May 2011 Newsletter
Contents
Click on the item to go to the article. |
Editorial CommentThis month we have a fairly full edition. One of the highlights of the month is the Annual General Meeting of the Community Centre Management Committee. This is an opportunity for residents to find out about the running of the Community Centre. If you have a news item or event you would like to share in the next newsletter, please let me have your contribution by Saturday 28th May and send via email to To ensure we have the largest possible distribution, please would you forward this newsletter on to friends and neighbours and encourage them sign up to the emailing list via our website - |
Paxcroft Mead News
Community Centre Annual General Meeting
The Community Centre Annual General Meeting will be held
on Tuesday, 17th May 2011 in Hall 2 starting at 8.00pm.
This is the opportunity for Paxcroft Mead residents to find out about the Community Centre and to have a say in how it is run.
As the Community Centre is a registered charity, meetings have to be run using the Charity Commission's strict guidelines. This means that any nominations for Committee members have to be made prior to the meeting. If you would like to nominate someone to be a committee member you can download a nomination paper here. Nominations and items for the consideration under “Any Other Business” agenda item must be with the Secretary by Tuesday, May 10th.
The meeting agenda and the draft minutes from last year's AGM can be downloaded via the Management Page. If you have any questions about the AGM, the committee can be contacted here.
Theatre Sense comes to Paxcroft Mead
Theatre Sense provides solid elementary stagecraft in areas such as movement (dance), drama and singing. Within each of these categories the teachers at Theatre Sense strive to help their pupils grasp an understanding and the importance of the subject matter whilst gaining self confidence. This is essential, not only for performing on the stage, but for every day situations, such as public speaking, presentations and interviews etc., which our pupils will need for the future.
Pupils will be encouraged to develop the above skills to the extent that they will be able to perform within a team for an audience. This will take the form of informal shows highlighting the talent and individual development of each pupil as they progress.
Paxcroft Mead to Clarendon College transport
Paxcroft Mead resident and Community Forum committee member, Gordon Rees has been working hard to address problems with the school bus service, particularly in the direction of Clarendon School. As a result of his hard work, the First Bus service is now more regular and also a new service is to be introduced to get children to Clarendon on time.
The revised timetable for the X34 now includes a trip down Leap Gate at 0800. This one trip will go via Horse Road and the Town centre before dropping some children at Trinity Church (for John of Gaunt) and then it will proceed towards the college and can drop on Frome Road between Pitman Avenue and the school gates at approx 0825.
Due to legal matters, the revised new timetable can not start until 6th June 2011. It must be pointed out that this is a commercial bus service and is wholly operated by Faresaver Buses without any involvement of Wiltshire Council. This means that if Faresaver decided that they no longer wish to continue operating this service, then they can withdraw it with 56 days notice. Faresaver will also set their own fares which we hope are in line with the current First bus fares.
In the afternoon, the children would need to continue to use bus 69.
The Neighbourhood Police Teams are now amalgamated into one Trowbridge Neighbourhood Police Team under the management of Sergeant Malcolm McLundie. The old NPT areas are now renamed beats
There were 49 crimes in the Trowbridge Rural Area beat the last month which is slightly worse than average. Sadly we have seen a few burglaries in the area again but we have had some success on that front.
Of the 49 crimes, only 9 were committed in the Paxcroft Mead area. There was a littering incident on Hilperton Drive and two reports of malicious communications.
A shoplifter was arrested at Budgens and there have been three domestic incidents on the estate all of which resulted in arrests.
There was also a child protection matter (which has no impact on the community).
The only concerning crime was a Burglary at Stourton Park on the 26th March (one of two in the Hilperton Parish that night). As implied previously however, a male was caught red handed in the kitchen by the occupant and subsequently arrested for the offence. He is well known to police.
We have had no issues in Hackett Place that cause us undue concern although we have had three reports of trespassers on the Red Admiral development. On two occasions it was simply builders working late. No offences have been disclosed however.
Current Priorities
According to the Wiltshire Police website, the current priorities in the Trowbridge NPT areas have not changed from last month's, but do not highlight anything directly involved with Paxcroft Mead. The current priorities close to us are:–
SPEEDING - VILLAGES (Rural Area)
The rural beat team receives more complaints about speeding vehicles than they do about any other matter. All the local villages have raised concerns about roads in their area and asked for Police to increase both patrols and enforcement.
Here are the forthcoming consultations planned for our NPT areas:
| Type | Location | Date | Time |
| Drop-in | Sainsburys, Trowbridge | 03/05/2011 | 10:00- 11:00 |
| Street Meeting | Hilperton Village Hall | 05/05/2011 | 18:00 - 18:30 |
| Drop-in | Sainsburys, Trowbridge | 18/05/2011 | 16:30 - 17:30 |
The latest Forum Coffee Morning was very well attended, with many residents coming to view an informative display of the recent planning applications for the forthcoming development of 650 homes on Land South of Green Lane. The main purpose of the morning, however, was to launch the campaign to realise the proposal for Paxcroft Mead Action Park, a combined BMX and skate park. There was a display of the proposal so far and a friendly rep from a specialist BMX and skate park firm came to talk about the available options.
We were delighted to see lots of local kids, who had come to find out about the proposal. We launched the petition to demonstrate local support for the project at the coffee morning and collected several pages of names and addresses. Groups of kids went off together to collect names and addresses on their own mini versions. I had expected them to take these away with them at the end of the morning, but they were so keen they got themselves organised into groups and scooted off there and then. When they returned, they had an animated discussion with Dan the rep about their ideas for the Action Park.
P.C. Mark Hough, the Beat Manager of the local Neighbourhood Police Team was on hand to discuss residents' concerns about anti-social behaviour. He has researched the crime figures in those areas in and around Trowbridge where they already have BMX tracks and skate parks and found that there was no greater incidence of anti-social behaviour there than anywhere else. Several people who had come to air their concerns found themselves signing the petition to support the proposal by the time they left.
The annual Hilperton Parish Assembly will be held at the Village Hall in Whaddon Lane on Tuesday May 3rd starting at 7.30pm, and the Forum will be giving a short presentation about the Action Park proposal featuring Dan and Josh, two of the lads who came along to the coffee morning. We would be delighted to see any Paxcroft Mead residents there who live within the parish boundary; it's an informative and interesting meeting with refreshments available from 7.00pm.
The next event for the Forum is our AGM, which will be held at the Community Centre on Tuesday 24th May at 8.00pm. The meeting will last approximately 90 minutes and everyone who lives or works on Paxcroft Mead is very welcome to come along.
After the usual business of Chairman's report and Treasurer's Accounts, will come the election of the committee. We are fortunate that the members of the current committee are happy to stand again, but since they number only seven, there are places for three new committee members. If you would like to put yourself forward, you can download a nomination form from the Forum website.
We are particularly keen for someone to come forward to re-launch the campaign to have allotments on Paxcroft Mead. Warren Lee did a great deal of the groundwork for this project, but has moved out of the area and we need someone to take up the baton (or rather, the spade!). If you are interested in this project and would like to take on this role, we will be delighted to welcome you onto the committee and help you in every way we can.
Diary dates:
Hilperton Parish Assembly: Tuesday 3rd May, 7.30pm at the Village Hall, Whaddon Lane,
Forum AGM: Tuesday 24th May, 8.00pm at the Community Centre.
Marriage course
Three couples from Hilperton have been taking part in a church-led course to strengthen their marriage. Kingfisher Church has been leading an 8-week Marriage Course to help local couples enhance their relationship with their spouses. The course is started with a meal and drinks, followed by a short DVD and a private discussion. Anyone interested in attending the next course (to run later in the year) should contact Alison Bennett on 01225 754826.
Litter Pick
People from Kingfisher Church will be giving Paxcroft Mead a spring clean in May. Church members will be holding a litter pick on Sunday, 8th May, 1pm, concentrating around the school, shops and playground areas. A lunch will be shared at 12 noon at The Mead School before the litter pick. All welcome to join in.
Andy Collins who organises the Run 4 Fitness Running Club has just started a beginners session for people wanting to have fun and kick start them into running. Full details in the poster below.
A New Era for Carers in Wiltshire
The four Carers Support Centres in Wiltshire have combined to form one single Carers organisation. As of the 1st of April 2011, they will now be known as Carer Support Wiltshire. The new organisation will continue to deliver free support, advice and information services to any carer in the county and all carers will have the same access to their services regardless of where they live.
There is an estimated 39,886 unpaid carers in Wiltshire caring for partners, other family members, friends and neighbours. 6,732 people in the county are caring for more than 50 hours per week. It is estimated that carers save the statutory services in Wiltshire £511,000,000 every year.
It is expected that these figures are in fact much higher, due to the number of ‘hidden’ carers who do not recognise their caring role. They believe they are doing what most people would do in their situation - providing help and support, either emotionally or physically, or both, to someone they know. This means that many carers do not seek information or advice from others and just carry on doing as they have always done.
Carer Support Wiltshire can provide a lifeline to those who care whether it's talking about benefits they may be entitled to, giving them information on respite, lending a listening ear or booking them on to a free day out or pampering session provided by the charity. The charity also offers a chance to socialise with other carers and gives people a platform to have their say on issues that matter to them.
The charity can be contacted in the following ways by carers and professionals on behalf of a carer:
- Freephone: 0800 181 4118
- Email: info@csww.co.uk
- Web: http://www.carersinwiltshire.co.uk
Forthcoming Events
Mead School International Festival
Blood Donors welcome
Blood Donor sessions are being held at the Longfield Community Centre in Weavers Drive, Trowbridge on Wednesday May 4th, Wednesday May 25th and Thursday June 16th 2011. The sessions run from 13:15 until 15:15 and 16:45 until 19:15. You can book online via the NHS Blood and Transplant service website at www.blood.co.uk or give them a call on 0300 1 23 23 23.
Lions May Day Fayre/Tourism Fair
On Saturday May 7th, the Trowbridge Lions are holding their May Day Fayre along with a Tourism Fair.
The main venue for the May Day Fayre will be in Fore Street.
The Fayre opens with traditional May-Pole dancing and local organisations will provide stalls to sell their wares and raise money. The day is supported with various entertainment activities.
The Tourism Fair is being organised by Trowbridge Museum to boost local trade and raise awareness of Trowbridge's cultural heritage as a working mill town. A feature of the fair will be the “Sheep Trail”. Participating shops will hide brightly painted model sheep on their premises to bring people in. Visitors following the trail can complete a quiz sheet which can be handed in at the Museum (in the Shires) for a chance to win a prize.
Also on the new floor of the Museum there will be exhibits by Cloth Road artists and a display by the Tourist Information Centre. This upper floor will be open until 15:30.
The Cloth Road is a group of artists, formed in 2004 with the purpose of promoting visual arts and artists in Bradford on Avon, Trowbridge, Melksham and the surrounding villages of West Wiltshire.
Bluz 'n' Zuz May
The Bluz 'n' Zuz young people's discos are held at the Fever Night Club in Castle Street, Trowbridge. The next session is on Friday 20th May and then on the 3rd Friday of each month.
Further details can be found at the Bluz 'n' Zuz Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/blueznzuz?v=wall
Steam and Vintage Rally
Click here for full details on the Selwood Steam and Vintage Vehicle Preservation Society website.
Whitsun Half term Fun Days
The Trowbridge Town Council are organising a series of Fun Days from Tuesday 31st May through to Friday 3rd June. Full plans have not been announced yet, but we will update the newsletter with details, or keep an eye on the Town Council website - www.trowbridge.gov.uk
Trowbridge Museum Exhibitions
‘Beyond the Bounds’ - The parishes of Trowbridge, Trowbridge Museum's latest exhibition...
Trowbridge Museum's current exhibition focuses on Trowbridge's numerous and remarkable surrounding villages. Wiltshire is still a delightfully rural county and of its some 400 villages and hamlets all have unique identities.
The age of many of these villages is equally remarkable with many being mentioned in the Domesday Book or occupying sites that have been inhabited since Roman Times.
Some of the fascinating facts vary from the most timber framed village, Steeple Ashton, to having to get Parliament to sanction a telephone box, Great Hinton.
The exhibition also includes the film “West Ashton: Our Village History”. The 10 minute film features the social history of the village and personal stories from villagers Cyril Sweetman, Sylvia Mills and Ken Rogers, who were interviewed by Year 6 students from West Ashton School. The interviews were edited together by project leader and film producer Jamie McDine, who helped transport students from Diamond Class back to the 1930s (thanks to the power of film) - with boys and girls playing on opposite sides of the playground and going on nature walks. The children all produced beautiful animations to illustrate the stories they had been told, from the famous Armstrong Whitworth Whitley crash landing, to the weavers working in their cottages. The film also features beautiful images from around West Ashton, Rood Ashton and East Town.
The film is screened as a rolling show within the exhibition area.
The exhibition also contains children's interactive activities, featuring maps, colouring-in and jigsaws.
The exhibition runs until the 30th July 2011
Trowbridge Museum is in The Shires shopping centre with easy parking. Opening Times are Tuesday - Friday: 10am - 4pm, Saturday: 10am – 4.30pm. Closed on Sundays, Mondays and Bank Holidays.
Trowbridge Museum – It's fun, friendly and free!
Children's Events at Trowbridge Museum
Craft and History Days Activities
We are waiting for details of the May events. They will be added as soon as we get them.
If any further information is required please contact the Museum on (01225) 751339 and ask for Clare or David.
Wiltshire Armed Forces and Veterans Celebrations
The weekend of June 24th - 26th sees the annual Wiltshire Armed Forces and Veterans Celebrations.
In the early evening of Friday 24th June there will be a "March to Remember" through town by Re-enactors in aid of The Royal British Legion.
On Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th June the main weekend event will be held in Trowbridge Park. Events include displays from serving and retired military personnel, military vehicles, military bands, cadets, trade stalls, flypasts, Re-enactors displays.
FREE ENTRY
N.B. More details will be added as they become available
Trowbridge Walking Forum - May 2011
The Trowbridge Walking Forum walks are designed to provide gentle and sociable exercise and are suitable for all ages and abilities.
Wednesday walks are approximately 2 to 3 miles and there is usually a choice of an easy, level walk and one that may include fields and stiles. On Mondays, walks alternate between a longer route of 4 to 5 miles with stiles and some hills, and shorter walks of less that 1½ miles that are mostly on paved paths.
The programme for May 2011 is shown below:
| Day | Date | Type | Route Options | Starting Point | Grade |
| Mon | 2-May | Longer walk | Westwood to Wingfield | Westwood Manor NT Car park | S M 4½m |
| Wed | 4-May | Moderate walk | Beckington and Orchardleigh | Park on street near The Woolpack, Beckington | S M 3½m |
| Mon | 9-May | Short walk | Broadmead | Studley Green Community Hall | E S 1½m |
| Wed | 11-May | Moderate walk | White Row Farm, Beckington | Park in road outside White Row Farm. Road leads off of A36 Beckington Roundabout | E S 2½m |
| Mon | 16-May | Longer walk | Poulshot towards Potterne | Park outside the Village Hall on the south side of the common | S M P 3½ m |
| Wed | 18-May | Moderate walk | Rode and Tellisford | Vaggs Hill, off the Wingfield to Rode road | E H M 3m |
| Mon | 23-May | Short walk | White Horse Business park | B & Q car park, Bradley Road, Trowbridge | E 1½m |
| Wed | 25-May | Moderate walk | Seend canal walk | Village Hall, Rusty Lane, Seend | P M S 3.7m |
| Mon | 30-May | Longer walk | Keevil to Bulkington | Keevil, by the church | S M 4.8m |
| Wed | 1-Jun | Moderate walk | Westwood to Farleigh Hungerford | Westwood Manor NT Car park | S M H 3.4m |
| Mon | 6-Jun | Short walk | Bradford on Avon -Canal and River | Canal Car Park (down Baileys Barn, off Moulton Drive, next to canal bridge near Sainsburys) | E 1½m |
| Walks start at 10:30AM Bus timetables are at www.traveline.org.uk | |||||
| Short Walks: approx 45 mins, no stiles, mostly paved paths. Moderate Walks: approx 60 to 75 mins, mostly field paths, usually stiles. Longer Walks: up to 2 hours, stiles, some hills. | |||||
| Key: E: Easy walking. H: Moderate hills. S: Stiles. M: Can be muddy. P: Pub lunch possible. s/c: shorter route possible. | |||||
For more information visit http://sites.google.com/site/trowbridgewf/ or contact Alan & Anne on 01225 760492, David on 01225 755639, Mike on 01225 766668 or Pat & Charles on 01225 753735.