May issue

A new community magazine where you can learn and share what’s...

On

DOORSTEP Baldock

Raising awareness of what’s on & where to find things locally

Issue 11 May

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www.onyourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk Baldock, Ashwell, Weston and surrounding villages

Wan appear tinto o

Welcome To the last issue of our first year in publication. This year has been a huge challenge for us; from a builder and a hairdresser to magazine publishers. We hope that you have all enjoyed reading the magazine as much as we have enjoyed making it. The success of ‘On Our Doorstep’ would not have been possible without the incredible support that we have received from local businesses who have loyally advertised with us over the past year. As we look forward to what will hopefully be another successful year of publications we'd love to hear more from you. Tell us what you'd like to see featured in the following issues and if there are any budding writers out there get in touch and you could have your very own article published.

That's enough about us, we would like to start this issue by congratulating Rob and his team at The Orange Tree for winning the branch Beer and Cider Pub of the Year award, the first double within the branch. We wish the team all the best as they move forward into the next round to find the Hertfordshire County Beer and Cider Pub of the Year.

Further congratulations are due as Letchworth Rugby Club's first team took home victory at the County Cup held at Allianz Park, home of the Saracens, on April 26th!

This month I am incredibly excited to feature my

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NEXT issue?

Get in tou favourite restaurant, The Hermitage. ch On the 3rd May they are hosting what looks to be a great evening as the venue returns to is lively roots. The Fab Three are returning after 50 years to perform a nostalgic Beetles tribute performance.

May is already looking to be a very busy month with the Baldock Festival running from the 1st to the 17th of May, there is a huge list of activities this year.

This will be followed by The Big Lunch, as it returns again this year, bringing with it a huge variety of food from local establishments, fun activities for the kids and a steel band. After the events incredible success last year we suspect this year will be the biggest yet!

Best wishes info@onyo

urdoorstep

baldock.co.

uk

Paul & Jacqui info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

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Jacqui Calver 07973 788418 Email: info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

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M CK’S

Barbers of Baldock

A Parents Guide to Surviving Exam Season

With a large propor on of Baldock students about to sit a na onal exam , parents may be wondering how best to help their anxious teenager.

Here at The Knights Templar School we have a few ps, to keep things sailing smoothly in Baldock houses over the next 12 weeks.

What's the best way to revise?

Sit down with your teenage son or daughter and work out how much work they have to cover and how much me they have before each exam. Help them draw up a realis c metable. They may tell you they can do it themselves, but our experience suggests that this is where some help from mum and dad can make all the difference! Encourage them to plan in switching between subjects to avoid becoming bored of a single topic. The most effec ve way to revise is to concentrate on understanding rather than memorising.

What if they don't understand it?

Encourage them to look for fresh sources of informa on other than class notes. Rally the family troops to help! Mum, dad, uncles, aunts and family friends have all been through it before and are an invaluable resource.

Why not organise a revision session with a friend and see if they can figure it out together - but be careful they don't distract each other! The promise of food and drink in return for some hard work will yield great results!

Encourage your child to ask their teacher for help. There are countless revision classes being offered right now, and during May Half term. Are they a ending any? Year 11 & 12 have their final lessons on the 8th of May (Year 13 on the 22nd of May) but this doesn't mean that teachers aren't available. Students can come in for normal metabled lessons un l their exams in par cular subjects and teachers will work with them on what they need to do. In for a morning exam? Don't go home. Find you teacher and spend 30 minutes with them 1 to 1.

How can I help my child stay focused?

The trick here is that they really need a quiet place at home which is all their own. A place where they won't be distracted by family, technology or friends. A place where they have the room to spread out. Where they can put up spider diagrams, posters and subject bun ng.

Revision must be ac ve. If your child is reading for 10 minutes and not

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wri ng anything down, then it more than likely isn't helping. Encourage them to explore different ways of revising: self-tes ng, wri ng notes, diagrams, recording themselves, crea ng mnemonics to put on the wall of the downstairs loo or next to the refrigerator are all ac ve and dynamic ways of revising.

Make sure they are taking short breaks every hour or so to give themselves a rest. Provide them with plenty of water and encourage healthy snacks to keep their brains cking over. Don't forget the power of li le rewards! Encourage them to keep going a er every revision session.

It doesn't need to be extravagant, just a li le treat to help them get back to the books.

What about the different subject areas?

An invaluable way to help get them started is to help them organise their notes! Coloured folders for each subject, and for each topic in the subject are a useful way of ge ng your child to start consolidate subject informa on mentally and intellectually. Check out the subject specific revision tabs on the school website. h p://www.ktemplar.herts.sch.uk/Student-Area/Revision/# What about when the exams get really close?

It is essen al to avoid a revision panic the night before. Remember what we said about stress and anxiety? Your child will just stress themselves out trying to cram it all in at the last minute. The secret is to help them complete their revision plan early, so they feel secure in their understanding of what is to be tested. They should s ll revise the day before, but at this point they should be consolida ng their knowledge with some exam prac ce ques ons. Oh, and try to ensure they get an early night!

What about on the day?

On the day of the exam, encourage your child not to try tes ng themselves on specific ques ons. This will just make them panic about what they think they don't know, rather than focusing on what they do know. Encourage them not to even think about passing or failing. If they've kept to the revision plan, and they're calm, the answers will come naturally. Good luck!

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Letchworth Rugby Club: Reasons to be cheerful 1st XV As the curtain now comes down on their 91st Season, Letchworth Rugby Club can look back with pride on achievements from the first team down to the under 7's and including the few games played by the veterans against other local opposi on .

There has been great success both on and off the pitch, not least the total refurbishment of the Clubhouse which has brought many more social func ons into the Club and there have also been several great charitable events which have raised over £1000 for MacMillan Nurses and the Garden House Hospice, respec vely, to show that rugby players are a bit more than just beer and brutality!

At the me of wri ng, both first, second and third teams are in the County Cup Finals, the first team, for the second successive Season.

The first team also finished a credible fourth in London 01 which is an incredibly hard League, with a great standard of rugby, some 3 Leagues above all their local rivals.

The Coaching Squad of TIrrell, Johal and Padge must be well pleased at the way their team has performed throughout the Season and had a few away games gone their way in the last minute, they could perhaps have finished even higher and maybe challenged for promo on The flowing game, played by the first team, was a joy to watch especially for the large home crowds who came to League Lunches during the Season.

With sharp running backs, such as Simon Hrbek, Tom Ansell, Arun Johal, Rick Streets and Ta nda Gurrere, as well as the mesmeric Jimmy Tirrell, there was always plenty of wide ball and back moves.

Tom Ansell, Dan Roberts and Kieran Davies also impressed at fly half, while Legends were lucky to possess two talented scrum-half's in Harvey Howman and the up-and-coming Charlie Parkhouse, only 17 years old for most of the season.

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Upfront, the pack were well led for a second season by Richard Penny with the veterans Adam Amos and Joe Shaw in great support.

Luke Mongston, Dave Munson and Liam Fi s had great Seasons in the back row and Stokes, Mellor, Robinson, Hughes, Allen and even the veteran, Gary Glencross, shored up the front row during the Season.

With 'player reten on' being key for next Season, it is hoped that the first team can really challenge for promo on next year, especially with such a young average age *2nd XV Letchworth's second team finished the regular Season in 2nd place; qualifying for the playoff compe on and a shot at winning the League tle.

A er a series of hard-fought games, they made it into the playoff final away at Tring. Turning out their best performance of the Season, the mighty seconds defeated a strong Tring team 0-31, to be crowned League champions! A truly great Season for a young side proving the future is bright at Legends Lane.

The icing on the cake would be a cup final win on 25th April where the seconds once again do ba le with Tring…

Players who stood out during the year, included Skipper Sam Moat, Luke Campbell, Mike Gray, Ollie Adams and Full Back Alex Nolan.

3rd XV A difficult start to the Stag's campaign saw them lose 2 of their opening 4 games and one of those wins was a walk over. However, as winter set in and the Captain returned from marriage and honeymoon, things started to look up.

A 10 game unbeaten run, including playing a game with 14 men, to rescue a draw at UCSOB and dropping to 14 again with one of the men injured and uncontested scrums but securing a 7-5 win at Enfield, guided the Team to the top of the table and gave them victory in their grasp.

A crunch game in the snow at Wa ord saw the Team fail to read the script and falter! However, fine wins against Weston and Royston saw the Team clinch the tle, with a point to spare.

A disappoin ng defeat at the hands of a strong Enfield side saw the Stags enter the Plate Compe on. Having made it to the final on Saturday, they will be looking to secure an impressive double.

Fourth Team - The Wanderers They have had a very steady Season which could be helped next Season, by a li le bit more commitment from those who are not always available for every game.

Having said that, they are Season by Season becoming a real band of brothers that always support the Club in every aspect and are more o en than not the last team to leave the Club on a Saturday night!

Unluckily, they lost out on a place in the Final, playing against a strengthened Hitchin side, in the last game of the Season.

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Ashwell at Home 2015

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The picturesque village of Ashwell welcomes visitors to its popular annual event 'Ashwell at Home', where visitors can enjoy a wide range of things to see and do, with entertainment for all the family. This year's theme is 'Secret Ashwell' and there are lots of interes ng things for visitors to discover.

Stunning gardens both large and small will be open for you to view, including the pre y village co age garden and a 'secret garden' never open before; you can visit the village lock-up (no longer in use!) and help dig an archaeological test pit to discover Ashwell's secret past!

Children can enjoy free workshops including singing & drama and making and racing junk boats.

There will be lots of things happening around the village including a Mummers play, Morris dancing, veteran cycles, Well Dressing and a variety of live music – whatever your tastes, you'll find something to entertain you. Not to men on cow milking at the local dairy, basket making and a cricket match! And everywhere you will find “Ashwell Alive” plaques telling the history of the village and many of its houses.

Find out about the local businesses, some of whom will also be opening their premises on the day – including a jeweller's workshop – and find out what's on offer at the local clubs and organisa ons. Then there's a visit to Ashwell Museum, a look around the school and the beau ful village church containing graffi from the me of the 'Black Death'!

Refreshments will be available throughout the day with homemade lunches at the school and light refreshments and teas in the Parish Rooms, church and school. And there will be stalls with cakes and plants for sale.

Entry to Ashwell at Home is by programme, available on the day (or in advance from the website www.ashwellathome.org.uk) £6 per person, under 18's free.

Free parking.

Ashwell is in north Her ordshire, easily accessible from the A1(M) Junc on 10 and the A505.

For more informa on visit www.ashwellathome.org.uk

Courtlands Riding Stables & Pony Club Centre Always fancied horse riding but don’t know where to start?

Why not come down and have a chat and see what we have to offer Our friendly staff and clients are always around Saturdays and Sundays 9am -12pm

A safe and relaxing environment for the whole family

Pony club rallies and activities Indoor & outdoor riding facilities

Full livery and schooling

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BIRTHDAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY

New Fabric Collec tions Now In

Eddie La Rouche “ & MR

“

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This month the children have been learning about life-cycles.

They have been enjoying watching tadpoles grow into frogs.

Caterpillars growing into bu erflies. Crea ng their own version of a bu erfly life-cycles with rice for bu erfly eggs, pasta for caterpillars and making their own bu erfly. They have also been plan ng lots of new plants in our new dedicated gardening area outside.

During the Easter holiday the staff kindly volunteered their me to con nue the regenera on work in our garden. They created a reading area, music area, role play area (currently a flower shop), mud kitchen, bug hotel, water wall and construc on area. We thank the staff for all their hard work and all the children are really enjoying the changes.

Our Parent & Toddler group is held every Friday 1:30pm – 3pm.

Over the coming weeks our themes will be: 1st May May Day 8th May Pre y Food 15th May Messy!!

22nd May Seaside There are refreshments for parents / carers and drink & snack for children. £2 per child.

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BEAT THE BLOAT & GET BEACH READY

The summer months are fast approaching and while the lighter evenings and glorious weather gets us outdoors and more ac ve, holiday season is just around the corner. Are you beach ready?

It's the same story each year. We over-indulge during the winter months, hiding the evidence in baggy clothes with elas cated waistbands. We don't do anything about the weight gain un l the Spring and then panic once the summer holiday has been booked.

We turn to quick fixes that 'guarantee' speedy weight loss and a six pack that the ho est Calvin Klein model would be jealous of, but this isn't the healthiest way to approach your goals and they'll only ever provide short -term results. And that's if you can s ck to the dras c changes to your lifestyle!

Even in a short amount of me you can make be er choices in a bid to look and feel be er on the beach. All you need is hard work, dedica on and a team of like-minded people around you who will help you on your journey.

You can make small changes, such as taking the stairs instead of the li , walking to the local shops instead of taking the car, or taking the dog for an extra long walk on the weekend. Switch sugary drinks for water flavoured with real fruit and cut down on crisps, sweets and sugary snacks.

If you're looking to up your game and make bigger changes for a bigger result then why not join the gym, sign up to try a new class, join a sports club or work with a personal trainer. We're lucky to have all these op ons on our doorstep so take advantage!

At Fitness hub we offer something for everyone; awesome cardio and weights equipment, first class fitness instructors and coaching staff who can work with you to reach your goals as well as clubs that offer more of a social aspect to your fitness rou ne.

Get in touch info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

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5 minutes with...

Sue Hall from

*How did you start your business.

With a strong passion for Interior furnishings Mick and I opened our first shop in the late 70's during the days of velvet curtains, net curtains, dolly mixture print fabrics and bedding. During the mid 80's with the trend growing for matching curtains, wallpaper and borders, curtains with valances and Austrian blinds we opened our shop in Church Street. Finally we moved to the High Street in the early 90's when our son Gary joined the business and the demand for elaborate window dressings was high and the trend for Swags & Tails in all shapes and sizes was phenomenal.

We have seen a remarkable changes over the years to the more simplis c trends of recent years. Some of the biggest changes to our business has been the trend towards a more simplis c style, contemporary fabrics and advanced technology. Our customers have chosen roller, vene an, ver cal and roman blinds over net curtains, preferred shu ers, replaced their pelmets and valances with curtain poles and contemporary curtains, chosen wood and vinyl flooring as well as carpets. *What sets you aside from other Companies I think what really dis nguishes us from other companies is our collec ve knowledge, exper se and reputa on.

Having established our business locally over the last 30 years our customers come to us confident that they will receive the very best advice, personal service, and high quality products. We recognise our customers are individual and seek to assist in selec ng the right look for their home.

Over the years there is nothing we have not encountered and some mes it is the mistakes you make in life that gains experience. Having our workrooms on our premises ensures that quality is maintained as we can oversee the whole process from start to finish. *What Products do you sell At Finesse we cover all aspects of So Furnishings from design to supply, making and fi ng. Our extensive showrooms are full of inspira onal fabrics, wallpapers, paints, tracks & poles, cushions, upholstery and accessories. A huge selec on of blinds and shu ers, carpets, wood and vinyl flooring. We stock all leading and exclusive brands across all of our products and we are Premier Retailers for Sanderson and Harlequin. With the latest technology and Child Safety in mind we provide motorized products.

We only use the highest quality of products in everything we sell and make that is guaranteed.

PSS GARDEN SERVICES PSS GARDEN SERVICES

*What Services do you provide We provide a free measuring, design and advice service, a bespoke making service for curtains, blinds and accessories, professional fi ng services for curtains, blinds, shu ers, tracks, poles, motorized products, carpets and flooring. *Tell us about your team I can honestly say our staff are the backbone of our business.

When products are becoming more diverse and technical this is the very area where we stand out from many other companies with such experienced staff.

Gary has been an inspira on to our business and a talented asset by keeping ahead of the latest technology. He is on hand to advice, he is a Somfy and Silent Gliss expert on motoriza on and electrics, an S Cra Master Partner and when it comes to fi ng curtains, blinds, shu ers and flooring he is me culous and a brilliant fi er along with Rob our other great asset.

Our expert team of designers Helen, Ronnie and Claire are always on hand to advise on choosing fabrics, curtains, wallpaper, paints, blinds and flooring with some stunning results. At no extra cost they will o en happily put together a Mood Board for customers.

Helen has been just brilliant for the past 13 years she has worked for us and our customers agree.

Upstairs we have our extremely talented and highly experienced “In House” curtain making team, Jane, Jacky and Anna, we feel proud to have the best. *How do you stay ahead with the latest trends At Finesse Interiors we have always stayed ahead with the latest trends by using the most inspira onal companies available.

Stocking and displaying the latest collec ons from the best design companies. Keeping up to date with the latest technology for the latest systems in blinds, shu ers, tracks and poles that include motoriza on and home management systems.

I would also like to say that we are extremely grateful to our very loyal customers that have supported us and highly recommended us to friends and family and helped establish our name.

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NEWS FROM St MARYS

Coming back to the summer term is always an exci ng me in school – the be er weather allowing more opportuni es for outdoor ac vi es in our beau ful school grounds. We are very fortunate. As well as summer sports and lessons outside, the Gardening Club will be busy in the next few weeks digging, sowing, po ng and plan ng. The whole school community will take part in the Race for Life on Friday 24th April for Cancer Research. Three mes round the field circuit will be one mile. Some of us will do one circuit, some will do several; the main thing is we will all have a go.

Coming up are school residen al visits to Cuffley Camp for Year 4 and Wales for Year 6, swimming courses for Year 3 and Year 5, bikeability training for Y6 and the end of year produc on by our upper school to look forward to.

Last term, there were humani es topics taking place throughout school. The new Na onal Curriculum has Bri sh history taught chronologically so year 3 con nued their autumn studies of the Stone age and Iron age with The Romans. This area is rich in Roman history; the year group enjoyed a visit to Verulamium (St Albans) where they went to the museum and to the Abbey to make mosaic les. In school, the children took part in a Roman ba le using the shields they had made in different Roman ba le forma ons. Year 5 will be taking Bri sh history up to 1066 this term with a Viking and Anglo-Saxon study. With the new curriculum, that's where our history studies end to be picked up at KS3. We try to enrich the learning for the children by introducing aspects of later history (eg the two World Wars) where we can. In Year 4, the children have been studying Ancient Egypt while Year 5 had a geography focus on the South American Rainforest. Year 6 have been studying the Mayan civilisa on of AD 900 in between maths, reading

comprehension, spelling, punctua on and grammar! Year 6 are looking forward to life a er SATs! To develop rounded and balanced young people, we feel it is important to have a high focus on the arts as well as the core subjects. Our Art Week just before Easter was enjoyed by everyone with a high standard of 2D and 3D art work produced on our theme of The Commonwealth. Our choir took part in the Palm Sunday procession (with donkey!) from school to St Mary's Church. The school orchestra and choir look forward to performing at the School Summer Fayre on July 3rd.

As always, as part of the Baldock Fes val, our Bingo Night takes place on Monday 11th May. We open at 7:00pm for 7:30 eyes down. Everyone is welcome to join us for a great night out!

P. Jenkins - Headteacher

Open during school holidays everyday except Wednesdays New Inn Road, Hinxworth, Herts. SG7 5EY

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17

50 years after first appearing on the Hermitage stage the fab 3 are back with a nostalgic beetles tribute performance. Please contact the reservations team on 01462 433603 or email reservations@hermitage.co.uk to book your table

PUB OF

THE YEAR

2015 CAMRA North Herts 18

Get in touch info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

By n O roops s ’ P t e a r h a W Cl 32nd Baldock Festival

B

A

1st -17th May 60 plus wide ranging and different events over two weeks.

Some of the big non-ticket events this year are: Baldock Beer Festival (Fri 1st May – Sun 3rd May); see Sounds of Baldock (Fri 9th & Sat 10th May) Street Fair (Sat 16th May) Classic Car Show (Sun 17th May) See www.baldockfestival.org www.baldocktown.co.uk and facebook.com/BaldockFestival for details of events.

Tickets available from the Community Centre

L

D

O C

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7 June 2015 th

General Election Thursday 7 May – don't forget to vote!

Ashwell Music Festival May 7 – 24 - A varied programme of music events.

Please see www.ashwellmusicfestival.org.uk for details

Concert of West Gallery music at St Mary's Church Saturday 9 May - 7.30pm - The Chiltern West Gallery Quire will be returning to perform a programme of music following the seasons in Baldock Tickets available from: www,cwgq.co.uk

Walk in Aid of Keech Cottage Sunday 10 May Flexible start time, 11am – 1pm at the Hen & Chickens, South Road Ends at the Hen & Chickens with a live band at 3.30pm

Curry

BBQ

Roa

Fish’n’C

PlouSteel Band Bouncy Castle ghman s

k

or st P

hips

Come & have lunch with the rest of the town...

Tickets available from www.baldocktown.co.uk the Community Centre On The

High Street, Baldock

Ashwell at Home Sunday 10 May - 11am-5pm Discover the beautiful village of Ashwell.

Open gardens, stalls and lots of events for all the family.

For further details see www.ashwellathome.org.uk

Sandon Village Market - Sandon JMI School Saturday 16 May, 9-11.30am A delightful village market with lots of stalls selling local food and gifts

Sandon 10k-5k-1k Fun Run & Family Day Sunday 17 May, 10am-1pm Sandon JMI School, Sandon - Entry on the day

Regular events: Quiz Night, 8-10.30pm, Orange Tree Pub Tuesdays Wednesdays Baldock Royal Chartered Market, High Street Baby Rhyme Time 10.30-11.00am, Library Senior Club, 2-4pm Community Centre Baldock and Letchworth 8.30-11pm Folk Club, Orange Tree Pub Toddler Tales, 2.30-3pm - Baldock Library Thursdays Baldock Country Market - 10am, The Cock Fridays The Baldock Car Boot Sale,7am Buntingford Saturdays Road 1st Tuesday White Lion Quiz Night, Baldock High Street every month 2nd Saturday Baldock Farmers & Craft Market, Baldock every month High Street. For more information contact fraser.valentine@baldocktown.co.uk If you would like to have your event included FREE in the May issue please email clare@nattyneckwear.com by 15th April 2015

2 scenic loops surrounding Baldock approx 58 miles total

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19

Baldock Gardens

By Graham Tapp

Tapps, The Baldock Garden Centre

We’ve just experienced one of the hottest April weeks ever, who would have thought that 25 degrees would have been seen by the middle of the month— wow “didn't see that coming”, so now we need to be very careful with some very tender plants, listen and watch the local forecasts for any cold weather and make sure you cover up anything that’s got tender growth or leaves, even the toughest shrubs and trees are in danger of severe damage from cold winds or frosts now they have been tempted to grow earlier than normal due to the unseasonable weather.

I’m going to get my spuds planted through the coming bank holiday weekend , that’s not to say that’s the correct time its just the only time I have, up until then I’m too busy selling them to get round to planting, but I still get a reasonable crop.

GET YOURS IN SOON. Last years crop was so heavy that I couldn't dig it all and due to getting ill I just left them in the ground, we had a kind winter and they have been re-growing for some time so it will be interesting to see the results, hopefully it will be a very early crop of new spuds.

As I am writing this I am aware that the ground is very dry, you will have to water anything planted without fail and damp down any seed beds the day before sowing, that may be a bit old fashioned but it works.

In dry weather you will need to put strings or nets over freshly planted veg or herbaceous plants as the crows, and blackbirds will pull them up looking for fresh moist grubs and worms etc. Many of you who remember us growing dried flowers and vegetables for our old farm shop, probably remember seeing us planting the same rows day after day! The problem was that we would plant several rows in a day and over night the birds would wander down the rows pulling the plants out looking for dinner, because we used a machine to plant them we would have to pull the whole lot up and start again, we did try to cover them with large plastic sheets to prevent them, but the local yobs used to go out into the field and pull the sheets off, very often we would get a phone call from the police asking me to come and collect my plastic sheets from Clothall Common estate, South Road or even the Station Car park, One morning I got a call to come to the railway station to retrieve 400metres of 50mm hose and a complete irrigation machine , it must have taken a dozen of them all night to get it there , I had to tow it back with our Land Rover. you wont see me growing fields of vegetables again.

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Things to do in the garden in May Flowering bulbs, do not cut or tie or down, this used to be the thing to do but it is now recommended to leave the tops as tall as you can, just removing the seed heads, this will allow the bulb to form next years flower. Feed with a balanced granular fertiliser.

Tender plants perennial or annual should be hardened off with care, put out side during the day BUT make sure you bring in or cover at night, be very careful of frosts, damage caused now to early growth will never be repaired and will stop some plants flowering this year.

Get out in the warm days, tie back and train climbers and ramblers, but as per your fruit trees do not tie down below the horizontal or you will get lots of woody extension growth and very little flowers, feed them with your favourite fertiliser and roses would love a mulch of FYM. Start your hanging baskets and planters, some of you with sizable greenhouses will already have them going be careful and keep them warm, try also to stop them scorching as the sun at this time of the year can be strong enough to damage tender young plants, again this damage will set plants back and flowering will be reduced may be all season.

Start taking precautions for mildew, blackspot, aphids etc etc.

This is obvious to you all but weeds will be getting going and need to be controlled or you will pay for it later on.

Plant your green house veg—Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Peppers, Chillies etc. don’t forget you are not the only one with eyes on the crop, nasty creepy crawlies are working twenty four hours a day to prevent you getting them.

I know you all get fed up with me going on about your lawns, now is the time to start putting on a high nitrogen feed, cut your lawn at a reasonably high mower setting until the end of may, allow the grass to tiller and thicken up, a lawn cut at about 15mm will look better than one scalped at about 5mm or less and will survive the hot weather to come, it will also stand up to moss better, it will look better and feel nicer to walk on.

ENJOY YOUR GARDENING Get in touch info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

21

BIRTHDAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY

Isabelle Lots of love

Summer

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Today

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2 may

Happy Birthday

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Fran Rowley From all the Crew at No. 10

7th May

JAMES THE PHONE

LUNNON TH

9 MAY 1972 HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDAD TORTOISE Lots of love from your favourite Grand children

18 May th

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MAY 8th - BIG GAME When Air Force One is shot down by terrorists leaving the President of the USA stranded in the wilderness, there is only one person around who can save him - a 13-year old boy. In the forest on a hunting mission to prove his maturity, but instead discovers the most powerful man on the planet. With the terrorists closing in, the unlikely duo must team up to escape their hunters.

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All materials completely recycled Seasoned hardwood logs available Contact Phil Allen on Hitchin 834411 or 07909 716 631 or email on allentrees@btinternet.com

MAY 15th - PITCH PERFECT 2 Collegiate a cappella group, the Barden Bellas are back in Pitch Perfect 2, the follow-up to summer 2012’s smash hit. This time around the team is facing their stiffest challenge yet: world championships, which no American team has ever won before. Pitch Perfect 2 promises all the tunes, drama, and inspirational bonding of the first film.

MAY 22nd - THE COBLER Max Simkin repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life, Max stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. Sometimes walking in another man's shoes is the only way one can discover who they really are

MAY 22nd - Tomorrowland - A world beyond Bound by a shared destiny, a teen, Casey (Britt Robertson) bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor, Frank (George Clooney) embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory, where their actions directly affect the world and themselves

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a p p s Our pick of this month’s must have downloads FlyP - IOS 7+, Android Give your phone mul ple numbers. Separate your Work, Social and family contacts, they can each have their own number for calls & texts each with it’s own dedicated voice mail.

FileBrowser - IOS 7+ Allows you to connect to your computers or drives on your wifi network directly. You can stream movies, listen to your music or look at photos without needing to sync your iTunes library, all from the comfort of your couch Office Lens - IOS 7+, Android Microso ’s latest app lets you take photos of documents and whiteboards, then cleans up the images and translates them into editable Word, PowerPoint or PDF files. Great for following up brainstorming sessions.

Layout - IOS 7+ Instagram has a new standalone app, Layout, which helps you make collages of mul ple photos to share on both its parents. It’s simple to use: you choose your shots, then decide on a layout from several choices.

Nick Jr. - IOS 7+ Now on iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch! The Nick Jr. app brings your kids' favorite Nick Jr. characters to life in new, interac ve ways. Watch full Nick Jr. episodes for free and play fun, educa onal ac vi es.

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Mark Webber from Formula 1 to Le Mans I was very lucky to be invited to the WEC 6 Hours of Silverstone mee ng at the 11th April this year courtesy of Porsche Motorsport. As their guests we were given access to their cars, drivers and technical backup team, most notable of all was Mark Webber.

Those of you who are F1 fans will of course remember Mark as the charisma c Australian racing driver who recently re red from Formula 1 to move in to the FIA World Endurance Championship, racing for Porsche Motorsport in the amazing 919 LMP1 racecar.

The 919 LMP1 is actually a Hybrid vehicle running on both petrol and electricity, the car has a whole array of technology which reclaims energy from braking and also from exhaust gases via a turbine system. It's certainly an amazing vehicle and very different from Formula 1.

I asked Mark if he has found the move from F1 to Endurance a steep learning curve?

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“It has! The technology is something that as an industry is currently quite aggressive, I was skep cal at first, but a er driving the 918 Spyder which was the first super car by Porsche, I could immediately see the poten al, and of course the 919 is another step again, they're awesome vehicles!”.

The LMP1 vehicle class requires the team to limit the amount of fuel used per lap, so therefore there is a real need for energy recupera on, the 919 has this is spades, poten ally being able to recuperate 8 megajoules of energy per lap, this results in combined power of nearly 1000BHP with the 2 litre V4 rear engine provide 500BHP and the front axle mounted electric motor produce more that 400BHP. It results in a pre y busy driving experience for the the driver, who is required to carefully balance the use of both fuel and electric power in order to complete and hopefully win the race!

Finally, I asked Mark how he thought driving a 200MPH race car influences the cars we all drive in our day to day lives?

“I think there was always the big component that did drop through, whether it was disc brakes or ABS, I mean how many lives has ABS saved? ABS came from motor racing, by racing drivers and that then went into produc on cars, we were using trac on control, an slip etc because we knew that was a safety net / performance factor for us to get more performance and consistency out of the cars and now we are using hybrid technology."

On the day we met him, Mark Webber had qualified on pole posi on with his team mates next to him on the from row, so I guess all the development of the 919 was beginning to pay off and Mark's season is looking pre y bright.

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Electrician www.rooneyelectrical.co.uk Do you find it difficult to get someone to come and do a small job Fault finding/repairs Extra lights and sockets New fuse boards Rewires P.A.T testing Landlord inspections Qualified electrician Fully insured Reliable service Tidy work Free quote Satisfaction guaranteed

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Baldock Towns Season

A er three seasons at Hitchin Town's Top Field ground, Baldock Town will be moving back closer to Town when they start a groundshare with Sto old from next season.

The Reds 2-1 victory over Arlesey Town Reserves on 22nd April brought the curtain down on another home campaign, but more significantly it closed another chapter in the Club's short history.

Club Secretary Lee Rusbridge commented "I think we can look back at our me at Top Field with fond memories. The decision to groundshare with Hitchin Town FC was not a universally popular one with some of our followers, but we felt at the me that it was the only means of taking the club to the next level. With where we are three seasons down the line, I think we can look back and say that the decision was jus fied.

Undoubtedly we have had challenges with the level of finance required to get us to where we are, but with everyone who has played their part, we can now look forward to our next chapter, which as you all know, will be a groundshare at Sto old from next season.

Ul mately our long-term goal is to s ll return this Club to its righ ul place in the heart of Baldock, but our move to Sto old takes us back a li le closer to Town and to realising our dream. Having spoken to a number of individuals who followed the "old" Baldock Town, who for one reason or another wouldn't support the club playing at Hitchin, we hope this move will now see them start to get behind us and play their part in moving our Club forward.

Finally, I want to thank our supporters! We have been unable replicate the gates of our me at the Arena, but the hardy souls who have followed us through thick and thin have my utmost respect and I thank them for turning up in all weathers and ge ng behind the team.

Towards the end of this season it has been par cularly pleasing to see and hear the vocal support from Rich Gallop and his growing barmy army, so we look forward to more of the same next term!

We are sorry that we have no silverware to show for our efforts, but we are s ll rela vely inexperienced at this level and I am convinced that with a few tweaks and some consistency, we are not a millions miles away from challenging for honours. We can s ll look back on a few highlights. Playing in the FA Cup for the first me was a great experience, as well as having the trophy on display at the Arena. A couple of wins in the FA Vase and bea ng league champions Welwyn 4-1 in the County Cup in December was also another good feat.

Thanks again every single one of you who has contributed to this season, it is a team effort on and off the pitch, so lets get the word around and come back ready for another assault on all fronts next season. We are always on the lookout for new volunteers, new players and more supporters, so please come along and play your part for your local club!!"

Best wishes, Lee Rusbridge - Club Secretary

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As is customary at this me of the season, it would be remiss of me not to say thank you to a number of people. Firstly, all of the sponsors.

The Club relies heavily on the support and goodwill of businesses and individuals. Arena Security have been suppor ng BTFC since day one and their support has con nued to play a huge role in our success.

We want to thank Paul Wright. "Wrighty" has again financially supported the Club this season despite selling his share in his company ADRS Solu ons and again his contribu on for the Reserves on and off the pitch is much appreciated. Lewis Feneley of Extreme Scaffolding has also supported the Club for a number of seasons now, so we naturally thank him too.

Thank you to all my fellow commi ee members and the management teams. No club can func on without a dedicated team of volunteers and ours is no different. Graham and Barry Kingham con nue to ensure that nearly every home match is sponsored, whilst the work of Barry, Lynn Parker and Nicole Kingham is essen al to the matchday opera on running as smoothly as it does.

Thanks to Ross Graham for pu ng in the hours with the matchday programme. As a former editor, I understand the level of work required, so I appreciate his efforts. Steve West for prin ng the matchday programme covers and conduc ng the monthly Town Lo o draws and Phil Mills for looking a er the players gate before kick off and repor ng match details in my absence.

A special men on must go to Ness Graham, who has decided to "re re" from being on the turns le. We are sad to lose her as she has been part of the Club for a number of seasons now, formerly as Treasurer, so it is always sad to lose a dedicated volunteer. We wish her well and hope she con nues to support the team going forward.

Get in touch info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

27

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Slimming World Recipe Supplied by Sandra Lloyd Garlic Chicken and Vegetable Pot Roast Slimming World Members in Baldock shed another 64 stones this April by eating filling and tasty meals like this all in one pot roast.

Once you've prepared this dish, you can put it in the oven and forget about it until its ready to serve. Ideal if you're working in the garden in the lovely spring weather!

Ingredients 4 peppers any colours 225g shallots or small onions 1 bulb fennel 1 kilo whole chicken saltand freshly ground black pepper 1 small lemon 150ml chicken stock 2 sprigs each of fresh thyme, rosemary and tarragon 2 bay leaves 1 bulb garlic 1 tbsp fennel seeds

Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

3 2

8 7 8 1

Method 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C (fan oven) or Gas Mark 4. Halve and de-seed the peppers and cut in half again. Place in the bottom of a large casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid. Trim the fennel and slice thickly and add to casserole.

Wash and pat dry the chicken and season inside and out. Halve the lemon and place inside the chicken.

Place the chicken on top of the vegetables and pull some of the vegetables up around the sides of the chicken. Pour over the stock.

Tie the herbs together and place in the casserole.

Break the bulb of garlic up and peel awa the outer paper but do not peel the cloves. Scatter over the chicken and vegetables, and sprinkle with the fennel seeds.

Cover the casserole with a sheet of foil and then place the lis on top. Bake for around an hour and a half until tender and cooked through and the juices run clear.

Drain the chicken and vegetables and place on a warmed serving platter.

To aid your weightloss then remove the skin before eating!

5 2 5 4

5

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Exciting news from St Mary's Church

Do you need to make a Will or revise your existing Will?

If so, please take advantage of our reduced rate wills offer.

Please note that reduced rate wills will be available every week day from 8.00am until 6.00pm, and on Tuesday evenings until 8.00pm,by appointment only.

Also on the Saturday morning of 23rd MAY 2015, 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:1-3 Lower King Street, Royston, Herts SG8 5AJ

Tel: 01763 241121

First of all … THANK YOU! … (that's a huge thank you)! Because of your help we have managed to pay off £39 000 of our loans outstanding on the tower and spire restora on in the last year. This means we have only £20 000 le to pay and will almost certainly manage it in the next 12 months. Considering the loan was £176 000 just 4 years ago, that is a quite remarkable achievement and it simply would not have happened without the generosity of the people of Baldock. It is a clear sign of how much you value the historical, architectural and symbolic beauty of the church in the centre of the community and we are very grateful.

Second, (and just as important) … I HOPE you have heard the exci ng news that we have been awarded funding from the Heritage Lo ery Fund to develop the plans for the restora on of the south aisle roof (that's the sec on of roof nearest Hitchin Street). This is highly likely to lead to a much larger grant totalling £250 000 towards the cost of the work. The roof is wearing very thin and leaks in several places producing a damp sensa on on the people beneath and more worryingly causing increasing damage to the walls and roof beams of the church. We also need to do some urgent masonry repairs to the parapet walls of the south aisle, which, whilst not yet dangerous, may well become so soon. All part of the perils of trying to be responsible custodians of a beau ful and historically important mediaeval building! The major requirement for the Lo ery Fund grant was that the work was urgent and needed to be carried out immediately – it is not something that can be put off for a future genera on!

Third, (and hopefully enlightening) we are painfully aware that for many people coming into church in the first part of the morning or the later a ernoon… YOU CAN'T SEE very clearly. As part of the project we plan to install low energy ligh ng on a me switch so that anyone coming in at any me the church is open will be able to see clearly at a flick of a switch. I trust you have visited St Mary's recently (it is open between 8.30am and about 5pm every day except Saturday). If you have you will know what we are talking about.

Together with some other projects such as producing a full colour guide book and educa onal facili es for schools to use, the total budget is likely to be in excess of £380 000. We believe we can reclaim up to £50 000 from reclaiming VAT but this leaves about £80 000 s ll to raise.

And therefore, finally, WE NEED YOUR HELP! … £80 000 is a huge sum but it is nothing compared to the £750 000 budget for the tower and spire. We are moving forward knowing that the people of Baldock value the Church as a focal point for the community and believing that the warm support we received for the tower and spire will be equalled by the same generosity of spirit for this present phase of restora on.

We will be in touch about how you can help and with details of how the restora on project is progressing but in the mean me we trust WE CAN COUNT ON YOU! Andrew Holford (Rector of St Mary's)

The Pavement Tables!

Summer's here, not far from home, Pavement tables just like Rome!

Friends have gathered, ignore the traffic, A wonderful scene, so photographic!

We haven't had to take a plane, We're in Baldock, warmer than Spain!

31

AIR PLANTS OPEN DAY

TYNEHILL

30th May 10am – 3pm

This beautiful working nursery in Willian is the home of 'Love Tillys' Air Plant specialists.

Come along for a 'behind the scenes' look, plant demonstrations and meet the team.

While you're here shop from our new outdoor plant area for shrubs, perennials, seasonal colour and more! only 10-15 mins from Baldock

01462 675858 www.pioneerplantnursery.co.uk Baldock Lane, Willian, Herts. SG6 2AE

Come and visit our flower fields as part of the ‘Baldock open gardens’ on the 17th May 2015 tickets can be purchased from the community centre Gift Bouquets DIY Flower Buckets Wedding Flowers Wholesale Provision to Florists Edible Flowers

Saturday farm gate sales have now started see our website for more details

32

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Dylan Izaak one of Britain's most innova ve cityscape ar sts will be unveiling his new collec on of humorous and exuberant works of art right here 'on our doorstep' at Gallery 1066!

Date: June 5th, 7 - 9pm featuring his unique slant on the urban world.

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Don't miss this exciting event!

r fr

07968 04 34 24 01462 64 03 07 ien

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Saturday May 9th in the KTS School Hall 6.30 - 10.30pm.

Tickets from reception & the Baldock Community Centre Adults: £4.00 Children: £2.00 Drinks for the adults Seriously yummy snacks Scrumptious popcorn Old fashioned sweets Ist Feature: 6.30: Big Hero Six 2nd Feature: 8.30: The Goonies There will be an INTERVAL of 25 minutes

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Gallery 1066 are proud to announce that Dylan Izaak will be in a endance at the Gallery to unveil his sought a er works of art featuring an array of his trademark 'long people'. A rare opportunity to meet Dylan in person and the gallery warmly invite you to this private view from one of Britain's most innova ve cityscape ar sts and official Olympic ar st 2012.

Dylan's idiosyncra c views of undula ng skylines, famous buildings and busy metropolitan scenes, encourage us to look at the world around us with 'new eyes' and offers a dis nc ve take on urban life.

He has created some great, almost kitsch iconic imagery, such as the Bri sh bulldog, ice cream sundaes, a portrait of the Queen and let's not forget … the Queen's Corgis!

This event is strictly by guest list only, please contact Gallery 1066 to reserve your place for this pres gious event or to find out more please contact Hayley Norman on 01462 622233. info @gallery1066fineart.com www.gallery1066fineart.com

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The children at Weston Way Nursery School were very excited to see the new climbing frame that had been installed over the Easter holidays. The old climbing frame was star ng to look a li le shabby and red with over 18 years of constant use.

The new climbing frame has some more challenges for the children to master. The slide is longer, there is a rope bridge to balance over and a number of opportuni es to manoeuvre and climb.

The climbing frame was carefully chosen to be in keeping with the natural environment. The safety surface was extended to lead up to the gate as it tended to get very muddy with all the children coming through to get into the garden.

The children were given the opportunity to use the climbing frame in small groups before they all went outside. This gave the staff me to observe and monitor how the children could manage the new challenges posed by the equipment.

The staff and children gave their approval and we hope the new climbing has a long lease of life like its predecessor.

We were fortunate to receive a grant of £500 from Councillor Michael Muir to put towards the cost as well as money from other fundraising events and from the school budget.

Jane Mille - Head

Get in touch info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

35

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Volunteers Needed for Oxygen Taxis Support is needed to help local people access the much talkedabout Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy from a Letchworth-based charity.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy – or HBOT - hit the na onal headlines recently. Paratrooper Ben Parkinson lost both legs and suffered brain injury in Afghanistan. Oxygen Therapy is helping his speech and the severe fa gue he experiences. He felt the benefits a er just one week of treatment.

Oxygen Therapy can help with healing a er surgery and radiotherapy as well as providing energy boosts and figh ng stubborn infec ons. Many people with cancer, Neurological Condi ons, (such as MS, Parkinson's and a er Stroke) and other illnesses have felt the benefits of oxygen therapy.

The Oxygen Therapy Service is available in Letchworth as part of registered charity Herts MS Therapy Centre. Mark Boscher is the charity's manager. He is pleasantly surprised by the demand that Ben Parkinson's story has created for Oxygen Therapy.

“We are delighted that so many people are interested finding out how Oxygen Therapy can help them, “says Mark. “Whilst our physiotherapy team is available in throughout Herts and for home visits, our oxygen chamber is in Letchworth. Lots of people with cancer, MS, ME and other condi ons would love to try Oxygen Therapy but simply can't get to us.”

“If you are able to spare a li le me each week as a volunteer driver to bring local people to Letchworth, we – and they – would be extremely grateful. We are able to reimburse fuel expenses.”

Would you like to help local people to access the oxygen chamber at Letchworth? Call Mark or Claire on 01462 684 214.

To find out more about Oxygen Therapy and how it may be able to help you, simply search online for 'hyperbaric' and your condi on.

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37

Microchipping & Dog Grooming

£5.0 off fo

r all custonew mers

Planning Permissions & Building Regulations

0

Remove grease, fat & carbon deposits Non Caustic & Eco Friendly Improves Oven Efficiency Competitive Prices

Individual Dogs or Litters of Puppies Micro Chipped in the comfort of your own home

Hobs Grills Extractors Agas Ranges BBQs Microwaves

Sensible Prices – NO VAT Contact Matt :

01767 317782 or 0777 2600 689

The Law is changing all dogs must be microchipped by 2016

LETTERS

Very Reasonable Rates Ovens

BUILDING PLANS DRAWN

Call Jenny

01462 893714

Brantano and M & Co are coming to Baldock CLLC are organising a fashion evening with Brantano and M & Co on Thursday June 18th at The United Reform Church, Baldock. (Next to the Post Office). Doors open at 6 pm un l 9 pm. The two companies are bringing a range of their products in Pop Up Shops for the evening. There will be a small admission charge of £2 which will include tea/ coffee and biscuits .

Raffle ckets will be available with all proceeds going to local chari es.

Everybody welcome to come along and support this evening Hi having recently moved to Baldock we needed an electrician. We rang Mar n from Switched On Electrical.

We were both pleased with the work that was carried out by him we will definitely use his services again.

Kind regards Mr P Parkins We had our hall, stairs and landing carpet cleaned by J Clean. We couldn't believe the grit and grime that came out of them and I would highly recommend them to anyone.

S Thomas i just wanted to say how much I enjoy your magazine. We are ne to the area and have already used four of the businesses that adver se with yourselves. I look forward to reading Graham Tapps write up each month, very informa ve keep up the good work. Jane

If there is something you want to see in the next issue or if you have used one of the businesses or services that adver se in the magazine please get in touch & let everyone know how you got on.

Please mention On Our Doorstep when responding to adverts

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Useful numbers Advice Citizen’s Advice Bureau Trading Standards Advice

08444 771600 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 683355

Councils North Hertfordshire District

01462 474000

Doctors Baldock Surgery

01462 892458

Dentist Mews House Surgery Baldock Dental Surgery

01462 894400 01462 892374

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

Schools Knights Templar Hartseld St Johns St Marys Brandles

01462 620700 01462 895267 01462 892478 01462 892347 01462 892189

Travel Arriva Buses National Rail Enquires National Bus line

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

to Wantin our r a e p ap

NEsuXeT? iset in touch G

£20

£150

Disclaimer 07949 120911 07968 791441 07456 559756

Lock Smith Gearing Locksmith

A your dvertis busi e ness

LEAFLETS DELIVERED 1 /16 p age

Plumbers A.P Huges A.D Taylor Nick Sayer

6000

07989514996

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.

Get in touch info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

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