EASTERTON ECHOES EASTCOTT AND EASTERTON SANDS ELECTRONIC ISSUE 15 JANUARY 25TH 2021 “There are no strangers living here, only friends that you have yet to meet.”

Chairman’s message A New Year – a new beginning with vaccinations against Covid-19 being rolled out faster and faster in the area. There is, of course, the very real cautionary note that we have to continue to respect the current lockdown instructions and the scientific advice even when you have had the vaccination, to wash hand, cover face and social distance 2m. These are all designed to control the spread of the virus and its mutations – not only to protect lives but to reduce the pressure on our NHS workers. The rewards that we can look forward to – a slow return to some normality – will be worth this continued pressure on our sanity and well-being. Your Parish Council continues to work on your behalf although severely restricted by the effects of the pandemic on some of the support structure within Council. Councillors really appreciate the neighbourly help given within the community, and recognise that success in containing the infection in this area is down to each and every one of our readers playing their part – thank you. I don’t normally draw attention to poems but hope that some part of the following will strike an encouraging note with readers. Chris Saunders New visions of all that is noble and true, New powers for service, new knowledge of God, New zeal for the ways that the heroes have trod, New comforts, new courage, new graces, new joys, New peace where the evil assails or annoys, New friendship, new helpers, new faith and new love, New treasures on earth and new treasures above, New wisdom, new glory, new health, and new cheer, Nothing old, all things new, in the happy new year! (anonymous)

NEXT PARISH MEETING: 15TH FEBRUARY 2021 AT 7:30PM ON ZOOM For any further information or if you would like to attend the meeting please contact the Parish Clerk. Email: [email protected]

THE PARISH COUNCIL NEEDS YOU ! The Annual Parish Meeting is coming up in April and is open to all the parishioners. Easterton Parish Council invites a guest speaker to talk about their subject, career or adventure. We have some options of subjects at the moment such as a talk on green energy, on Ash die back problems, on Covid but perhaps you know of a potential guest speaker for the Annual Parish Meeting who will be of great interest to us all? Additionally, with the options of Zoom nowadays, this might be an opportunity to organise monthly talks from a guest speaker with interesting jobs, careers or views. Please contact the Parish Clerk with ideas or views on any of the above [email protected]

1 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk schoolboy has a strict message for irresponsible dog owners across Wiltshire. Noah Plumridge is frequently forced to jump out the path of dog poo on his way to school, and has now taken it upon himself to create posters and put them up across the village. The seven-year-old, who goes to St Barnabas School, said: “We walk to school three days a week and the paths we walk on have been littered with poo for a while now. I was getting fed up of my Mum shouting ‘POO’ or ‘Watch where you are walking.’ “So on Tuesday I decided to make some posters which we are sticking on the trees on the track where we walk.” Active Noah, hopes “naughty” dog owner’s will now keep the paths clear for other young people. He added: “I hope that my posters will get people to pick up their dog poo and put it in one of the bins in the village. There are lots of bins.”

DOG POO PROBLEM AGAIN !! Since this 3rd Lockdown started there are some irresponsible dog owners not clearing up after their pooches. This is not pleasant nor hygienic as there is a health risk to both humans and livestock. A concerned and responsible dog owner has come across dog faeces in public areas such as the Village Hall Playing Field. Some dog owners seem to think it is OK to hang the plastic bags of dog faeces up in trees and hedgerows. This photo was taken recently on Eastcott Common footpath. This is both unpleasant for other users of footpaths, public areas and the Village Hall playing field. There are dog poo bins in different parts of the village, including 3 at the Village Hall.

DON’T LEAVE IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO STEP IN. CARRY A DOG POO BAG WITH YOU AND USE IT !

2 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk STICK TO THE COUNTRY CODE AND DON’T DESTROY FOOD AND HAVE FOLLOW THE COUNTRY CODE YOUR DOG ON A LEAD Click on this link below for all the rules The Country Code in detail See what happens when you don’t stick to the path. An example of people not sticking to the legal path. Signs were put up urging walkers to stick to the pathway, but this has not solved the problem and some of the signs have been knocked down.

Crop damage means loss of food production. This farmer estimates about 0.69ha of the field has been damaged, which could have yielded about 6tons of wheat – equivalent to 9,000 loaves of bread or about £1,000 in lost income.

A farmer in Buckinghamshire. DOGS drilled a crop of winter wheat in early October in a 20ha field. The field contains a 727m Please keep your dog on a lead especially near stretch of public footpath, which is normally or when walking through a field with livestock about 1.5m wide – the minimum legal in. requirement – and allows walkers to enjoy Do not to let your dog chase livestock. panoramic views towards Aylesbury Vale as Pick up the dog poo. part of circular walks. General message to people visiting the But the increased footfall during the countryside, a “common sense approach” and coronavirus pandemic had turned the footpath understanding of the role farmers play in into a quagmire – and its width had increased producing food stick to the legal paths. from 5.5m at its widest in early November to as much as 11m in places today.

Don’t dump rubbish anywhere except in your dustbins..!

This was builders waste thrown into the ditch in White Street recently !!!

Take your litter home or go to recycling Centre with larger rubbish.

Recently bricks, tree stumps and general building rubbish was dumped at the top of Eastcott Common just beside the Byway. Don’t do it !

3 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk LOCAL LINK SCHEME NEEDS YOU…..

Wiltshire Link Schemes are voluntary groups which offer a transport and good neighbour service to local people who are in need, perhaps because they are elderly, disabled, isolated and lonely, single parents, or temporarily in need because of illness.

Due to Covid-19, local Link Schemes are For more information about Covid-19, including experiencing a shortage of volunteers who are the vaccine rollout in Wiltshire please visit unable to drive due to age and/or vulnerability. 's dedicated Covid-19 page.

They desperately need more volunteers to Information about the national Covid-19 support those in need of transport to and from vaccine rollout is also available on the their Covid-19 vaccination appointments. gov.uk website Volunteering your time could make a huge difference in supporting the national Covid-19 Vaccination programme vaccine effort. If there is anyone who has received a letter for If you are able to help, please get in touch to the vaccination and haven’t got any transport to find out more. get there please phone Wilts CC who are Telephone: 01380 722 241 operating a link programme to help anyone get Email: linkproject@communityfirst.org.uk to the vaccination centres.

SURGERY AND VACCINATION NEWS through messages when it is quieter or the surgery is shut. Market Lavington Surgery The surgeries all have lists of people who have www.marketlavingtonsurgery.nhs.uk been sent letters by the government because of Courtyard Surgery underlying illnesses. However if you are a frontline health or social care worker, which www.courtyardsurgery.co.uk includes groups as diverse as paid carers and By the time you read this, everyone living or undertakers assistants, the surgery may not working in a local elderly care home will have have the information they need, to include you in had their first vaccination. Nearly everyone over the correct group. 80 will have been vaccinated at least once and Send the surgery information about your job and practices will be calling people aged over 75, someone can try to match your job to one of the and those who are carers, or in a health support allowed categories. job for their vaccinations. The practice also may not know if you are At the same time surgeries are providing all the temporarily housebound because you are self- usual services prescriptions, medical checks, isolating. clinics, referrals etc., even if most of these are It is the responsibility of patients to contact their being done at a distance. surgery, giving as much detail as possible, if they Organising and booking vaccination feel that their records need updating with any appointments takes a lot of time, so if phoning information that may be relevant to their care. your surgery you may have to wait longer than Please do not contact surgeries by phone as the usual, so please try to contact your surgery by e- surgeries are very busy and the people mail or via their website if possible. This allows answering the phone will not be able to give you the staff to concentrate on urgent calls, and work an answer. if possible please try to contact your surgery by e-mail or via their website.

4 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk ST BARNABAS CHURCH NEWS Life keeps plodding along without very much change . The main change is that, sadly we have discontinued our Communion Services. The Diocese gave us the choice but at a benefice meeting of all five of our churches we decided that, in view of the growing threat from the pandemic in addition to the deteriorating weather over the next couple of months it was in everyone’s interest if we concentrate on our zoom services until the spring. Details for joining Zoom can be obtained from the vicar or the church office ( both on 01380 81693 - the office operates on Monday and Thursday 9.00am to 1.00pm). The church is still open for private prayer on Sunday (9.30am to 12.30pm and Wednesday 2.30pm to 4.30pm), funerals may continue and may be attended by a maximum of 30 (in addition to those who are ‘working’ such as the minister). Weddings may take place in exceptional circumstances with attendance limited to six people (again in addition to those who are working). It feels like a long time since we could all meet up and enjoy each other’s company but I am sure that with (a lot of) patience the good times will return. Pat Morrison ( church warden)

OBITUARY ROBIN MCKINNON

Sadly we have to announce the passing of Robin McKinnon, who died on the 4th of November, he was in a care home. Robin was well known in the village a real countryman at heart. Prior to him becoming ill he was a great help to Dougie Law, cutting and keeping the Easterton Churchyard in an immaculate condition.

Robin lived for many years in Haywards Place with his parents and he was on the ground staff at Dauntsey School. Also he was an assistant at the then Riding stables at Halstead Farm where he worked for Betty and Norman Spencer. Many of us might remember seeing him riding his black pony slowly around the village - more often than not with a cigarette in his mouth at the same time. Then latterly a bicycle replaced the pony and he would cycle to work and help friends such as Dougie and at Honeywood Stables, Oak Lane.

A character who will be missed in the village.

WILTSHIRE COUNCIL NEWS THE ECHOES NEEDS YOU ! A lot of work goes into The Easterton Echoes The LOCAL PLAN CONSULTATIONS will be (EE) by the team, so it would be good to know online events on these dates below: If you are happy with the content ? Future JANUARY 27TH 7- 8pm If anyone has any interesting features they Wiltshire villages FEBRUARY 1ST & 2ND 7 - 8pm would like to put in the issues? To read more information and Register online : Then please do make suggestions ? REMEMBER THE ECHOES IS YOURS www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-plan-review Please send to the Editor: Judy Boyt WILTSHIRE WELLBEING HUB is still operating if email: [email protected] you need help Tel: 0300 003 4576 or Anthony Snook email: [email protected] or email: [email protected] or Victoria Turner email: [email protected]

5 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk WHAT’S YOUR STORY? What is your favourite occupation/hobby? Reading and crosswords. ERIC BURT Who/what is your favourite author/book? How long have you lived in Easterton? Ken Follett – The Pillars of the Earth. For 34 years What’s your favourite film/TV programme? What brought you to Easterton? All Creatures Great and Small. My wife’s health meant that we needed a bungalow Is there a plant/flower that is a particular favourite and why? How would you describe your life in eight Freesias, my wife carried them in her words? bouquet when we married. I’m living a well, contented and happy life. If you could eat only one thing for the rest Where were you born? of your days, what would it be? High Street, Market Lavington Spaghetti Bolognese. Education, where did you go to school/ If you could be anywhere else in the world college/university? where would it be? Market Lavington Old School until 13 and I was born in Wiltshire and have no then Adcroft School of Building in interest in being anywhere else. Trowbridge. How have the last few COVID months been Family, tell us a bit about your family. for you? I have one married son who lives in Worrying! Devizes and a grand-daughter in Bristol. I now have an 8-month-old great- Thank you so much for taking the time to grandson. share your life with the residents of Easterton. What is your greatest achievement? The photo shows Eric competing in Grass In the last year of my apprenticeship I got Track racing on his motorbike in his younger my City & Guilds award in plastering with days. the highest marks in the South West. If you could acquire any talent, what would it be? To be able to play an instrument. Who in history do you admire the most? The remarkable engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

6 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk GARDENING TIPS FOR JANUARY/FEBRUARY By Tony Archer of Superior Plants

Hi Everyone, Christmas is behind us now and we are nearly all glad to see the back of 2020. Onto 2021 it can't be as bad as 2020.....can it? Anyway the garden is about to wake up, and now is a good time to start preparing for the spring when everything comes alive. Hopefully you will have been preparing over the winter months but if not, now is a good time to get going with the following jobs:

1. Clear any beds that you hope to plant and remove any weeds or detritus 2. Use cardboard on the beds as this helps to kill off weeds by starving them of light and then mulch over the top with home-made compost if you have it or well-rotted manure this will give your beds the nutrients it needs for the coming season, the cardboard will rot down and the mulch will feed the garden. 3. Repair any benches, cloches, greenhouses and sterilize your pots and trays ready for the coming months. 4. Nothing needs planting just yet as it is a little early, Mid-February is when you can start with sowing of your Broad Beans and Chilli seeds. Broad Beans don’t need any warmth as they are tough, they can be planted in pots or straight into the ground, however Chillis need warmth, so start them off in a propagator or on the window sill above a radiator. They need time to develop their heat, so start them early and keep them in the warm until the weather is warmer. 5. Get online and purchase your seeds early, ready for when the time is right to start planting. Last year everything sold out early and this year could be the same as many growers have struggled to keep up with demand. 6. If you have protection like a greenhouse then you can plant lettuce towards the end of Feb so that they are ready when the weather warms up. You can grow them in the warm to start with and pot them on taking the outer leaves as they grow for your sandwich. Grow them on the window sill, they will grow well in a pot and give you the taste of summer from March onwards.

Here at Superior Plants we are closed until March but you are welcome to come in by appointment, we are busy getting ready for the coming season and have some exciting projects on the go at the moment. We are replacing the old tunnels at the back of the nursery so that we will be able to produce more Herbaceous Perennials like Lavenders, Lupins, Foxgloves, Delphiniums and many more exciting new varieties of plants and shrubs.

Stay safe and see you all soon, we look forward to welcoming you back in March. Tony Archer Superior Plants Fiddington Hill Nurseries. Market Lavington Devizes Wilts. SN10 4BU

Tel: 01380 813210 Mob: 07969 661847 email: [email protected]

7 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk CALL TO ALL RESIDENTS

REQUEST FOR MEN'S CLOTHING FOR THE PRISON

Erlestoke Prison’s Chaplain has asked if we are able to donate any spare good quality men’s clothes for their “box” to help any prisoner who has need. They have a particular immediate need for a prisoner who will be released in February, the gentleman concerned is a waist 34” and inside leg 34”. If you have any clothes that may be suitable for this gentleman, or any other prisoner, can you please drop them into Caroline Spindlow, 46 High Street, West Lavington, who will take them to the prison. (If no one is in, or if you would like to avoid going to the door, please leave them inside the side garage door. Many thanks.

DO YOU HAVE A LAPTOP, TABLET OR IPAD SPARE that you have no use or need for in your home? Well there are other people who do need them, please read below WILTSHIRE DIGITAL DRIVE (a CIC company) are taking laptops cleaning and refurbishing them them and offering them directly to a young person or family in need. If you have a laptop or iPad spare please contact : www.wiltshiredigitaldrive.org

CAN YOU HELP AND DONATE FINANCIALLY OR ESSENTIAL ITEMS FOR YOUNGSTERS? Please read below RUKSAK45218 is a company near Trowbridge who have provided essential items for youngsters including clothing, bedding, toiletries, footwear, school uniforms, reading books, exam revision guides to name a few. Due to Covid they are now pausing all donations except laptops, tablets , mobile phones and Supermarket Food Vouchers. If you can help please contact: Mob: 07483 336862 www.ruksak45218.org.uk

Allotments and a Community Orchard Contd…. The Market Lavington Parish Council has been approached by residents seeking allotments and others who would like a community orchard provided in Market Lavington. The Market Lavington Parish Council is looking to buy land for these two purposes, and seeking grants to convert the agricultural land for these purposes. Isn’t it about time we had allotments and a community orchard in Easterton as well ?

WHAT ABOUT forming a village co-operative for swapping or selling your glut of fruit or vegetables to other parishioners? The joy of growing your own vegetables for your own use is wonderful and a good family activity. but sometimes there will always be the potential of a glut of fruit and vegetables, so the suggestion is to form a co-operative to swap vegetables or seeds or make jams, chutneys or pickles. Residents of White Street and Honeywood Stables did start independently, a small swapping scheme during the summer - can we enlarge on that scheme this summer? Please your thoughts or suggestions by email: [email protected] For more information on allotments and orchards, click on the links below: www.nsalg.org.uk www.commonground.org.uk/community-orchards

8 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk CALENDAR OF EVENTS AND SURVEYS FOR NEW UPDATES PLEASE LOOK ON THE EASTERTON WEBSITE www.eastertonpc.org.uk

27TH JANUARY 2021 Wiltshire Covid-19 Public update 7pm You can submit your questions about COVID-19 and the local response in advance by emailing [email protected] no later than 5pm on Monday 25 January. FEBRUARY 19TH 2021Climate in Wiltshire - Virtual Zoom Conference with Danny Kruger MP Online 11am - 4pm (break 1pm - 2 pm) Wiltshire residents are urged to share their views with Danny Kruger MP on climate change ahead of the COP 26 Conference in Glasgow. This CLIMATE IN WILTSHIRE conference will include a range of local and national speakers including the former President of COP26, and former Devizes MP, Claire Perry-O’Neill, and the Prime Minister’s business envoy to COP26, Andrew Griffiths MP. Attendance is open to all. Please register on this link: Climate in Wiltshire - Danny Kruger MP

4TH - 7TH MARCH 2021 Church Street and High Street Market Lavington will be closed 9:30 to 15:30pm for footway resurfacing and other associated works.

5TH MARCH 2021 WORLD OF PRAYER World Day of Prayer will be on Zoom to take part, please contact: Jeanette Giles (Benefice Organiser) email: [email protected] Tel: 01380 813256 21ST MARCH 2021 CENSUS DAY Everyone has to fill in the Census You will receive a letter from the Office for National Statistics with an access Code. Visit the secure website and enter your access Code to get started. For more information visit the Census website: www.census.gov.uk DEVIZES GATEWAY Link to a survey for a feasibility study for a railway Station at Lydeway. Have your say and fill in the survey on the link below : Click here for Devizes Gateway Lydeway Rail Station online survey

Local Council Elections are Planned for 6th May 2021 Local (parish and town) Council elections – Unitary (Wiltshire) Council Elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections all happen on the same day. All current councillors stand down – any current councillors wishing to continue will have to stand again. Anyone new wishing to stand will have to meet certain qualifications to be a councillor:

• Over 18 and a UK, Commonwealth, ROI or EU Citizen and • Be an elector for the parish, or • For the last 12 months occupied land or premises in the parish, or • Work in the parish (principal or only place of work), or • Live within 3 miles of the parish boundary Please note, this date may change depending on the Covid 19 restrictions.

9 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk Easterton Parish Council Coronavirus Community Support The Volunteer Programme is still here to help anyone. If you are in need of help, Have you been told that you need to self-isolate ? Do you need help with essential shopping, collecting medicines or errands? Please contact any of us below for help – We will try and organise support from the Village. Councillor Sarah Bates 07501484449 [email protected] Councillor Anthony Snook 07831 116136 [email protected] Councillor Judy Boyt 07860 242836 [email protected]

Briony Clarke 07976 798196 [email protected] Victoria Turner 07725269718 [email protected] 01380699043

MENTAL HEALTH CONTACTS AGE UK www.ageuk.org.uk Mental Health is becoming an issue with Offers support to older LGBT+ people people of all ages and gender, if you or know of someone who needs help please see MIND www.org.uk below for the organisations who might be The UK mental health charity has a dedicated able to offer advice. section for LGBT+ people, where you can access information about mental health support SAMARITANS: STONEWALL www.stonewall.org.uk Tel: 0845 7909090 - 24 hour helpline support for those experiencing distress, despair and/or Their information service provides help and suicidal feelings advice LGBT SWITCHBOARD BARNARDO’S. www.barnardos.org.uk www.switchboard.lgbt LGBT Foundation www.lgbt.foundation Tel: 0300 330 0630 A national charity delivering advice, support and An LGBT+ helpline to provide support with information services whatever you want to talk about THE ALBERT KENNEDY TRUST PACE YOUTH www.akt.org.uk Tel: 0207 700 1323 A free and confidential Supports LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 in counselling service for LGBTQ youth under 19 UK who are facing or experiencing homelessness or living in a hostile environment Domestic Abuse Help THE PROUD TRUST www.theproudtrust.org A LGBT+ charity that supports young people and youth groups across the UK. They’ve moved support services online Telephone in confidence: 01793 610610

10 of 10 www.eastertonpc.org.uk