24 December 2020 - Christmas greetings
Hello everyone,
It has been suggested that tonight at 6pm (or 1800 hours for those of a military bent) we go outside our front doors throughout the country and ring a bell for Christmas. A sort of distanced group hug if you like, to hopefully provide a sense of belonging in these strange times.
Thank you for your responses to my scribblings, or more correctly, typings over the last nine months or so. I do hope you found them interesting, helpful and just occasionally amusing. It has been a pleasure for me to be able to pass on news of all the neighbourly activities, the organised events limited only by social distancing and the sense of community that have enlightened the dark days and enhanced the pleasant ones.
Christmas will not be as we would have wished in many respects but let’s strive to make the best of it. Some have suffered more grievously than others and our thoughts are with them. If we get – or can make - the opportunity to spread a little happiness let’s take it, with a kind word here, a smile there, a touch of concern and a helping hand if needed.
I wish you and all who you hold dear the very best for Christmas and the days that follow.
Sincerely yours
Chris
20 December 2020 - Wessex Water and the SP Biodiversity Group
Dear all,
Dave Emery has some exciting news about the woodland and meadows between the Spring Basin and the Pumping Station. He says "The Sutton Poyntz Society Biodiversity Group have been working for over 10 years with the encouragement and support of Wessex Water to improve the biodiversity of the woodland and meadows between the Spring Basin and the Pumping Station. This work which replicates that carried out by the farming community over the centuries has involved coppicing, planting trees and laying and restoring hedgerows to both conserve and improve the natural habitat and extend the life of native trees.
Most of this work has been voluntary with some local contractor involvement and grant support from various organisations.
In recognition of the positive results that have been achieved on behalf of the community Wessex Water have now formally contracted the group to manage the land on their behalf through a formal Management Plan endorsed by Natural England which will result in additional financial support. This will link work practices to habitat condition assessments as part of a broader biodiversity monitoring program. Given the sensitivity of the environment general public access is not permitted, however, the Group aim to provide safer access in the near future so as to allow for guided community walks and educational activities."
Quite a vote of confidence from Wessex Water so many thanks and congratulations are due to the Biodiversity Group for all their hard work. In times where positives are hard to generate this is good news, and I am sure we all look forward to taking part in a guided community walk in the future.
Stay safe, keep well and carry on smiling
Best regards
Chris
15 December 2020 - Road closure and Census 21
Hello everyone,
A warning that on Monday 21 December Coombe Valley Road will be closed outside house number 42 for a distance of 5 metres Not that the distance matters, as if it’s closed, it’s closed. This to allow safe access for Scottish and Southern Power Distribution to install a new electricity supply. The closure order remains in force for five days, but they anticipate the work will be completed by Wednesday 23 December. Though this is not directly relevant to Sutton Poyntz, we will probably see more traffic using Sutton Road/Plaisters Lane, especially as the official diversion appears to go via Sheffield!
Also Peter Jones has exciting news about Census 21. Census day will be on Sunday March 21 2021 with households across the country receiving letters with online codes allowing them to take part from early March - details as per the attachment [not included here]. These occur every 10 years, and I started to work out how many I must have seen but gave up as it was a bit depressing. I mention it early as at least it’s an event to look forward to, and we don’t get many of those these days!
Best regards
Chris
11 December 2020 - Charity Coffee morning at the Springhead
Dear all,
Karen has just told me that there will be a Charity Coffee Morning tomorrow, Saturday 12 December at the Springhead, with free hot beverages and cakes/pastries on offer and even a brunch available. She didn’t give me a time but last year it was between 10.30am and 3pm. The event is being held in memory of her dad, John Owen, and donations in aid of the Fortuneswell Ward at Dorchester County Hospital will be greatly appreciated. Many of us have personal knowledge of the marvellous care and attention that the Fortuneswell Cancer Ward provides, and there is no more deserving cause. Coffee, cake, chat and a good cause – all suitably socially distanced of course. What more could you wish for?
Best regards
Chris
2 December 2020 - Shine out those lights tonight
Hi everyone,
You might have noticed – I certainly have in my walks around the area – that Christmas decorations on houses are appearing in quite large numbers given that we are only just into December. I suppose that everyone has a little more spare time than usual at this time of year to put them up. They certainly brighten up the neighbourhood and lift spirits. With this in mind there has been a suggestion that perhaps there should be a real effort in the village to decorate as many houses as possible. Our Chairperson Hilary has promised to lead the way with a display to rival the Blackpool illuminations, so if you notice a drop in the supply voltage you will know who to blame. But how about it? Dig out those fairy lights that for some time might not have seen the light of day – or more properly, the dark of night – plus those inflatable Santas or reindeer. Make Christmas as picturesque as possible and help put ‘festive’ into the Festive Season.
Stay safe, keep well and smile, even behind your mask
Chris
24 November 2020 - Holes in the ground
Hello everyone,
Walking up Sutton Road just after the fork with Plaisters Lane today – adjacent to what I still remember as Joyce’s stables – I came across a trench with an SSE gentleman standing in it. As I am never able to pass a hole with peering into it, I asked, as they say in South Wales “What’s occurring?”. Apparently and as you probably know, the street lights are not functioning and he was investigating the likely cause. Unfortunately the cabling is very old, making fault finding difficult, and he had discovered that just beyond where they had dug their trench the cable crossed the road so more excavations would be necessary. In my working life, amongst other things, I was responsible for our factory site facilities. We were experiencing frequent but irregular power failures, something less than ideal for a computer based organisation. The electricity company sent gentlemen from Southampton to investigate a number of times, without much success, so I became more forceful with my complaints. Eventually they drafted in an engineer from Bristol who had previously worked extensively in Weymouth, and within minutes of arriving he had identified a likely source of the problem in an underground cable some distance away which turned out to be the cause. He told me that the companies had grouped their engineers to cover larger and larger areas which meant that local knowledge was being lost. There’s nothing quite like progress, is there? I hope the street lights return soon, but this could be your opportunity to observe the night sky with less light pollution.
Stay safe, keep smiling and stay a lert
Chris
17 November 2020 - Poppy Appeal donation; refuse collections
Following Straceys Fish & Chips charity donation of £300 to the Royal British Legion, Glenn has sent a copy of the thank-you letter they have received (attached). He says “We thought it would be nice for those who gave to see where the donations went, especially poignant at this time.” I think everyone should be congratulated on a very generous gesture.
With his Council hat on Tony Ferrari reports “It was the refuse trucks that collect in Sutton Poyntz which were destroyed in the Chickerell fire. Monday’s collection didn't happen. We have worked out how to get hold of replacement vehicles but there is a growing backlog. We don't have any extra crews to catch up, even if we had vehicles so what we will do is to collect the food waste next week as usual. The refuse bin will also be collected next week. The recycling will be collected on the next cycle, on Monday week. We know there will be extra volume and are thinking about how to handle that. At this point we are not encouraging people to take refuse to the recycling centres. Because of the lockdown measures the queues are already long and we are trying not to get more people turning up but if people need to use them, the centres are open.” I personally feel that the refuse lorry crews do a good job, especially during our lockdown periods, but even they can’t work without the necessary equipment and backlogs will be inevitable. I’m sure they will work their hardest to get things back to normal.
Stay safe and smiling
Chris
12 November 2020 - Food, plants and fruit
Hello everyone,
Karen at the Springhead says that they are offering their Sunday carvery (full menu on the Springhead website) as a take away between noon and 5pm on Sundays. They can also deliver within a 1 mile radius at a cost of £3.50. But Karen says that for anyone within a mile and on the Newsbite mailing list then delivery will be free. All you have to do is text 07795 468 196 with your order, the time you would like the delivery and quote FREEDUCK. They will do the rest. Unfortunately Oakbury Drive is more than a mile away – but only just at 1½ miles, which I know because I walk it quite a lot.
Caroline mentioned that she heard some parents in the village explaining to their little boy the reason for the poppies on the various posts. I asked Karen, and she said that the Springhead has put up many of these as they have not had the chance to sell poppies due to lockdown. On their Facebook page they have asked for donations to the Poppy Appeal, which they will match. So if you haven’t had the chance to contribute this year, then this way via the Springhead will double your donation. A fine result, bringing the significance of the day to the young and raising money. Well done.
And last but not least, following the recent Newsbite, Keith comments that the cod liver oil might not have been great over 70 years ago but the (rationed) orange juice for under-fives was a real treat! I remember it well. Strange how I can recall orange juice seven decades ago but have trouble remembering things which happened yesterday.
Stay safe and keep smiling.
Chris