What were some of the most read stories in April this year? From lottery winners to a removals blunder, the Welwyn Hatfield Times had it covered.
1. Welwyn Garden City neighbours win big in People's Postcode Lottery
A Welwyn Garden City neighbourhood won a combined £240,000 in the People's Postcode Lottery.
The winners each got £30,000 when their postcode, AL7 4SA, was drawn in the Street Prize.
The biggest amount was won by Chris, who secured £60,000 after playing with two tickets, and described the moment he saw his cheque as "wonderful".
Chris planned to spend the money on a holiday for him and his wife, while beloved Labradoodle Oscar would get a new dog bed.
The People's Postcode Lottery provides grant funding to organisations that work to improve the health of communities by encouraging and inspiring participation in physical activity.
2. Welwyn Garden City: New Campus West car park opens
Located next door to the Campus West independent cinema and entertainment complex and aims to encourage green travel, with a large bicycle rack for cyclists which can hold up to 92 bicycles.
3. Plans submitted to demolish and regenerate Welwyn Garden City petrol garage
Plans were submitted to Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council's Development Management Committee to demolish a petrol garage to make way for a regeneration of the site.
Premier Forecourts and Construction sought permission to knock down the existing structures at Stadium Service Station - the Shell garage in Stanborough Road - as part of site redevelopment to include installation of EV charging, and an upgrade to shop facilities and fuel infrastructure.
4. Hatfield: Removal team throws away family's belongings
A Hatfield woman was left "distraught" after her belongings were removed from her council home.
Mum-of-two Keisha McCalla was getting her house in High Dells plastered by council contractors in July last year, when a removal team mistakenly threw away her family’s belongings instead of rubbish.
A contractor called Keisha to give her the news.
She said: "It felt like my entire life had been taken."
According to Keisha, the removal men had thought her home was a house clearance job, instead of rubbish removal.
Everything, including furniture, clothes, shoes, jewellery, toys, electronics, food, toiletries, curtains and poles, money, photos, documents, garden equipment and bedding had been removed from the house.
The 30-year-old mum said: "Everything I have purchased over the years for myself and my two children, items that have been bought for us, sentimental items that have been passed down to us, and photos are all things I will never be able to get back.
"My children’s firsts that I have documented, clips that were attached to their umbilical cords and hospital name tags are gone. It has had a profound effect on all of us."
A spokesperson for Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council said: "We appreciate that this must have been an awful experience for Ms McCalla.
"The sub-contractor who made the error has accepted responsibility for what happened."
5. New nursery opens its doors in Welwyn Garden City
Kid Inc Nurseries in Parkway - opposite the Howard Centre - opened its doors on April 17, after acquiring the site in 2021.
A spokesperson for the nursery said: "Careful consideration has gone into the aesthetics and accessibility of each room, whilst adhering to our vision to nurture, educate and inspire the children in our care.
"Each room features a different colour scheme with neutral tones, creating environments that are optimum for children’s care, learning and development, as well as ensuring the health and safety of the children, the staff team and visitors."
The nursery caters for babies and young children aged from three months to five years and offers a colourful garden, complete with a bike track and soft play area.
Across the nursery, there are five children’s rooms, a kitchen, laundry room, baby milk and meal prep facilities, baby changing facilities and a meeting room.
A few years ago, the nursery building was set to be a JD Wetherspoon. However, this idea went cold in 2018 after plans to convert the site from its office layout to a pub were rejected twice in two years.
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