SPOTLIGHT - APRIL 2006

Spotlight Interim Editorial Team: Joanne Bell, Sue Bond, Meg Combes, Rev'd Sacha Pearce & Tina Yockney

Welcome to the April Edition of Spotlight and Happy Easter.

It may not have felt like it recently but it is official – Spring is here! So what better symbol to have on the cover than a daffodil – hundreds of which are now in bloom around our villages.

We received 12 entries for our ‘Spring Poem’ competition. Well done Seend Brownies for your excellent contributions. Congratulations also to Jackie Merivale whose poem describes beautifully the joy of being a first-time grandparent. We found it impossible to choose an overall winner so we have published all the entries in a special insert in the middle of Spotlight.

Unlike many comparable village publications, Spotlight is not a priced magazine. Instead donations are sought towards its costs and a copy is delivered to every household in our villages. In recent years, the amount raised by donations has fallen. So, if you can, please make a contribution.

As Easter is late this year we need to ensure that May’s Spotlight is ready for printing earlier than usual. So, if possible, please submit contributions for next month’s edition BEFORE the copy deadline of 8 April.

Editorial Team

Spotlight Contacts

Contributions for the next issue (copy deadline 8th April) can be sent by e-mail to spotlight@seend.org.uk or delivered to the Post Office, High Street, Seend or for Bulkington contributions to Jo Bell at 1 Northfields, Bulkington (e-mail to trevor@bell8490.freeserve.co.uk). Comments and queries – Meg Combs 828229.

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

The Dugout Supper - 1st April

Don’t forget the Dugout Supper to be held in the Community Centre at 7pm for 7.30pm on Saturday 1st April. There will be music from the Celebration Jazz Band. Numbers are restricted to 90, but there may still be one or two tickets left at the giveaway price of £12.50. If you haven’t yet purchased your ticket, contact either Peter Fisher on 828305, Anthony Hodgkinson on 828545, Nigel Knocker on 828609, Derek Barnes on 01225 793135 or Roger Brind on 828830.

St George’s Day

An event has been organised by the Community Centre to celebrate
St Georges Day (23rd April) on Saturday 22nd April. See page 9 for details.

Tour of the D-Day Beaches and Battlefields

Calne Branch has organised a 5-day tour to France to cover the D-Day beaches and inland battlefields from 8th-12th May this year. The tour will be by Silver Service Coach travel at a cost of £282.40 per person. This includes all travel, accommodation, buffet breakfast and travel insurance. The Calne Branch has now opened the offer of seats on the tour to all members and their partners. A deposit of £50 per person is required to secure seats, and cheques should be made payable to RBL Calne Branch. Further details can be obtained from Mr David Bland , 8 Lake View, Calne SN11 8JA. Tel: 01249 442854.

Salisbury City Hall Band Concert (6th July)

The RBL Field Office Wiltshire, in conjunction with the Wiltshire Blind Association, will be holding a band concert at the City Hall, Salisbury on Thursday 6th July. The concert will be performed by the renowned Lucknow Band. Tickets are available from the ticket office at City Hall priced £12 & £10 (£1 concession for the over-60s).

NEWS FROM SEEND C.E. SCHOOL

Our football team managed to get to the quarter finals at the Christie Miller Tournament, but lost 3 -2. We were all very proud of them as they played their best to the last minute. This year we have entered a number of village tournaments so we will be training hard to do our best in these. We are also entering the season of Sports Festivals and Mr Shore will be taking a team to represent the school in the Devizes Tag Rugby Festival.

This week I managed to get on the Seend Shuttle in the morning when it brings our children to school. I must say they were extremely well behaved on the bus! I would like to take this opportunity for thanking all those involved with the Shuttle and especially the drivers who bring our children to school. It is community involvement such as this that makes our school special.

The Wiltshire Wildlife Trust visited the school in March to run a technology workshop using recycled materials. The children made and used a range of musical instruments. The workshop was a great success and some of the examples of commercial goods made from recycled materials such as juice cartons were incredible.
Our Easter Service is on Thursday 30 March at 10 am. Please come along and join the children and staff at the church.

We have a new notice board erected on the school wall outside Holly Class, which was kindly paid for by the school PSC. We would also like to offer space for any community events that may be taking place as many of the village parents look at it daily and it would be an ideal place to advertise your events. If you wish to use the board please drop your information to our admin officer, Jan Fell.

Steven Bennett, Headmaster

SEEND SCHOOL PSC NEWS

Thank you to everyone who gave so generously to our School Raffle on the Saturday night of the Village Pantomime. We raised £120, which will go to much needed equipment at school

Our thanks also to Steven Bennett who gallantly volunteered to be the DJ at our recent school disco - as my son announced “that was wicked”.

A date to put in your diary is Saturday 8th July when the PSC have organised a Barn Dance with the renowned Wiltshire Kloff band from 6pm til late in the Social Club. Last year’s event was great fun. Seend villagers as well as parents are welcome to come along. Tickets will be priced £7.50 per adult, £2.50 per child and £20 for a family ticket. Unaccompanied children will not be allowed. There will be a barbeque from 6pm-8pm.

Rachel Lewis, Seend School PSC

SEEND SOCIAL CLUB AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

Annual General Meeting– 27th March at 8pm in the Social Club
If you believe that the future success and development of the Community Centre and Social Club is important to the village and to YOU, YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY, then you should attend this AGM.

Forthcoming Events:


22nd April 2006 - St George's Day Feast
Roast Beef and all the trimmings. There will be two speakers, including explorer John Blashford Snell and Michael Ancram speaking in his non political role. Please contact Jean Allen on 828493 if you wish to obtain a ticket, price £12.50.

29th April 2006 - Beer Festival

Once again drinkers will be entertained by two bands (one in afternoon one and one in the evening) plus various food and entertainment.

SEEND WI

The Speaker at our March meeting, Mr. Gordon Cottis, gave us an interesting, illustrated talk on 'Hellebores - Species and Hybrids' which included a demonstration of propagating by splitting. He brought many varieties of hellebores together with snowdrops and irises. He was thanked by Mrs. Kay Beasley. The Competition for 'A Pot Plant' was won by Mrs Shirley West with a beautiful basket of blue hyacinths.

Our next meeting on the 12th April is our A.G.M. followed by a social evening. The Competition will be for 'The Best Decorated Hard Boiled Egg!'.

All members are asked to make every effort to attend this meeting as there will be much to discuss concerning the future of Seend WI.

Betty Smith and Lucy Hatton.

SEEND FAWLTY PLAYERS

Panto Costumes looking for a good home: It looks like Fawlty Players will be looking for somewhere new to store costumes. Our last two 'homes' have been nice dry garage lofts. If you have a large spare space of that kind that you could loan to us, please ring Anita on 828757 or Tessa on 828617. You'll gain our undying gratitude and a free panto ticket each year.

SEEND SHUTTLE MARK III

The new bus has become a familiar sight, with the logo now on it. Please use it on our scheduled services, (see the timetable on www.seend.org.uk),
or on the 'First Wednesday' shopping trips each month (phone Terry on 828203 for details). If you fancy yourself as a volunteer driver, please
ring Pete on 828757 to arrange an informal test run.

STRATFORD SHUTTLE RIDES AGAIN!

The Stratford Shuttle is being revived for a one-off trip to see Judi Dench in 'Merry Wives of Windsor - the Musical'. Sounds unmissable! I'm waiting to hear if I've got tickets for the matinee on either Saturday February 3rd or 10th next year. If you're interested, ring me (Tessa) on 828617. Tickets will be £30 plus cost of Shuttle transport.

SEEND AND DISTRICT GARDENING CLUB

After all the hard frost of recent weeks, we hope to have enough bulbs flowering for the Spring Bulb Show, but if not, we may have to postpone it for the April meeting; but let us hope that the weather makes a change for the better before then.

The evening of Tuesday 11th April will be the Club’s AGM, Social and Entertainment. As old hands will know, the AGM business is kept to an absolute minimum, so that members can enjoy the buffet supper and entertainment, and have time to socialize. Offers of plates of food for the buffet will be most welcome. Please bring these on the evening of the 11th. Drinks will be supplied. The meeting will start at 7.30pm at the Pavilion. Don’t have a large supper before you come. The Gill Edgeley Cup will be presented to the member who has gained the most points for the monthly competitions.

Looking ahead, the Club will have a Plant & Produce Stall at both the Church Fete (8th July) and the Flower Show & Fete on 12th August, so please think ahead and grow a few extra plants for these events; surplus produce would be most welcome. Help will be needed to run these stalls, so please let Roger or Joyce know if you are able to help. Thank you.
Lists have been out at meetings for the various outings and visits taking place during the Summer. The places and times for pick-up points for the day out to Church House, Wantage and Waterperry Gardens on 22nd July will be in a later issue of Spotlight.

A report on @Living Churchyards’ will be in the May issue of Spotlight.

Joyce Brand

WESSEX FUCHSIA GROUP

20th April - A talk by Geoffrey Oke on ‘Fuchsias for Beginners’ will take place in the Pavilion at 7.45pm. All welcome.

6th May - Plant Sale from 9.30am to 12 noon in the Pavilion.

29th July Annual Show from 1pm-4pm in Seend Social Club.

SEEND & DISTRICT RAMBLERS

Sunday 19th February 23 walkers took part in the walk organised by Penny England, ably assisted by Verly Ives. This charming walk took us through the old wealthy weaving town of Corsham, taking in the 15th century Flemish Cottages, Corsham Court and the park. Field paths were followed to the little hamlet of Westropp and beyond. A circular trip which brought us back onto the Corsham estate, and to view the stone almshouses, ending in the High Street. Some of our party took beverage in the Royal Oak to finish up with. A delightful walk for which we thank both Penny and Verly.

Reminder for 2nd April walk Walk will depart 1.30pm from Rusty Lane for a 3/4 mile village walk returning to the Pavilion for our AGM at 3pm. Leader will be Ron Apted.

The AGM will start with refreshments. Members will receive a list of the future walks planned for the next year. Can I remind members that your yearly subscription of £5 will be due and can be paid at the meeting to Gerald, our Treasurer.

Sunday 30th April Meet in Rusty Lane for a 9.30am departure. Gerald Salter will be organising this one. Details not finalised, but will be around
5-6 miles. Look forward to seeing as many as possible. Let’s hope that Spring will be in the air by then! Lin Salter

SEEND NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH

Nottingam Knockers: The Devizes Police have warned us that a gang known as the ‘Nottingham Knockers’ have been going door to door in Marlborough and Devizes and other local villages. They get dropped off and usually sell dusters, towels, etc from large shoulder bags. Some are known to have criminal records. They are also thought to be casing the area for future criminal activities. Where it appears that a house is unoccupied or people are on holiday, their doors or gateposts are marked with a cross and other signs to signify that there are valuable goods inside and whether a house is alarmed or not. Pavements are also sometimes marked.

Credit Card Scam: The editorial team have also heard of a telephone scam involving your credit card. Calls are made from people claiming to be from the security and fraud department of your credit card company . They claim that there has been an attempt to use your card to purchase a certain item. When you say that you have not made that purchase, they then go through various security checks. Their aim ultimately is to get the 3-digit security number on the back of your card . Once they have this, they are then able to make purchases over the internet and phone using your card. Your real credit card company would already have this information. So please be wary of any such phone calls and check yourself with your credit card company for legitimacy before giving any information away.

New Neighbourhood Watch signs: People may have observed 10 new signs around the village, mainly displayed on telegraph poles. Two of them are not displayed correctly but they will be corrected shortly.

New PoliceTelephone No: 0845 408 7000 Anthony Hodgkinson

SEEND TENNIS CLUB

Anyone interested in joiningSeend Tennis Club should contact Ric Ellinger -Chairman (828683), Victoria Bowes – Treasurer (827264)Frankie Goddard - Secretary (828488) or Elaine Davies (828942).

We have coaching for the juniors starting on 18th April and every Tuesdayevening until the summer holidays and competitive league matches on Monday and Wednesday evenings (until August).Other than these evenings, the courts will be available for fun tennis. Please note that use of the Tennis Courts is restricted to members only! If you want to play tennis, or participate in the Coaching provided, you must join the club and pay your membership fees.

Membership this year is the same as last - £55 Family, £25 Adult and £5 Junior/Student. (Members please note that fees are now due and should be paid to Victoria) . This year we are planning to put up a small club house (shed) on the side of the court to enhance the Clubs facilities. The booking form will soon appear on the Tennis Club notice board, which is now positioned in the entrance to the pavilion. So come on you budding Andy Murray’s, dust off your rackets and get out there on the courts – summer will not last forever!

Ric Ellinger

SEEND SHORT MAT BOWLS

The competition successes of the club are continuing this year. Seend teams are going to be representing Wiltshire County at the National Finals to be held at Kettering at the beginning of April. As a result of successes in Wiltshire County Competitions, they are playing in 4 of the 5 disciplines - mixed Fours, Triples, Pairs and Singles. The club is alive and well and playing at the Pavilion every Wednesday at 7.30pm - everyone over 12 years of age welcome! Ring Colin Waldeck on 828946.

Colin Waldeck

BULKINGTON NEWS

For a small village we seem to have a busy month ahead! There’s going to be a talk given by Rev Maureen, a Scarecrow demonstration, line dancing, exercise classes, a football tournament and the Parish Council Annual Meeting for those of you who are interested in the cut and thrust of local politics. The Bulkington Ladies Group seems to know how to enjoy themselves too! Don’t say that nothing much happens in the village. By the way, don’t forget to let me know of any happy events in the near future, we all like a new baby or a good cry at a wedding. It would be nice too if we could announce any important wedding anniversaries or exam results etc. Please send me any contributions and keep your eyes open for our competitions!

Jo Bell

Church Cleaning
1st – 15th Mrs E Futter, 16th – 30th Mrs A Elliott

Church Flowers
Sunday 16th April (Easter Day) Mrs Raby-Cox
Sunday 23rd April Mrs Raby-Cox
Sunday 30th April Mrs Elliott

We will decorate the church for Easter on Saturday 15th April.
After six weeks of Lent, it’s our first chance to fill the church with a glorious display of Spring flowers to celebrate Easter. If you can’t get to the Easter service, try and pop in and see the beautiful displays.

Mother’s Day - Sunday 26th March

There will be a Songs of Praise Eucharist. Mother’s Day posies will be distributed during this service. Andie Elliott.

Mothers’ Union - (Keevil & Bulkington)

On Wednesday 26th April 2006 at 10.30 am there will be a talk given by the Rev Maureen Allchin entitled ‘Reflection of Easter’. If you are free on that date, please find the time to attend as the Rev Maureen, who has recently moved into the village, is an extremely informative and amusing speaker. The venue is Manor Farm, Keevil. If you need further details please contact Dorothy Tyler 01380 870340.

Urgent message to inhabitants of Bulkington from the village fete committee.

You must have heard by now that we are organising a big ‘fun’ day for the village on 1st July 2006. Part of the festivities will include another Scarecrow trail. In previous years the support from the village in making decoy scarecrows has been excellent and there is obviously lots of talent in the village. We want this fun day to be a village activity, and this year we would like you to join in and make some scarecrows on the chosen theme and put them in your gardens. To this end, we will be giving a demonstration of scarecrow building and would welcome as many people as possible to come along and see how we make them and just how simple the task is when using suitable materials. We promise that there will be no obligation to take part in the trail but when you hear the theme you may be able to help with a few new ideas, provision of props, bubble wrap etc. Every assistance and support will be given to volunteers as the assembly committee meets each Saturday morning at Home Farm. Even if you think you have no talent to offer, please drop in as we can promise you a few laughs with the demonstration plus tea and biscuits. The demonstration will take place at 7.30 pm in the village hall on Tuesday 11th April.

Bulkington Parish Council

The Annual Parish meeting will take place on Wednesday 5th April 2006 at 8.15 pm in the Village Hall. The Chairman will give his annual report and the parish clerk will outline the financial situation. This meeting will be open to suggestions and questions from the floor. All are welcome to attend.

Bulkington Ladies Group

We don’t really have a fixed programme for the year as we’ve found that things often don’t go to plan! We hope to do another walk in May to Long Barrow and Silbury Hill. When we go out we usually finish at a pub for a drink. Generally, we try to have a mixture of things including talks in the Village Hall, and trips out in the summer months as well as cinema/theatre visits when there’s something appropriate on. Sometimes we take the Seend Shuttle. We’re always open to suggestions and would love to have new people along. If you are interested please call Geraldine on 828664 for further information. Geraldine

Football Tournament - 22nd April 2006

Keevil VA Primary School is hosting a small football tournament to raise funds to cover the extras for the Year 5/6 residential trip to Dorset. The tournament will consist of 3 teams from local primary schools playing each other once. It will take place on Saturday 22nd April on Bulkington Playing field kicking off at 9.30 am. Entry will be £1 per supporter, to include a
programme. Please come and support us. Joshua Dobson – Captain Keevil School Football Team.

Bulkington Village Hall.

The Annual General Meeting of Bulkington Village Hall took place on 9th March. The committee and officers were all re-elected. The Chairman reported very good progress on the restoration of the hall and the grant from the Lotto ‘Awards for All’ of over £4,200. It is hoped to complete the restoration this year. The committee is short of a member due to Ann Morgan leaving the village and we would welcome a volunteer to join us.

There will be a Fashion Jewellery sale organised by a company called Bling, in aid of Bulkington Village Hall on Saturday 1st April from 2-4pm in the village hall.

Nev Boulton 01380 828101

DEVIZES FOOD AND DRINK FESTIVAL

Villages are urged to get involved with Food and Drink Festival. The organisers of the Devizes Food and Drink Festival are anxious to involve people from as many villages as possible in this year’s event, from September 18-24. Entries are invited to a Produce competition, featuring locally grown fruit, vegetables and herbs, a Cake Decorating competition and Art and Photographic competitions. Full details and entry forms will shortly be available from Devizes Books at Handel House.

Rosalind Ambler 07798 633096

ADVERTISING IN SPOTLIGHT

We shall soon be renewing the annual adverts in Spotlight from the July edition. Should you wish to advertise in Spotlight, the rates for 10 issues are as follows:

£70 full page, £35 half page £20 quarter page

As there is limited space for these adverts, it will be on a first come, first served basis. Adverts should arrive by 1st May and can be e-mailed or sent by cd/floppy disc together with your cheque (made payable to Seend PCC - Magazine Account) to Spotlight, The Rectory, High Street, Seend SN12 6NR or handed in at the Post Office for the Spotlight folder (e-mail: Spotlight@Seend.org.uk). Please note that for those adverts sent by
e-mail the Spotlight team must receive a cheque for the advert to qualify.

We hope to be able to include the odd one-off advert on a monthly basis, but this will depend on space each month. The cost of this advertising space will be £10 for a 1/2-page or less. You cannot book a series of these adverts.

If you would like to speak to someone about advertising, then please contact Sue Bond on: 01380 828537.


USEFUL CONTACTS NUMBERS:

Irene Usher Hall (The Pavilion) Bookings - Ron Apted 828427
Lye Field Committee - Dave Sawyer 828583
100+Club Cash Draw - Bernie Prolze 828391
Seend Fete Committee - Bernie Prolze 828391
Seend Social Club: Bookings - Stan Wiltshire 828559
Secretary - Graham Hickman 828868
Seend Shuttle. Bookings - Alison Cobbing 828568
Seend & District LINK Scheme - Coordinator 828190
Seend & District Ramblers - Bob Howe 828544
Public Footpath Warden - Mrs Ester Daly 01672 513157
Seend & District Theatre Club - Sylvia Ewin 828325 or
- Christine O’Reilly 828888
Historic Houses Club - Tony Ewin 828325
Seend & District Gardening Club - Joyce Brand 828433
Seend Book Club - Sylvia Ewin 828325
Poetry Group - Tessa Doe 828617
Seend School - 828334
Seend Playgroup - Liz Futter 828485
Seend Bouncy Club - Kath Steggall 828821
Seend Brownies - Helen Hook 828477
Bulkington & District Junior Youth Group - Andrea Dobson 827126
Seend WI - Judith Bigg on 736358
Seend Fawlty Players - Tessa Doe 828617
Seend Mothers Union - Elizabeth Campbell 828451
WEA - Don & Heather Hyde 828342
Royal British Legion and Poppy Appeal - Anthony Hodgkinson 828545
Seend Cricket Club - Mr P Wallis 828757
Football Club - Darren Nichols 828535
Tennis Club - Philip Proven 828407
Short Mat Bowls Club - Colin Waldeck 828946
Neigbourhood Watch Coordinator - Anthony Hodgkinson 828545
Parish Council Clerk - Rosemary Fisher 828281
Seend Website: www.seend.org - Neil Yockney 827139
Police non-emergency number: 0845 408 7000

 

Page Last Updated: 3 May 2006

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