Over Kellet View

Price £1.00 to non-residents April 2020 ISSUE 126 OVER KELLET VIEW

Photo: Peter Clinch

Editorial Board: Peter Clinch (Editorial & Advertising), Paul Budd (Editorial and Production), Josie Candlin (Distribution) BOARD OF MANAGEMENT Chairs of the Parish Council and Parochial Church Council We are grateful to the above organisations for their financial support

HOW TO PREPARE A CONTRIBUTION We are happy to receive electronic, typed and legible hand-written contributions. For a copy of the OK View Notes for Contributors please e-mail [email protected] Electronic text contributions should ideally be in Microsoft Word format, but we can accept most other formats. Please set the page size to A4 and use 14pt Arial font. Photos and illustrations should be sent as separate files, NOT embedded within documents; most are reproduced in black and white and benefit from good contrast. Pictures intended for the front cover should be in portrait format.

For help or advice phone: Peter (01524 734591), Paul (07749 897999), Josie (01524 942079). WHERE TO SEND IT Hard-copy contributions should be sent to The Editors c/o Tree Tops, Moor Close Lane, Over Kellet, LA6 1DF; electronic ones to the e-mail address: [email protected] DEADLINE For each issue the closing date for contributions is the fifteenth of the previous month, but earlier submissions are always welcome. ADVERTISING Please e-mail us at [email protected] for an advertising stylesheet, rates and guidance. We are unable to offer a design service and will only accept material electronically. DISCLAIMER The views expressed in this magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of either the Editorial and/or Management Board. Every care is taken to provide accurate information, particularly in the Village Listings, Directory and Local Services. We apologise for any errors and would be pleased to have them pointed out to us.

Over Kellet View is published monthly except for January and August; it is distributed to all homes within the parish of Over Kellet and is available for purchase at the Village Store. Each issue can also be seen in a colour version on the Over Kellet village website www.overkellet.org We are grateful to Gordon Galloway, the webmaster, for his expert help. ©2020 Over Kellet View, Tree Tops, Moor Close Lane [email protected]

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The April View

Retaining a good community spirit

In a very few weeks the national spirit has moved from one of optimism over the opportunities that Brexit may bring (though there are still many expressing concerns over the nation’s future success and place in the world), to anxiety over the spread of the coronavirus outbreak. It is worth, though, putting the mortality figures in perspective; many more people die each week in the UK from ‘flu. Of course we need to be aware of how we can prevent the spread of the virus through our own personal hygiene habits and also look out for friends and neighbours who may fall ill very quickly. The Parish Council’s March meeting discussed what its response to a local outbreak should be and on page 9 the Neighbourhood Watch team advertise themselves ready to assist residents. These are positive signs of a community recognising a common purpose and thinking about how to pull together. There is much we can do as individuals to look out for friends and neighbours and help them if it is safe to do so.

Less happily, the Parish Council heard that some residents in the Greenways and Church Bank areas had received letters from the City Council seeking information on an outbreak of dog fouling on footpaths used by children going to school. One resident spoke at the Parish Council of seeing a dog walker tie a bag of dog poo to a barbed-wire fence and walk away. It seems there are some in the community who live in their own shell and do not consider the health and safety of others - especially very young children who might be tempted to pick up or play with a bag unaware of the health hazard it contains. Since the letters were sent out the problem seems to have diminished.

Worryingly, another instance of anti-social behaviour has been brought to our attention by a resident – the tops of a large number of daffodils on the Village Green have been snapped off. If the culprit is a child then the parents need to instil in their off-spring a little more appreciation of the beauty of nature and a sense of appreciation of a community benefit; if the culprit is an adult – just grow up!

Peter Clinch

Letter from the Vicar

One of the major problems each of us faces in our lives is fear. With the coronavirus pandemic spreading across the world, it’s very easy to find ourselves living in fear; fear of catching it; fear of passing it on; fear of what might happen to our loved ones.

Living our lives in fear is not a good place to be in. Sometimes there are good reasons to fear; it can be a natural reaction to difficult circumstances. But fear is not meant to be a way of life.

As we come to the end of Lent and approach the events of Holy Week, we see many manifestations of fear in the Easter story: the Roman authorities fearful of Jesus’ teaching; Pilate’s fear of the reaction of the crowd when he wanted to release Jesus; Peter’s fear of retribution if he admitted that he was a follower of Jesus.

What we see at both the cross and the resurrection is God’s response to fear. At the cross Jesus gave us the opportunity to be set free from our fears. Out of the midst of a dark and desolate situation Jesus defeated the powers of darkness, bringing freedom from fear.

At the resurrection, Jesus gave us the chance to be released from our fear of death. Death is probably the last taboo in our culture, something we don’t feel we can talk about or face up to honestly. Life beyond death sounds appealing but unknowable. Jesus came back from death to offer the hope of life beyond death, showing us that death does not have to be the end.

The message of Easter is ultimately one of hope: hope in the face of fear; hope in the face of darkness. Whatever it is that generates our fear - illness, loneliness, finance, death - there is hope. “There is no fear in love, because perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). That’s the hope of Easter, offered to each one of us.

Rev Paul Boulter

Looking forward Suspension of services - following advice from the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on the Covid-19 outbreak, all public services at St Cuthbert's are suspended until further notice. Further announcements on their resumption will be made in due course. Funerals will still be taking place, but in a more limited format.

If you are concerned about the needs of anyone in our community, or for clarity about funerals and other essential ministry, please contact the Vicar on 01524 770300 or e-mail [email protected].

"Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you" 1 Peter 5:7.

Looking back The World Day of Prayer on 6th March in the Village Hall was a wonderful occasion, uniting Christians from different churches and children from the school. Thanks to everyone who helped organise the event and participated.

Public notice – gravestone of Ellen & Thomas Hilton During the recent storms and strong winds, the headstone of Ellen Hilton (died 1900) and Thomas Hilton (died 1909) was blown over and cracked. The memorial is not in a safe condition.

As the memorial is owned by the family of the deceased, this notice is to inform any family members that the Parochial Church Council propose to have the headstone turned over and laid flat so that the inscriptions are visible.

If any family members wish to discuss this proposal please can they contact the Vicar by 1st May 2020.

Rev Paul Boulter

Wilson’s Endowed School News

Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey on 9th March The children were thrilled to be smiled and waved at by the Royal Family who processed up the aisle only a few inches from our seats. Pop-star Craig David made eleven-year old pupil Laney Holt's day by greeting her with a cheery 'Hello!' Pupils also had the opportunity to speak with Commonwealth athletes and collect their autographs. These included Scotland's Commonwealth athletes, Kevin Moran and Lisa Tobias. The service was filled with colour and pageantry, celebrating the coming together of people drawn from all fifty-three Commonwealth countries. This was a most special experience for our pupils. Coming from a rural school, it enabled the children to embrace the global community through enriching partnerships enjoyed across the Commonwealth. The close proximity to royalty and special guests made for a life-long memory of an exhilarating day. George, aged eleven, said: 'I was thrilled to be there because we saw lots of people from different countries that celebrated all that is good about the Commonwealth'.

Swimming Gala Every year the school competes in the Rural Schools’ Swimming Gala held at Salt Ayre Pool. This year ten schools competed, requiring heats for every race. We were thrilled to be placed 1st, 2nd or 3rd in many of the events. When scores were totted up we were awarded School 1st for Over Kellet Girls Relay 6 overall 2nd place in the large schools’ category. This was particularly special as we are one of the smaller large schools.

Lent Each week during Lent a challenge is attached to our weekly newsletter. We are following a range of activities from the Archbishop of York Youth Trust. During the six weeks before Easter we will explore how we can Look IN and Look OUT this Lent. Each week will focus on a different community of which pupils are part: family, friends, school, local community, country and the world. This challenges children to Look IN and think about each theme, reflecting on words from the Bible, and then to Look OUT, to speak, give, act and pray.

Lunchtime Vacancy Ella with her swimming medals We have a vacancy for a lunchtime welfare assistant. The hours are from 11.30am until 1.30pm. Duties include helping the children with their lunch and supporting the school cook with preparation and clearing away. The pay is £9 per hour. For further information, please contact the School Business Manager, Sarah Whalley, by telephoning the school office: 01524 732097

Jo Williams, Headteacher

News From Over Kellet Playgroup

Despite the recent storms we have been experiencing, we managed to escape the hall and enjoyed a trip around the village, with a stop at the school playground. As we walked around the

village, we noticed different aspects of our environment and talked about any signs of Spring we could see. The children enjoyed looking at the pond at the end of Greenways and two kind residents allowed the children into their garden to meet their hens. This led to a lot of chatting on the rest of our walk about other animals we might see in the countryside. Thank you so much to these residents who gave our children this opportunity.

The children have enjoyed taking part in yoga sessions to help their well- being and we have started to use some Makaton signs to say good morning/ afternoon to each other at register time. Makaton is a language programme that uses symbols, signs and speech to enable people to communicate. It supports the development of essential communication skills such as attention and listening, comprehension, memory, recall and organisation of language and expression. The staff are soon attending an introduction to Makaton course, which we hope to use more of throughout the sessions with the children. All of the children are very keen to learn more. They find new ways of communicating with each other very exciting.

Lynsey Winder

Events at Bolton-Le-Sands Library - April

The library is now closed and all library events, activities and groups are cancelled until further notice due to Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are sorry for the inconvenience but we are following national guidance. During the time that libraries are closed, Lancashire's library members will still be able to download eBooks and audiobooks using BorrowBox, which is available at any time.

Johanna Kenyon, Library Assistant, Bolton-Le-Sands Library

Neighbourhood Watch

Vacancies There is a vacancy for a Neighbourhood Watch (NHW) Assistant Co-ordinator to support the scheme. Alison Lloyd Williams has ably held this position for a number of years, for which we thank her, but now wishes to stand down. There is also a vacancy for an Area Co-ordinator in The Green area of the village. Interested? Please contact me on 01524 733947.

Coronavirus The NHW Area Coordinators are alert to the possibility of extra support being necessary in the event of a local outbreak of coronavirus. If you feel additional support would be helpful, please get in touch.

Capernwray Ken Alred 07786 803235

Church Bank Alison Harper 734372

Cockle Hill Jane Ward 733947

Greenways Sandra Klijn-Passant 727692

Hall Garth Paul Witherington 732309

Kirklands Tony Wells 733848

Narrows Bev Carling 736393

Swarthdale Ray Garlick 730667

Jane Ward, Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinator

Parish Council – March 2020

Four Parish Councillors and six members of the public attended. Neither the County nor the City Councillor was able to attend. City Councillor Mumford has been ill for many months but has recently been discharged from hospital and is now at home recovering.

Planning applications The decision of Lancaster City Council was still awaited on the following applications:

19/00636/CU – change of use of land to site sixteen caravans, etc, at Castle View Caravan Park, Borwick Road.

19/01368/VCN – erection of car showroom, maintenance workshop, etc, on land between M6 and A601(M), previously approved as 17/01133/FUL. The present application seeks consent to allow construction traffic to use the field gate on Kellet Road as an entrance to the site to allow initial works. The Parish Council (PC) awaited a reply from the City Council regarding its enquiry about what appeared to be preparatory work starting in the field. However, the PC noted that this work had since ceased.

19/01436/CU – change of use of land to site seven caravans, etc, at McCarthy Caravan Parks, Castle View Caravan Park, Borwick Road.

19/01555/FUL – demolition of The Willows, Moor Close Lane, and erection of part one-storey, part two-storey dwelling.

19/01575/FUL – erection of dwelling on land at 2 Hall Garth, Capernwray Road.

20/00019/FUL – erection of an agricultural building for free-range hens with associated parking at Lower Addington Farm, Birkland Barrow Road. The PC noted that a petition against the proposal was available to sign at the Village Shop. However, Councillors pointed out that it is better for residents to write letters individually since the City Council counts a petition as equivalent to a single letter of objection.

20/00069/FUL – erection of field shelter, etc, off Swarthdale Road.

20/00121/FUL – Retrospective application for the retention of five silos at Lower Addington Farm, Birkland Barrow Road. The development had been discussed at the February meeting prior to the application being made. The PC submitted objections to the application on the grounds of necessity, noise and dust nuisance, and the impact on the visual amenity of the area.

20/00136/FUL – erection of one dwelling in the field adjacent to Woodlands View. Lancaster City Council has approved the following applications:

19/1400/FUL and 01401/LB – demolition of existing outbuilding, erection of detached garage and installation of metal railings and gate to front boundary wall, etc, at Old Hall Farm, Kirkby Lonsdale Road.

19/01462/FUL – erection of a two-storey detached dwelling on land adjacent to The Willows, Moor Close Lane.

20/0009/TPO – grinding out of tree stumps left after felling, adjacent to 1 Hall Garth Gardens. See below for developments about planting more trees in the village.

Parish Plan Second traffic SPID – the Clerk will contact County Cllr Phillippa Williamson to try to get County to deal more quickly with the application for a licence to carry out the work.

Flooding near Restarigg Farm, Kirkby Lonsdale Road It was reported that, like Over Kellet Parish Council, Gressingham Parish Council was pressing County Highways to take urgent action to prevent a recurrence of the flooding.

Planting more trees around the village A site meeting held at the end of January between representatives of both County and City Councils and the PC had discussed the County Council’s policy to plant more trees across the County and the rule of thumb that for every mature tree felled three semi-mature trees should be planted. The impact of the policy would mean that where the three lime trees had been felled adjacent to 1 Hall Garth Gardens two much smaller trees, a rowan and a silver birch could be planted, but seven further trees ought to be planted within the village. Locations for seven further trees were to be found. County Highways had now sent the PC plans indicating that the three limes would be replaced with two limes and that seven trees (a mixture of rowan and cherry varieties) would be planted in a line stretching from the Millennium Stone towards Carnforth. This was not what the PC thought had been agreed at the meeting. The PC would write to the City Council Tree Officer to seek his view of what was agreed and note their objections to the County plan. The PC objected to the replacement of lime trees with lime trees as it would just repeat the problem of invasive root runs which had adversely affected 1 Hall Garth Gardens. Further, the line of trees near the Millennium Stone would create a road safety hazard where

Parish Council – March 2020 (continued) traffic enters the B6254 from Greenbank Farm. The PC discussed other sites around the village where small trees might be planted; the allotments and the school grounds were mentioned but no decisions were made.

Condition of footpaths The PC noted the deteriorating condition of the footpaths between The Chapel and Kirklands; Greenways and Top Green; and Kirkby Lonsdale Road and Craggs Hill. The repair work required was beyond what the lengthsman could undertake so the PC would contact County Highways to carry out repairs.

Roadside parking at Cockle Hill Barn County Highways were unable to take any action since erecting bollards would restrict the space for pedestrians. Highways suggested that residents should report parking problems to the police.

Annual Meeting – May 2020 Following discussion it was agreed to hold two meetings on the same evening, 12th May: the PC’s AGM followed by an ‘information meeting’ which would focus on short presentations by representatives from four or five organisations whose work has a direct impact on life in the village, such as Lancaster City Council, County Highways and the police. Carolyne Walsh, Community Connector Manager with the City Council, had already agreed to attend. The format would allow each representative to make a short presentation on their organisation’s interaction with the village and then take questions from the audience. It was hoped that these arrangements might encourage residents to attend an opportunity to question representatives.

Quarry report The Quarries Liaison Officer (Cllr Agnew) reported on the meetings he had recently attended with the two companies operating the quarries. The viewing platform will be re-instated; there is still about 35 million tonnes of limestone left to extract; operations are focused on extracting from the floors of the quarries; quarry faces are not being extended sideways; a large amount of the rock extracted is being used to construct Preston’s Western By-pass Road; changes to the fuel used in both the asphalt plant and by lorries will enable carbon dioxide emissions to be reduced by 30% in the very near future.

Coronavirus The PC discussed its responsibilities and the emergency plan in the light of the outbreak. It was agreed to add the Emergency Plan to the documents available on the PC’s website https://overkelletpc.org/

The next meeting will be on Tuesday 14th April at 7.15pm in the Village Hall. Given the fast-moving developments with the coronavirus outbreak any change to the date will be posted in the week before the scheduled meeting on both the Parish Council website https://overkelletpc.org/ and on the noticeboard outside the village shop.

Peter Clinch

Advertising in the Over Kellet View £6.00 quarter page, £10 half page and £17.50 full page per edition. 10% discount for annual contract of 10 editions. Be seen in over 300 homes! Please contact Peter Clinch (01524 734591) or email [email protected] for further information.

Village Listings for April (There are no Church Services, see Page 4)

Over Kellet’s Village Hall (OKVH) is at LA6 1DU; Nether Kellet’s at LA6 1HA; School at LA6 1BN

As we go to press we understand that Over Kellet Village Hall is closed until further notice and all events there are cancelled. The coronavirus outbreak may result in the cancellation of other events, so please check with the organiser before setting out, see the Directory on the outside back cover.

Badminton Cancelled until further notice

Flowers for Fun Cancelled until further notice

Indoor Bowls Cancelled until further notice

Keep Active Cancelled until further notice

Mobile Library Service suspended until further notice

Please check the PC website https://overkelletpc.org/ or Parish Council noticeboard outside the village shop for the latest information.

Closed for most children and re-located Playgroup 2-4 Years to Wilson's Endowed School - contact Lynsey Winder (730904)

Salsa XS Cancelled until further notice

Short Tennis Cancelled until further notice

Village Walk Sunday 5th April, Burneside 13.30 OKVH

Wednesday 15th April Downthwaite Walking Group 09.15 OKVH Head

The April and May meetings have been Women’s Institute cancelled

Refuse Collection April Grey Bin: 14th & 27th Green Bin & Recycling Boxes: 6th & 20th

What’s On

What’s coming up in April?

As I type this The Heron Theatre has already announced the temporary closure of the theatre from 14th March. This is to protect the welfare and safety of their audiences, volunteers, performers and surrounding community during the coronavirus outbreak. The re-opening of the theatre will be reviewed in a month’s time. I fear that similar decisions will be made by other organisations so please check before you set out that what you hope to see is still happening.

BALLET: Northern Ballet presents Little Red Riding Hood at The Dukes on Fri 17th at noon, 2pm and 4pm. This is the perfect opportunity for all the family, especially younger members, to enjoy live ballet, music and theatre of the highest quality as it retells the classic fairy tale with a Northern Ballet twist. Check with the Box Office 01524 598500 or www.dukes.lancaster.org

MUSIC: Lancaster and District Choral Society’s Spring Concert is on Sat 4th at 7.30pm at the Ashton Hall in Lancaster. Karl Jenkins’ Gloria, Haydn’s Nelson Mass and Schubert’s Mass in G are on the programme. For further details contact Morecambe or Lancaster Information Centre or Choral Society members.

At The Platform on Sat 11th at 6.30pm the legendary 60s Liverpool band The Merseybeats return with other 60s stars. There will be cabaret-style seating and a hot pot supper!

On Sun 12th at 2.30-4.30pm, also at The Platform, there will be Acoustic Mac and Acoustic Eagles. This is Europe’s only acoustic show of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours album in its entirety plus creative, stripped-back interpretations of Eagle’s classic hits. For more details call 01524 582803, click www.lancasteer.gov.uk/ platform-tickets or call in at Morecambe or Lancaster Visitor Centre.

LIVE BY SATELLITE: From the Royal Opera House to The Reel on Tues 21st at 7pm there is Damiano Michieletto’s ambitious award-winning production of Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci. These are two classic operas drawn together with thrilling singing and intense drama. What a wonderful night of Italian opera in its most familiar form. Phone 01524 413935 for more information.

FINALLY: Did you know there is a Scrabble Club, open to all ages and abilities, at Carnforth Library every Tuesday 2.30–3.30pm? Scrabble is a timeless board game and a great way to socialise and keep your brain active. The club welcomes new members. There’s no pre-booking so all you need do is to turn up on the day. Easy! Phone 0300 123 6703 for more details.

Vivien E McCormick

Flowers for Fun

The new club met for the first time on Monday 16th March in the meeting room of the Village Hall. Here is a picture of the very attractive arrangements produced. There’s lots of room if anyone else wants to join, beginners especially welcome. Our next meeting’s theme is Easter so come and have a go! Meetings will be fortnightly but please phone me (733877) to make sure they will take place.

Liz Moody

200 Club News For the first time in several years all 200 of the club numbers have been allocated, maximizing our income from that source for Over Kellet View. Many thanks to all our subscribers, old and new, coming together to support us and enjoy the chance of a cash prize in our monthly draw. Paul Budd

THE 200 CLUB

The result of the draw for February was:

1st (£25) Mr C Bell (14)

2nd (£15) Mr P Morgan (118)

3rd (£10) Mr A Duckett (61)

Paul Budd

I am a local handyman with all my own tools and equipment. I have my working at height safety certificate and a current valid DBS certificate. References are available on request.

Internal & External Painting Decorating Joinery & D I Y Wooden Gates made and fitted Cement & concrete work Grass cutting, hedge trimming and tree pruning Gutters cleared Pressure washing ….. and many other jobs undertaken, please just ask. All work is guaranteed and fully insured.

Weather Data for February 2020

Maximum and minimum temperatures for the month as a whole were 8.2°C and 2.7°C respectively, both a full degree above the long-term average. There were only three nights with an air frost during the whole month. So far this winter we have had twenty nights of air frost, only half the number compared with the average of thirty- nine we would normally get by the end of February.

However, the feature of February’s weather that will be long remembered will be the wind and rain. During an average February we receive about 90mm of rainfall over the whole month, but this year we had more than three times that amount.

Storm Ciara affected us from the evening of Saturday 8th with heavy rain continuing until Sunday lunch-time, producing a total of 69mm of rainfall. The strength of the wind steadily increased from 8th onwards, with a maximum gust of 64mph recorded at 10am on Sunday 9th. The wind remained strong until the evening of 12th, with gusts up to gale force recorded almost every hour over that entire four-day period.

Storm Dennis followed a week later. Heavy rain began late morning on Saturday 15th and lasted until early on Sunday morning, producing a further 43mm of rainfall overall. Strong winds were felt once again, and were at their strongest overnight Sunday/Monday with several gusts over 50mph.

We suffered a very unsettled period of weather from 19th to 24th February with heavy rain every day and yet more gales. In the twenty-four hours from 11am on Wednesday 19th another 64mm of rain fell onto already saturated ground. This was followed by a further 62mm over the next four days.

The third named storm was Jorge, which affected us at the very end of February, bringing another 18mm of rainfall and a highest gust of 54mph on the evening of Saturday 29th.

The three-week period from the 8th to 28th was truly exceptionally wet, with 270mm of rain. This was the wettest three-week period I have recorded in the village since my records began in 1998. The total for the whole of February was 290mm, which was by far the wettest February on record, and the second wettest of any month I have recorded since 1998. The only month I have recorded which was wetter was December 2015 with 370mm. In addition, we had twelve days in the month with winds gusting to gale force or higher.

If you think that it feels like a very long time since we’ve had a decent spell of dry weather, you would be right. Since 1st August 2019 we have had the equivalent of a whole year’s rain (1235mm). The full twelve-month period from 1st March 2019 to 29th February 2020 has given us 1751mm of rain, which is more than 40% above average.

Martin Lord

Cover Pictures We are always looking for photographs to feature on our front cover. Photographs of local scenes, flora or wildlife are especially welcome and all will be credited in the magazine. Portrait format is preferred if possible. Please send your pictures to us at [email protected]

Tom Shaw Remembered (1938-2020)

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Tom Shaw, who was a well-known and much-respected resident of Over Kellet for thirty-two years. Born and educated in St Helen’s, he trained as an electrician before working in the town’s fire service. He cared for his mother following the tragic loss of his father and his two sisters from a rare hereditary condition. He was a proud, dedicated and life-long supporter of St Helen’s Rugby League Football Club (The Saints). He met Joan, who had been tragically widowed, at the church where they were both committed members. They were married in 1983. Tom and Joan spent caravan holidays in Grange-over-Sands and from there they attended St Cuthbert’s Church before moving to Church Bank in 1988. Tom retired in 1992 and was then able to pursue his interests in photography, fell walking and leading walking groups - which he did with enthusiasm and a strictness for appropriate clothing and equipment; he always carried a compass.

Tom was a very committed Christian, always keen to share his faith. He served St Cuthbert’s as churchwarden, health and safety officer, and member of the Parochial Church Council. Almost single-handedly he transformed the appearance of St Cuthbert’s by painting the interior walls, a legacy we benefit from today. He completed training to be a lay reader and would have loved to have been a Vicar!

A man of many talents, Tom loved singing, raising plants for the Horticultural Society’s Annual Show, making wedding cakes and Christening shawls – as well as his special passion for photography.

His humility always led him to want others to take the credit; he was generous, kind and honest.

The onset of memory impairment resulted in his becoming a resident at Hillcroft Nursing Home for three years, a tragedy for Joan and his many friends. Despite his condition, his support of The Saints and his love of hymn singing were undiminished.

He is now in the safe keeping of his Lord and Saviour who he served faithfully.

John & Angela Halsey

Local Citizens Advice News

Top tips to avoid problems with building work

Spring weather often encourages people to think about alterations, extensions or improvements to their home. Unfortunately some people do not follow common-sense procedures when engaging tradespeople, or are duped into handing over cash for poor work or no work at all. Here are some top tips on how best to avoid these pitfalls or, if you are the victim of a scam, how to get help.

1 Before you get your building work done

1A Check if you need building regulations and/or planning permission for what you intend to do. You will need building regulations consent from the local authority (Lancaster City Council) for even small works such as replacing windows or doors to certain types of property. You usually need planning permission to build something new or make a major change such as adding a conservatory or garage. You will not need to apply to Lancaster City Council yourself if you hire a contractor who is registered under the Government’s competent person scheme https:// www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval/use-a-competent-person-scheme

If you do not use a contractor registered under the competent person scheme you will have to submit a ‘building notice’ or a ‘full plans application’ to the local Building Control Body, see https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval/how-to-apply If the work you intend to carry out is complex or substantial you may need to employ a surveyor or an architect who, for a fee, will help you apply for the necessary consents.

If your home is mortgaged you may need to obtain consent from the mortgage company; they will want to ensure that what you plan to do would not adversely affect the value of the property in which they have an interest.

If you are a leaseholder, and so do not own your home, you will need to get consent from the freeholder – this is probably best done in the initial stages before you go to the expense of engaging an architect or surveyor or paying fees for consents.

1B Find a good builder or contractor. The best way to do this is to talk to local friends, neighbours and relatives about any work they have had done and about the competency of the person they employed to do it. If you cannot obtain any recommendations, ask some contractors for references and recommendations from people for whom they have done work, and follow them up – do not rely solely on the written statements given to you but talk to former customers. Avoid a builder or contractor who will not give a reference or recommendation - they could be dishonest. Obtain a business card from the contractor and ensure it has more than just a mobile phone number – contractors who provide only mobile numbers may be difficult to contact if there are problems and may be unreliable or dishonest. Get a street/postal address and land-line phone number from the contractor. Also check with trade organisations that the contractor does have the qualifications and/or membership of trade bodies they claim.

In addition you can find dependable traders by using one or more of the local and national schemes that recommend them. The local scheme is the Safe Trader Scheme run by Lancashire County Council https://safetrader.org.uk/trader-search- result/ The national schemes include Trustmark, Checkatrade, and Which Trusted Trader. There are details of other national schemes and links to all of them on Citizens Advice Adviceguide website at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/ get-more-help/find-a-trader-and-check-you-can-trust-them/

Have a clear idea of what work is to be done and write down questions you want to put to the contractors. It is always best to interest more than one contractor in your work so that you can compare what they say and the costs they provide. Interview the contractor at your home so they can gain a clear picture of what is intended, and write down what they say about the job. It is useful to start a ‘diary of events’ summarising the date and content of each contact you have with the contractor. If something goes wrong with the planned work you will need this as evidence should you seek legal advice or have to take court action against the contractor.

1C Get quotes before you decide who to choose. A quote is a promise from the contractor to do the work outlined for a fixed price. It is always best to obtain this in writing and ensure that the quote details exactly what work he is going to do. Try to get quotes from three different contractors. Check whether they will charge to provide a quote before you ask for one. Make sure you are given a quote rather than an estimate – a quote is for a fixed price but an estimate is a rough guess and you may end up paying more.

A quote should include a fixed total price - not a daily rate; a breakdown of all the work to be done and the materials needed; separate costs for each material and part of the work; how long the price quoted is valid for while you decide whether to go ahead; whether or not the price includes VAT; when the price can go up, eg only if you agree to extra work.

There is an example of what a good quote for building work should include at https://www.yourtradebase.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/better-builders-red-quote- example.pdf

Local Citizens Advice News (continued) 1D Get a written contract. Before you agree to use the contractor ask him for a written contract. Be wary of any who do not wish to provide one. Many contractors will provide a standard contract drawn up by the professional or trade body to which they belong and this should be entirely satisfactory, but do check it contains all you require, especially about what to do if there is a dispute over the quality and/or cost of the work.

There are other matters which you need to consider when engaging a contractor, such as your own and the contractor’s insurance requirements while the works are in progress, removal of rubbish, who buys the materials (the contractor, any sub- contractors or you), when payments for work done will be due. They are discussed on the CA Adviceguide website https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting- home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/

2 What to do if things go wrong If you have had work done on your home and there is a problem caused by a trader you should be able to get it fixed and possibly get some of your money back.

2A Talk to the trader or contractor. Try to come to an agreement. It’s a good idea to prepare for the discussion by a) gathering together any paperwork and receipts, b) taking photos to use as evidence of the problem and c) making notes about what has happened, including dates and times – keeping a diary of events was mentioned towards the end of section 1B.

2B What you should do next depends on the nature of the problem - If workers have not done a good job, have not done what was agreed, have not done the work on time, have charged more than you expected, something was not installed properly, or what they have done is dangerous or unsafe, our Adviceguide website has information under each of these headings, see https:// www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/problem- with-home-improvements/

In addition, for information and advice when there is a problem contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). Not available on Bank Holidays.

If you cannot come to an agreement there are five steps which you can follow, beginning with making a formal complaint. First, check the contract you agreed with the contractor for mention of a complaints or disputes procedure and follow what is laid down. Make sure you keep a copy of all your letters; you may wish to send them by recorded delivery so you can prove that they have reached the addressee. Second, if that process fails contact the trade association to which the contractor belongs, explain what has happened and ask for advice on what to do. Again, make sure you do this in writing and keep copies of the correspondence. Third, if the job was paid for using a credit or debit card you may be able to get help from your card provider – but you must have tried to get your money back from the contractor first. Fourth, check in the contract and with the trade association whether there is an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) scheme and, if there is, follow the procedures set out. Fifth, if all else fails make a court claim, usually to the Small Claims Court.

There are details on how to do this at https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and- courts/legal-system/taking-legal-action/small-claims/making-a-small-claim/

3 If you believe you have been the subject of a scam or fraud – contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline 0808 223 1133 (available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). This is a national service run jointly between Citizens Advice and Trading Standards. If you report a scam or fraud, the details will be passed to local Trading Standards officers to investigate.

North Lancashire Citizens Advice

Following national guidance about the current Covid-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak we are unfortunately having to cancel all existing face-to-face appointments. Our offices and out-reach services are closed until further notice for all face-to-face advice provided both by drop-in and by appointment. We apologise for this.

We may still be able to offer advice either via e-mail: [email protected] or through the free National Adviceline Service: 03444 889 622 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm).

If you need a Food Bank voucher please call our administrator (no advice) on 01524 400404.

National CA self-help website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Further information about the outbreak can be found on the NHS site at: https:// www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

Over Kellet and District Horticultural Society News

Some thirty people attended the Society’s meeting on Saturday 14th March when John Foley from Holden Clough Nurseries gave tips on choosing and growing hardy plants for Spring. Most of the ones he had with him were eagerly bought by the many people inspired by his enthusiastic and knowledgeable presentation. We hope to arrange to visit the nurseries on a coach trip next year.

We are planning a car-sharing trip to Gresgarth Hall Gardens for their open day on Sunday 10th May, meeting at the Village Hall car park at 10.30 - unless the weather is dreadful or we’ve been told to stay at home because of coronavirus. Please ring me on 734591 nearer the time if you would like to go, and say whether you can offer or would like transport.

As you know, we have been planning a coach trip to the RHS Flower Show at Harlow Carr for Saturday 27th June. Because of the difficulties caused by the coronavirus outbreak, the RHS has postponed the event (possibly to the Autumn). We’ll let you know whether we can re-arrange the trip for this Autumn or leave it for another year.

There have still been no takers for the back copies of the RHS Gardens magazine, free to anyone who would like all or some of them; phone me on 734591 if you’re interested. Any left at the end of May will have to go for recycling.

Finally, if you haven’t yet renewed your membership of the Society, please pop an envelope with your name(s) and £2 sub per household through Geoff Jackson’s letterbox at 10 Bay View.

Verity Clinch, Secretary, OKDHS

Due to various circumstances we made a decision to cancel our March working party. All residents on our B4RN database were informed via e-mail. This decision was not taken lightly and we hope everyone received the message. We will meet again in April, the date to be agreed and notified. We only have a very small section to complete to finish off the present schedule of work.

We requested in the last edition of Over Kellet View that the forty residents living in the properties to the west of Old Hall Farm, down to Greenbank Farm, and north of the B6254, respond to the letter that was delivered through all their doors in January, relating to whether they were interested in a connection to the B4RN network, if we could make this possible. We have only received one more response as a result of the plea, which makes our planning very difficult. If you have not responded (we await thirty-four responses) we would be very grateful if you please could let us know whether you are interested or not and if you would be prepared to let us cross your land, if necessary, to reach other properties.

Thank you to our committed bunch of volunteers who have been very loyal to the B4RN project for the benefit of the village.

If you require further information about a B4RN connection then please contact Lesley (e-mail: [email protected] phone: 01524 733240) or Nick ([email protected] 01524 733947) or go to the B4RN website at www.b4rn.org.uk.

Lesley Gee & Nick Ward

OK View – 10 Years Ago (April 2010)

The editorial and an appreciation by David Hasted reflected on the massive contribution Roger Griffiths had made to the community, and expressed sadness at his unexpected death aged sixty-three. Roger, who had lived at Capernwray for thirty-five years, had been a Parish Councillor for twenty years and PC chairman from 2002 until his death. He had been actively involved in a wide range of village activities, bringing his “down-to-earth, practical and friendly nature” to all he did. David noted that Roger undertook all his village commitments as well as holding down a full-time job selling animal medicines to farms in north Lancashire and Cumbria, and that the community would be all the poorer without such “a hard- working, caring, common-sense protector”.

Several other notable deaths were recorded: Dorothy Lucas, who had lived in the village for many years, and Bill Pinch, a well-known railway enthusiast who was proprietor of Bay Models at Carnforth Railway Station. He was a founder member of Steamtown Museum at Carnforth, which ran for many years and gave the public an insight into the operation of steam railways. He was particularly noted for the extensive garden railway he had constructed at his home on Bay View, and for the other layouts he took to model railway shows across the country.

A familiar and recurring topic was also reported in this issue of OK View: the County Council had been reviewing the operation of its twenty-three recycling depots across the county and wished to close five. The Parish Council and a number of residents expressed concerns that the Keer Bridge depot might be on the closure list since it was amongst the least used and in one of the more remote locations.

In a detailed article an anonymous contributor described the saving of ‘The Dub’ from loss to building development in the mid-1980s and the range of aquatic and bird life the pond supported some twenty-five years later.

Finally, Bob Escolme described a vital aspect of life before the seventeenth century, the evidence of which is difficult to see in our present landscape but lives on in the name Lindrens, still occasionally seen as a house or street name but more frequently as a field name. Lindrens is linked to the process of retting or soaking flax and hemp in ponds to soften the stems prior to their removal without damaging the inside fibres. The retting process lasted two weeks, was smelly and polluted the ponds. After soaking, the flax and hemp were laid out on fields called hemplands set aside for drying and bleaching. When dry they were further processed and eventually spun in farms and smallholdings before being sent to the local weaver to make sacking or fabric for clothes. Bob had identified four small fields on the Carnforth side of the village named Lindrens Dale and Lindrens Dike. Glyn Thomas at Greenbank Farm had found a possible pond in the field called Lindrens Dike, as well as grooved and shaped stones upstream, almost certainly the remains of a sluice. In the second half of the eighteenth century the village weaver was John Dean who lived and worked at Deans’ Cottage. He eventually became bankrupt, possibly with the rise of industrial-scale weaving elsewhere in the north. Growing hemp and flax crops died out in the early nineteenth century with the development of cotton spinning and weaving in mills.

Peter Clinch

Over Kellet Local Services Village Store and Post Office, Craig & Tracy Burns, The Green, LA6 1BU 733207 M-F 7.00-17.45 (PO 9.00-17.30); Sa 7.00-13.00 (PO 9.00-12.30); Su 7.30-12.30 (PO closed); last postal collection: M-F 16.45, Sa 11.00 The Eagles Head Pub, Gary & Helena Torch, Nether Kellet Road, LA6 1DL 732457 M-F 11.30-14.30, 17.00-24.00; Sa, Su 11.30-24.00 Carnforth Health: Ashtrees, Market Street, LA5 9JU Pharmacy M-F 7-23.00; Sa 8-18.30; Su 8-18.00 727877 Surgery M 8.30-19.30; Tu 8-18.30; W, Th 7.30-18.30; F 8-18.30 720000 Boots Pharmacy, 24 Market Street, LA5 9JX M-Th 8.30-18.00; 732955 F 8.30-17.30; Sa 9-17.00 NHS Out of Hours Service 111 Park View Surgery, 21 New Street, LA5 9BX M-F 8-16.45 01539 715555 Well Pharmacy, 9 Market Street, LA5 9JX M-F 8.30-17.30 732712 Dentists: Anne King, 46 Market Street, LA5 9LB M,Tu, W 8.30-1700; 733867 Th 8.30-17.15; F 8.30-16.30 (closed daily for lunch 12.45-13.45) Viva Dental, 29A Market Street, LA5 9JX M 9-17.30; Tu, W, Th 735431 8.30-18.30; F 8.45-16.30 Opticians: Butterfields, 46c Market Street, LA5 9LB M-F 9-17.30; 732724 Sa 9-14.00 Philip Jones, 15 Market Street, LA5 9JX M-F 9-17.30; Sa 9-17.00 730055 Vets: Alison Lee, 2 Queen Street, LA5 9EB M-F 9-19.00; Sa 10-13.00; 735249 24-hour emergency service Burch Tree Vets, 39 Lancaster Road, LA5 9LD M-F 8.30-19.00; 720002 Sa 8.30-12; emergency clinic Su 10-12; 24-hour emergency service Library: Lancaster Road, LA5 9DZ Su & M, Closed; Tu, 9.00-19.00; W & 0300 123 6703 Sa, 9.00 –13.00; Th & F, 9.00-17.00 Bus Timetable: until further notice

† LANCS SCHOOL DAYS ONLY; * LANCS SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ONLY; ‡ KIRKBY LONSDALE COACHES

Route 55 55 49 49 49 49 55 55 55 490‡

Day M-F M-F M-Sa M-Sa M-Sa Sa* M-F† M-F M-F M-Sa Carnforth - - - 9.28 14.28 15.28 - - - 20.28

Over Kellet - - 7.56 9.36 HOURLY 14.36 15.36 - - - 20.36 Nether Kellet 7.13 7.28 8.02 9.42 14.42 15.42 16.11 16.56 17.56 20.42 Over Kellet 7.18 7.33 - - - - 16.16 17.01 18.01 - Carnforth 7.30 7.45 - - - - 16.31 17.11 18.11 -

Lancaster 8.03 8.15 8.30 10.10 15.10 16.10 17.04 17.37 18.37 21.10

Route 49 49 49 55 55 55 49 School terms:

Day M-Sa M-Sa Sa* M-F† M-F M-F Sa Lancs: 20 Apr - 22 May Lancaster 9.30 14.30 15.30 15.25 16.10 17.10 17.30 Cumbria:

Carnforth - HOURLY - - 15.59 16.44 17.44 - 14 Apr - 22 May Nether Kellet 9.57 14.57 15.57 16.11 16.56 17.56 17.57 Both: Over Kellet 10.03 15.03 16.03 16.16 17.01 18.01 18.03 May Holiday 8 May

Restart 1 June Carnforth 10.12 15.12 16.12 16.31 17.11 18.11 18.12 Lancaster - - - 17.04 17.37 18.37 27

Over Kellet Directory

LOCAL AUTHORITY REPRESENTATIVES St CUTHBERT'S CHURCH COUNTY COUNCIL Vicar Rev Paul Boulter 770300 Councillor Phillippa Williamson 221788 Secretary John Halsey 732972 Denny Bank, Arkholme, Carnforth LA6 1AX Church Warden Penny Burnside 884962 [email protected] Church Warden Linda Thomas 720628

DISTRICT COUNCIL VILLAGE SCHOOL Councillor Michael Mumford Headteacher Jo Williams 732097 6 Belle Vue Avenue, Lancaster, LA1 4DD 01524 61950 VILLAGE HALL [email protected] Chairman Peter Thomas 298979 Secretary Liz Moody 733877 PARISH COUNCIL Treasurer John Gooch Meet at 7.15pm on second Tuesday of Bookings Sec. Lesley Gee 733240 month Parish Council Stephen Atkins 720605 Chairman Graham Agnew 733407 Church Lindsay Angus 734964 Vice Chair Stephen Atkins 720605 Derek Johnson 733804 VILLAGE ACTIVITY REPRESENTATIVES Martin May 881256 Badminton Jane Storer 734265 Jean Metcalfe 07795 482403 Clerk Derek Whiteway 07805 260976 Bowls Lindsay Angus 734964 [email protected] Keep Active Lesley Gee 733240

OK & District Horticultural Society NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH Chairman (Currently Vacant) Police Station, Lancaster 101 Secretary Verity Clinch 734591 Treasurers Marilyn Whinfield 07753 435792 PCSO Paul Shepherd [email protected] Pat Woolstencroft 733965

PC Rob Barnsley, Community Beat Manager Playgroup Lynsey Winder 730904 [email protected] Short Tennis Joan Shaw 736503

Co-ordinator Jane Ward 733947 Twinning Assn Liz Brumitt 735013 Asst.Co-ordinator (Currently Vacant) Walking Group Area Co-ordinators: Contacts Geoff Jackson 736103 Central (Currently Vacant) Ron/Lorna Oswald 736523 Kirklands Tony Wells 733848 Womens Institute Western Bev Carling 736393 President Christine Bolton 735030 Eastern Sandra Klijn- Secretary Lindsay Angus 734964 Passant 727692 Treasurer Sheila Cooper 733787 Far Eastern (Currently Vacant)

Northern Paul Witherington 732309 THOMAS WITHERS CHARITY Southern Alison Harper 734372 Secretary David Mills 732194 Northeast Ray Garlick 730667 Capernwray Ken Alred 07786 803235 COMPUTING OK WEBSITE www.overkellet.org Updated info. to: Gordon Galloway 720872 QUARRIES Liason Officer Graham Agnew 733407 OK VIEW Leapers Wood Quarry 07483 357834 200 Club Lesley Gee 733240 Back Lane Quarry 738888 FOOTPATHS AND TREE OFFICER B4RN (Currently Vacant) Contacts Nick Ward 733947 Lesley Gee 733240 PARISH LENGTHSMAN Mike Ashton - contact Cllr Metcalfe or the EMERGENCY PLAN GROUP Parish Clerk Paul Bond [email protected]

All six-figure telephone numbers in the directory are prefixed by the STD code 01524 (note that VOIP-based landlines, including those of many B4RN subscribers, require the full telephone number, including the STD code, to be dialled) 28