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John and I have lived in North Road for almost 20 years, In
the early years, as soon as we arrived, when our son Martin attended
the village school (in the days when Pauline Martin was the Headmistress),
I was an active committee member of the PTA. Some of you will
recall the pantomimes expertly produced and presented by Carole
Willatt. What an induction to Widmer End that was! Martin played
in the Under 10, Under 11 and Under 12 football teams (we still
have the trophies) managed by Graham Buckridge, and both John
and I supported from the touchline, whatever the weather. Sadly,
commitments at work, precluded us from being further involved
in village activities. Now that has changed. I have retired,
after 18 years, from Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College,
where for the past five years I managed their Management Training
Centre at Missenden Abbey. Recently, over dinner with our very
good friends and neighbours, Hugh and Anne McCarthy (and probably
after one too many glasses of wine) I agreed to share with you
my love of cooking, and some of the thousands of recipes I have
collected over the past 35 years. So here goes:
We will be at the start of the Autumn season when this is
published so I have chosen a hot savoury dish.
Rosti Topped Chicken (serves 6)
6 large chicken breasts (or 8 small)
Flavouring ingredients (1 carrot, 2 sticks celery, ½ onion,
8 peppercorns)
1.1kg baking potatoes
225g rindless streaky bacon
1 kg leeks
350g brown cap mushrooms
125g butter
45ml flour
150ml milk
1. Place the chicken and flavouring ingredients in a large
saucepan, cover with cold water (about 2 pints) and bring to
the boil. Cover and simmer for 40 mins. Lift the chicken from
the pan and cool. Reduce the stock until 1 pt of liquid remains.
Strain.
2. Place the potatoes in oven at 200 deg C for about 45 mins
or until beginning to soften but not cooked through. Cool, peel
away the skins with your fingers and coarsely grate.
3. Roughly chop the bacon, leeks and mushrooms. In a non stick
pan, fry the bacon until crisp, lift out of the pan and fry the
mushrooms in the reaming fat for 2 to 3 mins or until golden,
adding a little butter if necessary.
4. In a separate saucepan melt 50g butter and fry the leeks
for 4 to 5 mins or until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring
for 2 to 3 mins before adding the stock and milk. Bring to the
boil, stirring all the time. Simmer for 2 to 3 mins or until
the sauce thickens very slightly, season and cool.
5. Chop the chicken into bite sized pieces, removing any skin,
Stir into the cooled sauce with the bacon and mushrooms and spoon
into a large ovenproof dish.
6. Place large mounds of grated potato on top of the chicken
mixture, to cover completely. Melt 50g butter and drizzle over
potato.
7. Stand the dish on a baking sheet and cook at 200 deg C
for 40mins until golden and piping hot, covering with foil if
necessary.
Lynda Cox
Widmer End Lawn Tennis Club (WELTC)
Hello,
The new tennis season is well under way and with the unexpected
weather in April has meant the season has got off to a great
start. The junior coaching started on the 21st April with very
high attendance both on Sunday mornings and Monday evenings for
Junior club night. Just a reminder that the FREE coaching lasts
for 12 weeks from April and is available to all junior members.
If you would like to join, please contact Mike Lishman below.
Additional short and junior tennis coaching will also be held
during the Whitsun and summer holidays for a small fee.
The senior season has also started and we are already into
our busy match programme. Our ladies first team, who gained successful
promotion to the Premier League, have 8 matches in total and
will be up against some stiff competition. We wish them the best
of luck. Our target is for them to stay in the Premier League
for the 2003 season. The open senior club nights will continue
to be held on a Tuesday and Friday evening every week
The club held a new members day on Monday 6th of May from
10.00 am to 3.00pm for anyone new who wished to join, to just
come up and play a game and get more information about the club.
We will be offered ½ price membership to any new members
who joined on the day!! In addition the club will be joining
in the Jubilee activities on the 25th May. Look forward to seeing
you there!!
If you would like further information about the club please
contact:
Mark Twitchett Chairman 815543
Steve Minall Membership Secretary 654752
Mike Lishman Junior Co-ordinator 864392
Loraine Squire Short tennis Co-ordinator 716908
Or visit our web site on www.telesystems.co.uk/weltc.
Holmer Green Ladies Football Club
An exciting season awaits Holmer Green Ladies FC as they have
joined a newly-formed league.
The Berks and Bucks Women's League has been set up in response
to the enormous growth in ladies football in recent years. It
hopes to accommodate the many fledgling teams springing up in
the area.
Holmer Green Ladies have struggled in the Southern Region Women's
Football League for the past two seasons but they hope the new
league will offer more evenly-matched games as the standard of
football will be closer to their level.
The club are currently seeking a sponsor for the 2002/3 season
and new players (min age 14) are always welcome.
Players of all ages (over 14) and abilities are welcome, complete
novices included.
For more information visit our website at www.holmergreenladies.co.uk
or call the manager, Dave, on 01494 713673 or call Audrey Wixon
on (01494) 717771.
Widmer End United Junior Football Club
100 Club
In order for us to keep our membership costs the same for the
coming year, I have been given a fund raising target of £3,000.
This must be achieved.
To give this an immediate kick start, I am starting a '100
Club'. Each person pays £5 by Standing Order on the 6th
of each Month. They are given 5 Numbers and these stay the same
for the year. On the 15th of each Month, a draw will take place
and the lucky winner receives £100.00.
I would like the first draw to take place on the 15th October
2002. In order for this to happen successfully, I need a minimum
of 50 people to register by no later than 6th September 2002.
The first payment will come out of your Bank on the 6th October
2002.
Please complete, tear off and return the attached Standing Order
Form to:
Paul Taplin, Havenwell, North Road, Widmer End. HP15 6ND, as
soon as possible.
Thanks
Paul Taplin (Fundraiser for W.E.U.J.F.C.)
Rainbows, Brownies, Beavers and Cubs.
Girl Guiding High Wycombe North District
If you would like to put your daughter on the waiting list
for Rainbows or Brownies please contact Patricia Boxall on 01494
438968.
If you are interested in becoming a Guider or helping at weekly
meetings of Rainbows, Brownies or Guides please give me a ring.
Gill Hart
District Commissioner
01494 713935
A Special Day in Guiding
On 10th May 2002 a large group of children from Berkshire and
Buckinghamshire gathered as the 'Berkshire Golden Youth' Jubilee
celebration. Many children represented sporting talent from many
sports including skiing, skateboarding, netball and gymnastics.
I attended as a member of OBOE (Occasional Bucks Orchestral Experience)
which is a Bucks Guide Association band that meets a few times
a year to enjoy playing instruments as part of a group. We had
been invited to play a few items as the royal visitors watched
some of the fantastic demonstrations.
The celebration was held in the grounds of Bisham Abbey. It was
a most fantastic day. The atmosphere was amazing, everybody was
waving union flags and cheering for Her Majesty the Queen as
she arrived via a river boat. Also on the guest list were athletes
and celebrities such as Sven Goran Ericsson and Sol Campbell
who took time to speak with us. It was a magical experience for
all involved.
The Guides, Air Cadets and the Duke of Edinburgh award group
were some of the few non - sport related organisations invited
to the event. I think it was a superb opportunity for the young
people of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire to be involved with the
Queen Golden Jubilee celebrations and I am both pleased and proud
to have been a part of it.
Sam Douglas
Young Leader
1st Widmer End Brownie Unit
1st Hazlemere Brownies' Summer Triathlon
We run a central waiting list for places in the Rainbow and
Brownie units. If you would like to put any girls on this list
please contact Patricia Boxall on 01494 438968.
Gill Hart
86 Georges Hill
1st Widmer End Rainbows Mon 4.30 - 5.30pm
Church of the Good Shepherd, Georges Hill
2nd Widmer End Brownies Mon 6.15 - 7.45pm
Widmer End School, Estcourt Drive
1st Hazlemere Brownies Mon 6.15 - 7.45pm
Guide Hut, North Road
1st Widmer End Brownies Tues 6.15 - 7.45pm
Church of the Good Shepherd, Georges Hill
8th High Wycombe Musketeers (Cubs)
Village Hall Mon 6.30 - 8pm.
1st Hazlemere Guides Fri 7.30 - 9.30pm
Guide Hut, North Road
Widmer End St Margarets Cricket Club.
At the time of writing the Saturday 1st X1 are pressing hard
in the first division of the Kookaburra Mid Bucks League. Currently
in second position, they are looking for some good results to
enable them to qualify for the Premier Division of the league.
This has long been an ambition for the club members, and if the
present good form of the team is maintained they must be in with
an excellent chance.
This year the club entered a 2nd X1 in the league for the
first time. They have found it a bit difficult against some strong
opposition, but the team is making progress and hopefully will
be able to make a name for themselves next season.
On a Sunday, in the slightly more relaxed atmosphere of "friendly"
cricket, the Club has had a successful season so far, with some
very good individual performances from various players.
The Sunday morning sessions for under 12's have gone very
well under the experienced eye of Peter Collins, and we hope
that we will be able to expand this activity next season to help
develop the next generation of cricketers at Widmer End.
If any new players are interested in coming along, then please
contact Laurie Johnson on 01494 715243.
The Club is very keen to increase the number of colts playing
this season. This gives all youngsters a chance of playing the
game and hopefully developing into full club members, as many
of our colts from earlier years have done. We are seeking players
at under 12, 15 and 17 levels. The annual subscription is only
£6, with a £1 match fee. Coaching sessions will be
arranged usually one evening per week and Sunday mornings. The
contact names are given below:
Under 17s Gould Pearson 01494 718202
Under 15s Peter Goodman 01494 711382
Under 12s Peter Collins 01494 714296
Widmer End Short Mat Bowls Club
The members of the bowls club celebrated another successful
season bringing home another clutch of trophies. The Club won
the South Bucks League, the Bucks Short Mat Trophy, the Team
Triples competition, the Hazells Shield, the South Bucks Gala
Day and the inaugural Holmer Green Open. This latter competition
was held at the new outdoor facility at Holmer Green, which boasts
one of the few outdoor short mat bowls rinks in the country.
See Picture
The Club has room for a few new members, preferably those
with some experience, and any body interested in joining the
Club should contact Terry Darvill on 713204.
L & Ks' Kosmik Kickers
We started our class in November 1999 and boy.. Have we had
some laughs! Most people came along through curiosity because,
as we all know, Line dancing has a reputation of being all 'Yee
ha' and swirling ariats. Despite these reservations, we all started
to enjoy ourselves.
Starting as we did, with absolute beginners, we certainly
had our work 'cut out'! No one knew any steps at all, but once
these began to be recognised it became easier and FUN. No one
is in competition with anyone else and if one person picks up
a dance quicker than the rest, they always help out so the sense
of camaraderie is always high.
The class themselves have also begun to notice health benefits
of regular dancing as Line dancing is officially recognised by
the British Heart Foundation and Osteoporosis Society amongst
others, as giving the body a complete workout. If, like ourselves,
people with busy lifestyles cannot find the time (or maybe inclination)
to visit a gym, Line dancing is a perfect alternative - and cheaper
at only £3.50 for two hours! Many dances like Shalala,
Rose Garden and Black Coffee can hold their own against a good
aerobic workout, and for most people it is much more enjoyable.
We recently held our first Saturday Night Dance where our
dancers could show their families what they have achieved since
November, around 25 dances in 16 weeks, which is no mean feat!
Boy, were they GOOD and didn't we have a fantastic night? In
fact, to see friends and family members who had not danced before
get up and have a go was brilliant. We are planning our next
Saturday Night Dance toward the end of July and hope to see more
new faces. So, if you like the sound of KOSMIK KICKERS, please
come along on a Monday night around 8.30pm to Widmer End Village
Hall, (bring a drink with you? you will need it!) see what we
are about, and be prepared to HAVE FUN. You'll be more than welcome!
See ya there?
Lynne (712814/712460) or
Trina (0771 3963309)
Youth Club
Calling all young people from Year 5 upwards! Come and join
our Youth Club. We meet once every 6 weeks at St. Edmund Campion
Church, where we have table tennis and other activities available.
We also organise outings to Quasar, ten pin bowling and have
team-building days at Woodrow, which are great fun. At Christmas
we did some fund-raising to provide parcels to families on low
income and last summer, we produced boxes of essential items
to people coming out of care to get them started in their new
life. We also involve ourselves in Blue Peter appeals and any
other ideas the youngsters have. For further details, contact
Angela Beecroft on 441109.
1st Saturday of the month at 5.30pm, we hold special youth
masses. Anyone is welcome to join us, but these are predominantly
for the under 20's!
Chameleon
The locally based singles group that started out in Widmer
End as Solos and then Simply Friends, has changed its name to
Chameleon. The group decided to change its name as part of an
expansion of its activities following the departure to Devon
of the original groups founder.
Some of our recent events have seen some good attendance,
with the most popular continuing to be meals out, our regular
pub night, skittles, quiz and games evenings. We also offer activities
for those who like to be active, such as walks and the occasional
cycle ride. Most of our events are during the evenings and at
the weekend, but we hope to grow our daytime activities as our
membership demands.
One of the major changes to the new look group will be the
expanded age range, to cater for all singles 30+. Chameleon members
will continue to offer a warm welcome to newcomers to our events.
Some of the popular events will continue to be run on a regular
basis along with new ones to cater for the expanded age range.
Our regular pub night continues at The Crown, Amersham Road,
Hazlemere from 8pm on the last Friday of the month.
It has been a long hot summer packed full of events for members
of Chameleon. The singles group which started out in Widmer End
continues to enjoy a strong membership from its 30 plus base.
While a few members have moved on we still retain many of the
original members and have welcomed lots of new people to our
social group.
The summer has seen us get out a bit more with Bar-B-Que's
and trips out in addition to our indoor activities. The group
continues to be well supported and many events have seen a near
capacity turn out. During the summer we arranged some events
to enable those with children to join in the activities such
as a day trip to the Isle of Wight and a Cotswold day out. A
canal trip on the Grand Union was well supported during August,
an event we are hoping to repeat.
Regular events such as Skittles, Quiz and Games evenings,
walks and meals out remain ever popular with our members and
we shall be doing more during the autumn. As we attract new members
we will develop new activities as our membership demands. While
most of our events are evenings and weekends we do plan to have
some during the daytime for those who are work free.
Our regular Pub Night at The Crown, Amersham Road on the last
Friday of each month continues to be popular both with existing
and new members. The venue provides a good place to meet in an
informal surrounding and an ideal opportunity to meet other members,
have a chat and a drink. If you are on your own then why not
pop along on the last Friday of the month and find out more.
Alternatively call Tracey on 01494 - 527967 for more details.
We look forward to seeing you at a future event.
To find out more about Chameleon call us on 01494 - 527967.
David
Bridge For Fun evenings
Nothing to do on a Tuesday evening? Why not come along to
our friendly 'Bridge For Fun' evenings?
We meet in the Guide hut at the corner of North Road and Cryers
Hill Lane, starting at 8pm. Rubber Bridge is played and for any
further information contact Jean Musgrave on 715386.
High Wycombe Scrabble Club
Is on the look-out for new members. They meet on the first and third Tuesday of every month at Rosetti Hall, Holmer Green, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm. This is social scrabble for all abilities. Contact Dennis
Troughton (01494 815021) for further details.
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