The Gunnasgazette
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The Newsletter for Clungunford Volume 1 5 • Issue 1 THE GUNNAS GAZETTE September 2011 A Retirement Party for Barney and Amaryllis Clungunford Parish Hall on Saturday 3 rd September from 3pm to 5pm. All welcome Bring and share tea party (finger food please ) Barney and Amar yllis at the Holiday Club presentation from…… Barney and Amaryllis 1 I went back to Juba in the week before independence – Our meeting on 13 July took place immediately after a something I was eagerly looking forward to as I had well-attended open meeting to discuss the arrangements heard that there had been many changes since my last for the living of Clungunford after Barney’s retirement. visit about 5 years ago. I was not to be disappointed. This was well attended, not only by villagers but also by Juba, the largest town in South Sudan, perched on the others from the benefice. A similar meeting with the bank of the River Nile, grew out of a collection of Bishop of Ludlow and the Rural Dean took place the traditional African villages that were in close proximity following week at St Cuthbert’s, where represe ntations to each other. Even now, after the rapid expansion of were made that little or no consultation had taken place the past few years, there are still quite a number of grass- on the ground, concerning the proposals to join roofed huts in amongst the new concrete and glass Clungunford, Bedstone and Hopton Castle with buildings now going up, seemingly, on every open space. Bucknell and amalgamate Clunbury, Clunton and When I last was there, most of the roads were pot-holed Hopesay with the Clun benefice. Despite the tracks, mainly gravel and earth but with the occasional protestations made that the proposals were far from remnant of tarmac visible. It now looks as if there was workable on grounds of cost and population alone, one no expense spared on new roads: not just resurfacing but suspects that little notice will be taken by the Church completely new roads, linking new areas of town that authorities of the many valid points made at these didn’t exist five years ago. It was a bit disconcerting meetings. Being blunt about it, by “far from workable ”, I coming back to a place I thought that I knew, but mean “ill-conceived ”. The various Parish treasurers couldn’t find my way around! involved see problems from the start, but these I met up with a lot of old friends there and I was keen to difficulties are being glossed over. It is a huge shame that find out what their hopes and fears were for the future. those involved in the decision making seem totally From everyone, there was a huge sense of relief that they inflexible in their thinking. were now on the threshold of a permanent solution to These are not Parish Council matters, you may rightly more than 40 years of internecine strife which had been say, but the loss of a resident priest in the village after the cause of at least 2 million deaths. They said that they many hundreds of years of priestly presence is hard for were going to party on the day, but there was also an the wider community of Clungunford to bear, and in its encouraging sense of realism amongst everyone: “We way it is as bad as losing the school. It is all the worse for will celebrate on the 9 th , but we know that on the happening on the retirement of Barney and Amaryllis, following morning we have to start to build a new who have served us so well. nation”. Raising a new flag and listening to some grand Nevertheless, I have no doubt we shall continue to speeches will not bring an end to all of their problems. prosper under whatever arrangements the Diocese of Huge tasks lie ahead and there are still a number of Hereford deems appropriate for us, and I am greatly unresolved issues with their now former fellow heartened by the fact that these arrangements are likely countrymen in the north. South Sudan has considerable to be of a DIY nature, as I am quite prepared to place reserves of oil, but the only way that they can capitalise my trust in Clungunford folk. In outside authorities I on this is by exporting it – through the one pipeline that place my full diffidence! runs through their northern neighbour. The north wants At the Parish Council meeting I was mandated to write 50% of the value of the oil as pipeline “rent”, the south to Barney and Amaryllis to thank them for their service says around 10% would be fairer. Some Sudanese to the village and in particular to thank Barney for his haggling lies ahead. service as a Parish Councillor. Let us hope their leaving Independence for the south does not mean an end to party (see front page) is a good one: I am sure it will be. news from or about Sudan. The fighting in Darfur The next Parish Council meeting takes place on continues and another, potentially devastating conflict in Wednesday 14 September at 8pm in the Parish Hall. South Kordofan has been gaining momentum in recent Members of the public are welcome to attend. weeks. Not everyone in the south is happy about the Parish matters before (or after) the meeting may be new administration that has taken over there. But for the raised either with me or with our clerk, Brian Taylor time being, for a little while longer, let us share the joy of (01588 660653: [email protected] ). the Southern Sudanese and congratulate them on gaining Jonathan Roberts , Chairman (01588 660673: their new nationality and hope that when their hangovers [email protected] ) wear off that they will be up to the task of building a new nation. Rob Rees You’ll have to forgive me for writing about Sudan again, but it is not every day, week or even decade that a new count ry is born. South Sudan’s independence on 9 July is This article may not appear to be directly related to my an event that needs to be recorded as much in the work as a nurse. However, if stress impacts on one’s Gazette as in other esteemed organs – such an event working ability, then I am sure the event I am about to won’t come this way again for a while. relate did affect my ability to perform at my best for a while! 2 In April 1993 we suffered the misfortune of a farm fire. Husband was ploughing, I was in the kitchen. Someone I am sad to report that our most recent grant application who used to buy a few hay bales from us was collecting to Shropshire Council was unsuccessful. We had applied some from our barn of hay. I heard a tremendous crash for enough to finish the walls; £32,000, along with at the door as this gentleman hurled himself against it. I £10,000 from our fundraising and £8,000 for materials thought he was joking when he shouted that the barn from the Sports and Social Club. We were going also to was on fire, and he had let the cattle out into the field, employ a co-ordinator for local tourism and so get some and I told him “to pull the other one”. His expression local, paid jobs and training. Our 4-star B & B at persuaded me this was no joke, I ran to the front of the Gardener’s Cottage and award winning tea rooms at house to phone 999 and from there I could see smoke Rocke Cottage supported our application as did the and flames spiralling skyward. The fire brigade was on County Councillor. it’s way. By now husband had seen smoke also from But we could not ‘demonstrate economic impact’, only where he was working, so he hurried home. Daughter that the Parish and Parish Hall would continue to thrive. was riding her bike homewards and could also see the We stuck to our determination to employ respected local smoke from Hopton Heath, so she was pedalling as fast tradesmen and their suppliers. We stuck to our as she could back home because she did not know if determination to stay open for all the clubs, meetings anyone was here to help. and family gatherings that use the Hall year in and year We had just finished lambing, so there were no sheep in out. the building thank goodness. Some of my elderly hens We do not have a ‘plan B’ for funding. There is still to succumbed to the smoke, otherwise no animals were do: a joinery wall facing the car park and a block work injured. wall facing the field. Both walls have to be done quietly, The lad who had set fire to the barn was known to us in stages, while there continues to be business as usual. and had been seen in the vicinity, so when the police At least the roof is on and there are two finished walls were alerted they tracked his movements by helicopter. that show what appearance could be achieved one day. He made the mistake of taking refuge in The Engine & Then there will be great energy savings and a level access Tender pub. Here he was followed by the police on the too. After all, it has taken years and years for the Hall to ground who were accompanied by our neighbour ’s son, get its present amenities.