BROWNHILLS ISSUE NO. 57 DISTRIBUTED TO OVER JUNE 1994 6,000 HOUSEHOLDS AND 25p WHEN SOLD BUSINESSES MONTHLY Brownhills Rotarians raise over £1000 for third world Members of the Rotary Club of tion evening and generous spon­ Brownhills have raised over £1000 sorship from members raised the to provide a much needed medi­ amount needed. The well itself um-depth borehole well and pump will cost over £2000, the additional for villagers in Tanzania. amount required will be provided At a presentation evening at the by grants from the E.E.C. and the Barons Court Hotel a cheque was U.K. Government Overseas Aid handed over to Mr. Bob Hattersley Department. This is not the only who is the local representative of project the Committee have been the international charity Water involved with this year. They have Aid. The project was the brain­ sponsored an Eye Camp in Africa President: Mr. David Balmford presents a cheque to Mr. Bob child of Mr. Percy Claridge, that had resulted in many of the Hattersley of Water Aid. Chairman of the International people regaining their sight after Service Committee, who wanted to being relieved of the crippling mis­ Pictured below from left to right: Mr. Percy Claridge, Mr. Bob provide something that was not ery of cataracts. Hattersley, Mr. David Balmford and Mr. Maurice Garbett. only of benefit to the people but would have a lasting effect. The well will be drilled in the village of Asange in Central Tanzania and will provide fresh clean water for 500 people. Currently the women of the village have to walk 12 kilo­ metres each way to get enough water for their daily needs. The water that is available to them at present is of very poor quality and carries all kinds of disease. The busy International Committee were assisted in their fund-raising efforts by Mr. Maurice Garbett, a past member of the club, who organised a golf tournament at Beaudesert. This event along with the presenta- Nearly Thirty Years on the Beat John Ireland is a familiar figure side. On duty in W;:ils;:ill one day a to the people of Brownhills. He lady approached him and a col­ has been a Special Constable in the league to say she was very con­ area for nearly thirty years. Now cerned about the lodger who she the Senior Officer in the area, he hadn't seen for three days. Given still enjoys his duties as much as permission to break his door down he did when he first joined the they saw the person lying on the force. He became interested in the bed. John pulled back the covers Police Force at a very early age. A not knowing what to expect, only neighbour joined the regular force to have the person sit bolt upright and, one day after coming off and tell them he was alright! He duty, gave young John his helmet had been on a fast for three d;:iys to try on, from that moment he and hadn't told his landlady. On a was hooked. After being a mem­ more serious side John recalled an ber of the Scouts for a number of incident when he was returning years and working as a Sergeant from duty one evening. A serious Major Instructor with the Church accident had left a lady inside a Lad's Brigade, John joined the blazing car, without thinking Specials. During his time on the about injury to himself John pulled Special Constable John Ireland (on the right) receives his Ceremonial force he has seen lighter moments her to safety and left the scene. He Truncheon from Chief Constable Hadfield in recognition of 25 years service.) of the work as well as the serious CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 2 BROWNHILLS GAZETTE, JUNE 1994 BROWN HILLS - 1 1 EDITORIAL Articles and photographs to :_·:.!.· ··==:,,.,;,••,, •• .·_ ·==·' ·=····:'·.•_ be considered for ~li!-.~•:.~--~~: ;,,:,!, :=:=::::::·====::=:=:=:::=:•,··.·;;:: ::.:,:,::·.·,!::iii.~i;:::::::::::::::: ·=·=·=·=====:::====::=======: :===·====:=:=:=:=:::=::::::=:==:::::::::=:=:=:?.:==::::=:= -=·>:·=·:·:·::: ~t:=:=:=:::;:/r;;;;;=;=::;: ·:·=·:·:·=-=·:·:·:·=·:·===·:·=·~:f~:}~:\.;:;:::~:~:~:;:::;:~:~:~:/:;.:·:·:·}~:~:~:}~\-:.;=:·:-:.;:~t\:r~-=·::~:~r:-:):::~:f:-:·=·=·:·=-:·":=:·:·=·=·/:;:~:;:~:~:)r:~tt: •. publication should be sent Much has been written and goods across this "once green and island! the true effect. to The Editor, debated in the local press, (but fun­ pleasant land" as quickly as possi­ What this country needs to be Brownhills Gazette, nily enough not on local ble, without regard to the devasta­ doing is exploiting the existing rail, c/o Baker Bond, TV /Radio?) with regards to the tion to local communities or and canal routes. (Simply pop 183 High Street, Brownhills proposed Birmingham Northern upheaval of landscape - and over to Holland, Belgium, WS86HW Relief Road. 'Relief' - for who? the worse, the air we breathe i.e. Germany for an eye opener) - even residents of Perry Barr, atmosphere pollution - what goes opening up disused systems and Advertising Handsworth, Great Barr, Sutton up, such as diesel, petrol fumes, where it is a practical proposition 0543 452840/1 or Coldfield, Aldridge, Walsall and has to come down! construct purely commercial 0217896768 Brownhills and all the many com­ Had we good examples of civil routes, 'arteries' from existing m unities along the route of the engineering success stories it could motorways to connect with BNNR? - Brownhills is already fast be a different view, however the rail/ canal terminals that would Group Editor becoming a slum - witness the inept saga of the Ml, M6, M25, AS, handle freight only (i.e. connect the Rosalie Bott piles of litter along the High Street, Al, A38 now the M54! clearly Boars Head Freight Terminal with 0217896855 and side roads, in Tesco's sur­ illustrate motorways solve no long the Ml, at Perry Barr?) roundings ... the tatty state of term problems. - For moving peo­ To continue along the estab­ Gazette Series dwellings and polluted canal... ple from A-B we would be better lished stupid route of allowing a Sheldon/South Yardley, If it is 'Relief' as per Aspirin off (and fitter!) improving cycle deadly 'cocktail mixture' of single Hodge Hill, gives 'relief' - from a terrible lanes, rarely considered in UK person private vehicles, that are Castle Bromwich, headache - in this case the increas­ commuter planning. sandwiched between Petrol ing 'nose to tail' nightmare of Tackling the cause - too many tankers and multi-tone articulated Chelmsley Wood, everyday commuting around vehicles is too big a Hot Potato and trucks has not taken one step Coleshill/Water Orton, Britains Second City I doubt the of course it's a Oapanese, German) towards 'Relief' in the real sense of Brownhills, Harborne, folk with vested interests (to make mass employer, and source of the word - to propose it, illustrates Bearwood/Warley a lot of money! i.e. the income for the tax man. A cause that fact. In the post war period and Pelsall Construction Contractors, Toll that will be made worse as conti­ we have had motorway madness! Monthly Gazette Series Booth Operators, H.M. Gvt etc) nental traffic increas es with the In Austria there is no move­ Circulation 67,500 have even considered Mr. & Mrs. opening of the Channel Tunnel - ment of commercial vehicles at Ordinary folk in their calculations - we should be restricting ' traffic' - CONTINUED OPPOSITE Publishers this BNNR is another idea to move wholesale - not submerging this Ba"er Bond (Printing.& Publishing) Ltd Nearly Thirty Years on the Beat P.O. Box 1 183 High Street, FROM PAGE ONE John told me that the Special ing and support for new recruits to Brownhills, Walsall, Constabulary was a very good way make sure everything goes well. told me that he had a very pleasant to serve the community and that West Midlands WS8 6HW The Special Constables, who have surprise while on duty at the there were some vacancies in the the same powers as the regular Arboretum one evening recently. area for recruits. The minimum force, police 44 festi vals and carni­ He felt a tap on his shoulder and age to join the Specials is 19 and vals in the area. Brownhills DEADLINES the lady, who he did not recognise, Constables serve up to the age of Carnival is entirely manned by the thanked him for saving her life. SS. A great many young recruits Specials and this invaluable service Copy Date There have also been celebrity enter to get a insight into police enables the regulars to carry out occasions that John has enjoyed work and some go on to join the other duties. Thanks go to John July 25th and highlights included some regular force. No formal qualifica­ and all his colleagues for their ded­ words with Princess Di when she tions are required but applicants icated service. Should you wish to Publication Date came to open a school and escort have to take a brief written test and have further details about the July lSth duties with Cilla Black at Swinfen are interviewed before being Special Constabulary you can pick Hall. accepted. There is plenty of train- up a leaflet from any Police station. OPEN 24HOUR SEVEN DAYS RECOVERY SERVICE A WEEK ~ AVAILABLE lllDRIDGE MOTOR SPARES ALWAYS BREAKING AT LEAST 100 CARS AND LIGHT COMMERCIALS MoT failures nad accident damaged cars and light commercials bought for cash (free collection). Tyre fitting service available. FREE tyre fitting on all our part woms. PARTS & DAYTIME RECOVERY 0922 55485 EVENING RECOVERY 0543 454400 BROWNHILLS GAZETIE, JUNE 1994 3 FROM PREVIOUS PAGE played down for the obvious rea­ the BNRR will not bring any allowed to happen, or a BNNR weekends, the driver's are com­ son it is not in the interests of those 'relief', rather it will hasten the proposed. pelled to park up. If we must ape making calculations on 'emissions' decline of the quality of life, for all To compare the UK mainland, the 'Continenent', at least let us to state that - job's could be in dan­ in it's vicinity.