Broad Town News-February 2011

February 2011 BROAD TOWN NEWS Published by Christ Church

Sponsored this month by the Social Club

Date/Day	Time	Church	Service	Readers	Sidesman	Chalice	Cleaner	Flowers
Wednesday Feb 2	2pm	Hilmarton	Holy Communion	Service at 48 Poynder Place
Sunday Feb 6	8 am	Clyffe Pypard	Communion
5th Sunday before	9.15am	Tockenham	Family Communion*
Lent	11am	Broad Town	Sung Communion	Mrs Marshall / C Green	J Wallis	C Green	Mrs McLaren	Mrs Green
Sunday Feb 13	9.15am	Clyffe Pypard	Family Communion
4th Sunday before	11am	Hilmarton	Family Service*
Lent	5pm	Tockenham	Evensong
Sunday Feb 20	9.15am	Tockenham	Morning Prayer
3rd Sunday before	11am	Broad Town	Family Communion*	D Marshall / G May	D Marshall	Mrs Drury	Mrs Marshall	Mrs Green
Lent	5pm	Hilmarton	Evensong
Sunday Feb 27	8am	Broad Town	Said Communion	S Richards / Mrs Green	S Richards	S Richards	Mrs Marshall
2nd Sunday before	9.15am	Hilmarton	Sung Communion
Lent	11am	Clyffe Pypard	Family Communion

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

REVEREND ALISON WAY

As I write (but probably not as you are reading this) we are enjoying some beautiful winter sunshine. It may be crisp, cold and rather frosty first thing, but it is very uplifting to see the sun after some weeks of grey and rain (not to mention the white stuff in December!). There is something quite specific about winter sunshine – it is not as bright and warm as the summer equivalent, but in its own way it refreshes the soul and points to the reality and hope that spring is not far away. Closer inspection of the garden reveals the bulbs beginning to sprout to confirm this and no doubt the snow drops will soon be in full flower. The birds are beginning to muster and sing, and nest building with new life are all around the corner.

In the bible in psalm 113 we are encouraged ‘from the rising of the sun to its setting’ to praise the Lord. This desire is part of our natural instincts as human beings, part of what it is to be made by our creator God, and each one of us unique and beloved as his children. Taking time to praise and be thankful to God day by day is part of us and is where the deep things of our hearts meet the deep love God has for us. It is in the stillness of our hearts in praise and thanksgiving that our loving heavenly Father God, a bit like the winter sunshine, brings hope, but also (and so much more) an abundance of love, wholeness and peace.

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

Dates for your diary

Feb 16^th WI

Feb 17^th School break up for Half Term

Feb 28^th School Returns

Mar 5^th Pancake coffee morning

Mar 6^th Church AGM after morning service

Sep 3^rd Big Gig

WI

Broad Town WI – 85 years young January 1926 and Broad Town WI opened its doors to local women. January 2011 and our WI celebrated its 85^th birthday with….yes, you’ve guessed it a fab cake! Our speaker was Judith Cranswick who talked to us about her addiction to writing crime novels. Her first novel, ‘Murder in Mind’, was set in Swindon and she read a passage from the opening pages, inviting us to guess where the action was taking place. Everyone recognized the underpass near Debenhams as Judith described an attack on a woman. She assured the members that her exploration into the minds of psychopaths and psychotics was not drawn from her own experience!

This month’s meeting is on February 16^th when the speaker is Rodney Veazey who will be talking to us about Whales and Dolphin conservation. So if you would like to come along to this please feel free to contact me, Jenny Newman (President) on 739268 or Jenni Cable (Secretary) on 731716. We don’t sing Jerusalem, you don’t have to be a jam maker or cake baker (though we do enjoy the offerings from the great cake makers among us J), and new members are always very welcome.

BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB

We are a friendly bunch that meets on Friday nights from 8pm. We also run a bingo on Sundays, doors open 7pm. Membership is now due £2.00 for the year.

We will be holding some events throughout the year, in March we will be having a pub games night, in April we will be having a pool night, in May we will be holding a skittles night and in June we will be holding a quiz night. (Dates and more events will be announced).

BROAD TOWN C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

Following a feasibility study in July 2009 and the subsequent "Taking Action on School Journeys Report" it has been decided by Wiltshire Council that the recommendations from the report should be implemented. The school is pleased to let you know that during half term week, starting 21^st February there will be some road improvements outside the school designed to slow traffic down whilst passing the school. This will include applying red SLOW patches with rumble strips at three points, putting up new signs and putting in dropped curbs and bollards to make a proper crossing point for Redhills. The work is expected to be completed within 5 days.

BROAD TOWN PARISH COUNCIL

1. The Parish Council is applying to take over the ownership of the Redhills playing field, to ensure its continued availability as a leisure facility.

2. The Control of Dogs Order is now in the process of consultation. Among other things it allows for steep fines for those allowing their dogs to foul ANY area to which the public have access. The Parish Council fully supports this order, particularly as this Village, particularly Thornhill, has an ongoing problem with dog fouling. The Dog Warden is aware of this.

3. The Parish Council is there to help keep the Village in the state you would wish it to be kept. You can do a lot to help yourselves, but if you cannot solve a problem, talk to a Councillor, or come to the meetings. That way I (the Clerk) will not get moans about things that are already being dealt with.

4. Footpaths are the responsibility of the landowner over which the paths run. If a footpath is unusable for any reason, i.e. a broken stile or fence, and this is reported to the Parish Council, a letter will be sent and a record kept. If no action is taken the matter will be referred to Wilts Council Rights of Way.

BROAD TOWN NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

The Broad Town Neighbourhood Watch is up and running. Area Coordinator is myself, Andrew Law and the Parish is subdivided into 9 areas each with its own local coordinator. E-mails are used to cascade information from the police via local coordinators down to individual members. Where members have no access to the internet, printed information can be made available. Neighbourhood Watch is one of the biggest and most successful crime prevention initiatives ever. Behind it lies a simple idea, and a central value shared by millions of people around the country: Getting together with your neighbours to take action can cut local crime. Everyone knows that the police are there to fight crime, but they need your help to do an effective job. Neighbourhood Watch (or Home Watch as it is known in some areas) is all about an active partnership with the police. Neighbourhood Watch schemes can: Cut crime and the opportunities for crime. Help and reassure those who live in fear of crime. Encourage neighbourliness and closer communities.

Provide a better place to live, work and play. Anyone wishing to join the Broad Town Neighbourhood Watch should forward their name, address and e-mail to me at andrewlaw456@tiscali.co.uk or drop a note through my door at 1 Pye Lane.

COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH

Thank you to those people who volunteered to participate in the Broad Town Community Speedwatch. Sufficient names were received to justify training and therefore the Parish Council has decided to proceed with the Scheme. Volunteers will be notified of training dates when they become known.

Anyone who still wishes to volunteer to join the Scheme can do so by sending an e-mail to Andrew Law at andrewlaw456@tiscali.co.uk.

BROAD TOWN PARISH PLAN STEERING GROUP COMMITTEE

First of all, the Steering Group wish you all a very Happy New Year. You may have been wondering what has been happening with the plan since the summer. We promise we haven’t gone into hibernation! We’ve just had our heads down writing the plan in readiness for printing. We’re now reaching the final stages, and when we’ve completed it, it will be passed to the Parish Council for adoption prior to being sent to print.

There have been a number of successes following the Questionnaire, for example:

· Neighbourhood Watch Scheme set up

· Traffic monitoring and counting undertaken

· Community Speed Watch is being taken forward

In addition, here’s an update on the Special Interest Groups (SIGS) which were initiated at our last public meeting when we asked for volunteers to further investigate specific issues identified by the Parish Plan Questionnaire.

Rights of Way There was a large amount of interest shown in the Rights of Way SIG at the Parish meeting and subsequently the committee met a number of times last year, but due to a number of pressures they were not able to progress this further. They are aware that efforts have been made by individuals to clear some of the paths which had become difficult to navigate and for this they are sure all footpath users are very grateful. Now that the vegetation has died back the committee will need to reenergise the group, and are looking for volunteers to walk or ride the various rights of way in the Parish and to report back on where they would benefit from maintenance and/or clearance work. Volunteers are also required to help on the committee. Please contact either Rupert Pearce (rupert@scopus.co.uk) or Jim Rawlins (james.rawlins@tiscali.co.uk).

Youth Club An effort was made to set up a Special Interest Group to start a Youth Club but unfortunately, despite offers of help to be involved in running it, there was insufficient interest in being part of an organising committee. It was therefore decided not to proceed. Anyone interested in taking this forward should contact Lorraine Billis on 731188 for a copy of the information pack.

Community Shop A small number of volunteers started to consider the development of a community shop, but there was a poor response to a request for extra people to become involved. At the present time the idea is not actively being pursued any further.

Housing/Village Centre 103 people saw a need for new housing and 144 would like a Village Centre. This cannot be progressed at the current time.

BIG GIG - 3rd September 2011

First, the important news: the 6th Broad Town Big Gig will be held on the 3^rd September 2011 - get that date in your diaries. We have a new and bigger committee than ever before, comprising Keith Newman (Chair), Marcus Galea (Vice-Chair), Chris King (Secretary), James Harvey-Samuel (Treasurer) and committee members Andrew Law, Matt Parry, Gill Richardson, Matt Rogers, Graham Wallace and Richard Wylie. Together, we plan to make this year's event even better than before!

We have already been approached by many bands to play at the Big Gig, but as always we are happy to hear of your suggestions. We are also pencilling in one or perhaps two Little Gigs in the Village Hall, more details of that in subsequent newsletters. As always, we face the battle of rising costs of our event whilst delivering value for a reasonable ticket price - if you, or your business, can help by way of sponsorship of the Big Gig, we have a number of opportunities to advertise your enterprise, either in the programme, on tickets and wristbands or on site on the day. Please get in touch by emailing biggIg@brogdtownshow.co.uk or contacting any of the committee directly. www.broadtownshow.co.uk

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.

MARCH 2011 EDITION

Will organisations or anyone wishing to have news, etc. included in the March edition please note that items must be submitted to Mrs M Green, 1 Broadacres, Broad Town,

BY 6pm FRIDAY 19^th February. It is regretted that submissions after that time cannot be included.