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UNDER THE EDGEINCORPORATING THE PARISH MAGAZINEGREAT LONGSTONE, LITTLE LONGSTONE,
ROWLAND, HASSOP, MONSAL HEAD, WARDLOW
No. 256 May 2020 ISSN 1466-8211www.undertheedge.net
Coronavirus lockdown - Under The Edge deliveryTo minimise the risk of spreading the virus, UTE will no longer be delivered to every household during the lockdown. • Nick Casey has very kindly offered to include a copy of UTE for everyone on his paper delivery round. • Otherwise, you can read the all-colour UTE online at www.undertheedge.net by clicking on Current Edition. • If you have no (or limited) internet access, you can collect a copy of UTE from the Village Shop.
Please let your neighbours who may not have a paper delivered know of these new arrangements.
Travelling to Africa in these Strange Times
Off to milking at Ndoto Farm
Tanzanian tractor on its ‘starter’ hill!
Several months ago I promised the Editor I would write a short article about a dairy farm in East Africa that we visit regularly to see our daughter and grandchildren in their Easter holidays. Times and global circumstances change, so I felt it more appropriate to describe events and actions happening in connection with the COVID-19 outbreak here in Tanzania, as I become the UTE African Reporter.
We decided to make the trip despite all that was going on in Europe, Asia and North America but was yet to make any mark in Central and Eastern Africa. We self-isolated at home for over a week before leaving, to ensure we were virus free. Our first flight was to Amsterdam very early in the morning. Manchester airport was not as busy as usual since many flights were cancelled, but our check-in queue was as long as normal with significant numbers of Chinese, presumably making their way home. I must apologise for this generic assumption as they were mostly dressed in all in one plastic suits, face masks, goggles and hats! Bizarre and not a little scary but we kept our distance and were armed with surgical gloves, alcohol wipes and hand sanitisers. Security and boarding were no different to previous years and the plane was packed. No medical checks! I was sitting next to one of the ‘protected’ who in excellent English offered both of us fresh face masks and demonstrated how to fit them accurately.
At Amsterdam we went through to the main hall to find our gate for the onward flight. Like Manchester, it was not that busy and all food shops shut. Touristy shops were open but we kept apart as much as possible, regularly washing, sanitising and using gloves. Still no medical checks.
Our flight to Kilimanjaro Airport in Tanzania only had 55 passengers in a 350 seat plane! Hardly worth running but according to the cabin crew the return flight was full of those wishing to get back home, and I’ll wager, no discounted tickets. We spread ourselves out and enjoyed a trouble free flight over Northern Italy knowing theirs was not a pleasant time. It was then I felt some guilt and apprehension at the trip ahead and the distinct possibility that our return flight might not fly. Our apprehension increased when asked by the crew to complete two forms. We recognised one as the standard immigration form we could use to obtain a longer visa than we had purchased online. The other was a hugely detailed medical questionnaire asking for flight and seat numbers and exact details of our movements in the country, with multiple contact details so we could be traced should a nearby passenger prove infected. Clearly the Tanzanian authorities were taking COVID-19 very seriously, with an efficiency not usual in that part of the world - far more so than our experience in Europe.
On landing, we and half the passengers disembarked (the rest going on to Dar es Salaam) and were immediately asked to use a sanitiser, then organised into a queue two metres apart. (Continued on page 2)
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(Continued from front page) There were more officials than passengers, all wearing gloves and masks. This in a country with at the time only three confirmed cases and no deaths! We were temperature checked and then questioned, with our health forms double checked again, very thoroughly. Then on to visa application and immigration, all very correct and in stark contrast to Europe.
Originally our daughter was to greet us and take us to her house near where she teaches, but as we were viewed as a risk since the schools were still open, we arranged to be collected by a hotel car and stayed the night in an isolated cottage in the grounds. Our son-in-law collected us the next morning, as by then all schools had been closed, and drove us and our grandchildren south to the farm, with our daughter staying at school to set up distance learning for all pupils at home. Our journey was far from uneventful. We started before dawn as it would take over twelve hours to complete, the roads being in a very poor state following torrential rains in previous months. We could average only 35mph, partly to avoid the jagged potholes and partly as every village had a speed limit of 50kph, almost always with a speed trap. We were caught once for speeding on this trip but as our son-in-law is fluent in Swahili we got off with caution. This still requires payment but ‘no receipt’. We were also stopped and accused of overtaking when there was a solid white line. We knew we had not and so ensued a five minute argument, as the police Sargent could not find a photo from his informant’s camera. This was clearly a ‘try on’ to extract a bribe, and eventually we just drove off!
The final 20 miles of our journey to the farm was over a dirt road, mostly single track, on which continual work was being carried out. The sloped parts were just covered in slimy mud, while the flat parts collected water and therefore became mud pools. Bad enough in daylight - but in the dark? The standard of vehicle maintenance in East Africa is woeful and MOT testing merely a dream as no vehicle, including our own, would pass and the country would grind to a halt. The main fault seems to be headlights - indeed any sort of light would be a bonus! You have to drive on full beam to pick out anything from a motor cycle to an oil tanker, all of whom are in the middle of the road as there is no edge. The one advantage of night driving is that most consider it too dangerous and so don’t! If you do get forced into the side culvert there’s nobody to help, as the vehicle that forced you off will be long gone, without a care for those in their wake. Without mirrors, they can’t look back anyway! We eventually made it without mishap, to an empty farm house, where we lit the wood burning stove and after emptying the car (it was raining by this time) managed to cook supper. At least the electricity was functioning for tea!
A few days later our daughter made the same journey with a fellow teacher and two girls. Having been warned, she started even earlier, but a leaking radiator meant several stops to top up and to find a garage with some Radweld to fix it. Then, in the dark, with only five miles to go, they met an obstinate truck whose occupants seemed incapable, or too scared, of reversing ten yards to allow her to pass. After a ‘discussion’, a hazardous pass was attempted with inevitable consequences. Fortunately, we were tracking them on our phone and could see they had not moved for 20 minutes. We phoned them and our son-in-law set out with tractor and chain. We greeted rescued and rescuer with a hot but somewhat overdone supper.
Life now continues on the dairy farm, which is so remote that isolation is not an option, but neither is a visit to the nearest town, Iringa, back down the impassable road. In any event shopping in a large town is perhaps not wise. Most expats have returned or been recalled home, particularly charity and NGO staff, so a white face in the crowd is a rarity. COVID-19 is seen by locals as a European disease, potentially imported by us. Though not yet widespread (13 cases and no deaths as of 26th March), they are undoubtedly right, which makes one a little uncomfortable.
In the other direction, the ‘county town’ of Kilolo is nearest for shopping, though of a poor standard, as all goods have to arrive up the mud road. The ‘county authority’ are not happy about the state of this road as the one to the farm is good and even part tarmac! A ten mile trip in that direction takes only 15 minutes but across the border to Iringa it is appalling. Iringa does not see why they should spend money on a road that does not directly benefit them, apart from the timber trade. Kilolo has a half decent bank with two ATMs, a local authority office, local road and electricity HQ’s, and a petrol station (often without fuel). There are up to 25 tiny shops of all varieties but whose stock is limited to the very basic. We will never starve (milk and meat are all ‘in house’) and basic food is available, though not as fresh as you might like due to the road. But no tonic water (we stick to a local beer) or strawberry jam (a local concoction has to suffice). Tinned goods are plentiful (no Heinz Baked Beans though), but you might have to shop around, as are basic plumbing bits, toilet seats fencing wire, hinges and so on. None of the shops are much larger than a standard shipping container. Indeed most were containers in a former life! All without exception, including the bank, in these coronavirus days have a bucket with a tap outside on a stool, with a bowl underneath, a soap dispenser, and paper towels. The shopkeeper now has nowhere to sit and his neighbouring hardware store owner a large smile on his face and hardly any buckets left for sale! Richard Carter
Next month Richard will describe the farming operation in Ndoto for a special African version of Farming Notes
The Village Shop
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We are extremely grateful to all of them for their continued support of Under The Edge, and hope they will be back in business before too long.
UTE Management Committee
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Volunteering in Longstone ParishIt was a great relief to me that last month’s UTE was delivered to all homes in Great Longstone, Little Longstone, Wardlow, Monsal Dale, Rowland and Hassop. This meant that, as the local coordinator of volunteers for the current pandemic, I felt that every household had received the same information and knew how to ask for or offer help.
I have had a good number of offers to provide help and support. It is also heartwarming to know that many people were already active in the community helping neighbours, friends or family. I have registered with the Derbyshire County Council Community Response Unit: they are especially concerned with those on their vulnerable list, and may contact me for help. I’ve advised a few volunteers, who have specialist skills, to sign up directly with them. The Response Unit sent the following, on 21st April: At this time we have not received the expected demand for help requests. However, we do expect the demand for adult social care and assistance for the ‘vulnerable’ and ‘shielded’ groups to continue for some time and will be in touch when an appropriate request for help is received.
You can contact Jenny if you need help or wish to volunteer on: 07518 452081 ( 01629 640257 [email protected]
HOW WE CAN HELP:
At the start, I had a lot of contact with the Parish Council and with our District Councillor, Clare Gamble. Every day there seemed to be new guidance or information to digest. I’m pleased to say that this has settled down now. Volunteers are mostly engaged with shopping, collecting prescriptions and some hot meal delivery. There are more volunteers on my list that I haven’t had to call on yet which is a great position to be in.
I have been encouraging people to keep in contact with their friends and neighbours regularly just for a chat. Sometimes people say ‘I wonder how so-and-so is?’ This is definitely the time to give them a call! If you are volunteering in any way, there is plenty of advice on the Derbyshire County Council website including ‘Good practice for volunteers’.
Thank you again for everything everyone is doing in our community. Stay Safe and Well. Jenny Croft
Dew PondsI was interested to read the article by Dan Cox on restoring the dew pond at the head of Stanshill Dale. It reminded me of many years ago when the Peak Park had a program of dew pond restoration with the help of volunteers.
L e n a n d mys e l f , a l o n g w i t h grandchildren Nathan aged about nine and his younger sister Cara, helped to clean out the pond on the left of the path from Beggarway to Stanshill Dale, now protected from the cattle by a fence.
It was to say the least a very smelly job, but having cleaned it out and found the crack in the concrete we stood back to admire our work. The Peak Park was trying out different methods to restore dew ponds. Some were completely relined but this one was sealed with bathroom sealant. Quite amazing! I don’t know if it has had to be done again since but if not it must have lasted at least 18 years. Su Woollen
News From the COVID FrontlineStay at Home, Protect the NHS, Save Lives. By now we are all familiar with this message of social distancing but there’s one other thing you have to know and must do if you are to survive this pandemic and remain well.
I am a Consultant in Stroke Medicine at King’s Mill Hospital, Mansfield where I have worked for the past fourteen years, having been at the Chesterfield Royal Hospital prior to that. I look after adult stroke patients of all ages from when they arrive and need urgent treatments, through their rehabilitation in the hospital and then into the community. I also see patients who have had transient ischaemic attacks (TIAs) which are strokes lasting minutes or hours (but no longer) that can be a sign that a more serious stroke is around the corner.
Since the start of the viral pandemic I have of course also been involved with looking after patients with COVID-19 and I and my colleagues are always careful to follow all of the procedures to keep ourselves and our patients safe. My hands have never been so clean and well moisturised. However, whilst coronavirus is at the forefront of everyone’s thoughts,
I have other concerns that really worry me. Over the past month we have seen the number of patients turning up to our hospital fall to record low levels. My stroke unit, just like all of the others around the country, is half empty. It’s the same story on the coronary care unit, on the children’s ward and in the operating theatres. Everywhere. People are just not turning up. Although the exact reason for this is
unknown it’s likely that at least part of the explanation is worry: worry that going into hospital risks catching the virus. But this worry comes at a cost. Figures from around the UK, as well as from Italy and Spain, show that the number of people dying over the past month is way up on this time last year and that only a part of this rise is caused by COVID-19. The numbers dying from strokes, heart attacks and other illnesses are all up. Avoiding coming to hospitals or seeking medical assistance means missing out on vital urgent treatments that can save lives and reduce disability. In our unit we are not alone in seeing the consequences of this avoidance with individuals whose strokes are worse than they might otherwise have been.
Like all hospitals we are still very much open for business and it is crucial that if you are concerned that you have a serious medical problem that you seek urgent assistance. So remember: stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives BUT if you think you have a medical emergency then ring 999 and get help. Martin Cooper
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This month we feel very fortunate that the weather has picked up and we have had a great spell of dry weather. Just before the lambs started to arrive on the 5th April we had a great couple of weeks to chain-harrow and roll the fields which promotes new growth and flattens the many ruts that had formed over a very wet autumn and winter.
Farming Notes May 2020
Despite lockdown we continue pretty much business as usual on the farm. It’s our busiest time and we are halfway through lambing at the time of writing on Sunday 19th April. We rise at 5.30am and get up to the fields to check on the ewes by 6am. Then we keep checking every one to two hours right through until 8.30pm. It’s a long and tiring day but rewarding when healthy lambs come along, and we have enjoyed spectacular sunrises and vistas across the surrounding hills from the fields under the moor. The morning bird song and new life has been extremely comforting at a time when the world is a somewhat dark and depressing place. Joanna has been sharing lots of photos and videos on our Facebook and Instagram pages and we have had a wonderful number of responses from people all over the world who have thanked us for sharing the joy of lambing. It’s comforting to be reminded
of some positive news when the main media is largely a scary place.Our local abattoir and butcher are still very busy with a steep increase
in people wanting local meat and we took a highland bullock to be slaughtered last week. It’s the cycle of life and death that is so very much part of farming life.
So how are we affected by the Coronavirus?John’s eldest daughter and Joanna’s sister, Emma, was due to be married
at Little Longstone Chapel on April 4th but this was hastily rescheduled to a smaller ceremony at the Chapel on the 21st March. This was just before lockdown and Emma and Danny were delighted to be married
despite having to cut the guest list down to a handful of close family members and abandon plans for a wedding reception. There were only six allowed in the chapel so even Emma’s bridesmaids had to stand outside in a very cold wind to watch from a safe distance! It wasn’t the day they had planned but it certainly was memorable.
Our camp site business was due to open April 1st but of course this did not happen due to the lockdown. Financially it’s a blow but hopefully we can reopen later in the year and start to recover. It’s been strange adapting to our new circumstances but we are all looking on the bright side and being thankful for our wonderful surroundings.
Joanna and John Shimwell
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Clap for our Community!We all know about the weekly ‘clapping for the NHS and Carers’. I imagine that many of us are now feeling that we should be ‘clapping for our community’. As the restrictions kicked in, many local residents, particularly the elderly (which includes the 70+ years young at heart!) and vulnerable, wondered how they would shop for food, obtain prescription medication etc. And this is where our community stepped in.
Those of us who have not been in the habit of using the Village Shop have discovered what a little gem it is. Heather, Will, and their band of volunteers have worked together to take orders and deliver to our doors. They even weighed and bagged up several different types of flour received in wholesale quantities from Caudwell’s Mill; indeed much of the shop’s stock is sourced locally. There’s therefore been no need to venture out of the village, so minimising contact with others. The Shop has supported us admirably. When things return to ‘normal’ we must remember this and still support our shop.
Prescriptions were another worry, particularly as over 70s are banned from collecting them from Baslow surgery. But no worries, they had offers from some of our younger residents who collected and delivered it to us. Many other younger ones have also volunteered, with notices offering help popped in our letterboxes.
We’ve all tried hard to observe ‘social distancing’ but still keep in touch and converse with others across the road, over the garden wall etc. Hopefully no one has felt lonely. It would be nice to think that these connections we have made will endure once the pandemic subsides. Name and address supplied
Thanks for your supportThank you to Villagers who kindly took time to clap and support all our key workers and hospital staff over the last two weeks. My husband, who is an Emergency Medicine doctor and Volunteer Ambulance Doctor, was truly humbled by this incredible act. We two are thinking of everyone at this time. May we continue to show resilience and such reserve as a community. Thank you and stay safe. Name and Address supplied
Letter to the EditorI would like to thank Heather and
Will from our village shop for their excellent service delivering food etc to our door step.
I’m sure, in such difficult times as these, lots of others will feel the same as I do.
Many thanks, Pam MasonDaDale Fa
Da
DALE FARM MEATSMOOR ROAD
GREAT LONGSTONE DE45 1UA
Grass fed Highland Beef, Lamb & HoggetReared slowly and naturally
Roasting joints, steaks, stewing cuts, burgers, sausages & more
Free Range Old Spot sausages, bacon and gammon also available
Meat frozen or available to orderWe value local support
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Shooting on the EdgeIf you live in Rowland or Great Longstone you may hear the sound of shotguns being fired up on the Edge. There are a couple of signs just below the beech woods above Rowland that say Danger - Shooting in progress. At one point there was also a sign that said Private Property - No Trespassing and a barbed wire fence; these have since been taken down. This particular area is open access land which means the public can use it for walking, running or watching wildlife. I havealso seen the area littered with shotgun cartridges and it would seem that the shooters are not observing the current regulations regarding staying at home and taking just one hour’s exercise per day.
The photo on the left shows a footpath fingerpost that used to point down the public footpath towards Rowland and back towards Black Harry gate. In an act of vandalism, this post and another one further up the edge have been pulled out and thrown aside. A smaller post has been put in with one finger still pointing towards Rowland and the other pointing in a westerly direction, see photo on the right. They have tried to create a footpath diversion: this required planning consent.
I am not sure what they are shooting up there but it seems quite dangerous to have shooting parties mingling with the public who have a right to roam on access land. The Peak Park are aware of what is happening but as things stand at the moment are unable to visit the site. Andy Hanna
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A few weeks ago, I was walking down towards Dale Farm from the top of Chertpit Lane and I saw a sheep that looked unwell. I was aware a sheep up there had been attacked by a dog four days earlier. The sheep usually run away when approached, but this one was stood still like a statue, with drool coming from the mouth, and I saw it had a gaping wound to the face and neck with blood stained wool.
I contacted Linda and Peter Wood and waited for Peter, who came to collect the sheep immediately. I was able to carry the sheep to the back of Peter’s Land Rover. Peter and Linda were aware the sheep was unwell and had been visiting daily to check it and take water. But the condition had rapidly deteriorated. I asked what had happened with the dog attack. Peter Wood said he had been informed by someone (who wanted to remain anonymous) that they had witnessed the dog attack on the sheep, and confronted the dog owner while out walking. The dog owner, believed to be from Longstone, said they would contact Linda Wood about what had happened. Peter said they were still waiting to hear from anyone.
I followed up on the condition of the sheep a week ago, and sadly Peter informed me that not only did the sheep die from the injuries, but the dog owner never came forward. This is extremely shocking and I am outraged that local dog walkers would be so irresponsible to have loose dogs around livestock and to allow this to happen. The farmer has now lost an animal and the person responsible did not choose to do ‘the right thing’ and confess to the incident. In my mind the worst part is that
Would you do the Right Thing?
the owner appears to be hiding from the reality of the fact their dog is a killer, and isn’t offering to compensate or at least apologise to the farmer.
This is a small community where I would expect people to do the right thing, even if it is not the easiest to do. Please, if anyone has any information about this, come forward. I would urge you to contact Linda Wood or alternatively Under the Edge anonymously so we can keep this community and the farm animals safe. Nick Johnson
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Photography CompetitionThis year’s Photography Competition is going ahead. If we can’t hold it in the village hall we will exhibit the work online. I have got some categories for you, images that can be safely created in your homes and gardens. So have some fun and get shooting!
Categories are:A. Full Bloom B. Garden CreaturesC. Still Life D. Family Portrait
Please share - let’s get lots of people involved in these difficult times. Something positive to think about! Jane Littlefield
Recent events have for me, and for many others, made me evaluate some of the things that I have taken for granted. The opportunity to go far and wide visiting family and friends, the ability to stock my larder without restriction, and the availability of such things as medication, have all come under scrutiny. The list is endless. However, it’s not all doom and gloom and we must cling on to the positives from the current situation.
We are fortunate to live in such a community spirited village. We look after each other and genuinely show concern for our neighbours, irrespective of traumatic events. Thank you to all
those in Great Longstone who support us in many ways.Some of the positives that have come out of this difficult time for me is that I have searched my cupboards and become
more creative in my menus. I am more mindful of ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ dates. For example, my packet 2018 semolina which I might have discarded, has just been turned into a delicious tray of shortbread!
I am also more aware of the cost of ingredients. Six eggs for a sponge cake is extravagant when you could make two cakes and a couple of decent omelettes for the same quantity. So, in the spirit of economy, I give you my recipe for Honey Tea Bread.
8 oz (225g) dried fruit Why not experiment using cranberries, mixed peel, apricots, cherries that may be lurking in your cupboards from Christmas, as well as the usual raisins, sultanas etc
5 fl oz (150ml) cold tea Teapot remains from your last cuppa4 oz (100g) honey Left over from your last cold. If it’s gone solid, just warm it up in a pan to turn it back to liquid8 oz (225g) self-raising flour4 oz (100g) butter But you could use baking margarine instead1 egg You only need the one!!Simply put all your fruit in the cold tea and honey, mix and leave overnight for the fruit to absorb the liquid. Then, fold
the flour into the plump fruit mix, add the beaten egg and beat well until all the ingredients are combined and then finally add the melted butter. Give it all a final stir then place the mixture in a prepared 2lb loaf tin and bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean at 150C/300F or Mark 2. Once it’s gone cold, cut yourself a slice, make a good cup of tea or your favourite beverage, sit back, relax and enjoy!
PS If your dishwasher needs a clean after your baking, fill a cup with white vinegar and place the cup in the top basket of your appliance and run a hot wash. Once the cycle is completed, sprinkle baking powder or bicarbonate of soda (handy for so many cleaning jobs) in the bottom and run another wash cycle and you will end up with a sparkling, odour free dishwasher.
Jane Crossan
Thinking Outside the Store Cupboard
GREAT LONGSTONE PARISH COUNCILThe Annual Parish Council Meeting has
provisionally been moved fromMay 13th to Wednesday 10th June
7.30pm - Great Longstone Village HallThe Annual Parish Meeting will be held later in the year (date to be confirmed)
Open GardensThis will come as no surprise but we will not be able to organise the Open Gardens weekend this year. Irrespective of what happens in connection with the COVID-19 virus, Peter has been confined to home until at least the middle of July and, as his health is vulnerable, Jennifer is self-isolating. Also, we understand that some of those who normally open their gardens are likewise restricted.
Regretfully, with this cancellation and the cancellation of the Flower Festival, the Church and its charities will lose much of its annual income but it is vital that people are protected during this worrying and sad time.
However, as many people have had time to beautify their gardens this year, Sara Barrett has included details of a virtual garden display in this edition of Under The Edge. So do please get your cameras active.
Jennifer and Peter Rowson
Great Longstone Virtual Open Gardens 2020In these exceptional times our gardens have never had so much attention! And they provide so much joy. While we cannot share this with friends and family we are setting up a Virtual Open Gardens on the Great Longstone Community Website at www.greatlongstone.net/Open-Gardens-2020. Unfortunately it will not be possible to run the annual Open Gardens event this year so we hope this can provide an alternative way of sharing an insight to the wonderful array of gardens in the village.
If you would like to ‘share your garden’ you can do this by taking photos and videos that we can post on the Community Website. The aim is to set up separate areas for individual gardens on the website so we can follow your garden through the summer. Please email Sara on [email protected] if you would like to be involved, in order to receive more information around how many photos/videos, how often, and any confidentiality issues.
We look forward to sharing our gardens. Happy gardening and happy snapping! Sara Barrett & Jennifer Rowson
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John Lomas-FletcherPam and family would like to thank everyone for the cards, messages, love and kindness shown after their sad loss. The grand total of donations sent to the RSPCA was £817. A huge thank you to everyone.
The Ralph Rider TrustThe Ralph Rider Trust makes small grants to organisations or individuals in the Monyash and Little Longstone area to help relieve sudden distress or meet a particular need.
Some examples of help given include payment of travelling expenses for hospital visits, convalescent homes, or similar institutions, and assistance towards the supply of tools, equipment and books for further education, instruction or examinations, also grants towards provision of equipment and funds for recreational pursuits or training intended to bring the quality of life of the beneficiaries to a reasonable standard.
A p p l i c a n t s m u s t b e a b l e t o demonstrate evidence of need, although they will not be means tested but must be able to produce receipts, etc. All applications are confidential to the Clerk and Trustees only.
To apply please contact John Caws, 16 Kennedy Court, St Elphin’s Park, Darley Dale DE4 2RT, (01629 736831, or email [email protected]
May Gardening NotesAs I look back to last month’s notes, I was talking about the ground being waterlogged and keeping off the soil. How things have changed! Hardly any rain in the last four weeks and I have managed to plant my potatoes, onions and leeks and sow broad beans, peas, beetroot etc. I have sown quite a few seeds in the greenhouse such as runner beans, courgettes and squash which I will not be able to plant out till all danger of frost is past, say mid-May. Plants such as tomatoes, sweet corn and cucumbers are growing at quite a rate with all the recent sunshine.
I think it was a big mistake to shut down the garden centres as it is the busiest time of year for them and ourselves. Simple distancing and restriction of numbers could have kept them open as gardening has great health and mental wellbeing benefits. I placed an order for compost and plants three days ago and have had no response so far. I have been picking up the odd bags of compost from Aldi and the Co-op but not enough for my needs.
As daffodils and spring flowers die away I have been dead heading, leaving the foliage to die away naturally. I have been splitting up primroses etc for a bigger and better display next spring. Andy Hanna
This soup recipe is truly scrumptious! Serves 4
225g Thai rice noodles1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil1 shallot, chopped2 garlic cloves, chopped1 tbsp ginger, freshly grated500ml chicken stock400ml can cocunut milk400g butternut squash, peeled and cubed1 tbsp Thai red curry paste1 tsp dark brown sugar 450g large raw shrimp, peeled and deveined125g mangetout peas (15 to 20 pods)2 tbsp fresh lime juice1 tbsp fish sauceFresh basil to serve
C o o k n o o d l e s a c c o r d i n g t o packet directions. Meanwhile, heat o i l i n a l a r g e s a u c e p a n ove r
Thai Prawn Noodle Soup
medium high heat. Add shallot and garlic and stir for about a minute,
until fragrant. Add ginger and stir for a further minute. Add chicken stock, coconut milk, butternut squash, curry paste and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until butternut squash is just tender (about 10 to 12 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until opaque. Add mangetout and cook for about a minute, until bright green. Stir in lime juice and fish sauce. Divide noodles into four bowls and top with soup and torn basil leaves.
Jill Thornton
Please, dog walkers, can you please collect your dog faeces on footpaths?
Today whilst exercising our young children (which is akin to dog walking) we came across three different sites on the same track covered in dog dirt! One of these was fresh. During tourist season the paths are littered with little tied bags of dog waste; now it seems the lazy dog owners have gone one step backwards and are not collecting it at all!
Dog waste, like fox waste, is dangerous - in particular to young children who can easily step in or fall onto the mess, especially when it’s left in the middle of the footpath. Today the track up behind Dale Farm was littered in mess.
Name and Address Supplied
An Appeal to Dog Walkers
Sign in Much Wenlock
Bakewell Pet Supplies
Wide range of pet productsFree local delivery
8 Water Street, BakewellTel: 01629 814264
THEOLD EYRE ARMS
HASSOPWood Fired Pizzas
from own Pizza TrailerWine and Real AlesFree Local Delivery
(Minimum Order £15)
Call or text your order to 07788 800215 from the new Online Menu:www.oldeyrearms.co.uk/eat-and-drink/doughology-wood-fired-pizza
Wednesday-Sunday 4-9pm
Now Delivering!
9
Dear Friends,
Local Milk Pasteurised on the farm
& Unhomogenised
Free Range Eggs Yoghurt
The Dairy, Church Lane Farm, Great Longstone
9am–12noon Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 9am–3pm Monday & Wednesday
We are a small, friendly and independent pre-school for children from 2 to school age.
Our focus is on learning through play in a stimulating and safe environment.
High staff:child ratios Ofsted rating: Good
( 01629 640842www.greatlongstonepreschool.org.uk
(Derbyshire) Ltd.
• Quality, purpose made joinery• Doors, windows, fitted furnishings• Made to measure• Traditional & contemporary• Range of woods and finishes• Estimate on request
01629 813633 / 07835 [email protected], DE45 1NW
So much seems to have happened since I wrote my last letter for UTE! Between last month’s deadline to get submissions in and the present one we have seen the introduction of the lockdown measures that have radically changed the way we live our everyday lives. As we all know, we now have to adjust to a completely new situation.
I’m finding that I have had to do this as your Vicar. I like to be as visible as I possibly can within our communities, but, for very necessary reasons, this is now impossible. I would, however, like to repeat what I wrote in last month’s letter. If you think that I can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me either by phone or e-mail.
So, yes, I have to adjust to new ways of being a Vicar! I now need to do morning and evening prayer at home, not in church. Pastoral ministry is currently done via the good old phone, not by any house visiting. A regular weekly Newsletter containing the Sunday Bible readings together with prayers now gets sent out by email weekly so as to maintain contact with church members. These are some of the changes that I have had to make. I am acutely aware that you have had to make so many more.
With all change goes an inevitable sense of loss, yet I’m discovering that embracing the new does open up exciting possibilities. I believe my prayer l i fe , without being sanctimoniously pious, has widened and deepened. In some strange way I feel more connected than ever to the community and my daily walk in the countryside has, I hope, brought me so much closer to the goodness of God’s creation. I’m finding holding on to all the goodness around us vitally important as we go through this awful pandemic so destructive of life.
It was so good to join in with others on Thursday evenings to clap and make a noise as a way of thanking and supporting our NHS and key care workers. I joined the whistles, horn blowing and other sounds by doing a bit of hand bell ringing on the Vicarage doorstep. This was something completely new for me and I have to say good fun it was too!!!
Thinking of you all at this time,JamesIf you aren’t receiving a church
newsletter but would like to, please email [email protected] and I can arrange for a copy to be sent to you.
Pam died at Chesterfield Royal Hospital on Saturday 14th March aged 81. The Vicar led a private funeral service for the family on Wednesday 8th April at Chesterfield Crematorium.
Pam was born in Acton, London and was involved firstly with St. Thomas’s, Bromyard Road and then St Mary’s, Acton High Street where her grandfather was churchwarden. She sang in the choir there and was a member of the PCC, becoming very knowledgeable on Church affairs. She was also a keen Girl Guide and became a Queen’s Guide. She was also a leader of the group in Acton. Pam moved here in 1998 and immediately became involved with St Giles, joining the choir, and always did the window by the vestry door for the flower festival.
Pam did the jottings in UTE on church affairs for many years which were always an enjoyable read. When she became unable to walk very far there were a few people who would take her shopping to Bakewell or Ashford and occasionally to Chatsworth Farm Shop. These were always enjoyable and good for a laugh. Pam was a bit of a character and will be sorely missed by all who knew her.
Our thoughts and prayers go to all of Pam’s family in their sad loss. A service of thanksgiving for Pam’s life will take place in St. Giles when this becomes possible.
COVID-19The Church continues to be alive and active, but our buildings must remain closed. Government guidelines say that we must distance ourselves from one another and prevent the spread of infection in order to save lives.
Therefore, as well as public worship being suspended, all church buildings in the Church of England must remain closed. Our worship of God and our care for each other continue but, for now, cannot be done in this building.
You can find local online services at derby.anglican.org/streams and there are prayer resources to be found at www.churchofengland.org
Instead of ringing the church bell on Sundays, I shall be praying for the villages from the Vicarage at 11am and 6.30pm - the times when we would normally hold services in St Giles.
Keep safe everyone, we shall be praying for the village.
James Croft, Vicar (01629 640257
Pam Smith 1938-2020
10
The
Innrispin
• Bar open all day Sat & Sun• A Robinson ‘Gold Award’ Pub
•
• LargefunctionroomavailableF.O.C• Ramblers,Children&Dogsallwelcome• CoachPartiescateredforbyappointment• OpenFire&BeerGarden
•
Traditional Village pub servinghearty, home-cooked foodlunchtimes and evenings
FOOD HYGIENE RATING
0 1 2 3 4 5VERY GOOD
2018
The Crispin Inn, Main Street, Great Longstone, Bakewell DE45 1TZ Open 7 Days
The Crispin Inn was awarded a Food Hygiene rating of 5 (Very Good) by Derbyshire Dales District Council
The Crispin Inn, Main St. Great Longstone DE45 1TZ
Tel: 01629 640237 www.thecrispingreatlongstone.co.uk
Great Longstone
May in the GardenSt. Giles Great Longstone& Church of the Good Shepherd, Wardlow
Great Longstone Methodist ChapelAll Saints Roman
Catholic Church, Hassop
Restaurant,Bar&CourtyardSeasonal,FreshlyCookedFood Cocktails,FineWines&CraftAles.PrivateDining
www.themerchantsyard.com Tideswell SK17 8NY 01298 872442A division of the Markovitz Group
All public worship has been suspended because of the
coronavirus outbreak
Lawns: Apply lawn fertiliser and continue regular mowing, apply fungicides fordisease control and weed killing.Roses: Spray with Roseclear or similar product to control pests and diseases.Herbaceous plants: Control weeds by hoeing between plants, stake tall plants such as delphiniums and water newly planted beds.Dahlias: Plant out young plants when danger of frost has passed, stake and label each plant.Chrysanthemums: Plant out flowering varieties in garden, also pom-poms. Scatter slug bait.Sweet peas: Hoe around plants, mulch in dry weather. Tie in cordons as they grow.Flowers from seed:Make sowings of hardy and half hardy annuals when risk of frost has passed. Sow hardy biennials in drills in nursery bed.Trees and shrubs: Plant out shrubs that are tender when young (fuchsia, arbutus, choisys and hydrangeas) and keep watered until well established. Cut off dead flowers and thin out shoots that are weak from shrubs that have finished flowering. Remove dead wood and thin shoots from forsythias to keep in shape.Fruit: Control pests when seen. Feed and water all fruit when fruit is swelling. Tie up new shoots on blackberries and loganberries. Control weeds around trees and bushes in the cultivated ground. Protect strawberry fruit with straw andscatter slug bait.Vegetables: Cover potatoes if frost is forecast. Prepare site for sowing marrows. Make sowings of summer spinach, salad crops, beetroot and French beans.General tasks: Spray roses, fruit bushes and broad beans weekly against aphids and caterpillars. Apply liquid feeds or dress with fast-acting fertiliser and water in.
The Packhorse InnLittle Longstone
David and Lorraine welcome you to The Packhorse.
Small parties catered for! Excellent hand-pulled ales and quality home cooked food are
available from 12 – 3.00pm and 6-9.00pm daily. Quiz night on
Thursday with ‘A Bingo Twist’ at 9.00pm with proceeds going to
Air Ambulance.Children, dogs and walkers are all welcome in the pub and beer
garden.Telephone 01629 640471
St Giles Church, Great LongstoneBecause of the risk of Coronavirus
Messy Church will be suspendeduntil further notice
Taz’s BabysittingService
Great Longstone basedReferences available
07397 995789 01629 640539
teve Walton Electrical Qualified Domestic Electrician
• Light fittings to complete rewires• All work Fully guaranteed• No job too small • Efficient and Reliable• PAT tests• Landlord Certificates• Home Buyer Reports
Hathersage 07766 557691 [email protected]
www.stevewaltonelectrical.co.uk
11
What’s On10th June - GL Annual Parish Council meeting, GL Village Hall, 7.30pm
Please note this date may be subject to change
MATHEMATICSTUITION
Available from a PGCE Qualified, registered Teacher.
Extensively experienced with adults and children of any age and level,
KS2 – A Level
Very competitive rates
Phone 01629 640671 or 07803 127337. Email:
Cox ContractorsProperty Services
Est. 1987• Property and Building maintenance• Garden Maintenance • Landscaping• Walls, Paths, Paving, Fencing• High Pressure Jet Washing• Drainage Work• Digger & Crusher Hire• Top Soil & Type one Supplied
01629 640340
07743 199853
Bakewell Medical Centrewww.bakewellmedicalcentre.co.uk
Telephone: 01629 816636Normal Surgery Opening Times: Mon Thurs Fri 8am - 6.30pm Tues 8am - 8.00pm Wed 7am - 6.30pm
We do not close for lunchClosed: Bank Holidays from1.30pmWhitworth Hospital Opening Times: A&E (Minor Injuries Unit): 8am - 10pmX-Ray: Mon 9am - 5pm Tue-Fri 9am - 12.30pm
For medical advice when the surgery is closed, phone 111
‘Patient Access’: If you have access to a computer you can register to use ‘Patient Access’ to book GP appointments and order repeat medications on-line. Please ask at reception for registration details.IF YOU ARE ALREADY REGISTERED YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE APP TO USE FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE OR TABLET DEVICE.Credit/Debit Cards: We accept payments via cards as well as cash.
Baslow Health Centre www.baslowhealthcentre.co.uk
Normal Surgery Opening Times: Mon Tues Thurs Fri 8am - 6.30pm Wed 7.30am - 6.30pmPhones: Mon-Fri 8am – 6.30pmClosed: Bank Holidays: Friday 8th May Monday 25th May Wednesday afternoons: 13th May 10th JuneTelephone Numbers: Reception 01246 582216 District Nursing Team 01332 564900 Health Visitor 01629 816633 Dispensary 01246 582366 Surgery Fax 01246 583867Dispensary line open 12 noon – 1pm 2pm – 3pmPPG (Patient Participation Group): To be kept up to date and have the opportunity to express your views please consider joining Baslow’s PPG. Contact Keith Maslen on [email protected] or call 01246 582274
For Urgent Calls when the surgery is closed, phone 111
A Note From The EditorThank you to everyone who submits material for publication and especially regular contributors. Enquiries and submissions should be sent to:[email protected] include your name and contact details. The deadline for copy for the next issue is 5pm on:
Thursday 21st MayPhotos should preferably be at least 1MB (1000x1000 pixels) and in colour.Printed photos should be scanned at 300 or 600 dpi. We can scan material if you do not have access to a scanner.The editors and management committee do not necessarily endorse opinions expressed in articles and adverts.Subscriptions are available - contact [email protected] address for those without access to email:
c/o The Vicarage, Church Lane, Great Longstone, Bakewell,
Derbyshire, DE45 1TB
DefibrillatorsGreat Longstone
Main Street, in phone box by bus shelter opposite Longstone School. Recreation ground, on Cricket Club tea hut.
Little LongstoneMain Street, in telephone box opposite the Packhorse Inn.
Longstone Business ParkAt entrance, next to barrier, on Tilly Studios building.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, all events and regular meetings previously advertised in UTE have been cancelled
Plumbing andHeating Services LtdTel: 01298 872278
Mobile: 07831 242826
A.WILLIAMS
No. 39143
J. W. & J. METTAMLIMITED
Independent FamilyFuneral Directors since 1899
Ambrose House, Granby Croft,
Bakewell DE45 1ET
Tel: (01629 812114)
J.M. Rowland Decorating
& Joinery
Tel: 01629 640021 Mob: 07976 967798
12
A Happier Eastertide
With churches closed this Easter for the first time for over 800 years, this display of Easter lilies from last year is a reminder of happier times. The closure from 1208 to 1213 was due to a spat between Pope Innocent III and King John. Narcissi and daffodils herald Spring in a Longstone garden
Spring Waits for No Man
Longstone salutes the NHS and all Carers and Key Workers
Residents of Station Road applauding the NHS, carers and key workers on Thursday. Some are having to self-isolate for 12 weeks
I have always used the village shop and we need it more than ever now.
Here’s a big shout out to Heather (not forgetting Will and Julia Morgan for bagging flour, and Gavin and family for delivering!). She is a total star, always with a smile on her face, offering deliveries to those isolating.
Thanks, Heather, from all of us.Lorna Cooper
Thanks, Heather!
Two of many rainbow images now adorning the village
Spread Hope!Back to the Future
A deserted Monsal Trail after the controversial Derbyshire Police drone footage, as it often
used to look ten years ago.
