January 2021 Issue No
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Litter Letter 4: One of the most common items of litter you are likely to see is the crisp Pontesbury packet. They are so light – they escape from our bin bags and blow from Crisp Packets our picnics. They have been designed so well in order to keep crisps Spread The Word, crisp and increase shelf-life. Their evolution has passed through waxed paper bags and single layer plastic to the robust glossy metallised Don’t Spread Litter plastic packets we have today. They are perfect for crisps and a HUGE problem for the planet. First Problem: Forget Standard Recycling! Crisp packets contain a sophisticated mix of two different plastics and a thin layer of aluminium – a recycling nightmare. In landfill, they are unchanged after decades and incineration releases a mix of polluting gases. Second Problem: We like crisps so very much! Too much salt, too much January 2021 Issue no. 271 oil, too much carbohydrate but in the UK we eat about SIX BILLION packets a year and that estimate was before Covid-19. Apparently sales Newsletter of snacks in packs have gone up 30% since it hit us. What to do about the problem? There are no complete answers but New Year, New Resolutions, New Strategic Plan here are three suggestions. Firstly, may I wish everyone a healthy, happy and safe Plans for the year ahead include: Use TERRACYCLE. In 2018 Walkers set up nationwide centres where New Year. I am sure we are all looking forward to a time • Continued conversion of all our streetlights snack packets are revamped and used to make to park benches, fence this year when the activities, which we all so value within from Sox to Led to save energy used, in line with posts etc. Follow the instructions on the packets. One day we may even our parish, will begin again. This is the time of year when our carbon zero ambitions set up a collection point in Pontesbury. new resolutions are made and plans for the year put in Seek out COMPOSTABLE packets. Some of these do not break down • Continuing work on maintaining and updating well in landfill but there are ‘Two Farmers Crisps’ from Herefordshire who place and I am taking this opportunity to highlight some our very popular play area are confident that their packets will break down in a home composter. of our Parish Council plans. • Improvements to the pedestrian safety at the EAT LESS CRISPS! If you really can’t resist them, buy LARGE packs This year we are launching our Pontesbury Parish junctions on Hall Bank. This work will also include not multipacks. Think about it! Strategic Plan. The plan is dual-purpose. We hope it measures to help alleviate flooding I love crisps will provide the residents of the parish with a clearer • Taking forward the ambition for a bus park at l love the crunch and the munch understanding of the Council’s activities and legal Mary Webb School l love the rustle of the packet responsibilities. The second purpose is to involve you as • Continuing work on the Pontesbury Parish and that salty yum yum yum a community in setting the priorities and objectives for Neighbourhood Plan on behalf of the Pontesbury Climate Emergency Action Group the next four years for council work and monies spent. • Drawing up an action plan for reaching carbon The Strategic Plan will be a “living document” which will zero by 2030 through work with the Pontesbury be reviewed with the community each year. The aim is to Climate Emergency Action Group Pick Up The Phone launch our draft plan, for your feedback, at the Annual • and of course we will be having our local Parish Meeting 2021, which will be held later in the elections in May – more on this in future You Are Not Alone year (when Government guidelines allow). At the Parish newsletters. To help raise awareness of the range of support Meeting we also want to celebrate all of the wonderful For more information and to view the draft Strategic available to those who feel suicidal, a new Suicide community spirit shown throughout 2020, bring together Plan look on the Parish Council website www. Prevention Zcard designed by the Shropshire all of the great local groups and societies who do so much pontesburyparishcouncil.org.uk and Telford Suicide Prevention Network (with in the community and launch the Pontesbury Parish Cllr Duncan Fletcher representation from across health, social care, community awards. Chair, Pontesbury Parish Council emergency and blue light services, voluntary services, experts by experience amongst others) has been launched. Walk to Bethlehem The Zcard provides; Thank you, Pontesbury Sarah and family would like to express their thanks When I first thought I would virtually walk to • Brief advice and guidance on how to and appreciation shown at the Funeral of Derek Bethlehem, folks laughed. I suggested that they join address concerns Evans on 25th November 2020. We were amazed at in and we could walk the 6,000,000 steps together. • Contacts for a confidential, listening ear the support shown by the numbers of people lining I am pleased to report that all 35 people who took • Primary contacts to seek immediate the streets on his journey from home to the Church. part are safely back, having walked over 12,000,000 appropriate support Pontesbury truly expressed its feelings and we are steps between us – so there and back! Thanks go to Useful Resources all proud to be part of this village. Thank you, too, all who have contributed in any way, whether it is in 1. Free online Suicide prevention training for all the personal messages on cards and letters the walk or in encouraging, or giving to this adventure. (20 min video on see, say, signpost): www. received on his behalf. I am hoping to reach £2,000, to be split between zerosuicidealliance.com/training Thank you for all your generous donations to the St, George’s Church and the Severn Hospice. We have This is a great resource on how to identify Badger Trust. We hope that we can find ways to received at the moment £1,650. There is still time risk and how to have difficult conversations, it share our world with this unique mammal for future for other monies to be given in and for other people has been widely shared amongst our networks generations. to donate to this. Please contact Gerald Worrall, 2. Help Is At Hand: national resource for Sarah Evans treasurer for St. George’s Church, 01743 791069. support after suicide (physical cards available Thank you. to order direct from the website for free): Mary Worrall https://supportaftersuicide.org.uk/support- guides/help-is-at-hand Suicide Prevention Action Group Closing date for copy for the Feb edition is Jan 10th (please include a contact phone number) Email contributions to [email protected] or hand in at the Post Office. 16 Printed by New Era Printing, Shrewsbury Tel: 01743 295881 Advertisers – See inside for details of how to place your ad. Thank you from Foodshare! Christmas Hampers (Pontesbury Foodshare) Thanks to the generosity of local people we were able to make up in the region of 240 hampers, I actually stopped counting. They were delivered over two days firstly with the help of Mark Felsted and his Minsterley Motors coach and volunteers, and then the following Tuesday they were finished. Huge thanks to everyone – I hope I haven’t missed anyone, apologies if I have: • Sam Sanderson and Rebecca Maund – Pontesbuy and Minsterley Co-ops • Viv Boden and Brian Fisher, Congregational Church, Pontesbury for letting us take over the building for the food bank and making up the hampers. • Richie Garner and families of Pontesbury Cricket Club • Hanwood, Pontesbury & Minsterley Parish Councils • Pontesbury Charity • Local residents who made donations of money and/or food • Minsterley Motors • Pontesbury Primary School families • Hollie for her Christmas Card Thank you to everyone who made up and covered the Christmas Boxes and lastly to the wonderful volunteers who have given up their time this year to not only deliver hampers but collect prescriptions, shopping and helping so many people. Many are continuing to do so through the Good Neighbours scheme. Thanks from Pontesbury Foodshare Volunteers Pontesbury Foodshare has now closed but help is still available. If you are still in need of some support please either contact the Community Good Neighbour’s Scheme (see details on page 5) or Shrewsbury Foodbank who offer a wide range of support including help with food. The food bank at Barnabas is open: Monday, Tuesday and Friday (not open on Bank Holidays) 9.30am – 12pm. Tel: 01743 343336 / 0742 174 5857. https://www. barnabascommunityprojects.org/shrewsburyfoodbank also lists other support available, such as help with cooking, budgeting and employment. https://www.shropshirelarder.org.uk/ INSURANCE THAT’S also lists support available to you. ON YOUR DOORSTEP Call our office in Shrewsbury on 01743 344 743 Agent of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited. Newsletter online Specialist advisors to the Pdf copies of the Newsletter are available at mature and retired market www.pontesburyparishcouncil.org.uk • Later Life Planning • Retirement Advice and • Long Term Care Planning • Saving & Investment Advice www.pontesburypavilion.co.uk • Inheritance Tax Planning Please be aware that the layout is for the print Call us for open honest advice version, in double page spreads, and printing black only. 01743 365 813 Ben Walters DipFA MIFS [email protected] The text is interactive so links, as in the Hannah Edwards DipFA LIBF [email protected] article above, are live wherever possible.