Notice Board

If you wish to join the scheme please contact the Coordinator, Chris James, by email chrisjbjames@aol.com or phone 490392. Please provide an email address if possible so that we can quickly and easily pass information to you. If you do not have email, please provide a phone number.

Signs will shortly be put up to indicate to everyone that the area is part of a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. The Police tell us that statistically an active Scheme can result in a reduction in crime in the area of 30%.

The Scheme can be extended to other areas of Pensford. Please contact Chris James for further information.

We hope you will join. The more members we have, the more likely we are to deter crime in our area.

To report a crime that has already occurred, to contact a member of the police force and for all other police enquiries

From 8^th June Bath & North East Somerset Council will be changing the rubbish, recycling, cardboard and garden waste collections so that they will all be collected on the same day. The fortnightly cardboard and garden waste collections will continue to run on alternate weeks.

This is in response to customer requests to help make our services easier to use. At present people may have their waste collected on up to three different days so this new arrangement should make things much simpler and easier for everyone and help to increase local recycling rates.

Bath & North East Somerset Council will be publicising the changes through Council News, our website and press releases, leaflets, posters, adverts and road shows. From May you will be able to find out your collection day by visiting our website and 2 weeks before the changes we will post a letter to every resident with details of your new collection day.

Please note that your rubbish, recycling, cardboard and garden waste services are all now collected as normal over the Easter Bank Holiday period so if you have a collection on Good Friday or Easter Monday please put your waste out as usual.

“Hold a Fish and Chip Supper to help spinal cord injured people live full and independent lives.”

Want to do something different? Want to raise money where you live or work? Want to eat Fish and Chips, while raising money for charity? Hold a fish and chip supper on Friday 15^th May 2009 whilst raising awareness of spinal cord injury and supporting SIA’s information and support services.

You can hold a fish and chip supper in your own home, at work or hold a larger supper at your local community centre.

SIA will provide a fundraising pack containing hints and tips, recipes, invitations and donation envelopes. By inviting 7 friends and asking them to donate an additional £5.00 means you will raise at least £35.00 from your supper but we will also give you additional fundraising ideas to raise even more money for SIA.

In 2009 SIA will celebrate its 35^th Anniversary and being that Friday 15^th May 2009 is Spinal Cord Injury awareness day and what a better way to raise funds than eating Fish and Chips and raising money for SIA.

The money raised from the suppers will help the Spinal Injuries Association offer support to individuals who become paralysed and their families, from the moment a spinal injury occurs, and for the rest of their lives by providing services and publications which enable and encourage paralysed people to lead independent lives.

Every year in the UK over 1,000 people experience a spinal cord injury and there are an estimated 40,000 spinal cord injured people in the UK alone.

Donor Development Officer, Elizabeth Wright, says, “The Fish and Chip Supper is a wonderful opportunity for a great evening with friends and family. We are also encouraging people who work to hold a Fish and Chip Lunch in their work places to raise even more funds. You may be even a local community group wanting to run a fun evening with your group.

2009 is the first year that SIA are running the suppers but we already envisage this to be one of our top fundraising initiatives in the SIA calendar over the coming years. Be a part of something special and make a real difference to help spinal cord injured people gain access to the information and support they need to enable them to live full and independent lives.”

For more information or request a fundraising pack call Elizabeth Wright on 0845 678 6633 xtn 229 or email fishandchips@spinal.co.uk or visit www.spinal.co.uk

Life Cycle (who are a cycling promotion charity based in Bristol) will be running a child's cycle training course at St Keyna School in Keynsham over the February half-term and also in the Easter holidays. Full information is available from from their website (www.lifecycleuk.org.uk). A place on a course costs £20 for 6 hours bikeability standard training (spread over three days). Training starts off-road, and then moves on-road.

9 February 2009

Fourth Annual Granny Trek on 26^th April 2009 for Children’s Hospice SW

The fourth annual Granny Trek will take place on Sunday, 26^th April, at Charlton Farm, Wraxall, south of Bristol – home of the second children’s hospice for the south west region. Since Somerset granny Beryl Griffiths trekked 625 miles across country with her two dogs, Rudi and Fritz, in 2005 (www.grannytrek.co.uk) the annual treks have raised a staggering £128,000. Three lengths of walk are offered (with the welcome assistance of Bristol Severnside Rotarians) – one mile either totally on hard surfaces or with an option of half through fields; three miles through bluebell woods and fields; and six miles through the bluebells and fields, with the added treat of walking through the Tyntesfield Estate, by kind permission of the National Trust. Granny Trek veterans will be relieved to know there are far fewer stiles this year!

Does the name ‘Granny Trek’ put you off? Do you imagine a band of white haired old ladies shuffling along? You’d be wrong for three reasons. Firstly, the 2009 granny often cuts a youthful dash, perhaps even leaving her grown children behind both in appearance and energy. Secondly, there are thousands of white haired old ladies doing tough country walks every week of the year. Whatever the weather, they’re out with the U3A or other local groups. Thirdly, and most importantly, you don’t have to be a granny to take part. You are welcome if you’ve ever had a granny! Walk with her, or for her, or in memory of her.

Many of you reading these words will think: “I really must do that this year”. Then days and weeks go by and it’s too late. So register early – telephone 01271 325270 or email grannytrek@chsw.org.uk to get your sponsor form. Try building your sponsorship little and often. Every extra £1 you raise will bring more comfort and support to those families who would love to have the choice of whether to join Granny Trek. Whether you pray, cross your fingers or touch wood for luck, please do it hard to provide some glorious sunshine for a record number of trekkers! And don’t forget, Fritz and Rudi invite all well-behaved dogs to come along too.

The Village Greenspace is the Community Office for Chew Magna and the Chew Valley. It is the place to find out information about local activities and events and for access to internet and a book swap facility. We offer information about environmental matters, issue the Go Zero Starter packs and take bookings on behalf of Dragonflyer Mobility who assist and supply cars for Car Clubs around the Chew Valley. We also carry information on the services offered to the public by Bath & North East Somerset Council. So far we have taken over the local supply of BANES compost bags and now hold application forms for Diamond Travelcards. We are in discussion with North Somerset Council about offering a similar service after several enquires from their residents.

Message sent 28 July to Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators from Avon and Somerset Police

At 2am on Sunday July 20 unknown persons have burnt a motor vehicle , near the gates of a church on Publow Lane, which resulted in damage to the gates

If you saw anything suspicious regarding this incident, please contact the Police on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively you could contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111

It is important that you ask for the call to be tagged 'Neighbourhood watch' and quote Ringmaster message Bath 1423

Message received from Colin Robinson (President) of The Rotary Club of Chelwood Bridge

Letter sent August 2009 to Neighbourhood Watch Co-ordinators from Trevor Wilmot, Neighbourhood Watch Administrator, Bath Police Station. Tel 01225 842415

'The week commencing Monday August 11 has been designated as 'Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Week' by your local Police. This will involve various initiatives in Bath and North East Somerset highlighting the importance of being security aware and of removing all valuables from vehicles. We particularly want to remind people to empty out glove boxes and leave it open when the vehicle is parked and to remove any indication that a Sat Nav may be contained in a vehicle by removing holders and any marks from the windscreen.

We would appreciate if you could pass this information to your watch members and as a thank you and an incentive to promote vehicle security we have been able to secure all Neighbourhood Watch members a 15% discount on all vehicle security products at Halfords. This includes steering wheel locks, wheel clamps, locking fuel caps and number plate locks. Please note: these vouchers will only be redeemable at Halfords branches in Bath and Midsomer Norton. To make use of this offer , members should apply via their co-ordinator for a discount voucher from this office, which can then be used up until the end of September 2008. Please, write , phone or e-mail to order your vouchers, which will be sent out as soon as possible.