The HGV/LGV Menace

From John Howard on behalf of Chearsley Parish Council

Many of you may recall seeing the devastation at the Chestnut Tree at the centre of our village earlier this year.

On the evening of Tuesday 16th February, a large lorry tried to make a sharp right right turn from the Aylesbury Road onto the Winchendon Road. A car driver, who had been behind the lorry from Cuddington, then witnessed what was clearly an impossible manoeuvre for such a large vehicle in making a sharp right turn around a tight corner. The lorry flattened the large ‘Give Way’ sign, located by the junction, and also caused significant damage to the kerbside bank, as shown by these photographs. Needless to say, the lorry didn’t stop but, while our witness was unable to get the vehicle registration number, she was able to record the name of the company on the trailer – APL Logistics, a large international haulage group.

The Parish Council contacted the company, who were quick to abdicate all responsibility for the incident, saying they rent out a large number of containers to local hauliers and for them to identify the culprit without a vehicle registration number, would be like ‘finding a needle in a haystack’ – well, they would say that, wouldn’t they.

Our subsequent contact with Bucks County Council told us that, in the absence of the vehicle registration number or photographic evidence, there was very little prospect of securing a damages claim against the offending party.

They advised us that the information needed to support a successful claim was as follows:

• Date of incident
• Time of incident
• Location of incident
• Vehicle type (e.g LGV, farm vehicle, bus, skip lorry)
• Direction of travel
• Vehicle registration
• Company details (if available)
• Photograph

If any Chearsley resident is witness to any form of damage or other antisocial behaviour perpetrated by an LGV (Large Goods Vehicle), please do your best to gather as much of the above information as possible – in particular, the registration number of the vehicle and photographic evidence are critical. Then please pass the information to John Howard – jnh@dbmc.co.uk or 07970 651326

Your Parish Council have also been in discussion with Bucks County Council and other local villages (Ashendon, Cuddington and Westcott) about the increasing numbers of LGVs using the minor roads through our villages en route to the new landfill and incinerator facilities at Calvert.

There are a number of possible measures which might be taken to restrict LGVs using minor roads as short cuts, rather than sticking to major roads – A418, A41, M40 and so on.

In order to identify the best solution, we first need to gather a ‘body of evidence’ to demonstrate the extent of the problem.

To get things moving, we have agreed to carry out a test survey in co-operation with Ashendon, Cuddington and Westcott during Friday 10th June. We will monitor all LGVs entering our villages during the hours of 8am to 4pm.

As far as Chearsley is concerned, we’ll need to monitor and document vehicles entering the village on the Aylesbury, Winchendon, Chilton and Crendon Roads. If you are able to help, please contact John Howard – jnh@dbmc.co.uk or 07970 651326 and indicate the hours during which you would be available to help with this work. A full briefing will be given ahead of the day.

In addition to LGV/HGV ‘menace’, a number of residents have also expressed concerns about the growing numbers of vehicles driving through our village at high speeds. The Parish Council will be taking specialist advice on this matter as well, to establish whether effective traffic calming measures are available.

John Howard
Great Barn
School Lane
Chearsley
Bucks
HP180BT

01844 208036
07970 651326

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New Bin Day

AVDC are changing our refuse collecting day - from 8th of June, Bin Day will be on a

Wednesday

Wed 8th: Green Lids - Wed 15th: Blue Lids, etc.

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Sports Awards 2016

Volunteers and communities make sport happen and without dedicated coaches, team managers, scorers and kit washers thousands of people wouldn’t feel the benefits of taking part in sport.

Leap - The Sport and Activity Partnership for Bucks & MK - think those people deserve a thank you. So they are appealing to you to help them identify the people and organisations who make sport happen in order that they can recognise and celebrate them.

They welcome nominations across 10 categories:

• Active Workplace of the year
• Club of the year
• Volunteer of the year
• Young Leader of the year
• Community Coach of the year
• Performance Coach of the year
• Project of the year
• Primary School of the year
• Secondary School of the year
• Unsung Hero of the year (The Terry Cook Award)

If you know of a person, group or organisation within our Parish who deserve to be recognised and celebrated then please nominate them at www.leapwithus.org.uk/sportawards. Nominations are open now, until 16th August.

Shortlisted nominees from each category will be invited to the county Sport Awards presentation evening at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on 18th November.

You can find out more about the awards and previous winners by visiting their website.

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Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Services of Thanksgiving For the Lives of Brian William Arnott and Raymond John Tribe.
Chearsley Church was overflowing for both these services conducted by The Rev Derek Witchell to say goodbye to two well known and well loved Chearsley friends.
Brian’s took place on Tuesday May 10th and included lovely tributes from his daughter and granddaughter and a funny and touching piece called “Grampy” written and read by his grandson, James. Brian was then given a very lively send off at his home, Marsh Farm, where there was an on-going slide show of photos of him over the years at family parties, playing golf and on holiday with friends. Donations in memory of Brian can be made to The British Heart Foundation.
John’s was held in lovely sunshine on Thursday May 12th with many friends, family, villagers and members of Chearsley Cricket Club. Interesting tributes were given by his brother Steven, and one by his son Nick and stepson John, confirming his sporting and academic prowess throughout his life and the love and his respect his family and step-family had for “Big John” as he became known. The service ended very appropriately with the theme tune from Test Match Cricket – Soul Limbo - as John’s coffin was carried out of the church. Donations in memory of John Tribe can be made to Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity c/o F J Wilson at Greenway, Haddenham HP17 8BJ or at www.fnhospice.org.uk.

Wild flower verges
The wildflower seed mix sown three years ago on verges prepared by Michael Heybrook now have patches of cowslips flowering. These will be followed by several other wildflowers specially suited to butterflies and bees including ox-eye daisies and knapweed. Do look out for them on the left as you enter the village from Long Crendon.

Bingo at The Bell
There were some very lucky multiple winners and some first time winners at May’s Bingo at The Bell, when the jackpot for the final game went for £60. Belinda was celebrating her birthday and was treated to a fine rendition of “Happy Birthday” by the pub and a cake from Sharon. The raffle of £38 was donated into the Charity Pot which is now supporting Maggie’s Centres, a charity offering emotional and social support to cancer sufferers and their families. Bingo for June will be on Tuesday June 7 at 8.30-ish.

Queen Elizabeth’s Birthday Celebration Saturday June 11 Evening Disco and celebrations at The Bell. Come and join The Queen who is making a special guest appearance, spruced up and ready to party to celebrate her 90th birthday. More details available soon.

The Bell is now open all day Saturdays and Sundays. Come and enjoy some time in the sunshine , which we hope to have, in The Bell’s lovely garden – a good, safe place for the children to play while the adults relax over a drink and a meal.

Street Party on Sunday June 12
Have you bought your tickets for this picnic lunch for children to celebrate the Queen’s Birthday? The Village Hall committee are inviting all children to come along in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s birthday. Tickets cost £2.50 per child. Please book your tickets by emailing chearsleyvillagehall@hotmail.co.uk. There will also be a barbecue at The Bell from 12.30pm.

Failed attempt at a break-in
This occurred at a house in Chearsley over the weekend May 7 and 8 when a side and out-of-public-view door was forced, but no entry gained. A timely reminder to be vigilant about the security of your house particularly in warm weather when it is tempting to leave windows and doors open, providing easy access for a thief and there are likely to be more visitors to the village. Sheds should be padlocked and garden tools marked with your postcode. Light sensitive switches or time switches are good ways to ensure the house is lit at the right times when you are away.

St Nicholas Church Services:

• Sunday May 22 Family Service at 10am

Diary Dates :

• Sunday May 22 Afternoon Cream Tea at The Tythe Barn, Haddenham in aid of Florence Nightingale
• Saturday June 11 Disco and The Queen’s Birthday celebration at The Bell
• Sunday June 12 BBQ and children’s street party at 12.30 at The Bell to celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday
• Saturday September 17 Fundraising for the village hall with a Fun Run in and around the village
• Saturday October 8 Murder Mystery Night with local drama group, The Thame Players at the village hall - fund raising for the new hall.

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Village News

with Margaret Morbey

Sunshine Club Matinee Cinema - Funny Girl
The next screening by The Sunshine Club in The Bernard Hall, Cuddington will be on Monday May 16 at 1.30pm when Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif will be shown. Tickets cost £5 or £4 concessions and it is advisable to book you seat by ringing Liz Davies on 01844 299150. There could also be tickets available on the door which open at 1pm.
The price of the ticket includes tea and cake during the interval. If you haven’t been before you are assured of a comfortable seat in front of a big screen. Parking is limited outside the hall and it is suggested you park in the Playing Fields Car Park leaving room for disabled visitors to park closer to the hall.

Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity are holding an Afternoon Cream Tea with music on Sunday May 22 from 2.30 to 5.30pm at The Tythe Barn, Manor Farm, Church End, Haddenham. Tickets cost £5 for adults and £2.50 for children under 6 years and are available on the door, from The Florence Nightingale Shop in Fort End which is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday, by ringing Sue Peck on 01844 292110 or from Blooming Fruity in The Parade where you can buy good quality, competitively priced fresh fruit and vegetables and other goodies at the same time. There will also be a tombola and a Grand Spring Draw. Many people in Chearsley will know that John Tribe who died on April 25 spent his last weeks at Florence Nightingale Hospice in Aylesbury. £650,000 is needed to be raised this year to ensure the continued funding of local in-patient and at-home palliative care service.

New Village Hall
Planning for this was submitted to AVDC on April 29. A letter in support of the new village hall has been received from our local MP, John Bercow who writes “..The Village hall which was officially opened in 1951 has created a place for itself at the heart of the village; the hall is utilized on a daily basis by the local pre-school and is regularly used for meetings, gatherings and even exercise classes. Quite simply, the hall is a very important space. For the local community. However, the hall is in desperate need of modernisation and over recent years the Committee along with the support of the Parish Council and local residents has embarked upon an incredible task ..”
His letter can be viewed in full on the Village Hall webiste.
The Committee invite all Chearsley residents to send letters of support for the hall, specifically suggesting what activities and services they would like to see in the new hall and detailing what their frustrations are with the current hall. These will then be attached to the all important grant applications and help to make our case a really strong one. Letters addressed to Antonia Stratford, Chair Village Hall Committee, Winchendon Road, Chearsley HP18 0DP can then be emailed to her at antoniastratford40@gmail.com. There is no need for the letters to be signed. If you would prefer to post your letter, these can be put in Antonia’s post box at The Old Granary, Chilton Road.

St Nicholas Church Services:

• Sunday May 15 BCP Holy Communion at 9am

Diary Dates:

• Saturday May 14 at 7.30pm Galliard Concert in Cuddington Parish Church in aid of Christian Aid
• Monday May 16 Mobile Library will be in the village from 10 to 10.25am
• Monday May 16 Funny Girl at The Bernard Hall, Cuddington at 1.30.pm
• Monday May 16 Parish council meeting at 7.30 in the village hall (to be confirmed)
• Sunday May 22 Afternoon Cream Tea at The Tythe Barn, Haddenham in aid of Florence Nightingale
• Sunday June 12 BBQ and children’s street party at 12.30 at The Bell to celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday

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Village News

with Margaret Morbey

John Tribe -A Fine Innings
John Tribe of Church Lane died on Monday April 25. He had been suffering from cancer for several months. “Big John” as he was known to many at the cricket club will be sadly missed by his devoted family and many friends in the village. John moved to Chearsley nearly 50 years ago in 1968 and soon started playing cricket for the village team which then had its home in “Snowy’s field”. The Club faltered for many years but was reborn at a new venue on the Winchendon Road under the guiding hands of John and Mike Heybrook.
John was club captain for the first two years of the club’s new life and served as Chairman for 16 years from 1992 to 2008. He remained a regular visitor to the club in recent years, whether giving wise counsel to the younger players or cheering on the England rugby team in the Six Nations, as he did just a few weeks ago. Not only was John a stalwart of the cricket club, he served and supported the village over the years in many ways, not least in his capacity as treasurer for many village committees, including the Village Hall Management committee and clubs.
John was a much loved member of the community and he will be greatly missed. Condolences go to John’s wife, Jean, his two sons, Nick and John, Nick’s partner, Jason, John’s wife Emma and his three grandchildren, Sam, Chloe and Isobel. Please go to the Chearsley Cricket Club website for an obituary by Michael Heybrook and photos of John.
John's funeral will be held at St Nicholas church, Chearsley, at 2.30pm Thursday, 12th May

Brian Arnott 
John’s very good friend of many years, Brian Arnott, died suddenly in High Wycombe hospital following a stroke on Tuesday April 26th, with his family at his bedside. Brian, of Marsh Farm, Nether Winchendon, was a familiar and well known face in Chearsley, easily recognised by his fine head of white hair, a loyal supporter of Chearsley events and who enjoyed a pint or two in The Bell, often in the company of his family, which included five grandchildren, all of whom were extremely important to Brian.
He will be missed by his many friends in Chearsley, Nether Winchendon and Long Crendon, where he once lived, and not least by his regular Thursday companion, who with another friend, now sadly deceased, were often likened to the three characters from The Last of the Summer Wine when spotted at Chearsley bus stop waiting for the bus to start that week’s adventure. Condolences to his wife, Gladys, his children, Nicola and David and their families.
Brian's funeral will be held at St Nicholas church, Chearsley, at 1.30pm Tuesday, 10th May

Bertie Alexander William Eames
As we say goodbye this week to 2 older members of Chearsley community, we can welcome a new arrival to the village. A reminder of the cycle of life. Bertie was born on Wednesday April 20. Congratulations to proud parents Hannah and Andrew.

New Village Hall Meeting - Saturday April 23
The Village Hall committee were pleased to welcome over 100 villagers throughout Saturday morning interested to learn more about the proposed new village hall and who were able to get a good idea from drawings and an ongoing screening of a slide show of how the exterior and interior will look.
Chairman, Antonia Stratford gave a brief but comprehensive report of the extensive work which had been undertaken with others of the committee and with the architect to achieve the plans now ready to be submitted for planning approval. She was very hopeful that a great deal of the probable cost of £450,000 could be raised from grants. Considerable donations have already been received from the Heybrook family and Rectory Homes.
Once planning permission is obtained, there are many grants which can be applied for. There will also be future fund raising events in the village including a Street Party in June to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, a Fun Run for children and adults in September, and a Murder Mystery evening with Thame players in October. There will be more details about these events in due course. Antonia has also signed up to Easy Fundraising and the Aylesbury Vale Lottery for villagers to help raise money for the hall. More details of how these work can be found on the Village Hall website
The architect, Lynn Palmer reported how she drew up a list of needs the committee told her the village hall must have. Several members of the committee had visited different new village halls in the area to get a good idea of how the hall could look. One of these halls was the one at Oving whose beamed interior and brick and wooden exterior was much admired. The new hall would have the possibility to have 2 halls which could accommodate 2 activities at the same time or be made into 1 large space with the facility for adding on an outside marquee. There would be a main entrance from the car park area as well as a side entrance which would enable the present main user of the hall, Chuf , to be kept separate and secure. There would be adequate storage space within the hall for tables and chairs and other day to day needs. Other large equipment, such as blocks for a stage would be kept in an outside container. Jack Peeters, of Oving Village Hall then gave the audience the benefit of his considerable and valuable experiences in funding and planning for the hall at Oving.
It took many years of hard work from start to finish to achieve their aim of having a village hall, but despite many difficulties they now have a very attractive hall, award winning for its design and in constant use. A success story. A question and answer session finished off the morning and thanks from the floor was given to Antonia for the enthusiasm, time and hard work she has already given towards getting Chearsley a new village hall. The next stage is for planning permission to be sought and grants to be applied for.

Sunshine Club Spring Bazaar
This was held in The Bernard Hall on Saturday April 23 and proved to be as sociable and entertaining as usual, resulting in £366 being raised for the Club’s funds. The organisers would like to thank all donators, helpers and customers for their support.

Cuddington Concert
The Galliard Band and Friends will performing with special guests, Sue and Clive Carey, well known local folk musicians in another concert “Now is The Month of Maying” on Saturday May 14 at St Nicholas Church, Cuddington in aid of Christian Aid. You can expect a programme of warm-hearted and inspiring music for a Spring evening played on recorders of all shapes and sizes with tasty refreshments and canapés in the interval – a feast for all senses. Tickets cost £10 and £3 for under 16s and are available from Caroline Saker on 01844 291825, from Cuddington Stores or online at www.cuddingtonvillage.com/church. The concert starts at 7.30pm.

Coach Outing to the Vale of Evesham with the Sunshine Club
There are places available for this scenic coach trip on Tuesday May 17, stopping off at Moreton-in-Marsh for coffee and the popular market. Then on to Evesham Country Park for shopping and lunch. The coach will be spacious with a toilet. Pick up in Upper Green Cuddington at 9.30am, arriving back approximately 5pm. There will also be a pick up and drop off at Chearsley. The cost is £10 for the coach. Please phone Liz Davies on 01844 299150 if you would like to book a seat.

Bank Holiday Monday: The Witchert Chorale will be singing Madrigals from St Mary’s Tower in Long Crendon from 8.30am. Afterwards they sing inside the church. Coffee and rolls are then available for everyone.
Bank Holiday Monday afternoon: Cream teas will be served at St Nicholas church, Nether Winchendon between 2 and 5pm.

St Nicholas Church Services:

• Sunday May 8 Evensong at 6pm

Diary Dates:

• Tuesday May 3 Bingo at The Bell
• Sunday May 8 Monthly Quiz at The Bell
• Saturday May 14 at 7.30pm Galliard Concert in Cuddington Parish Church in aid of Christian Aid
• Monday May 16 Mobile Library will be in the village from 10 to 10.25am
• Monday May 16 Parish council meeting at 7.30 in the village hall (to be confirmed)
• Sunday June 12 BBQ and children’s street party at 12.30 at The Bell to celebrate The Queen’s 90th birthday

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