CHADRA

Charfield and District Residents Association

Newsletter 143 – April 2011 – 25p

Opinions expressed by contributors are not necessarily the opinions of CHADRA.

Copyright © Charfield and District Residents Association 2011.


Contents

News in Brief
Members Of The CHADRA Team
Editorial
St John's Church
Out of School Club Report
Tavern Riders
Safer & Stronger Community Groups
The South Cotswold Choral Group
Begin To Detox Your Life
Marilyn's Bit
Your CHADRA – part II
Charfield Parish Council
Charfield Congregational Church
Rubbish at the Playing Field
Charfield Pre-School
Lets get the garden ready for summer!
Gardens Open Day
The Month of May
Charfield Memorial Hall
Easter Fair
Memorial Hall & Playing Fields
Thornbury Choral Society
HAIL, WELL MET, AND FAREWELL
Well Aware
RNLI – Wotton-under-Edge & District
Diary
Village Organisations


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News in Brief

Well Done to Charfield Out of School Club not only have they been described as ‘outstanding’ in an OFSTED report, but they have also been successful in securing a £1000 grant for capital expenditure from Magnox.


Charfield's own Dramatic Society rehearsing for its 1st production.


Approval for 5 houses on the Charfield Triangle

South Gloucestershire Council's Planning Committee have accepted the Planning Officer's recommendation for approval of the construction of 5 dwellings on the plot of land on the corner of Little Bristol Lane and Wotton Road. There are some conditions attached to the approval which cover noise, railway safety etc.

Some villagers remain to be convinced that this site will offer a good quality of life to the future occupants of the homes, given the proximity of both railway and roadbridge, and that the lack of parking on site will not result in making a dangerous junction even more hazardous. Time will tell.

Tafarn Bach Junction

The road works are under way for the new roundabout, but not everyone is happy! You may have seen the sign someone put up recently entitled ‘LOST’ and went on to say ‘one set of workmen, last seen 2 weeks ago. Answer to the names of Birt, Smiffy, Tiny, Gaz, Clobber and Sandra. If found, please tell Dougal because he ordered this ‘**’ roundabout and he's not best pleased’

However the Project Manager from CEMEX has said that other agencies are currently carrying out vital work. During this time there will only be intermittent attendance of workers on the site. Part of the work is being undertaken by Bristol Water, who are chlorinating and testing pipework. This is a long drawn out process and is likely to take until 9 June 2011 to complete. CEMEX are satisfied that the work is running to schedule.

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Members Of The CHADRA Team

Joan CrowfootVice-Chairman, Newsletter
Advertising & Duplicating
xx, Wotton Road
01453 84xxxx
Stephen DrinkwaterSecretaryx Hawthorne Close
01454 26xxxx
Julia O'Connor-BeachTreasurerxx Manor Lane
01454 26xxxx
xxxx @ gmail.com
Barbara AdamsCommittee memberXxxx Xxxx, Wotton Road
01454 26xxxx
Marion & Angelra SmithNewsletter Distributionxxx Manor Lane
01454 26xxxx
xxxx @ xxxx.freeserve.co.uk
Isabel DaviesNewsletter Production
And Editorial Issues
xxx Woodlands Road
01454 26xxxx
xxxx @ gmail.com
Deborah FieldCommittee memberx Woodlands Road
01454 26xxxx
Vanessa ColeCommittee memberXxxx Cottage, Elbury View

Next Copy Date – 6 July 2011

If you would like to write an article for the next issue, or make comments on articles published, please e-mail these to xxxx @ gmail.com

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Editorial

Welcome everyone to the spring issue of the Charfield Newsletter. What a busy time of year this is – the CHADRA committee have been preparing for the ‘Meet The Village’ event, which may well have happened by the time you take delivery of this newsletter. We will give you a resume of that day in the next issue.

There are lots of other activities (organised by this village's various clubs and organisations) taking place over the coming 3 months. A useful diary date page has been included towards the end of this issue for you to pin up on your noticeboard and keep up to date with what is happening.

Of course over the next few weeks we have Easter to look forward to, various bank holidays, and the Royal Wedding. Many people seem to be making the most of this month and booking days off in between the bank hols to give themselves a good break. Fingers crossed for the weather!!

Don't forget if you have any family announcements you would like to put in the next newsletter, just contact one of the CHADRA team, telephone numbers on page 2. This is a free announcement service.

FRESH BLOOD

We are thrilled to welcome Vanessa Cole to the CHADRA committee. Vanessa has been helping us with collating the newsletter and pouring teas, so we thought she might like to make it a more formal arrangement!

Well done, Vanessa. Glad to have you on board!

St John's Church

What can I report this time … having spectacularly missed the last deadline at Christmas.

Well … as most of you might know … we had a Jumble Sale … it raised £851 for the church funds and our thanks go as always to you for your donations of saleable items, and to Allison and Chris Trueman for their organisation of the event. Church people turned up to help but the bulk of the heavy work was down to Allison and Chris.

We have also been told that we WILL get a grant towards the completion of the toilet/tap and water supply into church … as long as we jump through the remaining hoops!

We are preparing for Mothering Sunday and Easter and as I write the Menu of Soups for the Lent Lunches are being typed. The money raised this year will go to a Diocese in India where they have a great deal of hunger and poverty.

I had a meeting recently with the clerk to the Parish Council and we spoke of the progress being made with the extension to St James churchyard … it's under way and will be managed and owned by the Parish Council, providing about 800, yes 800 burial spaces for Charfield Residents. We hope it will be usable by early 2012 … but please don't rush to need a plot! We've had a spate of deaths in the village and it was a huge tribute to those who died, to see so many people filling the church.

4Life goes on and spring is coming. Keep safe, keep well and you know where I am if you need me … Viv K … the Vicar! 01454 26xxxx

Out of School Club Report

It certainly doesn't seem like three months have passed since the last edition of CHADRA was being written in the dark days of January! The children are at last beginning to enjoy playing outside in the sunshine at the Club, and spring is on its way! As usual there have been lots to keep us busy at the Club, but it has also been a very positive start to the New Year.

The club has continued to be open every morning and afternoon during term time, and during the February half term holiday, the club ran exciting activities using the theme of “Games”, which were very well attended. The children played different types of games, and even devised and made their own games, which they were able to take home. Bookings are now being taken for the Easter holidays, where the children will enjoy many traditional Easter activities, so if you need holiday child care or even if your children would simply like to play in a structured and caring environment, please contact the club for a booking form. And following Easter, the club is getting geared up, like the rest of the country, to involve the children in the celebrations for the Royal Wedding!

As we have previously reported, funding the club has proved extremely difficult over the last year due to the economic climate. However, the staff and committee have rolled their sleeves up, and been busy with a number of fundraising activities, which have had a positive impact on the club's finances. In January we held a Jumble Sale in the School Hall and managed to raise £403.17. We were very proud of this figure, and would like to extend a very big thank you to all of you who helped, either with donations or by attending on the day. We are hoping this will become a regular feature of our fundraising calendar.

Following the Jumble Sale, all left over items of clothes, bags and shoes were bagged up and extra donations received, and they were sent to a recycling scheme known as “Rag Bag”. The company collected the items from the club, and in return we received a further £107.50. We found out that they also collect books, so we will organise a collection of books later in the year, probably following our next Jumble Sale.

We were also extremely grateful to one of our parents, Sherilyn Stinchcome, who applied for a grant through her employer Magnox and managed to obtain £1000 for capital expenditure. We shall be inviting the company in at Easter to see their money at work. We have already bought some scooters and will be replacing some of our outdoor equipment as the summer draws closer. Inspired by this success, we are also planning to apply to both Tesco and Greggs as soon as their application process for grants opens later in the year.

We would also like to thank all our parents who have donated items such as tissues, soap and toilet rolls to the club. This has really helped our monthly budget. We do appreciate this especially as we have also had to slightly increase our fees this year to ensure that the club has a viable financial future. We appreciate that it has been a tough year for many people, but this small increase will ensure that the club stays open in the future and that the village does not lose such a fantastic child care facility.

In the next couple of months we have a number of further fundraising activities planned. The staff have organised an Easter Grand Draw and the children are 5busy selling tickets for this. Furthermore, on the 17th April, we are holding a joint Easter Fair with the Memorial Hall from 1.30–4pm. Please join us! There will be a bouncy castle, raffle, second hand books, fancy dress competition and refreshments to name but a few. We look forward to seeing you there! And looking ahead the Club will be running a stall at the School May Fair, which takes place on May 14th and has always traditionally been a successful village occasion.

The club is still considering seeking charitable status in order to assist its financial position and we are eager to seek advice from anyone in the village who has expertise in this matter. If anyone in the village has experience of this and feels that they can help the club follow this route, please contact the club. We would be glad to hear from you!

Similarly, the club is still keen to recruit volunteers from the local area who would like to help in holiday times, either by showing the children a specific skill or hobby they enjoy or even if they just want to get involved with the activities already offered at the out of School club. We would love to hear from you. All volunteers would need to be aged 18+ and prepared to undergo an enhanced CRB check as is required for all individuals who work closely with children.

Many in the village have been finding themselves a little late for work recently due to the road works at the top of the hill. Why not book your child into the Breakfast Club so you can leave a little earlier and beat the queues? Remember the club is open weekdays in term time from 7.30–8.45am (including a breakfast meal) and 3.10–6 pm. The club also offers a reduced rate for those children who are dropped off early at school and come into the club between 8.20am and 8.45am simply to play. You can also book your child in for a trial breakfast session and tell us what you think about it. There are all sorts of activities your children can enjoy, including painting, drawing, various crafts, and board and computer games – a provision which Ofsted described as “outstanding”

Finally, don't forget that the club is also open between 7.30am–6pm during school holidays and also on In Service days. Give it a go and we are sure your children will enjoy it and you will be impressed! We will have a stall at the Meet the Village event on 16th April so please come along if you would like to find out more about the Club or you can check out our new web page, which is a link from www.charfieldschool.org.uk.

Thank you once again to everyone who continues to use the club, or who has supported us with fundraising activities, and especially to our staff for continuing to make the club a happy place for our children to play.

The Out of School Club Committee

Tavern Riders

[Graphic]

We've been going for quite a while now, slowly making new friends who want to ride out for a day with some company. During the dry warm days its great, and 6some good rides were had last year. However throughout the winter months it's mainly been “Billy-No-Mates“ turning up! Anyway when it's cold a ride tends to go from tea stop to tea stop, and not very far at that.

But Spring is on the way now so hoping for some good days out. If you are thinking about joining us we've changed the day from Sunday to Saturday. 1st & 3rd Saturday in the month @ 10.00am just come along and see if you fancy it.

tavernriders @ xxxx.co.uk.

Safer & Stronger Community Groups

[Graphic: Safer & Stronger Community Groups]

Do you care about your community?
Do you want to be heard and get things done?

Then why not come along to the next Safer Stronger Community Group (SSCG) meeting for your area? SSCGs influence how services are delivered locally, establish longer-term plans to improve areas, help prevent future problems, and deal with current local issues.

There are 20 Safer Stronger Community Groups across South Gloucestershire for residents to attend and raise local issues that concern them. They can give their views on possible improvements to further strengthen their communities and keep these safe places to live and work.

The meetings are also attended by partner agencies, including South Gloucestershire Council, Avon and Somerset Police, Avon Fire and Rescue Service, NHS South Gloucestershire, Town and Parish Councils and other local organisations. These organisations work together on the issues raised and often involve the community in implementing solutions.

Some of the issues raised and tackled have included creating positive activities for young people, antisocial behaviour, school crossing concerns, speeding and parking. Community grants through the Safer Stronger Communities Initiative Fund have helped support initiatives raised at the meetings, such as Community Speedwatch groups, community garden work, youth engagement activities, park improvements, activities for older people, and equipment for walking buses to schools.

The next meeting for Charfield, Cromhall and Tortworth Group is:

Thursday 2nd June, 7.30pm–9.30pm
Tortworth Estate Office, Tortworth, Wotton-Under-Edge, GL12 8HF

If you are unable to attend a meeting, or would like to read more about the work of your local group, each group has its own e-group page at http://####.southglos.gov.uk. Here, you will be able to view your group's annual report, minutes and agendas from past meetings, and find other useful information for your area. You can also become a member of the e-group, which will ensure you receive the minutes and agendas directly via email. Alternatively, you can speak to a member of the Safer Stronger Communities Team on 01454 86xxxx, or email directly to xxxx @ southglos.gov.uk.

7

The South Cotswold Choral Group

The South Cotswold Choral Group (of 7 local choral societies) is looking for just a few more tenors and basses to complete its SATB choir of 200, which will sing the Verdi Requiem in Tewkesbury Abbey on Saturday 4 June. Rehearse in May at either Thornbury or Stonehouse (or both, if you're keen!), have a full day's workshop with conductor Nigel Perrin, and sing with the Bristol Concert Orchestra (80 of them) and soloists from the Welsh National Opera in the magnificent setting of the Abbey, and make a glorious sound! Can't wait, myself! I expect to rearrange hair-dos at 50 paces with the Dies Irae! Both lungs, full blast! Verdi knew how to write a good tune, believe me …

OR you could come and listen. Tickets only £12 (cheap as chips – heavily subsidised by the singers and sponsors). Make it a proper outing, with a picnic on the river, then a spot of culture in the evening.

For further details, contact Julia O'Connor-Beach on 01454 26xxxx or email xxxx @ gmail.com

Begin To Detox Your Life

With the cold and dark winter evenings fading fast and a sense of freshness in the air it can mean only one thing … Yes Spring is about to erupt all around us

I love this time of year after the short sometimes sunless cold days of winter followed by the dark stuffy evenings breathing in the warm air of the good old central heating, its time to throw open the window and let the fresh spring breeze flood in.

In April get yourself a coat and take a walk, April is such a magical month and a walk in the gentle rain that falls is a wonderful natural tonic in itself!

They call spring the season of new beginnings and with so much going on all around us it's not hard to see why. Gardens that were bare a few weeks ago now filled with bright yellow nodding daffodils or the wonderful fresh colours of the crocus bursting out all around us. The lovely distinctive sweet smell of the hyacinth carried on a warm breeze. On the branches of bare trees fresh green leaves are beginning to show and just below probably the most wonderful sight of all the spring flowers the carpet of bluebells dancing in the dappled sunlight.

We have all heard of the term spring cleaning for the home but what about you and your life? Spring is the time to harness this wonderful new positive energy bursting in to life all around you and begin to detox your life.

This is such a simple exercise to do but the outcome can have dramatic effects on your life so what are you waiting for?

Get rid of the drainers!
Unless you're a hermit living alone on a mountain chances are you spend a great deal of your life in the company of others. As human beings we naturally harbour emotional energy. Its this energy that has the power to make us feel great (positive) or tired and sluggish (negative) but did you know that it's the people and situations you spend your daily lives in that have the biggest impact on our energy levels?

So Take a piece of paper and write down the names of the people you spend the most time with. Then divide them in to the following categories.

8The Energisers: These people make you feel great; you can't help but smile when you are around them.

The Neutral: They're just there.

The Drainers: These people always have something to moan about, or are under the weather or in a worse situation then everybody else. Like a black hole they just suck all the happiness and good cheer out of you, leaving you feeling drained and lethargic.

This gives you a clear picture of where your energy is being used. So are you overflowing with Energisers or constantly trying to fill a black hole with the Drainers?

Once you become aware of the different sorts of people you interact with and the dramatic effect they can have on your life, you can begin to step away from the people and situations that drain you and begin focusing only on attracting the Energisers in to your life.

‘Energy is the essence of life. Everyday you decide how you are going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal’! – Oprah Winfrey

Until next time stay positive and above all keep smiling ☺

If you want to find out more about living a positive life and begin creating situations that work for you rather then against you. Then come along to one of my talks in the Sportsman's lounge (next to the village hall) on Tuesday 3rd May. Entrance £5.00 p.p

Steve Pickin life/happiness coach and motivational speaker!

See my advert in the advertising pages of this newsletter
and begin living a positive life.

Marilyn's Bit

Hello, Happy Spring to you. Some little darlings at school were filling in an Age Diary. They asked how old I was. I told them. “Gosh, that's old,” said one lad. “Were the dinosaurs about then?” “No,” I replied, “they'd just left.”

On the subject of age, my dear old cat Trixie sadly died. She was 17. I know Nicky advertises in the Chadra but I cannot say enough what an absolutely fabulous “Cat Hotel” the Ashworthy Cattery is. It's at Tytherington and the number is 0779980xxxx

It's all age related this piece. We had a student at school who was due to make cakes the next day. We were discussing weights for sponges and I said, “Oh just do 4, 4 and 2 or 6, 6 and 3,” obviously talking about pounds and eggs. She looked at me really strangely. She was definitely into grams.

For years I've had various pots by my sink to collect bits for my compost and now, yippee, I've been presented with a fab new gift!! O.K, not the latest Marc Jacobs but it has got a handle. I am of course referring to our selection of things to collect in, from the Recycling Folk. I just love it. So any of you who thought I was a little bit crazy, just watch me strutting out to my compost bin with my new plastic handbag.

I was all comfy on the coach, about to go up to London. It was gradually filling 9up and a young couple got on, obviously hoping to sit together. I offered them my double seat and sat next to a chap on the other side of the aisle. I said something like “Oh, hope that's alright, you've got company.” We started chatting. His name was Dave, he was going to cat sit for his mate in North London while he went to Alaska, the mate not Dave, his friends were trying to set him up with various women, he was 28, a stand-up comedian, had done gigs in Bristol and the Edinburgh Festival AND he was a Drag Queen!!! WOW all that information and we'd not long got off the M32. Anyway I said I'd better let him get back his book and he put on some really swanky headphones and that was that.

I'll sign off now and hot post this to Isabel. When I next write we shall all be lying about on loungers, enjoying the steamy Summer. 'Till then, Bye and Best Wishes.

Love Maz xxx

Your CHADRA – part II

Following on from the description in the last issue of what CHADRA actually is, we thought you'd like to know a bit about the newsletter itself – how it currently is produced.

CONTENT
Isabel is our Editor. A traditional Fleet Street Editor would be dictating all content, sub-editors would be chopping submissions ruthlessly, adding titles and headlines … Freddie Star ate my hamster. That sort of thing. CHADRA is a bit different. We have some regular contributors, such as the wonderful Marilyn Smith, and a number of village organisations report their activities or give notice of events. We do try to keep it relevant to the village. However, as we only publish quarterly, it is difficult to cover ‘hot news’. We are not reporters or journalists, we rely on villagers to submit interesting items; in all honesty, we sometimes struggle – sometimes there is very little coming in from the village.

We also like to keep a list of up-to-date contacts on the back page for your ease of reference, but rely on the people concerned to tell us if there are any changes. This doesn't always happen! If you spot an inaccuracy, do drop Isabel an email.

ADVERTISERS
We are extremely grateful for the support of our local traders and businesses; we hope we offer a very cheap way of reaching the majority of the village. In return, the advertising revenue helps us to keep the subscription cost down. We limit the number of pages of advertisements, so that the newsletter is reasonably balanced between advertisements and articles.

PRODUCTION
We have progressed from a stencil cut on a typewriter, which allowed for zero typing errors (talk to any secretary over 45 years of age if you want to know more), via using a word processor and cutting the stencil on a dot matrix printer, which allowed for error correction, to a more modern stencil, which is cut by a scanning duplicator. We place the original printed page in the machine which scans it like a photocopier, and then it cuts its own stencil (on a roll), and prints using a liquid ink through the stencil on a drum. It can print at an impressive rate of knots. As a system, due to the cost of the stencil, it is only sensible to use for larger volume copying. We could 10use a different coloured ink (other than black), but we can only print in one colour. So black it is. This limits us somewhat in how we can prettify the newsletter, but the low cost is the deciding factor. We live with the limitations. If the original image is clean and sharp, and the contrast good, then the duplicator can cope well.

Joan Crowfoot, our vice-Chairman (we don't have a Chairman, but Joan refuses to be elevated officially … so Joan functions as a Chairman in all but name!), is the whizz on the duplicator.

When Joan has copied the newsletter, which is a long job, she calls for volunteers to come to the Collation Party. The piles of pages are placed around the edge of Joan's dining table, the stapling machine is in the kitchen. We walk round and round the table, about 750 times between us, putting the copies together then passing them for stapling. Stapling is a job for a saint. We haven't any saints, so there is a measure of swearing involved when the staples won't play fair and we have problems.

We have great larks whilst walking round the table. Lots of chatter and stories, jokes told, exchange of pertinent local information (that's gossip). It is truly no hardship to help collate the copies. As sometimes we struggle to find enough collation party volunteers, it would be useful to have a few more phone numbers we could call, if we were in trouble … up for it? Ring Joan.

DISTRIBUTION
The copies are then given to Marion and Angela Smith, who make up the batches and take them to the distributors around the village. Our distributors do a fantastic job, delivering four times a year and not always in balmy weather, and collecting your subscriptions once a year.

A week or so after distribution, Marion puts some copies in Steve's Shop for sale for those who choose not to subscribe regularly. We are very grateful for Steve's support.

So there you have it.

Would you like to be involved?

Your CHADRA committee.

Charfield Parish Council

By the time you read this, the local elections of May 5th could have come and gone. Who knows, I may not be your Parish Council Chairman now! Heh. I hope I am, and I hope you all voted – if not for me, then at least voted. Democracy might not always be perfect but it's the system we have here and it serves us best when everyone takes part.

I obviously have no idea of how the elections will have gone; it's still March as I type. I do know at least one of our Councillors is retiring after being part of the Council for nearly thirty years, and I would like to salute Cllr Paul Birt and thank him publicly for all his years of service to Charfield. After a conversation I had recently, I feel the need to stress that serving on the Parish Council attracts no financial reward – we are not paid. Parish Councillors freely volunteer their time and energy as a service to their community, and the work is not insignificant. Like it or not, the upcoming Big Society will only add to the workload, and I want to take this opportunity to ‘big up’ our Parish Council for the work it's done over the past four years.

One of my first jobs, when I first joined the Council, was to establish an online presence at http://www.charfieldparishcouncil.org.uk. This web site was entered for and came 11second in a national Parish Council web site competition in 2008 and today is continually updated with meeting agenda, minutes and local news. In 2008 we became the first Parish in South Gloucestershire to move to part-night street lighting, trialling the system with StreetCare and ironing out several problems during the 2009–2010 year long testing. Now there are many more parishes in South Glos that are part-night lit and more moving through the process, as well as part-night lit sections of the local motorways and ring road. As the issues of climate change and financial constraint come together to put pressure on councils to save energy, we can be proud of the way we carried this initiative through to safe, successful and permanent completion. In 2010 we redeveloped the children's play area in the Memorial Hall Playing Fields, at a cost of thirty thousand pounds – a huge amount for a small parish and due in no small part to many successful grant applications. As the warmer days come it is gratifying to see the kids play on the mounds, slides and tunnel, and hear the appreciation of the parents. It should be noted we are still working in this area, and plan to erect gates (part funded by the South Gloucestershire Safer Stronger Group) between the play area and the Memorial Hall to protect the children from the hazards in the car park.

The largest project the council has undertaken – probably the largest project the council has ever undertaken – is now showing signs of visible progress. The burial ground site has been visited by JCB, dumper truck and … archaeologists (not to mention some two hundred tonnes of top soil with which to level and grade the site). Our contractor, KLH Landscaping, has been on the site since the start of March and the small parking area is currently being laid with GeoGrid® and the road and pedestrian accesses are being built. The field itself will be sewn with grasses and in places wild flowers and will then be allowed to establish over the rest of the year. During 2011 the final details will be completed as to the burial authority rules and regulations and the operation will open for business in spring 2012. It has taken a long time – constantly, folk tell me they're waiting to reserve spaces – but we're doing it at a speed at which we can be sure of a sustainable operation. We've stayed within our planned budget so far, and we intend that the burial ground will be mostly self-funding once it is open. Watch the work online – Hannah has taken several photo's of the work which she's uploaded to http://www.charfieldburialground.org.uk.

So, I guess I've taken this opportunity to lay out why I think the Parish Council is of value to Charfield. We can't take all the credit of course – the roundabout under construction at the top of the village is nothing to do with us! Ahem. And there is much more work to be done in the coming years too … By the time you read this there may or may not have been a planning application made for a significant number of new houses to be built in Charfield. You may find this agreeable or not – it is not for me to decree. However, the lack of a Parish Plan means we cannot make our preferences clear to the district authority; to the planners who decide which small village may be developed into a large village – or town. Whether Charfield is to remain a village of a thousand houses, or is to become a village of fifteen hundred or more over the next few years is currently decided by people who have no idea of what the residents involved actually think or want. Communities around Charfield are identifying this problem and constructing their Parish Plans – pop South Gloucestershire Parish Plan into Google to see some – and my perception is that communities that have no Plan will be seen as acquiescing to whatever developments planners may come up with.

12If you are interested in helping develop the Charfield Parish Plan, please get in touch with the Clerk. The Plan is not Parish Council led project, although the Council will do whatever it can to assist, as will South Glos Council. It is also a lengthy project, requiring a consultation of all residents in Charfield Parish, analysis of the consultation and the preparation of the findings in a report. However, it is achievable, and the outcome will serve to make Charfield the village you want to see, for years ahead. We hope to have more information on Parish Plans at the Annual Parish Meeting on Wednesday 18th May, and we hope to see you there

Also at the Annual Parish Meeting (on Wednesday 18th May in case you missed it. J) we will have a presentation from the South Gloucestershire Dog Warden on dog fouling. Not the most persuasive reason to attend the Meeting, I'm sure you'll agree. However, the issue of dog fouling – or more to the point the issue of careless and unthinking dog owners – has been the subject of many calls, letters and emails to the Council over the past months. Not every dog owner is so irresponsible as to allow their dog to foul pavements, footpaths and even the playing fields and areas where our children play; most can be seen with their ‘doggie-bags’ as they exercise their pets. Inevitably though, I am afraid, one or more of you reading this will be leaving dog faeces around the village as you walk your animal. I want to copy a section of text here now, to clarify why this is unacceptable …

“Dog fouling is not only unpleasant it is dangerous. The biggest threat to public health from dog excrement is toxocariasis. Toxocariasis is an infection of the roundworm toxocara canis. The eggs of the parasite can be found in soil or sand contaminated with faeces and if swallowed, result in infection that lasts between six and 24 months. Symptoms include eye disorders, vague ache, dizziness, nausea, asthma and epileptic fits. Often the eggs are ingested when passed to the mouth by the hands, but this can also occur through contact with dogs or other inanimate objects including the wheels of toys and the soles of shoes. Infected soil samples are often found in play areas and as a result, Toxocariasis most commonly affects children between 18 months and five years.” (taken from the Keep Britain Tidy web site http://keepbritaintidy.org) Do you want to be the cause of such illness? The dog warden will be explaining the law as to dog fouling, and what to do if you witness fouling in Charfield. Fixed penalties of £50 are only the start of the deterrents, which can go up to £1000 fines. Charfield has many dog bins around the village, please make use of them.

I'd like to express the Council's appreciation to everyone who turned up to help with the village tidy up on Saturday 19th March. The day went very well and we collected a whole skipful of rubbish! Shame that it was there in the first place, but well done to all who picked up after the littering folk.

I'd also like to thank those of you who got in touch after my last CHADRA piece regarding the work of the Tree Warden, and who identified so many wonderful trees in and around our village. We are so very fortunate to live in a beautiful rural setting, and the trees around us are a valuable part of that. Please do keep letting us know of your favourite trees, and especially of any that you believe may be under threat for any reason, which may need Tree Preservation Orders to be placed upon them. Likewise, do take a look at the Rights of Way section of the Parish web site, which will soon have a map showing all the routes available around the Parish. When you come to walk these routes, do let us know if there are any problems – broken stiles, ploughed footpaths, fallen trees and overgrown vegetation, for example – that 13the Rights of Way Officer can assist with. Summer is a-coming … enjoy. And as ever, do get in touch through Hannah, the Parish Clerk, if you have anything to bring to the Council, or simply turn up to any full Council meeting (mostly second Tuesday of each month). You'll be very welcome.

Mark Rosher – Chairman
Charfield Parish Council

CHARFIELD PARISH COUNCIL
Annual Parish Council
Wednesday 18th May
Charfield Memorial Hall
Everyone welcome come and meet your Parish Councillors

Charfield Congregational Church

Are you musically minded? Would you like to play the piano? We would like to hear from anyone who would be interested in occasionally playing our piano on Sunday mornings. If this is for you, please contact April on 01453 84xxxx.

We will be introducing ourselves at the ‘Meet The Village Event’ on Saturday 16th April 2–4.30pm at Charfield Village Hall. Come and see what Charfield Chapel can do for you. We look forward to meeting you.

You can also come and see us at Wotton Town Hall Teas on Sunday 10th July from 2pm–5pm for tea/ coffee and cake, all funds raised going to support Charfield Chapel's restoration works.

Children's Christmas Shoe Box Appeal is still an ongoing event. If anyone would like to help, or donate any small items, please let us know.

We have the Sign Post Puppets coming to the Chapel on Sunday 15th May at 10.30am. This is an excellent show featuring large puppets, which will delight all ages.

Services are held every Sunday at 11am with tea/ coffee and biscuits afterwards, where a friendly welcome awaits. The first Sunday of every month is our family service and on other Sundays we hold our own Sunday School ‘King's Kidz’, where all primary school-age children are most welcome. On the last Sunday in every month we hold our Communion service.

Our speakers for the coming months are:-

April
17thRobin Burke Palm Sunday
24thJon Steeds (Easter Day)
May
1stMike Broom
8thSteve Pigeon
15thSignpost Puppets (10:30am start)
22ndPam Dix
29thBrian Cresswell
June
5thNick Whittard
12thJill Ewans
19thSissi Hemming Fathers Day
26thRay Hollister
14July
3rdAlan and Linda Jenner
10thPam Dix
17thRev Jill Stephens
24thDavid Sheldon
31stTerry & Evelyn Gillard

We still have a few lovely pine pews left for sale; please get in touch if you are interested.

For more information on any of our services, the Children's Christmas Shoe Box Appeal or the sale of pews, please contact April on 01453 84xxxx or xxxx @ hotmail.co.uk

Rubbish at the Playing Field

Each morning when passing the tennis club/playing field on Little Bristol Lane I am always disappointed to see a great heap of rubbish around the area where groups of teenagers collect in their cars and more rubbish dotted around the playing field and car park. From where the rubbish is by the tennis club it looks like it must have been dropped straight out of an open car window.

I then sometimes see the caretaker (I assume?) each morning picking up this rubbish. I was brought up to not discard any rubbish into the street and to take all rubbish home or bin it, so this blatant disrespect for the community angers me.

I cannot understand why the folk who dump this rubbish are too lazy to take it to the nearest bin or even failing that home. Perhaps the people who feel it is appropriate to litter our village do not live here though they must at least have some association? That said I feel that is likely that villagers must drop some of the rubbish.

Therefore I would like to encourage everybody who uses the playing field to think twice about dropping rubbish (I'm sure the vast majority of user do not litter it) and take more care of our village.

Charfield Resident

Charfield Pre-School

[Graphic: Charfield Pre-School, Registered Charity Number 1029832]

As we head rapidly towards the Easter period, activities at Charfield Pre School gather pace with the children preparing events and crafts to celebrate Mother's Day, Easter and the Royal Wedding.

As any parent will tell you, finding new activities for the children to enjoy that helps them understand and enjoy the world they live in is a never ending challenge. In 2010, we decided to purchase a comprehensive list of equipment, toys and visits to further aid the educational development and learning of the children in line with the aims of the Government Early Years programme.

To date we have bought a Doll's House together with various family groups of different cultures, a fire station, a hospital and baby dolls. These will be shortly followed by water play equipment, multicultural cooking utensils and a cement mixer with ‘building materials’.

The full cost of all equipment that we are purchasing will cost circa £1300 and as the fees we charge for the children to attend the pre school only cover operational costs (such as staff wages, rent, utilities, insurance and consumables) all of the money for new equipment must be raised via fundraising and voluntary donations.

15This year the task is bigger than normal, as the buildings need decorating and safety/security improvements, which will cost a significant amount.

We are always on the lookout for new fund raising ideas and any contributions are welcome. Current planned fund raising activities consist of collecting vouchers/boxtops from Tesco's, Sainsbury's and Nestle's; followed by collecting rags and old CDS and DVDs (with covers and inserts). More information will be available shortly via our new website.

Dates for your diaries.
Saturday April 16th Meet us at the Chadra ‘Meet the Village Day’ in the Village Hall
Saturday May 7th 10.00 to 12.00 Pre school Open Day
June 9th New Parent's evening

In conclusion, I am pleased to report that the new school year will see a further increase in the number of children attending the Pre School. This is in no small part due to the efforts, skills and expertise of the school staff team and the support of parents and friends, for which we are very grateful. As a charitable organisation, we always welcome new members for the committee and if you are interested please let us know

Peter Elliott
Pre School

Lets get the garden ready for summer!

Now that the Snow drops have passed for another year giving way to the abundance of spring bulbs and the clocks going forward an hour, it's that time of year again, to start thinking about the warm summer months ahead!

To me there are three things that bring out the British spirit in me. Walking out for a dip in the North Sea just as that first waves brakes over the top of your legs, a striped lawn, and a determination to have a bbq, regardless if its pouring down and all your guests are inside as you huddle under a parasol.

So now that the clocks have gone forward and British summer time is officially here, it's that time of year again to venture out in to our gardens and begin getting ready for the summer. Don't worry if your back garden looks like a jungle at the moment, if you start now, with a couple of simple steps your garden will be worthy of holding any sort of alfresco feast you can think of.

The lawn
By the time you read this I hope most of you will have got at least 1 cut on your lawn! If your lawn is looking in a bit of a sorry state after last winter now is a great time to feed it, as most feeds require you water the solution in within 3 days of applying.

If your lawn tucks up with a border, chances are the edge has become saggy over the winter. Now my Gramp always uses a half-moon edging iron but to me a sharp spade is the only way to go. Cut yourself a good couple of inches back into the turf with a slight angle giving you an eye pleasing slant, and not to forget making it so much easier to mow right up to the edge.

The borders
Every person has there own idea of what makes a perfect boarder, to me its shrubs and trees all the way. But whatever your idea we all begin in the soil, a good dig over in the autumn is never a bad thing but don't worry if you still have the 16remains of last years plants laying brown and rotting on the floor. Now is the time to get in there and pull them out (be careful not to damage this years new shoots) then get some all important air into the soil by digging or forking, depending on space in your border. If your soil is in a pretty bad state then apply a good layer of conditioner like horse manure! And fork that in well to your newly turned soil. Right now for your plants

Plants
Now I know the supermarkets and DIY shops are stocking them but please resist the urge to rush out and buy your bedding plants. Even though the days seem warm now a visit from Jack Frost as late as May is not unheard of, you have been warned!

Now for those of you looking to build your garden up with shrubs, trees and roses etc the weather this time of year is the perfect mixture to introduce them ready for summer.

Tidy up
Once the spring bulbs have finished flowering its very tempting to cut them down Stop! If you can wait 4 weeks after the final flowers have faded fantastic (6 would be even better) as the bulb uses this time to get ready for next year. I've already mentioned removing the dead foliage from last year off the ground but don't forget the plants, removing dead and unsightly stalks and tying in new shoots in climbing plants.

And once all that's done and the summer is finally here what happens then? Well my advice is get a chair, find a sunny spot, and kick back with your favourite tipple. I mean that's what the garden is for isn't it?

If your one of those people that like to enjoy the garden but not all the work that goes with it, and want a gardener not a landscaper to look after your garden then give me a call on 07583 56xxxx Charfield residents £10 ph

Thanks for reading

Steve Pickin

Gardens Open Day

CHARFIELD VILLAGE GARDENS OPEN DAY 22nd May 2011

On the 22nd May 1pm to 6pm several village gardens will be opening their doors to the public in order to raise much needed funds for the Memorial Hall. The gardens are a mixture of those with experience of opening to completely new gardens. Some gardens will have plants for sale and there will be lots of different things to see. There will be tea/ coffee and homemade cakes, toilets and free parking at the Memorial Hall.

Tickets will be on sale soon at Steve's shop and Charfield petrol station. You will also be able to buy on the day at the Memorial Hall. They will be £4 per adult with accompanying children free. We aim to make this a great afternoon for all so please come along and support your hall and grab a bargain plant.

17

The Month of May

What a month. So much seems to happen in it. My birthday is in it. All football competitions come to a head during it. Also, Foster Care Fortnight falls in it, a time when being a foster carer and looking after children in care is highlighted more than it is during the rest of the year, although it is still, obviously, a vital issue all year round.

Have you ever thought about foster caring at all? Or if it is something you are not able to consider yourself, do you know someone else who might be thinking about it?

You may have read in other articles me asking these questions before, but the need for more foster carers is always there. We will always need more because children are always coming into care and people who already care for us will, at some time, stop doing it, for whatever reason(s) they may have. We accept that and vow to keep trying to fill the pool with new people. It is my job to try and reach out to these new people.

The public perception of foster caring is that it is an onerous task, an unnecessary life-changing event and definitely something that only other people should get involved with. So, how can I address all these points and present reasons why people should seriously think about foster caring and, once completely convinced, then make that first step by contacting me? I shall try to do this below:

Foster caring will always be regarded as an onerous task to those outside the process because it involves taking in a child or young person who needs care. It is, by its very nature, something extra that needs to be done. These children need to be looked after by people who can offer them a nurturing, positive environment and it is carers who can offer this that we are looking for.

Fostering a child or young person will change your life, as will introducing anyone – or anything different – into your lifestyle and household. This is why any carers, when being assessed, are as prepared as possible for the time when a child arrives.

Yes, other people do get involved in foster caring and they are supported every step of the way by this authority. As the ultimate welfare of the children is our responsibility it is in our best interest that the foster carers we attract, assess, approve and, very importantly, retain are people we can trust, call upon and know will provide the best care for the children. In exchange for this we offer generous fees and allowances, structured training, interaction with existing foster carers and continuous, ongoing support.

I'm not going to tell you it's easy, or that it isn't challenging; what I will say is that the opportunities are there to not only help the children and young people attain their goals but, at the same time, develop your own fresh aims and targets in life, which are rarely easy or unchallenging.

If you, or someone you know, want to take that first step of just finding out more information about it please contact me on 01454 86xxxx and I will answer any questions you might have, or you might prefer to read our very comprehensive information pack which can be viewed online at www.southglos.gov.uk/fostering. Here you will also find further information on fostering.

Tony Bray

Recruitment & Marketing Officer
Family Placement Team
South Gloucestershire Council

18I also need to point readers in the direction of the below information:

Private Fostering

Anyone who is already looking after a child or children under the age of sixteen (18 if disabled), or is planning to do so, for 28 days or longer, where that child is not a close relative, will be classed as ‘privately fostering’ that child or children. This arrangement will have to be agreed by the Department for Children and Young People and an assessment will need to be carried out accordingly. If you are already doing this, or will be soon, please contact 01454 86xxxx for more details. You can also find out more about this on www.southglos.gov.uk/privatefostering.

Charfield Memorial Hall

Well, what a busy and turbulent few months it has been at the Hall! In February we said “goodbye” to Fiona, our booking secretary, who has returned to the Isle of Wight. Fiona has been such a committed and hard-working member of the committee for the last couple of years and will be sorely missed. Despite several weeks of advertising it looked as though the Hall would be without a booking secretary – and be forced to close – when “salvation” arrived in the shape of Liam Balloch. Although a resident of Wickwar, Liam has strong Charfield connections and we are extremely grateful to him for stepping into the breach!

This change was followed shortly after by the resignation of David Small, the Chair, for health reasons. On behalf of the committee, and indeed the rest of the village, I would like to thank David for his tenure as Chair and wish him all the best for the future. It is always good to have new people on the committee to bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm and, since I have been on the Committee for 3 years now, my own enthusiasm is beginning to wane so I have decided to stand down at the AGM in May. The Hall Committee is therefore in urgent need of (at least) two new members to take up the Chair and Vice-Chair roles, otherwise the Hall will not be able to function and will have to close. If you are interested in either of these positions please contact me or any other member of the Committee. With 1000 or so homes in the village there is surely someone out there who can help!

So, the remaining current members of the Committee continue to do our best to keep the Hall running smoothly, ably aided by John and Sue, our regular members of staff, who continue to oversee the day to day needs of the Hall; many thanks to them. We were sad to learn of the passing of Joe Hardwicke who had carried out the grass cutting on the playing fields for many years and will be much missed.

Other news … Fundraising is an ever-present requirement for a facility such as this, especially in these times of general cost increases and the effects of things like the very cold winter, which has put up our heating and electricity costs. In February we took the rather brave decision NOT to increase the fees for using the Hall, despite the fact that they have been at the current levels for a number of years. We hope to be able to offset our running costs by increasing revenue through more bookings – but if this doesn't happen, we may be forced to re-visit the hire charges later in the year. So, if you have any birthdays, anniversaries etc coming up and are looking a venue, think of the Hall. At only £10/hr for the main hall and £5 for the SL, it really is great value for money!

We have had several successful events recently with the Hot Potato Syncopators in March, another fabulous group 19courtesy of Wiltshire and South Glos Rural Arts – this was a brilliant fun evening, very well supported and enjoyed by all who came. We also had a visit from a well known Clairvoyant – while this was not so well supported unfortunately, it was an interesting and thought provoking couple of hours. I must say a huge thank you at this point to Margaret Gargett for her continuing energy and enthusiasm in bringing such wide-ranging entertainment to the village. Look out also for the Easter Fair on 17 April and more Rural Arts productions later in the year, as well as the Village Hall stand at the “Meet the Village” Day on 16 April, and an Open Gardens event in May, adverts for which can be found elsewhere in the newsletter. Please do support these events if you can as their success is a vital part of our fundraising efforts.

Why all the fundraising? Well, we have long held an aspiration to replace the rather ugly and outdated strip lighting in the main hall and, with the help of Jo Davies, a recent (and very welcome) addition to the Committee, we have made a start on taking this forward. We need at least £8k for this so, as you can imagine, it is quite a challenge. We are applying for grants and would be grateful for any donations from any local businesses or groups who would like to help. Jo is also following up on a range of other H&S related issues such as arranging for an asbestos survey and for an electrical wiring check, including socket outlets, lighting and other circuits, in accordance with the Statutory requirement for electrical safety to be managed. This is being undertaken by Matthew Fuller, a resident of the village, free of charge, and I should like to record our gratitude to Matthew for giving up his time to help the Hall.

I am disappointed to have to report that dog fouling on the playing fields remains an issue. Not only is this extremely unpleasant but it carries a serious health risk for those who use the field. I should like to remind everyone that dogs are NOT permitted on the field.

Ending on a happier note, I am delighted to see that the newly formed drama group has proved so popular – well done to Steve Pickin for getting it off the ground. I am sure we are all looking forward to seeing the results later in the year!

So, don't forget the AGM on 5 May (you can come along after you have cast your vote!) – YOUR VILLAGE NEEDS YOU!

Deb Field
Vice/Acting Chair

Easter Fair

Charfield Memorial Hall

Sunday 17th April 1.30–4.00pm

Organised jointly by the Memorial Hall and Out of School Club.

Lots of activities including tombola, raffle, hook a duck, cake stall, refreshments, bouncy castle, second hand book stall etc.

There will be a Fancy Dress competition for junior school children with a theme of weddings, – this will be judged at 3.30pm, – a large Easter Egg prize for the 2 winners.

We also have a ‘Decorate A Boiled Egg’ competition – where an egg is displayed within a scene e.g. humpty dumpty on the wall. Create a scene and put your egg as the star on either a paper plate or shoebox lid. Bring along your entry after 1.00pm. A large Easter Egg will be awarded for the best entry.

20

Memorial Hall & Playing Fields

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Thursday 5th May 2011

8.00PM
Sportsmans Lounge

Come along and find out more about the work of the Hall. We don't bite! You don't have to get involved, but if you would like to, we need to fill the positions of Chair and Vice-Chair.

This is a great opportunity to meet new people and contribute something to the community.

Unless these essential positions can be filled the Hall will be unable to continue and the village will lose this valuable independent facility.

For more information please contact Deb Field on 01454 26xxxx

21

Thornbury Choral Society

[Graphic: Thornbury Choral Society]

Come and learn to sing with us

Absolute Beginners Course 2011

Would you like to learn to sing?

Maybe you just lack a little confidence in getting started, or feel your voice isn't what is used to be.

Do not fret, come and enrol on this fun and friendly 10 week course run by Thornbury Choral Society.

We will take you through the music basics in a fun way, illustrated throughout with examples. Then go on to learn parts of Handel's Messiah and Vaughan-Williams 5 Mystical Songs. Singers from Thornbury Choral Society will be on hand to assist new singers with any problems they may have.

The course is planned to run for ten weeks on Thursday evenings from September 15th 2011 and will be conducted by well known local soprano Elizabeth Glen. The cost for the ten sessions will be £35 and the course will be held at Alveston Methodist Church in Greenhill Road, Alveston.

Those aged under 18 will be eligible for part of a grant from S.Glos., designed to encourage younger singers and the ten week course is available to them for just £5.

You can come on the course just for fun, or if you want to join the society at the end that is also possible, there is no pressure to do so.

For further information and an application form please contact Jos Gregson on 01454-41xxxx or by email at:- xxxx @ xxxx.plus.com. Further details and the application form are also available on the choral website at:- www.thornburychoralsociety.org.uk

HAIL, WELL MET, AND FAREWELL

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS

FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS

You are invited to submit news of births, or new people coming to live in the village (hail), marriages (well met), departures from the village (people moving house), and deaths (farewell), for inclusion in your quarterly CHADRA Newsletter. We all like to know what is going on and just occasionally the grapevine does not work!!

Hail – No notices this quarter

Well Met
James Young is to marry Joanne Loveridge. The wedding will take place at Tortworth Church at 4:00pm on Saturday 18th June.

Farewell
Fiona Langborne has left Charfield and moved back to the Isle of Wight. She will be sadly missed by the Village Hall Committee, as she had worked as booking secretary for them for the last couple of years.

Joe Hardwicke – sadly passed away recently. Joe had been a groundsman at the village hall for a number of years.

22

Well Aware

[Graphic: Well Aware]

Your guide to health wellbeing and community services in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath and North East Somerset

The Well Aware website: www.wellaware.org.uk

Health and Wellbeing at your fingertips!

Well Aware is a free, online information resource for everyone in Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Bath & North East Somerset.

Well Aware has lots of information about 1,000s of health, wellbeing and community groups, organisations, activities and services.

Whether personal health services, a lunch club or social group, help round the home or in the garden, transport, advice, counselling or any other form of support – all you need to find it is just a few clicks or a phone call away.

The user-friendly website can also be searched for services for carers, support for particular disabilities, culturally specific services and more. A dedicated section helps find information on employment for anyone with mental health difficulties. There's also a section especially for people with learning difficulties.

Well Aware is completely free to search, use or be listed on. Its searches provide results by relevancy only, with no advertising.

Go to www.wellaware.org.uk to start using it today!

Well Aware is run by The Care Forum, a not-for-profit voluntary organisation and registered charity.

Well Aware is funded by Bristol City Council, South Gloucestershire Council, Bath & North East Somerset Council, NHS Bristol, NHS South Gloucestershire and NHS Bath & North East Somerset.

RNLI – Wotton-under-Edge & District

Open Garden – Ozleworth – Sunday 17th July
By kind permission of Mr Stone, we will hold an Open Garden at Ozleworth Park – on Sunday 17th July. This follows on from similar events in 2007, 2008 and 2010 – all of which were well attended and much enjoyed by all who came. For those who have never been, the gardens at Ozleworth Park are well worth visiting – so 23make a note of the date in your diaries and look out for the posters advertising this event from May onwards.

House-to House Collection – July
Our annual house-to-house collection will again take place in early July. This is our biggest fund-raising event; last year we raised £387 in Charfield (£100 more than the previous year), and over £2300 throughout the GL12 postal area. My thanks go to a small dedicated band of volunteer collectors. However:

Teachers, Youth Leaders … free resources
The RNLI provides free resources to teachers and to youth leaders and supports this with volunteer speakers who will visit schools and youth groups to talk about the activities of the RNLI and / or about safety at the seaside.

Much of the resources offered can be down-loaded from the RNLI website at: rnli.org.uk/shorething.

The resources for teachers have been prepared by teaching professionals and include lesson plans and whiteboard-based activities that can be used within the national curriculum for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3.

As a volunteer education speaker, I have been into various local schools and a few local youth groups to talk about the activities of the RNLI (sometimes in support of the use of the free Citizenship resources) and / or about safety at the seaside. The school visits have included short illustrated talks at school assemblies and longer sessions with smaller groups / individual classes. I believe the latter work better, since they allow me to talk with the pupils rather than at them.

As for the last two years, I was again on the RNLI education stand at the Education Show at the NEC Birmingham in March where we were promoting the educational resources that we provide. It was a busy but enjoyable day.

There is no charge for a visit – although I would never refuse a donation, and would willingly help any school or youth group that wanted to organise a fund-raiser for the RNLI!

Illustrated Talks
I also do illustrated talks on the RNLI to adult groups (which have included Probus, Women's Institute, etc). As with the talks to school and youth groups, there is no charge – but I would welcome a donation to the RNLI and would willingly help any group who wanted to organise a fund-raising event for the RNLI.

Anyone interested in arranging a talk, or volunteering their help with the house-to-house collection or any other activity, or simply wanting to learn more about the RNLI, please contact me.

John Barnett – 01453 84xxxx (Charfield)

To All Our Readers
Have A Happy Easter Time

24

Advertising

[Advert for Steve's Gardening]

[Advert for Barbara Daw]

[Advert for New Street Garage]

[Advert for Elite Financial]

[Advert for Relax-ology]

25[Advert for Charfield Memorial Hall]

[Advert for Plumbtec]

[Advert for Deborah Jayne Pringle]

[Advert for Oak Tree Nursery]

26[Advert for Greenline Tanks]

[Advert for Falcon Cottage B&B]

[Advert for Charfield Post Office]

[Advert for Eclipse Hair Studio]

[Advert for Bradley Garage]

[Advert for Alan Hamer driving]

27[Advert for Add Plant]

[Advert for Kopperz]

[Advert for Ashworthy Cattery]

[Advert for D.R. Vizard]

[Advert for Electric Guitar Lessons]

[Advert for Tree Care]

28[Advert for Cotswold Carpets]

[Advert for At Home Curtains & Blinds]

[Advert for Evergreen Computing]

29[Advert for W.S. Franks]

[Advert for Pat Jeanes reflexology]

[Advert for Claire Saunders]

[Advert for Colin Lane Carpet & Flooring]

[Advert for Littles Curtains]

[Advert for T.W. Services]

30[Advert for Acucare]

[Advert for RK Aerials]

[Advert for Manor Garden Services]

[Advert for PC Repairs & Maintenance]

[Advert for Steve Pickin happiness coach]

31

Diary

Charfield Memorial Hall Regular Events (SL = Sportsmans Lounge)

MondayDab Hands Childminders Group 10–12am;
Rainbows 4.30–5.30;
Aerobics/Keep Fit with Claire Adams 6.30–7.30pm;
TuesdayKeep Fit 10–11am;
Brownies 5.15–7.15pm;
Parish Council Meeting 2nd Tuesday of month 7.30pm (SL);
Youth Group 6.30–8.30pm (SL, except the 2nd Tues of the month in the Hall)
WednesdayLuncheon Club 12–2.00pm every 4th Wednesday (next meeting 28th April);
Salsaflex 8–9.30pm
ThursdayCircuit Training with Claire Adams 6.30–7.30pm;
Memorial Hall Committee Meeting 1st Thursday of every month 7.30pm (SL)
FridayWinterbourne Children's Stay and Play 10–12am
SaturdayMonster Car Boot 7.30am–1pm from February–end April.

Diary Dates

April
16thSaturday @ Memorial Hall ‘Meet The Village’
17thSunday @ Memorial Hall Easter Fair
29thBank Holiday Royal Wedding
May
5thElection Day
5thMemorial Hall A.G.M.
7thPre School Open Day
14thSchool May Fair
15thSign Post Puppets Congregational Church
18thAnnual Parish Meeting Parish Council
22ndCharfield Gardens Open Day
June
2ndSafer & Stronger Community Groups. Meeting 7:30–9:30 Tortworth Estate Office
9thCharfield Pre-School New Parents evening
July
15th / 16thYou Know What? A play performed by C.A.D.S

Tavern Riders meet every 1st and 3rd Saturday in the month. Meet at 10:00am at the Railway Tavern Car park.

CUT OUT THIS PAGE AND PIN IT TO YOUR NOTICEBOARD

32

Village Organisations

If you wish to alter the entries below, please telephone Isabel on 01454 26xxxx
or email xxxx @ gmail.com

British Legion
David Millman (Hon Sec) 01454 26xxxx

Charfield Pre-School
Debra Davidson (Admissions) 07866 04xxxx
Katherine Edwards (Chair) 01454 26xxxx

Charfield Primary School
Dafydd Lawday 01454 26xxxx

Childminders
Elaine Godfrey 01454 26xxxx

Church – Congregational
Nicky Lanyi 01454 26xxxx

Church – St. John's
Vivienne Kerner 01454 26xxxx

Council – Charfield Parish
Hannah C Saunders (Clerk) 01454 29xxxx
Email clerk @ charfieldparishcouncil.co.uk

Council – South Gloucestershire
Sandra O'Neill 01454 26xxxx
Email xxxx @ southglos.gov.uk

Cricket Club
Chris Shearwood 01454 77xxxx

Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

Friends of Charfield Primary School
Rob Melville (Chair) 01454 26xxxx

Foundation Room
Bryan Grantham 01454 26xxxx

Junior Football Club
Nigel Cloke 01454 26xxxx

Keep Fit Club
Christine Parfitt 01454 26xxxx

Luncheon Club for the Elderly
Jane Higgins 01454 26xxxx

Memorial Hall
Bookings 07774 41xxxx
Email www.charfield.org
Vice Chair Deb Field 01454 26xxxx

Newsletter – See inside front cover

Out of School Club
Pat Loveridge 01454 26xxxx or 07816 23xxxx

PTA – Katharine Lady Berkeley School
Suzanne Flye 01454 31xxxx

Police (if not a 999 call)
Call Handling Centre 0845 456xxxx
Thornbury Police station 10:00–14:00 0117 945 xxxx Weekdays only
Following are strictly non urgent and not reporting crime
PC Lee Bainbridge voicemail 0117 945 xxxx
PC Lee Bainbridge mobile 07919 62xxxx
PCSO Hayley Harrison mobile 07825 38xxxx
PCSO Sean McKinnon 07825 38xxxx

Round Table – Wotton and District
John Francksen (Hon Sec) 01453 84xxxx

GUIDING:
Rainbows – 1st Charfield
Danielle Bindon 0752777xxxx
Brownies – 2nd Charfield
Nicki Brain 0774311xxxx
Email xxxx @ msn.com
District Commissioner
Kathryn Schofield 01453 52xxxx

Tae Kwon Do
Andy Reynolds 07909 92xxxx

Tennis Club
Jake Barnes (coaching/tournaments) 01454 26xxxx

Transport Scheme – Elderly and Housebound
Marion Smith 01454 26xxxx

1st WOODEND SCOUT GROUP
Beavers
Tues 6.15–7.15pm Tina Rickwood 01454 29xxxx
Cubs
Wed 6.30–8.00pm Julie Ashford 01454 26xxxx
Thurs 6.30–8.00pm Jean Legood 07877 15xxxx
Scouts
Mon 6.30–8.30pm Mike Rickwood 01454 29xxxx
Tues 7.00–9.00pm Peter Carnegie 01454 26xxxx
Explorers
Thurs 7.30–9.30pm Kevin Watson 07980 27xxxx
Group Scout Leader Sandra Carnegie 01454 26xxxx
AGSL (waiting lists) Allison Trueman 01454 26xxxx


Transcriber Notes

This issue was produced on 32 sides of A4 paper.

Personal phone numbers and addresses have been redacted.

Minor typographical corrections and presentational changes have been made without comment.

Digitization by Brendan O'Connor.

Last update: 2017-02-11.