March 2019 Whittington and Fisherwick ConnectParish Magazine ‘Whittington and Fisherwick Fund’ Creating beautiful cutlery, silverware Being Held in and gifts has been our the Village Hall passion since 1902. See page 5 Huge savings on high street, retail and online prices. You won’t find this anywhere else in the village SAVE AN EXTRA Spring 10% WITH THIS OUTCRY HEARD ADVERT Present in store. Terms and Conditions Apply Staffordshire County Council reverse decision to withdraw funding. See page 4 FREE PARKING OPENING HOURS: Proud RAFTS MONDAY - FRIDAY 9:30AM - 4:30PM C MA SH N supporters of I S IT H I R P SATURDAY - 10AM - 4PM B SUNDAY - CLOSED THE UK’S ARTHUR PRICE, SAVE THE DATE BRITANNIA WAY, LICHFIELD Please be aware that the shop is located on LARGEST the first floor via a staircase. If access is an WS14 9UY th th th th th th CUTLERY, TABLEWARE issue we have a ground floor room available Wed 17 April Sat 20 April Sat 11 May Sat 8 June Sat 29 - 30 June AND GIFT STORE 01543 267324 where products can be brought down for viewing by our dedicated customer ARTHURPRICEINLICHFIELD.CO.UK service team. CFS Open Forum Community Litter Fairtrade Day Church Fete Open Gardens Pick Page 5 Page 3 Page 14 Page 11 Page 17 Whittington and Fisherwick Magnificent Magician Paul Page 11 ConnectParish Magazine Your Parish Council Let’s Go For Gold Wine Tasting Page 7 Is Back! Page 14 Martyn Bennett Wisteria Cottage, Fisherwick 07973 300346 [email protected] John Cannon 7 Main Street, Whittington 01543 432171 [email protected] Richard Cotterill 32 Back Lane, Whittington In this issue... [email protected] John Heeler 28 Church Street, Whittington Community Litter Pick 3 Whittington WI 12 01543 304833 [email protected] Funding of School Crossing Patrols 4 Would You Believe It? 13 Garry Hyde 11 Neal Croft, Whittington Community Foundation for Staffordshire, The Fallen of the Great War 13 01543 433190 [email protected] Whittington and Fisherwick Trust Fund 5 Whittington and Fisherwick Fairtrade 14 Andrew Jackson Norcis, Main Street, Whittington Fly Tipping Incident 5 Join Your Parish Council 15 07753 651 458 [email protected] HS2 Construction Update 6 Whittington Wednesday Club 16 Paul Jansz 7 Swan Road, Whittington Let’s Go For Gold 7 Can You Help Your Village Hall? 16 07899985718 [email protected] Parish Council Budget 2019-2020 8 Whittington Open Gardens 17 Chris Millar 95 Back Lane, Whittington Whittington Duplicate Bridge Group 9 Whittington and Fisherwick Good 01543 433189 [email protected] Whittington Art Group 9 Neighbour Scheme - Update 18 Jonathan Smith 2 The Coach House, Whittington Make Your Easter Holy and Special 10 Whittington and Fisherwick Parish Council 01543 432002 [email protected] St Giles’ Church Whittington - Summer Fete 11 Welcomes Two New Councillors 19 Julia Spencer Crossroads, Back Lane, Whittington Whittington School Nursery 12 01543 432238 [email protected] Connor Walton Park House, Fisherwick Road 01543 432842 [email protected] Community Litter Pick Anthony Ward The Bell Inn, Main Street, Whittington 01543 432377 [email protected] Cllr Garry Hyde - Vice Chairman WFPC Bob Wood 5 Swan Cottages, Whittington 01543 305668 [email protected] Save the Date - 20th April & 15th June Community Litter Pick Have your say... 20.04.19 15.06.19 Your Parish Council works hard to keep We would like to point out that there are articles in If you would like to respond to WHITTINGTON & Whittington and Fisherwick looking neat and Connect from the Parish Council and from representatives any of the issues in Connect or tidy. Unfortunately there are some people who of some village organisations and societies. At the beginning to contribute to the next edition COMMUNITY LITTER PICK seem determined to spoil things. If you would of each article the author’s name will appear. Articles written please write to or email any like to help us tidy up then come along and join AS SPRING IS HERE WE NEED TO SPRING CLEAN THE PARISH. by members of the Parish Council represent current Parish Parish Councillor. TH TH us for a Community Litter Pick on Saturday JOIN US SATURDAY 20 APRIL 2019 AND SATURDAY 15 JUNE 20th April 2019 and Saturday 15th June 2019. Council policy and are endorsed by the Parish Council as a 2019 10.00AM AT THE VILLAGE HALL whole. However, views expressed in articles submitted to us Designed and produced by We meet at the Village Hall at 10.00am. We from village organisations and societies do not necessarily provide necessary equipment but just bring represent Parish Council policy and have not been endorsed STRAIGHTFORWARD your own gloves and appropriate clothing Creative Design Agency by the Parish Council. WE PROVIDE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT and footwear. JUST BRING YOUR OWN GLOVES AND Please help us keep your Parish tidy, it reflects APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AND FOOTWEAR. on all of us. So if you can spare just an hour, we 3 would be extremely grateful. Community Foundation for Staffordshire, Funding of School Crossing Patrols Whittington and Fisherwick Trust Fund Cllr Garry Hyde - Vice Chairman WFPC Cllr Garry Hyde - Vice Chairman WFPC Many of you would have been aware and that this is ‘not the right time’. We have to ensure On Wednesday the 17th April 2019 members The Chief Executive Officer, Steve Adams, alarmed by the initiative proposed by we are fully aware and abreast of any plans to of the Whittington and Fisherwick Trust and the will be hosting the event and all residents are Staffordshire County Council to save money go back on this decision in future years. The Community Foundation of Staffordshire, who cordially invited to attend. Tea and biscuits are by cutting the funding for ALL School Crossing Parish Council is a conduit for residents to put now administer the Fund, are holding an open going to be provided. Patrols. This was an idea proposed, along with forward their thoughts, ideas and concerns, and forum at the Whittington Village Hall. This is your chance to receive the latest others, to help save £35 million from their as demonstrated, we do listen. Although the forum will be running from information from the head of the organisation Budget. The Parish Council as a whole, together We are currently working with many agencies 1.30pm to 4.30pm on this date, a presentation and raise any questions or concerns you have with many individuals, flooded the County in the Parish to plan for the future and to this on the current situation and also information on about how the fund is operating and the manner Council Consultation Website with objections. end a meeting with the School Head teacher and how to apply for grants from the fund will be in which grants are applied for and granted. Following an excellent presentation and the Parent Teacher Association is scheduled for made at 1.45pm and this will be followed by a I look forward to seeing you there. campaign by local residents at the Parish Council the 1st April 2019. general discussion period. meeting in January, the Parish Council agreed If you do have any concerns or comments Save the Date - 17th April to fund the School Crossing Patrols in our please free to contact us either personally or However, don’t forget Staffordshire Open Form village for the next school year, should County by e-mail. Council funding be withdrawn. This would have If you believe that you are eligible for a grant www.staffordshirefoundation.org.uk or phone safeguarded our children in the short term, from the fund but are unable to attend the 01785339540 while still being able to explore other avenues of forum or find it difficult to fill in forms, you funding for future years. may get assistance from a volunteer from the Whittington and Fisherwick appeared to be Whittington & Fisherwick Good Neighbour the only local Parish Council to take this action, Scheme. They will be able to give you practical but it was readily accepted by all Councillors that help on filling in the form but will NOT be the School Crossing Patrols, especially at The able to give advice on eligibility for a grant or Dog crossroads, were so necessary that these anything else. crossings could not be left unsupervised. If you would like some help with the form, I am delighted to report that following contact their duty officer on01543 624410 on extensive public criticism of the proposals, Monday Wednesday or Fridays between 10am Staffordshire County Council was forced to and 12noon. Whittington rethink its latest cost cutting exercise. Here is an Information can be found on the Community Village Hall extract from the circulation from the Council to Foundation for Staffordshire website, its members. “We have faced some incredibly difficult choices about which non-statutory areas we could continue to fund, including the school crossing Fly Tipping Incident patrol service. After listening to public feedback, we feel this is not the right time to pursue this Cllr Richard Cotterill option and therefore we will not be taking this any further at this time. Although this means SCC will continue to cost the council around Following a fly tipping incident in Blacksmith obstruction on the footpath and an eyesore £1.4m to run the [school crossing] service, and Lane just before Christmas, I would ask all over the Christmas period. therefore brings with it other financial pressures residents to be vigilant. If you see anyone which will need to be met, I am sure you will committing this offence and you can safely agree it is the right thing to do.” take pictures of the offender and their vehicle Whilst applauding the change of heart I am registration number then do so and inform concerned that the County Council document the police on 101.