Whilst this page is primarily for news from the Parish Council local groups and organisations may submit short items of interest to both residents and visitors. You are encouraged to also publicise your activities by using the Sherston Village web site.
Our village correspondent for the Gazette & Herald is Linda Durno.
If you have an item that you’d like to put in the villages section of
the paper, please let Linda have it before any Thursday for
inclusion in the following Thursday’s edition. You can e-mail your
article to Linda at: villagenews4u-sherston@yahoo.co.uk (please put “Sherston
Gazette” in the subject line)
or post to
14 The Close, Kington St Michael, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN14 6LE.
Please only phone with short items such as a date or odd snippet
as she doesn’t do shorthand! (Linda’s tel. no. is 01249 750514).
The parish footpath group has been in existence for nearly six months. If you are interested in walking and wish to see local
paths well used and maintained, come along to the next meeting
on Wednesday 19 November at 7.30 pm in the village hall. Minutes ofprevious meetings can be found on the footpaths page at www.sherston.org.uk where a map of parish rights of way is
also available.
North Wiltshire District Council has awarded a grant of £4057 to
the Parish Council to enable the purchase of a piece of disability inclusive play equipment. A decision on the exact type of equipment will be made at the next council meeting and it is hoped to have it installed by early in the New Year. In the meantime Parish Council is most grateful for this grant.
For some years it has been clear that the Council’s Christmas lights would need to be renewed. Recently it has become difficult to obtain replacement bulbs as they are now not considered to be environmentally friendly. With the help of a generous grant this year of £500 from the Boules & Carnival Committee it is hoped to purchase new low energy lights in time for the festive season.
September's meeting saw a number of items raised under this topic including -
Speeding through the Village on the B 4040 as well as to and from Luckington
Illegal parking at junctions particularly on Noble Street , Church Street and Court Street.
Use of 'C' roads as 'rat runs' especially for HGV's .
Need to improve the 'Give Way' system in Church Street alongside the Rattlebone Inn.
Excessive non local HGV traffic.
High number of drivers still using hand held mobile phones.
Although some of the above are particular to Sherston many are common to villages along the length of the B 4040 in the Malmesbury area and would perhaps be better tackled as a whole rather than piecemeal village by village. It is hoped that the new pilot Area Board for the Malmesbury area may wish to address these problems as part of the process of introducing new and more accessible procedures for dealing with local issues under the forthcoming unitary authority for Wiltshire.
From time to time Parish Council receives complaints from residents as to possible local breaches of planning procedures . Parish Council has no jurisdiction in this area or investigative powers and indeed for all planning purposes is only a consultative body . All complaints are however forwarded to the Planning Enforcement team at North Wiltshire District Council which then decides whether or not a planning breach has occurred and if so on what action to take. Currently this process can take some considerable time which is frustrating to not only those residents who raised the original issue but also to members of the Parish Council . It is hoped that this is an area which can be considerably improved under the new unitary authority. In the meantime residents should continue reporting matters of concern to the Parish Council as well as direct to NWDC on 01249 706681 or email planning@northwilts.gov.uk
As the nights draw in so regrettably the number of complaints on this subject increase. Perhaps a minority of dog owners take advantage of the extra hours of darkness to not clear up after their dog. Worse still some owners seem to simply let the dog out to wander the streets - with the inevitable results. Already in September there have been reports of fouling on the Recreation Ground and the Sportsfield - both areas where dogs are clearly not allowed and are well signed on the subject. One parent has already had the unenviable task of cleaning their young child of 'dog muck' after a visit to the Recreation Ground as well as members of football teams having to clear the pitch of 'deposits' before a match. If anyone has information as to who these dog owners are please inform the Clerk to the Council on 01666 840351 email clerk@sherston.org.uk so that the appropriate action can be taken.
Following the decision for the building to be purchased on behalf of the community negotiations have been taking place with the Vendor as to the purchase price.
DOG FOULING Reports have been received that the Sportsfield is suffering from persistent dog fouling despite the fact that dogs have not been allowed on the field for many years. The recent provision of additional 'NO DOGS' signs has had little success as they are seemingly being completely ignored by a small number of dog owners. This lack of concern for others leads to the field, particularly the football pitch before games, having to be regularly checked for and then cleared of dog fouling. Can those responsible please stop taking their dogs on to the field.
Members of the Order are extremely grateful to a number of local residents who have come forward in our hour of need and planted out large numbers of mangold plants in their gardens and allotments in readiness for the 2008 Hurl. Regrettably and due entirely to a dereliction of duty on the part of the Keeper of the Seed ,Mr Tony Towle, last year’s seed from the ‘Norman’ – the best plant in the 2006 crop- was inadvertently fed to ‘Chas’ an African Grey parrot belonging to Jade Woodward who works at the Rattlebone Inn. (Readers will be pleased to note that ‘Chas’ suffered no noticeable ill effects other than a surfeit of wind). Faced with this disaster members immediately contacted the Town of Eckendorf in Germany http://www.grafschaft-eckendorf.de/
and arranged for a special delivery of seed of the Hurlers favourite mangold ‘Yellow Eckendorf ‘ * to be dispatched to Sherston via DHL where upon it was immediately sown. Whilst the crop is not as advanced as it is should be it is hoped that there will be sufficient plants of the regulation size available for the 2008 Hurl which will
be held on Saturday 11th October on the hurling field. More details next month.
* ‘Yellow Eckendorf ‘ is much favoured by hurlers due to its cylindrical shape which gives it an aero dynamic advantage over the more usual round red varieties.
Sherston 1016's popular sale returns to Sherston Village Hall on Saturday 27th September from 9 .00 am to 12 noon. As ever entry
is free and all are welcome. All proceeds to Senior Citizens Christmas Vouchers.
Donations of books, videos CDs and DVDs are always needed and most appreciated. They can be left with Mike Tarrant at Grays Garage. Alternatively contact Eric Thacker (01666 841344) or Paul Ormiston (01666 840694) if you would like your items collected.
BT is proposing to remove the payphones in Pinkney and Willesley due to low usage. Parish Council has objected and all the responses to BT’s proposals to remove 55, mainly rural, payphones throughout the District have been coordinated by NWDC. It is expected to be some time before the result of the objections are known.
Our MP will be attending the next Parish Council meeting which takes place on Thursday 11th September at 7.30 pm in the Village Hall. All are welcome and there are opportunities for you to raise questions and pass comments. If you cannot attend the meeting but have something to raise please contact our Clerk Mrs. Sarah Wood on 01666 840351 or email clerk@sherton.org.uk . You can also contact Council via the response form on this web site.
From 2.30 to 3.30 pm on Saturday 20th September, at the Village Hall, the cast of TASTE from The Theatre Chipping Campden will be running a workshop aimed at young people between the ages of
9 and 18. The cost is a bargain at £3! To book a place telephone 01666 840348 or martdrea@aol.com
Following a huge endorsement by a resident’s survey of ambitious plans for the community to buy and covert Sherston’s Old School Parish Councillors have given the go ahead for the project’s next stage.
At a special meeting last week (7th) councillors heard that the recent survey had produced a massive 95% vote in favour of plans to convert the building into a centre for jobs and services.
Councillors voted unanimously on a proposal to allow the scheme to proceed by the purchase of the property by a not for profit company on behalf of the community with the parish council providing a £500,000 loan towards the conversion costs which it itself is borrowing from central government through the Public Loans Works Board.
‘The overwhelming mandate from the survey has convinced councillors that this is the best way forward for the future of the building ‘said Sherston Parish Council chairman John Matthews.
‘Whilst there is much still to be done before all becomes a reality we now have a clear path to follow in the knowledge that the parish is so strongly behind us. The next few months are crucial to securing the ownership of the School and securing the balance of the finance required’ continued Mr Matthews.
The total costs of buying the Grade II listed High Street building empty for over three years, and converting it for retail, commercial and community use is expected to be £1.1m
Make sure you have Saturday 20th September at 7.30 pm in your diary I The Theatre Chipping Norton will be performing TASTE in the Village Hall as part of the Rural Arts Wiltshire Autumn season.
Written by acclaimed British playwright Louise Page (Salonika, Golden Girls and the Archers)TASTE responds to the changing face of rural living and explores the role of food at the centre of life's rituals.
Featuring a cast of four, the piece follows the seasons as it tracks 60 years of change in the English countryside.
Using music and dance, the play plays out our relationship with the land, its ownership and the outsider.
The audience is invited to join the cast to sample and share food that has been created in each scene including vegetarian curry, apple crumble and local cheeses. Licensed Bar.
The play is suitable for 12+ and families. Tickets are £6 adults £5 senior citizens £3.50 children £15 family (up to two adults and two children) and are on sale from Sherston Post Office Stores - alternatively telephone 01666 840348.
Sherston residents have given huge thumbs up to the Parish Council’s proposal to buy the Old School in the High Street and convert it into a centre for jobs and services.
A survey of all 1300 residents produced total responses of 722 - over 55% - which were counted on Monday night in the Village Hall overseen by Geoff Penfold Clerk to Malmesbury Town Council.
The result was 699 supporting the £1.1m scheme with 30 against and 1 spoilt paper.
‘This was a tremendous turnout by residents with 95% being in favour of our plans’ said parish council chairman John Matthews.
‘In fact the response rate was so high that 53% of all those eligible to take part voted ‘Yes’. This is an extraordinarily high figure and a resounding mandate to the parish council to proceed with the purchase and conversion of the building.’
On Thursday 7th August at 7.30pm in the British Schoolroom Cliff Road Sherston the parish council meets to consider the survey result and to decide on taking the next steps in the project.
All are welcome to attend.
Survey Result
.....Total Issued........TotalVotes.....% of issued.......% of votes ................1300....................722
A grant of £12,200 has been awarded to the Village Hall by North Wiltshire District Council as part of its Energy Efficiency Scheme for community buildings This will allow for a new heating system in the main hall, secondary glazing,new main door,draught proofing and cavity wall insulation for the small hall. It is hoped that work can start during August with the first priority being the new heating system. The Hall's Management Committee is extremely grateful
to NWDC for this generous grant which will lead to a reduction in energy costs and thus enable hire charges to be kept as low
as possible.
It would be appreciated if people including children do not use the field apart from at organised events. There are important Health and Safety reasons for not doing so as well as insurance restrictions. The Recreation Ground is less than 200 yards away
and is open to all.
ANCIENT ORDER OF SHERSTON MANGOLD HURLERS
LOBBER’S DAY BOULES
June the 21st saw a magnificent 16 side Boules competition at the Rattlebone Inn so well organised by Tony ‘Snake Hips’ Towle.
The day had begun at dawn ( 4.49 am ) on the Great Mangold Field where members of the Order witnessed the 2008 Mangold Maid Kat David undertake the ancient ritual with the Summoner Malcolm Jarrett and his Great Horn of Moyne. The Order apologies for any disturbance caused at such an hour to those living adjacent to the Great Field.
The competition itself was heralded not only with a further demonstration by the Summoner of his skills on the Great Horn but also with a wondrous rendition by those assembled of the traditional air ‘ Ode to a Mangold Hurl ‘ with all agreeing it was by far the best for many a year. As the crowd called out in unison ‘Where be ‘ee Lobber’ the Mangold Maid brought out his Urn from within the Bar to the appointed place and six hours of Boules began. The standard was very high with a number of the less experienced teams doing extremely well against some of the favorites, At the end of the day ‘ Joules Boules ‘ were the victors and team members Julian Squire, Sue Squire and Martin Ryan came forward to collect their well earned prizes.
Including the raffle the day produced some £300 towards Sherston 1016’s Senior Citizens Christmas vouchers.
Special thanks to Jason Read, Rob Strong and all the staff of the Rattlebone for accommodating the event. Yarp! * *Yarp! Is a traditional expression of both greeting and parting between members of the Order.
Boules Sunday, 13th July, saw a magnificent competition,organised by Sherston 1016, at the ‘Sherston Amphitheatre‘opposite Stretchline Mill. Four men’s teams battled it out for the Sherston Cup with the High Street Haulers coming a creditable second to The Vine Tree ably led by Captain Shaun Richards who retained the Cup and picked up a barrel of beer kindly donated by Wells and Young’s Brewery. Congratulations are due to The Rattlebone Inn and Saxon Warriors teams for contributing so sportingly to the event.
Two ladies teams competed in a very tight match with the Press Gang overcoming the Saxons and winning a bottle of wine for each team member. The finale of the event was the traditional mass children’s pull with about 25 on each side with free sweets for all who took part.
Thanks must go to Richard Smith for the use of his land and to Stretchline for allowing the use of their car park. A very big thank you also to referee Martin Ward without whom we would have been floundering with the finer points of this great British sport. It’s about time it was an Olympic event again – and there’s an ideal opportunity coming in 2012!
Members of Sherston Seniors Club will be able to kick off their shoes and enjoy a quick paddle when they visit Sidmouth on the 26th of August thanks to the generosity of local people towards Sherston 1016 which fund raises every year for the cost of Senior Citizens Christmas vouchers . Such has been the amount raised in the last 12 months that 1016 has been able to meet the cost of a coach trip to Sidmouth. Let's hope the sun shines on the Seniors on the day !
The Parish Council's web site www.sherston.org.uk is growing apace. Fascinating pages concerning the Parish Church by Anthony Price and of the Geology of Sherston by Professor Richard Skeffington have recently been added. It is shortly hoped to expand the Parish Footpaths page and to add a page on the flora and fauna of the Parish. If there is a resident who feels they would like to tackle this aspect please contact the Clerk Mrs Sarah Wood on 01666 840351 or email clerk@sherston.org.uk. Don't worry about the technology of getting the page on to the site - all that will be done for you !
Make sure you have Saturday 20th September at 7.30 pm in your diary I The Theatre Chipping Norton will be performing TASTE in the Village Hall as part of the Rural Arts Wiltshire Autumn season.
Written by acclaimed British playwright Louise Page (Salonika, Golden Girls and the Archers) TASTE responds to the changing face of rural living and explores the role of food at the centre of life's rituals.
Featuring a cast of four, the piece follows the seasons as it tracks 60 years of change in the English countryside.
Using music and dance, the play plays out our relationship with the land, its ownership and the outsider.
The audience is invited to join the cast to sample and share food that has been created in each scene including vegetarian curry, apple crumble and local cheeses.
The play is suitable for 12+ and families. Tickets are £6 adults £5 senior citizens £3.50 children £15 family (up to two adults and two children) and will go on sale in August from Sherston Post Office Stores - alternatively telephone 01666 840348.
