July Diary Pontesbury Sat 3 Reading for Pleasure event. CANCELLED DUE TO TO COVID RESTRICTIONS. See right. Mon 5 Planning Committee meeting The Pavilion 6:30. Please contact Deputy Clerk deputy@ pontesburypc.org.uk if you would like to attend. Youth Voice for Nature Digital launch 7:30. See page 8 for details. Sat 10 Summer Reading Challege launch Pontesbury Library. Contact Library for details. July 2021 Mon 12 Parish Council meeting Habberley Village Hall Issue no. 277 7:30. Please contact Deputy Clerk deputy@ pontesburypc.org.uk if you would like to attend. Newsletter Wed 14 PCEAG Cycling Group meeting Contact clerk@ pontesburypc.org.uk for venue and time. Community Good Neighbours Fri 16 Community Good Neighbours coffee morning The The Covid pandemic has highlighted vulnerability and loneliness in our community. To bring people Plough Pub 11:00 – 12:30. See front page. back together and talking we would like to organise a very special ‘Afternoon Tea’ on Friday, 20 August Sat 31 Golf Competition Arscot Golf Course 12:00 – at Pontesbury Public Hall. Our aim is to invite 140 selected people from Pontesbury, Minsterley and 2:00. See front page for more details. surrounding villages who have been lonely or have experienced difficulties over the past few months. The event will enable people to meet up, chat and share their experience of the last year with other Closing date for FoPL Writing Competition See people who have been in the same situation, while having an enjoyable, memorable afternoon. If page 5 and 8 for details. you are lucky enough to receive an invitation please RSVP as soon as possible. Future Events Coffee Mornings Post your future events here to avoid clashes Good neighbours have been running monthly Coffee Mornings that are proving very popular at The Aug Sun 8 – Sat 21 Calligraphy exhibtion Bear Steps Plough Pub. Please join us. There is plenty of cake and coffee plus lots of people to have a chat with. If you know Gallery. See page 8 for details. someone who you think would benefit from these but cannot get to us, please let us know and we will arrange Fri 13 Community Good Neighbours coffee morning transport. Next dates are :- The Plough Pub 11:00 – 12:30. 16 July, 11:00 to 12:30; 13 August 11:00 to 12:30 Sat 28 Gardeners’ Association Annual Show See Golf Competition below. Minsterley Rangers FC in conjunction with Pontesbury Good Neighbours are holding a Golf Competition at Arscot on Saturday, 31 July from 12:00 to 2:00. If you are interested in playing in the competition please contact Sept Sat 4 Thanksgiving Service for Catherine Trimby Nathan on 07837462853 or Dan on 07531860538. Cost is £25 plus food. Prizes are for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places. St George’s Church 2:00. See page 4. Money raised will go towards the Community Tea Party and Minsterley Rangers FC – Bringing young and old together. Sat 11 Table Top Sale  St George’s Church. Sharon Davies Oct Fri 1 – Sun 3 Harvest with a decorated umbrella competition. St George’s Church. Pontesbury Climate Emergency Action Group If you would like to get involved with the work of this group contact [email protected] Climate Action Cycling Group The PCEAG cycle sub group continues to move positively forward. We have had several meetings now Pontesbury & with key players and the feasibility study done almost ten years ago has been retrieved and bought to life again. This was a great study, that several individuals worked hard on – their efforts have not District Gardeners’ been in vain and thanks are owed to these individuals. It illustrates how much need there was for a cycle route Association (now to be called an active travel way) between Minsterley and (undoubtedly the need has increased Annual Show significantly since then) together with how much income could be generated by such a route. This is exciting as it opens opportunities for entrepreneurs. An active travel way would be enhanced by ‘pit stops’ for all users; it Having missed last year, our Annual would encourage more local leisure and would link us to the famous Eastridge cycle area as well as visitors from Show will be held on Saturday, Shrewsbury and further afield. We are aware of many local people who would benefit from this pathway: walkers, 28 August in Pontesbury Public runners, families with children in buggies or on balance bikes, wheelchair users, cyclists, residents needing a Hall. Schedules are available at the safe place to walk. Our big goal is a traffic-free tree-lined route eventually linking us to Shrewsbury. Trading Post and in some of the The other local project to make cycling to school safer is still on the agenda and is increasingly important. village shops. If you have had a Electric cars are slowly increasing but this brings a new hazard to those actively moving on our residential roads: successful summer’s growing then as more people drive clean vehicles the number of vehicles on the roads increases! This in turn makes more why not consider entering some of hazards for those in wheelchairs, on foot or on push bikes. A driver of an electric car was recently heard to say your crops or flowers. There are also how their electric car did the twenty miles a week school run….. doing the maths this works out to each school categories for artists, photographers, run being only one mile…. Such a valuable time that could be spent walking or cycling to school for fresh air, cooks and handicrafters: something exercise, chance to chat with a child and observe nature on the way. for everyone. Even if you don’t enter We are grateful for Cllr Nick Hignett’s support on these important projects, together with Cllr Duncan Fletcher. this year come along to see what is Both these individuals are helping us to push the projects along and linking us to key players. Thanks, as well, on show – or just to meet everyone go to everyone who joins our meetings and works behind the scenes. Our next meeting is Wednesday, 14 July. in a more sociable setting. Parish Clerk Rob Dixon Closing date for copy for the Sept edition is Aug 10th (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. Pontesbury Newsletter: Pontesbury Parish Council Our next meeting will be held on Monday, 12 July at here for the Community 7.30pm in Habberley Village Hall. We are still working As we all start to emerge out of lockdown (fingers with restricted numbers so please if possible email crossed) local groups, clubs and organisations will begin any questions you have to the Clerk beforehand clerk@ to meet again, set dates in the diary and, hopefully, the pontesburypc.org.uk. The agenda will be posted on www. social scene of Pontesbury Parish will reopen. pontesburyparishcouncil.org.uk in the week before the The Parish Council therefore write to request that local meeting. groups and clubs put information about any dates of The next Planning Committee meeting will be held on meetings, fund-raising events or social gatherings into Monday, 5 July at 6.30pm at the Pavilion Community this Newsletter. It is printed for you and our community. Hub and Library. Please contact Deputy Clerk deputy@ Please email any articles and diary dates to the pontesburypc.org.uk if you would like to attend. editor at [email protected] and we can, If you wish to comment on a planning application together, get the parish social diary full again. please use the Council planning portal at Nicola Young, Deputy Parish Clerk https://pa.shropshire.gov.uk/online-applications/ Or pass your comments through Cllr A Hodges at ahodges@ pontesburypc.org.uk. All new planning applications for the area are listed on the parish council website. Debbie Marais, Parish Clerk

Fly Tipping The Pontesbury Church of – is a criminal offence School Charity Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of liquid or solid waste (Registered Charity Number 519238) on land or in water. The waste is usually dumped to avoid This charity was set up in 1987 to administer the income disposal costs. It is a criminal offence punishable by a derived from the proceeds of the sale of the old School fine of up to £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment if House in Pontesbury. convicted in a Magistrates’ Court. Householders can be The objectives of the charity are: fined up to £400 if they pass their waste to an unlicensed a) to use its income to provide special benefits for waste carrier which is subsequently fly-tipped. Pontesbury Primary School of a kind not normally Fly-tipping is anti-social, marring our local provided by the Education Authority. neighbourhoods and heaping (literally) distress on b) to promote the education (including religious, social the landowners and the community where it occurs. and physical aspects) of people under the age of 25 who Fly-tipping is also dangerous and potentially harmful, need financial assistance. They must be either pupils while spoiling our environment, attracting arson and or former pupils of the school or resident in the parish further fly-tipping. As council tax-payers, cleaning it Metal Recycling of Pontesbury or a small adjacent part of the parish of Recycle your old scrap metal up costs us all money. Therefore, please be mindful of and Annscroft. 〜 your neighbours, community and environment – please The charity’s funds are invested via professional do not fly-tip. • Brass, copper, lead, advisers and the average grant awarded is £300. Basically, please don’t be selfish. Instead, take your cable, batteries Applications are not means tested. rubbish to the nearest Shropshire Council Household There are six Trustees. The Rectors of Pontesbury and • Cast, cars, vans, farm scrap, Recycling Centre, find your nearest one by heading to Longden/Annscroft together with the churchwardens old central heating systems Shropshire Council website: https://shropshire.gov.uk/ of St George’s, Pontesbury, are ex-officio Trustees, and 〜 recycling-and-rubbish/household-recycling-centres/ two others are appointed by the Pontesbury Parochial your-nearest-hrc/ Call: 07989 050276 Church Council. If you witness fly-tipping, please get the registration The current Trustees are: or 01743 791493 number of the vehicle, with any visible advertised Allen Marsden telephone numbers and report it to Shropshire Council: Barbara Norsworthy https://shropshire.gov.uk/street-care-and-cleaning/ The Revd Graham Phillips environmental-maintenance/fly-tipping/ The Revd Greg Smith Many thanks from Pontesbury Parish Council, help us Stephen Winwood to keep our community clean and safe. Mary Worrall Nicola Young, Deputy Parish Clerk Stephen Winwood is also the Clerk/Treasurer and will be pleased to help with any potential applications. His address is: Parkfields, Pontesbury Hill, Pontesbury, Shrewsbury SY5 0YH, telephone 01743 791690, and his e-mail is [email protected] Stephen Winwood

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 Deputy Clerk to the Parish Council https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/financial-support-for- home, we’re supporting [email protected] businesses-during-coronavirus-covid-19 young people through FREE video therapy sessions (6pm – 12am). 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 ‘Outside parish’ ads twitter/facebook/instagram link – https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/coronavirus/information-for-the- £17 for smaller ads @lyfeproofUK and £25 for larger ads. public/work-skills-and-money-guide/ – ◊ – 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 [email protected] can help with a wide range of needs. These grants are open to anyone in difficulty and it’s not necessary for benefits to be in payment. This money Ads must be sent as jpeg or PDF is for Shropshire householders, especially those low-paid working families or, if this is not possible, with children whose finances may have suffered due to the long term impact in MS Word which will be set of Covid. It is easy to apply over the phone; an adviser will complete the to a standard format paperwork and a specialist will look to see how residents might be supported (no design charge). and if any further information is needed. So, if you or someone you know, 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 charged at £25 per hour. support through Shropshire Council web pages: https://www.shropshire. gov.uk/coronavirus/information-for-the-public/ or via the Covid-19 helpline Please note, I don’t have MS Publisher so will be unable on 0345 678 9028. to read ads sent in this way. Editor Help with food If you are in need of some help with food please either contact the Community Good Neighbour’s Scheme (see details on page 6) or Shrewsbury Dedicated to providing Foodbank who offer a wide range of support including help with food. The FOOD BANK AT BARNABAS IS OPEN: you with a friendly, Malehurst Industrial Estate, Monday, Tuesday and Friday (not open on Bank Holidays) 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 Did you know British Red Cross has a Home from Hospital service? Wills, Trusts, Tax Planning & Probate We provide short term support (approx. 6 weeks) for people who have recently been discharged from hospital. This could include befriending support over the telephone or at a home visit. Help with practical tasks like shopping or collecting a prescription. We can also offer more information and a free trial of a pendant alarm, if there is a risk of the patient falling on their return home. We are currently recruiting for Home from Hospital volunteers – just a couple of hours of your time each week can help people regain their independence following a hospital stay. Please contact Donna on 07803 439380 or the Shrewsbury office 21 St Mary's Street | Shrewsbury | SY1 1ED on 01743 457810 for more information. Or if you prefer to go online here is the link to the volunteer advert; http://bit.ly/ILShropshire 01743 280 100 We would also love to hear from you if you, or someone you know www.wacemorgan.co.uk would benefit from support following a hospital stay.

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Announcement The Smith family are saddened to Allcare Cleaning report the death of David Smith HIGNETT’S of services (aged 90) on 7th June. David will PONTESBURY Ltd. We offer a comprehensive cleaning service, be remembered by many as ‘the Established 1919 open to any individual who feels they would like Pontesbury vet’ a job he relished and help with any and all types of domestic work. Retailers of Quality Foods one that brought him into contact Costs with animals and their owners in Fresh meat, Fruit and Vegetables from the village and surrounding areas. Fresh Bread, Pies and Buns all baked on the premises Following his retirement he pursued A range of Sausages and Burgers made to our own recipes £14.90 a range of interesting and varied Fresh Flowers and Plants per hour* hobbies, living life to the full. He Groceries at Competitive prices *(Mileage charge added in certain areas. loved the Shropshire countryside Cleaning materials are included. A minimum of 1 hour per visit is required. and local life. We are grateful for the 01743 790228 www.hignetts.co.uk Quotes will be given depending on travel time and mileage.) companionship, support and warmth For more details call 01743 792980 shown to him by neighbours, friends and those in the wider community during his many years here Helen, Chris, Paul and Rachel

Above: Busy buyers at the FoPL Catherine Trimby plant sale. Many of you will be aware that my wife Catherine Trimby sadly died Right: Yvonne, chair of FoPL suddenly a year ago. So many modelling the latest headgear at people throughout Shropshire and the plant sale! beyond, having been unable to attend a restricted cremation service, expressed the hope that they would be able to pay their respects to Tel: 07908 205881 Catherine at a Thanksgiving Service. www.mrwasp.biz [email protected] Therefore we are planning to hold such a memorial, virus permitting, as follows: Simplifying Computers  01743 790968 St George’s Pontesbury Saturday September 4th at 2pm and Technology  07971 480036 You are warmly invited to join us. across Shropshire  [email protected] Robin Trimby and family • Do you still need to upgrade from Windows 7 ? We can help you upgrade your existing computer to Windows 10 or help you choose a newer one • Computer repairs  No fix, no fee  Upgrades  SSDs  Security cameras • Cloud Storage  Data Recovery  Backup Service  Internet / WiFi problems fixed • We sell 3 grades of Electronics – “New”, “Open Box” or “2nd User”, all min 1yr warranty News from St. George’s Church • Smart Phones, Tablets, Laptops, Desktops, TVs, Speakers  Backup Service Our new Rector, Revd. Greg Smith (known to all as It seems like ages ago, but this May, it was very wet Shropshire Technology is registered with the ICO for the Data Protection Act 1998 – your data is safe with us “Greg”) is settling in well. Greg looks after churches in in Shropshire. The Cemetery was not spared, so the the Minsterley area as well as here, but he usually takes grass there grew faster than we could afford to cut it….

the 10:30 morning service at St. George’s on the second not helped by a distinct shortage of sun to dry it out. and fourth Sundays each month. Greg’s better-half is Keeping this special place neat and tidy is expensive and Fran, but the real head of the family is Daisy, their West has to be paid for out of our own limited funds. If you Your Local Department Store Highland terrier. All three are always pleased to meet feel that the Cemetery could look better, then please bear Pets Corner Visit our NEW LOCAL ARTIST AREA you but Daisy is the most pleased. with us – we’re doing the best we can and are hoping Cards/Wrap Cards, Prints, Gifts and MORE. GLADRAGS St. George’s is now open again during the daytime on for less rain and more sun! If you do need to raise an Household Essentials weekdays and Saturdays. If you are passing and need issue regarding the Cemetery, then please email us at: Beautiful, bespoke and unique. Casual, Classic Hardware/DIY and Everyday a little peace and quiet to pray, collect your thoughts or [email protected] Clothing, Shoes Dry Cleaning Should you wish to telephone the Post Office just chill out, then feel free to call in. And a reminder: details of this month’s services at Gifts and Accessories. Call Sue: directly the telephone number is 01743 790621 Also getting “his feet under the desk” is Dr. Paul St. George’s are elsewhere in this Newsletter, and also Gardening 07795592716 Bracken, our new Organist and Choirmaster. With his (with loads more) on our website: www.st-george.org-uk Monday-Friday 9am –5.30 Saturday 9am—3pm (inc. Post Office) help, the St. George’s choir is in great voice... and Churchwardens Mary Worrall and Allen Marsden Shrewsbury Road, Pontesbury, SY5 0QD Tel: 01743 790600 Email: [email protected] we hope that by the time you read this, us lot in the www.connections-pontesbury.co.uk Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram congregation are allowed by the Government to sing, too! 4 13 Community Hub and Library Serving Pontesbury and the wider Rea Valley communities Friends of Pontesbury Library (FoPL) You will be pleased to hear that we held a very successful plant sale in May. Things were a little bit different from previous sales of course as for the first time we were based in The Pavilion garden area and we had to make suitable arrangements in line with Covid restrictions. We were delighted that the event raised £835 towards our funds and we must send our thanks to all those who helped, contributed and came to the event. Well over 120 people attended throughout the afternoon, purchasing plants, books, cakes and lavender bags. The weather was just about alright (though there was a huge downpour just before we opened) and the atmosphere was lovely. On the subject of thanks, we must also thank Mary Webb High School for their support to FoPL. The school is helping us with our printing and also providing us with some assistance in the form of three Duke of Edinburgh scheme students who have chosen to do the volunteering element of the scheme with FoPL. The students have been assisting with publicity and were also helping at the plant sale. At the moment we are running two activities. One of these is a Reading for Pleasure initiative designed to emphasise the joy and fun that reading brings. We are looking at ways in which parents can help and encourage their children to read (all the more important given the disruption to schooling over the last year) as well as sharing our own favourite reading material. Our Lottery Live Zoom event kicked off the Reading for Pleasure initiative on 5 June with some readings from the committee – a varied selection ranging from Dickens to Spike Milligan. We also had a Zoom link in Connections – more about this later. The second Reading for Pleasure event will be at some point soon – a date yet to be confirmed – and will be a ‘proper’ live event in the library designed to help parents, grandparents etc encourage and sustain their children’s interest in reading – watch out for details coming in future newsletters and on our website Our other initiative at the moment is our annual writing competition. The poster for this is in the newsletter and we’re really looking forward to getting plenty of entries. (The closing date is 31 July 2021.) We’re very grateful to Connections store which is sponsoring the event for us this year – that’s why we had a Zoom link in Connections for our June event. The upstairs area of Connections is full of what can only be described as ‘lovely things’ – cards, craft supplies, giftware, books, local artwork and crafts and jewellery to name a few – so our writing competition winners will have lots of fun choosing their prizes. Our local schools have all the details of the competition and we’ve always had a good response from pupils in the past as well as from our more mature local writers! The lottery winners for June were…..1st prize: Gill Norton, 2nd prize: Maggie Challinor and 3rd prize: Mike and Terri Fletcher – well done to all. Please remember to renew your lottery numbers when you receive your reminder email – it’s an easy way to help support the library and of course it has the added bonus of a chance of winning each month. If you’re not already a member of this scheme then have a look on the website for details as to how to join. The other easy way to help support FOPL is by getting a Co-op Loyalty card and nominating FoPL as your chosen local cause. Every time you get points on your card, you get money and so does FoPL. FoPL News from the Library This year’s Summer Reading Challenge is back in libraries! The Wild World Heroes is a nature themed challenge. The charity has teamed up with WWF, encouraging children to read six books over the summer and engage in reading about environmental issues, plastic pollution and deforestation. Children will be able to collect a pack and gifts from the library to help the six fictional characters restore nature to ‘Wilderville’. The launch will be in Pontesbury Library on Saturday, 10 July. Check here for more details https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/ We are hoping to put on some activities, but this will be dependent on Covid restrictions. Adults, don’t feel left out there will be a reading challenge with prizes for you too! For those of you lucky enough to be getting away on a British holiday this year, we have plenty of travel guides and maps can be requested from the ‘big’ libraries for a reservation charge of 75p. We also have a trolly full of excellent quality second-hand books for you to take on your travels. The Library Owl

12 5 Community Good Neighbours Shropshire Larder: how to Pontesbury and Rea Valley keep yourself fed Henderson’s Auctions If you’re alone, elderly or isolated Visit shropshirelarder.org.uk our local volunteers can help with to find out about low cost or free Antiques and Collectables a friendly chat over the phone, food and help with debt, benefits, & collecting your prescription or housing and more in Shropshire. General Effects shopping. As the recession deepens, more people Next Auction Do give us a call on 07944 891 953 are losing their jobs and facing hardship. and leave your name and number! It is vital that people in Shropshire 30th July know where to get help. The Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance has created Minsterley Parish Hall You can also follow or contact us on: resources for people and organizations Viewing - 4:00 pm Facebook: Goodneigbourspontesbury.org.uk in Shropshire to find advice and support: Sale commences - 6:30 pm Website: www.goodneighbourspontesbury.org.uk Shropshire Larder (shropshirelarder. 01743 792727 / 07970 010148 Email: [email protected] org.uk) is the most comprehensive Don’t forget to contact us if you would benefit from some help with directory of services for people living shopping/prescription deliveries. Please get in touch if you want to discuss in Shropshire on a low budget. It has Wombrook our telephone befriending service for people experiencing isolation or other information on how to access a foodbank difficulties. You can contact us on 07944891953, by email or now through or community food project, and how to Home Maintenance eat well on a budget. It also covers how our Facebook site (see web address above). Improvements, repairs and maintenance, to get support with benefits, housing, and in and around the home. Good Neighbours Scheme social events debt. Please help us make sure this info is reaching everyone who needs it. Decorating. Tiling. The next Coffee mornings will be both inside and outside the Plough Pub. Carpentry. Plumbing. Huge thanks to Amy, Ali & Derek for their support. If anyone would like to Please follow and share. Kitchens. Bathrooms. Facebook: @ShropshireLarder and Fences. make cakes, volunteer to help or come along you will be most welcome, give the Good Neighbours number a ring. @ShropFoodPov & Odd jobs & more. Coffee Morning dates: 16 July 11.00 to12.30; 13 August 11.00 to 12.30 Twitter: @ShropLarder and 'You Call, We Cut' @ShropFoodPov All work is fully guaranteed and insured. We plan a number of activities in the future so please look for posters References willingly supplied – just ask. around the village. Sign up to our newsletter to keep Providing Grass Cutting up to date on the situation and the Call Steve Percival: 01743 860712 Community Good Neighbours Scheme and Hedge Trimming 0794 0894 378 support available. services in Pontesbury and the surrounding areas. All waste removed and A reminder organically recycled.

Activities and Help Available for Young and Old Now taking bookings. Talk & Play in the Bell Tent Dementia Support in Pontesbury Call or email for more There is no Newsletter Who is the group for? When someone is diagnosed with dementia there are information and prices in August. Parents and toddlers from 12 to 36 months. questions, concerns and situations that arise about what What does the group offer? to do, how to understand the condition, and where to The next edition will be Space to reflect on your experience of being a parent find answers and support. The Alzheimer’s Society have [email protected] published in September. and your relationship with your baby or child. Meet other local Dementia Advisers who provide personalised one- The deadline for copy and 07375572771 parents and hear from parent and infant specialists in a to-one support for those in Shropshire with a diagnosis advertisements is 10 August. calm and confidential enviroment. of dementia, their family and carers. If you want to talk When will the group run? with them and have their support then call the Dementia Many thanks to the wonderful During term time, group meetings will be held on Connect Supportline on 0333 150 3456. Mondays 10.30 – 11.30. volunteers who deliver the Where will the group take place? Wise and Well Club Newsletter throughout the The group meetings will be held in a Shrewsbury The Wise and Well Club is free and open to people in parish. Thank you for being location, accessible by public transport. Shropshire aged 65 to 95. A fortnightly newsletter includes patient with the changing How much does the group cost? information and advice on fitness and wellbeing, plus activities circumstances of the last year. Nothing, the sessions are free. If you’d like to make for members to try out in the comfort of their own homes. a donation, you’ll find details on our website: www. https://www.shropshire-rcc.org.uk theseachangetrust.co.uk. I wish you all a Spaces will be limited. If you’d like to come to the Keeping Active happy and safe summer. group, please book in by emailing Becky at becky@ Energize, Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin have links to scpsychotherapy.co.uk or [email protected] many ways to keep yourselves and your families active There are also sessions for parents whose babies from their website – https://www.energizestw.org.uk Editor have spent time in NICU (Neonatal care). This is on including the everyday challenge and ideas for Staying Wednesdays 11.00 – 12.00. please book in by emailing Active at Home. This month they are also launching Katie at [email protected] exercise activities for older people. 6 11 Getting support in Pontesbury area LITTER LETTER 10 from the Hedgehavens Get support if you are Dear Reader caring for someone We have come to our tenth and final Litter Letter for the time being. Hopefully you will have enjoyed reading them and if our letters have Unpaid carers Information and support for triggered some thought and discussion about the effects of litter unpaid adult carers in Shropshire on the environment that is no bad thing. is now being delivered by the new So, it is time to recap - Shropshire Carers team First and foremost, please don’t drop litter! within Shropshire Council. • Cans and Glass Bottles are totally recyclable and Cardboard is Carers needing information or mainly recyclable. support can contact the team • In recycling these items we’re saving precious resources, on 01743 341995 or email saving energy and preventing tonnes of carbon dioxide entering the Shropshire Carers inbox the atmosphere. Shropshire.Carers@shropshire. • Plastics are potentially putting our whole planet in danger gov.uk as they are found in our oceans and in our food and yet they are You will be able to speak to a difficult to recycle. Re-use them where you can and avoid single- trained carer advisor. use plastics. • Crisp packets are a particular menace as they are often made from metallised plastic making them extremely difficult to recycle. Try to find those brands of crisps in recyclable packets. Mobilise carers support Then we’d like to put out a plea. A short blog on dealing with It is coming to the season of Festivals, Parties in the Park, Families on change and uncertainty: Beaches but maybe not going abroad. Whatever happens we will all be https://bit.ly/323TIX0 pleased to have some chance to get outdoors (fingers crossed here!) so A guide to some of the routines please take your litter home with you and recycle it or re-use it if you can. that helped us get through In writing the letters and searching for facts on the web, we have Lockdown (Pt 1): been horrified by the amount of litter dropped in our beautiful county, https://bit.ly/324iJS6 our country and around the world. It is in truly epidemic proportions. A basic ‘emergency plan’ to get This is a huge problem and governments must be challenged to you started: address it. But we can all try to do our bit and first of all let us https://bit.ly/382F4Dl James Townsend, KEEP PONTESBURY TIDY CEO and Co-Founder, Mobilise SPREAD THE WORD, DON’T SPREAD LITTER [email protected] 07816 779635 Home Support Workers Needed Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin have older Bereavement Support for people who need some help in their own homes Shropshire Residents – and are therefore recruiting casual, part-time Call 0345 678 9028 home support workers to reduce their waiting A new service has been launched list. No personal care in involved and will to support people who are be mainly practical tasks such as cleaning, experiencing and suffering from shopping and collecting prescriptions, laundry bereavement and loss. The offer and gardening. A driving licence and own is open to any Shropshire resident transport is preferred and the post is subject to who has been bereaved by either a disclosure and baring service check. Please a recent death or previous loss. call 01743 233 788 to request an application form and for more information on our Help The Bereavement Support Service is at Home service visit our website: https:// operated by Shropshire Council www.ageuk.org.uk/shropshireandtelford/our- and community voluntary services/home-help/ partners Samaritans, CRUSE, Angela Goodman, Age UK Shropshire Telford Severn Hospice and Crane Quality & Wrekin Counselling. The service can be accessed through self-referral by calling 0345 678 9028.

10 7 Youth Voice for Nature Pontesbury Baptist Church Our new, National Lottery Heritage funded project, Young www.pontesburybaptist.co.uk Rangers, encourages 12–16 year olds to take part in a Our church is open twice every Sunday – at 10:30am and Sunday Afternoon Tea range of conservation, heritage and outdoor discovery 6:30pm – and you’re very welcome to attend our services! at activities in the Shropshire Hills AONB. For those slightly If you wish to come, to allow for social distancing St. George’s Church older, in the 17–21 age bracket, I’m pleased to announce requirements, please contact Pastor Mike Wells by noon the launch of a related project, our Youth Voice for Nature. on the Saturday before to book your place. 18 July, 2.30 – 4.30 Youth Voice for Nature (YVN) is for 17–21 year olds email: [email protected] who live in, or near to, the Shropshire Hills Area of text: 07733304209 A chance to sit and have Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and who would Every sermon is also available to watch for free via our your afternoon tea served to you. like to take action to conserve it. YVN members take website or on our YouTube channel. A real treat in a safe area. part in working groups and meetings with peers It will need to be booked with roughly once a month, exploring local environmental Mary Worrall, Tel: 01743 791069 issues and priorities that concern them. The project Methodist Church offers young people environmental advocacy and The services for July are as follows: £7.50 per person. leadership skills; the opportunity to gain and share 4th at 4.00pm at Vron Gate insight on landscape-scale conservation issues; the 11th at 10.45am with Tiras Dainty-Share chance to take action via a local campaign or project 18th at 10.45am with Rev. James Eaton-Challinor of the groups’ choosing; and the opportunity to bring with Holy Communion St George’s Church about greater representation of young people in the 25th at 10.45am with Church Members www.st-george.org.uk governance of the Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership. Services for July: Get involved! 1st at 10.45am with Rev. James Eaton-Challinor 4th 10:30am Morning Worship Our digital launch event for young people will be with Holy Communion 11th 10.30am Holy Communion taking place on Monday, 5 July at 7:30pm so if you, 18th 10.30am Holy Communion or someone you know may be interested do please 25th 10.30am Holy Communion feel free to share the details among your networks. Young people who would like to register their interest in YVN can do so via a quick-and easy form Notes from the Stiperstones on our project webpage below and once involved can stay connected via our Instagram group. We had a good turnout for the bird walk in June, the up, the skylark is larger and has a crest, while the pipits https://www.shropshirehillsaonb.co.uk/our-work/ first public event that we have been able to hold since are small with the meadow pipit being less well marked projects/youth-voice-for-nature the first lockdown. Although the weather didn’t look and having a thinner bill than the tree pipit. And/or for more information and enquiries email: too promising to start with, it turned out to be perfect After the cold start to the year, which held everything [email protected] conditions, little wind and not too hot. We usually hold back and turned all the gorse brown we are now seeing a Joe Penfold, Young Rangers Project Officer our bird walk in May but with this later date we were sudden growth in vegetation. The bracken is shooting up able to pick up a few late migrants such as tree pipit and we will be starting our annual cutting and spraying and pied flycatcher and a respectable total of 30 species programme soon. If there are any keen scythers out there were seen or heard. Interestingly the only bird of prey who would like to lend a hand, they should let me know. seen was a single red kite, which was a shame because I have seen the best show of buttercups that I have ever hobbies can be seen feeding over the hill regularly at seen this year, in some of the fields in the area, and it the moment. has been a good year for the yellow mountain pansies on Tree pipits along with the acid grassland on the hill. I have also been pleased to meadow pipits and skylarks see all the verges flowering well and that they are being fall into the category often cut later than in the past which should allow some of the referred to as little brown plants to seed. All helped by the Restoring Shropshire jobs or LBJs. However, Verges Project. as with many birds their The Hay Meadow Festival will hopefully be running this identification is a mixture year on the 24th July and for a change is being hosted of habitat and behaviour, as by the Discovery Centre in Craven Arms. The festival well as looks and sound. In will have the usual hay and scything related activities, the tree pipits’ case, they are but with a more family friendly atmosphere and music usually Skylark running on into the early evening. We also have a good found in a treed landscape, as they line up for the eco-talk tent, including a yoga session, carry out their song display to and storytelling and a gardening for wildlife talk. More from trees. This display involves information and early bird tickets can be found on the singing while parachuting back Discovery Centre website. down to their song tree. The meadow If, following the festival, you are inspired to take up pipit also has a parachuting display the scythe and throw away that noisy strimmer, I will be song but tends to nest in open running a scything course on Saturday the 7th August. treeless landscapes. The skylark For more details contact me on 01743 792294 or Meadow Pipit likes even more open areas and [email protected]. sings mostly whilst flying upwards in a continuous bout Simon Cooter and the Natural England staff at Rigmoreoak of song and never seems to take a breath. If seen in close

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