MeridenMag Autumn 2017

Meriden Mag

Autumn 2017 See inside for details for Remembrance Sunday Fillongley Road Bridge Closure Village News,Events and Photos

PTA - SUMMER FAYRE Our fantastic group of PTA members pulled off a wonderful Summer Fayre once again. There were all sorts of stalls and fun activities ranging from a Coconut Shy, golf, raffles, bouncy slides, Pimms Tent and of course ‘Teacher in the Stocks’. A good thing the weather was so kind to us that day as the children (and adults) took great delight in soaking several of our ‘willing’ teachers! With thanks to the PTA and the support of many helpers, they raised a staggering £1748.90.

Thanks to all of you who came along and supported us at Meriden Primary once again.

Good Luck!

We wish our Year 6 the best of luck for the future. They have been a fantastic class and have been great ambassadors for the school.

We are very proud of their achievements and look forward to hearing about their successes in the future.

KS2 production - ‘DREAM ON’ In July just before the end of the Summer term, we saw the Key Stage 2 production of an adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night’s Dream, ‘Dream On’. The children had worked so hard on perfecting their performance with enthusiasm, energy, humour and teamwork! As I’m sure those of you who saw it will agree, they brought the house down! A huge thank you to pupils, parents and staff who contributed to making the production such a huge success.

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End of year memorable events…

Here at Meriden Primary School, we have had a busy summer term of class trips, camp outs, sporting events, the Key Stage 2 Production, Church and library visits, the PTA Summer Fayre, Competitions, KiVa progress and much more.

Year 6 said their sad goodbyes, but not before they made everyone cry with their final assembly on the last day. All children were awarded with a trophy for being a superb year 6, but special mentions went to Seren for Sportsmanship, Lucy for Progress and Alfie for Achievement. Meriden Governors also presented an award for overall attitude and commitment to ‘the Meriden way’ to Hannah.

The final assembly also saw the Chris Fryer Courtesy Award being awarded to Kara in Year 5, for being someone who is always polite and friendly. The Queen’s Jubilee Cup, donated by Meriden United Charities, went to Mckenzie in Year 6. He has always managed to keep his sunny smile, no matter what life has thrown at him.

Awards for 100% attendance were given and the names of those children who had been in school every day went into a prize draw for an Amazon Fire Tablet!

A huge thank you as always goes to our PTA who organised a very successful summer fayre.

Our end of year service was also held this year at school and the children enjoyed giving their thanks to God for their learning experiences and friendships made during the year.

Earlier in the summer term, Mr Wainwright and Mr Beamond had the privilege of helping train 6 local schools in using the KiVa anti-bullying programme.

This was such a proud moment for our school as much was shared of our journey with regard to antibullying issues and our successes along the way.

These included our BBC news item, our school's visit to Northern Ireland to share good practice and of course the children's well-being significantly improving as central to it all! Our head boy and girl, Matthew and Hannah, along with Taliah, went along to answer questions and act as ambassadors for our school and made us all very proud.

. Reading Focus and Life-Long Learning At Meriden, part of our vision for education is around Life-Long Learning. Year 6 had the exciting opportunity to catch the bus into Birmingham City Centre and visit the city library and Waterstones. Our PTA kindly donated money for each of the children to choose any book to take with them to their new school. The booksellers helped to recommend exciting new texts and some children even got a signed copy of Greg James' new book 'Kid Normal.' A brilliant day was had by all. The books were presented to the children during the end of year service, along with bibles presented by Reverend Lynda.

  Assistant curate Rev Lynda Lilley 01676 522825 Mobile 07811 545 247 (for emergency use only) email: rev.lynda.lilley@talktalk.net  Lay Reader: Peter Wright 01676 522414  Church Wardens: Jonathan Douglas 01676 522455  Lis Willis 01676 521080 www.stlaurence-meriden.co.uk Although I had trained as a tea

  Jesus said, “Let the little children come unto me.’’ Matthew 19:14 

At St Laurence we are blessed with many very fine stained glass windows.

One of them, the West window, is almost hidden from sight in the West Room (the ringing room of the tower). In some ways it seems unimportant but when you look at that window and see that it depicts Jesus telling his disciples, “Let the little children come unto me.” It takes on a whole new meaning. In generations past there might have been the sense that children should be seen and not heard – or preferably not seen! In today’s world we recognise how valuable children are. They are a gift from God – they are not the future – they are the present. Often, as a church particularly, we have struggled to make the children, and their families, welcome. Firstly, I would like to say that children are always most welcome to join us in our 10:30am service – though I appreciate that this doesn’t necessarily meet the needs of themselves or their families. We offer a warm welcome to everyone – all ages from cradle to grave – but in an effort to make an even greater welcome to ‘the little children’ we will be holding a Teddy Bears’ Picnic at 4pm on Sunday 17th September. Children are invited to bring their families, a picnic … and their teddy bear along. There will be craft, games and activities for everyone to join with – there may even be a parachute jump from the top of the tower if any of our teddies are feeling brave! Juice and biscuits will be provided. The Teddy Bears’ Picnic will launch our new Kidz Praise service that will be at 4pm each 3rd Sunday of the month. See alongside for details.

Of course, we are all children of God and we must never lose the child inside us. To live life to its fullest we must retain our inquisitive nature, our sense for adventure, our ability and willingness to try new things and most of all, our reliance on our parent … God, our Father in heaven.

He wants us to have good things, He has plans for us; plans to prosper, not to harm. (Jeremiah 29:11) With blessings, 

Teddy Bears’ Picnic Sunday 17th September 4pm The church will be open on Sunday afternoons from 12noon to 4pm up to and including October 22nd.

Everyone is welcome to visit this beautiful historic church.

Do you have a spare hour or two on a Sunday afternoon?

Why not volunteer to help keep the church open to visitors

Please contact Flick Blewitt on 01676 523229

Service details for the autumn 03/09/17

10:30am

Holy Communion

10/09/17 17/09/17

10:30am 10:30am

Morning Prayer Holy Communion

17/09/17 24/09/17

4pm 10:30am

Teddy Bears’ Picnic Baptism

30/09/17 01/10/17

10:30am 10:30am

Celtic Service Holy Communion

08/10/17 15/10/17

10:30am 10:30am

Morning Prayer Holy Communion

15/10/17 22/10/17

4pm 10:30am

Kidz Praise Morning Prayer

29/10/17 05/11/17

10:30am 10:30am

Songs of Praise Holy Communion

05/11/17 12/11/17

4pm 10:00am

19/11/17

10:30am

Bereavement Service Remembrance Day Service at The Methodist Church Holy Communion

19/11/17 26/11/17

4pm 10:30am

Kidz Praise Baptism

 Come along to enjoy a cuppa and cake.

2pm-4pm Every second Friday of the month at The Pavilion.

The new social venue for everyone.

Meriden Churches together are hosting a new initiative – a community cafe. We have a fantastic community here in Meriden but we’d like to make it even better! th 8 September 13th October 10th November

  

Saturday 28th October 7.30pm “Time of their Lives” (12A)

Autumn and winter programme at Meriden Village Hall We are delighted that Live and Local, Warwick, which provides the facility for our Big Picture Shows has secured funding for a further year in order to subsidize our screenings as well as those in villages throughout Warwickshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire. 2017 has seen the production of some excellent films and we look forward to receiving the rights to screen films such as “Churchill”, “Jackie” “Hampstead” and “Dunkirk” in the New Year. In the meantime, we have a varied programme to offer for the autumn and we look forward to welcoming old and new supporters back to the Village Hall screenings.

Saturday 30th September 7.30pm “A United Kingdom” (12A) A true life story set in 1947, when the King of Botswana falls in love with a white woman. Through political and social prejudice, they risk everything to be together – their families, their homes and even their countries. Starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike, this is a real life love story interlaced with political drama.

A feel-good comedy starring Joan Collins and Pauline Collins. A former Hollywood star breaks out of her London retirement home in order to travel to France to gate-crash the funeral of an ex-lover. Aided and abetted by a repressed housewife (Pauline Collins) the couple, on meagre resources, travel by coach, ferry, car and foot in a race to get to the funeral on time. A film about true friendship, proving that the importance of a journey does not always lie in the destination.

Saturday 25th November 7.30pm “Viceroy’s House” (12A) Hugh Bonneville stars as Lord Mountbatten who is appointed to manage the transition of India’s independence. The film also explores the devastating impact of partition.

Tickets (£5.00) will be printed and available for sale 3 weeks before each screening.

We are most grateful to “Fordes on the Green”, Hairdressers on the Village Green for continuing to sell tickets for us. Tickets and advance reservations also available from Chris Copper (01676 522645)

£5 off Voucher when two or more people dine in

Parties and outside catering available

Take away service

Quote from the Coventry Telegraph: “Revealed: Best Indian restaurant in the West Midlands isn’t in Birmingham!”

“Want the best curry in the West Midlands? Then head for Meriden, according to official Tripadvisor statistics. Meriden Spice Indian restaurant situated in Old Road Meriden has been crowned the region’s best-rated restaurant for Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi food on the popular review web site.”

  

10% discount on collection Free home delivery service 4 miles radius Minimum order £15

One free chicken or vegetable curry with every Takeaway order of £25 or more Not to be used with any other voucher

Minister Rev Jane Braund Tel :01676 Ps 533737 If you are around on the second Friday of every month between 2 and 4 it would be lovely to meet Please phone to arrange you over a cup of coffee or tea at the Pavilion.

In Meriden marriages, baptisms and funerals Keep a look out for Services: Sunday 10:30am.

Dear Friends This year is going by so quickly and it seems incredible to me that once again the evenings are starting to draw in and we are fast approaching Harvest time. As I've been driving recently, or walking through the fields with my husband, it is evident that harvest time is near, with the maize standing tall in the fields and many of the other crops turning golden, ready to be harvested. Even on the trees, the conkers and chestnuts are growing bigger as the beginning of autumn approaches.

Since ancient times, it has been traditional to celebrate the safe gathering in of the harvest in various ways. It was the Rev Robert Hawker who in 1843, while living in Morwenstow in Cornwall, began the British tradition of celebrating Harvest Festival in churches, when he invited people to a special thanksgiving service at his church. Since then the custom has grown and many churches are now decorated with home-grown produce for Harvest Festival Services. At the Methodist church in Meriden we are planning to celebrate our Harvest Festival on 24th September, followed later that week by our Harvest Supper. We do hope you can join us for these events.

In recent years, while churches still celebrate the harvest that has been produced, there has also been a growing awareness and concern for those in other parts of the world where the harvest has failed or has not been sufficient for the needs of the people. Many churches therefore, use the time of harvest to support relief organisations, who are working to help those who have been affected by poor harvests. In Leviticus 23:22 God gives instructions on how to harvest. He tells the people 'Don't reap to the edges or gather the gleanings'; He tells them not to go over the vineyards a second time or pick up grapes or other produce that had fallen to the ground. Why? Because he wants to ensure that there is a harvest for the poor, the foreigner, the fatherless and the widow. As a gracious and compassionate God, He was making sure there was provision for everybody. We have so much to be thankful for, and as we give thanks to God this harvest time for all his provision let us also remember that there are many in poverty, both in this nation and abroad; many who are fleeing war and finding no safe haven; many who are facing injustice, persecution and hardship. May we be willing to share our harvest, by doing our best to help, support and provide for them. 

PS. If you are around on the second Friday of every month between 2pm and 4pm it would be lovely to meet you over a cup of coffee or tea at the Pavilion.

Meriden Methodist Diary Dates Sunday 24th September Harvest Festival 10.30am Wednesday 27th September-Supper Club - Roberto Troiolo from the Gideons.

Friday 3rd November-Supper Club John Green JP "The Days of our Lives" Sunday 12th November 10.15am Remembrance Sunday Friday 15th December - Christmas Supper and Quiz Night.

Everyone welcome For information about supper club please contact Gail on 07913 872280 or 02476 272752

The Methodist Church Hall Is available for hire Please contact Alan Gabbitas on

01676 522148

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18 Sept.

Meetings are held at Meriden Village Hall 7. 30 – 9.30pm approx On the 3rd Monday of The month “At This Time of Year” Anita Wright

16 Oct.

Practice Class

20 Nov.

“Bloomington Christmas” Zoe Podmore

Alison Suffolk

New members are always welcome For more information please contact Mo Reynolds 01676 521 457

Christmas Fayre Saturday 2nd December Meriden Village Hall 10.30 to 12.30 Entrance £2 to include coffee, tea and Mince Pie. Lot's to see and do!

Fresh Christmas wreaths for sale £10 or order one to collect later, Make your own Christmas decoration (with help) Xmas presents already wrapped at a £1 each, Pull out a bottle for a £1 - a win every time.

Super raffle and lots more!

  

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September 4th 11th 18th 25th

Keith Brett Dean Thomas Anthony Hardy MickyDean

  Marie October 2nd Natasha 9th Stevie Best  16th Sam Southall  23rd Marade 30th Marade  ALLAN SMITH SLATING  November 6th Guy Surtees  13th Chrissy  20th 2 Left Feet 27th Mickey Dean    

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Part P Registered

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Fuse box upgrades  Test and inspection Extra lights and sockets Security lights Full or partial rewires Digital TV aerials  Free quotations

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The Old Forge Stores, 68 Balsall St, Balsall Common CV7 7AP T: 01676 530695 Mob: 07775 515504

   

   

 Saturday 23rd September 60’s Retro Band - Tickets £5 Saturday 14th October Multi-award winning Lee Alexander as Elvis - Tickets £5 Sunday 5th November Bonfire Night and Fireworks Spectacular 6pm fireworks from 6.45 approximately Tickets available from the bar and on the night Every Friday Bingo 7.30pm Karaoke 9.30pm  

                

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Spar, 1 The Green, Meriden 01676 522287

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We are very proud to announce that thanks to everyone’s generosity we have been able to donate £3500 to our chosen charity The Alzheimer’s Society. We have also made a donation of £500 to the Memory Lane theatre company which helps people with dementia and provided new lights for Meriden Village Hall. We are just starting a new season of concerts and this year will be supporting the Huntington’s Disease Association.

***Advance news*** we are delighted to have been invited back to the Manor Hotel to perform our Christmas concert again this year, on Sunday 10th December. Due to the popularity of last year’s sell-out concert it has been decided to do two performances at 2.00pm and 7.00pm.

If you would like to put your name down on the advance ticket order After a fantastic total last year list please email val.simon@btinternet.com stating how many The Firebird Singers are holding tickets and which performance you would like. Alternately you can telephone 01676 522963. Tickets are all priced at £6 each.

We are very grateful to the Meriden Sports Park Trust for their recent grant which will go towards the cost of staging our September Concert Divas and Legends.

Firebird Singers present “Divas and Legends”

7.00pm Saturday 16th September Blue Coat School, Terry Rd, Coventry Tickets £11 and £9 Concessions Tickets: 01676 522963

Come and join us on Saturday 30th September Meriden Village Hall 11.00 am until 2.00 pm for home- made cakes, tea and coffee.

You can also take part in the 'Cake Off' if you want to bake a showstopper.

To enter please contact abbie.lou@live.co.uk. £2 per entry.

Great for children and pets to play, No mowing, edging or watering.

Stunning looking lawn 365 days a year

Just relax and enjoy Please phone for more details

0845 388 0800

Visit our website @ www.coventryartificialturf.co.uk

  We wanted to share the amazing opportunity we were given to be involved with the International Milano Hair Show / in Dubrovnik in May 2017

Regular visitors to Fordes on the Green Meriden will know what huge fans we are of the Alfaparf Milano range for beautiful hair, introducing ppd and ammonia free colours and 100% natural shampoos and conditioners. Their choice and vitality is truly stunning and innovative, bringing a uniquely, enriching experience both for stylist and client alike.

So....when invited from a choice of international salons from 12 different countries, to the beautiful Dubrovnik on the stunning Adriatic coast of Croatia....? We didn't have to think twice!

The last night hosted the main event. An exciting, motivating and 'all that glitters' Hair Show, saw 32 models boasting a variety of trend-led cuts and vibrant colours- some that even glow in the dark! Held in the Revelin historic fortress; a perfect backdrop for a mesmerising show. Special guests Paul Stafford, stylist of the year, Mummo Lassera, Rahero Mata and Ana Cala Visnjc were very entertaining with an after-show party (I'd forgotten what 5.00am looked like...)  

      

A wonderful and informative experience we couldn’t wait to share with our clients.

Please see centre colour pages for photos of Louise and Sean’s visit

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      

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  the rest!

You can try 

But we’re the best! 

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  

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Pensions Investments Protection Savings Employee benefits • Inheritance Tax • • • • •

Chartered Financial Planners and Employee Benefit Consultants Jamieson Christie Wealth Management Ltd Regent House 430 – 432 Kenilworth Road Balsall Common CV7 7ER Tel 01676 532 210 www.jamiesonchristie.com Email: mail@jamiesonchristie.com

Jamieson Christie Wealth Management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

 I was recently reading an advertisement for local agricultural shows in Warwickshire villages this summer, the nearest being the popular[[[[[[[Kinwaldsey, Fillongley Show whichson began in 1919 at Coundon butbrother Meriden too wascalled famous in 1840sRichard and 50s William of Gerard (possibly Geoffrey’s elsewhere ‘ Gilmyn’), Hillfor its own Agricultural I thought some mightI be interested to learn more. theSociety Mason, so Nicolas Godyng andreaders many others. imagine them all crowding round listening, all of 700 years ago.

The 4th Earl of Aylesford ought by rights to feature in books on the Agrarian Revolution so significant was his contribution Agutter. but he wasDoreen apparently a shy and retiring man who preferred not to be in the lime light. He did though take a keen interest in promoting improvements on his estates usually with the help and inspiration of skilled estate managers like John Wedge who sent his employer’s innovations for publication by the Board of Agriculture from 1794. They adapted ideas from other estates and regions: Norfolk, Lowland Scotland and Northumberland, implemented by skilled practitioners who came to live in the Meriden area. The centre for such enterprises was the Model Farm built in 1788 on the Heath by the side of the new Enclosure Road we call the Straight Mile and is now the business premises ‘Cogent’. The building is not even mentioned in the latest national gazetteer of Model Farms despite the retention of the distinctively shaped horse gin house.

A new era began in the 1830s with the employment of Robert Evans, father of the author ‘George Eliot’ as the Estate Agent.

Local agents set the tone and were viewed as rural elite. You can make a virtual tour of Meriden and Packington farms by reading his diaries.

The National School built in 1842 and now the Health Centre, housed a library of nearly 400 books on farming concepts and techniques, the new schoolmaster Mr Kimpton acting as librarian and adult education tutor. Lord Aylesford sponsored or perhaps founded Meriden’s Agricultural Society organising an annual ploughing match and hedging competition from February 1844, ‘a bright, very frosty winter’s day on a 25 acre site near Heath Farm’. 21 ploughmen entered the Match, each with a 2 horse plough, the horses working side by side, each man on a ¼ acre plot. The Earl awarded all the competitors 2/6d (22p) in lieu of lost wages and those judged first class ploughmen won a crimson ribbon. The hedge cutters received 2/(20p) in lieu of lost wages, the most skilled won blue ribbons. To conclude the day in style there were competitive sports like football and a free supper also provided by the Earl, of beef and ale in the rick yard at Heath Farm. These events continued to attract attention till the late 1850s. I believe the death of the 5th Earl in 1859 had a profound influence, leading to its closure.

A significant Report in the ‘Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society’ 1856 summed up in glowing terms the results of adopting modern developments on the Aylesford Estate. 200 acres of waterlogged heath land had been drained on the later Race Course, now the North Warwickshire Golf Course; wheat production had been doubled to 32 bushels per acre using the famous four year Norfolk Rotation of crops: winter sown cereals, roots, spring wheat and clover and grasses. The Earl kept 100 fattening Hereford oxen, scores of pigs, 60 Devon dairy cows built up from prize stock since 1840, 14 breeding Ayrshires and was an early owner of a flock of Shropshire sheep: rams, ewes and threaves (between one and two year old ewes). This breed produced profitable wool and meat. Another tradition begun in 1851 was an annual auction of these thoroughbred sheep attracting visitors and buyers from a distance. An advertisement said the sale was within easy access of Hampton in Arden station, presumably for transport of live animals. At the same time the newspapers asserted that the railway had seriously reduced the amount of road transport through the village and affected the livelihood of the innkeepers.

In fact a number of businesses relying on the needs of road transport went bankrupt like the wheelwright, Mr Lea. This was on the other hand a period of expansion and renewal on the Aylesford Estate. Farmsteads, barns and cottages were .rebuilt from 1842 onwards with bricks made at the Estate brick yard on Fillongley Road just beyond Walsh Hall Lane.

Dr Kittermaster’s 1830s drawings show us the extent of the changes that took place, some of which can be seen today. Gone were the C17th half-timbered outbuildings Tile Hill Lane Coventry like those once at Moat House Farm by the church or at Hollyberry End to be replaced by Victorian ones. By the Home Computer Repairs end of C19th, only the Meriden Horticultural Society advertised an annual Flower Show in the grounds of Upgrading & Problem Solving Meriden Hall supported by Mr Digby and then his daughter, Mrs Bankes.

Doreen Agutter

PC Technical Services

Heath farm in 1989 before Cogent Elliot converted it into offices

Telephone 024 7667 4952 07963 850001

Independent personal attention Internet & e-mail Troubleshooting & tuition

Samaritans Purse Please support this wonderful charity by picking up a leaflet from the library or myself and fill a shoebox with wonderful goodies.

Last year from this area 8,000 boxes were sent to various countries.

If you can’t fill a shoebox I will accept donations to help send them.

Thank you for your support Lucy Ball 01676 523502

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Set in the middle of Brueton Park, on the edge of Solihull Town Centre, 5.5 acres of tranquil beauty offering nature themed activities for babies and children, holiday events and Really Wild Birthday parties. Tearoom and shop for refuelling and treats!

 MONDAY NATURE BABIES, lovely relaxed session for age 0-2 years between 10-12, drop-in style format so great flexibility.

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Nature Babies every Monday morning 10- 12

Drop-in format and exclusively at our Parkridge Centre site in Solihull. Wonderful gentle nature themed sensory play, a good chance to meet other parents and make new friends.

Nature Tots every Friday 10:30-12 or 1:30-3

Absolutely perfect for active 2-4 year olds.

Really Wild Parties Very competitive prices, offered every weekend throughout the year for up to 20 children, call 0121 704 0768 for more information or to book.

 All 2017 events now booking online:

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TUESDAY 10:30-11:30 ‘Lovely Leaves’ age 2+ There’s so much fun to have when the leaves start to fall, collect leaves of all shapes, sizes and colours, make them into a natural collage or a big pile to jump in!

Afternoon 12-1pm ‘Autumn Urban Safari’ age 6+ Then 2-3pm FREE FAMILY WATCH (see website) WEDNESDAY 10:30-11:30 ‘Den Building’ age 6+ 12-1 ‘Wild about Bats’ age 6+ THURSDAY 10:30-11:30 ‘Autumn Colour Palette’ age 4+ then at 12-1pm ‘Happy Hedgehogs’ 2+ FRIDAY NATURE TOTS, 10:30-12 or 1:30-3 Halloween Spooks for age 2-4 games, magic potions and learn about the animals brave enough to come out on Halloween! https://www.facebook.com/WKWTParkridge

Meriden shows its support for Merchant Navy Day, 3rd September 2017 You may be wondering why the Red Ensign was flying proudly on Meriden st th Green from the 1 to 4 September! Well it was to support Merchant Navy Day that has been commemorated since 2000. For the last two years Seafarers UK (King George’s Fund for Sailors) have focussed on a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness of our ongoing reliance on seafarers and shipping.

The following is a quote from Admiral The Right Honourable, the Lord West of Spithead GCB DSC PC: rd “While many of you will be aware that the 3 September 1939 marked the outbreak of the Second World War, few are aware that it also marks the first major British maritime casualty - the merchant vessel SS Athenia, torpedoed just a few hours after hostilities were declared, with the loss of 128 passengers and crew. Although many hundreds rd of merchant ships and thousands of seafarers would meet the same fate in the years to come, 3 September is now enshrined as ‘Merchant Navy Day’ to honour the brave men and women who kept our island nation afloat during both World Wars, and even during peacetime faced - and continue to face - the more routine perils of violent storms and mountainous seas.

“The Red Ensign, or ‘Red Duster’ as it is affectionately known, has been the recognised flag of the British Merchant Navy since 1854. It has become inextricably linked with the world-wide trade links that made the United Kingdom’s fortune in the intervening years and, while there are now fewer ships on the home register, many thousands of British seafarers still work on the oceans of the world, underpinning the vast majority of the international commerce that keeps our economy buoyant. By volume, 95% of trade comes by sea; without it, we would surely become an insignificant island off the coast of Europe.

“But the majority of today’s large ports are high security operations, often miles from population centres. Many young people know little of ships and seafarers, and fail to appreciate their absolutely vital contribution to our way of life. In recent years, campaigns such as ‘Seafarers Awareness Week’ have tried to highlight this huge impact, and I strongly believe that a visual demonstration of the debt we all owe to merchant seafarers, past and present, should become an annual feature of our national calendar.” rd

Meriden Parish Council are proud to announce that the Red Ensign will be raised on each and every 3 of September in perpetuity. Your very own Cllr Bob Kipling served in the Merchant Navy for two years. For further information or to make a donation please visit www.merchantnavyfund.org Cllr Paul Lee, Meriden Parish Council

Lavender Hall Lane Berkswell CV7 7BN 01676 530 299 / 07949 119 436 Cafe open to the public from 8.00am – 2.00pm week days and now until 3.30pm Saturday & Sunday Serving hot and cold food Specialising in an all day Breakfast for £4.20!    

Gates open at 7.00am close at dusk

Special offer Coffee & Cake £3.00

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  Come and discover how the beautiful flowing movements of this ancient art can improve your wellbeing. Relax and enjoy simple calming relaxation and meditation techniques.

Mondays 9.30-10.30am Meriden Village Hall Call Jacqui on WARWICK OFFICE BALSALL COMMON OFFICE 61 Coten End 2 Meeting House Lane Warwick CV34 4NU Balsall Common CV7 7FX Tel:01926 499889 Tel 01676 533755 Fax: 01926 499552 Fax 01676 533699 www.macnamaraking.com

07703 345210 …the perfect start to your day!

 Come and Meet Each Other at the Sports Pavilion on the 4th Friday of the month at 2.00 p.m.

In May we were invited to Meriden Primary School for a tea party at the end of Stroke Awareness Week. Mr. Evans and Year 5 were our hosts for the afternoon and gave a short presentation on what they had learned during the week. They told us that stroke is a medical emergency and that if you suspect someone has had a stroke you should act fast and call 999 as prompt action can prevent further damage to the brain and help someone make a full recovery. The Face, Arm, Speech,  can help you recognise the symptoms of a stroke: F – for facial weakness, can the person smile, has Time (FAST) Test their mouth or .eye drooped? A – arm weakness, can the person raise both arms? S – speech problems, can the person speak clearly and understand what you say and finally T – time to call 999. Other symptoms include sudden loss or blurring of  vision, confusion,  severe headache with no apparent cause and dizziness or a sudden fall. We were told that to decrease our chance of a stroke we should stop drinking and smoking, have a healthy diet and exercise.

The pupils then handed out cups of tea and cakes, some of which the children had made. They split up into groups and came to each table to ask if we had any questions. The children were a delight. They were charming, polite and articulate and kept pressing more cups of tea and cake upon us! They were a credit to the school.

In June, we held our 12th “Holiday at Home” but this time in Meriden instead of Berkswell, as in the past. We were once again grateful to HERO for their generous grant which greatly helps to keep down the cost to members. After coffee and biscuits, we enjoyed a quiz on the theme of time, at the end of which a few small prizes were awarded. Gail Di Chiara from the Methodist Church then spoke to us about friendship and what makes a good friend. She said that there is a beautiful trail through the Bible which builds up to the amazing picture of friendship. Book of Exodus “the Lord would speak to Moses face to face as a man speaks to a friend”. Proverbs 17 tells us “a friend loves at all times” and “a person of many companions may come to ruin but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother or sister”. An interesting proverb says “wounds from a friend are better than many kisses from an enemy”. Gail spoke about the New Testament and how Jesus loved his friends who were incredibly important to him. She gave a number of examples including the commandment to love one another. She concluded by saying that Christians feel that friends and fellowship are one of the wonderful aspects of being a Christian. We then helped each other to make friendship bracelets.

After a delicious lunch of fish and chips from the village shop, we were entertained by Dampier’s Round, a folk band who sang and played the violin, harp and guitar. We ended the day with tea and ice cream.

Our July meeting was our traditional strawberries and cream and poems meeting which was enjoyed by all. We had a near capacity attendance of 27 members 14 of which brought favourite poems to share varying in traditional, humorous and personal.

Dulcie was welcomed back after a spell of ill health and absent members, due to ill health were all remembered.

We look forward to welcoming more friends to our meetings so if you need information or a lift please telephone: Joan 523507 or Pam 523372 Forthcoming Meetings:-.

September 22nd – Hayley from Solihull Community Housing.

October 27th – Linda Donavan ‘My Life’s Work’. (In the Village Hall).

November 24th - Hugh MacNeil from Coventry Central Food Bank.

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Minister: Pastor Kevin Hunt (07970 552667) - Sunday Service: 1pm. In Meriden Methodist building.

Greetings from MCF Life Church to everyone reading this article. Well what a strange start to the summer holidays we have had weather wise. We had our holiday in Devon for 10 days in June. The first five days were blighted with wind and heavy rainfall. The last five were beautiful and sunny. We were so thankful to feel the sun on our faces and everywhere looked so much nicer for the latter part.

As a church we have been blessed to have a couple of adult baptisms in the past few months. It is so exciting when individuals make the decision to receive Christ and follow God. In the World at the moment there is so much uncertainty regarding Brexit, new Prime Ministers, cuts in benefits, economic instability etc., I am really pleased that I serve a risen Saviour who fills me with such a peace that as long as I stay close to Him things will all work out okay.

That's not to say I can bury my head in the sand but that I wouldn't upset and disturb myself over things I have no jurisdiction over.

As you will have read in the last Meriden Mag the three churches are involved in a coffee afternoon called 'All Together' at the pavilion in the park the 2nd Friday of each month from 2-4p.m. The one in August will be the first that Kevin and I have managed to get to, so for any of our regular shoppers who used to visit us when we ran the 'Centre' charity shop we would love you to pop in for a catch up and chat and see how your life has changed over the last couple of years.

Also on the first Monday of each month we as local churches in Meriden, Knowle, Barston, Hampton and other surrounding villages have a meeting called 'Heart of England Filling Station' it's for local rural churches to come together and go deeper with God. The meetings are held in the Hampton Manor Hotel in Hampton in Arden which opens its doors at 7p.m. for coffee/tea and cake for a 7.30 start. (If there's a bank holiday Monday, then it's held on the 2nd Monday of that month) The Filling Stations came about when a vision was given to a man called Richard Fothergill who is a member of Holy Trinity Brompton in London. (If you google Filling Station you can listen to Richards testimony of how God gave him the vision and why he started the Filling Station meetings). These meetings are now running all over the UK and abroad.

The Heart of England Filling Station was started when a lady called Jan, one of the owners of the Hampton Manor Hotel felt a calling of God on her life to start the meetings, so after much prayer a team was put together of people from a number of churches in Meriden, Knowle, Hampton and Barston and the 'Heart of England Filling Station' was launched. It has been going for 2 years now and seen some amazing moves of God and answers to prayer. We have an amazing time of Worship and Ministry usually with 80 to 120 people coming to each event. So if you're ever feeling a bit dry why not come and join us. We don't have meetings in August or December so the next one will be Monday 4th September.

The time of our service at MCF Life Church is 1p.m. each Sunday, so if you'd like to join us we'd love to see you. We realise this is a really strange time, but as we hire the Methodist building we have to wait until their service is finished before we can begin ours. Therefore if anybody reading this knows of any other building in Meriden we can hire or use please contact us with details.

We pray you have a blessed summer and lots of fun during the holidays. ''God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.'' (Matthew 5:9) 

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Another Year, Another Decade At the end of a very exciting year the Princial, Jacqueline Hughes-Williams considers how our school renews and changes as we prepare to celebrate our Diamond Jubilee:

The end of term is a time for reflection and evaluation and our thanks go out to everyone who has supported us in so many varied ways. As this academic year closes we not only say goodbye to twelve months but to yet another decade in our history; September sees the start of Heart of England’s Diamond Jubilee. Our school is neither old nor new; its evolving context and culture have inevitably been influenced by what went before and our future depends upon the strength and delivery of our present vision which is committed to building upon the best of the past.

This academic year began with an assembly that was centred on the 2016 Summer Olympics and the concept of achieving not just gold, silver or bronze but striving for, and achieving, personal bests. I quoted R Shama who stated that, “…truly enlightened people never seek to be like others. Rather they seek to be superior to their former selves. Don’t race against others. Race against yourself.” So many members of our school community have embraced this idea and achieved great outcomes on so many fronts.

Reading our web-site news blog (that covers just some of the key events of the past three terms) the richness of our academic and extra-curricular offer shines through. Having become a directly licenced centre for the Duke of Edinburgh Award we have augmented our offer from bronze to silver this year and are planning to deliver gold in 2017/18. We have held both US and UK student elections focusing on the centrality of democracy in parallel with the national and international events. Our students have once again been fortunate enough to visit the Hadron Collider at CERN, helping to inspire our next generation of scientists. Our students have achieved great success in the Maths Challenge, public speaking events and Chef of the Year Awards. We gained 43 medals at the Solihull Borough Swimming Gala, continue from strength to strength in selected sports and have a world champion dancer in year 10! Nick Skelton’s visit was a

High on a Hill...

highlight of the autumn and our students have been fortunate enough to attend workshops held by successful writers as we consolidate our whole school DEAR (Drop Everything and Read) initiative. Music, Art and Drama continue to flourish at Heart of England. Educational visits to galleries, the Cavern in Liverpool, theatre visits, the recent musical tour of Austria, our Chamber Choir performing at Warwick Arts Centre and our sell out school production of The Sound of Music are to name but a few of the exciting events that have punctuated the year and exemplify the concept Shama expresses so clearly.

Our academic focus continues to centre on a broad and balanced curriculum strengthened by an enlightened assessment framework. The futures we create are diverse, spanning routes into work via universities of first choice or other pathways such as apprenticeships. At the heart of our offer is the clear determination to ensure that students stick with what is difficult in order to achieve their personal best.

When we return in September it will be to even further improvements in our physical environment, with detailed plans in place to refurbish classrooms and study facilities in both the main school and sixth form. On a final note, as Heart of England School leaves its fifties behind, it has been another positive year seeing much change and much consolidation, all delivered with characteristic hard work, humour and great kindness. I will sign off with an overheard remark made by one of our students after a House assembly “ …that makes me want to be a better version of me.” Now there’s a student with the courage to race against themselves!

The group of 40 Heart of England students consisted of members of our various school choirs and the trip incorporated three concert performances in Salzburg, St Gilgen and Filzmoos. Audiences included locals and tourists from as far away as the United States.

“We also managed to squeeze in a visit to Werfen Ice Cave, which was quite a trek up a mountain and a trip down Hallein salt mines where we tasted the water with 28% salt content,” said Mrs Henton.

Each travel group donned their bandanas in true Sound of Music fashion to complete a tour around all the locations used in the famous film. “We also skipped down the same path taken by Maria as she sang, ‘I have confidence’ during the film,” said Mrs Henton.

“Our guide was impressed we knew the songs so well!”

Some of our students have been reliving memories of out recent production of The Sound of Music in a visit to Austria this term.

After a morning of lessons, the party set off at 1pm on their 24 hour trek across Europe. Travelling through France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany the group arrived in Austria at 2pm the next day. The performers took the opportunity to sing during the journey to help the hours pass more quickly!

@HoE_School

“A huge thank you also to Balsall Commons Lions,” said Mrs Henton.

“They kindly provided funds to allow some of our students to take part in this experience who otherwise would not have been able to.”

It all sounds like a very harmonious trip, which took place from 7-13 July, with singing at every opportunity. Mrs Henton commented on how brilliant the students were and thanked them all and the staff who went along, for making it such a memorable trip.

www.facebook.com/heartofenglandschool/

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Our August meeting is traditionally a social evening when we enjoyed a light hearted Quiz, strawberries and cream and plenty of chat !

Future programme

th

On Wednesday 10 May we hosted the Annual Group Meeting for the Meriden Group of five neighbouring W.I.s The Rev Paul Sinclair gave us a very lively talk entitled ”Would you be seen dead in a sidecar?” For many years he had been a Pentecostal minister at Willesden Revival Centre in London. Then he decided to change careers and set up a business providing motorcycle hearses for funerals. He now has a fleet of 11 sidecar hearses and says they help to make a funeral more personalised and a celebration of a life. The hearses had often been used at funerals of women who had served as despatch riders in World War 2.

Later in May we provided tea and cakes for the cyclists who had attended the Annual Memorial Service.

At our June meeting Jeremy Thompson came to talk about Antiques. He pointed out that there can often be fluctuations in the market but there is always a call for items of good quality.

June 7th saw the Annual meeting held in Liverpool this year when two resolutions were proposed. The first called for action to tackle the release of micro-plastics into the seas and the second called for the W.I to work with health and social care services to identify and support lonely people. Both resolutions were passed.

In July Molly Murray gave us a very amusing talk on the theme ‘Everybody loves a wedding’ She told us about various mishaps when she had worked as a waitress at wedding receptions – including the time the planned dessert suddenly became apple pie and ice cream after the vat of custard was spilt all over the kitchen floor!

Monday 4th September ‘Mary Quant’s later life’ – Ruth Lowe Monday 2nd October ‘Life with a Guide Dog’ – Louise Monday 6th November – Annual Meeting

Visitors and potential new members always welcome Elizabeth Spencer

  

      

     

email : colinbrown879@yahoo.co.uk

       

     

   

 We are proud to announce that we sent £9,500 to the National Account for the last financial year. Thank you to all who supported us.

We are now planning events and activities for next year.

On Friday 8th September we will be collecting at Sainsburys Coventry.

On Friday 29th September we have our annual “In the Pink” Ladies Night at Strawberry Bank Hotel, who kindly donate the use of the room for free.

Lesley Smith will be arriving as Queen Elizabeth I we already know what a great night we will have.

There will be a sales table with jewellery, cards, candles and Christmas gifts.

Friday 8th December we are holding our Christmas evening at the Heart of England Club who also let us use the room for free. Vivo our very popular, regular live music group will be entertaining us. Tickets will be £10 including nibbles.

The evening will include our extensive Christmas raffle.

We are often asked about Open Gardens in Meriden, which we haven’t run for several years, however we are ready to give it a try if enough people are willing to share their gardens, we will probably hold the event next June (avoiding Wimbledon ) All sizes of garden are very welcome.

In May 2018 we are holding a Bric-Brac and ladies stall – jewellery, scarves handbags etc and will need your goods.

We are always grateful for your support in any way that you can. Mary Warr and Committee

522160 * 522855 * 522986 * 523165 * 522702

        I      

   

Meetings Tuesday 7.30pm at the Manor Hotel, Meriden. Tel; 01676 522735 Rotary Clubs all around the world have just celebrated the beginning of the new Rotary Year. I took over as President on 1st July and am really looking forward to the rest of my twelve months in office!

I was Vice President during the previous year and it has been hectic! I have arranged for our speakers, who come along to The Manor Hotel to talk to us, to fill a packed and varied programme!

While we enjoy our meetings, where we get together to have a meal and a very pleasant social evening, [with lots of laughs!], as you can see from our motto above Rotary is not, and never has been, just a ‘supper club’. No, there is much more to Rotary than that!

We have a range of events and activities planned in Meriden and the surrounding area which I’m sure you will recognise as some of them are becoming traditional: the Megaride, the Santa Fun Run and the evenings in December when Santa comes to ask us to transport him on our sleigh to meet everyone!

But we have other events during the year, for instance make sure you put details of our Car Boot Sale into your diaries: at The Queen’s Head on 9th September, sellers 10.00am and buyers 11.00am, [cars - £5, vans/trailers - £8]. We hope all of the organisations in the area will come along and have a table - or two!

And here is something new that everyone can join in: during this year we have decided to have ‘QUARTERLY COLLECTIONS’ for four local charities and, instead of giving money we are collecting small items and someone from the charity will take them when they come to tell us about the work they do. Any organisation in the area can join in – just collect & then e-mail Meriden Rotary at lynchsmith@hotmail.co.uk to come and pick them up or give your items to any Rotarian to bring along to our meeting. The autumn COLLECTION is The Dog’s Trust out at Honiley and they would like items such as toys and bags of treats to help train the rescue dogs ready for their new homes, please.

Here’s the calendar for all four: th

Dog’s Trust

Aug 7 - Oct 2th

The Haven Coventry Aqua -Box

Nov 7 – Jan 30th Feb 6 – Apr 17th

Troop Aid

May 1 - June19th

th

th

st

th

24 October Speaker Helen Barlow th 30 January Speaker Jaime Richards th 17 April – Speaker Mike Tomlinson th 19 June- Speaker Pam Cooper

If you are interested in working alongside others who support causes locally, nationally and internationally, come along and meet us one Tuesday Rotary President 2017-18

EXTEND provides exercise to music for senior people and for anyone of any age with a disability. Our mission is to promote health, increase mobility and independence, improve strength, co-ordination and balance and to counteract loneliness and isolation.

Come & Join me at Meriden Village Hall and exercise whilst sitting or standing 30th August 2017 2pm – 3pm Every two weeks with tea/coffee and a natter for afters !!

Jay 07983 979 404

Qualified EXTEND fitness instructor

 Quality Hand Car Cleaning Find us off the A45 in Shepherd’s Lane Meriden

Phone 07538 238 005 Open 9.00am -7.00pm 7 days a week      

Prices from £6 wash only £12 -£15 for inside and out including full vacuum and interior windows

20% off all prices when you bring the Meriden Mag with you!

Balsall Common U3A Balsall Common U3A runs activities for people no longer in full time employment. We have over 300 members from Balsall Common, Meriden, and the surrounding areas. The U3A is run by members for members with no paid teachers.

There are no entry qualifications and no exams, and you can join as many or as few groups as you want. Groups run from Big Band to Walking football, to see a full list of the activities we run visit the web site at the address below.

As well as our activities there is a monthly core meeting which includes a talk. Talks for the next three months are: 7th September 5th October 2nd November

.Jane Austen The Dogs Trust Honiley Johnsons Coaches

by Margaret Louise O'Keeffe.

by Helen Barlow

by John Johnson.

Core meetings are held at St. Peters Hall, Holly Lane, Balsall Common and start at 2.00pm.

Prospective members are always welcome to attend.

For more information see our web site www.balsallcommonu3a.org or telephone Jim Melville 01676 534938.

  

         



Steven Russell    

 senzadolcenew@aol.com 07854631284 02476673181 15a Ainsbury Road Coventry CV5 6BA

The Job Squad

www.

TheJobSquad. co.uk

The Job Squad is not just for plumbing, carpentry, electrical repairs and general maintenance! We are available whenever you need a “spare pair of hands”.

Small odd jobs such as assembling flat-pack furniture, hanging pictures and televisions, changing light bulbs in awkward places, finishing that job you started! Our local handymen are always on hand to help. At a time that suits you.

All work guaranteed Fully insured State pensioners discount Minimum one hour

Free estimates Charged in half hour units No call out charge Established 1996

Got a job -  - but not sure who to call? 

01676 532833 01926 803 803 jobs@thejobsquad.co.uk 

email:officehancock.brown@gmail.com www.hancock-brown.co.uk

M.J. Mowing

Bennetts Road North Corley Coventry CV7 8BG

martin@mjmowing.co.uk

Grass Cutting Hedge Cutting Pruning Strimming Weed Control –Pesticide Licensed Leaves Cleared No Job Too Small Competitive Prices - Free Quotes Call Martin 01675 465 204 07922 241 181

01676 540178  

Opening hours Mon-Sat 9.00- 5.00pm Sun 10.00 – 4.00pm

Autumn is for planting …We have a large selection of autumn bedding, perennials and shrubs.

Winter hanging baskets, readymade & to order

JC Garden Care 07710676792 Domestic & Commercial



Hedge cutting, Fence Treatment, Lawn Mowing, Weeding, Strimming, General Grounds Maintenance, : Mulching, Lawn Care, Pruning jcgardenservicesandmaintenance@gmail.com

Email: hayleystanley1@hotmail.co.uk



A child asked his father, "How were people born?" So his father said, "Adam and Eve made babies, then their babies became adults and made babies, and so on." The child then went to his mother, asked her the same question and she told him, "We were monkeys then we evolved to become



 Boiler servicing and repairs Boiler replacements New radiators and valves All plumbing work carried out Fully qualified in Natural gas and LPG • Under floor heating • New Bathrooms • • • • •

01676 523 192 home 07970 119142 mobile email : aguaflameuk@gmail.com Terry Griffiths

Centre of England Arts Annual Art Exhibition 21st/22nd October 10:00am to 4:00pm We run weekly classes for adults in watercolour painting, mixed media, oils, acrylic, pottery and stained glass, and we have lots of one off workshops at the weekends.

For more information on art classes at Centre of England Arts contact Julie on 01676 523357 or see the website www.CoEA.co.uk

Book now for our new children’s classes on Saturdays starting in September

Katie’s Kids Classes.

10:30 to 2:00 for 7-11 year olds 1:00 to 2:30 for 12-16 year olds £50 for five weeks

Teasels with ‘Quink’ Ink and Wax

By Julie Hyde 1. Draw teasels or seed heads out lightly in pencil 2. Using a white candle very carefully add wax to the areas you want to keep white (you can use masking fluid here as well if you want to). Press firmly with the wax and take care on the shapes.

3. Using a small brush, (No. 4 or 6 round or a rigger brush) dip this into the Quink Ink and paint on dots and dashes for the teasel heads and stems.

While the ink is still wet, using a fine water sprayer, lightly spray the paper all over with clean water. This will make the ink start to run. The wetter the paper the further the ink runs. You can stop it running by dabbing with kitchen roll which will leave a paler area of ink but stop it running further. The longer you leave it the further it spreads and the more the ink splits into different shades and becomes more golden.

4. Adding Bleach.

You can add tiny amounts of bleach at this stage which will take out some of the ink but be very carful it can be quite vicious.

Use a tiny brush and a little diluted bleach. Dot this into an area to see what happens. If it’s still wet the bleach will spread and blur, leaving golden areas behind. You can again stop these areas spreading too far by immediately dabbing with kitchen roll. If it’s too dry you will get hard lines.

LEAVE IT ALL TO DRY, but keep and eye on it.

5. When it’s dry you can redefine areas with a little more ink. You can spray these with water again if you wish so that these areas blur as well or leave them dry to be sharper lines.

6. When it’s all dry you can enhance it with a little gold or silver water colour paint on to the dry paper.

At Centre of England Arts we run weekly classes for adults in watercolour painting, mixed media, oils, acrylic, pottery and stained glass, and we have lots of one off workshops at the weekends.

We are also starting children’s classes on Saturdays in September For more information on art classes at Centre of England Arts contact Julie on 01676 523357 or see the website www.CoEA.co.uk Created by Julie Hyde

Email:jph300@hotmail.com

Copyright © 2016

On June 9th 2017 the OVO Energy Women’s Cycle Tour of Britain passed through Meriden Below The annual Cyclists Service Meriden Green Sunday 21st May. Photographs courtesy of Mr Roy Hands

Below the victorious Heart of England Cricket Team

Natasha and Peter Tooze at their wedding 9th June at Nailcote Hall. The weather was perfect and the sun shone at just the right time!

Natasha is a stylist at Fordes on the Green

Images from Louise and Sean Forde’s visit the international Hair Show in Dubrovnik.

Below Firebird Singers at the Rotary Megaride

At the recent Meriden Archery Club Championships, Daniel Bowman won the "best junior gold" of the day and got his hands on a piece of club history. The winning medal with ribbon dates back to 1936 and lists many of the names over the years.

Meriden Archery Club held its own Championships in July where many of the Juniors celebrated success. Well done to all!

Kathryn, Charlotte, Terri-Ann, Matt, Josh and Daniel

Meriden Junior Archers were winners again bringing home the Junior Team Trophy from the County of Warwickshire Archery Association Championships in June. Well done to (L-R) Monty, Josh, Nathan, Paddy and Kathryn. They also won individual U12, U14, and U16 group categories. A very successful day!

1st Meriden Scout Group – News from the Green Hut Beavers The Beavers have had a very busy time over the summer term. They have been on the Warwickshire Scout County Activity Day, which was held at the Heart of England Conference Centre, where they took part in numerous activities including:- Fire Lighting, Backwoods Cooking and Toasting Marshmallows. We also enjoyed getting creative by making Father’s Day medals and wonderful Mud Creations. The Beavers have also been working very hard to earn 4 badges, these badges were the:Adventure Challenge, Hikes Away, Time on the Water and International. The Time on the Water badge involved Bell boating on the canal at the Ackers Activity Centre in Birmingham, lots of fun was had by all.

The end of term finished on a wet note, where the Beavers enjoyed a water fight on the Scout Hut land. They then played Dodge the Water Balloon (rather than Dodge Ball in the hut). The Beaver Scout Leaders Becky, Michelle and Su all hope that the Beavers have a lovely break and look forward to returning to the Beaver Colony in September.

Cub Scouts The Cubs have had a very busy summer term, completing the Badges which were started earlier in the year and also taking part in activities for new Badges.

They have now completed their Pioneer, Our World Challenge, Artist and Navigation parts 1 & 2 Badges. The Athletics Badge was one of the new ones for this term, most of the activities for this took place at the Meriden Sports Park. Cubs learned the importance of warming up and cooling down before and after their activities. The second Badge was for Hobbies. The Cubs had to individually talk about a hobby or interest they have and then show what equipment is needed for that activity. The Cubs then demonstrated to the rest of the Pack how they performed their interest such as card tricks and dance routines.

The Cubs had a trip around the village on a nature hunt and completed the walk with an ice cream and a play in the park.

To end the summer term they had water games at the Scout Hut and got very wet! At the end of the evening the Cubs were presented with their completed Badges, all the Cubs have worked very hard this year.

Finally, the Cubs were taken canoeing at the Ackers Activity Centre where they had the opportunity to experience time on the water playing games and also earning their Time on the Water Badge.

Next Term there will continue to be exciting projects including in September, a joint camp with the Beavers and Scouts Scouts Once again we’ve tried to keep our programme packed full of a wide range of activities since April. In between more traditional Scouting activities of mapping, cooking on fires and knotting, we’ve been working towards the Local Knowledge badge, been on our annual trip to North Wales for some walking, raised money for Shelter Box by sleeping out rough on Meriden Green and attended the Strategy Camp in Cirencester. Here are some of the thoughts on some of these activities from the scouts North Wales May’17: Joel aged 10yrs – Saturday.

We had a bacon sandwich for breakfast, had out kit checked and then my group led by Pete were dropped off in the Mini bus at the bottom of a very big hill. We had to find the footpath, which was difficult, we climbed rocks and steep slopes, and walked an old river, which we got stuck in, and we found a derelict building to shelter from the wind to have a snack. We just kept going up and up. It was hard work but we were all having fun.The views were great; we walked down to the lake and played a little on the big rocks. I really enjoyed the hike it was about 13 km and the views were amazing.

I did have a bit of a mishap, I hurt my ankle and had to be helped down the last 200m of the mountain, it was fun having a fireman’s lift, I was okay by Sunday.

Scarlet aged 13yrs -Sunday.

We went to a lovely place with a river/stream running past the rocky path we were walking on. The landscape was gorgeous! We even found "an old mining cave" it was pitch black, you couldn't even see your hand in front of your face at one point in the cave - also there was a little puddle along the ground.

Later on, after sitting having lunch; a few of us decided to dip ourfeet in the refreshing water or play stepping stones! At one point with a scout called Hannah, I tried to be Tarzan with a thin branch - you can probably guess what happened here - the branch snapped and I slipped into the shallow water! Once we had all had enough we walked down the path and had an ice cream, I had wild cherry flavour! After the delicious ice cream it was the 4 hour trip back to Meriden Shelter Box Jun’17 Hannah aged 11yrs On 23rd June Meriden scouts camped in boxes on the Green to raise money for Shelter Box. At seven o’clock we arrived and started setting up our boxes for the night ahead. We got split into three groups two litter picking teams and a pioneering team. The litter pickers went around Meriden collecting litter with litter-picker sticks and collected loads of rubbish to clean up Meriden. The pioneers stayed at camp and created a revolving gate to show off our scouting skills and finish our pioneering badges. By half past nine we had a soup kitchen and kindly the Chippy gave us lots of chips, pies and sausages so no one was hungry. In addition, the Spar gave us a crate of bottled water. When everyone had finished, we played some games together and then settled down at around eleven o’clock – everyone was asleep at half past eleven except the leaders who stayed awake all night to keep us safe. At seven o’clock most scouts were up and we ate breakfast, which was a sausage and a slice of bread, at eight. We went home at nine o’clock. In total, we raised £1,105 to give to the charity. Thanks to all those who donated and for their support.

Strategy camp Jun ’17 Seren aged 11 yrs 1st Meriden scout troop participated in strategy camp, a camp which tests a scout’s abilities as a team and to show our abilities to other groups. This year we put two groups in to compete, one consisted of the older scouts and the other of the younger scouts. In the end, out of 268 groups our older group came an amazing 60th and the younger group came a mind-blowing 40th! On the day, we did fun, absurd and challenging bases like Frisbee golf, laser clay and climbing to collect points to win prizes. Everyone is super proud of each other and can’t wait till next year to do even better.

We finished the Scout year with a series of wet and messy games using a catapult made by the explorers to fire water bombs. Great fun was had by all. Planning for the new term has yet to begin but it’s sure to be another great year Please contact the Leaders below if you would like to join – Go on, come and meet some new friends, learn something new and have FUN!!

Beavers: Girls and boys aged 6-8 years meet on a Monday at 6.30pm. Contact Becky 07967674308 Cubs: Girls and Boys aged 8-10½ meet on a Thursday at 6.30pm. Contact Malcolm (07967 325520) Scouts: Girls and Boys aged 10½-14 meet on a Tuesday at 7pm. Mark (07801 773352) or 1stMeridenScouts@gmail.com 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

Heart of England High Speed Railway Action Group Rail services to Euston have already been disrupted by HS2, and soon preparatory roadworks will get under way. Junction 4 on the M6 is to be modified, and a roundabout built at the Birmingham Business Park. There's no further news of how the area around the proposed Bickenhill Station will be developed, but it seems likely the car parking will revert to the original multi-storey concept in order to maximise the potential for development.

The promotion of an A45 - A46 link road by Coventry City Council is related to HS2. The bypassing of the City by the proposed railway means it will be one of the big "losers" when the current main-line services are migrated to HS2. While Solihull Council are studying options to put the dual-carriageway somewhere between Balsall Common and Berkswell, Coventry may have eyes on the land acquired for HS2, to soften the local political fall-out if HS2 hits the rocks.

The Bill for the planned "Phase 2a" extension to Crewe has been laid before Parliament. It doesn't seem ideal to kick off more arguments before there's anything to show for the first phase. Political support has dwindled following the Brexit vote, but the current Chancellor remains in post. In the run-up to the recent Election, it was doubtless his enthusiasm that caused him to forget the cost had escalated by £20 billion to £56 billion. Unfortunately for future taxpayers, an informed expert believes the total cost will double again.

The project risks have now been rated "amber/red" in the annual report of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority for the fifth consecutive year, but these top level reports are never published - "to protect the public interest". Given the fraught situation in Westminster, the financial pain may have to build up for another couple of years before hard decisions become unavoidable. Having said that, the saga of London's third runway shows how easily Birmingham's third railway could slip into a protracted limbo.

The cost impact of HS2 is becoming more obvious, and the indications are that public transport will be squeezed as HS2 is counted in that category. First to suffer were the rail electrification projects in the Midlands, Wales and the North, which have been cancelled.

Other news is that more countries are investing in the "Hyperloop" system, under development by the founder of SpaceX and Tesla. The carriages go three times as fast as HS2, within a large low-pressure tube. Compared with our imported high-speed trains, noise levels will be low, and the efficiency and cost will be better. It's expected to enter service 5 years before HS2.

Richard Lloyd Chairman

The Orme School of Dancing Meriden Branch

  Tel: 07715 861067 Psychic Medium and Crystal Vibrational Therapist in Meriden 1-2-1 face-to-face readings, group parties (up to 6 people), email readings Email: jane_1_2_1@hotmail.co.uk Facebook: Jane – Medium and Crystal Vibrational Therapist

Jennifer Faulkner F.I.D.T.A BA.Hons

Methodist Church Hall Classes in Ballet, Tap, Modern Jazz, Gymnastic and Contemporary Dance aged 2 ½ years upwards

Fellowship Teaching Degree Dip A.B.R.S.M

Tel: 02476 467271

www.ormecoventrydance.co.uk

Principal Sandra Clarke F.I.D.T.A (Hons) M.B.B.O. (Hons)

Guitar and Ukulele Tuition Individual or Group Sessions Experienced Adult Education Tutor Eastern Green Contact 07742 288113

Beginners Adult Tap Classes Adult Tap Class at The Orme School, this is especially for beginners Monday evenings at our Meriden Venue 7.15 – 8.00pm Any age, any shape, 2 left feet everyone will be very welcome.

You just need a big smile and a good sense of humour!!!

  Monday Thursday Saturday

10am - 6pm 10am - 6pm 10am - 1pm

Summer Reading Challenge A huge thank you to everyone who participated in our Summer Reading Challenge – Animal Agents.

We hope you had a lot of fun reading your books and doing the various crafts! The closing date is Saturday September 9.

Reading Café – Romance, crime, historical, classics, family sagas, thrillers and so many more; what’s your favourite theme? Drop into the library for our Reading Café and meet other readers for a chat about books, authors, reading or anything else over a coffee.

Monday 18 September 10:30-11:30am Monday 16 October 10:30-11:30am Monday 20 November 10:30-11:30am Story time for the under-fives – Our Story Time session is aimed at pre-school children this session will continue to take place every Monday 2:453:15pm. Please come and join in our lovely group of parents and carers: make friends and enjoy some stories and a craft.

Free internet access Meriden Library has free to use computers and offers: • 2 hours free internet access for library members • Microsoft Office packages • printing facilities (charges apply) • scanners You will need your library card to use a computer.

If you’re not yet a member, joining the library is easy and quick, so ask staff for more details.

Library members can book a computer for up to 2 hours free of charge each day. Sessions can be extended for £1.50 per hour or part of an hour.

Computers are available until 15 minutes before the library closes.

Wi-Fi - Free Wi-Fi access is available at all Solihull libraries. Ask staff for more information. 

   

BOOK REVIEW A Thousand Splendid Suns

By Khaled Hosseini This is a beautifully written story starting with two children, Mariam and Laila that takes place in Afghanistan in the early 70's. The Soviets are in rule and the once tranquil city of Kabul starts to change. Life is carrying on in the best way that it can for its citizens but becomes increasingly unbearable when in the 80's, the Taliban takes over.

Mariam and Laila's aspirations of a University education are stunted, instead they are forced into arranged marriages with the same sadistic man. Their lives are hell but a deep friendship develops between the two young women and they eventually flee to Pakistan. One of them survives and finds happiness, the other suffers a horrid death.

I couldn't put it down. J Jones “Hosseini has that rare thing, a Dickensian knack for storytelling. He excels at writing suspenseful epics filled with compelling character” Daily Telegraph

Readers Circle 13th September.

Our Summer/Holiday read.

11th October.

A book under the heading of Nature Writing

8th November.

A novel by Helen Dunmore.

If any of these appeal, please give Peter Moss a call on 01676 523590 for further information and the venue.

The Midland Charities Association Christmas card shop Is back in Balsall Common library and Allesley Park Community Shop for seven weeks from Monday, October 30th until Saturday December 16th.

The shop operates at all library opening times during that period, i.e.

Monday & Thursday 10-6; Tuesday 10-5; Wednesday closed all day; Friday 2-5; Saturday 10-4 There will be cards from 16 different charities.

For more information,please contact Judith Woodcock 01676 533428 or Pam Brown 01676 532580 In addition, the opening times for the card shop in Allesley Park Community Library, Whitaker Road CV5 9JE are Monday & Thursday 1-7; Tuesday 9-1; Wednesday closed all day, Friday 9-12; Saturday 9-4 We are looking for volunteers to help in 1½ or 2 hour slots on our rota at Allesley Park, so if you can help, we would be very pleased to hear from you.

Please contact Janice Whittlesey 01676 534407

A Message from Caroline Spelman MP As we mark the end of the school summer holidays I hope that readers have enjoyed a pleasant and restful break in the sunshine. For me, the summer recess serves as a valuable opportunity to spend more time in the constituency, meeting with local residents and getting first-hand experience of the day to day issues that we all face at the present time.

It is regrettable that so many different parts of the constituency were affected by unauthorised traveller incursions simultaneously this summer and the way in which this put a significant strain on police and local authority resources. Clearly a change in the law is needed which is why I have already contacted the Communities Secretary, Sajid Javid about this matter and upon my return to Westminster, I will encourage the Government to review powers available to local authorities to tackle the issue of illegal traveller encampments.

Looking to one of the most important announcements to be made by the Government this autumn, I am pleased to be able to tell you that the Education Secretary will shortly publish plans for a new schools funding formula, which alongside the Governments £1.3 billion funding boost, represent a substantial breakthrough in our 20-year fight for a fairer schools funding formula.

As part of this new formula, I am delighted that the Government recently advised a meeting of local head teachers that the new funding model will see our local schools gain an average 3% uplift and that no primary or secondary school will lose out on funds as a result of the changes. In addition to this, it has been confirmed that pupils who travel from other areas to receive their education in Solihull will bring with them the appropriate amount of money their individual characteristics attract - bringing an end to a historic ‘post code lottery’.

Finally, I am pleased to advise that the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport will later this year announce whether our neighbours, the City of Coventry, have succeeded in their bid for the UK city of culture 2021- a bid which I am proud to have supported. Should Coventry be successful in this competition, the city would net £3billion of funding - money which would serve to benefit the whole region by attracting thousands of extra visitors into our region each year.

To contact Caroline or make an appointment for a surgery please contact Katy Steele On 0121 711 7029 or email caroline@carolinespelman.com

Barkers’ Butts RFC

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Pickford Grange Lane Coventry CV5 9AR • • •

11 Mini & Junior age groups from 6-16 years Non-Contact Rugby for girls 11-18 years Under 18 Colts Side

Our facilities are 1st class and all our coaches are RFU Qualified and CRB checked

Contact Scott English 07963 134923

   

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We also have 4 adult sides 1st XV to Vets

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There will be a special welcome to players returning to the game following the 2015 Rugby World Cup

Contact Glen Southwell 07598 980546 New! Beginner’s gentle yoga starts 11thSept.

Mondays 18.30 – 19.25 at Meriden School Hall And Thursdays 11.20-12.15 at Meriden Methodist Church Hall Everyone is welcome to enjoy this relaxed pace class offering simple postures breathing techniques and relaxation. Class fee £5 New class starting Thursday 14th Sept.

18.30 -19.10 at Meriden School Hall Mindful meditation Pranayama (breath control) and relaxation

Kickboxing Fitness Class Meriden Methodist Church Hall Wednesday 6.30 – 7.30pm All ages and abilities welcome

Call Laura on 07803 621818

        Zumba Thursday evenings 6.00pm £4.00 per session

Pilates Thursday evenings 7.00pm £4.00 per session

ZUMBA

'Zumba is a fun Latin inspired dance/exercise class suitable for all levels'

PILATES style conditioning A slower paced class for all over body conditioning to improve muscle tone, strength, balance and flexibility Any queries please contact: Tel. 07828709650

Working together for a safer Autumn Are you one of the 20,000 people who have already signed up to WMNow, our new community messaging system? If you haven’t already logged in then we thought we’d take the opportunity to discuss why it is proving very popular with residents and businesses.

More than 900 members of staff working in teams across the West Midlands Police area have accounts which means whether you’re at home, work or out socialising in Solihull, or further afield, you have community updates at your fingertips.

While we will continue to share messages through this publication, social media, local press and word of mouth, WMNow is now adding an extra opportunity for us to provide direct updates about what’s happening - whether it’s details of incidents, timely crime prevention advice, community events or appeals for information.

Signing up takes less than five minutes, so we’d encourage everyone to visit www.wmnow.co.uk and join today.

Timely updates are essential for keeping our communities safe. This is particularly important at this time of year and as I write my latest message which covers a transition in seasons which each deserve crime prevention tips and guidance.

So please bear with me as I try to cover everything from a September that will hopefully see a prolonged summer, children going back to school, a move into darker nights, Halloween, Bonfire Night as well as the usual burglary and car crime safety advice.

Hopefully you’ve enjoyed the summer. This enjoyment some may have never got round to the jobs they promised to themselves that they’d get done before the summer ended. So if this sounds like you don’t fall prey to rogue traders in your haste.

If you need any building work done get several written quotes from reputable firms and then decide which one is best. If in doubt talk it through with a neighbour or someone in your family.

Don’t let unexpected callers to your door pressurise you into having work completed that may not even need carrying out.

Don’t forget if you think someone is acting suspiciously then please call us on 101. Dial 999 if you think a crime is in progress.

While on the subject of home security please do not underestimate the difference that making sure you lock doors and windows can make when leaving your home, regardless of how long you will be away for.

Some simple advice goes for your car as well. Lock doors, shut windows and remove all valuables from display. I won’t upset you all by reminding how many days there are until Christmas, but it is well worth getting into a good habit of removing all valuables from display if you’ll be venturing out on shopping trips in coming weeks.

As we focus on upcoming events it seems important to focus on Halloween, a time that can also see an increase in anti-social behaviour or residents feeling anxious or worried.

As ever I’d like to ask parents, grandparents and young people for their help with this topic.

Please remind young people to be mindful of how their behaviour could affect other people. Equally if the young people have any concerns about the safety of themselves or their peers please remind them we are always here to help and offer them advice. The idea of unaccompanied children knocking on a stranger’s door is not one that we should condone as part of the events.

All trick or treaters should be encouraged to plan their route in advance, ensuring their family know where they are, and ideally be accompanied by a trusted adult. As with any other day of the years we’d advise caution around strangers -and for people to never go inside a house.

We’ll be working with local businesses to make sure that young people are not able to buy eggs and flours in bulk. We’ll also be visiting shops that sell fireworks to ensure they are also working within the law.

I don’t want you to bombard you with too many thoughts about the future or wish the year away. So I will end with how I started and an invite to join WMNow. That way you won’t have to wait another three months to hear my advice again…which I hope some will see as a good thing!

Don’t forget to get in touch with myself or the team if there is anything affecting you, your family or your neighbourhood. Have a great Autumn!

Thank you Sergeant Mick Lloyd

CAT MINDER

   

        

  •   •   •   •    If you are interested in this service please contact me

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and I will come and meet you and your cat/s.

Reference available, security checked/fully insured.

Meriden Tree Of Thought.

Yet again, another year has absolutely flown by and I have started preparations for this year's Tree. At the time of writing (25th July) I have received very kind donations from DeMulder Enterprises and Pertemps. Lee Butterworth has offered the services of Dovetail to install The Tree and then remove in January. I have to say that I am much relieved and grateful for this. Please mark your calendars and diaries for Friday 1st December, which is the date for the dedication. As ever, this will be at 4 pm on The Green. Do come along and support the children of our Meriden School. The Manor Hotel will again, very generously, be there with mulled wine and hot chocolate, the proceeds of which will be given to The Meriden Tree of Thought. Of necessity, I will be looking for volunteers to set up the equipment and take down afterwards. Please let me know if you are able to help. On the subject of help, there are many people who are to be acknowledged for Funday Sunday. These are, in no particular order, Chris and Candice( AMS ), Tom Beaty, Carol Todd, Alex Maclure, Tina Harris, Annette Smith, Della, Tina Say with Hayley, Nick and John (Lloyds Chemist), Vanessa Walker, Lis Willis, Mel Lee, Vikki Davison, Cynthia Campion, , Jayne Cockerill (Heart of England Conference Centre), Meriden Scouts with Gerry and Joan Russell, St. Laurence Church, Flick Blewitt with the W I, Alan Smith, Chris and Rachel Barr (assisted by Roman), Chris O'Gorman, Paul Lee, Stuart Bonnar, Colin Brown, Peter Moss, John Moorhouse, Clive Jones , Keith and Judith Summerfield, Gary & James Olsen, Danuta Morley (SMBC) and Meriden Parish Council . Along with others I have mentioned above who baked cakes, Juici Luci's Cupcakes donated 4 dozen of her famous cupcakes for the Cake stall. As they always do, The Nijjer family (Spar Shop) gave every penny they took, on the barbecue, to Meriden Tree of Thought. My sincere thanks go to everyone mentioned as they do to those of you who donated prizes for the Tombola and the businesses who provided such excellent prizes for The Meriden Midsummer Draw. I so hope I haven't forgotten to include anyone!! The weather wasn't as kind as it might have been but I couldn't fail to be impressed by the number of you who came along and entered into the spirit of the day. You all played your part in achieving £ 1,450 on the day which brings the amount raised, since I founded The Tree, to****£ 52,815.****.

The Manor Hotel is, again very generously, holding The Senior's Christmas Lunch on Monday 11th December. The number of places this year is limited to 120 as there have been some major changes made with the creation of The Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill. By the time you read this, I can assure you that I will have made every effort to give everyone an equal opportunity to book their place. I fully realize that there will be many disappointed people but it cannot, practically, be avoided. I have made it clear that there is to be No one from outside Meriden and Millisons Wood !! Sadly, previously there have been people, who do not qualify at the lunch, including those who are not over 65. This is totally unfair on those who do qualify. There will be a maximum of two people per address to avoid people not entering into the intended spirit of the extremely kind gesture on the part of The Manor. I'm sure this will be seen as the reasonable way to proceed. Again, A BIG THANK YOU to all who support what I do. Alan Lole

With so many different pear trees available, it can be confusing which is the right for you. As a result, it is worth considering the following: Site: Pears need more warmth and sunlight than apples to fruit well. They also flower earlier so are more at risk from spring frosts. Provide a warm, south- or west-facing, sheltered site in your garden for the best results.

Garden size: If size is no restriction, choose a half-standard tree, but they are too large for the average garden. Where size is an issue, consider a bush, spindlebush, pyramid or cordon. These all can be grown in a small space, or even in a pot.

Alternatively, train pears as espaliers or fans flat against a sunny wall or fence.

Dessert (eating) or culinary (cooking): Pear cultivars are either dessert or culinary, although some are dual-purpose.

Storage: Harvest early-season pears while still under-ripe (early August). Picked fruit ripens quickly. Mid-season pears ripen in September and should be harvested while immature in late-August.

The majority of pears are late-season and should be harvested in mid- to late September when the first windfalls appear. Treat very late pears the same as very late apples, leaving them on the tree until the forecast of hard frost. These ripen in storage.

Pear and Ginger Cake 200g butter softened 175 g sugar 175g Self raising flour 3 tsp ground ginger 3 eggs beaten 450g dessert pears peeled, cored and thinly sliced I tbsp soft brown sugar

A weekday supper of Pork and Pears Enough for 2 2 pork chops 2 tbsps oil 2 large garlic cloves crushed flat 2 pears peeled and cut into eighths A wine glass of dry white wine 75 ml stock

Lightly grease and line the base of a deep 20.5 cm cake tin Using a whisk combine 175g of the butter with the sugar, flour ginger and eggs and mix to form a smooth consistency.

Spoon into the cake tin and level the surface Place the pears over the cake mixture and sprinkle with the brown sugar and dot with the remaining butter Bake in a preheated oven at 180degreesC/ 350 degrees F/ gas mark 4 for 50 minutes to1 hour This cake can be served warm with ice cream or cream if you prefer.

Season the chops with salt and pepper, heat the oil in a frying pan and add the crushed garlic, Fry the chops on both sides to seal them and add the pears.

Cook for about 10 minutes until tender and slightly browned Place the chops on warmed plates, pour most of the fat away and add the wine and the stock and reduce by half.

Pour over the chops.

Creamy mashed potatoes and green beans are a good accompaniment to this dish

Fillongley Show Sunday 13th August A fine warm day brought plenty of visitors to the 93rd Fillongley Annual Show, on Sunday 13th August, with many attractions to wander round, from livestock and poultry classes, vintage vehicles, horticultural tent, artisan crafts, kids’ zone, dog show and numerous equestrian events to name only some. A favourite part of the day is meeting friends, browsing the many trade stands, and being tempted by the aromas from the catering stalls. For the crowd relaxing around the Main Ring the most popular display seemed to be the breathtaking, heart stopping feats of the BMX bike stunt riders the “Savage Skills”. The YFC Panto Horse Championships, and of course, the Grand Parade, each drew a big audience. In the Horticultural Tent, gardeners from Meriden Odd Fellow Allotments had won several prize cards, including second place in the home Garden Competition, judged in June.

Meriden Rovers Football Club We are looking for new players to join the team in preparation for the next season of the Central Warwickshire Youth Football League.

Your child must be in the new Year 7 or year 8 (age 11/13)

www.petstay.net 07940 146 063

charlotte@petstay.net 01789 608 021

If your child would like to come along to our training session and meet the coach/team, please

contact Malcolm Eggar on 07967 325520 or Kim Blackman on 07853 237158.

Heart of England Cricket Club

   Meriden Play Group “Where Friends are made”

With only 3 games to go in the Warwickshire Saturday League the team are top of the table with a lead of 64 points which has guaranteed them promotion to Division 7 and with only 5 points needed, the championship is well within reach .

The Tuesday T20 team beat Peugeot in the T20 cup final at the start of August and are currently mid-table in the league.

The Sunday Xl has been a great platform this season for the younger players to gain experience against tough opposition.

It has been another successful season for the club and a great team effort from all of the players.

See centre page for the photo

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For private or commercial use Meriden Methodist Church Hall Every Tuesday during Term Time 10am-12 Join us for a fun playtime with your child, where you can make new friends, do crafts, play with different toys, sing songs and enjoy a healthy snack (and a cup of tea or coffee.) £2 for one child + 50p for each additional child.

Call Sharon Corrigan 07811 588504, or Vanessa Florey 07876 301620 for more information

Local or National delivery or collections Vans and drop side vehicle available

Please call Peter 07768350933

Peterj.ellis6@gmail.com



 The public and press are cordially invited to all parish council meetings at 7.30pm. An opportunity will be given for the public to speak. Look out for the agenda and venue which is posted on the parish notice boards and our website www.meridenparishcouncil.org.uk prior to the meeting.

Should you wish to contact the Parish Council, please contact the Clerk or drop into the Parish Council office on Monday mornings where you may access information or have a private chat with the Clerk to address local community issues.

Barbara Bland The Pavilion Meriden Sports Park Main Road Meriden CV7 7SP

The next Parish Council meeting dates are: • 18 September 2017 - The Pavilion • 16 October 2017 - The Pavilion • 20 November 2107 – The Pavilion Community Surgeries 11am-12pm: • Monday 11 September 2017 – Meriden Library • Monday 09 October 2017 – The Pavilion • Monday 06 November 2017 – Meriden Library Police Beat Surgeries at the Library 11am-12pm: • Thursday 21 September 2017 • Thursday 26 October 2017 • Thursday 23 November 2017

Tel: 01676 522474 (Mondays) Mobile: 07767 162423 Email: barbarablandmpc@btconnect.com Web: www.meridenparishcouncil.org.uk

Your Parish Councillors are:

Rosie Weaver BEM (Chair)

Frances Lynch-Smith (Vice-Chair)

Bob Kipling

Melanie Lee

Paul Lee

Mandy Haque

Jon Barber

Matthew Nunn

Meriden’s Neighbourhood Plan - update Following the residents’ survey in the summer of 2016, we have now surveyed Meriden businesses, the results of which can be viewed on our website. The next stage is to draft the pre-submission version of our Neighbourhood Plan

by November 2017 which will go to consultation throughout December and January. Feedback from the consultation will determine the submission version which will go to the public examiner in the spring of 2018. If you would like to get involved, the steering group meets monthly at the Pavilion from 7.15pm. Next meeting dates are 14 September, 12 October and 16 November 2017.

Our new look website We have a new look website which we hope you find is easy to navigate and covers all relevant news for our parish.

You can find us still at www.meridenparishcouncil.org.uk and on Facebook at Meriden Parish Council.

The Parish Council would like to thank Bruce Brant who nominated Meriden to trial wildflower planting and Solihull Rangers who prepared the banking and sowed the seeds to provide a splendid vista for residents and visitors to enjoy as they enter the village from Birmingham Road. Hopefully more to come next year as part of Bloom 2018.

Taxi Bus - 89 bus - Ring & Ride update There are no plans to withdraw the “blue bus” from September.

The patronage on Service 89 has continued to drop away since the timetable changed earlier in the year. TfWM are concerned about this as it will affect the longer term viability of the service and seems to suggest it is not meeting the expectations of the travelling public. TfWM would really appreciate your views on whether going back to the old timetable with the “blue bus” continuing to do what it does now would be acceptable. It seemed that before the change people were using the bus to get to work and school, because of the consistent timetable, but since then this seems to have been lost. TfWM believe the timetable should be changed back; please email your comments to barbarablandmpc@btconnect.com or leave your comments in the Library addressed to Mrs P Mills. TfWM have given their assurance that any timetable change will be subject to comments from all those Service 89 users.

Cllr Nunn sent Meriden’s petition to Mayor Andy Street of West Midlands Combined Authority with an endorsement from the Parish Council. A letter acknowledging receipt and advising that the correspondence has been passed to TfWM section of the Combined Authority for review under TfWM’s Petitions Protocol. There was a detailed investigation with stakeholders and consideration by elected Members of the Transport Delivery Committee at the th Lead Member Meeting on the 19 July 2017. The Parish Council await the outcome.

School bus service from Millison’s Wood to Meriden C of E Primary School Despite a parents’ petition and both the Chair of Governors and the Chair of Meriden Parish Council talking at SMBC’s CPH Children, Education and Skills Decision Session, the decision was made to axe the school bus for a saving of £21k. The repairing of potholes, pavement improvements and cutting back of vegetation on an increased maintenance programme to enable a safer walking route to school may cost in excess of this saving…

Traffic Calming The Parish Council met with Ashley Prior, SMBC’s Head of Highways, for the purpose of discussing a traffic management plan, traffic calming strategy and shared space concept to assist with speeding traffic, inconsiderate parking, pedestrian footpath obstructions, hatching and all day parking on Main Road, pedestrian crossing Fillongley Road, Meriden School parking and speed limits on all Meriden gateways. It was a positive discussion and walkabout to all hotspots. A follow up meeting will be held in September with a presentation at the next Parish Council meeting th being 18 September 2017.

Meriden Pool Further to a recent meeting with SMBC, confirmation for an ‘in kind’ contribution and through internal services, they will lead on the delivery of the following actions from Meriden Pool management plan with the following proposed spring bulb planting, proposed natural and intuitive play space, proposed seating, proposed proactive tree works and technical advice and support. Chris Edgell, Public Realm Manager, will be the officer leading for SMBC. The Parish Council in partnership with SMBC will be making an application to Suez (previously SITA Trust) for an environmental grant to improve the Pool as part of the ongoing Pool Management programme. There will be a display in the library of what will be done when the action plan is firmed up.

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       Hampers can be   ordered and  delivered   countrywide.  Contact  01676 534148 

On all Vertical, Metal Venetians & Roller blinds

CALL US ON 01676 523642 For a friendly, free no obligation quote

Visit www.meridenblinds.co.uk All prices quoted include measuring, fitting & vat. *terms and conditions apply

unit

 You may recall the images that have been on our TV screens, social media and in the newspapers; images of row upon row of War Graves. Watching the commemoration service from Tyne Cot Cemetery on the 100th Anniversary of the start of Passchendaele we are reminded as to how special cemeteries are. It doesn’t matter whether they are the grand public cemeteries like the War Cemeteries, local council cemeteries or churchyards, they are places full of memories yet they are also places full of life and hope. They each hold a special place in our hearts.

In particular churchyards are very special places; places of remembrance, of family associations and continuity, of heritage, of natural beauty, and also of wildlife conservation. They are uniquely important in several ways none more so than ours here in Meriden. We hope you feel as we do that we are blessed by our churchyard here, rich in all these ways, a place of peace and space and fine open views.

A churchyard is also, importantly, a sacred space. Whatever your personal beliefs or faith may be the churchyard has a spiritual value. It is a spiritual place; not only because it is a living part of the church that it physically surrounds but because it is a place where we can reflect, perhaps pray or just be still and quiet for a precious moment or two in our busy lives.

People visit St Laurence churchyard for many reasons. They may be passers-by walking the Coventry Way, or just out for a stroll, or pausing a moment on the benches overlooking our village. Or they may have come to show their love and respect to loved ones who are buried there, to remember them, to grieve in their own way and to find comfort. When we visit to express our love for those who have died, to tend their grave or memorial, or perhaps just to be there with them for a moment, then we are rediscovering each time the meaning of our lives – that is to say LOVE. If God is love, which we as Christians believe to be true, then through these simple, faithful acts of love we are learning again and again about love – and therefore we are learning about God too, however conscious we are of that. Many people have commented on the tranquillity of the churchyard, perched high above the village, off the beaten track, away from the sound of traffic on the A45. It is a place away from the ordinariness of daily life, and all its joys and struggles, a place of rest and refreshment; a place to step out of the ‘rat race’ back into a different time and place. When we step back from our busyness we can become aware of the beauty, the wildlife and natural peace of this place, enjoying our surroundings while we are there, being aware of God’s creation in all its chaos and beauty. This is why it is important for us all to play a part on behalf of each other in looking after the churchyard, keeping it decent and dignified, to protect and enhance the experience for us all.

The Friends of Meriden Churchyard, made up of church members and villagers, voluntarily and unpaid give their time and skills to try to maintain the churchyard as best they can, with a little help from paid-for grass cutting. They, along with the churchwardens and clergy, are involved in many tasks including but not limited to: * Maintenance of grass, plants, hedges and trees (and the removal of any rubbish/cuttings). * Recording and maintenance of graves and headstones – and responding to enquiries on these. * Responding to enquiries and requests about new burials and interments (Who can be buried in the churchyard?) * Publishing and administering the rules of the churchyard as advised by the Diocese of Coventry.

All this work is dedicated to keeping the churchyard as a peaceful, respectful and dignified place. There is a balance to be struck. The churchyard is a place of outstanding natural beauty. A recent survey found more than 80 different species of wildflower, some of them only found in places with just the right growing environment. We want the churchyard to appear cared for and this can manifest itself in different guises. We choose to leave some areas to grow, thus allowing wildflowers to seed and wildlife to flourish. Sometimes the weather doesn’t permit jobs to be started, or completed. The church stands in a conservation area and as such there are additional rules and regulations that can mean a delay from becoming aware of a job, to the right permissions being sought and then finally the job being completed. This is the case with each and every one of our trees. Though it may not look as neat and tidy as some public cemeteries, it is managed, cared for and loved by many.

Friends of Meriden Churchyard

We trust that you too can appreciate the Special place that is St Laurence churchyard.

meet at the Church at 10:00am on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month to do some gardening and other maintenance in the Churchyard for a couple of hours, and also to share coffee, cake and conversation.

For more details please contact Pat & Peter Wright on 01676 522414

The Big Curry & Quiz Night at the Village Hall

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                                                                                    

        With 40 themed lesson plans, you and your baby will discover a magical underwater world, explore a tropical jungle, journey into Space and have fun at our Baby Olympics!  

 

   I was concerned to see a Council map showing Fillongley Road Bridge marked for closure in September 2017 (for 9 months) but was not aware of any local consultation. A phone call to Solihull Council reveals that the closure is now likely to be from January 2018 or later with consultation starting around September 2017.

Solihull Council will outline plans to divert HGV’s etc. ‘several miles back before the bridge’ to prevent lorries (etc.) using local lanes. The Council will also need our input to outline sensible alternative plans for local road users. If you would like to know more please write to David Hanger (dhanger@solihull.gov.uk) and ask to be kept on an email circulation list or receive a link to Solihull Council website updates David McGrath

Nick Hone: A true gentlemen from Meriden to Mevagissey My friend Mrs NickDutton Hone was someone who made a real difference in a wonderful life which was sadly cut too short recently by a heart attack (aged 66). His passing was so sudden that we can Rosemarie scarcely believe that he is gone from this world Nick was born in Solihull and was a skilled, passionate and inspirational educator in a career spanning over 35 years. He joined Sharmans Cross School as a Geography teacher and (following its closure in 1986) joined Lode Heath School becoming Head of Geography (with pastoral duties) He had two spiritual homes: Meriden, where he had lived since 1977 with the one great love of his life (Gill, married 41 years) but also Mevagisssy where he spent much of his boyhood at his Nick savouring parents hotel and restaurant overlooking Mevagissey Harbour success as president Family life was always a major preoccupation for Nick speaking often with pride and of St Austell FC admiration for Gill, ‘the boys’ (Tom and Matt) super daughter in law (Jen) and grandson Jake Nick developed a lifelong passion for Cornish football team St Austell FC and spent the last 4 seasons of his life as their president making regular journeys to their games and working on his epic statistical history of the club. Nick was also a lifelong fan of Wolves - a reflection of his shared allegiance to the West Midlands During a 9 year retirement where things were 'just perfect' he and Gill (also a former teacher) continued to enjoy their passion for far flung travel but - during 3 stressful years for our village - played a crucial part in the Meriden RAID campaign putting in countless protest camp shifts to stand up for our precious green belt. A familiar figure at the camp in his beloved 'Wolves jacket' Nick (with Gill) gave media interviews and travelled with the campaign bus to Westminster, Strasbourg, Brussels, Birmingham High Court, Solihull Council and to many local planning appeals to 'have their say' for Meriden. Always polite, eminently sensible, softly spoken but firm he was a model of tenacity for us all to follow After the campaign was won we were proud to remain firm friends. We will always be grateful to have shared a small part in the life of a true gentleman - now missed by many. He is survived by Gill, Tom, Mat Jen and little Jake From David McGrath Former Chair of Meriden RAID

Elizabeth Emily Dutton (nee Southern) Emily was born on 21st October1919 to Sargeant Matthew and Minnie Southern, they lived in Tory Row Cottages next to the Meriden Pool. Her father died in the Second World War when Emily was 21 years old.

She lived with her mother until her marriage on September 5th 1953. She married Charles Dutton at St Laurence church in Meriden.

Betty worked as a secretary to three directors at the Singer Car Factory and they lived at 177 Fillongley Road in a bungalow near the A45 bridge and had a daughter Elizabeth on 22nd January 1956.

Her beloved Jack became ill with cancer and when he recovered they decided to build a second bungalow in the grounds and they enjoyed living there until Jack died on July 5th 1990. Betty lived in the bungalow until her eyesight deteriorated , she left in 1999 to live with her daughter at 9, Charnwood Drive, Hartshill Nuneaton until she became very ill and went to the Haven Nursing Home in Keresley where she died on 29th March 2017, she was 97 years old.

We all miss her very much; she was Mom, Grandma and Great Grandma.

Rosemarie Pearl Silvester (nee Dyer) 10th January 1944- 3rd April 2017 The family sincerely thank all relatives, friends, former colleagues and neighbours for their kind thoughts, cards, flowers, charitable donations and attendance at the funeral following their very sad loss of Pearl, their very dearly loved sister, auntie and great auntie who will be so greatly missed.

Special thanks to Canon John Eardley for his very personal and caring service.

Ron Jackson 22nd June1925 - 22nd June 2017 died peacefully in his sleep at home in Fordingbridge. He made many friends in Meriden and was loved by all who knew him. The Funeral Service took place on July 11th at 1.00pm at St. Mary's Church Fordingbridge. Joan now lives at Allenbrook Nursing Home, Fordingbridge. He was a wonderful Husband and Father to David and Angela.

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                      In June 2017 we lost a total of 66 Doctors Appointments and 85    Nurse Appointments This equates to 16 hours of wasted Doctor Time and 17 hours of The surgery wheelchair was wasted Nurse Time lent to a patient who has not  If you are unable to attend your appointment please help the surgery returned it to the surgery.  reduce wasted appointments by cancelling your appointment This has meant that we are unable to loan it out You can cancel your appointment by using the following methods; to other patients  for one off occasions, but also By telephoning Balsall Common Surgery 01676935000 or we no longer have the support in the surgery for  Meriden Surgery 01676 522706 unwell patients who visit the surgery and need By secure email to solccg.bccancelappointments @nhs.net support to getfrom the carpark to the waiting By Fax to 01676 292005 room and to a consulting room. Face to Face at Reception Can I please ask that the wheelchair be returned In Writing to the surgery as soon as possible. It is easily recognised as the material was a bright green Via our website www.balsallcommongrouppractice.co.uk tartan design. If it is a problem returning the using the on line services or by sending the practice a message via wheelchair to the surgery please telephone me the website   Hope 01676 536833 Joanne Please give other patients the opportunity to use your appointment if you cannot attend       Residents in Meriden can  head to the local library for a For more information good read and life-saving care please ring  Janet on thanks to West Midlands 02476 460081  Ambulance Service. or Cynthia In July 2016 a community public 02476 440316 

Coventry Breathe Easy

A support group for all those  affected by a lung condition, including friends, family and carers. Meets on the 2nd Friday of every month. 2 – 4 pm, Eadon Hall, Central Hall, Methodist Church Warwick Lane, Coventry, CV1 2HA, except in the winter months when we meet for a coffee at Conroy’s Friday 8th September – Jane Scullion Respiratory nurse consultant-‘medications’ Friday 13th October -Christine Evans – BLF Singing Coach- singing for fun and to help your breathing Friday 10th November - This will be the start of the three winter meetings held at Conroy’s Coffee House.

access defibrillator was donated to Meriden to further increase the number of life-saving devices in public places in the borough.

The defibrillator, which can help restart the heart of someone in cardiac arrest, isn’t just there for the benefit of the library – it’s available for anyone in the local community in the event of such a medical emergency.

This is the first community defibrillator in Meriden to be publicly accessible round-the-clock and is housed in a cabinet kindly donated by a local resident.

Community First Responders from Fastaid Solihull have trained locals in basic first aid and how to use the defibrillator.

Andy Jeynes, the Trust’s Community Response Manager for Birmingham and Solihull, said: “Having a defibrillator in the village is a big thing for locals in Meriden and whilst the library isn’t necessarily an obvious place to come to for medical help, it’s in the heart of the community and easily accessible

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  • MULTIWALL POLYCARBONATE SHEETS • GLAZING BARS & ACCESSORIES • DECORATIVE WALL CLADDING & SHOWER PANELS • UPVC FASCIA, SOFFITS, SKIRTING & ARCHITRAVE • CORRUGATED PVC, GRP & POLYCARBONATE

ROOFING SHEETS • GUTTERING & DOWNPIPES - SQUARE & ROUND • CUT TO SIZE ACRYLIC & POLYCARBONATE SHEETS • DECORATIVE COVING & CORNICE • HYGIENIC WALL & CEILING LININGS • DYNOTILE - CLIP TOGETHER GARAGE FLOORING

  

Birmingham Road

Tel: 01676 522224 Opening hours – Mon-Fri 8am-5pm Sat Morning 9am -12pm



Men and Women welcome Open late nights Monthly offers available Dual treatment room Gift vouchers available Friendly, welcoming environment

WWW.ROCKWELL- MERIDEN.CO.UK

blitz Beauty Salon Telephone 01676 521100

Over 65 special Tuesday 25% off any treatment Also complimentary tea & biscuits

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              

Monday closed, Tuesday 10-5, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday 10-8, Saturday & Sunday 10-4

For more details or to go on our mailing list - Telephone 01676 521100 wwwblitzbeautycoventry.co.uk Join us on Facebook & Twitter

Did You Know Your Will Can Protect Your Assets for Future Generations?

Having worked hard to build personal wealth, most of us would like to pass this on to our children or loved ones.

However, ‘life happens’ and the estate can be diminished, perhaps by Inheritance Tax, Remarriage of a Surviving Partner, Family Fall Outs or having to Pay For Care. You may also have beneficiaries who are Vulnerable. If they receive an inheritance this may impact on their entitlement to means tested benefits and leave them in control of their own funds when this may not be in their best interests. Alternatively, your children may have done very well for themselves and receiving your estate may make their own Inheritance Tax position worse.

Planning in your Will can be preferable to making gifts in your lifetime where Care Home fees are concerned. Whilst not always the case, Lifetime Gifts can easily be caught by the Deprivation of Assets rules which enable a Local Authority to Ignore the Gift when carrying out a means test for care payments.

A well thought out Will can ensure the beneficiaries are adequately catered for but the estate protected or ‘ring fenced’ to provide many benefits such as: • The value of the deceased’s assets not being considered to Pay For The Care of the surviving beneficiary.

• The beneficiary’s right to occupy the home and benefit from any income of the estate is secure and they can still move to a new house.

• The surviving beneficiary can’t disinherit the ultimate beneficiaries or redirect the assets by making gifts or changing their will. This protects those you want to inherit the estate once the main beneficiary has died. This can be particularly useful if either or both parties have children from former relationships.

Additional flexibility can also be built in to ensure • Vulnerable beneficiaries have their fund ‘looked after on their behalf’ and their entitlement to benefits not affected • Wealthy beneficiaries can be given the best Inheritance Tax Planning opportunities whilst still benefitting from their inheritance.

• The entitlement of beneficiaries going through difficult times such as financial or marital problems can be protected.

• Beneficiaries who are just ‘not good with money’ can be provided for but protected at the same time.

• Best use can be made of all Inheritance Tax Allowances.

I also advise on planning for Long Term Care and Inheritance Tax during lifetime but your Will is certainly the best place to start. For further information please contact Caroline Bates Solicitor on 01676 523002 or caroline@davdisonmahon.co.uk

Caroline Bates, local solicitor Specialising in Wills, Power of Attorney, Trusts, Deceased’s Estates.

Court of protection and inheritance Tax/ Asset Protection planning.

With 20 years’ experience in the field at big law firms I am now able to concentrate on the local area providing a more bespoke service in a friendly and approachable manner.

Please contact me on 01788 833344 or 07734 383509 and be assured of

• Quality advice • Value for money • Free home visits • Evening/weekend appointments I am a consultant solicitor with Davidson Mahon Solicitors a niche practice specialising in Private Client service.

Email: caroline@davidsonmahon.co.uk www.davidsonmahon.co.uk

ARE YOU IN NEED OF SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE IN FINDING THE RIGHT CARE SOLUTION FOR YOU OR A LOVED ONE?

Well look no further.

Senior Care Support Services are here to help, guide and support you with what can be an extremely difficult, stressful and emotional time.

As a local senior care specialist, with many years’ experience working with the elderly and frail, support, advice and guidance is offered in finding the right care home, albeit residential, nursing or dementia care, or domiciliary care in the home for you or a loved one.

Why not speak, in confidence, with a ‘real’ person with years of experience of ‘the care system’ to help you through this minefield.

Telephone Geraldine Davies on 01564 743067 or email: info@seniorcaresupport.co.uk

 Two tales of two (small) cities Someone has been fixing up the fence around the old Sloper place, on the Chamberlain Highway about halfway between Meriden and New Britain, Connecticut. And therein lies a story.

William T. “Skirts” Sloper survived the sinking of the Titanic, you see. And although so did 56 other male passengers in first class, somehow a rumor arose that he had dressed up as a woman in order to secure a seat in one of the lifeboats. In truth, some of the first-class lifeboats were launched half-empty, so the story may have been started by a spiteful reporter (after Mr. Sloper had reached New York, aboard the Carpathia, he refused to talk to the ravening newsmen). And it probably didn’t help that Mr. Sloper, who was 28 at the time, was described in the newspapers as “highly strung,” “restless and sickly,” or that he was returning from “a three-month restorative holiday in Egypt.”

At any rate, the shameful moniker would dog him for the rest of his life. As local lore has it, building the fence — a very tall, wooden stockade — around his house was Mr. Sloper’s reaction to his perhaps undeserved infamy, a defense against prying eyes. `m.

True or not, I have no idea — but that’s the thing about lore.

It seems that the present owners of the house want to maintain the fence for historical authenticity, bearing in mind the Titanic story, and that a previous owner even had cypress boards specially milled in Florida to repair it. And so, the fence stands to this day.

As for the Chamberlain Highway, the “highway” part is a reach; it’s not much more than a two-lane road that links Meriden and New Britain, with no stop signs in between. But it, too, comes with a story.

The road is named for Abiram Chamberlain (1837-1911), who started out as a bank clerk in New Britain and eventually became president of the Home National Bank in Meriden, then a city councilor, then the state comptroller, and eventually the governor. He signed the bill creating the state police, in 1903, because the General Assembly figured local police weren’t cracking down sufficiently on prostitution, gambling and (horrors!) bars that opened on Sundays. The good governor was said to come “from the best New England stock.”

Abiram had a brother, Valentine B. Chamberlain (1833-1893), a prominent judge and bank president, later the state treasurer, and also “descended on both sides from sturdy colonial stock,” as an obituary in the Connecticut State Library has it. Both brothers served with the Connecticut Volunteers during the War of Rebellion, but Valentine was captured and spent “nearly two years of loathsome captivity in rebel prisons.”

For me this was a revelation because, back in my school days, I had always thought it inexplicably cruel of the parents of my schoolmate, Valentine B. Chamberlain, to have saddled him with such a name. (Much better than “Skirts,” of course. But still.) As I recall, we always called him “V.B.,” out of something like pity. Now I know the rest of the story: He is, of course, the direct descendant of that distinguished personage and Civil War prisoner.

Anyway, after the war the brothers came home and settled down, Abiram in Meriden and Valentine in New Britain, and it is said that they remained close for life, visiting every Sunday. Much later (in the 1930s), the road linking those two places (which must have been the same road they had used for all that visiting) was named the Chamberlain Highway, in honor of the governor — although it has also been said that it was named for both brothers.

True or not, I have no idea — but that’s the thing about lore.

Reach Glenn Richter at grichter@record –journal.com William T “Skirts” Sloper – the Titanic survivor

Abiram Chamberlain – who rests eternally in Meriden

   For MOT, service, tyres & exhausts call:

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Courtesy car, collection & delivery options call Brendan McManus direct on: 07958 518924

We service, repair and care for your vehicle

BERKSWELL & DISTRICT HISTORY GROUP 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 & research projects.

Meetings are held at Berkswell Reading Room at 7.45pm for 8.00 pm start unless otherwise stated

There is no meeting in September Wednesday, 11th October “Sons of the Empire.”

A presentation by Sheila Woolf.

A schoolmistresses story of three family deaths – a brother, a son, a grandson.

One died at the hands of ‘Whirling Dervishes’ in Sudan, one as a Mountie in Alberta and one in Iraq post-WW1.

The talk reflects the spirit of the age when much of the world map was coloured pink.

Wednesday 8th November “The Christmas Truce” A presentation by Andrew Hamilton.

The Christmas Truce in WW1 is well documented.

Andrew adds a personal perspective by using the memoirs of his grandfather who was personally involved.

For our latest news visit the website: www.berkswell-history.org or telephone 01676 535782

Meeting Fees: Members £2, Non-Members £3.

Refreshments included. Annual Membership £5.

Local Bookkeeper With 25 years’ experience is looking to take on new clients in the area.

“Let me take the stress away by completing your  VAT/CIS/ Self-Assessment Tax returns  Wages /PAYE  Auto Enrolment Pension

Leaving you to concentrate on your business.”

Please call Fran to discuss your needs

07940 700284              

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Further Information 01676 522274

Village Diary DATE

EVENT

VENUE

TIME

CONTACT

4th Sept 8th Sept 9th Sept 11th Sept 11th Sept 13th Sept 16th Sept 17th Sept 18th Sept 18th Sept 18th Sept 21st Sept 22nd Sept 24th Sept 27th Sept 29th Sept

WI Churches all together cafe Car boot sale Story time for under 5s weekly Community Surgery Reader’s Circle Firebirds Concert Teddy Bears Picnic Reading Cafe Flower Club Parish Council Meeting Police Beat Surgery CAMEO Harvest Festival Methodist Supper Club “In the Pink”

Village Hall Pavilion Queen’s Head Library Library

7.30pm 2.00-4.00pm 10.00 &11.00am 2.45-3.15 pm 11.00am-12 noon 7.30pm 7.00pm 4.00pm 10.30-11.30am 7.30pm 7.30pm 11.00am-12noon 2.00pm 10.30am 7.00pm

Flick Blewitt 523229 Lynda Lilley 522825 lynchsmith@hot mail.co.uk 522717 Barbara Bland 522474 Peter Moss 523590 Val Martin 522963 Lynda Lilley 522825 522717 Mo Reynolds 521457 Barbara Bland 522474 Sgt Michael Lloyd 101 Pam 523372 Rev Jane Braund 533737 Rev Jane Braund 533737 Mary Warr 522160

30th Sept 30th Sept 2nd Oct 9 th Oct 11th Oct

Macmillan Coffee morning Big Picture Show WI Community Surgery Readers Circle

13th Oct

Churches all together cafe

14th Oct

Bluecoat School St Laurence Church Library Village Hall Sports Pavilion Library Sports Pavilion Methodist Church Methodist Church Strawberry Bank Hotel Village Hall Village Hall Village Hall Sports Pavilion

11.00am-2.00pm 7.30pm 7.30pm 11.00am-12 noon 7.30pm

Chris Copper 522645 Flick Blewitt 523229 Barbara Bland 522474 Peter Moss 523590

Pavilion

2.00-4.00pm

Lynda Lilley 522825

Big Curry and Quiz night

Village Hall

7.00pm

Mel Lee 521186

16th Oct

Flower Club

Village Hall

7.30pm

Mo Reynolds 521457

16th Oct

Reading Cafe

Library

10.30-12 noon

522717

16th Oct

Parish Council Meeting

Sports Pavilion

7.30pm

Barbara Bland 522474

21st/22nd 21st /22nd 26th Oct 27th Oct 28th Oct 29th Oct 30th Oct to Dec 16th 1st Nov 3rd Nov 5th Nov 6thNov 6th Nov

Arts and Crafts Exhibition COEA Art Exhibition Police Beat Surgery CAMEO Big Picture Show British summer time ends Charity Christmas Card shop opens Meriden Mag deadline Methodist Supper Club Bereavement Service Community Surgery WI annual meeting

Fentham Hall Patricks Farm Barns Library Village Hall Village Hall

10am-5pm 10.00-4.00pm 11.00am-12noon 2.00pm 7.30pm

Julie Hyde 523357 Sgt Michael Lloyd 101 Pam 523372 Chris Copper 522645

8th Nov

Readers Circle

9th Nov 9th Nov 10th Nov 12thNov 20th Nov 20th Nov

Supper Club Coffee Morning Churches all together cafe Remembrance Service Reading Cafe Flower Club

20th Nov 23rdNov 24th Nov 25th Nov 1st Dec

Balsall Common Library Methodist Church St Laurence Church Library Village Hall

Judith 533428

7.00pm 4.00 pm 10.00am-12 noon 7.30pm

Rev Jane Braund 533737 Lynda Lilley 522825 Barbara Bland 522474 Flick Blewitt 523229

7.30pm

Peter Moss 523590

Methodist Church Packington Hall Pavilion St Laurence Church Library Village Hall

7.00pm 10.30am-12noon 2.00-4.00pm 10.30am 10.30-12 noon 7.30pm

Rev Jane Braund 533737 Lynda Lilley 522825 Lynda Lilley 522825 522717 Mo Reynolds 521457

Parish Council Meeting Police Beat Surgery CAMEO

Sports pavilion Library Sports Pavilion

7.30pm 11.00am-12noon 2.00pm

Barbara Bland 522474 Sgt Michael Lloyd 101 Pam 523372

Big Picture Show Tree of Thought

Village Hall Village Green

7.30pm 4.00pm

Chris Copper 522645 Alan 522138

   

On the afternoon of Sunday 10th September The Birmingham Savoyards will be performing “The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan” at Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens. Gilbert and Sullivan’s collaboration brought us many well-known comic operettas such as The Mikado, Pirates of Penzance and The Gondoliers. This concert will tell the story of their highly successful, if often stormy, partnership, using songs from all 14 of their operas. The selection offers something for everyone – from old familiar favourites to seldom-heard surprises. The open air performance starts at 3.00 and tickets cost £8 (£15 for a joint ticket for 2 people). Further details are available by emailing Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens or ringing 0121 749 4100 or visiting the Castle Bromwich Hall website

For three days during autumn, Solihull town centre will showcase the ultimate food and drink festival.

Highlights include appearances from much-loved celebrity chefs the Hairy Bikers and CBeebies ‘I Can Cook’ star Katy Ashworth, and the innovative BIG Ale trail, complete with designer mini pint glasses offering visitors the chance to sample the finest swigs from local breweries.

With 65 food stalls and bars; a live demo kitchen; cocktail masterclasses; Kids’ Bake-off, Mr Bubble, donkey rides and dance workshops, this event is not to be missed!

For more information visit www.solihullbid.co.uk

Coventry's Heritage Open Days will be taking place on Thursday 7th to Sunday 10th September.

Heritage Open Days was established in 1994 as England's contribution to European Heritage Days. This event now incorporates 39 countries across Europe, all proudly showing off their history and wide range of cultures and architecture. This allows FREE access to participating venues that are not normally open to the public or would normally charge an entrance fee.

Coventry has over 50 venues open to visitors ranging from BBC Coventry and Warwickshire to a canal boat. Further information can be obtained from the council’s website or a leaflet from Coventry library. The council are also running bus tours.

One location is the Coventry Freemen's Guild St, Mary's Guildhall it is open from 10 am to 4pm on the Saturday and Sunday The City of Coventry Freemen's Guild wa re-formed in 1946 with the assistance of the City of London Freemen's Guild.

However the original Guild was formed in the 14th century but was disbanded by Henry VIII. The Freemen's Guild Room occupies a chamber at the north end of the Medieval undercroft beneath St Mary's Guildhall.

This atmospheric room with some interesting carvings, dates from the 15th century when a row of shops on the site was demolished to make way for an extension to the Guildhall's Great Hall and undercroft.

     

John Bentick Chairman of the Firebird Singers presents a cheque for £3500 to Lisa Courtney of the Alzheimer’s Society

 

   Bickenhill Public Waste Disposal Site Opening Hours Summer 1st April- 31st October Monday-Friday (except Tues) 9.30am -5.00pm Tuesday 9.30am – 6.30pm Saturday and Sunday 8.30am- 4.00pm Winter 1 November - 31 March Monday to Friday (except Tuesday) - 9.30am to 4.00pm Tuesday - 9.30am to 5.30pm Saturday and Sunday - 8.30am to 4.00pm Last admission 15 minutes before closing time

Useful Village Contact numbers Meriden Primary School Meriden Library Meriden Surgery Lloyds Chemist St. Laurence Church Meriden Methodist Church MCF Life Church Meriden Parish Council Methodist Hall bookings Solihull M B C Solihull District Councillors

Mrs L. Winkler

Rev Lynda Lilley Rev. Jane Braund Pstr. Kevin & Lyn Hunt Barbara Bland (Mondays only) Alan Gabbitas

Meriden Scout Group Post Office Rural Police Sector

Ken Allsopp David Bell Tony Dicicco Gerry Russell Sue Harper Sgt Mick LLoyd

Meriden Village Hall bookings

Valerie Martin

     

01676 522488 01676 522717 01676 522252 01676 522722 01676 522825 01676 533737 07970552667 01676 522474 01676 522148 0121 704 6000 01676 522301 01676 248651 07780 438290 01676 522666 01676 522230 101 New nonemergency no.

01676 522963

11th November Remembrance Day 12th November Remembrance Sunday 14th November Birthday of the Prince of Wales 20th November Her Majesty’s Wedding Day           

      

    