February 2007
BECOME ONE OF THEM
"THEY should do something about it!" Who are THEY who should be doing something
for us? Why don't YOU become one of THEM!
Local elections will be held in May this year and there will be a number of
vacancies on the Parish Council. New Councillors will be needed to represent all
residents, their interests and concerns. All those who are over the age of 21,
are British subjects and are either registered as electors within the parish or
have their principal or only place of work in the parish are eligible to stand
as candidates for election.
Chipperfield Parish Council is, and never has been, a political council. It does
not have a majority party nor does it take a stance along party political lines.
Its major concern is to obtain the best possible services and best value for
money for all residents. The Parish Council works closely with Dacorum Borough
Council and Hertfordshire County Council to achieve this. If you value the way
of life in Chipperfield, want to see it preserved, improved, changed or not
changed, now is YOUR opportunity to stand up and be counted - literally.
Please phone me if you would like to know more about how you can contribute to
the future of Chipperfield.
Liz Holliday, Retiring Chairman (Tel: 01923 267483)
FUN, FITNESS AND FRIENDSHIP
JAZZERCISE COMES TO CHIPPERFIELD!
New Jazzercise dance-fitness classes opened in Chipperfield on Monday 22
January with Jazzercise instructor, Dawn Barber. The new classes will take place
in the Village Hall on Monday mornings from 9.30 - 10.30am, and will be one of
three new area classes on offer to students.
The 60-minute Jazzercise class includes a warm-up, high-energy aerobic routines,
muscle-toning and cool-down stretch segment. Jazzercise combines elements of
dance, resistance training, Pilates, yoga, kick-boxing and more to create
programmes for people of every age and fitness level.
For those wanting to take their workout further, the regular Jazzercise class
will be followed by an alternative format 'Jazzercise Personal Touch' starting
on 29 January. PT allows participants to focus on muscle toning and body
sculpting in a small group setting.
Now celebrating its 37th year, Jazzercise is the world's leading dance-fitness
programme. With more than 6,300 franchised instructors teaching 20,000 classes
weekly worldwide, the comprehensive programme, designed to enhance
cardiovascular endurance, strength, and flexibility has helped millions of
people of all ages and fitness levels reap the benefits of exercise and improve
well-being. Dawn would be delighted to have you come along and experience for
yourself the many benefits of Jazzercise where fun, fitness and friendship go
hand in hand.
Please contact Dawn on: 01923 351228 or 07906 199586 or go to
www.jazzerfit.co.uk for full details.
NEW HEAD AT ST PAUL'S SCHOOL
We welcome Norah Tattersall who has been appointed as Head Teacher of St Paul's
JMI School, taking up her new post at the beginning of January.
Mrs Tattersall writes:
I am very pleased to be taking up the position of headteacher in such a caring
and successful school. I look forward to building relationships within the
school, the church and the village.
I live in Abbots Langley and am married with two teenage girls. The eldest has
just started studying Law at university and the younger is in Y9 at St Michael's
high school in Garston.
I began my teaching career in Northamptonshire and moved to Hertfordshire 14
years ago. I taught in Watford and Hemel Hempstead before becoming Deputy Head
at the other St Paul's in Langleybury. For the past 3 and a half years I have
worked as a school adviser for Hertfordshire County Council.
We extend a very warm welcome to Mrs Tattersall and wish her every success in
her new appointment.
GARDENER SOUGHT
St Paul's Church, Chipperfield
Due to retirement, a gardener is sought, from mid March 2007, for maintenance of
the churchyard at St Paul's Chipperfield. The PCC are looking to provide regular
paid work in the order of six hours per week, to be agreed. If interested,
please contact the PCC Secretary tel: 01923 267066 or by email at
drumcotp AT btinternet.com
JEFF BECK
We are sad to record the death of our Advertising Manager, Jeff Beck, who died
suddenly on January 9 while playing golf.
Jeff will be sorely missed by us all on the Chipperfield News team, as well as
by his many friends among our advertisers.
He was also a governor of St Paul's School for many years where his contribution
was much appreciated.
We extend our deepest sympathy to his wife, Irene, and their family.
CHIPPERFIELD NEWS AGM
The AGM was held at Burford House on Monday 11 December 2006. The Chairman
welcomed all present and recorded apologies from Liz Holliday, Joint Editor, who
was chairing the Parish Council Meeting.
The Editors' Report was presented by Anne Breen, who appealed for further
contributions. It was suggested that local villagers might provide articles of
interesting jobs they had undertaken in their careers/retirement, which
obviously would be subject to editorial discretion.
Peter Corbett, in his first year as Manager, presented his report. He was
pleased that the switch of printing providers had saved money, as this
represented over 80% of our total operating costs. 1,400-1,500 copies of the
News were produced each operating month.
Tony Briselden, IT Manager, had negotiated the above switch of printing
providers and after discussion it was agreed the replacement of editors'
hardware computers should be reviewed towards the end of the current financial
year, in October 2007.
Graham McMellin circulated a copy of the annual accounts to 31 October 2006,
with five year comparatives of major items. The General Fund stood at £7,260,
compared with £5,476 five years previously, which was good news and would
provide sufficient funds for replacing new IT equipment in the future. The
accounts were signed by him and the Chairman, and duly adopted by the meeting.
Jeff Beck, Advertising Manager, said he was well pleased with the new printers.
Advertising income in the five year term had increased by a third. There was a
waiting list of 21 possible new advertisers, which was most encouraging.
Popsi Stokes, the Distribution Manager, said her team were working well and the
Chairman asked that his and the committee's thanks for their work and support be
conveyed to all concerned.
It was noted that some of the information on the website was not being updated
by certain organisations. This problem had been highlighted previously in the
News. It was decided to warn all concerned that failure to update within a
month of issue would automatically involve eliminating their names from the
website - "update or lose the facility".
R.A.E.
'KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY'
A SEMINAR ON
ESTATE PLANNING
Following Colin Chamberlain's article on Inheritance Tax planning in the October
issue of Chipperfield News, Edward Jones Limited announce that two seminars will
be held as follows:
Date: Thursday 15 February 2007
Time: 10.30am for 11.00am start & 6.45pm for 7.00pm start
Venue: Kings Langley Parish Council Office, Charter Court WD4 9HR
Have you considered how much tax your estate will need to pay if the unthinkable
happened?
If you leave behind a house and savings, your family may need to pay thousands
of pounds in tax.
With some planning it could go to your family instead.
You are invited to our seminar to learn ways of minimising this tax liability.
Admission is free and you are welcome to bring along a guest, but reserve your
place now as spaces are limited.
The seminar will last between 45 minutes and one hour with an opportunity to ask
questions afterwards.
RSVP:
Colin Chamberlain
Investment Representative
Edward Jones Ltd, Parade House,
135 The Parade, Watford WD17 1NA
Tel: 01923 270847
E mail : colin.chamberlain AT edwardjones.com
Edward Jones Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services
Authority and is a member of the London Stock Exchange.
WANTED!
Village Hall Photographs
Do you have any photos of the Village Hall decorated for a special event, such
as wedding receptions, anniversary celebrations or dances, that you would be
prepared to share. The Hall Committee is looking for a few photos for promotion
of the hall on their website. If you can help, please send contributions by
email to the Website Manager at the following address: adrian AT austinsmead.com
CHIPPERFIELD WITHIN LIVING MEMORY - The Dunny Lane Tea-room
Situated in the vicinity of the Catholic Church gateway in Dunny Lane, there
used to be a long wooden hut, which was raised up on short wooden stilts and
faced the road. According to Peggy Harpley, local children had great fun
crawling underneath it.
The hut belonged to Trust Houses Ltd, as did all the land around it. It was
built as a tea room for hikers, well before World War Two. Many parties came out
from London and had a great time there. With the onset of the war, fewer people
came out of London for pleasure and the majority of younger men were away in the
services. The more senior members of our village recall that the hut was a good
venue for parties and dances. Miss Foley held ballroom dancing classes there.
From 1944-53, the wooden hut provided a much needed home for the Studley family,
who had to vacate Russell Place, No. 44, Tower Hill, which was a tied cottage
belonging to Mr O'Neil and which went with the job when Mr Studley worked at
Milbaise Nursery. The building was large enough to be fitted out with four
bedrooms, which catered for the needs of Mr & Mrs Studley and their eight
children, during the eight years when they lived there. Mary Studley of Chapel
Croft who married Norman Studley, the eldest son, in 1954, recalls that the hut
was very cold and damp in winter and needed three coke fires burning twenty four
hours a day to control the condensation and prevent the pipes from freezing up.
Where the Catholic Church and the car park are today, the Studley family created
a garden, kept hens and had a large store of chopped wood necessary for the
three fires.
To overcome the shortage of housing after the war, the Nunfield Estate was built
in stages. Joan and David Brown were the first lucky ones to move in pre
Christmas 1947. It was not until phase three was completed at the far end that
the Studley family left the hut and moved into No.22 Nunfield in July 1953.
The next person to use the wooden hut was Dr Newell from Sarratt, who set up
practice in Chipperfield. He subsequently transferred to the new surgery which
was built by the Council on the right side of Nunfield around 1957/8.
At a meeting of the Residents Association in April 1958, it was reported that in
response to repeated requests by a Mr Burney for a Youth Club, a working party
had been set up and suitable premises had been found at the corner of Dunny
Lane. The site on which the building stood belonged to Trust Houses Ltd., but
largely through the help and generosity of Dr Newell, it had been made possible
for the wooden hut to enter another phase of its use and become the home of a
newly formed Youth Club.
Unfortunately the facility was not enjoyed for long because within about 18
months, the hut was badly damaged in a fire. It was superseded in 1970 by a
replacement building, which was erected on its present site, that of the former
air raid shelter next to the old school.
I would like to express my grateful thanks to the numerous people who have
helped to put this information together for our village
archives.
Mary Nobbs
VILLAGE PEOPLE
Terry and Sandra Wicks of Scatterdells Lane are thrilled to announce the safe
arrival of their grand-daughter, Jessie May, born on 4 October to proud parents
Steve and Melanie Rimell.
Congratulations to Steve and Beverley Miles (nŽe Allan) on the birth of their
first child, a daughter Faith Hannah, born 12 December, the first cousin for Zoe
and Rick. Jim and Sandra Allan are delighted with the arrival of their third
grandchild.
Congratulations to Jack (Jaroslav) Liska, who was 90 years old on 6 January,
2007. He celebrated the event with his family and friends at The Windmill.
Jack was born in Roskopov, Czechoslovakia, and after service with the Czech Air
Force, French Foreign Legion and French Air Force, came to the UK in 1940. He
then joined the RAF to fly in Bomber, Ferry, Coastal and Transport Commands, and
even found time to fly with the American 8th Air Force during WWII.
He and his wife came to Chipperfield in 1967, first settling in Scatterdells
Lane, before moving to "Rosemary", Dunny Lane, in 1982.
Welcome to the village to Laura and Steve Rose and new baby, Thomas, who moved
into The Red Admiral just in time for Christmas. We hope they will enjoy living
in our community.
NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES
BAPTIST CHURCH
Our "International" Christmas Tree Festival depicted how Christmas is celebrated
in other countries around the world. Those who decorated trees were really
inspired as they worked to create the desired effect and we are so grateful to
them all for their dedication and time. These folk came from the churches in
Chipperfield, other churches from our local area, and other friends who offered
to help. A steady flow of people came to see us on the Saturdays we were open in
December, and had a cup of tea and mince pie before leaving for home!
So many people were involved in different ways to make the Festival a success,
so a big thank you to you all - and to all those who came to see the trees in
all their splendour!
We had our annual visit from the Chiltern West Gallery Quire on December 10th,
which was most enjoyable. A good number of people came to enjoy it with us, and
afterwards shared in a scrumptious tea. Thank you everyone for your support.
ST PAUL'S AND HOLY CROSS
From 1978 to 1980, Judy and I and our two tiny daughters lived in Bristol. We
were in a basement flat just off the Whiteladies Road, so called because in the
days of slave trading, this was the road up which the rich white ladies of the
city would travel to Blackboy Hill, where the slave market was held. I was in
Bristol for Theological training prior to ordination. Trinity College occupied a
mansion originally built by wealth acquired through the slave trade!!
This year sees the 200th anniversary of the Act of Parliament which outlawed
slavery throughout the British Empire. This legislation was the culmination of
over 25 years of hard work, spearheaded by William Wilberforce, MP. This
anniversary has made me think afresh about slavery. Slavery is not just
confined to "the slave trade": in many ways it was present in the industrial
life of our land in the 19th century, and it is with us today, in the sex
trade...and in less immediately obvious modes too. There is slavery to drugs, to
alcohol, to acquisitiveness and consumerism, to tradition and its opposite, to
power and status...
The pernicious thing is that sometimes the things which enslave are not
intrinsically bad, but that unchecked and encouraged by advertising, peer
pressure, and our hunger for satisfaction, slowly dominate, and even rule us ...
becoming life-inhibiting rather than life-enhancing.
Slavery of any description is not something from which a person can free
themselves. They need someone to set them free.
It is worth pondering in what ways we might be in slavery! Do we even recognise
it? So often its stranglehold creeps up on us. Who can set us free?
That part of my training to be a Christian Minister took place in what was once
a slave trader's mansion is not lost on me. I recall the words of him who was
hailed as "God with us" - "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
Freedom is both freedom from, and freedom for ...
With my greetings, Jim Stevens
RIC SELLWOOD
(12.1.26 - 14.10.06)
It is with great sadness that I report the death of my husband, Ric Sellwood.
We met in Coronation Year when both of us had moved to Chipperfield, he from
Barnet and my mother and I from Cheshire. We married in 1954 and moved to
Scatterdells Lane where we started life together in a caravan. Together we
designed our bungalow and Ric, who was a skilled draughtsman, drew the plans.
He was a man of many talents; as a young man in the war he worked for De
Havilland, repairing Merlin engines; later qualifying as a tool maker.
His engineering background provided him with a very practical "Can do" attitude
to things and during our early married life he was involved in plumbing,
electrical installation and brick-laying as our bungalow was being built. Any
car, motor cycle or other mechanical object held an irresistible attraction and
it was not long before he had a well-equipped workshop where he spent a lot of
time to the accompaniment of the classic music which he loved.
In the 1960's, he moved from engineering to print, joining Varityper in sales
and later in management. Following that, he became an engineers' agent,
representing several firms in the Industrial Fastener field.
On retirement, among his many interests, he started painting and joined the
Chipperfield Art Group. He showed great talent and his paintings of local scenes
sold well and his paintings of cricket matches on The Common were very popular.
An accident 2 years ago affected him greatly and he could not walk without two
sticks but could still drive. However, his health declined steadily from then
on. He is greatly missed by his family and friends.
Joan Sellwood
JEAN FLEMING (Formerly Greenlees)
On behalf of all my family I would like to thank the people of Chipperfield for
all of the love and concern they have shown us since my mother's death. Many of
you know that she had a sudden illness. She bore this with great courage and her
faith in the Lord and her future with Him carried her though it.
Jean was born in Hemel Hempstead and when married lived in Kings Langley for
thirty years. However as soon as she moved to Chipperfield in 1988 she felt she
had found her real home. Her warm welcome made Martyn and I realise we wanted to
live here too!
Thank you to those who came to her Service of Thanksgiving and singing so
heartily. The buffet at Blackwell's afterwards was first class and was a great
time to chat to everybody. Having been through this difficult time it makes me
appreciate all the lovely people who make up this special village.
Ruth
Dicker
THE CHIPPERFIELD WEBSITE
The Chipperfield web site, www.chipperfield.org.uk, has been up and running now
for nearly three years. It has been visited some 40,000 times in the past year
of which over 10,000 visits were people returning to the site. These latter
visits were, perhaps, to gain more information about the village, or a village
organisation or to view the advertisement of a local trader - unfortunately the
available statistics do not provide the reason for a return visit. Despite
that, both figures indicate a high degree of interest in the Village and its web
site.
However, unless the information contained in the site is accurate, it is worse
than useless. Most of the information on our site is up to date except, in some
cases, that on our village organisations. How many chairmen, secretaries,
contact numbers, times of events or places to meet have changed in the past year
or two and no one has alerted the webmaster? Have a look at the organisation
you are connected with and see if the information is accurate. If not, you can
change it using the link provided on the web page or you can ring Graham on
01923 269915 and tell him.
If you are not on the internet you can always ring him and ask what is on the
web about your organisation, and he will tell you. Let us try to keep the web
site up to date - otherwise we will have inserts like the St Paul's July Flower
Festival being advertised well into December or beyond!
Also do not forget there is a message board on the site for you to air your
views about events around the village - please do use it.
Graham McMellin
CHIPPERFIELD CHORAL SOCIETY
The first of three special concerts of the Chipperfield Choral Society Diamond
Jubilee Season filled St Paul's Church early in December. A Christmas
Celebration featured traditional Christmas music and carols and the choir were
conducted as usual by Delia Meehan. At just 13 years of age, Hugh Beardsall, a
chorister at St Albans Cathedral, was the soloist and his voice was a joy to
hear. A highlight of the evening was A Birthday Carol which was sung
beautifully by the choir. This carol had been specially written by Alan Taylor
in celebration of the choir's Diamond Jubilee.
The choir's first Conductor was Joyce Herman Allen, who was born in 1902 and
studied piano and singing at the Royal College of Music. Eventually she became a
music journalist in New York and London before her marriage to Dr Allen. It was
during the second World War, while her husband was serving in the Navy, that
Joyce joined the music staff of a school in Newquay. After the war the family
moved into Tenements Farm in Chipperfield and she soon joined the staff of the
Watford School of Music. It was not long before Chipperfield Choral Society was
born* and Joyce became its first Conductor. She went on to conduct the annual
concerts of the choir from the late 1940's right up to the 1970's and then
became President of the Society until her death in 1986. Anthony Metcalf took up
the baton from 1979-86 and he was succeeded by Adrian Davis. In 1991, Delia
Meehan was invited to become the Society's Musical Director and Conductor.
Having studied at the Royal Academy of Music she began to teach the oboe and
then taught at Reading University and the Royal Holloway College and still
teaches full-time at the Haberdashers' Aske's School for Boys. She has an
extremely busy life, travelling the world where she adjudicates at music
festivals and is on the panel of examiners for the Associated Board of the Royal
Schools of Music. For the last 16 years, Delia has found time to help
Chipperfield Choral Society to become one of the finest in the land and to grow
to a choir of around 100 voices.
The Christmas Concert has been a feature of the choir's programme throughout its
60 years existence and in the early years the performances were held in the
Church Institute (Village Hall). Spring concerts have been held in St Paul's
Church, the New School (Rudolf Steiner) at Kings Langley, the Town Hall
(Coliseum) at Watford, the Barberolli Hall at St Clement Danes School, St
Peter's Church in Berkhamsted, and St John's Church in Boxmoor, where last year
the choir did such a magnificent performance of Handel's Messiah. Over the
years, most of the major choral works by Haydn, Mozart, Bach and Mendelssohn
have been performed.
The choir is now preparing for their Spring Concert which will be at St John's
Church, Boxmoor, on 10 March. The special Diamond Jubilee Concert will be at St
John's Church on 30 June when the choir will be joined by their patron, Emma
Bell, who is a soprano of growing international repute. Emma will join the choir
in a programme of music by Parry, Handel and Mozart. Tickets for the March
concert will be available from choir members or the Box Office (01923 267515).
Terry Simmonds *Editor's note: Recent research has
revealed that the first Chipperfield Choral Society was founded in November
1917 when an augmented choir at St Paul's Church sang a sacred canticle
entitled "Harvest Praise". The church magazine reported that it was "glad to
record the starting of a Choral Society under the skilled guidance of Mr T.G.
White" (who was then the organist and choirmaster at Bovingdon). "The Society
meet at 9 o'clock every Monday in the school". On Wednesday 3 April 1918 the
society gave its first concert in the Church Institute (now the Village Hall).
As yet we have no further information about the original choir. Did it fade away
or cling on in some form until it was revitalised by Joyce Herman Allen in 1947?
COLLECTION FOR ROYAL
MARSDEN HOSPITAL
On behalf of The Royal Marsden Hospital, South Kensington, I would like to thank
all those who kindly made a donation on Saturday 14 October. We managed to
raise £500 and the secretary at the RMH has informed me that the money will go
towards a new scanner.
Thank you very much.
Janette Hya
BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER:
MORNING PRAYER AND EVENSONG
There will be a service of Morning Prayer based on the Book of Common Prayer on
Sunday 25 February in St Paul's Church at 10am.
It is planned that such a service will occur on the fourth Sunday of the even
months of the year (ie April, June and so on). We hope that those who know and
love this service will join us, as well as many who may not yet have experienced
the beauty it offers.
On two Sunday evenings during the year, there will be services of Sung Evensong
based on the Book of Common Prayer. The first of these will be on Sunday 4
February at 6.30pm.
We hope this will being fresh inspiration as we discover anew the meaning of
these
services.
John King
CHRISTMAS DAY TREATS
One of our family traditions is to have a good walk on Christmas morning to
make us really hungry for a late afternoon dinner. This year our son John was at
home and wanted to visit his old haunts and so we went through Scatterdells
Wood and into my bit of wood, The Wing. We looked at the old buzzards nest, and
Ted, our dog, had a dip in the pond, then we carefully looked out of the corner
of the wood to see what was about. On nice sunny days foxes often sunbathe on
that side of the wood, one particular Ash tree makes a very good leaning post.
Christmas day was very overcast and dull, so nothing doing there. A favourite
spot for the Roe deer is under an Oak tree in the hedge a hundred yards or so
from the wood, and our John's keen eyes thought there was movement from that
spot. Ted was busy with rabbit holes in the wood so we stayed still. Then two
large white discs were visible through the leafless hedge going away from us.
Fortunately someone must have been in their garden in Chipperfield Road and the
Roe went through another hedge and then came back towards the wood. We stayed
very still and were rewarded with the wonderful sight of two Roe deer in their
grey winter coats. They were very uncertain of which way to go. They knew we
were there somewhere, but they could not see our silhouettes as we stood on the
wood edge and the wind was taking our scent away from them. The best way of
recognising Roe in thick woodland is by their movements. When running they go
in wonderful bounding leaps, but, unless chased, they never go far without
stopping to listen and scent the air. This is exactly what they did in an open
field not a hundred yards from us! We could see their shining wet noses and,
when they finally turned down hill and away from us, we saw their wonderful
white rump patches, all fluffed out as a warning of danger. We could not see any
antlers, but these are cast between November and January so they could have been
male or female. Males are larger, but I have not seen enough Roe to compare and,
foolishly, we did not take binoculars as it was such a dull day. It was just
like old times, the three of us quietly sharing a few special moments. Not all
the best Christmas presents need wrapping!
Wendy Bathurst
CHIPPERFIELD HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY
Fuchsias: A talk and demonstration by Carol Gubler- Friday 20 April
Carol Gubler of Little Brook Fuchsias in Ash Green, near Aldershot, is well
known as an enthusiast and expert on fuchsias and will be coming to give a talk
and demonstration on the care and propagation of this popular and beautiful
plant. She will be bringing plants for sale and will be happy to answer any
questions that we might have.
The nursery has been featured on BBC Gardeners World as well as in local and
national press, and Carol has also written a practical guide to growing fuchsias
called A step-by-step guide to growing fuchsias (price £5.99) which is available
from many garden centres and, of course, the nursery.
Tickets for this talk and demonstration will be £2 each and are available now
from any committee member and Stanley's Stores, Chipperfield.
Ann Soanes (01923 262756)
FEBRUARY IN YOUR GARDEN
With such a mild start to the new year, the snowdrops, aconites, crocus and
early daffodils will be in flower this month. We have had a great deal of rain
and the water butts are overflowing. At the garden centre there are still the
special subsidised water butts for Hertfordshire residents, so it might be a
good idea to add an extra one or two so that there will be plenty of water for
the dry weather which is to come. This is the month when we get busy in the
glasshouse so it is a good idea to ventilate and spring-clean the house, using a
sulphur candle (provided all plants are removed) and Jeyes Fluid as a
disinfectant. Later in the month, seed sowing can commence with annuals such as
alyssum, ageratum, antirrhinums, cosmea, dahlia, dianthus, gazania, geraniums,
gerbera, marigolds, mesembryanthemum, nemesia, nicotiana, petunias, salvias,
stocks and verbena. Then vegetables such as cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes can
be sown under glass. This month the plug plants will be in the garden centre and
these little plants are ideal for those who do not wish to do their own sowing.
If the kitchen garden has not yet been dug, this should be done without further
delay, adding manure where root crops are not being grown. It is a good idea to
warm the vegetable beds for a few weeks before sowing using polythene sheeting.
Long-pod broad beans, carrots, parsnips and early peas can be sown outside at
the end of the month. Seed potatoes should be purchased as soon as possible and
laid out in a light place to sprout or 'chit' ready for planting out in the
spring. Do make sure that they are not allowed to get frosted.
This month new lawns can be put down and new beds cut in existing lawns.
Planting of trees and shrubs as well as roses and hardy perennials can be done
now and bare-root plants, such as raspberry canes and hedging plants must be
planted out as soon as possible. This is the month when the late-flowering
clematis (such as jackmannii) are pruned and sprayed. Do make sure that any
peach trees are sprayed against peach leaf curl using Dithane or Copper
Fungicide. Heathers will need to be trimmed once they have flowered. Now is the
time to buy bulbs such as gladioli, lilies and begonias, also dahlia tubers
and cannas and these tubers can be boxed up straight away in a frost-free place.
Plant shallots and Jerusalem artichokes this month and, as the grass will soon
be growing, do make sure that the lawn mower gets its annual service in good
time. Although the Chelsea Flower Show is not until May 22-26, tickets are
already on sale! (Phone 0870 247 1224 as soon as
possible).
Terry Simmonds
ALL CHANGE FOR CHIPPERFIELD CORINTHIANS
The Senior section of Chipperfield Corinthians Football Club has been through a
few changes this season. Last season saw the First team drop out of the Premier
Division of the Herts County League but are well positioned to bounce back this
season. This is under the new stewardship of First Team manager Derek Hall, who
has returned to the club after a successful playing career at Berkhamsted Town.
With the backbone of last year's team and a few new faces, Derek has got the
team playing some of the club's best football for years.
This season we have had and still have some exciting derby games to come against
Bovingdon and Sarratt. Bovingdon are also one of our key rivals for promotion.
After an indifferent start to the season the club was unbeaten for seven games
which has put us in an excellent position for the second half of the season and
challenging for a promotion position. We have scored 56 goals this season, the
highest in the league but have conceded 32 goals so you are always in for an
entertaining afternoon.
The club would like to thank all the supporters and sponsors for their help this
season, in particular our main sponsor CJ Wren. We are always looking for help
and support in all aspects of the club. If you would like to be involved then
please contact Stephen Hall, Chairman on 01923 253803