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Give Jamie a place to play Parents' plea for help to build decking for terminally ill
THE PARENTS of a five-year-old boy, who may have just years to live, are appealing for help to build him a safe play area in their garden.
Jamie Hodgson is disabled and his parents do not know how long he will live.
Something as simple as playing in the garden is impossible for the youngster, and parents Christine and Eddie need help to create a special play area with decking and fencing.
Easy access to their garden in Meadow Close, Tring would mean Jamie could use his special walking frame, which works to strengthen his back and legs, in the hope that one day he will be able to walk alone.
Mum Christine said: “Because he is life-limited we want him to enjoy as much of his life as possible and be able to go out in the garden when he wants to.
“The doctors hope he will live to his teenage years, but we just don't know. We take each day as it comes.
“When we came home with him nearly five years ago they said we would be lucky to have a few weeks with him.
“This play area will mean he can go out and lead a normal life with the rest of the family when we go into the garden in the summer.”
When Jamie was six months-old he suffered two massive cardiac arrests and organ failure because of a blockage in his pulmonary vein. He suffers from congenital heart disease, only one of his lungs functions properly and he has to use nebulisers to keep his airways open.
Jamie's condition means he is still only able to eat solids suitable for a four-month-old baby and he is mainly fed through a tube leading into his stomach.
The family makes regular trips to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Jamie's check-ups. He has spent much of his life in hospital and has to take a cocktail of drugs several times a day. During the last five years Christine and Eddie have had to plan their son's funeral on three separate occasions at times when he has been critically ill in hospital.
Christine said: “There is a lot of pressure all of the time, to know we have got a child, but we don't know how long for. It is heartbreaking.”
Despite his ill health, Jamie has overcome the odds and goes to Dundale School in Tring four days a week.
Christine said: “We have all been to hell and back, but he is such a brave little boy. He is such a fighter when you look at him you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with him because he is always smiling.”
The garden at their Tring home is uneven making it impossible for Jamie to use his walking frame, which means he cannot play outside with his big sister Jodie.
The family needs a decking area with fencing to make it safe for Jamie to join them in the garden this summer.
Quotes from landscape gardeners have estimated the cost of the work at about £2,700. The family is unable to afford the cost themselves, because dad Eddie cannot work due to illness and looking after Jamie is a full-time job for Christine.
An application for a grant from Dacorum Borough Council was unsuccessful.
The Hodgson family is appealing for donations towards the cost of the work or for a gardener who can do the work free of charge to come forward.
If you can help call Christine on 01442 890907.
Tring official Poll among those being put up at Neu-Isenburg Twin town hosts refs for the World Cup
IN HEMEL Hempstead's German twin town Neu-Isenburg, some of the most talented names in football have been preparing for the 2006 World Cup.
The town's FIFA training centres haven't been used by any high-profile players however, only the world's best referees.
The town near Frankfurt has been picked as both a pre-tournament training centre for match officials and the base for referees and linesmen during this summer's tournament.
FIFA chiefs have for months been putting the world's best men and women in black through their paces with endless rounds of physical and mental tests.
Around 80 international applicants have been assessed on their fitness and knowledge of the game, and in March the final squad of 23 referees - including Tring resident Graham Poll - was announced by FIFA.
The international football organisation has also announced changes to refereeing for the 2006 World Cup including the use of refereeing trios from the same country to
officiate games and the possible use of radios for communication
between officials.
According to FIFA chiefs, there will be no 'goaline' technology to aid referees at this summer's tournament, despite some success using microchips in footballs during international youth competitions in 2005.
The International Football Association Board, made up of FIFA bosses and British football chiefs, has also called for tougher refereeing at this summer's World Cup to clamp down on diving, time-wasting, elbowing and serious foul play.
Referees and other match officials are set to stay at FIFA bases in
Neu-Isenburg during the tournament, with easy access to games across Germany provided via Frankfurt airport.
Firemen free driver after A41 crash
A WOMAN from Tring was injured when her car careered onto the grass embankment of the A41 bypass, before rolling back into the road and landing on its wheels.
The accident happened at around 5.15pm on Wednesday (May 3), when a green Renault Megan clipped the central reservation of the A41 between Hemel Hempstead and Watford.
The driver, who remained fully conscious throughout, was removed from the car with the help of fire crews. She was taken by ambulance to Hemel Hempstead Hospital with a suspected broken collar bone, said police. No other car was involved.
Teenager burnt
at bonfire party
Police issue warning as group had been drinking
ATEENAGER was left with bad facial burns when a bonfire party, fuelled with alcohol, went tragically wrong.
The accident took place in the early hours of Sunday, April 30, in Tring Park, when a group of 50 youngsters were having a bonfire to celebrate a 16th birthday party.
The 15-year-old was taken to Stoke Mandeville Hospital after petrol was thrown onto the open fire, catching the young man's face in the process and causing burn injuries to his face and neck.
Sgt Cath Hart, from Dacorum's Community Safety Team, said: “These young people were meant to be celebrating a 16th birthday, but sadly the celebration resulted in this tragic accident.
“There was evidence of a lot of alcohol being consumed by this group and it highlights the fact that alcohol and young people do not mix in an unsupervised environment.
“We want to send out a strong message to parents that the unsupervised use of
alcohol by young people increases the risk of harm to their children – be it from injury and accidents; being victims of or committing crime; risk to their health; or the risk of uninvited or unintended sexual contact.
“We are urging parents to make sure that their children are supervised in any responsible drinking that may occur,” she added.
Det Insp Mike Trotman, of the Area Crime Unit, said that the police were satisfied the incident was accidental.
He also asked anyone who was aware of ways in which young people were getting access to alcohol underage, to contact the Community Safety Team on 01442 271603.
The young man has since been released from hospital and has to go back for check- ups but is recovering well at home.
Walk back to yesteryear
TRING Mayor Mike James will head a heritage walk around Tring later this month in aid of the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home.
Tim Amsden from the Tring and District Local History and Museum Society will be on hand to keep walkers entertained and informed about the town's heritage.
The walk will leave from Tring Squash Club at noon on Sunday, May 21 and will take about three hours to complete.
There will be opportunities for people to stop at different points if they cannot stay for the whole walk or get too tired.
The walk will cost £5, which will include a bacon roll and coffee with all money raised going to the Tring hospice.
When appointed Mayor last May Cllr James chose the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home and the Tring and District Local History Society as his chosen charities for the year.
Children and well behaved dogs are welcome to join the walk.
For more information email Cllr James at: sallyjames @tesco.net or call 01442 824745.
Binoculars at the ready
A RARE opportunity to spot declining species of butterfly is the exciting prospect on offer during a special tour of a local nature reserve.
Seven out of 10 British butterfly species are in decline and the problem is most serious in the south and east of the country, where farming and development threaten their habitats.
The Butterfly Conservation says three species are particularly diminishing in Herts - the Dingy and Grizzled Skippers and Green Hairstreak.
In Herts the Grizzled Skipper, (pictured), is found on just eight sites; the Green Hairstreak on six sites and the Dingy Skipper at five sites.
But the good news is that
all three species can be found at the Aldbury Nowers wildlife reserve.
The Butterfly Conservation is hosting the tour around the site with help from local butterfly expert Malcolm
Hull and reserve warden Michael Pearson on Sunday, May 14.
The walk starts at 2pm and anyone wanting to go along is asked to meet at the layby close to the entrance to Aldbury Nowers on Northfield Road. Good walking shoes are recommended as there will be some steep slopes to negotiate.
For more information contact Malcolm Hull on 01727 857893.
Tour of fun
FUN will be on offer for all the family during the annual Friends Day in Tring this weekend.
The event is hosted by The Friends of Tring Church Heritage, a charity group dedicated to raising funds for the maintenance of St Peter and St Paul Parish Church in the town.
Attractions include church tower tours, stalls, games, refreshments and music.
The Tales of Old Tring - a book of Tring's heritage put together by the charity, will also be on sale and will be free to new members.
The fun day will run at St Peter and St Paul Parish Church, Church Yard and Church Hall in Tring on Saturday, May 13 from 10am to 4pm. All proceeds to the church and its grounds. For details ring Libby McKerrow on 01442 824087 or Grahame Senior on 01442 822770. Concert's local touch Two professional soloists from Tring are to feature in a concert in The Centenary Hall at Berkhamsted Collegiate School on Saturday, May 13 from 7.30pm.
The concert will be led by Chris Shelley and conducted by Tom Loten and the programme includes: Schumann Symphony No.3, Beethoven Overture Fidelio and Brahms Double Concerto for violin and cello with local musicians Paul Barritt (Violin) and Josephine Horder (Cello) as soloists.
Paul's career combines the roles of concertmaster, concerto soloist, chamber musician and recital soloist.
Until November 2001, he worked as the leader of the English Chamber Orchestra and previously he led the Northern Sinfonia.
Much in demand as a concertmaster, he frequently guest-leads several orchestras, including the BBC Philharmonic, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra and the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra and presently holds the post of Permanent Guest Leader of the Halle Orchestra.
Josephine Horder has had a distinguished career in chamber music, being a founder member of both the Schubert Ensemble and the Divertimenti Ensemble. She was a member of the Adriano String Quartet and now plays regularly with Divertimenti and the Feinstein Ensemble.
Recital work and engagements with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and the London Mozart Players have featured in recent seasons. Tickets are £9 (£6 concs, under-16s free) from Berkhamsted Arts and Crafts, The Information Centre, Marlowes, Hemel Hempstead, on 01442 863830 or on the door.
Pushchair workouts
MUMS wanting to get back their pre-pregnancy figures can take their little ones along for a pushchair workout around Tring.
Aerobics teacher Belinda Goss runs weekly hour-long pushchair workouts around the town.
The route gets the heart rate up and includes stop-offs for stretching, toning and cool-down exercises.
Classes started again on May 8 and run every Monday, except on bank holidays and during school holidays.
As well as hosting pushchair workout classes Belinda works for Berkhamsted and Tring Sportspace teaching 50-plus Exercise sessions.
The pushchair workouts cost £2 and for more information call Belinda on 07766 903990.
Women aware
TOP tips for how woman drivers can stay safe if their cars break down on the road, will be on offer during a Women Aware event.
The special evening has been organised by Tring Crime Prevention Panel and will be held at Stratstone BMW Showrooms in Cow Roast.
Police officers will be giving tips on staying safe and engineers from the BMW workshop will give practical advice on what to do if your car breaks down.
The safety evening, which is free, will be held next Tuesday, May 16 at Stratstone BMW, Cow Roast, London Road, Tring and starts at 7.30pm.
To find out more contact chairman of Tring Crime Prevention Panel, Ken Reekie, on 01442 381793.
Top young actors take next step on the boards
BUDDING actors at Tring School have beaten thousands of hopefuls to be accepted into the National Youth Theatre.
Tim Godfrey and Jimmy New from Year 12 are the latest teenagers to gain places with the prestigious theatre group, which is a hotbed of creative talent.
Their success will mean they can take part in acting workshops during the summer and will be able to audition for parts in productions put on by the NYT. This is the fifth year running that Tring School has been successful in having students accepted into the group.
Tring School Head of Drama Lorraine Cushnie said: “I think as a school we have incredibly strong drama students in terms of their ability and commitment. We have had quite a lot of our drama students go on to do drama at university or drama school.”
Jimmy, 17, is planning to do a drama degree when he leaves Tring School next year. He said: “I was ecstatic when I found out I'd got in, because it was my third year auditioning. It opens up the possibility to work with professional directors in productions every year and to possibly take on television roles and on occasions small film roles.”
Jimmy got involved with acting when he was just five-years-old. He has starred in productions at the Court Theatre, Pendley in Tring and has recently been involved in productions put on by Berkhamsted Youth Theatre.
Tim, 17, was shocked when he discovered he had been accepted into the NYT, as this was the first time he had auditioned for them.
Grind out a day at the mill
FORD End Watermill will open its doors on Sunday, May 14 to celebrate National Mills Weekend. Healthy wholemeal flour will be on sale during the open afternoon milled from Hereward - a well established English milling wheat, which is excellent for making bread.
Visitors will be able to enjoy the atmosphere of a corn mill working just as it would have done during the late 1800s.
The watermill on Ford End Farm, Station Road, Ivinghoe will be open from 2.30pm to 5.30pm. Flour milling will take place between 3pm and 5pm.
Admission costs £1.50 for adults and 50p for children.
For more information contact David Lindsey on 01582 600391.
Stars play the charity game
CELEBRITIES turned up in Tring during the weekend for a star-studded cricket match to raise funds for charity.
Among the line-up of stars, testing their bating and bowling skills, were TV presenter and DJ Jamie Theakston, former Emmerdale soap star Frazer Hines - who played popular Joe Sugden - England test match cricketer Robert Key and Kent batsman Matt Walker.
The fun day at Tring Park Cricket Club on Sunday saw about 900 fans turn out to see Tring XI take on Bunbury XI in aid of the English Schools Cricket Association and the Ilex Trust - a charity set up by Tring people, which teaches cricket, rugby and music to junior school children.
Club administrator, Gareth Darby, who helped organise the event, said: “This was the first time we have had a celebrity match there. It was a very successful day.”
Entrance to the event was free, but people could pay to enter a VIP marquee for £50 per person or £450 for a table of 10, where they watched the game in comfort and enjoyed lunch and refreshments with the players.
Funds raised from the day have not yet been counted, but Mr Darby estimates that they have raised between £3,000 and £4,000.
Mr Darby said: “We would like to think about doing similar things. There is definitely opportunities to do it in the
future.” Bunbury XI beat Tring XI by 80 runs.
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