Summer 2000

Gossamer wings - An ambition achieved - Lyme Park Cheshire - The wildlife garden - Life long learning - St Luke's Hospice - Sheffield Children - First Peanuts save badger lives - The Trouble With Flashers

Gossamer wings

One of the features of my garden is a wildlife pond. No fish, fountain or stream, but a constant source of interest provided by frogs, toads, newts, water boatmen, water plants and for me most attractive of all, dragonflies.

With their fast darting flight, held aloft on pairs of glistening wings, dragonflies and the smaller more delicate damselflies, are an added bonus to any garden. From June onwards a sunny day holds the promise of a visitor circling or buzzing the pond, sometimes hovering then gliding effortlessly, or moving with a sudden burst of speed to intercept an insect meal or check out a potential mate. If it is a male patrolling his territory, and male dragonflies are very territorial, chances are he will occasionally settle on a prominent position to bask in the sun with his wings outstretched. It is then that one gets the chance to check his colours and make a stab at identification.

Identification of different species or the sex of individuals can be difficult, as colours and markings can vary between the sexes and with age. No problem for them though, and the male dragonflies possessive flight pattern advertises his territory, and serves to deter other males. If not you might be treated to a spectacular high-speed dog-fight reminiscent of first world war biplanes, but much faster!

"A female Southern Hawker dragonfly takes a rest on a water iris flower"

Courtship does not exist in the dragonfly kingdom. Some of those dog fights turn out to be something totally different with the male seemingly grasping a female by the scruff of the neck to fly in tandem. Still in tandem egg laying eventually begins, with the female dipping her abdomen in the water to deposit eggs or attach them to plants. This is a risky business, and I have watched damselflies in particular disappear into the hungry mouths of opportunistic newts.

Underwater few would be attracted to the life of the dragonfly lava or nymph. Unlike their adult phase the nymphs are ugly creatures, candidates for a part in an alien film, and voracious hunters. Tadpoles without tails have usually been their victims. Even young newts and small fish can fall to their stalking amongst the pond weed.

Depending on species and food supply it takes two or more years before the nymphs emerge to climb a reed or iris stem and begin their transformation. As the skin splints the adult dragonfly emerges, pumping its gossamer wings full of blood and then drying them in the sun before starting another generational sequence.

There are several species of dragonfly and damselflies in the Sheffield area. Broad-Bodied Chasers visit and Southern Hawkers breed in my pond, along with several species of damselfly. If you are interested, keep an eye out for guided visits to local nature reserves, visit www.dragonflysoc.org.uk or better still dig a pond and just wait - you won't be disappointed.

John Baker

An ambition achieved

(A reight good day aht)
When the Newsletter arrived from Richard Allen MP, it reminded me of previous unsuccessful attempts to visit the Houses of Parliament. The attempts had always been spur of the moment. This was a good opportunity to arrange things properly.

A quick 'phone call to his local office, followed by another to his London office prompted swift responses (particularly for late Friday afternoon). Difficulties arose because the proposed visit was two days after the State Opening of Parliament in the newly reformed House of Lords. It was necessary for the secretary to consult the Sergeant at Arms etc., but all this was completed and the visit OK'd by Monday evening. Confirmation arrived the following morning on the appropriate Houses of Parliament stationery. The rail tickets were purchased. (A good value 4-sight ticket from Midland Mainline allows for up to 4 people to travel return to London for £39, with reserved seats and free tea and coffee!)

The trip started with nice weather (for mid-November). After lunch in Covent Garden, more typical weather - it poured, making the indoor visit all the more welcome. The poor policeman on duty outside the St. Stephen's entrance was soaked and harassed with the crowds of school children waiting noisily for entry. Our turn to go through the security checks came when Jenni Ripley, the researcher for the MP, arrived at the appointed time for our private tour.

Once inside, it was immediately somewhat overwhelming, with the sense of space and atmosphere. The Central Lobby was high, the portraits and paintings of historical significance were probably worth a separate visit in themselves.

Not all parts of the Palace of Westminster were available because of the television production earlier in the week. The House of Lords was the first detailed part of the tour. History, wealth and position were apparent on all sides. All furnishings were in red leather, or gold plated. Coats of Arms for prominent families adorned the walls of the Chamber. Other visitors stood and admired the whole setting (as of course did we).

In strong contrast, the Commons were relatively plain. Furnishings are in green, and there is no sign of all the grandeur of the upper chamber. The bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill was on display just before entering the lobbies and the Chamber itself. Poor 'Winnie' has a very shiny toe, as it is the custom of MPs about to make an important speech to touch his toe for luck. It seemed that all the visitors needed a bit of good luck as well!

Entering that well known debating chamber, was a moving experience, past the Speaker's Chair and the Dispatch Box, the scene of many a Budget, or the rather less illuminating spectacle of Prime Minister's Question Time.

The final part was the visit to Westminster Hall. This is the oldest part of the whole Palace. It is a very large and very bare hall. But for all that, it was as enthralling as any other part. Small brass plaques inserted into the floor indicate various incidents in our history, involving kings, aristocracy, treason…, the trouble was the number of feet tramping around made it impossible to read a lot of them.
Was it worth it? I for one would go again tomorrow if the opportunity arose.

Finally, thanks are due to Richard Allen our Liberal Democrat MP, and to the various members of his helpful team.

Keith Newsome

Lyme Park Cheshire

South Yorkshire residents can enjoy wider leisure horizons this summer thanks to a new bus service from the Hope Valley line to historic Lyme Park in Cheshire. Running as the 362 service from New Mills Central station to Lyme Park every Sundays until 24th September it has been specially designed to tie in with Hope Valley trains.

Lyme Park was the ancestral home of the Legh family for 600 years and is now owned by the National Trust. The property found fame when it starred as 'Pemberley' in the BBC's epic production of 'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen.

Visitors who travel to Lyme Park using the Hope Valley rail service and 362 bus can gain one FREE entry to Lyme Hall upon presentation of their rail or Wayfarer ticket. This is the National Trust's 'green reward' for travelling to their properties in an environmentally friendly way.

Lyme Park is just one of the attractions that day trippers can reach using the Hope Valley Line. The 260 weekend shuttle bus from Edale Station to Castleton is FREE to rail and Wayfarer ticket holders and gives access to Mam Tor, Winnats Pass, the Castleton Caverns and Castleton village.

Details of both these services, plus local events, Folk Trains, guided walks, tourist information and the Hope Valley rail timetable, are available by calling the Hope Valley Community Rail Partnership on (01663) 746 377.

The Wildlife Garden

I think I have found the ultimate deterrent to keep the seemingly endless procession of hawkers, double-glazing salesmen and those with more nefarious intents from my front door. Never mind pictures of Dobermans with 'I live here' in large blood-red letters or automatic security lights so blinding that they would put any anti-aircraft searchlight to shame; I have bees. Mining bees to be precise.

Each year they make their nests in the crumbling pointing between the house bricks or in holes in the brick window sill, next to my front door. They have even tried to make their nests in the holes of the handles of my 'wheelie-bin', although I have to admit, I do discourage them from these potential housing plots. The nests are simple affairs packed with food for a single developing bee and a plug of mud sealing up the hole. It can't be much of a life though, entombed behind a baked mud wall for most of the year; something akin to what a pious monk might have done in Medieval times.

In late spring, the bees emerge in a flurry of dried mud and spend a few frantic weeks preparing the nest site and gathering food ready to repeat the process once more. But it is the cloud of females toing and froing between flowers and their nests that must be somewhat off-putting to any one hanging around my front door. The bees of course are not really interested in antagonising anybody and have never caused me any problems.

Gardens can also provide nesting sites for other species of bee, but this depends on the gardener leaving an undisturbed corner of the garden for them. Old mouse holes, rough grass and hollow reeds may all be colonised by bumblebees or solitary bees. Although not often found naturally in our district (except where builders are at work), sandy soil will be happily colonised by miner bees. If you find neat semi-circular pieces cut from your plant leaves, leaf-cutter bees may be at work, using these fragments to line their nests. In the case of carder bees they use hairy leaved plants, such as lamb's succory, removing or 'carding' the hairs from these to construct their nests.

Bees will of course also visit gardens to obtain food. Plants attract bees to them in a number of ways, the best plants (the so-called 'bee plants') have flowers which provide nectar and/or pollen, or as in the best bee plants, copious amounts of both. Bees' eyes are sensitive to three colours, blue, green and ultra-violet. They tend to see most other colours the same as we do, but are red colour-blind. Bees are most attracted to blue and purple flowers and generally avoid red ones as they appear black to them. However, red and other coloured flowers may reflect ultra-violet light or may rely on nectar lines to lure the bees. These lines consist of dots or lines which radiate from the edges of the flower to the centre, so guiding the bee to the nectar or pollen. In some plants, such as the foxgloves and hardy-geraniums, these are obvious, but in others, they may only be visible in ultra-violet light.

Scent is also used, mainly for the bee to recognise particular flowers on subsequent visits. This is important as many flowers will only provide nectar and pollen in large amounts for a few days. Because of this, it is best to grow plants which flower at the same time together in groups.
Bees prefer to visit plants growing in the sun. A consequence of this is that the fruit set of an apple tree will be heaviest on its sunny side.

Many of our wild flowers are important bee plants, although I can't imagine many gardeners enthusing over dandelions and rose-bay willow herbs. Indeed, bees are so enthusiastic over these plants that if dandelions are growing under fruit trees, they may well ignore the fruit blossom entirely and concentrate on the weeds. Most experts consider fruit trees and bushes including apples, pears, cherries, blackberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants and gooseberries to be some of the best bee plants frequently found growing in gardens.

Trees such as willows, sycamores and limes are also important. One lime alone will provide a honey bee colony with enough food for an entire season. Indeed, the wonderful lime trees growing along Chatsworth Road are alive with the buzzing of bees throughout the summer months.
Bees also require water and some will actively collect it to take it back to their nests. So, if you have a steep-sided water dish in your garden for the birds, make sure that there is something like a small stick in it to help any drowning creature escape.

With one third of our native bee species listed in the Red Data Book as endangered, anything we can do to help these creatures in our gardens survive makes not only environmental sense, but ultimately helps our own survival. Remember the next time you reach for your honey jar at the breakfast table, it has been estimated that it takes honey bees up to 1 million journeys to and from flowers to make just one pound of honey.

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made; Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade. 'An Irish Airman Foresees his Death' by William Butler Yeats.

Maggie Pie

Life long learning

A wide range of courses run by Age Concern for retired or older people are available in Sheffield at different locations. These range from art to cooking, from computing to creative writing, from drama to local history, infact something for every interest. There are also one-off talks and community classes such as looking at the European Union. Many have one-week taster sessions to help you decide if a course is for you.

Registration for a course is just £12, and only £6 if you are already an Age Concern student.

For details of current and forthcoming courses just call Daniel Blythe on 275 7964, or collect an enrolement form from reception at Age Concern, 67 Division Street, Sheffield, S1.

St Luke's Hospice

St Luke's is unique. We are Sheffield's only hospice and were in the vanguard of the modem global hospice movement. When we opened, in 1971, we were the first purpose-built hospice to open outside London. Since then we have provided specialist holistic care for thousands of terminally ill people in our region. We aim to always do so.

Our care is multi-faceted, highly specialised, and all-encompassing. We do not offer the same services as a hospital. We cannot cure our patients, but we have the professional knowledge, skills, expertise and experience to be able to care for them in the ways most appropriate to their illnesses. Fundamental to our philosophy is meeting patients' emotional, spiritual and psychological needs, as well as their medical and nursing needs.

St Luke's has a wonderful warm and friendly atmosphere in which more than 250 paid professional staff and over 500 volunteers pull together to provide the best range of support they possibly can for our patients. We never charge our patients or their families for our services and admission to the Hospice is solely on a basis of the need identified to us by a patient's NHS GP or consultant.

At any one time, staff at our main building in Little Common Lane and our day care units at Beighton and Parson Cross, care for over 180 patients from all over Sheffield. Many hundreds more rely on our Hospice at Home service which provides on-going care for people who can't, or don't wish to, leave their homes during their illnesses. Last year our specialist nurses made over 7,000 home visits and saw more than 800 new patients.

Our international reputation for excellence in palliative care has created a demand for St Luke's to educate doctors, nurses and other health professionals from many countries including Hong Kong, Spain, Australia, Russia, Poland, France and the Middle East, as well as from across Britain. Together with Sheffield Hallam University, we run a degree course for people wanting careers caring for the terminally-ill.
Despite being an integral part of Sheffield's NHS network, St Luke's Hospice is less than half-funded by the government and currently must raise over £2,000,000 annually itself, to cover its running costs. It is therefore registered as charity No 254402.

St Luke's Hospice, Little Common Lane, Sheffield, S11 9NE tel: 236 9911.

Language Learning

Perhaps you have bad memories of learning languages at school; all that 'je suis, tu es, il est, elle est'. Well, it doesn't have to be like that! It is possible to learn a language communicatively and not grammatically.
As the summer approaches and we prepare to go away, wouldn't you be more confident if you could ask for your squid in Spanish or your snails in French? You don't have to be going abroad to learn a language, though.

Your brain is a muscle - just think of the feel-good endorphins released when you take some exercise using your muscles - using your brain to acquire a new skill gives you the same feeling of achievement and you can do it sitting down!

Challenge yourself. Surprise yourself. You don't have to be fluent to get by, but you will experience delight, satisfaction and pride when the 'cafe et croissants' appear at your table because the French words came out of your mouth! Learning a language can also help your career prospects and you can also hope to earn more if you have a foreign language on your CV.

Learning a language is fun and rewarding. You can have lessons on a one-to-one basis, with a friend or even learn as a family. You will use all four language skills, ie. speaking, listening, reading and writing. Games and puzzles are as much a part of learning a language as are pronunciation and comprehension.
If you want to find out more please ring 0114 257 0391.
Sally Steel, Acute Language Service

Sheffield Children First

The Government's National Childcare Strategy requires every local authority to set up an 'Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership' to help develop and co-ordinate local services for young children and their families.

Sheffield was amongst the first Local Authorities to set up such a partnership, and has taken the name Sheffield Children First in order to reflect its commitment to children's rights.
A wide range of interests is represented on the Partnership including the local authority, early education and childcare providers, parents, employers and other interested organisations.
Sheffield Children First aims:

To provide good quality, free early year's education places for all three year and four year olds.
To provide good quality affordable childcare for children aged 0 - 14 in every neighbourhood.
To improve services available to families, including learning support and a range of other provisions.
In March 1999, Sheffield appointed a team of Area Planning Co-ordinators, to help implement the Early Year's Childcare Development Partnership Plan. Each co-ordinator has responsibility for specific areas of the city. The main aim of the team is help ensure effective partnership working in order to identify an area's needs, supporting appropriate developments. Planning services on an area basis, within a citywide strategy, helps ensure services are integrated, localised, inclusive and accessible.

This term, the area planning team is concentrating on developing Parent Forums with a view to listening to and sharing ideas for the development of services area by area. The Area Planning Co-ordinators will endeavour to make contact with as many families as possible. This may be via your local playgroups, parent and toddler groups, school, or via other methods such as family fun days or road shows.
If you would like to become involved in local parent forums to ensure you have a say in the development of services for children and young people in our area, please contact Linda Edge on 254 4072 or e-mail linedge@hotmail.com

Peanuts save badger lives

Always ready to put in an unscripted word for a minority cause, the Duke of Edinbugh could have had badgers in mind when he once asked guests at a dinner the timeless school playground joke "How do hedgehogs make love?" Following up with the answer "With difficulty", he said the same words were appropriate, when hedgehogs following their traditional courting routes tried to cross busy roads that had been built across them.

The wildlife carnage on our roads is quite dreadful, but many of the casualties could be avoided if drivers showed more care.

More than 25 badgers have recently been killed on the roads in the south Sheffield area, and the death toll will rise when the cubs born this spring start their wanderings.

In a bid to reduce the number of deaths an one busy stretch of road, members of the South Yorkshire Badger Group have laid trails of peanuts towards and through a large drainage pipe running under the road. "The scheme seems to be working" said one member of the Group. "Everytime we go to check the site, the peanuts have disappeared!".

Roger Davis

Ed. If you see an injured badger or see people acting in a suspicious manner in an area you would expect to find badgers, please call the badger helpline on 0378 660 065.

The Trouble With Flashers

In the road safety industry, we instructors always try to impress upon our pupils the importance of good road manners and an awareness of the other drivers situation.

To be honest, most of the young (and not so young) learners in Bradway start off with good manners, and we teach them, for example, to plan ahead and avoid blocking road junctions or pedestrian crossings when stopped. However, some drivers take good manners a little too far.

I recall seeing an accident happen recently at the bottom of Twentywell Lane, during the morning rush hour. Now this can be a difficult right turn at the best of times, not helped by speeders on the main road. On this particular day a driver on the main road, heading into town, "helpfully" flashed his headlights to a right turner, who immediately waved a thank you and pulled out in the face of a car heading out of town. The flasher, so far as I could see, sped off into the distance, leaving others to sort out the mess.
Instructors teach what experienced drivers should know. Never invite drivers or pedestrians into danger by waving or flashing your headlights at them. Holding back, to make a usable space, and gaining eye contact works well. Likewise never put yourself and others into danger by accepting a flashed invitation, without checking yourself that it's safe to move off.

You can see a variation of this theme any day at the Meadowhead roundabout. Drivers stopped in busy lanes at the pedestrian crossing beside Meadowhead School, flash their headlights to pupils safely waiting on the path for the green man to light up. Presumably these drivers have a good intent, but they seem blissfully unaware of the dangers, to the children, from faster moving traffic in the other two lanes.
Driving these days requires imagination and acute awareness. In todays busy road conditions even good intentions need to be thought through, and I suspect that the well intentioned flashers would be mortified by the thought of their casual invitations killing someone. Safe driving.

John Barker

British School of Motoring

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