Have You Seen Heanor Market ? (Heanor Market, Heanor Farmer`s Market)

A Little Night Reading

This probably won`t be of much interest to anyone but me but I`m going to tell you anyway.

When I was a young lad, I read and enjoyed a particular ghost story which involved an individual who accepts a bet to spend the night in a haunted house, the consequences of his doing so and a chance meeting of the parties to the wager years after the event.

The book I read it in was not my own, but belonged to Sherwood Community Centre, Nottingham where my mother did some sort of voluntary work. I always remember there was a room there with one wall given over to shelves of  books which fascinated me greatly.

For some reason this story lodged in my mind and I always wondered if I`d come across it again, though of course I`d long since forgotten the title and author`s name. 

By sheer chance recently I came across a battered old copy of  Great Tales of Terror and the Supernatural, edited by Herbert A Wise and Phyllis Fraser for Hammond, Hammond and Co, available to the discerning book buyer for 25p from a charity shop near my home. 

You`ve probably guessed the rest. Working my way through this epic tome, one story began to seem somewhat familiar and lo and behold I was re-united with the story which for some reason fascinated my younger self. It was like meeting an ex-girlfriend at a train station or something like that.

For the record, the tale in question turns out to have been The Gentleman From America* by Michael Arlen. It may not actually be the work of genius that I imagined it to be but it holds up pretty well even in the context of an anthology containing impressive tales from W W Jacobs, Alexander Woolcott, John Collier and many others.

Despite the rather naff cover art, on current showing (I`m about a third of the way through), this is a pretty neat volume, well deserving of a space on your shelves if, like me,  you like that sort of thing.       


* A quick look at Arlen`s Wikipedia page reveals that the story was adapted for TV as part of the `Alfred Hitchcock Presents...` series in 1956. It would be interesting to know how that turned out.

Common Sense in Kirklees

Common sense has prevailed in Kirklees, where a consultation has showed little support for a council-driven proposal  that eight village libraries become volunteer-run.

There is, however, considerable interest in the idea of communities supporting their library through `Friends` groups, and new groups are being set up in Golcar, Marsden and Slaithwaite.

Councillors are also considering a number of other suggestions from the public, such as Sunday opening, the provision of refreshments and in one case, a possible change of location.

(Joanne Douglas - Results of Library Review in Golcar, Marsden and Slaithwaite Being Considered - Huddersfield Daily Examiner, 30 March 2013 -  www.examiner.co.uk.)

We`re Back !

We`re back on line and, like Messrs Scollins and Titford, are ready to say a cheery "Ey Up Mi Duck !" to all and sundry !

Our next newsletter will appear online in the very near future, but while you`re waiting, you may wish to browse our catalogue by clicking on this link  ;

http://www.abebooks.co.uk/Hoonaloon-Books-Derbyshire/53404521/sf

Hoonaloon Books

 

 

Hoonaloon Books will be offline for a few days but will be back in action in no time at all.

This Month`s Good Cause, April 2013 - Derbyshire Blood Bikes

This month`s good cause is going to have to appear a couple of days ahead of schedule.

Late last year I was fortunate enough to meet two of the volunteer bikers who run Derbyshire Blood Bikes, a charity providing free out-of-hours transportation of blood, organs and medical supplies for hospitals in Derbyshire and elsewhere.

The benefit to the NHS is considerable. As it is not viable for them to directly employ drivers to do the work, before DBB was formed they relied heavily on taxi companies at considerable expense.

Their website is very informative and allows you to see an `Operational Record` detailing the journeys made to date.

Visit their site here ;

http://www.derbyshirebloodbikes.org



Last month`s good cause (March 2013) was Brake ; The Road Safety Charity (www.brake.org.uk)

Discover the Phoenix Greenways

The Phoenix Greenways are a series of linked trails across Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire, designed to "connect people to communities and places of interest".

The paths link the Five Pits, Silverhill, and Pleasley-to-Teversal Trails. Many of the trails and country parks linked by the scheme are old pits and railways (Pleasley Pit Country Park, Brierley Forest Park etc), hence the use of the term `Phoenix` to indicate that they are being given a new lease of life.

While the paths may not appeal to seasoned walkers, they do have the advantage of being user-friendly for less intrepid souls. The Greenways are generally level and properly surfaced and entrance structures intended to discourage unauthorised use of motor vehicles have been designed to as to allow accesss for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and buggies.

Most of the paths allow use by walkers, cyclists and horse riders, though a couple of very short paths allow only walking and cycling and there are two or three which are for walkers only.

Various bodies are supporting the scheme, including The Forestry Commission, Bolsover Countryside Partnership, Bolsover Local Strategic Partnership and a number of local authorities. From what I can make out, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire County Councils are the major players and the contact point for further enquiries can be found here ;

www.derbyshire.gov.uk/leisure/countryside .