Boho Boxmoor

Nappuccino morning - part of Real Nappy Week

Real Nappy Week is this year taking place from Monday 16 May to Sunday 22 May. In support of Real Nappy Week, Dacorum Borough Council is holding a ‘Nappuccino’ morning.

Parents with young children and expectant parents are invited to the Nappuccino morning at Sportspace Hemel Hempstead on Wednesday 18 April from 10am to 11.30am

There will be lots of information on modern real nappies available, including a run-through of their benefits and how to use them. A real nappy advisor and the recycling team will be on hand to offer advice and information, including details of the Council's £50 real nappy cashback offer.

There will also be a real nappy information display board all week at Hemel Hempstead Sportspace. Of course there will also be an opportunity to ask questions and share information with other parents about real nappies and/or other information.

Survey: What do you think of Blackbirds Moor?

The Boxmoor Trust is running a survey to find out more about how the people of Hemel Hempstead use Blackbirds Moor. If you wish to take part, please complete the survey by Friday 29 April using the link below.

BOXMOOR TRUST WRITES: Blackbirds Moor is a picturesque gem within the town and in the Trust’s estate.  Wrapped around the Boxmoor Cricket Club it provides a community heart to the area.  It was bought by the Trust in 1844 and thirteen years later the cricket club was formed. More recently it has become the annual home for the circus, Carter’s Steam Fair and the Trust’s own conker festival.

Such marvellous green spaces are not without their occasional problems and challenges and the Trust would like to work with local people and groups to make it an even better place.

This spring the Trust is asking visitors to the Moor and local residents what they like and what they don’t like about the open space and how they think it might be improved.

Follow this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/blackbirdsmoor

and you will be able to comment on a variety of aspects of the way it is now and the way in which it is cared for. There will also be opportunity to receive paper survey forms on request.

For further information about the survey keep an eye on our website or call Ian Richardson, the General Manager on (01442) 253300.

 

Family fun day in Boxmoor for Hospice of St Francis

On Saturday 2 April, 1pm-4pm, come along to a children's & family fun day at St Mary & St Joseph Paris Centre, with all proceeds going to The Hospice of St Francis.

It's being run by about 10 local volunteers and an army of cake bakers! Boxmoor businesses have donated as well as Orchids estate agents. 

Activities include Easter crafts, Mother's Day card making, decorating Easter biscuits, face painting, body art, raffle, cake corner with homemade goodies, tea, coffee and juices, Phoenix cards, Sugar + Spice Gingerbread parties, Zumba demo and more.

Childrens activities are priced at 50p each and £1 entrance per family - come along and support this really good cause, with lots of fun for all while you're at it.

Boxmoor's December litter pick (cancelled)

This litter pick is cancelled due to icy conditions. The next one will be Saturday 1 January (hopefully!)

The next Boxmoor litter pick will be on Saturday 4 December at 10am, meeting point outside 156 St John's Road.

You can pick up bags, litter picking sticks and tabards at the starting point; it's recommended you bring your own gloves.

The Boxmoor monthly litter picks are organised by Lance Redler. The next ones are planned for Saturday 1 January, Sunday 6 February, Saturday 5 March.

You can let Lance know you'll be attending by emailing him on lanceredler@yahoo.co.uk. Find out more about the monthly litter picks, how they work and what routes we cover - click here.

At November's litter pick, 13 people took part and 12 bags of rubbish were collected. We aim to do at least as well this month, to get Boxmoor spruced up for Christmas. 

These litter picks are part of The Big Tidy Up, a national campaign for a tidier Britain. The bags of litter we collect are added to a national total. In Dacorum alone, 1,531 bags of litter were collected by volunteers' litter picks like these in 2010.

Boxmoor Primary School's Swish Party

Boxmoor Primary School is holding a Swish Party on Thursday 18 November, at 7.30pm. What's a 'Swish Party' I hear your ask? Swishing is the latest craze for fashion lovers, born out of the credit-crunch and eco-awareness.

Simply bring along a few items from your wardrobe that you never wear any more, and swap them for someone's else's glad rags. Instant wardrobe update in time for the party season, with little impact on your wallet or the environment.

Doors open at 7.30pm when you hand over your items and they're taken away to be put on rails ready for browsing. Bring a minimum of one item, maximum five - clean, pressed and in good condition, and on a hanger if possible. You can bring clothes, shoes or accessiories.

Then have a drink and nibbles and browse a few Christmas and shopping stalls until the main doors open at 8pm. You'll have stickers to put on items you like; if anything is chosen by more than one person, there's a draw for it. Clothes will be arranged by size, so you can quickly find the right things for you.

Tickets to the Swish Party cost £3 per person, available on the door. If you'd like to find out more, or ask about having a stall there, contact Lenka on 07871 608907. This event is organised by the Boxmoor Primary School PTA as a fundraising event for the school.

Venue: Boxmoor Primary School, Cowper Road, Boxmoor, HP1 1PF. Parking is on Cowper Road or Grosvenor Terrace.

Photo © Daniel Goodchild and DGimages

Transition Town - coming up in November

Hemel Hempstead is a Transition Town, working towards a greener, more sustainable future. If you'd like to find out more about the Transition Town movement in Hemel Hempstead, you can come along to Hemel in Transition's (HiT) events in November:

Tuesday 9 November - HiT Green Drinks, White Hart pub, Hemel Old Town, 7.30pm.  Our new, relaxed format, monthly get together for a drink and a chinwag about all things green!

Come along and swap ideas with like-minded friendly people and learn about the HiT initiatives you can get involved in - such as our new bulk buying and neighbourhood recycling scheme. Get some answers to local green questions and get inspired to get greener! 

Thursday 18 November - HiT's 7th Green Tea, Friends Meeting House, George St, Hemel Old Town, 7.30pm. This month's theme is REMAKE - a unique opportunity before Christmas to learn how to knit, crochet and weave with re-used textiles.

Start collecting colourful  tights, plastic bags and umbrellas to bring along on the evening, and create an unusual Christmas present. And enjoy tea and home-made cakes, of course.

Visit the Hemel in Transition website at www.hemelintransition.org

Box Moor Trust's Conker Festival 2010

It's that time of year again. The Box Moor Trust holds its annual Conker Festival on Sunday 17 October in Blackbirds Moor, 12pm-3pm. Registration for the competition starts at 11.30am, and you'll want to make sure you get there early as places do fill up. There are two separate competitions: Juniors (8-11 years old) and adults (12 and over).

If you're not taking part in the competition, there's still plenty to keep the whole family entertained. You can try your hand at archery courtesy the Berkhamsted Bowmen or take part in a mini pottery workshop with the Dacourm & Chiltern Potters Guild.

The Trust's education team will be running craft activities of kids of all ages and there will be a variety of charity and community stalls. Plus the Jolly Jazzers, face painting, refereshments and a clown to entertain the kids - what more could you want?

Entry is free - just turn up to Blackbirds Moor, Boxmoor. See you there! Find out more about the Box Moor Trust.

Conkers photo by Roy Lathwell on the Boho Boxmoor pics group on Flickr. See Roy's photostream here.

Monthly litter picks - how did we do?

Here's the haul from our first monthly Boxmoor litter pick, held on Saturday 2 October. Seventeen people showed up, 14 bags were collected in total and rubbish was cleared from litter 'hotspots' in Boxmoor like the Cotterells, St John's Road, Hemel Hempstead Cricket Club and Fishery Passage.

The monthly litter picks are organised by Lance Redler, and the starting point is outside his house at 156 St John's Road. You collect tabards, rubbish bags and litter-picking sticks from Lance, choose a route and off you go.

All ages are welcome, and we hope that these ongoing litter picks will reinforce that this is an area that is well cared for by its residents. The next pick is Sunday 7 November, start time tbc. Find out more about the monthly litter picks here.

 

Boxmoor Macmillan Coffee Morning 2010

Thank you to everyone who came along to the Macmillan Coffee Morning at St Mary & St Joseph's Parish Centre on Friday 24 September, to take part in the World's Biggest Coffee Morning locally.

We raised £400 at the event for Macmillan Cancer Charity - £350 from donations for cakes and coffee and contributions from stall-holders; plus £50 via a Forever Living promotion run by local trader Heidi Brown. Last year's total was £303, so we're delighted that each year we're able to raise more and more.

Smith's Coffee of Apsley took part for the first time this year, providing all the coffees and teas - which were delicious. Owner Colin Smith showed up early, set us up with coffee-making equipment and left everything running smoothly. Yolanda, Alison, Elspeth and Lois usually work up a head of steam providing coffees in the kitchen, but this was their easiest year ever, thanks to Smith's.

That's it until next year - we're already booked in at the same venue on Friday 30 September. Thanks to all who came and everyone who made cakes and helped out. It was a warm community event as usual and let's hope for many more.

Here's an article from the Gazette about all the Macmillan Coffee Mornings in Hemel Hempstead... including ours, of course - click here.

Nearly £2 million has been raised so far from the World's Biggest Coffee Morning 2010. More info.

 

Box Moor Trustees election - voting gets underway

The Box Moor Trust is looking for five new Trustees to join its board of Trustees. The election was advertised over the summer - 60 local people expressed an interest and 17 have decided to stand.

The voting process kicks off on Monday 4 October. Ballot packs will be sent out to homes in the 'area of benefit' (this is Hemel Hempstead and Bovingdon). Adult voters are entitled to vote for up to five candidates. If you need an additional voting pack for your household, ring 0208 889 9203. You can vote by post, online and via freepone and SMA. Closing date for votes is 21 October 2010.

You can find out more about how to vote on the Box Moor Trust website: www.boxmoortrust.org.uk. You can also see photos and find out more about each of the candidates - click here. Here's a quick run-down: