CHADRA

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Welcome to the Autumn newsletter! I hope you like the photos on the front page which were taken in and around our beautiful village.

In this edition we welcome reports from the Junior Football Club (thanks Dave!) and from Sam Wiles who has taken some time to speak to Jeremy about Charfield AFC and Joe about Charfield Cricket Club. Hopefully this will be the start of regular updates from the village teams.

Welcome to Ruth who has joined the team as Advertising coordinator taking over from Alison. We are always ready to welcome new members to the Charfield Association (aka Chadra) team – if you are interested in joining us please drop Deb an email. We don't need any ‘officers’ just at the minute, but would love to have some new people on the committee. It doesn't matter how long you have lived in the village, anyone is welcome.

We also welcome articles from anyone wishing to write for the newsletter. All you need to do is email me. All contributions are very welcome!
(editor.chadra @ gmail.com).

[Logo: CHARFIELD SCHOOL]

CHARFIELD OPEN DAYS

Is your child starting Primary School in September 2018?

Come and see us in action!

We are holding Open Day Sessions from 9:30 – 10:30 & 1:30 – 2:30 on:
Tuesday 17th October, Monday 6th November
Friday 1st December, Tuesday 5th December

Application deadline for primary places is 15th January 2018

Contact us on 01454 26xxxx or via admin @ charfieldschool.org.uk to book a place.

THE CHARFIELD TEAM 2017: This year we welcome two new members of staff to the Charfield Team. Mrs Lindsay has joined us as class teacher in Beetle Class and Mrs Hood has joined us in the school Kitchen.

Sadly, this will be Mr Lawday's last term working with the fantastic children of Charfield Primary School. It was a very tough decision for him to leave Charfield but at Christmas he will depart for pastures new and a role within another Academy Trust. We will keep you updated on our progress towards finding our next Head teacher!

[2 Photos]

On Wednesday 27th September we celebrated Harvest at St John's with Reverend Williams leading our service – at times from a puppet show booth! The children sang beautifully and shared Harvest themed writing and artwork. We had a collection of dried and tinned goods for the local food bank and all monetary contributions will be sent by the church to the Tearfund charity (tearfund.org). Many thanks for your support.

Well firstly I shall apologise to you my lovely readers to thank you for putting me in the HOT LIST of Chadra stuff and also I did write in June/July this year but I obviously pressed the wrong ‘send it’ knob because my article DID NOT arrive at Chadra HQ. So my words of loveliness are floating around in the great internet of the sky. I shall use some of my recently written ‘lost’ stuff, hence some dates malarkey.

Isn't it amazing the cost of some things. I bought 36 pegs yesterday for 75p. They also had a pack of 8 for a fiver. No competition. Tesco's of course, other supermarkets available. On the subject of purchases I bought some crackers, not Christmas ones, those for cheese. I just happened to read the bumf on the back of the packet and they were made in Canada!!! Yes, I know, why not in GB? My dear friend Edna, now in her 90s is a retired sewing teacher. She said that Britain used to make the most fantastic sewing pins in a factory in Wales; now we import from Malaysia. I haven't got a problem with that except they are not so pointy.

I watched Glastonbury last night, well obviously not last night now, but 3 months ago. Our Sophie went when she was 16, the year of THE RAIN. She got 2 stuck in some mud and a chap pulled her out. Needless to say her wellie boots stayed behind. Anyway all I could think of instead of how great Ed Sheeran was, was about the queue for the loos.

I feel I should slip in a reminder about the fact that the RNLI has ceased door to door collections. However I might nip around to see some of my long term once a year lovelies – obviously just to say “hello!”

My Keith's retired now and I know he's finally in the vibe whereby, as some people say, he couldn't possibly fit in time for work. I've reached that ripe old age too but can't bear the thought of packing up yet. Anyway one of our lovely Mum's said I couldn't possibly finish until the last of her darlings has left. Also, looking back, a lot of my jottings revolve around school.

One morning one of our Dad's came up to me and introduced himself. His Mum is called Marilyn and, you've guessed it, he is Lawrence – and also is, as you've just read, spelt with a ‘W’. And both of our surnames are Smith!

I'm a bit of a one for procrastination. My Mum's fab. She gets on with all her jobs then sits down to have a cuppa and a go at the crossword. Me, well I'd better read another page before I get the duster out. Have I said this to you all before? Anyway, last week, I was trying to assist a young chap to work out his maths when he said that a lady he knew was getting rid of all her stuff and he couldn't decide whether to buy a vintage vacuum cleaner or not. How brill is that? He's still in the infants and, obviously, something far more demanding than adding up, well except for the cost of the vac, had demanded his thoughts.

We popped into B&Q to get some more paint for our fence. I love splashing it on. We had a laugh with the girl at the till though. She said if I didn't have so much on my arms and other parts of my person I would only have needed to buy one tin.

I'm going to sign off now. I will admit since we've had this new laptop things seem a bit different so sometimes instead of making an attachment which it seems to have trouble doing, Keith helps out by cutting and pasting. Sounds like one of my school class tasks. Anyway I shall now cross everything and hopefully get this to our lovely Chadra organisers or if all else fails, wait till our Soph pops over.

Best wishes and lots of love and hugs to you all, Maz

Campaigning for a Sustainable Future

As you are no doubt aware, there is quite a bit of development going on in the village at the moment. The application to develop land near Warner's Court, initially refused by South Gloucestershire Council on 14 counts has gone to appeal and will be decided by the Planning Inspectorate. There is a real prospect of an application for another 1000 new houses to follow. Developers don't make a profit out of improving transport or amenities or providing open spaces, so these are not high priorities for them.

Fighting for Charfield was formed by a group of Charfield residents who want to get the best deal for everybody in the village. No, we are not NIMBYs! We just want to ensure that the village has a sustainable future for us and our children. Initially, our view is that Charfield's roads and other infrastructure cannot cope with all of this additional housing, so we have decided to oppose it on sustainability grounds only. If in the future, housing is forced upon us as a village, our focus will switch to ensuring the village gets everything it needs to sustain this growth. The best way we can do this is with a united voice – there really is strength in numbers!

What you can do?
The first thing to do is let us know your contact details, either by email (fightingforcharfield @ gmail.com), by facebook or by phone on 01453 84xxxx. This means we can react quickly if there is an opportunity to attend a public meeting or consultation event or to respond to surveys.

We would especially welcome any offers of advice from anyone with knowledge of planning laws, an ability to read complex planning documents (and actually understand what they mean!) or with experience of similar issues in other locations.

There are many other ways to help, such as researching, writing articles, writing letters, delivering leaflets or just coming up with suggestions and ideas. The more people who get involved, the better we can represent everybody's views.

It can be easy to get the impression that fighting is pointless and developers will always get their way in the end, but doing nothing will make this a certainty. If Charfield is to be the village we want it to be, we have to at least try to make a difference.
Steve Drinkwater

Morning Charfielders! As I type this I can hear the thundering of earth movers laying the ground for new houses on Day House Leaze, and from my window the soon-to-open Bellway sales office stands out in the Hall carpark. Life is full of change, and I no longer need an alarm clock. I recently came across the hand-typed notes from someone now passed who lived near me, writing for a CHADRA of thirty years ago. He began by saying that living in the past was a sign of old age, and that while progress has to be accepted, it's a shame it so brutally changes the scenes we are accustomed to. Nothing changes. For those of us accustomed to the Charfield of a thousand houses, his reminiscences 3 may seem quaint and harken back to times we cannot know. Perhaps in the future, the residents of Charfield may view these times in the same way.

The meeting of 20th September held by the South Gloucestershire planners was well attended by residents, and I saw many conversations and post-it pads echoing the same words that you gave the Neighbourhood Plan team in the consultative survey. Oddly, the South Gloucestershire meeting was almost identical to the Neighbourhood Plan community event (but without the wine), and would now appear to have supplanted it, being higher up the hierarchy. We won't know yet how the New Local Plan will identify Charfield, but if the WECA Joint Spatial Plan persists in calling our village a Strategic Development Location it's likely we will have to face the consequences. Sadly, no Neighbourhood Plan could have been put through Inspection, Referendum and Adoption before those consequences took hold. So much for Localism.

When was the last time you cycled anywhere? I speak with villagers who used to cycle, but now don't. Mainly because the roads aren't as quiet as once they were, and in fact can be dreadfully intimidating. And that's unlikely to get any easier as the number of vehicles accessing our roads increases. But a group is coming together to discuss how we can link Charfield, Kingswood and Wotton under Edge together with a Greenway. A Greenway is a foot and cycle path not on the road network. It would give us a means of accessing our local services without resorting to cars, and would also offer a new route for exercise. Most importantly it would present a new option for secondary children who would be able to walk and/or cycle to KLB school, removing the need for the buses and reducing peak time congestion. There are significant hurdles to get past, such as that the whole thing would be in Stroud District not South Gloucestershire or Charfield and it'd be expensive and there's currently no budget for it. Nevertheless, the idea is getting some energy right now and a survey will be coming up shortly. Look out for it.

By the time you get this newsletter the chance to write to the Planning Inspector determining the Appeal at Warner's Court will have passed. I know many of you will have written, as I did. The Parish Council will be giving evidence in the Public Inquiry, to come probably early in the new year. However the JSP deals with us, Charfield is not standing still, and we need to consider how we want to make use of some of our green spaces before someone else does it for us. The Neighbourhood Plan team have an important input here even without an adopted Plan, because everyone has made their voices clear through the team's consultations. Don't feel hesitant in giving the Parish Council your views; if you have comments about how the village should evolve send them in, or come to one of our public meetings – second Tuesday each month, 7.30pm.

Finally, a reminder of Remembrance Day. I believe it falls on Sunday November 12th this year, and the Parish Council has already secured the road closure and will be sorting out the finer details closer to the event. However you feel about Remembrance, whether you are a pacifist, a military person or simply a resident aware of the world, come and stand with us in memory of those who fell doing what we hope never has to be done again. It's a messy old world, and taking a moment to acknowledge how that can turn out is a worthwhile thing.

Have a splendid Autumn, perhaps even an Indian Summer…!
Mark Rosher – Chair

The increased activity in Charfield with the Day House Leaze site commencing construction has prompted many questions about how a future Charfield will look and why are we in this position now. The simple answer is that the current sites known as speculative developments are the areas developers are attracted to in the village with their close, albeit overburdened, motorway links.

The local planning authority is very much aware of this and the reliance on private transport increasing the pressure on local roads. Most will be aware that the two current developments were initially refused planning permission by the Council for that reason and the pressure on the local road network. However at the subsequent appeal inquiry for the land south of Wotton Road, the inspector found in favour of the developer as the Council did not have a five year land supply for housing. The inspector concluded that the benefits of the development would outweigh any harm. This was a momentous decision that had a profound effect on planning in South Gloucestershire.

So time moves on and we find ourselves designated as a strategic development location for a potential further 1000 homes. How did that happen? In 2015 the four unitary authorities launched the Joint Spatial Plan formerly known as a strategic housing market assessment. This Plan was designed to assess the housing need for the area over the next twenty years. The first stage was the Options and Issues consultation which was open to everyone. It was at this stage that the developers and housebuilders made their comments on how much housing was required, and landowners offered up sites for development. After collating and analysing the information, the West of England identified five strategic development locations in South Gloucestershire with Charfield as one of them.

4Many will have responded to the last stage of the consultation process over last winter. We are now waiting for the draft JSP which is due before the end of the year and will be signed off at the Council meeting in November. The next stage will be a further consultation over the winter period which will be the last opportunity for residents to comment before the draft document proceeds to examination in public by the planning Inspectorate and will become a statutory document.

The location and scale of the developments in the draft JSP are yet to be confirmed. Many will have attended the community engagement event hosted by the Council in September. The reasoning behind that event was that if Charfield is selected for the 1000 homes, it is important to get the views and comments of residents about their requirements to enable the Council to shape developments to meet these needs. The aim is to prevent it becoming a developer led process.

In a similar vein, bearing in mind no decision has been made as yet on location, the West of England Combined Authority recently passed funding for outline business cases for several transport schemes throughout South Gloucestershire. Among these schemes are improvements to the A38 between Almondsbury and Falfield, improvements to Junction 14 and a re-opened Charfield railway station. The outline business case for the station is currently being put together and should be available early in the New Year. I will publish the details as soon as I get them.

There is no doubt that if this housing proposal comes, Charfield will not function without improved infrastructure including roads, schools, public transport, etc. It is therefore important if this does become a reality that the improvements and infrastructure come before or with the housing and not afterwards.

Other news: the pedestrian crossing saga. In a nutshell, the developer constructed the pedestrian crossing but the crossing requires a traffic regulation order to make it legal. Clearly the construction and legal efforts should have been carried out in conjunction with each other to ensure they were both completed at the same time. We are, however, currently awaiting the completion of the legal process which needs to be advertised before the crossing becomes operational.

Crest Nicholson site: the original build time was two and a half to three years. They are now looking at a revised completion date of late 2018 which is ahead of schedule. Bellway site: the expected build time is two years.

I will update with any further news when it becomes available.
John O'Neill

A new Guiding year, a new team of volunteers leading the district forward. Wotton district guiding is as busy as ever with Rainbows, Brownies and guides going from strength to strength. We also have a division Trefoil guild that meets once a month in Sharpness.

The New team of Jane, Sarah, Helen and Angela would like to say a big thank you to Sarah and Jackie for leading us for the last 3 years. They have now hung up their uniforms for a well-earned break, although they will still help out from time to time.

By the time you read this the Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and Senior section will have taken part in a day of forest school type activities at Conygres in Wotton. Great fun was had by girls and leaders.

We are always looking for new leaders / volunteers to come along and help us. So if you are female and aged over 18 or you have a daughter aged 5 or over who would like to join us for lots of fun and new experiences, please log on to the girl guiding website at www.girlguiding.org.uk or contact us at wotton @ girlguidinggloucestershire.org.uk to register your interest and someone will be in touch.
Angela and Wotton district guiding team

[Photo: Church entrance] As I write this, the weather is still summery and the birds are singing. I expect we'll be more autumnal by the time you read it. Autumn and early winter are a busy time in the church's life. We have such a mix of the sombre (All Souls, Remembrance Sunday) and the joyful (Christingle and Christmas) at this time of year. This reflects the mix of life generally, and the church is there to support the village in these and all other aspects of life.

We celebrated harvest a bit differently this year, with a special service including a puppet show at the old St James's church and then a community lunch. I hope those of you who attended enjoyed it.

There is a fifth Sunday this October and there will be two benefice services on that day: at Wickwar at 10.30 and at Kingswood at 4pm to mark 500 years of the Reformation. The latter will be a child-friendly service.

On 5 November, we will have the All Saints service at 9.30 and then the All Souls service at 7pm, when we will remember all those we have lost and miss. All are welcome. Please let us have any names you would 5like included – just add them to the list at the back of the church during the couple of weeks beforehand. There's something special about hearing a beloved name spoken out loud. The Act of Remembrance will take place on 12 November, starting at 10.50 outside church.

We start our Advent services on 3 December with Christingle at 4pm, where children are especially welcome and will get to take home a sweet-studded Christingle. On 17 December there will be a 4pm carol service. Both of these will replace the morning service.

Our Christmas services start with the traditional Carols by Candlelight at old St James's church on 23 December at 7pm, with our equally traditional light sticks, and mulled wine and mince pies afterwards. On Christmas Eve there will be a Crib Service at 4pm and Midnight Mass at 10pm. On Christmas morning there will be a family Eucharist service at 9.30 and then there will be a benefice service on 31 December at 10.30 at Wickwar. And then it will be 2018!

The Charfield Change4Good project for the autumn is once again the shoebox appeal, being carried out jointly with the chapel. The shoeboxes are going to Oredea in Romania. For many recipients, they will be their only gift all year. To help, just buy some bits and pieces during your weekly shop (Tesco, Poundland and The Works are all good sources) and drop them into church or hand them to any church member. You can pack them in shoe boxes covered in Christmas paper or just leave them in bags and we'll box them. They can be for boys, girls, men or women (put a note on the box as to which if you're packing your own box). We need a mix of necessities such as soap, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant etc., plus a few nice things like lipstick, hair bands, bracelets etc. for women, colouring pads and pencils for children, toys (not guns), sweets (not chocolate) – use your imagination. We will be having a shoebox party in church at 3pm on 3 November, where we'll have tea, cakes and a chat whilst covering and packing shoeboxes. Last year we managed 25.

The Christmas Fair will be in church on Friday 24 November from 6.00–9.00 pm. Do come along and bring lots of money to buy Christmas gifts, edible and otherwise. Products on offer will include silver jewellery, pottery, cards, woodwork, candles, Christmas wreaths and much more – cakes, jams, marmalade and chutneys, honey … and there will be Santa's grotto where children will be able to buy gifts for their parents. There will be mulled wine and shortbread on arrival and tea/coffee/mince pies later. There are a couple of stalls still available for £8 – Contact Ruth Buchanan on 01454 26xxxx or Gill Williams on 01454 26xxxx if you are interested.

Details of regular services and contact details for the clergy can be seen in our ad in this issue. Don't forget we have several people who have been trained to provide support to the bereaved or those undergoing other difficult times. It can be a relief to open up to someone outside your immediate family circle, so don't hesitate to contact the parish office if you would like someone to talk to. And let us know if you want us to pray for someone, either in services or privately.

Lastly, a warm welcome to new people moving into the village as a result of the new ‘Charfield Village’ development. You'll find us a friendly community, whether you meet us in church or round and about. Oh, and we do a mean ‘coffee, cakes and biscuits' session after church each Sunday.
Sue Thorn, PCC member, xxxx @ yahoo.co.uk

National RNLI Fish Supper Campaign
In October, the RNLI is running a national campaign asking people to host a fish supper to raise funds for the RNLI. Our crews are ready to drop everything – even their supper – at a moment's notice to go to the rescue of people in trouble on the water. The money you raise when you host a Fish Supper supports all aspects of our lifesaving work and could help us buy kit for our crew members or fuel for one of our lifeboats.

The main focus is the weekend of 13th–15th October, but events may be organised for any time in October or early November.

If you are interested in supporting our live-saving work in this way, please go to the RNLI website at: www.rnli.org/fish-supper for further details.

Christmas Cards, Calendars and Other Items The Branch sells Christmas cards, calendars and diaries and other RNLI items at local events. Events we will be attending in the remainder of 2017 include:

• Branch Coffee Morning / Souvenir & Book Sale – North Nibley Village Hall – Sat 11 Nov (am)
• Iron Acton Christmas Fayre – Iron Acton Parish Hall – Sat 18 Nov (pm)
• Wotton Charities Fayre – Civic Centre, Wotton – Sat 25 Nov

For those who have been unable to order Christmas cards on-line, come and see us at one of these.

Saving Lives at Sea
I am writing this after watching Saving Lives at Sea (BBC 2 on Tuesday evenings). The series not only shows the work of the RNLI in saving lives, but also highlights that so many people simply do not understand or appreciate the risks associated with walking along the foot of a cliff that is being cut off by the incoming tide (a common and potentially fatal error) or setting out on a journey to the USA in a 13-foot long dinghy. I hope you are all finding the series entertaining and instructive.

6Respect the Water
Around 150 people drown around the UK coast each year; that's more than are killed in cycling accidents. The problem isn't just dangerous sports or being out in stormy seas. Most deaths happen when people are near the shore, doing seemingly harmless activities like swimming or walking. Indeed, many of those who drown had no intention of entering the water when they went out that day.

In addition to saving people who get into difficulties, the RNLI is committed to promoting safety advice through our Respect the Water campaign and through educating young people through visits to schools and youth groups.

Further information on keeping safe and on what to do if you get into difficulty is available on the RNLI website at: https://rnli.org/safety/respect-the-water. I would particularly advise you all to view the video “Float to Live” which covers the need to fight your natural instincts rather than fight the water.

Illustrated Talks
I still do illustrated talks to adult groups (as well as visiting schools and youth groups as an Education Volunteer). I aim to customise the talk to the audience; and I have based talks on, for example, “the changing role of women in the RNLI” and “the RNLI in the 19th Century”, as well as given more general talks. (I have also given a well-received talk on offshore lighthouses).

If you are involved in organising visiting speakers for an adult group and would be interested in a talk on any aspect of the RNLI (or any maritime subject), please contact me. I do not charge for these talks – although a donation or collection for the RNLI will not be refused!
John Barnett xxxx @ gmail.com; 01453 84xxxx

Women versus Cancer

[Photo] By the time you read this, Kirsty and I will either be doing our challenge or have just finished and returned with lots of good stories to tell (hopefully!).
In case you have not heard, let me fill you in. It all started ten months ago when Kirsty told me about a trip to cycle 350 kilometres in Brazil to raise money for three cancer charities: Breast Cancer Care; Ovarian Cancer Action; and Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust. (Registered charity number 268369) and I thought it sounded such a good idea. You can read more about the charities and why I wanted to get involved by going on charfield.org.

Since then, we have been regularly going out on our bikes and now have some favourite 20, 35 & 50 mile circular routes to choose from. It has taken us to places we did not know existed right on our doorstep and we have found some beautiful scenic routes taking in breath-taking views stretching across to Wales. On our travels we have seen such a variety of wildlife which I certainly would have missed in the car.

In January we experienced beautiful frosty mornings and blue skies and the country roads were lovely and quiet. However, heading into spring it became noticeably busier with groups of cyclists and cars. In May on a training weekend, we had the chance to meet more of the ladies doing the same challenge with us. We cycled 49 miles in Staffordshire which I found easier than expected – I was relieved to know my training schedule was on track. There were 42 ladies and so it felt very strange cycling with so many other people. I'll have to get used to this! We were lucky to be able to prepare ourselves for the heat by cycling in 30 degree weather (remember those lovely hot days we had early summer?).

To date, I have accumulated around 1100 miles and the furthest distance I've travelled in a day is 50 miles. I would not have been so well prepared if it was not for my coach Duncan (who knows when my pace slackens and when to encourage me up those steep hills) and my training and challenge partner Kirsty. Thank you to you both.

Finally, Kirsty and I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their support, encouragement, donations and help with organising the charity events. Without you amazing people we couldn't have done it. THANK YOU!!!! So far, we have raised £3,500.00 but there is still time to donate. If you would like to support these worthwhile charities, please visit https://charfield.org/liane-cope-vs-cancer
Liane Cope

Dru is a graceful form of yoga, based on flowing movements, directed breathing, visualisation and deep relaxation. Dru works to rebalance all the many layers of our being. It works on the body, mind and spirit – improving strength and flexibility, creating core stability, bringing you into a heightened feeling of positivity, rejuvenating and deeply relaxing your whole being.

The result is you'll feel fantastic, creating a sense of calm and relaxation while improving fitness and flexibility. I believe yoga is beyond twisting yourself into a pretzel, so if you are looking for inner peace, flexibility and strength then come along and experience Dru Yoga.

YOGA IS FOR EVERYONE!

7Age is irrelevant in Dru yoga, it does not matter if you cannot reach your toes! Dru is designed to be practised by people of all abilities, all fitness levels and all age groups. Modifications and props are used so everyone can benefit from my relaxed and informal classes.

I have been practising yoga for nearly 20 years but it wasn't until I had a severe back problem that I realised its real benefits. After having a back operation in 2009, I aided my recovery by doing very gentle yoga postures and now I use yoga, especially Dru, to keep my back healthy and supple as all movements originate from the spine.

When the opportunity became available to train as a Dru yoga teacher, I was delighted as this has now enabled me to be able to pass on this beautiful, gentle form of yoga. Classes run on a Wednesday evening in the Charfield Memorial Hall, 18.15 and 19.45.

For further information or to book a place please contact Carolyn on 0778455xxxx or email xxxx @ virginmedia.com

We play a variety of music ranging from classical to popular and give occasional concerts. We meet on Tuesday evenings from 7:30–9 pm in the Chipping Club Room, Wotton-under-Edge. We generally have around 2 rehearsals a month during school terms.

We are keen to welcome new woodwind and brass instrument players who can play and read music at a reasonable standard. We welcome both musicians new to playing in a group and those who would like to return and play in a group again.

If you would like to come along and give it a try, please get in touch with
Angela Smith; 01454 26xxxx

What a wonderful summer The Phoenix Singers have had! We moved to our new home in the Sportsman's Lounge, at Charfield Village Hall and began weekly rehearsals on 15 June. This was followed very quickly by our first public performance at Charfield Village Summer Fayre on 29 July, where we took the opportunity to talk to many members of the local community and were given a lovely welcome.

As a result of our appearance at the Summer Fayre, we began to see a steady increase in our numbers. Our next performance was at St James's Church Cream Teas on 13 August where everyone was bathed in beautiful sunshine and once again we were able to meet many more local residents.

From moving to Charfield with 12 singers, our number has now increased to 20 – which is so exciting for us. We are just embarking on our programme of seasonal songs preparing us for the five Christmas performances already booked!

Singing is good for us – we all agree! The group has allowed us to make new friends, feel part of something really positive, and of course we feel better through having a good sing.

“The Phoenix Singers” meet on Thursday evenings from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Sportsman's Lounge, Charfield Village Hall – it's just £2 a week to join in. We are an informal singing group and describe ourselves as “A Community Through our Love of Singing”. If you are thinking about coming along, we will guarantee you a warm welcome!
For more info e-mail:
xxxx @ thephoenixsingers.org.uk

If you have visited Tortworth Farm Shop, and I'm sure many of you will have, you may have been tempted by the fine array of homemade cakes on display. Wendy made them. On Monday mornings she starts early and by the time she goes out to feed the cows or muck out the yard she will have thirty – yes thirty – cakes on cooling racks in her second kitchen. This is the one she keeps for cake making with all her tools and ingredients to hand. By the end of the week, she may have made a couple of hundred or so, depending on orders. She has done this for years and years, since she was expecting the oldest of her three children, and amazingly she still enjoys it. ‘I needed something to do that didn't take me away from home and, along with some catering, this fitted the bill.’

As she seems to work ceaselessly, it wasn't easy to find a mutual time to chat but she had things to do in the village and was able to call in at about 7pm on a Monday and honestly, she looked as fresh as a daisy and sounded as bright as a button. I was also quite sure she would be going home to rattle off a few more jobs before her day ended. ‘I love to be busy,’ she said cheerfully. ‘Farming is a way of life. It's what we want to do. When I get up in the morning, get into my wellies and go outside I'm just so glad I don't have to leave home to go to work.’ She even has her own little red tractor with ‘Nanny Wend’ painted on it. We'll come to grandchildren later.

Wendy and Steve Ball came to Newhouse Farm, a Ducie Estate property, in Churchend Lane in 1989 after starting married life on a farm in Pilning. By then they had three boys: Simon, 8 Philip, 6 and Martin, 4 – 8enough to keep anyone's hands full one would think – but they both have farming in their blood and started off with sheep, a few beef cattle, suckler cows (cows which rear their own calves that eventually go into beef production and Wendy's special love) and turkeys for Christmas. Over the years they have added to their rented land and now farm almost 600 acres, including 60 of their own. They saw the possibility for a farm shop and, supported by Tortworth Estate, opened in 2003 adding the cafe in 2013 when they realised the potential. All the beef and lamb for the shop is reared on their farm – and, of course, the Christmas turkeys. Their youngest son, Martin, works with them. He is responsible for the sheep, a flock of 250 Mules and a small flock of Texels, kept for their ability to produce excellent rams for the meat trade. And in between all this both Wendy and Steve will lend a hand in the shop when needed. Steve is pretty good at washing up I gather.

Simon, their eldest, runs the farm shop aided by his wife Kat, sister in law Gemma and the staff – if he has time when he's not besotted with his 6 month old son, Wendy and Steve's 5th grandchild. We were sidetracked at this point in our chat, agreeing on the great pleasure of having grandchildren. I asked which of her cakes was most popular with them and was surprised to hear that it is her Bakewell tart (thought it was bound to be something chocolatey) apart from one of the boys who doesn't like ‘the skin’ and will only eat it when he has taken off the icing. They've had to learn, though, that they must always ask before eating in case they mistakenly tuck into an order. Wendy doesn't eat much cake herself but is quickly put right by the family if they feel something is not quite right. With the customers, both in Tortworth and Olveston Stores, her most popular line is the selection of sponges – a quarter of each variety packaged together – a clever idea with something to please everyone.

Philip, their middle son, is a sales rep with Lister Wilder who were responsible for lending the enormous tractor that greeted visitors to the re-vamped Berkeley Show of which Simon is the new show secretary. (If you didn't visit it this year then make a note for your diary for 2018. The show has a fresh, new look whilst keeping many of the old favourites and is a great day out.) But I digress. Family life is obviously hugely important to Wendy and she loves nothing better than to have them all for Sunday lunch when time allows.

The other thing she loves is the theatre. Amateur or professional. Her daughter in law is a member of CADS and attending their shows is a must for both of them. ‘Steve was reluctant at first,’ she smiled, ‘but he's used to going now. I'm not much interested in TV, happy to keep a radio in the kitchen and will read anything, though stories about Victorian times really fascinate me.’ I am bemused and ask when on earth she finds time to read? ‘Oh,’ she replied cheerfully, ‘when I go to bed.’ And off she went, full of energy, to get on with her next job – possibly making another dozen cakes before bedtime. I wondered, but didn't dare ask.
Barbara Adams.

Have you recently retired or reduced your commitments leading up to retirement? Are you new to the area and looking to make new friends? Thornbury U3A promotes keeping people mentally and physically engaged and active in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere. “Learn, Laugh and Live” is the U3A motto and the group aims to provide opportunities for members to do so without having to travel too far or enrol on expensive courses. We already have over 1,700 members and around 90 different groups meeting at various venues throughout the area, but there is always room for more! The groups mainly meet during the day and meetings range from Archaeology to Walking; some groups meet weekly, other less often. Activities include physical activities, crafts, board games, card games, organised visits to gardens, concerts and theatres, as well as purely “educational” events.

Our next Welcome Meeting will be held on Monday 16 October 2017 at 3.30p.m. in St Mary's Church Hall, Eastbury Rd, Thornbury, BS35 1DR. Please come along; we would love to meet you.

For further information visit our website www.thornburyu3a.org.uk or for membership send an email to enquiries xxxx @ thornburyu3a.org.uk Alternatively phone our Membership Secretary, Rosie Bailey on (01454) 41xxxx or Chairman, Alison Makepeace on (01454) 41xxxx

[Photo: Church front] You are warmly invited to join us at Chapel; please read on for further details. A warm welcome awaits everyone.

Christmas Shoe Box Appeal 2017
We have started wrapping and filling Christmas shoe boxes for all ages. This year our shoe boxes will be going to Oradea in Romania and the surrounding villages. A group of us from Chapel will be going out to Romania in December to distribute them.

We fill the boxes with items, such as a tube of toothpaste, toothbrush, sponge / flannel, comb, soap, scarf, gloves, hat, sweets, colouring / writing book, pens / pencils, toys for a child, deodorant / hair gel for men, sewing kits / make-up for ladies. This shoe box will be the only gift many of them will receive all year.

If you would like to donate items for the shoe boxes or come along and help wrap / fill the boxes you would be most welcome. Empty shoe boxes (average size) are always useful too.

9If you would like to contribute in any way please get in touch. The shoe box deadline is the end of October.
Harvest Café Church
Come along and join us for Harvest Café Church on Sunday 15th October at 11am. We will have lots of lovely sweet treats available and ‘proper’ coffee, music and fun for all the family.
Please also bring along produce which we will be donating to the local Food Bank.
Senior Citizens' Meetings (Wednesdays 2–4.30pm – fortnightly)
Club activities include chess, draughts, boules, table tennis, knitting, crocheting, music and much more. We have sofas in the lounge where you can sit quietly and chat if you prefer.
Refreshments are available throughout. As we meet fortnightly, please call us to check details.
Sunshine Children's Club (Thursdays 6–7pm)
Sunshine club is for primary school aged children through term time.
We play games, do crafts and have a short Christian based talk or Bible story along with refreshments.
NEW – Youth Club (Thursdays 7.30–9pm) Youth Club is every Thursday evening through term time 7.30pm–9pm for all secondary school aged children. This is a new club with a dedicated leader, Tracy. We welcome the young people's ideas for activities.
Christmas Services
Carols by Candlelight service will be held Sunday 17th December, 4pm, led by Ben Huddleston. It will be followed by seasonal refreshments and the children from Sunshine Club will present a nativity. There will be no morning service on that day.
On Christmas Eve, 24th December, 11am, we will show you heart-warming photographs of the families in Romania receiving their Christmas shoe boxes.
On Christmas Eve, 24th December, we will also hold a midnight service at 11.30pm. Come and join us to welcome in Christmas Day with a selection of our favourite carols along with mince pies.
Sunday Services Our services are held every Sunday at 11am with refreshments served afterwards.
We also have Sunday school where all children are welcome with a teen class where young people can ask questions and enjoy crafts.
Chapel Contacts
For more information on any of the above, please feel free to contact April Palmer – 01453 84xxxx / email: xxxx @ hotmail.co.uk or Terry Palmer – 01453 52xxxx / 07968 74xxxx

Leavers
Our Rising 5 children had a Super Heroes themed Leavers' Party which was enjoyed by the children and staff. They have all started Primary School and we wish them all the best.
New Starters
Our new children have started Pre-School over the last few weeks on a staggered basis, in order that time can be devoted to helping them settle into a new environment. They are all settling in well and we are very proud of them.
Harvest Festival
The donated food for Harvest Festival will be given to a local Food Bank. Many thanks for the very kind donations received from parents. As with previous years, the Food Bank is very grateful for any contributions.
Christmas
The Pre-School has a large number of Christmas art and craft activities for the children to undertake in the lead up to Christmas. The children enjoy these activities and get very excited about Christmas coming.
Rising 5s
The older children have enjoyed returning to school as the “big” children and being with their friends. They take it in turns to be “Helpers” and enjoy undertaking this responsible role, supporting their teachers and helping other children. We are extremely impressed that they are requesting the role and not having to be asked.
Annual General Meeting
Our AGM was held on 20 September and we would like to thank the parents who have signed up to the Committee, as without their support, the Pre-School would not be able to operate. Thank you!
Kate Day
We are pleased to confirm that Kate has been appointed to the role of Early Years Practitioner, following successful completion of her probation period.
Concept Photography visited the Pre-School and every photography time slot was booked. Thank you for your support with this fundraising event!
Don't forget Santa and his helpers will be visiting the village in the lead-up to Christmas. Make sure you look out for him and remember to be good!
Debra, Pre-School Manager

Charfield Junior Football Club has 80 boys in 6 teams around the age of 11–16 years old. We are based at the Morton Ground in Tortworth right next to the primary school. There are 2 pitches: a 9 vs. 9 and 11 vs. 11 with a couple of portacabins for toilets, changing rooms, kitchen and storage. We play and train there most of the time but some games are played on the Memorial Hall pitch as occasionally run out of room. In the winter months when the ground is waterlogged, we train on the 3G pitch at KLB School.

When I moved to Charfield in 2010, I didn't know many people in the village. I moved from Yate with my wife and 2 boys who were 10 and 7 years old at the time. A friend of mine mentioned that Gary Davis was interested in recruiting new football players. I took the 10boys to training one Friday night and they both really enjoyed it and joined the club with a lot of their friends. Back then the CJFC only had a few players and only about 1–2 teams who were older lads just about to leave. When Gary arrived he transformed the club completely with his enthusiasm for football. The club grew in numbers – not only players but also coaching staff and committee members.

I was asked in 2011 if I would join the committee as a fundraiser. I took on the role which was to arrange events for the club to raise extra money for buying sports equipment like footballs, goals, cones, etc. I was a bit unsure and nervous about taking up this role as I had never done anything like it before. I put on a few events for the football club: the local pub, the Plough, hosted a Sunday lunch and raffle, and a Quiz and Curry night was held at the Memorial Hall which was very popular. Another event I organised was a Skittles night at the Leyhill Social Club, but this unfortunately was poorly attended although we still had good fun. I think the best night was a Promise Auction in the Memorial Hall which coincided with the Presentation Evening. It was a good idea as all the club players were there with their mums and dads to see them pick up their trophies. I had various prizes up for auction like a signed pair of Sylvain Distan's boots (he used to play for Everton), a signed Manchester United pennant and a pair of Bristol Rovers match tickets. I raised about £1000 for the club that night which I was very happy about. Another fundraising event we did for a few years was to host the Teas and Cakes down at Tortworth Lake.

Whilst I was doing fundraising for the club I met our local councillor for the area John O'Neill. He used to run the old post office on Wotton Road and he would kindly donate a bottle of wine for our raffles. He told me about grants that local voluntary groups apply for from South Gloucestershire Council. It was a good way to get extra funds for the club and over a few years I was awarded a large amount of money. In 2015 I raised enough money to purchase a second hand tractor costing about £6000 to cut the grass on the football pitches. Once we bought the tractor I gave up fundraising as I had felt I had done my bit (3 years) and my objectives had been achieved.

Around this time my youngest lad Cameron was playing for the under 11's. We had recently recruited 2 managers to coach the team over the summer. The head coach was Andy and the assistant coach was Emma. Andy worked with the team for a few months but had to give up for personal reasons so Emma then moved up to head coach. The team were playing in the Mid-Glos league, and had moved up from playing 7 vs. 7 to 9 vs. 9 which meant a bigger pitch, goals and playing the offside rule. In the late autumn, Emma broke her ankle at work which was a major setback for her and the team. I didn't want the team to fold so I stepped in and became an assistant coach. Emma couldn't walk let alone kick a ball for a while so I did a lot of training with the lads and Emma coached them from the side-lines. I hadn't done any coaching before but I did manage to pick up a few skills from other coaches, and a lot of other coaching techniques from YouTube videos. That season we didn't start very well but near the end we got better and won about 6 games, finishing on a high.

Last year I went on an assistant referee course with the Gloucester FA at their Almondsbury HQ with Andy Leeds. It was a 2 hour evening course and it meant that I was qualified to be a linesman. Emma and I carried on coaching the U12's at training and matches. We had quite a difficult year as we had low numbers and a lot of the games were postponed. On match days, I did warm ups and shooting practice with the boys before kick. Once the match started, Emma would coach the boys while I would either be a linesman or a referee. (I wasn't too keen on being a ref!) We didn't win many games last year but the lads tried their hardest and had fun which is the main thing.

This year we are hoping to take part in the Mid Glos under 13's league. The team is struggling with numbers again and it would be a shame if it folded. Both I and Emma enjoy coaching the team and we would like to keep the kids playing football on Saturday mornings. We are a friendly football club and will let any boy or girl play for the team, whatever ability they are. The club recently donated its old football shirts to a Uganda team so they can play football. If any child 11–16 would like to play for Charfield Junior Football Club or any parent / carer would like to volunteer to act as vice chairman, coach or fundraiser, please contact Andy Leeds at xxxx @ hotmail.com
Dave Arkle

Football has the ability to unite groups of people from all walks of life. There's nothing like being a part of a team with common interests and goals. A football club is an important aspect of village life and Charfield AFC is no different. Charfield AFC has a somewhat rich, yet untold, history behind it. The club is around 120 years old and has enjoyed many successful spells over the years. To gain a greater understanding of the club and its workings, I sat down with Jeremy Lewis. Jeremy has been a part of Charfield AFC for the past 20 years. He has been the Club Secretary for 15 years and has seen the club develop over recent years.

How has the club progressed?
As Jeremy had been connected to the club for 20 years I wanted to see if he felt the club was progressing in any way. He explained that the club has had a turbulent few years since the turn of the century. It appears that success and hardship come in waves 11for a village side such as Charfield. He feels now though that Charfield are holding their own in Division One and that the club is moving in the right direction, winning silverware such as the County Cup in recent times.

Is Charfield AFC open to new members?
Charfield AFC could not function if it wasn't for people wanting to join the club. Jeremy explained that they are always open to new members joining. You have to be over the age of 16 to play but he did stress that there was no ceiling on the age limit. Also if you want to be a part of Charfield AFC but have no interest in playing, there are other roles within the club that could suit you. Jeremy explained that they currently have around 15 members who help out behind the scenes. Whether you want to be a part of the committee or help maintain the field, there is more than likely a role that could suit you.

When and where does Charfield AFC train?
Training usually takes place on a Wednesday night between 9pm and 10pm. Usually between July and September, Charfield train at the Memorial Hall playing fields. For the rest of the season, they train under the floodlights on the 3G pitch at KLB School. This allows them to train all year round, regardless of the weather.

What is the best thing about being a member of Charfield AFC?
Jeremy felt that for him, being able to ‘commit his time to a well-organised football club’ was what he enjoyed the most about being part of the club. He also explained that as football was his passion he felt that there was a natural connection between the enjoyment he gets from football and joining the local team.

If you wish to find out more about the club, visit their website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/charfieldafc or find them on twitter @Charfield1fc
Report by Sam Wiles

Charfield is lucky that it offers such a range of activities for the community to join in with. One of these activities is the local cricket club. Charfield Cricket Club offers the opportunity for people with a range of cricketing ability to take part. There are two Saturday league teams: the first team and the second team, and a Sunday side that play friendly matches. Offering more than one team encourages the participation of people of all abilities. I met with Joe Field, a batsman who has played for Charfield Cricket club for a number of years, he currently plays in the seconds and is the Vice-Captain. I wanted to understand, from a player's perspective, what it is like to be a part of the cricket club.

How has the club progressed?
Joe explained that the key to the cricket club's progression has been keeping hold of the players that they currently have and recruiting new members. He also stated that the first team cricket team had been promoted in the past couple of years. Joe explained that the club is looking to improve its facilities such as its nets and grounds. He felt that this would be an important factor in bringing in fresh faces to the team.

Do the club have any plans or targets for the upcoming seasons?
Joe felt that the main target for the club was the first team getting promoted next season. He also went on to explain that this would only really be possible if the club manages to hold on to the players that it currently has. The main objective for the second team is a much bleaker story. Joe explained that the second team are currently struggling for numbers and so even holding on to the seconds would be the main goal. Having two teams is so important for Charfield CC as it enables people with a range of abilities to participate.

How can people get involved with the cricket club?
As well as playing cricket for the club, Joe also stated that they are always open to people joining who want to help out in other ways. Whether that is helping tend the pitch or preparing the food and drink for the players throughout the match. They are always grateful for any help. Joe also said that although the Charfield CC is an adult team, they have had people as young as 14 join. Joe himself joined in his mid-teens and is testament to the journey. At only 18, he is a dedicated team member and a vital part of the club. He feels that it is a matter of confidence and being able to take the plunge in joining a team that is the most important factor.

What do you enjoy most about playing for Charfield CC?
Although Joe enjoys playing cricket, he also feels that the social element is something that makes being a part of Charfield CC such an enjoyable experience. Going out to the pub after a match and attending club evenings is something that has brought the team closer together, making a valuable contribution to village life. This unity off the pitch ultimately reflects on the teams' performances during the season.
Report by Sam Wiles

Since I last wrote, a number of people (including those who have known me for many years, and others that I see most days) have asked me about what I do at LINK Services, and what the Memory Group is all about. It's made me realise that nice big posters and catchy strap-lines are all very good, but sometimes more is well … MORE ☺

12If you are computer savvy, you can look us up on Facebook: @Dementiaconnections and @LINKServicesSouthglosCIC. But if you prefer a good old-fashioned article, then here you go …

Our Memory Groups are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday (Sportsman's Lounge, Charfield) and the 2nd and 4th Tuesday (The Chipping Clubrooms, Wotton-Under-Edge) of every month. We are there from 10am–1pm, although occasionally we take part in activities elsewhere. These events are communicated to our regulars and anyone else who asks to be put on our mailing list. To sign up, email Dementiaconnections @ outlook.com

We are not a Day Centre. We are not a lunch club. We are not specifically for the ‘old and infirm’. We do not sit in a circle and play bingo (unless you want to, of course. But if I'm honest, no-one has yet)

We are a group of friends who meet regularly to support people of ALL AGES with memory problems, and their families/carers. We welcome people of all ages, and you do not have to live in Wotton or Charfield in order to access the groups. We also welcome people who would like to volunteer, or maybe who might not be able to get out very often and fancy a cuppa in good company. If you are a carer yourself, but not necessarily of someone with memory problems, you may think it's not for you. Don't be put off by the ‘Memory’ part! We have a number of carers who have made lifelong friends from sharing their experiences. We really do welcome everyone. It's not uncommon for us to see an old friend walking across the Playing Field, and flag them down for a coffee! (you know who you are …)

We are friendly and informal. Each week, we enjoy tea/coffee with biscuits. (We don't stand on ceremony either – help yourselves throughout the day!) We tend to bake something, make something, play something, or welcome guests to come and chat, from Pastor Ray down at the Chapel to visitors from the Health Centre, and from representatives from the Warm and Well Scheme to the local Fire Service (with freebies!). We love a new face to chat to ☺

We are a group of local people who enjoy bringing our knowledge and experience to towns and villages where people are less likely to travel outside to find these things by themselves.

We do not charge anyone to come along. We have a donations pot for teas and coffees. For the time being at least, we are supported by grant funding and sponsors, as well as the fundraising we do for ourselves at Fetes, etc., and of course the fantastic Rock and Roll dance we organised back in March of this year, which was an awful lot of fun! (NB we do offer a chargeable respite option for those people needing extra support, to give carers some rest time for appointments/shopping/me time – please ask.)

We try and cater for everybody with the activities we provide. Budgets are tight, but what we can save on making things with materials we have at home, can be carried forward to spend on something like the Seated T'ai Chi we have once a month, which is fantastic for both physical and mental well-being. Did you know it also helps with things like balance, and therefore contributes to falls prevention? We find it gives us a good night's sleep after, too!

Don't be put off by the ‘making’ part either. Both Chris and I are pretty experienced in leading creative sessions in social care settings. It might surprise you to know that it's almost never about the end result. It's about getting involved in the process at a level which suits everyone, and in a way that everyone is comfortable with. Sometimes it's more about getting conversations going and remembering stories to tell, which are prompted by the activity/background music. Unless we're baking cakes. Then it's almost always, most definitely, ALL about the end result ☺

So, if you've read this today, I'm hoping that you will have learned something new about Dementia Connections. I'm also hoping that there will be at least one person that you know who might enjoy coming to see us. So if you've got this far and are still with me, can I ask one thing of you before I go? This week, please tell just ONE person about what we do. Together, we might not be able to change the world, but we might just change the world for that one person. With love and best wishes, Amanda

[Advert for Charfield Comedy Night]

#

Advertising

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[Advert for Cotswold Edge Carpets]

#[Advert for Zumba]

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[Advert for The Farmers Table]

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[Advert for AsKath]

[Advert for Deborah Jayne Pringle]

[Advert for Freelance PA/Transcriber]

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[Advert for Charfield Memorial Hall]

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#[Advert for Thornbury Aerial & Satellite Services]

[Advert for Tortworth VC Primary School]

[Advert for Luke Hall MP]

#[Advert for Pass & Totterdell]

[Advert for Evergreen Computing Ltd]

[Advert for St John's Charfield]

#[Advert for Greenline Tanks]

[Advert for Falcon Cottage Bed and Breakfast]

[Advert for The Edge Health & Beauty Centre]

[Advert for Buddug Green Reflexology]

[Advert for Robinsons Florist]

[Advert for Bradley Garage]

#[Advert for Franks Garage]

[Advert for Pat Jeanes Reflexology]

[Advert for Claire Saunders Hairdressing]

[Advert for Colin Lane Carpet & Flooring]

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[Advert for Ride on Cycles]

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13

British Legion – Chris Summers 01454 26xxxx

BINGO – Tony White 01454 26xxxx

CADS (Charfield Amateur Dramatics Group)
Steve Picking 07583 56xxxx

Charfield Pre-School
Debra Arthur (Manager/Admissions) 01454 26xxxx
xxxx @ gmail.com
Louise Sydney xxxx @ gmail.com

Charfield Primary School – 01454 26xxxx

Church – Congregational
Nicky Lanyi 01454 26xxxx

Church – St. John's
Revd. Chris Mason 01454 26xxxx
Revd. David Russell 01454 29xxxx
xxxx @ gmail.com

Clean Up Green Up Charfield
Sue Simmonds xxxx @ gmail.com

Council – Charfield Parish
Parish Council, PO Box 1947, Bristol. BS37 0BU
clerk @ charfieldparishcouncil.co.uk

Council – South Gloucestershire
John O'Neill 07736 48xxxx
xxxx @ southglos.gov.uk

Cricket Club
Dan Newman 07805 18xxxx
Roger Newman 07764 49xxxx
xxxx @ gmail.com

Crimestoppers 0800 555 111

Friends of Charfield Primary School
Rob Barter xxxx @ hotmail.com
07816 27xxxx

Foundation Room
Bryan Grantham 01454 26xxxx

Junior Football Club
Andy Leeds 0758015xxxx

Keep Fit Club
Christine Parfitt 01454 26xxxx

Luncheon Club for the Elderly
Anne Goscombe

Dementia Connections (Memory Groups and Support Services)
Amanda Pearson 0781469xxxx xxxx @ outlook.com

Memorial Hall Bookings: Chairman – Liam Balloch
xxxx @ gmail.com 0794743xxxx

Police (if not a 999 call)
Call Handling Centre 101
Reporting crimes in person now at Chipping Sodbury Police Station
Following are strictly non urgent and not reporting crime
PC Lee Bainbridge voicemail 0117 945 xxxx / 07919 62xxxx
PCSO Hayley Harrison mobile 07825 38xxxx
PCSO Sean McKinnon 07825 38xxxx

Round Table – Wotton and District
John Francksen (Hon Sec) 01453 84xxxx

GIRLGUIDING:
Rainbows – 1st Charfield – Mon 4.30–5.30pm
Email: xxxx @ hotmail.com
Brownies – 2nd Charfield – Tues 5.30–7pm. – Contact District Commissioners
Guides – 2nd Wotton Thurs 7.30–9pm
Sarah Cocker
email: xxxx @ hotmail.com
Senior Section every other Thursday
Lynsey email: xxxx @ yahoo.com
Girlguiding – Wotton District Commissioners
xxxx @ girlguidinggloucestershire.org.uk

Tae Kwon Do
Andy Reynolds 07909 92xxxx

Transport Scheme
Marion Smith 01454 26xxxx

1st Woodend Scout Group
xxxx @ gmail.com

Beavers Tues 6.00–7.15pm
Tina Rickwood 01454 29xxxx

Cubs Wed 6.30–8.00pm
Alison Moore 07712 47xxxx.
Thurs 6.30–8.00pm
Sandra Carnegie 0789998xxxx

Scouts Mon 6.30–8.30pm / Tues 7.00–9.00 pm
Mike Rickwood 01454 29xxxx

Explorers Thurs 7.30–9.30pm – Kevin Watson 0798027xxxx

Group Scout Leader Sandra Carnegie 01454 26xxxx 0789998xxxx

Assistant Group Scout Leader (waitlists) Allison Trueman 01454 26xxxx
www.####.uksites.org.uk

Out of School Club 01454 26xxxx
Pat Loveridge or 07816 23xxxx

14

Following another great year of fundraising we have been fortunate enough to have raised over £5,000 to help the school with much needed equipment to enrich the children's experiences. This could not have been achieved without the help and support of our amazing community and I know the school and committee would like to say a massive thank you for attending and making the events what they are. The committee love organising the events but it is your participation and support that makes the organisation really worthwhile.

We have secured various other funds from local and community grants which we are using to build the Amphitheatre stage and seating area in the natural bowl area within the forest school. We would like to thank the Parish Council, Tesco, Waitrose and Ebeni for the grants/donations which are helping us with some of the costs. This will enhance the outdoor learning experience and allow the children to put on outdoor performances. Dates are now being arranged for the build and will hopefully be completed within the next few months, if not sooner.

Funding is not just used for bigger items, but also for smaller things that the school cannot get using their school budget. Some items we have recently purchased include a dance workshop, a set of nine new clarinets, Lego, and additional learning materials for history, maths and science.

We are now heading into a busy fundraising period and have just had our AGM. I am pleased to report that we have managed to elect the committee for 2017/18 so no emergency meeting is required this year, phew! Thank you to everyone who attended, we had a great turnout.

Fireworks night is nearly upon us and we are busy arranging the evening to make sure everyone has a lovely time; fingers crossed that the weather holds for us again this year. We have a similar night planned to previous years with the professional display organised by Chinnick Theatre Services, hot food on the night, and a bar for the adults. By the time you read this you will hopefully have already seen various signs and posters around the village. We look forward to welcoming you.

Unfortunately this will most likely be the last fireworks night we can hold on the school grounds due to the new Bellway development, the reason being some of the new housing will be within the 50m safe zone. Due to the size of the school field there is no other area which would give us the clearance we need. We are now actively looking at the possibility of holding some form of fireworks night somewhere else within the village and have already started thinking about the Memorial Hall field. However, if anybody knows of any other potential locations, I would be very grateful if you could please get in contact with me ASAP.

As with every event, we are reliant on the hard work and enthusiasm of volunteers and we are always pleased to hear from anyone who would like to get involved and give us some help. You will be made most welcome! New committee members are always needed, but it doesn't matter if you can't help on a regular basis as there are always little jobs that can be done from home. It may even be a money raising idea you have yourself, if so we would love to hear from you!

The dates for our upcoming events are confirmed as follows:

• Committee Meeting – 17th October
• Fireworks Night – Friday 3rd November
• Christmas Fair – Saturday 2nd December
• Christmas Tree Sale – Saturday 9th December

Please visit our Facebook page for the latest updates: www.facebook.com/Friendsofcharfieldprimaryschool/ Once again, a very big thank you to everyone who has worked with and supported The Friends.
Rob Barter: Chair

This year saw the first National Butterfly Count which yielded some good results: healthy sightings of Red Admirals and a bumper year for the pretty orangey brown Comma with its dainty raggedy edges. The most prolific sighting was of the Gatekeeper. All of these butterflies were visible in Charfield – I saw many on my local walks, including lots of Small/Common Blues which are a delight.

As we approach an austere time of year for wildlife, the focus is on foodstuffs, and how we might help. Underweight wildlife will not survive winter. Snails and slugs are declining at this time (less plentiful anyway because of slug pellets, etc.). So if you don't have dogs in your garden, put out some (preferably dry) dogfood to build up the hedgehogs for winter. Alternatively, raw minced meat mixed with some beaten egg is good. But remember fishy catfood and bread&milk are bad for hogs! Put food on hard surfaces which can be brushed clean, to reduce the risk of vermin. (A plea too – from a local person who takes in injured / undernourished hogs – to pick up any 15elastic bands (and other rubbish) you might see on the roadsides as it is potentially dangerous for wildlife who can become trapped in it).

Also, quite a few local back gardens unfortunately have gaps between their gate and the ground that are just wide enough for a hedgehog to become jammed in. A sad sight, as I know having earlier in the year retrieved a dead hog from such a predicament (thinking perhaps it might just be stunned). It would be great if we could eliminate these hazards with a barrier of some sort (even just pinned along the base of gate), or a hog ‘door’ cut into the gate to allow passage.

Wildlife gardening involves a light touch. If you are cutting back, put the trimmings in a pile in a ‘wild’ quiet corner alongside any old, rotting logs you may have to create a perfect habitat for animals looking for a sheltered spot. A fragment of old corrugated iron placed flat in a similar quiet space makes a perfect spot for small mammals/amphibians to hibernate.

You may not have a pond, but will still be likely to have the odd toad or frog passing through. Cutting grass? (ideally not really close to the ground), leave piles for a bit to let grasshoppers etc. escape the dustmen!

Around the footpaths of Charfield the ivy is in full fragrant flower with bees and other insects taking full advantage of the nectar. The sound of buzzing as you walk underneath … I could say it's deafening but you know what I mean, it's wonderful! Hold cutting ivy back until after it has flowered. Leaving other old seed heads, not only looks wonderful and sculptural, particularly when rimmed with a heavy frost, but they are a valuable food source for wildlife during scarcer times.

There is a wonderful array of berries on hedgerows this year – great for birds! But if you want to feed the birds too, you can use foods that you might already have at home like mild grated cheese, dried fruit (ideally soaked overnight in water), and pinhead oatmeal.

I wonder if this resonates with you – I am not that old, but recall going on long drives, say the annual holiday, and by the time you arrived, the windscreen – indeed the whole front of the car – would be splattered and sticky with unfortunate insects. That phenomenon is not something I have seen for years. All those creatures were part of the food chain – a foodstuff for something a little bit bigger than them! There is no debate; for a number of reasons there simply is not the same amount of food for wildlife in the environment these days. The knock on effect is there – or rather isn't there – for all to see. Anything we can do to encourage a plentiful food chain is worthwhile.

Nature is so very elegant, it doesn't make anything that it doesn't need. However the world being as it is, anything we can do that helps the coexistence of other creatures is time well spent. IMHO. (Look it up – I had to! I told you I wasn't old, but I'm not young either!)

Top Tip for October's Natter: With some house bricks, make a small wall. Lay bricks horizontally, say 3–4 high leaving gaps in between (as shown below). Fill the spaces – perhaps a child could help? – with broken twigs, drinking straws cut in half, cut down gardeners' bamboo canes – anything that could make a shelter for small creatures. You'll end up with an insect ‘hotel’!

[Drawing]

PS: PLEASE REMEMBER TO CHECK WOODPILES ETC. FOR ANIMALS IF YOU ARE PLANNING A BONFIRE! You could rebuild your pile elsewhere to make sure it won't contain wildlife before you set it alight.

Welcome back to a new school year! We had a wonderful and busy summer, and our Summer Holiday Club was a great success, with children coming to us from a wide variety of local schools, not just Charfield. We even had a few new families from Berkeley School as their club closed for the holidays.

Our theme this year was Our Living World and we had activities about bugs, animals, sea life, plants, fruit and vegetables as well as our bodies. We did cooking, science experiments, games, competitions, arts and crafts. We also had some visitors with fun workshops. We would like to thank Ian McGuire who came with his owls, Natasha Leschinski who teaches Zumba, Bill Fry who came from Freewheelers with his Bloodbike, Zoolab with their bugs and finally Laura who came to tell us about her work experience with turtles.

Having said all that, there were a few days over the summer when our numbers were very low, and didn't cover the cost of staffing. We will need to monitor this going forward. Holiday Club is a vital service for our community but we do need to consistently cover our costs in order to make it viable. Keep spreading the word and supporting us by sending your children for fun days over the holidays!!

This term we have hit the ground running with our exciting topics of harvest, autumn, trees, letters and numbers, which link with the school for Term 1.

We have seen a few staff changes, Philippa and Lydia have now left us full time, but have both stayed on as bank staff, so you will see them again covering 16holidays and holiday club. We would like to thank them both for all their hard work and support and wish them luck for the future. Luna, who is a 6th form student at KLB, has now joined us. She'll be working Thursdays and Fridays and during Holiday Club sessions. In addition, some of our children who left a few years ago have been back doing volunteering for their Duke of Edinburgh Awards. We have had Lauren, Priya and Nisha and now have Abigail and Morgan.

We have also said goodbye to some of our children who have gone up to year 7. Hayley, Seren, George and Anna, we wish you luck and good times in your new schools. But we look forward to welcoming our new wave of children both before and after school, and hope they will be very happy at our club.

Don't forget our club is open to all children attending school up to the age of 13. During term time we are open from 07:30 until the start of school and after school until 18:00. During holidays and In Service training days we are open from 07:30 to 18:00. Check the school website for more details www.charfieldschool.org.uk and follow the links.
The Out of School Club Committee

General Update
Since the last newsletter, we have held our AGM where we welcomed a brilliant new cohort of volunteers onto our team, including our new Treasurer Hannah Shaw. We are so grateful they have all stepped up to help. I personally have to say a huge thank you to our outgoing treasurer Sam Kelly who has been fantastic and worked so hard, thank you Sam!

We have had our 4th annual Fete which was a massive success raising close to £2000!! I just wanted to take this moment to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone who supported the event, we hope you had a great day like we did, and we hope to see you again next year!

Due to an ongoing issue around vandalism at the hall, and to prevent young people continuously climbing on to the roof of the building, we have taken the advice of our insurance company and have had to apply anti vandal paint around the roof of the building. Please make sure your children know what this is, and what it will do to their clothing if they attempt to climb up our building any more.

You may have also seen online that we have added new additions to our weekly classes and groups. You will find a full timetable of groups and classes below.

Date for your Diary
FRIDAY 1ST DECEMBER – The 2nd Charfield Comedy Night – 18+ only!!

This is our final fundraiser of 2017 and it is set to be a fantastic evening – Poster with more details earlier in the newsletter – take a look!!

(and a few other items)

It's that time of year when countryside takes on the colours of Autumn, the summer crops have gone and farmers plough the fields. Any footpath that is ploughed up should have the path across it reinstated by rolling, and this is meant to take place within 2 weeks of it being ploughed. If you are aware of any fields where this is not happening please let me know. The path should be 1.2 metres wide. Earlier, there was at least one field of Rape where following the path meant pushing through the crop, although this field was not in our parish.

Last Wednesday was the inaugural meeting about the possibility of a Wotton/Charfield/Kingswood (WCK) Greenway. A WCK Greenway could provide a traffic-free route for local people and visitors (including walkers and cyclists), which is safe and enjoyable to 17 use for travelling between our communities and for leisure use.

Several interested “Charfieldites” (is that our correct collective name?) attended this meeting. If you are interested in this project, you can follow it on Facebook via the Wotton, Charfield and Kingswood Greenway group. Alternatively you can email us at wckgreenway @ gmail.com or contact me directly.

The next step is organising a transport survey to gauge support for the project. This will be available on-line and in the village as hard copy. Obviously a good response would help the WCK Greenway come to fruition. It should be available shortly. Cam, Dursley and Uley have already started on a Greenway and their website, cdugreenway.btck.co.uk, will give you a good idea of what our proposals might achieve.

Coming away from footpaths, I am involved with the Wotton Heritage Centre in the Chipping car park. The Centre collects artefacts and documents not only about Wotton, but also the surrounding parishes, including Charfield. The other day I was in there browsing through the Chadra review of the village in 1976. It made interesting reading especially the predictions about future expansion. The centre also holds a copy of the Charfield Millennium report produced in 2000.

Another parchment document I looked at involves the land on Station road alongside what used to be the Railway Inn (not Tavern). It is quite a complicated document and looks like wrangling and financial machinations over a will. We are always after artefacts and documents of local interest (does anyone have any information on the brick factory that stood where Farm Lees is now?) and if you would like to get involved in archiving them (or other tasks at the Centre) please do get in touch. Wotton Historical Society also have lectures at Wotton Civic Centre on the last Friday of the month during the winter at 7.30pm. These lectures are quite often on subjects of local history.

On history, another fascinating site is “Know your Place” at www.kypwest.org.uk – try selecting South Gloucestershire. This clever site allows you to overlay maps drawn at different times over each other and see how things have changed. For example, the modern 2016 Ordnance map when positioned over the 1844–1888 map shows the complex of Manor Farm buildings at the end of Thames Close and a pond straddling Manor lane outside No.104. The comparison of the Tithe map of the village drawn in 1840 compared with the 1844–1888 map shows the striking changes made by driving the railway through the centre of the village.

Steve Hake
(Charfield volunteer footpath warden) 01454 26xxxx

Well here we are in the depths of autumn, fighting a losing battle against the fallen leaves strewn across our paths and gardens and generally around the village. Trying to keep paths clear on the hill is one of the key jobs our helpers do at our monthly Sunday morning working groups. These groups usually start work at the Viewpoint around 9.30, and enjoy elevenses and a good natter while achieving a great deal.

We have so many jobs that need doing and could do much more around the village BUT we really do need new helpers to add to our small band, no matter how often or not you are available. You can work alone, with a friend or with some of the other helpers. It's a lovely way to make some new friends and get a little bit of exercise while earning the thanks of the village. Thanks to the band that joined me in clearing the footpath in the back section of Manor Lane recently!

At the village fete in July we had a large set of stalls for CUGUC and had lovely conversations with lots of people visiting the hall that day. I was pleased to hear that many people really appreciate the work the small band of CUGUC helpers do, and what a difference they feel it makes to the general tidiness of the village. The generosity of lots of fete-goers meant we raised almost £100 from the sale of bric-a-brac, cress head pots for children, books and donations of seeds. Hope to see lots of poppies, foxgloves, ox-eye daisies, hollyhocks and other things sprouting around the village next year. Thanks to all who contributed with their time and their money!

CUGUC has also been blessed with a bequest from our dearly departed friend Mo and our thanks go to her daughter Juanita and all Mo's family for their generosity. We are planning to install something in the village that will remind us of Mo for many years to come.

One other installation we are hoping to get permission for is a large planter like the ones outside the school. The new one will hopefully be going where the red phone box used to stand in the layby near the Old Post Office – the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly to get the necessary permission, but fingers crossed.

18We will be holding the CUGUC AGM on November 23rd at 8pm at the Village Hall. We will be having two short talks, one by a village beekeeper and one by a lady who does Bat Walks. Anyone interested is very welcome to attend – we will have refreshments! If you would like to contact CUGUC, you can call me on 01453 52xxxx or 07530 31xxxx, email cugucvol.2014 @ gmail.com or post a message on Facebook. We would love to hear from you.
Sue Simmonds

Approx three miles and about 90 minutes.

Charfield has many footpaths which quickly take you away from the busy Wotton Road and out into the fields and tracks that surround us. One such route has great views of Tyndale Monument.

Starting from the war memorial at the Church, walk down Wotton Road, passing the Village Hall and Chapel until you get to Renishaw's. Cross the road to Charfield Barns and go through the kissing gate on your right, then follow the path up through the crops. As the field levels out, you get the first good view of the monument. At the top of the field, go through the gap where the gate is propped open and onto a track.

Turn left and follow the track, passing a junction of paths and continue to the ‘weak’ bridge over the river.
[Photo: Weak bridge]
Follow the path ahead, and at a junction of fields continue straight on a narrow path through the trees.

You will come to a metal gate and wooden stile with a gap between them. Go through the gap and up a small incline to the edge of a field. From here, there are views of Westridge Woods with the monument at the end. Follow the left edge of the field and you will pass a double metal gate on your left with views back to Charfield. On your right will be the Renishaw research building with the monument directly behind it.

[Photo: Renishaw Research]
At the top of the field is a metal kissing gate. Go straight ahead across the field heading for the far hedge and the stile between the trees. Go over the stile, cross the lane and then over another stile. Following the footpath sign, bear left towards the far hedge and the stile located between two trees

On reaching the stile, go cross and turn right for approx 18 steps to another stile in the hedge on your left. Straight ahead of you is the railway embankment where you may see a train. Walk downhill, bearing right towards the bottom corner of the field and onto the tarmac lane.

Turn right and follow the lane to Huntingford. Opposite Huntingford farm house and past the barn conversion, follow the footpath sign on your left.

Go through the metal kissing gate and follow the fence and hedge on your left down to the bottom field corner. Go through two more metal kissing gates and the wood copse, which brings you onto a road. Go under the railway bridge and along to the converted Mill. Turn left in front of the Mill, note the foundation stone dated 1608, cross the mill race and take a sharp left onto a path to cross two bridges, the first over an ornamental pond.

[Photo: Pond]
On reaching a field, follow the left path to another metal footbridge – watch out for anglers underneath. Continue ahead across the next two fields to reach Underwood farm house. Join the track and follow this until you reach the new passing place and then shortly afterwards turn left on a footpath between the school and some houses. The church will be on the left at the end.

Perhaps you have a favourite route around the village which you would like to share with others?
If so send details and pictures to editor.chadra @ gmail.com.

Transcriber Notes

This issue was produced on 28 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: 2018-03-03.