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20Registered Charity Number 1124770 www.heartbeats-berkshire.co.uk
West Berkshire Heart Support Group
NewsletterIndependent Support Charity Affiliated to the British Heart Foundation.
Associated with the Department of Cardiology,Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust, Reading, Berkshire.
Volume 11 Winter 2012 Circulation 500
Heartbeats
Peter Adamson, Our New Chairman ofthe Calcot Branch, Introduces Himself.
When I took over the chairmanship from June inJuly of this year I noticed some quizzical looksfrom some members at the Calcot meetings. Dothey think I am mad I asked myself? It’s becauseI have one of those faces which seem familiar?Perhaps both! One member sighed with reliefwhen he at last placed me as a sometime speakerand fundraiser for the Thames Valley and Chil-terns Air Ambulance. I was also a member ofReading Abbey Rotary Club and before that ofReading Lions Club, each for a number of years.
In essence I see the objectives of our Group assupport for each other by the provision of infor-mation and shared experience, by joint activities
and definitely by fellowship. I see it as my job to always keep these objectives in mind. Iam particularly keen to develop the information and fellowship side so that members canfeel comfortable in sharing their concerns and asking for support on cardiac matters withother members. A smile and a greeting to a member you don’t know works wondershere.
Those of you who attend the Calcot meetings will know I am still feeling my way infinding out what the membership want by way of speakers and activities. I welcomeyour input, particularly in the absence of a branch committee, and thank those memberswho have contributed ideas so far. I’m sure you will also wish to join with me in thank-ing our Group Chair, June, who kept the Calcot Branch going for over five years. Threecheers also for husband Peter (our Dennis Thatcher) who works tirelessly behind thescenes. May I be worthy of you all.
Photo by Bob Powell
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Kathryn DohertyNewly Appointed Heart Failure Nurse
I was born and grew up in Wigan, Lancashire. After studying accountancy atSheffield University worked in an accounts department of a company in Bir-mingham before deciding on a career change.
I undertook my nurse training in 1992 onto a new national student programme‘Project 2000’ at the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan.
As a newly qualified staff nurse I began my career in the coronary care unitthere. I stayed for the next 16 years working my way up to the post of sister in2004.
I moved down to Reading in June 2010 after marrying my husband who is in theRAF and posted in Odiham, Hampshire. I continued to commute to Wigan untilOctober 2011 when I gained the post of Heart Failure Nurse at the RBH.
The role has been a particular challenge due to the fact that it is a new post, thetransition from acute CCU nursing to one that is less acute and also working in adifferent hospital in a different area has been a large learning curve. However Iwork with a fabulous team in cardiac support which has been a great help.
My role involves seeing all the heart failure patients who are admitted to theRBH, both newly diagnosed patients and those patients who have the existingcondition. I ensure that all these patients have appropriate tests, review theirmedication and also provide health education to allow them to understand andmanage their condition. I liaise closely with the community heart failure nursesmaking referrals to them when appropriate. I also assist with the cardiac reha-bilitation exercise programme which I particularly enjoy.
I have enjoyed moving to this area and particularly that London is within easyaccess for theatres, concerts and shopping! I enjoy exercise including bootcamp, jogging and walking my black Labrador. I enjoy socialising and travellingalthough since becoming a dog owner all my holidays recently are dog friendlyincluding camping! I also enjoy going to watch rugby internationals, that’swhen I can get tickets for them that is,
Kathryn. Photo on page 10
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MUSIC IN THE FAMILYby
Group Treasurer Ian Clay
It was always a great regret for my late parents that I did not inherit my father’smusical prowess. He was in the 1950’s, 60’s, 70’s one of the best known ama-teur organists in the North of England. He had trained after WW1 under the well-known organ tutor Charles Stott. Charles had himself been trained in Paris andVienna and as a young student had been taken to play before the ageing Johan-nes Brahms. My father always felt he was learning the mighty instrument andduring his lifetime he was reckoned to have played over 5000 different organs.
During WW2 my father served in the Royal Navy but this did not stop him giv-ing recitals in South Africa, USA and the UK. At one memorable recital at aParish Church on the outskirts of Bradford my father decided to finish the pro-gramme with a piece by the French composer Charles Vidor. As my fatherplayed the crashing chords he noticed members of the audience moving towardsthe exit. Later he was told the audience thought it was an air raid.
After WW2 my father continued his business career but furthered his organplaying by becoming the organist of All Saints church Bradford. He also becameone of the two permanent organists on TV’s “Stars on Sunday” with the infa-mous Jess Yates. He also played in concerts with Black Dyke Mills Band andthe Halle Orchestra. After moving to Reading he played at various Churchesand also at St Georges Chapel Windsor, Guildford and Winchester Cathedrals.
Near the end of his life he enjoyed playing his Hammond electric organ with hisown earphones so not to disturb the neighbours.
John William (Jack) Clay1909 - 1995
An Apology
In our Autumn edition we published an article about an explosion in a beetroot distilleryin Caversham in the year 1858. Unfortunately our Editor was unaware that the articlewas the copyright of the Berkshire Local History Association and he wrote a letter ofapology to Mr David Cliffe the Chairman and Dr Margaret Simons the author of thearticle. They very kindly accepted his apology.
This article and many other interesting ones are available to read on the Associationwebsite at www.blha.org.uk.
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A Tale of Romance and Murder
On my visit to Greys Court near Henley I noticed the fortified walls with arrow slits andthe old tower. This made me curious to discover its history. The building was fortified in1346 by John de Grey. In 1514 Sir Robert Knollys was granted Greys by Henry VII at arent of one red rose a year. Robert’s son Sir Francis was given the title of High Stewardof Reading and his grandson also Sir Francis, was granted Battle Estate in Reading,hence we have Great Knollys Street. But it is Sir Francis’ daughter Lettice that I wouldlike to tell you about.
Lettice was Queen Elizabeth’s cousin and of great importance in the Royal Court. At theage of seventeen she married Walter Devereux the first Earl of Essex. It was said that heplotted to marry Mary Queen of Scots to the Duke of Norfolk. When the Queen heardabout it she banished him to his home in Wales. He later became friendly with the Earlof Leicester. Recalled to the court, Essex suggested to the Queen that he would under-take at his own expense the pacification of a disturbed district in the north of Ireland. Inreturn he asked for half of the land he would recover. The venture was a failure and Es-sex financially embarrassed. He resigned his command in Ireland but made no attempt toreturn to Lettice and his family. He died on 22nd September 1584. His death was said tohave been contrived by Leicester who was having an affair with Lettice. It was claimedthat Essex was given a poisoned cup of wine at a house in Dublin and that Lettice wasparty to the crime. It was also claimed that a Mrs Alice Draycott a gentlewoman withwhom Essex had a liaison was also poisoned.
This was not the first murder in which Leicester was implicated. As Robert Dudley hewas charged with the murder of his wife Amy Robsart at Cumnor Place, Oxon in 1560.Leicester is also known to have tried his chance with Queen Elizabeth, but in the end hissecond marriage was to the queen’s cousin Lettice Countess of Essex. Her father SirFrancis Knollys insisted that the marriage should take place in his presence and withother witnesses. It seems that Sir Francis did not trust Leicester. In the period betweenthe death of Essex and her marriage to Leicester, Lettice spent much time at GreysCourt. Meanwhile Sir Francis Knollys had the Tudor house built at Greys.
Queen Elizabeth was angry when she heard that her favourite Leicester had married. Heand Lettice were banished from court. Later the Queen recalled him to raise an army inanticipation of the Spanish invasion, but members of court advised her against theappointment and in disgust he left for Kentilworth his home. He broke his journey atCornbury, Oxon where he was taken ill and died. Talk that Lettice had murdered Leices-ter came to nothing, but within a year of his death she married Christopher Blount, Gen-tleman of the Earl of Leicester’s Horse. Blount and Lettice’s son the Earl of Essex at-tempted to seize the court but were arrested and tried for treason. They were executed in1601. Lettice out-lived her cousin Elizabeth I and died at Drayton Basset, Staffordshireon Christmas day 1634 at the age of 91.
Valerie KeareyNovember 2012
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Congratulations to Member Mick Bateman who was 90 on November 8th
Donations gratefully received:
July - Loddon Vale Rotary Ladies - £200
August - Community Life Appeal - £200
September - Windrow and Winford - £30
October - Member Pam Hill - £115
October - Waitrose, Wokingham - £253
November - Member Joyce Bamford - £16.50
Group Committee Members:Chair: June Drew-Clifton Tel 0118 942 6105 e-mail [email protected]: Chris Nash Tel 0118 988 9371 & 0777 557 5647 e-mail [email protected]: Ian Clay Tel 0118 958 6915 e-mail [email protected]: Linda Higgs Tel 0118 984 4758 e-mail [email protected] Co-ordinators: Reading Tel 0118 984 4758 & Newbury 01635 827 928
Branches:Newbury Chair: Derick Nobbs Tel 01635 861 317 e-mail [email protected] Secretary: Jeanne Turvill Tel 01635 861 546 e-mail [email protected] Reading Chair: Peter Adamson Tel 0118 9427497 e-mail [email protected] Reading Secretary: Peter Drew-Clifton Tel 0118 942 6105 e-mail [email protected] & Acting Earley Chair: Chris Nash Tel: 07775575647Wokingham & Earley Secretary: Chris Nash Tel: 07775575647
Newsletter Editor: Peter Drew-Clifton Tel 0118 942 6105 e-mail [email protected]
Letters and Articles for Publication
We welcome letters, poems and articles for publication. Indeed the newsletter will bemuch richer for them. Please send your own work and not just a copy of a publishedwork. We want to avoid copyright problems. An article can be up to 450 words long tofit on a page, but can be longer depending on the space available. Please send contribu-tions by post to me, Peter Drew-Clifton, 2 Tring Road, Tilehurst, Reading RG31 6SE orby e-mail attachment to [email protected]. We cannot offer payment but if selectedyou will have the satisfaction of seeing your work in print. Thank you.
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News from the Wokingham, Woodley & Earley BranchMeetings held on the 4th Wednesday in the month starting at 7.30pm
at St Nicolas Church Hall, Sutcliffe Avenue, Earley
Where Shall We Go For Our Holiday?
We had a week’s holiday booked – well, what we had was a week’s worth of time freedup to do “something” with but we could not make up our minds what the “something”should be - so the conversation went something like this:“What about a cruise somewhere in the sun?”“What about the USA, we haven’t been for a while?”“What about Scotland?”“SCOTLAND! In the middle of winter!?”“Why not?”So, on to the Internet for a few hours, looking for, finding and booking a cottage, plan-ning to arrive on the Saturday evening and discovering that it will take about 8 hours toget there.“Why don’t we start travelling on the Friday and stay over somewhere?”“Where exactly?”Back on to the internet to find that Morecambe is about halfway there so looked for, found and booked a hotel “withpanoramic views” over Morecambe Bay. Friday arrived, eve-rything booked, paid for, packed and arrangements made forthe neighbour to feed and take care of the animals so we arefinally on our way. We got to Morecambe about 8pm, settledin to the hotel and asked for the food menu only to be toldno food is served after 7pm but we could have a sandwich orPanini. The Panini won but came with many apologies fromthe server who had never served one before and didn’t real-ise that, although they went into the toaster quite round andfluffy, they came out completely flat and solid!
The next morning we visited the Eric Morecambe statue andmemorial and that man still has the capacity to make ussmile just by our reading some of the words of “Bring MeSunshine” which are engraved on the steps there.
Onwards to Scotland, stopping to visit Gretna Green which is a somewhat larger placethan it used to be when couples eloped to get married quickly – but there was a piperin full dress regalia playing for a couple who had just got married so we had an intro-duction to some true Scottish culture almost as soon as we had crossed the border.We eventually got to Aberfoyle and then followed directions to the cottage by takingthe road at the side of Loch Ard for about 4.5 miles, the road getting narrower and
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more and more bendy and wet as we travelled along in almost complete darkness. Thedirections said to turn left at the “Wee Blether Tearooms” - so we did but couldn’t seethe cottage. I had seen a picture of it while looking on the internet and the cottage wewere now parked outside definitely wasn’t it!
So, we started up an even narrower, bendy wet road but with a few houses scatteredabout until we finally found the cottage, almost a mile from the Tearooms! We foundthe key and let ourselves in to a 2-bed cottage with bath and kitchen-diner with a logburning stove and central heating that was working very well indeed. So, reasonablytired from the journey, we unpacked and took ourselves off to bed to make sure wewere ready to start exploring the following day.
On the Sunday, we went to Aberfoyle to shop for food and discovered the ScottishWool Centre so some serious shopping took place here before heading back to the cot-tage. On the Monday, we discovered a man in the garden who informed us he was hereto change the gas bottle as the man who delivers the gas to the tank cannot getthrough to us due to Aberfoyle being flooded! This is the only road to and from ourcottage which meant we couldn’t go anywhere either...
It was also about this time that we realised there was no phone signal, no internetavailability and the TV only had the 5 land channels (we are used to many more!).
However, the internet password was available from the owner so getting that meantwe could see how the world was doing online – and we were amazed to see theamount of flooding that was happening in areas quite close to us.
On the Tuesday a fine sunny day, we discovered there was a rambling, gushing streamat the back of us, that the edge of Loch Ard was about 40 feet away from the side of us,that there was snow on the mountain behind us and highland cattle in a field up theroad and round a bit! What more could we want? So the following few days were spenttravelling to places like Stirling and Loch Lomond (more shopping), up and over moun-tains where roads get narrower and narrower and you feel you are getting ever closerto the edge of the road but where, every time you take a bend in the road, the scenerybecomes more and more stunning. The colours are truly autumnal – crisp russetbrowns and greens on the mountainside with the white of the sheep dotted all over thecountryside – with rivers and streams running alongside the roads and the many lochswhich you have to drive all the way round just to get to the nearest place!
And then, Friday - time to pack up and return home, driving another 8 hours and a totalof 1175 miles for the week, so was Scotland the place to be in the middle of winter af-ter all? We couldn’t think of anywhere we would rather have been!
Chris Nash and Fred Escott, WWE Branch
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News from Newbury BranchMeetings held on the 2nd Wednesday in the month at 7.30pm
at St John’s Church Hall, St John’s Road, Newbury
Forthcoming Events 2013:
Wednesday - 9th January Speaker from Camp HopsonWednesday – 13th February Branch A.G.M.Wednesday – 13th March David Pauley speaking on Clocks
Please note: Our AGM has been put back to February as the speaker from CampHopson (who was originally booked for February) can not make it then, but can come inJanuary.
October was our annual Fish & Chip Supper, with 36 members attending; as usual thiswas a great success the evening being rounded off with “Stick the Bones” competitionwhich caused much hilarity. (photo appeared in the Autumn edition)
In November we had another visit from Rob Nickless our local beekeeper who this timetook us through the process of candle making, from the collecting of the beeswaxthrough to the finished article. Some of us had a go at making a candle. Rob also had alarge variety of items such as jars of honey, hand cream, lip balm, and polish as well as aselection of Christmas candles. Altogether a very interesting and entertaining evening.We are now busy organising our Christmas party which we hope will be as successful asusual.
For the past month Tony and I have been minding our son’s two Jack Russells whilst heand his wife are in California visiting their new grandson (our second great grandchild).The dogs are really quite well behaved but the mere sight of a squirrel or a pigeon in thegarden and they go bananas. Should our friendly pet pheasant come into the garden for afeed the whole neighbourhood gets roused, this coupled with the fact that we have haddecorators in the house (which meant the place was upside down anyway) made for avery exhausting month. The dogs go home in two days time and I know we will missthem a lot.
On behalf of our Chairman Derrick and his wife Jo, and Tony and myself, I would liketo say how much we all enjoyed the meeting at Calcot, Reading on the 4th December.The singers were excellent and the music most enjoyable, songs that we all knew inter-spersed with some favourite carols and rounded off with coffee and mince pies made fora lovely evening - thank you again Reading.
Birthday Wishes for January go to, Isabel Trent on the 8th, Alan Marshal on the 30th, andGordon Trent on the 31st. Very Best Wishes to you all.
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL. Jeanne.
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News from the West Reading BranchMeetings held on the 1st Tuesday in the month starting at 7.30pm
at Calcot Community Centre, High View, Calcot, Reading
Forthcoming Events:
Tuesday 1st January - No Meeting
Tuesday 5th February - Carol Newman JP - Magistrates in the Community
Tuesday 5th March - A PowerPoint Presentation of the Natural World
Tuesday 2nd April - Quiz Evening and Fish and Chip Supper
Tuesday 7th May - Keith Churcher - A Magic Evening with a Member of the InnerMagic Circle
Tuesday 4th June - Peter G Smith “The Royal Collection” A talk and presentation of truescale models of the State Coaches.
On 2nd October we had a talk by Kevin Little from the Smelly Alley Fish Company. Hespoke about the history of the alley in Reading, also known as Union Street. His subjectwas Kate Coxhead, Cossaks and Caversham Bridge.
Union Street has a long history dating back to Tudor times. It has always had shops sell-ing a variety of products. Kevin’s talk was concerned in part, with his family business,selling fish. Kevin’s father set up the business and we were shown a picture of him writ-ing a slogan in chalk on his shop window. There was no refrigeration in the shop inthose days, so fish had to be cooled with ice. Colebrook and Co in the alley used thesame successfully. Also in the street was a retailer called Millers who sold pills to cureall ills. Gullible clients would queue to buy them! Today there is a well respected healthfood retailer in the alley called Holland and Barrett. Jack Coyne was another past re-tailer in the alley. He sold a great deal of strawberry jam which he obtained from some-where. Just after the war clothing was still rationed. There was a large box in the alleyinto which an enterprising retailer had put clothing material remnants. These could bemade into miniskirts and often young ladies would get into the box to search for suitabledesigns.
Kevin told us about the demolition of a building close by. A metal ornamental bowl re-trieved from the rubble had been thrown into a bin. When it was examined it proved tobe a valuable silver Georgian bowl. Member Ricky Davis proposed the vote of thanks toKevin and a number of members said how much they had enjoyed the talk.
On 6th November Kathy Dunmore, Sister from the Royal Berkshire Hospital came tospeak about the reorganisation of cardiac support in the RBH and West Berkshire HealthAuthority area. Last year the hospital support team split in two. Continued page 12
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Photo Bob Powell
Photo Bob PowellPhoto Bob Powell
Photo Bob Powell Photo Bob Powell
Kevin Little(above) spoke to our Calcot membersMary Munday (below) and her Carol Singers
Cardiac SupportNurses
Kathryn Doherty,New Heart FailureNurse (left)
Kathryn Dunmore(right) who spoke toour Calcot Memberson 6th November.
Sam Blues (below)and her daughter at-tended the meeting
Photo Bob Powell
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Photo Bob Powell
Photo Bob Powell
Photo Bob Powell
Photo Bob Powell
Photo Jennifer Madges
Photo Jennifer Madges
Tony and Jeanne Turvill, and Jo and Derick Nobbsfrom Newbury Branch at the Calcot Meeting
Tim and Robin Munday singingabout Trolley Buses...Ting a Ling!
Group Chair June makes a presentationto Mary Munday.
Presentations at the Newbury Branchfor Fred Lamport’s 80th Birthday andMike Fletchers Golden Wedding.
Singers in full voice atCalcot Branch (left)
The Summer Party at NewburyBranch
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some of the nurses stayed at the hospital’s Department of Cardiology, others became theCommunity Cardiac Rehabilitation Team based at Prospect Park Hospital and LoddonVale. As it’s name suggests, members of this team visit patients who have had angio-plasty, heart attacks and surgery. They cover the West Berkshire Area. The team runPhase IV rehabilitation courses at centres in Tilehurst, Early and Newbury. They alsoprovide support to patients on the phone. The team consists of David Nicholls, SamanthaBlues, Linda Murray-Hitchen, Ann Sharman and Susie Whitty.
There is a Community Heart Failure Team based at Loddon Vale and Oakwood. Theteam includes Sharon Andrews, Kerry Harrison, Laura Perry, Lucy Girdler-Heald andBecky Schofield. It also provides nurse led clinics at the West Berkshire Hospital, BroadStreet Mall, Wokingham Hospital and Dellwood.
The team attached to the Department of Cardiology at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in-clude Kathryn Dunmore, Kathryn Doherty the new heart failure nurse, Juliet Weller,Lesley Tyler and Alex Selas who deals with administration. They provide cardiac exer-cise programmes twice a week, during the day and also in the evening. Four times a yearthe team conducts education days for patients and their supporters. The nurses makeward visits and provide general advice and support on the telephone. There is also anaudit to check on patient progress and results.
East Berkshire and the Oxford Health Authority have now developed their own cardiacsupport and heart failure services. Patients outside West Berkshire and who choose toattend the Royal Berkshire Hospital for support are able to do so.
It is very comforting to realise that we heart patients are supported so well.
Our thanks to Kathy for her talk.
On December 4th we welcomed Mary, Robin, Tim and Keith Munday together with theReading Concert Singers and Friends. They came to give us a programme of Christmascarols and light entertainment. Tim as usual played the electronic keyboard to accom-pany the singers and us. We hope we were not too much out of tune! Later Tim playedhis flute beautifully and also sang a carol he had composed. He is very gifted. The sing-ers were under the baton of conductors Mary and Tim.
Half way through the performance the singers promenaded through the audience spin-ning coloured umbrellas and singing ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ from the well known MGMfilm. They also gave us a number of ABBA songs and Robin and Tim Munday sang anamusing song about trolley buses. Our thanks to all who took part.
The evening ended with coffee or tea and a mince pie served by Jean Judd.
Our new Chairman Peter was unable to be present as he was recovering from an opera-tion. We hope he is making good progress.
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MY SON
What are you dreaming of there by the wall,Fairy castles with battlements tall,
Knights in bright armour, maidens so fair,Feasting and jousting with never a care.
Or piloting spaceships gleaming and white,Travelling fantastically faster than light,
Cleaving the heavens to regions unknown,Or manning a shuttle heroic alone.
Last minute at Wembley – no scoring as yet,Your foot slashes out – puts the ball in the net.
The crowd wildly cheering – the cup in your hand,Your photograph worshipped throughout all the land.
Explorer, brain surgeon, pop star, TV cop,The world’s in your hands, you can get to the top.
Tell me my son, oh please tell me your dream
“MUM, CAN I HAVE AN ICE-CREAM?”
Member Elsie Wyard
A Message from Fred and Jenn Clark in Australia
It is now spring in Perth, a lovely time of the year, many wild flowers andtrees are coming into bloom. The Freesias in Kings Park are out and areas common as Bluebells back in England.
Wireless Hill is a reserve of bushland, just south east of the city, that hadthe first Wireless Station in WA.
We hope to publish some of Fred and Jenn’s pictures in our Spring edi-tion. Ed.
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Out and About Gardeningwith Ken Tudgay
A Checklist for January – February – March
January. A Happy New Year! Draw up a cropping plan. I hope you kept a plan ofwhere you planted last year, kept seeds and took cuttings ready. Also I hope you tookadvantage of special offers over Christmas. Don’t forget that the best plan is rotation ofcrops and noting what seeds and plants failed. If you dug the plot September onwardsand covered it with manure or compost you should have a rich soil ready. Onions andpotatoes should be planted in a different place from last year. Runner beans can beplanted in the same place. Having planned your garden or allotment make sure your potsand seed trays are cleared and washed and old compost removed. I hope you have beenturning or lifting your compost heap, disturbing wild life. On good days soil can be dugwhen cleared of crops – celery, parsnips and leeks. Dig little and often. Keep wrappedup and welcome the tea and coffee breaks. The cold soon creeps in so keep warm andenjoy the exercise. Onions and lettuce can be sown in boxes, but heat will be required.This is essential for onions. Compost and Multi Compost can be lightly mixed andpressed into boxes. Broadcast the seeds over the surface. Later they can be pricked out.This is ideal for Ailsa Craig. In the fruit garden carry on pruning. Depending on theweather, lime may be applied but not for potatoes or greens. Half a pound per squareyard. You can sow cabbages and cauliflower in boxes indoors. Sow peas in pots or longroot trainers. Keep them in a cold frame but beware of mice. If you have carrots, beet-root, onions and potatoes stored, check them for decay. Also check your stored applesand pears. Good sound fruit will still last.
February. Parsnips can be lifted. When theweather permits shallots can be planted. Pre-pare the bed with a dressing of superphos-phate of lime or bone-meal. Rake or fork thisin. Plant them 6” apart and 12” betweenrows. Don’t push them in but make holes andearth round. Plant your main crop of onions,or if planted in pots plant them out. Onionscan be sown indoors to plant out in May.Leeks can also be sown indoors ready for June. Sow Brussels sprout seed indoors or in aframe. Tomato seeds can be planted in a warm greenhouse. Keep the temperature steady.Pick out the seedlings when they are 2” high. Lift them gently by the leaves when welldeveloped. Do not touch the stems. Check your seed potatoes if you now have themplaced in egg boxes or trays ready for chitting. When chitted try not to break sprouts thatare growing as you get more potatoes that way. With fewer sprouts you get larger pota-toes so remember that for your main crop. The strawberry beds can now be prepared andplants that were potted on from the previous year can be planted 8” apart if the ground isnot too wet. If the weather is fine in the middle of February sow your peas, radishes andbroad beans. Choose a warm position for peas in 4” wide trenches and mark their
Continued on page 17
using gardening to change lives
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Membership of the Group
Our support group is open to patients, their partners and anyone interested inthe support of those with cardiac conditions.
We invite you to come along to one or two meetings at Calcot, Earley orNewbury, to learn more about us before deciding to join. Please give your localsecretary a ring to say you are coming. They are:
Reading for Calcot- Branch Secretary, Peter Drew-Clifton 0118 942 6105
Newbury - Branch Secretary, Jeanne Turvill 01635 861 546
Wokingham Woodley & Earley - Chris Nash 07775575647
Subscription
The annual subscription is £8.50 per person
The subscription entitles you, as a member, to participate in our meetings,social events and to receive our quarterly newsletter.
If you would like to join, please complete the form on the next page and send itwith your cheque or postal order made payable to The West Berkshire HeartSupport Group to:
Linda Higgs,WBHSG Membership Secretary,13 Bourne Road,Pangbourne,Reading RG8 7JT
PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH
Support Co-ordinator
The Support Co-ordinator is available at 0118 984 4758
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APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP PLEASE USE CAPITAL LETTERS
PATIENT’S DETAILS
TITLE: Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss …….. FAMILY NAME………………………….
GIVEN NAME ……………………..
GIVEN NAME YOU WISH TO BE KNOWN BY ……………………..……
ADDRESS ………………………………………………………...………….
…………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………… POST CODE ………………….
TELEPHONE NO ………………………..
SUPPORT PARTNER’S DETAILS
TITLE: Dr, Mr, Mrs, Miss ……. FAMILY NAME …………………………
GIVEN NAME ……………………..
GIVEN NAME YOU WISH TO BE KNOWN BY ………………………….
ADDRESS ……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………POST CODE ………………….
TELEPHONE NO ………………………….
THOSE WISHING TO BECOME SUPPORTERS OF THE GROUP ONLYSHOULD TICK THIS BOX AND COMPLETE THE SUPPORTPARTNER’S DETAILS
SUBSCRIPTION IS £8.50 PER PERSON PER YEAR
Data Protection ActsPlease note that the information you have given is kept safely and confidentiallyon the Charity’s computer. The data is used to correspond with members and tosend them the Charity’s newsletter. If you would prefer us not to keep yourinformation in this way, please advise us.
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Continued from page 14.
Position for later sticks or frame net supports. Pot young tomatoes in 3 ½” pots in Multi-purpose compost and vermiculite for water retention. If the weather is good prepare forall planting. Cucumbers, courgettes and marrows can be sown.
March. Land still occupied by crops should be gradually cleared. Check your leeks andcelery as they tend to go to seed. Take leaves off the sprouts. Check all plants in thegreenhouse and frames for aphids as the weather gets warmer. Add all the vegetable rub-bish to the compost heap and turn it for unwanted vermin. If you haven’t done it alreadyprepare the ground for peas and beans. Runner beans need a deep trench with newspaperspread with compost in the bottom. French beans need a trench 18” deep and 12” wide.Check your fleece over carrots for slimy trails of snails and slugs. If you planted earlypeas check for holes along the trench indicating mice. If you haven’t done so already putonions and leeks in the cold frame, or plant out if the weather is warmer. If required, potthe tomatoes in 5” pots but be careful not to damage them. Keep planting lettuces andradishes.Special note: Spray your strawberries and re-firm them if they have lifted while growing;support your raspberries and prune your gooseberries. Press on with digging and makingbeds ready. If you haven’t already done it sow parsnips and plant your onions. Earlypotatoes can be planted if the weather is good and not too muddy. If you have to, makeholes in the ground, put in a little Growmore and plant the potatoes in them shoots up.You can sow some more tomatoes if you have had a few failures. Plant out you cauli-flowers and cabbages. Fleece will make good cover for cauliflowers. Outdoor tomatoplants can be planted now. Label them to avoid mixing them up with indoor varieties. Atthe end of March , plant some more potatoes. Remember we can get frost at this time.Do not delay any longer. Plant shallots, sow parsley, thyme and sage outside or in pots.Check your apples for pests and control suckers. Buds and blooms can be affected. Howare your cucumbers doing? Let’s hope that the weather has been kinder to us than in theautumn.
Don’t forget that clean pots, clean tools and good seed means Good Food - Good Veg.and your ‘Five a Day’
All the Best
Ken
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Julia Reading BSc (Hons), MChSState Registered Podiatrist & Chiropodist
For all your Foot Health Needs
Tuesdays and ThursdaysManichem Pharmacy, Goring-on-Thames
& 2a Armour Road, Tilehurst.Telephone 0118 9394878
Mobile 0774 6472 781
Wednesday, Friday and Saturday morningService Yard A, Shop 6, Bracknell.
Telephone 01344 302726
Calluses and Corns, Ingrowing Toenails, Verrucae, Foot Strain,General Footcare and Foot Health Advice
The Foot Health Clinic
Cycling for Health at Palmer Park Sports Stadium
Earlier this year CTC in partnership with Sport Reading started some out-door cycling sessions around the track at Palmer Park stadium, providingthe opportunity for individuals wanting to become fitter whilst enjoying theoutdoor elements.
The sessions are suitable for any one who just wants to get fitter or lose someweight, but they also cater for individuals with more specific health problemssuch as diabetes, muscular sclerosis and heart conditions.
The session is on Mondays 11.30a.m. to 12.30p.m. It costs £2.50, which in-cludes use of the bikes and tricycles. N.B. It may be necessary to share bikeswhen the sessions are busy.
Individuals with heart conditions please call Binders on 07900906056 beforeattending, as a G.P. referral will be necessary.
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