Real Ale Tales with the Amber Valley by Nathan Dilley

It’s that time of year again when the members of Amber Valley CAMRA have selected their pub of the year. This is an arduous task undertaken by the members and competition is fierce. We are fortunate to have an increasing list of quality pubs and inns in our region, from quiet rural pubs to lively town ones, bustling back street locals to quirky modern conversions.

Members will have been visiting pubs that may include the likes of The Old Oak Inn at Horsley Woodhouse, a curio of a place which affords a warm welcome in the shape of open fires, and at weekends the Rurad Bar which offers gravity-dispensed craft beers from near & far of varying strengths and styles. Another pub worth seeking out is the Dead Poets at Holbrook, which offers high-backed pews at the bar, stone flagged floors and comfy corners in which to enjoy any of the six guest beers that they have on at any one time. The area also includes pubs such as the Thorn Tree at Waingroves, a real locals’ pub which goes to great lengths to source beers not found elsewhere locally and puts on interesting beer festivals well worth seeking out. If character is what you are after, then the Holly Bush at Makeney will definitely not disappoint; this late 17^th century listed pub was a possible haunt of Dick Turpin when it stood on the old Derby Turnpike before the new road opened in 1818.

The judging panel score not only on beer quality, but on such things as good value, service/welcome, atmosphere and numerous other criteria which CAMRA believes makes these pubs stand out in a crowded marketplace. Members will have decided whether last year’s worthy winner, the Hunters Arms at Kilburn, has retained its crown among such sterling competition. A list of potential pubs is whittled down to the eight pubs with the highest number of votes from members and these are then visited over a six-week period, and the winner is announced shortly into the New Year. The pubs mentioned above are only a small selection of possible entrants. What they all have in common though is excellent beer, a warm welcome and what I believe to be the ingredients that make the pub the essential place to while away many an enjoyable hour. Why not check out a selection of the above and see if they are deserving of a place in your own pub of the year list?

Nathan Dilley, Chairman of Amber Valley CAMRA

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

Recipe: Mushroom & Leek Risotto

This creamy risotto is great for a quick and easy midweek supper simply served with a leafy green salad and some warm ciabatta bread. Replace the mushrooms with small vine tomatoes fried until soft, if preferred.

Serves 4

Ready in 45 minutes

55g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

2 leeks, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

225g risotto rice

900ml hot vegetable stock

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

175g button mushrooms, wiped

2-3 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Heat half the butter and the oil in a large deep frying pan. Add the sliced leeks and garlic and fry over a medium-high heat until softened but not brown. Stir in the rice and cook for one minute.

2 Add a ladleful of the hot stock to the pan and simmer gently, stirring all the time. When all the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, add another ladleful of stock. Continue adding the stock in this way until the rice is tender and has a creamy texture – this will take about 20 minutes.

3 Heat the rest of the butter in a separate frying pan and fry the mushrooms over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Stir the Parmesan cheese into the risotto and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4 Serve the risotto in warmed bowls topped with the fried mushrooms, chopped parsley and extra Parmesan cheese.

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

On Two Wheels

“On Two Wheels” by Ian Bax (pictured) of Roy Jervis, Ripley.

By the time you read this Christmas will be well and truly over, apart from, for a lot of us, the “did I really spend that much” credit card bill and the extra inches and pounds we seem to have received from 

Santa’s festive treats! Unfortunately I can’t help with the credit card bill (well yours anyway!) but maybe we can do something to help shed the unwanted pounds. GET ON YA BIKE!

As I sit and write this article with just 10 days to go till Christmas we are busy at the shop building, preparing and storing bicycles and scooters of all shapes and sizes ready for Santa to collect and deliver to kids of all ages and cycling abilities. I love seeing kids out on the street on Christmas morning riding their new bikes, especially when we’ve sold them!

Cycling is life enhancing, not only is it a mode of transport but it’s a balancing act, a tool for exploratory play and a form of exercise all wrapped up in an eco-friendly package. Did you know that cycling is by far the most popular sport related exercise among children?

For kids, learning to ride a bike is a key rite of passage giving them a great sense of independence, enabling them to undertake journeys that were too boring or too far to walk previously and making them fun and exciting. Cycling enables children to explore new places, meet up with friends and make new friends that were out of their reach before.

Obviously there are risks with cycling; bicycles can be fast, a lot faster than running which, in itself, is an attraction for many children. I’m sure many of us used to build ramps and tracks to see how far we could push ourselves and our trusty steeds! Children do hurt themselves on bikes; I did, but most injuries are slight and every knock is a learning experience and that is no reason to limit their rides to weekends with adult supervision.

As a kid I would spend most summer days during the school holidays with my best mate Chris out on our bikes going for miles with only a water bottle, some sandwiches and a few pennies for sweets! For those of you who have read my previous articles and have some idea of my age you will know that we didn’t have mobile phones either! We loved it, regularly clocking up 50 miles or more and discovering places we didn’t know existed, our favourite being “Stone Rocks” at Weirwood Reservoir in Sussex (I’m a Southerner, don’t hold it against me!) where we would climb the rocks and meet up with like-minded kids.

We didn’t even have cycle helmets in those days something which should be a must today and as familiar to kids as putting their seat belt on in a car.

Well 500 words is fast approaching, so let me just end by saying that not only is cycling fantastic for children’s development and general health, but it is also something that we can all get a massive benefit from, keeping us healthy in body and mind and giving us an activity that we can do as a family.

Good luck with the diet and I look forward to seeing you all soon.

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

YOUR HOROSCOPE for February and March 2012

The Cosmos during February and March

February: Neptune, the planet of mystery and illusion leaves Aquarius on the 4^th and “comes home” to its own sign of compassionate Pisces. This will be a 14 year stay and takes us up to 2026. Neptune is the God of the seas, and just like water, can be difficult to pin down. Pisces is also associated with the vastness of the sea and big questions around the world’s water and resources will arise. Neptune also rules spirituality and deep understanding, and during this time we could all find ways to channel our sensitivities to the greater good of all. Spiritual ideas and new forms of healing will affirm their validity and become more a part of everyday life. Venus, the love planet is in amorous Aries on Valentine’s Day, it should be especially passionate and romantic this year!

March: We are heading towards longer and warmer days, and with the spring equinox on Tuesday the 20^th and a powerful new moon in Aries on the 22^nd there is renewed strength and vitality available for all. Enjoyment and prosperity are also emphasised as benevolent Jupiter and harmonious Venus are both in sensual Taurus. Reconnecting with love, art, music and all things beautiful should be a priority to lift your spirits and help to access your potential. Impatience may cause concern as communicative Mercury marches through Aries, but this will all slow down as the retrograde motion begins on the 12^th. It is always wise to look before you leap with Mercury retrograde, and don’t forget to check all communications and travel plans as the trickster always likes a laugh at our expense!

ARIES: MARCH 21 - APRIL 20

Venus, the Goddess of love and beauty moves into your sign on the 8^th. Your passions and desires will now come to the forefront and demand that you take action. Neptune, now in a prominent position, ensures that you begin to direct your attention to more intuitive sources and follow your dreams. March: Your ruler, energetic Mars, is in retrograde motion all month and may bring a halt to certain projects. This may seem like a hindrance, but in truth you probably need to double check your plans. Mid-month brings a spectacular alignment with transformational Pluto and new ideas are revealed.

TAURUS: APRIL 21 - MAY 21

Neptune illuminates the social area of your chart. With Venus also there until the 8^th you might seek new alliances with organisations based on your newfound spiritual interests. Many new people may now enter your life and you’ll see that they will help lead you back to yourself. March: Venus, the goddess of love and your planetary ruler, moves into your sign on the 5^th. Are you ready for a new romance, or just some quality time to concentrate on yourself and bring new pleasures into your life? The 14^th could bring amorous surprises as Venus aligns positively with Mars.

GEMINI: MAY 22 - JUNE 21

Neptune reaches the highest point in your chart and you’ll feel like reaching for the stars! Your intention to merge love and beauty into your goals ensures that your faith will be rewarded. After the 14^th Mercury enters Pisces and new ways of inspired communication develop. March: The full moon on the 8^th illuminates the domestic area of your chart and challenges you to really think about your living arrangements. Mars in productive Virgo continues to fire you up to make positive changes and your endless enthusiasm ensures a successful outcome.

CANCER: JUNE 22 - JULY 22

Neptune has arrived at a pivotal position in your chart; you will start to focus on how to expand your influence in the world. Wherever you travel now could begin to feel like home. The new moon in Pisces on the 21^st brings a new start to projects aimed at further education. March: The new moon in pioneering Aries on the 22^nd, challenges you to take another look at your professional life. Are you really getting what you want and do you feel appreciated? Communicative Mercury, retrograde after the 12^th, brings innovative and inspiring ideas to the surface.

LEO: JULY 23 - AUGUST 23

Planetary forces combine all month to improve your finances and your career standing. Mars continues to work hard in Virgo and your well thought out strategies should pay off this month. The full moon in your sign on the 7th could bring some major surprises, be ready for action. March: A spectacular alignment of Venus and Jupiter on the 14^th could illuminate some interesting developments in your professional life. With transformational Pluto and Mars also joining in, this is a great time to strengthen your reputation and make important and advantageous connections.

VIRGO: AUGUST 24 - SEPTEMBER 22

Your work place could be a source of intense scrutiny this month. Try to stay under the radar and keep your focus. Communicative Mercury moves into Pisces on the 14^th. This could bring some misunderstandings or confusion, but staying connected to your intuition brings results. March: Mars is retrograde in your sign all month supplying you with added energy to re-focus and re-establish your personal goals. This is a fantastic time to identify your strengths and to take positive action to rectify situations that may have previously felt frustrating or repressive.

LIBRA: SEPTEMBER 23 - OCTOBER 23

The Sun and communicative Mercury are travelling through a pivotal spot in your chart. Creative business projects can be furthered and because you will do well in negotiation, you should aim high and get the best deal. Neptune now urges you to listen to your inner voice. March: This could turn out to an amazingly lucky month for Librans. Bountiful Venus and expansive Jupiter are cuddling up in the financial area of your chart. Optimism and enthusiasm should be at their peak and any innovative projects started now could turn out to be very successful.

SCORPIO: OCTOBER 24 - NOVEMBER 22

Mighty and benevolent Jupiter is forging ahead through your opposite sign of Taurus. Relationships come to the forefront and you may need to check that your needs are being met. You need emotional balance and an inner feeling of peace and you’ll be determined to get it. March: Expansive Jupiter and bountiful Venus are in your opposite sign of Taurus, bringing up your innermost feelings and desires. Refocusing and review become necessary now. It's time to re-examine how you have been handling your assertiveness in relationships and with family.

SAGITTARIUS: NOVEMBER 23 - DECEMBER 21

Mystery planet Neptune touches the deepest sector of your chart this month. Although you might feel confused to start with, the more you touch base with your inner wisdom you’ll see that things can only get better. The new moon on the 21^st brings surprises on the home front, stay flexible and enjoy. March: Sagittarians feel a wave of new energy at the start of this month. Three planets activate the most creative and fun loving part of your chart. Your popularity is on an upward trend and others will find you particularly attractive and friendly. Spread the joy and have a ball!

CAPRICORN: DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 20

Finding new ways of communicating are your main focus this month. Neptune and Venus, both in sensitive and compassionate Pisces, bring an entirely new slant to the way that you get things done. Mars is busy working at broadening your horizons, exciting times ahead if you go with the flow. March: Three planets in the domestic sector of your chart herald a busy start to the month. Many issues concerning you home and family could come to a head now. Stern Saturn, your ruling planet, is in Libra and helps you to find a more balanced way of coping with any difficulties.

AQUARIUS: JANUARY 21 - FEBRUARY 18

Neptune leaves your sign on the 3^rd after a long 14 year stay. Clarity and insight return in abundance as you now focus on your new goals. Intuitive Neptune has taught you many things and with new values and a renewed sense of self you are ready to carve out a brilliant plan of action. March: All things around communication and learning are illuminated during March. Your ruler, the maverick planet Uranus, demands innovative and creative thinking on all levels. You’ll enjoy the challenge of tackling a variety of new subjects and making brilliant new connections.

PISCES: FEBRUARY 19 - MARCH 20

Neptune has come home and will be in your sign for the next 14 years. Neptune often dissolves all that it touches and this is the time to dispose of things in your life that you no longer appreciate or value. Mercury also enters Pisces on the 14^th and you’ll find that you want more love and beauty than ever before. March: Expansive Jupiter and the love planet Venus light up a pivotal sector of your chart. During this cycle there should be a powerful mental connection with your creative self-expression. You should be very proud of your ideas and have no trouble expressing them smoothly.

NAVIGATE YOUR WAY THROUGH THE COSMIC TIDES OF 2012

Would you like to know how you can get in touch with your personal power and be the very best version of yourself in 2012? I can help you to discover your purpose, achieve personal transformation and work towards achieving your dreams.

Christine Chalklin

Inspirational Astrologer and Life Coach,

www.restyleyourlife.co.uk

Christine@restyleyourlife.co.uk

Fishing By John Layton, Derbyshire County Angling Club

Spring Fishing: A time of expectation for the fly fisher

Derbyshire is a magic place for the fisher and for many, spring is its most magical time. If we are lucky the rivers, lakes and reservoirs are in first class condition and the passion for the sport is at its peak. Whilst these delights affect all fishermen, March and April is when the Trout fishing season starts and a strange compulsion comes over those suffering from winter fly fishing deprival. They have an unrelenting and irresistible urge to visit reservoirs and rivers to cast their fishing flies.

Derbyshire has a special place in the hearts of fly fishers. This comes from its focus in the fly fishing chapters of Walton's Compleat Angler and perhaps if fly fishing has a sacred place, a holy of holies, then it lies in the River Dove near Hartington. It was on this spot in 1674 that Charles Cotton, author of the fly fishing chapters in the Compleat Angler and friend of Izaak Walton built his fishing house.

The Dove in this area flows through beautiful countryside and towering limestone gorges. The spring-fed river is crystal clear as it dances downstream over the rocks and when the conditions are right; swarms of flies hover and skip across the surface of the deeper pools. In the spring flies are fewer but fly fishers dream of warmer days and of casting fishing flies and catching the lovely pink spotted wild Dove brown trout of about a pound or the larger stock fish, released by Derbyshire County Angling Club.

The River Dove near Hartington is clear and trout and grayling are plentiful. The river has benefited from much improvement under the Upper Dove Restoration Project, run by the Trent Rivers Trust in partnership with the Derbyshire County Angling Club. Much has been achieved and the fishing has greatly improved. Trees have been removed to allow more light into the river, allowing weed growth which provides cover for fish and a variety of invertebrate food. Long-term habitat improvement has ensured the health of the wild brown trout to the upper Dove.

If you want to know more about fishing available under membership of the Derbyshire County Angling go to: www.derbyshirecountyac.org.uk or for fishing the historic Charles Cotton fishery under the Peak Passport fishing scheme: www.peakpassport.co.uk

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

Fashion by Shona Harding of Pearls and Scarlett

Going into the New Year most people see it as a chance to change or adapt the lifestyle choices or habits we all slip into throughout the year. For most people it is giving up chocolate or cigarettes, for others it involves a gym membership or two. These resolutions normally don’t last very long as we put the expectations far too high and set ourselves out for failure. So for a change this year why not set yourself a resolution to try a new style or look. As with everything we do on a day to day basis we are habit forming, it is part of our DNA and this is no different for the way we shop. We get used to buying from the same shops; it gives us comfort to know what size we are in that shop and that season after season they tend to stick to only variations of the same look.

If the prospect of changing your style is too daunting why not look to your favourite films or T.V programmes for inspiration. Programmes like Downton Abbey and films following the lives of Marilyn, Wallis Simpson and Margaret Thatcher are all popular and hark back to the days when women dressed in a more stylish way. Likewise if you were inspired by Princess Diana or Jackie O you can achieve their style by just making the smallest of changes.

Plan your seasons – take an hour out of your weekend to really think about what you will need for the next 3 to 4 months. We can take Jackie Onassis as a style inspiration for example; start with a Capri length or cropped trouser, very straight leg with vents at the ankle. A great colour is a dark beige, navy or black, team that up with a pair of ballerina pumps or loafers; good labels to look for here are Jaeger, French Sole & Max Mara. Then a higher neckline for the top - slash is great with ¾ length sleeves. Avoid prints and stick to plain, it is classic and will ensure the look won’t date. For evenings out try a black shift dress, length just below the knee teamed with a short swing jacket or bolero and medium-heeled court shoes. 

Keep jewellery to a minimum with just an elegant bracelet or earrings. If you look at photos of her from the 1960’s right up until her death she never made a fashion mistake because she understood and knew her style.

Next edition, I will be discussing a different look altogether; in fact it could not be more opposite to the elegance of Jackie O - the madness of Helena Bonham Carter!

See you all in April.

Shona

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

The Diary of a Local Mum

A friend of mine recently asked me to help her with her CV. She’s taken a ‘career-break’ to look after her three children, and hasn’t worked in the conventional sense for seven years. She was worried about how to communicate this on her CV, without coming across as out of touch or a bit rusty.

She began looking back at skills and experience she could draw on from her previous job, but she was concerned that it looked like she was delving into the past for evidence of her abilities. It struck us then that we shouldn’t skim over the past seven years, but that her experience within this time was both valid and valuable.

There’s a common misconception that parents of either sex who take time off work to look after children spend all of their time cleaning and drinking tea. There’s certainly some tea and cleaning involved, but looking after children (and a home) involves a great deal more than that, and during those years you develop skills that are easily transferable, and would be beneficial in any workplace.

In fact there are very few paid positions that require such a vast variety of skills. When you become a parent there is no training, and often little support. You have to think on your feet, make tough decisions, and carry out a multitude of demanding tasks every day.

We looked at the skills that had been well-honed during the past seven years and these included:

Organisational skills – speak to most parents and they will say their calendar is the most important thing in their house. Not only are you organising your own life, but you’re responsible for numerous little people getting to and from various schools, pre-schools, swimming lessons, clubs, and social commitments, often all at the same time. Then there are meals, packed lunches, uniforms, presents, and countless other things to think about. Managing an office diary is a doddle when you’ve been through that.

Multi-tasking – from the earliest days of becoming a parent this becomes second nature. In fact, if you’re only doing one thing at once you start to wonder what’s wrong.

Quick-thinking – when a wheel falls off a bike when you’re halfway home from the park and you’re faced with the prospect of carrying both a broken bike and a screaming toddler home, it’s amazing how innovative you can be.

Negotiation skills – from a surprisingly young age children are shrewd negotiators, and the ability to debate and agree on a compromise is imperative.

Learning new skills – there’s nothing like being thrown in at the deep end, and when you first become a parent that’s exactly what happens. Within days you’re an expert on feeding, winding, changing, dressing and all the things that had previously filled you with terror (admit it, everyone’s scared of even holding a newborn before they have their own). This doesn’t stop either. As your child grows up you’re continually learning new things to keep up with them and support them through all their new ventures.

Communication skills – as well as learning to communicate with your children on their level (interpreting their early utterances, encouraging them to tell you what’s bothering them, explaining difficult concepts to them), parents also have to learn to communicate effectively with a host of other adults at various levels, dealing with problems or situations that can be challenging, sensitive or embarrassing.

And this list is far from comprehensive. Being a parent is by far the most difficult job you could have, and it’s a life-long commitment that doesn’t get easier! We’d all shy away from putting this experience on our CV’s for fear of not being taken seriously, but surely any employer would be lucky to have someone with all of these skills.

By Helen Young

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

Book Reviews – Love Stories

Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare

‘For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo’.

We know it’s going to end badly from the start, and yet we can’t get enough of the Bard’s star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. It’s got everything; romance, comedy, drama, feuding families and an apothecary. There have been many adaptations, film versions and take-offs but why not settle down with Shakespeare’s original play and let the whirlwind romance sweep you off your feet.

Twilight
Stephenie Meyer

This masterful tale of forbidden love between a vampire and a human, takes you on a blood-pumping and heart-fluttering journey of yearning and lust. Set deep within the misty and brooding Pacific Northwest coast of America it’s sure to warm the cockles of even a vampire’s ice-cold heart.

First Love
Ivan Turgenev

First Love is a beautifully-written Russian classic which is set in the 19th Century and charts a young boy’s awakening to love and adult relationships. Guests at a party are invited to share their memories of their first dalliances. When asked to recount his first love, the protagonist, Vladimir Petrovich decides it’s a tale that is better written down in a notebook. It’s then recounted through the eyes of a 16 year old Petrovich. He weaves a complicated and unusual tale of how he fell in love with an older woman who lived next door. First Love is hailed as a significant and important novella for young Russians.

Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging
Louise Rennison

Louise Rennison’s hugely popular comic novel is the first in the series about lovelorn teenager, Georgia Nicholson. It follows the trials and tribulations of Georgia and her best friend Jas, who form part of the Ace Gang. It’s packed with sleepovers and family life, along with heart-stopping and life-altering crushes on the object of her affection, ‘Sex God Robbie’. How do you cope when the boy of your dreams winds up with one of the ‘wet weeds’ instead of living happily ever after with you? The original Bridget Jones in a training bra, Georgia’s diary charts her path from girl to woman…and every step in-between.

The Reader
Bernhard Schlink

Set against a backdrop of post-war Germany, this love story asks how generations have come to terms with what happened during the Holocaust. The novel opens with a fifteen-year-old Michael Berg falling for the much older and more experienced Hanna Schmitz. Hanna is illiterate and after a chance meeting with Berg, he begins to read novels aloud to her and their relationship begins to blossom. The story is written in three parts, charting Michael’s life. It’s a complex tale of first love, realisations about the world and coming to terms with a history that irrevocably shaped Germany’s present and future. It’s thought-provoking and truly heartbreaking.

One Day
David Nicholls

Everybody who went to university in the eighties will both weep uncontrollably and laugh out loud at the nostalgia that One Day exudes. Published in 2009, it follows the twenty year courtship of Emma and Dex, catching up with them on the same day, the 15th of July, St Swithin’s Day.

One Day is filled with humour and wonderfully rounded, yet beautifully flawed characters you’re bound to fall in love with. Beginning as the two protagonists leave university and embark on their journey into the great wide world, fate soon overcomes youthful enthusiasm and aspiration. How long do we hold onto first loves, dream careers and a notion of happily-ever-after?

This article appears in our Feb/Mar 2012 issues - click here to read the All Things Local issue of your choice.

MONEY MATTERS by Rob Terry

Welcome to High Edge Financial Planning, your local independent financial planning and advisory professionals and our column on issues relevant to financial planning and advice.

Investment and Risk

We’ve gone through some testing times in the last few years: banks collapsing, credit crunch, stock markets falling and then bouncing back. What is one to do when it comes to investing money? If you ask anyone what they would like from an investment the typical response is ‘no risk and a big return’! Utopia! 

However, all investments and savings are exposed to one or more forms of risk and it is true to say that by taking increasingly more risk you can achieve a better return over the longer term.

Term: why is that important? Well, depending on your investment horizon (the period over which you are prepared to invest), it will dictate the type of asset you may consider for the investment. As a rule of thumb, if your investment horizon is under 5 years, you would generally be better off investing in deposits with a bank or building society. This is because if you need the money in the short term you would not want to expose yourself to the risk of not being able to access it, or getting back less than you have invested due to asset price movements.

When investing for 5 years and beyond you open up other investment possibilities. The traditional asset classes are: cash, bonds, property and equities. Each carries a different level of risk and within each asset class you can access different levels of risk. A key consideration for the investor is that of risk and return, and capacity for loss. For instance, you could build a portfolio of shares yourself, but that can carry a high degree of risk, as you are relying on your own experience and research capabilities to select the right stocks.

There are also different types of risk. Inflation risk is a particular issue right now as cash deposits are paying low rates, whilst inflation is higher. Your money is therefore losing value in real terms.

There is market risk. This is where your investment is subject to the ups and downs of the markets. This could be the stock market.

Concentration risk is where you may have all your cash in only one or two asset classes or investment funds. A way to tackle this issue is to diversify your investment. This means to invest varying percentages in different funds and asset classes to spread the risk and also the return (the not having all your eggs in one basket principle).

Counterparty risk is typically found in what are called ‘structured products’. These are products which aim to provide a return of capital after a fixed term if the stock market index they are linked to falls. The provider enters into financial arrangements with other counterparties to provide the capital protection. 

However, as found when Lehman Brothers collapsed, the counterparty may not be able to uphold their obligations to the product and consequently the return of capital could be affected adversely.

Consideration also should be given to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme limits for deposits and investments. This could affect how much you invest with one institution.

So, I am barely scratching the surface here on this A5 page. A lot of thought needs to be given to how you invest and this depends on a number of factors personal to you. I would suggest that when in the position of considering investments, speak with someone who has access to the whole of the market and can therefore offer independent, impartial advice.

High Edge Financial Planning is an appointed representative of Unleash Advice Partnership Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Information presented here is generic, does not constitute specific financial advice and are personal opinions of the author. For advice tailored to match your personal circumstances, please feel free to contact us on 07773 426498.

Rob Terry

Independent Financial Advisor

“On Two Wheels” By Ian Bax of Roy Jervis, Ripley

Motorcycling – The Benefits

I make no secret of the fact - I love motorbikes! I have loved them since I saw my first one as a toddler and, as soon as me and a couple of mates could raise the required £5 (a lot to a 12-year-old in 1972), we bought a very used Raleigh Runabout, painted it white and proceeded to thrash it round the woods!

Various bikes followed, ex GPO Bantams, stripped down Vespas and such like until the magic day arrived; my sixteenth birthday. My parents had relented and bought me my first road bike, a PUCH M50 Sport, the first in a long line of bikes that I have owned and ridden on and off road, in fact I still have four motorbikes and my son’s scooter in my garage at present.

To me, riding a motorbike is pure joy and I have never really given any conscious thought to the real benefits of owning and riding one, even though I travelled to work for years on bikes - mainly because I enjoyed it but also because I knew I would get to work in less time than in a car and parking was a doddle.

Congestion is a major problem in many of the UK’s towns and cities with the number of cars increasing annually. London’s Congestion Charge has, depending on where you are sitting, proved a success and now the charge looks set to be rolled out to other major cities. Motorcycles and scooters are exempt from congestion charges and often parking for bikes is free so straight away the cost savings are quite substantial.

Not only will you save money but, because bikes can filter through traffic queues, you will get to work a lot quicker and probably be able to park a lot closer to work as well.

With fuel costs at well over £5 per gallon never has motoring been so expensive and many people are swapping to motorcycles and scooters purely for the savings to be made in fuel costs. Modern 125cc motorcycles and scooters cost a lot less than 10 pence per mile to run and some can achieve 100 mpg!

In addition, a 125cc powered two wheeler (PTW) costs just £16 per year in Road Tax, even the largest bikes only attract a tax duty of £74 per annum. Savings will also be made on insurance, running and servicing costs over cars. Also, don’t forget that bikes are substantially cheaper to buy than cars.

Despite manufacturers’ claims, electric cars have a long way to go before they are a viable alternative to the internal combustion engine, whereas electric two wheelers are lighter and therefore don’t need the plethora of batteries and large motors to keep them going. OK the range is still not fantastic - up to 50 miles - but to get into work they are ideal and again parking is a doddle and it’s a lot easier to get close to a plug socket to recharge.

Not only will you enjoy the cost saving benefits of owning a bike you will also be benefitting the environment by reducing your carbon footprint and on a nice sunny weekend, you will have a vehicle that you can go for a ride on purely for the fun of it and hopefully you will come to love bikes as much as I do.

Interested? Then come and see me for a chat and we’ll see just how much you can save by joining the biking community, I’ll look forward to meeting you.

Jessica’s Column by Jessica Davies

Jessica Davies from Duffield has been a regular columnist for All Things Local for the past 3 years. Jessica is now at Cambridge University studying French and Spanish. With such an intense workload, Jessica has decided to step down from her role as regular columnist for All Things Local and this is her final contribution:

Welcome Winter

This is the time of year that Dad likes to play his thrifty heating game. It’s a game of endurance and pushing the boundaries. And shivering. He likes to sneakily knock the thermostat down one degree at a time and reduce the hours that the radiators thaw; with an adamance that 18^oC is a healthy room temperature. How cold can a house get before the family turns into icicles? 

There’s probably some secret league table for fathers everywhere. “I got it down to 15.5^o today,” They boast, “Only had it on for two hours!” Cue impressed hand-shaking and blokey congratulations. We just huddle together resignedly.

I can forgive winter for making me sleep in a cocoon of dressing gown, fleecy blankets and duvet, surrounded by hot water bottles. I can even put up with the depressingly grey mornings when it’s terrifying to set a toe out of bed, because the sub-zero temperatures make way for exciting novelties that have been forgotten about amid the tedium of t-shirts and boring in-between weather.

I want drama from my sky. I want heat wave or snowfall, fierce wind or mysterious fog. Much of the time, England’s weather is indecisive – autumn is all showers and breeze and short spells and frosty edges, whereas winter here is executed thoroughly. An everyday family walk could be dull - plodding along, drearily uphill and aimlessly downhill. Winter throws a bit of spice into the mix. She strips the trees to leave hauntingly beautiful skeleton silhouettes and stiffens the grass to give a satisfying creak when we tread. A brisk winter hike gives you a fairytale rosy flush and gets the circulation going. Plus I can gleefully dust off my pea green coat and retrieve my beautiful rainbow scarf and gloves, glad for zero threat of a bizarre socks-and-shorts tan.

When my legs have entirely forgotten the golden brown sunshine feeling of summer, a hot drink is medicine, an antidote to the frost that presses threateningly against the windows. The steam floods my glasses, rendering them opaque, and I sigh with happy anticipation. I am permanently in the mood for a cup of tea and often scarcely have I drained the dregs before the kettle is put on afresh. Winter is a time of banding together, of laughing and of passing around scorching mugs. Hot chocolate anyone?

As the world outside grows darker and colder, the lights inside glow brighter. Ice tightens around the visitors’ cars on the drive whilst indoors songs are sung, food is gobbled and spirits remain high. Everyone’s clothes become more colourful and jolly despite the plummeting temperatures on the streets. We have the ideal excuse to wear ridiculous woolly socks and gorge on casserole and crumble.

When the flurry of red and green festive sparkle dies down, the Christmas presents are thoroughly investigated and the doors are locked – an established custom at home known as the hibernation period. It’s the rest between the relatives, and a brief respite from celebrating the cheer when we can sleep until late and generally indulge.

Winter is my favourite time of year. Last year the snow was so special – and so unusual. Because, lovely as it would be, the weather isn’t always that spectacular. It’s sometimes just an inundation of chilly muddy rain. Hopefully this winter the delicate drifting flakes will be a frequent sight and we’ll get towering mounds of snow again. Then I can wear my wellies and scruffy navy jumper and enjoy snowball fights and snowy sculptures, as well as the other joys that winter brings – glistening turkey, early nights and friends home for the holidays. Oh, and did I mention my birthday is in January?

Jessica

Note from Editor: Congratulations on securing your place at Cambridge University Jessica, thank you for providing an excellent and well-articulated range of articles over the past 3 years. Good luck with your course and I wish you every success for the future. Karyn x

Views from a Grumpy Old Man

Doesn't it seem like only yesterday that it was dear old Delia filling our screens with 30 minutes of 'How to cook an egg' or 'How to grate cheese' or my favourite, 'How to make ice'?

Or to acknowledge a true TV institution; the Antiques Roadshow would present us with a treat of little old ladies with pillowcases full of priceless works of art to which we sat on the edge of our settees feeling a strange, mixed emotion between jealousy and euphoria when the said little old lady finds out that the vase she has kept old screws, drawing pins and empty cotton reels in, turns out to be the missing centrepiece of Emperor Wah Wah III from 987 AD's wedding gift to his son and future icon – Ming, and is worth just over £40 million quid.
 
Fast forward 20 years and for reasons that any intelligent person cannot fathom, our screens are overrun with both cookery and antique sales shows.
 
Let’s tackle food first. I am all for education through entertainment and learning how to make a really decent hotpot/Bolognese sauce or indeed how an omelette is both useful and long-lasting. So why do we accept and apparently continue to demand food cooking shows that are so impossibly far from our day to day lives that that the TV companies would be better presenting shows about how to live on Mars (Oops, I think that has been done) or how to make an Ocean Liner from a sherbet dib-dab.

So as always, this is best by way of example. Firstly - I assume that our readers either go to work (I include parenting housewives and househusbands in this as there is no harder job!), are retired, studying, looking to work, or somewhere in between these - i.e. normal life.

One show in particular, asks members of the audience to spend £5 in a supermarket on random products and then the 'experts' will make a meal in less than 20 minutes - using only these products and a selection of standard store cupboard ingredients. On the episode I watched, the mystery bag contained some sausages, some potatoes, an onion and some gravy powder. Our audience guest confesses: “I keep seeing these ingredients and would love to know what to do with them.” Our 'expert' looks perplexed, confused and claims: “You do know how to challenge a man don't you Barbara.” He is given time to think his dish through and the presenter returns 2-3 minutes later and asks: “So then Tarquin, what are you going to do for us today?” Tense moments ensue to be followed by a positive explosion of enthusiasm: “I'm gonna do Sausage and Mash!” The crowd erupts into a near riot as if each of them has just had all 6 numbers come up on a Saturday night rollover. Meanwhile at the other end of the studio, Claudia  - our other 'expert' receives an equally gratuitous reception for announcing that with the eggs, sugar, flour, butter, milk, cream and jam delivered to her, she is going to attempt the Holy Grail of haute cuisine; the Victoria Sponge. The fact that neither of these dishes can be prepared in 20 minutes is a mere oversight, so clearly we have to assume that the studio staff ply the audience, contestants, chefs, presenters and indeed themselves with large quantities of cooking sherry so that the actual 60 minutes feels like 20 and they cut the program accordingly to fit their primetime slot. The end scene is our audience now beyond containment, sampling the extraordinary fayre on offer......Blimey. 
 
At the other end of the scale, we have the show where a Michelin starred chef brings his/her cooking into our homes and shows us that the dishes he/she charges £120.00 each for can be made by anyone at home. Again in a particular show I have seen, our host informs us that tonight he will show us how to make his signature dish: 'Filete asado con especias de la nutria erizo relleno con un jus flamenco rosado y caramelizada párpados bate.' In English: 'Roast fillet of otter with spiced hedgehog stuffing with a pink flamingo jus and caramelised bat eyelids' (note to Editor - no actual harm came to any creature in the writing of this piece!) We are informed that most supermarkets now stock these items ....well not in Ripley they don't! So, we sit in front of our TV with a long, exhausting day behind us munching on our exquisite sausage and mash watching in a sense of disbelief or wondering if they served this on Mars. Our host then begins to assemble this dish using kitchen equipment only reserved for those that have had all 6 numbers come up, in a kitchen the size of Swindon.
 
 
Now off to antique world.

TV Land has created a series of shows that have devalued our beloved Antiques Roadshow and tried to be humorous in their titling. So, we now have shows like: 'Shekels from the Shed' or 'Cash from the Cupboard' or 'Wonga from the Window Sill' - the format is the same. Some low-on-work antique traders visit some UK outpost and visit a family who need to raise some money for a holiday/wedding/car etc - all good so far. They then scour their house looking for stuff they think will fetch a premium in an auction. The program generally falls down as most people (myself included) have very few items in their house of antique value. So, our 'hunters' normally dispossess our victims of things they really need.

“Brian, how do you think today went?”

“Well I got 35 quid for my sofa, have nothing to sit on now and still owe 300 quid on it, so not a great day.” Our presenter looks slightly pained but not enough to really care too much.

In another format 'antique' show, we have two teams who, for their sins get to wear bright blue or red jackets to highlight them as being absolutely clueless to the antique traders. They then walk around an antique fair and try and buy a bargain that will earn them a profit at an auction. Our stall holders at the fair are not that daft, so when presented with two family members in bright jackets surrounded by a film crew and sound engineers they unsurprisingly are reluctant to give their livelihoods up, so they do not sell a Royal Crown Derby commemorative teapot with gold inlay for £20.00 instead of £1200.00, so our witless contestants come away with a bag of utter tat for which they have parted with £100.00 and make their way to the auction rooms. They are accompanied by 'experts' who have tried to help with the negotiations but typically fail miserably. The viewers’ joy (if it can be called that) is the ignominy faced by our contestants when their item; a chipped,
one-eared clay cat inscribed with 'Souvenirous de Torremelinos' on its base for which they paid £40.00, is snapped up for 60 pence by a 9-year-old boy who thinks his Gran would like it. After auctions fees, our contestant receives 15 pence and then is informed that they have lost £39.85. “How do you feel about that?” our presenter asks. “Gutted” says the contestant. “Wrong audience” says the expert. “Give me strength” says the viewer...
 
GOM

Diary of a local Mum by Helen Young

As I write this, it’s half term. The time when teachers get a well-deserved rest, and parents are suddenly thrown headfirst into a whirlwind of complex childcare arrangements and endless attempts to entertain their children (and often one or two belonging to other people as well).

I was lucky enough to have some time off work to spend with the kids this half term, and was hell-bent on making sure we enjoyed our time together. However, after a day or two (possibly more like an hour or two, but it felt like a while…) of giving in to the can we do’s and the can we have’s I noticed that my purse felt decidedly light, and recoiled in shock at the sight of my bank balance. It was then that I cast my mind back to my own childhood, and began to get a bit more imaginative with the entertainment…

I reinvented myself as a Blue Peter presenter and we spent a happy afternoon baking and making models from cardboard boxes, toilet roll inners, much glue, and some paint. The next day was spent at the park kicking piles of leaves and rolling down hills (resulting in lots of giggling, some filthy clothes, and only a very minor head injury). I even introduced them to the wonders of communication via two yoghurt pots and a piece of string, which caused more astonishment and intrigue than my iPhone ever has.

Our enjoyable budget days started me thinking about how childhood has changed over the years, and how the current economic climate, although difficult in so many ways, may have some hidden positives (albeit deeply hidden). I look back on my childhood with fond memories, and it wasn’t full of gadgets, holidays and expensive days out. My brother and I would spend hours building dens from blankets and boxes, creating our own musical instruments, or concocting delicious mud pies in the garden.

This article appeared in the Dec 2011 / Jan 2012 edition of All Things Local.

The thing with kids is, they have no preconceived ideas about how life should be, but they expect what they get used to – and the more they’re given the more they come to expect. And as parents it’s easy to fall into this trap of feeling guilty if we don’t give them what they want. It’s a vicious circle. Don’t get me wrong, I know that as a parent (especially when you work as well) it’s very hard to find the time and energy to get creative or leap around the park like an excited six year old, but when you do manage it, it’s surprisingly liberating!

The other great thing about spending some time getting back to basics is that the special outings become so much more special. We did treat the kids to a day at a theme park, and there was a noticeable absence of ‘can we have’s, ‘pleeease Mum’s, and tears at home time. There was a real sense of enjoyment and, dare I say it, gratitude.

With Christmas fast approaching I have no doubt that there’s much spoiling to come (I’m already clearing out the toy boxes in preparation), but after my half-term reality check I’m going to really make an effort to embrace the simple (and cheaper) pleasures in life over the festive season. I’m not planning on depriving my children of what’s on their Christmas lists (that wouldn’t be fair, especially considering what’s on mine…), but I will make sure they understand how lucky they are, and that their gifts are appreciated.

And I’ll show them how much fun you can have making your own decorations and baking mince pies, even if nine times out of ten they’re totally inedible.

ARTicle - Frankie Langhorne

Frankie Langhorne (pictured) designs and produces bespoke exquisite silver jewellery and is also a budding watercolour artist with her works shown at a major exhibition in London.

Frankie’s passion is art. She studied Ceramics at college but taught most aspects of Art at schools in Derby for 38 years, retiring four years ago.

Most of her jewellery is crafted at home, but she also travels to Chesterfield College where she is tutored and has access to special equipment for the more complex processes of silversmith work.

Frankie loves travel, and purchases gorgeous gemstones and beads from India and Nepal which are incorporated into her jewellery. She has used delicate freshwater pearls, amethyst, rose quartz, turquoise and even lava stones. She also buys from gemstone suppliers at jewellery exhibitions.

Her beautiful silver link bracelets are all handcrafted. Frankie uses little hammers to give each individual link a pretty, dappled effect by texturing and planishing. She said: “The hand-made bracelets can take several hours to complete, whilst other bracelets take less time dependent upon the individual pieces that I make to add to ready-made chains. I create tiny charms and fasteners to make each bracelet unique.”

Her earrings are again all individually made, either adding tiny gemstones, or cut shapes of textured silver. Some are made from an etching and this process is carried out at college using acid. Frankie’s silver rings are cleverly designed so that they can adjust to fit any ring size. Some are textured silver bands while the others have teeny gemstones; each individually attached to the ring using fine silver wire which takes 2.5 hours to produce.

Frankie’s other passion is botanical painting in watercolour. She began her art classes seven years ago and is now proud to have had her work accepted by The Society of Botanical Artists. Her pieces have been exhibited in the Central Hall of Westminster in April this year and she is already working to produce five new pieces ready for 2012.

Frankie’s jewellery and artwork was displayed at Belper Open Houses earlier this year and another event is planned for Whitsun in 2012.

You can also see Frankie’s work at the Christmas Fair held at Strutt’s Centre, Derby Road, Belper, on Saturday 3 December from 10am to 4pm. For more details contact 01332 557113.


This article appears in the October / November editions of All Things Local. The community magazine for Kilburn, Ripley and Belper, Derbyshire.

Views from a Grumpy Old Man

A couple of weeks back, I made a rare and intrepid visit to a supermarket to buy a few groceries. Before leaving, I asked the wallet drainers in my house if they required anything – “a packet of cornflakes please!” came the response. Well at least I got a ‘please.’ Easy I thought. Hmmm…

So upon arriving, I made for the cereal aisle, conveniently placed at the very back of the store next to the bread and some sort of alien food which I deduced brought forth a boiling hot jam substitute, between two layers of cardboard after five minutes in a toaster. Surely there are better things to eat before you succumb to this?

Anyway, I looked for cornflakes and that was not difficult at all. There was virtually a whole shelving unit dedicated to them. The problem came when trying to choose the right ones. With time on my hands, I set about my task. Firstly I counted the number of different options: there were 43. Since when did anyone need to choose from 43 ‘different’ types of cornflake?

There were the obvious known brand ones - the supermarket’s own offering, various ‘organic’ offerings, economy cornflakes, some where the factory had added sugar for you (how kind – is anyone really that busy?). One of the brands had added dried fruit for you (claiming to give you the powers of Batman); another brand had some stuff removed… (it’s a cornflake, if you take something away surely you are left with dust?)

One brand claimed to make you thin – although none claimed to make you fat, which would be hilarious. Another offered you a luxurious trip down the cornflake taste pageant; (you know, the supermarket’s offerings that claim to taste better, simply the greatest, and more). Some claimed to have added nutrients derived from a fish liver (really?). There were others but I had lost the will to live at this point.

Being tighter than a rat’s ear, I thought I would go for the economy brand. This came in a bag not a box and was in pence not pounds – a bargain! The labelling screamed ‘tightwad’ and declared that they were like normal cornflakes ‘only smaller.’ Presumably these are the ones that have slipped off the conveyor belt onto the floor before making a new life for themselves in any of the aforementioned offerings, then scooped up by an out of work jockey using a kid’s shovel and thrown into the bag.

Ah, I thought, I’m missing a trick here. They could have trebled the price and stuck them in a box and delivered us the ‘Tasmanian Miniature Cornflake’ or similar, declaring that the constant sun, spring water irrigated channels and caring nature of the farmer (imagine a picture of farmer type; old hat, smiling, just a hint of cheekiness from the sly wink he is giving) giving us a breakfast taste sensation bettered only by Eggs Benedict at the Savoy on Royal Wedding Day.

But then I thought – what will fellow customers and staff think of me at the checkout? I am tight? I am skint? Or I am sensible? I don’t need a blinking identity crisis when buying cornflakes. So ironically - after about 43 minutes - I shuffled back to the cereal aisle and picked up a box of supermarket cornflakes. On the way back to the checkout, I passed through the pet aisle and noticed ‘Simply the Greatest’ Cat Litter!!!

You have got be kidding me... I can just imagine the conversation in households who have bought into this: “You can leave that litter in the tray for a few more weeks, Shirley. It says on the packet that it’s better than the others” – urrrgh!

GOM

Fashion by Shona Harding from Pearls & Scarlett

Hello Everybody.

I thought of a slightly different approach to my article this issue. Normally I talk about influences on the high street from the fashion world and catwalk shows, but what we wear is also influenced by media and famous personalities.

Magazines are flooded with shots of TV, film and showbiz stars; all with their own take on style and how to achieve it and wear it. This is not a new trend: in the 1980’s shows like Dallas and Dynasty spawned a generation of heavy make-up and power dressing. Princess Diana sparked new trends with many of her different looks, including copy cats of her wedding dress and the millions who tried to work the ‘Sloane ranger’ look to full effect. Who can forget the 1990’s when we had ‘heroin chic’ and grunge? Indie bands Oasis and Blur bought us Fred Perry and mod fashion as well as making the Union Jack a “cool Britannia” again. Media stars and film stars can impact the fashion world as strongly as designers in Vogue and all the leading glossy magazines.

For example recent film releases such as Black Swan which is set in the world of ballet dancing soon filled the pages of magazines. Short cardigan wraps, ballet slippers and tutu-inspired clothing became the feature of the week, followed by the hair styles and make up. Pale skin and rosy cheeks are ‘in’; hair is loose, or in tight buns on the top of the head. Looks are always watered down for the everyday shopper but this pattern of gaining ideas from the media has become very big business.

We now have websites dedicated to copying the stars’ looks. ASOS.com (As Seen on Scene) replicates red carpet fashion immediately after the events. Celebrities seen in everyday life are picked apart and every piece of clothing or jewellery is scrutinised and copied. Variations on whole outfits are offered side by side to the picture of the celebrities at a fraction of the cost. TV even understands the public obsession with star style. Gok Wan puts together high street outfits for women of every size and shape, giving them a glamorous look on a high street budget.

It is also big business for handbag makers. Once Victoria Beckham was seen sporting a Birkin by Hermes. She was sent one in every colour whilst the rest of the population has to go on a two-year waiting list. Companies understand the power she wields over women aspiring to her lifestyle and wardrobe; every time she is seen with a new colour bag the waiting list gets bigger.

So it is wise to be aware of the influences all around you.

Have fun with fashion and see you in the next edition.
Shona

Belper Community Matters By Adrian Farmer

Royal Connections

With a Royal Wedding so recently behind us, I thought I’d look at some of this area’s royal connections (with thanks to the Friends of Duffield Frith, and others).

Duke William of Normandy’s invasion of England in 1066 had considerable repercussions for the Duffield Frith, of which Belper was a part. Siward Barn was the Danish Earl who owned the Frith at the time of the invasion and he resisted the Normans strongly, but to no avail, and his lands were taken from him.

When William, now King William, had completed his conquest, he rewarded his followers handsomely. Few were so well rewarded as Henry de Ferrers, the principal of the six Baron Fossiers (iron-workers) of Normandy’s iron-producing district. It is likely he was armourer-general for the invading forces, and he was a favourite of William. Henry de Ferrers received a total of 210 manors, 114 of which formed an almost solid block in Derbyshire. One of these manors, or lordships, included Duffield and Belper, and he built a castle at Duffield, with some of the thickest walls of any Norman Castle. He brought with him iron-workers and nail-makers who honed the industry for which Belper was so well known for much of the millennium that followed.

The Norman and Plantagenet kings were occasional visitors to the Belper area in the centuries that followed, attracted by the good hunting to be found in the Frith. This provided many jobs for the villagers, protecting the land and the deer and other game which lived in the forest.
The last of the de Ferrers family to hold the Duffield and Belper lands was Robert, 8th Earl of Derby, who after two attempts at rebellion against Henry III, in 1263 and 1266, had his lands taken from him and given to Prince Edmund, Earl of Lancaster and second son of King Henry. King Edward I, elder brother of Prince Edmund, was the first King to hunt locally after the change in ownership, visiting several times between 1290 and 1293. His son Edward II spent a month here for the same purpose in 1323.

These lands remained with the Earls (later Dukes) of Lancaster, until Henry Duke of Lancaster became King Henry IV in 1399, after deposing Richard II. The lands then went to the crown, and the woodlands surrounding Belper became a royal forest. The Duchy of Lancaster has remained with the crown ever since, although the manors of Duffield and Belper were disposed of by Charles I in 1628.

Henry VIII’s break with the Church of Rome in August 1533 had repercussions in Belper. November 1534 saw acts of parliament put in place which made the King head of the English Church, and this move away from the old faith accelerated during the time of Henry’s son Edward VI.
During this ‘Reformation’ Belper’s Chapel was renamed. It was originally dedicated to St Thomas the Martyr, the Thomas Becket murdered by Henry II’s men less than a century before the chapel was built. Becket’s memory was not relished by the new heads of the English Church, and so the chapel was rededicated to John the Baptist, from whom it still takes its name today.

Next time I’ll be looking at more recent royal connections. If you’d like to know more about the history of Belper and the surrounding area, drop in to St John’s Chapel on the last Saturday of the month between 10am and 12.30pm when members of Belper Historical Society are on hand to answer questions and there are historic images to see and information to read.