This year we are staging ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ over the February half-term holiday and it is looking like another knockout production from the amazing Neil Gurney. With all the fun of a traditional pantomime, including great song and dance numbers, side-splitting slapstick and of course the obligatory sweets, this must be an essential part of any local’s diary this month. We start on Thursday 21^st then Friday 22^nd, both at 8pm, followed by 2 performances on Saturday 23^rd, at 2pm and 7.30pm. Tickets are available now at the Queens Head in Long Marston and both the Community Shop and Meads Farm Shop in Wilstone. Prices have been held at £6 Adults, £4 Senior Citizens & £3 for Children. For details, Please call 07855 369515.

A major production like this however requires a lot of help putting it all together. We have a hardy band of willing volunteers who help in all aspects from Costumes to Scenery, but we would still welcome anyone who would like to join us. We will be at Wilstone Village Hall for the next two Sundays (3^rd & 10^th Feb) and then move to Long Marston the following weekend for a week of rehearsals before the opening night on the Thursday. We need people to help with such things as make-up, scenery shifting, or even selling raffle tickets and programmes. If you can help IN ANY WAY, please contact Vicky Hayes on 01296 661586 or Toby Davidson on 07970 636168.

The Horti also have a number of other events planned during the year, including the annual village show and a midsummer picnic on the recreation ground. More details to follow next month.

Article by Toby Davidson.

With no village magazine in January, the Horti are once again looking for volunteers to help us put on our annual pantomime. Our production for 2013 will be ‘Sinbad the Sailor’ and will be performed during the February half term holiday (21^st–23^rd). However, this is a huge undertaking for a dedicated body of people who need your help.  As is the case in all walks of life, our core of helpers is getting no younger and we are seeking some fresh blood to help us continue putting on all our village activities during the year. Although grateful for people who can commit more of their time, volunteering to help us need not be the commitment you may think. For example, maybe you could help by making one set of uniforms for the chorus – or come over to Wilstone for one Sunday in January to help paint the scenery and props. There is also ample opportunity to display your acting skills by becoming an actor.

I am not asking for you to make yourself available over a long period, just offer us a few hours of your time to help during the post-Christmas period. If you can offer us any help, please contact either Vicky Hayes on 01296 661586 or Toby Davidson on 07970 636168 or preferably come to our pre-panto meeting at Long Marston Victory Hall on Sunday 2^nd December at 5pm.

We have also heard from our esteemed pantomime creator, Neil Gurney, who has agreed to doing it again next year! Neil has been very busy recently and is currently directing a production of ‘Half a sixpence’ at the Pendley Theatre in Tring from 20-24^th November which I am very much looking forward to seeing. With 2 flower arranging shows in Aylesbury on top, we are very grateful for his time and expertise. The pre-panto meeting has been set up for Sunday 2^nd of December in Long Marston village hall where auditions for next year’s chorus will take place at 3:30pm. Being involved in panto is hard work but most rewarding. I would encourage any child with an interest in singing and dancing to give it a try and anyone who is interested in helping us come at 5:00 to meet the team.

The Horti now has a well-earned break between events after spending a lot of hours putting the show together, but we continue to focus on our future activities. In support of the Victory Hall committee, our next major joint event is the annual fireworks display. This year, we will once again be at Old Tom’s Field on the edge of the village on Saturday 3^rd September. The Bonfire will be lit at 6.30 and the fireworks start at 7.00. Tickets remain at £6 adults and £2 children, but they can be bought at a discount (£5 / £1.50) from the Queens Head or direct from David Severs on 01296 661021.

The Hall itself will be hosting a special Halloween disco on Saturday 27^th October at 8pm. This is a ‘bring your own booze’ event with a door charge of £5 and promises to be a good night out.

My personal favourite event each year is the annual ‘Carols round the Tree’ this year being staged on Tuesday 18^th December. We are so fortunate to have the services of a small band that makes the evening so more enjoyable whilst trying to raise a lot of money for Help for Heroes and really brings home the spirit of Christmas. The free mince pies and mulled wine help as well!

November will also see the auditions being staged for next year’s pantomime, so let’s hope we get a good turnout, but more details will be available next month.

On the field, things continue a-pace. We have all the usual stands, like the book stall, coconut shy and skittles. As always the tent will house the bar and afternoon teas, with the barbeque and the Pimms stall just outside and we will have a live band during the afternoon. However the highlight could well be the kids races for which I have been sworn to secrecy, but we will be adding a surprise element, so why not come down and have a go!

On a much more serious note, I unfortunately have to cross back to the subject of volunteering. These events cannot take place without the generous help of those people who give up their time to run stalls and help with stewarding, etc to make your day as enjoyable as possible. However, there are NEVER enough to do the task. All we can ask is could you please give up 1 HOUR of your time to help us on the day. A typical example is at the end of the show; as you know, we auction the items left in the hall, but I’m sure you haven’t noticed the 2/3 men who are trying to clear up the field after the day. They could really do with your help for an hour and the more bodies, the quicker the job is done! So why not volunteer to help for a bit PLEASE!  Whether you are participating, watching or helping we hope to see you for this timeless village event.

Article by Toby Davidson.

This was undertaken to assess the status of the trees after a period of time and to make note of any changes.

It was undertaken by volunteers from Countryside Management, using larger scale maps from the original survey. Unfortunately the information gathered, although useful, could not be collated in detail in relation to the original mapping.

Pollarding and Management.

During 2002/2003 Grants provided through Countryside Management enabled pollarding and the management of about 30 vulnerable trees during the early spring of these years. Local owners were offered funding, which was advertised through the local Village News.  The work was done by a reputable tree surgeon with an interest and knowledge of the needs of Black Poplars. Over £8000 was made available and the status of these trees was checked in 2009

New Plantings.

2003/4 saw the first new plantings which proved most unsuccessful. A combination of planting in the autumn with little or no root stock and a following dry spring and summer, taught us that we needed to change our strategy.

2007/8 and Dec 2009.  We had learnt the lessons of earlier mistakes. Having grown on over a hundred cuttings on an allotment locally around 80 have proved highly successful. With good rooting stock, planted out in the early spring and protected from eating deer, cattle and rabbits they have proved to be healthy young trees. All are mapped and were checked in 2010.

Black Poplar Walk.

In 2006 a Black poplar walk of about 5 miles was established using footpaths, gates and stiles and with signs to make the route clear. A leaflet was produced, available in pubs and libraries which have brought many visitors into the area and raised the profile and significance of Black Poplars.

Sampling  for D.N.A.

In 2008 36 samples were taken from the area of the original survey, particularly from the periphery to establish the provenance of our Black Poplars. All were reported to be from one clone, exactly the same clone as the rest of the Aylesbury Vale and not found in the rest of the country. This information makes our Black Poplars unique. They have not been reproduced commercially so cannot be grown on anywhere else.

The work done to establish the D.N.A. of our local trees was done free of charge by Forest Research, who offered us a particular package at this time. Any work needed to be done at the present time will be charged at £40 per sample.

Our original aim was to :-

1) Record the presence of the species in the area

2) Take steps to maintain those individuals which have been recorded

3) Increase the level of planting

4) Educate our local population about the significance of Black Poplars in our local area

 All these have been attempted, some with a degree of success, but there is more that we could do. Without the help, both financial and physical of Countryside Management we are at a huge disadvantage. Funding from Dacorum for Countryside Management has been withdrawn so all we can do is raise awareness of The Black Poplar and encourage local owners and interested people to participate in the ongoing management of these trees.

 I attend the Black Poplar forum which meets biannually, a gathering where all interested people in the Black Poplars in the British Iles, both professional and amateur, meet to share knowledge and experience.

 Margaret Noakes June 2011

This month the Horti are re-launching a piece of local history.  On one of my walks recently, I visited my friend Oliver Matthews and bought one of his wonderful village plans he compiled just before the millennium.  This is an A2 sized print of the Ordinance Survey maps from 1796 and 1996 showing how Long Marston and the surrounding hamlets looked at the time, superbly drawn by Ken Peak, accompanied by some beautifully painted pictures of local landmarks by Phyl Thorpe.  With the ever changing village population, the Horti feel we should reissue these at £10 a copy.  Anyone interested should contact Oliver directly on 01296 662181.

From our Horti Correspondent

Others help to maintain the web site (www.longmarston.org) which is a fascinating store of local information and well worth a visit.  Part of this web site covers all aspects of the history of our local area, and much of the information has been provided by local residents sharing their memories and stories.

We are always interested to hear from our fellow Long Marstonites and Puttenhamites, so if you have any recollections or family stories concerning any aspect of the villages we would love to share them.

Any subject is of interest – The Airfield, Village Pubs, Shops and Businesses, The Wars, Local Characters – anything.  Please contact us with your stories and memories either by post to: Martin Winship,13 Marston Court, Long Marston, HP23 4QS or by email: martinwinship@live.co.uk. 

Our aim is to produce a Long Marston and Puttenham booklet, in which all contributions will be acknowledged.

Article by Martin Winship.

Memorial Dedication to the crew of B-24 Liberator on V.E. day.

Organised by Chas Jellis.

There will be a memorial dedication to the crew of the B-24 Liberator “Beast of Bourbon” on Saturday 7^th May 2011 at 12 noon.  The memorial stone will be placed on the green in Long Marston next to the existing war memorial. 

Airmen of Lt. Louis McCarthy’s crew in Liberator #42-50385, R4-H nicknamed Beast of Bourbon who died in a take-off crash at Long Marston, England on February 19, 1945 were arial gunners: S/Sgt. Carl E. Lindquist (21), Pvt. Fred K. Becker (20), Pvt. Howard F. Haley (20).

Veterans and families of the lost crewman, who will be travelling from the United States, will be attending this ceremony.  There will be a procession from the Long Marston Victory Hall with a guard of honour and colour party.

All villagers are invited to attend the ceremony.  After the ceremony, tea will be available at the Victory Hall.  There will also be WW2 displays.

All are invited to join the U.S. Air Force veterans in enjoying a 1940’s dance at the Victory Hall in the evening from 7.30pm. 

To view information regarding the 36th Bomb Squadron visit Steve Hutton’s website: http://www.36rcm.com

Sunday 8^th May

There is a visit to Madingly American War Cemetery and to Duxford Imperial War Museum with the veterans.  Tickets are available.

Monday 9^th May

A tour, with the veterans, of the Old Airfield at Cheddington will be hosted by Chas Jellis, meeting at the old airbase gate at 9.30am.  This will be followed by a visit to the 36BS memorial at Ford End Farm, Ivinghoe.  A visit will also be made to the crash site of the B-24 “Beast of Bourbon”.  All are welcome.

Review of the Memorial Ceremony

Early showers on the morning of 7^th May cleared up in time for the start of the 36BS Memorial Ceremony to honour the crew of the Liberator 42-50385 otherwise known as the “Beast of Bourbon”.  At 10am the road into Long Marston was closed and all was made ready.  Military vehicles were parked along the road.  The military lorry parked outside Redmays was of particular interest to the younger members of the village as they were allowed to climb up onto the back to get a good view of the proceedings.

A few hundred people were there to watch a large Dodge staff car drive up the road from which veterans from WW2 stepped out.  A group of re-enactment soldiers followed the vehicle up the road and marched on through the entrance to Loxley Farm. 

Chas Jellis, the Memorial Organiser, gave an opening speech and described his initial interest in the whereabouts of the crashed plane and how he found various items from the aircraft in the field near Long Marston where it came to rest.  He also gave an account of his journey of discovery from that day to now.  How he acquired much information on the subject and how, by chance, he was introduced to Stephen Hutton who has since written a book on the 36^th Bomb Squadron.

Chas also introduced us to the veterans including 1^st Lt. John (Des) Howarth and Pilot Art Brusila and welcomed the U.S. families, friends and current military personnel including Lt. Col. Shannon Driscoll.

Permission was then given by 1^st Lt. John Howarth for advance colours to commence.  The order of the service is given below.

The whole ceremony was very moving and informative.  For me, the moment when the ghost crew walked silently through the crowd and took their places up on the current war memorial was particularly moving. 

John Howarth, a member from the crew, gave an account of his memories of that fateful day, also saying that 10 seconds later and he wouldn’t have made it to be here today. 

Stephen Hutton gave a fascinating speech about the history of the squadron and its missions and guest speaker Lt. Col. Shannon Driscoll described the mission of the 36 Electronic Warfare Squadron today and its continuing duty in maintaining freedom.   He was moved by his visit to the UK and was particularly touched as to how we pay our respects to our greatest generation. 

A stunning “wow” air display by a WW2 fighter plane went on above the crowd’s heads.  This display was freely given by a pilot from North Weald aerodrome.

There was a blessing by Rev. Jane Bannister and a formal laying of wreaths and 1 minute silence.

The Kohima, For the Fallen was read by Heda Kootz and the ceremony was brought to a close.

The return to the Victory Hall was lead by the soldiers. Everyone was invited to the ceremony tea and viewing of WW2 displays.  The exhibits both in and out of the Victory Hall were extremely interesting and relevant to the day.  There were a number of military vehicles on the forecourt outside the hall; all in amazingly good condition and items from the crashed plane, memorabilia and photographs were displayed inside the Victory Hall. 

Teas served by the WI were well received and enjoyed, as were the sandwiches and cakes.

Order of Service

SO I’m sitting at home, getting more frustrated by the England performances at the Cricket World Cup, when I come across an interesting article in the local paper about volunteering for local community projects. It appears that due to there being very little help being offered by the community to stage it, the Kings Langley Festival will be dropped after this year’s show.

This is a problem we all face wherever you live in this world of ours. I look at this situation in dismay as I myself have been doing voluntary work for good causes for over 20 years and thoroughly enjoy the time I spend doing this. How many times do you hear people say they haven’t got the time to help, yet can find themselves time to say watch television with a beer or two or get up to more unsavoury activities round their neighbourhoods.

I was one of these once after getting made redundant for the first time (it’s happened four times now!) and I can vividly remember sitting at home feeling sorry for myself and wondering where my life was going at 26. I turned myself around by doing something that was both one of the bravest and one of the best things I have ever done in my life – volunteering.

When I made the decision to ‘get out of the house and do something’, I picked up the local paper and saw an advert for the local town carnival AGM in a month’s time and resolved (yes it was in January!) to go. All I can remember on the day was my heart pumping at a rate of knots as I sat down amongst a group of total strangers and putting my hand up when the “would anyone like to help” question was asked. I have NEVER looked back since that day. Through starting there, I have developed skills I thought I never had, like organising fundraisers, setting quizzes, and all the while meeting people who have become lifelong friends. I have moved a few times since then, but always try to put something back into the community I live in. To get the responses I do from people pleases me in the knowledge of doing something good that people appreciate.

My situation is a lot easier than most, being single with no dependants, but doing this does not have to take over your life. Some people only do one event a year for a couple of hours rather than sitting on endless committees!

So my advice is – if you are given the chance, give it a try – you never know what might happen. I even know a happily married couple who met through volunteering and I’m sure they’re not the only ones!