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Benefit from free membership of Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust...Keeping healthy with advice for all the family...latest news...finding your way round the NHS

Sign up as a member of Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust – and make the Trust more accountable to local people and better able to listen to local views.

As a member you will be able to help shape the future of community health services here in Hertfordshire. 

You can be involved as little or as much as you'd like, and in a variety of different ways. You may just want to receive updates about what the Trust is doing, through our members’ magazine and our website. Or you may want to come along to local meetings and focus groups, or take part in surveys and questionnaires.

A good recent example of how HCT members and the public contributed to a Trust revision of a proposal was in Tring. We had planned to move three services which were held once-a-week at Tring Clinic to nearby Berkhamsted. After seeking and listening to the views of local people, the Trust agreed to change its plans and will continue to provide all the services in Tring - Children’s Eye Care and Children’s Speech and Language Therapy at Rothschild House Surgery and the Lymphoedema Nurse will visit local patients in their own homes.

As a member you'll be able to: keep up to date on Trust news; attend our Board meetings and AGM; receive discounts from a range of high street stores and have a say in the future of community NHS services in your area.

Joining is free - just complete the online application form.

Membership entitles you to sign up to www.healthservicediscounts.com. The benefits are really too numerous to list, but there are discounts available for travel, shopping, insurance, finance, mobiles, motoring to name but a few. Presently (March) there is a an offer of up 30% on all Hotpoint

home appliances. There is a 7% discount of cottage breaks booked through Cottages.com. There is a 5% cashback deal with Argos.

Picture Framer Drew Wilson offers

his ‘Easy Guide To Picture Glass’

Here at A&K Wilson Picture Framers we believe it

is really important to advise our clients on the best

choice of glass for their artwork, both from a clarity

of viewing perspective and also increasingly from a

conservation and protection perspective.

 

A little bit about nasty Ultra Violet Light…..

All light sources emit harmful UV light rays. Sunlight and indoor lighting, such as fluorescent and tungsten, contain different amounts of UV energy that can cause irreversible damage to artwork. Colours may fade and shift and the materials that make up the piece may become brittle.

 

Back in 1988 when I first started framing in Harpenden it was an easy choice, either normal glass or nasty ‘toilet window’ style non-reflective glass. But my-oh-my how things have moved on and we now have multiple options, but please don’t panic,

here is my easy guide to picture framing glass….

 

The first thing you need to know is that in terms of appearance there are only 3 kinds of picture glass:

 

• Standard clear glass (glossy)
• Diffused-reflection glass (matt)
• Low reflectance glass (almost invisible)

 

After you’ve decided which of these you’d like its easy because they all come in glass or plastic versions and all three can be bought with or without UV filtering.

 

“Simples”!…, however for the scientifically minded amongst you here is a little more detail and our menu of ‘good’ ‘better’ and ‘best’ glass options.

 

Float Glass

Top Quality 2mm Float Glass: keenly priced

and great for general work, but can be quite

reflective (glossy) and has a slight green cast.

Ever popular and still used for the majority of

our framing.

Diffused Reflection Glass

Diffused Reflection Glass: ‘matt’ often called

‘non-reflective’, is a glass which is acid etched

on one side to give a non glare, diffused finish.

It isn't suitable for deep box framing or multi layered

mounts over 3mm. Useful where bad glare and

harsh lighting conditions are a problem.

Anti-Reflective Glass

Anti-Reflective Glass: Tru Vue Water White AR

Reflection-Free® glass offers amazing clarity,

but does not provide Conservation Grade UV

Protection. It allows over 97% light transmission

and reduces reflections to less than 1%.
Deeply framed artwork, such as multiple-mount

and box frames, require reflection-free viewing.

Tru Vue meets this need using a manufacturing

process called 'magnetron sputtering'. This

advanced technology deposits precisely controlled

layers of highly energized metal oxides onto an Extra Clear lower iron substrate. The result is consistent, durable quality and the most attractive display for artwork.Provides the highest brightness and contrast levels available. Good in the controlled lighting conditions for which it is intended, but where bad glare and harsh lighting is the problem it’s better to use diffused reflection glass

Conservation Clear Glass

Conservation Clear: Float Glass (glossy) with

Conservation Grade UV Protection
Conservation Clear® picture framing glass offers

the highest level of UV protection. Over time

exposure to indoor and outdoor UV light rays can

contribute to fading and deterioration of art,

photographs and other important personal

keepsakes. Conservation Clear glass effectively

blocks up to 99% of UV light rays to protect against

fading and help keep framed pieces brighter, longer.

Use where reflection free viewing is not essential.

Anti-Reflective AND Conservation Grade UV Protection

Museum Glass® anti-reflection picture framing

glass with Conservation Grade UV Protection

is the best glazing option available for art,

photographs and other important personal

keepsakes. Along with its nearly invisible finish,

it effectively blocks up to 99% of harmful indoor

and outdoor UV light rays so framed pieces

remain clearer and brighter for longer. Less than

1% light reflection, this is the lowest possible

reflection rating available with UV protection.

Optical coating gives optical clarity for true colour transmission and the greatest colour neutrality. Finally Over 97% light transmission provides the highest brightness and contrast levels available.

Plastic Glazing

Acrylic & Styrene Plastic Glazing: Clear cast

acrylic is a good quality, lightweight and

shatter-resistant glazing material. Ideal for

larger frames or where safety is a

consideration. Styrene is useful for smaller jobs,

but can have issues of static and scratching.

 

Phew, so there you have it, all the many and various glazing options that we offer, but don’t get ‘analysis paralysis’ we are always on hand to advise.

A & K Wilson Picture Framers, 11 Station Approach, Harpenden AL5 4SP

Phone:01582 760824

Harpenden Common wins tenth Green Flag Award

Harpenden Common has been named one of the best green spaces in Britain and awarded the prestigious Green Flag Award for the 10th year in a row. The Green Flag Award is a benchmark of excellence for recreational green areas that takes into account management standards, cleanliness, sustainability, accessibility and community involvement.

The Common is among a record-breaking 1,686 parks and green spaces across the UK that have been given the award this year.

The Common is a unique resource in Harpenden and Hertfordshire; a place where people are able to enjoy walks, golf, football and cricket all within a beautiful landscape that supports wildlife of county importance. Harpenden Common is a County Wildlife Site in recognition of its locally rare acid grassland plants and for the diversity of its wildlife habitats. As such, it demands a particular management approach to protect its natural heritage and maximise benefit for wildlife.

Chairman of the Harpenden Town Council Environment Committee, Councillor Brian Ellis, said, “I am delighted that we have won our tenth consecutive Green Flag. This is the result of excellent partnership working and recognises all of the hard work and commitment that goes into looking after our beautiful common. On behalf of the Town Council, I would like to thank all the council officers, contractors, conservation volunteers, sports clubs and the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust for helping to maintain and manage the Common to such a high standard”.

Exciting plans to transform Harpenden’s Sport, Leisure and Entertainment Facilities

As a priority project for 2016-17, St Albans City and District Council is looking at the best way of redeveloping and improving the Harpenden’s leisure and cultural facilities to meet the needs of a growing population. The facilities being reviewed are Harpenden Swimming Pool, Harpenden Sports Centre and Harpenden Public Halls.

The Sports Centre and Swimming Pool complex in Rothamsted Park is outdated and not large enough to cope with current demand. The Harpenden Public Halls are in a poor state of repair both internally and externally.

Sports, the arts and heritage are not Local Council statutory services, so austerity measures mean improvement funding has to be applied for via Lottery Grants or projects require a good business case to generate income.  The good news is the Council has just completed a feasibility study and feel the project is viable. 

A Public Consultation will soon be announced so residents will have the opportunity to view concept designs and have their say.  The aim is to open a new Harpenden Leisure Centre by December 2018 and a new Harpenden Arts and Cultural Centre a year later.

Cllr Annie Brewster, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Sports, Leisure and

Heritage, said: “The council is committed to providing affordable sports, arts and cultural facilities in modern environments for residents to enjoy. So far, we have delivered three new developments: Westminster Lodge Leisure Centre, Batchwood Sports Centre and Cotlandswick Leisure Centre and we are currently raising funds to create a new City and District Museum and Art Gallery in the Grade II* Listed St Albans Town Hall. As part of this strategy, we are now exploring an exciting opportunity to transform our facilities in Harpenden.”

April Blue receive NMG award following the release of their debut album Pop Girls Etc

Hemel-based R&B/Rock band April Blue are celebrating yet another victory as they won 'Best Pop Artist' at the 2016 NMG awards on Friday. The ceremony, held at Cambridge's West Road Concert Hall, is an initiative which celebrates the talent and achievements of artists in and around Cambridgeshire. Founder Tim Willett said of this, the NMG's fourth ceremony: “The talent on stage tonight is better than ever and I’m confident many of the artists will reach the national stage”.

Having grown up in and around the Harpenden and St Albans area, April Blue have toured the country, frequenting venues in Cambridge including Tim Willett's Cambridge 105 radio show. The band have had an impressive year with two single launches, at Watford's LP Cafe and St Albans' Empire Records store, and the release of their debut album Pop Girls Etc on June 4th to critical acclaim. The lead single 'Valentine' was named 'track of the week' on BBC Introducing in May, and played out all week on BBC Three Counties Radio.

Last weekend's NMG award has continued their run of success, and recognised the quality of their work. "It is humbling to be in a room full of so many talented people, and to have won this category is a real honour" said lead singer Ozz LP as the band accepted the award. "Despite playing regularly in the county we are somewhat outsiders of the Cambridge scene, so it was a privilege to have even been nominated within such a thriving community" bassist Ian Morcher added.

HARPENDEN START THE NEW YEAR ON TOP

Harpenden Town knocked in five to beat Hatfield in a dramatic match and start the New Year at the top of the Spartan South Midlands League Div. 1.

Harps started strongly and after 15 minutes went head when Sam James picked up a loose ball on the edge on the box and curled it into the corner of the goal.

But Hatfield came back , hitting the post two minutes later. Their No 10 picked up the rebound heading down into the net for 1-1.

Harpenden pressured continuously for the rest of the half but couldn't score again before half time.

Charlie Gould hit  the post with a header on the restart then on 55 minutes Sam James started a slick move by crossing to Frankie Jowle inside the box who slid it on to Harry Hunt who side footed the ball past the keeper for 2-1.

There was drama when a linesman needed treatment then couldn't continue so Harpenden committee member Ray Collins, a qualified ref, volunteered to run the line and the match thankfully continued.

After 71 minutes Charlie Gould picked up the ball in midfield and with his pace beat the whole defence and carefully placed the ball into the side-netting for a superb solo goal for 3-1.

The fourth came when Gould, having a great game, ran close to the by-line then passed back to Jowle who slotted home.

Finally on 82 minutes Hunt charging forward had a fierce shot saved by Hatfield's goalie. Jowle picked up the rebound on the right and curled the ball past the keeper and into the net for 5-1.

The drama still wasn't over as Hatfield won a penalty which was saved by Connor Sanson who duly got booked for an unsporting celebration.

Manager Danny Plumb said:"We created lots of chances and eventually wore down the opposition by totally dominating the second half.

" It was a good all round performance so looking forward to  Baldock who we play away on January 2."

Harpenden still lead the league on 51 points half-way through the season with Biggleswade on the same points with an inferior goal difference but two games in hand and then Baldock in third on 43 points but crucially four games in hand.