It seems that these days you have to bare all for your art, particularly if you want to perform at Pendley’s Court Theatre.

Coming soon at the venue is the Tring Festival Company production of Calendar Girls, one of the most popular plays on the circuit for both professional and amateur companies keen to tell the story of the brave WI ladies who got their kit off for a fundraising calendar.

The story has inspired a hit film as well as the popular play, penned by that expert in heartwarming and quirky comedy Tim Firth.

Curtain up is on Tuesday, March 26 and performances continue until Saturday that week.

Tickets are from £10 to £13 with children’s prices ranging from £5 toi £13 – call the box office on 07543 560478 for full details.

And anything the ladies can do, the gents are prepared to do as well – which is why rehearsals are being held this weekend for a production of The Full Monty which will be revealing all on the Pendley stage in October.

It’s a musical version based on the famous film which followed bold Sheffield steelworkers left on the scrapheap by recession and turning to male stripping to make ends meet.

If you’re a little shy about revealing all, the team are looking for people to help in all areas of the production, not just performers.

The auditions will be held from 2pm on Sunday at the theatre, and if you’re interested you can get a full audition pack from www.courttheatre.co.uk.

Sunday evening rehearsals begin next month.

Research commissioned by the Horticultural Trades Association has found that 75 per cent of UK gardeners agree it’s important that their gardens support wildlife, like birds and bees.

The survey also discovered that one in three people are now doing things specifically to encourage wildlife into the garden – an increase of a third compared to four years ago.

The countryside used to be rich in wild plants and animals but natural habitats are disappearing at a startling rate and gardens are quickly becoming important havens for a wide range of birds, mammals, amphibians and invertebrates.

Under its ‘Spring into Summer in the Garden’ campaign, the HTA is encouraging and inspiring people to turn their gardens into a wildlife haven.

Over recent years, more products targeted at the wild bird market have become available in garden centres and consumers can now tailor feeding regimes to attract the birds that we most want to see in our gardens. 62 per cent of us now regularly feed the birds in our garden and nearly a quarter provide nesting and breeding habitats.

It is important that your garden provides shelter and space to nest for birds. This can be done through trees and shrubs to provide the perfect home for birds. Trees such as oak, alder, silver birch, crab apple and shrubs such as wild roses, hawthorn, juniper, holly and lilac are ideal for nesting spots. Hedges can also be planted to protect birds from predators.

However, birds are not the only wildlife you can attract to your garden during the spring months. Spring is a prime time for butterflies which play an essential role in the garden by contributing to a healthy environment by transporting pollen from plant to plant.

That’s why it is important that nectar rich plants are planted in the garden to attract butterflies. Forget-me-not, honeysuckle, cowslip, lavender, Buddleja and sedum are just some of the plants suitable to be planted in spring which act as an important food source for butterflies.

Nettles, clover and sweet rocket are also important food sources for the caterpillar – these are best planted in borders or containers and can be used as compost, too.

Other pollinators such bees need nectar rich plants too, so think about planting some single flowered varieties such as lupins, forget-me-not, azaleas, cornflowers, heathers, lambs ears and sunflowers look wonderful, are easy to find in nurseries and garden centres, and will attract bees, hoverflies and other beneficial insects into your garden.

Bees like shaded areas and plant in well rotted compost. Spring Erica heathers are particularly good for hibernating bumble bees and are good for pollinators.

Make sure you create shade and shelter for wildlife. Long grass, logs, twigs and leaves provide sanctuary for many insects, birds and mammals. Creating a mini meadow with wild grasses and wild flowers will also provide the ideal environment for frogs, toads, grasshoppers, hedgehogs and moles. Spring is the ideal time to start planting whether it is using seed mix or plugs.

Carol Paris of the HTA said: “Our campaign would like to highlight that anyone with a garden can make a difference for wildlife. It is important as some species, like butterflies, are under threat in their natural habitat, so your garden could become a welcome safe haven for nature.”

The voice of young people in Dacorum is now a little louder thanks to the election of two new youth MPs.

The enthusiastic politicians, 14-year-old Ahmed Al-Maadanli and 16-year-old Kirsty Robertson, hit the campaign trail, posting written and video manifestos on the county’s youth website ChannelMogo.

Their hard work was rewarded when an online vote resulted in them being chosen to represent Tring and Berkhamsted respectively in the youth parliament.

The election results were announced at County Hall, where cabinet member for children’s services Richard Roberts congratulated the newly elected MYPs and deputies.

He said: “This will be an exciting journey for these young people who will be working to make a difference for others across Hertfordshire.

“I am absolutely determined that the voice of young people is heard in Hertfordshire, as we should never underestimate the power of of a young person speaking with conviction.”

Ahmed, whose grandfather is former Dacorum borough councillor Derek Townsend, is Tring’s new MYP.

He said: “I’ve always had a lust for politics. My grandfather used to take me to council meetings when I was younger, and at the time I thought it was really boring because I didn’t understand what was going on, but now I find it really interesting. So I guess that’s what inspired me.”

Ahmed, who also lives in Tring, feels particularly strongly about the cost of public transport for young people, and thinks it should be made cheaper.

The Tring School student said: “My sister has to pay £200 a term for a bus pass that she can only use Monday to Friday, excluding half-term.”

Kirsty, who lives in Berkhamsted, first became interested in running for youth parliament when she heard about the role through a previously-elected youth town council member.

Ashlyns School student Kirsty is the new deputy member of youth parliament for Berkhamsted.

She said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have been elected, and I’m so grateful for all of the support I’ve received from everyone. I want to make a change and represent young people locally, regionally and nationally.”

Kirsty is keen to campaign for a “relevant and informative” PSHE curriculum to be rolled out in schools, including lessons on sex and relationships and money and budgeting.

She said: “I think we need to start preparing young people for real life before they leave school.”

Ahmed and Kirsty will join the 10 other young people also elected in getting the voice of Herts 1125 heard.

Herts 1125 represents the views and opinions of all those aged 11 to 25 living, working and studying in the county.

The MYPs and DYMPs will be researching and consulting on the top five priority issues as voted for by young people in Hertfordshire.

These include more support for young people with personal issues, as well as discount on leisure, sporting and cultural activities for youngsters.

Apprenticeships are also a hot topic, as the younger generation want to see an increase in these types of opportunities across the country.

A London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic legacy is also on the agenda, as is improving the relationship between the police force and young people.

For more information or to get involved, visit channelmogo.org.

A soap star with a passion for baking will be cooking up a storm for a good cause at its fundraising Cake and Bake Show.

Wendi Peters, who played Cilla Battersby in Coronation Street and was a finalist on the BBC’s Celebrity Masterchef, will be at The Pepper Foundation’s event on Monday.

It is being held at Berkhamsted’s Civic Centre from 1pm to 4pm and entry costs £5.

There will also be demonstrations by Sarah Stanley from Bovingdon’s Stanley Stores and Jessica from Jessica Lauren Cakes who between them will cover cupcakes and wedding and celebration cakes.

Stalls will be offering tasty treats and guests are invited to bring along their kitchen creations to enter the best Victoria sponge and best decorated cake competitions.

A questionnaire has been launched to seek views on the hot topic of hospital car parking charges.

West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs Hemel Hempstead’s Urgent Care Centre and hospitals in Watford and St Albans – is also asking for opinions on transport options.

The survey, made up of 24 questions, has been launched under the trust’s new chief executive Samantha Jones and follows the announcement that the inter-site hospitals bus service will be scrapped from next month and Blue Badge disabled drivers will have to start paying for parking.

In an interview with the Gazette, after being in the post for just a few weeks, Mrs Jones promised to seek the public’s views on both issues.

She said: “We want to find out if there are better ways 
to manage our current hospital transport and car parking facilities and I believe that 
asking people for their views is the best way we can do 
that.

“Providing transport and car parking is costly and so we need to ensure that our limited resources are used to provide facilities which are cost effective, fair and accessible to everyone who needs to use them.

“Car parking and transport are clearly emotive subjects and there are no easy answers. The survey asks some searching questions and a number of possible methods for future parking charges. We need people to give us their honest views.”

The survey – described as a ‘listening exercise’ – is open until Friday, April 5. It is available online at http://travel-survey.com/whht2013/ and can be picked up from the main reception desks and restaurants at the three sites.

People can request a postal copy by calling 01923 436280.

The highly infectious norovirus has not spread to any other hospital patients since it was first detected.

A small number of cases had been confirmed on Sarratt and Croxley wards at Watford General Hospital last month.

Spokesman for the West Herts Hospitals NHS trust, Paul Gough, said: “There have been no further reported cases of norovirus at the hospital since the previous statement released on February 25. Patients within Sarratt and Croxley wards who have been diagnosed with norovirus continue to be closely monitored.

“Subject to no further cases, these wards will be implementing restricted visiting times shortly.

“For more information, visitors should telephone the wards in advance of arrival.”

The man who put shamed former Dacorum mayor Stephen Holmes behind bars is now in charge of crime fighting across the whole of the borough.

Dacorum Chief Insp Glen Channer has replaced Mike Pryce, but in his previous role – running the Herts unit in charge of protecting vulnerable people – he led the investigation into the former Woodhall Farm councillor, who was jailed last year for racking up a massive collection of child pornography.

“He quite rightly got convicted and sentenced,” said Chief Insp Channer.

“We do a lot of covert work on the internet and he came up.

“The message is: You never know who is watching what you are doing. We are very proactive around that type of crime.”

In his new job, the top cop, who warns he is making Dacorum a zero tolerance area, hopes to be able to turn the lives of young offenders around before they become entrenched in a life of law breaking.

He aims to achieve this by working with families and other bodies such as social services and Dacorum Borough Council.

Since being back in Dacorum – he took up the post last month – the chief inspector has come across young people who were in trouble with the police when he worked in the borough more than 10 years ago, now facing criminal charges as adults.

He said: “If more support had been put into them we might have been able to divert them from crime.”

Chief Insp Channer has already worked on a project that sees police and social service workers pay regular visits to children who have been placed on the neglect register in a bid to improve lives and safeguard them from falling into crime.

He transferred to Herts Constabulary in 2000, after 10 years with the Metropolitan Police force, and worked his way up the ranks while based in Dacorum.

A dad has pledged to shed the pounds to bring in cash for his terminally ill son.

Eddie Hodgson, of Tring, came up with the fundraiser after a heart health scare earlier this year and says it is no easy feat.

He tips the scales at 16st 4lb and hopes to get closer to 15st before the big weigh-in at the end of April.

Sponsorship means he is already up to £20 per pound lost, plus a further £40 in one off donations.

The dad-of-three is doing it in aid of his family’s drive to raise cash for son Jamie, 12, under the banner of Jamie’s Dream, which aims to raise cash to create special memories with the youngster, who suffers from congenital heart disease and other complications.

Eddie said: “I have to cut out going to the fridge for nibbles of cheese late at night, cutting out the biscuits and cakes and doing light exercise.

“The fact that people are getting behind me definitely pushes me on.”

For more search Jamie’s Dream Team “Help my dreams come true” on Facebook.

Hertfordshire – with the M25 and M1 running through it – has some of the busiest roads in the country, so when something goes wrong it can mean misery for motorists.

Now a team of highways experts – previously dotted all around the county – have been brought together to keep traffic moving.

A total of £400,000 has been spent to create an Integrated Transport Control Centre, run by Herts County Council in partnership with highways contractor Ringway. It brings together a team of 16 staff that run the centre from 7am to 7pm.

The team at County Hall in Hertford covers all aspects of highways, from co-ordinating roadworks to helping to get traffic moving when accidents happen. It means they can prevent the frustration of the same stretch of road being dug up several times for different utility works – instead workers ‘piggyback’ onto each other’s projects.

The syncing on traffic lights – there are 172 in Herts – can be changed to help get traffic flowing during peak times and traffic signs keep drivers informed and offer alternative routes.

Herts County Council assistant network manager Derek Twigg said: “We can’t build our way out of congestion. If we are looking for people to come into Hertfordshire, we have to have an open and running network.”

The team, which has access to a network of CCTV, is also working on a web page – due to go live this summer – that will give people all the information they need to plan their journey. There is information on roadworks, events that might delay journeys, real-time public transport information and car park details.

Councillor Stuart Pile, who oversees highways and transport, said: “We are a very successful county and we like people to come and live and work here but they won’t do that if we can’t sort out the congestion. £400,000 is a lot of money but the benefits it is going to bring far outweighs that.”

A footballer will have to face trial again for grievous bodily harm after the jury in his case was discharged because one of the witnesses is on a sheep farm on the other side of the world.

It is alleged that 31-year-old Nottingham Forest striker Darius Henderson, who lives in Markyate, punched John Bell to the floor, fracturing his left cheek bone and cutting his eye socket, when a row erupted at a New Year’s Eve celebration in a St Albans restaurant.

Tension was caused when a woman approached Mr Henderson, who was out with his girlfriend, claiming to have slept with him.

The footballer, who has played for Watford and Millwall, had pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm on January 1, 2012, but the trial at St Albans Crown Court was halted on Thursday.

Judge Martin Griffith said the case could not continue because a witness was unavailable, working on a sheep farm in Australia.

No new trial date has been fixed.

The man in charge of Dacorum Borough Council has decided to take early retirement.

But before departing in October chief executive Daniel Zammit hopes to get the deal signed on plans for a Morrisons on the civic centre site – a key part of Hemel Hempstead’s regeneration plans.

The 58-year-old has decided to step down so that he can spend more time with his children, Oliver, seven, and nine-year-old Amelia, after a life-threatening health battle made him re-evaluate his priorities.

The departure, which is expected to be signed off by Cabinet on March 26, could also save the council money as it is expected the position will be filled internally, pulling back around £120,000 in a year.

Highways chiefs will be requesting emergency funding to deal with potholes, following plunging temperatures and the wettest weather on record.

Councillor Stuart Pile, who oversees highways and transport, revealed that rain, snow and cold snaps are causing severe damage to roads.

He said: “This year is significantly worse. We will be writing to the secretary of state to ask if he will be giving emergency funding to local authorities to deal with these problems.”

Highways contractor Ringway has previously come under fire for its slow response to pothole problems, but Mr Pile said the firm is back on track.

“We were disappointed, I think Ringway were disappointed that we didn’t get on top of things quicker but the problem is now under control,” he said.

The transport secretary has previously released funds to help councils deal with potholes after severe winters.

Motorists can report potholes online at www.hertsdirect.org

A group aiming at improving Gadebridge Park is inviting others to get involved.

The Friends of Gadebridge Park is able to push ahead with plans for the Hemel Hempstead outdoor attraction after action was taken to combat flooding.

Emergency repairs to the River Gade’s banks and weed clearing has now allowed the water to flow out of the park.

The group is hosting a Gade Action Day on Sunday, March 24, which is a chance for people to find out more about what it does and get involved.

Those interested can meet members at the Gade car park near the white bridge between midday and 3pm.

A river channel management plan is now being put into place by Dacorum Borough Council, in partnership with the friends group, to help deal with future flooding of the park.

There are always mixed feelings when young British film-makers embark on their second feature film.

There’s the pride and happiness that they got another go, but then there’s the pang of apprehension when you see the trailer and marketing and think ‘oh no, they’ve gone off the rails already’.

Eran Creevy’s micro-budget debut Shifty was a refreshing and gripping tale of a young man returning home to a dark, buried secret.

It was free from many of the clichés that befell higher profile films of a similar ilk, thanks to some sharp writing and great performances.

His follow-up couldn’t be further, on the surface, from that low budget feel.

However, there are themes emerging. Mark Strong’s absconded gangster returns to London on a mission of vengeance that will bring him into the orbit of James McAvoy’s cop who is still bitter over letting his prey get away.

It’s a decent attempt to blend Brit grit and HK sensibilities and like Shifty it has ambitions to rise above standard genre fare.

If it doesn’t always work, there’s more than enough to like and enjoy, and the future looks bright indeed.

The Incredible Burt

Wonderstone

What a strange film this is. Narratively all over the shop, it’s still mesmerising, thanks to a trio of ego-less, fearless performances of stupidity and vanity by three brilliant performers.

Steve Carell and Steve Buscemi’s long-standing magician double act is under threat from looking archaic thanks to the advances in illusion by the enigmatic Steve Gray (Jim Carrey).

This causes them to risk everything – credibility and lives – in pursuit of being relevant and revered.

At points it’s hilarious, and at other points plain strange, but always watchable and with the potential to be a cult classic.

Police swooped on a Hemel Hempstead traveller site this morning.

Around 20 officers were drafted in at 7.30am to make arrests at the Three Cherry Trees Lane site.

Seven people were taken into custody and items, including mobile phones, were seized.

Representatives from the court service were also there to collect unpaid fines and RSPCA officers went in to investigate concerns about animal welfare. It is understood that a number of dogs were taken away.

Dacorum Chief Insp Glen Channer said: “The activity was at a small number of properties on the site, based on intelligence about suspected criminal activity.

“While we were there our safer neighbourhood teams provided reassurance and information to residents and I would like to thank members of the community for their patience and support whilst we conducted enquiries.”

A 16-year-old boy, four men and two women were arrested on suspicion of offences that related to theft, making off without payment, non-payment of fines and perverting the course of justice.

Despite the number of recent high street store closures and redundancies, employment rates in Dacorum are considerably better than the national average.

While the Gazette reported last week that just three job spots in a new Marlowes coffee shop received more than 2,000 applicants, the latest government figures reflect a surprising drop in those claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Hemel Hempstead.

Over the past year, the total number of people receiving the unemployment benefit in the town reduced by 250.Across the east, there are also 39,000 more people in work than at this time in 2012.

In fact, while the average employment figure for Great Britain stands at 70.5 per cent, Dacorum’s rate exceeds it at 74.3 per cent. This, according to the Department for Work and Pensions, shows that more people in the borough are moving off benefits and into work.

A DWP spokesman said: “Despite tough economic times, there are 500,000 vacancies across the country, and the number of people claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Hemel Hempstead has fallen.

“But we don’t underestimate the challenge still facing us, which is why we give jobseekers personalised support to help them find work.”

Figures taken from October 2011 to September 2012 show other positive trends in the borough.

The number of self-employed workers in Dacorum is significantly higher than the national total, with 13.2 per cent of people in the area working for themselves, compared to just 9.6 per cent across the whole of Britain.

There are also 2.9 per cent more economically active people, aged 16 or over and either in or seeking employment, in Dacorum than there are nationally.

A woman whose garden has been turned into an open sewer has called for Thames Water to issue a stark warning about flushing wet wipes down the toilet.

Ruth Steel, 74, has suffered flooding and nasty odours outside her Cemetery Hill home in Hemel Hempstead since before Christmas, and because the problem is thought to originate in neighbours’ houses, little can be done to alleviate her problem.

Miss Steel said: “I just want my house back to normal. I am frightened for myself and my health. It is unhygienic.”

Thames Water spokesman Craig Rance said: “Our engineers have attended several times in the last few months to clear blockages of wet wipes from the sewer.

“Wipes – many of which are wrongly labelled as ‘flushable’ – should never be put down drains because they block our sewers, which is exactly what has happened here. We advise people to bin it, not block it.”

Hemel Camelot continued their push for promotion with a convincing 45-13 victory over local rivals Fullerians in their London 2 North West fixture.

The Camelot team have been in high-scoring form recently – having scored 30 tries in their last three outings – and bottom side Fullerains were unable to provide any resistance to the free-flowing Hemel attack.

At the first opportunity the home side moved the ball out to the right where Ross Willoughby showed a clean pair of heels to his opposite number to score in the corner.

Fullerians got on the scoreboard with a penalty to close the score to 5-3, but the home sides hit back with their second score from back row Connor Herlihy.

Fullerians kept battling away and added another penalty, but Camelot responded in style before half-time to run-in a further two tries and extend their lead to 26-6.

The second half saw more of the same from Camelot and Ryan Doyle was first to cross the try line.

The try of the game, however, came when full-back Nick Merrett joined the line and showed real pace out on the right before putting in a deft cross-kick which found the supporting Carl Buckingham who scored under the posts.

Fullerians showed great resolve by pinching a converted try for themselves but it was Camelot who had the last word as Willoughby finished off what he had started by scoring the final try.

There was a special treat for mums at Hemel Hempstead’s Riverside Shopping Centre on Saturday.

They could have their picture taken with their children by a professional photographer – and got to take home a free print.

The mall also played host to a free crafts workshop for children to make a Mothers Day card for their mum – 125 cards were created.

Shoppers also got the chance to win a bouquet of flowers courtesy of Shirley Hall Florists and Riverside Shopping Centre by liking the Riverside Facebook page. Five winners, above, were chosen at random.

Mall manager David Robinson said: “I hope all the families who participated in the activities enjoyed their day at Riverside and had a lovely Mother’s Day.”

Hemel Hempstead will welcome semi-professional rugby league to the town on Sunday when Hemel Stags host the South Wales Scorpions.

Stags have been busy preparing for their semi-pro bow, which comes in a Northern Cup third round tie at Pennine Way, 3pm kick-off.

The Haven Holidays Funstars will provide musical entertainment before the game, and Stags will also be running a Future Stars session prior to kick-off to give people of all ages a taste of rugby league.

Please visit www.hemelstags.com for further details.

Stags, meanwhile, have been drawn away against Ince Rose Bridge in third round of the 2013 Tetley’s Challenge Cup.

The tie will take place on the weekend of April 6 and 7.