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NEWS
Here we'll be bringing you news of what's going in the village and further afield. If you have any items you'd like to see, like someone's birthday,
a wedding anniversary, a new arrival or an obituary, please email it to editor@piccottsend.co.uk
Whatever the weather there are always some pretty pictures of Piccotts End. Above: PE in the snow. Below: How we look in the summer.
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OBE for village scientist
Dr Debbie Smith, Director of fire sciences at BRE Global, has received an OBE in the 2010 Queen's Birthday Honours for her services to fire safety.
Dr Smith, who lives in Piccotts End Road, has worked in the fire industry for the last 29 years. Her tireless work in fire research and testing has produced many ground breaking reports and industry leading standards that underpin fire safety in the construction industry. Dr Smith was reported to be surprised but proud and grateful to receive the honour. She said she is looking forward to the investiture which will be an occasion to remember.
She said: "I have been very privileged during my career at BRE Global to work with many experts covering all aspects of fire safety. This award is not only recognition of my personal contribution to fire safety but also of the achievements of BRE Global over the years."
Dr Smith joins another Piccotts End resident recently honoured by the Queen. In 2008 Bob Fiddaman received an MBE for services to farming (see below)
News from 2009 Meet the cray twins!
When stories appeared in the local press about a new type of crayfish invading the Gade, no one took much notice. But Riverbank residents Sue Leach and Maggie Chandler had other ideas. Together they applied for a special fishing licence and set their nets. A few days later they counted their catch - more than 20 succulent snappers! As their photo shows, the crayfish (a new American variety which has supplanted its smaller English counterpart) is the size of a hand. Maggie & Sue then cooked up a couple of culinary treats including a crayfish and prawn salad. Says Maggie: 'The crayfish were very succulent and as you would imagine, they tasted very fresh! We have since used another catch to make a very tasty traditional Spanish Paella.' More lucky Riverbank residents are now planning to apply for a licence and join the cray twins!
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Villagers win noise battle with Boars Head
A group of PE residents have forced the Boars Head to turn down the volume on noisy music nights. Environmental officers from Dacorum measured noise levels in the home of one neighbour who was badly affected and agreed they exceeded the permitted number of decibels. As a result the pub has been served with a noise abatement order. Villagers had sought the order after several requests to the pub landlord had failed. Second chapter for our new Book Club
The island of Guernsey and its inhabitants came under scrutiny when the new PE Book Club has held its second meeting in June. How would we have reacted to German occupation during the Second World War? Island Madness by Tim Binding followed the stories of a group of islanders whose lives were irreversibly changed by the invaders. Meeting at Marchmont Cottage, members had mixed feelings about a novel which was part love story and part murder mystery. The next meeting, on Tuesday August 25th promises another lively debate over Ian McEwan's On Chesil Beach. The Book Club welcomes new members, so if you enjoy reading and would like to share your thoughts, we would love to hear from you. Please email editor@peraonline.co.uk. £150 raised for Christian Aid
The recent house-to house collection for Christian Aid in Piccotts End resulted in £150 being raised, the largest amount in the parish! Very many thanks to all who contributed.
Ena Hartland News from 2008
The Osprey Has Landed!
The warm autumn weather of 2008 enticed an unusual visitor to Piccotts End. Down at the fish farm (just off the Leighton Buzzard road near Hilliers) bird watchers identified a young Osprey. It was reported circling the pools and then plunging in to catch a large fish. Local birdwatcher Martin Parr took this photo. Not to be confused with the similar sized Red Kite, which is a permanent local resident, the Osprey only stays in the UK during the summer. With a distinctive white underbody and a wingspan when fully grown of more than 5ft it is a spectacular sight. But its PE visit won't have been more than a stopover en route to its winter home in Africa. Although an endangered species, numbers in the UK have been increasing and we may see more here next year.
Amy is county's youngest swimming official
Congratulations to Amy Hughes, who has been appointed the county's youngest swimming official. Amy completed her course to become an official time-keeper at just 25 days past her 14th birthday. Amy, who attends Ashlyns School, swims for Berkhamsted Sports Centre where she recently knocked 3 seconds off her personal best time in the backstroke. When not swimming Amy can be found encouraging her team-mates or helping officiate with her mum and dad, PERA stalwarts Derek and Marilyn Hughes.
Hemel housing plans get the go-ahead
Hemel Hempstead has been officially designated a growth area with 12,000 new homes to be built by 2021. A green belt review will take place to find room for the extra houses while £6.5million has been set aside to pay for new infrastructure and support services.
The controversial plans have been in the pipeline for some time but now the government has given them the seal of approval.
It is not yet known how the plans will affect Piccotts End residents but despite assurances that most of the housing will be built on brownfield sites it seems inevitable that there will be some development of Green Belt land adjacent to the village.
However, Herts County Council has reacted with anger to the plans. Leader Robert Gordon said: "We are furious that the government has again failed to listen to local concerns about the impact of these housing numbers. We accept that some additional homes are needed, particularly to help key workers who struggle to afford house prices in Hertfordshire. But the numbers in the plan are approaching double what we, as local representatives, feel the county can accommodate on this timescale."
MBE for Piccotts End resident
Congratulations to PE resident Bob Fiddaman, who has been awarded an MBE in the New Year's Honours List. Mr Fiddaman, who lives at Wood Farm, Dodds Lane, is employment spokesman for the NFU and former chairman and former county delegate for Hertfordshire NFU and former chairman of the NFU East Anglia region. He has been associated with the NFU since 1989 and is one of the county's leading advocates of GM crops. In a recent evaluation of GM oil seed rape he recorded an increased yield of between 10 and 15 per cent.
Boars Head music plans toned down
Plans by the Boars Head to stage light night live music events have been scaled back following representations at a licensing meeting. Although it has been allowed to extend opening hours until midnight on most weekdays, live music can only take place indoors under tight noise restrictions. A PERA delegation led by the chairman Lord Robin Corbett won changes which he believes will preserve the peace of the neighbourhood. Under his revised licence, pub owner Mike Palmer "reluctantly" agreed to accept a noise level determined by Council officers and undertook to keep all external doors and windows closed during performances. The public protection officer observed that setting maximum noise levels to protect residential amenity - which would be low - would probably defeat the object of having live music.
Under its new licence the pub can open from 12.00 to 24.00 Monday to Thursday; 1200-0030 Friday and Saturday and 1200 to 2330 on Sundays. New Year's Eve was extended from noon to 0130.
The landlord said he planned live music one night between Monday and Thursday and another on a Friday or Saturday. He also said he would re-open a blocked door on the town side of the pub to make it easier for customers to get to the garden and smoking area. He would do what he could to discourage customers drinking and/or smoking in the street outside the front of the pub though he refused PERA's request to remove the garden benches which encourage this. His application for external live music was withdrawn.
Beware this super-furry animal!
It looks cute and cuddly, and you can even stroke it. But this little rodent is making an unwelcome appearance in the village. Two sightings of glisglis, otherwise known as the edible dormouse, camping under the rafters were reported at the PERA AGM. Glisglis were introduced from France to the Tring area by the Rothschild family. They have gradually spread throughout Bucks and Herts but Piccotts End is probably their furthest push in this direction. Glisglis are well known for driving their hosts to distraction with their nocturnal scampering in attics and roofspaces. They will also gnaw through your electrics. But there is a snag if you want to evict them. They are a protected species. PERA advice, should you encounter glisglis, is to contact Dacorum's rodent control officer.
Help create a virtual museum for the village!
Plans to create a virtual village museum are being drawn up by PE resident Mervyn Sellick, and he would like your help. Mervyn, who owns the cottages where the village's historic mediaeval wall paintings were discovered, will soon start to collate historical information about properties, people and happenings in the village. He would like residents to let him know if they have any photos (over 10 years old), maps, property documents or any archive records that may be of interest. He has set up a dedicated email address piccottsend@btconnect.com and people can email him there (or drop it off to 132).
News from 2007
Sue's marathon is hot stuff!
Congratulations to PE resident Sue Dear, who has completed her third marathon in aid of the charity Spinal Research. Sue endured blistering temperatures as high as 39C (more than 100F) to complete the Stockholm Marathon in June. Sue trained for the event by pounding the streets of Hertfordshire for the last 6 months covering a total of 348 miles and going through 2 pairs of trainers! Sue told us that the last 500 metres into the Olympic Stadium was really hard work. 'It felt as if I had bricks strapped to my feet,' she said. 'I saw my friends at the side of the road and they handed me a St. George's flag. As I entered the stadium with the flag around my shoulders I got a massive cheer from the spectators as my name was announced (best feeling in the world!) All the tiredness I had experienced in the last punishing miles evaporated as my feet hit the bouncy running track and I managed to sprint around the track to the finish line, completing in 5hrs13 min17 sec.' So far Sue has raised more than £2500 for Spinal Research and after recovering from her latest ordeal is planning her next fund-raising challenge.
Marchmont goes gastro!
The new-look Marchmont Arms has reopened as a smart new gastro-pub. PERA members were invited to a champagne reception prior to the official opening on May 12th. The interior has been repainted in soft pastel shades with wood floors and high ceilings amplifying the clatter and chatter that gives modern restaurants their busy atmosphere. The staff are young, enthusiastic and friendly, the menu is contemporary and unlike its predecessor all the food is fresh.
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