Berkhamsted Living Spring 2023

“Once you enter the iron gates, 

you are transported to 

another world”. 

Tatler Schools Guide 

Excellent results | Enthusiasm for life 

A purposefully small prep school for boys aged 4-13 | Boxmoor, Hertfordshire 

OPEN MORNING - Saturday 18th March 2023 

Book your place at lockerspark.co.uk 

ISSUE 86 BERKHAMSTED SPRING 2023 

YOUR QUALITY LOCAL MAGAZINE 

SERVING THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES SINCE 2001 

A LIFE 

WELL LIVED 

Augustus Smith, 

Berkhamsted’s 

18th century 

philanthropist 

EASY WALKS 

A choice of stilefree 

walks visiting 

Aldbury, Ashridge 

and Tring Park 

Attracting your 

own dawn chorus 

BRING THE BIRDS 

TO YOUR GARDEN 

LOCKERS PARK 

BERKHAMSTED’S QUALITY QUARTERLY MAGAZINE. DELIVERED BY ROYAL MAIL 

TO 11,412 HOMES IN BERKHAMSTED & SURROUNDING VILLAGES 

FREE WITH THIS ISSUE!

Welcome to the 

Spring issue! 

It feels like it’s been a long winter and 

we’re enjoying the lighter evenings and 

looking forward to a bit of sunshine here 

and there! Don’t forget, the clocks ‘spring’ 

forward on 26 March! 

Our garden feature looks at how you can 

attract birds and enjoy the dawn chorus 

outside your own back door, and if you fancy 

giving your home a spring makeover, why not 

go for gold with our simple ideas? For those 

troubled by insomnia, we’ve some handy 

hints on how to get a good night’s sleep. 

If you’re shopping for gifts or treats do take 

a look at ‘shop local’ for ideas - our local retailers 

will appreciate your support, we’re sure. 

As always, the magazine includes lots of 

local news. We also have a round-up of local 

events and days out in our What’s On section 

- there’s lots to do this spring and Easter - and 

of course many of us will be looking forward 

to the celebrations for the Coronation on 6 May. 

BERKHAMSTED 

SPRING 2023 

And if you fancy a free night out, don’t 

forget to enter our competition to the 

Shawshank Redemption at Aylesbury 

Waterside Theatre. 

Meanwhile, our history feature focuses 

on Augustus Smith - who had a great 

influence on 19th century Berkhamsted, 

and is most famous for his role in the Battle 

of Berkhamsted Common! 

If you want to be involved in the next 

issue, please email Naomi at editorial@ 

livingmags.info with your news prior 

to our summer issue. 

Happy reading! 

Alison and 

Naomi 

Owner & Editor 

CONTENTS 

4 News and views from 

Berkhamsted and 

surrounding villages 

18 Shop local: treat yourself 

to something special 

20 Win a night at the theatre 

24 Kids puzzles 

26 Augustus Smith, 

Berkhamsted’s 18th 

century philanthropist 

28 Interiors: going for gold 

30 Whip up a batch of this 

special shortbread 

32 Bring the birds to 

your garden 

35 Walk: Explore Tring Park, 

Ashridge and Aldbury 

39 Get a good night’s sleep 

41 Mini Crossword 

CONTACT US 

01442 824300 

INFO@ 

LIVINGMAGS.INFO 

44 What’s On 

48 Local Classified Services 

50 A spring roundup of 

reading from local authors 

The only local magazine offering shrink-wrapped guaranteed delivery to 11,412* addresses in the HP4 postcode area, 

by Royal Mail every quarter. *Royal Mail postcode data . Published quarterly in March, June, September & December 

The Team: Publisher: Alison Page / Editor: Naomi MacKay / Designer: Neil Randle 

Registered Address: Jubilee Gardens, Tring, Herts HP23 4JG. Living Magazines are published by independent publisher Alison Page Marketing. 

All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is strictly prohibited without permission. The publisher will not be held responsible for 

any errors or omissions. Opinions expressed by authors and advertisers in this publication are not specifically endorsed by Alison Page Marketing. 

For exclusive offers & updates between issues go to: 

WWW.LIVINGMAGS.INFO

LOCAL FOCUS 

SEND US YOUR NEWS / TELEPHONE: 01442 824300 / EMAIL: EDITORIAL@LIVINGMAGS.INFO / NEXT DEADLINE: 26-04-23 

Berkhamsted Raiders score top title 

Berkhamsted Raiders has been named 

Hertfordshire FA Grassroots Club of the 

Year for 2022. 

The winners were selected by a panel of judges 

drawn from across Hertfordshire football, 

following nominations made by the public 

across a range of different categories. 

Pub saves poplar tree 

The owners of the Crystal Palace pub have 

responded to public demand and agreed 

to pollard a poplar tree outside the pub, 

rather than cut it down. 

Campaigners made local news headlines when 

they protested about the planning application to 

cut down the tree - gathering 200+ signatures in 

a petition appealing for the tree to be saved. 

A letter from Punch Pubs to campaigners, 

explaining that a company has now been 

commissioned to pollard the tree, said: ‘Our 

core concern regarding the tree has always been 

health and safety. More recently, we have been 

concerned about the damage the tree’s roots have 

made to the surrounding grounds.’ 

Maggie Procopi, of Berkhamsted 

Environmental Concern Group, commented: 

Raiders was recognised by the FA for bringing 

football to everyone in the community and for 

creating a positive playing environment for all to 

enjoy the game. 

Raiders has a growing membership of over 

1,300 and is still expanding its girls’ football 

section, with more than 350 players this season. 

The club also runs inclusive football for people 

with physical and neurological disabilities, 

walking football, and the increasingly popular 

Futsal format. 

Chris Armond, Raiders Chair of Trustees, 

said: ‘It’s a genuine honour for the club to be 

recognised in this way. On behalf of the whole 

club, I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our 

volunteers, staff, parents and players who give 

their time and passion to making the club what 

it is.’ 

‘This is great news for the town! I’m delighted 

and grateful that the owners have reconsidered 

and decided to pollard the tree. Thanks go to Big 

Smoke Brew, Punch Pubs and to the very many 

residents who made their feelings known. Done 

carefully, pollarding should ensure the tree 

remains healthy and an asset to the area for many 

years to come. I’m looking forward to enjoying a 

pint or two sitting beside it very soon!’ 

4 / Berkhamsted Living View all our editions at www.livingmags.info | Like us on Facebook

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LOCAL FOCUS 


World Blind Bowls 

Champion started 

at local club 

Street party plans 

Hertfordshire County Council is 

encouraging residents to apply now 

for street parties to celebrate the 

King’s coronation. 

Anyone wanting to close a road for a street 

party will need to apply to the county council 

at www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/streetparties by 

26 March. 

Recognising the social and community 

benefits of celebrating this historic event, the 

county council has decided to waive the usual 

road closure fees in the hope of encouraging 

as many people as possible to take up the 

opportunity to celebrate. 

Hertfordshire has a strong reputation for 

community-held Royal celebrations, with the 

county hosting more than 560 street parties to 

celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee last summer. 

We’d love to hear about your street 

parties - send details and pictures after 

the event to editorial@livingmags.info. 

Sarah Marshall, with her World Blind Bowling 

Championship Gold Medal, along with her sighted 

director Linda Ralphs 

Fourteen years ago, Sarah Marshall 

decided that she needed to change her 

life and that trying to play bowls was the 

challenge she needed. The difference is, Sarah is 

blind. But she didn’t let that stop her! 

Sarah joined Berkhamsted Bowls Club and, 

thanks to her fiercely competitive nature, she 

has persevered and progressed beyond her 

wildest dreams. Today, she is the World Blind 

Bowls Champion, having won the title in Cape 

Town in 2017. Soon she will be off to the Gold 

Coast in Australia to compete again at the World 

Blind Bowls Championships. 

Sarah is also the current Berkhamsted Bowls 

Club Ladies Champion, competing against 

sighted players. She has also represented 

Hertfordshire with distinction. 

Sarah chose Berkhamsted Bowls Club because 

the club has developed an enviable record of 

nurturing aspiring bowlers of all abilities and 

ages, from the age of eight - the reason it won 

the English Club of the Year title in 2015. 

If you’d like to give bowls a try, the club runs Open 

Days and free Taster Sessions - the first for this year 

is on Sunday 23 April at 10am. No need to book, just 

turn up and remember to wear flat-soled shoes. 


Quartet brings season to a close 

The last concert of Berkhamsted Music’s 

2022-23 series brings the Villiers 

Quartet to Berkhamsted Civic Centre 

on Saturday 11 March. 

They will play Britten, Beethoven, and a 

new work, Solicitudo by Philip Herbert, which 

Wrapping up happiness 

W 

hat do 

you get 

when you 

combine 474 rolls 

of sticky tape, 1,422 

metres of wrapping 

paper, 2,718 chocolate 

coins and more than 3,500 donated toys 

and gifts? 

Local group The Toy Hub managed to create 

474 happy Christmases for local children and 

their families from these ingredients. 

Toy Hub was set up by a group of local 

parents to support families and carers in the 

Tring and Berkhamsted areas including all the 

surrounding villages. The aim was to ensure 

no child went without a present to open on 

Christmas morning. 

Thanks to toys and gifts donated by the 

community, and some busy volunteers 

collecting, wrapping and delivering, the 

they commissioned as a reflection on their 

experiences during Covid. Like many artists, 

the Villiers had to be innovative during the 

pandemic. They have streamed performances 

and taken online coaching to a new level. 

The Britten quartet in this concert is an online 

tutorial work, so this is an opportunity for 

students to hear it live. 

The new season will open in October with 

the Barbican Quartet, followed by Emma Abbate 

(piano), Evva Mizerska (cello) and Peter Cigleris 

(clarinet). 

Thanks to partners Indigotree, Berkhamsted 

Music has updated its website. See 

www.berkhamstedmusic.co.uk for dates and 

to buy tickets. There are also tickets on the door 

on the night. 

group managed to create hundreds of happy 

Christmases for local families. 

Plans are already under way for next 

Christmas - so watch this space! 

LOCAL 

Living Magazines | 01442 823400 | info@livingmags.info 

Spring 2023 / 7

LOCAL FOCUS 


Sunnyside’s up for open day 

Sunnyside Rural Trust’s three gardens 

will be opening for the National Garden 

Scheme for the first time this May. 

The trust has three six-acre gardens - in 

Northchurch, Berkhamsted and Hemel 

Hempstead - which will open on Saturday 13 

May, 11 to 4pm for the scheme, which raises 

funds for charity. 

Berkhamsted in the Media 

Sunnyside’s Activity Centre in Berkhamsted 

has two rest gardens nestling under mature 

fruit trees including a fine specimen of the rare 

Aylesbury prune. Visitors will also be able to see 

the vegetable growing area and extensive cane 

and espalier fruit garden, with a woodland and 

hazel coppice, each busy with wildlife. 

Nestled alongside local allotments, the 

Northchurch site is a market garden and small 

animal farm. Vegetables are grown here to 

organic principles using ‘no dig’ methods, along 

with a variety of fruits. 

The Hemel site also has a farm shop, and 

barista coffee in the Sunnyside Up café. 

The Sunnyside Rural Trust Trail is bookable for 

you to explore – three sites on just one ticket! 

https://findagarden.ngs.org.uk/garden/44821/ 

sunnyside-rural-trust-trail 

NEWS IN BRIEF 

Happy first birthday to Lussmans 

Sustainable Kitchen in Berkhamsted 

High Street, which has recently won a 

spot in OpenTable’s top 100 list of the 

most romantic restaurants in the country. 

January: Ashridge House plays a starring role in the latest video from singer Sam Smith. 

The video for I’m Not Here to Make Friends sees Sam and a cohort of glamorous chums partying in 

and around the house. The singer can even be seen swinging on a chandelier at one point - probably 

not the sort of behaviour usually encouraged by guests! 

Just a warning before you head over to YouTube to take a look (or it’s also shared from our 

Facebook page) - the video is not family friendly! 

February: ITV: Former Berkhamsted School pupil Casey O’Gorman, 26, from Tring, entered dating 

show Love Island, which is filmed in South Africa. 


Promotional Feature

LOCAL FOCUS 


Gym club leaps into 50th year 

Berkhamsted Gymnastics 

Club celebrates its 50th 

birthday this year. 

The club first started in 

Ashlyns School PE hall and 

has grown from strength 

to strength over the years, 

offering fun, safe and 

progressive gymnastics to all 

ages and abilities in a dedicated 

facility on the Ashlyns School site. 

The club also has a very active coaching 

academy, with many ex-gymnasts going 

on to become coaches within the club. They 

also attract people from outside the club to 

Gordon Yearwood, who is spearheading 

the case for the ‘West Herts 21 Century 

Hospital Solution is calling for the 

public’s help in raising awareness and support. 

He said: ‘We have managed to inform a 

number of key stakeholders of the case for a 

completely new 21st century, more accessible, 

centrally located hospital for the people of West 

Hertfordshire, instead of a towering skyscraper 

built in the Watford Hospital car park. 

‘West Herts 21 Century Hospital Solution has 

recently raised the case with the new Integrated 

Care Board (NHS Hertfordshire and West Essex 

ICB) and with the Department of Health and 

Social Care. We are continuing our interactions 

with these key stakeholders and we believe that 

we are making some headway. 

‘It would of great assistance if you are able to 

write to the CEO of the Hertfordshire and West 

coach, many through the Duke of Edinburgh 

Award scheme. 

The club is a registered charity that has 

supported lots of local causes and individual 

gymnasts throughout the years. As part of its 

50th celebrations, the club will be holding a fun 

commemorative competition in the summer 

months to bring people together to enjoy the 

sport of gymnastics. 

Berkhamsted Gymnastics Club runs classes 

six days a week for children aged three-plus. If 

you want to check availability and are interested 

in joining as either a gymnast or coach, email 

membership@berkhamstedgymnastics.co.uk 

for further information or visit the website. 

Call for support in West Herts Hospital bid 

Essex ICB, stating how the congested Watford 

Hospital site is too inaccessible for most of the 

people of West Herts and how the proposed 

towering skyscraper hospital is far too high. 

‘Please also put in your own words how you 

understand that a new 21st century hospital on a 

more accessible and more centrally located site 

can be built far quicker, for far less money and 

would avoid the unsafe situation where West 

Hertfordshire’s only A&E and Maternity hospital 

is located adjacent to West Herts only major 

football stadium. 

‘The full address to write to is: The Chief 

Executive Officer, NHS Hertfordshire and West 

Essex Integrated Care Board, Charter House, 

Parkway, Welwyn Garden City, AL86JL. 

‘Together we will make further progress and 

achieve a decent hospital service for all the 

people of West Hertfordshire.’ 


Boys Day of Dance 

workshop 

Tring Park School for the Performing Arts 

is hosting a one-day workshop on 14 May, 

giving young male-identifying dancers 

aged eight to 16 the opportunity to experience 

classes in a range of dance genres, refine 

their existing skills and work with highly 

experienced professionals. 

Attendees are also invited to take part in the 

Paul Watson Bursary Audition at the end of the 

day. The fund, created in memory of dancer Paul 

Watson, awards successful candidates financial 

Christopher wins 

Civic Award 

Congratulations to 

Christopher Talbot- 

Ponsonby, membership 

secretary and treasurer 

of Berkhamsted Citizens 

Association (BCA), who is the 

recipient of the Rotary Civic Award for 2023. 

His nomination outlined his many 

contributions to the BCA and Berkhamsted/ 

Northchurch over a lifetime of service. The 

award is set to be presented at the Berkhamsted 

Annual Town Meeting in the Great Hall of the 

Town Hall on 2 March. 

The BCA’s AGM and Environment Award 

(EA) will take place on Thursday 30 March 

at 8pm in the Town Hall. The EA began in 

1981 and it is given annually for buildings 

and projects that enhance the town and 

its surroundings. 

support for training within numerous outreach 

opportunities at Tring Park School. 

For more information and to book your place, 

please visit: 

www.tringpark.com/holiday-courses 

07884 058 795 

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LOCAL 

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NEWS 

IN BRIEF 

Did you know there is a local stroke support group? Berkhamsted 

Tring Stroke Support Group meets every fortnight. Find out more at: 

www.stroke.org.uk/finding-support/clubs-and-groups/ 

berkhamsted-tring-stroke-support-group

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Untitled-3 1 09/04/2021 12:55:18

Tax year-end 2022/23: 

lay the foundations for 

your financial future 

With reductions in tax reliefs and allowances looming for 2023/24, now’s a good 

time to ensure you’re taking maximum advantage of them in this tax year. 

It’s always a good idea to take advantage of your 

annual tax reliefs and allowances wherever you can. 

This year, though, it’s more important than ever. In 

his first Autumn Statement, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt 

announced reductions to a number of key allowances 

used by investors, as part of his attempts to shore 

up the nation’s finances. 

Which key allowances are changing? 

Capital Gains Tax 

The Capital Gains Tax (CGT) allowance for the current 

tax year (2022/23) is £12,300. This means that when 

you sell investments, you can enjoy gains up to 

£12,300 before you pay CGT. 

But following the Chancellor’s announcement in 

the Autumn Statement, from 6 April 2023, the CGT 

allowance will be more than halved to £6,000, before 

it halves again in 2024/25 to just £3,000 a year. 

Dividend allowance 

The Chancellor also set his sights on the dividend 

allowance. This is the amount you can earn from 

company shares, including dividends from money 

held in collective investments such as funds and 

investment trusts before Dividend Tax is charged. 

Currently, the dividend allowance is £2,000, but from 

2023 it will be halved to £1,000 and then halved 

again to £500 in 2024/25. 

Which allowances could I be utilising? 

You can shelter your investments from Dividend Tax 

and CGT by holding them in tax-efficient wrappers, 

such as a pension or Stocks & Shares ISA. 

If you’ve already fully funded your ISA or pension, 

you could consider a pension for a spouse, child or 

grandchild, or explore ISAs for your family. A Junior ISA 

can be a tax-effective way of saving a lump sum for 

the children in your life. Junior ISAs have a lower 

allowance of £9,000 a year (2022/23). 

The value of advice 

We can help you take advantage of the reliefs and 

allowances you’re entitled to. 

In addition to making more of your wealth, this can 

also have a priceless impact on your financial 

wellbeing, sparing you the worry around paying too 

much tax or breaching rules and not paying enough. 

Get in touch before 5th April 

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will 

be directly linked to the performance of the funds 

selected and may fall as well as rise. You may get 

back less than the amount invested. 

An investment in Stocks and Shares ISA will not provide 

the same security of capital associated with a Cash ISA 

or a deposit with a bank or building society. 

The levels and bases of taxation, and reliefs from 

taxation, can change at any time and are generally 

dependent on individual circumstances. 

Each year, you can pay up to £20,000 into 

an ISA or if you can tie the funds up until age 55 

(57 from 2028), you can save into a pension. 

Senior Partner Practice 

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236a High Street 

Berkhamsted 

Hertfordshire HP4 1AG 

01442 874888 

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The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) 

for the purpose of advising solely on the group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group’s website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The ‘St. James’s 

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SJP13838_DS B1 (01/23)

LOCAL FOCUS 


Leisure centre update Can you help? 

Redevelopment of Berkhamsted 

Leisure Centre is under review in 

light of the current economic climate. 

In a statement, Dacorum Borough Council 

said: ‘Since the initial decision to proceed with 

exploring the new build option, a number of 

factors, (including the ongoing impact in leisure 

from Covid-19, inflation rises and the increase 

in energy prices), have occurred which have 

impacted considerably on the cost of delivering 

the new build proposal. 

‘In view of this, we will be revisiting all the 

options available for Berkhamsted Leisure 

Centre. We will consider all the feedback that has 

been provided by stakeholders and the public as 

part of this process and are still committed to 

providing an 

improved and 

modernised 

leisure 

facility for 

Berkhamsted.’ 

The outcome 

will be decided 

in July. 

Get a picture, get a vote 

A 

reminder that for the first time, voters 

will need to show photographic ID to 

vote in polling stations at this year’s 

local elections. Residents are being urged to 

make sure they are ready to vote in May by 

checking they have an accepted form of ID. 

Residents voting by postal vote do not need 

photographic ID. 

Accepted forms of ID include a UK, European 

Economic Area (EEA) or Commonwealth 

Reach Out is looking for people in 

Hertfordshire who can spare an hour a 

week to help an elderly person in their 

local area who is home from hospital, or living 

with frailty, and feeling lonely and isolated. 

Reach Out offers companionship and practical 

support to people as they recover and rebuild their 

confidence. Many elderly people really appreciate 

someone popping in for a cuppa, or helping them 

by collecting small items of shopping. Reach Out 

links up people who are isolated with volunteers 

who can offer a friendly face and a chat. 

Just giving a small amount of your time can 

make a huge difference. 

Find out more at www.reachout-project.org. 

uk, email reachout@nhcvs.org.uk or call 

01462 689403. 

NEWS IN BRIEF 

As we went to press, the Crepe Shack announced 

that it would be setting up a stall outside the 

Copper House as part of Berkhamsted market. 

The food stall will offer sweet and savoury options 

along with a breakfast menu. 

passport; a UK, EEA or Commonwealth drivers’ 

licence; and some concessionary travel passes, 

such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 

60+ card. Voters will be able to use expired ID if 

they are still recognisable from the photo. 

Anyone who does not have one of the accepted 

forms of ID can apply for free ID online at 

www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authoritycertificate 

or by completing a paper form. 

Local elections will take place on 4 May. 


School aims for sustainable future 

As part of its commitment to incorporate 

sustainability into its teaching and 

learning, as well as its operations, 

Berkhamsted School has created an 

Environmental, Social and Governance 

(ESG) Roadmap. 

The report was developed with Orbis Advisory 

Ltd, with whom the school has been working 

closely since March 2022. 

As the school’s first Annual Sustainability 

Report was published, Assistant Vice Principal 

Richard Thompson stated: ‘I hope that the steps 

we are taking will make a difference and will, 

Berkhamsted Castle’s 17th century cottage 

has appeared in Historic England’s list 

highlighting 23 listed gems from the 

240 sites across the country that were added to 

the National Heritage List for England (NHLE) 

during 2022. 

The cottage is in good company - other sites 

listed include a picturesque watermill drawn 

by Constable, a Victorian fountain in Stocktonon-Tees, 

an Arts and Crafts doctor’s house in 

Manchester, and a Georgian folly in Cornwall. 

Historic England’s annual round-up says the 

cottage ‘acts as a time capsule, showing changes 

perhaps, encourage others in the local and wider 

communities to start their own paths to a more 

sustainable future. 

View the report at https://tinyurl.com/2v7fdnsw 

Castle’s ‘gem’ gets Grade II listing 

over hundreds of years including 

an extension to create a Victorian 

soup kitchen.’ 

Records suggest that the 

cottage started life as a stable and 

brewhouse in the 16th century. An 

upper storey was created in the 

early 19th century, when stairs and 

a new floor were added. According 

to a scrapbook belonging to Lady 

Marian Alford, the wife of the 

owner, a small extension and 

veranda were added and the staircase moved 

in 1865. 

During the same year, another extension 

was built, which linked the cottage to a new 

building that acted as a soup kitchen for the 

poor - ‘the soup-house at the Castle grounds’ was 

mentioned in the Bucks Advertiser & Aylesbury 

News 26 January 1867. To protect those queuing 

to receive their soup at the kitchen door, another 

veranda was added to form a covered walkway. 

The cottage is now Grade II listed, meaning 

that it will be protected from major change 

or demolition. 

LOCAL 



LOCAL FOCUS 


Save food from waste 

Berkhamsted’s Community Fridge is open 

every Tuesday morning at Open Door, 

360-364 High Street from 10am-12noon. 

Community Fridges are open to all - their aim 

is to stop food from going to waste - and in the 

current climate, have the added bonus of helping 

to cut down your shopping bill! 

Volunteers collect surplus food from a range 

of shops and hospitality businesses around 

Berkhamsted. This is food that can no longer be 

served by the establishments, but is still good 

to eat. 

The volunteers make up parcels to be given out 

on a first come, first served basis. So there’s no 

guarantee on what or how much you 

will receive. 

Organisers ask visitors to bring their own 

bag. There is no charge but donations are 

always welcome. 

Community fridges exist in order to cut out 

food waste from businesses. They are not food 

banks and there is no requirement to provide 

proof of income. 

Food donations are accepted from cafes, 

restaurants and shops, as well as local growers. 

To financially support this project email 

communityfood@opendoorberkhamsted.co.uk 

If you would like to volunteer, email 

volunteering@opendoorberkhamsted.co.uk. 

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H E R T S B E D S B U C K S 

Replacement Sealed Units | General Glazing | Mirrors | Locks & Handle Repairs | Window Films 

Bespoke Window Solutions Berkhamsted is a joint venture with Amber Signs Berkhamsted & Paul Delaney. 

Paul has over 35 years experience in glazing, both residential & commercial. Amber signs has been providing window lm solutions for over 20 years. 

GENERAL 

GLAZING 

CAT FLAPS 

INSTALLED 

Replacement Sealed Units 

Locks & Handle Repairs 

Our skilled engineers can solve many 

problems to your existing doors & windows. 

Bespoke Cut Glass & Mirros 

We offer made to measure glass for all 

purposes Inc tables, backsplashes & more. 

01442 915 915 www.bwsb.co.uk 07970 920 241

SHOP LOCAL 

03 

01 

Here’s our 

selection of great 

things to buy in 

Berkhamsted, 

Tring and the 

villages 

02 

xx 

04 

xx 

xx 

05 

06 

07 

08 


LOCAL 

09 

10 

xx 

xx 

Whilst we have made every effort to ensure these details are correct, 

you must confirm directly with the retailer. 

Alura Candles Ltd - Tring 

01 Waterless & Cordless Electric 

Diffuser £30 

02 Hand Blown Glass Diffuser £18 

03 Scented Soy Candle £18 

Bailey and Sons - Berkhamsted 

04 Diamond Tiny Hoops £350 

05 Sapphire & Diamond Ring £380 

06 Tissot Ladies ‘Lovely’ Watch £265 

07 Kit Heath Earrings £62 

Fancy That - Tring 

08 Jellycat Bunnies 2 sizes £14 and £21 

Puddingstone Distillery - Tring 

09 Campfire Cask Aged Gin £40 

Tring Brewery - Tring 

10 Death or Glory Chompers £6.00 for 

4 sticks, Death or Glory Chutney 

£4.70 288g, Death or Glory Mustard 

£3.15 110g 

Contact advertising@livingmags.info to 

find out how you can promote your local 

seasonal products here. 



WIN TICKETS TO THE 

SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION! 

This is your chance to win a pair of tickets to the 

opening night of The Shawshank Redemption at 

Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre! 

The nation’s favourite movie is now being brought to life 

in an acclaimed stage event at Aylesbury Waterside from 

Mon 3 – Sat 8 April. 

Based on Stephen King’s 1982 short novel, the thrilling 

stage production examines desperation, injustice, friendship and hope. 

Starring Joe Absolom (EastEnders, Doc Martin, A Confession and 

The Bay) plays the wrongly convicted Andy Dufresne with Ben Onwukwe (London’s Burning and 

Professor T) as his inmate Ellis ‘Red’ Redding. 

For your chance to win a pair of tickets to see Shawshank Redemption on Opening Night, 

Mon 3 April, simply tell us where the production is set: 

a) An office block / b) A prison / c) A military camp 

For a chance to win simply answer the following question and go to our website to enter 

www.livingmags.info/competition. 

Terms and conditions apply, visit website for details. Prizes will be allocated randomly. Closing date: 23 March 2023. 

Tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. Production age recommendation 12+ 

COMPETITION 

The Berkhamsted Walk 2022 

2020 

Sunday May 30 th April 8th 10th, 2022 2023 2020 

Please join us as we raise much needed funds for 

children facing poverty, neglect and abuse – with 

nowhere else to turn. 

On behalf of 

2023 

3 walk options 

All taking in the beautiful 

countryside around Berkhamsted 

• 6 mile family friendly walk 

• 12 mile walk 

• 18 mile walk 

NEW STARTING 

LOCATION 

Kitchener’s Fields, 

Castle Hill, 


HP4 1HE 

Find out how you can participate at 

www.berkhamstedwalk.com 

SPONSORED Berkhamsted Berko Walk 2022.indd Walk WALK.indd 2023.indd 1 1 1 31/01/2020 06/02/2023 04/02/2022 12:55 09:27 15:01

WILSTONE | TRING | HERTS | HP23 4NT 

Produce available from 

over 30 local suppliers! 

Home produced lamb & beef 

Heygates animal feeds & pet foods 

Relax in our tea room 

and browse our produce 

www.chilterncoldpressedrapeseedoil.co.uk 

www.pemeadandsons.co.uk 01442 828478 

Campfire Gins, limited edition gins, 

gin gift sets and more… 

distilled at our Tring distillery. 

Visit Puddingstone Distillery on Fridays & Saturdays 

and enjoy a try before you buy gin tasting. 

F R E E delivery on orders over £80 at 

puddingstonedistillery.com 

Lower Icknield Way, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 4NT 

VISIT OUR 

BREWERY 

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In 2023 our Monthly Specials 

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ORDER 

ONLINE 

Dunsley Farm, London Road, Tring HP23 6HA 

N 01442 890721 D www.tringbrewery.co.uk

Home & Garden mirrors 

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efficient service. Call today on: 01442 863 851 for further details. 

• Full servicing 

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• Free collection & delivery 

• MOT & tyre fitting 

• Vehicle storage

Kids puzzles 

Easter Sudoku 

Easter Wordsearch 

Spring 

Bunny 

Eggs 

Lamb 

Dye 

Sunday 

Candy 

Bonnet 

Basket 

Nest 

Chick 

Hop 

COLOUR 

ME IN

“Once you enter the iron 

gates, you are transported 

to another world” 

Lockers Park Parent 

LOCKERS PARK 

Join a Stay & Play Session - 10th Feb and 10th March 2023, 9.30-11am 

Children and their parents are welcome to join a fun lesson and play time 

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Excellent results 

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A purposefully small prep school for boys aged 4-13 | Boxmoor, Hertfordshire | admissions@lockerspark.co.uk

LOCAL 

HISTORY 

A life 

well 

lived 

Augustus Smith is 

a name entwined 

with Berkhamsted’s 

history - from the 

Battle of Berkhamsted 

Common to the 

creation of the town’s 

first elementary 

school 

1 

Berkhamsted has a link with the Isles of 

Scilly thanks to a 19th century resident, 

whose name will be familiar to readers 

who went to school in the town in the 1970s. 

Pay a visit to the fascinating Rectory 

Lane Cemetery and on the base of the 

cemetery’s foundation stone you’ll find the 

name Augustus Smith. He is listed here 

as churchwarden, but he had a far more 

prominent role in the town’s history. 

Augustus belonged to a wealthy banking 

family who were influential in the town. 

He was born at Ashlyns Hall, and had a 

reputation as a philanthropist. 

In the 1830s, Augustus acquired the lease 

from the Duchy of Cornwall of the Isles 

of Scilly, for £20,000. He called himself 

Lord Proprietor of the Isles of Scilly and 

maintained a home there at Tresco Abbey. He 

was not always popular during his 35-year 

‘reign’ as he began to change the islanders’ 

2 3 

way of life. Those who were unable to find a 

job locally were expelled and he also moved 

families off some of the smaller islands - the 

locals dubbed him ‘The Emperor’. But in his 

favour, he also built a new quay at Hugh 

Town, planted gorse and trees to create 

shelter for agricultural land, and built schools. 

However, he is remembered more fondly 

in Berkhamsted, where he led the Battle of 

Berkhamsted Common in 1866. The Ashridge 

Estate was owned by the Brownlow family, 

and in 1865, parliament recommended that 

common rights should be transferred to the 


1. Augustus Smith 2. The Augustus Smith Memorial 

in St Mary’s Churchyard ©Jowaninpensans 

3. The Foundation Stone of Rectory Lane Cemetery 

©Wikidwitch 4. Tresco Smith Monument ©Richard 

Croft 5. Augustus Smith as a young man 

4 

public. Lords of the manor were outraged by 

the idea and began to take action to ensure 

common land was part of their estates before 

any law could take effect. Lord Brownlow 

fenced off more than 400 acres of common 

land, blocking footpaths and bridleways. 

Augustus, a radical MP by this time, hired 

120 Irish navvies from the East End of 

London and brought them to Hertfordshire 

in a special train in the dead of night. In the 

early hours the men dismantled two miles of 

iron fencing, and stacked it in neat piles so 

they could not be charged with trespass with 

intent to cause damage. 

Lord Brownlow brought a legal case 

against Augustus for trespass and criminal 

damage, but died before the case came to 

its conclusion. In 1870 Lord Justice Romilly 

determined that pulling down a fence was 

no more violent an act than erecting one and 

ruled in favour of Augustus. 

Augustus also donated generously to 

local schools and is credited with restarting 

Berkhamsted School. The Grammar School 

was mismanaged and he led a campaign to 

bring in a new board of governors. Under his 

influence the emphasis moved away from 

classics such as Greek and Latin in favour of 

more modern subjects. 

Augustus then turned his sights on the 

education of the poorer young inhabitants 

of the parish and proposed an elementary 

school where ‘boys and girls shall be taught 

reading, writing and arithmetic and other 

useful work’. 

In 1834 a thatched workhouse was 

demolished to make way for the new 

parochial school. At the back of the school, 

Augustus arranged that an area of land was 

cultivated by the boys, who could then sell 

the produce - giving them a taste of ‘practical’ 

work. The name changed to Park View School 

in 1948 and it finally closed in 1971. 

In his memory, Berkhamsted’s first middle 

school, Augustus Smith School, opened in 

1970 and was formally opened by Margaret 

Thatcher, then Minister of Education. Each 

year, its students spent holidays in the Scilly 

Isles, maintaining the connection with 

Augustus. When the school amalgamated 

with Thomas Bourne School in Durrants 

Lane, it was renamed Thomas Coram School 

and the memorial to Augustus was lost. 

Augustus never married but had plenty of 

other things to keep him busy - his garden in 

the Isles of Scilly became well known for the 

temperate plants that thrived outdoors in the 

islands’ welcoming climate. Now the gardens 

are open to the visiting public and dubbed ‘a 

perennial Kew without the glass’. It is home 

to around 20,000 plants from more than 

80 countries. 

He was also a Member of Parliament 

(MP) for Truro and President of the Royal 

Geological Society of Cornwall. 

From his home in Tresco Abbey, Augustus 

looked over to St Bunyan’s Church on the 

mainland, and this is where he was buried 

after his death in Plymouth in 1872. On St 

Mary’s Isle in the Isles of Scilly there is a tall 

stone monument to him in the churchyard. 

However, in 


the stone in the 

Rectory Lane 

Churchyard is the 

only memorial 

left to this man 

who made such 

an impact on 

the town and 

5 

its people. 



GOING FOR 

GOLD 

All that glitters isn’t gold… 

add in a bit of yellow too! 

For a long time, gold’s reputation as an 

interior décor colour was anything but 

opulent - a generation of faux variants 

had left the world’s most precious metal 

flagging rather. 

Yet its return, along with a resurgence 

of yellow that’s as far from the kitchen 

marigolds as you can imagine, has opened up 

some fantastic new interior ideas. 

But why are these particular colours making a 

comeback? Well, psychologists believe recent 

tough economic times have meant we favour 

shades with positive psychological qualities. 

Sure enough then, yellow screams happiness, 

optimism and confidence for the future; 

while gold is the colour of ambition, and more 

prosperous times ahead. What’s not to like? 

Combine with 

black or grey 

Gold, in particular, 

radiates against 

very dark tones, 

and the contrast 

between the 

shimmer of 

class and sheer 

blackness offers a 

classy touch that’s 

as mysterious as it 

is polished. Yellow, 

similarly, can really fire against an offset 

colour – in this case, we’d recommend grey. 

It’s all in the accent 

Rather than layering colours over an existing 

space, a recent trend has been to offer various 

hints of colours that add warmth and light, 

with gold and yellow right at the front of 

the queue. 

So forget statement walls and instead replace 

pictures with gold frames. Paint a desk chair, 


“ 

Rather than layering colours over 

an existing space, a recent trend 

has been to offer various hints of 

colours that add warmth and light, 

with gold and yellow right at the 

front of the queue 

“ 

add a throw on a sofa, redo cushions, and 

perhaps even replace a curtain pole with 

golden tones. 

Very quickly you’ll be adding a sense of class 

to a previously drab room. 

Make a statement 

Of course, nothing screams confidence like a 

statement wall or piece, and yellow is 

truly the colour of the moment for this. 

A radiant wall, a sofa, even a contemporary 

picture that’s big and bold on this summer 

shade, can draw the eye to a room and light it 

up instantly. 

Remember to offset with lampshades, seat 

covers or perhaps something as simple as a 

pot to reinforce your intentions. 

“ 

Remember to offset with 

lampshades, seat covers or perhaps 

something as simple as a pot to 

reinforce your intentions 

“ 

PROPERTY 

Exude exotic ambitions 

Gold happens to go magnificently with 

another array of colours that are currently 

bang on trend: verdant greens. You know 

these – they’re the rich, lush shades one 

might find while trekking through the 

Amazonian rainforest. 

It’s fortunate then that many high 

street homeware shops currently boast 

table lamps, doorknobs and other such 

adornments in a rich golden hue, and in 

the image of monkeys, tigers and parrots. 

It’s true - the sort of embellishment that 

might have appeared in an Indian Army 

Captain’s Bengali parlour can now also be 

found in the apartments of aspiring young 

hipsters… and some older ones too! 

And finally, 

don’t go 

overboard 

As King 

Midas readily 

discovered, 

you can have 

too much of 

a good thing. 

It’s important 

to keep your 

glorious 

golden 

delights in 

perspective. 

So just as no one 

likes an excessive 

show of wealth, 

too much gold 

will inevitably 

overwhelm 

and create the 

opposite effect 

of looking a 

tad cheap. 



AKES 16 BISCUITS • MAKES 16 BISCUITS • 

RECIPE 

INFUSED 

RAPESEED OIL 

SHORTBREAD 

MMAKES 16 BISCUITS • MAKES 16 BISCUITS • 

These delicious and easy-tomake 

biscuits are great to bake 

with children as they can be on 

the table in less than 30 minutes. 

Experiment with all sorts of 

flavours by using different oils. 

This recipe features in the Chilterns 

Recipe Book (available via 

chilternsrceipebook.co.uk and many 

local shops). The book celebrates the best 

independent food and drink across the region 

plus the stories of the people who lovingly 

make them along with great days out, walks 

and where to eat out. 

The recipe itself comes from award-winning 

Chiltern Cold Pressed Oil. The rapeseed is 

grown, pressed and bottled as oil at PE Mead 

& Sons Farmshop at Wilstone, near Tring 

– well worth a visit for the excellent farm 

shop and Farmhouse Kitchen. 

Ingredients 

• 250g flour 

• 125g caster sugar 

• 85ml Chiltern Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil 

• Pinch of salt 

• 40ml Chiltern Cold Pressed Infused 

Rapeseed Oil. We recommend using 

either rosemary, lemon or orange or 

substitute with 10ml of chilli oil for a 

subtle kick! 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan, 

gas mark 3). 

2. Grease a baking tray. 

3. Sieve the flour, sugar and salt into a bowl. 

4. Make a well in the middle and pour in the 

two oils. 

5. Combine with a knife until a loose 

crumbly dough forms. 

6. Press into the baking tray and place 

in the oven for 15-20 minutes until it 

begins to turn golden. 

7. Cut into 16 pieces. 

8. Allow to cool in the baking tray before 

removing and enjoying. 


Get comfy! Join us for 3 hours of fun at our warm venue! 

your NEW course 

ART 

CLASS 

For absolute beginners to 

improvers - just like you! 

NORTHCHURCH 

SOCIAL CENTRE 

new class 

starts 

soon 

you 

deserve 

this treat 

Learn to Paint and Draw 

People And Places 

Over the 14 week course you will 

explore at least four different mediums: 

Pencil or other sketching media, Pastels, 

Watercolour, Acrylics. Discover how to 

paint faces, figures, beautiful landscapes, 

animals, still life and much more! Learn 

artists’ secrets needed to create beautiful 

pieces of original art. 

Have Fun and Make 

New Friends 

Even if you have 

never picked up a 

brush before, we will 

guide you through to 

make it easy and fun! 

On completion of 

the course you will 

have 12 pieces of 

original art to cherish 

forever. This is an 

extremely enjoyable 

way to develop your creative side, 

and really enjoy the next few months. 

Strictly Limited Places 

Our classes are popular, and places 

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standards of tuition so hurry... 

don’t miss out! 

Places Limited. Please Call Now 

for more details and A friendly chat. 

01923 462231

GARDEN 

SING-ALONG 

Common Blackbird 

Bring music to your life by attracting your own dawn chorus 

There’s nothing more soothing and 

calming than waking up to a fresh, 

sunny, dew-glistening garden, nitrates 

lifting up off the soil and the gentle tweets, 

chirps and warbles made by an array of 

beautiful birds. 

Nature’s early-morning concert is one of 

the summer’s greatest pleasures, and with a 

little encouragement, we can bring this dawn 

chorus to our front and back doors. 

The birds you want to attract, 

and their songs 

Robin – The robin produces a twinkling, 

crystal-like sound that flutters through the 

air. You’ll hear this little fellow all year round. 

Great tit – A repetitive two-toned whistle 

that cuts through the air and is most 

prominent in early spring. 

Wren – For many, the best improvised 

whistle of them all, with a raft of twists 

and twirls ending up in a rattling 

cacophony of noise towards the end. 

Chaffinch 

Willow warbler – Best characterised for a 

chain of notes that lowers as it progresses, 

the warbler’s song has clear gaps in between 

notes and a powerful chirp. 

Chaffinch – Heard throughout spring and 

summer, the chaffinch offers a punchy, 

powerful array of notes that slows towards 

the end. 

Blackbird – So typical of the bird itself, the 

blackbird’s song features notes drawn into 

each other that offer a range of tones and a 

stylish array of chords. 


GARDENS 

Song thrush – Heard throughout the year, 

the song thrush makes a sound closest to 

those slightly shrill mobile phone ringtones… 

but nicer! 

Goldfinch – With elegant inflections and the 

occasional sound of a penny whistle thrown 

in for good measure, a chaffinch has an 

eclectic song and is heard from early spring. 

The best ways to attract songbirds 

Robin 

in your garden. The flat, shallow bird bath 

is a great option and can be decorated with 

pebbles, rocks, ivy and perhaps even some 

sprigs of water lettuce. 

Plants – Edible plants, berries, shrubs and 

wildflowers will keep your birds hanging 

around for long periods. Why go hunting 

elsewhere when they have a bounty of food 

and colour on their doorstep… or, rather, 

your doorstep?! 

Bird feeders – At the heart of every bird’s 

focus is survival, and first and foremost that 

means a ready supply of food. 

Unknown to many, the type of food you 

leave out will directly influence the species 

of bird you attract. For instance, suet balls 

are favourites with robins, blue tits and 

long-tailed tits; niger seeds are loved by 

greenfinches and goldfinches; starlings, 

robins and blackbirds will come if mealworms 

are on offer; while tits, finches and siskins 

love the fatty proteins of peanuts. 

With this in mind then, spreading various 

specialist bird feeders out means colonies of 

birds will inhabit different parts of your garden. 

Water – Whether bathing, playing in it or 

drinking the stuff, a supply of fresh water 

is one of the best ways to get birds engaged 

Protection – Birds are always on the lookout 

for cats and other predators ready to disrupt 

their everyday pleasures of gliding from one 

branch to another, so the more space you can 

offer your feathered friends, the more they 

will relax and hang about. 

By the same logic, don’t expect them to 

congregate around dense bushes where 

attackers may lay in wait – instead, position 

what they need in spacious places where they 

can keep an eye on danger. 

Birdboxes – Many of us have attempted 

and failed to lure birds to our garden 

using birdboxes. In reality it’s a task that 

may not pay dividends until a year or so 

down the line; but if you persist with hanging 

these high enough away from cats and 

squirrels, and in a semi-sheltered spot where 

birds can nest in peace, you will eventually 

attract a family in. 



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01442 843612 

email: berkhamstedlogs@hotmail.co.uk 

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Easy walking 

Tring Park 

WALKS AROUND TOWN 

A choice of easy-walking, stile-free walks visiting Aldbury, Ashridge and Tring Park 

Start: Tring Railway Station. 

>>> Alternative start points: 

National Trust Ashridge Estate Visitor 

Centre (nearest postcode HP4 1LT), and 

Wigginton Sports Ground, Chesham Road, 

Wigginton HP23 6HH 

Distance: Full walk 8 miles/13km; Ashridge 

only option 5.8 miles/9.2km; Wigginton 

5 miles/8km 

Route 

Turn left out of the station, walk past the 

Posting House (a former hotel) as far as the 

canal bridge and turn left along Beggars Lane. 

>>> The optional Ashridge route starts from 

the canal bridge. 

1. Where the lane narrows, take the path on 

the right past the barrier and continue 

uphill following signs for The Ridgeway. 

Follow this ancient trail for the next 1.4 

miles. Cross the busy road, turn right up 

the surfaced path and then left up the path 

signposted The Twist. Cross the footbridge 

and continue uphill through a series of 

gates to a lane. Turn right for a few metres 

and left up the steps towards Tring Park. 

Stay on this path through more gates 

to reach a busy lane. Cross to the gravel 

driveway opposite, bear right along it and 

past a barrier into Tring Park. 

2. Turn immediately left, follow the edge 

of the wood and go through a barrier 

to a surfaced driveway. Cross straight 

over, follow the path to a lane and turn 

left along it. The entrance to the sports 

ground, village shop and café is further 

down on the right. Continue down the 

lane to a road junction, turn right past 

the front of The Greyhound to the pub 

car park. 

3. Cross the road to a path signposted 

Crawley’s Lane. Go through the gate and 

continue downhill through three further 

gates into a wood. Follow the path straight 

down past the junction with The Chiltern 

Way and out through the next gate into a 

field. The route follows The Chiltern Way 

for the next 2.5 miles. Continue directly 

ahead through the horse paddocks and 

three more gates to a path T-junction in 

the hedgerow. Turn right to join a concrete 

track down to a lane. Turn left under the 

flyover and take the byway on the right, 

signposted Cow Roast. 

4. Go through the gates of Tinkers Lodge and 

walk along the wide track to reach a busy 

road by the closed Cow Roast Inn. Cross 

the road, turn right along the verge, take 

the first left down Wharf Lane and over 

the canal bridge. 

>>> The optional Wigginton route 

starts here. 

FULL DETAILS OF THE WALK CAN BE FOUND AT WWW.LIVINGMAGS.CO.UK/TYPE/WALKS 



5. Follow the lane round to the right, walk 

along it for 110m and turn left through 

a gap in the hedgerow. Go straight over 

the field, cross the railway bridge and 

the next field to a T-junction. Turn right 

to the next junction and then left to the 

main access track into Norcott Court 

Farm. Turn left and immediately right 

just before the farm entrance. Continue 

up past the metal barn, go through a 

gate, walk on a few metres and bear left 

through a gate in the wooden fencing. 

Follow the path ahead to the top of the 

field and go through a gate. Walk along 

the right-hand field edge and up through 

a small wood. Go through the next gate, 

bear left uphill and through a further gate. 

Follow the path down for a short distance 

and round to the right to a tall field gate. 

6. Pass through the gate. Continue uphill 

through the wood and the next gate. Stay 

straight ahead to join a surfaced driveway, 

walk past the houses and onwards to 

a lane. 

7. Cross it and turn right uphill on a path 

that runs parallel to the lane. At the top, 

turn left along a wide track, go through 

the gate directly ahead and past Old Copse 

Lodge. Continue directly ahead along the 

track for 550m to a 5-way junction. 

8. Turn immediately left to a path junction 

with views of the Bridgewater Monument 

directly ahead. Turn right along a wide 

track and follow it all the way to Ashridge 

Visitor Centre. 

9. From the entrance to the Centre, follow 

the fence round to the left past Brownlow 

Café and Monument Cottage. Stay straight 

ahead, follow the main path downhill for 

200m and bear right to keep descending 

to a road (Toms Hill Road). Turn right, go 

over the road junction, walk past the pond, 

the Post Office and Aldbury Memorial Hall 

and along Station Road. 

10. Just after the church, turn right through 

a gate on a path signposted Pitstone Hill 

and cross the field. (Musette Café is on 

the left through a gap in the fence). Go 

through the next gate and left through a 

third just before a large barn. Follow the 

path beside the barn and on through two 

more gates to reach a T-junction. Turn left, 

go over a crossing path, down the concrete 

track and through a gate to reach a busy 

road. The official route turns right along 

the verge to return to Tring Station. For a 

safer alternative, cross the road and turn 

right along the field edge on an unofficial 

but well-used route. At the end go past a 

gate, cross the road and turn left along the 

pavement to the station. 

Shorter options 

>>> Ashridge shorter option – Don’t turn 

left into Beggars Lane. Instead, cross the 

road and walk down the slope to the canal. 

Turn left and walk along the towpath for just 

over a mile to a lane at Cow Roast Lock. Turn 

left along the lane to join the main route at 

Waypoint 5. 

>>> Wigginton shorter option – After the 

bridge, turn immediately left past the lock 

and continue along the canal towpath for just 

over a mile to Bridge 135. Go under the bridge 

and turn immediately right up the slope to 

the road. Turn left along it to reach Tring 

Station and the end of the walk. 

Thanks to the Chiltern Society and Andrew Clark 


10 REASONS TO 

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Promotional Feature 

The Grade I listed 

building that combines 

history, heritage, 

& hospitality 

Once the home of Henry VIII, Ashridge House 

is fast becoming the hottest destination in 

Hertfordshire for weddings, work events, 

dining and days out. 

Steeped in history, Ashridge House 

in Hertfordshire, on the outskirts of 

Berkhamsted and just 30 minutes north 

of London has been something of a best 

kept secret – until now. Set in 190 acres 

of landscaped gardens, whether you’re 

a history buff, a dog walker, a foodie, 

a business looking for an events venue 

or a couple in search of their dream 

wedding destination, Ashridge House 

has it all. 

The back story 

A Grade I neo-gothic country house 

with a sweeping staircase, corridors 

hidden behind bookcases, and spanning 

over 12,300 metres, Ashridge House 

began life as a monastery in 1283 until 

Henry VIII took to the throne and 

abolished them. Falling in love with the 

house, he then decided to make it his 

home for 11 years and is where Princess 

Elizabeth (later Elizabeth I) was raised. 

Queen Victoria also made her mark 

in the grounds, planting an oak tree as 

a four year old princess while staying 

there. 

Rebuilt in 1808, besides being a private 

residency, it was also used as a wartime 

hospital, a ladies’ finishing school and 

a training centre for the Conservative 

party while for the past 60 years it 

has been used as a centre for business 

education. 

Picture perfect 

Despite its popularity as a business 

school, the picturesque grounds and 

lavish interiors have also meant that 

Ashridge House has become a mecca 

for couples getting married, earning 

them both regional and national awards. 

It’s also attracted the eye of television 

and music producers and has been used 

as a filming location for Netflix’s The 

Crown, Amazon Prime’s Pennyworth, 

Channel 4’s Married at First Sight and 

Sam Smith’s latest music video. 

While the grounds are open to the 

public all year round, for those wanting 

a sneaky peak inside, Ashridge House 

also offer Champagne Tours where 

guests can explore the elegance of the 

house while sipping the finest fizz. 

A new dining experience 

For 2023, Ashridge House has also 

expanded its food and drink offerings. 

Alongside The Bakehouse which is 

already a go-to for dog walkers and 

cyclists in the area, the recently opened 

Acres restaurant sources local produce 

with seasonal menus that reflect the 

heritage of the house. Open from 

Wednesday to Sunday for both a la carte 

and Sunday lunch, it has something for 

everyone 

Hot on the heels of the refurbished 

restaurant is The Vault, a cosy bar with 

wood panelling, comfy chairs and an 

extensive drinks menu that’s perfect 

for celebratory occasions, pre-dinner 

drinks or weekend get togethers. With 

plans underway to provide a shuttle bus 

to and from Berkhamsted train station 

in the evenings, it also means both 

locals and visitors to the area can enjoy 

English fizz, signature cocktails and local 

IPA from the UK’s most sustainable 

brewery at their convenience. 

Explore at ashridgehouse.org 

Berkhamsted Living_advertorial Feb 2023.indd 2 03/02/2023 17:28

SWEET 

DREAMS 

Recent research suggests around 10% of the world’s population – and up to 

33% of Brits – suffer from sleep deprivation. 

Symptoms include not being able to drift off, waking up in the middle of the 

night, and not being able get back to sleep once awake. 

Yet by managing sleep routine, it’s possible to temper the effects of insomnia. 

Sleep deprivation is not about just what 

happens at night. Lack of shut-eye can 

lead to tiredness during the day, feelings 

of irritation, an inability to perform even 

simple tasks, plus feelings of confusion, 

depression and despondency. 

On the flip side, medical experts note that 

insomnia can be brought on by health 

conditions such as anxiety, depression and 

stress and these can cause restless nights both 

short and long-term. But what can you do to 

help manage it? 

Routine 

Creating and sticking to a solid night-time 

routine is essential for managing insomnia. 

This should begin with a set timeframe 

for going to bed, encompassing a gradual 

but planned wind-down as the evening 

progresses. 

Waking up at approximately the same time 

each day is also important – sleeping in too 

late can mean the body isn’t tired enough to 

embrace sleep that night. 

Pre-sleep activity 

Reading a book or taking a bath will help your 

body and brain to relax during the process of 

calming down towards sleep. Peaceful 

activities prior to bedtime will positively 

enhance your chance of falling asleep. 

In contrast, it’s not wise to eat or drink 

anything substantial before retiring to bed, 

and avoid devices that emit blue light, such as 

televisions, smartphones or tablets. 



HEALTH AND BEAUTY 

Comfort 

To have a good night’s rest your body needs to 

be physically comfortable, so check your 

pillows are the right firmness for you, that 

your mattress is cosy, and you are neither too 

hot nor too cold. 

However, if you work from home, resist the 

urge to take ’40 winks’ during the day. This 

will upset your circadian rhythm and make it 

more difficult to drop off at night. 

Surroundings 

Ensure your bedroom is fully dark, quiet and 

calm when you climb into bed. This will give 

you a head start in overcoming the 

battle against sleeplessness. Having fewer 

things to irritate or distract you is an 

important factor – even the ticking of 

a clock can keep brain function at levels 

that prevent it from relaxing. 

In contrast, some insomniacs feel more 

assured with the presence of background 

noise. Technology can play an important role 

in this, with everything from full-on 

podcasts to pre-recorded sounds such as 

crackling fires, thunderstorms and white 

noise, all of which are proven to help some 

drift off. It may well be a case of trial and 

error in discovering what works best 

for you. 

Exercise during the day 

While sleep is vital for the body to regenerate 

and recover from the day’s exertions, so too 

does it rely on having enough activity to feel 

it needs to drop into unconsciousness in 

order to rest and recover. 

That means the more active you are during 

the day – physically and mentally – the more 

the suggestion of sleep is one your brain 

cannot resist. 

FRANBROWN Pilates 

BERKHAMSTED, TRING & SURROUNDING VILLAGES 

12 Week 2023 Pilates 

Courses with Fran & Beth 

Starts 

Friday 

21st April 

2023 

■ All levels welcome 

■ Mixture of classes 

■ 12 week ‘complete 

beginners course’ 

07900 858985 

w w w . f r a n s fi t n e s s p i l a t e s . c o m 

info@fransfitnesspilates.co.uk

Mini Crossword 

Carmenta Life 

Adult & Baby Medical & Wellbeing Centre 

Services Include: 

General Practitioners 

Physiotherapy & Osteopathy 

Sports & Deep Tissue Massage 

Personal Training 

Pilates, Yoga & Tai Chi 

Counselling & Psychotherapy 

Reflexology & Acupuncture 

Men, Women & Child Health 

Pregnancy & Fertility Scans 

Antenatal & Postnatal Care 

Chesham House, 

Church Lane, 


HP4 2AX 

www.carmenta-life.co.uk 

01442 872 591 

03300 886020

PRESENTS 

FRIDAY 7TH JULY 2023 

ROB LAMBERTI 

GEORGE MICHAEL 

TRIBUTE 

ULTIMATE ELTON NOASIS 

THE FREDDIE & QUEEN EXPERIENCE THE DOLLY SHOW 

SATURDAY 8TH JULY 2023 

OMD 

THOMPSON TWINS’ TOM BAILEY 

LEEE JOHN OF IMAGINATION 

FROM THE JAM THE DUALERS 

DODGY THE SOUTH BLANCMANGE BIG COUNTRY 

CHILFEST.CO.UK 

TRING RUGBY PITCHES, COW LANE 

FREE SHUTTLE SERVICE FROM TRING STATION

WHAT’S ON 

WWW.LIVINGMAGS.INFO FOR DAILY UPDATES 

ALWAYS CHECK with the event organiser beforehand. 

Opening times and restrictions may vary. If you would like to 

include your event in future magazines complete the form at: 

www.livingmags.info/submit-event. 

TUESDAY 7 MAR 

Talks: The Mitford Sisters 

Wigginton History Society, 

Village Hall, Wigginton, 

8pm. £4 inc refreshments. 

Speaker: Muriel Pilkington. 

cliff.mills@outlook.com 

SATURDAY 11 MAR 

Markets & Sales: Tring 

Farmers Market 

Market Place, Brook Street, 

Tring, 9am-12.30pm. 2nd 

and 4th Saturday of each 

month. Fine produce from 

around the district. www. 

tringfarmersmarket.co.uk 

Fundraisers: Skydive 2023 

North London Skydiving 

Centre (Cambridge). £50 

registration, non-refundable. 

Minimum sponsorship 

£350. Why not push the 

boundaries and take to the 

skies to support The Hospice 

of St Francis? www.stfrancis. 

org.uk 

Music: Villiers Quartet 

Berkhamsted Civic Centre 

7.30pm, £20. Purcell - 

Fantasias, Britten - Quartet 

in C Major No 2 Op 36 , 

Philip Herbert - Solicitudo, 

Beethoven - Quartet in 

F Major Op 135. www. 

berkhamstedmusic.co.uk 

MONDAY 13 MAR 

Music: La Boheme 

Aylesbury Waterside 

Theatre, 7.30pm. 

Senbla presents Opera 

International’s awardwinning 

Ellen Kent 

Production featuring 

the Ukrainian Opera & 

Ballet Theatre Kyiv, with 

international soloists, 

highly-praised chorus 

and full orchestra. www. 

atgtickets.com/shows/ellenkents-la-boheme/aylesburywaterside-theatre 

Film: Luzzu 

Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 

8pm. Also Tue 14. 

Non-members £5 at door. 

For details of film please 

visit the website. 

berkhamstedfilm society. 

co.uk 

WEDNESDAY 15 MAR 

Talks: Ford End 

Watermill 

High Street Baptist Church 

Tring, 8pm. Chris Tugby, 

the Mill Manager, talks 

about this little mill which 

was recorded in 1616 but is 

certainly very much older. 

tringlocalhistorymuseum. 

org.uk 


Music: Tring Music 

Partnership Gala 

Performance 

Victoria Hall, 7.15pm. Join 

Tring Together and the 

Tring Music Partnership 

for a wonderful evening 

celebrating music in Tring. 

Tickets from Fancy That 

(cash only) or online. www. 

tringtogether.org.uk/tmp 

SUNDAY 19 MAR 

Markets & Sales: 

Berkhamsted Farmers 

Market 

High Street, Berkhamsted, 

10am-2pm. Third Sunday of 

every month. An opportunity 

for local customers to buy 

high quality produce direct 

from the producer. www. 

facebook.com/berkofm 

MONDAY 20 MAR 

Arts & Crafts: Seasons Art 

Class 

Northchurch Social Centre, 

Berkhamsted. New 14-week 

programme. seasonsartclass 

berkhamsted@yahoo.com 

Arts & Crafts: Paper Peony 

Workshop 

Potten End, Little Heath Ln, 

HP4 2RY, 10.30am-1.30pm. £35. 

Learn to craft a beautiful 

peony bloom and bud from 

heavy crepe paper. 

www.berginandbath.co.uk 

THURSDAY 23 MAR 

Business: Tring 

BusinessMart 

Meet other local 

business people to talk 

through ideas, plans or 

just to compare. www. 

tringtogether.org.uk 

Theatre: The Hollow 

Boxmoor Playhouse, 

7.30pm. Sat matinee 

2.30pm. To 25 Mar. A 

leisurely weekend explodes 

into murder at The Hollow, 

home of Sir Henry and 

Lucy Angkatell, arguably 

Agatha Christie’s finest 

comic grande dame. www. 

hhtheatreco.com 

Fundraisers: Murder in 

Writing 

Court Theatre. 7.30pm, Sat 

matinee 12pm. To 25 Mar. 

£21 each including food or 

a whole table for 8 people 

for £160. For the 12th year 

another murder mystery 

by author Karen Banfield. 

During the two intervals 

you will be served lunch/ 

supper and be able to work 

as a team at your table to 

guess who the murderer is 

and why. www.courttheatre. 

co.uk 


Music: Madama Butterfly 

Dunstable Grove 

Theatre, 7.30pm. For 

the first time ever the 

Ukrainian National Opera 

is coming to Dunstable as 

part of a UK wide tour with 

the premiere of Puccini’s 

opera. www.grovetheatre. 

co.uk/madamabutterfly-i3805 


Music: Alan Barnes and 

Dave Newton 

BJazz at the Civic Centre, 

Berkhamsted, 8pm. Full 

Bar facilities. Alan Barnes 

on saxes and Dave Newton 

on piano, friends and jazz 

colleagues since meeting at 

college 40 years ago. Terrific 

duo! www.bjazz.org 

MONDAY 27 MAR 

Film: Summerland 

Berkhamsted Civic 

Centre, 8pm. Also Tues 28. 



visit the website. www. 

berkhamstedfilmsociety. 

co.uk 

WEDNESDAY 29 MAR 

Talks: The Definitive 

Guide to the 

Perimenopause and 

Menopause 

7.30pm Dr Louise Newson 

is one of the UK’s leading 

medical experts on the 

menopause. Attend 

the live event or watch 

online. Tickets via Our 

Bookshop in Tring. www. 

tringbookfestival.co.uk 

THURSDAY 30 MAR 

Talks: Berkhamsted 

Citizens AGM 

Great Hall, Berkhamsted 

Town Hall, 8pm. With 

the Environment Award. 

Free to members and their 

guests, visitors £5. Come 

and see what was new in 

Berkhamsted/Northchurch 

building in 2022. www. 

berkhamstedcitizens.org.uk 

FRIDAY 31 MAR 

Film: Tring Cinema 

Nora Grace Hall. Doors 

7.30pm, film 8pm. See 

what’s on via website. www. 

tringcinema.com 

SATURDAY 1 APR 

Music: Tring Choral 

Society Spring Concert 

St Peter and St Paul Church, 

Tring, 7.30pm. £15, under 

18s free. Fauré Requiem, 

also Duruflé, Dubois, 

Charpentier & Saint-Saëns. 

www.tringchoral.org.uk 

SUNDAY 2 APR 

Music: Rosa Celeste 

Old Town Hall, 

Berkhamsted, 7-8.30pm. 

£20. Behind the Mirror with 

a luminous and uplifting 

programme of ancient and 

modern music especially 

arranged for clarinet 

violin and cello. www. 

behindthemirror.org 

Music: T J Johnson 

Quintet 

Court Theatre, Tring, 

7.30pm. From £20. An 

Evening with TJ Johnson 

and his Band in concert, 

performing tunes from his 

latest album, ‘Songs from 

the Jazz Country’. www. 

courttheatre.co.uk 

Music: Chiltern Chamber 

Choir 

St Peter’s Church, 

Berkhamsted, 7.30pm. 

Brahms Requiem and Parry’s 

Songs of Farewell. www. 

chilternchamberchoir.com 

MONDAY 3 APR 

Theatre: The Shawshank 

Redemption 


Theatre, 7.30pm to 8 Apr. 

Thu & Sat matinees 2.30pm. 

Starring Joe Absolom and 

Ben Onwukwe, based 

on Stephen King’s 1982 

novella Rita Hayworth and 

Shawshank Redemption. 

www.atgtickets.com/venues/ 

aylesbury-waterside-theatre 

Film: I’m Your Man 

Berkhamsted Civic 

Centre, 8pm. Also Tues 4. 




berkhamstedfilmsociety.co.uk 

TUESDAY 4 APR 

Talks: Tring Park 

Wigginton History Society, 

Village Hall, Wigginton, 

8pm. £4 inc refreshments. 

Speaker: Kate Harwood. cliff. 

mills@outlook.com 

THURSDAY 6 APR 

Music: Krissy Mathews 

Band 

Blues Bar, Tring. 8pm. www. 

bluesbartring.co.uk 

FRIDAY 7 APR 

Talks: The Volunteer 

Centre 

High Street Baptist 

Church, Tring, 10-11am. 

Representatives will be in 

Tring every month to talk to 

people about volunteering 

and to help promote local 

volunteering roles. www. 

support4dacorum.org.uk 




Church Square, Tring, 

9am-12.30pm. 2nd and 

4th Saturday of each 




FRIDAY 14 APR 

Fundraisers: Ladies 

Fashion Show 

Potten End Village Hall, 

7pm for 7.30pm start. Entry 

by ticket only, £8 including 

a glass of wine or soft 

drink. Clothes available to 

purchase on the night. For 

tickets call Gill Grainger. 

01442 872336 

Music: Martin Harley 

Blues Bar, Tring. 

7pm. The man with 

the Weissenborn & 

National Guitars. www. 

bluesbartring.co.uk 




what’s on via website. 

www.tringcinema.com 

SUNDAY 16 APR 



Market 


10am-2pm. An opportunity 

for local customers to 

buy high quality produce 

direct from the producer. 

www.facebook.com/ 

berkofm 

MONDAY 17 APR 

Film: The Courier 

Berkhamsted Civic Centre, 

8pm. Also Tues 18. 

Non- members £5 at door. 



berkhamstedfilm society. 

co.uk 

TUESDAY 18 APR 


BusinessMart 






Theatre: Dr Dolittle 

Court Theatre. 7.30pm, 

Sat matinees 11am & 

3pm. To 22 Apr. From £15. 

Berkhamsted Theatre 

Company proudly 

presents the magical, 

marvellous, miraculous 

world of the world-famous 

Doctor John Dolittle. www. 

courttheatre.co.uk 



WEDNESDAY 19 APR 

Kids: The Chrysalis 

Project 

Spring Meadow Farm, 

HP4 2SX. Also 26 Apr & 3 

May. Nature exploration – 

breeding butterflies with 

outdoor activities and play 

for families with pre-school 

children. faithworkstrust. 

org.uk 


Fundraisers: Chilterns 

Dog Rescue Society Quiz 

Night 

Ashley Green Memorial 

Hall, Two Dells Lane, Ashley 

Green, HP5 3RB. 7.30pm. 

Teams of 6. £10 per person. 

Food is not included – please 

bring your own food and 

drinks. There will also be a 

raffle. chilternsdogrescue. 

org.uk 

Music: Steve Waterman 

Quartet 



Bar facilities. One of our 

greatest trumpeters, Steve 

Waterman, is joined by 

Ronnie Scott’s regular 

Gareth Williams on piano, 

Marianne Windham double 

bass and Dave Barry drums. 

www.bjazz.org 

SUNDAY 23 APR 

Sport: Bowls Open Day 

Berkhamsted Bowling 

Club, Canal Fields, 

10am-4pm. www. 

berkhamstedbowlsclub.co.uk 

THURSDAY 27 APR 

Music: Madama Butterfly 


Theatre, 7.30pm. 

Senbla presents Opera 

International’s awardwinning 

Ellen Kent 

Production featuring 

the Ukrainian Opera & 

Ballet Theatre Kyiv, with 

international soloists, 

highly-praised chorus 

and full orchestra. www. 

atgtickets.com/shows/ellenkents-madama-butterfly/ 

aylesbury-waterside-theatre 


Fairs/Festivals: Spring 

Fayre 

Until 14 May. www. 


Music: Midge Ure 


Theatre. ‘Voice & Visions’ 

tour, celebrating 40 

years since the release of 

Ultravox’s Rage In Eden and 

Quartet albums. 

midgeure.gigantic.com/ 

midge-ure-tickets 

SUNDAY 30 APR 

Fundraisers: The 

Berkhamsted Walk 

The annual Berkhamsted 

Walk offers three routes: 

Family (6 miles), Bluebell 

(12) and Challenge (18). 

Raise funds for The 

Children’s Society and enjoy 

a wonderful walk through 

the lovely local countryside. 

www.berkhamstedwalk. 

com 

Music: Hertfordshire 

Schools’ Music Gala 

Royal Albert Hall, 1.45 and 

7.45pm. Over 2,500 young 

people in Hertfordshire 

share their incredible 

musical talent and celebrate 

the breadth and quality of 

music-making taking place 

in schools and communities 

across the county. 

hertsmusicservice.org.uk/ 

hmsgala 

Gardens: Open Garden 

PATCHWORK, Hall Park 

Gate, Berkhamsted HP4 2NJ, 

opening for the National 

Garden Scheme, 2-5pm. 

Tulips and narcissi in 

profusion, azaleas and other 

flowering shrubs provide 

a feast of colour for the 

eyes. Adults £5, children 

free. Refreshments. Dogs 

welcome. patchwork2@ 

btinternet.com 

TUESDAY 2 MAY 

Talks: The Life of 

Agatha Christie 

Wigginton History 

Society, Village Hall, 

Wigginton, 8pm. £4 inc 

refreshments. Speaker: Geoff 

Bowdon. 

cliff.mills@outlook.com 

MONDAY 8 MAY 

Fairs / Festivals: 

Coronation Street Party 

2pm to 6pm Berkhamsted 

High Street. Free event with 

music, street entertainers, 

face painter and food court. 

www.berkhamstedtown 

council.gov.uk 


Coronation Event 

2pm - 6pm. Church service 

at St Peter & St Paul, Tring, 

followed by music, activities, 

food and drink. 

THURSDAY 11 MAY 

Theatre: An American 

in Paris 

Aylesbury Waterside Theatre, 

10am. From £6. A safe and 

welcoming screening of An 

American in Paris, especially 

for people living with 

dementia, their families and 

carers. Lights are left on low, 

there are no adverts, and the 

audience are able to move 

around and sing along to 

musical numbers as they 

wish. www.atgtickets.com/ 

aylesbury 

SATURDAY 13 MAY 



Market Place, Brook Street, 

Tring, 9am-12.30pm. 2nd 

and 4th Saturday of each 




Gardens: Sunnyside Rural 

Trust Trail 

Sunnyside Rural Trust’s 

three gardens in Hemel 

Hempstead, Northchurch 

and Berkhamsted will open 

for the National Garden 

Scheme for the first time, 

11am-4pm. 3 sites on just one 

ticket. findagarden.ngs.org. 

uk/garden/44821/sunnysiderural-trust-trail 

SUNDAY 14 MAY 

Fundraisers: Bubble Rush 

Drift Limits Racetrack, Hemel 

Hempstead, HP1 2RR. The 

Fun Run with a difference... 

Bubbles! New location for this 

year! www.stfrancis.org.uk 

Music: Tring Chamber 

Music Summer Season - 

Trout and Hummel 

Hastoe Village Hall, 7.30pm. 

Hummel Piano Quintet in E 

flat minor Op 87. Rachel Stott 

‘Magical Thinking’ for solo 

cello and speaker, Penderecki 

Duo Concertante violin 

and bass, Schubert Trout 

Quintet. Howard Shelley 

Piano, Paul Barritt violin, 

Jonathan Barritt viola, Joey 

Koos cello, Roberto Carrillo- 

Garcia double bass, Josephine 

Horder speaker. www. 

tringchambermusic.co.uk 



Business: Champagne 

Networking Evening 

Hosted by Gaddesden 

Place RDA. Free. Booking 

required. Contact 

organiser for more 

information. info@ 

solarioracing.com 

FRIDAY 19 MAY 

Sport: Stocks Golf Day 

Stocks Golf Course, Aldbury, 

9.30am. Teams of four £300 

inc breakfast, refreshments 

and BBQ lunch. Tee up your 

best shot as you support 

Tring Together’s ongoing 

work with the community 

and local businesses. www. 





what’s on via website. www. 

tringcinema.com 


Music: Sara Dowling 

Quartet 



Bar facilities. Voted best 

British Jazz vocalist in 2019, 

Sara Dowling performs 

standards and originals with 

musicians well known at 

Berkhamsted. www.bjazz. 

org 

SUNDAY 21 MAY 

Sport: The Hemel 

Hillbuster 

A choice of 25k, 60k or 

100k sportive challenges 

take you over rolling 

Chiltern Hills and the 

stunning countryside of 

Herts, Beds and Bucks in 

support of DENS. www.dens. 

org.uk 



Market 


10am-2pm. 3rd Sunday 

of every month. An 

opportunity for local 

customers to buy high 

quality produce direct 

from the producer. www. 

facebook.com/berkofm 

TUESDAY 23 MAY 

Theatre: Curtains 

Court Theatre. 7.30pm, to 

27 May. From £10. This 

hilarious whodunnit 

is packed full of catchy 

songs, unforgettable 

characters and plot twists 

galore. www.courttheatre. 

co.uk 



BusinessMart 







Sport: Bowls Taster Day 

Berkhamsted Bowling 

Club, Canal Fields, 

10am-4pm. www. 

berkhamstedbowlsclub. 

co.uk 

FRIDAY 2 JUN 

Talks: The Volunteer 

Centre 

High Street Baptist 

Church, Tring, 10-11am. 

Representatives will be 

in Tring every month 

to talk to people about 

volunteering and to 

help promote local 

volunteering roles. www. 

support4dacorum.org.uk 

SATURDAY 3 JUN 

Fairs / Festivals: Mind 

Body Spirit Wellbeing 

Show 

Grange School, Alyesbury, 

11-5pm. Also 4 Jun. Treat 

yourself to a holisitc therapy 

or 1-1 reading. Gifts with a 

difference. Talks, workshops 

& demos to help you on your 

journey. Relax with friends 

& family. Enjoy the positive 

vibe of a Deer Spirit Mind 

Body Spirit Wellbeing Show. 

www.deerspirit.co.uk 


St Leonards Fete 

Parish Hall and Field, 

Jenkins Lane, St. Leonards, 

Tring. With circus juggling, 

live band, bouncy castle, 

classic cars, plant and book 

stall, raffle, dog show, 

tombolas, beer and Pimms 

tent, BBQ, cream teas and 

much much more. www. 

stleonardsparishhall.uk 

Music: 90s Indie Night 

Court Theatre, Tring, 8pm. 

From £13. Once again the 

Common People DJs will be 

down at The Court Theatre 

playing your favourite 90s 

tunes in support of Hector’s 

House. courttheatre.co.uk 

PLAY BOWLS AT 

BERKHAMSTED 

OPEN DAY - SUN 23 APRIL 10-4pm 

TASTER DAY - SAT 27 MAY 10-4pm 

PAY & PLAY- JULY & AUGUST 

For further information – please see our 

Website, Facebook & Instagram sites 

St Leonards 

Village Fete 

Sat 3rd June 2023 1.00 - 4.30pm 

Circus Juggling, Live Band, Bouncy Castle, 

Classic Cars, Plant & Book Stall, Raffle, 

Dog Show, Tombolas, Beer & Pimms Tent, 

BBQ, Cream Teas...and much much more! 

stleonardsparishhall.uk 

What our customers say: 

Thank you very much for your effort for 

keeping us, residents, in the loop of what’s 

happening in the area. Jelena. 



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P E Mead & Sons Farm Shop 

Wilstone, Near Tring HP23 4NT 

01442 828478 

Opening Times 

Mon-Sat: 9am - 5:30pm 

Sunday: 9:30am - 4:30pm 

www.pemeadandsons.co.uk 

GARDENING SERVICES 

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BOOKING DEADLINES 2023 

SUMMER 2023 

BOOKING & NEWS DEADLINE 26-04-23 

DISTRIBUTION FROM 05-06-23 

AUTUMN 2023 



WINTER 2023 



TO BOOK 

TELEPHONE: 

01442 

824300 

BOOK MULTIPLE 

ISSUES TO SECURE 

YOUR PLACE AND 

RECEIVE A SERIES 

DISCOUNT. 

TV AERIALS 

What our 

customers say: 

Community Action 

Dacorum, a charity 

based in Hemel 

Old Town has 

recently started 

holding Volunteer 

Information 

sessions in Tring 

and Berkhamsted… 

We were 

overwhelmed by the 

number of people 

who came to our 

event, the majority 

of whom had found 

out about it from 

your magazine. 

Community Action 

Dacorum 

January 2023 


Keep up the good work with the 

Living magazines - they are always 

very well used in our house. 

Cath 


I do like your Living magazines and 

always learn something new when it comes 

through my door. 

Richard 



BOOKS 

Read your way into spring with this selection of books from local authors 

A Love to Last a Lifetime 

By Clare Swatman 

If your first love came back into your life, would you risk a happy marriage 

for the one that got away? This bittersweet love story charts the dilemma of 

Erin, who is married to the solid, dependable Greg, who is hopelessly devoted 

to her and promises to love her for a lifetime. 

Then back into her life comes her teenage love Adam - he’s handsome, 

funny and charming in a rock star kind of way. But he would often leave her 

broken-hearted before wheedling his way back into her life. 

When Adam returns needing her help, Erin begins to wonder if it’s fate - 

but will she risk everything for the man she thought was The One? 

If you’ve enjoyed Clare’s previous books, you’ll love this one too! 

Clare Swatman is a former editor of Living magazines, and author of 

three women’s fiction novels, published by Macmillan, which have been 

translated into more than 20 languages. She has been a journalist for more 

than 20 years, writing for Bella and Woman & Home among many other 

magazines. She lives in Berkhamsted. 

In Ice By Dave Sivers 

Fans of Dave’s books will be glad to know that DCI Nathan Quarrel is back in 

his second outing - this time with a terrifying, twisty tale of a serial killer! 

A house of horrors in a Hertfordshire village (Wigginton) is hiding a grisly 

secret - the bodies of five women hidden in three freezers. 

It looks like a serial killer has been at work for a long time - will Nathan 

find the culprit before they strike again? 

This is a real page-turner - with the added bonus of being set in familiar 

surroundings, from Watford and Hemel to Milton Keynes - there’s even a 

namecheck for Tring’s (currently closed) Tamarind restaurant! You won’t 

want to put it down - and there’s a fabulous final twist in the ending too. 

This is Pitstone author Dave Sivers’ 10th published book. They include 

the popular crime fiction series (six so far) featuring the Aylesbury Vale 

detectives, DI Lizzie Archer and DS Dan Baines. The Scars Beneath the Soul 

and Dead in Deep Water were both top three bestsellers in the Amazon 

Kindle Serial Killers chart. Dave lives with his wife, Chris, and is a founder of 

the annual BeaconLit festival of books and writing. 


When the Kite Builds: Why and How 

We Restored Red Kites Across Britain 

By Dr Mike Pienkowski 

We are so familiar with Red Kites flying over the area now that it’s easy 

to forget they haven’t always been here. This book describes the story of 

the successful reintroduction of red kites to the UK in 1990s, and how the 

Chilterns was selected as the initial location for the establishment of young 

chicks brought in from Sweden and Spain. The book’s author, Dr Mike 

Pienkowski, was the Chairman of the Red Kite Project Team, described by 

the RSPB as ‘the biggest species success story in UK conservation history’. 

In the Middle Ages, Red Kites were a common sight across the British 

countryside and cities, where people valued them for keeping the streets 

clear of carrion (dead animals). However, later changes in attitude led to their 

extermination in most of the UK, and by the 1980s, they were one of only 

three globally vulnerable bird species occurring in Britain. Today, British 

kites now form 10% of the world population of the species. 

The book charts the project, its success and explores the outcome for red 

kites and other species, the fight against illegal persecution and poisoning, 

and the changes in public attitudes. 

Dr Mike Pienkowski has been involved in research and conservation for 

over 50 years. Proceeds from sales of the book go to UK Overseas Territories 

Conservation Forum’s charitable conservation activities. He said: ‘I am 

delighted to get this book out. It is important to put such successes on record 

– I hope in a readable way. This is both to help others and to recognise the 

teamwork of a huge number of people in the UK and other countries.’ 

Barflies and Dubai: Stories of Skyscrapers and 

Sundowners 

By Echo 

Dubai is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates; a place of sun 

and sparkling skyscrapers - where fortunes can be made by expats willing 

to relocate, and where tourists explore its attractions and revel in its obvious 

wealth. But this book looks beyond that to the seedier, grittier side of the 

city - its nightlife, where people of all nationalities and cultures collide. A 

collection of stories exploring some of the seedier - and sadder - tales that 

come from years of people watching. 

The author, ‘Echo’, is a Scot, but also a long-term resident of Berkhamsted 

who has worked overseas on projects on all four continents, including 

Antarctica. Echo has seen the city of Dubai grow from the old failing oil town 

it was in 1998 to the sprawling tourist attraction it is today. The book was 

written in Dubai during the pandemic. 

Local authors! Let us know about your book releases. Email editorial@livingmags.info 



Li ve life to the full with 

DENTAL 

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What better gift can your dentist 

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When you need an emergency dentist it’s 

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CALL 01442 878 424 (Berkhamsted) 

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BERKHAMSTED 128 High Street | Berkhamstedt | Hertfordshire | HP4 3AT 

TRING 75 Western Road | Tring | Hertfordshire | HP23 4BH

Berkhamsted Living Spring 2023

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