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AUG ‘26 EDITION - 6TH JULY ‘26 | SEPT ‘26 EDITION - 10TH AUG ‘26
owdi readers, I say ‘Howdi’ not to infuriate Mike and his Americanism fixation (although that’s an added bonus! ), but because I’m as hot as a Texan Ranger looking for water in the desert at the time of writing! And I’m as grumpy as one too….as quite rightly all my sports have been cancelled to boot. I’m much happier when it’s warm, but as a country, we aren’t exactly set up for coping with heat…. roads will start melting in a minute…. hey, maybe it’ll fill in the pot holes!!?? I digress!
Also, at the time of writing, we’ve just watched England draw with Ghana……. my Grandma swore by the old saying of ‘bad start, good finish’ *crosses fingers*, mind you, she was cheating an 8yr old out of a victory in Ludo at the time, so I’m not sure how much stock I put in that, but the sentiment is nice, I guess!! Come on fella’s, time to show us why you earn the big bucks!!!
Speaking of a change in management…. looks like we will have a new PM by the end of this year. Like him or loathe him, 7 Prime Ministers in 10 Years doesn’t exactly scream stability and we will all feel the effects of that. But we have what we have I guess whilst ever we have the first-past-the-post electoral system. Anyway, that’s enough of that, we don’t do politics here and I don’t want my email inbox filling up with unnecessarily angry emails – I get enough of those thankyou!!
Anyway, in other news, Mr Emily had to renew his passport this month and what I can genuinely recommend is South Normanton Post Office, who literally take care of the whole thing digitally, photo and all. It’s still an expensive do getting your passport renewed but no more silly form filling and chasing around trying to find a small box that takes tiny pictures in a supermarket car park, adjusting the height of the stupid stool, getting 4 but only needing 1 at the cost of a tenner….what do you even do with the other 3??! I’m sure other Post Offices are available for this service….but if not, these are your guys – you heard it here first!!
Stay cool & hydrated peeps,
Happy Reading, Emily x
WITH 11 MAGAZINES COVERING DERBYSHIRE & NOTTINGHAMSHIRE, Why not advertise in another area
Every year on 15th July, Britain marks the wonderfully quirky tradition of St. Swithin’s Day — a date wrapped in folklore, weather predictions, and a healthy dose of superstition. While modern meteorologists may raise an eyebrow at the idea, the legend remains one of the nation’s most charming seasonal sayings.
St. Swithin himself was an Anglo-Saxon bishop of Winchester in the 9th century. Known for his kindness and humility, he served as Bishop of Winchester during the reign of King Egbert. According to tradition, St. Swithin requested that when he died, he should be buried outside where “the sweet rain of heaven” could fall upon his grave. He died on 2nd July 862, and his wish was honoured.
However, several years later, the monks of Winchester decided they wanted to move his remains inside the cathedral to a grander resting place. Legend says that on the very day they attempted to move him — 15th July — a tremendous storm broke out, with rain pouring relentlessly for forty days and forty nights. Since then, folklore has claimed that whatever the weather is like on St. Swithin’s Day will continue for the next forty days.
The famous rhyme goes:
“St. Swithin’s Day, if thou dost rain, For forty days it will remain; St. Swithin’s Day, if thou be fair, For forty days ’twill rain nae mair.”
It is one of those gloriously British traditions that combines our love of discussing the weather with a touch of medieval mystery.
Whether people truly believe the forecast or not is beside the point — St. Swithin’s Day has become part of the nation’s cultural fabric.
Of course, scientifically speaking, the legend does not quite hold up. The Met Office has repeatedly explained that there is no evidence of a strict forty-day weather pattern beginning in mid-July. Yet there is a tiny grain of truth hidden in the tale. Around this time of year, Britain’s summer weather patterns often settle into longer spells of similar conditions, meaning wet or dry periods can indeed linger for a couple of weeks.
Beyond the weather lore, St. Swithin’s Day has inspired festivals, school rhymes, newspaper headlines, and endless cheerful debates over picnic plans and soggy barbeques. It also serves as a reminder of how deeply history and storytelling are woven into everyday British life. Few countries could turn a bishop’s rainy funeral into a national talking point more than a thousand years later.
Today, visitors can still explore Winchester Cathedral, where St. Swithin’s shrine once stood and where pilgrims travelled from far and wide during the Middle Ages. Although the grand shrine was destroyed during the Reformation, the legend has survived remarkably well.
So, when 15th July arrives each year, many people still glance nervously out of the window. Sunshine brings hope for a glorious summer ahead, while raindrops may inspire a resigned sigh and the inevitable phrase: “Typical British weather!”
2nd Derbyshire Regiment, India, 1897
Thomas George was born around 1870 at Golden Valley, son of coal miner John George and his wife Emma. In 1871 the family were living at Lower Birchwood, but by 1881 they were at Cinder Road, Lower Somercotes, Thomas being a scholar and his father John a foundry labourer
On 10 November 1886 Thomas, a labourer, joined the Derbyshire Regiment (later the Sherwood Foresters), signing on for seven years with a further period of five years to be spent in the 1st Army Reserve. Thomas was posted to India with the 2nd Battalion, notably taking part in the Tirah Expeditionary Campaign of 1897–98, for which he was awarded the Tirah Medal with clasps. The regiment is most famous for its pivotal involvement in the brutal storming of the Dargai Heights, where it suffered notable casualties.
Thomas also served as a recruiting sergeant at Alfreton, based at Normanton Barracks in Derby, the regimental home. It was here, holding the rank of Colour Sergeant, that he left the regiment on 9 November 1907. In 1902, during his Army service, Thomas had married Mary Elizabeth Street, and he and his growing family later settled in Alfreton where, in 1908, he gained employment as a county court bailiff. Thomas was of a reserved nature, but his soldierly bearing, smart appearance, courtesy and kindly manner won him a large circle of friends. As a court bailiff, he was always urbane and considerate in the discharge of his duties.
At the outbreak of the Great War Thomas immediately re-joined the Army, serving with the 12th Pioneer Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, both at home and in France. He was discharged on 11 March 1919 with the rank of Company Sergeant Major. From 1919 until his retirement in March 1934, he continued to serve as a county court bailiff, retiring due to failing health following an accident a year earlier.
Sadly, Thomas was to die suddenly the following year when, on Friday, 30 August 1935, he collapsed at his home on Nottingham Road, Alfreton. His death came as a great shock to his family and many friends. He left a widow and six children to mourn his passing.
Full military honours were accorded to Thomas when the funeral took place at Alfreton Cemetery on Tuesday, 3 September 1935. Following a service held in the Wycliffe Congregational Church, the coffin, draped with the Union Jack, was borne to its last resting place by a company of six Colour Sergeants of the Notts. and Derby Regiment, based at Normanton Barracks, Derby. A bugler sounded the “Last Post” over the open grave, a fitting tribute to an old soldier and true gentleman.
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We are a team of friendly and caring funeral professionals. We’re all local people ourselves, and are here to support and guide you through this difficult time.
Whether you wish to say goodbye with a traditional funeral, a simple farewell or arrange something a bit different, we are here to help you every step of the way.
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Please call or visit our website www.gillotts.co.uk at any time
We ran the most fabulous competition in May with amazing support from local companies and bumper entries from local residents. We wanted to share the happy winners to show that we didn’t just run off with the gifts ourselves (although we wanted to!!), and also to remind you all… “you’ve got to be in it to win it!!
After our last feature lots of you wanted us to publish the answers. So here are the anwsers to the main competition.
Waddesdon Manor
Anna has already enjoyed her tour!
Anna said “Excellent tour and taster. Many thanks.”
Kedleston Hall
Calke Abbey
Cliveden
Mr Straw House
Sudbury Hall
Stoneywell
Stourhead
Hardwick Hall
Tyntesfield
Bodiam Castle
Clumber Park
Alfreton & District
Email: u3a.ad@outlook.com Website: www.u3asites.org.uk/ alfreton/home
Come to our open house event and enjoy a FREE CONCERT with Ken Godfrey’s Central Jazz Band.
THURSDAY 13th AUGUST 2026 12.30am to 3.30pm at Christ the King Church Hall, Nottingham Rd, Alfreton, DE55 7GL. Why not become a member too? Numerous interest
A church family which meets in the heart of our community.
We represent a wide cross section of community, from young families, to 20s-30s, to more senior years, with a variety of nationalities.
We meet on Sunday mornings, 10:30am at The Genesis Centre, King St. Alfreton Midweek evenings we meet in homes around the area.
Many people are seeking faith in God for answers to our world at the moment. If you are curious about what it is to have faith in God, whether you have a little faith, no faith or are just curious, about life, about God and want to explore what it’s all about, then try ALPHA (a series of short talks and discussions in a friendly atmosphere). Starting Soon. Please come along on a Sunday or get in touch if you’d like to know more.
To help serve our community, we run …
The Loaves & Fishes Pantry Shop, Memorial Hall, Grange Street, Alfreton, Thursdays, 10am-12pm, Membership £1, Food £5 per bag. Singing Café, come and sing along, for all in our community. It’s good for you! (You don’t have to be good at it!), Wednesdays 1.30-2.30pm, Alfreton Christian Centre, Hall St. (opposite Tesco) Refreshments provided. (Voluntary £3pp donation if you can).
COME AND ENJOY IT WITH… YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME! FOR MORE INFO PLEASE CALL MARTYN ON; 01773 834708 OR
ENJOY A WONDERFUL SUMMERTIME! BEST WISHES FROM
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Alexandra Hotel Sun 4th - Thu 8th Oct
5 Days - £695
Bamburgh
Babbacombe
3rd
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Fly direct from Birmingham to Jerez and take a private transfer to a charming palacio-style guesthouse for 1 night, where tiled courtyards and lantern-lit squares ease you into sherry country.
Next morning you collect a compact hire car, ideal for narrow streets and open roads, and head for Seville for 2 nights, staying in a stylish boutique hotel just a stroll from the cathedral and Alcázar. Evenings here are for rooftop views, tapas and intimate flamenco under the stars.
Leaving the city rooftops behind, the road winds into the soft green hills of the Sierra de Aracena, where you spend 2 nights in a beautifully converted convent with cloisters, spa and views over whitewashed rooftops. You explore slow-paced villages, taste world-class jamón ibérico and follow gentle trails through chestnut woods.
Next, you drive to Ronda for 2 nights, staying in a characterful townhouse hotel in the old quarter, perfectly placed for sunset walks to the Puente Nuevo and a loop through nearby white villages.
Finally, you reach the Atlantic waves of the Costa de la Luz at Conil de la Frontera, where 2 nights in a clifftop or beachfront hotel give easy access to wide, wind-brushed beaches and golden evenings by the sea, before returning to Jerez for a final night to visit a traditional sherry bodega and toast the journey.
Whether you are a couple wanting slow, romantic evenings or friends seeking good food and scenic drives, this boutique 10-night self-drive can be shaped entirely around you. I will tailor the route, hotels and experiences to your travel dates and take care of every detail, from flights to that final glass of sherry.
Scan the QR Code for my Website
WEDNESDAY MORNING 9am
PALMER MOREWOOD MEMORIAL CLUB 36 Hall St, Alfreton, DE55 7BU
WEDNESDAY EVENING 6pm
CHRIST THE KING CHURCH HALL Nottingham Rd, Alfreton, DE55 7GL
Tel : Sue: 07738 118 130
Method:
1. Add half the strawberries and all the sweetener to your food processor, and whizz until smooth. Strain through a sieve into a pan and sprinkle over the jelly crystals. Put the pan over a very low heat and stir gently, until the crystals have completely dissolved. Take off the heat and leave to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, stir the vanilla extract and yogurt through the strawberry mixture until combined.
2. In a clean glass bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric hand
These melt-in-themouth pots will go down a treat on a summer’s day. For
whisk until they form stiff peaks. Stir 1 tbsp of the whites into the strawberry mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest one third at a time, being careful not to knock out too much air.
3. Divide the mixture equally between 4 large dessert glasses or ramekins. Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight if you can.
4. When you’re ready to serve, finely dice the rest of the strawberries, add to the mousses, and scatter over the basil leaves.
Serves: 4
Swips: 1 per serving
•
• 1 level tbsp sweetener granules
• ½ x 11.5g sachet strawberry sugar-free jelly crystals
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 x 115g pots Müllerlight Greek Style Strawberry yogurt
• 2 medium egg whites*
• Fresh basil leaves, to decorate
*When eating raw or partially cooked eggs or foods containing them, pregnant women, the elderly, babies and toddlers are advised to eat eggs showing the British Lion stamp or that are produced under the Laid in Britain scheme.
Ready in: 30 minutes plus 4 hours chilling
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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
9 Get a kick out of dangerous tactics (4)
10 Shrub wetland that could be Jimmy or Alan (4)
11 Run out of origanum? Embarrassing, me ol’ Spanish pal! (5)
12 Those people, as yet back in hospital (4)
14 Hunger (or conscience) feature of lifespan, generally (4)
Down
3 Legionnaires’ song? (3)
4 Rope formation sounds negative (3)
6 The mat that’s laid out for Empress Maude (7)
7 Nonsense article about change (3)
13 Early first listening gear (3)
16 Removal of eggs from Rome (3)
17 How about the one that was a doctor several times? (3)
1 An ace chord composed, but just not a bishop (10)
5 Mrs to stare rudely at chair sides (8)
15 Crown, all battered and left at the bottom of the land (8)
18 No room for compromise, as botulism is removed (10)
Down 1 Act out aim of working like a robot (9) 2 Thermal beam from a hearty sort (4,3)
Tactics needing big biceps? (9)
Put ‘Cole’ into two-line verse (7)
June has been a month of celebration at Amber Valley RUFC as players, members and supporters came together to mark the end of another memorable season.
Our Senior Men’s and Women’s Presentation Evening was a fantastic opportunity to recognise the hard work, commitment and achievements of players throughout the 2025/26 season. It was particularly inspiring to see so many newer players picking up awards, highlighting the bright future ahead for both sections of the club. A wonderful evening was enjoyed by all, with plenty of laughter, celebrations and, by all accounts, a few sore heads the following morning! A huge thank you goes to Ormonde Fields Golf Club for hosting us and to our incredible sponsors for their continued support throughout the season.
The celebrations continued with our annual Presidents Day, which once again showcased everything that makes Amber Valley RUFC such a special place. After the minis and juniors got the day off to a fantastic start, the men’s and women’s teams took to the field for a “friendly” touch rugby match. Unsurprisingly, friendly quickly became competitive, with family rivalries, spectacular plays and a few fancy dress casualties along the way!
A massive thank you to all our volunteers who helped make both events such a success.
As one season ends, we’re already looking forward to the next. Why not join us this summer for any of our training of all ages? Whether you’re an experienced player or completely new to the sport, everyone is welcome. Keep an eye on our social media pages for
Interested in giving rugby a try? call Stuart 07966 867 946 for the men, Gareth 07595 520 537 for the ladies and Paul 07790 403 043 for the Minis and Juniors.
More than just a club, we are the #ValleyFamily. You can visit our website www.ambervalleyrfc.co.uk, Facebook & Instagram pages to contact us or follow what we do. You can find us at Lower Somercotes, Somercotes, Alfreton
ULTIMATE HEALTH AND FITNESS, RIPLEY is more than just a gym, we’re a community dedicated to helping local residents achieve their health and fitness goals in a supportive, welcoming environment.
We’re a team of passionate trainers who understands that everyone’s fitness journey is unique. That’s why we build a community that is as unique as you are. We give you the tools to be the best version of yourself in your body and fitness goals but many of our clients have developed friendships that run deeper than simply just working out at the gym together, and as such, we love nothing more than facilitating these relationships through the variety of events we create each year.
Whether you do this on your own or as a duo, that is up to you? We’ve been working with DEKA for the last year and SATURDAY 4th JULY 2026 is our next event. If you want to take part, the whole UHF team will be cheering you on either on the day or via our WhatsApp groups.
Last year we went to Spring Lakes for some fun in the water, with paddle boarding and the inflatable assault course and we brought the whole family along too! We’ve also trialled some Family Fitness events this year at Easter to help members juggle their fitness routine with childcare in the school holidays.
ALL PACKAGES INCLUDE: Onboarding Session Online Booking Structured Training Sessions
30 DAY START UP - £99 ONE OFF PAYMENT 12 x SGPT Sessions
- £149 MONTHLY
x SGPT Sessions per week
- £130 MONTHLY
x SGPT Sessions per week
- £110 MONTHLY
SGPT Sessions per week
For the first time this year, we’ve organised a weekend trip to Portugal in October. We’ve put together a great schedule with a mixture of training and fun, but if you just want to come along for the sunshine and social, that’s great too!
Team breakfast Christmas do Turkish meal out Indian meal out Wine tasting evening
2 x Peak District walks Yorkshire 3 peaks challenge
With plenty more to come in the future…
If you’re tired of going it alone and you’re ready to join a community that truly cares about your success, we’d love to meet you.
Visit Ultimate Health and Fitness Ripley and discover what’s possible when you have the right support, guidance and environment.
It’s very hot at the time of going to print and our four legged chums often find it harder to cool down than we do, so we have to be extra careful when taking our dogs out for walks. Obviously if it’s too warm err on the side of caution and leave it for another day, but if you are heading out, even on a cooler day, don’t assume there will be somewhere for them to drink and always take plenty of water!
A moderate walk for you and your dog. The route should take around 2-3 hours. Whilst a large part of the walk is trails and paths there are some fields to cross with uneven and potentially muddy sections, so a good pair of boots are advisable, especially if it has been wet. There are a few sections of road, so please take care and, as always, follow the countryside code.
Start: Doe Hill Country Park Car Park, Doe Hill Lane, between Tibshelf and Stonebroom, DE55 6JS
1. Take the path that leads directly from the car park (by the poop bag bin). Follow this path as it winds around until it joins with another path from the right, then take the next left, almost immediately, heading uphill. Follow this path again as it winds until it joins with another path from the right and again take the next left, almost immediately. Follow this path until it brings you to Alfreton Road.
2. Cross the road and take the wide track (Gloves Lane) after a metal barrier on the other side. Follow this track for approximately 100 meters before taking the second of two paths on your left (the Silverhill Trail).
3. Continue along the trail until you meet a sign on your right. Take the horse stile on your left towards the ‘Five Pits Trail’. Follow this path until you meet a crossroads, taking the first path on your right. (This route can be fairly muddy. If you are keen to avoid this, you can continue ahead here on the Five Pits Trail to take you to point 5.)
4. Follow this path until it joins Saw pit lane, bearing left. After another 200 meters take a signposted footpath on your left. Follow the path as it joins Wetton Lane and follow until you reach the main road (B6014).
5. Turn left here and cross the road at the crossing before joining the five pits trail directly ahead. Keep to the main path downhill until a crossing of a small path. Turn left on the small path, cross over a lane and pass through a width restrictor.
6. Follow the path, ignoring steps on the right. Continue onto a road (Monsall Crescent) and keep ahead. At a T-junction, turn left and follow the road as it bends round to the right. Ignore roads leading off and then, as the road
bends round to the right again, take a short road onto a wide track footpath off to the left, just before a play park.
7. Keep ahead to the end of the path where there are turns left and right. Take the turn on the left to immediately pass through a gap in the hedge on your left. Turn right to walk alongside the field with the hedge on your right. At the bottom corner of the field pass through a kissing gate and turn left to walk alongside the field to cross a stile in the corner of the field, onto Doe Hill Lane.
8. Turn right here and follow Doe Hill Lane back to Doe Hill Country Park. Where appropriate cross the road to make use of the footpaths available.
This walk is for illustrative purposes only. Voice Magazines Ltd takes no responsibility for anyone who chooses to follow this route and encourages all walkers to obey all byelaws and signs and to respect the area they are walking in, ensuring they pick up all dog mess and obey the countryside code at all times.
City and Guilds Qualified Tradesmen
Tel: 01773 521882 / Mob: 07899 713196
Email: davecheshire@talktalk.net
www.david-cheshire-painting-and-decorating.co.uk
Am I the only one, or are others becoming increasingly fed up with American words, phrases and customs taking over our language/way of life? PART 5
Oh dear, it looks as if I’ve opened up a real can of worms – if you’re American, you may need someone to explain that phrase – with this theme. Last month’s trickle has become well, if not a flood, at least a steady stream of criticism of how we’re becoming more and more Americanised. As a result, it seems to me a bit rich that Donald J Trump accuses us of losing our culture/identity, when his nation is the principal culprit.
Whatever, Gill (Jacksdale) has been in touch with her pet peeve. “Why is it”, she asks, “that many well-dressed American men insist on having their pants dry cleaned and pressed before going to an important social function?”
“…….and don’t get me started”, she went on, “on the use of the word gotten in both the spoken and written American version of OUR language! My old English teacher at Matthew Holland School would have had a fit if I’d used that. What’s wrong with got? There’s no need for the ‘ten’ to make sense”.
Sally (Blackwell) has relatives in North Carolina that she visits every other year having done so since 2003. Despite this length of time, she still rolls her eyes when, on a warm evening, she’s invited to join the family on the yard for a cool refreshing drink. “Yard?” she spouts, “in Blackwell it would be either ‘at the back’ or ‘in the garden’”.
You probably won’t know this, but my wife is a big horse racing fan and gets regular updates from a member of staff working for one of the key Newmarket based trainers. Recently she got a call one morning telling her to put some money on a two-year-old called Landfill which was making its first run in the 2.40 at Southwell. She duly put on a £10 win bet with her online bookie. Unfortunately, in a field of eight, Landfill finished eighth. As I later told her, she should have known that the horse was just a rubbish tip!!
and
A recent survey confirmed that six out of every seven dwarfs are not happy.
and finally
You may have heard recently of a social engineering initiative in Japan. Apparently, ‘no pain, no gain’ has traditionally been the Japanese attitude to childbearing. Well, it appears as if the Tokyo based government has announced plans to subsidise pain relief, via epidurals, for women in labour in an effort to increase the plummeting birth rate. Interesting!
Am I the only one who thinks that this is unlikely to be uppermost in the mind of either partner’s mind during the conception process? If not, and you disagree, please let me know.
Many Sunday schools held an annual “walking round” procession with the church family parading through the streets and stopping at set points to sing hymns. My husband, Paul remembers one occasion when a piano accordion accompanied the singing, with mixed musical success.
After the “walking round,” the Sunday school anniversary was held in the chapel. Children performed presentations for the congregation, dressed in their new clothes and often taking part in action songs. Paul often retells the story of “Wide, Wide as the Ocean” being sung from wooden staging, only for the entire back row to disappear from view when the children enthusiastically threw back their arms. Visiting preachers were welcomed, and prizes—usually a Ladybird book—were awarded.
Some Sunday school chapels also organised an annual charabanc trip, often to the seaside and
usually accompanied by plenty of singing. Others held a sports day or tea party instead.
An annual “Festival of Queens” was sometimes held, with girls dressed as queens and donations from the sale of Sunny Smiles given to the National Children’s Home.
What Paul remembers most about these events is that there was always extra cake. Happy days.
Janet and Paul Barrass are All Around the Shire. Find us on or email: oldfield512@btinternet.com for more information.
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Helm is a wind. A real wind – the only named wind in the UK. It has blasted the Eden Valley in Cumbria for thousands of years. It’s also the name of an extraordinary novel by Sarah Hall who as fans will know, has used that part of the country for several of her earlier books.
This time the wind is the main character in the book, a being with a huge ego and the subject of many myths and investigation - again both in real life and in the novel. So where are the people we expect in novels you might ask? – They have lived with and been affected by Helm - from prehistoric cave people to wizards, little kids, magic mushroom munchers through to today’s pub lunchers, addicted to their phones. And Sarah Hall uses their stories to tell the story of the wind – and in a bigger sense to give us a sense of what might be happening to our nature and climate.
It may sound strange but it’s a spectacular book. Sarah Hall is a brilliant short story writer and while this book is longer it uses all her abilities to tell taut, sometimes mischievous sometimes moving, and sometimes thrilling tales around the human characters and bring them all together into a mind-bending whole linked by Helm.
It’s a very different kind of book, it changes from humorous to threatening to bleak and to hopeful.
A whirlwind in fact.
Replacing
Concerned
Haigh
From
Stay
Protect
Secure
Increasingly across the Peak District and surrounding areas, individual gardeners and others such as local authorities, have taken up the challenge of ‘No Mow May’ to benefit threatened pollinating insects alongside the wildflowers they depend on. Since the 1940s, the Peak itself lost over 97% of its one-time, species-rich old meadows; a clearly catastrophic decline. However, for several years now, the wildflower conservation body, ‘Plantlife’, has been running the ‘No Mow May’ campaign to encourage wildflower- and pollinatorfriendly meadow management. Alongside responsible organisations such as the National Park Authority, the Highways Agency, and the region’s local authorities, this initiative encourages gardeners and others to get involved and to do their bit for nature. Essentially this approach involves either or both, habitat creation and suitable meadow management. The latter including periods without mowing, but with a cut once or twice at the correct time, and preferably, also the removal of cut ‘hay’. This taking off of the grass cuttings or hay is necessary to reduce levels of nutrients in the soil which otherwise accumulate and lead to coarse grasses, tall herbs, and reduced biodiversity.
‘No Mow May’ has proved increasingly successful and links into other campaigns to protect and promote flower-rich grasslands and meadows. These generally look better in the countryside than do the intensively managed swards, and benefit tourism and recreational use. However, as one of my readers suggested, this campaign should be followed up by ‘Let them Bloom in June’, and then of course, the July hay-cut. If this isn’t
possible, then a later cut in say August or September, will deliver some benefits. The key steps described mimic the ways that traditional meadows were once managed as vital resources and an important part of the farming countryside. The other important step which is often hard to deliver today unless the site is in agricultural management, is that the cut meadow should also be grazed by farming livestock. This triggers what we call ‘micro-disturbance’ i.e., the breaking up of the grass sward to allow flowers to seed and germinate and often helped by animal dunging and associated transportation of seeds, ready fertilized, from other meadows recently grazed.
In terms of pollinators benefitting from wildflowers and meadows, the gardener can help enormously with native, traditional meadows, with annual ‘arable cornfield’ flowers, but also with old-fashioned cottage garden, herbaceous plants, a wildflower ‘lawn’ perhaps, and exotic species too. This is not just a case of growing native wildflowers but is much more inclusive and fun too. Of course, where hay-cutting or mowing are involved, this can be locally devastating for some insect populations, even if essential for longer-term conservation. With this in mind, it is important to leave corners and edges of habitats intact and undisturbed as sanctuary areas in our all-too-often tidy spaces and places. Try to remember that nature does like an untidy world! Butterflies, moths, bumblebees, honeybees, and hoverflies are just a few of the creatures that will benefit, along of course, with people.
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
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So, the British weather has done its usual crazy spring dance, and our gardens are still here and mostly looking blooming great.
As well as admiring our handiwork with a glass of something long and cool – or short and warm – there’s a few things to be keeping on top of this month, to keep it looking good and producing the goods.
Cucumbers and courgettes need to be picked as soon as they’re ready to keep them productive. A single courgette plant can give three courgettes a week and they very quickly turn from crisp and crunchy to huge marrows which are nice for a show bench but difficult to turn into an interesting ingredient for a meal. Likewise, cucumbers need to be harvested at their peak, so they’re constantly encouraged to produce more fruit and retain their sweetness. Apples and pears are starting to show their fruit clusters strongly now so it’s the best time to thin them out to give larger fruit in autumn.
And you also need to take this year’s growth back after mock orange has flowered so it will produce next year’s flower show.
This works with smaller plants as well of course. Bedding plants are ideal for deadheading – usually you can just pinch flowers off behind the flower head when they have gone over. With roses you can take the flower off behind the head or take clusters back to just above the first leaf. Longer stemmed plants such as pelargoniums can be broken away from the plant where the stem attaches to the stem. Same goes for sweet peas. The idea is to stop them going to seed because for the plant that is when they’ve done their job – producing seed for the next generation. And if they no longer need to produce seed, they no longer need to produce flowers. Worth considering though that you might want that seed production to happen – with honesty or nigella for instance, or cotoneaster and big hip producing roses. They’ll all give you some winter interest from the seed head. And of course the birds will be grateful if you leave sunflower and rudbeckia heads intact – they’re a great source of food.
Don’t worry if we get a prolonged dry spell (you never know!!) and your lawn goes brown. It will recover very quickly after rain and our plants need the water more.
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