June 2006

SPECIAL EVENT THIS MONTH
Manor House gardens to open on Sunday 18 June
To recognise and celebrate the Queen's 80th Birthday, and to raise funds in support of two village projects, a special event is to be held in the gardens of the Manor House, Chipperfield on Sunday 18 June. The gardens will be open from 12.30 - 4.30 pm, and entry tickets will cost £3.50 per person (children under 10 years free). Tickets will be available at the gate on the day but it would help us gauge numbers if they were purchased in advance. Contact Phil Waine on 01923 268904 or by e-mail philwaine1@aol.com.
There will be a variety of food and drink stalls, fun activities for small children and a raffle and a plant sale during the afternoon. Offers of raffle prizes would be very much appreciated - please contact me on 01923 268904 if you are able to donate a prize. All proceeds will go towards funding important maintenance to the Village Hall stage and a new lighting system for St. Paul's Church
Phil Waine

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW ?
In past years the Parish Council has entered the village in the Village of the Year Competition and we have won several prizes in different categories. Preparations for entry are very time-consuming as the emphasis is now on community activities. This year the Parish Council proposes to hold our own Best Kept Gardens Competition with judging to take place in September. There will be classes for small, medium and large gardens and possibly another for hanging baskets and/or containers.
If you would like to take part it would help us assess the support for this project (and the possible number of entries), please phone Jo Deacon, our Parish Clerk on 01923 263310 as soon as possible.
Liz Holliday, Chairman CPC

HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY SUMMER SHOW
Saturday 24 June
Our summer show is always a wonderful display of colour and scent as there are numerous classes for sweet peas and roses. Other flowers such as delphiniums, sweet williams, pansies and fuchsias all have their own classes as do pot plants and vases of flowers.Classes for fruit and vegetables, such as strawberries, raspberries and other soft fruits, broad beans, beetroot, cabbages, potatoes, peas and many many more.
Floral art is always popular and this year there are three classes and five classes in the domestic section plus one class for eggs from any domestic fowl. The handicraft section is growing fast and attracts entries of a very high standard, with classes for painting or drawing, hand knitting, embroidery, soft toys, sewn garments, canvas work, woodwork, soft furnishings and a separate class for anything other than above.
The junior section has four classes: an article of handicraft, a collection of grasses, a picture created on computer (A4 size) and a garden in a seed tray. The age limit is 16 years and school work may be entered.
Finally the section for photography has three categories: Water; A Single Bloom and A Night Scene (i.e. traffic, buildings, shops). With such a variety there is something for us all, so get out your camera and take your pictures. Maximum size for prints is 7" x 5" and entries may be mounted but not framed. Tea and delicious cakes are all on offer all the afternoon and the Show ends with an auction of produce and raffle.
Staging takes place the previous evening by arrangement and on Saturday morning between 10.00a.m. until 12 noon. Doors open in the afternoon at 2.30p.m. and this followed by prizegiving at 3.30p.m. Entry forms are in the 2006 Schedule and can be given to any committee member, or handed in at the Post Office Stores or Stanleys Stores by 2.00p.m. on Friday 23 June. Do come and take part.
Ann Soanes

YOUTH FOOTBALL
This year nearly 200 Chipperfield Corinthians youth and their families descended on Great Yarmouth. Once again it was an exhausting weekend but very satisfying to see the children enjoy themselves so much!
Unfortunately the Under 14's didn't retain the cup but they lost in the finals to a very strong team from Liverpool. However the Under 8's were thrilled to be presented with the Îfair Play Cup from ex-England and West Ham player Tony Cotty.
I'm sure all the children will want to thank their managers for all the organising that goes into a tour. They are Under 14's Martyn Dicker, Under 13's Richard Holt, Under 11's Paul Hewetson, Under 10's Ant Critchfield, Under 9's Di Hewetson and Under 8's Melanie Roberts.

BOWLS CLUB ANNIVERSARY DINNER
On Friday 5 May forty members and guests attended the annual dinner held at Little Hay Golf Club.
President Ron Ray made a short speech recalling the 21 years of the club's existence and then presented Richard Hughes with an inscribed tankard. Ron expressed his gratitude to Richard who had been Secretary since the club originally started until he retired in September last year.
During the last season the club had played 9 friendly matches and had won 6, lost 2 and drawn one.
Terry Timberlake, Chairman, presented Alan Betts with the John Prestwich Trophy for the most improved new player. David Piper then presented trophies to the winners of the pairs competition, Peggy Harpley and Terry Timberlake, and to the runners-up, Hilary King-Jones and Ted Luck.
The evening closed with a draw for raffle prizes which had all been donated by the club to mark its 21st birthday.
Graham Breen

Chipperfield Within Living Memory
AROUND THE PILL POND
The vicinity of the Pill Pond at Chipperfield looks idyllic and serene, but how much more so it was in 1915 when Bertha and Jim Saunders moved there. That was the year when their son Chris was born. His parents were on the threshold of a new venture when they bought Rose Farm from the Clutterbucks at Sarratt. With only his wife to help him, Jim set out to farm around 20 acres of land, keeping a small herd of cattle and some poultry.
Chris describes how quiet and even lonely the area was for him as a small child, because there were at that time only Rose Farm and Old Swan House, which had ceased to be a pub in 1914. His nearest playmate was Winnie Bates, who lived at Groves Orchard, next to The Windmill public house.
What I haven't made clear to you, of course, is that the Rose Farm I am talking about is now known as the charming Brambles with its tall chimney stacks and adjoining 16th century single storey annexe on the right.
In an earlier account of life around the Common, Nellie Bates of the former Pie Corner Cottages behind The Windmill described how she used to fetch milk from Mr Brown's farm at Rose Cottage. According to the 1891 census, he farmed there with his 21 year old son, who most probably carried on farming there until 1915. It was Jim and Bertha who changed the name from Rose Cottage to Rose Farm. Behind the farm there was an orchard, which Chris recalls walking through on his way to Lavender Cottage in Dunny Lane.
The next addition to the Pill Pond area came in 1922, when the Saunders built the pair of bungalows, which stand to the left of the current Rose Farm House. Jim and Bertha and their two sons, Chris and Ken, moved into the larger left hand bungalow and let the right hand one. The old farm became a private house and was let to various people for the next 40 years. It was renamed Brambles and the name Rose Farm was transferred to their bungalow.
In 1933, Archibald Howden who came from South Africa made Jim Saunders an offer he couldn't refuse for the land to the left of Brambles on which he had kept poultry and where in the past there had been four old cottages, which were demolished around 1910. He had a house built by Waterhouse on the plot and called it Constantia, a name which remained until it was changed to Burford House in 1969. The following year, along came another retiree, Thomas Shaw, a friend of the Howdens from South Africa, and he rented Brambles for 10 years. He was an invalid and he needed accommodation for a chauffeur and a gardener, so the Saunders quickly built a bungalow to the right of Brambles for the purpose with the name of Rosecot. This was renamed Wedgewood in 1979.
The final addition to the Pill Pond area was Rose Farm House, which was built after the Second World War, when building materials were difficult to come by. Chris and Eleanor Saunders and their two children, John and Alison, moved in there from Corner Cottage in Kings Lane in 1954. Bertha and Jim continued to live in the bungalow throughout their retirement.
Horses and cattle no longer drink at the pond and the geese have long since gone. The water level is now very low and weeds have taken over, so it is unlikely that we shall ever see people skating there, as they did in the 1940s. To the outside eye however, the area still looks like a haven of peace, despite the many changes the years have brought.
(For a picture of the area in bygone days, please refer to page 110 of "Chipperfield Within Living Memory")
Mary Nobbs

CHIPPERFIELD PARISH COUNCIL 2006-07
At their Annual General Meeting held on Monday 8 May members re-elected Liz Holliday as Chairman and MikeJoseph as Vice Chairman for the coming year. Some changes were made to the membership of Committees and a new Committee for Youth & Education established. Committee membership is as follows: Finance Liz Holliday, Mike Bradshaw and Mark Jarrad; Highways & Footpaths John Carter, Mike Bradshaw and Mike Joseph; Open Spaces & Allotments Brenda Berners-Price, Rosemarie Wakeman and Liz Holliday; Planning David Nobbs, Brenda Berners-Price and Mike Bradshaw; Youth & Education Brenda Berners-Price, Mark Jarrad and Rosemarie Wakeman. Representatives of the Parish Council for village organisations are: Chipperfield Care Brenda Berners-Price; Chipperfield News Liz Holliday; The Village Hall Mike Joseph; The Youth Club Mike Bradshaw. (The Parish Council is no longer permitted to appoint a Governor for St. Paul's School).

FUNDRAISING SALE
on Saturday 10 June
Tables available for hire
Chipperfield Playgroup are holding a Table Top Sale to raise funds to buy some new equipment and provide a leaving party for the children at the end of term. The sale will be held in The Village Hall on Saturday 10 June at 10.00am.
If any individual or local organisation would like to hire a table to sell their own goods please phone me on 01442 834040 to book.
The fee for a large table is £7.50 and £5 for a small table.
Sue Reynolds

FROM OUR BOROUGH/COUNTY COUNCILLOR
Bovingdon Fire Station
As I write this there are intense negotiations taking place between Hertfordshire County Council and the Fire Brigades Union (FBU). One hopes that their threatened strike will be averted, in the interests of public safety. Quite obviously one has sympathies for the Bovingdon crew fighting their corner but without any backing from the Government with military cover, this is an extremely serious situation. The good news is that if there were a very serious fire the firemen have said they will attend.
Our local libraries
There are notices around the village, giving details of the new mobile library routes. The new vehicles which have a proper disabled access, with far better interior layout, have an on board computer (PC) with internet access, and they even lend out books. Bovingdon and Kings Langley Libraries will be extending their hours significantly, they will now open at 9.00 am instead of half past. The plan is to upgrade libraries generally with longer opening hours and more PC and internet access.
The Youth Club
Chipperfield Youth Club is thriving again with up to 25 youngsters attending on a Friday night. Jane is doing a fantastic job but could always do with some more help. Until recently we had the "Inters Club" for older children but this can only run successfully with the help of volunteers. Sue Reynolds who runs the Chipperfield Playgroup has ended up with much of the day to day management of the building. Could you spare a little time to help? The Management Committee will be meeting on Wednesday 14 June at 8.00pm for about an hour in the Youth Club. We need your thoughts on perhaps a new name, refurbishment and help with the week by week running of the building. This is a great space for the village; we want to make it better. Take Care
Richard Roberts, County and Borough Councillor
richard.roberts@hertscc.gov.uk

VILLAGE PEOPLE
Congratulations to Russ and Renata Evans of Scatterdells Park on the arrival of a daughter Lia on 19th March.

Congratulations to Chris and Iris Pigram of Brambles, The Common on the safe arrival of a son, Zach, on 29 April. Mother and baby are doing well.

We regret to announce the death on 5 May of Miri Judge, (widow of the late Bill Judge) of The Laurels, The Common. Our sympathy goes to Miri's daughters and grandchildren. The funeral was held on 17 May and an obituary will appear in the next issue.

Congratulations to Clare Southworth who was recently asked if she would accept an Hononorary Associateship of the Royal Academy of Music in London. She was very pleased to notify the Academy of her delight in agreeing to accept this award, and the ceremony took place on 4 May at the Royal Academy of Music.
Clare studied for her music degrees at the Royal Northern College of Music. After qualifying, she was appointed a member of the staff of the RNCM where she taught for 17 years. She was then appointed Professor of Flute at the Royal Academy in London, where she has taught for the last five years.
Clare is married to Roelof Stammeijer, and is the mother of Joe and Eleanor.

We regret to announce the death on 14 May, of Alan Harmer of Kings Close. Our sympathy goes to his wife Helen, their sons and family.

A LOCAL SHOP FOR LOCAL PEOPLE
Stanley's Store, Chipperfield
Open Nearly All Hours
New free and friendly grocery deliveries throughout the village.
No need to spend ages on your PC, clunk, click and pay for a delivery slot. Stanley's Store is now offering free delivery of fresh fruit and veg and household / convenience goods. In this day and age of Mega Monster supermarkets, little stores have to take things back in time a few years... so we have.
Give us a buzz on 01923 262822, place an order and your delivery will arrive free of charge before 7pm the same day (delivered by a very handsome chap called Neill Stanley!) and what we haven't got in stock we will try and get for you using the other services available in Chipperfield. Try us out or pop in for more details.
We have also started a second hand book collection available at weekends. For as little as 50p you can give a new home to a very good read, or sit outside have a browse and a coffee - or a bacon roll.
Sarah Stanley

NEWS FROM OUR CHURCHES
BAPTIST CHURCH
We were delighted to welcome folk from St Paul's once again for our joint churches Good Friday service. This was led by Rev Jim Stevens who pointed the way to the foot of the Cross. An Easter Garden had been built in the church with the stone covering the entrance to the tomb, but on Easter Day, the stone was taken away and an angel placed at the entrance, with flowers around. What a transformation, ready to celebrate our risen Lord!
Our monthly lunch club is still ongoing and is open to anyone in the village who would like to join us. It is usually held on the second Saturday of each month at 1.00pm in the Baptist Church Hall and you would be most welcome to join us. Just phone me on 01923 269574 to make sure of your place.
We are delighted with our redecorated hall and facilities. This includes a new door direct from the hall to kitchen, and new cupboards etc in the kitchen. The hall floor has been sanded and re-varnished. We hope this will encourage village folk to make better use of our premises.
Our annual May Fair was held on 20 May. More about this in the next issue.
Brenda Harpley

ST PAUL'S AND HOLY CROSS
Jim Stevens writes...
I don't know how the weather will be over this summer, but we have all been alerted to the probable shortage of water. Water, without which there can be no life and growth.
In October 2000, I was in Rwanda for three weeks, and the country waited anxiously for those vital life-giving rains, which were overdue: crucial to the food supply of that densely populated land: no rains, no food. Fortunately they came, just in time.
I have seen lack of water too in my gardening exploits - a little late with watering in the greenhouse or those hanging baskets....
There can so easily be another "water" shortage - that of the sort which Jesus promised, without which the spiritual side of us dries up, and even dies. "If anyone is thirsty", Jesus said, "let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this, the apostle John adds, Jesus meant the (Holy) Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were....to receive. (John's Gospel, chapter 7 verses 37, 38)
What a gift! Living water, flowing from within. The Holy Spirit who refreshed, invigorated and equipped the man Jesus in his daily life, available in us! No hint of a shortage of the availability of this "water". Anyone, Jesus says, may enjoy this water welling up from deep within - the only condition, a willingness to come to Him and drink! And that is so often where we miss out. You might like to ponder why.
This month sees the celebration of Pentecost (Whitsun in older language), when God fulfilled His promise of pouring out His Spirit on all those who believed in Him. God has not changed. He is more than willing to go filling anyone's life with His, provided we come to Him, welcoming His Lordship over us, and having a positive attitude of resting in His love and goodness.
There may be a water shortage for our gardens and our homes this summer - a matter largely out of our hands: but there never need be a shortage of the "streams of living water flowing from within".... It is up to each one of us.
With my greetings and prayers,
Jim Stevens

PLACES TO VISIT
De Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre, Salisbury Hall, London Colney AL2 1EX Tel. 01727 822051
Open until 29 October. Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays 2-00pm to 5.30pm and Sundays 10.30am to 5.30pm.
Admission £5 adults, £3 children and concessions. Recommended time of visit 2.5 hours. Aeroplanes on display from De Havilland Moth to modern military and civil aircraft.

Leighton Buzzard Railway, Page's Park Station, Billington Road, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 4TN Tel. 01525 373888. Open Sundays, Bank Holiday weekends and extra days during school holidays. 70-minute trip on an authentic narrow guage railway dating from World War 1. Admission £6 adults, £6 concessions, £3 children.

Redbournbury Watermill, Redbourn Road, St. Albans, AL3 6RS Tel. 01582 792874 Restored 18th century working watermill, producing stone-ground organic flour. Open until 2 October Sundays 2.00pm-5.30pm and Bank Holiday Mondays 10.00am to 5.00pm. Admission £2 adults, £1 children and concessions. Parking and refreshments

LOCAL WALKS IN JUNE
Arranged by Countryside Management Service (West & Southern Area).
Contact number 01727 848168.

Thursday 8 10.30am-1.00pm A Meander Round the Chess Valley
Moderate 5 mile walk. Meet at the entrance to Chorleywood House Estate by the Parish Council Office - just off A404. Car parking on nearby common and public open space.
Tuesday 13 6.00pm-8.30pm Old Commons, Chalk Streams and Orchids at Boxmoor
Moderate 4 mile walk, includes some steep hills. Meet outside Hemel Hempstead railway station. Car parking available at station.
Thursday 22 10.30am-1.00pm Rickmansworth Aquadrome
Moderate plus 2.5 mile walk. Walk round Bury Lake and Stockers Lake. The walk is flat but not suitable for pushchairs. Meet at the car park off Frogmore Lane near Bury Lake.
Thursday 22 7.00pm-9.00pm An Evening Along The River Ver
Moderate 2.5 mile walk. Meet at Abbey Station (bottom of Holywell Hill), catch the Abbey Flyer to Park Street and then walk back to the start. (Remember to bring some money for the train fare).

OUR VILLAGE POST OFFICE
Many people in the village have signed a petition at the Post Office in protest to the threat of closure. At present our Post Office is safe - well, reasonably safe. Decisions will be made according to the level of use. Each visit to the Post Office is recorded to assess how often people use it. It does not help if you save up six transactions for one visit - that is recorded as one use. Much better, if you have the time, to do them singly and that would count as six visits!
In addition to all the usual Post Office/Royal Mail services, our Post Office offers paying-in facilities for accounts held with Barclays, Lloyds, Smile, Cahoot, Alliance and Leicester and the Co-Op banks. You can also take cash out free of charges. You can buy home insurance (with savings up to 40%), car insurance and arrange a personal loan. There is a new Post Office credit card available.
For holidays and travel, you can order all currencies and travel cheques (no commission charged) and buy a year's travel insurance for any number of breaks for £50. This includes insurance for those over 65.
Our Post Office is open from 9.00am to 5.30pm Monday to Fridays and from 9.00am to 12.30pm on Saturdays. Do use it (as often as possible) so that we don't lose it.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS FOR GARDENERS
arranged by Chipperfield Horticultural Society
The Chelsea Physic Garden
A talk, complete with slides, by Mike Watts
Friday 29 September 2006
London's secret garden of medicinal and historic plants, was established by the London Society of the Apothecaries in 1673. This talk explains why the garden was founded and describes some of the eminent men who contributed to its development over the centuries and its contribution to medicine, botany, horticulture and even world economics. It also looks at some of the features of the garden with emphasis on medicinal plants. I heard this talk last year, both it and the slides were excellent. Tickets are £2.00 each and will be available from Stanley's Stores and committee members.
Fuchsias
A talk and demonstration with Carol Gubler
Friday 20 April 2007
Carol Gubler of Little Brook Fuchsias in Ash Green near Aldershot is well known as an enthusiast and expert on fuchsias and will be speaking about the care and demonstrating the propagation of this popular and beautiful plant. She will be bringing plants for sale and will be happy to answer any questions. The nursery has been featured on BBC Gardeners World as well as in the local and national press. 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 £2.00 each and will be available next year. Ann Soanes