Bishops Cannings Parish Newsletter February 2019

Bishops Cannings Parish Council Newsletter February 2019 1

A message to all our readers:

The number of households in Bishops Cannings Parish has grown significantly in recent years and the high cost of producing a paper newsletter, along with the logistics of delivering it, have become an issue. We now have in the region of 1,400 households in our parish.

We have had a high turnover of Parish Clerks recently, which led to no newsletters being produced for October, November and January. A newsletter was produced for December, but delivery problems meant we were unable to get a copy to every household.

The Parish Council is currently reviewing how we communicate with you and is looking at a number of options for the future.

Our complement of serving councillors should be eleven, serving the communities of Horton and Coate, Bishops Cannings and housing developments on the Horton Road, stretching to the A361 and all housing developments from the east of Windsor Drive, but south of London Road, moving west through to Horton Road

The current group of only eight Parish Councillors is strongly motivated to serve and support our community and is working hard to remedy recent difficulties.

If you are interested in serving as a councillor, please contact one of the councillors listed in this newsletter.

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Shots from the Chairman’s Gun

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address still sounds good. “And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you …. ask what you can do for your country”. My great uncle Alfred Leete got it right with his cartoon picture of Kitchener, with the inscription, ‘Your country needs you’. Unfortunately his artistic talents have skipped a couple of generations - but the Parish Council wants to know what it can do for you. We have an income arising from the new housing developments. We are making grants to the village school to improve equipment. We can help to retain assets of value to the community. We can bring pressure on Council to improve the standard of the footpaths; there are potholes that need to be dealt with and we can tidy up the verges and bus shelters. We could call this issue of the magazine ‘The Dog Issue‘ because dog owners and newcomers to the district will, in particular, want to know the best means of obtaining access through the public rights of way to some of the most spectacular scenery in the county. We want to help, so we will publish a variety of local walks in the coming months. On another note, we will be considering the future distribution and publication of the Parish Magazine and its cost in an age of online activity. The Parish is now very large and any constructive suggestions on that score would be welcome. With best wishes for 2019 Michael Chairman of Bishops Cannings Parish Council

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First World War Memorial Trees at Le Marchant Barracks

The dedication of a memorial Oak tree and seating, installed by the Parish Council, took place at the Le Marchant play area on 11th December 2018, honouring the sacrifice of 10,000 servicemen from Wiltshire in the First World War.

Revd. Richard Curtis kindly led the event with pre-recorded music to accompany proceedings, including appropriate hymns, The Last Post and the National Anthem – unusually with all three verses. A group of Year 6 children from Bishops Cannings Primary School attended with parents and Mrs Vardy, their Headteacher.

As part of their literacy work, children from Year 6 had been learning how to create and structure poems. Their work focused on the First World War. You will find their poems and photos of the memorial event printed in this magazine. The poems were beautifully read by the children and had a powerful effect. Poppy Wreaths were laid by the children around the tree.

Ex-serviceman and active member of the Royal British Legion, Cllr. Kevin Toft, performed the duties of Standard Bearer with great precision. Mr Robin Heatley, former Officer- in- Command of the Le Marchant Barracks until their closure and now Chairman of the Seend Branch of the Royal British Legion, spoke to those attending about the impact of the First World War.

Many thanks to all who attended and also to members of the Parish and Councillors who helped in installing the seating and the planting of oak trees on the site. Three additional oak trees were planted in the ‘wilderness‘ area of the Le Marchant site in January. CB

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The Community Christmas Fayre

A big thank you to everyone in the parish who came along to support our annual Community Christmas Fayre back in December. There was such a lovely festive atmosphere even though it was a little damp. The church looked amazing - decorated with the beautiful wooden Christmas trees designed by children from around the parish on the theme of “The Christmas Story”. Thank you to the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Rangers, Pre-school, Primary school and After School Club for taking part. The Pre School’s “Donkey and the Journey” was voted the most popular tree and won the Revd Beth Brown Memorial Trophy.

The Christmas Market was packed with festive stalls. Our refreshments team did a marvellous job – the mulled apple juice was particularly popular! Our Santa’s Grotto was enchanting – a huge and heartfelt thank you to Mr Padwick for bringing Santa along. Those who ventured on a trip up the Bell Tower had a rather misty view but a very interesting tour of the Tower and bells. Dawn and the team at the Crown kept everyone going with delicious bacon rolls, some Christmas Crazy Golf and plenty of festive cheer!

The Nordmann Fir Christmas Trees sold well, thanks once again to our knowledgeable and enthusiastic sales team and our now regular customers from all around the parish. The Reindeer Dash was great fun with runners of all ages (and their pets) jingling back from the swing

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bridge in their antlers including Revd Richard – fresh from a Park Run in earlier in the day! The Cariad Cup was won by 12 year old Ollie Gale.

We would like to thank you all for coming along to support the Christmas Fayre which raised just over £2,600 towards the church, the primary school and pre-school and local community groups. And thank you to all the members of the organising committee for their time and help in putting together this wonderful community event. This year’s Christmas Fayre will be held on Saturday, 7th December (9-1 pm) – we look forward to seeing you.

Caroline Martin & the Christmas Fayre Team

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Bishops Cannings Parish Council

Your Councillors:

Cllr Michael Hodge (Chairman) MJH [email protected]

Cllr Simon Casey (Vice- Chairman) SC [email protected]

Cllr Jenny Combe [email protected] JC

Cllr Robert Jones RJ [email protected]

Cllr Neil Bridgen NB [email protected]

Cllr Kevin Toft KT [email protected]

Cllr Diane Carey DC [email protected]

Cllr Christine Body [email protected] - Newsletter Editor CB Deadline for next issue is Wednesday 13th February

Parish Council Meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month, at the Parish Hall in Bishops Cannings. Meetings start at 7.30pm.

The next meeting is on Tuesday 12th February.

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Naughton Avenue and Lay Woods Amenity Areas

There have been problems recently with dog fouling and broken glass on the Naughton Avenue playing field. This has now been cleared up, but can we please remind everybody to pick up after their dog.

Dog fouling has also been a problem on our newest housing site at Lay Woods. The dog poo bin on the play area has been removed. The Parish Council will be asking the developer to re- instate it. Until development is completed, is unable to adopt it (ie. take responsibility for it) so the first port of call with issues is David Wilson Homes. Again we ask everybody to pick up after their dogs and not to spoil green areas.

The Parish Council is planning to spend some money on our green open spaces over the next year, and would like any suggestions as to how to make these more attractive and wildlife friendly. There has been a large increase in the number of houses within the Parish over the last 10-20 years and it is important that we make the most of all natural, green areas, no matter how small.

Regarding Lay Woods, many more trees are still to be planted on the grassed area to the east, particularly along the boundary with the countryside so that it will not be so barren-looking in the future. Please report any damage to newly planted trees to the developer so that they can be replaced. DC

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Access to the countryside Walk 1: Le Marchant Barracks, Lay Wood and Cannings Hill…

One thing I have noticed on my travels is that there is an extremely large dog population in the Parish, which should enjoy access to some of the most spectacular landscape in the area. For a clean walk, cross the London Road and make for Sergeant Rogers Way, by Coral Cove. At the far end of Sergeant Rogers Way there is a well-used hole in the hedge that leads through to a grass track, where there are official signs indicating the route to the Millennium White Horse. Even in wet weather the route is mud free. It is advisable to have a lead available to enter the field with the White Horse because of the likelihood of livestock being present - but once up there, the route to the Monument should provide a rewarding stroll with deer, hares and rabbits as likely companions.

Walk 2: One asset the entire parish has is the canal, which provides a route to many public footpaths. There is a route to Stone Pit Hill where there is plenty of wildlife. Any self-respecting dog is bound to get muddy on this route, although the advantage here is that you can get under the A361 at West End. The best route is to get to the Lay Wood Bridge, take the path to Horton Road, turn left and head up the track to the A361. My grandfather was Town Clerk of for over 30 years and liked a good game of golf. He would regularly walk from Wick Lane to the golf links and back. Not to be outdone, I walked from Bourton to crossing the main road only twice, with a sleeping grand-daughter in a pram and a dog. MJH

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Access to the countryside

We are very fortunate in this area to have a good variety of walks available within relatively easy reach - and farmers who enable us to access areas of their land.

Understandably they do this trusting that we will respect the effort and care they put into raising their crops and livestock.

In a re-arrangement of the tenancies of some areas of Crown Estate land in Bishops Cannings village, we will soon have some fields with organically raised cattle.

The farmers would be very grateful if you would keep good control of your dogs, always pick up their poo and maintain a regular worming routine to prevent the spread of a range of diseases. With organically raised animals, every effort is made to avoid the use of medication. CB

Can you help ?

Are you interested in improving your outdoor areas locally ? Make the best of your amenity areas by supporting Bishops Cannings Parish Projects, either as a local Councillor, representing your area, or as a volunteer. Contact one our local councillors to find out more. CB

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Bishop’s Cannings Tuesday Club

Firstly, our grateful thanks, once again, to Caroline Cutting, Teresa Russ, Susie Horton and Elizabeth Frearson for cooking such a delicious Christmas lunch for us all. Also thank you to Caroline Martin for coming along and being such a wonderful waitress. It was a lovely occasion for us all to enjoy.

We are always looking for new members to help boost membership, so if you know of anyone, do encourage them to come along.

We meet in Bishop’s Cannings Village Hall on the dates below at 3pm. There is a charge of £2 per person and this includes a delicious tea.

19th Feb Street Games and Toys John Girvan 19th March Vanishing Airfields Bill King 16th April Anti and Post-Apartheid South Africa Steve Chart 21th May Doctors in the House Jenny Combe 18th June Dragons and Rescue Dogs Debi Evans

No meetings in July and August Ann Jarvis

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A meeting at the roundabout leading to Ernle Drive

On Tuesday 11th December 2018, local resident William Naesmyth met our Wiltshire Councillor, Philip Whitehead, a road expert and Parish Councillor, to address the state of the verge on this roundabout that leads to Ernle Drive. There is the new, smart David Wilson Homes development on the west side and the land for sale to the North of Horton Road. The road verge has been extended but isn’t usable. Wiltshire Council is looking at raising the standard of the northern perimeter of the roundabout with stones for pedestrians, with the cost to us of a possible upgrade. We shall consider at the next Parish Council meeting whether we should approach David Wilson Homes to maintain the northern verges to the same standard as the remainder of their site, in which case, a contribution from them would be needed. It makes sense that, if David Wilson homes want a tidy entrance to their new houses, the northern side of the roundabout should be maintained in a tidy condition that is easy to walk on. Wiltshire Council does not want to encourage people to use that route. Comments have been made concerning safety, which will have to be reviewed. Our thanks to William Naesmyth for raising this concern. MJH

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St Mary’s Bishop’s Cannings Church floodlighting

February 2019

10th February William and Elisabeth Allen

13th February Peter Combe

14th February Commemorating John Simpson

21st February Commemorating Neville Combe’s birthday

25th February Commemorating Andrew Naughton’s birthday

A ring has been found in Bishop’s Cannings Church and handed to the Churchwardens for safekeeping. If you think this may be yours, please e-mail or contact either: [email protected] or [email protected] with a full description and we can arrange for you to collect it.

Church Services

There are services at St Mary’s on the second and fourth Sundays of the month.

February 10th 10 am

February 24th 10am Communion

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How to increase the amount you recycle

You may not know this, but Wiltshire Council now collects a greater variety of plastics than before, which can be put in your blue-lidded bin. It used to be just plastic bottles and cardboard, but see the list below for all the things you can now recycle. Plastic bottles of any colour except black, including: • Washing up liquid bottles and Bleach bottles • Laundry liquid and fabric conditioner bottles • Cooking oil bottles, Drinks, Juice and Squash bottles • Milk and yoghurt drink bottles • Hand-wash bottles • Shampoo and conditioner bottles • Upright 'pump' type toothpaste tubes Plastic pots, tubs and trays • Yoghurt pots, margarine tubs, ice cream tubs • Plastic food trays – but not black plastic • Food and drink cartons Cardboard of any colour including: • Cereal, Egg and Pizza boxes • Ready meal sleeves • Food packaging boxes and sleeves • Brown paper • Greetings cards • Wrapping paper – but not the foil kind • Shoe boxes • Toilet and kitchen roll centres • Corrugated cardboard • Shredded paper - please place inside a cardboard box, such as a cereal box

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DRAFT MINUTES Minutes of the meeting of Bishops Cannings Parish Council 8th January 2019 Present: Cllr Michael Hodge (Chairman), Cllr Simon Casey, Cllr Jenny Combe, Cllr Kevin Toft, Cllr Rob Jones, Cllr Chris Body, Cllr Neil Bridgen, Cllr Diane Carey Also in attendance : Cllr Philip Whitehead (Unitary)and 3 members of the public. 1. Apologies for Absence. None 2. Disclosure of Interests. None 3. Approval of 11th December 2018 Draft Minutes. It was resolved to approve the minutes. 4. Chairman’s Announcements. The Chairman has been interviewed for an article in the Gazette regarding the current vacancies on the Parish Council for three additional councillors

The Chairman and Cllr Whitehead met at the new roundabout at Lay Woods to discuss re-instatement of the footpath on the north side of Horton Road. Councillor Whitehead was looking into various options, the easiest and cheapest of which would be to lay planings. If this didn’t work, then the other options would be looked into. 5. Public Questions and Comments. a. Mr. Cackett from Coate informed the council that the Byway sign on the Drove (the green road from the New Inn to Windsor Drive) has been knocked down. Cllr Carey would arrange for the parish steward to re-instate it. Also, the surface of the Drove is impassable to pedestrians in some places. It was recommended and agreed that Mr. Cackett would report this using the My Wiltshire App.

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b. Mr. David Cackett expressed his disappointment that neither the litter nor dog refuse bins, notice board nor the defibrillator had been installed in Coate, despite the Parish Council undertaking to do these jobs many months ago. He also mentioned that the bus shelter needed some attention. The Chairman and the Council agreed that these things should have been done. Cllr Carey undertook to visit Coate with Mr. Cackett and discuss where the bins and notice board were to go. Cllrs Carey and Toft would then undertake to install these. Cllr Carey would also look at the bus shelter. Cllr Casey would arrange for the defibrillator to be delivered to Coate and then arrange the fitting and for somebody to check it on a regular basis. 6. Cllr Whitehed (Unitary) Update. No points 7. Planning: to consider planning application ref 18/11461/FUL re Bourton Farm. It was resolved to make no objection. 8. 2019/20 Budget. Cllr Carey presented a budget for 2019/20. The Council resolved to approve it. 9. 2019/20 Precept. Cllr Carey presented 2 options for the 2019/20 precept. Option 1 was based on the projected budget spend of £58,145 – this reduced the Band D cost to £48.66. Option 2 was based on keeping the Band D cost the same as 2018/19 at £52 – this would give the Council a precept of £62,137. It was resolved to approve option 1. The Chairman and Council thanked Cllr Carey for her magnificent work on the Budget and Precept since the last meeting.

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10. Appointment of new clerk. This topic, concerning personnel, was addressed after the public had left.

11. Newsletter. It was agreed that the next newsletter would be delivered by Councillors but that this method was not sustainable. Cllr Body was awaiting quotes for newsletter delivery. Various long term solutions were discussed, but no final decision was made. An article describing the options and consulting the public would be included in the next newsletter.

12. Finance. The bank reconciliation to the end of November was noted and authorised by the Chairman. The Parish Council has applied to view the bank accounts online. Transferring to making payments online would be looked into by Cllr Carey. The mandate to change the correspondence address was signed. The list of cheque payments were authorised.

13. Matters for next meeting including review of policies. Councillors undertook to review the Parish Council’s policies and procedures for discussion at the next meeting.

14. Correspondence Received. a. Cllr Whitehead has received an email regarding prevalent dog fouling in Cannings Hill. Cllr Carey undertook to visit the Site Manager. Wiltshire Council undertook to send the Parish Council flyers and notices for distribution. b. Other correspondence was received and individual Councillors undertook to respond.

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War Poems by Year 6 Children – Bishops Cannings School In a Gun Shot In a gun-shot I can see - Soldiers dying; The vulture is stalking them out with passion and power, In the skies of grey. In a gun-shot I can feel - The gun vibrating like jelly; The eagle striking the trembling bodies of the Germans, In the skies of grey. In a gun-shot I can see- Children crying; The tears devouring their distraught developing faces, In the skies of grey. In a gun-shot I can feel - The trench turning to slop; The anaconda soaking the soldier’s clothes, In the skies of grey. By Ben C., year 6

Peaceful War The poppies are a peaceful dove, Her body so tired as she covers up the past, She flies swiftly, slowly as she shows peace in a world of war, She has tied together countries that have broken apart, Her chestnut brown eyes darting for just a glimpse of war. With just a blood - red flower she has changed A war playground into a peaceful world. She has remembered the past, Is focusing on the present And is changing the future. By Poppy C., year 6

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Through the Gap Through the gap in my fingers, I can see - A plane soaring; following its prey, Like a bird circling as it spots and catches, In the sky of madness.

Through the gap in my fingers, I can see - Death reaching his magnanimous hand Down to my tiny, terrified body; Getting ready to strike at the right moment, In the land of madness.

Through the gap in my fingers, I can see – Soldiers lying on the snowy ground; Guns at the ready, listening for any sign of the enemy. As the trees wave their dead arms at them, In the snowy ground of madness

Through the gap in my fingers, I can see - Poppies; red as blood, Standing tall and proud. The sign and only sign of hope, In this world of madness. By Mathilda P., Year 6

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Bishops Cannings C of E (aided)

Primary School and Pre-School School: Tel 01380 860633 email : [email protected] Pre-School: Tel 01380 860661 email: [email protected]

At Bishops Cannings School, we feel privileged to be a part of this fantastic community and we are all very proud of what we achieve at our school. We work together to provide the best possible educational experience that we can for our children. We have a family feel to our school and pre-school, where everyone is welcome. We constantly strive to ensure that our pupils are given opportunities and experiences which develop them as individuals and also ensure that they become valued, responsible and happy members of our community. Our on-site pre-school accepts children from 2 years old. We have a breakfast and after school club, which starts at 7.45am and finishes at 6pm. If you have any questions, please do give us a call or email us (details above). Catherine Vardy, Headteacher

“Pupils are proud to attend Bishops Cannings School”

(Ofsted 2018)

Children at Bishops Cannings School regularly take part in: Residential trips and a wide variety of educational trips. Devizes tag rugby, netball and football festivals and athletics competitions. A wide variety of arts and drama, including productions. Many community events within the Parish.

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“The School’s Christian values

of caring for each other and serving the community permeate all aspects of school life”

(Ofsted 2018)

We offer:

An inspiring and personalised curriculum

Breakfast and After School Club

Friendly and active PTA group

A wide range of after school activities

Excellent collaboration with local primary and secondary schools

Healthy lunches cooked on-site

Forest Schools

Free, in catchment, bus service Our Pre-School Our pre-school provides a very high standard of childcare, providing a warm, caring environment, enabling all of our children to feel safe and happy. The children have access to inside and outside areas throughout the free flow sessions. We welcome children who receive government funding at two and three, and also those that receive 30 hour funding and are eligible for the Government run, tax-free childcare scheme.

Bishops Cannings Primary School, The Street,

Bishops Cannings, SN10 2LD

www.bishopscannings.wilts.sch.uk

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Our school football team are hav- ing the most incredible season. They are unbeaten in the Devizes and District Football League winning their past fve games without conceding one goal; they have also won two consecutive tournaments to make it through to County Finals of the Schools Cup.

We had the most wonderful time at the Young voices concert in January. The children sang and danced their hearts out along side a further 6000 children! The children were a credit to our school.

The chicken coop is almost completed and we look forward to welcoming the newest members of our school family in the not too distant future.

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