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Hello Readers,
This month we’ve gone a bit ‘May the fourth be with you’! Lisa has been playing with some of the AI programmes to produce our covers. We think they look amazing, but it is not as simple as you might think! She has spent hours on each cover, moving between different software programs to adapt and improve the images as very often the original versions come back with 9 fingers, a weird and random character in the background and the wording is virtually illegible – so for anyone who thinks we have ‘cheated’…. it couldn’t be further from the truth!!
The advent of AI presents a challenge to us all. But maybe the technology isn’t the problem but rather it’s the intentions of the people operating it? It’s worth noting that even the famous Luddites weren’t totally against technology of any kind, in fact they were often highly skilled machine operators themselves. They objected to the use of machines to produce low quality products and bypassing skilled labour. And maybe we can all learn from this.
Anyway, I digress, for those of you who aren’t Star Wars fans, the covers might be a bit lost on you but for those of you who are fans, I hope you approve! Either way, they’re a bit of fun and we explain a bit more about them in an article further inside the magazine.
It felt quite apt at the moment to have a futuristic cover as I don’t know about you guys but the weekly trip to the petrol station is feeling more like a scene from Mad Max! At the time of writing, Petrol was £1.54 per litre…….£1.54 per litre!!!! Don’t even start with the Diesel costs – just remind me why we are in this situation again?!
On a more positive note, we’re doing our Summer Sizzler again this year with lots of fabulous prizes to give away. We DO run giveaways fairly, we don’t do anything silly like some others might, where we give it away to Voice Magazines friends or donors (we don’t have donors but maybe we should consider it – it seems lucrative in some circles!!) but the prizes are good, we are supported by local businesses and they in turn are supporting our readers with the service they provide. So please enter, everyone of these we run each year, our participation levels increase significantly which makes us do a happy dance here in the office!!
I’m off to put on my combat gear as we’re down to quarter of a tank of fuel in the van and it’s nearly distribution time!! Wish me luck
Happy Reading, Emily x
MAY THE VOICE BE WITH YOU THIS SUMMER!
This month we have combined two of our favourite things… summer and Star Wars. With our special May The Voice Be With You… Summer Sizzler editions!
It’s a clever, (okay not that clever) pun on May the fourth be with you, which as I’m sure you all know is about Star Wars day… May the 4th, May the Force… geddit?!
So, how does that work with our front pages? Well we imagined a world where our Star Wars versions of the Voice Magazines team were enjoying a typical British summer… minus the rain! As this month we are celebrating the great British summertime with our big giveaway Summer Sizzler on the central pages.
So, this month we have Michelle-3P0 the Human Protocol Droid and Office Manager trying to save her fish and chips from the seagulls at the beach on our Darley Dale edition and cheese rolling with Princess Sarah, Leader of the Rebel Resistance and Account Manager on Sutton & Huthwaite.
Meanwhile Jedi Master and sometimes Director, LiamYoda is up to high jinks getting buried up to his neck by children at the beach (Selston edition) and later getting bitten on his freaky toes by a crab whilst rock pooling (Broadmeadows edition).
Sith Lord and Editor, Darth Emily is putting her lightsaber skills to test during Morris Dancing at the Village Fete on our Clay Cross edition, and startling onlookers whilst punting down the river with Jedi Knight Flake Dogwalker on our Swanwick Edition.
Flake Dogwalker is loving life at the beach, chilling on a deckchair with Imperial Stormtrooper and Delivery Driver David, enjoying an ice cream on our Kirkby & Annesley edition. Obviously Flake Dogwalker fancied an ice cream himself, so he’s seen later queuing at the ice cream truck on our Alfreton edition.
Roger-bacca our Wookie Delivery Driver is struggling to master cricket on our Bakewell edition before bike racing Maintenance Droid and Graphic Designer R2Lisa2, and holding up traffic on a country lane on our Matlock edition. Finally R2-Lisa2 has decided to off-road it on a country walk and is surrounded by some friendly cows on our Ripley edition.
It’s all a bit of fun, which I think we all need, so we hope you enjoy our summer silliness too!
Thousands of couples across the region could face a serious legal shock if one partner dies without a will.
Many people still believe that longterm partners automatically inherit from one another, but in law this simply is not the case if the couple are not married or in a civil partnership.
Despite this, research shows that more than half of UK adults do not currently have a will in place. Many also wrongly assume that the concept of “common law marriage” exists, when in reality it has no legal standing.
When someone dies without a will, they are said to have died “intestate”. In these circumstances, strict legal rules determine how their estate is distributed.
This can create unexpected and sometimes very distressing outcomes. An unmarried partner may receive nothing from the estate, even if they have lived with the deceased for many years. Instead, the estate may pass to blood relatives such as parents, siblings or their children.
The issue is becoming more significant as the number of cohabiting couples continues to rise. According to the Office for National
Statistics, the number of couples living together without being married increased from around 1.5 million in 1996 to approximately 3.6 million by 2021.
Laura Cowan, Head of the Private Client Team at Graysons Solicitors in Hathersage, says many people are unaware of the risks.
“It often comes as a surprise to people that their partner could receive nothing if they die without a will. Making a will ensures that your wishes are clearly set out and that the people you care about are properly provided for.”
Even for married couples, the situation may not always be as straightforward as many assume. If there are children, the surviving spouse will not automatically inherit the entire estate, as the law divides it between them.
Making a will allows people to decide exactly what should happen to their assets and provides clarity for families at a difficult time.
For advice about making a will or reviewing an existing one, contact the private client team at Graysons Solicitors in Hathersage on 01433 650 718. Or email: wills@graysons.co.uk
You can also read more about the subject at: www.graysons.co.uk/news/understand-happensestate-die-without-will/
Laura Cowan
ABOVE AND BEYOND THE CALL OF DUTY
Do you know an unsung hero who you think should be put forward for a National Honour?
There are many brilliant people across Derbyshire who do amazing things in our communities but they very often go unrecognised.
Honours lists are published twice a year at New Year and on His Majesty King Charles’ Official Birthday in June.
The national media often showcase celebrities receiving medals but the lists are certainly not about celebrities. In fact nearly all are unsung heroes from every corner of the land who have gone above and beyond the call of duty and done something special for their community.
They may be doing amazing voluntary work to enhance the lives of others, working tirelessly to safeguard the environment, creating lots of employment in a local company, achieving incredible sporting triumphs or helping people to face and overcome health problems.
Elizabeth Fothergill CBE, His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant for Derbyshire says “Nominating someone for an honour is relatively easy. As well as completing a nomination form, applicants are expected to provide evidence of the impact of the individual’s activities together with letters of support from people who know them or have benefitted from their work.
which is why you should do this in confidence and without telling the person you are nominating, but why not have a go.”
“You also need to be patient. From a nomination being submitted to the Cabinet Office to the nominee being notified of the outcome often takes a year or so, but the wait can be worthwhile for the individuals involved and the local communities they serve”.
“If you know someone whose efforts deserve to be recognised, please think about nominating them. You might help the person get the recognition they deserve and it will give you a warm glow in doing so”.
“Of course not every nomination is successful
Elizabeth Fothergill Lord Lieutenant
A nomination form can be downloaded from the Government’s websitewww.gov.uk/honours. It’s a fairly straightforward form but if anyone is a bit bewildered please contact the Derbyshire Lieutenancy who will be more than happy to give help and advice. They can be contacted by emailing Debra.Heaton - Lieutenancy @derbyshiredales.gov.uk
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Playground Games
What a lovely sound to hear children at play in the school playground. It takes me back to my childhood where many types of games were enacted with the simplest of props.
Variations on the chasing game of Tic or Tig are an age-old favourite along with statues, kiss chase or hide and seek.
Ring games like “Here we go round the mulberry bush” or “Ring a Roses” have their roots in actual historical events.
Choosing who was “on” or “it” was decided by rhymes such as “Ip dip do”, or “Eeny meeny, miney, mo”.
Games tended to be played by either boys or girls, although not exclusively.
Girls would sometimes bring in a skipping rope or a clothesline which would fit many skipping children. A piece of chalk would enable a game of hopscotch to be created.
Cat’s cradle involved making patterns with a smaller piece of wool, elastic or string. I am currently teaching my granddaughter how to do this.
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Clapping games, such as “A sailor went to sea, sea, sea” and ball games like playing twosie against the side of the wall also tended to be played by girls.
Boys however, rushed out of class at playtime to play conkers, snobs or marbles or they might use their pullovers as goalposts in a game of footie. They would often instigate a rougher game of British Bulldog when staff were distracted.
Can anyone remember scuffing your knees at playtime, visiting the school nurse and having iodine and a plaster?
Happy days.
Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information.
Welcome to our Summer Sizzler. We do love our giveaways here at Voice Magazines and we also love summer, so why not combine the two!!
As the days grow longer and the sunshine (hopefully!) makes more of an appearance, we’re excited to bring you some ideas into making the most of the upcoming half term and summer holidays right here in our community. Our contributors and advertisers have been fantastically generous again with the prizes and I’m not going to lie, a few of these are quite difficult to gift because we all want them at Voice HQ!!
So grab your sunhat (and maybe an umbrella just in case), and here’s to a brilliant summer right on our doorstep!
Claude the Crab:
12 of Claudes friends are lost on the beach and he needs some help to find them.
To enter the prize draw to win a family ticket to The Great British Car Journey, circle all 12 of his friends and send in a picture of your findings to community@ voicemagazines.co.uk by 5pm on the 25th May 2026
Please put your name, address and a contact telephone number on there so that we can contact you. Sadly you do have to be 18 & over to enter but I’m sure your adult servant/supervisor could use some help! Other T’s & C’s apply.
AWINFAMILY PASS
Claude
SUMMER COMPETITION
This year we have created a gorgeous map of the local area, highlighting some of the local attractions you can visit this summer.
To help with your adventures we are giving away an ANNUAL FAMILY MEMBERSHIP with the NATIONAL TRUST, along with a range of other prizes to enjoy this summer, kindly donated by some fantastic local businesses.
You can either play for FUN or you can ENTER the PRIZE DRAW for a chance to WIN one of the fabulous prizes below. 1.
WORD SCAMBLE
To enter simply unscramble the words to give you the names of 12 National Trust attractions, some local, some farther afield. Then send your answers via email to COMMUNITY@ VOICEMAGAZINES.CO.UK with the subject ‘SUMMER COMPETITION’. Please provide your full name, address and telephone number, so all winners can be notified. CLOSING DATE: Monday 25th May by 5pm Sadly you do have to be 18 & over to enter but I’m sure your adult servant/supervisor could use some help! Other T’s & C’s apply.
The woods are full of surprises - from birdsong and colourful, curious insects to delicate wildflowers and ancient trees that have stood for hundreds of years. Beneath their canopy live countless animals, big and small. So, why not explore a local woodland and see how many things you can find off our list.
WOODLAND SCAVENGER HUNT EVENTS THIS SUMMER
Find or Something:photograph: { older than you { that makes a sound { perfectly symmetrical { that looks like an animal { you’ve never noticed before { soft { sharp { that doesn’t belong
HARDWICK HALL
FAMILYCHATSWORTHFESTIVAL
A host of entertainment and activities designed to entertain every family member. 23th-25th May 2026
THE WAINGROVES SHOW 11th-13th Sept 2026
• Horticultural show • Stalls MIDSUMMER STORYTELLING IN THE OLD HALL WITH STORYFOLK 20th June 2026
Celebrate the summer season as the Elizabethans once did, with joy, festivity, and stories.
AYUP! Alfreton Leisure Centre
Indoor cinema and picnic for kids (with Blend and The Old Farm Bus), followed by a live band and disco for adults. 11th July 2026
THE BUSY GNOMEGARDENTRAIL
The Crescent, Buxton 30th May 2026
Follow the friendly gnomes as they help spell out a gardening word, discovering how plants grow from seed to seedling along the way.
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THE NAMES, BY FLORENCE KNAPP
The Names looks like one of the must-read novels of spring. It’s a heart-tugging, mesmerising book, which makes you question whether the seemingly simplest decisions in life can actually change everything that follows. If you know the phrase sliding doors, that gives you an idea of how it works.
Cora takes her new-born son to register his birth. But she faces choices. Does she stick with the name her awful domineering husband wants; does she choose the name she would give him, to offer him a different start in life, or does she go for the lovely name her daughter suggests – what doors would that open.
In the end the author gives us each of the three options, all bringing a different version of a life. The storyline of the book brings us up to date every seven years with Gordon, Julian and Bear –the same person but inhabiting different experiences and their consequences from that simple choice of a name.
Some parts of this book are fairly challenging emotionally – you get pretty invested in the characters - but there’s always the promise of breaking the mould and there is a lot of life affirming possibility and hope. It also leaves you with another question. Maybe it’s not just the name, or the sliding doors moment. And aren’t we all responsible for our own lives…
Slimming World Recipe
Philly cheesesteak rolls
Method:
1. Spray a non-stick frying pan with 1 cal cooking spray and put it over a high heat. Sprinkle the steak seasoning over the steak, then cook for about 2½-3 minutes on each side for medium-rare (or a little longer if you prefer). Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and rest.
2. While the steaks are resting, wipe the pan and give it another spritz of 1 cal cooking spray. Stir-fry the onion, green pepper and mushrooms for 2
For more information visit www.slimmingworld.co.uk
If you’re having a barbeque, or maybe a bit of alfresco dining, this is more than just a sandwich! Juicy steak, oozing cheese, tangy veg and a kick of mustard will make this a hit with the whole family!
minutes or until done to your liking. Season lightly.
3. Split the rolls and spread the mustard over the bases. Thinly slice the steak against the grain and pile it up in the rolls, topping each with a slice of cheese (you may need to fold it over) and the vegetables. Drizzle over the chilli sauce and serve. These are great with Slimming World chips or wedges and salad.
Serves: 4
Swips: 10 per serving
FIXING ROOFS, KEEPING HOMES SAFE
Ingredients:
• 1 cal cooking spray
• 1 tsp steak seasoning
• 1 medium green pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
• 4 x 65g wholemeal rolls
• 400g lean beef sirloin steak, visible fat removed, brought to room temperature
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 80g chestnut mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 4 level tsp American mustard
• 4 x 20g light cheese singles, smoked if possible
• 1 level tbsp hot chilli sauce
Ready in: 20 mins
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Nettle, far gone for
male, say (3,6) 7 Bread ad. could be rubbed up the right way? (7)
13 Swop rug over as it ‘matures’ (5,2)
18 Felt a dent where it had been squashed (9)
Pitcherwits® are crossword puzzles where some of the clues are in pictures.
Sound easy? It’s not called “Pit-your-wits” for nothing! The mixture of cryptic and picture clues, combined with Professor Rebus’ unique sense of humour, will keep you entertained for hours.
Across
5 Vehicle sounds snaky from Mr Kipling! (3)
6 Listener is a bit fearful (3)
10 Bird’s lost some appetite (3)
11 Making no sense of unity (7)
12 Printing units, in themselves (3)
16 Take in in the heat of the moment (3)
17 Uncommon sense that’s in especially short supply (3)
Down
2 She’s a roan in disguise! (4)
3 Old ship with a horn (4)
8 Sierra Leone-speak in urban turmoil (5)
14 Would, in days gone by, go all floppy (4)
15 Hammer back into shape en masse (4)
Travel’s nothing when confined no more (4,2,2)
Paper audience trying to ease her despair (10)
Scoffing at attempts to work with yarn or hawser (7,3)
Steered round bad ending with no one about (8)
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Time to make everything look brilliant! By mid-May, unless you’re in a frost pocket, you’re pretty sure of escaping frost, so the summer bedding can go out.
If you’re still not sure and you still have indoor or greenhouse reared plants inside; take them out during the day and bring back into shelter at night. Or you can keep them outside overnight in temporary protection such as cardboard boxes with a fleece insulation for a few days till, you’re more confident the danger has passed. Open them up to the fresh air during the day.
Containers are a favourite for bedding. Remove the top few inches of last year’s compost so the roots have new fresh material to go into. But check first to make sure there are no vine weevil lurking in remaining compost. These nasty little beasties - white larvae with very faint pale brown heads - can eat through a plant’s roots in no time and there’s no remedy for that.
Water is crucial for containers. Water early morning or in the evening, morning is best as slugs enjoy the moisture and will be attracted to your plants in the evening. Light rain is unlikely to go more than a few centimetres down into the compost, and won’t get the moisture where you need it, so you may need to water even if you have had showers on a hot day – and to do a late evening sweep to pick the slugs off your plants. Don’t water the entire plant; it can lead to scorching but means the roots get less. And water slowly, let the water soak in and repeat.
You may already know this; but if you’re cutting flowers for the house a couple of drops of bleach or white vinegar will keep them fresher for longer – it kills off the bacteria which builds up in the water..
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PEAK FLOWERS OF SPRINGTIME
Taking a stroll on a sunny day through any one of our wonderful ancient woods, or perhaps along a riverside like the Derbyshire River Derwent, or the canal at Cromford, and you will be struck by two things. One will be the rising crescendo of bird song, especially if it is a bright, clear day with little or no breeze. The other main experience of wild nature across the region, will be the splendid flowers of woodland and woodland edge. Some of the first spring flowers are the delicate Lesser Celandines that carpet any damp, shady spot and almost illuminate it with their massed, golden-yellow flowers. Other early wildflowers in bloom include the peculiar-looking Butterbur along canals and riversides, the dandelion cousin, the Coltsfoot, again with its yellow flowers appearing before the leaves. Alongside streams and wet areas there may be the diminutive flowers of the Opposite-leaved Golden Saxifrage, which is a low-growing perennial that can carpet shady damp zones of marshy ground in woodlands. This is one of a number of wildflower species known as ‘indicators’ of ‘ancient woods’, and with training an ecologist can ‘read’ the species like words on the pages of a book, to try and decipher the woodland story through the flowers which occur. We can then use the resulting information to help protect the woodland against loss and destruction, and to guide future conservation management.
With warmer, sunnier weather it is remarkable how quickly the wildlife and nature respond with birdsong, flowers bursting forth, and the early butterflies also
showing well. Brighter, warmer, sunnier days with longer daylight are beneficial to our mental health and wellbeing, and this effect seems to impact on nature itself. For people, the disconnect (for various reasons and causes) from nature, may lead to nature deprivation and serious but largely avoidable consequences. In this regard, a walk in the Peak District countryside or simply a view of nature and wildlife close to home or even in your back garden, can provide free ‘nature therapy’. Perhaps we should take more time to appreciate the commonplace and nature on the doorstep.
A further extension from the above thoughts is that nature-connectedness brings awareness of seasons and seasonal changes, to generate a sense of place and of belonging. As the songs of Chiffchaffs, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Greenfinches, Woodpeckers and more ring out, and the springtime flowers light up woodlands, hedgerows, and roadsides, these all combine to create an ambience which surely helps lighten the load and the melancholy of the stresses around us. As the brilliant white of the Blackthorn fades, it will be replaced by the whites and sometimes pinks of the Hawthorn, or ‘May Blossom’. And so, as each flower emerges, blooms, and then fades, it is replaced by others that take its place as the annual cycle of life goes on, unending, ceaseless, and ever- fascinating to observe. One piece of advice is to pause and take in the experience and thus, even if it is only for a short while, to disconnect from the wider stresses of modern life and immerse yourself in ‘the wild’. Feel the benefit!
Professor Ian D. Rotherham, researcher, writer, broadcaster on wildlife and environmental issues is contactable on ianonthewildside@ukeconet.org. Follow his website www.ukeconet.org, blog www.ianswalkonthewildside.wordpress.com/ & Twitter @IanThewildside Bluesky @ianthewildside.bsky.social
