including Beech Bottom Dyke and Sandridge Road Wastes
Your opinion counts, so please join us. £10 per year will help to protect, preserve and enhance the Heath for all.
Membership provides you with:
Find out more at Joining FoBH
The local air ambulance landed on the upper field of Bernards Heath on the 13th of July to attend a collision on Harpenden Road.
Locals directed them to the scene, and Harpenden Road was closed in both directions. Sadly, it appears to have been a pedestrian vs car requiring the attendance of numerous emergency vehicles
Police are asking anyone with dash cam footage in the area at the time. The HertsAdvertiser reported: “PC Ryan Moore from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Road Policing Unit, said: ‘Our enquiries are continuing, and I am urging anyone with information to please get in touch.’
“’Were you driving in the area at the time and saw what happened? Additionally, if you have a dash cam fitted and were in the area, please check it as you may have recorded some crucial footage to assist our investigation. If you also saw the orange Aygo prior to the collision, please get in touch.'”
If you do have any information, you can stay 100 per cent anonymous by contacting the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via their untraceable online form at crimestoppers-uk.org.
Marks & Tilt Gallery will be exhibiting the works of Michael Cull, a FoBH member, this month. The launch party will take place on July 18th @ 6-9pm. There will be an opportunity meet the artist, along with free drinks & nibbles.
Nick, the Gallery Manager, noted that Michael “is an artist that we should all be celebrating … We really hope you can make it.”
Marks & Tilt Gallery, 18 London Road, AL1 1NG. July 12 – August 7 2024.
Many thanks to all those who turned out to celebrate on the 12th of May. The weather was gorgeous, and hundreds of families enjoyed the organised activities, including the treasure hunt.
Please sign up to news & updates about your local heath, and help us to conserve our green spaces. Join before 5pm on Saturday 18th May 2024 & be in to win a bottle of Prosecco
Newsletters arrive quarterly, or with exciting/urgent updates.
Those of you spending time on the Heath or in Beech Bottom Dyke will have seen the Bluebells popping up as a lovely reminder of the season. Below are a few photos to enjoy, courtesy of Mary North.
The Friends are happy to take questions about, and report incidents regarding, the heath, dyke and wastes to the council. Residents can now also report incidents directly to the council when logged ino the their account on the SADC website.
FoBH chair, David Pearce, noted that this is a useful tool as “local can check to see whether the incident has already been reported by someone else or to obtain an update”.
Please join us on Sunday 24th March and help look after your heath.
Litter pick & general tidy up. Meet at Heath House, Heath Farm Lane AL3 5AE from 9:30 am.
Litter-pickers and bags will be provided. Accompanied children welcome.
Peter Cook retires after chairing the FoBH for an incredible 25 years.
Peter Cook stepped back as chair at the recent AGM, and the occasion was marked with a celebration of his efforts.
Fellow founding member Jenny Faldon said:
“Peter took on the post of chair, rather reluctantly, in 1999, and grew the FoBH over 25 years. From being a small local group, the Friends are now a point of contact for residents’ concerns which Peter deals with courteously, whether it be to field complaints or to accept thanks for an issue resolved.
Peter chairs committee meetings collaboratively, allowing all contributions to be expressed and drawing the threads together in an agreed statement of intent. Under his stewardship, committee membership has become more diverse in both age and gender.
Over the years, Peter has been recognised by local and county councils in his leadership of FoBH as a constructive and forward-looking organisation. Links with local councillors, schools, and residents speak much for his calm and focused manner. We are fortunate in having David Pearce to fill those big shoes and to build on Peter’s legacy, and glad that Peter will remain as a committee member.”
Thank you Peter, for your and generous efforts over the years. We look forward to your “heckling from the back-benches”.
Over £100,000 donated to renovate what was a tired looking play area
On the 3rd February 2024 the renovated play area was opened by local MP, Daisy Cooper. On the right is David Pearce, who along with an enthusiastic group of parents faced a formidable task of collecting over £100,000 to fund the installation of new play equipment, some which is shown in the background.
The event was attended by a large group of adults and children shown above. Enthusiastic children seemed desperate to get in to the area after the opening. Read more about the event on the Lets Play on Bernards Heath website. Very well done everyone involved.
The new swings in the play area are now finished and mark the completion of the project.
Photo: DP