Newsletter - Appeal

Newsletter items to ibuxton16@btinternet.com by Tuesday 27th October - Please. Thank you to all those who donated A4 paper, we appreciate your generosity.

Parish Hall

The big day is getting closer! The roof is on and the interior work can now be undertaken in relative shelter and that means the historic opening day cannot be far off. Now is the time to start thinking about booking your space. The next Parish Hall Meeting (in the old hall) on 7th October is expected to agree the hire rates and as always the emphasis will be on providing a community facility that is affordable to members of the parish. Who will be the first to use the new hall? Will it be you?

When research was conducted to back up the need for a new hall a number of ideas were put forward for new clubs and societies that couldn’t make satisfactory use of the old hall. The new hall will cater for a variety of functions. Interest has been expressed in starting diverse new activities like recreational badminton and a home brew club. Regular events such as ladies and men’s skittles and the Horticultural Society have already declared the dates they would like, but the beauty of the new facilities is, unlike the old hall, simultaneous events can take place.

The Hall Committee will be arranging for a varied programme of entertainment once the full facilities (stage, sound system and nice comfortable chairs) are in place. Meanwhile do you want to celebrate a birthday? Arrange a wedding reception? Conduct a flea market or jumble sale? Start a stamp club? Organise Yoga or a keep fit class? Hold an exhibition or simply use the meeting room? What about an Amateur Dramatic Society, art, poetry or writing classes? How about fund raising events for your chosen charity, club or association? The hall is for you to use and in due course there will be a dedicated Bookings Secretary to contact, meanwhile please ring Lawrence Langston on 01409 211437 to make a reservation.

There will be an open day for you to come and inspect the hall, discuss ideas, equipment requirements and facilities. This will be announced as soon as possible as it is dependent on precisely when the building is ready for occupation.

A tremendous amount of organisational work is going on at the moment. Just because the building is nearly ready doesn’t mean everything will just drop into place. There are many things to be done to ensure that the hall is fit for purpose on the opening day. Legal requirements and specifications have to be met. Simply making sure that the cash flow is running smoothly is a major enterprise.

The Big Lottery Fund and other financial backers do not just deposit money in the hall bank account and walk away. They want (quite rightly) proof that the work is proceeding according to schedule and the method of releasing the right amount of money each month means checks and balances have to be precisely met. Any deviations have to be explained and the money draw down negotiated. The matter is complicated, not least by the fact that the whole project cost is not being met from a single source and therefore payments from the various funds are proportional.

As you know, money was raised within the community to meet the shortfall between funding and cost. We were not permitted to include any anticipated proceeds from the sale of the old hall in our fund raising bid, which means certain loans were granted without security and of course must be repaid when the old hall is sold. The date of the auction is Thursday 15th October 2009 and will be held in the old hall itself at 2.30pm. Once sold the hall will still be available for use until legal completion and this will be arranged to coincide with occupation of the new premises, so don’t be deterred as any old hall booking should be transferable to the new hall.

Regular meetings are held with the builders and our Quantity Surveyors. These make sure that the ‘Design and Build’ are according to the specifications. Messrs Coyde & Co have been most accommodating, but they are erecting the building as a commercial enterprise and in these difficult financial times we are fortunate to have such an established company undertaking the work.

Meanwhile fund raising activities continue, as the new hall has to be ‘kitted out’. There is a Quiz and Chilli Night on Sunday 18th October in the Village Inn at 7pm for 7.30pm start. Tickets are £8 each and proceeds will go towards the hall funds. Teams of four or individual entries can be accommodated. Please state if a vegetarian option is required when booking by ringing Ivan on 01409 221073.

Over the years the hall project has been ably supported by so many in the parish that it is difficult to single out any particular person or group of people for recognition, but all who have made and continue to make those wonderful hand produced cards deserve special thanks. Money donated from the sales has been a regular source of funds running into many hundreds of pounds and of course we are also grateful to all who have actually purchased the cards.

Arrangements continue for the official opening of the new hall on Saturday 20th March 2010. The Holsworthy Majorettes will be present and weather permitting it is hoped they will lead a short parade from the Village Green before giving a display of their skills. A live band and an Entertainer have been booked for the evening. More details will be released in due course, but make sure you have marked the date ready to enter into your 2010 Diary - can you believe they are already on sale?

Village Shop and Post Office - Closure

Firstly, apologies to anyone who completed a questionnaire last month that was not collected as time caught up with us, but sufficient response was received to establish that there is a need for a shop. This was put to the Parish Council Meeting on 9th September who contacted those who expressing willingness to explore the options further and invited them to discussions on 22nd September 2009.

The outcome was formation of a steering committee that will now urgently investigate the feasibility of setting up a community shop with or without Post Office facilities - this does not mean it will definitely happen. There are many imponderables including a site, funding and a person or people to operate it. Anyone who wants to put forward ideas, help or preferably be prepared to consider running both a shop and Post Office is urged to come forward (in confidence if required). In the first instance please contact the Parish Clerk, Sheila Myers on 01409 220212. This could be a wonderful opportunity for anyone wanting to enter the retail profession.

Ashwater Playgroup - Halloween Party

Horticultural Club

In sunny weather 26 people attended the AGM on Saturday 19th September on Summerlease Beach Bude. The business of the meeting having been concluded, all enjoyed a picnic. Why not join us for talks outings and workshops? Contact BRIAN 211506 or FIONA 221403 or simply come to the next function on October 10th at 2pm - ‘Apples From Tree to Juice at West Chilla’. (Lifts from Ashwater, outside the Village Inn - ring the above first or meet at Moorhay Farm at 1.40pm.

Holsworthy History Society

Holsworthy History Society is a friendly group of local people meeting monthly at the Skills Centre Holsworthy (above the Ambulance Station) to hear talks from local speakers on various aspects of history, mainly relating to Devon and Cornwall, and of course, the Holsworthy area. New members are always welcome, so do come along for an interesting evening.
Next Meeting: Thursday October 8th: 7.30pm : Jeremy Dowling: 'The Plus Side of Boscastle'
For more information please contact Lynda Vickery (Sec) 01409 253927
The Society also has strong links with Holsworthy Museum, some of its members being volunteers there.
Holsworthy Museum Open - Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. 11.00 - 13.00 & Wednesday: 11.00 - 15.30.

Ashwater Lunch Club

Advance booking is essential. Please phone 01409 211200 (The Village Inn) at the latest before 11am on the day. The next lunch is on Thursday 1st October 2009 at 12.30pm.

Mobile Library

The mobile library visits fortnightly on a Thursday outside the Village Inn from 11.30am - 12.10pm. The next dates are 8th and 22nd October.
Please use the library, as it is a vital service requiring support.

Parish Council

The future of Ashwater Shop/Post Office was discussed at the meeting and representatives from the Community Council of Devon attended to give information about what could be done. The results of the questionnaire were read out and there has been a good response of people who are willing to commit support for the future of the Shop/Post Office. It was proposed to form a steering group from the people who responded. This group will work towards the possibility of setting up a new Shop/Post Office and held a meeting on the 22 September 2009 at the Parish Hall.

There will be a road closure from Park Cottage to entrance of Winslade, Broadwoodwidger from Monday 26 October 2009 - a map will be placed on notice board nearer the time.

The lengthsman will be working in the Ashwater area on week commencing 26 October. If anyone needs anything attending to by the lengthsman such as drains, gullies or water tabling work, they should contact any member of the parish council as soon as possible.

The next parish council meeting will be held on Wednesday, 14 October 2009.

From our District Councillor

I can be contacted at 01409 211234/07739 972043 or e-mail: councillor.parsons@torridge.gov.uk

Holsworthy Rural Crime Update

• Criminal Damage to a bungalow in the Holsworthy Hamlets area of Holsworthy
• Reeves 2 man leandown galvanised shooting high seat from Cookworthy Moor Plantation Halwill, approximately £200 in value
• 3x Husquvana Brush Cutters, a cast iron pot, 2x padlocks and damage to hasp lock, approximately £2030 in value from a property at Cookworthy Moor Plantation Halwill.

Station Enquiry Office

Due to long-term ill health, the usual office times may not apply. However, an officer will be be within the station in October during the following dates and times:-

Monday	5th,12th, 19th & 26th October	0800-1130
Tuesday	6th,13th, 20th & 27th October	1700-2000
Wednesday	7th, 14th,21st & 28th October	0800-1400
Thursday	8th, 15th, 22nd, & 29th October	1700-2000
Friday	9th, 16th, 23rd, & 30th of October	0800-1130

An officer cannot be guaranteed to be within the station at any other times.

Halloween

We are only a month away from Halloween so if anyone requires any posters to request that people do not knock on your door or you require any advice regarding Halloween please get in touch with me. I shall be on duty on the 31st of October and will endeavour to visit as many villages as possible throughout the course of the evening/night.
PCSO 30103 Beverley Harvey, Holsworthy Police Station, 01409 259461 Email: beverley.harvey2@devonandcornwall.pnn.police.uk

Ashwater Parish Calendar of Forthcoming Events

Distribution of Newsletters

My thanks to those who provide articles for, and distribute the newsletters. If you know of anybody who did not receive a copy please let me know: copies will as always be available at the Post Office and in the Village Inn. Any information for inclusion in or offers to help please contact Ivan Buxton, my e-mail address is newsletter@ashwaterparish.org.uk.
Thanks also to Kirk Engineering who kindly reproduce these newsletters for the Parish.

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Last modified: Sunday December 13, 2009