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The Parish Magazine Repton, Foremark, Milton, Ingleby, Newton Solney
April 2016

Our Christian hope is not just a vague wish Repton, Foremark and Newton Solney Parish Churches Services at St Wystan's, Repton Services at St Saviour's, Foremark Services at St Mary's, Newton Solney Readers and Intercessors at St Wystan's Altar Flowers at St Wystan's Brasses at St Wystan's Altar Flowers at St Saviour's United Reformed Church Services at the United Reformed Church The URC Schoolroom, Thanksgiving and Rededication A Big 'Thank You' Coffee morning: Saturday 9th April Shell Group for young people aged 7 and over Burton Accordion Group Concert: Friday 6th May A journey with many twists and turns The Memorial Book Derby Diocese and the wider Church Jan McFarlane to be Bishop of Repton Repton Deanery Repton Benefice House Groups Sunday Club for 4 - 11 year olds St Saviour's News Foremark Church Annual Parochial Church Meeting, Wednesday 27th April St Mary's News Newton Solney Annual Parochial Church Meeting, Sunday 3rd April Local Diary Event Details Newton Solney Quiz Evening, Friday 1st April Soup, Cheese and Chat! Wednesday 6th April A Concert of Early Romantic Guitar, Friday 15th April Books, Browse and Coffee, Wednesday 20th April Milton Lunch Club, Thursday 21st April Messy Church, Sunday 24th April Repton School Concerts Society agm & Music Competition Final, Wednesday 27th April Afrique Classique, Saturday 30th April The Helix Ensemble, Saturday 14th May NS Horticultural Show Themes for Photographs, 3rd September The Great War Commemorated 100 years ago, the Vicar wrote . . . Repton Village Hall Appeal The 100 Club Forthcoming Events Repton Village and History Repton Casuals Fixtures at Broomhills Lane Lent Lunches in St Wystan's Church support the Padley Centre Repton Village Society Symphonic Strings Repton W.I. Repton Village History Group Scouts practise teamwork Art Exhibitions at Repton School Repton School's new Head Congratulations to Sarah Tennant Queen's 90th Birthday Celebrations Why Somersgate? Repton Parish Council Milton & Foremark Village Matters Milton W.I. Milton Village Hall Newton Solney Village Matters A vacancy at John Higgott's Almshouses Newton Solney W.I. Newton Solney C of E Infant School Newton Solney Parish Council News Newton Solney Tuesday Club Willington Dodici Corde: Friday 15th April Willington Surgery ppg Easter Raffle South Derbyshire Chip your dog Are you registered to vote? Get Active in the Forest Derbyshire Trusted Traders Environment Matters e-waste You and your Pet Baby Birds Neighbourhood Watch Make your home a difficult target Gardening Notes

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Our Christian hope is not just a vague wish

Spring has sprung! The River Trent is retreating to its accustomed course. Flowers present a gloriously colourful display. Hedges turn green. Birds gather straw and moss for nesting. Ponds fill with frogspawn. Children delight at gambolling lambs. Buzzards screech again their aerial displays of courtship. It is a good time of year, a time that promises much and lifts our spirits. Is it any wonder that our Christian celebration of Easter, celebrating Christ dying and rising to new life, happens at a time of abundant new life in the natural world? God, after all is said and done, created all things, and there is a deeper harmony, a greater wholeness than we can imagine.

Of course, in a week or two there could be snow, blizzard, howling gales and flood. New growth can be nipped in the bud. Young animals can freeze to death overnight. The Trent can burst its banks – again. It is easy to become downcast. Instead of feeling good, we can be overcome by a sensation of greyness and heaviness. But that is the way of it. Underneath our urban masks, we, as humans, have developed in touch with nature. Indeed our ancestors depended entirely on the natural world for their survival and would have been intimate with all nature's ways. It is in our DNA to respond to nature. We too are a part of God's creation.

However, we are a very special part. We are the part to whom God has entrusted the care of his creation. And we can be certain that in doing so, God hoped we would use the gifts he gave us to make the most of this wonderful world.

Sadly, God must be banging his forehead in despair. As scientists reveal that global warming has accelerated even worse than feared, so the warnings multiply about how habitats are being destroyed by flooding, hotter temperatures and more variable weather patterns. If we are to avert a global disaster, we need to respond more urgently than we have so far. But then God will also be looking at the way human greed is destroying the rainforests, or hunting species to extinction for the sake of an expensive meal, a traditional medicine, or even to satisfy the bloodthirsty hunter. Now we are pumping things into the ground to extract fossil fuels; we've ruined many oceans, now let us ruin the rocks we live on and the water we expect to drink!

We could so easy be weighed down by all this, but that is not what our Christian hope is about. Christian hope is not just a vague wish that things will work out for the best. Our hope lies in Christ. And with knowing him comes the knowledge that, as we place our faith in God, all will be well. Of course, we need to accept a share of the blame and the responsibility to help put things right, but when we do that, we have God on our side. Who could be better placed to help us sort out our problems than the one who created us? 

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Services at Foremark, Newton Solney
and Repton Churches

St Wystan's, Repton

St Saviour's, Foremark

St Mary's, Newton Solney

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Readers, Intercessors and Offertory at St Wystan's

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Altar Flowers
Frances Wimbush, 703180

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Brasses
Sue Parker, 702550

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Altar Flowers & Cleaning at St Saviour's
Ann Redfern, 01332 862350

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The United Reformed Church

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The URC Schoolroom, Thanksgiving and Rededication

On Sunday 13th March the United Reformed Church in Pinfold Lane was full for a service to celebrate the Church's 179th anniversary, and to give thanks for and re-dedicate the schoolroom following its renovation. Leading the service, Gerald Gibbs gave a brief history of the Congregational Church community in Repton – more recently, the United Reformed Church – before his wife, Christine, told the story of the fundraising and work that had gone into providing the new kitchen, accessible toilet and renovated schoolroom. A lavish tea followed the service!

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A Big 'Thank You'

. . . to everyone who came to the Re-dedication Service of our schoolroom – every seat in the church was taken! The schoolroom and new kitchen are available to hire; contact the secretary for details.

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Coffee morning: Saturday 9th April, 10.30 - 11.30 am

A chance to chat over coffee with friends, and to stock up with home-made cakes, marmalade and goodies galore!

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Shell Group for young people aged 7 and over

. . . meets on Mondays 18th and 25th April from 6.30 to 7.30 pm. New members are always welcome!

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Burton Accordion Group Concert: Friday 6th May at 7.30 pm

To continue our celebration of the renovation of the Schoolroom, we are pleased to welcome back the Burton Accordion Group for a concert followed by refreshments. Please come and join us for this musical feast!

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A journey with many twists and turns

Back in 2006, we didn't think of all that needed to be done in the schoolroom – what we knew we needed was an 'accessible' toilet! And it wasn't until 2009 that the first sketch was drawn. We were also advised to contact Ian Hey from South Derbyshire County Council, who met with members of the church and offered advice particularly about available grants. Martin Pettitt became the project manager. He drew detailed plans and consulted everyone who needed to be consulted with regard to planning permission, ecclesiastical exemption, and listed building restrictions and requirements.

Meanwhile three members met each week, completing application form after application form for grants we thought might support the project. We created user feedback forms and a survey, whose findings were included in the grant applications.

It was a real blow when Biffa, the National Churches Trust and Veolia all told us that they had 'received an overwhelming number of applications', 'competition for available funds was very strong' and we had been unsuccessful. Undeterred, or pretending to be, we continued with our 'form-filling nights'.

Then we received a grant of £10,000 from 'Awards for All: The Big Lottery Fund'. It was time limited though, which meant we had to do everything backwards, building the new entrance porch first, along with the accessible toilet, and quickly!

At around the same time, we had a major water leak which resulted in the Church Secretary lying in the road with his arm down a hole to turn the water on and off every time we used the church, and of course this meant more expense! However, we received £1,750 from Allchurches Trust and an amazing £30,000 from the East Midlands Synod Mission Fund.

Throughout all this time we had been raising as much as we could with lunches, concerts, a prize draw, cream teas, plant sales and gift days, but still we were not there. So, on a Wednesday evening in June 2014 we met with Martin and admitted defeat: we were not going to get all the money needed for our schoolroom wish list, and Martin was tasked with the difficult job of working out what we could do with the money we had.

The very next day I received a phone call from Rev Brian Norris: a letter had arrived that morning from solicitors to tell him that Mary and Ken Vincent, friends who worshipped at St Wystan's Church but always attended ecumenical events at the URC, had left the church a legacy of £40,000; it doubled the amount of money we had available. The rest, as they say, is history!

John Rowland undertook the work and the transformation began. As work progressed it was discovered that a drainage channel was essential. Church members also decided that the vestry and church porch needed upgrading to match the schoolroom, and the churchyard has been re-surfaced.

It has been an amazing journey together, but at times quite exhausting!

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The Memorial Book

Repton has a fine memorial book permanently on display in St Catherine's Chapel in the north aisle of St Wystan's Church. It was donated in memory of Henry Chilton as a place to commemorate former residents of Repton.   All are eligible and welcome, as well as those buried or interred in St Wystan's churchyard or Monsom Lane cemetery.   There is no charge but a donation towards church funds is greatly appreciated.   All we need is the full name and the dates of birth and death.

Please contact us.

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Derby Diocese and the wider Church

Jan McFarlane to be Bishop of Repton

The Venerable Janet Elizabeth McFarlane, BMedSci, BA, Archdeacon of Norwich, is to be the next Bishop of Repton, succeeding Bishop Humphrey, who became the Principal of Ripon College Cuddesdon, an Anglican theological college, in April 2015. As the first female bishop in the East Midlands Jan will be a suffragan bishop, working alongside the Bishop of Derby in leading the Church of England across the county.

At Sheffield University Jan qualified as a speech and language therapist before going on to St John's College, Durham, where she trained for ordained ministry at Cranmer Hall. She served her first curacy at Stafford from 1993 to 1996, and in 1994 was among the first women ordained to the priesthood. Since 1999 she has been Director of Communications in the Diocese of Norwich, and Archdeacon of Norwich since 2009. She is a member of the General Synod and broadcasts regularly on local radio. Married to Andrew Ridoutt, a television cameraman, her interests include exploring the countryside, beaches and country pubs.

Jan will be consecrated as a bishop in London on Wednesday 29th June.

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Repton Deanery

. . . was officially disbanded in November 2015. The majority of its parishes have now combined with parts of the Melbourne Deanery to form the Repton and Melbourne Deanery, although Willington and Findern have transferred to Derby City. The new Deanery has a population of over 85,000 and 28 parishes. Rev'd Graham Rutter, vicar of St Peter's Church, Hartshorne, previously the Rural Dean, has been appointed Area Dean. A commissioning service for him, the Deanery Synod and the Deanery Chapter was held on 9th March at St George's Church, Ticknall.

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Repton Benefice

House Groups

The Intercessory Prayer for Healing Group next meets at 3 Richmond Court at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 5th April.

New Bible Study Groups: The group which has been meeting for about two years now has grown and more people are wishing to join, so we are re-forming into two groups, one led by Ruth Attwood and Julia Stentoft, the other by Wendy and Stephen Longden. Both groups will meet after Easter although dates are still to be confirmed. Another group will be formed later in the year once these are underway.

We look forward to welcoming everyone, to growing in our understanding of the Bible, and to sharing in fellowship. If you would like to know more or are interested in joining a group, please contact the vicar, Rev'd Martin.

Sunday Club for 4 - 11 year olds 9.45 am at St Wystan's Church - EVERY Sunday EXCEPT the 1st Sunday of the month when we all 'Worship Together' Join us for Bible stories, craft & games. All are most welcome! Ring Jane Griffiths for more details.

St Saviour's News

Foremark Church Annual Parochial Church Meeting
The Library, Foremarke Hall, Wednesday 27th April at 7 pm

By kind invitation of the Headmaster, the Annual Parochial Church Meeting of St Saviour's Church, Foremark, will be held in the library at Foremarke Hall.

All parishioners are welcome to attend the Vestry Meeting for the election of churchwardens, and those on the electoral roll are welcome to attend the APCM afterwards, where there will be elections for PCC members, the Electoral Roll Officer and the Independent Examiner.

To join the electoral roll, please pick up an application form in St Saviour's Church and leave it for collection. Forms have to be in by Wednesday 20th April.

A meeting of Foremark PCC will immediately follow the APCM.

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St Mary's News

Newton Solney Annual Parochial Church Meeting
St Mary's Church, Sunday 3rd April at 11.15 am

A reminder that the Annual Parochial Church Meeting follows the morning service after a brief interval for coffee. Copies of reports from the PCC officers and sub-committees will be available in the church for a few days beforehand for you to read in advance. Nominations of election candidates should reach Jennifer Haynes, Secretary, by the previous Sunday, Easter Day.

Quiz Evening Newton Solney Village Hall, Friday 1st April, 7.00 for 7.30 £12 per team of four to include finger food refreshments Bring your own drinks; glasses will be provided Ring Kay Stanley on 01283 703153 to book a place or sign up in church

Soup, Cheese and Chat! Wednesday 6th April from 12.30 to 1.30 pm in St Wystan's Church £4.   Homemade soup, bread, cheese, a chance to borrow books - and chat! Everyone welcome. Do come!

A Concert of Early Romantic Guitar Friday 15th April, 7.30 pm at St Michael's Church, Willington Dodici Corde (Danielle Saxon Reeves & Mark Willets) perform a repertoire from the era of the Early Romantic Guitar (c1780-1880) including rarely played works on original period instruments "Rich, rounded and beautiful sound . . . on superb 19th century guitars" Tickets £6 from Sue Gent, 07777 604279

Books, Browse and Coffee Wednesday 20th April, 11 am - noon in St Wystan's Church and every 3rd Wednesday in the month Coffee and biscuits £1.50 A chat and a chance to borrow books and jigsaws Loans are free Also at the first Wednesday 'Soup, Cheese and Chat'

Milton Lunch Club Thursday 21st April, 12.30 pm in Milton Village Hall.   £5. Contact Lynn, 704540, Sue, 701978, or Polly, 703436 Everyone welcome wherever you live! If you need transport, let us know

Messy Church A Messy Journey Activities, celebration and food for all the family St Wystan's Church, Sunday 24th April, 4 to 5.30 pm To find out more, email Messy Church or call Ruth Attwood. Everyone is welcome!   Come along and try it!

Repton School Concerts Society Wednesday 27th April Annual General Meeting (for subscribers only) at 6.30 pm in Repton Music School Repton School Music Competition Final at 7.30 pm in the Robert Beldam Hall, Repton School This is open to all, and free. Further information from Sue Parker or the Music School, 01283 559319

Afrique Classique with Dana de Waal, Anne Bollen de Waal & Xephni de Waal Saturday 30th April, 7.30 pm at Repton Village Hall Baritone Dana de Waal has wowed audiences far and wide with his vocal agility and technical abilities. Accompanied by his wife Anne on the piano, and daughter Xephni on the Djembe, he blends together an eclectic mix of songs and styles from the countries of their heritage. Weaving the songs around stories and anecdotes, he keeps the audience laughing and crying – and thinking they have never heard it quite like that before. Licensed Bar : Cabaret Tables : Raffle Tickets £10 from Repton Post Office, Rosie Carpenter, 01283 702370, and Caroline Jerram, 01283 704546, Supporting Repton Village Hall Appeal

The Helix Ensemble, Musical Director and Leader: Clare Bhabra Symphonic Strings Saturday 14th May, 7.30 pm at St Wystan's Church Mendelssohn, String Symphony no.1 : Grieg, Holberg Suite Holst, St Pauls's Suite : Finzi, Romance : Shostakovich, Chamber Symphony Tickets £10 (under 18 £5) from Richard Finch

Newton Solney Horticultural Show 3rd September 2016 Themes for Photographs Adults: 'Down the garden path' : 'Market Day' : 'Drystone Walls' Juniors: (7 - 10 years): 'Small Creatures' : (11- 16 years): 'Wildthings' For information, contact Chris Freestone on 701147

The Great War Commemorated

100 years ago, the Vicar wrote . . .

Dear Friends

The eyes of the whole world for all this past month have been directed to the stupendous struggle that has gone on at Verdun¹, where the glorious troops of our Allies have time after time thrown back the terrific onslaughts of the foe. This is a time then to thank God and take courage. We may even venture to hope that the end may be in sight. . . . All the letters I have received or read from our men at the front seem most optimistic.

During the past month certain notabilities in the village have been adorned with badges bearing the mystic terms Derbyshire Special Constable. Visions of the capture of German spies and even destruction of Zeppelins floated before their eyes. But, alas, for the vanity of human hopes! Almost immediately after the receipt of the emblems, orders from high Olympus in St. Mary's Gate so limited their powers that they have not even the gloomy satisfaction of being able to arrest one another.

Since the Zeppelin raid the wardens have hastened to insure the Church against aircraft damage. This has been a considerable expense, and therefore they are asking the congregation to make up the deficit. There will be special collections on Sunday, April 9th, and I feel sure everyone will do their best.
P.S. Mr. Vassall² has just told me that he is proposing to fill in the two panes of the McMaster memorial window, at present of plain glass, with lights showing (1) The reception of St. Guthrie [Guthlac] into Repton Monastery; (2) The baptism of Peada, son of Penda, King of Mercia. We shall welcome the addition with much gratitude.

1.

The Battle of Verdun was the longest single battle of the Great War, lasting from 21st February 1916 to the 16th December. It is thought that the French lost over 360,000 men and the Germans nearly 340,000. To relieve the pressure on the French, the British launched the Battle of the Somme in July 1916.

2.

Henry (Harry) Vassall, a master, later bursar at Repton School, took a keen interest in archaeology and antiquities.  He was responsible for unearthing a Danish axe-head close to St Wystan's crypt, a significant find which led eventually to the excavations of the 1970s and 80s.   As well as the windows mentioned here, he also gave the beautiful stained glass window of Abbess Aelfthryth in the south-west corner St Wystan's when the lancet, blocked for many centuries, was opened out in 1913.

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Repton Village Hall Appeal

The 100 Club

The quarterly subscription is £12.50 and each month there are four equal monthly prizes totalling half the subscriptions for the month.   When all numbers are taken, each prize is worth £52.   To join the Club and be included in the draw, contact Adrian Argyle, the 100 Club promotor, for an application form and a copy of the Club Rules.

This month Thursday 14th April, 10.00 am - 4.00 pm at Repton Village Hall Friendly Bridge Coffee, soup & sandwich lunch, glass of wine, tea & cake Tickets £15 from Louise Chilton Friday April 30th, 7.30 pm at Repton Village Hall Afrique Classique An eclectic mix of songs and styles from Africa and Europe Tickets £10 from Rosie Carpenter or Caroline Jerram and still to come Sunday 3rd July, 1.30 for 2.00 pm in The Grand Marquee at Repton School Lunch on the Paddock Three course meal by The Winery and music by Swing Commanders Tickets Carol Lloyd Saturday 24th September, 7.30 pm at Repton Village Hall Pig Racing An evening of laughter and excitement. Refreshments Tickets £15 Saturday 29th October, 5.30 - 7.30 pm at Repton Village Hall Children's Halloween Party Games, fancy dress competition & refreshments Tickets £5 (children up to age 11) Elaine Newbold If you have fundraising suggestions or can offer help in any way, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please contact either Adrian Argyle or Carol Lloyd

Repton Village & History

Repton Casuals Fixtures at Broomhills Lane
		Team	Opponents
3rd	10.30 am	Repton Red Lion	Kings Head
24th	10.30 am	Repton Casuals Youth	Ashbourne Aztecs

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Lent Lunches in St Wystan's Church support the Padley Centre

The Lent lunches have been very well attended this year, and we have enjoyed excellent homemade soups and home-baked bread. Thank you to the cooks and helpers and all those who have supported the Padley Centre. We have raised £526, a useful and much needed contribution to their work.

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Mobile Library

Tuesday 5th April: Repton village hall, 10.15-11.30 : The Square, 11.35-1 The library has a four-weekly timetable; the following visit will be on 3rd May. The contact number for the base at Long Eaton is 01629 531398; for the van, 0780 904 4405.

For the genuinely housebound who have no one to visit the library for them, there is also a home library service. If you think you might qualify, ring Kirsty on 01629 539 140 to arrange an assessment of your needs.

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Repton Village Society

Our evening with the Cantata Ensemble raised £1,000 for the Village Hall Appeal, and the Society would like to thank The Bull's Head, Bookuccino's (the café in Burton Library), the Spar shop, and our members for donating raffle prizes. Judging by the hand waving, dancing and singing, the audience of 102 thoroughly enjoyed the evening, as did Cantata. The Society has now contributed a very impressive £5,000 towards the appeal.

In March, Jane Middleton Smith gave a very comprehensive account of the history of John Smedley Ltd. At the Annual General Meeting which followed, the officers and committee members were all re-elected unanimously. Peter Rainey has agreed to become the Vice Chairman. The Chairman gave notice that he would be standing down at the end of December and would not be devising or running future programmes after this date.

Please note the exchange of speakers for the next two meetings.

On Thursday 7th April at 7.30 pm in Repton village hall, Simon Gulliver, who was due to be with us in May, will give his talk on 'John Claudius Loudon, the Father of Modern Gardening', whilst Prof. Rainer Goldsmith's talk, scheduled for April, will now be in May. Loudon was a great plantsman, landscape gardener and author. He wrote over 60 million words on gardening, travelled Europe at the time of the Napoleonic Wars, made two fortunes and lost them both, and supported the professionalism of Victorian horticulturalists. His development of the gardenesque style of planting and his promotion of public parks – including Derby Arboretum, the first public park in Britain –truly defined our modern attitude to gardening.

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Symphonic Strings
Saturday 14th May, 7.30 pm in St Wystan's Church

In May the Helix Ensemble is bringing to Repton a concert of 'Symphonic Strings', directed from the violin by Clare Bhabra. The programme includes many well-known tunes – Finzi's beautiful 'Romance', a short string symphony by Mendelssohn - no. 1, folk songs including Greensleeves in Holst's 'St Paul's Suite', and Grieg's 'Holberg Suite', a tribute to the musical forms of the 18th century. The final piece is the Shostakovich 'Chamber Symphony', a dynamic arrangement for string orchestra of his eighth quartet.

The award-winning Helix Ensemble is an experienced group of musicians based in the East Midlands who enjoy performing together in chamber or small orchestral works. Imaginative programming is a feature of their concerts: alongside more familiar pieces they aim to introduce a variety of contemporary works, and have given the first performances of more than 20 new compositions since their foundation in 1992.

Tickets £10, under 18 £5, are available from Richard Finch or on the door.

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Repton W.I.

We were delighted to welcome eight visitors to our March meeting when Jenny West cooked a meal of canapés, starter, main course and pudding that we sampled with our tea and coffee, along with Herbie's wedding cake. Outings were discussed with walks arranged, an evening meal at the Mulberry Restaurant, a visit to the theatre and an ACWW day at headquarters.

Members who had attended the Spring council meeting in Chesterfield had had a very enjoyable day with inspiring speakers and entertainment.

The Group Meeting, which Repton is hosting, is fast approaching; the speaker is from Great Ormond Street Hospital. The competition is a get well card for a child. Our entry will be chosen at the next meeting on Tuesday 12th April, when Marilyn Ottewell will give a demonstration of flower arranging. The following meeting on 10th May will hear about Vibrant Life Aromatherapy. We meet in the village hall on the second Tuesday of the month at 7.15 pm. Visitors are always welcome.

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Repton Village History Group

In March we had another excellent talk from Robert Mee, this time on Derbyshire Castles. It seems there is a clear definition of a castle: it has to be medieval, fortified, a residence and capable of being garrisoned. There have been at least 15 castles in Derbyshire, and there are a few more 'possibles'. The oldest is Peveril Castle at Castleton, and the biggest was probably Duffield, which was similar to the Tower of London. Repton had a mention because from around 1100 we had a Norman Motte and Bailey Castle, roughly where Repton Hall is now. It is probably the mill from that castle that was later given to Repton Priory. However our castle fell into the 'probable' category because, when listed, Professor Biddle had still not found the defensive ditch around the motte.

On Tuesday 19th April, Keith Blood will be continuing his talk on Ashbourne, focussing on St Oswald's Church. All are welcome – members £2, visitors £3, tea and biscuits provided.

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Scouts practise teamwork

Did you see glow sticks spread around the village one evening in February? If you wondered why, Scouts have been working on their teamwork challenge badge, and had a team challenge to recover as many glow sticks as possible. Other challenges included a skipping rope riddle, which proved very difficult to solve, and writing a calendar for each other comprising a month of dares with health, educational or social challenges.

During April, 12 Scouts will start a canoe course, aiming to undertake a canoeing camping trip on the Trent in June.

If you would like more information about Scouts, please contact Mike Knowles.

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Two Art Exhibitions at Repton School

Tuesday 26th April, 7 pm, at New Court Gallery, Burton Road

The Pencil, Paint, Thread exhibition is a collaboration between artists who share an interest in visualisations of the human body and architecture. Donna Rumble-Smith and Jane Thomson are both lecturers at Nottingham Trent University, and Jeremy Bournon has recently retired as Head of Art of Repton School.

Tuesday 26th April, Gallery No.1, High Street On the same evening Jeremy Bournon opens his exhibition of paintings of Mt. Ventoux in Provence. This extravagantly coloured examination of the mountain and its surrounding landscape is the result of a visit to this beautiful region east of Orange in the south of France. The show will be accompanied by a collection of jewellery made by Emily Stiles, and should prove to be another valuable and intriguing collaboration.

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Repton School's new Head

In April, Repton welcomes Alastair Land as Headmaster of Repton School.

Educated at Manchester Grammar School and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained first class honours in Natural Sciences, Alastair went on to teach biology at Eton College, and was also Commanding Officer of the CCF. After almost a decade at Eton, he moved to be Master in College and Senior Housemaster at Winchester College, and then to his present post as deputy head at Harrow School. As well as the CCF, his interests include sport and all adventurous pursuits.

Alastair's wife, Madeleine, is also a teacher, currently Head of Mathematics at North London Collegiate School. They have a 4 year old son.

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Congratulations to Sarah Tennant

. . . who has been acting Head at Repton School since the departure of Robert Holroyd at Christmas 2014 due to ill health. It is one of the hardest jobs in teaching, and by all accounts she has done it brilliantly, having many successes, and coping admirably with the inevitable challenges. Well done!

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Queen's 90th Birthday Celebrations

Plans are in the pipeline for events in and around the village hall on Sunday 12th June. We have a number of ideas – a shared lunch, treasure hunt, tea party – but are not there yet. More information in the next magazine.

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Why Somersgate?

Somersgate, the name of the new housing development beyond Springfield Road, is not, as some think, a mis-spelling. The Somers family appears throughout Repton's history. They are mentioned in the enclosure awards of 1769, and in different generations they were farmers, publicans at the Boot Inn, maltsters and millers at the Main Street mill.

However, the man commemorated by the housing development is Walter Somers who was born in Repton in 1839. The son of the innkeeper at the Boot, at some point in the 1860s Walter borrowed £100 from his father to take a short-term lease on an ironworks in Halesowen. Initially geared towards the production of chains and anchors, the business later also produced axles and railway buffers. By the 1890s, Somers had added to and improved the firm to deliver forgings to Admiralty specifications - a customer relationship that continued throughout the Great War. Somers' company also produced parts of the anchors used on RMS Titanic.

Walter also pioneered the domestic use of electricity; overhead lines from a generator at Somers' works supplied current for his house until the 1920s, when it connected to public services.

When Walter Somers died in 1917, the company was continued by his sons until 1954. It remained a considerable force within the trade until becoming embroiled in the 'arms for Iraq' scandal of the 1980s. Walter Somers Ltd. still exists in name but no longer trades.

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Repton Parish Council

Neighbourhood Development Plan: We have begun to draft the document for the next stage of consultation, due this summer. We are also engaging with South Derbyshire District Council to share our data and hence inform the Local Plan Part Two.

Local Bus Services: Derbyshire County Council is asking for views on proposals to withdraw funding for subsidized local bus services and the Community Transport 'Dial a Bus' service from October 2017. Changes in this service could affect many local people, especially the elderly. The consultation questionnaire can be found online at derbyshire.gov.uk/transportchanges. Printed copies are available from local libraries or the Communications Division at DCC on 01629 538212. The consultation closes on Sunday 24th April. It is important to make your views known before any changes take place.

Defibrillators: In cases of cardiac arrest, prompt action and access to early defibrillation saves lives. Now the Parish Council has contributed to the provision of two defibrillator cabinets to be located externally on buildings in Repton and available for use by members of the public. County Councillor Martyn Ford has also secured funding from DCC's Community Leadership Fund. We are grateful to Repton School, who have kindly agreed both to provide the defibrillators and to be responsible for their fitting and maintenance. The Parish Council is delighted to be part of this initiative. Once the machines are installed further details will be provided.

Next meeting: Monday 11th April in The Community Room, Fisher Close, Repton. Parish Meeting at 7 pm, followed by the Parish Council Meeting at 7.30 pm. All are welcome.

Parish Council Office, 40 High Street

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Milton & Foremark Village Matters

Milton W.I.

Our Annual Dinner, held at the beginning of March at The Boot Inn in Repton, was very enjoyable. Later in the month we enjoyed another lovely meeting in the lounge of The Swan Inn in Milton. Roberta Higson reported on the spring Council meeting in Chesterfield which four members had attended. The main speaker there, Mandy Hickson, was one of the first female pilots to fly a Tornado GR4 for The Royal Air Force. Our own speaker, Jill Barker, showed some wonderful slides of the stunning scenery in Alaska. Eileen Findlay gave the vote of thanks, refreshments were served by Sue Carey and Sue White.

At our next meeting on Wednesday 20th April in Milton Village Hall, we will be celebrating the Queen's 90th birthday by dressing in red, white and blue and wearing a hat fit for a Queen. Helen Skipper and Linda Murray will be the Royal hostesses, and Ruth Ballington will speak about organ donation. New members and visitors are very welcome.

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Milton Village Hall

At the end of February, Dark Horse gave us a fabulous night in Milton village hall! We were entertained with a wide range of music from gentle Irish ballads to foot stomping, hand clapping 'yee ha' country reels, and countless sing-along songs that had people singing and dancing in the aisles. Thank you to all who supported the event. Do look out for our forthcoming events through 'Milton Matters' on facebook.

At the Village Hall AGM on 17th March, Carl Avery was re-elected as Chairman and all other officers were re-elected. Bookings for 2015 showed that the hall has been hired extensively for activities including Krav Maga, Milton Lunch Club, W.I. meetings , band practices, weddings, christenings and parties. The diversity of bookings has increased, with a number of new hirers and a reassuring number of repeat bookings.

Fund-raising events included a live theatre performance by Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company, various musical performances including Live and Local with Blair Dunlop, the Open Gardens, a quiz, and community events throughout the year. Due to the success of fund-raising events, the finances showed a small surplus, even after substantial expenditure on maintenance and improvements.

Following an increase in the number of National Lottery balls during the year, numbers for Milton Village Lottery are still available. The lottery report for the year is on the website, together with a copy of the rules. Minutes of committee meetings will also be on the website.

At the committee meeting which followed the AGM, a date was set for the village Spring Walk, Sunday 22nd May at 11 am with refreshments to follow at around 2 pm.

Thanks were given to the Chairman and committee for their work during the year and also to the many people who support Milton events.

To hire Milton village hall, contact Polly Faulkner through the website or on 703436.

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Newton Solney Village Matters

John Higgott's Almshouses, Newton Solney

A vacancy has arisen in one of the almshouses in Main Street, Newton Solney, comprising living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Applicants should be 65 or over, of limited means, capable of looking after themselves, and have been long-term residents of Repton or Newton Solney. If interested, please write with your details to Mrs E J Plant, The Walled Garden, Well Lane, Repton, DE65 6EY, giving your address and telephone number.

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Newton Solney W.I.

In March, members enjoyed a talk by Lawrence Oates, 'Reap what you sow on the Washlands'. Lawrence leads guided walks in the National Forest; on Tuesday 24th May he is leading a walk from Newton to Winshill and back, starting from the Unicorn at 10 am, as part of the National Forest programme; all are very welcome to join him.

Our next meeting is on Tuesday 12th April at 7.30 pm in the village hall, the ever popular Bubbles, Bingo & Bites. Flowers are to be provided by Betty Gallimore; tea hostesses will be Sandra Garrington and Annie Topliss.

A date for your diary!

On Saturday 4th June NSWI will be hosting a Northeast Producers Travelling Theatre Company production of 'One Fine Day', a sing-along and theatre show combined, packed with all the 60s best tracks including 'Build me up Buttercup', 'I got you babe' and 'We're all going on a Summer Holiday'. Enjoy the laughs, enjoy the banter and have a good sing song at the same time! Tickets include a ploughman's supper and wine – £10 from Vanessa Archer, 707263, and Annie Topliss, 703411.

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Newton Solney C of E Infant School

Because of the Easter holiday, there will be no Community Collective Worship in April. The next will be on Thursday 5th May, when once again we invite parents, carers and local residents to join us at 9.15 am in the school hall. Further dates for your diary are 9th June and 7th July. Heidi Elks (Headteacher)

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Newton Solney Parish Council News

Planning Application for Bladon Fields: A decision is expected on 26th April on Barratt Homes' appeal against SDDC's rejection of their application to build 100+ houses on the site.

Church Lane: The Parish Council would like to thank Mr. Shilton for all his hard work tidying up Church Lane.

Trim Trail: The Parish Council is looking at the possibility of purchasing trim trail equipment for the Recreation Field.

Next meeting: Friday 8th April at 7.30 pm in the village hall. All are welcome.

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Newton Solney Tuesday Club

Our latest outing was a trip into Derbyshire, stopping for coffee at the Fairways Garden Centre near Ashbourne before driving on for lunch at the Knockerdown Pub near Carsington Water. The food and service were excellent, so much so that it has been decided to have our annual Christmas Meal there.

At our March meeting, a speaker from Renishaw Hall gave a most interesting and informative talk about the Hall, its history and the Sitwell family who still own it. On 17th May we have a trip to Renishaw, and the talk will help us to get much more out of our visit.

Tuesday 5th April: 2.30 pm in Newton Solney village hall

A business meeting followed by a talk on Betty's Farm Shop.

There will be no trip out in April as we have our annual holiday later in the month. This year we are off to the Tynedale Hotel in Llandudno. If you would like to join us, there are still a few places available in either twin or double rooms.

Anyone who would like further information on Tuesday Club activities is invited to contact our Secretary, Jane, on 01283 564520.

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Willington

Dodici Corde: Friday 15th April, 7.30 pm
St Michael's Church, Willington

With its gentle voice, the guitar was the instrument in vogue during the Napoleonic era. Dodici Corde will bring you an evening of early romantic guitar masterworks and a rare opportunity to hear a performance on two original period instruments.

Bringing together the talents of Danielle Saxon Reeves and Mark Willetts, Dodici Corde have appeared in performances all over the UK as well as on BBC Radio and Television. They promote the duo repertoire of the era of the Early Romantic Guitar, c1770-1870, with a contemporary yet historically informed approach, giving audiences a rare opportunity to hear works of composers such as Giuliani, Sor, Carulli, Diabelli, Mertz, Coste and L'Hoyer on period instruments. Tickets £6 from Sue Gent, 07777 604279.

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Willington Surgery ppg

Many thanks to everyone who has supported the Easter Raffle by donating prizes or buying tickets. The raffle was drawn on 24th March and prize winners are now being notified.

On Wednesday 22nd June there will be an Open Evening at the surgery. There will be a presentation by the Practice Manager and information about developing our practice as a 'dementia friendly area', as well as information on aches and pains, diabetes and other topics. The pharmacy will also be inviting patients to view the new dispensing robot! Further information will be available nearer the event.

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South Derbyshire

Chip your dog

Dog owners have until Wednesday 6th April to get them microchipped. From that date, all dogs aged eight weeks and over must be chipped with the information stored on a national database. People who fail to comply could face a fine of £500 and a criminal conviction. If your dog is already chipped, you need to make sure the details are up to date as incorrect data can also put you at risk.

It is all part of an effort to promote responsible ownership and ensure that lost or missing pets can be returned as quickly as possible. The burden of irresponsible dog ownership weighs heavily on local authorities and animal charities, who are often left with costly bills when a lost or stray dog is found.

You can check the details on your dog's chip by contacting one of the UK's microchip databases at petlog.org.uk or anibase.com. Those with concerns or questions about microchipping can call Safer Neighbourhood wardens on 01283 595943 or email neighbourhood.wardens@south-derbys.gov.uk for advice.

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Are you registered to vote?

Although the new electoral register for South Derbyshire was published some months ago, it is clear that many people are still missing out. You can add yourself to the register, update your details, or change your preferences at any time. However, you need to show some urgency now; the deadline for this year's elections is 18th April.

In the past, the head of household was responsible for registering people living at the address, but now it is your responsibility to register for yourself.

An online system at www.gov.uk/registertovote makes the process extremely simple, taking less than five minutes. You simply provide your name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number. You can choose to vote in person or by post, and whether or not to include your name and address on the open register. (The open register is an extract of the electoral register that can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. It is not used for elections.)

You can also check if you are registered by contacting the Electoral Registration Office on 01283 595723 or 01283 595875. They will check the register for you.

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Get Active in the Forest ~ Rosliston Forestry Centre

Out & Active Holiday Club, Mon 4th April - Fri 8th April

Fully supervised, fun packed days for children aged 8+, with a great range of outdoor and sporting activities that may include archery, bushcraft, drumming, cycling, human table football and laser combat. Days run from 9 am until 5 pm and cost £20 per child per day. Places are limited; booking is essential. Call 01283 563483 to book.

Walk and Warm, Saturday 23rd April

A walk around Rosliston Forestry Centre, stopping off for a warming bowl of soup in the Bull's Head in Rosliston village. Meet at 12.45 for a 1 pm start in the foyer at Rosliston Forestry Centre. £3.50 per person includes soup. For more information, call Judi Whileman on 01283 563483.

Walking for Health

If you would like to take you first steps into exercise or get back into exercise following an illness or an injury, search for 'Walking for Health' online. There are lots of guided walks to choose from, both in the forest and closer to home. I counted 20 less than three miles away. They are generally free, easy, and last less than an hour.

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Derbyshire Trusted Traders

When you want a job done it can be daunting to find a company you can trust. How can you be sure that you won't be ripped off? What if things go wrong? How do you choose among lots of different companies? It was questions like these that led to Derbyshire County Council setting up the Trusted Trader scheme in 2008. Since then the scheme has gone from strength to strength. There are now 1,200 traders involved in the scheme, and almost 17,000 searches a month on the Trusted Trader website. A recent development has been to include financial advisors, who provide financial advice for people in later life and can help with matters like care fees, pensions and investments.

In a survey of more than 16,000 people who had used a Trusted Trader, 94% said they were very satisfied, but in the rare event of a problem with one of the traders, help is at hand through DCC trading standards officers.

Trusted Traders particularly helps to protect older and vulnerable adults from rogue traders who typically cold-call, using high pressure sales techniques. Visit the website to find out more about all aspects of the scheme, or call 01629 536148. Enquiries are also welcome from businesses interested in joining the scheme; membership brings lots of benefits and costs only £70 - £100 per year.

Environment Matters

$52bn just thrown away!

Electrical and electronic rubbish, computer equipment in particular, is a rapidly expanding stream of our waste. Low prices allow consumers to replace gadgets more frequently, and rapid technological change means there are always newer, better, more powerful products on the market. The result is a bourgeoning waste mountain reckoned at over 40 million tonnes annually. On present trends, the 50 million tonne mark could be reached in 2018 with the biggest per-capita tallies in countries that pride themselves on their environmental consciousness; topping the list last year was Norway with 28.4kg per inhabitant, followed by Switzerland, Iceland, Denmark and Britain.

Discarded computer equipment such as monitors, printers, hard drives and circuit boards contain toxic substances, and on no account should they be thrown out with your household rubbish. A single computer can contain up to 2kg of lead, and the complex mixture of materials make PCs very difficult to recycle. However, waste that could be recovered and recycled is worth $52bn, including 300 tonnes of gold – over 10% of the world's annual gold production.

So-called e-waste often ends up in the developing world, and the UN's Environment Programme is alarmed by the volume of electronic goods improperly disposed of overseas. There is increasing concern about the pollution caused by hazardous chemicals and heavy metals in Africa, Asia and South America.

For details on how to dispose of computers safely see recycling-guide.org.uk, a website which also gives advice on recycling a wide range of materials and objects.

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You and your Pet

Baby Birds

Spring is a great time for getting out and about to see nature at its best – pretty flowers, spring lambs, baby birds, and hopefully some sunshine! At this time, many baby birds are brought in as people are concerned that they have fallen from the nest, but although understandably concerning, this is not always the right thing to do. The RSPCA advises that if the bird is fully feathered, it is most likely a fledgling and its parents will be close by, still feeding it. The young of most familiar garden birds fledge before they are able to fly, spending a day or two, sometimes longer, on the ground while their flight feathers complete their growth.

Never try to return a bird to the nest as it may disturb others. If the bird is in immediate danger, move it to a sheltered spot nearby and monitor it closely. If the bird has no or only a few feathers, it is a nestling and will not survive outside the nest, so take it to a wildlife rehabilitation centre or a vet. If you are unsure please just call for advice; we do like to help our wildlife thrive. Lucy Travers BVSc MRCVS, Beech Vets, Willington

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Neighbourhood Watch

Burglaries in Repton

Since 1st January there have been four burglaries in Repton and two attempted burglaries. This is an unusual series for Repton. The offences are being investigated, local officers are all aware and patrols have been directed accordingly. But there is much YOU can do to protect yourself.

Make your home a difficult target

Inside your home

• Make it difficult to steal your valuables.
• Check who's at the door and don't open it if you feel anxious.
• Leave some lights on or use plug timers if it will be dark before you get home.
• Store keys, including car keys, out of sight and away from the front door.
• Hide wallets, identity cards, passports and cash.
• Lock bikes to an immoveable object inside a locked shed or garage.
• Mark or etch your property with your postcode, house, flat number or the first three letters of your house name.
• Take photographs of valuable items including jewellery.
• Register items with serial numbers such as mobile phones, games consoles, bikes and watches at immobilise.com.

Outside your home

• Install good outside lighting.
• Reduce hedges or fences that prevent people seeing your home.
• Lock doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when you are in the garden.
• Install a burglar alarm that can be seen on the outside of your property.
• Cancel milk or other deliveries if you are planning to be away from home.
• Ask a neighbour, friend or relative to keep an eye on your property when you go away.
• Keep ladders and gardening tools locked away so they can't be used to gain entry.

On your street

• Be a good neighbour: check on your neighbours' properties if they are away.
• Remove letters or deliveries from their letterbox or doorway.
• Clear snow to your neighbours' doors, or walk on their paths if they are away - footprints will make the house appear occupied.
• Burglars look for the best house to target, so report anyone acting suspiciously.
• Join Neighbourhood Watch.

Want to know more? Contact your Safer Neighbourhood team on 101 or visit the force website at derbyshire.police.uk

Remember:

• Secure your door chain.
• Make absolutely sure a caller is genuine before you let him in.
• Staff from utility companies carry an identification card. Always ask to see it. If in any doubt, contact their company for verification.
• Don't give them any personal or bank details.
• If they have a vehicle, take down the registration number, make and model.

Always look out for your elderly and vulnerable neighbours.

Adrian Gillham, Chairman, Repton Neighbourhood Watch

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Gardening Notes

At this time of year it is possible to assess the damage from the winter. This year I have lost some of my heucheras, and others are suffering. They are so tempting – lovely, colourful foliage, great for instant gardening. They fall into the category of short-lived perennials, along with Echinacea, eryngiums, lupins, aquilegia, achillea, sweet Williams, wallflowers and many others. Some such as sweet Williams and wallflowers we treat as bedding plants and only expect them to last a year. There are also those which, though short-lived, continue in many gardens to reproduce themselves with seedlings, albeit sometimes too enthusiastically; examples are Hesperis and Aquilegia vulgaris.

A plant which spreads effectively through runners or rhizomes tends not to self-seed. Ecologists use two rather military terms to describe the ways in which spreading species achieve their aims: phalanx, where plants such as phlox move outwards on a solid front, and guerrilla, where odd runners are sent out over relatively long distances. The latter approach, familiar from Euphorbia cyparissias, can be seen either as a nuisance or a useful way of filling space. It depends on your gardening style!

Some plants such as some geraniums, hostas, acanthus and miscanthus grasses are long-lived and reappear every spring. It is usually easy to propagate these by division or root cuttings.

A final group of perennials, such as Amsonia, some salvias and Gillenia, are long-lived but do not spread much. I prize these plants but they do not divide well and need to be propagated by softwood cuttings.

So back to my heucheras. I will try to propagate them by breaking off the best shoots and putting them in pots of well drained compost in a sheltered position. Once rooted and grown on, they can be planted out and left alone for a few years.

Many large garden centres offer life-time guarantees on their plants. I do think it is important to complain when plants fail in the garden, and have had success in reclaiming money for plants that have died on me or turned out to be incorrectly labelled, but it is essential to keep receipts safe. One of the problems for gardeners is that most plants at the garden centre have been grown in soilless compost in ideal conditions, and once taken home they may have had a few days of neglect before planting, often in the wrong position in poorly prepared soil. Buying from supermarkets may be a really cheap source of plants, but only buy recently delivered plants as often the plants receive no care at all in the shops.

April jobs

• Keep weeds under control; concentrate on those that will seed quickly.
• Sow hardy vegetables and flowers, inside and out.
• At the end of the month, sow tender vegetables and flowers inside.
• Cut back marginally tender plants such as penstemon and fuschias.
• Keep vigilant for slugs.
• Top up or replace compost in containers.
• Feed roses and clematis.
• Tie in the shoots of climbers.

In recent years we have often had lovely weather in April, so when the sun is out find a bench, sit and enjoy!