https://www.broad-town.co.uk RSS feeds for Broad Town Village 60 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2688/Broad-Town-News--May-2026#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2688 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2688&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2688/Broad-Town-News--May-2026                                                            BROAD TOWN NEWS MAY 2026                                          Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. CHRIST CHURCH The plant stall is nearly here! If you have any plants we can sell to raise funds for the church please contact Judy 01793 731341 or Carolyn 07768 543963. It was lovely to welcome Broad Town School for their end of term service and listen to their excellent singing and confident telling of the Easter story. Thank you to all the flower arrangers who made the church look beautiful for Easter. At the shortlisting meeting for our new rector, we learnt that the candidate has had to withdraw their application for personal reasons, The advert will stay live on Diocesan website and we will be told the new dates for advertising more widely in due course. Please continue to pray for a suitable candidate. It is not easy to keep the church running smoothly without a vicar. Thank you to everyone in the village and beyond for your support especially in maintaining the church, taking the services, including funerals and weddings, maintaining the churchyard and grass verges and helping with fundraising. The dates for services at Christ Church are: 10th May 10.30 Morning Prayer 24th May 10.30 Communion 31st May 10.30 Communion BISHOP’S MESSAGE The elusive hare. One of the many blessings of the spring is the reappearance of that most mysterious of countryside creatures, the hare. Part of their appeal lies, I think, in elusiveness and movement: barrelling along a lane at night, ahead of us as we drive, or veering across the hillside. We were walking this weekend through an ocean of woodland bluebells, when Effie, our dog, startled a hare (almost the size of a muntjac) mere yards away and off it tore, confounding all attempts at pursuit. Always on the move, they are an Easter marvel. I was reminded of the hare’s dynamism when reading St Mark’s account of the resurrection, which that evangelist conveys not as a fact to be proved, or puzzle to be solved, but as a mysterious kind of movement. “He has been raised; he is not here” declares the angel to the women at the tomb. “He is going ahead of you to Galilee”. At which their first response, not unreasonably, is terrified flight, before doing as the angel bade them and relating this to the apostles. Faith, in this light, is our pursuit of the Christ who goes before us. Rejoicing whenever we encounter him, walking his way and hoping earnestly to see him again. +Andrew Ramsbury. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our May coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays May 13th and 27th. Community Coffee Mornings take place in the village hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. We would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the village, and especially to those who haven’t been to a coffee morning before, to join us from 10 - 12 noon. On May 27th we will be joined by Kelly Hillier, our local Police Community Support Officer, who will be happy to answer any questions or listen to comments you may have about local issues. Make new friends, have a chat and enjoy a range of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, and hot drinks. We operate on a donation basis, there is no fixed price for anything, please just donate as much as you feel able to. Any profits are regularly donated to local charities. We look forward to seeing you in the village hall. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE LIMING Weather permitting, White Horse liming place will take place on the morning of Sunday 10th May. It should be assumed that we will start at around 10am and conclude before lunchtime. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 07841 381301 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com . Fuller details will be provided to all volunteers. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again. Andrew Law SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3.50 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 24th April This Friday! 29th May 26th June The Village Hall bar will be open from 5pm on these Fridays so why not pop in and enjoy a drink while you are waiting for your supper ! ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP During April we had some great sessions making floral decorations, and fabric bowls. Some of us also had a go at flower pressing which was very relaxing. During our final April session on the 29th, we will be learning origami. There will be May sessions on Wednesdays May 6th & 20th. On the 6th we will be preparing for our plant sale and the 20th will be a relaxing ‘bring along your own craft or hobby’ session. Charity Plant Sale - Saturday May 9th Please come and support Prospect Hospice and our village church at the plant sale, homemade refreshments available. Broad Town 100 Project – free seeds!! Inspired by Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday on May 8th, Made in Broad Town have launched a summer project aimed to get Broad Town growing! With the aim of involving the whole community to increase biodiversity by encouraging nature into your gardens and open spaces around our village, we are giving away free seeds to anyone in the village who requests them. Please see further information in this newsletter. Made in Broad Town sessions run from 10am – 12 noon in the village hall, new people always welcome. If you have any questions, please email us: Helen or Linda, email: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com GOLDBOROUGH RESTING STONE What is a resting stone? It is a seat comprised of a dressed rectangular rock with a base which was put along roads in past times when the majority of travellers walked long distances between towns and villages. The Goldborough resting stone was placed between Broad Town and Wootton Bassett along the Marlborough Road. Its existence was forgotten as the stone has lain in the ditch out of sight for some decades. A chance discovery when reading through old Parish Council records of the 1960s (as part of the research for the Broad Town white horse project) indicated that there was once a resting stone at Goldborough and that councillors had considered it worth mentioning as a historical landmark on a par with the oldest buildings in Broad Town. Discussion at a Coffee Morning in the village hall revealed that some residents remembered it from many years ago and a short foray along the verge soon revealed that the resting stone and its base were still there. On Sunday 19th April a small group of enthusiasts were able to rescue the stone and its base from the ditch, place the base on a levelled portion of the wide grassy verge and manoeuvre the resting stone back into place on its base. It may not get as much use nowadays as it did when Broad Town residents walked into Wootton Bassett, but it works and can now be easily seen from passing vehicles. So next time you go to Goldborough don’t forget to give the resting stone a try. Thanks to Adrian, Andrew, Charlie, Derek, John and Kevin. ANNUAL PARISH MEETING The Annual Parish Meeting is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 26th May at 6.30pm (please note the change of day). You are most welcome to attend and the Parish Council would be delighted to see you there. (This is not the annual meeting of the PC itself, which is on 11th May.) If you represent a community group and would like to update the community about your activities over the last year, or future plans, please let me know by e-mailing BTPCCLERK@outlook.com so I can include it on the agenda. Refreshments will be served. I hope to see you there. With best wishes. Caroline White Broad Town Parish Clerk PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Exercise caution when walking near footpaths We have received a report of a dog which hurt its leg on barbed wire hidden in the undergrowth and would ask both dogwalkers to exercise caution and also landowners to regularly check their fences and to remove or replace and collapsed fencing to avoid a similar incident. Consultation on proposed Changes to Pay and Display Parking in Wiltshire Have your say before 6th May at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/17245/TRO Parish Council Election Vacancies Following a resignation there are now 3 vacancies and the Parish Council is in need of new members. If anyone would like to join us in serving the parish and helping to make Broad Town a pleasant place to live then please make contact with the Clerk (BTPCClerk@outlook.com) The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 11th May. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. Annual Parish Meeting Tuesday 26th May 6.30pm Village Hall We look forward to welcoming you at the Annual Parish Meeting. This is not a council meeting but is an opportunity for all village groups and associations to share with the village the activities they have undertaken in the past year and their plans for the future year. Residents are invited to contribute to the agenda and/or celebrate local activities and debate current issues in the community. Residents are also invited to raise any issues they want to bring to the attention of the Parish Council for future consideration by the Parish Council. Refreshments will be provided. INTRODUCING THE BROAD TOWN 100 PROJECT Request your free seeds now!! Made in Broad Town have just launched a village project which was initially inspired by the fact that it is David Attenborough’s 100th birthday on May 8th, the day before our charity plant sale. We thought it would be a good idea to do what we can to get Broad Town growing to improve our local environment, to encourage nature and increase biodiversity during the summer in the following ways: Our aim is for our village to create 100 small scale wildlife and plant based projects and/or involve 100 people. These projects can be as small as simply planting a tub of wildlife friendly flower seeds. Other possibilities that we encourage people to try including: - growing a row of sunflowers, or planting a shrub or tree etc. It would be great if everyone could grow sunflowers in their front gardens for others to enjoy too! - putting up a bird box, bat box or insect hotel, or to create hedgehog highways in fencing and hedges etc (please ask your neighbour’s permission before doing this!) - building a garden pond Introducing a bird box, bat box and insect hotel to public locations is also an aim of our project, please contact us if you know of any suitable village locations where you would like to see these put up. Broad Town School – we will help to help improve the wildlife friendliness of the school grounds by: Mini-project 1: planting a mountain rowan tree (one of the best wildlife friendly trees) and bee friendly bulbs in the autumn; Mini-project 2: building and populating some planters on the uncovered tarmac area at the school. We have already made these planters which will be installed on the school playground this week. Free seeds: To push our “Broad Town 100” project forward we aim to provide wildlife friendly or impactful flower and plant seeds to as many people or locations as we can throughout the village – please email us at madeinbroadtown@gmail.com with your name and address if you would like us to post a free starter pack of wildlife friendly seeds through your letterbox . Seed packs can also be collected from the village hall during the following events: May 5th – Broad Town White Horse Talk 7.30pm May 9th – Charity Plant Sale 2 – 4pm Any Wednesday morning: 10 – 12 noon during either community coffee mornings or Made in Broad Town sessions. Photographic Record and Coffee Morning: We will be collecting photographs of everybody’s mini projects, including ‘before and after’ photos – perhaps you could transform a small piece of garden into a wildflower area, or show us your newly installed birdbox for example, or a row of sunflowers in a tub or border. It would be even better if your photos manage to capture any wildlife visiting your mini project such as bees, butterflies or other insects or mammals! All the photos will be displayed at a community coffee morning on Saturday September 12th, and later will be transformed into a photobook as a permanent record of our project. If your photo(s) of your own mini project include people, only email us these if they are happy for their images to be included in our coffee morning photo display, and photobook, thank you. Please email your photos to: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com We aim to collect at least 100 photos as well as improving the biodiversity and colourfulness in our village. The project is open to everyone in our village/parish including children and we hope that as many people as possible will enjoy taking part. If you have any questions, please email us at madeinbroadtown.com, we look forward to hearing from you. Good luck with your project(s)! Helen, Linda, Corinne, Diana & Heather, and the Made in Group Town group Made in Broad Town are grateful to the Bluefield Solar Income Fund for their support DISCOVERING BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE Tuesday 5th May 2026 Doors open 7pm for 7.30pm Free admission. –refreshments available -Broad Town Village Hall. Join us as we hear the latest research on Wiltshire’s white horses and the exciting feedback from the 2025 Broad Town white horse project.  The talk will start with Brian Edwards, a published expert on chalk hill figures, giving an overview of the origins, meaning and modern treatment of Wiltshire’s white horses.  We will then hear the results of the surveys at Broad Town’s white horse and investigations into the horse’s past incarnations carried by experts and archaeologists in conjunction with volunteers from the local community. Finally, we will unveil the website which has been designed to thoughtfully showcase the results of our project. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Village Tidy Up Saturday 25th April 10am Village Hall Made In Broad Town Wednesday 29th April 10am Village Hall White Horse Project Presentation Tuesday 5th May 7:30pm Village Hall Made In Broad Town Wednesday 6th May 10am Village Hall Plant Sale Saturday 9th May 2pm – 4pm Village Hall White Horse Liming Sunday 10th May 10am Morning Prayer Sunday 10th May 10:30am Christ Church Parish Council Meeting Monday 11th May 6:30 pm Village Hall Community Coffee Morning Wednesday 13th May 10am Village Hall Made In Broad Town Wednesday 20th May 10am Village Hall Communion Sunday 24th May 10:30am Christ Church Annual Parish Meeting Tuesday 26th May 6:30pm Village Hall Community Coffee Morning Wednesday 27th May 10am Village Hall Come and meet your local Policing team Wednesday 27th May 10am Village Hall Communion Sunday 31st May 10:30am Christ Church PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. Any queries should also be sent to this address. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:23:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2688 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2687/Broad-Town-News-April-2026#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2687 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2687&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2687/Broad-Town-News-April-2026                                                  BROAD TOWN NEWS APRIL 2026                                Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHURCH April 5th Easter Sunday - 10.30 Communion April 26th - 10.30 Communion Please note that the service on April 12th 10.30 Communion will now be held in Bradenstoke and not Broad Town. PLANT SALE - Made in Broad Town have again kindly offered us a table at the Plant Sale on Saturday 9th May. If the warmer weather is tempting you into the garden and you are dividing or have surplus plants, we would much appreciate them for our table. Do get in touch with Carolyn on 07768543063 or Judy on 01793 731341 and we can arrange a plant drop off or collection. Many thanks If you are passing, do take a moment to visit the churchyard which is looking beautiful with spring flowers in bloom. Thank you to everyone who helps in any way. The Annual Meeting for Parishioners to elect churchwardens will be on Sunday, 26th April beginning at 11.30am (after the 10.30am Communion Service) and is followed immediately by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting. All are welcome. If anyone would consider being a churchwarden, please contact Janet Drury on 01793 850931. BROAD TOWN FOOD BANK PART OF THE SWINDON FOOD COLLECTIVE GIVING FOOD TO THOSE WHO NEED IT Sat 28th & Sun 29th March Always needed: Small jars of coffee, Sugar (500gms/1kg) Tinned Fruit, Tinned Tomatoes, Tinned meat - meatballs, corned beef, spam, hotdogs etc, Tinned vegetables - peas, carrots, sweetcorn etc. Tinned puddings - rice, sago, semolina, custard, angel delight, jellies. Plus any seasonal Easter items – chocolate eggs, hot cross buns, Easter cakes, biscuits, etc Please note - all items should be in date & preferably with a shelf life of 6 months or more. Thanks for your generosity in continuing to support people in need. Please drop off any unopened & unused items to the Village Hall. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE – THE NEXT STEP Broad Town White Horse restoration group presentation in the Village Hall, Broad Town at 7.30pm on Tuesday 5 May. In 2025 the Broad Town White Horse Restoration Group started a project to record the White Horse after landslips in 2024 threatened its existence. The project plan was presented to the Community at a well-attended talk in the Broad Town Village Hall in July 2025 entitled “Discovering Broad Town’s White Horse”. Activities took place during the rest of the year that involved members of the community and now it is felt to be the time to deliver the results in a second public presentation. The presentation will be introduced by Jemima Sellwood from our sponsor North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Andrew Law and Derek Greer will explain the major findings from two perspectives: the multiple detailed surveys of the horse and its surrounding landscape and the chronological history of the horse and its upkeep. We are fortunate to be joined by a guest speaker, Brian Edwards, a visiting research fellow at the Regional History Centre at the University of the West of England and local expert on the chalk figures of Wiltshire. He will talk to us about “White Horses, Historical and Now”. The evening will conclude with a presentation of the Broad Town History Website on which all the results of the Broad Town White Horse Restoration Group project will be displayed. The talk will take place on Tuesday 5 May 2026 in the Broad Town Village Hall with doors opening at 7pm and the talk starting at 7.30pm. Entrance is free and all of those interested in their local history are encouraged to attend. BROAD TOWN CHARITY PLANT SALE Saturday May 9th 2 - 4pm, Village Hall ➢ Made in Broad Town plant stall ➢ Broad Town Church plant stall ➢ Refreshments including homemade cakes, hot & cold drinks ➢ Plant donations appreciated please! ➢ All proceeds to: PROSPECT HOSPICE. Wide selection of plants, seedlings, hanging baskets & filled planters available. BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING to be held in the Village Hall on Monday 27th April 2026 at 6pm Agenda Apologies, Minutes of previous meeting, Matters arising, Chairman’s report, Treasurer’s report  Election of committee , Election of officers, Update of Health & Safety and Risk Assessment, Any other business The Broad Town Village Hall has now gone digital and all bookings and enquiries can be made "On-Line" at the following web address:-www.broadtownhall.com.Look forward to seeing you at the hall. Thank you to Aidan for all his hard work in refurbishing the planters in front of the Village Hall ☺ COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our April coffee mornings will be after Easter on Wednesdays April 8th and 22nd. Community Coffee Mornings take place in the Village Hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. We would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the village, and especially to those who haven’t been to a coffee morning before, to join us from 10 - 12 noon. Make new friends, have a chat and enjoy a range of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, and hot drinks. We operate on a donation basis, there is no fixed price for anything, please just donate as much as you feel able to.We look forward to seeing you and we wish you all a very Happy Easter! MADE IN BROAD TOWN CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP At our last session artist Maggie returned to give us a demonstration on painting Easter cards with watercolours. The session was enthusiastically received. There will be three April sessions - on Wednesdays April 1st, 15th & 29th. On the 1st we will be making floral Easter decorations, on the 15th we will be tackling origami, and on the 29th, fabric bowls (postponed from March 4th). Calling all gardeners...! Following last year’s very successful charity plant sale, Made in Broad Town are having another one this year, on Saturday May 9th, 2 – 4pm, please see separate poster in this newsletter. Many of you in our village were kind enough to grow plants and seedlings for us to sell, and we would love you to do the same this year please – now is the time to start growing, dividing and propagating! We can arrange collection of plants before the sale if necessary, and if you have any questions or would like to keep us updated on what you are growing, please email us at madeinbroadtown@gmail.com. Thank you for your help. SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3.50 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips Evenings will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 27th March 24th April 29th May PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village Tidy-Up It’s the time of year for us to give the village a spring clean. Meet at the Village Hall for a village tidy and litter pick up. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades or shovels to weed the pavements. There will be bacon butties / refreshments provided as a reward! Meet 10 am Village Hall Saturday 25th April Next PC Meeting - will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 13th April. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. FUTURE WASTE SERVICES: CHANGES AHEAD, HAVE YOUR SAY! Wiltshire is preparing for some important updates to waste and recycling services, all designed to improve sustainability, reduce our environmental impact, and deliver better value for money. These changes will shape how our communities recycle, reduce waste, and manage resources for years to come. Before we roll anything out, we want to hear from you. We’re launching a survey to understand how these upcoming changes might impact you. Your feedback will help us tailor our advice, support, and communications as we introduce new services. The survey runs from today until 5pm on Friday 17 April and should take under 10 minutes to complete. Find out more about the upcoming changes to waste collections in 2027 and have your say at  https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/futurewaste WHITE HORSE LIMING - SUNDAY 10 MAY 2026 Weather permitting, White Horse liming will take place on the morning of Sunday 10th May. It should be assumed that we will start at around 10am and conclude before lunchtime. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 07841 381301 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com . Fuller details will be provided to all volunteers. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again. Andrew Law.   WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH In Summary : 35,195 vehicles passed the SID located at Broadacres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) which equates to approx. 858 a day. 26% of vehicles were speeding. BISHOP ANDREW’S LETTER FOR EASTER An eternal address. Living in two places at once, which most of us need to do at some point in our lives, can be a confusing business. Where should our post go? Where do we belong? To make dual residency of any kind work requires imagination as well as practical effort. Christians are called to do this in a spiritual sense, for we believe Christ makes us at the same time citizens of earth and of heaven. At no season of the year is this most clearly evident than at Easter, when we celebrate God’s new creation in the midst of the old. We are people who inhabit the spring, seeing in it signs of this new birth, but whose true hope is in resurrection. The poet John Donne, musing upon life and death, wrote how Jesus makes ‘one parish’ of earth and heaven, which is a lovely image. He adds that ‘Christ was not out of his diocese when he was upon the earth’! Nor (we might add), when he ascended to heaven. The church, then, is a rehearsal space for the kingdom of heaven – and as such must allow for all  the trial, error and excitement this involves. For Christ is risen, we have an eternal address and another country beckons. CHURCHYARD A big thank you to everyone who came to help at the work morning in March. The Churchyard is for the whole Community -more volunteers are needed and will be made most welcome. The 2026 dates for future work mornings will be: 4th April,9th May,6th June,4th July,8th Aug, 5th Sept,3rd October. We meet at 10am and refreshments are provided. If you require further information, please contact Ray Manley, Tel: 731564. BROAD TOWN SUMMER FETE Come and enjoy the fun on the 13th June 2026 at Broad Town School. 12:30- 4pm  Adults £2 entry. THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT: Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships, but the charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please contact Rosemary Greenway or email: spackmantrust@gmail.com. All formal applications need to be in by 31st March for the spring round and 30th Sept for the autumn round of awards. BROAD HINTON YOUTH GROUP Come and join our youth club! We meet every Friday from 7pm until 9pm during term time in Broad Hinton Village Hall. The club is for 10-14 year olds and the cost is £3 per session (plus tuck shop money!) Rising 10’s (ie if you will be 10 years old before September 1st 2026) are welcome to start after the Easter break New members are always very welcome. We have table tennis, table football, a snooker table, an indoor net for badminton or volley ball, a PS4, a Wii and an Xbox, as well as a tuck shop. We sometimes have other activities such as art and craft or different sports. During the summer months we have use of the school field behind the Village Hall for outdoor activities. We will start back after Easter on Friday 17th April 2026.Please visit our webpage on the Broad Hinton Village Hall website: https://broadhinton.org.uk/clubs/youth-club/ and for more information please email bhyouthclub23@gmail.com PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to: BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. Any queries should also be sent to this address. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Fri, 27 Mar 2026 13:48:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2687 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2686/Broad-Town-News-March-2026#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2686 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2686&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2686/Broad-Town-News-March-2026                                                                              BROAD TOWN NEWS MARCH 2026                                                          Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. PARISH COUNCIL The Parish Steward normally visits Broad Town once a month to clear drains, fill potholes etc but for the last two months (and probably for next month as well) the stewards have been prioritised to focus on fixing potholes. In his absence you can report any blocked gullies or potholes using the MyWilts app (on a phone) or else at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts-online-reporting Next PC Meeting - Monday 9th March at 6.30pm in the village hall. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. THE WILTSHIRE BOBBY VAN TRUST Provides free home safety and online security services to vulnerable residents across Wiltshire. We are reaching out to Parish Councils to help us raise awareness of these services within your communities. Your support whether through local groups, village magazines, social media, e-notice boards, or simply word of mouth can make a real difference in keeping people safe. Our Services: Home Security: Our team of Home Security Operators carries out home security and fire-risk assessments, installs essential safety devices, and supports those affected by domestic abuse, changing locks or creating safe spaces until Police assistance arrives. Last year, we secured over 1,500 homes and delivered more than 200 awareness talks. We also offer a Digital Doorbell Service, providing free installations for vulnerable residents. Stay Safe Online: Since 2017, our Stay Safe Online programme has helped Wiltshire residents particularly those over 60 or adults with registered disabilities protect themselves from online fraud and scams. We provide personalised guidance, and group talks to help residents: • Protect themselves from online fraud • Access essential services securely • Stay connected with friends and family • Shop and engage online confidently In 2025, we received 154 referrals and helped 680 people gain confidence online. With fraud now accounting for over 40% of crime in the UK, prevention and education are essential. Referrals & Contact: We receive referrals from Wiltshire Police, partner agencies such as Victim Support and Age UK, and directly from community members. All our services are free, confidential, and tailored to everyone’s needs. For more information, please visit our website or contact me directly: Telephone: 07887474366 Email: rachel@wbvt.org Website: www.wiltshirebobbyvan.org.uk With your help in spreading the word, we can continue supporting residents to stay safe at home and online. On behalf of everyone at the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust, I wish you a Happy New Year and look forward to working together in 2026. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH In Summary 24,341 vehicles passed the SID located at the School monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) which equates to approx. 609 a day. 9% of vehicles were speeding. SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3.50 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 27th February 27th March 24th April   BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH Our upcoming services for March. 8th March 10.30am Morning Service 22nd March 10.30am Communion Our upcoming services for April. Easter Sunday 5th April 10.30am Communion April 12th 10.30am Communion 26th April 10.30am Communion COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Charity Donations: Thank you to everyone who attended our coffee morning on February 11th and made suggestions as to which charities they would like us to donate our surplus funds to. We had many great suggestions, and it was a difficult decision, but we eventually decided on the following donations: £250 - Swindon & District Samaritans £250 - Wiltshire Sight Thank you again to everyone for continuing to support our village coffee mornings. March Dates coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays March 11th and 25th. Community Coffee Mornings take place in the village hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. We would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the village, and especially to those who haven’t been to a coffee morning before, to join us from 10 - 12 noon. Make new friends, have a chat and enjoy a range of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, and hot drinks. We operate on a donation basis, there is no fixed price for anything, please just donate as much as you feel able to. We look forward to seeing you! A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who supported The Full Monty it was fantastic to see 85 people having fun with family, friends & neighbours enjoying their Winter Whopper, Weanie or Green Goddess breakfasts while partaking in the special auction of luxury items Your generosity & kindness raised £1,994.56 for The Prospect Hospice. MADE IN BROAD TOWN CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Activities in February included making paper butterflies and hearts, and the 18th saw a very busy half-term session making collages and recycling magazines into beads for necklaces. Our March sessions will be on Wednesdays March 4th and 18th. On the 4th we will be making fabric bowls, and on the 18th Maggie B will be leading another of her very popular beginner’s watercolour sessions. Numbers are limited for the painting session, but we will be running our normal session alongside this, so please come along with your craft or hobby, or just for a chat over tea, coffee and biscuits. If you would like a place on the painting session, please email us and we will add your name to the list. All painting materials are provided. Request for unwanted hanging baskets, garden planters or terracotta pots We are already putting plans into place for our May 9th plant sale so please start gathering together any seeds or flowerpots that might be useful. We are very grateful for a selection of hanging baskets and planters which have been donated to us by a village resident. These will be planted up to be sold at the sale, and if anyone else has any unwanted hanging baskets, planters or terracotta flowerpots that they no longer want, we would love to have them. All proceeds from the plant sale will be going to charity so it’s for a very worthy cause, please email us to let us know about them or bring them to the village hall on any Wednesday morning. March sessions Our sessions run from 10-12 noon in the village hall on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and we would love to see you there. There is a voluntary £2 fee which goes towards hall hire, materials, and refreshment costs. Please just turn up or email us if you have any questions. Helen or Linda, email: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com Calling all gardeners following last year’s very successful charity plant sale, Made in Broad Town are having another one this year, on Saturday May 9th, 2 – 4pm. Many of you in our village were kind enough to grow plants and seedlings for us to sell, and we would love you to do the same this year please – now is the time to start growing and propagating! We can arrange collection of plants before the sale if necessary, and if you have any questions or would like to keep us updated on what you are growing, please email us at madeinbroadtown@gmail.com. Thank you for your help. BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL The Broad Town Village Hall has now gone digital and all bookings and enquiries can be made "On-Line" at the following web address:- www.broadtownhall.com. Look forward to seeing you at the hall.   BISHOP’S LETTER (DEAN OF SALISBURY) “Lord, it is good for us to be here; if you wish, I will make three dwellings here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Matthew 17: 4) John Hacket, seventeenth century Bishop of Lichfield, preached that offering to build dwellings for Jesus, Moses, and Elijah was “…the greatest error that St Peter committed”. Hacket’s verdict has always struck me as somewhat harsh. True, Peter does not respond to a scene of unearthly glory with a paean of awestruck wonder. But then Peter was a fisherman. He was good with his hands. He was used to mending boats, gutting fish, and patching up nets. Brought face to face with the light of Heaven he reverts to type. What can he do? Make some ‘dwellings’ – obviously! It's a relief to me that we read a Gospel account of the Transfiguration on the Sunday next before Lent, that we catch a glimpse of the divine before we descend to the wilderness and begin the weeks of penitence and fasting. It’s a relief to me because St Peter manifestly fails to rise to the occasion. He does not do what the circumstances seem to demand. He does not utter beautiful words that we still sing as a canticle in our worship. He does not leave the mountain-top with a serene countenance and a steadfast heart, forever a changed man. No. He reverts to type. He offers to get his chisel and plane out and knock something together. And this is a relief because the weeks of Lent compel me to acknowledge that, like St Peter, I very rarely rise to the occasion. I make vows about abstinence and study, only to break them. I receive ash on my forehead and daub it on the foreheads of others, only to find myself thinking about my supper. I hear the gorgeous music of the Cathedral choir and walk in solemn procession behind them, only to obsess about impossible neighbours, unwritten sermons, and difficult colleagues. In short, I revert to type – gluttonous, distracted, and cross. But perhaps the expectation that I might rise to God’s occasion or live up to God’s moment is just one more example of human vanity, one more instance in which I’m convinced it’s all about me. It’s not. Lent, however imperfectly observed, leads to Passiontide, when God in Jesus does not rise to the occasion. He descends to it. To the scourge, to the nails, to the crown of thorns. He comes down the mountain and joins us. And that’s why there is hope. PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Tue, 24 Feb 2026 18:23:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2686 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2685/Broad-Town-News-February-2026#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2685 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2685&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2685/Broad-Town-News-February-2026                                                                                  BROAD TOWN NEWS FEBRUARY 2026                                                                     Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH Morning Worship: 8th February at 10.30am Communion: 22nd February at 10.30am A Thank You. It was good to be able to have trees decorated for Christmas in the churchyard and in the church. Thank you to those who kindly donated the trees, and to Andrew, Chris and David for helping to erect and decorate the churchyard tree. Thank you to Christine and Dave for helping to decorate the tree inside the church. All much appreciated by everyone. Broad Town Christ Church 100 Club Lottery. Are your New Year’s resolutions now a thing of the past. Why not make a new one this month? Why not resolve to join the Broad Town 100 Club Lottery. It only costs £1 a week (£4 per month or £48 per year, payable by standing order or cheque). Half the money raised is given out in prizes and over the past year nearly £1,400 has been won by lucky lottery members. The other half of the money is used to help keep your church open including paying towards essential repairs. If you would like to join, please contact Fiona Holness on fholness@btinternet.com BISHOP’S LETTER It is rare to have the Feast of Candlemas, February 2nd, so close to the start of Lent, Ash Wednesday 18th February. With Easter very early this year, it means that there are only fifteen days between the end of the Christmas cycle and the start of the season of reflection, abstinence and study. Not much time to change gear! Or to use a liturgical description, only two Sundays of Ordinary Time. The name ‘ordinary Time’ comes not from the fact that some days are just plain ‘ordinary’ but that all time is ordered as part of the divine nature. Our telling and re-telling of the Christian Year is not merely a nostalgic rehearsal but the re-living of the truths that shape our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ. Seeing life, and in particular living a Christian life as an expression of sharing in the divine nature is therefore anything but ordinary. If we believe that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, then how we live our lives can only ever be extraordinary, regardless of what happens to us. If God sees us and our ‘ordinary’ lives as a gift of himself, how are we to respond? I often wonder what God thinks of us when he sees what we do with this unbelievable gift. Psalm 139.13-14 The Christ-child was cared for by Mary and Joseph at his Presentation in the Temple (2nd Feb) cared for and carried. In Lent, we seek to care more for ourselves with a sacred sense of self-care. How different might this be if we see ourselves as uniquely held by God, whatever the world thinks of us, and, even as we try to better ourselves, see ourselves as a gift, created in the image of God. Yes, this means you. You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother's womb. I give thanks to you that I was marvellously set apart. Your works are wonderful-I know that very well. +Stephen, Bishop of Salisbury COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our 2026 coffee mornings got off to a flying start with a very busy morning on January 14th. Despite the icy weather, the hall was buzzing with conversation whilst the selection of homemade cakes was both diverse and delicious! Our February coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays February 11th and 25th. Community Coffee Mornings take place in the village hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. We would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the village, and especially to those who haven’t been to a coffee morning before, to join us from 10 - 12 noon. Make new friends, have a chat and enjoy a range of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, and hot drinks. We operate on a donation basis, there is no fixed price for anything, please just donate as much as you feel able to. We look forward to seeing you on February 11th. PARISH COUNCIL Budget & Precept for 2026/27. At the meeting of Broad Town Parish Council held on Monday 12th January 2026 councillors agreed the budget for the 2026-27 financial year. The approved budget results in a total precept of £11,187. The annual amount requested from a household in tax Band D in the village will increase by 3.47% to £40.18 (up from £38.84 last year). The Parish Council precept forms a small part of the overall annual Council tax requirement which will be communicated by Wiltshire Council direct to householders. Grants available for Community Groups. Remember that grants are available for Community Groups to help with any funding needs – each application is assessed by an independent advisory group prior to being submitted to the Parish Council who administers the funding from the Bluefield solar farm (previously Good Energy). Details are available on the website www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk We desperately need volunteers to sit on the Community Fund Advisory Group. The group reviews applications for grants from various Broad Town community groups and collectively decide to recommend granting the money or whether more details are required. This is usually performed remotely via email and tends to be every few months. Next PC Meeting - Monday 9th February at 6.30pm in the village  All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course SOCIAL CLUB The committee would like to thank all the people who helped make the Christmas Carol Singing and the New Year’s Eve party both very enjoyable and tremendous successes. I hope everyone who took part had fun and has now recovered! The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3.50 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Membership Renewal. Last few days remaining to take advantage of the discount when renewing your Social Club annual membership – a bargain at just £2 per person during January (£3 any other time). New members are always welcome. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 30th January 27th February MADE IN BROAD TOWN CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP The new year kicked off with a busy session making notebooks from old Christmas cards and catching up with friends over tea, coffee and biscuits. Our February sessions will be on Wednesdays February 4th and 18th. On the 4th we will be making paper butterflies and hearts, and on the 18th, we will be making collages and beads from old magazines. Please bring along any old magazines you have for this session, and please also save old newspapers as we may need these later. Children are especially welcome on the 18th as it’s during half-term week. We will soon be putting plans into place for our May plant sale so please start gathering any seeds or flowerpots that might be useful. Our sessions run from 10-12 noon in the village hall on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and we would love to see you there. There is a voluntary £2 fee which goes towards hall hire, materials, and refreshment costs (families with children are free). Please just turn up or email us if you have any questions. Helen or Linda, email: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com WHAT OUR SID SAW LAST MONTH 52,280 vehicles passed the SID located at Broad Acres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) which equates to approx. 901 a day. 25% of vehicles were speeding, of which 2 went past the SID at a speed over 70mph ! THANK YOU FROM THE CHRISTMAS CRACKER EVENT A big thank you to everyone who came along to support our village Christmas Cracker event on Saturday November 29th. It was a very busy morning and almost £800 was raised. Community Coffee Mornings also donated some of their funds to increase our grand total to £1000. We have received a thank you certificate from Julia’s House Children’s Hospices which is on display in the village hall. They were overwhelmed by the generosity of our village! Thank you also to everyone who helped to organise the event either beforehand or by manning the stalls and serving refreshments on the day. BUMPS & BEYOND Broad Town Playgroup Bumps and Beyond is a friendly baby and toddler group for children aged 0-5 years old. We are based in Broad Town Village Hall on Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11:30. The cost is just 50p per child. Snacks are provided at 10am along with a hot drink for the adults. We have a different craft activity nearly every week and finish with songs and games. We have a good selection of toys, ride on cars/trikes, books, puzzles and dressing up for the children to enjoy. PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Tue, 27 Jan 2026 11:14:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2685 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2684/Broad-Town-News--Dec-2025-Jan-2026#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2684 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2684&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2684/Broad-Town-News--Dec-2025-Jan-2026 BROAD TOWN NEWS DECEMBER 2025 / January 2026 Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Broad Town News Editors Thanks to everyone who bought a bottle(s) of our delicious Broad Town Apple Juice. All 160 bottles were sold making a profit of £450 which went directly to Prospect Hospice Wroughton.  Thank you, Nigel, David, Rupert & Paul for serving refreshments, cake & demonstrating a 3D printer at work at the Community Coffee Morning. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE RESTORATION GROUP REPORT FOR 2025 It’s been a hectic year for the Broad Town White Horse Restoration starting with liming in May. Funded by the Bluefield Solar Income Fund and with support from the Horton Brothers at Cockroost Farm, 18 volunteers weeded and limed the Horse on a Sunday morning in May leaving it gleaming white and visible for miles. In the background, preparations were being made for the commencement of a project which had been initiated in the light of the landslip below the Horse in 2024. It was agreed that 5 elements should be addressed and funding was requested and obtained from the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and the Bluefield Solar Income Fund: Survey using GPS and UAV photogrammetric survey. A condition survey involving a geological survey of land slip activity and an augur survey of the horse itself. A historic review of the Broad Town White Horse. Archiving of the results. Public dissemination of the results. Interest in the Project was evident when a talk in the Village Hall in July attracted an audience of over a hundred with standing room only for the latecomers. Fascinating talks were given by experts Garry Gibbons and Mike Allen while Derek Greer and Andrew Law completed the line-up. At a later date a school assembly about the Horse and its history was delivered by Derek and Andrew to an appreciative audience at the Broad Town School. Tasks 1 and 2 have now been completed and the associated reports drafted.  Task 3 remains underway and work continues searching out old documents relating to the White Horse to build up a more comprehensive understanding of its history. In parallel a number of interviews have been recorded with villagers who have been involved in the maintenance of the horse and in due course all of this material will be stored in local archives and also the Broad Town History Website - https://www.broadtownhistory.com. The Broad Town White Horse Restoration Group would like to thank all the people who gave their time for this project in 2025 and hope that they enjoyed their involvement. As the Group reviews the results obtained from the project, thought will be given to whether there is further work that might enhance our knowledge of the Horse and also identify work that might be done to improve the long-term stability and future of the Horse. It is hoped to deliver a second public talk in the Village Hall early next year to cover the results achieved. Looking ahead, we will be out liming the Horse again next spring so please look at the Broad Town News for future dates and help us in our aim to maintain this important symbol of Broad Town. "You too can participate in maintaining the white horse and be part of its evolving story." NEWS FROM BT C.E PRIMARY SCHOOL It’s been a busy start to the new academic year with children & staff making the most of our mild autumn with lots of outdoor learning. Class 1 have been enjoying their forest Friday sessions making clay figures, leaf rubbings and identifying trees; In October Mandy Cook led a school Spirituality Day with lots of fun outside and we had a visit from local volunteers who told us more about the history of BT White Horse and organised a fun White Horse playground trail. Children in Classes 2&3 greatly enjoyed a school trip to Hampton Court Palace, where they learnt a lot about the Tudors. The school were beneficiaries of a grant from Historic Royal Palaces Access Fund which funded the whole trip.  Seeking outside support & funding is essential to maintain our school and provide enrichment to our curriculum. Thanks to a grant from the Spackman Trust the school were able to purchase a new set of laptops to add to the ones we already have in school. And thanks to one of our parents we were able to receive some new books for our school library. We also held a fundraising walk /run and raised a fantastic £1,427 to provide much needed maths & phonics resources. Looking beyond the school, at our Harvest Festival pupils donated a large number of items to pass on to the Swindon Food Collective which were greatly received. Finally the school would like to recruit some parents, governors and community helpers who would be willing to come into school on a regular basis and read with the children. We are looking for people with an hour or two to spare in the afternoon on a regular basis.  Full training will be given. Please contact the headteacher if you would be interested at admin@broadtown.wilts.sch.uk. CHRIST CHURCH As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the messages of Christmas seem more relevant than ever.  We sing ‘LOVE came down at Christmas’, ‘JOY to the world’, ‘PEACE on earth, GOOD-WILL to all. We are delighted that this year, the annual village carol service on Thursday 18th December will be held in our ‘warm’ village church! Come and sing carols, listen to the nativity story read by people from the Village and beyond with children creating the crib scene ready for Christmas Day and stop a while after to mingle and chat over a glass of mulled wine, hot drinks and mince pies. The door is open wide and everyone is welcome so please put the date in your diary and bring your best singing voice along for a festive and joyous evening. Christmas blessings to all. As 2025 draws to a close, it is a time to reflect on the year and to give thanks to the many people from the Village and further afield who have in any way volunteered their time or given financial support to the church. It is much appreciated. The church now looks forward with HOPE and we pray that a vicar will be appointed early next year to lead us on our journey. New Year Greetings to everyone. Church Service dates 14th December 10.30am Morning Worship 18th December 7pm Carol Service 25th December 10.30am Communion 11th January     10.30 Morning service 25th January     10.30 Communion BISHOPS MESSAGE DECEMBER 2025 At Christmas, wherever we are, and however full or fragile our lives are, we mark perhaps the greatest moment in human history.  The very fact that God chooses to lower himself and to be born among us, and to make His home as one of us, marks out the Christian experience from any other in our world.  Our preparations and our celebrations make it all too easy to miss the full meaning of the incarnation.  The fact that God is with us is a liberation all of its own and calls us to make every home in our world as safe and as free as possible.  This Christmas as families, and as some remain alone, let us remember before anything else that the God who made his home among us calls us to return to Him and to live lives that proclaim the good news.  May the home coming of Jesus be with you this Christmas.  'MADE IN BROAD TOWN' CRAFTS AND HOBBIES GROUP Meets every first and third Wednesday of the month in the Village Hall.  No crafting skills or experience are necessary, and you are also very welcome to come long just for refreshments and a chat.  Some people bring along their own crafts or hobbies to work on whilst others like to have a go at the activities we organise every session.  So far this year our activities have included clay work, cushion making, collages, gift box making, paper iris folding, watercolour painting, potato printing, glass painting and Christmas cracker making. Following our very enjoyable glass painting session led by Terri at the end of October, our long-awaited visit to Great Cotmarsh Farm took place in early November.  Organic farmer and sustainable fashion producer Katie Allen, gave us a fascinating talk about their organic and sustainable farming methods, and the animals bred at the farm. This was followed by a tour of the tannery and the dye garden.  A big thank you to Katie for facilitating such an enjoyable morning and also thank you to Jacki for helping to organise this event. Several times during the year we sell items we have made to raise money for charity, and we are proud to have raised almost £2,500 in the two and a half years we have been running.  Our plant sale in May raised over £600 for the Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance, and we would love to see you at our stall at the ‘Christmas Cracker’ event on November 29th when we will be supporting Julia’s House Children’s Hospice. Our next sessions will be on: Wednesday December 3rd; Wednesday December 17th (Christmas bring and share nibbles and making floral table decorations); January 7th and January 21st All from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Everyone is welcome to come along to our sessions and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. If you are able to make a £2 voluntary donation, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs, we’d be very grateful.  If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you.  If you haven’t been before simply come along to any of our events or email us at: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com Wishing you a very Happy Christmas from Linda, Helen, Corinne & Heather THE SOCIAL CLUB Open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3.50 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. THE SOCIAL CLUB AGM The Annual General Meeting of the Social Club will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday 16th December in the Village Hall at which the Officers and other members of the Committee will be elected. All members of the public are invited to come along and participate and if anyone would like to join the committee then please make contact with the secretary Chris Woodhouse 07790 815616 or woodhousecj@gmail.com. Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm:on 28th November,19th December THE LEGEND OF ROBIN REDBREAST From A Christmas Stocking by Louise Betts Egan. It tells the story of how the robin got his red breast after burning himself on a fire he fanned to keep the baby Jesus warm. On that first Christmas, it is said, the night was wrapped in a bitter chill. The small fire in the stable was nearly out, and the Mother Mary worried that her baby would be cold. She turned to the animals about her and asked them for help. “Could you blow on the embers,” she asked the ox, “so the fire might continue to keep my son warm?” But the ox lay sound asleep on the stable floor and did not hear her. Next, Mary asked the donkey to breathe life back into the fire, but the sleeping donkey did not hear Mary either. Nor did the horse or sheep. She wondered what to do. Suddenly, Mary heard a fluttering of little wings. Looking up, she saw a plain, brown-coloured little robin fly into the stall. This robin had heard Mary calling to the animals and had come to help her himself. He went over to the dying fire and flapped his wings hard. His wings were like little bellows, huffing and puffing air onto the embers, until they glowed bright red again. He continued to fan the fire, singing all the while, until the ashes began to kindle. With his beak, the robin picked up some fresh, dry sticks and tossed them into the fire. As he did, a flame suddenly burst forth and burned the little bird’s breast a bright red. But the robin simply continued to fan the fire until it crackled brightly and warmed the entire stable. The Baby Jesus slept happily. Mary thanked and praised the robin for all he had done. She looked tenderly at his red breast, burned by the flame, and said “From now on, let your red breast be a blessed reminder of your noble deed.” And to this day, the robin’s red breast covers his humble heart. Another legend says that the robin’s breast is red because of his association with Christ’s death and crucifixion. When Jesus was on the road to Calvary it is said that a robin plucked a thorn from Christ’s temple and a drop of Jesus’ blood fell on the robin’s chest, turning it red. PARISH COUNCIL Help support your Community – Join the Parish Council The Parish Council has two vacancies and would love to welcome new members. If you are passionate about your community and keen to make a change to help improve residents’ lives then the Parish Council is where you can make a start. A Councillor’s role includes setting the council tax precept for the coming year, commenting on planning applications, helping with problems and ideas, representing the community, talking to the community about their needs and what the council is doing. If you are interested then come along to the next meeting to see what we do. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 8th December. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. As it is the last meeting before Christmas we will be offering mince pies and mulled wine after the meeting to allow residents to chat to the Councillors in a more relaxed social gathering. SIGN UP FOR FREE PRIORITY SERVICE IN THE EVENT OF A POWER CUT If you, or someone you know, might need extra support in a power cut you can join the SSEN free Priority Services Register. Full details are on the parish council website: https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/news/ssen-winter-measures/ WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the School monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB). The SID captures traffic travelling in ONE direction only so the below figures represent approx. half of the overall traffic in both directions. 47,824 vehicles passed the SID which equates to approx. 854 a day. 11% of vehicles were speeding  CHRISTMAS PUDDING The pudding we know today began life as a pottage. This was a kind of broth, including raisins and other dried fruit, spices and wine. It was thickened with breadcrumbs or ground almonds. Not dissimilar to the mince pies of yesteryear, it often included meat or at least meat stock. The original ‘figgy pudding’ was almost unrecognisable from modern Christmas pudding. For example, this medieval recipe was published in Fygey from the Form of Cury from 1392 period: 'Take almaundes blanched, grynde hem and draw hem up with water and wyne: quarter fygur, hole raisouns. cast perto powdour gyngur and hony clarified, seeth it well & salt it, and serue forth.' - Fygey from the Form of Cury (1392) This plum pottage would be served at the start of the meal rather than at the end of the meal as we do today. It was not until the end of the 17th century that the pottage took on a more solid appearance. It was served like a porridge or cooked inside a skin, like a sausage. Even then, it was more likely to have been sliced and cooked under a roasting joint and served alongside the main meal or as a starter – not a dessert. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS In the Village Hall on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. We would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone in the village, and especially to those who haven’t been to a coffee morning before, to join us from 10 - 12 noon. Make new friends, have a chat and enjoy a range of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, and hot drinks. We operate on a donation basis, there is no fixed price for anything, please just donate as much as you feel able to. Surplus funds are regularly donated to various local charities and recent donations have been made to Prospect Hospice, Breast Cancer Now, Christ Church Broad Town and Macmillan, and we are looking forward to raising as much as we can for Julia’s House Children’s Hospice during our ‘Christmas Cracker’ event on November 29th . Since the coffee mornings started in 2016, over £11,000 has been donated to charity. A big thank you to our Broad Town Baristas team of Rupert, Nigel and Dave who gallantly ran our last coffee morning and did an amazing job, giving the normal team a chance to relax and enjoy chatting to everyone for once! Our regular team consists of Annie, Carolyn, Helen, Linda & Sandra, please come along and meet us in the Village Hall on: Wednesday December 10th  – free Christmas raffle & Made in Broad Town sales table; Wednesday January 14th & Wednesday January 28th, all from 10 – 12 noon Thanks to our regular attendees for all your support during the last year, and we extend our welcome to new visitors to come and enjoy scrumptious cake and a chat – please just turn up and come in. We wish you all a very Happy Christmas and look forward to meeting you! DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Food for Thought Fish & chips   28th  November 5-8pm    Village Hall Christmas Cracker Coffee & Craft Sale    29th November 10:00-12:30    Village Hall Made in Broad Town’ Crafts & Hobbies    3rd December 10am    Village Hall Food Bank    6th & 7th December    Village Hall Parish Council Meeting    8th December 6:30pm    Village Hall Community Coffee Morning    10th December 10am    Village Hall Morning Worship    14th December 10.30am    Church Annual General Meeting of the Social Club    16th December 7:30pm    Village Hall Made in Broad Town’ Crafts & Hobbies    17th December 10am    Village Hall Carol Service    18th December 7pm    Church Food for Thought Fish & chips    19th  December 5-8pm    Village Hall Communion    25th December 10.30am    Church New Years Eve    31st December 20:00 - late    Village Hall Morning service    11 January 10.30am    Church Community Coffee Morning    14th January 10am    Village Hall The Full Monty breakfast for Broad Town    17th January 10:00am    Village Hall Made in Broad Town’ Crafts & Hobbies    21st January 10am    Village Hall Communion    25 January 10.30am    Church   Community Coffee Morning    28th January 10am    Village Hall Food for Thought Fish & chips    30th January 5-8pm    Village Hall   Please e-mail articles for publication to BroadTownNews@gmail.com by 22nd of the month (EXCEPT DECEMBER) BEST WISHES FOR CHRISTMAS AND THE NEW YEAR TO ALL OUR READERS. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:57:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2684 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2683/Broad-Town-News-November-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2683 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2683&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2683/Broad-Town-News-November-2025                                                                                  BROAD TOWN NEWS – NOVEMBER 2025                                                           Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH SERVICES November 9th Remembrance Sunday – 10.50am (please note time) November 23rd – Communion, 10.30am Please also support our Treasure Quest stall at the ‘Christmas Cracker’ event on November 29th in the Village Hall A LITTLE BIT ABOUT POPPIES Poppies have been sold by the Royal British Legion to celebrate Remembrance Day since 1921 and were chosen as they were among the first flowers to re-grow on the battle-scarred fields of Flanders. In the 1920’s four different types of poppies were available to suit various budgets, and materials included silk, cotton and cardboard with centres made from bitumen. By the 1930s a two-layer silk poppy was introduced and during wartime the number of designs was reduced to two, made of silk or cardboard, due to shortages of other materials. In the 1950s wire stems were reintroduced along with felt petals. In 1967 wire stems were replaced by plastic and in 1987 the poppy regained its green leaf due to popular demand. In 2023 poppies became plastic-free and fully recyclable. There is no correct way to wear your poppy except with pride! All money raised goes to provide lifelong support to the UK's serving military personnel, veterans, and their families. This support covers a wide range of needs, including financial assistance, advice, employment help, mobility and housing support, and mental health services. Funding also supports RBL's broader activities, such as the National Memorial Arboretum, remembrance events, and the costs of running the charity itself. BOTTLES WANTED PLEASE! Please consider donating one or more bottles for the bottle tombola at the ‘Christmas Cracker’ event in aid of Julia’s House Children’s Hospices on November 29th any type would be welcome e.g. soft & alcoholic drinks, sauces, shower gels etc. Thank you to those who have already donated bottles. Please bring your bottle(s) to the Village Hall on a Wednesday morning during the Community Coffee Mornings or Made in Broad Town sessions, or to the Social Club on a Friday evening. Alternatively, please leave them with Annie & Nigel Crocker at ‘Barbary’, Broad Town by November 26th. Thank you very much for your help! SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Halloween Evening - The social club is hosting a family Halloween themed fish and chip night with Food for Thought on Friday 31st October with prizes awarded for Best fancy dress for boy and girl (under 12s) and for Best carved pumpkin for under 12s. Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 31st October (Halloween themed special) 28th November On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. BROAD TOWN CE PRIMARY SCHOOL On Tuesday 7th October, we were very fortunate to have Derek Greer and Andrew Law, from the Broad Town White Horse Restoration Society, come into school. Derek led a very informative assembly with a PowerPoint, video and shared some chalk samples. Andrew prepared a wonderful White Horse Trail for classes 2 and 3, with questions for the children to find the answers to. The children and staff, really did enjoy finding out about the Broad Town White Horse. A great thank you to both Andrew and Derek. Governor Vacancies Open day – Thursday 6th November 9.30am & 11am. Would you like to join our friendly and supportive team of governors at Broad Town School? We are looking for additional governors to be part of our governing board at our welcoming and inclusive school. No previous experience of being a governor is needed as you will be trained and supported, all you need is a commitment and willingness to make what is an important contribution to our community. You would be involved in termly meetings that take place in late afternoons and also have a valuable opportunity to work with members of staff on a particular focus of school life. A DBS check is a requirement but otherwise no other qualification is necessary. If you are interested and would like to find out more, please contact admin@broadtown.wilts.sch.uk Thank you. BROAD TOWN BUMPS & BEYOND Broad Town Playgroup ‘Bumps and Beyond’ is a friendly baby and toddler group for children aged 0-5 years old. We are based in Broad Town Village Hall on Tuesday mornings from 9:30-11:30. The cost is just 50p per child. Snacks are provided at 10am along with a hot drink for the adults. We have a different craft activity nearly every week and finish with songs and games. We have a good selection of toys, ride on cars/trikes, books, puzzles and dressing up for the children to enjoy. ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Glass Painting: All are welcome to come to our much-requested evening glass painting session this Thursday October 30th, 7-9pm in the Village Hall during which Terri will be demonstrating some lovely Christmassy designs, no prior experience needed. There will be some items available for you to paint but if you would like to bring along your own item such as a glass storage jar, jam jar, empty wine bottle or vase etc, please ensure that the item is clean and dry and that any labels and/or glue residue has already been removed. Please also bear in mind that paint designs show up better on clear glass than they do on coloured glass. All paints and brushes will be supplied. The evening is free although a £2 contribution towards hall hire, refreshments and equipment costs would be very much appreciated if you feel able to contribute. Refreshments will be available. Great Cotmarsh Farm Visit: Wednesday November 5th 10am – a visit to Great Cotmarsh Farm on the edge of the village, during which local farmer Katie Allen will be talking to us all about their organic farm, how they care for their animals to produce 100% pasture fed lamb and beef, and their work with their unusual diversification businesses; a knitwear brand, an artisan veg tannery to produce leather, a botanical dye garden and their farm classroom which has opened its doors to over 250 students since May. The morning will start at 10am with refreshments and a chat, then Katie will talk about the different aspects of Great Cotmarsh Farm before we have a tour of the dye garden. *This promises to be a fascinating morning and if you’d like to come along, please would everyone email us as soon as you can, as we need to know numbers for car parking and classroom seating purposes–thank you! madeinbroadtown@gmail.com If you are making your own way to the farm please arrive by 9.55am, parking is available there. We look forward to seeing everyone on November 5th. November 19th : 10 – 12 noon: please join us in the Village Hall to make Christmas themed decorations and gifts. On Wednesday October 1st the group enjoyed a decoupage making session, creating some impressive photo frames and boxes, and on October 15th artist Maggie B returned to Broad Town to lead another watercolour painting session, helping us to create ‘winter landscapes’. Some great works of art were produced and everyone who took part found it a very enjoyable morning. Please support our stall at the Broad Town ‘Christmas Cracker’ coffee morning and craft sale on Saturday November 29th from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. All proceeds will be going to Julia’s House Children’s Hospices. Everyone is welcome to come along to our sessions for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re very friendly, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation please, to help cover materials and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email Linda or Helen: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Thank you to everyone who attended our fundraising big coffee morning on September 24th in aid of Macmillan. The fantastic total of £200 was raised for which we have received a certificate of thanks which is now on display in the Village Hall. A big thank you to everyone who gave so generously on the day. We are all really looking forward to our November 12th coffee morning as some of the male coffee morning regulars will be giving the Community Coffee Morning ladies team a rest by running the coffee morning on that day. Please come along to support our rookie ‘Broad Town Baristas’, who we’re sure will do an amazing job! The second Wednesday coffee morning in November will be on the 26th, followed by the coffee and craft sale ‘Christmas Cracker’ event on Saturday 29th, when we hope to see as many people as possible at the Village Hall. We will be donating all proceeds to Julia’s House Children’s Hospices so please support us at what promises to be a very busy and fun morning! Coffee mornings take place on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of every month (except August) from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Everyone from the village and surrounding areas is very welcome to come along to meet others, to chat and to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. We look forward to seeing you! LIVE BAND NIGHT - BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL Many of you may already know that White Horse Rock n Roll use the Village Hall for dance nights and live band nights. We are a small friendly Dance Club hosting events 4 to 5 times a year. Our next live band night is on Saturday the 15th of November, 7.30 – 11pm. Tickets £12 from www.whitehorserocknroll.co.uk. We offer light (soft) refreshments within the ticket price, but you are more than welcome to bring your own if you fancy something a little stronger. If you are interested in learning to dance, please come along and have a chat with us, we have dance teachers on hand or alternatively come and watch the band! You can find out more on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/groups/whitehorserocknrollswindon PARISH COUNCIL Proposed Speed Limit changes and Consultation Wiltshire Council has posted a consultation on proposed speed limit changes between Broad Town and RWB. These can be viewed at: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/15049/TRO-Consultation-on-proposed Various-Speed-Limits-Lydiard-Millicent-Broad-Town-Royal-Wootton-Bassett and-Broad-Hinton. Comments are invited from interested parties until 24th November 2025 in writing or via email to trafficorderconsultations@wiltshire.gov.uk. Quote the reference HKB/TRO/BTOW. Get Flood Ready - See the information provided by Wiltshire Council on the website https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/news/get-flood-ready-flood-preparedness-presentation/ Police Speed Enforcement Checks - We feed our SID stats into Wiltshire Police who use the figures to carry out speed enforcement checks in the village. So far this year they have performed 7 sessions which has resulted in 9 drivers having to attend a speed awareness course. Over the last 3 years the checks in Broad Town have resulted in: Speed Awareness Course 40 Fine & Points 4 Court summons 2 The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 10th November. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. At the start of the meeting there will be a presentation by a representative from SSE who will explain the support and tools that are available to help those that need it most in the event of a power cut. ROSPA inspection of Redhills Playing Fields RoSPA have carried out their annual inspection of the play area at Redhills and no significant problems were found. The report can be viewed at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/your community/redhills-playing-fields-and-play-area/ NOVEMBER LETTER FROM BISHOP KAREN ‘As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you.’ These wonderful words are used at the start of Morning Prayer each day. It is a rich and powerful prayer asking God to not only go with us into a new day, but also that we may be changed by God’s presence with us. Hence our love being a vehicle of God’s love in the world. This is a powerful prayer for our day and age, as the world so much needs the love and light of Christ in so many ways. We can pray it for ourselves, and we can pray it for others. Our world leaders, our peace makers, those who put their own lives in danger for the sake of others. November is the month of remembrance, where we give thanks for those who have given their lives in the pursuit of peace, and we reflect on our own calling as peacemakers where we are, in our homes, in our communities, in the decision we make and our reactions to others. The prayer however is not just practical, it is also spiritual. What does it mean to have our hearts set on fire with love for God? That takes time and devotion, it takes prayer and worship. I am thrilled when I meet a new Christian whose heart is on fire with love for God. Those who come for confirmation are usually our best evangelists showing others what a change Jesus can make, and enthusing others with the joy of the gospel. For those of us who have been followers of Christ for many years, this prayer can be a challenge, and therefore a good reminder day by day, that we need to regularly rekindle faith, so we blaze with God’s love and light. In a month when we think about remembrance, and light bonfires and watch fireworks, do take some time to pray this prayer in your own heart, so we can all be set on fire with God’s love as we make Jesus known. Bishop Karen. DATES AT A GLANCE: Thursday October 30th – Glass Painting with Terri, Village Hall 7-9pm, all welcome. Friday October 31st – Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips, outside the Village Hall; Halloween Party, from 5pm. Wednesday November 5th – Made in Broad Town Great Cotmarsh Farm visit, 10am. Thursday November 6th – Broad Town School Open Morning, 9.30am & 11am. Sunday November 9th – Remembrance Sunday at Christ Church, 10.50am. Monday November 10th – Parish Council Meeting with SSE Presentation 6.30pm, Village Hall. Wednesday November 12th – ‘Broad Town Baristas’ Community Coffee Morning, Village Hall 10am. Wednesday November 19th – Made in Broad Town 10am, Village Hall. Sunday November 23rd – Communion Service, Christ Church, 10.30am. Wednesday November 26th –Community Coffee Morning 10am, Village Hall. Friday November 28th – Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips, outside the Village Hall. Saturday November 29th – Village ‘Christmas Cracker’ Coffee Morning and Craft Sale, 10 – 12.30pm, Village Hall. PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Mon, 27 Oct 2025 17:35:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2683 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2682/Broad-Town-News-October-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2682 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2682&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2682/Broad-Town-News-October-2025                                                                             BROAD TOWN NEWS – OCTOBER 2025                                                        Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Dogs in the Playing Fields We have received reports of someone walking their dog in the playing fields at Redhills. This is a children’s play area and dogs are not allowed for health reasons. Please respect the signs and keep your dog outside the fence. Help Prevent Flooding Two years ago there was serious flooding in a number of places in the village. The Wiltshire Council parish steward visits monthly and ensures the drainage grips (from the roadway into the roadside ditch) are clear and tries to clear any obstructions where he is able, but we can all do our bit by ensuring that road drain gratings are clear of leaves and any pipes and ditches are free from obstruction. If you see any such problem and are unable to sort it yourself. Please let the Parish Clerk know at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Similarly it’s time to ensure that all watercourses are free-flowing and cleared of any vegetation and obstruction. Watercourse owners, or ‘riparian’ owners, have a responsibility to maintain ordinary watercourses that run adjacent to, through or under their property. Riparian owners are responsible for reporting incidents such as flooding, and for letting water flow through the watercourse naturally by removing blockages that may cause flooding. The Environment Agency has published a guide for landowners which is available on the Parish Council website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Environment-Agency_Your_watercourse_rights_and_roles-2024.pdf Next PC Meeting - Monday 13th October at 6.30pm in the village hall on 13th October. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Broad Acres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton). The SID captures traffic travelling in ONE direction only so the below figures represent approx. half of the overall traffic in both directions. 36,400 vehicles passed the SID which equates to approx. 867 a day. 21% of vehicles were speeding. BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH SERVICES 12th October Morning Service at 10.30 in Church. 26th October Communion at 10.30 in Church. SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Halloween Evening The social club is hosting a family Halloween themed fish and chip night with Food for Thought on Friday 31st October with prizes awarded for Best fancy dress for boy and girl and for Best carved pumpkin for under 12s. Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 26th September – NO SERVICE AS Food for Thought car has been stolen 31st October (Halloween themed special) On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. BROAD TOWN CE PRIMARY SCHOOL Open Day – Thursday 6th November – 9.30am and 11am. We have places available in all year groups.  Broad Town Primary School is a small village school just 3 miles from Royal Wootton Bassett.  It is set in a beautiful rural location.  Broad Town has a friendly family atmosphere where the children are treated as individuals.  We are Forest School accredited, and children are provided with a range of outdoor opportunities. Development of the whole child is central to our ethos.  Contact the school office if you would like to arrange a visit – Telephone 01793 731395. Website: www.broadtown.wilts.sch.uk  Head teacher: Bridget Long. ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Our September sessions included keyring making, gift bag and box making and a demonstration from Heather of how to wrap a bottle to produce a very smart art deco look. Our October sessions will be on Wednesdays October 1st and 15th from 10 – 12 noon, with an extra evening session for glass painting on Thursday October 30th from 7- 9pm. All these sessions will be held in the village hall. New folk are assured of a warm welcome. Wednesday October 1st (morning) – decoupage using photo frames and toilet rolls and boxes Wednesday October 15th (morning) – watercolour session with artist Maggie (booking required as numbers are limited, please speak to us or send us an email, address below) Thursday October 30th (evening) – a much-requested evening meeting during which Terri will be running another of her very popular glass painting sessions, no prior experience needed. There will be some items available for you to paint but if you would like to bring along your own item such as a glass storage jar, jam jar, empty wine bottle or vase etc, please ensure that the item is clean and dry and that any labels and/or glue residue has already been removed. Please also bear in mind that paint designs show up better on clear glass than they do on coloured glass. The evening is free although a £2 contribution towards hall hire, refreshments and equipment costs would be very much appreciated if you feel able to contribute. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be available. Wednesday November 5th (morning) – a visit to Great Cotmarsh Farm on the edge of the village, further details to follow in November’s newsletter. Everyone is welcome to come along to our sessions for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re very friendly, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email Linda or Helen: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com OCTOBER COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Community Coffee Mornings restarted again on the 10th of September after our summer break, and it was lovely to welcome everyone back to the village hall. During our second September coffee morning on Wednesday September 24th, we raised money for Macmillan by taking part in their annual ‘Big Coffee Morning’. The total raised will be in the next newsletter, but we would like to thank everyone who came along for their support, and for their generosity in their donations for refreshments and raffle ticket sales. The October coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays October 8th and 22nd.Coffee mornings take place on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of every month (except August) from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall. Everyone from the village and surrounding areas is very welcome to come along to meet others, to chat and to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. We look forward to seeing you! Save the date – Village Christmas Coffee Morning & Craft Sale – bottles wanted please!! Saturday November 29th from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall A variety of refreshments and stalls including cakes, raffle, bottle tombola, Made in Broad Town crafts & preserves etc. This event is being jointly organised by Community Coffee Mornings & Made in Broad Town. All proceeds to charity. Request: Please consider donating one or more bottles for the bottle tombola – any type would be welcome e.g. soft & alcoholic drinks, sauces, shower gels etc. Please bring your bottle(s) to the village hall on a Wednesday morning during the Community Coffee Mornings or Made in Broad Town sessions, or to the Social Club on a Friday evening. Alternatively, please leave them with Annie & Nigel Crocker at ‘Barbary’, Broad Town. Thank you very much for your help! BISHOPS LETTER FOR OCTOBER During the wistful first week of September, just before our youngest departed for university, we took a week’s holiday in North Cornwall, to revisit a seaside haunt much enjoyed in their childhood. The high-baked summer heat finally giving way to that more familiar British blend of showery spells and sunny intervals, we eschewed the beaches in favour of the ruined splendour of Tintagel Castle, situated on an almost-island along the headland from our cottage. Since 2019, the legendary birthplace of King Arthur has been connected to the coast by an elegant suspension bridge, the crossing of which offers giddily magnificent views. Perhaps helpfully, pedestrians can’t see the rocks beneath them but for a 40mm gap, halfway across. The bridge is constructed in two sections, each drilled into its own side of the yawning chasm. The inch or two between them is, I learned, both structural and symbolic - representing the space between past and present, myth and reality. A lovely touch, I thought. As we cross the threshold into autumn, with its liturgical mood of gratitude and remembrance, let us rejoice that God bridges the ages in Jesus Christ: connecting us not only to the past events of our salvation but also the future hope of his heavenly kingdom. Whatever changes lie before us, he remains the way, the truth and the life. Thank you and God bless. PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Sat, 27 Sep 2025 12:12:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2682 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2681/Broad-Town-News-September-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2681 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2681&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2681/Broad-Town-News-September-2025                                                                  BROAD TOWN NEWS – SEPTEMBER 2025                                             Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   SEPTEMBER COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Broad Town Community Coffee Mornings are looking forward to welcoming you all back to the Village Hall after our summer break, on Wednesday September 10th from 10am – 12 noon. Our delicious hot drinks, sausage rolls and homemade cakes will all be available, so come along for a chat and to meet up with friends old and new. During our second September coffee morning on Wednesday September 24th, we will be raising money for Macmillan by taking part in their annual ‘Big Coffee Morning’. Please come along from 10am – 12 noon to enjoy our usual delicious refreshments and there will also be a raffle, so please help us to raise as much money as we can for this very worthwhile cause. Coffee mornings take place on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of every month (except August) from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Everyone from the village and surrounding areas is very welcome to come along to meet others, to chat and to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. We look forward to seeing you! PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Farmers are allowed to start cutting hedges from 1st September onwards (provided there are no nesting birds) so there is no reason not to join them. Do you have an unruly hedge overhanging a road or pavement and need some help? Contact the Parish Clerk to seek assistance and guidance BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Let’s cut hedges back to the boundary rather than encroach on roads and pavements! The roadside drains along the main road and up Broad Town hill have all been visited by the ‘Gully Sucker’ tanker which has unblocked them in time for autumnal and winter rainfall. Residents can report blocked gullies by using the MyWilts app (on a phone) or else at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts-online-reporting. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 8th September. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE Thank you to everyone who attended the Broad Town White Horse talk on Wednesday 30 July. The hall has rarely been seen so full and those attending were treated to a series of fascinating talks about chalk figures and in particular the Broad Town horse. The evening was introduced by Jemima Sellwood representing the North Wessex Down National Landscape, a major sponsor of the ongoing survey project. Second up was Dr Mike Allan who spoke on chalk figures, focussing on the Cerne Abbas Giant. Mike was followed by Garry Gibbons who gave an overview of the Wiltshire White Horses. After a break for refreshments the evening continued with Andrew Law talking about the history of the Broad Town White Horse whilst Derek Greer concluded the evening with an explanation of the project that has been initiated to survey the White Horse to archaeological standards as a record for future generations. The topics clearly stimulated a lot of interest from the audience judging by the questions raised and the post-presentation conversations. The topographic survey has now been concluded and we are in possession of a draft report from our archaeologist surveyor. The second part of the project to assess land slip risk and hill figure condition is underway and a day was spent auguring the Horse on Thursday 21 August. Time precluded completion of the task and so it is planned to have a second work day on a weekend for which volunteers will be needed. Please look out for further information. As we move into autumn, we are embarking on the third part of the project which includes a historic review of the White Horse including the collection of oral testimony. Project staff will be inviting members of the community to record their memories of the Horse and their involvement in its maintenance. We look forward to interviewing some of the Broad Town News readership. ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Our school holiday sessions on August 6th and 20th proved to be very popular with the Village Hall being a hive of creative activity on both days. It was lovely to see so many of the village children and their parents and carers coming along to our sessions, and a wide variety of works of art were produced from potato printed wrapping paper, owls and marbled paper to under the sea collages, bracelets and dream catchers – see photos below. Our September sessions will be on Wednesdays September 3rd and 17th. On September 3rd we will be making keyrings and on September 17th we will be creating gift boxes and bags. Other dates to make a note of: Wednesday October 15th (morning) – watercolour session with artist Maggie (booking required) Thursday October 30th (evening) – a much-requested evening meeting during which Terri will be running another of her very popular glass painting sessions, no prior experience needed Wednesday November 5th (morning) – a visit to Great Cotmarsh Farm Summer Holiday Activities: Everyone is welcome to come along to our sessions for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re very friendly, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email Linda or Helen: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8:00pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for £3 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale Halloween Evening The social club is hosting a family Halloween evening on Friday 31st October with prizes awarded for best dressed boy and girl, and for best carved pumpkin. This coincides with Food 4 Thought so any tired Trick or Treaters will be welcome to partake in some refreshment and possibly win a prize! We are looking for raffle prize donations – please contact Trevor or Tina Hillier or pop into the club on a Friday night. at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month:  29th August  26th September  31st October (Halloween themed special) On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please contact Rosemary Greenway: rosygreenway@gmail.com. All formal applications need to be in by 31st March for the spring round and 30th September for the autumn round of awards. SEPTEMBER MESSAGE FROM COMMS September is always a month of endings, as well as new beginnings. As the bright colours of summer fade into the oranges and browns of autumn, shiny new school shoes make an appearance, along with fresh notebooks as we head back to our desks after a break over August. We start again, carrying with us the feeling of a new year beginning. September then is always a month of change, and because of this it can be unsettling. We reflect on or maybe grieve for that which is drawing to a close and can feel a mixture of anticipation about what is new or next. It is likely that we feel this even more acutely this September, living in a world which feels increasingly insecure from the perspective of fast-changing global politics and conflicts around the world that show no sign of abating. All is changing; all feels very fragile and deeply uncertain. One of this country’s much-loved hymns is ‘Abide with Me’, famous for being sung at every FA Cup Final since 1927. The words are based on Luke 24: 29 and were written by the Reverend Henry Francis Lyte, with one of the stories about this suggesting that he wrote them in September 1847 – just after he had conducted his final church service and when very ill with tuberculosis. He died two months later. Putting aside questions of when Lyte wrote these words, the fact remains that they capture the constancy of God’s presence and love, even as the seasons change, our lives change, our world changes, in life and in death: Change and decay in all around I see, O Thou who changest not, abide with me. This then is a beautiful reminder that even though we, and indeed our world, pass through times of change and can feel unsettled as a result, God goes with us. God in Christ abides with us, his presence and love unchanging in our ever-changing world: “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. (Luke 24: 29) WILTSHIRE PCC LINKS https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/wiltshire-police sees-higher-public-confidence-than-national-average-as-efforts-to build-trust-continue https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/tackling-hare coursing-head-on-a-whole-force-response https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/pcc-highlights-the-vital-role-of-cctv-in keeping-communities-safe-this-summer https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/increase-in-reports-of-stalking-and-sexual offences-in-wiltshire-reflects-changes-in-crime-classification-and-public-confidence https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/residents-voice-their-concerns-around-drug crime-as-figures-show-local-and-regional-increase-in-reporting BROAD TOWN CHURCH Many thanks to the churchyard work party for such a tidy churchyard and especially for the roadside hedge which sets off the approach to the church so beautifully. We really appreciate your hard work. The services for September are 14th September 10:30am Morning Prayer 28th September 11am (note change of time) Harvest Service followed by Harvest Brunch (tea coffee WINE and tasty nibbles/sandwiches/Cake) All are welcome and we look forward to seeing you. Donation to the Food Collective would be appreciated. PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Tue, 26 Aug 2025 16:05:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2681 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2680/Broad-Town-News-August-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2680 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2680&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2680/Broad-Town-News-August-2025                                                                                                      Broad Town News – August 2025                                                                                    Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. DISCOVERING BROAD TOWN'S WHITE HORSE - Wednesday 30 July  - 7.30pm Village Hall Join us as we journey through the creation, the upkeep and, at times, loss of Wiltshire's white horses and hear about a new project to better understand Broad Town's white horse. The talk will start with Garry Gibbons giving an overview of the county's chalk horses before exploring how research can reveal fresh insights. We then move onto an exciting project at Broad Town's white horse, as a response to landslip activity close to the hill figure. The project will carry out archaeological surveys, track historical changes to the horse, and unearth stories by capturing memories from the community. Free admission, Doors open 7pm, Refreshments available. CALLING ALL DETECTIVES It is believed that the above drawing was used by William Simmonds in 1864 to cut the White Horse. The drawing was found by Mrs Reeves and Mrs Telling when clearing out some cupboards in the old shop (behind the village hall) and at a later date inherited by Mary Hacker (Miss Reeves/Nora Little’s cousin). The White Horse project would very much like to look at this drawing so please get in touch with Andrew Law if you know Mary Hacker or any of her relatives. Andrew can be contacted on 07841381301 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com THANK YOU Judy Rendell rallied the troops to replant the village planters. Armed with their lethal trowels and gardening gloves Rosie Law, Linda Boyden, Carolyn Crocker and Christine Marshall set about clearing and restocking the 8 village planters. Linda Boyden, Roger Buckingham, Richard & Dawn Leppard, Richard & Abi Green, Jean Pearce, Christine Marshall and Richard Wykeham-Martin kindly water and tidy the planters regularly retaining their splendour for us all to enjoy. Thank you all for making Broad Town look loved and cared for. CHURCH SERVICES The services for August are as follows: 10th August at 10.30 Holy Communion (please note this replaces Morning Service for this month) 24th August at 10.30 Holy Communion MADE IN BROAD TOWN CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP School Holidays – free sessions for children! Our August sessions will be on Wednesdays August 6th & 20th and as we are a group for the whole community, we would especially welcome children and their carers to come along to these free sessions. We will have some fun activities arranged for everyone to try including wrapping paper making and paper marbling on the 6th, and collage making and bracelet making on the 20th so come along to the Village Hall from 10am – 12 noon to join in the fun! Please note that all children should be accompanied by an adult during the sessions, and you may wish to bring an apron or overall with you. We still have one July session arranged on the 30th – we will be continuing our ‘learn to crochet’ sessions or bring along your own craft or hobby. May Plant Sale & Tea Update Good news from the Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance that our plant sale total of £660 has now increased to £732.73 with the addition of Air Ambulance sales and direct donations on the day, so the grand total for that event including the £400 raised by the village church is now £1132.73. This is an amazing amount and thank you again to you all for your hard work both before and during the event, and to those who came along to support us. Paper Iris Folding This month we enjoyed a paper iris making session and ended up producing an array of colourful pictures. Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re very friendly, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email Linda or Helen: madeinbroadtown@gmail.com WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB). The SID captures traffic travelling in ONE direction only so the below figures represent approx. half of the overall traffic in both directions. 43,247 vehicles passed the SID which equates to approx. 1006 a day. 11% of vehicles were speeding SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 25th July 29th August 26th September 31st October (Halloween themed special – watch this space) On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Do you have an unruly hedge overhanging a road or pavement and need some help? Contact the Parish Clerk to seek assistance and guidance BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Let’s cut hedges back to the boundary rather than encroach on roads and pavements! Next PC Meeting - Monday 11th August The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 11th August. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Fundraising Coffee Morning – July 23rd Our charity fundraising coffee morning for Breast Cancer Now was extremely well attended and we raised the magnificent sum of £248. We have added an additional £52 from surplus funds so we will be donating a total of £300 to Breast Cancer Now. The raffle was very well supported and the bring and buy table offered items such as Broad Town grown plants and vegetables, jigsaws, cakes and stationery items, and the cake table was groaning under the weight of a wide assortment of donated cakes! Thank you to everyone for your generosity in donating raffle prizes and cakes, and for supporting our chosen charity. August Break Please remember that community coffee mornings will be taking their usual annual break in August, and we would like to thank you all for your support during the last year and wish everyone a happy summer! We look forward to seeing you all again on Wednesday September 10th from 10am – 12 noon in the Village Hall. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Friday 25th July 5pm to 8pm - Village Hall - Food for Thought Fish & Chips. Wednesday 30th July 10am – 12 noon -  Village Hall - Made in Broad Town Crafts & Hobbies Group. Wednesday 30th July 7:00pm for 7:30 start - Village Hall - Discovering Broad Town’s White Horse. Wednesday 6th August 10am – 12 noon - Village Hall - Made in Broad Town Crafts & Hobbies Group. Sunday 10th August at 10.30am - Church - Holy Communion. Wednesday 20th B B TV August 10am – 12 noon - Village Hall - Made in Broad Town Crafts & Hobbies Group. Sunday 24th August at 10.30am - Church - Holy Communion. Friday 29th August 5pm to 8pm - Village Hall - Food for Thought Fish & Chips. Wednesday September 10th from 10am – 12 noon - Village Hall - Community Coffee Morning. DID YOU KNOW? The first official Bank Holiday in the United Kingdom was on 5th August 1871. It was a designated day off so bank employees could attend a cricket match between England and Australia at the Kennington Oval. Responding to pressure from the holiday industry in 1964 Edward Heath moved the bank holiday to the end of August. The date was settled in statute with the passage of the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 which remains in force today, with the date specified as "the last Monday in August". PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December. BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Thu, 24 Jul 2025 17:33:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2680 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2679/Broad-Town-News--July-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2679 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2679&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2679/Broad-Town-News--July-2025                                                                                                                 BROAD TOWN NEWS – JULY 2025                                                                             Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   CHRIST CHURCH, BROAD TOWN Services for July are as follows: 13th July Morning Service at 10.30am, 27th July Communion at 10.30am All in the Church, everybody welcome CHURCHYARD WORK MORNING & VILLAGE SHELTER Thank you to everyone who volunteered at the recent churchyard work morning, and to those who have decorated the now summer-themed village shelter. All your hard work is very much appreciated. BROAD TOWN FOOD BANK GIVING FOOD TO THOSE WHO NEED IT Sat 28th & Sun 29th June Urgently needed: Small jars of coffee, Sugar (500gms/1kg) Tinned Fruit, Tinned Tomatoes Tinned meat - meatballs, corned beef, spam, hotdogs etc Tinned vegetables - peas, carrots, sweetcorn etc Tinned puddings - rice, sago, semolina, custard, angel delight, jellies Always needed Non-perishables (tins & packets) Long Life (milk & juice) Thanks for your generosity in continuing to support people in need. Please drop off any unopened & unused items to the Village Hall. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE RESTORATION GROUP LIMING 2025 A belated thanks to all of those volunteers from the community who turned out on 18 May to weed and lime the White Horse. Blessed with good weather, a thorough job was carried out that left the Horse looking better than it has for a long time. Comments have been received from a number of sources complimenting the horse’s appearance and as a village, we can be proud of our efforts. Thanks are also due to the Horton Brothers at Cockroost Farm for procuring and delivering the lime, Broad Town Brewery for supporting the event and the Bluefield Solar Farm for granting the funding necessary to buy the associated resources. SURVEY PROJECT Hopefully readers are aware of the survey project that has been initiated to record the White Horse in response to the threat posed by last year’s landslip. Guided by local chalk figure expert Garry Gibbons, requests for grants have been submitted to the Bluefield Solar Farm and to the North Wessex Downs National Landscape to fund the professional support necessary to complete the task to archaeological data standards. The five elements of the project are: Task 1. A topographic survey using drones and GPS. Task 2. An assessment of land slip risk and hill figure condition including an auger survey and a specialist survey of slope and land slip activity. Task 3. A historic review of the hill figure involving the exploration of existing records and their expansion through the collection of new information and oral testimony from the Community. Task 4. Preparation of the data sets for curation in the Archaeology Data Service, the Wiltshire Historic Environment Record and the Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre. Task 5. Dissemination of results through talks, exhibitions and information panels. This will include a presentation to the Broad Town community on the evening of Wednesday 30 July. The good news is that our requests have been met, and funding is now in place to initiate the work. It is intended that work on Tasks 1 and 2 will start imminently. All of the funding is conditional on volunteer input throughout the project, and we will be looking for helpers to assist in the work. As the tasks and timings are confirmed, requests for assistance will be sent directly to regular helpers and via Facebook to the wider community. The chance to work on original archaeological research on your own doorstep rarely arises so please volunteer. Please contact Andrew Law or Derek Greer if you have any queries about the project: Andrewlaw456@gmail.com; dgreer05@gmail.com JULY LETTER FROM THE RIGHT REVEREND KAREN GORHAM, BISHOP OF SHERBORNE Some of the joys of a bishop’s ministry are Confirmation Services, we have had a good number so far this year and many more in the diary. The service is both corporate, as the congregation prays for each candidate, and personal, as each candidate makes promises, is prayed for and is anointed with oil. The words of the anointing remind all of us who have been confirmed that God calls us by name. This Pentecost we launched across the diocese a simple ‘Rule of Life’ as part of our discipleship and vocation work. Being called by God means being called to discipleship. Simply put a ‘rule of life’ is our response to what God has done for us. It takes some the teachings of Christ into our own lives. Therefore, we continue a life of inner transformation through prayer, Bible reading, and regular worship; and we contribute to the transformation of the world through generous giving, seeking justice and using our time and talents in the service of God. This all gives us the opportunity to consider our response to God’s love, to the one who calls us. It may be that the Holy Spirit is nudging us to serve in particular ways in the life of the local church, or to live out our Christian life more courageously in the world. Do pick up a postcard from your local church if you have not already been given one and be part of our diocesan vision, not only Making Jesus known but being called so all may flourish and grow. Bishop Karen ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP It has been lovely to see so much creativity and socialising going on during our recent sessions, and also to welcome some new people to the group. Thank you to Heather who recently led a very enjoyable session on flower crafting. Our July sessions will be on Wednesdays July 2nd & 16th with an extra one on the fifth Wednesday of the month, the 30th, all from 10am – 12 noon. Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re very friendly, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Thanks to your generosity this year we have recently been able to make donations of £200 each to Dressability and Christ Church, Broad Town. Dressability is a Swindon-based charity who adapt clothing. Through engaging with the challenges faced by their range of clientele on an individual basis, the team at Dressability’s focus is on making a positive difference to the lives of individuals living with disabilities. From jeans to jackets, dresses to dungarees and skirts to shirts, the constant whirr of sewing machines in their busy workroom, enables clients to wear user-friendly clothing in which to feel good in – promoting independence and wellbeing. Our Village church will be using their donation to make much needed improvements, and letters of thanks have been received from both recipients. Fundraising Coffee Morning – July 23rd. Our July coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays the 9th and 23rd. On the 23rd we are hoping to see as many people as possible at our fundraising coffee morning for Breast Cancer Now (formed by the merger of Breakthrough Breast Cancer & Breast Cancer Campaign). As well as some sumptuous summer homemade cakes, there will also be a raffle and a ‘bring and buy’ sale on this morning. We would love you to bring along and donate any items that you think others would like to buy whether its homegrown fruit, vegetables, plants or flowers, home baked cakes or preserves, jigsaws or crafted items (but please no books or ornaments). Thank you! Police visit to Coffee Morning Thank you to PCSO Kelly Hillier who visited our coffee morning on May 28th, and who answered many questions and queries from villagers. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month (except August), so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Coffee mornings are a very informal way of meeting others in the village, having a chat whilst enjoying delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. If you haven’t been before why not give it a try, we would love to see you. SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings. Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 27th June, 25th July, 29th August & 26th September. On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Annual Audit The Parish Council has successfully completed the annual audit with only a few observations and no recommendations. The Auditor’s report is available on the PC website in the Funding & Accounts page under the 2024/25 financial year. BROAD TOWN PARISH COUNCIL AUDIT Notice of Public Rights for Inspection of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2025 As per the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, Broad Town Parish Council has made its Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year 2024-25 available for inspection by any person interested, together with all accounting records; books; deeds; contracts; bills; vouchers; receipts and other documents relating to these records. If you have any issues to raise or wish to see the full accounts, please contact the Parish Clerk on btpcclerk@outlook.com. In accordance with the guidelines the full accounts will be available to view for 30 working days between 11th June and 22nd July 2025. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 14th July. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course.   WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at School monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton). The SID captures traffic travelling in ONE direction only, so the below figures represent approx. half of the overall traffic in both directions. 15,619 vehicles passed the SID which equates to approx. 822 a day. 14% of vehicles were speeding WILTSHIRE POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER NEWS: https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/wiltshire-pcc-hears-views-of-young people-at-youth-commission-workshop https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/pcc-working-with-local-charity-to fund-activities-reducing-violence-and-serious-harm https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/pcc-parish-column-keeping communities-informed-with-digital-tools https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/youth-workers-funded-by-opcc have-positive-impact-on-young-people-in-Swindon https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/communities-positively-impacted by-projects-delivered-to-reduce-serious-violence. JULY AT A GLANCE: Saturday 28th & Sunday 29th June – foodbank collection, outside the Village Hall Wednesday July 2nd – Made in Broad Town, Village Hall 10am Wednesday July 9th – Community Coffee Morning, Village Hall 10am Sunday July 13th – Church service 10.30am, Christ Church Monday July 14th – Parish Council Meeting 6.30pm, Village Hall Wednesday July 16th – Made in Broad Town 10am, Village Hall Wednesday July 23rd – Fundraising Community Coffee Morning 10am, Village Hall Friday July 25th – Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips, outside the Village Hall Sunday July 27th – Church service, Christ Church 10.30am Wednesday July 30th – Made in Broad Town 10am, Village Hall Wednesday July 30th – Discovering Broad Town’s White Horse talk – 7 for 7.30pm, Village Hall PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December.   BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Fri, 27 Jun 2025 15:41:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2679 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2678/Broad-Town-News-June-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2678 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2678&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2678/Broad-Town-News-June-2025 BROAD TOWN NEWS – JUNE 2025 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village Tidy-up Thanks to all the residents who volunteered to walk the village picking up litter. We had a very productive few hours and made a noticeable difference throughout the village. Grateful thanks also to those who provided refreshments and bacon baps afterwards, it was much appreciated. Redhills Play Area Please note that the fort in the play area is for climbing up the ramp and enjoying the slide but please don’t allow your children to climb on the roof of the fort. Annual Parish Meeting. The Annual Parish meeting was well attended by members of the public and representatives from the various community groups who gave presentations on their activities for the past year. Reports were made by representatives on: Christ Church, Village Hall, White Horse Restoration Group, Community Coffee Mornings, Made in Broad Town, Speeding data captured by the SID, Broad Town History Website, Community Speedwatch, Parish Council Next PC Meeting - Monday 9th June will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WILTSHIRE CONNECT The Public Transport team at Wiltshire Council is pleased to advise that they have extended the popular Wiltshire Connect on-demand bus service to include Broad Town. The service can be used for journeys to Royal Wootton Bassett, Malmesbury and to any location in the operating area which includes the Great Western Hospital, Orbital Retail Park and Kemble Railway Station. Anyone can use Wiltshire Connect and the wheelchair accessible vehicles operate between 6am-8pm Mon-Fri and 8am-7.30pm on Saturdays. Rides can be booked by using the Wiltshire Connect app or by phone on 01225 712900 For more information and to download the booking app, residents should go to the website https://www.connectingwiltshire.co.uk/royal-wootton-bassett-malmesbury. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Broad Acres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 29,088 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 1003 a day. 25% of vehicles were speeding. CHRIST CHURCH The services for June are as follows: • 8th June 10.30 Morning Service • 22nd June 10.30 Communion. Plant sale A big thank you to everyone who supported our plant sale in any way. It was a lovely village event and we raised an amazing £400. We would value your further help in considering and suggesting qualities we would like a new vicar to bring to our village and church. A suggestion box will be available for your thoughts at the Community coffee morning and Made in Broad Town sessions. We can’t promise everything but will do our best! SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8:00pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 30th May, 27th June, 25th July, 29th August, 26th September. On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. VILLAGE PLANT SALE RAISES £1060! A big thank you to everyone involved in our village plant sale and tea on Saturday May 10th. It was fantastic to see so many people coming along to buy the plants, to socialise with friends and to enjoy the refreshments on offer in celebration of the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. Whether you grew plants to sell, baked cakes or scones, or simply came along to enjoy the event, we thank you for your generosity and for your support. Thank you also to all those who set up the hall and tidied up afterwards. £660 was raised for the Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance and £400 for Christ Church Broad Town, through the joint efforts of Made in Broad Town, Christ Church and the Community Coffee Mornings Team. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Thank you to everyone who provided cakes and scones for the plant sale and also to those who helped in the kitchen. Police visit to Coffee Morning If you’re reading this before May 28th…Kelly Hillier, our local Police Community Support Officer, will once again be joining us at the coffee morning on the 28th. Please come along with any concerns or queries that you might have. Our coffee mornings in June will be on Wednesdays June 11th and 25th, and we look forward to seeing you there. Please encourage anyone you know of in the village to come along who doesn’t do so already, the more the merrier! Please also remember to visit our book table whilst you’re at the coffee mornings. There is a wide selection of books available to choose from and also a few jigsaws – borrow any items for as long as you like and simply return them when you’ve finished with them. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Coffee mornings are a very informal way of meeting others in the village, having a chat whilst enjoying delicious homemade cake, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. If you haven’t been before why not give it a try, we would love to see you. ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ Crafts & Hobbies Group As well as playing our part in the very successful plant sale earlier this month, we have also been busy participating in a watercolour painting session with teacher Maggie, and a ‘shell craft’ session making wind chimes and photo frames. During the watercolour lesson everyone managed to produce some fantastic hummingbird paintings and hopefully another similar session will be booked for later in the year. Inspired by the first of our three visits to the children at the village school to help them make their own shell wind chimes, we decided that we would also have a go at making wind chimes and photo frames. June Sessions will be on Wednesdays June 4th and 18th. Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re very friendly, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 voluntary donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com BISHOPS NEWSLETTER Jack Spratt’s scrap heap clock St Andrew’s, Wootton Rivers, you will find in the porch a beautiful board telling the story of local character Jack Spratt, who achieved fame by constructing a church clock entirely from local scrap to commemorate the coronation of George V in 1911. As a new installation was too costly, handyman Jack invited villagers to leave him their spare bits and bobs and proceeded to make a clock that ran (and still runs) with pin point accuracy. Instead of numerals on its face, the tower clock reads ‘Glory be to God’. This eccentric and appealing project bears witness to the steady Anglican faith and resourcefulness vital for our churches to thrive and survive. Also, to the creator God whose spirit can work within us to make something wonderful from the scraps and times of our lives. To him be the glory. Also an invitation to place the first signature in their new visitor’s book, after the sixty-year service of its predecessor. These volumes are found in most village churches and remain a quiet record of the thousands who call into our places of worship, usually unseen, and leave their appreciation with a word or two and, often as not, a coin in the box or a tap on the e-reader!   PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December.   BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Tue, 27 May 2025 13:59:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2678 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2677/Broad-Town-News-May-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2677 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2677&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2677/Broad-Town-News-May-2025 BROAD TOWN NEWS – MAY 2025 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Community coffee mornings are looking forward to helping with the refreshments for the Plant Sale on May 10th, so please come along and see us in the Village Hall! The May coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays May 14th and 28th. Kelly Hillier, our local Police Community Support Officer, will once again be joining us at the coffee morning on May 28th. Please come along with any concerns or queries that you might have .Cake rota – could you bake a cake for us please? Many of you have already very kindly volunteered to be on the rota and we are very grateful to everyone who has baked cakes for us. If you are not yet on our rota, please consider volunteering to make a cake, it would only be 2-3 times a year, and any type of cake would be very welcome, it doesn’t have to be anything fancy. If you are able to help out, please see one of the helpers at the next coffee morning or email Annie Crocker: anniecrocker@hotmail.co.uk The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Coffee mornings are a very informal way of meeting others in the village, having a chat whilst enjoying delicious homemade cake, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. If you haven’t been before why not give it a try, we would love to see you. Plant Sale in aid of the Air Ambulance, May 10th. Final preparations are now underway for our charity plant sale, so please come along and support us, all donations of plants or seedlings by anyone with some to spare would be very welcome, please contact Linda, Helen, or Carolyn: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com Carolyn Crocker carolyn.crocker@hotmail.co.uk This promises to be a busy family-friendly event as not only will there be lots of Broad Town grown plants available, but also an Air Ambulance sales and information table, and refreshments will include homemade cakes and scones in celebration of the 80th anniversary of VE Day. ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP May Sessions. We’ve already had two very busy sessions during April which included learning to crochet and making newspaper plant pots, and our final April session will be on the 30th during which we will be trying a surprise activity! On May 7th those with a place on the watercolour painting course will be learning a new skill, and everyone else is invited to bring along their own craft or to help with final preparations for our plant sale. Our second session will be on May 21st. Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com BROAD TOWN SHELTER A big thank you to all who helped decorate the Broad Town Shelter for Easter! It never goes unappreciated and is a highlight of the village. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE LIMING - SUNDAY 18 MAY 2025 Weather permitting, White Horse liming place will take place on the morning of Sunday 18 May. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com . Fuller details will then be provided to all volunteers. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again. Andrew Law BROAD TOWN CHURCH It was good to be back in church for our service on Easter Sunday. Thank you to everyone who provided the flower arrangements that made the church look so lovely. A reminder for the church table at the Plant Sale on Saturday May 10th from 2.30 to 4.30pm. We would still be grateful for any surplus plants/seedlings or split established plants that you may have. If you could do with some new plants for your garden - we’d love to help - come to the plant sale and have a look! The services for May are 11th May Morning Service at 10.30 am, (This will be followed by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting) and 25th May, Communion at 10.30 am. Both services will be held in Church. BISHOP’S LETTER Sudan and South Sudan Partnership – A time of crisis. We have been fortunate to celebrate a peaceful Easter in our land, we find Sudan and South Sudan in probably the most desperate state in more than 25 years of our half century of partnership. This Spring marks the second anniversary of the conflict in Sudan, and the BBC has reported that fighting between the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has claimed more than 150,000 lives. The UN calls it the world’s largest humanitarian crisis in which some 12 million people have been forced to flee their homes, creating new crises particularly in neighbouring Chad and South Sudan. As the conflict intensified, Archbishop Ezekiel Kondo, his family and staff were forced to flee and with other supporters we helped him re-establish the Episcopal Church HQ in Port Sudan on the Red Sea coast. More recently the SAF has recaptured most of Khartoum including the symbolically important Presidential Palace. The RSF is now concentrated in El-Fasher in the Darfur region in the north and west of Sudan. It has been responsible for the most appalling atrocities yet denies it is ethnic cleansing but “tribal conflict”. Efforts are being considered for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate. The UK Government’s recent decision to reduce the Overseas Development Aid budget is very disappointing. In South Sudan, violence has returned too. Many people worry that Juba may be consumed by violence again, most recently triggered by President Salvar Kiir arresting the First Vice-President Riek Machar. The South Sudan Council of Churches has been urging all parties to seek peace and not conflict. “Faith before tribe” should be the guiding principle but that is easily said but much harder to practice. How do we do that ourselves? Our partnership with the Sudans is founded on prayer and fellowship so please continue to hold the people of the Sudans in your prayers. One way in which you can offer practical help is by supporting the Sudan Medical Link Fete, held in my garden on Sunday 15th June at 2pm. All are welcome as we raise much needed funds for medical aid for families in South Sudan. +Stephen, Bishop of Salisbury PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village Tidy-Up Saturday 3rd May Meet 10am Village Hall The road-sweeper has visited and done its job along the main road so now it’s time for the rest of us to give the village a spring clean. Meet at the Village Hall at 10am for the health and safety briefing. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades or shovels to weed the pavements. Refreshments and bacon butties will be provided afterwards as a well-earned reward. REFRESHMENTS AND BACON BUTTIES. Annual Parish Meeting: Monday 19th May 6.30pm in the Village Hall. We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Parish Meeting. This is not a council meeting but is an opportunity for all village groups and associations to share with the village the activity they have undertaken in the past year and their plans for the future. Parish Council Election Vacancies Most existing Councillors are standing again this year but there weren’t enough nominations to trigger an election and therefore they will be elected uncontested. The new Councillors are Ben Davis, Sandra Hartley, Glen Morley, Rupert Pearce and James Rawlins and there are therefore 2 vacancies so if anyone would like to join us in serving the parish and helping to make Broad Town a pleasant place to live then please make contact with the Clerk (BTPCClerk@outlook.com) Next PC Meeting - Monday 12th May. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 12th May. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the school monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 22,949 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 820 a day. • 17% of vehicles were speeding. SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings. Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. WILTSHIRE AND SWINDON PCC https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/plans-for further-investment-to-improve-victims-services-announced   PLEASE NOTE e-mail any queries or articles for publication to broadtownnews@gmail.com by the 22nd of the month except December.   BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:20:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2677 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2676/Broad-Town-News--April-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2676 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2676&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2676/Broad-Town-News--April-2025 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. WHITE HORSE LIMING Weather permitting, White Horse liming will take place on the morning of Sunday 18 May. It should be assumed that we will start at around 10am and conclude before lunchtime. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 07841 381301 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com. Fuller details will be provided to all volunteers. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again. Andrew Law EASTER FOOD BANK COLLECTION At the Village Hall Sat 5th and Sun 6th April 9.30 - 4pm. Tins of Meat & Fish - Small bags of sugar - Cartons Milk & Juice - Small jars of coffee - Biscuits – Tinned potatoes – Tinned Meat - Toiletries & Household Cleaning Products *** Easter eggs and chocolate *** VE DAY 80TH ANNIVERSARY CHARITY PLANT SALE & TEA Saturday May 10th, 2.30 - 4.30pm  in the village hall,    Made in Broad Town plant stall - Broad Town Church plant stall - Crafts and garden items - Refreshments including homemade scones, cakes, hot & cold drinks. Organised by ‘Made in Broad Town’ with help from Broad Town Church & the Community Coffee Mornings team. All proceeds to good causes – details to be announced in the May newsletter. PARISH COUNCIL NEWS Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village tidy-up. Meet 10 am Village Hall Saturday 3rd May Refreshments and Bacon. It’s the time of year for us to give the village a spring clean. Meet at the Village Hall for a village tidy and litter pick up. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades/shovels and buckets to weed the pavements. Refreshments and Bacon Butties will be provided afterwards as a tasty reward  Volunteers to join the Community Fund Advisory Group. A couple of the residents who have sat on the advisory group for some years are now standing down. We would like to thank John Bradley and Malcolm Holland for their valuable help and guidance over the years. We are now looking for volunteers to take their place on the panel. The Advisory Group is made up of people in the village who review grant applications and then make recommendations to the Parish Council (who remain legally responsible for the management of the fund). This allows different views to be expressed and provides an element of separation from the Parish Council. Applications are considered via email and if necessary the group requests more details before arriving at a consensus to make a recommendation. If you would like to be part of this group and play a key role in helping community ideas get the funding they need, then please contact the Parish Clerk (BTPCClerk@outlook.com) Bonfires – please don’t burn plastic or other hazardous material. Please consider the environment and your neighbours when lighting bonfires and don’t burn plastic or other hazardous material as the smoke and smell can pollute the air around for some distance. Next PC Meeting The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 14th April. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Marlborough House monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 28,798 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 847 a day. 8% of vehicles were speeding. SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8:00pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 28th March, 25th April, 30th May. On these Fridays the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. WILTSHIRE COUNCIL UPDATE Polling day 1 May, 7am to 10pm in the Village Hall Deadline for registering to vote 11 April, midnight  -  Register to vote at https://www.gov.uk/register-to vote Deadline to apply for new postal vote 14 April, 5pm. Deadline to apply for new proxy vote 23 April, 5pm. Deadline to apply for voter authority certificate (if you have no photo ID) 23 April, 5pm. Stop smoking in 2025 to improve your health, wealth, and wellbeing. Wiltshire Council have launched a new Smoke Free app to help people across Wiltshire quit smoking. Quitting smoking not only improves health, but it can lead to significantly more money in your pocket – since the average person who smokes spends around £2,500 every year on smoking. Find out more and download the Smoke Free app now https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/smokefree VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE AGM The A.G.M. for the Hall will be held on 28th April at 6.30pm. New Villagers are needed for the Management Committee, so why not come along to find out how you can be involved and have your say. Everyone welcome. CHRIST CHURCH BROAD TOWN As we are unable to hold our usual plant sale at Queen Elizabeth Cottage in May, Made in Broad Town have kindly offered us a table at their sale on 10th May. If Spring is tempting you into the garden and you have any surplus plants we would much appreciate them for our table. Do get in touch at carolyn.crocker@hotmail.co.uk or lindaboyden12@gmail.com and we can arrange a plant drop off or collection! Many thanks. Holy Communion will be held at the Church on Easter Day April 20th at 10.30am. VACANCY FOR GOVERNOR Would you like to join our friendly and supportive team of governors at Broad Town School? We are looking for an additional governor to be part of our governing board at our welcoming and inclusive school. No previous experience of being a governor is needed as you will be trained and supported, all you need is a commitment and willingness to make what is an important contribution to our community. You would be involved in termly meetings that take place in late afternoons and also have a valuable opportunity to work with members of staff on a particular focus of school life. A DBS check is a requirement but otherwise no other qualification is necessary. If you are interested and would like to find out more, please contact admin@broadtown.wilts.sch.uk Thank you FOODBANK ORGANISER URGENTLY REQUIRED Would you be willing to organize future Foodbank Collections? If you are interested please contact Ray 01793 731564 CHURCHYARD Thanks to all those who came along in March for all their hard work. The next work morning will be on 12th April from 10.00am to midday. More volunteers still needed please. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNING Our April coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays April 9th and 23rd. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Wiltshire Wildlife trust were very grateful to receive a donation from the Community Coffee Morning for £250 towards their work in our beautiful county. Happy Easter from everyone on the Community Coffee Mornings team! MADE IN BROAD TOWN In early March we spent an enjoyable morning making paper flowers. Our second session was completing our cushion covers. In April we will be meeting three times, on the 2nd, 16th and 30th. There will be lots to do especially in preparation for our plant sale on May 10th, so please join us! Also, on April 9th, we will be learning to crochet. Our members who can crochet already will sit beside those folk who would like to learn the basic stitches. On the 16th there will be an opportunity to continue with crochet, prick out seedlings or enjoy your own crafts. On the 30th there may be a surprise craft idea!! Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com ANDREW & DEREK WARMLY INVITE YOU TO GET INVOLVED Andrew Law & Derek Greer have initiated a project to survey the Horse using various techniques with the aim of creating a definitive record. They have commissioned a land slip assessment which may lead to some mitigations and they are also creating a historical record of the construction of the Horse and its maintenance. The first activity that will take place is to auger the hill-figure at key points to determine the depth of subsurface chalk layers deposited across the horse. This activity will be undertaken by volunteers from the Community having received instruction from a professional archaeologist. If anyone would like to be considered for involvement in this task, please let Andrew know. Andrew Law (Phone 07841381301). BISHOP KAREN'S LETTER Hope is the bird that waits for dawn and sings while it is still dark. This is one of my favourite quotations, which particularly comes to mind this month as the birds start to sing melodiously and signs of colour start to appear in our gardens. The long dark months of winter are over, and we can imagine once again those hazy lazy days of summer. And as the light of the days lengthens, we enter the celebration of the Son, Easter. April is certainly the month of hope. Yet looking at our news headlines, hope feels in short supply. It is hard to remain hopeful for our planet, as world leaders vie for power, and our extreme weather systems indicate all is not well. Sitting in our crowded cathedral at the beginning of Lent speaking to Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and hearing her story of imprisonment as a hostage in Iran and injustice, I was reminded of a religious painting in the Methodist Art Collection. The painting is of the inside of the tomb on Easter morning. It shows the stone rolled away, not allowing us in, but allowing us to step out. Nazanin recalled her experience of re-adjusting to the light of freedom. Stepping out into a life of hope means adjusting to a long-term view, believing that there is more goodness to come. It means enjoying the colour now and living in the hope of all eternity. As Christians Easter strengthens our belief that hope triumphs over despair, that light overcomes the darkness, and love wins. That is our song, which together we are called to sing. Despite everything, including the differences we live with every day, Jesus is Lord, the stone was rolled away so we can walk free and know eternal life. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 28th March 5:00pm – 8:00pm Food for Thought Fish & Chips. Village Hall 2nd April 10:00am – 12:00 Made In Broad Town. Village Hall 5th April 9:30am-4:30pm Foodbank. Village Hall 6th April 9:30am-4:30pm Foodbank. Village Hall 9th April 10:00am – 12:00 Coffee Morning. Village Hall 12th April 10:00am – 12:00 Churchyard Morning. Church 16th April 10:00am – 12:00 Made in Broad Town. Village Hall 20th April 10:30am Holy Communion. Church 23rd April 10:00am – 12:00 Coffee Morning. Village Hall 25th April 5:00pm – 8:00pm Food for Thought Fish & Chips. Village Hall 28th April 6:30pm Village Hall Committee AGM. Village Hall 30th April Made in Broad Town. Village Hall 1st May Polling Day  Village Hall 3rd May 10am Village Tidy Up  Village Hall 10th May 2.30pm - 4.30 VE Day Anniversary Charity Plant Sale & Tea 18th May 10am White Horse Liming   PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month (except December) BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Thu, 27 Mar 2025 11:39:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2676 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2675/Broad-Town-News--March-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2675 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2675&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2675/Broad-Town-News--March-2025                                                                                                   Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. CHRIST CHURCH SERVICES IN MARCH 9th March at 10.30 Morning Prayer. 23rd March at 10.30 Holy Communion followed by meeting of parishioners to elect Churchwardens. Please remember there is still no heating in the Church so wrap up well! We look forward to seeing you. IMPORTANT NOTICE for Christ Church This year a completely new Church Electoral Roll has to be prepared which means that everybody on the existing Roll has to fill in a new Application for Enrolment on the Church Electoral Roll. These forms are available from me. You can join the roll if you are resident in the parish, aged over 16, baptised, and consider yourself broadly part of the Church of England, or another church in communion with it. If you are not on the existing Roll and would like to be on the new Roll I can be contacted at 61 Marlborough Road, Royal Wootton Bassett 01793 850931 drury.janet@btinternet.com. for any information. Forms must be returned to me by 18th March. Janet Drury Electoral Roll Officer. Parishioners meeting. We are holding a parishioners meeting to elect Churchwardens on Sunday 23rd March at 11.30 in the church (following the morning service). At the moment we do not have any church wardens and the role is being shared among PCC members which of course is not ideal, especially as Rev Rachma retired at the end of February. If anyone would be interested and like information about this role, please contact Carolyn on 07768 543063. The Churchwarden needs to be a communicant and receive communion a minimum of 4 times a year. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Broad Acres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 25,083 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 896 a day. 28% of vehicles were speeding. COFFEE MORNING Unfortunately, the Saturday Pancake Coffee Morning planned for March 15th has had to be cancelled. This is because a significant number of the coffee morning helpers are not available on that date due to other commitments. Apologies for any disappointment, and there will be a village event later in the year to support the Inspire Spinal Foundation which was to be the chosen charity for this event. SOUP & PUDDINGS EVENT Over 50 people enjoyed a choice of 4 soups and 10 delicious homemade puddings on 1st February and in doing so raised the magnificent sum of £700 for Prospect Hospice and Julia’s House. Thank you again to you and fellow residents for kindly choosing to support Julia’s House as part of your soup and puddings fundraiser. We are very grateful! Your very kind donation of £350 could help us to pay for a series of sessions with an expert counsellor to help a sibling or family member work through emotional pressures and challenges, as well as a one-month supply of PPE for the hospice to keep the children we care for safe. Thank you again. We couldn’t continue to provide our lifeline of care for local families without your support. I wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank you for your generous donation of £350 from your Broad Town Community Soup and Puddings event! What a delicious and creative way to raise money! Your support enables us to create a peaceful environment for people with life limiting illnesses and their families. Your kindness plays a crucial role in making this possible. With your help, we can offer not just medical care, but also compassion, comfort, and companionship during the worst time. I want you to know that your generosity directly touches the lives of those we support. Each donation helps us provide a safe space where patients can feel at ease and families can find refuge. It’s heartwarming to know that there are kind-hearted people like you in our community who truly care. Thank you for standing with us and being a part of our mission. We are all connected in this journey, and together, we can make a meaningful difference. With heartfelt gratitude, Amelia Channon Supporter Care Advisor, Prospect SOCIAL CLUB The social club is open every Friday from 8:00pm and members and their guests are all welcome. If you are not a member you can join for just £3.00 for the year - just ask Trevor behind the bar. Draught beers and lagers are for sale at just £3 a pint and there is a free pool table, so why not pop in and check us out. Food for Thought Evenings. Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 28th February, 28th March, 25th April, 30th May The Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish, but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our March coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays March 12th and 26th. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP A big thank you to Alan from Newcroft Electrics in the village, who very kindly PAT tested all our electrical equipment for us, at very short notice, ensuring that we can carry on with our craft and hobbies sessions safely. (Air Dried Clay Morning - On February 5th we all enjoyed being creative with clay) (Patchwork Cushion Making Session On February 19th Diana led a very enjoyable and busy session showing us how to make patchwork cushion covers:) On March 5th we will be continuing with patchwork cushion making, or please bring along your own craft or hobby. We will also be meeting on March 19th. Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com CHURCHYARD WORK MORNING The first work morning this year will be on 8th March – 10.00am to midday and we desperately need more volunteers please. Refreshments provided. There are a variety of tasks to be carried out and a great opportunity to meet up with other villagers over a cup of coffee. If you need any further information, please contact Ray Manley Tel: 01793 731564. MARCH QUIZ have fun by trying this seasonal quiz. Answers on page 4 1) Which food is traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday? 2) Which two national saints’ days occur in March? 3) In which children’s book is the March Hare a character? 4) Which couple live at Longleat House? 5) Who was warned ‘Beware the Ides of March?’ 6) Who composed the Pomp & Circumstance marches? 7) In which English county is the market town of March? 8) Which book is good to read in the middle of this month? 9) March is named after Mars; what is Mars the Roman god of? 10) Complete the saying: 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a ....'? PARISH COUNCIL NEWS Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk (Flooding Gel Sacks) Thornhill resident Martin Stubbings has obtained some gel sacks from Wiltshire Council and has very kindly offered to supply them to residents who live in a high-risk area or have been flooded or nearly flooded in the past. If you are interested, you can contact Martin on marmmit@yahoo.co.uk or on 01793 731131. Parish Council Elections are taking place on Thursday 1st May for both Wiltshire and Parish Councillors. Joining the Parish Council is a very rewarding way to support our village, and any new Councillors will be warmly welcomed. Your Parish Council addresses local issues, oversees some village facilities, and approves the distribution of grants from the Community fund which help community groups to function, especially in these difficult times. The Council meets once a month and is supported by a professional clerk, the time commitment is usually no more than a few hours a month. If you feel these things are important and would like to make a difference in your village then please stand as a Parish Councillor in the forthcoming election. Further details are available on the BTPC website www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk and at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/local-elections-candidates. If you would like to stand as a candidate for the Parish Council then: • Download and print a nomination form from https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance-candidates-parish-council elections-england/resources-candidates-parish-council-elections-england • Collect 2 signatures to propose and second your nomination. The Polling District is ‘MJ1’ and your Elector number can be obtained by contacting the Clerk (see below). Let us know if you do not have access to a printer and we can print off the nomination papers for you. The deadline for completed nomination forms is 4pm on Wednesday 2nd April to be handed in to Wiltshire Council Chippenham office. This needs to be done by booking an appointment however, an existing councillor is willing to deliver all the forms together on your behalf. If you have any queries or if you need help with the above, please contact the Parish Clerk btpcclerk@outlook.com. Redhills Play Area Waste Bin We would appreciate it if residents didn’t put used nappies or other hazardous waste in the bin in the interests of hygiene and safety of the councillors who empty the bin. Thank you. Next PC Meeting - Monday 10th March. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 10th March. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. CLEARING AWAY THE RUBBISH – BY BISHOP ANDREW Returning recently to my former parish in Crystal Palace, South London, I was reminded of the glorious glass edifice that once stood atop Sydenham Hill, overlooking the city. It was a quite extraordinary building, one of the wonders of the Victorian age and entirely destroyed by fire one night in 1936. All that remains of the Crystal Palace are some grand steps and stone sphynxes leading to a deserted platform: a bleak and thought-provoking spot to this day. It is thought to have been a single cigarette end that ignited the blaze, although what truly caused it was the build-up of decades of combustible gubbins lying beneath the floor. The boards of the palace had been constructed with gaps between through which dust could be swept by cleaners, which meant that, over the years a metres-deep tinder box was being prepared. The story has lessons for our soul, not only health and safety, I think – especially at the start of Lent. Sweeping things under the carpet rarely works and, whether in our relationships, work, or worship, ‘taking out the rubbish’ by honest self-examination, discipline and penitent prayer is both healthy and helpful for us - and can prevent all kinds of disasters. ‘Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me’ cries the sorrowful King David in Psalm 51. A good prayer for us all, together and alone, as the church makes its way through this holy season, following our Lord to the cross and the celestial city beyond. FOODBANK Thanks to everyone for your continued support and donations to the Foodbank Collection in February. Our Easter collection will be on 5th & 6th April outside the village hall between 9am and 4pm each day. POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER NEWS https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/philip-wilkinson wiltshire-police-and-commissioner-february-column https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/pcc-presents-award-to wiltshire-police-dog-and-handler-for-best-sniffing-and-tracking COULD YOU BE THE NEXT TREASURER FOR BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL? We are looking to recruit a new Treasurer on to the B.T.V.H. Management Committee. For more information and an informal chat, please contact Ray - Tel 731564 Committee Chairman. MARCH AT A GLANCE Wednesday March 5th - Made in Broad Town 10 – 12 noon Saturday March 8th - Churchyard Work Morning 10 – 12 noon Sunday March 9th – Morning Prayer, Christ Church @10.30am Monday March 10th - Parish Council Meeting – 6.30pm, village hall Wednesday March 12th – Community Coffee Morning 10 - 12 noon Wednesday March 19th – Made in Broad Town 10 – 12 noon Sunday March 23rd – Holy Communion, Christ Church, followed by Church Warden elections Wednesday March 26th – Community Coffee Morning 10 – 12 noon Friday March 28th – Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips, village hall car park March QUIZ ANSWERS 1) Pancakes 2) St. David’s Day (Wales) March 1st; St. Patrick’s Day (Ireland) March 17th 3) Alice in Wonderland/Alice Through the Looking Glass 4) The Marquis and Marchioness of Bath 5) Julius Caesar 6) Edward Elgar 7) Cambridgeshire 8) Middlemarch by George Eliot! 9) War 10) Lamb   PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. Except December For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564           BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Thu, 27 Feb 2025 10:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2675 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2674/Broad-Town-News--February-2025#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2674 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2674&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2674/Broad-Town-News--February-2025                                                                                              Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH On 1st December, Rev Rachma announced her resignation as Rector of the Woodhill Benefice which includes Christ Church. All are invited to her last service at 11am on Sunday, 2nd February at Hilmarton Church followed by a bring and share lunch at the Community Room, Poynder Place {SN11 8SQ}. Our best wishes to Rachma and Steven in their new home in Derbyshire. There is some concern in the village about whether Christ Church is closing permanently and we would like to assure you that this is not the case. Should the church ever be in such a position the whole village would be consulted before any decision was made. Currently the church building can in fact be used, but because we are unable to use the heating it is very cold, so we have opted to use warmer spaces. Permission is needed to install a new system and the PCC is looking at options available; this process has been very time consuming and the solutions expensive. A decision on the replacement system has not yet been made. We have funds to cover part of the cost but once permission is granted, we can apply for grants and begin some fundraising. Message from The Reverend Canon Rachma Abbott ‘I'd like to thank the people of Broad Town and its school. It has been a joy to serve here since April 2015, and while I am excited about moving home there is some sadness in all farewells. Rachma’ Broad Town 100 Club Lottery Are your New Year’s resolutions now a thing of the past. Why not make a new one this month? Why not resolve to join the Broad Town 100 Club Lottery. It only costs £1 a week (£4 per month or £48 per year, payable by standing order or cheque). Half the money raised is given out in prizes and over the past year nearly £1,400 has been won by lucky lottery members. The other half of the money is used to help keep your church open icluding paying towards essential repairs. If you would like to join, please contact Fiona Holness on fholness@btinternet.com or on 07833 683444. I look forward to hearing from you. PARISH COUNCIL Budget & Precept for 2025/26 Unfortunately due to increases across the board in our expenses, and whereas we managed to absorb last year’s increases from our reserves, this year the Parish Council has been forced to increase the precept by 5.34% in order to cover costs. This means that the annual budget will be set at £10,787 and the annual amount requested from a household in tax band D in the village will increase to £38.84 from last year’s £36.87. The Parish Council precept forms a small part of the overall annual Council tax requirement which will be communicated by Wiltshire Council direct to householders. Grants available for Community Groups Remember that grants are available for Community Groups to help with any funding needs – each application is assessed by an independent advisory board prior to being submitted to the Parish Council who administers the funding from the Bluefield solar farm (previously Good Energy). Details are available on the website www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Meet the Local Policing Team Come and meet the local Policing Team at the Village Hall on Wednesday 26th Feb 10.00 - 11.45am (alongside the community coffee morning). Next PC Meeting - Monday 10th February The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 10th February. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the School monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 23,716 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 678 a day. 14% of vehicles were speeding. Note the SID captures traffic travelling in one direction. Metrocount results indicate average daily totals of 1,989 using the C415. SOCIAL CLUB Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on the last Friday in the month: 31st January, 28th February, 28th March, 25th April,30th May. The Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. Membership Renewal Last few days remaining to take advantage of the discount when renewing your Social Club annual membership – a bargain at just £2 per person during January (£3 any other time). New members are always welcome. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown COMEANDMEET YOURLOCALPOLICINGTEAM What matters most in your community? Tell us your views! Where: Broad Town Village Hall On: Wed 26th February 2025 at: 10 – 11.45am Information from your Neighbourhood Policing Team ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ Crafts & Hobbies Group Christmas Fundraising Our stall at the Village Christmas Coffee Morning on November 30th proved once again to be extremely successful. Sales of Christmas cards, crafts, gifts, preserves, home baked goods and decorations raised the amazing total of £423 which we have donated to Alzheimer’s Support. Thank you to everyone who came along to support us, and to all our crafty people, we all enjoyed making products to sell! We were also able to contribute another £81 raised at the Wednesday Community Christmas Coffee Morning on December 11th which was also given to Alzheimer’s Support, and we had a stall at the Broad Town School Christmas Fair on December 5th. Here we raised a total of £128 which has been donated directly to the school. It’s fantastic to have been able to support so many good causes again this year. We started the new year with our New Year nibbles event during which we had a go at recycling old Christmas and birthday cards to create mini gift boxes. We will be holding an extra January session on the 29th, so please join us for more gift box making or bring along your own craft or hobby. The meetings in February will be on Wednesdays February 5th & 19th, please join us from 10-12 noon in the village hall. Patchwork Cushion Making Session on February 19th Diana will be showing us how to make patchwork cushion covers. Fabric will be supplied, but if you would like to bring along your own, you will only need small pieces for the patchwork shapes. Please also bring scissors, pins, and some thread if you have them, and please could those with a sewing machine bring it along too. Everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, you don’t need to have any crafting skills. We’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Thank you to everyone who came along to the last Wednesday coffee morning of 2024 on December 11th. The £71 raised was donated to Alzheimer’s Support and contributed to the village’s grand total. The free raffle was also very popular and thank you to everyone who donated prizes for this. Our February coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays February 12th and 26th. Police visit to Coffee Morning On the 26th February, Kelly Hillier, our local police community support officer, will be in attendance once again to answer your questions and address your concerns about any aspect of village life so please come along and have a chat. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Saturday Coffee Morning - please save the date: Pancake Coffee Morning Saturday March 15th, 10 - 12 noon Village Hall All welcome! Full details to follow in the March newsletter BROAD TOWN BUMPS AND BEYOND We were very lucky and grateful to receive a donation form the Coffee Morning for our Christmas Party. I wanted to pass on our massive thanks for this. We used the donation to purchase gifts for all 17 children to attended our party and provide Christmas snacks for them. In the three weeks leading up to our party we had Christmas Crafts including, card making, tree decorations making and hand and foot print art. If you are able to pass this information on the those who contributed to the donations and arranged for us to be a beneficiary I would be most grateful. If anyone would.like to join us we are in the village all every Tuesday morning from 9:30- 11:30, £3 per family and 50p per extra child. We offer free play with a variety of toys, snack, craft activities and finish with songs and games. We love to see new families. Claire Maclean-Martin ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT Village Christmas Appeal - £1500.15 raised! A huge thank you to everyone in the village for so generously supporting all the coffee mornings, craft sales and carol singing events which took place before Christmas. It was lovely to see so many villagers coming along to the coffee morning and craft sale on Saturday November 30th. During this morning £1,052.75 was raised from the edible produce stall, the crafts and gifts stall, the raffle, tombola and book stall and refreshment donations, as well as donations from other stall holders, which has all been donated to Alzheimer's Support Wiltshire. A lady from the charity who is one of their ambassadors, came along on that morning to support us, and we know that she and the charity were extremely happy with the amount raised so thank you for all your hard work and your generous donations! Later in December the Wednesday coffee morning and the Friday carol singing events raised a further £447.40, making an amazing grand total of £1,500.15 which has been donated to Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire. A letter of thanks and a fundraising certificate have been received which are on display in the village hall. Thank you also to our willing band of helpers who made everything run so smoothly! BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE I’m sure everyone in the Village has noticed the landslip below the White Horse dating back to last September. There are worries that more heavy rain might cause further deterioration; however, fingers crossed and touching wood, there appears to have been no further slippage yet. Concerns within the White Horse Restoration Group led to the feeling that the problem should be recognized and addressed, resulting in the development of the following project: Our iconic White Horse is important to the community. The horse is threatened by recent and possible future landslips so we want to record, safeguard and create a historical record for future generations. Subject to funding, it is planned that the task of recording the shape and condition of the Horse should be done professionally. We already have a dedicated set of volunteers who lime the Horse annually who can take on the task of maintaining and thereby safeguarding the Horse. It is in the last task of creating a historical record for future generations that assistance is now needed. This could include carrying out research and investigation into the history of the Horse using sources such as Aerial Photographs, Post Cards, Council Records, Newspapers and oral reminiscences. No formal knowledge is needed, just the enthusiasm to delve into history and uncover previously unknown facts. Volunteers would work within a team and their output would be developed into a report style and format suitable for archiving and future reference. If anyone is interested in their involvement in this important project, would they please contact Andrew Law on andrewlaw456@gmail.com. FOODBANK Thanks to everyone for the bumper Christmas collection and throughout 2024. Our 2025 collections will begin on 8th & 9th February at the Village hall from 9.30 to 4.00pm. SHELTER Thank you to everyone who helped or contributed to our Christmas and ‘Kindness’ themes. Special thanks to the children from Broad Town School for their contributions. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS 2025 dates for your diary: 8 March, 12 April, 10 May, 7 June, 5 July, 9 August, 6 Sept., 4 October. The Churchyard looks so good and many people who visit - both local and from further away- tell us how grateful they are for the work that is carried out by a few volunteers. We do however desperately need more volunteers, so if you would like to help, please come along and join us at any time. There are a variety of tasks to be carried out and a great opportunity to meet up with other villagers over a cup of coffee. Come along any time between 10am and midday on any or all of the above dates. If you need any further information, please contact Ray Manley Tel: 01793 731564. FOOD BANK COLLECTION VILLAGE HALL Sat. 8th & Sun. 9th February 9.30 am - 4 pm Tins of Meat & Fish -Small bags of sugar, Cartons Milk & Juice, Small jars of coffee, Biscuits, Tinned potatoes, Tinned Meat, Toiletries & Household Cleaning Products. BISHOPS LETTER FOR FEBRUARY 2025 At the west end of your cathedral, on the south wall nearest the main entrance, is a large slate stone which records all the names of the Bishops of Salisbury. Mine is the most recent to have been inscribed. I am number 79. Someone else will follow. It serves to make one feel small rather than important. The first name is that of Herman, whose day falls this month on 20th February. A native of Lorraine (in north-eastern France), Herman was made Bishop of Ramsbury in 1045. He resigned in 1055 when King Edward the Confessor refused to allow the transfer of the see to Malmesbury. He became a monk at Saint-Omer (in northern France), returning to England in 1058 to become Bishop of Sherborne while at the same time being restored to the bishopric of Ramsbury. By 1071, Herman was old and infirm and wished to resign but Archbishop Lanfranc urged him to stay on. There was a plan. Approval of the transfer of the see was given at the Council of London in 1075, thus creating the new diocese of Salisbury, to which you belong. Herman oversaw the initial construction of the Cathedral at Old Sarum but died before its completion, on 20th February in 1078. Herman would have known where you live and known and cared for your patch of the diocese. A diocese is only the sum total of its parts, and whilst it is the Anglican model of apostolic local leadership, the real strength of mission and ministry is to be found in the local, just as Jesus’ ministry was locally based and exercised. We all follow in the footsteps of those who have carried the flame of faith before us in each place. It is that faithfulness, mirroring the fact that God is faithful, that has sustained our communities down the ages, however much the times and the names change. And God will continue to do so, because He is faithful. Stephen, Bishop of Salisbury WHAT ‘COST OF LIVING CRISIS’? Economist Robert Heolbroner describes the luxuries a typical western family would have to surrender if they lived among the 1 billion hungry people in the ‘two thirds world’. “We begin by invading the house of our imaginary family to strip it of its furniture. Everything goes; beds, chairs, tables, television sets, lamps. We will leave the family with a few old blankets, a kitchen table, a wooden chair. Along with the dressers go the clothes. Each member of the family may keep in his wardrobe his oldest suit or dress, a shirt or blouse. We will permit a pair of shoes for the head of the family but none for the wife or children. We move to the kitchen. The appliances have already been taken out, so we turn to the cupboards. The box of matches may stay, a small bag of flour, some sugar and salt. A few mouldy potatoes already in the garbage must be rescued, for they will provide much of tonight’s meal. We will leave a handful of onions and a dish of dried beans. All the rest we take away; the meat, the fresh vegetables, the canned food, the biscuits, the sweets. Now we have stripped the house; the bathroom has been dismantled, the running water shut off, the electricity disconnected. Next we take away the house, the family can move to the tool shed…Communications must go next. No more news papers, magazines, books – not that they are missed since we must take away our family’s literacy as well. Instead, in our shanty town we will allow one radio. Now, government services must go next. No more postmen, no firemen, There is a school but it is three miles away and consists of two classrooms. There are of course no hospitals or doctors. The nearest clinic is ten miles away and is tended by a midwife. It can be reached by bicycle provided the family has a bicycle which is unlikely. Finally, money. We will allow our family a cash hoard of about £4. This will prevent our breadwinner from experiencing the tragedy of an Iranian peasant who went blind because he could not raise the £3.16 which he mistakenly thought he needed to gain admission to a hospital where he could have been cured. ‘Cost of Living Crisis’ - Does this mean we cannot afford the things we need or just the things we want? I wish you all a happy and healthy 2025 Mark Boyden   PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. Except December For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Sat, 25 Jan 2025 09:54:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2674 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2671/Broad-Town-News-Dec-24-Jan-25#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2671 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2671&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2671/Broad-Town-News-Dec-24-Jan-25                                                                                   BROAD TOWN NEWS – DECEMBER 2024 / JANUARY 2025                                                                                   Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.                                                                     Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the Broad Town News Editors DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 26th November 1pm - 4:00 pm Techie tea party Cotswold House Lyneham 29th November 5pm - 8:00 pm Food for thought Fish & Chips in the Village Hall 30th November 10am to 12:30pm Christmas Coffee Morning & Craft Sale in the Village Hall 4th December 10am to Noon Made in Broad Town in the Village Hall 5th December 3:15pm Broad Town School’s Christmas Fair Broad Town School 7th December 9:30am – 4:00pm Foodbank in the Village Hall 8th December 9:30am – 4:00pm Foodbank Village Hall 11th December 10am to Noon Community Coffee Morning Village Hall 18th December 10am to noon Made in Broad Town in the Village Hall 18th December 10am to noon Local Policing Team Roadshow in the Village Hall 19th December at 7pm Carol Service in the Village Hall 20th December 5:30pm Carol singing around the Village. 20th December 8pm Carol singing in the hall Village Hall 20th December 5pm – 8:00pm Food for thought Fish & Chips in the Village Hall 25th December at 10.30am Christmas Communion in the Village Hall 8th January 10am to Noon Community Coffee Morning in the Village Hall 15th January 10am to Noon Made in Broad Town in the Village Hall 22nd January 10am to Noon Community Coffee Morning in the Village Hall 29th January 10am to Noon Made in Broad Town in the Village Hall 1st February 2025 Noon to 2pm Soup & Pudding lunch in the Village Hall COMMUNITY COFFEE MQRNING Alzheimer’s Support Christmas Fundraising Coffee Morning. There will be a fundraising coffee morning and craft sale in the village hall on Saturday November 30th from 10am-12.30pm with all proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire. This local charity provides people with dementia and their carers with much needed advice and support in the form of award-winning day clubs, home support, memory cafes and more than 40 community activity groups throughout Wiltshire. Their team of trained advisors are often the first port of call following a new dementia diagnosis and provide invaluable support and advice to help people with dementia to continue to lead as normal a life as possible, keeping both minds and bodies active whilst reducing social isolation. We would love to see you at this charity Christmas coffee morning – please see separate poster. Our December coffee morning will be on Wednesday December 11th. Our proceeds from this morning will also be going to Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire and as a thank you for all your support throughout the year, there will be a FREE RAFFLE with some great prizes to be won! There will also be plenty of delicious cake so please come along to enjoy our final coffee morning of 2024. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so our first coffee morning of the new year will be on January 8th, followed by one on the 22nd so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. A Happy Christmas to everyone from the Community Coffee Mornings Team! CHRISTMAS FOODBANK COLLECTION Please donate as generously as you are able so that families who continue to struggle are able to enjoy Christmas. All the usual items of non-perishable food, toiletries and Christmas goodies, sweets and chocolates. Where -Village Hall     When - Sat. 7th & Sun 8th December,    Time. -  9.30am - 4pm CHURCH SERVICES "Wishing everyone Joy and Peace this Christmas and the New Year” Unfortunately, we are currently unable to use the heating system in the church and therefore the Carol Service and Christmas Day service will be held in the Village Hall. So, a 'warm' welcome awaits everyone as we celebrate Christmas at the following Services: 19th December at 7pm in the Village Hall - Carol Service 25th December at 10.30am in the Village Hall - Christmas Communion We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has helped with the care of the Church in any way over the past year. Your help is much appreciated and valued. Thank you. CAROL SINGING AROUND THE VILLAGE 20th December Carol Singing in the Village. Meet at the hall at 5:30 pm Paul & Anne will be serving their delicious, mulled wine £1 mince pies FREE courtesy of Food for Thought at 8pm for more Carol singing in the Hall. EATING IN THE 50’s 1) Pasta was not eaten. 2) Curry was a surname. 3) A takeaway was a mathematical problem. 4) A pizza was something to do with a leaning tower. 5) Crisps were plain; the only choice we had was whether to put the salt on or not. 6) Rice was only eaten as a milk pudding. 7) A Big Mac was what we wore when it was raining. 8) Brown bread was something only poor people ate. 9) Oil was for lubricating; fat was for cooking. 10) Tea was made in a teapot using tea leaves and never green. 11) Sugar enjoyed a good press in those days and was regarded as being white gold, Cubed sugar was regarded as posh. 12) Fish didn’t have fingers. 13) Eating raw fish was called poverty, not sushi. 14) None of us had ever heard of yoghurt. 15) Healthy food consisted of anything edible BISHOP’S LETTER December is not the best month for a birthday, believe me, I know. Having a birthday in December has always been a bit of an anti-climax for me, especially when one is a member of the clergy and there’s another carol service to do. Birthday cards get mixed up with Christmas cards and bottle gifts get saved for Christmas itself. Consequently, I’ve never been that bothered to celebrate my birthday and have been happy for it to go largely unnoticed, that is, until coming into this job only to find the date gets published in The Times each year! And yet, for us all, young and older, the passing of another year is always a milestone, whether we party or deny the passage of time. In December as Christians, our focus is on the greatest birth of all. Advent prepares us and is a useful time of reflection upon true meaning and how the darkness of our world does become shattered by light. Imagine this dark time of year without the coming birthday of Jesus. And yet, as we celebrate with lights and parties and gifts, our world feels very dark in these days. There is no escaping the terror of war, even if we only watch from afar as the plight of hostage and civilian goes on and on in the lands in which our Saviour was born. The largely comfortable in our world – that’s most of us here – struggle to imagine the plight of the Ukrainian or the Palestinian, the homeless person or the marginalised. And we know, for many, Christmas only exaggerates a time of loss and loneliness. So the only real focus for us all in December, the only place where present is also presence, is the birth of Jesus Christ. Emmanuel, God with us, the almost unbelievable reality that God chooses to be born among us as one of us, as a human child, and still we tell that true story today. For me, this fact is why I believe. Reality in history means real God in real time. One who knows, one who loves, one who lived for us. The incarnation – the birth of love. Whenever your birthday is I send you every blessing. In December, we celebrate the birth of the Word made flesh, the Light of the World and the Prince of Peace. To Jesus our Lord, on my birthday and every day, I pray, many happy returns! The Rt Revd Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury MADE IN BROAD TOWN November 30th Christmas Coffee Morning & Craft Sale. Please see the poster elsewhere in this newsletter. This is a great opportunity to buy Christmas gifts, edible festive treats and decorations all made in our village. We will have a wide range of very affordable items for sale including nestboxes, fabric memo boards, painted glassware & tealight holders, knitted toys, hats & mittens, Christmas cards, bookmarks, keyrings, many types of Christmas decorations, candy cane holders, chutneys, mince pies, fudge and mini-Christmas cakes. Please come and have a browse! All proceeds to Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire. Stock levels permitting, we are also hoping to run a stall at the village school’s Christmas Fair on Thursday December 5th, from 3.15pm at the school. All welcome!  Glass Painting: We’ve had a very busy last few sessions including having another go at glass painting, this time with a festive theme. Thank you again to Terri for running this extremely enjoyable session: We’ve also enjoyed creating stars of various sorts, some of which are destined to be used as decorations for the shelter opposite the village church. December Meetings: Our meetings will take place on Wednesdays the 4th and 18th when we will be making festive items ready for Christmas. On the 4th we will be making more angels and stars, and the 18th will be a bring your own craft or hobby session but there will be a surprise festive activity too! January Meetings: Our new year will start with a meeting on January 15th, followed by one on January 29th so please come along and join in – please note that we are meeting on the 3rd and 5th Wednesdays in January as the first Wednesday is a New Year’s Day holiday. During our January 15th session we will be kicking off the new year with a ‘New Year Nibbles’ event. Please bring along some festive/new year food or drink to share if you can. If you haven’t been to a Made in Broad Town session before we’d love to see you. Especially now the days are getting chillier, a reminder that everyone is welcome to come along for hot drinks, biscuits and a chat – join in with our craft session or bring along your own craft/hobby or you are very welcome to just watch what others are doing while enjoying some refreshments. We also always have other activities available such as colouring sheets, jigsaws, playing cards and dominoes etc. Our sessions are usually on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, new crafters and hobbyists are always welcome! Please email us if you have any questions. The sessions run from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, all welcome, the £2 suggested donation is voluntary. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail. com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING TEAM Broad Town Village Hall 18th December 10am-12noon Come and enjoy FREE mince pies & FREE Hot drinks. When you meet your local Policing team. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Redhills Play Area - We have installed a new bin, replacing the rusty old bin which had reached the end of its life. Also, RoSPA have carried out their annual inspection of the play area at Redhills and no significant problems were found. The report can be viewed at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/your community/redhills-playing-fields-and-play-area/ Parish Steward Luckily the Parish Steward managed to visit us the day before he was called onto gritting duties, and he dug out roadside grips and cleared culverts and drains of the leaves which were in danger of clogging them up. If you see a blocked gully or drain, the best way to report it is using MyWilts online reporting https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/mywilts-online-reporting. The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 9th December and 13th January when we will be agreeing the budget and setting the precept for the forthcoming year. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” SOCIAL CLUB Food for Thought Evenings. Food for Thought will be selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on: Friday 29th November Friday 20th December (carol singing evening) The Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. Membership Renewal January is the month for renewing your Social Club membership – a bargain at just £2 per person (£3 any other time). New members are always welcome. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FourWaysBroadTown PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. Except December For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564       Ray Manley Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:46:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2671 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2668/Broad-Town-News--November-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2668 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2668&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2668/Broad-Town-News--November-2024                                                                                                                                 BROAD TOWN NEWS – NOVEMBER 2024                                                                                                         Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR As we welcome November, the days grow colder and the nights last longer. The Autumn’s last month may be dark and cold, but it makes the warmth and the light all the more inviting. Come along to the coffee and craft mornings for a nice warm drink with friends, wrap up warm and go walking and smell the comfort of the chimney smoke or maybe you would like to sit by the fire watching your favourite seasonal films whilst knitting a sweater. There is excitement to be found for all in these little things, even in the darkest months of the year. The darkness can bring us to find comfort in one another and bring us together, strengthening our community. Look forward to the fireworks, they look the most beautiful in contrast with the blackest skies. CHURCH SERVICES 3rd November (All Saints) 10.30 Communion 10th November (Remembrance) 10.50 Remembrance Service 24th November (Patronal Festival) 10.30 Communion BISHOP’S LETTER Known Unto God. The Somme battlefield takes you by surprise. Visitors pull into a car park in a quiet lane and wander into what looks like a leafy National Trust property. A few yards in, though, and you see the trenches. Gently undulating now, softened by time, but unmistakably the dreadful, snaking pits of our imagination. The Somme, of course, is a river: but, for the last century, a name inseparable from the battle that claimed 60,000 young British lives on its first day. Scattered about the fields nearby are dozens of small cemeteries, of which the majority, with telling anonymity, commemorate simply ‘A soldier of the Great War’. I recently had the opportunity to visit this intense landscape for the first time and the impression made was deep indeed. Most affecting, I think, was an inscription that will be familiar to many on these nameless stones: ‘Known Unto God’. However war may distort the human image, those three words underscore that its dignity is a divine gift that even the most appalling tragedies cannot erase. In this month of recollection, as we give thanks for all those gone before us, the idea that each of them – and us – is ‘known unto God’ is a deep consolation. May each of you find peace in this remembrance.  +Andrew Ramsbury        ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ During October we made pinecone angels and a big thank you to Jenny and Carol W for running our festive card making session which was very productive and enjoyable. Glass Painting Our last October meeting will be on the 30th when Terri will be back to demonstrate some Christmas glass painting ideas. If you’d like to bring something of your own along to paint, please do so but do remember that items need to be baked in an oven afterwards to cure the paint, so please only bring items that are purely glass e.g. a drinking glass, jam jar, bottle or vase etc. We will also have some items for you to paint e.g. tea light holders and bottles, so don’t worry if you don’t have anything to bring along. Appeal for toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes Please save empty toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes which we would like to recycle into decorations for the Christmas themed shelter. Please give them to anyone who comes to the craft group or bring them along to the village hall on a Wednesday morning – they can be left on the doorstep if the hall is shut. Thank you! November Meetings - Our meetings will take place on Wednesdays the 6th and 20th. The sessions run from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, all welcome, the £2 suggested donation is voluntary. CHRISTMAS COFFEE MORNING & CRAFT SALE NOVEMBER 30TH Please see the poster elsewhere in this newsletter. This is a great opportunity to buy Christmas gifts, edible festive treats and decorations that have been made in our village. All proceeds to Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire If you haven’t been to a Made in Broad Town session before we’d love to see you. Especially now the days are getting chillier, a reminder that everyone is welcome to come along for hot drinks, biscuits and a chat – join in with our craft session or bring along your own craft/hobby or you are very welcome to just watch what others are doing while enjoying some refreshments. We also always have other activities available such as colouring sheets, jigsaws, playing cards and dominoes etc. Our sessions are always on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, new crafters and hobbyists are always welcome! Please email us if you have any questions. Email: Linda Boyden- lindaboyden12@gmail.com Helen Greer- hjgreer1@gmail.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS On October 9th the choir from our village school gave a fantastic performance of autumn songs from their repertoire. We would like to thank all the children for their enthusiasm in sharing their music with us! Thank you also to everyone at the coffee morning who in total donated £100. This has been given to the school to use for their activities. Our November coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays the 13th and 27th from 10-12 noon. As always, we meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of the month, and everyone is very welcome. Please join us for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls in the village hall from 10-12 noon. If you’re new to the village, it would be lovely to see you - it’s a great way to meet new people. ALZHEIMER’S SUPPORT. There will also be a fundraising coffee morning and craft sale on Saturday November 30th from 10am – 12.30pm with all proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Support Wiltshire. This local charity provides people with dementia and their carers with much needed advice and support in the form of award winning day clubs, home support, memory cafes and more than 40 community activity groups throughout Wiltshire. Their team of trained advisors are often the first port of call following a new dementia diagnosis and provide invaluable support and advice to help people with dementia to continue to lead as normal a life as possible, keeping both minds and bodies active whilst reducing social isolation. We would love to see you at this charity Christmas coffee morning. BROAD TOWN COMMUNITY BIG BREAKFAST A letter from Prospect Hospice: Thank you for supporting Prospect Hospice. We cannot say thank you enough for choosing to support Prospect Hospice with your recent gift of £1,048.00 towards our work, with the Broad Town Big Breakfast event you recently held. All of us here at Prospect Hospice are committed to ensuring that all individuals with a life-limiting illness can access our services when they need them across our community of 300,000 people in Swindon, Marlborough, Northeast Wiltshire, and the villages of Lechlade and Fairford in Gloucestershire, delivering care both in patients’ homes and at our hospice in Wroughton. We are so proud and humbled by all the continued and new support given to us by so many people in our community; it is because of you that we are able to provide outstanding support and care to our patients and their families when needed the most. Your support at a time when we are all affected by the cost of living crisis, really does mean a lot to us and your donation will play a crucial part in ensuring that we can continue to be there. With thanks from all of us here at Prospect Hospice. Beth Goodyear Fundraising Coordinator. A THANK YOU Many thanks to the villagers who have given their time and energy to making Broad Town look so good: • To Judy, ably assisted by Lucy for replanting all the tubs through the village. They look great! • To the churchyard working party for all their work throughout the year, keeping it so tidy and beautiful for everyone who visits. • And to those who set up the planters outside the village hall cheering up the car park. All your efforts are much appreciated. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS The April – October monthly work mornings for 2024 are now behind us but as you can see, the Churchyard is looking magnificent, thanks to the small number of villagers who volunteer on a regular basis to mow, strim, cut hedges, tidy/restore graves etc. etc. Thanks also to Margaret for providing all the refreshments. Our goal for 2025 is to “sign up” some more willing volunteers. As the saying goes “many hands make light work”. BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING (AGM) The AGM will take place on Friday 15th November 2023 at 7pm in the Village Hall. Why not come along to find out what we do and how we do it, hear about our financial situation and put forward questions or ideas about future events. EVERYONE WELCOME! Food for Thought Evenings Food for Thought are selling their delicious Fish and Chips (and burgers, sausages, scampi etc) outside the Village Hall from 5 – 8pm on: • Friday 25th October • Friday 29th November • Friday 20th December (carol singing evening) The Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. If you would like to pre-order or have any queries, they can be contacted via text, WhatsApp or Messenger on 07515 288414. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Broadacres monitoring Southbound traffic (entering the village from RWB) • The SID counted 26,850 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 926 a day. • 25% of vehicles were speeding. PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Survey Wiltshire Council are carrying out a survey of where electric vehicle charging points could be located in rural communities such as ours, where residents are forced to park on-street and therefore unable to install private charging points. The survey closes on 31 October so if you have any suggestions please email the Parish Clerk at btpcclerk@outlook.com before that date, or else complete the survey yourself at: https://surveys.wiltshire.gov.uk/Interview/bdc32af3-87ba-44b1-9681-7e09407158e4 Parish Steward The Parish Steward visited again this month and cleared all the gullies along the Broad Town Road and also filled the potholes which had appeared outside the village hall, Pye Lane and on the road by East View. The gullies had become clogged with leaves and straw. Next month he may be on gritting duties so please help him (and everyone else!) by moving leaves off roadside drains if you see that they are causing an obstruction. For more information on Flooding and Potholes visit Wiltshire Council’s update at: https://mailchi.mp/ef43a07d0d9d/000000000-567262?e=a340d16ab2 How would you prioritise Wiltshire Council’s spending? Wiltshire Council is looking for views on how they should target their budget for the coming year – if you would like to have an input please complete the survey at: https://surveys.wiltshire.gov.uk/Interview/a1a3f516-d175-4d83-9279-891255e5fc56 Next PC Meeting - Monday 11th November The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 11th November. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course.                                      PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month.                                                                                                               * Next edition will be for December & January 2025*                                                                                                         For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sun, 27 Oct 2024 18:49:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2668 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2666/Broad-Town-News--October-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2666 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2666&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2666/Broad-Town-News--October-2024                                                                                              BROAD TOWN NEWS – OCTOBER 2024                                                                 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH The times for the services at Christ Church in October are as follows: 6th October Communion 10.30am 20th October Evening Worship 6 pm 27th October Evening Worship 5 pmBROAD TOWN VILLAGE’S BIGGEST COFFEE MORNING IN AID OF MACMILLAN A huge thank you to everyone who came along on Saturday September 14th to support our fundraising coffee morning. It was fantastic to see the village hall so busy with people coming together to raise money for this very worthwhile cause. The bottle tombola (back by popular demand!) proved to a big draw again, as was the homemade cake stall. It was lovely to see so many children enjoying the craft and colouring activities too! An amazing total of £475.90 was raised during the morning, which has already been sent to Macmillan. Thank you also to everyone who helped by organising the event beforehand and manning the stalls on the day, and to those who brought cakes, flowers and other items to sell. Save the date: please note that our Christmas coffee and craft morning will be on Saturday November 30th, details to follow in next month’s newsletter. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS          Our coffee mornings in October will be on Wednesdays the 9th and 23rd. On October 9th the choir from our village school will be singing songs from their autumn collection, so please come along to hear them, it promises to be a very enjoyable morning. As always, we meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of the month, and everyone is very welcome. Please join us for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls. If you’re new to the village, it would be lovely to see you, so please come along to the village hall between 10 am and 12 noon. It’s a great way to meet new people! ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ The amount raised on our stall at the Macmillan Coffee Morning contributed to the overall total of £475.90 and thank you to everyone who helped on the stall during the morning, and to those of you who bought from us! Our activities during September included making playing card holders by recycling old CD’s and creating angels from pinecones. October Meetings Our meetings will take place on Wednesdays the 2nd, 16th and the 30th – which is an extra session on the fifth Wednesday of the month. The sessions run from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, all welcome, the £2 suggested donation is voluntary. On the 16th Carol W and Jenny will be running a festive Christmas card making session, and on the 30th we will be glass painting again with Terri. If you haven’t been before we’d love to see you. Especially now the days are getting chillier, a reminder that everyone is welcome to come along for hot drinks, biscuits and a chat – join in with our craft session or bring along your own craft/hobby or you are very welcome to just watch what others are doing while enjoying some refreshments. We also always have other activities available such as colouring sheets, jigsaws, and dominoes etc. Our sessions are always on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, new crafters and hobbyists are always welcome! Please email us if you have any questions Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail. com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Please help by taking action to prevent Flooding. Last year saw some serious flooding in a number of places in the village. The Wiltshire Council parish steward visits monthly and ensures the drainage grips (from the roadway into the roadside ditch) are clear and tries to clear any obstructions where he is able, but we can all do our bit by ensuring that road drain gratings are clear of leaves and any pipes and ditches are free from obstruction. If you see any such problem and are unable to sort it yourself please let the Parish Clerk know at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Similarly it’s time to ensure that all watercourses are free-flowing and cleared of any vegetation and obstruction. Watercourse owners, or ‘riparian’ owners, have a responsibility to maintain ordinary watercourses that run adjacent to, through or under their property. Riparian owners are responsible for reporting incidents such as flooding, and for letting water flow through the watercourse naturally by removing blockages that may cause flooding. The Environment Agency has published a guide for landowners which is available on the Parish Council website at http://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Environment Agency_Your_watercourse_rights_and_roles-2024.pdf Next PC Meeting - Monday 14th October will be at 6.30pm in the village hall. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the Broad Acres monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) The SID counted 21,754 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 777 a day. 22% of vehicles were speeding. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS Unfortunately the September work morning was cancelled because of bad weather so there is still plenty to do. The final work morning for this year will be on 5th October, 10am to midday. Please come along to help if you can. Refreshments provided. OPEN THE BOOK Our OTB team celebrated 5 years of ‘Bible Storytelling’ in B.T.School at the end of the School year. To mark this milestone, we enjoyed a delicious cream tea together, on a beautiful sunny afternoon in August, My thanks, as team leader, go to our OTB team: Carolyn, Dave, Christine, John, Carol, Annie, Linda & Ray. Margaret THANK YOU Sandra Hartley for donating the containers and to Mark and Linda Boyden for planting these outside the Village Hall FOODBANK Thank you everyone who contributed to the collection in September and the next village collection will be on 7th & 8th December in time for Christmas. BISHOPS LETTER A Gift to the Church I write this the day after the funeral of the Rt Revd Mark Santer, former Principal of Westcott House Theological College, and Bishop of Birmingham, theologian, and pastor. Mark ended his life and ministry in this diocese, with permission to officiate he continued to serve these last few years in the parish church of St Aldhelm’s, Branksome. His funeral at the church was a wonderful celebration of a life well lived, of his rich ministry and the gift of friendship which so were in receipt of. We have just under four hundred active retired clergy in the Salisbury diocese. Priests and deacons who have not only served for many years in stipendiary or self-supporting ministry in dioceses right across the Church of England and overseas, but who are willing to continue to offer their talents and experience to us here. Bishop Andrew and I with our secretaries manage the renewal of their permission to officiate every three years, and new safeguarding training and DBS checks are part of this. This is a tremendous commitment and a gift to the church for which we must be truly thankful. We also, as bishops, meet all those retired clergy moving in to make sure they feel welcomed and supported with ongoing support offered through our network of deanery retirement officers, and diocesan retired clergy officer. Many of our retired clergy are involved in active ministry in their local church, as well as taking funerals and weddings; others offer spiritual direction, mentoring and coaching or act as reviewers for our ministry review scheme or as deanery and diocesan retirement officers, regularly staying connected with those with PTO and retired clergy who are inactive. This is all a very real reflection of the fact that God continues to use us in many and varied ways throughout our life. Indeed, Bishop Mark preached his final sermon on Easter Sunday at the age of eighty-six! 1st October is the International Day of Older Persons. A day to celebrate the gifts of all those who continue to show us the love of God through their generosity, positivity, and humility. If you include yourself here, thank you! +Karen PCC PHILIP WILKINSON'S OCTOBER PARISH COLUMN In the next few weeks, you will see my proposal for a new Police and Crime Plan 2024-2028. I have taken your feedback from the many responses I received as part of the public consultation conducted in July, where you told me about the areas of policing which matter most to you, your thoughts on the service provided by Wiltshire Police and, crucially, whether you feel safer in your community compared to when I first took office in 2021. It’s vitally important to acknowledge that whilst reviews and statistics may show an improved performance by Wiltshire Police, the real impact we need to make is for our residents in Wiltshire and Swindon to feel safer in their daily lives. This is why I’m looking for your opinions on the Police and Crime Plan, as it will set the framework and strategic direction for Wiltshire Police, as well as making it clear how you will see that the force is making progress in the areas where you want to see improvements being made. As well as taking into account your feedback, the plan will also incorporate the requirements required by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) as part its Police Effectiveness, Efficiency and Legitimacy (PEEL) report, national priorities and emerging local priorities such as rural crime and retail crime. Whilst improvements have been made with regards to policing in Wiltshire since I drew up my first Police and Crime Plan in 2021, I must stress that there is more work to do across key areas within the force, and the Chief Constable is aware of my expectations and shares my belief that the updated Police and Crime Plan needs to reflect our joint commitment to making Wiltshire a safer place to live and work. By giving me your considered thoughts and opinions on my updated Police and Crime Plan, you will help me to create a document by which the performance of Wiltshire Police and my office can be judged. Look out for updates on my website, social media channels when the document will be ready for download during the month of October. Or you can email pcc-consultation@wiltshire.police.uk and we can email you a copy and a feedback form. Contact Information Will Walder will.walder@wiltshire.police.uk                                                                                       PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:                                                                       BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sat, 28 Sep 2024 17:23:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2666 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2663/Broad-Town-News--September-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2663 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2663&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2663/Broad-Town-News--September-2024                                                                                                        BROAD TOWN NEWS – SEPTEMBER 2024                                                                               Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING TOMBOLA ON SEPTEMBER 14TH, Please help: bottle tombola – we are still in need of some bottles for the Macmillan Coffee Morning tombola on September 14th, so if you are able to donate a bottle or two, please give them to Ray & Margaret Manley, Annie & Nigel Crocker or Helen Greer, or bring them to the village hall on a Wednesday morning or Friday evening. As the prizes need to be labelled up well before the event, the deadline for donating bottles is Wednesday September 11th, which is a community coffee morning day, so they could be brought to the village hall then. Bottles can be any type and size at all including drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, sauces both sweet and savoury, bubble bath, shower gel, etc, or anything else you can think of in either glass or plastic. Thank you for your generosity! CHURCH NEWS CHRIST CHURCH HARVEST FESTIVAL We are holding our Harvest Thanksgiving Service on Sunday 22nd September at 5 pm. There will be Harvest Tea starting at 4 pm. Please come and join us. You will be most welcome, and we look forward to seeing you at Christ Church, Broad Town. Christ Church PCC. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our coffee mornings will restart on Wednesday September 11th, and we are very much looking forward to seeing everyone again. Please join us for coffee, tea, hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls. If you’re new to the village, it would be great to see you, so please come along to the village hall between 10 am and 12 noon. The second September coffee morning will be on Wednesday 25th. As always, we meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of the month, and everyone is verywelcome. Saturday September 14th Macmillan Charity Coffee Morning in the village hall from 10am – 12.30pm. We are joining in with Macmillan’s ‘World’s Biggest Coffee Morning’ by hosting our own ‘Broad Town’s Biggest Coffee Morning’. It would be great to see as many people as possible at this event, so please come along and help us raise as much as we can for Macmillan Cancer Support. *Homemade cakes, hot & cold drinks* *Bottle tombola* *Philip Male’s nature photographs* *Made in Broad Town craft stall* *Free kids’ activities* All welcome, proceeds to Macmillan Cancer Support. Please bring cash as we are unable to take card payments – thank you!        MADE IN BROAD TOWN Macmillan Coffee Morning Stall. Please visit our craft stall at the Macmillan coffee morning on Saturday September 14th – plenty of crafts and gifts to buy! Prices range from 50p to £15 (cash only please).  Hand Painted Candles. During our last session in August, we had a lot of fun painting candles. September Meetings. Our meetings will take place on Wednesdays the 4th and 18th from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, all welcome, the £2 suggested donation is voluntary. On the 4th, please bring a couple of old CDs with you if possible. Our sessions are always on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, new crafters and hobbyists are always welcome! Please email us if you have any questions. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail. com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com FOODBANK September collection Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th 9.30 – 4pm at the Village Hall. Foodbanks continue to be very busy, so please be as generous as you are able. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNING Thanks to everyone who volunteered at the August work morning. As always, lots achieved and we still regularly receive lots of favourable comments about how well kept the churchyard is. Come and join us on 7th September, 10 – 12. Our last work morning for this year will be on 5th October. Refreshments provided.   BROAD TOWN’S BIG BREAKFAST In aid of Prospect Hospice on 12th October in the village hall 10:00 am to Mid-day Hearty Combine Harvester Two rashers of bacon, two sausages, two eggs, two hash browns, sliced mushrooms, baked beans, toast & preserves Humble Harvester One rasher of bacon, one sausage, one egg, one hash brown, sliced mushroom, baked beans, toast & preserves Herby Harvester Two Vegan rashers, two Vegan sausages, scrambled tofu, hash browns, sliced mushrooms, tomato Drinks Orange juice, Tea or Coffee PAY AS YOU FEEL Book or just come along (it would be helpful if larger parties (4+) could let us know roughly what time they are planning to be with us). Please call or e-mail Margaret margaretmanley@hotmail.co.uk or phone her on 731564   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) The Government is proposing to make changes to the NPPF which could have a big impact on Broad Town and other towns and villages in Wiltshire. Wiltshire Council held a webinar which is available to view on YouTube to help you understand the potential impact – this link will take you to Wiltshire Council’s YouTube channel. To review the proposed changes and provide feedback to the Government please use this link. The consultation ends at 11.45pm on Tuesday 24 September 2024. Are you planning to study a vocational course, qualification or undertake an apprenticeship from September? Wiltshire Community Foundation offers grants to young people in Wiltshire and Swindon who need support with the costs of studying vocational subjects such as business, engineering, IT, health and social care, hairdressing, beauty, childcare, cookery, plumbing, construction, electrician and many more…… Grants of up to £1,000 are available to support the cost of books, resources, equipment, study/field trips, IT and software, and travel. See the advert elsewhere in this newsletter. To learn more or to apply for a grant visit the website Wiltshire Community Foundation or use the online application form: Vocational Grant Application Form. Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan consultation You can now have your say on the Gypsies and Travellers Development Plan Document, as the consultation begins on Tuesday 20 August until 5pm on Friday 4 October. An engagement event will be held in Royal Wootton Bassett Library, 11 Borough Fields, Royal Wootton Bassett SN4 7AX on Wednesday 11 September 4.30pm – 7pm. More details are available at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/planning-gypsy-travellers Next PC Meeting - Monday 9th September The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 9th September. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due cours SPEEDWATCH The observant (or the speeders) may have noticed the reappearance of Speedwatch on the main road through Broad Town. Led by Chris Woodhouse, the group operates approximately weekly measuring the speed of vehicles through the village. Speeding has been an issue for many residents in Broad Town and the SID (Speed Indicating Device) has indicated that in a typical month, approximately 11% of vehicles travel at 35mph or over through the village 30mph zone. Some, significantly faster. Speedwatch is intended to be educational rather than punitive. All information recorded is passed to the Police for further action and registered keepers of vehicles exceeding the speed limit are contacted - initially with a letter explaining the potential risks and consequences of their behaviour. It is hoped that the group’s efforts will improve quality-of-life in Broad Town by allowing residents to feel safer when using the roads in the Village. Please give us a wave when you pass us by. Anyone wishing to get involved should contact Chris on: woodhousecj@gmail.com BISHOP’S LETTER: BALMY DAYS Dear friends Welcome to this most wistful month of the year, when we sense the shift of summer into autumn, notice the mellowing light and take stock before starting again. I do hope there has been plenty of sunshine for you between the showers! With rhythms fixed in childhood term-times, September is the ‘other’ new year, and always an opportunity for reflection. Yet we could be forgiven for facing this new season feeling more than a little unsettled, for the times are uncertain. Warfare feels close at hand, not only for those who hear the low thump of guns on Salisbury Plain. We think of the Holy Land Jesus knew and loved – and are reminded of the prophet’s cry: ‘the harvest is past, the summer is over, and we are not saved’. Facing the destruction of his land and the exile of its people, Jeremiah asks: ‘is there no balm in Gilead?’ A cry which might be echoed by dispossessed people across the globe. In spiritual songs, the Lord Jesus has been described as the balm so needed by God’s people – the soothing relief who bears our sorrows, binds our wounds and heals our soul. Those who follow and serve Christ might, therefore, see their own ministry as extending this anointing to those who need it most. To be a balm for the world: what a timely way to make Jesus known in the months ahead. May God bless you as you, in turn, are his blessing to others. +Andrew Ramsbury   THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships, but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Rosemary Greenway: rosygreenway@gmail.com. All formal applications need to be in by 30th September 2024. The next opportunity to apply will be March 2025   WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the School monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 27,723 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 792 a day. 15% of vehicles were speeding   WILTSHIRE POLICE COMMISSIONER’S ARTICLE https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/anti-social behaviour-wardens-work-to-tackle-most-affected-areas-in Swindon   SEPTEMBER AT A GLANCE. Wednesday 4th – Made in Broad Town, 10-12 noon Saturday 7th – Churchyard Work Morning, 10-12 noon Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th - Foodbank Collection, 9.30-4pm, village hall Monday 9th – Parish Council Meeting, 6.30pm, village hall Wednesday 11th – Community Coffee Morning, 10-12 noon Saturday 14th – Macmillan Broad Town’s Biggest Coffee Morning, 10-12.30pm Wednesday 18th – Made in Broad Town, 10-12 noon Sunday 22nd – Broad Town Church Harvest Tea 4pm, & Service 5pm Wednesday 25th – Community Coffee Morning, 10-12 noon Friday 27th – Food for Thought Fish’n’Chips, 5-8pm, village hall car park                                                                                                              PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:                                                                                         BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Wed, 28 Aug 2024 17:47:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2663 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2660/Broad-Town-News--August-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2660 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2660&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2660/Broad-Town-News--August-2024                                                                                                    BROAD TOWN NEWS – AUGUST 2024                                                                            Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHURCH Services for August Sunday 4th August Communion at 10.30am Sunday 25th August Evensong at 6pm Everyone is welcome at these services. Congratulations to the Reverend Richard Holness who was ordained in Salisbury Cathedral at the end of June. We look forward to him leading some of our services in Christ Church.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO COFFEE MORNINGS IN AUGUST – WE WILL BE HAVING OUR USUAL ANNUAL BREAK - thank you to everyone for your support over the last year! Our fundraising coffee morning on July 10th was very well attended, and we managed to send a donation of £250 to our village school. The money will be spent on funding an activity day for the children in September which will include a caving activity, archery, an inflatable assault course and bushcraft skills inclung fire making and cooking. The school have thanked us for our donation and the children are very much looking forward to this day next term. Thank you to everyone who came along, and also to those who helped in any way whether that was setting up tables, manning the kitchen or selling raffle tickets, your efforts were very much appreciated. Our next one will be on Wednesday September 11th, so please make a note in your diary.    Save the Date: Saturday September 14th. The village will be holding a Macmillan Coffee Morning in the village hall from 10 – 12 noon. Further details in the next newsletter but there will be lots of cake, hot drinks, Philip Male’s photographs, and Ray’s popular bottle tombola! In light of this, we would like to ask if you would consider donating a bottle or two please, as we need to collect 100 Bottles? During August we are hoping that people will be able to donate bottles which can be any type and size at all including drinks both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, sauces both sweet and savoury, bubble bath, shower gel, etc, or anything else you can think of in either glass or plastic. Please give your bottle(s) to Ray & Margaret Manley, Annie & Nigel Crocker or Helen Greer, or bring them to the village hall on a Wednesday morning or Friday evening. Thank you for your generosity! Coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month (except August), from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate – but please come early if you would like a sausage roll as they always disappear quickly! Everyone welcome, and if you’re new to the village, it’s a great way to meet some friendly faces, so please give it a try! ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ Coffee Morning Stall - Our stalls at the fundraising coffee morning on July 10th and the one at our own MIBT session on the 17th, resulted in an additional £64.50 being raised. This money added to that raised previously, means that in total £375 has been raised since May, which has now been sent to our two charities, Dressability Swindon and Julia’s House Children’s Hospice. We have received letters of thanks from both charities. Thank you also to Linda B and Carol W for running a stall at the Broad Town School concert where the money raised was donated directly to the school. Thank you to everyone who has supported us at all our sales. We’ve had a lot of fun both making and selling items, whilst raising money for several good causes in Wiltshire. Hand Painted Cards - On July 17th Carolyn demonstrated her painting skills and showed us all how to create hand painted cards and gift tags using acrylic paints. It was a fun morning and thank you again to Carolyn for running the session and helping everyone to improve their painting skills. Some of our efforts are shown below: August Meetings - We will be continuing our sessions during August and our meetings will take place on Wednesdays the 7th and 21st, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, all welcome, the £2 suggested donation is voluntary. Our sessions are always on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, new crafters and hobbyists are always welcome! Please email us if you have any questions. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail CHURCHYARD Unfortunately, the July work morning was cancelled due to bad weather but everything is still rapidly growing. The next work morning will be on 3rd August, 10.00 – 12.00. and more Volunteers are still desperately needed. Please just turn up and we will find something for you to help with. Refreshments provided. FOODBANK Thank you to everyone who donated to our July collection The next Village collection will be 7th & 8th September 9.30am – 4.00pm at the Village Hal FOOD FOR THOUGHT Fish and Chips at the Village Hall 5pm – 8pm on the last Friday in the month. 26th July, 30th August, 27th September 25th October, 29th November and 20th December PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk We would like to offer a big “Thank You” to local residents Keith and Allan Hillier for generously mowing the grass verges along the main road, and also to those residents who cut the grass around the barrel planters and weedkill along the kerbside. This all contributes to enhancing the village outlook and making Broad Town a pleasant place to live. We will also be making a request via the MyWilts app for a street sweeper truck to visit to clear up the straw which has accumulated along the roadside. Hopefully this can be done before rain washes it into the drains. The Parish Steward does a good job each month digging out grips and drains and mending potholes, and next month will be busy removing ragwort from the verges. If anyone sees anything which would benefit from his attention please contact the Clerk at btpcclerk@outlook.com – more information on the tasks the Steward can undertake are listed at : https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/your community/parish-steward Next PC Meeting - Monday 12th August The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 12th August. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) The SID counted 26,767 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 923 a day. 11% of vehicles were speeding WILTSHIRE AND SWINDON PCC LINKS https://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk/my-office/news/2023/oct/more-community-groups-receive grants-through-the-pccs-community-action-fund/ https://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk/get-involved/ https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=zylXTi2FEEWSElEVfKJ PpN_oHaA2MFAlD5cGSmWKvNUNkRYMURSQTE2QzlYVFNBVzFHT1VLV0ZTSS4u&utm_sourc e=Press+release+&utm_medium=Media+&utm_campaign=Police+and+Crime+Plan+consultation                                                                       PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:                                           BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Wed, 31 Jul 2024 17:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2660 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2657/Broad-Town-News--July-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2657 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2657&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2657/Broad-Town-News--July-2024                                                                                                      Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   THANK YOU Many thanks to everyone who gave their time (and energy!) to the churchyard working party in June. The churchyard looks lovely and your efforts are much appreciated. We thank Simon, Rupert & Jim for climbing the hangings to build and light the beacon and everyone who joined the D-Day 80th anniversary commemoration at the Hall. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Please come and support our fundraising coffee morning on Wednesday July 10th . We will be raising money for Broad Town School, and there will be a RAFFLE, so please come along to meet and chat and to enjoy some amazing cakes, whilst helping to raise money for this very local cause. There will also be a Made in Broad Town sales table selling items such as garden bunting and cane toppers, fabric memo boards, soft toys and small fabric bags so please come and have a browse! Thank you to everyone who came along to our June coffee mornings. Our second July coffee morning will be on Wednesday July 24th . Coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Everyone welcome, and if you’re new to the village, it’s a great way to meet some friendly faces, so please give it a try. PROSPECT BOXES The majority of past box holders now donate directly but from the 8 boxes still collected in the Village a magnificent sum of £234.58 was collected in April. The Hospice have asked for their thanks to be passed on. CHURCHYARD Sadly a depleted workforce for our June work morning. Nevertheless, lots achieved and our thanks go to the seven villagers who gave up their time and worked so hard. Our thanks also go to the Bailey family for all they do and the Turk family who have restored the 3 benches. There are others (who we don’t know by name) who spend time on a voluntary basis helping to keep up the appearance of the Churchyard. The next work morning will be on 6th July, 10.00 – 12.00. More Volunteers desperately needed. Refreshments provided. FOODBANK         The next Village collection will be on 6th and 7th July from 9.30am to 4.00pm at the Village Hall. Items needed… Baked Beans, Bottles of Squash, Long Life milk and juice, Small jars of Coffee,Sugar, Tinned fruit and tomatoes, Tinned puddings, Angel delight and Jellies. With School holidays approaching, please be as generous as you are able. CHRIST CHURCH SERVICES 7th July Communion at 10.30am 28th July Evening Worship at 6pm BISHOP’S LETTER New Horizons - From my bedroom window I have a great view of both Preston Hill and Hambledon Hill. The Wessex Ridgeway Path passes across them, which spurred me, during my period of study leave earlier in the year, to walk that entire path from Marlborough to Lyme Regis. It took me across many new horizons, across the Wiltshire Downs around Salisbury Plain and down through the Marshwood Vale to the coast. It was a great walk albeit very boggy in places given the February rain. The Summer gives us the chance to explore new horizons, whether it be to revisit somewhere close by enjoying some sunshine, or to explore a new place on holiday or a day out. The Bible invites us to enjoy the splendour of creation, to admire God’s handiwork and to take time out with him reflecting on the past and the future. This summer will also bring a new political horizon, as we pray for our newly elected leaders and continue to pray for the wellbeing of our own country and the peace of the world. Horizons help us journey on through life in hope, with the assurance that the God of the universe cares for us all very deeply. It is by asking Christ to walk with us through each day, whatever that may bring that we find true contentment, and often some unexpected surprises on the way. This next month let’s commit to doing just that and begin each morning with the words of the psalmist. ‘This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it’ Psalm 118:24 - Bishop Kar SOCIAL CLUB Food for Thought will be at the Village Hall on Friday 28th June serving their delicious Fish and Chips from 5pm until 8pm. The Social Club will be open at 5pm allowing people to enjoy a drink with their meal. MADE IN BROAD TOWN Thank you to everyone who helped at our stall at the Broad Town School Fair. The weather really wasn’t on our side, but a valiant effort was made to ensure that the stall was set up on time and that it kept running throughout the duration of the event. £50 was taken which will be added to the total made at the Bushton Plant Sale, to be divided between Dressability Swindon and Julia’s House Children’s Hospice. Glass Painting on June 19th.  We enjoyed a very creative morning glass painting. Thank you to Terri who gave up her time to give us a demonstration on painting techniques and then allowed us all to ‘have a go’, and it was great to be able to produce colourful and functional items to take home. Our July meetings will take place on Wednesdays the 3rd and 17th, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, all welcome, the £2 suggested donation is voluntary. We will also be having a sales table at the fundraising community coffee morning on Wednesday July 10th, so please support that event too! On July 17th Carolyn will be leading a session on hand painted cards and gift tags, so come along and have a go our sessions are on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday mornings of the month, new crafters and hobbyists are always welcome! Please email us if you have any questions. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail. com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Annual Audit. The Parish Council have successfully completed the annual audit with only a few observations and no recommendations. The Auditor’s report is available on the PC website in the Funding & Accounts page. Notice of Public Rights for Inspection of Accounts for the year ended 31 March 2024 BROAD TOWN PARISH COUNCIL AU DIT As per the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, Broad Town Parish Council has made its Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year 2023-24 available for inspection by any person interested, together with all accounting records; books; deeds; contracts; bills; vouchers; receipts and other documents relating to these records. If you have any issues to raise or wish to see the full accounts please contact the Parish Clerk on btpcclerk@outlook.com. In accordance with the guidelines the full accounts will be available to view for 30 working days between 12th June and 23rd July 2024. Maintenance of Watercourses and Flood Prevention Following one of the wettest winters on record, there has been an increase in flooding incidents around the county. While some of these cannot be prevented following the huge volume of rain we have faced, many flooding incidents on highways and other areas can be prevented with good maintenance from the landowner. Most ditches and minor watercourses in Wiltshire are the responsibility of the ‘riparian landowner’, which is the person who owns the land on either side of the watercourse. The landowner has both the rights and responsibilities for the ditches, or other watercourses flowing through or alongside their property. We recommend that landowners have a plan for their property, with detailed information on the watercourses, so that areas of high risk can be identified, and appropriate maintenance work can be planned. It is at the benefit of all landowners to maintain their watercourses to prevent issues occurring in other areas. If a landowner’s watercourse is likely to cause issues upstream, maintenance will need to be carried out immediately. Many spring-fed ditches will have water flowing through them throughout the year, and if water is being held above the designed ditch depth, this will require immediate attention, as the landowner will need to ensure that the ditch’s capacity is maximised. While water may still flow through the ditch during heavy rainfall, even a flowing ditch will struggle if not regularly cleared. Piped highway drainage and private drainage will discharge into watercourses, and these pipes should be above the water line, and above the base of the watercourse. If this is not Parish Council occurring when inspected by the council, work may be needed to ensure that the drainage is running freely. Another indication that maintenance is required is if the depth of the ditch is above the culvert base. To undertake work to a watercourse, for example, a pond, lake, or diversion, planning permission may be required, and the landowner will need to check the permission to ensure they are compliant with the design, maintenance, and other such requirements. Landowners should regularly inspect their watercourses and have a maintenance plan in place, as they are responsible for surface water and soakaways once it crosses the property boundary. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the Broadacres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 26,619 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 951 a day. 24% of vehicles were speeding The Police enforcement sessions have resulted in 31 speed awareness courses, 4 fines / points plus 2 court actions. *Note the SID captures traffic travelling in one direction. Metrocount results indicate average daily totals of 1,989 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 28th June Food for Thought Fish & Chips 5pm to 8pm. 3rd July Made in Broad Town 10.00am to 12 midday. 6th July Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday. 7th July Communion 10.30am. 6th and 7th July Foodbank 9.30am to 4.00pm. 10th July Community Coffee Morning 10.00am to 12 midday. 17th July Made in Broad Town 10.00am to 12 midday. 24th July Community Coffee Morning 10.00am to 12 midday. 28th July Evening Worship 6pm.                                                                       PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:                                                   BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Thu, 27 Jun 2024 18:12:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2657 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2654/Broad-Town-News--June-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2654 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2654&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2654/Broad-Town-News--June-2024                                                                                                                                                     BROAD TOWN NEWS                                                                                                                    Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. WHITE HORSE LIMING The White Horse was limed under a blazing sun on Sunday 19 May. An enthusiastic crew of volunteers numbering 20 assembled in Chapel Lane to walk to the Horse, weed it and then spread 1500kg of lime onto the figure. Hopefully everyone ha noted the results of the good work undertaken and those involved should be proud of their achievements. Thanks are due to a number of people including: ❖ The Parish Council for their support. ❖ The village for volunteering. ❖ Rupert Pearce for providing transport. ❖ Jason Bayliffe for providing beer. ❖ Paul Olson for flying his drone and providing photos. ❖ Hortons for procuring the lime and transporting it to the site. We were pleased to be joined by Emma Campbell and Helen Mark who are producing an episode of BBC Radio 4’s Open Country on the Wiltshire Chalk carvings. They had already visited Fovant, Westbury and Alton Barnes and appreciated     the chance to see us in action. The programme airs on 6 June at 3pm so tune in. Bob Clarke has, after a number of years of organising the liming, decided to retire this year. Many thanks to him as he took on responsibility for the liming in 2015 after the last regime stepped down; Derek Greer has kindly offered to assist on the admin side for 2025. Next year will also be my last as organiser and I hope someone will be prepared to take on the responsibility for 2026. Any volunteers - please let me know. Andrew Law CHURCH NEWS A big thank you to Judy Rendell and everyone who helped at Judy’s plant sale – the amazing amount raised so far is well over £400 which will be donated to our village church. Thanks also to everyone who came along to buy plants! Thank you also to Judy & Colin for sharing their garden and providing teas to their many visitors. A tremendous amount of work also went on before the event to prepare the plants ready for sale, as well as keeping everyone busy on the day! Broad Town Church Service dates and times for June: 2nd June - 10.30 am Holy Communion. 9th June - 6.00pm Evening Worship. 23rd June - 6.00 pm Evening Worship.   WORK MORNING IN THE CHURCHYARD Thank you to the 9 villagers who worked very hard and achieved a lot at our May work morning. Please come and join us on 8th June, 10.00 – 12.00 Refreshments provided. More volunteers desperately needed please.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS A big thank you to our new cake bakers! Margaret and the coffee mornings team would like to say thank you to everyone who has volunteered to bake a cake for our community coffee mornings. The response to our appeal in last month’s newsletter has been fantastic and it’s good to know that our homemade cakes will still be part of our coffee mornings which have now become a village institution! Of course, we are also extremely grateful to our established band of bakers who have been baking regularly since the establishment of our village coffee mornings in 2016 – we raise a wooden spoon to you all in grateful thanks! Thank you to everyone who came along to our May coffee mornings. Our June coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays June 12th and 26th. Coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Everyone welcome, and if you’re new to the village, it’s a great way to meet some friendly faces, so please come along. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village Tidy-up. Thanks to all the residents who turned out on a murky day for the Village Tidy-up. We had a very productive few hours and made a noticeable difference throughout the village. Grateful thanks also to those who provided refreshments and bacon baps afterwards, it was much appreciated. Annual Parish Meeting. The Annual Parish meeting was well attended by members of the public and representatives from the various community groups who gave presentations on their activities for the past year. Reports were made by representatives on: Christ Church, Village Hall, White Horse Group, Community Coffee Mornings, Footpaths Group Made in Broad Town Craft Group, Speeding data captured by the SID, Broad Town History Website, Community Speedwatch and Parish Council. Followed by discussions on the future of a number of important village facilities including: Broad Town Facebook page & group, We are looking for a volunteer to act as the administrator and moderator of the Facebook pages. We don’t foresee this being a time-consuming task but if someone is not found then these may have to close. Playing Field at Redhills. We discussed possibilities for enhancing the playing fields and encouraging wider usage. As always if anyone has a suggestion, please send it to the Parish Clerk BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Next PC Meeting - Monday 10th June -The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 10th June. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course.   BROADTOWN SOCIAL CLUB EVENTS Food for Thought (FFT) Evenings. These evenings are proving very popular for eating in and take away. It is lovely to see new faces and whole families (and extended families) enjoying themselves and making use of the pool table, table football etcetera. If you are waiting for your takeaway pop in for a drink and a chat - the FFT team will bring your takeaway in when its ready for you, so you won’t miss it. If you arrive as a group with friends or family and it looks full, don’t worry, we have plenty of tables and chairs to hand and these will miraculously appear (!) while you get your drinks and/or takeaway order in. Dates for the next few months are: ❖ Friday 31st May ❖ Friday 28th June Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm and Food for Thought open 5pm to 8pm. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery but you have to take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu and details for pre-orders to avoid the queues can be found at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For dietary requirements contact them directly. They have limited space for stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. Thursday 6th June D-DAY 80th Anniversary Beacon Lighting The village will be joining in the national Beacon Lighting initiative on this auspicious occasion. ❖ Social Club open 8pm – 11pm ❖ Beacon Lighting (on the hill) 9.15pm ❖ 1940’s themed dress encouraged (but optional) Regular Friday Night Opening The Social Club is open every Friday from 8pm to 11pm. Reasonably priced drinks and snacks, free pool, table football and darts, with lots of banter at the bar! If you want to come as a group and have a table and chairs set out, let us know and we’ll magic the furniture out of the store!   BROAD TOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL SUMMER FETE: ALL WELCOME! Saturday 15th June 11.30am - 3.30pm. Entry: £1 per adult, children free entry A Summer fete will be held at Broad Town Primary School in partnership with Wootton Bassett Hounds Running Club. Alongside a 5km running event, there will be a BBQ and bar, ice creams, entertainment and games including a bouncy castle, face-painting, hay bale hurdles and much more! All funds raised from the fete go towards equipment and activities for the children of Broad Town School. We are also looking for applications from small business owners to take stall spaces. Considerable footfall is expected. The cost of a pitch is £10, and you will be required to provide your own table (and gazebo if you wish). If you would like to apply, then please email: btspta23@gmail.com With: -Business name -Product -Email  Do not hesitate to contact us should you require any more information.   WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the Marlborough House monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 24,409 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 787 a day17% of vehicles were speeding.   ‘MADE IN BROAD TOWN’ Bushton Plant Fair. We very much enjoyed having a stall at Bushton Plant Fair on May 6th. It was lovely to be able to take part in this popular annual event in the wonderful gardens at Bushton Manor. Thank you to all our helpers on the day, and to everyone who came along and visited our stall. We are very grateful to Rupert & Judy who generously lent us their gazebo and a large sales table. We managed to make £280 from the sale; we made a donation to St Peter’s Church and the remainder will be divided between Dressability Swindon and Julia’s House Children’s Hospice. – this is a friendly and welcoming independent charity which supports the clothing needs of individuals with disabilities and those with limited dexterity.- provide practical and emotional support for families caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition, providing frequent and regular support in their own homes, in the community or at our hospices. Wrapping Paper, in our last meeting we enjoyed decorating wrapping paper. Whether by using stencils or painting freehand, we’ve discovered that there is far more artistic creativity hiding in the village than we realised, and we all had a relaxing morning! Annual Parish Meeting. Thank you to Linda B for presenting our report at the Annual Parish Meeting on May 20th. We’ve had a very busy first year and it was great to be able to share our progress with the village. Although we only started in April 2023, we have become a well-established group and hopefully provide a welcoming and creative social space in the village, which is open to all. We are also proud to have already raised over £900 for at least seven good causes. Broad Town School Summer Fair Saturday June 15th This year we will be having a stall at the school fair so please come along to support us and all the other stalls – we look forward to seeing you there from 11.30am – 3.30pm Glass Painting Our first meeting in June will be on Wednesday 5th when we will be continuing with our wrapping paper designs, and there will also probably be an opportunity to try a mystery activity so come along and find out what that is! For our session on June 19th, we have arranged a glass painting demonstration. Local glass painter Terri will be giving a demonstration on how to decorate a glass item using paints and there will be a chance to have a go yourselves. Please bring along an item you wish to paint. This should be made of clear glass e.g. an old clear wine bottle, jam jar, sauce jar or vase etc. Please ensure that your glass item is clean and dry and that you have soaked off any labels or stickers. Glass paints and brushes will be provided but you may wish to bring an overall or old shirt as well as your glass item. This promises to be a fun morning, and everyone is welcome whether they have been to a Made in Broad Town session before or not – the group is open to all ages and genders, and it would be lovely to see some new faces! We ask for a voluntary £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you. Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com   BISHOP’S LETTER This month marks two years since my service of inauguration in the Cathedral and so it’s two years since I first ordained people deacon and priest – a powerful and humbling experience. June 2024 will see more ordinations and a special service to mark 30 years since the ordination of women to the priesthood on Saturday 15th June at 11am in the Cathedral. Everyone is very welcome to attend this service, to give thanks for the gift of women’s ministry in this diocese and across the Church. Please join me in praying for all those who are preparing for ordination, as well as those who serve, and have served, in all forms of ministry across the diocese. At the service for the ordination of deacons, the bishop explains that deacons are ‘called to reach into the forgotten corners of the world, that the love of God may be made visible.’ Never before has the world been so connected, so visible, with its remotest parts so easy to reach. Yet despite this, many people still feel forgotten and invisible. Our fast-paced news culture means that stories of suffering, of tragedy or disaster quickly make way for the next headline. The world moves on, but not for those who still dwell, every day, in a place of great difficulty. There will be people around us who have been forgotten and who feel invisible – those who need support but struggle to access it; the lonely, the housebound or those who cannot access technology. You may feel that way yourself. ‘Reaching into the forgotten corners’ of our world and local communities and making visible the love of God, is a calling to all of us – lay and ordained. This is what we see in Jesus – going to the forgotten places; the forgotten people and showing them that God is with them; that God forgets no-one. Let us, as the church of today, ‘Go and do likewise.’ Bishop Stephen   NEWLY RE-ELECTED PCC PHILIP WILKINSON’S BULLETIN: Regardless of political alignment, I'm here to serve you. My determination to represent and serve our communities is unwavering and I am honoured to have been re-elected to serve as your Police and Crime Commissioner for the next four years. It is my responsibility to ensure that your views and lived experiences are reflected in how we work towards making Wiltshire safer and my promise remains the same – to be your voice in policing and to hold the Chief Constable to account for the effective and efficient police service that residents deserve. Regardless of political alignment, or whether you voted for me or not, I am here to serve you and act as your voice in policing and crime. Before the role of PCC was established in 2012 there was a disconnect between the communities and police accountability and since then you have had the power to have your say at the ballot box on who you feel best represents you. My focus now turns to ensuring that those lesser heard voices are consulted in the development of my next Police and Crime Plan which acts as a blueprint for the strategic policing and crime priorities. My responsibilities spread the entirety of the criminal justice system, including policing, victim support, early intervention and offender rehabilitation. It is of paramount importance to me that your feedback is reflected in any decisions that are made. I want to hear more from rural communities, business owners and retailers about the impact of crime on them – and what they need to feel safe and supported by Wiltshire Police and partners. Wiltshire Police was placed into the Engage status or ‘special measures’ shortly after I took office during my first term and alongside my wider office I continue to robustly scrutinise, in addition to supporting the Chief Constable to drive up the standard of policing our residents receive. Tremendous work has been done in that time to improve the police’s response and performance, and especially so since Chief Constable Catherine Roper started in post just over a year ago. Whilst I am proud of the improvements that have been achieved in that time, the Force is still not where I or the Chief Constable would like it to be, and we will not be satisfied until Wiltshire Police is considered an outstanding police force. The following police related links may prove of interest: https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/newly-refurbished-police-custody-reopens-after-multi-million-pound-investment https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/organisations-can-now-apply-for-funding-to-provide-youth-work-in-swindon https://wiltshirepcc-newsroom.prgloo.com/news/more-street-wardens-funded-to-help-tackle-violence-against-women-and-girls-across-wiltshire   JUNE AT A GLANCE: Friday May 31st – Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips, 5-8pm, village hall Sunday June 2nd – Holy Communion, 10.30am Wednesday June 5th – Made in Broad Town, 10-12 noon, village hall Thursday June 6th – D-day Beacon Lighting, 9.15pm (on the hill), social club open 8-11pm Saturday June 8th – Churchyard work morning, 10-12 noon Sunday June 9th – Bishop’s Salisbury Sudan Fete 2-5pm Sunday June 9th – Evening Worship, 6pm Monday June 10th – Parish Council Meeting, 6.30pm, village hall Wednesday June 12th – Community Coffee Morning, 10-12 noon Saturday June 15th - Broad Town School Fête, 11.30am-3.30pm Wednesday June 19th – Made in Broad Town, 10-12 noon (glass painting) Sunday June 23rd – Evening Worship, 6pm Wednesday June 26th - Community Coffee Morning, 10-12 noon Friday June 28th – Food for Thought Fish ‘n’ Chips, 5-8pm, village hall   PLEASE NOTE that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:   BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sun, 23 Jun 2024 10:33:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2654 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2651/Broad-Town-Newsletter--May-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2651 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2651&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2651/Broad-Town-Newsletter--May-2024 BROAD TOWN NEWS – MAY 2024 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Annual Parish Meeting : Monday 20th May 6.30pm in the Village Hall. We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Parish Meeting. This is not a council meeting but is an opportunity for all village groups and associations to share with the village the activity they have undertaken in the past year and their plans for the future. Future of the Playing Fields at Redhills Elsewhere in this newsletter you will see a letter from the Parish Council on potential opportunities for making changes to the playing fields at Redhills. The Annual Parish Meeting will also be an open forum for residents to air their views. The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the Village Hall on 13th May. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. For many years, and this coming year is no exception, the play area in Redhills has consumed a large part of the Parish Council budget. The budget is funded by the Parish Precept which is collected in the Council Tax we all pay and is used for designated parts of the village running costs, maintenance and upkeep, which includes the Redhill’s play area. In the coming year, 2024/25 the village will receive £10,146.00 for these running costs, maintenance and upkeep. The grass cutting bill for the Redhills play area is forecast to be £3,181.00 The Parish Council are mindful this represents 31.35% of the community’s collective contribution to the running of the whole village and also that not all residents use this facility. If, whilst continuing to maintain the play area, the football pitch and their immediate surroundings, we were able to reduce the grass cutting costs by repurposing a portion of the remaining playing fields which comprises around two acres, savings could be made and diverted to other projects and the site might benefit more residents than it does now. We therefore seek your views. You may feel that both the cost and the usage are acceptable and need no revision or you may feel that the money might be better spent elsewhere. For example: A community wilding project, including wild meadow and woodland, or allotments? This issue will be published on the Broad Town Parish Council website however, we are aware that not all residents may be able to access the internet. Therefore, this communication is sent to all residents as everyone’s views are important and valued. The issue will be discussed in a public forum at the Annual Parish Meeting on 20th May and all residents are reminded that you are welcome to attend our regular Parish Council meetings, held in the Village Hall, on the second Monday of each month at 6.30pm. Alternatively you can contact the Parish Council Clerk, by email, at btpcclerk@outlook.com. The deadline for receiving comments is end of May. Many thanks for your help, Broad Town Parish Council. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the School monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 26,329 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 752 a day 17% of vehicles were speeding. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS – MORE CAKE BAKERS NEEDED PLEASE! Carolyn is taking a break from organising the cake rota (a big thank you for all your hard work on this Carolyn!), and Margaret Manley will be taking over. If you enjoy baking cakes and would like to join the rota, please email Margaret: margaretmanley@hotmail.co.uk or phone her on 731564. If we could add just six more names to the rota, all the bakers would only need to make a cake twice a year. We already have some youngsters and some men on our baking rota too, so please volunteer today to ensure the supply of delicious cakes for your community coffee mornings! All ages welcome, and you don’t have to be a ‘star baker’ either, just someone who is able to produce an edible cake that they are happy to donate to the cause! A huge thank you to everyone who attended our fundraising coffee morning for Prostate Cancer UK on March 27th. It was very well supported, and a very busy morning saw a fantastic total of £250 being raised. This has been sent to the charity and a letter of thanks has been received, they are extremely grateful for our support. Kelly Hillier, one of our local Police Community Support Officers, visited our coffee morning on April 10th. We are very grateful to Kelly for coming along and spending time chatting to us, answering some queries and for bringing along some leaflets and posters to take away. Our May coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays May 8th and 22nd . Coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Everyone welcome, and if you’re new to the village, it’s a great way to meet some friendly faces, so please come along. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS Thank you to everyone who came to our first work morning of 2024. Future Dates: 11th May, 1st June, 6th July, 3rd August & 7th September. From 10.00am to 12 midday. Refreshments provided. There are a number of tasks to choose from. We desperately need more volunteers so If you and/or anyone you know would like to join our friendly team, please contact Ray Tel: 731564 for more details or just turn up. DON’T FORGET Judy’s plant stall – 18th May at Queen Elizabeth Cottage (Proceeds to the Church) MADE IN BROAD TOWN Will be at the Bushton Plant Fair on Monday May 6th. Our busy April meetings saw us completing all our items for the Bushton Plant Fair, as well as making some bunting with which to decorate our stall. The plant fair promises to be a very busy and enjoyable event so please come along and support us. We will be selling a wide range of quality handcrafted items for both home and garden, so come to the fair to find out what we’ve been up to, as well as enjoying a visit to the gardens of Bushton Manor. In May our meetings will be on Wednesdays the 1st & 15th. Please come along on the 1st to help with getting all the items priced up and packed ready to sell before the Bushton sale on the following Monday, the more the merrier! On the 15th we will probably be starting some new craft projects so come along and join in or bring along your own crafts and hobbies. Look out for future news of our craft demonstration sessions where we will be learning some new skills! We ask for a voluntary £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you! Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com BROADTOWN SOCIAL CLUB EVENTS Food for Thought (FFT) Evenings. These evenings are proving very popular for eating in and take away. It is lovely to see new faces and whole families (and extended families) enjoying themselves and making use of the pool table, table football etcetera. If you are waiting for your takeaway pop in for a drink and a chat - the FFT team will bring your takeaway in when its ready for you, so you won’t miss it. If you arrive as a group with friends or family and it looks full, don’t worry, we have plenty of tables and chairs to hand and these will miraculously appear (!) while you get your drinks and/or takeaway order in. Dates for the next few months are: Friday 31st May ❖ Friday 28th June. Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm and Food for Thought open 5pm to 8pm. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery but you have to take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu and details for pre-orders to avoid the queues can be found at https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For dietary requirements contact them directly. They have limited space for stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. Thursday 6th June DDAY 80th Anniversary Beacon Lighting. The village will be joining in the national Beacon Lighting initiative on this auspicious occasion. ❖ Social Club open 8pm – 11pm ❖ Beacon Lighting (on the hill) 9.15pm ❖ 1940’s themed dress encouraged (but optional) Regular Friday Night Opening. The Social Club is open every Friday from 8pm to 11pm. Reasonably priced drinks and snacks, free pool, table football and darts, with lots of banter at the bar! WILTSHIRE COUNCIL ONLINE SURVEY Wiltshire Council is running an online survey gathering information about what local people feel are the important themes and priorities for their area. The short survey asks people to choose their key themes and then, for their top three, tell us further detail about those issues. It shouldn’t take any longer than 10mins to complete. The responses we get back will help to inform Wiltshire Council’s planning for the coming years and also help to shape RWB&C Area Board’s priorities for the coming year. We really want to hear about the issues that are important to local people so we can channel resources into making changes where they’re wanted. It’s available for the next two weeks and will close on 7th May :- https://surveys.wiltshire.gov.uk/s/ad7x4r BISHOP’S LETTER MAY 2024 May is exam month for my youngest daughter, who is undergoing her ‘A’ Levels this summer – the last of our three to pass through that ordeal. I still recall (as I’m sure many of you do too) the sense of elation – almost disbelief – when these were over and a new chapter of life could begin. Somewhere in my loft, I still have the ring file I flung into the air when it was all over! This transition to a new stage of life feels appropriate as Easter turns to Pentecost and the church waits on God to provide all that she needs to serve him in the world. Given the seemingly constant need to find people to help in church life, it is always encouraging to remember how the Lord can take the scraps we offer and make them sufficient. When offput from commencing an apparently huge task, I sometimes say to myself: ‘just do a little’ and, having offered my mite to God, leave the multiplication to him. In annual meeting season, it may be that you are reviewing your responsibilities and wondering about stopping some and starting others. If so, can I encourage you to consider standing for election to deanery or diocesan synod? Synods are our way of sharing the governance of the church and making sure it attends to the things we truly care about. We’d love your involvement and trust that God will work through us ‘to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think’ (Ephesian 3:20). The Diocese of Salisbury are running a new campaign to encourage more people to think of standing for synod #ChurchChangemakers. Diocesan Synod is made up of ordinary people who are committed to sharing the news of Christ's transforming love with our communities. To stand for synod this May, you need to be aged over 16 and on a church electoral roll. In return, you'll be able to hone your skills in debating, decision making, and shaping a Church which serves a million people in this area alone. FOODBANK Thanks to all who donated to our latest Village collection. The next collection at the Village Hall will be in June. Date in next B T News SHELTER Thanks to Rosie, Annette, Corinne and Margaret for decorating the Spring/Easter Shelter. Special thanks to Broad Town School children for adding the Easter Bonnets and Acrostic poems. You are invited to leave any surplus plants/seedlings in the shelter for other villagers to take and enjoy. CHRISTIANS AWAKE Hi, my name is Mark. I came to Broad Town in 2022 and discovered a wonderful friendly community. Thank you for making me welcome. In the book of Acts I read ‘Each day, with one heart, they regularly went to the temple but met in their houses for the breaking of bread; they shared their food gladly and generously; and praised God and were looked up to by everyone.’ I try to live by the ideas and example of Jesus, though I am not very good at it and I was disappointed to find the Christians in Broad Town meeting so infrequently. I would like to start a group here for mutual support, encouragement and comfort of all who live locally. Could we meet weekly, evenings for the young at heart and afternoons for the not so young? The days, times and location to be agreed by the group. We would meet for fellowship, sharing of ideas and arranging help for local friends in need. So - Are you a Christian living in Broad Town? Were you a Christian and think the established churches have become distant and out of touch? Are you a non believer but would like to know why so many people believe Jesus was great? Or are you just a good hearted citizen who would like to be involved? If you like the idea, want to take part or would just like to know more please email me at markboyden999@gmail.com or have a chat with me on 01793 731160 and I will arrange an initial meeting at my home. Best wishes Mark DOG WALKERS. Please be considerate to non-dog owners who may not be as confident round your dog or not want to be pawed with muddy paws whilst out and about – thanks. There have been reports of poo bags being left in Pye Lane, Whiteway and Thornhill, please dispose of them responsibly – thanks. Please note that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to: BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sun, 28 Apr 2024 11:53:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2651 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2650/News--Extra#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2650 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2650&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2650/News--Extra BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL - The AGM will be held on Monday 15th April at 7pm in the Village Hall - Everyone welcome. Ray Manley Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:36:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2650 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2647/Broad-Town-Newsletter--April-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2647 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2647&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2647/Broad-Town-Newsletter--April-2024 BROAD TOWN NEWS – APRIL 2024 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish A MESSAGE FROM YOUR EDITOR At this time of year, we start to see nature reborn in our gardens. We are blessed with the refreshing sight of the birds nesting, flittering from branch to branch and the buds of primroses and bluebells blossoming once more. Spring is a time of renewal and birth; we start to feel the year come alive and we feel the light return not only to our home but to ourselves. Colour touches our world once more and we find a love for new beginnings and for our ideas to grow and bloom. This April edition is a reminder of all that is to blossom in this coming month in our community, so why don’t you pop down to the coffee mornings or take a look at our Broad Town Shelter? Read this paper to see what your community has been doing and what it can share with you this beautiful time of year! BROAD TOWN CHRIST CHURCH We would like to thank everybody who supports the Church financially by means of contributions from regular services, either via the ‘plate’ or giftaid yellow envelopes, through regular standing orders/donations, ad hoc donations, the ‘100 club’ and for the considerable time and effort volunteers spend fundraising throughout the year. On top of any qualifying donations, we are able to claim gift aid back which amounts to 25% of any donations, however whatever we raise it never seems quite enough to pay all the bills. But did you know there is an additional way that you can contribute? You can donate any amount via the Givealittle website either regularly or ad hoc donations and the Church can claim the 25% extra giftaid back on donations – all without you needing to do anything. Why not give it a try? It’s only the cost of an Easter egg! Link to Givealittle:- Support for Christ Church Broad Town - Give A Little. Thank you for any donations you are able to make to help keep the Church within the community. Regards Brian April Services 7th April 10.30am Communion. 28th April 6pm Evening Service Annual Parochial Church Meeting (AGM) 7th April 11.30am in Church - Everyone welcome - 2023 Annual Report will be available. Churchyard Work Mornings Dates for 2024 - 6th April, 11th May, 1st June, 6th July, 3rd August & 7th September.  From 10.00am to 12 midday. Refreshments provided. There are a number of tasks to choose from. We desperately need more volunteers so If you and/or anyone you know would like to join our friendly team, please contact Ray Tel: 731564 for more details or just turn up. Fundraising.  Judy’s plant stall – 18th May at Queen Elizabeth Cottage BISHOPS LETTER At this time of year, we are beckoned outside after a long, cold and often wet winter. Spring has sprung and all creation calls us to go outside, to tend to our gardens and to admire the new life around us. The benefits to our health from time outside are well known. Growing something from a small seed to a flourishing plant or flower requires care, skill and patience which not only brings us satisfaction but also slows us down. Unlike life in the modern world, nothing in nature is instant or immediate – it will not be rushed. In this Easter Season, our scriptures also draw us outside. On Easter morning, Mary Magdalene finds herself in a garden, outside of Jesus’s tomb, so much so that she mistakes the resurrected Christ for the gardener. There is a vast passage of time between Adam and Eve’s banishment from the Garden of Eden to that moment when, in a garden, Mary realises that it is the risen Christ who calls her by name. Yet now in that garden, Mary and all who throughout the ages proclaim, ‘I have seen the Lord’ are restored to God’s eternal presence. Maybe then there is something in the Easter Season when the resurrected Christ is ‘made known’ to us that can help us as we – as the Church of today – seek to make him known. Firstly, we need to go outside: to be active in our communities, in our schools and in reaching out to all as we show them the love of God; the God who – through Jesus – calls us by name. And secondly, all of this takes time. There can be an understandable anxiety about the often low numbers of people who come to church. Yet let us never forget that it took time for the good news of Jesus Christ to spread through active discipleship – like growth in a garden, nothing of this was immediate or instant – we need to persevere. As the Declaration of Assent made by all who are being ordained or licenced to a new appointment states, our faith is one that the church is called upon to ‘proclaim afresh to each generation.’ I pray that we can do this; go outside, take time to build relationships with all around us, show to all the love, compassion and forgiveness of God and in doing so Make Jesus Known afresh, to all generations. FOODBANK The next collection at the Village Hall will be 13th & 14th April - 9am – 4pm WHITE HORSE LIMING (HELP NEEDED!) Weather permitting, White Horse liming will take place on the morning of Sunday 19 May. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved, with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com . Fuller details will then be provided to all volunteers. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again. Andrew Law DDAY- A MESSAGE FROM CHRIS STUART I am in the fortunate position to be working for the military team organising DDay 80 having done the same for DDay 70 and 75. However there is a far greater cross government influence this time and sadly we have far fewer veterans attending events. The Royal British Legion funded the travel for almost 450 veterans for DDay 75, with even two parachuting into Normandy. This year we are planning on only 50 attending events in France, but there are UK based events for those unable to travel to Normandy. However, I thought it could be interesting to look at Wiltshire’s contribution to DDay almost 80 years ago and it is surprising which military and civilian units/industry were in the area considering we are so far from the coast and France. The nearest military unit to us in Broad Town would have been the Home Guard who were raised to counter any German Airborne invasion. We came under the 9th Battalion Wiltshire Home Guard Battalion, Swindon Division. Across Wiltshire there were 13 Battalions based on a geographical area or large factories like the GWR had their own battalion. In addition to these there was a Mechanised Transport Company in Salisbury and a Rocket Anti-Aircraft Battery based in Swindon all manned by the Home Guard. Broad Town had its own Platoon as did the other surrounding villages of Clyffe Pypard, Bushton, Tockenham, Lyneham all answering to a higher HQ based on H Company in then Wootton Bassett. The Platoon would have consisted of a junior officer and approximately 30 soldiers ranging from 17-65year non enlisted men. Women were admitted after a while and trained with weapons but were kept to clerical and driving duties. The role of the Home Guard was to try to slow down the advance of the enemy even by a few hours to give the regular troops time to regroup. They were also to defend key communication points, logistic stores and factories in rear areas against possible capture by invading paratroopers. Another key role was to maintain control of the civilian population, to “forestall panic and to prevent communication routes from being blocked by refugees to free the regular forces to fight the Germans”. The Home Guard continued to man roadblocks and guard the coastal areas of the United Kingdom and other important places such as airfields, factories and explosives stores until late 1944. For DDay the Home Guard were used to control key north to south arterial road junctions for military vehicles leading to Portsmouth, Southampton and Weymouth to ensure the strict timetables were adhered to. After DDay the likelihood of a German invasion subsided so from Nov 44 the Wiltshire Home Guard was reduced in size until it disbanded in 1945 with a fitting parade. The Officer Commanding H Company in Wootton Bassett was made an MBE for his efforts upon disbandment. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS If you’re reading this before Wednesday, March 27th please remember to come along to our fundraising coffee morning in aid of Prostate Cancer UK, as March is prostate cancer awareness month. There will also be a raffle so please support the event generously! Unfortunately, the Police Community Support Officers who were due to visit us on the 27th, have had to postpone their visit until our first April coffee morning on the 10th, so please come along then with your questions and concerns for the PCSOs. There will also be children’s activities available. Our second April coffee morning will be on Wednesday April 24th, all welcome. Coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village Tidy-Up. It’s the time of year for us to give the village a spring clean. 27th April Meet at the Village Hall 10am for a village tidy and litter pick up. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades/shovels and buckets to weed the pavements. Next PC Meeting - Monday 8th April The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 8th April. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. MADE IN BROAD TOWN Our March meetings saw us continuing with the production of garden cane toppers and bunting together with some painted wood slices and pyrography items, so we are building up a good stock of products to sell at the Bushton Plant Fair in May. In April our meetings will be on Wednesdays the 3rd & 17th. We’d love to see some new faces so please join us from 10-12 noon in the village hall. You don’t need to be creative as everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat. We’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. A wide range of hobbies and crafts take place during the meetings and it’s always interesting to see what people are up to! We ask for a voluntary £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you! We are still looking for donations of any craft materials and plywood, but also any summery/pastel fabric remnants or yarn, we would be very grateful to receive them. Please bring them along to the village hall or if you contact us, we can collect them from you. Thank you! Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.co DATA FROM ACTION FRAUD, THE NATIONAL FRAUD AND CYBERCRIME REPORTING SERVICE 22,530 people reported that their online accounts had been hacked in 2023, with victims losing a total of £1.3 million. How are accounts hacked? On-platform chain hacking This is when a fraudster gains control of an account and begins to impersonate the legitimate owner. The goal is to convince people to reveal authentication codes that are sent to them via text. Many victims of this type of hacking believe it’s a friend messaging them, however the shared code was associated with their own account and the impersonator can now use it to access their account. Usually when an account is taken over, fraudsters monetise control of the account via the promotion of various fraudulent schemes, while impersonating the original account owner. Leaked passwords and phishing The other predominant method of hacking reported is leaked information used from data breaches, such as leaked passwords, or account details gained via phishing scams. This becomes prevalent as people often use the same password for multiple accounts, so a leaked password from one website can leave many of their online accounts vulnerable to hacking. How to secure your accounts ·Use a strong and different password for your email and social media accounts. Your email and social media passwords should be strong and different from all your other passwords. Combining three random words that each mean something to you is a great way to create a password that is easy to remember but hard to crack. · Turn on 2-Step Verification (2SV) for your email and social media accounts. 2-Step Verification (2SV) gives you twice the protection so even if cyber criminals have your password, they can't access your email or social media account. 2SV works by asking for more information to prove your identity. For example, getting a code sent to your phone when you sign in using a new device or change settings such as your password. You won't be asked for this every time you check your email or social media. If you live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and have been a victim of fraud or cybercrime, report it at www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, victims of fraud and cybercrime should report to Police Scotland on 101. If you receive a suspicious email, you can report it by forwarding the email to: report@phishing.gov.uk. Find out how to protect yourself from fraud: Gov.uk/stopthinkfraud WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) The SID counted 21,494 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 860 a day. 11% of vehicles were speeding                                                                                                                                                        Please note that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month.                                                                                                                                       For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:37:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2647 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2644/Broad-Town-Newsletter--March-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2644 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2644&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2644/Broad-Town-Newsletter--March-2024 BROAD TOWN NEWS – MARCH 2024 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish THANK YOU Thanks to everyone who supported the pancake coffee morning and helped to raise £400 to help keep our Church open. Particular thanks to Linda, Helen, Annie and Kathryn. Thank you to everyone who donated to another bumper foodbank collection. The village planters have a new bright mix of spring colours about to bloom thanks to Judy Rendell PRIZE BINGO. Fundraising for Christ Church Friday 29th March, unfortunately CANCELLED   THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 31st March 2024. BISHOP’S LETTER Now the green blade riseth, A century ago, the great journalist and Catholic provocateur G.K.Chesterton wrote a wonderful essay entitled ‘The Priest of Spring’ in which he considered the integration of the Christian seasons with the natural year – and referred to the “armies of the intellect who will fight to the end on whether Easter is to be congratulated on fitting in with the spring or the spring on fitting in with Easter”. It’s a familiar theme, often replayed in the media at this time of year – if (to my mind) a fairly pointless one. For the authenticity of the Christian celebration of Easter does not pivot on its historical priority to pagan or other celebrations of the natural year, but rather on its - far bolder - claim to fulfil them. The Biblical account of resurrection is not that Easter merely recapitulates a universal theme, but that it marks an entirely new creative act, pointing to nature’s ultimate liberation from the cycle of growth and decay. We can believe it or not, but the New Testament appears to claim nothing less, St Paul concluding that: ‘if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation”. The eggs and lambs and green blades that now rise to greet the spring are no less joyous in that light, but – I suggest – even more so, and I pray you will share in their praise. WHITE HORSE LIMING It’s that time of year again when preparations start for weeding and liming the White Horse. I have identified Sunday 19 May as an appropriate date and hope we will have a great turn out as in previous years. Please put the date in your diary and I will provide more details in the April edition of the Broad Town News. For the past few years Bob Clarke and I have worked as a pair with Bob undertaking the paperwork and me the organisation on the day. Bob has decided he wishes to call it a day and we thank him for all of his efforts, especially for keeping things going in 2015 when the previous team of organisers retired. If anyone would like to offer their services, we will include them in all correspondence for the 2024 activity with a view to stepping up to an active role in 2025. Andrew Law andrewlaw456@gmail.com 07841381301 B. T CHURCH Services 3rd March 10.30 am Communion followed by refreshments 24 March 5.00 pm Evening Service 28th March 7.00 pm Maundy Thursday - Communion 31st March 10.30 am Morning Service (Non Communion) Annual Parochial Church Meeting (AGM) 7th April 11.30am in Church - Everyone welcome - 2023 Annual Report will be available. Fundraising.May – Judy Rendell’s plant stall – date to be confirmed. All other planned fundraising events are “on hold” Churchyard Work Mornings. Dates for 2024 - 6th April, 11th May, 1st June, 6th July, 3rd August & 7th September. From 10.00am to 12 midday. Refreshments provided. There are a number of tasks to choose from. We desperately need more volunteers so If you and/or anyone you know would like to join our friendly team, please contact Ray Tel: 731564 for more details or just turn up. MADE IN BROAD TOWN (Crafts & Hobbies Group) New People Welcome! Our February meetings saw an enthusiastic burst of activity resulting in the production of several completed strings of bunting and many garden cane toppers ready for painting and varnishing In March our meetings will be on Wednesdays March 6th & 20th. We’d love to see some new faces so please join us from 10-12 noon in the village hall. You don’t need to be creative as everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat. We’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. A wide range of hobbies and crafts take place during the meetings and it’s always interesting to see what people are up to! We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you! We are still looking for donations of any craft materials and plywood, but also any summery/pastel fabric remnants or yarn, we would be very grateful to receive them. Please bring them along to the village hall or if you contact us, we can collect them from you. Thank you! Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB & EVENTS Friday Night Opening Open Fridays 8pm to 11pm. Reasonably priced drinks and snacks, free pool and darts, and lots of banter at the bar! If you want to come as a group and have a table and chairs set out let us know and we’ll magic the furniture out of the store! Food for Thought Evenings Dates for the next few months are: · Friday 29th March · Friday 26th April · Friday 31st May · Friday 28th June Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm on these dates for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery but take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu and details of how to pre-order to avoid the queues https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon. For dietary requirements contact them directly. They have limited space for stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. Thursday 6th June DDAY 80th Anniversary Beacon Lighting The village will be joining in the national Beacon Lighting initiative on this auspicious occasion. · Social Club open 8pm – 11pm · Beacon Lighting (on the hill) 9.15pm · 1940’s themed dress encouraged (but optional) PARISH COUNCIL Keep up to date at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Flooding and the Parish Steward. Once a month the Parish Steward visits Broad Town to carry out maintenance on the highways and verges. These include digging out blocked drainage gullies and re-cutting the drainage ‘grips’ which allow water to run off the road into a ditch. On his visit in February he reported some grips were ineffective due to the surface level in the adjacent ditch being above the level of the road. Please can landowners who own land bordering the road ensure that any drainage ditches (for which they are responsible) are re-dug each year to help reduce flooding. See the website for more information on the Parish Steward and Landowner Responsibilities. Wiltshire Best Kept Village Competition We are considering entering the Wiltshire Best Kept Village Competition this year. If you would like to help to prepare the entry (not a large task) and/or to join the village team(s) that will present our village in the best possible way for judging, which takes place from mid-May to mid-June, please contact the Clerk at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Community Governance Review Consultation A Community Governance Review is a process to provide opportunity to review and make changes to governance arrangements for town and parish councils and parish areas. This is to ensure that they continue to be reflective of the identity and interest of local communities, and that they are as efficient and effective in their governance as can be. This review includes a proposal for the transfer of the land containing 103 Broad Town from the parish of Clyffe Pypard to Broad Town. The draft recommendation document and online survey can be found at: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/council-democracy-cgr Fire Service Consultation on Community Safety Plan A 12-week consultation has been launched for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Authority’s proposed new Community Safety Plan. A copy of the draft plan, a summary video and details on how to give your views – including an online form – can be found at www.dwfire.org.uk/draft-csp-2024-28-consultation Next PC Meeting - Monday 11th March The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 11th March. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our Valentine’s Day coffee morning on February 14th proved to be very popular and everyone enjoyed the fantastic spread of cakes on offer which included Valentine’s themed cupcakes and jam tarts. Our younger visitors also made good use of the craft table! Although we haven’t yet had a fundraising coffee morning this year, your refreshment donations over the last few months have meant that we have been able to donate another £400 to charity, and we would like to thank you all for your generosity in enabling us to do this. Taking a slightly different approach this time, four of the coffee morning committee members each chose a charity to receive a £100 donation. The chosen charities were: Brighter Futures is the charity for Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, providing that extra special level of care to make a real difference to patients, their families, and staff. Julia's House children's hospice supports the families of seriously ill children in Dorset and Wiltshire. Prospect Hospice provides the only dedicated end-of-life care service for people living across north-east Wiltshire and Swindon. Wiltshire Sight offers a wide range of services across Wiltshire and Swindon, including advice, guidance, training, and social opportunities for people with sight loss. The coffee mornings in March will take place on Wednesdays March 13th & 27th. During our Easter coffee morning on the 27th, the Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) will be in attendance so please come along with your concerns and questions, and there will also be a raffle in aid of prostate cancer as March is prostate cancer awareness month. Coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the Broad Acres monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) The SID counted 23,328 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 753 a day. 23% of vehicles were speeding. BUSHTON MANOR PLANT FAIR AND OPEN GARDEN SN4 7PX Bank Holiday Monday May 6th 11-3pm. Although we had parking issues, the Plant Fair last year was very successful with over 1000 visitors – we hope to be able to use the parking on site in 2024! The 18th Century Manor House has delightful gardens and this Plant Fair is the only time they are open to the public. About 30 Stalls with Plants, Crafts, Food and other garden related items are scattered throughout the courtyard and lawns. Purchases can be left at the Plant Crèche so that you don't need to carry them around with you. And you can relax on the lawns enjoying home made refreshments or a Bacon Butty from the BBQ. Games and a Treasure Hunt can keep young people occupied. Entrance is £3*. No charge for children or car parking. Dogs on leads are welcome. Money raised will go to the St Peter's Church Roof Fund, a Grade 1 listed building in Clyffe Pypard. Contact Barbara Davis 0796 223 6678 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 3rd March Communion followed by refreshments 10.30 am 11th March Parish Council meeting 6:30pm 13th March Community Coffee Morning 10-12 noon 24th March Evening Service 5pm. 28th March Maundy Thursday - Communion 7.00 pm 27th March Community Coffee Morning Police Community Support 10-12 noon 29th March Food for thought Fish & chips 30th March Easter Hop Village Hall 8pm to 11pm 31st March Morning Service (Non Communion) 10.30 am 6th April Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday 7th April Communion 10.30am followed by the Annual Parochial Church Meeting (AGM) Church 11.30am 26th April Food for thought Fish & chips 6th May Bushton Plant Fair 11am to 3pm 11th May Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday 31st May Food for thought Fish & chips 1st June Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday 6th June D-day Beacon lighting Village hall from 8pm Beacon lighting 9.15pm 28th June Food for thought Fish & chips 6th July Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday 3rd August Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday 7th September Churchyard work morning 10.00am to 12 midday   Please note that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 BroadTownNewsEditorAccount Sun, 25 Feb 2024 12:14:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2644 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2641/Broad-Town-Newsletter--February-2024#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2641 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2641&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2641/Broad-Town-Newsletter--February-2024 BROAD TOWN NEWS – FEBRUARY 2024 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish CHURCH ITEMS Services 4th February       10.30am               Communion followed by refreshments  25th February     5pm                       Evening Service Christmas 2023 Thanks to the Parish Council and Jason, Vincenza Bayliffe and family for donating Christmas Trees for the Church and Churchyard. Thanks also to Andrew, Chris, Clive, Rosie, Annette, Helen, and Christine who helped to decorate the shelter and Christmas trees (and dismantled them in January). The Village Carol Service was well attended and enjoyed by all who came. Half of the collection (£130) was donated to Broad Town's chosen Christmas Charity - Cancer Research UK.  Church Work Morning. We had a post-Christmas/Early Spring Clean of the Church: - Windows cleaned, floor washed, chairs polished, brass cleaned etc. etc.  Thanks to all who helped. Church Fundraising February               Pancake Coffee Morning next Saturday March                    Prize Bingo - Courtesy of Trevor and Social Club April                       Art Exhibition in Church - 11th/12th/13th - Further details to follow.  May                        Judy's plant stall - Date to follow.  Broad town church pancake coffee morning Saturday February 3rd 10 - 12 noon in the village hall Raffle, Pancakes, cake by the slice to eat in or take away, Coffee, tea, cold drinks, Children’s crafts, Terri’s hand-painted glass. All proceeds to help keep your church open - please come along and support us!   FEBRUARY LETTER FROM BISHOP STEPHEN It won’t have escaped many of us that this year, Ash Wednesday falls on Valentine’s Day. This may feel like an uncomfortable union. Whilst we know that Valentine’s Day is Saint Valentine’s Day, the commercial reality of this occasion means that it has become a day of heart-shaped balloons and chocolates, red roses and looking your best for that romantic meal for two. This doesn’t sit easily with the sombre, penitential tone of Ash Wednesday when flowers are removed from our churches, and we are brought face to face with our imperfections; our daily ability to turn from God. As a gritty cross of ash is marked on our forehead we are told: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.  Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. This stark, deeply humbling, yet powerful moment sets the tone for the season of Lent when we are called to step into the wilderness with Christ and therefore into a time of prayer, self-reflection, repentance and selfdenial. Yet, nothing about Ash Wednesday or Lent is about dwelling in selfloathing or indeed an unforgiveness of ourselves for the times when we have turned from God. On the contrary, it is a time when we are re-directed and re-centred on our absolute need for God – for God’s forgiveness, for God’s grace, for God’s saving love made known to us through Jesus. Maybe then Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday are not poles apart after all. For it is in the wilderness of Lent, and indeed in the events of Holy Week that follow, that we see face to face the depths of God’s love. A love that isn’t expressed in fine dining or red roses, but the bread and wine of the Last Supper, the blood of Christ shed on the cross and the joy of the open tomb on Easter morning. Bishop Stephen   FOODBANK The next Village collection will be on Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th February from 9am to 4pm at the Hall.  The RWB satellite centre have been extremely busy, so please be as generous as you can.    COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our coffee morning on the 13th of December raised £171 for Cancer Research UK, the village’s chosen Christmas charity.  A big thank you to everyone who came along to support this event which made a great end to the year.   The 2024 coffee mornings got off to a good start with many people coming along to enjoy the homemade cakes and drinks on January 10th and 24th The coffee mornings in February will take place on Wednesdays February 14th & 28th, so please do join us. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, so come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB EVENTS Happy 2024 one and all from the Social Club. It’s been a busy Christmas and New Year and we’ve just about recovered! Broad Town 2023 Christmas Charity Fundraiser. Thanks to all who supported this in aid of Cancer Research UK. The total raised was a massive £441.97 with contributions from the following organisations: Community Coffee Morning Raffle £170 Christ Church Carol Service £130 Social Club Community Carols £81.57 Carol Singers around the village £44.40 Made in Broad Town additional donation £15.00. It is amazing how much Broad Town raises for charity whilst having fun. BROAD TOWN - YOU ROCK!!!! New Year’s Eve Party What can we say? 72 villagers rocked the night away to the sounds of the Dog House Band. A great time was had by all. Thanks to everyone who donated prizes and congratulations to the lucky winners. The Committee would like to note special thanks to Tina Hillier, Keith Wiffin, Paul Granger, Andy Blackburn, and Melissa & Ian Fisher for helping to set up and clean up. Friday Night Opening We are open every Friday night from 8pm to 11pm and offer reasonably priced drinks and snacks, along with free pool and darts, and any amount of banter at the bar! If you want to come along as a group or a family and would like to have a table and chairs set out just let us know and we’ll magic the furniture out of the store!!   Food for Thought Evenings (Fish & Chips), Dates for the first quarter of 2024 are: Friday 26th January, Friday 23rd February, When Food for Thought are on site the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook along with details of how to pre-order to avoid the queues. (https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon).  For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. Future Events We are currently drafting up the programme of events for 2024. By popular demand we will have a return of The Gin Bar (for one night only!) and another Games or Quiz night. If you have any suggestions for events (particularly if you would like to lead or help organise one) we would love to hear from you. All ideas welcome via Anne on 07916 701844. Not yet a member of the Social Club?  Read on to see why you should join and how. FOURWAYS COMMUNITY PUB (THE SOCIAL CLUB) MEMBERSHIP 2024 A reminder to all that January is the time to renew your membership and to invite new members to join. Why become a member? The Social Club is licensed as a members’ club and therefore we have to have members to keep going! The Social Club is a not-for-profit Community Pub, run entirely by volunteers and we maintain the bar facility for Village Hall bookings such as private parties, wakes etc.  What do we offer? Open every Friday evening from 8pm – 11pm. Free darts and pool. Convivial company. Free or subsidised events (Games Nights, Quiz Nights, Screening of Sports Events, New Year’s Eve Party). Support for members wishing to run charity events. Early opening when the Fish & Chip van is on site. Reasonably priced drinks, with pints, shorts, and wine @ £3 each.  A range of snacks and chocolate. What does it cost? Membership costs just £3 for the year but if you renew or join in January the cost is a princely £2. Families with children are welcome providing the accompanying adult is a club member. U18s must be accompanied by an adult. Assistance dogs also welcome. Come along on any Friday night to renew or join. New members, simply introduce yourself to Trevor (behind the bar) and he will sign you up and introduce you to other members. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE - Email: btpcclerk@outlook.com Budget & Precept for 2024/25 Despite increases in both the Clerk’s salary (dictated by the Local Government Association pay agreement) and the cost of grass-cutting for the playing fields, the Parish Council has decided to limit the precept increase to 0.92% with any additional amounts paid for out of the existing reserves. This means that the annual budget will be set at £10,146 and the annual amount requested from a household in tax band D in the village will increase slightly to £36.87 from last year’s £36.53. The Parish Council precept forms a small part of the overall annual Council tax requirement which will be communicated by Wiltshire Council direct to householders. Grants available for Community Groups Remember that grants are available for Community Groups to help with any funding needs – each application is assessed by an independent advisory board prior to being submitted to the Parish Council who administers the funding from the Bluefield solar farm (previously Good Energy). Details are available on the website www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 12th February. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. Keep your dogs on a lead around livestock Wiltshire Police Community Speed Watch. The Parish Council has received the results from the metrocount which showed 85 percentile speeds of 38mph in the 30 limit by Redhills. This therefore qualifies for the setting up of a Community Speedwatch team in Broad Town. If you are concerned about speeding in the village and would like to do something about it please contact Chris Woodhouse on 07790 815616 or woodhousecj@gmail.com for further details. Next PC Me would like to remind people who may be out and about enjoying the wonderful Wiltshire countryside with dogs that it is a sensible precaution to keep them on a lead when livestock are nearby. Click this link for more details: https://www.wiltsmessaging.co.uk/Alerts/A/133415 Find out more about livestock worrying and how to report it on the Wiltshire Police website: Livestock Worrying If you see a dog worrying or attacking livestock please call 999 or report online at https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/ro/report/rwc/rural/report-rural-crime/ or call 101 after an occurrence. WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH   The SID has been located at the School monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 14,828 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 618 a day. 18% of vehicles were speeding. COMMUNITY SPEED WATCH SCHEME – YOUR VILLAGE NEEDS YOU! In November 2023 the Parish Council organised a check of vehicles passing through the village over a six-day period. Over 12,000 vehicles were recorded and of these 65% (over 7,800) were travelling in excess of the posted 30mph limit. To try and reduce this figure it has been suggested that the village instigates a community speed watch scheme. Are you interested in helping to keep our village roads safe? Are you interested in meeting up occasionally with like-minded villagers? Do you have a few hours to spare periodically throughout the year? If the answer is Yes, then read on. Broad Town has successfully made it through the first stages to become involved in a Community Speed Watch Scheme. This involves volunteers from the village using police issue equipment to ascertain speeding vehicles through the village. Full training is conducted by Wiltshire Police and all volunteers would be authorised to use this equipment. Vehicle speeds will be monitored by volunteers periodically throughout the year. This may be every two - three months. This would involve a rota of volunteers to be out at the roadside at designated times and locations to monitor traffic. Speeding vehicles/drivers are identified and details forwarded to Wiltshire Police. Likely commitment will be 1 - 2 hours at the roadside a few times a year.  This cannot be done through the electronic SID because it does not identify individual vehicles. Details of how those speeding are followed up and the success of the Community Speed Watch Scheme nationwide can be found at www.communityspeedwatch.org. If you wish to become involved or require any further information contact:   Chris Woodhouse 07790 815616 or woodhousecj@gmail.com MADE IN BROAD TOWN CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Our first ever stall at the Church Christmas Coffee Morning on December 2nd proved to be extremely successful.  Sales of Christmas cards, crafts, gifts, preserves, home baked goods and decorations raised the amazing total of £587.80 which we have donated to the village church.  We also raised just over £40 from sales after the coffee morning.  Thank you to everyone who came along to support both us and the church, and to all our crafty people, we all enjoyed making products to sell and we learnt a lot along the way!   We were also able to contribute to the total raised at the Wednesday Community Christmas Coffee Morning which was given to Cancer Research UK, and we had a stall at the Broad Town School Christmas Fair on December 15th.  Here we raised £51.50 which has been donated directly to the school.  Some of the money raised from nest box sales has also been donated to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.  It’s fantastic to have been able to support so many good causes in our first year. Our next sale will be at the Bushton Plant Fair on Monday May 6th, so please look out for further details. If you are reading this before the end of January, please come along to our extra ‘bunting making’ session on Wednesday January 31st from 10am-12 noon. The meetings in February will be on Wednesdays February 7th & 21st, please join us from 10-12 noon in the village hall. You don’t need to be creative as everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat.  You are very welcome to do your own crafts/hobbies – there is no obligation to make items for the sale.  A wide range of hobbies and crafts takes place during the meetings and it’s always interesting to see what people are up to! We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs.  If you have any questions, please email us, we would love to hear from you! We are still looking for donations of any craft materials and plywood, but also any summery/pastel fabric remnants that could be made into e.g. bunting, including unwanted men’s shirts, and floral dresses etc - we would be very grateful to receive them.   Please bring them along to the village hall or if you contact us, we can collect them from you. Thank you! Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com; Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com BURGLARY PREVENTION ADVICE FROM WILTSHIRE POLICE Burglary is an operational priority here in Wiltshire as outlined by Chief Constable Catherine Roper at the start of the year. In 2022, following a review by the College of Policing, the National Police Chief’s Council requested all forces attend all home burglaries. We joined the national pledge to commit to this – in October, our most recent figures show we attended 96.1 per cent of all residential burglaries and 100 per cent of all reports of distraction burglaries. Since April, there have been 327 residential burglaries – a 15 per cent decrease on the same time period last year. Back in July, we established our Burglary Team to help target prolific offenders, investigate series offences and out of force offenders who travel to Wiltshire to commit crime, and subsequently support us in achieving our pledge. Det Insp Darren Ambrose, of the Burglary Team, said: “Burglary is one of the most impactive crimes that a member of the public can suffer. Your home is the place you should feel most safe and secure and somebody breaking in can change the life of a victim and their family forever. That is why burglary is a priority for the Force and why we are taking steps to improve our approach to dealing with residential burglary. “The newly established Burglary Team are able to support local neighbourhood officers investigating burglary to help reduce the number of burglaries and provide the victims of burglary with the best possible service.” As part of our campaign, we will be raising awareness of important crime prevention advice to help you reduce your risk of falling victim to this type of crime. Here’s our crime prevention advice checklist: Lock your doors and windows every time you leave the house, even when just in the garden. And make sure you have approved locks or bolts to all doors and windows. Never leave a spare key in a hiding place like in a plant pot or letter box - a thief knows all the hiding places. Register all serial numbers from electrical items, tools and garden equipment with Immobilise.com, the free national property register. Mark items without serial numbers with an artificial DNA property marker such as Smartwater or SelectaDNA. Use a timer to set lights to mimic your usual activity when you are not at home. Do not open the door to anyone you don't know or are not expecting.  Always check by using a spy-hole or look through a window. Don't trust an ID card. Trim back any plants and hedges at the front of your property to no higher than one meter to remove hiding places. Always report any suspicious activity, note any vehicle registrations, descriptions of persons involved and direction of travel. Consider installing a monitored burglar alarm, and only use a company that is registered or certified with the NSI or the SSIAB. Take photographs of all jewellery including hallmarks and keep them safe. Make sure that you have up to date contents insurance. Keep all keys, purses and wallets out of sight and away from the letterbox. Throughout the month, you can follow our advice on social media under the hashtag #BeatTheBurglar. FOODBANK NEWS… Please remember our village hall foodbank collection will be on February 10th & 11th.  As you can see below, your generous donations have made a real difference to those in need. Dear Supporters, We would like to say a massive "THANK YOU" for supporting us in 2023 through food donations and financial donations. The generosity and thoughtfulness of everyone who supports us is much appreciated and very welcome at what continues to be a tough time for so many people in crisis and will help us continue to help those who are most in need in our local community. In 2023, we helped almost 11,000 people and distributed over 119 tonnes of food. The level of donations in 2023 was just over 98 tonnes, which doesn't quite match the amount of food needed, so we are spending some of our funds, for the first time ever, buying food and products to fill our food boxes, to meet the increased demand, so your support has been more welcome than ever. Your support allows us to deliver food boxes to our 12 Distribution Centres, collect donations from companies and supermarkets, purchase food that we may be in short supply of, fuel our vans, pay our five part time staff and has enabled us to open another new food distribution centre in Wroughton, to support and meet the need in that area. Please remember, if you know of anyone who is facing hardship, whether they are working or not, direct them to our website:  https://www.swindonfoodcollective.org/get-food/ Your fantastic support enables us to continue helping those who, in times of crisis in their lives, need support to feed themselves and/or their families. Once again, thank you so much. Wishing you and yours a very happy and healthy 2024. Best wishes, The Trustees, Staff and Volunteers of Swindon Food Collective   POLICE & CRIME COMMISSIONER PHILIP WILKINSON’S FEBRUARY PARISH COLUMN: Delivering a police service which meets the needs of its communities has never been more important – or challenging. I know residents want greater public engagement with officers, more public access to officers and an increased officer presence at community level. Wiltshire Police is addressing this with the introduction of a new operating model with neighbourhood teams providing visible, neighbourhood-focused, policing and delivering a recent improvement programme to provide a better-quality service 999 and 101 callers. My commitment has been to invest in mobile police stations so our rural communities receive the same level of service, improve Melksham Custody so it is fit-for-purpose and the future, invest in training facilities to provide an exemplary environment to equip our police officers to keep you safe and to challenge the force to consistently provide a quality service to residents – regardless of location. All of this is underpinned by the importance of investment in police ‘estate’ to support the delivery of a policing service I know our residents want - and deserve. My newly launched Estates Strategy sets out this vision. I believe Wiltshire Police will be better equipped to provide the policing service our communities want if they have the infrastructure which supports them to respond more effectively and efficiently. The strategy ensures we have well-placed police stations and hubs providing a base for our staff to work smarter, adapt to changing crime and, more importantly, ensuring that not only will communities be safer but they will start to feel safer too. You can read the full strategy on my website: https://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk/ FEBRUARY AT A GLANCE…  Friday January 26th – Food for Thought Fish and Chips Wednesday January 31st – Made in Broad Town Bunting Making Saturday February 3rd – Church Pancake Coffee Morning Sunday 4th – Church Communion Service 10.30am Wednesday 7th – Made in Broad Town Saturday 10th & Sunday 11th - Foodbank Collection Monday 12th – Parish Council Meeting Wednesday 14th – Community Coffee Morning Wednesday 21st - Made in Broad Town Friday 23rd - Food for Thought Fish and Chips Sunday 25th – Evensong 5pm Wednesday 28th - Community Coffee Morning   Please note that all copy to be included in the next edition should be emailed to:  BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Mon, 29 Jan 2024 14:02:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2641 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2637/Broad-Town-Newsletter--Dec-23-Jan-24#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2637 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2637&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2637/Broad-Town-Newsletter--Dec-23-Jan-24 BROAD TOWN NEWS – DECEMBER 2023 / JANUARY 2024 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE - Email: btpcclerk@outlook.com Floding Wiltshire Council is requesting that evidence of the recent flooding events and impact on our community be shared. This information is crucial in gaining priority and may support future funding applications from DEFRA. The Details required are : • Property address • Dates and times • Photographs and video • Maps showing when and where flooding occurred • If pumping was required to protect properties • If sewage services and or septic tanks were affected Wiltshire Council will not share any data with outside agencies other than the Environment Agency. Please send any of the above information to the Clerk to collate and pass onto Wiltshire council. Wilts are also keen to have an Emergency Contact for the village – please see the details about the role on the website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/news/local-flood-emergency-contact-required/  Contact the Clerk if interested. Leaves in the Road Take care when blowing leaves etc onto the road since this can block drains leading to flooding issues. Better to dispose of the leaves rather than transfer the problem to someone else. Also a number of culverts have been found to be blocked by children’s toys such as Frisbees – please be vigilant. Bobbyvan A reminder to all about the free service the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust provides to all those who are over 60 or 18+ with a registered disability living in Wiltshire. Since 1998, the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust (WBVT) has worked in partnership with Wiltshire Police to provide a free home security service for elderly and vulnerable people throughout Wiltshire. The charity funds the operation of three Bobby Vans that provide mobile workshops for Bobby Operators. For more details please see the flyer on the website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/news/wiltshire-bobby-van-trust/ RoSPA report on Redhills Play Area RoSPA have carried out their annual inspection of the play area at Redhills and no significant problems were found. The report can be viewed at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/yourcommunity/redhills-playing-fields-and-play-area/ Next PC Meetings - Monday 11th December and Monday 8th January The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 11th December and 8th January when we will be agreeing the budget and setting the precept for the forthcoming year. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year What our S.I.D. saw last month. The SID has been located at Marlborough House monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 19,869 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 710 a day. 7% of vehicles were speeding.   BROAD TOWN CHURCH Services for December 3rd Advent Carols & Readings 5.00 pm 13th Carol Service* 7.00 pm 17th Communion 10.30 am 24th Communion 10.30 am January Services to be confirmed. *Church Carol Service – Wednesday 13th December – 7.00 pm. Followed by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies. Church Audio System:- We now have a new Audio & Loop system in the Church. This has been made possible thanks to the generosity of ‘Friends of Broad Town Church’ who regularly contribute for specific projects that we could not otherwise afford. Beetle Drive Very many thanks to Andrew & Rosie for organizing this fantastic fundraiser for the Church; a great fun evening was had by all. The amount raised was an incredible £658.20   FOODBANK The next collection will be 9th & 10th December at the Village Hall - 9am to 4pm. Please be as generous as you can for this Christmas Collection.   SHELTER Don’t forget to post your Christmas greetings to your Broad Town Friends and Neighbours on the banner from Monday 4th December.   PROSPECT HOSPICE The recent Village box collection raised £234.05. Thank you for your continued support.   BROAD TOWN SCHOOL The BTSA is holding a Festive Craft Afternoon/Shop on Friday 15th December. All are very welcome, 3:15-5pm. Join us at the village hall for some Christmas crafting, shop for some lovely yet inexpensive Christmas presents. Teas, coffees, mince pies and a baked goods competition all to get you in the festive mood. We look forward to hosting this festive event and hope the community can come along!   CAROL SINGING Carol Singing around the Village - Friday 22nd December - Meet at Village Hall at 5pm. Bring a torch and wear something warm. Will finish back at Hall for Fish & Chips (Food for Thought), Mulled Wine and Community Carols. If you know of someone who cannot make it to the Village Hall then we may be able to arrange the singers to go to them; please call Rosie. Further Details: Contact Rosie Law - Tel 731472   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Our December coffee morning will be on Wednesday December 13th which will be a fundraising morning in aid of Cancer Research UK. There will be a raffle and plenty of cakes so please come along to enjoy our final coffee morning of 2023! Any ‘Made in Broad Town’ craft and produce items not sold at the Church Coffee Morning on the 2nd, will also be available to purchase. The community coffee mornings are always on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month, so our first coffee morning of the new year will be on January 10th, followed by one on the 24th so please join us from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate.   BROADTOWN SOCIAL CLUB EVENTS & NEWS Friday 22nd December - Community Carol Singing. Get into the festive spirit with mulled wine, mince pies and a good old sing song. Food for Thought on site for takeaways/eat in. The chosen charity for this year is Cancer Research UK and we are hoping to raise a bumper amount thanks to the Community Coffee Morning donating the proceeds of their Christmas Raffle and the Church donating half the collection from the Carol Service on Wednesday 13th December. Sunday 31st December – New Year’s Eve party ❖ Dance the night away with live music from the Dog House Band (guaranteed to fill the floor) ❖ Bring in the New Year with Big Ben on the big screen ❖ Bring your own table food! ❖ Tickets £10/adult, £5/U16 to include entertainment, a free standard drink and automatic entry into a free prize draw to be made on the night. We won’t mug you to buy raffle tickets! ❖ See poster for details but get in quick as the tickets are selling fast! Tickets available at the Social Club on Friday evenings or from Anne by email to annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com or text 07916701844.   BISHOP ANDREW’S DECEMBER LETTER Thanks for all your hard work as always. Forward to Adventure! In my former parish, there were various experiments we made to make the most of the unique atmosphere of preparation and excitement accompanying Advent. Shortest-lived was what we called the Nativity Crawl, which involved the familiar festive cast dressed in costume and released in stages onto the high street, to work their way along the five pubs situated there, finding ‘no room at the inn’ until culminating (with carols and swaddled doll) in carols at the last pub en route. It was fun but didn’t quite catch light. More successful was what we called The Adventure, whereby each evening in Advent, a small space around the benefice – someone’s garage, or a school porch – would open for just one hour to give a glimpse of something festive and hope-filled. Different households or groups would take responsibility for one night each, so the load was spread: some would simply sing carols and serve mulled wine, others were more adventurous and creative, but all were exciting steps along the way to Christmas Eve, which took place in the lychgate of one of the churches. I recall this project (which wasn’t my idea, by the way) fondly, because it began to change the rumour about church in the community and brought alive a season that still kindles spiritual yearnings among so many. My seventeen-year-old daughter told me this week that ‘getting ready for the party is better even than the party itself’. In Advent, I’m inclined to agree. God bless.   SWINDON FOOD COLLECTIVE Thank you to broad town community who participated in harvest 2023 you donated 185.7 kgs. This will help us greatly, as we continue helping people in Swindon and surrounding areas who are in food crisis. Thank you all for your kindness and generosity.   SWINDON & DISTRICT SCOUTS XMAS POST 2023 For Christmas Cards Only Special Stamps 35p for 2023 available in Royal Wootton Bassett from: - Sainsbury’s, Borough Fields, Church Croft, St Barts, High St (10am-Noon Mon-Sat), Radways the Cobblers, The Arcade, High Street, Rootz, Hairdressers, Woodshaw. Items must be posted in the Special Green Post Boxes at the above locationsSwindon Scouts Post Delivery Area Ashbury, Badbury, Bassett Down, Bishopstone, Blunsdon, Broad Hinton, Broad Town, Bourton, Bushton, Castle Eaton, Chiseldon, Clyffe Pypard, Coleshill, Cricklade, Greatfield, Greenhill, Hampton, Hannington, Highworth, Hodson, Hook, Inglesham, Latton, Liddington, Lydiard Millicent, Purton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, Salthrop, Sevenhampton, Shrivenham, South Marston, Stanton Fitzwarren, Tockenham, Wanborough, Watchfield, Wroughton, NO DELIVERIES TO LYNEHAM, BRADENSTOKE, BRINKWORTH Don’t forget to use special green scout post boxes (see above). DO NOT use the special scout Christmas stamps on cards posted in Royal Mail Post Boxes or the recipient will have to pay a surcharge. Last time for posting 4pm on Tuesday 12th December. INFORMATION FOR BROAD TOWN stamps will be available for sale at the Community coffee morning on Saturday 2nd December 10am to 12.30pm when items for posting will also be accepted.   The deadline for items for the newsletter should be sent to: - BroadTownNews@gmail.com by the 22nd of EVERY month. For any queries, please contact Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:34:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2637 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2634/Broad-Town-Newsletter--November-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2634 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2634&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2634/Broad-Town-Newsletter--November-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – NOVEMBER 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHURCH Services for November: 5th Communion 10.30am (followed by refreshments) 12th Remembrance Service 10.50am 26th Patronal Festival 10.30 am (followed by refreshments) The Church Carol Service will be held Wednesday 13th December 7pm. Followed by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies. Work Morning - Thank you to everyone for their support in October and throughout the year. Janet Wain RIP 17 June 1950 – 11 October 2023 It is with great sadness, that we report the recent death of a long-standing Broad Town Villager – Janet Wain. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers are with Robin, Ben, Julian, Oscar and all the family at this sad time. At the time of print the funeral arrangements were still to be finalised. Harvest Festival and Foodbank Harvest was celebrated well in Broad Town with Church Harvest Festival, Food Bank Collection, School Harvest service and a very successful Harvest Supper which raised a magnificent £604 to help keep your Church open. Thanks to everyone who supported these events. Next Foodbank Collection will be 9th & 10th December. Future fundraising events • Friday 24th November – Beetle Drive. Saturday 2nd December – Christmas Craft Coffee Morning. 2024 February – Pancake Coffee Morning, March - Bingo Night courtesy of Trevor, April - Art Exhibition in Church, May - Judy’s Plant Stall, June - Open Gardens and Cream Teas.   BROAD TOWN FOOTPATH GROUP The Footpath Group met again on Saturday 30th September with the task of installing two kissing gates on footpath BTOW32 south of Little Town Farm. This activity is part of a plan to create a walk around Broad Town which can be followed without having to negotiate any stiles. Funding for the two gates had been provided by the Good Energy Fund, via the Parish Council, to whom we are most grateful. A good turnout meant that the team made light work of the task and had the two gates installed in less than three hours. A perfect end to the morning was provided by Tracy Holland, Annette Moore and Sue Morse who delivered excellent bacon rolls, lemon drizzle cake and coffee to the hungry workers. Anybody wishing to see the authoritative map of public rights of way can find it on the Wiltshire Council website at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/recreation-rights-of-way . a new gate which hopefully will have been installed during the Group workday on Saturday 14th Oct. This concludes the Group’s activities for 2023 but new dates will be issued for 2024. If anyone is interested in joining in with this worthwhile activity, would they please contact Malcolm Holland at: malcolmholland567@gmail.com LOCAL VEHICLE THEFT We are issuing a reminder for people to keep their vehicles secure following a series of thefts from unlocked cars in the rural areas around Swindon. In the last few days, we have received a number of reports of cars being targeted and items stolen after they were left unlocked. PC Matthew Price said: “All the reports that have come in have resulted from vehicles that were left unsecure. In particular, it has been the villages around Swindon which have been targeted, such as Wroughton, Broad Hinton and Winterbourne Bassett.” “I’d like to remind everyone that even if you don’t live in an urban area like Swindon, it is still important to protect yourself and keep your vehicles and belongings secure. It may sound obvious but please remember to lock your vehicles when you leave them, even for a second, and never leave any valuables or presents on display in your vehicles.” “You should also avoid leaving your car open and unattended, even briefly and on your own driveway.” Other steps to keep your vehicle secure include: - Park in a garage if you have one, and when out and about, aim to park in a well-lit and open area - Invest in a steering wheel lock - Beware of keyless thieves who will attempt to steal vehicles using “relay theft” where thieves use digital devices to pick up your car key fob's signal and 'relay' it to the car, which then opens. For more information on keeping your vehicle secure, visit Preventing car and vehicle theft | Crime Prevention | Wiltshire Police WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB), The SID counted 32,019 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 915 a day. 14% of vehicles were speeding. Actions arising from our SID are: 1. A Police enforcement check took place 10th August. The Parish Council are also in discussion with the Police and Crime Commissioner initiative to use SID intel to resource enforcement checks. 2. If you want to improve the safety and quality of life for everyone in Broad Town, please give Chris Woodhouse a call on 07790815616. If we get enough volunteers, we’ll set up Community Speed watch to work alongside the various enforcement initiatives. GET KIDS READING! Are you struggling to know what to buy children in your family this Xmas? If so, why not give them a quality book or magazine subscription? The Book Trust Website: https://www.booktrust.org.uk/ has a book finder which takes you to the very best of children's books and by simply clicking on an age range you can browse themes and recommendations. Alternatively, how about a subscription to an educational magazine? • Okido (3-7yrs) - Arts and Science: www.okido.com • Whiz, Pop, Bang (6-12yrs) - Science: www.whizzpopbang.com (6-12) • The Phoenix (7-14yrs)- Comics- Art, Reading and Writing: www.thephoenixcomic.co.uk- A weekly magazine that’s packed with incredible comics, drawing guides, and plenty more that inspires kids to get reading, writing, and drawing! • Aquila (7-14yrs) Arts and Science: www.aquila.co.uk – Aquilla has been publishing for 30 years! • The National Geographic Little Kids (3-6yrs)- Geography: www.magazine.co.uk/magazines/national-geographic-little-kids-magazine From Broad Town School Reading Advocate. MADE IN BROAD TOWN CRAFT & HOBBIES GROUP Our ‘Made in Broad Town’ mornings are continuing to be popular, and it’s been lovely to see some new faces recently. A wide range of hobbies and crafts takes place during the meetings and it’s always interesting to see what people are up to! However, you don’t need to be creative as everyone is welcome to come along for refreshments and a chat, we’re a very friendly bunch, and if you do feel creative there are always activities available for you to try. We ask for a £2 donation please, to help cover hall hire and refreshment costs. There will be three meetings in November as we will be taking advantage of the 5th Wednesday (as well as the 1st and 3rd), to prepare and price items we have made in readiness for the sale at the Church Christmas Coffee Morning on December 2nd. We are still looking for donations of any craft materials and plywood. Please bring them along to the village hall or if you contact us, we can collect them from you. Thank you! So, the dates for November are Wednesdays the 1st, 15th and 29th. Please join us from 10-12 noon in the village hall. Linda and Helen Email: Linda Boyden lindaboyden12@gmail.com & Helen Greer hjgreer1@gmail.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNING It was great to see so many people coming along to our Macmillan coffee morning on September 27th. It was a very busy morning and the total sent to Macmillan was £150, so a big thank you for your generosity! A letter of thanks has been received from the charity to express their appreciation. On October 25th we held our Wiltshire Air Ambulance fundraising coffee morning. This proved to be a very successful and enjoyable morning with £150 being raised from refreshment donations and a raffle. We were also lucky enough to have a visit from Marsha the Mascot, and her visit was not only enjoyed by the children at the coffee morning, but also the adults! A special thank you to Lauren, Margaret & Jim who manned the Air Ambulance sales table, where an additional £150 was taken, and to Marsha the Mascot for making our coffee morning a very memorable one! Thank you to everyone who supported our coffee morning, and also to all the children who came along to meet Marsha and who busily coloured in pictures of the Air Ambulance helicopter, response car, and mascots! Our November coffee mornings will be on Wednesdays the 8th and 22nd, so please come along to enjoy delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, coffee, tea and hot chocolate. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE - Email: btpcclerk@outlook.com An updated version of the Community Information Leaflet has been placed on the website at Community Information – Broad Town Parish Council together with a printable version. Please can you take a look and let the Clerk know of any changes or additions. The Parish Council is looking for a location to site a secure storage facility which could be used to house equipment and any emergency weather kit such as gel sacks, road signs etc. The recent flooding events have reinforced the need for such a facility and if you know of any suitable locations, please let the Clerk know. Next PC Meeting - Monday 13th November The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on Monday 13th November. All are welcome to attend these meetings and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. ROAD CLOSURE 26th – 30th October The C415 by Goldborough will be closed for a period of up to 4 days from 26 October. The diversion is via Bushton/Clyffe Pypard and Highden Lane to Broad Hinton (and vice-versa). Further details are available at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/highways-road-closures. BROADTOWN SOCIAL CLUB EVENTS The nights might be drawing in but here’s some events to entice you out to have fun with friends and neighbours. Friday 24th November – Beetle Drive And now for something completely different… With thanks to Rosie and Andrew Law we have Broad Town’s first ever Beetle Drive. Very popular in our surrounding villages, so this is a chance to find out what the excitement is about. A truly family fun event, with prizes at the end of each round for whopping the “you-know-what” off friends and neighbours! Not only can you enjoy yourselves, but you will be raising money for a great cause. Last few seats available to reserve now, so check out the poster for details of how to reserve your place. Food for Thought on site that night for takeaways (and eat ins). What more could you ask for? Friday 22nd December - Community Carol Singing. Get into the festive spirit with mulled wine, mince pies and a good old sing song. Food for Thought on site for takeaways (see poster for details). Sunday 31st December – New Year’s Eve party What’s in store? • Dance the night away with live music from the Dog House Band (guaranteed to fill the floor) • Bring in the New Year with Big Ben on the big screen • Bring your own table food! • Tickets £10/adult, £5/U16 to include entertainment, a free standard drink and automatic entry into a free prize draw to be made on the night. We won’t mug you to buy raffle tickets! (See poster for details.) Tickets available to pre-order from 13th November by email fromannebroadtownveday@hotmail.com or txt 07916701844. Payment and collection of tickets within one week of booking at the Social Club on Friday evenings (cash or card) or on a different day by separate arrangement with Anne (cash only). And if that’s not enough to whet your appetite, the Social Club will open as normal every Friday evening from 8 – 11pm for reasonably priced drinks and snacks, convivial company and free pool and darts. Broad Town Social Club Annual General Meeting (AGM) The AGM will take place on Friday 17th November 2023 at 7pm in the Village Hall. Why not come along to find out what we do and how we do it, hear about our financial situation and put forward questions or ideas about future events. EVERYONE WELCOME! Food for Thought Evenings When Food for Thought are on site the Social Club opens at 5pm through to 11pm for you to enjoy your takeaway in the Village Hall with a drink or two. Feel free to bring your own cutlery and crockery if you wish but please take it home with you afterwards to wash up! Menu on Facebook along with details of how-to pre-order to avoid the queues. (https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon). For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. A LETTER FROM BISHOP KAREN Praying for the People God Knows We Need This autumn it has been a joy to institute and licence a record number of clergy to new posts and as well as being the beginning of new ministry for individuals, communities and parishes, these services represent the culmination of months of careful work. The appointment of clergy is one of the most important tasks of being a bishop, overseeing the right person appointed to the right place, not only fulfils the vocation of parish and priest, but also ensures faithful ministry now and in the future. Sometimes the departure of a parish priest is sudden, sometimes it is planned whatever, the period of vacancy ensures time is taken to review the needs of a particular place or places, of a particular church or churches, to make sure that the defined task is realistic and forward looking. This can involve vision days and consultations with Patrons and other interested parties. The role needs to be accurately defined and the drawing up of a profile and advert a careful process, bearing in mind that some weeks well over forty church leadership posts are advertised nationally in the Church Times. The recruitment and appointment process, co-ordinated by the archdeacon and our local office, involves careful managing, as applications arrive, shortlisting takes place and interviews and visits are organised. Patrons, parish representatives all participate in what is ultimately and most importantly a task of prayerful discernment as references are sought and read, candidates welcomed, and a day of interviews held. Presentations are made, homilies preached, and the local school visited. Then following appointment all the necessary checks are made before an announcement and plans for moving take shape, including the preparation of the house and organisation of the licensing service itself. As often is the case much hard work proceeds a joyful celebration. Prayer is essential, and so often the temptation is to ask for the person we all think we want, when rather than trusting that God will provide the person God knows we need. I am forever thankful for all those who at the end of these processes come to the diocese to serve the church faithfully as priests. We welcome those who have arrived recently and continue to pray for parishes in, or soon to be in, vacancy. +Karen   DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Made In Broad Town 1st, 15th, and 29th Nov. Church Communion 5th Nov. Coffee Mornings 8th, 22nd Nov. Remembrance Service 12th Nov. Parish Council Meeting 13thNov Social Club AGM 17th Nov Beetle Drive 24th Nov. Patronal Festival 26th Nov.   THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER IS THE 22ND OF EVERY MONTH. Send items to: Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com, or for any queries contact:- Ray Manley- 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sun, 29 Oct 2023 18:44:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2634 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2631/Broad-Town-Newsletter--October-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2631 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2631&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2631/Broad-Town-Newsletter--October-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – OCTOBER 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. HARVEST SUPPER Saturday 14th October 7pm In the village Hall, 3 course supper, bar, entertainment and raffle. Proceeds to Christ Church Broad Town, helping to keep the church open. Tickets £12 each Family tickets (2 adults, 2 children) £30 For further details, Tickets and dietary requirements call Margaret or Ray 731564. FOOTPATH GROUP The footpath group was active again in late August continuing work from the previous session. On this occasion the team continued clearing footpath BTOW30, beyond Littleton Farm in the direction of Binknoll. This forms part of the White Horse Trail and is popular with walkers. Forthcoming sessions will see the installation of several kissing gates with the intention of creating a circular walk of slightly over 2 km within Broad Town which can be completed without the need to climb any stiles. Workdays take place from 10-12am approximately monthly and are open to everyone; no particular skills or tools are required. Future dates are: Saturday 30th September Saturday 14th Oct If anyone is interested in joining in with this worthwhile activity, would they please contact: malcolmholland567@gmail.com THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships, but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 30th September 2023. The next opportunity to apply will be March 2024. BISHOP’S LETTER October is one of those months when the leaves begin to change and fall, and somewhat comical excuses come into conversations about why things don’t work. Leaves on the line may well be a technical problem for the railways, but we all know it also means, somewhat ironically, why is it somethings just don’t work as they should. There are often leaves on the line in the life of the church. Why is sometimes things just don’t work, especially when we rely upon the grace of God and seek his will? One reason is because we can spend too much time doing, and making mistakes, and not enough time praying. This is not the rather immature prayer of simply asking for this or that the way we want them, but the deeper prayer of spending time with God and being led by his still, small voice. So please do pray in October. We also suffer from our confusions and distractions because we place the leaves on the line with our judgements and preconceptions, our rulemaking and our creating in our own image. Our track must always lead to Jesus and our mission to make him known. October 4th is the day the worldwide church remembers St Francis. In his day, the church wasn’t working, and in prayer, his vision came to “Rebuild my Church”. This was to be achieved by simplicity of life, by generosity to others and total commitment to prayer. His focus was Jesus Christ. Recently, I was inspired by this vision again with a visit to Hilfield Friary in Dorset, and the licensing of a new Guardian. Hilfield welcomes all; do visit there (although you can’t get there by train). When our frustrations slow us down, we would do well to follow the example of Francis. Lord God, You made your church rich Through the poverty of blessed Francis: Help us like him not to trust in earthly things But to seek your heavenly gifts; Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Stephen Sarum BROAD TOWN HISTORY Thank you to Andrew Law and Carolyn Crocker for capturing 2 of the ½ a million UK benchmarks. These delightful chiseled horizontal marks can be viewed on the Broad Town History website. The website also has some spectacular photographs of farming in Broad Town BEFORE the combine harvester! CHURCH SERVICES Come and join us for our Village Harvest Festival. This will be a short Family Service for all ages (children’s area available) followed by tea, coffee, squash and biscuits. We will be singing traditional Harvest Hymns along with B. T .School’s “Appreciation Song”. A group of children from the Village will be presenting “HARVEST” Evening Worship - Sunday 22nd - 6pm Church Carol Service – Wednesday 13th December – 7pm. Followed by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies. FOODBANK Our Harvest Foodbank Collection will be on Saturday 7th October 9.30 – 12.30 at the Church and Sunday 8th at the Harvest Service. The School will also be collecting at their Harvest Service on 13th October. Please note change of collection point for this month only. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNING Thank you to everyone for their support in September. The next (last for the year) work morning will be on 7th October. CHURCH COFFEE MORNING Bacon Butties Coffee Morning – This was a huge success and raised over £400. Thank you to everyone who came along and particular thanks to Judy and Annie for the delicious bacon butties. Thank you also to everyone who donated bottles for the sell-out Bottle Stall. BT SHOW AND BIG GIG EQUIPMENT Thanks to Raymond and Maybell Bourton for kindly storing the equipment from the BT Show and Big Gig in their lock up for decades. As mentioned in the June newsletter the responsibility for the equipment needs to be handed over. The holding committee for the BT Show and the Big Gig along with the Parish Council will soon be deciding responsibility for the equipment and any remaining funds. Please contact BTPCCLERK@OUTLOOK.COM if you have any comment for consideration. MADE IN BROAD TOWN (Crafts & Hobbies Group) This month we will be officially changing our name to ‘Made in Broad Town’ to represent everyone who produces craft items in the village and the products they produce to be sold to raise money for charity, as well as continuing to include the hobbyists who also come along. We are also proud to introduce our new logo (left) kindly created for us by Merlin Bastin. In October we are able to return to our usual pattern of meeting on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays – the 4th and 18th so please come along and join us. Sessions run from 10 – 12noon in the village hall, and we ask for a £2 contribution please, which goes towards hall hire, coffee, tea, and biscuits. If you don't have a craft or hobby to bring along, you are welcome just to come and chat, you could help with the Christmas decorations that we are starting to make, or we have colouring sheets and pens and pencils available for you to use. Children are also very welcome! Church Christmas Coffee Morning on Saturday December 2nd from 10–12noon, please keep the date free! We will be selling handmade Christmas crafts, gifts and decorations. We are already starting to create items to sell at the above event. Any donations of craft materials such as wool, ribbon, felt, lace, buttons, card, fabric remnants and other haberdashery items would be greatly received. We would also love to have your unwanted craft kits and if there is anyone out there who has any plywood or similar (not MDF please), that we could use to make nest boxes, or bug hotels, please bring it along, or if you email us, we can come and collect it from you. If you are keen to make items at home but can’t come along on a Wednesday morning, please also let us know. We look forward to seeing you at our next sessions on Wednesdays October 4th and 18th at 10-12noon new faces always welcome! Please contact us if you have any questions. Helen & Linda, Email: hjgreer1@gmail.com; lindaboyden12@gmail.com BROAD TOWN PRESCHOOL NEEDS YOUR HELP! We are currently fundraising for a new building to replace the old Pratten style building as it has reached the end of its lifespan. We are looking for help with Fundraising, Removal and replacement of the building an any other knowledge of organisations or individuals that might be able to help in any way! Please feel free to email for more information, either Judith on treasurer@broadtownpreschool.co.uk or zoedyer84@gmail.com (current chair). WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) The SID counted 32,019 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 915 a day1 . 14% of vehicles were speeding in the following Mph ranges : 35-40    40-45    45-50    50-55    55-60 2993     722       161       33         4 Actions arising from our SID are: 1. A Police enforcement check took place 10th August. The Parish Council are also in discussion with the Police and Crime Commissioner initiative to use SID intel to resource enforcement checks. 2. If you want to improve the safety and quality of life for everyone in Broad Town please give Chris Woodhouse a call on 07790815616. If we get enough volunteers, we’ll set up Community Speedwatch to work alongside the various enforcement initiatives. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS It was great to see so many people at our first coffee morning after the summer break. Everyone seemed to enjoy catching up with friends old and new. Our first coffee morning in October will be on Wednesday 11th , and on the 25th we will be having a fundraising coffee morning in aid of the Wiltshire Air Ambulance. Most of us will have seen the distinctive yellow and green helicopter flying overhead, making its way to and from the Great Western Hospital but did you know that the running costs of keeping the service going are £11,000 a day? Therefore, we are keen to raise as much money as we can on this morning to donate to the charity. We are hoping that one of the air ambulance mascots will be here to meet our younger visitors, there will be a raffle, and a sales table where Wiltshire Air Ambulance Christmas cards and other small items will be available for purchase. As it’s the half-term holiday this week there will be Air Ambulance kids colouring sheets to complete so, please do come along! If you are reading this before our coffee morning on September 27th, please come along and donate to Macmillan as it’s in the same week as the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning. All proceeds from refreshments will be donated to this very worthy cause. We look forward to seeing you on September 27th, October 11th and 25th for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate, we are a very welcoming group! BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB & EVENTS Once again, we had another fun filled night of friendly competition at our Games Night on 15th September. Many thanks to James Harvey-Samuel for organising and refereeing the evening and thanks to all who attended for making it such a great evening, overall winner was Ben Davis. Notable dates for the rest of the year are: Food for Thought: ❖ Friday 29th September ❖ Friday 27th October ❖ Friday 24th November (Beetle Drive, Charity Fundraiser, courtesy Rosie and Andrew Law.) Great family night out. More details to follow. ❖ Friday 22nd December (Community Carols and Mulled Wine, courtesy Paul & Anne Granger) ❖ Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. Takeaways 5pm – 8pm; Bar 5pm – 11pm. If you want to bring your takeaway into the Club, you are very welcome to do so. For the more discerning diners you are also welcome to bring your own plates, cutlery, and bread & butter (but please take your washing up home with you!). New Years Eve Party ❖ Sunday 31st December Bring in the New Year with friends and neighbours (you can bring the family too!). Live music from the Dog House Band (remember them from the Coronation weekend?). Lots of dancing, singing, Big Ben and fireworks on the big screen. Tickets £10 Adults, £5 U16’s, includes a free drink on entry, bring your own nibbles, more ticket info coming soon. Standard Friday Nights ❖ Bar open 8pm – 11pm ❖ Great range of reasonably priced drinks and snacks ❖ Free darts and pool (snooker, not swimming!) ❖ Banter at the bar ❖ Why not drop in? Everyone welcome: the more the merrier. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE The Parish Council welcomed James Rawlins as a new Councillor at our September meeting, bringing the Council up to full strength. Community Policing Visit – Village Hall car park 29 September The Neighbourhood Policing team will be visiting Broad Town between 4.30-6.00pm coinciding with Food for Thought fish and chip van so do feel free to combine a chat with the policing team with your fish supper! Wiltshire Local Plan Consultation The current proposal is to build 1,300 new houses in Royal Wootton Bassett – details can be found on the Parish Council website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk/news/wiltshirecouncil-local-plan-consultation-for-rwb/. A drop-in event has been arranged 3pm-7pm on 11 October at RWB library. Road Closure – 26 October The C415 by Goldborough will be closed for a period of up to 4 days from 26 October. The diversion is via Bushton/Clyffe Pypard and Highden Lane to Broad Hinton (and vice-versa). Further details are available at https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/highways-road-closures The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on Monday 9th October. All are welcome to attend these meetings and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. BEETLE DRIVE Friday 24th November 7.30pm in the Village Hall. Lots of family fun. Compete to complete your beetle quicker than your neighbour with a prize for each of the eight rounds. Tickets £5 per adult; £2 per child (8 plus). All profits to Christ Church Broad Town. Social Club Bar open from 5pm. Food for Thought on site from 5pm offering their delicious Fish and Chips. Payment on the night in cash. Seats can be reserved by contacting Rosemary Law at rosiehlaw@gmail.com Simple rules, beginners welcome. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Wednesday 27th September 10-12noon Community Coffee Morning Friday 29th September 4:30-6pm Meet the Community Police team in Village Hall Friday 29th September 5-8pm Food For Thought on site from 5pm Saturday 30th September Cut-off date for Spackman Trust grant application Saturday 30th September 10am Footpath Group Wednesday 4th October 10-12noon Made in Broad Town (Craft & Hobbies Group) Saturday 7th October Work morning Saturday 7th October 9:30-12:30 Foodbank Sunday 8th October 10:30am Family Harvest Festival Service Sunday 8th October Foodbank Monday 9th October 6:30pm Parish Council Meeting (Village Hall) Wednesday 11th October 10-12noon Community Coffee Morning Saturday 14th October 10am Footpath Group Saturday 14th October 7pm Harvest Supper (Village Hall) Wednesday 18th October 10-12noon Made in Broad Town (Craft & Hobbies Group) Sunday 22nd October 6pm Evening Worship Wednesday 25th October 10-12am Community Coffee Morning Thursday 26th October 4 days C415 by Goldborough CLOSED Friday 27th October 5-8pm Food For Thought Friday 24th November 7:30pm Beetle Drive Saturday 2nd December 10-12noon Christmas Craft Coffee Morning. Wednesday 13th December 7pm Church Carol Service Followed by Mulled Wine and Mince Pies Friday 22nd December Community Carols and Mulled Wine (Village Hall) Sunday 31st December New Years Eve Party THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER IS THE 22ND OF EVERY MONTH. Send items to: Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com or for any queries contact:- Ray Manley- 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sun, 24 Sep 2023 15:44:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2631 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2628/Broad-Town-Newsletter--September-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2628 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2628&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2628/Broad-Town-Newsletter--September-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – SEPTEMBER 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   BROAD TOWN CHURCH Setember 3rd Communion      10.30am (Followed by coffee & biscuits) September 10th            Evening Service            6pm September 24th            Evening Service            6pm Work Mornings Unfortunately, the August work morning was 'rained off’'. Thank you to those who turned up and to Christine for providing the coffee The next planned work morning will be 16th September 10am - midday. Coffee Morning 2nd September – this coming Saturday. You can be assured of a warm welcome at the Church Coffee Morning 10am – 12noon in the Village Hall Coffee/Tea/Cold Drinks Childrens Craft, Bottle Stall, Cake Stall, Philip Male’s Photos Harvest Supper Saturday 14th October at 7pm Tickets £12.00 Family Ticket 2 adults, 2 children under12 £30Three Course Supper, The FOUR WAYS Community Bar, Entertainment. Raffle, Proceeds to Christ Church, Broad Town. Helping to keep your Church open Further details, tickets and special dietary requirements Tel:- Margaret or Ray Manley 731564   September Letter from the Right Reverend Dr Andrew Rumsey, Bishop of Ramsbury God’s own field Harvest, in the agricultural sense, is well past. All is safely (or soggily) gathered in and the appealing blocks of barley and hay baling our landscape into a pop-up sculpture park have all but disappeared. The Church’s Harvest celebrations – extended as a ‘Creationtide’ season into October – are in one sense, then, a delayed thanksgiving for the yield of former months. That needn’t trouble us, however, for they are just as much focused on a rather less specific future point: the anticipated end of the world believers know as the Last Judgement. For many, this is merely one of the vestiges of a Christian worldview with little bearing on present times, a sickle blade blunted by unbelief. Nevertheless, the idea of a harvest that separates the righteous from the unrighteous often crops up in Jesus’ teaching and has gained a new edge as we witness the ecological ends of our actions, more fearfully evident with each passing, and slightly warmer, year. The once-familiar Parable of the Wheat and the Tares tells us that good and evil inevitably grow together in this life: one is easy to mistake for the other and this fact should caution us away from prejudice or self-righteousness. But it is also a warning that the real myth is the one that imagines our actions have no lasting or eternal consequences. They do, they will - and to ignore this is simply to hasten the day. Bishop Andrew FOODBANK Another Bumper collection in August - Thanks to all who donated goods - Your generosity is, as always, much appreciated. Our next collection will be in October as part of the School and Church Harvest Festivals - further details in next month's     B T News. BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB NEWS AND EVENTS Notable dates for the rest of the year are: Games Night Friday 15th September, 8pm onwards, free to all The usual madness of skittles, darts, table football, table tennis and whatever else James Harvey Samuel can fit in. Can anyone beat Darren’s top score? Can Broad Town find some new winners? Food for Thought: ❖ Friday 29th September ❖ Friday 27th October Friday 24th November (Beetle Drive, Charity Fundraiser, courtesy Rosie and Andrew Law.) Great family night out. More details to follow. Friday 22nd December (Community Carols and Mulled Wine, courtesy Social Club and Paul & Anne Granger) Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. As always, it’s 5pm – 8pm for takeaways; 5pm – 11pm for the bar. If you want to bring your takeaway into the Club, you are very welcome to do so. For the more discerning diners you are also welcome to bring your own plates, cutlery, and bread & butter (but please take your washing up home with you!). New Years Eve Party Sunday 31st December Bring in the New Year with friends and neighbours (you can bring the family too!). Live music from the Dog House Band (remember them from the Coronation weekend?). Lots of dancing, singing and Big Ben. Details to follow in next issue. Standard Friday Nights, Bar open 8pm – 11pm, Great range of reasonably priced drinks and snacks, Free darts and pool (snooker, not swimming!), Banter at the bar, Why not drop in? Everyone welcome: the more the merrier. WILTSHIRE PCC NEWS Read Philip Wilkinson’s reflections on his first two years as Wiltshire’s Police & Crime Commissioner by following the link below: https://www.wiltshire-pcc.gov.uk/my-office/opccnews/2023/august-2023/wiltshire-pcc-marks-two-years-in-post-byreflecting-on-his-time-in-office/ COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS The Community Coffee Mornings will be restarting in September after the summer break and we are looking forward to seeing you all again whether you are a coffee morning regular, new to the event, or indeed the village! The coffee mornings will be on the usual 2nd and 4th Wednesday mornings of the month – the 13th and the 27th, from 10 - 12 noon in the village hall. At our coffee morning on the 27th we will be fundraising for Macmillan as it’s in the same week as the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning, so please support this very worthwhile cause by donating as generously as you can. Thank you! We look forward to seeing you for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate, we are a very welcoming bunch! CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Our new group continues to go from strength to strength and having enjoyed two very productive sessions in August, we are looking forward to meeting again in September but only on the 1st Wednesday – the 6th of September so please come along and join us. The hall is being redecorated w/c September 18th so unfortunately, we won’t be able to meet on the 3rd Wednesday this month. Sessions run from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, and we ask for a £2 contribution please, which goes towards hall hire, coffee, tea and biscuits. If you don't have a craft or hobby to bring along, you are welcome just to come and chat, you could help with the Christmas decorations that we are starting to make, or we have colouring sheets and pens and pencils available for you to use. Children are also very welcome! We are already starting to create items to sell at the Church Christmas Coffee Morning on December 2nd and any donations of craft materials such as wool, ribbon, felt, lace, buttons, card, fabric remnants and other haberdashery items would be greatly received. We would also love to have your unwanted craft kits and if there is anyone out there who has any plywood or similar (not MDF please), that we could use to make nest boxes, or bug hotels, please bring it along, or if you email us, we can come and collect it from you. If you are keen to make items at home that you would like to donate for sale at the Christmas Coffee Morning but can’t come along on a Wednesday morning, please also let us know. We look forward to seeing you at our next session on Wednesday September 6th at 10 am, new faces always welcome! Please contact us if you have any questions. Helen & Linda Email: hjgreer1@gmail.com; lindaboyden12@gmail.com BROAD TOWN PRE-SCHOOL NEEDS YOUR HELP! We are on the look-out for a new chairperson, as our current chair was only supposed to step in to bridge the gap until September. Ideally, we are looking for someone who would like to see Broad Town preschool continue to thrive like it has for the last 41 years and can commit a few hours a month, be available for dealing with any issues identified by the committee or preschool management and able to organise and lead meetings. There will be a hand-over period with the current chair who is very experienced in the running of the preschool and happy to pass on any knowledge to make any transition easier. For a more detailed description of chair duties/ the position please contact Zoe on zoedyer84[at]gmail.com And last (but not least!!) – we are currently fundraising for a new building to replace the old Pratten style building as it has reached the end of its lifespan. We are looking for help with various things: - Fundraising – do you know of any individuals or organisations who might be able to donate towards this big project? - Help with removal of old building (once funding for a new one has been secured) - Knowledge or contacts with anyone that could supply a similar type building/help with the planning/etc - Any other knowledge of organisations or individuals that might be able to help in any way! Please feel free to call on the above phone number or email for more information, either Judith on treasurer[at]broadtownpreschool.co.uk or zoedyer84[at]gmail.com (current chair). PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE – SEPTEMBER The Parish Council have agreed to take on responsibility and funding for the Broad Town History website which up to now has been looked after by residents involved in the history group. This website provides a priceless insight into the history of Broad Town and will continue to do so into the future. Check it out at www.BroadTownHistory.com or follow the link from the Parish Council website. The Parish Council have received reports of the smell of oil coming out of some of the drains by the Church and southwards up the hill. Can you all check your oil tanks for any leaks. Next PC Meeting - Monday 11th September The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on Monday 11th September. All are welcome to attend these meetings and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. BROAD TOWN FOOTPATHS The Broad Town Footpath Group was back at work on Sunday 13th August clearing the footpath northwards from Snow Hill Cottage (BTOW 32/ 30) and the path from the White Horse Noticeboard (BTOW 35) to its intersection with BTOW 30. A challenging task was to clear a tree which had fallen on BTOW35 preventing passage along the route. Work days take place from 10-12am approximately monthly and are open to everyone; no particular skills or tools are required. Future dates are: Sunday 27th August, Saturday 30th September, Saturday 14th October. If anyone is interested in joining in with this worthwhile activity would they please contact: malcolmholland567@gmail.com WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at the School monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) The SID counted 27,784 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 794 a day.14% of vehicles were speeding in the following. Number of vehicles speeding 35 – 40mph 2,849, 40 – 45mph 912, 45 – 50mph 203, 50 – 55mph 51, 55 – 60mph 4, 60 – 65mph 3, 65 – 70mph 1. Note the SID captures traffic travelling in one direction. Metrocount results indicate average daily totals of 1,989 using the C415. Actions arising from our SID are : 1. A Police enforcement check took place 10th August. The Parish Council are also in discussion with the Police and Crime Commissioner initiative to use SID intel to resource enforcement checks. 2. If you want to improve the safety and quality of life for everyone in Broad Town please give Chris Woodhouse a call on 07790 815616. If we get enough volunteers we’ll set up Community Speedwatch to work alongside the various enforcement initiatives. THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships, but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 30th September 2023. The next opportunity to apply will be March 2024. PLEA FOR LINK SCHEME VOLUNTEERS I work for Community First; we are the supporting body for the 42 Link schemes that run throughout Wiltshire. You probably know that Link Schemes are voluntary groups which offer a transport and good neighbour service to local people who are in need, perhaps because they are elderly, disabled, isolated and lonely, single parents, or perhaps temporarily in need because of illness. Link Schemes operate as small, independent charitable organisations and all volunteers use their own private vehicles. (Insurance and DBS checks are carried out). To give you an idea of the level of support The Link Schemes offer, last year they made 26,249 health related journeys and completed 34,125 good neighbour tasks which include collecting prescriptions and shopping. We desperately need your support in promoting our recruitment drive to find new volunteers across Wiltshire to keep this vital service going. Thank you for your time, Kind regards, Samantha Lloyd Community Development Officer Telephone: 01380 732800 Mobile: 07721 129639; Email: slloyd@communityfirst.org.uk SEPTEMBER AT A GLANCE Saturday 2nd – Church Coffee Morning Sunday 3rd – Communion Service - 10.30am Wednesday 6th – Crafts & Hobbies Morning 10am-12 noon Sunday 10th – Evening Service - 6pm Monday 11th – Parish Council Meeting – 6.30pm Wednesday 13th – Community Coffee Morning 10am-12 noon Wednesday 13th – Beginners Pilates Class – 7.10pm Friday 15th – Social Club Games Night – 8pm Saturday 16th – Churchyard Work Morning – 10am-12 noon Sunday 24th – Evening Service - 6pm Wednesday 27th - Community Coffee Morning 10am-12 noon Friday 29th – Food for Thought Fish & Chip van Saturday 30th – Footpaths Group 10-12 noon   THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER IS THE 22ND OF EVERY MONTH. Send items to: Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com or for any queries contact:- Ray Manley- 01793 73156 Ray Manley Sun, 27 Aug 2023 17:26:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2628 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2625/Broad-Town-Newsletter--August-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2625 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2625&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2625/Broad-Town-Newsletter--August-2023                                                                             BROAD TOWN NEWS – AUGUST 2023                                  Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Many thanks to all the residents who are going above and beyond and trimming hedges, verges and maintaining the flower planters. This not only keeps our village looking attractive but also helps pedestrians and mobility scooters. Your efforts do not go unnoticed and the whole village owes you grateful thanks. Do you have an unruly hedge overhanging a road or pavement and need some help? Contact the Parish Clerk to seek assistance and guidance BTPCCLERK@outlook.com Let’s cut hedges back to the boundary rather than encroach on roads and pavements! The South West Rural Crime Survey 2023 Police and Crime Commissioners across the South West have come together to launch this survey to get an updated picture of how crime is affecting rural communities in 2023. To take part: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/RuralDC MyWilts If you come across a pothole or material blocking a road or a footpath then report it to Wiltshire Council using the MyWilts app (downloaded onto your mobile phone) or via the MyWilts online reporting. Wiltshire Council. PC Vacancy There remains a vacancy for a Parish Councillor. If you are interested in being co-opted onto the Parish Council please contact the Parish Clerk for a co-option form, or even a chat about the work of the Council. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on Monday 14th August. All are welcome to attend these meetings and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. CHURCH NEWS Only 1 Service this month - 27th at 6pm – Evensong but there will be other Services in the Benefice. For details visit: www.achurchnearyou.com We welcoe Richard Holness as Assistant Curate, following his recent Ordination as Deacon at Salisbury Cathedral. Churchyard Work Morning – Thank you to everyone who helped in July. The next work morning will be 5th August. More volunteers needed please SOME NEW, EXCITING AND DIFFERENT SOCIAL EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARIES: 2nd September – Coffee Morning in Village Hall 10am - midday Come and join us for: Bacon butties and crumpets. Coffee/Tea/Cold Drinks. Childrens Craft. ‘Bottle Stall’. Cake Stall. Philip Male’s (Photos) Do you have a bottle you could donate for the ‘Bottle Stall’? – anything from a bottle of sauce to a bottle of wine. Please give to Ray Manley during August. 14th October – HARVEST SUPPER in Village Hall. More details next month but tickets can now be reserved. Contact Margaret Manley Tel: 731564 24th November – Beetle Drive in Village Hall in conjunction with the Social Club. Organised by Andrew & Rosie Law. 2nd December – A new look CHRISTMAS CRAFT & COFFEE MORNING. In Village Hall 10am – midday Refreshments “Made in Broad Town” Craft Stall for your Christmas Gifts/Decorations. “Made in Broad Town” Cakes, Chutneys, Jam etc. Childrens’ Craft Table.Grand Christmas Draw Proceeds from all fundraising events will go towards keeping Broad Town Church open. Future Plans for 2024 include: February – Pancake Coffee Morning Spring – Art Exhibition in Church June – Open Gardens and Cream Teas More details on these soon. FOODBANK – Next Village Collection at the Village Hall will be on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August, 9 am – 4pm. Your generosity is never taken for granted. 100 CLUB LOTTERY For just £1 a week you can have the chance to WIN a Monthly Cash Prize and help raise Money for your Church in the 100 Club Lottery. For further information please contact Fiona Holness on email fholness@btinternet.com or telephone 07833 683444 or 01793 850562. Terms and Conditions The Christ Church, Broad Town 100 Club Lottery started on 1st October 2017. Each number purchased costs £4 per month or £48 per year paid by Standing Order or Cash. Any person over the age of 18 can purchase a number. There will be 12 Prize Draws held during the year, one each month. Prizes will total 50% of all numbers purchased in a month, up to a maximum of £100 for the first prize, £60 for the second prize and £40 for the third prize when all 100 numbers have been sold. The money raised will be used for the repairs to Christ Church, Broad Town and other maintenance related issues in due course including possibly the installation of a toilet. Just think you could spend a £1 to spend a penny! The 100 Club Lottery will be run by the PCC of Christ Church, Broad Town. Congratulations to our July & August winners who are: July 1st Prize: Pam Howells 2nd Prize: Christine Marshall 3rd Prize: Fiona Holness August 1st Prize: Christine Parkin 2nd Prize: Margaret Manley 3rd Prize: Jim Veary WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Broad Acres monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) • The SID counted 27,730 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 990 a day. • 6,844 (25%) vehicles were speeding Actions arising from our SID are, 1. The Parish Council have requested Police enforcement checks to be undertaken in Broad Town. They are also in discussion with the Police and Crime Commissioner initiative to use SID intel to resource enforcement checks. 2. If you want to improve the safety and quality of life for everyone in Broad Town please give Chris Woodhouse a call on 07790815616. If we get enough volunteers we’ll set up Community Speedwatch to work alongside the various enforcement initiatives. BISHOP ANDREW’S SEPTEMBER'S LETTER  Thank you for all the work you all continue to do in your parishes. God’s own field Harvest, in the agricultural sense, is well past. All is safely (or soggily) gathered in and the appealing blocks of barley and hay baling our landscape into a pop-up sculpture park have all but disappeared. The Church’s Harvest celebrations – extended as a ‘Creationtide’ season into October – are in one sense, then, a delayed thanksgiving for the yield of former months. That needn’t trouble us, however, for they are just as much focused on a rather less specific future point: the anticipated end of the world believers know as the Last Judgement. For many, this is merely one of the vestiges of a Christian worldview with little bearing on present times, a sickle blade blunted by unbelief. Nevertheless, the idea of a harvest that separates the righteous from the unrighteous often crops up in Jesus’ teaching and has gained a new edge as we witness the ecological ends of our actions, more fearfully evident with each passing, and slightly warmer, year. The once-familiar Parable of the Wheat and the Tares tells us that good and evil inevitably grow together in this life: one is easy to mistake for the other and this fact should caution us away from prejudice or self-righteousness. But it is also a warning that the real myth is the one that imagines our actions have no lasting or eternal consequences. They do, they will - and to ignore this is simply to hasten the day. BROAD TOWN FOOTPATHS The Broad Town Footpath Group continued its good work on Sunday 16 July by clearing the footpath from the top of Horns Lane to Littleton Farm. This is a significant path as it is the route by which the White Horse Trail passes through our parish. Future work will include the continuation of this task and also the installation of two kissing gates. Workdays take place from 10-12am approximately monthly and are open to everyone; no particular skills or tools are required. Future dates: Sunday 13th August, Sunday 27th August, Saturday 30th September Saturday 14th Oct.  If anyone is interested in joining in with this worthwhile activity, would they please contact: malcolmholland567@gmail.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS *PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS IN AUGUST* Thank you to everyone who has attended the coffee mornings during the last year. Through your generosity we have recently been able to make more donations, and this time we have been able to donate £150 to our village pre-school and £100 to the church. We know that both groups are extremely grateful for these very welcome additions to their funds. The coffee mornings will resume as usual in September so please make a note in your diaries to come along on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 10 - 12 noon in the village hall. One of the September coffee mornings will be a charity fundraiser so please look out for details in the September newsletter. We look forward to seeing you on September 13th and 27th for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. If you are new to the village or just haven’t been to a village coffee morning before, why not give it a try, we are a very friendly and welcoming group! CRAFTS & HOBBIES GROUP Our new group continues to go from strength to strength and we will continue to meet throughout August on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays – the 2nd and 16th so please come along and join us. Sessions run from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall, and we ask for a £2 contribution please, which goes towards hall hire, coffee, tea and biscuits. If you don't have a craft or hobby to bring along, you are welcome just to come and chat, you could help with the Christmas decorations that we are starting to make, or we have colouring sheets and pens and pencils available for you to use. Children are also very welcome! We are already starting to create items to sell at the Church Christmas Coffee Morning on December 2nd and any donations of craft materials such as wool, ribbon, felt, lace, buttons, card, fabric remnants and other haberdashery items would be greatly received. We would also love to have your unwanted craft kits and if there is anyone out there who has any plywood or similar (not MDF please), that we could use to make nest boxes, or bug hotels, please bring it along, or if you email us, we can come and collect it from you. If you are keen to make items at home but can’t come along on a Wednesday morning, please also let us know. We look forward to seeing you at our next session on Wednesday August 2nd at 10 am, new faces always welcome! Helen & Linda Email: hjgreer1@gmail.com; lindaboyden12@gmail.com THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 30th September 2023. The next opportunity to apply will be March 2024. THE DEADLINE FOR ITEMS FOR THE NEWSLETTER IS THE 22ND OF EVERY MONTH. Send items to: Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com or for any queries contact:- Ray Manley- 01793 731564 Ray Manley Sat, 29 Jul 2023 22:16:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2625 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2621/Broad-Town-Newsletter--July-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2621 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2621&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2621/Broad-Town-Newsletter--July-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – JULY 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE July Annual Parish Meeting. The Annual Parish meeting was well attended by members of the public and representatives from the various community groups who gave presentations on their activities for the past year. Presentations were made on: • Parish Council • Christ Church • Village Hall • White Horse Group • Footpaths Group • Community Coffee Mornings • Craft Group • Speeding data captured by the SID The variety of questions and discussions on the topics presented clearly shows the lively and active nature of our village. The Minutes of the meeting can be found in the Agendas and Minutes section of the Parish Council website Agendas and Minutes – Broad Town Parish Council. Annual Audit The Parish Council have successfully completed the annual audit with only a few observations and recommendations. As per the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, Broad Town Parish Council will be making its Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year 2022-23 available for inspection by any interested person, together with all accounting records; books; deeds; contracts; bills; vouchers; receipts and other documents relating to these records. If you have any issues to raise or wish to see the full accounts, please contact the Parish Clerk on btpcclerk@outlook.com. In accordance with the guidelines the full accounts will be available to view for 30 days between 12th June and 21st July 2023. Chapel Lane/Horns Lane/Littletown junction. We have been informed of a near miss. Please take care when approaching this junction as there could well be pedestrians in the road or children playing.PC Vacancy There remains a vacancy for a Parish Councillor. If you are interested in being co-opted onto the Parish Council please contact the Parish Clerk for a co-option form, or even a chat about the work of the Council. Speeding The Wiltshire Police and Crime Commissioner is ramping up speeding enforcement and to help them target the worst offenders they will be collecting and analysing speeding data captured by our SID, as part of an expanding pilot throughout Wiltshire BROAD TOWN SHOP A message from a village resident,    Hello, all Broad Town residents. A couple of months ago your Parish Council tested the village's appetite for a Community Shop. Whilst so many people keep suggesting it would be a great idea, only one resident replied and offered to volunteer. His suggestion was to use the church as a venue. Unfortunately, part of the demise of rural communities have been village shops and pubs. Well, we now have a great following at The Broad Town Brewery, and I wonder if we could do as good of a job with a shop? I personally used Broad Hinton Shop, until it’s demise. I now use the Avebury Community Shop. It is a thriving and bustling community asset, selling everyday essentials such as local organic milk, yogurt and butter to bread, cakes, cereals, vegetables and everything in between. They even sell shellfish and have an off license!! Whenever I go into this shop, there are always locals nattering and catching up on what’s going on. It truly is a hub for the many needs of the community. So, what does Broad Town think? Could we create as much community cohesion and provide a range of shopping items that we could all walk to and buy, without relying on our car, or someone else’s? So, if you like the thought of a shop and would support it with your local shopping habits, and/or volunteering to work in the shop, please drop the Parish Clerk an email, so the community’s appetite can be assessed. Her email address is: BTPCCLERK@outlook.com We look forward to your comments. DEFIBRILLATOR SESSIONS To people unable to attend the last Defibrillator sessions, Mark Boyden (Paramedic) will be providing a further session at 7pm on Thursday the 13th of July in Broad Town Village Hall. All are welcome, join Mark to discover just how simple, safe and important the Defibrillator is. BROAD TOWN CHURCH Services for July 2nd July Ordination of Richard Holness Salisbury Cathedral 10.30am 9th July  Welcome Service for Richard as Assistant Curate Lyneham 10.30am 23rd July            Evening Service 6pm 30th July            Benefice Communion 10.30am followed by refreshments. June Coffee Morning – Thank you to everyone who supported the Coffee Morning. A total of £185 was raised to help keep our Church open.     June Work Morning - Thank you to those who helped. The Churchyard is looking so good thanks to the efforts of a few people but it is becoming more difficult to maintain the standard we have now achieved. We desperately need more volunteers, so if you would be willing to spend a couple of hours each month, please contact Ray Manley Tel: 731564 for more details.   WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Marlborough House monitoring Southbound traffic (heading to Broad Hinton) 23, 528 vehicles passing the SID which equates to approx. 840 a day 1,989 (8%) vehicles were speeding. The SID spotted a few racing (or being chased) idiots at 1am 3rd June doing speeds of 65-70mph. Note the SID captures traffic travelling in one direction. Metrocount results indicate average daily totals of 1,989 using the C415.   CORONATION MUGS AND TEA TOWELS BOGOF - A few remaining of each, Contact Margaret Manley Tel: 731564   FOODBANK Another successful village collection at a time when foodbanks are struggling to keep up with demand. We have been asked to pass on thanks for your generosity. A MESSAGE FROM BISHOP KAREN I write this at the end of no mow May, and during a week when we are remembering to care for God’s acre, so I am thinking about all those who serve in many ways tending our churchyards and enabling them to be places where God’s creation and God’s presence can be experienced. Thank you. As Patron of the Dorset wildlife trust’s living churchyard project, I recently toured a local churchyard which has been transformed into an oasis, with wildflowers, bench seating and even some beehives, tended by a local beekeeper, in the corner. In another part of Dorset, I recently dedicated a village meadow, where there are plans to offer bees, birds and visitors a welcome amongst carefully planted shrubs, trees and flowers. I look forward seeing it in future years. Community orchards and gardens are also transforming lives as produce grown is shared out and given away. The abundance of creation’s riches on our doorstep is for all to enjoy. Our task as God’s stewards is to unlock the possibilities, and I encourage you to do that; to take a look at what is outside your church and see the potential; take time out to sit and pray; make the most of time away walking or sitting in a different environment; surprise someone by giving them some of your home grown produce. For as the psalmist experienced: ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul’. Have a good summer. Bishop Karen THE 100 CLUB The 100 Club Draws for May and June have taken place and the winners are as follows: May 2023 1st Prize – Sarah Clarke 2nd Prize – Carolyn Crocker 3rd Prize – Christine Marshall June 2023 1st Prize – Sarah Larkins 2nd Prize – Anonymous donated to church funds 3rd Prize – Pam Howells Congratulations to all the winners. If you know anyone who is interested in joining 100 Club, giving them the chance to share in future winnings and raising money for the church, please contact Fiona Holness on fholness@btinternet.com or 07833 683444. BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE Many thanks to our dedicated Broad Town volunteers who on Sunday 30th April performed the annual liming of the White Horse. Having weeded the surface, 1500kg of lime was distributed resulting in the sparkling vista which we can all now enjoy. Particular thanks to the Hortons of Cockroost Farm for their great support and to Jason and Broad Town Brewery for sponsoring the purchase of the lime. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Thank you to everyone who came along to our first June coffee morning, it was very well attended, the hot weather didn’t seem to deter people, and the additional cold squash and iced water provided proved very popular! If you are reading this before Wednesday June 28th, then please remember to come along to our second June coffee morning – we look forward to seeing you for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. The coffee mornings in July will continue on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month - the 12th and 26th, from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. If you haven’t been to a village coffee morning before then why not give it a try, you are assured of a warm welcome! CAN YOU BUILD A NEST BOX? Our crafts and hobbies mornings on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month are proving popular. As well as the many crafts and hobbies activities taking place during each session, we are also looking ahead to the church Christmas coffee morning in early December and thinking about gifts that could be made to sell at this event to raise much needed funds. As well as making the usual Christmas decorations, we are hoping that there might be villagers out there who would be keen to dust down their tools and make items such as nest boxes, bug hotels, bird feeders etc. These could be made either at the craft mornings, or at home, whichever you prefer, but if you have a bit of free time, please think about it! If you have any spare wood that you can donate, please also let us know. If you have any questions, then please come along to the sessions or email Helen Greer: hjgreer1@gmail.com or Linda Boyden: lindaboyden12@gmail.com Everyone is welcome to attend our next sessions on Wednesdays July 5th and 19th from 10 - 12 noon in the village hall. We ask for a £2 donation to cover the cost of hall hire, coffee, tea and biscuits, and you can bring along a craft or hobby or just come along for a chat – we look forward to seeing you there! BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB NEWS AND EVENTS Well, we have had another amazing month in the Social Club with the opportunity to throw a surprise party for Trevor’s BIG birthday, his (second) retirement from being a wage slave, and most importantly to recognise a whopping 27 years of volunteering as the lynch pin of the Broad Town Social Club. Yes, you did read that correctly, 27 years as a volunteer running the bar and serving on the committee. What a star! So, this is probably a good time to remind you all that the Social Club (also known as the Fourways Community Pub) is a not for profit, community organisation, run entirely by volunteers. What small surplus we make over the bar or from your very reasonable membership fees (£2 per year) go towards offering free or cut-price events. Where we can we support others in running events to raise money for charity and they support us by helping set up and clear up before, during and after those events. Each one is a fantastic team effort. As a committee we do not claim to have a monopoly on good ideas so, if you fancy throwing your hat in the ring in suggesting or leading an event get in touch using annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com You will have the full support of the committee and other members in pulling it all together. At the moment we have several requests for a karaoke night. If anyone out there has ever hosted one or has been to enough to know how it runs, get in touch! Now! Please! Pretty please even! Notable dates for the rest of the year are: Food for Thought: • Friday 30th June • Friday 14th July • Friday 25th August • Friday 29th September • Friday 27th October • Friday 24th November (Beetle Drive, Charity Fundraiser, courtesy Rosie and Andrew Law) Great family night out. More details to follow. • Friday 22nd December (Community Carols and Mulled Wine, courtesy Social Club) Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. As always, it’s 5pm – 8pm for takeaways; 5pm – 11pm for the bar. If you want to bring your takeaway into the Club, you are very welcome to do so. For the more discerning diners, you are also welcome to bring your own plates, cutlery, and bread & butter (but please take your washing up home with you!). Games Night Friday 15th September The usual madness of skittles, darts, table football, table tennis and whatever else James Harvey Samuel can fit in. Can anyone beat Darren’s top score? Can Broad Town find some new winners? Watch this space for further details. New Years Eve Party Sunday 31st December See in the New Year with friends and neighbours (you can bring the family too!). Live music from the Dog House Band – remember them from the Coronation weekend?). Lots of dancing, singing and Big Ben. Details to follow in due course. Standard Friday Nights • Bar open 8pm – 11pm • Great range of reasonably priced drinks and snacks • Free darts and pool (snooker, not swimming!) • Banter at the bar Why not drop in? Everyone welcome: the more the merrier BROAD TOWN PRE-SCHOOL I am writing to you on behalf of Broad Town Pre-School’s children, parents, staff and committee to ask for your help. Broad Town Pre-school in its current setting offers learning and growth through rural nature and vast array of outdoor experiential learning. We are a fully embedded part of the community, and we offer this wonderful learning experience to children right across Wiltshire. We currently have 30 children on role, with a high level of complex Special Education Needs. Our building condition is currently undergoing an independent assessment and will need significant repair/rebuild to make it practical to remain in our current setting. The environment and rural setting and all the afore mentioned learning and growth experiences would be compromised if we were forced to change our location. We continue to make every effort to fundraise to address the areas to keep and cover the smaller remedial repairs needed, using our kind and willing committee members/parents and their contacts. However, this next level of repair will need significant funds, which given the timeframe of this outcome, we will not be in a position to cover these costs. Without fundraising we would not be able to pay for this. We will be holding a Raffle at our annual family fun sports day at preschool on the 7th of July. We politely ask if there is anything that you are able to donate for the raffle to help us to raise much needed funds. Everyone in Broad Town is welcome to the event, so please pop down and join in with the fun! The event is from 12-3pm. We will be happy to advertise your company’s name and your generosity on our donation board which will be displayed at the event. If you are able to help in any way, please contact me personally, preferably by email. My details are below. Kindest Regards Victoria Bowen Administrator Broad Town Pre-School 01793 731911 admin@broadtownpreschool.co.uk DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Community Coffee Mornings             28thJune, 12th July, 26th July Food For Thought        30th June, 14th July, 25th August, 29th September, 27th October, 24th November, 22nd December Craft Mornings                5th July, 19th July BT Pre-School Fundraiser          7th July Defibrillator Session      13th July Games night                 15th September New Years Eve Party     31st December DEADLINE DATE    Items for the newsletter should be e-mailed to BroadTownNews@gmail.com  by the 22nd of EVERY month. Any enquiries to Ray Manley 01793 731564  Ray Manley Wed, 28 Jun 2023 07:51:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2621 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2618/Broad-Town-Newsletter--June-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2618 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2618&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2618/Broad-Town-Newsletter--June-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – JUNE 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS ON THE 2ND & 4TH WEDNESDAYS OF THE MONTH A big thank you to everyone who supported our Coronation Tea Party on May 5th. It was fantastic to see so many people there and also to have so many children busily making gold crowns and bunting! Heartfelt thanks too to everyone who helped in any way, whether it was by decorating the hall and setting up the room beforehand, organising the list of volunteer bakers, buying all the tea and coffee, baking items for the cake table (see photo), selling raffle tickets and providing prizes, or by helping out in the kitchen during the afternoon, and clearing up afterwards - it was all very much appreciated. Cakes were also provided as part of the refreshments after the church service on Sunday May 7th, so again, thank you to the bakers who provided those – we know that they were also very much appreciated by the congregation! The coffee mornings in June will be on Wednesdays 14th and 28th from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. Everyone is very welcome so please come along to enjoy a friendly chat, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls! The book swap table is back so please come along to borrow a book and donations of unwanted fiction books would be very welcome! We are also planning a fundraising coffee morning in July so please look out for further details in the next newsletter. DEFIBRILLATOR Woud you let your best friend die? Using a Defibrillator is so simple and safe it allows ordinary, untrained people to save lives. Here in Broad Town we have a defibrillator. It is housed in a cabinet outside the village hall. Anyone can use it. Would you like to know how simple nd safe it is. I will be holding informal familiarization sessions on Saturday 17th June in the village hall. The sessions at 10.30am or 2.30pm will last about forty five minutes. I will explain how it works and show you how easy and safe it is to access and use the machine. Come and ask me those difficult questions and I will share my experiences as a qualified paramedic. I know Defibrillators save lives. Come and see how BROAD TOWN CHURCH NEWS Servies for June: 4th June - Communion - 10.30am – Coffee and biscuits after Service 11th June – Evening Service – 6pm 25th June – Evening Service - 6pm 2nd July - Ordination, as Deacon, of Richard Holness - Salisbury Cathedral. BROAD TOWN NEWS Is your neighbour new to Broad Town or do you know anyone who relies on smoke signals to find out what is going on in Broad Town? If so……. then why not let them know that they can easily subscribe to the BT News by e-mailing BroadTownNews@gmail.com BROAD TOWN TRULY DID CELEBRATE!! What an incredible few weeks we have had in the build up to, and the celebration of, the Coronation. The village looked amazing and judging by the number of motorists who stopped to take photographs Broad Town will be on many a Facebook page, not just our own! We were mentioned, and the scarecrows were featured, in the Gazette and Herald plus we also received a lovely letter (printed elsewhere in this newsletter) from a passer-by. Thank you to everyone who contributed and participated in whatever way, from litter picking, decorating (village, hall and shelter), making scarecrows (wow, some imagination went into those), baking cakes, dancing your feet off, donating raffle prizes, buying raffle tickets, buying mugs and tea towels, joining in with the Commemorative Service (and didn’t the Church look fantastic?) and helping out at the Church Yard (sorry about the weather, but amazing that people still turned up in spite of this). As well as having a wonderful time and making new friends we have also raised nearly £3000 for charity through all these efforts. Well done Broad Town, you are AWESOME! PS If you fancy helping us make it over the £3000 mark there are still some Coronation tea towels and mugs available – email mailto:raymanley1@icloud.com BROAD TOWN HISTORY Does anyone fancy doing a bit of detective work to locate and take a picture of Broad Town’s 9 benchmarks. Benchmarks were usually indicated by a chiselled arrow below a horizontal line where an angle-iron could be placed to form a "bench" for a levelling rod. They were originally cut by Ordnance Survey staff between 1831 and 1860 in order to provide a network of points at which the height above sea level was precisely measured. The network of ½ a million benchmarks was maintained until 1993 after which time the Global Positioning System (GPS) took over. Some of our benchmarks may have already disappeared so it would be good to get them recorded. Let me know if you’re interested in documenting our benchmarks – Contact Judy on 731605 BISHOP’S LETTER One year ago, I became your bishop with that great service in the cathedral. It has been the fastest year in many ways, with changes coming at us all with a post-pandemic pace that has somewhat stunned us all. Changing prime ministers and monarchs, the cost-of-living challenges and international events moving faster than ever – just at the point when we ought to be reflecting on all that has happened to us. It’s been an ‘interesting’ time to become a diocesan bishop! I’m often asked if I’m enjoying it. There is no doubting the pace and the pace of change, but the answer is a certain yes – but – mostly because this is the Diocese of Salisbury. I have visited as many places as possible and what is clear is that the church is all about the local, and the bishop (and those assisting in this co-ordinating ministry) are there to hold more than one locality together. We are truly blessed here with our rural/urban mix, with coast and countryside, with Islands and ‘thin’ places. In being blessed, it is how we respond that makes the difference. We have a chance to show this when the Archbishop of Canterbury comes to us this month. Much of my time, with the contribution of so many in the diocese, has been the preparation of our new Diocesan Vision and Strategy – our plan for that coordination of our common life under God as disciples. All the detail to come, will live under the title Making Jesus Known. For all our differences in each locality, if we are not to be about Making Jesus Known, then I’m not sure what we are about. If we are all doing that, then yes, I’m really enjoying it! ON LEARNING, F-LEARNING AND THRIVING In July this little group of six churches will have an occasion to celebrate. Lots of us are going to Salisbury cathedral to see Richard Holness ordained as deacon because he will be coming to serve with us as curate. Now if you are thinking of curates and vicars as seen on television, Richard is not going to be curate in the style of Father Ted or Fleabag. On the other hand, those of you who know me will know I'm not really like the Vicar of Dibley - physically there might be a slight resemblance but in terms of my sense of humour and my ability to tell a joke I'm much closer to Alice Tinker than Geraldine Granger. Richard has been part of these churches longer than I have - he lives in RWB with his wife Fiona and their daughter Ruth and Broad Town is the parish that has married them, christened Ruth and helped develop his sense of being called to serve in ministry. Richard has already been doing this as a Lay Worship Leader but now he's going to have the very strange experience of being dressed up in a collar and apprenticed to serve the whole group while still working full time and being husband, dad, friend, colleague, IT geeky person and himself. My task is to help him continue to find out what that all means for him - Richard has already learned lots - he's been at college in Salisbury studying part time and now our task is to do lots (or at least as much as can be sensibly fitted in around full time work and life) of f-learning on the job. F-learning is not Rachma having a bad language moment but the skill she has begun learning from the local schools of seeing making mistakes, and failing as a route to greater learning. Failure-learning - abbreviated to flearning A curacy is a time and place for experimentation trying and succeeding, and sometimes trying and failing so that one can learn and learn to fail better next time. Much of the trying and failing will be done by Rachma not by Richard! It’s a compliment to all the churches in the groups that they thought we were willing to be experimented on and supportive of this apprenticeship element of Richard’s preparation for life as an ordained minister seeking to serve God at home, at work, and sometimes here in our churches. As you get a chance to welcome him over the next few months and years at both church and community events please be kind, say hello and find out what our favourite f-learning has been! - Rachma REQUEST FROM RAY BOURTON Having lived in Broad Town since the late 1930 there has been many changes. When my family moved here there was already a garden and flower show which was one of the highlights of village life this continued almost every year in August. The show changed from produce and flower and craft to the village gig which was enjoyed by most local people and residents from surrounding villages. The equipment that has been bought by the show committee over the years has been stored since the last gig in the lockup at Manor Farm Bungalow. Perhaps it is time to consider what should happen to this. I have no problem with the container staying in the field but do not want the responsibility for the contents. Do we want the contents to be sold off and any funds raised to go into a account and these funds to be held by the parish council for any events in the future for the benefit of the village. Any comments from interested parties within the village would be very much welcomed i.e. school /church / social club and parish council. R.A.Bourton Manor Farm Bungalow Please e-mail me on mailto:raandmebourton@btinternet.com CHURCH COFFEE MORNING The next Church coffee morning will be held in the Village Hall on Saturday 10th June from 10 am to midday. Refreshments, Raffle, Sales Table and Children’s Craft. FOODBANK The next village collection will be on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June at the Village Hall from 9am to 4pm each day. It has been reported that Food banks are struggling to keep up with demand, so please be as generous as you are able to. OPEN THE BOOK OTB offers primary school children an opportunity to hear Bible stories, presented by a team, in an imaginative and dramatized way. Broad Town Church has a team of 9 Storytellers who visit Broad Town School fortnightly. WORK MORNINGS Unfortunately the last two Churchyard work mornings had to be cancelled due to bad weather. Revised dates are as follows: Sat 27th May and Sat 17th June from 10am to midday and again on 8th July. Main task will be strimming (bring your own if you have one please) but there will be plenty of other tasks. Refreshments will be provided. PROSPECT BOXES In the recent collection of the prospect boxes a total of £235 was donated. Thank you to everyone who contributed – your continued support is very much appreciated. CRAFT GROUP This group is still in its infancy having only had four sessions however it has been well attended for such a new group. We meet on the first and third Wednesday mornings of each month to enjoy two hours of crafting and chatting with tea and coffee (and biscuits of course). We pay £2 a session to cover the cost of the hall. Between the members there are a variety of crafts ranging from model making and painting to cross stitch and crochet. There is opportunity to share ideas and learn something new from other members or to simply enjoy a quiet morning with like minded folk and do some adult colouring. You do not need to be good at any particular craft, all are welcome. We hope to have learned a bit more about one another’s abilities over the coming weeks with one of the ideas being to work towards a ‘Made in Broad Town’ craft stall for the Church Christmas Bazaar in early December. By then we will also have chosen an appropriate name for the group. Our June sessions will be on the 7th & 21st from 10-12 noon in the village hall, all welcome WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH The SID has been located at Chapel Lane monitoring Northbound traffic (heading to RWB) 26,644 vehicles passing the SID which equates to approx. 888 a day 2,952 (11%) vehicles were speeding. SOCIAL CLUB & DIARY DATES Thank you to everyone for the great feedback about the live band who played over the Coronation weekend, and yes, we can confirm that, due to popular demand, we are pursuing them for New Year’s Eve. Can you believe we are already looking that far ahead? Up our sleeve for the rest of the year is a Games Night, a Beetle Drive, Community Carols and the NYE party. Details to follow. If you have any ideas about other events or themed nights you would like to see (and help organise) particularly on a Friday night, please email annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com Dates for Food for Thought are: ❖ Friday 30th June ❖ Friday 14th July ❖ Friday 25th August ❖ Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. ❖ 5pm – 8pm for takeaways; 5pm – 11pm for the bar. If you would like to come into the Club to eat your fish and chips, you are very welcome to do so. For the more discerning diners you are also welcome to bring your own plates, cutlery, and bread & butter (but please take your washing up home with you!). Standard Friday Nights ❖ Bar open 8pm – 11pm ❖ Great range of reasonably priced drinks and snacks ❖ Free darts and pool (snooker, not swimming!) ❖ Why not drop in? Everyone welcome: the more the merrier. COMMUNITY SPEED WATCH (CSW) Please give me a call if you want to be part of Broad Town’s CSW group. Chris Woodhouse on 07790815616 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Saturday 27th May – churchyard work morning10am to midday Sunday 4th June - Communion10.30am – Coffee and biscuits after Service Wednesday 7th June – Craft Group10am to 12 Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June - Foodbank Saturday 10th June – Church Coffee Morning10am to 12 Sunday11th June – Evening Service 6pm Wednesday 28th June Community Coffee Morning10am to 12 Sunday 2nd July - Ordination, as Deacon, of Richard Holness - Salisbury Cathedral. Saturday 8th July churchyard work morning The deadline for items for the newsletter is the 22nd of EVERY month. or e-mail BroadTownNews@gmail.com or Ray Manley 01793 731564 Ray Manley Wed, 24 May 2023 18:15:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2618 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2615/Broad-Town-Newsletter--May-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2615 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2615&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2615/Broad-Town-Newsletter--May-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – MAY 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. This edition is packed with all the information you need about the events that are going on in and around our village to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III. Broad Town Celebrates… Excitement is building as the Coronation gets closer and by next weekend everything for the Broad Town celebrations will be in full swing, starting with the Village Tidy-Up on Saturday 29th April through to the Church Yard Clear-Up on Monday 8th May. Details of these, and all the events in between, are in the poster below. We have 21 scarecrows confirmed – look out for these around the village from Friday 5th May. We have masses of cakes promised for the Afternoon Tea Party on Friday 5th May and some amazing raffle prizes, so get yourself along to enjoy all of these (and the great company of course!). Lots of super raffle prizes for the Live Music Event on Saturday 6th May too, just hope we can stop dancing long enough to do the draw! Enjoy! Enjoy! Enjoy! BROAD TOWN CELEBRATES KING CHARLES III CORONATION Join us for a weekend of village celebrations 5th—8th May 2023 Please decorate your garden in readiness for the weekend & keep an eye on the Newsletter & Broad Town Facebook for more information about the event packed weekend 29th April, 10am - Litter picking followed by refreshments 5th-7th May, Royal Scarecrow trail around the village Friday 5th May, 3-5pm – Royal tea party in the village hall hosted by Broad Town Coffee Morning Group Saturday 6th May, 7pm-midnight– Live Dog House band, music and bar in the village hall hosted by the Social Club. Registration is first come, first served & FREE. Fish & Chips available from the village hall car park hosted by Food for Thought; between 5 - 7 pm takeaway only, between 7 - 9pm open for takeaway and for those attending the evening event inside the hall. Sunday 7th May 10:30 am - Service, Broad Town Church followed by refreshments Monday 8th May 10:00 am – Churchyard work morning Keep your eyes peeled for more details of individual events via posters and Facebook BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB NEWS AND EVENTS Why not kick start the Coronation celebrations with a fish and chip supper next Friday night to get you in the mood for the Village Tidy-Up and everything that follows? Future dates for Food for Thought are: Friday 28th April, 5pm – 8pm; Club open to 11pm Saturday 6th May, 5pm – 9pm (Social Club opens at 7pm for those with tickets for the live music event, bring your fish and chips in to eat). Club open to midnight. Entry by (free) tickets only. Tickets available from annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com. Then, Friday 26th May, Friday 30th June, Friday 14th July, Friday 25th August; all 5pm – 8pm; Club open to 11pm. Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. What’s your favourite tipple and do we have it in stock? There’s nothing worse than turning up for a night out only to find that your favourite tipple isn’t stocked is there? If our range of drinks doesn’t include your favourites, then let us know. Within reason we will try to stock them, but on the basis that you do turn up to drink them! Call in and tell us, email annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com, or put a comment on the Facebook pages that serve our community. Everyone welcome – the more the merrier. BROAD TOWN REJOICES IN THE CORONATION OF KING CHARLES III Celebrate the Broad Town Church Coronation Project to preserve our beautiful Church. Following a nearly century-old tradition, you can share in this momentous occasion with a superb Keepsake Coronation Mug and Coronation Tea-Towel. The limited edition Coronation Mug and Tea-Towel are designed by the children of Broad Town CE Primary School and every penny raised will contribute towards preservation and maintenance of our Broad Town heritage Church building. Thank you very much for your generosity. Phone Ray or Margaret 01793 731564 PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE May Village Tidy-Up Let’s give the village a spring clean ready for the King’s Coronation weekend. Meet us at the Village Hall for a village tidy and litter pick up. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades/shovels and buckets to weed the pavements. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on Monday 15th May (due to the Coronation bank holiday). All are welcome to attend these meetings and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. Annual Parish Meeting - Monday 22nd May 6.30pm in the Village Hall. We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Parish Meeting. This is not a council meeting but is an opportunity for all village groups and associations to share with the village the activity they have undertaken in the past year and their plans for the future. BROAD TOWN CHURCH Services for May: 7th - Coronation All Age Service 10.30am. Presentation of Scarecrow Certificates. Coffee/ Tea and cake. Everyone welcome. 28th - Evening Service 6pm Annual Parochial Church Meeting At the recent APCM Ray and Margaret Manley were elected as Churchwardens and our new elected PCC is Rev Canon Rachma Abbot, Brian Joyce (Treasurer), Veronica Stubbings (Secretary), Fiona Holness, Carolyn Crocker, Janet Drury, Clive Green and Judy Rendell Churchyard - The April work morning was cancelled due to bad weather. The next date is Volunteer Monday (8th May) 10.00am – midday and again on Saturday 10th June. March church coffee morning We would like to say a big “thank you” to all the villagers who came to the coffee morning. We raised the sum of £260.55. With expenses we finished with £229.05. We were very pleased with the result – so well done to you all. We are not sure when the next church coffee morning will be. We had our annual meeting on Thursday 20th April, when a new committee was elected including new Church Wardens. Thank you from Margaret Green (outgoing church warden) Letter from the Bishop of Ramsbury, the right reverend Dr Andrew Rumsey How does one crown a king? After much rehearsal and with a steady hand, I suspect – and bated breath around the globe in that solemn moment. There is a weightiness, not only to the physical act but its deep spiritual and symbolic import, which is hard to explain but nevertheless of immense value. For the coronation remains a profoundly Christian occasion, in which an ancient connection is made between earthly and divine power, and our monarch’s complete dependence on God for the grace to govern. The greater the authority - or majesty - the greater the need to emphasise this dependence. The Christian heart of our monarchy, much discussed and disputed, is an historic safeguard against vainglory and the abuse of power: it means that the anointing to rule becomes, inescapably, the anointing to serve in the pattern of Christ. These are ideas requiring careful translation in an era when we have almost lost what was once instinctive in our culture – humility before the Almighty, whatever our station. Sceptical of God’s existence and suspicious of those who aren’t, the Christianity of our monarchy and all the mythmaking of a coronation appears to some as no more than an eccentric kind of national window-dressing. Whilst it may be this – and no worse for it - I believe the impending celebrations are also a reminder to our fretful, forgetful age of the higher yet humbler calling to which we may yet respond, while the Lord is near.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Please come to our special Coronation Tea Party on Friday May 5th from 3-5pm. in the Village Hall. A wide selection of scones, cakes, and sausage rolls will be on offer together with tea, coffee and squash so please join us to celebrate the coronation! There will also be a raffle and proceeds from this, together with donations for refreshments, will be shared between Brighter Futures at Great Western Hospital and Prospect Hospice. The flowering cherry in the churchyard that was donated by the community coffee mornings group has now had its brass plaque attached and looks magnificent . Many thanks to Ben and the other churchyard volunteers for planting the tree and installing the plaque so professionally. The coffee mornings in May will be held on Wednesdays 10th and 24th from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. We look forward to seeing everyone at all our May events to enjoy homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate!   CRAFT AND HOBBIES MORNINGS The new Craft and Hobbies Group got off to a strong start with 20 people of various ages turning up to our first meeting on April 5th. A wide range of activities took place including knitting, crochet, colouring, bookmark-making, suncatcher painting, jigsaws, model railway-building, sketching, Lego-building and playing cards. The group met again on April 19th for more crafty activities. Anyone who hasn’t yet been to a meeting is very welcome to come along to our next sessions which are on the first and third Wednesdays of the month – May 3rd and 17th from 10 – 12 noon in the village hall. Meetings are open to all, and you don’t have to bring anything along – you are welcome to just drop in for drinks, biscuits and a chat, and we always have colouring sheets, pencils and felt pens available if you fancy being creative! There is a charge of £2 to cover hall hire, coffee, tea and biscuits – please come and join us!   BROAD TOWN PRIMARY SCHOOL Summer Fete Stall holders wanted On Saturday 17th of June. A Summer fete will be held at Broad Town Primary School in partnership with Wootton Bassett Hounds Running Club. A considerable footfall is expected, and we are currently looking for applications from small business owners to take stall spaces. The cost of a pitch is £10, and you will be required to provide your own table (and gazebo if you wish). The event will start at 1pm and we ask that you arrive no more than 1 hour and no less than 30 mins in advance to set up. The event will end at 4pm. Alongside an organised run there will be food and refreshments, entertainment and games including maypole dance, welly wanging and much more! All funds raised from the fete go towards equipment and activities for the children of Broad Town School. If you would like to apply, then please email: broadtownschoolassociation@gmail.com With: -Business name -Product -Email -Phone number Do not hesitate to contact us should you require any more information. Thanks The BTSA (Broad Town School Association) FOODBANK A big thank you to everyone who donated items for the Easter foodbank collection, which included over 30 Easter Eggs. Our next collection will be 10th & 11th June at the Village Hall. Thank you for your continued support. BUSHTON MANOR PLANT FAIR AND OPEN GARDEN, SN4 7PX Bank Holiday Monday May 1st 11am-3pm  Last year, even after the break for Covid, we had more stalls than usual and we had over 1000 visitors! We sincerely hope that we do the same again in 2023! The gardens of the 18th Century Manor House are delightful and this is the only opportunity for people to visit. Plants, Crafts, Food and other related garden products are for sale. Stalls are scattered throughout the lawns and courtyard and there is even a Plant Crèche so that you do not need to carry your purchases around with you! You can sit on the lawns and enjoy home-made refreshments or maybe a Bacon Butty from the BBQ. There will be games and a Treasure Hunt to keep young people occupied. Entrance is £3. No charge for children or car parking. Dogs on leads are welcome. Money raised will go to the St Peter's Church Roof Fund, a Grade 1 listed building in Clyffe Pypard. Contact Barbara Davis 0796 223 6678 BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE Weather permitting, a group of Broad Town volunteers will be liming the White Horse on the morning of Sunday 30th April, prior to the Coronation. Information is available from Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com. If you're walking in the area and see us, give us a wave. The deadline for items for the newsletter is the 22nd of every month.       Please email items to: BroadTownNews@gmail.com                For any queries please contact: Ray Manley tel: 01793 731564. Ray Manley Fri, 28 Apr 2023 10:55:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2615 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2614/Broad-Town-Newsletter--April-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2614 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2614&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2614/Broad-Town-Newsletter--April-2023                                                                                                                      BROAD TOWN NEWS – APRIL 2023                                                                                        Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   BISHOP KAREN’S APRIL LETTER I wonderwhether we can remember how we were feeling 3 years ago as we approached Easter? Lockdown feels a long time ago, however I was reminded through an article read recently that we have all experienced a major trauma in our lives which we have somehow lived through. Our thoughts remain with those suffering from loss and the effects of long Covid yet for the majority of us we have just got on with life, seldom perhaps thinking about the changes we were determined to make then, for the better now. Easter too can be dulled by familiarity, cream eggs and hot crossed buns are no longer seasonal, yet as with Covid, entering into the annual desolation of Holy Week, and emerging joyfully on Easter Day changes us. Each year, I try to take some time, usually on Maundy Thursday evening, to look back prayerfully at my life with gratitude and ahead with hope. The events of the first Easter changed the course of history, as death was defeated and life in all its fullness was made available for all of us, for all time. Christ promises to walk with us each day, as he did three years ago, into the darkness, into the unknown, and we are called to be transformed, to change as a result. We learn lessons too by looking back, perhaps we wouldn’t do things now as we did then? Traumatic events draw us to our senses, yet when life gathers pace again, the bird song we heard, or the neighbour we visited, or the still small voice, all get lost. Holy Week gives us the gift of drawing breath, of feeling God’s healing touch of love once again. Let’s allow ourselves to once more be turned upside down by Christ’s passion, and to live life differently as a result. +Karen ROY DAVEY - AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN It is with deep sadness that we recently had the loss of Roy Davey. He reached the respectable age of 88 and spent about 30 years in Broad Town. His childhood was in Southampton, where he was evacuated in the war, to avoid danger. Roy had an amazing life, doing what he loved - Flying. This wasn’t work for Roy but a hobby and pure enjoyment. He travelled extensively with the Royal Airforce, and was followed by his amazing wife Lynne and their four children. He retired as a Squadron Leader at RAF Lyneham, and was soon asked back to run the flight simulator. Roy loved Broad Town, and served for many years on the Parish Council, as Clerk. He was a kind and generous man, and a pleasure to be with. He was always happy to share his dry sense of humour, acting out the role of the grumpy old man! However, behind this vizard he truly was an Officer, and, a Gentleman. EASTER FOODBANK COLLECTION AT VILLAGE HALL. Sat. 1st & Sun. 2nd April from 9am to 4pm. Tins, Cereal, Cartons of juice and milk, Cleaning products, Pasta, Rice, **Easter Eggs** Please give as generously as you can. Thank You. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE – APRIL The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on TUESDAY 11th April (due to the Easter holiday), and advance notice that the May meeting with be on Monday 15th May (due to the Coronation bank holiday). All are welcome to attend these meetings and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. Annual Parish Meeting : Monday 22nd May 6.30pm in the Village Hall We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Parish Meeting. This is not a council meeting but is an opportunity for all village groups and associations to share with the village the activity they have undertaken in the past year and their plans for the future. Fly Tipping There have been some reports of fly-tipping which seems to be on the increase. If fly-tipping is in progress, call 101. If possible, provide: ▪ the make, model and registration of any vehicle(s) involved ▪ a description of any person(s) involved If you’ve witnessed littering or people leaving a mess in public, please don’t attempt to remove the rubbish yourself in case there are hidden sharp or dangerous items. Contact Wiltshire Council using the My Wilts app or via the MyWilts online reporting - Wiltshire Council who will arrange for the rubbish to be removed. If you’ve witnessed fly-tipping or people discarding drug-related equipment, please photograph the discarded items if possible, and report to the police using their online portal: https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb-v3/report-antisocial-behaviour BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING The Annual General Meeting of the Broad Town Village Hall Committee will be held on Wednesday 26th April 2023, 7.30 - 8.15pm in the Village Hall. ALL WELCOME. Why not come along and see who we are, what we do, have your say and maybe consider joining us? For those not familiar with Annual General Meetings, there will be a report from the Chairman, a Treasurer’s report to review the finances over the last year, and elections of Committee members for the year ahead. This year we are looking for a new Treasurer. If you might be interested in this role and want to know more, please contact Paul Granger for an informal discussion via paulgranger4@btinternet.com or 07974 573815. We look forward to seeing you on 26th April. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS Thank you to everyone who came along on 18th March. If you have not been to the Churchyard recently, pop in to see what improvements have been made. The next planned work morning will be on 1st April. BROAD TOWN SOCIAL CLUB NEWS AND DIARY DATES Well, we have had some absolutely cracking nights recently, particularly the monthly fish and chip nights, so we are pleased to announce, in conjunction with the Village Hall Committee, that Food for Thought will continue to visit us once a month for takeaways (and eat ins for those wishing to have a drink or two with their supper). It’s good to see so many of you back enjoying yourselves. The Social Club is open as normal every Friday from 8pm – 11pm with the usual array of (very reasonably priced) drinks, snacks, and banter at the bar! The free pool table and darts have also gone down well so get yourselves down here to check it all out. We always have a warm welcome for new members so please come along any Friday evening and introduce yourself to Trevor who you will find behind the bar, and he will introduce you to everyone else. And at £2 per person, membership is hardly a King’s Ransom! FISH FRIDAY DATES Food for Thought Fish and Chip trailer will be in the Village Hall car park on the dates below. The Social Club opens at 5pm on these dates so please come on in with your takeaway, enjoy the warmth and have yourself a drink or two to wash it down with. ▪ Friday 24th March (Quiz Night) ▪ Friday 28th April Food for Thought is also supporting our Coronation weekend activities by being here on Saturday 6th May. They will be open for standard takeaways from 5pm – 9pm that day. For those attending the live music evening (see the notice elsewhere in this newsletter on Coronation events) the Social Club is open from 7pm and you are very welcome to buy your supper on your way in. Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. We look forward to welcoming one and all. WHAT BROAD TOWN’S SPEED INDICATOR DEVICE (SID) SAW LAST MONTH The SID was located at Broad Acres measuring the speed of traffic travelling to Broad Hinton from mid-Feb to mid-Mar The SID counted 32,793 vehicles passing which equates to approx. 911 a day. 9,920 (30%) vehicles went through the SID doing more than 35mph 602 vehicles were logged by the SID travelling at speeds deemed dangerous by Wiltshire Police (i.e. greater than 45mph). There isn’t a single hour in the day when we don’t have a high end speeder commuting through our village. A greater proportion of the traffic exceeds 45mph in the 30mph part of the village between the hours of 6am to 9am and later in the day between the hours of 3pm to 7pm COMMUNITY SHOP At the last Parish Council meeting, a subject which hasn’t cropped up for a while raised itself. Therefore, The Parish Council are keen to take the temperature and appetite, from residents of Broad Town, on the prospect of having a community shop. It’s not as simple as that though. It would need volunteers to run it, and a premises to trade from. Please could you let the Parish Council know your feelings on this by emailing the Clerk, BTPCCLERK@OUTLOOK.COM Three things that would be useful to know, would be: ▪ Would you like a community shop? ▪ Would you be prepared to volunteer? ▪ Do you have, or have suggestions, on a facility the shop could trade from? BANKING “This is for community information; whilst it was a big loss to Royal Wootton Bassett and the surrounding villages when Lloyds Bank closed its doors in December, leaving the town without a bank. We wanted to let you know that Lloyds Bank are running a Community Bank every Thursday 9am-3:30pm at Lime Kiln Leisure Centre in Royal Wootton Bassett (SN4 7HG). There isn’t any cash facility, but you’ll be able to pay bills, transfer money between accounts and ask for financial advice.” NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH We are thrilled to launch our biggest recruitment campaign in recent years, termed a BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. We would all like to achieve a better place to live no matter our starting point – whether it be working together to reduce fear of and opportunities for crime, supporting our neighbours, reducing isolation and loneliness, or making new friendships. With 2.3 million members already, the campaign aims to: · attract even more members · encourage groups to be more active · encourage all local group members to register their membership nationally Why are we running this campaign? We want more members We know the top four barriers to people joining are: there isn’t a group in their area, they don’t know who else is involved, no one has asked them, or they are unsure about what is expected of them. These barriers are all easily overcome by members chatting with neighbours. And there is no better time to invite people to join your group than now. We have a range of printed material to help you to grow your group, such as membership flyers, join postcards, volunteer flyers and a Coordinator pack that brings all that material together. We want to be more active in your community We are proud to say that we have a tested brand recognition of 93%. Despite this, it is clear that not everyone knows what we do. Our charity becomes more visible by being more active and vocal within our communities. More importantly, active groups are more effective at preventing crime, reducing loneliness and isolation, and building a more resilient community. So our campaign also encourages and enables Coordinators to be more active within their community. We have a range of resources such as ‘how to’ guides to help groups to be more active. We want local group members to register their details The strength of our charity is in being volunteer-led and by being embedded within communities for over 40 years. But times have changed, and how we process data has changed. Like any membership organisation, we ask volunteers and members to register on our robust and free membership database. Registered members will receive a digital New Member Welcome Pack and regular crime prevention advice. They can opt-in to receive further information from local organisations, such as the police. Members can sign up in three easy steps, and as they move area, their account moves with them. With all members registered, Coordinators can manage their scheme from one central place and easily hand over the reins to a new person when they move on. How you can get involved · Visit ourwatch.org.uk/betterplacetolive to learn more about the campaign · Look at ways to support the campaign in our BETTER PLACE TO LIVE Campaign Pack · Order printed material such as membership flyers, join postcards, crime prevention booklets or Coordinator Packs that brings all that material together NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH NETWORK, Central Support Team ourwatch.org.uk / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / LinkedIn / Online shop Neighbourhood Watch Network is a charity registered in England & Wales, CIO no: 1173349 UNIVERSITY BURSARY GRANT - WILTSHIRE & SWINDON YOUNG PEOPLE Open for Applications Are you starting university this year? Wiltshire Community Foundation offers grants to young people in Wiltshire and Swindon who need support with the costs of studying an undergraduate degree at university. The One Degree More bursary is £1,600 for each year of the course to help with general living expenses, course costs, books and equipment. We are now open for applications for those stating university this year. Who is eligible to apply – young people can apply for a university bursary if they: • are under 24 years old • have lived in Wiltshire or Swindon for at least 2 years • parents or guardians receive 2 means-tested benefits (2 elements of Universal Credit) • eligible for funding through Student Finance England • studying for first undergraduate degree at a UK university or college Applications close on 15 May 2023. Apply today by visiting: www.wiltshirecf.org.uk/grants-andsupport/individuals/university-bursary-one-degree-more Nicola Hillier, Grants Officer Wiltshire Communnity Foundation, Sandcliff House, 21 Northgate Street. Devizes SN10 1JT   The online version of the Newsletter has a lot of information that it has not proved practical to transfer into this format  Mainly about the Coronation celebrations - if you require details please contact Ray Manley. The deadline for items for the newsletter should be in by the 22nd of EVERY month. Contact: Ray Manley- 01793 731564 or Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com Ray Manley Mon, 27 Mar 2023 18:34:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2614 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2611/Broad-Town-Newsletter--March-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2611 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2611&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2611/Broad-Town-Newsletter--March-2023                                                                                                        Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS The coffee mornings in March will be on Wednesdays 8th and 22nd from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. During our fundraising coffee morning on March 22nd the choir from our village school will be singing for us, there will be a raffle and all proceeds will be donated to the school so please come along and support the children. A huge thank you to everyone who gave so generously to our coffee morning on February 8th – due to the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria it was decided to donate all proceeds from that morning to the DEC Red Cross Appeal. A total of £130 was collected and donated online for which a letter of thanks has been received. Coronation Tea Party Friday May 5th, 3 - 5pm Thank you to everyone who has volunteered to bake cakes, scones or sausage rolls for the Coronation Tea Party. If you would like to do so but haven’t yet signed up, please look out for the list at future coffee mornings, or speak to Annie, Sandra or Helen. During 2022 the following donations were made to good causes using the surplus from coffee morning funds:   B T Church- £200.00   • Tree in Churchyard- £75.00    •    Christmas tree in Shelter- £25.00          • B T School- £100.00              • B T Pre School- £100.00    • B T Churchyard- £100.00    •  Bumps- £100.00       • Macmillan Cancer Support- £250.00       • Prospect- £250.00        • Ukraine Appeal- £37.50 •         B T Pre-School (Christmas Coffee Morning)- £130.00        A big thank you to everyone for their donations.In addition, between 2016 when the village coffee mornings first started, and the end of 2022, a total of £7,122.50 has been donated to worthy causes – thank you again for your continued generosity! We look forward to seeing you on the 8th and 22nd March for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, teacakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. It’s a great opportunity to chat to other people in the village whilst enjoying a hot drink and a slice of homemade cake! CHURCH COFFEE MORNING 25th MARCH Hi all – The coffee morning is a month later this year for various reasons. We hope to see as many as possible for a drink, cake and a chat at the Village Hall,  10.00am to midday. There will be the usual stalls – cakes, refreshments, salestable and raffle .PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE  “Bling for the King” Village Tidy-Up – Saturday 29th April 10am Let’s give the village a spring clean ready for the King’s Coronation weekend. Meet us at the Village Hall for a village tidy and litter pick up. We will be providing litter picker tongs, gloves, bin bags and Hi-Viz vests to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades and shovels to weed the pavements. If you know an area which is in desperate need of a clean-up, please let us know by email at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com. More details will be available on the website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Vacancy! New member of Community Fund Advisory group sought. Would you like to be involved in the process that allows for funding help to Community Projects such as the White Horse liming, footpath maintenance, CoffeeMornings and a thriving Village Hall? The Bluefield Solar Community Fund allocates a grant to Broad Town each year for the use by community projects, but to help alleviate any potential conflict of interest at the Parish Council, each application is first presented to a local Advisory Group for consideration, and they help the Parish Council decide how best to allocate the funding. A vacancy has arisen in this important group. Grant applications happen a few times a year and the members of the group say this useful work is not too onerous at all!  Please contact the Parish Clerk to express an interest or for more details. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 13th March. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. MAKE A DIFFERENCE AWARDS The BBC Radio Wiltshire Make a Difference Awards are back for 2023! Every day we hear stories of people doing incredible things for each other and their communities. These awards are a way to say “Thank You” to those who are really going above and beyond. Whether it’s caring for someone in need, being a brilliant neighbour, or taking on an incredible fundraising challenge, if you know someone who is really making a difference to our lives then you can nominate them for an award. Last year we saw eight incredible winners recognised at a fabulous ceremony at the Corn Exchange in Devizes. This year there are 8 categories you can nominate in • Volunteer • Community Group • Fundraiser • Carer • Great Neighbour • Bravery • Green Award • Together award You can nominate someone you know at bbc.co.uk/makeadifference where you can also see full Terms and our Privacy Notice. Nominations are now open and will close on Sunday 5th March 2023 at 11pm. The winners will be announced at our Make a Difference awards ceremony in September. And follow #BBCMakeADifference on social media for more details. Many Thanks Tory Pope Senior Producer, Communities BBC Radio Wiltshire CHARITY QUIZ NIGHT Friday 24th March broad town village hall & social club in support of MIND. Register your team and team name via annebroadtownveday@hotmail.com or 07916 701844 to guarantee your seat! First come, first served. Not in a team? No worries, we can help you out provided you let us know you are coming. ALL WELCOME. BROAD TOWN SCHOOL NEWS The school is pleased to announce the fantastic achievement of their school dressage team who came a very creditable 3rd in the Schools Autumn Dressage Challenge. At the beginning of January, the school held a very successful History Week which included a virtual visit to the Ashmolean Museum and a costume parade on the theme of "People in History". Some Yr6 children were also lucky enough to attend a "Lego Robotics" workshop at Wilshire Education Centre, Braeside. Visits from our community police team to talk about "Keeping Safe & Internet Safety" were also welcomed by the children. The school would like to thank those who continue to volunteer and support the children with their reading & activities If you feel you have any spare time and would like to volunteer, please give the school a call. BROAD TOWN KNITTERS AND CRAFTERS HELP WANTED We will be decorating the shelter (opposite BT Church) for the King’s Coronation and wondered if anyone in the village would like to join in by crafting something to go in the display? We were thinking crochet, knitting, artwork (that can be laminated so needs to be A4 or smaller) or absolutely anything you would like to craft that would be suitable to be displayed. We welcome crafts from any age group and any ability. The theme is anything Royal, it would be nice if it could be red, white and / or blue and it needs to be able to fit easily within the shelter and be added to the display. It would also need to be finished around the middle of May. If you have any questions or want to contribute, please call Annette on 07974 763645. HAPPY CRAFTING! WHAT BROAD TOWN’S SPEED INDICATOR DEVICE (SID) SAW LAST MONTH The SID was located at Marlborough House measuring the speed of traffic travelling to Broad Hinton from mid-Jan to mid-Feb 22,599 vehicles passed the SID 2,167 (10%) vehicles went through the SID doing more than 35mph                 38 vehicles were logged by the SID travelling at speeds deemed dangerous by Wiltshire Police (i.e. greater than 45mph) FOODBANK & TURKEY/SYRIA APPEAL Alongside the February collection for the Foodbank, we also had a collection of warm clothes, sleeping bags, tents and blankets for the victims of the earthquake. Your response to both was amazing. Thank you for your generosity. The next Easter Foodbank will be on April 1st & 2nd. CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS 18th March, 1st April, Monday 8th May, 10th June, 8th July, 5th August, 2nd September, 7th October, Hope to see you there if you can make it THE 100 CLUB The 100 Club Draws for January and February have taken place and the prizes have been distributed. The winners are as follows: January 2023 1st Prize – Jenni Cable 2nd Prize – Roy and Doreen Small 3rd Prize – Jim Veary February 2023 1st Prize – Jackie Jordan 2nd Prize – Annie Crocker 3rd Prize – Janet Wain.  Congratulations to all the winners. If you would like to join the 100 Club, please contact Fiona - Tel: 01793 850562 THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships, but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 31st March 2023. The next opportunity to apply will be September 2023. There is also a vacancy for a Trustee so if anyone from the two parishes feel able to help, please contact either of the above. WHITE HORSE LIMING – 10AM, SUNDAY 30 APRIL 2023 1. Weather permitting, White Horse liming place will take place on the morning of Sunday 30th April. The date has been chosen so that the Horse will be looking its best for the Coronation the following weekend. 2. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. 3. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. 4. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com Fuller details will then be provided to all volunteers prior to the event. 5. Individuals who have already declared their availability to the organizer need not do so again. CHURCH ON POLITICS AND RELIGION It is sometimes said that politics and religion shouldn’t mix. Over the years in my role as a local religious representative, I’ve sometimes been advised to stay out of local politics. In recent weeks I have felt challenged by watching people with no religious commitment suggest political interventions in the life of my faith community. Yet I have always believed that politics and religion can’t be separated. A moral choice or action may be private within your own home, but it becomes political as soon as you act based on your own moral code out in society. For example, your food choices are private, but if (like me) you can’t drink milk and live in a community with several dairy farms, you become very aware that this private choice may have asocial impact and outcome. I’m part of a church which enjoys enormous privileges because of its historic establishment as the national church. This privilege continues into the present with Bishops in the House of Lords and a very entangled legal system between church and state. There is a danger that I may like political “interference” when it aligns with my views and dislike it when it doesn’t. And, of course, for any group of “insiders” there can be frustrations when “outsiders” don’t ‘get’ the realities of my church (or club or class or interest group). I should declare my interest here. I am a member of the Campaign for Equal Marriage*. Yet I am aware that I am in a minority within the Church of England and that I have priestly friends and colleagues whom I respect and value who see things very differently. I believe that those who disagree with me are also people who care deeply about our shared faith and I am aware that all of us will be seeking to serve and care for people in our congregations and communities who may be hurt by the expression of our different views. This awareness has been part of my ministry as an ordained woman who remains part of a church where there are bishops, clergy and church members who do not think that women can be ordained. Broad Town News Over the years I have learned so much from maintaining working relationships with people I will never agree with – and we have served our communities better by working together on shared goals. A willingness to work together without seeking full agreement may be a way of navigating a world in which politics and religion often seem to bring conflict and in this way, we may find we are practising a golden rule on which almost all faiths and those of no faith agree. “Love your neighbour as yourself.” *https://cofe-equal-marriage.org.uk/.  Reverend Rachma POLICE AND CRIME COMMISSIONER PHILIP WILKINSON PARISH COLUMN  My annual budget proposed a raise the amount of money you pay for the policing part of your council tax, known as the precept, by 6.2%. For an average Band D household, that equates to £15 a year or £1.25 a month. It’s been a difficult decision to make and that’s why it was important we consulted you. Over 2,700 people responded to the survey. We also took it out across Swindon and Wiltshire to gather your feedback. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you if you took the time to complete it. 54% of people who responded said they would be prepared to support a maximum rise but it’s important to make clear why I asked you to support that option. Without putting up the precept, Wiltshire Police would need to save over £4m in the next year. Even by increasing the precept, savings will be key but I’m confident this will happen at the same time as delivering a better service. We will put 32 extra police officers on the streets of Wiltshire, in addition to the new Uplift officers. We should have 1,189 police officers by the end of March this year – the highest number for quite some time. I am constantly speaking to our local MPs and government ministers about the funding formula. We need a fairer system which provides our police force with the investment equal to forces similar to ours. Broad Town News By raising the precept, we can show we are playing our part in funding our police force and this puts us in a stronger position. With more officers on our streets and a better use of our existing funds, I hope you will see an improvement in the service you receive and see value for money in the measures I’ve taken to make Wiltshire a safer place to live and work. SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE AWARENESS WEEK 2023 Help is there for you. This year’s Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week, which starts today (6/2), is to make people aware of what support is available. Wiltshire Police is encouraging people to report any form of sexual violence as part of the #ItsNotOk national campaign. All week we’ll be raising awareness of rape and sexual assault alongside our partner agencies as well as urging anyone who has been affected to come forward and seek help and support. Sexual abuse and violence is an act carried out against another person where the motivation is sexual and the victim does not consent. It can be anything from catcalling (which is regarded as street harassment) and flashing to sexual assault and rape. Detective Inspector Troy Smith said: “This is an annual campaign to highlight to anyone who is a victim of sexual assault that you are not alone and that help is available. “I understand just how difficult and daunting it may be for a victim to come forward and take that first step in reporting their ordeal and not everyone feels comfortable contacting the police. “However, if you come to us, please be assured that we take all reports of sexual assault extremely seriously and will give you the right support throughout the process. “Our officers will investigate thoroughly and do their very best to ensure offenders are held to account and put before the courts. “And please remember there are many other organisations you can contact if you don’t want to come to us for whatever reason - you don’t ever have to stay silent and feel alone. The most important thing is that, when the time is right, you tell and talk to someone.” Police and Crime Commissioner Philip Wilkinson said: “I, along with Wiltshire Police and the NHS, co-ordinate the support for victims and survivors of sexual violence across Wiltshire and our SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) makes sure they have the support and medical care they need immediately after an offence has been committed. “Sexual violence is still an under-reported crime and I want anyone who is affected by this to have the confidence in the criminal justice system that they will be supported and that justice will be served if they report these offences. “While these services are available for everyone, irrespective of gender, we know that women are disproportionately affected by sexual violence, which is why tackling violence against women and girls is a priority of my police and crime plan.” To report sexual abuse please phone police on 101 or, if you wish to remain anonymous, via CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999. For more information, the SARC can be contacted on 01793 781 916. For children, the NSPCC can also be contacted on 0808 800 5000. DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Community Coffee Mornings 8th & 22nd March,                      Church Coffee Morning 25th March,                                   Village Tidy Up 29th April, Parish Council                                Quiz 13th March,                                                                                  24th March, Fish and Chip Van                               Easter food bank   1st & 2nd April,                                              White Horse 30th April,                                   Coronation Celebrations 5th -8th May                                                                                              The deadline for items for the newsletter should be in by the 22nd of EVERY month.                                                                                                 Contact: Ray Manley- 01793 731564 or Email- BroadTownNews@gmail.com Ray Manley Sun, 05 Mar 2023 18:12:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2611 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2607/Broad-Town-Newsletter--February-2023#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2607 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2607&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2607/Broad-Town-Newsletter--February-2023 BROAD TOWN NEWS – FEBUARY 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. CHRIST CHURCH To everyone who came to the Church Christmas coffee morning in the village hall we give a huge “Thank You”. You raised over £770 for the Church which was a remarkable achievement and has helped to swell the coffers. Services 5th February Communion 10:30am - 26th February Evening Service (Lay led) 5pm     VILLAGE HALL Free WiFi is now available in the hall. Gigaclear have very kindly provided this Community Hub for a 12 month period and this will be reviewed taking into consideration demand for this facility so please make use of this generous offer.   BROAD TOWN HISTORY Call Malcolm on 01793 731567 if you have any photos or stories that you would like to share on the Broad Town history website https://www.broadtownhistory.com/   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS The coffee mornings in February will be on Wednesdays 8th and 22nd from 10 – 12 noon in the Village Hall. A big thank you to everyone who attended our Christmas Coffee Morning on December 14th, and a huge well done to all the children from the village pre-school who sang an assortment of seasonal songs to make our coffee morning especially festive! The £130 raised at the coffee morning was later donated to the Pre-School, and we know that they are extremely grateful for this boost to their funds. One of the new cherry trees planted in the churchyard in December was donated by the Community Coffee Mornings in remembrance of HM Queen Elizabeth II, and a brass plaque will soon be added to mark this occasion. Thank you to everyone who helped to decorate the Christmas trees in the village shelter opposite the churchyard. The ‘Coffee Morning Tree’ was festooned with coffee morning themed decorations, the vast majority being homemade, and all the trees looked amazing! We look forward to seeing you on the 8th and 22nd for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, teacakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. If you haven’t been to a village coffee morning before then why not give it a try, you are assured of a warm welcome!   CHRISTMAS 2022 Thanks to the Parish Council and Jason and Vincenza Bayliffe and family for providing the trees for Broad Town Church and Churchyard. Thanks also to the Good Energy Fund, the Social Club, the Village Hall Committee and Community Coffee Morning for sponsoring the 5 trees and lights for the shelter. The trees were imaginatively decorated by BT Pre School, Community Coffee Morning, Broad Town School and Bumps & Beyond. There was an enthusiastic team of villagers who helped decorate the shelter and erect/decorate the Churchyard tree and although too many to mention by name – you know who you are – and we are very grateful for your continued support.   PARISH COUNCIL Budget & Precept for 2023/24 Despite increases in both the Clerk’s salary (dictated by the Local Government Association pay agreement) and the cost of grass-cutting for the playing fields the Parish Council has been able to limit the precept increase to 0.62%. This means that the annual budget will be set at £10,096 and the annual amount requested from a household in tax band D in the village will increase slightly to £36.53 from last year’s £36.31. The Parish Council precept forms a small part of the overall annual Council tax requirement which will be communicated by Wiltshire Council direct to householders. Government Emergency Alerts system live soon You may have seen in one of the Parish Council weekly emails that the UK government’s new Emergency Alerts system will be live early this year, and you should expect to receive a test message. The system will enable people to be contacted via their mobile phone when lives are in danger. It will be used to warn you in the event of emergencies, such as severe flooding. Emergency Alerts are sent to all compatible mobile phones within an area of risk. They don’t track your location, need your phone number, or collect personal data. Only the government and the emergency services will be able to send them. If you don’t have a mobile phone, you’ll still be kept informed through other channels. If you get an Emergency Alert on your phone, you’ll hear a loud, siren-like sound. A message on your screen will tell you about the emergency and how best to respond. You’ll be able to check an alert is genuine at gov.uk/alerts. If you receive an alert, read the alert carefully and follow the instructions. You can opt out of receiving emergency alerts; for more information on how to opt out please go to gov.uk/alerts. To find out more about Emergency Alerts, visit gov.uk/alerts. The next Parish Council meeting will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 13th February. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. FOODBANK Thanks to everyone for your generous donations. Thanks also for your continued support throughout 2022 The next village Foodbank Collection will be on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th February at the Village Hall - 9am to 4pm   BROAD TOWN NEWS Is your neighbour new to Broad Town or do you know anyone who relies on smoke signals to find out what is going on in Broad Town? If so then why not let them know that they can easily subscribe to the BT News by e-mailing BroadTownNews@gmail.com   WHAT OUR S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH 20,325 vehicles passed the SID located at Chapel Lane measuring the speed of traffic travelling to RWB from mid-Dec to mid-Jan. 2,413 (12%) vehicles went through the SID doing more than 35mph 106 vehicles were logged by SID travelling at speeds deemed dangerous by Wiltshire Police 3 idiots went thru the village doing more than 55mph in the 30mph part of the village.   SOCIAL CLUB & DIARY DATES The Community Carol Singing and the New Year’s Eve party were both successes and it was lovely to have friends and neighbours together in celebration. Thank you to everyone who attended and for helping to raise £134 for Wiltshire Air Ambulance and £46 for the Salvation Army. Thanks also to all those who helped organise these events and to Food for Thought for the donation of some rather delicious homemade mince pies. We are back in full swing again now, and the Social Club is open as normal on Fridays from 8pm – 11pm with the usual array of (very reasonably priced) drinks and snacks and of course lots of banter at the bar! We are also now able to benefit from the recent refurbishments to the Village Hall of new heating, lighting, and driveway, plus we have new wi-fi and can take payment by both card and cash. Get yourselves down here to check it all out. Members - don’t forget to renew your membership for 2023! Princely sum of £2. FISH FRIDAY DATES Food for Thought Fish and Chip trailer will be in the Village Hall car park on the dates below. The Social Club opens at 5pm on these dates so please come on in with your takeaway, enjoy the warmth and have yourself a drink or two to wash it down with. Friday 24th February & Friday 24th March (with charity pub quiz from 8pm). Details to follow in next month’s newsletter and on the various community Facebook pages. Go to https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon for details of the full menu and how to beat the queues through pre-order. We look forward to welcoming one and all.   King Charles III Coronation Friday 5TH – Monday 8TH May 2023 Calling all Broad Town residents! Once again, we have a Royal event to celebrate in true Broad Town style, with a weekend of fun activities and social events. We are looking for new ideas for events for our young people and children. We also need volunteers to organise or attend events in the run up to the weekend (e.g., village litter pick, decorating the shelter, making scarecrows etc) and then to help with events over the weekend itself (e.g., children’s event, afternoon tea party, evening dance, scarecrow competition, village walk and so on). Don’t panic, you won’t have to get involved in all of these (unless of course you want to!). It’s a great opportunity to meet new people and get involved in the fun side of village life. If you have any ideas for events and/or want to get involved, then please contact Anne Granger in the first instance via anrichar4@aol.com Time for us to tidy the pad, get creative have some fun, eat drink & be merry.   DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Sunday 5th February Christ Church Communion - 10.30am Wednesday 8th February Community Coffee Morning - 10-12am Saturday 11th February Foodbank collection Sunday 12th February Foodbank collection Wednesday 24th February Community Coffee Morning - 10-12am Friday 24th February Fish and Chips Village Hall Sunday 26th February Christ Church Evening Service (Lay led) 5pm Friday 24th March Fish and Chip Village Hall Pub Quiz night April 22nd or 29th (date to be confirmed) Litter picking for the Coronation May 5th to May 8th (to be confirmed) King Charles III coronation weekend   NEXT EDITION Please forward articles for the news to the following email address: - BroadTownNews@gmail.com The deadline will still be the 22nd of each month Any queries, please contact Ray Manley - raymanley1@icloud.com Tel: 01793 731564 Ray Manley Thu, 26 Jan 2023 11:54:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2607 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2603/Broad-Town-Newsletter--Dec-22-Jan-23#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2603 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2603&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2603/Broad-Town-Newsletter--Dec-22-Jan-23 BROAD TOWN NEWS – DECEMBER 2022 / JANUARY 2023 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish. BROAD TOWN CHURCH Services for December 15th Dec. 6.30pm Carol Service  18th Dec. 10.30am Communion  24th Dec. Midnight Mass at Clyffe Pypard 25th Dec. 10.30am All Age Communion Service Services for January 8th Jan. 10.30am Communion – at Lyneham - Formal farewell to Rev. Karen 22nd Jan 5pm Evening service  29th Jan 10.30am Communion The Churchyard The Parochial Church Council would like to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who has volunteered and helped to keep the Churchyard looking so good over the last year. We could not do this without your help. A team of dedicated volunteers has worked tirelessly to ensure that the Churchyard is now an even more attractive and tranquil place for the benefit of the whole community.   BROAD TOWN REMEMBERS The 13 Broad Town Servicemen who perished in WW1 and 1 in WW2 were remembered in the placing of new wreaths - as close to where they lived in the Village - in time for Armistice Day. All the wreaths were then placed opposite the Church for the Sunday Remembrance Service. Our thanks go to Judy, Andrew and Chris for enabling this poignant tribute.   EXTRACT FROM A LETTER FROM THE BISHOP OF SALISBURY Your kingdom come … The season of Advent begins on Sunday the 27 November. Like Lent, it is a penitential season when the liturgical colour is purple and a time of preparation to celebrate the feast of the Incarnation without which there would be no feast of the Resurrection. Advent is not as long as Lent and it seems to be more about feasting than fasting! In a way it’s ‘Lent-lite’ but for many of us one of our favourite seasons of the year as we watch and wait in anticipation of the joy and excitement of the celebration of the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and also contemplate the realisation of God’s eternal Kingdom at the end of time. It is becoming something of a cliché to list the crises that presently beset us: climate, war, recession, refugees etc in a world already feeling unsettlingly different post-Covid. At times we can begin to feel overwhelmed and turn in on ourselves rather than remaining outward facing as is the Christian’s orientation. God in Christ became a human being not to be served but to serve. Christ the King is with us still – here and now. His kingship is not based on human power but on serving and loving others. We are called to exhibit those Kingdom values in their lives until at last our prayer will be answered and God’s Kingdom will ‘come on earth as it is in heaven.’ May the God of peace make you completely holy, ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. For anyone who would like to know a little bit more about our ‘new’ Bishop of Salisbury, please read on: The Rt Revd Stephen Lake was consecrated as the 79th Bishop of Salisbury during a service at Southwark Cathedral on 25 April 2022. He was later welcomed into the diocese during a service of Inauguration which took place on 19 June at Salisbury Cathedral. He was born and grew up in Poole, Dorset, and after working in Poole General Hospital and then serving as a Community Service Volunteer in London, he trained at Chichester Theological College. Stephen was ordained deacon in 1988 in our cathedral. In 2001, Bishop Stephen was appointed Sub Dean of St Albans, caring for the largest regular cathedral congregation in England. He became Dean of Gloucester in 2011 and served as the Lead Dean for Safeguarding and as a Church Commissioner. During the pandemic, Bishop Stephen worked on the Church of England Emerging Church Steering Group. Bishop Stephen has a Bachelor of Theology and has an MA in Theology, Politics and Faith Based Organisations from Kings College, London. Bishop Stephen has been a member of the Scout Association since he was a Cub Scout and was recently Chair of Gloucestershire Scouts, having also been a National Trustee from 2007 to 2012. He says: “It is such a privilege and a joy to be called back to the Diocese of Salisbury as Bishop. To be able to serve in the places that formed me will be something rare and special. Coming from leading a major cathedral I have a clear sense of the importance of great organisation, of good culture and rootedness in place. I hope to lead a confident diocese as we move out of the pandemic years together”. Bishop Stephen is married to Carol, and they have three adult children. Although Bishop Stephen will inevitably be extremely busy during his first Advent and Christmas seasons as the Bishop of Salisbury, he will still find time to enjoy a traditional roast turkey Christmas meal with his family. Whilst most of us will be relaxing on Boxing Day, Bishop Stephen will attend church, as very appropriately, it is the feast day of St Stephen, and he reports that he is often the only person there! With heartfelt thanks to Bishop Stephen and his PA, Melanie Davies, for personally sharing the above with Broad Town News.   PROSPECT HOSPICE The recent collection of boxes in the village raised a total of £262.75, so a big thank you to everyone who contributed so generously.   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE – DECEMBER RoSPA have carried out their annual inspection of the play area at Redhills and no significant problems were found. The report can be viewed at Redhills Playing Fields and Play Area – Broad Town Parish Council. Grants awarded to Community Groups The following grants have recently been awarded by the Parish Council from the Bluefield Solar Community Fund: • Village Hall Improvements : £4,011 to assist with costs incurred in refurbishing the car-park, installing energy efficient heating and lighting, and buying reusable tablecloths. Community Shelter Group : £100 to help with the costs for the Christmas display. Christ Church PCC : £400 to support the maintenance group in planting new shrubs, plants and trees throughout the churchyard. A Banking Hub for Royal Wootton Bassett? Many residents will be aware that the last remaining bank on RWB High Street (Lloyds) will close on 6th December. However, the good news is that RWB has been chosen to have a Banking Hub, which is a new multi-bank way of delivering a service on the High Street. They have published a questionnaire to gather feedback from the local area as to the types of banking requirements that people may have. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/SQBT8ZN The next Parish Council meetings will be at 6.30pm in the village hall on 12th December and 9th January when we will be agreeing the budget and setting the precept for the forthcoming year. All are welcome and the agenda will be posted on our website and on the notice boards in due course. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year   WILTSHIRE LIBRARIES ‘WARM SPACES’ Wiltshire Council libraries have officially become warm spaces for people this winter, providing a warm and friendly welcome to support anyone who needs help through the cost-of-living crisis. Of course, Wiltshire libraries are open to the public throughout the year, but now anyone is welcome to drop-in to any library in the county during the usual opening hours to have a sit down, a hot drink where possible, pick up some useful information, take part in activities and enjoy a friendly chat with staff should they need it, also there will be collection points for Warm Packs, which include a hot water bottle and blanket. Caroline White Broad Town Parish Clerk   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE A THREE-WEEK GAP BETWEEN THE COFFEE MORNINGS ON NOVEMBER 23RD AND DECEMBER 14TH Please come along to our festive Christmas coffee morning in the village hall from 10am -12 noon on Wednesday December 14th to enjoy Christmas themed cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. We are very much looking forward to a visit by young children from our village pre-school who will be singing to us, and there will also be a raffle so please bring along any spare change that you have! After the Christmas break the coffee mornings will resume in the new year following the usual pattern of being on every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month, so the dates for January will be Wednesdays January 11th and 25th, from 10am – 12 noon. Please come along!   FOODBANK The next village collection will be on Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th December 9am – 4pm at the village hall. With the cost of living rapidly rising, the use of foodbanks is greater than ever. As we prepare for Christmas, let’s remember those who struggle to “make ends meet” Your generosity is never taken for granted.   VILLAGE SHELTER Over the festive period our village shelter will be home to several Christmas trees, each of which will have been decorated by a different community group from the village. To find out which groups are represented and how each has decided to ‘theme’ their tree, come along to the shelter opposite the church in the run up to Christmas and see for yourself! Trees will be available to view from Sunday December 11th   FOOD FOR THOUGHT MOBILE CATERING BROADTOWN VILLAGE HALL AND BROADTOWN SOCIAL CLUB Food for Thought will be serving takeaway food in Broad Town Village Hall Car Park on the following Friday nights, 5pm – 8pm, as part of a sixmonth trial run. Friday 25th November (Big Screen World Cup Game followed by Games Night in the Social Club) Friday 23rd December (Community Carol Singing, mulled wine, and mince pies) Friday 20th January 2023 Menu on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon). For vegan, GF and other dietary requirements please contact them directly to discuss. They have limited space to carry stock but will gladly try to meet all requests. The Social Club (aka Four Ways Community Pub) will open from 5pm – 11pm on the evenings listed for members who wish to enjoy a drink along with their meal. Hopefully we can all enjoy Food for Thought and the additional events that the Social Club hope to run on the same dates. This is a genuine trial over 6 months so if you have any comments (positive or negative) or any concerns please let us know by emailing Paul Granger (Chair of the Village Hall Committee) via paulgranger4@btinternet.com or call on 07974 573815. Regards Broad Town village hall committee and four ways community pub (the social club) committee.   FOURWAYS COMMUNITY PUB (THE SOCIAL CLUB) We are a Community Pub, based in Broad Town Village Hall and run by volunteers. We are open every Friday night from 8pm to 11pm. We would love to see more of our villagers join us and make use of what we have to offer, which is: Convivial company Social events (Games Nights, Quiz Nights, Screening of Sports Events, New Year’s Eve Party) Members only events Early opening when the Fish & Chip van is in the car park Reasonably priced drinks and snacks, e.g., Wadsworth, Carlsberg £2.50 per pint, wine (18.7l) £2.50, standard spirits £2.50/measure A warm room to see you through the winter nights Membership costs just £2 per year and if you join now, you will have December 2022 free with your 2023 membership. Families with children are very welcome providing the accompanying adult is a club member. Everyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Assistance dogs also welcome. Come along on any Friday night to join up. Introduce yourself to Trevor (behind the bar) and he will sign you up and introduce you to others.   COMMUNITY CAROLS FRIDAY 23RD DECEMBER 7.30PM Broad Town village hall car park in support of Wiltshire air ambulance free mince pies (courtesy food for thought) mulled wine £1 a glass (proceeds to charity) fish and chip van from 5 – 8pm social club open from 5pm – 11pm bring torches, warm clothes, a good voice and cash for mulled wine & collecting buckets song sheets provided ho! ho! ho!   WANT TO SEE THE NEW YEAR IN with friends, family or neighbours? don’t want the hassle of arranging a party or clearing up? then join us in the village hall. Everyone welcome. Book early to avoid disappointment.   SWINDON & DISTRICT SCOUTS XMAS POST 2022 FOR CHRISTMAS CARDS ONLY Special Stamps 35p for 2022 available in Royal Wootton Bassett from: - Sainsbury’s, Borough Fields, Church Croft, St Barts, High St (10am-noon Mon-Sat), Radways the Cobblers, The Arcade, High Street,Rootz, Hairdressers, Woodshaw. Items must be posted in the Special Green Post Boxes at the above locations Swindon Scouts Post Delivery Area Ashbury, Badbury, Bassett Down, Bishopstone, Blunsdon,Broad Hinton, Broad Town, Bourton, Burderop, Bushton, Chiseldon, Clyffe Pypard, Coleshill, Cricklade, Greatfield, Greenhill, Hampton, Hannington, Highworth, Hodson, Hook, Inglesham, Liddington, Lydiard Millicent, Purton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, Salthrop, Sevenhampton, Shrivenham, South Marston, Stanton Fitzwarren, Tockenham, Wanborough, Watchfield, Wroughton, NO DELIVERIES TO LYNEHAM, BRADENSTOKE, BRINKWORTH Don’t Forget - ONLY use Special Green Scout Post Boxes (See above) Do NOT use the special Xmas Stamps on cards posted in Royal Mail Post Boxes (the recipient will have to pay a surcharge). Last Time for Posting 4pm on Tuesday 13th December   ZUMBA CLASS Bushton Village Hall – Mondays at 9.30:  If you feel like having some fun and getting some exercise as well, please come along and join us.  All ages and abilities welcome.  No pressure at all. For details please text/ring Flory on 07460  592998.   PCC PHILIP WILKINSON: DECEMBER/JANUARY PARISH COLUMN Policing has been under the microscope in the last year, and I don’t see this scrutiny letting up any time soon – and neither should it. The public want their police force to keep them safe, protect vulnerable people, put victims first, catch the criminals responsible, produce quality investigations and lock the bad ones up. Wiltshire Police has had its fair share of criticism. It has received a poor PEEL inspection report and is currently in ‘special measures’. I can reassure you progress is being made and my scrutiny of that performance is ongoing. We have had some solid successes too. You told me road safety and speeding was a key concern. I have committed investment into the roads policing unit, increasing the number of officers and cars by 20%. We also tripled the capacity of the speed enforcement team, with extra police staff and state-of-the-art cameras. With this joined up approach, there are more traffic officers on our streets and there has been an increase of 42% of the number of people caught speeding and given tickets. There is still more to do but our roads will become safer as the deterrent of speeding tickets and prosecution starts to bite. The rural crime team has also doubled since I committed investment in the team and in extra equipment. I was also pleased with the force’s commitment to visit all victims of home burglary – let me know if this doesn’t happen and I will act on your behalf to scrutinise that commitment. We are also in the process of recruiting the next Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police and I hope to have them confirmed in post by mid-January. We look forward to welcoming them to the county. In the meantime, our current Chief will carry on implementing the improvements needed to satisfy HM Inspectors and provide stability so the force can continue making Wiltshire safer for all. Please also make sure you take part in my survey, taking place in December and January, which will ask you about your confidence levels in Wiltshire Police and about the policing precept for 2023/24. It is important we capture as many people’s thoughts as possible and you will find this on my website from mid-December. As ever, I wish you a safe and happy Christmas and New Year.                                                                              Broad Town News would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year                                                                              This edition is for December and January so the next news will be for February 2023.                                                           **    From January, please forward articles for the news to the following email address:- BroadTownNews@gmail.com  **                                                                                             The deadline will still be the 22nd of each month                                                              Any queries, please contact Ray Manley - raymanley1@icloud.com Tel: 01793 731564 Ray Manley Fri, 25 Nov 2022 13:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2603 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2599/Broad-Town-News--Extra#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2599 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2599&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2599/Broad-Town-News--Extra ZUMBA CLASS – Bushton Village Hall – Mondays at 9.30:  If you feel like having some fun and getting some exercise as well, please come along and join us.  All ages and abilities welcome.  No pressure at all.  For details please text/ring Flory on 07460  592998.   Scout Post 2022 Swindon & District Scouts Xmas Post 2022 For Christmas Cards Only Special Stamps 35p for 2022 available in Royal Wootton Bassett from: - Sainsbury’s, Borough Fields Church Croft, St Barts, High St (10am-noon Mon-Sat), Radways the Cobblers, The Arcade, High Street, Rootz, Hairdressers, Woodshaw.   Items must be posted in the Special Green Post Boxes at the above locations Swindon Scouts Post Delivery Area Ashbury, Badbury, Bassett Down, Bishopstone, Blunsdon, Broad Hinton, Broad Town, Bourton, Burderop, Bushton, Chiseldon, Clyffe Pypard, Coleshill, Cricklade, Greatfield, Greenhill, Hampton, Hannington, Highworth, Hodson, Hook, Inglesham, Liddington, Lydiard Millicent, Purton, Royal Wootton Bassett, Swindon, Salthrop, Sevenhampton, Shrivenham, South Marston, Stanton Fitzwarren, Tockenham, Wanborough, Watchfield, Wroughton,   NO DELIVERIES TO LYNEHAM, BRADENSTOKE, BRINKWORTH         Don’t Forget - ONLY use        Do NOT use the special Scout        Special Green Scout               Xmas Stamps on cards posted        Post Boxes                              in Royal Mail Post Boxes        (See above)                             (the recipient will have to pay                                                         a surcharge)   Last Time for Posting 4pm on Tuesday 13th December RichardHowells Tue, 08 Nov 2022 08:43:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2599 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2598/Broad-Town-News--November-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2598 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2598&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2598/Broad-Town-News--November-2022   BROAD TOWN LIFE AND NEWS – November 2022 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   BROAD TOWN CHURCH SERVICES There will be a Commemoration of the Departed Service at St. Barts, R.W.B. on 30th October at 3pm  6th November                      Holy Communion                                     10.30am 13th November                     Remembrance Service                             10.50am 20th November                     Patronal Festival with Communion          10.30am   BROAD TOWN CHURCH Book the date – Saturday, November 26th. The Christmas coffee morning will be in the village hall from 10.00am to noon. There will be the usual stalls and the Christmas draw. 1st prize – a week in a welsh cottage; 2nd prize – tea for two at a local venue; 3rdprize – a Christmas hamper. Plus other prizes. Hope to see you all there for a lot of conviviality and refreshments.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS – NOVEMBER   A big thank you to everyone who came along to our Macmillan Fundraising Coffee Morning on September 28th.  It was lovely to see some new faces as well, and a grand total of £250 was donated to Macmillan who are very grateful for your generosity!                 Donations of £100 from group funds have now been made to the village Bumps’n’Babes Group, and to the Churchyard Working Group to aid improvements in and around our churchyard.               As well as our remaining October coffee morning on the 26th, our November coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 9th and Wednesday 23rd in the village hall so please come along to enjoy our homemade refreshments.  Our usual tempting selection of coffee/tea/hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls will be available so please join us for a cuppa and a chat!   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Attention Dog Owners We have received reports of dogs being present in the playing field and play area at Redhills. Please could dog owners respect the welfare of other users of the playing field and avoid taking dogs into the area. Grants available for Community Groups Remember that grants are available for Community Groups to help with any funding needs – each application is assessed by an independent advisory board prior to being submitted to the Parish Council who administers the funding from the Bluefield solar farm (previously Good Energy). Details are available on the website www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk The next Parish Council meeting will be on 14th November at 6.30pm in the village hall.   Broad Town Preschool                                                         FOODBANK   A bumper collection in October.  Firstly, thank you to all the villagers and secondly, thank you to all the children at B. T. School, who brought their donations to the Church, when they celebrated their Harvest Festival. We live in an extremely generous & caring village. The Foodbank will be “over the moon” with this tremendous collection.                                                           BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL AND FOUR WAYS COMMUNITY PUB (THE SOCIALSOCIAL CLUB   TURN FED-UP FRIDAYS INTO CHEER-UP FRIDAYS (WITH FOOD FOR THOUGHT, BROADTOWN VILLAGE HALL AND BROADTOWN SOCIAL CLUB) Fed-up after a long hard week? Don’t fancy cooking? Need something quick and local? Maybe some congenial company and a drink too? Look no further…… Food for Thought will be serving takeaway food in Broadtown Village Hall Car Park on the following Friday nights, 5pm – 8pm, as part of a six-month trial run. Friday 28th October (followed by normal Social Club night) Friday 25th November (Games night In the Social Club) Friday 23rd December (Community Carol Singing, mulled wine, and mince pies) Full details of the Games Night and the Carol Singing will follow in due course Main menu is on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FoodForThoughtSwindon). A more detailed menu is overleaf. The Social Club (aka Four Ways Community Pub) will open from 5pm – 11pm on the evenings listed for members who wish to enjoy a drink along with their meal. Not a member? Not a problem! Join on the night for the princely sum of £2 per person (cash) or pop along on any other Friday night, 8pm – 11pm to sign up. Membership valid until end of December 2023! Please note that the Social Club currently operates a cash bar only. Hopefully we can all enjoy Food for Thought and the additional events that the Social Club hope to run on the same dates. If you think this is the best thing since sliced bread, or if you should encounter any issues because of this, please don’t hesitate to email Paul Granger (Chair of the Village Hall Committee) via paulgranger4@btinternet.com or call on 07974 573815. This is a genuine trial period over six months, and we want to make sure it works for everyone before we commit to anything further.  Details of future events and dates for Food for Thought will be in the next edition of the BT Newsletter and posted on the relevant BT Facebook page.   Regards BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL COMMITTEE AND FOUR WAYS COMMUNITY PUB (THE SOCIAL CLUB) COMMITTEE   FOOD FOR THOUGHT MENU AVAILABLE IN BROADTOWN VILLAGE HALL CAR PARK, FRIDAYS 5PM – 8PM 28TH OCTOBER, 25TH NOVEMBER, 23RD DECEMBER 2022 Large cod £6.50 Small cod £4.50 Jumbo haddock £7.50 Large chips £3.50 (V, GF) Small chips £2.50 (V, GF,) Large Cheesy chips £4.00 (V, GF) Small cheesy chips £3.00 (V, GF) Jumbo sausage £2.10 Jumbo sausage battered £2.30 Wholetail scampi £7.00 8 pieces Fishcake £2.30 Onion rings (6 pieces) £2.00 (V) Curry sauce or Mushy peas (V) 1/4lb beef burger £4.50 (add cheese or onions FOC) 1/2lb beef burger £5.50 (add cheese or onions FOC) 1/2lb stilton & bacon burger £6.00  Chicago burger (Battered chicken fillet, smoked bacon, cheese, BBQ relish, onion rings) £6.00  1/2lb Texas burger, (1/2lb beef burger topped with smoked bacon, chedder cheese, onion rings and lashings of BBQ relish) £6.00 Vegetarian sausage plain £2.10 Vegetarian sausage battered £2.30 Handmade Vegetarian samosa x 2 £5.00 Gluten free batter is available provided it is pre ordered, please note we cannot guarantee that items containing gluten have not been cooked in the oil we will cook your food in. Unfortunately, with limited storage and cooking space in a small trailer it is very difficult to have separate cooking space for Vegan diets. We are happy to supply banana blossom as a fish alternative, but it must be pre ordered and it will be cooked in the same fryer as the chips, which might have had fish or fish products in it previously. To discuss any dietary needs please contact Graham either on 07515 288414 or via email on grahamrowcliffe58@outlook.com Pre orders welcome by telephone or WhatsApp 07515 288414 Email orders grahamrowcliffe58@outlook.com Payment is by card or cash.   LOOKING AHEAD TO A HAPPIER 2023.  Here’s a date for you book early to avoid disappointment, open to all. You are invited to a New Year’s Eve Celebration. Broad Town village hall. Eight till late, Admission by ticket (Free) , limited numbers. Bring your own table food, Children with well-behaved adult. (Assistance dogs only). RSVP Chris Woodhouse 07790815616 / woodhousecj@gmail.com.   SHELTER OPPOSITE THE CHURCH   Newcroft Electrics I am a local Broad Town based domestic electrician, offering a high quality and friendly service. Happy to take on small and medium sized electrical projects but not full rewires. Lights, sockets, EV chargers, outdoor power, fuse box replacement, fault finding etc. Happy to visit your house to provide free quotations  5 * rating on google and Bark Call: Alan on 0789 9797948  Web:   www.newcroftelectrics.com email:  Alan.Beard@newcroftelectrics.com Registered with Napit, fully insured, 6-year warranty on workmanship   Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service - #SaveSafely this winter With living costs rising all the time, everyone is looking for ways to save some money, so Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service is highlighting some areas where a saving could be a false economy – and a fire risk. The Service is asking people to #SaveSafely, and there is a wealth of information about staying safe at home and on the roads at www.dwfire.org.uk/save-safely. This includes energy saving tips, cooking safely advice, how to stay warm safely, staying safe when cutting costs, cutting the costs of driving, and signposting to financial help. Some top tips include: Pulling something like electric heaters or electric blankets out of the loft, that haven’t been used for years, can be risky. Watch for signs of dangerous or loose wiring, such as scorch marks, hot plugs and sockets, fuses that often blow, or circuit breakers that trip for no obvious reasons. If you’re drying clothes indoors rather than use a tumble dryer, keep them well away from the heat source so they can’t catch fire. Air fryers and microwave ovens are great at saving energy when cooking, but please read the manufacturer’s instructions and keep them clean between uses. Getting chimneys swept when you have a woodburner or open fire is essential to reduce the risk of chimney fires. Also be careful of what you burn; green (unseasoned) wood may seem cheap, but it doesn’t create much heat and it creates a residue that can easily catch alight within the chimney. Get your boiler serviced – a well maintained boiler is more efficient and reduces the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. Only use the correct charger for mobile devices. Although it can be cheaper to buy imported and unofficial chargers, fake ones are often made with poor quality components that fail to meet UK safety regulations. This means they can cause injury, electric shocks and even fires. Make sure you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using wheat bags – don’t heat them for too long, or at too high a temperature. The Fire and Rescue Service offers free Safe & Well advice, which can include a home visit and the provision of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. To request this for yourself, a family member or a vulnerable person, please call 0800 038 2323 or visit www.dwfire.org.uk/safe-and-well-visits   News from The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Wiltshire and Swindon Every burglary victim knows the impact is deeper than simply having your possessions taken. Burglary violates a safe space and you expect the police to respond appropriately when you report it. Sadly, that expected police service when you are a home burglary victim has been severely lacking in recent years. This is consistent across the UK - not just in here in Wiltshire. That is why I am pleased Wiltshire Police have now pledged to attend every home burglary. It’s a leap in the right direction. The force is already providing this in 88.7% of cases but this extra effort should help to increase victim satisfaction, preserve evidence sooner with increased prosecutions. Residents tell me they want police officers to do the basics right: good, quality investigations which result in locking the bad people up, protect the vulnerable and care about victims. Wiltshire Police’s home burglary further action taken figures, where a suspect is identified, charged or cautioned, is currently at 3.9% on a rolling 12 month average. This isn’t good enough and I have been clear in letting our Chief Constable know this – and he agrees. By improving how officers deal with home burglary victims should not only increase those figures but also, and more importantly, will positively impact on the public’s confidence and trust in the policing service they receive. I will be directly scrutinising this commitment and challenging them to show that effective, quality, investigations are taking place. I have also senior officers to explore if it is operationally possible to extend this commitment to all non-dwelling burglaries, like rural outbuildings and sheds. As ever, this will be a delicate balance but aiming to provide the policing service our communities want is vital. Contact Information EMMA MORTON Head of Communications and Engagement Wiltshire OPCC 07384 820760   Wiltshire Council Wiltshire Council has launched new pages on its website to provide help and support around subjects such as benefits, grants and energy saving advice: www.wiltshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living. As new information arises, this will be updated, together with collating and mapping details about Wiltshire’s foodbanks, community fridges and other community food providers.  Also, the Council’s Wellbeing Hub has been activated again. They are providing cost of living advice and support to residents and can be contacted at 0300 003 4576 or email: wellbeinghub@wiltshire.gov.uk   The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month Ray Manley (01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com ) Ray Manley Thu, 27 Oct 2022 09:27:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2598 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2595/Broad-Town-News--October-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2595 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2595&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2595/Broad-Town-News--October-2022 BROAD TOWN NEWS – OCTOBER 2022 Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   CHRISTCHURCH BROAD TOWN On Raising a Harvest October is often Harvest season in the churches and villages of this Benefice. On the fields and fruit trees the reality is that much of the harvest has long since been safely gathered in – as I drive or walk around the villages in late September there are boxes of apples, plums and beans and marrows (often previously known as courgettes earlier in the season) with signs beseeching people to help themselves. Produce shows and conkers and autumn colouring in the trees ready us, as the leaves fall, to let go of the harvest that is behind us. Space to reflect on what has been fruitful can be useful before we give thanks – for although the harvest of the fields brings gain, the harvest of lives sometimes only comes through loss – sometimes in the setting down of roles and tasks; sometimes in the final harvest of the “Grim” Reaper. Death can indeed be grim. Yet, sometimes, in the ripeness of years, as with our farewells to the Queen, amidst loss there is a deep awareness of gratitude for love shared and service given. Autumnal harvest is redolent with endings and yet replete with thankfulness and beauty. Watching the leaves I find myself thinking of the courage displayed in letting go of all that has brought sustenance and connection through the life of the tree as the leaves become individual shapes of colour that flutter and fall to the earth – it can be hard to set aside all that has given us significance and purpose and entrust the future to others. Those self-same leaves will over time become the mulch that enriches the soil and it is the nature and substance of the earth that provides the place where this year’s seed is rooted and nurtured to become next year’s harvest. A sower went out to sow… some seed fell on good soil and when it grew it produced a hundredfold. Reverend Rachma Abbott   CHURCH SERVICES The only service for Broad Town in October is an Evensong on 23rd October at 6.00pm. If anyone is interested :- It is Lyneham patronal festival on 2nd October at 10.30am. Commemoration of the Departed is at St. Bartholomew’s in RWB on 30th October at 4.00pm   BROAD TOWN CHURCH APPEAL After many years of voluntary service to Broad Town Church, both Clive and Margaret Green are planning to set down their service as Treasurer and Churchwarden in early 2023. We realised when we met recently that we have always been able to rely on the generosity of this community when our church building or its churchyard has needed your help - you helped us raise a roof if you remember. Now we need to raise people more than anything else for the moment. Are you someone who could help us as Treasurer - there are some things that are different or unusual about church funds but we can support you as you learn those things from Clive or from the other Treasurers in the group. Are you the person who will be our next harvest help? We need you! Thanks, Rachma and the PCC of Broad Town Church QUEEN ELIZABETH II - R. I. P. Broad Town shares the great sense of loss felt by the whole Country, the Commonwealth and indeed the whole world at the passing of Her Majesty. The Queen was a truly remarkable lady and her death has created a feeling of enormous loss. In the words of Paddington Bear: “ Thank you Ma’am”   B.T. SHELTER From 1st October the shelter will become a “Wall of Gratitude”. What are you grateful/thankful for? Why not place your ideas, thoughts and pictures on the wall? Post it notes and pens will be available, if you need them. Let’s fill up the wall and show our gratitude.   FOODBANK The next village collection will be on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th October at the Village Hall – 9am to 4pm. The Foodbank is particularly in need of the following: Long Life Milk Long Life Juice Small bags of Sugar Small Jars of Coffee Biscuits Tinned Potatoes Tinned Meat Toiletries and cleaning products Your generosity is always very much appreciated.   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Due to the period of National Mourning for Her Majesty, the September Parish Council meeting was cancelled. The next meeting will be 11th October at 6.30pm in the Village Hall. ARE YOU SUPPORTING A YOUNG PERSON WHO IS INTERESTED IN STARTING THEIR OWN BUSINESS OR ALREADY RUNNING ONE? Wiltshire Community Foundation is working in partnership with the South West Enterprise Fund (SWEF) to provide business grants of £2,000 to young entrepreneurs in Wiltshire and Swindon that are aged between 18-30. More details are available on the website: www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk TEMPORARY ROAD CLOSURE: MARLBOROUGH ROAD BETWEEN NEW ROAD AND GOLDBOROUGH HOUSE Wiltshire Council has made an Order to close temporarily to all traffic: Marlborough Road, Royal Wootton Bassett; from its junction with C15 to its junction with New Road. To enable: Thames Water to carry out the connection of a new commercial supply and associated works. Alternative route: via C15 – C120 – C131 – A3102 – New Road and vice versa. The closure and diversion route will be clearly indicated by traffic signs. This Order will come into operation on 24th October and the closure will be required for 5 days.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS – OCTOBER It was lovely to see so many of you returning to the regular coffee mornings on September 14th after the summer break. A book of condolence was available for villagers to sign in memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and we very much enjoyed a visit from some of the children from the village pre-school who presented us with a thank you card for the donation of £100 that the coffee morning committee awarded them from surplus funds. The village primary school has recently received a similar donation, and it's great to be able to give the younger members of our community a helping hand! Our October coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 12th and Wednesday 26th in the village hall so please come along to enjoy our homemade refreshments! Our usual tempting selection of coffee/tea/hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls will be available so please come along and have a cuppa and a chat! If you are reading this before the end of September, then please don't forget to come along and support our fundraising coffee morning on Wednesday September 28th in aid of Macmillan. We look forward to seeing you all on Wednesdays September 28th, October 12th & 26th.   POLICE AND CRIME COMISSIONER PHILIP WIILKINSON I’ve now been ‘in the job’ of PCC for a year, and if there is one thing that’s been made abundantly clear to me, it’s that your confidence in policing is not where I want it to be. Whilst there are clearly some exceptional individual officers, overall, there have been gaps in the service you receive. In the past year, I have made practical steps to address them, such as the purchasing of effective technology such as drones and ensuring more officers are deployed to the rural crime team. The damage done by crimes such as hare coursing, criminal damage and theft have a massive impact on the rural community and history shows that at times of recession, farms become targets. I regularly speak to farmers and I’m all too aware of the reasons why you feel that reporting crime is not worthwhile. In my Police and Crime Plan, I’ve committed to ensure Wiltshire Police takes these crimes seriously and deals with them effectively. This is why I’ve taken steps to ensure the rural crime team has the capabilities and staffing it needs. As part of this commitment, Wiltshire Police has introduced online crime reporting specifically for rural crime. The form takes about ten minutes and is picked up by the same people who answer 101 calls. It’s vital that to build up an overall picture and identify patterns of criminal activity, all crime is reported, no matter how small it may seem. As this has only recently been introduced, I welcome your feedback about how the system is working. It’s only through working together that we can stop these crimes from happening and make Wiltshire a safer place to live and work. https://bit.ly/reportruralcrime Contact Information EMMA MORTON Head of Communications and Engagement Wiltshire OPCC 07384 820760 emma.morton@wiltshire.police.uk   DATES FOR YOUR DIARY BT Shelter                                             1st Oct Lyneham patronal festival                      2nd Oct 10.30am. Food Bank - Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th Oct at the Village Hall – 9am to 4pm. Parish Council -11th Oct at 6.30pm in the Village Hall. Coffee Morning - October 12th & 26th at the Village Hall 10am-12pm Broad Town Church Evensong               23rd Oct 6pm. Road Closed –24th October for 5 days Commemoration of the Departed at St. Bartholomew’s in RWB - 30th Oct 4.00pm.   NEWCROFT ELECTRICS I am a local Broad Town based domestic electrician, offering a high quality and friendly service. Happy to take on small and medium sized electrical projects but not full rewires. Lights, sockets, EV chargers, outdoor power, fuse box replacement, fault finding etc. Happy to visit your house to provide free quotations 5 * rating on google and Bark Call: Alan on 07899 797948 Web:  www.newcroftelectrics.com email:Alan.Beard@newcroftelectrics.com Registered with Napit, fully insured, 6-year warranty on workmanship   SOUL CAKE RECIPE Brief History for Soul Cakes: Soul Cakes are an old British treat said to date back to the 1800s. They were made on 'All Souls Day' (also known as Halloween/Samhain etc… ). Soul Cakes were made to commemorate the dead. Beggars would go from door to door singing or praying for Soul Cakes in return. This tradition continues today as modern day ‘Soulers’ are now known as 'Trick or Treaters' who go door to door asking for a sweet treat. Recipe for Soul Cakes (makes about 18) To make this recipe, you will need: 450g Plain Flour 1.5 tsp Baking Powder 2 tsp Pumpkin Spice (recipe for pumpkin spice is below) 5.5g Salt (almost a tsp) 175g Caster Sugar 170g Butter 1 tsp Vanilla Extract 60g Plain Yogurt (egg yolks can be a substitute) 140ml Milk 100g Raisins SOUL CAKES In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin spice. Mix until evenly distributed. In a separate bowl, add the butter, sugar and vanilla and beat till smooth. Once smooth you may add the yogurt. Next add a third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and combine them. Add half the milk and mix again. Add half of the remaining dry ingredients with the rest of the milk and mix again. Now add and stir in the remaining flour. Add the raisins to the mixture. Place the dough in the fridge for around 1h 30mins (or till firm). Roll out the dough to around 1cm thick, then use a large cookie cutter to cut out circles of dough (this should make around 18 soul cakes). Score the top of each soul cake with a cross. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and place the soul cakes on top. Brush milk on top of them and sprinkle some sugar on top. You then want to place the soul cakes back in to fridge for another hour (till firm again) After the soul cakes have chilled, preheat your oven to 200°c fan/gas mark 7. Once preheated place them into the oven for 18-20 minutes (till golden brown). Once cooked, leave to call, the soul cake should be a spongy yet biscuity texture. When cooled, enjoy! Recipe for Pumpkin Spice: 3 tbsp Ground Cinnamon 2 tsp Ground Ginger 2 tsp Ground Nutmeg 1.5 tsp Ground Mixed Spice 1.5 tsp Ground Cloves The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month:  Ray Manley 01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com Ray Manley Tue, 27 Sep 2022 17:50:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2595 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2594/Broad-Town-News--September-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2594 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2594&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2594/Broad-Town-News--September-2022 BROAD TOWN NEWS – SEPTEMBER Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS RETURN – SEPTEMBER   We would like to invite you all to join us after the summer break on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month in the village hall, come and have a cuppa and a chat! Our usual tempting selection of coffee/tea/hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls will be available. Our September coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 14th and Wednesday 28th so please come along to enjoy our homemade refreshments! Please note that during our September 28th coffee morning we will be fundraising for Macmillan as it's the week of Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. There will be a raffle so please come along and support this very worthy cause.   CHRISTCHURCH BROAD TOWN   On Fuel for Life’s Journey. Waiting at a petrol station I have been musing on the need for refuelling and the challenge of having enough fuel to keep going. These last few months mean that I won’t be alone in watching the meter and the oil tank and hoping that when I can’t put off refilling any longer it will be affordable to do so. Hidden behind the doors of some homes in these pretty Wiltshire villages there will be people consumed with worry about heat and light for the winter, even in the warmth of these summer and early autumn days. I’m also very grateful that after twenty-six years of ministry, eighteen of these as an ordained minister I am being given the opportunity for a spiritual refuelling with a three month sabbatical - I’ll be back for Christmas services but I will be away in silence, solitude, study, prayer and time for the refreshment with family and friends for October, November and December. This feels, as times of respite often do, as if it has come only just in time - my own physical and emotional energy have been at a low ebb over recent months – I am aware of getting older and time to take stock and gather fresh resources for whatever lies ahead is a gift even more treasured having been so long awaited. Being over-stretched about how to manage has been shown to reduce the capacity of human beings to think creatively about solutions to the challenges they face – debt, hunger and anxiety can all erode the best within us. As I unwind into the blessing of a longer sabbath time I anticipate the relief of both breathing out and breathing in. Breathing out and releasing the stale breath of grief and pent-up frustrations. Breathing in; in-spiring the gifts of the holy spirit so that at the end of this breathing space I will notice that stillness of breath in which all is imbued with possibilities and hope to share new words of life and love. May you too, in the midst of the busyness of everyday find time to inhale the breath of the spirit that brings life, joy and peace. Reverend Rachma Abbott   CHURCHYARD In addition to the work morning in August, a number of people have spent many hours during the month carrying out various tasks and we have received many favourable comments from villagers and visitors. Thank you to everyone who has been involved. The next work morning will be on Saturday 10th September from 9.30 to noon   HARVEST It is that time of year again. The harvest service this year will be on Sunday 25th September. The church will be open from 5pm for tea and cakes. The service will start at 6pm. It would be lovely to see you all there and so lift the roof off with the singing of the harvest hymns.   SERVICES FOR SEPTEMBER 4th Sept – Communion – 10.30am, 25th Sept – Harvest Festival – 6pm   HISTORIC CHURCHES RIDE & STRIDE   Saturday 10th September. An opportunity to keep fit and raise funds for our village church! Half the money you raise through sponsorship is given to our village church and half to historic churches trust. Over 140 Wiltshire churches are open, many with refreshments. If you are interested contact Carolyn on 01793 852754   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE   Dig out your Ditches and Clear your Culverts! As a general rule hedges and the ditches in front of them are owned by the adjoining landowner. Good ditch maintenance is vital in helping flood prevention. Ditches not only carry water from farmland and residential areas to the rivers, but they also provide essential water storage at periods of peak rainfall. If you are a landowner, to reduce the risk of flooding to neighbouring properties, the law requires that you maintain your ditches and drains to prevent flooding. Failure to do so may result in a legal liability for the damage that any resultant flooding may cause. Landowners should attend to the removal of silt and excessive vegetation on a regular basis and clear any blockages from culverts. Remember to check for any protected wildlife prior to working on your ditch and make sure you are aware of the route of any services such as electricity, water and broadband which may be buried nearby. Grants available for Community Groups Remember that grants are available for Community Groups to help with any funding needs – each application is assessed by an independent advisory board prior to being submitted to the Parish Council who administer the funding from the Bluefield solar farm (previously Good Energy). Grants are also available from the solar park at the Science Museum Wroughton. Details of both schemes are available on the website www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk FOODBANK   Thanks to everyone who donated goods for the August collection. Your generosity is very much appreciated.   WHAT S.I.D. SAW LAST MONTH   The SID was located at Broad Acres monitoring the 24,895 vehicles heading to Broad Hinton. 30% of the vehicles went through the SID doing more than 35mph (420 of which were doing more than 45 mph in the 30mph part of the village.   DATES FOR YOUR DIARY   Sunday 4th September at 10:30am          Holy Communion Saturday 10th September from 9.30        Churchyard Work Morning Saturday 10th September                       Ride & Stride Wednesday 14th Sept at 10am                Community Coffee Morning Saturday 24th September                       BTB OKTOBERFEST Sunday 25th September at 5pm              Harvest tea and cakes Sunday 25th September at 6pm              Harvest Service Wednesday 28th Sept at 10am                Community Coffee Morning     The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month Ray Manley (01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com Ray Manley Tue, 23 Aug 2022 17:00:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2594 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2588/Broad-Town-News--August-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2588 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2588&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2588/Broad-Town-News--August-2022                                                                                                        BROAD TOWN NEWS – AUGUST 2022 BROAD TOWN CHURCH There is only one service in August – Evening Worship on 14th August at 6pm. AUGUST REFLECTIONS 2022 Revd. Karen Rizzello Dear Reader, As we enter August we are seeing the final signs of summer and the fields are full of harvesters as farmers face long days of hard work bringing in all that God has provided. The hot spells have been a bit of a struggle for some but as we continue to enjoy the summer and the school holidays, we give thanks for all that God gives us in our villages of Bradenstoke, Broad Town, Clyffe Pypard, Lyneham, Hilmarton and Tockenham. Many of us may be worried about rising costs and paying bills. So as people of community and faith we need to take care of our neighbours. This may be donating to the food banks which are seeing reduced donations or providing simple friendship and support to those in need around us. The church seems especially busy at the moment with record numbers of christenings and other services marking life’s journeys. Please pray for all those who are dealing with difficult moments in their lives and for those who are celebrating new arrivals and weddings at this time. During August I hope you enjoy a time of rest and perhaps a holiday away or at home. Please stay safe and take care of your mental and physical health. You are always welcome to come into our cool churches and spend time nourishing your spiritual self too. God Bless, Revd. Karen Associate Priest Benefice of Lyneham and Woodhill CHURCHYARD The hard work continued throughout July and thanks again to all those involved. We have received many favourable comments from villagers and visitors. The next planned work morning will be on 6th August from 9.30 - 12.00 PROSPECT HOSPICE A total of £275.09 was raised from the household box collection and we have been asked to thank all those who continue to support the Hospice in this way. FOODBANK The next village collection will be on Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th August, 9am – 4pm at the village hall. With the cost of living rapidly rising, the use of foodbanks is greater than ever. Please give as generously as you can. PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE The latest analysis of traffic speeds gathered from outside the School is available on the Parish Council website Speed Indicator Device – Broad Town Parish Council Parish Information Leaflet The Parish Council are in the process of updating the Parish Information Leaflet – if there are any Community Groups which would like their contact details included please contact the Clerk at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS *PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE WILL BE NO COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS IN AUGUST* They will resume as usual in September so please make a note in your diaries to come along on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month from 10 - 12 noon in the village hall. One of the September coffee mornings will be a charity fundraiser so please look out for details in the September newsletter. We look forward to seeing you on September 14th and 28th for our usual tasty offerings of delicious homemade cakes, sausage rolls, tea, coffee and hot chocolate. If you haven’t been to a village coffee morning before then why not give it a try, you are assured of a warm welcome! THOMAS SPACKMAN EDUCATIONAL TRUST GRANT Are you, or do you know, a young person living in the Clyffe Pypard or Broad Town area who would benefit from a grant from The Thomas Spackman Educational Trust? The Charity’s main focus is education or work-related training and apprenticeships but The Charity may also be able to help a promising individual develop a particular talent; perhaps help fund tuition in a musical instrument or develop a sporting skill. Applying is very easy. If you wish to find out more about the application process, please email spackmancharity@gmail.com or contact Karen Hawkins 07788 210960. All formal applications need to be in by 30th September 2022. The next opportunity to apply will be March 2023. There is also a vacancy for a Trustee so, if anyone from the two parishes feels able to help, please contact either of the above. BROAD TOWN CE PRIMARY SCHOOL We wish all this year’s leavers good luck as they move on to RWB Academy. DOG FOULING We have received complaints of dog fouling in the Churchyard. Please can you ensure you clean up. CHURCH 100 CLUB Results of the July and August draws:- July - 1st prize Nigel Crocker    2nd Cliff Cowtan     3rd Christine Parkin Aug - 1st Prize Judy Rendell   2nd Kate Orton   3rd Annie Crocker As well as raising valuable funds for our village church, paying £4 a month gives you a chance to win either £50, £30 or £20 in the monthly draw, so if you would like to join, please contact:- Fiona Holness: Email: fholness@btinternet.com Tel: 01793 850562 BT NEWS After 25 years Margaret Green has decided to retire as editor of the B T News. I am sure you would join us in thanking her for all she has done to keep the village informed with news and events over the years. NEWCROFT ELECTRICS I am a local Broad Town based domestic electrician, offering a high quality and friendly service. Happy to take on small and medium sized electrical projects but not full rewires. Lights, sockets, EV chargers, outdoor power, fuse box replacement, fault finding etc. Happy to visit your house to provide free quotations 5* rating on google and Bark Call: Alan on 07899 797948 Web: www.newcroftelectrics.com email: Alan.Beard@newcroftelectrics.com Registered with Napit, fully insured, 6-year warranty on workmanship Until further notice please send items for the newsletter to Ray Manley - Email: raymanley1@btinternet.com; Tel: 01793 731564                                                          The deadline will still be the 22nd of every month Ray Manley Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:55:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2588 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2587/Broad-Town-News--July-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2587 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2587&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2587/Broad-Town-News--July-2022  BROAD TOWN NEWS – JULY 2022   ROLL OUT THE BARREL Last year our very own Horticulturist Judy Rendell came up with the fantastic idea of cheering up the village with planters. A lot of hard work went into planning/acquiring the plants and successfully securing funding. Rosie Law and Judy Rendell rallied round enlisting the help of school children who had a barrel of laughs planting the 7 planters in time for the jubilee weekend Of course the hard work has only just begun because the well distanced planters all now need watering and re-planting as seasons come & go. Jean Pearce, Judy Rendell, Rosie Law & Joan Buckingham kindly water the planters regularly retaining their splendour for us all to enjoy. Carrying water the 3,300 feet between the planters it comes as no surprise to hear Judy openly admit to being “happy when it rains”! Thank you to the mystery mowers who regularly mow around the planters. These previously unkempt parts of the village are now looking pitch perfect, colourful, loved and cared for.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS Coffee/tea/hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls! Our July coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 13th and Wednesday 27th so please come along to enjoy a chat and some delicious refreshments! A huge thank you to everyone who came along to support our Jubilee Coffee Morning on Friday June 3rd. As the sun shone it was fantastic to see so many villagers and friends all joining together in the suitably decorated village hall on this special occasion. Many thanks also to everyone who baked cakes to help create the largest selection of tempting treats to be seen in a long time, which were thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who attended! We are pleased to report that through the generosity of your donations the magnificent sum of £400 was raised on the day which has now been sent to the Ukraine Appeal. We look forward to seeing everyone again at our regular Wednesday coffee mornings.   CHURCH Services Communion 3rd July - 10.30am.  Communion 17th July - 10.30am.  Evensong 24th July - 6pm Churchyard work morning There was a very good turnout at the beginning of June enabling us to carry out grass cutting, strimming, hedge cutting, weeding, other tasks and of course time for coffee, biscuits and chat. Thank you to everyone who came along and to other people who go at other times to keep the Churchyard neat and tidy. Next work morning 9 July.   100 Club - Congratulations to the following winners May 1st Roy and Doreen Small 2nd Joan Buckingham 3rd Rupert Bastin June 1st  Anonymous (Donated winnings to Church Funds) 2nd Hazel Harris and Betty Bastin 3rd Christine Marshall Thank you to everyone for supporting this and if anyone wishes to join, please contact Fiona Holness Tel: 850562 email: fholness@btinternet.com   FOODBANK Thank you to everyone who donated goods to the June Foodbank Collection - your continued support is very much appreciated. Look out for the date of the next collection.   SHELTER The Jubilee Shelter, which is still in place, has received lots of favourable comments but our thanks must go to the children of B T School and Pre School for their wonderfully creative artwork.   THANK YOU Thank you to the 40+ lovely locals who gave up their time and energy to provide the Jubilee beacon, village planters, village tidy up, shelter, coffee morning, quiz, live concert, decoration and parties - memories to last us a lifetime   BROAD TOWN HISTORY A register listing all civilians in Great Britain was compiled on 29th September 1939 to produce identity cards, issue ration books, administer conscription and to monitor and control the movement of the population caused by WW2 military mobilisation and mass evacuation. If you are interested in researching who lived in your house in 1939 the BT history website has a copy of the register for Broad Town. The register can be seen https://www.broadtownhistory.com/blank listing by house number from Broad Town Road, Broad Town and Thornhil PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE   Village tidy-up for the queen’s platinum jubilee This proved to be a popular and productive morning’s work and many thanks are due to all the volunteers who toiled in the sun to make the village hall car park and village pavements look much tidier and more loved Jubilee Beacon lighting The Beacon at the top of Broad Town hill was lit successfully on time and could be seen from miles around - many thanks to the residents who made this a memorable event. Annual audit   The Parish Council (Caroline our Clerk has been burning the midnight oil) have successfully completed the annual audit with only a few observations and recommendations. As per the provisions of the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014 and the Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015, Broad Town Parish Council will be making its Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) for the year 2021-22 available for inspection by any interested person, together with all accounting records; books; deeds; contracts; bills; vouchers; receipts and other documents relating to these records. If you have any issues to raise or wish to see the full accounts please contact the Parish Clerk on btpcclerk@outlook.com. In accordance with the guidelines the full accounts will be available to view for 30 days between 1st July and 30th July 2022.   WHAT THE S.I.D. SAW IN THE 1ST YEAR “As a general rule for every 1 mph reduction in average speed, collision frequency reduces by around 5% “(Taylor, Lynam and Baruya, 2000). Our flashing SID has decreased the mph of the majority of vehicles passing by anything up to 5mph depending on time of day. Working 24/7 the SID recorded the speed of 282,291 vehicles. On average 922 cars pass through the village every day. 3,400 vehicles exceeded 45mph in the 30mph part of the village. The percentage of speeders is greater in the RWB end of the village compared to the Broad Hinton end. Even with SID’s help in reducing speed for some, there are still far too many drivers exceeding the 30mph limit. SID will continue to provide information for traffic experts in Highways and the Police to help us achieve our aim of vehicles driving through Broad Town at or under 30mph. Thank you Ben & Rupert; for regularly re-locating the SID and re-charging its batteries.   BROAD TOWN BREWERY COMMITTEE Broad Town Brewery plan to have a Vintage Roost car festival return towards the end of August this year with vehicles old and new arriving from all genres, with music and food provided by Wiltshire bands and vendors. Our amazing Oktoberfest will return right at the very end of September (as a good Oktoberfest should) with an Umpah band and Steins to celebrate the day in style. Please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for all updates and the latest new. Jason Bayliffe (Mobile : 07889 078648)   DECORATING/PEST CONTROL Hello Broad Town!! As some of you will know, I decided to retire a couple of years ago only doing a little bit of decorating. About eight months ago I decided to stop altogether only continuing with my pest control business. The insect season is not quite in full swing but calls for wasps and fabric/carpet moths is slowly building. I received a call from a local resident, to see if I would do some decorating for them, and as insects are not in full swing, I agreed. Well, I really enjoyed doing the work and decided I would continue to do the odd job, on a very part time basis, within the village. So, please feel free to call me, for either service, if you think I can be of assistance. Best Wishes Glen Mobile: 07545 573002   ITEMS FOR AUGUST The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Margaret or Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month Margaret Green (01793 854200 or e-mail margaretgreen@waitrose.com) Ray Manley (01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com Ray Manley Tue, 26 Jul 2022 08:26:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2587 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2586/June-18th-Event#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2586 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2586&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2586/June-18th-Event Unfortunately this did not appear in the June B T News for an event later this week. “Last week the BTB committee agreed for “Splat the Rat” a local band to play at the Brewery 18th June from 7pm to 10pm.  The fun will start from 5pm with food and BTB Ales available for all to enjoy. Jason Bayliffe “   Ray Manley Mon, 13 Jun 2022 17:52:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2586 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2585/Broad-Town-Newsletter--June-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2585 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2585&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2585/Broad-Town-Newsletter--June-2022 BROAD TOWN NEWS – JUNE 2022   BROAD TOWN CELEBRATES HM QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE Village Tidy-Up for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - Saturday 28th May Please join us for a village tidy up and litter pick up, meeting at 10.00am in the Village Hall. Litter-picking equipment and hi-viz vests will be provided to any willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades and shovels to weed the pavement along Broad Town road. Jubilee Beacon lighting – Thursday 2nd June 9:45pm The lighting of the beacon to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will take place on the escarpment to the side of Broad Town hill where it should be visible from most of the village. Note that this may be weather dependent in the event of high winds etc. so updates will be posted on the Parish Council website and on the Broad Town Facebook group. Jubilee Coffee Morning – Friday June 3rd 10am - 12 noon A special Jubilee coffee morning hosted by the usual committee members and helpers from 10am - 12 noon in the village hall. All are welcome to come along and help celebrate the Platinum Jubilee by enjoying homemade cakes, teas, coffee, hot chocolate, squash etc. It's a great opportunity to meet up with friends and neighbours in the village so please support our special coffee morning. There will also be Jubilee themed activities for children and we will be fundraising for Ukraine so we look forward to seeing as many people as possible. Right ‘Royal’ Quiz - Friday 3rd June, Broad Town Village Hall 7.30pm (doors open 7pm) *Teams of 6 max - if you haven’t got a team we’ll put you together with others * Questions on a wide “royal” theme - you don’t have to be an expert on royalty! * Bar Open * Free entry * Bookings in advance to Rosie Law (rosiehlaw@gmail.com / 01793 731472) Saturday 4th June – The Social Club will open their doors at 7pm to screen the Jubilee concert live from Buckingham Palace Gardens. The bar will be open but please bring your own snacks and join the party in the village hall! Sunday 5th June – The Big Jubilee Lunch – get together with your neighbours to host your own street party.   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE The Annual Parish Meeting took place on May 16th in the village hall with informative updates being provided by: Parish Council Christ Church PCC, Women’s Institute, Broad Town School, Footpaths Group, White Horse Group, Community Coffee Mornings, Village Hall, Community & Speedwatch. Many thanks to all the representatives who presented their updates, and good wishes for their activities in the year ahead.   BROAD TOWN CHURCH Church services for June:             Sunday 5th June - 10.30am Communion                             Sunday - 12th June - 6pm Evensong. There will be a coffee morning in the village hall on SATURDAY 25th June from 10 – 12 noon. There will be refreshments, sales table and raffle, so come and have a good time. We look forward to seeing you all there. Money raised will go towards the new floor and replastering of the church building. CHURCHYARD Thank you to everyone who came to the work morning on 7th May and others who went along at other times during the month. The next work morning will be on 12th June 9.30am to midday - hopefully with refreshments – and with plenty to do it would be lovely to have a good turnout, so come and join us. MAUREEN LEPPARD R.I.P. 1938 -2022 We are sad to report the recent death of Maureen and extend our sympathy to all her family and friends   BROAD TOWN WHITE HORSE The White Horse is scoured annually in the spring to clear it of weeds and to re-cover it with lime. An additional factor this year was the need to get it shipshape for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and to that end the scouring was carried out on Sunday 15th May. The liming is carried out as a community activity and all who wish to be involved are encouraged to attend. This year we had 14 volunteers who weeded the Horse and who then raked 11 /2 tons of lime on to the figure (pictured above). Leading up to the event the weather was unsettled but we managed to complete the job before the rain came on. Thanks are due to Jason Bayliffe and Broad Town Brewery who sponsored the lime as well as attending on the day to assist. Thanks also to R D Horton & Son of Cockroost Farm, Broad Hinton who procure the lime on our behalf and delivered it to the site. Maintenance is critical in keeping the Horse looking good and there will be further work this year with weedkilling and strimming. I have a list of regular volunteers who I call on for help but more hands are always welcome. If anyone else wishes to be involved, please let me know by calling 01793 731472 or by contacting andrewlaw456@gmail.com. Liming will take place in 2023 at approximately the same time of year and details will always be published in the Broad Town News.   FOODBANK The next collection at the Village hall will be on Saturday 11th & Sunday 12th June, 9.00am – 4.00pm. With the cost of living rapidly rising, the use of foodbanks is greater than ever. Please give as generously as you can.   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNING Our June coffee mornings will start with the special Jubilee coffee morning on June 3rd, please see earlier in the newsletter for details. Please note that there will be no coffee morning on the following Wednesday (June 8th), but they will continue as usual on the fourth Wednesday of the month (June 22nd) from 10am - 12 noon. We look forward to seeing you in the village hall at both coffee mornings!   BROAD TOWN CE PRIMARY SCHOOL IMPORTANT NOTICE: WORKS AT BROAD TOWN CE PRIMARY SCHOOL Wiltshire Council will be carrying out extensive works and digging up the car park to access the drains over Half Term from Mon 30th May-Fri 3rd Jun 2022 They will also be working on the drain pipework under the mobile. There will be 2 vehicles and 3 workmen on site and they will have access to the school. During this period STRICTLY NO MEMBERS OF STAFF OR THE PUBLIC ARE ALLOWED ON SITE for health & safety reasons.   SOCIAL CLUB NEWS Trevor Hillier would like to draw your attention to the following notice: Licensing Act 2003 Broad Town Social Club is applying to vary its Premises Certificate, for Broad Town Village Hall, Broad Town Road, Broad Town, Swindon, Wilts, SN4 7RL. The Certificate if granted is to enable the following activities to take place. The sale of alcohol for consumption on, or off the premises/ provision of regulated entertainment/ provision of facilities for regulated entertainment. We are also applying to vary the hours we are able to open for the sale of alcohol. Any person wishing to make representations in relation to this application may do so by writing to: Wiltshire Council, Public Protection Services, Licensing Team, Monkton Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1ER. Representations may be made up to 28 days from the date of this notice. A copy of the application for the grant of the above certificate is kept by Wiltshire Council, Public Protection Services, Licensing Team, Monkton Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN15 1ER. The application can be viewed by prior appointment. It is an offence to knowingly or recklessly make a false statement in connection with an application. The minimum fine for which a person is liable on summary conviction for making a false statement is a Level 5 fine on the standard scale. Dated 01/06/22   JULY EDITION The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Margaret or Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month margaretgreen@waitrose.com   Ray Manley 01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com Ray Manley Fri, 27 May 2022 08:20:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2585 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2582/Broad-Town-Newsletter--May-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2582 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2582&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2582/Broad-Town-Newsletter--May-2022   Broad Town News – May 2022   Keeping everyone in touch with what is going on in and around our parish.   Parish Council Update Annual Parish Meeting – Monday 16 May in the Village Hall We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Parish Meeting starting at 6.30pm on Monday 16 May in the village hall. This is an opportunity for various community groups to describe what they have done over the last year and their plans for the forthcoming year. Parish Councillor Vacancy Regretfully Sue Hughes has resigned from the Parish Council due to other commitments. If anyone in the village is keen to become a Councillor please get in touch with the Clerk at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com. More details are available at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Village Tidy-Up for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee - Saturday 28th May 10.30am Join us for a village tidy up and litter pick up.  We have been equipped with litter picker tongs and gloves by the Wiltshire Area Board and will provide bin bags to teams of willing helpers. We are also looking for volunteers with spades and shovels to weed the pavements (please wear a Hi-Viz). If you know an area which is in desperate need of a clean-up please let us know by email at BTPCCLERK@outlook.com. More details will be available on the website at https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk Fly-Tipping There have been some reports of fly-tipping which seems to be on the increase. Any instances can be reported using the My Wilts app or via the website https://my.wiltshire.gov.uk/   Christ Church Services 1st May - Communion at 10.30am 22nd May - Evensong at 6.00pm 29th May - Communion at 10.30am   Churchyard Work Mornings Thank you to everyone who came to the work morning on 9 April and at other times during the month. The next work morning is planned for 7 May.   Community Coffee Mornings (2nd & 4th Wednesday every month) Coffee/tea/hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls! Our May coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 11th and Wednesday 25th so please come along to enjoy a chat and some delicious refreshments! *************************************************************** Please note that there will be a special Jubilee coffee morning on Friday June 3rd from 10am to 12noon in the village hall as part of the village Jubilee bank holiday weekend celebrations, all villagers welcome!  More details to follow in the June newsletter. ***************************************************************   Broad Town Celebrates HM Queen Platinum Jubilee     2nd- 5th June   The Big Lunch Sunday 5th June 6 weeks to go until Broad Town celebrates . Will you be having a street party with friend/neighbours?  Would you like to borrow some trestle tables or bunting ? Let me know call Rosie 01793 731472 or email rosiehlaw@gmail.com With the Parish Council, Social Club and other community groups, we have been working on a timetable for village celebrations in June. Both nationally and locally, the focus is very much on communities coming together to celebrate. If you and your neighbours want to organise your own street party, the village have a good stock of bunting , trestle tables & chairs which can be loaned out; The WI have a limited supply of tableware which they are happy to provide on a first come first served basis. In the week leading up to 2nd June, the village shelter will be decorated with art work from the village school and pre school. Thursday 2nd June – Lighting of Beacons (upper and lower end of village).   Friday 3rd June – 10.00 am – 12.00  A special Village Coffee Morning hosted by the regular Community Coffee Morning and assisted by the WI. Contact Margaret Manley 731564.   Friday 3rd June – PM “A Right Royal Quiz” 7.30 start. By kind permission of the Social Club, the village quizmasters will be setting questions to test your knowledge of all things Royal!  Free entry . Either prebook your table (teams of 6/8 ) or contact us and we’ll put you in a team . Bar Open Contact: Rosie Law (07828023941 rosiehlaw@gmail.com)   Saturday 4th June –   Once again the Social Club will open their doors to screen the Jubilee concert live from Buckingham Palace Gardens . Timings tbc.  Bring your own snacks and join the party!   SUNDAY 5TH JUNE – THE BIG JUBILEE LUNCH Get together with your neighbours to run your own street party ;  let us know by 1st week in May so we can  distribute bunting, etc;  you can apply for your road to be closed off @ http://www.streetparty.org.uk/road-closures/ Free street party packs are also available to help you get organised.@https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/get-your-big-lunch-pack-0                                                                 Get involved and make memories to last a lifetime   WHITE HORSE LIMING – 15 MAY 2022 There’s still a need for volunteers to lime the White Horse on Sunday 15th May. The plan is to meet at the end of Chapel Lane at 0930 or at the Horse at 1000hrs.   Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime.   The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health.   Those who have already contacted me need not do so again otherwise anyone who wishes to be involved should contact Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com  . Fuller details will then be provided to all volunteers   BROAD TOWN PRESCHOOL IS TURNING 40! Please join past and present staff & families in celebrating our amazing preschool here in Broad Town. On the 15th of May we will be celebrating our 40th anniversary with a Ruby Garden Party here at Broad Town Preschool, from 2pm-5pm. Entry is free and there will be food, games, prizes, a bar and live music amongst other entertainment. It would be great to see as many old and new faces as possible to celebrate our fantastic preschool and it’s staff and children. Broad Town Preschool committee   Around the Parish Broad Town Brewery FOR INFORMATION Jason Bayliffe will be having two private parties in the Broad Town Brewery grounds on the 7th and 14th May for family friends.   The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Margaret or Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month (margaretgreen@waitrose.com    Ray Manley (01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com )                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Right ‘Royal’ Quiz                                                                  Friday 3rd June                                                          Broad Town Village Hall                                                           7.30pm (doors open 7pm)   Teams of 6 max  - if you haven’t got a team we’ll put you together with others)   Questions on a wide “royal” theme you don’t have to be an expert on royalty!   Bar Open   Free entry   Bookings in advance to Rosie Law (rosiehlaw@gmail.com / 01793 731472) Ray Manley Tue, 26 Apr 2022 16:37:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2582 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2581/Broad-Town-Newsletter--April-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2581 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2581&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2581/Broad-Town-Newsletter--April-2022                                                                                                                      BROAD TOWN NEWS - APRIL 2022 COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS 2nd & 4th Wednesday every month. A huge THANK YOU to everyone who attended our March fundraising coffee mornings.  Refreshment sales, jigsaw contributions, the sale of raffle tickets and other donations resulted in a grand total of £250 which has been donated to Prospect Hospice. Our April coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 13th and Wednesday 27th with children's Easter activities available on the 13th so please come along. We look forward to seeing you! FOOD BANK The next village collection at the Hall will be on Saturday 2nd & Sunday 3rd April 9am to 4pm. It is predicted that Food banks will struggle to cope in 2022 as the cost of living crisis takes hold.  Please continue to be as generous as you are able to.  Thank You. CHRIST CHURCH SERVICES 3rd April -     10.30am  -    Communion followed by the Annual Parochial Church meeting – All on the electoral roll are able to vote at this meeting. Any parishioner is welcome at the meeting. 10th April  -  10.30am  -   PALM SUNDAY Communion 17th April  -  10.30am  -  EASTER Communion 24th April  -    6.00pm  -  Evening Worship PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE Spring Clean time! Broad Town Road has benefited from a visit by the Wiltshire Council road sweeper and also the gully sump lorry clearing the drains. You’ll also notice a few cosmetic improvements to the local neighbourhood over the next few months as we replace the worn-out bench opposite Queen Elizabeth cottage and install the barrel planters with flowering bulbs alongside each village bench. The playing field at Redhills has also had its first cut of the year. The latest SID analysis for 20 Feb – 20 March is available in the ‘Your Community’ section on the Parish Council website https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk. This shows an average of 939 vehicles travel south into Broad Town each day. A date for your diary : The Annual Parish Meeting will be held at 6.30pm on Monday 16 May in the village hall. This is not a council meeting but is an opportunity for all village groups and associations to share with the village the activity they have undertaken in the past year and their plans for the future. BROAD TOWN CUT FLOWERS If you have been walking on one village footpath you may have noticed that part of a field has been converted to a Cut Flower Garden. In this first year I am experimenting with what will thrive in our soil and climate and am currently selling daffodils but from May will be selling seasonal cut flowers, if interested in the project or buying locally grown flowers then please get in contact, chrisstuart47@hotmail.com CHURCHYARD WORK MORNINGS Dates for these will be 9 April, 7 May, 11 June, 9 July, 6 August and 9 September.  10 am to 12.30. VIEW FROM THE VICARAGE On Wars and rumours of Wars And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.* This has indeed been a season where while the sun shines here with reassuring warmth and the blue sky and new growth of spring provide me with moments in most days to find delight and beauty that the news is all about war. I find it helpful to be reminded from these ancient words from the Bible that people have often lived in the midst of struggle and horror and that the tendency to think because our times are challenging that the ‘end is nigh’ is not only a phenomenon of nowadays. It would perhaps be easy for me to leap straight from the fear and anxiety that many of us feel about end times to the ‘Christian’ answer of Easter and the resurrection narratives of Jesus. However, I write this before the journey of Holy Week – a time when people are invited, to face and meditate on suffering and death. These are things that very often we avoid thinking about until we have no other choice. I know I can only allow myself to do so because of my trust that there is a deep truth in the Resurrection hope which enables me to live in trust and optimism, even in times of loss, fear and pain (and although optimism is not my natural habit). However, it also seems clear that if we focus on our anxieties about end times, whether nuclear war, climate change or something closer to home that this can become paralysing and that even when we have to face and live with grief and loss, this can be eased when instead of feeling paralysed we are moved to respond with action. This might be a decision to change how we garden, or farm, or eat or when we offer a room for someone seeking refuge or the listening of our heart to someone who is sad. Whenever we remind ourselves that the end times are not yet we can be encouraged to hope that our actions as individuals but even more as communities can bring peace, hope and light. May you discover this over the Easter Season and find the blessing of being enabled to act for goodness and love, no matter what you believe. Rachma BROAD TOWN VILLAGE HALL The Annual General Meeting will be held on 25 April at 6.30 pm in the Hall. Come along to find out more about the Hall – we will be pleased to see you.   We’re sorry to be saying goodbye Words alone cannot even begin to express how deeply saddened we are to hear of the passing of Sandie Davis. Our thoughts are with Ben, Henry and Zoe. Sandie’s funeral will be on 12th April at 1 o’clock in Christ Church.    WHITE HORSE LIMING 15th MAY 2022 Weather permitting, White Horse liming will take place on Sunday 15th May. The plan is to meet at the end of Chapel Lane at 0930 or at the Horse at 1000hrs. Protective equipment will be available at the site in the form of eye protection and face masks. All participants are requested to wear appropriate footwear and work gloves. If possible, they should also bring a tool that can be used for removing weeds or for spreading the lime. The event will be open to all those who wish to be involved with the only stipulation being that participants should be physically fit and in good health. Would anyone who wishes to be involved please contact Andrew Law on 01793 731472 or andrewlaw456@gmail.com  . Fuller details will then be provided to all volunteers. BROAD TOWN W. I. At our AGM in March, the members of Broad Town WI agreed that our WI should close.  Broad Town WI started up in 1926, the same year as The Queen’s birth.  Who would have thought, all those years ago, that Broad Town WI would reach its 95th anniversary and that The Queen would be celebrating 70 years on the throne.  It seems fitting that our WI will be closing on a celebratory note and that its members can look back on many years of joining in with village events, being involved in diverse, interesting and informative activities at meetings and supporting the WI campaigns for raising issues that specifically affect women. It was a difficult decision to close our WI after all these years; however the pandemic has meant that our members have seen changes to their career paths or have taken on new family responsibilities, or simply want to spend more time with their families. We can still keep in touch with each other in different ways.  We are delighted that the balance of WI funds will be donated to Brighter Futures, Wiltshire Air Ambulance and Prospect Hospice as well as a small amount being retained by Wiltshire WI Federation for the possibility of a new WI starting up in the future. We’d like to close by thanking all members and committee members past and present, to the Village Hall committee for all their help – and everyone else who has come to our meetings or offered support.  Goodbye! BROAD TOWN SCHOOL ASSOCIATION Fundraiser “A Night at the Races” Charity Event- Saturday 14th May All proceeds go to the Broad Town Primary School. On your marks, get set, go! Come along to a fun filled evening including 8 horse races to bet on. There will be delicious food, fully stocked bar and an auction, this is an adults only event. @ Broad Town Village Hall, Saturday 14th May -19:30-23:00 £5 a ticket For tickets: broadtownschoolassociation@gmail.com / 07855 035894 HISTORY If you want to browse the social history of Broad Town take a look at https://www.broadtownhistory.com/. Please contact Malcolm on 01793 731567 if you have any pictures or stories you would like to add.   CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations to Jules & Matt Rawlins on the birth of Toby.    BROAD TOWN CELEBRATES HM QUEEN PLATINUM JUBILEE 2nd - 5th JUNE Along with the Parish Council, Social Club and other community groups, we have been working on a timetable for village celebrations in June. Both nationally and locally, the focus is very much on communities coming together to celebrate. If you and your neighbours want to organise your own street party, the village have a good stock of bunting, trestle tables & chairs which can be loaned out. In the week leading up to 2nd June, the village shelter will be decorated with artwork from the village school and pre-school. ·        Thursday 2nd June – Lighting of Beacons (upper and lower end of village). ·        Friday 3rd June – 10.00 am – 12.00.  A special Village Coffee Morning hosted by the regular Community Coffee Morning group. Contact Margaret Manley (731564). ·        Friday 3rd June – PM “A Right Royal Quiz” 7.30 start. By kind permission of the Social Club, the village quizmasters will be setting questions to test your knowledge of all things Royal!  Free entry. Either prebook your table (teams of 6/8) or contact us and we’ll put you in a team. Bar Open. Contact: Rosie Law (07828023941 rosiehlaw@gmail.com). ·        Saturday 4th June –   Once again the Social Club will open their doors to screen the Jubilee concert live from Buckingham Palace Gardens. Timings tbc. Bring your own snacks and join the party! Let us know if you are coming, and your table will be ready for you. Contact: Anne Granger (AnneBroadTownVEDay@hotmail.com or 07916701844). SUNDAY 5TH JUNE – THE BIG JUBILEE LUNCH Get together with your neighbours to run your own street party; let us know by 1st week in May so we can distribute bunting, etc;   Contact: Rosie Law (07828023941 rosiehlaw@gmail.com). You can apply for your road to be closed off @ http://www.streetparty.org.uk/road-closures/  Free street party packs are also available to help you get organised @https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/get-your-big-lunch-pack-0.                                                                                                Get involved and make memories to last a lifetime   SOCIALISING The Social Club opened its doors on the 8th Jan 1971 and it has been loyally serving Broad Town every Friday 8pm to late ever since.  News from the social club / fourways bar, now that the restrictions have been removed, and we have lighter nights, [ clocks having gone forward ] why not pop along and renew your membership, or if not a member drop in and see what’s on offer. Membership is only £2.00 for the year and with the very reasonable prices you may even recoup your membership fee`s in one visit. We have Wadworth`s 6x as our draught bitter and Carlsberg as our draught lager, we also have other bottled beer and ciders, and an assortment of wines. To find out more you can email t.hillier1@sky.com or just drop in on a Friday and we will see what we can do for you. REMINDER This is a reminder that we have a defibrillator in the Village.  It is sited outside the Village Hall and is available for anyone to use.  It is simple to use and talks you through what you must do.  It is a requirement though, that you RING 999 FIRST to get help on the way as soon as possible.  The ambulance service will also tell you what to do and support you while you wait for the ambulance.  If you are within 200m of the Hall they will automatically tell you about the defibrillator and tell you the access code.  If you are further away but have someone who could fetch it for you quickly, you will need to ask them for the access code. AROUND THE PARISH After almost 3 years of not being able to have the Plant Fair we are happy to say that planning is going ahead for 2022. We sincerely hope that as in 2018 and 2019 we will have the 1000 or so visitors back again! Within the lovely grounds of this 18th century Manor House there will be some 30 stalls scattered around the garden with plants, crafts, food and other related products as well as the ever popular bacon butty BBQ and home made refreshments. A plant crèche enables people to stroll around without having to carry purchases. For the younger people there will be outside games to keep them occupied. Money raised will go towards the St Peter’s Church Roof Fund, a Grade 1 listed building in Clyffe Pypard                                                                                          The deadline for items for the newsletter should be with Margaret or Ray by the 22nd of EVERY month                                                                                                               Margaret Green (01793 854200 or e-mail margaretgreen@waitrose.com)                                                                                                                    Ray Manley (01793 731564 or e-mail raymanley1@btinternet.com ) Ray Manley Mon, 28 Mar 2022 14:43:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2581 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2577/Broad-Town-Newsletter--March-2022#Comments 0 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/RssComments.aspx?TabID=324&ModuleID=861&ArticleID=2577 https://www.broad-town.co.uk:443/DesktopModules/DnnForge%20-%20NewsArticles/Tracking/Trackback.aspx?ArticleID=2577&PortalID=0&TabID=324 https://www.broad-town.co.uk/Community-Information/Broad-Town-News/ID/2577/Broad-Town-Newsletter--March-2022 THE ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER for MARCH 2022-.   MARCH AND LENTEN PREPARATION 2022  – Revd. Karen Rizzello Dear Reader, As we enter March the life in our gardens is starting to spring up. This annual rebirth is as ever a miracle of creation and for believers a sign of God’s faithfulness and love. We were blessed in February to welcome several couples who are planning to be married in our Benefice churches this year at a Wedding preparation day. Some couples had needed to cancel their big day more than once due to the Covid pandemic. Our ecumenical friends at the Methodist Hall were great hosts and we are looking forward to using their hall for other things coming up this month. With the lifting of Covid restrictions we have plans to run a face to face Confirmation Classes and possibly also Zoom Confirmation and Lenten reflections.  From Ash Wednesday on March 2nd to Palm Sunday on April 10th we are in the period of Lent.  The forty days of Lent represent the time Jesus spends in the wilderness before he begins his ministry. It is a time of reflection and repentance in the church.  A time to take stock and prepare for Holy Week, the Passion and the celebrations of Easter day. In these busy times it is good for our mental health and physical wellness to take time to relax and reflect. You may want to find a time yourself to sit and meditate or pray.  You are welcome to come into our churches and spend a little quiet time (check our website for open times). There are a number of services during Lent and Easter and different events which will be published on the benefice Facebook pages, website and newsletters.  Look out for these and do come along to enjoy our pancakes and Lent lunches across our benefice churches.  All are welcome. God Bless, Revd. Karen Associate Priest   COMMUNITY COFFEE MORNINGS - MARCH CHARITY FUNDRAISER 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month in the village hall. Coffee/tea/hot chocolate, homemade cakes and sausage rolls! Our March coffee mornings will be from 10am to 12 noon on Wednesday 9th and Wednesday 23rd. All proceeds this month will be donated to our local Prospect Hospice and there will be a raffle on the 23rd. We look forward to seeing you!   PARISH COUNCIL UPDATE - MARCH The latest Speed Indicator Device (SID) analysis of speeding statistics is available in the ‘Your Community’ section on the Parish Council website https://www.broadtownparishcouncil.org.uk. This covers the period from 8th – 23rd January monitoring traffic heading North from outside Marlborough House. The volume of traffic was lower than normal due to working-from-home advice but still 7% of vehicles were speeding. Grants from the Good Energy Community Fund were awarded to the White Horse Restoration Group, Broad Town Community Coffee Mornings, and for Christ Church Churchyard Maintenance. Planning for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations continues – the intention is to arrange a ‘Clean for the Queen’ village tidy-up on a Saturday in May and to join the countrywide network of beacons being lit to complement the various other celebrations being organised. We are aware of damage by vandals to a section of the new fence at the Redhills playing field and are investigating the options for repair or replacement. We would be grateful for any information regarding this event – details on how to contact the Council are available on the website. We have also received notification that the C415 road closure at Broad Hinton will not go ahead. However there is another closure of the Marlborough Road by Turnpike Cottage (between Broad Town and RWB) planned for April. Wiltshire Council has asked for help from Communities in identifying wildflower areas on land which they own and maintain. They are asking for the Parish Council to nominate any grassed areas or public open spaces that could be designated as wildflower meadow, for reduced cutting or left for rewilding. More information on the criteria is available in the News section on the website but if anyone has a nomination please let the Clerk know.   Services at Broad Town Church for March are 2nd - 7.30pm - Communion                                                                                        6th - 10.30am - Communion                                                                                      13th - 5.00pm - Evensong                                                                                      27th - 6.00pm - Evensong TREASURER NEEDED FOR BROAD TOWN WI Our WI is a thriving and happy group that meets in Broad Town Village Hall on the third Wednesday of every month at 7.30.  We have enjoyed two fantastic presentations this year so far; “Underwater World” that showed us some beautiful photos of sea creatures with a very knowledgeable description of how the photos were taken – as good as having David Attenborough with us! – and a fascinating talk and video by a representative of the Medical Detection Dogs charity which was extremely interesting and provided a few stories with “aaah” moments. We are looking for a Treasurer from 1st April who can join our vibrant WI and participate in some great events that are planned for the rest of this year.  This is an opportunity to use existing book-keeping skills or be supported in developing those skills whilst having fun and making new friends.  Our next committee meeting is 8th March, please contact lorraine@mrsbillis.co.uk if you would like to know more. Here are our planned events that we hope will tempt you to join us.  Thank you. Visit to Gourmet Goat Farm Gourmet Goat Farm Plant/Produce Swap Bring surplus plants and other items to swap Green Walnut Ceramics Hands on ceramics experience Walk to The Crown and pub meal Local walk Visit to Sevington Victorian School History talk and tea Bags of Glamour history of bags and purses Presentation by an expert from V& A museum Skiing to the North Pole/womens achievements Open meeting with a famed author and speaker Learn to Crochet Learn or advance your crochet skills Christmas Event Join in the party   BROAD TOWN CELEBRATES - HM THE QUEEN PLATINUM JUBILEE 2 - 5 JUNE Along with the Parish Council, Social Club, WI, and other community groups, we have been working on a timetable for village celebrations in June. Both nationally and locally, the focus is very much on communities coming together to celebrate.If you and your neighbours want to organise your own street party, the village have a good stock of bunting, trestle tables & chairs which can be loaned out. The WI have a limited supply of tableware which they are happy to provide on a first come first served basis. In the week leading up to 2nd June, the village shelter will be decorated with artwork from the village school and pre-school. Thursday 2nd June – Lighting of Beacons (upper and lower end of village).   Friday 3rd June – 10.00 am – 12.00.  A special Village Coffee Morning hosted by the regular Community Coffee Morning and assisted by the WI. Contact Margaret Manley (731564).   Friday 3rd June – PM “A Right Royal Quiz” 7.30 start. By kind permission of the Social Club, the village quizmasters will be setting questions to test your knowledge of all things Royal!  Free entry. Either prebook your table (teams of 6/8) or contact us and we’ll put you in a team. Bar Open Contact: Rosie Law (07828023941 rosiehlaw@gmail.com).   Saturday 4th June –   Once again the Social Club will open their doors to screen the Jubilee concert live from Buckingham Palace Gardens. Timings tbc. Bring your own snacks and join the party! Let us know if you are coming, and your table will be ready for you. Contact: Anne Granger (AnneBroadTownVEDay@hotmail.com or 07916701844)   SUNDAY 5TH JUNE – THE BIG JUBILEE LUNCH Get together with your neighbours to run your own street party; let us know by 1st week in May so we can distribute bunting, etc;    Contact: Rosie Law (07828023941rosiehlaw@gmail.com). You can apply for your road to be closed off @ http://www.streetparty.org.uk/road-closures/   Free street party packs are also available to help you get organised @https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/get-your-big-lunch-pack-0.                                                          Get involved and make memories to last a lifetime   Broad Town School Book Swap - Children's & Adult , fiction &non-fiction wanted! Our next school book swap is on Thursday March 3rd  (World Book Day ) and the school will once again be accepting any used books in good condition . This month as well as children's literature , magazines & comics  - we will also be hosting a stall for good quality adult books . The "Reading For Pleasure" initiative is a whole family focus , families to read together . Hopefully mums, dads, grandparents and carers will find something to choose amongst our titles. If you could donate any books or magazines,  please drop them off on the preceding Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday at the school door in the box titled School Book Swap. Alternatively call Rosie Law & I will come and collect them (01793731472) WINNERS OF THE 100CLUB January                                                         February 1st - Cliff Cowtan                                         1st - John Hall 2nd - Rupert Pearce                                   2nd - Ray Manley 3rd - Hilary Bradley                                     3rd - David Crocker Congratulations to all the winners   WHITE HORSE It is planned to lime the White Horse on Sunday 15th May 2022. Please put the date in your diaries and look out for further info in the Broad Town News. Thanks. Andrew Law   THE CHURCH ELECTORAL ROLL - CHRIST CHURCH 2022 Christ Church  Broad Town The church Electoral Roll is due to be revised so that those named on it may have the opportunity to vote at the Annual Parochial Church Meeting on Sunday 3rd April 2022 after the 10.30 service  in church.   If your name is already on the 2022 list (see list in church or contact Janet Drury) then you need do nothing.  If your name is not on the list and you would like to be included please fill in a form available from Janet and send it back before Friday 18th March.  With your name on the list you can not only vote for PCC Members but also be on the PCC yourself if you would like to take part in the church’s organization and support.  We will always welcome those with time and expertise but mostly interest For more information or a form please contact Janet Drury – Electoral Roll Officer 01793 850931           email – drury.janet@btinternet.com 61 Marlborough Road , Royal Wootton Bassett  SN4 7EJ    Bushton Manor Plant Fair and Open Garden Bank Holiday Monday May 2nd 2022 11am - 3pm SN4 7PX After almost 3 years of not being able to have the Plant Fair we are happy to say that planning is going ahead for 2022. We sincerely hope that as in 2018 and 2019 we will have the 100 0 or so visitors back again ! Within the lovely grounds of this 18th century Manor House there will be some 30 stalls scattered around the garden with plants, crafts, food and other related products as well as the ever popular bacon butty BBQ and home made refreshments. A plant crèche enables people to stroll around without having to carry purchases. For the younger people there will be outside games to keep them occupied. Entrance £3. Children and car parking free. Dogs on leads are allowed. Money raised will go towards the St Peter’s Church Roof Fund , a Grade 1 listed building in Clyffe Pypard Further details www.clyffepypard-bushton.com                                                                    The deadline for items for the April newsletter should be with the editor by   March 25th please   Ray Manley Mon, 21 Feb 2022 16:41:00 GMT f1397696-738c-4295-afcd-943feb885714:2577