WING NOTES
3 NOVEMBER 2005
10 NOVEMBER 2005
17 NOVEMBER 2005
29 NOVEMBER 2005
8 DECEMBER 2005
21 DECEMBER 2005
28 DECEMBER 2005
5
JANUARY 2006
12 JANUARY 2006
19 JANUARY 2006
26 JANUARY 2006
2 FEBRUARY 2006
9 FEBRUARY 2006
17 FEBRUARY 2006
23 FEBRUARY 2006
WING
NOTES
23 FEBRUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
Wing WI heard a talk
from Mr Harry Edwards about "Milton Keynes, Past and
Present". Did you know that there is a Roman mosaic on the
outer wall of Boots or that there are the remains of a Medieval
Abbey in Milton Keynes? It was fascinating to see slides of open
spaces where there are now buildings and roads and to realise the
wealth of open spaces, water, walks and wildlife around Milton
Keynes. The town means more than concrete cows, although there
are more of these in storage to replace stolen or vandalised
creatures.
Some long standing members of WI received long service
certificates: Eveline Fincher for 25 years, Iris Ayris and Beryl
Taylor for 40 years, and Jean Biggs for a magnificent 50 years.
Congratulations to the all.
There will be a public meeting at 7pm on Thursday 2nd March in
Aston Hall, Aylesbury Civic Centre. This is to address issues of
importance to local people in order to make them feel safe in
their neighbourhoods. It is part of a new initiative on behalf of
Thames Valley Police and will be attended by the Police, members
of AVDC and partner agencies.
All Saints' Quiz Night will soon be upon us, on 25th March. Phone
01296 688265 to book a table. A good night out for £2 per
person!
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 28th February: Parish Council, 8pm, Small Hall
Wednesday 1st March: Senior Citizens' Lunch Club, 12 o' clock,
Village Hall.
WING
NOTES
17 FEBRUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
In a surprise
gathering of family and friends at the Queens Head in Wing local
resident, Jack Haynes, was presented with memorabilia to
recognise his World War II service on Arctic convoys. He was born
in 1920, joined the Royal Navy in 1938 and has lived in Wing all
his life. At the height of the war in 1943 he married Joyce in
All Saints Church and their reception was held in the Village
Hall. Joyce, who served in the Army during the 1940s,
subsequently became the Secretary to the village schools, now
known as Overstone and Cottesloe Schools. Jack spent much of the
war in the North Atlantic, protecting convoys supplying Europe
with much needed food and equipment. While he was serving on the
escort destroyer HMS Loring, he took part in the infamous
‘Arctic convoys’. These were convoys that ferried
important aid and equipment to the USSR. The Germans quickly
realised how vital this lifeline was and consequently our
merchant ships and their escorts had to run a determined Nazi
gauntlet.
The convoys reached their nadir with the crippling losses
suffered by PQ17 in the summer of 1942. On this convoy, of the 32
ships that left Iceland, only 2 returned. However, by the end of
that year the losses gradually diminished, thanks to the gallant
efforts of servicemen in both the Royal and Merchant navies. At
all times sailors had to contend with horrendous weather
conditions: mountainous seas, ice covered decks, icy waters with
little chance of survival if their ship was sunk, and in the
depths of winter, continual darkness. Nearly four million tons of
equipment was successfully delivered to Russia. Of the 1400
merchant ships taking part 105 were lost. Cost to the Navy was 1
aircraft carrier damaged, 2 cruisers, 6 destroyers and 8 escorts
sunk. Some 3000 British seamen were killed during the campaign.
The Germans lost the battleship "Scharnhorst", 3 large
destroyers and 30 U boats.
Whilst the Atlantic Star medal was presented to those who served
in the Atlantic there had been no recognition of the specific
part played by those of the Arctic convoys. However, following
improvements in relations between the countries in the 1980s, the
Russian Government offered appropriate medals to veterans to
commemorate significant anniversaries of the Second World War,
and permission was given by the Queen in 1994 for them to be
worn. Unfortunately, these medals had all been taken up when Jack
applied to the Russian Embassy.
As the result of a conversation between Jack and Wing British
Legion Poppy organiser, Steve Naghi, some research was undertaken
without Jack’s knowledge to find out whether it might be
possible to come up with a suitable form of recognition. The end
result was a gathering of local naval veterans at which he was
presented with not only one of the original Russian commemorative
medals, but also an Arctic Campaign medal sponsored by the
Russian Convoy Club. Previously unseen photographs of his old
ship and members of her crew taken in 1943 also brought back many
memories.
Coincidentally, it was announced last month that, after ten years
of lobbying, the Government had sanctioned provision of an Arctic
Star ‘emblem’. This will be available to, and may be
worn by, the estimated 3000 Arctic veterans still thought to be
alive in Britain and across the globe. This emblem will be
available by the end of the year and the Ministry of Defence has
sent an application form to Jack - proper recognition at last for
one who served his country through a very demanding time in our
history.
Jack's presentation was attended by other ex service personnel of
Wing, including Percy Bidwell, resident of Wing Lodge, also a
naval veteran of World War II.
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 21st February: Age Concern Pop-in, Small Hall, 2-4pm
Monday 27th February: Buzzard Flyers, Wing Library, 8-10pm, bring
a mug.
Tuesday 28th February: Parish Council Meeting, Small Hall, 8pm
Wednesday 1st March: Senior Citizens' Lunch Club, 12 o' clock,
Village Hall
Advance notice:
25th March: All Saints' Quiz evening. To reserve your table
telephone 01296 688265
WING
NOTES
9 FEBRUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
Has anyone got a
solution to rabbits on the bowling green? It seems that our
little furry friends are scratching the hallowed turf and leaving
their traces. Lettuce supposedly had a soporific effect for Peter
Rabbit, but the gardens are bare of that at the moment. Any
suggestions please to Vic Syrett before the little visitors hold
their courtship rituals there in the spring.
Overstone School PTA would like to thank everyone who supported
the recent jumble sale, which raised approximately £490 for PTA
funds so was well worth the effort.
The PTA quiz evening was very successful and those present had a
very enjoyable evening. A number of teams battled it out to the
very end. Thank you to Liz and James Inglis for setting and
marking the questions, and to Mike Barrett for acting as the quiz
master. The committee hopes to see even more people at next
year's quiz!
The children in Years 5 and 6 recently enjoyed a morning at the
Milton Keynes theatre, watching a "Shakespeare 4 Kidz"
production of "Romeo and Juliet". Year 3 and 4 children
recently visited Hazard Alley, the safety centre in Milton
Keynes, where they learned all about keeping safe at home and
when out and about.
Forthcoming events:
Thursday 16th February: WI, Small Hall, 7.30pm. "Milton
Keynes, Past and Present", competition-an egg cup.
Tuesday 21st February: Age Concern Pop-in, Small Hall, 2-4pm
WING
NOTES
2 FEBRUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
Do you realise that
several libraries in the county are under threat of closure if
they cannot justify their existence? Wing is not one of these at
the moment, but if Bucks County Council see village library
closure as a quick and effective way of saving money, who can
tell what lies ahead? Our library has been saved once already and
has flourished in new premises. We are very lucky to have this
amenity but it may be a case of "if you don't use it, lose
it". We constantly hear of poor literacy standards amongst
children; libraries are essential to encourage a love of books
from an early age. Wing library has a story time on Friday
afternoons. Take your little ones along, use the library. It's
open Tuesday and Friday till 7pm as well as Wednesday and
Saturday mornings.
Parish Council
As usual the members of the public were given a chance to speak,
which raised the topic of the Best Kept Village competition. Both
the pump in Church Street and the play area in Jubilee Green need
some attention to get them in really good order and then some
lack of attention from those who don't care about them. The
prospect of a paint ball area in Fox Covert on the Stewkley Road
raised a few hackles and some written objections, which the
Council later endorsed.
Work on the fence around the Recreation Ground is nearly finished
and a new gate, by the traffic island in Leighton Road, will make
crossing the road much safer. The possible site for a burial
ground has become a probable site but, even if the plans area
approved, there is still the problem of funding to be overcome.
Access and setting out is likely to cost at least £50,000 and
there was some concern as to the source of the financial support.
Once the costs are known villagers will be given a chance to make
their views known. This led to other funding issues, but this
time at County and District level. Central government is moving
funds away from us and services are bound to be affected. Your
views are wanted and you were encouraged to use the questionnaire
in the Buckinghamshire Times (the free County Council paper,
which you have probably thrown away). There was good news for
ecology though; public transport use has increased and car
journeys are down. Again, use it or lose it! More on transport
next week when I have had a chance to read the leaflets from the
meeting.
Hot off the press is news about the new development in Aylesbury,
around Exchange Street and the canal basin, which will include
housing, retail outlets and a theatre. Work will begin in the
summer of 2007 on the theatre, south of Exchange Street. It will
be designed by experienced theatre architects, who have been
responsible for theatres from Dubai to Sadlers' Wells. It is
hoped that the time between closure of the Civic Centre and the
opening of the new theatre will not exceed 103 weeks. In addition
a major departmental store will be part of the new project.
Residents of Aylesbury Vale will have the opportunity to attend
meetings later this year.
Trading Standards have warned of workmen trying to resurface
driveways. They begin work without permission, which is illegal,
and have already been around Bedgrove, in Aylesbury. If you
experience any problems contact either Trading Standards 08454
040506 or the Police 0845 850 5505.
About 30 members of Age Concern Pop-in enjoyed a meal at the
"Hare and Hounds" at Ledburn last week. The helpers
were officially thanked for the care and time that they give to
the elderly people of the village, who very much appreciate this
social amenity.
Forthcoming attractions:
Wednesday 8th February: Senior Citizens' lunch club, Village
Hall, 12 o' clock for 12.30pm
Body sculpting with Kim, Village Hall, £7.30-8.30pm, £4
Thursday 9th February: Stretch and relaxation class, Small Hall,
11,30am-12,30, £4, tel 01525 373372
Monday 13th February: Buzzard Flyers, Knitting and Spinning, Wing
library, 8pm
WING
NOTES
26 JANUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
Buzzard Flyers, the
knitting and spinning group that meets in Wing, visited Wing
Brownies on Monday to share their skills. Some of the Brownies
found that spinning on a wheel is not as easy as it looks, but
fortunately no-one fell asleep for 100 years when they had a try.
Some tried spinning with a drop spindle, while others learned
very quickly how to do finger knitting. It was an excellent
opportunity for the 2 groups to come together and to initiate the
younger generation into traditional skills.
Wing Brownies now have a thriving group with a dedicated team of
adult leaders, after their appeal last year. Buzzard Flyers have
doubled their membership after their move to Wing 2 months ago.
The Brownies meet in the Small Hall every Monday and the Flyers
in the Library on the 2nd and 4th Mondays. At the same time Wing
Players were in the main hall, putting the finishing touches to
their production of "Scrooge". It is surely indicative
of a thriving community and a well-used amenity that all 3 rooms
were in full use.
Free bus travel for senior citizens
Aylesbury Vale’s older residents and people with
disabilities are set to benefit from a new scheme to provide free
bus travel.
Under the new concessionary bus pass scheme all senior citizens
aged 60 or over and people with disabilities will be able to
travel free on local buses from April this year. Aylesbury Vale
District Council’s current concessionary fares scheme
provides half price bus travel for the over-60s and people with
disabilities. At a meeting of the district council’s cabinet
this week, councillors agreed to expand the scheme in line with
central government policy.
Countywide travel is included in the new scheme, which means that
people can do a lot more with their bus pass. Holders will be
able to travel free through the whole of Buckinghamshire after
9am on weekdays and all day at the weekends.
There are more than 4,000 senior citizens and people with
disabilities across the Vale who currently receive half price
travel concessions. Residents who hold bus passes at the moment
will be issued with new passes for countywide travel. The new
passes will be credit-card sized in response to feedback from
customers. A scheme for the re-issue of bus passes, together with
arrangements for new applications, will be announced in due
course. Whilst new passes will be valid from 1 April 2006, there
will be an overlap period to the end of May when the existing
passes will still be valid to allow the council sufficient time
to issue all the new passes required.
For further information please contact :-
Councillor Pam Pearce
Cabinet Member for Community Matters
Tel: 01908 373799
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 31st January: Parish Council, Small hall, 8pm
Friday 3rd February: Leighton Musical Theatre Variety Show,
tickets from "The Cupboard" or 01296 688504
WING
NOTES
19 JANUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
Wing WI heard an
inspirational talk on Thursday from Vivienne Barratt, well known
to many of us in the village. Vivienne was born disabled after
her mother was given thalidomide in the sixties and eventually
came to live in Wing. Against the usual custom of the time,
Vivienne was allowed to go to a main stream school. She said how
she loved her schooldays in Wing and how she learned to swim in
the pool at Cottesloe School. After leaving school she took her
exams to qualify as a music teacher and still teaches at Leighton
Buzzard music school. In addition Vivienne takes a very active
part in disabled sports, sews, paints and knits. She spoke with a
lively sense of humour and displays a wonderful spirit,
determined to live life to the full.
The next meeting is on 16th February with a talk about Milton
Keynes, past and present.
Forthcoming events:
Wednesday 25th January: Senior Citizens' lunch club, Wing Hall,
12 o' clock
WEA "Words about Words", tel 01296 688193
Thursday 26th January - Saturday 28th January: Wing Players,
"Scrooge", Wing Hall
Tuesday 31st January: Parish Council, Small hall 8pm
Saturday 3rd February: Leighton Musical Theatre Variety Show,
Wing Hall. Tickets from "The Cupboard" or 01296 688504
WING
NOTES
12 JANUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
Rather belatedly, I'm
afraid, I must congratulate John Downes, who received an award
from Aylesbury Vale District Council for "Volunteer of the
Year" Longevity Award. John was one of the runners-up in the
"Good Neighbour Award". This was principally for
services to Wing Football Club. His contribution to the amenities
for the youth of the village is much appreciated.
As I walked back from the post office this morning, a crisp and
frosty morning, when it was just beginning to get lighter, I was
struck by how beautiful the village looked (during the lull in
the traffic). The church tower was still lit and the High Street
was immaculately clean, even the leaves had gone from the
pavements and I could walk down without the slime under foot.
Well done to Richard, our village cleaner.
Many of us in the village know Vivienne Barratt, who will speak
to Wing WI next Thursday about her life and achievements. I have
heard Vivienne speak before and I can say that she is remarkable
and what she does is awe-inspiring. New members will be welcome
at WI, or just come along to try without committment.
The WEA course about the history of the English Language, a
fascinating subject, starts on 25th January. Remember that 12
people must enrol for the course to run. Telephone numbers can be
found below.
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 17th January: Age Concern Pop-in, Small Hall, 2-4pm
Thursday 19th January: WI, Vivienne Barratt, "Living with
the results of thalidomide", 7.30pm, Small Hall.
Saturday 21st January: Jumble Sale, Overstone School, 2pm
Wednesday 25th January: Senior Citizens' Lunch Club, Village
Hall, 12 o' clock
WEA "Words about Words", 2-4pm, tel 01296 688193 or
01525 376224
Thursday 25th - Saturday 28th January: Wing Players,
"Scrooge", Village Hall.
WING NOTES
5
JANUARY 2006
ANN WEIGHT
On 2nd January residents of Wing celebrated
the hundredth birthday of Wing Village Hall. Ian Foster, Chairman
of the Trustees welcomed all those who had interrupted their New
Year celebrations to attend, whilst Neil Freeman, a trustee for
20 years, spoke about the history of the hall, built at the
instigation of Mr Charles Cotes "for the benefit of the
inhabitants of Wing" at a cost of £2000.
It was very appropriate that the Mr David Mitchell was able to
travel from Epsom to attend. Mr Mitchell's maternal family came
from Wing and his great-grandfather, Mr Joseph James Heady, was
the architect of the hall. Mr Mitchell told how his ancestor was
born in 1851 and worked as a carpenter, joining the building
department of Ascott House in 1880. He became both an architect
and surveyor and designed not only the hall, but also the
Rothschild houses in and around Wing. The distinctive style of
the hall remains a tribute to his memory. Indeed, when the new
extension was built, it was found that the wooden plans in the
ceiling were so long that they could not be replicated from
modern trees.
Netta Glover, Vice Chairman of Aylesbury Vale District Council,
related how the hall was opened in 1906 by no less a person than
Lord Rothschild, Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. The
Rothschild link was maintained by Mr Leopold de Rothschild, who
had donated the land and a large proportion of the building costs
and was one of the 1st trustees. Mrs Glover warmly welcomed his
granddaughter, Mrs Renée Robeson and Carol Yirrell, descendant
of the builder of the hall, Thomas Yirrell of Leighton Buzzard.
Prizes were awarded to Corinne Griffin and Iris Ayris for
photographs of events at the Village Hall and to Ivy Rodgerson
for a video account of the hall in the 20s and 30s. This was
followed by refreshments and entertainment from the Carol Speller
dancers, Doreen's dancing school, Win WI and Paul de Lusignan and
friends.
The hall remains as great an asset to the village as it was then,
with its different rooms and library well-used amenities. Thanks
must go to the trustees, who organised Monday's event and who
continue to ensure that the Village Hall is well-maintained and
available for use.
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 10th January: Parish Council, Small Hall, 8pm
Wednesday 11th January: Senior Citizens' Lunch Club, 12 o' clock
Tuesday 17th January: Age Concern Pop-in, Small Hall, 2-4pm
Saturday 21st January: Overstone School Jumble Sale, 2pm
WING
NOTES
28 DECEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
Well done to the All
Saints' bell ringers, who seem to have been working hard over the
past 2 weeks. We heard them ring a quarter peal on 11th December
before the Christingle service, and then announce the Carol
Service on 18th. They previewed the 11pm service on 24th and
again on Christmas morning. They also interrupted their own
celebrations at great sacrifice to ring in the New Year on 31st.
If anyone cares to join them for 2006, men, women or youngsters,
go along to All Saints' on Friday evenings 7.30pm. They make no
secret of when they're practising!
The WEA springs back into action for the New Year. In January
tutor Ann Severn will conduct a 7 week course entitled
"Words about Words", which follows the development of
the English language from Anglo Saxon times, through Chaucer and
Shakespeare, to modern influences of computer speak and foreign
travel. This is one of the courses that I wish were in the
evenings so that I could attend, as I know it is a fascinating
subject. It will begin on 25th January from 2-4pm, costing £42
for 7 weeks. Enrolment in advance, tel 01296 688193 or 01525
376224. Remember that courses cannot run without the necessary
number of enrolments. February will see a 4 week course on Frank
Lloyd Wright, American architect and designer, and Psychology in
April.
Wing lunch club needs volunteers to help to serve and wash up at
the senior citizens' lunch, on a rota, once every 6 weeks in term
time. Pre-schoolers are welcome to come and no cooking is
involved unless you want to. If you can spare some time telephone
Sheila Lambert, 01296 682795.
There is a vacancy in the Almshouses, ideally for a resident of
Wing, over 50, who is in need of subsidised housing. These houses
are part of the Dormer Hospital Charity and have a very long
history. If you are interested, apply in writing to Margaret
Crutchfield, 11 Moorlands Road, Wing, LU7 0RD.
Forthcoming events:
Wednesday 4th January: Body sculpting, Wing Village Hall,
7.30-8.30pm
Friday 6th January: Line dancing, Village Hall, 9.30am - 12.30.
Monday 9th January: Buzzard Flyers, spinning and knitting, Wing
library, 8pm. Bring a mug for tea/coffee.
Tuesday 10th January: Pilates for 5 weeks, 9.30am, tel 01525
853098
The Cupboard re-opens.
Parish Council, Small Hall, 8pm
Wednesday 10th January: Senior Citizens' Lunch Club, Wing Hall,
12 o' clock.
WING
NOTES
21 DECEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
As I write this, on
what is the shortest day of the year, I am watching a magnificent
sunset, which seems to herald the Christmas season far more
dramatically than all our twinkling lights. However, along with
the Christmas festivities, there is a sad note, caused by the
death of Nick Jennings, formerly a Parish Councillor in Wing. I'm
sure that the people of Wing will join me in expressing sympathy
to Brenda and the rest of the family, as well as to the family of
Diane Chambers, a Wing resident, who had worked in Stewkley
library for many years.
At Overstone School a packed school hall enjoyed the infant
school Christmas play. The children told the Nativity story
through a number of songs, old and new. They all sang
beautifully, particularly the four young soloists. Well done to
all to the children and to the staff who worked so hard to ensure
a wonderful afternoon for those present.
On Friday 9 December at 2.45pm the Overstone School Choir joined
hundreds of thousands of young voices in a Guinness World Record
attempt for the largest ever simultaneous sing-along. Joss Stone
and Lemar led the event, singing the gospel classic “Lean on
Me”, backed by the African Children’s Choir live from
the Royal Albert Hall. Choirs from around the world sang along to
a specially prepared backing track. More than half a million
children were registered to participate and it was great that the
school choir was able to take part. The event also helped to
raise money for two children’s charities.
The school orchestra, choir, Drama Club, Year 4, 5 and 6
instrumental groups and soloists treated parents and friends to
an excellent Christmas concert. There were solo and ensemble
performances by guitars, brass, string and woodwind instruments.
The standard was very high and was a tribute to the effort put in
by the pupils and teachers.
Netta Glover, County Councillor for Wing, has a new web site of
her own, which she will be perfecting over the Christmas break.
If you want to log on to it here is the address:
http://www.bucksinfo.net/councillor_netta_glover
Netta is a mine of information, which she often passes on for
publication, so I am sure that the website will be well worth
visiting.
On 2nd January Wing Hall will celebrate its centenary. The event
will start at 12 o' clock with speeches and an exhibition of
activities there over the last 100 years. Refreshments will be
provided before entertainment from Wing Players, the WI and the
dancing schools.
It only remains for me now to wish everyone a very happy New Year
and a healthy and successful 2006.
WING
NOTES
8 DECEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
Students of Cottesloe
School performed "Little Shop of Horrors" last week.
Coming so soon after "Annie", this was a remarkable
achievement. The leading characters were very impressive and all
who participated must be congratulated for the standard of the
show.
Wing WI hosted the group carol party on Tuesday. Wing members
sang, directed and accompanied by Margaret Oliver, while the
other groups did recitations. The atmosphere was very good and
the refreshments, provided by Wing members, were delicious.
Overstone School raised £130 for Children in Need. Pupils were
asked to draw or write about what they would like to be and to
make a donation. There was a huge range of entries, from aspiring
judges, writers, vets, actors, princesses and footballers, and
they are displayed in the school hall.
The PTA has prepared a book of favourite recipes submitted by
pupils and parents. This is now on sale from the school office
costing £3 and would make a suitable Christmas present. The
designs on the front and back covers were chosen from drawings by
Overstone pupils.
Thank you to everyone who brought in small gifts for the Rotary
Shoebox appeal. The school was able to fill 30 shoe boxes both
with gifts and household items and these will now be sent abroad
And now a website to help those who have been plagued by
graffiti. www.graffitihotline.co.uk was set up in response to a
high number of calls from the general public who had suffered
graffiti attacks on their properties. Many of these residents
lived in areas where the council offered a free-of-charge
graffiti removal service but they were not aware of this.
This website maintains an up-to-date list of all councils and
their graffiti and fly posting policies. GraffitiHotline makes
regular contact with councils and councillors to ensure the
information provided is accurate and up-to-date. If you are aware
of any inaccuracies in the information on this web site please
contact us.
Parish Council
As usual the Parish Council met on the last Tuesday of the Month,
the 29th, with a more than usually varied agenda. Once more, here
are the highlights: AVDC and Neighbourhood Watch are running a
security campaign to help people make their houses and property
more secure. It covers doors, windows and smoke alarms and is
particularly welcome because there have been reports of a gang,
if 2 - one white, one Afro-Caribbean - can be called a gang,
going around perhaps looking for opportunities for distraction
burglary. Chains, door restrictors and dead-locks spring to mind.
Luton Airport expansion is back on the agenda with a
representative coming to the Parish Council meeting on 31st
January. If you have concerns mark this date in your diary and
join other members of the public at the meeting. Then came a
presentation by Mr David Stevinson of Cottesloe School covering
its bid to become a specialist Arts School. The School has raised
the necessary £50,000 to be considered, and had its initial
assessment yesterday. If successful there will be extra money for
the school in exchange for community work and aid to other, less
fortunate, schools in the area.
The next item was also concerned with the youth of the village
and how to provide it with a meeting place and multipurpose
sports facilities. It could be expensive but also very
worthwhile. If you have any views pass them to the Parish
Council; I am sure they will be gratefully received.
Those who went to the Traffic Management consultation will
remember that there will be a report in the New Year but, as
importantly, there should be a public consultation on the Wing
by-pass at Easter time, with a short list of possible routes.
And, lastly, a local transport plan is available on the AVDC web
site for comment. But you need to hurry, comments are wanted by
Friday.
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 13th December: Age Concern Pop-in, 2-4pm, Small Hall
Church Mice party, 2-3pm, All Saints' Church
Sunday 18th December: Carol Service, All Saints' Church, 6pm
WING
NOTES
29 NOVEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
Christmas Fayre Such
are the deadlines for this article that I could not report the
results of the All Saints' Christmas Fayre, held the Saturday
before last. There were the usual attractions of gifts and home
produce, games and toys, raffles, tombola and, of course, a visit
from Father Christmas. It was rewarding to know that attendance
was up on last year, even though there was no rush; just a steady
flow through the door all day. Those that came enjoyed it and
parted with nearly £1500, which will help to keep our ancient
church going.
Tough new powers to help councils tackle environmental crime We
all deplore the sight of old washing machines and other rubbish
lying in the verges and probably secretly hope the dumpers will
be caught and punished. Last year it cost Aylesbury Vale £33,973
to clear up nearly 180 thousand tonnes of such rubbish. The new
rules mean that if a nice man comes to your door and offers to
dispose of your rubbish, and then dumps it by the roadside, you
could be liable for a £5,000 fine! Best to use an authorised
carrier or drop your own rubbish at a recycling centre such as
the one on Rabbens Lane. For further information contact Bob
Bryant the Operations Manager on 01296 585500 or the Environment
Agency on 08708 506506.
Telephone Scam Regrettably this is becoming a bit too common.
Anyone receiving a call from 07099 846690 should not call the
number back. BT has confirmed that the call is connected to a
website charging 50p per minute. When the call is answered a
voice message says that a parcel needs to be delivered to the
caller’s address and asks the caller to hold. The voice
message then tells the caller that the operators are busy and to
hold again. Beware!
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 29th November: Parish Council, Small Hall, 8pm
Tuesday 28th Nov - Sat 2nd Dec: "Little Shop of
Horrors", Cottesloe School, tickets 01296 688264
WING
NOTES
17 NOVEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
Several years ago I
had the privilege of attending Westminster Abbey for the Battle
of Britain service. The theme was the common one: should we
continue to remember the 2 world wars when there are fewer and
fewer people still alive, who were living then. The RAF Chaplain
spoke about a young chaplain who gave such a sermon, without once
mentioning the war. The next day his commanding officer called
him in and asked how he could possibly commemorate such an event
without mentioning it. The young man said that he found it
difficult because he was not alive then. The CO replied
thoughtfully, "You must have problems on Easter
Sunday."
This year I attended one of the most memorable Remembrance Day
services in All Saints' Church. Young and old alike gathered to
honour those who died in combat. The roll of honour was clearly
and confidently read by youngsters, members of the Scout and
Guide movements were impeccably behaved, a credit to their
leaders. The Last Post was emotively played by Ruth Fielder,
whilst Bob Wilmot timed the 2 minute silence perfectly to
coincide with the chimes of the church clock and later spoke to
all ages about the importance of remembering and the difficulty
encountered as years go by. It was good to see the church packed
to capacity and especially to see the veterans from Wing Lodge.
Wing Hall Trust holds its AGM on Monday 28th November. Come to
hear how this important village amenity id run and to hear more
about the arrangements for its centenary in January.
With Christmas just a few weeks away, Aylesbury Vale District
Council is getting into the festive spirit by launching a
seasonal advent-style countdown calendar on its website. The
online calendar will offer people the chance to find out about
events and activities taking place in the Vale during the festive
season. Starting with a special window on 17 November to coincide
with the Christmas lights switch- on in Aylesbury town centre,
the calendar will start for real on 1 December and run through to
the end of December. Events for all ages will be featured during
the period.
There will be activities for young people, including how to make
decorations, Christmas wreaths and Christmas stockings for pets,
and information on walks and other ways to get out and enjoy the
countryside at this time of year. Santa will also be there in the
shape of a weekly free prize draw, which will give residents the
chance to win free swims, tickets for events at the Civic Centre
and lots of chocolate advent calendars.
Don’t miss out on the events and activities going on, or
your chance to win prizes – go to the AVDC website to see
what’s happening in your area. Go to www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk and follow the link from the home page.For further
information please contact :-
Councillor Margaret Morgan-Owen
Cabinet Member for Resources
Tel: 01296 585711
Forthcoming events:
Wednesday 23rd November: Senior Citizens' Lunch Club, Wing Hall,
12.30pm
Sunday 27th November: Santa's workshop, Small Hall, 2-5pm Tel
01296 688608 to book
Monday 28th November: Wing Hall Trust AGM, Small Hall, 8pm
Buzzard Flyers, spinning and knitting group, library, 8pm
Tuesday 29th November: Parish Council, Small Hall, 8pm
Tuesday 28th Nov - Sat 2nd Dec: "Little Shop of
Horrors", Cottesloe School, tickets 01296 688264
WING
NOTES
10 NOVEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
Residents in North
Buckinghamshire are receiving phone calls from a Home Security
company, offering to visit their home and do a free crime
prevention survey. In the past, companies have offered a similar
service. From reports the survey is free. However, the items the
agent encourages the householder to purchase can be very
expensive and may be purchased at a fraction of the cost
elsewhere. Previously Trading standards have had complaints from
relatives of elderly or vulnerable people who have spent a
fortune on security products and smoke alarms, that could have
been fitted for a fraction of the cost.
For more information.
<http://www.oft.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/266B3101-3470-435B-A8B1-2601F3728ED4/0/of
t733a.pdf>
Wing Village Hall is preparing to celebrate its centenary. The
event will be marked on 2nd January 2006 by a special exhibition
and entertainment in the Hall itself. There is a competition,
which will close on Friday 18th November, for memories and
memorabilia of Wing Hall. Please write down your stories, find
your old photographs, or record your memories. Maureen Lomas is
prepared to come to your home and to record your tales, if you
would like her to. Please telephone her (01296 682915) if she can
help.
All Saints' Christmas Fayre will be held from 10am to 3pm on
Saturday 19th November in the Village Hall. Among the old
favourites, which include the raffle, cake raffle, tombola and
home produce, there will of course be books, toys, bric a brac
and Christmas gifts. Father Christmas will be in attendance and
the winning exhibits of the Overstone Christmas competition will
be on display. Pupils were asked to write a poem or an account or
to paint a picture, to represent what Christmas means to them.
Tickets for Wing Players Christmas production,
"Scrooge", will be on sale. Come early to take
advantage of the best home baking, stay for home made lunch in
the Small Hall. This has become an important event on the village
calendar, so do come and support it.
Forthcoming events:
Tuesday 15th November: Age Concern Pop-in, Small Hall, 2pm-4pm
Thursday 17th November: WI birthday party, Wing Hall, 7.15pm.
Advance notice: Sunday 27th November: Santa's Workshop, Small
Hall 2-5pm Tel 01296 688608 to book.
WING
NOTES
3 NOVEMBER 2005
ANN WEIGHT
Netta Glover has some
interesting matters in her report from the October meeting of the
County Council. There are also some warnings and lessons to be
learned. Several years ago active groups of villagers
successfully campaigned to avoid having an airport on our
doorstep and later to stop the closure of our library. Since then
the library has been improved to be a facility the village can be
proud of. Are we to accept plane noise and lose our library
because of lack of interest by the majority?
Read Netta's report and take action!
Youth Bus. This bus is available to youth groups. The group who
wish to use it signs up to agree the conditions and once accepted
they can book the bus. The organisers provide the driver. Phone
Number is 01525 373838.
I was sad to hear that Stewkley and Steeple Claydon are to lose
their library. I put in a serious request that the Wing Library
stays open but I am told that if we do not use our library we
will lose it. Please join and use the library to stave off the
threat of this service.
Park Gate Bungalows
As requested I have asked the housing department to have a look
at the bungalow’s driveway which is in poor condition. I
also asked for a fence to be erected on the boundary of
Heley’s Field, but sadly AVDC has a policy not to provide
fencing on its properties unless they abut a main road.
I attended a presentation by the operators of Luton Airport on
the proposed new runway. We are waiting for confirmation that
there will be public exhibitions in either Wing or Winslow so
that people can go and have a look and of course the Parish
Council will have its own visit from the operators next month.
The bottom line is that there are four options on where the
runway should go. All of them cost the same money so money is not
the driving force. Three of the options will entail over a
million truck movements to move material into the site, one of
these options will cause the destruction of the best scheduled
ancient monument in the area, Someries Castle. The fourth option
will not need to use millions of lorries and it will save
Someries Castle. However, it will take a lot of Greenfield land.
Full details on the website: www.london-luton.co.uk. Any comments
need to be made by 27th January 2006.
The people who spoke to us were not in a position to discuss
flight paths because that is the job of NATs and the CAA. Because
of the potential growth of all the major London airports NATs/CAA
have to review all airspace use in the South East Because of this
review the Airport are unable to say with any degree of certainty
where future flight paths will go. However, when an AVDC officer
had a look at the putative plans for the flight paths it looks as
though Wing will escape the worst of the noise because the flight
paths will go to the north and south of us on their way to Luton.
The AGM of the Carnival Society has been postponed until the New
Year. More news later.
Forthcoming events:
Wednesday 9th November: Aged Concern Lunch Club, Wing Hall,
12.30pm.
Sunday 13th November: Remembrance Service, All Saints' Church,
10.45 at War Memorial.
Monday 14th November: Buzzard Flyers, knitters and spinners,
Small Hall, 8pm
Tuesday 15th November: Aged Concern Pop-in, Small Hall, 2-4pm