Chair: John Sugg 863435
Secretary and
Newsletter Editor: Lesley Lindsay 862868
Treasurer:
Keith Helliar 863700
The AGM of the Society will be held on Tuesday 11
May 2004 in the Dampier Room, East Coker Hall, 7.30pm. This is an open meeting. All welcome
'Cream Teas
on the Lawn' Saturday 19 June 2004 at Little
Foxholes, East Coker, 3 o'clock. There
will be various stalls including plants and produce, a raffle and cakes and
cookies.
Look after
your Frontage!
It has been noticeable in recent months that the
amount of litter in the village has greatly increased. It would be helpful if villagers could look
after the verges in front and to the side of their property so that East Coker
can become a 'litter-free zone'.
The daffodils that were planted around the village
last November have been beautiful and have brightened up the village. Thank you to all who planted so well. Just a note well in advance - another
planting will take place this year in the Autumn.
Village Clubs and Organisations
EAST COKER HALL CHARITABLE
TRUST
The
Annual General Meeting will be held in the Dampier Room on Tuesday 25 May at
7.30pm. All organizations wishing to
have a representative on the committee must apply to the Secretary, Mrs N
White, 32 Nash Lane, Yeovil BA20 2HY in writing before
the meeting.
All
residents of the East Coker Parish 18years and over are eligible to attend.
EAST COKER W.I.
The
Women’s Institute is well into its year and enjoying many varied and
interesting speakers. We meet at East
Coker Hall on the last Thursday of each month at 7.30pm. Anyone interested in joining is very welcome;
just please come along.
We
also run whist drives which are open to the general public on the 3rd
Thursday of the month during the winter period.
The last one for this season will be held on 15 April at 7.30pm.
EAST COKER ROYAL BRITISH
LEGION
Cheese and Wine 30 April at East Coker Hall
7.30pm. Tickets available at the door
EAST COKER PAVILION
Progress continues to be made in the quest for a
new Pavilion at the Playing Fields in Longfurlong Lane. The plans for the proposed new building have
been put before the Parish Council, which has agreed that the plans can now
proceed to the District Council stage of the process.
The recently acquired piece of land, which is
situated on the opposite side of the pavilion from the existing football pitch,
is sprouting a fine covering of grass.
In the not too distant future the football pitch will be relocated to
the new piece of land to enable the cricket pitch to have a permanent residence
on the “old” field.
Further fundraising success has been achieved with
a thoroughly enjoyable Race Night on 20 March.
At the last count, this event had raised a staggering £2300!! Thank you to all those who helped, sponsored
races or came along and supported the Race Night. This was another fabulous evening – so
fabulous, in fact, that the Committee are considering making it an annual
event.
Thanks and congratulations must also go to William,
Leighanna, Sophie, Elinor and Charlotte who raised £85 from a sponsored trampoline
bounce, which was all their own idea.
Your enthusiasm and initiative sets an example to us all!
The next fundraising event is a cycle ride, which
will take place on Sunday 23 May.
There will be three routes, a family route which will amble along a largely
flat course, a 25 mile ride for the enthusiasts and an intermediate route for
those who fancy a lengthy stretch, but whose cycling skills are a little
rusty! The ride will be followed by a
barbeque and refreshments. The riders on
the family route will set off at around 2.00pm, with the riders on the longer
routes starting from 1 00pm. Please
contact John Sugg on 863435 for further information.
There is now a website for the East Coker Pavilion
called, www.eastcokerpavilionfund.co.uk - all updates and forthcoming events will be
found on this site, so please have a browse.
The next committee meeting is on Thursday 22 April
at 8.00pm. If this project interests
you, please feel free to come along to the next meeting at the Pavilion.
EAST COKER WINE CIRCLE
German Trip
The
Wine Circle is arranging a 9-day trip to Boppard, Germany, from Saturday, 11
June, 2005. As this is run as a
non-profit making venture, it is important to fill the 49-seater luxury
coach. We have a few seats available for
any friends who might like to join us.
The price of approximately £500 (this could fluctuate depending on the exchange
rate) will include ferry, bed, breakfast and evening meals at a delightful
hotel overlooking the River Rhein, visits to the beautiful capital city of the
Rheinhessen (Mainz), Koblenz, Rudesheim and Heidleberg, a mediaeval castle, a
river trip and possibly a picturesque train ride. The price includes all entrance fees and cost
of wine tastings. A deposit of £50 will
secure a place on a first come first served basis. All inquiries to Joyce Pryor 862816
William Dampier Open Evening
In
view of the immense interest in William Dampier and his association with the
village, the Wine Circle has decided to invite non members to the meeting on
Wednesday, 5 May starting at 8.00pm. The
talk on Dampier will be given by the County Archivist, Tom Maybury.
Exhibitors’ successes
Wine
Circle members continued their success in outside competitions recently by
winning a number of trophies at the annual wine festival held by the Somerset
Association of Amateur Winemakers. For
the third year out of four the Circle won the coveted inter-circle trophy for
four bottles of wine (red and white dry and red and white dessert), exhibited
by David and Joyce Pryor. Vince Wolny
won the Ralph Carver trophy for the three bottle class, with David and Joyce
Pryor runner up. David and Joyce also
gained the SAAW tankard for stout and the circle also won the inter-circle quiz
trophy. All five members who entered
wines also won a host of second, third and fourth placing.
EAST COKER GARDENING CLUB
The New Year is long past and winter seems to be
over; March has gone and the village and our gardens are a dazzle with
flowers. The daffodils, which were
planted by the villagers last autumn, have put on a brave show – what a good
idea that was!
The last two speakers gave us fascinating talks and
the meetings were very well attended and our membership is flourishing, and we
welcome visitors each month who often finish up becoming members.
As a reminder, the club meets on the 2nd
Thursday of every month at East Coker Hall, 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.
Charity Open
Meeting
Our main concern at the moment is preparing for our
Charity Open Evening on 13 May, when Anne Swithingbank will be giving a
presentation – 'Plants, People & Places'.
Posters are up around the village.
There will be a plant stall, crammed with goodies to fill you
garden. Tea, coffee, wine and fruit
juice will be served with 'nibbles'. We
hope the evening will be a huge success as all profits will be going to St. Margaret's
Hospice to enhance their gardens.
Tickets at £5, can be obtained from any member
and also from me, Rachel Blow.
Forthcoming
Meetings
27 May Evening Meeting at S.S.D.C. Lufton Nursery 10 June 'Ponds' Gold Club Talk at
Brimsmore Garden Centre
Rachel Blow 862849
EAST
COKER PLAYERS
The players are busy rehearsing for their spring
show - 'Rhyme & Reason', an amusing evening of poetry, monologues and song
followed by a one act play.
The show will be performed for one night only -
Saturday 15 May 2004 at 7.30pm
in the East Coker Hall.
Tickets £6 to include a
light supper and a glass of wine. Raffle
proceeds in aid of St John Ambulance (Yeovil Division)
Available from Debbie Searle 863091
EAST COKER FLOWER SHOW
Saturday 21 August 2004 An early reminder for the annual
Flower Show!
Please remember - there is a Class to suit
everyone, every age! Crafts
and Homecraft, Flowers, Fruit and Vegetables, Wine and Photography, plus
various Classes for Children up to the age of 15 years.
The subjects for the Photography Classes for 2004
are as follows:
In the Garden Transport
Speed Weather Harbour
View Thatched Building
Also Classes for Children's photography (any
subject)
This year all proceeds will be added to the past
few years' and donated to the fund to build a new Pavilion in East Coker, so
let's make this a really good year for entries!
Watch out for the Schedules at the Post Office, due
out in the Spring.
Marie Shephard 864514
Young
People
EAST COKER SCOUT GROUP
Waste Paper
Collections:
Saturday 15 May
Spring Jumble
Sale to be
held at East Coker Hall, Saturday 17 April at 2.00pm. All donations of jumble gratefully
received. REMEMBER WE WILL COLLECT. Tel: Max Bugler 862186. Thank you for your support.
Jackie Glover.
EAST COKER PRE-SCHOOL PLAYGROUP
This
Spring Term the children have explored many topics. They had fun discovering different materials
and their use; they have looked at the five senses, looked for signs of Spring and had a wonderful week learning about the Chinese
New Year. Due to our position at The
Pavilion allowing safe outdoors activities, the children enjoyed the snow that
fell and made a wonderful snowman. For
some children this was their first experience of snow.
East
Coker Pre-School Playgroup is registered with Ofsted and the Early Years
Development and Childcare Partnership and follows the Foundation Stage
curriculum. We provide a warm, friendly,
stimulating and safe environment where children can blossom and grow learning
and developing happily through play based activities. There is funding available through the Early
Years Grant when children become eligible.
Children are able to attend from 2½ up to 5 years old. We are open Monday to Friday during term time
from 9.15am to 12 noon. At present we
are able to offer lunch cover for children who’d like to bring a packed lunch
and stay until 1.15pm for an extra fee.
To
secure a place on the waiting list for your children please contact Kay Strode
on 872126 after 6.00pm. It is best to
get your child’s name down early on the waiting list, places are limited.
During
the Easter Holidays, sessions will be available to children up to their 6th
birthday (subject to demand). Please
contact Kay Strode on the number above if you would like further information.
Our
next fundraising event will be our Summer Fair held at The Pavilion on Saturday
15 May in the afternoon. There will a variety of stalls, refreshments, a
Raffle, and East Coker School Country Dancers will be performing, plus a Bouncy
Castle and many other things to do. We
look forward to seeing you there.
This
year will be the tenth annual Craft Fair the Playgroup has held. It will be on Sunday 14 November 2004 at East
Coker Village Hall, from 10.30am to 4.00pm.
Stalls are available for the Craft Fair please contact Eve Dudden on 862357 for
details.
EAST COKER PRIMARY SCHOOL
Summer Fair -
This will
be held at the School on the evening of Friday 18 June from 6.30pm to 8.30
pm. Lots of stalls,
cakes, games, Country Dancing displays from the children & much, much more. BBQ, bar, pavlovas
& puddings! All villagers welcome.
This is our main fundraising event of the year.
Please come along & support us if you can.
PRE-SCHOOL
On Saturday 29 May, Hardington Pre-School will be
holding its annual May Fayre at the village hall in Hardington Mandeville. The proceeds of the event will go to support
Hardington Pre-School, which takes children from East Coker, East Chinnock,
Odcombe, Pendomer and other neighbouring villages. There will be craft and cake stalls,
refreshments, bouncy castle, maypole dancing, pony rides and face painting,
from 12 noon to 3.30pm. More information
from Sarah Quinton
07792 513122.
Hardington Pre-School has produced a new prospectus
for parents with young children in Hardington Mandeville and neighbouring
villages. With pre-school places at a
premium, Hardington provides an additional resource for East Coker residents
and there are still some places available. For a copy of the new
prospectus, ring Sarah Quinton on 07792 513122
Poetry: Although we have the T S
Eliot connection, there isn't a regular poetry event in the village. Lots of us enjoy reading and sharing
favourite poems, so we have decided to get together once a month, with the
first meeting planned for Tuesday May 18 from 7.30pm - 8.30pm in the Apple Loft
of the Helyar Arms. For this first
event, Doreen Bates has volunteered to be the subject of a new version of
Desert Island Discs - Desert Island Poems.
She is choosing 10 of her favourite verses, which she will introduce
with stories from her rich and varied life!
For more information, contact Sue McKerracher 863633.
The Churches
ST. MICHAEL’S CHURCH
Services
Holy Communion 8.00am
1662 Prayer Book
Family Service – first Sunday alternate months, next
2 May 10.00am – otherwise Sung Eucharist.
Evensong 6.00pm 1662
Prayer Book
Sunday 16 May 2004
Rogation Sunday – Procession around the village
Sunday 30 May 2004
Pentecost 10.00am Sung
Matins 1662 Prayer Book
Sunday 13 June 2004 Children's Festival Wells Cathedral for children aged 5 – 11 years. Leaving East Coker at 10.00am
and home by 4.00pm. Please contact
Doreen Bates 862706
St. Michael's
Bookstall Plant Sale– Bubspool House – 15 May 2004 - 10.30am - 12.30pm
We are hoping for the usual marvellous support in
the growing of plants etc for this year's event. Many thanks John Darling
Village Fete Saturday 3 July 2004 at
Coker House 2.00pm followed by BBQ and Disco
ALL SAINTS' CLOSWORTH
Family Service It was good to see so many
families and children at the Christmas Eve Christmas Service. My apologies that there was hardly enough room for everybody and some had to
use the bell ringers balcony.
There are two special services at Easter.
One on Good Friday 9 April at 10.00am will last about 30 minutes and although it is not like the usual
service it would be- suitable for children. Our main Easter Service
will be on Easter Day 11 April at 10.00am.
Again the service will last about 30 minutes. There will be hymns the children know and I
hope Prayers will be led by the children and afterwards there will be an Easter
Egg Hunt, with special clues to make certain every child gets an egg, with coffee for the
adults.
The May family service will be on 16 May at
10.00am. This is the Sunday when we
celebrate Rogation and ask God's blessing on the crops, in our gardens and
fields and the animals. Hopefully it
will be a fine day so that we can walk in the cul de sac where the church is so
that it will be a safe and short walk.
For further details of any of these services please
phone me Monica 862834
ALL SAINTS' SUTTON BINGHAM
Lists of Services for 2004 are available in the
Church. All are welcome to our services:
1st Sunday of the month – 9.00am
Communion
3rd Sunday of the month - 11.30am
Communion
Services on all Festival Days
Events for
2004 – Summer – Guided Reservoir Walk, followed by Ploughman's
Lunch at the church – date to be decided.
Saturday 4 September Coffee Morning at the The
Anchorage.
Heather Snook 474138
EAST COKER CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
A warm welcome awaits
you at the end of Burton Lane. Services
as follows:
Sundays:- Sunday Club for 4 - 12 year olds 10.00am
except 2nd Sunday in the month which is Family Service 10.30am The Lord's Supper 11.30am Bible Study 6.30pm. Other events announced weekly.
Contact us on Tel 422594/862980 or
863735
MID – WEEK
MEETINGS
The meetings are held in the East Coker Hall at
7.00pm on the following dates:
Wednesday 19 May Wednesday 16 June
Wednesday 21 July Wednesday
18 August (Barbecue details later)
These meetings are arranged by St Michaels Church
and East Coker Christian Fellowship
For further information please contact, Edward Armistead 862785 or
Roy Hodder 862519
Village News
EAST COKER
PARISH COUNCIL - MARCH / APRIL 2004
A DIARY has been set up
in the village Post Office to record any suspicious or criminal incidents which
may affect villagers. Please use this
register as a part of the community Village Watch scheme, as a warning to
others and to recognise any worrying trends that may be apparent. Even if you do not report a suspected crime
to the police, this diary can be used in follow-up discussions with them.
The use of fireworks outside the usual 5 November period
has been under discussion. Whilst there
is no law at present to prevent it, there were some distressing incidents of
anti-social use of fireworks well into the New Year. Please remember that pets and farm animals
are vulnerable to sudden loud noises, and neighbours do not appreciate
fireworks late at night.
The Somerset and Avon Police Authority have
received a complaint regarding the blocking up of a badger sett in the Cemetery
at East Coker and they have informed the Parish Council that this practice is
against the law. Anyone found
interfering or blocking -up a badger sett Is liable to
a summons.
East Coker has been entered in the Calor Gas
Village of the Year Competition, 2004. Sarah Rashley 428639 is compiling a
village report for this entry.
The new Play Area was officially opened by Mr Nigel
Mermagen, chairman of South Somerset District Council, on Tuesday, 30 March,
with villagers and Parish Councillors present.
The PreSchool Playgroup were also involved in
the ceremony and were given 'goody bags' by Wicksteed Leisure who provided the
play equipment.
The Parish Council was
pleased to be informed by the South Somerset District Council that £5000 had
been identified in the Area South Reserve for the Coker Division Parish
Lengthsman Scheme and £13000 in the Capital Programme for the Long Furlong Lane
Recreational Group Project. This ensures
the continuation of the Parish Lengthsman scheme in our village for another
year, and support for the play area refurbishment.
Parish Councillors and many others have worked very
hard to set up both of these schemes and plan for the New Pavilion. It is very disheartening to find that a few
minutes of total stupidity can spoil newly laid turf around the play area as
soon as it has been laid. Voluntary helpers
are not prepared to give their time, mostly for the benefit of the younger
members of the village, only to find this time wasted by the vandalism of a
minority of that young element that spoils everyone else's enjoyment. The success of the Play Area and the New
Pavilion will depend upon the respectful treatment and use of the Long Furlong
Lane site by all members of the village.
IF ANYONE SEES ANY MALICIOUS BEHAVIOUR IN THE VICINITY OF THE
PAVILION/PLAY AREA, PLEASE REPORT IT IMMEDIATELY TO ANY PARISH COUNCILLOR.
East Coker has a very well maintained network of
footpaths thanks to the work of previous councillors. We would like to keep these routes in good
order. Please notify Roy Hodder 862519 Sarah
Rashley 428639 or Heather Snook 474138 if you find any footpaths in the
parish which have problems e.g. Way-markers not in place; stiles broken;
impassable places. Please also take secateurs with you on your walks to help
keep undergrowth under control.
DOGS MUST BE KEPT ON LEADS WHEN WALKING IN FIELDS WITH LIVESTOCK, AND
ALWAYS UNDER CONTROL. PLEASE MAKE SURE
THAT YOU STAY ON THE ROUTE OF THE FOOTPATH.
VANDALISM AT
PLAY AREA, LONGFURLONG
LANE
Over
the past year, a group of volunteers and I have been working hard to raise
funding to purchase and then install new play equipment to replace the slide
and climbing frame at the Playing Fields, Longfurlong Lane which were condemned
last year. The new play area was opened
officially on Tuesday 30 March, so on Saturday 27 March we gave up
our time to spruce up and tidy the area in preparation for the opening.
Imagine
our horror, anger and disappointment, therefore, when we arrived on Saturday
morning to find that the play park had been vandalised. The turf, which had been laid carefully only
a short while before, had been dug up
and slung over the swings, roundabout and climbing frame.
This
was a calculated and deliberate act of vandalism. It could not have been done
accidentally. Some person or people had
consciously set about undoing all the hard work that had been put into making
the play area attractive and safe.
Although
it may seem to some that the play facilities, plants, bins and other such
facilities magically appear in our community, the truth of the matter is that a
lot of time, work and effort go into providing these amenities. It is such a shame that some mean-spirited
individuals exist who think they have the right to destroy something that has
been provided for the benefit of everyone.
I
was further disheartened by the fact that, on my journey to the play area, I
encountered a trail of discarded McDonalds wrappings
that had been scattered along the Yeovil Road.
I stopped to clear it up, but I do wonder at the mentality of the people
who consider it acceptable to just throw their rubbish out of a car window.
If
anybody has any information about this vandalism, I would be very interested in
hearing from them.
Bridget
Sugg
STAMPS
FOR C.L.I.C.
Thank
you once again to everyone who saved their Christmas stamps for C.L.I.C. What an excellent response there was! However, stamps are not just for Christmas,
so please continue to save them throughout the year. As usual, there is a collection jar in the
Village Shop or you can bring them to me at Holly Cottage nearby. Thank you.
Micky
Hall
NOTES FROM THE OBSERVATORY
This first article should have been printed in
January's Newsletter but somehow got lost in the 'ether'. Apologies to all who missed
it.
New Year's
Day 2004
The long hot summer of 2003
is now a pleasant memory. A change took
place, exactly on cue, as the Autumnal Equinox arrived on September 23rd
when a more typical spell of autumn weather began. But the effects of the summer gave us a
splendid show of colours as the leaves began to wither. The village was suffused with a striking
golden Turner sunset on October 8th a herald of the colours to
come. A rosy dawn on October 22nd
predicted a rainy day, the rain starting at noon and giving a very wet
afternoon. Village weather records for
2003 give some interesting figures.
Rainfall for the year was 717.8mm (28.26ins)
compared with 1197.4mm (47.14ins.) for 2002 and 837.7mm (32.98ins.) for
2001. Rain fell on 127 days, 60 in the
first half of the year and 67 in the second half. The wettest period was the
night of January 18th/19thwhen 27.4mm (1.05ins.) rain
fell. The coldest day was January 12th
at minus 6.2C (20.8F). Aug 5th
was the hottest day at 29.6C (85.3F).
There were 37 days of frost, 19 in January, February & March, 18 in
October November & December. On Oct.30th the barometer fell to a
year's low of 966mb compared to a high of 1.040mb on March 16th. A gust of 56 mph was recorded on April 29th
The long hot dry spell at
midsummer stopped the grass growing for several weeks. Only a weed, Yarrow, continued to grow
strongly along the verges. I learned
from a correspondent that a close relative of the Yarrow produces a most potent
anti-malarial compound which is now being exploited commercially. Pale green ivy flowers, beloved of late
flying insects appeared several weeks early.
A few of the black ivy fruits are still to be seen. In the garden, my resident birds, blackbirds,
dunnocks, wood pigeons, collared doves and robins deserted the plot for the
whole of the summer, evidently finding tastier food in the countryside. Only at the very end of the year did they
start to drift back. The last
butterflies, a Small White and a Tortoiseshell flew on October 18th
but a Comma appeared indoors as late as November 7th evidently
looking for an over-wintering spot.
I recently heard, following
my mention of the village's Post Boxes, that an original octagonal box of
c.1853 is still in use at Barnes Cross, Holwell, near Sherborne. It may be the oldest Pillar Box in the
country. This box is still in use.
An American correspondent told me that he had
stocked up with "cords" of wood for his winter fuel. I wondered what
a cord of wood contained. My
Agricultural Handbook of 1962 defined it as a stack of wood 4ft x 4ft x
8ft. How nice to see an older unit still
in use. While I was looking for the
definition I came across another measure of wood which I had never seen
before. It was the "hoppus
foot" or "hoppus measure".
This old forestry term gives an estimate of the timber yield from a tree
trunk. I wonder if it is still used in
the village farms or is there a metric equivalent?
Alas, the total eclipse of the moon in November was
obscured by clouds. Orion is the most prominent constellation in the southern
night sky at present. The heavenly twins, Castor and Pollux, making up Gemini,
are to be seen to the north east of Orion.
Saturn is becoming visible in the south at bedtime and Jupiter will soon
begin to rise in the east at the same time.
Mars, which was brilliant in late August and September
is fading away to the west.
Vernal Equinox 20 March
The year began with a mild
but dull fortnight. January's wettest
day was Thursday 8th when 33.5mm (1.32ins) of rain fell in the early
hours. Rain fell on 18 days, giving a
January monthly total of 138. 7mm (5.46ins). A little
snow fell on the 29th. A
windy few days ended the month with a gust of 58mph on the 31st.
February started with a balmy few days when the
temperature on the 4th soared to 13.9C (57F) in the afternoon, but
that promise of an early spring soon gave away to a bitterly cold spell with
northerly winds. Hard frosts in the last
week of February gave a minimum temperature on the 27th of minus
3.3C (26F). Snow fell on the 26th
and lay for two days. Rainfall was only
65mm (2.56ins), falling on 11 days.
There were 10 days of frost. In
the middle of the month there was a very quiet spell with very light
winds. On Friday 13th the air
over the village remained stagnant for the whole day. March continued the cold spell with a minimum
temperature of minus 5.7C (21.7F) on the 2nd. A cold cloudy week gradually gave way to warm
south. westerlies by the middle of the month. Tuesday 16th was almost a summer's
day with bright sunshine and a temperature of 14.3C (57.7F). But on the first day of official Spring the weather was wet and windy. In all, a curious and changeable start to the
year.
A family of long tailed tits was an unusual sight
on the bird feeder. The usual greenfinches
were joined occasionally by linnets, siskins and goldfinches. Robins rapidly learned to wait under the nut
holder for the crumbs falling from above. While robins are mainly solitary
birds fiercely territorial. I recall
nine robins all feeding together on the same small piece of ground, ignoring
each other in a hard winter. The first
bird song, apart from a few tentative notes from a blackbird in early January,
came from the great tits on January 16th with their incessant
"teacher-teacher" call. In the
coldest week of the year a gang of delinquent jackdaws shredded plastic refuse
sacks to get at the contents. The first
butterflies, a pair of Brimstones, appeared on March 16th but small
winter moths flew throughout the coldest days.
Saturn is a prominent
feature of the night sky in March.
Jupiter will be in the Southern sky at bedtime for some time to
come. A total eclipse of the moon will
take place on May 4th but will not be well placed for viewing from
the village.
Francis Cloke 862496
EXERCISE AT EAST COKER
HALL
Join Alison for fun and exercise on Wednesday
mornings from 9.45am. A whole new
program has been devised to suit almost everyone. For more details phone Alison on 01460 74546 or
0775 3533727
POLITE NOTICE – REGARDING MAUDSLAY
FIELD PARKING BAY
Would
people please take notice that the above mentioned parking bay is for the
tenants of Maudslay Field ONLY! Thank you.
D
Chorley on behalf of all the Tenants
HELP AND VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
FOR PARISH PLAN
The Parish Council has submitted an application for
funding from the Countryside Agency to undertake a Parish Plan and Associated
Village Design Statement. We now know
that we will receive a grant towards this and so can initiate work on it.
The point of the Plan is to gather everyone's -
young and old – opinion about life in the parish; the services – or lack of
them – that exist and how people think that things could or should be
improved. This can include any aspect at all – housing, bus
and utility services, council services, policing, education, youth facilities,
environmental and wildlife matters, etc, etc.
We are expecting to do this initial survey through
a questionnaire. However, questionnaires
can never cover everything that people want, so there will be at least two
'Open Days' in The East Coker Hall, where people can talk to those organising
it.
All comments will be welcome. Young people will be invited to take
photographs to illustrate their views and then to talk about them.
This is not a wish list exercise, as we must also
formulate action plans to try to achieve results and improve things. Some will be outside our direct control, but
if we can demonstrate that we have a real and quantifiable need, we stand more
chance of the S.S.D.C. or its agencies taking note and budgeting for it.
Once we have all the questionnaires and comments
in, they will be analysed and initial findings presented at an 'Open Day' where
further comments can be received. After
that it will be refined and published.
Alongside this we would like to produce a Village
Design Statement, which would highlight the things we like and want to conserve
about the buildings in the parish, and things which we think could
detract. We also want to analyse what
makes the 'character' of the village and what would destroy it.
If we produce this it will have some influence on
future planning applications in and around the village, so that unsympathetic
work is kept to a minimum.
To qualify for the grant, people, other than those
on the parish council, must be involved with the organisation, collating and
analysing of the information. We have a
small steering group already in place, but it will take a lot of work. We would like willing helpers especially
anyone who has a particular interest in any aspect of the parish to contact one
of the following:
John Sharpe 862362 Stan
Turner 862474 Margaret O'Neill 471890