St Albans Times issue 43 by stalbanstimes

ST ALBANS TIMES INDEPENDENT, INSIGHTFUL, INFORMATIVE LOCAL NEWS SANDRIDGE RENAISSANCE

COUNCIL FACES HUGE BUDGET GAP

WHAT A CRACKER! PICTURE SPECIAL FROM THE FIRST MAJOR EVENT OF THE FESTIVE SEASON COVERING HARPENDEN, REDBOURN, WHEATHAMPSTEAD AND THE COLNEYS

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Editor's Note

Highlights 4-6 Council budget 8-10 Redbourn in Bloom 16-19 Sandridge 26-27 Interiors 29-31 Restaurant review 32-33 Family 36-38 Wine 40-41 Food 42 City Diary 43 Nostalgia

Redbourn in Bloom volunteers on a stall at Redbourn Fun Day in July. See story in this week’s issue. Early issues of the St Albans Times provided an unparalleled insight into the budget crisis faced by the district council at the beginning of the year, and the grim necessity for some tough decisions by the administration. Now less than a year on we find ourselves once again fearing the worst, with a huge shortfall in revenue contributing to a budget gap of an estimated £2.95m. Although some initial savings have been identified, they have yet to be approved and the total saved really only scrapes the surface of what is required. The impact of the long delays to Jubilee Square are wreaking havoc on SADC finances, and yet the project still shows no signs of reaching completion, despite the handful of contractors occasionally spotted milling around on the site. Of course financial strains aren’t unique to St Albans district council, but are felt across the country, and any hopes that the Chancellor’s autumn statement might have gone some way to alleviate that hardship proved false. Still, at least it offered much-needed support to our beleaguered hospitality industry, with news that the Chancellor has committed to a 75% discount on business rates for 2024/25, so it’s not all bad news...

MATT ADAMS Editor

71 Feelings Forum 81-85 Sport

This issue's contributors include: Jon Wilson Cooper, Laura Bill, Darren McCabe, Emma Kosh, Luke Murray, Karen Snook, Eris. Front page photo: John Andrews Published by St Albans Media Partnership Ltd. The St Albans Times and its journalists are committed to abiding by the Editors' Code of Practice. If you have any complaints about the content of this magazine, please email editor@stalbanstimes.co.uk.

District council faces budget gap of £2.9m for next financial year Is the district council’s cash crisis even worse than we

Turning specifically to SADC, and the budget for

previously imagined?

2023/24, she said the latest forecast for the current

New details surrounding SADC’s finances have emerged

financial year is an overspend of £900,000 as published

in the agenda notes for a meeting of the strategy and

in a report to the November strategy and resources

resources committee.

committee.

According to these notes, SADC has a budget gap of

“This is down from the September forecast of

£2.95m in 2024/25, caused by various factors including a

£1,056,000, due to a concerted effort across the council

loss of anticipated revenue from the long-overdue

to reduce spending.

Jubilee Square project.

“We are continuing with this effort and expect to further

Internal budget saving meetings have worked out how to

reduce the overspend forecast.

save £1,448,000 by increasing prices and unidentified

“We had expected to receive £640,000 in rental income

“income opportunities”, plus cost savings and

from Jubilee Square’s commercial space. The building

efficiencies. What service cuts are being considered have

has not been completed yet and our budget planning

yet to be disclosed, but something drastic is surely

now takes account of this.”

required to make up the £1,502,000 shortfall?

But what of next year?

We asked Suzanne Jones, SADC strategic director for

“The budget gap for the financial year 2024/25 is

customer, business and corporate support, to explain the

currently estimated at £2.9 million. It is only an estimate

situation and elaborate on the next steps to be taken.

as there is uncertainty over the impact of inflation, pay

She said: “Like many other councils, we are faced with a

agreements and Government funding.

challenging financial climate which has included high

"The report to the November meeting of the strategy and

inflation at time when demand for services has been

resources committee outlines options to be considered to

rising. This is making it increasingly difficult to fulfil our

reduce the budget gap by £1,448,000. The report is clear

statutory duty of producing a balanced budget where

that there is still work to be done to identify further

spending is matched by income and appropriate use of

savings or income gains.”

reserves.

SADC is now working to a published timetable for setting

“The District Councils’ Network, which represents 167

the 2024/25 budget. This month, councillors on the four

local authorities, recently highlighted this nationwide

service and scrutiny committees have been looking at the

issue in a survey.

overall situation, Suzanne explained.

“Its research predicted a total budget shortfall of district

“Next month, the Government is due to publish the

councils around the country of £550m in 2023/24 and of

Provisional Local Government Finance Settlement and

£610 million in 2024-25.”

we will discover what funding we will actually receive.

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“This will provide greater clarity for our forward planning,” she said. “In the New Year, committees are scheduled to agree their budget proposals with the strategy and resources committee putting forward the final proposals to the February meeting of the Full Council. “Full Council then has to agree a balanced budget, the Council Tax precept and rent increase for our social housing properties.” Last year’s measures included closing Abbey View Golf Course, charging residents to visit Verulamium Museum (pictured) and raising car parking charges. Quite what will be on the agenda in order to balance next year’s budget remains uncertain, but councillors on the ruling Liberal Democrat administration could be left with a bitter pill to swallow.

Redbourn wins three national Britain in Bloom awards Redbourn villagers are celebrating scooping three top

As a result, Anglia in Bloom put Redbourn forward into

awards in the annual Britain in Bloom competition.

the finals of Britain in Bloom 2023, the first time they

The accolades were Gold in the Best Small Town

had been entered into the national competition.

category, a Certificate of Achievement in the Young

Pat said: "We were absolutely delighted to win not only

People's category for St Luke's School, and a

Gold and Best Small Town in Anglia again, but the same

Community Champion award for Redbourn in Bloom's

in Britain in Bloom!

Pat Schofield.

"I think the factors that helped us win included the

Run entirely by volunteers, Redbourn in Bloom was

colourful and well-maintained planters and hanging

founded in 1999 as part of the village's Millennium

baskets throughout the High Street area, the attractive

celebrations, and since then has held biennial Open

frontages of many of the residential and business

Gardens Weekends and entered the annual Anglia in

properties around the village, the absence of weeds, litter

Bloom Campaign. In 2002 they took on the organising of

and graffiti and well cared-for street furniture.

the Redbourn Horticultural Show, and in 2006 became

"There's also great community involvement, with many

the Redbourn in Bloom Horticultural Society. This event

groups and individual volunteers involved in making

has now become the Grand Autumn Show.

Redbourn a charming and attractive place in which to

They first entered the regional Anglia in Bloom

work, live and visit, including close working partnerships

Competition in 2000, and have been entering almost

with the parish council, schools and other village

every year ever since, winning gold several times,

organisations."

including last year when they received both Gold and

The judges said Redbourn is "embracing its past but with

Best Small Town.

its eyes firmly on the future…. Redbourn in Bloom is

facing the challenges of a changing climate coupled with an aging demographic head-on" and is aiming to "create an environment for the children, adults and wildlife of our village which is fit for the future", with examples including more sustainable planting, the use of peat-free compost, and working closely with the newlyformed Wild About Redbourn. Pat said the awards mean everything to villagers: "The support we receive from local residents, and the appreciative comments we receive in the village and on local social media are evidence of how much our efforts and our recent win are valued. One post on Redbourn Community Network sums it up: 'Congratulations and many thanks in making our village look so amazing. You bring many a smile to many people who live in the village and also to visitors'." Despite having been involved with Redbourn in Bloom since its inception, she was surprised to be singled out for individual praise: "I was very surprised and honoured to receive a trophy as one of 13 Community Champions from Britain in Bloom. I really enjoy our "In Bloom" activities in the village, but it is truly a team effort, and these awards make all our hard work worthwhile."

Redbourn in Bloom committee members Terry Hunt, Mike Thain, Meirion Anderson, Pat Schofield and Victoria Mead at the Britain in Bloom presentation in London.

Commemorative planting marks garden restoration The planting of a commemorative rose and tree

‘Love tree’ and ‘Super Trouper’ rose bush in the Civic

marked the end of the first phase in the restoration of

Centre Rose Garden.

previously-neglected city centre gardens.

"A huge thank you to local resident and horticulturalist

As revealed in the St Albans Times, an ongoing initiative

Christine Graves who expressed an interest in revitalising

aims to restore St Albans’ Civic Rose Garden with the aim

this garden earlier this year as part of a chance meeting

of creating an open space which can be enjoyed by

with me. Through her drive and determination, she has

residents all year round while also bringing additional

pulled together a wonderful team of volunteers who have

biodiversity to the area.

been out numerous times in the rain or shine to make

The garden, which is situated to the north of the Civic

this a beautiful sanctuary.

Centre and behind the buildings on the east side of St

"So many enthusiastic and highly knowledgeable people

Peter’s Street, fell into decline over the last few years with

have worked together to make this happen over the last

many flower beds empty and overgrown with weeds.

year and it was brilliant to have celebrated this with the

Since the spring a group of volunteers led by Christine

planting of the rose and the tree to mark the Coronation

Graves, a retired garden designer, have been working in

of King Charles III. I hope that all our great great

cooperation with SADC and council contractors John

grandchildren will sit under it and enjoy it for many

O'Connor to improve the garden, including weeding and

decades. Thanks for inviting me to plant these additions,

planting beds with a variety of perennial plants, spring

it was a very special thing to do, and I look forward to

bulbs and 20 new roses donated by Rochfords of

walking past them from time to time and speaking to

Hertford.

them, giving them some encouraging words to grow

On Sunday the deputy Mayor of St Albans, Cllr Josie

strong and flourish."

Madoc - who helped launch the project - visited the Civic

Project spokesperson Sarah Gooden added: "Cllr Madoc’s

Rose Garden to plant a rose and a Judas tree, marking the

support and assistance early in the year was crucial in

end of this phase but the garden will be maintained over

making this project possible so it was lovely to have her

the winter and further plans are being discussed for the

visit the garden and officially mark the completion of the

future of the garden.

first phase."

Cllr Madoc said: "As the saying goes, ‘the true meaning of

Anyone who would like to get involved or to donate

life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect

plants can get in touch via

to sit.’ And on this note, I was delighted to have planted a

garden.restoration@gmail.com

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SPECIAL PRESSIES TO MAKE YOUR FAVOURITE PEOPLE SMILE THIS SEASON “I love the friendliness of being in Christopher Place. We have many lovely customers who come back time and time again.”

Tanya Morgan, of popup shop Mish Mash, explains why she loves coming back every Christmas.

Looking for a gorgeous artsy boutique full of those perfect ‘wow’ gifts that scream thought and effort? Mish Mash might just be your favourite Christmas shopping go-to this year. From the minute you step foot inside the pop-up shop in Christopher Place you will be inspired by special pressies that will make your favourite people smile when the wrapping paper comes off. Whether they are into dinosaurs, elephants, knitted mice, scarves, bags, unusual jewellery, colourful puppets or quirky salt and pepper shakers there is something for everybody. Founder and owner Tanya Morgan, who attended St Albans Arts College before studying fashion at Central St Martin’s London in 1981, is back for a third year and is enjoying seeing both regular faces and meeting new customers. She is an extraordinarily talented woman and casually told me that she makes many of the fabulous things she sells – including the decorative wall animal heads and Christmas cards – throughout the year when she isn’t running the pop-up shop. “I am so happy to be back – I get such a fantastic response and have been really busy so far.” Tanya’s shop is the accumulation of a lot of passion and hard work. She has no online presence and relishes the face-toface interactions Mish Mash has for a few months each year over the festive season. She said: “I love being here. I love colourful and handmade items. I love the friendliness of being in Christopher Place. We have many lovely customers who come back time and time again.” Everything has been carefully sourced and many have their own story such as the felt tree decorations made in Nepal and the recycled aluminium elephants from India, both fairly traded. The heads she makes are wonderfully quirky and you can see the skill involved. I am loving the gold moose (note to husband) but you must pop in and see the full range, they are sure to become a talking point with visitors. For those who want to get hands-on themselves, there is a wide range of craft-making gifts. Imagine making your own llama on Boxing Day! What really strikes me is that there are gifts to suit every budget, from work’s Secret Santa to your mother-in-law who already has everything she could possibly ever want. And for those parents sick of bright plastic items and toys that hurt when you tread on them after a few glasses of mulled wine, what could be better than a knitted rabbit or lion made by The Puppet Company? (They do also have the ever-popular hand puppets – I adore the stripey legged one with the crazy hair - all made just down the road in Hitchin.) Or you could encourage your little ones to save with the stunning giraffe money boxes. Tanya said: “I will be here until January – so do come in and say hi and have a look at what is new! I can’t wait to see you!”

Open Mondays to Saturdays 10.30am-5pm, Sundays 11am-4pm.

‘I WAITED IN ANTICIPATION FOR MY DAUGHTER’S FIRST WORDS BUT THEY NEVER CAME’

Sian Thomas and daughter Aida. The notion of parents as experts when it comes to their children is well known in the SEN community so it is perhaps not surprising that a St Albans mum wanted to go even further to help her daughter by qualifying as a speech and language therapist. When Sian Thomas faced unanswered questions around how to help daughter Aida with her speech she remarkably embarked on a two-year long Masters of Science course alongside the rest of her already busy life, in order to better support her.

She said: “Singing, dancing and acting has always been a passion of mine. Having completed a musical theatre diploma and drama degree, I previously worked with children, running various childhood development classes and supporting children with additional needs through drama.” “When Aida was born in 2016, as she grew beautifully, I followed all the developmental milestones and she was meeting them all - all accept first words. I waited in anticipation but they never came.”

Sian said that she spent hours self-studying various reasons for delayed speech and then tried to access a speech and language therapy service which had a substantial waiting list. Then Covid struck and after having waited such a long time, Aida only had four online sessions before being put back on another waiting list. “I wasn’t getting the answers I needed. Aida was soon to start school and she couldn’t yet say her own name.”

The 35-year old mum-of-two began taking Aida to private speech and language therapy and Aida was diagnosed with severe neurological motor speech disorder Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia. Although Sian was learning as much as she could from browsing the internet she felt she needed more. So she started a Masters in Speech and Language Therapy at City University of London on the day Aida started reception! She said: “It was the hardest two years of my life. “A solo parent of two, I had to constantly ensure the right provisions were in place at school to support her complex needs, whilst studying and working part-time. I was completely burnt out. “I lost count of the amount of times I claimed I couldn’t do it throughout those two years, but Aida was always the driving force that kept me going, alongside my son’s constant

cheerleading. He would say to me ‘You’ve got this mummy!’ and I did keep going. “I would think about how desperate Aida is to communicate but has a neurological difference that prevents her producing the correct speech sounds needed to communicate verbally. “I’d remind myself how much I wanted to learn everything I possibly could about the thing she struggles with the most and gain the knowledge needed to support my child and other families just like my own. “Nothing was going to stop me from achieving my goal and this summer I completed the course and am now a registered speech and language therapist.” Sian now works part-time for Hertfordshire NHS trust as a paediatric speech and language therapist which she loves. She has also launched Story Box - an interactive storytelling and drama class for children with a special focus on supporting the

development of communication potential through the use of original stories, drama and song. She added: “It was particularly important for me to provide inclusive activities that not only supports child development, but provides opportunities for children with special educational needs to interact with their peers. “So now my days are filled doing what I love the most, and although it’s a long road ahead for Aida, she is making huge improvements every single day. “She uses Makaton sign and symbols to help her communicate and her speech is coming along nicely! “She has a cracking personality and I couldn’t be prouder of the confident, talented young lady she is becoming.” If you would like to find out more about Sian and Aida’s journey go to Instagram: little_red_aida To join a Story Box class visit www.storyboxdrama.com

The Mighty Quinn Singer-songwriter Sinéad Quinn packed out The Horn for a special 20th anniversary gig celebrating her debut album ‘Ready to Run’. She blasted her way through a host of hits including number two smash I Can’t Break Down. Local duo Katie + Juan were the support. Pictures by Michael Lyons Photography.

Emma Kosh is an Interior Designer and award winning Designer on CBBC's The Dengineers. Emma has a passion for creating one of a kind Interiors and Empowering people to celebrate their Uniqueness through design. She joins us to share her thoughts on Home and Interior Style.

OWN I T LI K E EK INTERIORS AND HOME REVAMP BLACK FRIDAY STYLE

Each year our inboxes are packed with offers and discounts for Black Friday. I use it as a good opportunity to have an ‘unsubscribe-a-thon’ but there are some deals to be had especially if you are already in the midst of a redecoration project. Clients of mine have used this time to capitalise on the big discounts saving themselves thousands on the items they would have to purchase as part of a redesign. Instead of taking you through the best places for home decor I have compiled a whole scheme with items I have found discounted showing you how you can change a whole room and the money that can be saved.

guest bedroom scheme

With Christmas on the horizon you may be looking at how you are going to accommodate the relatives and friends you wish to celebrate with. If you are anything like me any spare rooms tend to become a dumping ground so it is time to take control and switch up that study or spare bedroom and make it feel really special.

MURAL- GRAHAM AND BROWN, TABLE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL- MIRROR H&M HOME, PAINT - GRAHAM AND BROWN, VASE- H&M HOME, SOFA BED - SWYFT, LIGHTS- CULT FURNITURE, WARDROBE - DUNELM, FLEECE THROW- THE YORKSHIRE BEDDING COMPANY

I have collated this pink and green scheme of dreams including a sofa bed so you can use the room as extra living space when the guests go home. The best news is at any other time of year this would cost you much more!

INTERIORS AND HOME

OWN IT LIKE EK THE DEALS AND WHERE TO GO

GRAHAM AND BROWN; The beautiful wallpaper mural I chose is called Vintage Tropical Blush Bespoke Mural and is made to size, they have 20% site wide discounts on all paper and paint so there are plenty to choose from.Usually £37 per metre square and now £29.60 The calming a serene paint shades featured are called August and Canvas- again are reduced by 20% from the same site, making a 2.5litre tin £38.40 instead of £48.00- grahamandbrown.co.uk HOUSE BEAUTIFUL MARKETPLACE; The beautiful Lauren square glass table with brass accent can double as a side table/ bedside table dependent on what mode the room is in, it is priced at £131.75 with the 15% discount - buy two one for either side of the sofa/bed. www.housebeautiful.co.uk

H AND M HOME H&M don’t ‘do’ black Friday but they do ‘do’ sales and one happens to be on at the moment! There are lots of lovely things to snap up including the glass vase and asymmetrical mirror I have chosen for the scheme. The vase has a massive 50% off and is now priced at a bargain £17 and the mirror is reduced from £89.99 to £70. Get there before everyone else does -www2.hm.com. SWYFT The sofa pictured is actually a sofa bed making the room multi-purpose and saving the space of having a bed out all the time. This slice of heaven in rose colour is from Swyft, they have some massive reductions and at time of publication are still offering pre-christmas delivery slots. This gorgeous piece is usually £3100 and is currently available for £1600 - I couldn’t be bothered to work out the exact discount but it's dangerously close to half price! www.swyft.co.uk CULT FURNITURE You will need to enter a code at checkout but Cult are offering 30% off and that includes the colourful lights pictured in the scheme, on there own or as a part of cluster they’d look stunning with the mural. They are called Calla globe pendant and the price before the discount is £69. DUNELM The gorgeous green wardrobe is from Dunelm called the Georgi Double Wardrobe - currently £300 with the 30% discount applied. The pink fleece blanket is 50% off from yorkshirebedding.co.uk a bargain from £10.99.

follow me PHOTO OF ME - STEPHANIE BELTON

@own_it_like_ek @ownithome www.ownithome.co.uk www.emmakosh.co.uk

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COMING SOON... Whisky Festival returning to St Albans for a second smash year St Albans businessman Daniel Humphrey, has nearly sold half of the tickets to next year’s Summerton Whisky Festival . After the success of last year’s sold-out festival, The Summerton Whisky Festival is back and runs across two sessions on May 18 at the Lower Red Lion in Fishpool Street. Retailing his full-bottle club subscription has been hard in the run-up to Christmas, with many retailers suffering due to the continued cost-of-living crisis. However, the festival has certainly bucked a trend due to Daniel’s committed members and the local community, who are obviously keen whisky connoisseurs. Daniel (pictured) said: “We have a great line-up of brands that we can all taste on the day, covering Scotch, Irish, American and World whisky, with tickets covering not just entry but also all the great whiskies we will be sampling, including Wolfburn, The Oxford Artisan Distillery and Mackmyra...With over 50 to try, I don't recommend you aim to taste them all.” Tickets include whisky sampling and a tasting glass to take home. Meanwhile, membership of the Summerton Whisky Club continues to grow. “Our next club meet-up is at the Scottish National Whisky Festival in Edinburgh this December,” said Daniel. “It will be the first whisky festival I’ve attended in Scotland and something I’m very much looking forward to.” Summerton Whisky Festival sessions are available either in the afternoon 12noon-4pm or evening, 5-9pm. https://www.summertonclub.com/summerton-whisky-festival2024

IN OTHER NEWS... Save St Albans Pubs reacts to Chancellor's autumn statement Campaign group Save St Albans has welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer's commitment to extending the 75 per cent discount on business rates for 2024/25 in his autumn statement. Sean Hughes, landlord of The Boot and owner of Dylan's, said on behalf of the group: "This is a lifeline for many St Albans pubs and will save an average £12,800 per pub across the country and around £15-20,000 in St Albans. The rates discount will also hugely help all small High Street shops which is essential in this current climate of damaging increasing costs. "The freeze on alcohol duty across the board is welcome and we hope that breweries will do everything in their power to minimise wholesale price increases this year. "We continue to campaign for a fair tax on pubs with levelling up taxation between supermarkets and pubs at the top of our agenda and a total reform of the business rates system."

RESTAURANT REVIEW

BLACKSMITHS ARMS JAMES CAMERON LAMENTS THE LOSS OF THE LEGENDARY PIZZA CONE AT THE CITY CENTRE PUB...

It is possibly slightly unfair to the Blacksmiths Arms, but they were already on the back foot on my recent visit there due to the absence of what had previously been their defining achievement. Two words: Pizza Cone. For those who missed this phenomenon, and who must be kicking themselves now, this was a pizza, wrapped into a cone shape then filled with chips covered in cheese sauce and bacon. I include a photo for informational purpose only, not to rub your nose in it.

Now you could of course still buy a pizza here, with a side order of chips, then wrestle it into some form of workable vessel but I think the effort would outweigh the reward and lead to some curious glances. Instead, I dusted myself down and faced the future by ordering a sharing platter. This was optimistically called the ‘Crowd Pleaser’, but the crowd-satisfier would possibly be nearer the mark. There was a fair range of food on the platter, but nothing that really sang. The centrepiece was a bowl of nachos, these were slightly soggy and with a mere smattering of cheese sauce and burnt ends looked rather forlorn. Around this were a number of beige items including some nicely sticky wings, oddly chewy garlic bread and halloumi skewers that could have done with a bit more coating (and also some actual skewers). Theoretical greenery should have been provided by cucumber slices and dips, but these were inexplicably absent. It wasn’t an unpleasant offering, but there was definitely something of the bowling alley catering about it. For the vegan half of the family there were a range of options, though a number of these potentially had nuts in and we had an allergy in the party. They definitely took this seriously, possibly a bit too seriously. As it’s a mild allergy we are normally happy to take a chance on things where nuts are not an actual ingredient but there is the possibility of cross-contamination but they were having none of it. This left the fake chicken burger as the only option, A decent offering but no different to those that you would find as the vegan option at a number of mid-price eateries across the land. If you are unrestricted by dietary requirements the landscape was much cheerier, with the other vegan burger being the Indian-style ‘Bollywood’, complete with onion bhaji and Bombay sauce. This was a really fun and well balanced dish, although it did suffer structural collapse during consumption. The chips were also to be commended, being crispy and well-seasoned. Absolute star of the show, though, was the kilogram of BBQ Cauliflower Wings that we had to share. These were definitely superior to their chicken brethren, being sweet and sticky with a great level of flavouring that kept you coming back for more (and there was a lot to come back to) without getting overwhelmed. It wasn’t quite at pizza cone levels but it was exactly where the Blacksmiths should be pitching themselves, fun and simple sharing food that goes great with beer and looks vaguely monstrous on arrival.

I think perhaps we visited the Blacksmiths Arms on a bad day. The staff seemed vaguely harassed and were constantly spending their time shooing people off the tables that had been set aside for one of their many bottomless brunch options (and they do look like very enticing options). There was also about an hour wait for the food, which undercuts their cheap and cheerful vibe. It’s very definitely a football pub, so when the game starts and the music stops it becomes difficult to ignore, and if you are in a party where any members have an interest in our national sport you might find the conversation drying up. It’s a lively place, though, with a good selection of beers and some great value deals. Also, if you happen to be out on one of the handful of nice days in the year the garden is superb. It’s rare to find that much space in central St Albans, and they’ve definitely made the most of it with beach-hut style booths in jolly colours, and St Peter’s tower sitting serenely in the background. I have heard from people who have had really positive culinary experiences there, so I would definitely be happy to revisit the Blacksmiths to give them another go as the menu, decor and location are all spot on. If they bring the pizza cone back, of course, I would be there before the menu finishes printing.

Family | Community | St Albans

Karen Snook Family Blogger

www.stalbansmums.com

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Parking officer reveals details of proposals for city centre street More details have emerged about SADC plans to shake-

Under these proposals, the number of parking bays in

up car parking around St Albans city centre.

Lattimore Road will be around 12 places, an additional

An informal consultation currently underway includes

seven spaces from what is currently available.

proposals to remove parking bays and replace single

SADC is also proposing to remove all single yellow lines

yellow lines with doubles in Lattimore Road.

because of various reports of traffic flow issues around

But some residents fear the measures will make traffic

Victoria Street, particularly on a Sunday.

congestion worse in the centre of the road, and speed up

“Victoria Street is a key bus route to and from the city

traffic by the London Road junction.

centre, and is the Highway Authority’s key sustainable

The St Albans Times contacted SADC to clarify their

transport route.

plans for the road ahead of a formal consultation process

“I appreciate this does remove some parking on single

in the New Year.

yellow lines as they would be replaced with double

Parking officer Gary Payne revealed the proposal for

yellows, but the additional seven spaces will be available

Lattimore Road is to provide parking provisions for

all the time whereas the single yellow line option is

residents and improve general highway safety, which

limited.

means changing the current free limited waiting parking

“I should advise that this is an informal public

bays to shared use parking.

consultation, by that I mean we have not put out a formal

“The one-hour period of parking will be available to any

intention to make a Traffic Order.

driver or visitor, but residents or their visitors who

“We can at this stage make some changes to the original

display a permit will not be limited. We are also

proposals within reason. We will gather all the comments

relocating bays to improve traffic flow, especially at the

[from residents] and make a formal proposal in the New

London Road junction where the current bays are

Year.

proposed to be removed and replaced further up towards

“However, I should be clear that proposals to remove

Victoria Street on both sides.

single yellow lines will remain as these are intended to

“However, it’s likely that a proposal could be put forward

improve traffic flow and safety and support the

to charge a fee for the one-hour period as it would seem

sustainable transport routes.”

unfair to residents to allow a free period of parking when

If SADC proceeds with proposing to make a Traffic

residents must pay for permits. It also brings it in line

Regulation Order to implement these proposals, this will

with other works being undertaken across the district.”

be published on their website.

Wine Times DARREN MCCABE OFFERS HIS WEEKLY WINE RECOMMENDATIONS (@DMC_UNCORKED)

Laithwaites’ line-up for autumn and winter This month I was fortunate to join the Laithwaites autumn and winter press tasting with Nick Taylor, head buyer at Laithwaites Wine and his buying team. We tasted 24 wines from 10 different countries. From wines already in the range which have recently moved into the spotlight

with the new duty system, to more classical regions and those under-theradar finds discovered by Laithwaites’ buyers on the ground. And in this week’s edition of Wine Times, I’m going to share my top eight recommendations from the 24 I sampled: that’s a mix of four whites

and four reds. As always, their autumn 2023 line-up delivers on the core Laithwaites’ aim, which is “to take customers on a journey with wines that will consistently exceed their expectations, backed up with authenticity and a great story.”

Pfaffl HUND Gruner Veltliner 2022 (£25.00 Mix 12 £22.00) This is a floral and aromatic white wine from Austria, made from the often overlooked, Gruner Veltliner grape. It has notes of honeysuckle, citrus and lime. The acidity is wellbalanced, and the finish is moderate. It is a great wine to pair with seafood, salads, or light dishes. Only 1,500 bottles were produced and it has already picked up a host of Gold and Silver Awards.

Bleasdale Riesling 2022 (£17.99 Mix 12 £15.99) This is a dry Riesling from the Adelaide Hills in South Australia, with a punchy lime and green herb aroma and a hint of beeswax. The palate is crisp and refreshing, with pure lime flavour and acidity, and a slight oiliness to the texture. It is a perfect all year-round wine, ideal for drinking with oysters or chilli prawns.

Equilibrium Chenin Blanc 2021 (£14.99 Mix 12 £13.49) This is a medium-bodied white wine from South Africa, made from the chenin Blanc grape. It has the fruit characters of bright apple, pear, lemon, finishing with a mineral freshness. It also has a zingy lemon brightness and a smooth mouthfeel. It is a versatile wine that can go well with a variety of dishes, from spicy curries to creamy cheeses.

Janna de Mare Alghero Torbato 2022 (£17.99 Mix 12 £14.99) This is a rare and special white wine from Sardinia, Italy, made from the Torbato grape. It has a pale gold colour and a nose of straw, nutty apple, and ripe pear. The palate is dry and elegant, with zingy citrus, grapefruit, and white peach notes, and a salty minerality. It is a wine that can age well, and it is best enjoyed with seafood, pasta, or risotto.

Zind Chardonnay - Auxerrois 2020 (£25.00) This is a top Alsace wine from France, but not as you know it. Alsace permits five varieties, and

Falernia Titon Reserva Syrah 2019 (£18.99 Mix 12 £15.99) This is a powerful and elegant red wine from Chile, made from the Syrah grape. It has a complex nose of

Chardonnay isn’t one of them! Hence Zind’s Vin de France status. It is a blend of chardonnay and auxerrois grapes, grown biodynamically by a 400-year-old family estate. It has a floral, peachy, pear and crisp style, with a touch of creaminess and honey. It is a wine that can please both chardonnay lovers and haters, and it is suitable for any occasion.

dark fruit, pepper, black olives, and smoke. The palate is full-bodied and peppery, with silky ripe blackberry, plum, and grapefruit flavours, and a salty minerality. It is a wine that can age well, and it pairs best with grilled lamb or spicy dishes. At this price it is well and truly punching above its weight!

Vina Bujunda Graciano 2014 (£17.99 Mix 12 £13.99) This is a rare and mature red wine from Rioja, Spain, made from the Graciano grape. It has an earthy and leathery aroma, with notes of red fruit, cedar, and herbs. The palate is dry and smooth, with bright acidity and fine tannins. It has hints of cherry and charred oak. It is a perfect wine for drinking with cheese, cured meats, or roasted vegetables.

Cuvee Chemin de Traverse 2022 (£17.00 Mix 12 £15.00) This is a smooth and fruity red wine from France, made from a blend of Carignan, Syrah, and Grenache grapes. It has a deep ruby colour and a nose of blackberry, cherry, and spice. The palate is medium-bodied and velvety, with ripe red fruit, pepper, and liquorice flavours. The finish is long and harmonious, with soft tannins and a hint of vanilla. It is a wine that can be enjoyed on its own or with grilled meats, cheese, or pasta.

Thorn-Clarke Shotfire Quartage 2018 (£18.99 Mix 12 £16.99) This is a rich and complex red wine from Australia, made from a blend of cabernet sauvignon, malbec, cabernet franc, and merlot. It has a deep purple colour and a nose of dried red fruit, blackcurrants, spice, and blueberries. The palate is concentrated and smooth, with layers of dark fruit, pepper, and vanilla. The finish is long and balanced, with rounded tannins and a floral touch. It is a wine that can drink well now or cellar for a few years.

Oaklands College is rated 'Good' by Ofsted inspectors

Staff and students celebrate their Ofsted rating. Picture: Oaklands College After hitting the headlines for all the wrong reasons

"Learners feel safe at college. They understand how to

recently, there's some good news for Oaklands College

stay safe and know how to report any concerns that they

with the result of their latest Ofsted inspection.

might have."

The college - which has a campus at Smallford in St

The inspection took place between September 19-22, just

Albans - has been judged "Good" for education quality,

a few weeks before two students were hospitalised with

student behaviour, personal development, leadership

knife wounds following an incident outside the St Albans

and management, 16-18 education, adult education, and

campus. At the time the college said: "We take the safety

support for students with high needs.

and security of our students and our staff extremely

Principal Andrew Slade said: "This report reflects the

seriously. It is our number one priority to ensure that the

hard work of staff and students along with the excellent

college community is a completely safe place for

work with key partners, stakeholders and employers,

learning."

with excellent feedback from learners who felt safe,

Ofsted inspectors made special mention of

enjoy studying and have their individual requirements

entrepreneurial work by the college in support of the

met so they can excel. This is cemented by the college's

wider economy through close relationships with

strong focus on quality and investment.

businesses across a wide range of employment sectors:

"Our mission is to be a positive outward-looking college,

"Leaders have a productive relationship with the local

always listening to and collaborating with employers to

enterprise partnerships and work closely with them on

ensure we're teaching the skills they need, for the benefit

specific projects such as sustainable construction, retrofit

of the economy and our students' future prospects.

technologies and a new facility for the creative sector."

"It's tremendous to see our approach being so clearly

The college is spending £62 million on its St Albans

acknowledged and supported by Ofsted."

campus, including construction facilities, a film, TV and

The Ofsted report said: "Learners enjoy studying at the

creative training centre and the now-completed

college. They feel included and value highly the support

residential accommodation for students.

they receive from their tutors.

It is now working on its estates masterplan which could

“They enjoy working in calm and productive learning

see £100 million investment in creating leading edge

environments and value the positive experiences they

education, training and sporting environments for its

have at college.

students and the local communities they serve.

COLUMN

HAPPINESS IN A BOWL OF SOUP

ELENA HOGG, FOUNDER OF LOCAL CULINARY COMPANY FOOD BY ELENA, WRITES EVERY FORTNIGHT. I have just had lunch with my husband, who’s working from home today because he’s battling a nasty cold and doesn’t want to spread it to his colleagues. More than most days, today we really needed this meal to be therapeutic as much as nourishing, because outside it is drizzling, grey and blustery. The meteorological incarnation of misery. Drizzle is the most insidious of precipitation forms: it has you soaking wet if you’re out in it for more than five minutes, even though you can barely feel the droplets, and blankets your very soul with its oppressive dankness. A little dramatic, perhaps, but it really is wretched out there and it helps me to have a good moan about it. On days like this, the crude notion that fancy food is best falls utterly by the wayside, to be replaced by the underestimated force that is stodge.

Oh yes, there’s nothing quite like a steaming, butter-clogged jacket potato with lashings of baked beans and cheese melting on top when you’re feeling the need for comfort. Add a spritz of tabasco or Lea & Perrins and it really is the icing on the cake. Or the sauce on the spud. If you’ve gone one step further still and mustered the foresight to get one in the oven for a long, slow bake, then credit to you. I never do. But I’ve grown fond of the tough, chewy bits of potato skin that over-microwaving causes. I’m easily pleased. Much as the weather is only likely to worsen as we head towards winter, stodgy food can’t be the only answer, because the arteries might object by spring, to say nothing of the waistline. So the solution is to find feel-good, bolstering dishes that are also nourishing, that is to say: guilt-free comfort food. I hear your collective scoffing, dear readers, but I am adamant it’s feasible. Soup. I accept that the meagre word ‘soup’ can conjure images of sad, insipid liquids masquerading as food, sometimes with the odd

chunk of greying potato or anaemic carrot bobbing about. But with extremely little effort and some carefully chosen store cupboard aids, the wishy-washy can be made glorious. Start out with the standard chopped onion (or leek), carrot and celery. I know it’s tedious chopping it all up, but the flavours offer a solid base favour to almost any soup, and you can buy ready-chopped mixes in the shops if time’s against you. Then take the humble legume: lentils, split peas, butter beans or cannellini – or any of the other huge array – you can’t go wrong. Pop open a can that’s been hiding in the larder for months, or find that bag of dried beans you bought when you were feeling ‘zen’ last January – there’s very little difference once you’ve added everything else into the mix. I’m very fond of pulses instead of potatoes in soup, because they give the same creamy roundness in flavour and texture, but they also up the protein content immeasurably, meaning it’ll keep you full for way longer. Plus, my nutritionist friend Laura has read studies on how beans are technically a superfood and including

them in our diets on a daily basis is a very good idea. ‘Nuff said. So, add some stock to the chopped veg and beans, and let it all simmer for at least half an hour. Aim for somewhere between ‘everything’s soft enough to blend smooth’ and ‘boiled beyond recognition’. If you’re feeling particularly energetic, add some herbs: a little clump of thyme stalks or a spring of rosemary will make everything sing, but be sure to remove before blending or it’ll be like eating a bar of soap. With annoying woody bits. This is a brilliant recipe for kids, too, because after blending there’s no discernible vegetable matter in there and, unless you use darker legumes like lentils, it’s a pleasantly neutral colour rather than brown or green – both colours that elicit the gag reflex on sight in both my children. In order to spruce it up a little for adult partakers, an extremely quick fix is to keep back a few beans or chickpeas (whichever you used to make the soup in the first place, though chickpeas work best for this), spread them on a baking tray, then add some oil, smoked paprika, ground cumin and some salt. Shake the tray vigorously so the pulses roll about and get evenly covered, then roast for 15 minutes or so till they go crispy. Sprinkle them onto your bowl of soup for some texture and a smoky punch of flavour. A modicum of effort in the garnishing of a bowl of simple, hearty soup can make a huge difference in how much you want to eat it. Just popping a few rounds of crusty bread spread with store-bought tapenade or pesto under the grill can elevate your tomato soup no end, and provide something to crunch on midslurp. Also vastly undervalued is broth. By broth, I don’t mean some painstakingly clarified stock made from the bones of a handreared calf and lovingly simmered for days on end. I really just mean a decent stock cube dissolved in hot water, because the ‘comfort’ element of comfort food rapidly disappears when too much effort is required. That said, merely adding a few slices of root ginger to a saucepan of stock, plus a slug of soy sauce or fish sauce, brings on the intense, umami hit of Asian cuisine. That’s honestly all it takes, although, you know, if you happened to have some Thai basil or kaffir lime leaves to hand, a stalk of lemongrass or some shrimp paste, then you’re really in for a treat. You can add just about anything you like to this: prawns, torn-up roast chicken, peas, shredded pork, edamame, mangetout, carrots, sweetcorn, even lettuce. I add noodles for the starchy hit comfort food demands, then I hunch over the bowl with a spoon in one hand for the broth and a set of chopsticks for shoving the noodles into my mouth. It feels somehow primal and no doubt looks repugnant, to the point where my husband tuts at me and shakes his head. But I’m at one with my dinner and that, my friend, is my happy place. I hope you find yours in a bowl of soup, too.

OBSERVATIONS AND MUSINGS

CITY DIARY

DOG>

CAN YOU HELP FOSTER BISCUIT THE PUPPY? Much-loved German shepherd puppy Biscuit was part of an unwanted litter of puppies before she was rescued by St Albans residents Marc Ozall and Ella Taylor-Young, but now her future happiness is uncertain. The couple had always wanted to rescue a dog, but the problem was that they live in a one bedroom flat with no garden, and the lease doesn't allow pets. Unfortunately they had no opportunity to wait until they had an appropriate home when saving Biscuit. After trying in vain to appeal the lease, they were forced to put the flat up for sale again, hoping they would be able to sell quickly and move somewhere where Biscuit could have a good

“We had hoped we would be able to find a home for all of us

stable life.

together, but dragging it out is not in her best interests so we've

They had originally put the flat up for sale last year in the hopes of

had to make the decision to foster her so she can have a loving

moving somewhere where they could have a dog.

and stable life and home in the short-term.

Unfortunately just days later PM Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi

“I think we've got to the point where we're so desperate we're

Kwarteng tanked the economy, and the flat remains unsold.

hoping there'll be someone in St Albans with a love of dogs and

Marc said: “We tried a couple of house share situations so Biscuit

the means to help.”

wasn't technically staying with us, but despite those people

Marc and Ella would even consider renting a second home while

giving her a great home and lots of love the lack of stability and

waiting for their flat to sell, depending on the rent charged.

constant to-ing and fro-ing started to impact on her, as she

If you can help in any way, email the St Albans Times at

became more nervous and unsettled.

editor@stalbanstimes.co.uk and we’ll put you in touch.

SCHOOLS>

PRIMARY SCHOOLS UNITE FOR GAZA CRISIS Headteachers of St Albans primary schools have agreed to collaborate in their response to the ongoing Gaza crisis in the same way they did last year to support Ukraine. They plan to raise money for UNICEF's Children's Emergency Fund through the Children in Conflict Appeal, and from December 1 parents and carers will be able to make donations to this cause via their child’s school until the end of term. The St Albans Primary Head Teachers’ Consortium said: “We have all been shocked and shaken by recent events in Israel and Gaza. “We are truly saddened that so many parents and carers are being affected directly or indirectly by this. “We are a close and supportive community who have the best interests of everyone at heart. Whilst we are all affected by events locally and globally, we will work together to help our children feel safe, valued and confident.”

Yesterday Once More: photos from our archives The Ugly Sisters from Cinderella join the St Albans Carnival procession on Holywell Hill and archaeologists excavate the shrine site within St Albans Cathedral in this week’s selection of images. All photos: Tony “Greg” Gregory.

‘I THINK WE’RE PROBABLY THE FIRST PEOPLE TO MAKE A MURDER MYSTERY FILM THAT IS A MUSICAL’

Anna Franklin as Mrs Fezziwig in A Christmas Carol.

ST ALBANS ACTOR ANNA MACLEOD FRANKLIN STARS IN NEW FILM ‘THE MYSTERY OF MR E’ DEBORAH HEATH FINDS OUT MORE. Anna MacLeod Franklin, who will be familiar to many of you from her many OVO performances, celebrates the release of film ‘The Mystery of Mr E’ on Amazon Prime this week. Having seen Anna commanding the stage in many productions over the years, I felt like I was talking to an old friend when I met her to discuss this exciting project. However, firstly I wanted to find out about her route into the wonderful world of theatre.

Although she was involved in school productions and went on to study drama and English at St Mary’s College Twickenham, Anna’s path to an acting career was an unconventional one. She had a cooperate career in her 20s and 30s while she did community theatre in her spare time. One of her proudest moments was playing Boudicca in OVO’s first Roman Theatre production in 2014. Anna became increasingly involved in OVO productions and around the time they became a professional company, she became a professional actor. At almost 40 years old and with a young

family this would have been too bold a choice for many but Anna explained:“Actually I feel more confident and comfortable in my own skin in my 40s. Also, when I was in my 20s the landscape was very narrow in terms of body diversity - now there’s a vast improvement and we see actors of all races, shapes and sizes represented.” Anna’s first professional acting job was with Moving Stories Theatre in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ playing the nurse. “I’ve played the nurse about five times now!” she chuckled. It’s a role she does very well as I can attest having seen her in OVO’s production at the Roman Theatre Festival this summer.

(Clockwise from top right) Anna in The Mystery of Mr E; as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest; as Boudicca and as Leonata in Much Ado About Nothing.

“Shakespeare is still so alive,” she explained. “His characters are beautifully drawn and still resonate now.” A pivotal moment in Anna’s career came during lockdown, when OVO live-streamed a Zoom production of The Regina Monologues. This was seen by the producers of The Mystery of Mr E, who had long been looking for someone with the amiability and demeanour of Hattie Jacques to play a key role in their film. Anna did a screen test and got the part! The project started in August 2021 and was two years in the making. “There is a real Agatha Christie set up to the story,” said Anna. “This was even the case with the filming because the cast and crew were bubbled together in a country estate in Yorkshire. It was a brilliant experience from start to finish – we felt like family and are all still in contact via WhatsApp.” I asked what sets The Mystery of Mr ” apart

from other films and Anna began: “Well first and foremost, Sophie Hannah the writer. She’s so talented and writes the new Poirot novels. This film began as a stage musical for her child’s school but she has adapted it for film with the wonderful independent director Martyn Tott. “Secondly I think we’re probably the first people to make a murder mystery film that is a musical. As well as having a Christie-style twist, it is a tongue-in-cheek, funny and family friendly film, although Amazon have rated it a 15. The other thing that sets it apart is the detectives. Unlike the classic middle aged white male police officer, the lead detectives are twin boys in their early 20s.” As she went on to explain more I got the sense that there is a really exciting new energy to this project and I can’t wait to see it. So what’s next for Anna? Well, there will be a revival of the fantastic OVO production of Romeo and Juliet elsewhere in the UK.

Closer to home though, Anna will be performing in their Roman Theatre promenade production of A Christmas Carol which promises to be as magical as last year and will set St Albans residents up for the festive season. She will also be involved in next year’s Roman Theatre Festival. “I love St Albans – it’s home,” said Anna. “I was born and raised here, went to Beaumont School and I still live locally. What sets it apart is the thriving culture scene, especially for community theatre.” When I asked Anna if there was any advice she would offer to aspiring actors she laughed “Just believe in yourself and don’t waste 20 years like I did!” It was an absolute pleasure to chat to Anna and I hope that like me you are intrigued by The Mystery of Mr E. I will certainly be tuning in, not just as a murder mystery fan but to proudly support this lovely local treasure! See it on Amazon Prime from Saturday (25th).

Christmas Cracker goes with a bang! Christmas truly arrived in St Albans with thousands of people flocking to the city centre for the annual Christmas Cracker on Sunday. Among the attractions in St Peter’s Street was live music, fairground rides, a Santa’s grotto, street entertainers, a snow globe, sideshow games, street theatre and around 100 market stalls selling hot food, drinks and seasonal gifts. There will also be a guest appearance from a celebrity – CBeebies and Discovery Plus star Maddie Moate who stars as Tinkerbell in this year’s Alban Arena pantomime, The All New Adventures of Peter Pan – The Pantomime Sequel. The Christmas Cracker is organised by SADC and part-funded by the Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. Saturday saw The Maltings Shopping Centre kick off the festivities with an appearance by the Mardi Gras Parade Band. Next Sunday will see the return of Harpenden Christmas Carnival and lights switch-on. Photos: John Andrews, Craig Shepheard and Stephanie Belton

ERIS: OPINION WITH BITE A return to the plough Electorates take surprising decisions (Brexit, Donald Trump), but Prime Ministers seldom do. Making David Cameron Foreign Secretary was a genuine political surprise. The cynical would say it was a ploy to divert attention from Braverman’s sacking, or an electoral manoeuvre to make the Conservatives more electable. Lord Cameron was extremely popular with some voters. However, he has his own baggage. Some people have never forgiven him either for Remain not winning the Brexit referendum or for his decisions over Libya. Some blame him for the upsurge in illegal immigration driven by the downfall of Gaddafi (who successfully ‘stopped the boats’). It may have been easier not to revisit old battles. Historically, it is not unusual for former leaders to be called back to serve their country. In the 20th century, it happened five times. There appear to be three fundamental drivers behind bringing back a former leader. First, a leader asks a trusted ‘elder statesman’ to support him when he is facing a range of difficult issues,

freeing up his time to properly address them. Rishi Sunak has given this as one of his major reasons for bringing back Cameron. Second, is the desire to ‘reward’ a senior figure. It is probably not this, as it would have been easier just to give Cameron a title. The third, most likely reason is that there are severe threats to the country that the Prime Minister thinks need to be managed by a senior figure with a ‘safe’ pair of hands. This is the Cincinnatus option. He was a Roman general who was called out of retirement by Roman leaders to lead Rome through a difficult war (a statue of him is pictured below). The world is becoming a much more dangerous place, probably more volatile than it has been for a generation. America could re-elect Trump. China is suffering an economic downturn, has high youth unemployment, but has been hugely successful with the ‘belt and road’ initiative in Africa and Asia, gaining substantial political support. It has ambitions in the South China Seas, a nice diversion from economic woes internally.

Russia is mired in Ukraine, but probably still has ambitions in neighbouring countries. Finland certainly seems to think so. It has substantially increased defence spending and is closing the Russian border to asylum seekers. The Israel/Hamas war could ignite the Middle East, which could have serious consequences for the UK in terms of reduced energy supply, supply chain disruption, increase illegal immigration and UK unrest and even terrorism. The far right is taking over in many countries, breaking the liberal consensus in Europe and having a much tougher approach to issues such as illegal immigration. The character and calibre of our leaders will matter over the next few years. They need to be statesmanlike on a global stage and have the diplomatic and personal skills to deal with some very powerful and difficult people. They need to have the ability to speak softly and carry a big stick. Time will tell whether Lord Cameron can pull it off.

COMING SOON... Put sustainability at the heart of your Christmas shopping A selective group of sustainable local businesses have come together to inspire consumers to think differently about their purchases this Christmas. Eliza of twenty_outfits, is a slow fashion advocate/stylist, and curator of the St Albans Sustainable Collective which showcases some of the city’s creative and unique small businesses and makers. All with sustainability at their core. Christmas is THE most wasteful holiday of the year. Festive clothing such as Christmas jumpers and sequin party pieces are some of the worst examples of fast fashion. Research has shown that two out of five Christmas jumpers are worn only once and then thrown away. According to a survey conducted by Oxfam, out of the 2,000 British women asked, 40 per cent said they would buy a sequined piece of clothing for the holidays. A quarter said they would wear it again, five per cent said they would throw the clothes away once they are finished wearing them. In 2019 Oxfam calculated that 1.7 million pieces of festive partywear would end in landfill. The majority of Christmas jumpers are made from acrylic and sequins are made of plastic with a metallic reflective coating. Synthetic materials that contain toxic chemicals and microplastics are super damaging to the environment and are not degradable. Other shocking stats about Christmas wastage from the GWS Group website: £42 million worth of unwanted Christmas presents are sent to landfills annually; On their busiest day in the run up to Christmas, Amazon receives 47 orders per second; UK households throw away three-and-a-half black bags full of Christmas packaging; The UK uses 227,000 miles of wrapping paper each year; The amount of cardboard used to package PlayStation, Nintendo and Xbox consoles covers an area larger than central London; UK residents send around 114,000 tonnes of plastic packaging to landfills instead of being recycled; As many as 1 billion Christmas cards end up in bins, that is the equivalent of 33 millions trees. With these statistics in mind, the aim of the Sustainable Collective is to inspire consumers to buy better, buy quality, buy sustainable, buy second hand, from small businesses. There will be organic clothes, gift, homewares, textiles, headbands, preloved festive clothing and accessories that have been thoughtfully sourced. Brands involved include: Tommy & Lottie, Safomasi, The Preloved Edit, Pompones and twenty_ outfits. A percentage of proceeds will be donated to Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) to help support the tireless work they are currently doing in Israel-Gaza and other conflicts that are currently happening. The Sustainable Collective Pop Up will be held at the Mad Squirrel Tap, Heritage Close, 17 High Street, AL3 4EB on Saturday December 2, 125pm. Instagram: @twenty_outfits

10 FROM 50 JOSIE RAISON We ask a different figure from the local community to choose 10 questions to answer from a list of 50. This week: Josie Raison, local yogi and yoga teacher, and mum of two teenagers.

Where do you walk when you want to think? When I want to think I’d normally go for a run. For me running is like a form of meditation, when I’m out in the fresh air and running, breathing deeply and moving my body my thoughts become more focused which helps give me perspective. For example, if I need to plan a yoga workshop I’ll head out to Nomansland for a run (or a fast walk) and by the time I’ve finished I’ve generally got a basic structure for my workshop. I then need to make sure I don’t forget it so I write it down as soon as I get home! I love walking around Nomansland and Heartwood Forest as it’s away from the hustle and bustle of cars, people and busy life. People are either walking their dogs or just getting some daylight and fresh air. Plenty of trees and a big open space. Beautiful. Do you ever Google yourself? Ha! Well embarrassingly I do! But I only Google myself so I can check where my business comes in the Google search. I also ask my family to Google me so I can compare results! I could be much better at using social media so Googling gives me a vague guide as to how things are doing.

Pretty much everything I know about history is thanks to that show

What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? I naturally wake up around 6.30am. At the moment it’s quite dark in the morning’s and I don’t know whether it’s the middle of the night or the morning so the first thing I do is check the time. Once I’ve realised it’s morning and I’ve remembered what day it is I take some long deep breaths. This helps set me into a positive frame of mind. I get up, open the window to bring in the fresh air and go downstairs to let our four-month-old kitten out of her room. I go back to bed with the kitten for about 10 minutes which is cute and fun. And then I’m ready to wake up properly, get the kids up, stretch a little bit and the day’s started! What TV did you watch as a child? This is going to show my age! As a child I remember watching and loving Monkey Magic, Dallas, Top of the Pops, Neighbours and Home and Away. I also loved Chips and Moonlighting with Bruce Willis! I guess I would have been more of a Tween at the time. The first thing I did after school was come home and watch TV before doing my homework.

What's your worst habit? Drinking coffee - I LOVE coffee and it would be the hardest thing for me to give up. I can have a maximum of three cups of coffee a day before it starts to make me feel a bit jittery so I make sure I appreciate every cup! Another bad but very enjoyable habit at the moment is watching Vampire Diaries on TV with my daughter. There are hundreds of episodes and it’s very compelling and great fun watching it together despite if being full of vampire teenager angst! If you could travel back in time and offer your younger self some advice, what would it be? I would say to my younger self – Trust your instinct, ask questions, don’t worry about being wrong, be curious, travel more, and when you get offered that job doing a ski season take it!

What object would you save first if your house was on fire? One of my favourite things at home is my Banana Plant! I bought it from a garden sale when it was about 20 cm high and now it’s way over 6ft. I love the plant, however it would be very impractical to save from a house fire as it’s too big and heavy. So apart from the Banana Plant and of course my family I would save a painting we have in the kitchen which is a picture of skiers cross country skiing in Russia. When we lived in London we had an art gallery at the bottom of our road and I first saw the painting in the gallery window. A few years later when we got married our friends clubbed together and bought the painting for us. So the painting reminds me of my friends, living in London and of skiing.

What superpower would you like to have? When I was younger I used to want to be able to fly and that would always have been my superpower of choice. Now I would love to have a photographic memory and/or to be able to talk all languages fluently. I’d love to live in different countries and speaking the countries language is really important. I find it hard going to countries where I can’t communicate with people. I’ve recently discovered Spain, I can’t speak Spanish so am planning to use Duolingo to get me up and running. But if my superpower was speaking Spanish fluently at the click of a finger that would be amazing!

What was your first job? Apart from babysitting and cleaning family friends houses my first proper job was as a silver service waitress at the local pub/hotel. It was good fun as the chef taught me how to make a good omelette, but my silver service skills weren’t that great. I remember one evening I was serving a Rotary Club and dropped a huge stack of plates, cutlery and leftovers all over the floor (and one of the guests). Oh dear. What’s your favourite hidden gem in the district? I love a shop on Hatfield Road in St Albans called I’m Fine. It’s a brilliant shop with a selection of very cool and unusual clothes – both new and second hand. It also sells lots of quirky things which would be great for Christmas presents and is run by two women who are super helpful. I’m having a big birthday party in a few weeks and bought my outfit from there.

Chamber celebrates Awards winners The most prestigious business awards in the St Albans calendar celebrated the achievements of companies and individuals from across the district. The winners of this year's St Albans Chamber of Commerce Community Business Awards were announced at a gala ceremony at Tewinbury Meadow Barn on Thursday. They were: Young Person Award: Edward Dunn of Gilberts Chartered Accountants; Rising Star Award: Andrew Hippisley of St Albans City FC; Sustainability Award: WUKA; Best Food and Drink Venue Award: Bellaccino's Italian Restaurant; Excellence in Customer Service Award: Eve & Adam Beauty Clinic; New Business Award: Roots Federation; Business Growth Award: EIC Insurance Services; Business Leadership Award: Mienna Jones, Happycrew Childcare; The President's Award: Mike Hodge, the Harpenden Busker. Chamber President Pat Strods said: "Tewinbury Meadow barn was full with Chamber members and nonmembers alike and there was a real buzz in the room. It was an amazing evening and just being shortlisted as a finalist was a huge achievement. "It takes months to organise the awards, with Board members giving their time up to shortlist and interview the finalists and the Chamber's Claire Stevenson and Emma Fisher working so hard to put the evening together. Everyone’s contribution made it a fantastic evening and my thanks go to all involved. “With special thanks to our 2023 sponsors Kirkby Diamond, St Albans District Young Chamber, Christopher Place, The Maltings, T&B Contractors, Buff & Bare, Memorabilia Framers and Rayner Essex, without whom the entire awards process would not be possible.” Pictures: Rebecca Fennell Photography

THE FEELINGS FORUM WEEKLY THOUGHTS ON FEELINGS AND RELATIONSHIPS BY JON WILSON COOPER, DIRECTOR OF COUNSELLING TRAINING, THE ALBANY CENTRE, ST ALBANS

BREAKING OUT: THE ADOLESCENT STRUGGLE Humans have an extremely long period of dependency before being able to cope in the world without support which is usually supplied by parents. The task of growing up and out is a complex one for the individual as well as for the caregivers. Part of what makes it complex is the high level of skills required to manage modern day living from being able to earn enough money to support oneself to managing the intricacies of all the different types of relationships we need to live fulfilling lives. Another part that is challenging is the journey to get to know ourselves which is essential if we are to be able to make decisions about what is right for us. We move from being in the very protective shell of our family home where our needs are taken care of, and where we are content to just be part of the family unit, to then gradually moving out into the world firstly by going to nursery and school. We then move into friendships and even romantic relationships. Each stage requires a little bit of letting go in order to move out - both by the child and by the adults. Along the way the child moves into adolescence and experiences huge changes physically, mentally and emotionally and will need to try out their new selves as they emerge. When we get a new car, computer, TV, or microwave we want to know what it is capable of. As an adolescent develops new abilities and has new experiences it makes sense that they would want to know about what is possible. Without the benefit of experience, it is highly likely that mistakes will be made. Risk-taking can backfire when we don’t know our limits. As adults it’s important for us to allow some of this expansion into the world and new ways of being without being overly restrictive while at the same time trying to support and educate our youngsters about appropriate limits that they need to learn to set for themselves (because we won’t always be around) and also what to do when things go wrong. This is not an easy task. We only really get to know ourselves by experimenting. We can try on different identities which young people have been doing for centuries, trying out different musical styles, ways of dressing, political ideas, ways of relating to others, belonging to different sub-groups or not. There are so many different ways of being until we find what fits us. This process has gone on since the beginning of time and it’s probably true to say that the previous generation has always struggled with it. It’s difficult to witness our offspring wrestle to differentiate themselves from us, often rejecting what we stand for and even for a time seeming to hate who we are. They may go against some of our core values, and they certainly don’t seem to appreciate what we have given them. They are looking outwards and wish to break the shell that has held them safe so far but has become boring and restrictive now they are getting big.

What can be confusing for everyone involved is as well as striding out into the world shouting “I don’t need you” they perhaps stumble and still do need you to bail them out when things didn’t turn out as planned! This in-between stage can in fact last for some years. The young person is dependent and counter-dependent at the same time. “I need you and I hate that I need you”. The fight is real and learning to fight, argue and push back at authority figures is something that is being discovered also. This is a hugely important skill if the next generation are to become assertive in the face of those who may do them wrong. Positive change throughout history has always needed those that refuse the status quo and reject what has always been. Without the push-back, oppressed groups would still have no rights and the scientific, medical, social, artistic and legal advancements that have occurred across millennia would not have taken place if each generation had been totally compliant with the generation before. Home could be a safe place to find out about healthy arguments where we can fall out with each other and make up and all survive another day. Of course, limits need to be set and that is all part of the learning for everyone. It’s OK for you to be angry but not to be abusive and intent on hurting me. The same rules should of course apply to all. Healthy disagreements and a desire to be different lead to growth and through these a solid sense of self can emerge.

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ST ALBANS TIMES why you should talk to the times! The St Albans Times is now arguably the go-to media to find out what is happening in the district, providing content which harks back to the core principles of journalism: accuracy, balance and accountability. Readers can access either the weekly online current affairs magazine or stories on a dedicated website and it is promoted extensively through social media. The Times is produced with a sense of positivity and passion for the Cathedral city and the surrounding district. It offers an editorial oversight calling on years of accumulated local knowledge and understanding of both the marketplace and the local news agenda. It has already cemented a reputation for quality and expertise which cannot be found elsewhere, and is widely referenced across local Facebook groups

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Onlin e every Thurs day

Home-Start brings Hollywood to Herts There was plenty of Tinseltown glitz at Home-Start Herts’ latest gala fundraiser. The Hollywood Glamour event, at St Michael’s Manor Hotel, raised £28,340 to support local families who are vulnerable and struggling. This is the seventh themed fundraising event Home-Start Herts has hosted and guests were entertained with a magician, an auction, raffle, casino and many danced the night away with the resident DJ. Home-Start Herts chief executive Suzy Moody said: “We were delighted to welcome over 100 guests to our seventh annual fundraising event at St Michael’s Manor Hotel. Our guests included many current and new Home-Start Herts supporters – and thanks to their generosity, we will be able to support approximately 15 vulnerable families in the local Hertfordshire community, on aone-to-one basis in their own homes, for two to three hours each week, for up to nine months. “The support Home-Start offers is early intervention, preventing families from reaching crisis point, supporting parents so that they can offer their children the best start in life. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended our event and especially to our sponsors for helping to host such a wonderful occasion.” Home-Start Herts patron and international bestselling author Ken Follett was the event’s platinum sponsor, with other sponsors including KJ Smith Solicitors, Bespoke Flooring Ltd and Steve Charles Electricals. Ken Follett added: “I am delighted to have been platinum sponsor of Hollywood Glamour. Home-Start’s annual fundraising events are always good fun, whilst raising valuable funds to give local children a better start in life. I know how a little help can go a long way when you have young children. I’ve never forgotten the people who helped me and my first wife when I was 19 years old, living in a bedsit in North London, with a new-born baby – and that is why I support Home-Start Herts.” All photos: Niina Anita Photography

COMING SOON... Roman novelist Simon Scarrow hosting St Albans event Best-selling historical novelist Simon Scarrow will be hosting a special event in St Albans next week. Simon is an expert in Roman history and its occupation of Britannia, having taught history before turning to writing his hugely popular Eagle of the Empire series, starring soldiers Cato and Macro. His latest book, Rebellion sees Britain in chaos as Boudicca gets her first taste of victory. A quick response to her advances sees Governor Suetonius leading his army to the besieged London with Cato and a mounted escort in tow. The reality of Britannia slipping deeper into chaos and hysteria becomes unmistakable. Both Cato and Suetonius confront the sobering truth that minimal preparations have been made to confront a full-scale insurrection. Meanwhile, in Londinium, a heart-wrenching revelation unfolds. Centurion Macro is among those missing following the Camulodunum massacre. Has Cato's loyal comrade, who has faced countless battles, met his ultimate challenge? As disaster looms, Cato readies himself for the next strategic move. Can he dare to hope that Macro, marked by battle and unflinching courage, has managed to evade these bloodthirsty rebels? Cleverly written with well drawn characters and knowledge of those Roman times in Britain, Simon is able to pair real history with a comical side to his writing. The event is on November 30 at 7pm. For tickets see www.waterstones.com/events/simon-scarrow-talkand-book-signing/st-albans

IN OTHER NEWS...

United behind campaigns tackling male violence towards women International campaigns White Ribbon Day and Orange the World are receiving the full support of St Albans district over the coming week. This includes an information stall at the Charter Market on White Ribbon Day, Saturday November 25, and lighting up the Museum + Gallery to support the UN's Orange the World initiative. SADC signed the White Ribbon pledge last year, making a commitment to tackle violence against women and girls. It has also gained White Ribbon status and ensures women across the district who experience violence know help is available. The White Ribbon campaign specifically targets men with the goal of ensuring they will not remain silent about or excuse violence and harassment towards women and girls. SADC chief executive Amanda Foley said: “This is an example of the work we do to campaign for an end to violence against women and girls and to bring about a significant change in attitudes. St Albans BID is also backing the initiative, and manager Vivien Canon said: “The point of the White Ribbon awareness campaign for the BID is to highlight an apparent growth in abusive patterns of behaviours presented by men against women. “From the rude, lurid suggestion made in ‘jest’ to a female retail service assistant, to the outright physical harm of a hard shove to get them out of the way, this behaviour does not show respect or a value of women. “If such behaviours remain unchallenged, a man may not realise the negative impact he has. “This isn’t a blame game, unless justified, rather it is a call to action. “BID encourages you to look at the campaign site which offers practical information on how to raise issues and positively intervene. It will often be a man’s male friends who can best point out unacceptable behaviour. “It will be male colleagues who will need to set the acceptable scene within the business environment. The aim of the White Ribbon campaign is to stop violence before it starts.” St Albans Museum + Gallery will be lit up in orange for 16 days from Monday, with the colour symbolising a brighter future free of violence. The initiative was proposed by the St Albans and District branch of Soroptimist International, a global women’s organisation. Amanda Foley added : “Lighting up the Museum in this way is a further demonstration of our commitment to the cause of ending male violence. This is a separate campaign to White Ribbon but is for the same cause and we are proud to support it.” While the Museum is lit up in orange, there will be 16 days of activism across the country aimed at ending gender-based violence.

Denise Powell, St Albans Soroptimist lead for the campaign, said: “We are grateful again for the support of St Albans Museum + Gallery - joining the Orange the World campaign and turning the building orange since 2020! “Orange is chosen for this campaign as a bright colour to shine a light on the scourge of violence against women and girls and also as a beacon of hope for a future free from such violence. “It's great to link up with White Ribbon in St Albans because Soroptimist International has the same aim - a world where all forms of abuse against women and girls is eliminated.” The local campaign was officially launched in Harpenden by Town Mayor Cllr Fiona Gaskell this week (pictured above), the first time the town has become involved in the initiative. Other activities include a pub launch at The Great Northern on Saturday. Meanwhile, St Albans support service Domestic Abuse Alliance (DAA), and outsourced HR provider The HR Dept are calling on businesses to sign up to a six-step pledge to support employees. Launched in conjunction with business owner and survivor of domestic abuse Sharon Livermore, Working it Out is a nationwide campaign to help employers tackle domestic abuse. The Working It Out six-step pledge invites employers to take action by: 1. Becoming a member of the Employer’s Initiative on Domestic Abuse 2. Introducing and embedding a domestic abuse policy in the workplace 3. Ensuring all staff know where to get help if they are experiencing domestic abuse 4. Raising awareness of domestic abuse among employees 5. Publicly sharing their commitment to the Working It Out pledge 6. Reporting back on activities and achievements annually. Razi Hassan, director of partnership and communication for the DA Alliance, said: "Our collaboration with Sharon and The HR Dept on the Working It Out campaign is a powerful example of how people and organisations can partner to protect victims of domestic abuse. “By engaging with employers and providing them with practical tools and resources, we can ensure that those experiencing domestic abuse are identified and receive the help they need as soon as possible.” You can find out more about White Ribbon UK and take their promise here: https://www.whiteribbon.org.uk/. For more information about the St Albans District branch of Soroptimist International and their Orange the World campaign go to: https://sigbi.org/st-albans-and-district/2023/orange23/ For the Working It Out campaign and pledge visit: https://domesticabuseeducation.co.uk/working-it-out/.

IN OTHER NEWS...

Batchwood Hall set to become restaurant, bar and hotel The future of iconic Batchwood Hall has been confirmed as an an upmarket restaurant, bar and hotel. Owners SADC have agreed a long-term lease with hospitality firm The Oakman Group for a multi-million pound redevelopment of the building which has lain empty since the pandemic. Work to restore the Hall to its former glory is scheduled to begin next year after the necessary planning permissions have been granted with the venue likely to open for business in 2025. SADC strategic director for customer, business and corporate support Suzanne Jones said: “We are very excited that this magnificent building is being brought back into use to become a St Albans landmark once again. “The plans to create luxury hotel rooms alongside a high-quality restaurant and bar will help establish the Hall as a top destination and attract people looking for a staycation. “We have worked hard to find an outstanding partner in Oakman who share our vision for this project. “We have consulted with the nearby Gorhambury Estate and our leisure contractors Everyone Active who run the adjacent Batchwood golf and sports centre. “We will now ensure residents are kept informed about progress

as we want to take the local community with us as the restoration plans proceed. As well as reviving the Hall, the lease will also bring us much-needed revenue in the years ahead.” Batchwood Hall was built in 1874 as a manor house for barrister, architect and horologist Edmund Beckett, the 1st Baron Grimthorpe, who co-designed the Big Ben clock. The building and surrounding estate was acquired by the council in 1935 and a municipal 18-hole golf course was created in the grounds. Most recently, the Hall was a night club with the lease relinquished in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. It was last used as an emergency Covid vaccination centre. Oakman, owners of The Beech House in St Peter's Street, were chosen as the preferred operator after an intensive and open selection process last year, and SADC has since been negotiating the terms and conditions of a 35-year-long lease. An independently run company, Oakman's portfolio features many beautiful old historic properties that they have renovated and run as hotels or inns, including the Royal Foresters offering in Ascot which has golfing amenities and builds historic tours for guests while remaining family-focused.

FA BLUES FOR CITY AS STORTFORD TAKE PRIZE St Albans City once again proved unable to hold onto a lead with Bishop’s Stortford (“The Blues”) grabbing a fortunate leveller against the run of play before dominating the second half to send The Saints crashing out of the FA trophy. David Noble made four alterations to the line-up that faced Tonbridge Angels last weekend. Blackman and Harvest both dropped out to make way for a youthful midfield pairing of Hoddle and Smith. Jeffers and Bentley also found themselves among the substitutes with Fage back in the XI, whilst new recruit Josh McNamara made his first start in between the sticks.

The away side made a lightning start to the game and took the lead within the opening 10 minutes as Weiss’ drilled cross found Hoddle whose initial shot was blocked by Robbins, but the rebound fell only as far as Fage who blasted the ball home at close range. City almost found a second when Hoddle was able to skip past a line of midfield pressure and drive forward, sending a well timed outside of the boot pass into Akanbi who took the ball in his stride before dinking his attempted finish over the target. Weiss’ relentless pressure would award his side an excellent chance to nab another goal before the break as he stole the ball

away from Alexander before playing across to the unmarked Fage, whose finessed effort went marginally wide of the far post. The Blues would level the affair before half time with what was essentially their first real sight of goal, as the ball was gifted away when playing out from the back allowing Greene to drive into the area and drill a cross in for Alemanji to prod home. Bishop’s Stortford carried that momentum into the second period waiting just two minutes before taking the lead, as Alemanji once again found a route to goal by outmuscling his marker to reach a flick on before prodding it past

McNamara at close range. The home side’s pressure continued and The Saints would eventually crack as Akanbi’s clumsy challenge on Walker left the referee with no choice but to point to the spot. McNamara would make a good save to deny Olufemi’s initial attempt, however he was quick to react to the follow-up and knock it home. A compact Bishop’s Stortford defence seemed content to see out the victory from that point on, with City holding the lion’s share of possession but carving out little in the way of clear cut chances. Bishop’s Stortford: Giddens (C), Haines, Sodje, Robbins, McGregor, Alemanji, Foxley (Thomas 76′), Olufemi, Charles (Marlow 66′), Greene (Walker 58′), Alexander Subs (Not Used): Beadle, Messaoudin, Walker, Peters Bookings: Olufemi 84′ Goals: Alemanji 43′, 47′, Olufemi 60′ St Albans City: McNamara, James, Brown (Carlyle 46′), Smith, Bowry (C), Rasulo, Weiss (Jeffers 46′), Partington, Fage, Akanbi (Morrall 72′), Hoddle Subs (Not Used): Blackman, Bentley, Georgiou, Gauthier Bookings: N/A Goals: Fage 8′ Referee: Robert Claussen Attendance: 515

WATFORD KEEP SAINTS OFF THE SCORESHEET City dropped out of the County Cup at the hands of Watford Ladies Development with a timely goal just before break all that was needed for them to secure victory. The Saints made a strong start to the game and dominated proceedings early on, but little came in the way of clear cut chances. That was until the half hour mark when Kelly Hancock was bundled over after making a dangerous darting run into the box, leaving the referee with little choice but to award a spot kick. Farrell was tasked with converting from 12 yards but proved unable to do so as she dragged her attempt wide of the target. Whilst Mardle’s side continued to threaten it’d be Watford who opened the scoring against the run of play, making

use of a poorly defended corner kick to head home shortly before half time. A number of substitutions were made early in the second half the liveliest of the bunch being Erin Pope, who had a number of shots come close to challenging the keeper as she looked to fire her side back onto level terms. City pushed forward late in the day in the hopes of finding an equaliser which left plenty of space for Watford to exploit on the counter attack. The best chance stemming from these situations came in added time as Lovelace’s ball in found Etta Sam, whose shot was prevented from challenge Kemp by Burke’s excellent last ditch block. Watford Ladies Development: Mander, Yawitch, Antippa, Ramsell, Sam,

Van Der Vliet, Jam, Carr, Lovelace, Wilks, Frenkel Subs Used: Anderson, Coello, Hourigan, Goolab Bookings: N/A Goals: Hourigan 45+1′ St Albans City: Kemp, Burke (C), Santangelo, Farrell, Ford, K.Hancock, Harvey, Cunningham, Small, L.Hancock, Shephard Subs Used: Ward, Thornton, Randles, Reynolds, Pope Bookings: Farrell, Ford Goals: N/A Referee: Andrew Tregoning Our Women are in league action next week, as they take on Royston Town at The Park.

St Albans City: Kemp, Santangelo, Ford, K.Hancock, Ward, Harvey, Small, L.Hancock, Shephard, Godino (C), Williams Subs: Burke, Thornton, Nellis, Randles, Reynolds Bookings: N/A Goals: Ward 23′ Bowers & Pitsea: Stone, Thomas, Bilson, Cooper, Wilson, Darby, Bardsley, Elmes, Locke, Farmer, Hindley Subs: Drewitt, Isherwood, Harris, Barrett Bookings: Hindley 57′ Goals: Cooper 12′ Attendance: 346 Referee: Chris Geelan Our Women are in action once again next weekend as they face Watford Ladies Development in the County Cup. The next home game sees Weston-Super-Mare facing off against the Men’s side on Tuesday November 21 at 7.45pm.