Kidnapped at gun point in Harpenden Read the full terrifying story, exclusively in Harpendia

The Summer edition JUNE 2013

Also in this issue: Olympic Sporting legacy...Celebrating Harpenden cricket...

Sun in Sardinia...The Flying Archaeologist...Cycling & celebrities...Harpenden Seniors...

Grove School Arts...Harpenden blues...Summer of learning...An Indian Summer...Harpenden history...Mobile phones

Mitchel Barres, manager of Loveweds Jewellers in Harpenden tells the full story of his frightening ordeal to Harpendia.

Wednesday March 20th is a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life.I closed the shop around 5.45pm and headed for the car park. Once there I was approached by two men, one of whom called out Mitchel Barres of Waltham Abbey. Surprised I just said What. I then put my hands up and realised I was in deep trouble...my heart started racing and my whole body shook.

The robbers took me to their car, pushing me inside then proceeded to tie my hands together with duct tape and put a hood over my head.(Unbeknown to them I had some vision through the hood) Next one of them said You’re going to cooperate, he’s got a gun so behave yourself. They took the shop keys, the security fob and my phone and handed them over to Jamie, the ringleader who had joined the other two. ARTICLE CONTINUES ON PAGE THREE.

From the Editor.June 11th 2013.Harpenden has never looked so beautiful with the trees and blossoms showing off their colours together after a cold late Spring.

With several new retailers gracing the High Street local shoppers have a super choice of independents not seen in many regional towns.

The new Library has settled into it’s new home at the centre of the community, encouraging hundreds of new members.

A big thank you to all the contributors and I hope you enjoy the summer.

Ron Taylor.info@harpendia.com

Harpenden news updates Check out the Harpendia web site daily

www.harpendia.com

Luton Airport expansion and sale to new owners. What’s happening?

Harpenden’s Free School. Places for 400 more pupils.

What’s happening?

New homes to replace Glen Eagle Manor.What’s happening?

More car parks or fewer cars?What’s happening?

Red sky at night.When will summer arrive?

I was then driven off in the car and quizzed about the security arrangements and shop stock. This was conveyed to Jamie, over a mobile, who had now entered shop and opened the safe. I was shaking like a leaf during the car ride and begged them not to hurt me, even saying take anything you want.

After about twenty minutes they returned to the car park. My heart started racing again in fear of what might happen to me. We are going to leave you in your car ...stay there for ten minutes and don’t move...there’s a sniper in range who will watch you so don’t do anything. They untied me, removed the hood and asked me to get out of the car. Your keys are under the wheel arch they shouted as the two robbers sped off. I retrieved the keys and sat in my car sweating and shaking from this nightmare experience.

After ten minutes or so, although still in a state of shock I drove my car round to The Harpenden Arms and told the bar lady of my ordeal. She phoned the Police who arrived within minutes.

Local Police to the rescue.Thinking my ordeal was over I relaxed and was

taken upstairs where the Police interviewed me for an hour or so. I was then taken to Harpenden Police Station (above) where I was interviewed for

another hour. Then I was driven to St Albans Police Station and interviewed for a further five hours, all on tape. During this time I was allowed to contact my family and they brought fresh clothes as mine had to be retained for forensic examination. I was released at 2am. YES 2am. I was treated fairly and told I would have to return for more interviews.

Police investigationsI returned to St Albans Police Station the next

day for a further two hours. Having given detailed information about the robbery and background, this time the focus was on me and my background. Delving into my personal life I was encouraged to reveal all aspects of my finances with questions about my wages and Have you had any big sums transferred into your bank account recently. The pressure from my ordeal was intense and I broke down and cried a couple of times.

Sleepless nights and traumaDealing with all the issues left me traumatised. i

couldn’t sleep or eat properly and I felt under stress at all times.

Suspects foundThankfully within 48 hours the Police informed

me they had a suspect and a few days later another two suspects. All three were being held on charges of kidnap and robbery.

The Law in actionDays later I was called in to the VIPER unit at

Hatfield Police Station to identify the suspects. This process is quite sophisticated and is filmed for the ‘record’. It took place in a room with me, a police official and a defence lawyer. I viewed nine photographs on a screen twice and was then asked to identify (by number) one of them as a perpetrator. This process was repeated twice. I confirmed the identification of the two people who had held me in the car. ( Ashley Latimer- Bassill and Daniel Stanley) This was a stressful time as all the photographs looked very similar. (They comprised eight volunteers and the suspect)

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Kidnapped at gun point in Harpenden Continued...

Article concludes...A week later I returned and identified the

ringleader Jamie Kalaiarasu. (He had posed as a customer some weeks previously to gain my confidence and encourage me to supply expensive watches and jewellery for a forthcoming wedding).

Continued StressThe identification process reignited a nervous

disorder with emotional and physical problems. My Doctor helped enormously with counselling as did Victim Support. Thankfully I am back at work and although I suffered occasional unsettling moments I can now look forward with confidence to the future.

 

Loveweds. Back in business

“New security arrangements have been installed so the shop is now a much safer environment. I’m looking to the future and serving the local community. Weddings will be a major part of our business in the Summer months ahead.

Why not call in and see us.”Loveweds Jewellers. 69c High Street, Harpenden. AL5 2SL. 01582 761866.

M. 079 5633 4262

Three men from Hertfordshire were sentenced to a total of 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to a robbery and kidnap in Harpenden on Friday (3rd May 2013).

 Jamie Kalaiarasu, Ashley Latimer-Bassill and Daniel Stanley stole many thousands of pounds-worth of jewellery in a raid at Loveweds Jewellers in the High Street on Wednesday 20th March. As part of their plan, they forced a member of staff into a car and hand over his shop keys in order to gain access to the goods.

 Detectives from the Local Crime Unit in St Albans launched an investigation, codenamed Operation Brad, as a result and the three offenders were arrested in less than a week of the crime being committed.

In St Albans Crown Court on Friday, Kalaiarasu, aged 22 years old and of Archer Road, Stevenage, and Latimer-Bassill, aged 24 years old and of Crane Mead, Ware, were sentenced to six years in prison. Stanley, aged 24 years old and of Travellers Lane in Hatfield, was given a five year jail term.

 Detective Sergeant Carolyn Taylder said: “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim who was held captive by the group while they stole thousands of pounds-worth of jewellery for their own personal greed.

 “It was a pre-planned enterprise however our investigation was fast-moving and some excellent detective work led to three arrests being made within just a few days of the offence taking place.

 “This result sends out a clear message that robbery will not be tolerated in Hertfordshire. We hope also that the jewellers’ staff and their families can take some comfort from it.”

 

Guilty Verdicts and 17 years behind barsThe Official Police Report on the Court Appearance.

Above. Mitchel Barres, back at work in Loveweds Jewellers, Harpenden

Amanda Thomas interviews two of the key members of our local community who are keeping the Olympic legacy alive by inspiring young people to take part in sport - Michelle Rooney at Roundwood Park School and the new Mayor of St Albans, Annie Brewster.

Roundwood Park School - Inspiring our Community

The Olympic Legacy is alive and well at Roundwood Park School (RPS) and in the very safe hands of Head of PE Michelle Rooney and her team. 'Inspire a Generation' is a phrase easily repeated but at RPS they continue to keep the momentum of the Olympic year going.

A grant from the Youth Sport Trust has helped as has some considerable blogging and tweeting about sport on the School Games website. A group of around 40 sports captains now make up a new school sports council, and the school also recently won a competition which will enable 32 young people to attend the National Tennis Centre where Michelle says, they will "be inspired!" Teachers also benefitted from a week

in Telford organised by the Trust to meet and share ideas with other PE teachers around the country.

One of the key activities the PE Team has devised in the past year is working with community clubs, part of the Olympic ethos to make young people realise they can take part in sports where they live as well as at school. RPS is working with Harpenden Cricket Club to give girls an opportunity to play cricket on the Common and they have also forged a relationship with a badminton club in Welwyn.

England Netball has provided the school with £200 worth of equipment and this was the catalyst to train up 30 students as Netball Leaders who then ran the RPS Netball Super League. This took place every Thursday after school for seven weeks and involved 100 girls from Years 7, 8 and 9. Everything was organised by the pupils and it was a tremendous success.The PE Department has also run 12 Sports Leaders Days for pupils from Years 7 to 13 to give them a chance to become involved in organising sports opportunities for others. Michelle was delighted with the way this took off. The new Leaders have been busy running house badminton tournaments, running the B and C football and netball teams and even going out to local primary schools such as Woodend and The Grove to inspire younger children. The Leaders also helped with the District Sports, and of the 50 house sports events which took place in the past year, 40 of these were run by students. A fantastic opportunity and a wonderful way of learning new skills.

What is quite astonishing is the difference this scheme has made in the school as a whole. Sports participation is now up to 80 percent and many more young people have joined the new sports clubs, such as fencing. Michelle is hoping that this can be expanded into the local community so that adults can take part in some of the after school activities as well.

Harpenden's Olympic Legacy By Amanda Thomas

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Article continues...The new house system was set up to mirror the seven Olympic values of friendship, excellence, respect, inspiration, determination, courage and equality. Even the house names aim to inspire: Wilberforce, Mandela, Owens, Scott, Grey-Thompson, Cadbury and Frank. The competition and participation which the houses encourage in sport has spilled over into other departments. English now has a Spelling Bee, Food Technology has 'Ready Steady Cook' and the Drama Department has The Geraghty Award, in honour of the popular teacher, Connor Geraghty, who died last year. There is also the Tour de Roundwood, a cycle race which takes place during the summer Activities Week, where students are grouped into different national teams, such as Poland and Italy. Last year this became a focus for the Language Department who taught students elements of new languages which they then used to interview the cyclists. Then in National Science Week, the school went mad when they were all given a plant to nurture. Michelle commented, "The competition was fierce, and there were plants everywhere!" The school houses also have a charity week when each chooses a national and local charity; to date Scott House alone has raised around £6,000.It has to be said that without the new sports hall much of what is going on would not be possible. The sports hall also provides a potential income, and has proved so popular that it is booked until 10 o'clock each night of the week and within the first year, three year's worth of the rental target was achieved.

So how does Michelle Rooney see the future? Well, the house system will continue, as it has proved so successful and the various teams and schemes will carry on creating opportunities in the school and the local community. Not only that but every year each young person in the school has the chance to nominate their peers for awards which uphold the seven Olympic values. "That way we keep the ideals alive," said Michelle, and then concluded, "There is also no doubt that everyone in the school is so much nicer to each other. The legacy encourages the mixing of all different ages and effort from the whole school."

It is true to say, the Olympic Legacy is thriving at Roundwood Park, where students never give up. Their constant tweeting about their love of sport has also resulted in a visit in the autumn by one of their heroes, Tanni Grey-Thompson.

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Annie Brewster - Inspiration with Style

Annie Brewster is the new Mayor of St Albans and her excitement and enthusiasm is breathtaking. She is a local girl and has lived in Wheathampstead for twenty years, where for the last six she has been a Parish Councillor. This role has given her the opportunity to work much more closely with local people. Her outstanding work in the village to promote Wheathampstead's heritage will also stand her in good stead as we prepare to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the drawing up of the Magna Carta in St Albans.

Whilst Annie is passionate about heritage and the tourism it attracts, she is very keen to do as much as she can to help young people and to promote sport in the community. She is on the Hertfordshire Olympic Legacy Panel and for this she is well qualified. When she was 17 she ran in the National Championships and came second in the UK 1500 metres. Sadly she was then injured, but made a comeback almost twenty years later when she ran for Team GB in the Durban World Championships and won a bronze medal.

In her mayoral year she is hoping to showcase some big sports events to inspire local people. One of the first will be the Urban Beach Weekend at the end of May in Verulamium Park. The park is one of only six places in the country to win a bid to receive funding following the Olympics for a beach volleyball court made with sand from the courts at Horse Guards Parade and St James' Park. Annie is also the District Council representative on the Hertfordshire Sports Partnership, helping promote sport in the community and the work done by schools such as Roundwood Park. "The work going on in some of our schools is a real inspiration, " Annie commented. Naturally Annie is also supportive of sports charities, one being the 948 Sports Foundation which is promoting sport for young people in the St Albans district.

Those of us who have known Annie for some time will know how fantastic she is at organising events and encouraging others to take part. One of the early highlights of her mayoral calendar will be the opening of the new Westminster Lodge building. "It is iconic!" Annie declared, "The flint in the structure reflects the Roman remains of St Albans and the coloured glass represents the Abbey. The opening is going to be a very exciting event."

One can only predict this will be an inspirational year in St Albans with Annie Brewster at the helm.

Above: Annie Brewster on the beach volleyball court in Verulamium park. Photo courtesy Craig Shepheard

Costa Smeralda - heaven on earth? By Sue Taylor

We all make choices on what a holiday can offer - for us it is peace and sunshine, small hotels set in green gardens and close to the beach. The Costa Smeralda seemed the ideal choice.

All the boxes were ticked - even the drive up to the hotel was lovely - enormous sculpture like rocks framed each side of the manicured lawns, and then we arrived at .......... a low rise hotel -The Hotel Pulicinu (which seems to be the style in most of Sardinia).

Our room had a small balcony overlooking the two pools - twin beds and small shower room, there was even a bottle of wine waiting for us. The possibilities of a week’s relaxation gave us energy to unpack and try out the pool area.

The views over two bays where magnificent with mountains in the background - picture postcard!!!! Unfortunately there where a few bad points. The large pool was 8’ deep both ends!!! and the small round pool fit only for children to swim in (up to my knees). The door to our room was not firmly attached to the wall - nor the heavy metal headboard attached to one of the beds.The balcony had rust all over it - but we grew to love these faults and made the best we could. We ate by candlelight every night on the terrace, the sunsets being the icing on the cake to end our days.

Sardinian bread, as thin as paper, is delicious

but we had to restrict ourselves to enjoy the four courses that followed. Local fish was always cooked in an authentic Sardinian style and the sommelier was happy to encourage us try a local wine with our choice of dish.

Article continues...The lounge area had many types of seating (and the usual TV mostly tuned into football), there were lots of quiet areas where you could have a drink, read or just rest. Breakfasts again where excellent with a vast array of anything you could wish for - and if it wasn’t there they could get it for you.

There were many positives. Visiting the beautiful beach at Baja Sardinia was one - reached by the shuttle bus from the hotel - our first glimpse at the bluest sea we had ever seen was breathtaking and the short walk to the beach took us past many lovely shops and bars. We found a lovely private beach area where we hired beds and parasols daily.

At lunch time we ambled to what was to become “our favourite bar” The Baracuda.(above) Fabulous food, friendly staff and great views.

The shuttle bus will collect you at your chosen time, and by 6pm we where ready for an iced lemon before the short ride back to the hotel. There are many opportunities to join day long boat trips which take you around the headland and various islands - some with pink sand. The Costa Smeralda conjures up an area full of film stars - pricey restaurants - but ........ that was not the case (if we’d gone 20 minutes around the headland then we would have arrived with the beautiful people) - we had our own beautiful people - and enjoyed the week of our lives.

Sadly all holiday have to end but our wait in one of the loveliest airports (Olbia) helped ease us back to the flight home. The Costa Smeralda in Sardinia is beautiful ..... you will not be disappointed.

Holiday booked with Just Sardinia.www.justsardinia.co.uk

Despite the number of channels and documentaries dedicated to the subject, the world of history broadcasting is very small and consists of a network of presenters and producers who work with each other on a variety of projects. The axing of Time Team in 2012 may have come as a nasty shock to viewers, but to the broadcast community it was not unexpected and left producers scratching their heads for a new formula.

BBC4's new programme, The Flying Archaeologist, could be the answer. Aerial archaeology is able to identify features in the landscape and can help create a wider historical picture. Time Team frequently filmed from a helicopter, and in 2002 and 2003 BBC2 aired two series of  Time Flyers co-presented by Bristol University's Professor of Archaeology, Mark Horton. The Flying Archaeologist is presented by Time Team's Ben Robinson and the first series included four programmes: Stonehenge: The Missing Link (1), Norfolk Broads (2), Hadrian's Wall: Life on the Frontier (3), The Thames: Secret War (4).

I was asked to take part in the final programme about the Thames following a meeting with English Heritage (EH) at a local history meeting in Kent in early 2012.

My work as a writer and historian is focused on London and Kent and I was interested in the aerial survey EH was conducting of the Cliffe marshes on the Hoo Peninsula as part of their National Mapping Programme (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/professional/research/landscapes-and-areas/national-mapping-programme/)

The prospect of an airport in the Thames Estuary has fired up local residents and EH is particularly keen to raise awareness in the heritage of the area. The marshland at Cliffe and Cooling is an eerie and enigmatic landscape. It provided the inspiration for the opening passages of Dickens' Great Expectations and is packed not only with prehistoric features but also the remnants of Cliffe's industrial past, including businesses which had once provided employment for my own family. Here there once stood a massive cement works which supplied the raw materials for London's nineteenth century building boom, and a munitions factory which reached its zenith in World War One. My grandmother, Minnie Rogers, had worked in the latter and English Heritage was keen to hear her story. I did not have a lot to relate, but I did have some photographs and it was these which attracted the attention of the researchers on The Flying Archaeologist and producer Paul Dunt. Paul was pleased to find someone who had a personal connection with the site but who could also field questions from Ben Robinson on camera. Once I had agreed to appear in the programme, I was sent all sorts of interesting documents, many relating to accidents at the factory. I studied these in the hope that we could give a better picture of civilian life on the Hoo Peninsula during the First World War.

We filmed on a sunny day in November, but I knew from my childhood that the weather down on the marshes would be changeable. Paul had already told me I would need walking boots, but waterproofs and thermals were to prove just as necessary.

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Filming with the Flying ArchaeologistBy Amanda Thomas

Article concludes... We met in the village churchyard, where many of the victims of the accidents at the factory were buried. I had also discovered in the days leading up to the filming that my great uncle, Charles Rogers, had been the foreman at the works, and realised - to my horror - that many of the mishaps and accidents had been on his watch.Helen Winton from English Heritage drove us all in the Land Rover down to the site of the old works. I had never been on the marshes before and was amazed at the enormous area they cover. I was also struck by the very strange disorientating sensation once we had disembarked and attempted to get our bearings. I could see immediately why our prehistoric ancestors had been so mesmerised by the place, for it is impossible to discern where land, water and sky begin and end. We also had to keep out eyes on the ground most of the time to avoid the potholes, animal droppings and thick mud.

The plan was to film Helen first, have lunch and then film me, but as the weather rapidly closed in, Paul ditched lunch and we just carried on.

Filming documentaries is like cramming for an exam and I was very conscious that I needed to have all the facts in my mind and yet talk in a

spontaneous manner. Ben Robinson was brilliant at prompting me and we managed to cover all of

the key points, and avoided mentioning Uncle Charlie. Sadly a lot of this was cut from the final programme when Paul learnt that each episode was to be just half an hour rather than an hour long. Nevertheless, the final edit contained considerable detail and gave an excellent overview of the importance of 'The Hoo' (as Ben started calling it) in English history. I am privileged to have been a part of that process.

Above. A still from BBC4's The Flying Archaeologist; Amanda Thomas talks to presenter Ben Robinson; photograph kindly supplied by Dr Laurence Marsteller

Amanda Thomas. A profile.Amanda Thomas is a freelance writer and historian. She was born in Chatham in Kent but has lived in Harpenden for twenty-five years. Amanda started her career in magazine journalism and in 2010 her first book, The Lambeth Cholera Outbreak of 1848-1849, was published. She has since been greatly in demand to comment on disease and social conditions in the nineteenth century. In 2012, she appeared on BBC4's The Flying Archaeologist (see above) talking about civilian accidents in WWI, and she has also recently completed researching and filming for a programme in the tenth series of the popular BBC1 history programme, Who Do You Think You Are? Amanda has just started on new

book for publishers Pen and Sword. When she is not working as a consultant for Harpendia, she is also a member of many historical organisations - including the Harpenden and District Local History Society. She was made a full member of the Society of Women Writers and Journalists in 2008.

(Above. Cricket on the common at the beginning of the 20th century)

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the formation of Harpenden Cricket Club in 1863 when Sir JB Lawes, as the first President and Lord of the Manor, consented to the use of his “wasteland” for cricket matches! The club has come a long way since those early days and the “wasteland” has become a ground that is now able to host the highest level of cricket in the Home Counties.

To celebrate the 150th anniversary the club will be hosting a number of exciting events and matches including the first ever three day Minor Counties game to be held on the common. From the 4th to the 6th August, Hertfordshire will host Staffordshire where we expect a number of Harpenden players to b e selected for Herts. In the same week the MCC will visitor for the first time on the Thursday and on the Friday the club will entertain the old boys of St George’s school, The Dragons (whose 80th anniversary it is this year) in a Twenty20 match. Refreshments will be available and everyone welcome to attend during the week.

The season starts in mid-April and for the fourth consecutive year the 1st XI will be competing in the Home Counties Premier Cricket League, the highest standard of cricket in the five Home Counties. With five other sides competing on a Saturday in the various divisions of the Saracens Herts League and two sides playing in the Chess Valley League on a Sunday the club can offer cricket across a whole range of abilities.

For the younger members the club will be running a record number (16) boys and girls teams playing in the Herts Junior Leagues and the there is high hope that last year’s total of three County Champions will be exceeded. Of course, what we all want is for a fine summer with the sun shining and large crowds watching excellent cricket on the common. Unlike 2012 when, as the photograph below shows, the cricket pitch looked more like a boating lake!

(Above. Rain stopped play Harpenden 1st X1 v Oxford 25th August 2012)

So this year should be an exciting one and if you decide to join us on the common for a cold drink you will find a warm welcome.Let’s wind back the clock to 1821 when local resident Elizabeth Read stated that she saw young gentlemen “play at cricket on the common”. The first mention of the common as a cricket ground was in 1829 when a “novel match” was to be played between four left-handed and four right-handed players with significant wages on the result! Article continues below

150 Not out! Harpenden Cricket Club Celebrates

By Geoff Newman.

Article concludes...So this year should be an exciting one and if you decide to join us on the common for a cold drink you will find a warm welcome.Let’s wind back the clock to 1821 when local resident Elizabeth Read stated that she saw young gentlemen “play at cricket on the common”. The first mention of the common as a cricket ground was in 1829 when a “novel match” was to be played between four left-handed and four right-handed players with significant wages on the result!

By 1896 the fixture card below shows that there were 15 fixtures in all, the club colours were claret and yellow and annual subscriptions were 5 shillings. The first pavilion was erected in 1908 and it was a prolific time for the club with the most prolific player being Charles Titchmarsh, Hertfordshire’s leading all time run scorer and who in 1913 scored 21 centuries and over 4,000 runs in all cricket!Sadly, the Great War was to claim eight members of the club.

(Below: Harpenden Cricket Club fixture card 1896) Right. Colts practicing in the nets)

In 1936 a new pavilion was erected (see below) and remained until the current one was built in 1970.

(Above. Cricket on the common in the 1960’s)

Bringing us up to date the ground was levelled in 1996 to create the beautiful amphitheatre you see today thanks to funds provided by the National Lottery and donations from members, enabling the club to expand to become one of the top clubs in Hertfordshire.If you would like to become either a playing or social member contact Mick Brookes on 07952 592945.

If you love great Italian coffee and delicious homebaked cakes, then there’s no better place to relax than The Hub on Redbourn’s High St. And while you’re there there’s a good chance you could spot a celebrity or two. Or even be persuaded to take up cycling. That’s because The Hub, as the name suggests, is the area’s new focal point for ‘real’ cyclists or MAMIL’S (middle aged men in lycra)

How it all started Just over a year ago local business entrepreneur Simon Barnes, no stranger to the world of professional cycling, decided the time was right to open a retail business offering coffee, cakes and cycling. Not as strange a combination as you might think...when cyclists are ‘on the road’ the first thing they need during a long ride is a short rest with coffee and cake. You don’t have to be a cyclist though, The Hub is now an established coffee shop in it’s own right having been in business for just over 12 months.

The best coffee and cakes Coffee shops are one of the most competitive businesses on the High Street and in order to succeed you have to ‘beat’ the competition and offer not just great product but great service too. Lindy Fox (Simon’s partner) and manager of the Coffee Shop researched the market to ensure

they would have the best of everything. This lead them to Allpress Espresso, a specialist coffee roaster who source their coffees through direct trade relationships with coffee farmers. Here they learned all there is to know about coffee machines, blends of coffee and coffee making, finally settling on a specially roasted blend and choosing the premier espresso machine ‘La Marzocco‘. Founded in Florence, Italy in 1927 La Marzocco are world-renowned for producing artisan and innovative espresso machinery. In 1939 La Marzocco developed and patented their unique dual boiler technology, ensuring perfect coffee and perfect milk. The whole team, Lindy, Simon, Pam and Max were trained to be baristas at Allpress where they were infused with the passion of how to make delicious coffee.

Next on the agenda was a local cake supplier. They didn’t need to look far, for right on the doorstep at Redbournbury Mill was Johnny Shepherd of The Pudding Stop. Previously “Great British Bake-Off contestant, Johnny uses only fresh local ingredients and has a mobile shop at St Albans Station as well as supplying two local retailers. Specialities include Lemon polenta cake, Bakewell tart, Chocolate brownies and Treacle tart.

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Celebrity spotting in Redbourn at The Hub.Redbourn’s coffee bar & cyclist’s refuge.

By Ron Taylor. Editor

Below left Pam, right Lindy.

Article concludes...And if you feel like something a bit more substantial there’s always a Ploughman’s Lunch with locally baked bread and cheese.

Loyalty Card = Free CoffeeMake sure you have your loyalty card stamped after each visit. Collect 8 stamps and the next coffee is FREE.

Celebrity spottingWhen I called in on May 29th I met Jeff Vetere, a very keen cyclist and Technical director for Charlton Athletic. He is friends with Les Ferdinand ex England, Spurs & QPR and Ian Wright ex Arsenal and West Ham, both of whom had been in a few days earlier, and are now regular visitors. Who knows who will stop by next, maybe Sir Bradley Wiggins.

Social eventsThere are also various social events organized, such as evening talks and a regular monthly “French for Fun” evening with an opportunity to learn to converse in French, eat French cheese and maybe a glass of French vino.

Sporting eventsEvery 3rd Sunday of the month, organized rides leave The Hub at 9.30am with routes from 25km to 75km - at a speed that suits you! Just book in between 9-9.30 on the day.

Fete du Velo - Redbourn’s Cycle Event Sunday June 23rd.Simon Barnes has made a major investment into the organisation of a day long event around Redbourn Common to link in with National Bike Week (June 15 - 23).

Contact details: The Hub

01582 792389 22 High Street,

Redbourn. email

hubmeister@hubcoffeebikies.com.

You can also find them on www.twitter.com/

thehubmeister 22 or www.hubcoffeebikes.com.

Opening hours are 9.00 am to 5.30pm Tuesday to Sunday

inclusive. (Shut on Mondays.)

Cycling sales and serviceAs an ex pro-cycling team Director/Owner, Simon knows more than most about what’s necessary to make The Hub THE destination for adults and children’s cycling requirements. He can advise you on what bike and equipment will best suit your needs

and your budget, whether it’s a £100 second hand bike to a top of the range Look bike at £5,000, or names like De Rosa and Merckx.

Not only bike sales but servicing and repairs too for all types of bikes.

Below: Lindy, Pam, Simon Barnes and Jeff Vetere

The St Albans City & District Council published their Sustainable Community Strategy in 2005 called: Shaping Our District Together for 2021. A really forward thinking document covering all aspects of the district including a vision for the community regarding the Arts, History, Transport, Sports/Pastimes, Teenagers and Children. BUT the only mention of the elderly was:-“Older people will become increasingly significant; the number of over 65’s will increase by 22% over the next ten years.”That was it, no action, no strategy and no mention of elderly care for the future!! At the time I was chairman of the Harpenden Trust and I was, as was the rest of my team, dismayed at the lack of any thought for our elderly citizens, their needs, opinions and duty of care. A meeting of 24 town stalwarts was called and it was agreed that a Harpenden Seniors Forum be developed. The main aim being an information point signpost and a helpline specifically for seniors.

In conjunction with town, district and County Councillors, the Harpenden Seniors Forum convinced the District Council that there was a gap in their strategy with regard to the elderly. A revised issue was produced in 2009 and a complete section is devoted to the needs of our elderly. Since then they have elected a portfolio holder for the elderly and are in the process of developing their own District Elderly Forum.

At the initial meeting at the Trust Centre, it was agreed that a ‘handbook’ was not the best way to communicate in the 21st century as handbooks dated quickly and a copy needed for each senior. Therefore we were set a task of developing an IT system. We have our own website, email and a computer record keeping; quite an achievement. BUT even with dedicated volunteers and professional back-up

it is nigh on impossible to keep our records and information completely up-to-date. Business, people and basic information changes without our knowledge.

New Directory for Harpenden Seniors

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Harpenden Seniors Forum Looking after the needs of local seniors. By Alan Cox

The Harpenden Directory team have devoted a great deal of time and expertise in producing this handbook FREE with sufficient copies for each member. To me it is “belt and braces” and I am sure most will find it interesting and useful. Those wishing to use our website and email can Silver Surf as usual and the telephone helpline is still operational 7 days per week 10 a.m. to 12 noon. 01582 462926

Above. Alan Cox

The handbook will be launched 9am to 12 am Tuesday 20 August at the Public Halls. 

Article concludes...Our aims and objectives are, I believe, still relevant:-ALERT seniors to any changes in Government/District/Local political initiatives that may affect their health, safety and welfare.INFORM seniors of what is available locally with regard to services, support and useful information.RESPECT the needs of seniors to ensure they are not left wanting because of lack of knowledge.Voice OPINIONS and INFLUENCE the decision makers on matters that may impact on their every-day lives.The Harpenden Seniors Forum will:Ensure senior residents in Harpenden are fully aware of available services, government/council initiatives, technical/personal support and travel/entertainment options.Establish a central helpline to ensure that seniors can readily access information regarding their health, safety and welfare.Promote and distribute up-to-date information to the membership.

Celebrate International Day of Older People

Tuesday Oct 1st Harpenden Public Halls.

Over 30 Information StandsFree Refreshments

11.30 - 2.30

FREE HOME FIRE SAFETY VISIT

Organised with Herts Fire and Rescue Service.

Call 0300 123 4046 to arrange an appointment

OR visit www.hertsdirect.org/fire

Harpenden Seniors Forumharpendenseniorsforum

@btconnect.com

www.harpendenseniorsforum.org

Helpline.01582 462926

Some of the exclusive offers to Harpenden Seniors

Harpenden High Street has its origins in the Late Medieval period, though sadly there are few visible clues to this in today's landscape. However, the Harpenden and District Local History Society has recently produced two walking guide leaflets, Town Trail No. 1 and Town Trail No. 2, which include maps and information on Harpenden's older buildings.

Town Trail No. 1 is called A stroll along Harpenden High Street and starts at the George Pub. The guide informs us that the building was 'first mentioned' in 1507, though the present pub was re-built in the Nineteenth Century. The walk continues up the High Street past the Old Cock Inn, which has 'traces of a C17 timber-framed building and is more than likely the site of still earlier hostelries.'

Harpenden & District Local History Society

TOWN TRAIL No. 1A stroll along Harpenden High Street

The Sensory Garden, surrounded by hedges, marks the site of the

Old Cock Pond, which was drained in the late 1920s

STARTING FROM THE GEORGE AND RETURNING

TO THE HARPENDEN ARMS

Crossing over at Sun Lane, there is more to see, as on this side of the road plenty of seventeenth century buildings are still standing. A little further along, take the opportunity to wander up the alleyway behind Skye's and John and Victor's shoe shop to see Bowers House, which was hidden from view when the shops were erected in 1936. Back on the High Street, the walk continues all the way to the Harpenden Arms, the old Railway Hotel. The walk will probably take some time as there are some fourteen points of interest along the way.

Leaflet number two is called Around the Common and takes in some of the more picturesque houses off the High Street, such as the small cottage tucked behind the Harpenden Arms, the first house in Southdown Road. Apparently the stream which used to feed the old pond at Bowers Parade used to run in front of the cottage and had to be crossed by a footbridge. The walk continues to the hotel, formerly a private house named the Welcombe, and crossing over the road, takes in Coach Lane Cottage and the Silver Cup pub, named to commemorate the horse racing which used to take place on the Common from 1848 to 1914. The new fire station is also mentioned in the guide as this used to be the site of a hat factory.

The walk ends at Yew Tree farm, which for many years was the doctors' surgery. Sadly whilst the baa lamb trees on the Common feature on the map, there is no mention of them the text. Not very much is known about the site, though earthworks indicate that a house once stood here. If readers have any additional information, I would certainly like to know more!

Understanding our local history is important, and taking some time to stop and have a proper look at some of Harpenden's older buildings is very worthwhile and a lot of fun. Leaflets are free and are available in the new library in the High Street and at the Town Hall.

Harpenden & District Local History Society

TOWN TRAIL No. 2Around the Common

The Baa Lamb trees as seen by local artists

STARTING AT 2 SOUTHDOWN ROAD BEHIND THE HARPENDEN ARMS AND

RETURNING TO YEW TREE FARM (PREZZO RESTAURANT)

On the Trail of Harpenden's HistoryBy Amanda Thomas

More details about Harpenden history can be

found here:www.harpenden-

history.org.uk/index.aspx

April Blue made an impact in Harpenden on April 11 when they concluded The Harpenden Society AGM with a short set of great ‘Blues & Soul’. (See below) An unusual setting as they normally play in trendy Bars & Cafes.

BackgroundIan and Ozz went to school together and after sharing the same guitar teacher and playing in the same bands, figured it was about time to write some of their own music. They started out under the moniker of 'Sunstreak' and blagged their way onto a local radio station before playing a single live gig. As a result of this exposure, they were approached to headline a small festival...their first gig. Upon arrival, their inexperience became even more apparent when they were asked to judge the battle of the bands competition, which featured other, far more experienced and better promoted acts! Further gigs followed...After this short stint of accidental success, the boys disappeared to opposite sides of the country to study. After three years they reunited to fuse musical journeys and spawn April Blue.

Since then, they have played gigs to empty cafes, cabaret grandmas and literally everything in-between. Now set on their path to building their musical empire, all that's left is a little love and luck. They are influenced heavily by artists such as Erykah Badu and D'Angelo as well as a whole spectrum of other musical flavours. Taking Soul to the suburbs, April Blue is all about the music, whatever the weather."

April Blue are available for live gigs, weddings, functions, private parties and corporate events. If you're looking for good music, they are the band to book. With over 5 hours of rehearsed acousticcovers, April Blue provide the perfect music for your wedding or party.

For all enquiries please contact:aprilbluemusic@gmail.comOr visit their web site www.aprilblue.co.uk

APRIL BLUE Taking soul to the suburbs By Ron Taylor

“I’d like to welcome Harpenden residents to fonehouse to find out all about our friendly personalised service and the great deals we have on offer.”

Before setting up the business in Harpenden I wondered why there was such an amazing diverse range of retailers yet very little in the way of mobile phone retailing. Having worked previously in the Telecoms business I felt there was a positive opportunity to develop a retail outlet, so when I spotted the vacant shop opposite Waitrose I moved quickly to secure the lease and planned the retail offering in line with Harpenden demographics.

Essentially we are a a Mobile phone shop and we specialise in selling an array of Pay monthly and Pay as you go phones, on T-Mobile, EE, Orange, Vodafone and 3 networks. We will even set your phone up and transfer any data to your new phone before you leave the shop. And to match the phones we have a large range of accessories like like flip and snap on cases in the latest colours and designs.

We also offer repair services and business contracts, so with our knowledge of the Telecoms market we can advise you on the best options to suit your budget.

Having been open since March we are gradually making ourselves known in the local community. In fact we recently donated three phones as prizes to winning schools in The Harpenden Society Junior School Arts competition. Come in and see us soon.”Daoud Hawa.

fonehouse4c Leyton Rd. Harpenden. AL5 2TL01582 769442harpenden@fonehouse.co.uk

Opening Hours: Mon - Sat 09.00-18.00Sun: 11.00 - 16.00

fonehouse...the NEW mobile phone experience in Harpenden.

Above. Daoud Hawa with one of the many smart phones. Below. Aysha showing off the range of iphone accessories. Bottom. Daoud and Aysha outside their shop in Harpenden.

Fresh from their successes in The Harpenden Society school arts competition Grove Junior School continued their involvement in the creative arts with their Art Week ( May 20 -24).

The chosen subject was ‘Bathers at Asnières’ 1884, by Georges Seurat. Children were given the freedom to express their thoughts about the image portrayed and create artworks in a variety of shapes and forms.

Some classes concentrated on traditional art whilst other followed Seurat’s ‘pointillist’ technique using cotton buds. Other classes used drama to set the scene with their class mates as models and photographs to record the event. (Below)

One class put the ‘Bathers’ as the centre piece, then added what they ‘saw’ around the original to make a much larger finished work. To help the children develop their ideas a number of professional artists had ‘workshops’ where they demonstrated their techniques to groups of children each day.

These included Theo Platt (portraitist); Susan Erskine-Jones (printer); Karole Lange and Julia Rigby (3D river installation) and on Thursday

May 23 Nick Schon of Oxford Reading Tree Books (Above)

I was privileged to be taken round the School by two year five pupils from Mulberry Class, Momodou and Beth. I saw several classes at work on the project. The enthusiasm of all the pupils and the teachers was amazing as was the quality and scale of the finished work.

Article continues on next page...

Art week at Grove Junior School A new look at fine art...pupil creativityBy Ron Taylor. Editor

Article concludes...My tour started in the Lilac class where I met the teacher and watched the children enjoying themselves with their creative approaches. I continued the tour calling in on Rowan and Cedar classes.

As I left many of the finished works were being displayed ready for the visit of the parents on June 3rd. No doubt they will have been as impressed with the work as I was.NB. Please note the views expressed are not necessarily those of the school or the LA

Left: Mrs Rearney from Lilac Class with 2 examples of her pupils work using the ‘Collagraph technique.Below.: Examples of paintings and hanging postcards form the Cedar Class.

So far this year the weather has been a washout. However, all may not be lost yet – spring and summer may be slow to start but it could mean that we get a summer that stays a little later with us too. So how can we expand on our gardens’ potential for this possible Indian Summer? A bit of clever planting will give you and your garden, along with wildlife, a better end to the warm season.

Flowers do not just have to die back when September sets in. There’s a great many varieties that can be planted or seeds/bulbs sown now to extend the season in your beds. Crocosmia and Penstemon are just two plants that will flower late, adding superb bright colours to any garden. For lovers of blues Agapanthus and Ceanothus ‘Autumnal Blue’ are both specimens that will flower late into the summer, the latter being evergreen.

So how can you, the humble gardener, help extend the flowering period? One magic touch is dead heading. It’s so simple: by removing dying heads before they go to seed the plant is spurned on to try and grow more flowers in order to produce those all-important life giving seeds. Feeding is important. The more nutrients your plants get, the more energy they have to produce more flowers and this is true of hanging baskets and containers too. You can keep petunias growing on late by these methods for example.

Another easy method of ensuring colour throughout is by adding shrubs and plants that either change colour or flower in the changing seasons to make an attractive autumn and

winter. Berberis has a great reputation for changing colour so spectacularly over the winter months. Abelia will flower late into the year to give you more colour and shrubs such as Hebes will flower for a long period, plant which also attract our much needed bees.

So stop and do some armchair gardening first and plan which plants perform when so that you get victorious waves of flowers over the year, giving life and energy to your outdoor room.

For those of you that enjoy the good life, the chance to keep harvesting goes on and there are still plenty of seeds that you can sow to get more out of your edible garden. Head down to your local nursery this weekend and look at the vast choice of seeds you can buy. For some great late summer/autumn home grown food, here are some of my suggestions which you can read about on the next page.

Maximising your garden’s potential:An Indian Summer, perhaps?By Renata Rybczyk-Savage. The Plantsitter.

Left: Roses will never cease to please and will flower more with deadheading. Above: Hanging baskets will keep on flowering . Below: Renata at work in the garden.

Article concludes...Pumpkins can be sown into pots now for great autumn veg. Once big enough, transfer them to their final growing place and remember to feed and water them well. Children will love to carve these edible giants for Halloween. Add the seeds of squashes and marrows for a delightful mix that’s also so versatile in the kitchen. These plants like to spread out across the ground, giving good cover over bare areas, so if you have little space to spare then you should think about only planting a very limited number.

Certain varieties of French beans can be sown now, as can runner beans. These never cease to fulfil their yield and by picking as and when you need you’ll find that the plants will continue to offer their beans for a few weeks. Peas can also be sown now but be aware that birds enjoy to pick the young shoots bursting out of the ground so do make sure that you protect your peas at their most vulnerable time.

Fast growing salad additions are easy to grow in succession.(below) It’s simple to do: just sow a few rows of spring onions, salad leaves and radishes every two weeks and you’ll be eating fresh, home grown salad for months. These are also popular with young children as they are small and easy to pick out of the ground when ready.

Finally, it’s also time to prepare for some other vegetables. Yes, those lovely seasonal winter veggies that need preparing now for growing over the cooler period, giving you more to harvest at a much later time, when all the salad crops and autumn veg have come to their end. Turnips and swedes can be sown in summer months to be harvested in winter. If you are after some other winter veg and have found that you’ve missed the sowing period then cheat and buy some seedlings/young plants from your local nursery. As the home grown trend grows, so too does the variety of vegetable plants in nurseries.

For more succession, it doesn’t have to stop there as there are fruit and vegetables that you can sow over summer to harvest early next year. Japanese onions are very hardy and are sown in August to give you onions as early as July. Broad beans such as the variety The Sutton can be sown in October and November. Ask any gardener and they will tell you the benefits of growing at these times – little or no pests over winter!

So dig out your self-sufficiency books before you dig your vegetable plots and have a read up about your favourite crops and how you can grow in succession to ensure your table will always have some food that’s home grown.

Contact me via: www.theplantsitter.co.uk

renata@theplantsitter.co.uk

Above left: Sow some broad beans late into the year for early pickings. Left: Not too late to sow peas for a fresh, sweet flavour.

WEA Eastern, Cintra House, 12 Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 1JP 01223 417320

The Workers' Educational Association is a charity registered in England and Wales (number 1112775) and in Scotland (number SC039239).

The Workers' Educational Association is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales (Company Number 2806910).

To  book  a  place  please  call  01223  417336  or  email  eastern@wea.org.uk  

Summer of Learning

PRIME  

 

Building  self-­‐confidence  

 

Broadening  horizons  

Self-­‐presentation  

Soft  skills  

 

LONE PARENTS  

idea  of  returning  to  employment  might  feel  a  bit  daunting  and  it  can  be  difficult  to  know  where  to  start.  We  can  help.  

                     

Helping

you to

personally

develop

and grow

   

   

   

     Harpenden  Trust  Contact  details                  01582  460457                    sue.harpendentrust@live.co.uk              

@weaeastern

facebook.com/weaeastern

weaeastern.wordpress.com

Low  self-­‐confidence  is  one  of  the  main  problems  for  50+  people  seeking  work,  and  the  most  commonly  reported  benefit  of  

roved  self-­‐  

Many  people  assume  that  getting  back  to  work  means  returning  to  what  they  did  before.  Training  can  help  people  broaden  their  horizons  and  consider  new  kinds  of  work  while  also  helping  to  find  vacancies.  

People  who  have  experienced  rejection  rarely  present  themselves  positively.  Understanding  your  strengths  and  weaknesses  and  presenting  yourself  positively,  on  paper  and  face  to  face  are  key  attributes.  

Employers  place  importance  on  Soft  skills  which  include  people  skills  (a  natural  ability  to  communicate),  interpersonal  skills,  problem  solving,  critical  thinking  skills,  team  work  and  collaboration.    

LONE PARENTS COURSE

PRIME COURSE PERSONAL RE-EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE through MATURE EDUCATION

PRIME

Mon 1st, Wed 3rd, Thur 4th & Fri 5th July 1.30pm 6pm

LONE PARENTS Mon 15th, Wed 17th, Thur 18th & Fri 19th July 9.30am 2pm

PRIME is a new and dynamic course provided by the WEA for older learners

wanting to develop skills and confidence to enable them to move back into

the workplace or aim for a career change. This course is run over 4 days.

you keen to develop your skills and boost your confidence with support to

help you prepare for employment? From CV writing to interview techniques

and first aid, we can help you find your feet. This course is run over 4 days.

 

To read the small print simply click on the page and enlarge it. OR click on the Harpenden Trust link -- www.theharpendentrust.org.uk

Kinsbourne Green is home to a beautiful common, busy church, bustling public house, convenient post office and a dilapidated scout hut. For the past 40 years this well-used, much loved hut has been home to the 9th Harpenden Scout Group.

It has given children experiences they might otherwise not have, teaching them the camaraderie of working as a team with different ages and sexes and enabling them to give their time to support those less fortunate than themselves. Currently the 9th has a dedicated team of 24 adult leaders who volunteer their time to run Beaver, Cub and Scout meetings every weekday evening and many weekends for their 150 members aged between 6 and 18.

The run-down hut threatens the very existence of the 9th. It is in need of costly repairs and no longer provides appropriate facilities for their energetic group and the community groups which use it. The 9th Scout Group feel it is their duty to secure the future of scouting in north Harpenden and also to provide a

welcoming, quality building for local clubs, groups and social events. To this end, the group have been fundraising tirelessly over the past two years and are now very close to reaching their target.

Building work will start on this exciting project in the summer whilst fundraising for the final amount continues in earnest.

Can you can help support this fantastic, attractive and visible local facility which will serve the Harpenden community for decades to come.

At this stage every donation will make a significant difference and be gratefully received. If you need further information, please do not hesitate to contact annakelly1@btinternet.com

We need your help.

Can you help the 9th Harpenden Scout group?

Want to reach over 2,000 local readers?Book an ad in the Autumn edition of Harpendia.

Publishing early September.Full page only £75, Half Page £40.Closing date for copy August 20th

Contact: info@harpendia.com

Editor. Ron TaylorContact: info@harpendia.com

Daily news updates: www.harpendia.comVideo Channel: Type ‘harpendia’ in the Youtube

search boxEditorial consultant. Amanda Thomas

COMING SOONChristmas in Harpenden with Harpendia.

Coming soonHarpendia Autumn 2013 Edition