February 2015

THE GRAPEVINE Editor Richard Clarke 870635 [email protected] GREAT HINTON

budget. This year the stringent central From the Editor Great Hinton is best again! government cuts to our funding mean After compiling 33 issues of the that we are having to find significant Grapevine since 2000 I’ve decided that savings from across the whole range of it’s time that I should see if there is Council services. We try to do this someone else who’d like to be the without reducing front line services to village reporter. In fact the title I’ve our residents but inevitably the deeper always used is Editor as the Grapevine the central government cuts bite the can only exist if you let me have news of your groups, and I’m grateful that I have more effects will be seen on local had your support over the years by operations. letting me have your contributions. Each edition is sent to Wiltshire and Somehow we manage to keep the Swindon History Centre at Chippenham County going without too much where the early editions are in the paper disruption and our roads do get archives and the more recent stored repaired, our libraries remain open, our electronically. So one day someone may leisure centres continue to run, our read about the closure of the Linnet as campus building programme continues our local pub which once brewed its own and most importantly our most beer, how the telephone box became a vulnerable residents continue to receive library, and how we celebrated the the help that they need. These are Queen’s Golden Jubillee on 4 June difficult times but rest assured that your 2002. That was an event attended by Council will continue to do its best for 140 villagers (which must have been our County. nigh on everyone) with lunch in the pub carpark, games, evening barbecue and There remains good news in the midst lighting the beacon at the top of Back of the dreary financial shenanigans and Lane. This is the essence of village life much of it is within my own Cabinet Ð events and activities to join in and On behalf of the village Di Norris and portfolio area. I am afraid that it is foster the community spirit so that we Sue Andrew went to Mildenhall last inevitable that at budget time Cabinet can have fun and relaxation together October to be presented with the members become a little tribal as they without driving to the bright lights, and of Laurence Kitching Best Kept Village fight to maintain their own service course watching out for each other, both Award. Having won the CPRE Wiltshire budgets and service delivery. In my young and old. Best Kept Small Village award in 2012, own areas I am pleased that we have In this edition as usual you’ll find the we were able to enter this Winner of maintained our flood alleviation funding reports of the clubs and activities with Winners competition which was judged in excess of £1million, that we are the invitation to join in Ð do come and not only on the neat and tidy retaining and enhancing our leisure support them to keep numbers to a appearance of the village, but also for centres, that our Campus programme viable level and they would all be our facilities Ð the defibrillator, library, continues, our Area Board grant funding especially delighted to welcome new map, hall, - and the Grapevine! continues and we have managed to villagers who’ve arrived in the last year protect our valued library service. All or two. Village Website this has been achieved whilst at the Thank you Mike for your appreciation of same time we are maintaining all of the the Grapevine whilst I have been editor Thank you Claire for running the and your encouragement for someone website. News, information, updates services to the vulnerable in our county. to take over. It’s a great opportunity to and photos on any village activities can learn what your computer can do! be emailed to [email protected]. So I think that the message is that budgets are not all bad news if they are Richard Clarke The website is the way event managed carefully! organisers can keep villagers up to I am sure I speak for all Grapevine date on what’s happening in Great readers when I say that Richard Clarke Jonathon Seed Hinton. who, after thirty-three issues of the Cabinet Member for Communities, Grapevine, has earned a well deserved Campuses, Area Boards, Leisure, retirement. Thank you Richard for all From our local councillor Libraries and Flooding the hours you have devoted to this February is the month in which Wiltshire Member - Summerham and Seend important vehicle of communication, and Council sets its budget for the Financial Division I sincerely hope that someone in the Year. The budget setting process Wiltshire Council Village reading this will come forward involves many meetings both to work up Tel. 01380 850696 and consider producing their own the budget but also to present the Mob: 07770 774463 version of the Grapevine twice a year. budget to the public whose money we www.jonathonseed.com We have so few facilities in the Village, are spending. That is the difficulty that with most events taking place in the Councillors have as we try to produce a Badminton Group Village Hall, that we need the Grapevine balanced budget by mid February and A group of us from the village plus some to report on the activities taking place, take what is becoming a year on year friends meet on a Friday night at Christie and advise on forthcoming events. 10% cut in our central government Miller from 8.00pm for an hour’s I am sure Richard will be happy to meet funding with no prospect of any Badminton. New members of any ability a future editor to help in any way he can. improvement in future years - whoever and age would be welcome so if you are wins the General Election. All this takes interested please ring Ken on 810403. Mike T place before the Council vote on the Ken 870403

Village Bowling Champions Are you a parent or carer (including Great Hinton grandparents) of a child aged 8 Ð 12? Indoor Bowls You may have already seen or heard Club about the new National Society for the We are just Prevention of Cruelty to Children online completing our safety campaign, Share Aware. Many sixth year of parents feel out of their depth in bowling, and with eighteen active understanding what their children are bowlers will be entering our seventh doing online and what the risks might season with great enthusiasm. We have be. This campaign is aimed at parents invested in a new carpet carrier and a and carers of children aged 8-12, and is new carpet, which makes our meetings a good tool to help with understanding far more pleasurable. what children like to get up to online, Our bowling sessions are on Mondays which should help parents to have those from September to March with the difficult conversations with children afternoon players meeting from 2.30 - about staying safe. 4.30pm, and the evening players meeting from 7.0 - 9.0pm. We would There is a downloadable Share Aware welcome two new members to join in the guide for parents that has three main afternoon sessions, and two new purposes: members to join the evening players.  To provide an overview of sites, We unfortunately have to restrict the apps and games that children and overall membership to ensure that young people use from a user- everybody has a fair share of bowling perspective time. The Ladies Club organise this annual  To give parents the confidence to For full details of the club, please call at competion which although competive is facilitate balanced and informed No 38, or phone Mike on 870607. always played in a friendly manner until conversations about what their the evening ends with the killer knockout children are doing online All members of the Bowling Club rounds. Mike Truman won a bottle for  To encourage parents to look at members will greatly miss our dear best man and Rebecca was in top form social networking platforms friend Peter, who after a short illness winning the Golly Cup for best lady and themselves and form their own views passed peacefully away on Friday 9th was the last survivor in the killer about the appropriateness of popular January. His "quippy" sense of humour competition. And thank you Rebecca for sites for their children. contributed greatly to keeping our running such a successful evening! meetings light hearted and good fun. Wiltshire Police supports the campaign, Mike T VILLAGE KIOSK LIBRARY and we encourage you to read the Thank you to everyone who supports guide, watch the video with your Village Flower the Library by donating and borrowing children, and to start having those Tubs books. We have recently put a lot of important conversations about staying We are so grateful new titles on the shelves and hope you safe as a family. So visit to Peter Baker for are enjoying the selection. Novels or http://www.nspcc.org.uk/shareaware his green-fingered biographies in good, clean condition skills and the time always welcome - but please no text Wiltshire Police Ð Our purpose: To he spent in books. Both the Mind Charity Shop and prevent crime and protect the public. maintaining the flower tubs around the Dorothy House have been pleased to receive the books we removed. village. Stan and Sylvia Tarrant kindly looked after the village floral displays We would like to welcome any The time is when Peter became ill, and now we are newcomers to the village to use our approaching for looking for someone to continue Peter’s unique little Library - no limit on how membership good work. The displays are the large long you keep the books and definitely renewals, and as you no charge! may already know, I pot outside the telephone box, the stone Keep reading...... am handing the container at the entrance to the village Gwen and Anne. administration to and the pots outside the village hall. The Rachel Lawes who task could be shared between several Message sent by has kindly agreed to people if necessary. If you’d like to Delia Best (Police, Communications carry on this important organisation. volunteer to do this please contact Sue Officer, Wiltshire) Smith on 870616. Rachel will be arranging for the INTERNET SECURITY volunteer collectors to call on you during ADVICE THROUGH February and early March to collect the Family Fun Day GET SAFE ONLINE £15 per member for the March 2015 Ð The Village Community Committee February 2016 period, and hopefully wants you to reserve Saturday 5 Did you know that 80 enlist some new members from villagers September in your diaries and per cent of online who have recently moved into Great calendars. As it was logistically too crime is easily Hinton. Please support the 100 Club as difficult to organise another Agony Run preventable by taking 50% of the collections make a vital in memory of Kevin, there is going to be simple steps to protect contribution to maintaining our Village a family fun day at which the KC Cup computers, smart phones and tablets? Hall, our only main community facility. will be awarded. There will be a Get Safe Online aims to provides And of course the monthly draw prizes treasure hunt, BarBQ and games. practical advice to help people protect are financed from the other 50% of the Watch the website and notice board for themselves while using the internet. 100 Club collections. more details nearer the time. The website covers a wide range of Good luck everybody, and thank you topics. It would be a useful read for Rachel for taking on the 100 Club Going free Ð Gwen has lots of plastic parents, businesses and the vulnerable administration. flower pots Ð please collect if you’d like and elderly too. Get more information at Mike T. them. www.GetSafeOnline.org Lunch Club We have also had a change in our local continues to village policing team. Rose Baldock has flourish. We have moved to Melksham town centre and had between therefore Helen Wilson is our new eighteen and PCSO alongside Emily Thomas. twenty members If you are new to the village and would COFFEE with ART AND CRAFT attend every lunch this season. Thanks like to be alerted by email/text of any Calling all villagers with 'portable' to our team of cooks we have enjoyed local incidents and information from hobbies. some delicious meals. We have Neighbourhood Watch, please either call Our change from a Thursday evening to managed to make a little profit after hall or email me your details to Friday mornings has worked well and hiring charges so were able to purchase [email protected] our numbers have increased to 8. fabric for new tablecloths which Carol Useful Information Some paint, some knit, crochet or sew. and I managed to make up at the Art & Emergency Calls in the UK 999 It's an enjoyable morning of chat, coffee Craft group one Friday just before Non-emergency Calls in the UK 101 and craft and we would welcome any Christmas. The cloths had their first Debbie Scott villagers to join us even if you just want airing at the Christmas lunch. coffee and a chat. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the The Ladies Club year got off to a If you have an unfinished project in your Christmas lunch which was enjoyed by great start last September, with a really cupboard here is your opportunity to all thanks to Carol, Richard, Anne, Beryl enjoyable cheese and wine evening. It bring it along to complete. One of our and Carolyn. was well attended and we were pleased group is putting the finishing touches to We still have room for more diners to welcome some new members. In the Royal wedding family group knitted should anyone care to join us Ð the October, Rosie introduced us to in miniature and it is wonderful! more the merrier! We continue to meet Magnetic Wellness Jewellery. This We meet Fridays 10-12 in the village on the first Thursday of each month from proved very popular, with quite a few of hall. Do join us. September to April. If you feel you us going home with bracelets! In Carol Clarke 870635 would like to join us just give me a ring.. November we hosted our annual skittles match and invited along our partners All of us, especially the ladies, say a big and friends. The winner of both the Report of the Parish Council thank you to Kathy (Baker) for coming Golly Cup and Killer was Rebecca - Meetings along to do the washing up. Her much to her surprise and Jonathon Seed regularly attends to stalwart work is much appreciated. embarrassment! advise on local matters and report on The festive season was well and truly wider issues. Recently he has spoken For our popular annual garden visit with kicked off with the village carol singing in about the travellers sites and particularly pub lunch and tea I have found an the hall on December 16th. As ever the new one on the Devizes side of the “Open Garden” on the other side of Carol organised a wonderful evening of Semington roundabout. It is expected to Devizes at Chirton. It looks rather nice, carols, readings, mulled wine and mince get planning permission subject to is small, extending to 1acre in area but pies. Thanks to everyone involved, making the entrance smaller although leading to a woodland walk which some especially to the children who sang Jonathon’s view is that this will be over- of our members may like to explore. It beautifully and played their piano pieces development. belongs to Tim & Jenny Papé and is so well. Last year’s hedge growth was quite lush named 'Mallards'. They do private We finished 2014 in style with our and there have been several lengths openings and the entrance fee is only £5 Christmas meal at The Lamb on the which have overgrown the verge or including tea. I haven't yet tried out the Strand. It was a lovely evening and we obscured traffic sight lines. The council local hostelries for lunch in the area but all agreed that it was one of the best has asked field owners and residents to I'm sure that will not prove too difficult! meals we've had in recent years. The cut back the hedges and have the option staff could not have looked after us any to employ contractors if problems Audrey 870586 better and the food was delicious. We persist. particularly appreciated our free Willow Services will continue with the NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NEWS cocktails on arrival! grass cutting of the verges at the top A very big thank you to We started 2015 with a fascinating talk end of the village. Matt Long has all NHW distributors for by Geoffrey Carr, on The Loss of the offered to maintain the area around the passing on the Titanic and a Wiltshire family who were village pump. newsletters and aboard. The bellringers at Steeple Ashton are forwarding the rural Alongside these social events, we have marking the one hundredth anniversary crime information to so far raised £478.63 for our chosen of the death of local servicemen in the your neighbours. charity - Alzheimers Support, through Great War with 100 peals plus their age A gentle reminder to lock the ladies' and men's Christmas raffles, at the time of death. up all your outbuildings/sheds/garages as The precept was set again at £3000. we have had a few incidents (one in the carol singing, and Christmas card village) of equipment being stolen or donations. Any questions or comments to the attempted burglaries from outbuildings. Future dates for your diaries: Parish Council chairman George Hopefully you are all receiving the email 18 March - Gourmet Dinner (theme to MacDonic or secretary Carol Burch at information I have been forwarding to be decided) [email protected] you, especially regarding the new 15 April - AGM and Bring & Buy neighbourhood watch website May TBA - Fete Planning Meeting WHY NOT HIRE THE VILLAGE HALL? www.ourwatch.org.uk which gives 20 June - Village Fete We have a well-kept Village Hall which valuable information on safeguarding The Ladies Club meets at 8pm in the is available for anyone to hire at very your property. Also I recently sent an village hall on the 3rd Wednesday of the reasonable rental charges. information sheet from Action Fraud month from September to April. New The Hall is the right size for family giving detailed information about members are always welcome. parties, with the use of the skittle alley if protecting yourself both online and on For further information please contact required. the telephone. This is now becoming a either of us: For a small charge you may also hire huge problem for many and therefore Rachael: Tel 01380 870070 or 07717 810938 chairs, tables, crockery and cutlery for being aware of what to do if you are in email [email protected] parties in your home. this situation may help. Rebecca: Tel 01380 870588 or 07770 For Bookings, please contact 750669 email [email protected] Rebecca Locke on 01380 870588

Wiltshire and Swindon Community Messaging The enclosed leaflet explains the benefits of signing up to this service to get updates about police and crime matters in and around our area. Sign up online or post the registration form in the police post box (the one on the left) on the village hall wall.

Great Hinton Youth Club The youth club is now meeting on the second Friday evening of the month from 7.30- 10.00pm in the village hall. For further information, please contact Debbie Scott 870410 or Rosie Keith 871772.

Steeple Ashton Films Tickets are £6, available 4 weeks before the film night from Steeple Ashton Village Shop. Doors open half an hour before the film starts. Ice creams and sweets will be available and as usual we will have a bar. Profits from these films will go to St. Mary’s Preservation Trust Trick or Treat the sunshine made these little horrors a little less scary Ð and Friends of Keevil School (FOKS). thanks to all who were brave enough to open their doors and hand over sweets. For further information please phone volunteers Gill on 01380 870302 or Alison Wilson on 01380 871701. Saturday 14 March “The Imitation Game” During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) to investigate a reported burglary. They instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of "gross indecency", an accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal Pub Olympics Ð held not in a pub but pub games in the hall last November offence of homosexuality - little did officials when 4 teams of 5 competed in the Olympics spirit, which for most playing darts know, they were actually incriminating the was not about winning but just hitting the dart board! There were other pioneer of modern-day computing. Famously opportunities to show off skills formerly acquired with a glass of beer in hand or leading a motley group of scholars, linguists, a dubonet and soda Ð bar skittles, shove ha’penny and dominoes. In the fifth chess champions and intelligence officers, he game of putting the golfers amongst the teams were well beaten and had their was credited with cracking the so-called excuses about the state of the course, the speed of the green, the weather and unbreakable codes of Germany's World War 2 noisy spectators soundly rebutted! Enigma machine. An intense and haunting portrayal of a brilliant and complicated man, The Village Community Committee look forward to having your support for The Imitation Game follows a genius who other events they will be organising. Any suggestions to improve village life and under nail-biting pressure helped to shorten the amenities can be made to: war and, in turn, save thousands of lives. And George McDonic Ð Chairman of the Parish Council (871924) he left us an unanswered question Ð did he Jon Lawes Ð Chair of Community Committee organising social events (870070) take his own life? Richard Clarke Ð Chair of the Hall Management Committee (870635) Also starring Keira Knightley, Charles Dance, Gill Verschoyle - Footpath Officer for the Parish Council (870302) Matthew Goode and Mark Strong. Let’s hear your views and have your support at the Hall Trust and Community Committee AGMs on Thursday 21 May in the hall at 7.30pm.

100 Club As you read the Grapevine, you will realise that the Village Hall (our only communal meeting place within the Village) has been well used throughout the year, and it's thanks to all 100 Club members who subscribe £15.00 per year along with other fund raising events that the Hall running costs can be met. I hope that with your subscription you have been lucky enough to win one of the five prizes from each monthly draw, and if not I look forward to putting a winner’s envelope in your letter box in the near future. Good Luck! Mike T.

100 Club These are the names of the lucky winners No £20.00 No £15.00 No £12.00 No £10.00 No £ 8.00

September 40 Rosie Keith 57 Bill Manning 89 Peter Thorne 18 Peter Doel 14 Debbie Ellis

October 70 Doris Saville 56 Claire Evans 100 Ross Cornelius 11 Beryl Francis 24 Tom Meade

November 110 Will Scott 14 Debbie Ellis 26 Matt Batten 92 Pat Putt 23 Debbie Burston

December 11 Beryl Francis 92 Pat Putt 72 Colin Ramsey 46 Richard Newman 19 Gemma Batten

January 56 Claire Evans 111 Debbie Scott 4 Gwen Harnott 25 Maureen 3 Ian Knight 2015 Cunningham February 121 Paul Squibbs 79 Gillian Fennell 117 Paula Williams 124 Alan Seddan 107 Steve Adams

CHRISTMAS £50.00 BONUS was won by TERRY CUNNINGHAM (No. 9)