BROAD TOWN NEWS – JULY 2023
Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.
PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE
July Annual Parish Meeting. The Annual Parish meeting was well attended by members of the public and representatives from the various community groups who gave presentations on their activities for the past year. Presentations were made on: • Parish Council • Christ Church • Village Hall • White Horse Group • Footpaths Group • Community Coffee Mornings • Craft Group • Speeding data captured by the SID
The variety of questions and discussions on the topics presented clearly shows the lively and active nature of our village. The Minutes of the meeting can be found in the Agendas and Minutes section of the Parish Council website Agendas and Minutes – Broad Town Parish Council. Annual Audit
The Parish Council have successfully completed the annual audit with only a few observations and recommendations. As per the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, Broad Town Parish Council will be making its Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year 2022-23 available for inspection by any interested person, together with all accounting records; books; deeds; contracts; bills; vouchers; receipts and other documents relating to these records. If you have any issues to raise or wish to see the full accounts, please contact the Parish Clerk on btpcclerk@outlook.com. In accordance with the guidelines the full accounts will be available to view for 30 days between 12th June and 21st July 2023.
Chapel Lane/Horns Lane/Littletown junction. We have been informed of a near miss. Please take care when approaching this junction as there could well be pedestrians in the road or children playing.PC Vacancy There remains a vacancy for a
Parish Councillor. If you are interested in being co-opted onto the Parish Council please contact the Parish Clerk for a co-option form, or even a chat about the work of the Council.
Speeding The Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner is ramping up speeding enforcement and to help them target the worst offenders they will be collecting and analysing speeding data captured by our SID, as part of an expanding pilot throughout Wiltshire
BROAD TOWN SHOP
A message from a village resident, Hello, all Broad Town residents. A couple of months ago your Parish Council tested the village's appetite for a Community Shop. Whilst so many people keep suggesting it would be a great idea, only one resident replied and offered to volunteer. His suggestion was to use the church as a venue. Unfortunately, part of the demise of rural communities have been village shops and pubs. Well, we now have a great following at The Broad Town Brewery, and I wonder if we could do as good of a job with a shop? I personally used Broad Hinton Shop, until it’s demise. I now use the Avebury Community Shop. It is a thriving and bustling community asset, selling everyday essentials such as local organic milk, yogurt and butter to bread, cakes, cereals, vegetables and everything in between. They even sell shellfish and have an off license!! Whenever I go into this shop, there are always locals nattering and catching up on what’s going on. It truly is a hub for the many needs of the community. So, what does Broad Town think? Could we create as much community cohesion and provide a range of shopping items that we could all walk to and buy, without relying on our car, or someone else’s? So, if you like the thought of a shop and would support it with your local shopping habits, and/or volunteering to work in the shop, please drop the Parish Clerk an email, so the community’s appetite can be assessed. Her email address is: BTPCCLERK@outlook.com We look forward to your comments.
DEFIBRILLATOR SESSIONS
To people unable to attend the last Defibrillator sessions, Mark Boyden (Paramedic) will be providing a further session at 7pm on Thursday the 13th of July in Broad Town Village Hall. All are welcome, join Mark to discover just how simple, safe and important the Defibrillator is.
BROAD TOWN CHURCH
Services for July
2nd July Ordination of Richard Holness Salisbury Cathedral 10.30am
9th July Welcome Service for Richard as Assistant Curate Lyneham 10.30am
23rd July Evening Service 6pm
30th July Benefice Communion 10.30am followed by refreshments.
June Coffee Morning – Thank you to everyone who supported the Coffee Morning. A total of £185 was raised to help keep our Church open.
June Work Morning - Thank you to those who helped. The Churchyard is looking so good thanks to the efforts of a few people but it is becoming more difficult to maintain the standard we have now achieved. We desperately need more volunteers, so if you would be willing to spend a couple of hours each month, please contact Ray Manley Tel: 731564 for more details.
WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH
The SID has been located at Marlborough House monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) 23, 528 vehicles passing the SID which equates to approx. 840 a day 1,989 (8%) vehicles were speeding. The SID spotted a few racing (or being chased) idiots at 1am 3rd June doing speeds of 65-70mph. Note the SID captures traffic travelling in one direction. Metrocount results indicate average daily totals of 1,989 using the C415.
CORONATION MUGS AND TEA TOWELS
BOGOF - A few remaining of each, Contact Margaret Manley Tel: 731564
FOODBANK
Another successful village collection at a time when foodbanks are struggling to keep up with demand. We have been asked to pass on thanks for your generosity.
A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP KAREN
I write this at the end of no mow May, and during a week when we are remembering to care for God’s acre, so I am thinking about all those who serve in many ways tending our churchyards and enabling them to be places where God’s creation and God’s presence can be experienced. Thank you. As Patron of the Dorset wildlife trust’s living churchyard project, I recently toured a local churchyard which has been transformed into an oasis, with wildflowers, bench seating and even some beehives, tended by a local beekeeper, in the corner. In another part of Dorset, I recently dedicated a village meadow, where there are plans to offer bees, birds and visitors a welcome amongst carefully planted shrubs, trees and flowers. I look forward seeing it in future years. Community orchards and gardens are also transforming lives as produce grown is shared out and given away. The abundance of creation’s riches on our doorstep is for all to enjoy. Our task as God’s stewards is to unlock the possibilities, and I encourage you to do that; to take a look at what is outside your church and see the potential; take time out to sit and pray; make the most of time away walking or sitting in a different environment; surprise someone by giving them some of your home grown produce. For as the psalmist experienced: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul’. Have a good summer. Bishop Karen
THE 100 CLUB
The 100 Club Draws for May and June have taken place and the winners are as follows:
May 2023 1st Prize – Sarah Clarke 2nd Prize – Carolyn Crocker 3rd Prize – Christine Marshall
June 2023 1st Prize – Sarah Larkins 2nd Prize – Anonymous donated to church funds 3rd Prize – Pam Howells Congratulations to all the winners. If you know anyone who is interested in joining 100 Club, giving them the chance to share in future winnings and raising money for the church, please contact Fiona Holness on fholness@btinternet.com or 07833 683444.
BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE
Many thanks to our dedicated Broad Town volunteers who on Sunday 30th April performed the annual liming of the White Horse. Having weeded the surface, 1500kg of lime was distributed resulting in the sparkling vista which we can all now enjoy. Particular thanks to the Hortons of Cockroost Farm for their great support and to Jason and Broad Town Brewery for sponsoring the purchase of the lime.
COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS
Thank you to everyone who came along to our first June coffee morning, it was very well attended, the hot weather didn’t seem to deter people, and the additional cold squash and iced water provided proved very popular! If you are reading this before Wednesday June 28th, then please remember to come along to our second June coffee morning – we look forward to seeing you for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The coffee mornings in July will continue on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month - the 12th and 26th, from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. If you haven’t been to a village coffee morning before then why not give it a try, you are assured of a warm welcome!
CAN YOU BUILD A NEST BOX?
Our crafts and hobbies mornings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month are proving popular. As well as the many crafts and hobbies activities taking place during each session, we are also looking ahead to the church Christmas coffee morning in early December and thinking about gifts that could be made to sell at this event to raise much needed funds. As well as making the usual Christmas decorations, we are hoping that there might be villagers out there who would be keen to dust down their tools and make items such as nest boxes, bug hotels, bird feeders etc. These could be made either at the craft mornings, or at home, whichever you prefer, but if you have a bit of free time, please think about it! If you have any spare wood that you can donate, please also let us know. If you have any questions, then please come along to the sessions or email Helen Greer: hjgreer1@gmail.com or Linda Boyden: lindaboyden12@gmail.com Everyone is welcome to attend our next sessions on Wednesdays July 5th and 19th from 10 - 12 noon in the village hall. We ask for a £2 donation to cover the cost of hall hire, coffee, tea and biscuits, and you can bring along a craft or hobby or just come along for a chat – we look forward to seeing you there!
BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB NEWS AND EVENTS
Well, we have had another amazing month in the Social Club with the opportunity to throw a surprise party for Trevor’s BIG birthday, his (second) retirement from being a wage slave, and most importantly to recognise a whopping 27 years of volunteering as the lynch pin of the Broad Town Social Club. Yes, you did read that correctly, 27 years as a volunteer running the bar and serving on the committee. What a star! So, this is probably a good time to remind you all that the Social Club (also known as the Fourways Community Pub) is a not for profit, community organisation, run entirely by volunteers. What small surplus we make over the bar or from your very reasonable membership fees (£2 per year) go towards offering free or cut-price events. Where we can we support others in running events to raise money for charity and they support us by helping set up and clear up before, during and after those events. Each one is a fantastic team effort. As a committee we do not claim to have a monopoly on good ideas so, if you fancy throwing your hat in the ring in suggesting or leading an event get in touch using annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com You will have the full support of the committee and other members in pulling it all together. At the moment we have several requests for a karaoke night. If anyone out there has ever hosted one or has been to enough to know how it runs, get in touch! Now! Please! Pretty please even! Notable dates for the rest of the year are: Food for Thought: • Friday 30th June • Friday 14th July • Friday 25th August • Friday 29th September • Friday 27th October • Friday 24th November (Beetle Drive, Charity Fundraiser, courtesy Rosie and Andrew Law) Great family night out. More details to follow. • Friday 22nd December (Community Carols and Mulled Wine, courtesy Social Club) Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. As always, it’s 5pm – 8pm for takeaways; 5pm – 11pm for the bar. If you want to bring your takeaway into the Club, you are very welcome to do so. For the more discerning diners, you are also welcome to bring your own plates, cutlery, and bread & butter (but please take your washing up home with you!). Games Night Friday 15th September The usual madness of skittles, darts, table football, table tennis and whatever else James Harvey Samuel can fit in. Can anyone beat Darren’s top score? Can Broad Town find some new winners? Watch this space for further details.
New Years Eve Party Sunday 31st December See in the New Year with friends and neighbours (you can bring the family too!). Live music from the Dog House Band – remember them from the Coronation weekend?). Lots of dancing, singing and Big Ben. Details to follow in due course.
Standard Friday Nights • Bar open 8pm – 11pm • Great range of reasonably priced drinks and snacks • Free darts and pool (snooker, not swimming!) • Banter at the bar Why not drop in? Everyone welcome: the more the merrier
BROAD TOWN PRE-SCHOOL
I am writing to you on behalf of Broad Town Pre-School’s children, parents, staff and committee to ask for your help. Broad Town Pre-school in its current setting offers learning and growth through rural nature and vast array of outdoor experiential learning. We are a fully embedded part of the community, and we offer this wonderful learning experience to children right across Wiltshire. We currently have 30 children on role, with a high level of complex Special Education Needs. Our building condition is currently undergoing an independent assessment and will need significant repair/rebuild to make it practical to remain in our current setting. The environment and rural setting and all the afore mentioned learning and growth experiences would be compromised if we were forced to change our location. We continue to make every effort to fundraise to address the areas to keep and cover the smaller remedial repairs needed, using our kind and willing committee members/parents and their contacts. However, this next level of repair will need significant funds, which given the timeframe of this outcome, we will not be in a position to cover these costs. Without fundraising we would not be able to pay for this. We will be holding a Raffle at our annual family fun sports day at preschool on the 7th of July. We politely ask if there is anything that you are able to donate for the raffle to help us to raise much needed funds. Everyone in Broad Town is welcome to the event, so please pop down and join in with the fun! The event is from 12-3pm. We will be happy to advertise your company’s name and your generosity on our donation board which will be displayed at the event. If you are able to help in any way, please contact me personally, preferably by email. My details are below. Kindest Regards Victoria Bowen Administrator Broad Town Pre-School 01793 731911 admin@broadtownpreschool.co.uk
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Community Coffee Mornings 28thJune, 12th July, 26th July
Food For Thought 30th June, 14th July, 25th August, 29th September, 27th October, 24th November, 22nd December
Craft Mornings 5th July, 19th July
BT Pre-School Fundraiser 7th July
Defibrillator Session 13th July
Games night 15th September
New Years Eve Party 31st December
DEADLINE DATE Items for the newsletter should be e-mailed to BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. Any enquiries to Ray Manley 01793 731564