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The Parish Magazine Repton, Foremark, Milton, Ingleby, Newton Solney
Copy date for the June magazine: Wednesday 15th May
May 2019

If you see us, smile, say hello! 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 Shell (for children aged 7+) Coffee Morning: Saturday 11th May Dates for your Diary Personal Announcements & Obituaries Baptisms Francesca Hill Teddy Myers-Saunders Dorothy Winter-Saunders Evangeline Melen Marriages in May Steven Foster and Christina Bailey Samuel Stuart and Alexandra Richardson Funerals and Burial of Ashes Matthew William Brook Bernice Agatha Christina McLaren Richard (Dick) John Shepherd The Rt Revd Richard Inwood John Edward Dipple The Memorial Book Derby Diocese and the wider Church Bishop of Derby St Chad's Pilgrimage, Saturday 8th June The Rt. Rev'd Richard Inwood Repton Benefice Ascension Day Housegroups St Wystan's News Sunday Club for 4 - 11 year olds Local Diary Event Details Coffee & Cake, Every Tuesday Soup, Cheese and Chat! Wednesday 1st May Repton School Music Competition Final, Wednesday 1st May Repton Village Party, Saturday 4th May Repton Duck Derby, Sunday 12th May Book Swap, Wednesday 15th May Milton Lunch Club, Thursday 16th May Milton Spring Walk, Sunday 19th May Bach meets the Romantics, Wednesday 22nd May Messy Church, Sunday 26th May Milton Open Gardens, Sunday 2nd June Repton Village Hall Fine tuning Repton Village and History Help needed at Repton Village Party, Saturday 4th May Repton Baby and Toddler Repton Cubs Scarecrow Competition, 15th - 16th June Evening of Wine and Music, Friday 7th June Loan of fridge and microwave required St Wystan's School leavers gain 7 scholarships Repton School's new Head Repton Village Society Repton Village History Group Repton WI Mobile Library, Tuesday 7th May Repton ngs Village Gardens, Monday 27th May Repton Open Gardens, Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th June Let's keep the countryside tidy Parish Councillor Co-option for Repton Parish Council Repton Parish Council Milton, Foremark & St Saviour's Church Milton WI Self-defence class for disabled people Newton Solney & St Mary's Church Newton Solney C of E School Newton Solney Plant Sale, Saturday 18th May Newton Solney Tuesday Club Newton Solney WI Newton Solney Parish Council South Derbyshire The National Forest Walking Festival, 18th - 30th May You and your Pet If you find a dead cat or dog Neighbourhood Watch Contacting local police Gardening Notes Every year is different

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If you see us, smile, say hello!

Matthew William Brook was born with hydrocephalus. Throughout his life, but particularly when he was very young he had to endure repeated operations to implant (and re-implant) shunts, draining away excess fluid from the brain to control the pressure. He also suffered from epilepsy and had recently been diagnosed as autistic. His death in March was sudden, a tragic accident, but with his medical history, always a possibility.

Sometimes in life we are taken completely by surprise. The death of Matthew knocked us off our feet, but the love, consideration and compassion we have been shown over the last few weeks has been overwhelming. Most importantly it has given us the ability to stand back up and make tentative steps towards acceptance.

It really is hard to know what to say or how to deal with parents who have lost a child, whether very young, or, as in our case, adult, and we are so grateful to everyone who has reached out to us. There are no right or wrong words in these situations, but saying something, we have learnt, is better than saying nothing.

Sometimes we, the parents, also have no words. At other times, all we want to do is talk about Matthew. In those times we are glad that we have friends, and friends of Matthew, who are prepared to listen.

What happened, happened. We cannot rail against God or the universe. Our son, fearfully and wonderfully made, and very much loved, was held fast in God's hands from the day he was born. For over 31 years he defied the odds, put smiles on people's faces, made us laugh, made us cry, excelled, made mistakes, went on adventures and on the whole had a good life. His departure was a shock, leaving us devastated and grief stricken, but in our more lucid moments we know that this is because of our own weakness.

Matthew is at peace. For us it will take a while. If you see us crying, let us cry. Don't try and stop the tears, they will stop eventually – crying tends to give us a headache!

If you see us laughing, don't judge us, we are probably remembering good times. Feel free to join in the conversation with your own happy memories. If you see us out and about walking, don't feel uncomfortable, smile, say hello, walk with us. Walking helps us clear our heads.

We are so thankful for lovely neighbours, family, friends, and many, many beyond who helped to make sure that his life was as normal as possible. We are so grateful that Matthew grew up in such a wonderful community.

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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 at St Saviour's
Ann Redfern, 01332 862350

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The United Reformed Church

SHELL Group: Mondays 13th and 20th May

For young people aged 7 and over. SHELL Group meets on Mondays from 6.30 - 7.30 pm for craft activities, games and a Christian message. New members are always welcome!

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Coffee Morning: Saturday 11th May 10.30 -11.30 am

You are invited to join us for coffee, have a go on the tombola, browse the cards and stationery on sale, and treat yourselves to the home-made cakes! Everyone very welcome!

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Dates for your Diary

Saturday 15th June	Cream Teas in the schoolroom as part of Repton Open Gardens week-end
Sunday 23rd June	Joint service led by Allister Du Plessis and Natalie Gibbs from The Leprosy Mission, followed by lunch
Sunday 7th July	Morning Worship with the young people attending the United Reformed Church's 'The Big Speak Out' week-end in Repton
Saturday 20th July	Family Barbeque at 5 Monsom Lane

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Personal Announcements & Obituaries

If you would like to announce the birth, baptism, marriage or death of a relative or close friend, or if you feel that the wider community would be interested in reading an obituary, please contact the editor, Chris Lloyd.

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Baptisms

Francesca Hill, daughter of Lisa and Peter of Burton, was baptised on Sunday 7th April at St Mary's Church, Newton Solney.

Teddy Myers-Saunders and Dorothy Winter-Saunders, children of Rebecca and Matthew Saunders of Repton, were baptised on Sunday 14th April at St Wystan's Church, Repton.

Evangeline Melen, daughter of Kimberly and James Melen of the Cayman Islands, was baptised on Sunday 14th April at St Wystan's Church, Repton.

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Marriages in May

Friday 31st	St Saviour's Church at 2 pm	Steven Foster and Christina Bailey of Winshill
Friday 31st	St Wystan's Church at 11.30 am	Samuel Stuart of Chellaston and Alexandra Richardson of Findern

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Funerals and Burial of Ashes

Matthew William Brook of Saxon Croft, Repton, died on Friday 15th March aged 31. A Service of Thanksgiving for hiss life was held at St Wystan's Church on 13th April.

Bernice Agatha Christina McLaren of Pinfold Close, Repton, died on Sunday 24th March. A funeral service at St Wystan's Church, Repton, on 4th April was followed by burial at Monsom Lane cemetery. Bernice and James were houseparents of Repton School's Orchard House from 1986 to 1993.

Richard (Dick) John Shepherd of Newton Solney died on Tuesday 26th March, aged 89. A funeral service at St John's Church, Horninglow, on Friday 15th April was followed by interment in St Mary's churchyard, Newton Solney.

The Rt Revd Richard Inwood, Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Derby, died on Sunday 14th April following a short illness. He was 73.

The ashes of John Edward Dipple of Milton Road, Repton, who died on 7th February, were interred at St Wystan's churchyard on Wednesday 17th April.

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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

Bishop of Derby

Bishop Libby will be installed at Derby Cathedral on Saturday 25th May.

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St Chad's Pilgrimage, Saturday 8th June

In 669 AD, Chad became the fourth Bishop of the Mercians, and the centre of the new mission to the Kingdom of Mercia was relocated from Repton to Lichfield. To mark the 1,350th anniversary, a pilgrimage walk is planned, starting at St Wystan's Church, passing through Burton and Alrewas, and ending at Lichfield Cathedral.

The entire distance is 19 miles, but walkers can join or leave at any point. The walk starts at 9 am following a brief time of prayer at 8.45. Bishop Jan is planning to walk the first stage, from Repton to Burton. Senior clergy from other denominations will also take part, including the Roman Catholic Bishop of Nottingham who will carry part of the relic of St Chad from Repton to Burton, and the Roman Catholic Vicar General of Birmingham who will carry it on from there to Lichfield.

If you wish to join in, you need to complete a booking form. See Stephen Longden.

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† The Rt. Rev'd Richard Inwood

. . . who in retirement served in the Diocese of Derby as an honorary assistant bishop, died in April. The son of a Marston's brewery worker, Bishop Richard grew up in Shobnall, and was educated at Burton Grammar School and the University of Oxford. Outside his career, he was passionate about steam locomotives and had spoken and co-authored books on the golden age of steam.

Although not a frequent visitor to this benefice, he was influential in reshaping local deaneries, and in 2016 led a Confirmation Service at St Wystan's Church.

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Repton Benefice

Ascension Day

On Thursday 30th May at 7.30 pm, we join the congregation at the URC in Pinfold Lane for a service to celebrate the Ascension.

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Housegroups

Intercessory Prayer for Healing meets at 3 Richmond Court at 7.30 pm on Monday 6th May. If you would like us to pray for you or for someone you know, please contact Wendy Longden on 703259.

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St Wystan's News

Sunday Club for 4 - 11 year olds
9.45 am at St Wystan's Church

Sunday Club meets 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.

Coffee & freshly baked Cake for the over 70s – or those nearly there! Every Tuesday, 11 to 12.30 at the Community Room, Fisher Close, Repton Voluntary 50p. Meet others, catch up and relax! Contact Victoria Dunn

Soup, Cheese and Chat! Wednesday 1st May 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!

Repton School Concerts Society Repton School Music Competition Final Wednesday 1st May in the Robert Beldam Hall, Repton School Junior Final 7.30 pm : Senior Final 8.45 pm This marks the climax of Repton's annual music competition, when prize winners from the various classes, held throughout the year, compete in a grand final to decide who will be the Senior and Junior Young Musicians of the Year. This year's adjudicator is Dr Peter Nardone, the organist and Director of Music of Worcester Cathedral, who is also a renowned Scottish conductor, composer and singer. THE EVENT IS OPEN TO ALL, AND FREE.

Repton Village Party Saturday 4th May, 2 - 5 pm The Den and Mitre Field, Mitre Drive, Repton The Pied Piper Parade leaves The ARCH at 1.45 All children are welcome to join the parade but must be accompanied by an adult. An afternoon of traditional entertainment, activity and fun! ENTRY FREE! * MAYPOLE DANCING *    * PUNCH & JUDY *    * STEAM TRAIN RIDES * * Tea & Cakes *    * Hog Roast *    * Ice Cream * * CLIMBING WALL *    * TUG-O'-WAR *    * GREASY POLE * * Crafts *    * Camp Fire Breadsticks *    * Displays * * CLASSIC CARS *    * LOCAL MUSIC GROUPS *    * & LOTS MORE . . * There really is something for everyone! Come and enjoy the fun!

Repton Primary PTA Repton Duck Derby Sunday 12th May, starting at 2 pm from Pinfold Lane Bridge to Brook End Bridge £1 per duck Ducks available from Repton Primary School until 3rd May, Repton Village Party,and at the start line from 1 pm Post race refreshments on sale at Repton School cricket ground

Book Swap Wednesday 15th May, 11 am - noon in St Wystan's Church and every 3rd Wednesday in the month Coffee and biscuits £1, and a chance to borrow books and jigsaws Chat and loans are free! Also at the first Wednesday 'Soup, Cheese and Chat'

Milton Lunch Club Thursday 16th May, 12.30 pm in Milton Village Hall.   £5. Sausage and mash + fruit trifle! Contact Lynn, 704540, Sue, 701978, or Polly, 703436 Everyone welcome wherever you live! If you need transport, let us know

Milton Spring Walk Sunday 19th May, starting at 10 am at the Village Hall A social event for all the family A full breakfast in the village hall from 10, followed the option of a short or longer walk at 11. Vegetarian option for breakfast – please advise when booking. To help with catering please let Sue, 701978, or Polly, 703436, know if you are coming. Breakfast £5 per person. Everyone is welcome.

Repton School Concerts Society Bach meets the Romantics – Roger Owens, piano Wednesday 22nd May at 7.45 in the Robert Beldam Hall We are delighted that Repton's distinguished new Head of Keyboard will present this programme of works by Bach and Liszt. Roger joined the Repton music department in September 2018, and is also Professor of Piano at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff. He has established himself as one of the most versatile of pianists and has appeared regularly at the major musical centres of the UK. Tickets for this concert are £13.50 and £10.50 (concessions). For further information or tickets contact Sue Parker, 56 Askew Grove, Repton, DE65 6GR

Messy Church Activities, celebration and food for all the family St Wystan's Church, Sunday 26th May, 4 to 5.30 pm To find out more, email Messy Church or call Ruth Attwood. Everyone is welcome!   Come along and try it!

Milton Open Gardens Sunday 2nd June, 1 to 6 pm Enjoy a diverse selection of over 10 gardens with some re-opening from previous years.   Small cottage gardens to larger landscapes, all extending a warm welcome Plants for sale : Tea and home-made cakes in the Village Hall Easily accessible : Free parking : No long walks! : Sorry, no dogs Entry £5 per adult, children under 16 free. In aid of local charities

Repton Village Hall

Fine tuning

We have received a generous donation from funds raised by last November's Sale of Work and Fun Day at Repton School. The event has supported the hall for many years and we are very grateful.

Progress with building is obvious as one walks by. The project is on time and we are now engaged in fine tuning. The first thing is to make sure that the water supply and drainage are in the right place. The next, that there will be sufficient electrical power and computer points where they will be needed. Connections for the audio-visual system have now been determined. We also sat with the kitchen supplier to map our ideas on computer as we spoke. This is a very important area and a lot of effort has been put into trying to get it right.

Work is still going on as to the best way to deal with the trees in the car park and produce a good finish within budget. This is proving surprisingly complex. We will have to pursue a further grant from somewhere to complete the landscaping scheme in its entirety.

Users and charges

Past users have been consulted and most are keen to return. There is also a wedding request for October 2020, and we have had enquiries about a christening, birthday celebrations and other new activities. It is fair to say that pretty much everybody is sensitive about price and we have had already two quite long meetings trying to set out a long-term policy. To determine costs we have to make assumptions about the level of use: the more the facilities are used, the easier it will be to control prices. It might help if, for example, we could persuade regular monthly users to rotate around one evening thereby leaving a different evening free for a regular weekly user. In the short term, this might not be achievable as some groups book speakers far ahead, but it merits consideration.

Not all groups will need to use the main hall. For some the meeting room or café will be more suitable. It is very likely that we will be able to charge much less for daytime use and on Sundays which are traditionally quite quiet. We are also fairly certain at this stage that there will be a discount for local users and possibly for long-term users. We hope to reach a conclusion on this during our meeting this month.

A salutary tale

Whilst we want the hall to be affordable, it also has to be clean and the facilities have to meet current expectations. When we visited other halls, we heard a salutary tale. A new hall in South Derbyshire was built in the mid-1990s and jogged along merrily, until 20 years later it was realised there was a massive backlog of maintenance and repairs, and no money in the kitty! It was very hard for them to sort it out.

Community Café and Youth

There are good levels of interest in supporting a community café and for youth activity. The key to both these ventures is to find someone willing to lead, and enough volunteers. Please contact me to be added to lists of those interested in discussing these projects further. Thank you to those who have already done so.

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Repton Village & History

Help needed at Repton Village Party
Saturday 4th May

We rely totally on volunteers to make this lovely village event happen! If you could spare an hour or two to help, it would be very much appreciated.

Volunteers deliver leaflets, sell raffle tickets, blow up balloons, put up signs, supervise games, put up (and take down) tents, make cakes, sell programmes and marshal the Parade.

Lots have already come forward, but as ever, and even at this late stage, the more, the merrier! Do get in touch.

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Baa, baa, black sheep - Repton Baby and Toddler

Two very special new borns joined the group this month, but these had four legs and a very fluffy tail. The toddlers had a wonderful time meeting the lambs. Special thanks to Tom and Hannah for bringing them along. The Easter theme didn't stop there, as the little ones have been busy with spring crafts and an Easter Egg Hunt.

The weather is starting to warm up so the ride-ons and other outdoor toys will be set up on the field.

We meet every Wednesday from 9.45 to 11.45 in the Iris Bentley pavilion at Broomhills. Everyone welcome from 0 to school age. Find us on Facebook or contact Natalie Matthews.

Repton Cubs

Wednesday nights in the Den continue to be packed with badge work and games, but still allow time for special events.

At the beginning of March we welcomed a visitor from the Open Centre in Derby. She spoke about her Islamic faith, and organised Cubs to help cook a delicious meal of chana dahl puri. Our young leaders from Repton School also led an excellent evening based on recycling, and the children impressed us with their grasp of green issues.

The Scout group AGM saw the cubs up on stage entertaining their parents with campfire skits and appalling jokes. They really enjoyed hearing the audience groan! We were excited to invest five new cubs during the evening too. A games night and Easter egg hunt rounded off the term, leaving Jez, Caroline and Sam two weeks to plan the summer term activities.

We have a few spaces for children aged 8 - 10 so if you are interested please contact Jez Brooks for further information.

Scarecrow Competition at Repton Open Gardens, 15th - 16th June

The scarecrow competition is part of Repton Open Gardens Weekend. Entry FREE and open to all. There will be cash prizes for the three most inventive and entertaining.

All scarecrows must be clearly visible from a public road and in position from 12 noon to 5 pm on both days.

Enter before Saturday 8th June

Please email your name and address, along with the location where the scarecrow will be displayed, to reptonopengardens@gmail.com. A list showing the locations of all the scarecrows will be available with your open garden programme and on the Repton Open Gardens Facebook page. The result of the competition will be displayed at the church from 3 pm on Saturday 15th.

Making your Scarecrow

Scarecrows need not be 'human'. Last year's winners were The Stickman, a Peacock, and Bertie Bassett, with Highly Commended for Mary Poppins and Little Bo Peep. You can find lots of advice, examples and instruction sheets, including advice on how to weatherproof your scarecrow, online at makescarecrows.com.

Evening of Wine and Music
Friday 7th June, 6.30 for 7 pm in St Wystan's Church

This occasion, a prelude to Repton Open Gardens, is a great favourite. Sparkling wine on arrival will be followed a short concert of music by pupils of Foremarke Hall under the direction of Susan Bloor. Canapés will be served afterwards, with wine available to purchase. Programmes for the Open Gardens Weekend will be on sale at £5, as will Prize Draw tickets. The musicians set a superb standard and the evening is always most enjoyable.

For tickets at £5, children free, contact Wendy Longden, 703259, Jan Gillham, 703340, or Jan Roberts, 702159.

Derby Book Festival 2019
31st May - 8th June

Tickets are on sale at derbybookfestival.co.uk, or call the QUAD on 01332 290606.

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Loan of fridge and microwave required

A small fridge and a microwave are required for two weeks during May whilst archaeologists are working in the vicarage garden. They will be well cared for and returned clean. If you have an old one in your garage, or one that you can spare from 11th May onwards, please contact Martin at Repton Vicarage.

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St Wystan's School leavers gain 7 scholarships

St Wystan's Independent School prepares pupils for a range of different schools where we believe that they will thrive and be happy. This year's Year 6 leavers will be heading off to a total of eight different schools, including, single sex and co-educational, day and boarding.

Between them they have won a sports scholarship to Derby Grammar School, an academic scholarship to Denstone College, a Lady Fisher award for Foremarke Hall, and two drama scholarships, a Creative Arts scholarship and a music scholarship to Derby High School. Our Year 6 pupils have worked incredibly hard. We are proud of them all.

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Repton School's new Head

In April, Repton School welcomed Mark Semmence as its new Headmaster, succeeding Alastair Land who left in March to take up the headship of Harrow School.

Educated at Hurstpierpoint College and Durham, Warwick and London Universities, Mark enjoyed a successful decade in the international sports marketing sector, working in London, New York and Dubai, before embarking on a career in teaching.

He comes here from Mount Kelly on the edge of Dartmoor, where he was Head for nearly 5 years, during which time he oversaw the creation of a single, strong Foundation from three former schools. Prior to that he had spent seven years at Rugby School where he was Assistant Head Master, taught economics and ran the cricket.

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Repton Village Society

In April, Tony Hurrell gave us an enthusiastic talk on 'The Earth Our Heritage', taking us through the social history of the pottery industry in and around Swadlincote and Gresley. He reminded us of our heritage and the wealth in the local clay beneath our feet. The pots produced may not have been fine china, but were nevertheless ceramic items that all of us find essential!

At our next meeting on Thursday 9th May (unusually it is the second Thursday in the month) Gerald Price will talk about the 'Woodland Trust', an organisation which has several woods around Repton. (7.30 pm in Repton School Junior Common Room, down the drive between the Mitre and the Red Lion – by the car park behind the Mitre.) Do join us!

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Repton Village History Group

In April, fifteen members of the group visited Knowle Hill to be taken round the site by Kasia Howard, the Engagement Manager for the Landmark Trust which owns and manages the site.

Knowle Hill is situated on a precipitous promontory where two valleys meet, just behind Seven Spouts Farm between Ingleby and Ticknall. In 1686, Walter Burdett from the Foremarke family rented land at Knowle and built a rather splendid but unusual house there, surrounded by an Italianate garden incorporating buildings and terracing that dropped down the steep hillside. Walter worked in London but retired to the country after his father's death in 1696.

He was the son of Sir Francis Burdett, the 2nd Baronet, and brother of Robert, the 3rd. In fact, when Robert died, Walter claimed the title but only for a matter of weeks because Robert's wife was pregnant and her son (also Robert) succeeded.

Walter's hillside structures incorporated man-made, cave-like passages and rooms with domed ceilings and alcoves. He had a reputation for socialising and was acquainted with Sir Francis Dashwood who started the Hellfire Club; one wonders exactly what went on there.

Walter died in 1732 leaving the place to his niece, who sold it to a local man, Nicholas Hardinge. Walter's nephew, Sir Robert Burdett (4th Baronet), rented and then bought Knowle Hill, and the family lived there while the Jacobean House at Foremarke was demolished and present Hall built. After moving there in 1762, he demolished the main house at Knowle, but used the gardens and hillside structures, which were allowed to decline as mysterious and attractive features, for entertainment. A custodian's cottage was built above stables at the top of the hill, and a turreted Gothic tower and building as a summerhouse. All of these are still there, restored and available as a holiday let through the Landmark Trust.

There is considerable speculation as to the location of the main part of Walter's house: research by Russell Fisher has produced an image suggesting that it was adjacent to the later cottage, so we are now laying plans for a geophysics survey to see if the foundations can be traced.

For more information about the History Group please contact Andy Austen.

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Repton WI

There was a last minute change to the April programme with the new focus on Health & Beauty. A couple of short presentations on 'how to maintain your beauty through good health practice' and 'beauty through the ages' (some interesting tips here!) were followed by an opportunity to sample a few Body Shop products. Everyone left with a little bag of Easter eggs, a herbal tea bag and a bottle of water to remind them to stay hydrated.

Find us at the Village Party on the Mitre Field, where we will be serving tea and cakes in the Den. There will also be a free activity for children, decorating Secret Doors, on the field in the WI tent.

Our meeting on 14th May will be an opportunity to experience new crafts – a chance to try something new. We'll be trying our hand at painting, book folding, and some textile crafts.

We'd love to see you at any or all of the following events. Come and join us!

Sat 4th May	Village Party: Don't miss the tea and cakes, and the free activity for children
Th 9th May	Coffee Morning, Hackwood Farm, 10.30 am
Tu 14th May	Craft evening – a chance to learn new crafts
Tu 21st May	Happy Hour, The Boot, 6.30 pm
Tu 11th June	Blood Bikes: 'We may well be having the ride of your life'
Wed 12th June	Coffee Morning, 10.30 am
Wed 19th June	Happy Hour at the Boot, 6.30 pm
Wed 26th June	Theatre Trip, Calendar Girls the Musical, 7.30 pm at Nottingham Theatre Royal

There are more details on our Facebook page.

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Mobile Library Tuesday 7th May
Repton village hall, 10.15-11.30 : The Square, 11.35-1.00

The library has something for everyone including information, fiction and non-fiction books for adults and children, large print books, books on tape and books on CD as well as a selection of local studies books and information.

The library works to a four-weekly timetable so in June it will be here on the 4th. For the Long Eaton base, contact 01629 531398; for the van, 0780 904 4405.

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Repton ngs Village Gardens
Monday 27th May, 1.30 - 5.30 pm

10 Chestnut Way : 22 Pinfold Close : 16 Askew Grove : Repton Allotments
Askew Cottage, 23 Milton Road : Woodend Cottage, 134 Main Street

This Bank Holiday you have a chance to visit six lovely NGS gardens for £6 (children free). They are very different, but all are full of interest. Homemade teas are available at 10 Chestnut Way (for the NGS) and Woodend Cottage (for St Wystan's Church). The money raised goes to the National Garden Scheme which this year will once again donate £3 million to nursing and caring charities. Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care and Hospice UK can each expect to receive £500,000.

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Repton Open Gardens
Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th June

Over the weekend, between 1.30 and 5.30 pm, you have the opportunity to visit 15 Repton gardens including an amazing seven present or previous 'Yellow Book' gardens. 13 gardens will open on both days, including Repton Memorial Arboretum and the Repton Allotments, and a further two gardens on Sunday only. Entry is by programme. These will be available in the village beforehand, and at the Church lychgate and in the gardens on the day.

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Let's keep the countryrside tidy

Have you seen the rubbish around us in the fields and hedgerows – cans, plastic bottles, crisp packets, glass bottles, sweet wrappers . . . . , rubbish that could well be there for many years. Not merely does it look horrible, but it's a danger to wildlife and to the environment. We need to do something about it.

We have already seen families and individuals taking litter pickers with them on walks, so inspired by their example and in time for the May school holiday, we are launching a new scheme to help clear up. In conjunction with our Parish Council, and with the kind support of Mr Joshi and Shirley at the Spar and Post Office, there will be litter pickers available at the post office for you to take on walks. Just call in, collect a couple as you set off, and bring them back when you finish. There will also be a notebook to record the area you have visited, so maybe the next person could choose a different walk if they wish.

You will need your own gloves and something to put the litter in. We have found that buckets or a sturdy carrier bag work well. Please put the rubbish collected in your own recycling bin. Hopefully the more people that join in, the less litter there will be for each of us to deal with.

A note of warning though: Do keep safe and don't try to collect rubbish from the sides of busy roads. The best thing there is to notify SDDC.

Parish Councillor Co-option for Repton Parish Council

Now that the Parish Council elections are out of the way, we are looking to co-opt Councillors to fill the five remaining vacancies. David Dickson, 704221, Jonathan Sheldon, 704165, and Mel Thomas, 702113, who were all co-opted last year, would recommend it to you, and would be happy to have an informal chat.

There are many Council functions that need volunteers with an interest or expertise. You might like to be involved in areas such as local planning, playing fields, monuments, provision for children or footpaths. Contact the Chairman, Carol Lloyd, on 702410, or the Parish Clerk, Caroline Crowder, for more information.

An application form for co-option is available on the Council website, or contact Caroline at the Parish Office. See below for contact details.

The closing date for applications is Friday 31st May. Decisions will be made at the Parish Council meeting on Monday 10th June.

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Repton Parish Council

Parish Council Elections and Co-option: Six applications were received for the elections to Repton Parish Council in May. As there are eleven vacancies, all six are elected and there will be no election. A co-option process will be organised instead. We can achieve much more for the village if all vacancies are filled, so please consider whether you would be willing to stand. See page 20 for more information, or contact Caroline Crowder, Clerk and Responsible Finance Officer, Repton Parish Council, at the address below.

Planters: We are applying to DCC Highways Department for permission for four planters in Repton, three small ones on the triangle by the Cross and one on Willington Road on the grass verge near the vicarage.

Broomhills Pavilion: Progress is being made on refurbishing. This will include new doors, window frames, kitchen, redecoration, and providing a defibrillator.

Broomhills Playing Field: A kissing gate is to be purchased to replace the broken access gate from Well Lane.

The Cross: A meeting is to be held with representatives from DCC Highways Department to discuss the condition of the Cross and the surrounding island.

Road safety around the primary school: Concerns here will be looked into by the DCC Highways representatives when they come to look at The Cross.

Next meeting: Monday 13th May in The Community Room, Fisher Close, Repton. All are welcome.

Carol Lloyd, Chairman
Parish Council Office, 40 High Street,  t: 01283 701309
Office hours: Monday and Thursday, 2.00 - 6.00 pm

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Milton, Foremark & St Saviour's Church

Milton WI

President Linda Murray hosted a very different evening for our small group of WI ladies. We tasted samples of many buffet-style foods including pâté, crisps, pork pie, cheese and cakes. A chocolate quiz and cuppa rounded off the evening.

At our next meeting on Wednesday 15th May, 7.30 pm in Milton village hall, we will discuss and vote on this year's resolutions, and have plenty of time to chat and enjoy refreshments served by the committee.

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Milton village hall

To hire Milton village hall, contact Polly Faulkner.

Self-defence class for disabled people Tuesdays, 7 to 8 pm in Milton Village Hall Anybody, any disability Fun Free, no hidden charges Contact Duncan Hogg on 07973 663601.

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Newton Solney & St Mary's Church

Newton Solney C of E School

Community Worship for everyone, with the children, is on Thursday 9th May at 9.15 am in the school hall. Everyone welcome. Hope to see you there!

Art Exhibition, 17th - 19th May in St Mary's Church
Preview evening, Friday 17th at 7.30
Saturday, 10.30 - 5 pm, Sunday 12 - 5pm

Tickets for the preview evening on Friday 17th at 7.30 are £10 with free drinks and canapes.

Come and see paintings, drawings and sculptures by local artists. We are also still accepting entries, please email nspreschoolbuilding@gmail.com for a submission form.

Village Festival, Saturday 15th June, 2 - 7 pm
Newton Solney recreation field

There's lots of family fun to be had at the stalls, games, refreshments, bar, bouncy castle, face painting, miniature train and lots more! Eat, drink and listen to the live music until 7 pm. Entrance £3, children free.

Summer Ball in Pears School, Repton
Saturday 20th July, 7 pm

Join us for a wonderful evening at Pears School. Enjoy a Pimms reception followed by a sumptuous three course dinner, and then dance the night away to Jason Kester and The Believers. All proceeds are going towards the new preschool building, so please come along and support us whilst enjoying a fantastic night out with your friends. Tickets –£55 each or a table of 10 for £500 – from Jaide Meyrick, 01283 704593, Newton Solney School Office, or nspreschoolbuilding@gmail.com.

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Newton Solney Plant Sale
Saturday 18th May, 10 am – noon

Do you need to fill those hanging baskets? And what about the bare patches in your flower beds? Newton Solney Horticultural Society has the answer. Our plant sale in the Village Hall will have many varied plants on offer. And as well as plants, there will be a Women's Institute cake stall, a raffle and delicious refreshments. Ideal.

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Newton Solney Tuesday Club

Tuesday 7th May at 3.30 pm

The Annual General Meeting, followed by Afternoon Tea at about 4 pm. Note the later start to the meeting.

Tuesday 21st May: A trip to Lichfield

We leave the Unicorn Inn at 9.30 am and return to Newton by about 3 pm. Cost £12.

Tuesday 28th May at 7 pm: Whist Drive in Newton Solney village hall.

Please contact our Secretary, Jane, on 01283 564520 if you would like to know more about the Tuesday Club or would like come on any of our trips. Non-members are welcome at all our activities.

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Newton Solney WI

What a glorious, colourful evening we had in April, when Kevin Jenkinson from Chapmans nursery in Rosliston spoke about 'Colour on the Patio', and brought the biggest display of plants that I have seen outside a garden centre. I am beginning to feel that Newton Solney is going to win the Best Village award for its garden displays this year. That is if we can just remember all the information that Kevin passed on to us.

Our next meeting on 14th May, 7.30 pm in Newton Solney village hall, is our AGM, concluding with Fizz, Fish & Frites. What could be better?

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Newton Solney Parish Council

Potholes: Complaints have been received about the condition of Trent Lane, Blacksmiths Lane and Bretby / Newton Lane. The Parish Council will forward them to Derbyshire County Council and ask for their attention. It would help if parishioners make their complaints individually direct to DCC at derbyshire.gov.uk/transport-roads/roads-traffic. The more complaints they receive, the more urgent a response.

Posts on the Village Green: 12 posts on the village green have either been knocked over by vehicles or are unstable. A quotation of £480 has been obtained for their replacement. The work is to be put in hand.

Common Land security: We have obtained a revised quotation of £2,774 plus VAT for the proposed security barrier close to the junction with Trent Lane and Blacksmiths Lane, to secure the Common Land from unwanted 'travellers'. Access for pedestrians, prams and horses will be maintained via a 5foot wide gate to one side. Grants are to be pursued to cover as much of the cost as possible.

Trim Trail: Due to a lack of interest in the proposed Trim Trail, the Parish Council has reconsidered its plans. However, as £2,000 has been raised specifically for the project, it is proposed that one item of equipment will be purchased and installed on the Recreation Field.

Parish Council Elections: No new nominations have been received and therefore there will be no election. Existing Councillors will remain in place.

Footpaths: All footpaths in the Parish have been walked. A report will be submitted to the County Council Footpaths Officer noting where stiles and finger posts need attention.

Defibrillator: A new battery and pads have been fitted to the defibrillator at the village hall.

U3A

The University of the Third Age is a national movement for people no longer in full-time employment who would like to lead an interesting, active and fun life after retirement. Membership is open to anyone who has passed the first age of childhood and the second age of full time employment and parental responsibility.

U3As are operationally independent. They are self-help groups pursuing a wide range of topics through members sharing their knowledge, skills and experience, enabling members to take part in many educational, creative and leisure activities.

Burton upon Trent U3A was launched in April 2011. It now has 42 interest groups and over 700 members. New members are very welcome. See u3a.org.uk.

Planning

Application 0064	-	tree work at Primavera: SDDC decision still pending
Application 1096	-	alterations to vehicle access: SDDC decision still pending
Application 0292	-	extension to 1 Newton Mount Cottages: no Parish Council objection, SDDC decision pending
Application 0377	-	extension to Bladon Lodge: no Parish Council objection, SDDC decision pending

Next meeting: Friday 10th May at 7.30 pm in the village hall. It will be preceded by the Annual Meeting at 7.00 pm. All are welcome.

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South Derbyshire

The National Forest Walking Festival
18th - 30th May

This year's event features walks for all ages, tastes and abilities, ranging from gentle strolls to strenuous rambles. They include routes for seasoned walkers as well as pushchairs, wheelchairs and family groups.

To pick out just a few of the 98 walks in the programme, you can get involved in Nordic walking, educational strolls and history walks. There really is something for everyone.

Every walk is graded for difficulty, and guided walks will be led by an experienced leader with local knowledge.

Copies of the Festival brochure can be picked up from Swadlincote Tourist Information Centre at Sharpe's Pottery Museum, or you can download a copy from www.thenationalforestwalkingfestival.org.uk.

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You and your Pet

If you find a dead cat or dog

If you have ever lost a cat or dog, you will remember the heartbreak of not knowing what happened to it. So if you find a dead animal, please try to let its owner know. Many animals are now routinely chipped, so if possible, please take it to any vet. They will scan for a chip. If it is chipped, the vet will contact the owner and dispose of the body. You will not be charged.

You can share information on your local Spotted page. Perhaps you could also put up a notice saying what you have found, where and when.

In the case of a cat, please also email lostandfound@derbybranch.cats.org.uk. They will include it in the CP Derby Branch Lost and Found Facebook. Please include full details such as where and when, and a description of the cat.

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Neighbourhood Watch

Please note that police haven't the resources to monitor local social media sites and will not be aware of incidents unless you report directly to them. You can:

• send a private message to the main Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page;
• send a private message to @DerPolContact;
• complete the online contact form www.derbyshire.police.uk/Contact-Us;
• telephone 101 for non-emergency.

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

Every year is different

In May 2010 we were counting our losses due to cold, last year at this time we were paddling in the garden, and this year we have had foliage damage from frosts, not really late frosts, more a case of plants getting ahead of themselves in the balmy weather we have enjoyed intermittently this winter. There is not a lot that can be done about the frost damage. Most plants will recover, but some acers may look sick all summer. I don't remember seeing frost damage on hostas before, but I expect they will bounce back. I guess that this is something we have to get used to with global warming; we need to learn which plants need extra protection and which will bounce back.

Unlike last year, our garden seems very dry in parts due to the lack of winter rain. Quite a few shrubs have a number of dead branches that need pruning out, probably due to last year's dry summer.

It is always a challenge to find plants that will grow really well in dry shade. To start with, all shade is not equal. The dappled shade cast by a distant crab apple is quite different from the shade of a nearby leylandii. The shade of a house wall and a fence are different again.

Generally, the drier the shade the greater the challenge, but there are plants that will cope well, and there are tricks to help you. First, observe the location carefully. Is it really shady all day long or does it get a couple of hours of sunshine at some point? Is it dry because of nearby roots or is it in a rain shadow and actually receive very little rain? Next, improve the soil by adding organic matter. Home-made compost is always my first choice. Some cheap general purpose compost will have peat or green waste in it. Make sure you mix it with the existing soil. If the site is riddled with roots and you can't dig a planting hole, admit defeat and do what Gertrude Jeykell would have done: use a large pot instead. You could also use a cardboard box sunk into the ground, filled with a good mixture of soil-based compost, to give the plant a good start and protect it from invading roots until it is established.

A few ideas for shrubby plants for dry shade

Choisya ternata actually does better in shade than in sun. The variety 'Sundance' has acid yellow foliage and white flowers. Viburnum tinus has scented flowers for many months in the winter. The golden and variegated privets will grow in very dry soil but need some sunshine to colour well. I grow fatsias in full shade in dry soil; my favourite is Fatsia 'Spider's Web' but it will scorch if it gets sun, Fatsia variegata is much more tolerant but doesn't have that 'wow' factor. There are many ferns that don't need much moisture once established such as male fern dryopteris filix-mas and harts tongue fern Asplenium scolopendrium that can be most effective in a dry shady site, and are native ferns too.

May is the month to harden off any seedlings

. . . that you have grown or bought. Don't assume that just because the garden centre or supermarket is selling something it will survive outside. Put plants in a sheltered spot out of too much sun. And a daily stroke of the foliage will help toughen them up.

If you don't have room for a vegetable patch, you can still grow rocket in a pot, even quite a small pot. Cover with some chicken wire or netting to keep off the darned pigeons – and have a nibble yourself as you go past.