Ashwell Village News- February 2021

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February Editorial

Thanks to Jo Eggleton Rance for the front cover art with the subject of our 3 pubs.

We will run a feature on our pubs in a later edition. We can all drink to that!

We would also like to thank all of you who responded to the January Editorial, which asked for
feedback on the format of Ashwell Village News (AVN). This was very much in favour of moving to full
colour articles, with more pages and the necessary £2 price tag.

There are answers to your questions on page 16 if you want more details.

AVN performs many functions, one of which is to raise much needed funds for St Marys.

AVN currently loses more money the more hard-copies it sells, as its price is below printing cost, even before the changes.
Not a sustainable or sensible position, I am sure you agree.

The rising of funds to maintain our iconic church is the principle reason we volunteer our time and energy to produce it and
others contribute articles.

Hence, I hope you will understand the need to move to £2 from the March edition and carry on supporting AVN. At this
price it actually covers the cost to print it, leaving advertising revenues to support the church and its buildings, rather than
subsidise printing it.

Anyone unable or unwilling to put in £2 a month can simply donate £1 towards the cost. It’s a matter for you to decide.

As events return to our village we will of course reintroduce them into the format, but also maintain our “village life”
contributors that have kept AVN going and growing in the interim. Your ongoing contributions are much appreciated and
now will have the colour print they deserve.

We have already moved to extra pages and colour in this edition, as frankly, it can no longer fit in the “old format”. This will
now carry on and we hope it adds to your enjoyment.

Editorially we will remain: positive and forward looking; community focussed: have consistent editorial guidelines; minimal
administrative content; minimal Covid language (there’s already plenty elsewhere for you) and hopefully fun with a pinch
of insight.

The “Contacts page” is on page 25 this month. It will appear periodically, so for those who use this (rather than the
internet), please cut it out and put on your fridge. This has been updated due to data protection regulations. Advertising
pages are available for commercial outlets (with a few “essential” exceptions).

There remain more areas that AVN may expand into. However, every good idea needs someone willing to action it with
their time and energy. So, if you have an idea and the time and energy to do it, let us know. We will happily support you.

When our pubs reopen and 2 drinks in, you may feel as a raconteur your story is either: a bit of fun; of historical interest; of
village characters; insightful; of our environment; or simply about your passion, then write it down! Use the Dutch courage
and send it in. Sober (but not too sombre) articles are welcome as well.

No prizes, just 5 minutes of Ashwellian Fame.

James

Ashwell Village News is now SUPPORTING THE WORK Of ST MARY’S.
on line ( eAVN )
1. You can donate online using the following links;
https://tinyurl.com/Ashwell-Village-News https://tinyurl.com/Ashwell-Church

2. you can donate £3 by text by texting ; STMASH 3 to 70085
( you can donate different amounts by
changing the number in the text)

We really appreciate all donations which are helping us sustain our
ministry and maintain our building.

We really appreciate all your donations THANK YOU!

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February always seems to me to be an
in-between month. It’s between Christmas and
Easter and although we may have
commemorated and celebrated last Christmas
differently, we still celebrated Christ’s birth.

A Cabinet Minister said ‘let’s have our Christmas
at Easter’ and this put into words what so many
think of as ‘Christmas’ – parties and meeting
friends and relatives – and let’s hope that is
certainly what we can do by Easter - but let’s not
mix up birth, crucifixion and resurrection!

It also feels an in-between month as it’s not quite Winter and not quite Spring – although writing this in Janu-
ary it was wonderful to see the first snowdrops, such a wonderful sign of growth and joy to come.

This year Lent begins in the middle of February with Ash Wednesday. Shrove Tuesday precedes it when
pancakes are made and tossed. In years gone by the custom was to use up richer ingredients before the
beginning of Lent and in some places like Olney, the making and tossing of the pancakes is part of a village
running race through the streets.

In Lent it is traditional to give something up, although in latter years we have been urged to do something
extra. As over the past months we have all had to give something up – different maybe for all of us – perhaps
doing something extra for Lent won’t be too difficult and let’s make it outward looking as hopefully we will be
able to meet with neighbours, friends and relatives again. It certainly won’t be having Christmas at Easter
because we should never confuse the Christmas message with the Easter message, but it will at least be a
move back towards normality.

Looking forward, I’m sure we all hope and expect,
that it will be a positive month. In Jesus’ words the
one great commandment is “you shall love your
neighbour as yourself.” How about that as a maxim
for Lent and beyond?

Andrew Gillborn
Reader (Lay Minister)
St Mary's Ashwell

St Marys Contacts List

Please feel free to contact them.

Churchwardens:
Bernard 624564 [email protected]
Sarah 742182 [email protected]
Pastoral matters
Mark, our Reader 743451 [email protected]

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More trees for Steeple … a community effort

Early in 2020 Steeple Morden Parish Council agreed to fund a project to
plant more trees in the village. New woodlands in the Parish had
previously been planted at White Ponds and Tween Towns, so the focus
this time was to add single or small groups or lines of trees.
Villagers responded to the call - in newsletters, posters, flyers and on the
village Facebook group – with ideas of where to plant, offers to host
trees in gardens and paddocks, and offers to help plant. In all 33 households responded and
85 new native trees are being planted.
Visits were made in summer to everyone who offered a home to trees to decide which native
species would be suitable. A map of planting sites and costs were approved by the Parish
Council and orders went in to two specialist native tree nurseries. One is a local company,
Herts Native Trees at Bygrave, who kindly donated some trees and offered us free delivery.
The first batch of pot grown trees have been now planted in Individual village gardens. A
second batch of trees are due for delivery at the time of writing in January and will be planted
within lockdown rules by the end of February we hope.
There were many ideas for where to add trees along roadside verges on approaches to the
village, at junctions and on small greens within the village,
and in the churchyard.

However it proved hard to establish land ownership or
permissions for many of these sites, so this will need
more work. The idea of a small orchard at the top of our
conservation area was mooted by several villagers and
will be looked at again next year.

Alder trees HNT delivery of first 27 native
trees.
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Valentine’s Day -
Wearing Your Heart On

Your Sleeve

S t Valentine’s Day has some pretty dark roots stretching

as far back as 270 AD. It was originally the pagan holiday
Lupercalia and occurred mid February to celebrate the coming
of Spring and fertility rites, this included the pairing off of women
with men by lottery! When the names were drawn the woman
pinned the name to her sleeve hence “wearing your heart on your sleeve”.
In the 3rd Century AD, Claudius II ordered the death of Valentine a holy priest in Rome on February
14th. He was arrested and dragged through the streets, the Prefect of Rome then condemned him and
ordered his head cut off! Valentine had defied the emperor's orders and secretly married couples to
spare the husbands from war. He was so concerned about the injustice of keeping loving couples apart
that he risked his life in order to marry them. Valentine became famous for marrying couples who were
in love but couldn't get legally married in Rome during the reign of Emperor Claudius II.
Valentine’s martyrdom was legalised and honoured by Pope Gelasius at the end of the 5th Century and
the Catholic Church replaced the pagan Lapercalia celebration with St Valentine’s Day. It is for this
reason that his feast day is associated with love.
The oldest recorded Valentine’s love poem was
written by Charles Duke of Orleans to his second
wife when he was imprisoned in the Tower of
London in 1415. Valentine’s Day grew in popularity
in England in the 1700’s when people started
sending hand made cards to their loved ones, a
tradition that continues today. These cards would
be sent anonymously, simply signed,
“your Valentine” The first commercially printed
Valentine’s Day cards were produced in 1913 by
Hallmark, known as Hall Brothers at that time. By
1915 the company made all their money from
printing and selling Valentines Day cards and
Christmas cards. Today more than a 150 Million
Valentine’s Day cards are sold each year, making
it the second busiest greeting card period of the
year, behind only Christmas. Richard Cadbury
introduced the first box of Valentine’s Chocolates
in 1869.
Then as we say the rest is History!
Jo Auckland

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Desert Island Discs

Each month we interview someone and ask them to tell us their 8 tracks they would want to have with them
whilst they are stuck on their own on a desert island. For February we spoke to Jane Turner.

Jane’s Desert Island Discs

Originally from St. Albans, Jane moved to Ashwell with husband Chris and their two children in 2005. “My
ancestors on my paternal grandmother’s side are Stantons from Hinxworth. My father died six months before we moved from London,
swelling the pull to this area and with great state schools and a vibrant community we felt/feel so lucky to live in Ashwell”. Jane is a
dancer/choreographer/teacher who has been glad to use her skills over the years with beavers, brownies, Ashwell theatre club and
discoverers. Here are Jane’s music choices:

Track 1 is Dance with the Devil by Cozy Powell My first ‘45 bought aged 10 after much deliberation. Tellingly it’s a purely instrumental
driving drumming track, the perfect accompaniment for dance.

Track 2 is Five Years by David Bowie. My tastes were so informed by music drifting through the wall from my older brother’s bedroom.
Singing along to the printed lyrics on the LP sleeve, Ziggy Stardust remains a unique, seer like incarnation and I still love everything by
Bowie, right up to his moving final work.

Track 3 is Good Times by Nile Rodgers and Chic. A lot of my teenage weekends were spent in scout huts/church halls/sports clubs disco
dancing and probably laid the foundations for the rest of my life. I was lucky enough to see Chic about 2 years ago which sort of sealed
my choice from the brilliant disco and funk of the 70s/80s. Such a joyous track by brilliant musicians/artists.

Track 4 is Blondie’s Heart of Glass. At 17 I won a best-dressed disco dancer competition wearing a turquoise Chinese dress from a
charity shop and my Nana’s gold ‘ballroom’ sandals. The prize was a week in New York where, in the downtown Mud Club I found
myself actually dancing next to Debbie Harry (!) and also spied Johnny Rottten and went up and shook hands with him.

Track 5 is Köln Concert (Part 2 C) by Keith Jarrett, a timeless exquisite solo piano improvisation in four parts. With time on my hands on
a desert island I’ll be doing a lot of physical interpretations of these tracks. The assurance of such sensitive, confident playing will be like
having a good friend to help me.

Track 6 is Macy Gray’s I Committed Murder. I met Chris at a house party in south London. We were starting to chat outside on a
terrace when a luscious Macy Gray track came on. I said I just had to dance to it, Chris followed, we carried on talking as we danced and
that was kind of it. I love this one that speaks of making off for a life together come what may through the scrapes – this might not be
the one that Chris and I first danced to though!

Track 7 is Adoration of the Earth: The Augurs of Spring – Dance of the Young Girls from Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps. In
1913 ‘Rite of Spring’ was commissioned by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky, only his second work. It
continues to be interpreted by contemporary choreographers. I have spent two memorable nights at Sadlers Wells seeing Pina
Bausch’s and more recently Michael Keegan-Dolan’s versions, both also brilliant dance/theatre choreographers. Fiendishly complex
music will keep me busy as I try and choreograph my own.

Track 8 The intimate, joyous, at times sublime As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls (Part 1) by Pat Metheny & Lyle Mays will bring
what I’m going to need. I have been lucky enough to work closely with several brilliant jazz improvisers over the years. Those exchanges
have shaped me intensely.

Love it all Jane. The Debbie Harry story is a good one. Here’s a Spotify list of your suggestions: https://tinyurl.com/yyxtas2u Now, you
can have a luxury item and a book. We’ve already left the Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare on the island for you.
I better have an instructive manual for making fire and fishing rods and including a major build a boat section! Therefore my luxury
items will be propelling pencils and a stash of notebooks as telling all to an imaginary reader will hopefully stave off the desolation
whilst the romance of documenting the experience will keep hope alive!

Hmmm….ok. I did say one luxury and that’s more than one, but we’ll allow it. Changing the rules now – if you could only take one track,
which would it be? Tricky, despite Rite of Spring being a rich resource, as it’s about sacrificing a woman perhaps a bit of a downer, so I
will have As Falls Wichita, So Falls Wichita Falls please. Maybe someone reading this will also seek out this beauty.

Thanks Jane. Enjoy the island. Jack Busby & Bene’t Coldstream

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100 Years Ago - February 1921

On 1st February 100 years ago there was an event that affected many people in the village. Messrs J R Page
& Co’s brewery was bought and taken over by Messrs Wells & Winch of Biggleswade, who consequently
closed it down. All the staff lost their jobs including Mr S Parkhouse who had been with the firm for over
38 years. Joshua Page, for whatever reason, soon left Ashwell as elsewhere in the newspaper there was an
advert for the sale, by order, of his home, Westbury House, with the household and outside furniture and
effects.

In 1843 John Sale and Benjamin Christy began brewing at Westbury Farm. They then moved next door and
constructed a malting, a brewery, stables and a brewery house. Shortly after 1850 John Sale withdrew
from the partnership. In 1876 the brewery encountered financial difficulties and was sold to J R Page who
continued the business until 1921. Part of the brewery then became the Village Hall and continues in this
use to the present day.

There was another full and successful month for the Football Club. They played at Walkern and won 4-3.
At Letchworth they played the Temple Press and won by 5 goals and at home to Letchworth Boys they won
3-2. The boys of Merchant Taylors School played the boys of Odsey School but lost 2-1. The Football Club
also held a Whist Drive at the Merchant Taylors School to raise funds.

In other societies meetings there was a talk entitled ‘The Precious Things of the Ancient Days’ – a history of Pages Bottle – they can
Westmill Church. The Women’s Institute was marching from strength to strength. An increased still be unearthed
around the village .
membership meant the committee alone was
made of 18 individuals and this months talk was
a cookery demonstration using eggs.

A meeting of the War Memorial committee agreed that Sir Edwin Lutyens
chosen design should go ahead as soon as possible.

Pages Brewery. Building now demolished. Westbury Joseph Ball, 79, who lived with his daughter Mrs Andrews of Station Road,
House to the left and The Village Hall in the distance was thrown from a cart, sustained head injuries and died at home after
5 days on the 22nd February. At the Inquest it was said he was a former
employee of Mr Wilfred Bryant and still did some work for him. This day he
was returning to field work in a small spring cart. Near the Waggon and
Horses Pub (this was the building on the corner of Lucas Lane and
Springhead) he was passing two (steam) engines which had pulled over and
stopped for him. Although there was plenty of room a wheel of his cart
struck the bank, ran up 20 yards then overturned. He fell out and struck his
head on the side of the cart causing the fatal injuries.

Peter Greener

Object of the Month - Clarionet

For Christmas I was given the book ‘Music-Making in the Hertfordshire Parish 1760-1870’ (It
does not get much more exciting than that). It gives a good oversight, taken from a wide range of original sources, of the efforts
made to encourage music making and congregational singing. But of course one of the first thing one does with a book like this is to
look through it for references of Ashwell.

I was surprised to read that Ashwell was not included in the list of parishes with evidence for a band as we have in the museum this
fine CLARIONET which was donated in 1933 by Mr Pepper. The information given by Mr Pepper states that in the 1830s it was used
by Thomas Waldock in Ashwell Church as part of the musical accompaniment provided before the installation of the organ (in 1868).
There does not seem much hope of finding out more as I think the
churchwardens accounts for that period are missing.

The clarionet is stamped on each section ‘Clementi & Co’ but they were

probably only the retailers. The maker was likely to be George Wood whose

mark is on the mouthpiece and was working in London between 1804 and

1822. Peter Greener

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CLIMATE CHANGE is now part of our way of life. The BIG CLIMATE FIGHT BACK by The Woodland Trust has a
target of planting 1 MILLION TREES. GREENING ASHWELL endorses this by helping to restore natural features of

our village through community involvement and improving sustainable biodiversity to our surroundings.

We can be looking forward to the new growth that spring brings starting with snowdrops and aconites on the ground with
winter cherry and witch hazel emerging to rose hips and the un-usual flowers of spindle, often in our local hedgerows. So, it
is time to plan our projects for the new year.
We are now becoming an established part of the village community and with the formalised Greening Ashwell Group (GAG)
in place we can start promoting our message to a wider audience. Climate Change is still one our major challenges and we
are already in touch with other like-minded environmental groups both locally and nationally with the idea of a Nature
Recovery Association being looked into.
The government`s recently passed Agriculture Bill 2020 states “it will promote sustainable farming practices that create land
for nature recovery and support the establishment of new woodlands and other ecosystem services to help tackle climate
change”. The 2019 draft Environment Bill should give nature more protection, promote biodiversity (Nature Recovery
Network) and mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in new development, are also positive steps, if fully enforced and
funded.
So, although we may consider Ashwell is at a disadvantage in an intensively farmed landscape to substantially improve its
natural environment and biodiversity these new opportunities afforded in these Bills should be investigated. We have
already started with our planting programme and grants awarded by The Woodland Trust and ongoing local authority
support. The Green Plan is progressing on key issues like identifying TPO protection for significant village trees and
conserving our local habitats.
Although much of the village community appreciate the rural aspects of Ashwell and endorses the ethos of GAG this is not
universal. Several of our remaining former field hedges have been removed or depleted, mature trees have been cut down
and most of our verges are intensively mown with few wild areas remaining. We need to find ways to engage with the whole
community and landowners to see nature in a more positive light.
The village has changed in the short time we have lived here but this should not be looked at as all negative. New
developments last year may have seemed excessive to the community but the village can adapt to change while retaining
its rural character and appreciation of the values of its location in an enviable countryside. GAG needs to be relevant to
everyone with its message that sustainability, wildlife biodiversity and reduction in carbon emissions is achievable if more of
us make an effort.
Let us hope the developing new year will bring positive benefits not only for the natural environment but people as well, in
the form of getting involved with the many varied tasks that Greening Ashwell have programmed and that everyone’s
wellbeing will be improved.
KEN COYNE on [email protected] or phone 01462 743723, 07857844745
GREENING ASHWELL Coordinator

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New Facilities in St Mary`s – an update on progress

The projected completion date for the Studwork for North aisle.
new kitchen, toilets and north lobby in the
village church has been pushed back into
March 2021. This is a result of
archaeological discoveries during the
excavation of the old floor and supply
issues with stone and other materials.
Additions to the original specifications have also extended the
time for the project. These include the decision to relay more
of the stone floor in the north aisle up to the vestry door, the
inclusion of a memorial plaque in the floor to record the
existence of the barrel vault discovered under the old floor and
emergency lighting to all three church doors.

At the time of writing in early January, all the flooring in the
north aisle and the north porch has been completed and is
drying out, the timber studwork for all the rooms (kitchen, two
toilets, lobby and flower arrangers` storage cupboard) has
been completed. A picture shows the new sloping floor in the
north porch, comprising Burwell pammets, recycled pammets
at the entrance to the lobby and a new York Stone threshold
in the foreground. A second picture shows the studwork for
the kitchen with the toilets beyond.

Electricians, plumbers and fitters will now start installing all the New floor in North porch
fittings, fixed kitchen and toilet furniture and lighting. Wood
panelling, glass ceiling panels and decorative mouldings will
follow.

The large Sheldrick tapestry of Christ the King, previously
hung unprotected on the wall above the north door will be
placed in a new wood and glass cabinet and installed above
the new north lobby, where it will be very visible from the
south entrance to the nave. This tapestry has been recently
restored by Rosemary Gillborn. The other two Sheldrick
tapestries, which have been shunted around the church for
years while restoration has been in progress will be
permanently installed in their existing cabinets on the walls
either side of the south door. These changes will enhance the
appearance of the church interior and add to the visitor
experience.

Mike Taffs

St Mary`s Ashwell PCC

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£2 Price Point for March Edition

Thank you to everyone who feedback on this issue.
After full consideration, Ashwell village News (AVN) will be moving to £2 per hard copy from March. Here
are some points for clarification:

1) A £2 price point is needed to fully cover the cost of printing at £1.80- £1.90 each
2) All remaining funds, predominately from advertising, go to support the running of St Marys church

and buildings
3) The AVN team and article contributors volunteer their time in order to achieve this
4) AVN on line remains free, including back copies

(This platform is free to utilise, but cannot collect monies)
5) AVN will now be full colour for articles and have the extra space that it needs.
6) Anyone unable or unwilling to spend £2 per month can make a “donation” of £1 for a hard copy.

That’s a matter for your own deliberation.
7) We hope the vast majority understand the rational and feel able to pay £2.
8) No further price rises will be needed for the foreseeable future.
9) We thank everyone for your understanding and ongoing support to make AVN (and St Marys) viable.

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Farming Today - Bluegates Farm

With a lot of focus in recent months regarding “food miles” and the UKs’ reliance on foreign imports. Can we use more
food that we produce here in the UK, and could we become more accustomed to buying seasonal British veg.
Here at Bluegates Farm we may not grow veg, but we deal with UK companies for grain marketing. Our milk is sold to a
company called “Arla” for the UK market, and the Sugarbeet to British Sugar for UK sugar sales.

All the produce from the farm is produced to set standards. Under the “Red tractor scheme”. You will of seen this label
on British produced products in the supermarkets. Where farms meet the quality assurance schemes.
To gain the “Farm Assurance” label, farms have to go through a strict process of protocols and inspections. This
includes the inspection of grain stores, making sure they are clean, are free from pests, and records kept of grain
temperature and moisture. All fields records are checked, making sure crops have been sustainably grown, with the
chemicals being applied at the correct rate and growth stage of the crop.
The audit also checks that the machinery and operators who apply products onto the crops, have valid certificates,
which have to updated annually.

On the dairy side of the farm, checks are made to ensure the cows have plenty of space to roam, animals are well
looked after, with animal health monitored, and treated to ensure low antibiotic use.

The “Red Tractor scheme” is a set of standards that we must work to, and in return we get a
higher premium for our produce. The standards we farm to are very high, and ensure high
welfare standards and happy health animals.
The standards by which we produce food in this country, are some of the highest standards
in the world.
As a farmer I take pride in making sure our animals are healthy, and produce a top quality
product.

If you can buy from local sources, please do, I would always recommend it. Or if buying
from supermarkets, look for the “Red Tractor” logo, with knowledge that the produce you are
buying comes from a certified farm.
Our wheat is sold for UK milling or for animal feed. This year we are storing 3000 tonnes of wheat for animal feed, and
around 950 tonnes for bread making flour. All grown to the red tractor specifications
We have two bulls on farm, an Aberdeen Angus called “Jock”, and a British Blonde “Boris”. Both are beef breeds, and
are very solid animals. See if you can figure out which bull is what?… Even though they look big, and are incredibly
strong, they know the farm staff, and love a head scratch and ear rub. These two help with calf production, and sweep
up any cows that haven’t taken to a AI service.
In the photo are twin Aberdeen Angus calves, at around a hour old.
James Mitchell
Manager
Blugates Farm

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A Winters Tail– Deborah Glanville

I felt different when I woke today, not sure why? Maybe more positive even,
like something nice was going to happen. Being newly retired makes you stop
and seriously think about your life. Not having Tom here definitely makes a
huge difference to my mood. Holding my warm mug of coffee, I gaze out of
the kitchen window into my large garden, where the winter sun is trying hard
to peep through between the cloud's and the white blanket of frost on my
grass. It makes me feel lucky that I am not outside scrapping the ice from my
windscreen ready to commute the hour to work through the beautiful English
countryside, as I have done for forty years. I did not think I would be spending
the next chapter of my life alone and so close to Valentine’s day too. Spending
that romantic day without Tom's love, affection and the usual card, chocolates
and flowers would be very difficult. My mobile rings the same time every day, it’s my son checking in
to see if all is well in mum’s world. Top my coffee up while chatting to Adrian. I prop myself up still
looking into the garden and suddenly I catch a glimpse of what looks like a tail behind the large oak
tree? Not possible, deer don’t have long tails, the badger is safely asleep in his lair - maybe it’s the
resident fox? I grab my garden slippers and gingerly walk out into the frosty garden, past the orchard,
still clutching the mobile phone but not really listening to my son’s voice in the background. Nope,
whatever it was has disappeared. Was it just my imagination playing tricks on me? I remember Toms
words to me before he left this world, "get yourself a dog, it will give you a purpose and a reason to
exercise". A few hours later I find myself wrapped up in warm clothing and briskly walking through the
woods, but not quite the same on your own, after having been married for so long, but grateful to meet
some other walkers for a chat. The usual chat
about weather, family and one’s health. But
again, out the corner of my eye in the distance
behind a large oak tree that familiar image of a
tail? I began to walk towards the tree hearing
the women chattering away behind me, this time
the tail makes a full appearance and attached to
it, is a dog! A lanky looking young dog definitely
not a breed that I am familiar with and rushing up
behind the sandy and white dog with huge ears
is a small woman clutching a lead. She
immediately turns and looks at me as she
fastens the dog on a lead, "she only arrived this
morning from Romania, she’s a rescue found in
a bin. I am fostering her until we can find
someone to adopt her. Her name is Tei ubesc,
but she responds to Tee. Her name in Romanian
is “I Love you!" Well needless to say ‘I love you’
is now sitting beside me by the roaring log fire, I
adopted her. She is the new love of my life, a
companion for me, just as Tom had suggested
and a new love to spend valentine’s day with.
I know Tom would love her just as much as me
and who knows did, he have something to do
with us two getting together? Or was it just a
coincidence?

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355 Fighter Group Keith Rowland

With the coming of war in 1939, the three farmers of the land between
Steeple Morden and Litlington were told that under the defence of the
realm act their land was to be requisitioned by the Air Ministry.
Construction soon began by John Laing and Son and the grass airfield
opened in 1940 as a satellite dispersal for RAF Bassingbourn. No. 3 (Coastal) Operational

Training Unit RAF and No. 11 Operational Training Unit of RAF Bomber Command operated

from the airfield. Flying Vickers Wellingtons, they took part in the first "thousand bomber

raid" to Cologne. In February 1942 a German JU -88 Bomber, thinking they were over France

crash landed at the airfield. The crew were quickly captured and taken to Bassingbourn for

interrogation.

Steeple Morden was
allocated to the US
Eighth Air Force in August 1942 as a potential bomber base.
Although not planned for use until 1943, Steeple Morden was
first used by the USAAF Eighth Air Force Photographic
Reconnaissance during the Autumn of 1942, and was then
developed with three runways, 55 concrete hard standings,
one T2 hangar and seven blister hangars. There was a technical
site with a control tower at the northern edge of the airfield. In
January 1943 the airfield was taken over by 17.OTU RAF flying
Blenheim Bombers from Steeple Morden until April 1943.

The 355th Fighter Group arrived from Philadelphia Municipal Airport on 9 July 1943, designating the airfield station F -122.
Initially the 355th were flying P-47 Thunderbolts and later P-51 Mustangs. Their main role was to attack German airfields and
infrastructure. Steeple Morden was also home to the 2nd. Scouting Force who flew ahead of the bombers and radioed back weather
information and enemy aircraft positions, thus saving the lives of thousands of bomber crews.

The 355th FG flew its first combat mission, a fighter sweep over Belgium, on 14 September 1943 and afterwards served
primarily as escort for Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress/Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers that attacked industrial areas of Berlin,
marshalling yards at Karlsruhe, an airfield at Neuberg, oil refineries at Misburg, synthetic oil plants at Gelsenkirchen, locks at Minden,
and other objectives. The 355th received a unit citation for their extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance and were the
highest Group for destroying aircraft on the ground, earning them the name the' Steeple Morden Strafers '. After seeing action in the
D- day landings, in July 1945 the 355th deployed to Gablingen, Germany to become a part of the Army of Occupation.

Maj Glenn Miller Visit To Steeple Morden, England 12 Aug 1944 Following the departure of the 355th the airfield was taken over
by the 4th Fighter Group, who stayed until November 1945 when
it was handed back to the RAF. The airfield was closed in
September 1946 and was offered back to the original owners,
George Jarman, George Smyth and Bert Parrish.

A memorial on the Litlington Road was dedicated in May 1981 to
the brave men who served at Steeple Morden. 1n 1993 a stained
glass window was unveiled in St. Catherine's Church, Litlington.
In 2003 the memorial was extended to take in the names of the
355th and RAF personal who died whist serving at the airfield.

https://www.americanairmuseum.com/place/353
http://www.steeplemordenpc.btck.co.uk/SteepleMordenAirfield
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Steeple_Morden

19

The future’s bright, the future’s green

In the past, a large part of my job as an environmental consultant was to sell the
message that we need to reduce carbon emissions and consume fewer of the Earth’s
precious resources. Now the impact of climate change has really started to kick in
across the globe, and thanks to some super successful activist campaigns, that part of
my job is no longer needed. The need for changing how we consume energy and ‘stuff’
is now in everyone’s mind. But when we think about the monumental task of
reinventing the way we do things to live within the planetary boundaries, we associate
it with having to give up the things that make us happy. The pandemic has been a
great learning opportunity and we’ve had to really evaluate what’s important to our
happiness and health.
The environmental movement has been extremely lucid at arguing what it doesn’t
want, but never quite so good at arguing for what it does want. As we plan for what happens after the pandemic, what
are the things that really matter to our health and wellbeing? It could be argued that the age of consumerism and cheap
oil has made us overweight, less imaginative, more depressed and anxious. On average we’re taking less exercise,
especially children, and we’re all being driven to distraction by technology. The pandemic has opened a space for people
to see clearly the damage the way we live is doing to the environment and our health and what a carbon-free civilisation
embedded in nature and strong communities could look like. Cities and towns have started closing roads and making less
room for cars and more room for exercise, fun, outside dining and socialising. The transition to a sustainable future is full
of nature, active travel, home grown food and socialising in our communities.
The environmental movement needs to become as skilled at selling the benefits of a green future as the big corporates
are at propagating the myth that happiness can be found through the accumulation of ‘stuff’. A sustainable lifestyle really
is better for our mental and physical health. When COVID restrictions do eventually lift, here’s to doing things differently
and lets look forward to a hopeful, bright green future.
Chrissy Batty, Ashwell

20

Mike Norton (Steeple Morden)
Environment Programme Director for the
European Academies Science Advisory Council.

Exported recycling to Malaysia

What can you do about plastics packaging!

A year ago, pollution from plastics was very much on many people’s mind. We had birds, turtles, whales even killed by marine
plastics; small particles (microplastics) found from the Arctic snow to the deep ocean. Plastic particles detected in beer, bottled
water, or seafood and most recently in the placenta of pregnant mothers. This while we continue to love the convenience, hygiene
and appearance of plastic packaging and rely on it for so many things. Yet in the environment it persists forever – just breaking down
to smaller particles that spread even further. How can we enjoy its benefits while eliminating its damage?

There are 3 main problems- it comes from fossil fuels (or worse still valuable food crops) so it adds to the climate crisis. Second it
inevitably leaks into the environment and third is the difficulty of recycling. All these are solvable if we fix the problems in the ‘value
chain’ from oil or gas feedstock to end-of-life handling. Ideally, we want a circular system that reuses plastic at the end of its useful
life –as we do to a degree with PET bottles. But to do more we have to tackle the basic problems that:

• plastic is too cheap because the price doesn’t include the damages it causes to the environment,

• competition is on attractiveness, functionality etc. not on recyclability,

• adding packaging helps efficiency in storage, stock and checkout,

• recycling is difficult and uneconomic.

Possible fixes include a plastic tax and extended producer responsibility (EPR) to add incentives to manufacturers and retailers to
think about recycling when they choose their packaging, and rules on recycling that encourage REAL recycling (and not just shipping
off to a country that allows it to be burnt or dumped).

Consumers can help- for example, the campaign against plastic microbeads in cosmetics/toothpaste. You can reduce use by using
shops that sell in bulk to your own container. Some companies can accept difficult to recycle plastics. When you see swedes,
bananas, broccoli- you name it- covered in plastic, you can take off the plastic at checkout or just buy unwrapped at a local farm
shop (plenty near Ashwell!!). You can use tap water instead of wasting money on bottled H2O! And use your own mug to reduce the
billions of takeaway containers that end up incinerated or in landfill.

But really, do we consumers actually have much power? Against our individual actions, oil companies are investing heavily to use
more plastics. Supermarkets using unnecessary packaging don’t seem to mind if a few customers leave it at checkout. Some
companies are promising increased recycling but should this problem be left to volunteering and leaders who are prepared to put
environment before profit? Surely it is better to have the rules and incentives reformed so that decisions of manufacturers and
retailers lead to the minimum use necessary and the maximum recycling ability. A year ago, my organization published a major
review of how this might be achieved.

It is not simple, but a start would be a plastics tax and EPR with charges high enough to reward retailers who improve recyclability.
At the recycling end, we need deposit return schemes not just for bottles but other containers- that can fund recycling capacity so
we don’t rely on incineration, landfill and unethical exports (where new international rules will soon apply). Recycling of mixed
plastics (with the huge variety of additives and contamination) is difficult, so we need first to simplify the waste (by using fewer
types of plastic and less additives) or break the plastics down to fuel or chemicals that can be used. If you want to see the
complexities in more detail, look at our report. If you are motivated to improve things yourself, reject the superfluous at the
checkout, fill up an old bottle with water instead of buying a new one, look for products you can refill, ask your MP about the latest
plans on EPR and for providing recycling technology that will allow our newly independent nation to handle is own waste!!

https://easac.eu/publications/details/packaging-plastics-in-the-circular-economy/

21

22

From an English Country Garden… Roses are Red…

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I thought I’d look into the origin of red roses as the
symbol of love that we know today.

I found that I need look no further than the Greeks and the Romans with the story
of Aphrodite (for the Romans, Venus) and her lover, Adonis, a beautiful young
man. Aphrodite and Adonis were devoted to one another. There is a complicated
hinterland to this tale involving the usual (and unusual) things ancient gods,
goddesses and their rivals got up to which are not always suitable for a family
publication, but we’ll keep it simple. Suffice it to say that one day, Adonis went out
boar-hunting. Ares, the god of war, and the father of five of Aphrodite’s children
while she was married to someone else (see what I mean) was jealous of Adonis,
and secretly sent a wild boar to harm him. At the last moment, Ares told Aphrodite
what he had done, and she of course rushed to warn Adonis. As she hastened to
her lover, she scratched herself on a white rose bush, and her blood fell upon the
soft white rose petals, turning them deep red. Despite her haste, she was too late,
for Adonis was already mortally wounded by the boar and died in her arms. The red
rose became the symbol of passionate love.

The myths of the ancient world also account for the presence of thorns on
roses. Keeping it in the family, for this tale we look to Eros, described initially as
the son of Chaos, the original primeval emptiness of the universe, but by later
tradition as the son of Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, by either Zeus,
the king of the gods, Ares, god of war and of battle, or Hermes, divine winged
messenger (now reduced to delivering parcels). In his Roman incarnation, Eros
is Cupid, son of Venus and sometimes Mars, god of war, sometimes Mercury,
the winged messenger. Leaving aside his parentage, little Eros loved roses. One
day, while leaning down to take in the fragrance of a rose, Eros was stung by
bee gathering nectar. Aphrodite gathered her son into her arms and comforted
him in his anger and dismay. Not wishing to see her cherished child so
distraught, Aphrodite gave him a quiver full of arrows to help him settle the
score against the bees. Armed and dangerous, the winged Eros returned to the
garden, and fired a flurry of arrows at the rose bushes. The thorns are said to be
the places where his arrows missed their mark.

And finally there is the love story of Eros and Psyche. Psyche was one of three
sisters, the youngest and most beautiful (always the youngest one, isn’t it). The
local populace began to worship Psyche instead of Aphrodite. This blasphemy
infuriated Aphrodite who enlisted her son Eros to exact revenge by shooting
Psyche with one of his magic darts, in the hope that she might then fall in love
inappropriately with the first being she set eyes upon. However, Eros
accidentally scratched himself with his own dart and disobligingly fell in love
with Psyche himself. Poor Psyche was then subjected to a long and unpleasant
series of trials at the hands of Aphrodite, until at last Zeus took pity on her and
brought matters to an end. Eros was reunited with Psyche, and their marriage
was celebrated with a great feast of the gods. Zeus was so delighted by the
union that he asked his daughters, the Hours and the Graces, to make
everything “glow with roses,” scattering the blossoms about the land. And that
is, of course, why scientists today have identified rose species originating around
the globe and found fossil remains of roses stretching back in time.

Susan Greenbank

23

Hello everyone. Hasn’t the weather in Ashwell been nice and variable in January? In the week
that I reccy’d this walk for us, the Monday was wet, cold and miserable. Tuesday was cold,
miserable and wet, and Wednesday was (you’ve got it)… miserable cold and wet. So I went
out on Thursday, which was wet, cold and miserable, and blowing a gale to spice things up a
bit. Didn’t see a soul, not even a hardened dog walker.

But I know you are made of sterner stuff, you avid Ashwellian Ramblers. Heeding “official
advice”, we are staying local again this month, so no great navigational tests for you. But bare
three things in mind before you set out: mud, Mud and MUD. So get those wellies down off
the shelf for a 3 to 5 mile walk setting off from Crumps/the Church Lychgate, which as well as
being circa 600 years old, (the gate that is, not our wonderful butcher) is one of the very few
double lychgates in England.
Set off down Mill St, past Fordham close, and at the road corner carry straight on across the
Elbrook Meadow path to Northfield Road. Go straight across onto
another path, and follow the muddy footsteps down to the stream
(the boundary between Herts and Cambs by the way). Cross at the
footbridge. For the 5 mile walk turn left, for the 3 mile go straight
on, and jump to the next paragraph. The permissive path follows
the stream for just over half a mile, and plays tricks on your vision.
Initially you can see off to the right, the buildings at Coldharbour.
Then they disappear behind higher ground, only to re-appear just
before the permissive path ends. Enjoy this tranquil space, part of
the Guilden Morden Conservation Area, known as the Vineyard.
Retrace your steps of this out and back section, back to the foot-
bridge, but now turn left (to join the 3 milers).

Head straight across the field footpath to the track at Coldharbour,
turn right and follow this track up to the road. You are at the fork
where the Ashwell Road forks off to Steeple Morden one way, and
Guilden Morden the other. Go straight across onto the bridleway
and keep going until you get to the path crossroads. For the 3 mile
walk, turn right here along Ashwell St, back into the village past the Caravan Park. For the 5 miles, carry straight on at the crossroads,
which heads you towards Odsey (don’t panic, we are not going that far!). The path doglegs to the right and then back to the left. Very
soon after that, turn left at the next fence boundary onto the 2nd permissive path of our route today. This path leads up to a gate, go
through this gate uphill to a disused chalk pit. You can walk all the way around the top of the pit, or even explore down inside. When I
were a lad, that is what I used to do. But ‘Elf and Safety’ is much tighter these days, so adults please don’t fall down the rabbit bur-
rows, and young children, please don’t fall down anywhere. I can’t be doing with all the paperwork. But to be serious again for a mi-
nute, it is fun to explore the pit, and it is worth climbing up to the higher ground in any case, to give you a view back into Ashwell which
you may not have seen before. When you are done here, retrace your steps back to the main path crossroads you left half a mile
back, this time turn left and head back into the village past the Caravan Park.

See you again next month when the weather will be better, spring will be on the way, and the mud will have started to dry out a bit.
Yours optimistically, Ronnie xx

24

A Bradleys 742043

Ashwell Parish Council 743706 Halls for Hire 742297
Ashwell St Mary’s Parish Church Office 743922 Ashwell School 743922
Ashwell Primary School 742297 Parish Rooms 742913
Ashwell Playgroup 07565 528194 Ashwell Village Hall 742757
Ashwell Village Museum (Curator) 742956 URC Hall 742258
742931
B Hinxworth 742040

Bakers (Days) 742202 Newnham 03001 234049
Border Ramblers 743723 Horticultural Society
Bus Services (Richmonds) 01763 848226 L 742277
Butchers ( Crumps) 742255 Library Services
742684
C M
742250
Care Guild ( Graham Scott ) Mothers Union 07890 015055
Chimney Sweep (Hinxworth) 07545 273483 N 101 or 01438 7579240
CHURCHES 07736 172988 Nature Reserve( Warden) 01763 852834
St Mary’s (Rector)
United Reform Church ( Christine James) P
Quaker ( Ian Chandler) 742277 Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicines
Zoar Baptist 742684 Plumber ( Ian Ruggles)
Roman Catholic 743091 POLICE Herts Rural
742273 Post Office Steeple Morden
[email protected]

S

CLUBS (Young People) Sports Clubs

Asheteria 01763 318052 Cricket(Richard Young) 07768 792071

Guides( Sue Long) 01223 208337 Football (Andrew Hayes) 07990 598905

Brownies [email protected] Karate 07941 926125

Rainbows [email protected] Tennis [email protected]

Scouts, Cubs, Beavers [email protected] Station ( Inquiries) 0345 484950

T

Computers ( Sigma) 742783 Taxi Services ( Baldock) 01462 486666

County Councillor ( Steve Jarvis) 01438 727122 Theatre Club [email protected]

DW

Dairy (Blunham Dairy) 01234 376006 W.I. [email protected]

Delicatessen (Rhubarb and Mustard) 743462

Dentist 742353

District Councillor ( Tom Tyson) 07546 589377

Doctors and Surgery 01462 417377

E 07990 977124 Cut me out to
Electrician

07760 241922 put on the fridge.

F

Farm Shop ( Sarah’s) 01763 852376

G

Garage ( Ashwell Garage 742310

Grocer and Off Licence 742220 Please contact Karen Mills with any queries
H

Hairdressers 01462 742155

Sue Birch 742298

25

Baldock Rotary Club are changing lives with loans

Baldock Rotary Club are celebrating a landmark charitable achievement as one of hundreds of Rotary
clubs from across the country who, since October 2011, have contributed over £1 million to
LendWithCare, a microfinance charity which enables people in the UK to make small loans to
entrepreneurs from poor communities around the world.
These Rotary clubs have been making small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, enabling
them to start or expand their small businesses and work their way out of poverty, feed their families
and send their children to school. Loans have been made to farmers, tailors, market stallholders and
food producers to name just a few of the types of businesses Rotary have helped in 11 countries
across Africa, Asia and South America.
Baldock Rotary Club have made loans on a revolving basis of £8,903 since 2013, contributing
towards the national £1 million landmark, with the club lending to 357 entrepreneurs in 11 countries.
Paul Redwood, President of the Baldock Club, said “Baldock Rotary Club are proud to be a part of
this fantastic initiative. LendWithCare is a great way to make a big difference with a small loan to help
people out of poverty. You see exactly who the money is going to, and what they will use it for. The
entrepreneur uses the funds to help them to earn a living, often employing family members and
neighbours as well, helping to lift their communities out of poverty. They then repay the loans, which
can then be re-lent to person after person.
Rotary is one of the world’s largest and most successful global membership and humanitarian service
organisations, with 1.2 million members in over 200 countries volunteering their time and their talents
to tackle challenges at home and abroad to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water,
support education, save mothers and children and grow local economies.
Anyone can make a loan direct through LendWithCare or buy a LendWithCare voucher as a gift.
Loans start from £15 and will typically be paid back over 6-24 months. Follow in Baldock Rotary
Club’s footsteps and visit www.lendwithcare.org to make a loan and change a life.
Baldock Rotary would like to attract new members, so if you are the type of person who is in a position to “give
something back” to the Community, we would love to hear from you. Our activities and aims can be
summarised as;

Fundraising for charitable causes
Support for the local Community

Aid for international disasters
Make new friends and have fun at our organised events
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 [email protected].

Rotarian - Paul Luckett

www.baldockrotary.co.uk

26

14th March 10.30am
Amnesty International

Speaker: Simon Marlow

Zoom. ID. 885 7213 2169
Passcode 136728

MEDALS WANTED

Collector & researcher pays highest prices for all medals:
military or civil, groups or single items.

Also buying other militaria, police and civil aviation items.

Tel: 01438 – 811657
[email protected]

27

ASHWELL VILLAGE NEWS

Publication

Ashwell Village News (AVN) is published by Ashwell Village News is now on
St Mary’s Church, as a service to the line ( eAVN )
community.
https://tinyurl.com/Ashwell-Village-News
Correspondence, articles and advertisements in this
magazine are not to be taken New Contributors
as representing the views of either St Mary’s Church
or of any of the volunteers who produce the AVN. Do you have a story to tell?
Ashwell Village News is looking for new
FINAL Deadlines on PRE-EXISTING articles for contributors to submit articles for 2021.
March submission are : You don’t need to be a writer, just someone
with a passion or a story.
Article Deadline 15th February Perhaps a local artist with a piece for the
front cover?
Advertising Deadline 10th February Maybe even fancy doing some journalism for
articles?
All new articles to agree slots with the We welcome all ages, particularly those
young in heart, with engaging and uplifting
editor by 1st February. tales to tell. Get in touch and we can discuss
some more.
To avoid disappointment. [email protected]
James
[email protected] Editor

Our AVN Team of volunteers are:

James Boyle Editor

Julia Mitchell Advertising

Richard Young Distribution

George Boyle Layout

Al Jacoutot Finance

Berry Accounting Services
Litlington, Royston

Offering a friendly personal service for small businesses

• Self Assessment Tax Returns
• Annual Accounts
• Tax Planning
• Business Start-up Specialist
• Business Planning & Support
• Compliance / Disputes with HMRC
• Mentoring
• VAT Returns
• Payroll Services

Contact Jim or Maeve to discuss your requirements

Tel: 01763 852622 Web: www.berryaccounts.co.uk
E-mail: [email protected] Mob: 07850 426325

28

ASHWELL PATIENTS' GROUP

DEMENTIA AND THE POWER OF MUSIC GOOD NEWS FOR PEOPLE WITH SIGHT PROBLEMS

There are currently some 885,000 people with dementia in Herts Vision Loss (previously known as the Hertfordshire
the UK, a figure expected to reach 1.14 million by 2025 Society for the Blind) is a charity based in Welwyn Garden
according to the Alzheimer's Society. Many people have City which supports local people of all ages who have visual
direct experience of seeing friends and loved ones fall impairment. Its aims are to increase independence and
victim to this condition and of finding communication reduce social isolation. They offer such assistance as:
increasingly difficult as it progresses. • Home visits and befriending
Presently there is no cure for dementia but music has a • Eye clinic support and information
valuable role to play in enhancing quality of life for people • Counselling
living with the syndrome and their carers. It has the power • A telephone information service
to bring people together and provide a way to stay • An advocacy service for people with vision loss to ena-
connected. It can enliven, stimulate and enable people to
express themselves creatively beyond words. Research ble them to make their voice heard
shows that music can help reduce distressing symptoms • School visits
such as agitation, apathy and anxiety. While sufferers can • Social clubs for people with sight loss
struggle to recognise faces, music can transport them back In order to provide these services they of course need
to happier times. volunteers. They are looking for willing people to make
A huge supporter for using music as a therapy is former home visits as befrienders; help in eye clinics (with training
newsreader Jon Suchet whose wife succumbed to provided); help with demonstrating equipment; help with
dementia. He observed how transformative music was for regular social events.
her. She had lost the ability to speak and was locked inside Although a Herts-based organisation, people living in
her head. But when she heard music "She would close her another county but registered with a Herts GP are equally
eyes and love it, beat in time, tap her feet". eligible. But there is also an equivalent service in
As renowned neurologist Dr Oliver Sacks put it: Cambridgeshire.
"Music imprints itself in the brain deeper than any other To find out more either as a person with sight problems or
emotion. Music evokes emotion and emotion can bring as a potential volunteer here are some useful contacts:
memory. Music brings back the feeling of life when nothing Warm welcome guaranteed!
else can".
For more information go to: HERTS VISION LOSS: CAMSIGHT:
musicfordementia.org.uk tel: 01707 324680 01223 420033
www.alzheimers.org.uk and look for "Playlist for Life" hertsvisionloss.org.uk camsight.org.uk

Transport to Covid
vaccination centres

For residents who do not have access to their own
transport. Both Royston & District Community
Transport and North Herts Community Transport have
drivers carrying out transport to vaccination appoint-
ments. Both are chargeable (Royston 55p per mile, N
Herts 45p per mile with a minimum £5 per journey).
Both cover our area and Bassingbourn to Letchworth.
Royston & District Community Transport
https://www.roytrans.co.uk/
01763 245228
North Herts and Stevenage Community Transport
Scheme
https://www.nhcvstransport.org.uk/
01462 689402

Please cascade this information to anyone you
know who may need it.

29

Moss Cottage Homes, Hodwell, Ashwell

Moss Cottage Homes consist of six one-bedroom cottages at an afford-
able rent, primarily for older residents of Ashwell.

The Trustees wish to appoint a new Clerk, to take over from January
2021.

The role usually requires 2-3 hours per week, for which the Clerk re-
ceives a small honorarium

The Trustees are looking for someone who is computer literate, able to
maintain records and accounts, manage ongoing minor mainte-

nance and has good communication skills
If you would like to know more about this interesting position, please
contact the Chair of the Trustees, Madeleine Legg, for more in-

formation
[email protected]

30

Those of you who have seen me recently must have been able to admire my lovely long fluffy
golden coat. But the Missus has been uttering the horrible "H"-word for a while now.

Although it happened many centuries ago, I still remember my first haircut as if it was
yesterday. It was the most traumatic experience ever. It was just after Christmas and this van
lady showed up. She has like a little bath tub in her van and lots of torture equipment. I will
spare you the horror I was subjected to as I don't want to upset my doggy friends in the
village. But as I know that the Missus will put in some mug shots, you will see the horrible
state I was left in. My coat had gone, besides some fluff on my head and
at the end of my tail. When I came into the house, the sheer shock on
the Missus face...she was almost crying, actually she was crying, and I
don't know who was the most miserable of the two of us. As she went
into the kitchen to tell the OtherHalf, the stripy non-dog came in, and...
didn't recognise me and attacked me!!! I had blood dripping from my
nose. The icing on the cake was that the OtherHalf was too embarrassed
to walk me as he thought I looked like some hideous designer
experiment gone wrong.

Thankfully, in more recent years, Luna's medium-human has been doing
my haircuts. She is really lovely, so I don't mind her cutting my hair. She
is also better at it as she at least leaves me with a little bit of coat so I
don't look like a sheared baaing non-dog.

Unfortunately, at the moment, the only way to give me a haircut is the Missus doing it herself, which doesn't bode well.
In April, she practiced some DIY haircut on the OtherHalf, who was not impressed with the result as there were clear
differences in the level of cutting she had done. He even had one spot where you could see his scalp. I am sure he was
pretty pleased for once that the pubs were closed and he didn't have to go there looking like that. And in the summer,
she had an initial attempt at my hair. You can judge for yourself, but I don't think it was a success. Luna's owner had to
come to the rescue and sort it out. Surprisingly, she also gave herself a DIY haircut with much better results…

On the other hand, I probably should be pleased that she doesn't make me wear silly outfits or dye my hair pink. I saw a
dog in a dress once. We had just gone for some walkies and I had dived with my head into some rather fresh mooing
non-dog poo, which meant that my whole head was covered in that rather smelly brown substance. Unfortunately, there
was nowhere I could go for a quick swim to clean up, so they took me like that to a pub for lunch. There was a woman
with a little dog in a dress and she said to her dog
in this silly voice: "Oh darling, look there is anoth-
er doggie, you can go and say hello, but don't go
too close as that dog is covered in poo - yukkie".
The Missus was not impressed and turned around
and said: "Yes, he is a dog, that is what dogs do",
and patted my poo covered head. She can be
nice sometimes. So fingers crossed, she is too
busy sitting behind her desk all week and forgets
about haircuts for a bit longer

That’s it for now folks,

Sir Bark A Lot

31

Jottings from Ashwell Chairman: Graham Lee (743126)
Parish Council. Meeting Office at Bear Farm, 6A Back Street (743706)
Clerk: Jane Porter, Deputy Clerk: Laura Brooks-Payne
held on www.ashwell.gov.uk [email protected]
Wednesday 6 January

Ashwell Parish Council

Martin is taking a well -earned rest from summarising the events of our January meeting. But I’m going to aim in this article to bring
you some joy and positivity to Ashwell’s outlook for 2021.

You may not think that talking ‘money’ is the best way to start these jottings. But it’s the first of my ‘good news’ reports! Most of you
will be aware that every council tax paying household in Ashwell makes a small payment towards the Parish Council’s management and
maintenance of some key Ashwell resources, like the Rec. So I’d like to report that the Parish Council is planning to hold expenditure in
2021/2 at the same level as was budgeted in the current tax year.

Another ‘success’ is that the hedge on the Station Rd edge of the Townsend Field development will now be retained. That follows much
pressure from the PC on NHDC and Herts CC, with support from our District Councillor Tom Tyson and County Councillor Steve Jarvis.
The new path will be on the roadside of the hedge linking the new houses to the existing footpath in Station Rd.

Environmentalists among you may be pleased to learn that during January our conventional street lights have all been upgraded to LED.
There has been a time lag in adjusting operational light levels, and the automatic late night ‘switch off’ settings, but by the time you
read this these adjustments should have been completed – please tell us if not.

We have also been invited by Luton Airport (see: https://consultations.airspacechange.co.uk/london-luton-airport/
ad6_luton_arrivals/ ) to submit comments by 5 February regarding modified flight-paths. The PC will be responding but please submit
your own views or copy the PC submission which will be posted on the PC website.
We’re also pleased to report that the PC has now established direct liaison with the
Ashwell Patients Group and Ashwell Surgery. As a result of this link we can now provide
information on the Parish Council website about actions being taken by the Surgery
and other Medical providers in the village to meet our medical needs, and how
residents can best access their services. We have already started publishing
information as soon as we receive it on the Covid vaccination programme. Visit
www.ashwell.gov.uk for the latest information.
Finally by the time you read this article we expect the Neighbourhood Plan to have
been handed to NHDC for the Regulation 16 process that should see it being reviewed
in 2021 by a Government Inspector. If approved it will then return to Ashwell for a
Referendum among residents. This is a major step forward after 7 years of getting to
grips with the complex process of how to create our own Plan. Well done to the many
people who’ve contributed to this project.

I’ll close with a reminder to contact any of the Parish Councillors or our dedicated Clerk
(Jane Porter) and deputy (Laura) – details in the Yearbook or on our website – if you
have any questions or comments about anything happening in Ashwell that affects or
worries you or that you think can be improved.

Graham Lee, Parish Council Chairman

Natalie Terry Virtual PA

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32

RT HON SIR OLIVER HEALD QC

MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
FOR NORTH EAST HERTFORDSHIRE

If you have any concerns please contact me
Email: [email protected]
Telephone : 01462 486074
or look on www.oliverhealdmp.com

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Basically Bikes

.

Last month I wrote about keeping (cycling) fit during winter and equipment that
can assist in this. I hope that at the same time you are storing your bikes in a dry
place and keeping the tyres inflated and the chain and cable entry points oiled.
Keeping the tyres inflated stops issues around rubber degradation and causing
folds in the tyre. Chain and cable lubing obviously stops rusting, not much
lubrication is required, a small amount on the chain and a drop or two at each
entry/exit point of the cables.

At Pro level there is a transfer window similar to football, albeit it there are no
fixed dates. In normal years this occurs in October and November but this year the
time frame has been condensed and delayed. There a large number of movements
in both men’s and women’s teams at this time but the one that catches the eye is
the signing by Deceuninck-Quick Step of Mark Cavendish for the upcoming season. It’s fair to say that Cavendish is
nearing the end of his professional career and this move is interesting as the team already has a world class sprinter,
Sam Bennett. At this years’ Tour De France Bennett took the green, sprinters jersey so the move is intriguing. Cavendish
will be there their second string sprinter or lead out for Bennett or Bennett’s tutor, only time will tell.

Pro racing in Europe is due to start at the end of February with the first of the Belgium Classic series. These races are
notorious for been held in very bad weather which has a big influence on the overall result. Typically they have short,
sharp climbs, sometimes on a cobbled surface with the rest of the race being run on open, flat roads where wind and
rain take their toll. It’s fascinating racing from the comfort of your front room!

Similar events are run in this country. These two photos show my
eldest son, Joshua, at an infamous race called the Crest, which is run
on a loop near Saffron Walden and is about 80 miles in length. The
conditions on this day were “typically Belgium”. Joshua got away in a
break away group but punctured and after changing a wheel was
sucked up by the chasing peloton, finishing in a small group,
mid-field. I don’t know who suffered most that day. I have to stay at
the roadside to ‘hand up’ food and drink as he can’t carry enough in
his pockets for the whole race. Meanwhile I got very wet and froze
through the 4 hour race. The second picture is after the race, it was
a road race but the most economic way to race is to closely
slipstream the rider(s) in front, which normally isn’t a problem.
However in these conditions, as can be seen, it’s a very dirty job!

If you have any ideas on topics for this column or questions, please
send them to [email protected] and I’ll try to include them
in my articles.

Richard M.

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