Warm Spaces are community spaces open over winter months, offering a warm welcome and providing people struggling to heat their homes with somewhere to get warm, stay warm and enjoy a little company and some hot refreshments.
For more information and to volunteer, please contact:
Ajanta Hilton cllr.a.hilton@councillor.stalbans.gov.uk
Nuala Webb cllr.n.webb@councillor.stalbans.gov.uk
Please join us on Sunday, November 13th for our Remembrance Service at St Stephen Parish Council War Memorial, Park Street St Albans. Beginning at 2.35pm with the Parade of Standards, led by the Harpenden Pipe Band, along Park Street from the railway bridge to the War Memorial. The service will start at 2.45pm following the arrival of the Parade of Standards and will be led by Rev’d Dr Nick Weir, Vicar of Holy Trinity, Frogmore. The service will close with the Parade of Standards returning along Park Street, led by the Lone Piper. The programme detailing the order of service will be available free at the memorial.
We have 3 new benches to place in each of the villages to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II. The bench for Park Street is already in place and we will be siting the others soon.
The Park Street village sign has been repaired and returned to the village.
We are continuing with our ongoing work to repair and maintain the 106 benches and 14 picnic tables in our care. We have started replacing worn and rotten wood with recycled plastic timber.
Hedges around the parish continue to be taken back at Greenwood Park as they are on a 3 yearly cycle.
The goal nearest the bottom car park in play area at Greenwood has been taken away to allow the grass to recover.
Please be aware we will be putting a slow-release safe fertiliser out on the areas that get the most wear at Greenwood and Park Street Recreation Ground.
Thursday 2 June – a fantastic stage was set up in our beautiful Greenwood Park for a very special event – celebrating 70 years of Her Majesty the Queen’s reign.
From 5:30pm, residents from the parish came in their throngs to join the relaxed community festival atmosphere. An estimated 2,500 were in attendance!
The music from the bands covered a great variety to please all. The event was compered by Elvis Shmelvis who really brought the music together, singing his own classic songs whilst bands were setting up.
Bands on the night were Lady & The Tramp with fun singalong musical hits; The Brickets with classic 50s & 60s tunes; Starseedz with their indie guitar songs; and the night finished with The Beatroute playing party hits into the night with a full brass section. People were up and dancing throughout! A huge thanks to Elvis, his wife Sue and his team at Chiswell Studios who put on a fabulous show.
Refreshment stalls were overrun as the event got busier, with some selling out before the end. However, people were still in good spirits despite the queues as they could still hear and enjoy the music. Big thanks to Gracey’s pizza, Westman Foods, Raj Kaur, The Overdraught pub, Lazy Llama, girl guides and Tipsy Bubbles who worked flat out to serve people.
The focus of the evening moved to the national beacon lighting. Everyone gathered to watch our postmistress and a community star of 34 years, Raj Kaur, light the beacon for all to see. The amazing firework finale ensued with 7 minutes of wonder staring into the night sky to watch the brilliant display. It was a mesmerising end to a special evening.
Thank you to all who supported, helped, and attended. You all contributed to an incredibly memorable evening.
We can’t wait to welcome residents to our fantastic celebration of the Queen’s reign in our parish, bands will be playing throughout with beacon lighting at 9.35pm and fireworks at 9.55pm
Please walk, cycle, lift share etc as there will be very limited parking at the venue and beyond Midway Surgery car park. No cars to be left overnight or they will be clamped
👑 bring your own blanket, foldaway chairs or just dance the night away! There will be no seating provided
💰 please bring cash for some refreshment stalls
🚮 please take litter home or use bins provided
On the stage we have local bands playing a full range of music to suit all! Please give a warm welcome to:
🎵 Lady & the Tramp – a dress up duo playing favourite musical and cinematic songs
🎵 Starseedz- a singer songwriter pair playing guitar centred indie folk sounds with orchestral tones
🎵 The Brickets – local band playing 50s & 60s sounds from the platinum era of rock and roll!
🎵 Beatroute- fantastic fun 8 member band sure to get the crowd dancing with range of pop songs including a brass section
🎵 Elvis Schmelvis- a local legend in his own right. Lucky to have him compering the night and performing himself!
Our refreshment stalls are:
🍕 Gracey’s Pizza – freshly made delicious pizza
🍔 Girl Guides – BBQ of burgers and sausages (including vegan option) from locally sourced Hedges Farm
🦙 Lazy Llama – local cafe with range of savoury and sweet foods and a special royal cocktail!
🌮 Westman Foods – bringing range of Latin American and African foods to St Stephen
🍛 Indian delights – our very own Raj Kaur (postmistress) with range of vegetarian samosas and curries
🍺Overdraught- wide range of beers, wine and prosecco
🍸Tipsy Bubbles – fun alcoholic cocktails, range of Gins etc to keep you in the party mood!
To celebrate HM The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, St Stephen Parish Council, together with the parish’s three residents’ associations, is hosting three days of special events in June.
On Thursday June 2, Coronation Day, there is a festival planned at Greenwood Park, Chiswell Green, with live local bands, food and drink stalls and, to make sure the day ends with a bang, fireworks and a beacon lighting ceremony.
The following day, Friday, June 3, at Park Street Recreation Ground, there is to be a Picnic and Vintage Gala beginning at 12.30pm and running until 4pm. The afternoon’s activities include fairground rides, vintage stalls and a children’s entertainer. Come in vintage outfit and you could win a prize!
Finally, on Saturday, June 4, It’s Bricket Wood’s turn to celebrate with a guided walk and afternoon tea.
Although full details of all events are being kept under wraps for now, it’s sure to be a fantastic few days – and a fine way both to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 Glorious Years and enjoy the start of what will hopefully be a fabulous summer.
Keep an eye on this website for updates!
Sunday 5th December, 2-5.30pm, Greenwood Park Community Centre, Tippendell Lane, Chiswell Green, AL2 3HW
Come and join us at our Christmas Market and sing-a-long! There will be more than 30 stalls selling gifts, hot food and mulled wine. Meet Santa at our free grotto with a present for children under 10. Live music, a festive atmosphere and a chance for a good sing-a-long to get into the Christmas spirit. Free entry, but please bring cash for some stalls.
For more, contact Cllr Ajanta Hilton – cllr.a.hilton@ststephenparishcouncil.gov.uk
Honouring those who make a difference
Nominations have now CLOSED for this year’s St Stephen Parish Council Community Awards. There have been many deserving people nominated in the four categories:
Those nominated, who have all made an exceptional contribution to the community, must now wait until the Christmas Market in Greenwood Park on December 5th when the council will announce which of them has been successful and present the awards.
The winners’ names will also appear on the Honours Boards at the Parish Centre as a lasting reminder of their achievement.
The final draft of the St Stephen Parish Neighbourhood Plan is now available to comment on. The Plan will affect what can be built, and where, up to 2036 in the St Stephen Parish Area.
The period for publicising a Plan Proposal runs for six weeks between Thursday 3 June 2021 and Friday 16 July 2021. More information on neighbourhood planning can be found at https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/neighbourhood-planning
The Plan and accompanying documentation are available on the St Albans District Council website along with details of how to comment. Hard copies of the Neighbourhood Plan proposal are also available to view by appointment at St Stephen Parish office (details shown below).
St Stephen Parish Council, The Parish Centre, Station Road, Bricket Wood AL2 3PJ
Copies of the St Stephen Neighbourhood Plan can be inspected in the offices of St Stephen Parish Council. In order to maintain social distancing requirements, inspection will be by appointment between the hours of 09:00-16.00 Monday to Friday. Please call the parish office on 01923 681443, option 1 or email clerk@ststephenparishcouncil.gov.uk to book an appointment.
It is with great sadness that we learn of the passing of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh and our thoughts and deep condolences are with the Royal Family at this time.
Our flag, at the Parish Centre, has been lowered as a mark of respect and will remain so until 08:00 hours on the morning after the funeral on Saturday 17 April 2021
Regrettably, the signing of books of condolence has been discouraged and people are recommended to leave messages of condolence on the website: www.royal.uk
The Palace has also requested that people should consider making a donation to a charity of their choice, or to one of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Patronages, in memory of His Royal Highness, instead of leaving floral tributes.
Cllr David Parry
Chairman
St Stephen Parish Council
11 April 2021