Thursday 28 July 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Chearsley Show - Saturday 3rd September
It is only just over a month until our fruit and vegetable show takes place in the village hall. Hopefully everyone is nurturing their roses or sweet peas and feeding their courgettes and runner beans so that there will be a record number of entries this year. In order that all the behind the scenes paper work can be done in time, there is a deadline for entries which is Tuesday 30th August which must be given to Rosemary Wallis of Merrifield, Dark Lane, Joy Payne of 1 Bernards Close or Anne Lewis of Orchard House, Bottom Orchard, together with a fee of 20p per entry.
It is a fun, light-hearted village occasion, when no-one should feel that their produce or handiwork is not good enough. I am proud to be able to say that my courgettes were prize winning ones a few years ago, merely because there were no other entries in that caategory!
So, do not be faint hearted about taking part. There are categories for flowers, vegetables, and fruit and domestic. Categories for children, men and boys to make jam tarts; models, photographs, with cash prizes for children’s entries only. This year, there is a new trophy for the best tomatoes in show in memory of Pat Marshall who died nearly a year ago and who was a founder member of the Show and a loyal and regular contributor, winning many prizes, particularly with her tomatoes.
The hall will be open for setting out entries on the day from 8:30 until 10:15am. Judging then takes place, after which the hall is open again from 2:45pm with presentation of awards at 3:30pm.
Come along, have a cup of tea and piece of cake and see what the Show is all about.

Footsteps for Summer Fun – Items Wanted
This will take place on Wednesday 17th August from 10.30 until 3.30 – a day of craft, games and drama for children. If you have not yet booked your place, please get in touch with Sharon Sampson on 208740. Sharon is also asking for help with donations of the following:
Empty squeezy bottles of washing up liquid or shampoo, etc.; beads from broken necklaces, buttons, sequins, glitter, undecorated fairy cakes and biscuits, empty A4 paper boxes, string, wool, cord. If you are able to help, please leave then on Sharon’s doorstep at Cloverdale, Lower Green Lane, or ring her on 208740 to arrange collection.

Quiz at The Bell
There will be a quiz in The Bell on Sunday, August 7th at 7:30pm. Please get in touch with Sharon or Ollie to book your table.

Recycling
Baskets for paper, cans and plastics will next be collected on Tuesday, 9th August.

Parish Council Meetings
There will be no meeting during August. The next Parish Council meeting will be on Monday, September 12th in the Village Hal

Dementia Information & Support

There are two events coming up with the Alzheimer's Society's Roadshow at Tescos.
  • 25 & 26 Aug in Aylesbury
  • 30 & 31 Aug in Oxford
Please do spread the word about these events if you can, to people who are affected by dementia and might want to benefit.

If you want further information please contact the Alzheimer's Society directly on 01296 718956 Kerry.lee@Alzheimer's.org.uk
 

Renewable Heat Premium Payment Scheme


The Government has announced that its new £15 million ‘Renewable Heat Premium Payment’ scheme will open for applications on 1st August 2011.  Under this scheme, Householders across the country could get up to £1,250 of government funding to help towards the cost of installing renewable  heating systems such as biomass boilers, air and ground source heat pumps and solar thermal panels. The scheme will be mainly focused at around  4 million households in Great Britain not heated by mains gas, who have to rely on higher carbon forms of heating which also tend to be more expensive than gas, such as heating oil and electric fires to keep warm.  The scheme will be open until March 2011 and aims to support up to 25,000 installations.

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Community Message

This message is to remind all watch members that our next event, fitting anti theft screws to car number plates, will be held tomorrow (Thursday 28 July) from 10am until 2pm, at Tesco Car Park, Broadfields, Aylesbury.

This is a free opportunity to reduce the risk of your number plates being stolen and used in crime. Members of the Aylesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team will be there to offer security and crime prevention advice and discuss any issues you may have. The event is kindly being supported by staff from Halford Auto Centre, on Gatehouse, who are giving their time free of charge to fit the screws.

We hope to see many of you there and please pass this invitation on to any family, friends or neighbours that may be interested.

Friday 22 July 2011

Community Message


Doorstep Crime
WE NEED YOU TO BE VIGILANT
Over the past year, due to early intervention, Buckinghamshire Trading Standards was able to stop £90,760 from being handed over to rogue doorstep traders who largely prey on the elderly and vulnerable.
But this was just the tip of the iceberg.  The full scale of this type of crime remains largely unreported but Trading Standards put a conservative estimate on the direct cost to Bucks consumers as over £4.8 million last year alone.
This eye-watering figure however fails to convey the immense emotional and physical damage these incidents can have on the victims and their families. In a number of instances the psychological and severe financial straits victims have been left in has placed additional burdens on support services such as Adult Social Care.
Therefore to improve the chances of an early intervention to avoid these human and financial costs Trading Standards are urging you to help them identify potential rogue traders;  unsolicited callers offering services such as gardening, roofing and driveways, and bring the matter to their attention.   This involves keeping an eye out for your neighbours and relations, especially those who are elderly or your might think vulnerable, and of course be wary yourselves.
To assist with identifying a rogue trader Trading Standards has produced a few tips:
  • Be wary of traders who are touting or cruising for work.  Genuine traders rarely need to door knock!
  • Wherever possible look for traders from the Approved BUY WITH CONFIDENCE scheme.
  • Make your own checks on the trader’s validity e.g. do they actually trade from the where they say they do?  Ask yourself why is a trader from out of the locality offering to do work?  Is it really so specialised that there is no local tradesman? 
  • Always get a written quote and REMEMBER – you must be given a written notice of your 7 day cancellation period by law.  Don’t feel pressurised to have the work done immediately – an honest trader will give you time to think about it and make your enquiries.
  • If a price is too good to be true then think twice. BUY CHEAP = BUY TWICE!
If you have any suspicions whatsoever regarding any traders you can always call or e-mail Trading Standards – all notifications will be treated in confidence.
To find a trader you can trust visit www.buywithconfidence.gov.uk or call 08454 040506.

Thursday 21 July 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Mobile Library
This will next be in Chearsley on Monday 1st August from 12.20 – 12.45pm.

Afternoon Tea 10th July
A grand array or dainty sandwiches and home-made cakes and scones made up this first Traditional Afternoon Tea in the village hall accompanied by tea or coffee in fine china which had been lent by Jo of Age Concern in Aylesbury. The warm sunshine and village company made this a delightful, relaxed occasion. The teas and raffle made approximately £200 for the Village Hall funds. Thank you to everyone who contributed to the preparation of the afternoon and to those who came to enjoy.

The Bell
Big breakfasts can now be enjoyed every Saturday and Sunday from 10 until 12pm. Monday nights are Pie nights and Fridays are fish and chip meal deals. Don’t forget to buy your ticket for the Bell Summer Party on August 27th, when Elvis is appearing. Ring 01844 208077 for more details.

A Day in the Life of Transport Project – help needed
Transport for Buckinghamshire are looking for volunteers to keep a travel diary over a maximum of a 2 week period. The project is meant merely to provide an insight into a customer’s perspective of travelling in Bucks to enable the team to better understand the needs of particular people and to identify gaps in transport provision that prevent people from gaining access to essential goods or services and to supply information for the Go Bucks Transport Strategy. People in the following categories are needed:
  • Elderly (over 65) members of the public with or without private car.
  • Single parent or family with young children and no car
  • Single parent or family with young children with 1 private car
  • Young people aged 16 -17 with or without car
  • People with disabilities with or without private car.
If you are able to help, please contact Debbie Brown of Bucks County Council on 01296 383498 or email her at debbrown@buckscc.gov.uk

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Community Message

This is a Community Message from Aylesbury Watch Office, Thames Valley Police with information from partner agency, Bucks Trading Standards.

 Buckinghamshire Trading Standards are warning residents to be on their guard against a company called DIRECT RESPONSE SECURITY attempting to sell "free monitored alarm systems".

Salespersons normally cold-call by telephone and advise residents that they have been selected to receive a "free monitored alarm system" and that a representative is in the area and will call on them to discuss the matter further.

The representatives calling at people's homes then make a number of false/misleading claims that there is a problem with crime in the area and convince residents to get a burglar alarm fitted. Once the alarm is installed, the residents are left with a large bill for future monitoring services they have been tricked into signing up to.

Trading Standards are urging residents, especially pensioners and their families, to be on their guard and not to buy anything based on a cold-call. If you think you have been a victim of this or a similar scam and would like advice on your rights please call Consumer Direct on 0808 156 2259.

Friday 15 July 2011

Footsteps 2011


TIMETABLE

10.30    CRAFT SESSION including:
            Decorating plant pots, filling with compost and planting seeds
            Making and decorating purses or boxes
            Making party banners / decorations / invitations

11.15    SHADOW PLAY
            Watch the Parable of the Sower as a shadow play
11.45    PICNIC LUNCH
            Bring your own picnic and blanket, relax, play and chat
12.30    GROUP TIME
            Split off into age groups for more craft, games & drama
            involving sand, wool, chocolate & water (but not all together)!

14.15    BACK TOGETHER
            Everyone will come back together and share stories of what they 
            have been up to.

14.45    DRAMA
            Watch a drama created and performed by the oldest children

15.00    PARTY
            Finish off the day with a big celebration

Monday 11 July 2011

Community Message

This is a Community Message from Thames Valley Police, Aylesbury Watch Office.
 
Dear resident,

So far this year we have had another impressive reduction in crime, especially around acquisitive crime reduction, this is generally the crime which is fuelled by drugs and includes burglaries, robberies and car crime.

The only category which has not seen a reduction and stands at no change this year is theft from motor vehicles. We see this in a variety of forms from valuables within vehicles (such as sat navs, bags etc on display) being stolen, to wheel trims and also number plates. Number plate theft accounts for nearly 20% of our vehicle crime, they are often used on other cars to commit further crimes – this form of identity theft can be a real nuisance to the original owner – aside from the cost of replacing the number plates.

We are therefore running a number of events across the town where crime prevention advice and leaflets will be available and there will be free supply and fitting of anti-theft number plate screws – it takes under a minute to do this. The events will be held in partnership with Halfords Auto Centre based on Gatehouse Way, who are giving their time free to fit the screws. The first sessions are being held at Tesco Broadfields Car Park, Aylesbury on Wednesday 13 July, between 4pm and 8pm and on Thursday 28 July between 10am and 2pm.

If you would like to contact your local Neighbourhood Policing Team, please contact the 24 hour Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505.

Thursday 7 July 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Mobile Library
This will next be in Chearsley on Monday 18th July from 12.20 – 12.45pm

Ordination of Rona Stuart-Bourne
Fr Roger Jackson, who was vicar of Chearsley until 2009 has been in contact with news of Rona Stuart-Bourne, who lived in The Long House, Chearsley with her husband, Mark and family of 4 children for many years. Rona was ordained Deacon on Saturday 2nd July by the Bishop of Portsmouth at Portsmouth Cathedral. She will serve as curate in the Parish of Yarmouth and Freshwater, Isle of Wight. Our congratulations and good wishes to Rona and her family.

Footsteps Fun Day at St Nicholas Church
Sharon Sampson is organizing the third annual Footsteps Day for children from 0 to 12 years on Wednesday, August 17th from 10.30 until 3.30pm. The day of arts and crafts, drama and fun has the theme this year, of walking in the footsteps of Jesus the storyteller. The children must be accompanied by an adult. Over 12s are welcome to come and help. Please contact Sharon on 01844 208740 or email her at Sharon@cloverdale.biz for more information or book a place.

Final Day of Chearsley Stores
It is just over 3 years ago that Janine opened up the shop with tea rooms. Wonderful for the village to have the shop back again after it had been shut for 18 months. Sadly, the business has not worked out for Janine and she finally locked up for the last time on Thursday 7th July. Thank you Jay for what you did for the village - being there for more than the essentials of milk, bread etc and the last minute bottle of wine, allowing friendships and gossip to flourish over a cup of tea and cake but also fund raising over £1,000 by holding a curry night for Help Our Heroes, hosting an Italian evening, providing Halloween fun for the children, supplying the teas at the village Fayre, establishing and writing the community newsletter, holding the traditional afternoon teas with your tasty home made cakes and fine china, the Christmas meals you cooked so expertly. We wish you well for the future. It is welcome news that it seems likely that the shop will re-open in August under new management.