Outlook - Spring 2019

COMMUNITY NEWS FROM NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

OUTLOOK NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE MUSEUM

LITTER PICKS

CARELINE

WHAT’S ON

GEARING UP FOR SPRING IN NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE SPRING 2019 SPRING 2019

www.north-herts.gov.uk OUTLOOK

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FROM THE LEADER Welcome to another edition of Outlook. Firstly, on page 6 we have news of an extension to the first year’s service for existing garden waste subscribers. The three month extension was agreed in late Autumn last year, following the disruption to some residents’ bin collections last year. All householders will also shortly be receiving a roll of caddy liners for their kitchen caddy, in recognition that it was not only garden waste customers affected by missed bin collections.

I would like to take the opportunity to remind residents to make sure you have registered to vote, if you wish to have your say at the upcoming local elections on 2 May 2019. If you haven’t yet registered, go to pg 3 to find out about the upcoming deadlines and how to register.

Finally, on page 10 you can find details of some recent ‘stop and check’ operations carried out by our environmental crime team, in conjunction with a number of partner organisations. These operations

form part of our ongoing work to target unlicensed waste and scrap metal carriers operating in our district. Please make sure anyone who you pay to remove waste for you is a registered waste carrier. If you pay for an unlicensed carrier to remove the waste and it is fly-tipped, you are still legally responsible for it and could be fined or prosecuted.

CLLR LYNDA NEEDHAM, LEADER OF NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

In this issue...

PAGE. 10 Stop and check operations PAGE. 3 WW1 soldier honoured PAGE. 12 Museum set to fully open PAGE. 5 Cycle confidence PAGE. 6 Garden waste subscription extension PAGE. 14 What’s on

Keep up to date with Are you keeping up to date with news in North Hertfordshire? NHDC has launched an email newsletter 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 or unsubscribe at any time.

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CONTACTING NHDC Most NHDC services can be accessed online.

Find out the date of your next waste collection, apply for a licence, report an issue, register to vote or pay a bill, all through our website: www.north-herts.gov.uk

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

It is quick and easy to sign up, simply visit the @NorthHerts sign up page www.northherts.gov.uk/subscribe

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OTHER WAYS TO CONTACT US: Phone: 01462 474000 www.facebook.com/northhertsDC @NorthHertsDC In Person: Council Offices, Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF

SPRING 2019

Hitchin WW1 soldier honoured in ceremony Royal British legion representatives outside the Church to unveil the stone.

2nd Lt. Frank Young VC was a soldier of the 1/1st battalion of the Hertfordshire Regiment and on 18th September 1918, aged 22, was involved in heavy action at the Battle of Havrincourt. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on that day.

His citation reads: (“The London Gazette” No. 31067, dated 13th December 1918) A commemorative paving stone to honour the Hitchin solider, 2nd Lt. Frank Edward Young, was officially unveiled in January. The stone was provided by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as part of a national programme to commemorate the First World War.

“For most conspicuous bravery, determination and exceptional devotion to duty on 18 September, 1918, south-east of Havrincourt, when during an enemy counterattack and throughout an extremely intense enemy barrage he visited

all posts, warned the garrisons and encouraged the men. In the early stages of the attack he rescued two of his men who had been captured, and bombed and silenced an enemy machine gun. Although surrounded by the enemy, 2nd Lt. Young fought his way back to the main barricade and drove out a party of the enemy who were assembling there. By his further exertions the battalion was able to maintain a line of great tactical value, the loss of which would have meant serious delay to future operations. Throughout four hours of intense hand-to-hand fighting 2nd Lt. Young displayed the utmost valour and devotion to duty, and set an example to which the company gallantly responded. He was last seen fighting hand to hand against a considerable number of the enemy.”

NHDC organised the event at St Mary’s Church in Hitchin in line with the wishes of Frank Young’s living relatives. NHDC Councillors gathered alongside members of Frank Young’s family, military personnel and local

Register to vote and have your say If you aren’t already registered to vote, make sure you do so by Friday 12 April when registration closes. Registering ensures that you can vote in the upcoming local elections on Thursday 2 May and have your say about which NHDC SPRING 2019

District Councillor represents your interests at local government level.

Councillors are elected for four year terms and approximately one-third of Council seats will be up for election this year.

You can register online by going to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or call the Electoral Services Helpline on 01462 474503 and they will send you an Individual Registration form.

registered to vote. The easiest way to check if you are registered is to call the Electoral Services helpline.

To find out more about postal and proxy votes go to www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/ elections-and-voting/ voting-post-or-proxy

Voting by post or by proxy is also available if you are already like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC

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*Terms & conditions apply.

Offer available 1st-31st March 2019.

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NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE DISTRICT COUNCIL

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OUTLOOK

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Cycle confidence courses are

Our Active Communities team have been busy putting together cycle confidence courses for North Hertfordshire residents.

The Letchworth based classes will be run by experienced instructors and aimed at complete beginners and those who can already cycle but lack confidence on their bike.

The Easter Cycle Confidence course This course is for children aged five to seven years. It will run from Monday 15 April to Thursday 18 April and will take place at the Grange Recreation Ground, Gaunts Way in Letchworth from 9.30am to 12pm. A combination of fun games and activities will build on basic cycling skills, and will give a boost in confidence as the cyclists aim to be ‘Cycling Champions’ by the end of the week! Children must be able to ride unaided for one minute to be able to take part and have a roadworthy bike and cycle helmet. Cost is £35 per child.

The Learn to Cycle course This course is aimed at children and adults and will serve as an introduction to cycling for those who have never tried cycling before, or have struggled to get to grips with it. Those booked onto this course will benefit from a one to one session with the instructor for one hour, which will enable the session to be tailored SPRING 2019

to individual needs. One hour slots will take place on Saturday 11 May, 9am to 3pm at the Grange Recreation Ground, Gaunts Way in Letchworth. Those taking part must have a roadworthy bike and helmet. Cost is £15 per person.

The Letchworth Balance Ability course This course aims to help children aged three and up to gain confidence with balancing on a bicycle and learning basic skills, to enable an easy and smooth transition to using a pedal bike. The course kicks off on Saturday 25 May and continues on subsequent Saturdays for six weeks, ending on Saturday 29 June. Times - 12.15 to 12.45pm at Letchworth Parish Hall, Broadway, SG6 3PQ. The six lessons will cost £35.

Booking is essential for all courses. Please contact Megan Pinner on 01462 474838 or email active@north-herts.gov.uk

Reva mped facilities make a splash at North Herts outdoor pools Facilities at the outdoor swimming pools in Hitchin and Letchworth have had a revamp over the winter months, ready for the summer season.

Hitchin Outdoor Pool has benefitted from the refurbishment of its showers and toilets, a new children’s play area and the installation of a covered bike rack for 20 bicycles.

Meanwhile at Letchworth Outdoor Pool, the toilets and showers have also been refurbished and the surround of the small pool has been resurfaced.

The improvements at both pools will make these areas much more visually appealing and inviting for visitors. You will be able to see the improvements for yourself when the pools open again later this year.

Further information about the outdoor pools can be found on our website at www.north-herts.gov.uk/home/leisure/ leisure-centres

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WASTE & RECYCLING

Garden Waste – Three month extension for existing subscribers At a meeting of NHDC’s Full Council back in November, Councillors agreed to offer a three month extension to residents who have subscribed to the chargeable garden waste service, in light of the issues which many residents faced with bin collections last year.

The current 12 month payment period for residents signed up to the garden waste service will be extended by a further period of three months, meaning existing subscribers will get three months

of brown bin collections without further charge. Residents will now need to re-subscribe by August 2019 rather than May 2019. Details of how to re-subscribe will be sent out by post nearer the time.

Council to distribute roll of food waste caddy liners At the same Council meeting, Councillors also agreed to provide a roll of compostable liners for kitchen food waste caddies for all households. These will be distributed to residents shortly.

Recycling your food waste is really easy and kitchen caddies are collected on a weekly basis. Here’s a reminder of what can go in your caddy:

What foods can you recycle?

• All uneaten food and plate scrapings • Mouldy or out of date food including ready meals- please remove the packaging • Fruit and vegetable peelings • Limp and mouldy salads, vegetables, fruit and herbs • Tea bags and coffee grounds • Bread, pastries and cake

• Meat, fish and bones (raw and cooked) including chicken carcasses, fish skin and out of date meat (unpackaged) Please do not place any of these in your food waste recycling: • Packaging of any kind • Liquids such as milk • Oil or liquid fat • Anything that is not food waste.

• Dairy products including cheese, eggs and egg shells • Rice, pasta and beans (raw and cooked)

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SPRING 2019

Spring Litter Picks Litter can be a huge problem across the country; no one likes to see it and it is harmful to wildlife.

Councils in England spend over £1billion on street cleaning services, including litter picking, every year.

We’re backing a nationwide campaign running from 22 March – 23 April called the ‘Great British Spring Clean’ to encourage residents to get out and about to help clean up their local areas.

We’re offering advice and support to groups who want to ‘do their bit’ to clear up litter. If you would like to get involved, you can register at: www.greatbritishspringclean.org.uk.

Groups who have registered can arrange to borrow the necessary equipment from us. This includes litter pickers, hi-vis jackets and sacks. Visit: www.north-herts.gov.uk/litter to complete a request form telling us the date, time, location and number of people you are expecting at your event. We will then contact you and arrange for you to collect the equipment and sacks, where available. We only have limited equipment, so it will be arranged on a first come, first served basis.

Collection times are changing In May, bin collection times for your waste and recycling will be changing. You should continue to put out bins and boxes by 7am on collection day.

Collections will take place any time from 7am - 5pm.

So if you think your bin has been missed, please don’t report it until after 5pm. You can report a missed collection online at www.north-herts.gov.uk/ missedbin. You must report a missed collection within 48 hours if you'd like the crews to return to collect it.

For some homes collections days will also change from May. The Council will be sending letters to everyone this applies to, giving plenty of notice.

These changes are being brought in to make the collection rounds more efficient, enable the service to respond to localised needs and allow the Council to plan for future population growth in the district.

If you have already held a litter-pick event, please take pictures and share them with us so we can help spread word of your success. You can tweet us @NorthHertsDC, like our Facebook page or email PressOffice@north-herts.gov.uk

Remember your reusables NHDC is supporting the Hertfordshire Wasteaware campaign to ‘Remember your Reusables’. The campaign is all about ditching single use plastics and remembering to pick up items like reusable bags, coffee cups and water bottles when you leave the house, along with your keys and wallet!

Here are a couple of easy tips for doing away with plastic in the bathroom: • Swap your shower gel bottle and hand pump for a bar of soap. Simple but effective and they last much longer.

SPRING 2019

• You can buy toilet roll wrapped in paper, not plastic. Buy in bulk from an ethical company: https:// uk.whogivesacrap.org/collections/all • Bamboo toothbrushes are available online. Plastic toothbrushes take around 1000 years to decompose.

You can find loads more tips, videos and competitions on the WasteAware Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ WasteAwarePartnership or visit www. hertfordshire.gov.uk/ wasteaware like our Facebook page www.facebook.com/northhertsDC

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A day in the life of a Herts Careline call operator Have you ever wondered what it’s like working in an emergency control room? Taking life critical calls which depend on the quick thinking and correct action made by the call operator on duty?

Then walk a shift in the footsteps of a Herts Careline control room operator. They work tirelessly around the clock taking medical emergency calls from residents across the whole of Hertfordshire.

Residents who are signed up to the service have access to fall detectors, smoke alarms and temperature monitors, as well as a pendant alarm, depending on their needs. This is an emergency button worn around their neck or wrist and enables them to dial through to Careline’s 24/7 control room.

One member of the team is Anne Tomlin and here she takes you though a typical ‘early’ shift –from 7am to 3pm.

“I arrive ready to take over from the night shift at 6.50am. It doesn’t take long for the first call to come in: a lady had taken a fall, is on the floor and has bumped her head so can’t get up.

I telephone the paramedics,

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inform the client’s contact and stay on the line, taking other calls as they come in and going back to check on her.

“Between 7am and 11am is one of our busiest periods where we can take in the region of 400 calls. People are getting up for the day, they may be feeling unwell, suffer a fall, be wondering what time their carers will arrive, or be waiting for their transport to a day centre. Every call is different and we deal with any medical emergency that arises. We also take calls from site managers checking on the residents staying in their properties, and report any incidents to them which may have occurred during the night.

Between 7am and 11am is one of our busiest periods where we can take in the region of 400 calls

“The lunch period is also a busy time for calls. So far today we will have taken around 700 calls, the majority from people feeling unwell and needing a doctor or ambulance, others enquire about their meals situation for lunch. I took a call from a gentleman’s fall detector. He did not answer when I called through to see if he was OK so I immediately tried him on his own telephone. He didn’t answer so I went through the process of ringing his named responder but they didn’t answer

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either. His other contacts were not available so I rang our professional responder who went out to assess the situation. When he got there

During a 24 hour day the team at Herts Careline can take up to 1,500 calls and a third of these could be life critical.

he quickly rang back to confirm that the gentleman had fallen, so I called an ambulance. I then rang his contacts to tell them what had happened.

“Often it is in the afternoons when service users test their pendants, which we encourage them to do once a month to ensure the equipment is working correctly and get people into the habit of using their pendant. Many don’t like to ‘worry us’ as they say, but that’s what we’re here for! Its 3pm so that’s the end of my day shift, but Herts Careline is 24/7 so it’s time for the late shift to start as the operators arrive ready to take the evening calls.”

During a 24 hour day the team at Herts Careline can take up to 1,500 calls and a third of these could be life critical calls.

If you’d like information about Herts Careline, you can visit www.care-line.co.uk or call 0300 999 2 999.

SPRING 2019

Chairman’s Volunteer Awards – winners announced The winners of this year’s NHDC Chairman’s Volunteer Achievement Awards were revealed at a celebratory reception at Wymondley Priory Barns in February.

Green Award: Suzy Holding – Best Before Café

The winners were nominated by members of the public and chosen by the judging panel, which comprised of Cllr John Bishop, NHDC’s Chairman, Nick Gill, Editor at The Comet, Steven Roberts and Jack Wells from business sponsors Wilmott Dixon and Anne Taylor from North Herts CVS. The standard of nominations was extremely high and the judges had a tough time deciding on the winners.

The winners were:

Caring Award: Shane Cole – Feed Up, Warm Up Shane Cole set up the Hitchin based ‘Feed Up Warm Up’ project in October 2018. It now boasts 200 Volunteers, 700 Facebook Supporters and £5,000 has been raised via Go Fund Me. It operates every Wednesday from 6pm – 8.30pm, from the Scout Hut at Our Lady’s Catholic Church in Hitchin, providing hot food, food parcels, warm clothes, haircuts, chiropody, sanitary items and sign-posting services.

Dedication Award: Helen Isley – Volunteer for MS Society North Herts

Helen has supported the MS community in North Herts for over 40 years by volunteering and managing charity collections, dedicating her time and commitment to the organising of fundraising and social and wellbeing events, while continually being available to support those with MS. Helen is a huge asset to the North Herts branch and has been a backbone to the Charity.

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Suzy Holding is the brains behind the successful ‘Best Before Café’ which opened its doors in Letchworth last year. Suzy and her army of helpers all work on a volunteer basis to tackle food waste by collecting supermarket food surplus and offering it to local people for donations of money, time or skills.

Sporting Award: Callum Ellis – Hitchin Town Ladies Callum has dedicated himself to football by coaching people with disabilities and taking the Hitchin Town Ladies from relegation to top of the league in two years. His dedication to the ladies team has brought not only great achievement but outstanding sportsmanship.

Judges’ Special Recognition: Chris Parker, Walsworth Community Centre, Buzzworks Chris received the award for his involvement with the Walsworth Community Centre for over thirty years. He has been instrumental in the transition of the Centre to its new lease and has been at the forefront of the building’s refurbishment. He is a long standing member of the committee and regularly helps out at social events and dealing with any problems that arise.

Young Star: Lucy Cook-Allen – St John’s Ambulance, Scouting, St Georges Church

and also assists with Sunday school and other events which take place at the Church. She is a St John’s Cadet and was selected to represent Letchworth at the Lord Mayors Show and the London Pride march and was nominated for last year’s Cadet of the Year competition in the East region.

NHDC is committed to equal opportunities and our aim is to make our services easy for all residents to use. If English is not your first language or you have difficulty reading this document please contact us to discuss how we may be able to assist you.

Please call: 01462 474000, or email service@north-herts.gov.uk Textphone (for textphone users) on: 01462 474800 OUTLOOK is published by the Communications Team, North Hertfordshire District Council, Council Offices , Gernon Road, Letchworth, SG6 3JF

email outlook@north-herts.gov.uk © Unless otherwise stated, articles and photography are copyright of North Hertfordshire District Council.

Every care is taken to ensure accuracy, but the publisher or manager cannot be held responsible for errors or omissions in editorial content.

Lucy is a Beaver Leader and inspiration to the other beavers. She is a member of the Church Choir

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The awards celebrate people in North Hertfordshire who volunteer and ‘go the extra mile’ to make a real difference in their local community.

MAKING NORTH HERTFORDSHIRE A VIBRANT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND PROSPER

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Vehicle ‘stop and check’ operations target unlicensed waste and scrap metal carriers in North Herts During November and December last year, our Environmental Crime Officers teamed up with a number of partners to carry out vehicle ‘stop and check’ operations aimed at catching unlicensed waste and scrap metal carriers operating in our district.

Working closely with Herts Police, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Environment Agency and Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, our Officers held two stop check operations – one on the road between Newnham and Ashwell and the other on the road between Willian and Great Wymondley.

A total of 24 vehicles, either commercial vans or private vehicles with a trailer, were stopped and six of these vehicles were found to be carrying waste as part of their business. Those drivers were asked to show their Waste Carriers Licence, issued by the Environment Agency – a legal requirement for any business that transports and disposes of waste. Two were able to provide their Waste Carriers Licence.

The remaining four either did not

have one, or were not registered as having a licence and were either given a time limit to apply for a licence, or referred on to the Environment Agency for further investigation.

These operations are aimed at tackling would-be fly-tippers and unscrupulous traders and warning businesses that they must have a Waste Carriers Licence to transport and dispose of waste in their vehicles.

If you employ a tradesperson to undertake a service for you and they remove waste from your property, you must check that they are a registered waste carrier. If you pay for an unlicensed carrier to remove your waste and it is fly-tipped, you are still legally responsible for it and could be fined or prosecuted. You can check if someone has a Waste Carrier’s licence on the Environment Agency’s website:https:// environment.data.gov.uk/publicregister/view/search-wastecarriers-brokers

New online licensing portal The Council has set up an online licensing portal, including a register of licences, to make it easier for residents and businesses to get details of licences that the Council has granted.

Initially, all licences issued under the Licensing Act and Gambling Act have been published. These include permitted operating hours and all the conditions attached to each licence.

Other types of licences will be added to the register during 2019. Over the coming months, the publication of new applications on the portal will also be trialled to make it easier for residents to get information about proposals for new licensed premises and events.

The online licensing portal can be accessed by searching for ‘public registers’ on the Council’s website or using this link: www.north-herts.gov. uk/home/environmental-health/publicregisters-and-delegated-decisions

The Stop-Check operations follow on from the recent Hertfordshire Fly Tipping Group’s S.C.R.A.P campaign, where NHDC, Hertfordshire County Council and other Hertfordshire Councils worked together to encourage residents and businesses to dispose of waste responsibly.

For further information on how to report a fly-tip please visit our website: www.north-herts.gov.uk/ home/transport-and-streets/streetcleaning/fly-tipping.

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SPRING 2019

Exciting plans for Walsworth Common The much loved Walsworth Common is to get an exciting makeover this year. The NHDC owned site to the north-east of Hitchin is managed in partnership with Countryside Management Service (CMS). Walsworth Common is registered Common Land, consisting of a large area of amenity grassland, longer conservation cut grassland, scrub, mature trees, a pond and the River Purwell.

The common is well used by local people for informal recreation

including dog walking, exercise and as a walking/cycling route to school and work. Facilities on site include two football pitches, a basketball court, skateboard ramp and two children’s play areas.

From April 2019 the new five year Greenspace Action Plan (201924) for the site will start to be implemented and the vision is for the Common to become Hitchin’s premier outdoor venue. To achieve this, the site is to be levelled to accommodate additional football

pitches. The wildlife interest has not been forgotten with new areas of conservation wildflower grassland being incorporated in the layout of the football pitches. Vegetation will also be cut to provide views of the classic chalk river, River Purwell.

Walsworth Common makes up one of four NHDC sites in a chain of green spaces along the Purwell Valley. To the south is Purwell Meadows Local Nature Reserve; while to the north on the River Hiz are Cadwell Lane Playing Field and Burymead Springs.

Fascinating fossils and wonderful wildlife at Hill End and Barkway Chalk Pits Hill End and Barkway Chalk Pits are unique secluded sites of geological and ecological interest, owned by NHDC and managed in partnership with Hertfordshire County Council’s Countryside Management Service (CMS). They are designated as Regionally Important Geological Sites and contain fascinating fossil groups such as ammonites. They are also Local Wildlife Sites and support a variety of habitats.

Hill End Chalk Pit, is south of Hitchin, where many different types of fossils have been found. It has nationally rare chalk grassland, a unique, specialised and fragile habitat rich in flowering plants and important for wildlife such as insects and birds. To help preserve and improve this site, work including scraping the chalk face to expose its geological interest and extension and preservation of the chalk grassland took place in February. New signage and interpretation panels will be installed in the summer.

Barkway Chalk Pit is a secluded site north of Barkway and south of Royston. The site is geologically fascinating with exposed chalk and remnants of chalk grassland.

Recently, scrub has been cleared

SPRING 2019

to keep the chalk face visible and to help increase the potential area for chalk grassland. It is hoped environmental education trips and research by geological societies will take place here in the future, just as at Hill End. CMS volunteers work around North Hertfordshire every week.

If you’re interested in joining them, visit the CMS website: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/cms email: northeast.cms@hertfordshire. gov.uk or tel: 01992 588433.

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North Hertfordshire Museum set to fully open Following the completion of the sale of 14/15 Brand Street from Hitchin Town Hall Ltd to NHDC earlier this year, the Museum team have been working very hard to get the building ready to fully open this summer.

It will truly be a fantastic facility, displaying almost 2000 objects, showing how people have lived, worked and died in this area. Here’s a quick taster of just a few of the amazing items that will be on display: Coming in through the new entrance, if you look up, you’ll see an 18th century wooden fire engine from Offley, suspended high over your head.

Walking past the museum shop and café, you’ll reach the first gallery, ‘Discovering North Herts.’

This is a chronological walk through the district, from the time when pliosaurs and ichthyosaurs swam in the warm water covering this area.

Upstairs will be the ‘Living in North Herts’ gallery. Little ones will enjoy playing with the toy farm animals in

the ‘Living off the Land’ area.

In ‘House and Home’ you’ll see some vintage kitchen items, including our 1940s green enamel gas stove. The next section is ‘Fun & Games’ with toys and games from the 19th and 20th centuries. Moving on, you come to a large chemist’s shop display, with all its drug jars and bottles. In the ‘Peace & War’ area we display items from the Herts. Yeomanry. The final section, ‘Cradle to Grave’ looks at life events, from birth to death. One of the star objects here is the Queen Mother’s christening gown, kindly lent by the Bowes-Lyon family.

Moving on into the Terrace Gallery there are five main showcases.

The first, ‘Collecting the World’, has items from every continent, including Egyptian figurines, tiny Chinese shoes and a bird-of paradise. The next case highlights our nationally important football collection, with Stanley Matthews’ football boots and Bert Trautmann’s neck-brace.

A further display highlights people who have made a mark on the district in some way. Our ‘Radical Thinkers’ case looks at dissent in the district, from Quakers to suffragettes, and the final case shows some of our art collection, including a small Henry Moore sculpture and paintings by artists including William Ratcliffe.

John W Mills Sculptor to the Nation John W. Mills is an English sculptor, living in North Hertfordshire.

He is best known for his major national commissions, including the monument to The Women of World War II near the Cenotaph in Whitehall, and Blitz, the National Firefighters Monument in the grounds of St Pauls.

He is also known for his coinage, particularly the design of the D-Day 50p piece.

North Hertfordshire Museum is delighted to host an exhibition of John’s work, charting his career as a sculptor. The exhibition includes full-size sculptures, maquettes and preliminary sketches, as well as a reconstruction of part of John’s studio, and a film about the making of Tommy, a new sculpture based on a Second World War soldier.

The exhibition runs from 23 February until 27 April 2019, and admission is free. The Museum is open Tuesday to Saturday, 10.30am – 4.30pm. www.northhertsmuseum.org

Don’t forget that there are already exhibitions and events taking place at the Museum. The latest one showcases the works of internationally acclaimed sculptor, John W Mills.

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SPRING 2019

Grant funding helps local playgroups prosper Two rural playgroups received grant funding of over £2,300 to help them continue their work at the end of last year. The playgroups, which work with children aged two to five, received funding from the NHDC Southern Rural Committee that meets several times a year.

Breachwood Green Preschool Playgroup was awarded a grant of £250 towards the purchase of new chairs. The playgroup has been providing preschool care to the area since 1978 and is run by the local community. It offers a fun and stimulating environment where children can learn through play.

Kimpton Preschool Playgroup was awarded £2,087 to help them purchase IT equipment. It provides a vital service to local families and is run by the local community.

Founded in 2011, it was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED at their last inspection in 2015. A computer

and electronic tablets were purchased to enable staff to use monitoring software to track the progress of childrens’ development.

If you run an organisation, community group or charity in North Hertfordshire and would like to find out more about our Area Committee Grant funding, please find out more on our website: www.north-herts. gov.uk/home/community/grants/ area-committee-grants

Council Meetings

COMMITTEES – 4 MARCH 2019 to 17 April 2019 (7.30pm unless otherwise stated) An audio recording is taken at all Council meetings (excluding confidential parts). The press and public also have a right to film and record at Council meetings and a protocol on this can be found here: www.north-herts.gov.uk/recordingmeetings

DATE

COMMITTEE

VENUE

Monday 4 March 2019

Baldock & District Committee

Baldock Community Centre, Simpson Drive, Baldock SG7 6DH

Tuesday 5 March 2019

Hitchin Committee

Benslow Music School, Ibberson Way, Hitchin SG4 9RB

Wednesday 6 March 2019

Letchworth Committee

Council Chamber, District Council Offices (DCO), Letchworth GC

Thursday 7 March 2019

Southern Rural Committee

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Wednesday 13 March 2019

Royston & District Committee

Royston Town Hall, Melbourn Street, Royston SG8 7BZ

Thursday 14 March 2019

Planning Control Committee

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Tuesday 19 March 2019

Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Thursday 21 March 2019

Finance, Audit & Risk Committee

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Tuesday 26 March 2019

Cabinet

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Wednesday 27 March 2019 (3pm)

Joint Staff Consultative Committee

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Thursday 4 April 2019

Council

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

Wednesday 17 April 2019

Planning Control Committee

Council Chamber, DCO, Letchworth GC

SPRING 2019

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OUTLOOK

13

WHAT’S

ON this Spring British Schools Museum

MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

41/42 Queen Street, Hitchin, SG4 9TS 01462 420144 www.britishschoolsmuseum.org.uk Joseph Lancaster’s Educational Revolution Until November 2019 An exhibition celebrating the achievements of Joseph Lancaster, a man born to humble circumstances who started a revolution in the world of education, bringing schooling within reach of millions of children around the world.

Broadway Cinema and Theatre Broadway Cinema & Theatre, Eastcheap, Letchworth Garden City 01462 681088 www.broadway-letchworth.com The Amazing Adventures of Pinocchio 4 May, 2pm A larger than life musical stage adaptation of the much loved classic Pinocchio! Comedy, audience interaction and a host of songs make this high energy musical for all the family one not to miss!

Alice in Wonderland 29 May, 2pm and 6pm A brand new staging of Lewis Caroll’s family favourite. Join the tea party, meet the Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit!

Humour and songs will entertain and delight the whole family. For ages 5 and up.

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OUTLOOK

EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS Royston Museum 5 Lower King Street, Royston, Hertfordshire, SG8 5AL 01763 242587 www.roystonmuseum.org.uk Rummage Sale 16 March, 10am – 4.30pm A variety of items will be on offer, in exchange for a donation which will support the work of the museum.

Easter Holiday Fun! 10 & 17 April, 10.30am – 12pm Crafty fun for kids in the museum. £3 for children aged 3+. Under 3s are welcome to get crafty for free.

A Taste of Chocolate Past – talk, tasting and demonstration 30 April, 1pm – 2pm A delicious journey through the history of chocolate. From the court of Charles II to the Victorians, decadence was all about the hot chocolate. A selection of samples will be available for you to try.

We will also dust off a nearly 2000 year old Mexican method to demonstrate how chocolate is traditionally made. £5 per person, tickets can be purchased from Hitchin Town Hall.

Tea exhibition opening 13 April The Museum will be opening a brand new exhibition about that wonderful drink, tea.

They will also be having some family crafting fun based on tea from 10.30am – 12pm.

North Hertfordshire Museum Brand Street, Hitchin, SG5 1HX 01462 474554 www.north-herts.gov.uk/museum Event details can be found at www.facebook.com/northhertsmuseum Opening times: Tues – Sat 10.30am to 4.30pm Admission free. Please call for disabled access.

John W. Mills, Sculptor to the Nation Until 27 April Internationally acclaimed sculptor, John W. Mills, is best known for his national commissions, including ‘The Women of World War II’ monument near the Cenotaph in Whitehall. The exhibition features full size sculpture, preliminary sketches and a part reconstruction of his art studio.

Escape North Herts 26 April, various times available North Hertfordshire Museum hosts this after hours problem solving adventure.

Solve the puzzles, find the missing object and escape before time runs out! A brain teasingly good night of fun. £10 per person, tickets can be purchased from Hitchin Town Hall. follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC

Town & Village Events Ashwell Flea Market, St Mary’s Church 16 March, 9.30am - 1pm Many weird and wonderful things for sale at rock bottom prices. All proceeds go to the church restoration fund. Tea, coffee and biscuits available.

Ashwell at Home 12 May, 11am to 5pm Open gardens, free children’s activities, walks and talks, food and drink, arts and crafts and musical performances make for a great day out. Free parking.

Entry £7 adults (under 18s free). Tickets available on the day or in advance from www.ashwellathome.org.uk

Baldock For event details visit: www.baldockeventsforum.co.uk The Big Lunch, Baldock High Street 2 June Sample food from local restaurants in an al fresco setting. Family entertainment and live music. Find out more at: www.baldockeventsforum.org.uk/ big-lunch SPRING 2019

Barkway

Kimpton

Royston

Barkway Market, Old Manor Farm, 10am to 4pm 11 May Over 150 stalls ranging from clothes, art, food and ready to plant flowers.

Royston Town Band create a wonderful ambience and visual displays from the Raptor Foundation provide a variety of attractions for all the family. £3 entry per person, under 16’s are free.

Kimpton May Festival 3 – 6 May Fun for all the family. Enjoy live music, stalls and the festival parade.

Now in its 55th year! www.kimptonmayfestival.co.uk

Royston Cave Open from 20 April to end of September, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays Discover the wonders and delights of this man made cave. First discovered in the 1700’s, it is not known how old the cave is and what it was created for. Visit www.roystoncave.co.uk for tour times and entrance fees.

Hitchin Easter Bunny Hunt and Trail 13 April Follow the town trail to find the hidden knitted bunnies in the shop windows and take part in the ‘Make & Take’ workshop on the Market Place.

Vaisakhi Procession 13 April This colourful parade winds its way around the town from the Wilbury Way Gurdwara.

Walsworth Festival 19 May, 10am – 4pm Fun for all the family, the annual Walsworth Festival has stalls, children’s activities, dance displays, live music and lots, lots more! www.walsworthfestival.co.uk

Ickleford Easter Egg Hunt 7 April, 11am – 1pm Ickleford Pre-school will be holding an Easter Egg Hunt on Upper Green in Ickleford – find the eggs to win a prize!

Lots of family fun including a raffle, guess the name of the bunny competition, face painting and craft area. Free admission, £2 to take part in the Easter Egg Hunt. In the event of bad weather, events will take place at Ickleford Village Hall.

SPRING 2019

Kimpton Art Show 3 – 6 May Kimpton Parish Church Over 100 artists gather to exhibit and sell their work at this annual celebration of art. Paintings, photography, ceramics, glass, perspex and other art work will be on display. www.kimptonartshow.co.uk

Letchworth Love Letchworth Easter Trail, Letchworth town centre 8 April – 20 April Pick up a map from the Love Letchworth office or Discover Letchworth. Follow the trail around town centre businesses and collect your stamps, then enter a prize draw to win one of two fantastic Easter hampers!

Easter Chocolate Trail, Royston Town Centre 20 April, 12pm – 2.30pm Annual trail for children through the town!

Royston May Fayre, Priory Memorial Gardens 6 May, 12pm – 4.30pm May Day fun for all ages, with attractions including children’s fairground rides, miniature train rides, traditional Punch and Judy, music and beer tent, and more.

Standalone Farm 8- 12 & 15 – 19 April Easter themed arts and crafts Easter craft fun for young visitors to the farm during the school holidays. Stop by from 11.30am to 3pm to take part. Times may be subject to change. Event included in admission.

Love Letchworth Food and Drink Festival 2019 25 – 26 May, 10am – 6pm Saturday, 10am – 4pm Sunday If you’re a foodie you’ll love this annual Letchworth town centre event - immerse yourself in cookery demonstrations and food and drink stalls.

Live street entertainment, a fun fair, theatre performance and free children’s activities!

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OUTLOOK

15

Forced to work for little or no wages?

Living in squalor?

Slavery can happen anywhere.

Could you spot the signs?

Modern Slavery is where someone’s freedom is taken away in order to exploit them. Examples include:

Know the signs. There are a number of signs that could indicate exploitation:

• sexual exploitation, such as forced prostitution or other sexual abuse,

• Physical or psychological abuse, including neglect or lack of food.

Appearing anxious, withdrawn, submissive or avoiding eye contact.

• forced labour, where someone is made to work, often for little or no pay. Situations could include construction, nail bars or car washes – but not only these, • domestic servitude, where someone is forced to perform household or childcare duties for little or no pay, and • criminal exploitation, which is being forced into criminal activity such as cultivating cannabis.

Modern slavery affects men, women, girls and boys of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities.

Criminals can use threats, violence or deception to trap victims into slavery. Even if someone is being paid, it can still be exploitation.

16

OUTLOOK

• Living and working in poor conditions, such as dirty, unsafe or overcrowded locations. Maybe they are paid little or nothing or work too many hours.

• They appear isolated or controlled by others. Their movement or activities are restricted by someone; maybe that person speaks for them too. Maybe their passport or other documents are missing or controlled by their ‘employer’.

• Other signs include: reluctance to seek help, fear of authorities or deportation, in debt to someone, or lack of knowledge about their whereabouts. follow us on twitter @NorthHertsDC

Being controlled by others? …signs that someone could be a victim of slavery or trafficking.

What you should do: • If you believe someone is being exploited or the victim of criminal activity, you can report your suspicions to police by calling 101 or via the website www.herts.police.uk.

• Or if you prefer, you can report your concerns to the independent, charity-run Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700. Victims can also call this number for help.

• Always call 999 if someone is in immediate danger.

By reporting your concerns, you will be enabling police to investigate and potentially free someone from exploitation and abuse Call the Modern Slavery Helpline on 08000 121 700 if you have concerns about someone or need help or advice.

HERTFORDSHIRE Modern Slavery Partnership

SPRING 2019