Editorial.

 

Cross Hands Pub – It is with regret we note that Tom & Wendy are leaving the Cross Hands from 1^st March.

Easter Compton Post Office – This shop is now only open on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Is this prior to permanently closing?

Allotments – The bush telegraph tells me the former Rugby pitch at Severn Beach is being bought by the Parish Council for allotments.

Aktar’s Apron – Those of you that buy at the Samin (Open all Hours) shop will have noticed the War Memorial triangle road area has been magnificently tarmacked but not a high enough standard for Aktar as the water hangs in puddles. The other 95% of our local roads also need the same treatment. What influence has Aktar got with South Glos?

Emmaus Church Centre – Are not having a two storey extension as rumoured.

Is Service Dead? – We visited B & Q to buy a self-assembly (flat pack) wardrobe to go up the cottage stairs. The problem was it was too heavy for me to lift. Then along came a very pleasant assistant and offered to help us take it and put it in our car, with another colleague they did a great job. I just happened to ask where the gentleman lived and it turned out he resided in Severnwood Gardens, Severn Beach. It’s a small world. Thank you again, Sir.

Swine Flu Hot Line – This has now been disbanded as the occurrence of the illness has decreased.

Urgent Medical Appointments – South Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust are in the process of setting up 8 GP - lead Health Centres which will be available from 8.00 am until 8.00 pm seven days per week. You will be able to ‘Walk-in’ see a doctor or have treatment for minor injuries. The first one operational is The Orchard Medical Centre, Macdonald Way, South Road, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 8NJ. Just ring 01179 805100 and check you can be seen. Yate & Thornbury Medical Centres and Southmead Hospital have also been mentioned as further locations.

Gloucestershire NHS – are mothballing 200 hospital beds from 5th April to save money and reduce their deficit.

Vaccine – Fridge free (long term) vaccine will be available in the future thanks to research at Oxford University developing a de-hydration process.

TV License – Increases by £3 from April 6^th.

Cigarettes – A self extinguishing version is being introduced this year across the entire EU to try and reduce the fire risk.

School Pupil Vacancies – There are currently 800,000 vacancies nationally in our schools.

Audit Commission – has highlighted an elderly care shortfall of £18 billion per year by 2026. This very large amount cannot come from any other government service without drastic affects i.e. NHS. There are many variables involved in raising this large sum per year but a compulsory universal Death Duty tax of £20,000 per person does not seem popular or practicable. If a person who dies has not been in receipt of state funded help they should not be expected to contribute. In Belgium, patient’s children are charged via Income Tax for their Parent’s care cost.

Unemployment – A government ‘Think Tank’ has suggested the working week be cut to 21 hours to give everyone a job. This sounds fine but how many people would be happy to live on half pay. Some people are struggling to make ends meet now.

NEWS FROM SEVERN BEACH SCHOOL

 

Term 4 was more exciting than usual for our Head teacher, Miss Daffon, as she, along with other Heads from South Gloucestershire and further afield, flew to South Africa for a week!  While they were there, they visited other schools and learned about education in that country.  She had lots of interesting stories for the pupils when she returned and we look forward to maintaining the links with some of the schools she visited.

     We were very grateful to our local bakery, Warburton’s, whose staff gave up a day’s pay to help out in the community.  They came to our school where they built raised vegetable beds and the children are excited about planting fruit and vegetables later in the year.

      We held a Maths Awareness Day, where parents were invited to come in and take part in various workshops to learn more about how maths is taught in our school. 

      The ‘Let’s Get Cooking’ Club is up and running and we took part in the national ‘Big Cookathon’ where everybody in the school (and many from the local community) cooked the same recipe, along with schools and communities all over the country. 

      One of the highlights this term had to be the school’s 40^th anniversary, which we celebrated on March 19^th.  Although Severn Beach Primary opened in September 1969, the official opening ceremony took place in March 1970 and we recreated the assembly which was held all those years ago.  Staff and pupils dressed in the fashions of the 1960s and people involved in the school 40 years ago were invited to come and tell our pupils what life was like back then.  The Friends will be organising a Birthday Bonanza in July so that the celebrations may continue, so look out for details nearer the time!

THANK YOU

 

Chris, Barbara and Girls would like to thank everyone for the cards, letters, flowers and phone calls sent to them in the recent event of their daughter  Linda’s  very sudden death.

The feeling that so many people have been thinking of us all at this very sad time has been like a light in a very dark tunnel.

The donations given at her funeral have been given to The Heart Foundation.

Thank you, and God Bless

St.Peter’s Church – Annual General Meeting

 

The Annual General Meeting of St.Peter’s Church, Pilning will be held at 19:30 on 21^st April 2010 in Trinity Hall. Please come along to share your views and suggestions or just to listen. All those on the electoral roll are eligible to vote on the various items on the agenda. Volunteers are always welcome for the vacant posts or to be a member of the church council. The meeting will be followed by cheese and wine (or a soft drink). Please let any church council member or myself know if you wish to attend so that we can provide sufficient refreshments. Thanks.

 

Iain Gray

Chairman / Secretary – St.Peter’s Church Council

          iain.d.gray@btinternet.com

(  01454 414952

St Peter's Hospice Severnside Support Group

SPRING FLING - On Saturday 10 April from 10am until 12 noon, at Thornbury Methodist Church Hall. If you are looking for it, we have it, clothes, accessories, bric a brac, books, jigsaws, records, magazines, china, toys, a real Jumble Sale. No reasonable offer refused for any item. Teas and raffle available.

All proceeds to St Peter's Hospice. your local Hospice. Please come along and have a rummage. You never know what you might find!

 

The Annual General Meeting of St Peter's Hospice Severnside Support Group will take place on Tuesday 27 April in the Thornbury Baptist Church Hall, commencing at 7.30 pm. Please come along and support St Peter's, your local Hospice.

This year’s Severnside Music Festival

will take place on Saturday 21^st August.

See In-view or visit our website for updates

 

www.severnsidemusicfestival.co.uk

Severn Beach Scouts Report

 

Things are going well at the Scout Group with the 2010 census showing another increase in both youth and adult membership.  For a few years now we’ve enjoyed bucking the national trend and whilst across the UK membership has been in a slow decline, at the 1^st Severn Beach we’ve showed a continual healthy increase.  Over the last two years the rest of the UK have followed our lead and shown an increase too.  Our National HQ reckons this is to do with the raised profile of Scouting in the press following the recent Centennial celebrations and more importantly the appointment of celebrity Chief Scouts.  Last years appointment of Bear Grylls was followed by a huge amount of increased interest in what Scouting is all about.  This has been demonstrated by an upturn in enquiries about joining and hits on the HQ website.

At the 1^st Severn Beach we’ve always prided ourselves on offering great Scouting to youngsters from the local villages and the current programme is no different, the Scouts and Explorer Scouts have just returned from a fun-filled weekend staying at Buxton Log Cabin in the Forest of Dean.  The Beavers Scouts have been enjoying creative activities and games and have been recently visited by members of the local community policing team; the Cub Scouts have been working on the Road Safety Badge and are just about to embark on their Scientist Badge which is sponsored nationally by Rolls-Royce.  They are in capable hands, our Explorer Scout Leader, Martin Harrex will be helping them with this, he works for Rolls-Royce in Bristol and has been appointed by them as their Science Badge co-ordinator.  The Cub pack will be enjoying a factory visit with Martin sometime in the near future.

We all enjoy this time of year as the amount of daylight increases and winter gives way to spring and the youngsters and their leaders at the Scout Group are getting ready for the busy outdoor season with many camps, trips and other activities planned.  If you would like more information about joining the Scout Group, please contact Matt Hooper on 01454 416328.

Special Evening Worship.

 

On the Sunday 18^th April a Special Evening Worship Service is taking place at 6.00pm. The service will be led the Rev D. Pole, accompanied by his music group and church members from St. Helen’s Church, Alveston. The hymns will consist of some old favourites, some new ones and some requests as long as the music is available. This should be a lively service so please come along and join the throng.

April Walks with the Severnside Ramblers

 Your local Ramblers group has arranged a varied programme of walks for April.  Non-members are very welcome. We are a very friendly group.

 For more information about walks in April pick up a programme at your local library, or log on to www.severnside-ramblers.org.uk.

A contact name and telephone number is given for each walk.  We meet at Aldi car park, Bradley Stoke, BS32 9DA at the times shown below and share lifts to the start of the walk.

Sun 4 April 9.45am	Hanham and Conham Easter Sunday level walk and visit to Beeses Tea Garden	7 miles	Joy 01179 334998
Fri 9 April 9.30am	Codrington and Kingrove Friday amble	2 hours	Chris 01454 618853
Sat 10 April 9.00am	Brockweir and Wye Valley Field paths, quiet lanes, and good views	5.5 miles	Chris 01594 845423
Sun 11 April 9.30am	Devauden Pastures, woodland, views	12 miles	Steve 01454 633001
Sat 17 April 9.30am	Sharpness.  Countryside and canal boats. Optional pub at end.	6.5 miles	Helen 07980661984
Sun 18 April 9.30am	Bathampton and Brown’s Folly Aquaduct, folly and views!	8 miles	Bill 01179 870111
Fri 23 April 9.30am	Milbury Heath/Tytherington Country walk with some stiles	2 hours	Jean 01454 419274
Sun 25 April	Shearwater and Heavens Gate Varied walk. Moderately hilly	11 miles	Ken 01179 315108

PILNING & SEVERN BEACH WI

Knitting Coffee & Cake Morning

 

My, how the months fly by. It's time for yet another 'knitting' morning to be held as usual in the Mafeking Hall Pilning at 10.30am on Wednesday 5th May 2010. We enjoy these occasions very much, to sit and chat over coffee and to feast our eyes on the trestle tables sagging with all the knitting you bring in, all destined for needy children, and indeed adults, in Eastern Europe where it is all so very much appreciated.

 Kate Morrison from the Blythswood Charity will have some films showing where all the knitted garments end up and to see the smiling faces of the little ones, and the 'big ones',

on the receiving end makes it all worthwhile.

 So, please try and join us, this is an open morning for anyone who would like to knit for this charity. If anyone reading this has any wool to donate, it would be very much appreciated. Please ring Pearl on (01454) 632028 who will arrange to collect it if you are unable to bring it.