The Grapevine

SEAMER & TAME BRIDGE MAGAZINE

No. 138. April 2016 - May 2016

EDITOR’S NOTES Yes its time for another Grapevine! Thanks to the Parish Council Community Fund (“Windfarm money”), who have given it a grant of £200 to cover printing costs, it will have sufficient funds to continue for the foreseeable future. Thanks also, again, to those who collate and distribute

copies without whose time and effort the Grapevine could not continue. Read on, as it’s a busy magazine this edition with lots of useful information and events, including Seamer Produce Show Info, which is removable for safe keeping. Dave Campy ST. MARTIN’S CHURCH Services at St Martin's in April and May fall on days that are different to the normal pattern. There will be Eucharists on the following days :

Sunday April 10th at 11.15am Sunday April 24th at 11.15am Thursday May 5th (Ascension Day) at 7.30pm Sunday May 15th (Pentecost) at 11.15am Sunday May 29th at 11.15am

There are also some services at Stokesley Parish Church in this period which may be of interest: Sunday April 10th at 6pm: Farewell service for Revd Sarah Strand** Sunday April 17th at 9.30am: Short Morning Prayer & Annual Church Meeting Sunday May 1st (Tour de Yorkshire Day): Eucharists only at 8am and 6pm - no services between those times. Sunday May 15th at 4pm: A service for the beginning of Christian Aid Week with Annual Meeting of Stokesley Churches Together.

**We say farewell to Sarah Strand on 10th April, after nearly two years with us: her husband Matt has been appointed as Vicar of Kirkleatham (St Cuthbert's and St Hilda's), and they are expecting their first child in July. Matt's first service in his new parish will be at St Hilda's on the corner of Roseberry Road and Mersey Road in Redcar, on Friday 22nd April.

Please see advert for Coffee Morning and note that Jean Webster is a new contact instead of Gwen Aston as she is unwell. [Editor: Gwen used to distribute Grapevine so we wish her a speedy recovery.]

We hope you will Come and join us at St Martin’s Church Coffee Morning With Cake stall and Tombola Stokesley Town Hall Friday 29th April

9.30—11.45

Offers of help/contributions, please contact: Jean Webster 710088 Ann Startin 710162

St Peter & St Paul.s Church is holding a Quiz Night on 23rd April in Stokesley Town Hall at 7.00 pm. Tickets £5.00. Please contact Marie Groom on 01642 712138 for further details. Revd Paul Hutchinson PARISH COUNCIL NEWS FLY TIPPING This has become a problem in recent times around the village and along the adjacent lanes and roads. It is the responsibility of Hambleton District Council to remove any larger amounts of rubbish dumped at the roadside. They can be contacted on 01609 779977 or online at hambleton.gov.uk

Should you see any dumping taking place, please do not put yourself at risk. Take the registration and make of the vehicle involved and report it to the police and Hambleton District Council as soon as possible.

CONDITION OF ROADS AROUND SEAMER The maintenance and upkeep of the roads in our area is the responsibility of North Yorkshire County Council. Of concern, is the increase in the number of potholes that are occurring in the area. These should be reported to the County Council on 08458 727374 or online at northyorks.gov.uk

SEAMER QUIZ TEAM TRIUMPH! An invitation was issued in January via the Village Hall Committee for the village to send a representative team to participate in the Tees Valley Village Halls Network quiz tournament - an annual competition. As previous winners of our own village quiz, we accepted the invitation, assembled a team of five and made our way to Middleton-St-George Community Hall in mid-March. It was an excellent quiz, with something for everybody and with interesting twists to several rounds, where answers linked to each other and common threads had to be spotted. The final round was a true ‘decider’ round. Several teams, including ourselves, were neck and neck, but this round, based on scoring points for correct answers - but losing all points if an answer was wrong - was a true gamble. Fortunately our gambles paid off and no-one was more surprised than us when we were announced as the winners and were invited up to receive the Tees Valley Shield! Well done to the Seamer team who were comprised of 3 members of the Taylor family and 2 of the Murphy family. A real team effort! As victors, we will be hosting the Tees Valley Network quiz next March. G Taylor

PARISH COUNCIL MEETINGS It has been noted that over the past couple of years there has been a decline in the amount of business coming before parish council meetings. This, despite the claim made by various Governments to disseminate powers from central control to the various tiers of local government. It is clear that the powers given to parish councils involve time, effort, expertise and expense that cannot possibly be achieved by residents performing the role on a part time basis.

The irony is that the workload on councillors and the parish clerk remains the same. However, most information, consultation documents and necessary paperwork now comes via email, is forwarded when relevant to councillors for a comment or a decision. What we have also found, is when a decision or response is necessary, the deadline has passed before it can be brought before the scheduled meeting.

Therefore it has been agreed by the parish councillors to hold meetings every two months (instead of monthly) as an experiment for 2016/17. The meetings will take place in May, July, September, November, January and March. They will be held as usual on the third Tuesday in the month and commence at 7pm.

The councillors have agreed that should an issue come before the parish council that is urgent or requires a meeting of residents an extra meeting will be called outside of the dates listed above. COMMUNITY FUND UPDATE Grants made from the fund so far; £11,000 to the village hall - refurbishment in the main hall and supper room and also tarmacing the parking area outside the hall. £2,000 to repair the pavement near School Cottages and the road surface on Bank Top. The renewal of the railings besides the footpath at Bank Top. The upgrading of three sign gardens and replacement of several life expired flower barrels to brick structures. Some smaller grants have been made to help enhance the look of the village. Residents are reminded that although the Parish Council administers the fund, ideas and suggestions from villagers are always encouraged. There is an experienced, independent chairman who oversees any requests put forward, but in the first instance, please contact the parish clerk with your ideas for use of the fund.

HIGHWAY MATTERS On behalf of the parish council, the chairman met with a senior highways engineer from NYCC to discuss various issues, particularly the residents’ perceptions of speeding through the village.

Disappointingly, due to a lack of funding the only way any money might be found for traffic calming would be if Seamer was a proven accident black spot, which fortunately it is not.

It was made clear that the parish council might support any NYCC project to calm traffic using money from the community fund such as humps, village gateway, (like those in Hilton and Maltby), rumble strips or road narrowing at strategic places on Hilton Road or Stokesley Road. All these were rejected for various reasons, the main one being the possibility that in the future the whole cost of maintenance, upgrading or removal might fall on NYCC and for which there would unlikely be any authorisation.

It was pointed out that with the housing developments taking place in

5 surrounding areas that the problem will only get worse in the future. The engineer suggested that we could install the kind of flashing speed warnings similar to those in Hilton and Maltby and to contact the local road safety partnership in order to try and increase the number of police speed checks in the village.

This issue is not closed and the parish council will continue to look for solutions to make the village a safe place to live. FLOWER TUBS - ANY VOLUNTEERS? The flower tubs are an important asset in making the village attractive and residents’ help in maintaining them would be most appreciated. Please email the Parish Clerk ([email protected]) if you can help look after any near you. We are aware of several residents who already maintain either tubs or the village sign gardens and we would be grateful if you could also contact the clerk, to confirm which you look after and whether you will continue to do so. Many Thanks.

RURAL WATCH Stokesley Police are still looking for more volunteers to join their Rural Watch patrols. The patrols take place two/ three times a month involving volunteers from the local farming and rural community. These can be run locally or as part of a cross border operation with other police forces. Each volunteer is double crewed in one of their personal vehicles and they have a police radio which gives them direct instant contact with dedicated police officers who are also conducting rural patrols. Anything suspicious is reported straight to the dedicated officers who can then attend the area and carry out any enquiries or enforcement that may be appropriate. It is difficult to measure the success of the Rural Watch patrols, or to provide any figures, as so much of it is proactive and it is very difficult to measure the success of preventative work. They regularly get reports of suspicious vehicles and people on rural land from members of our community and there is a marked reduction in these reports on evenings when the Rural Watch patrols are active. The volunteers are our eyes and ears on these patrols and their help, enthusiasm and proactive approach is always welcomed and very much appreciated. If you would like to be involved in these patrols then please contact [email protected]

HOUSEHOLD WASTE RECYCLING You should all have received a letter, leaflet and permit from North Yorkshire County Council regarding the changes to Household Recycling especially at Stokesley. Basically, from the 1st April, you will not be able to use the “tip” at Stokesley, without paying, unless your vehicle displays the permit proving you live in North Yorkshire (note disposal of non- household waste i.e. rubble, tyres, etc will still incur a cost). Also, there are changes to the times of opening as follows April to September 8.30am - 5.00pm October to March 8.30am - 4.00pm And it is closed Wednesdays If you need further information, contact Customer Services; telephone 01609 780780 or e-mail [email protected]

GREAT BROUGHTON & KIRKBY OIL CLUB The above Oil Club combines its buying power by taking orders from surrounding villages as well as other places like Swainby and Appleton Wisk. Last year it branched into Seamer gaining 22 extra members who are now buying oil much cheaper thanks to Gordon Read who runs the above club.

However compared to the size of the village it is a very small number and consequently with increased membership we could buy cheaper still.

Remember there is no charge to join, Gordon and his son Joe run it on a purely voluntary basis. Oil order deadlines are. 10thMay, 10th September, 10th November, 10th January, 10th March

The contacts are as follows: Gordon Reed. 01642 711495 or [email protected]

VILLAGE HALL NEWS AND EVENTS SEAMER VILLAGE HALL 100+ CLUB February winners were: (140 members) 1st £20 99 Stuart Milner, Tame Bridge 2nd £17 17 Walter Pattison, Stainton Road 3rd £14 93 Trevor Gooding, Croft Hills 4th £11 52 Wendy Marsden, Seamer Hill 5th £8 60 Claudia Miller, The Green The winners of the March draw will be included in the next edition.

In November the 100+ Club was 1 year old. For those members who

7 joined last April/May, this means that you are due to join again. If you wish to do so, please get in touch with me on 01642 710294 or by e-mail on [email protected] members can join at anytime - £1 per month/£12 per year. Full details are on the village website: seamervillage.co.uk

I look forward to hearing from you. Christine Cooper

www.metafit-training.com

Starting 1st April Seamer village Hall Fridays 9.30am £2.50 With Helen, Enquiries ring 07502 566054

Metafit™ is the original 30 minute, non choreographed, bodyweight only HIIT workout. Its tough, that’s why it gets results! It combines latest HITT training techniques with traditional "old school" bodyweight exercises to set the metabolism on fire. It is the workout that keeps on working. Come along and get involved! Anyone fitness level welcome. Come and try it out

TEAGOWNS AND TEATIMES With Lucy Adlington was, 'top hole', with several people asking if we intend to ask her back to do another one of her talks for us. Thanks go to all the Events Committee for all their hard word work on the Catering. Mark for his help with the setting out, etc. The Waiting Staff did a sterling job, they tackled all the washing up as well. If they ever need a reference

8 they know where to come. It was felt that even if Lucy's prices are high she gives good value for money. We did not get quite the numbers we would have liked but we were not out of pocket, so let a member of the

Events group know if you would like us to ask her back.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

April 18th New Exercise Class straight after ' Pop-In', on a Monday at twelve, specially for those who find other Exercise Groups that are run in the Hall too hectic. You can even do this one sat down, if that suits you better. They are aimed at helping balance and flexibility. Do not worry about dressing for the occasion (NO leotards please) just slacks and non- slip shoes, simply come and join in the fun with Alex. £3.75 per session

April 23rd Jumble Sale

May 14th Quiz

June 25th Bus trip to Forbidden Corner

June Yet to be arranged, Treasure Hunt

Sunday July 24th Produce Show see more information elsewhere in Grapevine.

August No Event planned

September Games night and Indoor Car Boot

October 7th Harvest Supper with the Fishermen's Choir.

November Quiz

December Candlelit Supper with Carols

New Years Eve Old fashioned Party night (pooled supper)

2017 Burns Night

Ideas and offers of help would be appreciated if the village would like to hold a party to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in June. Tel:- Margaret Smith Events Co-ordinator on 01642710611

ART GROUP A glance at the pictures on the walls of the main hall will show you the diversity of our Group. The members enjoy the support of being with other Artists, there is no formal teaching, but there is always someone to discuss and admire your work in progress. A few weeks ago, we went on a trip to Bishop Auckland to see an Embroidery Exhibition and the

Zurbarin Paintings. In the next few weeks we are going to see the Matisse prints at the 'Hub Gallery', on Redcar Seafront, before sketching and painting at South Gare.

GARDEN CLUB (GREENFINGERS) The Garden Club's visit to Greatham to see the Snowdrops was a great treat; thanks Angela for arranging it for us, it certainly cheered up a gloomy Winter. Even the weather was perfect. Other dates are : Tuesday 5th April, Our next jaunt will be to see the Daffodils in Farndale April 21st to 24th (date to be chosen) will see us on a trip to Harrogate

Flower Show. May 10th Pooled Supper and Plant swap unless we are lured off on a further trip to see Tulips or Bluebells. June 25th 'Forbidden Corner', Angela Forrest (07891097649) is taking bookings now. July 24th 'Produce Show', who will be this years Village Champion?

September * Visit to the Transporter and 'Salthome'. October 11th Pumpkin carving

November 8th Pooled Supper and Quiz.

December 13th Christmas Wreath

You do not need a Garden to join 'Greenfingers', the outings are all plant orientated but are chosen by the group. Club Membership is £10 with meetings held in the Hall priced at £2 which includes a glass of wine. Where a member's car is used for an outing a donation of £2 towards petrol is suggested.

KITCHEN REFURBISHMENT With the installation of an 'Instant', boiling water tap for Tea and Coffee making, the kitchen refurbishment will be complete. Thanks again to ‘Save our Stokesley’ fund who donated money for a new microwave. Margaret Smith

EASTER WORKSHOPS We had a lovely afternoon with our best ever attendance. 22 children came with their family and enjoyed our usual activities - Decorating Eggs, making Bonnets, Cakes and Chocolate nests as well as learning how to blow eggs, planting sunflower seeds ( how tall will they grow

10 before the Seamer SHOW in July ?) , having a go at the Raffle, guessing the weight of the cake and How many eggs in the jar? What A lot!!

Of course we all enjoyed strawberries and marshmallows from the Chocolate Fountain and tea and biscuits from the kitchen

Although we don't plan to raise Village Hall funds we actually made over £90!

Lots of thanks go to all our helpers for their time and effort. Watch our for our next one! Ann Thomas

HALL TIMETABLE

Monday Pop-In Exercise Beginner’s Pilates Class 10.00am 12.00 6.00-7.00pm Art Craft Club Group 7.00pm 1.30pm Tuesday Carpet Bowls Improvers and Intermediates 10.00am Pilates Class 6.00-7.00pm Hall Committee meeting (1st Tuesday in month) Greenfingers 7.00pm (2nd Tuesday) Seamer Parish Council (3rd Tuesday)

Wednesday Table Tennis 7.00pm Badminton 6.00-9.00pm Thursday Zumba Class 5.45-6.30pm Bridge Group 7.00pm Friday Metafit 9.30am

Seamer Memorial Hall - AGM th Tuesday 19 April at 7.30 Nominations for new & existing committee members/

officers and Chair of committee urgently needed. Please contact Christine Campy for more details on 01642 710320 or [email protected] Everyone welcome – please come along!

JUMBLE SALE - SATURDAY 23rd APRIL Please keep all your unwanted clothes, bric-a-brac, furniture, toys , bikes etc. for this annual event. Last year’s was our best ever raising £678 for Hall funds. Donations can be left in the Village Hall from the 9th April. If anyone needs me to open up or help lift please get in touch. Thank you as always. Jo Batey 01642 713143 SEAMER METHODIST CHURCH SEASON OF EASTER I trust that you all had an excellent Easter weekend at the end of March. How many Easter eggs did you receive?

In the Christian calendar the period now through to Pentecost (we used to call it Whit Sunday) is referred to as the season of Easter. It is a period when Christians concentrate upon what it means to believe that Jesus rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. The following thought for the month is a reflection on living our faith in times of social change.

THOUHT FOR THE MONTH Isn’t it interesting watching very young children copying their parents or guardians? We sometimes refer to an ‘old head on young shoulders’ when a child utters statements that appear to have come from an adult. Part of growing up is copying the adults around us but real growth is when we seek to discover who we are as individuals – that is true maturity. In an age of exceeding rapid change, especially socially, there is sometimes the

12 desire to long for the perceived consistency and conformity of the past. Alternatively, we sometimes want to conform to the society in which we live. Our Resurrection Faith is one that challenges us to be ourselves and respond to and live out our faith in our changing society. This may sometimes be uncomfortable, especially when we find that our faith requires us not to conform but to be transformed as individuals seeking to discern the will of God in our lives.

Many of us have sung and danced ‘The Hokey Cokey’, where we eventually ‘put your whole self in’. I consider that my whole self is who I am and not who or what I would like to be. Linking with others as their true selves – what a dance!

We are encouraged to use our faith as a Christian and live out that faith whatever the social changes that arise.

TIMES OF WORSHIP April 3rd @10.30 am Service at Hutton Rudby April 10th @ 10.30 am All Age worship led by Ron Kirk April 17th @ 10 30 am Led by Rev Daniel Pratt Morris-Chapman April 24th @ 10.30 am Led by David Sills May 1st @ 10.30 am Led by Christine Campy May 8th @ 10.30 am All Age Worship led by Rev Lisa Quarmby May 15th @ 10.30 am Led by Rev Daniel Pratt Morris-Chapman May 22nd @ 10.30 am Led by Katherine Atha May 29th @ 10.30 am Led by Molly Locke

TIME FOR A SMILE Headline in a newspaper – FIRE ON BUS . PASSENGERS ALIGHT Notices on a menu – Steaks are grilled before our customers. Ron Kirk

THE HUB AT HUTTON RUDBY (AKA METHODIST CHAPEL) Although we are still an active Church, now we open our doors on every day of the week. We rally some 60 volunteers to man a community cafe and assorted projects for local folk including internet cafe & free wi-fi, book exchange service and play area for toddlers.

It will celebrate its 1st birthday on 14th May .Would you like to visit us on our first birthday? We will be having a party on this date and a concert

13 from children of Hutton Rudby's Primary School in celebration (times to be confirmed).

Please visit Facebook page "The Hub at Hutton Rudby" for more info or contact me to visit! Annabel Young (07510 243913 or email [email protected]). Note: You can Come in for Coffee and Cakes from Zac's Coffee Servery, to use the Computer Corner, to visit the Children's Corner, to browse the Book Area and borrow a book, to visit the Quiet Corner, or just to sit and chat at the following times: Mondays 1 pm to 3.30 pm; Tuesdays 9.30 am to 12.30 pm; Wednesdays 9.30 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm; Thursdays 9.30 am to 12.30 pm; Fridays 9.30 am to 12.30 pm; Saturdays 10 am to 4 pm. Also, Computer Lessons, Story Times, the Knitting Group, Board Game Session and Film Shows are available. VILLAGE POND A massive 'Thank You' to those who contributed to the 'Easter Raffle' on the week leading up to 19th March. Also to the 'Farm Shop' for providing two of the prizes and helping to sell tickets. The winners were: 1st - Easter Bunny & Egg. - Lily Ellis 2nd - Duck Family & Egg. - Janet Bainbridge 3rd. - Cowboy & Egg. - Cara Thorpe 4th. - Bottle of Whisky. - Andrew & Claudia Miller 5th - 2 trays of eggs. - Andrew & Claudia Miller 6th - Sack of Potatoes. - Joan Barnes The next raffle will take place after the 'Produce Show' hopefully. We now have reached a plan for 'The Pond' and are looking at plants to grow in the pond and marginal blooms to brighten around the edge. So if anybody wishes to donate any non-perishable items to make this raffle more varied then please contact me, Gill Burton on 713985.

TIME FOR A LAUGH PARAPROSDOKIANS are figures of speech in which the latter part of a sentence is unexpected. Some examples follow:

1. Where there's a will, I want to be in it. 2. Since light travels faster than sound, some people appear bright until you hear them speak. 3 If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong. 4. War does not determine who is right - only who is left. 5. Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 6. They begin the evening news with 'Good Evening,' then proceed to tell you why it isn't.

7. To steal ideas from someone is plagiarism. To steal from many is called research. 8. In filling in an application, where it says, 'In case of emergency, notify:'

I put 'DOCTOR.'

9. I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you. 10. Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut, and still think they look sexy. 11. Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman. 12. A clear conscience is the sign of a bad memory.

13. I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not so sure. 14. Nostalgia isn't what it used to be. Nor is there any future in it.

15. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine. 16. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in your garage makes you a car. 17. I'm supposed to respect my elders, but it’s getting harder and harder for me to find one now. 18. I am not arguing with you, I am explaining why you are wrong. Submitted by Bryan Sykes.

GRAPEVINE CONTACTS Magazine Layout and Editor David Campy, 5a Holme Lane, Seamer E mail [email protected] 710320 Illustrations Margaret Smith, 4 Bracken Hill Walk, Seamer 710611 Distribution Derek Winterbotham, Kingsbridge, Hilton Rd. Seamer711617 St Martin’s Rev Paul Hutchinson, The Rectory, Stokesley 710405 Rev Sarah Strand ([email protected]) 810690 Methodist Church Ron Kirk, 2 Rosehill, Great Ayton 722053 Seamer Village Hall Bookings: Christine Campy ([email protected]) 710320 General : Christine Campy (Temporarily) 710320 Village News and Events Margaret Smith 710611 Seamer Parish Council E-Mail: [email protected] Seamer Correspondent for Darlington and Stockton Times Christine Cooper 710294 ooooOOOOoooo