To Contact the Editor (John Barton), Please Email To:—
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Issue 297 May 2014 Valley Park Community Association Community Centre Pilgrims Close Valley Park Chandlers Ford SO53 4ST Tel: 02380 266593 Valley Park Community Association Registered Charity No 900526 Chairman: Val Boden To contact the Editor (John Barton), please email to:— [email protected] 1 What is the Valley Park Community Association? It is a charity which exists to promote the interests of the residents of Valley Park.Its overall aim is to improve the quality of life by bringing together residents, the local authorities, voluntary and other organisations in a common effort to ensure that educational, welfare and leisure facilities are available. How to join the Community Association Fill in the member application form at the back of this newsletter. The cost is only £3 per year per household. Renewal of subscriptions is on 1st January each year. Payment (only by cheque) of can be made at the Community Centre office each weekday morning between 10am and 12 noon (school term time only) or by post. Why join the Community Association Concessionary rates to hire facilities at the Community Centre. Photocopying facilities at low rates. Hire Charges for the Community Centre (from 1st Jan. 2014) Telephone the office on 02380 266593 (24 hour answering service) or call in during any weekday morning between 10am and 12 noon (school term time only) MAIN HALL Non-Private Functions Per Hour Childrens Parties up to age 11yrs Per Hour Regular Users:- Members of VPCA £8.00 Associate Members of £7.00 Residents of Valley Park £10.00 VPCA (non-profit making) Non-Residents of Valley Park £23 Members of VPCA £7.00 Non-Members of VPCA as agreed Other Private functions including Christening:- Occasional Users:- Members of VPCA £11.00 Associate Members of £10.00 Other Residents of Valley Park £13.00 VPCA (non-profit making) Non-Residents of Valley Park £25 Residents of Valley Park £12.00 Non-Residents of V.P. £25 Minimum Hire Periods :- 3 hours Minimum Hire Periods :- 2 hours (Includes preparation and tidy up time) Committee Rooms 1 & 2 (Min. Hire Period :- 2 hours) ROOM 1 ROOM 2 All members of VPCA (non-profit making) £5.00 per hr. £4.00 per hr. Other residents of Valley Park & Groups (non-profit making) £6.00 per hr. £5.00 per hr. Non-Residents of Valley Park £9.00 per hr. £8.00 per hr. Hours of Hiring :- 8am to 11pm Monday to Saturday*; and 8am to 7pm Sundays * except Wednesdays and Fridays 4.30pm to 6.30pm for cleaning All bookings are subject to the full Conditions of Hire. Advertising Rates for the Valley Park Voice To advertise (subject to availability); email the editor at [email protected] or telephone 02380 263956 Full-page adverts are normally restricted to a one off basis. Size Residents of V.P. Non-Residents of V.P. 1/6 of a page (6 cm square) £10 per issue £12 per issue 1/3 of a page (12.85cm wide*6cm high) £20 per issue £24 per issue Half-page (12.85 cm wide * 9 cm high) £22.50 per issue £28.50 per issue Full-page (12.85 cm wide *18 cm high) £44 per issue £56 per issue 2 VOICE CONTENTS Editor’s Voice Letters etc. 4 Welcome to the May edition of the Voice. Notices etc. 5 Endeavouring as usual to spread news, Friends of the Parks 6 views and information from around our Sportsfest 7 area. Parish Council 8 Vet 9 It was good to see that much of the street Shire Horses 10 lighting has been updated around Valley Longstock Gardens 11 Park. The new “white lighting” is certainly NB WI 12 Local Map 13 different from the old orange light and it Mencap 14 seems to cover a larger area. The Macular Society 15 process made quite a mess but the end Asante Coffee 16, result is worth while. World War One 17 Red Cross News 18 My garden looks its best in the Spring and Catholic Services 19 this year in no exception. The polyanthus Property News 20 have produced a profusion of colour and I am expecting them to keep going for some while yet. I am putting it down to the mild winter. Chrysalis The nice spring weather may have encouraged many people to get out and St Francis Church about in the woodlands. With this in mind I Magazine have reprinted the woodland map on page 13, The Friends of the Parks help Articles, letters etc. are maintain these woodlands and if anyone would like to help them they would give always welcome and any you a warm welcome. Page 6 has their items for the next issue, news and contact details. should be sent/delivered to the Community Centre On the subject of exercise this months office (Pilgrims Close) issue has a couple of extra notices to before the 15th May or encourage you to get fit. Perhaps not for send an email to :- everyone but seeing the number of people [email protected] out running it seems a popular thing to do. Advertisers should contact the editor by email, as The Voice will be back above or telephone on again in June with more 02380 263956 (office hours) of my ramblings. Note. John, The next issue is :- June 2014 (editor) 3 LETTERS ETC. MOBILITY SCOOTERS These mobility scooters have come in for some adverse comments in both the local and national press recently. Here in Valley Park in my opinion it is not a major problem on its own but added to the attitude of some of the other walkway users (cyclists) it can mean pedestrians need eyes in the back of their head. For those who are unfortunate to have lost their mobility it is a lifeline to getting out and about. The drawback is that it would appear that some of the users forget that is like any other machine and when in collision can cause much damage to human body parts. We do not need more regulation just some thought for everyone else. Name & Address supplied ADVANCE NOTICE As in keeping with the past the Valley Park Community Centre will be used as one of the Polling Stations for the forthcoming EU Elections. This will mean that the main hall at the centre will not be available for the regular users on Thursday 22nd May. The meeting rooms 1 & 2 will still be in use as usual on that day. The VPCA are sorry to our regular users for any inconvenience caused by this. HELP TO DELIVER THE VALLEY PARK VOICE Our regular deliverer Julia who has tirelessly delivered the VP Voice in Catmint Close for many years will shortly be stepping down from this role. We are looking for a new volunteer to take over. What it entails is to drop off a copy of the Voice through letterboxes in Catmint Close (59 houses) at the beginning of each month. (Not January or August). If you live in Catmint Close or close by, and are able to spare 20 minutes once a month to deliver this useful local community magazine then please contact John (editor) by email at [email protected] or telephone on 02380 263956. 4 NOTICES ETC. VPCA Notice The caretaker position at the Valley Park Community centre has now been filled. Mr Steven Wall will start his duties in May and can be contacted via the Centre office. CARS STOLEN IN BURGLARIES Police are advising people not to leave vehicle keys in obvious places in their homes after two recent burglaries where cars have been stolen. It did not happen in Valley Park but in an area not too far away. Burglars broke into the home through a patio door. They then stole a set of car keys before using them to steal a Mercedes CLK 220 parked on the road outside. The vehicle is worth a considerable sum of money. Another similar burglary took place overnight and the thieves stole the key cars for an Audi A6 from the home and then took the vehicle from the drive. Officers are advising residents to make sure keys are hidden away and also to make sure they lock doors and windows at night and also double lock UPVC doors. Knightwood & St.Francis School Holidays Summer Half Term Holiday Break up on Friday 23rd May, Back on Monday 2nd June Summer Term finishes on Wednesday 23rd July Autumn Term starts on Tuesday 2nd September Autumn Half Term Holiday Break up on Friday 24th October, Back on Monday 3rd November Christmas Holiday Break up on Friday 19th December, back on Monday 5th January 2015 For all school holidays visit web site: www.hants.gov.uk/education/schools/holidays.php also www.knightwood.hants.sch.uk & www.stfrancisceprimary.co.uk/ 5 DIAL-A-RIDE Friends of the Parks May task is a return to Skys Wood copse to remove some more of the invasive Sycamore on Sunday 11th May. People will remember being fascinated by the “helicopter” seed pods of the Sycamore, which, if left unchecked will establish thickets of saplings which then outcompete other tree and shrub species to form a dense canopy excluding light from the woodland understory. This then inhibits germination of other seeds, including those of native trees. This could lead to an alteration in the established woodland habitat affecting species dependent on native trees and other vegetation. On Sunday 8th June we will be assisting Test Valley countryside Officers to repair the boardwalk running across Little covert. All are welcome to attend the above events at which all tools, gloves, training and refreshments will be provided.