March 2020

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

Issue 65 March 2020

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

Welcome

Welcome to the third issue of 2020. We can't believe how fast this year is passing us by already. Seeing Easter eggs in the shops since Christmas probably hasn't helped!

Thank goodness storm Dennis and Ciara are well and truly behind us. The trees and fences certainly took a battering, if you still need some repairs carrying out get in touch with one of the trusted local fencing companies in this issue.

On a brighter note (excuse the pun), the evenings are gradually getting lighter - BBQ season is in sight! It won't be long before we're all being very British and moaning that we're too hot and wondering if the school holidays will ever end.

The Baldock Beast took place on the last Sunday in February. Well done to everyone who took part, hopefully you weren't too sore the next day! Another well attended local event, organised by Baldock Events Forum. Huge congratulations to Richard Harbon and his team.

The Six Nations Rugby has been keeping us entertained throughout February. There's been lots of cheering and shouting coming from our house over the past few weeks. Friends of ours even watched the Wales v France game while in Austria on their phones.

With all the buzz around the rugby it would be great to see some new faces at Letchworth Rugby Club as they are looking to recruit more players of all abilities for their youth teams. Both middle child and our eldest trained

and played for Letchworth during their teens and loved every minute! Not only is it great for their ďŹ tness, the sport gets them out of their shells and into a real fun, social team environment.

We were inundated with birthday message requests again this month! Unfortunately we couldn't print them all, so please message us early with your April dates to avoid disappointment.

We're looking forward to March and the start of spring!

Please try your best to remember it's Mother's Day on 22nd. If not, we'll no doubt see you on Sunday morning grabbing a bunch of owers or a box of chocolates from the local supermarket.

Enjoy your March

Paul & Jacqui Jacqui Calver 07973 788418

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.

MARCH

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The Girls Are Back In Town A er a few season's hiatus, Baldock Town Youth Football Club are once again star ng a new girl's team. With the recent increase on TV and the media in general for our na onal and especially interna onal women's football teams and their great successes under Mr Neville, it would seem an opportune me for Baldock's own local youth football team to also bring a greater awareness and opportunity for our local girls to become poten al na onal and interna onal stars of the future.

Chairman Juan Cowell said “Since being voted in as the new Chairman of Baldock Town Youth FC at the end of last season, I have wanted to explore the possibili es of star ng a girls only team, as our current female players are having to play in mixed teams with the boys.

Fortunately our league doesn't have an issue with boys and girls playing in the same team, but we thought that having a

designated team would help the girls develop their own game style, in the same way as other grass roots clubs have done for their girls. However, finding someone who would step up to the challenge and take on a new girls team wasn't easy; you can't just go online www.coach-a-new-girlsteam.comand order one! It was therefore really fantas c to get an enquiry on our website just before Christmas last year from a lady who clearly loved the game and had recently returned from America, where she had enjoyed a soccer scholarship at one of the best sports colleges in the country.

Step forward Beth Page, an ex- Hitchin Town Ladies and Luton Town Ladies player. It has taken a few weeks to get the all important cer ficates and checks completed (as with all of the Club's coaches and managers), but happily this week, Beth was able to start training with her new squad, The seasonal coughs and colds doing the rounds at the moment and the freezing cold weather meant that not everyone was able to turn up at the first training session, but more girls have commi ed themselves to coming next week.

However, those that braved it had a

great me and Beth men oned that she already saw some great poten al in the new team members.

Beth, the new Under 13s Girls "Vixens" Team Manager added; As a girl growing up in Baldock, I thought that girls football wasn't well represented locally.

Now I have grown up, I am excited to be able to bring girls football back to the town at grass roots level. I want to give the girls in Baldock the opportuni es that I wanted to have in Baldock at their age.

Football has always been a big part of my life and to be able to start a girls team is something I've always wanted to do. I am very excited to see what the future holds for me and Baldock Town Youth Vixens.

If you would like to play or get involved with girls football locally, then contact the club, using the Contact tab at www.baldocktyfc.co.uk or email Beth directly at beth97page@outlook.com, You never know you could be the next Fara Williams or Kelly Smith!

Baldock Town Youth Football Club is an FA Chartered Standard Club and is commi ed to providing a safe, secure and fun environment for children of all ages to learn and enjoy playing football.

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MARCH

2020

HOW TO MANAGE PERSISTENT PAIN

St Mary's Complete The Double Double St Mary's Junior School retained both the Boys and the Girls Football championships this month to make it yet another pres gious year for the school.

St Mary's have now won all five football tournaments they have played in this season, pu ng us one behind the extraordinary six we won last year. The boys and girls teams will now both move onto the County tournaments to represent not only St Mary's, but also North Herts.

The boys team struggled at the start of the tournament, losing to runners up St Thomas More 1-0. A er ge ng their mindset correct and sweeping that result under the rug, the team never looked back. With 8 games to go, the boys went unbeaten for the rest of the tournament. Thanks to some landslide

victories, St Mary's edged out St Thomas More on goal difference to become District Champions.

I have to say the standard of both tournaments has really improved over the last couple of years, with many schools in conten on to win. The girls tournament was no different. Out of the eight teams par cipa ng, three schools went unbeaten, with the other five not far behind. St Mary's star ng brightly, earning a win and two draws against Lordship and St Francis, the two other teams who managed to go unbeaten. It was crucial that St Marys started to score more goals and win more games, and they did just that. A hat-trick from Roxy King helped St Marys to an astonishing 5-0 win. Two more wins followed. This meant that if St Marys

could beat The Grange in their final match, they would emulate the boys and become double champions for the second year running. Daisie Barre scored the only goal of the game. St Marys are District Champions!

It goes without saying just how proud we all are of our children at St Marys.

Not only of their natural skill and ability, but of their willingness to learn and improve, their teamwork, their determina on and fight and their sportsmanship and honesty.

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Recognition for Early Years Progress Ashwell Primary School's Early Years team have been recognised by Her ordshire County Council for the impact they have had on teaching and learning at the school. Visited in November by Herts for Learning, the school was recognised for raising a ainment consistently over the last three years. In 2019, 79.3% achieved a Good Level of Development (GLD) on leaving Recep on, this was above the na onal average.

Not content with status quo, school is keen to keep develop even further. They recently refurbished their outdoor Early Years space to further enhance the outdoor learning environment and resources available to their youngest children.

“We've got a great outdoor learning space that is accessible throughout the day because studies have shown that some children learn be er outside.” says Tracy Young, the Head of Early Years at Ashwell School. “The children lead their own learning, with guidance from prac oners, and learn through play. For example one might choose to ride our outdoor bikes for physical development, and another child can dress up as a police officer with a pad and pencil to prac ce wri ng skills. We even have a 'mud play' area where the children can 'cook' with mud, learning measurement as well as wri ng recipes! The magic is to interweave play and learning seamlessly to make learning fun".

Natural learning is another new ini a ve. “Our Nursery class spend every Wednesday learning outdoors for the whole session. We explore all of the outside space that Ashwell School has to offer, including the meadow with trees and nature trails. We might find a caterpillar and use it as a learning tool to explore everything from shapes to parts of its body to different kinds of habitats”, says Gine e Denham, the Nursery teacher at Ashwell Primary.

The school have done extensive work on

transi ons, as younger children some mes have difficul es adjus ng to a new school environment.

Children from the local playgroup and child care providers come in to school once every half term to familiarise themselves with the environment and the staff. Last term they watched the dress rehearsal of the Early Years Christmas produc on. Events planned for the rest of the academic year include using the outside area; par cipa ng in Book Week by visi ng the library and sharing books with the older children; music events and a joint Sports Day. By crea ng strong links, children can realise that school is not a scary place, but a happy learning environment.

Ashwell School is understandably proud of their cu ng edge Early Years provision, and are happy that their efforts have been recognised.

“We are so proud to be able to offer these fantas c facili es and quality of educa on to our Early Years children. I would like to thank the Henry Colbron Trust, Ashwell PTA and the generous Ashwell Show contribu ons that together, have funded these environmental improvements.” Mr England, Headteacher.

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MARCH

2020

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The Life and Times of Vivian Crellin.

April 1st, 2020. The Knights Templar School, doors open at 6.00pm for 7.00pm start The Knights Templar School will be holding a memorial evening on April 1st to celebrate the life of Mr Vivian Crellin who passed away recently. Mr Crellin was the headteacher at The Knights Templar School between 1960 and 1984. He was also involved in a wide number of community groups, including the Baldock History Society and spent some me as a district councillor.

The evening will celebrate all aspects of Mr Crellin's life in Baldock and is therefore open to anyone who wishes to come. Doors will open at 6.00pm where there will be me to share memories and see memorabilia. The memorial will start at 7.00pm and will be a mix of music, readings and memories. Mr

Crellin's son will be present and will say a few words.

If you would like to come, please email froper@ktemplar.herts.sch.uk so we can conďŹ rm numbers.

Addi onally, if you have any memories that you would like to share with us before the event, we would like to have these on display on the evening, so please do send to the above email address.

Mr T LitchďŹ eld - Headteacher

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What's Your Sty?

With the fes ve period behind us and a new year beginning, January is a me to reset and focus – priori sing the things you want to achieve – be that a healthier lifestyle, making me for exercise, saving money or making me for yourself.

The idea of having a meaningful conversa on with your family and friends about who you are and the things that ma er most may not be at the top of your new year's priority list; but it is something that can have a huge benefit on your emo onal, physical and mental wellbeing.

Talking about pre-planning your funeral arrangements or discussing what a meaningful death means to you might seem like a taboo; but research has shown that eight out of ten people have strong wishes for their end of life care and 66% believe that if people were more relaxed and open talking about death, it would be easier to have their end of life wishes met*.

A conversa on doesn't need to be deep in detail and maudlin; wri ng down a chosen song you'd like to have played is usually all that is needed for family and friends who are le behind to feel some comfort in knowing that they are able to fulfil one final wish.

Being a family-run funeral director for over 329 years, we know only too well that making the me and space to have conversa ons is usually what ma ers most. To help you start, here are some ps on how you can have a conversa on and talk about your unique story: 1. Visit a favourite place to eat or drink and invite those closest to you to join.

Have a meal or cup of tea and start a conversa on about what is the most important difference that you have made to one another's lives.

2. Use visual prompts, such as a photo album, souvenir, or memento to start a conversa on.

3. Think about memorable loca ons; such as the place where you were married or a favourite place to visit near your home.

4. Play a song that reminds you of each other or think of the reasons you will never forget them.

5. Share a memory about a holiday you took together and will always remember; or a piece of advice that you will always cherish.

6. Take notes during or just a er your conversa on, or even make a recording. Whatever the method feels most appropriate and comfortable for where you are having your chat.

If you need a hand ge ng started, our team are here to talk in confidence and with no obliga on. If you are unable to visit us at our funeral home on Whitehorse Street in Baldock but would like to discuss star ng your conversa on or funeral planning further, we can arrange for one of our funeral planners to visit you in the comfort of your own home.

Call us at: 01462 491 149 or visit: www.cpjfield.co.uk/loca ons/shires/b aldock * Telegraph Financial Solu ons (2017) How to talk about death and funeral planning, 17th March 2017

MARCH

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Ho y Calv

Sist Happy Sweet

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOCTOR CHARLES

Best wishes from the down the road 11th March

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

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11th March

the 14th March 8 on

Benjamin West Lots of Love Julia 14

MARCH

2020

n O s ’ t a h W Letchworth Parkrun A free 5km run every Saturday at 9am, Grange Recreation Ground, SG6 4PN. Very welcoming for new runners - see www.parkrun.org.uk/letchworth for details

Baldock Country Market Every Friday morning until Christmas - The Victoria pub Sun Street Baldock 9.30am - 12pm

Monkey Music Classes Every Friday classes running from 9.30 at the Baldock Community Centre contact Katherine on 01462 -626735

The Royal British Legion Baldock Branch Third Monday of every month - The Orange Tree Norton Road -7:30pm

Baldock Rotary Club Meets every Wednesday 12.00 for 12.30 (except if 5th Wednesday in month) at Baldock Bowls Club West Ave, Baldock. Contact Paul Redwood 01462 835795

The Arts Society North Herts Lecture Friday 5th March 2020 at our new venue, Broadway Cinema and Theatre, Eastcheap, Letchworth. 11.0012.15 ( no afternoon lecture). Lift Access - Visitors £7.00 www.theartssocietynorthherts.org.uk

The Back to School Quiz Friday 6th March. Knights Templar School hall. Doors 7.30pm. 1st 'Subject' 8pm. Bar.Teams 4-6 £4 each.

Forms from Community Centre Baldock or contact lisa.gascoine@btinternet.com

Ashwell's Famous Flea Market Saturday 7th March, 9.30am - 1.00pm in the 14th century church of St Mary's, Ashwell. Many weird & wonderful items for sale at rock bottom prices. Free entry, all proceeds go to the church restoration fund.

Refreshments available

BALGA Quiz Night Saturday 7th March 7.30pm at St Mary's Church Hall, Church Street, Baldock. Popular local quizmaster, Pete Dilley. Tickets are £6 per person and available from Baldock Community Centre or from the BALGA members' shop every Sunday 10am-12pm. There will be snacks on tables and a pay bar. Prize for the winning team and raffle. For more information visit www.balga-online.co.uk.

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Young at Heart club Wednesday 11th March, 2-4pm, Baldock Community Centre. A chance for older members of our community to meet for a chat & a cuppa. Held every second Wednesday in the month. Call Karen on 01462 895572 if you would like more information.

Weston Concerts - Presents Sean Shibe Saturday 14th March 7.30pm Guitar - Gubaodulina, Bach & Fennessey followed by discussion with Sean chaired by John Taylor. Weston Parish Church SG4 7DJ Book tickets felicitylowe@yahoo.co.uk If you would like to have your event included FREE in the next issue please email us at info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk by 17th March 2020

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MARCH

2020

MARCH MOVIES MARCH 6th - ONWARD Set in a fantastical world, where the populace once had magic, two teenage elf brothers, Ian and Barley Lightfoot, receive a wizard's staff as a prearranged gift from their father, who died before Ian was born and when Barley was too young to remember him. The staff came with a spell that will bring him back for only 24 hours, so his sons can meet him. This causes the brothers to go on a quest for a way to bring back their father before the time is up.

MARCH 6th - ESCAPE FROM PRETORIA Based on the extraordinary true story of Tim Jenkin and Stephen Lee’s real-life prison break back in 1979.

Imprisoned on charges of "producing and distributing 18 different pamphlets on behalf of banned organisations" (including the ANC) during the apartheid era. The two white South Africans along with other prisoners, hatched a plot to break out of the notorious white man's `Robben Island', Pretoria Prison Pretoria

MARCH 13th - THE WAY BACK A widowed, former basketball all-star in a struggle with addiction and attempts to comeback by becoming the coach of a disparate, ethnically mixed high school basketball team at his alma mater. As the boys start to come together as a team and win, Jack may have finally found a reason to confront the demons that have derailed him. But will it be enough to fill the void, heal the deep wounds of his past, and set him on the road to redemption?

MARCH 13th - MISBEHAVIOUR In 1970,the Miss World competition was the most-watched TV show on the planet with over 100 million viewers.

Claiming that beauty competitions demeaned women, the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement invaded the stage and disrupted the live broadcast of the competition.

When the show resumed, the winner was not the Swedish favourite but Miss Grenada, the first black woman to be crowned Miss World.

MARCH 27th - MULAN When the Emperor of China issues a decree that one man per family must serve in the Imperial Chinese Army to defend the country from Huns, Hua Mulan, the eldest daughter of an honoured warrior, steps in to take the place of her ailing father. Disguised as a man by the name of Hua Jun, she is tested every step of the way and must harness her innermost strength and embrace her true potential. It is an epic journey that will transform her into an honoured warrior.

MARCH 27th - PETER RABBIT 2 After their wedding, Thomas McGregor and Bea are on their honeymoon and Peter Rabbit sees this as an opportunity to run away from home, to the city. There, he befriends a rabbit who is an old friend of Peter's father. He then finds himself drawn into another world, where his mischief is appreciated, but when his family risks everything to come looking for him, Peter must figure out what kind of bunny he wants to be.

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MARCH

2020

HYPNOTHERAPY & ALOPECIA AREATA There are many causes that can affect a person`s hair. The use of hair care products and blow dryers leaves people with dull, dry hair, begging for hydra on, but there are a select few who suffer from hair problems that go beyond a few split ends.

A study was conducted in the Interna onal Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis about the effects of hypnosis in the treatment of Alopecia Areata and the results were proven to be posi ve.

One of a person`s most beau ful quali es, man or woman, is a thick head of hair. It`s definitely undeniable that a full head of hair, as well as many other traits, factors into the general appeal of the opposite sex.

Alopecia Areata is defined as a condi on in which stress causes moderate to severe patches of hair loss on the scalp. Another form of Alopecia, known as Alopecia Universallis, is when complete hair loss affects the sufferer rendering them completely bald with the same side effects as those pa ents going through chemotherapy treatment for cancer. A study was performed to test the effects of hypnosis therapy on those suffering from Alopecia.

Subjects for this study included 28 people with severe Alopecia Areata for whom tradi onal treatment was ineffec ve. Twelve of the 21 par cipants showed significant improvement.

This included 4 par cipants who had complete hair loss. Along with hypnosis therapy for hair re-growth, the par cipants were given therapy to help reduce stress. Details of exactly what procedures of hypnosis therapy were u lized were not divulged. Because Alopecia Areata is said to be caused by an elevated level of stress, exercises to reduce stress would have been beneficiary as well. All subjects who showed a significant improvement also noted a change in their stress level, anxiety, and a decreased level of depression.

The end result of this study showed that not only is hypnotherapy beneficial for those suffering from hair loss, but it can even improve the pa ents` condi ons both physically and mentally.

Many people can iden fy that an increased level of stress can cause a higher chance of experiencing hair loss. Other than a physical discomfort, Alopecia Areata doesn`t affect any other parts of a person`s health, but the physical discomfort in a society obsessed with beauty is enough to cause even more severe distress. It`s a vicious circle that, for some, may never truly be healed with tradi onal medicine. This is where hypnotherapy comes in.

Hypnotherapy is a holis c form of medicine that has been proven to show great improvements to a person`s health both from the inside and out.

Kim Holloway – www.total-therapy.co.uk MARCH

2020

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Baldock Gardens

By Graham Tapp

March 2020.

The planting season is well underway, and gardens are now on most people's minds, from the smallest to the most extensive garden they need planning, and some careful thinking, well at least trying to get the right plants in the right place.

There are a lot of confusing words, names, descriptions and terminology.

This month I thought I would try and explain some of them. I will try and clear the mystery so you will be able to shop with a bit more confidence. You will be able to ask questions at garden centres without feeling unsure or frightened to ask. I see many potential customers looking at plants, picking them up, putting them down, walking around going back to the same plant. Picking it up time and time again rereading the label and then putting it down again.

My industry, in general, is not good at using suitable signage that is informative about a plant in a pot or plants on a sales bench for the public to purchase.

In our trade, a landscaper buying for a client, or me purchasing for the garden centre will know what the plant is and its place in the garden. A pictorial label will be ok. I doubt many people have a clue what a Dutch-style label is telling them, lots of numbers and strange shapes, it's very confusing.

We are now starting to print our own bed cards and more significant signs to describe in words what it is and what it does, good photographs help. Importantly giving the relevant information such as the soil it will grow in, temperatures it will cope with, where it should be planted and care instructions. Specialist instructions such as, how to prune, when to prune, when not to prune etc.

Labels should also include that it is a Perennial, Annual, half-hardy annual, tree, shrub etc.

So, let's look at some of them.

Annuals, these are plants that grow from seeds they complete their whole life cycle in one year, the entire plant then dies. The seeds produced are all that is left, they are sown the next year, and it all starts again.

Hardy annuals are as described above, they can be sown outside in March to April when the soil is warm enough.

Half-hardy annuals require sowing undercover, in a greenhouse or on a windowsill, a minimum of 13 degrees C is required, they are transplanted into their final growing place as soon as all frosts are gone. Half-hardy are the ones to grow as they are usually showier than the hardy types.

Biennials grow for two years; they grow for the first year but do not flower. Year two they will increase in size and bloom, then like the annuals, they will die. Grow these every year to give a flower cover.

Perennials are in simple terms, plants that live for many years, flowering every year.

Some will not flower in the first year, most will.

Herbaceous perennials die back to ground level every autumn giving them protection from the bad weather. The fact that the top dies off also gives them a chance to rid themselves of pests and diseases.

Woody perennials are different, they still go into a dormant period just as the Herbaceous types. They do not die back to ground level as winter approaches. These are the trees and shrubs.

Trees are herbaceous plants that have woody trunks with branches. They can live for many years; herbaceous perennials only live a comparatively short time. They also lose their leaf canopy in winter. Evergreen Trees do not lose their leaf canopy over winter but drop leaves slowly all year round. I very often get customers asking what could be wrong with their evergreen tree or shrub? Usually, when we have had a calm period of weather with no wind, and they have seen the leaves dropping and pilling up underneath, holly trees are the usual suspect. The tree drops one and grows one, usually in a way you wouldn't normally see.

Shrubby herbaceous plants are medium-

St Johns

Tapps, The Baldock Garden Centre

sized and woody, but unlike trees, they have multiple stems arising from near the ground. Like trees, they also have a dormant period over winter.

Ferns are flowerless feathery plants that have fronds. Unlike most other plants they reproduce by spores, these are released from the underside of the fronds.

Ferns will usually need shade and damp to grow. Shade is regarded as being an area that has less than five hours of direct sunshine a day.

Herbs are any edible plant that has leaves, seeds or flowers that can be eaten used to flavour drinks and food. Some herbs have medicinal benefits, most can be used in perfumes and skincare.

Botanicals, if you drink? Especially Gin, you will have undoubtedly encountered botanicals. They are any part of a plant that will safely add flavour or scent to drinks or food, herbs are a subset of botanicals.

Vegetables are defined as any part of a plant that can be eaten; tomatoes are technically fruits but generally regarded as vegetables.

Fruit, from a botanical point of view, is the seed-bearing part of the plant that develops from the ovary of a flower.

Usually forming a fleshy body around it that protects the seed, for example, apples and pears.

I could go on, but I've run out of space for this month, to be continued in the next issue.

Enjoy your gardening

Cheers Graham

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2020

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MARCH

2020

HOW TO MANAGE PERSISTENT PAIN Many people live with persistent pain and find it difficult to manage. but there are a number of things you can do to help yourself, depending on the type of pain and the other symptoms you are living with.

Dwelling on your symptoms and how they make you feel emo onally can lower your mood and make the pain seem worse.

Conversely, inten onally focusing your mind on other things can posi vely influence the way in which your body copes with pain – reading, watching tv or cha ng with a friend.

This simple breathing exercise can help to ease tension in the upper body, may decrease your blood pressure and help reduce muscle tension.

1. Lie down or sit comfortably in a chair.

Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and relax. Make sure that your shoulders are relaxed.

2. Place one hand on your chest and the other over your bellybu on. Breathe gently and slowly and no ce how your hands rise and fall. Tension in your upper chest will make this area move more. Try to keep this movement to a minimum. Instead, you should feel your bellybu on raise when you breathe in, and fall when you breathe out.

3. Breathe in deeply and slowly for a count of four and then hold your breath for one second, before breathing out over a count of four.

Breathing in through your nose and breathing out through your mouth helps.

4. As you breathe out, listen to the sound of your breath and feel the tension in your body reduce.

Prac ce deep breathing for a few minutes every day.

Try this before going to sleep in bed at night to help you sleep.

Reducing tension in the body is beneficial for many reasons. Finding the cause of persistent pain and the root cause is very important. An Osteopath is trained to assess the whole skeleton and to iden fy the cause. Ridding yourself of pain or reducing it can be a gamechanger for many people.

Baldock Rotary Donates Debrillator Baldock Rotary Club con nued its programme of dona ng defibrillators to the community by dona ng its latest one, the fi h, to Sto old. It will be located at the Kings Bap st Church, The Green, Sto old.

Prue Dixon, President of Baldock Rotary said, “One of Rotary's objec ves is to give something back to the community, which is why Baldock Rotary Club is very happy to donate this defibrillator to the community of Sto old”.

Alan Cooper, Mayor of Sto old Town Council, accep ng the dona on said “it is my pleasure today to recognise and receive this very generous gi of another defibrillator from Rotary. On behalf of both the Town Council and Sto old residents we thank Baldock Rotary Club wholeheartedly for this poten ally life-giving device, even though we hope it will be rarely, if ever required. Our thanks also go to the Kings Bap st church who, as part of

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their philosophy of reaching out to the wider community, have allowed it to be a ached to their building in such a prominent and strategic posi on to the northern end of our town. I hand it over to them as worthy custodians of the defibrillator.

Theo Clark on behalf of Kings Bap st Church, said “we are very pleased to play our part in this excellent facility for the benefit of the people of Sto old”.

This is just one example of Rotary suppor ng the local community. If you or your community ac vity has a project that would benefit from support from Baldock Rotary, please let us know by sending an e-mail to our Community Services Chairman, John Wright at jfw123@b nternet.com.

Baldock Rotary is looking to a ract new members, so if you are the type of person who is able to “give something back” to the Community, we would love to hear from you. If you are interested in any aspect of what Rotary has to offer please contact us on our website, address below, or contact our Membership Secretary, Paul Redwood, tel. no. 07999 350990, e-mail paul49redwood@gmail.com Rotarian - Paul Lucke

'Act now don't wait'

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SUCCESS Two community groups were awarded funding at a mee ng of North Her ordshire District Council's (NHDC's) Baldock and District Commi ee last month (27 January) subject to comple on of the necessary formali es.

The Commi ee awarded nearly £2000 to projects that will benefit the local community.

Baldock Town Youth Football Club received a grant of £1,250. This will go towards the cost of the cost of kit, equipment including new goals, balls, training bibs, cones, and the purchase of gazebos for use at tournaments and fundraising events.

Baldock Town Youth Football Club has been opera ng since 1988 and is made up of 5 Volunteer Commi ee Members and over 24 unpaid volunteers. The Club has teams from under 5s to Under 18s and more than 250 players.

Ashwell Playgroup was also awarded a grant of £700 to assist with the cost of

annual venue hire and publicity costs.

Ashwell Playgroup is a registered charity and has been opera ng since 1975. The group currently provides provision for 18 children with children on average a ending two sessions a week.

The group is looking to use publicity to increase its numbers to 20 children per session and have extended their opening hours to five mornings per week, which includes op ons for an early drop off from 8am and a endance at the playgroup's lunch club. Currently all the children at the playgroup are residents of Ashwell but the group is keen to a ract new members from Baldock and the surrounding villages.

Cllr Val Shanley, NHDC's Baldock & District Commi ee Chair said: "We are pleased to be able support these local community groups and look forward to hearing how the projects develop”.

St Mary's Church Consultation Thank you to everyone who took part in our community consulta on about the vision for the St Mary's Church building. There were 675 responses and, with each person having three votes, there were a li le over 2,000 votes cast in all. We were really gra fied with the large number who clearly thought deeply about their answers.

The responses were fascina ng. You

may remember that we took it as read that Chris an Worship was the most important purpose for the building.

However, of the responses, over a quarter (27%) felt 'Tradi on and Heritage' were most important, whilst just under a quarter (24%) voted for 'Mul -purpose and Community Use' and 22% felt it was important the building was 'A Comfortable Place to be for All Ages'.

Then there was a biggish drop down to 'Bap sms, Weddings and Funerals' (13%) and 'Accessibility and Visibility' (11%).

But for us, one of the most interes ng findings was that less than 5% felt the building should be 'Unchanging'.

We are now beginning to use this informa on to draw up a one sentence vision for the church building which will inform decisions we take about the interior of the building in a few years' me, when we have finished restoring the roof.

The jury is s ll out about the evidence this survey implies but perhaps it reaffirms our emphasis that whilst tradi on and heritage are extremely important in the minds and hearts of the people of Baldock, the building needs to be versa le enough and comfortable enough to enable a range of community ac vi es to happen.

Perhaps it also says something about tradi on and heritage being a living experience. Perhaps people want the building to be a link with the history of the town to enable them to feel rooted, but that does not mean it needs to be an unchanging monument to the past. What do you think?

Issue 43 April 2018

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

COPY DEADLINE for the April issue is 16th March MARCH

2020

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Regular maintenance Garden Make-overs Jungles tamed Patios Fencing Turng Planting Articial grass Decking Driveways Pressure washing of patios and drives

All Gd at Hartsfield The Spring term started with a visit from Ofsted, whose role is to make sure that we provide a high standard of educa on and care for our children. We are very pleased that under a new inspec on framework, the overall outcome of their findings was that Hartsfield 'con nues to be a good school'. The inspector told Mrs Smith our Headteacher, at the conclusion of the inspec on, that we had many areas of considerable strength and it is Mrs Smith's inten on to con nue to drive improvements so that our school con nues to offer the very best we can for the children in our care.

Hartsfield were one of only 200 schools across the UK to be awarded the pres gious Primary Science Quality Mark. The PSQM, which takes one year to achieve, is an award scheme designed to celebrate the quality of science teaching and learning in primary schools.

Beth Childs, science coordinator said, 'We are delighted to receive recogni on for our hard work in raising the profile of science at Hartsfield. I would like to thank all staff for their commitment to

delivering the highest quality science curriculum, the parents for suppor ng our science events and most importantly the pupils for their unwavering enthusiasm for all things science!'

At the end of last term, we were pleased to present a cheque for £435.20 to Shane Cole from Feed Up Warm Up. This money, donated by our families following our Christmas produc ons will help Feed Up Warm Up to con nue their work in suppor ng those in need. Thank you to everybody who contributed.

A er months of prepara on, the day eventually arrived this week for our KS2 choir to join 8,000 other children to perform in the Young Voices concert, becoming part of the largest school choir in the world! It was very exci ng to sing at the O2 with professional singers, dancers and even Tony Hadley!! It was a long day but full of adventure and exhilara on as we joined together as a massed choir with schools from around the country. What a fantas c day that was!

Big Schools' Birdwatch saw our Nature Ci zens set up a week of bird ac vi es for all classes. Our bird watching zone included bird feeders, a birdbath and a temporary hiding place to help us observe our feathery friends. Talks were given by our KS2 Nature Ci zens to the KS1 and EYFS classes on how to a ract birds and look a er them. Then binoculars at the ready, the classes went out in turn to do the Big Count. Results were submi ed to the RSPB online in each class. Apart from the excitement of spo ng and iden fying different birds, this learning opportunity allowed us to all to become ci zen scien sts by collec ng and contribu ng data towards the important work of protec ng our bird popula on.

Some Year 5 children took part in an inter schools Primary Maths Challenge, giving them the opportunity to answer some very tricky maths problems whilst demonstra ng their ability to work as a team against other schools in the local area. It was a compe on well fought and we look forward to the next round/and we look forward to compe ng again next year.

Weston Primary & Nursery School Our Recep on & Nursery Class spent the week leading up to Australia Day learning all about Australia, in par cular Australian animals and how they are being affected by the bush fires.

They learnt what marsupials and mammals are. They made Christmas fairy bread, a food Australian children and adults indulge in at Christmas me. They designed their own aboriginal art work based on the koala, using various tool including straws, doweling, pencil ends and paint brush ends. They finished the week coming into school, wearing colours from the Australian flag and bringing a pound to donate to the animals suffering in Australia.

We would like to thank all of the families that came into our class, dona ng more money, purchasing art work, such as clay animals.

All of the money raised, £100, has been donated to the World Wildlife Fund, Koala Protector Appeal.

com

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Through Coloured

28

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2020

Slimming Wld Recipe Supplied by

Sandra Lloyd

Gremolata Chicken The herby gremolata topping takes a simple chicken tray bake to a whole new level

Ingredients 3 leeks, sliced 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 3 courgettes, sliced 1 garlic bulb 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves Grated zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, plus 2 tbsp juice Ÿ 12 chicken drumsticks Ÿ 1 tsp cayenne pepper Ÿ 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Method 1. Preheat your oven to 220°C/fan 200°C/gas 7.

2. Arrange the leeks, carrots and courgettes in a very large, non-stick deep-sided baking tray or roasting tin (about 40cm x 30cm). Cut the top off the garlic bulb (like you would with a Halloween pumpkin lid) to reveal the cloves and add the bulb to the tray. Sprinkle over the thyme leaves and add 3 tbsp water and half the lemon juice. Season lightly, mix well and roast for 25 minutes, turning halfway and adding another splash of water if needed.

3. Meanwhile, skin each drumstick by pulling away a bit of skin at the thick end (use kitchen paper to get a good grip) and pulling it off over the bony end. Put the drumsticks in a bowl and sprinkle with the cayenne pepper, remaining lemon juice and a little salt.

4. Give the vegetables a stir and add a splash more water. Nestle the chicken drumsticks among them and roast for a further 35 minutes or until the vegetables are golden and the chicken is cooked through, adding more water if needed. Leave to rest for 5 minutes.

5. Make the gremolata by combining the parsley and lemon zest in a small bowl. Scatter the gremolata over the chicken and veg and serve hot. Delicious with mashed potatoes – or swede mash if you want to keep it suitable for Extra Easy SP Tip: Serve the garlic bulb as a garnish or squeeze the flesh from the cloves, mash well and stir through the vegetables.

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Scrum on Down There are quite a few misconcep ons about the game of Rugby, as with most things, the press tends to only portray the bad and exaggerates the violence and danger associated with the game.

This has the effect of pu ng parents that have never experienced rugby on their guard against the game, and so it's not an op on they consider when thinking of sports for their children.

Grass roots Rugby can offer children so much, especially in the youth game.

Whilst it is true that there is a very real possibility of gaining a few bruises and the odd lacera on, broken bones are rare, and serious injury is even rarer.

Many of the skills they learn on the pitch can help them towards gaining their Duke of Edinburgh award. Teamwork, problem solving, resilience, organisa on skills and voluntary work are all part of

the DoE structure.

Players learn so much about themselves, so many life skills; Respect – For officials, opposi on, coaches, club members and peers Dignity - In defeat and triumph.

Hard work – Whether they are on the pitch for 10 mins or 80, giving it everything they've got is the only way to play.

Rugby has developed its training programme to ease players into the game. The first experience of rugby will be at age 6 where they will learn to play Tag Rugby, this is essen ally an organised game of 'You're It'. Each year another aspect of the game will be introduced un l they will finally learn full contact. At every stage of development, players are coached in a safe, controlled environment.

Players are not only coached in the fine arts of playing, coaches become mentors, players become brothers and sisters, families join a bigger family.

Rugby is a game that is fully diverse and inclusive. It doesn't discriminate and welcomes everyone from any background. Players range from young to old and from all abili es. Whatever your story, Rugby will find a place for anyone.

When you join a Rugby club, you join a family. The Rugby family looks a er its own, they laugh together, cry together and fight together. There is an old saying that it takes a village to raise a child. This is so true of the Rugby family.

If you or your child is 6-16 and would like to come and have a look, talk to our coaches, or get a feel for the environment. Pop up to Letchworth Rugby Club on a Sunday morning, grab a bacon roll and a coffee and have a chat to other parents or club officials. If you are age 17 up, come and see us on a Saturday a ernoon for a beer and a chat while you watch the game.

Letchworth Rugby Club Legends Lane Letchworth (Behind the Leisure Centre)

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It's a Dog's Life I realised the other day that my Doug is nine years old this year, I hadn't realised that he has been a big part of my life for so long. Eddie is coming up for eight. Before you start to wonder, Doug and Eddie are my dogs, my boys.

I find that most folk are normally cat or dog people, I am most definitely a dog person. I grew up with them, my nan always had dogs, Labradors mainly.

Rebel was her dog when I was a small child. My uncle Dave used to make us walk him for miles on a Saturday morning, it always amazed my how much he knew about nature. He could name tress, birds, wildflowers and he would test us as we walked to and from Western, Ashwell and Gravley. When Rebel passed, he was buried at the bo om of the garden with his predecessors. DD (Dave's Dog) quickly replaced him, he was a black lab and absolutely gorgeous, he turned into a huge dog. When DD was quite young my mum came home with Tarry. Her friends' dog had had an unexpected li er and she was giving them away, so we ended up with one of them. The two dogs became the best of friends and were so much fun.

I will never forget the day we met Tarry, My mum came to pick us up from my nans one sunny Saturday and as we walked round the back of our house there was the niest of fluff balls ed to the washing line waging her tail and jumping up and down with excitement. I was so happy. She was thirteen when she le us, I remember clearly taking her to the vets for her last visit when I was twenty-one. The memory s ll makes me sad.

Throughout my adult life I always missed not having a dog about, but with four young children and both of us working it just wasn't going to happen, but even though I was very busy with life, there always was a big dog shaped hole.

I spent about a year looking for a dog, I visited loads of shelters in the hope of finding my boy there, I knew I wanted a boy, and I knew his name was going to be Douglas. I just needed to find a dog to fit me. But sad to say, none of the dogs there caught my heart. At the me, there was a real an Staffy thing going on and the shelters seemed full of them and only them. Now don't get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with a Staffy, they make amazing pets, everyone I've ever met has been kind, loyal and fun but they just aren't for me.

I ended up buying a dog from a 'breeder'. Looking back, I'm quite sure it was a puppy farm. I found this breeder online, whilst searching for Cocker Spaniels and drove to Ely one Saturday morning. It really was stupid of me; I regret enabling this man to con nue his hideous trade and I know now that I should have turned around as soon as I drove through the gates. But I fell into that age-old trap and thought that as I'd driven all this way, I might as well have a look around. I'd taken the girls with me, to keep me sane and keep me from making an impulsive purchase… Big mistake, huge error of judgement (my second that day) They went puppy blind, running about the pens saying “get this one” and “ what about this one”. Ooo's and ahh's filled the air as we walked about.

Then we saw Doug, we all seemed to focus on the same ginger package at the same me. We all fell in love. He was on his own, looking lonely and forlorn, shaking and miserable looking. He looked at us with his big brown needy eyes and we were gone. He's not a Cocker, he is a cross breed, Cocker and Norfolk Terrier. Doug is terrified of thunderstorms and fireworks. He hides under the table shaking and dribbling, he won't be comforted, I've tried all sorts of calming balms and plug in gadgets, but it doesn't help him. He is

also allergic to dust mites so every now and then his skin become itchy and sore.

Some mes he is a complete mess, but we love him and try to help him through the bad stuff as best we can.

Then came Eddie. A year a er Doug came into our lives, my daughter in law to be said she wanted to get another dog to keep Doug company. A er much thought I agreed. Eddie is a Spoodle (Springer Spaniel Poodle cross. He is mental, absolutely crazy stupid. He will jump from one side of the room aiming for the sofa and end up diving headfirst into the arm of the chair. We were told that because of the poodle in him, he wouldn't moult. What u er rubbish that was. If we let his hair get too long, we end up with great big black hair bunnies blowing across the Living room floor. His hair growth rate is phenomenal. He is so full of energy and life, Doug has trouble keeping up, but they are brothers and I can see that when Doug is upset, Eddie is there looking over him.

They are both really good-tempered dogs, but there are rare occasions when Eddie takes a dislike to other dogs on our walks and has a go at them for no other reason than because they dared to look at him or Doug a bit funny. I guess dogs are the same as us in that you can't like everyone, most of the me he is very happy to say hello to the other dogs and their families.

If I am lucky, I will have another four or five years with them and although some mes they are a pain in the arse, I love them dearly. They are just like the kids really but be er. They never back chat me or ask for money. I don't have to pick their drunken selves up from Baldock or Hitchin at three in the morning or wash their clothes. If only the kids were content with a walk and a ckle under the chin how much easier would life be.

Nicky

MARCH

2020

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Looking After YourCarry MostTech in Important Valuables Comfort with the - Vodafone V-Multi Tracker Mini

28 L Backpack

I've tried a few different tracking devices over the past couple of years and in the main, they do work, but only you or another user of the same device happens to be within Bluetooth range of the device.

The Vodafone V-Mul Tracker Mini takes this to a whole new level by embedding Bluetooth and 3 different loca on tracking technologies to pinpoint its exact loca on in real- me (subject to the network coverage).

The tracker is a small device at only 39mm wide and 12mm high, but it packs GPS, WiFi and Cellular technologies, combining these three gives a very accurate loca on using Satellites, WiFi hot spots and cell tower triangula on.

The device then communicates via the Vodafone network to an assistant App on your iPhone or Android device, showing the loca on on a map.

The tracker is water-resistant to 1m for 30 minutes and comes with a carry pouch, hard-case and clip. Along with carabiner, magne c USB charge cable and built-in Sim. It can be a ached to a key-ring, hung around your neck, clipped to a bag or coat or carried in your pocket.

The tracker is small enough to give to your child or elderly friend or rela ve and give you confidence that they are safe when out and about. You can also set the app to warn you if the tracker goes out of Bluetooth range of your smartphone.

It

has a handy S-O-S bu on on the top which can be set to no fy the App or send an email if the owner gets into difficul es and send the GPS coordinates of the device.

Ba ery life is around 2 days, but it pays to keep an eye on the ba ery status via the app if you are planning a long journey to ensure it keeps coverage over that me.

There are also useful warnings that can be set to warn if the device has gone over a set speed in the app. A great way to keep on something special that goes over a certain speed.

The tracker is powered by the Vodafone network, so it is required to have a data

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plan, however, the monthly cost is £2 and Vodafone have given a price-promise which stops unexpected charges occurring and you are currently covered when abroad in most European countries under the current roaming agreements.

When you first purchase the tracker, it will need charging to full before use, but you can take this opportunity to give it me to acquire satellites and pair with your mobile devices. You will also need to register it with Vodafone to enable the cellular data connec on. The app is great and you can view a history of the posi on of the device which is plo ed on a map on your mobile.

It's a very useful li le device with a massive range of poten al uses to keep track of your gadgets and technology and to keep loved ones safe and sound. The data plan is very cheap at £2 per month and is really affordable. I purchased the device on a special offer at half price, currently, however, it is selling at the full price of around £45. It might seem expensive, but being able to track down property that might go missing is worth the upfront expense in my opinion.

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Useful numbers Advice Citizen’s Advice Bureau Trading Standards Advice Samaritans

03444 111444 0300 300 8136 116 123

Councils North Hertfordshire District

01462 474000

Doctors Baldock Surgery

01462 892458

Dentist Victoria Place Dental Surgery

01763 313869

Emergency Utilities Gas Emergency Electric power cut

0800 111 999 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

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 03457 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

07709 618434 01462 896322

Plumbers Maben PE James

07949 120911 07816 586777

Window & Door repairs JML Windows Repairs Warrens Windows

01438 906300 01462 261401

Florist Blooms of Baldock

07747 195325

Barbers Micks of Baldock

01462 895002

Locksmith Lock and Glaze

07737885528

Mobile Hair Dresser Hair By Jacqui

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Funeral Directors Shires - CPJ Field Baldock

01462 491149

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Mco Tim Felce Please send your local snaps new or old to our facebook page or email info@onourdoorstepbaldock.co.uk

March Gallery

Local wildlife, amazing shot from Maciej Piętowski One of the lucky youngsters at Weston Way Nursery, when the owls visited in February

Chilly morning at Radwell Village.

Matthew Bartlett

A great shot from this years Baldock Beast - Jo Tofts

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AND VIEW THE FULL RANGE OF OUR PRODUCTS

Come along and view our full range of products on display in our new show room.

Kindlelight’s friendly staff will be on hand to assist with any queries. Everyone is welcome.

Ample parking and refreshments available.