Saturday 20 April 20th Harrold Pit Run

What a (Mud) Lark

I hove always considered Horsefair Lane to be a quiet little road, disturbed only by the sound of children playing and the clip -slop of a passing horse - and no doubt, at some time in the future, it will be again.

At the start of the year development began on the building plot and we watched with interest as the footings steadily filled with water, resulting from the non-stop rain. We indulgently stepped around the stream of muddy water cascading down the roadway and smiled with approval as they swept the mud from the road each night....and then came the 4^th February.

Transporters carrying earth-moving equipment, crawlers with a digger at each end and a cutting machine the like of which I have never seen before, all put in their appearance. Notices have been displayed within the country park for some time now about the closure of the footpath behind the back of the lake for the purposes of re-sufacing, but where were the notices advising us that the entrance to the park at the end of Horsefair Lane would become-a no-go area? Where were the notices advising us of the sea of mud that would engulf our road and where were the notices warning us of spilled loads and pollution? Our quality of life disappeared in a moment.

To be fair it is difficult to tell whether the lorries serving the work in the country or the building site cause-the most damage but I have watched aghast as our cherished little pot-holes, that we have loved and nurtured for years, have been torn into gaping holes; as the grass verge steadily disappears and the roadside, especially by the entrance to the old Scout Field, steadily disintegrates. To date the roadway at this point must have lost at least one-third of its width.

The purpose of the activity in the park is to create a pathway around the back of the lake along which wheelchairs can freely pass - and with this policy I fully agree. The condition of the footpaths within the park have long been a joke, but they are ferrying in from Leicestershire lorry-load after lorry-load of stone chippings, the very material they used to surface the bridle path two years ago. It proved to be impossible for people to walk upon - and they refused to use it, forging a new footpath alongside the old one! Horses got stone in their shoes, dogs lacerated their feet, pushchairs got bogged down and many a bicycle was brought to a spectacular standstill. We must assume that something has been learnt from all this and that residents can now look forward to the appearance of a steamroller to compress it all into a compact surface.

In the meantime those of us who live in Horsefair Lane can look forward to a procession of lorries, bearing their precious load of pale pink stone, processing past our homes to the quarry-site that was once the Horsefair Lane entrance to the country park, but which now more closely resembles an impassable morass - all ably assisted by the continual rain.

In last month’s Parish Magazine our Parish Council made reference to the Bedfordshire County Council promoting bridle paths and improving footways. Let us hope they are still in this mood for reparations! Let us hope our Parish Council can persuade the county Council to make good our entry into the Country Park and, above all else, to renew Horsefair Lane. With the subsidence now taking place our poor little road now needs levelling, proper foundations and a decent surface putting in place. This time I think the residents need something to look forward to - we have blessed our dear little pot-holes for long enough and they are now beyond patching.

I can honestly say I have never felt more like signing myself off as "'Appalled of Horsefair Lane"! Barbara Corley

Round and About Update

At the time of writing, after work on site – and having torn the heart out of the park – all work has ceased, men and machinery have departed and according to Bill won’t return until sometime in March…but at least it has stopped raining!

We welcome two new families to Odell, the Mills and the Redferns.

The Mills - Graham, Ann, son Ben and daughter Emma – have moved into 4 Tannery Lane after a very patient wait while the house was being built.

The Redferns – Dave, Teresa, Amy (13), James (6) and Cary (1) have moved into 90 High St.

We had an extremely lively and informative talk by Mr. Brian Woodrow about the 0ffice of High Sheriff. He had filled this position in 1994/5 and had obviously thoroughly enjoyed the experience. He began by describing its history from its roots in Saxon times at least 1000 years ago.

It is the oldest continuous secular office under the Crown and until 1908 remained first in precedence in the County at which time the Lord Lieutenant was given the prime office. Although the height of the Sheriff’s power was in Norman times the office still fulfils many important functions. Among these are the attendance at Royal visits to the county, the well being and protection of Her Majesty’s High Court Judges and the execution of High Court Writs. You have to be nominated for the office, hold freehold in the County and cannot be a lawyer, M.P., a peer or an officer of the Customs and Exercise. Normally the person will already be active in voluntary work. Mr Woodrow was also at pains to point out that the role was time consuming and was also personally expensive as no remuneration is given; all expenses come from the officer’s pocket. He personally felt this enabled the role to be independent and non-political. He finished by telling us a little about Crimebeat, an initiative to reduce the crime culture particularly in the young.

He donates his fee to the Primrose Appeal of which he is Chairman so gave a quick update on its progress.

Next month’s meeting

Tuesday March 12^th will see us gathered in the Village Hall at 7.30 to hear Ted Bartlett talk to us on "Victorian Music Hall and Variety Theatre".

Hostesses and Competition

Don’t forget our Coffee Morning on Saturday 2^nd March at 10.30 in aid of the Primrose Appeal. So many of us have had our family and friends touched by cancer. We were delighted with your support last year and hope that you feel you can do the same this year. Join us in the Village Hall not only for coffee and a chat but also to look at the cake, book and bric-a-brac stalls, not forgetting to buy your primrose, and to take part in the raffle.

Village Hall News

Burns Night Supper

Nicola Schoenenberger