Ironville & Codnor Park Newsletter Local news, events, articles and more. September 2020 Welcome to Issue Number Thirteen We hope that you continue to find our village newsletter of interest and enjoy its articles and other contents. If you would like to get in touch or send in articles or other news items please write to the editor - Andy ([email protected]) For further information why not visit the web site: http://unicorns.comli.com/Index.htm News From Ironville and Codnor Park Primary School 01773 602936 Wow, what a strange term we have had at Ironville and Codnor Park Primary School! Although it has been very different both in and out of school the children have all kept really busy. The children who have been home learning have been receiving home learning packs to com- plete. Mrs Smedley has received a lot of photographs of what children have been doing at home and some are displayed on our home learning display in school and on the school Face- Exploring nature as part book page. Please take a look. of a socially distanced The children in school have en- walk on the Forge site. joyed their own ‘bubble’ sports See pages 4 & 19 day as well as being involved in the annual Wonderful World Week. This year the children learnt about Jamaica, China and Canada. I would like to thank all of the children, staff and parents/carers this term who either worked in school or at home to ensure the children have been kept safe and had an education they deserved. I know it hasn’t been easy. All of the staff are so looking forward to welcoming the children back in Team Tree Scarecrow September. We can’t wait! Challenge www.ironvillecodnorpark.derbyshire.sch.uk See page 11 Parish Council Report by Kath Gruber, Parish Clerk Since the last newsletter there have been 3 Parish Council meetings, all of which were held remotely due to COVID-19. Whilst not ideal the meetings have gone well with members of the public continuing to join the meetings to give their views to the Council. Our New Parish Warden John started work on 27 July 2020 and his duties include: litter picking maintenance of street furniture removal and control of weeds, moss, and other vegetation cutting back vegetation overhanging roads and footpaths hedge trimming pruning bushes and trees reporting fly tipping gritting and snow clearance If you see him, please stop, and say hello. Village Plan Thank you to those of you who took the time to give your views on what you would like to see in a Village Action Plan. This will be developed over the next few months and copies will be available on the Council’s website as well as in this newsletter. Anyone wanting a hard copy will be able to request one. Some of the initiatives being taken forward as part of the Village Action Plan are: a) Establish who has responsibility for village maintenance – Amber Valley, Derbyshire County Council Futures, or Parish Council – and communicate this so everyone is aware who does what. b) Set up a traffic working group, Councillors Smith, and Clark, to review issues and agree steps to improve safety and parking in the village and enhance walking and cycling routes. c) Set up a working group, comprising of Councillors Cope and Holgate, to review opportunities for enhancing the village with more plants and flowers. d) Carry out a thorough review of village waste bins e) In response to concerns raised by residents in relation to Future’s maintenance, stronger links are being made between the Council and Futures. Louise Rowley is the new Futures neighbour- hood officer and will be attending Parish Council meetings to discuss ways in which Futures and the Council can work together. Improvements to Ironville and Codnor Park · Councillor Holgate advised that over £200 had been raised and donated to Futures Housing to replace the Oak trees · Village Hanging baskets were installed in June and Jack Brown planted the village tubs – all are looking lovely. · Councillor Clark was given £100 for planting more daffodil bulbs around the village Village Walkabout The Council wants to organise a village walkabout with Councillors and volunteers to identify places we can enhance the village with plants and flowers. If you are interested in taking part in this, please let the Parish Clerk know. Parish Council Website and Emails As part of the ongoing development of the website and improvements to data privacy Councillors will be allocated parish council email addresses over the next few months. However, all email correspondence in relation to Parish Council matters must be sent to the Parish Clerk NOT individual Councillors. Speeding The Parish Council continues to look for volunteers to form a village community speed watch group to work the Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNTs) in monitoring speeding traffic. Full training will be given and if you are interested in taking part please contact the Parish Clerk. Parish Council Noticeboard At the July meeting the Parish Council gave permission for Futures to use part of the noticeboard to provide any information they want residents to be aware of Future Parish Council Meeting Dates: 21 September 2020; 16 November 2020; 18 January 2021; 15 March 2021; 17 May 2021 All meetings start at 7pm and usually take place in the Community Centre, Victoria Street. However, until guidance is given by the Government, they could be held remotely so please check the Council Website, Facebook Page or Village Noticeboard Find out what is happening by checking the Parish Council website which has details of meetings, poli- cies and initiatives. The website can be found - www.ironvilleparishcouncil.co.uk If you have any comments, suggestions or questions for the Parish Council please contact the Parish Clerk, Kath Gruber, on [email protected] or 07595515154 Your Parish Councillors: L to R: Cllr E. Holgate (Vice Chair), Cllr T. Bowler, Cllr P. Cope (Chair), Cllr P. Smith, Cllr R. Daniel, Cllr R. Mitchell, Cllr R. Tailby, Cllr C. Gent & Cllr P. Clark Re-opening of Church and Church Hall – Update CHRIST CHURCH - will reopen on Sunday 13th September with the 11.00am service. Clearance has been given by the Archdeacon, so the building will be available for Baptisms, Weddings and Funerals subject to current guidelines from that date also. MID- WEEK COMMUNION – Suspended at this present time. CHURCH HALL - Provisional date for reopening - Monday 7th September. All user groups will be contacted in due course. This may have happened by the time you receive this Newsletter. HERITAGE DAY (26th September) – Cancelled this year, however it is hoped to stage one in the future when circumstances allow CHRISTMAS TREE FESTIVAL - A decision as to whether or not this event will take place this year has been deferred to 19th September (Ten weeks in advance). N. B. At the time of going to print the information in this box and elseware in this Newsletter is correct. However, during the current pandemic I am sure that you are aware - things can change overnight. News from the Forge by Sally Fisher First of all we would like to thank the many people who have helped to keep the Forge a lovely place to visit by helping us to keep the area as free as possi- ble from litter. This has been especially important dur- ing lockdown as it has enabled many people to enjoy what is on their doorstep. Please keep yourselves safe by wearing gloves when you do this. Everyone should aim to LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS. In the last bulletin we were beginning to work on the steps down to the boardwalk. These are now in situ with help from Friends of the Canal and Friends of the Forge and we were intending to complete them by putting in handrails. However, the country went into FCC installing the steps lockdown before we could do this but hopefully this will be done before the Autumn. Much time was spent through last winter clearing a second bank of self-set trees and bramble. Raking it also made a huge difference. The result has been a bank full of wildflowers regenerating from soil disturb- ance which we would have been very proud of had we sown the area. We have been able, for the most part, to continue with the butterfly transects in spite of lockdown and have been delighted with the increase in numbers particu- larly in the newly managed areas. This year, for the second year running we have recorded the marbled Taffy preparing to collect another white and, for the first time, the silver washed fritillary barrow load of stone to fill steps which is moving into Derbyshire from the East. Nota- bly though, the common blue is now much less com- mon than just two years ago due to very wet winters followed this year by extreme heat which almost wiped out their food plant, bird’s-foot-trefoil (or eggs and bacon). Finally we have put some native water lilies into the lake with Mick wading in to do the deed on quite a cold evening. These will help to improve the quality of Lilies being transported the ,water in the lake as well as suppress, we hope , to the lake New Zealand Pygmy weed which we are told is there. Deb in newly regenerated meadow Common blue butterfly THE ANVIL CLUB The Anvil Club is open every evening between 8.00pm and Midnight (Tuesdays & Fridays 7.o0pm to 12am - Saturday & Sunday 8pm - 12am) The Anvil Club is the perfect place for your functions.