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Paxcroft Mead News - December 2007 |
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Paxcroft Mead News - December 2007 |
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The Season's Greetings to you all!
We have now completed five out of the seven sections of the Health Check that I have mentioned previously, and the other two are well in hand. No major problems have been found in the five completed sections, though various necessary actions have been identified which have been or are being addressed. The remaining two sections are showing signs of exposing rather more expensive actions, particularly on the Health and Safety front.
Having got a lot of the Health Check out of the way, we are now turning our attention more to the business of registering as a charity. There have been discussions with the new owners, and with Hilperton Parish Council, and correspondence with the Charity Commission. We still do not see a clear way ahead, but the information gleaned is beginning to suggest possible avenues of exploration which may lead to proper progress.
We have sorted out the fire alarm. We had the control panel replaced, and the new one immediately identified one of the call points as being faulty. That has been replaced and it seems hopeful that the problem is now cured.
Lee Pelling (Neighbourhood Policing Team) will soon start using one of our rooms as a drop-in surgery, where local residents can call in with their concerns, or just for a chat. We all hope that a visible police presence will lead to a better understanding between the Neighbourhood Policing Team and local residents. The anti-social behaviour around Hackett Place is now one of Lee's top priorities.
Alan Jales has rejoined the committee. His specific role will be to help Alan Thirlwell with general maintenance of the building. There are lots of small jobs needing doing that can be done by a competent D-I-Yer, without calling in tradesmen, though we still need tradesmen for the more serious tasks. Of course, he like everyone else on the committee, will contribute to general discussions and decision making.
The Mead Social Club has decorated Hall 2 for the Christmas period, and it now looks very festive. We hope many of you will visit your Centre over the Christmas and New Year period.
I close by wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Litter on Leapgate
Many residents will have noticed that the litter problem on Leapgate has improved. The local authority seem to have got to grips with the problem now, but it seems that some community minded residents have been helping out too.
We recently received an email from Gemma Geer who wrote,
"I just wanted to drop a line to you regarding the recent problem that Paxcroft Mead has been experiencing with litter. Over the last couple of weeks, I have noticed that Leap Gate has been extremely messy with pieces of litter every where.
However, over the weekend I noticed a family picking up all the pieces of litter. It's wonderful to see that people do actually care about how our community looks, and I think we all ( including myself) should take a leaf out of their book and starting taking pride in where we live.
I don't know who the family were, but I for one, would like to say thank you."
Mead Club subcriptions
The annual membership subscriptions are now overdue.
Individual membership is £7 per annum (October to September) with a £3.50 concessionary rate for Senior Citizens.
Membership applications are invited from local residents and new members are always welcome. If you would like to join, just come along to the club. Club opening hours are shown on the Paxcroft Mead website
The club shows main sporting events on a big screen, holds regular ‘live’ music events plus other events such as ‘race and casino nights’ and also the occasional discos.
Over Christmas this year, there will be a Charity Draw and Auction on Christmas Eve, and a New Year Family Disco (entry by ticket) on New Year's Eve.
Every Thursday night, starting at 8.30 pm is our regular Quiz Night. Entry is 50p for members and signed in guests - See the Paxcroft Mead website under Mead Club events for details.
Here a few events that are scheduled over the Christmas period in our area.
| Date | Event | Venue/Time(s) |
| 15th, 16th, 21st & 22nd December | Santa Canal Boat Trips. The 1 hr long Santa trips are extremely popular, so book early on 01225 775326. Santa presents an individually selected present to each child and they also receive juice and sweets; the adults receive mulled wine and a mince pie. | The trips depart BOA Wharf at 11.30 am and 2.00 pm. |
| 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd & 24th December | East Somerset Railway Santa Specials. Visit Santa in his delightful grotto on the train as it chuffs slowly through the Mendip countryside. For further details and to book seats, please call Cranmore Station on 01749 880417, Tuesday to Sunday. |
Departs Cranmore Station at 10:30, 12:15, 14:00 and 15:45. Price is £9.75 |
| Saturday 15th December | Warminster Philharmonic Orchestra present a Christmas Concert. Box Office - 01985 212017 |
Athenæum Centre 18-20 High Street, Warminster BA12 9AE. 7.30pm. |
| Saturday 15th December | Westbury & District Choral Society Christmas Concert featuring the Silver Reeds Clarinet Quartet. Admission by programme (£6) available from Madcap Music, Market Place, Westbury. | Westbury Methodist Church. 7.30pm |
| Saturday 22nd December | The Snow Queen A family participation musical (ages 5-12). Tickets: £5.50 (conc £4.50). Family ticket £18.00. Booking Line: 0845 299 0476 or visit http://www.arctheatre.org.uk or email theatre@arctheatre.org.uk | Arc Theatre at 11am, 2.20pm & 5pm. |
| 10th - 19th January 2008 | Snow White The Trowbridge Players present a wonderful family pantomime at the Arc Theatre with their production of Snow White. Follow the story and see what happens when the Wicked Queen asks ‘Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?’ and the answer comes back ‘Snow White is the fairest of them all’. Tickets: £7 (Conc: £5). Booking Line: 0845 299 0476 or visit http://www.arctheatre.org.uk or email theatre@arctheatre.org.uk |
Arc Theatre 10 & 11 Jan-7.30pm 13 Jan-2.30 & 7.30pm 15 - 18 Jan-7.30pm Sat 19 Jan-2.30pm & 7.30pm |
| Date | Time | Event | Venue |
| Fri 14th December | 7.30 pm | Whaddon Candlelit Carol Service (Whaddon is almost at the
end of Whaddon Lane) with traditional lessons & carols in this beautiful, rural church. |
St Mary's Church Whaddon |
| Sun 16th December | 10.30 am | All Age Christmas Celebration Led by children and young people. | St Thomas' Church |
| Sun 16th December | 6.30 pm | Tradition Service of Nine Lessons and Carols. | St James' Church |
| Sun 16th December | 6.00 pm | Carols by Candlelight | Holy Trinity Church |
| Sun 23rd December | 6.00 pm | Hilperton Carol Service. with readings and carols, choir and youth items, etc. Christmas service for the whole community. |
St Michael's Church Hilperton |
| Sun 23rd December | 6.00 pm | Carol Service. Traditional carol service, followed by coffee and mince pies. |
St Thomas' Church |
| Christmas Eve | 5.30 pm | Crib Service At this service the Christmas Crib is blessed and children hold candles. This is a very informal short service and is focused on young children. |
St James' Church |
| Christmas Eve | 5.30 pm | Hilperton Blessing of the Crib Service - a wonderful service with children in mind: to include Junior Church nativity |
St Michael's Church Hilperton |
| Christmas Eve | 4.00 pm | Christingle Service A special service for children. The Christingle has its origins in a Moravian children's service held in a castle in Germany on Christmas Eve in 1747. |
Holy Trinity Church |
| Christmas Eve | 7.00 pm | The First Mass of Christmas with carols from 6.45 pm | St John's Roman Catholic Church Trowbridge |
| Christmas Eve | 11.15 pm | Midnight Communion | St Thomas' Church |
| Christmas Eve | 11.30 pm | Midnight Mass | Holy Trinity Church |
| Christmas Eve | 11.30 pm | Midnight Communion The first communion of Christmas | St James' Church |
| Christmas Eve | 12.00 pm | Midnight Mass with carols from 11.45 pm | St John's Roman Catholic Church Trowbridge |
| Christmas Eve | 11.30 pm | Midnight Eucharist The first Communion of Christmas: a beautiful, gentle service to begin Christmas Day at Hilperton |
St Michael's Church Hilperton |
| Christmas Day | 9.00 am 10.30 am |
Holy Communion Family Service |
St Thomas' Church St Thomas' Church |
| Christmas Day | 10.00 pm | Christmas Day Family Service Holy Trinity Church in conjunction with the Wesley Road Methodist Church |
Wesley Road Methodist Church |
| Christmas Day | 10.00 pm | Benefice Christmas Day Family Communion Service Benefice Christmas Day Family Communion Service |
St Michael's Church Hilperton |
| Christmas Day | 8.00 am 10.30 am |
Holy Communion 1662 - a quiet service of Holy Communion
Family Communion - A celebration of Christs' Birthday. Please bring one unopened present to church. |
St James' Church St James' Church |
| Christmas Day | 12.00 pm | Christmas Midday Mass | St John's Roman Catholic Church Trowbridge |
| 30th December | 10.00 pm | Benefice New Year Service An informal communion service for all the churches of the Canalside Benefice. |
St Mary Magdalen Horse Road, Hilperton Marsh |
There are many more churches in Trowbridge and I apologise that I haven't been able to include all details. However, there will be full listings in the Wiltshire Times nearer to Christmas.
Tumble Tots is the leading physical play programme for young children and has been running nationally since 1979.
Tumble Tots opened in Trowbridge 4 years ago and we currently run four classes on a Friday morning at the Paxcroft Mead centre. Classes start at 9.40am with our Gymbabes class which is the first stage of the Tumble Tots programme and babies can start at 6 months. They stay in the Gymbabes until they are walking confidently then they progress into the walking to 2 year class which is run at 10.35pm. This is followed by the 2-3 year class at 11.35pm and the 3 to school age at 12.45pm.
Parents are actively involved in the programme under the age of 3 but the 3 year olds come in on their own. Each session combines fun, excitement and challenge in a safe and caring environment. All sessions use unique equipment and are run by leaders specially trained. Classes help your child to develop vital physical skills and confidence needed for later life.
Week by week children develop not only agility balance climbing and co-ordination skills but also essential listening and language skills so useful in school and later life.
If you would like join in the fun and come to see what Tumble Tots and Gymbabes are all about please call Vikki on the number below or book on line at www.tumbletots.com/bath TUMBLE TOTS BATH 01225 811579
Years of driving west along the M4, on the way to family holidays in Cornwall, had led us to daydream often about moving west, but it had never seemed a real possibility. By 2000, however, things had changed: the children had grown up, family members had moved away, our ties to London were loosening at last. With Jonathan's company based in Wales and Slough, moving to the West Country was finally viable. The only question was where to look.
The answer was handed to us by a friend. Henderson Davison - H to his friends, and who could blame him! - was a single guy living in Ealing. Just about this time, he had made the courageous decision to downsize by moving to the country - all alone - and had found a tiny house to rent in Trowle Common, just on the edge of Trowbridge. Jonathan helped him move and made a point of visiting whenever he went to Wales. H saw his chance to lure some friends to join him. He waxed lyrical about the beautiful countryside, the friendly people with time to talk to you and the olde-world charms of Knees; more to the point, he handed over his estate agents' papers and knowing our interest in new-builds, suggested we take a look at Paxcroft Mead.
It took some time to find the right house, but we were sold on the idea pretty quickly and were really looking forward to having a ready-made friend nearby. It wasn't to be. Within a few months of his move, H had started to complain of losing peripheral vision on one side. To-ing and fro-ing between doctors and opticians meant that it took some time to pinpoint the problem, but when it finally came the diagnosis was devastating.
H was suffering from a brain tumour, aggressive, deadly and inoperable. We could hardly take it in, but dear H was stoical and serene. By the time we moved to Trowbridge, he was long gone, but he it was who brought us here and we will always be thankful.
Do you have a story you would like to share in the newsletter? Send your story via email to info@paxcroftmead.org.uk or post it or drop it in to: - The Editor, Paxcroft Mead Community Centre, Hackett Place, Trowbridge, BA14 7GW.
We hope you have found 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
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