Wed 26 Flower Club Westbury Village Hall 7:30. April Diary Sat 29 Pontesbury & District Gardeners Annual Sat 4 The Marches Choir Haydn’s ‘Creation’. St. John’s Show Pontesbury Public Hall 2:30. Church, Bishop’s Castle 7:30. CANCELLED Sept Mon 7 Lea Cross WI Visitors welcome. Sun 5 Blakemoregate Cottages open 11:00 – 3:00. Village Hall 7:15. No information. Mon 14 Pontesbury WI Pontesbury Public Hall Mon 6 Pontesbury WI Pontesbury Public Hall 2:00. 2:00. Visitors welcome. Visitors welcome. CANCELLED Wed 23 Flower Club Westbury Village Hall 7:30. Lea Cross WI Visitors welcome. Cruckton Village Oct Mon 5 Lea Cross WI Visitors welcome. Cruckton Hall 7:15. CANCELLED Tue 14 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors welcome. April 2020 Issue no. 263 Public Hall 7:30. CANCELLED Sat 18 Dog First Aid  Parish Hall 1:15. Newsletter CANCELLED Parish Council/Corona virus Community Hub and Library Sun 19 Edge Villa opening CANCELLED Parish councillors continue to keep abreast of national Serving Pontesbury and the wider Rea Valley communities Wed 22 Flower Club Westbury Village Hall 7:30. and local NHS and other statutory guidance about the We are very disappointed to have to report that the official CANCELLED virus and the impact on our community and we will opening of The Pavilion on Monday 6 April has been postponed Mon 27 Apple iPad Essentials Workshop Pontesbury be keeping the parish council website up to date with until further notice. Details about whether Pontesbury Library Public Hall 2:00 – 5:00. CANCELLED links to relevant news, guidance or sources of support. will re-open on Monday 6 April from The Pavilion will be on Tue 28 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors welcome. We are lucky in Pontesbury to have so many active the Library Service website www.shropshire. Public Hall 7:30. CANCELLED local organisations supporting the community. We also gov.uk/libraries and/or on the parish council website www. encourage you to think about who lives on your street and pontesburyparishcouncil.org.uk. These websites will also what support they have in place. If there are neighbours report information when we set another date for the opening. Future Events who don’t have local support please contact them and We would also like to give a warm welcome to Anna Lawson. I am leaving these events in for now. They may lend a hand. We need to look after each other and help We are delighted to welcome Anna to the Parish Council not take place depending on how things go. More wherever we can without putting ourselves at risk. team and this crucial role for the new Community Hub and information in next Newsletter. Editor We urge you to let your local councillor know if you Library (The Pavilion). Anna is a local resident who went Post your future events here to avoid clashes have strong concerns about any of your vulnerable to school here and returned to the village in 2009. Anna’s neighbours, or if you need help yourself and we will mum and grandparents were locals and Anna is keen, as her May Mon 4 Lea Cross WI Visitors welcome. Cruckton endeavour to put you in touch with sources of support. grandparents before her, to be very active in the local parish. Village Hall 7:15. We will keep you up to date about any community Anna has worked at Mary Webb and run her own cleaning Mon 11 Pontesbury WI Pontesbury Public Hall support initiatives using the parish council website. business and brings a wealth of experience to these important 2:00. Visitors welcome. These are some trusted websites to enable you to keep roles. Anna will be the main point of contact if you want Tue 12 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors up to date with news on the virus nationally and locally to use the building and will work alongside Beverley Link, welcome. Public Hall 7:30. Pick Up The Phone www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19 Library Branch Manager, the parish councillors and Friends Thur 14 Spring into the Garden Public Hall 7:30. https://publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk/ of Pontesbury Library to keep the building running smoothly Tue 26 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors You Are Not Alone www.shropshire.gov.uk/coronavirus and ensure it is the vibrant community space we envisage. To help raise awareness of the range of support available welcome. Public Hall 7:30. Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk to those who feel suicidal, a new Suicide Prevention Wed 27 Flower Club Westbury Village Hall 7:30. Zcard designed by the Shropshire and Suicide Friends of Pontesbury Library June Mon 1 Lea Cross WI Visitors welcome. Cruckton Prevention Network (with representation from across Village Hall 7:15. health, social care, emergency and blue light services, The current situation regarding the corona virus pandemic There will also be posters around the village. In the Mon 8 Pontesbury WI Pontesbury Public Hall voluntary services, experts by experience amongst is rapidly changing how we live our lives. Sadly that meantime if you’d like to keep in touch with anything includes postponing the opening of the Pavilion, the new and everything to do with library matters, including how 2:00. Visitors welcome. others) has been launched. location for our library. FoPL was hoping to announce a to access books and reading material online, do visit our Tue 9 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors The Zcard provides; welcome. Public Hall 7:30. string of interesting and exciting meetings to be held in website: • Brief advice and guidance on how to address the new building. I’m sure you will understand that all our • https://pontesburylibrary.co.uk/ Tue 23 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors concerns welcome. Public Hall 7:30. plans are on hold for the time being. I can tell you that the • or the Shropshire Library services site: www.shropshire. • Contacts for a confidential, listening ear library shelving and book units are all complete and look gov.uk/libraries/find-a-library/pontesbury-library/ Wed 24 Flower Club Westbury Village Hall 7:30. • Primary contacts to seek immediate fantastic! It is an amazingly calm and interesting space to Library Lottery July Mon 6 Lea Cross WI Visitors welcome. Cruckton appropriate support read, research and contemplate, and equally appropriate Renew by emailing [email protected]. Village Hall 7:15. Useful Resources for meetings when we are once again able to socialise. The easiest way to join the lottery is by standing order Mon 13 Pontesbury WI Pontesbury Public Hall 1. Free online Suicide prevention training (20 min One event we don’t want to abandon is our Spring or bank transfer. Full details on the lottery page of our 2:00. Visitors welcome. video on see, say, signpost): www.zerosuicidealliance. Plant Sale. We are planning a way of setting up orders website www.pontesburylibrary.co.uk. It’s just £1 per Tue 14 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors com/training for plants and an individual delivery system so that we number per month, so £12 pa. welcome. Public Hall 7:30. This is a great resource on how to identify risk and abide by social distancing and the health advice the Congratulations to our March winners: Wed 15 Flower Club Westbury Village Hall 7:30. how to have difficult conversations, it has been widely government has asked everyone to follow to keep us all 1st Roy Bower, 2nd Catherine Trimby, 3rd Helen Sample. Tue 28 Pontesbury Women’s Club Visitors shared amongst our networks as safe as possible. When we have a final plan in place, We look forward to seeing you at the new library at the welcome. Public Hall 7:30. 2. Help Is At Hand: national resource for support you’ll be able to find the details posted on: Pavilion sometime soon. Keep safe and keep reading! Aug Sun 23 Garden open for National Garden Scheme after suicide (physical cards available to order direct FoPL Facebook page: Use Pontesbury Library FoPL Chris and Bill Neil. Edge Villa, Edge, from the website for free): https://supportaftersuicide. FoPL website: https://pontesburylibrary.co.uk/ Yockleton SY5 9PY. Home Made teas. Adm org.uk/support-guides/help-is-at-hand th £5 chd free. Plants for sale. Suicide Prevention Action Group Closing date for copy for the May edition is Apr 10 (please include a contact phone number) Email contributions to [email protected] or hand in at the Post Office. 12 Advertisers – See inside for details of how to place your ad. Printed by New Era Printing, Tel: 01743 295881 HIGNETT’S of KEITH PRICE: BUILDER 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE PONTESBURY Ltd. FULLY INSURED Established 1919 ALL TYPES OF Retailers of Quality Foods BUILDING WORK Fresh meat, Fruit and Vegetables UNDERTAKEN Fresh Bread, Pies and Buns all baked on the premises A range of Sausages and Burgers made to our own recipes INCLUDING HARD Fresh Flowers and Plants LANDSCAPING Groceries at Competitive prices 01743 792847 or 07792939370 01743 790228 www.hignetts.co.uk

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10 3 Biodiversity Matters Notes from the Church Services in Pontesbury We live in what seems to our eyes to be a beautiful county, rich wildlife and The bubbling call of the curlews are starting to be heard Unfortunately, as a result of government lovely scenery. Yet the State of Nature Report (2019) found that the UK on and around the hill, the exciting job this year will be advice regarding the coronavirus, it has is “among the most nature depleted countries in the world.” (nbn.org.uk/ seeing whether any of the head-started birds return. been necessary to take the decision to stateofnature2019). The Report also reported that a quarter of UK mammals Head-starting is when the eggs of the birds are taken, suspend all church services in Pontesbury, and nearly half of our birdlife are at risk of extinction. hatched and the young then reared in captivity and including Easter services, until further notice. Our situation here at home is mirroring the global annihilation of wildlife. released to increase the productivity of the population. We are now in the age of the sixth mass extinction of species, and it is It was a technique that was very successful in saving the Coffee mornings and other church activities generally agreed that this is man-made, and accelerating out of control. fortunes of the spoon-billed sandpiper by the Wildfowl are also cancelled for the foreseeable future. And extinction, of course, is forever. And why does this matter, apart from and Wetlands Trust. This affects St George’s, the Baptist, Methodist the sadness we feel when we realise some of our favourite animals, such as Our local Curlew Country project has also been and Congregational Church. the hedgehog are becoming rarer? Why does the loss of creatures across carrying out pioneering work in rearing young curlews the globe matter to us here in the UK? How, for instance, can the loss of over the last few years, but this year is the key, as the We are extremely sorry to have to do this mangrove forests in the tropics possibly affect our lives? young birds generally take two years to mature before but you can take a look at our individual websites This is how the WWF puts it: heading back from the coast to their breeding grounds for ongoing support, information and updates. “Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area – the in the Shropshire Hills. This will be the first year that we In addition, St George’s and the Congregational variety of animals, plants, fungi and microorganisms that make up our natural are likely to see the results of all their hard work. The church will be open on Sunday mornings for world. Each of these species and organisms work together in ecosystems, to returning birds have all be coloured ringed so that they individual prayer. maintain balance and support life. Biodiversity supports everything in nature can be identified, so fingers crossed. Be assured that we are still there for anyone that we need to survive – food, clean water, medicine, shelter and clean air.” At this time of year the Curlew Country team will be who needs us, even though we are no longer able So the problem is not just about iconic species disappearing, or an obscure once again preparing for the imminent nesting season. to meet together in person. In the meantime, stay fungi on the other side of the planet becoming extinct. It’s about our survival Curlews have already been reported by many of heir safe and well, and please do keep in touch with too. Just for instance, we need bees and other insects to fertilise our crops, farmers and supporters, and by the end of April they will one another during these difficult times. healthy seas to maintain the carbon balance in the atmosphere and protect expect to be finding the first eggs. The time consuming healthy fish stocks, we need trees to keep our air fit for us to breathe, and job of head-starting will be carried out again, to help fungi to maintain ancient forests. boost the local population, whilst they also strive to St. George’s Church, Pontesbury Even without these existential reasons for halting biodiversity loss, who improve the conditions required for successful natural There will be no further services or meetings wants to live in a world with fewer and fewer animals, birds, insects and nests. They are urgently seeking funding to secure this held at St George’s Church until further notice. flowers, less green space, depleted silent forests, empty wetlands, bleached season’s work and a future for our local curlews. If you When possible, the building will be open during coral reefs....(I could go on and on here!)? would like to make a donation to Curlew Country, you can the day for private prayer only. Do you? Really? I know I don’t. do so online at www.curlewcountry.org or send a cheque Liz Knowles made payable to the ‘Ground-nesting Birds Recovery Further information will be displayed on our Group’ to Curlew Country, Rigmoreoak, Pennerley, website when it becomes available. Do you have a Pontesbury WI Minsterley, Shropshire, SY5 0NE. Pontesbury Woman’s Institute met on the 9th of March for its monthly Meanwhile volunteers from the local community Churchwarden: Allen Marsden 01743 791822 let property? meeting. Our guest speaker Emily Jones was from Hope House. It wildlife groups such as the Upper Onny Wildlife Group was a truly inspirational talk about the fantastic work that takes place will be surveying the area over the next few months and Churchwarden: Mary Worrall 01743 791069 at this children’s hospice. Hope House is funded by 90% voluntary recording any curlews that they see. This work, which has We’re a multi-disciplined inde- contributions. WI members could not believe the amount of fund been carried out since 2014, is a very important record pendent firm of letting agents raising needed to help the young children (and young adults) aged of the state of the population which has shown a 31% decline over that time. There are still some areas that 0 to 25 and their families. Emily’s talk left everyone uplifted at the and Chartered Surveyors, based require volunteer surveyors, so if you can help please in Hook-a-Gate, operating wonderful support that Hope House offers in our area. contact Leo Smith at [email protected]. Wheatear throughout Shropshire, Because of the Coronavirus situation, all future meetings are Some of the work that Natural has been offering residential lettings cancelled until further notice. carrying out with the Stiperstones volunteers lately services including: Maxine Pittaway include: making wheatear nesting tunnels and placing them in some of the stone banks, oak tree planting in Fully Managed the newly acquired Bergam Wood and the usual gorse 10% of annual rent + VAT LB Maths Tuition cutting at various locations across the hill. If you would like to get involved with the Stiperstones volunteer group,

Could your child’s maths confidence do with a boost? which meets mid-week contact Cassy at stiperstones. Letting only Making Are you an adult wishing to improve your numeracy skills? [email protected]. £499 inc. VAT Maths A personal tutor may be the solution for you! We are running three bird walks this year on the Easy! Stiperstones: PLEASE CHECK IF THESE ARE STILL Letting only (without viewings) TAKING PLACE. The first is our usual walk with myself £399 inc. VAT As an experienced maths tutor of KS3, KS4, GCSE and Functional Skills, I offer friendly, personalised support, tailored to each learner’s needs. and Leo to see how many heathland birds we can see on £5 off the the reserve, Sunday 3rd May, 9.30-12.30, free. The last two walks are likely to be very popular so they first Session can be arranged for one-to-one, small groups or online. Then Dave Pearce who is an excellent local naturalist is will require booking, more information can be found lesson on our Facebook page or by contacting stiperstones. T: 01743 404925 with this going to lead two walks: a dawn chorus walk on Sunday Mrs. Linda Beal PCGE 10th May at 6.30am £7.50 followed by an optional [email protected]. W: howiekentandco.com voucher Tutor of Mathematics, For details of competitive breakfast at the Stiperstones Inn, and an evening walk E: [email protected] rates call 07581518426 Enhanced DBS on the 1st June at 7.30pm £7.50, listening out for Simon Cooter and the Natural England staff Welbatch Farm, Hook-a-Gate  drumming snipe and maybe even a churring nightjar. at Rigmoreoak 4 9 News from the Library Peat Or Not We’re off to pastures new, not just green pastures, but fuchsia and At the recent Annual General Meeting the question teal too, which is the vibrant colour scheme for the new library. We’ll of using peat in potting composts was raised. Whilst be welcoming all customers old and new. It’s free to join! You just Pub Club the multi-purpose compost that we sell has a reduced need some ID with your name and address, a couple of minutes to get you The next meeting of Pub Club peat content there are a number of gardeners who on the system and you’ll be a member of the library. We are still part of at the Horseshoes prefer their potting composts to contain no peat Shropshire libraries network so you’ll get access to thousands of books, will be on 21 April at 12 noon. at all. There are good arguments on both sides. As and so much more than I can fit in my little piece. We look forward to seeing This month’s menu is you, hearing what you think and welcome any ideas you may have. an organisation, our aim is to promote gardening, Chicken and Veg Pie or and we try to do this without any bias towards any Roast Beef BUT NOT YET! Due to the Coronavirus outbreak we are unable to use the specific type of gardening whether it be organic or If you would like to book, building at this point and don’t know when that will change. Thank you for non-organic, peat or peat-free, etc. We have people in your patience. you must contact Joyce on 791158 the organisation who work both ways, and obviously or Nadine on 790306 if anyone asks an individual at the Trading Post for Pontesbury Broadplace Easter activities in the Library have been cancelled as has Rhyme Time. advice they will lean towards their own particular The Library Owl preferences. Due to the COVID-19 virus outbreak, Online entry has opened for We supply materials for gardeners, and have a good range of organic and chemical products. it is with regret that we have decided the to close the Broadplace until further Library Opening Hours BISHOP’S CASTLE Some of our members are decidedly on one ‘side’ Monday 10:00 – 1:00 ROUND & ABOUT WALKS: or the other, but the majority don’t seem to express notice. Tuesday 10:00 – 1:00 and 2:00 – 5:00 a preference. When it comes to peat-free multi- Thursday 2:00 – 5:00 Ramble, Scramble or Amble The iPad workshops previously Saturday, May 9, 2020 purpose compost the numbers are on the side of Saturday 10:00 – 1:00 peat-containing material, probably because it is publicised will also be cancelled. Telephone: 01743 791171 FoPL: Pontesburylibrary.co.uk For details and to enter visit: cheaper. However, we are looking into buying peat- free in larger quantities than previously in the hope We hope that later this year we will Bloodwise.org.uk/round-and- be able to reopen. As and when this about or that we can get a reduction in the price; this would Tai Chi https://www.facebook.com/ then show if price was a big factor in people’s is possible, we will put a notice in this We started again at the beginning of March when two new people events/189858612072181/ choices. It would be useful if we could get some Newsletter and on our website: joined the class, having already started in January with beginners in Closing date for applications: feedback from members so that we can determine the class. This means that it is an ideal time for anyone to come and Monday May 4. a quantity to order. broadplace-pontesbury.org join us as a beginner, or especially for someone more experienced We have other potting composts, but most people to come back to Tai Chi. All proceeds go to blood don’t seem to be aware that the John Innes recipe We are in Pontesbury Public Hall every Tuesday from 2.00 pm until 4.00 cancer research (Bloodwise). contains peat, although some manufacturers may pm (tea break at about three), except for the Tuesday after Easter 14 April, be using peat substitutes. Ericaceous compost, when most people are involved with their families. because of its acidic properties probably contains Jenny Alldridge a large proportion of peat. Please check with the The Trading Post is situated in the Old Station Buildings on Station Road and is open every The significant benefits of West Shropshire Flower Club organisers that this event is still taking place. Saturday from 9.30 to 12 noon. We currently plan a local U3A? to continue opening during this crisis but there will We are living in uncertain times and by the time Sadly, after a successful February event, meetings of the Flower CLub are be restrictions on the number of people allowed you read this, the world and local events will have cancelled until further notice. in at any one time. Please wash your hands before undoubtedly moved on again . . . but one thing is Julia Carter getting here to help protect other gardeners. certain – your local U3A GROUP for Pontesbury Rob Dixon and the Rea Valley will continue to provide Rea Valley Camera Club Closure more than just membership but also a wider sociable Sadly, after some forty plus years, the Rea Valley Camera fellowship. This means that local people with even more Club is closing due to the diminishing number of members. time on their hands have an alternative to looking out of Originally, meetings were held in the Mary Webb school but The Marches Choir the window or watching TV each day. In PRV U3A you when that became impossible the venue changed to the West Haydn’s ‘Creation’, Saturday 4 April can expect to have fun and make new friendships despite End Room of St. George’s church. At one time there were The choir, together with the Marches Sinfonia, three our interest groups not being able to meet together for some fifteen or so members but latterly there were only eight. professional soloists, and 20 additional singers from a while. We are changing the way that we can support As is inevitable, not all members could attend every meeting Cardigan in West Wales, will perform Haydn’s uplifting each other without meeting and this is not all using so some evenings there were only five members present. and life-affirming ‘Creation’, as well as Beethoven’s the internet. Most months included a talk by one of the members or an ‘Hallelujah Chorus from the Mount of Olives’, in order Our national office advises local U3As on worldwide outside photographer and members’ favourite photos were to celebrate the 250th anniversary of his birth. St developments and promptly distributes the most up to date shown. There was a competition judged by the members, John’s Church, Bishops Castle, 7.30pm, £12 (children advice so that our members are certain that any necessary with a different subject each month. Originally, of course, and students free), 01588 650448, online via www. precautions are swiftly put in place. most entries were commercially printed but in the early agreed that the outstanding funds would be distributed ticketsource.co.uk, or on the door. Contact 792790 for a friendly chat about Pontesbury 2000s and the advent of computers and digital cameras to organisations reflecting their favourite subjects and Holly Astley and Rea Valley U3A and how we are coping in this crisis. most were printed at home. the to local community by way of St. George’s Church Judith Rice At the final meeting, the seven members present and the Friends of Pontesbury Library. 8 Robert Pither 5 Pontesbury Parish Council New defibrillators Thank you to Rea Valley First Responders for their Secretary Wanted Marches Meadow Group Report: April 2020 donation of two new defibrillators in the parish, one Pontesbury Public Hall committee are looking Annual General Meeting March brought the Annual Parish Meeting when local can be seen outside The Pavilion and one at Cruckton for someone to take on the role of secretary to with Guest Speaker Peter Carty community organisations, local policing team, Shropshire Village Hall. Thanks also to Cllrs Fletcher and Sandells the committee. Which mainly involves attending Council and the parish council give their annual reports. for their donations towards the defibrillator boxes. The quarterly meetings, taking and circulating of It is very evident from the reports given that there are Codes to open both boxes are C159x. Unfortunately, we Tuesday 5th May, 7.30 p.m. minutes and dealing with administration associated many groups throughout the parish working very hard had to postpone the first aid and defibrillator training with running the Public Hall as a charity. If you behind the scenes to keep crime levels low, provide three planned for March due to restrictions placed on trainers Village Hall, Snailbeach SY5 0NZ would like to volunteer to assist us, please phone vibrant village halls and keep the footpath system open in relation to the virus. David Charles on 01743 791946. for the many local and visiting walkers. We also heard this In the meantime, the advice to the Pontesbury and David Charles, Chair, Pontesbury Public Hall Trustees MMG’s 2020 AGM will be followed by a talk from year from the local cricketing and sports associations Cruckton population is as posted on your new boxes : Peter Carty of the National Trust, Cardingmill Valley that are embarking on an ambitious project to upgrade • Check for breathing for no more than ten seconds. speaking of the relationship between MMG and the the Sports Pavilion to provide the necessary separate • Dial 999 – tell Ambulance control you have a non Stepping Stones Project. Booking not required but changing rooms for female and young players and a breathing person at xxxxxxx location helpful if you let Richard Small know if you expect social and business space working to keep the many • Get someone to start chest compressions PONTESBURY WOMEN’S CLUB to come on 01743 791476 or teams going and engaging new players. A big thank you immediately and don’t stop until AED arrives email [email protected] to all the representatives that gave their reports and the • Tell Ambulance you have access to AED ID box no. 7.30 at the Public Hall members of public who came along to listen and ask AGA918 Pontesbury Pavilion, questions. 4263 Pontesbury Public Toilets, or AGA898 No meetings until further notice due to the The Chairman’s report highlighted that the parish have Cruckton Village Hall. Corona virus outbreak some big projects taking up a lot of time and energy, • Go for the AED, or send someone else to get such as the new community building The Pavilion, and it – box access code C159X (both The Pavilion and the Neighbourhood Plan. A big thank you to all the Cruckton, C1 Pontesbury Public Toilets) local individuals and organisations (such as the Friends • Apply AED soonest, urgently, to casualty – follow of Pontesbury Library) who are working alongside the machine instructions. parish council to bring projects to fruition. Then there is • Carry on with AED/CPR until paramedic arrives. also the normal everyday business for the parish council If you are interested in attending the first aid training which is crucial for keeping a large parish functioning which will be re-arranged as soon as possible, please smoothly in terms of services such as streetlights, contact the Parish Clerk. looking after trees around the parish, keeping the green Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk areas tidy, and providing feedback on behalf of residents to the many consultations by and other statutory bodies. As always the Chair wished Your Neighbourhood Plan Update to thank the parish councillors for all their hard work The Pontesbury Parish Neighbourhood Plan will set out and commitment they bring to supporting the local policies to help ensure a sustainable, vibrant and thriving Apple iPad community. Cllr Fletcher also thanked Cllrs Hignett and community for the foreseeable future. For instance, Evans for their time and energy spent tirelessly keeping helping to protect the Parish against inappropriate and the parish council appraised of all that is going on at unwanted development. Shropshire Council and representing the views of the It is being put together by volunteer residents for the Essentials parish residents when considering the many Shropshire benefit of everyone in the community. Council decisions made throughout the year. The Clerk To help us do this we need your views! was thanked for all her hard work this year and increased On 20th April a survey will be delivered to every Workshop workload due to the new community building. household in the parish. Please take time to complete Next Parish Council Meeting and return it and let us know what kind of community The next Parish Council meeting on Tuesday 14 April you would like to live in. Pontesbury Public Hall 2020 is to be postponed on taking advice from the The Neighbourhood Plan group needs more volunteers! Please don’t assume the event below will go ahead. Could you help us put over 1500 surveys into envelopes? Shropshire Association of Local Councils. All changes Check nearer the time. Thank you. Editor Monday March 23th 2:00 to 5:00 to meeting dates will be detailed on the Parish Council Would you like to join the group? If so please contact website. the Parish Clerk. Monday April 27th 2:00 to 5:00 Members of the public are welcome to attend any Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk PLEASE SAVE THIS DATE Parish Council meeting and there is always time for £10 including public questions and comments at the beginning of tea, coffee or hot chocolate & biscuits each meeting. Thanks for the path! Monday 25th May If you need to contact the Parish Council, please see A great big thanks go to the P3 group who along with below for details. David Hardwick Area Rights of Way Officer, Shropshire HOLY TRINITY Call: 791044 or 790649 Mrs Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk, Pontesbury Parish Council council have done a fantastic job re-surfacing the or 8 Holbache Road, , SY11 1RP footpath between the bottom of Hall Bank and the play MINSTERLEY’s email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] area/old railway line, no more wading through mud up Tel: 01691 661157 (Please leave a message to your knees in the winter! to book your place if I am not available to answer your call) Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk GRAND PLANT SALE 10.30am till 2.30pm Run by Pontesbury Broadplace

REFRESHMENTS, CAKES & OTHER STALLS 6 7

(Venue to be confirmed as either Holy Trinity Church or Cobblestones)