NH Now - Winter/Spring 2020

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News Wildlife secrets on your doorstep Healthy Hub arrives in North Herts

Views

Explore the outdoors on a Hertfordshire Health Walk Decluttering advice from Joanne Harte, Systematic Homes Tips to achieve your fitness goals for 2020

Your Community Magazine

Events

Art exhibitions, comedy nights, musicals and more!

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Keep up to date with @NorthHerts Are you keeping up to date with news in North Herts? Sign up to NHDC’s email bulletin service called @NorthHerts, which delivers news from the Council straight to your inbox. There are a range of topics so you only need to sign up for what interests you, and you can change your preferences at any time.

Topics include latest news, events, waste and recycling, North Hertfordshire Museum, parks and countryside and Active North Herts. You can also use it to find out about any disruption to services or to find out what job opportunities there are at the Council.

CONTACTING NHDC

It is quick and easy to sign up, simply visit the @NorthHerts sign up page www.north-herts.gov.uk/subscribe to find out more.

Welcome to the first edition for 2020 of NH Now, the Council’s digital magazine.

In this edition we give you ideas to help you keep your New Year’s resolutions, including top tips for maintaining a healthy exercise habit (pg. 20) and advice on de-cluttering your home (pg.15). We also have lots of ideas for getting out and about exploring the beautiful countryside of North Herts, including some of our lesser known beauty spots and nature reserves (pg. 3) and details of local walking groups where all are welcome (pg. 8).

Finally, after all of that fresh air you will be in need of a sit down and some refreshments. We have just the place – our new cafe at the North Hertfordshire Museum in Hitchin (pg.12). It’s well worth a visit!

We hope you like our magazine and we would love to hear your feedback. Email us: pressoffice@north-herts. gov.uk or leave us a comment on our social media channels.

We are on the lookout for great community stories, so if you have ideas for content for future editions, we would love to hear from you.

Sarah Kingsley, NHDC Communications Manager

Most NHDC services can be accessed online. Find out how to report an issue, apply for a licence, pay a bill or apply for benefits, all through our website: www.north-herts.gov.uk

Other ways to contact us

facebook.com/northertsDC

01462 474000 @NorthHertsDC

In person: Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF

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NH Now feature

Discover North Hertfordshire’s wildlife secrets

Shhhhhhh, don’t tell anyone, but

North Herts has some rather wonderful wildlife sites that are a bit off the beaten track, but well worth a visit.

Read on to find out more….

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Burymead Springs, Hitchin (2.4 hectares) Sandwiched between allotments and a railway flyover on the northern edge of Hitchin, this special wildlife site has many different habitats including reedbed, a lagoon, meadows and woodland.

Follow the winding pathway alongside the River Hiz, a globally rare chalk stream river, to explore this stunningly beautiful site that is teeming with wildlife.

Photo: CMS

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Species spotters list: This special wildlife site has many different habitats including reedbed, a lagoon, meadows and woodland.

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aff, blackcap , reed bunting, chiff-ch • Birds: Sedge warbler mmon pipistrelle bat • Mammals: Otter, co shell butterfly agonfly, small tortoise dr r rte da on mm Co s: • Insect reed, purple adowsweet, common me a, lic ge an ild W : ts • Plan loosestrife, teasel poplar at willow, native black go h, as r, de Al s: ee Tr •

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Species spotters list:

Ivel Springs, Baldock (15 hectares) Drive up the A507 on the outskirts of Baldock and you could easily miss the turning for the car park at Ivel Springs Local Nature Reserve. It’s worth seeking out as careful management over the years has turned this site into a thriving wildlife paradise, with pockets of established woodland, wetland and grassland.

The grassland is visited annually by our ‘natural lawnmowers’, more commonly known as Longhorn Cattle, who graze from late spring until the end of summer. This is part of a management regime that helps a wide variety of wildflowers to grow, enriching the grassland, making it a haven for an assortment of insects.

• Birds: Chiff-ch aff, redwing, fieldfare, song th rush • Mammals: Fo x, rabbit, badger , muntjac deer, gr ey squirrel • Insects: Spec kled wood, brimstone and co mma butterflies, bloody nosed beetle • Reptiles: Com mon lizard, grass snake • Plants: Comm on knapweed, birds-foot trefoil, pyramidal orchid, cowslip • Trees: Almon d willow, silver birch, sycamore, blackthorn

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Hill End Chalk Pit, Langley (0.5 hectares) Tucked away on the intersection of the B651 and Hitchwood Lane in the idyllic countryside just north-west of Langley, Hill End Chalk Pit is a small but special area of chalk grassland that supports an abundance of wildlife.

This includes the biggest colony of the threetoothed moss snail known in the country. We are working with the Countryside Management Service to restore this valuable habitat to its former glory.

Species spotters list: • Birds: Lesser spotted woodpecker, gree n woodpecker, grea t spotted woodpecker • Mammals: Fo x,

rabbit, stoat

• Insects: Orang e-tip, common blue, gatekeeper butterflies, three-toothed m oss snail • Plants: Wild ba sil, St John’s Wort, sweet violet , wild honeysuckle, com mon twayblade

Photo: CMS

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• Trees: Horse chestnut, field maple

Pryors Wood, Great Ashby (37 hectares) Bordering the north side of Great Ashby District Park on the edge of Stevenage, Pryors Wood has been established on this site since at least 1600 AD. Carpets of bluebells flourish in the woodland during April and May and bat and bird boxes are dotted throughout the woodland to encourage species to breed at the site. Ongoing management, which includes coppicing trees to allow more light into the woodland encouraging more plants to grow, will continue to benefit a range of species. en, great spotted • Birds: Nuthatch, wr crow woodpecker, hooded Countryside Management Service uirrel, badger holds habitat management work • Mammals: Grey sq

Species spotters list:

groups at these sites from time to time. If you would like to get involved you can find out more on the Countryside Management Service website.

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bumblebee, peacock • Insects: White tailed tterflies and speckled wood bu dwell, bluebell, wood • Plants: Wood spee ngel, bracken anemone, yellow archa oak, hornbeam, ash, • Trees: Pedunculate field maple, holly

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NH Now feature

Healthy Hub lands in North Herts!

A new health and wellbeing service funded by Hertfordshire County Council and delivered by NHDC launched in North Herts earlier this month.

The healthy hub is a one stop shop where you can access health services, support and advice all in one place, making it easier to get help with a range of physical and mental health issues. Whether it’s stop smoking services, help to lose weight, mental health support, encouragement to get more active or even advice on how to cut down on your drinking - your Healthy Hub can help you.

Services for the hub are currently accessible via phone on 01462 474111 or email: healthyhub@northherts.gov.uk.

In March, a pop up hub will launch at dedicated local venues in the towns and villages across the district to enable as many people as possible to attend appointments. Bookable appointments will be available with a health and wellbeing consultant, who will be able to provide advice and make referrals to partner organisations where necessary.

Regular updates on the whereabouts of the North Herts Hub can be found via the website healthyhubnorthherts.co.uk and on social media:

HealthyHubNorthHerts

HealthyHubNorthHerts

HealthyHubNorthHerts

This is a great new initiative, which will help many people across our local communities, offering new activities and access to a range of services to improve wellbeing.

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NH Now feature

WALKING AND TALKING IN NORTH HERTS

If you’ve ever seen a big group of happy, chatty people out walking in the countryside in North Herts, chances are you just walked past a Hertfordshire Health Walk. These group walks are free and organised by Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside Management Service. We caught up with some of the volunteer leaders who run the walks to find out a bit more about them.

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Hitchin First we spoke to Alan Cowles from Hitchin. Alan said: “I first got involved in Hertfordshire Health Walks when I retired and had more time to do things. I went along to the Three Moorhens walk in Hitchin initially and after a while the leader of that walk asked me if I would be interested in becoming a walk leader. I took him up on that offer and I’ve now been volunteering as a walk leader for 11 years.

“I share the responsibilities with three other volunteer walk leaders who each take it in turn to lead and be a back-marker at the rear of the group. We do this walk every Friday at 10.30am. It starts at the Highlander Pub on Upper Tilehouse Street in Hitchin. The pub allow us to use their car park and we can also stop by there for refreshments at the end of the walk, which varies between 1 ½ to 4 miles in length, depending which route we do that day. We always walk to Oughtonhead Common as part of the route. We can have 30 – 40 people on a walk and walkers can bring their dogs on leads if they want to. We go out in nearly all weather apart from when it is really icy and slippery under foot.

“Everyone gets to socialise, get some exercise, do some wildlife spotting and get some fresh air too. Many have made good friends on the walk including a group of ladies now nicknamed ‘the coast to coast girls’ who met on this walk and now go off on annual walking holidays together, often to the coast and often covering 100 to 200 miles on their break. I highly recommend getting involved because it will keep you fit and you will meet lots of wonderful people.”

I highly recommend getting involved because it will keep you fit and you will meet lots of wonderful people.

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Knebworth Next we chatted to Joy Hall from Knebworth. Joy said: “I got involved as a health walk leader initially when we affiliated our existing local weekly ramble with Hertfordshire Health walks, because they offer training, insurance, publicity and back up support. The Knebworth Herts Health Walk has now been running for 3 ½ years, we have 30 – 40 people regularly attend and 10 volunteer Health Walk Leaders.

We started off as a First Steps walk for people with reduced mobility, wheelchair users and those who would just enjoy a gentle stroll. The walk was just under a mile within the Knebworth Recreation Ground. Once some of the group began to feel fitter and more confident, they asked if we could extend the walk, so we added a second walk which goes from the Recreation Ground and through the countryside to Bragbury End and back.

Since then a third option has been added which goes a further 2.1 miles. If we have enough walk leaders we run all three walks, every other Tuesday. The walks always end up at the Bowls Club pavilion on the Recreation Ground where people are able to get a tea or coffee.

Everyone is welcome and some people bring their dog. Our eldest walker is in his 90s. Some people find out about our walk from their GPs too. We all go out for a meal twice a year – once at Christmas and once on the anniversary of our first walk every June. It’s a real community and it has been lovely seeing how friendships have flourished within the group.”

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Letchworth Finally we had a natter with Valerie Williams from Letchworth: “I sort of fell into being a walk It is earlyleader days, here after being a participant for around a year and I’ve now been involved as a volunteer for about 5 to 6 years. The walk is held weekly and we have three but it’s going different walks to choose from – the fast group which will walk for 2 miles, the 1 & well so far!”

2 combined group which will walk for 1 ½ miles and the First Steps group which will walk about half a mile. We have six volunteer walk leaders including me, who take it in turns to lead our walks, always starting from St George’s Hall in Common View, Letchworth.

As a walk leader, I depend on the help and support of the other leaders. I usually lead the First Steps group. Sometimes our groups walk to and around nearby Norton Common Nature Reserve and sometimes we walk around the surrounding area. We mix up the routes or walk them in reverse so they stay fresh. At the end of each walk those who want to, go for teas and coffees in the church hall. It’s a very social thing to do and some who have met on the walk socialise outside of it too. I volunteer here as I like to put something back into the local community. I would recommend getting involved in a health walk for many reasons including socialising and getting out and enjoying the wonderful countryside around us.”

Hertfordshire Health Walks are held across North Hertfordshire on week days and weekends and are for all ages. Find out more about where your nearest walk is on the Countryside Management Service website.

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Spotlight on:

North Hertfordshire

Museum Cafe

With the opening of North Herts Museum last summer, an early success has been the increasing popularity of the on-site cafe.

The venue, which has been awarded a maximum ‘five’ rating for its food hygiene practices, is currently open from 10.30am to 3.30pm, Tuesday to Saturday and 11am -3pm Sunday, and is already gaining a loyal following.

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Feed Up Warm Up

We are trying to cut back dramatically on single use plastic

One of the key areas of focus has been how the cafe has been set up to have a low carbon footprint.

Katie Hasler, Hitchin Town Hall’s Operations Manager said: “We are trying to cut back dramatically on single use plastics and now only have single use wrappers on our biscuits, crisps and straws on children’s cartons. Cutlery is washed and reused and all takeaway containers are made from vegware, which has the plastic element replaced by vegetable proteins and other compostable materials.

Feed Up Warm Up is a group which, although barely a year

“We old, also get a lotalready of childrenmade visitors and don’t want toimpact fuel sugaron dependency, has a dramatic peoplesoinweNorth have zero sugar or low sugar cans and soft drinks. We also offer a range of teas and Herts are with homelessness and getting the syrups, some who of which are struggling sugar free.”

essentials for basic living.

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We are proud to use local suppliers where we can for fruit, vegetables and other products

The team behind the food and beverage offering have set out to be as healthy as they can with good, tasty food and a menu which allows them to cater for all allergens and dietary requirements. The cafe has gluten free pasta and bread, nut free products and vegan options and their alternatives.

Commenting on the ethos of the cafe, Catering Manager Geoff Hains said: “Our main aim is to help to reduce our carbon footprint. We are proud to use local suppliers where we can for fruit, vegetables and other products.”

Geoff, who previously worked at North Herts Leisure Centre, said he wanted to encourage healthy eating and serve food that is freshly produced, made daily and a reasonable price.

All meals are cooked on site, but the key to offering a menu for all dietary requirements comes with the creation of a base sauce, which then means he can create gluten free, vegan or even meat versions using this.

The cafe has also become renowned for its Vista coffee by Tchibo, which is a blend that is approved by Fairtrade. It was chosen as of course Hitchin is a Fairtrade town and to add to the benefits, the cafe are also able to produce coffee ground logs which are also for sale at £9.95 per bag!

Have a

coffee on us!

Simply show this voucher at the Museum Cafe to receive a free coffee when you buy a slice of cake.

Offer valid until 30 April 2020.

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NH Now feature

De-clutter your home Joanne Harte, based in Hitchin, established Systematic Homes after becoming a parent for the first time. Joanne realised how much she wanted to share her tips and passion for being organised with others.

As a mum of a young child she understands fully how juggling so many different things can become overwhelming and sometimes all we need is a helping hand to get back on track.

ORGANISING AND

DECLUTTERING

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Have a read of Joanne’s blog for some ideas to kick start decluterring your home: Now that the Christmas festivities are a distant memory, this is the perfect time to clear out the clutter of 2019.

It can feel a bit overwhelming when our homes are cluttered, but if we keep it simple, set some dates and plan a little, it becomes easier to get started.

Studies show that when you declutter it lifts your mood, makes you feel less overwhelmed and clears your mind to focus.

You could start by: • Planning: Set the time aside to declutter, it’s important to plan when: a day, a morning or a couple of hours, whatever works best for you and your family; • Keeping it simple: Start with a drawer or cupboard, don’t take a whole room apart and then run out of time to put things away organised; • Setting up a charity box or bag that you can keep adding too: Most charity shops take old clothes that can’t be sold, but can be ragged and can still get money for this; • Getting the family on board: Get each member of your family to look at a drawer or cupboard with their things in and start good habits now. If you all work together it gets done faster and gives everyone in the home ownership of their things.

Sometimes we need some quick fixes to give us the motivation to dig deeper. If this is you right now, I would recommend starting with things that are in sight: • Clear worktops of paperwork, sort them into thee piles; to do, filing, shredding or recycling; • Take old messages, children’s artwork and invitations off the fridge or noticeboard; • Get rid of books you have read; • Recycle old newspapers and magazines; • Declutter the coat hooks, send old or outgrown coats to charity, put summer jackets away and only have everyday coats you need easy access to on the hooks; • Do the same with the shoe rack and also the dumping shelf/window ledge you may use in the hall. Give each family member a small basket or drawer to have keys, bus pass, phone charger, work/school ID to put everyday things in. This will stop the dumping shelf becoming a dumping shelf again.

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The kitchen is the hub of a family home and often the place people leave things that they need to remember, it’s also where all the functional family things happen like cooking, eating, homework, socialising, the list goes on. Keeping the kitchen clutter free is often a priority for families I work with.

Here are a few quick tips to make space in your kitchen: • Donate things you won’t eat to a local foodbank, if suitable; • Donate or sell kitchen gadgets you have not used over the last year; • Go through that junk drawer and use baskets to keep it organised; • Clear worktops, only have out what you need every day; • Discard any chipped mugs, glasses or dishes.

Decluttering is so good for your well-being; once you get started you will start to reap the benefit. As you declutter your home, you will also be decluttering your mind.

Written by Joanne Harte: Founder Systematic Homes Follow Systematic Homes:

Studies show that when you declutter it lifts your mood, makes you feel less overwhelmed and clears your mind to focus.

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Intergenerational project:

TAKES OFF IN NORTH HERTS

Intergenerational projects are springing up across the country and the good news is that everyone benefits when young and old get together for fun and learning!

The benefits are wide ranging, whether it be learning new skills, helping to alleviate fears children may have of the elderly and helping them understand ageing, as well as being invigorating and energising for older adults, reducing their likelihood of depression and isolation; helping keep family stories and history alive, aiding in cognitive stimulation and broadening social circles.

NHDC’s Community Health and Wellbeing Team Leader, Helen Rae, was inspired by the ground-breaking Channel 4 TV series ‘Old People’s Home for 4 year Olds at Christmas’, which saw a nursery group share a classroom with older people in a retirement home in Bristol, and thought it would be a fantastic project to run in North Herts. When the

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Council approved funding to deliver projects to support the health and wellbeing of local people, she was able to take the project forward and launch the ‘Generations Together’ project.

Feedback from the project was so positive that a second phase was given the green light.

The pilot began in Spring 2019 when we joined forces with Howard Cottage Housing Association and Hillshott Infant School. For five weeks, children aged 4-5 years old came together with older adults and enjoyed a range of activities including a farm, arts and crafts, party games, cake decorating, a sports day and dance class. Each of the six sessions involved a group of 12 children and 15-20 adults.

Rachel Horne, Home Support Officer at Howard Cottage Association said: “The project is so lovely and brings both age ranges together in a series of activities. The adults get so much from the sessions and the smiles on people’s faces speak a million words!”

In fact, feedback from the project was so positive that a second phase was given the green light. A further six sessions have been taking place at Edwin Nott House, a sheltered housing scheme in Letchworth. The sessions have included activities such as the opportunity to make Christmas gifts, story telling with Letchworth Library and a Sharing Memories session run by the Heritage Foundation Garden City Collection. The sessions will culminate at a celebratory event in March for all the adults, children and their families to attend.

Want to get involved?

We are on the lookout for schools who are interested in intergenerational projects, as well as groups of older people.

If you work in a school, day centre, supported housing scheme, or care home and think you could be involved in future intergenerational projects please contact Rebecca Galloway on: Rebecca.Galloway@north-herts.gov.uk

Watch the film to find out more about the project.

Film and photos by Screaming Goat Media

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NH Now feature

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Top tips to achieve your New Year’s fitness goals New Year’s resolutions….we set them when enthusiasm, motivation and excitement levels are at an all-time high, but often, after a few weeks of hard work, those goals that were once so clear and obvious become a bit less so. Life gets in the way, motivation fades and we shrug and move on. Until the next January, when we make the same resolutions all over again.

Don’t beat yourself up if this sounds like you. Making lasting lifestyle changes is tough. Getting in shape, whatever that means for you, takes time and consistency.

If you want to make this the year that you really do stick to your New Year’s resolutions, have a read of these tips from Tom Walsh, personal trainer at Archers Fitness in Hitchin. Tom has worked at Archers for the last four years and in that time he has helped lots of clients achieve their fitness goals through motivation, nutritional advice and designing bespoke plans.

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Set SMART goals that are achievable.

SMART stands for specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-based.

SMART goals can help keep you on track and remind you of your priorities, so you’re able to follow through with every workout you have planned.

2.

Focus on what you did, not what you failed on;

3.

Change one habit at a time;

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Reward yourself for little victories and milestones;

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Set short term and long goals;

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Find the kind of exercise that is best for you such as workout classes or a sport;

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Focus on the positives, don’t dwell on failure;

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Remember, diet and nutrition is 85% of the battle of weight loss, so make healthy changes to your diet;

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Exercise with a friend to encourage each other;

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Have fun when exercising!

So what are you waiting for…Start your fitness journey now!

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Garden House Hospice Care Garden House Hospice Care (GHHC) marks a significant milestone in 2020 as it celebrates its 30th anniversary.

The Hospice provides a wide range of services for patients, their carers and families facing life limiting illness.

Along with a host of events and celebrations to mark their Pearl anniversary, GHHC will also be looking back on its rich history and the impact which it has made in its catchment area of North Hertfordshire, Stevenage and the surrounding towns and villages of Central Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

It was after a public meeting in October 1985 that the idea of a hospice being built in North Herts was mooted and an appeal launched. It quickly became clear that the old Letchworth Garden Hospital, which closed in 1987, would make the perfect site and while the North Herts Hospice Care Association was granted a 135 year lease at a peppercorn rent, the cost to convert the building and buy equipment meant that an appeal fund was started with a target of £750,000. However, thanks to earlier work with money coming in from Letchworth Garden City Corporation and the Provident Mutual Life Assurance Association, some £400,000 had already either been pledged or donated at the start of the appeal.

When the appeal reached half a million in July 1989, work on the building started in earnest, and a little under a year later in April 1990, Garden House Hospice was formally opened by the Duchess of Norfolk, with the then Chairman of Trustees, Peter Harkness.

Now Garden House Hospice Care serves a community of 230,000 people and provides care for 936 patients a year. It currently costs almost £5 million to continue providing these services and 2020 will see a number of fundraising events marking the anniversary.

Sue Plummer, CEO of Garden House Hospice Care added: “We are really looking forward to celebrating our 30th anniversary. It is a good time to reflect and look back at all that has been achieved in the last 30 years and we are very proud.

“Thanks to all our wonderful staff, volunteers, trustees, supporters and community spirit, we have been able to grow and provide a much-needed service to our community. Without this level of support, we simply couldn’t continue to provide the free care that we do today. We are really encouraging everyone to come out and support us, especially over the next 18 months, when we will be hosting a number of great events and activities that everyone can get involved in.”

Along with a prestigious Gala Dinner in April, there will also be a Roaring 20s evening at Knebworth Barns in February, running events such as Muddy Mayhem, a Three Peaks Challenge and a Cambodia trek in October. For further details contact the fundraising team on 01462 679540.

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Hertfordshire Year of Culture 2020 Hertfordshire Year of Culture 2020 (HYOC2020) is a year to showcase Hertfordshire as a county of creative and cultural opportunity.

It is open to anyone to participate in, so if you are an existing group already involved in culture, an individual artist, musician or dancer; a school or local group wanting to know how you can take part in a cultural activity, you can celebrate, share and enjoy Hertfordshire’s cultural offer!

Activities, special events and experiences will be taking place during 12 themed months that look to celebrate different types of art, share cultural experiences and explore our creative heritage. Months include promoting local museums and theatres, exploring the county’s culture in our towns and parks, encouraging you to try something new or get involved with volunteering.

HYOC2020 is supported by all 11 Hertfordshire local authorities including NHDC. Among the early announced exhibitions at North Hertfordshire Museum are Rembrandt in Print (18 January to 19 April 2020) an exhibition from the Ashmolean Museum of prints by Rembrandt van Rijn, one of the greatest artists of all time.

There will also be Quentin Blake: the BFG in Pictures (2 May to 21 June 2020), an exhibition from the House of Illustration, featuring illustrations from the much-loved children’s book.

The campaign itself has five broad objectives: • Celebrate, share and explore Hertfordshire’s arts, culture and heritage

Activities, special events and experiences will be taking place during 12 themed months

• Enable access and participation in arts, culture and heritage for new audiences • Increase wellbeing and a sense of belonging through arts, culture and heritage • Showcase pathways to education, employment and enterprise in creative and cultural industries • Create new partnerships and new work through skill sharing and new ways of working.

To find out more about HYOC2020, visit the website at www.HYOC2020. org.uk; where you can sign up to the mailing list. You can also follow on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to keep up to date with the campaign as it develops. Use the #HYOC2020 to share your activities with the rest of Hertfordshire’s creative community.

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Focus on VILLAGES

One of the best things about living and working in North Hertfordshire is the ability to escape it all and have a wander around our many beautiful villages. Here we focus on just three of them.

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Wallington Wallington is a small village, which in the most recent census had a population of just 150. It is situated close to Baldock and shares a parish with neighbouring Rushden.

The village, despite its out of the way location, may have been seen by many in centuries past as it is situated on the Icknield Way, which runs from Ivinghoe Beacon in Bucks to Knettishall Heath in Suffolk. It is a 110-mile route which was a key east-west link.

Visitors to Wallington would have been able to view the Grade II listed church of St Mary. Parts of the church including nave and windows date from the mid 15th-century, although the nave was rebuilt in approximately 1864.

One such person who visited the church and was married there to his bride Eileen OShaughnessy, in 1936, was the person who has given Wallington its main cause for celebration, the novelist George Orwell. Seeking an escape from the city and a more simple life, Orwell moved to Wallington in 1936 where he lived in a small cottage in Kits Lane, which was known as The Stores.

From this point until he gave up the lease in 1947, Orwell became fully immersed in village life while still able to write classics such as Homage to Catalonia and The Road to Wigan Pier. He took inspiration from his surroundings as well, Manor Farm opposite, which was home to a herd of pigs, was the inspiration for Animal Farm, which was written in 1944.

Wallington is a small village, which in the most recent census had a population of just 150.

Orwell was a frequent visitor to Baldock and attended political events in Letchworth, but was best known for his service to the village and his ability to divide his time between writing and running the stores. Wallington will always be the place where his literary prowess first came to the fore and where he left his mark on North Herts life.

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Whitwell Whitwell is a village in the parish of St Paul’s Walden and can be found approximately six miles to the south of Hitchin.

Whitwell has been noted since Roman times due to its location with the River Mimram running north-west to south-east through it and a number of Roman coin hoards have been discovered. One of its major claims to fame is the cress beds, which for centuries have helped in the production of prime watercress.

Originally a hamlet and much smaller than the nearby St Paul’s Walden, many residents in Whitwell head to the parish church of All Saints which is a mile up the hill in St Paul’s Walden. The church is renowned as the place where the Queen Mother was baptised in 1900.

Until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the manor of what was then Abbots Walden was owned by the Abbey of St Albans. When the Abbey was dissolved by Henry VIII, the manor was granted to the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The Dean and Chapter renamed the estate St Pauls Walden.

One of Whitwell’s main current attractions is open farm and craft centre, Waterhall Farm. Whitwell as a village has had many public houses over time but now only one remains; The Bull Inn. Crime fighting also came to Whitwell in 1911 when a Police Station was first listed with Police Constable Wade of the Hertfordshire Constabulary resident in the village.

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One of Whitwell’s main current attractions is open farm and craft centre, Waterhall Farm.

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Wymondley Wymondley parish was created in 1937 when the former parishes of Great and Little Wymondley were merged.

Despite its name, since the mid 19th century, Little Wymondley has always had the larger population to its much smaller neighbour. Also included in the parish are Titmore Green, Redcoats Green and Todds Green and the surrounding rural area.

The history of Wymondley can be traced back to the Domesday Book where it has four entries. Archaeological work has shown that there is lots of evidence of Roman settlements including farms, villas and roads. Other than Roman remains, there are other sites from the Stone Age and Mesolithic periods. A Grade 1 henge at Lower Titmore Green has been protected by NHDC and there is also a ring ditch at Titmore Green.

Great Wymondley has plenty of evidence of its historic past and features include the remains of Great Wymondley Castle, which consist of a motte and bailey and an enclosure. There is also the 12th century church of St Mary the Virgin in Little Wymondley. It has a Norman nave and chancel. Unusually for a medieval church in Hertfordshire, there is an apse (a semi-circular recess).

One can also see the remains of a medieval moated site at Wymondley Bury, and a former hospital and Augustinian house – Wymondley Priory, with its (Grade II listed) tithe barn, moat and associated earthworks. It also appears that there were royal links with William I who in 1086 held eight hides in the parish (a hide was an English unit of land measurement).

The history of Wymondley can be traced back to the Domesday Book where it has four entries.

There are numerous listed buildings in the Parish, such as Wymondley Hall which is one of a number of early 17th century timber framed buildings in the area. The Priory and the (originally Norman) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin are all Grade I listed.

Set in a mainly arable, agricultural landscape there is abundant nature with springfed ponds at Wymondley Priory. It is the only location in Hertfordshire where there are important colonies of pyramidal bee orchids and Little Wymondley prides itself on important Pipistrelle bat roosts.

Wymondley Woods, which is situated to the north of the Parish, was planted in two stages between 1997 and 2000, amidst mature woodlands. Consisting primarily of locally-grown oak and hornbeam, it was created as an educational resource for schools and other groups.

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NH Now events

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What’s On January/February Griff Rhys Jones: All Over The Place 7 February, 7.30pm Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Letchworth Garden City

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Comedy legend Griff Rhys Jones is travelling ‘all over the place’ with his brand new stand up show. Luckily he’s scheduled a stop in North Herts so be sure to book early to avoid disappointment! Book your tickets on the Broadway website.

Dreamers, radicals and satirists: Hertfordshire’s Inspired Writers 14 February – 28 June British Schools Museum, Hitchin

Rembrandt in Print To 19 April North Hertfordshire Museum, Hitchin This exhibition, on loan from the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, presents world famous artist, Rembrandt through a selection of more than 50 outstanding prints, ranging from 1630 until the late 1650s. Displayed together for the first time, these works demonstrate Rembrandt’s inventive techniques and unrivalled ability for storytelling Find out more on the Museum website

Valentines evening 14 February, 7pm – 11pm North Hertfordshire Museum, Hitchin

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Treat your loved one to a special Valentine’s evening at the Museum’s newly launched Terrace Gallery. Enjoy a Meze board and bottle of Prosecco, along with music and scheduled tours of the Museum. Find out more and book your ticket on the Museum’s ticket webpage.

NH Now Winter 2020

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Explore how the county inspired its great writers such as Orwell, Shaw and Forster. Discover their friendship, their insights into society and their links with the county. This exhibition is part of Hertfordshire Year of Culture 2020 - for further details visit the British Schools Museum website.

The Baldock Beast Half Marathon 23 February, Baldock

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Looking for a fitness challenge? The Baldock Beast half marathon could be it! This annual event leads runners through Baldock and the surrounding countryside. For further information and to register to take part go to the Baldock Beast webpage.

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March Sean Shibe – Guitar concert 14 March, 7.30pm, Holy Trinity Church, Church Lane, Weston

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Delight your ears and listen to a selection of skilfully played Scottish Lute music by Bach, Gubaidulina and Fennessy. Hosted by the Weston Music Society, the concert will be followed by a Q&A session with Sean about his music. To book tickets go to the Weston Music Society website.

Mother’s Day Concert 22 March, 3pm – 4pm, Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre, Baldock

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An afternoon of famous classical song sung by soprano Laura Valentine. Listen to the best of the best from Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak and Puccini. Book your tickets via the Baldock Arts and Heritage Centre website.

April Swan Lake 1 April, 7pm, Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Letchworth Garden City

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Arguably the most well known and most loved classical ballet, this cinema screening of Swan Lake is not to be missed. Book your tickets on the Broadway website.

Rock of Ages – Musical 1 April – 4 April, 7.45pm, Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin

Identifying Trees in Spring 1– 4

This Tony Award nominated big Broadway musical will take you back in time to the 80’s.

Music from REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister and other 80’s hit groups will have you dancing in the aisles. Staged by the Big Spirit Youth Theatre. Book tickets at The Queen Mother Theatre website.

19 April, 2.30pm – 4pm, Pryors Wood, Great Ashby, Stevenage

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Take a close up look at trees in Pryors Wood as they wake up from their winter sleep and embark on a new year of growth. Spot woodland flowers along the way. A guided walk with the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Book a space on the Wildlife Trust website.

NH Now Winter 2020