From the Editor
Sorry that this edition is a bit late hitting the streets.
My thanks go to Mrs Susan Ellis who will be moving to Paxcroft Mead later this month. Susan took the trouble to send in a piece telling us why she and her husband are are moving here. I am sure there are many reasons for residents moving here, perhaps you have a story to share?
As part of the local Neighbourhood Policing strategy, it is hoped that Paxcroft Mead residents will be interested in setting up local Neighbourhood Watch groups. Karen Beedon, one of our Police Community Support Officers, intended to include a piece in this edition of the newsletter, but unfortunately this will have to carry over to the next edition as Karen was recently involved in a road traffic accident whilst on duty. Our best wishes go out to Karen for a speedy recovery.
I hope you find this edition of the PMCC newsletter interesting. If you have, perhaps you could forward it on to friends and neighbours and encourage them sign up to the emailing list via our website - http://www.paxcroftmead.org.uk/contact_form.htm
I would also welcome contributions for future editions. Please contact me via email at info@paxcroftmead.org.uk
To access the Paxcroft Mead Newsletter archive click here
Paxcroft Area News
Trowbridge Rugby Club Plans approved
Plans for Trowbridge Rugby Club to move were recently approved by the West Wiltshire Planning Committee.
The plan involves The Rugby Club selling their site in Green Lane to a developer. The sale of the land will fund the building of a new and improved facility in Devizes Road, opposite Paxcroft Cottages.
The developer's plans to build new houses on the Club site were also approved, but the plans will have to be approved by the Secretary of State as the site is not included in the WWDC District Plan.
Christmas comes to Trowbridge
Christmas is coming to Trowbridge - as if you hadn't noticed! On Saturday 1st December at 6.30pm, the Christmas lights will be switched on in Trowbridge.
This forms part of a weekend full of Christmas activities in the town. On Saturday 1st, there will be a Christmas Fayre in Fore Street, followed by the switch-on at 6.30pm. A Christmas Village will also be open in Fore Street from the 1st to 8th December. We understand there will be an ice rink over the weekend of the 1st/2nd of December, also in Fore Street.
The Mead School is Top of the Class
The report of a recent OFSTED inspection is now in, with the Mead School being classed as "an outstanding school in every way". The school was particularly praised for the use of its kitchen and technology studio, which has been used to teach pupils about cooking and the benefits of healthy eating.
Congratulations to Lyssy Bolton and her team on this splendid result.
Why we are coming to Paxcroft Mead
At the end of November, we will be coming live in Paxcroft Mead. There are a number of reasons for our choice. The major reason is due to the fact that my daughter and her family already live there, but the price of property was also a consideration. We are living in Poole at the moment, so it will be quite a different environment to the one we are used to. But hopefully joining the Mead Club, and maybe doing a bit of volunteering, will help us settle into the community.
What bothers me though is the amount of houses being built and the distinct lack of leisure facilities for both young and mature people alike. I am also concerned about the work situation in Trowbridge, especially now Bowyers is closing causing so many jobs to be lost.
Hopefully Trowbridge will now start to expand to the benefit of everybody. It has been proved in the past that if youngsters have nothing to occupy them, then they will hang around the town or the park creating trouble.
These are just my thoughts and just what I have observed from my visits to Trowbridge.
Susan Ellis
User Group Focus
Le Club Français at Paxcroft Mead
Since last September, Le Club Français have been running a French Club in the Paxcroft Mead Community Centre. Le Club Français is the UK's most popular language club. It offers a structured course designed to stimulate children's natural enthusiasm for language and communication.
Recently, we have put on a small show on our latest topic 'The Body'. The children spoke and sung French and quoted a little rhyme about their teddy bears. Parents and grand parents came along and were very proud of what the children had learned in just 5 weeks, already putting sentences together and using the vocabulary they have learned. We had loads of fun making flashcards for our presentation and skeletons to dance to the music.
The classes are progressive and we revise and extend our French week by week. In the coming term we will be learning about shapes and fireworks incorporating colours, size and speed, the house, rooms, and furniture and Christmas, learning about the French traditions during this time of year and relative vocabulary.
We still have vacancies in both Thursday afternoon sessions. Please contact Juley Simmonds on 01225 762110, or email juley@blueyonder.co.uk
If you are interested, you may come along for a free trial session.
Neighbourhood Policing News
At a recent meeting of the Neigbourhood Tasking Group, Lee Pelling, our Neigbourhood Beat Manager, said he believes the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) is beginning to have a positive impact on the area. Their priority one topic from last time concerned motorbikes in the fields surrounding Staverton Marina, and the number of complaints on the subject has reduced considerably.
Their number two priority concerned anti social behaviour by youths on The Green at Marshmead, and their actions have led to a lot of positive feedback from the residents.
The Number 3 priority, the investigation of speeding on Leapgate, has revealed there are no accident statistics to support a reduction of the speed limit. Police speed checks show there is no real speeding issue; it is a perceived problem only. Because of the nature of the road and the plan to extend the road to link to West Ashton Road there is no likelihood of a speed reduction.
Karen Beedon, our Police Community Support Officer, has spent a lot of time talking to primary school children about acceptable standards of behaviour. She feels they are beginning to see her as a friend, partly because she is not seen as a real copper, but she always makes it clear she can get a proper copper if she needs to.
Boy racers in Hackett Place and around the Mead School, together with the noise, litter and vandalism that goes with them, are now on the list of priorities. The NPT are considering trying to get barriers at the school car park to deny the youths access.
The police ask that anyone who is upset by the activities in Hackett Place should take car registration numbers and pass them on to the NPT. They have what is called a section 59 power. This allows the police to issue a written notice (valid for 12 months) to car drivers using their cars in an anti-social manner. If the driver offends again, their car can be impounded. It then costs £125 + £12 per day to reclaim it. If it is not reclaimed, the car is crushed! The police cannot issue a section 59 notice solely on information from residents. They would have to observe something themselves, but they could talk to the youths on the basis of information received. The first step would be to threaten a driver with a notice. This could well be enough to reduce the offences, since their cars are generally their pride and joy
You can contact the Neighbour Police Team by email: hilpertstavertnpt@wiltshire.pnn.police.uk.
In an EMERGENCY always dial 999
For all NON-EMERGENCY calls, dial 0845 408 7000
(Your call will be recorded)
You can also report crime, search public appeals and find other information on the Wiltshire Police web site www.wiltshire.police.uk.