Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.
COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS
The coffee mornings in March will be on Wednesdays 8th and 22nd from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. During our fundraising coffee morning on March 22nd the choir from our village school will be singing for us, there will be a raffle and all proceeds will be donated to the school so please come along and support the children. A huge thank you to everyone who gave so generously to our coffee morning on February 8th – due to the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria it was decided to donate all proceeds from that morning to the DEC Red Cross Appeal. A total of £130 was collected and donated online for which a letter of thanks has been received.
Coronation Tea Party Friday May 5th, 3 - 5pm Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to bake cakes, scones or sausage rolls for the Coronation Tea Party. If you would like to do so but haven’t yet signed up, please look out for the list at future coffee mornings, or speak to Annie, Sandra or Helen.
During 2022 the following donations were made to good causes using the surplus from coffee morning funds: B T Church- £200.00 • Tree in Churchyard- £75.00 • Christmas tree in Shelter- £25.00 • B T School- £100.00 • B T Pre School- £100.00 • B T Churchyard- £100.00 • Bumps- £100.00 • Macmillan Cancer Support- £250.00 • Prospect- £250.00 • Ukraine Appeal- £37.50 • B T Pre-School (Christmas Coffee Morning)- £130.00 A big thank you to everyone for their donations.In addition, between 2016 when the village coffee mornings first started, and the end of 2022, a total of £7,122.50 has been donated to worthy causes – thank you again for your continued generosity! We look forward to seeing you on the 8th and 22nd March for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, teacakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. It’s a great opportunity to chat to other people in the village whilst enjoying a hot drink and a slice of homemade cake!
CHURCH COFFEE MORNING 25th MARCH
Hi all – The coffee morning is a month later this year for various reasons. We hope to see as many as possible for a drink, cake and a chat at the Village Hall, 10.00am to midday. There will be the usual stalls – cakes, refreshments, salestable and raffle
.PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE
“Bling for the King” Village Tidy-Up – Saturday 29th April 10am Let’s give the village a spring clean ready for the King’s Coronation weekend. Meet us at the Village Hall for a village tidy and litter pick up. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades and shovels to weed the pavements. If you know an area which is in desperate need of a clean-up, please let us know by email at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com. More details will be available on the website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk
Vacancy! New member of Community Fund Advisory group sought. Would you like to be involved in the process that allows for funding help to Community Projects such as the White Horse liming, footpath maintenance, CoffeeMornings and a thriving Village Hall? The Bluefield Solar Community Fund allocates a grant to Broad Town each year for the use by community projects, but to help alleviate any potential conflict of interest at the Parish Council, each application is first presented to a local Advisory Group for consideration, and they help the Parish Council decide how best to allocate the funding. A vacancy has arisen in this important group. Grant applications happen a few times a year and the members of the group say this useful work is not too onerous at all! Please contact the Parish Clerk to express an interest or for more details.
The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 13th March. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARDS
The BBC Radio Wiltshire Make a Difference Awards are back for 2023! Every day we hear stories of people doing incredible things for each other and their communities. These awards are a way to say “Thank You” to those who are really going above and beyond. Whether it’s caring for someone in need, being a brilliant neighbour, or taking on an incredible fundraising challenge, if you know someone who is really making a difference to our lives then you can nominate them for an award. Last year we saw eight incredible winners recognised at a fabulous ceremony at the Corn Exchange in Devizes. This year there are 8 categories you can nominate in • Volunteer • Community Group • Fundraiser • Carer • Great Neighbour • Bravery • Green Award • Together award You can nominate someone you know at bbc.co.uk/makeadifference where you can also see full Terms and our Privacy Notice. Nominations are now open and will close on Sunday 5th March 2023 at 11pm. The winners will be announced at our Make a Difference awards ceremony in September. And follow #BBCMakeADifference on social media for more details. Many Thanks Tory Pope Senior Producer, Communities BBC Radio Wiltshire
CHARITY QUIZ NIGHT
Friday 24th March broad town village hall & social club in support of MIND. Register your team and team name via annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com or 07916 701844 to guarantee your seat! First come, first served. Not in a team? No worries, we can help you out provided you let us know you are coming. ALL WELCOME.
BROAD TOWN SCHOOL NEWS
The school is pleased to announce the fantastic achievement of their school dressage team who came a very creditable 3rd in the Schools Autumn Dressage Challenge. At the beginning of January, the school held a very successful History Week which included a virtual visit to the Ashmolean Museum and a costume parade on the theme of "People in History". Some Yr6 children were also lucky enough to attend a "Lego Robotics" workshop at Wilshire Education Centre, Braeside. Visits from our community police team to talk about "Keeping Safe & Internet Safety" were also welcomed by the children. The school would like to thank those who continue to volunteer and support the children with their reading & activities If you feel you have any spare time and would like to volunteer, please give the school a call.
BROAD TOWN KNITTERS AND CRAFTERS HELP WANTED
We will be decorating the shelter (opposite BT Church) for the King’s Coronation and wondered if anyone in the village would like to join in by crafting something to go in the display? We were thinking crochet, knitting, artwork (that can be laminated so needs to be A4 or smaller) or absolutely anything you would like to craft that would be suitable to be displayed. We welcome crafts from any age group and any ability. The theme is anything Royal, it would be nice if it could be red, white and / or blue and it needs to be able to fit easily within the shelter and be added to the display. It would also need to be finished around the middle of May. If you have any questions or want to contribute, please call Annette on 07974 763645. HAPPY CRAFTING!
WHAT BROAD TOWN’S SPEED INDICATOR DEVICE (SID) SAW LAST MONTH
The SID was located at Marlborough House measuring the speed of traffic travelling to Broad Hinton from mid-Jan to mid-Feb 22,599 vehicles passed the SID 2,167 (10%) vehicles went through the SID doing more than 35mph 38 vehicles were logged by the SID travelling at speeds deemed dangerous by Wiltshire Police (i.e. greater than 45mph)
FOODBANK & TURKEY/SYRIA APPEAL
Alongside the February collection for the Foodbank, we also had a collection of warm clothes, sleeping bags, tents and blankets for the victims of the earthquake. Your response to both was amazing. Thank you for your generosity. The next Easter Foodbank will be on April 1st & 2nd.
CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS
18th March, 1st April, Monday 8th May, 10th June, 8th July, 5th August, 2nd September, 7th October, Hope to see you there if you can make it
THE 100 CLUB
The 100 Club Draws for January and February have taken place and the prizes have been distributed. The winners are as follows: January 2023 1st Prize – Jenni Cable 2nd Prize – Roy and Doreen Small 3rd Prize – Jim Veary
February 2023 1st Prize – Jackie Jordan 2nd Prize – Annie Crocker 3rd Prize – Janet Wain. Congratulations to all the winners. If you would like to join the 100 Club, please contact Fiona - Tel: 01793 850562
THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT
Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships, but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 31st March 2023. The next opportunity to apply will be September 2023. There is also a vacancy for a Trustee so if anyone from the two parishes feel able to help, please contact either of the above.
WHITE HORSE LIMING – 10AM, SUNDAY 30 APRIL 2023
1. Weather permitting, White Horse liming place will take place on the morning of Sunday 30th April. The date has been chosen so that the Horse will be looking its best for the Coronation the following weekend.
2. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime.
3. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health.
4. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com Fuller details will then be provided to all volunteers prior to the event.
5. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again.
CHURCH ON POLITICS AND RELIGION
It is sometimes said that politics and religion shouldn’t mix. Over the years in my role as a local religious representative, I’ve sometimes been advised to stay out of local politics. In recent weeks I have felt challenged by watching people with no religious commitment suggest political interventions in the life of my faith community. Yet I have always believed that politics and religion can’t be separated. A moral choice or action may be private within your own home, but it becomes political as soon as you act based on your own moral code out in society. For example, your food choices are private, but if (like me) you can’t drink milk and live in a community with several dairy farms, you become very aware that this private choice may have asocial impact and outcome. I’m part of a church which enjoys enormous privileges because of its historic establishment as the national church. This privilege continues into the present with Bishops in the House of Lords and a very entangled legal system between church and state. There is a danger that I may like political “interference” when it aligns with my views and dislike it when it doesn’t. And, of course, for any group of “insiders” there can be frustrations when “outsiders” don’t ‘get’ the realities of my church (or club or class or interest group). I should declare my interest here. I am a member of the Campaign for Equal Marriage*. Yet I am aware that I am in a minority within the Church of England and that I have priestly friends and colleagues whom I respect and value who see things very differently. I believe that those who disagree with me are also people who care deeply about our shared faith and I am aware that all of us will be seeking to serve and care for people in our congregations and communities who may be hurt by the expression of our different views. This awareness has been part of my ministry as an ordained woman who remains part of a church where there are bishops, clergy and church members who do not think that women can be ordained. Broad Town News Over the years I have learned so much from maintaining working relationships with people I will never agree with – and we have served our communities better by working together on shared goals. A willingness to work together without seeking full agreement may be a way of navigating a world in which politics and religion often seem to bring conflict and in this way, we may find we are practising a golden rule on which almost all faiths and those of no faith agree. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” *https://cofe-equal-marriage.org.uk/. Reverend Rachma
POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER PHILIP WILKINSON PARISH COLUMN
My annual budget proposed a raise the amount of money you pay for the policing part of your council tax, known as the precept, by 6.2%. For an average Band D household, that equates to £15 a year or £1.25 a month. It’s been a difficult decision to make and that’s why it was important we consulted you. Over 2,700 people responded to the survey. We also took it out across Swindon and Wiltshire to gather your feedback. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you if you took the time to complete it. 54% of people who responded said they would be prepared to support a maximum rise but it’s important to make clear why I asked you to support that option. Without putting up the precept, Wiltshire Police would need to save over £4m in the next year. Even by increasing the precept, savings will be key but I’m confident this will happen at the same time as delivering a better service. We will put 32 extra police officers on the streets of Wiltshire, in addition to the new Uplift officers. We should have 1,189 police officers by the end of March this year – the highest number for quite some time. I am constantly speaking to our local MPs and government ministers about the funding formula. We need a fairer system which provides our police force with the investment equal to forces similar to ours. Broad Town News By raising the precept, we can show we are playing our part in funding our police force and this puts us in a stronger position. With more officers on our streets and a better use of our existing funds, I hope you will see an improvement in the service you receive and see value for money in the measures I’ve taken to make Wiltshire a safer place to live and work.
SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AWARENESS WEEK 2023
Help is there for you. This year’s Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week, which starts today (6/2), is to make people aware of what support is available. Wiltshire Police is encouraging people to report any form of sexual violence as part of the #ItsNotOk national campaign. All week we’ll be raising awareness of rape and sexual assault alongside our partner agencies as well as urging anyone who has been affected to come forward and seek help and support. Sexual abuse and violence is an act carried out against another person where the motivation is sexual and the victim does not consent. It can be anything from catcalling (which is regarded as street harassment) and flashing to sexual assault and rape. Detective Inspector Troy Smith said: “This is an annual campaign to highlight to anyone who is a victim of sexual assault that you are not alone and that help is available. “I understand just how difficult and daunting it may be for a victim to come forward and take that first step in reporting their ordeal and not everyone feels comfortable contacting the police. “However, if you come to us, please be assured that we take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously and will give you the right support throughout the process. “Our officers will investigate thoroughly and do their very best to ensure offenders are held to account and put before the courts. “And please remember there are many other organisations you can contact if you don’t want to come to us for whatever reason - you don’t ever have to stay silent and feel alone. The most important thing is that, when the time is right, you tell and talk to someone.” Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “I, along with Wiltshire Police and the NHS, co-ordinate the support for victims and survivors of sexual violence across Wiltshire and our SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) makes sure they have the support and medical care they need immediately after an offence has been committed. “Sexual violence is still an under-reported crime and I want anyone who is affected by this to have the confidence in the criminal justice system that they will be supported and that justice will be served if they report these offences. “While these services are available for everyone, irrespective of gender, we know that women are disproportionately affected by sexual violence, which is why tackling violence against women and girls is a priority of my police and crime plan.” To report sexual abuse please phone police on 101 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, via CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999. For more information, the SARC can be contacted on 01793 781 916. For children, the NSPCC can also be contacted on 0808 800 5000.
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Community Coffee Mornings 8th & 22nd March, Church Coffee Morning 25th March, Village Tidy Up 29th April, Parish Council Quiz 13th March, 24th March, Fish and Chip Van Easter food bank 1st & 2nd April, White Horse 30th April, Coronation Celebrations 5th -8th May
The deadline for items for the newsletter should be in by the 22nd of EVERY month.
Contact: Ray Manley- 01793 731564 or Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com