Bishop’s Stortford Town Twinning Association


Discovery Week was held this year in Bishop’s Stortford from 9th to 16th July. Our visitors from Villiers and Friedberg arrived by plane, train and car for the Welcome


Evening Buffet organised by Maureen Smith and Coleen Burt, on the Saturday at the URC Church Hall, Water Lane. Hosts met their guests, collected the comprehensive welcome packs and retired home ‘replete’, ready for the fascinating week which was to follow.


ULI WITH MAYOR OF PETERBOROUGH & CONSORT


On Sunday 10th July - Lodges Coaches (transport arranged ably by Treasurer Les Cornell) took us to Bury St Edmunds. Jan and Cliff Richardson had organised a super visit to the Greene King Brewery, a buffet lunch in the Brewery Tap, followed by an afternoon visit to the famous Theatre Royal.


On Monday 11th July Sally Crane took us to the Chappell viaduct and East Anglian Railway Museum at Wakes Colne, near Colchester. Then on to Colne Valley Steam Railway at Castle Hedingham, lunch in the village, followed by Charles Bird’s guided tour. In the evening dinner was at the Great Hadham Golf Club.


Tuesday 12th July saw Maggie Grove’s visit to Peterborough and Iron Age Flag Fen. What a fascinating day that was, in particular being entertained by the Mayor of Peterborough in the Council Chamber and her Parlour. Uli Nüchter from Friedberg was enrobed like the Mayor! Dinner was at the Three Horseshoes at Spellbrook.


Wednesday was a ‘free’ day in the programme, taken up by Cliff Richardson’s optional five mile walk from St Andrew’s Church, Much Hadham on a circular tour ending up at the Bull for lunch.


Thursday - Letchworth the first ‘New Town’ and Hatfield Lavender, organised by David Badcock. This time hosts and other members provided the transport,


Friday - London, organised by Alan and Pat Matthews. Lodges Coaches got us there in record time, so early in fact that we had a special added tour of some of the sights of London around the Thames before the guided tour of Spitalfields, Jack the Ripper land, a pub lunch and a visit to the Bank of England Museum.


Saturday was the only day that had any rain so even though a goodly number turned up at the Marne Inn, Thorley, for the optional petanque, organised by Ian Groves, it had to be cancelled so we had to make do with a few pints instead.


All good things must come to an end, which in the case of this Discovery Week was the now customary Barn Dance organised by Jenny and Graham Savage at the URC Church Hall. Our regular caller was Eric Manning who is 87, what a performer! Everyone had a fabulous evening. Cllr Norma Symonds gave a brief speech on behalf of Mayor Cllr Allen Burlton who was in hospital. Thanks were given to everyone followed by the presentation of small gifts on behalf of Villiers and Friedberg to each of the event organisers.


There were fond ‘auf wiedersehens’ and ‘au revoirs’ after a fantastic Discovery Week. Until next year!


If you would like to know more about Town Twinning please contact me, Dave Smith - dave_wsmith@btopenworld.com Tel - 01279 657400 or


Graham Savage - grs@grahamsavage.co.uk Tel 01279 656065, or visit our web site www.bstta.org.


be home, like build up of milk bottles, parcels or post. Cancel deliveries and ask a neighbour to do a quick check of your home every couple of days. Ask your neighbour to bring in your wheelie bin on collection day if you are out at work.


Police advice


Leaving key for thieves - It may sound crazy but 7% of homes have a key concealed outside their front door. Burglars know this, so don’t leave them the means to let themselves in.


Hook, line and sinker - One in ten people leave keys in doors and windows most of the time. These are easily fished out using a crude hook and line device through a cat flap or letter box, allowing thieves to walk right into your home and help themselves.


Got it? - Use it There’s no point having the securest locks, doors and windows if you don’t use them. Opportunistic burglars will make the most of that “one time” you leave your back door unlocked.


Window shopping - With nearly one in ten sheds left unlocked or unsecured throughout the UK, outbuildings are also vulnerable to crime. Get a sturdy padlock and hang a net curtain or put frosted film over shed windows to stop thieves window shopping for bikes, golf clubs and tools.


Anybody home? - Don’t leave telltale clues that you might not 14 Bishop’s Stortford Flyer | September 2011


Keep it clean - Faulty fence work, loose gates, rubbish in the front garden all give the impression that your home could be an easy target. A well cared for property and garden provides another psychological barrier to the burglar, so trim hedges, repair woodwork and brickwork and keep it tidy. And remember to put away anything that can be used to gain entry including tools, ladders and DIY debris.


Personalise your possessions - If the worst happens and your belongings are stolen, it can help their recovery if you’ve marked them with a personal identifier. Permanent UC marker pens are a cheap and effective way of marking property such as laptops and televisions. The pens can be obtained from your Neighbourhood Watch street co-ordinator.


Facts - Households with no home security measures are around ten times more likely to have been victims of burglary than households where there were simple security measures such as deadlocks on doors or window locks (25% compared with 2.3%). More than one in ten Brits wish they knew more about home security.


Please check the Hertfordshire Constabulary website for dates of surgeries and contact details for your local Ward PCs and PCSOs.


www.herts.police.uk Please mention ‘The Flyer’ when responding to advertisments


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