MeridenMag Spring 2010

Meriden Mag Spring 2010

Cyclists Weekend in Meriden

Saturday Evening May 15th

Village Hall 7.30pm

Talk by Tommy Godwin Local Olympic medallist All welcome

The Annual Cyclists’ Memorial Service

Sunday 16th May at 11 am on Meriden Green. Followed by tea, coffee and cakes at the Village Hall.

2.00pm A Cycle Treasure Hunt around the lanes. All welcome to join in from theVillage Hall for more details 0121 353 5814

Meriden School were shocked to learn of the devastating news of the earthquake in Haiti. The school did a sponsored “Hats for Haiti” day and raised £351.71 for the relief appeal. The account below is what four children did quite independently.

Sponsor for Haiti

On Friday 29th January Rachael, Grace and Dayna raised money for the earthquake in Haiti by doing a sponsored silence at 8am till 8pm also Aimee Hollingsworth did a fast and did not eat for 24 hours. So far we have raised £ 49.00. That could help around 4 families. There are still people lying under buildings now still hanging on to what they can. The earthquake has killed a lot of people and we are trying our hardest to help stuck and broken families to start again.

This has been a horrible start to the New Year for the people in Haiti, we would love it if you could help too and do what you can. We will do our part and you could do yours if you put a bit of your time to help, care and think about others. Haiti is a very poor country as we all know and they can’t afford to build their houses and shops. £5.00 would be enough for a homeless family to have a nice warm fire and an evening’s meal - please they all need our help.

Written by Rachael

Saturday May 1st 10.30am – 3pm

Millison’s Wood, Albert Road

There’s nothing quite like it; a carpet of bluebellsdiscover all about this popular wild flower for yourself by following the trail. Look out for the second bluebell walk in a less well-known woodland area.

Bluebell Trail Millison’s Wood

Photograph taken on last year’s trail by Kate Thomas

BBC TV Comes To Meriden BBC TV Comes To Meriden TV Meriden TV Meriden

Women’s Institute Women’s Institute Institute Institute

Dr Yan from the TV programme” Bang Goes the Theory” visited the WI in February and filmed the members’ reactions to various photographs and the way the mind perceives things. The programmes will be shown on BBC 1 at 7.30pm on Mondays from March 15th to the end of April.

Year 1 at Meriden School inspired by the Year at Meriden inspired the recent snowy weather have written these recent snowy weather have written these recent snowy weather have these recent snowy weather have these

poems poemspoems

Snow feels floury Snow tastes crunchy and smooth like ice Snow looks white, sparkly Snow smells frosty Snow sounds windy and cold

By Ben

Snow feels soft and smooth Snow tastes floury Snow looks silvery and sparkly Snow smells cold and icy Snow sounds crunchy

By Niamh

We have been learning about Rangoli patterns. A Rangoli pattern is a colourful design to welcome people into houses in India. Rangoli patterns can be square, rectangular or circular. They are traditionally made out of rice, flour, sand or chalk. We use rice, lentils, beans and pasta. We didn’t use flour, sand or chalk because it would have been so messy. Rangoli designs are usually taken from nature, peacocks, mango, and flowers are popular. When we had a go at making our own it was really hard but we pulled through and we made some magnificent Rangoli patterns.

By Becky Yr 6 By Becky Yr 6 By Becky 6 By Becky 6 Meriden School Meriden School Meriden Meriden

Snow feels sticky Snow tastes icy Snow looks like stars Snow smells fresh, cold Snow sounds whispery quiet, windy and wavy

By Carrie

Snow feels crunchy and powdery Snow tastes hard and icy Snow looks sparkly and white Snow smells fresh and cold Snow sounds soft and windy

By George

Photograph by Julie Hyde

Happy New Year from Meriden School

Christmas & the New Year seem such a long time ago now, as we have been very busy at school so far this term. With the adverse weather conditions doing their best to prevent school opening we managed to keep going for all but two days. I do hope you all kept warm and safe throughout the snowy weather. With the awful earthquake in Haiti school reflected on how lucky we are in this country with our weather conditions being mildly inconvenient and not life threatening. On Friday 22nd January we held a ‘Hats for Haiti’ day, where children could come to school wearing funny or unusual headwear along with non-uniform for a donation. It was an opportunity for the children of Meriden to think about others and to find out about life in another country. I’m delighted to say we raised £370.00 and also learnt about a country a long way from Meriden where many lives have been taken, and families destroyed along with schools, hospitals and homes. The building work to provide a new classroom has been completed. It is a lovely, light room that Year 4 are very pleased to have moved into. The project also saw a new group room provided, so now we have accommodation for music lessons, meetings and group support, which is already making a difference. However, we have little funding left to equip the new library, so will be working on that for 2010. Is there perhaps a company out there who would like to sponsor the new library shelving? If so, let us know. The Parent Action Group has met recently to talk about school issues. It is fantastic to know that parents are happy to give up a little time to come in and work with us to constantly improve school. The Kerbcraft training they offer will be starting again this week, helping pupils keep themselves safer around the roads. Many thanks to you all!

School Council were pleased to be involved by the Parish Council in choosing what equipment will go on to the new playing fields. It is a credit to them how sensibly they make choices and learn to negotiate and compromise. They love to be involved in decisions!

We have been lucky this year to have some fantastic volunteers again, who give help and often an extra perspective to life. The children of Year 5 have been finding out all about Mr Nagra’s Sikh wedding this week for example. We are making a special effort this year to boost the children’s knowledge of the world and people who live in it, starting links to other schools and children from around the world- in Scotland, France and India to name a few. We want to prepare the pupils to be global citizens with understanding and knowledge of themselves and others. If you or any friends or relatives can help in this, do please get in contact!

At the beginning of term we had a super visit from a children’s Author, E R Reilly. He spoke to the whole school about his experiences in writing children’s books. The children had the opportunity to buy his books in the following days – which quite a few took up!

We have continued to hold our class ‘INSPIRE Workshops’ where children and parents work together on an activity linked to class topics or subjects, often producing a game which they can take home and use together –they prove most popular with parents and children alike!

The regular visits to the Library are also continuing. It is a perfect way to introduce children to the facilities at our local library, be it using the computers, choosing books or listening to stories read to them. We thank the staff at Meriden Library for all their work and support.

Year 3 are having swimming lessons each Tuesday afternoon this term. Another important life lesson! I am happy we can continue to support this important activity.

On March 2nd we are looking forward to a visit from Bishop Christopher, the Bishop of Coventry. He will be spending the whole morning getting to know us, and leading our Assembly. I’m sure it will be a visit to remember. We are busy planning our special ‘English’ week in March. We will be putting some extra interesting events on for the children to make sure their writing is stimulated, and hope to be writing a whole school book to mark the occasion. We will be inviting storytellers and authors in to show how it is done. It is with mixed emotions I announced to pupils, parents and governors that I am retiring at the end of the school year. I will have spent nearly 13 happy years at Meriden and of course will miss everyone terribly. Meriden is a very good school so it will be a wrench, but also an opportunity for the next Head to take it on to the next stage of its development. Mr Street, our Deputy Head, has been successful in applying for a Head’s job at another Solihull school and will be leaving too, at Easter. I would like to thank him very much for all that he has done at Meriden, especially supporting me, his teaching, his Assemblies and productions, and his very successful choir! There will be new faces at school, but they will be carefully chosen to ensure that the children’s education and welfare is paramount.

Meantime we have a busy schedule of events planned for the rest of the year…so here’s looking forward to some warm spring days ahead

Best regards Jacky Smith Headteacher.

ST LAURENCE CHURCH NEWS ST LAURENCE CHURCH NEWS LAURENCE CHURCH NEWS LAURENCE CHURCH NEWS

Lay Reader Peter Wright 01676 522414 www.stlaurence-meriden.co.uk

Church Wardens Marian Theobald Tel 01676 523 475

Linda Barnett Tel 01676 523 277 Services are held every Sunday at 10.30 am

As I write this in late January, it’s hard not to be daily aware of the desperate plight of the people of Haiti as they struggle to deal with the devastation caused by the earthquake there. The images on our TV screens are heart-rending, to say the least of it.

At the heart of Haiti’s humanitarian crisis is an age-old question you may have heard or even asked yourself – how can God allow such terrible things to happen? Even in our own lives we may have sometimes asked why does God allow us to suffer in ways that can seem to be so awful, unfair and unrelieved?

I’m not writing this to come up with a clever argument. There isn’t one. Faced with this question about Haiti’s suffering, the Archbishop of York said “ I have nothing to say that makes sense of this horror – all I know is that the message of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is that he is with us in our suffering.”

That’s it – no clever argument – but the truth is just that. It is that the God revealed in Jesus Christ is the one who suffers with us, and allows us to glimpse the possibility of a better world. He is the one whose death and resurrection show us beyond question that God’s love and compassion are more enduring than death and destruction. Whatever your world view, we can all see this at work in the tremendous multi-national efforts being put into rescuing and helping the people of Haiti (it is tremendous, despite what some of the media might try to suggest) and also those Haitian people themselves that we see caring selflessly for each other in spite of their own suffering.

At Easter in church services we can celebrate and give thanks for this truth. We can learn to know this truth again, let it sink in, learn to know and connect with God in Jesus, God with us, who really does share our suffering and who has secured for all of us the love and hope that can never be extinguished, no matter what we have to face.

St. Laurence Church services for Lent and Easter (and Mothering Sunday)

Sunday 14 March at 10.30 am Mothering Sunday service with Holy Communion

Sunday 28 March at 10.30 am (Palm Sunday) Holy Communion at 10.30 a.m.

Thursday 1 April at 6.00 pm Maundy Thursday, joint service at Meriden Methodist Church.

Friday 2 April at 12 noon Good Friday service at St. Laurence Church

Easter Sunday 4 April at 8 am Holy Communion at St. Laurence Church (please note, not at 10.30 a.m. on this Sunday) followed by a ‘fish breakfast’ in church to commemorate Jesus' first resurrection appearance to his disciples (recorded in John’s gospel, chapter 21)

Also on Easter Sunday 10.30 am Easter Day Family Celebration joint service at Meriden Methodist Church You are assured of a warm welcome at all these services.

The Bishop of Coventry will also be visiting Meriden Church of England School on Tuesday 2nd March where he will meet with the children, take an assembly, tour the school and meet with everyone there to which all are looking forward.

St. Laurence

Annual Parochial Church Meeting

Sunday 25th April.

This will be held following the 10.30 am service at St. Laurence on 25th April to review and plan for the running of the your parish church for the coming year. Please do feel free to come, participate and take a hand with others in the work of your church.

With greetings and prayers. Peter Wright Lay Reader

The Stained Glass Windows of St. Laurence Church, Meriden by Michael Dawkins

This beautiful book about the stained glass windows in the church, with a forward by the Bishop of Coventry, is now published and available at the Centre Charity Shop, in the church or by contacting the Church Wardens price £10. The cost covers the publication and a contribution towards the Restoration of the Church tower.

Thank-you

The Table Top Sale held on November 21st 2009 raised £354 in aid of St Laurence Church in Meriden for their Restoration Fund. The PCC would like to thank all those who supported the event, i.e. those who came along to buy, to those who hired the tables and to all those who came along to help, your support was very appreciated.

A special thanks to the children from Meriden C of E School, who entered the 'Decorate a Plate Competition'. Although only a small few entered, prizes of 1st and 2nd were given to each age category, however, there were no losers as the runners up were also given a token of appreciation for their time and commitment in entering, WELL DONE all of you and thank you.

Thank you Jacky Smith Head of the school for your help and advice in putting this idea together.

From the amount raised a donation was made to Meriden Methodist Church to thank them for their support to St Laurence Church throughout the ongoing restorations. Thank you all from the PCC and supporters of St Laurence Church

1st Meriden Scout Group

News from the Green Hut

Beavers: Girls and boys aged 6-8 years meet on a Monday at 6.30pm. Contact Jo (522625) or Gaynor (523191)

Cubs: Girls and Boys aged 8-10½ meet on a Tuesday at 6.30pm. Contact Lis (521080) or Liz (523674)

Scouts: Girls and Boys aged 10½-14 meet on a Thursday at 7pm Contact Jim (523309 )

The Beaver and Cubs took part in carol singing at the Bulls Head to raise much needed funds – thank you to all those that donated their time and money!

Members from all 3 sections took part in the beautiful Christingle Service held at St Laurence’s just before Christmas.

BEAVERS

We recently invested 3 new Beavers into the group and will be enrolling new children soon – so if you think you would like to join us, please contact Jo or Gaynor. We are currently working towards our Imagination badge and have lots of new and exciting activities to look forward to as well as joining in some adventures with other Beaver groups around the district

CUBS

The pack recently completed making their bird boxes and would like to thank Les for his help! Recently we have been looking at celebrations around the world including Martin Luther King Day and Australia Day. We are working towards a number of badges including Local Knowledge, Home Help and Sports Enthusiast. Two members of the pack are working very hard towards their Chief Scout’s Silver Award – The highest award a Cub Scout can gain, hopefully by the next issue of the Mag they will have succeeded in their challenge. We are now looking forward to spring and getting out and about.

SCOUTS

Over the next few months we are hoping the Troop will attain their Adventure Challenge by competing in 3 activities at ‘Ackers’ – Orienteering, Bell Boating and the Jungle Challenge. To raise much needed funds for the Troop, the Scouts will be taking part in sponsored walks and cycle rides around the local area. We are busy completing a wide range of activity badges including: Administrators, Artist, Astronautics, Astronomer, Craft, Cyclist, First Aid and Global Conservation as well as the following Challenge Badges: Global, Fitness, Promise, Adventure and Community.

Please contact the Leaders if you would like to join. Go on, come and meet some new friends, learn something new and have FUN!! We also need help from any adults out there that would be willing to spare some time with any of the sections – even if it is just for the odd hour or two each month

This term (with a delayed start due to the snow) we have welcomed 7 new Brownies. We hope they all enjoy their time with us.

In February, as part of the Girl guiding Centenary celebrations we are taking 11 Brownies for an activity weekend to Staffordshire. We are looking forward to it with great excitement - for most girls it will be their first time away from home and it should be a fun packed weekend. There are Centenary activities planned for the coming months so we will be very busy. Brownies is for girls aged between 7 - 11. If you have a daughter who would like to join please call either Jane 01676 542501, Sharon 01676 522591 or Lisa 01676 522131. We meet at the Methodist Church Hall on Wednesday evenings, term time only.

Thank you for making us feel welcome in your lovely village. We offer all types of furniture restoration and would welcome any opportunity to provide a free no obligation quotation on any requirements. Pop in and see us or give us a ring onthenumber above. Welook forward to meeting you.

In Meriden

Minister: Rev Andrew Charlesworth BSc BA

Tel: 01676 533737 - Phone to arrange marriages, baptisms and funerals

Services: Sunday 10:30am (Junior Church and crèche for children)

Sunday evening 5:30pm (4th Sunday in month only)

I have just been watching the new series of Total Wipeout, if you have never seen this Programme, it is wonderful Saturday evening entertainment for all the family. Here’s what the BBC says about it. “Crashes, smashes and hilarious mud splashes are on the cards as twenty contestants take on one of Television’s largest and most extreme obstacle courses. The journey a across the globe to the purpose built Total Wipeout course in Argentina to put their strength,balance strength, balance and bravery to the test in the hope of winning the £10,000 cash prize and being Crowned this week’s Total Wipeout champion.

Although the programme is more or less the same every week, there is something quite appealing about watching 20 random strangers bouncing off giant red balls into muddy waters. All sorts participate and in the last series there were even a couple of Church ministers who took part. I must admit that I will not be in a hurry to join them! But what, you may ask, has this got to do with the Church? I guess many today would think that the fun and adventure of such a programme is the complete opposite of being part of a church. If there was a survey where people were asked to give words that they associated with Church, I do not suppose fun and adventure would be near the top of the list. If we were honest, I don’t suppose too many Christians who would put fun and adventure on their list either.

Jesus told his disciples, however, that he came so that people might have life, life to the full. And what is more, those first disciples did! Following the crucifixion and resurrection, we read of some of the incredible adventures that they had in the pages of the New Testament. Alongside that, there are many other stories and traditions told about some of the adventures these first disciples had. These were people who truly lived life to the full. In fact, throughout Christian history, there are many people who have lived their lives as Christians as one big adventure. They have gone to places they might never have believed and done things that they might never have thought were possible.

I guess if you want five minutes of fun and adventure, you could get on a plane to Argentina. But if you want more than that, then you might find the answer in a place you would never have thought to look. Jesus is still looking for people to live life to the full for all eternity Happy Easter. Andrew

Dates 25th Feb-25th March Thursday (7:30pm) Night Lent Course at Lime Tree Park Methodist Church

1st April 6pm Maundy Thursday Service

4th April 10:30am Easter Day. All Age celebration with Holy Communion 14th April 7pm Supper Club 15th May 10am Retreat Day at Arley Methodist Church

Queens Head Head Old Road Meriden Road Meriden

Monday night is music night come along and join us, music starts 9.15pm approx

March 1st Mick theKnife

March 8th SteveFalmer

March 15th Backbeat

March 22nd JulieChristie

March 29th CharlieWaterford

April 5th JamieMalin

April12th BarneyScott

April 19th Nickki

April 26th JustineClaire

May3rd GuySurtees

May10th V.J.

May17th Jakki

May24th Keith Brett May31st Mel Day

We are a good traditional English Pub serving real ales & beers. Breakfast on Sunday mornings 10.00am-1.00pm Full English £5.25 Pub lunches Monday – Saturday 12.00- 2.30pm Bookings now being taken for Mothering Sunday lunch 14th March 2 courses and a glass of wine each for two people for £25.00

The Hampton Players Quiz Night (plus raffle)

Saturday 20th March 7.00pm for a 7.30 start Fentham Hall Marsh Lane Hampton-in-Arden Ploughman’s supper included in ticket price Bring your own drinks

Teams of 6 - Admission by ticket only, £6.00 per person from The Corner Shop, 2 High Street, H-in-A 01675 442454 or Mo George 01675 442432. Centre Charity Shop Meriden 523050

THE HAMPTON PLAYERS - needs new members. Want a hobby or social life? Then look no further! It takes a lot of people to put on a production and if you are interested and aged between 16 and 106 years there is always a job to undertake.

WE DO NEED ACTORS if you want to tread the boards, but there are plenty of other roles such as: Crew/Sound/Lighting/Props/Wardrobe/Set Building/ Front of House/Rehearsal Helpers.... the list is endless...we are a small friendly group that has been established since the 1950's, presenting two productions a year plus themed nights. We are honoured to have Sir Derek Jacobi. C.B.E. as our patron. Want to know more call: Rebecca 01676 523285: Maureen 01675 442432.

Happy New Year to all our customers, Well we've certainly had a snap of cold weather and snow to herald in January. It's lovely when you're in the warm looking out of the window quite another thing if you have to drive or walk in it!! Thank you to all our customers who send in their donations already washed as it makes our job much easier.

We continue to need black or green refuse sacks so if you have any to spare we would welcome the donation. At the moment we are not taking books or videos as we have been over-run with both. We only have a small space in which to do our sorting so it is easier for us if you bring in two or three bags at a time instead of bringing in house clearances in one go. It is also easier for us if the container you bring your donations in is one which you don't require back because sometimes we don't have anywhere to empty it into and therefore there is more likelihood of items getting damaged or broken.

At the moment we are looking for a portable appliance tester (PAT) to enable us to test and sell electrical items so until we have acquired one we will not be able to accept electrical items.

We have had lots of new faces in the shop the past couple of weeks and have been kept busy - unlike the previous weeks when we hardly saw anybody either in the shop or in the street - the poor weather would have put me off venturing outside if we didn't have to work!!

For those of you who have come in to chat or ask for prayer then please keep us informed on how things are going with you and if we can be of any further help or assistance to you.

As always a big thank you to our hardworking staff. and a big thank you to our customers and suppliers of goods that enable the work in Meriden to continue.

We would also like to welcome anyone who would like to join us at Meriden Christian Fellowship, on a Sunday morning in the Scout hut at 10:30am. Please look us up on: www.meridenchristianfellowship.co.uk See you soon. Kevin and Lyn

Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour; (Isaiah 43 v 1b - 3a).

Solihull

Over 50s in Solihull can get fit as a fiddle

People over 50 in the Solihull area are being encouraged to get fit as a fiddle by taking part in activities run by Age Concern Solihull and funded by the Big Lottery.

We are continuing with Extend (gentle exercise to music for over 50s, fun and effective) at Meriden Village Hall, Main Road, Meriden. This activity is fortnightly on Wednesday 1.30pm – 2.30pm. Badminton continues at St Peter’s Church Hall, Holly Walk, Balsall Common. This activity is weekly on Friday 11.15am – 12.45pm. Both activities subject to a voluntary charge of £1.50 per person per session to include refreshments. It is advised that you call to check availability.

15th April 10am – 3pm Healthy Lifestyle Event at Oliver Bird Hall, Church Hill Road, Solihull Town Centre. Tai Chi, Yoga and Extend demonstrations; Make and Taste activity; Health monitoring and checks; have a go on a Wii fit and more … all activities to be confirmed, but for further information nearer the time please contact me.

A volunteer is needed to provide administrative support for short term activities in the rural areas of Solihull. Also if you are over 50 with relevant sports qualifications and interested in volunteering to provide an activity please contact Tracy Curtis.

For more information contact

Tracy Curtis, Fit as a Fiddle Project Co-ordinator 0121 705 9128, The Priory, Church Hill Road, Solihull, B91 3LF or email tcurtis@acsolihull.org

would like to thank everyone who has supported the Club over the last year, including Barker’s Butts RFC, The Heart of England Social Club, The Queen’s Head and all our sponsors. Our total donation for the year to Acorns Children’s Hospice was £855.38. A huge thank you to all who supported our events. This season we are in need of new players of all ages experienced or not, (coaching available) and new members to help with organising publicity, social events and fund raising.

Interested?

Then call Terry - 07970 119142 or Mike - 07775 567889

Prospective members/players are welcome to join us at our next committee meeting in March (date to be confirmed) at the Heart of England Social Club. Nets practice will commence in April at the Queen’s Head, Old Road, Meriden, field at the rear of the pub. A list of this season’s fixtures will be displayed in the Queen’s Head.

Friends in Retirement

The group 'FIRS 'continues to bring together members in Balsall Common and the surrounding area for friendship and activities. Based on a central core of monthly meetings over coffee, these activities include ambling with a lunch afterwards, walking, bridge, art, patchwork and quilting, crafting with paper and other materials and a problem solving computer section. In addition there is a social section for trips, lunches and theatre visits. The trips this year will include Nottingham in March and Waterperry Gardens in June and a further one is to be arranged. There is an Annual Meeting in August and an annual lunch in February. The two newsletters a year keep members in touch with all the relevant information and news. There is an annual membership fee of £2.00.

If you wish to become a member please telephone the Chairman, Mr Malcolm Gratton on 01676 523505 for more information.

Our monthly coffee mornings are held on the third Friday in the month at The Jubilee Centre Station Road, Balsall Common (in the Library car park) and the dates are Friday19th March Friday 16th April Friday 21 May

Mumbai Blue Restaurant A45 Birmingham Road Near Meriden Warwickshire CV5 9AY Tel: 01676 521 202 www.mumbaiblue.com

Solihull - High Street

1st Friday in month 9am – 3pm

Kenilworth - Abbey End

2nd Saturday in month 9am-2pm

Warwick - Market Square

3rd Friday in month 10am-3pm

Leamington Spa - bttm of Parade

4th Saturday in month 9am-2pm

Coventry - Market Way

2nd Thursday in month 9am-4.30pm

Coleshill - Church Hill

4

Catch them whilst they are young, start your child’s education from 2 years of age at Meriden Nursery. Care, socialising and learning through play available with fully qualified staff members three days a week with hours to suit you.

Come along and have a weeks free trial for your child 2-4 years, then we are offering every child one free morning a week when you pay for the other two for the first month. 5 free sessions available for all children from their 3rd Birthday.

Large friendly environment with great outside space including healthy snacks and drinks freely available. Nappy changing facilities and potty/toilet training.

Do you want someone to do all those household jobs you haven’t got time for?

Then call Jenny now on 07901 530861 Domestic cleaning, Office cleaning Professional cleaning service

Friday in month 10am – 2pm

TEN GREEN BOTTLES

The lesson from the climate change summit in Copenhagen last year is that we all have to be prepared to do our bit and change our behaviour from using products which depend on finite fossil resources to products made from renewable and less polluting resources, so I had a quick look round my kitchen and bathroom to see what changes I could make.

Here are the ten I've counted: washing up liquid, laundry liquid, fabric conditioner, dishwasher liquid, all-purpose surface cleaner, lavatory cleaner, glass cleaner, handwash liquid, shampoo, conditioner.

There are probably lots more examples around the home and, while I've focused on bottles, there are also some ‘ecological’ powder, tablet and gel alternatives too.

We are seeing more cases of allergies – some suspected to arise from the hidden ingredients in products we use without question.

I am now replacing some of the older products with newer eco-friendly or organic ones. Are eco or organic ones more expensive and do they work as well? Competitive pricing has brought down the cost and some can be bought in more economical sizes. Also, some supermarket own labels work very well.

Eco products are effective and more pleasant to use: the washing up liquid doesn’t leave a lingering taste on your dishes and pans. It’s often a question of trying things out and passing on tips to your friends, so that by word of mouth, people begin to change their buying habits.

It’s going to be a tall order to cut our personal consumption of eleven tonnes of carbon down to two tonnes by 2050 when I will be 92 if I make it, but my dad did so I must take this seriously.

To contact Caroline or make an appointment for a surgery please contact Rachel Anderson on 020 7219 4189 caroline@carolinespelman.com www.carolinespelman.com

Manpads Neighbourhood Policing Team

Date Time Location

Saturday 20th March 9 – 10.30am 11 – 12pm

Chelmsley Wood Library Arden Hall, Castle Bromwich

Thursday 22nd April 4 .30 –6.00pm Balsall Common Library

Bob Hopkins 1927 – 2009

It was with great sadness and shock that we lost Bob on December 2nd. He was born in Coventry and with his parents and family came to live at Four Oaks when he was 13 years old and attended Meriden School (now Meriden Surgery) After leaving school at 14 he went to work for J.Leete and later worked for A. Blundell & Co. in Torrington Avenue until he retired.

It was at Meriden school that he first met his future wife Doreen; they married in 1948 and had over 61years of happily married life together. Bob and Doreen had three sons Robert, Gary and Paul. Sadly Robert passed away at the age of 48, and a parent never comes to terms with that. Bob was a fantastic and loving husband and a brilliant Dad, he was always there for his family and he adored his five grandchildren too!

We must now thank family, neighbours and friends for attending Bob’s funeral, for their condolences, beautiful flowers and support at this very sad time. We would also like to say thank you to Dr. Camm, Nurses and staff at Meriden Surgery for their kindness and help during Bob’s illness.

God bless you all Doreen, Gary, Paul and Families

The Home Secretary has recently upgraded the National Security Threat level from substantial to severe. Although we have no intelligence regarding a specific threat to Birmingham International Airport, we are asking the public to be vigilant and to report to us anything you believe to be suspicious or a threat to the airport flight paths. 0121 712 6151

Solihull Job Club

• Are you a job seeker?

• Need help to brush up on your interview skills?

• Need help with your CV?

• Need advice with debt management?

Drop in for coffee we may be able to help you

John Palmer Hall Union Road, Solihull (Opposite the Town House) Every Monday morning between 10.30 - 12.30

Contact 07798 582398

Email: solihulljobclub@live.com

IN GRATITUDE FOR THOSE WHO RETURNED SAFELY

Alike the fallen, our debt to those who returned should never be forgotten and in this issue Paul & Melanie Lee feature the men of Meriden who thankfully returned from the First and Second World Wars.

For this issue we are simply going to list them as they appear on the War Memorial but would very much like to feature them in more depth over the coming issues. We recognise some of the names and will contact family members over the next few months; however, should you have further information on any of them please get in touch via the Meriden Mag. We especially want to confirm forename, rank, force and regiment etc and hopefully obtain photographs.

FIRST WORLD WAR

Lieutenant W Adkins ~ Corporal H Amos ~ F Anderton ~ H Anderton ~ S Anderton ~ A Barton ~ H Barney ~ Corporal A Banks ~ Lance Corporal C Banks ~ G Bates ~ W Bachelor ~ A Bolus ~ F Brett ~ Lance Corporal C Busson ~ Corporal A Callow ~ A H Callow ~ H Callow ~ R Callow ~ W Callow ~ E Cooke ~ A Dale ~ P Devine ~ Captain M Drummond ~ E Evans ~ C Fox ~ Lance Corporal W Freeman ~ 2nd Lieutenant M Glover MC ~ G Grist ~ Sergeant A Hobday ~ P Hobday ~ E Hodgkins ~ W Hollis ~ N Homer ~ F Hunt ~ H Hunt ~ H Izon ~ A Jakeman ~ F Jones ~ W Ledbrooke ~ F Ledger ~ H Leek ~ D Luck ~ C Mansell ~ B McArdell ~ R Massey ~ G Massey ~ T Massey ~ F Mathews ~ F Mills ~ J Mills ~ G Monkman ~ C Newcombe ~ A Nicholds ~ C Nicholds ~ W J Nicholds ~ I Penrice ~ G Pointon ~ P Poole ~ V Poole ~ G Ravenhall ~ H Rogers ~ R Russell ~ L Serman ~ H Shuttleworth ~ A Sidwell ~ Corporal A Smith ~ W Smith ~ Sergeant M Southern ~ I Taylor ~ J Thompson ~ W Thompson ~ F Walker ~ Lance Corporal E Warman ~ Lance Corporal A Warmingham ~ Lieutenant C West ~ R Whale ~ Corporal G Woodward MM

SECOND WORLD WAR

Lance Corporal J Bollis ~ E Pratt ~ I Clark ~ Corporal S Terheege ~ H Greaves ~ E Thompson ~ W Harris ~ E Warmingham

HEART OF ENGLAND ATC 1459 SQUADRON

Here’s the latest update on the ATC photograph, supplied by Ron Jackson with the help of his mates Roger Simpson and John Hazel. They have now identified all on the front row, updates in bold. Ron confirms the photo was taken in 1943, at a Coleshill church parade.

Back row: Ron Hurford, Ron Jackson, John Davy, Bert Stokes, Percy Cudmore, Bill Shirley, Hubert Sparkes, ?

Middle row: Flying Officer Willard, Bill Bailey, Doug Drakes, Harry Whitehead, ? , ? , Roger Simpson, Snowy Whitehead, Geoff Gaston, Denis Head, ? , Bill Askew, Flying Officer Palmer

Front Row: Gerry Johnson, Gordon Woodley, John Hazel, John Pinfold, Don Britain, Alf Sweatman, Jim Norman, Jack Hollis, Walter Simpson, Captain Watson, Vic Boyle, Denis Bates, Vic Ward

Our first meeting this year took place on a very cold and frosty evening, but 27 members braved the icy roads and pavements to enjoy a talk and demonstration about reflexology. Alison Stain, one of our members, gave this talk and we learnt how an expert working on specific areas of the feet could impart a beneficial effect on different parts of the body.

Our meeting in February was rather unusual as it was filmed by BBC television as part of a future programme entitled ‘Bang Goes the Theory’ their speaker Dr Yan gave us an insight into the way we perceive things.

Future programme:

Monday 1st March

‘The first woman in Australia’ – a talk to be given by Margaret Houldsworth (one of our members)

Monday 12th April *

Sue Stretton will be telling us about the work of the Healing Hands Network

Monday 10th May * Craft exhibition and Quiz

*Note change of dates due to Bank Holidays.

In March we shall also be arranging our annual visit to the Queens Head at Bretford for skittles and lunch and there is a coffee morning on April 28th to make masks.

On Wednesday 19th May at 2.00pm it is our turn to host the annual Group Meeting for local W.I.s. The speaker will be Andrew Wilson-Jenner, a theatrical Costumier. Elizabeth Spencer

Heart of England Social Club

Meditation and Relaxation

Come and discover how the beautiful flowing movements of this ancient art can improve your well-being. Relax and enjoy simple calming relaxation and meditation techniques.

November Chris Spriggs gave us an

and humorous talk entitled “Dr Mum and Dr. Dad”. Chris told us about

for minor injuries and she also went through a list of health hints with us. We were told that we should maintain pressure on a minor cut or burn for up to twenty minutes until it stops hurting and bumps or bruises should be rubbed lightly and briskly until the pain stops. We were advised amongst other things to eat a balanced diet, keep fluid levels up and do deep breathing for ten minutes a day etc.

For our Christmas celebration meeting Margaret Oliver and friends entertained us with Christmas music and we were given a song sheet to join in with a Christmas medley of songs including Jingle Bells, I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas and Silver Bells. Members chose their favourite carols to sing and afterwards we enjoyed the traditional mince pies, sausage rolls and shortbread! We were fortunate that the snow had gone by the time of our January meeting when Rosemary Owens and Sue Webb spoke about Solihull Churches Action on Homelessness. Rosemary explained the background to the charity and told us how she became involved. Approximately fourteen years ago after discovering there was no provision for young homeless people in Solihull itself, they purchased a house as a hostel for five teenagers. Churches gave essential items to the project and now they run a shop which restores furniture - as furniture is always needed when the homeless are helped to find accommodation. Berkswell Church helps by regularly providing tins of food to people in need and a Catholic Church provides a refugee support centre for the influx of young refugees into the area. Sue talked about packs which are given to young people who need basic items for their first home. These contain bedding, an iron, kettle and other useful basic kitchen utensils. The packs cost £150 and 137 were given out last year. In the past when children came out of the care of the local authority they needed help in finding accommodation and the charity would provide a deposit and the first month’s rent. We were all impressed by the range of help given by the various churches and Solihull Council involved in this worthwhile project. We look forward to welcoming more friends to our meetings so if you need information or a lift please telephone: Ellen 522534 or Pam 523372

Forthcoming Meetings

26th March – Doug Field speaking on the origins and meaning of hymns. 23rd April – St. George’s Day 28th May – T.B.A

Rotary Club of Meriden - News

Do you remember seeing the picture of the Shelterbox tent in the last edition of the Mag?

Rotarians from the Club, together with their families and friends, got together in the Village Hall to hold an auction for Shelterbox in November: they had a great evening and raised over £3000, enough for over six boxes. Little did they realise that just a few weeks later the world would hear news of the awful earthquake disaster in Haiti and how Shelterbox would get into action straightaway, mobilising its resources to get hundreds of such boxes into Haiti. The first dozen would be used as field hospitals

This young lad lost a leg: the photo was taken in a Shelterbox tent, where he is receiving some comfort with the help of a colouring book from the box. Find out more about Shelterbox on:www.shelterbox.org (Speakers can be made available for groups by arrangement)

Santa Sleigh

Santa and his little (?) helpers raised over £2400 before Christmas, when Rotarians braved some very cold weather to go into the streets to bring some cheer into the local area. Did you spot us? Our thanks go to local residents for their generosity

Rotary Group Study Exchange

Yet again, Meriden Rotarians hosted overseas visitors and the picture shows Rotarian Sheila Courts with Rhys Gardner, from near Dunedin in the South Island of New Zealand. Rhys is a farmer back home and spent some time seeing how we do it in the Midlands, as well as indulging in his own sport of motor racing. The Club will be sending a student back to NZ in April Interested in knowing more about Rotary? Fellowship, friendship and just fun. Look at our new Websitewww.meridenrotary.org.uk or speak to Rtn Ian Courts - 01676 535490 Email iancourts@yahoo.co.uk Events coming up!! Do you wish to join us?

• 10th May - “Allo. Allo” Charity Night at the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth

• 18th May – Charity Celebrity Comedy Night with Don Maclean, well known local comedian and host of BBC Crackerjack. Venue: Manor Hotel, Meriden • Sun -27th June – Motorcycle Megaride at Meriden in aid of Warwickshire & Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and the M S Society

Fish and Chip Supper – Friday 21st May 2010

“Hold a Fish and Chip Supper to help spinal cord injured people live full and independent lives.”

Want to do something different? Want to raise money where you live or work? Want to eat Fish and Chips, while raising money for charity? Hold a fish and chip supper on Friday 21st May 2010 whilst raising awareness of spinal cord injury and supporting SIA’s information and support services.

SIA will provide a fundraising pack containing hints and tips, recipes, invitations and donation envelopes. By inviting 7 friends and asking them to donate an additional £5.00 means you will raise at least £35.00 from your supper but we will also give you additional fundraising ideas to raise even more money for SIA.

Every year in the UK over 1,000 people experience a spinal cord injury and there are an estimated 40,000 spinal cord injured people in the UK alone.

Be a part of something special and make a real difference to help spinal cord injured people gain access to the information and support they need to enable them to live full and independent lives.”

For more information or request a fundraising pack call Elizabeth Wright on 0845 678 6633 extn 229 or email fishandchips@spinal.co.uk or visit www.spinal.co.uk

Great British

Meriden Village Hall is available for private parties etc. Rates are £10 per hour Contact Valerie Martin 01676 522963

Berkswell and District Berkswell and District and and History Group History Group

Wednesday, 10th March. 8.00pm at Berkswell Reading Room.

“Various Local Themes” with Dr. John Bland. Wednesday, 14th April, 8.00pm at Berkswell Reading Room.

“The World We Have Lost – A History of the English Countryside” with John Jarman. Wednesday, 12th May, 8.00pm at Berkswell Reading Room.

“English Folklore” with Dr. Colin Harris. Thursday, 3rd June

Whole Day Trip to Ironbridge. Numbers Limited to 50.

The aim` of the History Group is to give its members and the general public the opportunity to acquire information & understanding on items of historical interest through meetings, visits and research projects. We normally hold a meeting or a visit in each calendar month. Visitors are most welcome at all open meetings. Admission to meetings, including refreshments £2.50 non-members; £1.50 members. Annual membership £5 For our latest news visit the website: www.berkswell-history.org Telephone 01676 535782

EXOTIC THAI

DEE

IS AT QUEENS HEAD PUB OLD ROAD MERIDEN

Exotic Thai cuisine cooked in the traditional Thai Way

OPEN 5 days a week Tuesday to Saturday

Food can be ordered between the following times:

Tuesday – Thursday 7.00pm till 10.00pm (closing) Friday – Saturday 7.00pm till 10.30pm (closing)

Book in advance to avoid disappointment 01676 523740 (6.00pm till 9.30pm)

Warwickshire WildlifeTrust

Spring and Easter Holidays 2010

The Parkridge Centre, Brueton Park, Solihull

Family Bushcraft Day

Sunday 7th March 10:00-12:00

Spend the morning around the fire learning the skills of bushcraft and survival FREE to Watch members, £4 per child non WWT

Friday 2nd April – Friday 16th April 10:30-12:00

We have some wonderful Easter workshops for the Children this Easter – Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Chicks, Life in the Undergrowth, Trail Blazers! and Den Discovery to name but a few.

Children aged 5 and under

We will be running some workshops especially for our Younger visitors – Toddler’s Easter Chicks, Wild Tales

For Tots and Toddler Sensory Fun

Please call the Centre on 0121 704 0768 for more details

Similar events take place at Brandon Marsh Centre, Brandon Lane, Coventry For details of these please phone 02476 302 912

Nuts about Nature Club

This runs once a month on a Saturday morning between 9:00–11:00 am and everyone is welcome.

Really Wild Parties

Why not book a party at the Parkridge Centre? Party times are available every Saturday and Sunday and at other times by special request during the year. We offer a wide range of creative and exciting activities and can also provide the food, invitations and party bags for you.

Toddler Trundle Group

We also run a Toddler Group every Wednesday during term time only between 10:30 -12:00, booking is essential and the session costs £2.50 per child

Cost of each workshop is £3.00 per child or £4.00 for non WWT Members

To book any of these events please call 0121 704 0768 Or

International Healthcare Company is looking for ambitious self-motivated people here in the UK to spearhead our second phase expansion, working part time from home. If you have a supervisory, managerial, recruitment, sales/marketing, teaching or self employed background (or feel that you would like to develop an extraordinary income with one of the UK’s fastest growing companies); I would like to hear from you. There is on-going, award winning support and training available for the right people.

This year we are looking for new members. Why not come along as a guest to one of our demonstrations? You do not need to be a flower arranger to enjoy the evening. The cost to non-members is £3.50 including free tea or coffee and biscuits. You may even win some beautiful flowers during the evening’s raffle. Do come and join us, we are sure you will have a great evening and be made most welcome. The members and Committee would like to place on record their grateful thanks to retiring chairman Val Miller for her outstanding service to the club over many years, and welcome new chairman June Brown.

Spring Programme

Monday 15th March

“For the Beauty of the Earth” Jayne Edmunds

Monday 19th April

“Cocktail Hour” Sharon Possart

Monday 17th May

“What is the Title?” Judi Cripps

For more information please contact Mo Reynolds 01676 521 457 Margaret Barnsdall 01676 540 317 June Brown 01676 522 210

When the Surgery is closed

Repeat

Home Visits

Comments

If you would like to make any comments, complaints or suggestions concerning the surgery please contact Joanne Hope, Practice manager on 01676 532213 or in writing to the surgery.

Gardening with herbs

It is almost impossible to grow a bed or pot of herbs that doesn’t look fantastic. They are also very easy to grow.

Like ornamental plants, there are annuals such as basil, coriander, chervil, curly and flat leaf parsley. These are grown from seed in the spring and last only one season (except parsley which is a biennial and lasts two years). They can be sown directly into the soil or in pots in the greenhouse or on a window sill. You can even cheat and buy a pot from the supermarket and split the plants up and put into a bed or a pot.

Other herbs are perennial, which means they go on year after year, some such as chives, mint and tarragon, they die down in the winter but come back in spring. Others are evergreen – rosemary, sage and thyme. You can grow these from seed, but it’s easier to buy perennials and evergreens from a garden centre. You can grow herbs in a herb bed, or in the borders or in pots near the back door, which makes picking easy. Herbs do best in a well-drained sunny spot and like all plants they enjoy regular feeding throughout the growing season. Some perennial herbs, such as mint and lemon balm, are a bit too vigorous for their own good. To help keep them under control, try planting in a bucket or large pot with drainage holes and sinking well into the ground.

There are lots of varieties of herbs, try French tarragon, which has an excellent flavour, purple sage tastes just as good as the green, and there are many types of mint for you to try. Herbs add flavour to your cooking and encourage bees and butterflies into your garden.

Go on have a go this spring!

Gardening wit Doris Tuckey 31st March 1923 – 31st December 2009

Mother to Berridge and Rosalyn, grandmother to William and Helen, Mother in law to Graham

It is with great sadness and after a long illness we lost our dear Mum on New Year’s Eve 2009.

Affectionately known as Dorrie, she had lived most of her life in Meriden. She was born at the Thatched Cottage Tearooms, later to become “Polley’s Café” on the Birmingham Road in Meriden and although the family moved to Birmingham when Dorrie was about 3, they all returned back to Meriden to live in Darlaston Cottages on the Green when she was 11. Her mother and father, William and Lillian Wesley, opened the Wayside Café and Stores adjoining Darlaston Cottages and it was here that she lived with her sister Margaret for several years. In her teens she trained to become a hairdresser but when war broke out her career changed and she became a wages clerk in the Rover offices at Chesford Grange near Kenilworth.

Dorrie met her husband, Beb Tuckey, when he worked as a butcher for his uncle, Percy Tuckey, in the shop right opposite Dorrie’s home and in 1946 they were married in Great Packington Church. They continued to run the Wayside Stores for a few years after Dorrie’s parents had retired. Later Beb returned to work as a butcher and Dorrie devoted her time to looking after her family and home as they had now moved to live in Yew tree Cottage down at the other end of the village. In 1970 Dorrie and Beb finally moved to live at The Leys in Leys Lane. Dorrie enjoyed her life in Meriden and could recall many happy and sad tales of the characters who were in the village over the 73 years she had lived there. Sadly she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in 2000 and the severity of this illness brought on many other problems and in 2007 she had to leave Meriden to reside in a Nursing Home in Kenilworth. It was here she died peacefully on December 31st 2009. A Service of Celebration was held in Berkswell Church on January 18th 2010 and the family would like to thank everyone for their support and kind thoughts not only on her passing but also during her long illness.

The Wayside Café and Stores

Meriden Memories

I was born in August 1929 to Alfred (Alf) and Gladys Bartlett (nee Lord) and named Patricia Joyce Bartlett, now known as Pat Birch. My mother had two sisters Lily and Hilda and a brother Fred,Uncle Fred being the connection to our visits to Meriden.

Fred married Ruth Ledbrook of Fillongley and they used a combination of their surnames when they called the bungalow they lived at in Fillongley Road, Meriden “Lorbrook” They moved there in 1929 and their son Malcolm was born in 1931. We all visited Aunty Ruth and Uncle Fred regularly over the years and had some very happy times together. They used to be involved with fetes and garden parties at the big houses. Bowling for the pig – darts –skittles – fancy dress etc.

Aunty Lily had a son John born in February 1932 in Hayes, Middlesex. John was six months old when his father Cecil Astle was run over by a drunken lorry driver; Cecil died from his injuries three weeks later. Soon Lily and John moved back to Coventry.

Aunty Hilda married Clive Hancox and moved to Rednall Birmingham. They had three children, two girls and a boy. We used to go on a Midland Red bus to see them occasionally. When Clive bought a little Ford car they used to visit Granny Lord about twice a year.

Lily married again in September 1940 to Fred Hirons of Crewe so they moved there and John was so pleased to have a Dad. Tragically Fred died just three months later, on December 6th 1940. Lily moved back to Coventry again some years afterwards. While Lily and John were in Crewe we used to visit them and my Dad would take John and me to watch the trains, it was John’s hobby at that time.

I had a great time during my visits to Meriden before the war, at Christmas the family would get together to have Christmas Day in Meriden and Boxing day in Coventry the following year visa versa.

Malcolm and John were full of mischief, where Malcolm led, John would follow. One time when they were three or four years old they opened a big tin of green paint in the garage and went and painted the greenhouse and themselves. When Ruth complained to Fred he replied, “Why weren’t you watching them?” Another time Fred was cutting the front lawn where there was a bed of black tulips, (Fred’s pride and joy) when he went towards the bungalow they were there, when he turned the mower round to go back there was a bed of tulip stalks, Malcolm and John had cut the heads off the tulips with canes. When Fred complained to Ruth about it she just said, “Why weren’t you watching them?” so she got her own back.

Aunty Ruth and I walked down the drive one day and looked in the window, there was Malcolm smoking his Dad’s pipe, it was full of brown paper. Aunty Ruth gave him a good telling off and Malcolm emptied the pipe and put it back in the bureaux. That was fine until Uncle Fred got the pipe out later and found the stem was all covered in toffee! The neighbours all got on very well and the friendships that where formed lasted many years. There were “The Kirkhams”, “Mr and Mrs Reader”, “Mr and Mrs Holland and family”, “Mrs Bedhall”, and “The Fishers” to name just a few.

Before the war started Mum, Dad and I lived in Scott’s Lane, Coundon, Coventry. I recall that on September 3rd 1939 while waiting for a Midland Red bus to take us from Coventry to Meriden a gentleman got off his bike to tell us that we were at war with Germany. It was very hard for Malcolm and me to understand. Children had to go to the school nearest to their homes so as there was a Catholic school at the bottom of our garden that was where I went. It was very strange to start with but gradually we all started to settle. There was a large underground shelter near the playground, which we all had to go in when the bell was rung but it was always locked at night. When the sirens went in Coventry at first we went under the stairs, but my Dad went to see Father Rooney at his home in Scott’s Lane to see if he would open the shelter in the school grounds for people to go in. He told Dad that he couldn’t because he hadn’t got the key but he did hold the torch while Dad and another friend broke the lock to get in. To start with there were only about twelve of us and our voices echoed around the passages. There was room for about three hundred people so as word got around more people came when there was a raid. I was going on an errand for my Mum with some friends when we were shot at from a German fighter, he had been firing at the barrage balloon at the side of the road in Bablake School cricket field, we all jumped into the hedge, it was very frightening, one or two people were hurt further up Hollyfast Lane. When the fighter went my friends and I all went home very quickly, scared to death. On the morning of the November 14th 1940 blitz from the classroom window we saw an aeroplane doing a very big question mark in the sky. Was it a warning of what was to come! We shall never know. The sirens went at six o’clock that night; the pit bell at Keresley Colliery always went a couple of minutes before the sirens every time there was a raid. The shelter filled up quickly, dad wasn’t home from work and Mum was worried, when a neighbour shouted for her to go to the opening. Mr Laxon was helping a couple with their small son. The ladies hair was standing on end, her coat was covered in blood, sauce, jam, flour, coffee, gravy powder, everything from her pantry and she was covered with shards of glass. Mum and a few others helped to get her cleaned up and wrapped in blankets. Dad eventually got home after he had to keep sheltering from the bombs and land mines. He had come through the Chain Gardens (allotments) between the Reynold Chain factory and the Alvis factory. The bombers were coming over all night, it was horrible. It felt very strange coming out of the shelter the next morning, everywhere was so smoky and the fires were raging everywhere. We were very lucky that our house only had a few broken windows. The next night people were walking out to the countryside to shelter wherever they could, in farms and barns if the farmers would let them. They’d be pushing loaded prams, bikes and trolleys, pulling the children along. A week after the November blitz I was evacuated with the school to Studley. Most of the children were sent to the Convent but those of us who weren’t Roman Catholics were individually placed.

I was placed with a lady who, to me aged 11, seemed very old. She was ‘stone’ deaf and I used to have to shout down a horn in her ear. She had a friend who visited who was also ‘stone’ deaf so they communicated by shouting down each other’s horn. The only toilet was at the top end of the garden and I was very frightened when I had to go to the toilet at night. I was frightened because the sirens went every night and one night some bombs were dropped and the lady couldn’t hear them. She was very good to me but I was very lonely. Mum and Dad had given me paper, envelopes and stamps so they had five letters by the Thursday all asking them to fetch me home. They came to see me at the weekend and I didn’t want to stop so they took me home. I don’t remember the lady’s name but Mum and Dad kept in touch with her until she died in 1960 from chickenpox. On our way home from Studley we called in to see Aunty Alice who lived in the High Street, Henley-in-Arden and Aunty Ruth and Uncle Fred were there with Malcolm. Mum and Dad went home and I went to Meriden with them and started at Meriden school on the following Monday.

Mr Havercroft was the Headmaster and Mr Jones and Mrs Jenkins were the teachers. I soon settled in as I knew quite a few of the children in Meriden from my visits there and the parties that Aunty Ruth and Uncle Fred had.At school I was in a hut, there was a potbellied stove on the right as you walked in the door. There was always a pot of glue on the top of it. Mr Jones (we called him Baggy Jones) was very good. When the weather was good he used to take us on nature walks and he turned a ‘blind eye’ when we went scrumping. I had known Barbara and John Jones for a long while before I lived in Meriden. John’s father Fenwick Jones and his wife Joan lived at The Village Farm, Main Road Meriden. My parents used to buy their milk from them in Coundon and Dad used to mend their shoes as he was a boot and shoe repairer. He did not like to be called a cobbler. His shop was in Melbourne Road, Spon End, in Coventry.Mrs Jenkins took the girls for sewing. I was hopeless with that but she found out that I could darn very well so she used to bring her son’s socks in for me to darn, he was in the Air Force. I really liked darning better than sewing. I had only been at my new school a week when we had a lot of snow. I remember playing in it in the field opposite “Lorbrook”, skating on the ice on the pit by Leys Lane. Well of course the ice cracked, didn’t it? Several children got slightly wet feet but Jean Poole and I fell in the middle. We had a struggle to get out. I had a very thick coat on and ‘wellies’. Cousin Malcolm laid on the bank laughing his head off and saying, “You’ll get into trouble now.” Then he ran off home shouting, “She’s in – she’s in the pit.” He had done exactly the same twelve months before, but he got a good hiding. I had to have a bath and hot milk. How Aunty Ruth got my coat dry, I don’t know. Probably washed it then hung it in the garage.

Malcolm and I used to go and play in Lol Arnold’s field. One time I remember a crowd of us were playing ‘Hide and Seek’ in his field of clover. When Lol saw us he chased us away, everyone went under the stile, not me, I had to go over the top and sat down hard on some rusty barbed wire. It went into my bottom and thigh and was bad for a couple of weeks. Malcolm and I used to take it in turns to fetch the milk from Lol Arnold each night, but after that I wouldn’t go for a few days.

There used to be a shop opposite the farm run by Jimmy Hunt. I believe he was an invalid but he had a good business and it was always busy.

Before and during the war Uncle Fred had a chicken run and a pig sty down the garden, it was a big garden. We (Malcolm and I) used to have to feed the chickens and collect the eggs, sometimes we were allowed to feed the pigs as well. During the war most of the neighbours had pigs and had to belong to the Pig Club. I believe that Mr Price along the main road was in charge and he used to deliver the meal. The pigs were all killed in rotation by the local butcher who had to have a licence to do it. Every part of the pig was used, nothing was wasted. If you kept pigs you were supposed to give up your ration card for pig meat and bacon. Mrs Price had a shop and their son Geoff and John Jones (who had a sister Barbara) used to play with Malcolm.

The children all had a week off school in October to go potato picking at Barlow’s Farm down the straight mile. I can’t remember if we were paid; I used to pack eggs for Mr Kirkham about twice a week and also collect acorns to feed the pigs. The pigs liked them and we got a bit more money. I can't remember how much we were paid.

Uncle Fred had always grown his own vegetables and had fruit bushes. Aunty Ruth would bottle the fruit in Kilner jars and make jam when she had enough sugar. Kidney beans were salted down in stone jars starting with a layer of salt, then kidney beans until the last layer of salt. The top was covered in brown paper, tied on with string and kept until later in the year. We all had Identity Cards and Ration Books and had to carry gas masks everywhere. The sirens continued to go and we could of course hear the bombers going over. At least one bomb fell in Meriden causing bomb blast and one or two cows were killed in the fields at the back of Lorbrook. I left school in 1944 when I was fourteen in the August and started work at Simmons fabric shop in Coventry the following Monday.

I met my husband Robert (Bob) Birch of Back Lane Meriden in 1956 while doing part time work at the Bear Inn Berkswell. We married in March 1957 at St Thomas’s church Keresley We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary two and a half years ago and are still going strong. Now some seventy years on Although Mary Holtam was at Meriden school I did not know her then but she was the first person to talk to me when we moved to Benton Green Lane in 1962 by then she was Mrs Townsend and we have been great friends ever since. In March 2009 I saw Doreen, nee Ware at the doctor’s surgery, I did speak to her but didn’t stop, I guess she wondered who I was. I remember Ron Jackson who lived quite close to us and Cherry, his sister. I remember so many people it would take a whole page to write them all down, so “Hello” to everyone I knew and who remember me. Pat Birch

I was thinking about painting a snowy scene with you but I think we are all sick of the winter now, so we are having a look at painting a chicken instead.

If anyone saw a strange person, with a camera, chasing chickens around St. Laurence’s church yard last year…it was me! It is not easy getting chickens to pose for a photograph and I found myself laughing at my own antics as I tried to get the escaped chickens to keep still.

Chicken

Using a ruler, very lightly draw a 1” border around the edge or your watercolour paper. This is because your chicken will probably grow as you are painting so the border will give you space to spread without it falling off the piece of paper.

Lightly draw two rounded “V” shapes, one above the other. Mix separate puddles of water colours in the following colours, make them quiet strong:-

• Red

• Yellow (a Yellow Ochre is best if you have got it…that is a slightly more brown yellow)

• Reddish Brown (Burnt Sienna)

• Blue

• Dark Green (try mixing a green with dark blue and a yellow)

Start with the head. Load your brush with the Red (I used a No.8 round brush) and in the top, left hand side of the picture, paint the wobbly red bits of his comb and side cheeks, leaving a small circle without paint, in the middle, where the eye will be.

When this is dry, add a yellow blob for the eye and a yellow streak for the beak.

When this is dry, add the dark spot for the pupil of the eye and a little dark streak at the bottom of the beak.

Working down the body, add different coloured streaks in patches. Overlapping the faint pencil “V” shapes. Use the Yellow Ochre (or Yellow) at the top, changing to the reddish brown on the back and the blue on the chest. Paint the streaks in the direction of the feathers.

Using the Blue and then the dark Green add longer streaks for the tail. Add a couple of streaks of the Yellow for the legs. Add a few streaks of the dark Green on the body where the legs join. Add a few streaks of Green, over the feet for grass. When it’s all dry, rub out any pencil lines.

Detail of head

Ramblings From the allotment

Christmas is now well and truly over and I must tell you that the potatoes that were planted for Christmas were duly dug up on Christmas Eve and were very scrummy indeed. We have been picking salad leaves from the greenhouse since before Christmas and there have been lots to choose from despite the cold. Something we did back at the end of August was to make some sloe gin. If you have never tried this you must - it is just lovely. All you do is collect your sloes, mix with sugar (you must prick the sloes to release the juices) place in a large receptacle, cover with gin and leave for about four months in the dark stirring often to dissolve the sugar. We decanted it back into the gin bottles the week before Christmas. Try it neat as a small drink or spritz it with lemonade for a nice long one. I am going to have a go at Orange vodka to be ready for the summer!!!!!!!!!!!

January 4th - Oranges are on order.

January 5th - Can you remember what the weather was like? Yes, we had all that snow and were we prepared? In a word –NO! We were not able to get anything from the allotment other than carrots, which were under fleece and a little protected. Haven’t had leeks since Christmas!! Cannot get them out of the ground. I am not sure what the chickens think of the frost and the snow, but they are still laying like the little troupers that they are. We love them.

January 15th – Oranges have arrived and the orange vodka can now be made, will let you know what it is like. (I would not like you to get the wrong end of the stick with all this drink flowing around, but we do like a nip every now and then).

Sunday Mercury 17th January – The weather forecast is not good. It appears that we are in for more of the white stuff but by the time this Mag goes to print it will hopefully have been and gone. At least we have had some warning and can get some veggies from the allotment before it freezes up again.

I have to confess I have not yet made the Brussels sprout soup. Our sprouts were not at their best this year and the inclement frosty weather has made picking difficult. But I will try to do it. Here is another soup for you to try; this is a nice summer one. Ann Butler

Pea and lettuce Soup

2 oz butter

1lb shelled peas

2 lettuce hearts chopped

2pints ham or vegetable stock

1tsp each of salt, dried basil and grated nutmeg

2 bay leaves

1. Melt butter, add peas (straight from freezer if frozen) and lettuce, cover and sweat for 10 minutes

2. 2. Add stock, salt, basil, nutmeg and bay leaves. Bring to the boil and simmer for 40 minutes.

3. Remove bay leaves. Puree soup in a blender, adjust the seasoning and reheat.

4. Serve with a swirl of cream and sprinkle with parsley. Serves 6

It’s about Time

Less than three years from today, Madonna will be older than Abraham Lincoln. On Oct. 19, 2012, to be exact, the Great Emancipator will be passed in age by the Great Gyrator. That may seem an odd way to contemplate the March of Time, but it has the advantage of being less painful than pondering one’s own mortality. Which is something I’ve been doing a lot of lately, having recently suffered another birthday – which seems to happen around the same time every year, making it a chronic condition. At any rate, this latest anniversary puts me seven years up on Honest Abe and closing in on the average age at which those who signed the Declaration of Independence1 signed off: 68. (One of them, Charles Carroll, of Maryland, made it to 95; another, Thomas Lynch Jr., of South Carolina, was dead at 30.)

When in the course of human events it became necessary for them to ink that document, of course, they were that much younger: 43 and change, on average. Which only makes Yrs Trly feel that much older.

And if I really want to wallow in it (which I clearly do) there’s plenty more evidence that 61 puts me in the homestretch2 , as these things go – starting with the biblical allocation of 70 years, which is exactly what my father received. Mom did better, making it almost to 92, which is encouraging.

But, after that, a peek at any list of famous people who died young, or youngish, is even more morbidly instructive: King Tut was a kid, 18, when he fell victim (if the conspiracy theorists are right) to an ancient pyramid scheme. James Dean died at 24, John Keats at 25, Otis Redding at 26. Then there’s 27, a particularly deadly age for rock stars, with Brian Jones, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain all bowing out. Crazy Horse rode into the sunset at 28. Alexander the Great, Mozart and Van Gogh never saw their forties, nor did Marilyn Monroe or Princess Di. Both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were gone at 39. Depressed yet?

On the bright side, a lot of those folks died in unnatural ways – assassination, car crash, ship wreck, drug overdose, suicide – and most of us don’t have to worry about stuff like that, leaving us free to check out some of the more conventional ways of checking out that we’re likely to face as the miles pile up on the old odometer. The kinds of ailments that “old people get. Things I never thought I’d have to face.

Here are my findings so far:

In 2008 I did the heart attack, which was very annoying but not very fatal – a few days in the hospital, the installation of a metal gizmo, then a rehab program, followed by some lifestyle changes that I either will or will not follow that either will or will not prevent a recurrence. In other words, you do have some say in the matter.

These days I’m doing cancer, and it’s not half as much fun – devices you never thought you’d be hooked up to, levels of pain you never thought you could endure, even though your case is “low grade” and even though modern medicine has plenty of “procedures” and treatments available, which are even now being lined up on your calendar for months to come. In other words, you don’t feel like you have much say at all. What is to be done? Well, I’m going to follow instructions, take one day at a time, let a smile be my umbrella and direct my feet to the sunny side of the street. Because, as corny as it sounds, there’s still plenty to be grateful for.

Footnotes for U.K. readers: 1 A document, written in 1776, that was highly critical of George III; think of it as something like the Magna Carta, only a bit more radical – and written in English.

2Baseball terminology: the path from Third Base to Home Plate; make it to Home and you’re Safe.

Read Glenn Richter @record-journal.com

Berkswell Village Museum Berkswell Village Museum

Hidden away in the centre of Berkswell is a small museum full of interesting items from the past with connections to the village and the surrounding area. The museum is housed in a pair of cottages built about 1500 and is very typical of the half-timber framed cottages found in Warwickshire. The cottages were turned into one property for the home of the village district nurse and midwife early in the twentieth century and were then condemned for habitation in the 1940s. It has been a museum since 1981 and consists of memorabilia, agricultural and domestic articles displayed in four attractive rooms.

Berkswell’s famous people are remembered with displays. Maud Watson – the first Ladies Singles Champion at Wimbledon, R E S Wyatt – a former England Cricket Captain and the film star Jeremy Brett – best known for his role as Sherlock Holmes. Come and see the cannon and Russian shield, trophies from the Crimean War presented to the village 150 years ago.

The museum is open on Sunday afternoons and Bank Holidays at Easter and from May to the end of September and at any other time by request, contact 01676 522077 or 533716

Berkswell and District Histo Berkswell and District Histo Berkswell History Society rySocietyrySociety ry Society

This year is the 70th anniversary of the Blitz on Coventry on the night of 14/15 November 1940, known as operation Moonlight Sonata. To commemorate this tragic event the History Group are undertaking a project to find out how this affected the area of Berkswell, Meriden and Balsall Common. We believe many people came out of Coventry to this area to seek shelter and safety. Also Tile Hill Hostel was set up within the Berkswell Parish boundary to provide temporary shelter for bombed out families, which was still in existence some years after the war ended.

We are looking for people who may have a personal memory, or memories handed down through their families, of being in Berkswell, Meriden or Balsall Common at this time. It is hoped we will be able to record these verbal memories, but would also be interested in photographs or written material relating to this area. Phone 01676 532478 email: The Archivist @berkswell-history.org

Meriden library

01676 522717

Open Monday 10.00am – 7.00pm

Thursday 10.00am – 7.00pm

Saturday 10.00am 1.00pm

Spring is in the air

So why not come along and have a look at the library’s stock of fresh new books and titles. Whether you have a favourite author or want to find a new one – the library has something for all tastes. If you are struggling to find something to read, our regular themed displays can help –from “cosy crime” to “book club recommendations” – there is always a surprise to be found. It’s not just reading either, as we provide information on local groups and activities taking place throughout the area all year round. Ask staff for more details.

Let’s get digital...

With free internet access, the library is the ideal place to start looking for any information. Holiday plans, family history, house moves – it doesn’t matter what you need to research – we can help you find it. With many online resources already subscribed to, the library can find answers to all your questions for free. Please note there is a small charge for printing.

Coffee time….

The library’s Easter coffee morning will be held on Thursday 1st April from 10.00am to 12noon. Come and join us for Hot Cross Buns and good conversation – everyone welcome.

Easter Activities….

For all those young bunnies out there, the library will be hosting children’s Easter activities on the 8th, 12th and 15th April. With plenty to do, from colouring to Easter egg hunts, there is no need to book a place – just drop by between 10.00am and 4.00pm to see what is on offer for younger children that day.

And for the grown ups….

The local police, parish council and neighbourhood coordinator surgeries continue to take place in the library every month. Representatives from these organisations will be available for you to talk to on March 8th , April 12thand May10th between 10.00am and 12noon.

Don’t forget! Meriden Library welcomes everyone – please drop by and see what we have to offer the whole community.

Snow

Snow feels sticky and nice

Snow tastes sweet and ice-creamy

Snow looks pretty Snow smells fresh

Snow sounds shhhh!

By Bethany

Of

Balsall Common U3A continues to expand but the Committee has decided that no waiting list will, as yet, be proposed. Prospective members are welcome if they wish to attend two core group meetings for a small charge of £2.50 per meeting then it is anticipated they will become a member. Our in-house Christmas miscellany when members chose and read a poem interspersed with music chosen and provided by Steve Procter was an enjoyable afternoon. Weather conditions in January did mean some cancellations but Questers visit for a tour of Birmingham's Town Hall was able to go ahead.

In May our Garden Visit group and Places of Worship group start their summer programmes and we hope to arrange another summer lunch for members.

For more information visit our website www.balsallcommonu3a.org or contact Anne Santos 01676 534003

MERIDEN LIBRARY READERS GROUP

The Meriden Library Readers Group meets on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7.30p.m. when we talk about books with a similar theme. Details of the venue from Meriden Library staff. 10th March - Female crime solvers who could be detectives or perhaps the very popular forensic specialists or someone like Jane Marple who is a natural.

14th April - China : The new super power. A book about or set in China. Fact or fiction.

12th May - Sylvia Pankhurst died 50 years ago so we are going to take a look back at the work of this incredible family and the suffragette movement.

Please do come to see what a good time we have sharing our enthusiasms and, if only one of the above interests you then just turn up for that Margaret Houldsworth

For more details contact Mike Watkinson 521496

course women don’t work as hard as men, they get it right the first time!

`Playing Legoland

One of the most interesting pieces of scientific equipment today must be the linear accelerator so called the LARGE HADRON COLLIDER at Cern, near Geneva as part of the European Organisation for nuclear research. Stretching some 18 miles underground and having a parallel with the Cathode Ray Tube of the last 60 years or so prior to the latest flat screen technology. The tube of the cathode ray tube simply produced an Electron beam which was focused by Electron magnets around its neck. Likewise the collider tube produces a beam of protons (other parts of the atom) also focused by massive electro magnets round its neck. However in this case, unlike the TV electron beam there are two head on. Why? This is to break up the atom even further and to prove the existence of a particle so named the Higgs Bosun.

So why are the scientists playing at Legoland with all the atoms particles? Well here comes the clincher.

They say that in about a hundred thousand years or so, maybe even less, they will be able to reconstitute the atom back from all its bits and pieces. In fact in that hundred thousand years of time everything that ever existed could be brought back, us included. Also it is quoted that all who have died because they will have no memory and awareness of time will see the hundred thousand years as just a second, like going from one room to another.

OK it’s a load of codswallop, but they are spending billions on that linear collider at Cern to learn how to put the jigsaw pieces of the atom back together.

We have witnessed stem cells, DNA, laser beams, microwaves, radar, TV and much more, so perhaps mankind will eventually reconstitute the atom. Wow.

There is an even more amazing constitution of the atom which is said to have been observed, which is that every atom has a relationship with its neighbouring atom, even when separated by massive distance. Even when blown to smithereens they are still collateral to each other. Do they, I wonder, transmit and communicate on various frequency of radiated transmission?

Today scientists can even tell you how they will be able to work out the millions of calculations to reconstitute the atom .It will be done with a computer called a Quantum Computer. One quantum computer will be as powerful as all the world current computers put together, it will do in seconds computations that today would take thousands of years, yes, thousands of years. It will use the power within the atom, and instead of today’s computers, which can only calculate one thing followed on by another in series, it will be able to do millions of calculations side by side in parallel. Most of us know that the input fed into computers are called bits, the quantum computer input will be termed Quabits. I am told that a very basic quantum computer has already been developed, however it is thought that it could take up to some 50 years to perfect.

I am quite sure that Cern has not spent billions of pounds playing Legoland with the atom for nothing, and if the Hadron Collider gets linked one day to a quantum computer then wow, that will be a wow factor. The quantum computer will one day make today’s computers as obsolete as the cat’s whisker crystal set radios many of us built as schoolboys. At the present time it’s perfection is the Holy Grail of scientists.

Frank Mills Clifton

Charity Christmas Card Shop Balsall Common

A big thank you to all our customers and volunteers who helped us once again to increase sales of cards and sundries from 16 local and national charities. 1,444 packs of cards were sold. We will be back in Balsall Common library at the end of October 2010 and hope that you will be able to support us again.

Pam, Janice and Judith

Fifty-five Christmas shoe boxes were sent to Romania from Meriden. Many thanks to all who donated the boxes and to the library staff for all their help.

Grace and Lucy Ball

A couple both aged 96 went to the solicitors to arrange a divorce. When asked why, the reply came “we wanted to wait until the children were dead!”

A very big THANK-YOU to the team of volunteers who contribute, edit, and distribute the Meriden Mag. It is always interesting, always informative. I think Meriden should be proud of our magazine and we are very fortunate to have such dedicated people working on our behalf. I hope we all appreciate the time and effort involved.

Dorothy Townley

Dear Editor,

I was the lucky winner of the competition run by the Dream Team Cleaning in the autumn edition of the Meriden Mag. Dream Team Cleaning did a most excellent job of cleaning my patio. I am delighted with the result.

Many thank Dream team.

Barbara Magson

The Berkswell Branch of the Royal British Legion would like to thank everyone in Meriden who supported the Poppy Day collection. £1,500.50 was collected from the village, well done.

John Moorhouse

(The total for the whole area was an amazing £10,118.70)

Mother’s Day Lunch Sunday 14th March

Come along and treat the most important person in the world, your Mum to a traditional Sunday luncheon in our award winning Regency Restaurant or Aylesford Suite. Adults £22.50, Children £11.25

Ladies Day Monday 15th March

Step into spring by joining us for a sophisticated fun filled Ladies Day. With demonstrations, fashion shows and a superb lunch, an excellent day is guaranteed. Tickets £25.00

Springtime 2 for 1 throughout April

Two dinners for the price of one in our AA Rosette Regency Restaurant at £28. As normal, tables must be booked in advance and due to the popularity of this promotion, places are limited.

Murder Mystery Night Saturday 27th March

The cunning people at Murder Sleuths have an enviable reputation of creating some of the most enjoyable evenings of this kind. So, in combination with a sensational 3-course meal and dancing until 1.00am, this is sure to be a killer event. £28.00 per person or £56.00 with accommodation

Easter Sunday Lunch 4th April

With something for the whole family, make Easter special this year by joining us for a truly traditional Sunday Lunch. Featuring our annual egg hunt for the kids. Adults £19.50 Children £9.75 (under 12)

Masquerade May Ball Saturday 15th May Steeped in English tradition, our May Ball is sure to be an opulent and glamorous event. So if you’ve something to celebrate or just want to enjoy a classic night out, with a 4course meal and music from ‘Vibe’ until 1.00am, The Manor Hotel has everything you’ll need… including a mask. £25.00 per person

Meriden Charities. Part 1

In past centuries philanthropic people left money for the poor in their village. The United Charities Act 1911 incorporated them into one. By the time I was 14 I had decided to write a village history and spent spare time in the school holidays asking older villagers about their memories. This enabled me to learn exactly where to find Lapworth’s Osier Grove which turned out to be Meriden’s oldest charity, so old no one knows its origin- neither who founded it or when.

The Osier Grove is on the left hand side of Fillongley Road near the junction with Walsh Lane. An annual rent from about 2 ½ acres of land and a cottage demolished in 1893 was shared between Alspath (Meriden) and Gt Packington. It seems likely the founder had links to both parishes though it is also very near the boundary with Gt Packington. This leads me to surmise that one of the Brailes family might be involved. In about 1432 farmer John Brailes moved from Gt Packington into Alspath, his descendants remaining until 1513 working on the land, which still bears their name. I have not found evidence to prove or disprove my theory.

Osiers, (willows) were used in making a variety of useful commodities: wattle fencing, baskets and besoms being three popular ones. The late Lord Aylesford asked me if I could date the charity which is shared 2/3 Meriden: 1/3 Gt Packington. As Gt Packington’s Churchwardens’ Accounts survive from 1551 I thought an answer easy to obtain. Not so. It was already well established by then. The Accounts recorded Meriden’s churchwardens, leading farmers, were often very late paying up, and sometimes by several years. The Accounts listed it simply as the ‘Grove’. When a government made a survey of Charities in 1834, parish memories stretched back a century to the time (1727) when Edward Lapworth rented the cottage and grove. A tenant, normally a poor man, might be allowed the lease for life. A photograph of the half timbered medieval Osier Grove cottage survives.

Lucas’s Grove. The Lucas family, minor gentry came to Alspath (Meriden) about 1399 from the Kingsbury area: one member in the mid C15th even being a knight. They bought a freehold farm known as ‘Claybrooks’ with lands stretching along Eaves Green Lane towards Hollyberry End. One of their farmhouses was near the junction of Eaves Green and Walsh Lane not far from Croxall’s House. Property names frequently tell us of tenants rather than owners but when they held the tenancy of this field on the left hand side of a green road near Balls Green half way between Eaves Green and Hollyberry End, we do not know except that it was before 1616. It is not mentioned in their wills. The earliest known owner was Thomas West, a rich wood monger of Marlbrook Hall, Hollyberry End who died in 1617. In his will he left the rents from this ‘grove or pasture’ of about 8 acres for the benefit of the poor of Alspath alias Meriden in the hands of trustees: the vicar Revd Thomas Rotten and the churchwardens. The money he wished distributed each year between St Thomas’s Day, 6th December and 1st January. Most Meriden charities were distributed about then. Many people received gifts on St Thomas’s Day rather than at Christmas. Subsequent owners of Lucas’s Grove had an obligation to pay this rent charge though we do find owners refusing elsewhere. In Meriden Mary Adcock’s house in the Woodyard is a case in point, which I shall write about, later in the series. When I looked at my copy of Thomas West’s will I was reminded that its Xerox format (white letters on a black background) was the only kind available 50 years ago. ‘Why is there no Meriden History Group?’ a fellow local historian asked me recently. In 1960 when Local History was really a novel idea, with the support of Dr Platten I founded the first one in the village. We had about 30 members and the man who became Warwickshire County archivist was the tutor in its first year. He it was who taught me to read ‘secretary hand’ C16/17 handwriting and deciphering Thomas West’s 1616 will was my first task. I do not recall how much the copy cost but it was not cheap. My Society lasted 6 years until I left the village. As far as I know only my cousin, I and possibly one other are still alive as it attracted mainly retired people. A second flourishing group was founded in 1982, lasting into the new millennium and run largely by the same committee for all of that time. Nowadays I see even hamlets advertising their groups yet Meriden with its special claim: The Centre of England’ does not have one. There is still plenty of information on our fascinating village to study and compile.

Doreen Agutter

The public and press are cordially invited to all meetings in the Village Hall at 7.30pm. An opportunity will be given for the public to speak. Look out for the Agenda which is posted on the parish notice boards prior to the meeting.

March 2010 10th Joint Surgery with Ward Councillors

29th Parish Council Meeting

April 2010 14th Annual Parish Meeting 26th Parish Council Meeting May 12th Annual Parish Council Meeting

JOINT SURGERIES WITH WARD COUNCILLORS AT THE VILLAGE HALL – WHAT’S THIS?

The Parish Council and Solihull MBC Ward Councillors will hold its next Joint Surgery on 10th March 2010 from 7.30pm at the Village Hall. This is an opportunity to speak face to face with a parish councillor and a ward councillor to discuss issues that concern you on a one-to-one basis as opposed to speaking publicly at a normal parish council meeting.

Residents are asked to contact the Clerk to book a 10-minute slot. One of Meriden’s Ward Councillors, featured right will be in attendance with one of our parish councillors.

COMMUNITY SURGERIES AT MERIDEN LIBRARY

Representatives from the West Midlands Police along with Susan East, our Neighbourhood Coordinator from Solihull MBC, will be available for you to discuss any issues at Meriden Library on Monday mornings from 10.00am – 12.00 noon on the following dates: 8th March, 12th April and 10th May.

PARISH PRECEPT FOR 2010/11

The Parish Precept for 2010 /2011 has been set at £32,736. This is approximately a 39% reduction on the precept for 2009/2010 creating a decrease of around £17 per annum for a Band D property. This reduction is predominantly due to unspent funds previously allocated for professional fees in respect of the development of the playing fields and new play facility at Hampton Lane. Additionally, the parish council now has sufficient funds allocated to the public conveniences project.

COMMUNITY SPEEDWATCH

We still need more volunteers to come forward. This initiative from the West Midlands Police is being successfully carried out in Tidbury Green, Balsall Common, Berkswell and Hampton-in-Arden. As a volunteer you will be trained in an informal setting, and then when you attend your first speed watch you will be supervised by our West Midlands Police representative, WPC Sharon Williams. Once WPC Williams is satisfied that all our volunteers are able to carry out a speed watch correctly, we can then arrange our own sessions when it suits us and report the information back to the police.

The next Community Speed Watch training session is scheduled for either Saturday 10th April or 1st May at Hamptonin-Arden’s Parish Office and if you are already trained we still need volunteers for the next speed watch session on 11th March at 3pm on Fillongley Road and 18th March at 12pm by the duck pond. If you’d like to volunteer for training or take part in the next sessions, contact Councillor Sarah Markham at sarah.markham2001@googlemail.com, or telephone Julie Hall, Parish Clerk on 01676 522727.

Your Parish Councillors are:

Rosie Weaver, Bob Kipling, Graeme Goodsir; Shirley Goodsir; Marilyn Hamilton; Melanie Lee; Sarah Markham; Will Markham (Chair) (Vice Chair)

KenAllsopp DavidBell DrPeterLea

UPDATE ON DEVELOPMENT AT MAXSTOKE LANE/HAMPTON LANE

Work will soon commence on our new playing fields with the aim to complete by the end of the year. In the meantime, the parish council is in consultation with David Wilson Homes and Solihull Council to agree a selection of playing equipment that has been specifically recommended by the children at Meriden Primary School and the Scouts.

Solihull Council’s planning committee approved the plans for the development of 82 homes on 11th December 2009, subject to several conditions. You can read these by going to the council’s website at www.solihull.gov.uk then click on Planning Services, then 1. Design and Development & Planning Applications, then Search by Planning Application Number which is 1513, Year is 2009.

Between now and the next issue of the Meriden Mag, you can keep abreast of updates on our blog, Centre of England News, which can be found on our website www.meridenparishcouncil.org.uk.

THE PARISH COUNCIL WOULD LIKE TO THANK

Our children and young people from Meriden Primary School and the Scouts who donated their time to consult with Rosie and Julie, our chair and clerk for the parish council in recommending ideal playing equipment for the new playing fields.

Our older residents who suggested we should increase the number of benches around the new playing fields and include a selection of gym equipment on the site that would suit older people.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

About the new street lighting around the village, About Solihull’s increased recycling boxes, bags, and wheelie bins?

If you don’t tell us, we’ll never know. So why not come to the Joint Surgery with Ward Councillors on Wednesday 10th March at 7:30pm. Don’t forget to book your slot with Julie, our clerk, on 01676 522727.

DID YOU KNOW?

Since working closely with Solihull Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour team, the parish council has found that ASB incidents are on the decline in the parish.

The Parish Council has had a steady stream of compliments over the improved appearance of Meriden’s Duck Pond. As featured in the last issue of Meriden Mag, it’s thanks to our partnership work with Solihull Council, Enterprise, Npower and the Eco Club from Meriden Primary School.

Feeding waterfowl white bread, leads to them developing a disease called ‘Angel Wing’ which causes their flight feathers to grow too fast. This is where one or both wings droop and turn outwards (sometimes mistaken as a broken wing). This hampers or prevents flying and has serious impacts, since the birds cannot escape from predators. To avoid this, swans and geese should only be fed low protein foods, or other foods such as grass, lettuce or seeds –they should not be fed white bread.

Our Community Speed Watch has so far noted that 80% of vehicles driving through the parish are exceeding 30 miles an hour. As chair and a Speed Watch volunteer, Rosie is now campaigning with Meriden Primary School to lower the speed limit around the school to 20 miles an hour.

Meriden Parish Council was the first council in the borough to start its own blog. Other councils now realise this is a valuable way of communicating. We were also the first council to use Twitter in the borough, www.twitter.com/MeridenParish.

4.5 miles

The walk starts from the Queen’s Head pub in Meriden. Alongside the pub is Eaves Green Lane. Follow the lane under the A45 to the junction with Showell Lane. Turn right here, go past the caravan park and a red brick bungalow then look for the fingerposted stile on your left signed the Heart of England Way. Climb the stile and follow the waymarks to the riding paddocks and equestrian ring.

If there is an event taking place walk round the perimeter, otherwise continue straight across the paddocks to reach a kissing gate on the far side at the entrance to Meriden Shafts. Follow the path through the larch plantation to another kissing gate. Turn left here into a sunken bridle track. The track is enclosed between holly hedges and is likely to be muddy in wet weather, but pedestrians can usually wriggle round the worst sections.

Eventually the track merges into a tarmac lane and continues past several smallholdings and a riding school. Follow the lane to a junction. Turn left here and in a few yards fork right into Beck’s Lane and follow it to the main Meriden-Fillongley road.

Turn right on the main road then left into Kinwalsey Lane. The short 50 yard walk along the main road is unfortunately in the middle of an S bend so please do be careful of the traffic. Follow Kinwalsey Lane to the marked stile on your left just before the corner of Close Wood and follow the signed footpath alongside the edge of the wood past a small pond. Climb the stile directly ahead of you into the wood and follow the well used path straight through the wood to a field on the far side.

Cross straight over the field aiming to the right of the Dutch Barn ahead to reach the farm track leading to High Ash Farm. Turn left and follow the farm track to the main road. Cross the road into Lodge Green Lane opposite and follow the lane to a marked stile on your right. Follow the signed footpath across the field to Walsh Lane. Turn left and follow Walsh lane over the A45 to reach Eaves Green Lane. Turn right here and retrace your steps back to the Queen’s Head.

Note : Some of the stiles mentioned may have been converted into metal kissing gates. This walk can be found on the Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 221

A Coventry Way Challenge – April 18th

You are invited to take part in the 13th ‘A Coventry Way Challenge’ on April 18th. The 40 mile Challenge is to circumnavigate Coventry on foot within 15 hours following series of footpaths and bridleways in the countryside around the City. The event starts and finishes at Meriden Village Hall.

Many entries have already been received, several hoping to improve on their time for the event. Indeed Mark Swift of Allesley is hoping to notch up his 10th circuit. They also come from much further away. Last year the course record was broken (by 1 minute) by Peter Jaworisky of Innsbruck in 5 hours 21 minutes. Peter hopes to improve on this time in April. Others are already out in the countryside getting in some walking practice, preparing to complete the circuit at their first attempt in a more realistic 13 to 14 hours.

The route is marked on the OS Explorer maps 221 and 222. Further information of ‘A Coventry Way’ and of the Challenge can be obtained from the internet at ‘www.acoventryway.org.uk’ including details of how to enter the event. Or give Bob Carey (024 7645 5221) or Bob Brandon (024 7650 5050) a ring to gain an answer to any query.

Thanks to Brian Keates for providing this walk, Brian is warden co ordinator for the Heart of England Way.

Meriden Shafts/Close Wood Bluebell Walk

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T Thhe e S Stteeeerriinng g G Grroouup p m moovvees s ffoorrwwaarrd d

When the Parish Plan Steering Group was formed over 2 years ago, its main task was to undertake the survey and appraisal and steer the appraisal into a plan of actions. The plan has now been in circulation since October 2009 and the steering group have met to discuss how to take the actions forward. So, in November, it re-branded itself as the Meriden Plan Action Group.

The Action Plan will not happen by itself. The community cannot just rely on Solihull Council and the other statutory agencies to implement it. The Parish Council themselves are unpaid volunteers and can’t do it on their own. They require active support and assistance from all sections of Meriden’s community.

So we appeal to residents to step forward and volunteer. If you have a particular area of interest for the future of Meriden Parish, consider which of the following action points you would like to be involved in. Below we highlight the action points we have started to make progress on with a reminder of other action points that need volunteers to take it forward.

1.1 The Parish will work with Solihull Council to produce a “Village Design Statement” (VDS). We would seek to have the VDS adopted by Solihull Council as supplementary planning guidance. This is now established and we have studied Balsall Common’s Village Design Statement and engaged two representatives from Solihull Council to push forward our VDS.

2.4 Press for the early completion of the new playing facilities.

This is progressing well. David Wilson Homes aims to complete the playing facilities this year. The Action Group members have presented the recommended equipment for children and younger people as chosen by students at Meriden Primary School and the Scouts.

3.1 Work with Age Concern to recruit more volunteers in the village under their Neighbourhood Care Scheme.

3.2 Actively support Age Concern’s Linking People Project (in conjunction with the Pensions Service) in Meriden, which we successfully lobbied for.

3.3 Publicise services for older people, to ensure that they are aware of the services available. Action group members have been in contact with Age Concern to drive these points forward.

5.3 Support the Community Speed Watch initiative

The initial recruitment of volunteers and their police training started in 2009. Speed watch recording commenced in October 2009 and is ongoing. More volunteers are needed to achieve best results and co-ordinate Speed watch sessions with neighbouring villages.

7.1 Having successfully made the case for more effective community policing, including an extra Police Community Support Officer (PCS0), seek a regular base within the village. The extra PCSO was appointed in October 2009. The Action Group is in discussion with West Midlands Police to convert the defunct public conveniences into the PCSO’s regular base with storage facilities for the Parish Council.

As a reminder, a selection of other action points from the plan is listed below. If you see something that interests you, volunteer your services.

5.5 Liaise closely with the police and Solihull Council’s traffic team to increase awareness of how to record, log and report incidents of inconsiderate pavement parking.

6.5 Research what other local communities have done to address energy saving and reducing their carbon footprint.

9.2 Make provision for some children’s play facility in Millison’s Wood.

We discussed the children’s play facility at Millison’s Wood at the last MPAG meeting. The parish council have already exhausted this project. A piece of land owned by SMBC was identified but an independent assessor has carried out an assessment, which has, for various reasons, deemed it unsuitable for a play facility. The parish council/SMBC has been unable to identify any other land to continue with this project a this time.

9.7 Make the Meriden Festival appealing to more of the community with clubs and societies showcasing their activities

There are 50 action points in total, under 9 themes, so volunteers for any one point will help to action 2 or 3 related points at the same time. To volunteer, please contact Iain Roxburgh on 01676 522496 or email him at IainRoxburgh@btinternet.com, or come along to the next Meriden Plan Action Group meeting which will be held at the Heart of England Social Club on Monday, 1st March at 7:30pm.

If you have nothing planned for the evening of Saturday 6th March then why not come along to our Spring Ball at the Strawberry Bank Hotel in Meriden, which is in aid of the Alzheimer’s Society. During the evening you will be able to enjoy a fourcourse meal with live Cabaret to follow. You will also have the opportunity to try your luck at our Giant Tombola or bid for an item on the Silent Auction. And if you can’t face the journey home, reduced room rates are available by booking directly with the hotel. This will be our 12th Annual Dinner Dance and it is priced at just £32 per person. Please tell your friends and family about it and come along to help us to raise lots of money for this very worthy cause.

For more details and to book your tickets please contact David Jackson on 0121 770 0223.

One of the advantages of being 70 is that you only need 4 hours sleep. You do need it four times a day, but still!!

East Midlands Swimming Academy The Midlands most prestigious swimming academy, are now offering swimming lessons in your area at The Marriott Forest of Arden Hotel, Maxstoke Lane, Meriden

–6.00pm

- 12.30pm

The launch event for Solihull in Bloom will be in Solihull Town Centre on 27th March from 10.30am-3.30pm where there will be free seeds being handed out, mosaic workshops, bird box making and other activities. We will be launching the 2010 floral garden competition – entry forms will be available at the end of March from your local library and printed in the Solihull Times as well as applying online at www.solihull.gov.uk. There are various categories from schools to pubs and restaurants to residents’ gardens and hanging baskets. We had some good entries and winners from Meriden last year so keep up the good work. Please phone 0121 704 6546 for more information.

Events in Solihull

Star Gazing Thursday 18th March (2 hours approx) Dorridge park (if conditions not suitable March24th)

Community Clean up Action Day Saturday March 27th 2-3.30pm Lavender Hall Park Balsall Common

Ranger Road Show Tuesday April 6th 10-3.00pm Mell Square Solihull Meet the park Ranger team and find out more about what they do

Pond Dipping Saturday April 24th 11-1.00pm Marston Green Park

Music in the Park Sunday May 2nd 2-4.15 pm Malvern Park Solihull

Gardener’s Delight Day Saturday May15th 11-4.00pm Malvern Park and Mell Square Solihull

Nature Walk Saturday May 29th 1.30pm Lavender Hall Park Balsall Common (These are just a selection of events in Solihull, more details are in the Events Guide available at the library)

After a short break we’re ready to start again!

Our bookings for the year are

Friday March 19th Black Country Night at the Heart of England Club

Sunday August 22nd Open gardens in Meriden

Friday October 8th In The Pink Night Ladies Night at Strawberry Bank Hotel

Friday December 3rd Live group Vivo at the Heart of England Club We have been collecting outside Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s supermarkets this year and we have a rota of two hour slots with two people at a time. If anyone feels they can help us and support CRUK with a two hour slot we would be very grateful. Last year was financially rewarding and very satisfying. if any body would like to help and get the “feel good factor” please give us a ring.

Mary Warr 522160

Jan Wade 522118

Carol Lindique and other committee members

Black Country Night Country Heart

of England Club

Friday March 19th

£12 to include Fish and Chips 7.30pm to eat at 7.45pm

Humour, music and fish and chips are on the menu.

Please buy or reserve tickets in advance as the food has to be ordered before the night Tickets from 522160 or 522118 Or 017811 613905

Can you help identify these people?

3

Kneeling L to R ?, Violet Higginson, ?, ?.

“Together we can beat Cancer”

Top Row L to R Joan Thompson, Muriel Cliffe, Bill Walker, ?,Doris Jones, Cherry Jackson.

2nd Row L to R Robert Gould, Elsie Hunt, John Kirkham, Violet Russell, David Richards, John Wall

rd Row L to R Kathleen Roberts, ?, John Moore ,Jimmy Morrison, Grace Young, Ralph Carter

Meriden School Class 5 1933 teacher Mrs Higton

Date Time StartPoint

Join Cyclesolihull’s Community Cycle Rides this spring!

Route Miles

Sat6March 10am BalsallCommon(library) Str. 20-25

Sun14March 2pm SolihullLodge(DaisyFarm park) S10 12

Sun28March 2pm Meriden(TheGreen) M5 16

Sat3April 10am BruetonPark(WarwickRd) Str. 20-25

B.H.Mon5April 2pm DorridgePark(carpark) Tstr. 5

Sun11April 2pm DickensHeath(library) S4 9

Sun18April 2pm ShirleyPark(behindAldi) M1 15

Sun25April 2pm Knowle(parishchurch) S2 9

Sat1May 10am Dorridge(railstation) Str. 20-25

B.H.Mon3May 2pm DickensHeath(library) Tstr. 5

Sun9May 2pm BalsallCommon(library) L1 20

Sun16May 2pm Cath-de-Barnes(theBoatInn) S3 9

Wed19May 7pm Dorridge(railstation) S1 9

Sun23May 2pm CheswickGreen(shops) M6 17

Thur 27May 7pm MalvernPark(playground) S7 8

Sun30May 2pm HockleyHeath(postoffice) M3 17

Str. = longer monthly Saturday Stretcher ride. Tstr. = short introductory ride.

In 2010 there will be a range of rides suitable for everyone – from 5 miles to 25 miles, from a variety of start points, including Meriden. Cycling brings together people of all ages, is great fun, good for your health and, as an added bonus, all the Cyclesolihull rides are free!

Full and up-to-date details of all Cyclesolihull rides, including Special Rides on 17th April and 8th May, are available at www.cyclesolihull.org.uk or contact : Stephen Holt on 01564 779235.

DATE EVENT VENUE TIME CONTACT

1st March W I

Village Hall 7.30pm Joan Russell 522666

1st March Meriden Action Plan H of E Club 7.30 pm Ian Roxburgh 522496

2nd March Bishop of Coventry visit Meriden School Morning Mrs J Smith 522488

5th March Women’s world day of prayer Methodist Church 2.00pm Rev Charlesworth 533737

6th March Charity Ball Strawberry Bank David Jackson 0121 7700223

8th March Community Surgery Library 10.00am–12noon 522717

10th March Readers Circle 7.30pm Mike Watkinson 521496

10th March PCC joint surgery Village Hall 7.30pm Julie Hall 522727

14th March Mothering Sunday Service St Laurence Church 10.30am Peter Wright 522414

15th March Flower Club Village Hall 7.30pm Mo Reynolds 521457

19th March Black Country Night H of E Club 7.30pm Mary Warr 522160

19th March Firs Coffee Morning Jubilee Centre B.C. 10.00am-12 noon Malcolm Gratton 523505

20th March Hampton Players Quiz Fentham Hall 7.00pm Mo George 01675 442432

24th March RSPCA Fashion Show Village Hall 7.30pm Cathy 522912

26th March CAMEO Community Centre 2.00pm Ellen 522534

28th March Palm Sunday Service St Laurence Church 10.30am Peter Wright 522414

28th March Clocks go Forward

28th March Cyclesolihull Ride The Green 2.00pm 01564 779235

29th March Parish Council Meeting Village Hall 7.30pm Julie Hall 522727

1st April Maundy Thursday Service Methodist Church 6.00pm Rev Charlesworth 533737

1st April Coffee Morning Library 10-12.00 noon 522717

2nd April Good Friday Service St Laurence Church 12 noon Peter Wright 522414

4th April Easter Day Holy Communion St Laurence Church 8.00am Peter Wright 522414

4th April Easter Day Service Methodist Church 10.30am Rev Charlesworth 533737

8/12/15 April Children’s Easter activities Library 10.00am – 4.00pm 522717

12th April W.I. Village Hall 7.30pm Joan Russell 522666

12th April Community Surgery Library 10.00am–12noon 522717

14th April Parish Council Meeting Village Hall 7.30pm Julie Hall 522727

14th April Readers Circle 7.30pm Mike Watkinson 521496

!4th April Supper Club Methodist Church 7.00pm Maureen 522148

15th April Healthy Lifestyle Event Oliver Bird Hall 10.00am-3.00pm Tracy 0121 705 9128

15th April Blood Donors H of E Club 1.30-3.30 4.30-7.30 0300 123 2323

16th April Firs Coffee Morning Jubilee Centre B.C. 10.00am-12 noon Malcolm Gratton 523505

18th April Coventry Way Challenge Village Hall Bob Carey 02476 455221

19th April Flower Club Village Hall 7.30pm Mo Reynolds 521457

23rd April CAMEO Community Centre 2.00pm Ellen 522534

25th April Annual Parochial meeting St Laurence Church After 10.30 service Peter Wright 522414

26th April Parish Council Meeting Village Hall 7.30pm Julie Hall 522727

1st May Bluebell trail Millison’s Wood 10.30 am-3.00pm 0121 704 6546

3rd May Meriden Mag deadline 522963/522453

10th May W.I. Village Hall 7.30pm Joan Russell 522666

10th May Rotary Theatre Charity night “Allo Allo”

Priory Theatre Kenilworth Ian 535490

10th May Community Surgery Library 10.00am-12 noon 522 717

12th May Parish Council Meeting Village Hall 7.30pm Julie Hall 522727

12th May Readers Circle 7.30pm Mike Watkinson 521496

15/16 May Cyclist Weekend Harry 0121 353 5814

16th May Cyclist Service The Green 11.00am Harry 0121 353 5814

16th May Knowle Fun Run From 9.30am 08458 335894

17th May Flower Club Village Hall 7.30pm Mo Reynolds 521457

18th May Rotary’s Don Maclean Night Manor Hotel Ian 535490

19th May WI Group Meeting Village Hall 2.00pm Joan Russell 522666

21st May Firs Coffee Morning Jubilee Centre B.C. 10.00am-12 noon Malcolm Gratton 523505

28th May CAMEO Community Centre 2.00pm Ellen 522534

Out and About this Spring

Kenilworth Castle

Take your family to one of England’s most spectacular castle ruins in Warwickshire, and discover links to some major historical figures – including ‘Bad’ King John, Henry V, and Henry VIII. However, Kenilworth is most famously associated with Robert Dudley and Queen Elizabeth I. Elizabeth kept Dudley’s last letter to her in a casket by her bed until she died. View a copy of this letter, and explore Leicester’s gatehouse where Dudley courted his Queen – both part of a multi-million pound investment. This includes two exhibitions, a brand new audio tour that brings Kenilworth’s eventful past to life and the recreation of the original Elizabethan garden.

Kenilworth Castle is open daily between 10am to 5pm after March 1st. There is an admission charge.

Special Events Easter Sunday April 4th and Bank holiday Monday Medieval Knights on display. Sunday May 2nd and Bank Holiday Monday Elizabeth Returns, this is living history on site and will be focusing on the new Elizabethan garden Refreshments –café open April to October Shop Exhibition in Leicester’s Barn

Birmingham Back to Backs

Birmingham's last surviving court of back-to-back housing has been fully restored by the Birmingham Conservation Trust and the National Trust. Thousands of houses like these were built, literally back-to-back, around courtyards, for the rapidly increasing population of Britain's expanding industrial towns. The story of the site is told through the experiences of the people who lived and worked here. Visitors move through four different periods, from 1840 to the 1970s. The design of each interior reflects the varied cultures, religions and professions of the families who made their homes here. A special World War 11 event is taking place from 3-9 May (excluding 4 May)

Get fit, stay active, have fun with Knowle Fun Run - Sunday 16th May

Entries are open for Solihull’s biggest Fun Run. Why not join over 2000 runners for the 5 mile/2 lap course around the traffic-free streets of Knowle with a great community atmosphere. There are individual categories for all ages and team trophies to be won by Junior & Secondary teams. Why not enter your children for the Mini runs (years 1-4) Tell your friends you are running to help raise funds for Teenage Cancer Trust, Parkinson’s Disease Society, fly2help & local causes Full details and enter online at www.KnowleFunRun.org.uk now

Easter Egg trails

at Baddesley Clinton on Sunday 4th April and Packwood House on Monday 5th April (£3 per trail)

What’s on at the NEC

Crufts Dog Show 11-14 March

National Home Builder and Renovating Show 18-21 March

Sewing for Pleasure and Hobbycrafts 25-28 March

Outdoors Show 26-28 March

British Open Show Jumping 7 –10 April

Lord Leicester’s Gatehouse

Meriden Tree of Thought

I am delighted to advise that our 2009 Tree raised £4015 for Macmillan Cancer Support. This really is a fabulous amount especially in rather uneasy times. It is entirely down to human kindness and consideration for others, which cannot be overstated. Clearly I do not know the individuals who contributed to the collections in the Tearooms, Spar Shop, News Express & Lloyds but, whoever you are, thank you so very much.

It is however, only right that you are aware of the local organisations who support the Village in such a positive way. Donations were received from: the Earl & Countess of Aylesford, DeMulder Enterprises, Rockwell, Pertemps, Cassidy Developments, N. E Hawthorne & Son, Groundwork Cov & Warwicks, Cogent Elliott, B.D.W. Trading, Centre of England Charity Shop, Holte Lodge, Allesley Press & Spar Shop.

At the instigation of Liz Spencer we received a truly amazing amount from the Wishing Well at Notcutts of Shirley, which was raised by staff and customers. Thanks go to her, Jack, and all involved.

The Forest of Arden Hotel was good enough to allow me to run a fund raising competition and in addition to the previously mentioned outlets, the Village Store in Berkswell offered to display dedication forms. Those of you who were unable to attend the dedication missed a treat!

The children of Meriden School were brilliant and I believe that all who were there had an enjoyable time. Canon Eardley, Carol Maclure, Ron Potter, Kevin Hunt, Clive Jones, John Sleath and Jon Rogers, along with Mrs Smith and her staff made the day possible.

The tree itself is there as a symbol, which I believe our village deserves and I so hope you all enjoy its presence and what it stands for.

Far too few of us have not witnessed the dreadful effects of cancer on a friend or loved one. I certainly have and that is why I know we are all doing something extremely special for many local people in that situation.

Since I created our Tree of Thought in November 2005, the amount raised for Macmillan stands at £20,248 MY SINCERE THANKS GO TO ALL THOSE MENTIONED ABOVE AND INDEED TO EVERYONE WHO PLAYS THEIR PART.

Alan Lole

1st April- 31st October Monday-Friday 8.00am-8.00pm Saturday and Sunday 8.00am-4.30pm

Last admission 15 minutes before closing time

Meriden

Meriden Library 01676 522717

Meriden Surgery 01676 522252

Lloyds Chemist 01676 522722

St.

Meriden

Meriden

Parish Council Julie Hall (Clerk) 01676 522727