Page 61 - br-july-2020
P. 61

July 2020                              July 2020

 However, I hope we will go on to find the support we need and do even better in   LOCKDOWN STORIES
 the future.  After all the turmoil of the last three months we will be glad to have
 something pleasant to look forward to at 2.30 on the second Wednesday of every
 month at the newly decorated Scout Hut.   th
        Reflection on the 50  Anniversary of VE Day – Peter Gordon
 Let  us  hope  that  it  will  not  be  too  long  before  we  can  announce  that  we  are   The  recent  VE  Day  75   Anniversary  celebrations  brought  back  some  fantastic
                            th
 meeting again.
        memories of my family’s involvement twenty five years ago in the national 50
                                                                              th
 SDB    Anniversary  ceremony  in  Hyde  Park.  Our  three  children,  Louise  aged  14,  Sam
        aged 12 and Jake aged 7 were members of a North London choir, the Finchley
        Children’s Music Group. For the VE day (and later the VJ Day) celebrations, the
 WAREHAM FOREST FIRE         choir was part of the Voices Foundation which provided children as singers and
        VIP escorts. My wife, Janey, and I were chaperones and so were in amongst the
        children while they carried out their duties.
 We  thought  our  readers  might  be  interested  in  the  first  hand  account  of  the
 devastating fire in Wareham Forest last month.           There  was  a  large
                                                          ‘Dome  of  Peace’  set
                                                          up in Hyde Park where
 Well…. It is now Sunday 24  and this is probably my worst day yet.    the  Queen  and  sixty
 th
                                                          heads  of  state  formed
 But I have to start with Friday 22 .                     a  procession  and  laid
 nd
                                                          signed ‘olive leaves’ on
 Started the day with a hornet in the kitchen which hopefully flew out of the house
 once I opened windows and doors. My neighbour kindly removed the nest from   a  map  of  the  world.  A
 the porch.

 Decided to walk over the other side of the road to see the fire damage there. No
 traffic  up  the  track  but  many  cars  parked  including  Amphibian  &  Reptile
 Conservation. Many volunteers out rescuing and also finding dead smooth snakes,
 toads, lizards and other reptiles but the team were nowhere in my sight.   flock  of  white  doves  was
        released and there was a huge
 Managed to walk up to Woolsbarrow Hill Fort without any one intercepting me.   international  adult  choir  and
 The area was blackened and charred and looked desolate. Continued up until I   orchestra  to  accompany  the
 came to a water bowser on the top and the wind was starting to whip up the ash   activities.
 and I realised I ought to get away from this place.
 Something  made  me  head  over  towards  where  the  fire  went  and  eventually  I
 reached the southern and most Easterly point possibly. Difficult to tell really.
 Made my way home and there was still no one about to advise me against being   Jake  sang,  holding  a  large  wooden
 there.                                      dove  and  was  placed  next  to  the
                                             dome  (see  picture  –  he’s  in  there
 That afternoon the wind got up again to 40mph and when I went to check out   somewhere…),  Louise  sang  and
 Hyde Heath where the original fire started there were several blazes going on with   processed with her dove  (see picture
 the firemen hosing down the ground and beating with the rubber beaters.   –  she  was  seen  in  the  BBC  TV
                                             coverage) and Sam sang a solo (see
 Then a big smoke cloud appeared over the trees over on Woolsbarrow side which
 I reported as I wasn’t sure if anyone had seen it. They had another major fire there   picture  –  he  made  it  onto  the  front
 the rest of the afternoon and brought in a helicopter from S Wales to assist. This has   page of “The Times”).

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