November 2025
The annual village fireworks display proved another big hit as residents gathered in the garden of Marhcmont Cottage for an evening of bangers and flash! Food in the form of hot dogs were cooked up by PERA chairman Simon Lillystoine and his wife Jane, and hot soup was handed out by Annette Harrison and her husband Paul. Harriet Twigger and her daughter Cecilia did a fantastic job collecting entrance money and selling raffle tickets.
The village Scarecrow and Harvest Festival drew a good crowd of villagers to enjoy the many autumn fruits, flowers, cakes and scarecrows on display. Showing a keen interest in the alcoholic entries, the event judge Lady Val Corbett, of No 96, pictured here with Pippa Vincent of the Mill House, picked Pippa’s creation as the winner. ‘It’s never too early to have a drink,’ said Val as she admired Pippa’s Gin & Lemon cake.
October 2025
We extend a warm welcome to the village’s newest resident, Eleanor Kirby. Eleanor moved into No 60 during the summer and has already made herself at home in our leafy countryside. ‘I was coming out here every weekend to go riding,’ said Eleanor, who used to live in Winchmore Hill and has a daughter Kitty and a son Giles. ‘Then I decided I might as well move here to save all the driving. I found this lovely house in Piccotts End and I’m very happy.’
September 2025
The village Autumn Festival has opened with effigies starting to appear in front gardens. They mark the opening of ‘scarecrow fortnight’ in which residents have been invited to create their own version of a great British tradition, The event will run until Sunday October 12th when it will be celebrated with the Harvest Festival. Bring your autumn collections – fruit, vegetables, flowers, leaves, cakes or ale – to the paddock at 62, Piccotts End for all to admire and enjoy.
August 2025
Ena Hartland, a long time resident of the Mill House In Piccotts End, had a wonderful 94th birthday tea last week with friends and neighbours from Riverbank, Pauline, Barbara, Melanie and Susanna. Lots of good memories were shared of Ena’s time living in the Mill House with her late husband Stanley. Ena now lives in St Mary’s care home near the Old Town. Many Happy Returns Ena! with very best wishes from everyone in Piccotts End.
August 2025
Village veteran Mary Wiedman is at it again! Never shy to express her forthright opinions, this time she has laid into the bedroom bores who discuss their sex lives in the pages of the tabloids. Mary, who has lived in the village for some 50 years, regularly features in the letters pages of the Daily Mail and Daily Express, on all matter of topics, from the Beckhams to Brexit. In her latest diatribe to the Daily Mail this week, she laments the empty lives of those who have nothing better to do than discuss their sex lives.
August 2025
The long-awaited decision on an appeal by developers to build 390 houses on the Leighton Buzzard road has been announced – and it’s not good news for the village. Fairfax, against whom Dacorum council and an alliance of residents and other parties mounted vigorous opposition, have been granted outline planning permission,
The Reds Kites that fly iso majestically over our skies are now becoming such a nuisance that residents have launched an appeal to discourage people from feeding them.
April 2025
Plans for a raft of social events, including a Christmas carol party, were announced at the village AGM. Popular events like the Spring Coffee Morning (April 27th), the Safari Supper (September 20th) and the Fireworks Party (November 15th) will make a welcome return, along with a revival of the Scarecrow and Harvest Festival events which were successfully launched in 2022.
April 2025
Spring is in the air! Smell the scent and smell the coffee when we gather at the Marchmont Arms on Sunday 27th April. It’s the annual village coffee morning at the Marchmont Arms. Drop in any time between 11am and 1pm, See you there!