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BEDFORDSHIRE GARDENS

DISCOVERING FASCINATING GARDENS IN THE LOCAL AREA ALSO INSIDE

ROOM 101 MARGARET’S WALKS SCENE BY YOU

Issue 19 January 2021

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Competition Winner

December a big well done to:

ROb seery Who was the closest to spotting the hidden drone pilot in last month’s photo & won £25. See below for last month’s location

NOTE FROM THE EDITOrS A big warm welcome to the January edition of LivingLife Magazine and of course welcome to a brand-new year. ‘Time flies’ might be a bit of a cliché, but it is a bittersweet reality. In the magazine this month we see a return of our Room 101 This month’s cover was feature, it’s one of photo our favourcaptured ites, but it by canKate onlyMcBurney continue if (John’s wife) during an evening our readers are willing to substroll across the farmers fields mit their entries. So now it’s your turn, why not give it a go! near Henlow Village. CompeAlso inside we get to explore Margaret titionDilley’s Winnerbeautiful garden in Upper Stondon, we discover how volunteers in Arlesey give a local beauty spot a makeover, and Lava Wellbeing provide some useful tips on how to become fit for life.

| Andrew Martin |

JULY

Get in touch with us: We would love your feedback on what you enjoyed about this edition, and of course, any areas where we could improve.

01462 414265

admin@livinglifemagazine.co.uk

DISCLAIMER

The opinions expressed in LivingLife magazine do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, publisher or their agents. Whilst every reasonable care is taken to ensure the accuracy of information included within this publication, the publishers take no responsibility for any errors or omissions in LivingLife Magazine. The content is not to be reproduced in any form without permission of the publisher.

Our cover photo this month was captured in February 2020, before the Covid-19 crisis had taken hold, and before the lockdown was imposed. At | John McBurney | the time we thought that the photograph simply captured an amazing piece of artwork created on the graffiti wall at the Arlesey Rec, however, the image is now far more poignant. As 2020 has proved to be such a difficult year, the image now evokes hope, hope that life will get better. So, as we say farewell to 2020, we look forward to 2021 and hope that the new year will be a good one, a better one. Here at LivingLife magazine we would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our readers, advertisers and delivery staff a Happy New Year!

Kind Regards, Andrew & John

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 24 26

beautiful bedfordshire gardens artisans in the yard diddy directory room 101 margaret’s walks update from PCC candidate community tidy up fit for life scene by you landlady takes home prize january crossword popping up in henlow

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garden

Beautiful Gardens of Bedfordshire

Margaret Dilley, Hare Park Terrace, Upper Stondon

Check out all the photos on our blo g

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azine.co.uk/blog

Discovering beautiful gardens in the local area. Welcome to our latest instalment of beautiful gardens. In November we were kindly invited to visit Margaret Dilley’s delightful garden in Upper Stondon. We were treated a guided tour and whilst we captured photographs Margaret described her love for her garden and her collection of fuchsias. “I am 87 years old and love my garden. I have lived in my house for 54 years. I love my garden, especially my fuchsias. I used to show them at Henlow Village shows. I worked as a caretaker at Stondon School for 29 years and I loved doing that as well.” During our tour we spotted some miniature houses and also a dismantled miniature castle, and it was interesting to discover that these are actually from the same collection which we featured in December’s magazine, found at Shirley & David’s garden in Mayfield Crescent, Lower Stondon. We promised Margaret that we would return in the late spring / early summer to photograph her beautiful garden again when it is in full bloom, we also agreed to attempt to reconstruct the castle. We will keep you up to date on our progress.

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local art

Contribution thanks to

Adrian Goulding

New & improved for 2021

the Manager of

Artisans in the Yard FB@Artisansintheyard

Customers, artisans, browsers and supporters HAPPY NEW YEAR. We made it through a challenging year! Maybe 2020 went better than expected. Lockdowns gave us time to get more organised, more presence online plus a coat of fresh paint at the Gallery. Our Artisans created beautiful items and I worked on special furniture projects like desks for those working from home. We set up an Ecommerce web site to sell online, but found something a little more tailored to our Community suited us better. Our web site is now: artisansintheyard.org An Enquire and Reserve feature means, if you’re local, we will even come to you! A News & Views page allows us to share our thoughts and yours. Go browse and tell us what you think. We still need a Jeweller to show off creations, and of course all other Artisans, be they painters, potters, or candle stick makers, show the community what skills you have. Make Local - Show Local - Buy Local Support Local - its miles better

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The

10

Diddy

Directory

the guide to local trades & businesses cost effective, contract free advertising

Book your advert today - visit www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/diddy

ÂŁ20 ÂŁ30 1 Area

2 Areas

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ROOM

101

My name is Eddie Franks. I moved to Henlow two years ago, from Maidstone in Kent. I used to be an IT consultant but I am now enjoying my retirement and can certainly recommend it to anyone. I have been meaning to make my Room 101 contribution for some time, so here goes.

Litter Louts

Litter is ugly, costly and harmful to the environment. I once saw a horrendous picture on Facebook of Brighton beach after a Bank Holiday weekend. There were 100 tonnes of rubbish on it. And we ban dogs from the beach in summertime? I think we’re banning the wrong species. There is no excuse for litter. It looks ugly. It is ugly. (And the bin men have enough to do as it is).

Hayfever

For all my fellow sufferers. Flowers are wonderful, their scent is amazing. I also love the smell of freshly cut grass. Sadly these things do not love my nose. In a bad year with high pollen counts, with what seems like continual sneezing, you can end up having a bit of a jaundiced view on a ‘nice’ bunch of flowers! I don’t understand the ‘point’ of hayfever. What good is it to man or beast? Into Room 101 it goes… ah if only!

Remakes of Classic Films That Did Not Need Remaking

I refuse to watch the remake of The Italian Job. You simply cannot beat the legendary story with Michael Caine (and Noel Coward is a joy to watch in this too). The ‘remake’ to me tells me someone is lacking original ideas and is looking to simply get bums on seats. Well, I can tell you there was one bottom that didn’t join in with this happy scene – mine. I have got an allergy and here I’m not thinking of the hayfever. I really take a great dislike to being ripped off! Where are the original stories and films to come from them?

Now it’s your turn! Do you want to banish your top peeve or worst nightmare to the depths of Room 101? Submit your top 3 at: www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/room101 12

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HEALTH & FITNESS

Margaret’s walks An Introduction....

M

argaret’s Walks was compiled by a local walking group made up of a few friends, including Margaret. Now 87, Margaret has been exploring the local Bedfordshire Margaret & Bill countryside for many years. Over the last 14 years she has regularly walked with her friends, plus a dog or two, and with their help has documented the walks. The walks take you across countryside, by rivers and streams, woods and hills, plus interesting buildings, villages and streets. These described walks, with added useful directions, make good circular walks. We hope you enjoy them.

Walk Number 23. Henlow camp/ Arlesey (about 4 miles) Park outside shops in Henlow Camp. About £2 for 3 hours.

Walk towards Henlow Camp. Pass the main gate to the camp and cross the road at the lights. Take a road on the right - Oldfield Farm Road - towards open fields. Turn right along drive to Oldfield Farm with wooden fencing on the right. At the Oldfield Farm sign, you will be directed left onto a footpath. The footpath takes you alongside the road and then left with farm buildings on the other side of a hedge, on the right. At the footpath T-junction and waymarker, turn right, walk towards the farm buildings and then pass them with the sheds on the right. When you see the barrier gate, look left and walk towards the waymarker. Turn right. Then turn left onto the track. Continue walking to a wooden bridge but do not cross. Turn left and, keeping hedge and ditch on right, keep going, ignoring a path on the left, past a waymarker and over a little bridge, till you reach a gate. Go through, and cross field (horses) to the bridge over river. Cross the bridge and turn left, following river on the left and pass through a gate. You will be on a shady (muddy) track alongside the river. Continue to follow the river, pass through a metal gate onto a concreted path past a tree nursery on the right. The path leads out through a gate into a field. There will be a bridge on the left [not ahead]. Go over 2 bridges, through a gate and follow track leading left, and then straight ahead, past 2 waymarkers, back to Oldfield Farm Road and Hen low Camp.

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NO

Stamp Duty

up to

ÂŁ500,000 21

until march

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Crime & Policing

I KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE STOPPED AND SEARCHED

Contribution thanks to

Festus Akinbusoye www.fest4bedspcc.co.uk enquiries@fest4bedspcc.co.uk

says Conservative PCC candidate

F

estus Akinbusoye, who hopes to become Bedfordshire’s next Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) in May 2021, says the Police need more community dialogue to tackle the growing Stop and Search worries in parts of the county. His comments come as three local Labour MPs have written to the current PCC, concerned that Home Office figures show black people are three times more likely to be stopped and searched compared to white people in the county. “I’m probably one of the few who can talk about this sensitive issue from both sides.” said the Conservative PCC candidate. “I’ve been stopped and searched as a teenager and as an adult and I’ve also recently carried out Stop and Search when I was working as a Special Constable with Bedfordshire Police.” added Mr. Akinbusoye. “I fully support the need for officers to have this power, but there is concern about how it is deployed given the very low findings rate.” “Public trust and confidence in the Police are paramount. I believe that as the next elected Police and Crime Commissioner, my background and personal experience can help bring all sides together to positively address this situation in Bedfordshire.”

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A professional, friendly, local gardening service making your garden somewhere for you to enjoy • Seasonal pruning & maintenance • Lawn care and weeding • Planting for seasonal interest • Composting and mulching for garden health • Gardening to encourage wildlife Claudia McCullough mulberrygardening.co.uk 07907 303130 Please support your local businesses -Don’t forget to mention LivingLife

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community

ARLESEY VOLUNTEERS CLEAN UP BEAUTY SPOT

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azine.co.uk/blog

Community spirit shines through as West Drive gets a makeover

O

n Sunday 22nd & 29th November, volunteers from Arlesey pulled together to help tidy-up West Drive, one of the town’s most popular and prettiest areas.

Shovels, litter pickers, hedge trimmers, brushes and brooms were the order of the day as local residents joined in with the efforts. West Drive is a favourite spot for walkers, runners and cyclists providing a safe, almost traffic free route between Arlesey and Fairfield Park. However, at this time of year the road-side gutters can become clogged with leaves, litter and debris which result in blocked drains. The tidy-up event was organised by Dragan Marjanovic, who runs the local takeaway, ‘Arlesey Fish and Chips’. Dragan said, “Our plan was to make West Drive pretty again. Thank-you to everyone who came to help. Everyone should be proud. We filled so many bags full of waste, possibly over 100.” He added, “I have spoken to the Council and asked if a road sweeper can clean the road and the gutters and if the drains can be unblocked. I also asked if a new public bin could be installed at the far end of West Drive, however, this could take up to 6 months to happen.” The volunteers worked hard on both occasions, but their hard work was rewarded as Dragan kindly provided Sausage and Chips for lunch for the hungry helpers.

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HEALTH & FITNESS

BECOME FIT FOR LIFE

Contribution thanks to

Sarah Lewis

Lava Wellbeing & Fitness FB: @lavawellbeing Insta:@lavawellbeing_fitness

Our best defence against this pandemic is good health

I

first qualified as a personal trainer in June 2018 with the sole purpose of empowering people to utilise exercise to be accountable and become the best version of themselves and become ‘fit for life’, whether that means to fulfil their potential as a professional footballer or someone with a long-term illness being able to carry their shopping and climb the stairs without becoming out of breath. I believe that exercise should be accessible to all regardless of ability. A majority of my work focuses around injury rehabilitation, activity to manage long term health conditions, pre and postnatal exercise, or working with those who have simply lost their spark and are feeling overwhelmed and ‘out of shape’ having not prioritised themselves. I opened the Lava Wellbeing & Fitness studio in October of this year and the response has been fantastic. We are currently living in a time where we have suddenly become more sedentary being forced to work from home. Computer screens have replaced face to face contact and as a society we are becoming more isolated. Now, more than ever, it is important that we prioritise our health and wellbeing, after all, our best defence against this pandemic is good health. The latest guidance from the Chief Medical Officer for older adults is 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (health allowing) per week. So, broken down simply, a 25 minute walk a day can not only improve the quality of your sleep, help maintain a healthy weight and manage stress, it can actively help reduce the risk of the following: • Type 2 Diabetes by 40% • Cardiovascular Disease by 35% • Falls & Depression 30% • Joint & Back Pain 25% • Cancers (colon & breast) 20% A few other fun ways to build movement into your day could include: • Marching on the spot while you wait for the kettle to boil • Stepping on and off the bottom step during a TV ad break • Doing 10 bicep curls with tins of beans or bottles of water while putting the shopping away. *Figures taken from UK Chief Medical Officer Physical Activity Guidelines 2020. ** You should always consult your doctor before undertaking any physical activity.

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SCENE BY YOU Your chance to share your favourite photos

Submit your photo for the next edition www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/myphotos

1 4

2 5 A big thanks to this month’s submissions

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1

Chris Mills

2

June Wischhusen

3

Linda Parcell

4

Merrick Baltruschat

5

Pete Stephens

Squirrel in a tree November sunshine on Waterside, Shefford

Buzzard hovering Sunday Exploration

Visitors to Stanford Road

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community

LANDLADY RECEIVES SPECIAL GIFT FROM MORRISONS H

uge congratulations go to Anne Hughes-Bowen, the landlady at the Railway Steamer pub on Clifton Road in Shefford, who has been awarded a special gift from Morrisons as part of their ‘12 Days of Kindness’ campaign. In November, the Shefford Morrisons Community Champion asked local people to nominate a person or local businesses who they felt deserved a gift at Christmas from the supermarket. The campaign was run on Facebook and Anne was nominated by many people shouting her praise. Anne received her gift on Tuesday 8th December at the store in Shefford, presented to her by Shefford Morrisons Community Champion, Elliot Anderson, who said:

“Anne has done some absolutely remarkable things this year - the pop-up shop at the beginning of the pandemic which not only helped out my family, but plenty of other families during that critical period. She’s managed to turn the reputation of the pub around into a space that’s hassle free and welcome to all! Not only that, but Anne is still doing wonderful work for our local elderly community and putting plenty of smiles on hungry peoples’ faces.” Anne added the following, “Thank you to everyone who nominated me. Words cannot express how happy and shocked I was when Morrisons contacted me. I have fantastic people around me who believed in me and stuck by me through hard and stressful times, I am grateful to you all. Staff, family, friends and customers let’s hope 2021 is a better year for us all.” To find out more about Shefford Morrisons Community Champion simply visit their Facebook page @sheffordmorrisonscommunitychamp Please support your local businesses -Don’t forget to mention LivingLife

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puzzles

The January edition

CROSSWORD Answers on P28

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Spot the Drone Pilot

Win

£25

It’s competition time! The drone pilot who captured this image has been magically removed from the photo, can you deduce exactly where he is positioned? Place a cross (‘X’) where you think the drone pilot is standing (just like ‘Spot the Ball’ puzzle), then take a photograph of this page with your phone or device and submit your entry here: www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/drone Close date 15/1/2021. Only 1 entry per person. Judge’s decision is final.

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gardening

Popping up in Henlow!

by John McBurney

I

n our July edition of the magazine we included an article that described how to create your very own DIY Denim Planters. We have seen a lot of these popping up across the county and they always bring a smile to a face, adding a comical touch to any garden. We recently spotted a new one in Brook Close in Henlow Village and the lady who created it said that she had read our article and decided to make one herself. Yay, we love it! If you would like to create your own DIY Denim Planters then we have put the simple instructions on our website, simply visit our Blog here: www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/blog If you do decide to create your own we would love to see a picture of it, simply send us your photos via the following link: www.livinglifemagazine.co.uk/myphotos

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