Thursday 31 October 2013

Village News

with Margaret Morbey.

Mobile Library - I have Tracey to thank for letting me know that the Mobile Library will now only visit Chearsley on a 4 weekly timetable. The time has also changed - the library will be in The Bell car park from 10.00am until 10.25am. The next visit is November 4th, as the new times start then, with the next visit to the village on Monday December 2 at the new time. Information on the AVDC website still refers to the old fortnightly timetable.

Remembrance Day Poppies
Sue Grimsdell will again be going round the village hoping to find people at home to buy a poppy. Collection boxes will also be in The Bell and the shop. If Sue does not call on you and you would like her to, please phone her on 01844 201319 to arrange for a personal visit – thank you Sue for continuing to do this every year.

Remembrance Day Service at the War Memorial – everyone is welcome to attend this service on Sunday November 10th at 10.45am.

Election for Parish Councillor
There are 3 candidates for this post. John Howard of Great Barn, School Lane, Perry Smith of Church Piece, Winchendon Road and Julia Witcher of Chestnut View, Chilton Road. The election takes place on Thursday November 21 in the Village Hall.

Theatre in the Villages - only a small audience consisting of villagers and several travelling quite a distance enjoyed the performance of Diary of a Nobody recently in Chearsley village hall, as part of the Theatre in the Villages scheme. Most of the audience were familiar with the book and it was a delight to be reminded of Charles Pooter’s often amusing and endearing diary entries.

Pumpkin Competition at The Bell
- It was a difficult task to decide which pumpkin deserved the prize for being the best dressed. There were about 10 pumpkins on display for The Bell customers to choose and vote for their favourite. The winning pumpkin was created by Victoria, Maddie and Sophia Gray of Elm Brook Close. Another busy, village occasion organized by Sharon and staff at The Bell.

Village Hall Trustees AGM - This meeting will take place in the village hall on Monday November 11 at 8.00pm. Anyone who would like to come is welcome.

Cricket Club AGM – change of date. This will now be held on Monday November 25th at 7.30pm at the pavilion, not Friday November 22nd as previously announced.

Village Shop - it is now almost 2 years since Jeyann and Suki took over the shop. Time to think back to the months before this when the shop was closed for a few months, at how quiet the village seemed with no-one walking about, nowhere to walk to for the forgotten pint of milk.
We had to go by car for any shopping we needed. We missed having a place to walk to for a purpose and maybe meet up with villagers on the way for a chat. There is very much to thank Jeyann and Suki for and to appreciate the long hours they work. Open every day.
A time now to remember exactly what they sell and the services they offer – daily newspapers, which can be delivered if you wish, fresh bread, fruit and vegetables, ice creams, sweets, crisps, groceries and household goods, cakes, biscuits, chocolates; a very good range of wines, beers and spirits, often at prices cheaper than Supermarkets, chilled and frozen goods, greetings cards for all occasions, the list goes on. They provide a twice weekly dry cleaning service; the facility to top up your phone, pay gas, water and electric bills through PayZone, get cash back, take part in the Health lottery for the chance to win a prize and help to fund local health projects; have a cup of tea or coffee from their neat little machine – a long list of good reasons to support the shop as much as possible and for the village to say a very big thank you to Jeyann and Suki for all they do in such a friendly, willing and happy way, always pleased to see you and help you find what you are looking for.

Wednesday 30 October 2013

Remember, remember...


...to bring your own fireworks to the Cricket Club this Friday, 1st November, from 7:30pm - the club Bar and BBQ will be in operation.

Monday 28 October 2013

Long Crendon Library

What’s On at Long Crendon Library
(apart from lots of brilliant books)

You do not have to be a Library member to be welcome at any of these events:

For Pre-schoolers:
Bounce and Rhyme: Wednesdays 11-11.30: songs and stories.
PJ Friday: last Friday of the month at 5.30. Wear PJs and bring Teddy.
Arts and crafts: Tuesdays 10.30-11.30 (18 months-5 years)
All welcome!

Coffee Morning: 10-12.30 on the first Wednesday of the month.
Tea, coffee and homemade cake, plus a good natter.

Crendon Crafters: alternate Tuesday afternoons during winter months, with occasional talks/demonstrations. Do your own craftwork in good company.

Computer Lessons: free one-to-one tutorials on a Friday afternoon to learn basic computer use. Book your session at the Library.

Film Club: Alternate Thursday afternoons and Friday evenings, from October to April. Ask in the Library for details on membership and the current programme. Enjoy great films and a glass of wine in a friendly ambience.

Plus:
Computers for public use: there is a small charge for using the internet other than the Bucks site on which, amongst other things, you can access Ancestry.com free of charge.

Photocopying: A4 b/w: 10p; colour: 50p.

The Library can also be booked for outside events, eg talks, book groups. There are excellent projector/screening facilities, and very reasonable rates.
E-mail longcrendonlibrary@hotmail.co.uk for more details.

(A pdf copy of these amenities is available here.)

Saturday 26 October 2013

Chearsley By-election


A copy of the official Statement of Persons Nominated for the Election of a Parish Councillor can be downloaded from here.

Thursday 24 October 2013

Election of Parish Councillor

Forms of nomination for the Parish Election can be obtained from the Parish Clerk or from the Returning Officer, The Gateway, Gatehouse Road, Aylesbury HP19 8FF.
Nomination papers must be delivered to the Returning Officer no later than noon on October 25th 2013.

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Peter Clark
Peter died on October 11th at Stoke Mandeville Hospital after a short and unexpected illness. He had lived in Church Lane with his wife Clare who is clerk to the Parish Council, and children, Emma and Charlie. Peter worked from home until his retirement in February this year and could often be seen taking his daily constitutional walk around the village lanes. His funeral will take place at The Chilterns Crematorium, Amersham on Tuesday October 29 at 1pm. Family flowers only. Donations in Peter's name can be made to the UK Sepsis Trust at www.justgiving.com/peterdavidclark

Bingo at The Bell
The next Bingo session at The Bell will be on November 5. Come early to make sure of a seat and have an evening meal at a special price for those playing Bingo, ready to start playing at 8.30pm. A book of bingo cards for 6 games costs £6.00 and could bring in a substantial win, depending on how many players on the night. Come and join in the fun.

Sunday Quiz at The Bell
If a more intellectual challenge is to your liking, try this monthly event at The Bell. The next quiz will be on November 10 at 8pm. Get together a group or come alone and join in.

Pub Lunches at The Bell - these lunches for older residents of Chearsley first started over 3 years ago from an idea of Community Impact Bucks with the aim of helping people maintain a level of social contact in rural areas. Ann Hooton became the main the organiser for Chearsley, and support for this monthly lunch has grown to more than 20 attending on a Wednesday lunchtime. It is also a way of supporting The Bell. Ann plans to shortly move from the village and the pub lunch on Wednesday October 23 was the last one she has organised. Ann has lived in the village for over 30 years and the list of roles played in Chearsley is incredibly long – her first role being as secretary for the village Playgroup, then secretary of the W.I. Clerk to the Parish Council; chairman of the Parish Council, village hall trustee; treasurer for St Nicholas Church when the roof was replaced and also being its organist which she still does from time to time as well as for Nether Winchendon; started the Village Produce Show and a regular newsletter. For a time she was the village correspondent for the Bucks Herald. I am sure there are many other parts she has played in the development of the village. Not least was the help and support she gave to her late husband Ted who spent many hours of research to produce the very informative and much referred to book of Chearsley, which was printed in 1994 . Ann is sad to be leaving the village, a place which, from all the roles she undertook, gave her the opportunity to learn many skills and enabled her to enjoy a really good job and career. Chearsley has very much to thank Ann for. She will be greatly missed. We all wish her and her dog, Honey all the very best and hope to see her back at The Bell when she has settled in her new home.

Mobile Library - this will next be in the village on Monday November 4th in The Bell car park between 12.20 and 12.45pm.


Family Fireworks
The Cricket Club is holding a firework night on Friday November 1st starting at 7.30pm in the Cricket Ground. The bar will be open and barbeque food will be on sale. Entry for everyone is free. Bring your own fireworks. More information is available from Larry Greenfield on 07789 748360


Cricket Club AGM - this will take place in the Cricket pavilion on Friday November 22 at 7.30pm. Please contact the Secretary, Terry Gadsby on 07768 755797 for a copy of last year’s Minutes and for a copy of the agenda for this year’s AGM.

Recycling Bins in The Bell Car Park – These glass recycling bins are not always being used properly by villagers. Recently, empty bottles and bags of bottles have just been left by the bins, which have blown over and broken becoming a danger to car park users and children. The Bell allows the bins to be kept in the car park as a service for the village. Please respect this and take home any bottles if the bins are full and wait for the bins to be emptied, rather than leave them for someone else to deal with.

Christmas at Waddesdon Manor - Waddesdon Manor closes on October 27 when Christmas arrives and part of the house is decorated ready for re-opening on November 13. There will be late night openings of the house and gardens on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from November 29 until December 29 . Follow the trail in the Gardens which leads around the 6 new light installations created by the acclaimed light artist Bruce Munro. Please see their website for more information www.waddesdon.org.uk

Thursday 17 October 2013

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Parish Council October 14 – this meeting was postponed as a mark of respect for the death of Clare Clark’s husband, Peter who had died a few days before after a short illness. Clare is the clerk to the Council. Love and sympathies go to Clare and her family.

Election for a new councillor
– the vacancy which exists for a councillor on the Parish Council will be decided by an election in the village to take place on Thursday November 21.

Steak Night Tuesday October 22 from 6.30 to 9.00pm - a choice from 3 types of steak are on the menu. Fillet at £19.95; Sirloin at £15.50 and rump at £14.95 including mushroom, or peppercorn or Stilton sauce and all served with chunky chips, Portobello mushroom, grilled tomato and peas. Please book as soon as possible by ringing Sharon at The Bell on 208077 or email sharon@thebellchearsley.co.uk

Pumpkins at The Bell – Put your imagination to work and dress a pumpkin and bring it to be judged at The Bell on Tuesday October 29. Size doesn’t matter, (the competition is not about the heaviest this year) neither does style – the pumpkin can be smart, scary, sophisticated, whatever you like. Judging will take place at 7.30pm with a prize for the Best. Good company and laughter guaranteed with the pumpkins - the usual 6 o’clock lot should still be there.

Memorial Service Sunday November 3 at 3pm – Everyone is invited to come to St Nicholas church for a Memorial Service to remember those who have shared our lives, and whose passing has left an emptiness and often an ache in the heart. It will be a service of quiet reflection with prayers, readings, music and a short talk with an opportunity to light a candle as an act of remembrance for a loved one. Looking back often evokes sadness, but can also bring thankfulness as times of happiness and enjoyment are also remembered.

Rock Choc Church – Sunday November 17 at 6pm - this meeting is aimed at younger people in year 5 and above to get together in the Church for loud music, hot chocolate and cake chat, debates, fun and laughter with John Wynburn. Parents are welcome to stay and share a glass of mulled wine or tea or coffee at the back of the church. It is hoped to arrange more sessions in the future.

Chearsley Cricket Club Christmas Dinner - Saturday December 7 – this will be held again at Studley Wood Golf Club with dinner, dancing, raffle and auction. Tickets are £35 each available from John Howard on 07970 651326 or email jnh@dbmc.co.uk. All money raised from the event will go to maintaining and improving the club facilities and developing the very successful Junior section which had 80 youngsters signed up this season.

Christmas Gift Fair at Waddesdon Plant Centre – this will be held in the glass house at the Plant Centre from Thursday November 7 until Sunday 10 from 10.30am to 4.30pm, where there will be over 50 stalls selling local arts and crafts, home ware and original British gifts. Please note that Waddesdon Manor will not be open then – it closes on October 27 to prepare for Christmas ready to open again on November 13.

Saturday 12 October 2013

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Jock Scholefield
Jock of Chilton Road died at home with his family present on Friday October 4th. Jock had lived with Mary in Chilton Road, Chearsley since 1991 and took an active part of life in the village. At St Nicholas Church, Jock would often read the lesson, and write and lead prayers until two years ago.
For some years he was Chairman of the Parish Council and among other involvements, played an important role in organising the village car pool service, taking villagers to hospital or doctor’s appointments, and when the Post Office closed, regularly taking villagers to Long Crendon to collect their pension. Since retiring, Jock had enjoyed a fairly quiet time but was always ready to help out and become involved. When the Youth Club started, he would read stories to the children, being a very good story teller.
His funeral will be held on Tuesday October 15th at 11am at St Nicholas to which everyone is welcome. Family flowers only and Mary asks that no-one wears black. This service will be followed by a private cremation. There will be a celebration of his life after Family Service on October 27th to thank the village for their love and support. Sympathies go to Mary and the family.

Steam train through Chearsley Sunday October 6th – there was disappointment that the steam train scheduled to travel along the Chiltern Line from Paddington to Stratford on Avon was cancelled at short notice. The message on Steam Dreams website said that the trip had been cancelled due to the coaching stock being trapped by engineering works. It would seem that lack of communication between the organisations involved was to blame. Oh well, it was a lovely day to spend half an hour in the sun, waiting in vain.

Quiz – this was held at the Village Hall on Saturday October 5th when £535 was raised in support of Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Eric Carte as Quizmaster made sure that everyone had a really enjoyable evening, even those who found the questions hard. Tony Hall, the organizer would like to thank everyone who came to take part, those who helped out on the night and to Eric for making the evening such a success. There are plans to hold another quiz next year and possibly other fund raising events.

Theatre in the Villages
Friday October 18th at Chearsley Village Hall - Diary of a Nobody - Tickets for this are still available and although it is better to book beforehand to reserve seats, it should be possible to turn up on the night and buy a ticket. Tickets cost £12 and are available from me, Margaret Morbey on 01844 208913 email margmorb@mail.com or Tony Fleetwood on 01844 201176 email fleetwood@btinternet.com. The evening of comedy and song in company with the Pooters starts at 8.00pm. Come in plenty of time. The bar will be open from 7.30pm and during the interval.

Mobile Library – this will next be in the village at The Bell on Monday October 21st from 12.20pm until 12.45pm.

Cafe Cibo Banks Parade, Haddenham – this has now opened again under new management. Open from 9.30am to 2.00pm Mondays to Saturdays. It is hoped that it will shortly be opening in the evenings for meals again as before, where you are welcome to bring your own wine. Dom Pisapia continues to make progress in the specialist neuro-rehabilitation centre in Amersham Hospital.

Wednesday 2 October 2013

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Theatre in the Villages - Friday October 18 at Chearsley Village Hall - Diary of a Nobody The trustees of the village hall are very pleased to host another performance this year as part of this scheme funded by Aylesbury Vale, South Bucks and Wycombe District Councils. Diary of a Nobody is a new adaptation of George & Weedon Grossmith’s classic comic Victorian novel of suburban life, which strikes many contemporary chords. Charles Pooter is a clerk in 1880’s London who records in his diary the aspirations, trials and tribulations of his life both at the office and at home – a life involving insolent junior employees, his long suffering wife, Carrie and the escapades and scrapes of his son, Lupin, Suitable for 14+ years. An evening of comedy and song. The performance starts at 8,00pm. A bar will be open for drinks beforehand and during the interval. Tickets cost £12 and are available from me, Margaret Morbey on 01844 208913 email margmorb@mail.com or Tony Fleetwood on 01844 201176 email fleetwood@btinternet.com Please book early as seats are limited.

Scams do happen in Chearsley - I have learned of a scam which happened to two Chearsley villagers recently , when the driver of a car parked in the gateway of “Toby’s” field, just down on the left hand side of Aylesbury Road towards Cuddington, flagged them down as they were travelling towards Aylesbury. He had a very convincing and plausible “sob” story that he was very short of petrol and was on his way to see his baby in hospital and could he borrow some money to buy petrol in exchange for the rings on his fingers. All this was conveyed in very poor English,(he was possibly eastern European) in great upset and distress and enough to appeal to the good nature of his intended victims. The upshot was that the rings were found to be worthless, being brass. The police have advised that this is not the first scam of its kind in this area – an affluent area targeted for good natured people used to trusting and wanting to help someone in apparent trouble.

Parish council meeting – the next Parish Council meeting is due to be held in the village hall on Monday October 14 at 7.30pm. Please see the notice board for confirmation of this and for details of the Minutes of the last meeting and the proposed agenda for this meeting. There is a public session at the beginning of the meeting for members of the public to put any problems or voice concerns to the Council.

The Bell - Some special events are being held at The Bell this month, the next one being Dessert Night on Tuesday 8. On offer will be a choice of 5 desserts or a trio of mini portions for £5.95. Booking essential as Sharon needs to know how many puddings to make. Email her or call in to book.
Next is a Steak Night on Tuesday October 22 and booking for this is also required. The Bell continues to offer 2 meals for £10 on Tuesdays to Thursdays. Friday Nights are Fish Nights with 2 fish and chips and a bottle of wine for £25. The Meat Raffle when a ticket for £2 could win you a meat prize from either Sherwin’s of Long Crendon or Orchard View Farm, Little Meadle, is drawn Sunday lunchtimes. Tickets available to buy all week.