Top In Staffordshire

Following our announcement in the last Rollestonian, that we were in the top three in the county in the DEFRA sponsored ‘Calor Village of the Year’ competition, the Community Council of Staffordshire announced at their AGM on 20 September that we were the winners.

The emphasis of the Award was on how we look after our community rather than, for example, how attractive the village appears. The combined Civic Trust/RODSEC entry had to provide answers to a questionnaire on matters of participation in community life, communicating information about village activities to all, including newcomers, and helping with the needs of the elderly, disabled and minority groups. This was followed by a grilling from a panel of judges who visited us in early September and who wished to see the evidence. It seems that they were suitably impressed.

The £250 prize money is to be donated to the Rolleston United Foundation. This is a charitable trust set up some years ago to help, mainly young, people about to start on academic courses or other training with modest grants towards books, equipment, etc.

We’re now looking forward to entering the national competition.

Recent Events

‘A Life of Badgers’ (20 September) signalled our post-summer return to monthly meetings. Bob Luzney filled in at very short notice and introduced us to his very personal interest in wild life protection and particularly badgers. His slides were first rate. 

As a boy he discovered a sett during a woodland walk. Being uncertain what it was, he returned to it several times and eventually saw his first badger. He was enthralled and hooked for life! He explained that adult badgers weigh from 25 lb to 35 lb, their eyesight is relatively poor but their sense of smell is very good. They are built for digging and we (well me, anyway) were surprised to hear that not all badgers conform to the familiar black and white colouring. There are clans (family groups) of so-called ‘Ginger badgers’ where the black is replaced by brown.

Rolleston, said Bob, is a good badger area because of vast numbers of earthworms – their favourite food – on the flood plain. They also eat slugs, frogs, toads and break into underground nests of mice and rabbits. And wasps’ nests! Although many live only to about four, an eight year life is more typical and, in captivity, 17 years has been recorded. But the final surprise was the fact that they carefully air their bedding. I wonder how long it takes mums to train the cubs to do that? It was fascinating!

‘East Staffs Reporting via Radio Derby’. ( 18 October) Our very own reporter, Nick Willmot, introduced us to his Radio Derby colleagues via a series of sound bites, filled out by tales of his own experiences. His working address is ‘in a Dickensian office in Burton Town Hall’ although he asked us not to visit him there because, he claims, there isn’t room for two people at the same time.

Among the stories he told two stick firmly in the memory – there was the man who (almost) fell down the well he didn’t know he had in his garden, but refused to be interviewed about it; and the school that’s so far ahead of the Government’s identity card development that it already uses biometric technology to record which pupil has borrowed which library book.

Since he lives in Rolleston Road he has a particular interest in our own stories. He remembers his report on our introduction of Well Dressing – even though we don’t have a well in the right place – and last year’s Christmas Tree Festival in the Church. But if you do come across a local story that ought to suit Radio Derby, please let him know. Disappointingly East Staffs isn’t the whole of his area. He also covers South Derbyshire. Everything south of Derby in fact. And a very entertaining reporter and raconteur he is too.

Our Winter Programme

As we go to press some final decisions remain to be made. However, by early January, when Civic Trust memberships are due (£2 individual, £3 family) programme cards with the blanks filled in will be distributed to members. If you’re not already in, why not join? Because we’re worth it.

Friday 1 December. Rolleston on Dove Civic Trust Christmas Dinner. By the time you read this you’ve almost certainly attended, or missed it!

Wednesday 17 January at the Cricket Club
Simon Manning on “The Life of a Tree Surgeon”

Sunday 28 January at Apple Acres
By popular request, a return to the Civic Trust’s lunchtime Mulled Wine Party.

Wednesday 21 February at the Cricket Club
Jeff Clifton on “Antiques”

Saturday 24 February, Pancake Races on the Croft. 2 pm
For details, see below.

Wednesday 21 March at the Cricket Club
Rodney Paul on “Life on a Hebridean Island”.

Wednesday 18 April at the Cricket Club
Valerie Burton of Burton Civic Trust on “Conserving the Best of our Past; Challenges for the Future”

Late April : To follow last year’s successful ‘plant sale’ in late March we’re planning an equally successful event late in April. (Proceeds to St. Mary’s Church)

Planning Matters

Covering the three months of August, September and October

Not a lot of excitement to report – I suppose we should all be delighted. However, we have seen two applications for permission to extend houses by what may be considered very large proportion of the existing home. Not so long ago it was easier and cheaper to move house but changes in the financial aspects of moving may have created a trend in a different direction. Something to keep an eye on, perhaps?

Street Furniture

Signs, lights, poles and posts, road markings etc. They seem to appear without notice being given and they never vanish! There’s no obvious decision to make them suit the site, to create matching groups or to appear as anything but very functional. So we intend to compile a record of what is there, to form the basis of a report of the state of Rolleston. Not necessarily an inventory of everything but a record of items that need to be improved.

Chairman's Message

The Civic Trust exists for the benefit of Rolleston (hence, our production of Rollestonian and our role as planning watch-dog, and so on). However, we cannot operate successfully without the help of Rollestonians and hence thanks to all those who have helped in 2006 with our working parties in Brook Hollows and at Parish Clean-up Day and so on.

I would like to wish all Rollestonians a Happy Christmas and a Merry (not too merry) New Year.

Roger Gawthorpe
Chairman

Rolleston Civic Trust Annual Pancake Races
Saturday 24th February, 2.00pm on the Croft

We invite you all to join in this traditional event, and we hope to see as many of you as possible enjoying the fun with us. The proceeds will once again go to St Mary’s Church fabric Fund. On that note we thought that the following anecdote might be of some interest!!!

Legend has it that the “pancake race” started in Olney, England in 1445. The women customarily used up accumulated cooking fats (forbidden during lent) to bake pancakes on Shrove Tuesday. One woman, engrossed in her pancakes, forgot the time until she heard the church bells calling everyone to Shriving Service. She ran to the church, clad in her apron and with skillet in hand, to become the first pancake racer. In following years other women of Olney, not to be outdone by their neighbours, got into the act. The one reaching the church steps first was kissed by the Verger or Bell-ringer. The kiss became to be called the “Kiss of Peace” and was accompanied by the words, “The peace of the Lord be always with you” This is still the traditional prize for the winners of the pancake races in England today.

We have to clarify , however that this year’s prizes will follow our usual format, even though the Rev. Ian Whitehead has been asked if he would like to consider the above!!

See posters in the village notice boards for further details or contact – Sheila Lord, 62, The Lawns Tel 813877 - for entry forms and enquiries

‘A New Vision For East Staffordshire’

On 12th July, the Civic Trust was invited by ESBC to a “Visioning Day” in the Town Hall. You may well ask what this meant! We didn’t know either so we accepted the invitation to send our representative along to find out. Well - - - 

ESBC is about to start work on two key documents that are intended to offer a new vision for the Borough. There will be the “Core Strategy for the Local Development Framework” and the “Economic Regeneration Strategy”. ESBC sees it as important that “this new vision is developed and shared with the widest possible range of contributors”.

On the day it seemed that this future was likely to be very urban. While paying lip-service to the large rural hinterland, thought had apparently not yet spread beyond the industrial/commercial importance of Burton and the market town characteristics of Uttoxeter.

Nonetheless it was clear that something is likely to happen. How a village Civic Trust can play a role in this is still unclear. But we intend to keep our eyes and ears open and to report here whatever seems relevant during the next several years. Watch this space - - .

The Calor Village Of The Year Competition

The strength of community life in Rolleston has been judged during the early summer as part of the County section of this national event. The competition is sponsored by Calor plc and by Defra. This year the Community Council of Staffordshire has encouraged Rolleston to participate through the Parish Council and the Village Liaison Committee. The Civic Trust and RODSEC were asked if they would combine to put in an entry.

This consisted of answering 15 questions about “building community life in the village. The emphasis, therefore, is not on the appearance of Rolleston but on how it operates and takes care of its community. The completed entry forms were sent off in mid-June and we heard in July that we were in the top three Staffordshire villages. This triggered a site visit by the judges who will announce the County winner in September – roughly coinciding with the circulation of this copy of the Rollestonian. So you may already know all about it!! If not you can wait with bated breath to discover whether we go on to the national championship.

Recent Civic Trust Events

‘The Life of a Driving Instructor’ (17th May) was our only ‘talk’ evening this quarter. Mrs Robinson, a very experienced Instructor, shared those experiences with us. Her stories of “would be drivers I have sat with” covered the spectrum of skills from those who barely needed instruction to the ones she doesn’t believe should ever pass a test and be issued with a licence. (Why do I feel that I meet some of these most days?) Her stories varied from entertaining to hair-raising – all in all a good evening’s story telling.

A Shardlow walk and visit to the Heritage Centre ( 21st June). Not a lot of people know this but Shardlow, for a century or so was the biggest and busiest inland port in Britain. It was only overtaken when the Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894. The railways had already made it less important, of course, and road transport has continued the shift in the transport of bulk goods. Nonetheless there is enough history in the form of buildings, barges and canals to remind us what it was like in its heyday. Two Civic Trust groups, led around by knowledgeable guides, were enthralled by their stories, statistics and general historical knowledge. The walk ended at the Heritage Centre – a wonderful old-fashioned museum – crammed with countless objects, pictures and documents that reflected this history. And, believe it or not, we then visited the canal-straddling Clock Warehouse, now a decent pub, for refreshment, to discuss what we’d seen and learned.

The ‘Walking Treasure Hunt’ and BBQ (8th July) was fun in the way that Treasure Hunts are meant to be. They open one’s eyes to things often seen before but never really observed. Fifty questions to answer, four items to find, the best part of a mile to walk and a good barbecue at the end. A good way to spend a summer Saturday afternoon in the sunshine with the added bonus of listening to the best jazz saxophone quartet we’d heard in some considerable time. The winners were - - The Bailey family from Meadow View. Congratulations! Thanks to the Richardson family for lending us their garden.

Our Autumn Programme

Wednesday 20th September at the Cricket Club
A talk by a member of the Greenhouse Environmental Centre, ESBC Stapenhill

Wednesday 18th October at the Cricket Club
Nick Willmot – East Staffs reporter for Radio Derby.

Wednesday 15th November at the Cricket Club
Diary of a Flanders soldier by Ms Anne Owen

Sunday 26th November
Bulb planting around Rolleston. Volunteers needed. Details to be announced.

Friday 1st December
Christmas Dinner at the Meynell Ingram Arms, Hoar Cross.
Ticket event, available nearer the date - numbers will be limited.

Planning Matters

Covering the three months of May, June and July

8 Station Rd and the garden extending to Chapel Lane
Basically the applicant wants to create 2 large houses in the middle of the Conservation Area. We object and the application is withdrawn (these events are unlikely to be cause & effect) to return later with minor changes. Currently (1st August) it is in the ‘withdrawn’ phase.

7 Bladon’s Yard
ESBC initially refused permission, essentially on the same grounds as our objection, but a re-application for a smaller extension has now been accepted.

Primary Health Care Centre and Pharmacy on Station Road
The application prompted a large number of objections and has been withdrawn. We’ll see what happens next.

Peter Galloway

The Civic Trust extends a big thank you to the six contestants who kindly agreed to put forward their gardens into the annual Back Garden Competition. We should like to reassure any prospective entrants for next year’s competition that there is usually only one judge accompanied by a member of the Civic Trust committee, visiting at a pre-arranged time and is it is not expected that your garden will be open to all.

We are pleased to announce that the winner of the Forest Shield and a garden voucher for £20 is Mr T Morrow of 20, Hall Road. The runners up are Mr R Scrimshaw of 110, Walford Road, and Mr and Mrs P Taylor of The Old Hall, Hall Grounds.

The judging was carried out by Mr Jeff Bates, FL Hort, M Hort (RHS) Chairman of East Midlands in Bloom Competition, Horticultural Consultant and Garden Designer, who very kindly agreed to consider the entries. Mr Bates was very happy to discuss all matters gardening with the entrants and lots of tips and suggestions were forthcoming.

From the very first garden visited to the last one on the list, Jeff was thrilled and amazed at the variety of plants and quality of maintenance throughout and I know that the eventual outcome proved to be a very difficult decision. His comments are included below:

My criteria for marking the gardens were split equally into three sections: Quality of maintenance, quality and suitability of design, and finally the overall quality, health and variety of plants. In order of those visited, comments are as follows:

220 Station Road: this is a beautifully maintained terraced garden on three/four levels, with attractive lawns, carefully placed seats (available in both sun and shade), two water features, and a most unusual focal point of a tall stone wedge. There was some fruit present – the plum is loaded in fruit – and many annuals and containers. The use of bananas and a mature cordyline made the planting style seem quite exotic. The greenhouse was empty, and the design style, though effective, was perhaps slightly lacking in unity, but these are minor negatives in a splendid garden. 

110 Walford Road: a lovely segmented garden, opening out into cleverly designed rooms with small vegetable and fruit areas, a greenhouse, a lovely shady corner illuminated with a Cotinus Grace and two Goldcrest conifers in pots and an interesting chequerboard garden. The quality of the planters was superb – particularly where Begonias and Petunias were used. All plants were well-maintained and there was a very good range in use all chosen well to provide colour throughout he year. 

Old Hall: a gorgeous cottage-style of planting set in an open lawned area, with beautifully set pergola walk and arch covered in roses, honeysuckle and clematis greets the visitor here. The herbaceous border was full of flower and fragrance, and was supplemented by containers and urns of petunias. The lavender circle was also lovely, and it was nice to see the small area of vegetables included. Minor negatives related to the need for some shrubs to be rejuvenated, the lawn to be edged and also a small incursion of weed at the back of one border, but these should not detract from a most attractive scene. 

72 Hall Road: superb maintenance standards greet the visitor here, with everything beautifully pruned, and all borders tidy, clean and edged up neatly. Lots of annuals and perennials were spread around this ‘three-room’ garden, which as with others seen, included some well-placed seating positions. The hanging baskets and containers were all well-planted and plant quality was very high. A tidy fruit and vegetable area and well-stocked greenhouse completed the picture. In design terms, perhaps the use of trellis behind one of the sectional borders would break up the overall view better and add some height to the garden. 

96 Hall Road: this small, neat garden has lovely seating areas, again exploiting both sunny and shady spots. The use of trellis here, with Clematis, helps to add height along the length of the garden, though perhaps if one of the panels had been to the West facing side the balance of the garden would have been improved. The grass / sedge / fern border is particularly attractive. The clematis on the West facing fence / trellis have struggled to get going, leading to a rather bare feel on this side. 

20 Hall Road: an exceptionally tidy, compact garden in which the immaculate lawn, ivy-covered fence and simple rear shrub border and wall set off the riot of exotic colour everywhere else. Cannas, bananas, Caladiums, a mature cordyline – all surrounded by banks of hot begonia and spikes of red millet. And all that doesn’t take any account of the Koi pond with waterfall, or the magnificent planters. Wow! 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Jeff for his deliberations, time and effort and we hope to be able to persuade him to make a return visit next year.

Front Garden Award

For the Front Garden Award the judging format has been changed slightly with a knock out system used initially, the village being divided into areas and the judging taken on by volunteers from the committee and the membership. For each area up to three gardens were put forward to the final round, this round being considered by our independent judge Mrs Sandy Jordan. We extend our thanks to Mrs Jordan and her assistants for their hard work.
One aspect of the front garden competition, which perhaps needs to be highlighted, is that in order to judge the garden it needs to be visible from the pavement so that the judge does not have to enter the property. This is to ensure that no misunderstanding occurs about trespass.

The winners of the Shelly Cup and a £20 garden voucher are Mr & Mrs Cawser, 11, Beacon Drive. ‘So much interest in a relatively small front garden, starting from the entrance with vivid pots. Striking aloe centrepiece, standard fuchsia, tender specimen plants and summer bedding – good use of height, with hanging baskets and climbing clematis. Reminiscent of an Italian garden.’ 

The runners up are Mr & Mrs Martin, 43, The Lawns. ‘More unusual choice of colour scheme, yellow, blues and purples – flowers and foliage. Large range of different plants including marigold, salvia, ageratum, bellis perennis and scabious. Love the contrasting dark ‘tropical’ foliage plant – very popular this year at garden shows.’

The judge would also like to make special mention of the following gardens (in no particular order):

107A Knowles Hill, 
12 Walford Road,
13 Knowles Hill,
5 Home Farm Caravan Park,
10 Marston Lane,
40 The Lawns,
42 The Lawns 

It is hoped to make the presentations to the winners of the Forest Shield and the Shelly Cup at the 20th September meeting of the Rolleston Civic Trust at the Cricket Club at 8.00pm. The guest speaker will be a member of the Greenhouse Environmental Centre formerly known as the ESBC Horticultural Centre.

The Civic Trust Award

This is presented, although not every year, for the most important contribution to Rolleston’s appearance or functioning. The committee has kept an eye for three years on the work being done to the cottages on the corner of Marston Lane and is delighted by the final result. So David and Lindsey Pusey were invited to attend the AGM and were there presented, by the retiring Chairman, Clare Norman, with the brass plaque to remind those who pass by of the love and hard work that led to this extremely successful renovation. David thanked the Civic Trust for our recognition of the labour of love that has enabled this Derbyshire man to provide a Staffordshire home for his Essex Girl!

The AGM : Held on March 15th

Heather Taylor retired from the committee after 18 years and was presented with an engraved glass bowl as a memento of her long and active period of contribution to the Trust’s work. Clare Stewart and Shiela Redgrave also left the committee. Among the Trust’s officers, Clare Norman retired from the Chair to be replaced by her vice-chairman, Roger Gawthorpe; Peter Barnett was elected vice-chair in his place while the other officers, Vanessa Winstone (Secretary) and Helen Richardson (Treasurer) remain in place. Sheila Lord joined the committee.

There was, however, a further election. The Civic Trust has only once before had a President, Dr Richard Moore of Grace Cottage, Anslow Lane. Dr Moore was a founder member of the Civic Trust, an anonymous benefactor to the village and life President until his death in 1988. 

The Presidency is an honorary position, often seen as a figurehead although responsibility can be thrust on the holder of the post, sometimes at very short notice. It was with our great pleasure, therefore, that in recognition of his 34 years of membership, two long periods as Chairman and much more, of which he has been editor of the Rollestonian, Tom Martin was proposed, seconded, and elected by acclamation to be the second President of Rolleston Civic Trust. Welcome Tom, may your Presidency be a relaxed one.

Recent Events

The Annual Pancake Races were held on the Croft on February 25th. As a change from last year’s torrential rain the day was dry but extremely cold. Rollestonians proved to be more sensitive to temperature than downpour so there were less competitors but 12 teams competed as vigorously as ever, had at least as much fun and provided a total contribution of £43 for St. Mary’s Fabric Fund. The winning teams were “The Defenders” – last year’s Guides team, successfully defending their victory - although no longer as Guides – and the Hickman Family.

A plant swap was held at the Old Hall on March 5th . Despite another bitterly cold day (or perhaps because of it?) the refreshments sold well and the total raised for the Fabric Fund was £97.

“A cottage garden through the 4 seasons” was the topic for the talk that preceded the AGM on March 15th. Steve Dixon, a professional horticulturalist, now retired, has created his garden on a one-time pig farm. Both house and garden had been unoccupied for 30 years and just how much work had been put in to create a house fit to live in and a garden to delight the senses is difficult to imagine. Nonetheless he’s achieved it, as his collection of slides illustrated so beautifully. They showed a brilliant example of what a traditional cottage garden can become with the application of skill, knowledge and enthusiasm.

Travels on the Orient Express (April 19th) presented by Donald Wednesday Watson “all the way from Burton on Trent” was an informative and entertaining talk. Don has a fund of funny stories with which he warmed up his captive audience and a collection of slides from his own and other people’s travels with which he illustrated his main theme. He included the early history of Pullman travel from Mr Pullman’s early publicity coup of carrying Abraham Lincoln’s assassinated corpse to his funeral to the almost modern Golden Arrow and the original Orient Express. There was part of the story of the collection of coaches that time had dispersed across Europe and North America, to form the modern Orient Express, and pictures of happy travellers and the comfort and luxury in which they travel as well as some of the places they visited. 

Our Summer Programme - - - -

Wednesday June 21st
Shardlow Walk and Heritage Centre
Limited numbers, Ticket Event - £7 from committee members
Meet at The Heritage Centre at 6.30pm for 6.45 start. Followed by supper at The Navigation Inn, Shardlow

Saturday July 8th
Walking Treasure Hunt 
Limited numbers, Ticket Event
2pm start, followed by BBQ at Appleacres
See noticeboard for details nearer the date.

Wednesday September 20th at the Cricket Club
A talk by a member of the Greenhouse Environmental Centre, Stapenhill

Planning Matters

Covering the three months February - April

Once again most of the applications we have seen have been for extensions or conservatories – unless there’s something exceptional about them the Civic Trust doesn’t express an opinion. Applications of more general interest have included :-

* Outline permission was granted for the Highfield Garage site to be used for residential development.
* Permission was granted for another house to be built behind Nos 76 & 78 Station Road, fronting on to Meadow View.
* The Craythorne has received permission to build a 40-bedroom Lodge.
* The owners of 14/16 Burnside have applied for permission to begin the work they need to complete on this listed building.
* The owners of No.7 Bladon’s Yard have applied for permission to build a 2-storey extension. The Civic Trust sees this as a major alteration within the Conservation Area and has, therefore, objected.

Brook Hollows

Despite my optimism 3 months ago, not all is well. The waterfall side repairs have been left in a mess. Parks Department seem reluctant to do anything about the rubble left in places where there will eventually be grass to cut and, since the mowers are ours we need to sort out the mess. 

ESBC have suggested that a voluntary group (suggested name “Friends of Brook Hollows”) be formed to provide future help in situations of which the above may well be an example. Brook Hollows is a pleasant, usually peaceful, part of Rolleston and voluntary effort to top up the limited amount of work ESBC is able to provide seems a reasonable contribution for residents to make. 

Peter Galloway

We’re well within sight of Spring with December, January and February behind us and Easter not too far ahead. The New Year’s Civic Trust Programme is into its swing so that by the end of January we’d had two functions.

First an interesting introduction to our local canal – the Trent and Mersey –from Jeff Williamson. Jeff not only sails on it but has, in his time, spent many Sundays with working parties of like-minded enthusiasts cleaning, tidying, opening-up disused stretches of water and all for the love of the Canal. Lots of pictures between Stoke and Shardlow (where the canal joins the river). And lots of stories – including the fact that it doesn’t go to the Mersey anyway. Not all the way. And I got the answer to a question that’s been in the back of my mind since I first moved here. What has James Brindley Way to do with Stretton? We used to live by the Bridgewater Canal and I knew that Brindley built that. Well, now I know that he built them both – and saved his clients a few bob by joining the pair of them before the T & M reached the Mersey. Thanks to Jeff!

Since then we’ve trodden new ground. The Civic Trust has forsaken its January mulled wine party to take members on a guided walk of (part of) the National Forest. About 40 of us, including children (more if we include the dogs) met at Rosliston Forestry Centre. There we also met a most entertaining guide who walked backwards much of the way so that he could talk to us. A nice sunny Sunday afternoon, tea and cakes to follow. A brilliant idea, much enjoyed.

Planning Matters

In the past 3 months (Nov. Dec. Jan.) have been fairly quiet with a sprinkling of extensions, conservatories and garage modifications. Usually, unless they’re in the Conservation Area, we consider these to be most significant to close neighbours and leave them alone. In addition, however, there have been :

o The development of No.8 Station Rd. – with the long garden through to Chapel Lane. The original application was for 2 large houses on the plot while the latest situation suggests that the applicant may be going to deal with them one at a time. The one, at the Chapel Lane end, is now significantly smaller but still large.
o The Swimming Club :- up for sale with the water tower to be developed as a residence within a ‘garden’ consisting of about 12 – 15% of the total plot. The rest to be left as ‘orchard’ or ‘copse’ which means that it can’t be built on.
o Craythorne Lodge :- a 40-bedroom hotel adjacent to the pub. Now up for a Public Enquiry, probably late this year.
o The Dower House site :- after long discussion and negotiation, permission has been given to develop the existing listed buildings and to add new houses to a total of 13 residences.

We hope that our efforts have achieved some influence in each of these cases.

Brook Hollows

Most, if not all of us, will have been aware of major work going on around the weir. And those who looked closely will have worked out that the flank walls were being repaired – a job that was urgently needed. Their condition was poor and deteriorating. In part this was due to the large trees that were taken down in 2005. Their roots were disturbing the walls. In part too, particularly on the left bank, it was due to water leaking through the soil, coming around the weir structure, and eventually through the wall. This had led to soil being washed out, leaving an underground cavity which was eventually discovered when it fell in during the early stages of work.

No-one was hurt but there was some delay. However, I’m sure that (when I write this) that (by the time you read it) all will be well and the weir will be ready for the next 50 years or so.

Spring Programme

Sunday 5 March
A Plant Swap at the Old Hall, Hall Grounds
By kind permission of Mr & Mrs P Taylor

Wednesday 15 March at the Cricket Club
Four Seasons – by Steve Dunn. A horticultural talk with plants available for purchase.
Followed by the AGM

Wednesday 19 April at the Cricket Club
Travels on the Orient Express – by Don Watson

Wednesday 17 May at the Cricket Club
The life of a Driving Instructor – by Mrs H Robinson

Wednesday 21 June at Shardlow Marina
Shardlow Walk with a visit to the Heritage Centre followed by supper at a local hostelry.
Numbers limited. Tickets from Committee Members. 6.30 pm for 6.45 start.
Detailed information (with ticket price) will be on the village notice board at Starbucks.

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Last updated: 24 March 2007