Toasts & Tiaras

Arriving at a children's home, my expectations were confused until the house door opened and I was greeted by a young, talented professional who talked openly about the work and aspirations of the centre.

Beautiful photographs adorned the lounge and hall showing the young people dressed for a black tie event. Artwork created during a workshop, took pride of place in reception rooms. Unique pieces identified rooms and, to their credit, a private room with a 'Child Line' poster and free-of-charge telephone for use to make calls to anyone at any time.

Whatever their experiences prior to joining the children's home, all young people are encouraged to make the best of themselves via the various routes to success.

Spending time with peers is a vital part of development, particularly when birth parents are absent thus boarding schools are best placed to complement the work of children's homes, providing an unbeatable package of education based activities alongside extra-curriculae activities.

The discipline of routines and deadlines may well be demanding, however, mentors would be on hand alongside the pastoral care.

As Area Representative for Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire www.jetcharity.org I would be pleased to hear from those wishing to nominate children for such boarding places.

Let's toast the future, together.

Nightleys

Nightleys Park now has a kickabout court: ball games of all types can be played by local young people.

Watch this space for news of events ...

The Great Westminster Clock

The Clock Tower's bell at the Palace of Westminster, 'Big Ben'(note E natural)and the four quarter bells (G sharp, F sharp, E and B), sound the Westminster chimes.

The chimes are set to the following prayer: 'All through this hour, Lord be my guide, And by thy power, no foot shall slide.

Looked After Children from Hertfordshire climbed 96m via 344 steps to the belfry (and saw another 59 to the Ayrto Light), inserted ear plugs and witnessed the bells striking 3pm on the ocassion of Big Ben's 150th birthday, thanks to Charles Walker MP who had kindly sponsored the event.

The four clock dials, framed in cast iron and glazed with 312 separate pieces of illuminated opal glass, are each 7m in diameter. The hour hands are made of gun metal, each 2.7m long and weighing about 300kg. The minutes hands are made of copper sheet 4.2m long, weighing 100kg and travel a distance equalling 190 kilometres (120 miles) a year.

Although no longer accessible, there are rooms in the tower which were used in the past to detain MPs or Peers for breach of conduct. They were last used in 1880 when Chalres Bradlaugh MP, an atheist, refused to take the oath of allegiance to Queen Victoria on the Bible.

It was a great honour to share Big Ben's birthday and a truly memorable ocassion: each time I now hear the bells of The Great Westminster Clock, I recall the prayer.

Virtual Tour:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/multimedia/archive/00564/
clocktoweranniversa_564271a.mov
LAC Report:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/
cmselect/cmchilsch/787/787.pdf

Broxbourne White Water Canoe Centre

Lee Valley Regional Park in Hertfordshire, 30km north of the Olympic Village is where the Broxbourne White Water Canoe Centre sits, linked to the Olmpic Park by the River Lea and enjoying excellent public transport links.

Construction started this month and will be completed in time for Test Events in 2011and pre-Games training.

The Canoe/Kayak Slalom courses will be created - including a permanent 300m competition course and a 100m warm-up course - entirely artificially with a new water body constructed and the white water created through a system of pumps designed to thrill and excite.

It will be the only new Olympic venue which the public will be able to use ahead of the 2012 Games. They will be able to enjoy white water canoeing and white water rafting at the site - just 40 minutes from central London.

During the Games up to 12,000 spectators will be able to enjoy the Canoe/Kayak Slalom races. After the Games, both the competition course and the warm up course will remain, leaving behind a world-class Whitewater Canoe Centre at Broxbourne for elite athletes and beginner/intermediate level canoeists alike.

It will also be a major leisure attraction for whitewater rafting, owned managed and funded by the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority. It will feature an extensive sports development programme, a first rate white water rafting experience and will be used by the community.

Sebastian Coe, Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee, said: "This is an important stage in the delivery of a facility that will provide a world class venue for Games time and an excellent facility for elite athlete and community usage after the Games, living up to our promise of leaving a lasting legacy for sport. The constructors must now develop a challenging Olympic course and develop a community facility which will provide a new experience for beginners. I look forward to seeing the plans for Broxbourne take shape. www.the2012londonolympics.com

Golden Ferret

Playing a ball with a club from the teeing ground into the hole by a stroke or successive strokes in accordance with the Rules, such is golf.

In golf, a hole-in-one is when a player hits the ball directly from the tee into the cup with one shot and this is normally only possible on a par 3 hole.

Holes-in-one are extremely rare, and while it depends largely on the golfer's skill, many instances have been recorded when a ball has bounced off a tree, a bird in flight, or even a passing car, before settling into the hole.

Amateur players who make a hole-in-one in a friendly game will usually be mentioned in the local newspaper's sports section, provided there was at least one witness.

During a local golf lesson, a young lad holed a bunker shot. Later, he learned that this is known as a 'Golden Ferret'. Amazement spread throughout the club and a photograph was duly placed on the wall of fame.

The moral of this story is, no matter how unlikely, expect the best.

You will find it at Cheshunt Golf Club where you too, can make history.

http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/
leisure_and_culture/sports_and_leisure_centres/
cheshunt_park_golf_course.aspx

Golf Slang:
Apron or fringe : The band of grass at the approach to the green that is longer than the green itself.
Bandit : Someone who plays lower than their handicap suggests.
Barnes Wallace : This is when a ball bounces across a water hazard.
Bite, munch or take a seat : This is a phrase often heard from golfers after a shot towards the green has been taken, in which they would like the ball to stop or slow down. These are phrases used especially among professionals.
Dance Floor : An alternative name for the putting green.
Ferret or Skunk : This may be heard if someone chips the ball into the hole from off the green.
Golden Ferret : This is similar to a 'Ferret' except it is when a bunker shot is holed.
Jungle, brillo or bundi : A term used to describe the rough.
Sandie : Similar to an "Up & Down", refers to chipping onto the green from the bunker and 1-putting.
Stymie : This was a common phrase said before the allowance of ball markers. It occurred when a golfer's ball was blocking the other's line of putt. This is now avoided since the allowance of ball markers.
Taxi : This is a term which may be shouted when a golf ball races past the hole, in the intention of holing it.
Up & Down : This term refers to the accomplishment of chipping onto the green and making a 1-put, thus going up, and down.

Groundbreakers 'go live'

Launched today is the joint firearms support unit for Bedfordshire Police and Hertfordshire Constabulary bringing improved resilience and efficiency to this key policing specialism. http://www.herts.police.uk

Hertfordshire Constabulary, Deputy Chief Constable, Simon Parr aims to further improve the policing service delivery to communities.

Hertfordshire Police Authority's Safer Neighbourhoods Awards 2009 have been chosen and, once again, outstanding contributions to community policing have been highlighted - stand-up Broxbourne heat winners PCSOs Teresa Vaux and Kathi Broad.

Broxbourne is a safe place to live with relatively low levels of crime and disorder - buoyed by the aims and objectives of the council in promoting community safety: http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/community_and_living/community_safety.apx

Activities for Children, Families and Young Peopleare listed here
http://www.broxbourne.gov.uk/PDF/LE_Children_and_Families_brochure_April_to_Sept_09.pdf and http://youth.broxbourne.gov.uk/

If you wish to nominate a local neighbourhood project for part of the community safety budget, please contact the community safety team on 01992 785555or email community.safety@broxbourne.gov.uk.

And finally, Nacro needs you for a free sports project: nacro@broxbourne.gov.uk

Make your neighbourhood is safer still, report any anti-social behaviour on 01992 785577 and incidents of crime to the police on 0845 3300222.