CHADRA

We hope that you will find some items of interest in this the second of CHADRA's village news letters. We have decided to make a small charge in order to cover our costs.

Anyone who would like to have an item in the next Newsletter should contact Don Smith, xx Avon Road by 14th March 1976.

From D.A. Malpass – Headmaster

The number of children in school now exceeds 250, organised into four infant and four junior classes. An extra class has enabled us to keep the numbers in the infant classes to a reasonable level. From September 1976 children can only be admitted to school at the beginning of the term in which they reach their fifth birthday.

At the time of writing the children are looking forward to Christmas with rising excitement. The proceeds of the Concerts, which were performed recently, will be donated to the Dr. Barnardo Homes and we have also participated in fund raising for “Help the Aged”. The term ends with the children's parties.

The Parent Teacher Association, after organising a Dance on 23rd. January, are hoping to arrange talks next term on Mathematics teaching and the effect of television on children. The customary Sale and Barbecue will follow and the proceeds of both will be used directly in school to offset the shrinking Education Budget.

May I publicly thank parents for their interest in the school. For our work to be effective there must be a partnership between parents and teachers. I am especially grateful to those parents who have volunteered to help in various ways in the school and those who have transported children to football and netball matches.

Congratulations to the boys and girls cross-country teams who, at the halfway stage, are both well in the lead in the series of races organised by the Dursley Athletic Club.

2

Rev. K.G. Grant

During the winter months Evensong will be held during the afternoon.

We are very grateful for the help given to us by members of CHADRA in both duplicating and distributing the Finance letters which we recently prepared to make known one of the problems we are facing at this time. I would like to express thanks to those, who have as a result of this, agreed to help in the way suggested. We all receive lots of ‘pieces of paper’ through the letter box and I suspect that some have overlooked or mislaid the original. I have been told by some that they intend to help. If you have lost your letter there are some further copies in Church. I had hoped that about 300 replies might have come – one quarter of those on the Register of Electors. To date we have had 26 replies, for which I am very grateful; but it has also left me hoping for further replies! This is one of the ways in which we can say “Thank you” for the Joys of Life.

Although it is often lost sight of, Christmas is, in a special way, the Church's time. It is the time for remembering, and being grateful for, the coming of Jesus into our world. Much that is best in our Western world and way of life has sprung from this Faith and therefore we take this opportunity of wishing you and yours A HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

Parish Council meetings are held monthly, usually on the second Tuesday in the month, at Charfield Primary School, in the Staff Room starting at 7.30 pm.

The Management Committee has dealt with a number of items over the past few months, including agreement to extend the existing Car Park; the purchase of curtains for the new extension; arranging for work to commence on the painting of the interior of the Hall; applying for Grants from various bodies for repairs and extension to the children's playground. The County Engineer and Surveyor, Mr. N.W. Lee, who is also involved with the Avon Playing Fields Association, is personally looking into the problem of the drainage of the playing field.

3The Sports and Gala Day is being held on 3rd. July 1976 and ideas for Events and Side Shows are very welcome as bookings have to be made early in the New Year.

CALENDAR NOTE: A Disco Dance to be held on 10th January 1976 and a New Years Eve Dance admission by ticket only, available from Mr. D. Goscombe, xxxx Court.

Charfield Tennis Club came into being with a new Committee towards the end of this summer. A great deal of work was done to clear the court and remove part of the old fence. New fencing was obtained and it is hoped that with a lot of help this can be erected on New Years Day. As usual a lot of work is involved in getting a Club off the ground and anyone interested in either playing tennis or helping to organise Club Membership is asked to contact Mr. Miller.

On 27th November 1975, CHADRA held their first Annual General Meeting and the new Committee is as follows:-

We were requested to compile a list of our aims and objectives for the coming year:-

1. To complete the Village Study – Volunteers required.
2. To try to provide something for the younger members of the community – Volunteers required.
3. To encourage safety in Charfield.
4. To organise Rambles and Walks.
5. To keep an eye on activities and inform interested parties.

CHADRA have been asked to try to re-form the Youth Club but what is needed most of all is a good leader. There is some equipment available and helpers could be found, but this is no good without the RIGHT PERSON to lead them. There must be a lot of youngsters in the village who would be willing to join and, besides enjoying themselves they could do something really useful for the community rather than roaming the streets. Would anyone be willing to come forward and take up this challenge? Please contact: Mrs. F. Owen, xx Manor Lane, FALfield xxx.

4

Warden: J. Mapstone, Tel: Wotton-u-Edge xxxx

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursdays are usually booked for various Club activities.

On Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Hall is available for the following:

Cricket nets are also available and Trampolining (5 people minimum for safety reasons.) Summer activities include the use of a hard court for 5-a-Side Soccer and Tennis.

The Charfield Ladies' Netball Club has now been running successfully for over a year, enthusiastically supported by many local ladies. However, we would be pleased to welcome anybody from the village who would like to join us. We meet every Tuesday evening from 7.00–8.00 pm. in the Sports Hall at Katherine, Lady Berkeley School, Kingswood. For further details, please contact: Mrs. Julie Hillier, xx Manor Lane, Charfield.

B.C. Jones, J.C. Margerison & J.K. Roberts, 1 Culverhay, Wotton.
Appointments: Wotton 3893
Enquiries: Wotton 3252
Emergency: Wotton 3252 (24 hours)

W.A. Dawes & A.T. Glen, Berkeley House, Wotton.
Surgery: Wotton 2124
If no reply: Falfield 376

Mr. Cope, our local M.P. is available most weekends. Anyone wishing to see him is asked to ring Mr. Frank Payne, Conservative Agent, Tudor House, Hatters Lane, Chipping Sodbury. Tel: Chipping Sodbury 312065.

Anyone wishing to write to Mr. Cope regarding any local or national issue should write direct to him at the House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA. Mr. Cope will arrange a house call for anyone who is housebound and who wants to see him.

5

J. Tully, Northavon District Councillor

One of the most important responsibilities the District Councils were given after reorganisation was to become Planning Authorities. Whereas before the old R.D.C.'s and U.D.C.'s could only make recommendations to the County Councils, the new Districts are Planning Authorities in their own right, provided that no development is in contravention of the County Structure Plan.

One curious feature of the old Planning Act was that it was quite in order to apply for (and get) consent to build on someone else's land without the owner having any knowledge of what was going on. Occasionally the situation arose where the owner first learnt of the application when he read about it in the local paper. Now of course the applicant has to complete a form stating that the owner is fully aware of the application.

Another advance is that Parish Councils now have a right to be informed of all Planning applications within their boundaries and can pass on their comments and observations to the District Councils. Again, previously, quite often the first thing that a Parish Council knew of any development was when the builder moved in on site. Parish Councils also have the right to appear at Public Enquiries over a Planning Appeal and can give evidence.

Most applications can normally be dealt with within two or three months, but the larger developments very often take longer because of the number of Statutory Authorities and other bodies that have to be consulted; can the Electricity Board supply enough electricity?, can the Post Office cope with the extra number of deliveries and collections?, can the local schools take the extra number of children? Unfortunately some are very slow to reply which means that any decision is delayed still further.

If an application is refused, the applicant can appeal to the Minister. There are two ways of doing this: by having a public enquiry or by appealing in writing. If a public enquiry is held it is advisable to be represented as the Local Authority and other interested bodies will be there in force and one appellant on his own is decidedly at a disadvantage. By appealing in writing this obviates the need for representation. The Inspector will ask the Local Authority for their views in writing, he will visit the site in question, he will make his report to the Minister and a decision will subsequently be given.

The Christmas dinner and the entertainment which followed were again very successful this year. We should like to thank all those who helped to make the festivities a success, particularly Mrs. Lynne Harris and her friend from the Bristol Operatic Society, Mrs. Clulow and Mrs. Marklove who provided the excellent entertainment.

Most generous donations were made by W.R. Peak & Co., Aero Bearings Ltd., the Friendship Club, Charfield Young Wives and the Women's Institute which made it possible to have small presents as well as a raffle this year. Beautiful table decorations were made by members of the W.I. Mr. & Mrs. Dowding from the Tavern very kindly gave the stout for the Christmas pudding, a bottle of brandy for the mincemeat and a large box of apples. They also lent the glasses for the dinner. Mrs. North and Mrs. Till made delicious mincepies and Mrs. Goscombe provided rum both for the white sauce and the wine.

We should also like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have helped us throughout the year, particularly Mrs. Hall and Mrs. King who have provided transport. Mrs. King also gave sacks of apples and we are very grateful to all those who helped to bottle them. We have also been very grateful to all those who have given vegetables from their gardens. Many people have helped the Club in all sorts of ways and to all these we would like to express our thanks and wish them a Happy New Year.

With the money donated by the Wotton Round Tablers and their wives, it has been possible to re-equip the kitchen and we should like to thank Mr. George, the Social Services Supplies Officer, for his assistance. We should still be pleased to receive unwanted crockery and cutlery, particularly dinner and pudding plates.

The Club has had a most enjoyable and successful year and we hope that 1976 will prove as successful.

With a membership of 70 pensioners, the Friendship Club must be one of the largest and most thriving clubs in the village. It meets in the Village Hall on alternate Wednesday afternoons with the Luncheon Club and the main entertainment is usually a talk or slide show, or sometimes a concert party. In the summer there are monthly coach outings.

Members would like to take this opportunity to thank Mr. and Mrs. Smith for organising a most delicious Christmas Tea and the Young Wives for their help on this occasion and for “standing in” when the entertainer was not able to come. The Christmas celebrations are being extended to February 5th this year when there is the outing to the Pantomime at the Bristol Hippodrome.

Northavon District Council Planning Department wish to express their thanks to the villagers of Charfield for their help in completing the questionnaire which the Parish Council delivered and collected recently.

The Brownies meet on Tuesday evenings from 4.30 to 5.45 at the Village Hall. If anyone is interested please contact Mrs. Green on Wotton-under-Edge xxxx.

CHADRA wish all our readers a Happy New Year. If anyone is interested in helping the association in any way please contact Mrs. Owen, Falfield xxx.

The University of Bristol, Department of Extra-Mural Studies, has organised a course of five fortnightly meetings on “Wotton, Its Villages and the Future”. These will take place on Tuesdays, 7.30–9.00 commencing 13th January at The Church of England School, The Chipping, Wotton-under-Edge. This course has been designed to take a practical look at Wotton and its villages in the late 1970's. Enrolment may be made at the first meeting.

Transcriber Notes

This issue was produced on 6 sides of A4 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.