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June 2004 - Community Reports

St Thomas á Becket
Services and Garden party

NSPCC
Charity Auction - Group information

Parish Council Chairman's Notes
KEEP CLEAR SIGN - ROAD RESURFACING - CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH - DESIGN-A-SIGN - SOUTH GLOS HERITAGE TRAIL

Pucklechurch Gardeners’ Club
Trips, AGM and Summer Supper

Annual Village Produce Show
Produce show schedules available

Happy Circle
Trips and joining information

Mums and Minors
Meetings, information and trips

Pucklechurch Community Association
AGM report and new hire charges for village hall

Pucklechurch Revel
Details - Events - Beer Festival

South Gloucestershire Council
Kings Forest Area Forum - Protecting Children - Planning Application Refused

Twinning Association
Visit from French friends - Next meeting


St Thomas á Becket

Special Church Services

Sunday, 20th June, 6.30pm -- Thanksgiving for Revel (suitable for all ages)

Sunday, 4th July, 6.30pm -- Patronal Festival Services (our church’s birthday)

Garden Party

Saturday, 3rd July -- Pucklechurch vicarage (or, if wet, in the church) -- 2.00 to 4.30pm -- Cream teas, bric-a-brac sale, tombola, sideshows, games, and raffle. Come spend a happy afternoon with us.

Click here for details of all 2004 services and events


Please come along to our 14th annual

Charity Auction
of Goods and Promises

Saturday, 3rd July 2004

Viewing from 7.15pm, Sale starts 8.00pm

Community Centre (Village Hall)

Pucklechurch

For further information, tickets,
or to offer an item or promise for sale,
please contact Juliet Hills on 0117 937 2279


An NSPCC fund-raising group meets regularly in Pucklechurch. We have been active since 1988 and raise money through all sorts of events and activities, largely with the support of the people of Pucklechurch.

Our events and activities include a cheese and wine quiz (which seems to have become an annual event), collections at supermarkets, the sale of hand-made jewellery, and the sale of books and bric-a-brac. We have stalls at Revel, and each year we hold an auction of goods and promises.

If you'd like to help raise money to prevent cruelty to children or find out more about joining in with our activities, please contact Juliet on 937 2279, or talk to any of our team at one of our fund-raising events.

Upcoming Events

Revel -- Saturday, 19th June -- Jewellery and bric-a-brac stalls

Charity auction of goods and promises -- Saturday, 3rd July, open 7.15 for viewing, auction starts at 8.00pm -- Community Centre -- Individuals, companies, and other organisations donate items and promises for us to sell. These range in value from many around £5-£10 to one or two at several hundred pounds. Promises include such things as cooking a gourmet meal for you and your friends at home, ironing, and photographs of your family. Last year's auction -- our 13th -- was the most successful yet, raising £2,800!  We would be very pleased to see you there.


Parish Council Chairman's Notes

KEEP CLEAR SIGN

Following representations to South Glos Council, a 'Keep Clear' sign will soon be installed on the footway outside the baker's shop in Westerleigh Road. Although the sign will be advisory only, the Community Police Officer will be able to undertake enforcement action should the sign be ignored.

ROAD RESURFACING

Although Pucklechurch is not in the programme for resurfacing work, I am pleased that the whole length of Main Road in Shortwood has been identified for repair during the current financial year. We must hope that the work takes place sooner rather than later!

CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH

You may have noticed that the remaining part of the former Congregational church in the centre of the village is in a very poor state. May I ask everyone to report to the Police anyone they see causing any further damage to the property.

DESIGN-A-SIGN

Congratulations to Simon Fellows for submitting the winning design entry in the Design-a Sign competition. I hope that we will see his design on the Twinning signs as soon as possible.

SOUTH GLOS HERITAGE TRAIL

South Gloucestershire Council have produced a number of superbly produced colour leaflets on various topics. You may have already seen the Pucklechurch Village Trail brochure. The latest leaflet is all about the Golden Valley Nature Reserve in Wick. Further information may be had by telephoning 01454 865783.

Omar Beg, Chairman


Pucklechurch Gardeners’ Club

The coach for our biennial weekend trip away, this year to the Eden Project and the Lost Gardens of Heligan, is now fully booked.

Our AGM was well attended, and we welcomed some new members from Emerson's Green. Pucklechurch News is now available from the library there.

George Alway stood down as Chairman. He was warmly thanked by everyone for all his hard work over the last four years. Our new Chairperson is Val Seamen and the other members of the committee were re-elected en bloc.

Our President and Treasurer Frank Bradley submitted the accounts for the year. He explained that the cost of speakers had risen considerably over recent years and proposed an increase in the membership fee, which was unanimously agreed.

This year's Summer Supper will be held in Pucklechurch on the 16th July. If you feel unable to walk to the outskirts of the village, the committee will organise a shuttle of cars from the Village Hall car park from 6.45pm. Do ring Frank Bradley on 937 3109 before this date so that plans can be made. Bring a garden chair with you but no wine glasses, as these will be supplied.


ANNUAL VILLAGE PRODUCE SHOW - 11th September

The Produce Show schedules are now available for 40p, which also includes entrance to the show on the day. These can be obtained from Tony Pratt (45 Birch Drive) or Elizabeth Webb (56 Abson Road). You will also be able to obtain them in the local village shops from the end of July.

This year's schedule contains 'Suggestions and Hints to Exhibitors', which will help you to stage your entry -- so have a go and best of luck!

Tony Pratt, Show Chairman


Happy Circle

We had our first trip of the year on May 4th. We went to Marlborough, Devizes and Bath, which was thoroughly enjoyed by both members and friends. Our next trip is on Tuesday, June 1st, to Clevedon, Burrington Coombe, and Wells. Following that we are going to Weston Super Mare on Tuesday, July 6th.

If you would like to join us on either of these trips, please book your seat by calling Pat on 937 3985. We leave the Village Hall car park at 10.00am.


CALLING ALL MUMS AND MINORS

Pucklechurch Mums and Minors toddler group (age 0-4 years) runs every Monday afternoon from 1-3pm at the community centre.  It's a great way to get out of the house and meet other mums (and dads - we have a few) and a fantastic way of letting your rug rats burn off some of that energy.

The hall is divided into two sections -- half for riding bikes, pushing prams, kicking balls and running riot!  The other half is partially carpeted for babies and crawlers, with plenty of toys to keep them busy. We also have different activity tables, such as play-dough, painting and colouring, card making, books and jigsaws, biscuit decorating, potting plants, etc.

Halfway through the session everyone stops for tea, coffee and biscuits, and every week the session finishes with singing and a goodbye song.

Every year we have a summer outing, which is partly funded through weekly subscriptions. We have held various theme parties over the last year -- Halloween, Christmas, and most recently an Easter bonnet competition -- plus visits from photographers, book clubs and mucky pups.

The current charge for Mums and Minors is £1.50 per session (or 50p for first babies under 6 months). However, we would drop this fee to £1.00 if we could double our numbers. So come on mums, drag yourselves out on a Monday for a couple of hours. We've got a fantastic village hall - it seems a shame not to make use of it!

Mums and Minors open day is Monday, 14th June, 1-3pm. It's free -- pop along! Any queries please contact Sharon Venning on 303 9139 or Sarah Perrin-Webb on 373 5650.

We are also looking for a volunteer to help us with the tea and coffee making. If this is a service you are willing to offer, please contact us at the above numbers. We would be more than grateful!


Pucklechurch Community Association

A sub-committee of the PCA recently adjusted all costs for the hire of the Village Hall -- some charges were even reduced! Ring Roger Payne on 937 3653 if you wish to book the hall for a special occasion or to use it during the day.

The AGM was held on 11th May. The Treasurer submitted the accounts up to March 2004, and these were unanimously accepted. A new Executive Committee was agreed upon. The Committee meets monthly, and anyone is welcome to attend if they have any points to raise relative to the PCA.


Pucklechurch Revel

This Olympic year’s Revel Parade may well be the biggest for some time and with Sports and Games, Ancient and Modern as a theme, we are certainly hoping for some spectacular displays. Floats will assemble at noon on June 19th at the recreation ground, and after judging, the procession will start at 12.30pm. A variety of stalls and fun rides will be open from 1.00pm on the recreation ground, with several events arranged for the arena, including a Harley Davidson display. There will also be bucking bronco rides, pony rides and quad bikes, slip and slide, and a vintage and classic car display. Traditional sports events will commence at around 3.30pm.

The Beer Festival has always been a big attraction for the Revel, and this year will feature an excellent selection of ales and ciders, with food and traditional live music on both Friday and Saturday nights. It will take place in a marquee adjacent to the Star Inn.

Pucklechurch Revel actively involves several community groups and individuals whose aim is to raise funds for a large number of local causes. Revel raises thousands of pounds each year, directly benefiting village groups such as junior playgroups, Mums and Minors, and the community centre. Significant donations have also been made to Scouts and Guides, the village school, and the church. Last year a significant contribution was made to Pucklechurch Sports for additional storage facilities. This year Revel intends to support more of our local community groups and activities, particularly those groups who make such a tremendous effort to raise our funds each year.

We look forward to your continued support of Revel activities.

For schedule of events click here


South Gloucestershire Council

At the March meeting of the Kings Forest Area Forum, Pucklechurch groups did well when the small grants were allocated. Twenty-eight applicants applied for a total of £52,153.  It was not an easy task to decide, as there was only £24,200 be shared. The Pucklechurch Community Association received £2,500, the After-School Club got £385, and the Youth Project was awarded £2,000 subject to conditions.

Protecting Children

Following the tragic death of Victoria Climbié, the 8-year-old who died of abuse and neglect in 2000, and the subsequent inquiry into why the various agencies did not identify and act on the risk, the Government has produced proposals to avoid it happening again. The proposals, known as "Every Child Matters", would put a halt to having different departments responsible for children (e.g., Education and Social Services), thus risking unclear accountability. A new "Children's Department" is proposed to ensure that the responsibility is clear.

We are pleased to say that South Gloucestershire Council has embraced this idea and will quickly proceed to establish the new arrangement this year. A new Children's Department will be established, and we all hope that this will help ensure that the Council is best placed to meet the needs of all children but, most importantly, protect the most vulnerable.

There will be knock-on impacts on other departments, but proper protection of children is the motivation, and that can only be good news.

Planning Application Refused

Save the good news till last! The planning application for change of use of land off Shortwood Road from agricultural to motorcycle training centre was refused on a unanimous vote. Mr Slade from Dennisworth spoke on behalf of the residents objecting to it. Let's hope it's the last we will hear of it.

Sandra Grant & Phil Trotman


Twinning Association

On Wednesday, 21st April, the coach rolled in from Pringy with 47 of our French friends aboard. This began four days of frenetic activity for both hosts and guests. The French group visited Swansea on Thursday and Oxford on Friday, spending evenings with their host families, who often got together in larger groups to share meals and laughs.

The entire group got together at the village hall on Friday night for an American supper, plus live music and dancing. Viv Radnedge, the Pucklechurch Twinning Association President, welcomed the visitors in both French and English, and the Vice-President of the Pringy Twinning group Didier Premont, gave a humorous account of the cultural differences (like having bacon and eggs for breakfast), again in both French and English. Unfortunately, the evening was marred by the anti-social behaviour of a small group of local youths when the hall had to be evacuated due to a fire in a dustbin. (See related story.)

On Saturday, the host families took their guests sightseeing, near or far depending on how familiar the guests were with the area. (For some of the visitors, this was their 16th visit to Pucklechurch!) Destinations included places as close as Bristol and Bath and as far away as Stratford. The entire visit was blessed with gorgeous spring weather, which made Pucklechurch très beau!

The festivities drew to a close on Sunday morning when the coach pulled out of the village after many hugs and double kisses all round.

Special thanks are due to the committee who organised the whole visit so beautifully: Viv Radnedge, Nancy Cleevely, Ann Smith, Val Broom, and a host of others.

Our next regular meeting will be held on 5th July in the Village Hall meeting room, and our next event will be wooden horse racing and American supper on 11th July.

If you are interested in making new friends, both here and across the water, please come along to the regular meeting or contact Ann Smith at 937 2030.

 

 

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