with Margaret Morbey
Pilates in Chearsley
Good news for devotees of Pilates who have missed Debbie’s classes in the village and who have not found a replacement class. A new weekly Pilates class is starting in the village hall on Tuesdays from 7 until 8pm. The first one will be on April 2. and will be suitable for all l levels of pilates ability. Please contact Katy on 07752 401895 or email her at katylamp@gmail.com to pre-book your place. You will need to bring your own mat.
Steam train
My very reliable source of information for all matters concerning steam trains tells me that on Saturday April 6, the “Marylebone Flyer” with locomotive 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, a non-stop steam train, will be running from Birmingham to London along the Chiltern line and therefore through Chearsley. A very special event in the history of steam preservation, as it has been almost 60 years since the last public non-stop steam express train ran from Birmingham to London. Run in conjunction with Chiltern Railways, the train is scheduled to depart from the recently re-opened bay platforms at Birmingham Moor Street Station at about 10am, arriving non-stop into Marylebone just before noon. Anyone wishing to view it steam along the track at Chearsley and maybe getting a glimpse of my informant waving his hanky, should be ready and waiting around 11am. Be prepared to wait, as things don’t always go to plan. With a limited load of 8 coaches on this high-speed dash through the Chilterns, it is hoped to re-create the heady days of the Inter-city expresses that the Castle Class locomotives became renowned for.
Easter in Chearsley - There will be a Good Friday service at 10am in Chearsley Church and an Easter Garden Service and Communion at 10am on Easter Sunday March 31.
The Bell is holding an Easter Egg Hunt in the Bell garden at 11am with hot dogs, chips and squash costing £4.50 per child.
Refuse Collection - The collection of food bins and recycling bins will be a day later on Saturday March 30, as no collections take place on Good Friday.
Bingo at The Bell - The April session of Bingo is on Tuesday April 2 starting at around 8.30pm. A specially priced meal is available for bingo players.
Parish Council Meeting - this took place on Monday March 18 under the chairmanship of Nic Brown with 5 members of the public present. Vehicle damage to verges and banks around the village was discussed. Thoughtless car parking at the Village Green was a problem and should be discouraged, lorries causing damage should have their number taken and reported. Damage caused by the sewage lorries last year in Church Lane had yet to be made good despite letters to them. The Parish Council would make a formal complaint. It was agreed a suggestion of posts and chain around the village green for protection and safety of children could be discussed by the village at the annual meeting. AVDC had agreed to reinstate damage round The Old Plough at their cost. Priority areas in the kerbing programme would be looked at by Mike Heybrook and further funding applied for to match money put aside by the Parish Council in order to continue the kerbing plan.
The council agreed to send a letter to the planning committee concerning the proposed extension in Bernards Close, supporting a neighbour’s despair about the lack of communication and consideration he has had with the planning authorities
It was agreed to have a presentation concerning a cycle path between Chearsley and Haddenham station – a very costly venture needing serious funding – at the Annual Parish Meeting and for further investigations to proceed through the Village Plan.
The Village plan progress is continuing with hopes for a village open meeting to be held in June with the final plan ready for publication in early autumn.
The next Parish Council meeting will be held on Monday April 15 at 7.30pm in the village hall.
