Edition 569 June 2024
Printed courtesy of Mrs Annette Haynes as a service to the community
Please email your entries for the July 2024 issue to: ThePennant@mail.com by 21st June 2024
Bradford Abbas and Clifton Maybank Neighbourhood Plan (N.P.)
The production of our N.P. is well underway. The time has come to consult with our small businesses and people working from home in the two parishes so that you can have your say in the N.P. (there is no list of such businesses in the parishes).
Do you have any specific needs or development plans that could be included? Is there any information that you would like to bring to our attention regarding your involvement in the two parishes that you think may be helpful?
If you would like to discuss this further, do not hesitate to contact me. Kind regards, Terry Hunt, Deputy Chairman N.P. Working Group, email: Terence.w.hunt@gmail.com, or leave a message in the receptacle in the telephone box.
What is a Neighbourhood Plan?
The Neighbourhood Plan Scheme began in 2011 and is a way in which residents can shape the decision making and future of their local area. Through a shared vision allowing residents, as a community, to influence what happens in a parish in the future, neighbourhood plans play an important part.
The plan has a range of different policies, including:
- Policies to safeguard the intrinsic beauty of our countryside, important green spaces, wildlife areas, key views and the character and style of important buildings and houses.
- Policies to make sure that any development is in keeping with local building styles and materials.
- Policies to protect the key community facilities that are so important to local residents and to endeavour to make sure that these continue to thrive.
Following consultations with the community the plan is compiled by a group of volunteer residents, with advice from a specialist neighbourhood plan consultant. The plan has to be approved by the Parish Council and an independent examiner. Consultation with local residents takes place at all stages and changes are made. The plan looks ahead to 2039 but can be reviewed before that. The final plan then has to be approved by, in our case, Dorset Council. The examiner and consultant are government funded.
The final step is the referendum, where all local residents in the parishes who are on the electoral roll, get the chance to vote yes or no to the plan being adopted officially.
St Mary’s Community Trust
Saturday 13th July – Afternoon Tea. Come down to the church and enjoy a delicious afternoon tea, being served between 3pm and 5pm. If the weather allows, we shall be serving you outside in the churchyard. There will tables inside too for shrinking violets (and also in case it rains a bit).
Saturday 14th September - “The Last Rays of Summer” - A celebration of local musical talent in the village playing field (entry in Westbury – just up from the school) with a bar and BBQ food. Come and enjoy a great day with family and friends. Music from 4pm to 9pm. We don’t charge a fee to come into these events, but we will ask you for a donation (by cash or card).
See you soon, Jo, Alan, Rob, Ruth, Trevor and Gary, The ST MARY’S COMMUNITY TRUST team
The Rose and Crown, Bradford Abbas
Dates in June:
Sat 8th - Big Breakfast Brunch 10-2pm; Sat 15th - Mexican night 6-9pm; Sun 16th Father's Day carvery; Sat 22nd - Music quiz with quiz master Lee; Sat 29th - Bottomless Brunch 12-8pm.
We will be playing all the euros games when we’ll be open with food deals.
Keep eyes peeled for any other events!
For bookings please phone 01935 423199 or email roseandcrown@btinternet.com
Friends of St Mary’s Churchyard
The Friends group are making encouraging progress in terms of planning, tasking and offers of financial support. Initial feedback from our questionnaire indicate that we need both a financial and practical community plan for the management of our churchyard. Fundraising has already started. All monies raised will be allocated to a Churchyard management fund and will not be used to subsidise the costs associated with the church’s role as a place of worship.
We believe we can work together and forge a strong community group that will make our churchyard beautiful. A place we can all be proud of and enjoy spending time in.
Volunteers are planning to meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6.30 and Saturday mornings from 10.30. We have a plan available in church of ideas for upkeep and improvements. Villagers may wish to take responsibility for planting and clearing certain areas? Neil will continue to take responsibility for grass cutting.
Please contact Jenny Thomas, Gary Siggins or Alan Fall if you would wish to help in anyway.
Bradford Abbas History Society
Tuesday 25th June at 2.00pm. A Guided tour of “Sherborne Museum” with a focus on items and stories local to the area. Please be ready for 2.00pm sharp. The Cost will be a £5 per person donation to the Museum. Prior booking with Tony White tel: 01935 424441.
Thursday 25th July at 7.00pm. Visit & Guided History tour of “Sherborne Steam & Waterwheel Centre”, Oborne Road, DT9 3RX. This is a guided tour and demonstration of the Waterwheel in motion plus details of the history of the Sherborne Public Health Acts of the late 19th Century. Cost will be a £5 per person donation to the Centre. Prior booking with Tony White.
Bradford Abbas WI – From Seed Bench to Show Tent
How does Rose Do It?
Presented by our award-winning horticulturist, Rose Payne, Tuesday 16th July 7.30pm at Bradford Abbas Village Hall. Celebrating the 107th Birthday of BA WI! Visitors £4 to include refreshments.
The Bradford Abbas WI Crafts and Arts group will meet on 1st June at 3 Churchwell Close, 2pm-5pm (for members and their guests only). For further information please phone 01935 425062.
St. Mary’s Church, Bradford Abbas
UPCOMING SERVICES HERE - EVERYBODY IS WELCOME
SUNDAY 2ND JUNE 10am Morning Service (lay-led)
SUNDAY 16TH JUNE 10am Holy Communion (led by Jenny Nelson)
SUNDAY 7TH JULY 10am Morning Service (lay-led)
SUNDAY 21ST JULY 10am Holy Communion (led by David Dunning)
REV TONY GILBERT RETIRING
The Rector of the Three Valleys Benefice, Rev Tony Gibert, is retiring and with his wife Nicola will shortly move away after ten years with us. Tony’s final service in our benefice will be at Thornford Church on Sunday 23rd June at 11am. We’re expecting the church to be packed.
NEW DONATION TERMINAL
With the help of the team at Salisbury and the Church of England National Giving Team, we have obtained an electronic donation terminal which you can find just inside the church door. You may have seen units like this in charitable organisations across the country. It allows us to start receiving donations by bank card and other electronic payment methods.
As those who came to our Annual Meeting (the “APCM”) in April learned, on average it costs more than £1000 per month just to keep our village church open. This covers our regular maintenance costs, security alarm, insurance, electricity and other unavoidable expenses. To meet these costs, we rely heavily on regular donations from churchgoers and other villagers who contribute to keep our church going. We hope that our new donation terminal will make it easier for visitors to make their own contributions.
Please do pop in - the church is open every day. You might want to say a private prayer or simply find a quiet place to think or maybe have a cup of tea or coffee. And while you are there, please take a look at our new toy. You might even try it out. And please suggest to your friends and family that they might like to pop in too. Everyone is welcome.
Thanks to everyone who helps to keep our historic church alive and vibrant.
“Look up” – a message from Rev George Moody, Team Vicar, Three Valleys Benefice
Well, today the sun shone. We’ve had little hints of warmth and then back we go to chilly winds and damp days, but today it really felt like summer might have finally come. Sadly, my day was spent mostly indoors, in a car, in a hospital, in an office, but I did catch a few minutes with a cup of tea in hand out in the garden, catching rays.
I am sure my vitamin D production was grateful, but sunshine does more than that doesn’t it? It lifts the soul, raises the energy, and encourages us outside into the fresh air. Some are drawn out to the garden, to weed, or to trim, plant or uproot. Others, I suppose, to the tennis court or croquet lawn, pub garden or National Trust property. It is like oil in our machinery, allowing us to move more freely and act more dynamically.
And we get to see people in the street, walking the dog, outside at the cafe. No longer do we rush past, head down against the wind, but we can stop and chat, confident that the showers will stay away until after we get home, or possibly not come at all.
Some are drawn to parties in the park, or a barbecue at the beach, food and maybe a glass or two to soften the evening and sharpen the conversation. In this glorious land of Dorset, summer is a golden time. Yes, it drags vast numbers of incomers to the coast but there are still those secret spots known only to the locals, and you don’t need to go far inland to find a quiet pub, or a lonesome walk.
Why regale you with this? Well, for me, and many like me, such delight in nature, in creation, is also a chance to delight in the Creator. So next time you get a glorious, cloud free, warm, summer eve, look up and see for yourself, for ‘the heavens declare the glory of the Lord’.
Sherborne Bradford Abbas Camera Club
We meet on the second and fourth Tuesday in the month at 7.30pm in the village hall. The club is on its summer break so there are no scheduled meetings. However, summer photoshoots are arranged at short notice, so check on our website for these – sbacameraclub.co.uk. Meetings resume in September.
Chess at the Rose and Crown
Enjoy a game of chess or 3?
Chess night is on Tuesdays at 7:30 pm at the Rose and Crown, Bradford Abbas.
Beginners welcome.
Interested? Call Jon Morgan 07731 759016 or Phil Roads 07801 397544 for more details.
Pop-up Market
The next Pop-up market will be 29th June in the village Hall 11 until 1pm. We have a range of stalls selling local meat (frozen), jams, pickles, honey, crafts and sustainable gifts and homewares and the WI will be doing refreshments again. I believe they will be offering cream teas too. AND Dave the knife sharpener will be coming but he has to leave by 12.40 so come early to avoid disappointment!
I'd just like to say a BIG thank you to everyone for supporting all our local businesses, we appreciate it.
Yeovil Railway Centre
Sunday 2nd June: Steam Train day = Children’s Day with train rides with Pectin, our little red engine. Ride in our coach (which is accessible for standard sized wheelchairs via a ramp). Travel along the 1/3rd mile of the former Great Western Railway Clifton Maybank goods branch. Train rides start at 11.00am and then every 20 minutes with a break for lunch. Turntable demonstrations are at 12.40pm and 2.30pm.
You can also ride on the miniature railway. Other planned attractions are the model railway layout, the Chard signalling panel, museum exhibits, shop and light refreshments are available.
Sunday 16th June: Steam Train day, details as above
Sunday 30 June: Steam Train Day and our annual pirate’s day. Come dressed up and meet our Captain Jack Sparrow. Details as 2nd June and on or website – yeovilrailway.freeservers.com and on Facebook.
Advance notice for Tuesday 9th July when Merchant Navy 35028 Clan Line with ‘End of Southern Steam’ excursion from London to Weymouth. The loco detaches and come onto our site for turning and servicing.
The Friendship Club
The Friendship Club meeting this month is on Tuesday 4th June at 2.00pm at Bradford Abbas Sports and Social Club. New members will be warmly welcome. We always meet on the first Tuesday afternoon of the month.
Bradford Abbas and Clifton Maybank Village Hall
In order to book the village hall please go to the Parish Council website (https://bradford-abbas.uk/hall) to see if the hall is available and how to book, alternatively please email bacmvh@gmail.com or ring the Booking Secretary (Tricia Chapman) on 01935 602279.
Monday Night Bingo
Every Monday at Bradford Abbas Sports and Social Club at 6.45pm with eyes down at 7.15pm. Everyone 18 and over is welcome to our weekly light-hearted evening which also includes a small draw a chance to win the SNOW BALL and of course a laugh and chat, we finish just before 9.00 pm.
Bradford Abbas Sports and Recreational Club
Please note, the club will be closed on Sunday 9th June 2024.
Petanque
Wednesday Petanque continues to be enjoyed by the group and remains a firm favourite. There has been interest in more Petanque sessions so from Saturday 1st of June we start our weekend play which will be on alternate Saturdays and Sundays and starts at 2pm,(weather permitting). The bar is open Sundays from 2:30pm but Saturdays you will have to bring your own. For further information contact Bob on 07840 340799.