December 2020
PERA chairman David Stanier and his committee would like to wish all the Piccotts End residents a safe and happy Christmas time. He writes ‘It is sad we have have had to abandon our regular social activities this year, but given half a chance next year will be better. Early in the new year we intend to hold a Covid-19 safe Annual General Meeting to enable all of us to mull over our thoughts for the future.’
October 2020
Like the great travellers who introduced exotic plants such as the Fuchsia to these shores, I love the idea of seeing them flourish here, even if my easyJet flights hardly qualify as great. My latest imports are now to be seen flowering prolifically as far afield as Cornwall, France and Dorset, as well as here in Piccotts End!
It’s the beautifully scented yellow Brugmansia, also known as Datura. The one pictured here in our conservatory originated in the gardens of the Grand Timeo Hotel in Taormina in Sicily. Last year I brought back few tiny cuttings and put them in a propagator. A year on they are producing an abundance of flowers which fill the house with perfume in the evenings.
October 2020
The village has lost another of its oldest residents. Gladys Kulikowski, who lived at 101 for more than 50 years, has died at the age of 99.
Val Corbett, a fellow resident and lifelong friend, paid this tribute in her eulogy at Gladys’s funeral.
September 2020
A Piccotts End resident is calling for a petition to demand a crossing over the Leighton Buzzard Road.
Michael Taylor, who lives at Riverbank, is asking villagers to join him with a petition after an unproductive meeting with ward councillor Ron Tindall.
September 2020
While the village Book Club’s usual meetings have not been possible under Covid restrictions it hasn’t cramped their literary deliberations. Thanks to Zoom the club has been turning the pages more often than ever. As well as a bi-monthly discussion members have been choosing short stories for the months in between. Summer titles have included Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier), The Machine Stops (E M Forster), The Catcher in the Rye (J D Salinger) and All Among the Barley (Melissa Harrison).
August 2020
Most celebs and rock stars hang out in fashionable areas like the Cotswolds or Surrey. But not Ronnie Wood, the Rolling Stone who has come to rest in our part of the world, at Little Gaddesden. One of his favourite haunts is the Alford Arms where he’s a regular patron.
August 2020
Friends and neighbours gathered for an alfresco farewell to popular village musicians Tim & Julia Blinko. Tim, who is Professor of Music at the University of Hertfordshire, and Julia, who sings with the Bach Choir, are moving to Dorset. They will be accompanied by Julia’s mother Pip to a dream home in Shaftesbury. ‘We’ve loved our time in Piccotts End and we will miss the many friends we’ve made,’ said Tim, whose family have lived in the village for 10 years. ‘We’re very much looking forward to welcoming you all to our new home.’
July 2020
Judy Wade, village veteran and HELLO!’s royal correspondent for 27 years, has died at the age of 81 after a short illness.
A trailblazing woman journalist, she reported on royal births, deaths and marriages and crossed the globe on royal tours until her retirement in 2015.
Known for her colourful outfits and larger than life presence, she arrived from her native Australia in 1971 and moved to Piccotts End shortly afterwards.
July 2020
After 17 years of missing deliveries and confused delivery drivers I have finally taken some action. I’ve changed our postcode! I didn’t realise you could do this until I noticed that several places I go to have a unique postcode identifying their exact location. Why would I need this? Well it’s because our current postcode HP1 3AT directs drivers into Piccotts End village whereas we are marooned the other section of the road leading into Hemel Old Town. The problem was caused when the road was cut in two by the building of Link Road back in the 1980s.
May 2020
For many it’s a Thursday night ritual and residents in the black and white cottages have been regulars from the start. Thanks to photographer Steve Casey of No 52 who was there to record the latest occasion.