BROAD TOWN NEWSLETTER – FEBRUARY 2022
On saving the ark
Red and yellow and pink and green, purple and orange and blue.
I found myself singing the rainbow today because the readings at morning prayer were the story of Noah and his ark. The small group of us that meet for Zoom prayer mused on the beauty and horror of the story. The horror of the destruction of the swelling waters, something very vivid to those who had seen similar images from Tonga. The beauty and delight in the images of all the rich biodiversity of creatures. Both the obviously useful and beautiful and the wriggling squiggling creatures that swarm and squirm.
Our musing moved to seed banks and the challenge for us all to act to preserve and sustain our planet in all its amazing variety and the way that in the face of such an enormous task we can falter in courage and commitment.
As a person of faith I found something very tender in the image of Noah and all his companions human and animal being shut into the ark by God and floating on the face of the waters rather than tossed by the turbulent and terrible storm. Thanks to the wisdom and companionship of my friends in prayer I left encouraged to continue to do my little bit to lead a life that seeks to save rather than destroy and to delight and enjoy the beauty of the world around us and to celebrate those who ensure that seed banks, places and their creatures are preserved and sustained.
The story of Noah and his ark is familiar to many people and has it roots in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Those who met that story in the bitterness of exile to a strange land adopted this story and reinterpreted it, in the light of their encounter with the living God. It is one of the few bible stories I can think of that is found in many picture books and toys going back generations and still enjoyed today.
Perhaps in this season where spring may not yet have warmed us to optimism it can offer us both hope and promise of rescue and safety in the work of sustaining and delighting in an earth richly populated with earthworms, ants, lizards, cattle and horses and people doing their little bit together to sustain both hope and harbour.
SUNDAY WORSHIP AT BROAD TOWN IN FEBRUARY
6th Feb at 10.30am for Communion
27th Feb at 5.00pm for Evening Worship
FOODBANK - Please Note - The next Village collection will be on SATURDAY 29th & SUNDAY 30th JANUARY at the Village Hall from 9am to 4pm. Foodbanks continue to be very busy. Please give as generously as you can.
COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month in the village hall.
Coffee/tea/hot chocolate and homemade cakes!
Our February coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 9th and Wednesday 23rd (with half-term activities for children) We look forward to seeing you!
PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE - FEBRUARY
We issue a warm welcome to Caroline White who has been appointed as our new Parish Clerk.
The Parish Council have been approved to receive a grant from the Good Energy Community Fund to install some half-barrel planters alongside the various seating areas in the village. These will be planted with seasonal bulbs and flowers to help to brighten the outlook of the village.
There have been a number of communications received from Wiltshire Council which you may have already seen if you are a subscriber to the PC weekly roundup email. These are all in the News section on the Parish Council website https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk:
- Caution – Take care where the road outside the Village Hall can be icy in cold weather.
- Wiltshire Surviving Winter Grant – contact information published by Age UK.
- Police & Crime Commissioner Survey on a proposed £10 Increase to Precept – this article contains the link to the survey which is open for you to have your say until Wednesday 2 February.
- New collection days for the ‘residual’ household waste (i.e. the black and green bins which contain non-recyclable rubbish) will be implemented from end Feb. Households will receive more information from Wiltshire Council in due course.
We have received the following notice of ROAD CLOSURE
Wiltshire Council Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 Temporary Closure of: B4041 (Part), Broad Hinton (Ref: TTRO 7902) Notice is hereby given that the Wiltshire Council has made an Order to close temporarily to all traffic: B4041 (Part), Broad Hinton; from its junction with Highden Lane to its junction with Horton Way. To enable: Openreach to carry out excavating and provision of new ducting in verge. Alternative route: via B4041 (unaffected length) – A4361 – A4 – C394 – A3012 – C122 – Marlborough Road – Broad Town Road – B4041 (unaffected length) and vice versa. The closure and diversion route will be clearly indicated by traffic signs. This Order will come into operation on 24 March 2022 and the closure will be required between the hours of 09:30 and 15:30 for 2 days. It is anticipated that the works will take the stated duration to complete depending upon weather conditions. Access will be maintained for residents and businesses where possible, although delays are likely due to the nature of the works. The Order will have a maximum duration of 18 months. For further information please contact Sunbelt Rentals on behalf of Openreach on 03700 500792. Sustainable Transport Group, County Hall, Bythesea Road, Trowbridge BA14 8JN 17 March 2022
Next Meeting: Monday 14th February 2022 at 6.30pm in the Village Hall. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards the week beforehand
CHRISTMAS FUNDRAISING The following is an extract from a letter received from Brighter Futures:
"Thank you so much to the Broad Town Community for the generous donation of £350.00 from your Christmas events for our CT Scanner Appeal. We very much appreciate you choosing us as your Charity of choice.
Your support helps to fund that extra special level of care at the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust making a real difference to patients, their families and our staff who treat them, above what the NHS is able to provide."
£163 raised at Community Coffee Morning. £69 raised by Broad Town Brewery. £118 raised at Carol Singing in Village Hall Park
CHRISTMAS 2021 THANKS Our thanks to:-
- Parish Council and Broad Town Brewery for providing Christmas Trees for inside and outside the Church.
- Andrew, Chris, Blackie and Clive for erecting and decorating the Churchyard tree and hedges with lights.
- Margaret, Rosie, Judy, Lorraine, Annette, Lesley, Parkin Family, Judy, Carolyn, Toni, Helen, and Margaret for making the Christmas Carol Wreaths for the shelter.
BROAD TOWN WI
Broad Town WI finally got around to celebrating our 95th Anniversary (all be it a year late due to Covid) along with our Christmas Party. Some of the members decided to dress up in the fashions from the last nine decades, so there were 2 flappers, 1 land girl, 2 hippies, 1 60's mod and 1 glam rock.
After a demonstration of "Quilling" presented by Karin Meek we finished our party in the traditional way with a toast to The Queen, cutting of the celebratory cake and sang Jerusalem.
Thanks to all the members and the committee for getting this party organised.
Why not try a meeting in the New Year? We’re a fun bunch of ladies that enjoy sometimes serious and sometimes light-hearted presentations, craft sessions, walks and activities, often involving pubs or tea and cake. For more information contact lorraine@mrsbillis.co.uk, we look forward to hearing from you.
NEWS FROM BROAD TOWN CE PRIMARY SCHOOL
Happy New Year! It has been a good start to the new year and the new term, with lots of new projects to look forward to.
The children are eagerly waiting for spring to see the lovely saplings, donated by the Woodland Trust, come into leaf. Each child was able to choose the sapling they planted around the school grounds as part of the Queen’s Canopy to celebrate the upcoming Queen’s Jubilee. There was a lot of discussion on why they were being planted and the benefits both to the local wildlife and ourselves. Most children are determined to remember where their tree has been planted so that they can visit the school in the future – ‘when they are ‘old!
The Christmas Fayre made a great profit of £381. It was wonderful to see so many people attend. Thank you to our amazing Broad Town School Association committee for making it so successful with such a short time to plan it, it is a really encouraging start towards future events.
Reading For Pleasure is a focus for us this term and we are planning some special activities such as a Book Swap scheme, you may see the children in the playground sharing their favourite books.
Please donate any children’s books in good condition to our Book Swap – books may be left in the box by the school entrance door. They will be read and enjoyed by our children. Thank you.
We hope that you are enjoying the bright days and the anticipation of spring as much as the children are.
JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS
Plans are afoot for celebrations in Broad Town to mark the Platinum Jubilee of HM the Queen ( 2nd-5th June). We would like the whole village to be involved in decorating their homes and gardens in flags, bunting, scarecrows etc, to make the occasion one we will all enjoy and remember.
It also gives us an opportunity to resurrect the community “ Clean for the Queen”, when we ask all residents (weeks leading up to 2nd June) to help pick up litter in their areas , weed pavements and verges directly outside your home, and cut back overhanging branches and shrubbery.
In next month’s newsletter we aim to publish a timetable of village events and we would welcome any contributions or suggestions from BT residents .
We are particularly asking for volunteers to help host & coordinate Street Parties throughout the village. Our aim is for all areas of the village to be represented and all villagers, especially children, to have access to a street party in their own road /lane. There is help available with organisation & resources, so please do contact Rosie Law (rosiehlaw @ gmail.com) if you would like to nominate your road and are willing with a few of your neighbours to organise such a party and we will add your name & details to our list.
BROAD TOWN PARISH CHURCH COFFEE MORNING
We will be having our usual February coffee morning on the 26th Feb. This is just before Shrove Tuesday, so we will be having pancakes. There will be a sales table, cake stall, refreshments and small raffle as well as the pancakes.
We are very short of helpers and would welcome some help from a few members of the village. If you can help, please e-mail Margaret Green.
DATE OF THE MARCH NEWSLETTER
Please could all entries for the March newsletter be with the editor by Friday 18th February, thank you. margaretgreen@waitrose.com