Saints Alive: Stanhoe and Barwick Newsletter
May 2009
Dates for your Diary or Calendar
7th May
W.I. Resolutions Meeting to be held at the home of Mrs Kathy Bowern. 7pm.
10th May
Dad’s -v- Lad’s football match on the playing field 1-6pm with barbeque. Do come along and give them your support.
14th May
W.I. 7pm. Our 90th birthday party. A celebratory evening.
16th May
Bingo in the village hall. Eyes down 7.30pm.
Stanhoe & Barwick Sports & Social Club
The above club are having an ‘open to all’ evening on Friday 8th May. First drink free and buffet available. Tea and coffee will also be available. Open 8–11 pm. This evening is a make or break evening as to whether the club will keep running or perish through lack of support. Chairwoman of club – Judith Lough.
Stanhoe & Barwick Sports and Social Club
As you will probably know, Iris Ireson has now resigned as Chairwoman of the above club and the new Chairwoman is now Judith Lough. We would like to send Iris our thanks for all she has done for the club in her many years of service. Thankyou.
Parish Annual Meeting
As previously advised in Saints Alive, the above meeting will take place on Thursday 23rd April at 7.30 pm. Your Parish Councillors will be available for you to talk to us, and our Borough Councillor, Mrs Rosalie Monbiot will also be joining us. There will be information about the village and the councils for you, a presentation about the recent developments concerning a footpath on Bircham Road and information on the proposed wind farm on land between South Creake, North Creake, Syderstone and Stanhoe. There will also be a presentation by Charles Butcher about his internet idea — see item below. Most of all though, the Councillors wish to hear your views, so if you have any comments, ideas or suggestions, please come along and let us know — and of course enjoy wine and nibbles provided!
Village web site
The village web site goes from strength to strength, with information about the village and the various organisations here being added almost daily. Any newsworthy item will be found on the pages of http://stanhoe.org. If you have access to a computer, or can use one in a local library, do have a look — you won’t be disappointed, and you may learn something to your advantage!
If you would like to contribute any information and do not have access to a computer, please inform Charles Butcher on 518025. Remember too, that you can buy a “yournameatstanhoe.org” email address for only £5 from Charles.
The biggest encyclopaedia in the world
If you need information on the side effects of your blood pressure medicine, or how to make rhubarb chutney, or Henry Bellingham’s voting record, the internet is not a bad place to start. There’s one snag: many people in Stanhoe don’t have access to this wonderful resource. I am therefore thinking of starting a regular internet-based “Any Questions” session in the Village Hall. This would not be a class on how to use a computer, although I’m sure that could be arranged. Rather, it would be a chance to get some specific questions answered, and generally see what you’re missing. Because this involves getting some grant money to install a phone line, it is not likely to start before the summer. The Parish Council thinks it’s a good idea; if anyone else (computer user or not) has opinions, I’d be delighted to hear them. Charles Butcher — 01485 518033.
Speedwatch answers back
The Speedwatch teams get a lot of abuse, some of it local. The Norfolk Constabulary tells us to back off, so here are a few observations to set the record straight:
- We aren’t there to “catch” people, but to slow people down.
- We don’t “enjoy” it — standing often in wind, cold and rain when there are other things we’d far rather be doing.
- We aren’t parasites, pathetic “do-gooders” — just people who think it’s worth an effort to keep the village safe.
- The fact that some of us have lived here for less than ten years does not make us in any way ineligible to participate.
- The fact that drivers have lived here for many years does not make them immune from speed limits.
Some of us loathe the nanny state concept and the vigilante movement; but there aren’t enough police to cope, we can’t afford another flashing sign, and the medieval winding roads and narrow junctions of this village make a respected 30 mph speed limit essential; and we still need more volunteers! N.W.
Litter pick
Readers will have noticed that there has not been a spring litter pick organised this year. It is not an oversight, but such diligent work has been done by John Seedhouse of Cross Lane on his daily walks that he has done us out of a job! Thanks are extended to John, and the situation will be reviewed by the Parish Council in the autumn.
WI summer walks
The next walk will be on Wednesday 29th April, meeting at the village hall at 1.45pm if you need a lift or outside Brancaster Church at 2pm. We propose to walk along part of the Peddars Way. Anyone is welcome to join us.
And finally — The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age. — Lucille Ball.