June 2016

Hartford News Volume 43 Number 8 Official Newsletter of Hartford Parish Council since 1973

Yes:

1,436 votes You say yes! No: Hartford voters adopt Neighbourhood Plan 87 votes Rita Hollens favour is outstanding. To achieve a Chair of Hartford Neighbourhood turnout of 34% in a poll on a local Turnout: Plan Working Group issue is also very pleasing. It is a tangible demonstration of the fact 34.4% FTER A LONG JOURNEY, that many residents care greatly we finally achieved a 94% about the future of Hartford. YES vote for the Hartford It all started in 2011, following the Neighbourhood Plan in introduction of the Government’s May. The outcome of the Localism Act, which set out to give Areferendum could hardly have been communities the opportunity to have more conclusive. Even by the a say in how they wanted their village standards of such referenda else- to develop in the future. where in , a 94% vote in Things changed for (to page three)

Thorn Wood page 2  Twinning Pioneer page 3  Queen’s 90th birthday party page 5

Hartford Bridge (the “Blue Bridge”) pictured in October 2015

Hartford News P age 2 Parish Clerk: Jo O’Donoghue  01606 41862;  [email protected]  hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk

In Memoriam and Weaverham Parish Councils and Creating a new orchard at Thorn Wood Co-operative Funeralcare, for their donations. We particularly wish to Tina Johnson plant pocket orchards of Wareham thank the many individuals who have Chairman, WCMO Russet apple trees locally in case sponsored trees and given up their disease should strike the orchard. We valuable time to work in the orchard. he Woodland Trust has granted are very grateful to CWaC councillors If you wish to sponsor a tree, make a us the lease of almost an acre of Charles Fifield, Paul Williams, Harry donation – however small – or T land in Thorn Wood in which to Tonge, Susan Kaur and Patricia Parkes, volunteer in any way, please contact us. create Weaverham Community who awarded us part of their local We would like to be able to plant more Memorial Orchard, in memory of all grant, and also to Saltscape, Hartford trees and purchase picnic tables, a those who fought in two World Wars notice board and an interpretation and in more recent conflicts. We aim to board. commemorate the centenary of the We will be holding a service of First World War and to save a local dedication and remembrance at the apple tree, the Wareham Russet, from orchard on Monday 12 September at the brink of extinction. We will also 2:00 pm. We would like as many plant other heritage fruit trees villagers as possible, from Hartford and including the Hazel Pear, associated Weaverham, to come along. The with , which, like some Memorial Orchard is in Thorn Wood, on other pear varieties, was used to dye Road between Hartford and uniforms khaki in the First World War. Weaverham. We wish to provide an amenity for The Weaverham Community Hartford, Weaverham and Memorial Orchard is a registered neighbouring communities. We will charity. This is YOUR orchard, which facilitate educational visits and we hope you will enjoy! organise social events such as Apple  orchard.weaverham.org.uk; Days and wassailing. We also wish to  [email protected]. Tree planting at the new orchard

Volunteers at Weaverham Community Memorial Orchard. You too could get involved – contact details appear above

Official newsletter of Hartford Parish Council facebook.com/hartfordnews twitter.com/Hartford_News  [email protected] Page 3

Neighbourhood Plan Referendum

(from page one) Hartford during December 2012, with granting of planning permission for large devel- opments at Grange Farm and Hollies Farm. However, the Neighbourhood Plan Working Group re-grouped and went ahead with a new approach, endeavouring to protect the green areas that surround the village and support sustainable development within the settlement boundary. Whilst housing development is essential in any Neighbourhood Plan, there is a lot more to the document, including the promotion of economic growth and social activities, and protection of the environment. The Neighbourhood Plan had to The hanging on the be compatible with Cheshire West east wall of Hartford Methodist Church and Council’s Local Plan, and meet the requirements of the Nat- scheme’s biennial visits, she always ional Planning Policy Framework. It Tribute to Gwen retained a keen interest. She made is now a statutory document in many friends in Mornant, who kept in planning law, which must be Knight, Mornant touch with her for the rest of her life. considered in all planning proposals. She was Chair of Hartford Parish As Chair of the Working Group, I Twinning Pioneer Council in 1985, when the initial sincerely thank those members of approaches were made for the two Hartford Parish Council and Hartford Ann Loader communities to twin. She welcomed the first delegation from Mornant to wall-hanging, depicting aspects visit the village in July 1986. In October of an English country garden, of that year she was given the freedom A stitched by talented French of Mornant, and was made an honorary needlewomen in Hartford’s twin town citizen when she visited the town for of Mornant, now hangs in the Methodist the first time. Church in memory of former parish In 1987, Gwen and the Mayor of councillor, twinning pioneer and Mornant, Paul Delorme, took the church stalwart, Mrs Gwen Knight. twinning oath and signed the charter of Gwen died in early May 2015 and friendship. Earlier they had positioned almost exactly a year later, on Sunday, the twinning sign on School Lane. 1 May, the hanging was dedicated by Gwen was also a founder member of Reverend Chris Pritchard during a the Mornant-Kignan Link Group, which communion service at the church – arose out of the twinning. The group – some 29 years after Gwen personally regarded as an unofficial “triplet” sealed the twinning agreement project – was a registered charity between the two communities. through which people in Hartford and The beautifully crafted hanging, Mornant worked to help the village of created using various colourful media, Kignan in Mali, West Africa. predominantly embroidery, was The exquisite needlework in the Civic Society, and members of the presented as Mornant’s official gift to Methodist Church will now be a public public, who assisted with specialist Hartford, when 25 people from this tribute to Gwen’s dedication to the link skills in the research for, and form- area visited last summer to participate between Hartford and Mornant It will ation of, our Neighbourhood Plan. in an “English Week”. serve as a reminder of what Gwen Special thanks go to our Parish Gwen was always known called “a power for good” and “a deep Clerk, Jo O’Donoghue. When, at the affectionately to the Mornantais as “La and friendly understanding which end of the process, it was down to mère du jumelage” – “The mother of the unites our two communities”. specifics, Jo and I spent many hours twinning”. Long after ill-health forced Information about the twinning: at my kitchen table to ensure that the her to stop travelling to France, and  [email protected] Neighbourhood Plan met all its legal curtailedher participation in the  01606 75847 requirements.

Hartford News P age 4 Parish Clerk: Jo O’Donoghue  01606 41862;  [email protected]  hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk Hartford Parish Council

Reports of m eetings held on

Monday 9 May 2016

Annual Parish Meeting

Presentations were given by Hartford Tennis Club, Hartford Village Hall Management The smartly appointed meeting room These are an Committee, Hartford Civic Society, Northwich at Hartford Village Hall abridged versions Neighbourhood Policing Unit and Cheshire West of the minutes of and Chester Councillors. Councillor Herbert the Annual Parish (outgoing Chairman) presented his Annual Hartford Village Hall Meeting and the Report and Jo O’Donoghue (Clerk) provided a Annual Parish financial report. Hartford Village Hall Meeting Room: Council Meeting. Maximize your meetings for only £5 an hour. Full minutes are Annual Parish Council Meeting Our meeting room can accommodate up to available from the twelve people, at a competitive hourly rate. Parish Clerk. Acceptance of Office Benefits include wi-fi, wipe board, It was unanimously agreed to appoint Councillor refreshment facilities and car park. Herbert as Chairman of the Council, and to Make a booking, via the Hartford Village Hall Views and opinions appoint Councillor Hollens as Vice Chairman of website:  hartfordvillagehall.org.uk; expressed in the Council. Their Declarations of Acceptance of Adminstrator Vikki Herbert:  07714 908571 Hartford News may Office were received. not always reflect those of individual PCSO Minutes Past members of Hartford PCSO Ian Cosgrove attended the meeting and Parish Council. provided a report, which is appended to the A wealth of historical interest exists within the minutes and available on the website. past Minutes of Hartford Parish Council. From The editor and the time to time, space permitting, it is intended to Parish Clerk jointly CWaC Rights of Way Improvement Plan include snippets that reflect Hartford's recent determine which Consultation items are to be The Clerk and Councillor Bowden will make the included; their appropriate response, on behalf of the Parish decisions are final Council, to Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Parking It was noted that there are issues with parking, particularly by parents of Grange School pupils, in the Grange Park car park, and also at the Village Hall. It was agreed to arrange a meeting with the Headmaster of The Grange School. CWaC Highways Officers are arranging a public meeting to discuss parking at Hartford Station, although no date has yet been confirmed. An early twentieth century volume of the Minutes of Hartford Parish Council

Contact your Council history, as seen through the eyes of the Council of the time. Some may illustrate how the village has Contact with Hartford Parish Council should be evolved, others how little has changed… made via the Parish Clerk, Jo O’Donoghue: In the Minutes of Hartford Parish Council,  [email protected] dated 8 February 1937, it was resolved that “the  01606 41862 attention of the Sanitary Inspector be called to  231 Hartford Road, , CW9 8JT the filthy state of the footpaths in Hartford caused Hartford Parish Council’s website: by dogs regularly paraded by the owners, and  hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk request him to take steps to abate the nuisance.”

Official newsletter of Hartford Parish Council facebook.com/hartfordnews twitter.com/Hartford_News  [email protected] Page 5 Agenda

Volume 43, number 8: June 2016

Wednesday 1 June Sunday 12 June Items for inclusion in the Summer 2016 edition should Hartford Women’s Institute St John’s Parish Church be sent, preferably by email, to reach Hartford Methodist Church Hall From 10:00 am us on or before 7:30 pm 15 June. The Queen’s Members’ Evening Regular contributors Visitors are welcome, free of charge 90th Birthday please remember  Pam, 01606 75520 We are inviting our community to join with us in that there is no  cheshirewi.org.uk celebrating our Queen's 90th Birthday. After an Hartford News in all-age family service, in the church at 10:00 am, August. After the Thursday 9 June we will be holding a barbecue for the whole Summer edition, village on the Glebe Land from 12:00 noon. published on 1 July, Burgers and hotdogs will be available free of the next will appear Knots & Needles charge, and there will be activities and at the beginning of entertainment for all ages. The barbecue is being September. The Hartford Village Hall kindly supported by Littlers Butchers and deadline for items 7:15 pm for this edition will be 15 August. Textile art and design Amy Bant is a textile artist and designer who All 480 previous specialises in knitting. She will show samples of editions of Hartford her work and regale us with her experiences in News are available the fashion industry. in electronic form  Jean McBride, 01606 889871 on request; please contact using the Saturday 11 June email address at the top of this page.

Marshall’s Arm Local Nature Reserve Priority for inclusion will normally be Meet at the Stones Manor Lane entrance given to activities 10:00 am to 12:00 noon taking place within the Parish of Wild Flower Walk Roberts Bakery. All local schools, and Guide and Hartford. Search out plants and flowers in our woodland, Scout groups, have been invited to take part. wetland and meadow. Why not bring a picnic, There will be musical performances from local Contributions to and enjoy the summer splendour of the reserve? groups, face painting, craft activities, an ice- Hartford News are Children must be accompanied by an adult. cream van and plenty more for all the family to always welcomed; Other meeting points by arrangement. enjoy. A flower display and bell ringing will be contact and email  Bev Goodger 01606 882770 held in St John's Church. details are at the This is a wonderful opportunity for our top of this page. Marshall’s Army, our friendly group of church and community to come together to volunteers, meets on the last Sunday of each celebrate Her Majesty’s birthday, enjoying time Commercial month. All are welcomed, and tools are provided. together as a village. advertisements and  Richard Haffenden 01606 76058  stjohnshartford.org articles are not  [email protected]  01606 872255 accepted.

Hartford News Page 6 Parish Clerk: Jo O’Donoghue  01606 41862;  [email protected]  hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk

Monday 13 June Tuesday 14 June

Police Community Support Officer Eddisbury Flower Club

Hartford Village Hall Small Meeting Room Sandiway Church Hall 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm 2:00 pm

Visit the Parish Surgery Joyous June Council website: Meet our PCSO Ian Cosgrove. Andrew Lloyd (North Midlands Demonstrator). Competition: “Sunshine All the Way” Hartford Parish Council  Hilary Marsh, 01606 782812  nafascheshire.org.uk/clubs Hartford Village Hall 7:15 pm Public Open Forum Friday 17 June 7:30 pm Main Meeting

Ordinary Meeting Hartford Civic Society Members of the public wishing to raise matters with Council may do so during the Open Forum. Meet outside Hartford Hall Hotel Follow Hartford These matters can be discussed, but the Council 9:30 am News on Twitter: cannot make decisions on non-agenda items, so they must be deferred to the next meeting. Village Walk Members of the press and public may attend the Following the success of our first meeting, but are not permitted to take part. accompanied monthly countryside walk around The agenda is on Council notice boards, or Hartford, this walk is six miles in length, graded obtainable from the Clerk. Hartford Village Hall easy to medium. Numbers are limited to twelve is accessible to users of wheelchairs. participants. All are welcome. Any dogs must be  Jo O’Donoghue, 01606 41862 kept on a lead.  [email protected]  07764 212000 or  [email protected] Northwich Family History Society Hartford News on n 2015, the committee invited two parish Facebook; Hartford Methodist Church Hall councillors and two other members to dicuss 7:30 pm I the society's past, present and future. From that came the coach trips to places of historic Norton Priory interest, the walks and the calendar. Another Tom Hughes. discussion is planned for this month. Ideas for  Dave Thomas 01606 624315 future projects would be most welcome. as would offers to take part in the discussion. In the meantime, we need you to send in your photographs for the 2017 calendar. which should show more unusual views of the village.  01606 882197  [email protected]  facebook.com/hartfordcivicsociet  hartfordcivicsociety.org.uk

Wednesday 22 June

Mid Cheshire Flower Club

Hartford Methodist Church Hall 7:15 pm Royalty Wood was again opened to the public in April, raising money for Rickety Gate Hartford Young NSPCC. The annual Lorraine Simcox. Our club welcomes visitors Open Gardens event will take place on and potential new members. Saturday 25 June. Details on page 7  Pat Barker, 01606 46951  nafascheshire.org.uk/clubs

Official newsletter of Hartford Parish Council facebook.com/hartfordnews twitter.com/Hartford_News  [email protected] Page 7

Saturday 25 June

Home Watch Notes Hartford Young NSPCC Number of burglaries on the rise 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm David Barr and car keys where they cannot Open Gardens be found easily. Leave contact Generous local gardening enthusiasts are giving Wouldn’t it be great if this details with a neighbour and you the opportunity to peep behind the scenes, article started by reporting no ask him to keep a watchful eye meet new people, and pick up a few tips. Four burglaries at all? while you are away. venues for just one fee of £5 per person… Sadly, those days are past Finally, scams. There are so  Mrs. & Mrs A Barnett and gone. We had a terrible many varieties of these, and so 4 Sandiway Park start to the year, with five many means of communicating  Mr & Mrs Rawling break-ins before the end of the scam. There are some basic Hartford House, 49 School Lane March. The last two months rules. With e-mails, never open  Mr & Mrs Uppal have not been quite so bad, with any link unless you are 100% directions will be given on the day from 4 two break-ins reported. What is sure of its origin, and if you Sandiway Park still a worry is the number of have done, never enter any  Mr & Mrs S Williams failed attempts, any one of personal details. Incoming 6 Sandiway Park which could have become a real telephone calls can be quite If anyone has donations of plants, cakes or raffle break-in. convincing, but two basic rules prizes they would be most appreciated. It is thought that at least one apply. Again, never give All proceeds to Hartford Young NSPCC of the burglaries was the work personal details and, if asked to  Linda 01606 591828 of a West Midlands gang, which telephone another number, use  Mary 01606 75703 may have been responsible for a different phone, because the  nspcc.org.uk up seven break-ins in the Mid- first one may still be connected Cheshire area. They appear to to yours. If you are asked to Sundays have moved on to pastures new, send money, or give card so perhaps the attempts on details, perhaps to release a other properties are the work of prize, legacy or other windfall, Hartford Methodist Church more locally based criminals. don’t! Never write down a card Police are being extremely PIN, and always take steps to 10:30 am active, with raids all round the enter it on a keypad with area, and numerous arrests. maximum privacy. Morning Worship At last, signs of Summer! Scammers are an apparently Young people meet prior to their classes. Soon, we can spend long innovative lot, and new scams  Rev Chris Pritchard, 01606 44613 evenings on the patio, relaxing are cropping up with  [email protected] with a glass of something monotonous regularity. Several enjoyable in our hand. The have been reported to the St John’s Parish Church windows are open and the back Parish Council in recent door is unlocked. A lot of “back” months; as they do, the 8:00 am doors are actually on the side of Council’s website and Facebook homes, not the back, and so out page are updated to carry Holy Communion of sight. To a potential thief this advice about the latest varieties. says “Opportunity”. Keep any Have a safe Summer this 10:00 am ground floor windows you year. Home Watch is open to all. cannot see from your patio, Being a member of a Home Morning Service shut. Lock the back door if it is Watch Group keeps you in touch out of sight. with the current crime scene Church Centre Holidays! For you, perhaps, both in Hartford and the local 4:30 pm but not necessarily for Johnny area. If you are interested in Burglar. Remember to cancel getting involved, please contact Café-style Service milk and papers and to allow PC Cosgrove or myself. the post to drop into a container  [email protected] 6:30 pm not visible through the door.  01606 77705 Put some lamps on time Evening Service switches in your hall, landing Talk to Hartford’s PCSO  Church Centre, 01606 872255 and kitchen so that no one can Ian Cosgrove about local issues:  [email protected] really tell whether anyone is  0845 458 6392 (please note  stjohnshartford.org home, or not. Hide your house that this is a message facility)

Hartford News Page 8 Parish Clerk: Jo O’Donoghue  01606 41862;  [email protected]  hartfordparishcouncil.org.uk

Greensplash at 15 A peal of bells fit for the Queen

Rachel Gill Gordon Fulton available for anyone who would like to try their hand at ringing. artford-based and award- n Friday 3 June, at 7:00 pm, as For more information,  Stephen winning marketing design part of BBC's Music Day, ringing Williams, 01606 606195, or come to H and communications agency O will take place at over 500 the tower on any Tuesday evening. Greensplash is celebrating 15-years towers nationwide. Ringers at Hartford in business this year. In 2004, are planning to join in. The BBC Greensplash voluntarily worked website states that “the aim is to have with Hartford Parish Council to as many bells as possible ringing out create its first website. Within a few across the UK from our cities, towns months, the site was attracting large and villages, all at the same time" numbers of visitors. On Sunday 12 June, we plan to ring Since 2001, Greensplash has been at about midday, as part of the providing marketing solutions celebrations for the Queen's 90th including web design, branding, birthday. print and graphic design as well as "The Palace has agreed that special medical education and event ringing should take place at lunchtime management to a variety of on the Sunday, to coincide with the industries from local start-ups to Patron's Lunch" international blue chip Later in the year, as part of Heritage Pharmaceutical companies. Open Days 2016, we are hoping to open Directors Andy Dunn and Karen the tower to visitors for a day during Spruce initially set up Greensplash September. This will give everyone a Pulling power. Hartford chance to see the bells and the clock for campanologists at play. themselves. We will also have one bell

Picturing the beauty of Hartford

HN If you go down to the woods… Needle een photographers spent the felt animals at the Arm, created by Team Greensplash morning of the early May Bank Jenny Barnett (with office pooch Boo) K Holiday (at least until heavy rain spoilt the party) in Marshall’s Arm as a team of just two, their aim being Local Nature Reserve. to use their industry knowledge to Meanwhile, Hartford Civic Society is create an agency with a balance of looking for twelve photographs of both creative and technical “Hidden Hartford” for its 2017 expertise. Now they have a strong calendar, and is awarding a prize for and dedicated team of twelve and the overall winner. have built-up an impressive portfolio of long-standing clients. Karen said: “That we have been in Rob Jones’s photograph captures the vivid colour of the business for 15 years is a huge bluebells at Marshall’s Arm accomplishment and I’m extremely proud of what we have achieved. “The fact that we have been located in Hartford from the outset proves to the local business community you do not have to be based in a big city to succeed.” Andy Dunn added: “Our team has grown over the years into a highly skilled and creative unit, and our passion for what we do is a strong as it has ever been.”