#Stevenage February 2018

# STEVENAGE February 2018

FIT AND FUN: PARKRUN AND HEALTH ACTION DAY DODGY DANCING: KIT GALER LOOKS BACK AT THE M ECCA SUPERSTARS: PAUL FRY ON THE #STEVENAGE SPORTING SUCCESS M ACHINE

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What's on in

#Stevenage

CHEERS TO THE BEERS Repor t on St even age Beer Fest

M AKING THE OLD TOWN A HUB FOR BUSINESS Gr ou p appeals f or or gan isat ion s an d bu sin esses t o join

FITNESS AND FUN Don't m iss Healt h Act ion Day

THE PARKRUN GROUP SET TO RUN AND RUN St even age Par k r u n sh ow h ow t h ey get t in g f it t er an d f ast er

SPORTING SUCCESS Pau l Fr y on t h e w all of f am e

UNLIM ITED FILM S

PLASTIC WASTE IS STILL FANTASTIC

Win Cin ew or ld t ick et s

Cou n cil r em in der t h at all r ecyclables ar e w elcom e

Council keeps up with commitment to build affordable housing More affordable housing is on t he way in St evenage.

In line with its commitment to provide hundreds of new homes for local people, Stevenage Borough Council is pleased with progress to build 240 houses at the former DuPont Headquarters in Wedgewood Way. The council is working in partnership with Chase Homes and Metropolitan Housing Association to provide more than 240 affordable homes, due to be completed in February 2020. They include six homes bought by the council to rent to people on the housing register, 208 homes for shared ownership, and 40 for affordable and social rent. School children from two local schools have been invited to get involved by designing the art work for the onsite hoarding.

Since setting up its house building programme, the council has provided around 140 new affordable homes at locations across the town including Hertford Road, Kilner Close, and Archer Road. Work to transform the former pub sites, Twin Foxes and March Hare, also got underway last year.

Councillor Jeannette Thomas, Executive Member for Housing,

"?Providing quality, affordable housing for the people in this town is one of our top priorities and by supporting this scheme we are doing just that. Stevenage was developed as a New Town because people desperately needed somewhere to live and we are working hard to continue this commitment by finding new sites" Cllr Jeannet t e Thomas Health and Older People, said: ?Providing quality, affordable housing for the people in this town is one of our top priorities and by supporting this scheme we are doing just that. Stevenage was developed as a New Town because people desperately needed somewhere to live and we are working hard to continue this commitment by finding new sites, like Wedgewood Way, where we can provide people with the homes

they need. ?In addition to our partnership working, over the next 30 years we?ll be directly investing ÂŁ1bn in housing in Stevenage: building hundreds of new homes and improving existing council properties so that they remain sustainable, safe and comfortable.

I look forward to seeing residents move into these homes in the future.?

Health Action Day will show that you can get fit and have fun The Public Health England Health Profile shows that the health of people in Stevenage is varied compared with the England average and that there are areas of concern: 1 in 4 adults are inactive, 2 in 3 adults are obese, 1 in 3 children are obese 1 in 4 adults smoke, 1 in 4 adults experience poor mental health and wellbeing.

Many of these statistics can be helped by addressing our own health behaviours and there is a network of support available through the Healthy Hub Stevenage which is situated in the Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre bringing together organisations to help you to improve your physical and mental wellbeing.

Part ners will be joining t oget her on Sat urday 24t h February for Healt h Act ion Day at t he St evenage Art s and Leisure Cent re ? Looking aft er our Town!

It will provide an opport unit y for t he communit y t o meet wit h organisat ions and t o t ake part in fun physical act ivit y sessions.

Advertising and social media may give the impression that only the already toned and lean can take part in exercise; not so!

Come and join local Fitness Guru Mrs Moveit- Juanita Prescott for a fun session, everyone is welcome!

Mrs Moveit will show you how you can do a simple, effective exercise session in your own home using just your own body, a stretchy band and some great music!

You will also be able to try some popular sessions including Pilates and how to dance yourself fit with Fitsteps. There will be a non competitive multi sports fun session for the kids and if you have a disability come and try Wheelchair Basketball, Boccia, Inclusive Dance and Archery or have a free trial on the Alter G anti-gravity treadmill and the FES

bike, you can also use the gym for a free session.

Stall holders from a variety of organisations will be on hand to offer support and signposting.

For more information and if you would like to book a stall please emailJuanita.prescott@sll.co.ukor call 01438 242650.

Health Hub Stevenage had its 2nd birthday on 17thJanuary 2018!

They have had 7,599 visitors since they first opened and look forward to meeting many more.

Landing gear change leads to reduction in plane ground noise Stevenage MP, Stephen McPartland, and London Luton Airport have had ongoing discussions regarding the impact of aircraft noise on residents. The latest round of discussions led to London Luton Airport asking aircraft to deploy their landing gear after the town, instead of before it, in an effort to reduce drag and noise. Over the trial period, average noise on the

ground reduced by 50% which has been welcomed by local people.

Stephen McPartland MP, said, ?I would like to congratulate London Luton Airport on their efforts to reduce the impacts of aircraft noise for those living below the flightpath in Stevenage. I am delighted the delayed deployment of landing gear is now included in the standard operating practices for aircraft arriving at Luton

"I am ext remely encouraged by t he work t hey have put int o t his t rial, but will cont inue t o lobby t he airport t o ensure t hey do all t hey can t o minimise t he impact s and maximise t he benefit s of t he airport on my const it uent s.?

- St ephen McPart land MP

Airport.

"I am extremely encouraged by the work they have put into this trial, but will continue to lobby the airport to ensure they do all they can to minimise the impacts and maximise the benefits of the airport on my constituents.?

Neil Thompson, Operations Director at LLA, said, ?The trial is just one part of our commitment to reducing noise and we?re working hard to ensure more of our airline partners adopt this initiative. The 50% noise reduction and positive feedback from local communities has been great to see."

Council's reminder to residents that recycling plastic is just fantastic ?Plastic fantastic?says Stevenage Borough Council.

Stevenage Borough Council is calling on residents to keep recycling their plastic bottles, tubs, pots and trays despite national concerns following the ban on imports of plastic waste to China.

The UK has been shipping up to 500,000 tonnes of plastic for recycling in China every year, but now the trade has been stopped as China has introduced a "foreign garbage" ban as part of a move to upgrade its industries.

Stevenage Borough Council collected 740 tonnes of plastic

from 36,490 properties in 2017 and is part of the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership (HWP), which is a partnership between the Hertfordshire County Council and 10 district and borough councils.

Cllr John Gardner, Executive Member for Environment and Regeneration at Stevenage Borough Council, said: ?Working alongside the Hertfordshire Waste Partnership, we have been aware of the change to the rules introduced by the Chinese government for some time. HWP contractors have been looking at different markets and we?ve already seen the amount of mixed

recyclables exported to China go down in recent months. ?Thanks to Stevenage?s recycling-conscious residents we are already recycling around 40 percent of our waste and I?d like to remind our residents that we think plastic is fantastic so please keep filling up your black boxes. We?d like to recycle even more in future and people can help us by remembering to put the right recyclables in the right boxes. To find out what goes where visit our website at:http://www.stevenage.gov.uk/ recycling-and-waste/ refuse-recycling-bins/

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Enjoy a taste of the Stevenage Beer Festival It's here and Hashtag Digital Media, publishers of #Stevenage is delighted to sponsor Stevenage Beer and Cider Festival.

Held in the delightfully central location of Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre, the event is also blessed with great transport links being close the the railway station and the bus station.

And then of course there is the beer itself!

Stevenage Beer & Cider Festival beer list has been compiled with care and plenty of exciting breweries will be featured with both dark and light beers (and in between) to tempt all tastes!

Plenty of local beers are featured from festival glassware sponsors Nene Valley Brewery as well as Oakham Ales, New River Brewery & Garden City Brewery.

There will also be beers from as far

afield as Cornwall (Fishkey Brewing Company), Wales (West By 3,Boss Brewing Company) and Liverpool (Neptune Brewery) and plenty from London's many new breweries.

The full list of beers will be online for those who simply can't wait

out) Admission: FREE ENTRY to Camra members, ÂŁ3 per session for non-members Where (click link for map): Locat ion: Stevenage Arts and Leisure Centre

St evenage Beer and Cider Fest ival 2018 1st to 3rd February 2018 Opening t imes: Thursday 1st February 5pm ? 11pm Friday 2nd February Noon ? 11pm Saturday 3rd February Noon ? 11pm (or until beer runs

Stevenage Parkrun hits its stride as a popular weekly event After the unrelenting grey and rain, the 87th Parkrun on January 27 was finally a better day starting with blue skies.

There were an impressive 265 runners.

Special mentions to Shane Hopper and Doug Wilson as they achieved their 50th Park Run, what an achievement! Highest place first time park runners at Stevenage were Kevin Stambridge and Liam Renton who were 4th and 5th respectively.

The steady increase in first time park runners at Stevenage is a reflection of the great work the volunteering team do and the interesting nature of the course with lakes, woods and made ground providing interest, variety and accessibility to all.

More first timers at Stevenage are: Jane Clarke, Nick Sirs, Cassandra Trevis, Chris Demetriades, Chrs McGurk, Rory Lambert, Arnaud Pouillard, Kay Sheppard,

Mark Drapeau, Campbell Wilson, Gregg Aldis, Charles Barron, Edward James, Gary Howard, Andrew Maher, Jonathan Banks, Tim James, Rebecca Dudley, James Dodding, John M Lucas, Izzy Everitt, Richard Pratt, Jessica Hawley, James Warren, Lauren Hunter, Claire LePoutre, Rachel Farndell, Hayley Huttlestone, Katie Warren.

We hope to see you again soon!

Of the 265 runners 45 achieved PB's. A number of people achieved PB?s on only their second park run, congratulations to Katie and Jonathan Bish, Gill Hughes, Trevor Frost, Carly Reid, Megan McGrotty, Hayley Griffin, Tony Vickers, Rachel Levitt, Corinne Webb, Paul Coxall.

The First lady to get the watch click was Jane Clarke in 15th place [21-05] 2nd Cassandra Trevis [22-01] 3rd Kerry Kitchener [22-38].

First gent was Dan McAlpine [16-56] 2nd Simon Fraser [18-17] and 3rd an unregistered person so 4th goes to Jonathan Parr [19:02] % graded scores honours go to Tina Randell [76%] for the ladies and Peter Orton [80%] for the men.

Volunteers: Ian ALEXANDER, Rosemary BIGGS, Roger BIGGS, Joe COLGAN, Alan FORD, Sarah FRITH, Richard GLAISTER, Alan GOODWIN, Victoria HADFIELD, Nathan HADFIELD, Richard HAMILTON, Jackie HOLLYWELL, Julie KEMPSON, Sue LOUGHRAN, Jack LUNNON, David MORLEY, Tracy NORRIS, Daniel SUTTON, Andrea WESTCOTT, Kris WESTCOTT, Robert WHITTEN Parkrun t akes place at Fairlands Valley Park every Sat urday st art ing at 9am.

Save the green belt group call for proposal From t he Save t he Green Belt Campaign:

" The North Herts District Council is consulting the Public with regard to their proposed Local Plan. Various Councillors, the CPRE, Friends of the Forster Country and more recently the Letchworth Garden City Society have come out against the proposals, due to their impact on the Green Belt.

The Save the Green Belt campaign have stated that we require many additional homes if not for those residents boosting the local economy by working in the area, but for those that travel within the Golden Triangle of London, Cambridge and Oxford every day.

Most people have varying views about the exact number of new homes proposed. We will only know for sure that we got it wrong, if we build too many.

The NHDC whilst submitting their plans for sites to build 14,200 homes for Public comment are not,

in any way, expecting to be bound by any public approval or open criticism of their plans. They infer that National Government require them to make this provision. Sadly their proposals lack the very imagination that has made Hertfordshire an absolute icon of intelligent urbanisation worldwide as Hertfordshire is blessed with the first Garden Cities, Letchworth and Welwyn and the first New Town, Stevenage. Why are we forsaking these proven concepts with the Local Plan of 2015, frustrating the residents and ratepayers of North Herts, when a New Town or Garden City would attract State Aid? Today the proposals are to trash the Green Belt across 96 sites in North Herts. The NHDC have created their own Green Belt Review in October 2014 stating the strategic relevance of the Green Belt with many of the areas destined for development identified strongly and even the villages expressly mentioned in their existing Policy No 5 now

ignored.

The Green Belt concept was designed to stop the coalescence of Towns and Villages with other Towns so that we do not end up with a STITCHIN and a STECHWORTH. The North Herts District Council is apparently aware of up to 3 locations under its control where a new Town or Garden City can be sited and has so far chosen not to make the public aware why these options have been ignored. Given that one of the sites in question is on grade one agricultural land and would potentially provide for up to 25,000 dwellings, why are we ignoring this option?

The NHDC need to clearly understand that there is strong public opinion against their Planning proposals. As a Tory dominated Council they are acting against the very policy views of central Government.

We are providing the opportunity for Parish Councils to collaborate against these proposals and the residents of Hertfordshire to just say No!

"

Save Our Green Belt , Pet ers House, The Orbit al Cent re, Icknield Way, Let chwort h Garden Cit y, Hert fordshire SG6 1ET Email: info@save-our-green-belt .org www.save-our-green-belt .org

What 's on in # STEVENAGE St evenage Kadoma Link Associat ion:A quiz night takes place on Saturday, February 10, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm at Stevenage District Scout Hall, Poplars Neighbourhood Centre. £6 per person. Bring your own drinks and nibbles, tea and coffee will be provided. To book a table emailkay.collier@ntlworld.comor call 07545065494.

The Friends of St . Mary?s Church:A bring and buy coffee morning takes place on Saturday, February 10, from 10am to 12noon at St Mary?s Church, Shephall Green. Everyone welcome.

Legends Ent ert ainers:First charity night of the year takes place on Saturday, February 17, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm at Bedwell Community Centre. Free entry, raffle and a snack. Money will be collected for the prostate and renal fund at the Lister Hospital. For more information, contact Dennis on 01438 729420.

St evenage Symphony Orchest ra:Performs its next concert at St Martins Church, Knebworth on Saturday, February 24, starting at 7.30 pm.

The programme of Russian and East European music includes the popular Trumpet Concerto

by Armenian composer Arutiunian, with soloist Jonathan Clarke, and Rachmaninov?s great Symphony No 2. Tickets £10 (£8 concessions) are available viawww.stevenagesymphony.org, David?s Music Shop, Eastcheap, Letchworth or on the door.

Shephal l Resident s?Group:Residents from Shephall and Bandley Hill are invited to attend a meeting at the Shephall Centre on Wednesday, February 14 from 6.30pm.

Meetings are held once a month at, on the second Wednesday of each month.

St arl ight Dance Academy:Adult tap dance classes, for all ages, with a fully qualified teacher take place from 1.15pm every Friday at the Community and Arts Pavilion, Roaring Meg Retail Park, Stevenage.

Age Concern, St evenage:Pop in for a cuppa every Monday, 10am to 12pm, at Swingate House. Age Concerns providesbookings for Britannia Coaches,a hire service for mobility scooters and wheelchairs during opening hours. Free 20-minute appointments for benefits and legal advice, and a footcare clinic are held every Tuesday and Thursday (fee payable). If you?re interested in becoming avolunteer at Age Concern pop in for a chat. Age Concern's offices areopen Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 3pm and Thursday 9.30am to 1.30pm, ground floor, Swingate House, Stevenage town centre.Call01438 314164 for more.

St evenage Museum:St George?s Way, Stevenage, hosts a wide range of events throughout the

What 's on in # STEVENAGE year for families, children and adults. APolish Papercuts exhibition, curated by Justyna Pyz, which brings together examples of the Polish folk art, is on display until Saturday, March 3.General admission free but a small charge is made for some events. Open 10am to 4.30pm Wednesday to Friday, 10am to 5pm Saturday.

Call 01438 218881 or emailmuseum@stevenage.gov.ukfor more.

Cycl e UK St evenage:Starter cycle rides will set off from Costello?s Cafe by the Sailing Centre in Fairlands Valley Park at 10.30am every Saturday. Evening rides from the green by Springfield House Community Centre take place every Wednesday at 7.15pm. For more information go towww.stevenagectc.org.ukor call Jim on 07939 687509 or Jill on 07816 625901.

St evenage Writ ers:Meet every Wednesday from 5.30pm to 7pm in The Snug Bar at The Dun Cow, Letchmore Road, Stevenage. Mutual support for writers at all levels, something for everyone. Next two months the group is working on getting their Annual together. For more details contact Tony Burtonponytailpoet@gmail.com.

short service. ÂŁ1.50 per week.

Pl ay Go:Takes place every Tuesday from 7.30pm in Letchworth or Stevenage on alternate weeks. Persons under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

For more information, visithttp:/ / www.letchworth-go.org.uk/ letchgo

Roundabout ers Count ry Dance Cl ub:English country dancing every Thursday, 8pm to 10pm, at Friends Meeting House, Cuttys Lane SG1 1UP. Newcomers are always welcome, both beginners and experienced dancers. To find out more call 01438 727239, visitwww.roundabouters.org.ukor just come along.

St Hugh and St John's Church: Blaze Youth Club for anyone aged 7 to 14 takes place every Thursday during term-time from 5.45pm to 7.15pm. Have fun playing games, sports, making crafts, baking, cooking, and art, The first Thursday of the month is family night where families are invited to come for a meal and a

St evenage Bridge Cl ub:New players are needed at Stevenage Bridge Club and Springfield House Friday Bridge Club.

Stevenage Bridge Club meets at 7.30pm to play Duplicate Bridge at the Priory Nursery, Stanmore Road, Old Stevenage. Contact Phil Cooper on 0795 7813434. Springfield House

What 's on in # STEVENAGE Friday Bridge Club meet on Friday afternoons at 1.30pm to play cut-in Chicago Bridge at Springfield House. Contact Richard Bean on 01438 221517.

Village Hall on Thursdays from 1.30pm to 2.30pm/ Beginners are recommended to attend an introductory class. Call 07732897404 for more information.

Mol l y Vickers School of Dance:Lessons in Ballet, Tap, Freestyle and Contemporary at Bedwell Community Centre, Stevenage. For children (18 months+) and adults, first trial class is free! For more details call Lisa Holt on (01438) 723450 or Stacey Hurst on (01438) 315580.

Senior keep-f it :Gentle exercise classes aimed to improve your mobility, strength and posture while having fun take place across Stevenage.

The class lasts one hour and consists of mainly chair-based exercises using various equipment and finishing with a fun game. For more information on when and where the sessions take place please call 07925727279.

Oval Communit y Circl e:Come along to a free social group held on the first Thursday of the month anytime between 9:30am and 11am at the Oval Community Centre, Vardon Road. For more information contactenquiries@ovalcommunity.comor 01438 359404.

Love t o Dance:Fun and friendly sessions for anyone aged 50 and over take place every Friday from 1.30pm to 3.30pm at Hampson Park Community Centre, Webb Rise, Stevenage, SG1 5QU. Just £5.50 per session. For more information call 0203 675 7215 or emailclarebellchambers@saracens.net St evenage Spirit ual Group:Meet every Sunday (except Bank Holidays) at Springfield House, Stevenage Old Town. Sunday meetings take place from 7.30pm till 9pm with a different Medium each week. All welcome.

Springf iel d House over 50s Lunch Cl ub:Monday to Friday at 12.30pm, serving a homemade hot meal and refreshments for £4.50 per person (£4.75 as of April 1) Please book by 10.30am on the day. Call 01438 356705 or pop in between 9am and 2.30pm at 24 High Street, Old Town.

St evenage Fibromyal gia Support Group:Meet on the second Wednesday evening and last Tuesday morning of the month at Poplars. A weekly coffee drop in from 1pm to 3pm takes place on Wednesdays at Encore Coffee House, in the foyer of the Gordon Craig Theatre. Call the helpline 0844 8872 373 or 355 for more info. All welcome.

Wou ld you lik e t o pr om ot e you r gr ou p or

Just Sing Communit y Choir:Come along and sing every Thursday during term time from 7pm to 9pm, at Grace Community Church. Hydean Way, Stevenage. First taster session free and no auditions are required. For more information contact 07785568463 or visit the websitewww.justsingcc.org.uk

even t f or f r ee?

Pil at es:Sessions take place at Datchworth

#St even age

Do you w an t t o sh ow t h e people of #St even age you r gr ou p in act ion ?

Sen d you r copy an d pict u r es t o dar r en @spit f ir epr .com an d w e w ill do ou r best t o pu blish t h em in Wh at 's on in

Stevenage Borough Council set rents and charges for 2018/19 Councillors agree St evenage council house rent s for 2018/ 19.

Stevenage councillors have agreed council house rents and service charges for the next 12 months.

Government legislation introduced in 2016 means that social rents in England will fall by 1 percent over a four-year period. In Stevenage this year around 7,800 council tenants will see their rent go down by an average of 95p per week from 2 April 2018.

Councillors also agreed to reductions or no increase for around 640 council tenants whose properties are subject to service charges, with a total of2,050 homes havingservice charge

increases of less than £1.

Councillor Jeannette Thomas, Executive Member for Housing, Health and Older People said: ?One of our top priorities is providing good quality housing that people in Stevenage can afford. We are able to offer excellent value for our tenants as rent for the average three-bedroom council home in the town will be £106.03 per week, less than half of the average weekly private rent for a three-bedroom property of around £253. ?I?m sure the rent reduction is a largely seen as a positive thing for our tenants in hard-pressed financial times, but we use rental

income to fund development and improvements programmes ? such as providing new homes for Stevenage residents. We estimate that over30 years we will lose £225 million in the amount of rental income we receive. This means we have much less money to invest in our current housing and to put towards building new homes.?

For further information on the rent setting process and to read the council?s housing allocations policy, please visit Stevenage.gov.uk Cllr Thomas added: ?I would urge our tenants to contact our Income Team as early as they can if they have any concerns or difficulties in paying their rent as the team can provide all kinds of support and advice.?

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PAUL FRY on # St evenage

An unlikely centre of sporting excellence Stevenage has long punched above its weight in the sporting arena, as anyone who has seen the brilliant, eye-catching mural on the leisure centre walkway between the railway station and town centre will know.

sportsperson making a name for themselves on the national or even international stage was seized upon eagerly to fill some gaping column inches.

I expect it has stopped some in their tracks, with a quizzical, ?I didn?t know he/ she was from Stevenage?.

I would like to think such coverage helped to inspire other youngsters from the town to take up sport - even if their achievements were more modest.

As a former Stevenage Gazette sports editor, I recall a time when any snippet of news about a local

You can argue this has never been more important for a younger generation whose

football skills might be better on a PlayStation than on a park.

I have seen from afar now the slow demise of Sunday football, minor league football - although other sports, some of which are relatively new, are getting kids off the couch and that is to be applauded.

Stevenage bred Britain?s richest sportsman, F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, the four-time world motor racing champion. But years ago the town could boast a star on two wheels, George Brown.

George?s exploits on the bike were before my career began. But I well recall his bike shop, on the Bowling Green, less than 100 yards from the Gazette offices.

Nottingham-born George was a test rider for Vincent, the Stevenage bike maker, and he was fortunate the local police were tolerant of him using the town?s roads to push an engine to its limits. Only once was he in court ? but the magistrate would not

believe that he had done 110mph, so he dismissed the speeding charge.

He and his brother Cliff were true petrolheads and their Nero and Super Nero bikes broke world speed records.

I?m only glad they kept to the roads and not the cycle tracks, which I used to get to school and later for an evening run, often around Shephall, which is where Hamilton was brought up.

Lewis learned to drive in Stevenage and went to John Henry Newman School, where he was a contemporary of Manchester United?s AshleyYoung ? and was said to be half-decent at football, too.

But it was at Rye House, in Hoddesdon, that young Hamilton learned his trade, in karts.

So for those who might unkindly say the best thing about post-war Stevenage is the A1(M) bypass, the New Town can at least claim to have been in the fast lane.

And it has had many more top-line sportsmen and women than most towns of a comparable size.

Going back to my Gazette days, it is clear that much of that success was down to having decent facilities, lots of encouragement and opportunity. The New Town was planned, even if much of its original design is no longer fit for purpose and has been overtaken by the demands of modern life.

Big employers such as ESA, Kodak, BAC and Hawker-Siddeley, had their own sport facilities, teams in many sports - and took part in competitive leagues. Even the bus station staff, the post office, land registry and many

smaller firms had their own teams. Those who might not have worked for one of them played for their local pub team.

The quality of coaching might not have been today?s centre of excellence standard but it was sufficiently good to nurture some outstanding talent down the years.

Stevenage had two world-class male divers, Frank Dufficy and Martyn Brown - long before Tom Daley was born. They, and Marion Saunders (now Henthorn, who competed in Moscow in 1980) owed much to coach Derek Beaumont, who ran his own academy and has since nurtured many other fine diving talents, not just from Stevenage.

Brown, who went to Bedwell School, took part in the 1976 Montreal Olympics at the age of 23 ? quite late for a diver - and the Moscow Games four years later.

Latterly he used video technology to help the current crop of Olympic hopefuls train for London 2012.

Frank was a slightly earlier vintage, finishing 21st in the 10m platform at the 1972 Games in Germany. Marion was just outside the top 20 in Moscow but did better in other international events, such as the Commonwealth Games, and also features on the town's walk of fame.

As a young reporter, I met Winnie Hampson, whose late husband Tom, won gold in the 800m at the 1932 Los Angeles Games and silver in the 4x 400m relay. She had a wonderful collection of newspaper clippings to show me ? plus those medals. Tommy

worked for the Development Corporation after his time in the RAF and is buried at St Mary?s in Shephall, where he was a warden until his death, at 57. If you visit the churchyard, his headstone has the five Olympic rings beside his name.

I recall doing a series of sports features on local stars and met Roland Butcher, who played cricket for Middlesex and became the first black man to play in Tests for England. He was a modest and unassuming trail-blazer.

I?d met him before? albeit from 22 yards, when we were on opposing teams in a play scheme match at Shephalbury. It was all a blur as I stood at the crease and thankfully over quite soon. And bowling was not his strongest suit. A cavalier batsman, he played only three Tests but savoured his debut in Barbados, where he was born.

We had a street football team when I was a teenager that played against others from different parts of the town. Ian Allinson played in another. He was good - but there was no obvious hint that he would go on to play for Colchester and Arsenal.

Ashley Young, of course, has played for England as well as Manchester United, but Stevenage has produced many other talented players - some, like Danny Dance, had the talent to have made it as a professional but was never picked up by a club. He was powerful and quick and scored some wonderful goals.

Danny's Twin Foxes team-mate Paul Bowgett played for

Tottenham; while Kevin Phillips had a prolific career as a striker including being the Premier League top scorer when he was at Sunderland. He was a coach at Leicester City the year before their fabled 5,000-1 title success, helping Jamie Vardy hone his finishing skills.

One of my own favourite Stevenage sporting stars has to be Ian Poulter. I remember him as a young pro at Chesfield Downs when I was learning to play. I?d sometimes watch him on the range. Who can forget his Ryder Cup heroics? particularly during the 2012 ?Miracle?win at Medinah?

There are mementos from Ian?s achievements in the club bar and he still has a soft spot for the club where it all began.

One of my least favourite was Graham Poll - but only because he booked me (the only time in my less-than distinguised Sunday League career) for a bit of a lunging tackle. Personally I am still waiting for the video assistant referee?s view. I thought the 72-year-old Ron Cross was a better ref, even if he did once turn up at half-time because he forgot to put his clock back. Ron should have been on that Stevenage wall!

I?ve left Stevenage FC to last as they could command a whole column - save to say Ronnie Henry deserves a place on the wall of fame on his own after a record number of appearances.

But it is a good place to finish, because I started by saying Stevenage had punched above

its weight.

So, arguably has its football club.

I recall the dark days of failed clubs, park pitches when the ground was dug up. Based on crowds that are marginally less than when Boro were a force in the Conference who tweaked the noses of Alan Shearer, Stuart Pearce and Kenny Dalglish in the FA Cup (20 years ago this year, amazingly), they do well to hold their own in the Football League.

The new North Stand will be a wonderful addition.

Let?s hope they inspire and perhaps even blood the next Ashley Young, and that Lewis Hamilton?s feats spur on another potential world champion.

Yes, Stevenage, it?s in our blood, though sadly, not mine!

Call for more residents and businesses to keep the Old Town vibrant The chair of a partnership based in the vibrant Old Town is encouraging more residents and businesses to get involved in the community group as 2018 gets underway. If you have any ideas you would like to share about how to improve the Old Town in the year ahead, Marie-Claire Clinton would like to hear from you. ?As we start a new year, as the current chair of the Stevenage Old Town Business and Community Partnership (SOTBCP) I wanted to wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2018,?says Marie-Claire. ?In these turbulent global times it is all the more important for communities to come together for mutual support.?The aim of SOTBCP is to bring together Old Town residents and businesses and other interested parties to discuss and implement ideas which benefit the community, both commercially and socially. The group meet once a month on a Monday or Tuesday and to join you need to be either a Old Town business, community group or resident or we do have an associate membership category if you have an interest in the Old Town but don?t fall into either of the other categories. There is a small membership fee of ÂŁ5 for residents, ÂŁ10 for community groups, and a sliding scale based on employees for businesses starting at ÂŁ15. ?Benefits for businesses include posts shared on our Facebook page, and being listed on the High Street map we are developing which will be available free of charge at local hotels and other outlets. We also hope to develop a website in the forthcoming year, funds dependant.

"On the community front we are hoping to take advantage of the bike race by holding events before, during and after, we are hoping to be able to stage an even bigger and better Christmas lights switch on, and maybe a real ale and cider festival!

"The Old Town is a really vibrant and exciting place to

live and work, and being a member of the group, for me, really enhances the experience,?

The next meeting of SOTBCP takes place at Springfield House in the High Street on Tuesday, February 13, from 6pm.

For furt her informat ion, cont act Marie-Claire at On t he Green rest aurant via Facebook.com or at ont hegreenrest aurant .co.uk or Jonat han at Alt a Images in Middle Row.

St af f at Br it ish Aer ospace, 1985 Th e Expr ess Dair y, St even age

OLD M EM ORIES OF STEVENAGE 2 Ou r t h an k s t o t h e adm in s on t h e Old M em or ies of St even age 2 Facebook Gr ou p f or per m ission s t o u se t h ese pict u r es.

If you h ave an y im ages or st or ies w h ich w ou ld be of in t er est t o r eader s of #St even age please em ail dar r en @spit f ir epr .com

St af f at Taylor s, believed t o be lat e 1970s

Bar clay Sch ool Pool, 1961 Above: Pu pils at Ban dley Hill Sch ool, 1959

Righ t : St even age High St r eet pict u r ed f r om t h e sou t h in 1952

Half term fun for all the family planned with town centre events "Last month I hosted one of our regular business breakfasts, which was a great chance for me to catch-up with town centre retailers and talk to them about how we can work together for the benefits of shoppers, workers, and visitors."

Town Cent re Manager Tina Benson you?re reading this and are looking to open a new store in Stevenage then please feel free to contact meas I might be able to help.

We have great events coming up in the Town Centre this half term with something for all ages. It starts with family fun on Saturday 10 February when we have pedal go-karts racing around a track by Barclays Bank. We?ll also have mascots, face painting and a candy floss stall. The following Saturday we have live music with Practice Roomz live to entertain you as you shop.

It?s a great start to the new year events programme which so many of you enjoyed last year. We also welcomed Starbucks andWarren James jewellers into the Town Square last year and new stalls into the Indoor Market. It would be great for even more businesses to come to Stevenage in 2018. If

Last month I hosted one of our regular business breakfasts, which was a great chance for me to catch-up with town centre retailers and talk to them about how we can work together for the benefits of shoppers, workers, and visitors. If you couldn?t make it and would like to contact me directly please

emailtcm@stevenage.gov.ukto talk all things town centre.

Half Term fun on Saturday 10 February is from 10am to 3pm, and Practice Roomz live is on Saturday 17 February from 11am to 3.30pm.

Stay up-to-date with the events planned in the town centre throughout the year make sure you?re following @lovestevenagetc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

How to make the final farewell less painful when it comes to clearing When a loved one dies, one of the difficult tasks you may have to take on is clearing out their home. It can feel sad going through their possessions and it may seem like you?re having to say goodbye all over again.

In Sweden, there?s a tradition called ?doestaedning?? death cleaning ? that may help make the process easier. It involves getting rid of unwanted possessions while you?re still alive ? so the job isn?t left for others to do when you?re gone.

It may sound morbid, but people who death clean find it an empowering experience. Margareta Magnusson, author of ?The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter?, started her own death cleaning after her parents and husband died and she was left to go through their belongings. She found getting rid of her own unwanted things uplifting and rewarding.

Death cleaning doesn?t need to be rushed. Margareta suggests going through one room at a time and listing each item that you want to keep or part with. It?s also best to start with

items that are easy to let go of ? clothes you rarely wear, those extra dinner plates you never use, unwanted presents.

You might want to give certain possessions to friends or family members ? perhaps a piece of china or jewellery they have admired. As for sentimental items such as photographs and letters, these should be kept with you and cherished.

Margareta keeps all hers in a ?throwaway?box ? these are things

that family members don?t need to sort through when she?s gone and can be simply thrown away.

Death cleaning might not be for everybody, but if you?re struggling to clear out your loved one?s possessions it might be something to think about for yourself. * For help and support planning a funeral or cremat ion, please cont act us on 01438 316623.

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KIT GALER at t he Mecca

We went to the ballroom every week - but no one ever dared to dance

THE thing about the Locarno was that no one who grew up in Stevenage ever called it that. It was always the Mecca, as in ?you goin?down the Mecca tonight? or ?you see the fight outside the Mecca last week??

A North Herts generation grew up on a diet of weekly visits to the Mecca, graduating from Saturday morning junior discos with occasionally a local pop group, to a Monday night teenage version of the same ? no bar but plenty

of dark corners until the bouncers found you and split you up. From there you graduated to Wednesday?s beat nights ? it was probably beat ?nites?, I don?t recall ? when you could get the bus to the Town Centre, stroll across Danestrete, hand over four or five shillings at the box office and go in to see one of the best music acts in the country come round on the revolving stage.

Thursday, Friday and weekend

nights were reserved for ballroom dancers, bingo players and wife-swappers. We gave them a miss.

No, Wednesday night was the big one. Chuck Berry, the Who, the Searchers, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Bee Gees, Moody Blues, Drifters, Chubby Checker, the Animals, Georgie Fame, the Move, Cream, Ike and Tina Turner ? a veritableTop of the Pops-likelist of hit parade regulars would show up. Stevie Wonder played

when he was still being billed as Little Stevie Wonder, only the swift intervention of a minder preventing him falling off the front of the stage during a spirited rendition of one of his early Motown classics.

Steve Marriott apologised for not having had his haircut, ?sorry about the barnet? he told the fanatical Small Faces mod fans staring up at him; guitarist Dave Davies teased a worshipping audience almost to the point of violence by insisting on prefacing every song the Kinks performed with the opening riff ofYou?ve Really Got Me,newly established the previous week as the nation?s top single.

You thought the bad boys of British rock couldn?t possibly appear in a setting apparently clearly designed with BBC TV ballroom favouriteCome Dancingin mind - there was a revolving mirror ball attached to the ceiling, for Peter West?s sake - but the Rolling Stones duly saluted in 1964. This was not as one of the acts booked through Mecca Dancing but a result of the enterprise of the apprentices? association at nearby factory George W. King?s, who hired the Stones for a charity gig on April 1, a date which caused a degree of cynicism when first announced.

Then when I left school in 1965 and joined the local paper I managed to persuade the editor that my knowledge of pop music in general and the Mecca in particular, was without parallel.

I?d done the revolving stage bit myself with a local group in the early ?60s (bands were what soldiers marched to and Acker Bilk fronted back then), signed

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autographs at the stage door for pre-teens some Saturday mornings . . . and was duly appointed the North Herts Gazette?s pop correspondent.

The duties were hardly onerous; write a weekly column on pop matters of the day and attend such events at the Mecca the editor thought noteworthy.

These were many and various ? interviewing a young Welsh singer called Tom Jones for an ITV arts show calledTempo,not interviewing Van Morrison, trying to interview Bill Haley but he?d already left. I saw Victor Silvester as well one evening but wasn?t particularly bothered about getting his thoughts on a venue just made for interviewing him and his spiritedYou?re Dancing on My Heartquickstep.

The bonus the pop job provided was I could get into the Mecca for free! Just ask for the press book, sign your name and in you go.

The following morning you?d have to write a few column inches about what you witnessed. Fifty years on it remains one of the best perks I ever got from working on newspapers ? which doesn?t make it sound much of a glittering career, come to think of it.

Virtually everyone I knew went to the Mecca at least on a weekly basis. Not to dance, of course, we never danced. Well, maybe a few of the girls would put their handbags down on the floor and twist or hitch-hike around them in a circle, eyes blank, lost to the world; but no bloke worth his Ben Sherman two-piece was going to get involved in that.

The boys to men, meanwhile, sat

around or lounged against the pillars checking out the girls most likely to and trying to avoid eye contact with that particular manic stereotype whose night out was not complete without a bit of push and shove, followed by ?yeah, mate? and ?wanna make sunnink of it??

The exception to the no-dancing rule would be during the regular ?Dream Time? sequence, when the disc jockey ? Mike Hill, Mary Hardy or whoever ? would lower the tempo so couples could dance together, if not completely in the dark then certainly with a degree of romantic intent beneath the flickering lights on the ceiling. Male hopefuls came on to the terrace from the upstairs bar, obscurely titled the Tudor Suite, to peer through the gloom in a bid to check out the availability of single girls.

I have it in mind Elvis Presley?sCan?t Help Falling in Love was played every time the lights were thus lowered, although there must have been one or two other songs.

Shameful to admit that while I chatted up my quota, I don?t remember picking up one girl during nearly nine years prowling the Mecca.

I can?t recall any of my mates doing so, either. I?d arrange to meet a girl inside, sure, the cheapskate alternative to buying two tickets. But my score of successful chat-ups inside was zero; no dates and strictly no dancing.

It was the music, world stars on a Stevenage stage.

I?ll bet they don?t have that much fun at Mecca Bingo.

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Don't get caught on a Phishing expedition!

Phishing is a computer term associated with a particular type of nasty fraud. Phishing is not to be confused with 'fishing' but its name is chosen deliberately to conjure up images of fish being caught.

Just like a fish, we can get tricked into clicking on a malicious link. It works through the creation of an email or web page that looks like it belongs to a genuine company. It looks so real that the victim will not notice anything untoward. A typical phishing attack purports to be from your bank and the link that you use to visit your bank takes

you to a perfect copy of your bank?s website.

So what is the purpose of this criminal activity? Well, there are a variety of things the criminal can be after. Most common is gaining valuable information such as your login credentials. As so many people use the same password for multiple sites, this is like gaining a master key set to just about everything. With so much of our transactions now online, your debit/credit card details are likely to be just a few keystrokes away.

If it's not your finances they are after then personal information is great to use for spoofing. Yes, there is another favourite exploit of the cyber criminal. Spoofing is where the criminal manages to pass themselves off as someone else or they manage to pass their piece of software off as something else. It won?t happen to me You might think that this will never happen to you but these criminals know more than one trick. The best point of attack for them is when you are already concerned or overwhelmed by a particular problem.

A very level headed friend of mine fell victim to one of these attacks when he was having problems with his printer. While he was getting increasingly annoyed with the issue, as he had better things to do with his time rather than fight printer driver software, a helpful dialogue box popped up. I?m presuming that this happened while he was looking for help online but this dialogue box looked like it was from the printer software.

He clicked on the ?troubleshooting?button and it notified him of the Epson support helpline telephone number so he rang them up. While he was talking to the guy on the phone, he must have clicked on something so that the guy ?could take a look?at his computer in order to get to the bottom of the printing issue. It was only when the guy told him that he had a virus on his machine and that it would cost ÂŁ800 to get it removed that my friend hung up and quickly shut down his computer.

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He didn?t know what software the fraudster used on his computer and if it is still there doing something?

Phishing Trends Banks were the most often ?phished?but now that cloud storage has become so popular, phishing using cloud storage companies as bait is even more prevalent. it?s the huge user base that attracts the fraudsters.

How can you safeguard against this?

There are a number of things that you can check that will help you to avoid being directed to a malicious website.

Check the email address of the sender.

Although it is possible to spoof an email address, often spoof addresses are detected by your ISP or mail client but not all providers are as good as each other. However you can simply look at the ?From?address and check that the part after the @sign matches the domain name of the company it claims to be from. NB, it is the part of the domain name that comes directly before the top level domain name, eg, info@customersupport.paypal.com, unless spoofed, is coming a PayPal subdomain but info@paypal.nastyhacker.com is not PayPal it is a subdomain of nastyhacker If you don?t recognise the sender?s email address then do some research before you go further. Check that the website is who they claim to be.

When surfing the web, you find out more about the identity of a company that owns a website. You may not know if this site is trustworthy or not because you haven?t used it before.

Just because you haven?t used it

before doesn?t mean that there is any problem with it. But just like you would if you were to shop in the high street, you would want some assurance that they are at least who they say they are.

All browsers will identify if you are on a secure connection or not by checking for the SSL certificate.

However, recently Google has changed its browser (Google Chrome) to flag up sites that do not use an SSL certificate as being untrustworthy.

Well, that is true to a degree in that you need to have an SSL certificate in order to encrypt any data that it sent to or from the website. So sites that have a certificate will prevent hackers from gaining data that is submitted via a form, for example where you might be setting your password.

This is where it gets more interesting.

Different certificates give you more information on the site you are visiting. The best certificates will verify that the company is actually who they say they are. You can see if a site has a certificate by looking for the lock icon to the left of the address bar: Standard SSL certificate A Standard SSL certificate will give you 2048 bit encryption which protects users of the site from having their data intercepted and harvested by some unsavoury character. However, it does not prove that the site you are on is trustworthy. Here is an example of a standard certificate, click on the lock icon to see further details. You can see that the Organisation is not part of the certificate. Premium SSL certifcate In order to obtain a premium SSL certificate an organisation needs to

prove their identity as well as ownership of the domain.

Documentation must be provided by the company in order to pass this verification. This is a Premium certificate, notice the Organisation field is filled in.

Certificate Extended Verification guarantees the identity of the business as the documentation needed and personal verification is more extensive. When you apply for this type of certificate you need to be able to speak directly to the certificate authority. They will arrange a date with you to call you on your telephone number as published in a third party telephone listing such as the YellowPages, Scoot or 192.com. They will also need to know where your physical address and this is verified using an official registry such as Dun & Bradstreet.

An EV certificate has the name of the site in green just to the left of the address bar of your web browser. If you click on that green name then you can see more details about the certificate. In particular, you can see who owns the website. Many browsers do not differentiate between standard and premium certificates because the only one that truly proves ownership is the EV certificate.

So next time you click on a link and are directed to a website, take a look at the address bar to see if they are who they say they are. A Phishing site will not have an EV certificate proving that it is your bank or printer manufacturer.

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Enjoy a contemporary experience with a stay at the Ibis Hotel

When the day is over, guests at the Ibis Hotel, Stevenage, can relax in their contemporary restaurant and bar - CafĂŠ Green.

All rooms are fully air conditioned, en suite with double shower, telephone, tea and coffee making facilities and free WiFi.

The restaurant is situated on the ground floor of the hotel. Here you will find a tasty selection of light snacks and traditional dishes on a delightful menu, at great value prices.

At a glance:

The informal bar stocks a range of beers and wines, coffee and soft drinks.

Contact the team to find out this weeks' theme and to book your table by calling 01438 779955.

98 fully re-furbished bedrooms King size beds and luxury showers The Ibis

Flat screen TV?s

Modern and inviting, the new Ibis room has everything you need: a comfortable bathroom, modern decor, hardwood floor, internet and a flatscreen TV with the best international channels.

Family friendly Lift Complimentary Wifi Restaurant Parking close by

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

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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

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Ashr idge Est at e

Facing the Bowling Green in Stevenage?s Old Town, we?re located in a beautiful Grade 2 listed building.

Our mission is to bring modern British cuisine to Stevenage using seasonal, locally sourced where possible produce, with service which is good without being stuffy; a special occasion venue which doesn?t break the bank.

My mum's buns My mum is an excellent cook and recently this has really been put to the test as my dad has been undergoing chemotherapy so has had to be on a restricted diet.

Processed food is off the menu - you would be amazed what is processed food when you start to look into it!!

My dad likes his food and is very much three square a day, meat and two veg man, so telling him he can?t eat ham sandwiches, or have blue cheese, was going to require some creative alternatives to stop him tearing his hair out, assuming there was any left after the treatment (actually as it happens, he has had no ill effects at all save sensitivity to cold which is a bonus for mum as it means the heating is on more!).

One of mum?s most successful finds was this recipe for amazing fluffy buns she found on the internet via The Little Red Hen. The recipe is called ?Soft and Fluffy One Hour Rolls?but depending on the temperature in your home it may take longer than an hour.

Ingredients:1.5 cups of warm water (this is tea cups not mugs) 1 tablespoon (5g) active dried yeast

Sea salt for sprinkling on top.

In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water and let is stand until it goes foamy. Add the butter, salt and 3 cups of flour and mix until combined.

Add the additional flour 0.25 cup at a time until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and is only slightly sticky to the touch, but be careful not to add too much flour ? if you do, add more water a small amount at a time until it is the right consistency.

Kneed for 3-5 minutes until smooth, then cover and let rise until it doubles in size.

Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees centigrade (400fahrenheit) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or grease it ? about 30 x 30cm sheet is perfect or a round one works too. Knock back the dough (kneed the air out of it) and divide into equal sized pieces. The recipe says 20 but mum usually does 10 larger ones. Roll each piece into a ball and space evenly on the baking sheet. Brush the dough with the melted butter, sprinkle with sea salt and let it rise again for 15-20 minutes.

2 tablespoon (10g) softened butter (basically squish it with a spoon until it is spreadable)

Bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown ? exact cooking times will depend on your oven ? remove and brush again with butter. Let it cool slightly, or entirely, before serving.

1 teaspoon (5g) salt

Hope you enjoy.

4 cups of flour (more or less as needed)

Marie-Claire Clint on, co-propriet or and general dog?s body, On t he Green rest aurant .

2 tablespoons (10g) sugar

3 tablespoons (15g) melted butter for brushing on top

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