January - St Peter's Church, Berkhamsted, Herts

Your Berkhamsted editorialFrom the Editor January 2013Welcome to the first issue of YourBerkhamsted for 2013 and a Happy NewYear to everyone!In this issue we have some ideas to get youmoving in the cold winter months. MattDawson suggests ways to get into shapeafter the over indulgences of Christmas,and if a gym is not your thing we have apleasant walk in Ashridge to get youstarted. Joanne Lloyd-Evans also providesa tasty and healthy recipe for you to try.For the times when you just want to relaxindoors away from the cold weatheroutside, there is a short story by previouslylocal author Sophie King to lose yourselfin and Dan Parry writes about some veryspooky happenings in and around thetown.Looking forward to the summer monthsalready we have news of the 2013Petertide Fair and details of the charitiesthat they will be supporting this year. Thismay seem a long way off but I bet it willcome round quicker than we think!Helen Dowley, EditorThe Parish Magazine ofSt Peter'sGreat BerkhamstedWe welcome contributions, suggestions forarticles and news items, and readers’letters. Please send toeditor@yourberkhamsted.org.ukPhoto credit: page 5: Berkhamsted HighStreet by Robin McMorranContentsLeader - Fr Luke Geoghegan 3Around the town 5Read all about us 7Hospice news 8Sports news 11Bumps, bangs and the undead ofBerkhamsted 12May I take your picture? BySophie King 14CAP money 17Parish news 18Petertide Fair news 20A century in and outof Berkhamsted 23New Year’s resolutions 25A walk in Ashridge 27Recipe 28The last word 30Responsibility for opinions expressed inarticles and letters published in this magazineand for the accuracy of any statements in themrests solely with the individual contributor.Your Berkhamsted has no affiliation with theSave Your Berkhamsted campaign.2

LeaderYour Berkhamsted Leader by Fr Luke GeogheganAfter fouryears of debatethe people havefinally spoken.Berkhamsted isnot to have aresidentsparking scheme– at least for agood long time.I have toconfess an interest here – I was one of thefew who lived in an affected road whoactually wanted a residents parkingscheme. But I was impressed that the ‘no’campaign, leafleted, met, organised,debated and advertised over a sustainedperiod to get their message across. This isthe very heart and soul of democracy, notsimply electing a person who takesdecisions for the community but localpeople getting actively involved in localissues.In the process of running my own oneman ‘yes’ campaign, funded by globalcorporations and shadowy off shore taxdodgers (no I made that bit up, I funded itmyself to the tune of about £3.75) I metpeople who I had lived near to for yearsbut had never actually met or talked to.And what nice people they were. Somewere in favour of the parking scheme andmost were not, but they were alwaysinteresting conversations. An unexpectedbenefit of local democracy!This has been described as ‘social capital’– the glue of relationships that hold ustogether - and the process where simplyliving cheek by jowl suddenly istransformed into community.And everyone I spoke to had a view onthe subject. If only all democraticprocesses could have these ingredients ofpassion and concern.In contrast at the last General Election theoverall turnout to vote was around 65%.But this average masks significantdifferences. According to figures byMORI, the polling organisation, olderpeople had a turnout of around 76% andyounger people (18-24 years) of about44%. Social class AB (that’s the uppercrust and the upper middle classes) had aturnout of around 76% and class DE (theother end of the scale) had a turnout ofaround 57%. There’s also huge variationin local turnout with poor areas havinglower turnouts than richer areas. So wehave a huge problem with the poor andyoung not exercising their franchise.Which brings me to the recent electionsfor the Police Commissioners. I’ve nevernot voted (and that includes localelections) but I couldn’t bring myself tothe voting booth for this one. Judging bythe turnout figures a lot of people felt thesame way – a turnout of just 14.5%.I can’t claim to be a flag-bearer for thelate Police Authority but it seemed to methat policing, overall, was working. And ifit’s working why spend huge amounts ofmoney on an election that few of uswanted, where minimal information wasprovided, that no-one was interested inand where issues, such as they are, canand must be dealt with at the level ofoperational police control.If the debate around parking wasdemocracy in action it seems to me thatthis exercise was democracy not in action.yB3

Around the townLocal newsTen million peoplein Yemen, almosthalf the population,are suffering fromfood shortages butfunds to meet theneeds are short too.Haberdasheryhelps!Haberdashery helps at OxfamAl Mazraq camp in Northern Yemen ishome to 11,000 people who fled to safetywhen fighting between tribal groupsbroke out in 2009.Now, thanks to Oxfam’s Livelihoodsprogramme, some of the inhabitants havelearnt new skills and started to earn anincome. Men have been taught carpentryand the women have been issued withsewing machines to start a tailoringbusiness.Why not help to provide the funds neededto equip them by buying yourhaberdashery at Oxfam? The High Stshop has an excellent selection of fabrics,cottons, buttons, zips, knitting machines,needles, wool, embroidery and tapestryframes and other essentials. Vintagepatterns are popular, especially withtheatrical groups. Anyone with a creativeflair will find plenty of choice.The Oxfam Bookshop will feature asupporting window with books on craftsfrom quilting to lace-making, patchwork,embroidery and smocking.Events presentedby the CowperSociety at StPeter’s Church orthe Court House,BerkhamstedMon 14 th Jan at 8.00pm: ORGANRECITAL in St Peter’s Church - LeeBurgess, Holy Trinity, Potten End. FreeEntry. Retiring collection.Mon 28 th Jan at 8.00pm: The CowperSociety WINTER TALK in the CourtHouse – Dr Christopher Green ‘St Peter’sChurch and its History’. Free Entry.Retiring collection.Mon 4 th Feb at 8.00pm: ORGANRECITAL in St Peter’s Church - AdrianDavis Director of Music, St Peter’sChurch. Free Entry. Retiring collection.Ashridge EstateThere may be no organised activities thismonth on the National Trust's AshridgeEstate, but it's still a wonderful place for awalk on a bright winter's day. And theBrownlow Café will be open every dayfrom 8am to dusk, ready to warm you upwith delicious made-in-house soups andcasseroles, or just a coffee and a largepiece of cake! yB5

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Read all about us!Berkhamsted in the newsJulian Dawson looks at varied and surprising references to our town inthe mediaIt is quite easy to get diverted along themany by-ways of Wikipedia, so I thought itmight prove an interesting variation on atheme to see how Berkhamsted crops up onJimmy Whales’ web phenomenon.The most obvious manifestation is thetown’s entry itself, in glorious technicolor,annotated and sourced extensively with theinevitable nod to famous associations pastand present from Duke William ofNormandy to the fictional Ed Reardon. Anddescribes our oceanic climate, whichapparently we enjoy with the rest of thekingdom. It also sets out the differentpermutations of the town’s name, which ifsome of the addressed envelopes I’ve seenare anything to go by are still much inevidence! Though in fact the currentspelling is relatively recent being adoptedin 1937. Earlier spellings includedBerkhampstead, Muche Barkhamstede,Berkhamsted Magna, Great Berkhamstedand Berkhamstead, and the earliestvariation being Beorhoanstadde. In factthere have been fifty variations recorded. Itis believed that all of the above refer tohomestead amongst the hills from theSaxon bergs.Another large entry is for the BerkhamstedSchool, taking us through its foundation in1541 to its recent building work. Though itstops short of the most recent developmentsrelating to the Berkhamsted Schools Group.An intriguing link takes you to the BritishPathe website in a clip entitled Men ofTomorrow, which shows boys atBerkhamsted School in 1938. They hadapparently adopted the Swedish system ofexercise which involved smooth swingingmovements. It sounds better in the clippedKing’s English of the thirties. Actually, Ithought smooth swing was a type of jazz,but what do I know.And immediately, Pathe invites me on aninevitable tangent. What other gems might Ifind searching for Berkhamsted? To behonest I wasn’t expecting themanufacturing of lampshades in the town in1951. This enlightening clip is actuallymore interesting than it immediatelysounds. Or else I just need to get out more.And talking of clipping, the short film ofharvesting in the cress beds in 1931illustrates a world very much lost to thetown in the 21 st century.But back to the Wiki. The Castle is alsohonoured with its own entry, thoughforegoes to mention the badgers whichmade a guest appearance in my last article.It emphasises the royal connections of thecastle including Henry I holding court in1123, all the way though to 1580 whenElizabeth I leased the ruined castle andsurrounding grounds to Sir Edward Carey,Keeper of the Queen’s Jewels. He builtBerkhamsted Place with stone from theruins, explaining the current open planfeeling of the castle today. And in fact thePlace also has its own entry, describing thefascinating history until its demolition in1967. Seventy years ago the house had ninebedrooms, three bathrooms and fiveupstairs staff bedrooms, but by the 1950s, itbecame too costly to run and was convertedinto flats. The surviving 17th-Century wingof the house became the studio of therenowned sculptor Reg Butler, and if youwant to find out about him there is anotherPathe clip of him at work, including atantalising glimpse of the exterior of thelost building in colour.yB7

Hospice newsCooking with Chris could change your lifeA new course which will teach therecently bereaved vital skills in thekitchen has just been launched by TheHospice of St Francis.The special initiative will offer support topeople by helping to build theirconfidence to prepare and cook meals forthemselves and others.A pilot scheme which ran in March was sosuccessful that the Berkhamsted-basedcharity now plans to run two courses ayear, including a ground-breakingUK-first course for bereaved teenagersstarting next February.“It’s a wonderful opportunity to offerpeople something therapeuticallydifferent, to bring them together sociallywhere the focus is on food and to buildtheir skills and confidence,” explainsTania Brocklehurst, the Hospice’s ClinicalBereavement Coordinator. “After abereavement, some people don’t accessour one-to-one counselling or talkingsupport groups and we realised there wasa need for something where people whowouldn’t normally talk in a group canmeet and spend time together, whilstlearning new skills and increasing theirmotivation to cook and eat healthily.”The health and therapeutic benefits forpeople impacted by grief speak forthemselves. “Cooking is known to helpincrease concentration, sensory awarenessand self esteem,” explains Tania. “It alsopromotes good nutrition, engagesmemory, extends social networks andreduces stress - all of which suggest thatit’s a real aid to the bereavement process."The six-week course, called ‘Cookingwith Chris’, is named after the hospice’sCatering Manager Chris Took. Everyweek, Chris and his senior cook Gill Searswill lead eight participants as they cometogether to prepare a three-course meal,which they then sit down and share.Working in groups, they will take it inturns to prepare starters, main courses,puddings and something to take home,learning practical cooking skills andpicking up tips on buying and preparingfresh ingredients, timing, batch cooking,using left-overs, freezing and cooking forone.Uniquely, Chris tailors the detail aroundindividual participants’ needs. “Whateverpeople want to make – whether it’s asignature dish for a dinner party or acoffee cake for afternoon tea, we’ll do it,”he says. “It’s not about regimentedlearning. It’s about having fun and makinga difference.”A difference, which for pilot courseparticipant Darren Knight, was lifechanging.After living with his mumChristine since his parents divorced whenhe was four, Darren, 42, from BennettsEnd, had got used to his mum doing allthe cooking. “She was a great cook. Shewas once a pub chef,” he says.But after her sudden death to cancer, inMay 2011, aged just 59, following a shortstay at the hospice, Darren’s diet of junkfood, constant snacking and pizzas sawhis weight soaring and his healthsuffering.8

“I couldn’t cook and after Mum died, Ihad no motivation to. I just went topieces,” says the former theatre bookingconsultant. “When I started the course Ithought: ‘What am I doing here?!’ I burnwater. If I pick up a knife, I cut my finger.But I quickly found out that with a bit ofinstruction and someone looking over myshoulder, I could do it.“The social aspect and support for eachother was great but one of the biggestthings the course has given me isconfidence,” he adds, explaining: “I’vechanged my name to William to mark afresh start, I’ve started an accountingcourse, I’ve taken up sailing and gone onHospice newsholiday for the first time in years. And thisyear, for the first time in my life, I’mcooking Christmas dinner for mygrandparents and my uncle. If I can stuff achicken, I can stuff a turkey. I think Mumwould have been proud.”The current course ends in November witha special fund-raising finale dinner forparticipants’ relatives and friends. On11 th December, participants of both coursesare set to join forces with Chris and thecatering team for another fund-raisingextravaganza - cooking the Hospice staffChristmas dinner.For more information about TheHospice of St Francis, visitwww.stfrancis.org.uk.The Hospice of St Francisprovides professional support andcare for people with terminal orlife-limiting illnesses. We bringpeace, comfort and dignity topatients, helping them to live lifeto the full, for whatever time isleft. Our care is tailored to eachpatient’s individual needs whetherthat’s in our In-Patient Unit, as anout-patient or in patients’homes. Support for families andcarers is essential. The Hospice ofSt Francis really does providetotal care when time is precious.All our care is given free ofcharge but we need to raise £3.7million annually to continue ourcare. We rely on voluntarydonations for more than 80% ofthis. For more informationcontact 01442 869555 or visitwww.stfrancis.org.uk. yB9

Getting into shapeMatt Dawson encourages us to get moving after ChristmasSports newslibrary of workout tracks, radio stations oreven watch SKY TV. The gym also offerspersonal trainers that help you to loseweight and get fitter in a one on onesession. They will tell you how to dothings in the right way and they will alsoset you specific goals and targets that youwant to achieve.Now that Christmas is over, you may belooking at yourself and thinking that youwish you hadn’t eaten all that food. Welllook no further than this article as I’ll behelping you decide on what you can do toget back to full fitness and lose that bit ofextra weight that you put on eating all thatroast turkey and mince pies.For those more able, head down to thenew gym in the high street. What wasonce Fitness First has now been re-namedThe Fitness Society which is beingdescribed as Berkhamsted’s Premier Gym.It looks like a great new facility and itconsists of 32 Cardio machines, 67individual exercise stations, weights area,sauna and steam room and changingrooms with over 100 lockers. The cardiomachines are ‘state of the art’ and allowyou to run, row and cycle. At the sametime you can also listen to the gym’sAs well as the gym in the high street thereis a gym situated at BerkhamstedSportspace. This gym is fully airconditioned and also contains a widerange of cardio machines, resistancemachines and a free weights area.Berkhamsted’s sports centre also has avariety of activities to take part in with itsswimming pool in which you can takelessons as well as just swim. It also haslarge halls in which you can play thingssuch as cricket, badminton and football.Another idea is to go for a bike ride alongthe Grand Union Canal or around thedifferent areas of the town. I’ve cycled upthe canal before and I stronglyrecommend it as it’s a great route. If youdon’t have a bike then why not jog orwalk along it?Meanwhile if you’re less able to do thethings already suggested then go for awalk to burn off those Christmas calories.A great place to go for walks is atAshridge. It’s got many great routeswhich will give you the chance to explorethe 2,000 acres of magnificent woodland.yB11

Berkhamsted historyBumps, bangs and the undead of BerkhamstedDan Parry goes on a local ghost huntWho’s not interested in things goingbump in the night? Just as long as it’s notactually us who hears the bumps, clankingchains or eerie wails, then who can resist aghoulish story? Of course we ourselvesmight not believe in ghosts. But, perhapsin the dark corners of our mind, lurks thethought that beneath the dreamy fantasiesmay just be the stuff of nightmares.Convincing the editor that, in the interestsof research, I needed to spend a fewevenings in a variety of local pubs andrestaurants I boldly set off on a mission ofdiscovery, (I thought I maybe ought totake a magnifying glass or something, butcouldn’t find one).First stop was the Crown, where the staffbarely find room behind the bar for thenumber of spirits that while away theirtime there. Of course, there’s nothingunusual about spirits in a bar. But storiesof ghostly figures caught my attention,specifically a couple in period dresswalking past the cellar stairs towards thefront door. The cellar itself, one of theoldest parts of the pub, is inevitablyvisited by something less than human. Itslow ceiling, cold temperature, ancientstructure and lonely ambience are whatyou might expect in a pub cellar,nevertheless I was relieved when I left theplace. At the top of the pub are rooms overthe passageway dividing the Crown andthe King’s Arms, and figures have beenseen here too.But it’s behind the bar itself where themost interesting things happen. There’sthe kink in the shelf at the back of the baras it follows a slight dog-leg bend. Hereglasses regularly fall and hit the floor.12

Glasses falling on the floor in a pub is notheadline news. But why always at thatparticular place? Particularly when there’sno-one about? Perhaps this is a simplecase of gravity. The area is monitored byCCTV from the manager’s office, and onoccasion a manager will call down to thebar when a waiting customer has beenoverlooked. A woman waiting at the barcaught the attention of one managerwatching the CCTV, they rang the bar butwas told by the staff that there was no-onethere. Don’t know about you, but that onesends a slight shiver down my spine.The huge mirrors in Brasserie Blancapparently catch the reflection of morethan just fine food. The ancient building issaid to be haunted by unidentified spiritsthat flit about, their movement betrayingtheir presence. But it’s in the Lamb, one ofthe town’s most mysterious buildings, thatthe biggest bumps in the night are heard.Phil the landlord was keen to point out itwasn’t a bump, more a solid crash, thatstartled him. Believing burglars werebreaking in through a first floor windowhe tore upstairs to discover a large, solidheating unit had suddenly toppled over.Too big and heavy to have been moved byanyone in the pub, there was no reasonwhy it should suddenly take a tumble. Hehad been told that the pub’s resident ghostdoesn’t like change – and she occasionallylikes to make her point known. Thebuilding may be the last remaining outpostof the medieval hospital that once stoodacross the road until the mid-16th century,and Phil wonders whether the ghost, (agirl apparently), is connected to thehospital in some way.Two years ago, specialist ghost-huntersvisited the Swan, a former inn and now ayouth centre. According to the Gazette,they contacted one Mary Fitch whoexplained that she was 24, that she livedthere when it was a cottage and that herdeath in 1468 was “very bad”. Anothernamed ghost occupies the George andDragon in Northchurch where formerregular George Meager apparently sits inthe chair he occupied in life, though nowhe prefers to visit the place out of hours.Halfway between Northchurch andHawridge stand the ruins of Marlin'sChapel, a 13th century site standing nextto a medieval fortified farm. The wallsand moat surrounding the modern farmstill remain and are thought to be haunted.Near here too is the little known laneknown as Soldiers’ Bottom. Here, at thejunction of Denny Lane, Johns Lane andNorthchurch Lane is said to be the routetaken by parliamentarian troops during theCivil War, who have been seen at dusk,marching down to the town. Similarly thephantom coach of Ashridge rumbles alongthe road to Tring, though its wheels andthe clattering hooves of its horses areheard far more than they’re seen, unlikethe Ashridge monk who silently wandersthe Roman Lane between Nettleden andFrithsden.All of these stories bring more questionsthan answers though they share one thingin common. Despite their unresolveddetails, their enduring appeal ensures thatreports of the walking dead are alive andwell. Is it true that there’s no smokewithout fire? Get yourself a strong drink, asleeping bag and permission to whileaway a lonely night in the cellars of one ofour ancient pubs, and let me know howyou get on.yBBerkhamsted history13

May I take your picture?A short story by popular author Sophie KingSusan was walking along the beach frontwhen she saw them. A young couple, just asshe and Roger had been once, laughing over acamera.‘I’ll take a picture of you,’ the young manwas saying.The girl, a pretty young thing in jeans andone of those jumpers with hoods, was shakingher head so that the wind caught her hair andsent it out streaming in an auburn fan behindher. ‘No, Tom. I want a picture of you!’Before she knew it, Susan had stepped in.‘Would you like me to take a picture of both ofyou?’ she asked shyly.The young girl and man seemed startledand Susan wondered if she’d made a mistake.But then the young man smiled. ‘That wouldbe lovely. Thank you so much. You just pressthis button here. See...’Cameras these days were much morecomplicated than they used to be, thoughtSusan, waiting for someone to pass by beforeshe pressed what she thought was the right bit.‘Thank you so much,’ said the young girlpolitely, hanging onto her boyfriend’s arm in away that made Susan’s heart lurch withlonging.It was she, Susan thought as she walked on,who should be grateful to them for bringingback all kinds of wonderful memories. Indeed,as soon as Susan got home to her apartmentoverlooking one of the big hotels on the front,she took down the silver-framed picture ofRoger and had a little doze in her chair,looking out onto the communal gardens, withher husband safely on her lap.‘Wasn’t it sweet of that old woman to take ourpicture?’ asked Melinda, curling up into Tom’sshoulder on the way back on the train. ‘Look.’She handed over the camera so he could see allthe pictures they’d taken that day including theone of them, holding hands on the front. ‘Itwill help, won’t it?’Short storyHe nodded, knowing what she was thinkingbut not daring to speak. They’d made a pactduring their day trip to the coast, not to talkabout it.‘I’ll get the memory card printed outtomorrow,’ continued Melinda, talking in thatrather fast way that she did when nervous.Although they’d only known each other a fewweeks, he’d already tuned into some of herlittle mannerisms just as she had to his. It wasalmost as though they’d been made for eachother.He only hoped that nothing would gowrong.If it hadn’t been for the young couple havingtheir picture taken, it might not have happened,thought Janice ruefully.Looking back, she’d spent most of her lifefeeling in the way. First when her mother hadmarried again and no longer wanted a difficultteenager in the house. And then when she’dmoved down to the seaside to find a job at oneof the hotels.At first it had been all right but then itturned out that the waitress who worked withher was jealous in case she got promoted first.And now this!‘Right,’ said the doctor kindly. ‘Whathappened here then?’Janice looked ruefully down at her ankle. ‘Itried to get out of the way of a couple havingtheir picture taken. So I tried to hurry up andthen slipped on some ice cream that someonehad dropped on the pavement.’The ankle was really throbbing now andthere was a funny buzzing in her ears.Suddenly everything went very black...Two months later, Susan was taking her usualwalk along the front. How different it was inwinter, when most of the tourists had scurriedback home with their memories andphotographs and sand in the back of their cars.14

Every day, she told herself she was lucky tolive here! Of course, if it hadn’t been forRoger, she wouldn’t be here at all.‘Excuse me.’Susan turned to see a young girl withauburn hair that was fanning out in the wind,walking towards her.‘You probably won’t remember,’ the girlwas saying, ‘but you took our picture back inthe summer. I was with my boyfriend then.’The funny thing about growing older, Susanoften thought, was that your memory wasn’tthe same. She couldn’t really remember thisparticular girl – there’d been so many ! – but itseemed rude to say so.‘I can't tell you how special that picture isto me.’ The pretty auburn-haired girl’s eyeswere full of tears. ‘My boyfriend’s in the army,you see, and he’s been sent abroad.’ She puther hand in her pocket and brought out anenvelope. ‘I carry that photograph of useverywhere I go. It was the last time we weretogether.’Susan’s eyes began to mist over. ‘Myhusband was in the navy during the war,’ shesaid quietly. ‘I know what you’re goingthrough.’The young girl touched her arm. ‘Did hecome back safely?’Susan nodded and the girl breathed a sighof relief. ‘I can’t tell you how happy thatmakes me. May I buy you a cup of tea at thathotel, over there? Please! It’s the least I can doto say thank you.’When Melinda wrote to Tom – which she didevery day – she told him all about the chancemeeting. ‘I’d gone down to the same spotbecause I wanted to pretend you were still withme. Silly, I know. But guess what? I bumpedinto that lovely old woman who took ourpicture and I took her out for tea. Her name isSusan and she seems rather lonely so we’regoing to meet up once a month!’And Tom, opening the letter several weekslater during a rare moment of peace in a dustywar-torn corner of the world, knew for certainthat his kind-hearted Melinda (whose picturehe carried everywhere in his top pocket) wasthe girl for him.Short storyJanice had always had an eye for faces. Namesshe often forgot. But not faces. So when thepretty young girl with the auburn hair started tocome in for tea once a month with an old ladywith grey hair and a walking stick, her initialfeeling was that she wanted to go up and say‘Look what you've done.’But then she reminded herself that it reallyhadn’t been their fault and somehow shemanaged, despite her ankle which was onlyjust out of plaster, to take their order with asmile.This did not go unnoticed by the newmanager who had already seen that Janice waskeen to please. Look how she’d insisted oncoming back to work so soon after heraccident!The following month, Janice was calledinto his office and offered the post of headwaitress. ‘But what about the other girl whoworks with me,’ she spluttered. ‘She’s gotmore experience.’The manager nodded. ‘Experience isn’teverything in this job but a pleasant mannerwith the customers can mean the differencebetween them coming back or not. I’ve seenyou with our guests – especially the way youlooked after that older woman the other day.You’re exactly the kind of person we needhere.’Janice could hardly believe her luck!Immediately, she rang her mother with thegood news and this time, she soundedgenuinely pleased to hear from her daughter.That night, Tom’s regiment came under attack.As he sat, trying not to shake with fear, waitingfor the next command, he took the picture ofMelinda out of his pocket and told her that if –no, when – he got out of here, he would ask herto be his wife.The following week, Susan saw aphotograph in the newspaper that sent a coldshiver through her. It was the picture she hadtaken of the young couple. LATEST WAR(Continued on page 16)15

(Continued from page 15)CASUALTY, screamed the headline.Immediately, she picked up the phone toMelinda.Six months later, Susan sat in the lobby of herfavourite hotel, waiting for a taxi home.They’d asked her to the wedding (so sweet) butshe’d declined. She was getting a bit old tostand for long, she explained, but it was verykind of them to ask her to the reception.She’d had a lovely time – honestly! – butnow all she wanted was to get back. ‘Shall Iring the taxi to see where it’s got to?’ asked thekind waitress with the slight limp.‘That would be lovely dear, thank you.’Janice’s gesture did not go unnoticed by thenew manager. He’d been right, he told himself,to promote her. She was a nice girl; in fact, hewondered if she might like a drink on herevening off...‘Are you sure you’re happy?’ asked Tom asthey sat on the patio of the ground floor bridalsuite in the old hotel overlooking the sea front.Melinda reached out for his hand. ‘Happierthan you will ever know.’Tom looked down at his leg which endednow at his knee. ‘Even though I’m like this?’‘You’re still the same.’ Melinda lent herhead on his shoulder. ‘Nothing can ever changethe way I feel for you. When you meet theright person, you just know.’Her eyes became all dreamy. ‘Susan toldme that. As she says, you only find true loveonce in your life and when you do, you mustnever let it go.’Short storyThe following day, she was out on the front asusual, looking for someone suitable. Thatcouple over there in the matching blue anorakswould do!‘I’ll take your picture,’ the man was saying.‘No,’ protested the girl. ‘I want a picture ofyou.’Susan stepped forward remembering how akind stranger had done exactly the same to herand Roger, all those years ago, before he’dgone off to war. Since then, she’d carried onthe tradition. It made her feel young againbecause she could pretend that she was theyoung woman who was having her picturetaken. Besides, it stopped her sitting at homeand feeling sorry for herself.‘Excuse me,’ said Susan shyly to theyoungish couple in anoraks. ‘I couldn’t helpoverhearing. Would you like me to take yourpicture?’© Sophie King.Read more about Sophie King's short storycollection, Tales from the Heart, and hernovels, on her website atwww.sophieking.info. yB16Susan was glad to get back to her cosy littleflat after the reception. It had been lovely butshe was tired. Picking up the framed picture ofRoger, she cradled it in her lap, grateful shehad never told Melinda the truth about herhusband who had never come back from thewar.‘Goodnight, darling,’ she said to herhandsome husband in his naval uniform, just asshe’d said goodnight to him every day for thepast sixty years.

Christians Against PovertyPopular money course to run again as peoplesay they need tactics to cope with the age ofausterityBerkhamsted residents are being givenanother chance to get their finances inorder following the costs of Christmaswith a popular FREE course being run bylocal churches.Members of local churches, who havebeen trained by UK charity ChristiansAgainst Poverty, are again running thethree sessions aimed at helping the localcommunity to best handle the currenteconomic downturn.Money Coach Christine Johns, who willbe leading the sessions called the CAPMoney course, said: “If you know how tosave and budget effectively, it can have ahugely positive impact on the wholefamily. With households feeling thesqueeze on their disposable income,we’ve all got to get a bit more savvyabout our money to get through thesetough times. This is particularly so at thistime of the year.”Berkhamsted Churches are one of morethan 1,200 churches of different Christiantraditions across the UK who are regularlyoffering the course, as they work togetherto positively impact the communitiesaround them.The CAP Money course has been foundto be useful for newly retired people,soon-to-be students, mums dealing withmounting bills, families saving for awedding and everyone in between.She added: “We hope that we can helppeople, quietlyandconfidentially,take the guesswork out oftheir situationso they canplan for thefuture, sort outany problemsearly andcome throughunscathed.”The nextcourse takesplace in the Make Believe Cafe (behindTesco), starting at 7.30pm on February25th.To find out more about the CAP Moneycourse or to book your place visitwww.capmoney.org or telephone MikeWallis on 07891 760244.Christians Against Poverty is a homegrowndebt counselling charity which isdetermined to reduce poverty in the UKcaused by debt. It partners its financialexpertise with the care of the local churchto offer free debt help and a solution topeople through 218 centres. The fastgrowingcharity intends to have a debtcounsellingCAP centre in 500 towns andcities across the UK by 2015. For moreabout CAP see www.capuk.org.yB17

3rd Mon Pastoral Network, 7:45pm, The Court House. Contact Philippa Seldon 871534TueChuckles Parent & Toddler Group, 10-11:30am. All Saints’ Church Hall.Song Time or short service as announced. Contact Jenny Wells, 870981Tue St Peter’s Choir, Children 5:15-6:15pm. St Peter’s. Adrian Davis 01296632263 or Jean Wild 8668591st Tue3rd Tue4th TueWedTuesday Club, 7:30pm A lively women’s group with guest speaker. The CourtHouse. Contact Barbara McKenna 871159Mothers’ Union, meet in members’ houses at 2.30pm. New members alwayswelcome. Contact Kathie Lally, 863526Mothers’ Union Prayer Group, 2:30pm. 17 Shaftesbury Court. Tell us ifanyone needs your prayers. Contact Jenny Wells 870981Julian Meeting, meets about twice a month. 11:30am. All welcome. At JennyWells, 57 Meadow Rd, 870981 or at Ruth Treves Brown, 1 Montague Rd,863268Thu Bellringing, 8pm, St Peters. Contact Helen Ruberry, 890949FriFri3rd Sat1st SunRegular Church ActivitiesLittle Fishes Parent & Toddler Group 9:30-11:30am. The Court House.Weekly, with short service on 1st Friday in St Peter’s (10am). Tracy Robinson863559St Peter’s Choir, Children 7-8:30pm, Adults 7:30-8:30pm. St Peter’s. AdrianDavis 01296 632263 or Jean Wild 866859ABC Prayer Breakfast, 8am for breakfast & prayers. Various local churches.Sundays Together Lunch 12.30pm Court House. For anyone on their own on aSunday. Liz Jackson 864382ServicesRegular Sunday services8:00am Eucharist9:30am Sung Eucharist with crèche, Sunday school and Pathfinders6:00pm EvensongRegular weekday servicesMorning Prayer Monday– Thursday 7:30am; Friday 8:00am, Saturday 9:30am.Eucharist Monday 6:00pm; Tuesday 9:30am at All Saints’ Shrublands Road;Wednesday 8:00am; Thursday Holy Communion 12:30pm; Friday 7:30am;Saturday 10:00amEvening Prayer Monday 5:45pm, Tuesday – Saturday 5:00pmFurther information available from our church websites:www.stpetersberkhamsted.org.uk and at www.allsaintsberkhamsted.org.uk18

January DiaryJanuary6 th Epiphany, 10am: Holy Communion, Revd Valerie Rockall13th Second Sunday of Epiphany, Baptism of Christ, 10am: Covenant Service withHoly Communion, Revd Rachael Hawkins20th Third Sunday of Epiphany, 10am: Morning Worship, With Holy Baptism,Revd Rachael Hawkins27th Fourth Sunday of Epiphany, 10am: Holy Communion, Revd Brian Tebbutt,4pm: Healing Service, Revd Rachael Hawkins, Jenny Wells, Tracy Robinson, andAudrey CoxSt Peter’sCowper Society present:Mon 14 Jan, 8pm: Organ Recital: Lee Burgess – Holy Trinity, Potten End, 8:00pmMon 28 Jan, 8pm: Cowper Society Winter Talk: St Peter’s Church and its History inthe Court HouseMon 4 Feb, 8pm: Cowper Society presents: Organ Recital: Adrian DavisRegistersBaptisms25 th November Kit Henry Cotterell (St Peter’s)Freya Alexandria Hudson (St Peter’s)Rebecca Jane Hudson (St Peter’s)Weddings1 st December Gary Paul Lucas and Robyn Louise Harrowell (St Peter’s)Funerals14 th November June Douglas (St Peter’s)23 rd November Joan Cook (St Peter’s)27 th November Kirsty Pears (St Peter’s)Your Berkhamsted TeamEditor: Helen Dowley, editor@yourberkhamsted.org.ukAdvertising: John Gerry, 07774 850508, advertising@yourberkhamsted.org.ukCirculation: Joanne Lloyd-Evans, 865417, joanne.lloydevans@gmail.comFeatures: Ian Skillicorn, Julian Dawson, Dan Parry, Matthew Dawson, Joanne Lloyd-EvansLayout: Sam LimbertKey Church ContactsParish Office, Hilary Armstrong and Kate Perera, Court House, 878227.Fr Michael Bowie, 864194 (day off Fri). Team Rector, St Peter’s.The Revd Rachael Hawkins, All Saints’.19

Petertide Fair news 2013Petertide Fair news20St Peter’s church in Berkhamsted haslong been fundraising to raise money tohelp charities in our own community andthose overseas through its annualprogramme of ‘Petertide’ outreach. In2012 the church raised an impressive£19,057.35 and hopefully this year will bejust as successful for the two charities thatit has chosen to support.PETERTIDE TO SUPPORT HOME-START DACORUMFor 2013 the church is delighted to besupporting Home-Start Dacorum, whichoffers support, friendship and practicalhelp to families with at least one childunder the age of five in the Borough.Volunteers, who are parents themselves,visit families in their own home to supportwith the pressures of bringing up smallchildren, helping them to avoid crisis andenjoy family life. The charity alsodelivers parenting skills courses over10 week periods, and weekly FamilyGroups, where parents/carers get anopportunity to make new friends andshare ideas and experiences. Moneyraised via Petertide events willenable the charity to build on itsrelationship with Berkhamsted townand set up a Parenting Puzzle courseand provide for a regular Home-Startfamily group.Samantha Quill, Manager at Home-Start Dacorum, says, “We areabsolutely delighted that St Peter’schurch in Berkhamsted has chosenHome-Start Dacorum as its homecharity for its annual Petertidefundraising commitment. Last yearwe helped over 100 families acrossthe Borough, some of whom live inthe Berkhamsted area, but St Peter’ssupport will enable us to have a greaterpresence in the town and ensure that thereal need here in Berkhamsted is beingmet. It is wonderful to have this support inthe year in which Home-Start Dacorumwill be celebrating 30 years of service tofamilies in the area (having been startedfrom a house in Greenway, 29 years ago!).Further information and details aboutbecoming a volunteer can be found on thewebsite: www.homestartdacorum.org.uk.OVERSEAS CHARITY – MAJIMAZURIOverseas, St Peter’s will raise money forMaji Mazuri which helps deprivedcommunities in poverty-stricken Kenyathrough various socio-economicPictured (left to right) is Stephen Lally representingthe Nepali Children’s Trust, Pru Murray -Petertide Fair Chairman, Father Michael Bowie -Rector of St Peter’s Great Berkhamsted and RobertBreakwell, Business Development Director of IainRennie Grove House Hospice handing over twocheques with the proceeds from the 2011/12Petertide fundraising

initiatives. The projects seek to addressthe root causes of poverty and focus onalleviating it by empowering people tobring about change in their own lives.Through Petertide fundraising, the churchis hoping to raise money for a kitchen andfor a bathroom block at Kiserian school inthe Masai area outside Nairobi, whichprovides education for boys andespecially girls who would not usuallyreceive an education; their parents tend tobe nomadic so Maji Mazuri has set updormitories so the children can board andstay in school. This is especially crucialfor the girls who otherwise get marriedoffvery young.The dorms at Kiserian are built on top ofthe kitchen and there is a risk of fire sothe government has decreed that allkitchens must now be separate from dormblocks. So Kiserian must rebuild its tinyand poky smoky hut and build newbathroom facilities which are not justholes in the ground. Improvements at theschool should also help the educationprovider to attract and retain staff.Rachel Lindley, Trustee of the UK branchof Maji Mazuri, comments, “With firsthandknowledge of the conditions out inKenya and some of the projects MajiMazuri is working on, I am absolutelydelighted that St Peter’s church will besupporting our work through their annualprogramme of Petertide fundraising. Iknow any money raised will make such adifference to the lives of the children inthe school, for example with a properlyequipped kitchen it would be possible toprepare meals in a more sanitaryenvironment and hopefully teach the staffnew cooking skills that will, in the longterm, improve the quality of the food thechildren are served.”For further information, please visit:www.majimazuri.org/maji-mazuri-uk.Petertide Fair newsKiserian across aloe fieldPru Murray, Petertide Fair Chairman,comments, “We all know these are tougheconomic times and, although we raised£19,000 for our charities last year, it’s noguarantee that we will secure a similaramount this year although we’d love to!The Petertide Events committee isworking hard to plan an excitingprogramme of activities which we hopewill be supported across the town. Just bycoming to our quiz night, attending ourcharity dinner in May or picking up somebric-a-brac at the Fair in June will allenable us to raise money to help improvethe lives of people in our own communityand overseas.”For further information, please visitwww.petertidefair.org.uk.www.homestartdacorum.org.ukwww.majimazuri.org/maji-mazuri-uk.Forthcoming Petertide EventsFriday 25 January 2013 – Burns NightQuiz Night (Quiz and Supper) £10 aticket. Tables of 8.Tuesday 7 May 2013– Petertide MayDinner, The Gatsby 7:30pmSaturday 15 June 2013 – Petertide Fair, 10– 3pmFor further information, please contactchair@petertidefair.org.uk or call 01442871386. yB21

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A century of BerkhamstedA century in and out of BerkhamstedNancy Lawrenson continues her story of life in our townPart 2: Royal Naval SchoolWhen the time came for my youngerbrother Stephen to go to prep school myfather and mother asked me if I too wouldlike to go to boarding school. We werenow living at Boreham, out in the countryabout three miles from Chelmsford, in ahouse that had been a pub, The General’sArms, with two large barns, a tennis courtand an orchard. “Would I like to go tomother’s old school, The Royal School forNaval and Marine Officers’ Daughters atSt.Margarets, Twickenham? “Yes please” Isaid. I think that Gill Malcolm lived therewhen she was a child.St. Margaret’s lock on the Thames wasvery busy and many years later was wheremy brother Michael, younger by 10 yearsand sister Rosamund, younger by 11years, kept their rowing boat.My father died in 1928, we had no car andmy mother had to cycle briskly intoChelmsford for shopping followed by twogrumbling girls, myself and Rosemary,with the two and one year old Michaeland Rosamund left with our lovely youngnanny, Grace Puxley. My mother decidedto move us all to Kew, where we would benear her friends the Gepps. We could hearthe river flowing at night and I remember23

New Year’s resolutions1. Make a fresh startMake a fresh start to the year by clearingout your wardrobe of all those old clothesand accessories you never wear any more.Donate them to one of the town's charityshops.New Year’s resolutionsCathy Edmunds suggests some positive actions that we can take to markthe dawn of a new year2. Everybody needs good neighbours...Do a favour for a neighbour. If you don’tknow your neighbour, go and introduceyourself!3. Say it with a smileMake a promise to yourself to smile at onestranger every day in Berkhamsted. Younever know, they may just smile back!4. Plant a treeHelp the environment and plant a tree.There's information on how to do it atwww.woodlandtrust.org.uk.5. Be positiveSay "yes" more often than you say "no"this year.6. Adopt a charityAdopt a specific charity for the year.There are loads of ways you can supportthem, through volunteering, donations andsponsorship. The options for whichcharity to choose are endless - there aremany international, national and localcharities that would love your support.Get some ideas by visitingwww.charitychoice.co.uk.7. Give some timeFind half an hour each week to go andvisit one of the 40,000 elderly peopleliving in care homes in Britain that neverget any visitors. For information onhelping the elderly go towww.ageuk.org.uk8. Be organisedBuy next year's Christmas cards in theJanuary sale.9. Get in touchContact someone you’ve lost touch withand have wondered how they are.10. Keep learningMake an effort to find out something younever knew! There is information on thelatest WEA classes and talks on ourCommunity Pages, or visit the U3Awebsite at www.u3a.org.uk.11. Expand your vocabularyLearn a new word and then use it. Visithttp://wordsmith.org/awad.12. Remember past times at playtimeGet out an old board game or jigsaw, dustit off and spend an hour or so playing it.Remember what fun can be had without25

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A walk around AshridgeLocal walkThis 3½ mile circular walk taking about1½ hours, starts at the Bridgewater Armsin Little Gaddesden, HP4 1PD. A detourto view the great house of Ashridge addshalf a mile.To reach the start, from Northchurch takethe B4506 (New Road) to Ringshall. PassMonument Drive and Beacon Road, bothon the left, then turn right, signposted toLittle Gaddesden. The Bridgewater Armsis on the left with its car park opposite.Permission has been given to park a carthere while you walk. If you areunfamiliar with this area, theBerkhamsted Citizens’ AssociationFootpath map provides assurance forthose new to the area. The OS reference is993 136.At the back of the car park is a publicfootpath sign, Chiltern Way, pointingdown a slope with a wire mesh fence onthe left. At wooden steps, cross a roadwith a four way signpost opposite.Continue downhill in the same directionto cross another access road, pass WitchesHollow, and reach the bottom of the slopeat a signpost, Chiltern Way. Turn leftalongside hedges at the end of gardensthen past a high wooden fence. Down agentle slope, continue in the samedirection. The path continues ahead, pasta plaque, Foot Path Only, No Horses toreach a road.Cross the road to a post opposite, NoHorses. There follow the path withwooden stakes at the roadside then curveto the left into the Golden Valley. Thefootpath follows the bottom of the valley,passing a brick structure in trees on theleft, the bridge of an ancient track. Forthe detour to Ashridge, keep an eye on theslope on the right to see a log bench witha signpost close by. Follow the pathsigned by the post up the slope to emergeat the west end of Ashridge, a magnificentwhite stone building dating back to1825.The grassy path merges into a surfacedtrack with a No Horses signpost on the leftand in 30 yards a yellow-headed signpostpoints to a gravelled track going uphill,your route. Spiked railings on the right asyou ascend surround a pumping station,now below you.The track goes uphill and round a hairpinbend to reach a seven bar wooden gate atNettleden Road, with a National TrustAshridge Estate sign alongside.Cross theroad onto the pavement opposite and turnleft, then in 50 yards turn right, betweenVine and Shepherd’s Cottages with aplaque, Home Farm House, on a wallahead. Turn left at the wall to enter asomewhat concealed bridleway between abrick wall and a wooden fence.Walk up the slope of the bridleway andthrough a gate to reach a white paintedstable building. Turn right then left to passtwo garages and follow the bridlewaydownhill. Conifers are initially on the leftbut the view soon opens up over grassyfields. Note the imposing chimneys ofLittle Gaddesden House on the left. Thebridleway follows the edge of the field,turning left and then right uphill.Where the route reaches a copse bear rightaround a muddy S bend to reach a roadand a bridleway signpost. Turn left on theroad to pass a former farmhouse anddwellings to reach Hudnall Lane. Crossthe Lane into the No Through Roadopposite, passing the Little GaddesdenCouncil notice board.(Continued on page 29)27

Spicy beef and noodle soupRecipeJoanne Lloyd-Evans brings us a warming, healthy recipe to start the year80-100g soba noodles(or other dried noodlesof your choice)100g sugar snap peas1 red pepper, diced1 or 2 pak choi, sliced½ bunch coriander orbasil, choppedThis is a perfect recipe for January, as itis warming and comforting, but also veryhealthy and quite light, which is probablymuch needed after the Christmas season.It is a speedy meal that can be ready in 20minutes if you work quickly – readthrough the whole recipe before you startas you need to be coordinated to avoidovercooking the noodles or the steak. Thisquantity serves two adults.Ingredients900ml water1 beef stock cube2 tsp dark soy sauce2 tsp finely grated fresh ginger3 cloves garlic, finely chopped½ of a fresh chilli (or more or less totaste)½ tsp ground cinnamon300g rump or sirloin steak1 tbsp dark soy sauce2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce1 tbsp olive oil1. Place the water, beefstock cube, soy sauce,ginger, garlic, chilliand cinnamon into alarge saucepan andbring to the boil. Leaveto simmer while youget the other things ready.2. Do not cut up the steak; leave it wholefor the moment and coat it in the soysauce and sweet chilli sauce and set aside(you could marinate for longer if you havetime, but it is not essential).3. Put the noodles into the boiling soup tobegin cooking them.4. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, andwhen the pan is hot, cook the steak on ahigh heat for no more than 2 minutes oneach side. Remove from the heat.5. When the noodles have about 3-4minutes left to cook, throw in the redpepper, sugar snap peas and pak choi tocook them briefly.6. Slice the beef thinly and if it is too pinkfor your liking, throw the slices back intothe hot pan for 30 seconds or so.7. When the noodles are cooked, serve thesoup in some large bowls, top with theslices of steak and sprinkle with the basilor coriander. yB28

(Continued from page 27)Local walkWhere the road bears to theright, continue ahead to asignpost in a holly bush withMeadows Farm on left, toenter a footpath at aNeighbourhood Watch sign.The footpath shortly reachesa galvanised swing gate intoa large field with the tower ofLittle Gaddesden church inview ahead. The pathcontinues with hedges on theright, for half a mile to bearleft across a field, to reach aroad alongside the church.Turn left alongside the churchwall and continue on afootpath between the church car park andthe cemetery to reach a wooden swinggate. Continue in the same directionthrough galvanised swing gates to reach awooden gate at the road to the village.Ashridge Business School within the National Trustestate, photograph courtesy of Mary DodkinsTurn left on the pavement to pass thevillage store and return to the BridgewaterArms where a warm welcome awaits you.yBMaintenance, Repair and Service SpecialistNo Job too small29

The parking problemNorman CuttingBy the time you readthis, the TownCouncil will havespent over £4000,hours and hours ofdeliberation over thepast couple of years,generally going over similar ground thatthe very same Town Council went oversome 10 years previously (although with acompletely different make up), listening(in the end), pushing forward with a planthat affects the holy grail called the motorvehicle. Woe betide anyone who comesbetween the motor car and a driver.It's a bit like the American 'right to carryarms' concerns in the good ol' US of A.Everyone has concerns regarding thecarrying of lethal weapons and every sooften, the American government thinksthe time is right to get guns off the streetsand then the lobbyists gather support,threaten to go to court, bring down thegovernment or just really make life verydifficult for all concerned. For somereason, the logic of having an inalienableright to kill someone or something youdon't like the look of whilst wonderingwhy the middle east residents just love toshoot bullets into the air to celebrate someevent or the other without a care in theworld where these lumps of lead are goingto land (and land they surely will!) seemsto escape residents in a moderndemocratic society called the USA.So what do we want to do now? I've onlylived in the town a short while and I reallydo not remember when there was not aproblem with town centre parking, fromthe days when you just stopped 'nose in'next to the kerb and reversed out whenThe Last Wordyou wanted to leave – unless you had awhite hand painted Austin 7 and had atitle when you obviously had the right justto stop anywhere (sometimes forgetting toput the handbrake on), before moving acouple of hundred yards further down theroad to do the same thing and then makingyour way back up the hill towardsAshridge (ask your mum or dad if thismeans nothing to you).The latest habit is to have a home with adrive and a garage. You know exactlywhat is coming next, but I'll say it as noone else will.Garages are being converted into habitablerooms like there is no tomorrow, drivesseem far too difficult to put a vehicle ontoand the result is that if you have a garageand/or drive, it's not used, so a metal boxon wheels gets left as an obstruction onthe public highway. Bet you didn't knowthere are actually garages to rent in someareas, but few takers. I'll tell you a littlestory. I have an 84 year old relative whoreverses his car into his garage every timehe goes out (it's a narrow drive about 30yards long). He had a friend come lastweek (about 30 years younger!!) and theywere going out in the car. Disbelief wasexpressed that she couldn't reverse down adrive into a garage so how did he?If you live in one of the many propertiesaround the conservation area without theluxury of a garage, then the choice reallyis limited. The other problem in the townis the Borough Councils attitude that whywould anyone want a car when publictransport is available, so parkingrequirements are minimal even to theextent that how many entertainmentvenues don't have parking facilities?30

Even the hospital (which you can'tactually get a bus direct from this town to'that' one) has a car parking facility. Wemustn't forget that 'big borough' has acunning plan to increase the number ofparking spaces in the town centre. I justhope it doesn't use the same accountingmethod as when the High Street on-streetparking facility came into operation withthe additional 400-odd extra parkingspaces. Go on, count them, multiply by 8and you have about 400 up to one hourparking spaces. Now go to the cinema!(or school or anywhere).We need a vibrant market town used byresidents and not a parking lot(sorry Councillor) and thismeans a mix of short termparking, small numbers of longterm parking, larger numbers ofspaces for commuters andresidents’ vehicles or acomplete change in attituderegarding our very ownpersonal transport. This utopiais something we do not have,and unlikely to have unless theParking Provision andManagement DiscussionForum actually comes upwith some better ideas.Remember we are nottalking rocket science, justsome acceptable ideas. Asmany know, I have asimple solution - but youwon't like it – simplyenforce the law. Finalthreat might concentrateminds, perhaps! yBCopy Dates: 1 February 2013 1 March 2013 5 April 2013The Last WordBRIAN S GROOM MBHIQualified Clock Maker(over 30 years experience)Antique and quality clocksrepairedand restoredTelephone: 01525 872679Published by Great Berkhamsted Parochial Church Council. Registered charity no 1130108Printing by Connekt Colour, Northbridge Road, Berkhamsted HP4 1EH31