Whitnash Tymes and Leamington Courier for the Trees of Light Articles and the Donation Forms Published
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SPRING 2017 whitnashtc @whitnashcouncil MAYOR’S SPRING MESSAGE A very Happy New Year to everyone, I hope that you all had a lovely Christmas and a good break. After a very interesting year, internationally, nationally, and locally, we now look forward to 2017. 2016 culminated in our Christmas Lights switch-on, which was once again a massive success and thanks to everyone who helped and supported us on the day. The residents and businesses of Whitnash put on some outstanding Christmas lighting displays on their homes and premises. Every year the judging seems to get harder and harder, with new displays popping up and existing ones getting bigger and better. Hopefully the tradition of improving every year will continue. On a local note, Whitnash and other smaller Towns and Parishes in the District have been seriously discriminated against by Warwick District Council. The District Council have removed the funding for our parks and open spaces, but they continue to provide funding for destination parks in larger towns in the area. Our own residents still have to contribute towards these ‘destination parks’, without getting the same benefit. This has led to an increase in our precept for the coming year and the future, to ensure that our parks continue to be maintained. We fought very hard to avoid this, but were overpowered by the larger authority. The new Community Hub continues to look like becoming reality, as we now have a Business Plan in place and we can move forward to put our plans into action. Our aim is to have a new purpose built facility to replace the community hall and the town council office. A date for your diaries is Saturday, 1st April 2017, when we are holding a Charity Ball at the Chesford in aid of my charities – Rufus’ Friends and Encephalitis. This will be a high-class event with a magician and two live bands, and a fabulous meal. We will be looking for companies to sponsor this event, as well as providing auction prizes. Please look out for the adverts. Here is to an interesting year ahead and very best wishes to all. Councillor Simon Button - Mayor 1 THANK YOU FOR YOUR YEARS OF DEDICATION & HARD WORK Cllr Kirton has served the community of Whitnash and the wider Warwick District and Warwickshire for nearly 50 years. Cllr Kirton is a Freeman of the Town and was its first Mayor in 1993 - 94. He was Mayor again in 2003 - 04.He was also Chairman of Whitnash Parish Council in 1979 - 81 and again in 1992 - 93. Cllr Kirton said: “Whitnash is very close to my heart.” Cllr Kirton moved to Whitnash in the late 1950s to work at the Warwick power station, the site is now the Tesco store on Emscote Road. He was first elected to Warwickshire County Council to represent Whitnash in May 1981, as an Independent and has remained the Whitnash County Councillor since then. He served as Chairman of the County Council in 1996 - 97, having been elected as Vice Chair in 1995 - 96. During his many years as County Councillor he has served on many committees of the County Council. He has been a very active councillor, who has been involved at every level. In describing his early involvement in Whitnash affairs Cllr Kirton said, “When I started in local politics there were no real facilities in Whitnash at all and when I look at it these days it is like another world.” As the first Labour Party member on what was then the Rural District Council in the 1970’s one of Cllr Kirton’s first actions was to press for the mother and baby clinic at the old Women’s Institute Hall to be moved to more suitable premises at the Methodist Church Hall. He continued his campaigning for Whitnash to have its own doctor and policeman. His involvement has never stopped and he was instrumental in having Whitnash Library extended to a “One Stop Shop” to include Whitnash Town Council office in 2007. Cllr Kirton has also served as a governor of all the schools in Whitnash as well as being Chairman of the Governing Body at Myton School. He served as a governor at St Joseph’s School for 35 years! Cllr Kirton represented Whitnash at Warwick District Council for 44 years and held virtually every position on Warwick District Council including Chairman in 1977 - 78 and again in 1997 - 98. In 2015 Cllr Kirton retired from Warwick District Council. Over his long years of service, he has intervened in problems presented to him by hundreds of residents, always fighting for their rights. He has never been afraid to stand up and say what he believed in and what he thought was best for Whitnash. Cllr Kirton will be retiring as Whitnash County Councillor. Cllr Kirton, you are one of a kind, and will not be easily replaced!! Enjoy your retirement! 2 NHS HEALTH CHECK It’s spring time and we are all thinking of doing a spring clean of our homes – why not consider a “spring clean” of your health? Interested, then read on and see if you are eligible for an NHS Health Check. They are offered for free to people between the ages of 40-74 to assess the condition of their overall health. NHS Health Checks monitor a number of conditions, and can advise people if they are at risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and stroke. Once you reach the age of 65, you will also be offered advice about dementia, including information about signs and symptoms. Statistics suggest that dementia affects one in 14 people over the age of 65, while as many as one in six people affected are over the age of 80. People between the ages of 40-74 who haven't had a stroke or suffer from heart disease, diabetes or kidney disease or are not already taking medication for high cholesterol will be offered an NHS health check every five years. If you think you are eligible but have not been offered one, then contact your surgery and I am sure they will help. What happens at an NHS Health Check? NHS Health Checks usually involve a nurse or healthcare assistant, and take around 15-20 minutes to complete. You'll be asked some simple questions about your lifestyle and your family history, and will have your blood pressure taken. Your height and weight will be measured, and you'll also have a blood test taken from your finger. Information taken from this will be used to advise you on your own individual risks, and how you can minimise them. Why should I have an NHS Health Check? We are more at risk of many health problems as we age, and so the information these checks have provided has been invaluable - and sometimes even life-saving. Often people wait until they develop symptoms before seeking medical advice, but the warning signs can be 3 present without symptoms. NHS Health Checks allow an opportunity to recognise these signs and allow preventative treatment to take place. NHS Health Checks started in 2009, and estimated figures suggest they have helped to prevent thousands of heart attacks or strokes in that time. Nationally, 1 in 27 people seen in a health check has been diagnosed with raised blood pressure, 1 in 110 with type 2 diabetes, and 1 in 265 with kidney disease. Some of these people had not shown any symptoms, so without the health check would have been unaware of their health problem, which in turn could make it more serious. At present, just under half of people who have been invited to attend an NHS Health Check have accepted them, and theoretically, a greater uptake will help save several thousands more. If you are over the age of 74, you won't automatically be offered a health check. However, you can still arrange one from either your GP or your nurse. People under 40 are less at risk so are not offered checks automatically, although if you have any concerns you should speak to your doctor, who can help investigate further. Information taken from www.patient.co.uk - Dr KE Holtby, Whitnash Medical Centre VACANCY - CARETAKER / CLEANER Whitnash Town Council has a vacancy for a Caretaker / Cleaner at Whitnash Community Hall. Apply in writing to: Mrs Jenny Mason, Town Clerk, Whitnash Town Council, Franklin Road, Whitnash, CV31 2JH. Tel: 01926 470394 or Email: [email protected] Closing date: 24th March 2017 TRUE AJ Kitson BEAUTY 4 THANK YOU FROM THE LEAMINGTON ROTARY CLUB The Tree of Light outside St Margaret's church at Whitnash has been a splendid Christmas sight and once again has given so many people the chance to remember absent family and friends who could not share Christmas with them. In so doing their generous donations from Leamington and Whitnash set a new record in excess of £5,000 which has gone straight to the Myton Hospices whose extraordinary work is so essential in the local community. Naturally, we are very proud of this success and we wish to pay tribute for the considerable help provided by the people and organisations who assisted us. We are hugely indebted for the enthusiastic involvement of the Whitnash Town Mayor Cllr Simon Button, Town Clerk Jenny Mason and the Council staff and the Whitnash Library staff. Also for the considerable input from St Margaret’s Church Rector, Rev Richard Suffern and the Parochial Church Council, N S Booth Electrical Contractors Ltd and the fund-raising team of The Myton Hospices as well as the Whitnash Tymes and Leamington Courier for the Trees of Light articles and the donation forms published.