NH Now - Autumn 2020

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News Town centres recover after lockdown Food rescue reaches more residents Leisure centres welcome new customers

Views

North Herts - a filming destination

Allotments grow in popularity Get on your bike – cycling in North Herts North Herts towns support Fair Trade Charity shopping changes lives

Events

Your Community Magazine

Christmas markets, Museum exhibitions, cinema, theatre and more!

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Welcome.

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 @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.

As we move into a new period of restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to reassure all of our residents that we are here to support you in any way we can. During lockdown we provided welfare support, gave homeless people a place to sleep, gave out business grants worth £27.5 million to over 230 businesses and we are working with other councils to protect our leisure services for the future. We have also set up a coronavirus community fund for groups who are delivering essential services during the pandemic.

It is important to us that you are always able to use our services. Did you know that most of them can be accessed through our website? However, our staff are also still here on the other end of the phone should you need to speak to us.

However, as cases rise, there is always the possibility of new Government regulations and / or staff absences, meaning that we may have to suspend services. The easiest way to keep an eye on any disruption to services is to sign up to our email alerts service. www.north-herts.gov.uk/subscribe Let’s help keep each other safe and keep our facilities open by continuing to wash hands, use a face covering and remain socially distanced from others. Remember – hands, face, space.

Stay safe, look after each other and please reach out if you need help.

Cllr Martin Stears-Handscomb, Leader of the Council

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

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facebook.com/northertsDC

01462 474000 @NorthHertsDC

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NH Now feature Eat Alfresco, Hitchin

Town centre recovery in ‘new normal’ times

Consumer confidence is gradually returning to our town centres since lockdown. This is thanks to the hard work and dedication of local shop owners and staff who, with support from Business Improvement District (BIDs) teams, have put measures in place to help shoppers feel safe when out and about. We had a chat with the BIDs to see how they have helped local businesses nurture these first green shoots of economic recovery.

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Hitchin www.hitchinherts.com In Hitchin, Town Centre Rangers are out every morning sanitising street furniture and topping up hand sanitising stations across the town. Social distancing signs and queueing floor stickers have also been introduced.

To support local cafes and restaurants, the Hitchin BID launched the ‘Eat Alfresco’ initiative in Hitchin’s Market Place. Eat Alfresco allows local restaurants and cafes that do not have outside or indoor space to socially distance customers, to serve customers outdoors in the Market Place. It runs seven days a week with different participating restaurants rotating fortnightly.

Meanwhile, a new website www.hitchinbasket.com has been set up to allow customers to quickly find which shops are open and search for available goods and services before leaving their homes. The Hitchin Property Trust has also run a series of free online webinars to assist businesses with promoting their business during these difficult times.

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Letchworth www.loveletchworth.com The Love Letchworth team have worked tirelessly to ensure customers return to the town after lockdown.

They introduced a ‘Follow the Squirrel’ campaign, with posters illustrating the locally famous Letchworth black squirrel wearing a face mask, encouraging people to shop safely, follow any one-way systems and ensure social distancing while shopping. Hand sanitisers have been placed across town and retail businesses provided with guidance on how to ensure customers’ safety, including introducing one-way systems in shops where possible, managing queuing systems and advising on cleaning regimes in shops.

Royston www.roystonfirst.com Royston First, the town’s BID, has worked very closely with town centre businesses to help them get back on their feet. Coordinator Julia Brooks wrote in to let us know about what they’ve been doing: “We launched a campaign called ‘Royston Come Together,’ with the aim of reviving the town centre and industrial areas and bringing life back to the town we all know and love. As part of the project, we created an online COVID-19 Support Hub for local businesses on our website, Roystonfirst. com. This contains useful information and resources, including funding opportunities. We have also produced some downloadable COVID-19 posters and stickers for businesses.

“We have installed five touch-free hand sanitiser stations in busy areas in the town centre.

We also helped promote our local businesses by listing the opening times of those with premises in newspaper adverts, magazines and online. We have recently held a successful colouring competition, with the winning picture being used for a new adapted safe town trail that we are organising.

“Although lockdown inevitably forced many of our businesses to temporarily close, when we carried out a survey with local business owners we found they had used the opportunity to look at new ways to operate safely and learn new skills. From our survey, we found that 22% diversified to continue to trade, for example, by offering a home delivery service or introducing takeaways and 35% took the opportunity to develop new skills in areas such as customer care and remote working.

“To improve communications with our business community, Royston First set up a new Facebook group exclusively for businesses with premises, to help business owners keep up to date with the latest information.”

For more information visit www.roystonfirst.com. To find out more about shopping and life in Royston, visit www.roystontown.uk NH Now Autumn 2020

Ben Chapman, Old Bull Inn, Royston: The ‘Royston Come Together’ campaign has been brilliant. The adverts in our local paper, the Royston Crow, have been particularly useful to customers communicating that we are open and with the opening times too. We’ve had a really positive response to the ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ scheme and business has really picked up since the £10 vouchers have been put in place.

Photo: CMS

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Mrs Jay Bushaway, Deputy Manager, Merlin Mica Hardware: “We have made adjustments to protect staff and customers with screens, hand sanitisers and masks/visors for staff to wear. Royston First also provided a hand sanitiser unit to go outside the shop. Immediately customers started to use it which was great! Royston First also gathered all shop opening times to advertise these, which was brilliant and really got us and the town up and running. It’s been wonderful to see our regular customers back again, as well as new customers, which really gives the sense that Royston and surrounding area are choosing to shop locally and support local businesses.”

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Grow your own in North Herts!

Allotments throughout North Herts have remained open during the coronavirus lockdown and provided residents with much-needed outdoor exercise, home-grown produce and a valuable respite from the stresses of lockdown.

NHDC manages a number of allotment sites in Hitchin and Letchworth. Currently we have a small number of plots available to rent in Letchworth. For more information, please see our allotment webpages.

We spoke to Paul Dee, secretary of Hitchin Allotment Association, about the rise in interest in allotments.

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Quick Fact

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Hitchin Allotment Association started off as an outreach project called Hitchin Youth Allotment in 2016, with the initial hope that there might be half a dozen young people involved, but the scheme quickly became bigger and now has over 250 participants each year.

Allotments are traditionally abo ut 25m x 10m, calculated as an are a of land where a family of 6/8 people could be sustained with fruit and veg throughout the yea r, with succession sowing.

The organisers have linked up with The Priory School in Hitchin and have groups which come down from organisations such as the Guides and Brownies. The groups undertake a programme of visits and come along to experience the whole growing season, which begins in spring with sowing seeds.

Commenting on the success of the project Paul said:

“There’s a real appetite for allotments generally. In Hitchin for the last couple of years every allotment plot has been taken. Very occasionally if one is given up it is rented out very quickly.

There has also been a change in the demographic of those taking up allotments, What we’ve noticed this year is that it is young families that have taken them over.

It was previously more middle-aged or newly retired people, but now they are much younger or single people, perhaps in a flat or with limited outdoor space.

If people want to get involved before they get an allotment, It is also noticeable that in 2020 the standard of allotments has or don’t want the commitment improved as people have been working from home, or on of their own allotment, furlough and they are on them more regularly. volunteering with the youth project, Hitchin Youth Allotment, Reflecting on a number of unexpected benefits to the is a great alternative and can lockdown, Paul said: “The main thing that has been nice be arranged to fit the time has been the community aspect. Older people might find people have available. No skills heavier work such as digging over harder and there are lots required as training given. of examples of other allotment holders chipping in to help There is more information on out and at least a couple of examples of key workers with the website or email: plots who have been very busy and others have got together paulndee22@hotmail.co.uk. and given it a bit of a makeover while they have been at work.”

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NORTH HERTS ON THE BIG SCREEN

North Herts is a popular filming destination with a diverse range of film locations, with rural settings, woodlands, picturesque villages, historic market towns and the world’s first garden city, Letchworth.

Feature films such as The World’s End have been filmed in Letchworth, as well as TV adverts including the Boots Summer advert filmed at the Letchworth Outdoor Pool, the Boots Christmas advert, and Aldi’s winter-olympic themed advert featuring Torvill and Dean, both filmed in Hitchin’s Market Square. The BBC series Doctor Foster also featured Hitchin Market Square throughout.

More recently, North Herts has been a popular location for filming music videos such as Lock Down Lyrics by Hitchin-based band HUNYBEES which was shot earlier in the year and featured over 50 residents in various locations in North Herts. The follow up single ‘Ecstasy’ was shot in August at Broadway Gardens, Letchworth. The crew and talent are all Hertfordshire residents.

Commenting on their filming Bradley Martin, Production Manager said: “Myself and the rest of the crew were thrilled to have been able to use the Broadway Gardens as a part of the music video project. Securing locations can often be a laborious process and relatively headache-inducing, but North Herts District Council were so helpful and incredibly kind in letting us use the space.

The whole process was effortless and made for a really enjoyable experience. North Hertfordshire is home to a lot of beautiful locations which offer really cinematic backdrops for any project and I’d highly recommend anyone to get in touch.”

Back in July, NHDC joined forces with Welwyn Hatfield, St Albans & Broxbourne councils, NHS East and North Herts and Herts Valleys CCG, to produce a music video ‘Let’s bring Coronavirus Down’ which featured staff holding up signs to encourage residents to play their part in a bid to beat coronavirus.

Filming during Covid-19 Creative England has created a Covid-19 action list as a resource to ensure location filming complies with Government Covid-19 safety guidance and that filming activity does not increase the risk of spreading Covid-19 in the public domain.

For more information on filming in public locations see: Filming on Location: Code of Practice For a useful Covid-19 resource list including cleaning companies and health & safety companies, see: Covid-19 Industry Resource List How can I get permission to film in North Herts?

NHDC’s Communications Team can offer advice on suitable filming locations in North Herts, provide contact information and answer general enquiries about filming on the public highway and when you need to inform other agencies such as the police.

Please let us know about any filming you are planning on doing.

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TOP TIPS TO CARRY ON CYCLING AS LOCKDOWN EASES

During lockdown many of us ditched the car, dug out our old bikes and jumped back in the saddle to explore the towns, villages and countryside under our noses.

Here’s a few ideas to help you keep up the new cycling habits you may have developed:

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Schedule in a bike ride before or after work It only takes 30 days to create a habit so scheduling a bike ride before or after work will become part of your routine in no time! Just cycling 30 minutes every day will help to maintain your fitness.

Meet up with friends and cycle together Now we can can meet up in small groups, why not meet up with friends for a (socially distanced) cycle ride at the weekend? Having a cycle buddy will also help motivate you to keep cycling.

Try cycling to work Not only will it keep you active, it will help boost your mood ready for a day at work.

Cycling to work will also help reduce your carbon footprint, remove the cost of petrol and parking and cut down on wasting time in traffic.

Our favourite cycle routes in North Herts The Greenway, Letchworth A 13.6 mile (21.8km) circular trail route circumnavigating Letchworth. Short enough to allow cyclists and capable walkers/runners alike to navigate it without too much effort required. Points of interest include Manor Wood, with its pretty picnic area, plus a statue of artist, Telford Morton carved out of an actual tree; Norton Pond - spot dragonflies, frogs and toads as well as visiting bird species; Radwell Meadows – you’ll find a picnic area, with a play area for the kids. Try to find all the Wind in the Willows characters made out of wicker! The route also takes you to Standalone Farm, with animals, play areas, a cafe and a gift shop. Explore Wymondley Woods and Willian Arboretum where you can discover over 30 different tree varieties.

Baldock Circular Ride

If you haven’t jumped on your bike yet, we hope this article has given you some motivation to give it a try!

A 16-mile ride through Weston, Clothall and Wallington, away from the hustle and bustle of busier main roads. The route comprises of well surfaced roads, hedgerow lined lanes and cycle ways up gentle slopes and through arable fields punctuated with idyllic rural hamlets. In the spring and summer, the roadside verges are full of flowers, herbs and butterflies. We recommend cycling the route in an anticlockwise direction. The routes are waymarked and numbered, designed so that most turns are to the left, making your ride safer. There are a number of hills on the route, most are gradual climbs.

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Hitchin to the Chilterns Cycle rides from Hitchin to the Chilterns vary between 6 – 23 miles and last from 30 minutes to 4 hours, passing through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and stunning Hertfordshire countryside including Pirton, Offley, Whitwell and St Paul’s Walden.

Find more bike routes in North Herts Town Centre cycling Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) has been awarded £1.25 million from the Government to promote walking and cycling in Hertfordshire to lift high streets from lockdown.

As part of the Department for Transport’s social distancing measures, NHDC has submitted a number of cycleway proposals to HCC for Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock and Royston. At the time of writing, NHDC was awaiting details as to which schemes have been shortlisted and will be funded, with installation to be completed by spring 2021. Keep an eye out on our website for details.

We are also in the process of producing a draft LCWIP (Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan) for the district in partnership with HCC. When completed this will outline the cycling and walking routes for prioritisation as and when funding becomes available.

Where can I park my bike?

If you’re out and about on your bike, one thing to consider is where you can leave your bike securely. Visit the cycling page on our website to discover where cycle racks are located across North Herts.

If you haven’t jumped on your bike yet, we hope this article has given you some motivation to give it a try!

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NH Now life

Shop to sustain, save money, and change lives

Just like other retailers, charity shops were forced to close during lockdown and now face reopening in uncertain times with safety paramount. But of course the success of these shops is crucial to supporting and keeping alive some amazing causes which benefit everyone.

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We have done very well for donations since we reopened, as have all other shops, as the public have decided to have a clear out.

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While times have changed, charity shops have had to adapt to the needs of customers.

We spoke to Bev Clarey, assistant manager at the Scope shop in Broadway, Letchworth, who told us that a clear pattern has emerged since July: “We have done very well for donations since we reopened, as have all other shops, as the public have decided to have a clear out. The big sellers at the moment are clothes, as time and again people tell us they are buying a new wardrobe since lockdown because they have put on weight and can’t get into their clothes.“ Despite this success, the shop has missed out on some reliable sales, with the loss of festivals and weddings meaning that cash for wellies, dresses, fascinators and anything else people buy for an event has not materialised.

Now open 9am - 5pm Monday to Saturday and 10am - 4pm on a Sunday, the shop is appealing for volunteers to help with a range of tasks. Those interested can pop in or call 01462 670759.

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Local hospice, Garden House Hospice Care supports personalised and compassionate palliative end of life care for those in need following a diagnosis of a life limiting illness.

Supporting a community of over 230,000 people in the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire area. Like many charities, the hospice has taken a huge hit financially. In a year that marks their 30th anniversary, 2020 is a stark contrast to what they envisaged, as they estimate a loss of £1.3 million this year.

Each year the hospice needs to raise almost £2 million direct from trading through its 12 charity shops and online outlets.

Carla Pilsworth the Director of Income Generation at the hospice said: “We have now been able to open our shops again to the public and we have received a wonderful amount of support, however the high street still remains challenging and income in our shops is down.

“We would really urge people to shop locally and visit your local Garden House Hospice shop to sustain local services. Each item purchased in our charity shops, or through our online outlets really will make a difference to the lives of people who need the help of Garden House Hospice Care.“ Jane, who was furloughed from her job during lockdown used her free time to support the local charity at a time of need. Speaking about her experience she said:

Each item purchased in our charity shops, or through our online outlets really will make a difference to the lives of people who need the help of Garden House Hospice Care.

“I have been cabin crew for 22 years with various airlines and at present I work for British Airways.

I have been furloughed since April and as soon as the Garden House Hospice Care charity shops re-opened I went straight down to offer my help!

“I have a connection with this amazing place as my mum, Jean, used to be the manager at the Baldock shop. She sadly passed away at the hospice nearly seven years ago. I was so humbled by the amazing care she received by everyone there and now feel I can give something back as a thank you.

“Doing this has made such a difference to my wellbeing and being part of the community has made me very happy. I would definitely recommend volunteering for the hospice! I’ve met some amazing people and customers and will continue to work as many shifts as I can!”

Some recent Garden House Hospice stats:

£17,0 00 raised fr books om sold online last year

444,373 items were so ld in GHHC shops la st year

£199 was the highes t winning bid on eBay page in June - for a metal detector

410 volun t acros eers s 12 st o and t res he distrib u centr tion e

£1,5 7 was r 2,000 aised by tr ad 2018 ing in /19

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Fairtrade Towns Knowing if food and other products have been responsibly sourced and that their producers have been treated fairly may have only recently received national attention, but towns in North Herts have been supporting fair buying initiatives for many years.

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More than 15 years ago a steering group was established by current council leader Cllr Martin Stears-Handscomb, Churches Together and local businesses, to look into the possibility of setting up Fairtrade status for Hitchin. In February 2006 Hitchin became the first town in the county to achieve this.

Letchworth soon followed suit and in 2009 they were also granted Fairtrade status.

Having Fairtrade status on goods or products means that those who produce our food and clothing, where wages are small, are still paid properly. It allows for small scale farmers to participate in a democratic organisation, factory workers to be involved in union activities and have a proper standard of health and safety. There are also good environmental standards and a pledge to stop child or forced labour.

Hitchin Fairtrade Chair Helen Richardson said: “People in this country always look for their goods to be cheap - there is not enough thought about future use and they don’t see how the price equates to the work which has gone into producing it. Many farmers and growers have tended, produced and lived with their goods. Farmers abroad live on the same land and they are pushed around by big business.

“Where your food comes from has always been key, but now cheap items such as clothing make this even more of an issue. It isn’t just about coffee, tea and bananas as some people believe.”

Those aiming to make an instant impact via their shopping are asked to look for the Fairtrade mark on food - it’s not always on clothing, and also to ask where their goods came from and look up companies as well to see if they are ethical. The group itself works hard to promote the cause among all the businesses and traders in Hitchin and of course will visit any newcomers as they open in town.

But as Helen explains it isn’t just cafes who they will speak to: “Cafes, restaurants and clothing shops are obvious to speak to, but we also regularly visit places such as banks and other offices and ask if they can supply Fairtrade products to their staff.”

In October 2016 the Letchworth group saw their status renewed as a Fairtrade town and the pledge to continue the hard work still continues.

If you would like to join the Hitchin group or find out more about their aims then contact Helen Richardson on 07880682681 or email helenwrich@btinternet.com To find out more about Fairtrade go to www.fairtrade.org.uk

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There has been a big appetite for food rescue in North Herts for some time. Back in July 2018, the Best Before cafe opened its doors in Letchworth. A ‘pay-as-you-feel’ cafe with a mission – to reduce food waste and support the local community. The idea caught on and so the Hitchin Food Rescue Hub was born in March 2019.

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Both cafes follow a similar model. Volunteers visit local supermarkets and food businesses and recue food which is either approaching or past its best before date and would otherwise go to waste. The produce is then put out on display and customers are invited to select what they’d like on a pay-as-you-feel basis.

NHDC awarded grants to both groups to enable them to get off the ground, purchase essential equipment and train volunteers. Since opening, both have attracted cult followings. Regulars form orderly queues, eager to take their pick of the delicious produce on offer.

Then along came the Covid-19 pandemic, forcing them to temporarily close their doors. During this time, both charities adapted by continuing to recover surplus food, making deliveries to those in need, sending boxes of food from local supermarkets to churches and other organisations.

After being closed to the public for nearly three months, the Best Before Café returned to Mrs Howard Memorial Hall on 17 June with social distancing and safety measures in place. After receiving grants from the government, NHDC and the Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, the Best Before team were able to purchase a new van to help with deliveries.

The Best Before café operates as a rescued food grocery store only and the opening hours are: Tuesday 12.30 - 2.30pm and 5 - 6pm Wednesday 12.30 - 2.30pm Friday 12.30 - 2.30pm

Founder Suzy Holding and the team have been busy sorting out their new home in the Garden Square Shopping Centre, Letchworth, which opened to the public on 1 September. Volunteers are still delivering to Letchworth Foodbank, Chestnut Tree and Oughton Family Centres on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

Meanwhile, over in Hitchin, the team behind the Hitchin Food Rescue Hub officially reopened at the Half Moon Pub on Thursday 27 August. Sessions run on Thursdays from 9.30am – 11am. Visitors are asked to take their own reusable bags and face coverings, queue according to social distancing guidelines, take a look what’s on offer, and members of the team will pack the items into your bag and then make your donation. The family run pub is a great fit for the hub. Landlords Freddie and Emily said:

We’re thrilled to have this new space in the centre of town to run the hub again

“After being approached by HFRB and hearing how much they do to support people and the environment, it sounded very much like something we would like to get on board with. We are so excited to be able to give back to the local community by providing the pub as the location for the Hitchin base”.

Emma Ince Goulding, who runs the Hitchin Food Rescue Hub said: “We’re thrilled to have this new space in the centre of town to run the hub again.

The hub operates in a very different way to how we started out, but we remain committed to continuing our environmental mission to reduce food waste while also supporting the local community. Next steps are to secure our own vehicle, which is essential to increase efforts to recover more food.”

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Getting fit

for fitness

One of the unexpected outcomes of the lockdown was an increase in the number of people taking an interest in fitness and general wellbeing.

With the recent reopening of gyms, swimming pools and leisure facilities, Stevenage Leisure Ltd (SLL) in North Herts have been able to make significant changes to the way they operate, to not only offer a safe environment, but also allow people to continue to build on their fitness journey post lockdown.

After opening the majority of their facilities in July, they are offering core activities such as gyms, fitness classes and swimming pools. But as SLL Operations Director, Richard Allan, confirms, safety is a first priority: “Our facilities are now open and we’ve worked hard to make sure the environment is safe and secure for our customers. We have restricted numbers to allow for social distancing across the board, installed one-way systems and made sure people can stay sanitised regularly across our facilities. Confidence is key at the moment for all of our customers and also for our staff.

TOP TIPS FOR USING THE CENTRES

“We are also aware that there is currently a great deal of interest from those who are new to our leisure centres and facilities so we are keen to make it as easy as possible for them to find the right activity.”

Stay healthy • Stay at home and self-isolate even if you only have minor symptoms such as a cough, headache, mild fever.

Exercise cannot ‘sweat it out’.

• Regularly and thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water or alcoholbased hand rub to kill any viruses that may be on your hands.

• Maintain a distance of at least 2 metres from other people Gym /classes • A new one-way system is operating throughout the centre, please follow the arrows on the floor.

• Please come ready to work out, as changing room space will be limited.

• Please wipe down the machine / equipment before and after each use and replace any equipment back into its storage area.

• Please bring your own mat if you wish to do any floor work.

• Please check the class timetable online, book your place in advance and do not enter the centre until 5 minutes before your class.

Swimming • Lane Swimming and Aqua Ed Swimming are the only activities running.

• Lanes will be double width to accommodate 2 metre distancing.

To find out more about measures to keep users safe go to: www.sll.co.uk/re-opening

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Grant funding

GALORE!

Grant funding provided by the Council has proven to be a vital lifeline for many community focused organisations in North Herts, helping to enrich the lives of local people they are in contact with. We caught up with a number of grant recipients from the last few years to see how the funding helped their work.

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Ray Wilson, Director of Green Care Norton CIC in Letchworth, wrote in to tell us about receiving two grants totalling £4,550 in 2019 and 2020 from NHDC’s Letchworth Committee.

“I had retired from teaching and was looking for a new venture. I enjoyed working on my allotment and read a newspaper article about social and therapeutic horticulture for mental wellbeing. I thought, why not start up a project like this? NHDC supported me in acquiring a second allotment, so I had the land to do it and I then entered into partnership with settle homes and the Job Centre, who act as referral agencies for the people I work with.

“It was suggested to me at a meeting at settle homes that I could potentially secure start-up grant funding through NHDC, as I needed some quite big items in order to get going and make it into a year round activity. The funding helped pay for a social shed where participants can have a cuppa and a chat and get out of the rain. This also doubles up as a potting shed. It also helped us buy a large polytunnel and we are in the process of making one of the plots disability friendly, with wide paths, a patio and raised beds, so that it can be accessed by those with mobility issues.

“Our participants invariably suffer from loneliness or exclusion, mental health issues, or are unemployed. Working on the allotment plots growing food and flowers improves their mental wellbeing, gives them a social group and improves their future employment prospects. Furthermore, those who attend can eat what they grow and know that any surplus produce goes to food bank charities to help others.

“The next stage of the project will be to start up a cut flower business enterprise so that unemployed participants can get experience of how a small-scale flower business works. Any money generated will all go straight back into the project. The main difficulty in starting up such a project will be obtaining a small parcel of land big enough for a large polytunnel and garden area….but I will keep working on it! But if anyone reading this knows of somewhere in Letchworth that we could use, please let us know.

Working on the allotment plots growing food and flowers improves their mental wellbeing

“We have a number of volunteers who work with us and are currently looking for more volunteers with previous gardening, handyman or woodworking skills to join us, so do get in touch if that is you.”

If you would like to find out more about Green Care Norton CIC go to their Facebook page or email greencarenorton@gmail.com.

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Gillian Morland, Manager for the Coombes Community Centre in Royston, wrote in to tell us about the £50,000 NHDC Community Facilities Capital Project Fund grant the Centre received in 2018.

The Coombes Community Centre is the only Community Centre in Royston. Since it was built in 1977, it has become busier and busier and under normal circumstances, about 50 different regular groups use the centre, with over 1,500 people a week visiting the building.

Gillian said: “The small profit made each year goes back into maintaining the Centre, so saving £50,000, the amount of grant funding we received, would have been almost impossible. The capital grant has made a huge difference. The platform lift that was installed opened-up use of the upstairs rooms to more activities. Many groups who use the centre are retired and a lift is an essential asset to allow groups to meet in rooms that would otherwise be unobtainable for them.

“New toilets that use less water were installed upstairs and LED lighting was used to reduce energy costs. Finally, the kitchen in the under 5’s area needed updating and the floor was in need of replacement, so that work was carried out with the grant funding.

“Many groups use the Centre including Compassionate Neighbours for those who are lonely and Chair Yoga for people with restricted movement. We are a polling station, blood donor location, home of the Royston Rockets BMX Club and a centre for a local Repair Café. The National Childbirth Trust hold courses at the Centre and we have sports and meetings, gaming, social occasions, bingo for the Over 60’s and classes for French, Spanish and Italian as well much more!

“In the future, we have plans to further expand to offer a second sports hall and more rooms that can be hired by the community in Royston. Our roof faces south and is an ideal angle for solar panels which would support our energy needs for the future and be good for the environment so we are looking into this. We also have plans to improve our grounds with some wildflower areas, spring bulbs and trees.

“A community centre can be a wonderful asset for a town, as this one is for Royston.”

To find out more about the Coombes Community Centre either visit their website www.coombescommunitycentre.co.uk or email coombescentre@gmail.com

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Sally Ozaydin and husband Tom Wright wrote in to tell us about the Ickleford Community Larder which recently benefited from a £2,000 Coronavirus Community Support Grant: “We started the Community Larder shortly after the beginning of the coronavirus lockdown. Many local people were struggling to make ends meet and since there was a strong sense of local community, we knew that the villagers would pull together to support each other.

“The Coronavirus Community Support Grant helped us buy food to supplement our larder basics, pay insurance, pay for food hygiene courses and storage boxes.

“The Larder works via the organisation Fareshare, where supermarkets allow us to collect the food that they would otherwise throw away - food that has passed its best before date but is still fine to eat. This can include things like bread, bananas, oranges, apples, broccoli and potatoes. We then give this food out to people that come to us. This is the food rescue side of the Community Larder.

“We also have what we call our ‘Larder Basics’ - tinned beans, soup, UHT milk and pasta etc. People who are struggling can ask to have these too.

The food rescue is for anyone, and anyone who asks for larder basics can have them too.

“We have a team of volunteers who do things like filling crates, accepting donations and handing out the food. The food rescue is for anyone, and anyone who asks for larder basics can have them too. The people that come are of all ages and backgrounds - from struggling single parents to the affluent - who are there for the food rescue, as it is environmentally friendly to rescue food.

“We originally started in Ickleford Village Hall but have now moved to St Katherines Church and we are planning to expand and rescue even more food.”

The Ickleford Community Larder is open on Sundays from 2pm to 4pm at St Katherines Church in Ickleford. To find out more, go to their Facebook page.

NH Now Autumn 2020

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Carrie Washington, Director of BEEE Creative CIC, wrote in to tell us about the £850 received from the NHDC Royston Committee in 2019, to develop community focused dance workshops.

“BEEE Creative stands for social change by improving access to dance participation for local people in Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire; producing high quality, ambitious and insightful dance interactions. We do this to maximise the local cultural offer, so that anyone, any age or background, has the opportunity for lifelong learning and enhanced sense of wellbeing through dance.

“We applied for NHDC grant funding to develop creative movement workshops at Royston and District Museum and Art Gallery for families with pre-school children and for older adults, with a focus on engaging with exhibitions at the Museum and as a celebration of the Hertfordshire Year of Culture 2020.

“The project built on previous dance projects at the museum and the main emphasis was on providing access to a fun activity, with opportunities to connect with other people.

It gives people the chance to develop physical wellbeing, learn new skills, get to know other people and a lot of the time just have a bit of a giggle - which makes everyone (the dance artist included!) feel just that little bit better.

We have run 64 creative dance workshops with the grant funding, split across sessions for families with toddlers and pre-school children and for adults.

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“We have run 64 creative dance workshops with the grant funding, split across sessions for families with toddlers and pre-school children, and for adults. From April through to July this year, these have been delivered online through Zoom due to the lockdown and coronavirus pandemic.

“We are grateful for the support of North Herts District Council and the staff at Royston Museum for making these dance sessions possible.

“When lockdown happened there was an appetite from the regular participants to keep dancing and keep connecting. So, having never heard of Zoom before March, we launched ourselves into a steep learning curve of how to deliver dance activity online.

We had a bit of trial and error getting sound levels right and sorting settings so everyone could see the dance lead but we got there! It has truly been a highlight of the dance artist’s week leading both the family dance session and adult classes online. It has given everyone involved a focus point and a little bit of structure in the lockdown weeks where the days just seem merge.

“In the immediate future we will be navigating what a return to dance in a physical setting may look like to remain safe for everyone involved. There is potential that there will be an element of blended delivery, as we have actually gained participants from further afield during lockdown, who all want to continue. We have also got plans to work in collaboration with an animator to combine dance and local stories to create animated films. We plan to do this by making the local community co-producers of the work.”

Want to find out more or take part in a BEEE Creative Zoom dance workshop?

Click here or email for details carrie@beee-creative.co.uk

To find out more about the wide variety of Council grant funding available to community focused organisations click here

NH Now Autumn 2020

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Events are subject to change due to Covid-19. Please check with the event organiser before attending. *

What’s On October Heisenberg 6 – 10 October Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Queen Mother Theatre, Hitchin

6–10

In this uncertain world, who can predict what brings people together? When two strangers meet by chance amidst the bustle of a crowded London train station, their lives are changed forever. This show is live in theatre and will also be live streamed online on 10 October. To book tickets go to the Queen Mother Theatre website.

Where’s Wally?

Spooky Museum Search 9 October – 1 November North Hertfordshire Museum, Hitchin

9–1

Love the Where’s Wally books? Would like to spot Wally in real life? Now is your chance. To celebrate the launch of Wally’s new book, North Hertfordshire Museum has hidden Wally in amongst their Museum displays. So, pop along and see if you can spot Wally hiding out at the Museum. Available only on guided tours – book free tickets for tours on the hour here or just turn up at the Museum for tours on the half hour. Maximum of six people per tour.

Pedal for Pounds 18 October

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Cycle through the Hertfordshire countryside and raise money for the Garden House Hospice. Starting and finishing at Letchworth Hall Hotel, this event is open to riders of all abilities, with a choice of 30 and 50 mile routes available. Registration - Adults: £20, under 16’s: £15.00.

Registration includes a medal at the finish! Staggered start times from 9am. To register go to the Garden House Hospice website.

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November A Streetcar Named Desire 1 November, 7.45pm Broadway Cinema, Letchworth Garden City

1

Swoon over Marlon Brando in this classic 1951 film adaptation of the play by Tennessee Willliams. Disturbed Blanche Dubois moves in with her sister in New Orleans, but her brother in law torments her as slowly she loses touch with reality. Also stars Vivien Leigh. To book tickets visit the Broadway Cinema website.

Frozen in Time: Early photographs of North Herts

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15 November - 31 January 2021 North Hertfordshire Museum, Hitchin Step into the past at this fascinating exhibition featuring over 40 photographs of Victorian and Edwardian North Hertfordshire. From the museum collections, images of towns and villages in the district give a glimpse into the life and work of people who lived here in times gone by. Available only on guided tours – book free tickets for Museum tours on the hour here or just turn up at the Museum for tours on the half hour. Exhibition only tours are at 3pm and 3.30pm. Maximum of six people per tour.

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

Letchworth Christmas lights switch on!

28 November Garden Square, Letchworth Garden City Town Centre

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Bring some merriment and sparkly Christmas joy to late November and turn out to see the great Christmas lights switch on in Letchworth.

Ooo and ahh at the twinkle lights and watch the tree glisten as it lights up. For more information, including switch on time, go to the Love Letchworth website.

Hitchin Christmas Market 24 November – 22 December, open daily from 10am – 5pm Market Square, Hitchin

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Hitchin Town Centre businesses of all types will be setting up in traditional Christmassy chalets on the Market Square and offering a wide selection of products, including the best in Christmas gifts, stocking fillers and festive food and drink. All the current guidelines on social distancing and cleanliness will be followed to ensure that this Christmas can still be a cracker!

December Baldock Christmas Fayre 5 December Baldock High Street

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Got some Christmas gift shopping to do? Why not shop locally and visit the Baldock Christmas Fayre. A combination of Christmas craft and gift stalls – you’ll be in the Christmassy spirit before you know it! Find out more at the Baldock Events Forum website.

NH Now Autumn 2020