Weston, , Hunningham and NEWSLETTER

SEPTEMBER 2018

CONTENTS CONTACTS Village News ………………………..….……3,5,6 Weston Village Website: The Pilgrim Puppets ……………………...……7 www.westonunderwetherley.org Weston Wildlife Conservation ………...….7 Weston Village Hall bookings: Neighbourhood watch ...……..………....….8 [email protected] Church Pastoral Letter .………………..……10 Eathorpe Village Website: Church Services ……………...…….………....11 Eathorpe’s Albino Squirrel ………...…..…12 www.eathorpe.org.uk The WPH Charitable Trust ………….……..14 Eathorpe Village Hall bookings: Photos of our villages ……………...……….16 [email protected] Hunningham Parish Room: 01926 632428 Hunningham Parish Room bookings: [email protected]

Editor: David Wray 632830 [email protected] Advertising manager: Moira Rawlings 634766 [email protected]

PeterBrooke

Plans drawn for Planning and Building Regulations for New Houses, House Remodelling, Extensions, Loft Conversions, Renovations. Free, no obligation, first meeting.

Tel 01926 633691 Mob 07740213572 email [email protected]

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VILLAGE NEWS

A SAD FAREWELL to a VERY SPECIAL LADY

In February we said a last “GOODBYE” to MARGARET BROWN, who lived in Hunningham for 16 years together with Duncan, and moved to Weston when they retired. Margaret was very special. She was on our Church PCC for many years, and was a busy active member of Hunningham Church life. She was a good listener, very kind and thoughtful, and had a really deep faith. Margaret would always have some words of wisdom to help with diffi- cult situations. She was a beautiful seamstress, a good farmer, and lover of people and animals. Even though she had serious heart problems, she was never heard moaning, and was always concerned for others. We miss her very much. Hazel Taylor ——————————————————————————————————- Duncan Brown, Ann and the family would like to thank all those who sent cards and came to the funeral. Your support during this difficult time has been much appreciated. Thanks to your generosity over £350 was collected and sent to the British Heart Foundation in Margaret’s memory. ——————————————————————— JEAN BUSBY Debbie, Tim, Alison and families would like to thank everyone who attended Jean's funeral and for your very generous donations in her memory. Over £400 was collected and this has been shared between Air Ambulance and Myton Hospice.

Eddie Croxall Painter & Decorator

1 Ellerton Grove , CV31 1YN Tel: 01926 882 420 Mobile: 07778 283 244

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VILLAGE NEWS A BIG WELCOME to Ellie, Gareth, Sebastian and Sylvia who have moved into Main Street Hun- ningham. We look forward to welcoming them to village events. We hope they enjoy their life here in Hunningham. ALSO to Laura and Ryan who are doing a lot of building work in Leigh Terrace, while living in Elm Farm Cottages while it is taking place. We look forward to following their progress and welcoming them to village events. ALSO to Eathorpe to Amy and girls who have recently moved in to Harton Cottage. We hope they will be very happy in the village and we look forward to seeing them at our various events. CONGRATULATIONS to Liz and Tim at the Fosse way Hunningham – on the arrival of “Margot” And to Theresa and Andy at Sabin Drive Weston on the arrival of “Leo”. We look forward to meeting them at Village Events. ——————————————————————————————————-- MACMILLAN AFTERNOON TEA Eathorpe is holding afternoon tea in the Village hall on Sunday 7th of October between 3 and 5pm. Cream teas, cakes, Christmas cards and a homemade cake/produce stall plus a raffle. Please come and support this local fund rais- ing event. It’s always a lovely social afternoon and we appreciate your sup- port. Donations of cakes etc. are very welcome but most importantly you coming with family and friends to the hall is what we need. Maggy Smith 632564 [email protected] Jill Wheeler 632498 ——————————————————————————————————-- CROQUET CLUB meets on Friday evenings on the village field for a friendly game of golf Croquet fol- lowed by a glass of wine. We would welcome some new members. If you are interested, please phone Sandy Hedderwick on 01926 257965

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VILLAGE NEWS

MONDAY CLUB The Monday Club AGM and Strawberry Tea took place on a lovely sunny afternoon at Glebe Cottage, Weston-under-Wetherley on 11th June. Jill Wheeler, Joan Goddard and Carolyn Davis were re-elected as Joint Chairper- sons and Jeff Arnold was elected as Treasurer following Jill Wheeler’s retire- ment. Jill was thanked for being Treasurer for many years and presented with flowers. Stephen and Valerie were thanked for their hospitality. The July meeting on 9th July was another lovely summer day and we visited the gardens at Clifton Hall Farm near Rugby. Robert and Jenny Spencer made us very welcome. In addition to a large and varied garden they farm two farms – all with no outside help! Monday Club members were very sad to learn of the death of Margaret Brown in July. Margaret was a much loved and long standing member of our club. There was no meeting in August so our next meeting will be on 10th Septem- ber, 2.30pm at “Little Haven” Weston when Christine Kirkwood will give a talk on ”Superstitions”. ——————————————————————————————————- COME 2 WORSHIP Our monthly Family Service at Hunningham Church is moving to the First Sunday of the month from September. Do come along and join us on Sunday 2nd September at 11.00am. ——————————————————————————————————- DATE FOR THE DIARY: HARVEST FESTIVAL at Hunningham Church on Sunday 7th October. We are hoping to have a “Local Farmer” tell- ing us about this year’s Harvest. Please bring any produce along, so that we can send it to The Peace House to help Refu- gees in Coventry.

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THE PILGRIM PUPPETS

SEPTEMBER 2018 Sunday 2nd September: Come 2 Worship Hunningham Church 11.00am Dates for visits to Care Homes still to be arranged. OCTOBER 2018 Sunday 7th October: HARVEST FESTIVAL and C2W Hun- ningham Church 11.00am

WESTON WILDLIFE CONSERVATION GROUP On the 7th of September the Weston Wildlife Conservation Group are team- ing up with the Dunsmore Living Landscape team at the Warwickshire Wild- life Trust. We are cutting the roadside wildflower bank (just next to St Michael’s church) and with the help of a local farmer, raking up the cuttings and putting them in a trailer to be taken away and composted. The conserva- tion group cut and manage this bank aiming to restore and increase the di- versity of the wildlife present in the local area. In order to allow a wide range of wildflowers to thrive, the soil needs to be relatively low in nutrient content which is why collecting the clippings, and not leaving them to decompose on site, is essential. Road side verges are great for reconnecting landscapes as they naturally go from village to village and, as a bonus, make everyone’s drive a whole lot more pleasant. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided for anyone who wants to help out or just learn more about what’s going on and how to get involved with the local environment.

Also, on the 13th of September there will be a guided foraging walk around Weston, led by an expert local forager named Kerry Bowness. Book a free place and learn how to identify edible plants and fungi, and how best to cook and eat them.

Please email [email protected] if you are interested in either of these events. Jake McAlister, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust

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NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH It seems to have been an unusually quiet couple of months, with minimal criminal activity reported by the police. The only newsworthy piece of infor- mation they have sent to me refers to vehicles being damaged in Sabin Drive, – see below:

Repeat Criminal Damage to vehicles Please be aware that two residents’ vehicles are being repeatedly damaged by scratches to the bodywork when they are parked on Sabin Drive and not on their driveways. This type of incident has occurred five times within the last 4 months. The Safer Neighbourhood Team believe that this is a local resi- dent taking a dislike to vehicles being parked in the Sabin Drive/Aldermans Way location. The vehicles are not causing an obstruction at the time. If you have any information on these incidents then please call PCSO Sharron Underwood on 01926 684471.

WESTON UNDER WETHERLEY Vehicle Crime: Between 18.00 hours Monday 16th July 2018 and 20.00 hours on Tuesday 18th July, unknown offender(s) caused damage to a silver 18 plate Land Rover Discovery that was parked at the roadside on Alderman Way. If you have any information regarding this incident, please call War- wickshire Police on 101.

I find it hard to believe that that is all that has been going on in our villages, as there have been plenty of incidents reported in the surrounding area, with house break ins and thefts from vehicles featuring strongly. Paddy Taylor 632428

A MEETING WITH THE POLICE IN EATHORPE — 25TH JULY, Following a number of incidents with cars in and around Eathorpe, members of Rural East SNT came to the village hall to discuss crime preven- tion particularly with reference to the issue of car theft. The meeting was in- formal, with a brief talk followed by questions and answers. Several useful ideas were shared to help protect your car:  Always keep your keys somewhere safe and out of sight.

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 Always lock your car away safely in the garage, if you have one.  Fit a high quality alarm to your vehicle.  Use additional security systems such as immobilisers and visible securi- ty locks.  Always take your keys with you when leaving the vehicle unattended.  Always keep your keys safe and concealed in public places.  Make sure doors, windows, the boot and sunroof are secure whenever you leave your vehicle.  If you own more than one vehicle, park the lesser valued vehicle behind the more expensive one on the driveway, making it more difficult to remove.

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CHURCH PASTORAL LETTER

Have I told you about my friend Paul? He is the skipper of a trawler, which he owns, operating out of Leigh-on-Sea on the Thames Estuary. He is a great naturalist, with a keen eye and knowledge of the creatures around him. He delights in tiny migrating birds landing on his boat for a breather as they cross the North Sea. And did he laugh when a young gannet took a dive for a fish, straight into a basket of fish on deck! Paul is, to my mind, one of England’s last primeval hunters. He can go to sea and just know where to find his quarry. He and his family, for generations, have fished these waters. He senses what is going on beneath the waves. And he has a rich fund of stories, some published, of memories that stand out, including his activity as skipper of the Southend lifeboat. On one occa- sion, he did try to tip me out of the high speed 75 rib, while on exercise, just as a sign of friendship!! Over the years, one can see Paul’s life growing and developing in ways even he did not expect. This man of net and gun now takes delight in growing things. He takes pride in his vegetable garden and surprises me with this nov- el interest. Also, over time, Paul has become a spokesperson for the belea- guered professional fishermen, governed as they are by more and more reg- ulations. He has developed into ‘an expert witness’ as to the state of fish stocks, meeting Government Ministers and arguing with officials and some scientists who get their data wrong. Paul was made a Freeman of Southend several years ago. Time spent repre- senting others and trying to state the truth as he sees it, contesting false in- formation and producing evidence to back that up, has now led him into local politics. Paul has a passion for what he does, be that catching fish or growing things that are new and better in service to the community. Paul is living with a determination to ‘put back in’. I raise my hat to Paul and many others like him, who are not content to sit back and watch others do the work. And that holds true in our neighbourhood. September always feels like the beginning of a new year, and not just in schools and colleges. So I just want to offer a word of thanks and affirmation to you who underpin our lives here with community endeavour of various kinds, as a new season of oppor- tunity for SERVICE opens up in front of us. It is on Maundy Thursday that we

10 THE OFFCHURCH GROUP – JULY SERVICES AND EVENTS

remember Jesus ‘wrapped a towel round his waist’ and washed his disciples’ feet. And in St. John’s Gospel, he goes on to say: “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” And I have it in mind to invite Paul and Heather to come and see us, and we can meet together to hear more of my friend Paul and his fund of wonderful stories. Would you like that?

Hugh Priestner Tel. 01926 257845 Vicar – The Offchurch Group Mob. 07568 166 910 [email protected]

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EATHORPE’S ALBINO SQUIRREL I was feeding the ponies one morning when something caught my eye – a flash of bright white against the darkness of the fir trees. With surprise and delight I quickly realised I was watching a pure white squir- rel. I went in for a closer look and he disap- peared into the thicker trees along the river bank. Curious, I Googled ‘white squirrel’ and found this to be a very rare creature indeed, his red eyes confirm he is a true albino. There are reports in the national press of sightings which speculate at just how rare he may be: The ghost-like creature is a white-coloured version of the eastern grey squirrel and it has been said there are two types: albino ones with pinkish or red eyes and ones with black eyes. There have been estimates there are only 50 across the country, though some claims have estimated there are even less. Albinism is caused by a mutation on a gene that codes for pigmentation and the odds of squirrels being born white is said to be one in 100,000. For several weeks I saw him in the same place, happily doing squirrely things with the other common greys. He scolded me when I tried to take his photo- graph, but I managed a couple of decent shots. I haven’t seen him for a month or so, and I read that albinos are susceptible to prey as they stand out which makes them easy tar- gets. I’m hoping he’s just moved on. I’m interested to know whether anybody else in Eathorpe has seen him?

Penny Thomas, Eathorpe

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CAN WPH CHARITABLE TRUST HELP YOU OR YOUR LOVED ONES RECOVER FROM SICKNESS OR INJURY?

W²HEN readers living with ill health or injury are urged to apply for financial assistance to help alleviate their pain and discomfort. The call comes from the WPH Charitable Trust – a Warwickshire-based body of trustees made up of medical and non-medical professionals – which distributes some £250,000 of financial aid across Coventry and Warwickshire every year. Individuals and organisations who work towards preventing, relieving and curing ill health are also among those urged to apply. Grants are also given to community and private projects in the area which aim to improve the lives or quality of life of people battling ill health or injury.

Recent grants include £1,500 for a mobility scooter for a 51-year-old mother who would otherwise find it difficult to get out and about, and £2,000 to a 73 -year-old pensioner for a stairlift in his own home. Also, £1,500 towards a project teaching people with mental health issues how to cook and eat healthily, and £1,500 towards a recycling social enterprise project which cre- ates volunteering opportunities for people with learning difficulties or disa- bilities, who may otherwise find it difficult to find employment.

The criteria for eligibility for a wide range of needs, from research into new technologies to the provision of equipment for personal need. The Trust sup- ports new buildings for hospitals and schools helping with provision of spe- cial educational facilities, disabled funding, and access improvements.

David Holt is Chairman of the WPH Charitable Trust trustees. He said: “Whether your application is for an amount large or small, the aim of the WPH Charitable Trust is to offer financial assistance towards projects and

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15 equipment which are of benefit to the lives of people. If you think you may qualify for assistance, the WPH Charitable Trust actively encourages you to get in touch.” The Trust was established in 1994 and since then thousands of people across the area have benefited directly or indirectly from Trust funds. For further information, or to make an application, visit the WPH Charitable Trust website on http://www.warwickshirehealthcharity.org.uk/

PHOTOS OF OUR VILLAGES Readers might have noticed that I’ve started to include a picture spread on the front page of this newsletter, showing old photos of our four villag- es. I’m grateful to Valerie Evans for letting me know that I actually had two of these photos wrong—blame Google! Thanks to Valerie I’ve managed to get them right in this issue! Here are the four photos I’m using. It occurred to me that it would be quite nice to vary these photos from month to month, and, of course, I could include many more on the newsletter web page. So, does anyone have old photos of our villages that they could let me have or, at least borrow to scan? You could email them to me at [email protected] Or, if they are physi- cal prints, I could come along to get them from you, scan them and then re- turn them the next day. Many thanks, David.

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