Game in memory of Nick A FUNDRAISING football match was held in memory of a young Tring fitness instructor who died in a car crash last year.
Players from Tring Corinthians and Tring Tornadoes braved the rain raising more than £700 for the Scoliosis Association in memory of Nick Wood.
The downpour also failed to deter supporters from turning out on
Sunday, August 13 to see the charity match at the Tring Corinthians football ground in Icknield Way.
The Scoliosis Association provides information and support about scoliosis - an incurable condition that Nick suffered from, which causes curving and twisting of the spine.
The 21-year-old who lived with his family in Icknield Way died at Luton and Dunstable Hospital after his blue Ford Fiesta collided with another car on Beacon Road, Ivinghoe last September.
The former Tring School pupil, better known as ‘Chucky', had played football for both of the Tring football teams.
Tring Corinthians manager Simon Lacey said: “Football was one of Nicky's great loves and it was fitting that the two sides he represented met to celebrate Nicky's love of the beautiful game and to raise funds for charity.”
At the final whistle all the players were given medals and a round of
applause from supporters, many of whom had been moved to tears.
Secretary for Tring Corinthians Gary Mendham said: “I was delighted with the turn out and I feel that the spirit in which the game was played summed up Nicky and his all too brief life - it was played with commitment and passion, yet in a truly fantastic spirit.
“I'd like to think that Nicky appreciated our own small way of remembering a fantastic lad and I'd like to thank all the players, supporters and above all Nicky's family for agreeing to this match – I feel honoured to have been able to contribute to it in a small way.”
The final match score was Tring Corinthians 2, Tring Tornadoes 3.
Nick began training to be a fitness instructor for the Ashridge Lifestyle Centre in Berkhamsted when he was just 17-years-old.
About a year before his death he had begun working at Lord's Cricket Ground gym, which is run by the same company as the Berkhamsted fitness centre, where he trained young cricketers and worked as a personal trainer.
Holiday hell for asthma sufferer
SEVERELY asthmatic Caroline Bailey has been left stranded abroad without her luggage containing vital medication that could save her life. The 22-year-old from Wigginton packed most of her medicines, including an epi-pen to treat anaphylactic shock that could be brought on by her food allergies, into her suitcase. Her step-father George Stebbing-Allen said Caroline was told she could only take a normal asthma inhaler on board the plane when she flew to Cyprus on Friday, August 11, the second day of increased security alerts at Heathrow. Caroline packed her epi-pen, other asthma medication and daily allergy pills into her suitcase expecting to be reunited with it in Cyprus a few hours later. Twelve days into her holiday and Caroline's suitcase has still not arrived. Mr Stebbing-Allen said: “If she went into severe anaphylactic shock she could die. “Since being in Cyprus she has already had three severe asthma attacks brought on by the stress.” During her asthma attacks Caroline has managed to bring her breathing under control by herself. But her father added: “Caroline is very upset and very frightened. A spokesman for British Airways, Annie Givens, said Caroline would have been allowed to take her medication on board if she had her prescription with her or could prove that she needed it.
'Support gets us through'
THE DEVASTATED parents of a three-year-old girl, who died last month from an infection while battling cancer, have raised thousands of pounds for charity. Highfield couple Joanne Hiett and Graham Elson want to thank friends and family who gave generously at little Jessie's funeral. They raised more than £2,000 through donations given to Leukaemia Research through the Forget-Me-Not-Trust. Little Jessie, of Allandale, died on July 15 after being struck down with a mystery illness. Doctors thought the cheeky tot was winning her battle with leukaemia, which was diagnosed in May 2005 when she was just two-and-a-half. Joanne, 32, said: “The doctors and nurses thought she was going to be one of the ones who would come through it. She had been in remission for just over a year. “She was a very happy cheerful child. She made it easy on us in the way she coped with it.” The family had been looking forward to Jessie starting nursery at George Street Primary School in September, but tragedy struck after she caught an infection, which has not yet been determined by a post-mortem. It was not unusual for the youngster to fall ill as cancer patients often have weaker immune systems, but her high temperature worried Joanne and Graham and they took her to Watford General Hospital, where sadly her condition deteriorated. Jessie's heartbroken parents asked the congregation of around 250 people at her funeral to donate to charity instead of flowers. Since then Graham and Joanne say it is family and friends who are helping them through this tough time. Graham, 41, said: “The support has been amazing. That is the thing that is getting us through. “Everyone has been there everyday at the end of the phone. We are lucky that everybody is close to us. “We want everyone to know how much they mean to us.” Jessie's coffin was carried by a white horse-drawn carriage and an arch of balloons, like clouds, hung over her. She was buried at Woodwells Cemetery in Hemel Hempstead on July 28 where the family, including Graham's three children Billy, 17, Emily, 15, and Jack, 14, released white doves . During the service at Hemel Football Club pictures drawn by children at Jessie's old nursery, Bees Knees Day Nursery in Cambrian Way, Highfield, were on display. Esther makes hospice visit PATRON of the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home Esther Rantzen met with staff and patients from the Tring based charity during the weekend.
The TV presenter and journalist came to Tring to find out more about how care at home works following her recent documentary How To Have A Good Death.
The television programme, which was screened in March, explored the world of palliative care in Britain's hospitals.
Berkhamsted born Mrs Rantzen visited three patients with Iain Rennie nurse Gerrie Smithson on Saturday, all of whom are receiving care from the IRHH's Dacorum nursing team.
One patient Joe Darnell of Hemel Hempstead described the ways he had been helped by the
hospice nurses after he was discharged from
hospital.
He said that help with managing his medication, dealing with symptoms and getting pain under control had improved his quality of life since his return home.
He added that knowing an Iain Rennie nurse was always just a phone call away and able to visit within half an hour if there was an urgent problem was reassurance for him and his family.
When asked by Esther if he had any complaints, Mr Darnell replied: “The nurses are marvellous, I have no complaints at all.”
IRHH appeals and communications director Robert Breakwell said: “We were delighted with this opportunity to show Esther how the hospice at home works in practice. We hope that the kind of care that the Iain Rennie Hospice at Home provides may be featured if Esther decides to make a follow-up programme to How To Have a Good Death.”
Iain Rennie nurses offer a 24 hour on-call service to anyone living with a terminal illness who wishes to be cared for in their own home.
The dedicated nurses cared for 79,237 patients across Herts and Bucks from March 2005 to March 2006. Work starts on football pitch WORKS to level Long Marston football ground have finally got under way after plans were stalled last year due to a cash shortage.
Workmen moved onto the site earlier this month (August) and are removing the recreation ground's top soil before levelling the ground underneath.
Once the pitch is flat younger players will be able to use the pitch, previously deemed too unsafe for youngsters.
Long Marston Football Club will be able to look into setting up a youth team and maybe even a ladies' team.
Since the levelling began on August 7 an archaeologist has visited the site, which is believed to have Saxon remains buried under it, but so far nothing significant has been discovered.
Tring Rural Parish Council clerk Dawn Slade said: “One of the principal reasons for doing this is it will enable younger people to play because of the way the pitch was under 18s couldn't play on it. One hope is the football club will be able to attract younger players who will then stay at the club.”
The work, estimated to cost around £15,000, has been made possible through a grant from the Football Foundation.
The charity, which supports grass roots football, has agreed to pay 64 per cent of the cash and the rest of the funds have come from Tring Rural Parish Council and Long Marston Football Club. Flat plan on petrol station PLANS have been put forward to build six flats on a recently demolished petrol station in Marsworth Road, Pitstone.
As part of the proposals the flats would be
constructed in red/orange facing brick with an artificial slate roof and served with nine parking spaces.
There have been objections logged mainly on
insufficient parking grounds.
The planning application is due to be discussed at the Aylesbury Vale District Council Development Control Committee on Thursday, August 24. Cat appeal POLICE are calling for witnesses to come forward after reports that a number of cats have been injured or gone missing in Pitstone.
Officers were first alerted to the problem when a cat was shot with a crossbow on Monday, August 7. The cat had been out during the night and returned home at about 8.15am with a crossbow embedded in its side. The injuries were not life threatening. SInce then police have had more reports of cats being injured or disappearing from the village.
Anyone with information can call Wing police on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Tune in for Flog It! show TRING Market Auctions will feature in a BBC antiques show this Bank Holiday weekend.
The popular auction rooms had a bumper day of sales back in February when the TV crew visited for auction show Flog It! Hundreds of excited locals turned out for the filming of the BBC2 show, part of which will be screened on Monday, August 28 at 3.45pm.
Two other dates of September 14 and November 10 have also been pencilled in for featuring the Tring auction rooms, but show producers say this could change.
Earlier this year people were asked to take their treasured items to the town hall in Watford where goods were valued and the owners given the option to sell their things at auction.
The auction was then later held at Tring Market Auctions on February 18. Flower festival A FLOWER Festival will be held in St Bartholomew Church in Wigginton during the Bank Holiday weekend.
Flowers will be on show from 10.30am to 6pm from Saturday, August 26 to Monday, August 28. There will be a closing concert at 7pm on the Monday.
Refreshments will be on offer during all three days.
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