Broad Town News-March 2012

March 2012 BROAD TOWN NEWS Published by Christ Church

Sponsored this month by the Social Club

Date/Day	Time	Church	Service	Readers	Sidesman	Chalice	Cleaner	Flowers
Friday Mar 2	2.30pm	Broad Town	Women’s World Day of Prayer
Sunday Mar 4	9.15am	Tockenham	Book of Common Prayer Communion
Lent 2	11am	Broad Town	Book of Common	Mrs Marshall / G May	J Wallis	D Marshall	Mrs Cameron-Street	Lent
			Prayer Communion
			Followed by Church AGM.
	5pm	Clyffe Pypard	Evensong
Wednesday Mar 7	2pm	Hilmarton	Service at 48 Poynder Place
Sunday Mar 11	9.15am	Clyffe Pypard	Book of Common Prayer Communion
Lent 3	11am	Hilmarton	Family Service*+ Baptism followed by Church AGM
	5pm	Tockenham	Evensong
	5pm	Broad Town	Evensong	Mrs Green / Mrs Crocker	D Marshall		Mrs Cameron-Street	Lent
Sunday Mar 18	9.15am	Tockenham	Family Communion*
Mothering Sunday	11am	Broad Town	Family Communion*	D Marshall / Mrs Richardson	C Green	Mrs Drury	Mrs Rendell	Lent
	11am	Hilmarton	Family Service*
Sunday Mar 25	8am	Broad Town	Said Communion	C Green / S Richards	S Richards	S Richards	Mrs Rendell	Lent
Passion Sunday	9.15am	Hilmarton	Communion
	11am	Clyffe Pypard	Family Communion followed by Church AGM
Friday Mar 30	9.30am	Broad Town	School Easter Service

* Denotes a service that is particularly suitable for all ages.

REVEREND ALISON WAY

During March we are having three Lent Groups, one in the afternoons split between Clyffe Pypard and Tockenham, one at lunch time (bring a packed lunch) around Broad Town and one in the evenings in Hilmarton. The first meetings of these groups are on Friday 9^th March at 2pm at the Rectory in Clyffe Pypard, Monday 5^th March at 12 noon at 61 Marlborough Road, Royal Wootton Bassett and 7:30pm at 48 Poynder Place Hilmarton. Details of the rest of the group meetings, the book to read or the Bible readings to follow, and the bring and share supper in holy week are available in the churches or from me.

This month also sees our next children’s work shop open for key stage 1 and 2 children on Saturday 17^th March from 2:30 to 4:00pm at Hilmarton Church Hall. We will be thinking about the traditions of Mothering Sunday and how that came about and it will be lots of fun. Please let me know if your children are coming so we have sufficient resources. Our special services for Mothering Sunday will also reflect this theme, and are also shown in the service information below.

As well this month we have our Annual parochial church meetings in each of the parishes. Do come along and learn more about the life and work of the Church in your parish and across the benefice. The meetings are:

Sunday March 4^th in Christchurch Broad Town at 11:50am approx. Sunday March 11^th in St Lawrence Hilmarton at 11:50am approx.

Sunday March 25^th in St Peter’s Clyffe Pypard at 11:50am approx. Monday March 26^th in the village hall for St Giles Tockenham at 7:30pm.

Finally, Swindon Foodback is currently experiencing unprecedented demand on their supplies, to help them we are going to be collecting non-perishable food items regularly in each of the churches. If you would like to help in this simple way, right now they particularly need longlife fruit juice, longlife milk and tinned tomatoes. You will find a box in each church for your food donations or leave them on the back door step of the Rectory! For full details of their shopping list, please go to foodbank website http://www.swindonfoodbank.co.uk or get in touch with me!

With love in Christ, Alison Way, Rector, Benefice of Woodhill.

The Rectory, Wood Street, Clyffe Pypard, Wilts, SN4 7PY, alisonway@tiscali.co.uk, 01793 739044

MOTHERING SUNDAY

There will be a special Mothering Sunday service in the Village Church on 18^th March at 11am, with coffee afterwards. All Welcome

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

March 20^th Village Hall AGM

March 21^st WI

March 21^st Link 6 and RWB AGM

March 30^th School Easter Service

March 30^th End of term

April 8^th Social club bunny special

April 16^th Back to school

May 12^th Coffee morning

July 14^th/15^th Flower festival and Scarecrow competition

Sep 1^st Big Gig

PANCAKE COFFEE MORNING

Thank you for the support we had for the Pancake coffee morning. £220 was raised towards Church funds as well as a lot of socialising taking place.

The next coffee morning will be on May 12^th when there will be books for swapping and plants for sale.

BROAD TOWN WI

Michelle Leighton was the guest speaker at Broad Town WI last month. Many of you may know her as the personal trainer at Centimany Gym, but this has not always been how Michelle earned a living. Having been made redundant by a local large employer (who many of us in Broad Town have to thank for our change in career fortunes!) Michelle decided to go back to 'school' and learn how to be a personal trainer - enabling her to combine her fitness passion with her work. She has never looked back. As well as being a personal trainer Michelle enjoys running and brought some of her medals, from the London and Berlin Marathons, to show us. Together with two of our members Michelle demonstrated Swiss ball workouts, which were not as easy as they looked! And some of us rekindled our youth by discovering hula-hooping was a lot harder than we remembered.

We rounded off a 'fitness' evening with some lovely homemade cakes and biscuits!!!

BT WI meets on the 3rd Wednesday in every month and welcomes guests and new members. The next meeting is on 21st March when our speaker will be Peter Knight who will be talking about the hidden symbolism in church stained glass windows and architecture. If you would like to know more about our WI please feel free to call Jenny on 739268 or Sandra on 731523 or take a look on the BT website to see what's coming up

VILLAGE HALL AGM

The annual General Meeting of the Village Hall committee is on Tuesday 20^th March in the Village Hall. All welcome and any reports / queries from user groups also welcome. If there are any users who would like to join the committee do come along or speak to a committee member.

LINK6 & RWB GOOD NEIGHBOUR SCHEME UPDATE.

In January, the LINK6 Good Neighbour scheme voted to incorporate Royal Wootton Bassett into the areas they cover. We are now LINK6 & RWB and would welcome more volunteers. Please note that we have a new number for enquiries:07879 394666. We also now have a website http://link6andrwb.btck.co.uk

Our AGM will be held on March 21st at 3pm in THE CROFT, ROPE YARD, ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT. All welcome (tea and cakes provided).

For further information, please ring 07879 394666 or e-mail link6.wilts@gmail.com

BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB

Make March the month that you get to know your neighbours better and make new friends!

EVERY FRIDAY 8.00pm-late

It's just like going to the pub – except a lot cheaper and much friendlier…You don't have to be a member to pop in for a drink – or even know anyone!

BTSC's newest volunteer – Matthew, an ex-publican with a decade of experience both home and abroad – is your convivial host, and our colourful regulars from all walks of life always guarantee a warm welcome with an inclusive and entertaining time for all! With over 60 local adult members signed up so far in 2012, isn't it about time you treated yourself to a top night out within strolling distance of your home, for less than the price of a taxi back from ’Bassett?

Official pub pool table; Fußball, darts, skittles and tons more fun pass-times!

ñ Proper ales in stock today, from only £2 each: Morland Old Golden Hen, Wychwood Hobgoblin, Greene King Abbot Ale, Courage Directors, Fuller's Bengal Lancer IPA

ñ Local brews from Moles, Ramsbury and Braydon Ales available at special events

ñ Cider from only £1.50/pint; Becks and Tetleys on draught

ñ Full range of red and white wines and branded spirits from £1.10 up, as well as an inspired selection of soft drinks and diet sodas including the cherry-arific J²O Glitterberry

ñ PLUS more tasty snacks than you can shake a piglet at!

Well-behaved, socialised dogs welcome; Junior membership available to accompanied 12-18s

EVERY SUNDAY 7.15pm–10.30pm

Broad Town's BINGO-ING MAD!

ñ Other games including: Play Your Cards Right, Groceries Raffle and lots more!

ñ Eyes down at 8.00pm; last ball 10.00pm; books and stakes start at just £1!

ñ Teas, Coffees, chocolate, sweeties and new dabbers always available

ñ DON'T MISS! Sunday 8^th April: The Broad Town Bunny's Special Easter Prizes!

2012 DAYS OUT AND SPECIAL EVENINGS

BTSC isn't just about the bar – as well as keeping the Big Gig in bevvies, we've got more big plans for the coming eighteen months, and we want YOU to be a part of them! Future events include:

Trips to gigs and club nights as well as big-name bands/DJs visiting the village

Broad-cider: home-fermenting success secrets straight from the experts

Unmissable village history and fascinating local geology events

Brain Of Broad Town – are you a know-it-all or a Numpty?

Wii, Xbox 360 and PS3 challenges on the big screen!

Coaches to international sporting fixtures

Got a great idea for a fun evening or day out you'd like us to help organise?

Come on in and tell us about it, and we'll figure out how to make it happen!

BTSC is run by a small, unpaid committee of people of all ages from your village – we always need more volunteers committed to having fun helping others enjoy themselves!

FLOWER FESTIVAL & SCARECROW TRAIL

A committee has already started planning for the Flower Festival to be held in the Village Church in July. The theme is Books and we hope there will be several Scarecrows displayed in the Village all weekend.

We are keen to provide a really good floral display and have been fund raising towards the cost of the flowers but if you would love to make a donation, however large or small, we would be most grateful. Perhaps you would consider sponsoring one of the complete arrangements (£30) in memory of a departed loved one and this would be noted in the programme. Contact Sara Richardson 731114 or Rosie McLaren 731526.

SCARECROW COMPETITION

This will be run the same weekend as the flower festival with the same theme – Books. Any book, adult or children’s can be used.

More details and entry form next month.

BROAD TOWN COMMUNITY LED PLANNING GROUP

The first meeting of the BTCLP Group was held at the Village Hall on 10^th February to receive an update on the Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Area Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group from Mike Broomfield, our representative. Mike informed the Group that the purpose of the RWB&C Steering Group is to co-ordinate a pilot scheme for a Neighbourhood Plan that includes all the towns and parishes within the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade area. A Neighbourhood Plan incorporates plans for e.g. employment opportunity, transport links and housing development and has legal status. Included within the process leading up to a Neighbourhood Plan is a referendum on the proposals it contains. We learnt that it is not clear if all towns and parishes in the area agree to be included in the pilot scheme and that no final decision has been made for it to proceed. We were also told that Broad Town Parish Council has agreed to participate. The alternatives are for towns and parishes to have individual Neighbourhood Plans, or to have no Neighbourhood Plan. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of these different options.

Our own Broad Town Parish Plan will form the remit for Mike at future meetings of the RWB &C Steering Group as it represents the opinions of the residents of Broad Town. We want our Group to be welcoming, informal and open to all so please contact Mike if you would like more information or would like to join our next meeting - e-mail michaelbroomfield@btinternet.com

PARISH CLERKS CLIPPINGS

1. Road Safety Improvements. Wiltshire Highways have approved the plan, and costings. Out of a total cost of over £4000, the cost to the Parish will be only £2000, Thanks to the generosity of local groups the cost has largely been met. Big Gig have donated £1200, NCAP £500, and the Parish Plan Steering Group £200; the Parish has only to find £100. A small price to pay. These extra measures, plus the good work being done by the Community Speedwatch Team, should make the main road safer. The work should be completed by the end of March.

2.The Speedwatch Team gave a briefing on their work to date. Two important points to note

a. 60% of vehicles exceed the 30mph limit.

b. The device used to check the speed of vehicles is NOT a camera. It does not show the driver, only the vehicle and speed. There is no personal involvement.

3. Vacancy on the Parish Council. As nobody put their names forward for an election to be held, and in accordance with instructions from Wiltshire Electoral Services, the post was filled by co-option. Mrs D. Ponting accepted the invitation to become a member.

4. Waste Collections days are changing. You should have received a notice from Wilts Council. Remember, in order to take advantage of 'green' bins, you have to register.

5. Redhills.

a. Dogs are prohibited on the Redhills Playing Field. Action will be taken against those contravening this order.

b. There are reports of a scooter being driven at high speed and recklessly up Redhills and on the Playing Field. The Police will be notified.

BROAD TOWN COMMUNITY SPEED WATCH

During more than 20 surveying sessions over a fortnight, despite the presence of a light-up awareness sign outside the school, your volunteer team was horrified to witness an average of around one-in-five vehicles speeding in the 30mph zone, still overwhelmingly in a South-bound direction (towards Broad Hinton).

As many as two hundred cars can pass through in an hour, so that's ONE SPEEDER EVERY 90 SECONDS. What are you going to do about it?

Everyone is welcome to drop in on our sessions in the Post Box lay-by 1100-1200 Sunday mornings, just for a few minutes. You can even have a go with the speed detection equipment yourself, and share your opinions with us about how we can all work together to help make our village safer.

Following our appeal for more volunteers last month, we have already welcomed one additional team-member, but we still need many more villagers to help out!

If you can spare two non-consecutive hours per month, you too can be a part of Broad Town's Community Speed Watch initiative.

More info? Please phone Matt on 01793 731499 or email oscar.littlelad@gmail.com

BIG GIG 1^st September 2012

We are currently touring the music venues of Wiltshire and beyond to scout out top quality acts for the Big Gig – and have a long list to get through yet! As usual, many artists are asking to play at our festival, which is a great compliment to us and you as such a great audience.

Things are also progressing on the catering front; many of you will be pleased that Rogon Josh will be providing their excellent Indian fare again this year. We are also planning some tweaks to the layout of the site and working hard to ensure everything is in place well in advance of the 1^st September.

If you have any suggestions, bandwise or otherwise, feel free to get in touch via our website or facebook.www.broadtownbiggig.co.uk / www.facebook.com/BroadTownBigGig

THE GUILD OF WILTSHIRE ARTISTS

Run workshops at the Village Hall on every third Saturday of the month from 10am to 4pm. All are welcome including painters who are beginners.

Tea and Coffee provided but do bring a packed lunch.

Help will be given to those who request it. Contact telephone numbers 731154, 731519.

DISCLAIMER

Broad Town Newsletter (BTN) takes all reasonable care to ensure that pages published are accurate. Articles and letters submitted may be the personal opinion of the author and, as such, are not endorsed by BTN. BTN takes no responsibility for the consequences of error or for any loss or damage suffered by users of any of the information published on any of these pages, and such information does not form any basis of a contract with readers or users of it.

APRIL 2012 EDITION

Will organisations or anyone wishing to have news, etc. included in April edition please note that items must be submitted to Mrs M Green, 1 Broadacres, Broad Town, cliveggreen@waitrose.com BY 6pm FRIDAY 23^rd March. It is regretted that submissions after that time cannot be included.