Herald - Issue 418

Page 46 • The HERALD • 27th January 2022 v THE HERALD - INDEPENDENT AND PROUD OF IT v Contact Nick 07825 662955 or 023 8017 3186 (office) • Local Domestic and Commercial Tree Surgeons • Hedging work • Tree reductions • Thinning • Tree dismantles • Arboricultural reports and Surveys • Fencing Free no obligation quotation, and free advice E: enquiries@langleyarb.com W: www.langleyarb.com THE TREE & LANDSCAPE WIZARD All aspects of tree surgery, garden maintenance and landscaping undertaken Family run business for over 20 years No Job Too Big or Small Please call 07552 977731 for a Free Quotation RPD Landscapes Building & Paving • Patios • Driveways • Fencing • Turfing • Brickwork • All Property Repairs Free Estimates 07707 390791 023 8007 0386 | DOWN THE GARDEN PATH | Send your local news to The Editor, The Herald, 2 High Street, Hythe SO45 6AH BLACKFIELD GARDENING CLUB by Patricia Hedley-Goddard, Club Secretary On Tuesday 14th December the Black eld Gardening Club held their nal meeting for 2021. e meeting was attended by their President, Gilly Drummond, plus a full audience of club members. e evening started with a presentation from Ian Weaver, entitled ‘Tails in Blue’ (Tales of Police dogs). Ian is a natural raconteur, and kept the audience interested and amused with his many anecdotes of his life in the Hampshire Police Force, starting in 1962. Ian did not use (or need) any notes or PowerPoint images to illustrate his presentation. On leaving the RAF, he joined the local Hampshire Police Force a er nishing his training in Kent. At that time the mobile unit of the local police force consisted of one o cer on a motorbike, one o cer on a Lambretta and one police car, which was delegated to Ian because he was the only person with a driving license. He spent a very enjoyable year based in Eastleigh and then was given his own beat in Bishopstoke. However, to get there he had to travel by bus! A er 3 years in the force Ian applied to become a dog handler and received a German Shepherd dog called ‘Hawk’. is was the start of a long relationship about which Ian told us many sad, amusing and interesting histories. One sad happening related to a couple who rang 999 to say that their home had been trashed by 2 young men. ree policemen plus Ian and ‘Hawk’ arrived, and found total devastation. Everything had been smashed to pieces in every room. Even the pillows on the beds had been sliced open. e police asked if they knew who had done it, and the couple admitted that it was their 19 year old son and his friend. ey had demanded money but the couple did not have any, so in a mad frenzy they trashed everything. e ensuing chase resulted in ‘Hawk’ tracking the culprits down, but two of the o cers were stabbed, one person ended up needing 100 stitches, but the dog bit the arm of one of the youths and restrained him. When the case came to court the culprits only received an 18 months prison sentence. Ian recounted many more ‘tails’ of his partnership with ‘Hawk’. A er the presentation, the annual Christmas cheese, nibbles, etc. were enjoyed by all, especially by those that had remembered to bring their own wine/beer etc. e next meeting will be on Tuesday 8th February for ‘ A History of Furzey Gardens’ by Julia Baker and Diana Gower. Followed on Tuesday 8th March for ‘ A History of the Drummond Family’ by Mrs Gilly Drummond. All club meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month, 7.30pm at St Francis Church, Langley. For future events or any questions please contact the Club Secretary, Patricia, on: 023 8024 3795