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Wetherby & District Crime Prevention Panel
covering
Aberford, Alwoodley, Bardsey, Barwick In Elmet, Boston Spa, Bramham, Clifford, Collingham, East Keswick, Harewood, Linton, Moor Allerton, Moortown, Scarcroft, Seacroft, Scholes, Shadwell, Thorner, Thorp Arch, Walton, Wetherby
Going on Holiday ? or time away at the Jubilee Celebrations ?
The report as you can see below was very pleasing and a credit to the whole village.
Now to get ready for the Summer Judging on the 3rd July.
Introduction
Despite the inclement weather, which did nothing to hamper the Environment Group’s enthusiasm, this entry was a real pleasure to judge. Excellent coordination from the group has led to an impressive collective effort by the residents. The very well maintained streets, grass verges, plots and flower beds are all testimony to this. These high standards of environmental responsibility set by the group certainly complement the village’s extremely rich local heritage. The All Saints Church forms a magnificent focal point of the village of which the group and community as a whole are justly proud.
There is a rich tapestry of colour due to the horticultural expertise of the group, which is supported by extensive sponsorship from local businesses. However, the ‘sleepy’ feeling which may exude from this Northern English village will belie much hard work and dedication!
Section A: Horticultural Achievement
Areas of Achievement
Flower beds were planted with eye-catching colour coordination. They were well designed and the pattern was consistent through the village. The very well maintained grass verges and plots are a credit to the village ‘bloomers’ and added a real sense of pride and ownership to the place.
Areas for Improvement
The planting of early-flowering bulbs such as crocus and snowdrops on the verges approaching/departing the village would provide an earlier dash of extra colour which would also compliment the extensive daffodil planting. If possible, carrying out an extra weeding session at the Jubilee Gardens would raise the already high standard of maintenance.
Section B: Environmental Responsibility
Areas of Achievement
The church is a magnificent example of its type and a credit to the people who maintain it. It was good to see a high consideration for wildlife in the church yard. This was demonstrated by the mosaic of ‘wild’ areas
around the grave stones and the isolated area under the wall. Involving the expertise of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust is a wise move indeed. The cleanliness of the village was most impressive and is a real credit to the group, who supplement the Council’s street cleansing so well. Most impressive is the old people’s shelter, which is a real asset to the village.
Areas for Improvement
Very little, although a mechanised sweep of some of the footways by The City Council would add that little extra to an already very high standard. If possible, liaise with The Council/contractors to remove unused road signs. There is future scope to added to the village floral features from the funding released from the new housing development.
Section C: Community Participation
Areas of Achievement
It was encouraging to hear the group involving local youth to clean out and tidy the stream. The judges realise how difficult getting people of this age group on board can be. Gaining 16 sponsors for the flower beds is excellent going considering the comparatively small number of shops and local businesses based there.
Areas for Improvement
Perhaps the placement of a poster in the community notice board would attract potential new members. This may also consolidate the publicity they get from the parish magazine. We would hope that the group have submitted a photograph and newspaper article to the local press following our visit as this would raise awareness of the work of the group and may attract new members.
The Judges Report for Spring 2012
SATURDAY 2ND JUNE
GALA AND JUBILEE FUN DAY – 12 noon through to 5pm
Grand Opening by Nick Lane-Fox, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of West Yorkshire
Elaine Hills Sheepdogs – see the return of this ever popular display with the delightful sheepdogs herding ducks around the arena. Ebor Morris Dancers – Starlet Majorettes- Bouncy Castle- Side stalls- Beer Tent with Real Ale- Music- Traditional Games. Wide range of stalls and stands from local groups and charities. Email Keith Innocent to book your stall now!!
Street Meet: Celebrate the Diamond Jubilee by bringing your street together and make a special day of it. Bring a table with food and decorate it with the jubilee theme. Watch out for your local Street Meet Representative who will write to you soon to organise the street.
SUNDAY 3RD JUNE
There will be a special Commemorative Service held at the War Memorial in The Square at 11am on Sunday. Join us to celebrate this once in a lifetime event.
Churches Together will be holding a special Jubilee Service at St Mary’s at 6.00 pm on Sunday 3rd June to mark the Jubilee. All denominations are very welcome to attend.
MONDAY 4TH JUNE
BRAMHAM BEACON EVENT: To celebrate the Jubilee, 2012 beacons will be lit across the country. We will be lighting our own bonfire beacon off Windmill Road. Bramham Park have kindly offered a location and materials. Come along and take part. The Beacon will be lit between 10pm and 10.30pm to be part of the national Beacon lighting event which culminates in the lighting by The Queen in London.
TUESDAY 5TH JUNE – JUBILEE DAY
STREET PARTIES: Have you enjoy your own street party, please tell us all about it!! We will be handing out special commemorative coins on Saturday to all those village children who have been nominated by their parents, so if you haven’t put any names down then please contact us.
Keith Innocent
keith@thomlinsons.co.uk 07595206611
In Bramham Square Sunday 3rd June at 11.00 am
Anyone who would like a lift please ring
Mavis on 842321 or Gill on 843129
At last we have reached that all important day of June 3rd 2012, a day that the whole nation has been waiting for, the ordination of Trish Anslow, and me, at York Minster.
I jest of course; and although it is a very important day for Trish and me, our families, friends, and parishes, June 3rd really belongs to Her Majesty the Queen, who celebrates an amazing 60 years on the throne this year.
Despite a momentary blip in the mid-seventeenth century, the monarchy has been a constant for our nation throughout many centuries of change in our country, but also an institution that itself has had to adapt and evolve to keep itself relevant and at the heart of the nation, perhaps more now than ever before.
If we cast our eyes back to 60 years ago, it is amazing how things have changed. Here are some facts and figures from 1952 that, for some readers, may still be nostalgically fresh in your memories, or a worrying blur for others, depending upon your perspective!
Only one in five households had a washing machine.
one in ten a telephone.
one in twenty a fridge.
Fewer than half of all households had a television.
Almost nobody had central heating; coal fires were still the main method of heating homes.
The average weekly wage was £8.68.
In today’s money, milk cost 2.5p, bread 2.5p, a packet of butter 12.5p, half a dozen eggs 10p, and bacon just 18p per pound.
A three bedroom house would have cost about £2000.
Of course, the changes that have taken place over the last 60 years go far deeper than this set of statistics. Society at every level has experienced phenomenal change. There is greater cultural and racial diversity within our communities; architecture has changed the landscape of many of our towns and cities for ever; the market economy has changed the nature of work and employment almost beyond recognition; technological development continues to influence our lives on a massive scale; and wholesale changes in human attitudes and behaviour ensue.
Change of this magnitude is what sociologists, philosophers, and theologians call a ‘paradigm shift’. In western culture this is understood as our current movement into the ‘post-modern era’, evidenced by a ‘loss of certainty associated with an apparently stable social, religious, intellectual, and moral order’ (Philip Sheldrake, Explorations in Spirituality).
One consequence of this loss of certainty in religion, the nation state, established ways of thinking, believing and behaving has been an increase in individualism and self-sufficiency. We have a greater desire to test and validate information or decisions before we accept them as truth. We seek to assert our independence, and mask our vulnerabilities.
We can sometimes be suspicious, or even dismissive of authority and of those institutions that we associate with that authority.
Our monarchy, like many other of our institutions, still carries a residue of what might be called ‘the old order’. Yet our monarchy is still loved and cherished by most, and the extensive charitable works facilitated by Royal Family, and their wider work in support of our country, is testament to their unswerving commitment to the nation.
In the midst of these changes that have left no area of society unaffected, the stability of the concept of monarchy as a ‘constant’, reflects something of the continuing presence of an unchanging God.
The Bible has plenty to say regarding the changeless nature of God: ‘Jesus Christ never changes! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever’ (Hebrews 13:8). This does not mean that God is stagnant and fixed. God’s nature is eternally loving and always relevant for every age (whatever paradigm shift we might be going though). God’s love and wisdom is always fresh and new for every human circumstance at all times for he himself is unaffected by time and all that we associate with the passing of time (deterioration, ageing, loss, need for change). So where does that leave us?
It leaves us with an unchanging God reaching out to a human race in a constant state of flux, but this is only part of the story. The Bible also has much to say about how the unchanging God can change us: ‘God planned for us to do good things and to live as He has always wanted us to live. That’s why He sent Christ.’ (Ephesians 2:10). Life is God’s gift to us, a gift of love, and we are to live meaningful lives that turn away from selfishness and instead echo something of the goodness and love of Christ. This kind of change, what the Bible calls repentance, is the most important change one can make in life, and that is one change worth celebrating!
So, as we celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, I invite you to celebrate also the King of Kings who was crowned on a cross, the changeless and eternal Son of God, who by his death and resurrection has secured not only a way for us back to God, but made it possible for us to be in relationship with him in the midst of the chances and changes of this life.
Andy Grant
The youth work management group is now well established and includes Kate Kennedy (Chair), Andy Grant, Kate Lofthouse, Karen Orton and Paul Martin.
The role of the group over the past 9 months has been to give support to the Youth Worker and liaise with The Salvation Army to ensure adherence and implementation of the Service Level Agreement (SLA). Given the establishment of the group, youth worker fundraising has also been included as part of the activities, with additional people being co-opted to
assist on an event by event basis.
Fund Raising Activities
In order to support the ongoing youth and children’s work across our parishes, a substantial amount of fundraising was undertaken. Between November 2010 and December 2011 £11,768 was raised. A breakdown of the events is summarised below:
Great British Pudding Night – £1,208.00
April Fool’s Quiz – £750.00
Fiver Challenge – £311.55
Boston Spa Golf Day – £1,842.80
Fun Run and Family Fun Day – £3,748.55
Advent Ball – £3,907.16
TOTAL RAISED – £11,768.06
The plan for fundraising activities for 2012 is to hold another Boston Spa Golf Day, a Band and Beer Night and to repeat the successful Advent Ball.
Youth Worker Role 2011 saw a fundamental change in the structure and management of the Youth Worker following Victoria Etherington’s move to the USA with her family in the summer.
Following wide-ranging discussions with the parish and with the Salvation Army, it was eventually agreed that the youth work would be effectively sub-contracted to the Salvation Army. This was effected quickly and ensured continuity of the youth work with the appointment of Alex Clayton in September.
Moving Forwards
At the recent six month review of the Youth Worker programme in the parish, the Lower Wharfe Youth Committee informed the Salvation Army of a number of concerns it had in relation to the delivery of youth work under the current SLA agreement. In addition, the review also identified that the nature of the youth work in the churches may require a different approach.
Having reviewed this along with the growing needs within the Wetherby youth ministries which have emerged in recent months, it was agreed to utilise Alex’s strengths and move him across to develop the new boys mentoring programme run by the Salvation Army in Wetherby. This will also place him within the appropriate support systems to meet his own personal development needs and help him with his ongoing training within the Engage accreditation.
This means that in the short term, we are without an employed youth worker across our parishes.
The Youth Work Management Group plans to allow for a period of reflection on our children’s and youth work across the parishes both within the Youth Work Management Group, and with staff members and our young people, and to ensure that what we put in place meets our requirements for now and the foreseeable future.
We have already had some input into this review process from Nigel Chapman, Diocesan Children’s and Youth Work Adviser.
In the short to medium term, all of the current group activities are continuing to operate with support from a large number of volunteers and clergy support. (Discoverers at St Mary’s and Bramham, Xodus, Holy Mackerels, the Holiday Club, assembly rota support in the local primary schools.)
Do please feel free to contact any member of the Youth Work Management Group if you require any additional information:
Kate Kennedy: ckennedy@legatomarketing.co.uk
Andy Grant: andrewgrant6512@btinternet.com
Kate Lofthouse: thelofthousefamily@btconnect.com
Karen Orton: k.orton@hotmail.co.uk
Paul Martin: broadyards@btinternet.com
To all Bramham residents
The Council met on 2 May. Seven residents attended, along with Ward Councillors John Proctor, Alan Lamb, and Gerald Wilkinson.
Councillor roles: As this was the annual meeting it was time to elect a Chairman and Vice Chairman. Cllr Val Whitbread was elected as Chairman and Cllr Keith Innocent as Vice Chairman. Other councillors were appointed as representatives on various groups, full details will be provided next time as one Cllr who was unable to attend needs to be consulted.
New Clerk: The Council was very pleased to welcome its new clerk, Marie Lynch, to her first meeting. Marie has a great deal of Project Management and financial experience and experience of working within Leeds City Council, which will stand her in good stead.
Festival tickets: application forms are coming in and ticket allocation will be arranged.
2011 Election Leaflet: The Council agreed to respond to a list of questions that had been anonymously delivered to some residents. Anonymous questions would not normally be responded to but at the APM a resident handed them in as an official piece of correspondence. The response will be made public. However, there is one particular question, regarding the election leaflet circulated by those councillors who were newly elected last year and other residents who stood for election. The leaflet
has been the subject of publicity and gossip that has had unpleasant and upsetting implications for the reputations of those on whose behalf the leaflet was issued. A full explanation is therefore given below:
The issue with the election leaflet was that postal addresses were not included. (LCC advice for candidates had not advised that it they should be.) A resident complained to the police and as a result those people on the leaflet received a letter from Detective Inspector Steven Taylor, advising them of the error. It also named the resident who had complained. The Chairman of the Council spoke to DI Taylor both last year and again recently. He gave permission for his verbal advice, which is as follows, to be made public:
DI Taylor advises that he does NOT define his actions as ‘a police investigation’. His letter was ‘police advice re a minor breach of imprint regulations’ that had to be sent because the breach had been reported.
DI Taylor would be happy to speak to anyone who has concerns and his number can be obtained from the Clerk to the Council.
The purpose of the law requiring addresses on election leaflets is that authors should not be anonymous, and as names and photographs of the authors were on the leaflet it would clearly be ridiculous to suggest they were trying to be anonymous. It simply seems that some residents had hoped to overturn last year’s election results on this technicality.
Indeed LCC advised that they had received enquiries from people hoping to do so.
Those Councillors affected regret that a small number of people have sought to make an issue of this and cast unpleasant and personal aspersions, and are sure that the vast majority of residents will under-stand that the error on the leaflet is an irrele-vant issue. They would now like to get on with the job for which they were elected and focus on doing their best for Bramham.
BSLA: The BSLA advised of their new status as a ‘not for profit’ limited company with 4 Directors: John Clamp, Andrew El-lis, Nick Lane Fox and Cllr John Proctor. They also gave a progress update on the pavilion build, and advised that its accounts for the past year will be published on their website.
Bramham House: As previously advised, the sale of Bramham House has not yet gone ahead but Cllr Proctor has negotiated with LCC that they buy the Freely Lane strip of land in advance of the sale for £250,000. The question of when the £108,000 that has been agreed to go towards the pavilion will be paid to the BSLA was the subject of long discussion, with some Councilors uncomfortable at not having been able to liaise directly with LCC and not having received as much detail as they would like re the BSLA’s future funding position. However, Cllr Proctor allayed some concerns by stating that his role as trustee gives the Council assurance that all is in order. He and Cllr Lamb also advised that none of the funds would be forthcom-ing if the council did not agree to pay the £108,000 on receipt of the £250,000. It was also noted that a significant amount of in-formation had been provided by the BSLA in the past. Agreement was reached and full details are in the minutes. It is hoped that the sale of the strip of land will have moved forward by the time this update is being read.
Gardener: The Council is pleased to have a new gardener for the Old People’s Shelter, Mr Kevin Wilson. It also thanks the other person who applied, and advises that the choice was simply a matter of who was in touch first.
Our next meeting is Wednesday 6 June in the Old People’s Shelter. Residents are wel-come as always.
Bramham Parish Council
