Clubs & Community (Including visit to the Box Moor Trust by the Countess of Verulam)

The latest news from clubs and community groups in your area
Boxmoor Primary School with the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire The Countess of Verulam at their Forest School session in Hay WoodBoxmoor Primary School with the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire The Countess of Verulam at their Forest School session in Hay Wood
Boxmoor Primary School with the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire The Countess of Verulam at their Forest School session in Hay Wood

Kings Langley Evening Women’s Institute

Business was kept to a minimum at the December meeting as members enjoyed their Christmas party. The tables looked very festive, and had been beautifully decorated by committee members with flower arrangements and Christmas boxes of sweets.

Members also enjoyed a quiz, then had a delicious hot meal supplied by caterers, with wine.

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After the meal the drama group entertained, and despite two of the cast being taken ill at the last minute, a very professional performance was given and enjoyed by all.

Coffee was served, the raffle drawn and everyone wished a Happy Christmas and New Year by the president.

A very enjoyable evening was had by all and thanks given to the president and committee for all their hard work.

Meetings are held at 7.30pm in the community centre on the second Tuesday in the month. All ladies are welcome, enquiries to Mrs Linda Brady 01442 831763 or Mrs Rene Gardner 01923 264754.

Hemel Hempstead Movie Makers

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Santa Clause is a very busy man at this time of year so Hemel Hempstead Movie Makers forgave him for not being able to attend their festive meeting before Christmas. Had he done so, he would have been able to share food with members who were entertained watching varied short extracts from favourite DVDs. Included in this was some very relaxing picturesque material about the local canal, shot during the summer, as well as extracts from a recent production, in the process of being made.

Hemel Hempstead Movie Makers returns to normal at the next meeting on January 19 2015. This will be in the Buglass Room at Leverstock Green Community Centre (behind The Leather Bottle). Doors open 7:30pm for 8pm start.

New members most welcome.

In the meantime, Hemel Hempstead Movie Makers wish all readers a Very Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year.

RSPB Hemel Hempstead - Rye Meads through the seasons

The next meeting of the RSPB group will see Derek Girvan talking about the nearest local RSPB reserve at Rye Meads. This is home to many bird species including kingfishers, kestrels and numerous species of waders and ducks. The event will be held in the Cavendish School’s main hall on Monday, January 5 starting at 8pm.

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Complementing the subject of Derek Girvan’s talk, is the next outing on Saturday, January 10. This is a local shared car trip to RSPB Rye Meads, and (weather permitting) to the Hertfordshire Wildlife Trust’s Lemsford Springs reserve.

At the previous very well attended meeting, John Tyler gave a very enlightening talk about the evolution of the flora and fauna to be seen in the Chilterns. Many of the special species in the Chilterns have evolved because of the presence of the underlying chalk, which itself holds many easily seen secrets.

Find out more by visiting www.hemelrspb.org.uk or by contacting group leader Ian Wilson on 07929 997759. For outing details contact Alan Corner on 01442 833585.

Berkhamsted & District Archaeological Society - It’s All in the Bones!

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For the December meeting the society welcomed Stacy Hackner from London’s University College Institute of Archaeology. Her subject was “Archaeology and Biomechanics”, which had the audience wondering what might be involved. Stacy explained that it was all to do with the study of human remains from archeological bones, which can show how these people lived and died and how the ancient population was made up - what was often more easily recognised under the old terminology of palaeopathology.

Forensic examination of the bones can indicate the work of both males and females, for example more stress made on right arm and shoulder bones can indicate the possibility of the dead man having been an archer, likewise certain characteristics in female bones can indicate their occupation in the house.

Dental wear can indicate diet, or lack of sustainable food, and even when the person might have traveled from their place of origin.

Studies of ancient populations by the latest technological advances have shed incredible new light on ancient peoples, seeing them more in a social light and their environment rather than, as in past excavations, simply as a skeleton, possibly male or female and possibly of a certain age.

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The whole picture that Stacy presented was a fascinating glimpse into what evidence of earlier peoples cannow be extracted from their bones, their mortal remains.

The January meeting will hear Ben Paites, portable antiquities scheme intern at the Museum of London, speak on the importance of the portable antiquities scheme with special reference to major finds from London and Hertfordshire. Further details of place, date and time from the programme secretary on 257414.

Visit to the Box Moor Trust by the Countess of Verulam

Pupils from Boxmoor Primary School had a very special visitor during their forest school session at The Box Moor Trust.

The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, The Countess of Verulam, was on an official visit to the Trust and stopped off at the site in Hay Wood in time to see the chuldren perform their forest school song, led by education team member Yvonne Masters.

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Lady Verulam, who is the Queen’s personal representative in Hertfordshire, then went to meet some of the Trust’s conservation volunteers, who were engaged in expertly laying a hedge along the track to the Box Moor Trust old barn education centre at Westbrook Hay. Trustees and staff were on hand to explain how the Trust land is cared for, including the management of the rare breed sheep and cattle that are such a feature of the moors.

A minibus tour of the estate followed, taking in the river valley, cricket clubs and Sheethanger Common conservation area. The morning ended with a visit to the Box Moor Trust Centre, the Trust’s flagship headquarters in London Road.

Trust chairman David Kirk said: “Much of our land was owned by Queen Elizabeth I shortly before it was transferred to the Trust in 1594, so this was an occasion to remember for all of us, and one which we are sure Lady Verulam enjoyed.”