Alderton Village Newsletter - August 2024Note from Editor: At last some sunshine, although as I write I can hear rumblings of thunder! GCSE and A level Results Days are this month, so very best wishes to all our village teens who sat these exams earlier this Summer. August is often a quiet month, but not this year! Lots of info in the main newsletter and a few more in the What’s On section at the end. (If you know of any fetes, fairs, fundraisers or just fun to be had, do email me so I can add them on in the future.) Mary Merheim You can receive this, and all future newsletters via email by signing up here: www.aldertonvillage.co.uk/newsletter-signup Please do spread the word and check your friends and neighbours get it digitally or in paper format (from the church this month). 1. ALDERTON PARISH COUNCIL NEWSwww.aldertonparishcouncil.org.uk [email protected] Proposed New Development – Land south of Beckford Road [35 houses] This is the outline planning application with access by Franklin Road for up to 35 dwellings. The Parish Council has submitted its objection. There may still be time to comment but please comment as soon as possible. How to make your comments: WEBSITE – www.tewkesbury.gov.uk/planning
EMAIL - You can email your letter/comments to [email protected]Please ensure you add ref 24/00393/OUT to the subject line. You’ll need to include your name and address (These are not published). IN WRITING - including ref 24/00393/OUT Planning Department Tewkesbury Borough Council, Gloucester Road Tewkesbury GL20 5TT Each Individual member rather than just households can express a view and non-residents can also comment Proposed New Development – Land West of Willow Bank Road [ 48 houses] The development is awaiting transfer of land ownership but this should be completed by mid August. Proposed New Development – Land East of St Margaret’s Drive [48 houses] The archaeological dig continues and details of the full application are still awaited. Proposed New Development- Land South of Dibden Lane [ 26 affordable houses] There have been no further developments Flooding The meeting took place with Gloucestershire County Council, Tewkesbury Council, our County Councillor, and local landowners to discuss recent flooding events. We await a report on issues and potential improvements. Community Infrastructure Levy The Parish Council, aided by the Gloucestershire Community in Action, has started to investigate facts and options relating to the needs of the enlarged community. There will be consultation with villagers at a later stage. Allotments Council awaits news of its application for a grant to restore the old village shop, located on the allotments, for community use. Benches New benches have been installed at the Village Hall and Cambridge Square. The bench at the War Memorial is being refurbished. Verges Grass cutting by Gloucestershire Council has now been completed. All enquiries/ correspondence to the Parish Council should be sent to [email protected]. Documents relating to the Parish Council can be viewed on www.aldertonparishcouncil.org.uk. DATE OF NEXT PARISH COUNCIL MEETING at 7pm, 20 August 2024 in the Village Hall. 2. ALDERTON & GREAT WASHBOURNE NEWSWelcome to new residents, wherever you live in the village! This newsletter is published monthly and tells you what’s going on. The village website is at www.aldertonvillage.co.uk and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aldertonglos We also have various WhatsApp groups:
To join the first two message Mark on 07973 963539 or email [email protected]. To join the chat and women’s group message Mary on 07826 019476 VILLAGE HALL NEWS www.aldertonvillagehall.co.uk [email protected] / [email protected] Our next coffee morning is on Saturday 3rd August, 10-12pm. Come along for coffee, tea and delicious homemade cakes and to try out our lovely new chairs. NO COFFEE MORNING IN SEPTEMBER because……. Alderton Village Show. Sunday 8th September 2024 The show schedule is now ready and is available in the shop, on the end of the digital version of this newsletter and on the Alderton Village website. There are lots of different classes for everyone to enjoy and get involved in, including Fruit and Veg growing, Flower displays, Arts and Crafts, Baking and Making, and fun junior classes. If your children are looking for something to do over the summer holiday, why not see if they could make something to enter? On the day itself, once all the judging has been completed the show is open from 1pm for you all to come along to the Village Hall and view the winning exhibits. Remember, It’s all in the name of fun and community spirit! For more details, contact Sian Tryner on 620906/07790 342157 [email protected] Download the Alderton Village Show Schedule & entry form here:
GARDENING CLUB NEWS www.aldertonvillage.co.uk/alderton-gardening-club Phil Kitson/Tom Cullimore For our July meeting of the Alderton Gardening Club we welcomed organic gardener Nicola Hope, from Malmesbury. Nicola holds a Masters Degree in Horticulture after studying at Pershore College and Worcester University. She also took a course at the Cotswold Gardening School in design. As a student she regularly used to volunteer at Highgrove for the then Prince of Wales, and after her training held head gardener positions working at the Abbey House in Malmesbury; Cole Park for Anoushka Hempel and at Lake House for Sting! She now is a freelance, designing and planning organic gardens as well as doing lectures to gardening clubs and other groups. Nicola took us through a whole year of gardening with superb photographs taken at places where she has worked as well as in her own garden. Countless plant, tree and shrub recommendations were given as well as lots of advice and tips on how to garden organically. Nicola is incredibly passionate about her work and her belief in not using chemicals. She is a firm believer in beer traps for slug control, and the use of seaweed extract feeds along with using biodegradable jute twine. 'No dig' is also something she practices for vegetable growing along with production of her own compost and leaf mould. Our audience were given plenty of ideas and solutions for organic growing techniques, as well as plant/ bulb planting combinations in a thoroughly informative presentation. She cited King Charles as her biggest influence with organic gardening. Nicola then answered several questions before taking a break whilst Chairman Tom read out the latest club news and village notices. Nicola presented Julie Plummer our winner of this month's £10 garden voucher with her prize. A special award then followed with the presentation of The RHS Banksian medal and certificate to Helen West for her many decades of community effort in Alderton. Helen was on the original steering committee when the Gardening Club was first mooted. Nicola then drew our seven prize raffle organised by Julie Alvis. Next month: ‘Rosemary Verey (renowned plantswoman and garden designer)’ From Margie Hoffnung Thursday 8th Augut All welcome 7pm for 730pm start. £3 members, £6 non-members OAK HILL CE PRIMARY SCHOOL www.oakhill.glous.sch.uk Primary QuEST welcomes Oak Hill School Dear Oak Hill residents and church members, On the 1st July we were delighted to welcome our sixth school into the trust – Oak Hill C of E Primary School. It is my privilege to write to you to introduce Primary QuEST. My name is Stephen Dean and I oversee this trust. We are a primary focused trust supporting schools across Gloucestershire. Our vision is to deliver sustainable, outstanding educational learning opportunities for all within the Trust. I have been working with the staff and pupils at the school for about 18 months now and it has been fantastic to see the school move across to the one site an Alderton and to bring all the pupils and staff on to one site. I have also seen first-hand the dedication and hard work of the governors and staff. The Primary QuEST vision is: Flourishing together through LIFE and we are excited about partnering with Oak Hill C of E Primary School to see pupils and staff flourish with us. My thanks to the governing body team who have led the school during a period of change. A special thank you to Mrs Carol Kettle who has decided to retire at this juncture as the school begins a new chapter within Primary QuEST. Carol has been involved in school life at Oak Hill for so many years and we want to thank her for all of her valuable contributions. Oak Hill will continue to be a community focused school and if you would like to support the school in anyway please do contact Ms Jade Attwood, head teacher. Have a good summer and we are looking forward to a new academic year together in September. ST MARGARET’S CHURCH Animal Blessing Service We had a lovely relaxed informal service at Church with a focus of the bond between humans and our pets. We listened to the prayer of St Francis with his patronage of animals and the environment, his song Make me a Channel of your Peace and a great poem about a dog named Dog by God! A lovely attendance with 10 dogs, 1 tortoise and a rabbit - all pets well behaved as were the humans. Alderton Flower Festival, Gift Day and Summer Fair we had a very successful afternoon for this and it was brilliant to see so many people enjoying themselves. The Flower Festival theme was the Olympics and the Church was filled with excellent arrangements which represented different countries that take part, with a medal podium and the Olympic flame. Included in the displays were sports equipment including a decorated bicycle and the Para-Olympics were there with a wheelchair decorated with flowers. We had excellent children’s Olympic games, face painting and a variety of craft stalls. Then up in the Hall were an amazing selection of cakes made by generous bakers which many people enjoyed in an attractively decorated setting. Thank you to everyone who supported the event and the final figure (which will go towards the Church’s maintenance) will be given in the next newsletter. Wildflower area Sadly, August marks the end of our annual programme of wildflower conservation in St Margaret's churchyard. Every year,a small area adjacent to the Church Road wall is fenced off to allow the native flora and grasses to grow to seed, providing a vital food source for birds, small mammals and insect pollinators. This has been especially important for bees and butterflies which have been badly affected by the recent prolonged wet springs. If you are reading this before the 2024 crop is strimmed, take a moment to sit on the bench (a memorial to former Alderton resident, Mildred Turner) and see how many insects you can count! At this point in the year, the yellow primroses and cowslips of spring and white oxeye daisies, yellow rattle and vetch of early summer will have been replaced by the blues, mauves and purples of cornflowers, knapweed, mallow, convolvulus, self-heal and wild basil - two members of the mint family that have been used in the past in herbal medicine. You may also have spotted two pink orchids which have planted themselves elsewhere in the churchyard and stubbornly refuse to reproduce - but they get looked after just the same! Inspired? Why not follow suit and leave a bit of your garden unmown next year and see what comes up. We have counted at least twenty different wildflowers in that small patch alone. You may be able to get even more. THE GARDENERS ARMS www.gardenersarms.biz
ALDERTON ALLOTMENT ASSOCIATION Lyn Court The Produce Stall is now back in operation in the orchard, to the left of the track just inside the entrance. This is where plot holders place any surplus produce that they are happy to share. Everyone is welcome to pop in and see if there is anything they can use. We're aiming for zero waste this season! In addition, to mark National Allotments Week, on Saturday 17 August the village Allotments are holding an Open Day between 10am and 4pm. If you are interested in seeing what goes on, please call in for a nose around. Members of the Allotments Association will be organising a tour of the site at 12 noon. If you'd like to join it, please make your way to the centre of the site (half way up the main track) at that time. We look forward to seeing you. ALDERTON 5K RUN - SAT 31ST AUG 24 Now in our 13th year Alderton's fast, flat (ish!) and super-friendly run this year will raise over £2,000 for Alderton Acorns. The out-and-back course along Beckford road to just past Great Washbourne and back is ideal for clocking a good time. We welcome all runners, from experienced club runners to Couch to 5k, and everyone in-between. Under 16's, pushchairs, dogs on canicross leads, and escorted runners are all welcome. The support of our community is also fantastic with many local residents running, volunteering or supporting. Find out more and enter online at www.alderton5k.co.uk. 3. ANNOUNCEMENTS/MISCELLANEOUSALDERTON 5K RUN - WARNING OF TRAFFIC DISRUPTION - SAT 31ST AUG Alderton 5k Run is on Sat August 31st, starting at 11am. For the safety of our 200+ runners, many of whom are under 16 we’d appreciate if around this time Beckford Road could be kept clear of both parked and especially moving cars. Access to Beckford Road will be limited at the following times:
As alternative routes are available we’d really appreciate it if you could use them. Please follow the directions of our marshalls who will guide you. Any questions to Mark Watts-Jones on 07973 963539 or [email protected]. NEWS FROM FRAMPTON FARM We are pleased to announce that our resident barn owl couple have successfully hatched 3 chicks, who are currently in the nesting box demanding food and being very noisy. It's a credit to the adults that they have survived the long, wet winter and have produced offspring again. We also currently have many other 'babies' in the fields around the farm, including leverets, fawns, partridge chicks and ducklings - farming and nature go hand in hand! With that in mind, could we please remind walkers to be aware of the wildlife and keep their four legged friends under control. Thank you from 'The Grumpy Farmer' and his wife!! DUMBLETON CRICKET CLUB The annual Cricket Festival is in full swing. On Monday 29th July Dumbleton Women played 2 thrilling T20’s against the MCC Women. There are still some excellent matches to watch, none more exciting than the Semi Final of the Village Cup on Sunday 4th August. If they win, they return to Lords where they won in 2022. Everyone is welcome, great atmosphere and reasonably cheap drinks. The Dumbleton Cricket Club Fete is on August Bank Holiday Monday and is one of the best around. The bric a brac stall is second to none and the egg throwing is worth a watch. Lots of entertainment and cream teas. OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE LAND ON ORCHARD ROAD The residents of Orchard Road have been notified by the owners of the paddock behind Nos. 2-16 that they wish to sell it. We have been given the opportunity to purchase the paddock before it is advertised on the open market. Some residents in Orchard Road are interested but are unable to meet the asking price. We would like to open this opportunity up to the wider community to stop the prospect of any development and use it for the community in some way. If you are interested please email Paul Woodman at [email protected] with your mobile number and I will add you to the WhatsApp group we have set-up and give you more details. We will need a response by Sunday 11th August as we have been given a deadline by the current owners. Thank You Paul Woodman 4. WHAT'S ON
Alderton Newsletter contributions to [email protected] Next newsletter deadline 28/08/24 Comments are closed.
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