in Stevenage a success.

The Ibis Forum has a total floor area of 660m2 and ideal for creating stunning exhibitions, trade fairs or public shows; with a welcome foyer for

registrations and refreshments, and break-out syndicate rooms. Our in-house catering team are on hand to provide refreshments, and offer a choice of delicious menus for lunch, from finger buffets to sit-down meals to suit all budgets, or if you prefer you can hire our self catering kitchen.

Weddings A wedding is all about traditions, your individuality, heritage and culture.

The Ibis Forum is the ideal venue for couples seeking a luxury wedding location. Our state-of-the-art banqueting facilities are among the largest and best equipped in the region, and we can accommodate up

to 625 guests. And using the latest technology, with spectacular built in LED lighting and plasma screens as a backdrop, we can give your wedding a real WOW factor.

We understand that you will require specialist caterers for multicultural weddings and here you will find a modern self-catering kitchen for your chosen caterer. Exclusive hire of Forum includes entire floor, Fairview Suite, bar and kitchen. This includes tables and chairs, dance floor, use of the self-catering kitchen and complimentary bedroom in the adjoining Ibis Hotel. Call about special offers : 01438 533018.

Visit our new websit es for more informat ion www.forumcb.co.uk and www.fairviewhot els.com/ hot els/ ibis-forum-st evenage

Bath and kitchen range expansion for Henlow Building Supplies Henlow Building Supplies is a family run business based on Stratton Business Park in Biggleswade.

The company started life in 1978 with humble beginnings as a small hardware and ironmongery shop operating out of Henlow High Street. The team grew over time and relocated, moving to another site in Henlow before settling in their current location in Biggleswade.

Over the past 40 years the friendly staff have followed the family?s traditional values of personal service and knowledgeable advice which makes them a popular local business for the people of Bedfordshire.

This year marks big changes for the company as they expand their

range of bathroom and kitchen products with a complete showroom refurbishment.

team have only picked the best brands to work with for their customers.

The upstairs of the store has been opened up to include a top of the range kitchen display and new model showers such as the modern Coram enclosures. The

HBS will still be stocking traditional bathroom favourites such as Porcelanosa and Roper Rhodes but will expand their range to include high end brands such as

V&A, Laura Ashley and Ted Baker.

The company is branching out into kitchen supplies this year and the new range will feature the innovative brand ClicBox from BA Clic Components, a range of kitchen cabinets which click together in less than 30 seconds.

It?s tried and tested by the HBS team!

As spring is finally coming the yard is being fully stocked with garden and landscaping supplies and HBS offer free local delivery to Biggleswade and the surrounding areas. New this year is the Stonemarket Fortuna vitrified garden paving which is perfect for easy maintenance and available in

6 colours.

If you?ve been thinking about updating your fences, laying down some new decking or just updating your garden, speak to the team for some helpful advice.

Trade customers are still at the heart of what Henlow Building Supplies do and they aim to support them where they can with the HBS trade card. This allows trades to link their details to each of their purchases for personalised discounts.

Later this year will be the official opening of the new showroom so keep updated with news and events on the HBS social media pages www.henlowbuildingsupplies.co.uk Tel: 01767 312800 sales@henlowbuildingsupplies.co.uk www.facebook.com/HenlowBuilding Supplies www.twitter.com/hbs_sales

Training company enjoys awards success Simply Amazing Training, specialist executive presentations skills coaching and management training of Bournemouth and St Albans, have been named as an award finalist in three categories in the SME National Business Awards 2018. Winners from twenty one categories will be crowned at a black tie gala dinner taking place at Wembley Stadium on Friday 7th December 2018.

Simply Amazing Training was one of only a few businesses to be announced as a finalist in three categories: Enterprising Business of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Dee Clayton and Business Woman of the Year, Dee Clayton.

The SME National Awards were launched in 2016 to raise the profile of industrious, hardworking and enterprising SME?s Nationally.

Business awards are a sought after accolade of achievement, a veritable endorsement of success in business which offers exceptional marketing opportunities as well as increasing credibility and standing out in the eyes of one?s peers and customers.

Dee Clayton, Founder and Director said, ?It is an honour to be recognised at the SME National Business Awards and we thank all our clients who supported our application with testimonials. We also thank the judges and award sponsors for voting for us.

We pride ourselves on delivering outstanding results with our Public Speaking Monkeys (trademarked) technique so it is wonderful to be acknowledged at these awards for helping hundreds of professionals over our ten years in business. We would like to extend our congratulations to all the other finalists and look forward to what is sure to be a very inspiring awards final.?

Daniela Busseni, Head of Category Development - Sweet Treats at Premier Foods commented: ?Congratulations to the team at Simply Amazing Training on the

Hat-Trick at the SME National Awards! I worked alongside Dee, over 15 years ago when she worked as Marketing Manager for Jacob's Creek wine. She had a clear plan for success and in true entrepreneurial fashion has reached that. Dee wanted to start a business and help hundreds of professionals have life-changing experiences. Dee used her Marketing skills to create the "Monkey Taming" USP and survive then thrive in a tough market. Dee has guided the business to achieve its original goal (and more) whilst adapting the strategy along the way. I use Dee's services frequently both 1:1 and with my team. I've also recommended her to others countless times and seen what fantastic results she's had working with them too. Best wishes for every success at Wembley!?

Simply Amazing Training offer specialist executive presentations skills coaching and management training throughout the UK and internationally.

They are famous for their Public Speaking Monkeys (trademarked) technique. The mind chatter or fear monkeys are the voices of self-doubt

which cause so much anxiety. Their innovative technique gets to the unconscious in an approachable manner by helping clients ?Tame?their monkeys and become confident speakers with a 99% success rate.

For more than 10 years, Simply Amazing Training have been working with companies and individuals, at all skill levels. They have delivered training for national and global brands including Toyota, RBS, Boston Scientific, Volkswagen, Babybel and Kimberly-Clark, to name a few, to improve the performance of their key people. Businesses know that if their employees develop then not only will they be more successful, but they will represent and promote the brand in a way which delivers better results.

For further information please visit www.simplyamazingtraining.co.uk and follow on Twitter @Dee_Clayton

Photo caption: Dee Clayton (4th from left, 3rd from right) delighted to be announced a Hat Trick Finalist. supported by Simply Amazing Training Fans.

Enjoying your garden Summer pruning As we enter the warmest month of the year and then see things cool off in September, there are still lots of jobs to do in the garden such as pruning, especially of fruits that have been trained.

Th e # H er t s t eam of ex per t s gi v e you som e t op t i ps an d j obs t o do as t h e gar den st ar t s t o w el com e sum m er act i v i t y... anything on the vine.

Hire t he babysit t ers

Collect seeds In our last edition we talked about the joy of ordering catalogues for seeds. Of course you can also go some way to stocking up with your own supply by collecting seeds from the garden this time as plants start to go to seed.

Harvest summer fruit and veg You've worked hard to lovingly nurture your fruit and veg, now is the time to enjoy those fruits, so make sure you harvest all those goodies and don't leave

It's summer holiday time and there's every chance you will be heading off for a week or two to actually see some sun. If that's the case don't think the garden will care for itself.

Make sure there is help, either from friends or neighbours, to make sure the garden is watered and tended properly.

accordingly.

Easy on t he wat er As the temperatures cool into early September it's time to ease up on the watering of houseplants. New plants do need a water however but this can be done with rainwater.

Clean out t he greenhouse It's time to head back to the greenhouse and cold frames, you may not need them just yet but you might want to clean them out for when they will be ready for use.

That bulb moment

Divide and conquer As the summer wears on it's time to take a look at the herbaceous perennials in your garden and divide them

There's no time like the present to start to plant those spring flowering bulbs, so get planning where they're going and start digging!

Standon leads the way for a month of music St andon Calling

The Week and 8 Out Of 10 Cats, he?s become a mainstay in British comedy - with his infectious energy and razor-sharp punchlines taking him across the globe.

26 - 29 July 2018

Headline sets from Bryan Ferry (pictured right) and Paloma Faith, with a homecoming performance by local Hertford sensation George Ezra provide an array of entertainment for the whole family across the weekend.

They?re joined by established titans Goldfrapp, The Horrors, Django Django and Maribou State and innovative and fresh live favourites Tokio Myers, Little Simz, The Amazons, Marmozets, Pale Waves, Shame, Ibibio Sound Machine, Dream Wife, Tom Walker and Confidence Man. The Cuban Brothers are set to perform their 20th Anniversary Show, making it an unrivalled weekend of varied and thrilling music for all. With family fun from Horrible Histories Live and Andy Day & The Odd Socks and much more, Standon Calling is unlike any other festival this year, and a standout of the summer festival season.

Speaking about the new additions and how this year?s Standon Calling is shaping up, Founder and Festival Director Alex Trenchard said: ?Standon Calling is a non-stop four day music festival experience in the fullest sense. From day to night, from the guitars of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, to the nostalgia of Morcheeba's 90s electronica, from the psychedelia of a rare Acid Mothers Temple performance to dancing into the small hours with 2ManyDJs and the new

George FitzGerald live show - Standon Calling 2018 will be about discovering new music, pairing the unexpected and the joys of a diverse and truly original festival experience.?

Standon Calling is the full 360-degree festival experience. It is the biggest dog-friendly festival in the UK with an inimitable Dog Show, you can enjoy a mouth-watering array of stellar Food & Drink from London?s very best street food favourites, take a dip in the heated Swimming Pool, relax in the Hot Tubs or take part in a whole range of Wellbeing Classes and Workshops.

Standon Calling is a trip into something more and an invitation for everyone to escape the world around them.

Playing host to some of the best in the game, Standon Calling?s Lawn is the ultimate destination for comedy fans to get their daytime fix of comic stalwarts and sensational newcomers alike this summer.

Leading the impressive comedy line up across the weekend is the infectious presence of Seann Walsh. Since making his debut on shows like Mock

Also announced as a comedy headliner, renowned household name Lucy Porter, bringing her critically-acclaimed show to the Lordship for a side-splitting display set to showcase a comedian in her element. Revered favourite Kerry Godliman will also bring the laughs this July, taking her star turns on shows such as Live At The Apollo, and her own Radio 4 show, and bringing them to a set full of hilarity and observations on modern life. These stellar headliners are supported by a huge range of rising and acclaimed names, including Rhys James, Spencer Jones, Cally Beaton, Glenn Moore, Owen Roberts, Jake Lambert and Jack Barry, with further hilarious moments from Marcel Lucont?s Whine List and Timberlina Presents FFS!! to ensure Standon Calling is packed full of top-draw comedy from start to finish.

TICKETS NOW ON SALE AND AVAILABLE AT http://standon-calling.com

Meraki Fest ival 10-12 August 2018 HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTY SHOW GROUND, DUNSTABLE ROAD, ST ALBANS, AL3 7PT In 2018, Meraki is bringing a 3-day

interactive music festival to St Albans.

Headlining will be 10CC, Nik Kershaw, Simon McBride and Pearl-Handled Revolver who will lead a lineup of top live music acts across 3 stages. It's family-friendly, with lots to keep the little ones entertained, and theyhave a range of special features and creative spaces around the festival for everyone to enjoy.

The activities at Meraki are all-inclusive ? once you?re through the gates, you can enjoy all festival features for no extra cost!* Evening and day tickets are available as well as camping, glamping and VIP options, so you can join for an evening, a day, three days or make it into a full four-day adventure! (*All-inclusive activities do not include food and drink)

W ilkest ock Aug 31 Sept 3 Yes it started small (just 30 people in a field!) and has grown like many other festivals, however, the home grown ethos and donating all profits to charity has never changed.

What started off as a place for the various bands in a family to perform some 10 years ago has snowballed massively, through huge generosity of many people?s time and skills to create something many thought would never be possible. Back in 2007 with a small stage made out of milk crates borrowed from the local milkman and some scraps of plywood the Wilkestock era was created.

Many years followed, cobbling

together equipment and people?s time all on a shoestring has created something incredibly unique to the UK festival scene. Gone are the milk crates, but the enthusiasm and passion strongly thrives more than ever.

In 2018, they have sold out of early bird tickets and are gearing up for an 11th year. And no wonder there is such anticipation as the high energy of The Fratellis will be headlining. They are again donating all of the profits to charities close to their family?s hearts,

Leukaemia Research (Beating Blood Cancer) and Keswick Mountain Rescue.

Sponsors and part ners t oget her wit h t hose from t he charit ies For the fourth year running independent and family-run broker, Ashbourne Insurance are proud sponsors of this year?s ?Ambition 2018 Boost your Sales & Marketing?

Conference, an inspirational charity fundraising event. It takes place on Wednesday 14th November 2018 between 930am and 4pm at The Spotlight Theatre, Hoddesdon. Over the past three years profits raised for charity has reached more than £10,000 in total. This year Ambition 2018 is aiming to raise more than £4000 to be split between two worthy charities, namely The Muscle Help Foundation and The Tamba Bereavement Support Group.

Ashbourne Insurance Ambition '18

Last year?s event was attended by approximately 100 delegates from various sectors including manufacturing, law, finance, local government, start-ups and others from across the county.

David Thomas: He is a published author, his life story being turned into a Sunday Times #1 bestselling book.

Along with his other two books, he has had a worldwide readership of more than 1 million people. David has appeared over 500 times in the media including The Wall Street Journal, The Times newspaper, BBC World Service and appearing on one of the biggest TV shows in history, The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Julie Creffield: Julie is the plus size marathon runner turned life coach behind the Too Fat to Run global fitness brand. From the stage at Ambition she is going to show attendees how to use their personal quirks and flaws to find their tribe and build their profile, using common sense advice, humour and provocation as she goes.

Bryony Thomas: She is the author of ?the book on marketing that makes

sense of the rest?? Watertight Marketing. This brings together her extensive experience and many perspectives on marketing. A career she loves but fell into by accident.

Alan St ephens: He will provide insights and actionable advice that can be applied immediately to boost a company?s reputation. He is a media coach, journalist, PR expert, and author. He is also Past President of the Global Speakers Federation.

The event will, for the first time, include a specialist guest speaking panel of Social Media experts made up of representatives from Cariad Marketing, Rubber Cheese and Mahon Digital.

Ambition 2018 is a collaborative event organised by a volunteer committee from the following businesses: Andy Lopata, Ashbourne Insurance, Cariad Marketing, HB Accountants, and Hertfordshire Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors and Partners include: Ambition Broxbourne, Ashbourne Insurance,

Austins Family Funeral Directors, Cariad Marketing, Curwens Solicitors, The Hertfordshire Business Independent, The Mercury Newspaper, IT Builder, Mobile Stationery, RiskEye, Via Properties and SWCO Financial Planning.

The conference will be moderated by former West Ham tannoy announcer Jeremy Nicholas, an award-winning TV and radio broadcaster who?s best known for his sports reports, BBC regional news reports and for being the voice for FIFA 16.

Sarah Smits, Ashbourne?s Finance Director supports the event wholeheartedly and comments, ?We are delighted to continue our support for Ambition 2018 as both a founder and fourth year sponsor. Tickets cost £95 and are available on www.ambition.events and www.eventbrite.co.uk . There are a limited number of early bird tickets selling at £75 if purchased and paid for online before 31st July 2018. All profits are shared with the two charities again this year. Follow on twitter @AmbitionBrox18 For more information visit www.ashbourneinsurance.co.uk Follow on twitter @AshInsServices

Content first design for your business Content First Design. Sounds great!

What is it?

This is a design process which is very pertinent to web design. Before I launch into more detail about this, let us first consider why this may be of interest to you.

A business needs a website these days even if it is only to keep their digital presence in the public eye. But this is no use if your website looks less than professional, if it looks cheap then it negatively impacts your brand.

The trouble is, how do you know who to turn to when you are choosing an agency to build your website for you?

If you don?t know what to look for then it is easy to feel that you could be mislead or sold a pup.

One thing that can help you to decide who can build you what you need is to consider the design process.

A lot of people make their decisions based on examples of other websites.

They see a website that looks good and aim to copy this in some form.

They find someone who can build something like it and negotiate a price.

It is also easy to simply choose from a raft of ready made templates which will be used to present content and by doing so keep costs low.

Fig 1 example text are dummy content, put there simply to show you how the template looks. in Fig 1, Unfortunately, the reality is that you may want to have different text in there and your image may be a different height too. Here is the same template with different text. Let's review the site again, this time using a smaller screen such as a tablet: See Fig 2, This is starting to look a bit nasty with

all that white space below the images and the Read more link floating underneath like a discombobulated orphan. Talking of images, these can often be quite tricky. As you have seen in the previous example, it is hard to get them to line up nicely with text.

There are some tricks that can be used, you can use a background image so that it grows and shrinks to take up the space available. This can be very handy but you need to be careful what image you use. Take this design for example: Fig 3 To make this image line up with the text on the left, we have made the image a background image. Looks fine on a large screen but look at what happens to the text in the top left hand corner of the image when we look at it on a tablet.

Fig 4.

But beware, this is rather like the tail wagging the dog.

Trying to shoe-horn your content and brand into a predetermined design something that is akin to painting by numbers will never result in a polished professional product. If you don?t believe me then take a look at what happens when you use a template that has not be created specifically for your content.

In fact, most of the image is lost. This is OK if the image has the point of interest in its centre, so beware of using this with more complicated images.

Here is an example of a great template. As you can see the text to the right of the images lines up neatly with the image to its left.

Both the image and the

Fig 2

The image can be made to stay in proportion instead but this has other issues. This time, instead of making the image a background image, we'll keep its original proportions. As with the last example, the

Fig 3 image looks fine on a large screen. But when the screen size is smaller, the image starts to get lost and looks orphaned in a sea of blue: Fig 5.

The answer to these problems is to design a website starting with the content. Get all your content together before you start deciding on how best to lay it out. Any other way is just nonsense. Starting with the design rather than the content will result in the site looking nasty and more importantly the whole way your website works will be governed by something that has no relation to how your business works or how your customers wish to interact with it.

If you do not pay close attention to the purpose of your website then it is unlikely to deliver the message that you wish. The navigation will not be optimised and useful functionality can be missed entirely.

For example, if you were a housing developer, would your customers search for properties by location, house type or by price? If you don't think about this first then any search function you provide could be worse than useless.

Imagine if your customer was shopping for blue jeans and, after using your search function, they were presented with a list of blue vases, blue sofas and blue scissors!

Fig 4

If your business is retail, do you need to offer your customers an alternative if something is out of stock and if so, what type of item is an appropriate alternative? Not all retailers are the same so should you be choosing something off the peg if your business has its own unique selling point?

In summary, make your website work for your business, don't try to shoehorn a square peg into a round hole.

Call Clim bin g Tu r n on 01462 423297 w w w.clim bin gt u r n .co.u k

Fig 5

For r esult s t oday speak t o t he com m unicat ion exper t s at Spit f ir ePR Media rel at ions

Copy writ ing

Social media market ing

Media t raining

Market ing

Crisis management

Proud publ i sh er of #Herts @h ash tagh erts For al l your mark eti ng and soci al medi a needs: 07539 782979 w w w .spi tf i repr.com darren@spi tf i repr.com @DarrenI sted1 @h ash tagh erts

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