Pontesbury Climate Emergency Action Group Pontesbury Spring is in the air, in spite of some cold and wet weather in March. Planting of native bulbs, plants and seeds is continuing along the Hall Bank footpath. A generous donation from a nearby resident and donations from the Parish Council have helped us with this. The group is also putting in plants to help pollinators in a piece of land in front of the library/Pavilion to help nature, bring cheer to the area and to celebrate the Pontesbury Library’s Spring Blossoms in the Pavilion campaign. A new row of native hedging has been planted along Hall Bank in front of the nursery building. Plants for this were donated from the Shropshire Council’s community tree scheme. We continue to seek small green spaces around the parish to “re-wild” or add to our biodiversity so if you know of any such space available and accessible for community viewing please let us know. April 2021 Issue no. 274 Climate Action Cycling Group The cycling group (a sub group of Pontesbury Climate Emergency Group) has now met twice and is a growing Newsletter group. We are all keen to work towards safe cycle routes for Pontesbury Parish Council our children to cycle to school Our Annual Parish Meeting in March took place on zoom, pedestrian safety measures along the A488, complex and also to improve the cycle which was far from how we would want to celebrate all and time-consuming projects. The workload involved in route to town such that more the local groups and organisations that work so hard running the parish and a new community building has people can cycle safely to work to provide activities and support locally. The reports increased over recent years and it has been necessary to and for leisure. An assessment for the different groups and Cllr Duncan Fletcher’s employ an additional member of staff to help with the of the village has been made round up of all the parish council activities throughout workload. For many years the precept was not increased and ideas submitted, the aim 2020/21 can be read on the parish council website www. in line with the real costs of running the parish and this being to make it safer for both pontesburyparishcouncil.org.uk situation is not sustainable. The additional staff in place cyclists and pedestrians. Hall You will notice from your council tax bills received and the community building, we believe, will contribute Bank has been flagged as quite recently that the precept has gone up 59p per week to this parish being better able to meet the demands of (on a Band D property) and the total precept is a 39% unpleasant for these people due the next couple of years, as we support our community increase on last year. The costs of running the parish through these difficult times. It will also ensure that we to heavy and fast moving traffic. including the 120 streetlights, public toilets, grounds can meet the demands of the future as more services We have this mind and are maintenance, play area and a new community building are passed to us at parish level to manage. working to find solutions. Those have increased significantly in recent years. Our new Please contact your local councillor if you would like who we met whilst doing the community building has provided a permanent home more information assessment were positive about for Pontesbury Library and will soon provide a base for On 1 April we will welcome a new member to our reducing the speeding traffic the local policing team. The community hub has already parish council team. Nicola Young will join us as the through the residential streets provided significant support for the community during Deputy Clerk. Nicola brings with her much Local Council and making it more pleasant as the pandemic by housing the foodbank, providing an experience and a long history of working to support well as safe for those on foot and administrative base for the Good Neighbours Scheme communities achieve their aspirations. push bikes. The positive end result will be that the residential roads will have less traffic, reducing pollution and offering debt advice sessions. As we come out The 12 April parish council meeting will take place on for everyone, improving the health of everyone and saving money for those that then cycle and walk more of lockdown the building will provide a much-needed Zoom. If you would like to join the meeting please contact safely. The group are linking with significant people, both locally and nationally. We can assure you that social space with drop-in sessions led by organisations the Clerk for the link – [email protected] children cycling to school do receive lessons and there is a cycling teacher in the village if you are new to or offering information and support and a venue for many If you wish to comment on a planning application nervous of cycling. Alongside the school route we are also working to improve the cycle pathways to town exciting community events and meetings as we all please use the Shropshire Council planning portal at and ultimately other locations. There is significant evidence that this will improve quality of life for many. begin to come together again. Councillors and parish https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/ Or Businesses benefit and boom where people cycle. Congestion is reduced. Health benefits. Money is saved council staff also get involved in wider projects working pass your comments through Cllr A Hodges at ahodges@ by those that walk and cycle. Our next meeting is 7 April on zoom, with work continuing behind the scenes throughout the parish and with neighbouring parishes pontesburypc.org.uk. All new planning applications for in the interim. on things like the solar lighting project for the Minsterley the area are listed on the parish council website. Di Carrington to Pontesbury cycleway and looking at traffic calming/ Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk Carbon zero sub-group We are linking up with the Zero Carbon Shropshire ambition through the Shropshire Climate Action Group Wanted! World Day Of Prayer (SCAP) and their ‘Carbon Watchers’ project. We will be asking groups within the community to work as a Gardeners, could you spare an hour or two to help dig team measuring their carbon footprint and working together to find ways to reduce their footprint. SCAP along the Hall Bank footpath, or an area near the nursery Postponement Please note: The World Day of Prayer Service has been will be tracking group’s progress across the county and we will be reporting on how our local groups are building to help plant a headgerow? If so please contact: elizabethknowles1@googlemail. postponed until Friday 11 June (originally planned for doing within the village newsletter. If you have a family, street, group of friends or any other group that 5 March). would like to sign up and take part please get in touch with the Parish Clerk, [email protected]. com for further details. Liz Knowles This will be held at St George’s Church at 2.30pm. We will support you in terms of foot-printing tools you could use and many ways We look forward to seeing you all again then. in which you can start to reduce your footprint. Zoom talk for Nature Marion Elliott The next carbon zero group meeting on Wednesday, 31 March 7pm on Zoom 21 April, 7pm. – again contact Clerk for a Zoom invite. Zoom talk from Phil Holden from the AONB. We have our talk by Phil Holden from Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Please contact the parish clerk for a Zoom link. Beauty on Wednesday, 21 April, 7pm on Zoom and then the next meeting of the full Climate Emergency Action group will take place on Zoom on Wednesday,

28 April. Contact the Clerk to be added to the mailing list for information and th meeting dates. Closing date for copy for the May edition is April 10 (please include a contact phone number) Email contributions to [email protected] or hand in at the Post Office. 16 Printed by New Era Printing, Shrewsbury Tel: 01743 295881 Advertisers – See inside for details of how to place your ad. Friends of Pontesbury Library Spring and Easter greetings from FoPL – if you’re passing the Pavilion or The Co-op on Easter Saturday (3 April) then look out for FoPL committee members who will be out and about to keep you up to date with our future plans. You’ll be able to sign up for or renew your Library Lottery subscription as well as find out how you can help to support the Library via your Co-op card – just nominate us as your charity via the on-line link and every time you get Co-op points you’ll also be donating to FoPL. Library reopening We think/hope (with so much hope) that the library will re-open on 12 April but are not yet sure of all the details for opening. There will be information nearer the time on the FoPL website and on the Shropshire Libraries website, too. In the meantime it is still possible to borrow books by using the ‘click and collect’ system. Spring Plant Sale At the moment we are planning on holding this event on Saturday, 22 May at The Pavilion so please put a note in your diaries. This has always been an excellent event and a really good opportunity to get some plants for your gardens as well as sampling some delicious cakes and biscuits – who knows, we might even be able to set up the tombola again. With this in mind, please – if you are starting to plant seeds etc – do a few extra to donate to the plant sale. We have always been delighted by the support from the gardeners in the village in terms of the plants and flowers that are donated to the plant sale so we hope that this year can be one to remember. Tombola prizes will also be welcome of course. More details to follow in next month’s news. Library Lottery Live These events on the first Saturday of each month are growing in popularity. A huge thank you to Mike Matthews, MD of The Prince Rupert Hotel, and Manageress Charlotte Green who gave an inspiring, humbling and moving account at our March event. They told us about opening their doors to rough sleepers during the pandemic as part of the Government’s ‘EVERYONE IN’ scheme. From the first lockdown till now they have received over 100 homeless guests, personally cooked over 12,000 meals and made a difference to peoples’ for the better. It was an amazing account which can be viewed again at pontesburylibrary.co.uk, on the FoPL YouTube site. On the same site you can catch Mike Fletcher’s presentation To Hell and Back. This was very well received and raised funds for both FoPL and Haemochromatosis UK. Our thanks to all involved in the organising of this – and, of INSURANCE THAT’S course, to Mike for his lively and informative talk. We have been lucky that Zoom has helped us during Lockdown and that we have continued to raise those much needed funds We are planning something at least as special on Saturday 3 April, so look out for the Zoom invitation nearer ON YOUR DOORSTEP the time – the Zoom event is open from 10.45and the draw is at 11.00am . March winners of the Library Lottery: Call our office in Shrewsbury on 01743 344 743 1st Dianne Carrington, 2nd Doreen Thomas and 3rd Roy Bower AGM Details of the AGM – held on 11 March – are on the Website. Thanks to all who Zoomed in for it.

Special Congratulations And finally – many congratulations to two

of our oldest (if not the oldest) library users. Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited. Lynn and John Clout who lived in Pontesbury when their children were young and now live in Cliffdale were regular visitors to the library Specialist advisors to the before lockdown. They have just celebrated their 69th Wedding Anniversary – quite an mature and retired market achievement. We look forward to celebrating • Later Life Planning • Retirement Advice their Platinum anniversary next year – maybe • Long Term Care Planning • Saving & Investment Advice in the library! • Inheritance Tax Planning Call us for open honest advice

FoPL 01743 365 813 Ben Walters DipFA MIFS [email protected] Hannah Edwards DipFA LIBF [email protected]

Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority www.portland-fp.co.uk 2 15 Support if you are struggling financially Advertisements Financial support for businesses during coronavirus – Department for Free online mental health All advertisements have to be Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Public Health England support for 14-25 year olds booked and paid for in advance. You can find out more details about the government’s support for Whether it’s loss of routine, Booking forms from businesses through this website: increased anxiety, or stress at The Clerk to the Parish Council https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for- home, we’re supporting 01691 661157 businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19 young people through FREE video therapy sessions (6pm – 12am). or [email protected] Work, Skill, Money Guide Cost Shropshire Council have recently developed a guide which aims to support Email: [email protected] ‘Within parish’ ads residents with matters concerning Work, Skills and Money. The guide covers Tel: 0121 622 3603, £12 for smaller ads the whole cycle of job loss, financial support, housing, and upskilling for TEXT: 07395 629297 and £20 for larger ads. ‘ people who are looking for work. The guide can be located via the following twitter/facebook/instagram ‘Outside parish’ ads link – https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/information-for-the- @lyfeproofUK £17 for smaller ads public/work-skills-and-money-guide/ and £25 for larger ads. Hardship Funds – ◊ – If you have been affected financially by Covid or are just struggling to meet essential bills over lockdown and over winter, there are Hardship Funds that Send your ads by e-mail to can help with a wide range of needs. These grants are open to anyone in [email protected] difficulty and it’s not necessary for benefits to be in payment. This money is for Shropshire householders, especially those low-paid working families Dementia Support in Ads must be sent as jpeg or PDF with children whose finances may have suffered due to the long-term impact Pontesbury or, if this is not possible, of Covid. It is easy to apply over the phone; an adviser will complete the When someone is diagnosed with in MS Word which will be set paperwork and a specialist will look to see how residents might be supported dementia there are questions, to a standard format concerns and situations that arise (no design charge). and if any further information is needed. So, if you or someone you know, about what to do, how to understand Images separately as jpegs. Any are having difficulty meeting essential outgoings, please call 0345 678 9078. necessary design work will be You can also access these grants and a range of other Covid related the condition, and where to find charged at £25 per hour. support through Shropshire Council web pages: https://www.shropshire. answers and support. The Alzheimer’s gov.uk/coronavirus/information-for-the-public/ or via the Covid-19 helpline Society have local Dementia Advisers Please note, I don’t have on 0345 678 9028. who provide personalised one-to-one MS Publisher so will be unable Help with food support for those in Shropshire with to read ads sent in this way. Editor If you are in need of some help with food please either contact the a diagnosis of dementia, their family Community Good Neighbour’s Scheme (see details on page 6) or Shrewsbury and carers. If you want to talk with Dedicated to providing Foodbank who offer a wide range of support including help with food. The them and have their support then call FOOD BANK AT BARNABAS IS OPEN: the Dementia Connect Supportline you with a friendly, Malehurst Industrial Estate, Monday, Tuesday and Friday (not open on Bank Holidays) on 0333 150 3456. efficient and professional Malehurst, Pontesbury, SY5 0EQ 9.30am – 12pm legal service Modern Industrial Buildings To Let – 01743 343336 / 0742 174 5857. https://www.barnabascommunityprojects. org/shrewsburyfoodbank also lists other support available, such as help Civil & Commercial Mediation Various Sizes Available with cooking, budgeting and employment. Commercial & Agricultural Ideal For Start Up or Existing Businesses https://www.shropshirelarder.org.uk/ also lists support available to you. Commercial & Civil Litigation Modern Insulated Units (see details on page 6). Debt Recovery Covid helpline Elderly Client & Care Funding Self Storage Units & Outside Storage Also Available Shropshire Councils Covid-19 Helpline 0345 6789 028: this phoneline is Employment designed to receive enquiries and concerns associated with Covid-19, of a Family Arbitration Telephone 01743 791744 non-medical nature. Family Matters [email protected] Family Mediation www.malehurstindustrialestate.co.uk Personal Injury Residential Property Social Housing & Development Wills, Trusts, Tax Planning & Probate

21 St Mary's Street | Shrewsbury | SY1 1ED 01743 280 100 www.wacemorgan.co.uk

14 3 Elections – 6 May, 2021 Make a change! Become a Councillor HIGNETT’S of KEITH PRICE: BUILDER You have until 4pm on 8 April 2021 to hand in your 35 YEARS EXPERIENCE nomination papers if you want to stand as a councillor. PONTESBURY Ltd. FULLY INSURED Are you passionate about your community? Do you developing strategies and plans for the area, helping with Established 1919 want to help make a long-lasting change? Do you have problems and ideas, representing the community, working ALL TYPES OF innovative ideas for the council? Do you have concerns with other local community groups, decision making and Retailers of Quality Foods BUILDING WORK about a specific issue and want to do something about reviewing decisions and talking to the community about Fresh meat, Fruit and Vegetables UNDERTAKEN it? If this is you, then we need you. We need people their needs and what the council is doing. Fresh Bread, Pies and Buns all baked on the premises from all backgrounds and experiences who reflect their How to Become a Councillor A range of Sausages and Burgers made to our own recipes INCLUDING HARD community to put themselves forward for election. Make Local councils can only be as helpful, connected and Fresh Flowers and Plants LANDSCAPING a change and become a councillor. energetic as the people elected to run them, so we need Groceries at Competitive prices 01743 792847 or Here, you will find everything you need to know. We explain councillors who are capable, enthusiastic and engaged to 07792939370 what local councils and councillors do, how you can become reflect their communities. You can find out more about 01743 790228 www.hignetts.co.uk a councillor, details of the role and what to expect, and local becoming a councillor from The Electoral Commission https:// councils have a range of resources to help recruit candidates. www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/candidate-or-agent/ What do Local Councils and Councillors do? parish-council-elections-england and Local Government Local (parish and town) councils and councillors make Association https://www.local.gov.uk/be-councillor. a massive difference to local people’s quality of life. There are six simple steps to becoming a councillor: They are passionate about their communities and seek • For information about the 6 May 2021 elections to make a change to help improve their residents’ lives. look at the Shropshire Council website https://www. Local councils run numerous services, depending on shropshire.gov.uk/elections-and-electoral-registration/ the size of the council. Many you will see day-to-day, voting-and-elections/town-and-parish-elections-6- but some are less known. These include introducing may-2021/ solar panels, setting up dementia-friendly groups, • Submit your nomination to the returning officer — organising community buses, creating neighbourhood find out more about the process and the criteria plans, implementing suitable housing, establishing • Wait for your nomination to be accepted youth projects, managing allotments and open spaces, • Your nomination is made public by the principal maintaining footpaths, public seating and litter bins. authority Councillors are elected to represent the local community, • Start your elections campaign so you must either live or work in the council area. • Polling day Becoming a councillor is a rewarding experience as you More information about voting will be available nearer will be able to make a change in your community to help the elections date. improve residents’ lives. A councillor’s role can include Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk Simplifying Computers  01743 790968 and Technology  07971 480036 across Shropshire  [email protected]

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Monday-Friday 9am –5.30 Saturday 9am—3pm (inc. Post Office) Shrewsbury Road, Pontesbury, SY5 0QD Tel: 01743 790600 Email: [email protected] www.connections-pontesbury.co.uk Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

4 13 Community Hub and Library Serving Pontesbury and the wider Rea Valley communities We are hoping during April to have the Pavilion building and Library open again and for you to come and celebrate as ‘Spring Blossoms in the Pavilion Secret Garden’. Check out the Pavilion website www.pontesburypavilion.co.uk/ and the Shropshire Library Service website www.shropshire.gov.uk/libraries. For updates on when we are open. The building continues to provide support for the Community Good Neighbours Scheme Pontesbury and Rea Valley (as a postal address and for DBS checks for volunteers) and as a venue for St Barnabas debt advice sessions (see elsewhere in the newsletter for details). The Friends of Pontesbury Library (FoPL) library lottery is open again for business along with some exciting online entertainment. Check out the FoPL website for more information. https:// pontesburylibrary.co.uk/ about this and other FoPL events. Parish Plan update: BIMBY not NIMBY? Do you have a Significant changes are planned by Central Government in the hope that our local communities are more likely to be BIMBYs rather NIMBYs. let property? A little confused? Then read on as the future of our Parish is at stake. The purpose of the planning system at both local and national level is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable We’re a multi-disciplined inde- development. The definition of sustainable is to be amended so that it supports communities by pendent firm of letting agents “fostering beautiful and safe places”. This is a new recognition of the importance of beauty as a central,policy objective. There is a strong belief that beauty promotes health, wellbeing and and Chartered Surveyors, based sustainable growth including a reduction in our carbon footprint. A beautiful place is one that we in Hook-a-Gate, operating wish to walk through and spend time in; an ugly one is a place to pass through in a car . throughout Shropshire, Central Government wants to build many more houses, improve infrastructure and to speed up their offering residential lettings delivery. Often opposition ( Not In My Back Yard ) holds up the planning process. Hence, in part, the new services including: emphasis on beauty is in the hope that there will be less opposition to development if beauty is a condition of planning approval ( Beauty In My Back Yard ). OFFER NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE Fully Managed Well designed places should result in beautiful places to live where changes, whether big or small, will 10% of annual rent + VAT integrate well with the natural and built environment. There is a great opportunity for us to contribute to a local design code via our Neighbourhood Plan. NOW is the time to influence the look and layout of our Letting only communities. Commenting on a planning application, whilst often helpful, is likely to be less influential £499 inc. VAT than assisting with a wide ranging design code which will set the parameters for future development. There will be more on the design code in the next newsletter and the Neighbourhood Plan website. www. Letting only (without viewings) pontesburyparishneighbourhoodplan.org.uk £399 inc. VAT Neighbourhood Plan Steering Group

News fron the Library T: 01743 404925 Through primrose tufts, in that green bower, W: howiekentandco.com The periwinkle trailed its wreaths; E: [email protected] And ’tis my faith that every flower Welbatch Farm, Hook-a-Gate  Enjoys the air it breathes. The birds around me hopped and played, Their thoughts I cannot measure:— But the least motion which they made It seemed a thrill of pleasure… An extract from ‘Lines Written in Early Spring’ by William Wordsworth I love spring, this poem lifts the spirits and conjures up a vivid picture of the scene. We hope you will all enjoy a trip to the library this April (government permitting) Meander through the Pavilion garden and admire the beautifully crafted flowers on display, keeping all things bright and beautiful till the true nature and colour breaks out. Restrictions on numbers and facemasks will still apply, Ready Reads will still be available, but hopefully with fingers crossed, browsing inside the library will once more be ‘normal’. The Library Owl

12 5 Community Good Neighbours Shropshire Larder: how to Pontesbury and Rea Valley keep yourself fed If you’re alone, elderly or isolated Visit shropshirelarder.org.uk to find out about low cost or free Metal Recycling our local volunteers can help with Recycle your old scrap metal a friendly chat over the phone, food and help with debt, benefits, 〜 collecting your prescription or housing and more in Shropshire. • Brass, copper, lead, shopping. As the recession deepens, more people Do give us a call on 07944 891 953 are losing their jobs and facing hardship. cable, batteries and leave your name and number! It is vital that people in Shropshire • Cast, cars, vans, farm scrap, know where to get help. The Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance has created old central heating systems 〜 You can also follow or contact us on: resources for people and organizations Facebook: Goodneigbourspontesbury.org.uk in Shropshire to find advice and support: Call: 07989 050276 Website: www.goodneighbourspontesbury.org.uk Shropshire Larder (shropshirelarder. or 01743 791493 Email: [email protected] org.uk) is the most comprehensive directory of services for people living Don’t forget to contact us if you would benefit from some help with in Shropshire on a low budget. It has shopping/prescription deliveries, especially if you are shielding. Please information on how to access a foodbank G ET ENG LISH : T U IT ION get in touch if you want to discuss our telephone befriending service for or community food project, and how to people experiencing isolation or other difficulties. You can contact us on eat well on a budget. It also covers how WIT H CA T H ERINE 07944891953, by email or now through our Facebook site (see web address to get support with benefits, housing, and above). debt. Please help us make sure this info is reaching everyone who needs it. Please follow and share. Flexible, engaging, student-centred tuition Catherine Jones Armed Forces Outreach Facebook: @ShropshireLarder and in your home or online. The Armed Forces Outreach is designed to provide help and support to all @ShropFoodPov Perfect for refining skills needed for KS2 07812 932468 military personnel, veterans and their families. Working with service charities SATs tests, improving skills at KS3, and [email protected] Twitter: @ShropLarder and success in KS4 GCSEs. and organisations the outreach can ensure that current and former military @ShropFoodPov Pontesbury Hill, Shrewsbury personnel have access to the right support. The outreach has close links Great for working towards specific targets Sign up to our newsletter to keep and improving confidence. with businesses, charities and organisations across Shropshire, many of up to date on the situation and the whom have signed the Armed Forces Covenant to demonstrate their support. support available. To find out more, contact Armed Forces Outreach Support Coordinator – sarah.kerr@shropshire. gov.uk / 07990 085 656 / 01743 255 931

Get fit this Spring

Wise and Well Club without putting anyone at risk. This will help people who The Wise and Well Club is free and open to people in have deconditioned over the past year and encourage Shropshire aged 65 to 95. A fortnightly newsletter includes movement for those who are inactive and need guidance. Who can access this service? information and advice on fitness and wellbeing, plus activities & for members to try out in the comfort of their own homes. Local older people, carers, other staff or volunteers 'You Call, We Cut' https://www.shropshire-rcc.org.uk/individuals/wise- and family members. and-well What details do I need to provide if I call? Tel: 07908 205881 Providing Grass Cutting Just your name and any relevant medical information and Hedge Trimming Keeping Active to ensure the advisors can provide you with safe and www.mrwasp.biz [email protected] Energize, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin have links to appropriate guidance. services in Pontesbury and many ways to keep yourselves and your families active If you would like a call back, or request information to the surrounding areas. from their website – https://www.energizestw.org.uk/ be posted to you, we will need your telephone number Wombrook All waste removed and energize-resources including the everyday challenge and address. Home Maintenance organically recycled. https://www.energizestw.org.uk/active-at-home ideas NB: In line with our GDPR policy, we will not retain any for Staying Active at Home. This month they are also personal information after the call and any information Improvements, repairs and maintenance, in and around the home. launching exercise activities for older people. has been sent. Now taking bookings. What is the telephone advisory service number? Decorating. Tiling. Call or email for more Carpentry. Plumbing. Evolve into Spring Tel: 0330 9121500 Kitchens. Bathrooms. information and prices A service aimed at offering low level, gentle and fun This number will be available Monday to Friday 9am – Fences. physical activity for older people wanting to stay or 5pm but there will be an answerphone for you to leave Odd jobs & more. become active over the winter and into spring 2021. a message and the advisor will call you back. [email protected] How will it work? How can I find out more? All work is fully guaranteed and insured. The experienced and specialist instructors from Contact Christina Morgan, Evolve into Spring Project References willingly supplied – just ask. 07375572771 Evolve Lifestyle will offer a telephone advisory service. Officer, Tel: 0330 9121500. Email: christina.morgan@ Call Steve Percival: 01743 860712 The aim is to advise safe and appropriate activity, energizestw.org.uk 0794 0894 378 6 11 Getting support in Pontesbury area Special offer to celebrate new Get support if you are chapter in Plough Garage history caring for someone “Support your local businesses and we will support Unpaid carers you” – that’s the message from one of Pontesbury’s Information and support for longest-established firms which recently marked its unpaid adult carers in Shropshire 100th anniversary. is now being delivered by the new Plough Garage, which has been based at Plough “Ellesmere woman co-founded the Save the Shropshire Carers team Cottage in Chapel Street since 1919, is looking to Children Fund” – this was a talk given by a within Shropshire Council. the future with optimism following a management Shropshire researcher to Pontesbury & Rea Carers needing information or restructure – and is now celebrating with a special Valley u3a members, who were entranced with support can contact the team offer for customers during April and May. this story at their open meeting – via Zoom – in on 01743 341995 or email Finn Walton, director at Plough Garage, said the February 2021. Monthly speakers interest, engage, the Shropshire Carers inbox support of the local community had been central to enlighten and entertain our members. This Shropshire.Carers@shropshire. the garage’s success over the past 100 years. contributes to our aim of offering a chance to meet gov.uk a wider range of people and make new friends. You will be able to speak to a “The people of Pontesbury and surrounding areas trained carer advisor. have always been our core customer base and we very We also spend some leisure time discovering and acquiring new skills, as well as helping others to do much see ourselves as part of the community,” he the same. During this lockdown period, our coffee said. “The past 12 months have been incredibly hard and chat meets fortnightly online, and 16 interest Mobilise carers support for everyone, and we have done everything in our power groups are still meeting in many different ways. A short blog on dealing with change and uncertainty: to remain open and be here for people when they have Members keep in touch by phone and occasionally https://bit.ly/323TIX0 needed us.” meet, with social distancing of course, when A guide to some of the routines Terry, Derek and Geoff Evans ran the business for walking outdoors. Nothing stops our u3a from that helped us get through many years following in the footsteps of their father meeting, greeting and learning. To find out more Jack ‘Coog’ Evans. Terry retired in 2016, and following Lockdown (Pt 1): contact Susan Lockwood at susanlockwood345@ https://bit.ly/324iJS6 the sad passing of Derek Evans in November, Geoff btinternet.com or phone 01743 791082/07854 A basic ‘emergency plan’ to get now moves forward with the garage in partnership with 110271. you started: Finn Walton. u3a https://bit.ly/382F4Dl Finn completed his apprenticeship with the Plough in James Townsend, 2010 and following a few years away from the garage CEO and Co-Founder, Mobilise he returned in 2018. As part of this move forward, Jack [email protected] Evans & Sons will soon become Plough Garage Ltd. 07816 779635 “To mark the new chapter in our history,” he continued, “we wanted to thank our customers by offering a free MOT with every full service and a major Bereavement Support for discount of more than 50% on all MOTs during April Shropshire Residents – and May, so they will only be £20 rather than the usual Call 0345 678 9028 price of £45. A new service has been launched “Many vehicles had their MOTs extended when the to support people who are MOT holiday was introduced at the start of the first experiencing and suffering from lockdown back in March 2020, so we are encouraging bereavement and loss. The offer people to book in their vehicles in advance if possible. is open to any Shropshire resident “We always recommend not to leave an MOT to the who has been bereaved by either last minute, and we hope this offer will encourage a recent death or previous loss. people to book in for a test during April or May. In The Bereavement Support Service is particular we have seen a rise in issues with braking operated by Shropshire Council systems due to cars being used less frequently and and community voluntary an MOT test is the best way of ensuring your vehicle partners Samaritans, CRUSE, is in a safe and roadworthy condition.” Severn Hospice and Crane Quality “We really do appreciate the support of the local Counselling. The service can be community. By supporting your local businesses, it accessed through self-referral by means they will be there to support you when you calling 0345 678 9028. need them.” To book an MOT test, or for any advice regarding your vehicle, call 01743 790270 or for more information on the garage and its services, visit the website at www. ploughgarage.co.uk The Plough Garage 10 7 LITTER LETTER 7 by Fits like a Glove St George’s Church www.st-george.org.uk Thank you to everyone Services for April: delivering this edition of 1st Maundy Thursday 6:30pm Holy Communion the Newsletter. 2nd Good Friday 2:00pm Service at the Crross 7:30pm Tenebrae I’m sure many people 4th Easter Day 10.30am Holy Communion are glad to see a 11th 10.30am Holy Communion print version again. 18th 10.30am Holy Communion 25th 10.30pm Holy Communion The Newsletter is also St. George’s Church: open for business! available online at At long last, we are holding regular worship in St. George’s again, with a service every Sunday at 10:30. These services are taken by Greg Smith, our new Rector, www.pontesburypavilion.co.uk and members of his ministerial team. Morning worship on the 2nd and 4th Sundays each month will be led by Greg himself. We have a full programme and the Parish Council website of services this Easter, with services on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) contaminated plastic waste’ and ‘If only 1% of face Easter Sunday – please see our website www.st-george.org.uk for more details. Just over a year ago the term ‘PPE ‘ was hardly used masks are disposed of incorrectly, 10 million would end If you are unable to get to our Sunday services, you can watch an on-line www.pontesburyparishcouncil. by the general public but now, of course, it is just part up in the environment each month’. broadcast version, available on the day, via our website. We hope to make org.uk of general parlance. Yes, we need PPE but what a huge We mustn’t be too despondent as humans are this a regular feature. problem its quantity and disposal has become. always looking to be inventive. We’ve already produced After three months of enforced closure, we are delighted to have St. Government Guidelines state that face-coverings, other vaccines in record-breaking times! Although old PPE where the links are live. George’s open for business again. All are welcome at our services! forms of PPE and LFDs (Lateral Flow Devices – the is currently incinerated thus producing more climate- Mary Worrall and Allen Marsden Covid tests currently being used in schools) should be warming carbon emissions, research scientists working disposed of carefully in Black Bags (not recycling bags) at Swansea University are hopeful that PPE could be before being put in general waste. If self-isolating, they recycled to produce green fuel by using sunlight to break Notes from the Stiperstones should be sealed in a second bag before disposal. These items down into hydrogen, killing micro-organisms such items are clearly potentially harmful since they could as coronavirus at the same. That would be wonderful! Spring is here, heralded by the call of the curlew and is constructed of moss and hair be sources of infection. Why, then, do we find so many In the meantime we should dispose of our single-use the song of the skylark. Frogs are gathering and the all bound together with cobwebs, disposable face-coverings discarded on our streets, in masks and any other PPE really carefully. clumps of spawn are swelling in the pools on the lined with up to 2000 feathers it our gutters and on our verges? We must take more care Protect you, Protect me hill. The first flowers of the year are blooming, the is the feather bed of nests, but when disposing of face coverings and PPE and be more We’ll protect our whole community bright yellow celandines and coltsfoot reflecting the best of all it is then decorated with responsible. Even litter collection of these items has its With the proper use of PPE increasing warmth of the sun. pieces of lichen. All of this work, own set of Government Guidelines – you are certainly We’ll all be safe and strong. At this time of year the birds are busy building three weeks of labour, only to be not advised to just pick them up to tidy the street! Children’s Minnesota this year’s nests, an important task for most birds, used once. A small hole in the top sometimes carried out by the male in order to win a is the access through which the So let’s put some figures on this environmental crisis - SPREAD THE WORD, DON’T SPREAD LITTER ‘Globally, 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves mate and sometimes jointly by the already bonded pair female has to squeeze, you can are currently being discarded each month’. of birds. The tiny male wren is one of the busiest birds, always tell if a female is brooding These numbers are so huge that we can’t really as he builds a whole range of neat little domed nests eggs as it will have a kinked tail understand them so try…… of moss, leaves and grass in order to please his mate who from squeezing into its nest. ‘We will soon run the risk of having more masks than will pick one which she will cosily line with feathers. This Spiders are of great importance to many birds in nest jellyfish in our oceans!’ or nest will not only be used for a number of broods but also building and later as food for their young. Many birds use ‘If every person in the UK used one single-use mask to huddle together in, in order to keep warm in the winter. their webs to help stick their nests together. Chaffinches each day for a year this would produce 66,000 tons of All nests are distinctive to the species of bird that tend to nest in the fork of trees and they start by making builds it, for example the song thrush makes the only sticky anchors of cobwebs as the foundations. Other cupped shape nest that has a smooth lining of mud, natural fibres are also used and dunnocks and robins Pontesbury & District Gardeners Association rotten wood and saliva creating a hard cork-like base. will often use sheep’s wool to line their nests. At home With restrictions being lifted gradually we are hoping that our Show will go ahead at the end of August this year, Swallows and house martins also use mud and clay, I often watch as the house sparrows tirelessly sit on the having missed out last year. It is too early to be confident that we could hold our social evening, Spring into the the swallow making a cup shaped nest on a beam in a bean poles slowly untying the string that I have carefully Garden, on its usual date in May so we may have to wait another year for that. Our AGM is normally held in March, building while house martins make their dome shaped tied them up with. but will be re-arranged for a date when we can all meet up without contravening any rules! nests under roof edges, sticking the mud to the house Of course not all birds nest in trees and bushes, It’s been good to see so many people on Saturday mornings since we re-opened for 2021. We are still only able walls. This is an amazingly labour intensive job taking as and heathlands in particular are home to a number of to let two people, or couples, into the building at any one time but are able to get items from inside to your cars many as 1200 journeys for one nest. On my house about ground nesting specialists. Skylark and meadow pipit as quickly as we can; fortunately the fine weather (most weeks) has meant that queuing outside hasn’t been a half of the house martin nests are taken over by house build shallow scrapes on the ground lined with grass problem – and has been quite sociable. We have now regained a little space inside so for anyone needing a few sparrows just before the martins have finished. You can and the nightjar doesn’t even bother with that, laying bags of multi-purpose compost we will be supplying from our ‘branch office’ in the garage; all that we ask is that tell which ones they have decided to squat in, because its eggs onto bare ground and relying upon the female’s you take care in parking when it is busy and try not to block the entrance. they are messily stuffed with dead grass, as the house incredible camouflage to hide them. The eggs are on the Some items are getting low and we are likely to experience delays in re-stocking as manufacturers are still sparrow probably gets the prize for the messiest nest. ground for 17-21 days and it’s a further 32 days before suffering from low staff levels so please bear with us until things get back to normal. I would give the neatest nest building prize to one of the young have fledged, so they are very vulnerable to Good Friday was always the traditional time to plant seed potatoes – it was the first ‘day off’ that the workers my favourite birds, the long-tailed tit. These delightful predators or disturbance by uncontrolled dogs. So come had had since Xmas so was used to get the spuds in the ground. You can be a bit flexible on this but it’s always woodland birds often nest in thorn bushes, gorse or April it’s even more important to keep dogs on a lead a good guide. bramble thickets, where their nests are rarely more while on the hill. The Trading Post is situated in the Old Station Buildings on Station Road and is open every Saturday from 9.30 to 12 noon. than a few feet off the ground. The oval shaped nest Simon Cooter and the Natural England staff at Rigmoreoak Rob Dixon 8 9