There is much focus at the moment on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the Town Council have organised, and are funding, a Family Fun Day at the Community Centre playing fields on Saturday 4th June. It is certain to be an event worth visiting. It is very likely that we will never again see a Platinum Jubilee, so fingers crossed for fair weather and let's make the most of it, and hope that all the celebrations planned all across the country go ahead without issue. Further details are available here.

The Civic Society is looking to carry out repairs/updates to the Buntingford Cage. We have applied to the Conservation Officer Mike Brown for approval of the works estimate. The cost of £900 will provide for pointing, roof tiles and the replacement of the plaque on the door. We have to provide Mike Brown with further information regarding provenance of the roof tiles, the constitution of the lime mortar and makeup of the paint to be used.

The River Rib project continues to move forward. Sarah Perry of the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust has submitted the full permit applications and expects them to be granted. A meeting with the Environment Agency and Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust is still to take place - Affinity Water may also be represented.

An interesting footnote - it seems that the humble River Rib that flows through our Town is now helping the Spirit of Hertfordshire Distillery to produce Four Rivers of Hertford gin! Hertford Civic Society owns and maintains Confluence, the fountain that's now been in the centre of Hertford, in Salisbury Square, for a quarter of a century. Its four arches and jets of water celebrate the four rivers that meet in Hertford: the Beane, Mimram, Rib and Lea. The gin is produced using local botanicals foraged from around Hertford's rivers. Who would have thought it?

Graham Bonner, Chairman, Buntingford Civic Society

If you have any queries about Buntingford Civic Society or issues you would like to raise, you can email the Chairman direct at chairman@buntingfordcivic.org.uk.

The June issue of the Buntingford Journal will be available from the usual retailers from 27th May.

More information about the Buntingford Civic Society can be found here and membership forms can be found here.

This website and all the pages herein are © Buntingford Civic Society.