December 2016 issuu

Issue 28 December

Welcome As always December has arrived far sooner than any of us imagined. Before you start panicking about last minute shopping, present wrapping or the dreaded visit from the in-laws we have a few things to look forward to.

But before that a few quick notes on November! Over 600 of you came out to pay your respects at the Remembrance Parade at the Baldock war memorial eariler in the month.

Remember, if you haven't already, you still have until the 30th November to sign the petition regarding the proposed planning for all the new homes in Baldock. I'd highly recommend taking a drive or walk up Bygrave road to see the extent of what the plans are currently proposing, as the archeological digs continue. Baldock really won't be the same if the build goes ahead, every signature counts!

Now as promised the Christmas festivities... Baldock Christmas Weekend will take place on the 3rd & 4th of December this year. There’s plenty to do, with a food and craft market, children's fair rides, Santas grotto and some love music (no doubt accompanied by a few mulled wines)! St Mary's Church will also open up the tower again this year for anyone who would like a birds eye view of the town.

For all those little people out there: remember to send your Christmas letters and wish lists to Santa by the 6th December including your full name and address. If you get them all the way to the North Pole in time Father

Christmas will send you a personalised reply. Send to: Santa/ Father Christmas, Santas Grotto, Reindeerland XM4 5HQ. I'm sure many of you have already heard but if not we have some very exciting news. The Coca Cola Christmas Truck will be making it's Baldock debut this year. If you want to grab a photo of or with the infamous truck head over to the High Street on Tuesday 6th December at 12am.

For all of you that are keen runners or those that fancy setting yourself a challenge for the new year and "new you" the Baldock Beast is taking place again on the 26th February. Maybe it's time to dust o those running shoes and start training!

Thank you to all our advertisers and delivery team who have helped support us during 2016 and we like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Paul & Jacqui info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Advertising

Jacqui Calver 07973 788418

DECEMBER

2016

3

News from Hartseld JMI School excitement, we will be welcoming prospec ve parents to As we approach Christmas, excitement is building at Hartsfield with numerous ac vi es and events planned for the fes ve period.

The first few weeks of term were equally even ul. Children took part in an Egyp an day, Maya day, and trips to Cel c Harmony and the Hendon RAF Museum.

Our new members of the team, our Recep on children and families, have se led in well and are looking forward to the comple on of our re-vamped Early Years outdoor area in the spring term. Over the summer our hall extension was completed and we began using it in September. This has allowed our smaller hall to be used as a desperately needed dining area and the newly extended space enables all 450 children to assemble in one space.

The result of such a wonderful new space is the need to furnish it!

In order to raise funds to do this, we are running an online auc on which is open to everyone. The site at www.hartsfieldonlineauc on.co.uk offers amazing items and experiences for anyone interested to bid on. There are fantas c 'must-have' gadgets, sports, music and film memorabilia and a range of unforge able experiences. The auc on closes on Sunday 4th December at 6.00 pm so get in quick!

The rest of this term will be filled with Christmas celebra ons for our parents/carers to share across the school alongside fes val fundraising including our 'wrap-a-present' day- a hit with children, staff and parents alike. Alongside the Christmas

look around our school running up to the school applica on deadline in mid- January. Please contact our school office team to book a place on a tour with our newly appointed Year 6 ambassadors. Contact details and dates are available on our website www.hartsfield.herts.sch.uk.

As I reflect on my first term as Head of Hartsfield, I believe that we have provided 'memorable moments' alongside valuable learning experiences for the children in our care and we will all, children and adults alike, earn a well-earned rest a er the even ul final few weeks of the school year.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our families and friends.

Philippa Smith - Headteacher

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DECEMBER

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News from Sandon School

Over the past few months we have been transforming our outside areas to increase the amount of me children spend outside. Mr Alcorn, our Early Years teacher has inspired us with his energy and enthusiasm. The staff visited an outstanding nursery school in Bedford to see if we could all learn from the excellent prac ce in Early Years. What we observed were children happily exploring with hammers and nails, taking risks and becoming independent and resilient learners.

On our return we built a mud kitchen and an outdoor musical centre which were all completed with resources that we had on hand, in school, and at no cost to the school. We created a welly space where children could change into wellies in order to access all areas outside even during poor weather. We examined our own prac ce and allowed the children to 'do and discover' for themselves, taking control of their own learning. The effect was immediate and stunning. Staff were not busy patrolling the playground when on duty. Instead they were ge ng involved with the children's games; allowing the children's imagina on to flourish. One pupil said, “the climbing frame can be anything you want like a spaceship, and underwater boat or a speed boat”.

Maybe some mes we dictate too much to our children when they are more than happy to imagine and create scenarios for themselves.

A er a visit from the museum's service and a talk about Stone Age Britain several children built dens in our wildlife area copying the Stone Age model.

Rehearsals are well underway for this year's whole school produc on of 'Snow White'. As usual Year 5 and 6 have the main parts with every child in school on stage at some point. I think it is important to give every pupil opportunity to perform. They may not get the chance when they go on to secondary school and who knows we might have the next – Benedict Cumberbatch in our midst!

Mr Jinkerson took his class of Year 5 and 6 pupils to the Globe Theatre in London a er they had spent the term learning about Shakespeare.

Christmas is such an exci ng me for our children. We have decora ons day where all our Christmas decora ons are made.

We have a Mummies and Daddies stall when children get an opportunity to purchase a present for their parents. I like to encourage the children to think of others as well as themselves this me of year and that giving can be as sa sfying as receiving.

The whole school visit the Panto in Her ord. One of our male teachers Mr Musk usually gets called up on stage by the cast. Last year he was in a whole scene!

Christmas Dinner is served up with the Christmas Pudding that every child has helped to make followed by a visit from 'you know who' if we have all been good this year.

With every good wish to all our families, friends and readers of On Our Doorstep for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Margaret Gilbert - Headteacher DECEMBER

2016

7

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A New Era in Residential Building Services?

Colin James and Bryan Travers of The Build Shop seem to think so. With their new shop on Baldock's Whitehorse Street, they c a n p ro v i d e t h e l o c a l community with residen al building services from a high-street loca on. Their 'shop-based' concept offers a very different customer experience. Whilst looking around the shop and talking to Colin and Bryan, it's clear that they are focussed on providing first class customer service which is also professional, modern and transparent.

The Shop also provides a local hub from which Colin and Bryan can offer a complete design and build service to our local community. Their Surveyors and experienced tradesmen can provide sound advice and quality building services for their customers. Couple this with the convenience of having an outlet on the high-street, it soon becomes clear that this is a winning formula. Customers can feel secure in the knowledge that staff are always available and the shop phones are never switched off, no ma er what the situa on. Customers can be assured that someone is always there to give a project update, take a mee ng, answer ques ons or just to give sound advice.

Having visited the shop, it's clear that the concept of providing first class building services doesn't just sit with the staff but also in the use of modern technology. We live in the 21st Century and The Build Shop see no reason why they cannot use modern methods to provide their customers with a fresh and up-to-date

service. They use the latest Computer Aided Design (AutoCAD) technology to produce all their designs and drawings, but it doesn't stop there. They have taken their knowledge and experience from working with large surveying prac ces and building companies to offer project management that allows customers to be in complete control, up-to-speed and able to review project cos ngs at the press of a bu on.

What does it mean for us to have The Build Shop on our doorstep? It means we can call in, get first class advice, discuss a current or future project, all over a coffee, any me.

So If you are in the market place for architectural plans or building work, it's well worth taking the me and popping in to The Build Shop.

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2016

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Keep your pets safe this Christmas There are many things that can cause harm to your pets, but Christmas can be a par cularly hazardous me as there is more opportunity for our furry friends to eat things they shouldn't.

We offer 24 hour emergency care and advice. Just call 01462 895579.

Below is a list of some of the more commonly seen items that can be harmful, or even toxic, to your pets. *Remember, if your pets eats anything they shouldn't, even if they seem well, please call your Vets for advice* Ÿ Chocolate – Theobromine poisoning. Chocolate can be fatal for dogs, even in small quan es. Ÿ Grapes and Raisins – These are commonly found in Christmas cake, Christmas pudding and mince pies at this me of year and can be toxic. Ÿ Onions and Garlic – Can be toxic and may cause anaemia. Ÿ Mistletoe, Holly, Cyclamen and Lilies – Can all be toxic if eaten, especially lilies for cats. Ÿ Ibuprofen – Can cause severe vomi ng and diarrhoea, even death. Never give anything that hasn't been prescribed by a Vet, or medica on that has been prescribed for another animal without consul ng a Vet first. Ÿ Xylitol – Sweetener found in sugar-free items and chewing gum. Ÿ An -freeze – Ethylene glycol poisoning. This can be fatal if ingested. Ÿ Nuts – Can cause signs from vomi ng to tremors. Ÿ Peach/Nectarine stones and Corn cobs – Can cause a gut obstruc on and require surgical removal. Ÿ Tinsel – Shiny, cats love to play with this. If eaten it can become tangled in their gut. (Also string, ribbon, etc)

Turkey – Bones can cause gut obstruc ons and tears, fa y meat can cause upset tummies.

We would like to wish all our fur and feathered friends a safe and happy Christmas from everybody at Baldock Veterinary Centre and Royston Veterinary Centre Ÿ

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‘Please keep your Pets safe this Christmas’ Remember if your pet eats anything they shouldn't even if they seem well

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DECEMBER

2016

11

BIRTHDAYS Happy Birthday Graham Tapp Lots of love from Sue, Louise, William and Alex xxx

5th Dec

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Alice Thompson

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13th December George Evans

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DECEMBER

2016

5 minutes with... ... Grizz from *Tell us a bit about what services Grizzly Ink offer?

We are a custom ta oo studio. What that means is we will work with you ,the client, to create a unique bespoke ta oo. We offer a free consulta on in which one of our ar st's will work with the client developing their ideas un l a design is agreed upon and then we will book the client in for an appointment to get the ta oo and we will draw that design free of charge specifically for that one client and we will not use that design for anyone else so the client is ge ng a unique piece of body art ! We also do cover ups of old unwanted ta oos and re-work old ta oos to breathe new life into them. We cater for all different ta oo styles ranging from portrait work to tradi onal and everything in between. We also open late un l 9pm during the week to cater for workers who can't take me off work ! An we offer all of this in a nice relaxed atmosphere and welcome people who are curious to pop by and say hello for a cuppa and a chat ! *How long have you, yourself been ta ooing for?

I personally have been ta ooing for about ten years now. I previously worked in two different studios in Hitchin and was offered my current studio five years ago, since then I haven’t looked back ! I get clients coming from all over - Ive even had some fly in from Ireland to get work done by me which is extremely fla ering ! *What would your advice be to someone considering ge ng a ta oo, especially their first one?

Its quite simple really - do your homework ! Visit studios and check out the ar st's por olios to see if they can do they style of ta oo you want to a good standard. Read ta oo magazines and

get a good idea of what a really good ta oo should look like - clean sharp lines, smooth shading and solid colouring. Talk to the ar st, you need to be at ease with them as you will be spending alot of me with them and you need to feel comfortable. A good ar st will be helpful and more than willing to talk you through the process from the crea on of your ta oo to the finished ar cle and also explain all the hygiene side of things and a ercare which is just as important as ge ng the ta oo. All these things will help put you at ease and make it a pleasurable experience as possible etc. Also, never EVER go to what we call a 'scratcher' - an untrained and unlicensed ar st. They usually work from home are not licensed or insured, and the work is usually of a very poor standard and also usually done in a non sterile environment and prone to infec ons hence why it is cheap. There is a saying in the ta oo world and it is ''Good ta oos are not cheap and cheap ta oo are not good'' Speaks volumes - you get what you pay for ! *What are the aims for you and your studio?

I want everyone who visit's my studio to have a fantas c experience and leave with a beau ful piece of body art which they will love and cherish for the rest of their lives. We have been in Baldock now for five years and have no plans to leave - we love it here ! *What is the best way of contac ng you?

Our address is 27 Church Street, Baldock SG7 5 AF. you can call us on 01462 612110 or email us at grizzlyink@live.co.uk or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/grizzlyink. But the best way is to pop into to see us in person, we are open Tues-Thurs 1-9pm, Fri127pm and Sat 12-5pm!

DECEMBER

2016

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December

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

14

DECEMBER

2016

Enterprise day at Knights Templar A-Rated uPVC Windows Composite & Aluminium Bi-Fold Doors & Conservatories Broken locks, handles & hinges Replacement/fixed misted glass windows and units Cat flap installations Draughty windows Glass roofs

137 year 12 students took part in an Enterprise day hosted by the school.

This excellent day was supported by 11 guests coming from Baldock Rotary Club and professions from business and enterprise. Pupils worked in teams of around 13 to produce a product and presented it to an audience.

The main aim for the students was to come up with their own product and business model. Ac vi es included designing logos and packaging, working out the costs and profit and devising market strategies. At the end of the day the students had to pitch a ‘Dragon’s Den style’ presenta on. The outcome would be that the judges choose who wins based on all the factors.

Year 12 pupil Joe Fantom said, “The day was very enjoyable and I believe that I have learnt a lot of skills like team work which could help me pursue a business career in the long-term”.

All the teams gathered together to find out who the winner of the event was. A er a lot of tension, it was announced that Team 8 were the winners . They had created a product called the Magnometer a temperature-gaging magnet. The product was specifically aimed at elderly people with demen a or children who want to cook.

Dani Close, who was the leader of the winning team, said, “I enjoyed the way the day went and I got to work with people I wouldn't usually work with. Each member of the group was equally important. Without everyone’s contribu on throughout the day, I don’t think our team would have been successful overall” It is fair to say that the enterprise day was a huge success and congratula ons to students and our excellent guests. Deputy Head of Sixth Form, Mr Raymen said, “The day was a real success and this was largely due to the high levels of engagement from students and the excellent work of our guest facilitators”.

Wri en by Euan Ryan

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a p p s Our pick of this month’s must have downloads Moasure - IOS & Android Using the phone's accelerometer and gyroscopes, this is a great measuring u lity app. You just move your iPhone from one point to another and you will get measurements for distance and angle.

Moji Me - IOS 7+ Moji Me is an emoji-creator app, which gives you a lot of op ons for customiza on, le ng you put yourself in the chat-space. over 20,000 custom designed assets to create your very own collec on of custom emojis Ri am - IOS 7+ & Android Ri am uses what it calls “music filters”. Basically, you turn on the selfie camera and record a message. Then choose one of the built-in musical beats and your voice will be auto-tuned to “sing” the message. Pre y fun.

Logo - Maker for Business Card Flyer Poster IOS 7+ Quickly and easily design a logo from your iPhone. You've got over 1000 pictures and over 200 fonts to mix and match in order to design your idea. Of course, you can export and perfect it later.

Quit Smoking - IOS 7+ & Android No, you won't quit smoking just by downloading the app, but it will do its best to help you with dedicated programs and an in-app community to support you through the process.

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DECEMBER

2016

Roku 3 Movies and TV Shows go Main 'Stream' There are no shortage of Smart TV's on the market at the moment, some do the job be er than others, but there is one big problem, the TV can become out of date and with this, the support for the 'smart' features stop with it. There was a notable problem recently with 'older' smart tv's which had inbuilt support for the video sharing goliath YouTube. Almost overnight scores of smart tv's became unable to deliver YouTube videos. This was caused by a change in the 'encoding' method for videos aimed a improving the quality and speed of delivery. Unfortunately older Smart TVs from Sony were no longer receiving updates and stopped working with no sign of a fix. This type of problem is going to con nue happening as streaming methods and technology marches on.

The solu on to this problem is fairly obvious. Put the 'smart' in a low cost, easy to set up and use box that plugs into your HDMI socket and turns any TV into a Smart TV instantly.

There is no shortage of such devices, but Roku has captured the market in both 'smart' features and devices, at 49% with the other three (Apple 12%, Amazon Fire TV 16% and Chromecast 22%) making up the rest of the market.

What is so interes ng about Roku's market share is that they have outpaced Apple by such a margin. I have spent the last two weeks finding out what makes the Roku 3 so good.

The Roku 3 is a small shiny black box with a li le fabric tab hanging out of the side very evoca ve of Levi's jeans. At the back of the Roku is a power socket for the included power supply, a ethernet socket for connec on directly to your broadband router, a HDMI socket for connec on to your TV and underneath a Micro SD slot for loading your own movies. The Roku 3 also has WiFi on board and this is how I connected to my router and streamed content.

Along with the Roku 3 itself, you also get a remote control, this too has the li le fabric tab at the bo om of the remote and standard naviga on bu on with 4 shortcut bu ons to Rdio, Google Play, Youtube and Ne lix. This is an excellent idea, although the Rdio service has now sadly shut.

Now, the remote has an amazing feature which late night viewers will find very interes ng, it has an integrated earphone socket and colour coded headphones. Simply plugin the headphones into the remote control and the TV is muted and your viewing becomes private.

Se ng up the device us simplicity itself, you can literally be connected and online in a couple of minutes. Video and sound quality are excellent with the Roku 3 displaying 1080p video, the box itself is very fast and switching between services is equally good.

There are plenty of services available that are free such as the UK TV catchup services such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, My4 (Channel 4), My5 (Channel5) plus YouTube and 2000 channels to suit most tastes.

The premium services are worth looking at with Ne lix, Amazon Video, NowTV (Sky Movies) and more. Each of these services varied content and lots of people will be keenly looking at Amazon Video for the upcoming Grand Tour with Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May. So, why buy a streaming box? Well, the risks of television becoming obsolete and unable to support new services as they come online is removed by purchasing a streaming box. Roku are regularly upda ng their so ware and the job of bringing new channels online is the responsibility of the broadcaster rather than the manufacturer. I even tested out my own TV Channel using their Developer system, this was both interes ng and fun!

If you are looking at watching some of the upcoming online exclusive content such as The Grand Tour or Man In The High Castle, the Roku 3 is certainly worth considering and at £79 it's worth the investment for the future too.

For more in depth gadget reviews and to listen to episodes of The Gadget Man, go to www.thegadgetman.org.uk

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Remembrance Sunday Blessed with dry and bright weather, the annual parade at the Baldock War Memorial for Remembrance Sunday took place a ended by some 600 members of the community from all walks of life. Represen ng the Queen was the Lord Lieutenant, Lady Verulam, with Councillor Alan Millard, the Vice Chairman of North Her ordshire District Council as leading ci zen.

On parade were members of 254 Medical Regiment, many wearing campaign medals from a variety of war zones, veterans, local authori es, youth organisa ons and town organisa ons.

Headmaster Tim Litchfield from Knights Templar School led a con ngent of students who read out the names of the fallen, and musicians who gave a beau ful backing to the hymn and Na onal Anthem. Many then a ended the hospitality of the Community Centre where tea and coffee was on offer, courtesy of Tesco.

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DECEMBER MOVIES DECEMBER 2nd - BLEED FOR THIS Vinny "The Pazmanian Devil" Pazienza (Miles Teller), a local Providence boxer, shoots to stardom after winning two world title fights. After a near-fatal car accident leaves him with a broken neck, he is told he may never walk again.

Against all odds and doctor's orders, renowned trainer Kevin Rooney (Aaron Eckhart) agrees to help Vinny return to the ring just a year after the accident for what could be the last fight of his life. Based on a true story.

DECEMBER 2nd - SNOWDEN Snowden, the politically-charged, pulse-pounding thriller, reveals the incredible untold personal story of Edward Snowden, who exposed shocking illegal surveillance activities by the NSA and became one of the most wanted men in the world. He is considered a hero by some, and a traitor by others. No matter which you believe, the epic story of why he did it, who he left behind, and how he pulled it off makes for one of the most compelling films of the year.

DECEMBER 2nd - MOANA Three thousand years ago, the greatest sailors in the world voyaged across the vast Pacific, discovering the many islands of Oceania. But then, for a millennium, their voyages stopped, and no one knows why… Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Moana is about an adventurous teenager who, with help from demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and save her people.

DECEMBER 26th - COLLATERAL BEAUTY When a successful New York advertising executive suffers a great tragedy, he retreats from life. While his concerned friends try to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love, Time and Death. But it's not until his notes bring unexpected personal responses that he begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty

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DECEMBER 25th - SULLY On January 15, 2009, the world witnessed the "Miracle on the Hudson" when Captain "Sully" Sullenberger glided his disabled plane onto the frigid waters of the Hudson River, saving the lives of all 155 aboard. However, even as Sully was being heralded by the public and the media for his unprecedented feat of aviation skill, an investigation was unfolding that threatened to destroy his reputation and his career.

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Covering Baldock, Ashwell & Weston DECEMBER

2016

19

Baldock Gardens

By Graham Tapp

Tapps, The Baldock Garden Centre

December 2016.

We are now in the clutches of winter after a lovely long warm autumn, that has caused some plants to keep growing nafter they should have stopped and may be causing some trouble if we get a very cold mid winter, it is important to do a few things around the garden to try and counter these effects. So - let's start with roses, most, if not all of the leaves will have dropped by now, they need collecting up and getting rid of they need to go in the dustbin or burning if allowed, not on your compost heap, the reason is that there has been a lot of black spot, this year and it's not something you want re-infecting next year.

Roses will need shaping and tidying up, just generally re-shape them, but don't cut back too far, final pruning will be done depending on how next season starts the end of February or the beginning of March if it's very cold, pruning will vary depending on what your roses are, we will cover that nearer the time all we want to do at the moment is to get rid of soft damaged or diseased stems.

Grape vines are also something that needs pruning early in the autumn / winter and as the season is running late now will be OK, the main reason for doing this early is to give them as much time as possible for the cuts to dry or you will find that they will bleed sap in the spring. some specialists say that there are only two methods of pruning vines the Guyot system which is basically a cordon type system being trained on wires and the rod and spur system, this is what I use for our vines at the garden Centre so if your not sure call in and ask, rod and spur is basically when you run a long main branch that can be trained to go where you wish, this will then carry the fruiting spurs, now I think and have always been taught that there is a third system and this is the standard system and quite simply is just a copy of how you would prune standard fruit trees or roses, the main frame work would be carried on a varying height trunk, this would mostly be used for grapes grown in pots or containers where you need to keep them under very strict control. All three systems are at the fruiting end of the system just a variation of spur pruning, now how long you leave your spurs is really down to experience of your vine and how vigorous it is and its cropping ability, if vigorous and a heavy cropper you may want to cut them to two buds, if you have its growth under control and its not a gross cropper you may want to cut it at four buds. Grape vines are very different from other fruiting plants in that they need training and cutting back for nearly all of the season or they will get wildly out of control, I will also discuss that at another time.

Summer bedding will have finished by now, I can't believe how long it has gone on for, the longest I can remember, I have lotus plants in baskets still flowering, any way its time they were gone. winter bedding needs to be planted while we still have time so they can get established before the really cold weather gets here, we are lucky these days in the choice of hardy plants that will give us colour all winter planted in borders pots or planters, while talking about large pot and planters I need to remind you that it is important to make sure they are lifted onto pot feet just off the ground to avoid them from flooding causing severe root damage or even freezing solid and splitting your valuable pot into pieces.

Now is time for planting deciduous plants and especially fruit trees and hedging, bare root or pot grown can be purchased but remember bare root plants will not generally thrive if planted after they have started to show signs of re-leafing, plant with a mixture garden soil and compost use a slow release feed like dried blood, hoof and horn, nothing too strong, certainly not granular high nitrogen feeds as this will damage new roots.

Splitting and dividing is a good way of getting plant material, normally we would have done this by now but as I said earlier the season is running late so its ok to carry on.

Generally the jobs that need doing in the garden at this time of the year are maintenance and tidying, fencing and sheds always need some work the elements are waring away at them 24 hours a day, seven days a week and will eventually cause a problem, wind rocked trees need supporting to allow re-rooting and self stabilising , broken bows and branches are also a problem and need to be removed and cuts properly sealed with a proprietary sealant compound, broken branches and loose trees could be an indication of ill health so take a while to look for bracket fungus growing on the trunk or major branches or toadstool growth in close proximity to the trunk, on fruit trees look for cankers or weeping cracked wounds, large areas of resin on stone fruit trees is a bad sign indicating bacterial canker, get a second opinion if you can and if its confirmed don’t waste time on it as it will not recover dig it up and get rid of it as far away from your garden as you can, it spreads like wild fire blown on the wind it starts high up in the tree and is washed down into any branch intersections, cracks and wounds, these days with no chemical control it will always cause death, eventually. When I was growing fruit down in Kent we had lots of controls for bacterial canker the best being copper sulphate which had to be put on in very high water volumes any thing up to 300 gallons per acre, this probably won’t mean anything too most of you but I can tell you that having spent a day spraying with this stuff you would very often go home a strange blue colour.

Those of you that have not been down to Kent and seen a fruit sprayer working I will explain, a tractor pulls a large water tank on wheels that has an enormous fan on the back that blows huge amounts of high velocity air into the canopy of the trees may be 50f feet high and wide into this airstream is injected the water and chemical, its like being out in a severe rain storm so you can imagine you get a bit wet even with all the protective gear on, its not been done that way for 40 odd years now and never will be but I have fond memories of doing it as a young man, the joke was that we never got athletes foot or dandruff, no idea if it was true but it was a good laugh and my Dad always thought it was funny.

It’s the end of another year so I will wish you all a very merry Christmas and we will see what the new year brings. Cheers Graham.

DECEMBER

2016

21

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The Tesco 'Bags of Help' community grant scheme, is funded by Tesco customers, through the government 5p plas c carrier bag levy. The levy was introduced in England on 5th October 2015, to limit our carrier bag use, and li ering which has been a blight on our communi es and countryside. Tesco has es mated carrier bag use to be down by as much as 80% across our stores.

Tesco pledged to spend the money raised by the levy, on outdoor community projects.

Since 31st October 2016, Tesco customers across our region, have been vo ng to decide the amount of grant, £12,000, £10,000 or £8,00O, to be awarded to three nominated local environmental projects.

We are working with environment charity Groundwork, who will be transforming green spaces, sports facili es, woodland walks, public parks and gardens, and even crea ng and improving allotments and orchards across the UK. The locally nominated projects are, *Transforming unused and unsafe natural wetlands in Bun ngford. *Improving the local green space for people and wildlife on Walsworth common in Hitchin. *Also in Hitchin, Tesco 'Bags of Help' will be enhancing outdoor provision for children at York Road Nursery.

The votes are in and being counted as we speak! The results will be announced as soon as possible.

If you would like more informa on, or to nominate a project, please visit our website tesco.com/bagso elp

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Last Chance to Save Baldock's Trains Hopefully by now most of you will know that Great Northern is proposing dras c changes to Baldock train services in 2018 with Baldock set to lose all fast off-peak services into London. Anyone travelling into or from London during the day, late evening or at weekends will face up to a 75% increase in journey me, with only a 56 minute stopping service available.

This is all gloomy news but it isn't a done deal. Govia is asking Baldock residents and train users for their views on these proposals. It is essen al everyone has their say through the metable consulta on, the more people who respond, the stronger our voice will be!

We should not be misguided by Govia's recent announcement of a mistake in the document concerning fast services at peak mes – there are s ll no plans for any fast off-peak trains. On top of this the new 'improved' air condi oned trains have fewer seats than current models, so even the extra peak trains are unlikely to be an improvement. This is before an addi onal 3,600 homes are built in Baldock, increasing the town's size (and presumably train users) by approximately 80%.

What do you need to do? It is essen al you act now! The

consulta on closes on the 8th December 2016 at 5pm so don't miss your chance to have your say and save our trains! www.thameslinkrailway.com/your-journey/ metableconsulta on.

For a detailed explana on of the changes and help on how to complete the consulta on, you can visit www.dearcustomerrela ons.com/save-baldocktrains or follow Save Baldock Trains on Twi er (@SvBaldockTrains) and Facebook.

The relevant routes are Tl6, Tl7 and Gn2 which at the me of wri ng refer to ques ons 26, 27 & 83 in the consulta on.

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DECEMBER

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Merry Go Round The children have been exploring the theme of Light & Dark.

They have been able to experience our black out tent with their torches and star projectors. They have been fireworks to music and final came to Merry Go Round in their PJ's. This day is always one of the highlights of our year. The children bring their pyjamas, teddies and torches. They get to eat cereal and toast for snack and special stories at the end of the day. The Nursery children also paid a special visit to the Baldock Library for an exci ng story me.

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On the 11th November the children paid their own special respects for Remembrance Day. The children created their own poppies which they planted in our garden. They then held their own 1 minutes silence at 11am. Congratula ons to the staff for dealing with this sensi ve subject with such compassion and in an appropriate way.

The children got to meet a very special visitor. Pudsey Bear came to see all the children wearing their spo y clothes. We would like to thank all our families for their generosity in suppor ng Children in Need.

We would like to thank everyone who voted for us in the Aviva Community Fund applica on process. We are now wai ng to hear if we have been successful.

Call 01462 672227 www.kipmcgrath.co.uk/find-a-centre/?c=letchworth

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2016

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01462 892041 28

DECEMBER

2016

Slimming World Recipe Supplied by Sandra Lloyd Mouthwatering Chicken Kiev Do your family love chicken Kievs? Heres a healthy version that you can make at home. Stuffed with a tasty, flavour-packed filling of garlic and fat free fromage frais and topped in a crisp breadcrumb coating.

Ingredients 4 x 150g boneless skinless chicken breasts Salt and freshly ground black pepper 2 garlic cloves 2 tbsp fat free natural fromage frais 1 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 2 level tbsp plus 2 level tsp grated Parmesan cheese 1 small egg, beaten 25g golden breadcrumbs Low calorie cooking spray Lemon wedges to serve

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

1 6 3 2 4 5 3 1

Method 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas Mark 5.

Using a small sharp knife, slice lengthwise down the side of each chicken breast, taking care not to sever the flesh completely, to form a 'pocket'. Season the cavity.

Peel and crush the garlic cloves and mix with the fromage frais, the parsley and 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese. Spoon the mixture into each cavity and press together gently to seal. Secure the cavity by skewering with a cocktail stick and place the chicken breast on a sheet of baking parchment.

Brush the bottom side of each chicken breast with beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with half the breadcrumbs. Turn over and repeat with more egg and the remaining breadcrumbs. Sprinkle the top lightly with the remaining Parmesan cheese.

Transfer to a baking sheet and spray with ten applications of low calorie cooking spray. Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly golden and cooked through.

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What’s On Baldock Floral Society 1st December - Baldock Community Centre - Yvonne Tan - 7.30pm

Herts Variety - Presents - Christmas Magic 2nd & 3rd December - Baldock Community Centre Tickets available From The Community Centre Or Dorrie 01462-628219 - Adults £5 & Conc £3

Baldock Christmas Weekend 3rd & 4th December - Craft & food stalls, fair rides,

Ashwel At Christmas - St Mary's Church 3rd December - Christmas Stalls, cakes, cards, arts & crafts, presents & prizes, at The U.R.C From 10am -1pm

Christmas Cracker - 3 Course Diner With Entertainment 10th December - 7pm - Baldock Community Centre.

Friends Of The Mini Bus Fund Raising Event - Tickets £17.50

Baldock High Street 6th December <x-apple-data-detectors://12> - Coca-Cola Christmas Truck Tour 12am

Baldock Festival Carol Singing 19th December - High Street Around The Christmas Tree 7pm - Refreshments Afterwards

Christmas Day Lunch 25th December - Baldock Community Centre - £15 per ticket, pop in & choose your menu.

St Mary's Church 25th December - 8am Traditional Communion 9.30am Family Traditional Communion

New Years Eve Party In The Pavilion 31st December - 8pm To 1am - The Cricketers Weston.

Midnight Fiz, Light Buffet, Live Music Followed By A DJ Tickets £10

Regular events: Body And Soul - For Retired People, Gentle NHS exercise, Baldock Community Centre Tiny Tots drop in at Baldock Methodist Church 9.15 to 12.15 Wednesdays Baldock Rotary Club 12.15 – 14.00, Bowls Club West Avenue Senior Club, 2-4pm Community Centre Baldock and Letchworth 8.30-11pm Folk Club, Orange Tree Pub Kingfisher Dementia Club, Community Centre Thursdays Baldock Community Orchestra, KTS School Baldock Country Market - 10am, The Cock Fridays Alzheimer's Society Carers Support Group 2nd Monday 10am-12pm Tapps Garden Centre every month 1st Weds White Lion Quiz Night, Baldock High Street every month Baldock Branch Royal British Legion 3rd Monday monthly meeting 7.30pm Orange Tree Pub, every month Norton Road. Non-members welcome.

Tuesdays

Furniture Restoration

Brent@Yorestuff.com If you would like to have your event included FREE in the next issue please email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk by 15th December 2016 30

DECEMBER

2016

Out of the shadows, into the light…

The seeds of love by Mackenzie Thorpe, £495.00

Gallery 1066 is thrilled to represent global art phenomenon Mackenzie Thorpe.

Mackenzie has reached out across every conceivable boundary by drawing on the universal themes that unite us all; love, isola on, life and death, joy, sorrow and despair. Mackenzie is highly recognised for making a huge impact on the art market and his considerable following include author JK Rowling and HM Queen Elizabeth II.

His mesmerising new collec on is a series of fables that show us life with all it's contradic ons, hopes and possibili es. To find out more about Mackenzie's original works and limited edi on collec on and sculpture please contact Gallery 1066.

Date for the diary, Kim Major George in a endance 9th December We will be joined by highly respected Bri sh ar st and printmaker Kim Major-George on Friday 9th December, 79pm. Showcasing Kim's original mixed media works, Kim will be giving a talk about her ar s c journey through her unique prin ng process. Kim specialises in texture and hand-

pulled collagraph prin ng, her collec ons to date have been influenced by her own personal journey and study of Ancient civiliza ons, their philosophies, mythologies and spiritual images.

Join us for this special evening with Kim and view her exci ng new original collec on of works.

Join us for this special evening with Kim and view her exci ng new original collec on of works.

Christmas Special Offers Weekend 10 – 11th December

For a Be er Life VIII by Fabian Perez, £1595.00

MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR From all of us here at Sports Therapy 4U!

CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR OFFERS: Christmas raffle (money off vouchers and free sessions to be won) Recommend a friend and receive £5 off your next appointment and their first!

Book an appointment before 1st January to receive 5 off your next one!

Book a block of 6 sessions to receive 1 free

Get into the fes ve spirit with Gallery 1066 on the weekend of 10th and 11th of December for some last-minute Christmas ideas as we showcase an outstanding range of affordable limited edi on prints and original objets d'art.

Enjoy a fine art experience with a glass of fizz and make the most of our special offers for this weekend including works by Fabian Perez, Gary Benfield, Samantha Ellis and many more. For all orders over £295.00 Gallery 1066 will give a beau ful framed signed edi on print by renounced ar st John Waterhouse, to be cherished or given to a loved one this Christmas.

Gallery 1066 the hidden jewel in Her ordshire is nestled down a cobbled mews on Hitchin Street, please take a moment out of your busy schedule and pop down to this charming old coaching town of Baldock and be inspired!

A warm welcome awaits you.

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Block of 6 sessions must be paid for in advance. One offer to be used per customer DECEMBER

2016

31

M & J Oakley Ltd Free Range Turkeys & Barn Reared Chickens

We sell direct from the farm our own Free Range Bronze and White Turkeys and Barn Reared Chickens fresh for Christmas. Having arrived on the farm as day old chicks in July they are allowed to reach full maturity.

CHRISTMAS

PUDDING DAY It has come round to that me of year again when all the pupils in the nursery school put on their special 'Weston Way Pudding Aprons', roll up their sleeves and make the most fabulous puddings for Christmas Day.

Call Jenny on 01462 892 253 www.oakleyfarming.co.uk Dairy Farm, Bygrave Road, Baldock, Herts SG7 5DS

* *Offer runs from 2nd-31st January

We have lots of help on the day from Mums, Dads, Aun es, Uncles & Grandparents and there is always a lovely atmosphere with fragrant smells of spices, oranges and lemons.

The staff go from table to table distribu ng extra ingredients as well as the school's 'Secret' essen al nectar! - the children are then encouraged to make a wish whilst they s r the puddings.

Pudding Day is always scheduled for the Friday before 'S r Up Sunday' (just before the season of advent) and has been a school tradi on for over 40 years – we s ll have parents and grandparents telling us that it is the best pudding they have made/eaten. If you would like to use our recipe you can log onto the school's website www.westonway.herts.sch.uk (click on the News and Dates, then newsle ers, then Christmas Pudding Recipe.

e for The copy dseaisdslinue is January’ ember 14th Dec

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32

DECEMBER

2016

Lucky Ticket Winners Local company Sureclean were given a nice surprise recently when Baldock Town donated two complimentary ckets to them for England's Interna onal friendly with Spain at Wembley.

As part of a promo onal drive for the November friendly, the FA were offering free ckets to football clubs willing to help them spread the word via their social media channels.

A er Secretary Lee Rusbridge took up this opportunity, the club put all the companies who supported their Development Team Kit Sponsor raffle into a hat and Sureclean (pictured above on the night) were drawn out as the lucky winners.

Rusbridge commented "We were really bowled over and grateful for the support we got from all the local companies that took part in the fundraiser we did in August and I thought this would be a great way to show our gra tude. We will be contac ng the companies over the coming months to give them an opportunity to promote their services via our social media pages and would remind them that they are welcome to a end a first team game of their choosing free of charge before the end of the season".

For all your domes c and commercial cleaning requirements contact Ian at Sureclean on 07971 392951.

Before going to print, Luke Gregson's side only have one scheduled home fixture in December. That comes on Saturday

10th December when Chesham United Reserves are the visitors to Roker Park - 3pm kick off. There are likely to be some addi ons to the schedule in the next couple of weeks, so please keep an eye on our website - www.baldocktownfc.co.uk for updates.

Our current fixture list as we enter the fes ve period is as follows: * Sat 3 Dec - away v Sandridge Rovers (County Cup QF - 1.30pm KO) * Sat 10 Dec - HOME v Chesham United Res (League - 3pm KO) * Sat 17 Dec - away v Broadfields United (League - 3pm KO) * Tue 27 Dec - away v Codicote (League - 3pm KO) * Sat 2 Jan - HOME v Harpenden Town (League - 3pm KO) Remember if you haven't been to a Baldock Town game before, we are offering FREE ckets, so please contact us baldocktownfc@gmail.com for further details. For families we also offer a discounted entry of £3 for an adult accompanying an under 16 to the game.

See our website for Christmas Wreath Workshop dates Gift Bouquets DIY Flower Buckets Wedding Flowers

DECEMBER

2016

33

Is it your New Year's Resolution to make a Will or revise your existing Will?

If so, please take advantage of our Special New Year reduced rate Wills offer.

Reduced rate wills will be available every week day from 8.00am until 6.00pm (Tuesdays until 8.00 pm) by appointment only.

Also on the Saturday mornings of 14th and 28th JANUARY 2017, again by appointment only.

Reduced rates are:Double Wills - £250.00 plus VAT Single Will - £130.00 plus VAT HOME VISITS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT NO EXTRA CHARGE WITHIN A 5 MILE RADIUS OF BALDOCK. For more information please contact: Fish Hill Chambers, 2-3 Fish Hill, Royston, Herts, SG8 9JY Tel: 01763 241121 Email : t.donnellan@walkerspartnership.co.uk

34

DECEMBER

2016

MARTIN BALL PLASTERING

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Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all our fantastic customers and even those who are not. Thank you for a fantastic 2016 from us all at .

Cinderella...

Will she nd her Prince?

Long ago, in a far-away kingdom, Cinderella is living happily with her father - un l he marries a cold, cruel woman who has two wicked stepdaughters. Forced to become a servant in her own home, Cinderella dreams of being invited to the Royal Ball and of mee ng the Prince.

Only her dear friend Bu ons can cheer her up - un l her Fairy Godmother appears, determined to help make Cinderella’s dreams come true.

With lively music, hilarious slaps ck comedy and a generous sprinkling of fairy dust, this upbeat Pantomime is a sparkling Christmas show for all the family to enjoy… Oh yes it is!

DECEMBER

2016

35

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Presidents Handover Meeting Baldock Rotary Club held its President's Handover mee ng at Letchworth Golf Club when 40 Rotarians, wives and partners enjoyed an evening of fellowship and good food.

The main business of the evening saw outgoing President Rob Cusworth handing over the Presidency for 2017 to Mike Williams.

Rob in his address commented on what he had said 16 months ago in his acceptance speech rela ng to a number of ma ers within the club that would need addressing i.e. a endance levels, difficulty of a rac ng new members and the response to social events. Rob went on to say “that in order to address these issues a number of changes had been made, some more successful than others he accepted. But not withstanding those difficul es there had been much to be proud and much that had been achieved by the club during his term in office. Ÿ We had great success with Open Gardens, which, with the ever increasing influence of social media brought in visitors from much wider afield than previously. Ÿ The Christmas sleigh programme and related collec ons achieved record dona ons and we also introduced the new sleigh. Ÿ The Christmas lights were further enhanced and con nue to remind our community of the significance of the Rotary club in Baldock. Ÿ In the last Rotary year we have made dona ons of over £18,000 to local, na onal and interna onal causes. Ÿ We enjoyed honouring Bert Biggs for his fi y years of service in Rotary. Ÿ We con nue to support local schools. Ÿ We con nue our commitment to Whizz Kidz and Wheelpower Ÿ We welcomed four new members and two incoming transfers.

And let us not forget also, that within our commitment to Rotary, we also enjoy good fellowship both within our own Club and beyond.”

Rob concluded by saying that “there had been, some highs, some lows over the past 16 months, but in line with my predecessors, I know that I hand over the presidency of a club which is as strong as ever, is well able to face the challenges that con nue to present themselves to the Rotary movement at all levels, and I am sure will thrive under our incoming President.

I must just finish with a special thanks, as applies to all outgoing Presidents I am sure, to my wife Marianne for listening to my gripes, grumbles and frustra ons over my me as President and for your unfailing and uncomplaining support – I could not have done any of it without you.

Over to you Mike, with my very best wishes for an enjoyable term as President and with my pledge of whatever support I can give to you” As is customary Rob then handed over the President's chain of office to Vice President Mike Williams who in his acceptance speech said “membership con nued to be a challenge for the club and that during my Presidency I would like to increase membership by at least four people.” Mike also indicated that fellowship would con nue to be one of his priori es as would ge ng the club name be er known in the wider catchment area of the club.

He concluded by saying “that my chosen charity would be the Cys c Fibrosis Trust a small charity that I have personal experience of as two family members had been born with the debilita ng disease. By suppor ng this li le known Charity our dona on will go towards much needed research to help the many young people who at the moment die before they reach thirty.”

If you think you may be interested in giving something back to the community and mee ng like minded people you can find out more about par cipa ng in Baldock Rotary club ac vi es by contac ng our Membership Secretary Rotarian Ray Bethell on 01462-431854 or e-mail ray.bethell@b nternet.com.

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2016

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21 December st

1 Class & Royal Mail Signed for nd

22 December Paving Brickwork Driveways Turfing Fencing Water features Gazebo’s CALL US NOW FOR A FREE QUOTE 07535 548778

Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed *Recommended

Happy Birthday Surprise someone special with a FREE Birthday message in the December issue Email us the details at

Answer-phone on both numbers & will return all calls

info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

PATIO’S FENCING BLOCK PAVING DECKING

Online Fundraising Auc on Help raise important funds for Hartsfield JMI School Please tell your friends ans support this worthwhile cause Auction Opens at 9am on the 26th November & closes on the 4th December at 6pm.

All proceeds will go to Hartsfield JMI School. Full terms & conditions can be found on www.hartsfieldonlineauction.co.uk Hartsfield JMI School, Clothall Road, Baldock, Herts SG76PBZ 38

DECEMBER

2016

Useful numbers Advice Citizen’s Advice Bureau Trading Standards Advice

03444 111444 0300 300 8136

Churches St Marys the Virgin Baptist church Roman Catholic Methodist Christchurch United Reformed Church

01462 892838 01462 893203 01462 893127 01462 895052 01462 232005 01462 619350

Councils North Hertfordshire District

Doctors Baldock Surgery

01462 474000 01462 892458

Dentist Victoria Place Dental Surgery

01763 313869

Emergency Utilities Gas Emergency Electric power cut

0800 111999 0800 7838838

Hospitals Lister Hospital Queen Elizabeth 2 EMERGENCY HEALTH

01438 314333 01707 328111 111

Library Baldock Library

0300 123 4049

Police Police

01707 354000

Public Houses Engine The Cock The Old White Horse The Orange Tree The Victoria The White Lion

01462 896111 01462 892366 01462 893168 01462 892341 01462 893153 01462 893134

A.DOBING & CO Specialist in damp proofing, rising damp and timber preservation

Schools Knights Templar Hartseld St Johns St Marys Brandles

01462 620700 01462 895267 01462 892478 01462 892347 01462 892189

RISING DAMP

01462 491 221 peter@adobing.co.uk www.adobing.co.uk

01462 228765 08701 201088 08457 484950 0870 6082608

Vets Baldock Veterinary Centre

01462 895579

Nurseries Weston Way Nursery Merry Go Round

01462 892172 01462 896322

Play Groups Magic Moments Merry Go Round

07980 400690 01462 896322

Plumbers A.P Hughes

07949 120911

Window & Door repairs JML Windows Reapairs Warrens Windows

01438 906300 01462 261401

DRY ROT

INSECT INFESTATION

Travel Taxi - A2B Taxis Arriva Buses National Rail Enquires National Bus line

BASEMENTS

to Wantin our r a e p ap

NEXeT? issutouch Get in

6000

LEAFLETS DELIVERED

£150

A your dvertis busi e ness

£20

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page

Disclaimer All adverts and editorial are printed in good faith, however On Our Doorstep Baldock cannot take any responsibility for the content of adverts or services provided by the advertisers. Reproduction on whole or in part of this publication without prior permission from the publishers is strictly prohibited.

DECEMBER

2016

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