Saturday 26 November 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Christmas Bingo at The Bell
Come to The Bell on Tuesday December 6 for the next session of Bingo with eyes down at about 8.30. Bingo players can eat for £6.99. Booking advised. Festive prizes and raffle and expect to see the inimitable Bingo callers, Paul and Andy, seasonally dressed.

Charity Race Night at The Bell
A charity race night is being held at The Bell on Friday December 9, when all proceeds from the racing will go to the charity Dreams Come True, which helps to provide a little happiness and magic for children in the UK with serious or life threatening illnesses. Racing starts at 8pm. Come earlier and enjoy a fish and chips meal for £6.

Christmas Celebrations on The Green
On Saturday December 10, the village is invited to gather for carol singing round the Christmas tree when the lights will be turned on. The festivities start at 6.30pm.

Meal bargains at The Bell
Tuesday nights 2 meals for £10. Thursdays – 2 steaks and a bottle of wine for £25. Friday 2 fish and chips and a bottle of wine for £25.

Change of opening times at The Bell
The Bell will be closed Monday lunch times and open 6 until 9pm Monday evenings.

Allotments
There are some vacant allotments available in Winchendon Road. Please contact Alicia Howard on 208036 if you are interested.

Chearsley Shop
How wonderful to have the shop open for such long hours – 7 until 8 Monday to Saturday, (not 8.30 as I wrote last week) and from 7 until 2 on Sunday. Jeyan welcomes any comments or suggestions. Dry cleaning could well be a possibility. It is up to us all to remember we have a shop in the village again and that we don’t have to get the car out to go shopping. Good for us and the village on a lot of counts.

Debbie’s Tea Party
This raised almost £470 last Friday for Shaftesbury Court, a care home for adults in Winslow.

New Police non-emergency phone number
There will soon be a new national non-emergency number for ringing the police of 101 which will cost 15p per call. Until March, this number will be able to be used as well as the existing number of 0845 8505 505.

Monday 21 November 2011

Friday 18 November 2011

Community Message - Suspicious Vehicle

This is a Community Message from Aylesbury Watch Office on Friday 18 November.

Officers in Aylesbury are keen to speak with the occupants of a suspicious vehicle, seen in the Aylesbury area this afternoon, travelling from the Aston Clinton direction. The vehicle is a blue 3 series BMW, with a partial registration number of YT09 A**.

If you see a vehicle fitting this description, please call the Police immediately on the new non emergency number 101, or if a crime is in progress dial on 999. Please note where you saw the vehicle, the direction of travel (if it was moving) and how many people were in the vehicle. Quote reference number URN 978 18 November.

Thursday 17 November 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Chearsley Shop
Welcome and every good wish to Jeyan who will be running the village shop which opens this Saturday (the 19th) at 7:00am. Shop hours will be opening at 7am everyday including Sunday, closing at 8.30pm Monday to Saturday. Sunday closing will be 2pm. Daily newspapers, fresh bread and milk will be available. Jeyan is offering home delivery of newspapers with 3 months free of delivery charge.

Village Planning Meeting

This will be held in the village hall on Monday November 28 at 8pm. A bill currently going through Parliament will enable us all to have a big say in the development of Chearsley. This meeting has been organised by the Parish Council to explain exactly what our options are. There will be speakers from Chearsley and from AVDC. We are all urged to come to find out what is happening now and what can happen in the future.

Toy Service at St Nicholas Church
The Family Service on Sunday November 27 incorporates a toy service in which all children are invited to bring along a new toy which will be given to children in homes or hospital not as lucky as they are via the Mix 96 radio station appeal.

Parish Council Meeting
This was held on Monday November 14 commencing at 7.15. I apologise for the wrong time I had written of 7.30. Please note that all future Parish Council meetings will now begin at 7.15pm.

Planning matters
Application for single house at The Martins, Turnip Close, had been refused.
Application for alterations to The Birches had been received.

Sycamores and Hornbeams on The Green
There was a strong difference of opinions as to whether to cut down one failing Sycamore or to pollard the two which resulted in a majority vote for one to be cut down completely. The 3 hornbeams will be considerably trimmed and pruned. Planning permission has to be applied for. Further quotes for the work are to be obtained.

Highways and Open Spaces
Several pot holes had been filled. It was noted that the Village green and footpaths were always very well cared for by Graham King at a very reasonable price.

Remembrance Sunday
This was led by John Daishe with the wreath being laid by Richard Grimsdell. There was a request that the road could be blocked off in future years to prevent the traffic noise which blighted the 2 minutes’ silence this year.

Footpaths

An up-to-date map of the footpaths and rights of way should be obtained.

Help in the Snow
This scheme for providing help is in the process of being developed.

Cuddington and Dinton School

Villagers are urged to support the planning application to rebuild Dinton school, recently severely damaged by a fire.

Footpath across The Green
What to do with this footpath will be on the agenda at the Annual Parish Meeting

Budget Meeting
This will be held on Monday December 12 in the village hall at 7.15pm.

Chearsley WI
There will be Christmas cakes and goodies on sale on the village green on Saturday December 3 from 10.30 until 12.30, with mince pies and mulled wine to keep us warm. Please contact Pauline Parkes on 202250 for more information.

Cuddington & Dinton C of E School | Press Release

Junior School Fire – Update November 2011

As you will know earlier this year the school buildings in Dinton caught fire and sustained serious damage. Rather than simply rebuild the school, the Governors and School would like to take the opportunity to improve the facilities and accommodation provided by the school buildings and create a ‘best in class’ and inspirational educational environment for the children.

You can read more in their Press Release.

Wednesday 16 November 2011

Do you want more houses in Chearsley?


Do you want more houses in Chearsley?

That is not a question that we are used to being asked, but because of a new Bill currently going through Parliament, we may be soon.

The Bill will bring major changes to the local government planning system and one effect will be that local people can have a much greater say on building developments in their locality.  Which means Chearsley people having a big say on what happens in Chearsley.

But only if we take the opportunity. 
If we don’t, we will remain subject to what planners in Aylesbury think is best for us.

Specifically, we could soon have the opportunity to:

1.   Make an input to a new planning document called the Vale of Aylesbury Plan, specifically in terms of what it says about housing development in Chearsley

2.      Develop our own ‘Neighbourhood Plan’ that would bring statutory planning powers on building development to the people of Chearsley through its Parish Council

3.      Develop a complimentary ‘Parish Plan’ in which we can lay out what we want for the village in terms of such things as the Environment, Local Transport and Community facilities

This can only happen however if the village wants it – and takes the necessary steps to make it happen. 

Your Parish Council will shortly be asking you some questions about all this, and to help you decide how you want to respond we are holding a

Public Meeting in the Village Hall on
Monday 28 November at 8.00pm.

At which speakers, both local and from AVDC, will explain what is happening and what you need to do both now and in the future.

It is hard to overstate how important these developments could be for the future of our Village. 
 Do please make every effort to come along.

Neighbourhood Police Team: November Newsletter

The Neighbourhood Police Newsletter for November can be downloaded here.

Tuesday 15 November 2011

Thames Valley goes live with 101

This is a Community Message from Aylesbury Watch Office on Monday 14 November.

Thames Valley Police has gone live today with 101, the new national single non-emergency number, which will replace the 0845 8 505 505 number.

Both numbers will run side-by-side until the end of March, but if demand for the 0845 8 505 505 number drops it may be discontinued earlier.

Calls to 101 (from both landlines and mobile networks) cost 15 pence per call, no matter what time of day the call is made, or the duration of the call.

Everyone calling the police for non-emergency matters will now know exactly how much a call will cost them, and can be assured of equal access whether they are on a pay-as-you-go mobile or a home landline.

The routeing will be based on the same system as 999 calls which links a caller's dialling code to the police force that covers that geographic area. Calls from a landline will be routed to the nearest police force that covers the area's dialling code. If the caller is using a mobile, the call will be routed using the location of the mast that the phone is transmitting from.

If a call is made to 101 within a force area that has not yet 'gone live', the caller will hear a recorded message telling them to redial using the relevant non-emergency number.

Thursday 10 November 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Chearsley Shop
The village has been waiting and hoping for a few months now for the shop to be open again. The very welcome news is that within the next week, the shop will be opening. It will then be up to us all to use and support the shop, enjoying the opportunity to have a vital community service, and meeting place back again, and for us to make sure it stays.

Firework Night
The Youth Club put on a wonderful display on Friday 4th at the Village Hall. Great value for money with delicious mulled wine and hot dogs and soup available. About £150 was raised for vital new equipment for the Youth Club.

Village Lunch at The Bell
The next lunch will be held on Wednesday November 23. Please contact Ann Hooton on 208306 or Alan Mitchener on 208893 if you would like to come. Please note that the Christmas Lunch will be on Wednesday December 14.

Special Village Meetings
The Parish Council is organizing 2 special village meetings in the next couple of weeks. One to discuss how to celebrate the forthcoming Queen’s Jubilee, the Olympics and our usual fete which is on Monday 21 in the village hall. The second one is on Monday 28 which will introduce and explain the Vale of Aylesbury Plan, which is inviting Chearsley to submit its views for the future planning of the village.

Mobile Library
This will next be in the village on Monday November 21 on the village green from 12.20 until 12.45pm

Short Mat Bowls
This group will no longer be meeting due to falling numbers. However, Keith Wright (complete with new hip – all the best Keith) is hoping to restart with renewed membership and enthusiasm after Christmas. This will be on Wednesday nights in the village hall.

Haddenham Brownies

1st Haddenham Brownies will have to close at Christmas unless more help and a leader is found. Would anyone be able to help this group keep going? They meet on a Monday evening at the Scout and Guide centre in Haddenham. Please get in touch with Tracey on 01844 290999 or Diane on 01844 292046 for more information or go along to one of the meetings. It would be a shame for the group, which has been running for 60 years and has a waiting list of eager would-be Brownies, if it has to close.

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Looking for ways to cut your energy bills before winter?


from Thame and District Citizens Advice Bureau

At the moment, half of the UK's carbon emissions come from the energy used to generate heat. As a result, a switch to low carbon heating is vital to meet the UK’s carbon targets.  

A new Government scheme, which runs from 1 August 2011 to 31 March 2012, has been set up to help people install green energy heating systems. The scheme is particularly for those households who don't have mains gas heating. You can get grants for the following amounts, for the following products:

  • a ground source or water source heat pump - £1,250 (for homes without mains gas heating)
  • a biomass boiler - £950 (for homes without mains gas heating)
  • an air source heat pump - £850 (for homes without mains gas heating)
  • solar thermal hot water panels - £300 (available to all households).

The scheme for householders is mainly aimed at the 5.5 million households in Great Britain not heated by mains gas. Rather than mains gas, these households have to rely on expensive and higher carbon forms of heating such as heating oil and electric fires to keep warm. To qualify, householders will need to ensure they have basic energy efficiency measures in place before they apply.

Up to 25,000 new installations will be supported over the next year. The grants will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis, and providers of social housing can also apply. For more information, including how to register early, visit: www.directgov.uk or call the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512 012.

For more advice on getting the best energy deal, or help if you’re struggling to pay gas and electricity bills, contact:

CAB adviceline  08 444 111 444 or 0300 3300 650(mobile)
For general advice visit www.adviceguide.org.uk
Your local CAB is in Market Square, Thame

Tuesday 8 November 2011

Your Village, Your Choice...

What would you like to celebrate in 2012?
  • Chearsley Olympics?
  • Queen’s Jubilee?
  • Village Fete?
Come to the meeting at Chearsley Village Hall
Monday, November 21st at 7:30pm
and have your say!

Friday 4 November 2011

Britain in a Day

from Caroline Ward - Assistant Producer, Britain in a Day

Britain in a Day is an exciting film-making project, which gives our audience a starring role on both sides of the camera. In partnership with Scott Free London, and directed by Morgan Matthews, the BBC is asking the people of the UK to make films about their lives on one day in 2011: Saturday November 12th.

We’re not looking for the next hi-tech blockbuster: we want intimate, personal films which provide a real insight into their lives and the life of the UK. And they don’t need to be master film-makers: they can use a camcorder or even a phone. It’s about passion, not technique. We want thousands of films uploaded to YouTube, to create a unique portrait of modern day Britain. When that treasure trove of personal films is up there on line, we’ll take the best of them and turn them into one of the big television moments of 2012 – to help us celebrate Olympic Year. 

We want people from all kinds of backgrounds to make Britain in a Day a success:  students; film-making societies; community groups and complete novices. Everyone is welcome.

The idea is based on 'Life in a Day’, the global, user-generated cinema film produced by Ridley Scott’s company Scott Free. 80,000 people from around the world submitted short clips of their day to YouTube, wherever they were and whatever they were doing.
Similarly 'Britain in a Day' aims to capture an authentic & broad-reaching snap-shot of modern Britain.

In the run-up to the mass-film-making day (Nov 12th), BBC Learning aims to inspire the nation to take part in this project: to make their own films and to upload them.  
We’ll be doing this in two ways:
  • In partnership with Rosa Productions, we’ll be showing hundreds of people from community groups across the UK how to make films about their day.
  • We’ll also be launching a web site which will host three new ‘how-to’ films fronted by a Dan Snow and Julia Bradbury -- and we’ll be providing simple written guides to accompany the films. From 28th October these will all be available on bbc.co.uk/britaininaday
  • We hope the campaign will be shared by social media using #britaininaday on your Facebook pages, Flickr and Twitter
Britain in a Day will be launched to the public on October 28th, across the BBC’s programming -- on outlets including The One Show, BBC News in the Nations and English Regions and on network radio. For the three weeks afterwards, we’ll be aiming to keep the project in the public eye, with a view to getting thousands of films uploaded.    

What you need to know –
  • People making films do not need to have made a film before.
  • There are no requirements as to what cameras are used – but, we’re keen for the films to be of as good a quality as possible.
  • A YouTube site will become available to upload the films.
  • Some films (or clips from them) will be broadcast on BBC2 next year
  • 14-18s can submit films to the YouTube BIAD channel, but they will have to secure parental consent before they can be used
You can download the BBC poster and read the Press Release.

Thursday 3 November 2011

Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Charity Fund-raising Events

Testicular Cancer
A group of Bell regulars, led (or misled) by Ollie, had a good day in London recently, touring Fullers pubs, when they raised over £350 for testicular cancer.

Florence Nightingale Hospice
A record 100 golfers turned out recently to play in this year’s Waterside Investments Charity Golf Day at The Oxfordshire Golf Club. Paul Bown of Church Lane, Chearsley was delighted to present Lindsey Fealy from Florence Nightingale Hospice with a cheque for £7.800, bringing the 5 year total raised at the event to over £35,000. Paul would like to thank all players, sponsors and individuals and companies who provided the auction prizes. Next year’s event will take place on Monday July 16. Please contact Paul at paulbown@watersideinvestments.co.uk if you would like details of this or would be willing to provide something for the auction.

Chearsley Cricket Dinner
This was held recently at The Spread Eagle, Thame, attended by nearly 100 players, officials and guests, when over £2,000 was raised for Club Funds. Their thanks to everyone who came and to John Howard and Alex Brown for top organizational skills.

Public Meeting for 2012 Celebrations
All Chearsley residents are invited to attend a meeting organized by the Parish Council, in the village hall on Monday November 21 to discuss events that can take place in Chearsley next year to celebrate the London Olympics, the Queen’s Jubilee and our own biennial fete. Please come along if you have any ideas, suggestions, or offers of help. Events in Chearsley don’t happen unless people want them to and are prepared to get involved. The Parish Council is holding this meeting to set the ball rolling - come and help it gather momentum. Please see the notice board for the time of the meeting.

Bingo
October’s Bingo session was well attended on Tuesday 1st at The Bell, with a top prize of £91 for the full house on the last game. Unfortunately, I was not a winner, so it will be Pound Shop Christmas presents for my family this year, unless, the Christmas Bingo on December 6th is a good one for me. A raffle is held each session, this month raising £42 for The Bell’s charity, an eye scanner for Stoke Mandeville.

Bonus Ball at The Bell
The Bell runs a Bonus Ball each week, where participants pay £1 for a lucky dip in the bag of 49 numbers. From this £4 goes to the charity appeal. £45 to the lucky winner with the matching bonus ball number.

Key rings with a photo of The Bell are for sale at a price of £2.50

Dominio Nights
Ollie is hoping to get together a team of domino players to start friendly practice games each Thursday, with a view to joining a league next year. If you are interested, please get in touch with Ollie at The Bell

Sunday night Quiz at The Bell
The next in this ever popular event will be on Sunday November 13 when the Salad Dodgers, last month’s winners, will be setting the questions. 7.30 start. Please come along on the night and make up a team, or contact The Bell if you would like to book a table.

Parish Council Meeting
The next meeting will be held in the village hall on Monday November 14 at 7.30. All members of the public are invited.

Recycling
Containers for glass together with baskets for plastics, paper and cans will next be collected on Tuesday November 15.

WI November Meeting
Chearsley WI will hold their Annual Meeting on Tuesday November 15 at the village hall. This will be followed by a talk by Mary Rumsey from Rumsey’s Handmade Chocolate Ltd. There will be samples to taste and chocolates to buy. Visitors are very welcome and should come up at about 2.30pm.

Guided tours round Chearsley
A sudden influx of visitors to Chearsley last Wednesday 26 were members of Haddenham U3A who came to take part in a guided tour of the village. The tour and talk, led by Ann Hooton, concentrated on the many stories of village life and its characters from the time of its creation to the present day. This was the fourth tour Ann has given, showing the mostly unknown, hidden parts of Chearsley. The 27 visitors were also treated to a photographic exhibition of old Chearsley and enjoyed refreshments in The Bell. Ann says “It is always a pleasure to show others what Chearsley is all about and the Haddenham group were very lively and interested.” Ann invites other groups to get in touch if they would like to benefit from her knowledge of the village, and enjoy a tour. Proceeds will go towards the village hall. Contact Ann on 208306 or ann_hooton@yahoo.co.uk.

Snow volunteers
I have had a couple of owners of 4 x 4 vehicles, or cars with winter tyres offering their services in the event of snowy weather. Any one who would also be able to help, please get in touch with me or Claire Lazaruk.

Tea Party
Debbie Corpe and her mother, Joc, are again inviting everyone to Farmfields, Willow Gate on Friday November 18 from 2 until 4.30 for tea and cakes. This is to raise funds for Shaftesbury Court – an adult care home in Winslow. As well as tea and cakes, there will be cakes for sale, plants and bulbs, raffle, bring and buy, candles and second-hand books.

Big Heat Fund
The Winter Fuel Payments will shortly be paid to everyone over the age of 60, regardless of need. Now is the time to think about donating some or all of this amount to the Big Heat Appeal run by Bucks Community Foundation. All money donated to this appeal will benefit local elderly Bucks people. The idea has been so successful in Bucks that it has now gone nationwide with SAGA supporting The Surviving Winter Appeal. With money donated from last year’s payments, many clubs, groups and day-care centres for the elderly in Bucks have received donations which has enabled the groups to keep going, many providing hot meals and companionship for the members. The benefits are countless. Please go to www.buckscf.org.uk for more information on how to donate or to apply for a grant from the Fund or write to Bucks community Foundation at Foundation House, 119A Bicester Road, Aylesbury HP19 9BA

2011 Charity Golf Day


A record 100 golfers turned out to play in this year’s Waterside Investments Charity Golf day at The Oxfordshire Golf Club. Paul Bown was delighted to present Lindsey Fealey from the Florence Nightingale Hospice with a cheque for £7,800, bringing the 5 year total raised at the event to over £35,000.

Paul would like to thank all the players, sponsors and individuals  and companies who provided the auction prizes. A date for the diaries – next year’s event will be held on Monday 16th July 2012. Please contact Paul if you would like details of next year’s event or would be willing to provide something for the auction.

Paulbown@waterside-investments.co.uk