CHADRA

This is the first of CHADRA's village newsletters and we hope that it will keep you up-to-date with village activities and provide you with a calendar of all social activities within the village. As it is our first effort please bear with us if it is not exactly as you would like it. We hope to produce it approximately quarterly and if you would like to contribute or help with the production of the next issue please contact:-

A Message from the Rev. K.G. Grant.

Ch stands for CHADRA … Ch stands for Charfield … Ch stands for Church. But for how much longer shall we have a Church in Charfield? It's true that most people today like a Church about the place to stay away from rather than to go to! But I think it's also true that there is a fair amount of interest, even curiosity, about the Church. Many people do not want to commit themselves to worship which (let us be fair) may not seem very meaningful to some people. But quite a number of people do still use the Church and the services of the Rector and most people would feel unhappy if the Church were to close down and its various services no longer be available in the Parish.

We are trying to prevent this from happening but we need the cooperation of all to achieve our purpose. Every house in Charfield will be receiving (may have already received) a letter outlining our problem, need and its easy solution. There is no need to repeat the contents of that letter here except to try and underline that we are all involved and that if all helped, the problem can be easily solved. May I, then, just ask if you would be kind enough to give the suggestion in that letter your careful and sympathetic thought. It has taken us a lot of thought, prayer and work to arrive at the scheme we suggest. Will you, people of Charfield, fulfil our expectations which are simply that we may continue to be here and, as a Church, continue to offer here those services which have been available for many hundreds of years. We believe you will do this and we thank you hopefully in advance.

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Not used regularly for worship since 1882, the old church of St. James on the hill is now being restored. It is an important and interesting old monument in a beautiful setting. What will happen to it now? Will it once again be forgotten by the village or can it find a new lease of life? At a meeting with representatives of the Redundant Churches Fund at the end of August the following possible uses were found acceptable.

1. Semi-permanent exhibitions,
2. Concerts and plays – particularly at Christmas and Easter.

Have you any ideas? Would you like to join the Friends of St. James? If so please contact:-

Harvest Thanksgiving Services:-

Preacher: Dr. S. Symons, of Bristol.

All are welcome. Any further enquiries welcomed.

Secretary – Miss M. Turner, xx The Green.

A meeting was called in Little Bristol for mothers and children because of the lack of positive action to make conditions safer in that area. An appeal was made for the children not to use Mr. Baker's field opposite their houses.

Northavon District Council are now in the process of drawing up plans for parking and play areas to be positioned behind the houses, subject to Ministry loan approval.

Secretary – Mrs. C. Tarry, xx Wotton Road.

There will be a Jumble Sale at the Village Hall at 2.30 p.m. on Saturday 4th October.

There are a few places available at Playgroup at the moment and anyone interested should contact Mrs. Tarry.

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Secretary – Mrs. I. Fearn, xxx Manor Lane.

Forthcoming Events:-

New Members always welcome. Yearly subscription 25p, Monthly admission 10p. Meetings held every third Thursday each month at the Village Hall.

The Charfield Baby Sitting Circle has now become an established part of village life particularly after the children's bedtime. For a pleasurable evening out you may contact one of 45 very capable baby sitters.

If anyone is interested in joining the group contact:

Mrs. Mary Hall, xx Durham Road. Falfield 6xx.

The Planning & Development Sub-Committee try to keep abreast of local planning applications so that they can inform the residents who are affected by them. If necessary we have represented their opinions to Northavon Planning Department.

Secretary – Mrs. P. Simkiss, x Underhill Road.

Charfield Drama Group is appealing for new members and anyone interested should contact Mrs. Simkiss.

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It was more than ten years ago that Charfield Bingo Club was formed, mainly to raise money, and secondly as a social activity. The then Management Committee, who manage the playing field and its upkeep, were maintaining an ex-Army hut from World War One, a leaky, draughty affair, known as the Richardson Hut. It was in memory of Sub. Lt. Richardson (who perished at the age of 19 years) through the Y.M.C.A. That's why some residents may wonder why the old Hut was referred to as the Y.M. Hut or the Richardson Hut. It was condemned as a fire risk, dances were not allowed, and the alternative was to build a new one. But what were we going to use for money? We had to organise events to raise some.

It attracted about forty people at first, and gradually grew in number. In the wet winter nights it was a problem to avoid the leaking roof and keep out of the draughts but they stuck it to raise money for a new Hall.

There have been only three “callers” in the whole of that time, and the profits go towards the Hall and Field maintenance. It is run by the Management Committee every Monday night helped by volunteers, while the refreshments are provided and served by members of the W.I. whose sterling services are greatly appreciated by the Bingo Club and Management Committee.

Secretary – Mr. E. Orton, xx Wotton Road.

Charfield Chess Club meets every Wednesday evening at the Railway Tavern (6.30–10.30 p.m.) and welcomes new members of any standard, including youngsters.

Kingswood Badminton Club would be pleased to hear from any experienced badminton players who are interested in joining a thriving local club. For further information please contact:

Secretary – Mr. S. Mussell, x Manor Lane.

Group Scout Leader – Mr. I. Jones, xx Severn Close.

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Secretary – Mrs. J. Swallow, xx Manor Lane.

The Tennis Club have been given a grant by the Management Committee towards the cost of the outer wire netting. As soon as this has been put up it is hoped that the Club can start playing. Anyone interested in joining should contact: Mr. Keith Miller, x Katherine Close.

The first fund-raising event held by CHADRA was the May Fayre on May 17th, at which a profit of £40 was made. This has since been used to buy a duplicator for use by all village organisations, to stock up on stationery and book the hall for future events.

Forthcoming events:-

Please support us generously.

Health Visitor: Mrs. S. Cook, Thornbury Health Centre, Tel. Thornbury 414477.

Charfield Child Health Clinic – Memorial Hall – 2nd & 4th Friday 2–4 p.m.

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A Luncheon Club is held every other Wednesday at 12 p.m. in the Village Hall and all pensioners are most welcome to come.

Anyone interested in helping the Club would also be very gladly welcomed. We need more helpers to prepare, serve and wash up after the meal, so that our present loyal assistants can have a holiday more often.

If you could offer transport more club members could come from Cromhall and Tortworth. With a regular team of drivers we should also be able to extend our service by sending meals out to those who are housebound and we could apply to the County Social Services for petrol allowances for our drivers.

If you could help us, even if only occasionally, please contact:-

If you would like to join the Club, please come.

Chairman:	Mr. J.G. Poskett,	xx Charfield Green
Secretary:	Mrs. J.K. Hughes,	x Berkeley Close
Treasurer:	Mr. J. Carpenter,	xxxx Lodge

Is an annually elected Committee which manages the Charity Trust Playing Field and Hall which belong to the village of Charfield. The Committee consists of a representative from each of the Clubs in the village using the Hall and field, plus a number of co-opted members. Regular meetings are held and the dates published on the notice board.

For major projects, i.e. the recent extension to the Memorial Hall, grants from various Authorities may be obtainable but generally the Committee is self-supporting, raising funds for general running costs, maintenance and improvements by such events as dances, jumble sales and most important the annual Sports Day and Gala. Anyone interested in helping even in a very small way would be most welcome by the Committee.

Help required – from any able bodied ladies, ability to drive not essential. There is plenty of non-driving work that can be done. Volunteers are needed for an emergency call-out team and a series of lectures will be held this autumn. Anyone interested please contact:-

Any old but good clothes are welcome, as are blankets, sheets and small household items that can be stored.

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The biggest mistake we made when we embarked upon the Study was to assume that everyone in the village would be, if not as excited as we were by the project, at least agreeable that it was a good thing. We soon found out that this was not the case and that there was in the village a small but definite feeling against it. It was therefore decided to extend the timescale so that we could publicise our intentions and increase interest in the village. The results were the Open Meeting in May, the Geology Field Day in June, the History Exhibition at the Sports Day, and Nature Ramble in July, and this contribution to the Newsletter, and we think many more people now appreciate what we are trying to do. We are still asked, however, why we are doing it.

In particular, People ask “What is there interesting in Charfield?” and “Why do a Study when Northavon are preparing a Village Plan?”. Well, everything in Charfield is interesting, unless as one resident said you are “only here for the accommodation”. The problem is to find enough time to investigate it all. As for the Village Plan we should make it clear that we are not producing our own plan in opposition to Northavon. The study will look at Charfield as it was and as it is now, and only briefly at how it might develop. It will be critical but we hope also constructive. The Study provides a way for us to communicate with the planners while they prepare the Plan so that they may get to know the village even better.

When will the Study be finished? We hope to publish the final Study document before the end of the year but we shall be finding new things out about Charfield for many years yet.

The A.G.M. will be held in November and a notice will be displayed one month before this date.

Subscriptions are due in November and these will be collected when the next Charfield Newsletter is delivered.

This Newsletter is produced by CHADRA (Charfield & District Residents Association) and is delivered to each house in Charfield free of charge. The cost will be borne by CHADRA funds. It has been printed on our own duplicator which, incidentally, is available to all organisations in the village.

We would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this first newsletter, and if any other organisation wishes to be included in our next issue, which we hope to do at Christmas time, would they please contact:-

Mr. D. Smith, xx Avon Road. Falfield 8xxx.

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Secretary – Mrs. K. Jotcham, Falfield 2xx

The local W.I. meets on the 2nd Thursday each month at the Village Hall at 7.15 p.m. There is a different speaker every month covering every interest.

Future programme:-

Any villagers interested are welcome to join us.

We will be holding our Annual Bazaar on the 22nd November at 2.30 p.m. All the usual stalls will be there – jumble, white elephant, etc.

We will be competing in the Wotton Show on the 20th September. We hope to ‘bring the cup back’.

Transcriber Notes

This issue was produced on 8 sides of foolscap paper.

Personal phone numbers and addresses have been redacted.

Minor typographical corrections and presentational changes have been made without comment.

Digitization by Brendan O'Connor.

Last update: 2016-11-17.