EVENT REPORTS

2024/23

 

END

Food and Farming Day for Primary School Children at the Hertfordshire Showground -

Organised by the Hertfordshire Agricultural Society who have been running the County Show for 136 years. The event targeted year 6 Primary School Children (10 & 11 yr olds) with one Harpenden school, Manland Primary in attendance alongside 1000+ pupils from Hertfordshire Primary Schools. 












The focus of the day was to promote the original ‘Field to Fork’ story. However, we aim to ‘flip’ the story and start with food and work backwards, showcasing all the different foods within the ‘Eat Well Plate’ of Fruit & Vegetables; Potatoes, Bread and other Carbohydrates; Beans, Fish, Meat and other Proteins; Dairy and alternatives and Oils.




















All exhibits offered an interactive experience. 2 local foodies; (below) Theo Michaels (chef, TV presenter and award-winning author) and Katharine Tate AKA The Food Teacher (teacher, Registered Nutritional Therapist and award-winning author) were both involved in the day. Katharine explained, 'The day was fantastic talking with the pupils about where our food comes from. My session was supported by itsu so I talked about Asian food and climate differences around the world with seaweed, prawn cracker and rice cake food tastings, which the children loved. A memorable day for all the children."













In addition to the marquees there was machinery, livestock and various demonstrations. The school children and teachers moved around the various exhibits with additional stewards available who will have farming knowledge that could answer questions or give a more in-depth commentary on a certain area.


Next year the event will take place on Tuesday 2nd July for any local schools that might be interested.

Please see a link for Herts County Council

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7083004576844402688

SUNDAY  24TH MARCH EASTERN REGION WOMEN'S FOOTBALL LEAGUE NORTH DIVISION.

HARPENDEN TOWN WOMEN       5       THETFORD TOWN WOMEN       2       HT 4-0.


The Harpenden Town Women completed the league double over Thetford Town Women with a 5-2 victory at home but it could or should have been more as they raced into a 5-0 lead after only forty nine minutes play but as the second half went on Harps took their foot off the gas and this allowed the visitors to came back into the match and pull two goals back. 















   After only two minutes play saw the Harps take the lead when Rebecca McShane and Erin Shacklock combined with the latter supplying the pass to NATLIE CLOY who buried the ball into the back of the net past Amber Browne the Thetford custodian. (Tezza missed this one because as usual he was taking money on the gate).  The Harps then had to wait another seventeen minutes before they scored a second goal and it came about when Rebecca McShane with a neat pass found SOPHIA AMANOR who after holding off a defender saw her shoot low into the far right corner past Browne to make it 2-0. On 28 minutes it became 3-0 when this time it was Chloe Dinsey who sent SOPHIA AMANOR away whereupon she drilled the ball low into the back of the net via the foot of the far upright, 














Rebecca McShane then had two chances to add to the score with her first being a header going just over following a great ball in from Kacee Warren from the right wing whilst her second was a fine shot that flew just wide of the near post. On thirty seven minutes it became 4-0 when Rebecca McShane played the ball through the middle of the Thetford back line for SOPHIA AMANOR to run onto and promptly hit the ball low past Amber Browne to complete her 

hat-trick. Next up Jaime Curtain tried her luck and she saw her well struck effort saved by Browne and then Rebecca McShane from just outside the box hit a sizzling strike that had goal written all over it but Amber Browne thought otherwise whereupon she pulled off a tremendous save by pushing the ball over the bar and this was the last action of the first half.

















The second period was only a few seconds old and Amanor nearly added to the scoreline but her curling shot flew just wide of the far post with Browne rooted to her line. On 49 minutes it did become 5-0 when SOPHIA AMANOR latched onto a loose ball just inside the box whereupon raced towards the goal and from an acute angle she hit a low drive across the face of the goal and into the back of the net via the inside of the far upright, this was Sophia Amanor's fourth goal of the match which now takes her tally to 42 for the season. 

After a few minutes saw Thetford pull a goal back when Kamile OMELEVICLUTE went on a solo run whereupon once in the box saw lob the ball over the advancing Sophie Harris to make it 5-1 whilst at the other end a curling corner kick from Belle Shannon saw the ball nearly creep in under the bar at the far post but Amber Browne reacted quickly to punch the ball clear. It then became 5-2 when Megan HAYNES saw Harris well off her line and so HAYNES hit the ball over her head and into the back of the net to pull the goal difference to three now. For the Harps saw Belle Shannon have a free kick saved whilst Rebecca McShane fired in an effort that went close and then following a corner kick by Shannon saw Lucie Kirby head the ball just over the crossbar. Sophia Amanor played a neat ball to Jaime Curtain and her low strike flew just wide and then Amanor set up Lucie Kirby whose effort was pushed around the far upright by a good save from Amber Browne. 



















For Thetford saw Kamile Omeleviclute fire in a well struck free kick which Sophie Harris did well to get down to and push the ball around the far upright. Then at the other end Lucie Kirby found the back of the net from close range after Amanor had squared the ball across but it was disallowed for offside(but only just). Then Lucie Kirby had even more bad luck when seeing Browne well off her line and Kirby hit the ball goalwards from 25 yards but alas it struck the upright and rebounded back out and was cleared. What a goal that would have been!. Player of the match was Belle Shannon whilst Sophia Amanor was voted player of the match by the Thetford squad. For Thetford the title of player of the match by the Harpenden Town Women went to their keeper Amber Browne.



Squad: Harris, Warren, Shacklock, Hrisimova, Dowdall, Dinsey, McShane, Shannon, Amanor, Cloy, Curtain, Ayres, Kirby, Jones(all played). 

The Harpenden Town Women FC would like to wish everyone to have a very Happy Easter.



NEXT FIXTURE AT HOME IS ON SUNDAY THE 4TH APRIL AGAINST HISTON LADIES FC  AT HARPENDEN TOWN FC KICK-OFF 2PM. ADMISSION ADULTS £4, CONCESSIONS £2.   COME ALONG AND SUPPORT THE HARPENDEN TOWN WOMEN.


Report by Terry Edwards.

Richard Nichols delivering the Chair’s statement

‘Time running out for finalising Local Plan’, says councillor

Without the submission, in an acceptable form of a local plan for St Albans City and District before the middle of next year, protection of key areas of the Green Belt against housing development might well be lost. The warning came from District and County Councillor Paul de Kort, addressing a public  meeting last week hosted by the Harpenden Society at the town’s Katherine Warington School.











   







Cllr de Kort pointed out that although a recent statement by Secretary of State Michael Gove had indicated a move away from mandatory to ‘advisory’ house building targets, it was clear that the requirement for SADC to sanction the building of just over 15,000 new homes between now and 2041, would not necessarily be eased. And, in answer to a question from the audience, he acknowledged that the outcome of the General Election later this year added a further element of uncertainty.


    Although the council was keen to make maximum use of so-called ‘brownfield’ sites in the District, surveys had shown that they could accommodate only around 900 dwellings.  It meant that land had therefore to be made available elsewhere for building about 11,000 more homes, which implied sacrificing Green Belt.  


    In an ARUP group survey commissioned last year by SADC, the practicality and extent of some Green Belt development applications was questioned. Cllr de Kort cited the L&G group’s wish to build around 550 homes on Green Belt land north of Bloomfield Road, Harpenden. It contrasted starkly with the figure of just 293 homes calculated by ARUP and influenced especially by the distance of the site from the town centre and consequent transport implications.



Paul de Kort commented: “Putting together a local plan is a complex activity for any local authority. The particular circumstances of St Albans District mutiply the challenge. I hope my presentation and responses to the audience's questions provided more clarity on the local context, the progress made to date and what remaining uncertainties there are to be resolved. Very recent ministerial statements appear to allow for greater consideration of specific local pressures and I welcomed that during the evening. It is something that we have been demanding for a long time."


A record breaking attendance of over 140 including many non members of the Harpenden Society were present filling the school hall for almost two hours. The full slide presentation can be seen on the Harpenden Society web site. www.harpendensociety.org

Feb 1st. HARPENDEN RAILWAY STATION EASTERN CAR PARK  PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT.


New Homes; New Plaza. New Multi Storey Car Park, wider entrance road; New Biking set up.

As seen at the EMC exhibition by Solum, in association with Network Rail and Kier Construction

There would be two residential blocks of 50 eco friendly apartments, ( some affordable) each with their own parking. These being on a ‘brownfield site’ so no loss of greenbelt.


A Station Plaza for passenger drop off and collection. Ticket machines.


A multi storey car park  for 450 vehicles, with some EV charge points


Dedicated, safer waking and cycling connection

Simplified vehicular access


Go to the Solum web site to give your views.

www.solumharpenden.co.uk