Broad Town News-December 2013/January2014

December 2013/January2014 BROAD TOWN NEWS Published by Christ Church

No Sponsor this month more sponsors required to keep publication going

Date/Day	Time	Church	Service	Readers	Sidesman	Chalice	Cleaner	Flowers
Sunday Dec 1	10.30am	Tockenham	Benefice Communion
Advent Sunday	5pm	Broad Town	Advent Hymns & Readings	TBA	C Green		M Green	Advent
			with Candlelit Compline
Wednesday Dec 4	2pm	Hilmarton	Holy Communion Held at 48 Poynder Place
Sunday Dec 8	10.30am	Clyffe Pypard	Benefice Communion
Advent 2	5pm	Hilmarton	Carol Service
Sunday Dec 15	10.30am	Broad Town	Benefice Communion	R Manley / R Holness	J Wallis	D Marshall	J Rendell	Advent
Advent 3	5pm	Clyffe Pypard	Carol Service*
Thursday Dec19	6pm	Broad Town	Carol Service	TBA	C Green		J Rendell	Advent
Friday Dec 20	1.15pm	Broad Town	School Carol Service
Sunday Dec 22	10.30am	Hilmarton	Benefice Communion
Advent 4	4pm	Tockenham	Christingle*
Tuesday Dec 24	4pm	Hilmarton	Family Service*
Christmas Eve	6pm	Tockenham	Carol Service
	11pm	Broad Town	Midnight Mass	C Marshall / C Green	D Marshall	C Green &	R McLaren	Advent
						Drury
Wednesday Dec 25	10am	Clyffe Pypard	Family Communion*
Christmas Day
Sunday Dec 29	10.30am	Tockenham	Benefice Communion
Thomas Beckett

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

REVEREND ALISON WAY

Christmas is coming!!

Time to hit the shops, dust off the trusted Christmas decorations and get out the recipe books to make the family favourites. For me, preparations for Christmas come first with the marking of a holy Advent (which takes precedence on the Sunday mornings up to Christmas). May I particularly commend to you the chance to enjoy an Advent Candlelit Night Prayer in Christchurch Broad Town on December 1^st at 5pm. Then the many and varied social events kick in (coffee mornings, a bazaar, a concert and an angel festival come to mind). Then there is a raft of school and preschool activities to factor in. Then there is the round of Village Carol Services and the Christingle. Though all these activities get muddled up with one another, they come to a culmination on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with another round of special and significant worship. As we sing ‘O come all ye faithful’ again this year, let’s see it as an invitation to step once more into the nativity story. Especially let’s make that journey of our imagination to be there in Bethlehem and join in worship with others who have already travelled there in their hearts too. The repeated chorus – O come let us adore him – adds urgency to the invitation to be there, as we mark how Jesus is God and has arrived on earth as a vulnerable baby. Let’s marvel together at the wonder of ‘God with us’ - Emmanuel for ourselves, the real meaning of Christmas.

May I wish you all a happy and holy Christmas, and a peace-filled New Year.

With love in Christ, Alison Way, Rector, Benefice of Woodhill, The Rectory, Wood Street, Clyffe Pypard, Wilts, SN4 7PY rectorwoodhill@gmail.com 01793 739044

ate/Day Time Church Service Readers Sidesman Chalice Cleaner Flowers

Sunday Jan 5 9.15am Tockenham Family Communion*

Epiphany 11am Broad Town Sung Communion C Crocker / M Manley J Wallis C Green R McLaren C Marshall

5pm Clyffe Pypard Evensong

Wenesday Jan 8 2pm Hilmarton Holy Communion Held at 48 Poynder Place

Sunday Jan 12 9.15am Clyffe Pypard Holy Communion

Baptism of Christ 11am Hilmarton Family Service*

5pm Tockenham Joint Epiphany Evening Service

Sunday Jan 19 9.15am Tockenham Morning Prayer

Plough Sunday 11am Broad Town Family Communion* R McLaren / M Green C Green J Drury C Oldfield C Crocker

5pm Hilmarton Evensong

Sunday Jan 26 9.15am Hilmarton Sung Communion

Epiphany 3 11am Clyffe Pypard Morning Prayer

5pm Broad Town Evensong C Marshall / D Marshall D Marshall C Oldfield F Holness

* Denotes a service that is particularly suitable for all ages

REVEREND ALISON WAY

Promise of Spring….

Kate Mcllhagga starts a poem entitled ‘Promise of Spring’ thus:-

‘Pale winter sun,

flooding the earth,

with your light,

gliding your touch.

Your eyes have seen the glory of the Lord’.

There is something about the sunshine at this time of year even though it is a paler imitation of the heat of the sun in the summer that reminds us that spring will come. As we mark the passage of time through the seasons and the years – we move on from the song of the angels at Christmas through to marking the Epiphany in January, when our thoughts turn to new beginnings.

Epiphany means a moment of sudden and great realization, or a manifestation or a showing. In the Church, we use the word to refer to the magi following the urge to travel to see and worship Jesus. As the weeks of the month pass, we develop this theme by thinking about Jesus’ baptism (with the spirit of God descending on him like a dove) and how Jesus was presented in the temple as a 40-day old infant, where Simeon and Anna recognized him. Simeon’s words being very well known as the Nunc Dimittis

Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen : thy salvation; Which thou hast prepared : before the face of all people; To be a light to lighten the Gentiles : and to be the glory of thy people Israel. (Version from Book of Common Prayer)

In between all this we also mark Plough Sunday as another type of new beginning and continue our prayers for our farming community.

Do come and join us for worship whenever you can, as we think about Epiphany. In particular do try to come to our combined Epiphany Celebration service with Royal Wootton Bassett and Lyneham with Bradenstoke on Sunday 12^th January at 5pm in St Giles, Tockenham.

With love in Christ, Alison Way, Rector, Benefice of Woodhill, The Rectory, Wood Street, Clyffe Pypard, Wilts, SN4 7PY rectorwoodhill@gmail.com 01793 739044

HAVE YOU LOST SOME KEYS

Some keys have been handed in to Broad Town School. They were found near the end of Redhills. There is a silver standard key and a brass yale type key. The key ring is heart shaped with the wording ‘Love you mum xxx’.

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

11^th Dec WI 31^st Dec Fourways New Year’s Eve Party

13^th Dec Community Led Planning Group meeting in Village Hall 7^th Jan 2014 Back to school

15^th Dec Fourways Christmas Draw 15^th Jan WI

19^th Dec Broad Town Carol Service 17^th Jan CLPG meeting in Village Hall

20^th Dec School Carol Service and end of term 19^th Feb WI

2^nd and 4^th Wednesdays of each month Busy Bees Group (except the 4^th Wed of Dec.)

SPONSORSHIP

We still do not have any sponsors for the newsletter. As a newsletter goes out to every house in Broad Town it is the easiest way for information to be broadcast to the widest number of people in the village. So if you would like to sponsor an issue or several the cost is £20 per issue. Please get in contact with the editor.

CHURCH EXPENDITURE

We are now investigating putting in a loop system for the hard of hearing and changing the heating in Church. We also need the electrical installation tested and upgraded if necessary. This is to comply with our 5yearly inspection.

Would you like to financially support your Church at this expensive time either as a Friend or through the Fabric account? If so please contact Rosie on 01793 731526 to be a “Friend” or Clive on 01793 854200 to donate to the fabric account.

PROSPECT HOSPICE BOX COLLECTION

Prospect Hospice is a Local Charity, dear to the hearts of many, caring for terminally ill patients in its hospice in Wroughton, in peoples homes and at the Great Western Hospital where it has a dedicated nursing team. Through private giving, fund raising events and it’s Charity shops it needs to meet a £5.8million annual running cost to enable it to fulfil its purpose. Household collection boxes contribute to this by raising about £90,000 so I am pleased to help in this by having just taken over box delivery and collections as an authorised Prospect Box Collector in Broad Town Village.

If you feel you are able to contribute, even in a small way, to this most worthy of charitable causes by having a COLLECTION BOX for your “odd change” at home, please contact me, Janice Griffin on 01793 731424 (email j.griffin7@btinternet.com) and I will arrange to add you to my list of donors and provide you with a collection box.

BROAD TOWN PRESCHOOL

Christmas bazaar at Broad Town Village Hall. Broad Town Preschool is holding a Christmas Bazaar at the village hall on the 13th December, 11am - 12noon to raise funds for our fantastic preschool. There will be a range of stalls including local crafts, Christmas gifts and cakes. Please join us for some festive light refreshments, present shopping, activities for children and the chance to meet Father Christmas! Everyone welcome!

BROAD TOWN COMMUNITY LED PLANNING (CLP) GROUP

Since the village meeting on 8^th October the CLPG have been busy working alongside Common Places, the Project Managers, to draft options that will lead to proposed policies for inclusion in the Neighbourhood Plan. We are looking at the issues you raised in the Presentation Events held in February and the recent online survey as well as previous surveys to form the draft options which will then be analysed. Once the whole process is complete (still a long way ahead) the final policies will be used when planning applications for Broad Town are considered. So that you can all be kept involved and informed we plan to hold a further village meeting in the new year to let you know the outcome of the analysis and the next steps. Please look out for a notice through your door after Christmas.

We will also hold our own CLPG meetings at the village hall on Friday December 13^th and Friday January 17th both at 8.15 p.m. to discuss progress and you are all very welcome to join us either to contribute to the discussion or just listen in.

Please contact us if you would like to go onto our mailing list on lorraine@mrsbillis.co.uk. Would you like paper copies of documents if you don’t have access to e-mail? Give Lorraine a call on 731188. More information is on our Community Forum on www.broad-town.co.uk or from Common Places www.New-V.co.uk .

BROAD TOWN WI

Our speaker at November’s meeting was Polly Fouracres, our local Yoga teacher. She gave us a one hour taster session of Hatha yoga, explaining some of the techniques. We then had the opportunity to try some breathing exercises and seated postures and then some floor work on our mats. The session was accompanied by very gentle, relaxing background music and we all felt refreshed and reinvigorated at the end.

Our November Barn dance was a great success. The hall was decorated with hay bales, bunting, candles, flowers and an assortment of chickens (not live ones). Thank you to all who helped. Everyone enjoyed the band and threw themselves enthusiastically into the dancing. We will definitely be having another in the future. £251 was raised to replenish WI funds.

Our meeting on 11^th December at 7.30pm is entitled ’A taste of Christmas’. We will be singing seasonal songs with the Swindon Scratch Choir followed by nibbles and drinks. All members are invited to bring a guest (no charge).

On 15^th January our meeting ‘Resolutions and Puddings’ is for members only.

We have an Open Meeting on Wednesday 19^th February at 7.30pm at Broad Town Village Hall. It is entitled ‘Dementia, Diagnosis and Treatment’. Our speaker will be Dr Simon Manchip, a Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry for Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership. He is also a National Dementia Advisor for the Order of St John’s Care Home Trust. This will be a very informative meeting and anyone is welcome to come. (Non-members £3 donation to cover speaker and tea and cakes)

We are a very friendly bunch and always welcome new members, so don’t be shy, why not come along to a meeting. For more information contact Jane on 01793 731105.

THE FOUR WAYS: your Community Pub (in Broad Town village hall) – ALL WELCOME!

BINGO Every Sunday Eyes down 8pm; last ball 10pm New guaranteed big-house game is proving very popular! Never played Bingo before? Not from Broad Town? Doesn't matter: guests and new players always very welcome! Full bar plus snacks, tea, coffee, cappuccino and Aero hot chocolate always available. Books start at £1.25; grocery raffle and card game £1: unlike other nearby commercial bingo nights, every penny you stake is always returned to participants. More players = BIGGER rewards!

A handful of Christmas draw numbers left: see Jenny or Brian to get yours. PLEASE NOTE date for claiming your winnings: the draw will now take place at the Christmas Bingo session on SUNDAY 15th December. Prizes include: hampers of festive food, quality branded table and kitchenware, multipacks of soft and alcoholic drinks plus lots more.

BAR 8pm-late Every Friday Enjoy a drink at much-cheaper-than-pub-prices, including a choice of SEVEN types of ale, four ciders, four lagers, premium spirits and mixers starting at £1.30! Play FREE DARTS, FREE POOL and FREE TABLE TENNIS & TABLE FOOTBALL with friends and neighbours.

EVENTS & CHRISTMAS HOURS Sunday Bingo Open as usual: 1^st, 8^th, 15^th, 29^th DECEMBER. Sunday 22^nd December – CLOSED: NO BINGO

Friday Bar Open as usual: 29^th NOVEMBER; 6^th, 13^th, 20^th DECEMBER. Friday 27^th December – BAR CLOSED

Tuesday 31^st December THE VINYL COUNTDOWN 2: New Year’s Eve party FREE ENTRY 8.30pm till late Dust off your favourite singles and LPs, and bring them along! Or pick out your favourites from the thousands of original 45s we have available! Every & any era/style/genre – country & western, soul, dance, classical, ska, hip-hop, pop, rock, show tunes... Don't have any vinyl? Bring your CDs or MP3s instead… Pop in for a quick pint on your way somewhere else, or stay all night and party with us!

A very merry Christmas and a Happy 2014 from Phyl, Jenny, Trevor, Matt and all our other committee members and bar staff.

UPDATE FROM THE PARISH COUNCIL

• News from NEW-V. The Neighborhood Plan process continues apace, with a well attended consultation event held on October 8th followed by several joint collaboration meetings between members of the CLPG and the Parish Council to develop a list of options These options are intended to be as complete a list as possible to enable an effective SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis, which will be carried out by Common Places to form the input to the next stage of developing the neighborhood plan. Included in the options is a concept put forward by Hannick Homes, for possible development on the land south of the school, to be considered by the village at some appropriate point in the future. 

• Please continue to give your input to the process to ensure that Broad Town’s opinions are represented in the final document. If you have any comments or questions on this process, the project manager is best placed to answer them: contact mark@commonplaces.co.uk.

• The weather is getting colder and it won’t be long before the salt bins are in use. Wiltshire Council has asked that road salt is spread very thinly as it does not need a thick covering to be effective.

• Grass cutting on the Redhills play area. Sodexho have pulled out of their contract to do this, and the Parish Council is therefore looking for a new contractor who can perform this role. Contact the Clerk if you have any suggestions on Tel: 731154.

• Wiltshire Council is asking that landowners keep drainage ditches clear, particularly at this time of year when hedge cutting is in full swing, and it is easy to fill the ditches with clippings

• Parish Council meetings are still in the Village Hall on the second Monday of each month at the new earlier time of 6:30pm.

PARISH CLERKS CLIPPINGS

1. Despite rumours to the contrary, I am not a Councillor. I am the Clerk to the Parish Council, I do not run the Council, but can be relied upon to spout Council policy.

2. Vandalism. There has been some vandalism to stiles at the Southern end of the Village. The police are aware.

3. Warning.. Several people have been contacted by an official sounding company selling alarm systems to Senior Citizens. Be aware that the ongoing annual charges for this service become very large over time.

‘BUSY BEES’ BABY AND TODDLER GROUP: BENEFICE OF WOODHILL

We have started Busy Bees baby and toddler group and are continuing to follow second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at Bushton Village Hall, 1.45pm - 2.45pm. 

We shall miss the fourth Wednesday in December!! and pick up with the second Wednesday in January for now. More to follow if anything changes.

Large car park and lots of room to play. All Mothers, Fathers, Carers, Babies and Toddlers welcome. Contact Kim Gough: 07850 933344

BROAD TOWN BIG GIG - SATURDAY 30TH AUGUST 2014

We're back with a Big Gig in 2014, so make a note in your diary: Saturday 30th August. At the AGM on the 15th November, the new team of Keith Newman, Chris King, James Harvey-Samuel, Andrew Law, Matt Nailon, Richard Wylie, Kev Thomson, Chris Moore, David Maslin, Matt Gibbs (and a couple of others whose arms we are still twisting), agreed the Big Gig will proceed with the aim of a bigger and better show than 2012 - and that was a corker! Early days yet, but we'll keep you up to date as plans unfold. www.broadtownbiggig.co.uk / www.facebook.com/broadtownbiggig

Fork handles….for anyone who, like me, enjoyed that unforgettable sketch by the Two Ronnies, this will raise a smile! Hopefully it has attracted your attention to read further!

At this time of year the dark nights and cold wet weather often encourages us to stay home and light those “four candles”! This brings me onto the serious matter of fire and safety. Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service are anxious to prevent fires happening and so offer a free check up on homes. They offer advice on safety measures as well as checking that your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms work. If you are interested in having a check on your home, please call me to arrange on 07557110414.

Finally at the end of the year, may I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Ellen Blacker, Good Neighbour Coordinator

PS for anyone interested there is an excellent follow up sketch by Ronnie Corbett and Harry Enfield titled “My Blackberry is not working”. Well worth checking out!

THINKING OF A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION FOR 2014?

LINK6 & RWB Good Neighbour Scheme has a great suggestion for you. Why not consider giving a few hours a month to help local people in need?

We are short of volunteers with cars, and would also welcome somebody to join us as a Co-ordinator.

Please contact Allison Bucknell 01793 854421 or allison.bucknell@btinternet.com

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.

FEBRUARY 2014 EDITION

Will organisations or anyone wishing to have news, etc. included in the February edition please note that items must be submitted to

Margaret Green, 5 Eastwood Avenue, Royal Wootton Bassett, Wilts. SN4 8BX. cliveggreen@waitrose.com BY 6pm FRIDAY 24^th JANUARY.

It is regretted that submissions after that time will not be included.

WE WISH ALL OUR READERS A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A JOYOUS NEW YEAR