Welcome to the SRT blog No. 47 

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2nd April 2021 – Welcome to our blog post No. 47. It’s Easter! 

The date of Easter Sunday varies from year to year. It is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon, on or after 21 March so this year it is the 4th April. The week leading up to Easter is called Holy Week. 

Why Easter eggs? – An egg is a symbol of new life so Easter eggs are used as a symbol for the resurrection of Jesus. Nowadays, most Easter eggs are made from chocolate and covered in coloured foil and egg hunts remain popular with families.  

In some countries children put out their empty baskets for the Easter bunny to fill while they sleep. They wake to find their baskets filled with candy eggs and other treats. Traditionally though, chicken eggs would be hard boiled and then decorated by hand. 

Manufacturing their first Easter egg in 1875, British chocolate company Cadbury sponsors the annual Easter egg hunt which usually takes place in over 250 National Trust locations. 

 On Easter Monday, the President of the United States holds an annual Easter egg roll on the White House lawn for young children. 

An estimated whopping 80 million chocolate eggs are sold each year in the UK alone.  

Other lavish gifts of eggs include one sent to a youthful Henry VIII in a silver case as a seasonal gift from the Vatican (before his split from Rome). 

The Russian Tsar Alexander III in 1885 commissioned a fabulously expensive decorated Fabergé egg as a special Easter present for his wife.  

Before the Reformation, the Church blessed eggs as food after the Lenten prohibition, and this developed into a custom of hard-boiling and decorating eggs as presents for children.

During the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries egg-shaped toys were manufactured for Eastertide; the Victorians gave cardboard and satin covered eggs filled with chocolates and gifts.

It was not, however, until the early nineteenth century that the first chocolate Easter eggs were manufactured in France and Germany, though these were predominantly solid rather than hollow. The first British chocolate Easter egg was produced in 1873 by J.S. Fry & Sons, closely followed in 1875 by John Cadbury.

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 This year Friday is also World Autism day – where we want to create a world more inclusive world for people with autism. Wear blue to celebrate.  

#LightItUpBlue

 

 

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On Tuesday, Henry Holland-Hibbert, the High Sheriff of Hertfordshire visited Northchurch to present us with the certificate for his 2021 award. All the Sunnyside teams hard work over the last year and during the pandemic were recognised a couple of weeks ago in the online celebration. Thanks to all for their ongoing support. 

 

 

 

 

Kale is growing well ready to pick for the veg boxes that start again next week, after the winter break, April 7th.  

Lots of bird boxes are being made for the RHS Hampton Court stall. Some are made from cedar wood – the harder wood of the conifer family with a natural fragrance and inherent antibacterial and antifungal characteristics. It’s also used to make wooden beehives because of these. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And of course the cats are lazing in the sun whilst watching everyone else is working!  

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Last weekend a team were busy creating a new pathway at the Activity Centre. Forks were not going to cut the mustard so the big guns were brought in.  Matt’s out with the digger again and  is very colour co-ordinated – but you can still spot him – dig the orange top and blue jeans!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then this week the team measured up for the edges of the new path and finished digging it out so that it was the right size. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jam making continues – savoury chilli & ginger jam this week. Nearly 200 jars have been made so far for RHS Hampton Court – about a 1/3 of the way there to target. Thanks team AC. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then there is time to enjoy the outside in the sun

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Tanya has been trialling a new baking kit idea at Hemel Food Garden – chocolate mud and green vanilla grass. Look fab and I love the extra wildflowers in the grass. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Update on progress at the bakery. This is the kit that Tanya, Lynn and Mike collected last week 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stainless steel racking, a table and sink. A potato baking oven, that giant fridge and lots of useful ‘bits’ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The walls have been plastered, stairs added for the mezzanine ,which allows for extra storage – can never have enough storage – and the electrical points are in. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here are a couple of ideas for games to play over Easter 

  • Use a crème egg or coloured boiled eggs to put a twist on egg and spoon races either inside or out depending on the weather. 
  • Play ‘hot potato’ but with an Easter egg. Have your family or group chant ‘hot egg’ and throw the egg between themselves. The first one to drop the egg is out and the last person remaining wins the game. 
  • Roll boiled eggs with your nose noses across the table or floor. The first one across the finish line wins! 

Have fun!