Thumbs up for veteran Bill’s big day
A SMALL and socially-distanced hero’s welcome was the surprise in store for 105-year-old Bill Milward, who had feared his big birthday was about to go un-noticed.
The D-day veteran was led out of his house in Peak View drive to be greeted by a gathering that included reporters, a TV crew and the Queen’s representative, the Lord-lieutenant of Derbyshire, Liz Fothergill.
His friends and family had prepared the special surprise for him in advance, by arranging for hundreds of birthday cards to be collected, quarantined, and dropped off at his house. A card had been delivered from his friends at nearby Hilltop Primary School, and a special cake was made for him to mark the milestone, on Wednesday last week.
And as he was wheeled down his driveway by his great grandson and saw his friends and neighbours had turned out to greet him, he exclaimed: “It must be my birthday,” and: “I’m cock-a-hoop”.
Along with his hundreds of cards from Ashbourne well-wishers, BBC Radio Derby’s listeners sent in more than 500 greetings, which will now be compiled and sent to him to read through.
Being the centre of attention is one of Bill’s favourite things, and it is something he has become quite accustomed to since his 100th birthday - which was spent at the top of the Shrovetide plinth, as he was chosen to turn up the Ash Wednesday Shrovetide ball on his special day.
Throwing the ball into the crowd in front of thousands of people followed an entertaining speech he gave at the formal Shrovetide luncheon the same day, in front of more than 500 diners.
And two years ago his friends and family arranged for him to ride around Ashbourne in a DUKW amphibious vehicle, similar to the one he drove at the D-day landings. It was a moment watched by hundreds of people, who lined the streets to wave.
His family says Bill has struggled to come to terms with the relative isolation of the coronavirus lockdown, but he did receive his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine last month at St Oswald’s Hospital.
And it is his sense of optimism that has seen him through the pandemic.
Never has that optimism been more evident than on his 105th birthday, in the winter sunshine, when a smile never left his face.
Ever the entertainer, he treated everyone who had turned out to greet him to a series of sing-a-longs, including the wartime classic he once sung with Dame Vera Lynn herself: “We’ll meet again”.
ASHBOURNE Town Council has once again agreed to foot the bill for the town’s colourful display of hanging baskets this year – to save struggling shop owners having to pay their annual share.
Councillors met virtually on Tuesday to discuss their order of the summer blooms, which are hung on shop and business frontages, along with standing displays dotted around the streets.
Last year the town council decided to pay for 60 floral features, as retailers were still locked down.
A decision had been made to cancel the order rather than ask closed businesses to subsidise them – but this was overturned at an extraordinary meeting. This year members of the environment committee quickly and unanimously decided to repeat last year’s order of 60 baskets and planters during the virtual meeting on Wednesday and it was agreed that retailers would not be asked to pay a penny.
Councillor Denise Brown said: “I think we should do the hanging baskets. I just think the situation is so fluid at the moment, we could be out of lockdown and back in lockdown again.
“I think this is probably something the Ashbourne Town Council is going to have to foot the bill for again. “Because I think it’s the least we can do, again, to promote the town, make the town look pretty. Some of those shops won’t reopen. “And, hopefully, by that time we’ll getting back to a very different sort of normal, but because it’s just so up in the air, rather than risk not having any I think we bite the bullet here and take responsibility for the planters.”
It is expected the cost of the multi-coloured floral baskets, which are usually ordered from Hulland Ward-based firm Plantscape, will come in at around £6,000, including the ongoing cost of watering.
Last year, the order was a “rush-job” as the initial one was cancelled by the mayor, deputy mayor and town clerk under delegated powers, as back in late April when that decision was made the councillors had not started meeting virtually so a group decision could not be agreed on.
During a heated debate on the council’s first ever Zoom meeting the decision was called into question and eventually overturned – and a lastminute reduced order was made for 60 baskets and planters to be delivered and dotted around the town – with the full cost being paid by the council.
Environment committee chairman Caroline Cooper said on Wednesday, proposing the baskets are ordered and paid for by the council, said: “Last year it was a bit of a rush-job but I think we’ve got a little bit more time this year to look at where we place them.
“So I’m going to propose that we once again accept the responsibility, given the unusual circumstances, and that we again purchase the planters and hanging baskets this year, on a reduced basis.”
Town councillors will walk around the town to decide on locations for the baskets and planters once the order is confirmed.
I think it’s the least we can do to promote the town, make the town look pretty Cllr Denise Brown
THE number of coronavirus cases recorded in Ashbourne has risen slightly in the last seven days – bucking a regional trend that has seen a steady decline in most other areas.
Although the number of new cases in Ashbourne has risen by just one, to 16 since this time last week, it is now above the national average and it puts the rolling rate - per 100,000 population, back up to 215. Last week it had fallen to 201.5.
However, elsewhere around the town the news continues to be positive, with drops in the numbers of new infections seen in all neighbouring wards, including a handful that had started to see rises last week.
This all adds up to the Derbyshire Dales seeing its lowest rolling rate for several months, down now to 120.3 – a significant drop from last week’s 179.7.
Our neighbouring borough of East Staffordshire has also seen a decline, but its overall number of cases is still much higher than the national average. Its rolling rate is 278.1, despite a continued fall in infections.
Last week East Staffordshire had seen 344.9 new cases, but this week it has fallen to 333.
While the county’s rolling rate is still above the national average at 182.9, this still represents a positive move in the right direction. Last week we reported there had been 2,024 new cases recorded and a rolling rate of 252.2. The number of new cases is now down to 1,468.
But while the number of
new cases is clearly falling across Derbyshire, with a potential full school reopening next month, Derbyshire is still seeing more Covid-19 cases in a week than the county saw in the whole of September, when schools fully reopened after the first lockdown.
In September, Derbyshire saw 1,297 Covid-19 cases, causing an array of temporary school closures and whole year groups being sent home, including at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School.
Last September’s comparatively low monthly infection total of 1,297 cases in Derbyshire quickly developed into a figure 10 times that in October - when the county recorded 10,273 Covid cases.
September’s figures are key, with central government aiming to have schools back open from March 8 “at the earliest” with a potential full reopening instead of a phased approach now on the cards.
A confirmation on the government’s approach to school reopening is to be made next Monday.
The Department for Education told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that schools would reopen “as soon as the public health picture allows” and that schools would get two weeks’ notice to prepare.
A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson said: “Derbyshire County Council would like to thank all staff in schools, nurseries and other early years settings for the way in which they have remained open throughout the whole of the pandemic.
“The Secretary of State decides how and when we welcome back more children. This is determined by the government, not by individual schools, local authorities or multi-academy trusts.”
A Department for Education spokesperson said: “We are committed to fully reopening schools as soon as the public health picture allows, and it is hoped that we will be able to do this from March 8.
“Right through the pandemic we have taken every step to ensure pupils can spend as much time in classrooms as possible.
“We will set out plans for schools, parents and pupils as soon as possible, and will provide two weeks’ notice for them to prepare.
“We regularly review evidence and advice from sources including SAGE, Public Health England and the Office for National Statistics, to ensure our policies are guided by the most up-to-date scientific and medical understanding.”
We are committed to fully reopening schools as soon as the public health picture allows
Dept of Education spokesman
DISTRICT council bosses have heaped praise on their Clean and Green Team staff, who have been ploughing on through the lockdown to spruce up Ashbourne’s park, recreation ground and cemeteries.
While families have been staying at home during the latest pandemic restrictions, teams have been working away to improve the play area, tennis court and Memorial Gardens.
The work is part of the district council’s promise made last year to bring the park up to a standard that could see it awarded Green Flag status next year.
But the teams have also been working on projects in St Oswald’s Church yard and the cemetery in Mayfield Road.
In the recreation ground the workers have painted swings, reinstated the rocking pig play equipment, replaced splash pads and jet washed the surfacing, replaced the climbing frame netting and repainted the lines on the tennis court.
And in the Memorial Gardens the staff have been working with the town’s branch of the Royal British Legion to tidy up the Memorial Gates and surrounding area, where a new flowerbed has been created. Ashbourne U3A also
ASHBOURNE NEWS TELEGRAPH worked with the Clean and Green Team to plant up a flower bed ahead of Remembrance Day, and Ashbourne Rotary Club has planted 8,000 crocus bulbs, which will soon burst into bloom.
St Oswald’s Churchyard has had been given its regular winter maintenance, with a wild-flower area protected, and at the cemetery the team has replaced the lych gates, replaced metal bins and cleared overgrown areas.
The cemetery’s Memorial Garden has been cleared back and the rose garden restored to its former glory.
A spokesman for Derbyshire Dales District Council said: “A shout-out for our brilliant southern area Clean and Green Team, who have been working particularly hard to make Ashbourne look even more amazing in recent times.
“They’ve been working closely with local communities to improve areas in and around the town that we maintain. So lots is happening in the background as the massive £830,000 Pavilion in the Park project takes shape.
“We now have capital funding to restore the bandstand and shelter and are determined to continue to develop and improve the park ahead of an application for Green Flag status in 2022.
“Well done to all involved.”
A TEAM of British scientists led by former Ashbourne schoolboy Dr David Eldredevans has taken a step closer to developing a pioneering “male mammogram” to test for prostate cancer.
Current diagnosis of the disease, which affects one in eight men during their lifetime, generally involves an unpleasant rectal examination or a blood test which too often proves to be inaccurate.
A report published last week in the prestigious journal Jama Oncology, concludes that a three-year trial using MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) technology - designated Prostagram - to identify prostate cancer in a weighted sample of more than 400 men could find an extra 40,000 cases/year.
It is the first time that any scan has been considered accurate enough for use as a prostate cancer screening test. It also proved nearly twice as effective at detecting aggressive cancers in contrast to established practices like ultra-sound and the prostate specific antigen test.
At present, some 12,000 UK men die each year from prostate cancer, compared with around 11,000 women for breast cancer and the gap has widened in recent years.
David, 34, whose mother Susan moved to Windmill Lane in 1984, said: “The key target for prostate cancer testing is a short, non-invasive procedure which can be rolled out as a national screening programme equivalent to mammograms for women which saves hundreds of lives a year - and we are getting closer.
“Creating an easy-access mass screening programme that does not discourage participation – in effect, a male mammogram - is a vital next step to reversing the high number of men dying from prostate cancer.
“The results from the current trial are very encouraging and appear to tick many of the required boxes, delivering a fast, mobile, 15-minute intervention that is more accurate than today’s testing techniques
A ‘male mammogram’ - is a vital step to reversing the high number of men dying Dr David Eldred-evans
without the drawbacks many men understandably find so off-putting.”
The study completed recruitment 19 months ahead of schedule and received significant support from well-known personalities, including the actor Stephen Fry and community leaders. The scientists at Imperial College, London are now directing their efforts to organising and fundraising for a more extensive trial covering 20,000 men.
David said: “If the outcomes from this future study are similar or better than those we have now, there is then a clear pathway to the widespread implementation of Prostagram in the general population.”
David attended Ashbourne’s PNEU School before moving to Foremarke Hall, Repton School and then to Cambridge
University where he took a first class honours degree.
His medical career has centred on various hospital trusts in London and a research fellowship at Imperial College, primarily to advance Prostagram through driving the study reported in Jama Oncology and writing his doctoral thesis evaluating present-day prostate cancer testing methodologies against more innovative, ground-breaking techniques.
David was one of the last babies to be born at Ashbourne’s Maternity Home, which closed in December 1988.