Local News and Events

Make your garden great for wildlife

Greener Hertsmere   Bee on a flower.
Sign up for next week’s FREE webinar!

Would you like to make your garden a haven for wildlife?

Then please sign up now for our FREE webinar on Tuesday (20 May), from 6.30pm to 7.30pm.

By making a few simple changes, you can transform your garden into a biodiversity sanctuary!

We’ll explore…

🌸 Planting for pollinators – fill your space with bees and butterflies!
🌳 Wildlife-friendly trees & shrubs – shelter, food, and nesting spots for birds and insects!
💧 Water wonders – rainwater harvesting, and how a small pond or birdbath can bring life to your garden!

Register for the FREE webinar  

Sign our Government Petition to Save Our Green Belt!

 

Sign our Government Petition to Save Our Green Belt!

In December 2024, the Government published their Revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). 

In the new NPPF, there are inconsistencies in the definition of ‘grey belt’ that are hugely damaging to the continued existence of the Green Belt in England and could result in the loss of our Green Belt countryside forever – vital for health and wellbeing, combatting climate change and supporting wildlife.

CPRE Hertfordshire is campaigning for an urgent change in the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

And we need your help. We have started a petition calling on the Government to restore Green Belt protections ensuring that ‘grey belt’ proposals are judged against all five Green Belt purposes and that this is consistent throughout the NPPF to balance development needs against the many benefits of conservation.

If we get 10,000 signatures, the Government have to respond to our petition. If we get 100,000 signatures, the petition would need to be debated in Parliament. Please support us by clicking on our Sign our petition button below and sign.

This is a national campaign, so please do forward this email or our petition link to your friends, family and colleagues regardless of where they live. This is our chance to prevent the loss of our Green Belt countryside forever.  

Sign our petition  

For further information on our campaign please visit our webpage here.

We will be updating you on the campaign as it unfolds and we hope you will be able to join us in standing up for our countryside before it’s too late.

Best wishes,

Abby Coften
Chief Executive
CPRE Hertfordshire    

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CPRE Hertfordshire campaigns for a better future for the Hertfordshire countryside. We work locally to protect, promote and enhance the countryside for everyone to value and enjoy. Founded in 1928, CPRE Hertfordshire is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation and registered charity (1162419). 

It’s Never Too Late to be Active

Never Too Late campaign launches in Borehamwood this week

Unlock 12 weeks of free and discounted activities across Hertfordshire! 

Hertfordshire’s ‘It’s Never Too Late to be Active’ campaign is back again, to help everyone – especially those of work-age (40-64+), become more active. 

By joining the campaign, you’ll receive a 12-week activity voucher that gives you access to discounted classes or activity sessions across the county, so that you can try a new activity each week of the campaign. You will also have the opportunity to win a £150 shopping voucher. 

The launch event will be taking place on Wednesday 14 May, from midday to 4pm, at Aberford Community Centre in Borehamwood, WD6 1PL. Come along and meet the Never Too Late team to sign up to the campaign and find out more about what activities are going on near you! 

There will be stallholders including local GP practices, Herts Mind Network, InspireAll, Communities 1st, Clarion Futures, Herts Sports Partnership, Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Hertsmere Borough Council.

Sign up to Never Too Late campaign or drop in to your local library from 12 May and keep your body strong, your mind sharp and spark the energy you need to keep doing the things you love.

For more information please visit the Never Too Late campaign website.  

Never Too Late

Robbery Watling Street

Between 10:40 am and 10:45 am today, (Sunday 11th of May) a robbery occurred along Watling Street in Radlett, opposite junction of Butterfly Lane, where the offenders used violence to steal a pedal bike.  

2 offenders were riding a black motorbike when they pulled up along side the cyclist and pulled him off whist he still cycling before using a metal wrench to inflict injuries in order to take the bike. The offenders then rode away holding the light blue bike to the side as they rode way on their motorbike southwards towards Elstree.  

If you have any information relating to this crime you can click the reply button at the bottom of the email, or by contacting the police on the non-emergency number 101, quoting crime number 41/43001/25  

Please upload any CCTV to: https://upload.5fdams.aetopia.net?ref=TK3GJ3   

Alternatively, you can give information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.  

Neighbourhood Policing Teams will be holding 2 bike marking events in the near future  
·  8/6/25 – Borehamwood Police Station  
·  4/7/25 – Radlett train station  

Please be vigilant and report any suspicious activities in the area. If you need to report a crime please call 101 or go online here. For more detailed vehicle crime prevention information, visit the “Protect Your Property” section of our website: www.herts.police.uk/protectyourproperty

Learn vital life-saving skills

Would you feel confident enough to act in an emergency? Practice life-saving skills with the help of Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Free CPR Awareness sessions are being run by fire crews at Borehamwood and Elstree Fire Station and the Hertsmere Community Safety Partnership.

At the sessions, participants will learn about the recovery position, how to deal with an unconscious person who isn’t breathing, CPR and how to use a defibrillator.

The sessions will take place at Borehamwood Fire Station on these following dates:
Thursday 29 May, 7pm to 8:30pm
Friday 20 June, 10am to 11:30am
Wednesday 16 July, 7pm to 8:30pm
Friday 15 August, 10am to 11:30am

For more information & book your place, contact community.services@hertsmere.gov.uk or call 020 8207 7801.
CPR

Community Grants

Community grants
Voluntary organisations and community groups that celebrate Hertsmere’s diverse communities and promote inclusion across the borough could qualify for a funding boost of up to £2,500.

To reflect the aspirations set out in our updated Vision, and the success of the scheme last year, the 2025/26 community grants programme is encouraging applications from groups and organisations that celebrate Hertsmere’s diverse communities and support inclusion, as well as those involving creativity in its widest sense.

We’re especially looking forward to applications from new organisations, but also welcome previous applicants. The funding may cover revenue or capital costs as a ‘one-off’ grant for equipment, a specific project, event or programme of events.

Examples of organisations supported last year through the Community Grant Scheme are Borehamwood Foodbank, Rennie Grove Peace Hospice and Herts Inclusive Theatre with different projects all aimed at supporting the local community.

The scheme is now open to applications with a closing date of 5pm on 19 May 2025.

Apply for a Community Grant  

Find out more on our updated Vision    

Businesses in Hertsmere: Have your say on our town centres

Do you own or run a business based in one of our town centres in Hertsmere?

If so, we would like to hear your views, with a public survey being launched today (13 March 2025); the results of which will help us to devise and move forward plans to improve our town centres for everyone.

Many businesses in our borough have experienced a very difficult time over the last few years, with the continuing rise and popularity of online shopping – particularly during and since the COVID-19 pandemic – and a consequent significant decrease in footfall in town centres.

Cllr Christian Gray, Hertsmere Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said: “I encourage as many businesses based in our borough as possible to complete the survey, as all of the comments and feedback received will make sure we are able to develop and implement a comprehensive and effective strategy for economic development which will benefit our town centres in the best way possible over the coming years.

“We are absolutely committed to making sure that our town centres meet the ongoing needs of our residents, businesses and visitors. That means we must be able to constantly adapt, as it is vital that town centres become hubs for their community, offering leisure facilities and work spaces as well as retail provision.”

To take part in our survey, which runs for six weeks until Thursday 24 April 2025, please go to the project page on our consultation and engagement platform – it should take only a few minutes to complete.

Of course, your responses will be treated confidentially and used for council purposes only. Your company information will not be shared with any third parties.

For more information about the survey, or if you have any questions, please email: economic.development@hertsmere.gov.uk