Page 12 - HGS Suburb News 144 - December 2020
P. 12

Zumba at Fellowship House                                                               Foxes in the Suburb


                                                                                         he red fox is one of the most   Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
                                                                                      Trecognisable wild animals in   Foxes are protected under a
                                                                                      the UK. It is also extraordinarily   series of wildlife protection laws
                                                                                      adaptable. Much has been written   with anyone convicted of harming
                                                                                      about urban foxes, but they are   or killing a fox being liable to
                                                                                      no different from countryside   six months imprisonment and/
                                                                                      foxes. Many foxes move between   or a £5,000 fine per animal.
                                                                                      town and country. Generally   The media occasionally carry
                                                                                      speaking, a fox is a fox is a fox   stories of babies being attacked
                                                                                      and it  is as much at  home in   by foxes. Foxes are wild animals
     NICHOLA BROWN (TIMED SELFIE)
                                                                                      urban and suburban areas as it   and they do explore using their
                                                                                      is in the countryside.     teeth and will nip things to see
                                                                                         Foxes have been documented   what  they  are.  This  is  their
                                                                                      in Britain’s southern urban areas   normal exploratory, inquisitive   Small pets, like rabbits and
                                                                                      since the 1930s. They are very   behaviour, although you really   guinea pigs, can be prey to
                                                                                      resourceful in exploiting new   don’t want to be on the   foxes so they need to be securely
                                                                                      territories. In 2011, as the Shard   receiving end.  Foxes will  only   housed to ensure foxes cannot
                                                                                      skyscraper was being built, a fox   attack out of fear and tend to   get access to them. Do not leave
                                                                                      moved in on the seventy-second   shy away from humans and   them out at night, make sure
                                                                                      floor, surviving on food scraps   larger animals.     their hutches are securely
                                                                                      left by workers. The animal,   Foxes do seem to like our   bolted and have weld mesh, not
                                                                                      named Romeo by staff, is   gardens here in the Suburb but   chicken wire (which foxes can
                                                                                      thought to have entered the   there are some simple steps that   easily break) on the front. If you
                                                                                      288m (945ft) Shard building at   can be taken to ensure foxes do   take these precautions, there
         umba teacher Nichola Brown   30 regular activities, having   switch again to Zoom. If Zumba   London Bridge through the   not interfere with you.  should be little risk.
      Z lead her class at Fellowship   made its premises ‘Covid Safe’.   is your thing, call her on 07516   central stairwell.   Do  not  leave  ground-floor   There is an urban myth that
      on the last day before the    We’re all ready for another   560380. Go to fellowshiphouse.  It was eventually captured   windows and, in particular,  you are never more than six feet
      November lockdown. Fellowship   reopening whenever Boris gives   co.uk for more info about this
      had reopened its doors a month   the  word.  In  the  meantime,  lively Suburb community centre.  and taken to Riverside Animal   French windows, wide open –  from a rat in London: if that is
                                                                                      Centre in Wallington where it
                                                                                                                 especially after dark. Keep
                                                                                                                                            the case, then,  we should be
      earlier for a permitted few of its   Nichola and her crew will   ANDREW BOTTERILL
                                                                                      was fed and given a check-up.  wheelie bins shut tight and   grateful for foxes as they keep
                                                                                         The problem with foxes is that   make sure you tidy away any   the rat population down.
                     It’s for Yoo (Hoo) update                                        they are capable of polarising   litter that may be a temptation.   garden can mean incredible
                                                                                                                                              The presence of foxes in the
                                                                                                                 Foxes are attracted to garden
                                                                                      opinion and, in recent years, there
                    (to Andrew Botterill’s article on p.12, issue 142)                have been cries for local councils   ponds for a drink, bird tables   hours of wildlife observation at
                                                                                      to ‘do something about the   where food has been left out,  its finest, and, you never know,
                                                                                      explosion in the fox population’.  compost heaps to search for   it is always possible that seeing
         eaders may have already   now all been spruced up by BT.  the restoration work. The four   The fox is sometimes referred   insects and  rodents,  lawns   a fox might inspire someone to
      R noticed that the four    As Andrew Botterill, who spear-  remaining BT phone boxes in   to as vermin, but it is not, and,  where they look for insects and   write a poem as fine as Ted
      remaining red telephone boxes   headed the campaign on behalf   the Suburb are now on par with   was never categorised as such by   to gardens with trees  for   Hughes ‘The Thought Fox’.
      in Northway (one at the top   of the RA, put it “The Holy Grail   the telephone box in Willifield
      and one at the bottom), Emmott   from Bangor has come up trumps.  Way (in front of Fellowship   the Department for Environment,  windfall fruit or berries.    MARIE-CHRISTINE O’CALLAGHAN
      Close and Meadway Gate have   The (remaining) phone boxes   House) which was repaired and
                                 are all newly resplendent in BT   repainted last Autumn. Please   Suburb Pets
                                 red.” The Holy Grail, of course,  do go and have a look when
                                 being Angela from BT’s Bangor   you next go on a walk. They are   Suzy
                                 office who, true to her word,  indeed splendid.
                                 organised the BT repair and      SHELLEY-ANNE SALISBURY  month ago, I had never   know I can make a difference to   too early. Many such mothers
                                 repainting team to complete
                                                                                      A    heard of Suzy (the pictured   whatever time she may have   are robbed of sufficient time to
                                                                                      Yorkshire  Terrier,  who  had  the   left. We’re lucky to live right next   bond and care for their puppies,
                                                                                      temerity to take the selfie!), and   to some of the Suburb’s best green   clearly in the interests of neither.
     PHOTOS: ANDREW BOTTERILL
                                                                                      who has significantly changed   spaces, and our hour long daily   Frequently, the mothers are
                                                                                      my life! I always knew that I   walk gives her a terrific time,  used time and again to produce
                                                                                      would have a dog at some point   playing, exploring, meeting new   litters, when they are clearly far
                                                                                      after retirement from my paid   dogs and their owners (socially   beyond their optimum age to
                                                                                      work, once I had enough time   distanced of course for me, if   do so. Often such breeders will
                                                                                      to  commit  to  one  properly.  I   not Suzy), and has given me the   tell buyers, untruthfully, that their
                                                                                      had applied to foster a dog from   added advantage of losing 3 kg   pup was from an accidental one-
                                                                                      All Dogs Matter (ADM), who   in just over as many weeks!  off litter. ADM are terrific at giving
                                                                                      telephoned me three weeks ago.   I  thoroughly  recommend   advice on after-care, especially
                                                                                      It was love at first sight, with   adopting a rescue dog, rather   to new dog owners (like me).
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                                                                                      her wonderful ears and sweet-  than buying from breeders, too   A  dog is definitely not just
                                                                                      faced teddy bear looks, and I   many of whom are unscrupulous.  for lockdown, but can reward
                                                                                      took her for a short walk. Most   Currently, many are taking   you with a richer life and lots of
                                                                                      uncharacteristically for me, I   advantage of lockdown by   fun! All Dogs Matter is located
                                                                                      decided there and then to foster   charging thousands of pounds   at 30 Aylmer Parade, N2 0PE.
                                                                                      her  (I  had  two  days  to  decide   for pups likely to have been   0208 341 3196.
                                                                                      about adoption!). ADM take in   taken from their mothers far    MARYLIN GROSSMAN
                                                                                      dogs who are in need of homes
                                                                                      for various reasons. Suzy is an
                                                                                      older girl at nearly 12, but
                                                                                      resembles a puppy! While I had
                                                                                      asked for a younger dog (not a
                                                                                      puppy), life with Suzy is really
                                                                                      rewarding; no rigorous training
                                                                                      schedules to do, although we’re
                                                                                      learning about each other’s odd
                                                                                      quirks! As we’re both past the
                                                                                      first flush of youth, she’s a really
  C
                                                                                      great companion, and we’re
  M                                                                                   learning to synchronise our
                                                                                      exercise, eating and resting times!
  Y
                                                                                      I  don’t  know  how  much  time
                                                                                      we’ll have together (Yorkies, as
  CM
  MY                                                                                  a toy breed, live longer than
                                                                                      some dogs); however, nothing
  CY
                                                                                      is certain of course, but she’s
  CMY                                                                                 great company, and it’s good to   Selfie taken by Suzy (with the help of Marylin).
              THE KEY TO SELLING HOMES                                                     Please help make Suburb News your newspaper. Articles, letters and news items welcome.
  K
                                                                                                  Send to the publisher with High Res pictures at suburbnews@hgsra.uk
               With 30 years of experience in selling houses in Hampstead Garden Suburb, Litchfields   CO-EDITORS: Marie-Christine O’Callaghan & Shelley-Anne Salisbury,
               is still the agent you can rely on to negotiate the best possible price for your property.         suburbnews@hgsra.uk
                                                                                               Views expressed in Suburb News are not necessarily those of the publishers
                 To arrange a valuation with the area’s leading tried and tested agent please call:     the Hampstead Garden Suburb Residents Association.

                          Richard Barnett or Charles Bobroff on 0208 458 5000
                                                                                                   Submissions deadline for issue 145 is 1st February 2021
           Hampstead Garden Suburb  | 800 Finchley Road, Hampstead Garden Suburb, London, NW11 7TJ               The RA website is www.hgsra.uk
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